Before I could even get the word out of my mouth, he was already under the sheets and pulling me gently into his embrace.
My mind settled as we both found each other on the plains of our subconscious minds. He wanted to steer our dreams toward our future, showing me his ideas for our wedding. However, my mind wanted to push toward learning more about Hannah and Aaron. Gregory’s mind was much stronger, wanting to soothe my dreams; so I allowed happy thoughts and visions of various wedding attire to drift through my mind and finally found peace enough to sleep in his arms.
I could hear his alarm clock being turned off and a gentle kiss placed upon my cheek. I cracked my eyes enough to see him beside me. “I need to get ready for work, my lovely. Go back to sleep and know I will watch over you.”
My mind drifted back to the edges of my dreams, where I found myself fantasizing about different wedding venues. We were limited on options, since Ray had insisted we push up the wedding date and keep it a secret. Our parents would know, but extended relatives and Gregory’s siblings would not find out until the last minute, once the wedding had started.
The one venue that seemed ideal was Gregory’s parents’ house. Their manicured garden, overlooking a scenic lake, seemed an ideal setting. I just wondered how they would like the idea. Lorraine, his mom, wanted to do either a country club event or rent a ballroom at a luxury hotel. My mom had no specific opinion, as long as we were both happy. As for Gregory and I, we just want to be together and have all this talk of dark spirits over with. I envisioned taking our vows at the edges of the lake, at sunset, with the sky awash with color.
I realized I was losing control of my thoughts when a cloud of darkness began to creep along the ground and circle at my feet. The ominous voice of the witch could be heard through the shadows. “You did not heed my warning to not seek him out. The prophecy must not come to pass. You escaped my punishment once; but you will NOT escape it, again! Life as you know it will forever be changed.” I wondered why she didn’t make an appearance this time.
The shadows began to swirl around me faster, until I saw myself seated at a table with a single hand-dipped candle wearing a gown and petticoat, my hair coming loose from under my white, fabric cap. I nervously unfolded a wax-sealed letter, hand delivered by a courier. The note read:
Tears rolled from my eyes as I read and re-read Rebecca’s note, feeling the love Hannah had for her Aaron. But, who is this Rebecca? I needed to find out.
I watched as the note began to glow with red and orange hues before bursting into flames. I yelled out as the flames licked my hands. Someone held tight to my shoulders. “Jordan, you need to wake up. Come on, wake up, NOW!”
My eyes flew open and were met by Gregory’s, his hair dripping wet and only a towel covering the lower half of his body. I could easily get used to waking up to him like this. His eyes were frantic as he grabbed for my hands, ripping the damp towel off himself and wrapping my hands with it. I stared mesmerized and embarrassed by his nudity, when I suddenly felt the burning left from the note. Keep calm and focus on your hands, Jordan. You’re going to be married to this man soon.
“I’m glad I got to you when I did. Your hands were literally smoking.” His breathing was erratic and his face full of fear. He pulled the corner of the spread over himself for covering, before he helped me shift in bed until I was leaning back against the headboard. He sat beside me on the edge of the bed and slowly began unwrapping the towel to take a look at my hands. He muttered to himself, “I can’t wait to get my hands on that witch.”
I watched as my hands turned red and blistered before my eyes. It always shocked me at how much power the dark spirits had when I was dreaming, alone. This time they caused second degree burns, but I had my own special type of healing; Gregory’s kisses. He bent down, touching his lips to my hands, and I watched as the burns began to recede until my skin was back to normal. All signs of the “attack” were non-existent.
Gregory’s hand came up to caress my face, while his lips slipped in a gentle caress over mine. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it in time to prevent this.” His voice was full of pain and sorrow.
I reached up and pulled him closer, deepening his kiss. “You can’t watch me every minute of the day. Your family and work need you.”
He leaned in, working his lips down my neck, as his arms reached encircle me, drawing me closer to him. “I know. But, my universe revolves around you. You are my life and my existence, Jordan; and if fate will allow it, my soon-to-be wife.”
