Dreams

***Sorry my dear readers. I had to redo this chapter. I hope you like the additions. Chapter 4 is coming soon. As always, thanks for the feedback!*** ~Lioness

*

Half a dozen thoughts race through my mind as I let the warm jets of water from the shower help relax my mind and body. I stand with my back to shower and lower my head; water runs off my neck and shoulders easing some of the tension from my muscles.

Lost in my thoughts, I do not notice the water starting to turn cold. The cooler drops bring me out of my thoughts. I turn the water off, step out of the shower and dry off. I walk to the closet and stand there naked for a few minutes. It seems silly, but I am having trouble deciding what to wear. The other ladies at the library were going to be very interested in what goes on between Lucas and me this week. They all think he is hotter than cayenne pepper and I am the only single lady in the library. I do not want to attract any unnecessary attention.

I stand in the closet for about five minutes before deciding on an outfit. I choose a black and white wrap around shirt and wide leg black pants. Once dressed however, I notice a problem. The wrap around shirt shows too much cleavage. I pull out a red camisole and put it on underneath. Better. I am way early for work, but leave my apartment anyway. Every minute is precious to me right now. I need time to get my head together.

Sara and Joe are behind the counter as I enter the café. Joe and a student hire are busy taking orders. Sara takes longer than usual with my coffee. She slides it down the far end of the bar and looks at me raising an eyebrow. I take the bait and join her. "Something is going on, but I'm not quite sure what bebe." Sara takes on that motherly tone I know so well. "You can keep it to yourself for now cause I can see that whatever it is, you're still chewing it over and I know you'll come talk to me when you're ready."

I don't say anything but the barest of smiles escapes my lips. I give her a reassuring nod, take the coffee she holds out to me and head off to work.

It's 7:45. I am the first one at work. I know I will have at least 30 minutes to myself before Em shows up.

I turn on the lights to the main floor as I make my way up to my office. I unlock my office door and turn on the light. My focus goes immediately to the table near the door. There is a box sitting on the table. I do not remember it being there when I left yesterday. Matt must have slipped it in before he left yesterday. Besides Pittman and our bookkeeper, he is the only one who has keys to my office.

I set my purse in a chair and turn on my computer. I check email and phone messages. I log into my catalogue program. I stall a little more but my attention is on that box. Unable to resist, I walk over and lean in one of the chairs at the table to get started. The box is rather tall so I can't sit comfortably and work. All the items look the same as they did yesterday. None have been disturbed. I lift the top book out of the box and carefully removed the packing paper. This book is old, but in remarkably good shape for its age.

It is large, thin and full of pictures. Each page has been laminated to protect the photos. Carefully turning each page, I have to guess that some of these photographs are at least a hundred years old. One is of a man in full war dress standing straight and tall in front of a village. The date at the bottom confirms its age: 1868. Another is of a little girl standing alone in front of a large building. Her eyes are huge. She looks into the camera as if trying to send out a cry of help to the people who will eventually view this picture. The handwritten caption below reads "Maya; age 7, 1901."

As I make my way through the rest of the book, the pictures become more recent. A picture toward the end of the book stops me cold. It's a picture of Lucas. He is sitting on the porch of a house in a pair of blue jeans. His feet and chest are bare. He is not facing the camera but looking down. He has a camera in his hands. It's an old-fashioned Raleigh. He appears to be cleaning it. There are camera attachments on the table next to him. The look in his eyes is focused completely on what he is doing and seems to be completely unaware of the person taking this picture. I study the face again. Lucas.

Noise from downstairs pulls me from my thoughts. I look up at the clock and realize it is just after 9:00. Time to focus. I mentally kick myself, turn the page and start going through the other books.

****

I never hear him enter my office. I am on the floor with my back up against the wall. My legs are crossed and I have a book in my lap. I jump when I hear him clear his throat. He is leaning against the door jamb looking down at me. I notice the jeans and t-shirt first then my eyes finally focus on his face. He has a bemused expression on his face and a glance at the clock tells me why. It's half past noon.

