by Daya Daniels
“Sir, can I please talk to you privately, when you have a moment?”
Commander Drago waved me away. “Luke, we have a debrief in an hour. Then I need you and Archer to assemble a team to head out to the Zeta galaxy.”
I was moving further away from Earth…from Evie. Fuck.
I followed Commander Drago back to his deck. “Sir, I was wondering when I would be able to return to Earth?” I asked trying to mask my impatient tone.
Commander Drago groaned. “Luke, I don’t know. It is with the Council and out of my hands.”
I took a shallow breath, flexing my fingers at my sides.
“Is everything okay, Luke?”
I squeezed my eyes shut, giving him a quick nod.
“Good. We have more important matters to handle here, Luke,” Commander Drago said firmly.
“Yes, sir.”
Evie
I awoke to purring, disoriented for a moment, until I remembered that I was back in my own home. Kitten was snuggled up next to me, while her tiny pink tongue licked the tips of my fingers. I rolled over looking at the clock, noticing that it was 9:20 in the morning. I quickly showered and threw a large T-shirt over my head. I bounded down the stairs, only to be smacked in the face by the smell of food cooking.
A blanket and pillow were left messily on the sofa in the den. I strode in the direction of the kitchen slowly, only to find Steven standing in front of the stove, holding a spatula in his hand.
“I’m making eggs and bacon.” He gave me a gorgeous smile.
Two steaming cups of coffee were in the center of the small kitchen table. I picked up one, putting it to my lips, inhaling the deep aroma.
“I thought you left,” I said quietly.
Steven gave me a sideways glance and shook his head. “No, I just went to get some groceries.”
“Oh, thanks.”
“It’s no problem, Evie.”
He plated the food and set the dishes on the table.
“This looks good.”
He only smiled and took a seat across from me. “So where have you been exactly?”
“Cancun.”
Steven nodded slowly, narrowing his eyes at me. “You’ve been in Cancun for four months?”
“Yes.” I chuckled.
Steven nodded his head again without speaking and looked around the small kitchen. “I’ve missed this place.”
I wasn’t sure I did. Taking occasional glances at Steven’s hands while we ate, I was reminded of every single thing he’d done to me over the years with those hands. I used to think they were magical. I eyed over his thick fingers that gave me my first orgasm ever in his parents’ garage when we were teenagers.
Steven looked up at me from his plate. “What are you thinking?”
“I-I don’t know,” I stuttered out.
“Liar.”
I swallowed back a giggle and continued to eat.
“I have an amazing apartment on the Strip, Evie, in the Palms Place.”
I knew this was coming, just not so soon.
“I was thinking maybe you could come and stay with me for a while?”
“I don’t know, Steven.”
Steven sat back in his chair, while a scowl spread across his face. “You want to leave here, Evie, you said so yourself. Yesterday, you were anxious to pack all your things, now you want to stay? I don’t understand.”
“Steven, I just need some time. I just got back.”
He gave me a nod but I could sense his anger brewing. Then he rested his utensils in the middle of his plate. Quickly, I stood removing both plates from the table, washing everything.
I could feel Steven’s lingering gaze on my bare legs, while my back was towards him. When I shot a look over my shoulder, I met his hooded eyes. I turned away again, focusing on the task in front of me. When I finished, I headed back towards my seat but before I could sit, he wrapped his arms around my middle, pulling me into his lap.
“No panties,” he whispered against my ear, pulling me against his chest, allowing me to feel his hard cock through the sweatpants he was wearing.
Steven ran his warm hands up and down over the skin on my bare legs and then dragged his fingers up the inside of my thighs. I shot up out of his lap, right then not wanting things to get carried away. Steven gave me a look of confusion and I knew he didn’t understand. I ran a hand through my hair. Steven quickly closed his fingers around my palm, pulling me firmly back into his lap, shifting a little.
“Let’s cut the bullshit, Evie.”
I sat frozen, staring ahead, while he slid his hands underneath the soft cotton of my shirt, squeezing my breasts. A small moan spilled from his mouth into the hot skin on my shoulder. The noise vibrated through me, sinking down to that very place between my legs where I was certain Steven’s cock wanted to be.
“We can’t.”
“Why not, Evie? You didn’t go and get married on me, did you?”
“No,” I said softly.
“Why not? You know we’ve always been good in this department.”
I took a deep breath, standing to remove myself from Steven’s crotch, while he let out a frustrated sigh only to slump back against his chair.
“I just need some time alone.”
“You want me to leave?” The agony at my request registered all over Steven’s face.
“Yes.”
Steven sighed again and stood up, adjusting himself harshly with his hand before placing a kiss on my cheek.
“Please don’t tell me this is the last time I will see you.”
“No.”
Steven placed another kiss on my cheek before grabbing his keys and heading for the door. When it closed, I slumped against the counter, letting out a loud sigh. There was so much I needed to do. I headed back to my bedroom quickly to put on some proper clothes and returned to the kitchen, opening my laptop.
Evie
“We’re heading back to Florida today,” Valentina said while she looked around.
