Passion and Pearls (The pearl series) (6 page)

She nodded her head as tears slowly started seeping out and down her face. He pulled her close, hugging her and whispered. “I don’t know how you did it, but we will all forever be thankful that you gave her this chance. Without your warning, we would have lost her this morning.” Aqua cried harder, the tears wouldn’t stop. They sat like that for some time
,
b
oth releasing the fear that was inside them.

When the doctor walked into the waiting room, the scrapping of chairs and hissing of indrawn breaths was so loud that it seemed as if it had been choreographed. He smiled and told them quickly that she was doing well, the operation had fixed the problem
but
she would be in recovery for some time. He suggest they go home, get some rest and come back later when he would let a few of them see her.

When the doctor left the room the conversations started up again and the room almost exploded with questions and relief. All to soon, the question Aqua was dreading came when Blu’s sister asked him how he knew their Mom was going to have a heart attack.

Aqua couldn’t speak, she just looked at Blu and then down at the floor. She knew this was it, the new life she had carefully constructed was about to end. Her heart was breaking, this time not only was she going to have to leave her friends, business and home, but she was afraid she’d fallen in love with Blu and wasn’t sure how she was going to bear it. With a strangled sound of pain she turned and ran. She didn’t want to watch it happen again, not this time.

Blu and his family watched her go, surprised and not understanding. But Blu knew he’d seen fear and pain in her beautiful green eyes and he wouldn’t watch this woman run away from him. With a shrug for his family he went after her. He found her walking away from the hospital. He fell into step next to her, saying nothing but noting that she had tears flowing down her face. They walked another couple blocks in silence, until she started to step across the street and Blu put a hand out to stop her. She hadn’t seen the car coming and he didn’t want her to get scared or hurt. She stopped and looked at him as if she didn’t even know he’d been there, maybe she didn’t, he thought.

Now she tried to wipe her tears and he could see her trying to gather herself.   “Wanna talk about what just happened?” Blu asked her and she looked at him but shook her head no. 

They continued walking, ending up at the back entrance to Aqua’s apartment. Blu took the keys from her shaking fingers and unlocked the door. He followed her in and shut the door. Aqua was just standing in the kitchen when Blu took her hand and walked her to her bedroom. He sat her on the bed, then went into the bathroom and Aqua heard the water start in the bath. He came back to her and taking her hands, stood her up and began undressing her. She didn’t stop him, or even waver as he gently stripped her naked. He walked her into the bathroom, adjusted the water again and added a generous amount of bath salts. Once he had the bath ready, he slowly helped her into the hot soothing water. He left the room and returned shortly with a glass of wine and Aqua could hear soothing music from the stereo. Blu was glad he had sisters and understood that now was not the time to talk. He knew Aqua needed some time to decide what or if she wanted to talk to Blu or anyone about what was bothering her. He left her and went to the kitchen and started cooking a simple late lunch since they had missed it with everything going on.

Aqua cried herself out then once she realized the water had cooled knew it was time to face Blu and talk about her gift with him. Come what may, it was already an issue and she might as well face the situation. She got out of the tub, a bit wrinkled and cold but with her mind in a better place. She dried off and went into the bedroom. She was dressing in comfortable clothes when she smelled whatever Blu was cooking and realized how hungry she was.  With one last mental pep talk she headed toward the kitchen. When she walked in the kitchen, Blu turned from the stove and with a smile, went to her and enfolded her in a hug. He just held her for a while. He wanted her to feel comfortable and secure. He wasn’t sure what was going on, why she was so upset but he wanted to find out and the protector in him wanted to fix it. Blu couldn’t help himself, he softly took her face in both his hands and kissed her. He had to work hard not to take the kiss deeper, but he knew she wasn’t up to it and that now wasn’t the time. His body didn’t agree, but he worked to keep himself in check. He had to stop, he stepped back from her and took a couple deep breaths. “Ready for lunch?” he asked her as he gestured to the table. They were quiet while they ate, with only Aqua’s thanks and comment on his cooking skills to break the peaceful lack of conversation.

