- Chimera of Life -

Story Five: Righteous Mirage

Chapter Eight By Heartfire

~*~

She left the center the week after that. Her term of visit was over… there was no reason for her to stay… but… she held off Blake about her donation. Somehow, he knew that she was going away, too.

Dorothy glanced at the small polished piece of wood with the engraved words:

            'Till we meet again…'

He gave it to her during their last night, wrapped in a piece of cloth… He asked her to open it after she left, but of course, he probably knew that she wouldn't do as he wished and opened it the moment he left her room…

Funny… but she actually enjoyed the last week and a half that she spent waking up in Jess's warm embrace…  She had gotten quite used to it that sometimes, when reason has yet to enter her sleepy mind, she would turn and reach for… nothingness…

A knock interrupted her thoughts and she glared at her door without meaning to. Her secretary peeked in and gave an apologetic smile.

"Ms. Catalonia… Excuse me but… there's a delivery for you."

The light in her secretary's eyes made her shift to a defensive mode… Her secretary was usually placid… Why does she have that silly smile on her face, then? She walked out of her office and her eyes instantly fell upon a beautifully arranged vase of daffodils. 

Excitement bubbled through her. There could only be one person responsible for this little thing… "Bring it in my office, Lerraine."

"Yes, Ms. Catalonia."

She held onto the door until her secretary left her office. "Hold my calls." She didn't wait for a nod or a verbal note and instantly closed her door.

Sad… So sad and disgusting that she couldn't wait to get her hands on those daffodils… smell it… enjoy it… An envelope, so well covered that she almost missed it, caught her attention, and with expecting hands, she opened it.

            Dorothy,

I was able to wheedle out three days of leave for this month…  I'll be staying at the Plaza Jerome in Luxembourg.  If you find it in your schedule to pencil me in… I would like to see you again…

- Jess

It had been nearly a month since she last saw him…

Her eyes strayed to that polished wood that, she could be sure, was made by Jess's hands… Doubts rose and fell… Doubts that… he might not feel the same for her… Maybe it was just a spur of the moment desire… sexuality under pressure…? Then again, she would never know until they meet once again…

Besides, he gave her the out option in his letter- 'If…'

Her hand reached for a button and pressed it. "Lerraine…" She heard her secretary's efficient voice over the speaker while her hand turned the paper and saw the dates at the back. Jess's day off…

"Cancel my appointments for…"

…

She had her wide brimmed hat and sunglasses on… Her white, elegantly cut dress fit the bill of Plaza Jerome's customers. She was actually surprised at his choice of hotel… Then again, she doesn't really know him well… except for his body…

Her gloved hand reached for the drink she had ordered just a few minutes ago while her eyes never left the door. She had done her research before she came to the hotel… She knew when he would log in- or was expected to check in…  She had reserved a room in another hotel just in case… everything would turn out to be a flop. She had made sure that she was hidden behind something to obstruct people's view of her, but not her view of them.  She was ready to meet him.

A hand went to her tummy when she felt that nervous flutter within. Clashing thoughts fought in her mind. Why was she nervous? There was nothing to be nervous about… Nothing to worry about… He doesn't know that she was coming… Doesn't know that she was there… She had the advantage… He made sure that she had the advantage-

Her thoughts halted when she saw him walk inside those automatic doors. He was in all black, such as she was in all white, except for her sunglasses. His thick black hair was a bit tousled from the wind outside, but it looked perfect on him, adding to that mischievous look she knew all too well. The fluttering in her stomach multiplied and her palms became sweaty.

'He looks good in black…' Her eyes raked over him… it was the first time she'd seen him out of his usual white and pink lab coat. 'Very good…'

His eyes went around the lounge as if he was looking for someone and she knew, deep down, that he was looking for her.  It was obvious that he didn't see her, as planned, and she saw how he had bitten his lower lip with his straight white teeth, forced his eyes to look straight and walked to the counter.

She couldn't understand her body's reaction. She had wanted to fly off the chair and into his arms… kiss the hell out of him and knock him over the head if he even gave a second glance to any of the women who were staring at him when he came in.

Dorothy stood up with a smirk. 'Too bad, girls… he's mine…' The personal, and very possessive thought jarred her and left her cold… It made her want to turn around and run away but… Jess chose that time to turn and his chocolate brown eyes met hers from behind her glasses.

For the first time in years, Dorothy found herself frozen in place. She couldn't look away and it seemed as if her heart had stopped beating. Then… that soft, languorous smile swept his lips once again, aimed only for her, and she felt a slight thump that turned into a fast paced drumbeat…

 He couldn't believe his eyes when he turned around and saw her… Looking just as perfect as ever with her long blonde hair down to her waist and tilted wide brimmed hat… her delectable lips ready to be nipped… How was he able to get through almost a month without seeing her? That pull within him spoke so much to him… Actually, the mere fact that he saw a lot of beautiful women and didn't even give them a second glance had already told him something… He's hung over for a girl who's not even his taste.

She looked as if she was about to run and hide for cover… No way he's gonna let her do that! The mere fact that she came here after he gave her the option not to… 'No way I'm gonna let you go…' He gave the world sign language for uno momento to the clerk then walked purposely towards Dorothy.

Dorothy gulped and her hand tightened its grip on her handbag. 'What's he going to do?' She could only watch until he stopped in front of her with that smile of his.

"Hi."

Dorothy nodded, surprised that she was able to move her head! "Hello."

It was an awkward moment… Nobody spoke for who knew how long until Jess pursed his lips.

"Aw, hell with it."