Salvatore walked in behind her, carrying a small cactus plant, placing it on the floor. “I loved what you’ve done with this place, Evie! That new Audi outside is amazing!”
I hugged myself as my mother walked around the den area, inspecting the house.
“Why did you call Steven?” I snapped.
Valentina smirked and looked away from me. “He worries about you, Evie. I thought it was the best decision. I’m sorry if that upset you. Has he been here?” she asked arching a perfectly black penciled eyebrow at me.
“Yes, he just left actually.”
Valentina smiled.
“I really wished you had asked me first how I felt about that, Mom.”
My mother sighed as she walked towards me, reaching her hands out.
“We worry about you, Evie, your dad and I. We just want you to be happy,” Valentina said placing a kiss on my cheek.
“This place, Evie…it isn’t for you. You need to put a significant amount of space between yourself and Rachel.
“You’re young! You should be living your life, partying, making friends. Not sitting here letting life pass you by.”
“I don’t think I’m going to stay here, Mom, anyways.”
Valentina’s bright red lips turned up into a huge smile. She brought me into a hug, squeezing me tight. “I love you, Evie. We love you. We just want the best for you. Steven came to visit us a few months ago in Florida.”
I gave her a stunned look.
“He broke his engagement off with that Portia girl months ago. He wanted to explain everything to us, which he did. He has a new job and he’s making lots of money for himself. Steven can give you a good life. I’m sorry but I made the decision I thought was best for you by sending him here.
“Stevie knows where he went wrong,” Valentina whispered, fiddling with a lock of my hair.
I cringed inwardly when I heard my mother call Steven “Stevie.” I hated the sound of it.
“Please don’t be mad at me, Evie,” my
mother said making a pout with her mouth.
“You know you can call us anytime,” Salvatore mumbled, giving me a kiss.
“We just wanted to check on you before we headed out,” Valentina said dangling a set of keys in her hand.
“So sad that Mr. Vasquez is now gone.”
“I know.”
“We’re off, Evie. We will call you tonight as soon as we land.”
I watched as my parents headed out the door, wondering if I would ever have what they did together.
Evie
I pulled up a Google search page, unsure of where to start. My plan was to enroll at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. They had a top-notch science department. I would use the rest of the money I had to invest in a growing business, maybe a restaurant or a nightclub. I wasn’t sure yet. I also needed to find somewhere to live.
Pulling up a website for the Veer Towers, I quickly sent the agent an email. There were vacant apartments all along the Las Vegas Strip. I settled on the Veer Towers, since it was located in the CityCenter.
Resting my head on the kitchen table in front of my laptop, I resisted the urge to cry. I was filled with both excitement and sadness. This was my new beginning. I would use the money Luke gave me to get my life together. I needed to do this. I also needed him to come back to me.
The real estate agent quickly emailed me back to let me know that a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom apartment was available in the building on the twenty-ninth floor in the second tower. Immediately, I was sent the property specifications to review. It was an amazing place, much fancier than where I lived now and already furnished which was a plus. I told the agent that I would take the apartment without having to view it first. She seemed fine with that and promised to send me a written contract that I would need to return as soon as possible. I would never sell this place. I then emailed the management company that currently takes care of this house to let them know I would need them to continue for at least another year, until I renewed the contract.
A knock on the door stole my attention away from my laptop. When I headed across the room to open it, Ariana and Karl stood in the doorway.
“Hey,” Ariana sang out, narrowing her eyes at me, when she walked in.
“Hey, Karl,” I said, getting a nod from him, before he plopped down in the den to watch television.
Ariana headed for the kitchen and then plopped down into a seat at the table, still eyeing me like I had dirt on my face.
“What?” I snapped.
“Karl and I stopped to get a bite to eat. We spotted a silver Dodge Viper leaving here?”
I sucked in a long breath, ready for the interrogation to begin.
“Has Steven been here?” Ariana asked with bunched brows.
“Yes.”
“Oh my God, Evie!” Ariana said flailing her arms around.
“I know. I know what you’re going to say but it isn’t like that!”
“What is it like, Evie? Tell me. I know things are not really looking up but you can’t do this to yourself again! I forbid it!”
I chuckled at Ariana’s last words. “You forbid it?” I asked.
“Yes, Evie, I forbid it!” Ariana shouted.
I giggled, triggering Ariana’s own laugher, until we were both laughing together. Taking a seat at the table across from her, I rested my face in my hands, catching my breath.
“My mother called him,” I explained.
Ariana slouched against the back of her chair, giving me her best furious face.
“I didn’t call him, I swear,” I said putting a hand up.
“What did he have to say for himself?”
“That he was sorry and that he broke it off with Porsche. He took a job back here.” I took a deep breath, looking into Ariana’s hard eyes. “Steven said he still loved me,” I said in a quiet voice, watching her face soften.
“Evie, I don’t know. I just want what is best for you. Steven broke your heart!”
“I know.”
“Do you still love him?”
“I guess in some way I do but probably not in the same way I love Luke.”
“Where is he, Evie?!”
“He’s far away.” It was all I could tell Ariana.
“Is he coming back?”
