CHAPTER 2
AWAKENING
Jo finished the day off in a haze. She was still puzzled by the bizarre meeting with Ian. She played the day over in her head. She couldn’t wait to get to the café that morning but she didn’t know why. Ian came into the café but he apparently didn’t know why either. Could he have had the same magnetic pull to the café that she had? He clearly seemed to be searching for something. Was he sitting at home right now wondering the same thing she was? Wishful thinking, he was probably in the throws of passion at this very moment with some young, beautiful woman. For all she knew he could be with Anna, she sure didn’t waste any time approaching him while Jo had gotten his coffee, which apparently he did not drink.
Jo cleared the last of the coffee cups from the tables and locked the café door. She went back to her office and sat down on the comfortable leather couch. She needed to get Ian out of her mind; she laid her head back against the soft leather and sighed.
“Clear your head,” she thought to herself. But as she sat there with her eyes closed she saw his beautiful face in her mind and wondered what it would be like to kiss his perfect lips or touch his perfect skin. She pictured herself in his embrace, kissing him, running her hands over his perfect body. She jumped as the phone rang and brought her back to the office.
“Hello.”
“Hey Mom, where are you?”
“Hi sweetheart, I’m just closing the shop.”
“Your dinner is getting cold, I made your favorite.”
“Lasagna by any chance?”
“Yep.”
“I’m leaving right now. I love you Clair.”
“Love you too mom.”
Jo hung up the phone. She put on her coat and walked to the front door of the café; she let out a final sigh and decided to forget that today had ever happened. She locked the door and as she walked to her car she he had the strangest feeling that someone was watching her. Had today not been odd enough? She got into her car as quickly as she could and locked the doors.
Clair was waiting in the kitchen for her when she got home. “I already ate,” she said as she placed a plate of lasagna on the table for her mother. “You’re late today. Did you have problems closing up?”
“No, just a long day that’s all,” Jo said, as she smiled at her daughter. She took off her coat and sat at the table taking a bite of lasagna, “This is really good.”
“I had a good teacher.”
Jo looked at her daughter with such admiration. “You’re the best daughter a mother could ask for.”
“That’s probably because you’re the best mother a daughter could ask for,” Clair said as she stood up and kissed her mother’s cheek,” I’m going upstairs to finish my homework.”
Jo watched after her. If she had ever been proud of anything in her life it was of Clair.
Clair was a young version of Jo. She was almost the same height, and apart from the fact that Clair had youth on her side, the only real differences were that her hair was straighter and her eyes were brown. Most people who knew Jo when she was younger marveled at the resemblance, another fact that infuriated Dean. He was convinced that Clair looked like him, and his family all agreed. He told Jo repeatedly that the reason Clair was so beautiful was because she took after his family. She took to agreeing with him just to avoid the never-ending argument.
Jo finished her dinner and loaded the dishes into the dishwasher. She felt so exhausted; it had been an eventful day. She went upstairs, brushed out her hair, put on her pajamas and got into bed. Her last thoughts before drifting off were once again of Ian Marcellus.
When Jo awoke the next day she could have sworn that all she had dreamed of was Ian. No matter how determined she was not to think about him she could not get him out of her head.
“Ugh! Damn you!” She complained to herself as she got into the shower. She got herself ready for work determined to think about other things. She began by reciting the menu at the coffee shop. When she finished listing all of the specialty coffees, she started again this time listing the item and then the price. Then she listed them in alphabetical order, then in order of price from most expensive to least expensive and then from least expensive to most expensive. By the time she finished all the lists she was just about ready for work. She went downstairs and toasted herself a bagel.
“Hey mom,” Clair said as she walked into the kitchen.
“Hi. Do you need a ride to school?”
“No thanks, Tanya’s mom is driving us today.”
“Would you like me to put a bagel in the toaster for you before she gets here?” Jo asked as she put cream cheese on her own bagel.
“No, I’ll just have some cereal,” Clair said
Jo poured her coffee into a travel mug. Clair started laughing and shook her head as she poured cereal into a bowl.
“For heaven’s sake mom, you own a coffee shop. Why do you take a mug of coffee with you every morning? Is there a shortage at the café?”
Jo reached over and playfully punched Clair in the arm. “I told you I prefer to drink my morning coffee on the way to work.”
“You can be such a nerd sometimes,” Clair said, still laughing and taking a spoonful of cereal.
“Well just remember you’ll be my age one day and you‘ll be just as much of a nerd as I am. It’s all in the genes you know.”
“You’re not that old. Besides you look good for your age.”
“You must be buttering me up for something,” Jo said, looking at Clair suspiciously, “What is it that you want?”