"Shit!" I groan and place the book carefully on the table above me. Lucas chuckles and reaches a hand out to me. I grab it and allow him to help pull me up. I attempt to straighten my pants, which are wrinkled from being on the floor so long. My foot tingles from being half asleep and I hobble awkwardly to my desk. I check the computer screen and glance at my phone. No emails. No voicemails.

"I guess no one has missed me." I mutter under my breath. I'm already self-conscious noticing that he is watching my every move.

"I think your boss is out today. I went to his office when I thought yours was empty. I didn't expect to find you on the floor." He is smiling again. I have to remember to breathe.

"The chair was getting kind of stiff. I didn't realize the time. I got lucky today." My next thought is interrupted by my stomach growling. Lucas laughs.

"I think the entire library just heard that, so let's go."

I look up certain I heard wrong. "Go?"

He pulls his keys out of his pocket. "I'm taking you to lunch. Come on."

Lunch? With Lucas? Alone?

Damn it, I've forgotten how to breathe again! Damn it Angie get a grip. It's just a lunch. A working lunch. You've done this with colleagues before and that is who he is. Just a colleague. I manage a verbal commitment, and fumbling for my purse, follow. He waits until I shut my office door behind me and follows me down the stairs. I try to ignore the look from Em as I head for the front door. I know the other ladies are spying from various corners of the stacks. I'll deal with that later.

It's warm outside. Spring is leaving and summer is well on its way. It's not really humid yet, but it's nice enough to make me smile and forget how hot, humid and miserable the middle of summer will be. I follow Lucas to the parking lot and climb into his car after he opens the door for me. He climbs in and starts the engine. It does not occur to me to ask where we are going as he has navigates the black Jeep Cherokee down Rampart Street.

"So, how far have you gotten through the anthologies?" he never takes his eyes off the road. There was comfort in talking to him without having him look at me. "I was in the middle of the third book. Maya's story." I look at his profile as I answer.

"Her story is amazing. It's probably one of the better detailed ones. She wrote it herself between the ages of 12-20." he keeps his eyes on the road.

I think back to where I left off in her story. Maya was taken to a Native American Boarding School when she was nine years old. I am in the middle of her teenage years. Her time at the school is causing a rift between herself, her family and her tribe.

In the back of my mind I am thinking her story would be a good basis for a novel.

Lucas begins to tell me other stories that are not in any of the anthologies. Most he was told as a child. I'm so caught up in the stories that I do not realize that we are out of the city. I finally notice as the Jeep pulls into a long driveway. It's another quarter mile before I realize where we are. It's the house from the picture. The same porch I was staring at not more than four hours ago in the first book of pictures is right in front of us. An old man sits on it now and looks up as the Jeep pulls to stop.

The house is set in the middle of a clearing. There are so many trees around the house, that I can only describe it as small forest. The building itself is a one-story brick structure with large windows. The long porch only takes up half of the length of the house.

I get out and silently follow Lucas across the dirt drive and up the steps to the old man. A golden retriever greets Lucas for a moment then turns its attention to me. The dog licks my hand and sits next to me at the top of the steps. Lucas greets the old man with a firm hug and puts his hand on the old man's shoulder as he turns to face me.

"Grandfather, this is Angela." He smiles as he introduces me. The old man smiles and laughs as he looks at his dog. "The dog approves. Kai likes you. She does not take to strangers easily." Ben surprises me. He is easily 60 years old, but his eyes still sparkle with the mischief of a 20 year old. His long gray hair is still thick and he stands tall and straight easily matching Lucas' tall frame. His smile is infectious and I find myself smiling every time he does. This is the man who has sold the anthologies to library.

He moves across the porch and takes my hand. I expect a handshake but he looks at the top of my hand for a moment then turns it over and runs a finger across the lines on my palm.

He looks at me and smiles again. "Welcome Angela. It is good you are here. You can call me Ben." He takes my arm and leads me inside. Kai whines for a moment, but stays outside. She finally settles on the porch.