I knew our time was precious and this conversation was getting too deep for my tastes, so I opted to change the subject. “Do you think we could call your mom and dad, tonight?”
He pulled his head back and looked quizzically at me. “Sure, but why?”
“Before my dreams took a turn for the worse, I had a vision of where we should get married; but we would need their approval. It would be a perfect setting, in a controlled environment and we could have only our closest friends and family.” I smiled.
“Okay, you have me at a loss…where are you thinking? You know it doesn’t matter where I marry you; only that I do.”
“I know. I was thinking of where you proposed. We could easily pass it off as an Engagement Party at your parents’ house and then, surprise, have a wedding instead.”
A smile spread quickly across his face. “That’s perfect. I love it, Jordan!” He glanced over to the clock, before giving me a quick kiss. “I need to get moving or I’ll be late to work.”
I watched as he got up and headed toward the bathroom, admiring the sculpted muscles of his chest and backside. “I don’t want you going back to sleep, unless I can watch over you. I’ll do my best to get home at a decent time, even if it means bringing some of my work home with me.”
“Yes, sir.” I offered up with a full salute and a smile.
A lot happened over the course of the next week. We talked with Gregory’s parents and, of course, Lorraine and Douglas were beyond thrilled with our choice of venue. Lorraine insisted, “When you are healed enough to travel, we need to get both you and your mother down to our house for a couple of weekends to start shopping for your wedding dress and plan the details of the wedding. I still don’t understand why we can’t just call it a wedding, instead of an Engagement Party.”
Gregory took care of running interference. “Jordan and I are already getting a lot of flak from how quickly our relationship has developed, both within the family and from our co-workers. We would get even more if everyone knew we’d moved up the date. It is our desire to let people believe we are going along with the original plans and that you will be hosting an Engagement Party for us, right down to a party environment.” He laughed a moment. “I can just see the stunned looks on everyone’s faces, now.”
Thankfully, my mom was more agreeable to our plans and seemed to understand there was an underlying reason for the way we were handling things. She was excited about the idea of seeing where the Worthington’s lived and had already bought me several bridal magazines to go through and see if a specific dress style caught my attention. Sadly, it would be a while before I could actually try on dresses, with a cast still on one arm and my ribs creating an inability to ‘suck it in’, in order to get it zipped in the back.
Gregory was true to his word about watching over me, calling several times during the day to check and make sure I was resting, but not sleeping. He came home early in the evening, but had to bring some work with him. He always stayed close and watched me like a hawk, when I slept.
When our dreams encroached, he would always try steering them away from Hannah and Aaron. After a while, I finally had to put my foot down. “You need to let our dreams proceed forward, so we can get to know things about Hannah and Aaron.” He was about to open his mouth to argue when I put my hand up to indicate I wasn’t finished. “I know Ray insisted I take time to heal. However, there is no reason why we can’t dream and gather more information on them. As it is, we only know their fi
rst names, that they look like us, and it is sometime during the Colonial Period. How are we going to solve this mystery, when you won’t even let it begin? We can’t get married until we know what we are dealing with and who’s out to hurt us. If we don’t solve this soon, we may have to push back the wedding.”
He sighed deeply. “You’re right, Jordan. I know we have limited information and a small window to get this next mystery solved. But, look how easily the dark spirits get to you when you dream. I don’t know how many close calls I can take. I almost lost you once!”
“Yes, but when we are dreaming together, we are at our strongest. The burns happened only because I fell asleep without you. If you notice, that’s when they attack.”
Gregory joined me in bed, lifting up on his elbow so he could face me. “I concede. I know you have been having more dreams of Hannah than I have of Aaron. Are there any pertinent clues to what we are looking for?”
I nodded. “The day my hands burned, I was holding a note that someone named Rebecca had written to Hannah. It warned her against getting to know Aaron and that his family would never accept her. She stated it would be best to break the relationship off, because she feared for our lives.”
