Into Tomorrow [Anthology]

Into Tomorrow

MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE Erotic-aah Digest ISSN 1555-5496 Vol. 37-07ED

Into Tomorrow

MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE www.midnightshowcase.com

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Into Tomorrow Published by Midnight Showcase PO Box 300491 Houston, TX 77230 USA www.midnightshowcase.com

Stepping Through, Copyright  2007 Rayne Forrest Seductions Beyond, Copyright  2007 Megan Hussey Affinity, Copyright  2007 Anne Leland Midnight Lover, Copyright  2007 Mae Powers

Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISSN 1555-5496 Vol. 37-07ED

Credits Editors: Anna Fallon Copy Editors: Jane Carver Format Editors: Jewel Adams & Mae Powers Cover Layout: Mae Powers Printed in the United States of America

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Into Tomorrow

INTO TOMORROW Futuristic erotic romances that are sure to bring you otherworldly pleasures, today and tomorrow. Stepping Through, Rayne Forrest Time Specialist Cade Reston has to save Earth. A mistake in his calculations sends him to AD 1996 and into the arms of Jessie Moynihan. Seductions Beyond, Megan Hussey Doran is intimidated by his visit to a violent Earth, while Daria, a sweet Earthling, is overwhelmed by his ethereal masculinity and otherworldly seduction skills. Affinity, Anne Leland Two star-crossed lovers tragically ripped from each other's arms. One last chance to reconcile the past. Midnight Lover, Mae Powers When actress Brynn Anders and ex-duke Jacques Corday are reunited, more than sensual sparks fly between the two, hard-headed ex-lovers.

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Into Tomorrow

Stepping Through By

Rayne Forrest In the year 2293, Time Specialist Cade Reston has to save Earth. Again. As Cade steps through the matrix, he has no idea how his life is about to change. A mistake in his calculations sends him to AD 1996 and more than he ever bargained for – Jessie Moynihan. Jessie Moynihan is only sure about one thing in her life. Marriage is for the birds - so how did she end up engaged? She returns home one afternoon and finds a stranger inside. But how’d he get in? And did he have to be so bloody tall, dark and handsome? It doesn’t take Jessie long to figure out her dangerous abductor comes from a different mold.

www.rayneforrest.com

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Into Tomorrow

Stepping Through By Rayne Forrest Chapter One Jessie Moynihan knew she might as well face the cold, hard facts. She didn’t want to get married. Marriage sounded boring. Marriage sounded like a long, slow lingering death of the spirit. How wonderful could it possibly be to wake up every morning staring at the same slack-jawed, drooling, unshaven face? And it wasn’t just the idea of marrying her fiancée, either. It was marriage, period. She still didn’t know how she’d ended up engaged to Eddie Gardner. Well, she did, but that was neither here nor there. She needed to find a way to tell Eddie nicely that she really didn’t want to get married—didn’t love him. Jessie’s head hurt. It wasn’t just your average garden-variety headache. This was a pounding, aching, sickening, just-as-soon-dienow headache. Well, she’d better get over it because her mother was taking her shopping for her trousseau. She’d tried to tell her mother that she didn’t want to marry Eddie. The walls listened better. At least when she talked to the walls, they didn’t talk back. It didn’t matter to her that Edward Millhouse Gardner the Fourth, thank you, was considered quite a catch. He was under the size limit as far as she was concerned. That fish could just go back in the lake for someone else to net. She didn’t even know for sure how she’d caught his attention. Well, she did, and that was part of the problem. Her mother and his mother had worked a scam, and she and Eddie were the suckers. Her mother and his mother had put their heads together and decided the family fortunes needed to be protected. What better way to do that than to hook up their only progenies? 6

Into Tomorrow The country club was already bracing for the wedding of the decade, and it was still nine months away. Nine months. Lord. She’d already been engaged for nine months. Why hadn’t she found a way to end this farce? Okay, she knew that answer, too. She didn’t want to hurt Eddie’s feelings. Eddie was a sweet guy in a teddy-bearish sort of way. And that had been her downfall. He was sweet. Sure, he was a six-two, broad shouldered, blue-eyed Norse god with the best-aligned smile money could buy. He wore the best clothes, drove the best automobiles and showered twice a day. But he was still Eddie. And there was nothing exciting about Eddie. Nothing. He kissed her, and she barely noticed the lip contact. How could she ever go to bed with him? He never batted an eye when she told him she wanted to wait for their wedding night to consummate their relationship. If he’d protested, she would have had that as a reason to call it off. But, noo. Not Eddie. Eddie calmly nodded his agreement to celibacy. Jessie didn’t buy it. Eddie was a nice guy, but he wasn’t a self-sacrificing hero. He’d sneak some on the side if he got the chance, and she knew chances came looking for him. She heard the talk, and she simply didn’t care. If she didn’t care now, she knew it was unlikely she’d care in twenty years. It wasn’t a good way to start a marriage. A car horn beeped out front. She peeked out the window. It was her mother. Beeping the horn to have her come out was another sore spot. Her mother refused to set foot in her little townhouse for fear of cockroaches. She did not have any sort of bug or rodent in her home. The owner’s co-op paid a small fortune to an exterminator to come and spray every month. No, it was just Audrey’s way of making her point. Jessie was living well below her station. Jessie grabbed her purse and jacket and put on a smile. She slipped into the Bentley Azure her mother had insisted on purchasing. Jessie had no idea what the car cost except that it was a lot more than the classic 1984 Chevy Monte Carlo SS she drove that her mother wouldn’t ride in. Excuse me all to hell for having gutter taste. “Hi, Mom. What’s shaking?” “Jessica, really. Must you use those slang expressions?” 7

Into Tomorrow “Yes, I must. Normal people talk like that, Mom. Normal people.” Her mother took a deep breath. Jessie knew why. She’d heard this same speech for thirty years. Here it comes. The Lecture. “Jessica, the Moynihan’s are not normal people. Your greatgrandfather is descended from French nobility. Your greatgrandmother is a member of the Royal Family, albeit quite far removed now. Your grandfather, my father, co-founded one of the largest banks in the northeastern United States. You have a respectable pedigree. I do wish you’d take that into consideration when you make decisions in your day-to-day life.” It was just too much. The heat, her headache, the full moon and only heaven knew what else—it was just too much. She wasn’t jumping through the marriage hoop. She wasn’t going to become a clone of her mother. She wasn’t doing anything she didn’t whole-heartedly want to do. And she’d listened to her mother’s spiel about her ‘pedigree’ for the last time. The. Last. Time. “You know, Ma, I’m real tired of the word ‘pedigree.’ I am not a fucking poodle.” “Jessica!” The Bentley took an unfortunate swerve, the right side tires dropping off the pavement. “Mother! Pay attention to the road, or let me drive this ostentatious piece of shit!” Audrey stared at her, open-mouthed. “Watch the fucking road!” she yelled at her mother. Oh, Lord. She’d have to apologize for that. Later. Audrey jerked the car back into its lane then pulled over, her lips pursed so tightly Jessie clamped down on her tongue to keep from asking what was so sour. “Perhaps you’d like to explain yourself, Jessica.” “Nope. I’m done, Mom. Finished. I’m not going shopping. I’m not marrying Eddie. I’m not living my life by anyone’s standards except my own.” Jessie hopped out of the Bentley. “I’ll just walk home from here.” She slammed the car door and started walking, ignoring her mother’s shouted pleas for reason. 8

Into Tomorrow Heck, it was only three miles. She could pace that off in a little under an hour. By then, Eddie would be on her front porch, duly summoned and willing to do his duty—calm her down and make her see the light. That wasn’t going to happen. Not this time. She started lining up her arguments, one step at a time. **** Cade Reston stared moodily at his computer terminal and sipped his bourbon-laced fake java. Lord in heaven, what he’d give to be able to pour a shot of bourbon and sip it straight in plain view of God and all witnesses. Outlawing whiskey—again—was one of the most pathetic examples of government gone awry that he could think of. Things had been different back in The Year of Our Lord 2179. Very different. Sagan Delaportus, the idiot who brought about the Liquor Reforms had been just that—an idiot. Too stupid to realize that the Matrix led to more than one timeline. And he’d invented the fucking thing! Delaportus had been a stupid, undisciplined, illogical, tunnelvisioned idiot with no clue as to how to maintain accurate data and methodology. When he’d brought back evidence that Lorenzo d’Selle, the greatest peacemaker mankind had ever known, the man who’d united Earth, Proxima, and Centauri as brothers, had been killed by a drunken mob, well, it had been easy to outlaw anything alcoholic. What the stupid fucker had missed was that d’Selle only died in one of the thirty-one possible timelines that existed. Correction—of the thirty-one layers of time they could reach into. Einstein was right. There were infinitely more, but no one had mastered the way into them, himself included. That had been over a hundred years ago. What a waste, all the way around, except for the Matrix, of course. Cade had stepped through the Matrix into places where he could walk right into a bar and order a drink without fear of arrest. A good enough reason to hope the computer would spit out a year prior to 2175 for his next assignment. He really craved a decent drink. His office door opened. “Cade. How’s it going?” “Slowly, slowly.” He gulped the rest of his pseudo java, burning his throat. He didn’t want to drag his best friend, Hector Chen, down if he was unfortunate enough to be apprehended with bourbon in his drink. 9

Into Tomorrow Death was such a huge penalty for such a small infraction. “I’ve run through nineteen timelines. The lower eight were brutal, as you’d expect. The three Georgian layers were almost as bad.” Cade sighed. The eleven layers of time most distant from reality never yielded much. Those timelines had diverged, splintered, so long ago and so many times that they barely resembled even cheap imitations of reality. No one had ever found an event in the lower eleven layers. Some even speculated they should be considered a separate reality and closed off. Cade didn’t necessarily agree. Just because they’d never found an event there didn’t mean one hadn’t happened. Some time. “Well, it’s good you didn’t find anything then.” Hector stared at him. “You didn’t find anything, right?” “No, no. I didn’t find anything until I hit seventeen.” “Sweet. You’ll be past the event layer by twenty-three.” Cade turned a serious gaze on his friend. “I have to run all thirtyone. You know that.” Hector squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t run the Genghis lines without help. Swear to me, man. Call me so I can run backup.” Hector’s offer to help was sincere, and Cade knew it. He knew the validity of having backup for the top seven timelines, the ones they called the Genghis lines in honor of Genghis Khan, the leader of the Mongol horde that swept Eurasia back in the year 1223. Old Genghis would be right at home in layers twenty-five to thirty-one, yessiree. Hell, his descendants probably still ruled in current day Genghis. No one, including Cade, had ever lingered there long enough to find out. “Okay, buddy. Thanks. I’m going to run to twenty-four then call it a night. I’ll be pretty sure of where I’m headed by twenty-four. Why don’t you come by about mid-morning tomorrow, and we’ll run the top timelines.” “Sure. Why don’t you come over for dinner? Sanya is cooking tonight, not me.” “Thanks, but no. Tell Sanya he can put a plate into freeze for me, though. I’m going to be here until late.” “Just be careful, Cade. Even the quick sometimes go missing.” Cade grinned at his friend. “I’m the quickest of the quick, Hector.” 10

Into Tomorrow Hector shook his head sadly. “That arrogance is going to do you in. And I’ll miss you when it does.” He closed the door, leaving Cade alone. Three hours later, Cade pulled his illegal flask from his jacket pocket and lifted it to his lips. Let the Conformers see him, if they watched. Death would be better than where he was headed. He checked and re-checked the most prominent timelines, layers twelve through twenty-four. These were the layers that included his own, the layer of reality that was reality. The event was there, teasing him. He set aside his promise to Hector and kept going. The event was there in twenty-five. And twenty-six. Then it vanished, sending his stomach into a queasy roll. He’d steeled himself for the worst possible findings and ran timeline twenty-eight. It was back. The event was there in each of them. Not for the first time, Cade knew in his gut that there were timelines beyond Genghis. Fucking hell. Rock ‘n roll, tattoos, petroleum dependency. Attila the Hun, ozone depletion, global warming and stock car racing. Human immune deficiencies, cancer, nuclear weapons and, God help them all, television. Layer twenty-seven. The worst of the Genghis timelines.

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Chapter Two Cade slept poorly. He should have taken a sleeper. He needed to be well-rested to go where he was going. Earth, specifically the United States of America, was never what he called fun. There was just too much gratuitous violence. His destination, The Year of Our Lord 2001, was one of the worst. That was the year terrorists had hijacked several planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center and a government building called the Pentagon. Leaders of the then United States had retaliated, launching a poorly-executed manhunt that turned people against the government. Fifty years later, the United States absorbed Mexico and Canada and become the United Americans. The name change displeased the Mexicans and Canadians. Apparently, they hadn’t felt so united. The union dissolved a mere twenty years later. Such was history beginning in the Year of Our Lord 2001. He sipped his illegal java and reminded himself that normal people wouldn’t call it ‘The Year of our Lord’. It would just be twothousand-one. Period. Violence aside, 2001 might not be too bad. At least he’d be able to have a good drink before coming home. Make that several good drinks. He could re-supply his stash of genuine coffee beans, too. Illegals were one of the perks of the job. The job itself seemed rather straightforward. Preventing the conception of Edward Millhouse Gardner, the Fifth. The existence of Gardner V was the only difference in the timelines that could change the event he needed to protect, the event that had to happen in all the timelines. Easy enough. Time specialists did it all the time, and it worked perfectly. He’d go, meet the mother and keep her from sexual congress with her husband at the right time. Number Five would never exist, and the timeline, and the event, would be secured. He flipped on his home 12

Into Tomorrow terminal and input his coordinates into the Matrix grid from memory. By the time he got to Central, the Matrix would be ready. He’d be back home by evening. The clothing worn in The Year of…. 2001 was another small bonus. Cade found denim jeans, cotton shirts and real leather boots very comfortable. The last time he went near this layer of time he’d worn leather boots back. Almost six months passed before his supervisor noticed the leather was real and made him turn them in to the museum for the relic collection. This time he’d be more careful with the boots he brought home. His door chimes sounded, ending his speculation about how best to obtain new boots. “Hey, Hector. Thanks for giving me a lift, dude.” Cade secured his door and followed his buddy down the stairs. The lift was easier, but Cade liked to work his muscles. “No problem, man. But drop the ‘dude’. It was out of fashion by 2001 unless you were in California and part of a surfer cult.” “Right. Let’s get this show on the road. The sooner I go, the sooner I get back.” He sighed. “I need a good, long vacation.” Hector grinned at him. “Proper usage. And I agree. You need a rest. What is this? Seven assignments in a row you’ve pulled?” “Try nine. I hear we’ve got a new guy coming up. He’ll be fresh out of Guidance and ready to show the world what he knows. We should let him.” “I’m with you. Let the young ones work while we try and find live sex.” He’d like to find some live sex. It had been a while. Cade laughed and settled in to the passenger seat of Hector’s little racer and strapped in. He’d learned the hard way about Hector’s passion for speedy vertical lift take-offs. They arrived at Central in just a few frighteningly exhilarating minutes. Their supervisor waited to give Cade the required instructions. After hearing them so many times, he marveled that his brain didn’t glaze over and let him fall to the floor. The nine assignments he’d taken in the last month left him bone-tired. The problem with taking that many assignments was simple. It ate up his life, as well as the life of every time specialist. In a few more years, he’d have to retire. Being a time specialist strained the body and social life, even if it did pay extremely well. From the reality side, each assignment only lasted one day. From the other side, stepping through the Matrix and into the timeline 13

Into Tomorrow meant living weeks each time. Once, the assignment had lasted over a month. He’d lived each of those brutal days in the past, in that other timeline then returned to his real life, and only a few hours had passed. His identification chip gave his age as thirty-five. If he counted the days spent living in the layers of time, he was pushing forty. Being a time specialist meant dying young. Your body just wore out earlier—in the reality timeline. He really shouldn’t devote any more of his remaining time to pondering the paradoxes. What was, was. Being a time specialist was the life he’d chosen. Hector clapped him on the back and handed him a beacon. The Matrix stood ready. Cade stepped on the grid. A computerized voice began counting down. Cold air rushed over him, so cold his muscles seized painfully. The floor dropped from beneath his feet, plunging him into the blackness of hell. **** Jessie’s feet were killing her. Walking three miles in tennis shoes was a piece of cake. Walking three miles in sandals was something a bit different. She stopped and rid herself of yet another pebble lodged under the ball of her foot. It was brutally hot on the macadam, and she already dreamed of stepping into the shower. She could already feel the cool water running over her head and shoulders. Maybe she’d close the shower drain and give her poor abused feet a cool little treat, too. Surprisingly enough, her mother hadn’t come after her. It made her a bit suspicious. Her mother rarely gave up so easily. She breathed out a long sigh of relief as she turned the last corner and into her culde-sac. The only car in her little parking area was hers. Which meant Eddie would arrive at any time. Joy, joy, see me jumping up and down, she thought nastily. She fished about in her purse until she located her keys and unlocked the front door, stepping through into the cool interior of her townhouse. Rough hands grabbed her, slamming her into the wall and pinning her between it and a very muscular male body. A decorative mirror fell from its hook, shattering on the tiles. A large male hand covered her mouth and nose. “Don’t scream, lady. I don’t want to hurt you.” The voice was low, rough and very near her ear. 14

Into Tomorrow She shook her head as vigorously as his grip permitted and hoped he understood. He must have. The pressure on her mouth and nose eased. She sucked in a breath, needing air. The hand clamped down roughly a second time. He pushed her into the wall. She shook her head again. “Breathe,” she tried to say. It came out a muffled mumble, but he must have understood. The hand moved down—around her throat. She remained still, trying to catch her breath and think. God, she was being robbed. Maybe raped. Maybe even murdered. Black spots danced in front of her eyes. Her knees went weak. “Don’t pass out!” The mild panic in her captor’s voice sounded somehow reassuring. The blackness receded. He spun her around to face him. Unsettled blue eyes took her in. “What year is this?” She blinked at him. What kind of question was that? Oh dear God! He’s an escapee from some kind of institution! He’s been in solitary confinement and escaped somehow. “Do you speak English? C’mon, lady. Talk to me.” He gave her a little shake. “Of c-c-course I speak English. It’s n-n-inety-ninety-s-s-ix. August thirty-first if that fact m-m-matters.” She felt the shock go through him. Felt it. She saw the knowledge of something horrible settle in his eyes and then steal the color from his face. The pulse point at the base of his neck, which happened to be right at her eye level, throbbed. She bet his heart rate shot off the charts. Great. He’d fall over in a faint, and she’d have to explain him to Eddie. Jesus. Eddie. “What?” His grip tightened on her again. Her face must have given her away. It always did. “My fiancée. He’ll be here any minute.” She took a deep breath. “You’re hurting me.” He jerked then blinked those sinfully blue eyes. “Don’t scream. Don’t run. Don’t try to hit me with anything. Got it?” She nodded. “I got it. Now let go of me.” He didn’t. “I need some answers.” 15

Into Tomorrow So did she. Like how the hell had he gotten in here. “Okay, buddy. Just let go of me.” He didn’t. “I don’t want to hurt you, lady. Just talk to me. Give me some honest answers, and I’ll be gone.” “Okay! I said okay! What do you want? A pledge written in blood?” To her amazement, he grinned. She brought her foot down on his as hard as she could. Unfortunately, he wore boots. “Ow! Ow! Jesus, that hurt!” She hopped right out of his grasp, falling onto her sofa. She lifted her foot and rubbed until the pain eased. He stood, patiently watching. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “Yeah, yeah, but it serves me right, I suppose.” She looked up at him again. Then she gawked. What a gorgeous man. Gorgeous in all the ways Eddie wasn’t. He stood at least six-two, about the same as Eddie. But where Eddie looked pretty, this fellow looked rugged. And sexy. And handsome. And dangerous. And a new voice whispered in her ear. A real life Bad Boy stood in front of her. The kind of bad boy she only ever dreamed of. He wasn’t the kind of man who’d mark off every Wednesday afternoon on his calendar for golf or tennis. He’d mark it off for sex. Had she prayed for him and forgotten? Probably not. She’d remember making a request for him. “W-w-what’s your name, anyway?” His eyes took on a new gleam. She shivered under his speculative gaze. He gave her a little, courtly bow. “Cade. Cade Reston.”

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Chapter Three The Year of Our Lord Nineteen Ninety-Six. He’d certainly fucked up this assignment. What had he missed? Had he entered a wrong code in the Matrix? He must have. It hardly mattered. He was in deep dung now. Five years in this layer of time until he could complete his job and the Matrix could find him. Maybe. Hector would start searching for him in three days. The thing was, one, he’d not found anything in this time line that showed he was ever here. Hector would have a hard time locating him unless he put down a marker. Putting down a marker could have farreaching consequences. Potentially terrible consequences. And, two, time was strange. It didn’t flow at the same rate in all the layers. Three days in Oz could be three years in layer twentyseven. There was no way to judge and no way to know with any certainty. It was a risk factor a time specialist accepted as part of the mission. The only safe thing to do, the only prudent thing, was to gather what resources he could and go into the wilderness and let the days crawl by. February 14, 2001 was a long way off. That was the earliest probable conception date for Gardner Number Five. At least he’d have access to real booze and real coffee. And possibly, just possibly, real sex. He couldn’t remember how long it had been since he’d had a woman. A real woman, that is. Sure, he owned a cyber-servicer, but it wasn’t the same as holding a living, breathing female. His equipment hadn’t been activated in several years. He liked his right hand better. Yes, real live sex was a definite possibility. The young woman whom he was inconveniencing and scaring was eyeing him like a feline looking at a bowl of cream. He’d seen a real live cat, and he recognized the look. She could have him. He’d give her anything she wanted. His groin tightened. His brain was losing blood flow. How much worse do you want to make this, you fucking idiot? 17

Into Tomorrow “What’s your name, beautiful?” Those beautiful hazel eyes narrowed. She swiped her bangs out of her eyes with a hand that looked weighted down by the huge gemstone ring on her fourth finger. It had to be a genuine diamond. You could still find them in this time. “You don’t know whose home you’ve broken into?” “Nope. I haven’t a clue. And I didn’t break in.” “Really? Then how’d you get in here?” He smiled at her. He had her now. She was curious. “I dropped in from the sky.” “A criminal and a sm-sm-smart ass.” Yeah, that was him. In some timelines, anyway. Garnering that claim to fame in this layer of time wasn’t part of his plan, though. His plan of being here a day, or two, was shot to hell and he was looking at years. “Are you going to tell me your name or do I get to rummage around in your bag for your identification?” That pissed her off. He wondered if she’d pucker those pouty little lips up like that when he kissed her. “Jessica Moynihan. Satisfied?” Satisfied? No, stunned was more like it. This was the woman he had to find. She was the woman who’d give birth to Edward Millhouse Gardner the Fifth. Or rather, she would be in late 2001. If he weren’t careful, he’d trigger a temporal implosion. The last one of those, as far as anyone could tell, created the bottom eight layers of time known as Hell. “Well, Miss Moynihan, we have a problem.” “No, buddy, you have a problem. My fiancée will be here any minute. He’ll call the law. I’ll let you just zip out the door and disappear. I won’t tell anyone you broke in. I’ll call it an even trade for getting rid of that ugly mirror my mother gave me.” Cade grinned at her. She seemed to have recovered her equilibrium. “It’s not that simple. Just who is your fiancée?” It was probably Number Four, but he needed to confirm the information. “Why? Do you think you’re going to ransom me?” Her voice rose in obvious disbelief. Her question was just too good to pass up. She hit the nail on the head when she’d called him a smart ass. He could be one when the mood struck him—like now. 18

Into Tomorrow “What are you worth to him?” Her eyes widened then narrowed. Her hand darted out, grabbing the piece of crystal on the end table and flinging it at him. His reflexes were excellent. He ducked. The glass shattered when it hit the brick fireplace. “You’re a one woman wrecking crew, do you know that?” She reached for a second vase. He wasn’t going to stand there and let her throw things at him until she got lucky and landed one on her target. He pounced on her. She didn’t scream this time. This time she hissed at him, spitting out a string of nasty words that he would have found amusing if his penis wasn’t suddenly so hard. He pinned her hands over her head. Unfortunately, she could still kick him. Fortunately, she couldn’t get to his tender bits. “You mother-fucker! Get off me, you cock-sucker.” She smelled like the air after a rain, something he’d only known once in his life in a timeline, long ago and far away. A time not yet come. “Miss Moynihan, I’ve done neither of those things. I’m many things, but not those.” She twisted beneath him. She was strong, and he focused his attention back to holding her wrists and not on her breasts, which lay flattened against his chest. Her hips rose and fell against his as she struggled to free her hands. She distracted him like crazy, and he wished he dared act on his baser urges. “Who is your fiancée, Jessica? I need to… Ow!… know.” He gave her a little shake. “Don’t bite my wrist again.” There was reckless determination in her eyes. She was way past being scared of him. She was pissed. He ground his hips into her belly and watched the shock course through her even as his body shrieked with the pure pleasure of a male animal aroused to mating. “Now do you understand me?” She nodded furiously. The fight left her eyes. “D-d-don’t r-r-ape me. Please.” The panic in her eyes was genuine. No woman could fake it that good. He eased off her, ignoring the sorrowful pleas of his body at losing the contact with a warm, soft, real, feminine form. He couldn’t press the advantage. Not in the face of her fear. He released her wrists. She scrambled to the end of the couch, curling up 19

Into Tomorrow in the corner. He followed her, gently cupping her cheek. She jerked away from his touch. To his surprise, that hurt. “I won’t do that to you, beautiful. I swear. I’m not a rapist. I’m not here to hurt anyone, especially you.” He stood and pulled a wing chair over to sit facing her. Her gaze stayed glued to the bulge in his pants. In another place and another time, he’d have asked her if she liked what she saw. “Listen, Jessica, I need some answers, and I need them fast. Answer me now. Who is he? Who’s the fiancée?” She took a deep breath. “Eddie Gardner.” Bloody hell. Bloody fucking hell. He’d just known she was going to say that. “Why do you think he’s coming here now? Or are you making that up?” “I’m sure he’s on the way,” she replied. He caught the touch of irony in her voice. “You don’t want him here? Call him. Tell him not to come.” “Why? So we can have some more fun?” She pointed to a very ugly yellow vase. “I don’t like that piece. Just go ahead and break it and get it over with.” He grinned at her. She was a feisty little thing, no doubt about it. “What’s wrong with that vase?” He stood and picked it up. She had quite a collection of vases on her mantel. He turned it over, looking for a maker’s mark. “Is this valuable?” “Not at all. It’s fairly common art glass. It’s expensive, and collectable, but valuable? Maybe in a hundred years.” “We all have more time than you think, beautiful. Call Eddie. Now.” It was an order. To his surprise, she reached for the telephone. He grabbed her wrist. “Just tell him you’re sick and not to come.” “Oh, sure. That will stop him. Right.” She rolled her eyes. “He’ll never stay away if he thinks I’m sick.” “Okay. Tell him whatever will work. Just be convincing and be thorough. I don’t want him showing up. Do you understand me?” Cade watched her face. She was contemplating trying to pass some signal to Eddie. He narrowed his eyes then reached into his pants and adjusted himself. A low tactic to be sure but effective. He really wished his body would settle down and behave itself. She bit her lower lip then nodded. He relaxed just a bit as he watched her punch in the code for Eddie. 20

Into Tomorrow Five years he’d be here. Five long, dangerous years. Anything and everything he did or would do could have disastrous potential. He had to think, and think clearly. Even if Hector did find him, he couldn’t let Jessica Moynihan run about with Eddie Gardner. She could conceive a child at anytime. His very appearance, five years off target, probably ensured that she would. She’d run to Eddie so fast the man’s head would spin. And spinning head or not, he didn’t think Eddie, or any man, would turn down those beautiful hazel eyes. She’d be pregnant within a month. The child may or may not be a boy and fulfill the recorded history. Sometimes a mere change of birthdays didn’t matter. If he walked out of here without her. He’d have to come up with a plan to keep her with him for the next five years. He could level with her and tell her everything. Once she knew who he was and what would happen if she married Eddie, she’d understand. She was a smart lady. She’d see it his way. She knew the time period. She could guide him around the pitfalls. She would laugh in his face and suggest he be committed to one of those institutions this time period boasted. He needed a better plan than the truth, and he needed it fast. Her call to Eddie connected. Cade listened to them speaking, back and forth. With the genetically enhanced hearing of the twentythird century, he heard every word Eddie said. It wasn’t pretty. And it wasn’t what his honey-haired beauty expected to hear.

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Into Tomorrow

Chapter Four Jessie carefully laid the phone back in its cradle. Of all the times for Eddie to turn assertive, it had to be now. Oh, her mother had called him, just as Jessie knew she would. The surprise was she told him to let Jessie walk until her feet ached. As a matter of fact, Audrey had urged him to let her ‘stew’ for a few days. On the phone, Eddie had expressed his disappointment that her mother would suggest such a thing and proceeded to give her his opinion of what was going to happen. She should get showered and changed for dinner and wait for his arrival. They’d talk over drinks like civilized human beings. Then he’d intimated they’d do some less civilized things. He was tired of being held at arm’s length. And it wouldn’t hurt her aching feet at all. She wouldn’t be on them. Damn Eddie! The only time in her life she needed him—would ever need him—he turned obstinate! She didn’t risk looking at Cade. He’d see, somehow, that her rescue wasn’t imminent. And she certainly didn’t want to look at his crotch again. Her body tightened with the memory of his hardness pressed to her belly. Her nipples peaked. Good lord, he saw it. He was staring at her breasts. His eyes flicked up to hers. “So you’re stranded, are you, darling?” “N-no. He’s coming right over.” Those blue eyes sparkled. “Liar. I heard, beautiful. I heard.” “So what if you did? Just leave. I won’t tell anyone. I swear.” He swaggered over to her bar to inspect the bottles. “You have some good stuff here. You could offer me a drink.” The man was as infuriating as he was handsome. Could she just stop noticing that, please? “Fix your own damned drink.” He turned and smiled down at her. “I will.” 22

Into Tomorrow He poured a good four fingers of bourbon into a glass. Good. Maybe he’d fall over drunk, and she could call the cops. “This won’t do me in, Jessie. Not by a long way.” He cocked his head quizzically. “Or is that not by a long shot? I don’t remember.” “It’s a long shot.” She snorted as derisively as she knew how, and she did know how. “Where are you from that you can’t remember that?” His eyebrow rose. “I’m from the future, darling.” She sprang off the couch. It was time to teach him who she was. She was over her shock. He was leaving, and leaving on the end of her foot. “Don’t fucking mock me, buster! Get out of my home!” “I’m not mocking you. I wouldn’t do that. Fucking you, however, is an intriguing idea.” She grabbed the glass from his hand. He snatched it back, sloshing the amber liquid over his skin. He licked the wetness from the back of his hand. Her knees threatened to buckle. He could lick her like that. He flashed that sexy grin again. “Don’t waste this stuff. You can’t get this where I come from, and I plan on enjoying it.” He sipped, his eyes meeting hers over the rim of the glass. Without thinking her hand swung. He blocked the blow effortlessly, grabbing her wrist in a painful grip. “That’s just so not nice, Jessica.” He yanked her against him. His gaze dropped to her mouth. Her heart slammed against her ribs. She licked her trembling lips. His pupils flared. The corner of his mouth twitched. “Just one kiss, darling. That’s all I dare.” The sound of his voice froze her. Low and husky, it held a note that resonated through her. She knew it, had danced with it through many a sleepless night. So many nights, in fact, she was on intimate terms with it. Longing. Longing for the touch of a hand that cared. The touch of a hand that loved her. Just one kiss. Oh, god, yes. Just once in her life let her feel alive. His head lowered. His arm tightened around her. It registered in a small corner of her brain that he’d not set his drink down. Annoyance flickered inside her then died as his lips touched hers. Softly, carefully he moved his mouth over hers, acquainting her with the unique texture of his skin. He tasted of bourbon and virile male. She drew a quick breath, and his scent, musky woods on lazy, 23

Into Tomorrow sunny day, stamped itself into her being. Her joints loosened on a wave of wanting that spiraled out from low in her belly. She set thinking aside and wrapped her arms around his neck. He made a sound low in his throat, a low moan that warned her he was a man with a powerful urge upon him. She ignored it, not wanting to abandon the rapidly building pressure between her legs. No one had ever moved her like this with a kiss. No one had ever moved her at all. His arms tightened around her again. Her feet left the floor. Suddenly, she was beneath him, his weight pressing her down into the cushions of the sofa. His tongue flicked across her lips, and she opened to him, giving herself over to whatever he would do. Her blood sang through her veins to an ancient drumbeat. Male to female, female to male. Her pulse roared in her ears, ordering her to do what he wanted, demanding she meet his needs. Desire was an old song, as old as womankind, and she had no intention of denying it. His hips flexed to hers, the hard ridge of his maleness pressing against her pubic bone with bruising force. Her body flooded wet even as her inner flesh contracted around the empty ache he was so near. His mouth took hers, his tongue thrusting in and out until her hips matched its rhythm, lifting to his as he flexed his body to hers. His hand cupped her breast, rolling her nipple between thumb and forefinger. Need jolted from under his hand to her core. Dear God! The man might be a burglar and a rapist, and she was… she was… out of her mind! “Get off me!” She bucked against him with all her strength. He landed on the floor, scrambling to grab her around the knees. She tumbled to the floor beside him. “Let me go, you son-of-a-bitch!” She landed a glancing blow near his groin with her knee. He howled. His hand cupped his testicles. The other hand closed painfully around her ankle. “You little hellcat,” he ground out, teeth clenched. “That hurt.” She kicked at him with her free foot. He let go of his balls and grabbed her other ankle, maneuvering his way to reach up and grab the waistband of her slacks. He yanked. The fabric gave way. She pulled at his hand, trying to get him to let go of her pants, but he was too strong. The garment yielded. All that shielded her from his interested gaze was a very skimpy pair of white panties. 24

Into Tomorrow He tossed the rag that used to be a pair of expensive slacks under the coffee table. “Now, Jessie, I expect you to behave a little better. Hurt me again and lose your shirt.” How dare he? How dare he! Her lips curled in a snarl that faded as her gaze met his. Open, naked, his blue eyes led her down a path she was trying very hard to avoid. What was wrong with her? She should be reaching for that chuck of broken glass inches above her head and slashing him. That would make him let her go. But no. She lay on the floor with a would-be rapist, marveling at his eyes. She was sick, or maybe insane. She was definitely in deep trouble. He ran a gentle hand over her calf. Not a casual caress, not from him. No, she could feel his fingertips soaking in the smooth texture of her skin, the curve of muscles toned from walking every day. His eyes never left hers. He swallowed. She watched, transfixed, as his throat moved. Then he spoke in that low, husky voice so full of loneliness and longing. “Nice legs, beautiful.”

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Into Tomorrow

Chapter Five Cade ran his hand over Jessie’s silky calf. Sweet heavens but she probably slathered on a gallon of assorted lotions and creams every day. Whatever she did gave a splendid pay-off. Without thinking, he pressed his lips to her ankle. She jerked. He jerked, too. Away from her before she could land a kick in his face this time. Of all the stupid things to do, he just had to kiss her. Stupid, dumb, idiotic – that was him. He’d give ten years of his life to kiss her again. He missed kissing with a physical pain. The women of his time feared germs and fluid transfer too much to enjoy kissing. Kissing—real kissing— didn’t happen until a couple took a battery of medical screenings. He’d had the good luck to spend some time in layer twenty with a lady who thought kissing was as essential as breathing. She’d liked good, old-fashioned fucking, too. It ruined him for the women of his own time. That was then, and this was now. Now he had to get out of here and get to someplace safe—with Jessie. “I’m going to let you get up. I’m going to go with you so you can find something else to put on. No funny stuff. We’ve got to talk. Understand?” She nodded and curled her legs up, rolling into a sitting position. “W-w-what do you want to talk about?” “You stutter. Why?” “I o-only do it when I’m s-shaking with f-fear. Usually when a rrapist invades my h-home.” “Have you met many? Rapists, that is.” Her eyes narrowed then she blinked. He was lucky she wasn’t passed out cold. She had every right to zone out on him. He put her through a lot of emotional ups and downs, and he knew it. “Listen, beautiful, do you have any medications you should be taking?” 26

Into Tomorrow “You want to k-keep me alive so you can kill me?” He raised his hands in the air. “I don’t want any harm to come to you. That’s all. Now let’s go get you into a pair of pants.” He cocked his head toward the coffee table. “Sorry about those.” “I just bet you are.” She climbed shakily to her feet and took a step. “Ow!” She fell back onto the sofa, grabbing her foot. Damn. She’d stepped on a piece of the glass that lay scattered over the floor. He knelt in front of her and reached for her foot. “Let me see that.” “Go away. This is your fault. Just let me alone.” Damn, she was a stubborn female. “I want to see how badly you’re cut. Now let me see your foot.” “I’m bleeding.” “I can see that, beautiful.” He held out his hand. She ignored it, which was probably a good thing. Kneeling in front of her, he saw a few wispy curls that escaped the confines of those little white panties. Well, well. She wasn’t quite a natural blond. If he’d been more of a gentleman, he wouldn’t have looked, certainly not more than once. He stood, still holding his hand out to her. “Come on, let’s hobble out to your kitchen and get a towel.” To his surprise, she took his hand and allowed him to lead her, limping, to the kitchen. He pulled a chair over in front of the sink and pointed. She sat without protest, lifting her foot and holding it with both hands. The cut wasn’t very large or very deep. “I’ve tracked blood the whole way in here.” He glanced at the tiles then nodded. “I suspect that will wipe right up,” he replied dryly. She might not have ever cleaned up a lot of blood, but he certainly had, usually his own. A small towel lay on the counter, and he held one end under the faucet then wrung it out until damp. “Here.” He tossed a towel to her. She caught it and began wiping the blood from her foot, which had almost stopped bleeding. “Can you see if there’s any class in the cut?” She glared up at him. “I’m fine, okay?” “Whatever you say, beautiful.” She handed the towel to him then screeched as he wiped up her bloody footprints with it. “That’s a good kitchen towel!” 27

Into Tomorrow He shrugged and kept on wiping. He didn’t care how good a towel it was. The clock was ticking, and he had to get this mess cleaned up, get her dressed, and get them the hell out of there before Eddie showed up. “Can you walk on that foot? We need to get out of here.” Her chin lifted defiantly. “And go where? I’m not going anywhere with you.” “Yes you are, beautiful. We’re going someplace private, and we’re going to have a nice long talk.” “No. As in, I mean no, too. I’m not g-going anywhere with you.” Cade finished wiping up the blood trail and looked about for a place to dispose of the towel. He tossed it on top of the cabinets. She yelled at him again. “What did you do that for? That has to be washed!” “That has to be not easily found. The authorities will see that and think I did something to you.” “You did, you stupid mother fucker!” she yelled. “You’ve scared me to death! You made me cut my foot! You’ve busted up my home!” “Lower your voice, beautiful. The neighbors will hear and call the auth…cops. I really want to avoid that.” He hunkered down in front of her and grabbed her foot. Time was too short to be polite. “It’s just a scratch.” He lifted her into his arms. She yelped in surprise. “Put me down!” “We’re going to your bedroom, beautiful. Stop squirming! Not for the bed. So you can get dressed.” He started climbing the stairs. “Behave. You wouldn’t want me to drop you now, would you?” “Right. Now you’re going to lie to me some more. I know what’s going on below your belt. You are a rapist.” Cade opened the first door at the top of the stairs, which turned out to be her room. It had to be. Pink and cream, ruffles and lace, with a big four-poster canopy bed. He’d seen—and been in—one of those beds before. With the lady who liked it hard, fast and sweaty. Yep. It was Jessie’s bedroom, all right, complete with a framed photo of Gardner Four on the dresser. He dropped her on the bed. “Get dressed. Wear something durable like what I have on.” He crossed to the closet and flung open the wide doors. His eyebrows drifted up. He looked over his shoulder at her. She hadn’t moved. “Tell me something, lady. Could you get anymore clothes in here?” 28

Into Tomorrow “Go to hell.” “Oh, I’ve been there. The lower eleven layers are pure hell.” She inched her way off the bed. “You’re not making any sense.” She reached past him and snatched a pair of blue denims jeans. The hanger flew off the rod. He allowed it to fall to the floor. “Well, maybe not yet. But I’m going to explain as best I can once we’re on the road.” He turned and looked at her. “You do have an automobile, don’t you?” She gave him a calculating look. “Don’t lie to me, beautiful. You’ve got one. Where is it?” “I should put a Band-Aid on this foot.” “Don’t let me stop you.” She brushed past him and disappeared into a small bathroom. She was quick, but he was quicker, sticking his foot across the jam before she could slam the door. He watched as she rummaged around in the medicine cabinet, pulling out some ointment and smearing it on a small Band-Aid. When she finished dressing the small wound, she glared up at him. “I’d like a little privacy.” “Too bad. I don’t think I can trust you. If you have to use the facilities, go ahead. I won’t watch.” “You b-b-bastard.” He snorted. “Yep, that’s me. Just a mother fucking, cock sucking, rapist bastard. Oh, and let’s not forget burglar.” Her mouth dropped open then snapped closed. Her lips thinned. He smirked. He enjoyed the way she pressed her lips together when annoyed. He wanted to thrust his tongue between them and make her open for him. “You are not funny.” The bathroom door slammed in his face. He thought it was sort of funny, but then he had a different perspective on the situation. He took the opportunity to look through a few of her drawers. She was a neat little thing and law abiding, too. He didn’t find any sort of weaponry anywhere. He checked in her closet and found a medium-sized suitcase and tossed it on the bed. She came out of the bathroom and immediately started in on him again. “Now what the hell do you think you’re doing?” “Helping you pack. Take only what you absolutely must have. We can get what we need on the road. You do have money, don’t you?” 29

Into Tomorrow “None that I’m going to share with you.” “Okay, we’ll spend mine. It’s the best counterfeit bills you’ll ever see.” “Counterfeit!” She backed away from him again, banging her heels on the closet door “Would you be careful, please? You’ve already injured one foot. There’s really no need to try for both.” “I hate you,” she spat at him. “Be that as it may, start packing. You’ve got five minutes to pack and get dressed, and then we’re out of here.” “W-w-where are we going?” “You’ll have to help me with that, beautiful. I don’t know my way around here very well.” “Just well enough to break in to my home. Just well enough to know that I have money for your little adventure.” “When I dropped in here, I didn’t know I was dropping in on you.” She was stalling, and it started to annoy him. The clock in his head ticked louder. They had to get out of here before the wonderful Eddie showed up. Once that happened, he was really in a world of shit. Explaining the situation to Jessie would be difficult enough. Explaining to the authorities was out of the question. “Enough talk. Pack. But put your pants on first. You’re driving me insane.” “Well, that would be a short trip, wouldn’t it?” He laughed in spite of himself. She was right. It was a short trip to insanity when a pretty woman in her underwear stood in front of him. Hell, it would be a short trip for any man. “Get a move on.” He tossed the denim jeans at her. She yanked on a pair of socks then hastily pulled on the pants. His eyes crossed when she pulled her blouse over her head revealing a little scrap of lace that he felt certain she considered a bra—one that did little to cover the abundance of her breasts. He tried not to look, really he did, but the dark brown circles of her nipples were clearly defined under the lace. His cock twitched. He could live with this kind of misery for a while and not mind at all. Too much time had gone by since he’d been aroused, and he planned to enjoy this as much as he could.

