ROOFTOP MEMORIES

"What was that?"

She broke his embrace of her just enough to face him.

"I said I like this," she grinned.

"Oh, you like standing in the cold," Carl questioned, a smirky grin
sneaking across his face. He said it to make her laugh, and that she did.

"Carl, you know what I mean."

"No, no. I’m not so sure that I do," he teased, "Now do you like this?"
He pulled Rachel close and began to sway. "Or this," Carl slowly dipped her. "Could it possibly be that you like this," Carl asked gently pulling Rachel towards him. He carefully placed his hands on her face and moved his lips to her’s, drawing her into a kiss.

After their lips finally parted, Rachel managed to whisper a "yes" in reply.

"What was that," Carl again questioned. Rachel’s voice was still barely
above a whisper.

"Yes, to all of the above, except I don’t like standing in the cold,"
Rachel grinned.

"Well, my lady, I can remedy that. Your place or mine?"

Rachel didn’t respond, but instead stared at Carl. Her face unreadable.

"Ahh, I was a bit too forward there was I? Look, Rachel, I didn’t mean
to......"

"Carl," Rachel interrupted, "it’s okay. How about my place? It’s closer."

"Whatever you wish," he answered, feeling a bit bewildered.

"Good," Rachel smiled, "Let’s go. I’m freezing."

Loretta Delahanty had a feeling Carl might stay over. The crafty
matchmaker placed his luggage in Rachel’s room for just that reason.

"Well, if he doesn’t stay, they’ll at least have to go to her room to get
his luggage," Loretta thought to herself, "and that could lead to something
too."

****

"Gee, I think a little bird’s been spying on us, " Rachel giggled as she
nearly tripped over Carl’s luggage.

"Perhaps, but at least she put it where I could find it, " Carl laughed as
he removed his coat, "Are you getting warmer?"

"Mmmm, a little," Rachel answered as she walked over to the thermostat,
"Think Loretta’s trying to tell us something? Oh, Carl, look at this," Rachel said
noticing a bottle of wine on the table. "She’s put a bottle on ice and has two glasses
here for us."

"Such a dear old thing," Carl’s mischviously eyed first the wine and then
Rachel. He could always count on Loretta to champion his cause in winning Rachel’s love. "I do wonder what she is trying to get through to us," he continued Rachel’s game.

Rachel slowly advanced to Carl, her face similar to that of a child purposely being naughty. "Well maybe it will come to us," she placed her hand on Carl’s face, "you think?"

"Oh, let’s not think," Carl leaned closer, pulling her lips to his.

"Oh, Carl," Rachel sighed after they finally came up for air.
"Rachel, telling me I’m not dreaming," Carl whispered, his eyes closed.

"If you are, I think I like your dreams," she laughed, causing Carl to open
his eyes.

"You’re really here, and so am I?"

"Yes, Carl. I think we are." Carl lead her to the sofa, laid down, and
pulled Rachel in beside him.

"Rachel, what are we doing here," his question making her think.

"Kissing," Rachel smirked, not sure how to reply. Carl laughed at her
answer.

"Oh, Rachel, do you know how long I’ve dreamed of this moment," Carl said
pulling Rachel closer to him.

"Have you," she asked.

"Yes, many times, many nights."

"So have I," Rachel confessed, propping her head on Carl’s chest.

"Really?"

"Mmhm, surprised?"

"A little, but it’s wonderful to know that I’m not alone in this."

"No, you’re not, Carl," Rachel smiled at him, "Thank you for staying."

"How could I not stay after I saw your face, those tears in your eyes?"

"You saw all that," Rachel questioned, "Well, never mind, you always see
more of me than anyone else does."

"I’m glad that you asked me to stay," Carl said, leaning his head near
Rachel’s and then kissing her. "I don’t want this to stop." His lips brushed gently
against her’s.

"What, darling," she mumbled, her lips still close to his.

"This, wonderful, incredible feeling I have inside. I’ve never felt it
before, but I quite like it."

"What, butterflies in your stomach," Rachel giggled.

"Yes, something like that," he smiled.

"Oh, Carl, you’re too much," Rachel said kissing him. All of this was so
new to him. It was amazing to see Carl this way, so different than she had ever
seen him before. Rachel laid her head on Carl’s chest, his heartbeat becoming a lullaby.

Carl felt her body relax as he softly caressed her back. He knew she must be tired. What an adventerous day she must have put in tracking him to the docks, and then being manhandled off that ship. If he had only seen those deck hands touching her! Yet, that was over with and now here she was lying in his arms where she belonged.

"Where did the hours go," Carl questioned, seeing that the clock read close
to 2am" Rachel stirred a bit, convincing him that she needed to go to bed.

"Rachel, you need some rest. Let’s call it a night."

"No," she murmured sleepily, "I want to stay here with you."

"Darling, you can’t sleep here. You’ll feel horrible in the morning if you
do. Come, go change and climb into your bed."

"Where will you be," she quietly asked, her eyes still closed.

"I’ll stay here on the sofa."

"No, no.....I want you to be with me. Can’t I sleep in your arms?"

Carl wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Was Rachel actually aware of what
she had just asked? Granted this was not a question of real intimacy, but then again, it was.

"Carl, stop thinking," Rachel whispered, seemingly reading his mind, "I
just want you to hold me. I need to know that you are near me."

