Terraformed Skies

by Anna Lewis

  Kathy’s stomach growled and she blushed with a smile, making her way to the little gas station diner, “I can’t lie– I’m starving.”

  Alex chuckled with a smile, “Well, we’d better fix that.” Alex went to order the food and Kathy slid into a booth, leaning back against the fake leather seats. She had almost started to doze as she leaned back, exhaustion working its way into her bones– Alex arrived just in time, holding two cups of coffee. He handed one to her and smiled, “Dinner’s on its way.”

  “Thanks.” Kathy smiled and sipped the coffee. It tasted fantastic after the afternoon she had just had. She knew that, usually, it would taste terrible, but right now, she just didn’t notice, more than happy to sit and sip coffee and contemplate everything that had happened.

  When dinner arrived, they both wasted no time in starting. It was delicious, even if it was greasy gas station food, and Kathy wouldn’t have it any other way.

  She checked her phone, smiling when she realized there was a connection. She quickly texted her mom, letting her know that they were safe and would be a few hours late.

  Alex looked at her with a curious expression and Kathy smiled in response, “Just texting my mom and letting her know we’re safe.”

  Alex’s expression started to close off, but Kathy didn’t really notice, far too pleased that the bike was up and running and that things were so much better between them. Warm food and coffee had pepped her up and she wanted to share her happiness, “Mom’s really excited for the anniversary celebration, so I didn’t want her worrying about us not being able to make it.”

  She smiled and looked at Alex. His expression had turned to quiet thunder, closed off from Kathy. It was like the first time they met– malice and dark flashes in his eyes. Nothing remained of their pleasant chatter and comfortable silence. Even less remained of their intimacy and Kathy felt bewildered.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “What do you think?” Alex glared at her.

  “If I knew then I wouldn’t be asking.” Kathy found herself snapping back.

  He sighed and shook his head, face like thunder as he threw down the cash for the meal and stood up, and “Meet me at my bike.” He all but spat, turning and leaving on his heels, leaving her feeling confused and bewildered.

  She sat for a while, just staring into her finished cup of coffee and wondered what she had done to offend him so badly. Even if he hated the union between their parents, there was no way to treat her like that just for mentioning her mother. She couldn’t think of anything else that she had done, or said that could have been so wrong.

  Tired and aching and wondering why she was even trying. Kathy pushed herself to her feet, swallowing deeply as she headed out of the little restaurant and to the bike, where Alex waited. She saw him double and triple check the fuel, before he jammed on his helmet and revved the engine. Kathy climbed onto the bike, her own helmet on. She grabbed the back of the bike really tightly to avoid having to hold onto him, and they sped into the night.

  It was pitch back by the time they arrived at her mother’s place and they entered without a word to each other. Kathy made up an excuse about being tired, smiled, said goodnight and hurried to the guest bedroom that used to be hers.

  She changed, curled up on the bed, and tried to fall asleep. The day kept playing in her mind, over and over, on repeat until she felt sick. Hurt swirled around in her chest, the way he had treated her made her want to cry. She tried to hold in the tears as she rested her head on her pillow.

  He wasn’t worth her tears. And yet she couldn’t understand how everything had changed so quickly, had been so right and then so wrong within a blink of an eye. Everything had been going well. And though she didn’t want to admit it to herself, she was starting to fall for him, strong, electric and so passionate in intimate moments.

  She wiped away the tears and tried to forget about him, forget about the whole ordeal. Alex was bad news, and Kathy had thought that she was so much smarter than this.

  Apparently she was wrong.

  ***

  When Kathy woke up the following morning, she could not remember falling asleep. She decided that she must have drifted off somewhere amongst her musings, so she stretched, checked the time and was relieved to see that she had enough time to shower and change before the celebration.

  She made her way to the bathroom, happy that it was free. She slipped into the room, locked the door and turned on the spray. She washed every inch of her body, feeling so much better for it, for the way the water caressed her skin and warmed her body, easing her aches. She shampooed her hair and scrubbed her skin, letting the conditioner soak in as the water ran over her skin and soaked into her muscles.

