Crystals

by Theresa L. Henry

  She could hear the hurt in his voice and for a passing moment it pulled at her heart. Then she remembered the way he had callously walked out of her life and never looked back. That thought was all it took for her to harden.

  Back then they’d had shared dreams. Now, all that remained was years of their individual realities. And Crystal wasn’t prepared to give him access to hers. It was much too late for that.

  “Take care, Shane.”

  Dodging around him, he said something which she didn’t hear because she was already through the door. She paid no attention to the bare hallway or the magnificent parquet flooring. All her concentration was on getting as far away from him as she could.

  Running down the front stairs, she fumbled through her purse for her car keys. Unable to control her trembling hands, she dropped them twice before she was finally able to press the fob to open the door.

  Crystal slammed her car door shut, and panted through her mouth in an attempt to get her breathing under control. Brushing a hand across her face, it came away wet, whether from the rain or her tears, she couldn’t tell.

  Switching on the ignition, she looked out of the windscreen. She couldn’t see a thing. Night had fallen and there was no light. Just a screen of blackness with raindrops the size of bullets pelting down and bouncing into the air.

  Frustrated, Crystal called herself all kinds of a fool for purchasing a sports car. She should have gone for the 4x4 as her family had advised. But as long as she had space for her computer tablet, sample swabs, and portfolio she had been happy with her choice. That was until faced with the British weather while stuck in the middle of nowhere.

  Putting the car into gear, she turned it around and edged forward. The windscreen wipers moved at maximum speed yet made absolutely no difference to her visibility. A few yards more and the car dipped into a crater that caused her teeth to snap together. Repeatedly revving the engine didn’t change her position. If anything it made matters worse. There was no getting away from it, she was well and truly stuck.

  Banging the steering wheel, Crystal threw back her head and screamed out her frustration. “Why is this happening to me!”

  A rap on the window caught her by surprise. Shane was standing by the door with an amused look. Embarrassed that he had witnessed her rant, she cut him a dirty look, and sucked in a deep before slightly lowering the window.

  “I’ve meant to get this hole fixed,” he grinned. “Most people remember it’s there.”

  “Well, I didn’t!”

  “I can see that. If you’ve finished beating up your car, you should come back inside.”

  Knowing she had no other choice but to follow his suggestion, Crystal wound up her window, turned off the ignition and opened the door. Immediately at her side, Shane held up a yellow umbrella with bright red lips dotted all over it.

  “It’s Emmie’s. I hope she’s bloody soaked by now!”

  Crystal gave him a dubious look but said nothing.

  “Come on, Crys. I’ve never owned an umbrella in my life. This is for your benefit.”

  “Well, the style suits you.”

  “Whatever! Come on, hold on to me. Those heels are ridiculous and I’m not going to be held responsible for you breaking your neck.”

  “Oh no, these are my favorite boots,” Crystal moaned looking down at her footwear.

  “Well, we better get a move on then. Because if that was a ploy to get me to carry you, it’s not gonna happen.”

  “I understand. You are very skinny.”

  Shane took hold of her arm and placed it in the crook of his elbow before he responded. “I’m built for endurance. I can’t believe you forgot that.”

  “Don’t even think about starting with me!”

  “Jeez, relax will ya. Anyone would think I just propositioned you. For the record, I didn’t, but if that’s the way your mind’s working—I’m game.”

  “Shut…” Crystal broke off with a yelp as she went down, her five inch heels had failed her.

  “Bloody hell, are you okay?”

  Smacking away his offered hand of assistance, Crystal watched as a gust of wind pulled the umbrella from his distracted grip, and was swallowed by the darkness.

  Her heel was broken. She was on her hands and knees in a puddle. It was raining like she hadn’t witnessed in an age, and he had just allowed their only protection to be claimed by the elements.

  “Shit… shitty, shit frigging, shit!”

  “That’s it Crys, cuss up a blue streak.”

  “Oh, keep quiet!”

  Without responding, he again held out his hand. Feeling like a fool, Crystal wanted nothing more than to punch the ground and howl at the moon. “Could this day get any worse?”

  “Of course it could. We could both catch pneumonia while you sit on your arse in a puddle on me driveway.”

  “You’re not a nice man, Shane Tierney,” Crystal griped as she finally took his hand.

  “Whoever told you I was, is a bloody liar,” Shane quipped as he helped her up.

  “That would be you.”

  “Shit, I must ‘ave been drunk!”

  Chapter 11

  As Shane escorted her to a room to dry off, Crystal paid close attention to the interior. The house was one of those old country structures with massive amounts of dark wood paneling and high ceilings. If she had still intended to take the job, her first piece of advice would be that he make changes to bring the place into the twenty-first century.

  Alone in the room Crystal looked around. From what she understood, the house had seven en-suite rooms and it was apparent he had already spent a lot of money on the modernization of the plumbing system. Her shower had been lovely, so at least that was money well spent.

  Now that she was clean and dry, only one problem remained. She had nothing to change into. Sitting on the bed, wrapped in a damp towel, Crystal looked around and saw only a duvet that could be a possible means of covering her nakedness. It was that or keep on the soggy towel.

