Love Immortal

by Linnea Hall

  Collin was waiting outside the hospital when Jewell and Ashley left from work. Ashley didn’t bother to ask Jewell if she was going with her or Collin. She took Jewell’s bag from her, gave her a brief hug, and walked to Jewell’s car to head for home.

  Collin held out his hand and Jewell took it happily, ready for the tingle in her stomach that she got every time she touched him. They walked hand in hand to his car. As before, the perfect gentleman, he opened her door, waited for her to get in, and shut the door with a smile. Then he walked around to the driver’s side and got in.

  “Ummm…I don’t want to be rude or weird or anything, but…isn’t that the same thing that you were wearing last night?” Jewell asked timidly.

  “Not rude – true. I didn’t go home last night. I thought we’d start the morning out with some shopping. How’s that sound?”

  “Um, fine, I guess. I’m not a really big shopper.”

  “Neither am I” he said excitedly. “This should be fun.”

  “Well, the stores aren’t going to open for…” he glanced at his watch, “about three more hours. How does breakfast sound?”

  “Sounds good. Beignets and coffee?”

  “Of course.” He turned and smiled at her. His smile sent a pleasant shiver through her body.

  They drove to the Omni hotel, where Collin parked his car. “Why are we here?” Jewell asked, a little nervous about being at a hotel with a man.

  “This is where I stayed last night, which is why I need some clothes. I didn’t feel like going home, so I just stayed in town.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  He got out of the car and walked around to the passenger door. He opened it, and held out his hand to help her out. She took it hesitantly. They walked through the lobby and onto the street towards Café du Monde.

  After breakfast, they started walking towards Canal. By the time they reached Canal Street, the stores were just starting to open. Jewell stared. She was definitely out of her element. As a general rule, she shopped at Wal-Mart or Target if she was looking for something really nice.

  They started at Banana Republic where Collin bought himself a gray t-shirt, a pair of jeans, socks, and underwear. He didn’t bother to try anything on. After he had paid, he took her over to the women’s clothes where he picked out four tops, two pairs of slacks, a pair of jeans, and a pair of strappy flat sandals.

  “Oh, I…um, I can’t afford these.” She told him, a little embarrassed.

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s on me.”

  “I…can’t.”

  “You can, and you will.” He bought her everything. Next, he took her to Francesca’s Collections. There he bought her three shirts and a pair of pants. He tried to take her into Ann Taylor, but Jewell refused.

  “Collin, this is really nice, but…well, you hardly know me.”

  “I know your soul, and I know that our souls belong together.” He took her hands. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone Jewell. I’m so worried I’m going to lose you.”

  “You won’t, not if I can help it.”

  He gave her a quick hug, and took her hand. They walked back to the hotel. “Hey, I’ve got to shower and change out of these clothes. You’re welcome to come up with me, or you can wait down here if you prefer. I don’t want to make you feel pressured or anything.”

  Jewell looked at the comfortable chairs in the hotel lobby. She would be comfortable there, that would probably be the best thing to do. Her father would kill her if he found out she had gone up to a hotel room with a guy. Even worse, he would probably kill Collin despite her being twenty-one. She paused for only a moment, and then followed him to the elevator.

  In his room, she stood uncomfortably in the doorway.

  “Don’t worry, I promise, you are perfectly safe.” He took her hand and led her over to a chair and gently sat her down. He grabbed the remote for the TV and flipped it on, then handed her the remote. He took his Banana Republic bag into the bathroom and shut the door.

  Jewell sat, uncomfortably, on the edge of the chair. She flipped through the channels once, and finally settled on The Powerpuff Girls. She heard the shower turn on in the bathroom. She tried not to think about what he looked like standing in the shower.

  After about fifteen minutes, Collin emerged, freshly shaven, wearing his new outfit. He looked stunning. He ran his hand over his head like he was pushing his hair away from his face, as if from habit, then grabbed the towel and rubbed his close cut hair dry.