  She stayed in as long as she dared, before rinsing it all off her skin and hair and stepping out, wrapping herself up in a warm towel. After toweling off and drying her hair, Kathy rubbed some lotion into her skin and combed her hair out. Slipping into a robe, she smiled, starting to feel a little better after yesterday.

  Her heart still ached, a deep, dull throb within her chest. She sighed, but was determined not to ruin this for her mother. Instead, she made her way back to the bedroom and styled her hair, drying it into pretty curls. It wasn’t a formal affair, but neat-casual was recommended, so she slipped into the dress she had brought. It was a simple little number, but it came just above her knees and looked gorgeous when paired with her heels.

  She put on some simple make up and perfume and fixed her hair with some spray. Fixing a smile on her face, Kathy gathered her courage and made her way down the stairs to where her mother and Joe would be waiting.

  They didn’t disappoint, but to her relief, Alex was nowhere to be seen. On the car ride to the venue, June told her that he had opted to go on his bike. Kathy wasn’t complaining, not one bit. Instead, she smiled and complimented her mother, who looked gorgeous. A long dress in a pale, silky fabric that really brought out her eyes. She looked stunning and Joe couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

  It made Kathy’s heartache seem silly in comparison. If Alex was going to act like a child, then she wanted nothing to do with his tantrums. She tried to convince herself that she meant that– really meant it, even when her heart ached with a quiet sort of sorrow that she could not seem to shake.

  June and Joe had hired a little hall and done it up beautifully, with catering and music and lovely seating arrangement, décor that looked really elegant. Kathy smiled, thrilling at the sight. It all looked so lovely and it reminded her of the wedding. It was lovely and she was so glad to see them happy and surrounded by those who cared about them.

  She left them to have fun with each other and their guests and purposefully tried to avoid meeting Alex, if he even bothered to show up. She was in no mood to deal with him today, or ever again. She was not about to go crawling back to him after how he had acted. She wasn’t going to apologize when she had done nothing wrong.

  The first portion of the celebration was passed by aimlessly wondering around, wondering if she was going to bump into Alex or not, and nibbling on the platters. She had some wine, sipping on it as she wandered around.

  It didn’t take her long to find her name card and she sunk down at her place, waiting for the celebration speeches to commence. She was tired of waiting around, and wanted this to be over with as quickly as possible. As much as she adored her mother, she was starting to get tired of this whole trip.

  The sooner she could get home, the better. It didn’t take long for the speeches to start and Kathy was quietly grateful that she wasn’t making one. She had enough on her mind right now. When Alex sunk into the chair next to her, Kathy thought she was going to scream.

  She glanced at the name tag, her stomach dropping. She hadn’t checked who was sitting next to her and it seems her mom had seated them together. He didn’t make eye contact and neither did she.

  They sat through speeches and cheering and music, Kathy staring everywhere but Alex. Still, she couldn’t deny that he cleaned
up nicely. It was no wonder she hadn’t recognized him. He was in neat pants and a button down shirt. Sure, the collar was open and the sleeves were rolled up, but it was something.

  Butterflies stirred in her stomach at the sight of him and she tried to quieten her racing thoughts. He was a bastard. He was trouble. She wasn’t going to start this up again. When the music ended and the food was being served, Kathy no longer had an excuse to directly ignore him.

  Still, she would be civil and nothing more. She had been burnt by this man before and she was in no mood to have it happen again. But when she glanced at him, there was no anger in his eyes. He didn’t look like she expect him to. There was none of the anger, or malice that seemed to govern him when he wasn’t on his bike. Instead, he looked sad.

  There was no other way of putting it. He looked deeply sad, like his whole world was ending, even though his eyes were dry. The walls that Kathy had hastily pulled up tumbled down and she rested a hand on his arm.