A horn sounded outside. “I think my ride’s here.” Clair put her bowl in the sink, picked up her school bag and put on her jacket then kissed her mother’s cheek. “Love you mom.”
“Love you too honey.”
The day went by as normally as could be expected. Jo was determined to keep Ian out of her mind, so she made all the phone calls she had been putting off since last week. She took more time talking to the customers and asking them random questions just to prolong the conversations. She spoke to Anna and Stephanie about their families, and when she began asking questions about their pets, they started avoiding her. She did some paperwork and balanced the books, she even took to cleaning the tables as the customers left, but it was no use. The more she tried not to think of him the more those blue eyes penetrated her mind.
“You know Jo, if you keep up this pace you won’t need us here anymore,” Stephanie said, as she walked up behind her. “I’ll finish cleaning up. I know you must have other work to do.”
“Oh, thank you Stephanie,” Jo smiled at her and hesitantly went back to her office.
It was getting dark and almost closing time. Jo sat at her desk and stared at the wall opposite her. There hung one of her favorite pictures, it was a painting of the ocean and the more she looked at it the more she became uneasy. The blue water was splashing against the rocks, the beautiful blue water, as blue as Ian’s eyes. She fell into a daydream. She and Ian were walking along the shore hand in hand. They stopped and looked at each other, their eyes locked together. Ian kissed her on the lips, first softly and then so hungrily that she pulled back. She slid her hands up under his shirt intending to remove it. She put her lips to his ear and very slowly slid them down his neck, where she paused and worked her way back to his irresistible lips. She kissed him slowly, their tongues intertwined and he reached down and lifted her dress while pressing her against him.
The knock on the door made her jump and her chair jerked backwards.
“Sorry I scared you,” she saw Anna’s head peering in the door. “We’re all done out here so if you don’t need anything else we’ll be leaving now,” Anna said.
“Of course, you girls go on. I’ll be leaving shortly myself.”
When she was sure that Anna and Stephanie had left, she walked across the office and took down the picture of the ocean. She put it in the closet and decided that she didn’t like the ocean as much as she had thought she had.
>
The next day was a complete mess. Jo tried to keep extra busy so her mind would not wander. She was so intent on not thinking about Ian that her mind was extremely boggled. Instead of talking excessively as she had the previous day, she barely spoke a word. She mixed up orders and spilled drinks, and she gave out the wrong change and knocked over cups.
“Jo, it’s really none of my business, but is everything alright with you?” Stephanie asked when she found herself alone with Jo behind the counter.
Jo didn’t speak for a minute then she took a deep breath, “I’m fine Stephanie, thank you for your concern. It’s been one of those days. I’m just preoccupied I guess.”
“As long as everything’s ok,” Stephanie said patting Jo on the back.
“Yes everything’s fine,” Jo sighed.
“Why don’t you go home early? Anna and I can handle the rest of the evening,” Stephanie offered.
“You know, that’s not a bad idea,” Jo said gratefully. “Thank you Stephanie.”
Jo went into her office before she left and called Clair.
“I’m coming home early, how about I pick up some dinner and we can watch a movie or something?”
“What’s the matter?” Clair was concerned.
“Nothing’s the matter. It’s not very busy here and the girls offered to close up so I thought we could do something together.”
“That sounds great, I’ll just finish up my homework while I wait for you.”
Jo picked up Chinese food and a movie from the video store. She was grateful to have Clair with her to occupy her time. As she set the food out on the table she asked Clair how her day was.
“Uneventful,” Clair said shrugging, “how about yours?”
“Same as always, hectic,” Jo said as she sat down.
While they ate their dinner they talked about school and the cafe. Clair was thinking of working there for the summer. Jo thought that it was a great idea; they would be able to see each other more often and since Stephanie would be leaving for university, Jo would need to replace her.
After they cleaned up the dishes they sat down on the couch to watch the movie. The whole idea of the evening was to take her mind off of Ian but it seemed without the steady flow of conversation to distract her, her mind only wandered more.
Once she was in bed Jo closed her eyes and took deep breaths, but to no avail those blue eyes were looking at her once again. His arms were pulling her close and his lips were everywhere. Their bodies were intertwined and so went the remainder of another night with nothing but dreams of Ian Marcellus.
The next morning Jo took her time getting ready for work. She phoned Anna and asked her to open the café then made her way downstairs and offered Clair a ride to school.
“That would be great,” Clair said, “remember dad’s picking me up today and I’ll be staying there until next Sunday.”
“Lucky you,” Jo said raising her eyebrows.
“Be nice mom. It’s not that bad there.”
