“She is with that man she met last week.” Elizabeth said in frustration, unable to hide it from her voice.
“Is that safe? I mean she just met him?”
Elizabeth laughed at the ironic comment. “Is it safe? How the hell do I know? Is it safe calling you and letting you into my room?” She asked with a raised eyebrow before pushing him back with a laugh. “Besides, this is not uncommon for Aurora. Although, she did call to let me know this time.”
Leo’s eyes twinkled as he stepped closer to Elizabeth pulling her back into his arms. “Well, that is good. Besides, you have nothing to worry about with me.” He said with a smile. “I’m different.”
Elizabeth smiled at the answer, “Mmm.. and how is that?”
“I would never do anything to hurt my newly found angel.”
Laughing at the corny comment, “And I’m suppose to just accept that?”
Leo’s eyes twinkled as he smiled down at her. “Yes,” he said, his eyes filled with laughter, “Although...”
Elizabeth learned back her eyebrows raised in question, “Although what?”
“I do have one fault.”
“And what would that be?”
“I’m not always a gentlemen.”
Elizabeth laughed, feeling genuinely happy. The feeling tingled through her, in a warm rush. “Well, I guess that means we both are with fault. Because, I’m not always a lady.”
“Well, I like to hear that,” Leo said as he leaned down to capture her lips.
Laughing, Elizabeth bowed backwards to avoid the contact. Placing her hand against his warm lips, she said, “You are persistent.”
Leo reached up to take a hold of Elizabeth’s wrist, moving her hand so it rested in his, his eyes never leaving hers as he brought it to his lips, sending her heart into an erratic rhythm of excitement. A warmth coursed through her as she felt his soft warm lips brush her knuckles, her self-control slipping away in a rush of sensation. Then he placed her other hand on his chest, his heart beating erratically against it. Elizabeth laughed nervously as she took a couple of deep breaths, trying to still her racing heart. Pulling back her hand, she stepped back, “But, for now... let’s pretend that you’re a gentlemen and I’m a lady.”
Leo stepped forward wrapping her back into his arms, “Are you sure about that? Because it’s definitely not as much fun.”
Closing her eyes, she leaned her head forward to rest on his chest, “Yeah, I’m sure.”
Leo brushed a thumb along her cheek, as he took a couple of deep breaths, “I can wait.” He said as he leaned forward to kiss her gently, his lips lingering softly on hers.
“Thank you.” She said, her hand taking his as she led him over to the sofa, a smile placed on her lips with a happiness she had not felt earlier. As soon as he sat next to her, she confidently raised her feet and draped them over his legs as she leaned her head back on the arm of the sofa, her foot playing along his leg as she watched him watch her. “What were you like as a boy?” She asked playfully.
Leo raised an eyebrow, as he started to rub her feet, “I thought we were going to talk about your dreams. So what’s bringing on this question?”
Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders as she continued, “I don’t know. I guess because I can’t remember my own childhood, I’m always curious about others’.”
“Well... I wasn’t the boy scout next door if that is what you were wondering.” His eyes lighting up, “and I didn’t have what one would call the all-American home either.”
“What did you have then?”
“You remember me telling you that my father was a military man. What I didn’t mention was that is was just us two. My mother passed away shortly after my birth. So it created a bit of instability I guess you could say As I mentioned we did move quite a bit, never landing in one place for too long.”
“Why did you move so often?”
“My father was a very restless man, so he was always taking on new assignments.”
“Really... So you were a military brat then,” Elizabeth said with a small teasing laugh.
Leo chuckled, “I guess you could say that.”
“How did you mother die?” Elizabeth asked with a frown. Regretting the question as soon as it left her lips. When Leo looked down and away. “I’m sorry I don’t mean to be…forward. You don’t have to answer that.” She said quickly, her smile dying on her lips in concern that she may have brought up a painful memory inadvertently.
Leo absently skimmed his knuckles on Elizabeth legs, “No, it’s all right to ask.” He said, as he looked back up, Elizabeth startled at the sadness that had entered his eyes. “She died from cancer.”
Elizabeth’s breath caught at her insensitivity and the memory she had carelessly brought back up for him. Her heart was breaking for Leo and the sense of loss he must have felt then and now. “I’m sorry.” She said as she reached for his fingers, still absently rubbing her leg.
Leo shrugged off her sympathy, “It’s ok. It was a long time ago.”
Feeling suddenly self-conscious, Elizabeth pulled her legs off his lap, “Hey, you thirsty? Because, I’m parched, there are a couple beers left over in the mini-fridge if you’re interested. They’re Aurora’s, but I’m sure she wouldn’t care.”
“Sure, that would be great.”
“Great,” Elizabeth said as she got up. “So...growing up in the military gave you the inclination to join yourself.” Elizabeth said over her shoulder in an attempt to change the subject.
“It did.” He said in a matter of fact manner.
Elizabeth handed Leo his cold beer. “Why?”
Leo chuckled with the obvious confused note in the question. “The military was all I knew. So it seemed natural to join when I graduated high school. It made my father proud, especially when I later became a Navy Seal. It was my life for a time.”