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Into Tomorrow She pulled a T-shirt from one of the drawers and slipped it over her head then dropped to her knees beside the bed. Her bottom lifted as she reached under the bed skirt and withdrew a pair of white shoes. He reached into his pocket and subtly adjusted himself, careful that she not see him do it. She plopped back down on the bed and pulled on the shoes, tying them tightly. She disappeared into the closet and came out with a smaller bag that she carried into the bathroom. In just a few moments, she came back out, throwing the small bag at him. “Hold that, will you?” He nodded. He could take a few little snarled orders from her. Besides, he could hold the bag in front of his crotch. She threw some clothing into the bigger suitcase and zipped it. “And you can carry that down to the car, too.” She brushed past him, heading towards the door. He grabbed the suitcase and followed her down the stairs. They reached the bottom, and she bent over in front of him, picking up her purse and keys. The sight of her rump in the air was too much for him to resist. “Nice ass, beautiful.” “Shut up.” She flung open the front door and walked smack into a surprised Edward Millhouse Gardner the Fourth.

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Chapter Six Eddie stepped back, his critical gaze going from her disheveled hair to the sneakers on her feet and all the way back up. “You’re not ready for dinner. I told you on the phone to get dressed and be ready when I got here. I expected you to do as I asked.” In that moment, Jessie’s opportunity crystallized. The way out of this stupid marriage stood right behind her. She didn’t doubt for one moment that Cade Reston, or whatever his name really was, wasn’t quick enough to pick up her game and follow along. “I’m not going to dinner with you, Eddie, not now. Not ever again. As a matter of fact, it’s over.” She twisted the ring off her finger, and slapped it into his palm. “The wedding is off.” “What’s going on with you, Jessie? What the hell is your problem all of a sudden?” “You’re my problem. I mean it, Eddie. Keep the ring for someone else. I’m not marrying you.” Eddie looked past her to Cade. “Who’s he?” “It’s not something you need to know. All you need to know is I’m with him now.” She sensed Cade moving behind her, gently but firmly, pushing her through the door. He was right. They had to get the door closed between Eddie and all that mess behind them. If Eddie saw that, he’d call the authorities. “Just move out of the way, Eddie. Cade and I are leaving.” “Does your mother know about this?” Trust Eddie to worry about what her mother thought. He couldn’t stand there and pledge his undying love. Oh no, not Eddie. And that was one of the big problems. He didn’t love her any more than she loved him. Of course, she was just as bad. Or was she worse? She willingly walked out the door with a criminal, putting her life in his hands, rather than spend the rest of her life with Eddie. Maybe that meant she 32

Into Tomorrow was more desperate to do the wrong thing than Eddie was to do the right. “Who is this man, Jessica? Where did you meet him?” “It’s none of your concern, Eddie. None. You have no say about what I do with my life. Just take the ring and leave.” “Will you go with me to speak to your parents about this?” What was wrong with these two guys? The man in front of her acted dense. The man behind didn’t seem much brighter. He didn’t say a word. “No, Eddie. There’s nothing to talk about.” She grabbed the suitcase from Cade’s hand and marched toward her car. “C’mon, Cade, honey. We don’t want to miss our plane.” It almost worked. Almost. Cade stepped around Eddie to follow her to the car. That’s when, to her amazement, Eddie turned assertive for the second time in one day. He grabbed Cade’s arm. He reacted swiftly with a quick right jab that sent Eddie spinning. He plopped down on the steps and sat there swaying, holding his chin. She grabbed Cade. “How can you be so stupid? Get in the car.” Of all the idiotic things to do, Cade hit Eddie. What a moron. She tossed the suitcase into the back seat. Cade dropped into the passenger seat then laid the small bag on the floor behind them. “Hurry up, beautiful, before he gathers his wits.” “I know what to do. I watch television.” She eased the powerful car out of its parking place. “I can’t peel out of here. I have to drive out like I always do and not call attention to us.” “You’re right. But when you hit the main road, you put some distance between us and him, fast.” “Yeah, yeah. Trust me. Where are you taking me?” He snorted. She could get to hate that sound. The sweat beading on his forehead surprised her. Nervous, was he? Well, good. He should be nervous. Maybe this was his first kidnapping. “You’re operating this vehicle, Jessica. Seems like you’re taking me.” She ground her teeth together. He said her name the same way Eddie did, and she didn’t care for it much. She’d tell him so, too, just as soon as she stopped driving and could break something over his head at the same time. “Don’t be an ass, Reston, or whatever your name really is. Just tell me which way to go.” 33

Into Tomorrow “North. We’re going to Canada.” “Canada! I don’t have papers for Canada!” “Didn’t you say this is 1996? We shouldn’t need papers.” “Look, Reston, I don’t know, if we need papers or not. I live in Massachusetts. I’ve never been to Canada. I never wanted to go to Canada. I still don’t want to go to Canada. You’re kidnapping me, remember?” She made the turn onto the main road and accelerated smoothly. “What’s so great about Canada?” “The wide open spaces, beautiful. We can disappear for a few years.” “You’d better reevaluate. I’m not going to disappear for a few years with you or anybody else. You want to go to Canada, fine. I can drop your sorry ass out as soon as we cross the border, and then I can go back home, and nobody needs to be any wiser.” Cade laughed. “Is that my payment for getting you out of your engagement?” “You’re so fucking smart, aren’t you?” “Watch the road, beautiful. I didn’t travel back in time three hundred years to become the first time specialist traffic fatality.” Oh, great. He was an escapee from a mental institution. He was probably one of those people so caught up in science fiction fantasy that they believed it all. He was right about one thing. She’d pay him for getting her out of her engagement; only she didn’t have a lot of cash on her. She really would drive him to the Canadian border and drop his very attractive butt safely off on the other side. Then she’d turn around, go back home and face the music, but she could come up with some story about him. She had to. Anything to stand her ground and not marry Eddie. Christ, he kidnapped her, and she was going along with it? They had a name for this; she knew they did. And she didn’t care. She was free. Sort of. “I need to stop at a bank.” “Why?” He turned darkly suspicious eyes on her then reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small wallet. He flipped it open to reveal numerous credit cards. “Won’t these take care of everything?” “Pfft. You wish. Sooner or later someone has to pay the bill, you idiot.” She was coming up on one of her bank’s branches. Taking her foot off the gas pedal, she allowed the car to slow. “Keep going.” 34

Into Tomorrow She bristled at his tone. “Look, bucko, I want to stop. You need me cooperative so you just sit there and shut up.” “You’re a bossy female. Gardner Number Four is lucky to be rid of you.” She slammed the brake pedal to the floor. Cade barely got his arms up in time to stop his forward motion toward the dashboard before she floored the gas pedal, and the car leaped forward, throwing him back in his seat. “What the fuck is your problem now, beautiful?” She looked at his profile. His jaw was clenched, his lips thinned to a narrow line. And he refused to look at her. Good. She’d pissed him off. “You’re my problem. Just remember that.” She glided to a stop at the automatic teller machine. She fished out her card and withdrew the maximum amount. Cade held out his hand. “Oh, no, Reston. This is my money.” She shoved the bills in her purse and pushed her purse down between her seat and the car door. He gusted out a deep breath then shrugged out of the leather jacket. His shirt hung on him, wet with sweat. She caught the faint tang of overheated male. Instead of repulsing her, she wanted to lick his neck. The memory of him, hard against her belly, rippled through her. Wonderful. Just fucking wonderful. He stretched out his long legs as far as he could then fidgeted in his seat. “Put the seat back, Reston. Jesus.” Did she have to tell him everything? “Put the seat back—where?” Crap, crap, crap. Apparently, she needed to lead him by the hand. “You’re not a very good kidnapper, are you? They don’t have cars where you come from?” Great, now he’d think she believed that ‘from the future’ nonsense. “We have ground transports with sophisticated computers, yes. Everything adjusts to the occupant’s size and weight.” “Sure they do. I knew that. Reach down between your legs and pull up on that lever. The seat will… Look, you son-of-a-bitch, I didn’t mean a damn thing sexual by that!” Cade was laughing at her. He laughed so hard he shook. He reached down and pulled the release. His seat slipped all the way back, making him howl louder. He met her gaze, his dark eyelashes 35

Into Tomorrow wet from laughing so hard. His hand dropped to his lap. He cupped his genitals. “I’ve got a lever for you, beautiful.” “Well, I felt your ‘lever’, and I’m not impressed!” She punched the gas pedal. The SS hunkered down then took off. Cade left off grabbing his crotch to grab the dash. “I would prefer not to die today,” he said dryly. “I do not care what you prefer. I do not care at all.” She waited until the last possible moment then cut the wheel sharply to go up the access ramp to Interstate 93 northbound with all three hundred fifty cubic inches of engine cranking out horsepower. “Okay, okay. Let’s call a truce. Where are you going?” Was the man really that stupid? “Canada! You said Canada!” “So I did. Are we headed in the right direction?” He shifted in his seat, looking out all the windows. He even turned to look out the rear. “I see we are going north.” Wonderful. He could tell north from south, but he wasn’t sure where Canada was? The first time they had to stop, and he went into a men’s room, she was gone. “Look, bucko, where did you say you came from, exactly?” “I didn’t say, exactly. I don’t think now is the time to divulge information. You’ll forget to control this machine and kill us.” “I’m a good driver. I can take it, so why don’t you spill your guts.” He placed both his hands over his stomach and gave her a sideways look. “Figure of speech?” he asked, a note of hope in his voice. “Christ.” She hit the gas again and changed lanes. He clutched the armrest on the door. “Yes, it’s a figure of speech. Who’d want your guts?” He sighed. “You’d be amazed.” “I doubt it. Nothing will ever amaze me again. I mean, here I am, driving my kidnapper—no—gratefully driving my kidnapper out of the country, and for what? Got an answer for that, Cade Reston, whoever the hell you are?” “My name is Cade Reston. That’s the truth. Besides, that’s the name on all the credit cards in my wallet.” “Convenient,” she drawled, eliciting a smile from him. “Eddie is looking better and better. I think I should turn around and go back to 36

Into Tomorrow him. He’s boring and safe, and he’ll probably father great looking kids with perfect teeth.” “I can’t let you do that, beautiful. There’s too much at stake.” “Right. End of the world and all that. Why else would you travel back three hundred years to kidnap little ol’ me?” “Why else? The sad thing is, if I’d come in on target, you’d have been happily married to Eddie for several years and on the verge of conceiving your son.” “Oh, and my son will change the world? Listen, Reston, I watch television, too. I’ve seen all those crappy B-movies.” “Good. Then you’ll understand all this. It won’t be such a surprise to learn that your son, Edward Millhouse Gardner, the Fifth, kills one of the most brilliant medical researchers to ever wear a lab coat. Vehicular manslaughter. Totally unintentional, but it happens. The man he kills should live to develop the cure for a very nasty virus called tsalla ptarginis. You may have heard of it.” “Oh, that one. Sure. It’s on the news every night. Makes your hair go gray or something.” He gave her that sideways look again. She turned her head so he couldn’t see her grinning. “It’s not funny, Jessica. Tsalla ptarginis is a mutant of the rabies virus. It’s deadly. Maybe you haven’t heard of it yet, but you will.” “So why not just stop my son from getting into his car? Wouldn’t that be easier?” “No. The only way to protect the event, the development of the cure, is to make sure there is no Edward Millhouse Gardner, the Fifth.” “I’m getting off at the next exit.” He grabbed her wrist. “Why?” “That should be obvious. I just dumped Eddie and ran off with you. I’d say that takes care of the offspring problem, wouldn’t you?” “Your son is conceived on February fourteenth in The Year of Our Lord Two Thousand One. So… No. The problem isn’t solved. I’m not letting you out of my sight until February fifteenth of that year.” His hand dropped to her thigh. “You’d better get used to me, beautiful.”

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Chapter Seven She didn’t believe him. Oh, she made all the appropriate responses and everything, but she didn’t believe a word he said, and Cade knew she didn’t. She thought him crazy. If she believed, she’d be upset and asking a lot of questions. He knew from experience what to expect. Only, she surprised him more than he wanted to admit. She’d turned the tables on him and used him to ditch Gardner the Fourth. Quick thinking on her part. He admired that ability in people, finding it especially interesting when it came from a woman. Not that women had less brainpower, oh no. He didn’t think that for an instant. It was just women came at things from a different angle, and he found it fascinating. Hell, he found everything about Jessica Moynihan fascinating. And at the moment, the fact she hadn’t slapped him for resting his hand on her thigh was at the top of the list of what captivated him the most. He expected her to scream bloody murder at any minute. Instead, she calmly maneuvered the vehicle down an exit ramp. “Look beautiful, I’m not going to fight with you about getting off right here, but you need to put this vehicle back up there on the expressway headed north.” “You need to get that hand off my leg.” “And here I thought you hadn’t noticed.” “Right.” Oh yes, this Jessica Moynihan was a cool one. “I have to find the ladies room.” She might be able to think on her feet, but so could he. He knew this ploy, and he wasn’t falling for it. No way she was getting out of his sight. If he turned his back on her, she’d bolt and he’d be stranded. The only good thing was, he’d be able to backtrack and find her. By then, the police would have her surrounded. He’d never get close to her again. 38

Into Tomorrow “We are not playing that game. Get this vehicle headed north again, and hold it until we get out of the city. We can find a nice little quiet back route, and you can find a bush.” “You can’t be serious. I refuse. I demand civilized facilities.” “We’ll see. Now just drive.” “There’s a fast food joint. Why don’t we use the drive-through and get something to drink?” She was persistent; he’d give her that. She would learn that he was just as persistent, and that he controlled this ride. “I’m not thirsty. Don’t whine, Jessica. Just get back on the highway. ” “You’re a p-pain in the a-ass.” She hit the brakes and whipped the car around, throwing him against the door. Damn female. Before he could say anything, she punched the gas pedal again. She returned to the interstate in only a few short moments. The car shot up the ramp and back into the northbound lane, scattering the other cars in the process. “Did you have formal training in how to operate this vehicle?” “Of course.” He shook his head. “Can’t prove it by me.” She glared at him. He ignored her in favor of fastening what looked to be a safety strap across his lap. The woman obviously had a death wish when she operated a vehicle. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he could see where Gardner the Fifth got his reckless driving gene, but he experienced a rare moment of tactfulness and remained silent. “Do you have a map, beautiful?” “No. What use do I have for map?” He was sorry to hear that. That meant that maybe they would have to stop. He’d like to get his bearings before they crossed the line into Canada. If he remembered correctly, the largest city in eastern Canada was Toronto. Or was it Montréal? It didn’t matter. Either city would serve him. Maybe she had a preference. Maybe he’d go out on a limb and ask her. “I think I’d like to see Montréal. Or maybe Toronto. What do you think?” “You’re asking me? What kind of kidnapper are you, anyway? You’re not supposed to ask your victim their preferences. You’re supposed to tell them what to do, where to go, when to do it, what to think. Haven’t you ever d-d-done this before?” 39

Into Tomorrow “Sure. Dozens of times.” She rolled her eyes then hit a button on her armrest. The windows of the car slid down, and the hot air of summer rolled in over him. The wind caught her hair, whipping it across her face. She didn’t seem to notice. She drove in silence for several minutes then sighed. “Montréal. I think I’d like to see Montréal.” “Why?” Now his curiosity was piqued. “Oh sweet Jesus! You asked me. I told you. Do I really need a reason?” “Do you know anyone in Montréal?” “Listen, bucko, I don’t know anyone in the whole fucking country of Canada! Now stop trying to make me as crazy as you are!” “I’m not crazy, beautiful.” “And stop calling me beautiful,” she screamed. The car swerved. “Be careful!” But you are beautiful. Maybe he’d just be quiet for a while. She looked a little pale. He looked closer. Hell, she looked a little sick. He didn’t want her to pass out in the middle of the highway. “Okay, Jessica. Tell me the truth. Does this vehicle need fuel?” She nodded. “How soon will you need to stop?” “I’m not sure. Probably within the next twenty or so miles, just to be on the safe side. This vehicle isn’t exactly an economy ride, but I like it.” “Yeah, it’s rather comfortable, even for a guy with long legs.” He patted her shoulder. “Pick one of the next places to get off where you can get fuel and a map. Give me the keys and your word, and I’ll allow you to use the lady’s facilities.” She didn’t answer him and that was not reassuring. He leaned towards her. “Hey, I got you away from that boyfriend you didn’t want. Isn’t that worth something?” “Okay, okay. It’s worth something. I give you my word I’ll behave at this stop.” ‘At this stop.’ Sure. He’d have to make her give her word every step of the way. It was going to be annoying, but necessary. Dealing with annoying but necessary was the story of his life. It was not a problem. Her pale, sweating face was. 40

Into Tomorrow “Take this next exit. Pull this automobile over before you throw up.” She swallowed hard and nodded. The car coasted to a stop halfway down the ramp. She slammed the gearshift lever up into Park and darted from the car. He followed more slowly. She sank down in the grass, resting her forehead on her knees. He hunkered down beside her. Civilization spread out at the end of the ramp. He recognized the emblems of several fuel companies. Those refilling stations would, by this year, have convenience stores attached to them. He’d give her a few minutes and then suggest they find something to drink. Cade wasn’t surprised she was crashing. She’d been through a lot for one short afternoon. He eased his long length down on the ground next to her. Her hair was tangled from the wind. He smoothed it back from her face, running his fingers through its silky length. She didn’t protest, which didn’t necessarily mean she liked it. “Are you going to pass out on me?” he asked quietly. She shook her head. “I feel sick.” She leaned away from him and spit. His stomach clenched in sympathy. “How sick?” He didn’t need to ask. He could tell just how sick by the fact she couldn’t bring herself to swallow her own saliva. Sure enough, she leaned away from him. He held her hair back and tried not to be too observant. After a few minutes, she slumped against him, surprising him greatly. He put his arm around her. Yep, his lady was full of surprises. “Let’s go find you some water,” he said softly, stroking her arm. “I think I can operate your vehicle as far as that first fuel depot.” She looked up at him. Tears of misery wet her eyelashes. “It’s a g-g-gas station.” “Of course it is. I can get us that far without causing an intergalactic incident. I swear.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. He led her to the car and got her settled in the passenger seat. He eased behind the wheel and looked things over. He’d never actually driven a car, but he’d watched her closely. Casting a surreptitious glance at Jessie, he gingerly pressed the brake pedal down then keyed the ignition. The engine started. He glanced sideways again. Jessie’s head was back, her eyes closed. He took a silent, deep breath and nudged the shift down to the “D” for drive. The transmission engaged, and the car inched forward. 41

Into Tomorrow He made it to the bottom of the ramp and turned right. The vehicle accelerated smoothly. He grinned. This was fun. Maybe he could convince her to let him continue to pilot this thing. He pulled in to the gas station, parking neatly between the lines. He flipped the ignition off. She turned her head and looked at him. “I gave you my word. I won’t give you away, but I really need to get to the ladies room.” He nodded. “I have to trust you, and I do. You go do… whatever, and I’ll see if I can manage your currency.” She crawled from the car and walked towards the back of the building. Cade took the keys and went inside. An older woman stood behind the counter. She looked like a friendly sort. “Excuse me ma’am. My wife isn’t feeling very well. What do you think I should get her to drink?” “What’s her problem? She got a misery in her belly?” “Yes, ma’am. I think her most recent meal didn’t agree with her.” “I have just the thing for her.” The woman disappeared into the background and came out with a small carton. She went over to the fountain and filled a small cup with ice then poured some of the thick black liquid out of the carton over the ice and handed it to him. “Coke syrup. On the house.” Cade sniffed it. It actually smelled pretty good. “Thank you. I guess I should get something for myself while I’m at it.” The woman laughed. “I reckon you should.” A young couple came to the counter, and she turned her attention to them. Jessie came up behind him. He handed her the cup. “That woman says this is good for what ails you.” She accepted the cup, swirling the ice around. “Thank you. This will be great.” She took a sip and breathed a small sigh of relief. Cade took her hand and led her toward the coolers. “How far is it until we stop again?” “You’re asking me? I don’t know. You’re running this kidnapping, not me.” “Okay then, just grab a few things, whatever you want, and we’ll make do until we stop again.” He reached in the cooler and grabbed a cola, a ginger ale and a bottle of water. She plucked the water from his hand, put it back in the cooler then chose another brand. Females. Oh well, the brand didn’t really matter to him. Whatever his lady wanted, his lady could have. He did need her help, 42

Into Tomorrow though. He had to get that car fueled, and he had no clue how to operate the equipment. “You’re going to have to put fuel in that thing,” he said to her as he grabbed a few snacks off the shelf. “Let me guess. You don’t know how to pump gas.” She grabbed two of the little bags out of his hand and put them back on the shelf. “There’s too much fat in these. Pick something else. Get pretzels.” He moved on down the aisle and selected two small packages of crackers. He wondered how fast she’d take those away from him. She reached past him and grabbed a snack cake. “I need chocolate if I have to pump gas.” She sipped her Coke syrup in fast little slurps. The color was coming back to her cheeks. She’d dampened her hair, slicking it back behind her ears. “I had to put those potato things back because there was too much fat in them, and you pick up this to eat?” “Don’t even try to figure it out. Just go with it, okay?” A pack of chewing gum landed on top of the load. Now she planned on ruining her teeth. He sighed. Not trying to figure out the fairer sex was good advice if he could do it. Trouble was, she fascinated him. His imagination had run amok since he first grabbed her. And he had five years to satisfy all his curiosities. She was reading the ingredients on a bag of corn chips and frowning. He snatched up a box of condoms while she wasn’t looking. Amazing that even in his own time, three hundred years in the future, condoms were still a man’s best chance of getting real, live sex with a real, live woman. “I can do that. Come on before I drop all this stuff.” He dropped his armload of goodies on the counter then pulled the keys from his back pocket and held them out to her. Those intelligent hazel eyes didn’t even blink. She slapped a large, flat book on the counter. Good. She’d found a road atlas. She looked at the keys again, still not taking them, then turned to the woman behind the counter. “Thanks for the coke syrup. I feel a lot better. Can you set the pump for twenty dollars worth of gas? We’re in the burgundy SS.” “Sure, sweetie,” the lady replied. She rang up their food then added the gas. “That’s thirty-five twenty-five.” 43

Into Tomorrow Cade handed her a fifty. She didn’t even look at it, just made change. Jessie snatched up the bottles and strolled out the door. Cade thanked the woman, picked up the snacks and followed her. He caught up to Jessie as she reached the car. She glared at him. She was definitely back to her usual self and ready to fight him again. “Time for you to learn a few basics. Like pumping gas.” Cool. He never declined to learn new survival tactics.

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Chapter Eight “That was pretty easy,” he told her as he twisted the gas cap back into place. She leaned against the car, scowling. “You think? Just remember that every pump is different before you feel too smug.” Shit. Maybe she was just jerking his chain. He wasn’t taking her bait, though. He’d find out the truth of it the next time they needed fuel. “Are you going to let me drive again, beautiful?” “No fucking way. I love this car, and you are not going to bust it up.” She leaned towards him, glaring. “And don’t ask m-m-me again.” She was so cute when she stuttered. Too bad it gave her uncertainties away. “Please, beautiful?” He batted his eyelashes at her. “Please?” “I hate you. You are the stupidest kidnapper on record. Trust me to end up w-w-with you. I c-c-can’t even get n-n-nabbed right.” What the hell was that all about? “I’m not a kidnapper. I keep telling you that. I’m Cade Reston. I’m a Time Specialist from The Year of Our Lord Twenty-two Ninety-three. I’m here on an assignment, which unfortunately, involves you. It’s nothing personal.” Oh, what a lie that was. He was feeling more and more personal all the time. He hopped in the driver’s seat before she could get there. She jerked the car door back open. He could almost see the fire in her eyes reaching out to scorch him. “Get out. Now.” She spoke through tightly clenched teeth. She was really, really, really angry. Too bad he thought it was funny. And he really did think it was funny. He couldn’t help himself. He laughed, but he did start to get out. He barely got his foot back inside before the door slammed shut. If he’d not moved so swiftly, the door would have crushed his ankle. Suddenly, her anger wasn’t funny any longer. He kept his mouth 45

Into Tomorrow closed as she flung herself into the passenger seat and strapped in. It looked like he would be driving, after all. He squared his shoulders and started the car. “Which way?” He asked as pleasantly as he knew how. What he really wanted to do was turn her over his knee and spank her. Not that it would serve any purpose except to drive him wild. She did have a right to be a little angry. She mumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously unladylike. “North. I’ll see if I can get us headed north.” She didn’t respond so he put the car in gear and carefully eased it out into traffic. He turned onto the ramp and gingerly applied pressure to the gas pedal. The car gathered speed. This was as easy as it looked. Well, at least until he got as far as the end of the ramp and saw all the cars and trucks coming at him from the rear. That unnerved him a little. “Get up to speed,” she snapped. “Okay, okay.” The oncoming traffic made a hole for them, and he slid into it. “How is that?” “I could’ve done better.” “No doubt. You’ve had practice. So open that fancy atlas you bought and figure out where we can stop for the night. We’re stopping as soon as it gets dark. I want off this main thoroughfare, too. ” She gave him a surprised look then grabbed up the book and started rapidly flipping through the pages. He hoped she’d given some thought to the night. He didn’t want to surprise her too badly. When they stopped, they would share a room. And a bed. He couldn’t let her out of his sight. It was too risky. She’d run. The thought of being in a bed with her, even if he stayed on top of the covers while she was under them, brought his cock to attention. The memory of her beneath him burned in his blood. He wanted her, and he had five years to get her. Starting tonight would work out just fine. “Oh, and find a place that has, um, what’s it called? Room service? I’m hungry.” “Eat your crackers if you need food,” she shot back. “We can cross the state line and look for a place. Crossing the state line makes you a worse sort of felon or something.” “Really? You mean I might become wanted by NASA?” 46

Into Tomorrow She groaned. “Why me? Why does it always have to be me? Why do I get the good ones?” She finally shifted in her seat to face him. “It’s the Federal Bureau of Investigation, you jerk. The FBI. Not NASA. NASA is the people who go into outer space. You know outer space. Isn’t that where you came from? Didn’t Scotty beam you down?” “No, beautiful. I didn’t come here from outer space. I came from the seventeenth layer of time. Oz.” **** Jessie stared at him, mouth open. Worse! Much worse than she thought. He was a total lunatic, not just a certifiable one. She forced herself not to scream and to talk calmly. “We can stop when we get to Salem. There are a few motels there, but I doubt if there’s room service. We’ll have to go to a restaurant.” “That’s fine, as long as I can get real meat, real coffee and real bourbon.” “They don’t let you have caffeine and alcohol in the home?” she quipped. “Nope. You can’t get anything that is bad for you where I come from.” He pointed at a road sign. She flinched. “Keep both your hands on the steering wheel.” All in all, he drove well. “Hey, do you even have a driver’s license?” “I suspect not since I don’t know what it is. Other than the obvious, that is.” Wonderful. Maybe she’d have one stroke of luck, and he wouldn’t have an accident. If he did, she’d never get reasonable insurance again. Of course, they probably made allowances for kidnap victims. “It’s the obvious, so be careful.” He flexed his hands on the wheel. His hands were large, broad across the back with prominent veins and a smattering of hair. His fingers were long with well-tended fingernails. The crisscross pattern of fine-lined white scars that she glimpsed as the sunlight hit them at just the right angle drew her curiosity. “What happened to your hands?” “I got caught in a miscalibration once, in the Matrix. It wasn’t my doing, either. Some tech screwed up. I was lucky the ice only burned my hands.” “Ice did that?” 47

Into Tomorrow “Sure did. It hurt, too, all over.” “It burned you all over?” “No. I covered my face with my hands. That’s how they got hit. I was lucky.” Something in the grim way he spoke of the experience told her just how lucky he really was. Whatever this Matrix that he spoke about, she refused to fuel his fantasies by asking about it. More than likely, some chemical left those strange web-like patterns on his skin, and his mind simply remembered the contact as feeling cold, hence the ice story. Crazy or not, his hands had a strong elegance that fueled a few fantasies she’d rather not be having right now. Those hands had held her hair back when she got sick an hour ago. Oh, Lord. Maybe she’d best forget that. Of all the times to throw up, it had to be in front of Cade. So what if she did? It was his fault. Oh, blast it. He asked her something, and she’d been staring at him, her handsome abductor. She shook her head. “I asked if I should turn off there. Read that sign, beautiful.” Her attention snapped back to the road. “Yes. Get off here. Slow down.” She also saw a lodging sign. She wanted a closer look. He obliged without further comment. “What’s that big, black cow mean? Steak?” He was from Oz, was he? Apparently, they had steakhouses there, too. The car slowed. He looked hopefully at her. “Well?” “Well, what?” “Well, can I get real meat in there?” She sighed. “Turn.” He whipped the car into the parking lot. Ninety minutes later, she managed to propel him back to the car. He even handed her the keys. He dropped into the passenger seat and sat, eyes closed, rubbing his firm stomach as she started the car and pulled away. He groaned, unsnapping his jeans. She tried not to notice the rounded outline of his maleness, but a little corner of her mind registered he ‘dressed left’. “Oh, that was so good,” he said, his voice a low, husky sigh of appreciation. “Your stomach should burst. I can’t believe you ate all that. I’d be sick if I tried that.” 48

Into Tomorrow He gave her that sexy sideways look again. She bristled. “No, that’s n-n-not what made me sick this afternoon. I didn’t even have any lunch! That was your fault!” “Undoubtedly.” He gusted out a long breath. “I’m going to need a few changes of clothes. We’ll have to see to that tomorrow.” “You’re on your own, bucko. I’m dropping you at a rental car place, and then I’m going home. I’ve had enough of this.” He didn’t respond, damn him, and she’d rehearsed this argument in her head all the way through dinner. His hand landed on her thigh, a gentle touch that burned all the way to the deepest place in her belly. “No, you’re not. Now find us a place to stay like a good little girl.” “I hate you!” “So you’ve said. I don’t expect you to love me, not yet.” “Not ever, you son-of-a-bitch!” Useless! Try as she might, she couldn’t seem to get ahead of him. That warm hand on her leg sapped her resolve. Just ahead, she saw the first motel. She slowed, turned in and parked. They sat staring at each other. “One room, Jess. I’m sorry, but I can’t risk you cutting out. There’s too much at stake.” “So it’s ‘Jess’ now, is it?” For some reason, that hurt. He was the only person she knew who called her ‘beautiful’. She crossed her arms over her chest. She couldn’t spend the night with him, not in the same room. “Gardner called you Jessie, therefore I will no longer do so. Would you prefer Jessica?” She preferred her own room. If he kissed her again, in a room, with a bed, she was a goner. “I’d prefer you just let me go home.” He shook his head. “We’re going in to the office together. We’re getting one room. I’ll pay with one of my credit cards. Then we’ll get settled down, and get some rest, and figure out where we’re going.” He cupped her cheek with the hand that had lain so warm on her thigh. “Just give me tonight, beautiful. Then we’ll let tomorrow take care of itself.” She looked into his eyes, so smoky blue in the twilight, and her determination abandoned her. The little voice of the rebel whispered to her soul. Why not cap off this little adventure with a wild night? 49

Into Tomorrow Cade Reston might be a fruitcake—an incredibly gorgeous fruitcake, but he seemed pretty harmless. What a shame to keep such a good-looking man locked away. At the very least, she could ask him some questions about his version of Oz. She’d bet her bottom dollar his answers would be entertaining. Add to that the fact that she really didn’t want to go back home. Eddie and her mother, and probably even Eddie’s mother, would be waiting for her. They’d want explanations and then not accept anything she said that didn’t fall into line with their plans. She dreaded facing them. She might as well face it. After she returned home, her life would be one long miserable string of days doing what she was supposed to do, what was expected of her. Days would turn to years. Long, horribly boring, mind-numbing years. She’d lived a lifetime in this one day with Cade already. Why shouldn’t the night follow? She turned her head and kissed his palm. Surprise transformed his face, making him look younger. Just as quickly, his features tightened. She recognized that look, too. Desire. Deep inside, she awoke. “Okay, Cade. Tonight is yours.”

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Chapter Nine How could she be so stupid as to say that? How? He stared at her, intent and disbelieving, with those piercing eyes. “Don’t say that if you don’t mean it, Jess. I’m not some chivalrous knight come to life out of medieval times. Any rights you cede to me, I’ll take.” “I’m not ceding you anything. Not now, not ever. What I meant was I’ll stay here tonight with you, in the same room with you, and tomorrow I’m going home. That’s all.” His left eyebrow lifted. The corner of his mouth quirked into a little smile. “Liar.” “You son-of-a-bitch. You can s-s-sleep on the floor.” “You keep insulting my mother. You don’t even know her.” “You probably didn’t even have a mother. You probably crawled out from under a rock somewhere, didn’t you?” He sighed. “I did have a mother. A real mother who gave birth to me the old-fashioned way by going through fifteen hours of labor. She even had a real lover who impregnated her the old-fashioned way and not a sperm donor.” “Oh, yeah. Right. Where you come from they grow babies in vats.” “Not exactly. Some women are professional breeders for those who don’t wish the inconvenience of pregnancy.” Inconvenience? Jessie’s womb clenched and not with inconvenience. It clenched with sorrow. “Right. Your mother only found out how inconvenient you were after you were born.” He chuckled wickedly. “Too true, beautiful.” He patted her thigh. God, she wished he wouldn’t do that. She went all brain-fazed and stupid. “You’re stalling, Jess. I want you to give me your word—no funny stuff in the motel office and no funny stuff in the room.” 51

Into Tomorrow He annoyed her so. He’s making her give him her word about everything. “You have a lot of heart, not trusting me. You kidnapped me, remember?” “Just give me your word. I want a hot shower and a soft mattress more than I want you.” Why that bastard! “What’s wrong with me all of a sudden?” He grinned. A big, smug male grin. His eyes sparkled. His nose crinkled with mirth. My, but he had a mouthful of nice teeth. Just as good as Eddie’s only she bet his weren’t all capped. And if that grin spread any further, the corners of his mouth would crack with the strain. The Bastard. He’d maneuvered her into blurting that out. Oh, he’d pay for that. She’d get the shower first and use up all the hot water. That would teach him a lesson. “Come along, beautiful. I’ve never applied for a room in this era before.” He rolled from the car in one fluid movement. If—if—she helped him get a few changes of clothes, his jeans would not be so tight across his butt. And she was a hormonal idiot for noticing. She hopped out of the car and scampered after him. He was already talking to the desk clerk when she walked in the office. The clerk explained the difference between a single and a double. Cade looked over his shoulder at her and asked for a double, and yes, the whirlpool tub would be preferable. She cringed when he handed over one of his credit cards. Add credit card fraud to his growing list of felonies. He couldn’t have those cards legally. He’d never risk the authorities tracking him. She ducked her head just in case there were surveillance cameras in the room. Then she raised her face and looked around for them. It may help the cops find her. If they even looked. Eddie probably drove over to the country club and picked up Beckie Lou Sellers for a dinner date, just to try and teach her a lesson. And she knew what Beckie Lou sold, too. No, Eddie hadn’t breathed a word to anyone yet, not even her mother. “Jess. I said let’s go.” A strong hand closed around hers. “Oh. Were you talking to me?” 52

Into Tomorrow “Daydreaming about Gardner, were we?” “You son-of-a…” “Bitch,” he responded in unison. She yanked her hand away from him and stalked out the door. He followed at a more leisurely pace. He walked up to the car and held up a room key with a big white tag attached. “Room 216. It’s around back with a view of the pool.” “Like that makes a difference. I don’t have a swimsuit.” “Do you want one? We can go get one? Surely there is someplace around here to purchase one.” She met his calm blue gaze. He was serious. If she wanted to take a swim, he’d take her shopping. Cade was an odd one that was for sure. “Do you swim?” He shrugged. “I have. It’s not my favorite form of exercise.” Oh, no. She wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole. His favorite form of exercise was sex. She’d bet on it. She was not, was not, going to get into that discussion again. The words fell out of her mouth. “Let’s go get suits. The water will probably feel wonderful.” His look turned enigmatic. He didn’t say a word, just nodded and motioned for her to get back in the car. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She didn’t want to parade around in front of him in a swimsuit. Heaven only knew what he’d think. Heaven only knew what he was thinking. The strangest look covered his face. “Well, get in the car Jess. A little swim might be relaxing.” He grasped her elbow and propelled her to the driver’s side then opened her door. “But it won’t change the fact that we are going to sleep in the same room. Sooner or later tonight, we will be behind a locked door, and you are going to have to trust me.” So he thought this was a stalling tactic, did he? He was probably right. Of course, now she didn’t know what was worse—being behind that locked door with him or being mostly naked and swimming with him. She kept putting her foot right in her mouth. A bad habit, she knew, and one she needed to break—fast. “There’s a little shopping center right down the road. We’ll go there.” “Whatever, beautiful. You’re the one who knows her way around Rome.” He closed her car door. Once he settled in his seat, she started the engine. Three or four small shops in the little center displayed swimsuits in their windows. Only one displayed men’s trunks. As they walked 53

Into Tomorrow into the shop, Jessie looked around for surveillance cameras. Plenty lined the walls. Her heart leaped into her throat when a sales clerk walked up to her. “May I help you find something?” the woman asked politely. Jesse felt dizzy. This was her chance. All she had to do was whisper to the woman that the man kidnapped her, and the woman could discreetly trip an alarm. She glanced over at Cade. He held up a silver bikini and shook his head. He looked at her and grinned. The moment of decision was upon her. His grin faded. The knowledge of what she contemplated showed in his eyes. His lips thinned into a grim line, and he simply nodded. He was leaving it up to her. All she had to do was open her mouth. He wouldn’t try and stop her. She felt frozen in a moment outside of time. What would happen to him if she told his secret? He watched, silently waiting. “Do you have that silver bikini in a size ten?” The woman smiled. “I’m sure we do. Let me get one for you.” She started looking in the rack. Cade walked over behind Jessie and drew her hair back, his knuckles praising her neck, but he said nothing. “What should I get, beautiful? Think they have silver trunks to match?” “I hope not. Why don’t we get you a plain black pair?” “Sounds perfect. Point me in the right direction. By the way, what size do you think I take?” She sighed and walked over to the men’s rack. The simple trunks were sized by small, medium, or large, with elastic and drawstring waists. He was lean and rather slim-hipped. She held a medium in front of him, stretching the waistband to see how far it spread. Almost, but not quite. The large would do better. She handed one to him. “These should do nicely, unless you really must have silver.” “No. No, I really don’t need silver.” He caught her hand and lifted it to his lips. “Thank you,” he said softly. “Don’t thank me yet. We’re not out of the store, and I may change my mind. Not turning you in may be the stupidest thing I ever do.” “Trust me, Jessica. It’s the smartest thing you’ll ever do.” “I wonder why I feel like I’ve made a big mistake?” 54

Into Tomorrow “I can’t answer that for you, not tonight. All I can do is try and do things that make you change your mind about it being a mistake.” She looked away. “Just get ready to whip out one of those credit cards and pay for this stuff. Move. We’re getting towels and a bunch of other stuff.” She brushed past him and picked up a big bag and started putting towels, pool slippers, sunscreen and anything else they might need inside, including a plain blue tee shirt for him. What the heck? It matched his eyes, and he’d need a clean one for tomorrow. He took the beach bag from her and held it open. She tried to look disgusted as she grabbed a pair of sunglasses and tossed them in the bag. She’d need them tomorrow for driving. Cade nudged her. “Get that.” He pointed to a long, gauzy swimsuit cover on a manikin. “Hat and all.” Why the hell not? He was paying. She grabbed a cover and slung it over his shoulder. He plucked the straw hat from the manikin and dropped it on her head. She pointed to the checkout counter, and he dutifully marched toward it. She didn’t trust all this civil domestication for a moment. He wanted to see her in a bikini and if acting like a normal guy accomplished that for him, he’d do it. He didn’t fool her at all. The sales clerk seemed very happy when Cade handed over his card. She smiled at him. He winked at her. Jessie wanted to kick both of them. The drive back to the motel was a quiet one. Cade handed her the shopping bag while he retrieved her suitcase. Her heart did a strange little flip-flop when he opened the door to their room and ushered her inside. “Nice room,” she said as she looked around. It appeared either very clean or newly redecorated with two queen-sized beds. She walked over and sat down on the one closest to the bathroom. “I’ll take this bed. You can sleep in that one so if a burglar breaks in, he’ll kill you first.” He chuckled. “I don’t think that will happen.” He perched on the corner of the dresser. “It’s dark. Do you still want to swim?” “Of course. Didn’t you see the sign? Pool open until eleven?” “Nope. Missed it. Why don’t you go in the bathroom and change? I’ll change out here.” He gave her a mischievous look. “And if you come out early, I’ll trust you not to look.” 55

Into Tomorrow “Oh, please. D-d-don’t flatter yourself.” She tossed his trunks at him, grabbed the bikini and darted into the bathroom. Her cheeks burned. She didn’t need to look in the mirror to know they flamed cherry red. The bikini fit like it was tailor-made for her. She squared her shoulders and walked out to face Cade. He turned away from the window. His eyes widened as his gaze slowly swept down across her then back up. “You’re beautiful, Jess. Never let anyone tell you that you’re not.” The low, rich timbre of his voice made gooseflesh rise on her arms and brought tears to her eyes. He meant it, she could tell. He knew nothing about her pedigree, how much money she had and how well it was invested. All he knew was what stood in front of him. Weariness tore down her defenses. Better to sidestep than meet him halfway on anything. “Hand me a towel, and let’s go. And don’t forget the room key.” “You have no confidence in me at all, do you?” Her patience snapped. “Just go!” He had the unmitigated gall to laugh, but he did open the door. He still laughed when they reached the pool. She didn’t wait for him, diving into the warm water. It felt heavenly, despite the strong chlorine smell. She was a strong swimmer and began doing laps. Maybe if she were lucky, she could burn off all the tension of the day and sleep like a log. On her second pass back across the pool, she realized Cade swam beside her, matching her stroke for stroke. She kicked a little harder, speeding up. He didn’t falter but stayed with her. He stayed with her for twenty laps. She was exhausted, but no way would she stop and let him get the best of her. It wasn’t going to happen. She sucked in a deep breath and flipped, pushing off the wall. Her arms felt like lead. Her legs seemed to drag her down. She reached the other end and flipped. She opened her mouth to draw a breath. Water poured down her throat. She choked. Her sinuses burned. She tried to put her feet down and stand, but the world suddenly turned black. A blast of extreme irritation seized her. Damn it all to hell. She was drowning.

