I took a quick shower and went into the living room. The clock on the stove rolled over to 5:00 just as I started water for tea. Going back to bed was what I truly wanted, but I didn’t trust myself to be around her. As the water boiled, I pulled out a notepad and pen from a drawer by the door. As quickly as possible I scribbled out my feelings to her, and why I thought it best we stay away from each other from now on. Once I finished, I tapped the pad’s edge on the counter,considering.
Would it be easier to just leave? If I weren’t in France, then surely the temptation wouldn’t be present for either of us. I pulled the kettle off the stove and peeked into the bedroom to make sure it hadn’t woken her. A snore answered as I peered through the dark. An ache started in my chest, and I wasn’t entirely sure I could give her up. It wouldn’t be the first selfish thing I did in my life, and likely not thelast.
My conscience had grown pretty adept at right and wrong after so many years, but I had no idea what to do here. She’d told me repeatedly she didn’t want to be with me, and yet she kept coming back. I knew without a doubt that what had happened between us last night was what we’d both wanted. What we’d bothneeded.
Did she wrestle with staying or going too? Were her attempts to push me away the same as the ones I’d tried onher?
The thought curled up in my head, casting doubt on the last few days we’d spent together. Was it wrong to stay withher?
Yes.
After the incident with the books and seeing Sibyl’s face whenever I was with Izzy. Yes. Nothing good could come of a relationship between us if I was going mad. The doctors warned me it would happen every single year for the last almost fifty. I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. Well, I supposed soon was a relative term in thissituation.
I quickly made a cup of tea and prayed the cream in the refrigerator was still good. Smelled all right. I sat at the counter to drink my tea, eyeing the pad and pen sitting at the end. Was it enough? Could it push heraway?
I thought so, but I’d thought the little act I’d pulled last night would push her away too. In either case, she’d be hurt. And now, after we’d slept together, it would hurt her more. Damn it, there was no way to winthis.
I sipped the tea, trying with every ounce of brainpower she hadn’t completely mummified last night to decide. The echo of her fingers still played across my skin. Every breath, every moan, every response of her body to mine. I’d remember itforever.
Sibyl and I had a very short time together. And nothing as far into abandon as what Izzy gave me. The more time I spent with her, the more I realized she was nothing at all like Sibyl, aside from herappearance.
A light knock came at the front door. I glanced at the clock: 5:30. Who would be here at this hour? My only thought was Michael, but he usually took off at 3:00 am, and I didn’t see him again until lunchtime the next day unless I texted to wake him—something I tried not to do as I ran the man ragged on regular days. He didn’t need to deal with me any more than necessary on his timeoff.
I grabbed my pants off the floor and slipped them on. If it was Michael, it didn’t matter if he saw my underwear. If it was someone else, well, they shouldn’t be visiting soearly.
I opened the door, and a man stood there, back to me, brown leather jacket, jeans, a hat, black sneakers. He turned after a second and something clicked in my head. He looked so familiar, but I couldn’t placehim.
“Are you Dorian Gray,” he asked. American accent.Interesting.
I nodded. “Can I helpyou?”
He peered into my flat, his eyes seeming to miss nothing, including the pile of clothes on the floor and Izzy’s ripped comic book T-shirt.
The man held out his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’mJake.”
Unable to do much else, I shook his hand. “Pleasure is all mine. Do I knowyou?”
He smiled, a deep dimple in each of his bearded cheeks. His hair was a sort of auburn brown and those eyes where had I seen those eyesbefore?
He released my hand and swung his arms behind his back. “No, you don’t know me. I wonder if I might have a word with you about my sister,Isobel.”
My two worlds converged. Izzy and Jake. Sybil and James. Except this time, I didn’t intend to leave any casualties in my wake. I glanced back to make sure I’d pulled the bedroom door closed behind me. “Of course, please comein.”
He stepped inside and surveyed more of what he could see. The mess on the floor, the remnants of our dinner last night on the counter. My tea steaming away on at the bar. “I’m sorry to interrupt your morning, but I won’t be in town long and thought I’d take the opportunity to drop by. Izzy mentionedyou.”
I tried to keep my eyes on the bedroom door, he took that in too. “Izzy did mention you, but she never told me what youdo.”
He nodded, still standing with his arms behind his back. “Oh, I’m in theNavy.”
“Not much naval activity here, Mr.Vale.”
He shook his head that dimple popping out again. This man was almost as good as me at shifting emotions around his face so no one would catchthem.
There was no other reason for her brother to be here than to warn me away. He was a couple inches taller than me, his shoulders wide and full. In sheer strength, the man could probably crushme.
I gestured to the couch and tried not to think about his sister’s bare ass having been there only a couple nights ago. “Would you like to sitdown?”
He nodded and took a seat on the very far edge of the couch, closest to the door. A wary fellow, or maybe he needed a quick escaperoute.
