The Ghost of The Lightner Museum

Chapter Thirty Four

Aaron cursed from behind me as I heard his footsteps approach me. His hands gripped my arms, pulling me against his chest before he wrapped both arms around me. Cradling me there, he spoke in a shaking voice,

"It's too dangerous. I could never forgive myself for letting you leave, knowing the consequences. If you intend to jump again then I am going with you."

Quickly, I turned in his arms casting him a sharp look of warning,

"No, you will not. You're staying here!"

My hands caressed his face while I said these words. He only scowled and lifted his hands over my own, pulling them away from him.

"I go where you go. That is final."

Wanting to stomp my foot in irritation, I opted for walking around him then to pick up my discarded clothing instead.

"Charlotte." He spoke in a masculine tone of demand. I ignored him, choosing to quickly dash down the stairs to gain space. He followed me and within a heartbeat, he was grabbing my arm inside the living room and turning me around to face him once more.

"This conversation is not over. And what the devil are you doing down here?"

I yanked my arm out of his grasp before shoving my romp down onto the couch.

"I'm going to sleep." I retorted grimly. He snorted and promptly picked me up in his arms. I gasped, but before I could object, he was already speaking while taking me back up the stairs.

"Not down here. Not anymore. I realize you're afraid Charlotte, but I am not and I know damn well that you belong with me."

When he laid me down into the bed, I wriggled to get back out, however his arm locked around me like steel, keeping me pinned there against his chest.

"Stop being so stubborn." He grunted, "Just go to sleep."

Stubbornly, I looked away. Although the words that came out of my mouth surprised even myself then.

"Then kiss me! If you kiss me, I'll have good dreams, not like this living nightmare. My dreams of you and I are always sweet, always perfect."

Aaron chuckled as his hand grasped my chin and tilted my head back to his. When my eyes met his golden ones, he was smiling warmly. The sight left me feeling as if butterflies were roiling inside me.

"Then I shall always kiss you goodnight. For as long as I can."

His lips found mine, settling over them in a long, deep kiss that seemed to never end.

By some miracle, I actually fell asleep.

And my dreams were incredibly sweet. Far too sweet. Although in the morning, I knew they would- and could- only be...bittersweet.

Aaron left a sleeping Charlotte wrapped beneath his blankets as he strode towards the Alcazar Hotel with a purpose. Today would be the final day of Lord John's portrait sitting and he would be able to wash his hands free of him at last.

He already intended on letting Lord John know he was no longer in a position to court his "sister". Afterwhich, the time to leave would be presentable.

If only he could convince Charlotte...

He realized he was being selfish, but frankly he was beginning not to care. If she was truly dead set on jumping through that insane, strange void again...well dammit, he had nothing holding him here anyways.

But dear god, it seemed far too dangerous.

Therein lied the rub as Shakespeare would have stated aptly.

His long legs carried him through the main entrance of the hotel, his eyes intent on the hallways in front of him, leading to one room in particular.

He no longer felt lost in his life like he once had. Being alone and on his own for so long had left his soul so very weary, yet now he knew for certain life was real, changing, mysterious, inescapably vast and without limitations. He was beginning to be able to lift his eyes to look up at the sun again with hope for the future.

Meeting Charlotte had been like having a fateful brush with destiny. He knew same as her that her fall in time was no sheer accident. Nothing was ever simply an accident.

But she was terribly wrong about one thing.

They were meant to be together. Wherever that entailed.

Never before had he felt such a forceful, overwhelming pull towards another. His heart begged for her like she had already been a piece of him waiting to be discovered.

What if she was destiny itself...what if they were soulmates, separated by time, only to be reunited in time's correction?

This thought made Aaron halt before reaching the drawing room. His heart slammed in his chest as it all suddenly made sense. For such a short amount of time, much had changed within them both. Facing the stark truth of his own emotions, he turned and gazed out the row of windows to his right.

"My god...I'm in love with her." He murmured aloud.