In Your Shadow (8 page)

Coming into the opening of the dining room she could hear John laughing with her father. It was so good to hear him laugh. She had missed that so much. A few seconds later she sat down at the table as all heads turned to her. John smiled as his arm went quickly behind her.

She squirmed when she felt his hand touch her. He pulled her chair closer to him so close a sudden chill went through her. His body so close that he could almost feel her breath, her belly quivered as something deep inside tightened so much that it almost hurt. She felt like she was floating on a cloud weightless and dizzy. Her head was a blurry emotional mess.

Katie was glad her father’s phone rang it distracted everyone from her. Daniel got up from the table and walked a few feet she could barely hear him talk.

“It must be Jewels” a force of jealousy pierced her heart.

“Katie you are going to have to come to terms with that,” John said.

“No I don’t have to, she married my father for his money and if it was left up to her she would spend every last dime. Thank god daddy has sense enough to not let her have access to it.”

“Oh”

“Yes he gives her some to spend and that is it. There is something about her I don’t like and never will.”

“I bet she don’t like that.”

“I don’t think she does, she certainly doesn’t like the fact that he is here. This was my mother’s house. She can’t get her hands on it that infuriates her. Dad gave it to me after mother died and Jewels has always wanted it but it isn’t for sale.”

“I will never like her.”

“Is it because she is with your dad.”

“That is some of it and the other she just gives me the creeps.  Mitch didn’t like her either.”

“Who’s Mitch?” he asks but he already knew who he was.

“Nobody, just never mind” her voice full of frustration.

Daniel walked back to the table.

“Sorry, that was Jewels, just checking to see if we made it.”

A forceful smile came across Katie’s face, she wanted to say something but she thought it was best to be quiet. Katie looked down at her food and couldn’t eat. She was so aggravated and out of her zone, her feelings made her very nervous. She could feel a full-blown panic attack coming on. Confusion and anger filled her emotions once again.

“Daddy I am going for a walk on the Beach,” she said as John moved his arm from behind her.

Something was definite going on with her. He could feel she was attracted to him but there was something else.

“Okay dear,” he smiled and watched her gets up from the table.

“Want some company?” John asks quickly as she started to walk away.

“Just stay here and talk to dad, get a tour of the place it is really beautiful” after that she was gone out the door.

The wind was blowing a warm breeze as she inhaled deeply as the salty air filled her lungs. All you can hear is the wind pushing the waves against the shores. She sat down in the sand as the water ran under her legs. The force of the water was pushing against her waist making her body move. The adrenaline that was running through her veins was finally calming down. Her heart was slowing down into a relaxed state. Her eyes focused on the never ending ocean and the waves that were rolling in. Katie watched the clouds form in the sky.

The hardness of her heart was melting away because John had rattled some feeling in her. She was lost in her thoughts with the sound of the waves beating against the shore. She wanted to lose herself in this moment. Katie knew that it was her memories that fueled her anger and pain. Now the memories seem to fade as new feelings begin to surface. She didn’t know if she could handle them are not, are was she ready for what's to come. She was tired of fighting her attraction to him, an attraction that was more than a tiny bit of chemistry that ignited her fire. Drawn to him as she has never been before. She was a lost soul until he came alone. Now he opened up a new world, something that she resisted for years. Her feelings were taking over her cold heart and she didn’t like it.

………

John was getting frustrated with her she was a hard woman to get close to. He knew he was over playing the part, but last night wasn’t the part. It was real to him and he wanted to pursue her and make her forget the past.

“Was she ready, did he jump to soon?” his mind going crazy with emotions.

At first, it was a game now it was something totally different he wasn’t playing. At the same time, he would have to work harder to win her over. He had never met a woman that got under his skin like she did. John could have any woman he wanted they were easy for him. With his money and power, he could anyone are anything. He knew it was his money they were after that why he never settled down. When he met Katie he knew she was different. She never came on to him are even act interested. There was something about her that attracted him. Maybe it was because she had her own money and didn’t need him.

“Go to her,” Daniel said interrupting his thought.

John didn’t realize Daniel was watching him.

“I can see how much you care for her, just give her time. She will come around.” Letting him know it was alright.

John excused his self from the table and walk to the door. He stood there looking for Katie on the long stretch of white sand. There she was sitting at the shoreline as the waves pushed against her.

