Enchant Me

by Anne Violet

  Once on the interstate, I kept an eye out for cops. I wanted to give him a little taste of what my bike could do so I edged close to eighty five mph, just to make him happy. The full moon just broke through the clouds as we rode onto my grandmother’s property. Sure that he would need a break from sitting, I rode to my grandmother’s fire pit and parked.

  Once we were both off the bike with helmets off, I watched as he walked around the small clearing, noticing the large oak trees that formed a circle around it. Twelve boulders had been roughly shaped into seats around the perimeter of the pit, and the eerily pale night blooming flowers filled the small clearing with their sweet scent. It was a magical place. He seemed to think so too. I followed his gaze as he looked up into the sky. It was like the tree tops were framing the stars. It was beautiful but it couldn’t hold a candle to Christian.

  A little thrill ran through me as he walked over to me in the dappled moonlight. It was not enough to illuminate his face. With his dark hair and eyes, he was more darkness and shadow than anything else and I found myself taking an unintended step back, as he came to stand in front of me. My heart was beating so fast I was sure he could hear it.

  He framed my face with his hands. “Are you afraid of me?” he murmured, his voice lower and huskier than usual. Unable to stop it, a ripple of awareness coursed through my body.

  “I would never hurt you,” he whispered, and then he leaned down and slowly brushed his heated lips across mine.

  At the touch of his lips-- I felt a jolt of electricity. It was so startling that I opened my eyes and started to pull away. Only to be stopped by his arm that had moved down to my waist and pinned me to him. More powerful than that was the look on his face; desire, devotion and a need so deep that it was almost painful. All the same things that I felt, and I melted back into his arms, burning that memory of his face in my mind forever. That feeling of time standing still washed over me. All I knew was the feel of his hot muscled body pressed against mine, his hands spread against my back, the feel of his lips alternating between soft sweet kisses to hard demanding ones. I didn’t know how long we stood there locked in each other’s arms, but it wasn’t nearly long enough.

  When he finally pulled away, I felt weightless with no connection to the world, no purpose other than being in his arms. I forced myself to step away, take a deep breath and slowly exhale as I regained my senses. I was glad for the darkness; I didn’t want him to see the shock on my face. What the heck was this?

  He held out his hand to me and led me back to my bike. “We better get you back home.”

  While he couldn’t see me, I shook my head--hard. If I had thought I had been enthralled before, it was nothing to what I was feeling now.

  For the ride back, I decided to let him drive. He was competent; I knew I could trust him. Feeling a little wicked; I took my leather gloves off, since they hadn’t been helping anyway, and slipped my cold hands underneath his coat and shirt. He actually jerked under my touch and I couldn’t stop the giggle from escaping. He already had his helmet on so he only jerked his head in my direction but I could feel the rumble of a laugh in his chest. Or maybe it was shivering. Just like he had done to me, I slowly spread my fingers on his hard muscled back and slowly caressed my way to his glorious toned stomach. He flipped his visor up. “Lex,” he growled. Repentant, I quickly wrapped my arms completely around him and held tight. I laid my head against his back; this had been the most perfect night of my life. When we got back to his house he slid off my bike, and took off his helmet and I took off mine, hoping…

  The look on his face was concerned. “I don’t feel good about you riding back home in the dark.”

  I didn’t want to offend him but I had to laugh at this. “I am about two blocks from here and we live in Steilacoom.” Need I say more?

  His lips quirked, “Right,” he agreed.

  He enfolded me in his arms again and brushed a soft quick kiss against my lips before he stepped away. Avoiding temptation I guess. “I will see you Monday at school?”

  Putting my helmet back on but leaving the visor up, I glanced at him.

  “Maybe,” I teased, and then drove off.

