An Unforgiving Desert – Chapter 21

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am that both you and Kalvin are alive. I have been sick with worry the last couple of days.”

Damian settles into the seat across from me, and I tear my eyes from the rows of vineyards to concentrate on him. The Sonoman Orbital Rescue Team picked up the lucky bastard’s escape pod in orbit after only six hours. He basically put his feet up, ate some snacks, drank water, and watched canned telenovelas until the rescue squad showed up. My heart cools a few more degrees, looking at his smile.

“Quite the view you’ve got here,” he says when I don’t respond to his statement. “This is one of the best vineyards on the planet.”

“It is,” I say, tightening the blanket around my shoulders. “My cousin Vivian’s consort owns the place. He’s the one who hired the shuttle when the Sonoman Intercontinental Rescue Team couldn’t get to us.”

Damian nods. “He seems like a good guy. Your cousin is very lucky.”

I sigh as I turn to him. “She’s not lucky. She’s smart. Like me.” I stare directly into his eyes. “Smart enough to know an inside job when I see one. There’s no way the flight school would miss the fact that they left the computers wide open for a hack job.”

Damian’s face is set in stone.

“I almost died out there. Kalvin came dangerously close.”

“I don’t know what you’re —”

“Don’t start that shit with me.” My voice is cold, frosty ice.

Damian raises his eyebrows. “If you think it’s an inside job, then the most likely suspect would be Kalvin himself. He’s the one who used to work for Cressida.”

I slowly nod my head. “That’s the way you and Cressida wanted it to look, right? I know it was someone else.” Hardening my eyes, my stare drills through him. “Someone who’s in a lot of debt. Someone who spends way too much money on expensive anti-aging treatments.” The light leaves his eyes. Ah ha! We were right. “Someone who could put his feet up and ride out the rescue to the end.”

“I guess we’ll never know.” Damian’s voice is monotone, even as a metronome. He clears his throat. “The school is saddened about what happened, but they can’t pass you now without you doing your final exam.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” If I had any hold on my anger, it’s gone now. “They’re going to fail me over one exam I’m sure to ace?”

He shrugs. “If you want to withdraw now, they may be willing to transfer your credits to a school in the Brazilianos System. You’d have to re-take some courses, but —”

“Fuck that. I got into the best school in the Duo Systems, and I will get the final license. I didn’t spend forever at that school for nothing.” My face is hot with the injustice of this. I swear to God, I will make Cressida and Damian pay for this little stunt.

Someday.

“Great. Take all the time you need, and then call the school for pickup. They’ll send a shuttle to come get you, and they’ll administer your final test when you’re ready.”

I sense the finality of his words as he gets up to go, and I can’t help but smirk. “You’re not administering the final test?”

He chuckles. “No. I’ve been fired. I’m just here cleaning up loose ends.” His face turns serious for a moment. “I am really glad you and Kalvin are okay. That was a scary moment for all of us.”

I release my hand from the blanket and grasp his forearm. Raising my eyes to meet his and dropping my voice, I whisper, “You owe me. You owe Kalvin. And I will collect on those debts one day.”

I release his hand and smile up at him, saccharine sweet. “You take care of yourself.”

“Hey, Damian!” Kalvin’s cheerful voice from behind is music to my ears. I turn in my chair to watch the two men clasp hands. “Running off so soon? I heard you just got here.”

“Yeah, sorry. Off to catch a shuttle. I’m glad you and Skylar are doing better now. And congratulations on passing the final exam.”

“Thanks, man. Congratulations on the windfall of money from Cressida. I hope you know exactly where to shove it.” Kalvin’s face is the picture of sweet revenge. I burst into a short laugh as Damian’s face sinks into a frown.

He says nothing else — just turns and leaves.

“Fucking bastard,” Kalvin says, coming to sit next to me. He plunks down a bottle of bourbon and two glasses on the table between us. “He would be in jail right now if we revealed everything we know.”

“Nah. It’s better that he owes us a favor. I enjoy collecting favors.” My smile is just this side of evil.

“Remind me never to cross you ever again,” he says, lifting the bottle. “Look what I brought to celebrate our survival.”

“Laguna 43?” I ask with a laugh.

“The very same. Alonso doesn’t deserve it like we do. Besides, I think he was lying about it being from his grandfather.” He winks, and my body warms. Uncapping the bottle, he pours a finger’s worth into each glass and gives one to me. My fingers are almost healed, so I barely wince as I take the glass in hand. The ten days we just spent in the hospital have done us well. “Cheers. To our health and happiness.”

