Essence Extracted

Chapter 13

     “Come in.”  I said faintly.  The door opened and in walked Andy; definitely not the person I expected to see.

     “Just making sure you’re okay.”  He said; his eyes unable to make contact with mine.

     “I’ve been better.”  I admitted.

     “You’ve got everyone worried about you downstairs.”  He divulged, this time, his eyes finally making contact with mine.

     “I know.  It’s just a lot of information to digest all at once.”  I told him and nervously flattened my red strapless dress over my thighs; trying to rid it of its non-existent wrinkles.  I knew it wasn’t long until Cane would come and find me for our date.  My fidgeting was getting worse by the minute.  Like I needed the extra pressure; tonight was the full moon that Sandra was talking about.  The fate of the Fae world having a Royal on a throne again hung in the balance because, in just a few hours, I had to make the biggest decision of my life – to risk it all and be a regular Fae or give in to what now was beginning to feel right, bring peace to the world again, and take on my responsibilities; which, at this point, I had no clue what they entailed.  I knew that the Nottingham’s were there to help me along the way and with Cane by my side, I had always felt like I could take on the world.  So much had to be said and done in the wake of tonight; and it all hinged on me being able to fulfill this dream everyone else had of wanting, no, needing a Royal back to restore balance to all things Fae.  A soft knock came a second time, on the bedroom door and my heart felt like it wanted to jump out of my chest and run away from me as nerves once again began to get the better of me.  Andy opened the door to reveal a handsomely dressed Cane in a white buttoned down shirt, rolled at his elbows and black dress pants; the top buttons of his shirt left undone to reveal the beginning of his chest.  One word came to mind…

     Sexy.

     He literally took my breath away.  Before leaving us, Andy turned and looked at me.

     “We’ll be leaving now.  You look beautiful.”  He said as he blushed.  Despite his initial shortcomings, Andy was a good man.  Sandra might not see it as clearly as I do with Andy and Patrick, but they are both good men.  She raised them right.  Urges aside, their hearts were in the right place when it mattered most.

     “Hi.”  He looked at me in the eyes.  He seemed hesitant to come to me but I couldn’t ignore the pull between us.  I hadn’t seen him since this morning in the den and despite my nerves, which have magically disappeared somehow, and the hodgepodge of thoughts rolling around in my head at the moment, my feet made their way to him.  Letting go of a breath he had been holding, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead as I found myself taking in his sweet and spicy scent; my core fluttering to life with tingles of heat.

     “Hi.”  I smiled sweetly at him.

     “Ready?”  He asked me.  I nodded as I took his hand and he pulled me slightly down the stairs.

     Shocked was the first thing that hit me and then a change to delightful surprise washed over me when we walked into the back garden.  There, in the middle of the mix of hydrangeas, rose bushes, and other beautiful flowers, their names evading me at the moment, was an elegantly decorated table and two chairs.  Coupled with the setting sun, everything looked like it was taken out of a dream I once had.  Pulling me to one of the chairs and helping me with it as I sat down, I couldn’t help the girly giggle that came out of me.

     “You did this?”  I asked him, maintaining eye contact.

     “I had help.”  He said, his voice unwavering as he poured us some champagne.  After he handed me one of the flutes, he held his up and gestured to me for a toast.  My mind ran a blank.