  It was never good to leave a man too sure of you. When I stumbled out of bed the next morning-- mornings not being my forte, I was surprised to see my mom was already gone. We hadn’t seen each other in days. I wondered if she had hooked up with that singer. After microwaving some oatmeal and sitting down at our morning room table, I sighed with pleasure, looking out at our view of the Puget Sound. I felt truly blessed to live in this house. With inheritance money from a distant aunt, mom had been able to buy the adorable yellow cottage with white trim that had partial Puget Sound views. The only down side was the trains that went by, but you got used to that. Staring out at the water, memories of last night started to dance through my head. I mentally shook myself, I needed to concentrate today. I had homework--lots of it. There was also a belly dance routine for a performance next Saturday that I needed to work on. Heading to my room, I was startled when the front door burst open and my mom struggled inside with numerous bags and boxes in her hands. She wearily laid them down in the living room and then went back and closed the door.

  “Hi, dear,” she gasped, exhaustedly.

  “Hi mom, what’s up?”

  Dressed in sweats, her long ash brown hair in a ponytail, she looked like she was about to go to the gym. She collapsed on our overstuffed couch. “Your grandmother got something for you, with my permission of course, and asked me to bring it over.”

  Just then I heard a little mew from one of the boxes. Surprised but pleased I crouched down at the box. A little, fuzzy, gray head was peering through the slots at me with big, round gold eyes. I quickly opened the box and lifted it out.

  “It’s a boy. I got all the stuff he needs at Target this morning.”

  Ah… That’s why she was acting so tired. She never had been much of a morning person. I lifted him up in the air to get a better look at him. He mewed at me in protest.

  “You got me a British Shorthair?”

  “Your grandmother did. Considering what you had been through… By the way the breeder said they like all four paws on the ground.”

  “So I’ve read, but he’s just so cute,” I said and squeezed him against my chest.

  I had wanted a cat for years. I had always planned on getting a British Shorthair some day, probably when I moved out.

  “Your grandmother thought there was something special about him,” she mused.

  I lifted him up again to be able to get a good look at his golden eyes which earned me another mew in protest, this one louder than before, and I silently agreed. I could swear I saw his perfect little soul in his eyes, a soul with a story. Then it hit me. My grandmother had gotten me a familiar. I decided I didn’t care. I was madly in love with him. He was perfect. The teddy bear of the cat world; everything was round, his sweet little face, his paws, his gorgeous gold eyes, and his fur was so soft and plush. He was special.

  I rubbed my face against his. “Thanks mom.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said, getting up. “Make sure you call your grandmother to thank her. I believe he was pretty expensive”

  Setting him down on the floor, I laid down next to him and watched as he sniffed around. “I will. I think I will call him Cody.”

  “You’re giving him a human name?” she asked as she drifted into the kitchen.

  “Why? You think I should call him Fluffy or Spot?” I asked, laughing.

  “No, but how about Stormy?”

  I rolled my eyes, I could see where she got the inspiration, but no. I always thought one day when I had a son I would call him Cody. Well, now I had a cat son. At least I didn’t have to worry about puberty. “Sorry. But no.”

  “How about I just call him that when you’re not home?” she called from the kitchen.

  That got on my nerves. “How about you--not?”

  I hated to think it, but I was glad to see
that she was grabbing an orange, her purse and heading back out the door. “Alright, honey, I will see you later.”

  “Going to the gym?”

  “Yes and other things,” she replied evasively while closing the door.

  She must be meeting a man. I couldn’t imagine any other reason why she would be so vague. Ever since my dad had divorced her years ago, she had been alternatively men crazy and scared of commitment. Every time she started to care about a man, she would find some little thing wrong with him and break it off. When I had attempted to point that out to her, we got into a huge fight and ever since it was like there was an insurmountable wall between us. Sighing I turned back to Cody. He was gone! I leapt off the floor and started searching.

  “Cody!” I yelled, like he was an errant child.

  A series of pathetic mews came from behind the bookcase. I bent down and saw his sad little golden eyes peering at me. Somehow he had wedged himself between the wall and shelf unit and thought he couldn’t get out. “You little idiot.”

