Unforgettable (22 page)

Patrick took a deep calming breath and let it out in a sigh. He got up from the sofa and walked over to where Breezy stood. She had her back to him and he placed his hands on her shoulders.

“You’re right, angel. It is, and we need to address your concerns. But first, go get yourself out of those wet clothes and into something dry. I’ll build a fire and then we can talk.” He kissed the top of her head softly, letting her know he wasn’t angry or upset. Without looking at him, Breezy turned and started up the stairs.

“There are some clean towels and a bathrobe in the downstairs bathroom,” she said before disappearing from view.

When she returned a few minutes later, wearing a white terrycloth bathrobe and holding a hairbrush in her hand, Patrick was nowhere in sight. He’d built a roaring fire and laid a crocheted afghan on the floor in front of the fireplace. Breezy sat down on the soft afghan with her legs tucked up underneath her and began brushing her long auburn hair. She was chilled to the bone at the moment but, as memories of what had just happened slipped through her mind, a shiver ran down her spine that had nothing to do with being cold.

“Feeling better?” Patrick asked from the doorway to the kitchen. A large bath towel was draped around his neck and he’d removed his shoes and socks. Other than that, he was still dressed.

“Yes and… and no,” she managed to say with a smile. No matter how he looked, no matter how he dressed, he was breathtakingly gorgeous. “Didn’t the robe fit? You shouldn’t still be in those wet clothes.”

“I’m sure it will but I wanted to talk to you first,” he said. He disappeared into the kitchen for a second and returned with two mugs of hot chocolate. He handed her a cup and sat down in front of her, one knee propped up with his arm draped across to it. Leaning on his other arm, he watched her closely.

Breezy took a sip of the warm, sweet liquid and raised her eyes to his. They sat looking at each other for the longest time…then her gaze fell to his open shirt.

“Did I do that?” she asked shyly. There was a small scratch on his magnificent broad chest, just beneath his collarbone, but she didn’t draw attention to it.

Patrick looked down at his shirt, which was open to the waist, and saw that one of the top buttons was dangling by just a thread. He smiled victoriously. She’d responded to him for the first time and she’d done so, if only for a moment, with complete and total abandon. Now, after the fact, she was shy and a little amazed at her own reaction to him. His smile broadened as he looked into her big blue eyes.

“Yes, you did,” he said simply. “And this…” he said, pointing to the tiny scratch she had been so careful to avoid mentioning. “…and another on my back.” He drew a great deal of pleasure from the bright red blush that crept into her cheeks.

“Oh, Patrick! I’m sorry! I guess I just got carried away.”

“Oh, I hope you don’t mean that. You can get carried away with me anytime you want, but I don’t ever want you to be sorry about it, or about being with me,” he said, stroking her cheek.

“I’m sorry for the scratches and the button. I’m not sorry about that…other thing. I’m just… confused,” she said, setting her cup down.

“Breezy, there’s something happening between us. I think we both know that. I know we started out wanting to be friends, and we are,” Patrick said, lifting her chin so that he could see her eyes. “There’s been a very strong physical attraction between us ever since we met at that party, maybe even before then. I don’t think either one of us can deny that, can you?” She responded simply by shaking her head.

“I will not let anything come between our friendship, but I think it’s time we take this relationship a step further, don’t you?” Patrick asked.

“Maybe, but…I’m not good with one-on-one relationships. I am very attracted to you, Patrick. I won’t even try to deny that. I don’t want to lose your friendship, but I’m not ready in my heart or my head for what just happened,” she said, hoping he could understand.

“Sweetheart, I’m not saying we should go jump in the bed together, but couldn’t we find a place somewhere between friends and lovers and see what happens?” he asked. He let his hand rest on the side of her face as his thumb stroked her cheekbone.

“If such a place exists, Patrick, I’d like to find it with you. I’m just not sure there is such a place,” she said, placing her hand over his large one, loving its warmth on her cool skin.

“All I’m asking for is the opportunity to hold your hand, put my arm around you, and kiss you without worrying I’ll scare you off. I want to be able to have a romantic dinner with you, or have you cuddle up next to me on the sofa to watch a movie, without having you worried I’m going to try something you’re not ready for. If you want to take it any further than that, it’ll be up to you. Is that all right? Is that a safe enough place between friends and lovers for you to feel comfortable?” he asked. His voice was soft and gentle as he held her gaze.