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Chapter Ten “Jess. Breathe, Jess.” Cade pushed on her chest again. She coughed up some more water then began flailing her arms about. Thank God. “That’s it, beautiful. Fight me all you want. Just keep fighting me, darling.” He lifted her, cradling her against his chest. “Where are you taking me?” Her voice came out weak, distant. Alarm shot through him again. She wasn’t taking deep enough breaths. “Right here, Jess. Breathe in. Take a deep breath for me. Cough for me.” She coughed obediently, choking and wheezing. “What did you do to me?” “You missed a turn, that’s all. I should have stopped. I knew you were getting too tired.” He smoothed a lock of wet hair off her face. “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault.” She coughed again. “At least you admit it.” Her head dropped against his shoulder. He started to panic again, hearing rapidly approaching footsteps. “Jess, someone’s coming. Can you sit up?” She struggled to do his bidding. Thank all the stars she listened to him although he was really, truly sorry it took almost drowning to accomplish it. The man approaching wore a jacket with an insignia on it. He hunkered down beside Cade. “I’m the night manager. Do you need an ambulance?” “No,” Jessie said, shaking her head. “I just swallowed a mouthful of water. I’m fine, but we’re finished swimming.” She tried to wiggle out of Cade’s grasp. “Let me go, honey.” Let her go? Was she kidding? “I’ll carry you, honey.” He tightened his hold on her and grinned at the night manager. “She’s stubborn, you know.” “Aren’t they all? What room are you in? I’ll send up a tea tray, on the house.” 57

Into Tomorrow Before Cade could tell him not to bother sending whatever the hell a tea tray was, Jessie answered. “We’re in one-sixteen. Thank you.” The man squeezed her shoulder before walking off. Jessie went limp in Cade’s arms. He stood, lifting her. Fear jolted through him again when she didn’t protest. Maybe she should see a doctor. His fear faded when he laid her on the bed. She sat up and glared at him. “I hate you! This has been the worst day of my life!” She fell into a fit of coughing. He sat on the edge of the bed beside her and thumped her back. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around his neck and started crying. “Thank you for saving me,” she finally said, hiccupping. “My pleasure, beautiful.” He held her tighter. She felt so right in his arms. He should do the very smart thing and let her go home, back to her life, back to Gardner. He could put down a marker for Hector and go home and figure out another way to come at his assignment. His record would be charged, but that couldn’t be helped. She made it worth the reprimand. She shivered in his embrace. He rubbed her arms to warm her, but it did no good. He had to get her body temperature back up. His gaze fell on the whirlpool tub. His groin tightened at the thought of lying in the warm water with her. Naked. “I’m going to draw a bath for you. It will warm you up.” He brushed a kiss to her forehead. Of all the stupid, idiotic things to do, he’d forced her to try and show him up at something, and it almost cost her life. It would have prevented the birth of Gardner Number Five, too. He didn’t care. If he mucked up a chance, he mucked up a chance. Only she mattered. Nothing else. Not his old life. Not his assignment. None of it. If he fathered her child, what would happen? If he impregnated her then laid down a marker for Hector, he could go home and check the timelines and see if it protected the event. Then he could come back for her. The possibilities swirled in his thoughts until her voice brought him back from the very brink of madness. “Don’t let go, Cade.” Her grip tightened around his neck. He hugged her back. “I won’t.” He started rocking her. Bit by bit, she relaxed. “Ready for that bath?” 58

Into Tomorrow She nodded and he stood, gingerly placing her on her feet. She seemed steady enough and padded behind him into the bathroom. He couldn’t figure out how to activate the drain stopper after the water started flowing. Jessie rolled her eyes and reached past him, turning a silver-plated dial. The tub began filling. “You can go now,” she said, her voice barely audible above the water splashing into the tub. He expected her to say that. “I’m not going anywhere. As a matter of fact, I’m getting in the tub with you.” As a matter of fact, I’m going to make love to you. Real, live sex kind of making love, too. He stepped out of his swim trunks and stood naked in front of her. Her gaze swept him from head to toe and back again then drifted down. He knew it was pointless but he wished his body wouldn’t react. He lengthened and began swelling. Her lips parted then she moistened them with her tongue. The air left his lungs. His erection completed in a wonderful rush that tingled all the way to his nipples. Damn. That had never happened before. He rubbed his chest. She didn’t seem to notice. Her gaze was glued to his manhood. “Jess. Take your swimsuit off.” Curiosity about what she was thinking consumed him. “It’s a bikini.” “Well, okay. Take it off.” She peeled out of it. God, she was lovely. She wasn’t thin exactly, having curves in all the places a woman should have them. Slender enough but he couldn’t count her ribs. Her smooth skin glowed a light golden all over like she’d been in the sun naked, only he was sure that hadn’t happened. Maybe she used artificial lighting. Her eyes never left his cock. “Like what you see, little girl?” He certainly liked what he saw. Especially the dark curls at the apex of her thighs. The ones that gave her away as not being a naturally light-haired blond. She swallowed like she had to force her throat to work but didn’t reply. Instead, she ignored him and stepped into the tub, sinking down into the heated water. She pressed a button recessed in the side of the tub, and the jets began pumping. Steam rose into the air. He stepped in and slid down behind her, pulling her between his thighs. In the deep tub, the water came almost up to his armpits. She sucked in a deep breath and almost floated. He looped his legs over her to serve as anchors, and she rewarded him with a tremulous smile. 59

Into Tomorrow “I won’t hurt you, Jess.” “Yes, you will, and in ways you won’t understand.” He pondered that for a few minutes while trying to make his body behave. The hot water worked for him, up to a point, but she kept squirming. He gave it up as a hopeless exercise. He would have her tonight, sooner or later. He nibbled along the top of her shoulder. She dropped her head back, an invitation he readily accepted. His lips skimmed her shoulders and neck, trailing kisses. His hands cupped her breasts. A breathy sigh escaped her, and his semiflaccid penis woke up. Her hands slid from his knees to his thighs, and his balls drew up. God, what a wonderful feeling. Just to have a woman in his arms again made his very pores sing with delight. To have her hands on him fueled fantasies he thought long forgotten. He wanted to sink into her and let the orgasm take him, and he wanted to draw it out all night while giving her climax after climax until she didn’t have voice left to beg him to stop. He couldn’t have it both ways, and he knew it. Her fingers found him, hard and pressed against her back. She squeezed him gently then turned toward him, buoyant in the swirling water. She raised her gaze to his unflinchingly. “All day I’ve been thinking how dull my life has been. How boring it will be when I go back to it. If all I have of adventure is today then I want everything.” He’d wondered about her life. A beautiful young woman from a rich family. Her every need supplied. Had she been happy in her life? She should have been, but his gut told him she wanted much more. If she wanted what she had, she would have flung herself in Gardner Number Four’s arms and screamed for the authorities. She hadn’t. She all but kidnapped him to make a fast get-away. Damn honor. Damn, damn, damn. He held everything he ever wanted in his arms, and he was going to be stupid and let her go, even before he got any real, live sex. And in his line of work, a man never knew if he’d live to get any kind of sex again. It just wasn’t fair. “Do you want to go back to your life, Jess? Tell me if you do. I’ll let you go if you promise me to not have a child by Gardner.” She looked at him with those big hazel eyes. A tear slid down her cheek. 60

Into Tomorrow He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her, sheltering her. **** He meant it. She knew he did. He’d dry her off and send her home, and that would be that. All she had to do was agree not to have a child with Eddie. Like she would now, anyway. She’d changed. Deep inside her slumbering spirit had roused, and the genie would never go back in its bottle. Maybe the change wasn’t a good one, she didn’t know. She didn’t care, either. She only knew she couldn’t go back to her old life because she wasn’t living. She merely existed. If Cade walked out on her in the morning, so be it. She’d find a way to live through it. She’d have the memories of a very interesting day with a real, live bad boy with a strange story and a stranger sense of humor. And she’d have tonight. “I won’t have Eddie’s baby. Not because of the consequences to the universe, but because I don’t want to.” He sighed. “Okay. Do you want to go home?” She shook her head. “No. My life is mind-numbing. Let me stay with you.” “Jess, I can’t stay here in this time.” “Is your life exciting, Cade?” She hoped for his sake that it was. “Usually, I guess. What I do is vital. Only one person in a thousand gets certified to be a Time Specialist.” “You’re a psycho. Do you know that?” “Yeah. I know.” He buried his long fingers in her hair and massaged the back of her head and neck. “I screwed up, beautiful. I came in five years too early. I can’t get back now without taking a very big risk.” Was he asking for her help in some oblique male way? It sounded like it. The water cooled around them. She pressed the button to stop the whirlpool jets. In a heartbeat, the room quieted. Her voice seemed to echo in the silence. “Then stay with me, Cade Reston, or whatever your name is. I’ve money enough to support us if we don’t get careless with it.” “I don’t need your money, beautiful. All time specialists have access to some very private accounts in each timeline when currency is needed.” He leaned back and looked into her eyes, searching for what she didn’t know. “Do you know what you’re buying into? I’m basically a fugitive in this time.” 61

Into Tomorrow “It doesn’t matter to me. All that matters is that I live, really live, before I die.” She pulled his mouth down to hers. His lips tasted hot, moving eagerly on hers. She opened her lips, and his tongue swept into her mouth, demanding her response. Low in her belly, a spark fluttered to life then soared. She pulled back just far enough to look into those enigmatic blue eyes. “I had a fight with my mother. Someone broke into my home. The worst kidnapper in history kidnapped me. I threw up in front of a strange man, and I almost drown. And they say that today is the first day of the rest of my life.” She took a deep breath. “I can only think of one thing to redeem this day. Make love to me, Cade. All night long.”

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Chapter Eleven He’d never refuse her. She didn’t know much after the day she’d had, but she did know that with all certainty. All day, desire shimmered in the air between them, passed back and forth in a glance, a seemingly casual touch. She foolishly wanted him, and even more foolishly allowed him this close. The echoes of all her mother’s warnings faded away. She didn’t need them, nor did she want them. She’d made her choice and it was him and this night. Let it ruin her chances for the marriage she didn’t want. Thank God. Let her finally be free of the weight of someone else’s expectations. He let her float out of his embrace when he reached for a washcloth and the soap. She grinned and shook her head, laughing as he made a swipe over his torso. He didn’t need a bath, not really. “Who are you? Mr. Clean?” “I wouldn’t want to offend your female sensibilities.” Jeez. He was Mr. Clean. She took a quick breath and banished nervousness. Snatching the soap from him, she lathered her hands and reached for his cock. Something betwixt and between a groan, a moan and a sigh rumbled in his chest. Her belly fluttered and tightened. Down low, she tingled. She’d never heard a man make a sound like that. But then, she’d never washed a man like this before, either. She explored his maleness with cautious fingertips, sliding up and down along his rigid shaft. He stiffened, leaning back and giving her tacit permission to please herself. His eyelids drifted closed. His tongue flicked over his lips. Deep in her secret places, she pulsed in unison with her heartbeat. Her hand stilled. His eyes popped open. “Give me the soap,” he said, his voice low and rich. It flew out of her grasp, landing with a splash beside them. She giggled. “Oops.”

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Into Tomorrow He rolled his eyes as he fished for it. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” His palm slid across the swell of her hip, drifting over the curve of her bottom. “The soap isn’t there, and no, I didn’t do that on purpose. You make me nervous.” He snorted. “If you were nervous, you’d be stuttering, and you’re not. That’s a cute trait, by the way.” He came up with the soap and leaned back against the tub again. He patted his chest. “Come here. Put your head on my shoulder.” She drifted back to him, going skin-to-skin with him again. She pressed her thighs together, seeking to ease the ache that burgeoned within her as his arms encircled her. He tipped her head back, claiming her lips. His hand drifted down, across her breasts, to the apex of her thighs. Her heart hammered in her chest as his fingers slipped into her folds. His fingers teased her, silky with soap. His tongue took her mouth in a steady rhythm that caught her between acceptance and flight. The pressure from his fingers increased. A jolt of pure pleasure shot through her. She moaned into his mouth. “Open for me.” His voice grew rough with arousal. The water made it easy for him to shift her, and her thighs opened. She cried out in surprise as he slipped two fingers into her. Her body pulsed around his possession, clenching greedily, wanting more. She arched her back, pressing her body into his touch. His teeth scraped her lower lip. His thumb moved in tiny circles over her sweet spot, stealing her breath, making her muscles tense. She abandoned herself to the spiraling sensations, letting them take her where they willed. His kiss teased her lips, her face, her neck, as his hand plundered. Deep in her belly the fluttering intensified, a drumbeat that joined with her heart. Heat grew under his fingers, and then his touch gentled while his lips plundered. Her body took on a new life under his touch. She could only lie in his arms while he cast his spell. Her breasts swelled, her nipples tingled deliciously. She rubbed them, trying to ease the taut ache. His chest vibrated with what seemed to be a groan. She didn’t know. She was past total awareness of him, past knowing much of anything but the increasing pressure of his hand. Her hips rose and fell without thought, seeking the devastating pleasure that coiled under his thumb. The dam broke inside her, 64

Into Tomorrow flowing from her in a liquid rush warmer than the water that surrounded her. Her whole awareness suddenly focused, down and down to know only the tiny bud that throbbed with such promise. The promise of his hands and his lips was met. Wave after wave crashed over her, through her, leaving her too weak with wanting more to fight against the steady ebb and flow of sensation. She drifted on a tide of bliss, one she’d rarely known no matter how she’d sought it. The pleasure faded, leaving her fogged. She thought she said his name. She must have. His voice was soft and soothing in her ear. “I’m right here, Jess.” His arms and legs encircled her, warmer than the water now. He kissed her shoulder with tender lips. “You’re so beautiful.” She felt beautiful, truly beautiful, for the first time in her life. She stretched languidly, rubbing against him and feeling the tension flow back into him. He was still hard, his maleness pressed to her hip. Her gaze flicked to his. His eyes held warmth and no small amount of amusement. She glared at him. A smile teased the corner of his mouth. “You’re too smug, Cade Reston.” “I’m not smug.” She gave him her best haughty look. He grinned at her. **** He was smug. So smug he could barely stand himself. A long time had come and gone since he’d held a woman and pleasured her. Thank all gods greater and lesser he still remembered how. Now to get her out of the tub, toweled dry and into the nice, soft bed. He pulled her to him and kissed her again. She melted against him, her arms finding their way around his neck. He nibbled at the corner of her mouth and was rewarded with her sigh. His groin throbbed with a carnal desperation he’d almost forgotten. Slow, slow. For her. Her tongue flicked to his. He forgot to breathe for a moment then sucked in air, tightening his embrace. Her fingertips dug into his shoulder, fueling his sudden urgency to be inside her heat. He pulled away. “Bed. Now.” She blinked at him. “Bossy. Man.” She floated out of his embrace and stood, showering him in a cascade of droplets. He climbed to his feet. When her gaze dropped to his erection, his cock jumped under her perusal. His heartbeat raced. 65

Into Tomorrow Five minutes. All he had to do was stay sane for five more minutes, and then she would be his. “Towels.” She rolled her eyes as he reached for one. “Caveman.” He took a butternut yellow towel off the rack and draped it over her shoulders. She stepped out of the tub. “You don’t like talking in mono-syllabic words?” He started drying her off, starting with her breasts. She pulled the towel from his hands and quickly wrapped her hair in a turban. He wouldn’t allow her to thwart his enjoyment. He picked up another towel and started rubbing her down again. She took an end of the towel and started drying him. His knees threatened to buckle when she carefully dried his male bits, stroking him gently. They were dry enough. He wrapped the towel around his waist, fastening it securely. Maybe it would help him slow down some. Maybe not. The softness of the Egyptian cotton towel teased his entire swollen length as his erection tried to rise beneath it. He scooped her up into his arms, trying to ignore her little girly squeal. The universe certainly knew what it was doing when it taught females how to make that sound of protest that was no protest at all. That little squeal signaled feminine satisfaction with the progress of the mating game, and all men were programmed to recognize it. In their groins. He laid her on the bed and followed her down, pinning her beneath him. Her arms tightened around his neck. His mouth covered hers. She opened to him, letting him plunder at will. Her thighs opened, and he hazed on the heat that swept down his spine to lick at his straining cock. He was on the verge. It had been so long that he was fast losing control. Her hands were tugging at the towel. He reached down to help her, lifting his pelvis just enough to yank the cloth from between them. The tip of his maleness slid across her dewed, slick flesh. Heaven help him, he’d apologize to her later. He thrust into her, fully and completely. She cried out. She was a virgin. Or at least she had been. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry.” He slipped his arms beneath her, willing her to stop shaking. “It’s all right,” he crooned in her ear. He doubted her perspective agreed. “It hurts. Do something.” 66

Into Tomorrow Do something? Christ, no. He wasn’t moving. Not forward, not backward. He kissed her teary eyes, her nose, her chin. “Try and relax, Jess. The discomfort will ease in a moment.” “Discomfort? It hurts! Get off me!” She bucked beneath him, crying out again as her movement drove him deeper inside her. “Be still, Jess. Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” You should have told me. I’d have been so careful. She sniffed, twice. “I was afraid you wouldn’t…” Well, she might have been right, but probably not. He doubted he could have turned from having her in his arms. She relaxed beneath him. Her body held his in a velvet glove. He had to test her limits. He needed her. He looked into her eyes and shifted his weight. Her eyebrows knitted together. “What, beautiful?” He showered her face with feathery kisses, flexing his hips into her once again. “Does it still hurt?” “No. Yes. I don’t know.” No woman in pain gave that kind of response. A novice, unsure of new sensations, said that. She squirmed, and his eyes crossed. He pushed into her again, carefully gauging her reaction. She wiggled again, burrowing down in the bed. His balls drew up. Heat coiled in his groin. He nuzzled the soft skin of her neck. She stretched, giving him better access, coaxing him to continue his attentions. He trailed kisses along her jaw, finally taking her mouth. Her inner flesh rippled around his. The sensation was more than he could stand. He thrust into her. Her thighs opened. He drove into her again. Her knees rose. Heedless of her tenderness, he slammed into her. Her legs locked around his waist. Too much. He’d been too long without a woman’s softness, a woman’s heat. He gathered her closer. She didn’t protest but met him thrust for brutal thrust. His soul spiraled down into the darkness of her body, down to where all he knew was her yielding flesh. Hot sparks prickled his skin as the sweat pooled between their bellies. He rose over her, his arms shaking. Her flesh opened to his, accepting his bruising need. His body slammed into hers, thrusting deeply and rapidly. She cried out, suddenly wild beneath him, her body bowing off the bed as she took her own pleasure. What little 67

Into Tomorrow sanity left to him whispered: no condom. It was too late. The moment seized him. As old as mankind itself, the need to spill his seed on fertile ground controlled him. His orgasm gathered, coiling and twisting in his groin, bursting forth in a flood into her body. It sucked him down, down, into a starlit darkness and dropped him, gasping for breath, onto the welcoming softness of her body. He jerked into her once, then again, and then he stilled. Awareness returned with alacrity. Her inner walls contracted around his cock, focusing his attention on her. She lay beneath him, flushed and panting. Her fingers plucked restlessly at his shoulders. He had to be heavy now. He slid sideways, rolling to his side and gathering her close. She nestled in against him. He kissed her softly, gently, pouring everything he felt for her into it. He prayed silently to whatever god truly existed she was all right. If he injured her beyond taking her virginity, he’d never forgive himself. How had she managed to stay a virgin, anyway? Her society viewed virginity as an anomaly, especially pushing the ripe old age of thirty. Most girls in her time became sexually active around the age of sixteen. He brushed a kiss to her hair, his mouth close to her ear. “Are you okay, beautiful? Let me up for a moment.” “W-where are you going?” “Only to the bathroom, I swear. I want to get a warm washcloth for you. It should help.” “I’m fine, really, I…” “Hush, woman. Let me tend to you.” He rolled away from her, immediately bereft of her warmth. The scent of their joining hung all over him, and, as he saw when he flipped on the bathroom light, so did her blood. It was done. Too late to undo it. He washed off then took the cloth to her. She didn’t protest as he gently held it against her. The cloth cooled, and she took it from him then tossed it past him into the bathroom. He stretched out beside her again, thigh-to-thigh. She buried her nose in the center of his chest. She took a deep breath then slowly exhaled. She didn’t move for so long he wondered if she’d drifted off to sleep. Then she pulled back and looked at him with those gorgeous, misty eyes. And she smiled. 68

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Chapter Twelve Jessie snuggled in against his warmth. Her body ached in the most incredibly delicious way. She did suspect, though, that she’d better remember the sensation because it would be fleeting. A onetime-only mix of tenderness, bruised soreness, wonder and delight. His spent semen wet her thighs. Cade was still sticky, lying on damp sheets. If she’d ever been more content, she couldn’t remember when. She tucked the whole day and incredible evening away in her memory, just in case. Cade sighed and relaxed a bit more. “Jess, I’m sorry about not using protection. Are you fertile?” He wanted to talk about that now? She certainly had gotten mixed up with a strange one. He kidnapped her, took her virginity, and now he worried about a paternity suit? “Don’t worry about it, Cade. I’ve been on the pill for a while. They’re in my purse, actually. How long was you locked up?” “Locked up where?” “In the funny farm. You don’t have anything communicable, do you?” “Funny farm? An institution? I told you the truth, beautiful. I’m from the future. And no, I don’t have anything you can catch.” He snorted. “Except a case of stupidity.” As much as she refused to, she started to believe him. It shivered its way down her backside and settled, a cold ball, in her stomach. He held her tighter, rubbing the soft bristles of his chin in her hair. “I know it’s a lot to contemplate, Jess. I’ve told you the truth. I’m in a lot of trouble here.” So was she. She was falling for him in a big way. Stockholm Syndrome. That’s what it was, a victim falling in love with her kidnapper. Classic. Only she knew it wasn’t. “You said we had time, or rather, you had time, before someone comes looking for you.” She propped up on her elbow and looked 69

Into Tomorrow down at him. Light from outside sneaked a path through the crack between the drapes, falling across his face. He seemed vulnerable somehow. “Tomorrow morning I’ll call home and let them know I’m okay. I’ll tell them I just need a little vacation.” “They’ll see that mess in your home and know you’re lying.” “I’ll…I’ll… t-tell my m-mother I threw a t-temper tan-tan-trum. She’ll b-believe me. No doubt about it.” Damn, she hated it when she stuttered. She’d never pull off a lie to Audrey if she couldn’t control her speech. “Your fingerprints aren’t on file anywhere, are they?” The soft look in his eyes stole her breath. The corner of his mouth twitched. “Not in this layer of time, no.” He sighed again, this time he sounded tired. She tried to tease him and lighten up the moment. “Long day, Cade?” “You travel two hundred ninety seven years and tell me if you’re tired.” Her heart fluttered strangely in her chest. “Is that an invitation for me to go to your time?” His expression changed to one of infinite sadness. “I can’t take that chance. It could trigger an implosion or collapse of this timeline. I’m sorry, Jess. It’s too risky. You say you won’t have Gardner’s baby, and I have to trust you on that. And I have to disappear for five years or until I can lay down a marker for my Guardian, Hector. He’ll retrieve me and get me home.” She slipped her hands around his neck, clinging to him. “Give me those five years, Cade. Please. Don’t leave me yet.” He lay so still and so quiet she wanted to scream. What was he thinking? Was he considering it? Could he do it and not change anything but her and Eddie? He’d already changed her, and she’d be forever grateful. “To stay with me is to walk a very lonely path. I need to stay isolated. I can’t be in contact with people—at all.” “Not even dinner out?” “No. The longer I stay here the more risk that I’ll be involved in something. Hell, I’m already involved with you. This could snowball in ways you can’t imagine.” His hand cupped her breast. “So, you’re protected?” Her pulse jumped. Deep inside she throbbed, just once and very hard. “I take the pill, yes. To regulate…things.” 70

Into Tomorrow “I don’t want to leave you, beautiful. Not yet.” He took a short, sharp breath. “I’ll give you what time I can, but if Hector shows up, I’ll have to leave, then and there, and you won’t be able to come. I may not have time for a goodbye. Do you understand?” “Yes. I understand.” It tore her heart from her chest, but she understood what he said. She could run to the market and come home to find him …gone. She couldn’t stop the tears that filled her eyes or the sob that escaped her lips. He cradled her as she wept, rocking her and making quiet ‘shushing’ sounds. Nothing could stop the flood of grief that overflowed from within her. To know him, and to know from the beginning she would lose him, tore at her very soul. The last of her tears dampened her face, and his, and dried on the pillow beneath their heads. She suddenly calmed, in body and spirit, knowing that to live at all meant to take love wherever you found it. To know him and to love him was all that truly mattered. She lifted her face to him. “How long until your friend might come looking for you?” “A few days, in my reality. In this one…” He took a deep breath. “It could be minutes. It could be years. There’s no way to know how closely he can pinpoint my location.” His arms tightened around her again. “Hector is good, Jess. Maybe better than me. As soon as he realizes I’ve come in wrong, he’ll be looking for me. Chances are he’ll find me without a marker.” She expected as much. They didn’t have long. She needed to live a lifetime in this night and store up the memories against what would surely come, sooner rather than later. “Make love to me again, Cade. Make love to me until dawn.” He ran his thumb beneath her eyes, gently wiping away her tears. “Until dawn is a tall order.” She smiled and bit her lower lip. “I think you’ll be up for it.” He shook his head even as his fingers dipped between her thighs. “I won’t promise but once more. Tell me the truth. Are you sore?” “N-n-no.” His fingers entered her. “Oh, god,” she moaned, sinking her teeth into the ball of his shoulder. “Does that hurt?” “N-n-no.” “You’re fibbing. You shouldn’t do that.” His hand withdrew. She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand back to her mound. 71

Into Tomorrow “Don’t stop, Cade. Never stop.” She kissed him, covering his mouth with hers, boldly rubbing her breasts to his chest. He didn’t disappoint her. He rolled her beneath him, pressing her down into the bed. His lips took control of hers. His tongue teased hers until she was breathless. She laid her palm along his cheek. “Show me what you like. Show me what will make you crazy.” “I think I’m crazy enough right now.” He took her hand and guided it to his shaft. Her fingers closed around it, and he slid them along his length, rolling the skin. “Just like when you worked me into a lather.” “Ha, ha. We’ll pardon your pun, huh?” She squeezed him firmly, and a hiss rewarded her efforts. “You like that pressure, don’t you?” “ ‘Show me what to do’, she says, all shy-like. Women.” He stiffened. “Just like that,” he breathed in her ear. “I have more in mind than this, Cade.” She licked his neck, trying to give him a hint. She’d always been curious about oral sex. He’d made no move to start it, so she would. But then again maybe he didn’t need any hints. “I want to kiss you all over, beautiful. I didn’t have time for it before.” She warmed to her toes and tingled all over. “When are you going to start?” He roared with laughter. Idiot man. Well, she’d read all about what to do to a guy. She’d read quite a bit, actually. How hard can it be? She kissed her way down across his torso. She couldn’t see him well in the dark, but she suspected it would be easier, knowing he wasn’t watching. What she didn’t realize, though, was how stimulating the thought of pleasuring him would be. She was short of breath. Her pulse about deafened her. The ache at the top of her thighs left her squirming. Wonderful, incredible. So alive! Very carefully, she lowered her mouth over the tip of his cock. He stopped laughing in favor of a long, low moan. She took more of him, reveling in the tension that gripped him. His warm hand splayed on her hip. All the joy of being a woman flowed into her as he laid all the power of his maleness into her hands to tend. When she teased around the rim of the head with her tongue, his breathing changed. His hips rose up to her. She absorbed the ebb and flow of his arousal, letting it feed her own. She took him in her mouth 72

Into Tomorrow and reveled in the sound he made, the way his body jerked and his hand gripped her shoulder. “No more. I’m too close, Jess.” She released him with a little popping noise that brought heat into her cheeks. Before she could say anything, he rolled her over on her back. Electricity jolted through her as he opened her unresisting thighs. “Cade!” His name tore from her throat as his breath teased her dampness. “Shhh. It’s okay, baby. Just relax and enjoy.” His lips grazed her sensitive skin. He slipped two fingers into her, and she rained down a welcome. His tongue touched her flesh, ever so lightly, and she forgot how to breathe. She’d never felt so vulnerable before, so exposed and open. She throbbed with every heartbeat. The whisper of his breath on her dewed skin didn’t cool her. Her thighs quivered uncontrollably as he ran his hands along the inside of them. He found the very center of her, stroking his tongue across the pulsing bud. Little points of light exploded behind her closed eyelids. She couldn’t even call out his name. Sensation after sensation battered her, seemingly never-ending waves that lifted her out of her own body, leaving only that tiny spark under his mouth. Someone screamed, a sound of primal ecstasy. She gasped for breath, needing to fill her lungs with air. Cade’s body covered hers, his knees spreading hers wide. He drove into her with a guttural cry, while her arms and legs wrapped around him. He thrust into her then withdrew, only to penetrate her again. His ragged breathing filled her ear. His low, rough voice reached her through the tide of pleasure building within her again. “Stay with me, Jess. Trust me.” His muscular buttocks flexed under her hands. His hips moved faster. Deep in his chest, he moaned. Male satisfaction or male desperation she didn’t know and didn’t have the ability to care. Her body soared again, up and away from her. She couldn’t do it. Not again. “Reach for it, baby. Don’t let me go alone.” His plea summoned her. Even as he swelled firmer within her, she reached inside herself, down to where their flesh joined, down to where all that mattered was his body claiming hers. 73

Into Tomorrow He slammed into her, a brutal thrust that lifted her hips off the bed. Scalding heat filled her, overflowing her passage to suddenly cool between them. He pushed into her, holding himself tightly to her, trembling. His words acted as a beacon for her, releasing her into bliss. “Oh, God, Jess.” She clung to him and let the shining darkness take her.

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Chapter Thirteen Cade woke at dawn with the premonition of trouble. Big trouble. Something like an oversized house cat sitting on his chest. Jessie lay sprawled over him, her knee covering his genitals. Memories of the night flooded him, and he hardened in a rush. Never had he known such a feeling of completion. He wanted her again and again and again, until his body gave out. He needed to go relieve the pressure in his bladder first before he did anything else. He gingerly lifted her limbs and slid out from under the covers and slunk into the bathroom, taking extreme care not to jam his feet into anything hard. Coming out, his eyes adjusted to the gray light filtering into the room. He could see well enough to make his way to the windows without walking into a chair and breaking a toe. He peeked through the crack between the drapes. Cold sweat broke out on his body. The authorities had found them. A police cruiser was parked behind Jessie’s car, blocking it in. Two uniformed officers stood at the ready. One talked on an old-fashioned two-way radio. The other scanned the area, his hand on his weapon. Damn. Gardner the Fourth must have finally gone back to her place. Even a dullard would see the broken mirror and her torn slacks and put one and one together and be able to jump to three. A second vehicle pulled up behind the first with two more uniforms. Better and better. Just bloody wonderful. He only had one option. Well, two, but letting them arrest him wouldn’t work. What would happen when he vanished from a holding cell one bright, sunny day? He went back to the bed and crawled back under the sheet. He had to put his arms around her one more time before he sent her back to her life. He gathered her close. “Jess. Wake up, beautiful.” She opened sleepy eyes and blinked. Gods, she looked like a woman who’d been fucked, and well, all night long. 75

Into Tomorrow He lowered his lips to hers, pouring everything he had into the kiss. All the wonder of the night spent in her arms, all his longing for a life with her. All his regret. She clung to him, returning his kiss with awakening passion and her own longing. He pulled away. “Jess, the authorities are outside. You need to get dressed and walk out of here like nothing ever happened. Tell them you needed to get away for a night, and you’re going home.” Her face washed pale. “I won’t leave you! What will you do? Where will you go?” “You have to leave me. I’ll be fine. I’ll go out away from civilization and put down a marker. Hector will find me and get me home.” “I can’t! Not after last night. Don’t make me do this.” He hesitated. More than anything, he wanted to be with her. But what had to be, had to be. They had to go their separate ways. It was the only solution—for her. She deserved better than him. “There’s no time and no choice. Go home, beautiful. Go back to your life.” “No. I won’t! We’ve got to think of something else.” She pushed him away. He mourned the loss of her touch, mourned for his arms that would be empty for the rest of his life—without her. “Don’t fight me on this. I’ve already done you enough harm. Forget about me. Forget you ever knew me.” She pulled on her bathing suit. “Let me handle this. You just get dressed and get ready to move.” Alarm set in. “What the hell are you thinking? What are you going to do?” He grabbed his jeans and yanked them up. “I’m going to get rid of them.” With that, she stepped out the door. He froze. Now what the hell did he do? He darted to the window and looked through the crack in the drapes again. The police surrounded her, asking her questions. She put her hands on her hips and stared them down. He straightened in surprise as she shook her finger at one of them. What the fuck could she be saying? She motioned with her hands, and one of them backed away from her car. She opened the trunk and pulled out a small case. An officer snatched it from her, looked inside then hastily handed it back to her before looking at his feet. 76

Into Tomorrow Cade shivered as the air conditioner cycled on. Sweat covered him. He couldn’t allow them to arrest him. He’d die in a cell before Hector found him. The idea of being confined, trapped, did strange things to his heart rhythm. He’d never last if it actually happened. The bathroom window was his only hope. He finished dressing and stood looking at his only escape routes. The window was small, and he was not. But if he could get his shoulders through, cat-like, the rest of him would follow. He’d worry about landing on his feet if he didn’t. He opened the window and took in the surrounding area. There was a parking lot full of cars, streets to the east and west, and an alley running north. He thought briefly about stealing a car then decided he was in enough trouble. He’d see where the alley led. He was drenched with sweat and not smelling so good by the time his feet finally touched down. He couldn’t get the window closed behind him. She’d see it and know. She’d be hurt, too. He slipped along the wall until the one man in the parking lot drove away then he meandered across the blacktop and into the alley. Once he got that far, he started walking a bit faster. Loosely, he planned to get a ticket on a road transport, something called a bus, and get to another city. The card he’d use to purchase passage would send an alert within twelve hours. Someone stationed in this layer of time would get the notification and contact Hector. Then the ass chewing would begin, and it would be his ass getting sore. The sound of a powerful engine drew his attention. The roaring sound got closer and closer, approaching him from the rear. The Monte Carlo rounded the corner with a squeal of tires, skidding to a halt scant inches from him. Jessie leaped out. “Get the fuck in the car, Cade. Now!” She was furious—and so, so beautiful. He grinned at her. “Get in, mother fucker. And wipe that fucking grin off your fucking face!” Oh, she was way beyond furious and into a completely different realm. “Jess, go home. Forget you ever met me. Okay?” She flung herself in the driver’s seat. The engine revved. He jumped out of her way as the car spun, blocking his path. She suddenly stood in front of him, her eyes blazing, her cheeks streaked with tears. 77

Into Tomorrow “You are not leaving me Cade Reston. I won’t let you. I’m going to have every minute I can with you. Now get in the car.” His resolve, not firm to begin with, melted. He reached for her, enfolding her in his embrace. She clung to him, trying her best not to weep. She shook with the effort. He’d get her to talk and work her past it. “What did you tell the authorities?” He brushed a kiss on her hair. “I told them I was a runaway bride. That I called off my wedding and my ex-fiancée and my mother over-reacted. I told them my exfiancée cheated on me, which he did, and I found out, and if he didn’t leave me alone, I would tell his mother and let him deal with her.” She sniffled twice then looked up at him. “In this day and age, that strikes fear in the heart of most men. Those cops probably thought they were protecting a brother by telling me they were sorry and moving on.” Her look turned uncertain. “So, are you coming with me? Will you just get in the car?” Cade started to answer her. A familiar burning tingling enveloped him. Jessie screamed, the sound echoing off the surrounding building. She went limp in his arms, and he eased her to the ground. “Is she okay, man?” “You frightened her, you idiot. How’d you find me so fast, anyway?” Hector grinned. “I was filing the log and saw where one of the sequences was skewed. I checked your preliminaries, and here I am.” He grasped Cade’s shoulder briefly then checked his timepiece. “We’ve only got a few minutes before the Matrix picks us up. C’mon. She’ll be okay.” Cade’s stomach turned to an icy ball. He had no choice. None. He had found his love, now he had to leave her. He started patting her cheeks. “Jess. Wake up, beautiful. I’ve got to go.” She stirred uneasily, snapping to awareness and clutching at him. “No! You can’t go. Not yet.” She turned to Hector, pleading. “Don’t make him go. He can stay here with me. We’ll be so careful. He won’t change a thing. I swear I’ll watch him!” “I’m sorry, Ms. Moynihan. We’ve got to go back. We can’t take the risk of having a time specialist residing here. He knows too much. The temptation to save lives is too great.” He shifted uncomfortably, glancing away. 78

Into Tomorrow Cade’s stomach plunged to his feet. Hector knew something. He eased Jess to her feet then grabbed his friend. “What do you know? Don’t lie to me, Hector. Just tell me, straight up, what you’ve found out.” Hector shook his head. “I can’t. You know I can’t. You’re already up for suspension. This can only make it worse.” “I don’t care. Does something happen to her now? Tell me!” he shouted. Bile rose in his throat as Hector simply looked at him. Cade was sick. Had he caused something to happen to Jess? Had he caused her death? His knees threatened to give out. He had. Oh, dear god he had. She was going to die, and it was his fault somehow and the how didn’t matter. Not now. It was too late. “Hector, when does it happen?” “Soon. I’m sorry, Cade. I really am.” “She can come with us. It won’t matter. She has no future contributions to this layer of time. There’s no reason for her to stay here.” Jessie plucked at his sleeve. “What are you talking about? Can I really go with you?” “No,” Hector said firmly. “You have to stay here and fulfill the events.” “I’m not going to have Eddie’s baby. I’m not going near him ever again.” She slowly turned back to Cade. He saw the fear in her hazel eyes. “Cade?” “It’s not about Eddie anymore.” He pulled her to him. He’d be lucky to get life in a penal colony for what he was about to do. “Come with me, Jess. Stepping through the Matrix is easy.” That was a necessary lie. The beam hurt like hell when it swept you. “I can’t stay here. And if you do, you’ll die. I’ve changed something just by being in this layer of…” “Dammit, Reston!” Hector threw his arms in the air and paced around in tiny circles, muttering to himself. Cade was desperate. The clock was counting down in his head. They only had a few seconds. “We’re out of time, Jess. Jess, I love you.” He stopped and stared at her. “I love you.” She stared at him for precious seconds. Then she shook her head. He washed cold inside, hollow. He closed his eyes against the sudden flood of grief that drown him. 79

Into Tomorrow “Cade, I love you, too. I don’t know what to do.” Her voice had a strange, lost quality that ripped out what was left of his heart. “When, Hector? Tell me. We’ve been friends for a long time. How long has she got?” “She drives out of this alley and is involved in an accident. I’m sorry, man.” Jessie blinked at him. “Are you guys making that up?” “No, baby, No. Come with me.” Cade’s scalp started to tingle. The beam was powering up. “There’s no time, Jess!” His skin prickled. “Jess, the beam is about to hit us. Come with me. Be with me. Please!” Her chin lifted. She met his desperate gaze with one of cool decision and complete determination. He opened his arms to her, ready to surround her with his love. She flung herself into them, stepping through into time. The End

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Seductions Beyond By Megan Hussey Doran, who hails from a futuristic planet of peace and sensual pleasure, is intimidated by his visit to a sometimes-violent Earth. Daria, a sweet, good-humored Earthling, helps him understand his new and overpowering atmosphere, while his ethereal masculine beauty and otherworldly seduction skills overwhelms her.

http://goldenmuse.tripod.com/

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Seductions Beyond By Megan Hussey Chapter One The sky that morning shone bright and clear, boasting a pure azure hue that likened freshly cut diamonds. This ethereal ceiling proved the perfect setting for the tall, luminous skyscrapers that distinguished the planet Eternia. Even lifetime residents marveled at the jeweled, mirrored planes that formed the exterior of these buildings and the surreal emerald green meadows and rainbow-colored ferns that bordered their ground floors. Eternian ambassador, Doran Kaliedicus sped furiously past these buildings. Perched atop his bronze-plated, solar-powered hydrocycle, he didn’t stop to admire the buildings or landscapes of his home. He kept his gaze trained straight ahead, focused on a crystalline, domeshaped hotel situated prominently on a nearby street corner. Although obviously a luxurious retreat, with lush, sprawling gardens lining its front and—in the back—a warm spring surrounded by crystalline swimming pools, for Doran the Diamondscape West signified the site of his most challenging mission to date; one that might prove insurmountable. Currently staying on the top floor of this luxury hotel, in an expansive, lushly furnished suite, was Empress Norina Bink; the leader of a neighboring planet known as Naisis. Notorious as a warmonger, Norina was poised to cut short a brief stay in Eternia, following what some might deem unsuccessful trade talks. Well, she did threaten to blast our president’s head clean from her shoulders with the aid of a laser blaster. Doran pursed his lips. 82

Into Tomorrow She also said, though, that we served her some bitchin’ caviar during her stay. I guess one must consider the good with the bad. Despite this glowing review of Eternian cuisine, president Valaria Jinga still worried that Norina—notoriously surly and illtempered leader—would leave their planet unhappy. She leveled and razed the capital city of the last planet that displeased her. Doran shuddered at the memory. And that’s just because the unfortunate ruler of that planet dared to point out a run in Norina’s stocking. Botched trade talks, President Jinga feared, would send her neighbor over the proverbial edge. With that in mind, she sent her best ambassador—who also happened to be young and sinfully handsome, which she figured never hurt—to ‘take the edge off;’ to ensure that Norina left their planet pleased, relaxed and well-satisfied. All in a day’s work. He smiled slyly as he landed his hyrdocycle, which floated at lightning speed through the streets of Eternia, outside the front entrance of the Diamondscape West. As he made his way through the front lobby, an airy room accented by velvet-covered lounge furniture and a long cherry wood front desk, he winked and smiled at the many women who cast admiring glances in his direction. They each would get their turn. As an Eternian ambassador, he sought to satisfy every woman who sought his services; be she a ruler, an officer of his own land, or an important visitor. And he also sought to tempt, tease, please and satisfy the female laborers and office workers who facilitated the running of his planet. “Women often bear the double burden of birthing children and providing for them,” he told his friends, many of whom marveled at his ability to seduce and truly savor any woman; regardless of her age, weight, appearance, or station in life. “They deserve as many orgasms as possible.” This theory made Doran a very popular man in these parts. But today he reserved his attentions solely for the woman who threatened the sanctity of his planet. I must diffuse her hostility. With quick, purposeful steps, he climbed the crystal-laden staircase that lead to Norina’s chamber. And if anyone could ‘diffuse’ a woman, it was… “Doran!” 83

