Angel Over My Shoulder

by Pace, Pepper

  “Kick ass?”

  “You told me once that you don’t have time for foolishness. It was one of my dreams, not yours.”

  “I said that?”

  He sighed. “I wanted…I was too young to want what I wanted and you let me know it.” He gave her a crooked grin.

  “Oh, man.” Their dreams could have been potentially dangerous…

  “You never let me cross the line, Leslie.” He kissed her and she felt it down to her very toes. Then her phone rang. She pulled back and they stared at each other. She moved out of his arms, suddenly feeling cold and then she hurried to the phone.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, babe.”

  “Hey, honey.”

  Alan got up from the couch and concentrated on extracting the drying condom from his penis as he walked out of the room. Leslie watched him as he apparently searched for the bathroom.

  “What are you doing?” He asked. She grimaced.

  “Nothing, just hanging out here.” She huddled in the armchair. “What are you going to do today?” Better he talk then her. She was just no good at being sneaky. He spent some time talking about the store, and god help her, she should have been interested but all she could think of was getting him off the phone.

  “You seem quiet, babe. Are you ok?”

  “Um, just a little stomach ache. I think I had too much Thai yesterday.”

  He chuckled. “I miss you. Take some Pepto and get some rest. I’ll call you later tonight.”

  “Ok. I think I will do just that.”

  “Love you.”

  “I love you, too.” She said solemnly, and then she hung up. Leslie stood, picking up her dress in the process. She slipped it on, feeling incredibly vulnerable and then she went down the hall in search of Alan.

  He was in the bedroom and was just replacing a picture of her and James. “Was that him?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry-”

  “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

  “Oh…” She was dressed and he stood there nude and perfectly comfortable. He was incredible to look at; perfect in every way…and he wanted to know which one of them she would choose.

  “There’s a cake in the kitchen,” he said with a smile on his face. “And I’m pretty much dying to know what one of your cakes taste like.” She gave him an appreciative look that he had allowed the subject to drop for now and she led the way to the kitchen. He stopped along the way for his jeans and slipped them on quickly before catching up with her.

  She retrieved the pastry and set it on the counter while Alan stared at it in awe. For a moment, Leslie felt as if he had forgotten her as he stared. She got the cake knife and cut them two huge slices, setting them on plates. She opened the drawer for forks and passed him one.

  He looked at her with excitement.

  “I’ve been waiting to taste your cake all of my life. Sometimes I would crave cake, but none would ever satisfy me. My parents have thrown away countless cakes because I was so disappointed in them.”

  “Well heap on the pressure.”

  He chuckled and then sliced into it. She did the same. They stared at each other as Alan took his first bite. He chewed and then stopped. His brow lifted and then he slowly swallowed.

  “Well?”

  “I didn’t know what to expect…but it wasn’t this.”

  “Good?”

  “Delicious!”

  “You’re just saying that-”

  “No. It’s the best cake I’ve ever eaten.”

  “Thank you.” She moved to the coffeepot. “Do you want coffee?”

  “Do you have milk?”

  “Sure.” She poured him a glass of milk and then she had her coffee with a bit of sugar and cream. He had two slices and still continued to eye the cake. Chuckling, she offered to let him take the rest home which immediately satisfied him.

  “Alan, tell me about yourself? I want to know everything about you.”

  “The story of my life in a nutshell? I don’t think I can do that.” He stood and moved back to the living room and she followed him. “Do you want to know something specific?” He sat on the couch and she reclined against the armrest and watched him with interest. He reached for her feet and placed them on his lap. She smiled.

  “Do you…have a girlfriend?”

  “No...”

  “A lover?”

  “Yes.” She was thinking about how she felt about that. “I don’t have any serious relationships—but there is one girl.” He continued.

  “I see. Does she know it’s not serious?”

  He thought about the question. “She knows how I feel but…”

  “She feels more than you do?”

  He nodded grimly. “I like her. I like her a lot. But I don’t love her. I don’t want to love her. And it might make me seem like a bastard, but I told her that I don’t want a love relationship. She thinks it’s because she’s black.” He snorted. “It doesn’t matter if she has to rationalize why I don’t. I was honest.”

  She felt herself blush. He was honest…she should have been. Then she wouldn’t be facing the prospect of hurting the feelings of a man that she had grown to love…or hurting the feelings of a man that she never stopped loving. He began to rub her feet, as if in response to her reaction.

