Artist's Rendering Part 2

Chapter Four

She quickly made her way to the staff room and was grateful that she found it empty. Knowing Shelly would be hunting her down, she stowed her things and rushed back out. She grabbed her cart of books and hurried down the aisles and got back to work.
Once alone between the shelves of old dusty volumes, Shelly allowed herself time to contemplate her time with Josh. Something about it wasn't sitting right with her. It was just too good to be true. She'd been daydreaming about him for weeks, and he had barely acknowledged her existence. Now, out of the blue, he asked her out and dropped all kinds of not-so-subtle hints about their future together. What was going on?
Not that she was complaining. It had been the best lunch of her life. He was unbelievably gorgeous, and the way he looked at her made her melt. She was like putty in his hands. She couldn't wait to see him again.
Of course, what would she say when she did see him again? How should she act? Those awkward silences in the elevator would only be more agonizing now. How would he act? Would he treat her the same as he always had: with polite friendliness? Or would he pierce her soul with those eyes?
"There you are!" Rebecca dropped the book she was about to replace on the shelf. It landed with a puff of dust.
"Hi Shelly," she murmured as she picked the book back up.
"Don't give me that! You've been hiding from me! Is that any way to treat a friend that covered for you when you skipped out early and got back late? Come on, spill the beans!" Her tone was angry, but her face revealed her playfulness.
"There's not much to spill."
"Didn't go well?" she asked suddenly full of concern.
"No, it went great. I think."
"Start from the beginning. Where'd you go?"
"We walked to Antonio's. You know, that little Italian place a couple blocks from here?"
"I've heard of it."
"Well, we ate. We talked. We walked back."
"Sounds innocent enough," she said with a tone suggesting she'd much prefer to hear juicier things than this. "Are you going to see him again?"
"I don't really have much of a choice. I mean, we do live in the same building."
"You know what I mean! Are you going out with him again?"
"I think so."
"You mean, he didn't ask?"
"He kind of suggested it, but nothing definite."
Shelly frowned and contemplated for a moment. She seemed torn as to the best advice to give at this point. Rebecca could only imagine how Shelly would have handled the situation.
"Did you give him any indication that you want to see him again?"
"I believe so."
"I think the ball's in your court now."
"I was afraid you'd say that."
Shelly turned and walked away leaving Rebecca to her thoughts. She had no idea how she would act the next time she saw Josh. It was easy to tell herself that she would simply talk to him, but to actually do it was another story.
The entire walk back to her apartment, Rebecca struggled with an inner battle. On one side, she couldn't wait to see Josh again. On the other, she dreaded it. She had decided to leave the ball in his court. She didn't think she had the nerve to make any moves. If he really cared as much as he seemed to, he would make it plain and clear.
In the end, it was a needless struggle as she didn't see Josh at all when she arrived.
"He's probably busy with business," she told herself.
The elevator ride was rather lonely without him. Being in there reminded her of him and as she closed her eyes she could almost smell him. By the time she exited the elevator she ached with longing for him. Slowly, she walked down the hall and felt another brief pang of disappointment as she saw her door - with nothing leaning up against it. What had gotten in to her?
Deciding she needed to relax, Rebecca changed into her most comfortable pajamas, made herself a cup of tea, and grabbed Pride and Prejudice off her nightstand. She went out onto her patio and lounged in one of the chairs. She sipped her tea and attempted to read, but couldn't focus on the words. After rereading the same paragraph five times, she decided to give up. Placing the book on the table beside her, she stood up and leaned against the railing enjoying the view.
A slight breeze blew through her hair. It gave her a slight chill. The sun was dipping down behind the building across from her. On the fifth floor, a couple stood on their patio kissing. Rebecca wondered if they were newlyweds. Three floors up, an elderly man was watching tv with his curtains open.
She looked down into the parking lot. Josh's sedan was there. Rebecca wondered what he was doing. Was he thinking of her at that moment? She imagined him walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. She could almost feel his lips on her neck. Rebecca closed her eyes and let her imagination run away with these thoughts. Suddenly the breeze didn't feel so cool and the goosebumps on her arms had nothing to do with the temperature.
