told herself.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d come back,” she admitted.
“I told you I would.”
She couldn’t tell anything by his tone of voice. It wasn’t betraying any emotion and it frustrated her. Was he irritated with her for doubting him? Had he been thinking about her all week and worrying about what she was going to say to him?
“How was your week?” he asked.
“Long,” she blurted out before she had time to censor herself. He chuckled and, by all that was delicious in this world, that chuckle should be outlawed. Any woman who heard that would want to crawl up in his lap and purr.
“As was mine.”
“Really?” Serenity thought she detected a little sadness in his voice.
“It was not my choice to be separated from you, Serenity. Why are you surprised that I would dislike being away?” He wasn’t being mean, just stating the facts.
“I guess I’m a little leery. You claim to have intense emotions for me, but you don’t even know me.”
Again with the chuckle.
“Could you please not do that?” she asked almost breathlessly.
“Do what?” His voice rumbled.
He knew exactly what she was talking about but she answered him anyways. “That little laugh. Could you refrain from it please?”
“I will do my best if you tell me why you don’t want me to laugh.”
Seriously! she mentally huffed. “It’s disarming.”
“Hmm, good to know,” he muttered and it seemed it was more to himself than an answer for her. “In response to your concerns,” he continued in a less flirty tone, which Serenity’s dignity appreciated. “We have established that I am not human.”
“Definitely established,” she agreed.
“And because I’m not human I don’t think and feel as a human does. My emotions are much, much more intense. They are not fleeting nor are they given freely to just anyone. My life is much too long to squander such precious things like love, trust, respect, and adoration. I am not meant to have a mate. Perhaps, that also is why my feelings are so strong, because being drawn to you cannot be either of our fates. It cannot be because the Creator never intended the Sandman to have a companion. My existence was to solely be about my task. And I had accepted that. But then you were my next assignment and I was intrigued by the selflessness in you. So I watched you, I listened, and I do apologize if that sounds a little like I was stalking you.”
Serenity laughed because he was right, it was pretty freaking creepy. But she could hear in his voice that he wasn’t watching her in a creepy way. He was curious. He wanted to understand her.
“And so because of the things you observed about me, you began to care for me?” she asked.
“I was attracted to you the minute I saw you. But it grew into something more when I got to see beyond your beautiful face.”
If he was trying to get brownie points he was doing a good job. Serenity felt her face heat up at the compliment. She’d never been good at taking compliments.
“Your skin is lovely when you blush.”
His words took her by surprised and she sucked in a sharp breath. “You can see me?” She was looking around as if that was going to somehow help her see him. Stop being a moron, Sarah, you can’t even see your hand in front of your face, Serenity chastised herself and then sat still.
“I am the Sandman, the Dream Weaver, the Enticer of Slumber. The night is mine. The darkness is my cloak and obeys my commands. If I do not want to be seen, I can prevent it.”
“The girl in my dream, Emma, has seen you,” she pointed out.
“Yes.” There was a smile in his voice, and Serenity wished so much that she could see that smile. “Children are very perceptive, much more so than adults. Emma saw me when I was on another assignment and she interrogated me. She is quite impressive for an eight-year-old.”
“I thought the same thing.”
They were both silent for a few minutes. Serenity wasn’t sure what to say next.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d come back,” she admitted.
“I told you I would.”
She couldn’t tell anything by his tone of voice. It wasn’t betraying any emotion and it frustrated her. Was he irritated with her for doubting him? Had he been thinking about her all week and worrying about what she was going to say to him?
“How was your week?” he asked.
“Long,” she blurted out before she had time to censor herself. He chuckled and, by all that was delicious in this world, that chuckle should be outlawed. Any woman who heard that would want to crawl up in his lap and purr.
“As was mine.”
“Really?” Serenity thought she detected a little sadness in his voice.
“It was not my choice to be separated from you, Serenity. Why are you surprised that I would dislike being away?” He wasn’t being mean, just stating the facts.
“I guess I’m a little leery. You claim to have intense emotions for me, but you don’t even know me.”
Again with the chuckle.
“Could you please not do that?” she asked almost breathlessly.
“Do what?” His voice rumbled.
He knew exactly what she was talking about but she answered him anyways. “That little laugh. Could you refrain from it please?”
“I will do my best if you tell me why you don’t want me to laugh.”
Seriously! she mentally huffed. “It’s disarming.”
“Hmm, good to know,” he muttered and it seemed it was more to himself than an answer for her. “In response to your concerns,” he continued in a less flirty tone, which Serenity’s dignity appreciated. “We have established that I am not human.”
“Definitely established,” she agreed.
“And because I’m not human I don’t think and feel as a human does. My emotions are much, much more intense. They are not fleeting nor are they given freely to just anyone. My life is much too long to squander such precious things like love, trust, respect, and adoration. I am not meant to have a mate. Perhaps, that also is why my feelings are so strong, because being drawn to you cannot be either of our fates. It cannot be because the Creator never intended the Sandman to have a companion. My existence was to solely be about my task. And I had accepted that. But then you were my next assignment and I was intrigued by the selflessness in you. So I watched you, I listened, and I do apologize if that sounds a little like I was stalking you.”
Serenity laughed because he was right, it was pretty freaking creepy. But she could hear in his voice that he wasn’t watching her in a creepy way. He was curious. He wanted to understand her.
“And so because of the things you observed about me, you began to care for me?” she asked.
“I was attracted to you the minute I saw you. But it grew into something more when I got to see beyond your beautiful face.”
If he was trying to get brownie points he was doing a good job. Serenity felt her face heat up at the compliment. She’d never been good at taking compliments.
“Your skin is lovely when you blush.”
His words took her by surprised and she sucked in a sharp breath. “You can see me?” She was looking around as if that was going to somehow help her see him. Stop being a moron, Sarah, you can’t even see your hand in front of your face, Serenity chastised herself and then sat still.
“I am the Sandman, the Dream Weaver, the Enticer of Slumber. The night is mine. The darkness is my cloak and obeys my commands. If I do not want to be seen, I can prevent it.”
“The girl in my dream, Emma, has seen you,” she pointed out.
“Yes.” There was a smile in his voice, and Serenity wished so much that she could see that smile. “Children are very perceptive, much more so than adults. Emma saw me when I was on another assignment and she interrogated me. She is quite impressive for an eight-year-old.”
“I thought the same thing.”
They were both silent for a few minutes. Serenity wasn’t sure what to say next.
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