  Alan went on to tell her that he was a second year art student, was mostly a loner but he did have a few good friends. He liked good music, reading a good book and thought of himself as the typical guy…despite the fact that he’d spent all of his life waiting for a dream lover to appear.

  Leslie went on to fill in the blanks about her life. He reached out and touched her scars when she described pulling her piercings from her face. His eyes smoldered in silent anger when she spoke of her time in 72 hour hold, and her Uncle who had passed away before being released from jail. She went on to tell him about the bakeries and he admitted that he already knew about them. He had done research on her, knew where she was from and all of that.

  “What I want to know is what do you like? What do you do when you want to have fun?”

  A shadow fell across her face. “Well…I like listening to music.” She would have loved going to concerts and that sort of thing but her life had been filled with just moving from one task to the next. “I don’t think I know what I like to do for fun.”

  He ran his fingers over her ankle. “It’s ok. Maybe we can figure it out together?” He looked at her with yearning.

  “Yes.” He released her ankles and moved up the couch almost like a cat; eyes glued to hers. When he was directly over her, she parted her lips in anticipation for the feel of his kiss. He smiled slightly at the look of desire in her eyes.

  “Can I taste you?”

  “What?” Her heart seemed to skip a beat.

  “Can you take off your clothes and let me taste you? I want to run my tongue over every crevice of your body. I won’t bite…this time.”

  “Oh my god...” She whispered. He stood up and took her hand and together they moved to the bedroom. Again they stripped, slower this time, taking the time to look at the other. Alan ran his hands over her breasts. Her dark nipples perked and his semi erect cock jumped. He leaned forward and licked her there. Leslie sighed. She let him play with her nipples, tonguing and sucking them.

  She finally reached down and took him in her hand. He straightened; eyes closed and allowed her to explore his hardness, the tight skin of his scrotum, the crisp hair on his pelvis. When he trembled, she led him to the bed and they climbed into it, still kneeling before each other, exploring the other with curious, eager, touches.

  They made love slowly, kissing and exploring with hands, lips and tongues. And then they slept when their passion was sated.

  Leslie’s eyes opened and she knew instantly that she was dreaming. She looked over at the sleeping boy next to her and his eyes opened, coming to rest on her and he smiled.

  “We’re dreaming.”

  “Yeah.” She gave him a look of awe. “We’r
e both dreaming of each other.” She sat up, still nude. “Sh-should we do something?”

  Alan climbed out of bed and looked around. “I’m not sure. I never made things happen, you always did.”

  “In my dreams, you were the one that always made things happen.”

  “This is very strange, Leslie. But it seems right.”

  “I’m not afraid but I should be.” And that was because she felt comfortable and safe with him.

  “Let me try something.” Alan closed his eyes. He smiled. “I see it…” He opened his eyes and looked at her with joy and then he took her hand. “Leslie, would you like to see what I saw? Our future?”

  Her mouth formed a large O. “Oh yes! I want to see our future!” He reached for her hand.

  “Should we put on clothes?” She asked.

  “We’re already dressed.” She looked down and like magic, she was back in her smock and he was wearing jeans and a shirt. She clutched his hand and watched him expectantly.

  “Close your eyes and when you open them we’re going to be in the future.” She trusted him completely and closed her eyes. His lips moved softly near her ear as he whispered. “Open your eyes.”

  She did and they were no longer in her bedroom. They were standing in a small, cluttered studio. It was a dream, but she felt the tiled floors beneath her bare feet and smelled paint and thinner. Alan was holding her hand, but another Alan was sitting on a stool and painting a picture. He was in deep concentration. His long curls had been cut short and she could see a difference in him that marked a passage of time. He was older but not by much. He didn’t know they were there…

  Leslie looked at her Alan; the one whose hand she still clutched. He was paying more attention to the artwork then the other Alan. Leslie’s breath caught. Most of the artwork was of her…of her and…a baby!

  The door to the studio opened and another her walked into the small room carrying a toddler in her arms.

  “Oh my god…” Leslie whimpered in complete shock. They had a child. Dear god…she was a mother! Alan released her hand long enough to place his arm around her waist and to draw her closer to himself.

  “Shhhh.” He whispered. “We aren’t supposed to hear ourselves, remember?” She nodded, staring at herself, at her baby in her arms.

