Through the glass of my front door, I watched him get into his Hummer and disappear into the night.
I couldn’t wait to crawl into my personal Heaven. I was impatient to discover what my dreams would bring that night.
Before I climbed into bed, I used the key I wore around my neck to unlock the nightstand. I searched for the note, but I came up empty-handed. I searched all over my room, but no note. Had I dreamt the note? Was it not real? Was he not in my house at all? Lately, I seemed to have more questions than answers to just about everything. Audibly exhaling, I gave up and crawled into bed. I couldn’t fight my heavy eyelids any longer.
I was awoken in the middle of the night by voices outside my bedroom door. I crept to my door with my heart pounding.
“No. I’m calling it off.” I heard a whispered voice through the door, but couldn’t make out to whom the voice belonged.
“We had a deal. I’ll do it myself,” another angry voice chimed in.
“It’s her. You will do no such thing.”
“Are you sure?” The man sounded calmer.
“No, no I am not. I need a little time to make certain. I sense it in my soul. There just does not seem to be any undeniable proof.”
“No proof? What makes you think this if there is no proof?”
“I see so many similarities.”
“Well, you should hurry.”
I woke up, panting. My heart was still racing. I got out of bed and hurried through the house, not wanting to wake up Shannon and Jake. There was no sign of anyone. Feeling defeated and exhausted, I went back to bed. Sleep dragged me under like a raging river.
“Can I come in?” Demien asked from my now-open window. His soft, velvety wings collapsed behind him.
“Yeah, of course.”
“Did I wake you?” He gently brushed a finger along my cheekbone down to my jaw.
“No. I’m still asleep.” I looked over at my sleeping body. He followed my gaze. “Good. You are always cranky if you don’t get enough rest.”
I playfully slapped his bare, perfectly sculpted chest. “Stop,” I giggled.
“Wanna a ride?” He leaned down so I could wrap my arms around his broad shoulders.
His lips slowly brushed mine. Pulling me against him until we were one, Demien’s lips locked onto mine. He was urgent and desperate, yet soft and passionate as if he had waited centuries to kiss me. Our lips moved together like they were made for each other, just like earlier. Exactly like every other time we have kissed. When we touched it was like the waters flowed smoother and the air was easier to breathe.
His breath tasted sweet yet spicy and earthy at the same time. He tasted like pure cinnamon and honey with a hint of clove, mixed with the rain from a cool fall morning. It was both exotic and captivating. My toes quickly heated, and my breathing quickened. I felt tingly everywhere. The butterflies in my stomach threatened to take over. I pulled him in closer to my body. I wanted more of him. I needed more of him.
“Ready?” He breathed into our kiss.
I moaned, feverishly pulling him back in.
Our kiss came to an end much too quickly, leaving me with a sensation of flying. My traitor body threatened to explode from intense excitement. Who knew a kiss held that kind of power? My eyes ventured downward to see that we were flying. It felt comfortable. It felt normal.
Seventeen
I should’ve had the day off, but per tradition, I got myself ready for work and called Myra to come get me.
“Why doesn’t Joe just fire Mandy?” Myra asked as I opened her car door.
“Well, to tell you the truth, this situation works out for all of us. He knows her pattern, so there are no surprises. He knows I’m more than willing to pick up her shifts. If he hires someone else, either I won’t get as many hours or they may be less dependable, right?
“I don’t think you losing a few hours would be a terrible thing.”
“I need the hours. I’m barely getting by as it is.”
“Work till we die, I get it.”
“Besides, if I lose hours, then so do you. We go hand-in-hand, remember?”
“Yeah, I guess so. It isn’t fair though. So, you never told me…”
“Told you what?”
“How did you get home last night if your car is stuck at a gas station?”
I’d hoped she wouldn’t ask and assumed my sister picked me up. “Um, Demien,” I answered, rolling my eyes.
Her jaw dropped. “What? The bar back, Demien,” she exclaimed.
“Yes, that would be the one. The only Demien we know,” I nervously and sarcastically sang.
“Details, my friend, details.” If she weren’t buckled in, she probably would have jumped straight out of the roof, literally. Ok, so not actually literally.
“Pay attention to the road, please,” I managed to get out through laughter.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
She groaned. “Stop trying to avoid the topic. I’m not giving up.”
“I wish you would.”
“Nope. I have all night to harass you.”
“There is nothing to tell. He was on his way back from the city when he saw my car at the gas station. He stopped to make sure I was okay. He offered me a ride.” I tried to make it sound like nothing.
“And…”
“And nothing.”
“Come on, Venessa. Spill.”
“Leave it to you to try to make something out of everything. We didn’t even really talk on the way to my house.”
“I don’t believe you.” She smiled.
“Well, nothing happened.” I felt bad for lying to my best friend.
Myra noisily whined. “Don’t make me beg.”
“Beg? Please don’t.”
“Fine. Do I need to pull out our honesty pact?”
“Wow, you’re going there, huh?”
“Yep.”
“Pulling