  Moments later a knock sounded on the door and Shane poked his head inside the room.

  “I thought these might come in handy. I brought you some body lotion, socks, a jumper and you don’t have to worry,” he said holding up a pair of sweatpants. “You’ve put on a few pounds, but these should fit you.”

  “You cheeky sod!”

  “Come on Crys, are you going to sit there and tell me your arse–”

  “My arse is none of your business. And, why you would think I would even consider using one of your girlfriend’s body lotions is a mystery to me.” She knew she should have kept her mouth shut, but the words escaped before she could stop them.

  “Careful, or you’ll have me thinking you're jealous.”

  “Well, you’d be wrong!” Crossing her fingers at the barefaced lie she gave herself a mental shake. It was only a jar of lotion, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to throw it out the window via his head. “But thanks for the clothes.”

  “Relax, the lotion is from the stock I bought for all the bathrooms. If you look, you’ll see it hasn’t been opened.”

  Her eyes flew to the box sitting on the pile of clothing and heat rushed into her face. Not knowing how to dig herself out of yet another hole, she said nothing. He was laughing at her again and Crystal couldn’t blame him. She was acting like a complete idiot.

  “When you’re done, follow the smell of cooking and I’ll feed you.”

  ~~~

  Dressed in her borrowed clothing, once downstairs, Crystal did as Shane had suggested and found him without difficulty. He was standing in front of the stove and she took the opportunity to look him over.

  Although he was tall and lean, his shoulders were broad and tapered off into a perfect vee. From what she could see, he was right, her backside would never have fit into a pair of his jeans.

  “So, what’s taken your fancy, my manly shoulders or my firm arse?” Shane asked without looking around.

  “Neither!”

 
“Ahh, Crys, now that’s your biggest lie… for today anyway.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Do you still like bangers and mash?”

  “What?”

  “Sausage and mash potatoes, do you still like them?”

  “I know you heard me so why don’t you answer my question?”

  “Because not everything’s about you. How’s that for an answer.”

  Crystal was stunned. He was angry with her and she didn’t know why. If anyone had a right to that feeling, it was her. “Why are you so–”

  “I’m making onion gravy as well. Do you want a beer? Oh, sorry, I forgot Princess Crystal doesn’t drink beer. I have wine, will that do?”

  He was behaving like a complete bastard, and she was already fed up with his insults. Halfway to the door the sound of his raised voice calling her name stopped her.

  When she turned to look at him, he held her gaze for a few seconds. During those brief moments, anger distorted his features into that of a stranger. Before she could fully grasp what was happening, his expression changed to one of pleasantness, and a recognizable Shane returned.

  Crystal followed his movements as he opened a bottle of red wine and poured her a glass.

  “Here ya go.” He held out the glass and waited. It was almost as though he was daring her to come closer and accept the wine from his hand.

  “I’ve poured it, so you might as well drink it.”

  She remained motionless.

  “Okay, I’ll just leave it here.”

  Following through, he set the glass on the counter and pushed it towards her. He then took a step back and watched her so closely she felt a shiver run down her spine.

  “Our meal’s nearly ready so why don’t you take a seat.”

  With tentative steps, she moved to the counter and sat down. Once she had pulled the glass towards her, Shane resumed cooking. But the evidence of his tension remained in the stiffness of his posture.

  The aromas that emanated from the meal he prepared brought back memories she hadn’t experienced in years. She especially loved the smell of fried onions with just a hint of apple cider vinegar running through it. The plate he placed before her made her mouth water. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast and she was starving.

  “Go on then, eat up.”

  “This looks delicious but is it safe?”

  “Don’t tempt me, Crys, there’s a good girl.”

  “That’s not funny.”

  “That’s okay then because I wasn’t trying to be bloody amusing.”

  They ate mostly in silence, it was only when she had finished every morsel that Crystal became aware that he was watching her.

  “Thank you for the meal, it was delicious,” she offered praise with a small smile.

  He didn’t return her smile. The brooding look was back in his eyes.

  “You cooked, so I’ll clean up.” Before she had finished speaking, she was already carrying out her suggestion.

  Crystal washed, scrubbed and dried everything she could lay her hands on. When she was finished, she knew she could no longer ignore him. She didn’t know for sure, but it felt as though he had watched her every move.

  “You did a good job, Crys,” Shane said rising from his seat when she turned to face him. “Can’t figure out why you didn’t use the dishwasher, though.”

  “You bloody shit, you could have said something before!”

  His only reaction to her name calling was a snort as he walked out of the kitchen.

  Crystal wanted to chase after him and let rip, but she didn’t. She allowed him to go, needing time alone to compose herself.

  Giving serious consideration to locking herself in her room she dismissed it. The big empty house gave her the creeps. It was still only 7:00 pm and Shane’s company was preferable to hours of solitude.

  With her feet encased in thick socks, Crystal made hardly a sound as she walked towards the sitting room. Standing in the doorway unobserved, she saw him seated on a sofa before a roaring fire. His leg was elevated while he massaged his thigh. Recalling reports of his accident and the injury he’d sustained, she approached him, concerned that he was in pain.

