TESS

A few weeks later

The place is dimly lit, the couch sprawling in the corner visually, so inviting–– red plush and a hand carved wooden frame. Candles sit on a side table while soft music echoes in the background.

I turn around and pick my drink from the table.

“Did you miss me?” he asks, his arms wrapping around me, his warm breath threading through my hair.

I set the glass down and smile.

“No,” I say jokingly.

“No?” he asks, spinning me around to face him.

My eyes widen in surprise, my lips curving into a grin. His eyes swallow me whole. Dark-green gemstones, sparkling beneath the canopy of lashes.

“Nah-huh. Not at all,” I mutter, stretching a playful smile.

“Willing to bet?”

A lopsided grin tugs at his lips.

“Mmm-hmm,” I mutter enticingly, my gaze rooted to his curled up upper lip.

And then sliding onto his clean-shaven face and his luscious hair.

Slowly, I let my eyes move over his broad shoulders and his chest. He fashions no jacket, only a tailored dress shirt, that does his body justice.

He’s just as trimmed as he was. And just as muscular. The brushed wool of his suit pants rolls smoothly over his groin.

“And yet, you’re checking me out.”

Smiling, I avert my eyes and raise my hand holding my glass to my lips.

“I am, aren’t I?” I mutter, hiding my smile behind my drink.

“Anything I need to know?” he asks, flashing a cheeky grin.

“I thought you knew everything about me.”

I set the glass back on the table, and run the tip of my tongue over my lips.

For a few moments, his eyes linger on my mouth.

“You said you didn’t want me anywhere near you.”

“As if that stopped you before.”

His chest rocks with soft laughter, drawing my gaze to his pecs.

“You’ve done a great job cleaning your home of electronic devices.”

“That’s true,” I admit. “And yet, I’m not so sure I got rid of all of them.”

His nose creases with a smug smile.

“Where have you been all this time?” I ask.

He tips his gaze down, hiding his smile before he swings it back up and winks at me.

“I traveled a lot,” he says.

“I wish I had a tracking device on you,” I say humorously.

He breathes out another chuckle.

“Seriously, now,” he mutters as he snakes his arms around my waist. “Did you miss me?”

“All the time,” I say, mockingly. “What’s not to miss? You were more entertaining than anything on TV and hotter than a volcano.”

“So you admit it,” he says amused.

“I have no choice,” I say, smiling.

Playing his game.

“Do you care to show me how much you missed me?” he asks, his fingers sliding beneath the straps of my dress, pulling the garment down.

Tingles swirl on my skin as I stand naked in front of him. He runs an appreciative look down on my body, his hands cupping my mounds.

His lips come close to mine as he brushes the wet flesh between my legs with the back of his knuckles.

“Tell me, Tess. Are you ready to show me?” he asks, a sly smile creasing his lips.

I bring my hand to his fly.

He tilts his hips, pushing against my touch.

“Mmm-hmm,” I murmur, slowly lowering myself to my knees.

His zipper goes down, his eyes not leaving mine. Smoothly he pulls his hard cock out of his pants.

It bounces heavy when he tears his hand away and lets me wrap my fingers around him.

My mouth waters as I feel him throbbing.

“You missed me, too,” I say, tilting my chin up, our eyes connecting.

“You bet, I did.”

He winks at me again, putting a spell on me with his alluring smile.

My lips go down on him as he works his shirt open.

I watch him watching me, and getting swept away by pleasure. The sides of his shirt split open, revealing the smooth, bronzed skin encasing his toned body.

He starts rocking his hips. while I begin swirling my tongue, sucking on him at the same time. He gets harder. I get wetter.

My eyes close as I prop myself on my knees and take him deeper. His hands guide my head while mine grab his hips.

It takes moments before I open my eyes again to see him moving, entering my mouth.

He looks as ravishing as ever with his dark hair and masculine jawline, the curled up upper lip and expressive eyebrows.

The way he moves makes me clench inside. His eyes pull closed as he enjoys the pleasure coming from my mouth.

Without breaking my rhythm, I run my hand over the floor. Right beneath the table I feel the cold touch of a sharp blade.

Furtively, I grab the knife, and just as smoothly bring it to his thigh.

