Goddess of the Rose (Goddess Summoning #4)(2)

Nelly nodded. "Mullioned windows."

"Right, I think. Well, whatever they're called, I noticed them this time because they were letting in some light." Mikki's gaze was trapped by the cheerily burning fire as she relived her dream. "It was a soft, pink-tinted light that must have been dawn," she said dreamily and then caught herself and continued, "Anyway, it woke me." She hesitated and a small, half-laugh escaped her throat. "It even seemed odd in the dream - having my dream self wake up to experience another dream." Mikki shrugged her shoulders. "But I woke up. I was lying on my stomach, and I could feel someone brushing my hair. It was wonderful. The 'whoever' was using one of those big brushes with soft, wide bristles." Mikki grinned at her friend. "You know there are few things better than having your hair brushed."

"I'm with you on that one, but hair brushing is not sex."

"Okay, it's been a long time, but I'm fully aware that hair brushing is not sex. I'm not at the sex part yet, I'm just at the why-I-was-so-relaxed-and-happy part," Mikki said, giving Nelly an impatient look.

"Sorry for interrupting. Just pretend like I'm not here."

"Is that shrink-talk stuff?"

"Nope. It's I-want-to-hear-about-the-sex-part stuff."

Mikki grinned at her. "In that case, I will gladly continue. Let's see . . . I was so relaxed that I could feel myself drifting. It was bizarre - like my soul had become so light that it lifted from my body. It was then that everything got freaky."

"Explain freaky."

"Well, there was a rush of wind. It was like the breeze had all of a sudden picked me up and carried me someplace. But not really me. Just my spirit me. Then there was a settling feeling. It startled me, and I opened my eyes. I was back in my body, only now I was standing in the middle of the most incredible rose garden I have ever seen, ever even imagined." Mikki's voice lost any hint of hesitation as she fell into the description of the scene. "It was breathtaking. I wanted to drink the air like wine. Roses were all around me. All my favorites: Double Delight, Chrysler Imperial, Cary Grant, Sterling Silver . . ." She sighed happily.

"Any Mikado Roses?"

Nelly's question brought her back to reality.

"No, I didn't see any of my namesake roses." She sat up, giving her friend an irritated look. "And I really don't think this is happening to me because my mother thought it was clever to name me after her favorite rose."

Nelly made a conciliatory gesture with her hand. "Hey, you have to admit, Mikki," she said, pronouncing the nickname clearly, as if to erase the word Mikado from the air around them, "that it's weird that roses, in some form, appear in every one of your dreams."

"Why should it be odd? I'm a volunteer at the Tulsa Municipal Rose Gardens. I raise my own roses. Why should something that has been such a big part of my life not figure into my dreams?"

"You're right. Roses are an important part of your life, as they were your mother's - "

"And her mother's before her, and hers before her," Mikki interrupted.

Nelly smiled and nodded. "You know I think it's a lovely hobby, and I'm completely jealous of your ability to grow such beautiful roses."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so touchy. I guess I'm running short on sleep."

Worry shadowed Nelly's expression. "You didn't tell me that you're not sleeping."

"Oh, no, it's nothing," Mikki said briskly. "I've just been taking too many papers home from the office and staying up too late."

Please don't ask me any more questions about that, she thought, glancing at Nelly as she hastily stirred and then sipped her cappuccino. She didn't want her to know that her exhaustion had nothing to do with lack of sleep or too much work. All she wanted to do was to escape to her dream world and sleep, and even though she never felt fully rested after she'd been to that fantasy world of dreams, she felt compelled to return night after night.

"Mikki?"

"Where was I?" she floundered.

"In the beautiful rose garden."

"That's right."

"And things were getting freaky."

"Yeah." Mikki let her eyes fall back to the fireplace. "For a while I just walked among the roses, touching each of them and appreciating their beauty. My guess was right, it was early morning and the air was fresh and cool; the roses were still sprinkled with dew. Everything looked like it had just been washed. The garden was circular, and the roses and their terraces formed a kind of labyrinth or maybe a maze. I wandered around and around, just enjoying myself."

Mikki's smile wavered, and she paused before beginning the next part of her dream. She could feel her cheeks coloring. Her eyes shifted abruptly to meet her friend's curious gaze.

"Do not tell me you're embarrassed!"

Mikki gave her a sheepish grin. "Kinda."

"Please recall that you and I have gotten Brazilian waxes. Together. In the same room. Get over it and give me the details. Plus, if all else fails, remember" - she took another big bite of biscotti and continued through a full mouth - "I'm a professional."

"Don't remind me," Mikki mumbled. She took a deep breath. "Okay, so I'm in the rose garden and then I suddenly felt him. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was behind me." She licked her lips. Unconsciously, Mikki's hand moved to her throat. Her fingertips slowly stroked the sensitive skin at the base of her neck as she spoke. "I started walking faster, because at first I felt like I should get away from him, but soon that changed. I could hear him behind me; he was gaining on me. He wasn't being quiet or trying to hide. His noises were feral . . . dangerous. . . . it was as if I was being hunted by a fierce, masculine animal."