Whispers of Redemption Pt. 03

"Why aren't you wearing anything I bought you?" Jeremy inquired as his eyes roved her sweat pants and over-sized t-shirt clad body. It was then that Kayla removed his hand. Bree had left around an hour ago; that was how long it had taken to unpack everything...even Doris had climbed the stairs to help. She rested the wooden stirring spoon across the stainless steel pot and took a deep breath.

"Why would you do that?" She said almost angrily. Jeremy's brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"Why would you buy me all of that stuff?" She demanded her voice low only because Doris was still snoozing. His eyes softened but he remained silent.

"Talk to me"

"I wanted to" He replied simplistically. She huffed frustratingly

"What does that mean, Jeremy?" She lifted her arms only to let them plop back down to the sides of her thighs.

"It means I wanted to" He said stubbornly. She gave him a look. He was being vague it was the same vagueness he had used in the bathroom when she had asked him who Dracula was.

"So do you do this for everyone you meet that isn't as rich as you are?" She said sarcastically "Throw money at them and take them in...buy them clothes and cuddle with them at night?" She watched his face grow increasingly blank until it held no expression; his jaw clenched and he took an almost unperceivable step back.

"I'm so sorry" Kayla said, her hand already over her mouth. She didn't know what had just come over her. "Jeremy, I'm sorry. I-I just...I want to know why you are being so nice to me...I don't unders-"

"I told you" He said seriously "I want to."

"But why?" she cried. His thumb and index finger captured her chin.

"Because most friends want to do nice things for their friends" He replied. She stared into the deep green of his eyes unwilling to succumb to him.

"Well I'm not going to take any of it...friend." She clenched her fists, her eyes ironically pleading.

"It would mean a lot to me if you did."

"Jeremy-"

"For me? Do it for me?" She closed her eyes at the sound of his voice.

"You're unbelievable" she sighed. A clear surrender. He grinned.

"My niece is at my mother's house and my father is holding a dinner for family and friends" He glanced at the pot on the stove "I should've told you."

"Oh, no...that's okay" She covered the pot and slid it across the electric stove onto one of the three back burners. "I'll eat it."

"No, I'd like you to come." Jeremy confessed. Kayla gawked at him.

"No...I can't. It's a family din-"

"Family and Friends" He emphasized, lifting the long plastic in his hand by its hanger to measure it against her body. She gasped and he laughed.

"Perfect." He said, clearly satisfied. She blushed.

"You bought the dress before you even asked." She shook her head.

"I never intended on asking" He winked and she rolled her eyes.

"How did you know my size?" She asked whimsically; suddenly remembering that all the clothes Bree had gotten had fit her. Jeremy's eyes slowly dropped to the soft curves of her breasts-that were still quite prominent despite the large shirt-and then lower...the night before assailed him with a vengeance.

Kayla watched him lick his lips and was almost positive he wasn't aware of the fact that he had...he had never done that.

"Jeremy?" she called softly. She watched the glaze in his eyes fade and his jaw tighten visibly. He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair before shoving the same hand in his pocket and shrugging nonchalantly.

"Guessed" he muttered.

"You guessed right" She murmured as she expressed interest in the tiled floor. Unwittingly she stole a glance into his eyes and the light mesmerizing green had transformed into a deep forest green if not black...she was frozen in place. He slowly reached for her arm and extended it towards his chest, midway, he draped the evening gown across it and abruptly let go.

"An hour good enough? Bree is already on her way." He asked already headed towards Doris's sleeping form. She nodded afraid of what her voice might sound like.

"Nonna" He placed both hands around each of her shoulders and Doris awoke.

***

"For a straight guy he is a little bit too good at buying an evening gown" Bree said absent-mindedly as she ran her hand over the silk of the evening gown Kayla had given her to inspect. She heard Kayla laugh.

"Do you know your dress size?" Bree inquired fixing the folds on the chest area of the gown. Kayla bit her lip; she hadn't owned a dress for as long as she could remember.

Bree gauged the worried look that entered the girl's eyes and immediately sought to assuage her.

"Well you can just try it on and we'll see." Bree lifted the flowing fabric and handed it to Kayla. Just minutes later Kayla emerged from the walk in closet-where she had chosen to change- and Bree's eyes bulged out of her head.