“Here she will need this” Daniel was standing there beside him as he hands him a couple of towels.

“Thank you.”

John took off his shoes and walked down the beach. The wind was blowing her long hair wildly behind her. She looked like a small child huddled up in a ball.

Katie didn’t hear John approach she was in her own world. She jumped as she felt something go around her. Her head turned and seen John sitting beside her she looked up at his deep blue eyes and never said a word. His arm wrapped around her holding the towel in place. He brushed a strand of her hair back as he gently kissed her forehead. His gentle touches caused fresh tears to burst forth.

“I want to apologize I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable, that is something I didn’t want to do. Are you alright.”

The gentle tone sent warmth across her body.

“You haven’t don’t anything wrong, it is just me.”

He turned her to him and cupped her cheek so she could look deeply into his eyes.  Her face and body were longing for passion and love. He could feel it.

“John I have been lost in a swarm of grief and anger after I lost my husband and mother. I don’t want to feel the rejection of that kind of lose again, but every time I am around you, my feeling change.” He eyes full of moisture.

She turned her head from his as she stared out into the blue waters.

“You will be gone soon and things will get back to normal again.” Her voice low and scratchy.

“Katie when I came to your door that evening I wasn’t expecting to see you, but I am glad I did because my life changed the night my eyes laid eyes on you.”

Katie didn’t’ know what to say, she was lost in his words. “Did he mean it?” her heart was hoping but her mind was screaming at her.

John pulled her onto his lap and kissed her hard and long. Water was splashing against their legs and body as they stayed locked in each other’s arms. Just like he had wanted to do every second he was around her. She pulled away from his lips as she giggles like a child and jumps up and runs down the beach.

“Oh, so you want to play again, you are a woman of many moods.”

John gets up and runs after her, as he catches her and grabs her waist and pulls her to him. They fall on the sand as his arms are still wrapped around her.  The waves are splashing against them their bodies roll into the waves. They both laugh like children playing. John finally lets her go as he watches her get up and walk into the waves. The water is pushing against her dress as it shows every curve of her body. He followers her closely as he stands there letting the waves rinse off the sand his eyes never leaving her.

“Looks like we need a change of clothes.” She giggles.

John wasted no time and pulls her into a tight embrace. He kisses her deeply, her tears of happiness turned into feelings of passion. She response to his touch and fell into his body. For once she didn’t pull away she kissed him back letting herself feel. She pulls away from his lips as she exhales still remaining silent. Katie stood there shivering in his arms, his deep blue eyes pierced her soul.

He leads her back down the beach toward the house walking in silent listening to the waves hitting the shorelines.

Katie saw her father standing in the doorway hold a drink.

“Looks like you two decided to go for a swim” he smiles. Daniel hands her a large towel as she wraps it around herself.

“I will be down in a few minutes I’m going to change” she hurries upstairs before letting John catch up.

Jumping in the shower letting the warm water run over her body. Her mind still on what had happened on the beach and last night. Her body was alive, feeling, wanting, needing. She was alive again.

John decided to shower downstairs, he didn’t think it was proper to run after her with her father standing there. He hurried in the shower and changed his clothes. He had to fight every instinct not to go to her. His mind kept reminding him of the taste of her lips, and her soft body pressed against his.

He finished his shower and walked into the den as Daniel was waiting by the glass window that had a view of the ocean. 

“I am so joyed to see my daughter happy,” Daniel said.

“She is a wonderful person I so enjoy every minute with her,” John said, not knowing what really to say to him.

His heart went out to him he was a father that only wanted happiness for his daughter. He loved her deeply and he could tell she was his world.

“I can tell” he laughs.

John gets a glaze of Katie coming into the room her hair was down, and it framed her round face. Her jeans fit her perfect hugging her hips in such a way it was dangerous. Her blouse tightly fitted her breast is not giving anything away. John had to fight every instinct not to carry her back upstairs, if her father wasn’t standing there he would have.

“Feel better beautiful,” John said smiling at her.

“Much” she answered as she stood by his side with her eyes never leaving her fathers. She noticed he was watching her closely.  John grinned, he could tell by the way she was biting her lower lip she was nervous.  John put his arm around her waist as his face was barely inches from her. She was nearly impossible to resist even in front of her father. He could feel her breathing becoming faster, all he wanted to do at this moment was kiss her again.

