“You have servants?” tumbled out.
You gotta stop with the spitting of words
.
The shake of his head was almost an “I feel sorry for you!” shake. “You really don’t listen to the gossip. You know nothing about us, do you?”
My mouth stayed put for fear of saying something really stupid again. I looked down at the ice dancing in my glass.
“Well, that look could only be for one of two reasons. Either you’re embarrassed about not listening to the gossip and knowing nothing about us, or...you’re embarrassed for the way I acted earlier when you spoke about my mother.”
Not much was coming out of me. The ice was fun to watch.
Stepping forward, he put a finger under my chin and lifted my eyes to his. “Why do you always do that?”
“What?” It sounded like a squeak more than a word.
He moved closer, our bodies almost touching. “You always hide your eyes away.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, habit?”
There was pure tenderness in his eyes as he delved into mine. It wasn’t something I ever saw before...well, when it was directed at me, anyway.
“I would like to break that habit,” he suggested.
The heat rushed to my face and I looked down again.
Laughing, he took my hand and kissed it. “We’ll have to work on it, I guess.”
With a tightness, I nodded.
The softness in his voice was authentic. “Now, allow me to apologize for earlier. That wasn’t my best moment, and it won’t happen again.”
Only the second day, Saydi, and the guy has you crazy
. My insides quaked having him right there.
With ease his thumb and index finger cupped my chin softly, his mouth hovered for a second by my cheek. Then gradually his breath worked its way across my neck and found my ear. “I usually don’t move this fast. Actually, I stay away from this type of thing, but something about you has me transfixed.” His lips skimmed my cheek, then he pulled away to clear his throat. “Sorry, I really don’t know what it is about you. I’ll be good, promise.”
No, please don’t be
!
A moment of silence gave me time to unscramble my brain and think of something to say. Then it just fell out in a heap. “Why do you call your dad, ‘father’?”
By rights, the way the question was presented should have made him cringe, but it didn’t alarm him or anything. He simply shrugged. “Always have—it’s the respectful way to address a parent.”
“Oh.” My mouth wanted to throw out something about his mom, but thought better of it.
He smiled, took my drink and put both on the bar. Then he took my hand and instructed, “Now follow me.”
Where else would I go? He had my hand, and I couldn’t exactly run the other way. I giggled inside at my own silliness. Unfortunately, to my horror, he led me toward the door to the room where I got busted the night before. My silly thoughts about running the other way weren’t so silly anymore. I tugged gently and even thought about digging in my heels, surely he wouldn’t drag me.
He squeezed my hand and chuckled. “Oh, it won’t be that bad.” Opening the door, he stepped aside and gestured with his arm that I was to go first.
I whipped my head side to side.
The flirtatious look in his eyes told me to be cautious. “I’ll drag you, don’t think for a second I won’t.”
How did he know? Darting my eyes from him to the room and back again, it was too hard to resist... I stepped in. Even seeing it for the second time in as many days took my breath away. It was so elegant, yet powerful, something you only saw in movies. Again, I drank in the whole of it, mesmerized. That is, until the warmth of Nathanael was close against my back, shoving a tingling through my body and stealing my attention.
“This is my father’s secret library,” he murmured in my ear.
Twisting around quickly, my voice betrayed my actions, it was only a slight whisper, “We should...” The words caught in the back of my throat, when he caught me smoothly, holding me close against his chest.
“It’s okay. We’re allowed to be here,” he reassured with the same softness.
The way he held me had me not wanting ever to leave the warmth of him.
Quickly kissing my head, he released me. “Now, I find it fascinating...” he began, moving toward the bookshelf. “That the very book that intrigued you is mine and my father’s favorite.” Slowly Nathanael removed it from the shelf. “You see, my father is obsessed with the scriptures, the wars between gods and demons. One war in particular is what he spends most research time on.” Turning, he waved the book in the air. “And guess which one.”
He again made me feel comfortable, never letting me feel embarrassed. “It is a beautiful book,” I agreed.
A small smile crossed his face. “Father is fluent in all the old ancient languages.” He shook his head. “But don’t ask me about any of them. He’s scoured the globe for any documentation to prove this war happened, even going as far as to ask the Vatican to allow him to research the old scrolls they have.”
That intrigued me. “Did they let him see them?”
“I’m not sure. He went away on one of his trips, so it could have happened. Anyway, this war was supposed to be the ultimate of all wars with both sides using every warrior in their arsenal, and much more.”
“What happened?” I breathed, completely enthralled.
There was a fake surprise in his features as he slackened back a bit. “I can’t give the ending away,” he said, handing me the book.
I gawked at it.
He thrust it at me. “Here, you can borrow it. You’ll find it very fascinating.”
Glancing quickly between him and the book, I insisted, “Nathanael, I can’t take it.”
“Of course you can, my dear!” A big smooth, booming voice came from behind me.
My body moved quickly around to see a very tall figure standing in the doorway, the same one that graced the hardware store’s window. He looked a lot like Nathanael, except his hair was slicked back with touches of gray running through it. It was longer, as well, and his eyes were dark like Job’s and Joshua’s. He had the perfect lips and high rosy cheeks and reminded me of those gods you see in picture books.
Holding a drink in his hand, he pressed further into the room. “I’m afraid, Saydi, my son has yet to master the skill of enticing a young mind to the point they could never refuse such an offer.”
Nathanael put his hand on the small of my back. “Saydi, this my father, Andrew Braxton.”
“Hi, Mr. Braxton.”