Into Tomorrow As the alien ambassador stood in the doorway of the empress’ suite, he immediately noted the room’s silk-upholstered furniture; the expansive entertainment center that could produce three-dimensional images, as well as the simulated scents and tastes associated with these images; and the floor-to-ceiling glass-planed walls that afforded an expansive, far-reaching view of his native city. And in the center of this spectacular room stood one regally peeved monarch. “I suppose Valaria sent you to pacify me,” snipped Norina, an elegant brunette in her 40s. “To talk me out of the total annihilation of your home and people.” Although Doran cringed inwardly at these harshly spoken words, he greeted the speaker with a wink and a full-toothed smile. “Actually, my lady,” he arched his eyebrows meaningfully, “she didn’t send me to talk at all.” Starting, the empress cocked her head curiously. “You hope to seduce me away from my plans?” she snorted. “Or have you come to assassinate me?” Holding his hands up before him, Doran revealed his weapon of choice: a vial of lavender massage oil. “I mean only to make a peace offering,” his voice lowered to a soft, sexual whisper, “in the form of a sensual massage.” Scoffing, Norina plopped down unceremoniously on the edge of a royal red couch. “I could get a massage in my own kingdom, from my own gorgeous man servants.” “True enough.” Doran shrugged, walking further inward to stand just before the empress. “I must tell you, though, that I am known in particular for my ‘special’ massages.” With this, his eyes narrowed sensually in her direction. “I could bring you great pleasure, Madame Empress.” In a move that shocked even Doran, Norina flipped over onto her back and slipped her peach satin dressing gown smoothly from her shoulders. Lying fully nude before him, she motioned for Doran to join her on the couch. “You’re gorgeous, and I’m bored,” she sighed. “Rub, knead and pleasure to your heart’s content.” Chuckling softly, Doran followed the example set by the empress. Holding her gaze, he slowly unbuttoned his smoothly 84

Into Tomorrow tailored vest, revealing a chest that many labeled massive and bronzed. “Do I win the approval of the empress?” he pursed his lips in a sexy manner. Her wide-eyed gaze and gaping mouth, he decided, indicated an affirmative response. Once again taking the vial of massage oil firmly in hand, he poured a sample of the warm, succulent liquid slowly into his palm. “Much like a royal taster, I must first sample the oil before it touches my lady’s skin.” With one sweeping gesture, he canvassed his chest with a luscious sheen of thick, shiny lavender oil. Then he used slow, massaging strokes to rub the oil deep into the silken planes of his pure bronzed skin. “Ah yes,” he growled, inhaling sharply. “Perfect.” The empress, he noted, no longer sneered or glared at him. Her gaze, in fact, had softened and narrowed to appealing effect. “Touch me, Doran,” she coaxed. **** Sure, overthrowing an age-old planetary dynasty was loads of fun. Striking fear in the hearts of millions? An absolute lark! Even these experiences paled in comparison to a sensual massage, as administered by the sexiest man in the universe. Doran Kaliedicus, with his long, honey blond hair, wide, cocoa brown eyes, and leanly muscular frame, more than qualified as a heavenly being. And under the effects of his firm but tender touch, all signs of tension escaped Norina’s body. She sighed deeply as his fingers kneaded and eased the muscles of her back and waist before playfully tickling her calves. The pads of his firm thumbs made slow, steady circles across the surface of her toes and feet. Then her masseur turned her gently onto her back and stared directly into her eyes. For a timeless moment their gazes held, and Doran resumed his intimate massage…and took it, she found, to an entirely new level. Mimicking the actions of a true lover, he cupped her sturdy chin and lovingly caressed her cheeks. She felt the color rise in those cheeks as he rubbed her tension-strained neck and finally laid his magical hands on her breasts. She moaned as Doran kneaded and teased her ample bosom and even giggled as his agile thumbs rubbed her sensitive nipples. 85

Into Tomorrow Her gently rounded abdomen was the next to benefit from Doran’s expert attentions. She sighed as he laved the warm, gentle oil liberally across her stomach, before playfully tickling her bellybutton. Finally, Doran’s hand ventured lower still, to explore her most intimate areas. “About time,” she purred, her eyes narrowing with the heat of desire. Doran’s touch intensified this need. As he ran his fingers through her feminine nest, he left fiery sparks of passion in his wake. His other hand closing surely but tenderly around her full, womanly hip, Doran stroked and teased Norina’s clit until it heaved for his attentions. As his strokes lengthened and intensified, he leaned forward to plant a sweet, affirming kiss across her lips. “Oh my,” she grinned in spite of herself, and reached upward to run a grateful hand through his long, silken blond hair. “Back home, none of my man servants dare kiss me or even look me directly in the eyes.” “Do they dare this?” Grasping her clit, Doran gently squeezed her feminine fruit until her juices poured sweetly forth. He cooed softly as her breath grew labored and covered her cheeks with nips and pecks. Then abruptly his hand stilled. And he straightened fully before her. Looking sharply upward, Norina pinned her now solemn masseur with an inquiring gaze. “Why did you stop?” Her voice held a tremor of marked frustration, if not outright desperation. Doran shrugged. “Perhaps because I want you to stop; to put a halt to this campaign of terror you’ve waged against my people.” He cocked his head curiously. “Did you ever stop to think that if you had more love in your life, and perhaps more sexual release, that you would not feel compelled to wreak havoc on every planet you visit?” Norina shrugged and pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Wrecking havoc is fun.” She inhaled sharply as Doran again squeezed her clit, setting fire to her entire body. “As much fun as this?” His low, sexy growl only intensified her arousal. “Well, you got me there,” she grinned, “literally.” 86

Into Tomorrow Throwing her head back, she leaned her hips forward to garner the full effect of his touch. “Make me come, Doran.” “On one condition.” Norina started in surprise, both at the authoritative sound of Doran’s voice as well as the force of his words. “No one imposes conditions on me, Ambassador.” “Just consider this another, particularly enjoyable method of negotiation.” Doran gestured broadly with his available hand. “If you so kindly promise not to devastate my planet with your obvious powers of destruction then I will give you the ‘kindest’ climax you’ve ever experienced.” Norina started to object; that is, until Doran started to withdraw that all-important hand. “I promise,” she gasped, almost painfully. Without further hesitation, Doran pressed his agile fingers against her delicate feminine core and rubbed her aroused bud. Virtually squealing with relief, Norina squirmed as her being erupted in shards of sublime ecstasy. And she didn’t resist when Doran claimed her lips in a fierce, passionate kiss. “You see, Empress?” he whispered in her ear. “Sometimes it feels good to surrender.”

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Chapter Two Doran reported early the next morning to the office of Valaria Jinga, his ruler and mentor. The tall, statuesque blonde woman greeted her top ambassador with a rare but meaningful embrace. “Doran, you’ve done it again!” she clapped his back soundly. ‘Done it’ again? Doran arched a sly eyebrow. Interesting word choice, to say the least. Aloud he agreed, “I don’t believe we’ll see any more trouble from Empress Bink. Nodding, Valaria flicked a nearby switch and motioned for Doran to take a seat before her broad, glass-plated desk. Soon the two beheld a three-dimensional image that hovered at the center of her office, a circular, azure-hued orb that appeared to resemble a planet. “Do we observe the planet Earth?” Doran gestured broadly toward the detailed, slowly revolving image. “Indeed,” Valaria nodded sharply then turned to face her thoughtful ambassador. “We also observe the site of your next mission.” Doran started and sat forward in his seat. “Earth?” he shook his head. “For millions of years, Earth has proven itself a mighty planet; one of power, fertility and productivity.” Doran shrugged, visibly intimidated. “What could I possibly offer the fine people of this planet?” Valaria smiled and gestured broadly. “Doran, what do you offer every planet you visit?” She leaned forward to grasp his hands between hers. “Beauty. Passion. Youth. And most of all, love.” Doran snorted. “So Earth, for all its rich resources and mighty accomplishments, lacks these basic elements of human interaction? Of the human experience?” His leader shook her head. “Please don’t misunderstand, Doran. As you’ll see from the information supplied in your planetary profile, 88

Into Tomorrow many Earthlings are loving, passionate people. They perform good deeds for others, both in the form of favors and acts of love for friends and family members, as well as acts of charity performed on behalf of philanthropic entities.” With this, her smile disappeared, and she issued a sigh that seemed to arise from the depths of her soul. “What you’ll also find, however, is that Earth is a place frequently beset by strife; a place where overstressed, unhappy people strike out at one another, sometimes verbally, sometimes with their fists.” She sighed deeply. “Crimes against women, such as rape and domestic violence, run rampant. Minorities of various colors, creeds and orientations are beset by crimes of hate. And now, Doran, much of this world is at war.” Standing abruptly at her desk, Valaria Jinga approached the illusive orb with slow, deliberate steps. Doran watched in awe as she positioned her delicate palm directly beneath the orb. “We must help them, Doran or at least make the attempt.” “I agree, of course,” Doran nodded his assent. “But again I must ask, how?” Turning once again to face her ambassador, Daria pointed meaningfully in his direction. “Tell them and show them, Doran. Tell them about our methods of peaceful conflict resolution and anger management. Tell them about our innovative ideas for community service and social reform.” With this her radiant, lustrous beam returned in full to her face; inspired, it seemed, by the wondrous man before her. “Show them love.” **** Days later, Doran found himself at the core of the planet that apparently needed his aid. Or at least I believe this to be the capitol of their world. As he emerged from his ship of transport, his gaze took in the serene wooded area that served as his landing pad. Although at first startled by the cool, almost chilly breezes that tinged his new climate, he marveled at the vision of tall, stately trees, and a forest floor lined with emerald-hued leaves and cushiony ground covering. Clearing the forest, he found himself on a sidewalk that bordered a neighborhood of classically designed homes with broad front porches and cobblestone entry paths. 89

Into Tomorrow Particularly distinctive was a delicately lettered sign that stood before a corner business, one that read Jupiter Chamber of Commerce. “Chamber of Commerce,” he nodded, impressed. “That looks to be the site of an important governmental body, mayhap even the center of the Earth! I shall visit that place first.”

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Chapter Three As the winds of late fall settled across the town of Jupiter, Virginia, they swept away some of the forest green and amber-hued leaves that decorated the town’s trees; leaving in their wake just a few strident remnants of a bountiful summer season. On a general basis, Daria Lansky loved this time of year; as a lifelong fan of the holiday season, she knew these trees soon would bear the festive lights of Christmas. As president of the Jupiter Chamber of Commerce, she knew furthermore that the ring of Yuletide bells always accompanied the ‘cha-ching’ of her community’s cash registers. Although a small community, the old world architecture and sprawling green space that defined Jupiter also drew a good number of tourists, particularly during the holiday season. While some came to visit family and friends, others sought quiet, elegant lodging near the nation’s capital; a small town haven that bordered the bright lights of Washington, D.C. This year, however, Daria’s vibrant holiday spirit seemed dampened with a touch of dread; for while the month of November heralded the beginning of a celebration, it also signaled the unwelcome end of Daria’s freedom. On January eighth, she would marry longtime boyfriend Jason Ryan. And while her friends and family members applauded and anticipated the impending nuptials, Daria’s feelings swayed a little more toward a markedly different sentiment. One, specifically, of abject, unmitigated terror. As much as she respected Jason, Daria felt no romantic ardor or sensual desire for her intended mate. And while this had not proven a substantial barrier in their dating life, this owing to Jason’s stance as a staunch conservative who did not believe in sex before marriage, it was sure to impede their attempts at wedded bliss. What’s worse, while Daria harbored no sexual desire for her fiancé, she did want to have sex with somebody. Badly. And now. 91

Into Tomorrow While her record for fidelity remained solid and unquestioned, Daria had ventured to the neighborhood male strip club—and to the downtown news stand, where copies of Playgirl magazine proved plentiful and painfully tempting—on more than one occasion. Her friends criticized her behavior, as they feared that Daria’s antics could embarrass her dignified (some might even say cold) accountant boyfriend. And they pointed out that the logical, careerminded Daria ideally suited her intended husband. The two even looked alike, they told her, with their dark hair, their short statures and fully formed figures, and their unspectacular but everprofessional wardrobes. Daria supposed there was some truth to her friend’s assertions. Even so, while her days remained filled with work and wedding preparations, her nights brimmed with erotic dreams and vivid, impassioned fantasies. Furthermore, these heated musings were not confined to her nocturnal hours. As she sat beside a wide bay window at the Chamber of Commerce office, poised to begin a full day’s work, her mind overflowed with forbidden erotic images. That, after all, was why she only imagined the presence of a stunningly gorgeous seminude man outside her window. He can’t be real, right? She arched her eyebrows. Not with that sculpted chest, those washboard abs and a pair of tight shorts with an elastic front that if it could would literally scream for mercy. Moreover, these impressive assets seemed fully displayed for her viewing pleasure; a fact that simultaneously alarmed and aroused her. “As president of the Jupiter Chamber of Commerce, I should advise him that, as a general rule, nudity is not permitted on our sidewalks,” she pursed her lips and shrugged. “Of course, we might make an exception for Mr. Studlicious here; even offer him an engraved certificate to honor his achievement in neighborhood beautification.” All coherent thought fled her mind when she opened her door to greet him. For while his physique amazed her, the stranger’s dark, luminous eyes quickly seized her heart. She marveled further at the enviable waves of long blond hair that fell gracefully across his muscular shoulders and the carved cheekbones that accentuated the luxurious sheen of his smooth bronzed skin. 92

Into Tomorrow He also boasted a pair of full, moist lips that released a deeply toned voice; along with an exotic accent she couldn’t quite place. “Good morning, fair madam.” His dazzling smile sent chills up her spine. “Are you the leader of this place they call Jupiter?” Daria guffawed outright. “Ah, honey, I fear you took a tragic wrong turn at Fifi’s Five and Dime.” She gestured broadly toward the building opposite them. “The Mayor’s office is across the street; ask for Mayor Tim Stewart.” The visitor started and shook his head briskly. “You allow a man to lead your community?” he squinted confusedly. Daria shrugged. “We have had female mayors in the past,” she offered. “Right now our leader is male.” Again, the man shook his ridiculously stunning head. “Where I come from, madam, the women generally make all laws and executive decisions,” he gestured expressively, “though, of course, the males’ opinions are respected, and we do act as pleasure ambassadors for the women. That’s how we keep a peaceful, wellordered land.” Daria nodded. “And where is this place, exactly? Could you quote me some housing prices?” The man chuckled. “I like a sense of humor in a woman.” He offered her his hand. “I am Doran, Ambassador of the planet of Eternia. And who are you, delightful lady?” “Daria,” the woman beamed brightly. “Are you a newcomer to this area?” Doran raised his eyebrows and pinned her with an endearingly inquisitive gaze. “You mean new to the planet Earth?” “Um, yeah,” Daria winked playfully. Wow, this guy has a great sense of humor. And a really great set of abs. “Would you like to come in?” she gestured the gorgeous stranger eagerly inward. Soon Daria and Doran shared two steaming cups of hot chocolate at the Chamber welcome desk; a freshly polished cherry wood effort topped by a leather-bound guest registry and a sleekly crafted antique lamp. “So what brings you to Jupiter?” Daria cocked her head curiously; an action that gave her a better view of his muscled torso, adorned only by a white satin jacket with no apparent shirt underneath. 93

Into Tomorrow Seemingly oblivious to her keen observations, Doran took a long, savoring sip of his steaming beverage. “This drink is akin to ambrosia!” he smacked his lips soundly. “I wish we drank ‘charred chocolate’ on my planet.” Chuckling, Daria nudged her visitor with gentle, playful hands. Wow, this dude is a riot. She wrinkled her nose amusedly. He should hit the comedy clubs. Her gaze then shifted to that delectable bronzed chest. Or he could find gainful employment at Club Stud on Fourth Street. Aloud she said, “I’m glad you like the refreshments, but you still haven’t told me why you’re here.” Doran’s smile abruptly dissolved, and he drummed his fingers nervously against the surface of the desk. “You might find this a touch difficult to believe,” he leaned forward and pinned her with an intense, serious gaze. Baby, when you look at me that way you could tell me the sky was raining mauve poodles, and I would believe it. Firmly, she shook her head to clear it of its horny haze. I’d alert local meteorologists, so they could announce the news formally to everyone. “Are you here on business?” she pressed. Doran nodded vigorously, and his dark eyes came alight with a renewed, inspired glow. “I, Daria, am on a mission of peace. I aim to bring love and peace to this planet.” “Yeah, good luck with that, babe.” Daria snorted then added more warmly, “Though if it’s you that’s bringing us love and peace, I’d say we’re a pretty lucky planet.” She trembled slightly as a chuckling Doran squeezed her hands warmly. “I love the manner of your speech,” he nodded affirmingly. “I must study you further before I leave.” Pausing, he blushed adorably. “Your speech patterns, that is.” “Baby, you can study any darned part of me you want.” Daria wiggled her eyebrows but added silently, Watch it, Daria; that’s a forty-karat engagement ring on your finger. Down, girl. Aloud she asked, “How long are you staying?” Doran shrugged. “Not long on this first expedition. This is a factfinding mission of sorts. My government wants to learn more about possible ways we could help you.” Daria stroked her chin thoughtfully. “And I assume you’ll begin your investigation in Washington, D.C.?” 94

Into Tomorrow Doran’s brow wrinkled in an adorable show of keen contemplation. “Well, we did determine that your nation’s capital was located somewhere in this area. While reading a computer-generated map though, I wasn’t sure if my coordinates identified Washington, D.C. as the seat of American power,” with this he arched an inquisitive eyebrow, “Or Jupiter, Virginia.” “After all,” he continued. “Jupiter is the moniker of a most important planet; a powerful and valued neighbor of ours.” Grinning, Daria waved away this lofty assertion. “Sweetheart, the most innovative, progressive development we’ve had lately is the placement of crème soda in the chamber cola machine.” However a deeply set frown replaced the laughter she expected. “So Jupiter is not the center of your nation, of your planet?” Doran’s facial expression read something to the effect, “Damn! I’ve screwed up. Majorly.” Her eyes widening, Daria jumped to her feet. “You’re not joking, are you?” Her voice lowered to a strained whisper. “You don’t know the name of our nation’s capital. You really think it’s acceptable to run around in public wearing next to nothing. And you truly think it’s possible to attain world peace.” With this, she pointed an accusing finger in his direction. “You’re either a beauty pageant contestant or a total nutzoid.” Also rising, Doran held his hands up defensively before him. “I get this reaction quite often.” “Nah! Wonder why?” Daria snorted sarcastically as she planted her hands firmly on her hips. Doran chuckled in spite of himself. “I know that women, as strong and logical as they are, hate to hear this.” He charmed her with an engaging beam. “But you, madam, are adorable when you’re angry.” Daria’s mouth fell open in surprise then turned upward in a slight, reluctant smile. “No one’s ever really called me ‘adorable,’” she shrugged. “Smart, efficient, sophisticated, worldly, fashion forward, really good in bed, yes.” Daria winked playfully in the direction of her visitor. “Adorable? No.” Guffawing outright, Doran moved forward to clasp Daria’s hands firmly between his. “Then perhaps you haven’t been meeting the right men.”

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Into Tomorrow Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of, Daria sighed deeply. “Listen, Doran, I’m really starting to like you. Do you have any proof at all that you’re not an irredeemable loony?” Guffawing outright, Doran kissed the palms of his smiling hostess. “I like you as well, Daria. Would you, perchance, like to take a tour of my transporter ship?” “Oh, as if I haven’t heard that line a million times,” Daria scoffed as she followed Doran out the door.

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Chapter Four Okay, it’s official. He’s not crazy. Daria stood solidly before a large, disc-shaped aerial vehicle that—for all intents and purposes— appeared to be a spaceship. I am. All of Daria’s tension and apprehension, she figured, had prompted a major case of temporary insanity. This babe? A mirage, she decided. His spaceship? Even more of a mirage. And since she enjoyed this mirage more than she did her real-life relationship, she chose for now to go with the flow; especially since this pleasurable hallucination included an exclusive tour of a celestial orb parked in a dense wooded area that bordered her office. While the outside of Doran’s spaceship appeared cold, colorless and official, its inside appeared homey and, in an elegant way, most welcoming to its current visitor. A plush apple red circular couch formed the centerpiece of the ship’s living space, a fully-carpeted area that reminded Daria of a lavish studio apartment. The couch sat between two leather chairs and faced what appeared to be a fully-equipped entertainment center. Of course, Daria mused, the ‘homey’ atmosphere was ruined somewhat by its downright ‘sci-fi’ backdrop, a circular, floor-toceiling control panel that lined the walls of the orb. The panel radiated with the sheer luminosity of multicolored light patterns; vibrant spheres that, she supposed, held some great key to the universe. “Nice place you have here,” she nodded begrudgingly. Good observation, Admiral Obvious. If it was possible to nudge oneself sardonically, Daria decided she would do so at this point. Talk about the literal understatement of the new millennium. Doran only smiled and motioned for her to take a seat on his luxury sofa. “Thank you, Daria,” She enjoyed the vision that Doran presented as he trekked the smoothly carpeted floors of his celestial domain. Like a lion, he walked his lair, his movements smooth and sleek. 97

Into Tomorrow And all of that gorgeous hair certainly lends itself to the leonine motif. Daria ducked her head, hoping fervently that Doran wouldn’t notice the admiring gleam in her eye. “Daria, I’m so glad I met you. Would you have dinner with me this evening?” Drat it to blazes. He noticed. “Thank you, I’m flattered, if also a little shocked,” Daria blinked as the strapping, gorgeous man took a seat close beside her on the couch. “Surely you’ve got a girlfriend at home who is as insanely gorgeous as you are.” Doran shrugged. “No, I am unmated. And on my planet, women are not valued for their physical attributes.” Daria stroked her chin thoughtfully. “You may recall that I asked you earlier about housing prices on your planet. Now I’ve decided I also need info about airfares and income tax rates.” Doran laughed loudly as he clapped Daria’s back. “I’d be pleased to tell you over dinner,” he winked flirtatiously. Daria smiled softly and patted his shoulder. “As much as I would love to have dinner with you, I fear my fiancé would object.” Doran covered her hand with his. “Why is that, love?” The touch of their hands sent an electric spark careening through Daria’s system, landing somewhere dangerously close to her private area. “Well, Doran,” she shrugged awkwardly. “He might assume you have a romantic interest in me.” The alien’s brow furrowed deeply in a show of apparent confusion. “And would that cause a problem in your relationship?” Daria cocked her head. “Um, yeah,” she narrowed her knowing eyes in his direction. “Let me guess. On this ‘pleasure planet’ of yours, free love reigns supreme.” “No, not officially,” Doran shook his head. “People marry on my planet and have families.” With this, his tone lowered to an appealing purr. “Yet the women are allowed and encouraged to take lovers. As much responsibility as they shoulder on a daily basis, they deserve all the pleasure their men can provide.” Daria trembled in spite of herself as a line of telltale sweat canvassed her spine. And she didn’t resist a moment later, when he wrapped a sturdy, muscled arm securely around her shoulders and covered her mouth with his. 98

Into Tomorrow Doran’s lips felt tender and velvety smooth as they engaged her in the sweetest of kisses. And while she knew she should object vigorously to his advances… I can’t just yet. Daria leaned fully into Doran’s kiss and rested her hands on his beefy shoulders. She found it difficult to resist, let alone object, to Doran’s gentle, unobtrusive advances. Unlike her fiancé, who insisted on assuming full control of every kiss, Doran’s lips coaxed and massaged. And in a similar movement, his hands rubbed and caressed her shoulders. He eased and released much of the tension that seized her from day to day. His kisses swept her away to a place she knew she shouldn’t go; finally, she pulled painfully away from him. “Doran, we need to talk.” The alien frowned, apparently displeased with this suggestion. “Talk?” “It stinks, I know,” Daria chuckled. “As much as I enjoy your company, Doran, I need to know your intentions regarding my city. My country.” She shrugged. “And, while we’re at it, my planet.” Doran grinned devilishly. “My intentions match your desires, love.” He warmed her with a narrow eyed gaze. “I’ll do and be whatever you desire.” Daria giggled nervously and shook her head. “I meant your intentions regarding your mission, you silly benign alien invader you.” Squeezing her hand, Doran straightened his posture and cleared his throat loudly. “As a utopian planet that freely extends its peacemaking services to other universal regions, Eternia would like to form a helpful and mutually beneficial partnership with the planet Earth.” His gaze quickly morphed from ‘sexy’ to ‘serious;’ though even when serious, he still looked dead sexy. Drat him. “You have a bountiful, productive world,” he spread his arms expressively. “Earth is a mighty planet, Daria; one whose beauty and resilience we admire greatly. Even so, the wars and unrest we see here trouble us; as do the incidents of crime and domestic discord.” He raised a finger for emphasis. “We are not here to criticize your planet, Daria, but to offer our help. And on my first mission to Earth, I want to gather facts about areas and issues in which you may need our aid.” 99

Into Tomorrow Daria leaned forward on the couch and regarded the earnest alien with wide, intent eyes. “You’re the real deal, aren’t you?” she nodded firmly. “I can feel it. I can hear it in your voice. You do want to help.” “I hope I can.” Doran grasped her hand and kissed it fiercely. “And I want you to help me.” Pausing, he once again pinned her with a penetrating gaze, one that seemed to see through to her very soul. “I, too, see and sense something very special in you. I’m certain you can help me uncover the many answers I seek.” He planted a reassuring kiss on her delicate cheek. “And perhaps, when you become more comfortable with me, you will allow me to uncover you.” Clearing her throat, Daria jumped from the couch and stepped sharply away from her tempter. “Yes, well, I believe Ye Olde Lunch Break has just about run its course.” Doran also stood and extended his hand to her. “Before you go, I’d like to show you something.” He teased her with a slight toss of his leonine locks. “One of my special talents.” **** Soon Doran’s tender embrace enveloped Daria, her body pressed into the firm, sculpted planes of his flawless form. His manly hands clasped firmly around her waist, her admirer nestled her neck gently and drew her closer to him. Then he whispered words of tenderness quietly into her ear. “So Daria, tell me truthfully,” Doran ran a massaging hand slowly up her back. “Am I particularly adept at this talent?” Daria raised her eyebrows. “Dancing, you mean? Yes, absolutely.” She blinked rapidly as she regarded a ‘dance floor’ that suddenly seemed too far beneath her. Without warning, Doran had launched the couple abruptly into midair; using his apparent powers of levitation, he literally swept her off her feet. Now he engaged her in a romantic slow dance that seduced her body and enflamed her senses. “This is way cool,” she praised with a nod. “I should tell you, though, that I’m afraid of heights.” Chuckling sexily, Doran twirled her gracefully in the air. “Then I’ll just have to keep a good hold on you.” He hugged her sweetly. “Sounds like a plan,” Daria giggled like a schoolgirl as Doran dipped her thrillingly. 100

Into Tomorrow Wrapping her arms around his muscled shoulders, she relished the sensation of flying, and, though she was loath to admit it, the feeling of being held and cherished. Drawing back, the couple stared deeply into one another’s eyes as their bodies drew closer. Then their hands clasped, and they floated freely in an intimate circle that took them finally to the ground. Daria groaned involuntarily as Doran set her carefully on her feet. “That ended altogether too soon,” she pouted playfully. Doran shrugged and chucked her chin. “We can do it again anytime,” he winked. Feeling the color rise in her cheeks, Daria chuckled sheepishly. “I’m sure you’re talking about dancing, Doran.” Yet as Doran walked her toward the portal of his magical ship, the firm press of his hand against her back indicated otherwise. “Feel free to take my words anyway you like,” he whispered in her ear. Anxious to shift the subject of their conversation, Daria stepped away and offered him a friendly handshake. “Stop by my office tomorrow morning,” she invited. “I’ll introduce you to our city officials and explain the dynamics of our government. That should start you off on your fact-finding mission.” “Sounds like a plan,” Doran chuckled adorably as he recited a sample phrase of his newly-learned ‘earth speak.’ **** Later that afternoon, Daria hummed cheerfully as she typed up a budget report for the Jupiter Chamber of Commerce This particular task, she mused, generally did not prompt her to break into song. Then again, this hasn’t exactly been a typical day, she grinned in spite of herself. Perhaps for some people, the sudden appearance of a studly space dude may indeed be an everyday occurrence. Ah, but not for this chicksta. The insistent ring of her desktop telephone disrupted her reverie. The voice on the other end of the phone line shattered that reverie outright. “Daria, where the hell have you been?” The stern, clipped tone of her fiancé cut sharply into her fanciful mood. “And a hearty good afternoon to you too, my heart,” Daria greeted Jason through gritted teeth. “I’ve been in meetings all day.” 101

Into Tomorrow “Well, my heart, I’ve spent all day in the company of new clients who need a tour of Jupiter,” Jason sighed in irritation. “The Chamber of Commerce president, meanwhile, chose instead to take a long lunch.” “I told you, I had meetings,” Daria bristled at his stern, strained tones. “Now if you would like to bring your clients to my office…” “Too late. They’re gone.” Jason sighed in irritation. “Did you at least find the time to order our wedding cake today?” Daria shrugged. “I was saving that task for your day off, so we could choose a cake together.” “Since when do I enjoy ‘days off?’” Jason snorted. “And since when do I care about cakes? Just choose whatever you like, and try to avoid the type with the fatty icing.” Another derisive snort. “Getting you into that wedding dress will present enough of a challenge as it is; we don’t need to ‘tip the scales,’ as it were.” “Let’s say I choose a cake with the ickiest, stickiest icing possible and shove your eternally smug and smirking face directly into its center?” Daria raised her eyebrows, rather enjoying the period of silence that followed this suggestion. Finally, her fiancé relented. “I will be in meetings until late this evening. We can go to the bakery tomorrow morning.” “I have plans.” Daria’s clipped, formal tone matched her fiancé’s. “We’ll talk later.” Daria frowned deeply as she hung up the phone. Hmm. Did that conversation in any way qualify as romantic banter? Settling with a sigh into the cushiony depths of her upholstered office chair, she once again stared with reflective eyes through the newly-polished panes of her corner window. A light rain now fell across the sparsely leaved branches of Jupiter trees. The gentle patter settled Daria’s nerves and reminded her of a man whose very presence relaxed and rejuvenated her. She greatly looked forward to her morning meeting with Doran. She really hoped that she could aid him in his quest for information; because, heaven only knew, he already helped her…

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Chapter Five “And in a nutshell, that’s basically how we organize our community governments in a democratic society.” Daria stood before a chalkboard in the conference room of the Jupiter Chamber of Commerce. Her presentation complete, she cast a tentative, cautious glance toward her audience of one then beamed as he gave her a rousing round of applause. “Excellent, Daria,” Doran cocked his head curiously. “Why are you not the mayor of your community?” Daria waved away his question with a gentle but dismissive hand. “I pondered running for office a few years ago, but Jason assured me that I lacked a sound knowledge of budgets and economics.” She shrugged. “As unsupportive as that sounds, he’s probably right; after all, he is an accountant.” “He’s also an asshole.” Daria started as she heard the indelicate words pass the sensitive lips of her visitor. “Well, I see you’ve grasped some of the finer points of earthbound slang.” “I am sorry to use such harsh language in the presence of a fine, dear lady.” In an apologetic gesture, Doran rushed forward to pat Daria’s arm. “But I must inquire; why would you marry a man who denounces and insults you—who clearly fails to value you?” Sighing deeply, Daria took a seat beside Doran at the conference table. “Doran, I’ve told you things are different for women here on Earth.” She gave him a slight, sad smile. “Regardless of her intellect or demeanor, an Earth woman who lacks a petite figure and photogenic face has limited options.” She took in her breath a moment later as Doran covered her mouth with his. Once again, she felt the tender insistence of his silken lips as they rubbed and probed her own. This time, she also experienced the sensual penetration of his long, thick tongue. 103

Into Tomorrow Moaning softly, she thrust her own tongue to hungrily engage Doran’s. She enjoyed his startled, aroused gasp as her eager mouth devoured him, and their tongues touched and commenced a back-andforth motion that mimicked the motions of sex. Finally, Daria pulled away, and ran a loving hand down the planes of Doran’s sculpted cheek. “To what do I owe that highly pleasurable exchange?” She cocked a sardonic eyebrow, the gaze beneath savoring every flawless feature of Doran’s face. The alien shrugged and pinned her with a mischievous grin. “Just showing you your options, love.” **** Although not nearly as exciting, the rest of the couple’s day proved productive, as Daria introduced Doran to city officials and gave him a tour of important government buildings. She did, admittedly, have a difficult time explaining her visitor’s background to prominent, respectable authority figures. “He hails from the Swedish province of Studington,” she blurted out at one point. “Just south of the Hunkland Mountains.” Despite these awkward introductions, Doran endlessly impressed city officials with his ideas and suggestions regarding government practices. He suggested everything from new methods of conflict resolution to comprehensive concepts regarding volunteer and social service programs. Even the Honorable Barnaby Layton, the distinguished and longstanding city judge of Jupiter, seemed impressed by the visitor’s suggestions. “I must make it a point to visit this province of Studington sometime, to hear more of these revolutionary ideas,” he raised a stately finger for emphasis. Daria shared this sentiment. Doran’s words of wisdom and peacedriven ideals stirred her spirits. Immediately she wanted to know more. “I must take you to Washington, D.C.,” she told Doran, as the two enjoyed wine and sandwiches at a lowly lit local bistro. “I’ll give you a tour of our capital city and introduce you to some politicians I’ve come to know through my work with the Chamber of Commerce.” Reaching across the table, Doran grasped and squeezed her hand, a romantic gesture that, in her mind, seemed diminished by the presence of an exceptionally messy tuna on rye in her sturdy grasp. 104

Into Tomorrow “I can’t thank you enough for all your help.” His dazzling smile and warm-eyed gaze sent chills up her spine. “You must let me take you to dinner this evening.” Daria bit her lip and stared self-consciously at the table. “Well, I did get a text message from my fiancé this morning, asking me to dine with him tonight.” She squeezed Doran’s hand with affectionate fingers. “Why don’t you come with us?” The alien shrugged. “I’d love to spend the evening with you, Daria, but…” he shifted awkwardly in his seat. “My fiancé, not so much?” When he nodded, she said, “Understood. Think of it this way, though. Jason is a respected accountant who could teach you the ins and outs of earthly economics. And he could recommend some of the places you should see and people you could meet in D.C.” Doran stroked his sculpted chin, apparently contemplating Daria’s idea. “Plus, as your primary mate, I could request your fiancé’s permission to pleasure you.” “Doran!” Daria pushed sharply away from the table. “How many times must I tell you? You can’t just go around pleasuring other men’s fiancées! Earth dudes get really sensitive about such matters, you pesky, horny space alien you!” Doran doubled over with laughter. “I love your speech patterns!” he nudged her shoulder playfully. “I must study them more intensely.” Daria chuckled but shook her head. “I wouldn’t if I were you, Doran. My ‘speech patterns’ are a strange, scary place to explore. And I fear they’ll differ substantially from many of my kind, if not most of my species.” “And that’s why I love…” Daria’s head jerked up as Doran paused mid-sentence. “That’s why I love the way you speak,” he finished awkwardly. Daria rose from the table and cleared her throat loudly. “I have some Chamber business to attend to this afternoon. I do hope you’ll join me for dinner this evening, about five at O’Malley’s on Fourth Street?” “I would, um, love to,” Doran murmured, blushing. Oh, that’s so cute. Daria’s nose started to wrinkle in keen appreciation of his words and gesture. Just as quickly, she straightened her spine and passed with swift steps from the conference room. 105

Into Tomorrow **** Later that afternoon, Doran drove a compact, sleekly lined spaceship hard throughout the heavens, dodging clusters of glittering stars to reach a target that shone just as brightly. As the alien orb loomed large and luminous before him, he still found the time to take a cautionary peek at his wristwatch. Dinner with Daria in half an hour; I’ll have to save the universe some other time! Flicking a nearby switch, Doran transferred to his virtual reality video game chamber, a small room, lined with pristine white walls that could transform into an intergalactic battlefield at a moment’s notice. As Doran emerged from the chamber, he slipped off his clothes and under the streams of a warm, invigorating shower. I must admit that I do not look forward to meeting this ‘Jason,’ Doran threw his head back as fortifying water droplets coated his massive bronzed chest. I do hope, however, that Daria will see this evening a marked difference between the two of us. I could be a better mate, a better lover, a better friend. Although he had known Daria only a few days, he felt totally smitten with the wise, good-humored woman. And beyond the usual pangs of attraction that defined an infatuation, he also felt an odd gravitational pull toward the enchanting female. My mother always told me to heed ‘the pull.’ Wrapping a terrycloth towel tightly around his lower half, Doran cocked a curious eyebrow at the substantial bulge that now strained the towel’s confines. She didn’t tell me ‘the pull’ would be so painfully frustrating. She did tell me it would signify the arrival of my one true love. Daria not only aroused his sexual impulses but also stimulated his heart and mind. Like a magnet, he felt drawn to her. Despite this, he knew he wouldn’t win her without a fight. Some battles are fought in virtual reality game chambers. Doran splashed a sample of his most fragrant aftershave liberally across his neck. Others at neighborhood bistros.

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Chapter Six Daria slipped a shiny quarter through the brightly lit slot of a classic, brass-bordered jukebox. Selecting a bouncy pop track, she sashayed across the dance floor of O’Malley’s Bistro toward the man who waited at a corner table. “Daria, please cease with the dancing.” Her fiancé rolled his eyes heavenward as he waved her into a seat opposite him. “We are in a public establishment.” Taking her seat, Daria ducked her head and averted her gaze to the pages of a menu. “Nothing like a little humiliation as an appetizer,” she grumbled, glaring openly in Jason’s direction. He only shrugged and straightened his coal black tie. “You were humiliating yourself, Daria.” “You mean with her dancing?” Daria beamed broadly at the appearance of her other ‘dinner date;’ a tall, strikingly handsome man dressed in a sleek, finely tailored dinner suit. “As I made my way into this establishment, I did see Daria on the dance floor.” The woman under discussion took in her breath as Doran raised her hand to his lips for a smooth, gallant kiss. “And I agree that she must stop at once.” “You do?” Daria frowned. “Indeed,” Doran winked slyly as he took a seat beside her. “Such flawless dance moves, performed by such a beautiful, alluring woman, might tempt a passing stranger to come in and get to know you better, mayhap even lure you away from your man.” He grinned broadly in Jason’s direction and offered the fuming accountant a friendly handshake. “I am Doran Kaliedicus of the planet Eternia. And you, I assume, are the most fortunate man who belongs to Daria.” Jason sat sharply back, mouth agape. 107

Into Tomorrow “I assure you, dear boy, that on our planet men do not ‘belong’ to their women,” he regarded Doran with skeptical eyes. “Nor do we buy their b.s. Daria has been telling my friends that you’re an ambassador who represents the province of Studington,” he spat out these last words in a disbelieving tone. “I know her sense of humor all too well, so this afternoon I pressed her for the truth.” Jason drummed his fingers thoughtfully on the table. “Apparently you have convinced my fiancée that you hail from another planet; some sort of hippie orb whose leaders are determined to set us poor dumb Earthlings straight.” “Jason, stop it!” Daria pointed a silencing finger in her fiancé’s direction. “I won’t see our guest treated with such blatant rudeness.” Pausing, she nodded toward Doran. “You should listen to this man. He has wonderful ideas, peace-driven concepts that could change our community, if not our nation.” If not our world. Daria reached under the table to squeeze Doran’s hand. And when she tried to withdraw her hand, Doran held fast and sure onto the tips of her fingers. She barely noticed when her fiancé spoke. “I have heard a great deal about your ideas, sir, and they do sound decent enough.” He graced Doran with a short, seemingly reluctant nod. “That’s why I haven’t called the police, or a paddy wagon.” He shrugged. “So let’s work a deal. You tell me your grand plan for a better world, and I’ll clue you in on a quick course of World Economics 101.” Pausing, Jason leaned forward to stare their visitor directly in the eyes. “Then you can get out of my fiancée’s life and go back to the Planet of the Peace-Loving Pansies.” “Eternia is the name of my home,” Doran issued a strong declaration as his lip curled in disgust. “And I do suggest that you listen to my message; if not for your planet’s sake then for your own.” Jason shook his head. “I hardly need your advice. I am a respectable businessman with a busy office and…” “And a fine women whom you obviously don’t respect.” Standing abruptly, Doran leaned sharply over the table. “Why do you constantly try to silence and restrain her? Why don’t you let her shine, like the jewel she is?” “Daria, a jewel?” Jason doubled over and guffawed outright. “A fat, noisy jewel perhaps.” 108

Into Tomorrow Gaping, Daria looked with wide eyes at Doran. His eyes, she noted, held a fury that seemed foreign to his gentle demeanor. His grasp on her now trembling hand however remained gentle and true. “Forgive me, love.” His reassuring gaze warmed her to the core, cushioning the brutal blow of Jason’s thoughtless words. “I may have to dispense with all the peace and love hippie stuff, just for a moment.” Before Daria questioned Doran’s words or intentions, she saw a strong, mighty fist crack the jaw of her stunned fiancé. “You will never again insult this exalted woman in my presence,” Doran reinforced his blow with some cool, stern words. “Understood?” His eyes wide, Jason sat back hard against his seat. Slowly he nodded and watched warily as Doran perched himself casually on the edge of his chair. “Now that you’re settled, dear sir,” he smiled pleasantly. “You can hear some of my ideas.” The two men, Daria noticed, spent the rest of the evening locked in a polite, if strained, conversation. She liked the effect that Doran’s commanding presence had on her fiancé. Jason seemed oddly transformed and listened attentively to Doran’s words. Then when it came his turn to speak, he described the basics of earthbound economics in a polite, reverent tone. As much as Daria appreciated Jason’s mood shift, one seemingly instigated at Doran’s will, she expressed keen dismay at the change he affected in her. The vision of his masculine beauty, the sound of his melodic voice, and the sheer feel of his pure, comforting aura, all seemed to wreck havoc on her senses. Her heart raced, her skin tingled and her clit throbbed for his attentions. What’s worse, Doran seemed to notice the drastic shift in his hostess’ mood. This time, he grasped her hand beneath the table. He grazed her palm with his thumb, eliciting a simple but heated friction that spread to other, more intimate parts of her body. A friction he intensified when his leg rubbed slowly, luxuriously against hers. Close your eyes, love. 109

Into Tomorrow Daria started as Doran’s voice suddenly echoed through her mind but not her ears. He hadn’t spoken aloud, but his brief, knowing glance told her she hadn’t misheard. Close your eyes. The words came again, this time more loudly, from the depths of her psyche. Raising her menu to eye level, Daria concealed her face well before following Doran’s command. But she couldn’t conceal the startled gasp that arose unbidden through her lips. The closing of her eyes enabled Daria to open her mind, to witness the keen visualization of her deepest, most ardent desire. The image that invaded Daria’s mind took the form of an erotic fantasy, one that came complete with three-dimensional images, simulated words and a vast wealth of feeling. Oh, the feeling… Daria sighed as she beheld the flawless vision of a naked Doran, his every muscle gleaming ethereally in the lights surrounding him. Moreover, this radiant being writhed slowly and sensually in the depths of a luxurious bed. And she laid beneath him. Suddenly his masculine embrace encompassed her entire body in a warm cocoon. And she finally felt free to run her famished hands across the breadth of his perfect chest, the bronzed planes of his sculpted cheeks and finally his long, hard, sinfully erect shaft. “Perfect…” she murmured, grinning drunkenly. “Daria?” She started as the loud, jarring voice of her fiancé disrupted her peaceful reverie. Slowly lowering the shield of mystery otherwise known as O’Malley’s dinner menu, Daria reluctantly faced her sullen fiancé. “Yes, Jason?” She lifted her chin ever so slightly, meeting his gaze in full. “I can’t help but wonder,” In a visibly snide gesture, Jason stroked his own chin and arched his eyebrows. “You’ve already eaten your appetizer, your main course and a most generous dessert. Why do you continue to ogle the menu?” Daria shrugged. “A far sight more entertaining than ogling you, dearest.” As Doran guffawed outright, Jason reddened visibly. Then Daria’s fiancé stood and pinned her with a stern, unyielding glare. 110

Into Tomorrow “I’ve had quite enough of you and your loony friend for one evening.” Stepping sharply away from the table, Jason turned for the door. “Call me when you’ve regained your sanity—and lost the loser.” Silently Daria watched the retreating form of her intended Though exactly what kind of life he intends for me, I’m still not sure, she mused then cleared her throat loudly. “I should probably go home now, Doran.” She gave him a weak, sad smile. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make this evening more pleasant for you.” Oh love, just you wait; our evening promises to be very pleasant indeed. Daria jumped as she once again experienced Doran’s power of inner voice. Though in this case, Daria smirked slightly as she arose from her seat. It’s probably just my own, excessively pathetic power of wishful thinking. Yet when their gazes collided a moment later, she knew Doran meant every word heumchanneled. “Let me walk you to your car.” Laying a warm, protective hand on her arm, he led her from the restaurant. Soon the couple stood face to face beside Daria’s car, their bodies dangerously close. “So Doran,” Daria shuffled uneasily and fought to control the slight tremble that overtook her tone. “Did you learn a lot this evening?” She took in her breath as Doran enveloped her in a tight, sensual embrace. “Indeed.” He blew gently into her ear as his hands enclosed her waist. “I learned that the idiot you’re about to marry does not begin to deserve you. And I am now more determined than ever to lure you away from him.” Before Daria could form a response, Doran covered her mouth with his. She could only sigh as his tender, insistent lips rubbed boldly against her own, and his hands flowed gracefully upward to massage her back and shoulders. Cupping her flushed face in two strong but gentle palms, Doran thrust his thick, wet tongue boldly into her mouth. Grasping his 111

Into Tomorrow muscular shoulders, Daria moaned outright as Doran lovingly devoured her. As he shifted his lips to her delicate cheek, her eyes flew open to behold the beauty of a luminous crescent moon. I’ve always fantasized about making love beneath the stars. She heard her own girlish giggle. “I plan to fulfill all of your fantasies, Daria.” These words were spoken aloud, and temptingly close to Daria’s ear. “Oh, stop that!” She delivered a playful slap across Doran’s beefy shoulders, covered tonight in a striking white satin button down shirt and a black velvet dinner jacket. Both of which Daria really wanted to rip off. Now. “Feel free to rip off my clothes, love. Ravish me.” “Did I not tell you to stop?” Daria snorted then amended quickly, “The freaky mind reading stuff, I mean. Feel free to continue the necking.” Chuckling, Doran hugged Daria fiercely to him. “I want you, Daria.” He stared deeply into her eyes. “Be mine tonight.” Daria’s heart pounded as she considered Doran’s words. Finally, her entire being succumbed as she seemed to melt in his arms. “I can’t promise you the future,” she kissed his lips soundly, “but tonight, Doran, I am yours.”