"You're bloody gorgeous!" Bree yelped, rushing towards Kayla like a little girl who had just discovered a new baby doll.

Her dress was one-hundred percent silk which gave the navy blue color a gleaming hue, and it was form fitting. Bree appraised the modest cut that exposed the beautiful blemish-free caramel of Kayla's chest in a subtle 'U' shape; the fabric still clung to the enticing curve of her breasts, cupping them perfectly and dangerously sheathing her abdomen, clinging to every existing curve before flaring out to engulf her legs and feet in a cloud of blue silk folds; her tiny waist accentuated and fairly wide hips glorified.

"He is going to lose his mind" Bree giggled clapping her hands childishly.

"Oh and we are going to pull back some of these curls" Bree played with a handful of curls towards the front of Kayla's mass of wavy hair. "With a nice silver ribbon" She tied up some of Kayla's hair as promised with the silver ribbon and reached for the rest of her long hair with clear giddiness.

"We're just friends" Kayla got out. After Bree's previous comment she had tried to explain that their relationship wasn't like that but Bree had been all over the place...going crazy in her hair.

"Who?" Bree asked in a clueless tone as she wrapped several of Kayla's curls around her finger. "You and Jeremy? Oh please! I've known him for years, we went to school together. You don't have to lie on my behalf" She laughed.

"I'm not lying" Kayla insisted. With two more finger curls Bree was done with Kayla's hair for the moment and practically ran to the closet.

"Why does he know your size?" Bree called out sarcastically as she searched for the perfect pair of heels.

"I-" Kayla was stumped. Bree walked back out with a pair of silver Prada heels in her hand.

"Exactly" Bree drawled shrewdly as both her eye brows jumped up and down in an "oh yeah" expression. Kayla busted out into laughter before she could defend both Jeremy and herself.

"Any guy who scrutinizes you closely enough to guess your size and guess right" Bree set down the heels in front of Kayla who now sat on the bed and began to search for the make-up she had purchased-once she had left the house and knew Kayla's skin tone- "is utterly interested...if not slightly obsessed."

"But Jeremy was never the type for infatuation." Bree continued to think out loud. She grabbed the makeup once she found it and sat beside Kayla.

"So what's the deal?" Bree questioned as she began to 'beautify' Kayla's face, careful to cover-for the most part- fading bruise on her cheek.

"Bree you are over-reacting. I don't know why he knows my size but he seems to be quite intuitive about everything in general. We are just friends, I hardly know him. And since you've known him since high school you should just ask him yourself."

Bree laughed "He would lie too; plus, I'm too professional for that"

Kayla sighed.

"Why does he need a stylist? You know I can dress myself." Kayla huffed.

"He has...questionable taste... that's why I was so surprised that he picked out this gown. I buy all of his suits, shoes, casual wear and night wear. Usually I help Sarah and every now and then Rita, Jeremy's friend's wife." Bree explained as she applied a light eye shadow with the pad of her index finger onto Kayla's eye lid.

"If you're just friends why is it that you are here?" Bree asked tentatively "If you don't mind me asking."

Kayla studied the subtle brown of Bree's eyes and the thickness of her long dark lashes before she smiled nervously.

"It's a very long story" she said quietly hoping Bree wouldn't take that as a dismissal of the subject. She liked Bree.

"Oh, Okay" Bree said complacently, her voice lined with the smallest amount of disappointment.

Enough for Kayla to notice, though.

"I promise, one of these days I'll tell you." Kayla smiled faintly "since you insist on helping with me with such a simple task such as getting dress." She finished in a haughty impersonation of Bree. Immediately Bree's eyes sparkled.

"Hey, if I get paid for it I'll do it, and I'll do it well." She declared whilst trying her hardest to staunch the flow of laughter building up in her chest.

Several moments later Kayla was finished getting ready and Bree was spraying her with a newly purchased perfume that smelled like absolute heaven; roses and vanilla.

"I think I'm over dressed for a family dinner" Kayla admitted as she fiddled nervously with her gown.

"An Alessi dinner? No you look like the typical attendee, trust me." Bree assured her.

She squeezed Kayla's hand and when their eyes met she gave her a warm smile.

