She wanted to tell him she was glad he was here … "I'm glad you're here," she said looking straight into his eyes. She hadn't given herself time to think about it or change her mind.
"I'm glad I'm here, too," he reached out with his free hand and stroked her arm.
Goosebumps flowed on her skin milliseconds after his touch. He could so easily pull a reaction from her. Sometimes she honestly felt like putty in his hands. From somewhere a phone was chiming and it took Marie a moment to realize it was her phone. It was eight-thirty and the dinner alarm was going off. "I have to go," she said to Axel. "I need to announce that we'll be eating dinner."
"Do I get to sit by you, at least?" he asked, encircling her wrist gently in his hand.
"Sorry," Marie answered with a shake of her head. "You're the local celebrity. You're sitting between Ingrid and the mayor."
"This is a terrible party," he said letting go of her hand.
"This is a great party. You just have a lousy seat," Marie said over her shoulder. She picked up her skirt as she walked up the stairs. Her smile was infectious and as she passed people smiled back with some stopping her to gush about how much fun they were all having.
She grabbed Ingrid by the arm and silenced the piano player as Ingrid announced dinner would be served in the dining hall. The hall was lit with low candles. The actual table had been hidden in the basement, but they had replica that could be assembled. The real Hawks chairs were also in storage. They had rented nice high-backed chairs through the caterer. The place looked stately and grand and Marie could hardly believe she was actually there.
He tilted his glass towards her after the toast. Every now and then their eyes would meet over the crowded dinner table and Marie would have to quickly look away. The meal was several courses and was quite delicious. She sat between a poet and a local innkeeper while in the corner, near an open window, a young art student painted the dinner in oil on his canvas.
As coffee came around Ingrid stood and beamed at the crowd. Marie felt stuffed and a little tipsy. It was done. They had done it. She had done it. She could finally get a full night's sleep without worrying about napkins or vegans. The benefit was over, they had raised quite a bit of money, and now they could finally relax for a little while.
"I just want to thank each and every one of you for coming out tonight. The historical society depends on your contributions and I can sleep well knowing so many of you care about this old house the same way I do. But I won't ramble on. I just wanted to thank our new caretaker, Marie DeSantos." Marie felt her face go flush as her stomach dropped to her feet. Everyone was staring at her and she sat up and looked at Ingrid as the older woman continued. "This whole thing was her idea and she did so much work to prepare for it. I am so happy she is here and I can't wait to hear what she comes up with next."
Chants of hear, hear went up around the table as Marie smiled and nodded and said thank you as Ingrid sat down. She couldn't say how much that meant to her. To be publicly thanked and given credit for her hard work made her feel like a real person. She wasn't just somebody's girlfriend; she was a woman with good ideas and a lifetime in front of her.
The guests made their way out as Marie and Ingrid shook hands and thanked everyone. Finally, Ingrid left, too, giving Marie a peck on the cheek and squeezing her hand before taking off. Once the door was closed Marie heard soft music coming from the back deck. She walked out slowly wondering who the straggler was.
Axel was standing behind the bar mixing a drink. "Gin and tonic?" he asked her.
"Sure," Marie answered as she lowered herself into a chair and closed her eyes for a moment.
She opened them as Axel sat down in the chair next to her and handed her a drink. "To a job well done," he said raising his glass.
Marie raised her glass and they clicked lightly together, the ice cubes rattling in the liquid. He was still here. Her heart was pounding a little. She felt a little tipsy and a little lightheaded. Should she send him out into the night? Tell him the party's over? No, she didn't want to do that. She wanted to see him and spend time with him. He was still a mystery and she wanted to crack his head open and dig around in there to see what came up.
"Did you really like it?" she asked him, still not quite believing she had pulled this off.
"I honestly did and I never have before, but part of that might be the company," he said taking a long swing of his drink. "So you really sleep in this creepy place at night?"
"It's not creepy," Marie said.
"Growing up everyone said the Hawks' mansion was haunted."
"There are no such things as ghosts." Marie said.
"Really? Are you so sure? My mother swears she sees ghosts. Not all the time, but every now and then."
"And you believe her? If ghosts really existed, don't you think we would have real proof by now? Every time there's a ‘haunting,' there's never any evidence to prove it. Once the cameras show up suddenly the ghost is gone. What a coincidence! I'm not afraid of ghosts and I'm not afraid of this house. In fact, I need to do a sweep to make sure everyone's gone. Would you like to join me? If it's not too scary for you, of course."
"Hey," Axel said standing up, "I never said I was afraid of ghosts. I certainly don't like them, but I'm not scared of them.
Once inside Marie did her nightly sweep of the museum. She made sure each room was empty and free of any trash or damage. She turned of all the lights, set the alarm in that room and moved on to the next one.
"You do this by yourself every night?" Axel asked as they took the steps to the basement. Half of the basement was an exhibit of the working kitchen from the seventeen hundred. The other half was a decent-sized storage space. She started with the working kitchen, turning off the lights before turning into the storage room.
"There's a bed in here," Axel said, pointing to a corner where a large king-sized bed in a cheap frame sat. A white drop cloth covered the bed and Axel quickly tore it off revealing the mattress. It had sheets and a comforter and Axel sat down on it and said, "I wonder why this is down here?"
"It used to be in the master bedroom exhibit upstairs. Then someone donated an actual antique bed and this came down here. You can't donate old beds, so it just sits."
Axel stood and unbuttoned his suit and threw it over the back of a chair. He undid his bowtie and added that to the pile. He undid the first few buttons of his shirt and then turned to Marie. "Come here," he said.
Marie bit her lower lip but closed the gap that separated them. Axel's hand encircled her waist and he pulled her closer. She was flush against him as his hand slid down her silk gown. It travelled down her back and over her ass. Her heart was pounding and she leaned her head up and kissed him gently.
Her tentative lips explored his. Her hand rested on his chest and she leaned against him. He tasted like whiskey and smelled of an aftershave she could not name. She pulled back away from him and traced her thumb across his smooth cheek. He moved his head and captured her thumb in his mouth biting gently on it before releasing her, making her stomach do somersaults. She wanted him. Even after what had happened last time she still wanted him.
His lips crashed against hers and he pulled her closer. He pulled her up off the ground for a moment, his hands under her ass, her arms around his neck. But her dress would permit them to go no further. He lowered her down and then spun her around. His arms came around her and he pulled her back against him. Was she making the same mistake twice, or were things really different? He had apologized for leaving her after the last time and she was desperate to believe he meant it.
His warm breath caressed her neck. Marie sighed as she tilted her head to the side. He bit down gently on the nape of her neck, her whole body shuddering in pleasure. Desperate from more contact between them she reached behind her and grabbed his hair tangling it up in her hand as she leaned back against him. She felt so safe in his strong arms. They fit so well together. He left a train of light kisses along her skin, stopping occasionally to lick her neck. Her pulse raced at his touch, he was trailing fire along her body. All of her worries had left her, replaced with an ache that pulsed through her. She longed for him.
He kissed the back of her neck and then he found the buttons that secured her dress.
"Be careful," she whispered over her shoulder. "I don't want to rip it."