My lips go down on him. Once. Twice. And then the knife. Sinking into his leg, tearing his flesh apart, spurring a scream that smashes into my mind.

“Ahhhhh!”

“Miss Tess?”

My eyes flip open, my body jerking upright as Rebecca curls her hand around my shoulder.

Panting, I look at her with vacant eyes as two worlds collide inside my head. The one I’ve just been in, and the one surrounding me now.

“Are you okay, Miss? You look pale,” the woman says, concern flashing through her gaze.

My voice is gone for a moment, so I only nod, gasping and heaving as if I jogged around the park.

“Did you have one of those dreams again?” she asks.

“Yeah...” I mutter in a faint voice.

“Perhaps you should see a doctor.”

I try to smile.

“Yeah... Perhaps. Although they’re nothing more than stupid dreams,” I say, running a hand over my damp hair.

I swing my feet off my bed, my fingers going over the pillow. The cotton is drenched in sweat.

“Do you want me to change the sheets as well?” she asks.

I raise my hand.

“No. It’s fine. I’ll do it,” I say sweeping the nightstand with my hand looking for my phone.

“Have you seen my cell phone by any chance?” I ask, baffled.

I clearly remember that I set it on my nightstand. It even had the alarm on.

“No,” says Rebecca, puzzled as well. “Was it on the nightstand?”

I shift my gaze to her.

“Yes.”

The woman shrugs her shoulders.

“I didn’t see it. I just got in,” she says.

“What time is it?”

“Eleven. I told you that I’d be late today.”

“No, no. It’s fine,” I say, rubbing my eyes. “It’s just that I’ve overslept,” I mutter.

“Do you want me to search for your phone?”

“No, no. It’s okay. I’ll find it. I’m sure it’s somewhere around.”

I look up at her, smiling reassuringly.

“Okay. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Yes, that would be great. I’ll be downstairs in a few moments.”

She tips her chin down and vanishes out the door.

I slide my feet into my slippers and put a robe on. Moments later, I finish making the bed. I take a shower and trade my pajamas for sweatpants and a long sleeve top before I walk into the bedroom again.

The room no longer looks the way it used to. I had it refurbished, the walls painted a different color, anything reminding me of my married life removed.

It no longer looks like the place for a couple either. It’s my bedroom through and through with pastel colors all around me, candles, flowers and a lot of mirrors.

I open the windows widely.

It’s the end of the summer, and the light starts shifting from bright and clear to mellow tones of gold. The leaves begin turning colors too, shades of bronze and gold tinging their edges. The sky dresses in a deeper hue of blue. The air is crisper.

The mornings and evenings are cooler now, but the afternoons are still warm.

The sidewalk gets swept by a soft breeze, the colorful leaves fluttering in the wind like tinfoil butterflies.

Smiling, I turn around and start to search for my phone. It’s not on the bed or the nightstand. Not on the rug or the armchairs.

I near the bed and look underneath.

I finally spot it.

How did it get there?

I look at the nightstand where it usually sits and the spot where I found it. It’s across from the side of the bed where I usually sleep.

That’s strange.

I pick it up and press the home button. The screen lights up with an alert on it.

‘RT sent you a picture.’

Who the hell is RT?

Convinced, it’s a mistake, I slide my finger across the screen and open the message.

A picture with no caption pulls up. I flip my phone to get a better glimpse at the panoramic view.

It’s, um... It’s a white terrace on a cliff, the beautiful sea glimmering in the background. There are no people in the frame, only the shore, and the flowers dangling from the hand railings.

The image was clearly not meant for me, but it’s beautiful nonetheless, soaked in the sunlight and oozing summer. For some reason, it looks familiar to me.

Perhaps I’ve seen it in a magazine, although it looks like a candid snapshot. It comes with no words, and the name of the sender says nothing to me, so I mark it as spam. I almost tap the delete button when something makes me give it a double take.

Slowly, I lower myself on the bed and take it in with fresh eyes.

Why do I have this deja vu feeling about this picture? It’s only a terrace, the sun and the water and yet... My mind rushes to go through my memories.

It’s not a memory per se. I’ve never lived it, and yet it brings back to me a moment back in time when I was daydreaming this.

My heart starts drumming as I recollect that very moment. A year ago, about this time... It was an image like this except it had a man in it. A man who held my hand, inviting me to dance with him.