This was a difference in Rachel, Carl thought, she was always the one to
think. Then again he had refused her that night in his hotel room, even if it was
because of Jake and Paulina. This would have happened there if he had not been so bloody concerned with her family. He wasn’t going to refuse her again.

"All right, you go change, and I’ll be right behind. First I want to put
up the wine."

"Oh, I forgot all about it," Rachel mumbled, "oh, well, maybe later."

"Yes, later," Carl said thinking that was a wonderful word coming from her
lips, "Let’s go to bed."

"Yes, the bed would be nice," Rachel said, sleepier than before, "but only
if you’ll help me up," she softly giggled.


Carl’s eyes opened on an empty pillow. ‘Rachel should be there,’ he
thought, trying to remember if last night had been a dream. ‘No, this is not my bed,’ he continued, ‘Then were is she?’ A panicked Carl sat upright in bed, suddenly convinced he had offended Rachel by accepting her innocent, but sleepy offer to stay the night. ‘She hasn’t bolted, has she?’ Then Carl caught the scent of her perfume in the air.

"Get a hold on yourself, Hutchins," Carl said to himself, "she’s around her
somewhere." Carl then caught a new smell, the smell of, "bacon," he said.
Carl laughed at himself, picturing Rachel cooking.

"Carl," her voice drifted down the hallway, reaching his ears, "Are you
awake yet?"

"How domestic," he smirked, throwing back the sheets and grabbing a robe to
cover his bare chest. Although the night had been somewhat chilly, he had
slept in only his pajama pants, Rachel’s body warming the rest of him. ‘What a wonderful feeling that was,’ Carl thought remembering her lying in his arms, resting her head on his chest. ‘She didn’t seem to mind it either." A smile sneaked across his face.

"Carl," Rachel called again.

"Yes, Rachel, I’m coming." Carl made his way down the narrow hallway,
turning the corner leading to the small kitchen. He stopped in the doorway,
watching her. Rachel’s back was to him as she hastily flipped the sizzling bacon. Her long silk robe reminded Carl of the one he gave her for Christmas. She was a natural here he noticed, and it amazed Carl that all of this was for him.

"Good-morning, Rachel," he finally spoke, "Did you sleep well?"

"Oh, hi. You’re up," she shyly smiled, turning to look at Carl. She had
enjoyed sleeping near him, and even though nothing else had happened, the morning after was always the worst. Rachel had all ready begun to question herself on her decision to let Carl stay. Yet, once she saw him, those doubts went away. He was leaning against the doorway, his long silver hair falling about his shoulders. His robe was slightly open, revealing his strong chest that her head had rested on not so long before.

"Rachel, the bacon," Carl said, bringing Rachel out of her stare.

"Oh, yes, the bacon," she quickly turned back to the stove and removed the
nearly burnt food. "That was close," she laughed, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Would you like some breakfast? I have coffee, fruit, toast, and this," she pointed to the skillet.

"Yes, but only if you’ll join me," Carl answered.

"Rachel, that was delicious," Carl said, finishing his breakfast.

"Thank you," she smiled, her head down. She felt uneasy for some reason,
perhaps because she was thinking too much again. Or maybe because she
regretted only having Carl hold her as she slept. Her feelings for him were so strange, but wonderful as well. It had been so long since she felt this way for any man. Carl quickly picked up on her change in moods.

"Rachel, are you all right?"

"Yes, I’m fine," she lifted her head so he could see her eyes. "I’m sorry,
I was just thinking about us."

"Oh, us, what a wonderful word. Yes, what about us," Carl mused.

"I do love being with you, Carl."

"And I you."

"It’s so easy to be with you here, but I need to go home, back to my
family."

"Yes, Bay City calls," Carl said leaving to refill their coffee. He
returned shortly, joining Rachel on the sofa.

"I want you to come with me to Bay City."

"Rachel, what are you plotting," Carl questioned, seeing a sparkle in her
eyes.

"Well, I’ll certainly want to see you at home," she said coyly, "and I
don’t want to explain that I’m seeing you to everyone."

"Yes, so this should be a secret for awhile. Yes, I can agree with that."

"No, Carl, you know that didn’t work the first time. No, I want quite the
opposite this time," Rachel hesitated, then continued, "....when it’s real."

"Rachel, what do you mean? You wish to tell everyone at once? Are you
sure? How do you plan to do that," Carl’s questions tumbled out. He was amazed by her, those eyes so full of life. She hadn’t looked this happy since they almost left for Tahiti. But he was worried that she wasn’t fully ready for what she was proposing.

"Yes, I do wish to tell them all at once. The Winter Ball is tonight,"
Rachel said, filling Carl in on her surprising plan. "I declined to be this year’s
queen, but I wouldn’t mind attending as a commoner. That is if I can find an escort," Rachel grinned, sitting back against the sofa and watching Carl’s reaction.

"You want me to go to the ball with you," he managed to get out, a look of
shock on his face.

"Well, yes," Rachel giggled, "that is if you don’t have any plans."

"Rachel, I’d clear my calendar for you any day, but are you sure this is
what you want?"

"Yes, I think it is a wonderful idea, don’t you?"

"I think you’re bloody insane," Carl said as he started to laugh, "but I
won’t refuse your invitation."

"Good. I think it will be a riot," Rachel smiled.

"Oh, my darling, to say the least," Carl said as he leaned in to kiss her.