The mere idea of never seeing Ria again or, worse, thinking of her forever linked with the guy she called Dirt Bag FitzOsbern, raised his fury to a level he’d never before experienced. He didn’t like it. Not the manic feeling or the thought of her being forever attached to some other guy.
Taking a deep breath, Cam calmed himself, promising to live in the moment or rather to live in the next ten days, soaking up as much time with her as he could. He’d decide what to do about the imposter when the ship returned, and vowed not to worry over that which he didn’t have control anyway.
Cam returned home to find Ria in the kitchen instead of his bedroom. It was a good start to his new stay-out-of-bed plan.
She stood at the breakfast bar sipping what looked like coffee. She looked so beautiful in his shirt, his breath hitched for a second before he entered the room.
Ten days alone with her would be both heaven and hell, but he wouldn’t miss it for anything. “Ria.” Her name caressed his lips as he said it.
“Cam.” She took another sip of coffee and saluted him with her steaming cup. “You have really wonderful coffee here.”
“Better than what you get on Alpha-Prime?”
“Oh, yes. It tastes richer somehow and there are flavors I’ve never heard of before.” She sighed and sipped more. “This one is pumpkin spice. Also, I had something with blueberry in the name.”
“You’ve already had two cups? I didn’t think I’d been gone long enough.”
She giggled. “Actually, this is my third cup since you’ve been gone. I started with something called Rainforest Reserve and, honestly, they are all my favorites.”
“Good. I’m glad you like the variety.” Cam moved to her side and kissed her cheek. Before he could make a coffee for himself, she put her cup down on the counter, turned and kissed him hard on the mouth.
He responded in kind and with enthusiasm for the first thirty seconds, until he remembered her looming arranged marriage and her future fiancé, and broke the kiss, stepping away.
“What’s wrong?” Her lips were delightfully puffy from their ardent lip lock.
“We probably need to stop doing that.” He turned away to grab a mug from a low shelf and started making a cup of coffee, focusing with laser-like precision on his task, as if it was the most important beverage he’d ever make. He didn’t want to say out loud the restriction he’d put on himself for the rest of their time together. Once he told her of his vow not to fall into bed with her again, he’d honor it.
“Why?” she asked in a small voice.
“You know why,” he said softly, turning to show her his resolve.
She stared briefly, then looked away, grabbed her cup and took a deep drink of her steamy beverage. “Because of the arranged marriage, right?”
“Yes. I didn’t know before, but now that I do, the honorable thing is to stop kissing you like I have a right to.”
Ria nodded. “I understand. Maybe you’re right. I don’t like it, of course. But I get it. You’re very nice.”
“Seriously, I’m not that nice.” He made his cup of coffee and they didn’t say anything else about being nice or kissing or the lack of same that was about to be his reality.
Cam changed the subject. “Do you know anyone living here on Earth?”
She shrugged and a mischievous smile shaped her lovely lips. “I know you.”
“I meant before you got here. Was there someone you’d planned to visit after your foray into the karaoke bar? Someone you’d planned to stay with or anything?”
“Nope. I didn’t know a soul before now.” She sent a heated gaze his way before she took another deep sip of coffee. “This is the first time I’ve been here. Even coming to Earth on the ship was a necessary evil, according to my mother. She would never allow me to befriend anyone on a colony planet, before or now. She’s rather snobbish about what I consider our dubious high status. She and Dirt Bag have that in common.”
“Dubious? What does that mean?”
“It means the only reason she is so zealous about having me accept the arranged marriage into this particular Technician family is because she’s broke. My father didn’t leave her as much money as she expected, given the status he managed to obtain. Certainly not enough funds for her to live the expensive cultured life she’d planned. After he was gone, she was certain he gambled all our money away or somehow foolishly lost the bulk of it before he died.”
“Did he?”
She shrugged again. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t have thought so, but he did have a rebellious streak that he only showed on occasion.”
“Guess you came by yours honestly, then.”
“Guess so. Anyway,thatis why my mother is much more excited about this arranged marriage than I am. Basically, I’m being traded away for money.”