  After he was finished, he brushed his teeth and turned to look at Jewell. “I guess it’s about time to get you home. You look like you’re about to fall asleep in that chair.”

  “No, I’m fine.” She tried to stifle a yawn.

  “No, I need to get you home, and I probably better check in with my uncle.” He walked over to the chair where she was sitting. He held out his hands and pulled her up. He wrapped his arms around her and held her, gently against his body. Her head only came up to his chest. She turned her head and laid it on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

  Too soon, he let go. He placed his hand under her chin and looked into her eyes. “Would it…I mean, well, would it be okay if I kissed you?”

  She couldn’t answer. She only nodded her head, barely able to move it against his hand under her chin. He slowly bent down, watching her eyes as he lowered his lips to hers. At first, the kiss was gentle, hesitant. His lips gently pushed against hers, their soft warmth radiating through her. He let his lips leave hers, but kept his mouth so close that she could still feel his breath as it came in quick pulls.

  She could barely breathe. She wanted more, it wasn’t enough. She had to feel more of him. As if hearing her thoughts, he pushed his lips against hers again, this time, harder, with more certainty. She pushed herself against him hungrily. Her mouth, moving with his was so natural, so perfect. His hand moved down her body, pulling her hard against him. Before she knew it, she was laying on her back, on the bed, his fingers moving down her hips, her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer.

  Suddenly, he stopped. He stood up quickly, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. “I’m sorry.” He turned from her, unable to face her. “I’m so sorry. I should…I really think I need to take you home now.” He walked toward the door and opened it, waiting for her to follow.

  Jewell pushed herself up on her elbows on the bed and looked at Collin standing in the open door. He wouldn’t look at her; he kept his eyes focused in her direction, but not on her. She stood up. “Did I do something wrong?” She asked hesitantly.

  “No, I just can’t. I can’t get too close, I…C’mon. I’ll take you home.”

  Jewell walked slowly past him as she walked out the door. She felt the heat of his body, radiating toward her. She felt the pull of his body against hers. She turned, moving her hand up to touch his face. He grabbed her wrist. “No,” he said. “You don’t understand.”

  “Then explain it to me.”

  “I can’t. I don’t understand either.”

  He closed the door and turned his back on her as he started walking down the hall.

  Collin was silent, the whole ride home. At first, Jewell tried to ask questions, to try to find out what was wrong. She gave up when he refused to answer; his brooding face looking only at the road ahead.

  At Jewell’s house, ever the gentleman, Collin got out of the car and walked around to open Jewell’s door. She took his hand, held it, not wanting to let go. “I will see you again.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement that she thought, if she said it out loud might make it true.

  Collin pulled his hand to her lips, turned it palm up, and kissed her wrist. He dropped her hand and walked around the car, got in and drove away without answering.

  Chapter 21

  Jewell walked into her bedroom. She sat down on her bed, her back against the wall. What had just happened? It seemed to be something about the kiss that bothered him. She had liked it. In fact, she had really like
d it. She had kissed guys before, but she had never imagined that it could feel like that. The fire that she felt when he touched her, the fire that burned and tingled throughout her body, was intensified. The difference was like comparing a single match to the fireworks display at the White House. The feelings that she had for him, the longing was so strong at that moment, when his lips were on hers that she couldn’t concentrate on anything else. It was total bliss. It was what she thought heaven must feel like.

  But what had gone wrong? Did she do something she shouldn’t have? She didn’t have a lot of experience in this type of thing; maybe something she did wasn’t right. Maybe what she felt wasn’t the same as what he felt. Maybe when he kissed her, he realized that his feelings for her weren’t as strong as he had first thought. She closed her eyes, resting her head on her knees, trying to imagine what went wrong.

