“You don’t really think so, do you? I mean…How’s that possible?”
“All these freaky things going on lately…Amber…honestly. There was a time when I would have never entertained thinking a lot of things possible.”
“Uh-huh. You have my attention.”
“And I hope I’m way off base here and dead wrong. But as much as I want to be close to you this evening…had really hoped,” he smiled timidly, “that we could get more intimate…I just don’t think it a good idea now. Maybe not even a safe one…Even if it is just Mother Nature taking her frustrations out on us,” he said, smiling with a slight quirk of his mouth but looking unsure.
He couldn’t be more sincere. She almost felt sorry for him and found herself agreeing. Something really weird was happening. “I’m not sure I understand all of this…but I do concur. Something’s really off kilter tonight.”
“What do you say we drink our beers down, watch a little television and call it a night? Maybe things will be more in our favor the next time. And…there’s that big tree limb. I need to get my chain saw and bring it out and cut it up for you.”
“You’re just too good to me,” she said, meaning it. She felt she didn’t deserve it from him. He’d been there for her right from the start, ever since the day they met.
“Amber,” he said, eyes delving into hers, “I like you more than a lot. And I think you know it.”
She smiled with her eyes. “And I like you too, Paul.”
Here we go again! Dorian thought.
They didn’t kiss this time. Instead, they picked up their beers, returned to the living room where Star was splayed out on the love seat. Paul shook his head and laughed heartily.
“What the hell!” Amber chuckled and sat down on the floor in front of the love seat. Paul joined her. They watched television the rest of the evening, and Paul left a little after eleven, much to Dorian’s satisfaction.
After a quick shower, Amber went to bed; Star across the foot. She quickly fell asleep and slept sound for a while and then began dreaming. Dorian’s handsome face was suddenly there. She let out a little gasp unawares, lost in eyes so clear that it was like looking into two pools of pure blue crystal. Sparks twinkled from the surface of those pools and leapt from his soul to hers. The profound desire she saw in them took her breath away. He slowly raised a hand and caressed her cheek ever so gently, the stroke of an angel.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead with the softest lips imaginable. “My sweet Amber,” he said in his musical voice, looking lovingly down to her. “I am the one for you. I am the one who loves you more than all the rest. Then he ever so tenderly brought his warm lips down on hers. She couldn’t help but respond. Never had she felt such need to be with someone. She ached to be with him, not wanting him to ever let her go.
And then he was gone!
She sat up in bed, startled. “God! I was dreaming!” Her fingers went to her lips. “His kiss…It was so real!” She tossed her covers back, and it was then that she saw the raven on her bedroom windowsill looking in. “You some kind of weirdo, bird?” she said. She had no way of knowing that it was Dorian. He’d been watching her the whole time she’d been asleep, the source of her passionate dream.
In the kitchen, she poured herself a glass of milk and made herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, hoping it would relax her so she could go back to sleep. She sat down at her table and Star plopped down beside her on the floor. “I do not understand this,” she said to Star as though he might understand. “I like Paul…a lot! And he likes me! If it hadn’t been for all the weird things going on when he was here, we would have made love…So, why did I dream such a passionate dream about Dorian? I hardly know the man.”
She bit into her sandwich, still feeling much of the fervor she had in the dream, still reeling from the almost overwhelming sense of love.
She drank down half her milk and placed the glass on the table. “Got to admit, though – he is the most beautiful man I ever laid eyes on.”
Star looked up at her and cocked his head, woofed and laid his head back down between his paws.
“I know…Paul is damn good-looking, too! He’s kind…thoughtful…generous. And there’s that fatherly air about him. I feel so safe with him…so comfortable. But Dorian – Hell! I’ve never really spent any time with him, except for the times he’s come to my rescue. Yet, when he looks at me and those sparks start jumping out from those gorgeous eyes, I feel like I’m gonna melt right then and there. Shit!”
Star looked up at her again and sniffed.