They talked business for a few hours. Katie got bored listening to them be masters of the universe so she went to the kitchen. Katie grabbed the pitcher of tea and poured her a glass. Taking her glass upstairs and stopped at her mother’s old room. She opened the door and went in. The room was still the same as she left it nothing had changed. The desk was by the window overlooking the shoreline, the bed was at the far corner of the room. Her room was exact large it was the size of two apartments put together. She looked up and her mother and father’s portrait was over her bed. She stared at the picture as cold chills ran down her arm. Taking a few steps to the window she looked out. It was a prefect view of the ocean. The white capping waves were hitting the shore lines and rolling back out. Over the horizon was dark gray clouds that was forming in the distance. She could see the lighting for far away. It looked like a storm was approaching. Turning around and taking one more look around the room she could feel her presences.

She jumped as she heard Johns voice.

“Katie” he called.

Katie went to the door and opened it and John was standing a few feet from the entryway.

“I have been looking all over for you, are you alright.”

“Yes I am fine,” she said closing the door behind her.

“Your dad wants us to join him for supper.”

“What’s for supper?”

“I’m not sure.” His arm went around her as they walked to the dining room. Sitting beside her father and John on the other side. She started to yawn, covering her mouth quickly hoping they would notice.

“You seem tried dear.”

“Not too bad.”

“Well after dinner why don’t you go on to bed, John and I will have us a night cap.”

They finished their dinner, and Katie excused herself and went up to her room. She changed into her t-shirt and laid across the bed and dosed off to sleep. When John finally finished a few drinks with Daniel he went upstairs to bed. When he opened the door to the bedroom he seen her crawled up and fast asleep. He changed his clothes and climbed in beside her, pulling her into his chest. She crawled her back into him and fell back to sleep. Kissing the back of her head with his arms wrapped around her he fails fast asleep.

It was time for her to get off work, Tom watched out is window waiting for her driver to bring her home. Thirty minutes passed then an hour and another hour nothing.

“Where is she now?” he was getting so inpatient.

He picked up his phone and called her office there was no answer just an answering machine. He slammed the phone down on the corner rubbing his fingers through his hair.

“How could see slip away so fast?”

He grabbed his jacket and went out the door. The wind was cold and crisp blowing hard against the sidewalk. A few couples were out bundled up with wraps covering their skin.  With the harsh wind against his face, walking down the sidewalk until he stood right in front of her townhouse. He looked up and he didn’t see any movements anywhere, it was already dark and the street light lit up every corner.

“Maybe I missed her and she is asleep” everything going through is mind.

He stood there for it seems forever until a large man with dark hair came out of the building beside her with his dog.

The gentleman watches him for a moment before he spoke.

“Hey man, what are you doing.”

“Huh, I thought this was my friend’s house but just noticed I have the wrong house” he answered quickly as he turned and walked back down the sidewalk.

“That was really a stupid answer,” he thought.

He turned and looked back to see if the gentleman was still there but he was gone. He hurried into his apartment and closed the door. Running to the window, he pulled out his binoculars and began scanning the streets and back up to her window, still complete darkness at her house. His heart sank in his chest.

“I had to have missed her or maybe she is just asleep.” He was holding own a conversation with himself.

He paced the floor as he went back and forth to the window. He finally goes to bed just to be haunted by images and dreams that kept waking him up. Laying there in complete darkness her face was still visible even with his eyes open. Minutes later he found himself in complete darkness.

The room was a little brighter as he rolled over and looked at the clock. It was still early he got up and made him some coffee. Sitting at the kitchen table he could see her in his mind sitting across from him. As he sipped on his coffee she would stare into his face with though deep eyes of hers. Just that quick she would disappear just like that. He was so angry that he had to depend on his visions of her to make it through the next day.

“This is enough? I need her now.” He said out loud.

He walks over to the window holding his cup looking over her house. There were no moments.

“Well it’s the weekend so she is still sleeping.” He told himself.

He showed and changed cloths and walked back to his favor place. Still no signs of life.

“Well I guess I will just walk down there he thought.”

Grabbing his jacket and beanie he walks out of the apartment. The wind was so cold his body started to quiver. Heading into the wind he walked until he had a complete view of her front door and every window. Still there was no movement, no lights. The blinds were drawn and no noise came from the building. He couldn’t take the cold any longer so he walked back to his house. Running start to the window to see if there was any change, but none. Everything was the same.