"You look dauntingly angelic" Bree told her softly. Kayla blushed at the obviously over-exaggerated comment.

"All thanks to you" She retorted.

"Oh, bloody-" But before Bree could protest the young girl wrapped her small arms around her. Bree, caught by surprise took several seconds to register the action and hug her back.

"Thanks Bree" Kayla murmured.

"My pleasure, darling" Bree replied, rubbing the girl's back.

November 14th 2000

10:10pm

Dalton Heights

"Jeremy pull up to that red car, I think that's Aniela Rizzo. I haven't seen that woman in at least two years." Doris pointed to the car expectantly. Jeremy sighed and drove up to the car, surprised there was space next to the smaller convertible. Sports cars, classics, and trucks all lined Paul Alessi's spacious driveway. Most overflowed onto the street beyond.

"Ms. Aniela Rizzo" Doris exclaimed playfully. "Is that you?"

An older woman in a long flowing golden evening gown turned around at the sound of her name and as soon as her eyes laid eyes on Doris they widened and a gasp left her lips.

"Doris Mancini!" She exclaimed. Doris shooed off the valet attendant and opened the door of the passenger seat.

"My God" She said as she gave Doris a tight hug. The two women began to laugh cheerily, speaking so quickly in Italian it was hard for Kayla to differentiate it from gibberish. Doris closed the door and the two women walked to the front entrance of Paul's mansion.

"Her child hood friend" Jeremy said in explanation before jumping out of the car and handing the keys to the valet attendant.

"I'll get the door" Jeremy said to the valet attendant. He opened the door for Kayla and offered his hand. She took it calming immediately as the warmth of it seeped through the pores on her hand. She worked herself out of the car careful not to ruin her fulsome gown.

As the young attendant drove away with Jeremy's BMW he took a moment to face Kayla. From the very moment she had walked down the winding steps of his house he had chosen not to say anything to her and besides the smile he had given her as she approached him before they left, they had exchanged no words and no expressions. He could see that she was hurt by his muteness. He could see that she had expected him to compliment her not because she believed she looked beautiful but because it would have comforted her to hear it.

As she had descended the steps, her hair not as curly as it had been but wavy and glistening and her skin glowing, her eyes had glimmered in a way he had never seen before. And her smile seemed so much more...unguarded and real. The gown hugged her torso as if it had been tailored and made just for her alone; just forhisKayla. She appeared to be perfect in those moments, to him; perfect and real and his. Unwittingly and selfishly he imagined her as if she were literally his. Inexplicably and remarkably his chest had tightened at the thought, his mouth had gone dry and his right hand had started to shake slightly. It was the most vulnerable feeling he had ever felt in his life for if she had demanded it of him he would've gotten to his knees and professed his undying infatuation to her. Despite the tightness in his chest and the dryness of his mouth it was the slight shake of his hand that had him slowly losing his cool; it was visible. And though he fisted it and banished it to the deepest space of his slacks pocket he could still feel the tremble of it and it still reminded him of how utterly hard he had fallen for the eighteen year old girl who would've been most likely dead and forgotten had he not stopped his car so many nights ago. He thought back to earlier when she had asked him why he continued to help her and instantly remembered the plausible partial fib he had delivered in response. The truth was deep inside he believed that taking care of her would fill the empty space in his chest that yearned to be with her and claim her; taking care of her would give him an excuse to stay in her life, taking care of her would make her feel indebted to him and although he knew she wasn't, he also knew that the more indebted she felt she was to him the longer she'd stick around, the longer she'd allow him to gaze into those exquisite hazel orbs and the more time she would give him to gain her trust and maybe even her interest.

He had not said a word to her because if he had opened his mouth he would have kissed her right there and then and he had not touched her because if he had felt the softness of her enticing skin or the shudder of her body that he often experienced, he would have pulled her to the ground and ripped that gorgeous dress from her body. He would have taken her with such an animalistic need and force that he would've surely hurt her. He wouldn't have stopped until she was writhing beneath him, his name entangled in the addictive melody she called a voice...her nails digging into his back and her thighs seeking to staunch the blood flow to his waist.

Jeremy blinked away his thoughts and memories and as he did so he realized they had been standing there gazing into each others' eyes.