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Chapter Seven Me and my big mouth. An hour later, Daria bit her lip selfconsciously as she regarded her new surroundings. Despite the sheer placidity inherent in the walls of Doan’s spaceship, Daria felt anything but relaxed. Her body radiated with sensual energy while her mind seemed overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions: guilt, apprehension, excitement, longing… And desire; the emotion that nearly overtook her when he walked into the room. Doran still wore his evening clothes but had loosened his hair so it fell in bounteous waves across his broad shoulders. For a moment, he stood strong and solid in the doorway, regarding her with a serene smile and knowing, catlike eyes. Daria returned this intense gaze as her pulse began to race. Swallowing hard, she clasped her hands together and wound her fingers tight. “Doran, I’m very nervous about this,” she croaked then rolled her eyes heavenward. “I didn’t really have to tell you that, did I? Tonight on your ship, you claim Admiral Obvious as your co-pilot.” Chuckling softly, Doran advanced into the room with smooth catlike strides. As Doran came closer, he never broke their heated gaze of mutual admiration. Then suddenly he stood before her and leaned forward to plant a warming kiss across lips that nearly trembled with the rawness of their shared emotion. “Let me help you relax.” He buried his manly hands in the depths of her tension-filled shoulders. “Let me care for you.” He sat beside her on his cushioned couch and drew her into arms that squeezed and held, nurtured and comforted. “Let me seduce you.” He once again kissed her, this time slow and long. He slanted his head so his lips covered hers in full, and as his tongue massaged her mouth, his hands rubbed and kneaded her shoulders, her neck and finally her breasts. 113

Into Tomorrow Daria’s eyes narrowed to passion-dazed slits as Doran’s fingers sent tiny sparks of arousal careening through her bosom. Those same eyes flew wide open, however, as she contemplated her actions. And his. “Doran,” she whispered. “I’m not sure I can do this.” She cast a curious glance in his direction, expecting anger, frustration and certainly disappointment. She saw only tenderness, warmth, understanding and certainly love. “Daria,” Doran’s hands and words continued to caress her. “Tell me about the last time a man truly aroused and excited you.” Daria ducked her head, and grinned giddily. “I don’t know. It’s been awhile,” she shrugged. “I seem to enjoy male exotic dance shows; when a man dances for me and with me, I get so turned on… it’s hard to explain.” And indeed, all philosophical explanations quickly fled her psyche as the lights of the room abruptly went out, to be replaced by a sensual darkness broken by a gold-tinged overhead light that likened a spotlight. And in the center stood an ethereal, otherworldly creature who now danced with the grace of a swan. Swaying rhythmically before her, Doran flipped his hair and swayed his hips in the fashion of a stripper. And he held her glance as he slowly peeled away his finely tailored jacket and shirt, revealing a chest that shone particularly golden-brown in the spotlight. Then he held his hands out to her. As if in a trance, Daria felt her hands rise and meet his. And she watched, almost like a transfixed observer, as he ran her hands down the perfect planes of his well-muscled chest. She relished the feel of his warm, brown skin and also felt the tender scrutiny of his sultry gaze, as he watched her reaction to his seductive dance. He wrecked havoc on her senses, body and being. While his sensual gyrations inflamed her libido, his curious, penetrating gaze touched her heart. Finally overcome, she wrapped her arms around his trim waist and rested her head in the cradle of his sculpted abdomen. “Would you care to do the honors?” His voice reverberated beautifully against her ear. “Go ahead, baby. Unwrap your gift. Strip me bare.” 114

Into Tomorrow Daria’s pulse raced as she drew slightly back to face Doran’s groin, covered by an elegant pair of black dinner slacks. Gripping the waistband of his sleek slacks boldly between her teeth, she slid the pants smoothly over his ample endowments then down his bare, sculpted legs. Soon he stood nude and glorious before her. And suddenly, even this spectacle did not suffice. “Take me, Doran.” Daria rained sweet baby kisses across the planes of his chiseled abs. “Thought you’d never ask.” Swooping down upon her, Doran gathered Daria into an allencompassing embrace and covered her mouth with his. They seemed to melt together, and Doran’s body soon covered his lover’s in the soft depths of his couch. Moaning contentedly, Daria wrapped her arms around Doran’s muscular shoulders and drew him tightly up against her. She sank in his embrace as they drew closer still, and he ran his hands across her hips and thighs with long, loving strokes. “You’re beautiful in passion.” His adoring gaze warmed her to the core. “In love,” she corrected, planting a cute kiss on his sculpted nose as she wrapped her legs around his back. Whooping joyfully, Doran swept his lover up in his arms and engaged her in a full-mouthed, passionate kiss. Then he lowered her onto him, penetrating her with the long, hard shaft she previously only admired. Their hands joined, and their gazes locked while Doran pumped his lover with reams of sexual energy. “Daria, I know now what I only guessed before,” Doran kissed her fiercely. “That I’m a horny beast?” Daria nipped his chin. “Well, that,” Doran nipped her chin in kind return and lightly pinched her behind. “And that you’re my intended mate.” Daria’s mouth opened, prepared to deliver what she was sure would be a compelling argument to this point. Then Doran, blast him, covered that mouth with his own with yet another soul-stirring kiss. As their lips and arms, hips and legs merged beautifully, toward the formation of a single radiant being, Daria knew she could not 115

Into Tomorrow dispute Doran’s assertion—or do anything but adore unabashedly the man who made it. “I love you, Doran.” Throwing her head back, her fingernails dug lightly into his shoulders as his manhood surged powerfully within her. “I love you, Daria.” Doran ducked his head worshipfully to kiss Daria’s neck as they soared together toward a mutual climax. **** Some time later, the couple reclined together on Doran’s couch, their hot, slightly sweaty bodies delightfully entangled. “Doran, this is heavenly,” Daria kissed his lips sweetly. “I only wish I could share a true bed with you.” Grinning broadly, Doran lifted a well-muscled arm high in the air and snapped his fingers dramatically. Suddenly Daria found herself drowning in the luxurious satin sheets of a lace-canopied four-poster bed. Beneath her head lay a luxurious fluffy pillow. Between her legs lay a smirking, impossibly gorgeous, dead sexy example of alien manhood. “Your wish is my command,” he purred, and Daria admired the way his long, lush hair flowed beautifully over one shoulder. “You pesky otherworldly being you,” Daria sighed happily and closed her eyes in preparation for a long, luxurious nap. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, Bella.” Daria’s eyes flew open as Doran crouched like a cat between her knees and bent his head between her full, lush thighs. Opening instinctively to him, Daria hissed hungrily as her lover braced his hands on her hips and nestled the hair of her feminine area. Then he fixed his lips gently but surely around her clit. Slowly he suckled her, the tip of his tongue working in concert with his lips to bring her optimum pleasure. Thrusting her hips boldly forward, Daria grasped the silken strands of Doran’s glorious hair and bit her lip as his intimate ministrations wracked her body with shards of electric ecstasy. Her second climax proved even more intense than the first; so intense, in fact, she barely registered the marked change in her atmosphere. Previously relaxed and playful, Doran now wore a solemn, tightlipped expression. His eyes stormy, the alien slipped from the sheets 116

Into Tomorrow of his bed and moved with smooth, fluid steps to the door, a helpless portal currently barraged by loud, repeated thuds. “Who is it?” Doran’s voice also darkened, much like his mood. “It’s Jason. Open up the door, you alien asswipe.” “Alien asswipe.” Doran repeated with a thoughtful nod. “Sounds like a good moniker for an earthbound rock band.” Daria, for her part, wrapped a thick, billowy sheet around her naked, sweaty body and marched with purposeful steps toward the portal. “How did you find us?” Her commanding tone matched her lover’s perfectly. “Great question, Admiral Obvious.” Jason’s sarcasm seeped through the cracks of the defenseless portal. “Don’t you think Doran’s home differs slightly from others in the neighborhood?” “Well, it is way cooler,” Daria shrugged. “In your neighborhood, it likely wouldn’t correspond with most deed restrictions.” In no mood for humor, Doran ripped open his portal and soon stood face-to-face with his rival. “I love Daria,” Doran raised his chin proudly. “And if she’ll have me, I want her as my lifemate.” “Cha!” It was Daria’s turn to snort sardonically. “If I’ll have you. H’mmm, let’s see.” She scratched her head in a show of mock contemplation. “Could I possibly accept a life with the sexiest, kindest, brightest man in the universe? I’m gonna’ say, ‘Yes.’” “Forget about it, Daria.” Jason silenced her with an authoritative hand. “You may be naive enough to believe this guy’s crap, but I’m not. I’ve alerted the state police about his insane charade, and they plan a full investigation.” Doran shook his head. “Some of you Earthlings tend to hate everything you don’t understand.” Saying that, he turned to Daria and took her hand sweetly in his. “Others are more enlightened.” His voice softened noticeably. “Others see the way.” Jason waved away the alien’s assertion. “Daria sees nothing. You’ve blinded her with lust.” Infuriated, he turned an assessing eye in her direction. “I, on the other hand, am beginning to see things all too clearly. You, Daria, will not make a suitable wife for a man of my caliber.” Daria considered this a moment then nodded in agreement. “Promise?” Suddenly her lips parted in a bright, ebullient beam. “Does that mean I can go live with Doran on his ultra cool planet?” 117

Into Tomorrow “I’d like to tell you where you can go!” Jason thrust his fists in the air as his face turned an unearthly shade of red. Doran and Daria ignored his tirade. They only had eyes for each other.

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Chapter Eight Life on Eternia, Daria found, was a veritable feast of the senses. During her six months of residence on this planet of pleasure, she had become a public information officer who served the Eternian government; preparing multimedia presentations with the aid of amplified sound and three-dimensional images. Her favorite three-dimensional image was the flesh-and-blood male who shared her new home; the one who, after a hard day’s labor for both of them, often treated her to a luxurious hot oil massage. “Doran, you sure know your way around a back!” she praised one afternoon, as her lover rubbed and canvassed her tired body with a soothing sheen of lavender oil. “Not to mention a planet. I called Judge Layton in Jupiter the other day; he and some of my other friends have taken your ideas to Washington, D.C.” Doran leaned over to kiss her neck. “I’m pleased by the news, my darling.” He clucked his tongue playfully. “Don’t think, however, that I’ll be restricting my attentions to your back today.” With this he slipped his hands around her waist, giving her an affirming squeeze before wandering further downward. Soon her hips and thighs were drenched in his slick, comforting oil, and she took in her breath as his fingers teased and gently spread her feminine folds. Doran grasped and boldly stroked her aroused clitoris, and she soon felt overwhelmed by a haze of renewed desire. “Make love to me,” she sighed. Yet instead of submitting to his lady’s desires, Doran stilled his hand  then leaned forward to whisper tenderly in her ear. “On one condition,” he breathed. Daria rolled her eyes. “Doran, there’s a time to assume your official duties as an Eternian ambassador and a time to…” “If you so kindly will hear me out,” Doran coaxed. “I believe you’ll enjoy this negotiation.” 119

Into Tomorrow “Okay, okay.” Turning slightly, Daria relented with a kiss. “What do I have to do to get laid, Darling?” Doran cupped her chin in his hand and stared deeply into her eyes. “Say you’ll marry me.” Doran’s queen sealed their decree by agreeing immediately to his condition. Then he put his hand right back where it belonged – and, like any good alien ambassador would, he sent her over the moon. The End

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Affinity By Anne Leland Two star-crossed lovers tragically ripped from each other's arms. One last chance to reconcile the past.

http://www.anneleland.blogspot.com/

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Affinity By Anne Leland Prologue The silk sheet caressed her leg like a lover’s touch. Jasmine rolled over, legs restlessly moving against the luxurious fabric, twisting it into a ball around her feet. Sunlight tugged at her eyes, beckoning her to open them and face the day. She buried her head in her pillow, begging darkness to swallow her once again. A trance-like state washed back in as she drifted back into the dream. An unseen lover trailed a shower of kisses along the back of her calf. His hands followed each curve of her body, over the outside of her legs, along the slope of her ass where his fingertips stopped to caress the supple flesh. His breath blew along the inside of her thighs, drawing closer. Inching nearer to the sweet spot waiting for his mouth to find the wet center. Her mystery lover’s strong hands pushed her thighs apart, and two long fingers probed the dampness. She moaned softly into the pillow, grinding her hips against the bed and the phantom fingers pushing into her sex. Gliding along her slick invitation, the simple strokes brought her to the edge of insane pleasure. He lifted her legs to a kneeling position. Helpless to squelch her desire, she arched her back in cat-like fashion while pressing her face deeper into the sleepy comfort of her pillow. His mouth covered her sex, his tongue pushing into her juice, sucking it from her center. Her arms strained to hold her position as her clit swelled. A flame of fire burst along her belly, up over her breasts, where his hands found her hard nipples. As he tongue-fucked her sex, he tugged and teased her nipples until she could no longer breathe against the soft down of the pillow 122

Into Tomorrow caging her cries of ecstasy. She lifted her face from the white casing. Her lungs gulped the morning air. Sunlight burned her eyelids as her body trembled from the searing assault of her mystery lover’s lips. Beep. Beep. Beep. The alarm broke through the fantasy, dragging Jasmine into the full harsh reality of the coming day. Her knees buckled against the bed, and as she collapsed into the satin comfort, a voice whispered. “Don’t worry, my love, this is only the beginning.” Whipping around, she blinked and scanned the bedroom for the source of the words. Only the stark walls and cherry-wood armoire returned her gaze. Billie? Impossible. But the voice, the touch, they all held the familiarity she knew in her heart could only belong to one man. The one man whose death shattered her world and left her heart empty of ever finding love, ever finding a life for herself, again. Fifteen years and she could still imagine his touch so clearly that it had seemed real. It’s just a dream. A memory inspired, no doubt, by today’s impending mission. Jasmine shut off the persistent chime of the alarm clock and crawled out of bed. If she hurried, she could be there by nightfall and perhaps then, she could put all of it behind her, along with the ebbing shadows of her dream.

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Chapter One When she drove around the sharp bend in the road, Jasmine Michael’s life took a turn for the worse. Bam! The front tire slapped the asphalt. She jogged the wheel while lightly pumping the brakes, fearing any sudden movement would drag her into a spin on the wet road. A crack of white lightening flashed before her illuminating her deadly path. Her Mercedes skittered dangerously close to the shoulder of the highway. “Come on, baby, stay with me.” She coaxed the steel beast to the left and after what seemed an eternity; the car skidded to a stop, a mere six inches away from the forty-foot drop. Jasmine clutched the steering wheel in her trembling hands and blew out a deep breath. She threw the car in park and turned the ignition off. Great. Just great. Apropos to her reservations about returning to the banks of Half Moon River, she knew no good would come of it. Why didn’t she listen to her horoscope this morning? When a newspaper tells you you’re in for a bumpy road, shouldn’t you listen? In her heart, she knew she was looking for a way out. The dream this morning unnerved her to no end. Then again, the same newspaper told her a friend from a foreign place would deliver news she’d been waiting for, and what were the odds of that happening? First, she had no friends; second, Atlanta could hardly be considered a foreign country, and everyone she happened to know lived there. What possessed her to even bother to read the daily gibberish, she’d never figure out. Distractions. It was yet another distraction. Her life was full of them, carried out day after day to avoid thinking. Thinking led to paths she’d rather not explore.

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Into Tomorrow Then all the sudden the phone call came, and she couldn’t keep running, couldn’t fill the voids with a series of distractions anymore. It was time to face her demons and put the past to rest. Reaching for her overnight bag, she extracted her cell phone from the front pocket. Three seconds after flipping the casing open, she realized the futility of her actions. Getting a signal on Wilmington Island would be a stretch to begin with, but with the storm, impossible. She’d have to venture out to find help. It pained her to play the helpless damsel in distress, but she’d never gotten around to replacing the spare tire after her flat two years ago. Not that she’d know how to change it anyway if she had the foresight to have it with her now. She stretched out her hand and fumbled her fingers around the floor of the backseat. Her search came up empty. The umbrella either wasn’t there or it had rolled under the seats. Opening the door a crack to release her seatbelt, she turned around in her seat to kneel and peer into the back compartment of the vehicle. The red handle of the umbrella stuck out from under the passenger side seat. Twisting back around to sit down, she reached over and grabbed the handle, extracting the Eddie Bauer plaid print from its hiding place. A strong gust of air whipped the door open, and a flurry of raindrops pelted in, instantly soaking the left side of her jeans and white blouse. So much for needing an umbrella. By her calculations, the Moonlight Bar would be a few blocks up the road. Though she may look like a drown rat by the time she got there, at least she could find someone to help fix the tire or drive her down to the gas station she’d passed a few miles back. Jasmine popped the umbrella open in an attempt to protect herself from the downpour. As she stepped out of the Mercedes, the wind whipped the thin barrier back and forth. A second later, the umbrella folded upward and the cold rain poured down. “This is just not my day.” Jasmine shook her head, collapsed the umbrella and began trekking down the path to the Moonlight Bar. The darkness of the night and the wall of rain closed in like a water-laden tomb. While driving, the rain didn’t seem so bad. Now, it felt as if she hiked through a monsoon. Raging currents of air batted her from every direction, and she curled her hands around her eyes to protect 125

Into Tomorrow them from the onslaught. She’d heard a good part of Wilmington Island had been swept away by the recent hurricanes. Apparently, some of the hurricane winds stayed and took up permanent residence. The Moonlight had to be near. God only knew if the tavern was spared from the squall wreckage. Water seeped into her Keds and squished between her toes. Her skin puckered, wrinkling like linen in need of a good drycleaner. She pressed forward and prayed the storm would let up before she shriveled into a permanent raisin-like state. As she drew closer to where the piano bar should be, no lights were visible to guide her way. Of all the rotten luck. If no one was there, she’d have to turn around and hike at least three miles back to civilization or sweat things out until morning in hopes some hearty fisherman or beach comber might venture out and find her. A few feet further and she stood in front of the building, or rather what was left of the building. Time and harsh weather had turned the Moonlight into a ramshackle shell of what it had once been. Her heart thudded to the ground as she took in the damage and decay. Rotted wood planks barely held together to form the exterior. Washed and abraded from weather and sand, they’d lost their once vibrant paint tone. The windows were boarded, and not even a trace of the once grandiose neon sign was visible above the doorway. Years ago, the sign could be seen all the way down the beach, inviting patrons from all over to join the festive atmosphere. The Moonlight had been quite a classy hangout in its day. Now it was just… desolate. Well, what had she expected? Billie to be standing there holding open the door for her, crooked smile on his face and hands held out to warm her? Happy crowds of Blues-loving admirers breathtakingly awaiting her arrival? Those days were long gone. Hell. Why hadn’t she thought to phone ahead and find out if the place was even still open for business? In her heart, she knew. Billie, the Moonlight Bar, her days of singing by his side, nights spent in perfect harmony, the memories resided here at the Moonlight where she stacked them after Billie’s death. She gave no thought as to whether the piano bar existed because it still lay perfect as the day she first crossed the threshold, frozen in the walls of her heart. Gone. How could it be gone when she still had so much to resolve? This 126

Into Tomorrow trip needed to produce answers, not more questions. Damn it to high heaven! Jasmine kicked the side of the decrepit building, and a chunk of wood flew off, skipping along the water in the parking lot until it echoed out of view. What now? A loud crack of thunder raced a shiver down her spine as a streak of lightening illuminated its arc toward her. She ducked and watched in terror as the current sparked off a nearby tree. Howling winds dove across the sand, kicking up grainy tufts. Jasmine raced to the front door of the broken-down tavern. Surely, the building must offer some shelter from the driving rain. Maybe she could wait out the fiercest part storm there before hiking back down the road in search of help? The idea seemed reasonable, if not a bit foreboding. If the wood came off the sides of the building that easily, what were her chances the whole thing wouldn’t topple down on her? Not to mention the prospect of rats. Half Moon River tended to be home to several creatures of the undesirable variety even when it was fully operational. With the building vacant, some might have taken up permanent residency. Well, it was either face the electric volts and trudge back through the downpour or wait it out for a little while. The rain intensified, pouring down in a solid sheet, as if daring her to make her way back through it. Blinded by the thickening downpour, fully soaked with no other options in sight, she grabbed the front handle of the doorway, praying the building would hold. The door stuck, and she yanked on the handle to push it open. A blue-tinted halo of light spilled out from the interior. Jasmine blinked against the sudden brightness, swept the rain from her eyes with the back of her hand then hesitantly stepped through the doorway, seeking the source of the light. What she saw next knocked the air from her lungs. **** The Moonlight Bar roared to life. The chords of “Atlanta Blues” danced through the air, masterfully flying off the keys of the piano in the corner. A wealth of patrons milled throughout the dance floor or lined up along the bar, engrossed in deep conversations and 127

Into Tomorrow shameless flirtation. Bar glasses clinked, colors swirled, and Jasmine drank it all in, dizzy with nostalgia and disbelief. Did the building collapse and knock her in the head? How could this be happening? She whirled around to step outside and clear her thoughts. Obviously, she was hallucinating. A big man in a starched white suit blocked her way. Where did he come from? “Evening, Miss Jasmine. Sure do look like you caught a bit of weather coming down here tonight.” “How… how do you know my name?” The stranger let out a husky laugh. “I knows everyone, Miss Jasmine. You gonna sing for us tonight?” Who was this guy? How did he know her? His hulking frame blocked the doorway entirely from her view. The exterior of the building had sure fooled her. The place was far from deserted. “I um, I don’t sing anymore.” She was here merely to confront a tiny piece of the past and assure herself it was dead and buried. “Oh, now that there is a shame.” He brought his hand up to his chubby chin and shook his head. “We’ll have to do something about that, I reckon.” Was this really happening? As a Piscean, she sometimes existed emotionally, rather than rationally. Had she slipped into some kind of daydream rather than a night dream? Had her psyche, her guilty conscience finally caught up and popped her into la-la land? “I don’t think you understand, I um, I need to go.” “Miss-us, I understands right fine. Why don’t you go in and have yourself a drink? Maybe Eddie can change your mind.” He winked and let out another hearty round of laughter. The man’s whole body quivered when he laughed as if it came straight from his soul. Jasmine couldn’t help but smile in reaction. What the hell was going on though? How could this broken-down shack still house the same magnificent barroom? And why didn’t she hear the music and mayhem when she stood outside? Could the rain really mask that much? Maybe, but what about the lights? She glanced around. The windows reflected only a mirror image of the barroom. Impossible, they were boarded up on the outside. What the hell was going on? Jasmine turned back to the sizable man blocking her way, but before she could demand he step out of the way, a familiar voice sang out behind her. 128

Into Tomorrow “Jazzy Michaels? As I live and breathe!” No one had called her Jazzy since she gave up singing Gospel. She turned around to find Wanda Ruthford decked out in a red dress meant to turn heads and leave men burning on her trail of smoke and gardenia-scented perfume. Wanda? Something about Wanda she should remember clawed at the back of her mind. The notes from the piano swooshed away her unease, creating a surreal sense of calm through her whole body. Her thoughts took on a fuzzy edge, thrusting her into a dream-like state. Wanda. Wanda was right here in front of Jasmine, wobbling around like a woman with a new pair of heels. Drunk as per usual. “Wanda! My Lord, you haven’t changed a stitch. What are you doing here?” “I could say the same of you,” Wanda took a long drag from her cigarette. “It’s been a long time, child, and I think you’ve gotten here a might early, but you always were the impatient one, weren’t you.” “Early?” Should she be freaking right now? What had happened? Did her agent call ahead to announce her arrival? No, he couldn’t possibly have, no one knew she was coming. The soft tune from the piano filled her soul, and a strange urge to stay there rooted her feet to the hardwood floor. “I haven’t been here in nearly ten years.” I think. “So it seems,” Wanda tittered. “Come now dear, I have some people to introduce you to. You’re a little wet though, would you like to freshen up first?” Jasmine’s hands flew to her wet hair. Combing her fingers through the mess, she quickly determined it to be a hopeless cause. Squishing around the bar meeting people didn’t sound like her idea of fun, at the moment. “I really just stopped in to get some help. My car…” “Yes, I know, you got a flat, huh? That’s common around here these days. Why don’t you follow me to the back and I’m sure we can rummage up a costume or something for you to change into.” Dry clothing sounded tempting, but she really should get her car fixed first. But then again, hadn’t she wanted to return to the Midnight? Now she was here, and what harm would it do to stay for a few minutes and dry off? She hadn’t expected to find it so busy though. The bar had usually been quiet on Tuesday, catering mainly to the locals. Must be some occasion? What was she thinking? This was more than a little freaky. A few minutes ago, she stood in a downpour taking in the shattered remnants 129

Into Tomorrow of the building. How could any of this be happening? Did she hit her head? The piano player filled the room with rich notes. Chords that swirled around her, zapping all trace of apprehension from her mind. There was something familiar about the style of the musician. She peered through the crowd to find the source of the enchanting music, but a whirl of dancers masked the piano from view. She used to fantasize about making love to Billie across the top of the mahogany base. Would the gloss surface still hold the same temptation? “Sugar,” Wanda interrupted her search. “Come follow me, and we’ll fix you right up.” Jasmine thoughts grew muddy. Why did Wanda want her to follow her? Oh yes, something dry to put on. “Lead the way. I’d love to get out of these clothes.” Wanda chuckled. “I imagine you’ll say that again soon.” Huh? Wanda always had a funny way about her. Jasmine shrugged and plastered a polite smile on her face in response to Wanda’s attempt at humor. Better to pacify her than to inquire as to what they were laughing about. “Come now, sugar. We need to doll you up if you’re going to sing tonight.” “Nothing personal, but I don’t sing anymore.” “So I hear.” Wanda gave her a sideways glance, flicked the ashes off her cigarette into a nearby tray then motioned towards the back room of the bar. “Come with me.” An indefinable apprehension gnawed at her as she followed Wanda into the dim-lit back room of the Moonlight Bar. Something she couldn’t get a hold of, but it left her with a sense of impending dread wavering on the threshold of the dream splayed out before her. Maybe forcing herself to come here wasn’t such a bright idea. Only, she needed some answers. She’d promised the agent a response by Friday. What answers could she find now though? Billie was dead. Coming here wouldn’t absolve her; his death would remain on her hands for a lifetime. Coming here wouldn’t bring him back.

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Chapter Two Crates full of liquor, broken down instruments, piles of boxes and a mishmash of odds and ends cluttered the dimly-lit back room. A dank smell permeated the wooden walls from years of salt corrosion and cigarette smoke. Chills raked along Jasmine’s back. The room hadn’t changed a bit since the last time she’d been back there. Even the big brown trunk still occupied the same corner. A corner sometimes co-occupied by lesser desirables wondering in from the river front. She hoped one wouldn’t make an appearance tonight. She’d never felt comfortable in the back, changing between sets in the near dark, fumbling around and praying someone wouldn’t barge in at an inopportune moment. True, there were bathrooms in the bar, but the cubicles were so small they’d never offered enough room or a clean enough environment. The only time she’d ever felt safe was when Billie escorted her to the back of the bar, but then again, she hadn’t ever focused on her whereabouts around him. There’d always been his deliciously inviting lips to pay attention to. Memories flitted in and out of her vision, ghosts of the past, taunting her. She could picture their bodies entwined, filled with the adrenaline rush of a young couple in love. How many times had he lifted her onto the counter as she wrapped her legs around him, begging for more? Her body steeled in anticipation, muscles flexing in expectation, feeling the ridge of his need pressing against her and… “Jasmine girl, you with me?” Wanda’s voice wrenched her from the remembrance. A cold sweat formed along Jasmine’s brow conflicting with the all-too-real heat between her thighs. She’d been with a few men since Billie died, but not one could move her close to orgasm with a memory. For so long, she’d repressed every thought, but standing here in the Moonlight Bar, Billie was more than a memory. For a moment, she could almost believe he was still there with her. As if the whole 131

Into Tomorrow ordeal was nothing more than a bad nightmare. No denying it though. Billie was dead, and there was nothing she could do to bring him back. Not even the poignant memories could erase her sins. Wanda strolled over to the trunk, tossed her cigarette on the floor and stubbed it out under the toe of her red open-toed pumps. “I’m sure there’s something in here to be found.” She lifted the lid to the trunk, and a layer of dust blew off. Jasmine didn’t doubt there’d be something to be found inside, she just wasn’t sure she wanted to know what that something was. Horrific visions of skeletons crawling with rats filled her mind. Damn, this place still gave her the creeps. Wanda leaned over and rummaged around, humming softly to the muffled song playing in the bar. Jasmine couldn’t put her finger on the name of the tune, but she knew she’d heard it before. “Here we go!” Wanda exclaimed loud enough for the whole establishment to hear while she extracted a pale blue garment from the recesses of the trunk and tossed it in Jasmine’s direction. Jasmine took a step forward, leaned over and grabbed the cloth before it fell to the floor. The silky fabric nearly slipped through her fingers. She stood up, unfolded the garment and held it up. Her heart leapt to her throat. The dress looked exactly like the one she wore the night Billie died. But it couldn’t be. She’d burned it two days after, knowing the stain of his blood could never be removed. The memories cut through her like the serrated edge of a knife. Holding the garment up by the haltered top, she examined it from all angles. It was a dead-on replica of the dress she’d worn, but pristine in its condition, even the rhinestone clasp at the neckline sparkled as if it were still in its Bloomingdale’s display case. “Beautiful, sugar, isn’t it?” She turned her attention to Wanda, the pain of the past dissipating as reality surged back in. “Yes, it is. I always loved this color blue. It reminds me of the sky on a crisp April day.” “Well, it looks to be your size too. I have a pair of heels around here somewhere. Go on and change, sugar. I’ll dig ‘em up.” The way things were going, Jasmine almost expected Wanda to bring her back a pair of glass slippers along with a pumpkin chariot to whisk her back to her car. Only, it wouldn’t be fitting for her to play 132

Into Tomorrow the role of Cinderella. Her Prince Charming rode off a long time ago, and before that, he’d proven to be more of a toad. How had her life come to this point? Nearly ten years had gone by, but she’d never left that one fatal moment in time. The last decade had been spent going through an array of joyless motions, until Gary Davidson phoned her last week and asked her to star in the Atlanta Gospel Revival. His offer resurrected a spark in her soul that her body had too long denied. But how could she accept his offer? She’d vowed her penance and never looked back. Glancing around to ensure her privacy, Jasmine kicked off her Keds then peeled off her jeans. Her underwear had managed to stay dry but not her bra. Hopefully, the dress was cut with a shelf lining like the one she’d worn so many years ago. Wanda whistled her return, and Jasmine used the dress to cover her scant lavender-lace panties from view. “Oh, there’s no need to be modest with me, sugar. You forget, I knew you when you was just a babe.” Jasmine laughed, and it suddenly occurred to her that Wanda hadn’t aged one bit. Not one extra line had cropped up in the past ten years. In fact, she looked younger than Jasmine remembered. Shouldn’t something be sagging or wrinkled by now? Even Jasmine had a set of crow’s feet settling in. Go figure. Wanda probably had one of those fancy Savannah surgeons at her beck and call. The miracles of Botox. Wanda handed her a pair of black satin sandals with a small strap of rhinestones stretching diagonally across the front. Impossible! “Something wrong?” Wanda asked. “These…” Jasmine turned them over to inspect them again; the stones glittered as they caught the faint light cast by the single bulb on the ceiling. “I had a pair just like these once.” “Imagine that. Quite a coincidence I happened to have these one hand.” Wanda said the words convincingly enough, but the Cheshire smile on her face contradicted her statement. Something was very out of place here. Not just the clothes, not just the condition of the exterior, something Jasmine couldn’t put a name to. Yet. Every fiber in her body told her to run, but her body refused to obey. The comforting scent of gardenias stilled her racing pulse, and the faint sultry tune from the piano grew louder, washing all traces of 133

Into Tomorrow fear from her mind until she could no longer remember what it was that plagued her. “Put the dress on, honey,” Wanda directed. Without further thought, Jasmine complied. **** After Jasmine finished slipping into the dress, she pulled the sandals on, ran her hands through her wet curls to slick them back, and felt the years slipping away, transporting her backwards in time to a place she’d long forgotten. A place filled with mystery and wonder. A place filled with music. The piano player’s song beat in tune with the rhythm of her heart as she followed Wanda back into the main bar. “I should really find someone to help me with my car now.” Wanda twirled around, landed on the lap of a distinguishedlooking gentleman in a pinstripe suit, plucked a cigarette case from his lapel pocket and offered him a seductive smile. “Light one for me, sugar?” Jasmine bit down on her bottom lip to keep from laughing. Some people never changed. If she could mimic one Wanda Ruthford quality, it would be her ability to be brazen under all circumstances. The woman could march up to the devil himself and coax hell out from under him. As delightful as this was turning out to be, she really didn’t think she should linger. Better to come back when things were quieter. Better to get her car off the side of the road before someone smacked into it and sent it careening over the cliff. Better to face her demons some other day. Notes of another familiar tune wafted across the bar, wrapping her in their dreamlike charm. She turned away from Wanda and her current love interest to make her way toward the piano. Before she left, she’d like to see who mastered the keys so wonderfully. She hadn’t heard such a soft touch, well, since Billie played. The loss of his talent rocked the Blues world nearly as much as it shattered hers. As she made her way though the crowd, trying to get closer to the piano, the throng seemed to thicken, and try as she might, she couldn’t get through the mass of people. The patrons in the bar appeared to triple with each step she took. Jasmine slipped past a couple in the center of the dance floor and ran smack into the chest of a tall man. Of course, at five-foot-four, 134

Into Tomorrow most men towered over her. “Excuse me.” She apologized and then side-stepped around him. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. Her arms immediately pushed against him and she stumbled backward out of his abrupt embrace. He caught her flailing hands before she fell to the floor and pulled her back up. “So sorry,” He said in a low, almost trance-inducing voice. “I only wanted to have a drink with you. Come sit with me awhile.” His body swayed in tune to his words, rhythmically, in an enchanting motion. Long, wavy brown hair rested on the shoulders of his rumpled chambray shirt, and his eyes sparkled with irresistible energy. She’d seen this man before, but couldn’t place her finger on where. Intuitively she knew he was a musician of some sort, but the rest escaped her. A small lizard peeked its head from under his locks and crawled onto his shoulder. Jasmine took a step backwards and bumped butts with someone behind her. When she turned to apologize, she couldn’t figure out the source of her collision. The crowd seemed oblivious to her presence. “Come with me,” the stranger said. “Sit awhile.” His voice compelled her, beckoning in a strange way, as if he were an ancient mystic of a long lost Indian tribe sprung to life. In his tattered jeans and sandaled feet, perhaps he was part of some cult. He stood sorely out of place amongst the dressed-up crowd, but no one appeared to take notice. In the past, the occasional beach drifter came in, and no one minded, so maybe that part of the culture hadn’t changed. She was glad. The one thing the Moonlight always had on the finer establishment in Savannah was its true air of gentlemanliness and southern hospitality. All were welcome, and none were shunned or looked down upon. The Moonlight brought out the best in folks. It might turn out to be a good thing anyway that this stranger wore jeans. Maybe he wouldn’t mind getting dirty changing her car tire, and certainly, he looked like he would benefit from a monetary compensation for his efforts. Money. Her purse! Damn fool, she’d left her purse and her keys in the car. “Do you have a car? I could really use a lift down the road. My car broke down a few blocks from here. I’ll be happy to pay you for your troubles.” “There are many doors to the soul. There are many doors out of 135

Into Tomorrow here. Come sit with me awhile. We’ll sort your questions out.” What? “I really don’t have time to talk.” She didn’t want to tell him she’d left her purse. From his odd behavior and quirky responses, she was beginning to believe he might be doped up or something. Her pocketbook would be a free ride for at least a week’s worth of partying. “I have to get my car off the side of the road. It’s sitting on the embankment.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her over to an empty table in the corner. “Come sit with me a bit, and I promise we’ll sort this out.” Forget it. Maybe someone else in the bar could help. Maybe Wanda’s friend? Jasmine turned toward the bar to find them. Just then, the piano player began cranking out an upbeat jazz tune. As the chords reached her, her mind fogged up again. What was this strange character asking her? To sit down and have a drink? Why not? What harm could it do? He looked a bit lonely, and she was suddenly very, very thirsty. He pulled out a chair for her, and she accepted it, settling into the comfortable cushioned back as he sat down opposite her. A thin waitress with honey brown hair trailing down her back appeared. Her table companion leaned over, whispered something into the girl’s ear that caused her to giggle and give him a light swat to the head. Then she turned and headed off towards the bar. The achingly familiar chords from the piano coursed through her, touching the recesses of her soul, tearing at the chains around the locked chambers of her heart. “He’s very good, no?” The long-haired stranger leaned toward her as if to draw her into an intimate conversation. She pushed her back further into her chair and crossed her legs; the silk of dress caressed her calf like soft fingertips, an intoxicating sensation. “Who’s very good?” “The piano player.” The stranger gave her a lop-sided grin, “I knew a man like him once.” “So did I.” “Really? Tell me about him.” “It was a very long time ago.” Her companion leaned back into his chair; his blue eyes sparkled, drawing her in. “I have no road to be journeying. Tell me about your piano man.” “His name was Billie.” The familiar name rolled off her tongue before she could snatch it back. 136

Into Tomorrow “Billie?” “You may have known him as ‘K’ Lenz.” “Yes, tragedy that was. How did he pass again?” The man placed his forefinger to his lips and tapped it, as if to recall the details. Jasmine cleared her throat. The memories rushed in like a hurricane off the Atlantic. “A car accident. He curved off…” Off the road. Over the cliff. Near the spot where her car stalled. She looked at the stranger across from her and saw the entire scene reflected in his eyes. What the hell was going on here?