When she opened her eyes, she saw a flash of light in the window of the apartment directly across from her. Deciding it was merely a reflection of the setting sun, she shrugged it off. She gathered her things and went back inside.
Bursting with sudden motivation she set to work unpacking dishes in her kitchen. If there was going to be something between her and Josh, she might as well have a decent apartment to invite him to. Maybe she would even attempt to cook for him someday. She smiled at this thought. It was probably wiser to order take-out if she was keen on seeing him again. But still, the possibility was there.
She barely noticed the knock on the door two hours later. Her radio had been on and she'd been half dancing, half putting things away. Hair a mess and glowing with her efforts, Rebecca prayed it wasn't Josh. She comforted herself with the knowledge that he didn't know which apartment was hers, though it would be easy enough for him to find out.
She made a feeble effort to flatten her hair before unlocking the door and opening it. Lisa looked at her full of concern.
"Are you okay Becca? You're a mess."
"Yeah. I've just been working. Come on in." She opened the door all the way and Lisa tentatively stepped in. She looked around the dramatically changed room. While there were plenty of boxes still lying around, more than half had been emptied and broken down. A clear living room, dining room, and kitchen could be seen.
"Wow. You have been working. What happened?"
"Just decided it was about time to get it done."
"Oh come on now. Something had to have happened to get you to stop procrastinating. If my lectures couldn't get you to work, something else had to have."
"Well, I might start having more people come over."
"Like who?" Lisa demanded with a look that told her she knew exactly who Rebecca had in mind.
"Josh," she admitted looking at the floor.
"What happened? Sit down and tell me everything." She gestured to the newly cleared off sofa. For the first time in weeks, there was room for more than one person on it. Deciding there was no getting around it, Rebecca recounted her day to Lisa beginning with meeting Josh in the elevator. Lisa's frown gradually turned to a scowl as Rebecca spoke.
"Don't you think he's being a little pushy?" she asked finally.
"How so?" Rebecca had considered this, but didn't want to admit it.
"Going from practically strangers, to admitting deep feelings for you in the space of an hour."
"Well, I didn't exactly hide how I felt about him. Maybe he felt it was best to get it all out in the open."
"I don't like it." Rebecca was momentarily stung by this comment before feeling a surge of anger.
"You don't have to like it. I'm perfectly able to take care of myself. You weren't there. You didn't see how he looked at me. He's sincere."
"Okay. Do what you want, but don't say I didn't warn you." Lisa continued to scowl for a moment before deciding it was best to change the subject. "The reason I came over is because I wanted to ask you about those pictures. Have you gotten anymore?"
"No actually. To tell you the truth, I was kind of disappointed. Don't ask me why."
"Really?" Her frown softened. "You don't suppose Josh had anything to do with them do you?"
"I hadn't really thought about it."
"Did you tell him about them?"
"No. I don't see any reason to."
"I don't either. I was just thinking about the person who might be doing them. You should be careful."
"I thought you said I shouldn't worry about them?"
"Well, you don't need to worry per say. Just don't go down any dark alleys or anything like that. I don't want to see you get hurt."
Rebecca was touched by her concern, but was still thinking about her utter dislike of Josh.
"You were really disappointed that you didn't get one today?"
"Well, yeah. If you take away the creepiness, it's kind of neat to have these pictures. Does that sound weird?"
"Not at all. Well, I better get back. I left dinner in the oven. Do you want me to bring you some?"
"Not tonight. I think I might see if my stove actually works." Rebecca didn't feel like being mothered tonight. Lisa looked hurt.
"Well, if you change your mind..."
"I know where you live," Rebecca finished with a smile. Lisa attempted to return the smile then stood and walked out the door.
Flipping the radio on, Rebecca turned back to her work. She felt guilty for hurting Lisa, but reminded herself that Lisa needed to stick to her own life and not mingle in hers. After placing the final plate on a shelf, Rebecca stepped back to look at her new kitchen. Deciding it was far too clean to cook in, she picked up her phone and called for pizza. She worried how Lisa would feel if she saw the pizza man delivering to her, but forced that thought far from her.
While waiting for her dinner to arrive, Rebecca went to work on her living room. The boxes contained mostly her books, and she was able to quickly put them on the shelves. How many hours had she spent doing nothing when she could have finished this long ago?