Tugging her legs beneath her, Elizabeth turned on the couch so she could rest her arm along the back. Swirling her glass as she asked, “What made you leave it then? Did you not like it? Because if you were a Navy Seal that takes a lot of dedication I hear.”
“Did I not, like it?” He asked, mimicking her question. “I guess…the answer would be...yes and no. I found a family in the military, as strange as it may sound. Furthermore, I enjoyed the adventures and danger of being a Navy Seal.”
“So, what made you leave then?”
“I had a lot of anger issues, that time in my life, which made me…reckless.” He said as he raised his beer to his lips.
Elizabeth heard the undertone of hesitation with the answer, something being left unsaid.
“Which, if you are a Navy Seal is not a good combination.” He finished casually
Elizabeth rested her palm in his as she gave him a small smile. “Why were you angry?” She asked, unable to help herself as she found herself becoming more curious by the minute with his life.
Turning, Leo took Elizabeth by the wrist, pulling her closer to his side. His lips brushed hers as he spoke against her lips. “You are just full of questions aren’t you?”
Elizabeth leaned back with a chuckle as she shrugged her shoulders innocently, “Just curious.” She said with a smile. “I want to know more about the man who has become my savior.”
“Savior, am I?” Leo said as he raised his eyebrows. “I like the sound of that.”
Elizabeth laughed while she hit him lightly on the shoulder. “I knew you would…for some reason or another.” She said playfully. “Now stop changing the subject. Tell me why you were angry?”
Leo reached towards the coffee table to pick up his drink once more, then leaned casually back onto the sofa, his head rested on the back as he took a couple of sips, his eyes watching her.
Elizabeth could sense his hesitation to answer the question; she could almost see his mind working on how he was going to answer which m
ade her even more curious with the answer.
Finally, he gave her a small smile as he set the drink back on the coffee table before turning back to her. “When one’s life is young… life seems…unfair. Full of injustices, I guess you can say.” He said with a casual shrug. “Although, I’m sure it was for a number of reasons. Now being, older with a little bit more knowledge under my belt.” He said with a playful wink, which belied his next words, “I would say I was angry because my father was never around…always off on assignments and even when he was home, he wasn’t. My mother, who I lost as a baby, was a stranger to me, a stranger I wanted to know but knew could only be an impossibility since my father refused to talk about her. He always told me, ‘Death my boy is a part of who we are. Eventually we all go to our maker.’” Leo smiled sadly at this last remark. “Then in my teenage years, I started to blame her for dying and leaving me with a father who only saw things in black and white. Logically, I knew it wasn’t her fault, but emotionally, I grew to blame her for all my hardships. I was angry and rebellious, getting into trouble always.”
“Do you still blame her?”
“No. I ended up joining the military as a way to forget. They don’t give a person much room for feeling sorry for one’s self.” He said as he leaned forward, a playful smile replacing any sadness he might have displayed earlier. Elizabeth’s heart was flipping in her throat at the irresistible image he made, with his hair messed slightly and his green eyes darkened in desire. His voice was light as he reached over for her. “It was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. besides walking into a dark bar one night and meeting you.”
Elizabeth giggled in anticipation as she let him pull her across his lap. Weaving her arms around his neck as she brushed his lips, letting her tongue play lightly along the edge, all thoughts of further conversation gone, when his joined hers in the little dance.
“Are you sure?” Leo asked with a chuckle.
Elizabeth’s laughter was breathless as she nodded in affirmation and as she deepened the kiss further, her hips moved against him provocatively, feeling him respond in kind. Then her lips leaving his to trail along his face to his ear, biting it slightly as she whispered in his ear. “To hell with being a lady.”
Leo laughed. “That’s what I like to hear.” He said as he lifted her, her legs wrapped around his waist as his lips moved warm and urgent against hers. Elizabeth breath now rapid with excitement and anticipation as they fell onto the bed, her mind only mildly wondering how they had gotten there so quickly, the thought then leaving just as quickly as Leo’s lips skim down her neck seductively sending waves of pleasure through her body, forgetting everything except what he was doing to her as she tore at his shirt, needing to feel him next to her skin.
Chapter 18
Elizabeth woke to the sun caressing her face and a finger stroking her arm that rested on top of the covers. A sigh escaped her lips as she felt a brush of warm lips on her exposed neck as her hand reached up to lace her fingers into Leo’s short brown hair. She smiled when she looked into his green eyes sparkling in the morning light as she pulled his head down to her, the kiss coursed through her like a warm liquid on a cool winter’s night, soothing all of her worries.
When the kiss ended, Elizabeth opened her eyes slowly, content as she rubbed a thumb along the coarse hair on his jaw where an overnight growth of whiskers had grown, the look rough and masculine. “How long you been awake?” she asked softly, not wanting to break the mood.
Leo smiled, “Not long. You feeling better this morning?”
Elizabeth stretched in contentment as she lifted her arms above her head, “Mmm... much. I haven’t felt this good....” Elizabeth paused a moment, puzzled, then turned her head to look over at Leo, “You know what? I haven’t felt this good since, I can’t remember when.”