  She awoke to voices. She hadn’t even realized that she had fallen asleep. She lifted her head and felt a shooting pain race through her neck and down her back because of the position in which she had slept. She slowly stretched out her legs, feeling her knees pop. She stood up, arching her back, and rolling her head, while she tried to hear the voices on the other side of the door. It was two men; probably her dad and one of his buddies from the firehouse. She glanced at the clock. It was almost nine. She was shocked that she had slept for that long, she really was tired. She guessed that there had been a game on TV or something, or maybe some of the guys came over for a game of poker.

  She sat back down on her bed and picked up a book she had been reading. Twilight. It was the typical story about star crossed lovers and unrequited love. A hundred year old vampire had fallen in love with a human girl. Jewell wondered if at the end, the girl would choose to become a vampire, to live with her love forever. She read a couple of chapters and set the book down. Could she give up everything, for someone she loved?

  It didn’t sound like her dad’s friends would be leaving anytime soon, and she was hungry, so she figured she would just have to go out there. She didn’t like hanging around when her dad’s friends were there. They always talked about things she had no interest in, and tried to include her in the conversation to be polite. Oh well, maybe she’d just make a sandwich and come back to her room.

  When she opened the door, she paused. She recognized both voices. The first was her dad, but the second voice was unexpected. She cocked her head to listen, to make sure she wasn’t mistaken. She walked back into her room and looked out the window. As she suspected, in the driveway sat a silver corvette. She went back to the door and opened it, trying to hear the conversation going on in the kitchen.

  “Yes sir. We’ve been living in Louisiana for about two years now. Our house is south of New Orleans, near Houma.”

  “So what do you do?” Her father was obviously making sure that the man she brought home wasn’t a slacker. Her father didn’t trust anyone who wasn’t willing to work.

  “Well sir, I recently completed my bachelor’s degree at Oxford University in England. I was considering continuing my education, perhaps pursuing my PhD and finding a position as a professor at a University.”

  “That’s impressive. What does your father do?”

  “”Well, he’s a dual M.D., PhD. He practices some, but for the most part he performs research. He’s interested in cures for genetic mutations and anomalies.”

  Jewell heard her father grunt. She knew this meant that he was impressed, but not yet convinced.

  “And what are your intentions with my daughter?” This was what Jewell had been waiting for. She knew it was coming, but she had hoped she had missed it. She quickly walked to the kitchen to interrupt the conversation.

  “Morning dad.” She was looking at Collin. His eyes met hers, but then he looked at his hands, folded neatly on the kitchen table in front of him. “I see you’ve met Collin.”

  “Yes. He came by to see you, but since you were asleep, I didn’t want to wake you. I invited Collin in to wait until you woke up. He’s only been here about forty-five minutes. We’ve had a nice conversation.” He looked markedly at Collin. Jewell briefly wondered what her father had said to him before she had started her eavesdropping. From the flush in Collin’s cheeks, she assumed it hadn’t been mere pleasantries.

  “Well,” her father said, pushing himself up from the table. “I guess I’ll leave you kids alone.” He looked at Jewell pointedly. “I’ll be right here in the living room, on the couch, reading.”

  “Okay dad.” Jewell understood exactly what her father was saying. The couch offered a clear view of the kitchen, and it was close enough that he could hear all but the quietest whispers. She also knew that he wouldn’t be “reading” but listening very carefully to every word they said.

  Jewell watched her dad leave the kitchen, then pulled out the chair opposite Collin and sat down. She didn’t say anything, she just sat, looking at him, and waited.

  “I brought your clothes,” he pointed to the shopping bags on the floor next to his chair.

  “Thanks.”

  “I didn’t mean…It’s just that,” he stopped and looked out into the living room where Jewell’s dad sat, the newspaper open, and his eyes peering at them over the top. “Do you want to go out and get some dinner?”