When her pizza arrived, she tipped the teenage boy and took her meal out on the balcony. The cool night air felt refreshing after all her hard work. The stars twinkled happily at her as if praising a job well done.
She grabbed a slice of pizza and sat back in one of her chairs. More lights were on in the building across from her. She counted seven windows where people sat in their living rooms watching television. In one window on the fourth floor, a woman was doing aerobics and sweating profusely. Eleven windows were lit, but curtains were drawn. The window directly across from Rebecca remained dark.
Rebecca allowed her thoughts to drift back to Josh. No longer feeling apprehensive of seeing him again, she decided to just go with the flow. There was no need to get worked up about a relationship that hadn't even gotten started yet. It had simply been far too long since she had dated anyone. For him to even be slightly interested in her was a dream come true and she should enjoy every moment of it.
She thought of the mysterious pictures and wondered if Josh was an artist. Somehow, she couldn't picture him sitting in shadows watching her and capturing her image with his pencil. He'd never been even remotely shy around her. It just couldn't be him. She wondered what he would think about the pictures.
When Rebecca had her fill of the pizza, she picked up the box and returned inside, placing the leftovers in the refrigerator. Rebecca heard the sounds of Lisa working in her kitchen next door and wondered if she was angry with her. She would have to try to make amends the next day.
With her motivation waning, Rebecca decided to move the unpacked boxes to the spare bedroom. She would get to them later. That just left her a little tidying up in the living room and dining room. Anybody who dropped by would see a home rather than a heap of boxes. She broke down her unpacked boxes and placed them in one of the bigger boxes. Before turning in for the night, she wanted to get them out of her apartment.
She slipped on a pair of flip flops, grabbed the boxes, and headed out the door. Hoping she wouldn't run into Josh looking as disheveled as she did, she pushed the button for the elevator and waited. She held her breath as the door opened and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was empty. Once on the ground floor, she headed for one of the back doors that led to the garbage bins. She had never been out there at night. Every sound seemed magnified in the eerie silence. Placing the boxes beside the bin, she quickened her steps back inside. She could have sworn she heard noises behind her.
Once safely inside, Rebecca turned and saw the culprit was a lonely stray cat that had come looking for attention. Laughing at herself, Rebecca decided she would never take out her trash at night again.

Chapter Five

Rebecca woke from a dreamless sleep the next morning. She rubbed her eyes, stretched, then looked over at the clock on her dresser. It wasn't even seven yet. Her head told her to go back to bed, but she felt refreshed and ready to start her day.
She got out of bed, put on her terry robe, then went into her newly functional kitchen. Being able to walk from one room to another without tripping over boxes put an extra spring in her step. She took out her coffee pot and started her first pot of coffee in her new apartment. As she waited for it to brew, she went back to her bedroom and made her bed for the first time since living with her parents as a teenager.
Pulling down her favorite mug from a shelf, she poured coffee in it and added generous amounts of sugar and creamer. She then took it out on her patio to drink as she greeted the morning.
"Now this is how you start a day," she said to herself. It felt wonderful to not frantically scavenge the apartment for her things before dashing off to work at a full sprint.
When her mug was empty, she stretched one more time and decided it was time to start getting ready. After placing her empty mug on the counter, she went back to her bedroom to stare blankly at her open closet. It looked to be a beautiful sunny day, but how warm would it be? She finally decided on her favorite red dress. It buttoned down the front all the way to the hem which reached mid-calf. It lacked sleeves, and Rebecca decided to wear her cream cardigan over it. She could always take it off when outside.
She showered and dressed. Then, finding she still had plenty of time, she put a little extra effort into her hair than usual. After adding a little extra curl, she tied her hair up with a red ribbon. She finished the look with the lipstick Shelly had given her and a bit of mascara. Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled as she thought of the elevator ride later.
At eight thirty Rebecca grabbed her purse and keys and headed out the door. She barely even noticed the lack of mysterious packages in front of the door as she made her way toward the elevators. Her heart raced as she waited for the doors to open. Finally, with a ding the opened to reveal an empty elevator. She grudgingly stepped inside and pushed the button for the first floor.
