Return to Celio (13 page)

“She should have been focusing on her situation, but she was too worried about me. She turned to see if I was all right, just for a second. That’s when the molterg got her. The beast tore her apart right before my eyes.”

“What did you do?” I whispered, anguished for him.

“Shock and horror and outrage consumed me, all at the same time. I killed the molterg, but it was too late. She was gone and if we hadn’t had sex, it wouldn’t have happened.”

“You can’t know that,” I argued, but Darrios gave me a look that told me he absolutely did know that. He sat back down.

“I destroyed a partnership as well as my friend in one night, by my own foolishness and stupidity, and all I had to show for it was my grief. I made her vulnerable and it got her killed. I couldn’t take it back, but I could make sure I didn’t do that to somebody else. I steered clear of any woman who I even found remotely attractive.”

“But it wasn’t your fault.”

He looked at me with a heated intensity, so deep that it conveyed a hint of menace. Ignoring my comment, he continued. “Then you came along. There was something about you...such pure beauty...and it threw me, because I never see beauty in the Outer Rim. I had to save you. You were so adamant about going back. Before I knew it, I’d spilled it about Avascon. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. Maybe then...Now you’ll go back to your life and I’ll return to mine.”

“It doesn’t have to be like that,” I protested. “You could go to Inland, live—”

“No Maggie. I’m a loner. I'm better off that way. I’m content killing moltergs.”

“Content? I don’t want to be content. I plan on being happy,” I insisted.

“Oh yeah?” Darrios snorted. “Then why are you settling for Gregg?”

“I’m not settling for Gregg.” I rolled my eyes and hmmmphed. “It was over with Gregg before I ever got here. I just haven’t had the chance to tell him yet.”

“I don’t understand. The way you talked, I thought the two of you were a couple.”

My turn for a heavy sigh. “Several weeks ago I found hotel registration paperwork in Gregg’s pocket when I went to wash his pants. Stupidly, I assumed he’d planned a trip for the two of us.” I looked back up into Darrios’ eyes. “We hadn’t been getting along. I thought maybe he was trying to make up. He went along with it, taking credit and letting me think he wasn’t a selfish bastard after all.” I shook my head and stared down at my nails. “God, I should’ve known better.”

“What a dick...sorry.”

I tossed my hair over my shoulder, bringing my head up. “When his assistant came walking into our hotel room, using her own key and wearing the equivalent of a shoestring, I realized it wasn’t a romantic weekend he’d planned...at least not for me. He hadn’t even given her a heads up. I don’t know if he’s that insensitive or just that smug.”

“Wow, Maggie. I don’t even know what to say.”

I chuckled. “It doesn’t matter, though. I’m certain he was either already sleeping with her or planning to.” I shrugged. “We fought. She left. We fought some more. I locked myself in the bathroom. He fell asleep.” I blew out a breath. “After cleaning out the mini-bar, I looked in the mirror, which went floor to ceiling by the way, at myself sitting cross-legged in the bathtub of a swanky hotel, surrounded by an assortment of tiny, empty booze bottles, oh, and an empty snack mix wrapper...my mascara streaked down my face, and my eyes all puffy and red...and I knew things really couldn’t get any worse.”

Darrios took my hand in his, stroking it lightly.

“I pulled myself together and decided not to waste a trip to the one place I’ve always wanted to go.”

“Maggie, I’m sorry he did that to you,” Darrios said sincerely.

“I’m not. I mean sure, it hurt me at first. But it opened my eyes. And how much could he really mean to me if the day after I discovered he was a lying cheating son of a bitch I planned a day of Hollywood tourism?”

“I don’t know. You seemed to talk about him enough.”

I raised an eyebrow, pointing slightly up with my index finger. “I think because his betrayal was so fresh. I guess it...he was on my mind. I wasn’t sure how I felt about him when I first got here. I was hurt and angry with him, but after spending time with you...I realize I’ve never been happy with him. I just didn’t know it until now.” I placed my other hand over Darrios’, capturing his hand in both of mine. I raised it to my lips and kissed it, my eyes closed. I paused, looking into Darrios’ eyes. “Are you sorry we made love?” I asked him quietly.

