Brynn
Brynn
Ready to get dreamy with me?
Leo
Leo
Yup!
Brynn
Brynn
I already reviewed the examples of dreams that Professor Dobbs gave us to analyze…
Brynn
Brynn
But I decided to wait for my psychology partner so we can ace this assignment together đź’Ż
Leo
Leo
Nice, me too. I’ll be at the coffee shop in a few minutes.
Brynn shifts in her chair and tries not to be nervous.
Oddly enough, SHE had a dream last night, about Leo…
And it was one of those dreams…
A sexy scenario she hasn’t been able to shake out of her mind.
It even took place here, in this coffee shop next to campus…
Suddenly, Brynn’s thoughts are interrupted as someone walks into the shop.
Brynn looks up and sees Leo, and feels an instant spark for the Nice Guy Next Door—
One she hadn’t felt before she had such a hot dream about him.
Leo’s smile is friendly and casual.
His hair flops over his forehead as he takes a seat.
Everything’s just like it was in Brynn’s dream…before things got…
Well…naughty.
Brynn
Brynn
Which dream do you want to analyze first?
Leo
Leo
How about number one? The flying-through-the-air dream.
Brynn
Brynn
Okay. My notes say it’s a common expression of feeling powerful or free.
Leo
Leo
Yeah, but let’s go even deeper with this.
Brynn blushes, and tries to cover it with a cough.
After that dream last night, all Brynn can think about is sex.
She fidgets, and Leo gives her a long look. She blushes more.
Leo
Leo
Is everything okay?
Brynn
Brynn
Sure.
Leo
Leo
Because you seem kind of…
Brynn
Brynn
I’m okay!!
It would’ve helped if she hadn’t blurted it out.
She laughs to cut the tension, but she keeps thinking of Dream Leo…
How he ran a slow gaze over her…
His eyes burning with need for her…
Brynn
Brynn
So the flying dream…I actually used to have that one all the time.
Leo
Leo
Really?
Brynn
Brynn
Yeah. But mine had a variation.
Brynn
Brynn
While I was soaring through the air, I got tangled up in power lines.
Leo
Leo
Classic symbolism.
Leo
Leo
It sounds like something was holding you back from feeling powerful or free.
Leo
Leo
Any guesses as to what that might be?
Brynn
Brynn
Are you analyzing me, Dr. Leo?
He shrugs and sends her a cute smile…
But it only reminds her of that breath-stealing dream again.
As her stomach flips, she shifts in her chair once more.
Brynn
Brynn
Actually, the power-line dream stopped after I broke up with my boyfriend a week ago.
Leo
Leo
Huh. Well, that’s good.
Brynn
Brynn
Do you mean it’s good that you’ve figured out my troubled psyche?
Leo
Leo
No. It’s good that you broke it off with your boyfriend.
He clears his throat.
Leo
Leo
I hate to say it, but he was a jerk.
Brynn
Brynn
Yeah, I started to come around to that realization, too.
Leo
Leo
Your roommates told me he’d try and tell you what to do all the time…
Leo
Leo
And he’d also shoot ME territorial looks whenever I’d say hi to you.
There’s something about the way Leo says this that makes Brynn’s pulse flutter.
But what if all she’s feeling are the emotional aftereffects of last night’s dream?
Brynn
Brynn
I guess my ex WAS holding me back from being happy.
Leo
Leo
He was the power line that kept you from flying free.
Leo
Leo
And without him around, maybe you’ll dream of soaring now.
Brynn
Brynn
Maybe…
OMG, if Leo only knew WHAT she’s been dreaming of lately!
Leo
Leo
How did your ex handle the breakup?
Brynn
Brynn
Easily. He’s already getting it on with someone else.
Brynn
Brynn
But I’m good with that. I’m actually kind of relieved.
Leo leans back in his chair.
There’s something in his green eyes…
They show Brynn that he’s interested in everything she says…
VERY interested — just like he always is.
Leo
Leo
So how did you get together with someone like him in the first place?
Brynn
Brynn
Are you still analyzing me?
Leo shrugs good-naturedly.
Leo
Leo
I might be.
Brynn
Brynn
Okay then. I met him in my History class.
Brynn
Brynn
He was really great at first. He treated me like a princess…
Brynn
Brynn
But then his jerky side came out.
Brynn
Brynn
He would always make fun of me for…
Brynn
Brynn
Jeez, never mind.
Leo
Leo
What? You can tell me.
His warm gaze reveals he’s not bluffing.
Brynn
Brynn
All right. For reading and writing sci-fi young adult stories.
Leo
Leo
Seriously?
Brynn
Brynn
Yeah. He said taking this psych class wouldn’t actually help me understand how characters think…
Brynn
Brynn
And that I should major in something more valuable than English.
Leo
Leo
Supportive guy.
Leo
Leo
And um, wrong.
Brynn
Brynn
I know, right?
Leo
Leo
I once had a girlfriend who called me a weirdo for wanting to be a private investigator.
Brynn
Brynn
That’s what you want to do? Cool!
Leo laughs.
Leo
Leo
Yeah, thanks. But what I mean is…
Leo
Leo
I understand having goals that seem quirky to some people.
Their gazes connect for a long moment—
And Brynn remembers this same heat from last night.