What had she been expecting? Even if he had wanted to catch her on her way to work, she was a good fifteen minutes earlier than usual. He would expect her to be running late as usual.
As she stepped out of the elevator and walked out of the building, she had to remind herself that she didn't have to run to work. She could enjoy her walk. It was a strange feeling after weeks of being rushed. She was able to take in the scenery as she strolled.
An early morning haze still hung in the air as if the world wasn't fully awake yet. Only the birds seemed as cheerful as she felt. They flitted from tree to tree singing their hearts out to the annoyance of the half asleep students making their way to class. As she strolled along the main lawn with the fountain, she saw the ROTC having their morning jog along the other side.
When Rebecca arrived at the library, she met Shelly in the staff room. She was checking her makeup in a compact and froze when she saw Rebecca. Rebecca smiled and went to place her things on her shelf.
"Becca... are you okay?"
"Never better. Why?"
"You're here. Not late. Early even!"
"You say that like it's a bad thing." She smiled.
"It's just so... not you."
"I thought I'd try it for a change. Feels pretty good. I might do it again sometime."
"You sure nothing happened?"
"Positive."
"Okay." She shrugged obviously not believing Rebecca. She gave her face one last look, closed her compact, and placed it back in her purse. She stowed it on the shelf next to Rebecca's, then they both left the room. Shelly placed herself behind the circulation desk and began scanning books back into the computer and placing them on a cart beside her. Rebecca wasn't used to waiting for Shelly before she could start work. Normally there was a cart waiting for her when she arrived. She asked Shelly how her evening had gone.
"Nothing eventful. Tom came over." She frowned as she said the name. Rebecca had given up trying to keep up with the names of the guys she dated. The name Tom didn't ring a bell, but she chose not to ask.
"Things not okay with him?"
"Well, he was so sweet at first. But now... he seems to only want to do one thing." Rebecca had a hunch what the one thing was. Shelly hadn't seemed to make the connection that all her dates seemed to want the same thing.
"Did you break up?"
"No. But I think we will. I'm certainly not going out with him again. Surely he'll get the hint." Rebecca thought this was low class, but decided not to share this thought with her. Instead, she took the book laden cart and headed off into the maze of shelves.
As she took the first book off the cart and stood on tiptoe to place it on the top shelf, she felt an odd sensation on the back of her neck. The hairs stood on end as she felt an icy stare. She froze and nearly dropped the book. She looked around and saw no one. She looked left and right, but nobody was there. She suddenly remembered the rumors that the library was haunted, but quickly shook that thought away. The last thing she needed was to be constantly spooked at work. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched.
Deciding she was imagining things, she ignored the uneasy feeling and set back to work. Book after book. Row after Row. Occasionally Rebecca would look over her shoulder, but never saw anyone. When the cart was empty, she took it back to the circulation desk and found Shelly had found a replacement for Tom.
She giggled as she leaned forward on the desk. He was tan with wavy black hair and deep brown eyes. He leaned on the desk as well, smiling as he pushed a book toward Shelly. It was clear to Rebecca that he didn't care about the book. It was probably just his excuse to talk to the blond at circulation. She'd seen this act many times before. She tried to ignore the scene as the put the cart up and busied herself with other things. Once she glanced up and saw Shelly writing on a slip of paper and passing it to the man. He slipped the paper in his pocket, smiled at her again, then turned and walked out the door leaving the book behind.
"Oh, Rebecca! I didn't see you there!" Shelly was beaming and breathless.
"You were busy."
"Did you see him?!?! Isn't he just incredible! And he's got the sexiest accent. He must be Mexican or something."
"What's his name?"
"Oh shoot, what did he say? Ricardo? Roberto? I don't know. Something like that. What's in a name anyway?"
"I take it you're going to meet him later?"
"He's going to call me after I get off."
"What about Tom?"
"What about him?" Rebecca grinned. It was the same old Shelly. She was only setting herself up for more heartache, but it was no use trying to tell her this.
Rebecca was assaulted with nonstop talk of Ricardo/Roberto over lunch. Judging solely on Shelly's observations, he was the greatest man on the face of the earth. It was amazing how long she could talk about him after only a few moments of conversation. Granted, most of Shelly's observations were physical.