She saw only honesty and sincerity in his eyes. Lord, he was handsome and everything about him seemed so wonderful. She was very attracted to him and she did trust him. Now all she had to do was trust herself to stay in control when he was around. She’d completely lost it on the sofa a few moments ago and she hadn’t wanted him to stop. Had he not spoken, she was sure her heart and her body would have drowned any warnings her mind had been sending her. But, dear God, looking into his eyes she was just beginning to realize she could refuse him nothing and that scared her more than anything else. Just the same, she heard herself softly saying, “Yes, Patrick. I think I can accept that.”

Patrick took the towel from around his neck and wrapped it around hers. Still holding on to both ends of it, he pulled her close.

“Shall we seal this agreement with a kiss?” he asked just before his lips met hers.

“Why don’t you get out of those wet clothes before you get sick?” Breezy whispered against his lips.

“Well, I thought you’d never ask!” he teased with a wicked gleam in his smiling brown eyes. He slowly, seductively began removing the suspenders from his shoulders.

“Patrick!” Breezy laughed.

“You’re blushing!” he teased.

“Shut up!” she said, and they both started laughing.

Later that night, after she’d dried and mended his clothing, with much teasing from him while she sewed, Patrick lay on his bed with his hands clasped behind his head. He was glad she’d agreed to take their friendship to the next level. Judging by her reactions to him, and by what she’d told him about Frank, it must’ve taken a lot of courage for her to have taken even such a small step. He couldn’t begin to imagine the kind of a lowlife who would willingly and intentionally abuse such a delicate, lovely person as Breezy. The mere thought of someone doing what she’d said he’d done to her sent waves of anger rolling through him.

He remembered everything that had transpired since that day in the parking lot. The change she’d made in him was nothing short of a miracle. He found everything about her endearing and beautiful. To him, she was more breathtaking than any woman he’d ever known yet, somehow, she didn’t believe anyone could find her attractive. This astonished him to no end.

From what he’d observed so far, she seemed to have gained the respect, admiration and love of everyone who knew her. She owned her own home and had even opened her own business, making it a success without any prior experience. If she wanted or needed to know something, she simply taught herself how to do it. She gave her time and money to charities and organized all kinds of related functions associated with them. Although she’d known great tragedy and hardship in her life, she’d kept her grace, dignity, pride, generosity, kindness and love for all her friends in tact…qualities most people could only aspire to. It was no wonder he was so in love with her.

“WHAT?” he shouted out loud, sitting bolt upright in bed. “Where the hell did that come from?” he asked his reflection in the dresser mirror. “It’s no wonder I am in love with her?”

Stunned by this revelation, he sat on the edge of the bed while a million thoughts stampeded through his mind, all circling back to the same conclusion…he was in love with Brittany Spring. Good God, it was true. How the hell had that happened? His reflection in the dresser mirror grinned back at him like a child on Christmas morning. Strangely enough, the thought of being in love with her wasn’t nearly as frightening now as it had been a moment ago. He laid his head back against the headboard. In fact, now that he’d accepted it, the feeling was quite wonderful. Suddenly, his whole life had meaning…as if God, in His infinite wisdom, had answered all his questions and prayers in a split second when Patrick himself hadn’t even realized he’d been asking for anything. But his soul had known what he needed and, for the first time in his life, he felt free, alive and strong. He felt as spirited and carefree as he’d been in high school, and it was all because of this wonderful woman.

***

“Hi, Patrick! Come on in. I’m afraid you just missed Tom,” Susan said as she opened the screen door for him the next morning.

“That’s okay. I wanted to talk to you anyway. Are you feeling okay? You don’t look so good,” Patrick said.

“Gee, thanks a lot! I think I’m getting a cold, though. Tom just left to pick up some medicine for me. What did you want to talk to me about?” Susan asked, taking a seat in the living room.

“I need to talk to you about Breezy,” Patrick replied. He looked once more at Susan’s pale face and the dark circles under her eyes. It was very chilly outside, yet Susan appeared to be sweating. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to this? I can make you some coffee and breakfast if you want.”