She woke up in bed, still feeling Dream Leo’s mouth on hers…
His fingertips skimming her neck…
His skin against hers…
Trying to shake the memory, she fidgets again.
Leo
Leo
Something is definitely up with you.
Under Leo’s close gaze, Brynn feels trapped.
She feels a burning desire to talk about what her dream means.
Maybe then, she’ll be able to move past her feelings.
So she points to the worksheet.
Brynn
Brynn
I think we should skip ahead to another dream towards the end.
Leo
Leo
Which one?
Brynn
Brynn
The completely surreal one with the girl and guy in the coffee shop.
Leo
Leo
Huh. I didn’t see that dream in our assignments—
Brynn forges ahead.
Brynn
Brynn
The guy walks into the crowded coffee shop…
Brynn
Brynn
The girl gets up from her chair, and then…
Brynn
Brynn
Well, she’s wearing a super cute baby doll nightie that she’s never worn for anyone.
Leo’s gaze widens.
Brynn
Brynn
And then she starts stripping off the nightie.
Leo
Leo
Hell. I KNOW this wasn’t one of our assigned dreams.
Leo
Leo
I definitely would have remembered that.
Brynn
Brynn
Leo, what do you think it means?
Brynn
Brynn
Is taking off the nightie in public symbolic of shedding something?
Brynn
Brynn
Like…an ex-boyfriend?
Brynn
Brynn
Is the girl ready to feel free again?
Leo swallows heavily.
Leo
Leo
Yeah. That analysis sounds…er…logical.
Leo
Leo
Unless the dream is a fantasy of something the dreamer wants to happen in real life.
But that would mean there’s something real is going on between her and Leo…
Does he feel it too?
Brynn
Brynn
There’s more.
Leo
Leo
There is?
Brynn
Brynn
Yes. The girl suddenly realizes she’s wearing a pair of handcuffs around her wrists.
Leo doesn’t move a muscle.
Brynn’s pulse pounds hard and fast.
Brynn
Brynn
Do you think the handcuffs might symbolize that she’s STILL restrained in some way?
Brynn
Brynn
As if she’s holding something back within herself…
Brynn
Brynn
Maybe it’s a revelation I just came to terms—
Brynn stops.
Brynn
Brynn
I mean, SHE just came to terms with?
Leo
Leo
You said I, Brynn.
CAUGHT!
Brynn
Brynn
I guess I did.
Leo he leans forward, and Brynn squeezes her eyes shut.
She catches a whiff of his head-spinning scent.
And she melts, just like she did in the dream…
Every time he touched her.
Brynn
Brynn
Okay, obviously I’m the one who had that dream last night…
Leo
Leo
And who was the guy?
Brynn
Brynn
It was…you.
Brynn opens her eyes to find Leo staring at her with a heated gaze.
Brynn
Brynn
And that isn’t where the dream ended.
Brynn
Brynn
You took those handcuffs off of me and…
Brynn
Brynn
You probably know what happened next.
Leo
Leo
I do?
Leo
Leo
God, of course I do. We obviously…
Leo
Leo
Wow.
They’re silent for a moment.
Brynn starts sinking down in her seat.
Why isn’t Leo saying anything?
Is he going to tell her that it was only a dream?
Leo
Leo
Can I be honest with you, Brynn?
Brynn
Brynn
Okay…
Leo
Leo
I’ve dreamt about you, too.
Brynn
Brynn
You have?
Leo
Leo
Yeah, and in my dream, I walk into a room…
Leo
Leo
ANY room…
Leo
Leo
And when you see me, your gaze lights up.
Leo lets out a breath, throwing up his hands.
Leo
Leo
And that’s it.
Leo
Leo
You’re just as into me as I’ve been into you.
Brynn
Brynn
But where’s the symbolism?
Leo
Leo
There’s no symbolism.
Leo
Leo
It’s a fantasy.
Leo
Leo
I wish that it would happen in real life.
Leo reaches across the table to rest his hand over hers.
Electric desire races through her.
Leo
Leo
Every time I saw you with your ex-boyfriend, it was agonizing.
Leo
Leo
I hated how, day by day, the light disappeared from your eyes because of him.
Leo
Leo
So I waited…
Leo
Leo
I hoped that the girl of my dreams would see that I was right next door.
Brynn
Brynn
I DID notice, Leo.
Brynn
Brynn
I finally woke up and realized you were there.
As Brynn keeps looking into his eyes…
Leo lifts her hand and presses a sweet kiss on the back of it.
Brynn sucks in a breath at the jolt.
Leo
Leo
Brynn…
Leo
Leo
Maybe there was some naughty stuff in your dream…
Leo
Leo
And sure, we should totally get to those things when the time is right…
Leo
Leo
But I think maybe we should start off slow.
Brynn
Brynn
Oh, yes…
Brynn
Brynn
But can we get started NOW?
He smiles and then kisses her wrist.
Leo
Leo
Yes. This is how we could start today…
He kisses her palm.
Leo
Leo
Then we could start more of THIS tomorrow…
He kisses her fingers.
Leo
Leo
And then we could start something else every day after that.
Brynn dizzily smiles.
She entwines her fingers with his, knowing that more fantasies are sure to follow…
And that more than just her naughty dreams are about to come true.
Brynn
Brynn