The Dream Weaver

Fifteen (Part Two) - More Than I Bargained For

As we walked, he brought my hand to his lips kissed the top, "Yes, we are." He rolled his lips then sighed. "I feel like I've been waiting to say that forever," he said. We walked through the great room where thousands of books lined the shelves around the space. The fireplace that hugged the far wall had a few logs stacked just inside the fire box ready to be lit and warm the room. "The kitchen is this way."

We walked past the formal dining room area, furnished with a long table and enough chairs to seat about twenty people. He led us through a set of French doors into the kitchen, where a small table sat in the nook next to the bay window overlooking the stable and grounds. He pulled out a seat for me.

"Thanks," I said as he pushing me in. Just then a lady wearing a white chef coat entered the room from a side door that looked like it might lead to the pantry.

"Oh, Your—"

"Hey, good morning Mariana, this is Wren," he interrupted her in a warm tone. I waved meekly in her direction to say hi. Then he continued, "Would you mind whipping us something up for breakfast? I didn't get a chance to grab anything earlier."

"Certainly, sir. I have coffee brewing right now, would both like some while you wait?"

"Oh, I'd love a cup, you know, if it isn't too much trouble," I answered.

"Yes, that would be great thanks," he replied. She nodded and walked over to the other side of the room to prepare the coffees. He reached across the table with his palm up silently requesting my hand. Slowly, I plucked my hand out of my lap and placed it inside of his. "You still don't remember me do you?"

"Not exactly. Ever since the accident three years ago, my memories have been pretty much zero. So please don't take it personally." But when I looked at him, I could tell he was a little hurt, but doing his best to try and mask it. "If it makes you feel any better, I had a dream last night, and you were in it."

"Really? You're dreaming about me now are you?" he asked looking a little more confident in himself. "I knew deep down you wanted me. See, you can't get enough of me after just one day of seeing me again, and your subconscious has already started to fantasize about me." His eyes sparked a golden hue.

"It was so not that kind of dream. It was more like a memory of sorts. Though, I'm still confused a bit about something that was mentioned in it. Does Second in your Circle, mean something to you?" Mariana had walked up to the table with the tray of coffee and shook the tray as she placed it between us. It was obvious she'd heard my question, and I could tell just by looking at her that it meant something.

"It might." He smirked.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Maybe, but I think I'd like to know if your intentions are honorable first."

"Honorable? Like, in me making advances towards you? It's a little too late for you to start defending your honorability when in gym class you already threw yourself on top of me to claim a kiss," I said a little more defensively than was probably necessary.

He chuckled and removed his hand from mine and crossed his arms over his chest. "No, if you'd like to kiss me or make any other kind of advance for that matter, I'm pretty sure I'm okay with that." He ran his index finger over his lips. "What I'm talking about is the contract of the ring. What I'd like to know is if your intentions are to honor it."

"Oh." It didn't even dawn on me that that was what he was asking. "My general understanding of what a ring contract is, that it's pretty much like being married. I have a feeling I should probably ask what exactly is involved in agreeing to the contract," I said hardly believing I was discussing my prospect of marriage so matter-of-factly.