Once they were finished and were sitting with a cup of coffee, Blu figured he’d been patient enough. “So, are you ready to tell me what is going on in that beautiful head of yours?” She looked as if he was asking her to give up her first born. “Come on, it can’t be that bad.” He pushed.

Finally with a sigh she started talking. “I’m psychic, or at least I guess that’s what it is. My Mother was too, it’s been passed down through the female line on my Mom’s side for several generation
s
. I can’t predict the future
,
and no I can’t pick lottery numbers, before you even ask. But sometimes, like with your Mom, I just know something is going to happen. I am seldom wrong once I get a feeling.  People usually don’t believe me and then when things go bad they blame me for it. I moved from my home town because the whole community shunned us, made us feel like freaks. I was hoping to start over here, not let anyone know about this so I could live a normal life. But, that cat is out of the bag now. Soon, people will be afraid to let their children near me, they’ll cross the street so that they don’t have to walk near me and it’s a given that my business is going to die. So, yeah, it can be THAT bad.”

Blu just looked at her, trying to soak it all in. She was serious, he could tell. But really
,
p
sychic? Then he thought about his Mom and how she wouldn’t be with them right now if Aqua hadn’t insisted they take her to the hospital. At the time, Blu seemed to know that he needed to listen to Aqua and had acted accordingly. He couldn’t explain why, couldn’t answer why he didn’t even question her at the time. All he knew was he was damn glad he did listen, and so was his family. So, it was up to him and them to make sure the dire outcome she was expecting didn’t happen.

“I have one question,” he said looking seriously at her. Aqua nodded her head preparing herself for whatever he had to say. “How do you feel about us and you staying here in Colville right now?”

Aqua, was shocked at the question. “Right now I still feel good about it, I haven’t gotten any bad vibes at this point,” she told him. He smiled, got up and walked around the table, took her hand and without a word walked with her toward her bedroom.

Aqua wasn’t sure what to do. She followed him to her room and when he stepped in pulling her in with him and turned shutting the door she just watched him, waiting to see what he planned on doing. Aqua had such a look of confusion on her face that Blu almost laughed. He could see that she didn’t yet understand that he didn’t care, or at least he wasn’t freaked out about what she’d told him. He was a bit worried in ways, knowing that some people could be less that understanding. Blu also knew that his family would be right there with her, helping her through it all and standing strong as a family unit. Because she was going to be family, she was going to be his wife and soon if he had anything to say about the matter.

He pulled her close and began to kiss her softly, whispering soft words to her. He told her how thankful he was
and
h
ow his family would always be grateful. He told her how watching her was the highlight of his day yesterday and that wanting her was making him crazy. How he couldn’t wait to take her clothes off and feel her soft skin next to his again and that nothing had ever felt so right as when he was inside her, making love to her.

Aqua, had tears tracing a pattern down her face. Was it really this easy, to be accepted? Did Blu really want her in his life? She had never thought to have this type of acceptance. Was he talking love, marriage, children?   When Blu began undressing her she forgot all her questions. His
hands on her skin were
sending little electric shocks through her entire system.

Blu spent the rest of the day with Aqua, making love, laughing and they found that being together was easy. Aqua was still uncertain about the future.
She was
concerned about the community and how they would accept her if they knew about her gift. She tried to talk to Blu about it but he would distract her whenever she brought the subject up.

Blu avoided thinking about what dealing with her gift would mean to them as a couple. He just wanted to enjoy their time together. The way he saw it, time would tell. Right now he wanted to be with Aqua and that was all he cared about.  Besides, no one was really psychic were they? Blu was sure that Aqua had just noticed some sign that his Mother was ill and picked up on that. Psychics weren’t real
.
T
hey were scammers trying to bilk money from unsuspecting people.

