Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Leonie tried to read her book. She really did.
But her attention kept drifting to wherever Derius was.
The man had an amazing physique. She shifted in the chair a bit as she watched him emerge from the most recent wave, shaking his shoulder length hair, water dripping down his perfectly chiseled abs, leading her eyes to the sculpted Adonis belt.
His swimsuit clung to every inch of his body, outlining his ample endowment in great detail.
She remembered how long and thick his cock was and how it had stretched and filled her.
He’d been an amazing lover, matching her mood as the evening progressed—tender and leisurely or hot and hard, driving the headboard into the wall with the force of their coupling.
But it wasn’t only the physical side of their one night together that left her so broken when he disappeared.
Before she’d invited Soldier up to her room they’d spent hours in the hotel bar talking and she’d had the inescapable sense—although she’d never believed in love at first sight despite the steamy romances she loved to devour—he was her soul mate.
And then to awaken in a cold bed, with all signs of his presence gone and no note, no further word from him…
She shut her eyes against sudden tears. Angry at herself, she sipped the fruity drink and struggled for self control. This was a mistake, letting him talk her into coming down to the beach.
“Hey, are you all right?” a woman asked softly.
“I’m fine. The sun is a bit too bright for me,” she said, opening her eyes.
The other woman stuck her hand out. “I’m Kath, Nikko’s date?
The guy over there in the red trunks?” She pointed and one of the men waved a hand.
“Listen I don’t know what’s going on with you and Derius but I’m glad to see you made it to the beach.
It’s a pity to waste all this glorious private beach. ”
“I was working,” Leonie said a bit stiffly. “I’m an independent management consultant.”
“Sounds interesting,” Kath sat in the sand at the foot of the chair.
“I’m a dentist myself and the other girls in our group do a variety of things.
We decided Fern had the best job—she works in the trideo industry and her last gig was a blockbuster action thriller with Kev Stevens.
Nikko is pretty built and drop-dead handsome like all these Ardannans seem to be but still I can swoon over an action star, right?
” She pointed at Leonie’s book. “I’ve read that one—no spoilers but it’s really good.
And did you know there’s a sequel now too?
I heard it might even be made into a trideo. ”
Leonie allowed herself to be drawn into a conversation because Kath was so friendly and it was against her own nature both personally and professionally to be rude.
Her problem with Derius didn’t involve anyone but the two of them.
Eventually the other girls gravitated to them and they were talking about their plans for the evening and the next few days, with a lot of laughter and blushing.
Nikko bought them all a round of the resort’s special feelgoods with the absurd decorative touches but didn’t stay once he’d delivered them.
She had to admit he was good looking but in her eyes Derius was head and shoulders above any of these other men.
She played with the mermaid olive pick in her second feelgood and realized she was relaxed and content at the moment.
Derius hadn’t hovered or tried to bring up their last disastrous encounter and in her life she rarely had time to sit and talk with any girlfriends.
In fact, she could probably count on one hand how many true friends she had left from her days at college or even her first job at one of the Sectors’ huge consulting firms. A lot of useful contacts and networking names but actual friends?
People to sit and talk about books and trideos with?
Yeah, none.
“So tomorrow we’re going to check out all the neat shops on the strand,” Kath said to Leonie. “We were hoping you’d be free to join us. Girls’ lunch at the cozy little bistro near the hotel. The guys are going spearfishing.”
“Which none of us thought sounded appealing,” Fern chimed in. “I can snorkel but I’m not going hunting for eels or fish with big teeth.” She shivered. “Not on my vacation.”
“The hotel did say the chef would cook the catch, if there’s enough,” another girl said. “A special dinner for us.” She leaned closer. “I think the guys like the idea of personally providing our food. Sort of cavemanlike but in a good way.”
Everyone laughed, including Leonie. Her mood was more light hearted and she readily agreed to go shopping and have lunch with the group tomorrow. They were a congenial group of women and the idea of another entire day alone in the hotel was depressing.
The guys got a beach volleyball game going and Nikko sat out, insisting Derius had to play since he’d missed the morning game.