  The baby was probably not even two years old; a little boy with a head full of dark curls and golden brown eyes. The other Leslie leaned forward and kissed Alan’s head.

  “Come on, baby. Dinner’s getting cold.”

  “Sorry, babe. You know how I get absorbed. I can’t seem to get this painting out of my head.” The other Alan plopped his paintbrush into a glass jar containing some solution. The little boy reached for him.

  “No honey, Daddy’s hands are dirty.” He leaned forward and blew a strawberry on the tot’s cheek, causing him to laugh hysterically. The other Leslie was staring at the picture…she was blinking her eyes and seemed shocked.

  “I’ve seen this before…” The dream Leslie suddenly looked around and her eyes came to rest on the real Leslie and Alan. “I remember this…this is the dream.” She whispered. The dream Alan stood up slowly and stared at where she was staring.

  “You’re right. This happened before. We were standing right there, remember?” He said.

  “Yes.” The dream Leslie replied. “I was watching myself…and I was so unsure…” She suddenly smiled. She couldn’t see the other her, but she knew that she was there and began to speak directly to herself. “I am so happy. You will make the right decision and you will be so happy. I wish that I could tell you all of the wonderful things that you will experience but…I don’t need to, because you’re going to live them. Thank you. Thank you.”

  Chapter 14

  Tears were on Leslie’s cheeks when she opened her eyes and awoke. Alan was stretching and coming awake. He looked at her quickly and then looked around.

  “Did you-?” He began and she interrupted.

  “…dream about our future. You dreamt it too?”

  He nodded. “The studio and-”

  “…a baby.”

  “Our baby.” He corrected.

  She felt weak and excited and afraid. “Is that the future you saw?”

  He slowly nodded his head. “It was a little different. You didn’t speak to yourself and when I first dreamt it, it was a bit longer, but essentially, yes.”

  She sighed and rolled onto her back to consider the ceiling.

  “How…how do you feel about it? Being a mother, being married to me?”

  “Married?” She looked at him coming up on her elbows.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t notice the wedding rings! That was the first thing I looked for.” She moved closer to him and placed her head on his shoulder. He was her past, her present, and now she clearly saw; her future.

  “I’ve been lonely all of my life. I never pictured a husband and children in my life. Hell, I was just trying to keep my sanity.” He squeezed her to him. “But I want that little baby.” Tears sprouted in her eyes. “I want him so bad.” She started to cry. “I want to be happy for once in my life. And I want you. I want you real and not just in dreams. I want us to be together-”

  He pulled her into his arms and held her through her sobs and then longer, content to just lay silently in each other’s arms, eventually making love again…and not worrying about a condom.

  ~***~

  “I have to go back to Ohio, I’m sorry.” Leslie said a day later.

  “I want to go with you.” Alan was pacing. They were in her home…he had not gone back to his house or to school. She was placing things into a suitcase.

  “Alan…that’s not a good idea. I’m going to end a relationship with a man that has been a great friend, a partner, a…lover, and I’m going to do it clear out of the blue. I couldn’t stand to hurt him more by bringing you along. Plus, there are so many loose ends that have to be tied up.”

  He still wore a frown. “I could go, and no one would ever have to know—HE would not have to know.”

  She reached up and placed her hand on his cheeks. “I want that future. That’s the future I intend to live! Do you understand? I don’t have any doubts.”

  He covered her hand with his own. “I do, because the future changes…I think when we know it, it changes. It already has. In the dream you talked to yourself! What if…” He shook his head. “Something could make it change!”

  “I think that only two people can make the future change; and that is you and me. And we know that we don’t want to change it.”

  He began pacing again. “I just wish that you wouldn’t go.” He held up his hand in supplication. “But you will…I know this.” He sat down on the bed. “While you’re gone, I guess I have some loose ends to tie up, as well.”

  Leslie placed a hand on his shoulder. “Will you dream about me tonight?”

  He smiled.

  Several hours later, Leslie was in the Greater Cincinnati Airport…which strangely was located in Kentucky. She saw James; a six foot three inch tall, hulking red-head with tattoos and black-out sunglasses. He spotted her and a smile crossed his face as he easily cut through the crowd. Most people moved out of his way because they didn’t know that beneath his tough guy, biker exterior beat a heart of gold.