Octavia's Choice [The Klawinken 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (2 page)

The dreams had been the reason she convinced Mathieu that she needed more time before they continued the intimacy of their relationship. She more than understood why he was angry and confused by her mixed emotions and inability to commit to him. His love for her was real. It was time to stop indulging in a fantasy lover that was nothing more than a dream. When Mathieu returned from his trip to Boston, where he managed his own contracting firm, she was going to do everything in her power to embrace him and her heritage with the passion she knew he expected.

Octavia had just walked out of her Abnormal Psychology class when she felt her cell phone vibrating. It was Mathieu. It still amazed her how he knew exactly when her classes ended. She had a lot to learn, and in time, she knew she would come to know about all the gifts of the Klawinken and how they brought enlightenment to each of their recipients.

“Hello, Mathieu,” she said with a smile in her voice. “You know my schedule better than I do, even when my professor is letting us out early.”

“Just a lucky guess, honest.” He laughed back. “You sound like you’re feeling well today.”

“I am, as a matter of fact. I slept really sound last night. It also helps that it’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining now even though they are predicting some snow this afternoon.”

“Makes me wish we Klawinken could control the weather. I’d make every day just like today if it made you happy.”

“Oh, Mathieu, that’s so sweet. I’m lucky to have you.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Yes. I do. I’m sorry I’ve given you so many reasons to doubt me. I think our time apart has helped me to put things in perspective. Evenela’s second visit helped, too. She told me everything.”

“I’m glad she told you. As difficult as I know it must have been for you to hear, knowing the truth will help you accept not only who you are but us.”

“I think you’re right.”

“I am right and you don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you say that.” She could hear the relief in his voice. “I know I promised to keep it cool, but sometimes just hearing your voice makes me crazy with my need for you.”

Octavia didn’t know what to say, so she changed the subject. “So, how’s the project coming along? I know you said the client had asked for you to be more hands-on and to oversee the meetings with the architects and the subcontractors.”

Without missing a beat, ignoring her lack of response, he said, “It’s a bit unusual for the client to want to dictate our every move. However, in time, they will tire of all the details. I think it’s going to be at least another week or two before I’m going to be able to leave. Think you can live without me hanging around you for another week or so?”

“You do what you have to do and don’t worry about me. I’m busy with classes, and just spending time with my parents has been good, too. Before you ask, no, I haven’t told them yet. But I know I have to, and I will.”

“I just worry about when.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“I understand that, but delaying it won’t make any easier.”

Octavia knew he was right. She planned to tell them soon. He’d have to be happy with that for now.

They chatted until her next class. It was the infamous literature class that Professor Barstole taught. Ever since that night when he had deliberately gotten her drunk and tried to take advantage of her and would have without Mathieu’s interference, he had avoided any contact with her. She was sure he was initially afraid she was going to report him for sexual harassment, or worse. When he realized she wasn’t, he had continued to teach the class as if she weren’t there. He never called on her, and she in turn never asked any questions or contributed to any of the class discussions. She was just happy her grades had continued to remain consistent and fair. Today they were discussing Jack London, a self-taught writer who had lived in Alaska during the gold rush of the 1890s and had written
Call of the Wild
based on those experiences. She loved the story about the dog, Buck. He had been forced into a world far different from the one he had grown up in, and in the end he had found his true nature in the wilds of Alaska.

A friend of hers from high school, Katie, was also in her literature class. They had been friends since grade school and often went to the free concerts that the student union sponsored along with other student events. She also devoted time at the same homeless shelter where Octavia volunteered once a week. So, she wasn’t surprised when her friend fell into step with her after class. They both had a break in their schedule and would often grab something to eat in the cafeteria together.

“Hungry?” Katie asked.

“A nice greasy cheeseburger with those heart attack cheese fries sounds good.” Octavia grinned, knowing that Katie was a confirmed vegetarian.

“I keep telling you that a tofu burger would be just as good, and better for you.”

“You keep telling me that.” Octavia laughed.

They entered the lunch room and placed their orders and then found a table. Octavia watched as Katie dug into her salad with relish. “One of these days, I’m going to give up my burgers, but today is not the day,” she said as she took a big bite of the sandwich, washing it down with a soda.

“Right, and pigs will fly.”

They both laughed and continued eating.

Katie looked up from her salad. “I was wondering what you were doing this weekend. Anything planned with that new boyfriend of yours?”

“Mathieu is out of town working, so the answer is no, nothing planned.”

“How would you like to go to a concert with me at the Wachovia Center in Philly? We could spend the weekend.” Before she could ask who was playing, Katie continued, “I won free concert tickets to see Naked Dreamer and two nights at a hotel from the radio station, WKBZ. I was the tenth caller, do you believe it?”

Octavia choked on the piece of hamburger that had become lodged in her throat. She took a quick swig of her soda to wash it down. She wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Katie looked on with concern.

“Yeah, just let me catch my breath.” This conversation was crazy. She had never mentioned her dreams of Tobias Morgan to anyone. She knew it had to be a coincidence, but just hearing the name of his band from Katie’s lips had thrown her for a loop, to say nothing of being asked to go to his concert.

“What about taking that guy you started seeing, Todd?”

“He’s going to a bachelor party this weekend, and since he’s in the wedding, I didn’t even ask him. Besides”—she grinned—“seeing Naked Dreamer with you would be a lot more fun. We can carry on about the band and act like silly girls, something Todd would never understand.”

“I don’t doubt it would be fun, but I have a few papers that are due and I don’t want to fall behind.”