He was not happy by the revelation. I watched his brow furrow, knowing we were probably going to find more chaos on our next journey. “Was there anything else written? Any other clues?”
I had to close my eyes for a moment and try to visualize the note in my hands. My eyes sprang open as I remembered. “There was a date! July 20, 1775.”
He took in a deep breath, “Well, Ray was right on with the gift of a three cornered hat and a neckerchief, then. Plus, our visions of being attired in Revolutionary wear.” He paused for a moment. “I can’t believe we may have existed during the War of Independence.”
“I know. I don’t want to believe it, either, but the glimpse of the prophecy stated we were born throughout periods of time.” A sudden realization hit me. “I wonder if we knew anyone famous, like Benjamin Franklin.”
He laughed. “That is a possibility. I’m going to ask my mom if we can trace our lineage back to that time period. Maybe your mom and your Uncle Henry could help with that, as well. I’ll also ask if my mom can take a look at the items we received to authenticate them, like she did with our Victorian items, since she works with the history center.”
I started to yawn. “I think that sounds wonderful. But, for now, we need our sleep.”
Gregory turned the light off, by the bedside, and drew me up against his side, before giving me a gentle kiss upon the lips. I missed the kisses we had before the accident; the ones filled with a burning passion. Ever since then, he has acted as though I were fragile, like a porcelain doll. I needed that intense connection to help heal my mind, as well as my soul. So I reached up, grabbing hold of his t-shirt with my good arm, and kept him from moving away as my teeth skimmed his lower lip.
“Jordan, I…” That’s as far as I let him get, before sliding my tongue briefly into his mouth. He twisted in bed to make deeper contact with my lips, as his hands reached into my hair, holding my head steady.
Several minutes passed before he finally broke off the kiss, leaving both of us gasping for air. When he found his voice, he asked, “I didn’t hurt you did I?”
I shook my head, unable to respond, literally having had my breath taken away from me. A smile formed on my face, letting him know I was fine.
“I’ve been afraid to kiss you like that because I like to feel you pressed up against me and I know you’re still hurting,” he admitted.
“Only my ribs still hurt. If I get uncomfortable, I’ll tell you. But, you should know that I’ve missed you. I need you.”
A smile spread across his face as he leaned down and starting placing kisses all over my neck and shoulders, before finally settling on my lips. “I’ve missed you, too. I promise to show you just how much, from here on out.”
We continued kissing for some time before finally falling asleep in each other’s arms. This time, Gregory didn’t fight my dreams.
I watched as saltbox style homes, dirt and cobblestone streets, and people started appearing before us. I could feel Gregory’s arms tighten around me as I watched a couple off to the side, kissing around the corner of a building.
The couple kept looking up to see if anyone was coming before stealing a kiss here and there. A woman in a green cape appeared and boldly walked up to the couple. “Aaron? Is that you?” When the gentleman stepped back from the young lady, we knew we had found who we were looking for, as they were the mirror images of ourselves, only with longer hairstyles and colonial attire.
Aaron’s tone was spiteful. “What is it you want, Rebecca?” He reached over to Hannah and tucked her safely behind him.
I couldn’t see Rebecca’s face, but saw a few tendrils of her fiery red hair escape her cap. “I am ashamed to say I am related to you, even if just by marriage to my brother, Nicholas. It is a disgrace to the family for you to be kissing a harlot out in broad daylight.”
Aaron’s hands fisted at his side, trying to contain his anger toward his sister in-law. “Hold your tongue, devil woman! Be sure that I will speak to my brother about your mouth, tonight. Need I remind you, that you were no more than a scullery maid, when my brother fell for you?”
You could tell this upset Rebecca, as she turned quickly and marched away, yelling behind, “You would do wise to contain your actions to private quarters. What would your father say of this? A barrister’s son sneaking kisses in dark corners?”
