The Strand
Grace tossed and turned in her sleep, consumed by a restless fever. Her dreams were filled with exquisite images and indescribable sensations, and her skin sizzled from every single thing that her shadowy dream lover did to her.
* * *
In her mind's eye, he was there. He hovered above her, his copper hair shining in the moonlight as he bent his head to kiss her lips, her throat, and lower. His large and powerful hands reached for her, caressed her all over until she thought she would melt like hot wax. His touch blazed a trail across her exposed skin, leading down to the secret hollow between her thighs that ached for him to fill it.
"Gabriel, please..."
She felt him smile against her trembling skin before he lifted his head. The look in his eyes was hot and merciless, and for a moment she thought she was staring at the Devil himself. His wicked, teasing smile only added to the image.
"Please, what? You want more of this?"
As he spoke, he circled his fingers around her throbbing clitoris and caused Grace to arch her hips to seek more of the pleasure he gave. She moaned into the pillow, her eyes shining in the darkness of the bedroom as she watched him.
His green eyes glowed with satisfaction. "How about some of this?"
She gripped the sheets with her hands as he slid a thick finger inside her, then another. A low, primal scream escaped her as he began a maddening rhythm, taking her higher. Her head tossed from side to side as she tried in vain to speak.
"Gabriel... ohhh."
He smiled again, breathing harder from watching her excitement.
"I've got all night, darlin'. Tell me what you want."
She raised her arms, reaching for him. "You. I want you."
His eyes burned into hers as he gently removed his fingers from her feminine core, and as she watched, he slowly licked away her wetness from them.
Grace could hardly breathe as he climbed on top of her, positioning himself at her entrance. Their eyes locked, and for the first time she believed all of the things that the emerald depths seemed to shout at her. They said that he did indeed want her, love her.
She gasped as she felt his erection nudge her inner thigh, and she took a deep breath and opened her sex to him. He pushed carefully inside, and she almost wept with relief as she stretched to accommodate him. She opened her arms and he fell into her embrace as she wrapped her legs around his hips.
Her lover began to move; the flames inside her body leapt higher, burned brighter. He kissed her soft lips and moved his head to whisper hoarsely in her ear.
"You are mine, Gracie. Do you understand me? You'll never be free of me; I am as much a part of your mind, heart and soul as you are of mine. To deny me is to deny yourself, and when you hurt me, you only hurt more. Accept my love."
She cried against his shoulder as she felt the walls surrounding her heart begin to crumble and fall, stone by stone. She looked up into the eyes of the man she loved and decided to take a chance, to trust him. "Yes, Gabriel..."
Groaning, he pounded into her harder and she screamed out her joy as she exploded.
* * *
"Mom?"
Grace jumped at the sound of her son's voice as he gently shook her awake.
"Huh? What?"
Rafe stared at her in the darkness. "You were having a nightmare."
The gears started turning again in her brain, and she was fully alert.
She smiled at him. "Yes... I was. Thank you, sweetheart."
Then a terrible thought came to her which forced her to add, "Did I say anything?"
Rafe shook his head. "No, you were just screaming."
Grace was relieved at that; she would have been mortified if she'd said anything to give away the true nature of her dream, never mind that her son was way too young to understand that sort of thing. She still would have been embarrassed.
She sat up in bed. "Did I wake you, honey? I'm sorry."
"No, Mom. I woke up a few minutes ago because I dreamt about him again."
She felt another shiver pass through her which was no longer from desire, but fear. She reminded herself to breathe normally. "Anything new in the dream?"
Rafe thought for a moment before replying.
"Everything is exactly the same except for the ending. Each night I have the dream, the ending is always slightly different than before. When he reaches for me to pick me up from the ground, the sun is in a different position in the sky behind him and I'm able to see more of his face and body."
Grace felt a lump in her throat. "How soon will it be before you see him totally?"
The little boy tilted his head to the side, regarding her curiously.
"Not long, maybe a couple of days. But I've already seen enough, I think."
She gasped softly. "Do you know him? Who is he to you?"
Rafe smiled brightly. "Yes, I know him. He's my guardian angel."
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Mom."
She stared at his retreating back, unable to speak from the wave of self-disgust that had enveloped her at his words. She clenched her teeth, inadvertently biting her tongue in the process. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth but she didn't notice, her thoughts elsewhere.
He's close to finding out about Gabriel on his own, if he doesn't already know. I have painted myself into a corner. My son, even at such a tender age, is already as intuitive as his father. It's only a matter of time before I'm exposed and my ugly lies will come to light. Where will that leave me? Gabriel will hate me, and so will Rafe. I'll be alone with my grief and the constant thoughts of what might have been if I hadn't messed things up in the first place. I would do anything to prevent that.
Grace lowered herself against the pillows and eventually settled into a troubled sleep which was filled with dreams of a man holding a child in his arms while she watched from a distance, wanting nothing more than to join them.
When they saw her, they laughed at her.
* * *
The next morning, Grace stood in the kitchen as she brewed a pot of tea. Her movements were mechanical, her mind focused on Gabriel and how she must disentangle herself from him, drive him away. She told herself that her dreams of him meant nothing, and that the feelings of yearning that simmered inside her would eventually vanish. Several times, the dream Gabriel's words came back to haunt her.
To deny me is to deny yourself, and when you hurt me, you only hurt more.
She closed her eyes briefly at the memory, opening them again when she heard the shrill whistle of the tea kettle. She hurried to pour the hot liquid, glancing at the wall clock beside the refrigerator; it was 7:30am. She had a doctor's appointment in half an hour.
The television was playing in the background as she loaded a tray with breakfast goodies to take into the living room. The popular morning talk show, along with its perky hostess, worked hard to spread the morning sunshine into every home nationwide.
Grace placed the tray on the coffee table and sat down just as the show returned from the commercial break. Upbeat music and nature shots followed, and a moment later the cameras focused on the cheering live studio audience and then on the hostess, who was preparing to interview the show's next guest.
She nearly choked on her toast when she recognized the man sitting in the easy chair on the set; it was Gabriel. He was wearing jeans and a baby blue turtleneck that fit him perfectly and emphasized his red hair and green eyes. The camera panned over him, and she was painfully aware that the majority of the crowd in the studio was female. She didn't like the thought of that, all those women devouring him with their eyes.
Like you are right now?
"Shut up," she muttered to herself as she grabbed the remote to turn up the volume.