Leonie couldn’t help watching the lively game even though she pretended to read her book anytime Derius glanced her way.
Nikko brought her another drink and sat next to her chair drinking his own feelgood.
“He’s a genuinely good guy, you know,” Nikko said after Derius made a spectacular save in a spray of sand.
Instantly annoyed, she set her drink down with a click. “Did he put you up to this? Because it isn’t going to work, having his friends plead his case.”
“He’d probably take me out and feed me to the fishes if he knew I’d said anything,” Nikko answered, not abashed in the least. “You know we all served together, right?”
“I gathered that.” She was wary, not sure where this conversation was going.
“Our last deployment…didn’t go well. Lost a couple of really good guys.
Derius blamed himself but we almost lost him too.
He saved my life and got caught in a blast. He coded twice on the med evac shuttle.
Spent a year in the military hospital before he finally came back to being himself.
” Nikko gave her a look. “He talked about his ‘Lady’ when he was out of his head for most of that year, drugged out and what not. I think he wanted to find you but obviously that was impossible. Now he’s retired on medical disability, managing the King’s fisheries on Ardanna Prime and running a couple of his family’s businesses on the side.
” He rose and stared down at her with his face set in stern lines.
“Whatever happened between the two of you in the hotel room on Ballenger Two I’d take it as a personal favor if you’d let him apologize, explain himself, and get closure. ”
Before she could frame a response, Nikko gave her a chin lift and walked away.
Upset, emotions bouncing between irritated, sad about what Derius had suffered and confusion about what she wanted to happen between them on Resort Planet, she hastily shoved her things in her carryall, got up and left the beach.
Nikko’s explanation gave her context for the PTSD episode she’d helped Derius get through the night before and she was glad she’d gone to help him.
She could hardly see for the tears as she rushed toward the hotel.
Her only thought was to get safely inside her room and shut the door before she had to face Derius.
Footsteps sounded behind her and a big hand caught her above the elbow. She swung around to see Derius. He released her immediately and stepped back a bit. “What did he say to you?” he demanded to know. “I told them not to pester you.”
She shook her head. “It’s all right. He was fine. I have a headache from all the sun on the water. Go back to your game, I’ll take a headclear inject when I get to the room and sleep the headache off. You should go with them to dinner and whatever the plan is for the evening.”
He studied her face with a dubious expression but didn’t make any move to stop her as she walked away.
Leonie stayed in her room the next morning until Derius left to go on his spearfishing expedition.
Then she got dressed, ate what he’d ordered for her from room service and went downstairs to join the other women.
They had a fun morning exploring all the many shops.
Leonie moved around so much on her various consulting jobs that she didn’t bother keeping a home on any one planet so she was resistant to knickknacks and souvenirs but she did buy a tiny undersea diorama that appealed to her strongly.
She could visualize Derius swimming through it, which was embarrassing but she bought it nonetheless and tucked it away in her bag.
The clothing stores were of more interest to her and she bought a couple of items which the store promised to send to her hotel.
At the last stop, a trendy store which sold clothes for going clubbing, she found herself trying on a sparkly little black dress.
It seemed designed specifically to accentuate her curves and put her in a daring, flirty, outgoing mood.
“You should definitely buy that one,” Kath told her as she hesitated in front of the triple mirrors. “We’re going out tonight in fact so you could wear it.”
“You’ll need shoes to match,” Fern enthused. “I saw a perfect pair over here. I’ll go grab them for you. What size do you wear?”
“I’m not Derius’s date,” Leonie said firmly, although it took a lot of control to say it. “I don’t need a dress. Or shoes.”
“But you’re going to go out with us tonight, aren’t you?” Kath said, raising her eyebrows.
Before Leonie could answer Kath’s com chimed and she read the message and laughed.
“Nikko says they’re headed back and they caught the legal limit.
Oh my gosh and check out the fish Derius bagged.
” She flipped on the holo app and a grinning Derius in miniature appeared in the space between the girls, next to a giant fish. “Nikko says ‘fish dinner is on.’ “