I let out a high-pitched laugh. “I don’t know but probably not.”
“He’s not dead, is he?” she asked scrunching her face.
“No, Ariana.”
“Is he some dangerous criminal?”
“No,” I whispered, pushing away my laughter.
“Why all this secrecy, Evie? What is going on?”
“I promise to tell you everything when the time is right but right now it’s not.”
Ariana tossed her hands up in the air and then nudged her chin in the direction of my open laptop. “Why are you looking at apartments in the Veer Towers?”
“I’m moving. I’m also going back to school.”
“I’m glad, Evie.”
“I have a plan that I hope will work.”
“You’re not moving to be closer to Stevie?” she questioned.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “Maybe a little. I don’t know anyone else there.”
She nodded. “Okay,” she said resting a hand on mine. “I support you. You know I’m always there to support you.”
“Thank you.”
Karl appeared in the doorway and headed for the fridge, pulling a cold beer out and popping the top.
“Karl, what am I doing wrong?” I asked wanting another man’s blunt opinion.
He stilled and did a one-eighty slowly, hunching over a little, giving us wide eyes. Karl was a quiet sort of guy. He didn’t talk much, which always made me curious about what he was really thinking.
“I mean what do men really want?” I clarified
“Yeah, Karl, what do men really want?” Ariana smirked repeating the question.
Karl smiled before he spoke. “Uh, peace and quiet, the occasional blow job and a woman that respects them.” He chuckled. “It’s all very simple. We aren’t complicated creatures, Evie.”
Ariana scoffed staring at him.
“I just think you’ve been having some bad luck in that department lately, Evie,” Karl went on. “I’ve always liked Steven but he was so conflicted. He was always chasing more, and sometimes, I think even thought he was better than the rest of us. His head was in the clouds.”
“More like his cock was in another woman,” Ariana grumbled.
“Steven is ambitious. I’ll give him that, but when ambition starts to cloud your judgment and the people that helped you to get where you are become less important, it’s probably time to sit back and reevaluate your decisions. Steven never did that. In fact, I don’t think he cared at all,” Karl said before taking a long chug of his beer. “I guess I lost respect for him, Evie, when he began treating you the way he did.
“Steven was an arrogant, self-centered prick who didn’t deserve you.”
Everyone’s eyes met at Karl’s words.
“That’s my bit,” he said, shrugging his shoulders and disappearing back into the den again.
“I like him so much for you,” I whispered to Ariana.
“So do I,” she agreed.
CHAPTER SIX
Evie
I’d officially been back on Earth for two months. It was now December. I enrolled in the atmospheric science program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Between attending lectures, student social hours, studying, and completing assignments, I didn’t have much free time.
I now saw Miranda and Tyler nearly every day of the week and rejoined the astronomy club that met in Rachel two nights a week. Tonight, I was in the desert with the pair, freezing. The mountains that loomed in the distance were snowcapped during the day. Tonight, there was a spectacular view of Jupiter just over the peaks. We were out looking to spot meteors.
“The International Space Station will fly by in a few minutes,” Tyler said to everyone that
was spread out around us. They muttered their agreement.
“It will only look like a dot flying by at breakneck speed but it’s still pretty cool,” Tyler said moving to stand next to me.
I was shivering but not so much yet that I wanted to leave. There was an excitement in Tyler and Miranda’s voices whenever they talked about anything to do with outer space. I knew I’d seen and experienced things aboard the SS Everest that people could only dream of. I wanted to appreciate the rare experience but sometimes I wished it had never happened.
“Are you busy tomorrow night, Evie?” Miranda asked.
“Yeah, kind of. Studying.”
“Okay,” Miranda said giving me a dramatic frown.
Tomorrow, I had to finish three papers and I was certain Steven had something planned.
“We are coming out here again tomorrow night, to take some pictures.”
“Sorry, guys, will miss it but I will definitely be here next week. I promise.”
I took a sip of the hot cocoa that I brought along with me and eased back into the lawn chair I set out. I could spend hours staring at the night sky. It calmed me.
I spotted the brightest star in the night sky Sirius, from where I sat. Lately, I spent so much time trying not to think about Luke, and then that was all I ended up doing was thinking about him. I thought about him when I was awake, when I was in the shower, when I was supposed to be paying attention in class. I dreamt about him. It was fucking impossible to get him out of my head. Tonight, was no different.
I shut my eyes, letting the soft breeze that blew over where we sat somewhat soothe me, even though it was freezing cold. Coyotes howled in the distance reminding me of the wilderness that I was immersed in.
I pictured Luke’s face, looming over me as he fucked me. His hard biceps flexed with each movement of his heavy weight against my body. The sound of his raspy voice when he was about to come, when he placed his soft lips to my ear and said my name. It all sent chills down my spine. I imagined Luke’s cock. How thick and long it was and warm to the touch. How it filled my pussy completely and then emptied it just as abruptly, leaving me craving for more, each time he burrowed deeper inside of me. The feeling and smell of his sweat as it coated my skin, turning my breasts into glistening mounds that he loved to suck and nibble on. I missed him. I missed him so fucking much.