For the next hour, I feel like I am in another world. Instead of feeling lost and confused, however, I feel right at home. Ben's home is familiar to me even though I have never been here. I watch the rapport between Lucas and Ben over lunch. It is clear they have a strong bond. Ben never excludes me from the conversation and I find myself responding to him with an ease I'd forgotten I possessed. I tell him about being raised by my grandmother and how ended up working Library Science. I even tell him about my aspiration to write. Lucas listens without interruption. Something about Ben makes me feel at ease and I am neither shy nor embarrassed at anything we discuss.

I am reluctant to leave when it is time to go back. I give Ben a hug before getting into the Jeep. I am grateful to the man whose has gotten me to open up so easily. I hope silently to myself that it is not our last encounter as Lucas guides the Jeep down the drive away from the house.

I roll the window down and lean against the window looking up at the sky as we make our way back to the main road.

****

Lucas dropped me off outside the Library a little after 4:00pm. I was alone for 10 minutes after sneaking back into my office to start closing down for the day before being verbally assaulted by Em for not "dishing" the second I walked through the door. Round two came from Matt, who played concerned big brother worrying about his kid sister who disappeared for four whole hours. Never mind the fact that I am older than him. I wasn't exactly rude, but I was not forthcoming either. I simply told them I had a working lunch with Lucas so most of the talk was about work. Not exactly a lie, but I want to keep the rest of it to myself for a while. I'm not sure why.

As I toss and turn letting my thoughts on the day interfere with much needed sleep, I still wonder how to handle things. So far, being around Lucas is easier than I thought it would be. Once I slow my breathing to a few notches below hyperventilation, I am actually quite calm in his presence. I find him to be incredibly easy to be around despite my stomach doing cartwheels.

I finally feel my eyelids growing heavier and a glance at the clock tells me it is after eleven. For once, I am not anxious as I feel myself being pulled to sleep. I think of the house. I think of Ben and the dog sitting on the porch waiting for us to return. Most of all I think if Lucas and the next couple of days to come.

****

The fog is so thick that I can barely see between the trees. It's the middle of the night and there is light from the full moon. The yellow glow adds to the haze as I try to get my bearings. A dog howls in the distance and goose bumps pebble the skin on my arms, travel up my neck then down my back.

"If you are not careful, you can lose your way." I hear Lucas' voice through the fog. The direction is unclear. The fog makes it impossible to tell the origin of sound or light. It is so dense; moisture is forming on my skin.

"I lost my way a long time ago." I whisper half to myself. I feel something warm against my back. It's a stark contrast to the cool mist.

"You can always find your way back." I feel his hot breath against my ear. I feel myself moisten. His hands run slowly up and down my arms, soothing the goose bumps and bringing heat to the cool surface of my skin. A gush of wetness begins soaking my underwear.

I turn in his arms and look up into his eyes for a moment. I cannot wait this time. I reach for his face and pull his mouth to mine. This kiss is hard and hungry. I know what I want and there is a raw hunger in my need. There is no hesitation this time. The urgency is both ends. We tear at each other's clothes. Our hands and mouths constantly touch, implore and feast on each other. I sink to my knees and pull him down with me.

"I need you now." I whisper hotly into his ear. I reach for his hard length. He is ready for me. His laugh is soft and gentle.

I push him back all the way and move to straddle him. My pussy is so wet I am dripping as I position myself above him. I take his hard length into me in one stroke. When he bottoms out, I cry out and throw my head back. Tears of satisfaction well up in my eyes as I begin to move. Desire fuels me as I pick up the pace. His hands are on my hips and steady me, encouraging me to ride him out. My legs begin to burn. My feet are rubbed raw as I grind against Lucas and the hard earth. The pain doesn't matter. The only sensation my brain registers is the intense pleasure building from his hard cock as I take him into me again and again.

I rise and fall harder and faster until I feel myself beginning to explode. My cries of pleasure are swallowed by the surrounding fog. I begin to shake. As I lose control, he takes over and begins to thrust into me, fucking me right through my orgasm. I throw my head and howl. Tears run down my cheeks as pain and pleasure are not longer distinguishable. I quickly crest to another orgasm that is followed by his. I feel the pinch of his fingers as he growls digging his fingers into my hips. He buries himself deep inside me and gives into his release. I collapse onto his chest and lay there for a long time not able to move and struggling to breathe. Smaller tremors shake my body every few seconds. Lucas strokes my back. He is still inside of me. His breathing is harsh and he takes as long as I do to recover. Small orgasmic quakes are still shaking me every few seconds, but my breathing is beginning to slow.