Our eyes connect over the rims of the glasses, and my heart races. He’s back to being handsome and whole, and I don’t despise him like I used to.

I might even like him.

“Ah, delicious.” I lick my lips as I set the glass down, and his eyes move from my lips to my eyes. “They’re making me take the final exam, so I have to return to the school soon.”

This news brings back a frown. He reaches over and takes my hand in his. “Rest up first, though, princess. You went through quite the ordeal.”

“So did you,” I say, squeezing his hand and pulling my fingers from his.

Even after everything that happened between us, it’s hard for me to let go of my old habits. No softness. No vulnerability. I can’t let others take advantage of me.

“How’s your head?” he asks, turning his eyes to stare out at the vineyard.

“Fine, I think. All the scans turned up okay in the end. Maybe the slightest concussion, but nothing bad. The nanites did their job. I have a hard head. I should be fine.”

“Listen to me.” Kalvin stands from his chair and approaches mine. He steps over the end footrest and straddles my legs. “You may have a hard head and an even tougher personality, but there’s someone in there who wants to be cherished.” He brings down a knee to the cushion. “And adored.” He brings down his other knee. “And possibly cared for.”

“Possibly?” I smile up at him as he leans forward to rest his hands on the armrests.

“Possibly, though I think you believe it’s your duty to do all the caring.” He leans even farther forward to put his forehead to mine. “I was wrong about you. Wrong about everything. And I know you’re about to venture forth to build your relationship network. Just remember that you need to let those lucky men into your heart, as well as into your family.”

I drop my guard. “Is that something you want?” The words have trouble getting past the frog in my throat. My heart pounds loud enough to hear it in my ears.

I shouldn’t do this. He’s going to turn me down.

Right?

He brings a hand to my face. “I would like nothing more.”

Our lips connect, and the moment sends thrills down my chest, straight to my belly. This is a feeling I haven’t had before. This is longing. This is a flavor of ‘want’ I’m unfamiliar with. As his tongue enters the kiss, I want to know things about him I didn’t care about before. What’s his favorite food? Where does he want to go in life?

Does he like me? Truly like me? Not just get in my pants and fuck me blind, but you know… have a meal with me and maybe see a movie together?

The hair on the back of my neck stands up as he pulls away from the kiss. He smiles down at me, but the tone of the moment changes in my gut.

“I feel a ‘but’ coming…” I sigh as he rests back on his knees. I shouldn’t look at his pants, but my eyes can’t help but travel there. Aw, shit. I am going to miss out on that, aren’t I?

“You are a very perceptive woman.” He lifts my hand to his lips and presses a kiss to my bandaged fingers. “But, I have debts to pay, and my family needs me to return to Palo Alto and take care of some things.”

Ah, yes. When he was being sucked into the sand, he mentioned his mom and how she was in trouble.

“I see.” The disappointment must be evident on my face because he tugs on my hand.

“You’re not rid of me yet, princess. That’s a promise I intend to keep.”

I hear the barking before Frogger runs headlong onto the stone deck, looking for love or treats or whatever else he can get. He jumps up on Kalvin and tries to lick his face.

“Oh, sorry!” Vivian calls out as she runs after Frogger. Frogger is her copper-colored spaniel. He’s a good boy who understands how to act on a ship, but he’s a pro at getting into places he shouldn’t, like in the middle of an emotional moment. “Sorry,” Vivian says again, a wicked smile breaking her serious face. “We didn’t mean to interrupt. Kalvin, will you stay for dinner?” She claps her hands together and calls Frogger back to her.

“I’d love to,” he says, with a dashing smile.

Hope wells up in my chest. Maybe this won’t work out right now, but there’s a chance Kalvin and I could work out later.

“Great! We’ll set another place at the table. Dinner’s in an hour.” She waves as she ushers Frogger to the back lawn to take him on a walk.

I watch her go, happy to have such a loving and caring family. And when I look up at Kalvin, he’s watching me.

“So, princess, we have an hour before dinner. Any idea of how we could kill time?”

Mmmm, do I ever.

I reach behind me, recline the chaise lounge, and grab him by the shirt. “Why don’t you show me more of that whole cherishing and caring thing you were giving me a preview of?”

He lowers himself down on me and smiles as he pushes the hair away from my face.

“A great idea.”

Maybe it’s not the best idea to make out and enjoy this moment because he’ll be gone again soon enough. But as his lips meet mine once more, I don’t care anymore.

I want to be cherished. And loved. And cared for.

Now, I just need to lower my guard long enough for it to happen.

Thank you, Kalvin, for pushing me on the right path.