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Chapter Three Jasmine lifted up from her chair, placed her palms on the table and leaned over toward the man in the chambray shirt. “Is this some kind of elaborate joke?” He placed his hand on hers, and the gesture instantly de-frazzled her tension. She lowered back into her seat as he spoke. “It’s part of the process. You’ll be fine in a moment.” “I… I don’t understand.” She shook her head, the room spun as a wash of images and memories clouded her vision: the bartender juggling vodka bottles, an old man sitting at the end of the bar smoking a cigar, the hazy glow of an exposed light bulb through the smoky air, and dancers spinning in time to a silent melody. The stranger gave her hand a squeeze, and the kaleidoscope of images slowed as if she were on a merry-go-round coming to rest. He spoke, his voice barely a whisper seeping through her hazy condition. “The motions will clear in a minute. Your mind is collecting itself. Tell me more about what happened to Billie. Share with me, it will help cleanse the images.” The ride of memories came to a complete stop, and the scene from the fatal night replayed in front of her like she witnessed the live event on a movie screen. As each action occurred, she verbally recounted it. “Billie swerved. His car drove off the cliff. I told him not to drive. He was in no condition, but Wanda…” Wanda. What about Wanda? “Oh Lord, am I… am I dead?” Jasmine stood up, the reel of events continued to spin, and the argument she had with Billie that fatal night played out before her eyes with every wretched, nasty detail included. “No!” she screamed at the image of her naïve former self, “Don’t do it. Don’t say it! You’re wrong!” A set of strong hands grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her softly back into her seat. Her heart pounded against her breastbone, yearning to escape the grief. The stranger’s eyes drew her in, and the room came back into the focus. The merry-go-round of 138

Into Tomorrow visions ceased. He squatted down in front of her, and she had the urge to collapse into his arms. What happened to her? Where was she? How could she not have seen it from the start? “Wanda was in the car with Billie.” The words hung in the air, echoing her disbelief. “I know.” “How can she be here then? How can she be here right now, alive? Why didn’t I remember?” She stared into his eyes searching for an answer but found only a cool reflection of herself. “Where the hell am I? What’s going on?” “Here we see what is necessary to be seen when we are ready for it.” Jasmine forced the question from her lips again. “Am I dead?” “No,” the man shook his head, his long brown locks moving like the soft waves of Half Moon River on a lazy summer day. The small lizard returned to his shoulder. “There are many doors in the universe. You are standing on the threshold.” “So then what is this, like the gateway to heaven or…?” She couldn’t bring herself to finish. “Who are you?” Did God wear chambray? Maybe St. Peter? This whole dream grew more twisted by the minute. If she wasn’t dead, what was she? Hallucinating? The man chuckled. “In time you may remember. For now, you may call me Jim.” Jim. The name suited him, and she felt a strange sense of ease fill her from personalizing the man with a name. Jim. A flicker of nostalgia surfaced, or perhaps de ja vu? On some level, she knew this man, but that still didn’t answer the multitude of questions pouring out over the table between them. Jim retreated back to his seat. Jasmine reached for the margarita in front her and gulped it down in three swallows. How had it gotten there? Probably when she had the strange series of flashbacks. No matter, the cool liquid fire of the drink hit her stomach, shot through her body, and instantly took her nerves down another notch. How did she get here? She wondered if she’d possibly hit her head when she’s skidded across the road or if the lightening strike had some kind of effect on her. Maybe she entered into a dream world of sorts? No. This couldn’t possibly be happening. Wanda Ruthford died ten years ago when Billie took them both to their deathbeds. Wanda couldn’t possibly be here, alive and breathing and offering Jasmine 139

Into Tomorrow clothing to change into. Should she indulge this warped fantasy any further? How exactly could she wake out of it? “You’re not dreaming.” Jim spoke softly to her from across the table where he now sat with his hand wrapped around the neck of a beer bottle. “Do you think you’re ready to sing yet?” How did he know her thoughts? Did she speak them aloud without realizing it? “I don’t sing anymore.” “Oh.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Why is that?” She didn’t owe him any damn explanation. Wasn’t she supposed to be able to control the outcome of her dreams? Only what if this really weren’t a dream? Then what was it? “I made a promise a long time ago.” “A promise?” He raised an eyebrow as if to challenge her claim. Why did this man keep probing? What concern was it of his whether she sang anymore? “Yes, a promise not to sing again.” “Why would you do that? Your voice is heavenly.” How did he know? That’s the same thing her producer had recently said as he tried to convince her to participate in the revival. She racked her brain trying to recall where she’d met this strange man before. Though he had a compelling air of familiarity, she couldn’t place him. “You’ve never heard me sing.” “Ah, but I have. You may bury your past, but not the records. You and Billie K were quite a duo.” That’s right. He’d mentioned he’d known of Billie. Stood to reason Jim might have some of Billie’s recordings. “So why the promise?” She fumbled with the empty Margarita glass, suddenly wishing another drink would appear. “I…I’d rather not discuss it.” “Would it frighten you to know that I already know the reason?” “Not in the least.” Why wasn’t she frightened and running for the door as it were? Something, something deep inside her soul told her to stay. Dream or no dream, somehow she knew she shouldn’t leave. “You’ve blamed yourself far too long, Jasmine.” “If you know so much, wouldn’t you have done the same thing?” “No.” he gave a half-laugh, and the side of his lip curved toward a smile. “But I was better known for being selfish than self-less.” “Oh.” Her selflessness had spawned from her selfishness though, not something she cared to openly admit. Jim waved his hand, and the little blond waitress appeared with 140

Into Tomorrow another round of drinks. She disappeared faster than Jasmine could offer a “thank you.” As if offering encouragement, Jim pushed the Margarita glass closer. “Why do you continue to bring this pain on the world?” “The world? I haven’t brought any of it to anyone other than myself.” She picked up the drink and took a long drink. The alcohol did little this time to quell her nerves or the deep ache inside her soul. “You deprive the world of your gifts.” “You flatter me too much. There are many talented singers in the world.” “Each unique in their own right, though. Your gift is your own. It cannot be duplicated. You deprive the world when you deny the beauty to be heard. Not quite so self-less.” “Well, there are things you don’t understand.” Why was she sitting here having this conversation? Why did she feel the need to justify herself to this figment of her imagination? Jasmine rose from her chair and stood next to the table. “I think it’s time I headed back to my car.” The stranger rocked back in his chair and smiled up at her. “No, Jasmine, I think it’s time for you to sing.” She flipped him a frown and began making her way towards the direction of the front door. This was her dream. She wasn’t taking any directions from an enigmatic lizard man. As Jasmine pushed through the crowd, the piano player began to belt out a revival tune. The melody of the song railed against her like a gale force wind. She whipped around to find the source. Only one man knew the chords to this song. A song that lay buried at the bottom of Half Moon River. Her song.

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Chapter Four The room cleared as Jasmine glided across the floor toward the piano. Patrons disappeared into a mist of perfumed colors with each step she took until the room emptied, the last trail of laughter timed in perfect harmony with the stroke of the keys. Billie. He looked up at her, his signature-crooked smile pulling out the dimple in his left cheek while his hands deftly coaxed the melody from the faded white bars. A lump formed in her throat, and her hands shook as she reached out to touch the edge of the grand piano. The need to touch it, to validate its existence, overwhelmed her senses. Her knees buckled, and the room closed in. Billie swiveled on the piano stool, slid his hand over hers and, in one elegant motion, stood to catch her before she slumped to the ground. His arm wrapped around her waist, trapping her as if they were two dancers ending their routine with a graceful back-dip. “I’ve been waiting for you.” His words caressed her, slipping under the sheath of her dress, touching regions long denied. He slid his hand up along her back, pulled her upright and drew her into the full warmth of his embrace. Her nose barely grazed his chin, and she drank in the spice of his aftershave along with a familiar flavor, rich with memories, laden with the magic of Wilmington Island. Billie lowered his head, and his lips found hers. The hunger—the need—swept away the passage of time. The hardwood floor shifted beneath them as the decade cycled back, unleashing their love. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she raked her fingers through the soft wave of hair brushing the back of Billie neck, gently guiding him to probe deeper, wanting desperately to reaffirm his presence, his touch. His hand pressed the small of her back, driving her into the hard wall of his chest until she could no longer distinguish his heart beat from her own. 142

Into Tomorrow The breath left her lungs as he nipped at her bottom lip and trailed a line of insistent kisses until he found the hollow of her neck. A rage of desire shot through her body, and her muscles tensed in anticipation. He’d always played her body lovingly, like an instrument finely tuned to his command. He’d always… Past tense. Her mind screamed through the ecstasy of her flesh and the agony of her heart. Curling her hands to clutch a fistful of his hair, she lifted his head and stared into his amber eyes. They were afire with passion, glowing in a way she dearly remembered. A passion reserved for her “How is this happening? Billie?” She closed her eyes as if the motion would clear the fantasy from her sight, but the rough texture from his tuxedo jacket under the weight of her arms spoke of the reality. “It’s time, Jasmine.” The deep baritone timber of his voice snaked into her heart, soothing her senses, delivering a calm surge of strength to her trembling body. “You are ready to see.” She opened her eyes a sliver, peered out from under her eyelashes then fully opened them to take in the full picture of his handsome features. “This can’t be happening.” With a casual smile, he erased her hesitation. “There are some things that defy explanation. We only have a short doorway.” “I don’t understand this doorway stuff. What does this all mean? Am I dead? Am I dying? Is this real? Billie, how you can be here? How can you want to hold me? After…“ A sob caught in her throat. “We were young, Jazzy. I acted the fool.” He brushed a curl of hair from her face and ran his fingertips along her cheek. “I’ve waited so long. I’ve watched you. I’ve wanted so bad to ease your pain.” She pulled away from the heat of his touch. “My pain?” her lips trembled as her heart unleashed its fury upon her. “You speak of my pain, but it is my sins that destroy me. My pride and my anger that took you away from me.” “No. You’ve never been able to see clearly. Look deep within your heart, Jasmine. Unlock the doors that seal the truth and blind you.” The walls within her soul shattered. The room spun, and the visions of the past welled up, playing out once again like the reels of a 143

Into Tomorrow silent movie. Her youthful former self flapped her lips in anger as she balled her fists. She watched as Billie staggered from his over-indulgence and slapped the back of his hand against her cheek, sending her to her knees. Wanda stumbled in view, clutched Billie’s hand and dragged him out the front door of the Moonlight. The old bartender raced to lift the younger version of her self from the floor. Over and over again, the scenes replayed. Though no sound reached her ears, she knew every word spoken. They’d been fighting over Billie’s drinking and recently, his roving eye. She’d never doubted his love or faithfulness, but his drinking had gotten out of control to the point she could no longer sit idly by. The scene dissipated, and the floor threatened to swallow her up. Billie’s hands clamped to her shoulders, holding her up as the room drew back into focus. “Are you okay?” He voice, thick with concern, jolted her mind back into the moment. “I should have stopped you. I let my anger take control, and I…” She couldn’t bear to speak the truth aloud. “You must see. There’s nothing you could do. Jasmine, I would give everything—I would walk in the depths of hell—if I could take back the hurt I caused you.” “You don’t understand.” “What? What don’t I understand? I was a drunk and a fool. A fool to ever lose you.” “I… I was so angry. You don’t know. All these years. It was my fault. I wished you were…” Tears clawed at her face as her spirit crashed like a breaker against the shore. “I wished you dead for what you’d done to me… to us.” She buried her head in her hands as the waves of grief overtook her. Billie wrapped his arms around her shaking frame. “I know. Do you not see now? You weren’t responsible. Do you really think the power of your justified reaction propelled the events of that night?” She drew in a deep breath, and her voice quavered in response. “Didn’t they?” “Jasmine, I acted the fool. I was drunk out of my mind. I chose to take the wheel. I chose to run away. The power was in my hands, and I tossed away everything for an addiction. Now, I’ve spent what seems an eternity waiting for the chance to release you from my wrongs.” 144

Into Tomorrow “I should have stopped you. I could have done something.” He lifted her head and stared into her eyes, the connection grazed her emotions, wrapping a soothing peace around the sorrow. “I should have stopped me, but I let myself lose control. Told myself I could handle it. Allowed myself to lose everything. This is my one chance to make amends. Jasmine, you must listen to me. It was never your fault. You’ve condemned yourself for something neither of us had full control over. You need to stop punishing yourself.” “I’m not sure I know how.” “You need to live, Jasmine. You need to live this life for both of us.” “I’m not sure I can.” “You’re stronger than you know. You always were, and had I listened, had I respected that, things might have turned out differently.” He lifted her chin higher until their eyes were level. “We have only a short window.” With a brush of his fingers, he wiped the trail of water from her cheeks. She surrendered to the taste of his lips as her defenses fell to pieces. The hurt, the pain dissipated as she yielded to the craving. Her body begged for release. A release of her passion. A release of her soul. **** Billie first kissed her eyelids then made a trail downward to gently suck the tender skin at the base of her neck. Jasmine felt every fiber of her body response to the wanton need. Eagerly melting into the heat of desire, she gave herself over to him, reclaiming the love they’d been denied. Dropping her head back to allow him more access, she tugged at the lapel of his suit and nudged the jacket from his shoulders. He shrugged the sleeves off and ran his hands along the outside of her thighs. “I want to know your taste again.” Billie whispered as he lifted her up to sit on the edge of the piano. Her back arched in response, and his hand reached up to run along the line of her cleavage while his leg parted her thighs. His hand followed the curves of her body, massaging their outline. The silky smooth fabric of her dress rubbed against her flesh as he teased, running his fingers along her breast as if strumming the 145

Into Tomorrow keys of his piano. She slipped away under his spell as Billie pushed the hem of the dress up across her hips and pressed her back so that she stretched out across the piano top, exposing the heat of her desire. His hands traced a circle on her thighs as his thumbs moved to the center of her satin panties, finding the hot wetness awaiting him. A small moan escaped her lips. Her body remembered his touch and welcomed each move. Billie’s teeth graze across the fabric of her panties, and she arched her back further off the piano top, inviting him closer, wanting so much more. He slowly drew the straps of fabric over her hips, letting the silk linger across her thighs, before fully removing the barrier. The heat of his breath returned to her wet center as his hand spread her thighs further apart. His fingers played upward, manipulated her flesh, pulling at her labia, fingering her parted cleft, probing deeper until they teased inside the clenched walls of her sex. Waves of pleasure swept away the questions and the grief. “Make love to me.” “Oh, I plan to. Let me taste you first, Jasmine. I’ve missed your sweet spots.” His voice evoked nearly as much urgency in her as his fingers pushing deeper into the slick readiness of her heat. She propped up on her elbows and reached for him. The simple stroke of his tongue forced her back down. He rotated his tongue in small circles around her clit as his fingers quickened their pace. She swiveled her hips in response as the pressure quickly crescendoed inside. Her muscles spasmed, clenching against the slip of Billie’s fingers, rocking a wave of intense euphoria from the center outward until her body collapsed from the release. Billie pulled her to a sitting position, holding her tight as she sank into the profound comfort of his body. Her need to have him inside of her rekindled. She ran her hands across the steel wall of his chest and unlatched the top button of his shirt. His breath grew labored as she reached the third button, and the primitive need within her took over. Tugging at his shirt, she tore at the cloth, ripped it from him, then ran her hands along the ripple of muscle underneath. He moaned approval as she rolled her thumb along the hard edge. “Make love to me,” she demanded, not able to stand another 146

Into Tomorrow second, waiting to complete their bond. He unbuckled his belt and quickly tore off his pants. His cock pressed hard against her thigh. A drop of fluid raced along the flesh of her hand as she reached down to take the full of him, guiding him into her, begging him to quench her need. The tip of his cock stroked her clit, and she could no longer hold back her cries of pleasure. Billie cupped her ass in his hands and thrust his full length deep into her. She screamed in rapture at their union as he took her to a new height of pleasure, a place only he knew the way to. She followed him willingly, matching his thrusts in symmetry, as he led her where she yearned to go. The past fused with the present. Heat rippled through her abdomen and exploded outward, enveloping her body as she came hard against the pounding thrust of his cock. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and she collapsed into him as he trembled with the force of his own release. Lost in an ocean of bliss, Jasmine dipped her head, curling into his embrace, desperately needing to connect with every inch of Billie, as if the bond might somehow join him to her for eternity. Eternity waited for them in the doorway. Chance laid a heartbeat away.

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Chapter Five Jasmine curled atop the piano, still wrapped in Billie’s arms. They’d collapsed there hours ago after languidly reacquainting themselves with each tender stroke of flesh and hungry taste of desire. A whisper of cold, like a light breeze rolling in from the river, curved along her spine. The bar was still empty, only the sound of her breathing was evident in the stillness. Only her breath? She slid off the piano, her bare feet connected with the rough wood as a jolt of reality surged through her. Turning around, she found Billie propped on one elbow, staring back at her with his soulful eyes, the glow of their love-making still fresh upon him. “Jasmine?” His eyes grew dark with concern. “You… your… your breath, I can’t feel it.” She took a step backwards as Billie slipped off the piano top to comfort her. His hand touched her shoulder. The warmth had long left him, and a cold shiver ran along her neckline. “Billie, I… you’re…” “Shh.” He placed a finger on her lips then traced the outline of them. “I’m afraid time is leaving us. I don’t have much longer.” She reached for him, but her hand swept through his arm as if he were made of no more substance than a cloud. Was he even really there, or did she imagine this whole elaborate scenario? “It hasn’t been a dream.” He brushed his thumb along her cheek, leaving an icy whisper of a trail as his hand guided her face upward to meet the impression of his lips. “I will find you in your dreams though, tonight and every night. I promise.” “You… This morning, you were there in my bedroom?” “Yes.” A Cheshire grin spread across his face, dimpling his cheeks with the remembrance of the heated dawn escape. “I’ll be there for you every time you need me. In your dreams, all you need to do is call to me.” Faint streams of sunlight seeped through hidden portals morphing 148

Into Tomorrow and melting the walls of the bar until Jasmine could no longer distinguish her surroundings. Billie’s body took on a translucent quality as if absorbing the pale daylight. “I want you to sing for me, Jasmine. Sing for us, and in time we will be reunited.” A tear slid along her cheek, carrying with it full knowledge of the moment. “Sing for you? Will it bring you back? Tell me what to do, Billie. I can’t bear to lose you again.” “I have to go, doll. You already knew I couldn’t stay.” “You’re… you’re…” “A ghost, yes.” “And this?” “This is the power of our love.” She felt the cool of Billie’s embrace wrap around her. Jasmine closed her eyes, pretending for one last moment the lips she kissed were flesh and blood. As the tears trailed down her skin, he kissed each one lightly then whispered into her ear. “I love you, Jasmine. I have loved you in this world, and I will love you in the next.” “Don’t go.” He squeezed her tighter into his arms. “I promise you, my love. We will be reunited in your dreams until we can be together again. All you need to do is think of me before you go to sleep, and I will be there to feel your flesh once again.” “Don’t go.” She held his cold torso, pressing as hard as she could, feeling her arms collapse through the dissipating form of his body until her arms were wrapped around her stomach, and there was no more substance to be found. “It’s time to let go.” The whisper of his voice reassured her. “Let your voice carry the notes of our love and share it with the world. I’ll be listening.” His breath frosted against her cheek. The temperature of the room dropped twenty degrees, and a gust of wind rippled her hair. She lifted her eyelids and drew in a harsh lungful of frigid air. Billie was gone. The Moonlight Bar was gone. In their place lay a pile of rubble and debris strewn across a bed of blackened sand. The residual wind from the storm whipped through her wet clothing. She patted her hands along the front of her cotton blouse. Her clothes were in perfect place. Had she ever really taken them off? In the rising daylight, the devastation of the island stretched out 149

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Chapter Six A voice called to her, and Jasmine whirled around to find the source. The hunched figure of an old man hobbled toward her. “Miss? You okay, miss?” Her voice failed when she tried to respond. Would she ever be okay again, after what happened? What exactly did happen? The doorway. A doorway in time opened? Or perhaps the doorway to her soul. No matter, her course was clear now. “Miss? Are you hurt?” The man drew closer, and she could clearly define the weathered caverns etched into his face. “What are you doing out here?” “I,” Jasmine cleared her throat. “I lost my way.” “You shouldn’t be out here, the tides not stable after a hurricane like we had last night. Getting a might tired of riding out these squalls.” “I imagine.” “You really shouldn’t wander around here.” He insisted, waving his hand as if to shoo her away. “I, um, I have a flat tire. I thought I might find some help.” The old man snickered and wiped the back of his hand across his nose. “There ain’t no help down here, miss. Hasn’t been for oh, ‘bout six years or so now. Since the Moonlight Bar closed—you about standing on it now. Ain’t been nobody down here but me and my shack up the road a piece. Barely hanging on ourselves. What possessed you to drive down here anyhow?” “As I said, I simply lost my way.” He looked at her as if she’d just told him the sand crystals on the beach were made of fourteen-carat gold. “Hard to get lost all the way down here. Where was you on your way to?” Jasmine thought for a moment then smiled. “Salvation.” “Scuze me?” 151

Into Tomorrow “Don’t pay me no mind.” She shook her head and offered the man an appeasing look. “Might you have a phone I could use or could I possibly get you take me up the road a bit for help?” “No need for that.” The man shrugged his shoulders, scratched the scruff of his beard and then motioned for her to follow him. “I can fix that tire right up. Come on now.” Before he turned his back to her and trudged through the sand, she caught a glimpse of the transfer on his t-shirt—a picture of a chameleon wrapped around a band name, The Doors. She watched the tattered corduroy of his jacket swish from side to side for a moment as he made his way through the sand. Jim. Of course. She knew the chambray-shirted man in the barroom. He’d been her greatest musical influence as a teen. Funny how he’d spoken directly to her Pieces daydreaming tendencies then, encouraging her through his music to explore the impossible, almost as he guided her tonight along her inner journey. Jasmine shook her head and began following the old man’s path. A glimmer of white caught her attention, and she stooped to pick up a piece of paper lying on the sand. Billie’s script stared back at her. “Jasmine Blues.” The carefully blocked notes and lyrics were printed on the page with meticulous care. She smiled in surprise as the rich warmth of Billie’s love once again touched her soul. The old man looked back at her and made a circular pattern with his hand. “Come on then, what you waiting for, miss?” “Nothing. I’m ready to go.” Jasmine curled the sheet music in her palm and trotted to catch up with the friendly stranger. If she hurried, she could get home in time to put a call in to participate in the revival. Afterwards she planned to take a hot shower, stretch a set of satin sheets out on her bed and hold Billie to his promise. Tonight she would dream. Tomorrow she would call her agent and agree to sing again.

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Epilogue The fresh scent of coconut and lime tickled Jasmine’s nose. Her sinfully luxurious bubble bath earlier bore the same fragrance as the candles perfuming the bedroom air. All preparation for the night ahead. She chose her nightgown with care, rifling through to the back of her armoire to find it, with price tags still intact. Purchased on a whim for a night that never happened with a man she dated but never let close enough to see her sultry side. A side she reserved for one man— one dream man—alone. Slipping the soft black-lace silk over her head, she swirled the fabric down over her hips and paused to enjoy the way it slinked to brush her ankles when she moved. She sashayed her hips, strolled over to the bed and stretched across the satin sheets like a fem fatale. Her hand pressed along the curve of her breast, smoothing the silky fabric against her skin, rousing her nipple to harden in response. Mindlessly, she circled the peak, willing her heart and soul to recall Billie’s touch. Had it all been a dream? Would he return tonight as he promised? Safe in her apartment, hours away from Half Moon River, the last twenty-four hours seemed a life-time away. A figment of her imagination. A movie she’d once seen and now tucked away in the recess of her mind. Yet, in her soul, she knew it was real. It had happened. Billie returned to her and opened up the wall of forgiveness she built up, using so many blockades to keep in. She was finally free and ready for her life to begin. Ten years of stagnancy could not be reclaimed, but the future lay wide open. She rolled onto her side, grabbed up the pillow and slid her satin rose comforter over her scantily clad body. The fabric drew goose bumps along her heated flesh. Candlelight danced shadows along the bedroom walls giving the room a cozy effect. Jasmine willed with all the inner strength she possessed to reach out to Billie’s spirit, but only the soft sound of her breathing filled the 153

Into Tomorrow night. He’d come to her in her dreams, which suggested she needed to fall asleep first—only she wanted it to be real, as it had been at the Moonlight Bar. “Sleep, Jasmine.” She didn’t know if the whisper came from her psyche or from her lover’s lips. Nonetheless, she followed the directive, curling into the smooth pillow, willing her body and mind to rest. Darkness engulfed the candle-lit room. Her last thought was to blow out the flames, but the weight of her body took over the notion as the seeds of slumber set in. She drifted into a quiet abyss. “I’m here, my love.” The words slipped through her subconscious, caressing her body with a feather-like touch. She stirred, her legs sliding restlessly against the satin. The kiss stung her lips with memories of love and lust, filling her instantly with harmonious bliss. Billie kept his promise. And she kept hers too. She’d called and scheduled her appearance at the Gospel revival, faxed the music score to her agent, setting the wheels in motion for a memorable comeback. Without words, she intuitively knew that Billie already knew she’d followed through. His hands roamed over her silk covered breasts, thumbs caressing her nipples. They instantly hardened and conformed to his touch. A ripple of warmth spread across her chest, trailing deeper towards her lower extremities. Jasmine moaned as Billie slid his hand under the fabric covering her breast, pulling it off to expose her flesh to the air and his heat. He cupped her breast in his hand. She arched her back, pushing into his touch as his lips found their way to her neck. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, reassuring herself of his presence. “I can’t believe you’re here.” He nuzzled into her and nipped at her ear. “I told you, I’d return in your dreams.” “Then I don’t ever want to wake up again.” Billie slid his hand from her breast and lifted up to rest on his forearms, forming a protective barrier around them. “Don’t say such things.” Though she couldn’t see him, she heard the tremor in his voice 154

Into Tomorrow and knew her words had cut through him on some level she couldn’t understand. “I only wish we be together this way, always. Every day I’ve missed you so much.” She reached up and raked her fingers through his hair. “I can only stay in your dreams. That’s the deal.” “Deal? What deal?” “Some day you might understand. Thankfully, it’s a bit beyond you right now.” Did it matter why or how Billie came to her? He was here, his body arched above hers. Her body begging to be pleasured with his touch once more. “Every night…” “I’ll be waiting.” “Then come here, lover boy, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover before morning.” She pulled him to her. He shifted and stretched out alongside her, his need pressing into her thigh as his hand found her breast again. Leaning over, he took her nipple into his mouth, running his tongue around it before sucking gently. She cupped the back of his head, pulling him closer into her flesh, aching to be filled with his desire. Billie turned his attention to the other breast, taking the nipple between his teeth and biting down lightly. She moaned as he relentlessly alternated the pain and pleasure, igniting her body to combustible heights. Exploring the contours of his body with her fingertips, she reached lower and lower, taking the weight of his need into her hand. As she rubbed the tip of his cock, a trace of fluid slipped under her fingertip, and she used it to lubricate her path as she ran her palm across the lines of his shaft. Billie released her breast. The loss of pleasure derailed her senses, and she arched upward, begging for more. He gently pulled her hand away from the hot steel length of his cock. “Patience, love. We’ve got all night.” “And maybe even part of the day too.” Jasmine relinquished, wanting nothing more than to explore every inch of her lover until the dream dissipated. She moved downwards towards the immediate object in mind. Her tongue flicked along the tip of his cock, and she smiled at his immediate flex of attention. His let-out breath, rasped with pleasure from her exploration. “Only tonight, Jazz, and if you keep that up…” 155

Into Tomorrow She ran her tongue along the length of his shaft. “Oh, I plan to keep it up, and we’ll just have to find more reasons to revive it later.” Taking him into her mouth, her teeth lightly grazed along his skin. He tangled his hand in her hair. She could feel his want to stop her, to pleasure her, instead of fighting his need for her to continue her tongue dance. Detaching her mouth from his cock, she moved her hand to temporarily take its place. “Let me love you, Billie. Let me show you how much I’ve missed you.” She bent over to stroke him with her mouth again, eliciting a primordial groan from deep within Billie’s throat. Before plunging down the massive length of his cock, she whispered one last bit of information. “Believe me, I plan to stretch this out as long as possible. I made a point this time not to set the alarm.” He smiled, and his eyes glimmered, fully understanding the extent of her desire. Tonight she would dream… The End

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Secrets In Solar City: Midnight Lover By Mae Powers Secrets in Solar City is a futuristic romance soap opera style series of novellas set in a mythical town in the near future (2085). The characters, and the town itself, have many secrets and many sins to hide. However, Solar City and its eclectic inhabitants thrive with the passionate lives they lead. Several of the series characters are introduced in this first novella, Midnight Lover. Midnight Lover is about two of central characters, actress Brynn Anders and ex-duke, Jacques Corday, former lovers reunited after many years apart. Watch the sensual sparks fly as these two hardheaded, unique people learn to overcome old wounds, for a love destined to be.

www.maepowers.com [email protected] www.midnightshowcase.com Watch for more serialized adventures of other characters from Secrets in Solar City. Things are heating up in Texas.

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Secrets In Solar City: Midnight Lover By Mae Powers Chapter One (Solar City, Texas: 2085) My body boils with heat for her, as fevered as the anger I sense within her heart. He couldn’t help think this to be true. Brynn would not forgive him easily. Jacques Corday, ex-duke of Francia, stayed out of view at the backside of the stage, intently watching the internationally famous entertainer, Brynn Anders’ vibrant performance. After frustrating years of not being physically around her, he knew how foolish he’d been to let Brynn fade out of his life. Especially during his younger days when his jealousy had torn their idealistic love apart. Now, he thought, I will learn more about her love-aura, even if she tries to close herself off to me. Once he’d taken his unusual gift of empathy for granted – he would not do so again. He needed to make Brynn understand his perceptiveness of her went beyond normal means. He’d even looked empathically into the future, knowing that a certain tomorrow would bring her nearer to his heart. If only he believed strong enough and could get her to realize they were meant to be together, in the present as well as in the future. It took him too many years to realize how deeply she affected his psyche and body. She existed in the spirit of his heart, yet he realized it would take blowing up mountains in order to get her to trust him or love him again. 158

Into Tomorrow Jacques let out a long frustrated sigh. He had never faced such insurmountable odds before, as the cold hard stubbornness of one very desirable and problematic woman. An alluring beauty he intended to get back into his life in any way he could. When her arms moved in tune with her animated performance, he studied her physical attributes with heated intensity. Though a tall, curvaceous woman, her innate, brisk movements carried a touch of elegance and grace. Time complimented her natural beauty. Even the stage lights reflecting on her body as she swayed, made her skin glow as soft and satiny-looking as when he first met her nearly twelve years ago. Her silvery ash brown hair puffed like a cloud when she tossed her head to the rhythmic beat of the song she sang. She wore her hair hanging just passed her shoulders and parted on the left. It framed her oval face, giving her whole demeanor a sparkling, mystifying quality. The same magical shine twinkled like silver stars in her almondshaped gray eyes. Framed by long, sable colored lashes, her eyes often drew one to Brynn Anders magnetic personality. At times they reflected her emotions; such as when they were a smoky gray, and one couldn’t tell what she was feeling – her professional side. It was when they were misty pools of dreaminess that he found them the most enchanting. Or when they turned to molten gray during anger he found her the most intoxicating. Brynn’s hypnotic allure showed through in every movie she made and every live appearance she did. It stayed uniquely a Brynn Anders’ trait – a mannerism that helped drive her right to the top of her profession as an entertainer, both in the music and film industries. But it also added to her sex appeal. Though he knew she had no real magical powers that he knew of, Brynn blatantly sported an almost mystical, sexual magnetism that drew others to her fiery nature. For him, more than her physical beauty pulled him to her. He knew his empathic nature reeled like a fire going out of control when she roamed any vicinity near him. Brynn was his life-mate, but he’d have to move the cosmos, or travel into their tomorrows, to make her realize that. A light touch on Jacques’ arm made him look at the person standing next to him. An extremely tall, impeccably dressed, hulking man grinned down at him. The man's smile felt almost infectious, but irritating also, as if it inferred too much. “She's about to finish up the concert. We'd better wait in her dressing room, Jacques.” 159

Into Tomorrow Jacques quietly nodded, took one long last look at the woman on stage, and then followed the man backstage. They went down a short corridor to a room marked with Brynn's name in sparkling silver letters. When Jacques entered the room, he briefly scanned the decor. Everything looked orderly, down to the cosmetics and large vase of flowers on top of the three-mirrored vanity in the room. An oriental dressing screen stood at one end of the room, and near it, a mobile hanger unit flushed with glittering costumes. Various posters from the concert hall’s famed performers radiated from different positions on the walls. Two comfortable armchairs, a small table between them, and the lighted vanity with its cushioned stool, made up the furniture in the white-walled room. Even with the door closed behind them, the echoing roars of the crowds in the concert hall, filtered into the dressing room. The sounds almost rocked the place apart. Jacques tingled with some anticipation and dread at the knowledge that she would soon be coming. But first, knowing from other concerts he'd privately watched, she would do an encore for the people. Brynn always gave her audiences their money's worth, and then some. “As you can see, she's done well for herself, Jacques,” the dark auburn-haired man commented. “Then why would she consent to work with me?” Though he spoke fluent English, one could not mistake Jacques’ velvety, Francian-tinted accent. A slight grim spread on Luke's lips, making Jacques almost jitter with wariness. “I still have control of her contracts, Jacques. Since she won't be back in Solar City until her tour is over, we had to meet her here in Austin.” Jacques raised his brows a fraction. “I never would have thought she’d so easily consent to see me in private.” “Brynn doesn't know she'll be filming with you in particular. She should be whirling in shortly. Stand by the door and out of the line of fire.” Jacques drew his brows together in annoyance, but for now, he did as the taller man suggested. Indeed, less than a minute later the door flung open, barely missing Jacques' arm. She hadn’t noticed him yet, and ignored Luke as she sat down on the vanity bench. He knew he wouldn’t have long to wait. **** 160

Into Tomorrow Starting to comb out her hair, she glanced upwards in the mirror and saw a man standing near the door. He stood dressed in an expensive, well-tailored dark suit that only enhanced his graceful, athletic build. A body she once knew more intimately than anyone’s. Her eyes flickered to the well-tanned face. Piercing eyes as blue as a spring morning stared back at her. Her face lost all color. Jacques Corday! No one else quite had the commanding aura that this man did. And no other man had ever been able to turn her world upsidedown or turn her insides into a raging hurricane. The fury of his presence blinded her sanity. What was it about him that made her act irrational? She didn’t miss that gleam in his eyes; a sparkle of knowing as if he could almost read her every emotion, know her every desire. This fact scared her in ways she couldn’t comprehend, but it also excited her. Slowly rising, she inhaled a deep breath. When she turned around, she showed only a mask of polite aloofness to the two men. Years of acting had prepared her for any role, real-life or otherwise. She refused to break down in front of these two self-made bastards. Her first glance she bestowed upon Luke Silvers. “Morbid jokes are not in your style, Luke. Is this…person to be my next co-star?” “Yes. Are you going to protest my choice?” “Knowing you, I doubt any objections would hold sway.” “Not in the least, cousin. I'll send you a copy of the script.” Brynn hurried across the dressing room to open the door. “Get out now, Luke, and take this damn…cretin with you.” Jacques stepped around her, immediately placing his hand over hers on the doorknob. Though only an inch or two over six feet, she felt that his regal personality dominated the room more than Luke Silvers did with his great height of nearly seven feet. “You had better get use to my presence, Brynn. You and I shall be seeing a lot of each other over the next several months.” “Not if I have any say in this matter.” She tried to pull her hand from his, as he brought it up to his lips and kissed it. “In fair warning, I'm here to stay, and for more reasons than making films with you.” Jacques threatened passionately, and then released her hand. Brynn stepped back. “Get out, both of you.” Neither man gave her any problems about leaving, and she didn’t hesitate about slamming the door in their faces, barely missing them. 161

Into Tomorrow Brynn fumed. How dare Luke bring that bastard back into her life? She would make sure both of them would regret coming here today. **** Outside the closed door Luke’s calm nature astonished Jacques. Even towards the end of the short visit, he knew he and Luke had pushed Brynn too far. There was no way in Hell he would venture back into that room. He knew she had a slow-to-rise temper, but nothing compared to the deep molten steel he felt shrouded in her eyes when he pushed her close to an exploding point. “One, two, three...” Luke counted, and then grinned as a loud, vibrating crash reverberated from the direction of the dressing room. “Last time I heard that kind of noise, it cost me a priceless antique vase.” Then with a whistle, he jauntily sauntered away from the dressing room area. Jacques stood staring after the man. He looked at the dressing room door again, tempted, thought better of it, and then left in the same direction as Luke Silvers. He would be more equipped to rough the storm when she returned to Solar City and into his arms. **** Less than a month after seeing Brynn in Austin, Jacques arrived in Texas’ version of Hollywood – Solar City, a mid-sized glamorous town an hour’s drive south of Houston, and south west of Galveston Island. Luke had been magnanimous to him around the glitzy city. He had never been to this man-made waterside metropolis before, though he had seen it rise to international fame over a period of years. In the early 1990s, it had been nothing more than a rural town sitting off an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. A new mineral named solarvium was discovered deep in the Texas soil near Solar City. It became a gold mine to technology and energy. And the Silvers family owned most of the land in the area. Between them and investors of all kinds, Solar City bloomed. Yet, through all its modern changes and international inhabitants, the small metropolis still held an old-world charm about the unusual town. It developed many secrets within its eclectic borders, and some unusual inhabitants, even in the advanced year of 2085. One of the most eccentric beings he’d ever met resided here most of his life, Luke Silvers. The man was an intelligent and incredible entrepreneur, and a distant cousin of Brynn Anders. For the last hour, he and the group of people that worked for him were watching a film being made here in Silverado Studios. Jacques noticed Luke’s mouth slowly turn down. Then he made jerky 162

Into Tomorrow movements. Then the owner of the film company started to pace in restless tiny circles. Jacques focused his attention on what appeared to be the cause of Luke's agitation – two people trying to do a love scene. “Cut!” Luke yelled. “Derek, give the damn scene more…vibrancy. Brynn, you're supposed to be highly upset with the man. Let's see some reaction! Chrystal, get over here and touch up their make-up.” A tall, slender, blonde-haired woman moved onto the set. With deft fingers, she applied minimal touch-ups to first Derek, then Brynn. Brynn didn’t need cosmetics. She portrayed a vivacious, natural beauty on an unforgettable face. And purported a curvaceous body a man could never weary of making love to. He certainly wouldn’t mind pulling that low cut gown off her delectable form and pushing her down on the set’s bed. Definitely, he’d like to explore between her tasty thighs and fondle those perky luscious breasts. . . He quickly shook himself out of that train of thought and let his eyes take in the man whom Brynn now stood next to, readying to do a retake of the scene. He knew of the well-known, exceedingly handsome actor she collaborated with, as Derek Preston – global heartthrob. As Luke had them redo the scene, Jacques admitted to himself that the two actors looked good together. Too good. Yet, the man couldn't hold a woman right – at least not a woman as sensually arresting as Brynn Anders. He seethed at the thought of Derek holding Brynn so close, his hips grinding softly into hers. He could almost see the outline of the man’s cock straining to get closer to Brynn. He did not want to dwell on why that fact bothered him so much. Jealousy had cost him Brynn’s love once. He could not let his raging hormones and emotions do that again. “Cut! Dammit, what the hell's the matter with you two? Derek something's missing!” Luke hollered out again. “The man needs more fire in his actions.” Jacques stated quite loud. All noise and commotion stopped at his words. Everyone inside the large structure turned his way. The reaction he'd aroused on their faces pleased him. Especially on Brynn's. Her gray eyes were wide in disbelief and her full, coral colored lips quivered. It pleased him even further to see her hug herself, as if she had to force that curvaceous form of hers to stop shaking. His inner instincts confirmed she had not 163

Into Tomorrow lost her attraction for him. He just needed to illustrate that fact to her, no matter what it took. “Perhaps you would care to show how the scene should be done, Mr. Corday?” Luke's face didn’t register shock as everyone else's did, only mild annoyance. Jacques Corday, since first making his exclamation and motioning for his entourage to stay put, did not stop moving until he reached the actress. For a fleeting second the mixture of alarm and repulsion on her face both bothered and satisfied him. Then in one swift movement, before anyone could stop him, he pulled her into his arms, his lips coming down upon hers with needful, lustful force. Jacques did not let up on Brynn, even when her resentment turned to wrath. He was quick in securing her slender wrists behind her, becoming tenacious in his efforts to hold her body against his. When he set out to accomplish something, he did not cease until it was irrevocably finished. Jacques could feel her rage shiver in waves of rushed heat. Her frantic squirms of resistance to get out of his possession only fueled and strengthened his resolve to keep her near him. He knew her actions were real and he reveled in the fact that he could still bring out her deeper emotions. His kiss became less firm, yet it deepened. His tongue delved between her swollen lips, tempting her with every male artifice he could bring forth. His mouth scorched her tender lips, demanding no opposition, and breaking down her last defenses. One hand slid down to press her backside up against his hips. He craved for her to feel the length his covered bulge was growing to. Yearned for her to feel what she did to him, even now after years of being without her and her luscious body so close to him. He needed to be even closer against her, to feel his heat mingle with hers. He wanted it to go on forever – this racy, electrifying sensation she caused in every part of his body, mind, and soul. Suddenly his desires came true. Somehow, she had pulled her wrists free. Her right hand slipped around him, stroking his taut buttocks. Then, both her hands were touching his body causing all kinds of pleasurable waves to ignite throughout him. Her fierce responses sent uncontrollable shivers running through him now, scorching his entire system. Hell, his need became desperate now, to slip his dick into her warm channel and feel her wrapped around his shaft. He wished to look down at her and see her wild passions bursting forth to match his own intense fires. 164

Into Tomorrow “You will soon, Jacques,” his inner voice prophesized, “But not at this moment.” Years of inbred caution warned him to get hold of the situation before he fell under the fixating influence of her sensual charisma and it made him oblivious to anything else around him. Jacques pulled his head back a few inches from hers. Her eyes were glassy, her breath raspy as if she had been ventilating, and she stayed pliant against him. It only proved to him what he hoped for years. Brynn Anders had not stopped desiring him. She would be his, and soon. Seconds after he finished kissing her, her stormy grey eyes widened as if she realized something. Then they darkened, just before she disentangled herself from him quickly. Her right hand doubled into a fist, crashing into his bearded chin with such force, that he fell backwards across the bed on the set. For a few seconds he lay there before he shook his senses clear. Focusing, he saw Brynn staring down at him, her eyes turned to gray molten fury. “You bastard,” she exclaimed through gritted teeth, “I will not continue to pay for Corday perfidies. Next time I'll kill you!” After her assault on him, the room came alive with noise and movement. The cast and crew made gestures and gossip about the dramatic scene that had just taken place. Jacques' entourage ran to help him up and get him off the set. Solar City detectives clamp handcuffs on Brynn, arresting her even though Derek Preston tried to help her. Luke Silvers smiled with apparent glee as he kept his holocam operators laser-filming the entire episode. Jacques realized the bastard had taunted him and Brynn. Luke must have known that this would happen with his and Brynn’s explosive personalities. Only his elder brother, Andre Corday the recent King of Francia, would have any knowledge about his and Brynn’s affair, plus what had happened between the two of them. Either Andre told Luke, or Brynn mentioned their affair to the billionaire. He believed it to be his brother, since Silvers and Andre were old friends. Getting his grip back on his emotions, he realized he really was in for a very long, difficult time in wooing Brynn back into his life and into his bed.

