Page 19 of Dreams That Bind Us
"This place hasn't been here that long," she added before giving him a piercing look. "I've meant to give it a shot, but there was this exclusive contract that took up all of my time." Her words dripped with sarcasm and the corner of her mouth lifted almost to a grin. James fought the urge to lean across the table and taste it. The vixen.
He chuckled. "How inconsiderate of me. I'll make it up to you."
"I've been meaning to try out the local restaurants, but I don't like to dine alone.” He took a sip of his wine. “You could show me the best places on the island, help me learn the layout and act more like a local."
Anna blinked, her nostrils flaring out as she took a deep breath but said nothing in response. Instead, she tore off a hunkof bread and focused on swirling it around the olive oil and herb mixture.
"Why did you move all the way down here?" Anna asked after several awkward moments, changing the subject. "I mean, this must be so different from New York City. I can't imagine that you'd be happy here."
James bit back a laugh. She was cute when she was subtly encouraging him to return to New York. Or maybe not so subtly…
But in actuality, he loved the way she said exactly what was on her mind. There was no filter with Anna, and it was refreshing beyond measure.
"My mother passed away recently," he revealed.
Her eyes widened and mouth softened.
"She always dreamed of owning a high-end hotel in Key West, but never got the chance." He lifted his wine glass and studied the garnet liquid. "In her will, she asked that I complete the dream for her. So here I am." His gaze snagged Anna's. "I loved my mother very much and I'll do whatever it takes to fulfill her final wish."
Anna gulped—he followed the movement as the muscles in her throat worked, wanting to trace his lips up and down that sleek column.
"I'm sorry to hear that," she murmured.
"Don't be. She went fast, unexpectedly actually, in her sleep and never woke up."
"It still must have been difficult for you."
"The hardest part was that I didn't get a chance to say goodbye." James sighed. "But I'm here now, and I honestly can't say that I'd rather be anywhere else."
Anna's eyes darted away as her teeth worried at her bottom lip.
"You keep doing that and I'm gonna stop resisting the inclination to lean across this table and kiss you."
Her astonished gaze locked with his, her lower lip dropping so her mouth hung open, and her pink tongue flicked out quickly, touching her top lip. He chuckled to himself, knowing he’d caught her off guard.
"So tell me about you." He changed the subject, wanting to put her at ease after dropping that bombshell. "Have you lived here your entire life?"
Anna pressed her lips together and glanced at the ceiling for a moment, as if she were trying to decide what to say.
"I'm a psychic," she blurted out finally, and it was James's turn to gape at her. It was the last thing he expected to hear and he was at a loss for words. "In fact, most of my family is clairvoyant in some fashion. But I'm a medium."
His mind sputtered for a moment, wondering if she only said this to put him off. "I'm sorry. I’ve heard the term before, but I’m not familiar with the difference between clairvoyant and medium. What is a medium?"
"It means I can interact with spirits, both those who are still here and on the other side. They can also speak through me if they choose."
"The other side?"
She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes twinkling almost as if she were teasing him. "Yes, the other side of the veil." Her fingers danced in the air. "Many people call it the spirit world or heaven."
His brows lifted. The concept was difficult to understand. "What about hell?"
Her head tilted to the side in an adorable pose, her lips pursing as she swirled another chunk of bread in the oil.
"Hell doesn't really exist, at least not in the way most religions describe it anyway. It's more of a mental thing." Shetapped her temple. "Think of it this way: it can be torturous when a soul is faced with the damage they've created during their life and the wrongs they've committed to other souls. For every action there is a reaction. In other words, there is always karma to pay back. But Hell, in general, is figurative rather than literal."
James blinked slowly, trying to take in her speech. She was serious—he could see it in her twinkling eyes, and it was obvious now she was saying this to turn him off. Unfortunately for her, it was doing the opposite. The way her mind worked was fascinating and he found her explanation more soothing than shocking.
"That actually makes perfect sense." He took a sip of his wine. "Tell me about your creative process. What inspires you to make your furniture?"
