Loving You (Remembrance Series, Book 2) (3 page)

“I’m glad I got to you when I did. Your hands were literally smoking.” His breathing was erratic and his face full of fear. He pulled the corner of the spread over himself for covering, before he helped me shift in bed until I was leaning back against the headboard. He sat beside me on the edge of the bed and slowly began unwrapping the towel to take a look at my hands. He muttered to himself, “I can’t wait to get my hands on that witch.”

I watched as my hands turned red and blistered before my eyes. It always shocked me at how much power the dark spirits had when I was dreaming, alone. This time they caused second degree burns, but I had my own special type of healing; Gregory’s kisses. He bent down, touching his lips to my hands, and I watched as the burns began to recede until my skin was back to normal. All signs of the “attack” were non-existent.

Gregory’s hand came up to caress my face, while his lips slipped in a gentle caress over mine. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it in time to prevent this.” His voice was full of pain and sorrow.

I reached up and pulled him closer, deepening his kiss. “You can’t watch me every minute of the day. Your family and work need you.”

He leaned in, working his lips down my neck, as his arms reached encircle me, drawing me closer to him. “I know. But, my universe revolves around you. You are my life and my existence, Jordan; and if fate will allow it, my soon-to-be wife.”

I knew our time was precious and this conversation was getting too deep for my tastes, so I opted to change the subject. “Do you think we could call your mom and dad, tonight?”

He pulled his head back and looked quizzically at me. “Sure, but why?”

“Before my dreams took a turn for the worse, I had a vision of where we should get married; but we would need their approval. It would be a perfect setting, in a controlled environment and we could have only our closest friends and family.” I smiled.

“Okay, you have me at a loss…where are you thinking? You know it doesn’t matter where I marry you; only that I do.”

“I know. I was thinking of where you proposed. We could easily pass it off as an Engagement Party at your parents’ house and then, surprise, have a wedding instead.”

A smile spread quickly across his face. “That’s perfect. I love it, Jordan!” He glanced over to the clock, before giving me a quick kiss. “I need to get moving or I’ll be late to work.”

I watched as he got up and headed toward the bathroom, admiring the sculpted muscles of his chest and backside. “I don’t want you going back to sleep, unless I can watch over you. I’ll do my best to get home at a decent time, even if it means bringing some of my work home with me.”

“Yes, sir.” I offered up with a full salute and a smile.

A lot happened over the course of the next week. We talked with Gregory’s parents and, of course, Lorraine and Douglas were beyond thrilled with our choice of venue. Lorraine insisted, “When you are healed enough to travel, we need to get both you and your mother down to our house for a couple of weekends to start shopping for your wedding dress and plan the details of the wedding. I still don’t understand why we can’t just call it a wedding, instead of an Engagement Party.”

Gregory took care of running interference. “Jordan and I are already getting a lot of flak from how quickly our relationship has developed, both within the family and from our co-workers. We would get even more if everyone knew we’d moved up the date. It is our desire to let people believe we are going along with the original plans and that you will be hosting an Engagement Party for us, right down to a party environment.” He laughed a moment. “I can just see the stunned looks on everyone’s faces, now.”

Thankfully, my mom was more agreeable to our plans and seemed to understand there was an underlying reason for the way we were handling things. She was excited about the idea of seeing where the Worthington’s lived and had already bought me several bridal magazines to go through and see if a specific dress style caught my attention. Sadly, it would be a while before I could actually try on dresses, with a cast still on one arm and my ribs creating an inability to ‘suck it in’, in order to get it zipped in the back.

Gregory was true to his word about watching over me, calling several times during the day to check and make sure I was resting, but not sleeping. He came home early in the evening, but had to bring some work with him. He always stayed close and watched me like a hawk, when I slept.

When our dreams encroached, he would always try steering them away from Hannah and Aaron. After a while, I finally had to put my foot down. “You need to let our dreams proceed forward, so we can get to know things about Hannah and Aaron.” He was about to open his mouth to argue when I put my hand up to indicate I wasn’t finished. “I know Ray insisted I take time to heal. However, there is no reason why we can’t dream and gather more information on them. As it is, we only know their first names, that they look like us, and it is sometime during the Colonial Period. How are we going to solve this mystery, when you won’t even let it begin? We can’t get married until we know what we are dealing with and who’s out to hurt us. If we don’t solve this soon, we may have to push back the wedding.”

He sighed deeply. “You’re right, Jordan. I know we have limited information and a small window to get this next mystery solved. But, look how easily the dark spirits get to you when you dream. I don’t know how many close calls I can take. I almost lost you once!”

“Yes, but when we are dreaming together, we are at our strongest. The burns happened only because I fell asleep without you. If you notice, that’s when they attack.”

Gregory joined me in bed, lifting up on his elbow so he could face me. “I concede. I know you have been having more dreams of Hannah than I have of Aaron. Are there any pertinent clues to what we are looking for?”

I nodded. “The day my hands burned, I was holding a note that someone named Rebecca had written to Hannah. It warned her against getting to know Aaron and that his family would never accept her. She stated it would be best to break the relationship off, because she feared for our lives.”

He was not happy by the revelation. I watched his brow furrow, knowing we were probably going to find more chaos on our next journey. “Was there anything else written? Any other clues?”