A smile creeps up my lips as I remember. It felt and looked so real.

I had a beautiful dress on, and I couldn’t breathe as I was watching his eyes.

A nostalgic smile curves my lips before the reality sets in, and I turn my phone off.

It must be a weird coincidence, I muse, no longer smiling.

The phone starts ringing, startling me.

I pick up the call and start talking to the client.

“Yes, I think so,” I say. “Give me a second.”

Rushed, I run down the stairs and dart into my office.

“Yes, I received the money this morning,” I say, glancing at the summary of my bank account on the computer screen. “Thank you, Miss Lowe. It’s been a pleasure working with you.”

I hang up the phone and slide it onto my desk, a big smile on my face.

This was by far, my best month in terms of earnings.

I can take some time off, perhaps go on vacation somewhere.

“Good news, I gather,” Rebecca says as she walks into my office holding a cup of coffee.

She sets it on my desk as I lean back in my chair, smiling from ear to ear.

“Yes. Good news indeed,” I say bringing the mug of coffee to my lips. “I’m thinking about taking a few days off and traveling somewhere,” I say after I take a sip.

“Good for you. It’s about time,” she says, smiling as she heads back to the kitchen.

My mind slips to the picture on my phone screen again as I’m trying to imagine spending a few days soaking up the sun, reading books and doing nothing.

A faint whimper comes from the dog bed sprawled on the couch. Luna looks at me, wagging her tail, her eyes sparkling with joy.

“We’ve made money, little girl. Lots of money,” I say, picking a treat from a jar and giving it to her.

She starts munching on it. Happy.

My eyes fly to the window. The park fills with children’s voices.

I push out of the chair and walk to the window, and open it, letting the fresh air roll in.

Branches heavy with leaves, vault over the road, stretching their shadow over the sidewalks. I shift my gaze across the street, scanning the park.

In the distance, I spot George and his pooch sitting on a bench by the lake.

Joggers zoom by while moms and kids feed the ducks gliding onto the water. My eyes sweep their faces, moving swiftly from one to the other and in the end to the people standing near the handrail. A man. A woman. And older couple. A young couple kissing. Two friends taking selfies.

A dark-haired man wearing sunglasses.

My gaze flicks back.

He turns around just as I was about to get a better look at him. I have no other choice but stare at his back.

A soft white linen shirt clings to his shoulders, pants the color of the sand completing his look.

His skin is smooth as silk and has the slightest sheen of bronze. His hands are in his pockets, a metallic watch glimmering around his wrist.

Pulse racing, I prop my hands on the window sill and lean forward, trying to see more of him.

The wind sweeps the alleys, puffing colorful skirts and making the leaves rustle.

He runs his fingers through his hair.

I recognize that hand.

Hastily, I spin around and yank my phone from my desk. I lift it up and tap on the camera, zooming in on the image.

The frame is blurred in the beginning, the lens having a hard time to focus, and then it does.

No way.

I can even see the few silver strands in his hair. He turns slightly as he fights another gust of wind, and my heart starts skipping beats.

It’s him.

I can see his profile, and his jawline, the slight dip in his chin and his curved up lip.

He smiles behind his dark sunglasses, and I almost drop my phone.

Abruptly, I pull back and stumble onto the couch, startling Luna. She starts to bark, assuming that I am playing with her, her voice resonating in the street.

With one sharp motion, I slam the window closed and move away from it.

I look around, spooked. The phone starts ringing again, bringing a scream to my lips.

I pick it up with quivering hands.

“Oh. Hi, Viola. What’s up?”

I hold the phone away from my lips so that the microphone doesn’t catch the sound of my panting.

“Are you ready for some shopping?”

“Shopping?” I mutter confused.

“You said you had time to go with me downtown.”

“Oh, yes... Yes, I did. Um… Can we leave it for tomorrow?”

“Sure. Is everything okay?”

“Yes. Rebecca is here, and I just walked up.”

“No problem. Call me tomorrow, then.”

I hang up and set the phone on the desk before I go back to the window. Clouds begin to cross the sky, casting shadows over the alleys. My eyes skim the lake shore, looking for a broad-shouldered man with dark hair and sunglasses.

I find no one resembling him.