He returned my gaze pointedly. “No, Maggie, I’m not sorry we made love. I’m sorry that it affected me so much. You’re going to be hard to get over.”

I sucked in a breath. I hadn’t even thought of that, of how much I would miss Darrios when I went home. Most likely, I’d never see him again. I didn’t want to think about that.

I turned to him and asked, “Is that why you jumped out of bed so quickly this morning? I mean, I couldn’t help but notice your...”

He gave me that intense look again. “No, I just wanted a little more time with you.”

I reached over and touched his arm. “I’m going to miss you,” I said.

“Then don’t go. Stay with me.”

I looked down. “I wish I could, Darrios, but I’d never forgive myself for doing that to my aunt and my brother.”

He smiled weakly. “Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he said, trying to lighten the sudden shift in the mood.

“I’m sorry about your friend,” I told him.

“Me too,” he said, standing up.

He offered me a hand and I took it. He pulled me to my feet. We gathered our things and started walking again.

****

Darrios wanted to walk along the stream awhile. Strolling along the banks and listening to the water gave me a peaceful and relaxed feeling. We came to the place he’d mentioned earlier and I just stared.

The stream widened and opened into a large pool with a three-tiered waterfall and several other smaller ones. The crystal clear water splashed off the rocks, flowing freely over the smoother ones, which had been weathered by its force. I leaned over one of the smaller ones and let the cool droplets moisten my face.

I cupped my hand underneath it and flinched a little at the temperature. Slurping the frigid water from my hand, I marveled at the refreshing taste.

Plants and flowers surrounded the shoreline, showcasing the whole area, making it even more beautiful. The water glittered as if a million tiny diamonds encrusted the surface of the little pond. It twinkled and shimmered, throwing little prisms of color in several directions.

I glanced over at Darrios to find him smiling at me. He stood there with his arms folded across his chest, leaning casually against a tall boulder. He certainly didn't look like an angry barbarian warrior now.

His beauty took my breath away, the gold in his hair reflecting the sunlight. His eyes sparkled with amusement. How would I be able to leave him? To leave this? I pushed those thoughts aside and let my eyes drink in the magic of this place.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” I breathed, in awe.

Darrios gave me a wicked grin. “Let’s go in,” he dared.

He began peeling his clothes off. I watched as he pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his perfectly chiseled muscles and his smooth caramel-colored skin. He kicked off his shoes and dropped his pants.

“C’mon, Maggie,” he taunted. “You’re not chicken, are you?”

I gulped. He dove in as I pulled my own clothes off and eased into the water. It was wonderfully refreshing and so clean. Darrios swam back and forth in front of me, his form flawless, of course.

I stood in shoulder-deep water, trying not to get the wound on my neck wet, admiring the way he moved. “Is there anything you’re not good at?”

He laughed, swimming over to me. “You give me far too much credit,” he said. “I love this place. I always feel better after a swim.”

“I can’t believe there’s nobody else here. It’s a beautiful day and so nice and warm.”

“That’s one of the reasons I love it. There’s never anyone here.”

Darrios took a step toward me and put his hands on my waist. He hooked his arm around me and pulled me to him. I could feel his breath on my face and the warmth of his body next to mine.

I tried to keep breathing evenly, but when he kissed me, I melted into him, and despite the cool water, I felt nothing but heat.

“Maybe we should get going,” he rumbled, “before I get too carried away.”

I nodded and came out of the water. I stood in the sun in order to dry off. I held my arms out, closed my eyes, and turned my face up toward the sky. The warmth radiating on my skin paled compared to the warmth Darrios created inside me every time he touched me...or spoke in that low, sexy tone of voice.

“If you stand there like that much longer, I don’t think I’m going to be able to wait until we get back to the house. I might have to lay you down right here.”

I shuddered, not hating the idea. He tossed me my clothes and put his back on.

“Fine,” I said, pouting. “It must be nice to have so much restraint.”

He chuckled and put his arm loosely around my shoulder as we started walking back toward town.

****

The sun began to drop by the time we got back. Darrios steered me toward the store, saying we needed to get supplies for dinner. I watched as he filled a small basket with several items I’d never heard of. He smiled at me. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this,” he assured me.

