*~*~*~*~*
I returned in a summery floral dress. It gave me some confidence for some reason.
Nic raised his eyebrows and smiled coyly when I appeared before him.
‘What?’ I asked.
He put his hand over his heart. ‘You look … beautiful. Come … let’s enter your fear landscape.’
He held out his hand. I took it, relishing in the strength he gave me. He stopped before the oak door with the brass door knob of my nightmares and pulled me closer. I watched as his fingers wrapped around the door knob then looked up into his eyes. When I heard the twisting creak of the door knob I took a deep breath, but kept my eyes locked with Nic’s. He leaned in to me and kissed my forehead while he pushed the door open, shielding my eyes from the waiting drawing room.
When the door was fully open he removed his lips from my forehead and looked into my eyes, then turned and led me into the drawing room. Nic walked with gentle footsteps and a presence of being.
He smiled at me. ‘A piano, book shelves, fireplace, sofa chairs—nothing out of the ordinary,’ he quoted from my words. ‘Except there is something else—the elephant in the room. And that is now up to you to resolve.’
He released my hand from his, walked over to the large sash windows and opened them, inviting the refreshing breeze to enter and cleanse.
I gritted my teeth and watched him, still feeling the uncomfortable effect of butterflies in my stomach from confronting my fear. Opening the door to the drawing room was the hardest first step, and now it was done. I blew air out through my lips as Nic returned to me.
‘It’s a beautiful room, Cate. A beauty that can only be created by a beautiful soul.’
He was referring to my Gran. My heart melted at his words.
Yes, two roses could live inside my heart.
‘Gran would have loved you,’ I commented, in awe of him.
He tilted my chin so that our eyes connected, and then his eyes caressed my lips. His face moved closer to mine as a silence surrounded us, like we were the only two souls in the world.
His lips were close to mine.
I wanted him to kiss me.
But he didn’t. He dropped his fingers from under my chin and stepped away from me, frustration written over his face.
‘Another time, another place …’ I breathed, shocked by my need for him.
‘Too damn right, Cate! Does that scary boyfriend of yours realise how lucky he is?’ He sounded angry. He turned away from me with his hands on top of his head.
‘Nic … you will find the one,’ I tried to console him, but failed miserably.
He turned to face me again and placed his finger under my chin, lifting my eyes to his again. His lips parted.
‘Thank-you is so inappropriate for what you have done for me. It goes much, much deeper than that…’ I said, looking into Nic’s eyes as tears welled in mine.
He ran his finger over my bottom lip filling me with warmth, and breathed in deeply. ‘Brownie points … remember,’ he whispered, and then pulled me against him. He rested his lips against my forehead. ‘I so want to kiss you,’ he whispered against my skin, his words writing themselves across my heart.
My orange rose heart of fascination that had become a gardenia of secret admiration was now a yellow primrose of young love, and I could smell its faintest hint of sweetness, and happiness.
He stepped back from me and wiped a tear from his eye. ‘Time for me to go. I have done what I needed to do for you, and what you needed from me. The secret is still here in the room. I can feel it. But only you can confront it.’ He looked over at the coffee table in front of the fireplace. ‘Don’t ever think our meeting was by chance, it was set in motion by a Higher Power...’
I swallowed then nodded.
‘I hate leaving you … but I have to. You are not mine,’ he said, and gave me a sad smile.
I placed my hand on his chest and closed my eyes. ‘You are a gift. I love you for that.’ I opened my eyes, feeling the burn of tears. I didn’t want him to leave.
He placed his hand over mine then moved it to his lips and kissed it. He looked into my eyes for a moment longer before he backed away from me, slowly, maintaining our intense eye contact. He stopped at the doorway, dropped his eyes from mine and left.
Nic had left.
I hurried out of the drawing room to follow him to the front door, but he had gone. I turned and leaned against the cold front door and placed my hands over my yellow primrose heart, its sweet scent evaporating.
Nic had left.
My eyes wandered to the open drawing room door, but I could not find the strength to enter it.
He was right. The secret was still there. Waiting.
I wanted my Nic back.