My Soul to Take (Soul Keepers (Young Adult paranormal romance)) (23 page)

I flip over and he gently pulls my hair out of the way. He folds my top under itself so it's more like a bra. He oils up his hands and starts in the middle of my back. Sam is an excellent at this.
Bailing hay has its up-side. His fingers are strong as he rubs my tense shoulders, turning me into liquid in his hands. I can hear his slow breaths through his nose getting heavier but still relaxed and paced as he takes his time, enjoying mapping out every inch of my body.

Sam's touch elicits soft sounds to escape from my mouth. Sam's hands move down to my legs and then my feet. He slowly mak
es his way up to my back, then his hands move around to the sides of my abdomen, kneading and pulling, it unexpectedly causes my stomach to roll in waves of butterflies.  A low moan is coaxed from somewhere within me. He turns me over and his heated palms take my hands, intertwining our fingers and he moves his body partially over mine. Sam takes my lips in and kisses me in a way that makes my toes curl up.

He glides his hand up my torso and under my top causing my breath to hitch. This is as far as we've been. With only two months of school left, our countdown has begun. I nibble on the fleshy muscle of his neck and he rocks over me sighing out a breath over my ear. His touch travels southward and he gets lost in exploration of new territory. I'll let him make all the travel plans he wants tonight, well almost all. My nails dig into his back and his jeans push against my thigh.

A strange fog veil's itself over my eyes. I squirm away from Sam's neck to try and clear it. The room becomes some other place entirely. I’m on a porch swing or some version of one and I can hear the sound of the ocean. A guy is kissing my neck. His short dark hair is all I can see, his face is buried in my neck. I shake my head and sit up suddenly as it started to feel all too real. Sam looks flustered as he sits up wondering what's wrong.

“
What's wrong? Did I hurt you?” he asks.

I shake my head. I can't exactly tell him I was picturing someone else while he was doing a damn fine job playing doctor.
“No it's nothing I just got a sudden headache.”

“
I'll get you something, just lie down and relax.” I nod and sink back down. Sam takes a moment to adjust himself and goes downstairs to find the pain relievers. What was that? I could feel his hands, maybe it was just Sam's hands. Whatever it was it felt all too real.

Sam return's empty handed.
“I think you’re out. I can go run up to town and get you something.”

“
No I'll manage, I just need to lie still for a moment,” I say just above a whisper. He lies next to me and I take the spot in his arm. Sam massages my temples and strokes over my forehead with a tenderness that will make him a great doctor one day. He puts me to sleep within minutes.

That night my dreams are filled with images of the dark haired man. The scenes change rapidly from school to the beach, to flying through the air like some mythical creature. His face is never clear enough to make heads or tails of but I get an overwhelming sense that he is good looking just by the way he carries himself.

Sam is dead to the world when I finally wake up. It's early Sunday morning and I’ve to pack for my trip to New York. Our Arab league is leaving tonight. I suppose Sam will get a teaser of what it will be like for us to be a part for a while, I'll be gone for days.

I slip out from under his arm and kiss his cheek. He l
ooks so peaceful when he sleeps, far different from the look of concern he normally wears like a brand. His blond lashes look like mini feather dusters, so perfect I could kiss each one. I shower and get ready for the day. I start a load of laundry and get the house ready to be empty for my trip, watering plants and checking timers. Finally satisfied with that checklist, I start breakfast.

The smell of bacon and pancakes draws Sam out of unconsciousness. I smile at him from ove
r my coffee cup. He kisses my lips and perches himself on a barstool. His hair is sticking up wildly on one side and he smiles, still half asleep. I bring our plates to the counter and we dig in.

“
My mom used to make a big breakfast every Sunday before church.”

“
My mom used to hide her vodka in her orange juice.” I clang our coffee cups together. “Cheers!” He gives me a half smile.

The day is warm for this time of the year and after breakfast
, I decide I'll work on my speech by the pool. I slip into my crimson bikini after Sam leaves. I was hoping he'd spend the day with me until I’ve to leave tonight, pick up where we left off last night, but he said his dad needed him at the ranch. Liam was out a man.

I crank up the stereo. My iPod is playing all of my favorite songs. I lie on my stomach, untying my top and hope I can soak up some much needed color. 
Cold Play
comes on, and as I start to sing along, the veil of fog creeps up over my eyes again. Maybe I should call Dr. Kennedy, something is wrong with my brain. The dark haired guy is not in this dream or vision, Sam is. It’s night time and hundreds of people surround us, we're at a concert. He's singing in my ear to the same song playing in my home.  This is a memory, Sam and I saw Coldplay in concert last fall.

The vision cuts off and the scene changes. An opulent room begins to unfold around me. A crystal chandelier hangs in the center of the room and a glossy grand piano sits directly under it. I see myself walk into the room and sit on the bench. The view changes and I see the dark haired man playing the same Coldplay song, I begin to sing along and after he stops playing
, he kisses me. Something stirs inside of me, as I'm forced to watch this scene play out. The man lifts me up and carries me out of the room. The fog dissipates and my pool is once again just beyond my chaise lounge.

I pick my phone off the ground and speed dial my therapist. Crap it's Sunday. I glance down at my phone and see the name Elena as I scroll down past the Dr.'s. It's a different number than her office. When did I get her personal phone number? My brows swoop down at how weird things just got. I tie my top and dial the number
, thinking, I better get some help before I get on a plane with FAA guidelines.

“
Hello?”

“
Dr. Kennedy?”

“
Yes, Brennen? How did you get this number?” She must have recognized my voice.

“
I don't know, I didn't even know for sure if it was you. But I need to see you today. I'm sorry to call you on a Sunday.”