Kayla recognized the distant look in his eyes and had allowed him to remain wherever it was that he was at the moment. When his eyes cleared she gave him a small smile. She felt self-conscious and simple. He hadn't said a word when she had approached him for the first time in the dress he had bought and reluctantly she had admitted to herself that she was devastated. And although she hadn't believed Bree's last words before she had left the room, she was just hoping...

"Where'd you go?" she murmured a small smile-despite her current disposition-on her lips. She watched his eyes shift to take in her entire face. When he gazed into her eyes once more a foreign tightening sensation in her lower stomach had her whimpering before she could suppress the sound. She bit her lip and sought to divert her gaze. A deep blush crept up her neck and cheeks. He was cradling her face before she even thought to desire the familiar caress.

"I was thinking of how ridiculously magnificent you look right now" He whispered softly. Kayla felt her eyes tear and couldn't explain the sudden urge she had to cry. She bit her lip through a wide smile her eyes now watery and blurred.

She loved the way his eyes burned...as fiery and dangerous as fire itself but, unique...green, green fire.

"If I-" He said so quietly she would not have heard him if she hadn't took the chance to look at his sensuous lips. Before he could finish his sentence he closed his eyes, his masculine nose subtly flared and his jaw pulsed.

"Jeremy" Kayla urged him. His eyes flew open to catch the almost unreal glow of her eyes, of her entire beauty.

"If I were to kiss you" He whispered "would you forgive me"

Kayla couldn't help the smile that split her face and instead of telling him she would sell everything she owned to have him kiss her just once she replied in a murmur:

"I would"

Suddenly he was tilting her head and her heart was beating so hard it could've 'beat' itself out of her chest and onto the asphalt of the driveway. She closed her eyes.

She moaned the moment their lips met a tear from her watery eyes spilling down her blush-covered cheek and her coat covered arms reaching up to wrap around his scarf clad neck. His lips were so insanely soft and amazing; they moved against hers in a pattern that had her unknowingly clenching her thighs together frantically. She followed his movement in desperation to have him feeling what it was that she was feeling. She felt his arms slip tightly around her waist and fervently wished it wasn't necessary that she wear a coat; yet remarkably she could still feel the blinding heat of his touch. His hands grabbed what felt like fist-fulls of her coat and she moaned as she felt his tongue run across her bottom lip. Instinctively she tentatively licked his lips and the soft groan that escaped them sent a sudden jolt of something that could only be described as physical pleasure from the top of her spine to the very core of her womb; she moaned throatily at the sensation and his grip on her tightened. Suddenly he was delving into her mouth, exploring its design with his tongue; she held on for dear life, fairly loud whimpers leaving her that she didn't recognize as her own.

His lips left hers to kiss her cheek and then her ear.

"Jeremy" She whined shamelessly. A growl left him and she felt him travel to her neck...the sensation was euphoric and before she knew what she was doing she was running her hand through his thick black hair. He moaned as soon as her fingers raked his scalp; her body was literally pulsating and a light yearning in the knot of her stomach had grown to full blown need. He continued to caress her neck with his lips and tongue; she thought she would go crazy. Jeremy knew that he was taking much more than he had asked for but damn him if was going to stop on his own accord. Every time his name left her sweet lips he lost just that much more control. His lips found hers once more and this time the connection was much stronger. She stiffened against him and the sudden halt of her writhing body and the hands in his hair had him lifting his head to seek her eyes and when he did he found them plastered on something presumably past his shoulder. He followed her gaze.

There behind him stood Angela her face visibly red under the bright lights of Paul's humongous driveway. She stood clad in a long, black strapless evening gown, her hair pulled up into a tight pony tail and two diamond droop earrings hanging from her dainty ears. She had no coat on so she must have come from inside. Her breasts heaved with anger and her long brown pony tail whipped gracefully around her neck with the harsh winter wind. Her brown eyes glaring daggers at Kayla.

She was the most beautiful woman Kayla had ever seen.

Chapter 5 to be continued in Pt.04 of Whispers of Redemption

I hope you all enjoyed. I am sorry for the long wait and I hope you guys didn't give up on the story. Remember to vote, give feedback and/or comment. I appreciate each and every expression of interest and opinion. Pt.04 is in the making, don't worry.