Grateful to be free of the conversation, Rebecca gladly went back to work. Although she only had a few books to put away, she hid herself amongst the shelves and took her time going back to circulation. She was browsing through a book on impressionism paintings when Shelly came around the corner.
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Somebody left something for you in the book return."
"What?"
"Come and see." She turned and walked off. Rebecca placed the book back on the shelf and followed Shelly. Lying on the desk was a familiar envelope with intricate letters drawn on the front.
"I think it's another one of those picture things," Shelly observed.
Rebecca's fingers shook as she fumbled with the brad. She slipped out the single piece of paper and gasped. Drawn on the paper in perfect detail was a small table with a checkered tablecloth. Rebecca sat on one side of the table smiling broadly while dabbing her mouth with her napkin. Even in the colorless pencil sketch, it was clear she was blushing. Across from her, a dark figure sat in shadow. Faceless.
"Come on. Let me see it," Shelly insisted impatiently. Without a word, Rebecca handed the picture to her. Shelly frowned as she examined it.
"When was this?"
"Lunch yesterday."
"With that Josh guy?"
"Yeah."
"Was he sitting in a dark corner or something?"
"No."
"Okay. It's official. That's just creepy." She saved Rebecca the trouble and slipped the picture back in the envelope. Rebecca took it back to the staff room and stuffed it on the shelf beside her purse.

Chapter Six

The shadow of Josh haunted her the rest of the day. It was menacing. Threatening even. She dwelled on it constantly and walked home slowly, hardly aware of where she was going.
"Becky! Hi!" A deep voice called. Rebecca stopped and looked up to find Josh waving at her from the broken down car. She allowed her gaze to linger on his bare chest glistening with sweat. Then she realized he was waving her over.
"Hi, Josh. This thing still giving you trouble?"
"Yeah. It'd be a lot easier if it was in the shop, but he doesn't want to pay for towing." He wiped grease from his hands onto his filthy jeans. "Anyway, I missed you this morning."
"Oh, yeah, I left a little earlier today."
"So you were on time," he said with a sly smile.
"Exactly." She returned the smile. All thoughts of the shadowed Josh gone from her mind.
"I was hoping we could get together this evening?"
"Tonight?"
"I know it's short notice, but you don't have to get dressed up or anything. You look beautiful enough already." She blushed and his grin widened.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Maybe grab a bite. Maybe take a walk?"
"Sounds fun." She smiled what she hoped was a flirty smile. "What time?"
"Let me get cleaned up and I can meet you in fifteen?"
"Sure." He let the hood of the car fall down with a slam. He packed up his tools and they began walking to the building. They rode the elevator in silence, but he kept sneaking her sly glances. The smell of grease and sweat filled the tiny space and it made her heart race.
"I'm in 713. Just come on over when you're ready," she told him as she stepped off the elevator.
"Will do," he answered. She watched him as the doors closed. Then she turned and skipped to her door. Once inside, she dropped her purse on the couch and took the envelope to her room and placed it on the dresser with the others. She gave herself a look in her mirror. She took off the cardigan and fixed the ribbon in her hair. Then she touched up her lipstick.
Determined to be relaxed when he arrived, she found her book, sat on the couch, and attempted to read. Unfortunately, her thoughts were consumed with him and she had to read every sentence five times before it registered. Eventually she resigned herself to staring blankly at the pages.
After what felt like an eternity, yet turned out to be sixteen minutes, a casual knock woke her from her daydreams. She calmly put her book down, stood up and straightened her dress, and went to open the door. He stood smiling sweetly at her wearing a button down shirt and khaki pants. Far from the sweat and grease, he now smelled of an intoxicating musk that made her heart flutter.
"Ready?"
"Of course. Let me just grab my purse." She used the moment she had her back to him to contain herself. She draped her purse over her shoulder and grabbed her keys. Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked toward him. Rather than getting out of the way so she could close the door, he kept standing in the doorway as she walked. She stopped inches from him puzzled. He lifted her chin gently and looked deeply in her eyes.
"You look beautiful," he said softly. Her legs threatened to give out under her.