“
What's wrong? How soon can you come?”

“
I don't know if I should be driving. I've been seeing things that don't make any sense.”

She agrees to come over right away. I take a quick dip in the pool to cool off and then head upstairs to get cleaned up. I let the shower heat up while I gather my clothes to change into. When I walk back into the bathroom it's filled with steam. I flip on the vent and notice something is written on my mirror. I walk in front to read it better. Remember us. Is spelled out. Did Sam do that this morning? Way to freak your girlfriend out Sam, especially after the whole vase tossing ghost adventure last night.

Things just keep getting weirder around here.  Dr. Kennedy rings my doorbell half an hour later. I welcome her in and put the tea kettle on. She's dressed casually in white chinos and a silky floral tank top making me feel a little more relaxed. She doesn't seem overly peeved about making a house-call. I hope her bill isn't where she takes it out on me.

I pour her a cup of tea as she takes a seat at the bar.
“So what's going on with you? You sounded pretty upset on the phone.” She takes a sip of her tea and I fill her in on all the foggy day dreams. Her facial expression never changes during my expulsion of all things dark-haired-stranger. She remains calm and collected.

When I'm finished she nods her head like she knows exactly what's wrong with me.

“What is it? Am I psychotic?”

“
On the contrary, you're completely sane. If you start confusing the dreams with reality, then maybe we'll revisit your mental state. But it's perfectly natural to have realistic dreams while you’re awake.”

“
These aren't dreams, these are more like... I get the overwhelming feeling that I've been there,done that, like Déjà v
u
.
” She clenches her jaw and takes a deep breath like she had to calm herself before she speaks.

“
Well you've never kissed a man who fits that description, have you?” I shake my head. “Well then what do you think the simplest explanation is, dear?”

“
I'm crazy?”

“
No, look, you're about to intern for the Governor himself, go off to college, leave your boyfriend. Your grandmother passed away recently. It's a whole lot of change, is what I'm getting at. Maybe your mind is just creating its own familiar feelings attached to some random, faceless hero.” Her explanation makes a little sense but I don't think my mind is that complex.

“
Well how do I make it stop? I'm about to get on a plane to New York. I’ve to lead a speech on one of the three key points for the joint defense counsel in the model Arab League.”

“
When the visions are happening have you tried to stop them, or are you just too engrossed in the um scenery?”

I look down too ashamed to admit that not only did I not try and stop them, I wanted them to continue.
“No.”

She sighs out like she’s exasperated with me.
“Next time you're having a vision try saying this out loud.” I hereby revoke permission to enter my dreams.”

I repeat it with a quizzical look on my face.
“Why would that do anything?”

“
You'd be surprised the power those words can have over someone.” She smiles as if she's pleased with her solution. This was a huge waste of time. I try and remember where the degree on her wall is from, but I can't even remember seeing a degree. Maybe she took one of those learn to be a psychotherapist by mail courses. I’m polite as she gives me more bad advice but I can't wait to get her out of here and find a new doctor, one with a degree from a real school.

I see her out a while later
, and thank her for coming all the way over. She gives me a couple of pills for the flight there and back to help me get through it. I hate flying.

Sam's on his way over to bring me to the airport. I double check all the locks and windows and plop on the sofa to wait
, still muttering to myself at Dr. Kennedy's inane suggestions. “I give full permission to enter my dreams, often and repeatedly.” I throw my legs over the arm of the sofa and wiggle my Keds in the air as the fog encompasses my world again.

I'm in a hot tub? No, more nature, less concrete. I'm warm, tiny bubbles run along my skin. It feels like I'm being touched all over at once.
I feel like melted butter in a hot pan, sizzling with delicious vibrations. I see the dark haired man and my body seizes with anticipation. The scene that plays before me has me twisted with good feelings. My stomach is tied in knots. I don't know who this guy is, but he sure can kiss. This water is so warm and I feel like a pot set to a boil on the stove, getting hotter and hotter. Why was I trying to get these visions to stop?

The doorbell rings nearly sending me flying to the floor in shock. Sam. I answer the door sounding a little breathless and I turn from him in a hurry.

“You okay babe? You're all red faced.”

“
Yeah, I'm fine I just kept forgetting things upstairs.” Sam doesn't ask any more questions, he just takes my bags to his truck. Suddenly I feel guilty about the fantasy world I've been escaping too. He would be so hurt if he knew. In the cab of his truck, Sam pulls me closer to him. I kiss his cheek and he turns his head and kisses me with a long drawn out escapade. The feeling lingers ineffably, long after his lips leave mine. I gather it's something to remember him by.

“
Mm, that makes me want to sneak you to New York.”

“
I'm a licensed pilot, I could just meet you up there.”

“
You know I worry when you fly.”

“
I know you worry, and that's why I love you.” I hope he's not really thinking about going. I would love to have him all to myself for a week, but the thought of him in a tiny, twin engine plane is enough to give me nightmares tonight. I think the threat of us being separated in a few short months has us both desperate for more alone time. I swallow the pill Dr. Kennedy gave me when we pull up to the unloading zone.

Sam's playful expression turns to one of concern, always the caretaker.
“Will you be okay?”

“
Only if you promise to keep both feet on the ground. I don't need anything else to worry about.”

“
I'll miss you. I love you.”

“
Me too and I love you.” Caitlyn and Natasha are just inside the doors waiting for me. I give Sam a chaste kiss and he hugs me like he may not let me go, ever. It feels good to be this loved.

There are eight girls in our league and Mr. Potter is chaperoning us with two other mothers. The girls I'm rooming with are very quiet and shy. I assigned all of the bitchy girls in the other room. They can have a ball making snarky comments about our competitors all week long.