She launched herself in his direction. He caught her in his arms as her legs wound around his waist. She stared deeply into his eyes, lowering her lips slowly to his for a sweet kiss, then another kiss, then a deeper kiss, then another, and another. He was losing his capacity to be honorable with each electric connection their lips made.
He sat down on the foot of the bed, hugged her tight and pushed his face into her neck, stopping the glorious kissing, instead picking up the enticing scent of her perfume. She pressed her lips to his forehead then leaned her cheek against his head. They clutched each other close, as if daring the world to bother this perfect moment, rocking back and forth slightly with the sheer force of their love for each other.
Cam didn’t know how long they stayed that way, but soon enough they both realized and came to understand the reality of their situation. The longshot of ever being able to live together happily ever after was as far out of reach as it had been the moment they met.
Ria whispered, “As soon as the ship docks, I’m going straight to my mother to tell her that I can’t marry Dirt Bag. I’ll do whatever I have to do. Say whatever I have to say to change her mind.”
“I’ll go with you and help convince her.”
Ria pulled away. “No. I’ll go alone. I don’t want her to see you or say bad things to you. And she would. She can be…well, unkind when something isn’t going her way. Even if you were the perfect man, and you are, she’d still put you down, I’m afraid.”
“I don’t care.” Usually the mothers of girls he dated liked him, including Shelly’s mom. He was considered a catch in many Arkansas circles, including Alienn. He was gainfully employed. He had all his hair and all his teeth, a truly big bonus in some circles.
“Well, I care. I don’t want to subject you to her anger. And trust me, she will be furious about this.”
“Because of the money.” Cam had already met Ria’s mother and she was not impressed with him at all. This he knew for a fact. He’d always be a low-life security man in her eyes, tack on truck-stop grease monkey to that assessment and she might kidnap Ria to a far-flung galaxy to keep her away from him out of pure spite.
“Yes. And the prestige of being connected to a Technician’s family even by marriage definitely widens her social reach on Alpha-Prime.”
Cam understood exactly what she meant. He was never someone who pursued money or pretended he had more than he did. However, Shelly had wanted that kind of life, and for a while, he’d tried to give it to her. He was grateful it only took him six months to catch up on his finances once she was out of his life for good. There had been lots of overtime and several odd jobs involved to make that happen, but it had been worth it.
“If I had a bunch of money I’d offer it up, but I don’t. Maybe you should reconsider staying here with me. I’m never going to be able to give you a palace to live in.”
She looked over her shoulder at the spectacular view out the bedroom windows. “I don’t want a palace. I want to live here.” Her stubborn attitude-filled answer made him want to laugh.
“Spiders and all?” he asked.
She frowned. “I’d prefer the spiders lived outside, but yes, I want to live here. I’m even going to add a new item to my list.”
“What’s that?”
“Restore a lake view, fixer-upper cabin in the woods, of course.”
Cam grinned so hard he thought his face might split open. “I’m happy to hear that.”
“Are you?”
He nodded.
“How happy are you?” she asked in a sassy tone. Her gaze fixed on him as she started moving closer. He’d be powerless to stop her if she kissed him or hugged him or pushed him down on the bed.
“I’d have to say I’m very nearly rapturous.”
She gave his shoulders a determined shove. Cam fell backward onto the bed with her cradled in his arms. Once the bed springs stopped squealing and the bouncing ended, they stared at each other, locking equally intense gazes like there was nothing else to worry about. Like the horrid deadline they faced in less than two days didn’t matter. Like the cold, hard separation timeline looming didn’t perpetually threaten to freeze them with a big dose of reality at every turn.
Cam leaned up and kissed her tenderly. She kissed him back with a ferocity he wasn’t expecting, but enjoyed nonetheless. He certainly didn’t curb her desire in the least, although he likely should.
When Ria eventually broke the kiss, they both panted with the delicious effort. He vowed not to go too far, knowing it was an empty pledge. He wasn’t certain his previously proclaimed honor could withstand the raw, emotional and frantic sentiments swelling around them.
His communicator buzzed.
Ria made a face while Cam pulled the noisy device off his belt and answered curtly, “What?”
“It’s me,” Axel said, sounding abrupt himself. “Don’t hang up. I fully understand your current circumstances, but I need you to come to the basement facility immediately. Something has happened.”
“What?” he asked a second time, managing to moderate his tone.
“I’ll explain when you get here. Bring Ria with you.”
