Page 12 of Searching the Skies

She watched him leave before pushing open the door and slipping inside her house. As she made her way up the dark staircase, she decided while she would never be happy about the reason she had returned to Pasurea, spending time with Marcus could at least make her trip more palatable. He had been a good friend to her all those years ago, and she knew from experience there was little more valuable than a trusted ally. Though she hated to admit it, she never knew when she might need one on the planet she’d once abandoned.

Chapter Six

It rarely rained on Pasurea, but when it did, a heavy gray fog settled in, making everything damp and drab and dreary. After a brief ride through the downpour, Geneva was more than happy to curl up in an overstuffed armchair with a glass of wine in front of the fireplace in Marcus’s living room. As expected, Dahlia had been thrilled her daughter wanted to spend more time with the young businessman, whose meticulous work in his father’s company had brought him considerable wealth at an early age. Geneva, though, simply appreciated the chance to escape the confines of her parents’ house.

“Dinner will be ready in about half an hour,” Marcus said as he came in from the kitchen and took a seat across from her. Dressed in a burgundy button-down shirt and a worn pair of jeans, he’d fulfilled his promise of a casual evening.

“I can’t wait,” she answered, smiling.

They chatted about both the past and present, recalling fond memories from their childhood and tracking their passage into the people they had become. Marcus listened to Geneva’s tales of faraway places and she, in turn, found herself wanting to hear him tell of the life that could have been hers. They progressed into the dining room at the scheduled time, and she allowed him to pull out her chair for her. Tender meat from an exotic animal whose name she’d forgotten, succulent fruits, and slices of freshly baked bread formed a delicious meal soldiers on the spaceships could only dream about every evening.

“This was great,” she said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. “You really are an excellent cook.”

“Just one of my many talents.” He stood up and waved a hand at the dishes cluttering the table. “I’ll deal with these later. Come on, I want to hear more about your travels.”

They took their seats in the living room again. Geneva stared into the burning embers, comfortable from a combination of the warmth they emanated and the food and wine she’d consumed. As content as she felt in the moment, talk of her work had steered her thoughts back to the spaceship. Since she considered it her true home, parts of her ached to be back soaring through the stars. While she enjoyed her time spent with Marcus, fitting in with the less-structured atmosphere of civilian life posed a challenge.

“I’m sorry if I made you homesick,” he said softly.

She tore her attention away from the dancing flames, startled by the sound of his voice and how he’d read her mind. “It’s okay. I probably needed a little vacation anyway.”

“From everything you’ve told me, I can tell you work very hard, though I wouldn’t have expected anything less.” He leaned back in his chair. “I can also tell you love it and you can’t wait to get back.”

A pang of guilt knotted in her stomach over the possibility she made him think she didn’t want to be there. “I know the remaining week or so I have left here will fly by. Though I didn’t want it at first, I guess it’s good to slow down and relax a little.” She looked over at him and tried to smile, praying she hadn’t hurt his feelings. “And I’m glad I’ve been able to spend this time catching up with you.”

“As long as you’re happy, Geneva.” He stared down at the rich red liquid in his glass. “You know, I was devastated when you disappeared so abruptly. I know we weren’t as close as we once had been, but I woke up one morning, and you were gone, gone completely from my life.” A long breath passed through his lips. “I almost hated you for it, but then I realized you must have had a reason for leaving. And wherever you were, whatever you were doing, as long as you were happy, then I was happy for you.”

His words to her were honest and pure. For the first time, she realized no matter how far she tried to run, a tiny piece of her would always belong to the home planet for which she had shown so much disdain. She didn’t know whether to thank him, apologize to him, or pretend nothing had ever happened, so they sat in silence for several awkward minutes, wrapped in their own personal reflections and the shadows of the darkening room.

Marcus jumped to his feet, disrupting the nervous tension that had settled around them. “Can I, uh, get you anything else from the kitchen?” he stammered.

Geneva rose from her chair. “Marcus, I…” She struggled to find the right words. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize what a good friend I had here until now. I know we can never make up for lost time, but I’m willing to start over again.”

The light from the flickering fire reflected in his charcoal eyes as he nodded a tacit acknowledgment. She suddenly had the urge to be nearer to him, and she took a step closer. When she slid her arms around his waist, he reciprocated the gesture, resting his chin atop her head. The crisp fabric of his shirt was warm from his body as she leaned her cheek against his chest, the aroma of red wine and expensive cologne mingling at her nose.

As heat bubbled throughout her body, an image of Ash tore through her mind. Not much time had passed since she’d been in another man’s arms, and the vivid memories tugged at her conscience. A jumble of thoughts bounced around her mind, and she struggled to sort through them.Ash was nothing more than a quick fling, a way to blow off some steam. Marcus probably just wants to rekindle our friendship before I leave again. I don’t even have time for anything romantic right now, even if he—

He pulled back and looked down at her, interrupting the storm of confusion. As she met his gaze, she realized she’d misjudged his feelings, as his intentions appeared anything but platonic. Her pulse thudded in her ears and she froze, unsure of how to respond to the hunger in his stare. Forgoing her preference for logical calculations and strategic planning, she closed her eyes and let him take control.

With one finger, he tilted her chin upward and brought his mouth down to meet hers. Geneva felt strange at first as she remembered the boy she once knew, but she soon relaxed into kissing the man he had become. Their lips separated, and she tasted the sweet velvet of his tongue. She no longer thought about past missed opportunities but future possibilities. Her knees grew weak as he kissed her unrelentingly, and she tightened her embrace, unwilling to let him go.

Her eyes were still closed when he pulled away and moved his lips to the edge of her ear. “I could do this all night, but it’s getting late.”

“We’ll just have to start earlier next time.” The words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she cringed when she realized what she’d said.

He laughed and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “You always were so much smarter than me.”

She relinquished her hold on him and sighed. “I suppose I should check in at home. Let me know when you’re ready to entertain company again, though another elaborate meal isn’t necessary.”

“You’re always welcome here,” he said. “But you probably should spend some time with your parents so they don’t go dragging you back here against your will any time soon. I’m not going anywhere, so come over whenever you can.”

Though she was used to being the one in charge, Geneva followed his directions, and it was several days before she returned to him. It seemed like years had passed since she’d left his arms, and thoughts of his warm embrace and his lips upon hers had consumed her mind as she looked forward to their next encounter. Something had been tugging at her conscience, though, and Marcus frowned at her as soon as he opened the door.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, stepping aside to let her enter.

“I’m leaving in a few days.”

“I know.”

---