“Oh, no! Please don’t even mention food or drink around me. Every time I see it, smell it or even when someone mentions it, I get violently ill. I think I might have the stomach flu, or maybe even food poisoning, but I’ll be fine, really. Now, tell me what’s up with Breezy? You two have been spending a lot of time together lately. I thought everything was going well.”

“It was. Everything was great, but then I went and messed up big time,” he told her, unaware that his smile was confusing the hell out of her.

“What did you do that was so awful?” Susan asked, unable to believe this man capable of doing something so terrible it couldn’t be fixed.

“Well, maybe I should explain what happened yesterday and then tell you what I did,” Patrick said. He proceeded to tell her about playing in the rain with Breezy and kissing her in front of the fireplace, leaving out the more intimate details where possible.

“That sounds great, Patrick. I had a feeling you two would be good together the moment I met you. So, what’s the problem?” Susan asked, still missing the problem.

“The problem is that, when I got home last night and started thinking about the last month or so with Breezy, I realized that, somewhere along the way, I’d fallen in love with her.”

“Oh, Patrick! That’s wonderful!” Susan exclaimed.

“Are you kidding?
It’s horrible!
It’s the
worst possible
thing I could have done!” Patrick groaned.

“Now, how on God’s green Earth did you come to that ridiculous conclusion?” Susan scoffed.

“I just barely convinced her last night to let me hold her hand and kiss her goodnight! How am I supposed to tell her that I want and need her in my life? How am I supposed to find the words to tell her that I’m crazy in love with her?” Patrick asked incredulously.

“You’re not,” Susan said simply and a bit smugly.

“What?” Patrick exclaimed. “Have you gone mad?”

“You’re not going to tell her any such thing. You’re going to keep your mouth shut and give her some time and let her tell you that she’s in love with you.”

“You
must
have a fever, Susan. You’re delirious! Didn’t you hear me? She wants to stay as close to friends as possible! I want a helluva lot more than friendship from her…I want her love! She’ll never say those words to me. Not ever. She’s too afraid of being hurt to risk falling in love.”

“You’ve got to be joking! Either that or you’re blind! Good God, man! She’s been in love with you since she dropped her cookies in the kitchen, pardon the pun. She just doesn’t know it yet. The chemistry between you two is so strong it practically glows when you’re together. Everyone could see it but you two. You’re right about one thing, though. Breezy
is
afraid and she has every right to be. If you truly love her, you’ll be patient and give her time to get used to your current relationship. Take it one day at a time and, when she’s ready, when she’s had time to acknowledge the fact that she’s in love with you, too, and has had time to work up the courage, she
will
tell you.”

“Shouldn’t I tell her now, though, so she’ll know that I love her and that I’d never do anything to hurt her? Maybe then, she’d be more willing to allow a relationship to grow between us,” Patrick said hopefully.

“No way! You do that and she’ll bolt out the door so fast it’ll make your head spin! I believe you love her, Patrick…it’s written all over you, but Breezy won’t believe you. She’ll swear you’re lying just to gain her total trust so you can turn it against her and use her. I know it sounds strange, but that’s exactly what Frank did to her. He swore up and down that he truly loved her, that he would never hurt her. He made her…hell, he made all of us think he worshipped the ground she walked on and, when Breezy began to believe him and started to care for him, he turned on her. He did such cruel, horrible things to her…things I didn’t even know about at the time, you just can’t imagine. Breezy has come a long way since he…well, left. But I doubt she’ll ever be as self-confident or as self-assured as she once was.

“All right, Susan. You know her better than anyone so I’ll take your word for it and do my best to keep my mouth shut, but it’s going to be hard. Every time I touch her hand or see her smile, I’m going to want to tell her. I know I’m supposed to be this big shot, no nonsense businessman and, because of that, what I’m about to say is really going to sound stupid…I think we were meant to be together.”

“I know, Patrick. I believe that, too. I believe destiny brought you two together because
you
needed her kindness, friendship and love and
she
needed your strength, courage, honesty and love so you’d both regain your faith in humanity. I believe there’s something the two of you are meant to do together. But Patrick, I have a confession to make,” Susan said sheepishly.