Loving You (Remembrance Series, Book 2) (4 page)

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 thinking, 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.”

I turned my head toward him. “Surprise me?” It was then that he produced a multi-color arrangement of roses and sat them on the corner of my desk.

“They’re beautiful, but what are they for?” I wondered.

“Your mom called and said you could use some cheering up. Why? Also, why are you still on the computer? Have you taken a break, today? You know you will never fully heal unless you take things slowly.” His concern was evident.

I shrugged my shoulders, as best I could. “I wanted to be able to go back to work, not be limited to only a couple hours at a time. I’m really frustrated that I can’t do more.”

“So what exactly did Dr. Kurtz tell you?”

“He’s scratching his head on how my arm is almost completely healed. The cast could technically come off now, but he wants to give it an extra week and then put me in a splint for a week or two, as a precautionary measure.” I would definitely be counting down the days until the thing came off. It was itchy and slowed down my ability to type.

He laughed a bit. “I guess you have some form of super healing in his eyes. What about the ribs and your dizziness?”

“The ribs are mending, faster than he anticipated, but I’m still unable to lift anything. The concussion is healed, so he’s puzzled on my inability to stand for long. He would like me to consult with a vertigo specialist on Friday. He thinks I might have ruptured my inner ear during the accident, so it might not be functioning properly or, I could have an infection. Either way, my center of balance is off. Until that is resolved, I am unable to drive or return to work full-time.”

Gregory looked in deep thought for a moment, as he moved to the closet on the other side of my bedroom and grabbed a pair of shorts to change into. His voice was barely a whisper, but I heard him.
“I wonder if I…could it be possible to help it heal, since it is close to the surface? Research, that’s what I need.”

“You need to research what?” The words were out of my mouth before I realized I said them. Great, my secret was out, now.

His head whipped around with a startled look. “How did you hear what I was saying? I could barely even hear myself think.”

“I’ve always had good hearing; but lately, unless my mind is occupied, I can hear mom talking on the phone across the other side of the house with my bedroom door closed. If you want to keep something from me, you need to keep an internal thought process, for now.”

“Could this be a new power for you?”

“I don’t know if it is necessarily new or has just increased in strength. I’ve been able to hear just above a whisper for a couple of months, now.”

He shook his head and laughed. “Looks like I’m going to have to watch what I say around you and you’re going to have to watch what you have up on the computer screen around me. I can tell you are trying to hide that you’re still working. You have already put in two hours, today. It’s time you shut your computer off for tonight and have some dinner.”

By the time I was done shutting down the laptop, he had changed into comfortable clothes and was ready to carry me into the dining room. “How am I supposed to get my strength back if you are always carrying me around?”

Gregory leaned in to kiss me full on the mouth. “I just want to hold you close and practice carrying you over the threshold.”

“Okay, enough of that, you two,” my mother said, admonishingly.

We both laughed a little, as he placed me at the table to eat. I felt bad that I was unable to help her, but Mom seemed happiest when she was looking after someone. She had to look after my dad for years, before he passed, and was thrilled to have me around now, all day.

Talk around the dinner table turned to Gregory’s work, then to the doctor’s visit and ended with an update on the wedding. Both of them were unhappy with how many hours I had spent on the computer, today, so they decided to gang up on me and monitor my computer time from now on. So I wouldn’t stress over work.

“Have you looked through any of the bridal magazines, Jordan?” Mom had wondered.

“Yes ma’am.”

Mom’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Did you find a dress that you fancy or would like to see, if any of the area dress shops have it?”

I shook my head. “There were a couple of dresses that were okay. I mainly found bits and pieces about a few dresses that I liked, but nothing that said ‘I have to try this one’.”

Gregory spoke up. “My mother has a couple of friends who own dress shops in the Orlando area. They may have some books that she can borrow for you to look through and see if anything suits you. If they don’t have it on hand, they could always order it for you.”

Before I could answer, Mom did it for me. “That would be wonderful, Gregory. Could you ask your mother about that soon?”

“Not a problem. In fact, I’ll give her a call, tonight. He paused for a moment, taking a sip. “Almost forgot, Grandpa would like to know if you feel up to all of us going out to eat for dinner here in Deland this weekend. He is going to be out this way and wanted to see you and make sure that you’re okay.”

They both looked to me to answer. “I’m up to it, if you both are. I miss talking with Grandpa. I never really knew my own grandfathers, since they both passed when I was a child.”

“I’ll set it up then,” Gregory said with a smile and squeezed my knee gently under the table.

He helped mom clear the table, but she insisted on doing the dishes, herself. So, he helped steady me as I walked around the house, stretching my legs and trying to keep myself steady.

My balance was definitely off and I kept tripping over my own feet. Gregory had to catch me several times, before I went head first into the walls. I knew I wasn’t ready to run a marathon, but my body felt like it was getting stronger.