  Jewell glanced at her dad; he just shrugged. “I guess that would be okay.” She looked at the bags on the floor, then down at her jeans and t-shirt. “I’ll just go get changed.” She picked up the bags and took them to her room. She rifled through the bags and picked out an outfit that she thought would be appropriate for any situation; a nice pair of slacks, and a blue blouse. She also put on the sandals he had bought her that morning. She brushed her hair and then walked back out to the living room.

  Collin was standing by the door, waiting. Her father looked at her, and then glared at Collin. “Dad, please?”

  “Fine. Have a nice time. You,” he looked straight at Collin, “I have a lot of friends on the police force and in the Sheriff’s department.”

  “Yes sir, I understand. I’ll take good care of her. I’ll have her home before midnight.”

  “You look really nice sweetie.” Jewell’s father gave her a hug, turned and gave Collin one more glare for good measure, and then watched them walk out the door.

  They left and walked to the car. Jewell could see her father watching them out the window.

  Collin led Jewell to the passenger door, one hand placed lightly on the small of her back. He opened the door, let her get in, closed the door and walked over to the driver’s side. He could feel Jewell’s father’s eyes watching him, but he was careful not to look toward the house as he got into the car and pulled out of the driveway.

  “It’s nine thirty. If I’m supposed to have you home by midnight, that doesn’t give us time for me to take you to one of my regular haunts. What do you suggest on this side of the pond?”

  Jewell thought for a moment. She wanted something nice, but not fancy. Upscale, but still casual. “There’s Morton’s in Madisonville if you like seafood.”

  “Sounds perfect. Just tell me how to get there.”

  It took about fifteen minutes to reach the restaurant nestled on the banks of the Tchefuncte River. It was crowded, but then, Morton’s usually was.

  “This is perfect, shall we?” Collin held her hand as they walked up the ramp to the door of the restaurant. As Collin reached for the door, Jewell stopped him.

  “Collin, are you going to tell me what happened today?”

  “I will. I owe you at least that.” She gave him a single nod as they entered the restaurant.

  The hostess led them to a table overlooking the river. Collin held Jewell’s chair for her, and then sat in the chair opposite, facing her. The hostess put two menus on the table. When the waitress came to take their orders, Collin ordered for both of them.

  “Would you like an appetizer? Oysters on the half shell are half price tonight.” The waitress gave Collin a wink. Oysters were thought to be an aphrodisia
c. Jewell turned her head, as if searching for someplace to hide.

  “No, I think just the dinner. Thank you.”

  After the waitress left, Jewell glanced at Collin and quickly looked away. Collin reached across the table to take Jewell’s hand. “I guess I owe you an explanation for this afternoon.”

  Jewell turned to look at Collin’s hand holding hers; her hand tingling. She thought of how his lips felt on hers when he kissed her.

  “I guess I need to explain a little bit about my life first. I was born in England. When I was a little more than three months old, someone broke into our house. I was asleep. My parents were both beheaded and the house set afire. A neighbor saw the smoke and was able to save me.

  “The police investigated the murder, but the perpetrator was never found. The killing was an execution but the police don’t know why.

  “I was temporarily put into foster homes until my Uncle showed up to claim me. The courts, satisfied with whatever evidence there was of the relationship, granted him custody. We immediately left the country and moved to live with Gladys who had a home in Montana.

  “We lived in the states until I was five, when we moved to Romania. When I was eight, we moved to France. At twelve, we moved to Denmark, and at fifteen, we moved again to Italy. When I was seventeen, I applied to Oxford University where I majored in History. After I graduated, we moved to South Carolina. We stayed there for almost a year, and then moved here about two years ago. Most of the time we stay with family or in houses that belong to the family,” he paused, allowing Jewell to digest the information. While he was waiting, to see if Jewell had any questions, the waitress brought their food to the table.

  Jewell took a bite of her salad. As she swallowed, she looked up at Collin. “Are you gypsies, or…what are they called? Travelers? Roma?” Jewell had heard stories of wandering families who move from location to location. They had a bad reputation, but she knew that many of them were upstanding, law abiding citizens.