Fire - Betrayal (41 page)

As I quickly packed my gear, Cate lay on my bed watching me, touching me whenever I came near to her, teasing me.

Finally, my attraction to her became overwhelming.  I stopped fussing with my packing, seriously walked over to her, and leaned across the bed. She looked deeply into my eyes while I brought my lips to hers.  I kissed her slowly, lingering lightly on her lips, before she reached up and pulled my lips firmly to hers. Our kising started to become heated, and I was on a downward spiral losing control of my emotions for her.

‘Ben, sorry to interrupt your packing, but would you and Cate like a quick bite to eat before you leave for the airport?’ disrupted my m
other, in the nicest possible way.

I pulled away from Cate, my eyes closed, trying to compose myself.

‘Yeah, sure, that would be nice,’ I answered as calmly as I could. As soon as my mum had left, I leaned over and kissed Cate ever so gently.  Then I helped her up off the bed and wrapped my arms firmly around her and held her close. I kissed her lightly on the side of her neck, and breathed in her scent, frustrated.

She pulled away from me and looked into my eyes.  I was very emotional,  She reached down to my hand, and led me out of the bedroom to the outdoor area, to eat with my family.

‘Ah Mrs Adams, the food looks scrumptious, thank-you,’ Cate said sincerely, giving my mother a quick hug.

‘Thank-you my dear Cate, please sit down and enjoy.  I know that you don’t have long to stop here,’ she said.  Then she looked up at me.  I was quiet, serious.

‘Cate, what have you done to Ben?’ asked Mrs Adams.

Cate looked up at me. I then smiled just a smidgen.

‘I think I have scrambled his brain – not intentionally – I’m sure he will get over it, won’t you Ben!’ Cate said, trying to lighten my mood.  I simply nodded and then sat down very closely to her.

‘Ben are you feeling okay? ‘
my mother continued.

I nodded. ‘Yeah, I’m fine.  I’m just coming to the realization of how lucky I am that Cate is here with me, that Cate is
my
wife.’ I looked at Cate as I said this.  I loved her so deeply.  I wanted to get away and be alone with her, badly.

Then I looked at my watch and stood up, and kissed Cate on the head.

‘Thanks ma, Cate and I have to go now, or we will miss the plane. We will see you when we get back.’  I walked around and gave my mum a short hug, then turned to the love of my life, and reached for her hand.  I really needed to be alone with her.

As Cate stood, she looked at my m
other, ‘Thank – you Mrs Adams, and ah, don’t worry about Ben, I will look after him.’

Then I led Cate through the house, collected my suitcase and headed for the car.

Cate leaned against the car while I packed the suitcases into the boot. I could feel her watching me.  I looked up at her, and smiled shyly,
and heard her heart skip a beat.

I closed the boot of the car,
and went to her, placing my hands on the car either side of her.  As I gazed deeply into her eyes, I brought my lips closely to hers and was about to kiss her, when my mother ran out to us.

‘Ben, your cell phone, you forgot it!’

I closed my eyes, still facing Cate, and then slowly turned around to face my mum, frustration oozing out of me.

‘Again, thanks m
om, ‘ I said curtly. My reply was a two edged sword aimed at my mother, who had perfected bad timing.

With a gentleman-like manner, I opened up Cate’s passenger door, and closed it for her once she was in the car. In no time, I was seated in the driver’s side and accelerated down the road towards the airport.

Cate sat quietly and placed her hand behind my neck, stroking it gently.  ‘I love you Benjamin Adams,’ she whispered.  A tear rolled down my cheek.  I couldn’t stop it.  I was felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster….Nic…..being interrupted numerous times…..Nic……Nic…..  I told myself to be stronger for Cate.

Hurriedly, we entered the air terminal, checked in our bags and collected our seat allocations.  Then time seemed to slow down as we waited to board the plane. 

I sat closely to Cate, holding her hand the entire time, gently running my light fingers over the contours of her hand.

‘Ben, are you okay?’ she asked with concern in her voice.

