Soul Mate (The Mating Series) (24 page)

“Really?”
he asked, removing the condom.

“Isn’t a condom a moot point after this afternoon?” I asked.

“It only takes once,” Jimmy said. He tossed it in the waste basket. “You didn’t answer me, am I really the only one you’ve done oral on?”

“Really
,” I said. “I haven’t been with that many men.”

“How many?” Jimmy asked. We’d never discussed our sex lives before. I felt shy. Jimmy knew everything about me
, whatever he wanted to know he plucked from my mind.

“How many for you?” I asked.

“I asked first.”

“Two… three now.”

“Five.” Jimmy answered.

“Five?” I
asked. “I don’t believe you.”

“Only five women counting you
,” Jimmy said. “None as good as you.”

Jimmy was five years older than me.
“I assumed you had more experience since you’re older.”

“It’s hard for me to be with women.”

“Why?”

“Imagine meeting a really hot guy.
You’re into him, and then suddenly you see all of the women he’s slept with. Or, you know all of the lies he’s telling just to be with you….Or the worst, you see his wife and kids. It’s a real mood killer.”

“I see
,” I said. “How long has it been for you?”

“I don’t know at least four years, probably longer
,” Jimmy said.
He hasn’t been with anyone since he met me.
I felt sorry for him, but happy at the same time.

“I’ve often wondered if you were out having casual sex when you weren’t hanging out with me.”

“Sex with me is never casual,” Jimmy said. “Having sex with a woman is like plugging into them. I connect in a way you can’t understand. I’m flooded with every thought and feeling. I see their whole life. I could never have a one night stand.”

“Is it that way with me?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I know everything you know, see all that you’ve seen. I know what feels good and what you’re thinking.” He turned to me. “That reminds me, earlier in the shower; I caught a glimpse of Cho seeing you naked. What’s that about?”

“He didn’t see me naked... I was in a towel, but my boob sort of fell out.”

“Cho saw one of your boobs?” Jimmy asked. 

“Not all of it
,” I said, defensively.

“
That explains his lusty thoughts about you all night.”

“He wasn’t…”

“Yes he was. I could not only read his mind, I could read his body language.” I felt vulnerable. Jimmy completely tuned into me during sex. “Did I freak you out?”

“No,
but it’s a little unnerving,” I said.

“It freaked me out the first time.”

“How do you enjoy sex while being inundated with your partner’s thoughts?”

“It’s not easy, and I don’t always
,” Jimmy said. “It’s different with you.”

“How?” I asked.

“I guess because I already know you so well, and because you’re the first person I’ve truly loved. The vibes you send when we’re having sex are just as pleasurable as the sex.”

“You know everything about me, and sometimes I feel like I know nothing about you.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I feel like I don’t know you as well as I thought I did.”

“Cho’s been talking to you,” Jimmy said. “He thinks he knows me better than anyone, but he doesn’t.” I wasn’t convinced. “What did he say?”

“Nothing. Well, he said that if I love you I should fight for you, and not to let you screw up this relationship.”

“I don’t have a good track record with relationships, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone else.”

“Cho thinks that you fabricated the vision of me with a soul mate as a defense from getting hurt.”

“He thinks I’m lying?”

“Not exactly
,” I said. “He thinks when you started having feelings for me that you subconsciously made up the vision to keep your feelings at bay.”

“I wish it w
ere true,” Jimmy said.

“Is it?”

“I don’t know, but I had the vision right when I realized I loved you,” he said. “That was over three years ago. I’m tired of waiting around to see. Let’s forget about my vision.” 

“I can, but I don
’t think you can.” I sighed.

“Do I seem like
I’m worrying about it?” Jimmy asked. “Besides, I’ll fight for you.”

“You’ll fight for me?” I
asked.

“If your soul mate came along, I’ll fight to keep you.”

“Why?” I asked. I assumed if Jimmy knew who my soul mate was, he’d break it off. It was nice to know he would fight to keep me.

“I love you
,” Jimmy said. “What if he was some jerk or made you miserable? I couldn’t let you be with a jerk.”

“You’ve changed.”
He didn’t feel that way a few weeks ago.
Something in our relationship shifted. It made me happy.

“You know what I thought about the entire time I was locked up?” Jimmy
asked.

“No.”

“I was so afraid I’d never get to be with you again. I cursed myself for leaving you the other night and not spending every moment I could with you. I made up my mind if I did get out on bond today that I was going to have at least one good evening with you.” He pulled me close to him. “If the world goes to shit in the future, we’ll always have this night to remember.”

I wish
ed we could stay like happy, but a storm loomed on the horizon. I didn’t know how our relationship would fair. Jimmy was right; we would always have the one night together. For the first time in weeks, I hadn’t thought of death or danger. Jimmy needed a release. I needed it too. Tomorrow I would have to deal with all of the impending issues in my life: the death of my mentor and friend, being unemployed, Jimmy being falsely accused, and the freak who infringed on my privacy.  Tonight however, I only thought of my love for Jimmy.