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Chapter Two “I'll never forgive that blasted man! Never,” Brynn Anders exclaimed as she paced her study. “Brynn, I know what Luke did wasn’t right, but…” She stopped, turning to stare at him. “Oh to hell with Luke! I'll get even with my despicable cousin later. Luke set this whole crappy business up for publicity. No doubt he'll turn the film over to the press. I'm sure that's just what he and Corday wanted. To humiliate me further by having my face blazoned across every gossip mongering periodical everywhere!” Derek came over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Brynn I'd swear you were more upset by Corday’s actions than Luke's.” She pushed away his hand. “I am.” “I'm sorry, Brynn. I shouldn't have let it happen. There was time for me to intervene.” Brynn gazed into his dark blue eyes. They were soft, and yet, filled with remorse. Derek was a warm, caring individual she was pleased to have for a friend. She would not let him feel guilt over Luke Silvers’ doings. Derek was too conditioned for taking orders and letting others manage his life. She moved to him, her soft dress swaying with every step. Brynn drew his hands into her own and tiptoed up to kiss his right cheek. “I’m glad you tried. Next time, love, just punch Luke out. You're adept in martial arts. Don't let that big bag of wind stop you from doing what you feel is right. Thank you for wanting to intercede on my behalf and for picking me up at the police station earlier.” Derek smiled down at her, his gaze sheepish. “I'm relieved you're not angry with me and that the Francian didn’t press charges, Brynn. Luke's going to know how I feel very soon. But right now, let's put it out of our minds and go out. Night air and a sweep of the town will do you good.”

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Into Tomorrow Brynn shook her head. “No, Derek. You go ahead. Take Chrystal, she could use the outing right now. I understand she's been feeling under the weather lately.” He bent down, kissing her forehead. “I'll do just that. But I want a rain check on us getting together later on.” “You got it. Good night, Derek.” After Derek left, her thoughts swirled back over the events of the day. She remembered clearly Derek kissing her during the scene. She’d kissed him quite a few times during her acting career. Yet somehow, something went wrong with their love scene today. Luke noticed it, and so did Jacques. It was as if he psychically knew how she would react. She shivered at remembering that he was an empath of sorts. But she didn’t recall that him having any intense supernatural powers. Sure they had known each other intimately before, but fucking was not telepathically related. Did his empathic capabilities intensified over the years? Had he been able to travel into the future with them, to learn more about her? Brynn shivered at the idea that he could predict or feel, her deepest move, thought or desire. As more memories of him bombarded her, she shook her head, trying to get him out of her mind. Sighing, she rose from the chair and moved to the wet-bar in her study. She pulled a bottle of wine from an ice bucket, took a wine goblet, and poured herself a drink. Brynn swigged the first drink and poured another. Absently, she glanced around the room. She needed everything in her life to be well-ordered. Her childhood and the years before she turned twenty-one were tumultuous ones. Now, in control of her emotions and her life, she had no one to answer to and intended to keep it that way. Until her friendship with her famous friend and gifted scientist, Doctor Jamea Lawton, and her life-long friend Chrystal Davis, an actress/cosmetologist, Brynn’s life had not been too orderly. Just thinking about them eased the tension within Brynn. Yet, it took finishing off the container of wine before her anger dissipated. She smiled at the idea of downing the second bottle in the bucket. As always, her housekeeper and long-time family friend, Mavia, kept everything in spotless order and anticipated many of her needs. Brynn took the second bottle out of the bucket, picked up her glass, and headed out of the study. She walked with a swaying step as she made her way through her large mansion to the spa room. In one small antechamber of the room a whirlpool bath romantically design in a 167

Into Tomorrow clear, smooth style, beckoned one to relax within its midst. Potted plants decorated the outer edges of the bathing area at both ends. A few feet away, and to one side of the tub, a patio door led out onto the well-manicured backyard of her estate. Brynn put the wine and glass down beside the pool, bent to set the temperature dials, and turned on the whirl cycle. After dimming the lights, she took off her clothes and stepped down into the relaxing, heated water. She leaned over the side of the pool, pouring herself another drink. Then, she stretched her body in the water, holding the wine glass in her left hand. She shut her eyes, determined not to let her earlier problem aggravate her. Yet Jacques Corday's face with his hauntingly familiar blue eyes floated into her mind. They had bothered her earlier today. And again now. Why the hell couldn't the man stay out of her life? Why did even the mere thought of him cause chaos in her existence? Today, when his voice rang out, she stood still in shock as he moved toward her. She tried to forget Luke and him being backstage at her Austin performance; because, part of her hadn’t believed Luke actually intended to go through with the ridiculous idea of her doing a film with Jacques. Yet Jacques’ presence there startled her, since she hadn’t expected him to show up. His commanding aura subdued everyone in the room, including her. She thought nothing could disrupt her wellordered life. But in one split second, Jacques Corday crumbled everything she’d built up over the years. When he savagely embraced her, he broke down her wall of self-protection. Her libido went amok and the dampness between her legs almost scorched her pussy. She was still enraged with him for forcing her to respond, and even more angry with herself for allowing him to do it to her! Brynn sat up, drank down the contents of her glass, and poured herself another. That too, she drank down fast. The potency of the wine starting to hit her more, she laid the glass and bottle alongside the pool. Hoping the room and her head would stop their sudden spinning; she closed her eyes again and leaned her head against a soft cushiony indent. This time she kept his face out of her mind, and thought of someone more pleasant than Jacques. Her mind clouded on the man's face. For a split second, she thought it Derek’s handsome face. Only her imaginary lover sported a soft black goatee and his eyes were a bit lighter. How wonderful it would be to let Derek take her in his arms 168

Into Tomorrow and make love to her. With intense lovemaking, he would take his time and explore every crevice of her body; worship her, and take her to physical delights only he could give her. Derek represented everything a woman could want—a handsome, passionate, caring man. Yes, indeed, it would be incredible to have him touching her naked body, to feel his cock ramming deep inside her cunt. Brynn's head spun faster. Somewhere in the distance, she heard a clock chiming the stroke of the midnight hour. She opened her eyes, believing she saw Derek's face before her. No, she was just dreaming it. She held her arms out to the shadowy image drawing near. “Ah, come to me, my midnight lover,” she recited a line from one of her films. “Be mine for this night only, but embrace me for all time.” He stepped into the water and knelt beside her. Tentatively, he pulled her into his embrace. Brynn put her arms around her imaginary lover, bringing his face down upon hers. His breath came in quick rasping gasps as she kissed him with scorching passion. Her tongue drew his lips apart, invading him, making him part of her. He knew intuitively what she desired. What she liked. He was the kind of man she always wanted, but had been afraid to open up to. His body was hard, his extended shaft pushing deliberate against her thigh. Her midnight lover was going to give her the fucking she longed for. Even in the water she could feel her pussy cream with her wanton desires. His low groan made her arch deeper into his fiery embrace. The hot bubbly water created friction and built their needs to a greater flaming depth. He brought her further beneath his graceful, athletic body. Large, elegant hands caressed her, igniting strange and uncontrollable fires within her. She touched him back as heatedly as he did her. His cock, hard and long, more than filled her hands as she rubbed his engorged member from top to bottom. Soon he would thrust that hot shaft of pleasure deep inside of her aching cunt. He licked her breasts, explored her body even lower, tasting the depths of her creamy womanhood. Fingers parted her labia, delving deeply and slowly into her pussy. She curved into him, feeling the stubble of his roughened cheeks. It didn’t bother her as his kisses deepened and she felt the burning hunger within him grow to a raging inferno as it did inside her. His growing need to quench that hunger pressed against her. She opened up to him, allowing him to ease into her, filling her with his desire and satiating her own needs. It was exciting, explosive and 169

Into Tomorrow electrifying, their coming together. This is what she had missed, his cock buried deeply in her cunt; his desires spinning out of control, like her own. He knew her every move, her every desire and more. Her cries of delight mixed with his. Together, she and her shadowy midnight lover reached a climax that left fireworks shooting in the sky long after they came back down to earth. The dark otherworldly cloud of his love overwhelmed all her senses. His warmth and that of the water enveloped her in a haven of peacefulness. She drifted off, knowing that for this moment everything was perfect in her world and any other. **** “Come on, Mavia, don't open those drapes. Gawd, you're a sadist!” With all the familiarity of a long-established member of the household, Mavia Peren opened the blue floral printed curtains of Brynn's bedroom, letting the mid-morning sunlight shine through. The dark curly haired woman grinned, putting her hands on her pudgy hips, as she moved to the bedside. “Time to get up, Miss Brynn.” Brynn slumped up against several fluffy pillows, groaning as she put an arm over her face. “I don't want to wake up this morning.” “Now, you just eat your breakfast and I’ll be up later then to see if you need anything else.” After hovering near her like a motherly hen, Brynn smiled with warmth when Mavia put the tray tenderly down over her lap before moving away. After the housekeeper left, Brynn toyed with the contents on the tray, particularly she eyed the Solar City Herald. Her hand was tentative at first as she touched the recycled solarvium laced paper. After only a split second pause, she snatched it up. She read the headlines in silence. “Royal Duke Gets Royal Punch. Actress Lands Role In Jail. Not only did one of America’s top actresses land a role in jail, but also it is leaked from Silver Studios that Brynn Anders is soon to do a film with the infamous duke. According to a foreign source, Jacques Corday is now an ex-member of the royal family from the island country of Francia, once ruled by France over five hundred years ago... “ In the last month, she'd seen nothing but Jacques’ face – sometimes heading the front page, sometimes being the center feature of the Gaiety/Style section of the newspapers. It seemed Luke Silvers 170

Into Tomorrow was backing the Francian's career as a singer/performer, getting Jacques well known in the public eye by doing videos and public appearances at some of the hottest nightclubs in town. And this morning's edition revealed the reason why. “… Luke Silvers, who owns studios not only here in Solar City, but also in California, and in Old Europe, went several months ago to visit Prince André Corday of Francia, a long-time friend of Mr. Silvers.” Brynn read on. “There Luke is to have said that Andre’s younger brother, Jacques Corday was a very photogenic and talented man and would love to have him act alongside Brynn Anders. The royal duke, and second in line to the Francian throne accepted Silvers’ offer and supposedly gave up his royal connections in favor of becoming a commoner so that he could work for the billionaire. Rumors from the crew of the latest Anders/Preston team-up swear that the heat on the set was nothing like they’d ever seen before when Corday broke up the filming as he caught Ms. Anders in an unexpected kiss that should have been categorizes as X-rated…“ Brynn flung the paper to one side of the bed, put her tray on the nightstand, slung back the covers, and jumped out of bed. “Blasted man!” She paced the cornflower colored rug. “I'll get even with you, Jacques Corday, if it's the last thing I ever do.” She picked up the paper again, rereading the article about her and Jacques. Minutes later she once more threw it down in disgust. “Somehow, some way, I’ll not only get even with Luke for bringing that fool to Solar City, but Jacques Corday is going to pay for his involvement now!” **** Jacques’ face contorted with rage. “I should have known you would follow me to America just to cause me and Brynn more grief.” Maurice Corday wiped the blood from his lips, staring up from his position on the carpeted floor at Jacques, who had just bested him in a marital arts fight. “You do not deserve her, brother. Shall I tell you how delicious I once found her?” Jacques jerked the other man up by his lapels, shaking him furiously. “If you ever go near Brynn again, I’ll kill you!” “You should have taken up for her years ago, Jacques, instead of believing what you thought you saw. She will never love you again!” Jacques doubled his fist, ramming it into Maurice jaw. “Get out of my sight and out of this town now!” 171

Into Tomorrow “You'll regret today, Jacques.” Maurice’s venomous threat hung static in the air for a few seconds before he twisted out of Jacques’ hold and ran out of the hotel suite. Jacques picked up a nearby wooden desk chair, throwing it against the door. It broke with several sharp snaps reverberating through the gilded room. Just like he wished he could have broken Maurice’s damnable neck. “Bastard!” He ran an elegant hand through his disheveled hair, moving to sit on the upholstered sofa in the middle of his sitting room. Jacques placed his elbows on his knees and leaned his head into his palms. “Gawd, Brynn, I should have seen the truth so many years ago!” He said to the empty room, which only echoed the loneliness inside of him. “I truly hope you will forgive me soon.” As the events of the last two days took their toll on him, slow tears started to drip out of his eyes. He once believed that Brynn had destroyed their former life together. Though he'd let the hate fester in him, there was still that slight belief that the entire fault did not lay at Brynn's feet. Nearly six months ago, after their father, the former king, had died, Jacques’ eldest brother André, the present ruler of Francia, told Jacques a shocking secret. Their father had ordered Maurice to pay or forcibly coerce Brynn not to marry Jacques. André had found out and the former king made certain threats if André ever revealed the truth. Knowing his father's commands could sometimes be detrimental Jacques told André he did not hold the elder prince at fault. It was only a few weeks after he found out the truth that Luke Silvers had come to Francia, to visit with his long-time friend Andre. When the multi-billionaire made his proposal to Jacques, Jacques found a way in which to be close to Brynn again. Jacques found out that Maurice went to Solar City, and he had others keeping as close a watch as possible on the man’s doings. The minute they had found him, Jacques entourage showed him the hotel where Maurice stayed. His long-time bodyguards had promised to hang about until the wily, despicable Maurice had been uncovered here in Solar City. They often helped him on his undercover missions, whenever he couldn’t go solo. He would miss them when they returned to Francia. There was never any real affection between the two of them. Maurice had always been wild and careless in his concern for others, yet he'd been the king's favorite. The third of the Corday brothers 172

Into Tomorrow often had liberties the king would deny his other children. Knowing that Maurice only cared about himself, Jacques should have believed Brynn long ago. Yet, when he'd found the two of them in bed together, Jacques’ quick temper and jealousy blinded him to all else. Maurice was totally responsible. Now that he recalled things in more vivid detail, Jacques could remember Brynn begging him to believe her. Only he'd ignored her pleas. Now, he didn’t think he could ever forgive himself for what he put her through. He intended last night to go see her and beg her to forgive him. If he had walked up to her door, he was sure her estate guards would have thrown him out or shot him on her orders. Instead, he'd stolen onto the grounds. Perhaps working with his governments’ espionage department over the years taught him to do things ordinary men couldn't, but his sixth sense often aided him in many of his endeavors. Although his guise as a royal playboy served his country well over the years and kept him from thinking about the regrets and turmoils, Brynn, by accident, caused in his life, his otherworldly gift had been his helping factor in many of his life’s choices. No one else in his family inherited this unearthly gift of empathic knowing. Yet, in his more youthfully hotheaded days, he had not listened to his inner instincts where Brynn was concerned and had let his raging jealousy blind him to the truth. Because of that, she suffered at his hands. He leaned back against the brown couch thinking further about what he'd done last night. He found her laying in her Jacuzzi. From her motions and breath, he knew she’d drank too much. She thought him some imaginary person. And he took advantage of the situation. It had been callous of him, but being near her and loving her again was utmost in his mind. She made him harden so much his cock hurt and he needed to be inside her hot wet depths. For a fleeting moment he was sure she had known him, for she opened up to him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Their lovemaking had been incredible. Perfect. His cock swelled with need of her. However, more than his body ached for her. Brynn would learn to care for him again, provided his own impatience and jealousy didn’t ruin it for them this time. Last night, he wanted to stay with her the whole evening, but knew that would have been detrimental to his case. Instead, he made 173

Into Tomorrow sure she was safe in bed before he left the grounds. He wondered if she recalled anything of their electrifying lovemaking. He wanted her forgiveness and her love once more. Seeing her yesterday in person confirmed what he hid from himself. He was still madly in love with her. No matter the cost to himself, he concluded his thoughts as he heard the phone ring; he had to get Brynn to forgive him.

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Chapter Three Brynn stood amongst a crowd of partygoers with Derek at her side. Several weeks had passed since the filming of Luke’s latest movie, for which he threw an extravagant party, inviting many famous people of the film industry, the media, and accompanying associates of each. He had hordes of servants working for him in his palatial mansion, to see to every whim of his guests. Whether modern or classic entertainment, Luke had it to offer in his home. The man was an eclectic mix of loving the modern and the old-fashion; just as other inhabitants of Solar City were. Brynn knew that Luke’s ostentatious party would only bring in free publicity and revenue into the film. She also knew he would not like it if she and Derek didn’t mingled together with his guests tonight. Brynn could care less. She itched to get out of the stifling room. However, she couldn’t leave and had to keep smiling through the deluge of questions she was getting about the upcoming film she was to do with Jacques Corday. Though outfitted in a thin, glittering gown of red, she found the room getting too warm with the crowds of people engulfing them, and by his subtle fidgeting, so did Derek. “Brynn,” he whispered into her ear, “why don't we take a stroll outside? I could use some air also.” Brynn nodded and allowed Derek to make their quick pardons, and lead her out onto one of the patios adjoining the ballroom. He didn’t stop until the two of them passed the crowds of strolling guests. On a moonlit path in the Roman-styled gardens, he guided her to a secluded, shrubbery-lined alcove with a wrought-iron bench. “You’ve been out of sorts lately, my friend. What can I do to help?” Brynn smiled at Derek fondly. “I just needed to get out of there and away from everyone. I could use a few moments alone.” 175

Into Tomorrow His smile told her he understood. “I’ll keep them at bay, love. Enjoy the air.” Brynn's thoughts were fluctuating tonight. For once, she found it hard to mingle with Luke’s guests. She didn’t really believe in the supernatural like Jamea did, but she did occasionally listen to her gut instincts. They had been telling her to get out of that stifling room, away from all those stifling people. She needed this cooler air and was glad Derek went away of his own accord. Looking to make sure no news hounds were lurking around, she sighed and leaned back on the comfortable outdoor seat. For a few moments, she made herself relax and think of something pleasant. Her mind drifted back to that night in her spa when she had conjured up some imaginary midnight lover. A little smile played upon her lips. If only a man like him existed, her life would be complete. To have someone who could make her cream just thinking about him. That night had been one of her most erotic dreams. She’d wake up wet, wanting, and thankful her housekeeper hadn’t mentioned anything about sexual aromas. Even now the thought of that paranormal lover left her wanting, dreaming for more of him. She let out a long sigh. In her present dreams, she mumbled for him to come to her again, to lay his hard body over hers. She let him know how sweet and fiery she found his lovemaking. She ached for her cunt to be filled that way again. It was as if he were close to her now, whispering words of love to her, letting her know how much he wanted to be buried deep with in her. His smooth voice begged her to be his again. He took her hands in his now, squeezing them tight with his warm ones, then bringing her graceful hands to his full lips, kissing and caressing each finger in turn. Yes, she dreamt, feeling his raspy, heated breath drawing nearer to her face, he’d be the kind of man she needed and ... His warm breath? His touches? They felt too real. Brynn fluttered her eyes open to find Jacques sitting on the edge of the bench, holding her hands in his. **** Jacques stood for a few minutes in the shadows, pleased to see Derek Preston leave the area. In the faint light, from his position behind some very tall shrubs near the alcove, he could see Brynn Anders lazily stretching out on the bench. 176

Into Tomorrow That inner voice told him he would find her alone, if he just listened with his heart, as he wanted to teach Brynn to do. Something, he knew, not just his inner voice, was guiding him tonight. He listened to his instincts and didn’t dare ask what ghostly thing or being that was channeling him to do more with his inner gift. Jacques drew in his breath at the enticing picture she made. The moonlight hugged the shape of her long, supple legs – legs he had felt wrapped around his backside. Her gown glistened around her torso like a red halo on an angel's head. He’d seen her in a similar position years ago, in Francia, when Brynn was barely eighteen; he twenty-two and they’d been very much in love. His jaded covetousness and his family caused him to loose her. He had tried courting or sleeping with other women, but in the end, he could not bring himself to do either. He'd been a virgin until he met Brynn. It was as if all his pent-up emotions were focused and released on her innocent person. His late mother once said, as if she inherently knew, that when Jacques loved, there would be only one woman for him. He thought more of Brynn. She tried hard to resist him, begged him not to disrupt her life, but he realized he couldn’t live without her. Jacques Corday knew when he loved it would forever be with only one woman. In that instance, he had always listened to his inner voice. He pursued Brynn until she admitted being in love with him. Together they learned what scorching, exciting heights their love could escalate to. Jacques asked Brynn to marry him. Though her family wasn’t poor, she couldn’t help but fear what marrying a commoner would do to him. Her life was in America. He vowed to go with her. On the day he'd temporarily left her, they promised each other to meet up later at his private hotel suites. She was to give him her answer, he to return and let her know what his family thought. He'd told his father and André. André, in his caring nature, sided with him, but their father had been furious. Jacques left the palace in a rage. When he returned to his suites, it was to a horror he'd never believed possible. Brynn was in his younger brother Maurice's arms. In a blinding fury he unleashed all his anger on the two. His brother had deserved it, but not Brynn. He shuddered now as he recalled the unkindness he dealt Brynn. During those days, it had been easy to mistake Maurice for himself; they had looked enough alike to be twins. And the lights had been out. 177

Into Tomorrow Their late father had taught Maurice well how to manipulate and deceive others for his own purposes. Self-disgust tore away at him all over again. No matter the hurt that ate away at his heart over the years, Jacques had never stopped caring for her. He would have to use all his manly wiles before Brynn would ever admit she still loved him. Even though she thought she had let some imaginary being make love to her last night, he knew she wouldn’t have easily let him slide into her hot wet depths had she been sober. Even though she professed her hatred, part of her must still care for him. She had never married over the years. One way or another, he would have Brynn admitting she loved only him, now and forever. That inherent guide didn’t let him down now. It urged him to move, to make his case known to her. Brynn was his soul mate. He had to make her aware of that. Quieter than a mouse, he moved into the shadows of the alcove and stood looking down at her, content at the moment to do that simple act. But it wasn’t long before he knew he had to be closer to her inviting body. Her lush form fascinated him. As her hands moved over her body in slow caressing movements, he knew she was thinking of that heated night in her sauna. Did she now think of how intimately he had touched her? Of how wet she had become for him? Her thighs rubbed slowly together and her hands fluttered unconsciously towards her thighs. He hardened with need at her unconscious movements. Her hands moved again as if reaching out for her lover. He softly took hold of them. His empathic senses told him how she yearned for him to be buried deeply inside of her, to make her completely his. He leaned closer into her, wanting her to see that it was him near her, touching her soft hands. Her mumbled words of passion only heated his groin, making him want to take her right here and now. She opened her eyes. Jacques saw the instant terror in those cloudy spheres, the violent trembling surging forth. Then she froze. He had only a few seconds in which to beg her to forgive his past deeds. He felt the halted, rushing of his hoarse voice as he spoke. “Brynn, ...Gawd, Brynn, I'm sorry! André told me the truth ...I nearly killed Maurice...I was such a callous bastard to you. Forgive me, my love! Please let me be more than a ...midnight lover to you ...” 178

Into Tomorrow She drew in several sharp intakes of air. “No!” She let out a blood-curdling scream. Then she was fighting him like a person possessed by a demon. Jacques tried to hold her down. But mad persons were the devil to try to calm! Her right knee came slamming up into his rib cage. The impact jolted him enough to break his hold on her and get the wind knocked out of him. As he slid off the bench, Brynn scrambled to her feet and dashed away in a direction opposite the mansion. Jacques gathered his wits together, following after her. He didn’t get more than a few steps, when two strong hands reached out to grab hold of his left arm. Ready to strike out at who had stopped him, he was startled to find Luke barring his way. “I didn’t bring you here to make Brynn’s life a living nightmare, Corday. If you care for her then give her some time.” Jacques clenched his fists at his side, but knew the taller man’s words were reasonable. He ran a hand through his hair. “You’re right. My brother André told you about us?” Luke nodded. “I’m ruthless in business and a prick sometimes, but I care about my cousin, for more than just her monetary value. If André hadn’t told me what you two once meant to each other, you wouldn’t get one step nearer her. I thought bringing you here might put some spark back in Brynn’s life. She’s lost some of her vitality lately. And it’s not just in her acting life, but also in her personal one.” “So you think I can put it back?” Luke stared at him. “Perhaps, Jacques. Though we are very distant cousins, Brynn and I still share a familial trait. We thrive best on something that challenges us passionately. If you want to win her heart again, then you’ll have to use some of that fire you once accused Derek of not having in your own actions.” Jacques knew Luke only stated the truth. He would have to fight her cold fury with a determined fire. Would her iciness win out over his inner determination? He could only wait to see what ensued. **** What had she done to deserve this sudden reprisal from her past named Jacques Corday? Had she ticked off the Fates-That-Be or something? Did they think she needed the turmoil of his sensual self, back in her life? After scuffing the hallway floor to death with her heels, Brynn stormed out of her house. Her estate valet, whom she’d notified on 179

Into Tomorrow her way out, had her favorite hover-convertible ready for her. She hopped in her car and headed toward the studios. She drove away from the afternoon traffic jetting along the halfused wharf-edged lanes of air-controlled byways. Though anxious and furious thoughts ran through her mind, she still kept an eye on her driving, making sure that she watched out for the tourists and native dwellers who strolled along the old-fashion harbor walk-paths. She didn’t like swerving in the newer upper-air lanes more and more people were starting to use these days. Solar City had enough of her secrets emblazoned in the plastipulp or solarvium-laced newspapers and Net-Wires these days. Foraging the craft through the alleys along the docks now, she was determined that Luke was in for one hell-storm from her. Earlier today, she had received a package from Luke. She tore it open and against her better judgment, read the script. It only fueled her anger more, considering the events at Luke’s party last night. After she had come out of her shock, she wanted to kill Jacques and Luke both, but especially the damn Francian. He had turned out to be her midnight lover! Not even a woman’s dreams were safe from heart-stomping fiends like him. How could he have sunk so low as to take advantage of her like that? She would send him the bill for a new security system very soon, wrapped up in a custom-made coffin. But first, she’d mummify Luke’s big carcass. What ever possessed him to buy that crummy script was beyond her. There was no way in hell she or Jacques were right for the parts. Her cousin needed to be marched off to some asylum under the escort of a whole platoon of armed guards. Brynn steered her air-car into the bayside studio parking lot, jumped out, and headed straight for Luke’s offices. Along the way, she saw other recognizable actors and studio personnel going about their business. Some nodded a greeting to her, and she tried to reciprocate the courtesy, but all she could think about mainly was tromping on Luke’s big carcass right now. His secretary didn’t even utter a word as she flashed by the poor woman and thrust open the door to Luke’s office. In a rage, Brynn slammed the script down on Luke’s desk. “I will not act out this rubbish with that damn man!” “It’s a fantasy, Brynn. And you damn well will do it!” Luke stood leaning over his desk, glaring down at her. You either do this film or you won’t work for a long time!” 180

Into Tomorrow Fuming she paced his office, her floral summer dress swishing with each step she took. “That’s a low blow. With you holding all my contracts, I can’t work anywhere else for at least two years!” He gave her a wry grin. “I know. Did you even read the script?” She stopped pacing and faced him. “Fantasy Lover is not what I would call a good read. It will flop, Luke. There’s not enough action in it and too many love scenes.” “Then we’ll interweave more action through the romantic parts.” “That trash is bordering on pornography not romance! Whoever wrote it should be shot, and you along with him for buying it.” “Shall I send you the funeral bill then?” She could feel her eyes widening at his words, for a few seconds before she narrowed them to thin slits of raging anger. “I should have known.” “My editorial staff thought the script was fine. I think you’re afraid of doing the intimate scenes with Corday.” “And I think you should be…“ “Perhaps some of the story should be re-written, Luke.” At the interruption, both cousins looked towards the open doorway of Luke’s office. **** Jacques stood leaning against the door entrance, his arms crossed as he surveyed the two. “Seems like some of the scenes are too hard for your prima-donna to handle. I prefer working with someone who can do diversified roles.” Brynn bristled. Jacques was amazed to see Luke flinched in her presence. “You’ve some nerve, Corday. Other than those rushed, sloppy music videos and infrequent low class night club performances Luke whipped-up, you’re hardly qualified to make judgments.” Jacques moved further into the room, coming to stand in front of her. He glared at her, but refused to blanch under her furious stare. “Take a good look at your own performances of late, Brynn. If it weren’t for your supporting cast and decent scripts, your last few films would have been flops. Why don’t you come off that lofty role of yours and try something new that might bring you back on top?’ Brynn clenched her fists and he almost started to take a step backwards. “What I want to be on top of is your grave!” She faced Luke again. “Either you make revisions, Luke, or you can stuff my contracts up your nether regions.” 181

Into Tomorrow After she stormed out of the office, Jacques glanced grimly at Luke and said, “I think I have definitely sparked some vitality back into her life. We had both better be very cautious from now on.” **** Brynn sat at the desk in her den, rethinking the occurrence in Luke’s office some hours ago. That blasted distant cousin of hers deliberately brought Jacques into her life for the sole purpose of tormenting her. But she had to admit it was true, she had been in a slump of late, professionally. When she read about the former King of Francia’s death, her past with Jacques had resurfaced. Because she withdrew into herself, she’d never done anything for the last ten years to correct what had happened between her and Jacques. She had been devastated at a very young age by a man she believed she loved and whom loved her in return. But Jacques refusal to believe her, blackened her heart, keeping her from being able to ever love any man again. Yet, in the few months that he had been in America, her ex-lover tore down many protective walls she built up around herself. Perhaps deep down she wanted him to come to her and tell her that he’d been wrong because of his male jealousy. But he never did. Then he had the audacity to take advantage of her on the same day he made a fool of her on the set. Did he really expect them to just take up where they once left off? After she’d more time to be reflective, and several weeks in which to calm down after Jacques abrupt arrival back into her life, she knew he was here to stay. Some inner sense warned her there wasn’t anything about that fact she could change. However, she resolved to that damn inner demon, she would not make it easy for him to waltz back into her life as if nothing had occurred. All the hurt he’d caused, couldn’t be dwindled in a short time. He was deluded to think she would so easily sail into his arms. She decided she would do Luke’s film, just to make Jacques realize life could be a living hell, as he’d made hers. Is that the real reason, Brynn; or is it because you like the feel of his cock against you, filling you? The demon tormented. She wanted to scream out loud, but it would only scare Mavia and bring the estate guards crashing in on her privacy. What were these weird fates that were working against her and bringing that blasted man back into her life? 182

Into Tomorrow She wasn’t a vindictive woman, but after Jacques swirled back into her life and took advantage of her inebriated state a few weeks ago, he deserved retribution for his previous misdeeds toward her. She glanced at the paper on her desk she’d earlier brought into the den. In the entertainment section, it stated that Jacques was appearing somewhere tonight here in Solar City. A meticulous plan formed in her mind.

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Chapter Four Viewing the crowed hot-spot known as Ocean Waves, Brynn found the bright costumes of some of the jovial partiers entertaining. Even more than in the daytime, the nightlife along the Harbor Strand district bustled with an eclectic mix of people. Some she recognized as long time city dwellers like herself, others she felt were tourists or visitors who often came from places around like Houston and sometimes Galveston City to check out the competition Solar City offered in its famous night clubs. She had known people that lived as far away as Florida that came to the clubs on occasional weekends. Ocean Waves always had a new act every week that drew plenty of people into its tropical realm of décor. She performed here years ago when she first started out in the industry and her mother hated her desire to sing. Brynn didn’t dwell on her past and thought of why she actually came here tonight. She glanced up at the large stage to view the person singing. Although not her favorite entertainer, she grudgingly admitted that Jacques possessed a talented, seductive voice. Dressed in a loose, suave-looking, black evening suit, he was very much the heart throbbing sophisticate that he’d been emblazoned to be in such a short time. His eyes stared upon her table-group as he sang “This Time You’re Mine Forever” in a gentle, sensuous tone. Brynn’s eyes were riveted upon him – his thighs, his high rounded buttocks, his wide chest and more. She could swear that his trousers were tightening, and that he had faltered in this dance movements from time to time. Damn him, everywhere he invaded her private thoughts. It was almost as if he knew what she was thinking. The self-made bastard. He had really been using her deepest emotions against her. She realized that his empathic abilities had grown with his life’s experiences. It was best if she remembered to safeguard herself more often. She couldn’t have him out-guessing all her moves. 184

Into Tomorrow She rushed to veil her thoughts and glanced around the area surrounding her seating accommodations. Both her blond female friends sat at the table with her. Sitting nearest to Brynn, Jamea Lawton, the small, stacked scientist, glanced with mixed looks from her to Jacques. Chrystal and Derek were sitting very close to each other and trying to keep their eyes off each other and on the stage. Brynn closed her mind to all but what she wanted to see done tonight. Anything to bring him down tonight would give her pleasure. She intended to make sure Jacques got his comeuppance. At her table, she crossed her shapely legs in what she hoped truly was a provocative manner. She moved her hand to her chest, toying with the diamond heart that lay on a long silver chain reaching to the tip of the bodice’s very low cleavage. Her other hand moved to adjust the pearled white skirt of her short evening shift. The dress had a wide, off-the-shoulders, heart shaped neckline, exposing a great expanse of her breasts. The rest of her costume molded her curves, ending midway between knees and thighs, showing off her limbs. For a moment, she felt as if he were singing to no one but her. Soon, she thought, he'll be singing to a different tune when I'm through with him. Sensing someone near her, she glanced up to see a waiter had stopped by her table. He handed her a folded message lying on a silver tray. Brynn took the note, unfolded it and read the contents. After wadding up the note, she thought a moment about the reply. She then motioned for the young man to lean down, and whispered something into his ear. When he left, the crooked smile returned to her lips and she once more turned her direction to the man on the stage. Jamea leaned over to Brynn, and whispered, “What are you up to, Brynn?” Brynn had to struggle to keep her eyes off the stage and Jacques sexy body. “I don’t understand what you mean.” The scientist harrumphed. “I’m empathic, just like he is, and know what you’re feeling no matter how much you try to hide it. Well?” “Have you figured out just how extensive these empathic abilities of his are?” “I feel he can read you more so than anyone else. Remember what he did to you. If you strengthen your resolve, he can’t sense you out. I know, I’ve a few more years experience at this than he does. No, don’t ask. Right now, you’d better keep that conniving aura about you. It makes him frustrated wondering what you’re up to tonight.” 185

Into Tomorrow “Good.” She winked at her friend. He deserves to get frustrated at the very least after all he has recently put me through and before.” “Brynn, I’d be careful. Like your big oafish cousin, Corday isn’t a man to trifle with. Especially his emotions, because just like you, he feels intensely about everything.” “You were going to say you felt his intensity towards me, Jamea, don’t deny it. Stop trying to protect me. Corday’s extra-refined senses are not going to leave me jittery any more. Him I’ll deal with. And when I’m done in that quarter, my damn friggin oafish cousin is going to get his comeuppance also.” She turned from her friend to view Jacques once more. **** Drops of sweat slowly dripped down one side of Jacques' face. He was sure that the perspiration was brought on by something other than the heat from the stage lights or the exertion he put out during his performance. He looked out onto the audience, his gaze mainly resting on one certain individual, Brynn Anders. He'd carefully watched her reactions from the moment she entered the club. Luke had been right. The billionaire told Jacques that eventually the woman would show up at one of his events. When the waiter left her table, Jacques realized that Brynn's provocative smile invigorated him as much as it made him sweat. The sweating became a dank, dark iciness cutting with a jagged deepness, leaving him bereft of her heat. Her aura had faded from his senses, from his mind, like the hand of a disinterested lover. Had his inner guide left him? He shrugged it off and would just have to wing the night’s events. After he ended his set of songs, applause broke out and at the same time the waiter he'd seen near Brynn's table walked past the podium, giving Jacques a signaling nod. Jacques nodded back in understanding. Smiling, he announced to the audience, “Brynn Anders has consented to do a number for us.” **** Brynn excused herself from her bewildered friends and walked up to the stage. Cheers of approval from the audience followed in her wake. Jacques reached down to help her up on the stage. Something in his enticing, mesmerizing sky blue eyes made her take his hand. When his strong fingers clasped around her palm a tremor of raw emotion sprang forth. Even now, she realized, Jacques desired her. Good. Smile at him sweetly, Brynn, don’t let him suspect or sense a thing. 186

Into Tomorrow “Thank you, Jacques.” Fine whiskers from his goatee brush against her open palm as his full lips caressed her hand with tantalizing ease. “A pleasure, Brynn,” he answered with soft, deliberate ease. When he left her up on the stage, the wry smile that had won the hearts of millions of loyal fans returned to her lips. She motioned for the band to play the first of two songs she had earlier instructed the waiter to tell them she would sing. Brynn had to cover up her frustration as Jacques seated himself at the table with her friends. His amiable pleasantries couldn’t possibly fool them. They would have enough sense not to listen to his callous lies. She put thoughts of them out of her mind and performed the song. Her hips swayed in rhythm with the soft rock music as she sang “Man of Trouble.” **** Although he did no more than minutely present himself at their table, he kept his attention riveted upon the stage. Certain lines of the tune permeated Jacques consciousness and he finally understood the hinted meaning of the song. “…Since I first gave you my love, you've given me nothing but pain…You made me hurt from loving you so much. No matter where you are, you'll feel the sharpness of my touch...” Jacques tapped his long fingers on the table. He remembered well her second song. She had come out with it about six years ago. Not only did he have that song, Deadly Eyes in his massive collection, but also every other music holo-vid she'd ever made. He not only had the collection on the older palm-sized CDs, but also on the newer thumb-size discs. But he would never tell her about that any time soon. He hailed a passing waiter and whispered a message for the band into the waiter's ear. He’d make sure the musicians got double pay tonight. They deserved it. Just before she ended her song, he went up to the stage. He was pleased to see his act startle her. He took hold of her hand as the band started up again, and began singing “Cold Hearted Lover.” Jacques was sure she would have walked off the stage had he not pulled her towards him, looping another arm around her waist. He was glad of the porta-mikes pinned to their clothing, which allowed both of his hands free, enabling him to keep her backside up against the front of his body. 187

Into Tomorrow He pressed her to sway with him, moving to the music. He used seductive movements as he ground his torso against hers. He never thought to see Brynn blush. A touch of anger glinted in her eyes before she confounded him by curving her lips into a dazzling smile. Surprising the hell out of him, she turned in his arms, never missing a beat of their rhythm. Her crotch was up against his now. Her hands slipped around his backside, resting firmly on his hips. Brynn’s hands teasing and rubbing his buttocks made him almost skip a note. He kept her against him, even as he ended the first song and went into a duet entitled “Baby You’re Mine.” Jacques had to admire her professionalism. She made no embarrassing retorts or movements, but reacted with practiced composure through out the entire song. Still, he felt the sensual heat steaming from between her thighs. His cock bulged from his pants with blatant display. He was glad the pants weren’t that tight on his lower torso. If they had not been up on stage, he would have ripped her clothes off and taken her right then and there; shoving his stiffening member deep into her pussy. Her luscious movements were driving him almost to the breaking point and she damn well knew it. When the song ended, he whispered a few words into her ear, “Meet me in fifteen minutes, my dressing room. We need to talk.” She only nodded an affirmative, holding one of his hands tight within hers as they made their bows. Jacques then escorted her to her table before going backstage to his dressing room. However, it was less than ten minutes later when he heard a knock on the dressing room door. He was glad that he'd finished changing and refreshing himself in just a few quick moments. It seemed Brynn was as impatient as he was to talk. Would she want him with the same fierce desired she’d displayed while on stage? Had he been wrong that she wanted him? So use to his extra-guidance of late, he doubted his own natural instincts. He had to learn to rely on them again, and not that extrasensory voice that usually urged him on about his personal problems and needs. However, after he opened the door, to his great disappointment, it was only another waiter bringing him a note. After he closed the door, he scanned the missive. Brynn stated she would be waiting for him outside by the side entrance. Jacques rushed to the side exit. Had he gotten to her? He couldn’t feel her around at all. What was going on with Brynn and his wayward empathic sensing of her? 188

Into Tomorrow Stepping out into the night air, he looked towards the street. Brynn stood there, a large smile on her face. He’d taken just a few steps in her direction when out of nowhere, it seemed, a horde of screaming women were suddenly upon him, trying to rip his clothes off, begging for his autograph and trying to kiss him, all at once! Some of the women were even grabbing at his crotch and feeling his ass up. Hell, was this what it had been like for Brynn? Had she felt this humiliated when he had used her and left her? He couldn’t believe these harassing moments were even close to the anguish he and Maurice must have put her through. His thoughts and movements of escape were halted as bright, explosive lights flashed sporadically in his face. Then the alternating illuminations of several mini-laser cams were blinding him, and he was helpless to stop the rampant happenings. Hard, feminine laughter coming from somewhere in the background made him realize that he’d been set up to take all this frustrating mockery. Perhaps he had deserved this, he thought as he tried disentangling himself from one vicious fan and a reporter who was taking excessive shots. This evening, she’d had the last laugh on him. But not again, he promised himself.

