"Then I promise not to ask your opinion."
"Sounds fair." She started to walk toward him then stopped short and walked to her bedroom door instead. "Good night, Noah."
As she closed the door behind her, she heard him say, "Goodnight, Sugarlips."
A short time later, she had taken a shower and donned her favorite sleeping ensemble—a pair of old gym shorts and a large Miami Dolphins football jersey. When she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror she shook her head. No one could ever accuse her of packing with a romantic rendezvous in mind.
She was about to shut off her cell phone when she noticed someone had left her a message. She didn't recognize the number but decided to check it anyway. The feminine voice was polite yet noticeably authoritative.
"Hello, Ms. Harrison. This is Lillian Davenport. I would appreciate it if you would stop by my office tomorrow, at your convenience. Please do not mention this to Mr. Nash."
Tanya had told Maggie hotel management might have additional requests but she certainly wasn't expecting to hear from anyone named Davenport. She decided the unexpected summons qualified as an excuse to peruse the hotel's informational notebook and quietly fetched it from the desk in the great room.
Back in her own room, she pulled down the bedcovers and stacked several plump pillows against the headboard for a comfy reading position. She instantly discovered Lillian was Robert Davenport's granddaughter, the current resident-owner and general manager of the resort. What could that woman possibly need from her? And why would she be instructed not to tell Noah?
Both answers would have to wait until tomorrow but, since she'd already opened the notebook, she couldn't stop herself from reading a tiny bit more. Noah wouldn't need to know about that either. Maggie already knew a few basic facts about the hotel, however, the background story added some interesting information she'd never heard about.
Like many of the wealthy northern families in the early 1920s, Robert and Patricia Davenport boarded Henry Flagler's new railroad train to vacation at the sunny playgrounds of the southeast Florida coast. Although Prohibition had been enacted on a federal level, it was not strictly enforced in the tropics and casino gambling was a respectable pastime in the luxury hotels there.
One day when Robert went sailing with his wife, Patricia, and their young son, Chester, a sudden storm blew them a distance northeast of where they were staying. They came to ground on a small but beautiful island not shown on their map. They enjoyed their picnic lunch next to the waterfall that was now part of one of the Crystal Island nature trails.
Robert Davenport was so impressed with what other developers had accomplished in Florida, he decided to invest everything they had in a dream of his own. He made a deal with the State of Florida to purchase the island he'd discovered in exchange for planting a U.S. flag on it and supporting Florida's legal claim that it was as much a part of the State as Key West. The Davenport Resort had its grand opening March 1, 1924.
For several years it was a booming success, until the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane caused massive devastation to the hotel and grounds. Then came the Wall Street crash and the abrupt end of the first Florida land boom.
There was a mention of Robert's untimely death in 1930 but not a word of explanation. The narrative jumped right to his widow's valiant struggle to maintain ownership of the island and the damaged hotel through the Depression years, how she took advantage of Roosevelt's New Deal to rebuild and expand, and how a portion of the hotel was converted into a rehab hospital for injured soldiers during World War II.
Maggie's attention was piqued again when she saw the words "Amethyst Cave", but the mention was only in connection with the naming of the island and its various amenities. The enormous crystals were present when Robert discovered the island and he had insisted every one remain exactly where they were. Thus the hotel was designed and constructed around the geodes. For that and many other reasons, they provide a constant source of fascination to visitors.
Much to Maggie's disappointment there was no mention of The Weeping Woman, ghostly or otherwise. In fact the entire topic of ghosts and mysterious events was covered in two vague sentences—
Although many guests have visited the Davenport because of reports of paranormal activity, there is no evidence to support such rumors. However, we welcome the curious to come for a stay, explore our grounds and judge for themselves.
She smiled at the creative wording. The "curious" were welcome as long as they made reservations and the lowest rates available would effectively lock out the average ghost hunter. She closed the notebook and got more comfortable under the covers. The history book beckoned but her promise to Noah replayed in her head and she reached for his novel instead. The prologue was enough to give her nightmares but she forced herself to read the first chapter before closing the book with a shudder. Noah was clearly a very talented writer but if she didn't know him personally she would have concerns about his state of mind and how safe it was to be alone with him.
The one thing she could appreciate about his book was the press photo of him on the back. It looked exactly like him—devilishly handsome. She couldn't help but wonder what had put that half-smile on his face. Her finger stroked the picture and for a moment she imagined she was the object of that appreciative look.
What was it about Noah that could get her feeling all gooey inside by just looking at his photo? She set the book on the nightstand and turned off the lights. It had sounded like they would be very busy tomorrow and she knew she should get some sleep. But thinking about spending the entire day with Noah had her imagination creating scenes that worked against her good intentions.
A woman's humming caused Maggie to freeze and listen intently for the source. She couldn't hear anything now but a chill ran through her. It was the same eerie feeling she'd had earlier while looking into the mirror in Noah's room and when she'd heard The Weeping Woman's plea in the Amethyst Cave. Afraid yet curious, she slowly sat up in bed and let her eyes adjust to the darkness.
When the humming started again Maggie was certain it came from her bathroom. She quietly rose and tiptoed toward the sound. The tune became clearer the closer she got.