CHAPTER 10

I woke before dawn to wetness between my legs. I jumped
up and ran to the bathroom. I started my period. The arrival of my cycle brought the end of our passionate love making, at least for the next few days. The unknown of the days ahead gave a foreboding feeling. I felt like the beginning of the end of our relationship. At the very least, the love and desire we enjoyed the night before was on hold. On the bright side, I wasn’t pregnant.

I tried to discretely gather my hygiene products from Jimmy’s bedroom without waking him. I prayed I hadn’t left a stain
on the sheets. I couldn’t see in the dark. I had to wait until daybreak to inspect the bed. I crept around the room like a thief. “Cassie,” Jimmy whispered. I turned to him. I saw his silhouette leaning up in bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing
,” I said. “Go back to sleep.”

“Come back to bed.”

“I can’t,” I whispered. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

“Come back soon
,” Jimmy mumbled sleepily.

“I will.”

I stood in the shower watching blood run down the drain. I thought of Penny, Skye and Mary.
So much blood shed lately
. I couldn’t understand why.
What had these women done to deserve death?
I thought about the message written in blood left in my door.

“Cassie
,” Jimmy called from the door. “Why are you in the shower at four in the morning?”

“Go back to bed
,” I said.

Jimmy opened the door. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me.”

“I started my period,” I said, embarrassed. “Please go back to bed.”

After I showered,
I went to the bedroom, and found the light on. Jimmy worked, changing the sheets. “Oh God, did I make a mess?”

“It was just a little spot
,” Jimmy said. “It’ll wash out.”

“
I’m sorry,” I said.

“Don’t apologize.”

I covered my face. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be
,” he said. “Come to bed.”

I fell into the bed. The clean sheets smelled good. Jimmy snuggled close to me. Many men would be disgusted by menstrual blood in their bed. Jimmy didn’t seem bothered.

“You’re jumpy,” he said. “Are you sure everything is alright?”

“No
,” I said. “Nothing is going to be alright.”

“Hey, look at me
,” Jimmy said. I turned to him. “Talk to me.”

“It’s just…” I started. “…last night was so perfect, but it’s not perfect.”

“We have some issues. Everyone has issues.”

“Jimmy, things are screwed up
,” I said. “We both ignored it last night, but today is different.”

“I know that.”

“Now, I can’t even be with you like last night.”

“It’s not the end of the world
,” Jimmy soothed. “It will all work out.”

“
I’m afraid!” I cried.

“Come here Babe.” He held me tight. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Don’t be afraid.” Jimmy’s warm body s
ettled me. I began to calm down. “Better?” Jimmy asked.

“Yeah
,” I said. “This just caught me off guard.”

Jimmy was silent for a while.
I was almost asleep when he said, “You can do that trick with your tongue for the next week. I won’t complain.” I giggled and hit him with my pillow. Jimmy fell back to sleep quickly. It took me a long time to sleep again.

We woke at seven to Cho pounding at the bedroom door. “Get up, love birds,”
he called. “The home detention people will be here at eight.”

I felt Jimmy stir next to me.  Cho continued to pound. “Shut the
hell up!” Jimmy called back. “We’re up!” He rolled over to me. “Let’s stay in bed all day.”

“We can’t
,” I said.

“I don’t wanna get up
,” he whined.

“Go.” I pushed him to the edge of the bed. His face
looked sleepy and cute. It wouldn’t take much for me to stay in bed with him. He had a mischievous little boy grin. Jimmy rolled on top of me. His silky black hair tickled across my face while we kissed. He pressed his body against mine, making me want him. “Jimmy.”

He exhaled.
“Hmm?”

“We have to get up
,” I said. “Go take a shower before the people get here.”

“Will you join me?”

“I can’t,” I said.

“Then it will be a cold shower for me.” He groaned
, rolling off me.

I watched him strut acro
ss the room, naked and erect. “I’d say you need a cold shower.” I giggled like a school girl.

“I could thin
k of better remedies,” he said, heading to the bathroom. I listened for the shower to start, then dressed myself, and went into the kitchen.

Cho turned the island into a buffet. He had all kinds of food laid out for breakfast, doughnuts, cream cheese, an ass
ortment of bagels and muffins. “There’s coffee, juice and milk to drink,” he said. “I didn’t know what you guys would want to eat, so I got a bunch of stuff. I can make you an omelet if you want.”

“Cho, this is great. When did you do this?” I asked.

“I get up at five-thirty every morning. I went for a jog, and then decided to get some groceries,” Cho said. “Jimmy didn’t have any food.”
He would notice the lack of food.

I
grabbed a muffin and some juice. I took a seat at Jimmy’s little café table. I had my back to the sliding door. It opened to the balcony. Cho had the door open and the breeze chilled my back. The October air smelled crisp. Autumn was my favorite season. I wished I could spend it carefree.

Cho lit a cigarette and propped himself in the door frame. “Did Jimmy sleep well
?” he asked.