Just One More Bite

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen:

     There were only two options in my life at that moment. I could follow the plan to be guarded, or I could run now and be on the run my entire life. I wondered about James. Would he ever be normal again? My memory swam back to our times together. I lay back on my bed and closed my teary eyes.

     I looked around, reveling in the reality of my reminiscence. I could smell the manly musk in James’ apartment. The leather couch even felt real beneath my hands.

     “Marcilla, where are you?”

     It was James. His voice sounded different from the last time I had seen him. He came walking through the hall from his bedroom into the living room. I was about to say hello, but I realized he was looking beyond me.

     I looked behind me and saw myself asleep. There I was, sitting on a high stool, my head on the marble counter. My breathing was slow and steady. My hair was slayed on the counter, making it look like waves.

     James stepped though me, but his steps were quiet. I watched in a stunned state as he moved my hair to the side and lightly kissed my cheek. He then picked me up with ease, and carried me back to his room. I looked on as he watched me sleep for the next hour or so. He just rubbed my back in a soothing manner, sometimes stopping to draw imaginary designs on it.

     The feelings were so intense in my memory that I could feel it from where I was standing. It was so right, yet it was so wrong. My James was gone. This figment of my imagination no longer existed. I could feel the closure in those last few minutes of my memory before he woke me up. A kiss to my cheek made my eyes shoot open.

     “I’m sorry, Marcilla. I didn’t mean to wake you up.” It was Derek.

     A genuine smile made its way to my mouth as I looked up into his beautiful eyes. I learned forward and kissed him passionately. I put every emotion into that kiss. Hurt. Confusion. Love. Trust. Weakness. The list could go on, but I’m sure he felt what I wanted to pour into this beautifully long kiss.

     “I love you,” I said when I pulled back to admire him.

     “I love you too.”

     I went back to kissing him and found my hands at the hem of his shirt. I was prepared to rip it to shreds. It seems that wasn’t necessary. Derek put his hands over mine firmly. I sighed in frustration, waiting for him to speak.

     “You need to be packed to leave in three hours.”

     “What is thirty more minutes?”

     “We need to be aware in case James comes here. I don’t want to take that chance. What kind of a boyfriend would I be if I put my pleasure before your safety?”

     I nodded, knowing I had lost this argument before it even started. My body resisted slightly as I pushed myself up to go through my clothes.

     It took a lot of effort to figure out what I was going to bring or leave. I reminded myself that I could get new clothes once I got there, but it didn’t particularly appeal to me.

     “Can you take care of my baby for me?” I said randomly.

     “Excuse me?”

     I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “My car, Derek,” I said pointedly.

     “Oh yeah. I can drive you to the airport in it if you want.”

     It didn’t really matter either way so I just agreed. Derek put my single suitcase and carry-on into the car. The drive to the airport was eerily quiet. I could tell that Derek had a lot on his mind.