“I know, I’m just kidding,” Jo said. She was really thinking about what she was going to do for nine days without Clair to keep her occupied. “I know your dad loves you. I hope you have a great time.”
“I will if I play Trivial Pursuit with Dana. I win every time,” Clair gave a little smirk.
“Little Billy next door would win every time too if he played against Dana,” Jo remarked.
“Mom that’s so mean,” Clair said and then burst out into hysterical laughter. Jo couldn’t help joining in. She had the feeling that today was going to be a much better day then the previous four days had been.
When she walked into the café, Jo felt good. It was Friday and the café was very busy.
“Jo you look great this morning!” Stephanie said.
“Thank you so much, I feel much better today.”
Jo was wearing a pretty plum colored dress that really brought out the green in her eyes. As usual she did not notice that a few of the men in the café were anxious, secretly hoping that Jo would be the one to wait on them. Jo did however take particular notice of a man sitting in the back corner of the café reading the newspaper. She glanced up repeatedly and noted that he was not eating or drinking anything. She couldn’t tell who he was as he kept the paper up in front of his face. He sat for close to an hour without moving.
“Have either of you noticed that gentleman in the back corner reading the paper?” Jo asked Anna and Stephanie when they came up to the counter.
“No,” said Anna, “it’s been so busy I hadn’t taken any notice.”
“Me either,” said Stephanie, “do you want me to see if he wants anything?”
“It’s alright, I’ll go.” Jo said, and as she looked up to make her way over to his table, he was gone.
“He was just there,” Anna said.
“That’s so weird,” Stephanie agreed.
The rest of the day went very smoothly. Barely a thought of Ian crossed Jo’s mind and she felt great. She got into her car, and after the bustle of the day, it was very quite inside of the darkened car and she felt yet again like she was being watched. She looked around the parking lot as she started the ignition and then headed for home.
Not more than a minute of leaving the parking lot her undisciplined mind started its usual fantasy novel. Ian was sliding the strap of her dress off of her shoulder and gently kissing her neck. Just thinking of his warm breath sent tremors down the length of her body. He looked up and gazed into her eyes; she put her hand on his chest and pushed him down onto a chair then sat on his lap facing him. She kissed him on his ear, on his cheek, on his neck and finally on those gorgeous lips.
Before she knew it Jo had arrived at home. She pulled the car into the garage and walked to the front door. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. It was dark. She tossed her purse on the table and leaned against the door with her eyes closed and soon realized that she was not alone. Someone stood in front of her, so close in fact, that she could feel their breath.
“You really have to stop doing that.”
Jo jumped and caught her breath, “Ian?” she asked, as she reached to turn on the light. Shivers ran down her spine and she did not know if it was from the cold or from his presence. Ian was standing directly in front of her with a demonic glint in his eyes. Jo didn’t think that it was possible but he moved even closer to her than he already was. Her heart was racing.
“Those little fantasies you’ve been having, I can…” he paused for a minute, inhaling her sweet scent, “I can see them.”
“What!” Jo gasped, “What are you talking about?”
“For some strange reason every time you go off on one of your little fantasies, I can see and feel everything that goes through your mind, and to tell you the truth I can’t take it any more.” Ian’s eyes flashed and he reached out and took her face in both of his hands. Although the look in his eyes was wild, he was extremely gentle. He bent in slowly, closed his eyes and very softly put his lips to hers, then paused and inhaled once again as if he were breathing in her very essence.
Jo felt a shock jolt her body and Ian seemed to flinch for a second; he opened his eyes and looked at her questioningly. She had no idea what was happening all that she knew was that Ian was here with her. After days of fantasizing and thinking he wanted nothing to do with her, here he was holding her, kissing her. He gazed at her searchingly for a moment, wondering if she wanted him as badly as he wanted her, and as they stared at each other, there was no doubt about how either one of them felt. He wrapped his hand in her hair and kissed her so hungrily, as if he had never kissed anyone before. They were both savage with appetite, their eyes and lips couldn’t leave each other and their hands were everywhere.
A scattered trail of clothes was left from the front door to the stairs and into Jo’s room. He laid her very softly on the bed kissing her entire body. They were wrapped in such passion it was as if they were one person. Ian kissed Jo’s neck, her scent made him insane
. He kissed her neck again and again; he could hear the blood beating through her veins calling to him. He was wild with hunger, his body stiffened, his eyes burned, he opened his mouth and bared his teeth and…
“Ian, please don’t bite me.”
He was stunned for a split second. The sound of her heavy breathing seemed to bring him back to his senses. Slowly his expression softened, he relaxed and spent the next several hours making love to her as if it was the last thing he would ever do.