In Your Shadow

by Middleton, J

  “Wow, both deaths were very close together. This explained why she never smiled in any of them she looked lost and distance. This woman had too much grief at one time but she has had time to get over it.

  “Why didn’t she.” He thought.

  There were more articles calling her hard and driven by grief. John set the lab top aside and sit back in his chair.

  “Hard huh she didn’t seem that way to me she may be heartbroken but not hard. It has to be more to her then working. What is it about this woman that still haunts my memory?” His thought completely on her.

  He needed a distraction, and right now the only distraction he wanted was Katie. He walked away from the computer and poured himself a drink and sat down with his thoughts. Until finally he finds himself in a deep sleep.

  Katie rolled over and looked at the clock, it read 530 am. There was just a little light coming through the window. It felt like she had just laid her head down. She hurried and dressed and called her driver and headed to work. She was a few minutes late when she got out of the car she told her driver she would call him when she was ready. She turned and almost bumped into a medium size dark hair man with air all over his face, standing a few feet from her. He looked very familiar like she had seen him before but she couldn’t place him. Katie didn’t have time to go down memory lane so she hurried in the building. It was a huge tall skyscraper building. Her office was on the top floor. She steps in the elevator for the ride up as she listens to the music on the intercom. Her mood was flat and distance like always. Her mind was still on the stranger she had met

  Katie walks out the elevator as her receptionist was standing at the threshold of her office door.

  “Morning Ms. Katie” she hands her a cup of coffee.

  “Morning Susan, any messages,” She asks

  “Yes, I laid them on your desk.” Susan walks back to her desk.

  Katie opens her office door and sets her purse down on the desk as she walks over and stares out the window at the Manhattan skyline. She was restless as she stood there and just stared into the gray clouds overhead. It was cold and breezy day it looked as if it was going to snow. She frowns as she realizes she has to make the call to her father. She turns as she looks at the messages on her desk and two contracts that needed her attention. She picks up the phone and calls her father.

  “Hey, dad you called.”

  “Hello darling, I have left two messages for you. Are you alright, you know I worry about you living in the middle of town with no protection.”

  “I know dad. I have been busy. Oh, I have been looking at a house outside of town. So I will be moving out of the city soon. You won't have to worry so much about me here.”

  “I am so glad to hear it, the reason I called the Christmas party is this weekend. I would love it if you would come. Don’t forget our New Year’s Eve party. I know you can take off. Please Katie,” he said with a low tone.

  “Okay dad, I will be there.” She didn’t want to break his heart so she agreed.

  “Great I will see you at 7. You have a good day dear and don’t work so hard. I love you.”

  “Love you too daddy, I will see you then.” She hung up the phone.

  She hadn’t seen her father in a few weeks. It wasn’t because she didn’t love him. Katie hated her stepmother. She was a ruthless money grubber and she knew it.

  Katie picks up the phone and calls Rebecca the escort service.

  “Good morning, this is Rebecca.”

  “Hello Rebecca this is Katie, I have a formal dinner party to attend to Friday night at 6, do you have someone available. “

  “Yes, of course, Katie.”

  “Yes, could you send the same person you sent before?” Katie asks.

  “I will see if he is available.”

  “Thank you, make sure they are here around 5:45 and dress formal please.”

  “I will see to it.”

  Katie hung up the phone nodding her head.

  “Why can’t I be like other people instead I have to hire a date. Well, at least, it isn’t no hashes are drama.” She thought.

  Katie noticed three calls from Zoe her realtor. She dialed her number and she answered on the first ring.

  “How are you Zoe, what did you find out about the house we looked at.?”

  “They will take 165,000 thousand for the house. It needs a few repairs.”

  “If they will do the repairs on the house I will buy it,” Katie told her.

  “Are you sure,” Zoe asks.

  “Yes, I am sure. I love that house.” Katie had agitation in her voice.

  “Well okay, I will keep you informed.”

  “Good we will talk soon” Zoe hung up the phone.

  “I will be glad when I move in the country, maybe my father will get off my back about the city. It won't be near as noisy” She thought.

  “I will, we will talk soon.”

  After that call, Katie poured herself into her work trying to work her frustrations off. She didn’t understand why she felt agitated. Her cell phone started to ring as she reaches down in her purse to grab it and a card fell out on the floor. She reached down to pick it up and she noticed it was John’s card.

  “What a strange card, no business card ever had just a name and number it normally states the title of your business.”

  Her thoughts go to them deep blue eyes that haunted her memory. She broke her thought as she answered her phone.

  “Hey Katie”

  “Hello Olivia, I am glad you are still breathing.”

  “Oh yes, had a great time.”

  “I can tell. Listen I am really busy I will call you when I get home.”

  “Just calling to see of you made it home, we need to do it again this weekend.”

  “Oh no not this weekend I have to go to my father's party. I want be here. I will call you when I get home I have a lot of work to do.”

  “Sure thing, don’t work so hard. We will talk soon.”