Leo laughed as he placed a warm calloused hand on her stomach. His thumb stroked her soft skin before lifting it up slowly to rest just under a breast stroking the tip with the ball of his thumb, sending ripples of pleasure through her. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.” He said as he brushed her lips.
Conscious of his hand on her bare skin, Elizabeth jumped at the knowledge that she was wearing nothing. She pulled away from Leo as she pulled the covers with her, the memory of the night before filled her thoughts as she laughed self-consciously, “I told you I wasn’t always a lady.”
“And I told you I wasn’t always a gentlemen.” Leo said as he pulled her back to him. “Are you disappointed?”
Thinking how good she felt, she smiled in contentment. “No.”
“Good. Now, should we do a replay?” Leo asked as he brushed her bangs from her eyes, stroking her eyebrows in the process.
Wanting to stay and do several repeats of the night before was tempting beyond belief, but also the memory of what happened before he arrived called to her.. Knowing that she was going to have to end this pleasant interlude filled her with disappointment as she pulled away from him further. “I would love to.” She said with a warm smile. “But…I think we need to first go over the main reason I had called you last night.”
A quick look of disappointment crossed Leo’s, before it left once more. Elizabeth watched him pull himself up into a sitting position, as he leaned against the headrest. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Elizabeth pursed her lips. “Yes…I think if I say it out loud, it will help me remember even more.”
“Good,” Leo said in encouragement as he pulled his pillow up more behind himself, before he pulled Elizabeth up also so she sat with her back against his chest.
“Ok....” Elizabeth said hesitantly, finding his warm chest against her back slightly distracting, but also unsure at first where to begin. “Well, in all my memories, it is always the same two people. They are always arguing and I seem to be the main focus of the conflict. It seems... the woman is always trying to protect me from this man. Who, by the way,” Elizabeth said as she pulled away from Leo’s arms, so she can turn to face him, sitting back on her heels, “I can remember what he looks like.”
“That is good.”
Elizabeth sighed as she realized suddenly that what she does remember still can’t help her anymore then before, she felt her shoulders drop in disappointment, “Yes, but I still don’t have a name.”
Leo raised his knee, resting an arm on it. “Elizabeth, that is fine. With each memory there will be more and more information with which to figure out what happened to you and made your memory shut off from it. This is a good thing don’t you see?”
“You’re right, it is a good thing. I’m just worried that I wouldn’t remember enough in time.” She said with a frown. “But, what is really hard is that now when a memory comes on, it is so sudden and so debilitating. It feels as though my head is being shredded leaving fragments for me to pick up and attempt to put back together. Then to top it all off, with a cherry on top, is my gut keeps telling me that the man in my dream is the one that has been somewhat stalking me.”
“Has something else happened?” He asked with concern.
“Well the dream last night, obviously, and then just when I thought I had it all on paper and my mind was just starting to calm down, the phone rang. At first, no one answered, but then, I heard what sounded like a chuckle, but not any old chuckle but what felt like a familiar bone retching chuckle, one that sends shivers down the spine…anyways, when I heard it, I had a vision, or what I feel like is a vision or memory.”
“What was the vision?”
“I was on the phone and this man…with really intense blue eyes, ripped the phone from my hands and started to yell and hit me.” Elizabeth said with a chill at the memory. “Just when I thought he was really going to hurt me, this woman, who by the way, looks a lot like me, stormed in and put a stop to what he was just about to do. But, what was really strange was that this woman called me her daughter.” She said as she looked at L
eo in confusion. “But, I wasn’t, or she wasn’t my mother.”
Leo nodded in understanding as he pulled her back to him, to lay her head on his shoulder, his words vibrating against her cheek as he spoke. “Have you thought of getting professional help with remembering. They might be able to do hypnosis and control your memories, allowing them to come back more uniformly.”
“I’ve thought of that, but I’m not sure.”
“Then we will work with what we have. Have you been keeping a journal of what you are remember and your dreams like I suggested?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth says excitedly as she reached across Leo’s body pulling open the drawer in the bedside table lifting up the notepad with several pages filled with abstract writing. Looking down at the sloppy, hurried words, reading what she has written, she felt confused with the jumble of thoughts. “It doesn’t make much sense though.”
“Let me see,” Leo said as he put out his hand palm up to receive the notepad.
Elizabeth hesitated with the very personal journal, staring down at her own personal thoughts and memories, reading words she has never told anyone about, feeling exposed. “I don’t know, if I’m ready to share this with anyone yet.”
Leo leaned forward taking Elizabeth hand into his. “I know it’s personal, but for me to help you figure this all out, I need to know everything you can remember.” Lifting Elizabeth’s chin up so she will look at him in his eyes, “It’s my job. Remember? I wouldn’t think any differently of you.”
“I know that,” Elizabeth said as she pulled her hand away, holding the pad tightly as she fought the urge to hide the notepad behind her back away from prying eyes even if they were Leo’s. She told herself to stop being paranoid and self-conscious about her memories. After minutes of self-arguing with herself, she handed the notepad over. Scrambling off the bed, not wanting to watch his expression as he read it. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“Elizabeth, I didn’t want you to feel like you have to show me this,” Leo said. Elizabeth heard the concern in his voice.
Secrets of the Weeping Willow Page 14