I had to close my eyes for a moment and try to visualize the note in my hands. My eyes sprang open as I remembered. “There was a date! July 20, 1775.”

He took in a deep breath, “Well, Ray was right on with the gift of a three cornered hat and a neckerchief, then. Plus, our visions of being attired in Revolutionary wear.” He paused for a moment. “I can’t believe we may have existed during the War of Independence.”

“I know. I don’t want to believe it, either, but the glimpse of the prophecy stated we were born throughout periods of time.” A sudden realization hit me. “I wonder if we knew anyone famous, like Benjamin Franklin.”

He laughed. “That is a possibility. I’m going to ask my mom if we can trace our lineage back to that time period. Maybe your mom and your Uncle Henry could help with that, as well. I’ll also ask if my mom can take a look at the items we received to authenticate them, like she did with our Victorian items, since she works with the history center.”

I started to yawn. “I think that sounds wonderful. But, for now, we need our sleep.”

Gregory turned the light off, by the bedside, and drew me up against his side, before giving me a gentle kiss upon the lips. I missed the kisses we had before the accident; the ones filled with a burning passion. Ever since then, he has acted as though I were fragile, like a porcelain doll. I needed that intense connection to help heal my mind, as well as my soul. So I reached up, grabbing hold of his t-shirt with my good arm, and kept him from moving away as my teeth skimmed his lower lip.

“Jordan, I…” That’s as far as I let him get, before sliding my tongue briefly into his mouth. He twisted in bed to make deeper contact with my lips, as his hands reached into my hair, holding my head steady.

Several minutes passed before he finally broke off the kiss, leaving both of us gasping for air. When he found his voice, he asked, “I didn’t hurt you did I?”

I shook my head, unable to respond, literally having had my breath taken away from me. A smile formed on my face, letting him know I was fine.

“I’ve been afraid to kiss you like that because I like to feel you pressed up against me and I know you’re still hurting,” he admitted.

“Only my ribs still hurt. If I get uncomfortable, I’ll tell you. But, you should know that I’ve missed you. I need you.”

A smile spread across his face as he leaned down and starting placing kisses all over my neck and shoulders, before finally settling on my lips. “I’ve missed you, too. I promise to show you just how much, from here on out.”

We continued kissing for some time before finally falling asleep in each other’s arms. This time, Gregory didn’t fight my dreams.

I watched as saltbox style homes, dirt and cobblestone streets, and people started appearing before us. I could feel Gregory’s arms tighten around me as I watched a couple off to the side, kissing around the corner of a building.

The couple kept looking up to see if anyone was coming before stealing a kiss here and there. A woman in a green cape appeared and boldly walked up to the couple. “Aaron? Is that you?” When the gentleman stepped back from the young lady, we knew we had found who we were looking for, as they were the mirror images of ourselves, only with longer hairstyles and colonial attire.

Aaron’s tone was spiteful. “What is it you want, Rebecca?” He reached over to Hannah and tucked her safely behind him.

I couldn’t see Rebecca’s face, but saw a few tendrils of her fiery red hair escape her cap. “I am ashamed to say I am related to you, even if just by marriage to my brother, Nicholas. It is a disgrace to the family for you to be kissing a harlot out in broad daylight.”

Aaron’s hands fisted at his side, trying to contain his anger toward his sister in-law. “Hold your tongue, devil woman! Be sure that I will speak to my brother about your mouth, tonight. Need I remind you, that you were no more than a scullery maid, when my brother fell for you?”

You could tell this upset Rebecca, as she turned quickly and marched away, yelling behind, “You would do wise to contain your actions to private quarters. What would your father say of this? A barrister’s son sneaking kisses in dark corners?”

We watched as she disappeared, leaving Hannah crying and upset. Aaron reached around, pulling Hannah into his arms, at the same time Gregory pulled me snugly against his chest.

Suddenly, I was looking up at Aaron, through Hannah’s eyes. He was a sight to behold with his hazel eyes and long golden brown hair pulled back with a strip of leather.

“My darling, do not listen to that witch woman. Rebecca loves being the center of attention in our family and leaving bedlam to follow. She knows I have fallen for you and want you to become my wife.”

“What of her words and accusations?” I could hear myself asking, through tears.

“They are just that, words. I am sure she is just blathering off at the mouth.” Aaron’s hand came around my face, caressing it gently as he placed a chaste kiss on the bridge of my nose.

“She’s right. I don’t measure up to your family.”

He smiled warmly, before holding me tight to his chest, “You are the daughter of a pioneering doctor. I should be asking how I can meet your father’s high standards.”

“You know my father and mother both adore you.”

Aaron laughed heartily, extending the crook of his arm. “Let me see you to your doorstep. Our township may not be part of the current battles, but danger still looms about.”

I could feel Aaron’s presence shift away, leaving me alone, as a strange noise echoed in the distance. Before long, my shoulders began to shake and the edges of the dream started breaking away.

“Jordan, darling. It’s time to wake up.” My mind begged for more sleep, even as I felt his lips slowly kissing up the side of my neck, and resting at my ear. “I’m sorry, honey, but I can’t trust the darkness to leave you alone while I’m in the shower.”