  Katie hung the phone up and glad she made it home. Olivia knew no danger and that worried Katie some. That was who she was always lively. She opened her files and got to work on her contracts and finished out her day. She looked up and notices it was getting dark outside. She had been so busy time went by quickly. She walked outside her office and noticed everyone had gone home for the evening except Susan. She was gathering her things to leave. She called Shane her driver to pick her up.

  “Have a good night Susan.”

  “You to Ms. Katie” she turned and walked to the elevator it opened quickly. The music over the intercom was so depressing she couldn’t wait to get off. There was no one left in the office’s downstairs it looked deserted, almost spooky. The car was waiting in front of the glass doors. It didn’t take her long to get home. She arrived at her house a few minutes after that, unlocking her door she looked back and the driver was waiting for her to go in before he left. That gave her a little sense of security. She drops her purse and keys on the table and worked on her contracts until later and finally she got sleepy enough and went to bed. Dreading to close her eyes, she drifted off into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 4

  He followed her for days closer than before and she stayed to herself. He finally got the courage to go to her building and wait on her to get to work, finally he seen her pull up and run inside her hurried inside her office building right behind her. He was mesmerized at her beauty. She was stunning, he almost fell to his knees. With is breath caught in his throat, his heart was pounding hard. The adrenaline was running through his veins like heated lava running downhill. He watched her jumped on the elevator and she barely missed it before it closed. This time panic set in not from the cold, but from the possible connection of being so close. He stood there, even though he wanted to go up to her office. He touches the cold steel door hoping to feel her closeness. Sweat was forming on his forehead he wrapped if off with the sleeve of his shirt. Butterflies in his stomach turn somersaults as he turned quickly and hurried o
ut the building.

  “What's wrong with me?” he thought.

  Letting out a breath, he got in his car with his hands shaking he turned the key in the ignition. In some strange way he felt like a child at Christmas. The excitement of just being so close.

  He finally pulled away after sitting there for a moment trying to collect his senses.

  “I have to pull myself together.” He thought.

  He starts thinking about the color schemes of her dress and how it formed her body. He watched the streets as they were buzzing with life, the noise of the traffic diverted his mind just a little. When he arrived home he ran up the stairs to his apartment. When he opened the door all he could see was her. The picture of her with that blue dress with the gorgeous white shawl. Her eyes sparkling and so passionate. The sunlight shining on the highlights of her hair. The slight smile that lighten up her eyes. He adored that about her, such beauty. He walked over to his chair and there was the shawl that she always wore. He stroked and caressed the soft fabric and the smooth fringes. He brings it up to his nose as he inhaled the scent of her perfume. He couldn’t help it he had to take this from her house. He wanted something of hers, grabbing that and the picture that stood on her nightstand beside her husband's bed.

  “I almost got caught grabbing this, but it I had to have something of yours Katie” he thought.

  Minutes felt like they had turned into hours he didn’t know how long he had been standing there staring at her picture and holding the shawl. But at some point, the cold had crept up on him. His body began to quiver, he didn’t care. The only warmth he wanted to feel was her body next to his. He finally walked away from her picture and jumps in the shower, hoping it would take the chill of his bones. He closed his eyes as he could feel the warm touch of her skin.

  He gets out of the shower and dries of putting on his long jogging pants. He walks into his living room which was a mess. There was cups and plates on his table, and litter on the floor and chairs. He grabbed the shawl and headed to his bedroom. Laying the shawl over his pillow so he could smell the scent of her as he slept. He laid down and stroked the fine fabric with his hand. He closed his eyes as a shadow of her looms over him. His chest rises and falls as he reaches out to touch her. She was too far away from him he couldn’t touch her. With a smile on her face she turns and disappears in the dark eerie bedroom. He finally drifted off to sleep with the vision of her still fresh in his mind.

  Chapter 5

  The days had passed by fast as her day turned into night. Katie looked at her clock on her desk it read 3 o’clock. She knew she had to leave early to get ready for the party at her father’s house. The drive was a little over forty minutes from Manhattan almost an hour it depending on traffic. Her father lived at a large estate that sits back on a few acres.

  Katie closed her office door and saw that Susan had a dress lying over a chair sitting by her desk.

  “Ms. Katie I picked you up a dress for your dinner.”

  “Really “Katie stops in front of her and looks down at the dress laying over the back of the chair.

  “Yes, Ms. Katie your father called me and ask me to go get you a grown from one of the local dress stores.”

  “Oh, he did.”

  “Yes I hope you are not too angry with me”

  “No Susan I am not, whatever father wants,” She said with agitation in her voice.

  Katie picked the dress up and it was a cream color. It was a formal gown with a slit down the side. It had a V-neck and a very open back. It was very beautiful. It was made of a satin type fabric.

  “You have good taste Rebecca, but it is hard for me to see myself in such a dress.”

  “You will look beautiful I’m sure.”

  “Thank you, I will see you Monday” she grabbed the dress and went down the elevator.