“Me, too, but this is like hitting the lottery. Like, when are we ever going to get a chance to do something like this again and have it completely paid for, including the hotel? Please say you’ll go, please.”

Her first instinct was to say no. But then again, seeing the real Tobias Morgan on stage might help her put her dreams in perspective. She had heard it said that if one had a bad dream, the best thing to do was talk about it. Well, she couldn’t talk about her dreams with anyone, but seeing Tobias in the flesh might be just what she needed to ensure she never dreamed of him again. She would be forced to see that the real Tobias fell short of her dream lover, and that could be enough to end her fantasy.

“Well, I would hate to miss it, and it’s really nice of you to ask me to go with you.”

“So that means you’re going, right?” Katie clapped her hands like a five-year-old.

Octavia couldn’t help but giggle. “Yes, I’ll go. So when is the concert?”

“It’s Friday night. We can check into the hotel around three o’clock. The radio station said that they would have a car pick us up at the hotel. Pretty fancy, huh? And then the car will bring us back to the hotel after the concert. We’ll have all day Saturday to see the sights and they even said they would give me two hundred dollars for food.”

“You’re kidding. That’s unbelievable. I listen to WKBZ all the time and I never heard anything about this.”

“I know. I just turned on the radio in my car before I pulled out of my driveway this morning and they announced that the tenth caller would get this package to see Naked Dreamer. Something told me I should call. It’s crazy, but sometimes you just get lucky.”

“My last class ends at one thirty on Friday, so I can be ready to go any time after that. Do you want me to drive?”

“I don’t mind driving. You can help with the gas and tolls.”

“That’s the least I can do.”

At dinner that night, Octavia told her parents about Katie winning the Naked Dreamer package for the upcoming weekend.

“She’s one lucky girl. I know how much you two loved that band when you were in high school. You must be thrilled that she asked you to go with her.”

“I am.”

That night when Octavia was brushing her teeth before bed, she had to wonder if she had made the right decision. She actually hadn’t dreamed of Tobias since the dream where he had told her to go back to Mathieu. Regardless of how many times she told herself he was a dream, he was never far from her thoughts. She could still feel his hands on her breasts, the way he had tugged at her nipples before his lips captured and suckled her nubs. She had to stop herself from moaning out loud with pleasure.

She had to stop rewinding the vivid pictures of his naked body and hers entwined together, and his hard cock that enticed her to want to taste his orgasm. “Stop it,” she whispered for her ears alone.
When I see him for real, I’m going to see he’s nothing like my dream
.

She climbed into bed and covered herself up to her chin.
I will not dream of Tobias
, she kept repeating over and over again, until she fell asleep. She didn’t dream of him that night, but she could have sworn she heard his laughter mocking her before she finally drifted off into the darkness.

The next day, Mathieu called her just as her film class ended. He really was devoted to her, and although she thought about telling him about the upcoming concert, something stopped her. What she did tell him was that she and Katie were going into Philadelphia for the weekend to do some shopping and walk around the historic area. He said he would be working all weekend. After they hung up, she knew she had been silly not to tell him about the concert. He knew nothing about her dreams, but she didn’t want to talk to him about anything that had to do with Tobias Morgan. He was her dirty little secret.

Katie told her that she would pick her up around two thirty on Friday. They should arrive at the hotel around four thirty, and that would give them plenty of time to have dinner and get ready for the concert that began at eight o’clock. The week passed by quickly, and before she knew it, she was driving home from her last class on Friday. She felt the beginnings of butterflies in her stomach. Regardless of her dreams, she had always loved Naked Dreamer’s music. They had released a new album recently that had included at least two songs that had topped the charts. Tobias Morgan’s voice still had that velvety, sexy tone that set their songs apart from other bands that had tried to mimic them but fell short. It was going to be a weekend that she and Katie would talk about for weeks after. She just hoped that it would do the trick and exorcise Tobias from her dreams forever.

She was ready and waiting when Katie picked her up at two thirty. They arrived at the hotel around four o’clock, a little earlier than they had planned. Traffic on the turnpike had not been as bad as predicted for a Friday afternoon. The hotel was located near Penn’s Landing. It was perfect for touring the historic district, but farther away from the concert venue. When they registered at the desk, Katie was presented with an envelope that held the tickets, comps, and a letter from the radio station. They were told by the desk clerk that their room had been upgraded to a suite.

Katie was beside herself when they opened the door and walked into a foyer that opened onto a large living room with high ceilings and plush furniture. They dropped their suitcases and ran around what some would have considered a small apartment to explore every nook and cranny of the suite. They each had their own bedroom and private bath. Katie took the one off the living room and Octavia the one off the dining area.

“This is absolutely crazy,” Katie said in awe. “It just keeps getting better.”

Octavia couldn’t help but agree. “This contest must have cost the radio station a pretty penny and more. Are you sure this is for us?”

“That’s what the desk clerk said, and she didn’t even ask for my credit card. I thought that was a little strange, even though we’re not paying. You know, just in case of damages.”

“You’re right. But at this point, who are we to argue?” Octavia said, picking up her suitcase and heading for her bedroom.

“Octavia, come back here a minute. Take a look at these tickets.”

She turned and walked back to where Katie was staring at the contents of the envelope in confusion. “Oh, no,” Octavia said, looking over Katie’s shoulder. “Don’t tell me there’s something wrong with the tickets.”

“Not wrong exactly, but tell me I’m dreaming or something. Look at what’s attached to each ticket.”