Sleepless Dreams

Chapter Nine

Emily slowly woke up from the best sleep she'd had in ages. The previous night's drama seemed a world away. She turned over to give Howard a cuddle, but he wasn't there. Disappointed she sat up and glanced round the room. She noticed that her pink bathrobe was missing from the hook on the back of the door. She giggled to herself as she imagined Howard in her robe. Just then the bedroom door swung open, Howard came in with two mugs of coffee, dressed in the pretty pink bathrobe.

"Hey, beautiful!" Howard beamed at Emily, as he set down the mugs on the bedside table. He sat on the bed next to her and passed one of the mugs to her.

"Thanks, miss!" Emily cheekily replied, smiling back at him.

"Ooh, thank you kind sir! Do you think it suits me?" Howard joked back at Emily, pouting sexily at her.

Emily took a sip of her drink before saying, "Yes, but not as much as the nurse's outfit" Emily laughed, remembering the outfit she'd seen him wearing on the video clip from the last tour, when he had been injured.

"Oh you do, do you?" Howard laughed back.

He drunk some of his coffee, then asked curiously,

"I thought you weren't a fan? How do you know about my kinky past?"

"I have my spies!" Emily replied, winking at him.

They fell silent, both lost in thought about the events of the previous evening as they drank their coffee.

"Howard, thank you for staying last night" Emily quietly said as she turned and looked at Howard then leaned over and kissed him gently on the check.

"No need to thank me Em. I wouldn't have felt happy leaving you here on your own last night" Howard replied. He moved a little closer and hugged her to him.

If he was honest, he hadn't wanted to be on his own either after what happened. He still couldn't work out what on earth went on last night. Was it some kind of mutual dream? Was it real? Had they somehow gone back to the past? It freaked him out totally.

"Do you know where the locket is? Howard asked. Remembering that all the odd things seemed to happen - and end - with that innocent looking piece of jewellery.

"No, I think I dropped it when we were getting out from under the table. Why?" Emily asked.

"Well, it sounds mad but I think the locket is the reason for what happened" Howard explained. Thinking how daft his idea sounded.

"Do you?" Emily pondered on the idea. Meanwhile. Howard jumped up and took the mugs back to the kitchen, then asked if it was ok to have a shower.

"Yes, yes of course. The fresh towels are in the airing cupboard in the hall" Emily explained and got up to go and get them for him.

"Thanks Em" Howard replied and sauntered off to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

"Here you are" Emily passed the towels to Howard as she stood in the doorway. She watched as Howard removed her bathrobe and she again admired his beautiful physique, as he was now just wearing his boxers. The bathroom started to fill with steam and Emily was quite glad as she had started to feel a bit hot herself and was tempted to join Howard in the shower.

"Emily?" Howard was staring at her with a questioning look.

"Uh?" Emily shook her head and concentrated on what Howard was asking.

"Where's the shower gel?" He repeated.

"Oh sorry! There's a new one in the bathroom cabinet" Emily said rather flustered as she'd been distracted by the sight of a near-naked Howard.

"You can join me if you like?" Howard realised she had been staring and couldn't help teasing her a bit. He really would like her to join him in the shower - and not just to save water - he smiled to himself.

Emily blushed then laughed and quickly said, "No, thanks for the offer but it's a bit too small for two"

She hoped he didn't think she was being a prude as she really liked him, but felt she needed to take things slowly. Plus the odd events last night were still playing on her mind.

"Ok, if you're sure?" Howard grinned mischievously. Emily nodded and left Howard to shower alone.

Though Howard was naturally disappointed - Emily was gorgeous - he hoped it was a good sign and he was prepared to wait if that was the case.

Emily meanwhile went into the living room and retrieved the locket from under the dining table. She picked it up very carefully, she was almost scared to touch it in case something else odd happened. She placed it on the table and carefully looked at it, wondering if they could find out anything about who may have owned it. Perhaps that would give a clue about what happened last night?

Howard came out of the bathroom and went into the living room to collect his clothes. He saw Emily studying the locket.

"Oh you found it. Are you sure it's safe now?" Howard nervously joked. He thought it would be better to put it back in the garden where it had been found along with the trinket box.

"Yes, I think so" Emily replied, but not sounding all that convincing. "Maybe we should ask around to see if anyone knows who lived here before these flats were built?" Emily looked up at Howard. He was standing with a towel wrapped round his hips and the pink bathrobe over the top, he looked kind of comical but hot at the same time, Emily thought distractedly.

Focus! She told herself, but she was having difficulty in tearing her eyes away from Howard's delectable chest.

"Umm, yes that might be a good idea" Howard was also a bit distracted, looking at Emily, who was still dressed in her light cotton pj's, with her blonde hair trailing down her back as she sat at the table. She looked so cute and sexy, he thought.

"Ok, I'll ask at the convenience store round the corner. I think the owner has lived round here for a long time, she may know something." Emily said decisively as she eventually forced herself to concentrate and look away from the gorgeous sight in front of her.

"Right, I'll go and get dressed in your room, if that's ok?" Howard asked, trying to pull the bathrobe unsuccessfully round himself. He knew Emily had been staring intently at him and it was making him feel quite aroused and by the look on Emily's flushed face, she was feeling the same way.

"Oh yes, that's fine!" Emily said, in a rather shrill voice.

Howard disappeared into the bedroom, giving them both time to compose themselves. Emily went off to the bathroom. Maybe she should have a cold shower to calm herself down, she laughed to herself.

She turned on the shower and relaxed under the warm jets of water and as she cleaned herself, her thoughts went back to the locket. Perhaps they should try to open it and see if there is a picture in it? She'd tried to open it when she first got it but it wouldn't open and she hadn't wanted to damage it so she'd let it be, but now she was certain it would help them if they could open it.

Later, once they were both dressed and sat on the sofa in the living room. Emily suggested they open the locket. Howard was a bit reluctant after what had happened last night, but Emily was insistent that it would help them.

"Ok, but it we end up back in the 1940's don't blame me!" Howard half-joked.

Emily got a pen knife from the kitchen draw and Howard carefully prised open the locket. He opened it - and gasped.

"What's wrong Howard?" Emily asked, worried by Howard's reaction.

"Look!" Howard replied and turned the locket round for Emily to see.

There staring back at her were two pictures, one on each side of the locket. The grainy black and white photo's showed a young man and young woman - who looked remarkably like them!