  Alex glanced at her, his expression hardening, “Yeah?”

  Kathy paid it no mind, “You okay?” Her voice was soft and quiet, sincere. Alex sensed this and glanced away, shrugging.

  “You really don’t like their marriage, do you?” There was no accusation or anger in her voice now, just her own brand of quiet sadness.

  He shrugged again, not looking at her, staring out onto the dance floor instead.

  “I’m sorry you don’t think we’re good enough.” Kathy sighed, making to stand up. She didn’t want to do this anymore. It was clear he wasn’t interested in even talking to her.

  So when he spoke, it was a surprise, “Your mom seems nice enough.”

  Kathy sat down slowly again, just making a point to listen. He continued, “She makes him happy and all.” His eyes darkened, “Moved on pretty quick, didn’t he?”

  Realization struck and Kathy looked at him softly, “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged again, “Not your fault. Not June’s either. Shit happens.”

  Kathy nodded again, “I’m sorry about your mom.” The dots had connected now, and she had a vague recollection of Joe saying his wife had passed away. She wished she had paid more attention when it had mattered.

  He smiled a little bit, “Yeah. She would have wanted this.” He snorted, “Would have wanted the bastard to move on.” He sighed and leaned back into his chair.

  “Thank you for telling me.” Kathy smiled a little, her heart feeling lighter, if a bit hesitant. He didn’t hate her and she found herself overwhelmingly glad for that, relieved that he didn’t feel animosity towards her.

  He shrugged, “It’s fine.” He paused and glanced at her, “Sorry.” She almost didn’t catch it, but the word made her own heart feel even lighter. Yeah, he had acted like a jerk, but he had his reasons.

  “It’s fine.” She answered with a smile.

  He returned her smile and suddenly Kathy’s heart was fluttering again, and the longing for him that she had managed to suppress for so long started to build back up inside her. She was hopeful that maybe, just maybe, things would work out between them.

  She looked towards the dance floor where her mother and Joe were dancing and a smile lit up her eyes. When she glanced back, Alex was still looking at her and when their eyes met the flash of electricity passed between them again, just like it had the first time they met.

  A slow smirk grew on Alex’s face and he stood up. She watched him move with a growing longing inside her. The way he moved, the way he looked at her, the way he had touched her. She felt like she was alight with desires and emotions that she had never experienced, at least, not fully.

  She grabbed his hand, tugging him to the side. He followed, clearly confused. She wanted a quiet corner. The need to kiss him, to feel him, was overwhelming, and she didn’t think her mother would appreciate her doing it right at the table. Alex smirked as he caught on, and he led her into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind himself. He turned to face Kathy and her heart caught in her throat.

  He smirked, grabbed her tight and kissed her right there and then.

  Alex’s hands tangled in her hair as they kissed. It was passionate, it was hard, it was everything that it had been the first time, and so, so much more. He held her against him and she could feel his tense muscles as if he wasn’t wearing a shirt at all. He pressed her against the wall and Kathy let him. She groaned and squirmed beneath him, her hands finding the buttons on his shirt.

  She slowly managed to undo a few opening up and revealing his chest, broad and strong, revealing the toned muscles and the way warmth made its way from his skin to hers. She pulled him in closer as their tongues met. Kathy grabbed him, holding him tighter and harder, pulling him closer.

  Alex groaned, moving so that he could brush the hem of her dress. She shifted in return, moving so that he could grasp the hem and tug it up. She thrilled at the brush of air against her thighs, the way he did it without a second thought.

  Flames of desire were already dancing up her skin, warming her to her core and flashing between her legs, a deep heat that burned her from within. She needed this so deeply. She needed him so much more than she had realized. His touch set her on fire. It was electric, it was all consuming, and it was perfect.

  And this was glorious. It sent shivers down her spine. Making love in the bathroom, at her mother’s anniversary party, with none other than her step brother, pressed against the wall as they grabbed each other. She shivered. So wrong.

