Aiden's Quest
Page 67
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Maryanne looked stunning, both radiant and elegant, beautiful without comparison. Kevin nudged Jashion and indicated that he should look over at her when she entered. Jashion smiled and nodded looking back over at his friend.
“Who’s the man?” said Kevin to Jashion with a wink.
Jashion had his eye on Sarah, without trying to stare. Her charms were captivating him. Sarah’s eyes were on Maryanne; she wore a lovely smile, but there was something deep and distant in her eyes. She had not yet looked over or acknowledged Jashion. In a matter of moments, she would be next to him. His heart beat faster.
Maryanne made her way to Kevin and primed herself a bit, swaying and tilting, drawing the attention of herself to her love, hoping to have his eyes upon her. Kevin happily obliged. She had created the effect that she hoped for and looked up at Kevin and smiled sweetly. Kevin’s expression indicated more than sweetness. Maryanne narrowed her eyes and gave him the look, then showed him the appropriate expression again; this time he complied.
Jashion stood in the appropriate position, just behind Kevin. Sarah was still standing apart while looking off dreamily. Maryanne caught Sarah’s eye and indicated with her head for her to come and take her place. The look in her eye showed that she’d been caught off guard. She hastened forward with her eyes averted from Jashion’s. She took his arm lightly and mechanically. Sarah stared ahead, still not giving Jashion eye contact. This would not do. Jashion pressed her arm a little against his side and leaned gently, bumping into her lightly. Sarah turned to look at him with a look of wonderment in her eyes. Jashion smiled broadly and pleasantly at her.
Sarah was forced to look into his eyes.
She did not look away.
There was something in his eyes. Something beautiful, something kind, there was pain, there was experience, there was heartache…there was love.
Sarah began to study his face. He was remarkably handsome. But, there were scars. As she continued to look, she was reminded of John—not in an unpleasant way. Instead, it was something about holding a powerful man’s arm and looking up into his beautiful and adoring face that enchanted her.
Between the ceremony and the celebration, Sarah and Jashion were again apart. Sarah could not stop thinking about him, how he looked, how he felt. Again, she was reminded of John, but when she thought on John she saw Jashion’s face. He’s so like him, she thought. And yet he wasn’t. John’s face, Jashion’s face, John’s eyes, Jashion’s eyes, John’s smile, Jashion’s smile, they were so similar…and yet they weren’t.
Sarah gazed over at Jashion, he smiled at her. She thought to look away, yet he beckoned her to look on. She looked on and so did he.
It was time for the honorary dance. Jashion walked over and offered her his hand. She took it…that feeling. She’d felt this feeling before. His build was so powerful, she felt fully and completely protected in his arms. They danced, they smiled, they continued to study each other’s face, each other’s soul. Sarah felt like she had felt with John when they first danced. It was so warm, so peaceful, so wonderful. But, it wasn’t that she was reminded of how she once felt. She was feeling it. It wasn’t John, it wasn’t a memory, or a reawakening; no, it was Jashion. She felt how she felt because of the man she was with. He brought these feelings out and joy swept over her.
They embraced after the dance. His heart was beating out of his chest.
From that point on Jashion and Sarah were together. For Sarah, it was more than the joy of being in a loving relationship. She had experienced some of this with Jimmy and it had helped to camouflage the bitter pain she felt in being away from John. With Jashion there was much more. For the first time in over a year she had been set free; free from the unrelenting torture of loving a person that she could not be with. Her love for John had been laid to rest by her love for Jashion. She loved Jashion, she was loved by Jashion, and she was complete.