Here you go, the 5th chapter...Hope you enjoy!
The women crowded around Serena as the stranger fanned her with his newspaper. She rolled her head to the side, before opening her eyes. He stared straight down at her, still fanning her.
"Are you alright, love?" He asked. He was tall, with dark brown hair and green eyes that twinkled as he spoke. He wore a white tank top with a white short-sleeved over shirt and a pair of jeans. Serena took in his appearance completely memorizing his features, before she really looked at him.
"Am I dreaming?" she whispered, looking around at the store and its clerks. "What the hell happened?" she asked, rubbing the back of her head and sitting up.
"You passed out, dear." The older woman said, handing her her receipt. Serena took it and stuffed it in her purse.
"Well, I'm ok now..." She replied, attempting to stand. The stranger held out his hand.
"Let me help you up...we can't have you falling again, now can we?" He said, giving her a beautiful smile. His voice was like silk...British and sexy. Serena swooned again, but this time he caught her before she could fall. He kept his arm tight around her waist. "Are you sure you're ok, girl?" He asked, examining her closely. Serena nodded, and then forced herself out of his arms.
"I need to change..." she said quietly. The older woman accompanied her to the dressing room and helped her into her white tank top and black skirt, then had one of the other girls wrap the gown up. "Thank you ladies, for all your help..." She said flatly, carrying her box out of the store.
Once outside, she breathed in the warm spring air. She heard the door bells jingle.
"Hey! Wait a second..." It was Him, and he was chasing after her. She held back an insane giggle, even though she still felt faint. She looked over her shoulder at him.
"What's your name, ducky?" He asked, leaning against her explorer. She unlocked the very back door and loaded her boxes.
"Serena...Serena Grey." She said, looking up at him. He smiled at her, but before he could speak, she swooned again. He reached out and quickly caught her.
"Where are you going?" He asked quietly. She took in a breath of air.
"Forest City..." she replied.
"You're in no shape to drive, Serena. If you'll allow me..." He lifted her into his arms and laid her in the back seat, then took the keys from the back and got in the drivers seat.
"Just don't kill me..."She replied quietly. He gave a small laugh and backed the SUV out of the parking lot.
"We Brits, contrary to some beliefs, can drive." He said, turning onto the main road. Serena watched him as he drove. "I knew I'd find you, love." He whispered to her. She turned and laid her head on the arm rest next to his chest, staring up at the sky through the sun roof. She threw her legs over the backseat and smiled.
"I was beginning to think I'd never find you..." She whispered, brushing her fingertips across his arm. He took his right hand and caressed her face, turning onto a dirt road. "I'd wanted to see you so bad at times; I thought I'd lose my mind. I would even pretend that you were with me sometimes, just to pass the time." She said, looking at him. He pulled the car over and pulled her up with him.
"It wasn't pretend, love...I was really there. Every time you cried, I wanted to comfort you. All the times you watched the people pass from your balcony, and wished I was there...I was. And I wanted to look at you, to adore you. I want you, completely for myself. We have a mind link...a connection. It's a gift that some are born with...and our links crossed. I was in your dreams and you in mine." He whispered, brushing the stray hairs out of her face. Serena stared into his eyes, hypnotized and unable to speak. He leaned in and kissed her deeply.
After a while of being in the SUV, they eventually made their way back to her cabin, where they made passionate love until the late hours of the night.
Serena sat by the window, wrapped in the soft cotton sheets. The sky was a deep pink and purple, with the coming of the sun. She sighed and leaned her head again the cool glass, watching a few birds peck around by the water's edge. He came up behind her and pressed his lips to her bare shoulder.
"What are you doing up, love?" He asked, laying his cheek against her shoulder. She leaned her head back against his and closed her eyes.
"I couldn't sleep...why aren't you?" She asked. He sat behind her.
"I don't know. You weren't there when I woke...when I wanted to hold you." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist. She made a small noise and leaned her body against his. "Serena, what are you thinking about?" He asked. She pulled the sheets tighter around her.
"A lot of things, honestly. Me, you..."
"Him?" he asked quietly. Serena gave a small laugh and turned around, wrapping her legs around his waist.
"Mainly you...I find it's been that way for a while now." She replied, laying her head against his chest. "You are a mystery to me...I don't even know your name." She said, trailing her fingers up and down his naked back. "I don't know where you came from...what you do for a living. Do you have children?" She asked, looking up at him.
"Not yet." He replied.
"Well, are you married?" she asked. He laughed.
"It's a bit too late for that one, don't you think?" He said. But catching the seriousness in her eyes he brushed her hair back. "No I'm not. As hard to believe as it may be...I've never been romantically involved with anyone before I met you, or dreamt of you." Serena smiled.
"You're love making would prove otherwise..."she said, blushing slightly. He laughed.
"My dear...I said I wasn't romantically involved with anyone. I wasn't a saint." She laughed. "As for what I do for a living...I rob banks, then I began dreaming of you. It was as if you had turned my life upside down. I fell in love with you after the first night. After the first five or six dreams, I took all the money I'd collected and began trying to find you. And now I have you..." He said, looking at her. "My name is Jack Valentin." He whispered, kissing her gently. Serena tilted her head slightly.
"It's Thursday...isn't it?" She asked. Jack nodded, rubbing his eyes. "I have a Charity Ball to go to Saturday...I have to go for work." She said. "I have to meet with a man...Carlos Perez...he's a crooked cop from Cuba. He is to tell me what I am to do with the Guevara brothers' money." She said, looking up at him. "I'm a thief too, Jack. And sometime soon, I have to dupe these Cubans...I'll have to leave soon..."She said. Jack stared at her for a moment, and then smiled.
"Maybe we were meant to find one another...two thieves, in a cabin planning their next heist...rather romantic, don't you think?" He replied with a smile. Serena smiled, but shook her head.
"Jack, I don't want to involve you...I would never forgive myself if something happened to you. Who would I dream of, if you were gone?" She asked, looking up at him. He kissed her forehead gently.
"I'll always live in your dreams. But I understand. At least let me accompany you back to Forest City. I can't stand the thought of being so far away from you, now that I've found you." He said. Serena nodded.
"I don't want to be away from you either...I can show you around town. Who knows how long you'll be there." She said, kissing his cheek.
"When do we leave?" Jack asked. Serena stretched.
"Tomorrow morning..." She whispered, laying her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.
What'd you think? Please let me know, I love hearing from you! I'm very excited, this is my first fic, so let me know what you think.