For two weeks Blu avoided the conversation and Aqua let him. She was basking in the comfort of his arms and the appreciative embrace of his family. Blu’s mother was getting better and the family was grateful for Aqua’s quick thinking that had saved her life. Aqua knew she and Blu needed to talk but she couldn’t make herself push the issue.

Blu parked his Bronco behind the store and gathered the sack of supplies he’d bought for dinner. His day hadn’t gone well, with two burglaries and a rough domestic violence case to investigate. He really wanted this down time with Aqua to recharge and forget about work. He knocked then opened the door to go inside. Satin came running and almost tripped him as he put the steaks in the fridge. Finally he reached down and picked the kitten up and gave him the attention the little bundle of black fur was demanding.

With his hands full of kitten he wandered through the apartment and called Aqua’s name. He finally found her as he wandered through the bedroom and opened the bathroom door. His hand stilled on the kitten as he registered the sight. Aqua was in the bathtub with her earphones in, tapping some tune only she could hear with her fingers. There was only a small skim of bubbles left floating on top of the water attesting to the fact that she’d been enjoying her bath for some time. The woman was beautiful, not perfect but beautiful
,
h
er pale skin calling to him. He put the kitten outside the door and softly shut it.

Without taking his eyes off her he began undressing. As he undressed he saw Aqua’s hand slid over her body and watched as she lifted one leg over the edge of the tub. Her hand slid lower and he could see that she was touching the trimmed curls covering her core. Once his clothes were finally off he walked over to the tub and knelt next to it. He softly touched her toes which startled Aqua who tried to sit up but Blu stopped her settling her back down. Her hands had both come out of the water and Blu took one, kissed her palm and then moved it back where it had been while he was watching. Aqua understood and she stared
into Blu’s
eyes as he watched her touch herself. The pleasure escalated and she closed her eyes, leaned back, and let the pleasure take over. Before she could peak, Blu replaced her hand with his and thrust his fingers deep inside her as he leaned over and took one peaked nipple in his mouth. He felt her release and gentled his touches until the quaking subsided. Then he helped her to her feet and taking the towel from the rack dried her off before lifting her in his arms and taking her to the bed. He laid her down gently then joined her.

Blu spread her legs with his
,
then slid both arms under her knees lifting them. He opened her up to him and leaned in sliding deep inside her with one slow drive. Aqua’s body tightened around him and she whispered his name with pleasure. He held still, as deep as possible inside this woman that had become as vital as breathing to him.  “Open your eyes baby and look at me
.
” She did, noting the primal look on his face. He pulled out and then slammed back in hard once, then again and again until they both pulsed with the pleasure of another shared release. Blu slumped over her trying to keep some of his weight off her before finally sliding somewhat sideways pulling her close.

“I can’t help myself, I‘ve falling completely in love with you,” he muttered against her hair.

Aqua held her breath and turned to her lover. She saw the truth of his statement in his eyes and felt her heart swell. “I love you too, Blu. I’ve never felt this way before.” She snuggled in closer. Aqua felt her mind shift as they fell asleep, dinner completely forgotten.

Aqua awoke to scratching and mewing at the bedroom door. Satin was not happy to be left outside the room and was voicing his displeasure. She slid slowly out of the bed leaving Blu to sleep. She quickly donned a robe and left the room scooping up the kitten as she went. She wandered to the kitchen and started the water to boil for a cup of tea. Once the tea was ready she went to the living room and sat in her favorite chair with her cup and the kitten on her lap. Her mind wandered to Blu and a strange feeling came over her. She felt her mind shift again and then she was watching his dreams. It was as if she was inside his head. She could see the turmoil of the work day through his dream. Aqua wasn’t sure what was going on, this had never happened before. She focused her mind and visualized a switch turning off and the dream disappeared. She threw the switch again and there she was back with him in his dream. She switched her connection off again and sat there breathing fast trying to understand what had just happened.