Don't Be Sorry

Ginny Shearin

Catherine stood on the balcony looking out over New York, her long velour robe pulled close around her against the chilly night air. She hugged her robe closer and smiled to herself, thinking of Vincent and wishing it were his arms pressing next to her instead of her own.

 

Vincent moved silently away from the balcony wall behind Catherine. He knew he should announce his presence, but the picture before him was too enchanting to interrupt. Catherine stood smiling, the breeze tugging gently at her hair to reveal her lovely face and the creamy skin of her neck. She was at peace. Such moments hadn’t been frequent lately, and he hesitated to disturb her, both because he wanted her to enjoy the tranquility of the moment and because he hadn’t had time to drink in enough of the sight of her. Still, it was not gentlemanly to intrude on her privacy without her knowledge.

"Catherine."

She turned toward him with a smile of delight and met him with a hug, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest.

He could still scarcely believe that this beautiful creature of daylight and sunshine could feel such contentment when he held her. It seemed so wrong and so right at the same time. His senses were always torn when they were together. On the one hand, he wanted to run – to save her from being too connected to something not quite human, to save her beauty from the insult of being touched by his clawed hands and wrapped in his furred arms. On the other hand, he wanted to stay forever – smothering her with kisses, caressing her bare skin, loving her the way a man loves the woman he wants to be with all his life. Her touch always brought those conflicts within him, but it was the sweetest conflict he could imagine.

"I brought you something," he said softly against her hair.

She straightened, looking up at him in anticipation as he reached to extract a Winterfest candle from a pocket inside his cloak. This year she knew what the candle represented and was excited at the prospect.

"Winterfest. I can hardly wait," she answered, reaching to accept the candle.

"The children were insistent that I should bring you a candle from the first batch Rebecca made. All of them are excited, hoping you can be with us this year."

"And you?" she asked.

That is my hope as well."

"I wouldn’t miss it," she assured him. "It’s already on my calendar." Without thinking, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him gently on the cheek.

He placed his hands on her upper arms to help her balance, and lost in the moment, he brushed a soft kiss on her temple as she moved back.

Catherine was surprised. He felt that through their bond. Thinking he had overstepped the bounds between them, he moved his hands from her arms.

In spite of what she believed, surely she would have been repelled at the touch of such inhuman lips on her face.

"Catherine, I’m sorry. I had no right…." He turned to leave.

Catherine caught his arm to stop him.

"No, Vincent. Feel embarrassed. Feel angry with yourself. Feel sad. Feel anything else you choose…but please…don’t be sorry. I love you. You do have the right, and I will welcome the day when you accept that. It was a beautiful way to invite me to Winterfest."

Vincent turned slowly, absorbing the fact that she hadn’t been offended, only surprised. She had enjoyed his touch, and she was looking at him with such love…. In spite of his intentions and his better judgment, he moved his hands back to her arms, lowered his face toward hers and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. He felt her pleasure as she returned the kiss, pressing herself lightly against him. He drew her close and held her until he felt he could speak again. One barrier had been breached. Why not another?

He looked down at her and watched her smile grow as he admitted with self-effacing humor, "You received this year’s first Winterfest candle. The children’s joy at having you with us is nothing next to mine. I took some of them with me to see the first candles because I knew that they would insist I bring yours right away…and I believe I annoyed Rebecca when I took one of her candles before she was ready to part with them."

"I’m honored that you went to such trouble," Catherine laughed and hugged him happily.

He returned her embrace with a short, soft chuckle, then whispered near her ear, "I love you, Catherine."