Before she knew what he was going to do, he had her in his arms. Her head was tilted upwards and her hat fell on the floor. Dorothy gasped in surprise and Jess used that chance to gain access into her lips.

Electricity filtered through them and Dorothy felt the same passion, maybe even stronger than before, course through her while her hands went around his back.

"Dorothy… I missed you…" The words left him even when he hadn't wanted it to.

She smiled against his lips. "That's good to hear."

Jess pulled away and looked down at her face with a slight pout. "Aren't you going to say you missed me too?"

He stopped the kiss too soon, for her taste, and her hand went up to her glasses to pull them off while her other hand went to the nape of his neck. "Maybe." Before he could utter another word, she pulled him down for another searing kiss.

When they let go of each other, both out of breath, she found him grinning, and he found her eyes sparkling.

"I take that as an 'I missed you too, Jess.'"

Dorothy shrugged while enjoyable pleasure ran through her veins. Honestly speaking… he was correct to assume that she had missed him. "Take it as you will."

Jess drew her hands between them, entwining their hands together. "You know what I want to do right now?"

Images not fit for a child to see flitted through her mind and her throat went dry in anticipation. "Three guesses?"

Jess's head titled back and a laugh that made her heart sing left his lips. "No… not what you're thinking. Although…" He leaned forward and blew into her ears. "I want to do that afterwards…"

Confused, she could only raise her eyebrow. "Are you going to tell me?"

Jess's grin reached ear to ear. "I missed you… your witty conversation…" He kissed her cheek. " The place hadn't been the same without you… I just want you to talk to me…" Jess remembered all those sleepless nights when he wished so badly to hear her taunting voice. 'If I have a tape recorder, I'd record your voice and use that as my lullaby.'

That caught her unaware once again. Who was she trying to kid? He always catches her off guard! And the thought that he just wants to talk… to talk first… She could feel her surroundings whirl, and to keep herself from falling, she tried to hold on to disappearing indifference. "Careful, Jess… that sounds too romantic."

Jess hugged her. "I know. But what can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic."

She could hear the beating of his heart under his cotton black shirt… She could smell that faint cologne of his… "Conversations require two people, just in case you've forgotten."

"I know… so, I talk and you talk… Let's talk about nothing. Or maybe something we like… anything! Lies if you want… Just talk to me…"

A soft laugh escaped her. Yes. She had missed hearing his voice too… "Lies? Jess, you're silly."

"I know… and you like me for it." He propped his chin on her hair and breathed in her perfume.

"Didn't it even occur to you that I might only like your body?" She liked just being hugged like this by him… just standing and being hugged as if he would never let go…

"Mmm… yeah… and everything about me."

This time, she couldn't stop the laughter that erupted from her lips. "Jess, you're full of yourself."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss on her hair. "I know… and you like me for it."

Dorothy rolled her eyes. They're back in square one of their conversation. He's right- talk about nothing. It was still very interesting. "Jess, I think the man behind the counter wants your attention."

She felt him go ramrod straight in her embrace and she let go just in time. He left muttering- "My room! My bags!" And Dorothy… Dorothy laughed behind fingers pressed against her lips. He kept on looking back at her, as if she would suddenly disappear into thin air. Then he was beside her again, reached for her hand, and gently tugged her alongside him.

"Let's go out for lunch."

She didn't mind walking beside him, holding his hand, or leaning gently against his side. "Sounds like a plan."

…

"I'm going to write." Jess watched as Dorothy packed her last piece of clothing.

"You don't have to." She zipped her bag.

Jess went behind her then turned her around. He made sure that she was looking at him before he spoke. "I'm going to write."

"You don't have to." Dorothy answered once again… Making promises this early… It wasn't good…

His hands cupped her face… his thumbs traced her cheeks… her nose… her lips… "I want to." Hell! He doesn't even know why he's telling her these things!

He's just so plain stubborn sometimes… And his answer never left anything for her to say… She wanted him to write, sad to say but true… She wanted him to stay and make love to her once again… but he must go…

She tilted her head up and Jess didn't need any more prompting. His lips touched hers once again… a soft, caressing touch that could make one want… that could make one breathless…

A lulled knock seeped through their soft haze. "Mr. Matthew, your cab is here."

A sigh escaped him and Jess pressed his lips against her forehead while Dorothy clutched for him to stay.

"I have to go..."

"I know…" Slowly, so much against her will, she let him go… then stepped away from him.

They looked at each other, while Jess grabbed his bag and tried a smile. "Hey… I'm gonna try for another three, next month… are you game?"

A small smile lifted her heavy lips. "Just write when and where…"

Jess nodded and finally turned away. It was just so hard to not look…

Dorothy watched as he walked to the door… his hands closed onto the knob… opened the door…

"Jess…"

He stopped and half turned. "What is it?"

She didn't want to be reminded… she didn't want to remind him… but this was for her sake as much as his… "Remember… we're enemies…"

A sad smile touched his face before he turned away… He didn't mind that she reminded him… He was having one helluva time trying to make himself remember. "I know… Dorothy… I just wish…" What?

Dorothy looked at him expectantly.

Jess shook his head… A person could never have everything he wished for… Without saying anything, he walked out of the door and closed it.

Dorothy bit her lower lip before her knees buckled and made her fall on their bed… He was gone once again… who knows when they'll have another time… The past three days had been happy ones… She had no worries… no cares… and most importantly, she had felt so alive… and now, the sunlight seemed dimmer… the skies looked duller…

Dorothy shook her head as these confusing thoughts dominated her mind.

'What is wrong with me?!'