After a couple more trips around the house’s interior, mom helped me change for bed, while Gregory labored over some paperwork he brought home. When I stepped out of the bathroom, I noted that he had a diagram of the inner ear up on his laptop’s screen. “Why are you looking at ears?”

Mom helped me over to the bed, giving me a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek before wishing us both a good night, citing she would be turning in for the evening.

“Thanks, Mom, for everything. I love you.”

“I love you too, honey.”

Gregory waited until mom had left the room and I could hear her bathroom door click.

“I Googled your symptoms for dizziness and based on what the Internet says, you could easily have an inner ear infection or a ruptured membrane in the lining of the ear; that just isn’t healing properly.” He looked back at the diagram and then at me. “I wanted to see how the ear is designed. I wonder...”

“Wonder what?”

“The ear itself is located externally, while the inner ear is on the other side of the skull. I’m wondering if I gave you some extra attention, if I might be able to reach whatever is going wrong and heal it.” His face shifted to his quirky half smile and as his eyebrows wiggled when he said the word
attention
.

I tried to stifle a laugh, now understanding what he was thinking. “Couldn’t hurt to try; but I don’t know if this is a result of the darkness or if it developed on its own. So far, your healing has only worked if the darkness has played a part in it.”

He shut the computer down and went into the bathroom to change for bed, while I sat thumbing through, yet another bridal magazine mom had purchased earlier today, in hopes of finding the perfect dress.

Suddenly, my senses were assaulted by the sweet smell of the roses. I inhaled; they smelled heavenly. I kept turning the pages, until my eyes fell upon a full-page ad for Period Wear Bridal Wedding Attire for themed Weddings, featuring a young couple in a rose garden wedding. I closed my eyes, imagining what a Wedding like that would be like, when I was caught up in a daydream.

I found myself in the garden from the advertisement, dressed in a silk Sack Back gown, with Aaron attired in a dress suit with matching coat, breeches and waistcoat. The sun was beginning to set and we were at the edge of a beautiful garden, surrounded by roses, dahlias, sweet peas, and some other varietal flowers. The scent of the garden was enticing to the senses, while the sight of Aaron was enticing to the mind.

Aaron grasped hold of my hands. “Hannah, my love. I am but a simple man, trying to follow in my father’s footsteps. I do not have much to offer, but I can present you my undying love. I know I am doing this out of order, needing to ask your father’s permission, first. But I need to know; would you do me the extraordinary honor of becoming my wife? I promise you will never want for anything and I will love you until my last breath.”

I could feel the emotions building inside Hannah. Suddenly, I found myself watching from a distance, as she nodded in acceptance. “You have always had my heart, Aaron. Now you will have my hand, as well. I love you with the whole of my existence.”

I watched as a quirky smile, much like my Gregory’s, spread across his face. I watched as he reached inside his waistcoat pocket and produced what looked like a pair of earrings. I couldn’t tell what they looked like exactly, but they sparkled in the remaining sunset light.

“They are beautiful, Aaron. I could not accept such an expensive gift.” Hannah insisted.

“Hannah, you will accept this gift as a token of my undying love to you. You will soon be the wife and daughter in-law of an influential family. You need to dress the part.” He was resolute with his words.

He placed the earrings in her hands as she held them tightly over her heart. I watched as Aaron gently caressed her face, drawing her close to steal a chaste kiss. That’s when I felt a warm kiss on my own shoulder, with lips working their way toward my mouth.

“Having fun daydreaming about us, darling?” Gregory whispered as he continued to drop kisses on the corners of my mouth.
Kiss me already!

“I was actually dreaming about Hannah and Aaron. But, I do like your powers of persuasion to put my thoughts elsewhere, for now.” I opened my eyes slowly as he moved the magazine to the nightstand and helped me slide down onto the pillow.

His lips never broke from my skin, always skimming, sucking and nipping at the pulse point where my shoulders and neck met. “I hope they were only wonderful thoughts. Were Hannah and Aaron happy?”

I answered breathlessly, “Yes. He asked her to marry him, in a garden; I think it was by a plantation.”

He continued kissing me gently. “Did he give her a ring?”

“No, some earrings; but I couldn’t make out what they looked like, only that they sparkled.”

Once I closed my eyes and began to relish his lips, he began to move them up my neck and toward my mouth, brushing gently across my outer lips with his tongue. His teeth caught my lower lip and pulled gently, until I opened my mouth and welcomed his tongue.

His kiss wasn’t urgent, instead relishing the joining of our mouths, our souls. He had me almost to the point of mindlessness, when his lips worked their way across my jaw and to my ear. He whispered gently as he nipped on my earlobe, “Let me know if I hurt you.” He seemed to hit every pressure point on my ear to relax me before his tongue swept into the crevasse of my outer ear, flooding it with sensation.

After a moment, he slowly moved to suckle the skin behind my ear. I felt a sudden head rush and a pop sensation deep within my ear. The ceiling began to spin.