"I look the same as I did earlier," she managed say.
"Just wanted to let you know before we left." He smiled again and stepped back. She tried to hide her shaking hands as she closed and locked her door. She had to somehow get it together. She did not want to spend an entire evening shaking and unable to speak. Why did he have to be so gorgeous? As they stepped into the elevator, she attempted to make conversation.
"So how's work going?"
"Great actually. We break ground next week."
"That didn't take long."
"It's been ready to go for awhile. I just needed to finalize the deal on the land. It should be smooth sailing now."
"Sounds like you're going to be a busy man."
"Don't worry. I'll still have plenty of time for you," he said as she blushed again.
"You've got to stop that," she said unable to stop grinning.
"What did I do?" He mocked innocence.
"You keep making me blush."
"I only speak the truth."
"So where are we going?" she asked as they stepped out of the elevator.
"Don't know. Any thoughts?"
"Something simple."
"How 'bout a sandwich?"
"Perfect."
"I know just the place."
They walked out of the building and into the evening sun. They walked a few blocks toward Greek Row. Around a corner they found a small sub shop next to a bookstore. They went inside and ordered. She offered to pay for hers, but he would have none of it. They found a booth by the window and sat down. She found it difficult to eat with him watching her.
"How's life at the library?" he asked.
"It's going good. Wasn't quite sure what to do with myself this morning. I'd never been early before."
"Bet everyone was shocked."
"You could say that." They ate in silence for a few minutes.
"How's the unpacking going?" he finally asked.
"Good. I had a sudden burst of motivation and now I'm nearly done."
"Nearly?"
"Well, there's a room that you probably don't want to look in. Other than that, I actually have a functional home now."
"So that's why you weren't late today!"
"It certainly helped." They continued eating quietly. She was horribly aware of every bite she took. It wasn't easy to eat a sub gracefully. Finally, they threw their trash away and left.
"I've never been here before," she gestured at the bookstore. "Do you mind if we go in?"
"Not at all." He walked over to the door and held it open for her. It was a typical bookstore, but she couldn't resist. They browsed the aisles. She was in her element and was finally able to relax around him. She found a shelf with Jane Austen books and looked over a copy of Pride and Prejudice. She bought a new copy every year. She read it so often that it never lasted long.
"I've heard that's a good book," he commented.
"It's my favorite. I've got it at home."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but it's getting a little worn." She put the book back and made a mental note to come back for it.
"I was always more partial to poetry."
"Were you?"
"I told you there's more to me than people realize."
"Do you write any?"
"I've tried in the past with disastrous results. So I've decided to stick to enjoying other people's work."
They left the store and began walking toward the campus. The sun was setting and a warm glow filled the air. He offered his arm and she gladly took it. They walked slowly along a brick walk. It was very quiet in this corner of the campus. They came to a gazebo and walked in. They leaned against the railing and watched what was left of the sun slide beneath the horizon.
He moved behind her and slid his arms around her waist. She felt goosebumps rise on her arms and suspected it had little to do with the chill in the air. She leaned her head back on his chest and closed her eyes. They stood in silence until the sun was but a memory. A sudden breeze circled them and she gave an involuntary shiver.
"You're cold." It was a statement, not a question. He rubbed her arms to warm them. "We should head back."
"Okay," she never wanted to leave that spot, but didn't argue. He kept his arm around her and held her tight as they walked. She wasn't that cold, but felt wonderful in his arms.
Far too soon they reached their building and went inside. She pushed seven, but noticed he didn't push nine. She smiled knowing they wouldn't part just yet. He returned the smile.
"You're not getting rid of me that easy," he said.
"Isn't it rude to invite yourself into someone else's home?"
"I have done no such thing. I'm just extremely optimistic."
"Would you like to come to my place? I'd offer you a drink, but my kitchen doesn't have much in it at the moment."
"I'd love to see your place."
They walked down the hall and she hoped Lisa wouldn't spot them. She could only imagine the lecture she would receive. Rebecca quickly unlocked the door and they went inside.
"Here's the living room and dining room," she gestured at the room they were standing in. He looked curiously at everything. She showed him the kitchen and bathroom.
