Pretty Snake #3
Severino pulled away from the other man and extended a welcoming hand in their direction. “Welcome to our humble cidade.” He gestured to the man at his side. “May I introduce our site manager, Joaquim de Silva.”
Joaquim extended a hand to Cornelius first. Also in English, he said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, thank you for coming all this way.”
Joaquim’s handshake was warm, and his grip strong.
He was a whip thin man, the same height as Cornelius and surprisingly close in age.
From the way Severino talked about him, he expected an older and wiser man.
He had a statuesque nose, dark sun-wrought skin, and slicked back dark hair that curled around his ears.
He hadn’t shaved in a couple days, which only amplified his handsome ruggedness.
He wore trousers and shirtsleeves, both of which had been worn already a few times, and his scuffed knee high leather boots fascinated Cornelius.
He carried himself in a way that suggested he knew how handsome he was, but didn’t give two shits about it.
“It’s an honor, Senhor de Silva,” Cornelius said, a little dazed.
“Please, call me Joaquim. And you are?”
“Cornelius. Thank you.”
“Of course, of course.” Joaquim nodded, shaking Watt's hand next. “You will find we are an unconventional bunch here.”
“Sounds like we’re in the right place, then. Watt, if you please,” Watt said, shaking Joaquim’s hand with that genial, good ol’ boy smile Cornelius hadn’t seen in some time.
Joaquim smiled, revealing crooked teeth and genuine feeling. He shook Ant?nio's hand next. “And Ant?nio, is it? Welcome, we could always use an extra hand. Lots to do.”
“Thank you for having me,” Ant?nio said, his voice low.
“Come, let’s introduce you all to the rest of the herd.”
Dr. Charles Rowland was exceptionally fit for an older gentleman, a botanist of Irish origins with the shocking red hair and beard to prove it, albeit touched with white. He hailed from NYU, same as most of the other foreign scientists, while Joaquim and his team were from S?o Paulo University.
Thomas Anderson had changed since Cornelius saw him last. His fair skin was flush with sun, creased by age and years in the field, and his hair was thin wisps of blond.
He wore glasses now, something Cornelius had always pestered him to do.
Nearly twenty years his senior, Thomas hadn’t worked as many digs as Cornelius had, but he’d put in the years at the sites he had worked.
He’d been stuck at Ur for the past eight years, and Cornelius thought his presence being drawn to a new project was a good sign of things to come.
He was, in Cornelius’ opinion, one of the good ones.
Anderson pulled Cornelius in for a hug, which surprised him.
Their previous relationship had been pleasant, but nothing extraordinary.
The last time they’d seen each other, Thomas had just learned one of Cornelius’ greatest secrets, thanks to Andrea Carmine.
And now they were all together once again.
Cornelius thought he’d been prepared, but nothing could’ve prepared him for this.
The air had been tense and awkward before, but now it resonated with pleasant warmth.
Anderson pulled back and said, “It’s good to see you, old boy. ”
Cornelius readjusted his glasses, cheeks flushed. “It’s good to see you too, Dr. Anderson.”
Anderson grinned, arms wide with feeling. “Please, you heard the man. First name basis around here.”
Cornelius smiled, unsure where it came from or how to stop. “It’s good to see you, Thomas. I’d like you to meet my colleagues, Watt and Ant?nio.”
Greetings were exchanged, and Watt was as warm and genuine with Thomas as the older man was him.
Watt’s smile was tired but easy, and his shoulders were temporarily loose with relief.
It soothed a part of Cornelius that he couldn’t describe, seeing them together.
Bridging the good parts of his life, perhaps.
The interns were next, all archaeology students from S?o Paulo.
Benedito, a slight man with a nervous smile, was outnumbered by three women.
Terezinna, Ana, and Nair. Cornelius took an immediate liking to Terezinna, she walked with swagger and shook hands easily but with a sure grip.
Her soft brown eyes were bright with interest, and Cornelius didn’t miss the way they flicked sideways to a breathtaking woman that could only be Francesca Carmine.
Cornelius hadn’t ever met Francesca, but her resemblance to Andrea was striking.
They shared dusky brown skin and jet black hair that shone in the sunlight, although hers was cut into a blunt bob which complimented the strong curve of her jaw.
The geologist wore high-waisted trousers which complimented her thick curves, and they were tucked into knee high leather boots.
Cornelius got the sense the shirtsleeves she wore were her brother's, he was a big man but it fit her near perfect. When she shook Cornelius’ hand with a tight grip and stared deep into his eyes, he knew that she knew everything.
He couldn’t say how, but certainty settled into his gut like curdled steel.
“Dr. Sawyer,” Francesca said, her Italian accent smokier than the cigarette pinched between her painted lips. Her makeup was minimal, thin black eyeliner that flicked at the corners and brick red lipstick, but it was more than enough to knock anyone dead. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“And I’d love to learn half as much about you,” Cornelius replied. “I have a feeling you’re the more interesting Carmine of the two.”
Francesca raised a thin brow, and her lips curved around the cigarette.
Her brother cut in, thrusting his hand in Cornelius’ direction.
Begrudgingly, Cornelius shook the all encompassing hand he used to know oh so intimately.
As the younger of the two, Andrea’s accent was far more American than his sister’s, but the Italian side still slipped out every now and again.
Like now, when he was attempting to be coy.
“Ah, Cornelius. How good it is to see you again.”
Their eyes clashed, and Cornelius’ fingers tightened around Andrea’s.
Cornelius had sworn that the next time he saw this man he'd knock him out cold, not shake his hand.
He'd thought he was ready for this, but evidently not.
The only thing that held at him at bay was his mission, and his respect for his companions.
Cornelius smiled, baring his teeth. “Dr. Carmine.”
Andrea’s maple brown eyes creased at the edges, and the smile that overtook him was wolfish in nature.
Andrea was a big man, with a thick chest and thighs for days.
His face was all angles though, hard and beautiful in the way marble was.
He was clean shaven, and the well defined muscles in his throat were taut with tension.
Cornelius had once thought him one of the most beautiful men alive, second only to Watt.
But now the sight of him only made him nauseous.
Like a pretty snake.
Watt made a noise, almost like a cough. It was enough to break the moment, and when Andrea saw Watt he practically beamed.
He tossed Cornelius’ hand aside, brushing past him to reach Watt.
“Ah, Walter, I’m so glad to see you!” He shook Watt’s hand, then pulled him in for a hug and slapped him on the back in the way old friends did.
Andrea was fluid in the motion, while Watt was rigid in returning the embrace.
“Andrea. It’s good to see you,” Watt said, each word more stilted than the last.
“It’s been far too long, we must catch up. I want to hear everything,” Andrea said, and the damn bastard seemed like he meant it.
But he’d seemed pretty genuine when he promised not to tell anyone Cornelius’ secret, either. They’d have a talk before the night was out, that was for damn sure.