In Your Shadow (4 page)

He followed her for days closer than before and she stayed to herself. He finally got the courage to go to her building and wait on her to get to work, finally he seen her pull up and run inside her hurried inside her office building right behind her. He was mesmerized at her beauty. She was stunning, he almost fell to his knees. With is breath caught in his throat, his heart was pounding hard. The adrenaline was running through his veins like heated lava running downhill. He watched her jumped on the elevator and she barely missed it before it closed. This time panic set in not from the cold, but from the possible connection of being so close. He stood there, even though he wanted to go up to her office. He touches the cold steel door hoping to feel her closeness. Sweat was forming on his forehead he wrapped if off with the sleeve of his shirt. Butterflies in his stomach turn somersaults as he turned quickly and hurried out the building.

“What's wrong with me?” he thought.

Letting out a breath, he got in his car with his hands shaking he turned the key in the ignition. In some strange way he felt like a child at Christmas. The excitement of just being so close.

He finally pulled away after sitting there for a moment trying to collect his senses.

“I have to pull myself together.” He thought.

He starts thinking about the color schemes of her dress and how it formed her body.  He watched the streets as they were buzzing with life, the noise of the traffic diverted his mind just a little. When he arrived home he ran up the stairs to his apartment. When he opened the door all he could see was her. The picture of her with that blue dress with the gorgeous white shawl. Her eyes sparkling and so passionate. The sunlight shining on the highlights of her hair. The slight smile that lighten up her eyes. He adored that about her, such beauty.  He walked over to his chair and there was the shawl that she always wore. He stroked and caressed the soft fabric and the smooth fringes. He brings it up to his nose as he inhaled the scent of her perfume. He couldn’t help it he had to take this from her house. He wanted something of hers, grabbing that and the picture that stood on her nightstand beside her husband's bed.

“I almost got caught grabbing this, but it I had to have something of yours Katie” he thought.

Minutes felt like they had turned into hours he didn’t know how long he had been standing there staring at her picture and holding the shawl. But at some point, the cold had crept up on him. His body began to quiver, he didn’t care. The only warmth he wanted to feel was her body next to his. He finally walked away from her picture and jumps in the shower, hoping it would take the chill of his bones. He closed his eyes as he could feel the warm touch of her skin.

He gets out of the shower and dries of putting on his long jogging pants. He walks into his living room which was a mess. There was cups and plates on his table, and litter on the floor and chairs. He grabbed the shawl and headed to his bedroom. Laying the shawl over his pillow so he could smell the scent of her as he slept. He laid down and stroked the fine fabric with his hand. He closed his eyes as a shadow of her looms over him. His chest rises and falls as he reaches out to touch her. She was too far away from him he couldn’t touch her. With a smile on her face she turns and disappears in the dark eerie bedroom. He finally drifted off to sleep with the vision of her still fresh in his mind.

The days had passed by fast as her day turned into night.  Katie looked at her clock on her desk it read 3 o’clock. She knew she had to leave early to get ready for the party at her father’s house. The drive was a little over forty minutes from Manhattan almost an hour it depending on traffic. Her father lived at a large estate that sits back on a few acres.

Katie closed her office door and saw that Susan had a dress lying over a chair sitting by her desk.

“Ms. Katie I picked you up a dress for your dinner.”

“Really “Katie stops in front of her and looks down at the dress laying over the back of the chair.

“Yes, Ms. Katie your father called me and ask me to go get you a grown from one of the local dress stores.”

“Oh, he did.”

“Yes I hope you are not too angry with me”

“No Susan I am not, whatever father wants,” She said with agitation in her voice.

Katie picked the dress up and it was a cream color. It was a formal gown with a slit down the side. It had a V-neck and a very open back. It was very beautiful. It was made of a satin type fabric.

“You have good taste Rebecca, but it is hard for me to see myself in such a dress.”

“You will look beautiful I’m sure.”

“Thank you, I will see you Monday” she grabbed the dress and went down the elevator.

She met the driver as he drove her home. Katie had just enough time to get ready before her date came.

She bathed and pulled her curly hair back and pinned it up and let it fall against her back. After applying a small amount of makeup just enough to bring eyes out she put on her formal gown. She stood there and looked in the mirror as she couldn’t see the beauty glow in her face. Staring at her refection at a woman she didn’t recognize, this woman was full of grief and hardness. She jumped back when she heard a knock on the door that interrupted her thought.

“That must be my date, wow he is early.”

