~*::*~
The light the full moon provided was more than enough for the young woman to see by. Walking slowly along the beach, she admired the scenery around her. The waves crashing against the shore was like music to her ears. Always in these dreams of home, the sea was washing up against the shore and lapping gently at her bare feet. Always there was the moon shining down on the water, making a path that she could follow if she but had the courage to do so.
Humming an old tune she had learned in her childhood, the young woman walked leisurely past an old beach house and thought of the world outside the dreams. Casey, the little boy she cared for, would be tuning five in less than a week. And she still had nothing to give him as a present.
She was still deep in thought when the stranger appeared. His strong arms snaked around her waist and pulled her up against his hard body. His hard lips bruised her soft ones in their brutality. She wasn’t sure where this man had come from, but she knew that his caressing hands were making her lose her focus.
“Rebecca…” Her name was a release of pent-up emotions and a flood of desire coming from his lips.
Rebecca sighed and arched against him, letting his hands touch her everywhere. It was only a dream anyways, what harm could it be? When his roaming hands had rid her dream self of her clothes, she felt his hot mouth move down her throat. She moaned and tilted her head back in pleasure. She wasn’t sure she was even entirely in her own dream when she felt one of his hands sweep lower on her body while the other one entangled itself in her loose hair.
She was under his control and she accepted it. When his mouth closed gently over a straining nipple, she moaned and arched her back, offering herself up to him. And when his hand touched that spot where she was most vulnerable, she gasped and moved against that hand. Twice he brought her to the brink, and both times he stopped. The dream ended on the third time. And Rebecca was left unsatisfied.
Rebecca moaned and rubbed her temples. The dream was still vivid in her mind. And she was still very much frustrated with the man in her dream. Twice he had brought her to the edge of release, and both times, instead of letting her have that sweet release, he had stopped. Sighing, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Putting on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
In the hallway, Rebecca started for Casey’s room. The four-year-old was a handful, true. But he was also a little sweetheart. Smiling, Rebecca opened his door and looked in on her charge. He was sound asleep, with Rufus, the black and white Great Dane puppy her mother had gotten him for Christmas curled up beside him.
Quietly closing the door behind her, she made her way downstairs to the café. Remembrance Café. The small café she had created and nursed from a fledgling idea into something real. Smiling, she made herself a cup of coffee and proceeded to make breakfast. The two employees she had wouldn’t be in until later that morning, so she had time to take the morning slow.
Humming an old lullaby, she worked without hurry. She didn’t need to open the doors until much later that morning. Flipping the pancakes, she smiled when she heard Casey and Rufus running haphazardly down the stairs. Turning, she embraced the little boy as he collided with her legs.
“Good morning little love,” she crooned to him, tousling his hair before setting him back on the floor, “Are you hungry?”
“Yes, of course I am momma!” He replied, laughing when she tickled his sides a little bit.
“How about Rufus?” She asked, standing back up and saving the pancakes before they burned, “Is he hungry too?”
The puppy barked upon hearing his name and Rebecca and Casey laughed. Taking their breakfast to one of the small tables scattered around the room, Rebecca listened intently as her godson told her of his dreams. They were cleaning up their dishes when there was a knock at the door. Wondering who that could be at six o’clock in the morning, Rebecca quickly strode over and unlocked the door. Opening it, she was surprised to find a giant of a man standing in front at her door.
His cobalt blue eyes contrasted with his dusky brown skin and unruly red hair. His arms rippled with muscles and his tight shirt revealed six-pack abs. Standing at six-foot-three-inches, he more than towered over her five-foot-two-inches. Swallowing back a small lump of fear, Rebecca cleared her throat to speak. But he beat her to it.
“Are you Rebecca Hemingway?” He asked her.
“Y-yes,” she answered, sliding an arm around Casey as he came to stand beside her, “I am she. Do you need something, sir?”
“Actually, I’m here about the position of waiter.” He said, smiling kindly at her, “Or has it already been filled?”
“Oh no, no!” She replied, smiling back, albeit, a bit shyly, “I can always use an extra worker. What is your name?”
“Matthew ma’am,” he supplied, “Matthew O’Connelly.”
“O’Connelly?” She asked, arching a delicate black eyebrow, “You’re Irish?”
“Yes,” wariness and caution were clear in the sudden tension of his body, “Something wrong with that?”
“No, no, no!” she smiled, showing clean, even teeth, “I have a mixed crew anyways. I’m just glad to have an Irishman working with me.”
“What do you mean?” He questioned, awe clear in his voice.
“I’m Irish myself.”
“I’m bein’ hired by an Irish woman.” He grinned down at her, “A beautiful Irish woman at.”
Rebecca blushed and lowered her eyes. What was she thinking? Was she seriously going to hire a charmer? What kind of influence would he have on her adopted son, Casey? Whatever the consequences, she needed another worker. Sighing, she looked up at Matthew and smiled.
“Alright,” she said, “You can work here.”
“Wahoo!” He exclaimed, starting to dance around in excitement.
“But,” she smiled, holding up an index finger, “You need to get here on time, every morning.”
“Alright, I-“ She cut him off, continuing.
“Be clean; don’t cuss in front of our customers or Casey, since he’ll be around a lot. And… Um… Well, I can’t really think of anything else at the moment.” She added, smiling warmly up at the giant.
“Who is Casey?” He asked, nodding as she told him her rules.
“My son,” she replied, tightening her arm around the boy.
“Ah, that explains the no cussing rule.”
“Yes it does.” Looking at her watch, Rebecca yelped in surprise. “Oh no!!”
“What is it?” Matthew asked, looking surprised.
“The café opens in ten minutes,” Casey answered for his mother, smiling devilishly up at her, “And she always delays getting everything completely ready until ten minutes before opening time.”
Rebecca herself didn’t even try to explain. She just rushed back inside, and scurried around, trying to get everything done in time. Matthew was just about to offer his help when a soft mewing started up from the inside of his shirt. When Rebecca stopped to stare at the small, black and gold head poking out of his shirt collar, he blushed bright red.
“What is that?” She asked, interest and curiosity in her eyes.
“Rowan,” he replied, lifting the kitten out of his shirt and cradling it against his chest, “I found her in the park on my way here. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, no of course not.”
“A kitten??” Casey exclaimed, growing excited, and jumping up and down, “May I hold it?? Please??”
Matthew looked to Rebecca for help and instruction. She just laughed and rushed off to finish getting the store ready for the morning customers.