  I lifted him away and pressed him against my face which got me a little soft paw pressing against my nose in displeasure. At least his nails were sheathed. That was a good sign. I put him in my room and closed the door. In a smaller room at least it should be easier to find him. Putting his litter box in the laundry room, I brought his toys and bowls into my bedroom. I couldn’t see him again but by the snuffling sounds, I guessed he was underneath my bed. Reminding myself of the mountain of homework I had, I pulled my school bag over and sat on the floor and started to work. Even though Cody was a distraction, just like Christian he was one I was happy to have.

  While I worked he would every so often come up to me and butt his fuzzy little head against my hand. He was so small that when I patted his head it would bob up and down. He was so adorable that I couldn’t resist quickly picking him up, giving him the fastest kiss possible, and setting him back down again before he could protest. Eventually the floor started to get uncomfortable, so I finally moved up to my daybed. Cody started to cry then. I immediately looked over to see if he had somehow hurt himself but he was just staring forlornly up at me and I realized he wanted to be up with me. I reached down, picked him up and then deposited him on the bed. Where he promptly circled a couple times and then settled into a ball and fell swiftly to sleep. Quietly, I edged off the bed and grabbed my camera. I took a picture of him from every angle. I couldn’t wait until he woke up again and I could take more to show off to my friends. I hope Christian likes cats. I thought about what he had called me yesterday. I think he does.

  Through the afternoon and evening Cody seemed to be interested in everything I did. Whether it was homework, cooking or dancing, he followed me everywhere I went. The dancing part was sketchy though. Being constantly underfoot, he barely avoided being squashed a couple of times. I probably had a hundred pictures of him before nightfall; Cody playing with a string; Cody chewing on my shoes; more of Cody napping. That night I went to sleep with the sound of soft purring in my ears and I dreamed…of a beautiful, shadowy, dark man standing next to a fire with a grey kitten in his arms. It was lovely.

  CHAPTER 4

  I woke up the next morning to the feeling of a slight, warm, weight pressing down on me, a soft vibration reverberating through my chest. Popping open my eyes, I found Cody staring up at me, quite comfortably relaxed on my ribcage, purring away like crazy. Giving him a quick kiss and pat, I put him down on the ground, figuring he wouldn’t think he could get down by himself, and wandered over to my closet. Since skirts weren’t really conducive to motor cycle riding, that was out. I wanted something sexy, something that would totally floor Christian…Following an unsuccessful search of what clothes were left on hangers, I then dropped down on my knees and tore through the other nights rejects still on the floor. It took a couple minutes but I eventually found exactly what I needed. Christian, watch out.

  After I had gotten to school and headed to my first period math class, I wondered if I would be able to catch Christian at his second period class or if I would have to wait until lunch to tell him about Cody. Maybe he could come after school to meet him. Apparently, I wasn’t going to have to wait at all. Leaning against some lockers across from my classroom and looking sexy in a white button up shirt that showed off his slight tan and dark features, I watched fascinated as his eyes possessively traveled from my head to my toes and back up again. I almost forgot what I wanted to tell him. Practically skipping up to him, I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then started to rummage in my bag for my camera. Only to be scooped up in his arms and pressed close.

  “Good morning Alexis,” he murmured in my ear, brushing a quick kiss across my lips. Oh. Apparently my greeting had been a little too casual for his liking. I smiled inwardly.

  “Good morning,” I breathed. “I had a great time Saturday.”

  “Me too,” he agreed while releasing me.

  I could feel all the looks we were getting but since I was sure they were mostly jealous, I ignored it. “Guess what my grandmother gave me yesterday?”

  He smiled at my obvious excitement. “What?”

  “A kitten, a British Shorthair to be exact.”

  “What is that?”

  “I will show you, if you can come to my house after school.”

  “Sure. It’s just, during lunch I have to work on a project for science since the equipment I need is here, so I won’t be able to see you until after school. Should we meet at your bike then and I will follow you to your house?”