I told him I wasn’t worried. “So far I am quite impressed with your talents in the kitchen...and other rooms as well.”

Darrios chuckled and winked at me. We finished our shopping and headed back to the house. I watched while Darrios prepared our meal. He refused my offer to help, insisting on doing everything himself. That was something else I wasn’t used to. Darrios laughed and cocked his head.

“Why are you staring like that? Did I spill something on myself?” he asked, looking down at the front of his shirt.

I shook my head and chuckled. “No, it’s just nobody’s ever cooked for me before. It’s...”

Darrios’ smile faded. He interrupted me. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

He turned his back to me, methodically chopping something, clearly agitated. I slid off my seat, stepped around the counter, and lightly touched Darrios’ arm. He stopped chopping and sighed without looking at me.

“I’m not going back to
him.
These days I’ve spent with you have proven to me, without a doubt, that I don’t love him. I’m sure about that...it’s the only thing I
am
sure of. I need to go back so my aunt and my brother don’t have to spend the rest of their lives thinking I’m lying dead in a swamp somewhere rotting away. You and I, we’ve been over this. God only knows what my aunt and my brother must be thinking. I have to let them know I’m okay.

“I need to sort all of this out. Please try to understand, Darrios. I’ve really started to care about you. I couldn’t bear it if I left and you were angry with me.”

He stopped chopping and faced me, knife in hand. “That’s just it, Maggie. I’m not angry with you. I’ve really started to care for you, too. It seems a shame to me to give up on something before we even try to make it work. I could make you so much happier than he
ever
did...if you would just let me.”

“Darrios, I know that...and if this is meant to be...I’ll find a way back.”

He narrowed his eyes, disbelievingly. “Do you really believe that? I notice you haven’t asked me to come with you. Why is that?”

“Because...this is your home, now. I would never ask you to give up your life for me. It's not that I haven't thought about it. I have, but I know you wouldn’t be happy back there. You would end up resenting me for bringing you back into that world. Everything you love is here.”

“For the moment,” he muttered.

“Please, Darrios, can’t we just have tonight?”

He softened and nodded, setting down his knife and turning to me. He pulled me close to him and whispered, “I’m going to miss you, Maggie...more than you know.”

I held onto him tightly, suddenly fighting the urge to cry. I claimed I needed the washroom, breaking free from his embrace. I sat down on the bathroom floor and drew my knees up to my chest. How was I going to be able to do this? Even though it had only been a couple of days, could I really leave Darrios after all he and I had shared? It was going to be the hardest thing I’d ever done...but I had to do it. I couldn’t let him or my messed up head talk me out of it. I had responsibilities that I couldn't ignore. I took a couple of deep breaths and splashed cold water on my face before rejoining Darrios in the kitchen.

Mouth-watering aromas filled the air. My stomach rumbled. I asked Darrios how long it would be until we ate. He promised me it was almost ready so I grabbed a couple of plates and set them on the counter.

He served up dinner without another word about my leaving, which was a relief. I didn’t think I could talk about it anymore without breaking down, and that wouldn’t do either of us any good.

Dinner was just as delicious as it had been the night before. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I started eating. Darrios gave me a sly, seductive look. “Eat up. You’re going to need the energy later.”

I swallowed, recalling his touch the night before. It was all I could do not to shove everything on my plate into my mouth and announce I was done. We finished eating and cleaned up the dishes. I tried not to be obvious and rush.

While I was drying a plate, Darrios sauntered up behind me. He put his arms around my waist and kissed my shoulder. A lightning bolt of desire shot through me. Turning to face him, I set the plate and towel down, put my arms around his neck, stood on my tiptoes, and kissed him. He pulled me closer and kissed me back, hungrily, causing a rush of heat to radiate through my body and pool between my legs.

Darrios lifted me up and set me on the counter. He pushed my legs apart and stepped between them. He pulled my T-shirt off and unhooked my bra, all the while continuing the kiss.

I gasped when he ran his thumbs over my nipples. Then he leaned down and ran his tongue over each one. I heard myself moan. I grabbed the front of his jeans and tugged on the button until it came open. I reached my hand inside. His breath quickened. He fastened his mouth on mine and his tongue plunged deeper, seeking the depths of my mouth.