To her utter shock Maggie saw exactly where the humming was coming from—inside the mirror. As if looking through a filmy window, she saw a woman in an old-fashioned maid's uniform. Maggie touched the mirror and it immediately cleared. The maid was turned away, cleaning the bathroom floor on her hands and knees and the room looked very much like an outdated version of the same room Maggie was standing in. The maid had a long, reddish-blonde braid hanging down her back and seemed very happy as she hummed her little ditty.
"Hello?" Maggie ventured.
The woman stopped her scrubbing and swiveled her head from side to side. Maggie realized she was quite young, perhaps a teenager, and very pretty. The girl rubbed the crucifix hanging from a chain around her neck then used it to make the sign of the cross. "Angels preserve and protect me and me babe," she prayed aloud in a strong Irish dialect then went back to humming considerably louder than she was before.
Completely unnerved, Maggie took a step back then rushed from her room to Noah's. Bursting through the master bedroom's double doors, she whispered, "In my room. Hurry!"
Noah bolted into a sitting position, yanking a sheet to his waist at the same time. "Maggie, what the—"
"No time. Just hurry."
As he bolted to his feet, she realized he was naked and quickly turned away. A second later he was at her side wearing a pair of boxers. Ordering herself not to think about what she'd just seen, she grabbed his hand and pulled him across the great room.
"I heard a woman humming," she whispered. "It was coming from the bathroom mirror. I think it's like what you saw with the man in your room. Just look." She waved for him to precede her so he did.
Noah stepped into the bathroom, but from the doorway she could see the mirror was back to being a mere reflection. She sighed. "She's gone. And you didn't see her
, did you?"
He came out of the bathroom, shaking his head. "No, but I believe you." Without turning on any lights he walked around the room, stared into the mirror above the dresser and came back to her. "I'm intrigued by the fact that you've heard something twice now. Could it have been the same woman?"
"I only heard three words in the lounge and the woman was crying. I'm just not sure. More important, I don't think the sound was only one-way. Noah, I said 'hello' and she reacted."
"Holy shit. That's fantastic. Exactly how did she react?"
"She made the sign of the cross, like a Catholic, and then asked her angels for protection. Oh! She definitely had an Irish accent and I don't think The Weeping Woman did. But I can't say for sure."
He paced back and forth very quickly. "This is just too friggin' cool! Would you have any objection to our switching rooms tonight? Maybe—"
"No way," she stated, cutting him off. "I mean, I don't care about switching. I'll sleep in whichever room you say, just so I'm not alone." She took a deep breath. "I felt the chill again. Like the other two times."
"Two?"
Maggie made a face. "Yeah. Two. I didn't tell you but I put it in the notes about the Amethyst Cave."
Noah pulled her close and rubbed her arms. "Your skin is ice cold. Are you feeling okay?"
She relaxed her head against his bare chest and nodded. His hands slowed to a stroking pace then moved to her back. "Actually feeling better every second."
"You certainly are." He kissed the top of her head. "Maggie, you know I find this kind of thing really... exhilarating. But if it's too weird for you, I'll understand."
She stepped back, took his hands in hers and looked up at his beautiful face. "It is definitely very high on my weirdness scale. But remember, I believe in facing my fears, and besides, I'm not feeling terrified. I know part of that is because I'm convinced you know what you're doing. But the other part is, well, I'm more intrigued than scared. I want to know who that was in my bathroom and who I heard in the bar. I never would have imagined saying this but I want to know if it's the same ghost or different ones and whether my hearing her, or them, means something significant. Maybe I'm related to one or both of them in some way."
By the time she finished her little speech, he was grinning broadly. "Thank gawd. I really wouldn't have understood."
She laughed. "So you were just being polite?"
"Sort of. But what I'm going to say next is being really, really polite. You said you don't want to be alone but we agreed—"
She cut him off by pressing a finger to his lips. "Just pick the room. Yours or mine?"
Without another word he grasped her hand and led her into the larger room... with the bigger bed.
Maggie had no illusions about what she had just set in motion or how what happened next could ruin everything. At least she didn't worry about feeling indifferent with Noah. She already knew they only had to kiss and her body would be ready for his.
Instead of immediately taking her in his arms and kissing her, however, he held up his index finger for her to wait a minute. She watched him take two blankets from the closet and hang one on each of the mirrors in the bedroom. Then he went into the bathroom and draped towels over the mirrors in there. Within seconds the room felt warmer. "Do I want to know what you're doing?"
He came back to her with a look that made her think of the shy boy who had been her best friend. "Just making sure we get a good night's sleep." He was clearly uncertain about what to do next. "I could sleep on the floor..."
"Don't be ridiculous. The bed is huge."
"Um, do you have a preferred side?"
Maggie shook her head, but they both remained where they were standing, not moving closer to the bed or each other.
Noah finally broke the tension. "It might help if we actually got into bed."
Maggie walked to the side of the bed that hadn't been disturbed, lifted the covers, and got under them. Then Noah got under the covers where he had been when she'd barged into the room.
Maggie stifled a giggle.
Noah coughed to hide a chuckle.
