Flesh and Feathers (12 page)

Feeling a little tipsy, I leaned against Gage as we walked the blocks back to our apartment complex. He had his arm wrapped around my back with a tight grip on my shoulder, while I rested my head on his.

Finally, at my apartment, I leaned my back against the door with the heel of my shoe propped against it. Facing Gage, I watched his face turn serious while staring at me.
 
He placed his fingers in the belt of my dress and pulled me closer, planting both of my feet on the ground. I was surprised when I didn’t feel nervous–only eager. His hands were still fixed in my belt as he walked closer to me, pressing me back against the door.

He grinned and spoke in a low voice. “You’re killing me in that dress.”
 

I don’t know what it was–if it was the way he spoke to me, the feeling that something was missing in my life, or the fact I didn’t want to be alone tonight, but that’s all he had to say. I placed my hand on the back of his neck and pressed my lips against his. Even though he tried to hide it, he felt the anticipation of our kiss just as much as I did. His lips trailed over mine, again and again. I couldn’t pull him close enough–I wanted every inch of him. Feeling the heat rush though my body, he could feel my arousal and kissed me harder. I ran my hands through his hair, and then jerked the top two buttons of his shirt loose. He grabbed my thigh, and ran his hand under it. He lifted my leg and wrapped it around his, causing my skirt to hike up. This made me want him even more. I began feeling for the doorknob, trying to turn it. When I found it, he pulled away. I could feel my lips swelled and burning. Where I had pulled the top two buttons loose, his shirt was opened and exposing his chest.

Speaking only inches from his face, I asked, “What’s wrong?”

“We should wait.”

My eyes followed his back and forth. “Wait for what?”

“I don’t want you like this,” he said.

Embarrassed, shocked, and frustrated, I pushed him back at arm’s length. He caught my hand and held it to his chest.

He smiled confidently and leaned back in. “You’ve misunderstood me, Love.” I couldn’t speak. My feelings were torn, and now he was adding confusion to the mix. “I do want you… in every way possible… but not like this. I don’t want it to be a night inspired by wine and atmosphere. I want it to be real.”

Kissing me one last time, he said, “I’ll wait until you’re inside.”

I looked away clearly frustrated, but at the same time knowing he was right. I nodded and went in, closing the door behind me and not looking back.

***

The next morning, I awoke to an assembly of flowers outside of my door–Gage of course. I made three trips from the door to the counter, placing them all atop. Attached was a tiny card that said:
downstairs
lobby, nine AM, Gage.
It was already eight forty, which left me no time to decide what to do. And of course this is the time the irritating voice in my head speaks up.
You have nothing better to do anyway.
“Fine,” I said gritting my teeth.

Jumping in the shower and letting the water sooth my body, I replayed last night’s scene in my head. Thinking about Gage, I couldn’t help but smile.
 

Then I remembered the man at the lounge and how fascinating he was. It was strange how quickly he had disappeared.

I pulled back the shower curtain and reached for my towel. Steam from the shower had filled the room. Drying off and wrapping the towel around me, I reached up to clear the mirror.
    

My hand stroked it twice, removing the condensation and revealing the same woman with platinum colored hair and white eyes who had appeared there before. Startled, I screamed. Stepping back and slipping on the wet floor, I crashed hard. I looked up at the mirror and saw she was still there with an amused look on her face. I closed my eyes tight and yelled at her, “You are not real!” Listening to the dripping of the showerhead, I waited. I was hoping that when I opened my eyes, she would be gone. I opened them to find her full body standing over me. Her eyes tightened on me and then she spoke. “He who appears before you as the golden one will slay the angel, Genevieve.” It was all she said, her body turning into the steam that had filled the room.

I lay there several minutes on the floor. I felt a pain in my arm from where I had fallen. I examined it and noticed it was bleeding. I pulled myself up and quickly ran out of the apartment; barely dress, and with my hair dripping wet. Gage was sitting in the lobby, and when I saw him, I ran to him. Gage stood up, and I wrapped my arms around him, shaking.

“Az, what’s wrong? You’re bleeding,” he exclaimed, holding my arm.

“I don’t know. I think I’m losing my mind. I’m seeing things that aren’t there.” My voice was distressed and cracked on every word.

A thousand things were running through my mind, but nothing I could tell him would sound sane. I laid my head on his chest and breathed. I knew he was waiting for an answer, but I was unable to give him a logical one. I hadn’t known him that long, and I really liked Gage. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I was crazy.

“Az?” he asked again.

I looked up at him, and his eyes were such a brilliant green. I gave a fake smile–the best I could. “It was nothing.” I swallowed hard and prayed he wouldn’t press the issue. Although it didn’t look like he bought it, he didn’t pressure me for an explanation.

 
“Why don’t I go back up with you so you can finish getting dressed? I have made plans for us today.” My smile came more naturally this time.

I nodded my head, and we began to walk back to my apartment.

“What do you mean you have plans for us?” I asked curiously.

“I won't take no for an answer,” he added.

 
“I
do
have a job.”

“That’s been taken care of,” he said.

I looked at him baffled. “What do you mean… taken care of?”

“I called in for you,” he reassured me.

I grabbed his arm, stopping him from taking another step. “What? You can’t do that.”

“Why not? As your O.B.G.Y.N., I have a lot of pull. “He smirked at me, as my face turned horrified.
 

“No you didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t?” I repeated, with my mouth hanging open.

“Oh, but if anyone asks, all of your tests came back negative,” he said, trying to put on a straight face.

