Mills and Swoon: The philandering playboy and the psychic by She

As she replayed the answerphone message for the ninth time that morning, a small frown puckered the otherwise smooth brow of Bethany Goodgirl. Although she listened to the words spoken in his deep mahogany voice, she still couldn’t fully grasp the situation – what on earth could international playboy Stryker Fitworthy possibly want with her?

The message said that he wanted a private meeting with Bethany but surely he could he could have a reading with any psychic in the world – why would he come to her small psychic boutique, ‘Goodgirl Blessings’ in Love-under-the-wold? It just didn’t make sense.

Bethany had no time to ponder this dilemma further because suddenly the crystals above her door chimed together and there he was in all his 6ft5in glory: Stryker Fitworthy. His storm grey eyes looked Bethany’s petite frame up and down and she felt her skin tingle, she blushed.

‘Are you the psychic?’ he husked. Bethany felt her throat seize, she couldn’t speak. ‘Yes I am. I’m Bethany,’ she finally gasped as she blushed furiously. ‘I’m Stryker Fitworthy’, he murmured. ‘Yes you are!’ she uttered.

Stryker raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. Bethany felt her porcelain complex deepen to the same crimson as her lush hair, as she explained, ‘I mean, I know who you are, I recognised you from the papers.’ She really must master her emotions. ‘How can I help you? Your message asked for a meeting – were you after a psychic consultation? A palm reading perhaps?’

‘Something like that.’

As they sat down in the lilac and lace surroundings, Bethany cautiously reached across the table and took Stryker’s hand. Bethany felt an electric shock jolt up her arm and then Stryker jumped away from her.

‘Did you feel that?’ he said, ‘It’s you, it must be you!’

What did he mean? Did he really think that she had deliberately tried to hurt him? But before she could explain, the familiar bitter voice started in her head and blocked out all her thoughts. Johnny Two-bob-bits, her spirit guide, was chanting in her head. Bethany paled.

‘Are you alright Bethany?’ said Stryker, his brow etched with concern. Could that concern be for her?

‘Don’t be stupid’, hissed Johnny Two-bob-bits, ‘Why would he be concerned about you? You’re nothing to him. He wouldn’t even look twice at a woman like you.’ Of course, thought Bethany sadly, of course.

‘I think you had better go Stryker’, said Bethany, ‘I have a psychic headache.’

He looked as through he might protest. ‘Please’, said Bethany weakly.

‘I see. I see how it is’, said Stryker coldly. Did he see, did he truly?

‘I’ll go … for now … but this is far from over’, and as he walked out the door he turned and gave her a knowing look.

‘It’s so strange,’ began Bethany.

‘Strange? What’s strange?’ hissed Johnny Two-bob-bits

‘It felt like I had met him before, like we were connected, like we belonged …’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ shrieked Johnny Two-bob-bits, ‘He’s got no interest in your psychic orbs and he has a terrible aura. He’s a known philanderer, why would he ever look at you? He’ll never settle for one woman.’

‘Maybe he’s searching for his one true love’, began Bethany when she was shouted down by Johnny Two-bob-bits, ‘Enough! Forget him. Never see him again.’

Bethany sighed.

Throughout that day and long, lonely night Bethany’s thoughts often turned to Stryker. She couldn’t forget him or the strange feeling that they were somehow connected.

Early the following morning the crystals chimed again and there he was: Stryker!

Her heart soared …

But he was with a woman!

Her heart crashed …

‘Bethany’, said Stryker, ‘This is Magenta Angel-lady, she’s here …’

But Bethany heard no more as Johnny Two-bob-bits piercing screams filled her ears. She swooned.

When she next awoke she was nestled in Stryker’s embrace.

‘What … what happened?’

‘Magenta Angel-lady performed a banishment! Johnny Two-bob-bits was no spirit guide but a demon intent on keeping us apart. He’s gone now, forever!’

‘We have known each other before Bethany, throughout our past lives.’

Bethany gasped.

Stryker continued, ‘In Tudor times I was a squire and you were a buxom serving wench; you were a put-upon nurse with Florence Nightingale and I was a brave injured soldier; I was a fearsome warrior of a Sioux tribe and you were my captured frontiers woman.

Our love has lasted throughout the ages, through all our reincarnations, I have never stopped searching for you Bethany. Or loving you.’

‘Johnny Two-bob-bits was holding you back, keeping you from me, from our love, our passion’ he growled, ‘But now he’s gone, there’s nothing stopping us from being together!’

‘Oh Stryker, you’ve saved me!’ exclaimed Bethany as she fell into his strong embrace, hiding her silent tears in his manly chest.

‘Bethany’, Strkyer murmured lifting her chin so she gazed deeply into his eyes, ‘Will you marry me?’

‘Yes! I will.’ And as they kissed their auras merged.