And suddenly they were both laughing at themselves and each other.
Noah shifted to the middle of the bed and raised his upper body to look down at her. "I have a confession to make."
She rolled onto her side toward him, leaving only a few inches between them. "Go on."
"I've always hated the no-kissing rule. It was torturous when we were in high school and it's just plain stupid now."
"You don't say." She placed her hand on his firm chest and murmured, "How do you feel about touching?"
He ran his fingers through her hair, down her arm and back up, raising gooseflesh along the way. "I'm okay with touching..." His thumb brushed over her lips. "Except for how much harder it makes it to obey the no-kissing rule."
She lightly dragged her fingernails down to his navel then back up, appreciating how his abdomen tightened under her stroke. "It sounds like you've changed your mind about mixing business with pleasure."
"Well, since I can't stop thinking about kissing you, I'd say making a change is the only way we're going to get any business done."
She realized that, although he'd clearly told her what he wanted, he was still leaving the decision up to her. She moved her hand to the back of his neck and whispered, "I agree." Then slowly pressed her lips to his.
That was all the assurance he needed to deepen the kiss. She parted her lips but it was far from submission as her tongue snaked between his teeth. She teased his tongue into a game of give-and-take as his hands skimmed over her body from neck to thigh.
The words he had used before—hungry, satisfied, vulnerable, powerful, bewildered and certain—all came back to her in a rush. Of all her adventures, she never remembered feeling this exhilarated. Nor had she ever imagined Noah being the one to take her to a height she'd never experienced. The only thing she knew for sure was she wanted more.
As though he'd heard her thought, Noah swiveled them both so he was lying on his back and she was stretched out on top of him, making her physically aware of the effect she had on him as well. Hungry kisses accompanied frantic grasping and kneading as their bodies strived for a closeness their minimal clothing prohibited. Mere seconds passed as mindless tugging and pulling at the annoying barriers got them what they wanted—heated flesh against flesh.
With a moan of intense need that she barely understood, she urged him to hurry. And when Noah joined his body with hers, the desire for something more escalated to desperation. There was no room, no world beyond the two of them, riding a hurricane to shore. It seemed she could not survive such a cataclysm but she didn't care. She definitely could not survive if he stopped. The landing finally came with an explosive roar and wave after quaking wave of pleasure.
Maggie had no idea how much time passed from that moment until she was fully aware of Noah lying partially on top of her, breathing softly next to her ear.
All she knew was for the first time in her life, there was no travel itch that needed scratching, no place she wanted to see, no new thrill she thought she should try.
For the first time since Noah had moved away so long ago, she was perfectly content to stay right where she was... which worked out quite well since the second she moved, he roused and took her on a longer, but equally exciting journey of discovery.
Chapter 7
Maggie awoke to the sound of male voices beyond the closed bedroom door, but her first coherent thoughts were of Noah and how very, very good she felt this morning. Her second thought was that she had overslept on her first day of work. Noah's side of the bed was cool, as though he'd been up for a while, but the clock showed it was not quite 8:00 a.m. Uncertain as to whom he might be speaking with in the living room, she decided to use his bathroom rather than cross through to her own.
She hurriedly showered and used the toothbrush and paste provided in the hotel's big basket of toiletries. Although her hairstyle allowed her to si
mply finger-comb and air-dry, her clothing options were limited to her unflattering nightwear or the plush white robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door. The breast pocket bore an elegantly embroidered green and brown palm tree with the name of the hotel in gold script. She bet the identification increased the odds of it getting taken home by guests. She wrapped herself in the big robe and stepped back into the bedroom.
"Good morning," Noah said with a bright smile.
He also seemed to be fresh from a shower. His damp hair looked darker than she knew it was, several stray curls fell over his forehead and his face was clean shaven. Just looking at him made her stomach flutter. Dressed in worn, fitted blue jeans and a just-snug-enough green t-shirt, he was standing by a large room service cart draped with white linen and laden with covered plates, a coffee service, pitchers of juice and a vase holding a single, magnificent lavender and pink orchid. It all smelled fantastic but if she had to choose between Noah and the lavish breakfast offering, the food would lose.
He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. His lips pressed softly to hers. "Mmmm. You smell good enough to eat." He kissed her more thoroughly as if to prove his statement.
She felt her cheeks warm as her mind registered his innuendo. This... familiar teasing between lovers... was new to her, but she was already hooked on it. Though the kiss ended, he continued to hold her in a loose embrace. She looked up at him and asked, "How long have you been awake?"
"A couple hours. I don't need a lot of sleep and I didn't want to wake you, so I went down to the fitness center, worked out and used the shower there."
"And ordered breakfast for a half-dozen people."
He shrugged. "I have a healthy appetite and guessed that you still do too."
"Aha. So you did notice how much weight I've put on."
He patted her bottom with both hands. "Not so much noticed as appreciated. In fact, last night I remember thinking you could afford to put on a few more pounds." He gave her another pat for emphasis.
"Liar." She pushed at his chest and he released her. "Anyway, it smells delicious and I'm starving."
Some Time Away (Lovers in Time Series, Book 3): Time Travel Romance Page 6