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Chapter Five For the past few weeks during the start-up preliminaries and rehearsals, everyone on the set of Fantasy Lover remained jumpy. Every few days, some prank was pulled on someone there, but especially on Jacques Corday. He suspected the identity of the culprit. His reawakened, inner senses told him Brynn instigated the mischief. Jacques stormed into Brynn’s dressing room with nothing more than a short bathrobe on. However, only Luke was in the large room. “Nice legs, Corday.” Jacques should have known Silvers wouldn’t hold back. Jacques scowled glancing from his half-hairless legs to Luke. “I was taking a shower and got from my feet to knees before I noticed the soap was actually a hair removal bar.” “Seems you stopped showering in time.” Luke’s grin widened. Jacques pulled his robe tighter. “That witch has gone too far this time!” Luke tried hard to stifle his laughing. “Are you sure who the prankster is?” “Most of the damn tricks have happened to me. I’m not going to stand for this, Silvers! If it’s war Brynn wants then she’ll get it!” Jacques stormed out of the dressing room. Seconds after he left, Brynn emerged from behind a dressing screen. “Why didn’t you tell him where I was?” “That wouldn’t have been fun. You two are going to have to eventually work something out, Brynn.” “I doubt it.” She grinned. “But you were right about one thing though, he did have nice legs. Since I don’t have a rehearsal right now, I’ll be gone for a few hours.” “Are you by any chance seeing Doctor Lawton?” Brynn frowned. “Jamea and I are having lunch today. You should give up in that quarter, Luke. She doesn’t like you. Now if you’ll leave, I have to change.” 190

Into Tomorrow After he left, she tried unzipping the costume she was wearing and once more heard the dressing room door open. “I’m glad you returned, Luke, I’m having trouble with this zipper. Please help me.” A chill went through her as she felt two masculine hands upon her shoulders, swinging her around. Her eyes widened at seeing Jacques there. “Get out of my dressing room, Corday.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Your petty tricks have got to stop.” She tried to break out of his hold, but he only pulled her tighter into his arms. “You deserve worse than what I’ve pulled.” “I know what I did ten years ago was wrong. I should have listened to you and believed you when you told me what really happened. I can’t change things. I can only try to make it up to you. I was a fool to let you go without listening to you. I’m sorry, Brynn. Please try to forgive me.” “I’ll never forgive you, Jacques. I tried to tell you that Maurice came in pretending to be you. We never met and he looked enough like you in the dark. Perhaps I should have known the difference, but I was sick with worry and had drank too much. What you did was just as despicable as Maurice’s behavior. I can’t handle your jealousy again.” “Brynn, please…” “No, damn you. My life was fine until you walked back into it. Go back to your blasted Francia. You’re not wanted here.” Provoked, Jacques tightened his arms around her as firmly as possible. “I’m not leaving. And garlic breath or not, sneezing powder or whatever, you will do the intimate scenes with me. And here’s some practice you’re sadly lacking!” Jacques brought his lips down upon hers bruising her more tender ones. She tried struggling, tried resisting his sensuous attack, yet as he pulled her even closer, she knew then and there that part of her was still attracted to him, no matter that he had used brute force to ravish her years ago. Her arms were caught between their chests and she could only let the kiss run its course. His punishment was tortuously sweet and Brynn felt her knees weakening. When he pulled back his head, he felt her quivering against him. “I don’t think you’ve lost all feeling for me, Brynn.” “Don’t flatter yourself, Corday.” She spat out at him thrusting him away once his hold on her slackened. “Get out of here!” He grinned down at her. “Just remember, you started this little war. I’m going to finish it and win.” 191

Into Tomorrow After he left her dressing room, Brynn hugged herself momentarily, before finally changing out of her costume. She dressed quickly trying not to recall how she had felt in Jacques arms just a few moments ago. Yet, she knew that if she stayed working with him much longer, she was bound to fall under his sensual spell. She had to find some way of making Jacques not want her anymore! **** Brynn was pleased that Jamea liked the restaurant; it had been the first time her scientist friend came here. The poor woman didn’t get out much. A small smile of satisfaction played upon the woman’s soft lips. Brynn glanced to the outside of the restaurant where something had caught Jamea’s attention. At one of the crowded tables lining the front sidewalk of the Port Pub, several people were enjoying delicious beachfront cocktails from the Port Pub’s well-stocked bar. A dark haired girl had a colorful parrot walking between her hands. The parrot was going back and forth to the drink and sipping it, then moving to get a peanut from the young woman’s hands. People flocked to the Harbor Strand restaurant area during the daytime, because it was such a fun place to stroll. Several eateries had a flavorful and colorful variety of motifs and decks along the walks in front of the different restaurants. Often pets were accompanied by their owners during the day for a stroll along the Harbor Strand. Or, people came into several of the open-bars and eateries that allowed pets inside the restaurant. Brynn glanced upwards just above that table as she saw people walking down some steps at one place across the street. It was a stop zone for airbuses that allow town tourists to stop and get off on the two-story platform, depart and the walk down curved stairways to mingle into the crowds of the shops and businesses below the higher air-traffic levels. Solar City engineers developed the air-traffic system over fifty years ago (and that other major cities now used) and it made lest congestion in the narrow city streets. And people got out and walked more instead of fighting over the nearest parking lot their lazy asses tried to find. At least that’s the way Brynn’s great grandfather use to put it. With all the seafood and steaks wafting in and out of the opendoor eatery, Brynn knew almost anyone would have a hard time choosing what to have for their noonday meal. Or any time of day for that matter. Here at the Port Pub, Brynn loved their mouth-watering, crispy coconut encrusted crab cakes. With a tangy spritz of a zesty 192

Into Tomorrow lemon as the only garnish, one had a hard time not licking off all their fingers in public after eating the delicious morsels. Along with that, she liked the toasted garlic-cream cheese potato puffs served with them. Then roasted minced onion sprinkled over spaghetti thin cuts of butter-herb green beans went marvelously with the other two dishes. Spiced apple tea in a tall frozen mug with few ice cubes and a pinch of brandy would top off the light afternoon repast for her. “One would think that parrot was a person the way that young girl fawns over it.” “Stop being a shrink every time we go out in public, Jamea.” Brynn frowned at her close friend. “Leave your ten advanced degrees where they belong. I invited you out to lunch and a relaxing time.” “You’re right, this isn’t my psych office.” She was an ethereal-looking woman with long, moon-blonde hair, an angelic face, and a sort of cherubic body. They had known each other for over a dozen years. Brynn thought of Jamea, Derek, and Chrystal amongst her closest friends. “I can see by that worried look that if we don’t talk about it, you won’t allow me to enjoy a carefree day.” “I’m sorry, Brynn. I’ve just been uneasy over you since the night of Luke’s gala.” “I’m not going to become a blithering idiot again. I’m made of sterner stuff, Jam.” “I know. It’s just that you were frightened and mad, and still are, because of Jacques Corday. What I said that night seems to be coming true.” Brynn lowered her voice. “I still have a hard time believing that Jacques was somehow pre-ordained to be my soul-mate. You were right even the night at the club, when he seemed to know my every move. Sometimes it’s just too much for me.” “Jacques still makes you nervous because of his empathic nature, and because of what you two once had. Yes, he made a serious mistake, but it’s time to let go of the past, Brynn. You have to live in the here and now.” “I know, Jamea, but let me deal with this in my own way.” “Jacques Corday, yes, I agree. He, you have to deal with. But not believing in otherworldly instances or at least having an open mind about them can hinder your own inner growth. I know what I’m talking about, Brynn.” 193

Into Tomorrow “Jamea, I know some of the instances that I’ve gone through with him are odd, but do you truly think that some ethereal, midnight power thingy is happening between us?” Jamea glanced around the room for a moment then lowered her own voice as Brynn had done. “Brynn, it is just too much of a coincidence. You both lost your virginity together on the stroke of midnight. You met twelve years ago at midnight. You were both born at midnight on the twelfth day of the twelfth month. As if that wasn’t enough, Andre revealed to me that Jacques mother was psychic and foretold that Jacques would find his soul mate at the onset of the witching hour. Yes, I find that all a bit too coincidental. Surreal or not, Brynn, I think that you do too.” Brynn let out a long sigh. “Well like people that are often born in the same month, it’s not unearthly that we clash so much. Perhaps all that is true, but I can’t bring myself to admit there are feelings for him even if they were ordained to happen. It’s as if someone went into the future and said I’d wake up tomorrow and be his soul-mate.” Her friend smiled one of her rare Mona-Lisa type smiles. “Perhaps I was wrong all along. It’s the scientist in me, pal.” “Let’s put all this abracadabra nonsense aside.” Brynn looked warmly upon her friend. “Now, before I forget, Chrystal isn’t joining us, she has a date with Derek.” Jamea nodded knowingly. “I had hoped those two would eventually get together. Let’s order and then we can talk about…damn, that cousin of yours would show up.” Brynn looked in the direction Jamea had. Coming towards their table was Luke and Jacques. Brynn felt a surge of animosity rise up within her. Luke knew she was having lunch with Jamea today. And to bring that damn Francian with him angered her even more. The two men stopped at her table. “I knew you were having lunch with the lovely doctor, Brynn, but not here at Port Pub. I thought you’d be at Raphine’s down the street. Jacques had this sudden urge to come in here and it sounded good to me. Since we’re here, we’ll join you.” Without waiting for their permission, the two men pulled out the extra chairs at the table and sat down on either side of the women. Luke immediately began a conversation with Jamea, which left Brynn and Jacques to converse, whether they wanted to or not. But it was only after a waitress came and took their order that he spoke to her. 194

Into Tomorrow “We have no choice but to work with each other, Brynn. You have no need to fear me anymore. Again I ask you to stop the tricks you’ve been playing on me.” Brynn took a deep breath and leaned towards Jacques so only he could hear her words. “I’m not afraid of you, Jacques. I admit only to being shocked at first to find you here in America. Luke has forced me to work with you. Other than that, you will stay out of my personal life. Do I make myself clear?” Jacques looked intently into her soft gray eyes. “I screwed our lives up once, Brynn, I will not do so again. We are bound to cross each other’s paths even off the studio sets. Luke told me he might want to shoot part of the film on his private island near West Galveston. We will have to tolerate each other’s presence there.” Brynn swung her head in Luke’s direction. “Why didn’t you tell me you were considering filming on your island, Luke?” “I just thought of it this morning. If you had not of been in a huff earlier, I would have told you. You know the caves near the south side of my island are spectacular and have unusual crystal formations within them. They would be perfect for the subterranean passage scenes in the movie.” Luke turned quickly then back to Jamea. “I understand you have other scientific degrees besides medical ones. Since you agreed to also be technical & scientific advisor on this film, perhaps you would care to come to examine my caves, Dr. Lawton.” Brynn saw Jamea frown. “If I can get away from my duties at Solar City General, perhaps.” Luke grinned. “Good, we leave next week then. Shall we order?” Brynn knew both men were pleased about the relocation, but like Jamea, she wasn’t too thrilled about the event. She would indeed be spending more time in Jacques company, and the thought both perturbed and thrilled Brynn. This confusion put her in a foul mood and she resolved to ignore Jacques as much as she could during the remainder of the meal. **** “Just how filthy rich did you say that damn cousin of yours is?” “I didn’t, Jamea. I take it you are not impressed with his wealth?” Brynn watched her friend whimsically as the scientist glanced around the beach nearest Luke’s island villa. “No more than the moron was with me when you kindly filled him in on just how many scientific degrees I hold.” 195

Into Tomorrow “Let’s face it, Jamea, you’re a science genius and Luke is a business genius, but you’re both obnoxious with your knowledge. Why don’t you kick back and enjoy some life, or at least the nature of this small island. It really does have some interesting fauna and other science related stuff.” Jamea chuckled. “When you stop being so uptight about only the six of us being here then I’ll relax also. Now let’s finish our walk.” Brynn commenced walking with her friend down the white sandy beach towards the main house. Along their way, Brynn pointed out interesting facts about the island to her curious friend. Yet, Jamea’s words had her thinking about more earthy matters. Although the filming of Fantasy Lover was being done sporadically just to get the right atmospheres; she knew Luke set this trip up for more than just checking out further locales for his latest film endeavor. And she had no doubts that Jacques had helped Luke with the plans. And this was the twelfth week of his return into her life. Had Jamea been right? Did the midnight numerical formations have some reason for Jacques being dominantly thrust into her life and bed? “I may not be impressed with him,” Jamea commented, startling Brynn out of her reverie, “but that bag of wind was correct in telling me this island had unusual properties.” “He is more informed than he acts. It was Luke who discovered the newest pool of solarvium crystallites last year.” “I’ve been to study those. He amazes me at times, but still he is a big pest.” Brynn chuckled and guided her friend back towards the main house. “Don’t worry, I told him you didn’t like him.” “Good. Where are the cavern’s he spoke of, Brynn?” Jamea asked. “About a quarter-mile from the main house down by the southern beach. They really are wondrous, Jamea. Luke and I spent many summers exploring them. I’m glad Chrystal and Derek could come with us.” Brynn led the way to the second floor of Luke’s island home. “I’m sure they’re enjoying being away from the studios for awhile. They took off walking on their own as soon as we all arrived. Now why don’t we finish unpacking and then you can show me around some more.” Jamea started for her assigned room, but Brynn held back joining her friend. Outside Jamea’s room Brynn saw Luke and Jacques coming down the long hallway. Jacques entered a room Luke showed to him, 196

Into Tomorrow and then Luke met up with Brynn. “I’m glad you still feel at home enough to help show our guests around, cousin.” “I helped you remodel this place, some, so I do. Why did you put that cretin next to me, Luke?” “You gave Dr. Lawton the other second floor guest room and the available ones on the third floor not being remodeled are taken up by Chrys and Derek. Now I’m going to change. See ya at dinner, cuz.” Brynn frowned at her cousin’s behavior but went into her room, determined not to let the stay here at his island cause her any turmoil. Less than an hour later, she was showing Jamea, Chrys and Derek around the main house. She let them know they were on their own, because other than a robotic maid and land guard, Luke kept no servants here besides the human ones who came to the island once a week to keep the place cleaned and stocked. Right now, while there were several people on the island, Luke had turned off the robotic maintenance crew so that they could enjoy the island au-natural. That night while the others were serving themselves at the beach cookout Luke had improvised, Brynn wandered off to get a few moments alone. She enjoyed the quiet solitude for a short while, before she had a sense she was being followed. When she heard the crunch of twigs breaking upon the path behind her she stopped in her tracks, spinning around to see who followed. Jacques stood there, his handsome face showing his concern. “I didn’t mean to scare you, Brynn. You’ve been gone for over half an hour and I became worried.” “I know this area as well as I know my own home in Solar City, Jacques. I’m quite safe. You can leave now.” She turned back to resume her walk. Jacques drifted after her. He was quiet for a few seconds as she ignored him walking beside her. She had the feeling that he hoped, while they were on the island away from the stress of the studios, he could try to make amends between them. Part of Brynn wished that he would go away for good. Yet, part of her was glad he had come here and to America. It was past time for letting the ghosts of the past rule her life. She had to put her fears behind her. It would not be easy. Few things in life were. There were questions from the past she needed answered. “Why did you come here, Jacques? To torment me further?” “No, Brynn. I had hoped we could put old ghosts to rest.” 197

Into Tomorrow His words made her realize the extent of his empathic abilities. She had just thought about what he had spoken of. She let out a sigh, realizing that she had to get her inner frustrations about him out in the open. “You should have trusted me.” “I know. My obsessive jealousy caused me to lose you.” She stayed quiet for a while, but finally spoke. “Jacques, I was too young to marry then. At the time, we were not meant to be.” Brynn was not prepared as he suddenly stopped, grabbed her right arm and spun her around to face him. “It could have worked between us. It still can.” Brynn remained calm. “No, Jacques. I’ve had plenty of time to think it over. It just took your brother’s deceit to make me realize that. I mistook him for you in the dark. If I couldn’t tell you two apart then, that meant I didn’t know you well enough to marry you.” “Brynn, you did not know about Maurice then, nor that we favored each other so much. When we were younger, we could have almost passed for identical twins.” “It probably happened for a reason, Jacques. Things cannot be changed.” “I wish that I could take back all those cheap things I said to you. I wish…“ She pulled her arm from his, letting out a sigh of frustration. “Look, Jacques, just leave it alone. We both made the mistake of letting our hormones override our hearts. Now let me be in peace.” Jacques reached out this time with both hands, took hold of her upper arms, and brought her up against him. He felt her slight quiver and his blue eyes sparkled with understanding. “I think your hormones and your heart are still affected by me, Brynn.” She had no time to protest as his mouth came heavily down upon her trembling lips. Jacques deep and thorough kisses caused her breaths to come out quicker between her lips. She arched against him. Her arms came up around his neck. His hands came across her shapely buttocks, pulling her even closer against his lower torso. “You see you do ache for my love. There’s no need to be afraid of me, Brynn,” he said between soft kisses. “I can make you happy again. Just put your heart in my hands.” Footsteps coming near made them both jerk apart. “Stay away from me, Jacques. I don’t want to take a chance on loving again. Especially you.” She ran from him, brushing pass Chrys and Derek, who were taking a night walk down the same path. 198

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Chapter Six Brynn glanced down at the script in her lap, having gone over some of the scenes with Chrystal, who was more than Brynn’s personal cosmetologist and close friend. The tall, willowy blonde was also in charge of the make-up/wardrobe department for all of Luke’s film endeavors. “Wherever your mind is, Brynn, it is not on helping me select costumes for the various scenes of Fantasy Lover that still have yet to be rehearsed and filmed.” “I don’t have much of a mind left these days, Chrys. So if you find it, let me know how I can get it back.” Chrystal sat next to Brynn on the sofa in Luke’s den, taking hold of her hands. “Corday is taking up too much of your mental facilities lately. He’s not going to go away, my friend. No matter what you say or do. I was in Francia also, at the time you and the duke broke up. We both know it is time for you to let go of the darkness that surrounds your heart.” Brynn squeezed Chrys’ hands back, letting the script fall out of her lap. “I know, Chrys. I always thought my heart would stay hardened towards him. Now I stay in turmoil, because part of me wants him and part of me is still angry with him.” “I think that you need to quit fighting with yourself before you can stop warring with Jacques Corday.” “You know, Chrystal, you may not be the shrink Jamea is, but you definitely give better advice.” Brynn patted the other woman’s hand in thanks. “I am glad at least your own love life is better.” Brynn was surprised to see Chrys let out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you sent Derek over to my house that night.” “Were you afraid I might be in love with Derek?” Chrys nodded. “It took him a while to persuade me you two were not involved. I am glad you were no more than friends. You looked so convincing on screen and off.” 199

Into Tomorrow “Silly. Derek could never have been more to me than a friend and acting partner.” “Good. Hey, why don’t we get a picnic together and go soak up some sun while we’re here. I’ll bring a sketch pad and maybe we can get some fresher ideas for costumes.” “Sounds great, I’ll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes to help pack some food.” As Chrystal left out of the den, Luke entered, followed by Jacques. “Ah, Brynn, glad you’re here. I want to watch you and Jacques rehearse this scene on page seventy-three together. I think it needs something.” Brynn did not look at Jacques but kept her eyes on Luke. “Chrystal and I were just about to head down to the beach with a picnic basket. Let’s meet there shortly and rehearse after lunch.” Luke nodded an affirmative. “Great idea. I’ll go up and put some shorts on. Jacques, since you probably won’t want to change into trunks, I leave you the task of getting the scripts.” As Luke dashed out of the room, Brynn had a hard time trying not to laugh at Jacques. Jacques grimaced, then grinned. “I have to admit that was a clever ruse. Do you really think I have nice legs?” Brynn blushed with the knowledge of being caught. “I guess Luke told you about that remark. Yes, you do. Uhmm, are they getting hairy again?” He chuckled, looking briefly down at his pant legs. “The nubs itch like crazy. How women go through such irritations is beyond me. Could you use some extra hands packing that lunch?” She had to admit he was trying. They would be on the island for a week or so; Brynn figured she had better put some effort into getting along with Jacques. “I’ll help you get the scripts, then we can meet Chrystal in the kitchen.” About an hour after they ate, Luke, Chrystal, Derek and Jamea sat on some lawn chairs watching as Brynn and Jacques began to rehearse. In this particular scene, Jacques was portraying a powerful wizard-king who is distrustful of a strange and beautiful woman from the stars. “…I offer you my home and my heart…Yet, you betray my trust by listening to the lies of my enemies and daring to accuse me of being an unfair monarch…” “…I accused you of nothing but listening to untruths from that foolish brother of yours who covets your throne. When repairs are done on my ship I will be ecstatic to leave you and your heathen world!” 200

Into Tomorrow Brynn pretended to turn from him in a rage, then the wizard/Jacques held out his hands as if casting a spell on her. “No one leaves without my permission.” He pulled her into his arms fiercely, imprisoning her within them. “You did not find my world so heathenish a few days ago when you claimed to have found such ecstasy in my arms.” “As you so wrongfully do now, you cast some spell upon me!” “Nay it is you who has cast a spell of uncontrollable desire upon me. And for that your punishment will be to quench my sensual fires.” She struggled in his arms but to no avail, as his lips bore hungrily down upon her own. His kiss seared maddeningly through her system. It was as if his soul reached into her whole being, making it belong to him. After his long, thorough kiss, she softened against him, responding with a deep sensuality to his caresses. Her hands caressed his backside as his own hands stroked the middle of her back. He pulled her down onto the beach, their knees touching as they continued to kiss even more uncontrollably. He captured her face within his hands glancing down at her lust-ridden eyes. “I’ve wanted you for so long. Dreamed about this moment when I could have you in my arms again. I can’t wait much longer to possess you. Tell me now, tell me soon you’ll be mine.” His mouth came back down over hers before she could answer. She moved her arms, bringing them up behind his dark head, and entwined her fingers through his hair. She responded to him, scorching his desires even more with her wanton kisses. Both were so nearly fargone in their desires they were ready to rocket off the planet. “I said cut, Jacques! Brynn! I was wrong, the scene doesn’t need anything else!”“ The sound of Luke’s hard voice brought the two of them back to reality. Jacques and Brynn broke apart. She moved away from him gasping for air as if she had been drowning. Jacques also seemed to be having a hard time breathing, and he kept his back to everyone. “Let’s call it a day. And you, Corday, need to take a long cold shower.” Jacques silently agreed with Luke, but instead of the shower, he walked further down the beach and into the cool waters surrounding the island. He stayed there a long, long time, until everyone had gone back up to the main house. **** 201

Into Tomorrow Brynn did have to take a cold shower. She hadn’t meant for their scene to get out of control, but it seemed that when she was in Jacques’ arms she lost all control. She shivered, but not from the cold water. Her body still ached for his nearness, to feel his electrifying heat mingle with her own. She longed to have his long thick cock thrusting into her, possessing her as only he could. She turned the cold up on the shower knob. She wasn’t exactly sure why part of her remained afraid of loving him and giving in to her desires, but until she could figure that out, she had to keep Jacques’ sensuality from getting the better of her. A long time later, she finally gave up her attempt at sleep. She headed down to the kitchen. She became frustrated to find Luke was down there also. He pointed to the table where he had laid out a small smorgasbord of food. Amused at his hearty appetite, she shook her head. Though he was a stocky, muscular man, he never gained excess fat. After getting a glass from one of the nearby cupboards, she sat down and poured herself some lemonade. “I see things have you flustered and awake also, cousin.” “I should hit you for that remark, Luke. And for bringing Corday here. When did you find out about us? We kept it well-hidden from the press.” He stopped eating long enough to reply. “Andre, his eldest brother, and I went to the same private school when we were in our early teens. We kept in touch over the years. I went to visit him months ago just before his father died. He told me the truth. We both agreed Jacques screwed up. I thought you two might need to patch things up.” “Well stop playing matchmaker. I have no feelings left for him.” “Earlier on the beach, that wasn’t rehearsing you did.” “Don’t be a wise-ass, Luke. I’m not dead to his physical charms. I just don’t want my heart or life tied to his. And I don’t want you forcing me to do another film with him.” Luke put his food down. “Don’t get into an argument with me over this again, Brynn. I’ve been tolerating your whims for many years now and…“ “Look you, cretin,” Brynn interrupted him, “everyone who works for you has been putting up with your own outlandish whims. It’s a good thing Jamea has more sense than to get involved with you!” “You two share quite a few familial traits, Luke.” Jacques stuck his head in the doorway. “You are both obstinate cusses and like having your own way.” 202

Into Tomorrow Brynn jumped up from the table. “He’s at least right about that. Goodnight.” Jacques entered the room, taking her seat. “Don’t even think about getting up to leave, Luke. We need to talk now.” “What is it?” “I want you to quit changing the intimate scenes. Brynn’s having a hard enough time adjusting to me being near her as it is. I know you only tried to help us overcome things, but we have both been pushing her too much.” “Fine,” Luke pushed back his chair, “You write the damn scenes then to fit your needs and I’ll keep in my lowly directors chair. Anything else?” “Yes. Brynn is right about Dr. Lawton. She doesn’t like you.” “As you just told me in different words, Corday, fuck off!” Jacques chuckled as Luke stormed out of the kitchen. He rose and proceeded to clean up the area. **** “That cousin of yours was correct, Brynn,” Jamea said a day later as they walked with the others in the caverns, “these underground passages are a great find. The crystals here are most unusual. They might even be a solarvium hybrid. I’ll have to get Luke’s permission to do some experimenting on them once the filming is over with.” “Right now just enjoy what nature put here to admire, my friend.” “Heaven gave us a brain, Brynn, to wonder about the whys of nature. This place is going to look great on film.” Brynn thought along the same lines. Natural luminescence brightened up the deep cavern because of the crystals’ unusual properties. Only a few lights, correctly placed, would be needed to capture the underground room’s beauty. A small pool of water lay near the center of the deepest parts of the cavern, surrounded by a glowing wall of crystals that stood waist high to a person. Luke had a fantasy setting right here in his own backyard. Brynn watched as Jamea meandered around the cave, examining everything. She moved nearer the pool, her mind going back to the film’s various scenes. She wondered what it would be like to make love to Jacques in this very place. It had been thrilling in her sauna. She blushed as she recalled in more vivid details of what happened that mind-fogging night. Since then she had been very careful not to drink too much. Brynn clutched herself as she realized that him making love 203

Into Tomorrow to her again was growing heavier and heavier upon her mind lately. Would the echoes of the past never stop haunting her? Would she ever allow herself to be free to love again? She remained for some time, in quiet company with her thoughts. Jacques was in another tunnel with Luke, also finding the caves fascinating. As he entered the big subterranean room where the pool was his glance fell upon Brynn. He saw her clutching herself, as if to ward some evil away. Then a delightful, inviting blush reddened her cheeks, making him shiver with desire. He felt she was thinking back to the night he had made love to her in the sauna. In reality, he would like the opportunity to press his body next to hers in that inviting pool. He didn’t need to look into tomorrow to realize she wanted and thought the same. Perhaps, he sighed, one day soon I will be able to. For now, I must be careful how I approach her. All I want to do is capture her and take her away, like some sheik of old might have done. Jacques came back to reality as Luke motioned for them all to gather near the opening. **** After touring the caverns, everyone made their way back up to the main house. Later, towards evening, Derek and Brynn used the kitchen as a work place to go over the script. These last several years they were involved more behind the cameras than in front of them. Luke had brought Derek along for more than just a friendly face, or an added actor. The man could also choose great locales for filming, and he had a knack for editing scripts. “Have you changed the scene on page ninety-eight, Brynn?” She flipped to the page he mentioned and read it. “This doesn’t make sense. We were to use the cavern locale for a fight scene between the hero/wizard and the villain. Not a damn love scene!” Derek moved back from the table. “You go over that again and I’m going to have a talk with Luke about this.” By the time she got through reading the script again, Brynn was enraged. She went to Luke’s study to find him and Derek. But all she found was Jacques sitting behind Luke’s desk, the manuscript lying loosely upon the desktop. It did not take her long to realize who had been helping the director rewrite the script. “Close the door, Brynn. The rest of the party doesn’t need to hear you bitching about the changes in the script.” Brynn slammed the door shut behind her then stormed over to Jacques, throwing her copy of the manuscript down at him. “I might 204

Into Tomorrow have known your hand was in this. The cavern scene did not include us getting nude in the water.” “You can wear a flesh colored swimsuit, Brynn. And we can only pretend the rest. Now I’ve work to do. Please leave.” “Why you insolent cretin! You have no right changing the scenes, no matter what Luke says. You’ve no experience in what …” “Brynn, do not tempt me to anger right now. I won’t be responsible for the outcome. I’ve already had a talk with Derek.” Brynn leaned over the desk getting in his face. “You can go to hell.” She then turned, tearing out of the room. A thud startled her and she let out a cry of alarm, as she realized she hit Luke with the door. Jamea, who had been on her way downstairs, came running the rest of the way down the foyer stairs and saw what happened. Jacques jumped up quickly from his chair, helping Derek who had been behind the director, to move him to the couch in the study. On Jamea’s orders, they left her alone to tend to Luke. “Brynn, we’ll discuss the changes later. I need to talk to Chrys,” Derek mumbled and left her in the foyer alone with Jacques. “Damn you, Jacques!” Brynn exclaimed, turning on him. “You’ve been causing nothing but trouble since you got here.” She bolted up the stairs. Jacques followed her into her room, shutting the door behind him. “You opened that door in anger, Brynn, not me. I don’t think Luke was more than stunned though. Your friend Jamea is a medical doctor also?” Brynn nodded then realized where they were. “I think you had better leave.” “No, this time you’ll hear me out, Brynn. My father didn’t like the fact of not having any more control over my life so he sent Maurice to do his dirty work.” “Why did you allow that fiasco to happen, Jacques? It had to be more than jealousy.” “I should have believed you, ran after you and made amends to you. Only father threatened he would have you killed if I ever came near you again. And Maurice made convincing lies that you had been with him before. I’ve tried in stupid ways lately to make you see how much I still care for you, Brynn. Is there any remote chance for us to be together again?” 205

Into Tomorrow Brynn turned her back on him, going to stand by the window of her bedroom. “I don’t know, Jacques. Right now I’m confused and afraid as hell to let you touch me again.” He neared her, but didn’t put his hands on her. “Why are you afraid of my caresses, Brynn?” She clasped her hands tightly together. “Acting with you is one thing, but to really feel your presence is another. I haven’t felt like this in years, Jacques, and it scares me.” “It’s more than my empathic nature, isn’t it?” “Yes.” “Tell me what you feel when you are near me?” He asked so softly, so breathlessly, she barely heard him. “Alive. Wanted. Hungry with need for…for a man’s touch.” He gently reached out, putting his hand under her chin and pressing her to look up at him. “Any man’s, Brynn, or just mine?” Her lower lip quivered as she spoke her next words. “Yours, Jacques.” Jacques arms slipped around her waist, drawing her gently against him. He lowered his head, this time using gentle restraint as he lowered his lips down upon hers. He could feel her heart beating against her chest in rhythm with his own fierce palpitations. He knew at this moment she was too vulnerable and he could take her at his leisure. Yet now was not the time. Instead, for a long while, he held her within the sweet strength of his warm arms. He was pleased she did not resist, but lay her head against his chest. Her breathing came in sync with his own, and a sigh of contentment escaped her lips. Satisfied, for now to hold her close, he lay his head against the top of hers, releasing his own breath of satisfaction. When a soft knock came upon the door, Jacques released with reluctance to answer it. Jamea was there. “Luke is fine, he wishes to see you.” ‘I will talk with you tomorrow, Brynn.” Jacques left the room and Jamea entered, closing the door behind her. “You look haggard, my friend” Jamea gave her a hard look. “That big oaf was faking some of his pain. He had the audacity to kiss me and try to take a few liberties. He has not been any better in his behavior towards me than that Francian has toward you. You’ll have to teach me that right hook of yours, I’d love to use it on your cousin!” 206

Into Tomorrow Brynn chuckled then let out a small yawn. “Remind me another time and I’ll show you how to swing a fist like my father taught me. I’m tempted to use it on the big lout myself. However, right now, Jamea, I’m tired and need to rest.” Jamea bid Brynn good night, and then Brynn turned to look out the open window staring intently into the darkness. Below her, on the large porch, she could hear Derek’s and Chrystal’s voices permeating upwards, their words all too clear. “...I don’t like this project much, Chrys. Everyone is at odds with each other. Luke’s made a bad decision with this one.” “I’ve read it. The story isn’t that bad. I think you’re just concerned about our mutual friends. Luke’s been a moron lately since he became infatuated with Jamea. And Brynn’s whole world has been in turmoil because of Jacques.” “I talked with him, Chrys. He seems amiable enough. And I believe he really still loves Brynn. From what you’ve told me, I don’t believe he meant to hurt her years ago. I know, that as much as I love you, I think I would have gone crazy to find you with someone else.” “You would have believed me, darling. I think he must be regretting his mistake, for I see such a lost sadness in his eyes.” “There is no doubt he loves her. I wish everyone could be as happy as us, Chrys.” Their voices drifted away then, as she realized they moved off the porch and in another direction. Brynn thought over their words and she wished also that she could find such happiness. She knew that she had to talk with Jacques then, so she could finally let the hurt go. However, mostly, she realized, so she could tell him how much she still truly cared for him. She was fixing to move away from the window when she heard Jamea’s voice filtering through the window. “Look you big idiot, I’ll take this walk with you, but you had better not try anything. You promise it’s only the crystals we will be discussing?” “I do, Dr. Lawton. At night you’ll find them much more fascinating and the pool actually gives off this unusual light,” Luke’s voice was strong. Brynn heard them marching off the porch and into the darkness. She shook her head at their antics. Luke and Jamea were such opposites, but perhaps some attraction lay between them. That was something she had better leave alone. She had her own love interests to 207

Into Tomorrow straighten out first. She started to turn from the window again when she notice movement towards the side of the house. What was Jacques doing prowling around as if he didn’t want anyone to know he was there? He had easy access to the house. A warning shook her whole system, as she realized that perhaps this time, that was not Jacques. The man glanced up at her window then scrambled off in the direction of the caves. Brynn raced down the stairs for help, looking everywhere in the house. No one was around. She raced outside and headed for the caves. It had been Maurice she had seen outside her window and not Jacques. She would not mistake their identities twice. She called out for Jamea and Luke, since she’ seen them walk this way. No answer came forth. Brynn hoped they were not in danger.

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Chapter Seven Brynn searched the crystal tunnel room when she heard someone come in behind her. Terror filled her when she was Maurice Corday. This time she had no problem recognizing the bastard who wrecked her life. He neared her, his lips forming a smirk as she backed away from him. “What have you done with Jamea and Luke?” “They never came this way. I wasn’t sure when you saw me outside your window tonight if you knew it was Jacques or me. I hoped you’d believe my deception a second time. You are less gullible now.” “Jacques wouldn’t have prowled around, you unscrupulous bastard. He will kill you when he finds you here.” He fingered the side of his face. “This current scar is from a fight we had over you when he found out the truth. However, I will have my revenge when they find your body here tomorrow.” She backed around the edge of the pool hoping she could get to the cavern’s exit before he could get hold of her. “You are insane, Maurice. Jacques, Luke or one of the others will find me gone. You’ll not come out the victor here.” “I shall, Brynn. Too bad you didn’t take up my offer years ago, and become my wife. We could have had a delicious life together.” “I’m not crazy. Marrying any Corday would have been a death sentence.” As he moved closer towards her, Brynn circled the other side of the pool, running for the entrance. She just reached the opening when she ran into another person. Jacques’ arms closed around her. She clasped his waist when she looked up at him. “Maurice is here, Jacques, we must go.” “I know, Brynn. But we can’t.” He turned her in the direction of the pool. Maurice pointed a weapon at the two. “He’s right. You won’t ever leave here.” He motioned with the old-fashioned handgun for the two to move further into the cavern. “You don’t seem surprised to see me here, brother.” 209

Into Tomorrow “I was taking a walk on the beach near the docks. I found a boat there that didn’t belong to Luke and figured someone else was here. I heard Brynn holler out and followed her. I saw you enter the caves just after she did.” “But you were not prepared for this, were you?” He waved the tiny, evil-looking pistol with a triumphant flare. “How fitting. Two anguished lovers reunited only to face death wrapped in each others’ arms.” “There’s no need for this, Maurice. Let Brynn go.” “Move, Jacques. She can live for a while longer though. Come here Brynn.” Jacques started to hold on to Brynn, but she startled him by pulling from him and obeying Maurice’s orders. Maurice looked up at the cavernous roof, pointing the weapon upwards. Just as he fired, Brynn gave him her ominous right hook. Jacques lunged for Maurice. The gun went off again as the two struggled. Jacques managed to knock the gun from Maurice’s hand. Rubble began falling from the cave’s roof. Maurice pulled from Jacques, running for the entrance. Jacques jumped to get Brynn out of the way of falling debris. The two rolled away, only in time to see a huge pile of rocks and dust fall over and around Maurice, burying him their view and sealing up the cave’s entrance. Brynn and Jacques stood on unsteady feet as the cave stopped shaking and a bit of dust remained floating in the air. Both dusted off, glancing around to see how bad they were trapped inside the cavern. “Doesn’t look good, Brynn. Luke ever tell you another way out of these caverns?” Brynn glanced at him. “All the tunnels circle back here. Didn’t he tell you that when we first toured the caverns?” “No. It shouldn’t be long before someone finds us.” “I’m sure that you’re right about that. You’ve been right lately about a lot of things.” Her words startled him. “What do you mean, Brynn?” Brynn shrugged her shoulders. “It doesn’t matter. Let’s get some of this dust off of us. It tastes nasty.” She moved to dip her hands in the pool, cleansing her face and taking a drink. Jacques did the same, and then sat down on a small flat boulder near the water formation. Brynn joined him and for a few moments, the two were silent. 210

Into Tomorrow “I’ve never been trapped inside of a cave before.” Jacques chuckled. “Have you?” “No. It’s ironic, since we are to film here soon. Now we have plenty of time to rehearse. To get things right between us.” “Yes, Brynn we do. And not just our scenes.” He turned towards her, taking her hands in his. “We need to talk. There seems to be quite enough air in here for now.” “Perhaps we should conserve it. Although I wrote a rushed note that I was heading this way we don’t know how long before they find us.” “We can conserve later, Brynn. Isn’t it past time for you to admit your feelings for me? You already know I still care for you.” Brynn disentangled her hands from him, standing up. “Jacques, how could things work out between us? We still don’t know enough about each other.” “We could have a whole lifetime together to learn all about each other. That’s if you’d marry this particular Corday.” “You heard that remark. Jacques, I …“ Jacques reached towards her, pulling her into the circle of his arms. He tilted her head back, looked intently into her troubled eyes, then brought his face closer to hers. “Don’t be afraid anymore. I love you with all my heart and soul, Brynn. Let me show you how much.” Brynn turned her head towards the pool. “I envisioned, when we were all touring here, what it would be like to make love to you in that pool there.” Jacques pressed her even closer. “I felt the same. I want you so much, Brynn. Let go of the grief and let my love give you happiness again. Marry me.” Her arms came around his neck. “I don’t think I ever stopped caring for you, Jacques. I believe I could handle a lifetime of learning to know you…and loving you.” He kissed her softly at first, and when he felt her response, his kiss deepened. His hands touched her with intimate sweetness, igniting responsive fires within her. Brynn’s arms went around his neck as he lowered them to the cavern floor. He stretched over her, stroking her in warm secret places, where only his touch held the key to opening her to sensual bliss. He reined kisses on her cheeks, her neck, and then her mouth again. “This time,” his voice hoarse between kisses, “I shall be a midnight lover you’ll want even in the morning.” 211

Into Tomorrow “Yes, Jacques.” She melted against him, bringing his mouth back down to hers and didn’t argue as he made wild, passionate love to her on the subterranean floor. Jacques elegant hands moved swiftly over her, touching every inch of her body. He pulled back from her long enough to help her remove her clothing and his. He leaned his head over her, suckling first one rose-tipped nipple, then the other. She arched against him, pressing her sweating body closer to his. He waited to possess her, wanting to pleasure her even more. To taste every delectable, scorching inch of her desirable body. He stroked her stomach, reigning kisses everywhere his hand went. His fingers explored between her legs. His hungry lips trailed behind his fingers, his tongue also teasing her. Brynn stroked him back, whispering soft lustful words into his ear just what his caresses were doing to her mind and body. He licked her deeply, liking the way she squirmed against his mouth and lips. She opened her thighs wider and he buried his tongue and face deeper into her hot, wet pussy. Her juices filtered onto his beard as she continued to rub up and down on his chin with her eager cunt. She wanted his intense kisses and tongue lashings there. “Don’t stop, Jacques. I love the way you tongue me.” He lapped between her vaginal lips, slipping his tongue and now his fingers in and out of her dark channel. He relished in the sweet, hot taste of her on his lips and tongue. His cock hardened with aching need. Her juices flowed even more over his beard as her first orgasm hit her. He vigorously teased her with his fingers, lips, and tongue. Her curved hips rose and fell against him. “Jacques, I’ve needed you. I want to feel that big cock of yours fucking me hard.” “Ah, Brynn, yes. Hell yes.” Jacques stroked her cunt, needing to feel how drenched and heated she had become. She shivered violently with uncontrollable passions. Brynn put her hands around his backside, urging his hips towards hers. He shifted his position and she moved to allow him more ease between her legs. “Now, Jacques,” she begged him. “Make me yours again.” Jacques could hold back no further as he drove his engorged cock into her pussy with deep, firm strokes. She cried out his name as he did hers. She moved beat for beat against him, needing to feel his rock hardness within her body. Their intense electrifying passions came in 212

Into Tomorrow rampant bursts. She shook in unison with him as they climaxed in intense wave after wave of ecstatic scorching bliss. Together they stayed wrapped in each other’s arms basking in the afterglow of their love. Much later, they were emerging from cleansing themselves in the pool, when they heard pounding, clanking noises outside the caverns as if someone were hitting the debris with a hard metal object. Brynn and Jacques rushed to put their dusty clothes back on as some of the smaller rocks rolled away from the entrance. Soon voices filtered in. “Brynn, Jacques we’ll have you out of there soon!” Less than an hour later, an opening big enough for them to crawl out of was cleared. The others were there at the entrance to help them. Once they were out, Jamea quickly examined them to make sure they were unharmed. “We survived just fine, doc.” Jacques let out a relieved chuckle. “Just a few bruises, and scrapes.” Brynn glanced back at the cavern. “We’ll have to call the authorities in, Luke. Jacques brother is buried beneath that mess.” “Chrys and Derek already radioed for the Coast Guard.” He moved nearer her, hugging her tightly. “Jamea and I did not come to the caves at first. I showed her some unusual herbs that only bloom at night here on the island. It was after we heard the gunshots that we raced here. Chrys and Derek heard them also. After they radioed for help, they brought equipment down here so we could dig you out. I’m thankful you’re ok.” She hugged him back. “Thanks, Luke.” “I think we had better get you and Jacques up to the main house to get some rest.” Jamea commented. “That sounds wonderful to me.” Brynn said. The others followed her back up to the house. Some minutes after she was alone, she was on her way to take a shower when she heard a small tap on her door. Tightening her robe around her, she opened the door to find Luke. “We need to talk, Brynn.” She motioned for him to enter. “What’s worrying you, Luke?” She was surprised to see her cousin at a loss for words for a few minutes. “Brynn, I am so sorry for what has happened. I never meant for you and Jacques to get hurt. I thought that maybe you could find some happiness with him back in your life.” 213

Into Tomorrow “Luke, I appreciate…” He waved a hand to stall her words. “It’s my fault, all that has happened. That damn brother of Jacques’ wouldn’t have come after you two if I hadn’t leaked it out where we were all going. When I went to Francia and learned about you and him, I thought that maybe you could be happy again. You have never been involved with anyone seriously over the last ten years and….” Brynn stopped his flow of words with her own. “I thank you, Luke. I still love, Jacques. I want to marry him and do as many movies with him as you want.” Surprised, he grinned down at her. “Really?” She nodded. “Inside the caves he asked me to marry him. I agreed. We have to learn to get to know each other again, but it will be thrilling. It will also be good for the film. Don’t you agree?” “With the heat you two produce, yes! I’m so relieved. I think tomorrow we should all go back to Solar City.” After Luke left, she headed once more towards the bathroom. She entered the lavishly decorated area and froze. During the stay here, she had put it out of her mind that the adjoining restroom connected also to Jacques’ bedroom. Ironically, they had never entered the room at the same time during their stay. His eyes were closed and he lay nestled within the heated waters of the sunken tub. She quietly locked the doors to the bathroom, removed her robe and slippers, then went over to the tub. She knelt beside him and stroked his sable hair. His eyes flew open at the gesture and he immediately sat up in the tub. “I was…thinking about us, Brynn. I know we were reaching out to each other in the caverns…We nearly got killed. I shouldn’t have rushed you…I…“ She placed a finger against his lips. “No. I love you, Jacques. I’m tired of denying that to myself. I want to be with you the rest of my life if you’ll still have me.” Jacques let out a cry of relief, pulling her into the tub beside him. “Forever, Brynn. I …just wanted you to be sure.” “Jacques, I still want you for more than just a Midnight Lover. I desire you more now than ever before. Let me just convince you how positive I really am, my love.” She said and then proceeded to do just that. The End 214