“Think I’m crazy, don’t you?” she said, finishing off her sandwich. “I know one thing…Not going to tell Paul about my dreams of Dorian. Not going to tell a soul…other than you of course. But we know you won’t tell. Thing I’m afraid of though…is how am I going to react when I do run into Dorian again? I know I’m going to feel self-conscious after such a passionate dream…and I’m not forgetting the first one, either. This was my second dream of him. Must be something in my subconscious…don’t know how else to explain it.”
Done with her milk and sandwich, she stood, placed her plate and empty glass in the sink and headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. When she returned to her bedroom, the raven was gone.
When Amber arose the next morning she was determined to push all thoughts of her dreams of Dorian out of her mind. She and Paul had something going…something good. She didn’t want to blow it. Besides, there was something else about Dorian, something other than the passion he stirred in her…And though he had literally saved her life and rescued her dog, there was something dark and mysterious about him. In reality, it frightened her.
She fed Star and poured herself coffee and sat down to her table. That was it! She decided.
With Paul, she felt safe, secure and comfortable. But the way Dorian made her feel was something entirely different.
Besides, he’d never shown any real interest in her anyway, not the way Paul had. “I should forget Dorian!” she said aloud to her dog. Then she jumped, nearly falling out of her chair from a knock on her back door. She couldn’t believe it when she turned around.
Dorian!
“Speak of the devil…” she breathed.
He had a cup in his hand and was wearing an unreadable smile behind the glass.
I didn’t frighten you, did I?” he asked in his smooth voice as she opened the door to him. “I saw you through the glass. Jumped out of your seat.”
“Just a little,” she admitted, feeling silly. “I wasn’t expecting anyone.”
He held up the cup. “I’m out of coffee…meant to get some… but totally forgot it when I went to the store. Was wondering if you could loan me enough to make a pot…until I get to the store?”
“Oh! Sure.” She stepped aside. “Come on in and I’ll get it for you.” She noticed an ever so slight change in his expression, but she couldn’t decipher it.
“Thank you,” he said and stepped inside, glancing around.
Star padded over to him immediately as though he was a long lost friend. Dorian ruffled the dog’s ears.
“I have coffee already made…Would you like to join me? But I will still give you enough for a pot when you go home.”
“I would love to join you,” he said, smiling strangely and petting Star.
“Go ahead and take a seat…I’ll get your coffee.”
He nodded appreciatively and sat down. Star dropped at his feet and sprawled out.
“Sweetener and creamer already there. If you want it?” she said, placing the steaming mug of coffee in front of him. “And here’s a spoon.”
“Thank you,” he said, eyes sparkling as though they held some wonderful secret.
She realized she was weak in the knees. What’s he doing to me?
He dropped in a packet of sweetener and stirred his coffee. He sat the spoon aside and took a sip, staring at her with those clear, sharp eyes over the rim.
She thought she was going to t
urn to jelly right in front of him. She quickly sat down, eyes trailing nervously to her dog.
“You okay?” he inquired. “You seem…jumpy.”
“I just had kind of a weird night. I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to apologize for.” He held his gaze on her for several seconds. “I don’t make you uncomfortable, do I? If I do…I can leave.”
“Oh! No!” she lied, not about to admit it. And she didn’t want to seem rude. “You don’t need to leave.”
He flashed a disarming smile. “Good! The last thing I want is to make you uncomfortable. After all, we are neighbors. We might need to call on one another from time to time.”
“Seems like you’ve already done some really big favors for me.”
He responded with a mere squint that just about did her in and took another sip of his coffee.
Oh God! I am going to melt! She picked up her coffee mug with both hands, hoping he wouldn’t notice how badly they were shaking. Then his hand was suddenly on her wrist. She slowly looked up into those amazing eyes.
“It’s okay, Amber…” he said, as though he fully understood what she was experiencing. “It’s okay.”
She managed a nod and to drink down some of her coffee, trying to understand what was happening. What was this she was feeling? And why was she feeling it? There was something powerful about him, an aura, something she’d never encountered before meeting him.
“I won’t hurt you! I won’t ever hurt you!”
She knew it was a strange thing for him to say…Yet, it
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