She walked to the door and opened it, her mouth dropped to the floor. All she saw was his beautiful face, framed by his dark hair and blue eyes. This man was standing in the doorway in a black suit and white shirt with a black tie. Her gaze glued to his piercing blue eyes that melted her hard heart. Words could barely come out of her mouth as she stood there in shock.

“You, what are you doing here?” With her heart in her throat.

She was strangling with her brain. Why would this handsome man be standing at her door? Her lips quirk up in a half smile. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him for not even a minute. His lips, his eyes, his body, she couldn’t stop staring.

John froze unable to stop looking at this beautiful woman that stood in the doorway. He was speechless he never expected her to answer the door. She was very elegant and sexy, she shined with perfection. The long cream color gown that hugged her curves as her eyes sparkled like an even star. Just beautiful, there was no other word for it.

“Well,” he paused for a minute. He still couldn’t believe she was standing in front of him.

“It looks like I am your date.” He smiled at her with his eyes on fire.

“You can’t be my date. No, this can’t be, where is the other guy.”

“What guy? He paused. “Sorry to disappoint you but he is sick.”

“I didn’t say you disappointed me, it just the other guy knew my circumstance better.”

“Oh I am sure he did.” He laughed with this mischievous look on his face.

“No, it isn’t like that” she stumbled for words as she started to blush.

“You needed a date so here I am at your service.” John said with a bit of eagerness in his voice, he was enjoying this.

“Well, I don’t have much of a choice do I.” The more she stared at him the faster her heart beat.

He was perfect no doubt about it, his sculpted body and deep blue’s eyes and dressed to kill, any woman would drop at his feet.

“You are stunning,” he said with his eyes covering every inch of her body.

She was dressed completely different from the night he had seen her. She was breathtaking, every man’s dream.

Katie was speechless for the first time in years. She was blushing as she looked down and found the strength to open the door wider and let him in. She closed the door and left him standing inside the foyer as she walked over in her bare feet and put her shoes on. Her body was trembling knowing he was her date, the man that she had met at the bar. She wanted to call and get someone else but she didn’t have enough time. She could feel his eyes on her as it awoke every emotion in her body. She quickly turned around as he was just staring at her with his hungry eyes.

“Well beautiful where are we going.” He smiles with a seductive grin.

“My father is having a formal Christmas party at his house.” With her voice very scratchy and nervous.

“Oh!”

“Yes and we must go it is a 45-minute drive.” Katie grabbed her small purse and led him out the door.

He followed her out to the car as the driver opened the door.

“So tell me, what is my job?” John asks with a smile on his face and trying not to laugh. He was so enjoying every bit of this.

“Well if you must know, you are supposed to pretend to be my boyfriend. Only for tonight.” Her voice was low almost a whisper.

“Oh, boyfriend huh I can definitely do that.” He smiled.

“Tell me something, why would you want to hire a date when you are beautiful and could have any man you want?”

Katie blushed, just the sound of his voice heated up every inch of her being.

“No commitments and hashes,” She answered quickly as she was looking out the window. She didn’t want him to see her blushing.

“Let me tell you this, I will do you a great job. I know how to treat a lady especially one that I am with.” He paused for a moment before he spoke again. “I do understand this is only for one night, but you never no.”

As the words slipped off his tongue and out his mouth he knew then that he was going to have her eating out of his hand.

“Yes its only for one night, so don’t get your hopes up.” She popped back.

There was something about her that he had to have. He was drawn to her like a magnet. Was this feeling what his father was talking about. He didn’t know but he like what he felt. He was sitting so close to her he could almost fill her hot breath against his shoulders.  Her eyes were a varied shade of green almost a blue. They always said that green eyes could calm the soul but he didn’t believe that. Just looking at hers made his body come alive. She lit a fire that couldn’t be put out. He had never met anyone with eyes like hers, are anyone like her in general. He didn’t understand what the attraction was. He was glad he knocked on that door, he had no idea she used an escort service.

It was silent all the way to her father’s house in Massachusetts. It was almost an hour from downtown Boston. Father’s house was an old kind of style colonial house. It looked three times larger than a mansion. With a beautiful lawn, that looked like an entire park. Everything was sculptured to perfection. The drive slowly stopped in front of the house.

“Your father has great taste, magnificent home.”

“Yes he does, thank you. I grew up here.” She answered as she continued to watch as the car pulls up in the circle drive.

The driver opened the door of the car as John got out he walked over and opened her door.

“My lady, “he said as he reached for her hand.

Katie was staring straight into his eyes. She hands him her hand. So nervous she wanted to get back in the car and say she was sick. The butler greeted them at the door as they walk into the large foyer. He politely told them where her father was.