"Am I going crazy?" I ask the question to myself as much as I am asking him. "No." He strokes my bare back. "You are finally waking up."

**** I am slow to open my eyes the next morning. It takes me a minute to realize why my room looks so different. I push myself out from under the covers and realize that I am soaking wet. Last night's dream comes back with full force. I shudder when I recall it and can almost feel the orgasm again. My t-shirt and shorts are damp with sweat. The sun is shining through the blinds creating strips of light on the bed. The sun? The realization of why my room looks different sets an alarm off in my head and I look at the clock by my bed. 8:15.

"Oh shit!" I roll out of bed and stumble in the bathroom.

Forty-five minutes later, I am on my way to work. I'm already late so a trip to Café du Jour is on my list this morning. I'm in and out in 3 minutes, telling Sara I'm running late and will stop in earlier tomorrow.

At 9:25, I am sneaking in the back door trying to figure out a way to not get caught. Deciding that sneaking in is going to look a lot worse; I straighten up and walk into the lobby.

To my astonishment, no one notices. The desk is busy and no one glances my way as I walk past and make my way up the stairs. Pittman's office door is shut. The lights are on so I know he is here. One look at the bookkeeper's closed office door and dark windows tells me she is not in today. I make my way up to my office and shut my door behind me. I normally do not close my office door, but today I need the peace and quiet. The red message light on my office phone is on. I set my purse down, turn on the computer and pick up the phone. Receiver in hand, I push the message button and listen as I boot up my computer. There is only one message and it was left 20 minutes ago. I recognize Lucas' voice as the message begins.

"Hey, I hope this message gets to you in time. I'm running late and will be by around one this afternoon."

I feel disappointed but shrug it off and get to work.

Losing track of time, I work right through lunch...again. I am so focused; I do not notice Matt sneaking into my office. I jump when he finally speaks.

"I don't know if you've lost track of time like me, but you stomach hasn't. I can hear that thing growling through the wall. Come on, time for lunch."

Five minutes later, Matt and I are in the break room fixing our lunches. I tell him about yesterday, meeting Lucas' grandfather, staying for lunch and the message on my machine this morning.

Matt smirks and he takes his lunch out of the microwave. "So, you met the family huh?"

I shrug. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. I mean, it was only his grandfather." I put my food in the microwave and sit down.

Matt looks at me for almost a minute before speaking. The amused expression on his face turns to astonishment. The he finally laughs.

"What?" I whine, annoyed at this point.

"You really have been out of dating pool for too long."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The man likes you."

"No. No, this is nothing more than a professional relationship between two people." I realize that sounds lame even as I say it. "Okay, fine smartass. Let's say you're right. What exactly am I supposed to do about it?"

"Do about what?" Emily stands in the doorway a moment before heading over to the fridge.

Matt fills her in on our conversation.

Emily laughs when he finishes. "You don't know what to do? Are you serious? It's called jump on the man the first chance you get and fuck his brains out."

Em takes a swig of water and continues.

"Okay maybe not the first chance you get but he sounds like he wants to get to know you and maybe not just for the sake of work." Em has joined us at the table by now. "Maybe nothing will come of it but maybe it's time you take a chance. It's been three years Angie. You can't hide forever."

After lunch, I walk back up to my office. At the top of the landing, I see Lucas coming in through the front door by the circulation desk. Em comes out of the break room and somehow manages to greet him before Ms. Mitchell (who's already at the circulation desk) can even get out of her chair. I head to my office knowing Em will make sure he finds his way up here.

Three hours later my neck is stiff and my back hurts. Lucas and I are both on the floor. There was not enough room on the table to spread everything out so we ended up needing floor space. The first priority of the afternoon was to start working on a glossary and index for each book. This was a challenge in and of itself and we soon found we had bitten off more than we could chew for one day's work.