  But she could see the thrill. And more than that, she didn’t want to wait, not for Alex. Alex was all she wanted right now, and she was sick of being sedate, sick of playing nice and being good and never living. Alex was the wake-up call she needed and she was never going back.

  He pushed against her and Kathy started grinding against him in response, feeling his arousal through his jeans. He moaned, his hands teasing the lace of her panties, pulling them firmly down her legs. She moaned as the air hit her skin, the burning heat only getting more intense.

  She shimmied out of her panties and let them fall to the floor. His fingers found their mark easily, brushing against her thighs, making their way up to the space between. When he pushed them within her, it took everything in Kathy not to make a sound. She bit her lip and leaned against the wall. She moaned and rocked her hips in needful little motions. She gasped and grabbed him so hard that she thought she might bruise her skin. She twisted his undone shirt in her hands, tightly, to keep herself feeling steady and upright.

  He sucked her skin, kissed her neck and made her moan with passion and desire. His fingers pushed further inside her, rocking to a rhythm that made her writhe against him, feel the waves of pleasure building up within her and threatening to blow her mind. Perfection, lust and oh so good. He felt oh so good.

  When he withdrew his fingers, Kathy wasted no time grabbing the front of his pants and undoing the buckles and zips, tugging them down enough to grab his member and begin to stroke it. He groaned this time, bracing himself against the wall.

  It only took a few moments of her pressing in, kissing passionately and stroking him, before he grabbed her and lifted her, pushing her against the wall. He held all her weight in his arms as if she weighed nothing at all, shifting so that his length pushed against her entrance, so that she gasped when he slowly slipped inside her.

  Then he thrusted deeply and Kathy couldn’t think straight. She grabbed him as he thrusted deeply within her, low groans and gasps escaping them both as they rocked in a passionate rhythm. Her hands were twisted so tightly in his shirt, in his hair, and he was holding her so perfectly. She shifted her hips so that the delicious rubbing brushed against her sensitivity and she gasped.

  Waves of pleasure lingered at the corners of her mind, threatening to overwhelm her. It was blissful, it was sexy, and it was everything that Kathy had never imagined herself doing, never imagined herself being. And it was incredible.

  When her climax crashed over her, it was overwhelming. It was breathtaki
ng and gorgeous and it made her shudder and gasp and try not to make too much noise as she held on tight, feeling every second of bliss. Alex climaxed soon after, groaning as he thrusted deeply within her, shuddering and leaning deeply against the wall, Kathy still in his arms as they rode out the waves of pleasure together, unable to do much more than hold on tight and take in deep, shaky breaths.

  Kathy’s head was spinning and, when he slowly lowered her to her feet, Alex looked just as breathless as she felt. She pulled down her dress and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth it out. Alex did up his shirt, and pants and grinned.

  The next thing Kathy knew, she was back in his arms and he was kissing her, tenderly this time, soft and lingering. It made her shiver.

  “Let’s go back to the party.” He smiled and as he made to exit the room, he offered her his hand.

  With a smile, Kathy took it.

  THE END

  = Bonus Book 5 of 16 =

  Between Dragons Fire

  The first thing Amaya Bond noticed when she regained consciousness was not the cold night air, the tightness of the silver cords that bound her wrists, nor the rough stone that dug into her back.

  It was the wings.

  The sound of leathery wings beating somewhere overhead, close enough and large enough to be heard over the city sounds that echoed up from the busy Manhattan streets over a thousand feet below.

  Craning her head back as far as she could, Amaya tried to scan the night sky for the source of the sound to see if she could draw some logical conclusion as to why it seemed like a giant bat was swooping low over New York City. Her efforts were rewarded by a sharp burst of pain as her head collided with solid stone back of the chair.

  Why was there a roughly hewn stone chair on the spacious rooftop patio of her father’s chic Manhattan skyscraper? Amaya had designed the décor of the patio herself, and she definitely didn’t remember adding an ugly granite monstrosity to the final design.