Cathedral of Dreams Read Online Free PDF Page A

waist.
     
Keith leaned against the wall and raised his hands, giving in to whatever she chose to do.
     
“You like me?” she said.
     
“It's not that so much,” he said.
     
“Oh,” she said coyly.
     
Keith laughed.
     
“Come on,” she said shaking him.
     
“You know this is highly unusual. Companions are meant for just that.”
     
“A night's work,” she said.
     
She was back to normal, but he was on guard. “No. I didn't mean it that way. I meant until one feels the need to become a parent, one doesn't look for a mate, only a companion. That is how the system works. I shouldn't feel as though we could stay together.” He reached around her shoulders and pulled her close so that she couldn't look into his face and see his embarrassment.
     
“Until one. Who might that one be?” she chided.
     
“You should go,” he said. He had never requested that a friend, let alone a companion, come back the next day. Even if he enjoyed someone's company, two days in a row was too much for him. He usually waited until much later, after he had time alone.
     
She walked out of the bedroom with him following. At the door, she swung around. “Did you remember any of your dreams?”
     
The question caught him off guard. He thought for a moment. “No, why?”
     
“Pay closer attention.” She opened the door and passed through the opening as though floating. She poked her head back around and looked at Keith seriously. “I'll be back tonight. But only if you request it. It's up to you.” She disappeared behind the door, which closed with a click.
     
He stared at the closed door. “Only if he requested,” she had said. So, now he had a second chance. He didn't have to make the request. He took a deep breath and smelled her scent. The room hummed from where she had been, as though she were still there. An energy had been left behind. Keith shook but there was no chill in the air. He checked the clock and found that he had almost two hours before his wake-up.
     
In the kitchen, he got a drink of water and turned to look at the door again, as though she could come back in, unannounced, crouched into a playful stance, wriggling her fingers at him. He laughed out loud. She had really scared him, yet the police didn't come by. He thought about his fear and what could have been different about it that it didn't alert the authorities.
     
Did he ever feel as though she'd really harm him? He searched his feelings, his thoughts. She had exhibited both shy and aggressive traits, but never appeared to be dangerous. Maybe that was it. He knew that she wouldn't hurt him. But how could he know? Well, no one had ever hurt him. The system was nearly flawless in that sense. Of course, that was the reason. She couldn't be dangerous in any way or the system would have detected it and dealt with it. So, he decided, the fear was excitement. She was an exciting person…in a dark sort of way.
     
Keith placed his cup on the counter to use later in the morning. Going back into his bedroom, he kept an eye on the door. She could still sneak in. That's something she might do.
     
He lay down but it was impossible to sleep. Nellie had stirred his blood to being fully awake. There was a ringing in his ears. He rolled over, then curled into a fetal position. He pushed his face into his pillow. Finally, he just lay on his back and closed his eyes. He thought about the day before and all the things that happened. More went on that day than any day he could remember. It all appeared to have a purpose, but he had no idea why he thought so.
     
Here's how he put the pieces together: the dream had alerted the police so that they could detain him. When he got to work, he had to make the morning deliveries, which he only did occasionally. Then he saw the boy in the stairwell. Then Nellie, who was nothing like what he had ordered through the Companion site, but was much more interesting, more fun, and more frightening in the end. Now what?
     
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