CHAPTER 9
“A soul mate is an ongoing connection with another individual that the soul picks up again in various times and places over lifetimes. We are attracted to another person at a soul level not because that person is our unique complement, but because by being with that individual, we are somehow provided with an impetus to become whole ourselves.” – Edgar Cayce
My eyes were still firmly shut from uninterrupted sleep. Squinting, I slowly opened them, blinded by the light coming through the wall of windows. I heard singing and began to make out the words of the song filling my head.
“Happy Birthday dear, Claire. Happy Birthday to you.”
Rolling towards the door, I found Brent standing with a serving tray. His hair was tousled from sleep and his wrinkled t-shirt was snug, showing off his firm chest. Even fresh from bed he looked amazing. I made out a stack of pancakes with a single lit candle and a glass of orange juice on the tray.
“Make a wish, Claire,” Brent instructed, setting the tray at my side on the bed.
r /> Smiling, I leaned in, taking a deep breath and blew out the single candle.
“Thanks,” I said warmly.
Looking into my eyes he said, “What did you wish for?”
My cheeks flushed. Words escaped me so I winked at him in response.
He sighed, shaking his head. “Even a wish as powerful as a birthday one can’t change fate, you know.”
Shrugging him off, a wide smile stretched my face. “We’ll see,” I pouted, sticking my tongue at him. This was starting to become a habit as childish as it was.
Brent shrugged, looking at me seriously.
“You really are stubborn, you know that?” he said, although I wasn’t sure if it was a statement or a question.
Looking away, I flushed inwardly.
“One of my greatest abilities, Cassidy,” I grinned saucily, holding in a laugh.
He eyed me with a bemused grin of his own.
“So how’s does it feel to be eighteen, Blake? he asked, changing the subject as he took a seat next to me on the bed.
“I don’t feel any different,” I said. “At least not because I’ve finally reached a number deemed adulthood. Why, how old are you Cassidy?”
“Twenty,” he answered, sneaking a bite of pancake. I pretended to stab him with my fork.
“But, how are you and I in the same grade then?” I had always assumed we were the same age because we were in the same grade.
Looking back at me bewildered, he answered. “We needed to be, so I started school the same year you did.”
This seemed so obvious. I didn’t even know why I asked the question.
“Thanks for the birthday breakfast. That was very sweet of you.”
“Yes, well, every girl needs cake on her birthday or cakes in this case,” he said smiling. My heart burst with emotions as I conjured up the image of him in the kitchen preparing me breakfast to make my day special.
We shared the pancakes, sitting quietly, gazing into each other’s eyes, his blazing, deep blue. It was as though we were sharing the same energy, fixated on reading the other’s thoughts. He leaned in closer, his warm breath clouding my face. The scent of maple syrup lingered between us. There was nothing better, my mom was right. He wanted to kiss me. I felt his need and I wanted him to do it. The thought made my heart pound and I was sure he noticed. I sat stoic, though I wanted to leap. This had to be his choice. I drew in a slow breath when I sensed he was about to do it. This time because he wanted to. It seemed he was unable to curb his desire any more than I was. I saw in his eyes he was waging a battle between right and wrong, craving me as much as I craved him. We were both startled by the sound of the doorbell, releasing our hypnosis.
My heart stopped, reminding me who was at the door.
“That would be your Paramour, now,” Brent said with the same distain in his voice that I felt in my heart. It seemed no matter how much he wanted to deny it, he was not happy about this situation either. “I’ll go down and get him. You can meet us downstairs when you’re ready.”
“Okay,” I choked out, wanting to say more. I wanted to stop him from leaving and ignore our guest. Maybe he would go away. But I knew that wouldn’t happen. I had to face Reese eventually.
When Brent left, I threw my head onto the pillow. These last few days had been a whirlwind and my time with Brent had been special to me. I had fallen for him and I was not ready to let go. Even if I wanted to, my feelings could not just be cast aside, could they? Brent said the stamp on the seals of Reese and I was not something we could fight, but I wanted to. I had to. I was still trying to come to grips with how much I liked Brent and how much it hurt to think of not being with him. Does Reese know that? Does he know, that I know, what he is supposed to mean to me? It doesn’t matter. As disappointed as I was about things, I needed to be respectful. A part of me wanted to go downstairs using the utmost inept vocabulary I could think of to tell Reese what I thought of all this. I chose not to. It was not his fault. He did not ask for things to be this way anymore than Brent or I did. I decided to keep an open mind and be civil with Reese.