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  “If the water isn’t too cold, we can go skinny-dipping,” he promised, waggling his eyebrows up and down.

  I snickered. Heat flashed through me when I thought of Darrios naked, but I kept my thoughts to myself. We came out of the forest into a sunny, flower-filled meadow. I held out my arms, spinning around in awe. I’d never seen so many different varieties of flowers in my life, just growing wild.

  I closed my eyes and inhaled, taking in the combination of the floral scents blending together; lavender and hyacinth melding with jasmine and white lilacs. I opened my eyes, allowing my sights to feast on my surroundings again. The smell in the air and the vast assortment of color delightfully treated my senses.

  I turned, meeting Darrios’ gaze. He was smiling broadly. “I knew you’d love this part,” he said assuredly. “Beautiful things go well together.”

  I twirled around again, laughing. He took my hand and he kissed it.

  “I don’t know what to say,” I said. “I’ve never seen anything like this. There are so many different flowers. It’s so pretty.”

  “I told you,” he reminded me as we started walking again.

  I hated to leave the meadow, but was excited to see what came next. Darrios did not disappoint. The slope in the terrain began to increase as we climbed a rather large hill. We stopped at the top to appreciate the view.

  Beyond the spot where we were standing there was nothing but rolling hills of emerald-green that seemed to go on infinitely.

  “It’s breathtaking!” I practically shouted.

  The hills led right up to the mountains, which seemed to touch the bottom of the Celio sun. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, just purple snow-tipped peaks against a background of pure azure-blue, the color of the Caribbean Sea.

  The cooler temperatures up in the hills caused me to shiver. Darrios stepped closer and put his arm around me. “Are you cold?”

  I leaned into him. “Not anymore.”

  He kissed the top of my head. We stood there enjoying the scenery for quite awhile. Finally, Darrios asked me if I was hungry. I nodded and asked him if we could go back to the meadow to have our picnic. He agreed.

  As we enjoyed our lunch, I said, “Last night...I really liked sleeping like that.”

  Darrios looked at me, puzzled. I could see he wasn’t entirely sure what I meant so I tried to explain.

  “With you...with me wrapped up in your arms. When I woke up and felt you right up against me...with your arms around me, I felt very...close to you. It was nice.”

  He smiled and his voice dropped an octave lower. “I can’t imagine sleeping any other way with you. I felt like it didn’t matter how close to you I got, it wasn’t close enough.”

  I felt that flash, like lightning, shoot through me. How did he do that? He looked at me and wrinkled his brow. “Are you telling me you and Gregg don’t spoon?”

  I sighed. “He doesn’t like to be touched when he’s asleep. Come to think of it, he’s not really a touchy person at all. I guess I’d just gotten used to it.”

  “Wow,” Darrios said, “I think that is one of the saddest things I’ve heard you say. Why are you settling for a man who doesn’t do the things you clearly need a man to do?”

  I shook my head, but didn’t answer. I already knew I didn’t love Gregg. I didn’t want to explain or be put in a position where I had to defend him right now.

  “Why won’t you answer me?” he asked.

  “Why won’t you tell me why it’s been three years since you’ve had sex?”

  He was thrown by the question, but quickly recovered. “All right,” he said. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed heavily. “I had this friend awhile back, Yvonne. I met her a short time after I arrived here. She’d been here since she was a child and we were about the same age. She showed me the ropes, you know? I mean around the Outer Rim and Midland.”

  “Was there a...romantic connection?”

  He waved one hand over the other in front of him, making, I guess, the “no way” gesture.

  “No, never. She was a true warrior. She taught me about the monsters and how to kill them. We worked well together and became quite the team.” He paused a moment, as if remembering. “It wasn’t long until we did everything together, but we were just friends. We had other separate dalliances, but never anything between us. There was never any attraction to each other for either of us.”

  “I don’t understand what this has to do with sex.”

  He leaned back on his elbows. I remained where I was.

  “One day we rescued an entire family, a young boy and his parents. It had been one helluva week. Getting them to safety felt really good. All they wanted was to go home. Jezbah told them about Avascon. Neither Yvonne nor I had known about the wishes before that.”

  I still failed to see the connection.

  Darrios sat back up, leaning in toward me. “We kept the boy occupied while his parents...so his parents could make sure they got their wish. Anyway, it worked. They managed to reach Avascon. After they returned home, Yvonne and I decided to celebrate. We brought out the Mulsket and drank every drop we had. Of course, by then we were good and drunk.”

  “So you had sex.”

  “No, not like you’re thinking. We started talking about Avascon and the wishes. We decided it was a good idea to...try it. Our reasoning at the time was because then we could get more Mulsket...and she wanted pizza. We definitely weren’t thinking clearly.”

  “I guess. Pizza?”

  “We had sex that night...but we never did reach...it doesn’t matter, we crossed a line and took our relationship to a place it was never intended to go.”

  “What happened? Did things get weird between you two?”

  Darrios stood up, abruptly, startling me a little. I glanced around, checking for danger. He kicked the dirt. Oh, the tenseness came from within. I got it.

  “Well yeah, in a way,” he answered. “I was okay, but her feelings changed. All of a sudden we had a different kind of bond than we’d had before. She became...possessive, overly concerned for my well-being.”

  “She cared about you.”

  Darrios began to pace. “Yeah, well, we’d been a team before. We worked together and trusted the other to do their part. All of a sudden it seemed she was taking on too much in order to make things easier for me. I spoke to her about it, but it didn't do any good.”

  “Why? Because she didn’t follow your orders?”

  He stopped and stared at me, stricken. “No, one day, out in the field...instead of being professional and trusting her judgment, and working with me as part of a team, she let her personal feelings get in the way. She became too protective of me and it got her killed.”

  I gasped. He stared at the ground, shaking his head.

  “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 sav
e 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.”