  “May I get you something?”

  Shane stared at her for a few moments and then shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. Why don’t you join me?”

  She hesitated. He saw it and smiled. Unwilling to have him laugh at her again, she did as he asked. Seated beside him, her gaze followed his movements as his hand continued to move over his leg.

  “Are you still in a lot of pain?”

  “No, not really. Sometimes I just get a tightening feeling. If I rub it, it normally disappears after a few minutes.”

  “I nearly died when I saw your crash,” Crystal blurted out. She hadn’t meant to put it in quite that way, but it was how she had felt at the time.

  “Nah, that would be me, I nearly died, twice.”

  “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t wish that for you. I’m so proud of you. Of everything you’ve done, I mean, what you’ve achieved…”

  “Thank you.”

  His response was so dispassionate Crystal wished she’d said nothing.

  “May I ask you something?” Although he posed a question, Shane didn’t wait for her agreement. “What did I do that was so wrong?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Are you still with him?”

  “Who… what are you talking about?”

  “Owen. He’s the man I saw you with. I remembered him from your party. Are you two still together? You’re not wearing a ring, but that doesn’t mean anything these days.”

  “Owen is just a friend. He’s like a brother to me.”

  “If you say so then I suppose I have to take your word for it.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

  “It’s been five years, Crys. The least you could be is honest with me because I know what I saw.”

  “I’m not going to keep repeating myself. Whatever you think you saw, you were mistaken!”

  “Whatever you say, Crys.”

  “I don’t have to listen to this–”

  Before she knew what was happening, Shane had taken hold of her arms and was shaking her. She had forgotten how strong he was. His sudden movement was the only reminder she needed.

  “Yes, you do. I was the one laying in the hospital so the least you can do is stop fucking lying to me!” He shouted directly in her face.

  “Stop it!”

  “I loved you so much, Crys. It nearly killed me when I saw you with that man. And now you’re lying to me—again!”

  “I’m not a liar, stop calling me that!”

  She was close to losing her temper, but she could see he believed what he was saying. There must be an explanation. She just had to focus. But it was difficult. Her emotions were too raw. She hadn’t felt this way for nearly five years and she hated it. Before she knew it, tears gathered in her eyes.

  “I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Shane whispered as he pulled her close to his body.

  Crystal stiffened. She wanted to pull away, but being in his arms flooded her with memories. He felt wonderful. He was all hard muscle and hot flesh. Her gaze landed on his beard. Curious, she reached up and ran inquisitive fingers over his cheek. The thick black hair was actually soft to the touch. She hadn’t expected that.

  “Keep touching me like that and you’re going to have to deal with the fallout.”

  Crystal looked at the hand that only moments before had been stroking him. Coming to her senses, she tried to pull away. Shane captured her fingers and pressed her palm against his cheek.

  “Are you married, Crys?”

  “No.”

  “Are you with someone?”

  “Shane–”

  “Answer me!”

  “No, I’m not with anyone.”

  “Who was the man I saw you with at the restaurant?”

  “You did see me?”

  “
I just said so didn’t I? Who was he?”

  “He was a date my mother set up for me.”

  “So, Gwendolyn’s still meddling—nothing new there, then.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “I’m not sure, but it’s way past time I found out,” Shane paused and smiled.

  This was the first genuine smile she had received from him. That it came in the wake of the mention of her mother, caused her uncertainty to intensify. “What are you smiling about?”

  “I’m enjoying the way you’re petting me,” Shane replied all indication of his amusement gone.

  He was right. She had been completely unaware of what she had been doing. While she’d been rubbing his face, her other hand had been busy moving back and forth across his chest. Once the realization hit, Crystal tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let her. When she finally stopped moving, her palm rested over his thudding heart.

  “Did you miss me at all?”

  “This isn’t a good idea, Shane.”

  “This can be anything we want it to be,” Shane murmured as he pulled her in. “We can keep talking if that’s what you want. But by the way you keep staring at my mouth, I think you have something else on your mind.”

  Crystal knew she should stop him, or more importantly—herself. But she didn’t want to. She wanted to feel his arms wrapped around her again. She had missed the sensation. She wanted to breathe him in and reminisce about a time when everything had been perfect between them. The last time they had been together they had parted in anger. Then they’d lost each other.

  She had loved him so much back then. Crystal knew if she allowed it, rekindling all those old feelings would be as easy as drawing in her next breath. Her mind jumped and a disembodied voice spoke in her head. Did you ever stop loving him? Pushing the thought aside, she refused to dwell on it.

  “You know what, Crys. You think too much. We’re adults. Just do what you want to do, what I want you to do.”

  Her mind told her this was madness but her emotions drove her. They met halfway. Their lips touched with an immediate explosion. They devoured each other as they competed to see who could take more. Who could give more. His hands roamed over her with an eagerness that she remembered so well.