“Come on let’s get this over with.” Her palms were starting to sweat as she pulled him behind her.

“Are you in that big of a hurry.” He turned and looked at her.

“You don’t understand father will know if this relationship isn't real so I don’t want to get this over with. I am going to tell him I am sick and we are going to leave before he starts asking questions.”

“Oh, my dear he will never figure it out, leave it to me,” He said watching the expression on her face.

“You are so sure of yourself, you don’t know my father.”

“You don’t know me.” He smiled with a playful grin.

Katie grabbed his hand and pulled him down a corridor that lead to a set of double doors that opened to a grand ballroom. She looked to her right and her father was standing in front of a stone fireplace holding his drink.

“Father,” she said, putting a fake smile on her face as she watching him turn around.

He walked closer to her as Johns' arms went around her pulling her close to his chest.

“Oh darling you look just beautiful, they dress fit you perfect,” he said as he reached out his hands.

Katie pushed away from John and took his hands and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you, daddy, for the dress it is lovely. Oh Father this is John Taylor.”

“It is very nice to meet you, sir,” John answered as he watched Katie backed up closer to him.

“I’m Daniel Martin,” he paused for a moment as he looked John over with his eyes.

“Join me for a drink.”

John grabbed Katie’s hand tightly as they followed Daniel to an adjoining room. Katie could feel him tickling the palm of her hand with his finger, making her squirm. She knew he was playing with her, but she never said a word are tried to look at him.

“Here we go!” She whispered.

It was a room that overlooked the garden. The conversation started on business and stay on that subject for a few minutes. Father talked about the company as John played right into his hands. Katie stood beside John like he was the love of her life smiling with her arm around him. Trying to get her father’s attention so she could leave but they were to focused on each other and the conversation.

She could feel the warmth coming from his body as it awakens her senses. Her heart pounding against her chest, as the scent of his cologne filled the air around her. Her body was on fire and she knew it. She didn’t know if she was so nervous because of John are the fact he was meeting her father. Either way, she was like a caged animal looking for a way out.

“Katie how good to see you” there was a woman’s voice coming from behind her.

It was her stepmother Jewels. Katie’s mood changed to dread and resentment. She didn’t like this woman at all.

“Be nice Katie” she heard her father say.

John could feel the tension in her body as his arm went around her waist again. He knew he had to put it on strong with Katie’s mood changing. Jewels was a bleached blond with fake everything. She wore Daniels money well all too well. John could tell she was boiling over with jealousy over Katie.

Jewels walked up and kissed Katie on the cheek.

“Oh my who is this gentleman beside you, Katie, such a nice looking man?” her tone hateful and bitter.

That woman never had any manners she didn’t care what came out of her mouth especially around Katie. Before Katie could speak John took the opportunity.

“I’m John Taylor, Katie’s boyfriend,” He said reaching out to shake her hand, with his arm still around Katie. He could feel the coldness in her handshake as he pulled his hand away and pulled Katie close to him.

“Oh, she has a boyfriend now, how wonderful.” Jewels voice with much sarcasm.

“It’s nice to meet you if you will excuse me I see my husband.” Jewels turned quickly and walked over to Daniel.

“She makes me sick I wish my father could see through her, all she wants is his money.”

“Calm down you will blow it. You are supposed to be in love, remember.” John whispered in her hear, as he heard some music playing in the distance.

He drew her into his arms quickly before she had a chance to think about it. She was close enough that she could feel the beat of his heart. She was fighting the urge to melt against him. She could smell his intoxicating scent it was making her tremble. Katie could feel her body coming alive as her body heat rose higher and higher. John moved in closer until his breath was tickling her ear. Her eyes closed involuntarily as her body was responding. He started moving slowly to the song. He lifted her chin up with one finger as his lips covered hers. Katie gently pushed away as she was still in his arms slowing swaying into the music.

“Why did you do that?”

“You didn’t like it” He paused for a moment, “Well my dear your father and Jewel are watching, just wanting to reassure them how in love you are,” He said enjoying the moment.

Her eyebrows rose slightly as she looked straight into his eyes. They moved slowly as he held her close to him. He moved her into a spin and into a quick dip. He laughed as the beauty of her melted his heart. John knew he would win her over. The game was for real to him.

Katie giggled as she comes up from her dip will her eyes never leaving his. She was in such a daze she didn’t hear her father come up behind her.

“Okay love birds, how about a walk in the garden before the crowd gets here.”