Chapter 20
They lie in bed, sweat soaked from another long night of lovemaking. Neither of them could stop touching the other. She sighed, feeling completely boneless.
“I don’t think I could move an inch,” she told him.
“I have done my duty,” he teased.
She punched him lovingly in the side. Over their time together CristOF had opened up to her more and more, and she found that he had a wicked sense of humor. He used that sense of humor to keep her on her toes. Looking up she saw that his expression had turned pensive.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I was just thinking that I would love to have a day or two in the jungle.”
“It must be hard on you to stay for so long in the city when you’re used to the freedom of the jungle,” she said.
“It’s been easier and easier especially having you with me. However, I do feel the pull of the open sky—even the urge to hunt pulls at me.”
“You should go. There’s no need to stay here if it makes you unhappy.”
He frowned down at her. “Do you want me to leave?”
“I want you to be happy.”
“Would you come with me?”
She bit her lip. It wasn’t the first time that he had asked her to come with him to the jungle. Tera hesitated because she felt that she would be just as much out of place there as he was out of place in the city.
“Maybe. I have to wait until after I get the orphans settled with their foster families and make sure that the schools are working properly.”
“After that?”
“I would be willing to go there for a time.”
“We can live in both locations. During the warmer seasons we could go to the jungle cabin that belonged to my grandparents and the cooler seasons we could live near the city so that you can help out with the schools.”
Tera looked away pondering the idea. She liked the idea of splitting their time between both locations and thought it could work for both of them. It would be a compromise and all successful relationships had compromises but…
He cupped her face, turning her toward him. “There’s another reason you don’t want to leave the city, isn’t there?” he asked already knowing her so well.
Nodding, she said, “I feel like if I stay and work hard that I might be able to convince Prime Leader KadEN to allow my family to come. I just...I miss them so much. After what happened with the rebels and almost losing you, I realized how precious life is. Can you understand?”
Bending down to kiss her lips gently, he whispered, “It will all work out, my love. You’ll see.”
Two months later
Tera stood on the open field where shuttles were landing. CristOF was next to her, with his big strong hand on the small of her back. He made her feel protected and wanted. All the good things a woman wants to feel. He had been by her side, helping her with getting the classrooms ready, making love to her every night. He would hold her and whisper words so soft her translator couldn’t pick them up but she knew they were words from his heart.
“All your hard work is paying off,” he said next to her.
“I hope so.”
She watched as the foster families stood on the field, holding up welcoming signs, stuffed bears and presents. They anxiously awaited the arrival of the children from Earth. Everything she had worked so hard for was coming true. She was helping to create families.
She had gone to Katiera last month to help the transition with the first arrival of the orphan children. CristOF had gone with her though she had told him he didn’t have to, but he insisted on it. Everything went quite well and now she was back on Kiljor to assist with the transition of the next group of orphans. CristOF was once my by her side giving encouragement and helping in any way that he could. The whole thing only helped to improve their relationship.
They had spent a lot of time together talking, taking walks and making love. He listened to her and asked questions really caring what she thought or how she felt. The one subject that was tense between them was in regards to where she would like to live. Just last night they had touched once more on the subject.
CristOF had told her it would all work out without demanding anything of her. He was so patient and gentle and understanding—the man she always dreamed of but more importantly the type of man she always needed. She realized that it didn’t matter where they lived, as long as they were together. She couldn’t be without him.