“You’re insane, you know that–right?” I said, while rolling my eyes.

“Yeah, but you like it.”

He was right. I did like it. I liked everything about him–especially the way he looked at me… like I was this shiny, beautiful object that he just couldn’t help but touch. Gage leaned in, wrapping his arms around me. I only stared up at him, unable to move.

“You will thank me later,” he said, smiling.

“I’m sure I won’t,” I said, as he kissed me once on the lips.
 

Apparently, I was lost in the moment and had closed my eyes, waiting for him to kiss me again.

“Az?” he said questioning. “Stay with me.”

Oh my God, how embarrassing
. I cleared my throat. “Oh… um… I was just thinking about what it was that you had planned for us.” That was not played off well at all.

“Ever been on a boat?” he asked.

 
I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, but in a playful curious way. “Why?”

“Come on,” he said. After I got ready, I followed him downstairs and outside.

The marina was twenty minutes from downtown. We had taken a cab to get there. When we arrived, Gage led me down the row of boats and stopped in front a white motor yacht with a large blue strip down the side.

“Hell’s Anglers?” I asked, as I looked at the name painted in bright red lettering across the side.

Gage laughed. “It’s a friend’s. He used to be into bikes–now he’s into boats.”

We spent the entire day at sea. Gage, of course, had to explain everything there was about a boat. Even though, I really didn’t care, I tried to listen. He was so excited to share his knowledge of how to drive it; how to tell where you were; and lots of other things that went in one ear and out the other. He explained when you were at sea that the birds could help tell you where to go. I guess it had to be a guy thing. However, I did have to say, he looked really good with his shirt off while he explained all of this.

Chapter 10

Needs

K
nocking at the door

I opened my eyes and focused them on the alarm clock next to my bed. I slightly moved to see what time it was. The alarm read seven thirty AM.

“Hang on a sec,” I shouted, pulling the covers over my head, not wanting to get up.

But then, slowly I made it to my feet, trying to get to the door. However, not before the knocking started again. “Who is it?” My voice was scratchy and hoarse.
 

I looked through the peephole, smiling at the fact that Gage was holding a brown paper bag and coffee against it, so I could see that he had brought breakfast. I was not surprised. He was the only person insane enough to be up, beating on my door this early in the morning.
 

Opening the door, I leaned my head against it and yawned.

 
“Good morning. And I must say I don’t think I have ever seen you look hotter,” he said, looking me up and down.

“Shut up,” of course, smiling when I said it. I opened the door wider, allowing him to come in.

He was wearing loose fitted khaki shorts, a t-shirt and a black baseball cap. This was a lot more casual for him than normal. He was gorgeous, and breakfast was a bonus.

He still teased me. “No, I’m serious, what do you call this hair style?” he asked, as he lifted a mangled piece of my hair.

“Enough,” I said, smacking his hand away from my hair. He would go on for hours like this if I let him. “Look, I really need to go get changed and ready for work.”
 

“Fantastic, can I watch?” he asked, as he handed me the caramel latté he had brought.

“No, you
cannot…
and thanks.”
 

“Well, since that is not an option, how about I walk you to work?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes at him. “Negative. Besides, don’t you have to work or something like that?”

“What’s your point?”

“My point is… if I don’t leave here in the next hour, I’m going to be late. So you need to go.”

Instead of him leaving like I had suggested, Gage simply pulled out a kitchen chair and sat. He opened the newspaper and pretended to read it before pausing to look at me.

“I will wait for you to get dressed, and then I will walk you out.”

I just smiled and shook my head, walking off. I entered my bedroom, rummaging through my clothes piled on the floor, looking for my work uniform. I needed to shower, but ever since my last encounter with the blonde haired women in my mirror, I couldn’t help but feel apprehensive every time I entered the bathroom. I think I was more comfortable believing that I was crazy, and to see her again would only prove that she really was haunting me. Being crazy was the lesser of the two evils.

I peered into the empty bathroom cautiously, but nothing looked out of the sort.

“Gage,” I said, poking my head out of the door and looking down the hall.
 

“Yes, Love?” he replied. My face flushed with heat. I couldn’t help but blush when he called me that.

“Um… I’m going to take a quick shower. Were you still going to stay here until I leave?”

“I’m definitely not leaving now,” he said, followed by a small chuckle.

“Very funny, Gage. Ha ha.”

I closed the door and began to undress. I was still nervous, so I turned the doorknob and slightly cracked the door back open. I felt safer knowing Gage was just in the other room if I needed him. I pulled open the shower curtain and stepped in.
 
         

I washed as quickly as possible and rinsed off. When I finished, I pulled the shower curtain back and looked around the room. There was only steam looming in the air. I reached for the towel that normally hung on the back of the bathroom door, but it wasn’t there.
Great, now what was I supposed to do?
I stood there covering my bare breasts with my forearms and rested my chin on my clutched hands. I was wet and cold.

“Gage?” I called reluctantly.

“Yeah?” he responded quickly. His voice was far enough away I could tell he was still sitting in the kitchen.

I let out a long sigh. “I can’t find a towel. Can you grab me one out of the closet in the hall?” I didn’t hear a response. I stood there waiting for a reply. Then the door opened slowly–Gage stood on the opposite side grinning at me with a white towel in his hand.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” I shouted, grabbing the shower curtain and trying to hide myself.
 

“I’m handing you a towel, like you asked,” he said in a deviant voice.
   

“Get out!” I barked.