“Miss Gardiner, it’s nice to meet you. Now will you allow me to kiss the hand that seems to have my son completely enamored?” And without waiting for an answer, he took my hand in his and kissed it, then looked at me through his eyelashes. “Yes, enamored to the point that after walking you home, he retired to his room and wouldn’t come out.”
I shot a look at Nathanael, who darted his eyes down with a childish grin on his red face.
Mr. Braxton stood and waved his hand in the air. “I’m certain he told you he ran errands and didn’t feel much like visiting with his new friends. Truth be told, he was in his room daydreaming about how he was going to kiss you.”
“Father!” Nathanael wailed.
I giggled under my breath while a smile played around Mr. Braxton’s lips. It was cute to see his dad joke around with him.
Mr. Braxton took the book from Nathanael and handed it to me. “Please, Miss Gardiner, it would give me great pleasure if you would read this. Nathanael told me how you were drawn to it. Besides, it will give all three of us something to talk about, other than the daily turmoil of living the life of a teenager.” He rolled his eyes, laughing at his own joke.
Again he had me giggling, and I graciously accepted.
“Well, I must take my leave. Work calls, and I only took a short break to meet you. And so I have.”
It felt like I should curtsy.
“Nathanael, ensure you get Miss Gardiner home on time.”
“I will, Father.”
Mr. Braxton practically floated from the room. “Good night,” he called back.
“Good night,” I responded.
With the book cradled against my chest, Nathanael walked me to my door, holding my hand and swinging our arms, then he started whistling.
I giggled.
Again he kissed my hand. “That’s what I like to hear.”
A soft drumming pumped in my ears in anticipation.
Is he going to kiss me?
We stepped up to the door and he faced me. His eyes found mine—there was a concern that played around the edges of a softness he hid behind a mask. It was a guard hiding something deep, something he didn’t want anyone to see.
He smiled. “This may sound crazy...” he stated gingerly. “But I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. The minute I saw you walk into Sloppy’s, I felt a connection even if you didn’t see me.”
The feeling was mutual, and I couldn’t believe someone like him could be in my life. It felt so right, so fast. “I do too.”
Air left his lungs in a spurt. “Whew! It took so long for you to answer I was ready to run.”
Getting up the nerve, I slowly reached out and touched his cheek. “I’m sorry.”
Sighing, he looked at his watch. “Well, it’s time for you to go in.”
“Okay, have a good night,” I responded, then turned toward the door.
“Not so fast,” he whispered. Placing the palm of his hand on the back of my neck, the other around my waist, he drew me toward him, leaned in and hovered for a second, then tenderly his lips caressed mine. “You have a good night too,” he breathed.
It was like angels going off in my head,
Hallelujah, hallelujah!
“Okay,” I answered.
He backed off the step and continued backing up toward his car. Then he tripped over his own feet, but was able to catch himself before his butt hit the ground.
I threw my hand to my mouth and stifled a laugh.
His face was red instantly. “Well, that certainly wasn’t very debonair on my part, was it?”
Shaking my head, I agreed. “Nope.”
“Have a good one, sweets.”
“You too.”
At his insistence, the door had to be closed and locked before he left, so again, on my tippy toes, I watched him jump into his car and take off. After there wasn’t even so much as a red taillight anywhere, I rested my back against the door, heart pulsating in my chest and pumping blood so fast my head started to spin. His face, his voice, consumed my mind and the smell of his cologne lingered on my coat. My fingers gently touched my lips where his had touched them.
He kissed me
.
The kitchen light was on.
“Mom!” I shrieked running into the room. “He kissed me!”
I stopped dead in my tracks.
She was sitting at the table with a cup of hot tea cradled in her hands, tears lining her cheeks.
“Mom? Are you okay?”
“Mm-hm. Just thinking,” she said.
Placing the book carefully on the counter, I asked, “About what?”
“Ted and Lilly.”
Those two names were certainly not expected and kind of blew me away. Ted and Lilly used to be really good friends of Mom’s, but everyone knew Ted was abusive and when Mom told Lilly what she really thought, Lilly turned on Mom. It took a long time for Mom to get over it. Eventually Ted and Lilly moved to Saskatoon.
“What about them?”
A tear fell down her face. “Lilly’s dead.”
“What?” popped out loudly.
Mom was in a calm place, one that scared me. “Ted shot her, then himself.”
Hugging her I soothed, “Oh Mom, I’m so sorry.”
She kissed my head and rubbed my back. “So am I. Maybe if I had been there...”
“No, Mom,” I whispered softly. “You did everything you could.”
Her body shook with sobs. “The man had such an evil spirit and I always knew it.”
Mom counseled Lilly for years and tried to guide her—Ted too, but Mom knew a lost cause when she saw one. Lilly was always in trouble with him and when they moved, Mom would send a little note to her every once in a while to let Lilly know that she had a place to come if she needed.
“I know, Mom. You warned Lilly. There wasn’t much more you could do.”
“It’s such a horrible, horrible thing.”
“Yes, it is.”
She shook her head, then wiped her eyes with the cuff of her housecoat. “I’m sorry. Look at me being all wrapped up in my own stuff.” She patted my leg. “Did I hear right? He kissed you?”
“Mom, it’s okay, we don’t have to talk about it now. We can talk about it tomorrow or the next day.” Though I wanted to burst out how wonderful life was, it wasn’t really an appropriate time.
Turning in her seat, she surveyed my face and forced the issue. “Well...did I hear right?”
My head jumped up and down so fast that if it weren’t attached it would’ve flown clear off. “Yes!” I squealed, my legs bouncing up and down with excitement.