We watched as she disappeared, leaving Hannah crying and upset. Aaron reached around, pulling Hannah into his arms, at the same time Gregory pulled me snugly against his chest.
Suddenly, I was looking up at Aaron, through Hannah’s eyes. He was a sight to behold with his hazel eyes and long golden brown hair pulled back with a strip of leather.
“My darling, do not listen to that witch woman. Rebecca loves being the center of attention in our family and leaving bedlam to follow. She knows I have fallen for you and want you to become my wife.”
“What of her words and accusations?” I could hear myself asking, through tears.
“They are just that, words. I am sure she is just blathering off at the mouth.” Aaron’s hand came around my face, caressing it gently as he placed a chaste kiss on the bridge of my nose.
“She’s right. I don’t measure up to your family.”
He smiled warmly, before holding me tight to his chest, “You are the daughter of a pioneering doctor. I should be asking how I can meet your father’s high standards.”
“You know my father and mother both adore you.”
Aaron laughed heartily, extending the crook of his arm. “Let me see you to your doorstep. Our township may not be part of the current battles, but danger still looms about.”
I could feel Aaron’s presence shift away, leaving me alone, as a strange noise echoed in the distance. Before long, my shoulders began to shake and the edges of the dream started breaking away.
“Jordan, darling. It’s time to wake up.” My mind begged for more sleep, even as I felt his lips slowly kissing up the side of my neck, and resting at my ear. “I’m sorry, honey, but I can’t trust the darkness to leave you alone while I’m in the shower.”
I began to yawn and carefully positioned myself back against the headboard. “That’s okay. I need to wake up, anyway. I have a check-up with Dr. Kurtz to see about my progress, later today. I’m hoping he’ll allow me to start working part-time from home. There is so much at the office that Terry can’t handle yet, and reports that need to be done for an upcoming meeting. And…” His lips pressed over mine, silencing them.
“Just don’t rush yourself. Remember, Ray said you would need your strength for this next journey.” I watched as he raised up out of bed, hoping that our mission would be a success; because I could definitely get used to spending a lifetime watching him stretch in the morning.
“I know what you’re th
inking, Jordan, and I couldn’t agree more. I could get used to waking up with you every morning for a lifetime, as well.” He winked. “I think your mom’s up. Would you like a cup of coffee before I get in the shower? It might help wake you up.”
Before he could even take a step out of the bedroom, Mom was knocking on the door with two cups of coffee in hand. “I’ll get breakfast going for you both in a minute.”
“Thanks, Mom,” we said in unison. Gregory had spent so much time around my mother, that he has started calling her Mom, too. It warmed my heart to see their connection.
Several hours later, I received a text from Gregory. Had a site take a nose dive, affecting other sites. Stuck in mtg to figure out cause & solution. Will call asap. Luv U! xxoo.
I returned his text .Appt. went fine. Working at computer. Talk soon. Luv U 2. xxoo.
The doctor wouldn’t release me to go back to work, but had given me permission to sit at the computer for a couple of hours at a time, twice a day, pending my pain level. So, I called Caroline, asking her to please send me an email with a list of duties that needed to be done, starting with the top priority and working down. To say she was elated would be an understatement.
I also talked with the Administrative Assistant, Terry, who had replaced me when I moved to Office Manager Trainee. I let her know she could funnel some computer work my direction, a little at a time, especially things she wasn’t sure she knew how to do. I also told her to call if she had any questions. At least I could talk on the phone.
It felt good to be back on the computer and doing some work. I always did hate to sit around, doing nothing. I knew I needed my rest, but this helped energize my mind and took the focus off of my thinking about the witch.
I was in the middle of checking a report for errors, when I felt warm hands wrap around my shoulders and the gentle touch of lips against my neck. “Hey, beautiful. Sorry I didn’t call to let you know I was on my way, but wanted to surprise you.”
Loving You (Remembrance Series, Book 2) Page 2
