Someone Like You

Chapter 23

~ Chapter Twenty-Three ~

 The soft morning sunlight brightens the sheers, gently easing me awake.  

I feel the warm embrace of Jamie, lying next to him with my eyes still closed. I realize our legs are entwined and his arms are wrapped possessively around my waist. 

Playing his words over in my mind, 'I'm yours, only yours,' makes my heart melt and flip-flop in happiness. Basking indulgently in the warmth and security of his hold, I'm doing exactly what I never intended to do. I'm falling in love. I'm falling in love hard and there's no way to save myself. I know Jamie is truly my last and only love. 

While I dress for work, the realization still consumes my mind. Standing in his bathroom, it's beginning to feel like ours. The bed feels familiar, the morning routine of making coffee in the kitchen feels homey and the leather chair where I read next to the fire has become my spot. 

Stepping into my heels and checking my lipstick in the mirror, I notice Jamie approaching as he brings me coffee. He is so adorable in the mornings with his bed head hair and sexy morning scruff. He's wearing his black Burberry boxer briefs with his very cute still waking up, sleepy-eyed look.  

"Good morning," I grin amusingly in the mirror. "Thank you for the sexy coffee delivery." I turn to take the mug, sip it and set it down.  

The view of his muscular upper body draws my hands toward his chest. Staring into his contoured physique, my hands spread across his chest and slide up to squeeze his muscular shoulders and around his upper arms. I close my eyes to absorb and memorize his body's landscape. He feels so solid and protective as he wraps his arms around my waist. I lean in to feel his skin against my lips, nuzzling my nose and cheek into his soft chest hair. He smells delightfully sexy with a hint of evergreen. 

"Can you work from home today?" Jamie tiredly mumbles. 

"I wish, but we both know I wouldn't get much work accomplished here." I feel him sniff and smile against my hair. 

"I know but I don't want to wait ten hours to see you again." 

"How about if I make it worth the wait?" 

"You are always worth the wait. How about you kiss me and I'll think about it all day until I see you again tonight?" 

"I think I would enjoy that immensely." My seductive voice makes him harden. 

"Come here, Luv." He grins and kisses me with a yearning groan of desire. Feeling him turn solid in all his soft places, I press against him, moaning in reply." 

Reluctantly stepping away slowly, I bow my head bashfully chewing my lower lip and smile.  

"Lord help me have the strength to get to work on time." I roll my eyes and shake my head. 

Jamie sheepishly grins, "I'm just sending you off with a kiss." 

"Oh really? Then I suggest you tell your amorous bits to 'take 5'!" I smile, escaping the bathroom. 

Jamie laughs and reaches for his t-shirt and jeans on the floor. 

I collect my bags and coat and Jamie follows me out to the entry way. I open the door, pausing to readjust my handbag. 

"You're forgetting something." He brings my travel mug to me. "See you tonight?" 

"See you tonight." I smile, cupping his cheek. Looking into his handsome face, his seductive blue eyes and smile take my breath away. I inhale sharply and shiver with a smile that reveals the fine line I'm walking to control my desire for him. "I'll call you before lunch if I can wait that long." 

"Talk to you soon, Luv." He smiles facetiously. 

Feeling powerful, after resisting his charming, seductive ploy to make me late, I strut down the street enjoying the fresh, chilly air with a sliver of sunshine. I love that I can still walk to work from Jamie's place.  

Jamie: You choose the place for dinner tonight. Have a good day! X, J

Audrey: Let's meet at Nate's. I haven't spent much time with him since I returned from visiting Ella. I'll grab my work out gear and meet you at the pub straight after.

Jamie: I'll see you then. X...

~ 

On my way to my flat, I remember to ring Nate and update him on our evening plans to see him tonight. After the eighth ring, he finally picks up. 

"Hi Nate, Jamie and I are going to eat at the pub tonight. First, I'm stopping to collect some things at my place. I should be there in about twenty minutes." The pub sounds drown out his voice. "See you soon!" I shout. 

I can still smell the aroma of fresh paint as soon as I walk inside my flat. It's been two months since I moved in and I'm barely spending any time here. I lay my keys and handbag on the entry table, hang my coat and pick up my mail. Quickly, I sort through the annoying bills, my catalogs, and the junk mail, which I take directly to the waste bin.  

On the center of the kitchen island, a bouquet of a dozen red roses sits, arranged gorgeously in a vase with baby's breath. With a knowing smile, I pull off my scarf to lay it on the counter and open the envelope. Wondering if Jamie wants me to bring these to his house, I slide out the note which reads:  

                                                        I'll never be able to say goodbye.  

                                                                I'll always love you.

My heart stops and jumps in my throat! How did these get here? Oh my God, he's in here. I sense him near me and cannot breathe. Fighting the urge to cry, I focus on breathing. A whisper from behind me grips my lungs.  

"He will never have you, you're mine." 

I jerk my neck around to find the source of the sound. A blur of blackness waves in front of me and throws me backward at lightning speed. My body falls as I feel it thud to the wood floor. No pain registers as the adrenaline takes control. A black ski mask and squinted eyes tower over me as I scream in bloody terror for my life. I roll and twist onto my knees to free myself from his squeezing tight grip around my ankles. I cry out, "Why"! Struggling to crawl away, my body collapses on the floor as I'm dragged backward on my stomach. He's overpowering me, groaning, huffing, grabbing my arms and pinning them behind me. 

"Stop! Help me! Somebody!" I pray someone hears me.

He tightly covers my mouth and nose with his hand encased in a leather glove while sitting on my back. I'm pinned and cannot move even though I try by struggling. It's silent, he's silent and all I detect is his heaving breathing. 

With a muffled cry, I look around, trying to look for an object to use as a weapon. 

My mouth is free! "Heeelp!" I try to scream. A hard slap stings my face. My body flips over and he pins me to the floor once again with his body straddling my hips. With a brief gulp of air, I'm silenced to muffled cries once again by the pressure of the gloved hand across my airways. Still trying to fight to free myself, I kick and squirm under his forceful captivity.  

His hand moves to my throat, cutting off all sounds of struggle and I hear ringing and pounding in my ears. My head is pounding all over! I think for a split second someone's at the door and they heard me. Jamie? Help me please! I struggle for air! I can't breathe! My head pounds with pain as it slams against the wood floor again and I feel my ears pulse, then all sound fades. Everything is blurry and fades into bright white.