I kissed the back of her hand lightly and then answered, ‘Now I am, now that we can be together and not be interrupted.  And, I am feeling a little fragile at the moment Cate.  I’ve had recurring images of Nic holding you and kissing you, and it’s playing on my mind.  I really need to be with you, just you.  To be honest, I’m feeling threatened by Nic’s love for you.’

There was silence for a moment, before Cate spoke. 

‘Ben, you know that any man could fall in love with me.’

‘Ah, don’t I know it.  Just being here I’ve seen the looks that guys give you.  I can’t wait to get a wedding
ring on your finger so that they know that you’re taken, and they can’t have you,’ I interrupted. 

Cate waited briefly before she continued on.

‘I waited such a long time for you to come into my life, and I could never love another as I love you.  I never kissed Nic the way that I kiss you.  I couldn’t.  I felt as though I was being unfaithful to you, even if we were never destined to be together.  He was second best, and I let our relationship develop because I was certain that you and Jacinta would be sealed, and I would never ever see you again.  Please Ben, don’t feel threatened by Nic.  I chose you.  It will always be you.’

I was leaning forward, my eyes focused on the carpeted floor as Cate spoke.

Then I turned my face towards her, searching her eyes.  She meant every word that was said.

‘Thank-you Cate.  I could not live in a place where you were not.  I could not live…without you.  I was counting down the days and hours until when I could return to you.  I did not expect you to have fallen in love with another guy.  It blew me away.  I very nearly didn’t go to the Masquerade Ball.  I had lost hope.  I felt that I didn’t deserve you after what I did and said back in ……But then, when our hands touched during the waltz, and I felt the electrical shock pass between us, I knew that we belonged together, as long as you wanted me.  But I was willing to let you go if you wanted Nic – please know that…..and if you still want Nic, I will step aside at anytime.  Your happiness is of the utmost importance to me Cate.  I will always put you before me,’ I said emotionally.

I looked into Cate’s eyes for some time, and she into mine.  I was projecting my deepest love to her through my eyes, connecting into the core of her being.  The intimacy was profound.

I disconnected from the gaze as the boarding announcement was made, finding Cate’s hand and leading her to the walkway to the plane. 

Comfortably, we sat relaxing in the seats of the plane, Cate lightly running her fingertips over the back of my hand.  She turned my hand over to trace the inside of my wrist.  It was there that she found a small lump under my skin.  I heard her draw a short sharp breath as she felt it, and then she raised her eyes to look at me.

I stared into her eyes, and then at the lump under my skin.

‘Have you been micro-chipped Ben?  Are you being tracked?’ asked Cate, alarmed.

‘No Cate. It is for something else.  It is not to be feared.  I will tell you all about it on the island.  I would tell you here, if I could, but I can’t,’ I explained, looking around.

She nodded her head, and looked into my eyes.  She was anxious.

Cate put her head against my shoulder, entwined her fingers in mine and closed her eyes.  The motion of the plane soon lulled her into sleep.

I rested my head against hers, but then felt the urgency to place my right hand onto her head to read her mind.  Now would be the perfect opportunity to do that.  In Une Autre Terre, one must ask for permission to do this.  But I was pretty sure that Cate would refuse my request, and it was killing me that I hadn’t been able to use my gifts on her since my return.  Besides, I would be able to put her into a deeper and more relaxed sleep than she was already having.  So I figured that it would be alright for me to read into her mind.

Gently, I strategically placed my fingers on certain parts of Cate’s head, and closed my eyes, concentrating my energies into various locations throughout her brain.

I found her emotional centre.  She was at a very good place – very happy, very content, but perhaps a little worried. I found her memory bank and hovered there, uncertain whether to enter her memories.  I chose not to, in case I saw something I did not want to see about her relationship with Nic.

Then I slowly withdrew my energies from within her brain after I visited her hypothalamus and put her into a deeper sleep, and released my touch from her head.

What I really needed to do was to place my hand over her heart.  I recalled how it had been shattered into a thousand pieces when I first went to Une Autre Terre, and how I desperately worked to put the pieces back together.

But this was not the time, nor the place for a heart reading, and I would certainly ask for her permission to do it. I lightly kissed her on the head, and breathed in deeply, feeling my powerful love for her.  We would soon be at our destination. 

Alone together….uninterrupted.