"Here's my bedroom," she blushed. He sensed her unease and merely poked his head in before turning around and looking at the closed door.
"This must be the storage shed," he joked turning the knob.
"No, don't!" Too late. The door was open revealing her mess. He smiled.
"Now that's more like it," he joked. She closed the door again. They went out onto the patio next.
"So that's my home," she said.
"Beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it."
"I wasn't talking about your home." He stepped closer to her. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"
"No." It was only half a lie. She was uncomfortable in a very good way.
"Liar. Just tell me if I'm moving too fast."
"Okay."
He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her close and kissed her gently. It was nothing like she expected. Every time she had imagined this moment, it was deep and passionate. This was better. She kissed him back, encouraging him. After a moment they broke apart.
"Thank you for spending this time with me tonight," he whispered. Unable to speak, she simply smiled. She wanted him to kiss her again. Instead, they turned toward the railing and he held her as they looked at the stars. She felt his lips on her neck and closed her eyes enjoying the sensation.
A knock on the door destroyed the moment. Rebecca forced her legs to work and went to see who it was. Her suspicions were confirmed when she found Lisa standing there with a scowl.
"I've been knocking for awhile, what's going on?"
"Nothing," she lied.
"Yeah? Well 'nothing' is standing in your living room." She pointed at Josh who had followed Rebecca inside.
"What did you need?" She asked Lisa, annoyed at her intrusion.
"This was in front of your door. Thought you might want it." She thrust an envelope at her and stormed off. Rebecca shut the door and tossed the envelope on the couch. There was no way she was going to open it around Josh.
"Who was that?" he asked.
"Lisa. My neighbor."
"She didn't sound very happy."
"She'll be okay."
"I should probably go."
"You don't have to."
"Actually, I do." He looked deeply into her eyes. "If I have any respect for you, I have to go. Trust me. I don't want to. I have to."
"If you must," she frowned. Then she tried to smile and added, "I had a wonderful time."
"As did I." He lifted her chin and gave her a soft kiss before leaving.
Rebecca was torn between emotions. She still ached for him and hated that he had to leave. She was overwhelmingly happy about the time they'd spent together. She was furious for Lisa for ruining a good moment. She was terrified of opening the envelope sitting on her couch.
She went to her bedroom and changed into her pajamas. Then she untied the red ribbon and brushed her hair. Finally, she resigned herself to open the envelope. She sat down on the couch and picked it up. It was the same yellow envelope, same loopy writing. Inside was a single sheet of paper. She gasped when she saw the picture.
A woman with dark hair pulled into a pony tail stood on her toes in an effort to place a worn dusty book on a bookshelf. Somebody had been watching her at work. Whoever this artist was, they were beginning to intrude into her life a little too much.

Chapter Seven

Rebecca woke early the next morning and greeted a morning that couldn't be more different than the one before. Dark clouds hung menacingly in the sky. A rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. Rebecca sighed. She had been hoping for another perfect morning.
She put on a pot of coffee and took a quick shower while it brewed. She dressed in a pair of pinstripe trousers and a lilac sweater. After a cup of coffee, she did her hair and makeup. Already she missed the cheerfulness she had felt the day before. She tried to perk herself up with thoughts of Josh.
As she left her apartment, she heard a familiar crunch of paper. Knowing what she would find, she looked around the door and found another yellow envelope. Sighing, she locked her door and picked up the envelope. Hoping to bump into Josh in the elevator, she decided not to waste time opening it. She pushed the down button and waited.
The doors parted revealing Josh in his usual jeans and tee shirt. He smiled groggily at her.
"Morning," he yawned.
"Good morning sleepy head. Rough night?"
"Oh you know me. Party all the time," he grinned. "For some reason..." he paused giving her a look. "I had a hard time getting to sleep."
"So what are you doing up so early?"
"Well, I tried to think of a good reason. Honestly I did. Unfortunately, all I could come up with was that I wanted to greet the early morning sunshine. As you can see, that excuse kind of backfired."
"How about the real reason?"
"I wanted to see you." He leaned close to her and gave her a soft kiss before the elevator doors opened. They stepped out and walked into the parking lot.
"So, when I walk away, are you going to go back upstairs and get some rest?"