  “Yeah, that’s fine. I probably shouldn’t miss lunch with my friends two days in a row or they will disown me.”

  “We can’t have that.”

  The bell rang then and we both skittered off to our classes. I vowed to pay more attention in class. I wasn’t going to get accepted at the Brooks Institute for Photography in Santa Barbara with bad grades. As much as I loved Steilacoom I couldn’t wait to move to Santa Barbara. It was so sunny and warm. The architecture of the old buildings, the gardens and flowers, everything was so beautiful. I wondered for the first time what Christian’s plans were for after graduation.

  At lunch I brought Tina and Becca up to date on the latest with Christian, leaving out the naughty bits. I didn’t need them to go into a fit of giggles every time he was near. That would be embarrassing.

  “Hey guys, I gotta go. That hot new sophomore Rick just came in,” Becca announced grabbing her tray and heading over to him. “You don’t mind do you?” She called back to us; not even bothering to turn around.

  “Isn’t that called cradle robbing,” I called after her.

  When I turned around I expected to see Tina laughing or smiling, or something like that. But she seemed to be off in her own little world, the lunch that her mom prepared for her sitting uneaten. She seemed more intent on pleating her napkin in so many ways it was almost an art form. “Spill,” I demanded.

  She pursed her lips for a moment then sighed and caved in. “I’m worried about my mom.”

  “Why, what’s wrong with Tracy?” I asked suddenly concerned.

  “Her arthritis is really acting up. I don’t know how much longer it would be good for her to keep working as a housekeeper.” She paused for a moment like she needed to gird herself for whatever she was going to say next. “Maybe I should just go straight to work instead of going to college so I can help her out and she could cut back her hours.”

  My jaw dropped. “Say what! Don’t you dare, Tracy would never forgive you. She’s worked so hard just to be able to send you to college. Hell, I would never forgive you either. You just need to build up her confidence. She can find another job. I’m sure there are plenty of desk jobs she can do and probably make the same amount of money.”

  Tina smiled and nodded, already that great brain was turning over possibilities. Crisis averted. Deciding a change in topic was necessary, I showed Tina my pictures of Cody and she made me promise to let her come by later in the week to see him. When the bell finally rang
in sixth period, I could barely conceal my eagerness to get out to my bike. Michelle watched me, amused as I scurried out.

  I felt bad as I caught a glimpse of Jim’s face as he held the door for me, sad but resigned. Every time I saw him I felt guilty. I needed to set him up with someone. It didn’t seem like there was any attraction between him and Michelle, so that hookup wasn’t going to work. Suddenly I had an inspired thought. Maybe Tina would be a good match for him. The more I thought about it the more sure I was. Both of them were family orientated, hard working, and brilliant. His goal of going into politics would mesh well with Tina’s career as a doctor. I would have to cook up some kind of scheme to introduce them without it feeling like a blind date. This evening I would put some thought into it.

  Christian was already waiting in his car next to my bike, revving his engine like he was going to race me, looking at me devilishly. I flashed him a quick smile. I wish--but we did live in Steilacoom so that was out. I also didn’t want to abuse his male pride because there was no chance of him winning. When we pulled up to my house and parked, he got out looking bemused.

  I walked up to him wondering what he was thinking. “What?”

  “I just expected something different,” he replied, looking at me like I was some conundrum that he hadn’t figured out yet.

  I shrugged. I did love this cottage in this sweet little town. “I suppose you think I should be in some up-town artist loft, maybe living in New York or something?”

  His lips quirked up, “Something like that.”

  Entering the house and quickly closing the door behind us, I put my school bag down and started searching for Cody. While calling his name I looked under the couch, behind the book shelf and in the laundry room. Finally I looked in my bedroom and of course there he was, perfectly content, sleeping on my daybed. It looked like he had shredded a good bit of my comforter to get up there. Motioning for Christian to follow me, I tip-toed over and gently sat next to Cody. I watched Christian as his eyes went gentle and he softly brushed his hand along Cody’s body.