  She met the driver as he drove her home. Katie had just enough time to get ready before her date came.

  She bathed and pulled her curly hair back and pinned it up and let it fall against her back. After applying a small amount of makeup just enough to bring eyes out she put on her formal gown. She stood there and looked in the mirror as she couldn’t see the beauty glow in her face. Staring at her refection at a woman she didn’t recognize, this woman was full of grief and hardness. She jumped back when she heard a knock on the door that interrupted her thought.

  “That must be my date, wow he is early.”

  She walked to the door and opened it, her mouth dropped to the floor. All she saw was his beautiful face, framed by his dark hair and blue eyes. This man was standing in the doorway in a black suit and white shirt with a black tie. Her gaze glued to his piercing blue eyes that melted her hard heart. Words could barely come out of her mouth as she stood there in shock.

  “You, what are you doing here?” With her heart in her throat.

  She was strangling with her brain. Why would this handsome man be standing at her door? Her lips quirk up in a half smile. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him for not even a minute. His lips, his eyes, his body, she couldn’t stop staring.

  John froze unable to stop looking at this beautiful woman that stood in the doorway. He was speechless he never expected her to answer the door. She was very elegant and sexy, she shined with perfection. The long cream color gown that hugged her curves as her eyes sparkled like an even star. Just beautiful, there was no other word for it.

  “Well,” he paused for a minute. He still couldn’t believe she was standing in front of him.

  “It looks like I am your date.” He smiled at her with his eyes on fire.

  “You can’t be my date. No, this can’t be, where is the other guy.”

  “What guy? He paused. “Sorry to disappoint you but he is sick.”

  “I didn’t say you disappointed me, it just the other guy knew my circumstance better.”

  “Oh I am sure he did.” He laughed with this mischievous look on his face.

  “No, it isn’t like that” she stumbled for words as she started to blush.

  “You needed a date so here I am at your service.” John said with a bit of eagerness in his voice, he was enjoying this.

  “Well, I don’t have much of a choice do I.” The more she stared at him the faster her heart beat.

  He was perfect no doubt about it, his sculpted body and deep blue’s eyes and dressed to kill, any woman would drop at his feet.

  “You are stunning,” he said with his eyes covering every inch of her body.

  She was dressed completely different from the night he had seen her. She was breathtaking, every man’s dream.

  Katie was speechless for the first time in years. She was blushing as she looked down and found the strength to open the door wider and let him in. She closed the door and left him standing inside the foyer as she walked over in her bare feet and put her shoes on. Her body was trembling knowing he was her date, the man that she had met at the bar. She wanted to call and get someone else but she didn’t have enough time. She could feel his eyes on her as it awoke every emotion in her body. She quickly turned around as he was just staring at her with his hungry eyes.

  “Well beautiful where are we going.” He smiles with a seductive grin.

  “My father is having a formal Christmas party at his house.” With her voice very scratchy and nervous.

  “Oh!”

  “Yes and we must go it is a 45-minute drive.” Katie grabbed her small purse and led him out the door.

  He followed her out to the car as the driver opened the door.

  “So tell me, what is my job?” John asks with a smile on his face and trying not to laugh. He was so enjoying every bit of this.

  “Well if you must know, you are supposed to pretend to be my boyfriend. Only for tonight.” Her voice was low almost a whisper.

  “Oh, boyfriend huh I can definitely do that.” He smiled.

  “Tell me something, why would you want to hire a date when you are beautiful and could have any man you want?”

 
Katie blushed, just the sound of his voice heated up every inch of her being.

  “No commitments and hashes,” She answered quickly as she was looking out the window. She didn’t want him to see her blushing.

  “Let me tell you this, I will do you a great job. I know how to treat a lady especially one that I am with.” He paused for a moment before he spoke again. “I do understand this is only for one night, but you never no.”

  As the words slipped off his tongue and out his mouth he knew then that he was going to have her eating out of his hand.

  “Yes its only for one night, so don’t get your hopes up.” She popped back.

  There was something about her that he had to have. He was drawn to her like a magnet. Was this feeling what his father was talking about. He didn’t know but he like what he felt. He was sitting so close to her he could almost fill her hot breath against his shoulders. Her eyes were a varied shade of green almost a blue. They always said that green eyes could calm the soul but he didn’t believe that. Just looking at hers made his body come alive. She lit a fire that couldn’t be put out. He had never met anyone with eyes like hers, are anyone like her in general. He didn’t understand what the attraction was. He was glad he knocked on that door, he had no idea she used an escort service.

  It was silent all the way to her father’s house in Massachusetts. It was almost an hour from downtown Boston. Father’s house was an old kind of style colonial house. It looked three times larger than a mansion. With a beautiful lawn, that looked like an entire park. Everything was sculptured to perfection. The drive slowly stopped in front of the house.

  “Your father has great taste, magnificent home.”

  “Yes he does, thank you. I grew up here.” She answered as she continued to watch as the car pulls up in the circle drive.