"Actually, I was hoping you might want some company." She beamed and it was enough of an answer for him. They began walking toward the library.
"I hope I wasn't too forward last night," he said sheepishly.
"Not at all. I just wish Lisa hadn't ruined everything."
"What's her deal, anyway?"
"She thinks she's my mother. For some reason, she doesn't want me seeing you."
"Me? Why?"
"I don't know. She'd probably say the same thing about any guy I tried to date. She told me you weren't my type."
"Am I?" He stopped walking and looked seriously at her.
"I have no idea what my 'type' is, but if you're asking if I'm attracted to you..." she put her arms around his neck, pulled him close, and kissed him. She left no room for him to doubt her affections for him.
"Well that settles that," he stated as they broke apart. He was flushed and it made him look even more handsome in her eyes. They began walking again. His hand found hers and he held it. They walked in silence listening to the birds. When they reached the steps to the library, he pulled her close.
"I have work to do today. Would you mind if I stopped by your place tomorrow evening?"
"Whenever you want."
"Until then," he kissed her softly. He then pulled away from her, smiled, turned, and began walking away. She shook her head trying to shake herself out of a daze. Then she walked up the steps into the library.
"I saw that," Shelly said as she walked into the staff room.
"Saw what?" Rebecca tried to feign innocence, but failed miserably.
"That little display in front of the library. Start talking," she demanded.
For once, she was more than happy to tell Shelly all about her evening. She spared no details and ended with the kiss on the steps.
"Who's Lisa?" Shelly asked.
"My nosy neighbor."
"I'd have killed her if she ruined a moment like that for me. Why'd he leave?"
"He said if he had any respect for me, he had to."
"Wow."
"What?"
"Every guy I've ever invited over has been more than happy to stay. It always seems to be their goal before the date even gets started."
"Josh is different."
"I see that. You're one lucky girl." Shelly smiled.
"I'm glad somebody thinks so. Talking to Lisa, you'd think I was dating Freddy Krueger or something. So how'd it go with you and Ricardo/Roberto/whatever his name is?"
"Eduardo?"
"Is that his name?"
"Yeah, I was way off, wasn't I? He called me last night. We talked for hours. He's just amazing. I don't understand half of what he says, but it's like that doesn't even matter. He just says my name and I swoon."
"Are you going to see him?"
"Yeah. He's taking me out to dinner tomorrow night."
"Well, be careful. Don't go getting your heart broken again."
"Oh, you know me," she said airily as they walked out of the staff room.
"That's why I'm so concerned." The envelope lay forgotten and unopened next to Rebecca's purse.
The morning passed uneventfully. Rebecca hummed softly as she put books away and thought longingly of her time with Josh. Things were moving a bit fast for her, but what did that matter? Clearly he had strong feelings for her. She had wanted to be with him since she first laid eyes on him four weeks ago. So why waste time with the "getting to know you" dance? Why not just go with the heart and throw caution to the wind?
Rebecca thought of how she had pulled him to her and kissed him. That was completely out of character for her and she was shocked that she had done it. She thought of the look on his face and smiled. Seeing him blush was worth it.
Only when she went back to the staff room at lunchtime did she remember the envelope. Her heart skipped a beat and the smile slid from her face. Reluctantly, she picked it up and opened it. She looked at the picture and her stomach tied itself in a knot.
Under a starry sky, a gazebo stood regally. In the gazebo stood a dark haired woman. She was held by a dark shadow that only slightly resembled a human form. Her eyes twinkled as she smiled, she seemed completely unaware of the danger she was in. Even without a discernible face, the shadow looked hungry. Lustful.
Rebecca shivered and collapsed into the nearest chair.
"Becca, what's wrong?!" Shelly asked anxiously seeing the horror on her face. Unable to speak, Rebecca merely held up the picture.
"Was this last night?" Rebecca nodded.
"With Josh?" She nodded again.
"Um... Becca?" She looked up at Shelly. "I think it's time you went to the police."
Rebecca doubted they would help her, but decided it was time to do something and she didn't know what else to do. She stood up and picked up her things.
"I'll go with you." Shelly insisted and Rebecca was grateful.