“Since we’ve got some time to kill, fourteen minutes to be exact, I’m going to kiss you senseless.”
Gemma laughed. “Do you really think that’s wise?”
“That’s what I was trying to tell you earlier when you were climbing all over me, yanking off my pants while I was chained to the floor.”
She stiffened suddenly, and Cal immediately realized his mistake. “I’m so sorry, honey,” he said, pulling her closer. “I didn’t mean that. I know it wasn’t you.”
Before she could stop them, tears welled in her eyes. They’d been through so much together in such a short time. Now that they had a moment to catch their breath, she could experience the pain the earlier scene had caused her.
“I hated seeing her with her hands all over you. Hated seeing you kissing her, holding her.”
“Shh,” Cal whispered, brushing away her tears. “You’ll never know how sorry I am to have caused you that pain. I realized it wasn’t you, but I should have been quicker. I just wanted it to be you so bad. I was so worried you were being hurt, and I was so relieved when you appeared.”
“You thought I was her.” Gemma knew that the illusion had had him in its grips, but it still stung that he hadn’t known instantly.
“Not for long.” Cal kissed her gently. “She didn’t arouse me, regardless of how brazenly she was trying to seduce me. I didn’t want her. And when I listened to what she was saying, when I saw how she was acting, I knew for sure that it wasn’t you.”
Gemma gave him a small but watery smile. His words were helping, but the pain still lingered. It was something they’d have to deal with for the rest of their time together.
But how long is that time?She realized in that moment that she had no idea what came next. She was the Guardian, bound to fight on the side of Light in the Battle of the End. The Vartiks would fight at her side. But would that make Cal only a fellow soldier, or would he be more?
He’d told her that he had responsibilities as an heir to the Vartik throne, and she had a pretty good idea of what he’d meant. It was clear that he cared for her, but that didn’t necessarily mean they’d be together in the same way once they left Mars.
Fear of the unknown filled her, making her stomach roil and her chest tighten. She couldn’t keep the emotion from spilling onto her face.
“Hey,” Cal said softly. “I’m so so sorry, darling. I truly am. I’ll never forgive myself for what happened.”
Gemma pulled herself back, trying to face the reality of a romance that was over almost as quickly as it had begun. “That’s kind of you,” she said gently. “But I understand. We looked exactly alike, and we really haven’t known each other that long. I can’t blame you for making an honest mistake.”
Cal’s eyes narrowed. “Oh no,” he said, pulling her close again. “You don’t get to pull away from me now. What I did was deplorable. I’m an asshole. I don’t know how I didn’t realize immediately that you’d been replaced by a monster. That my sweet, brave darling wouldn’t say or do those things. You could hate me until the end of my days and I wouldn’t blame you. Although I hope you won’t hate me because I’ve got plans for us.”
“Plans?” she asked, a shred of hope letting the light into her heart again.
“Sure,” he said, pressing her cheek to his. “I plan to marry you the moment we set foot on Vartik. I’d marry you on the ship, but every bride deserves a gown, not that shapeless uniform you’re wearing now.”
Gemma’s face collapsed into tears. “Marry me?”
“Oh, my sweet girl,” he said, holding her tenderly. “Of course, I’m going to marry you. You’re my mate, and I won’t be separated from you. I love you too much to bear it.”
“You love me?”
Cal gave her a gentle smile. “More than I’ve ever loved anyone. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. You mean everything to me, and if I lost you, I wouldn’t go on living. It would be the end for both of us.”
His words melted the fear inside her, brushed away the resentment until all she could feel was an answering love in her heart.
This time when he kissed her, she didn’t pull away. She let his love wash over her like a ray of sunshine on a cold day. It pervaded her entire being until all she could feel was the warmth of his love, filling her up with what she’d always been missing.
“I love you,” she whispered against his lips, and he smiled.
“Say it again,” he commanded.
“I love you, Ian Fleming, Calabez Vartik, or whatever other names you have. I love you now and forever. And if these Seekers think they’ll ever tear us apart, they’ll quickly find out how wrong they are.”
Cal laughed. “I love your passion. Let’s put it to good use. By my calculations, we’ve got a little less than ten minutes left.”
Gemma’s eyes widened, but she didn’t protest when he laid her down. She needed this closeness, this connection, so soon after the revelation of their feelings for each other. She did not resist when he gently removed her clothing, then his own, and climbed between her thighs.
“I love you,” he murmured, kissing her with such aching tenderness that she thought she would expire from the sheer joy of it.
