“Close your mouth, Lisa. I was a good student in high school, remember? Almost as smart as you.”
“I never thought you weren’t smart!” How could he believe that? “Just, you never said you wanted to go to college. You said you never wanted to leave the land.”
“True.” He slung his free arm over my shoulders, and I tensed. I should stand up. Move away. But it wasn’t like he was kissing me. A friendly gesture wasn’t cheating on his girlfriend. Fiancée. Whatever she was. And he felt too good. I had no self-control where he was concerned. How I’d ever managed to leave as I did…I had no idea. “You know I felt guilty because I’d tried to get you to stay, too, but after you left, I realized I needed to up my skills if I was going to be of use here. So that’s what I did.”
“And you came back and opened your company to do what?”
“In grad school I invented a little tiny part that makes it possible to get phone reception even in the very worst areas. Like here.” He held out his cell and I looked at it.
“Zero bars. Like mine.”
He winked. “Watch this.” He pressed a button and four bars appeared. “Ta-da!”
“Isn’t that an app?” Because didn’t apps do everything?
“No, it’s a part inserted in the phone…in every phone except iPhones because I haven’t reached an agreement with them yet. It’s installed during manufacturing, but we make the part here.”
“Oh my gosh.”
“Apple is tough but we’ll get there. Nobody else has what we do. So as you can imagine, we can afford to sponsor you and Teresa. And you’ll probably need a couple more people soon. We can do that, too, but you can do the hiring. It’s really your place.”
“Sure.” I was stunned and so happy for everyone here. A successful and proprietary business could make all the difference. “And of course you had to hire her.”
“What?” He released my hand and cupped my chin, tilting my face up toward him. “That’s why you asked how long I’d known her. I thought that was odd. Huh.” Then he let go and turned to look out at the desert, and his building. “She did come from the service. She’d been here a few times and really seemed helpful. And she loved it here, so when she saw the hospital going up, she asked if we’d need a nurse or if we’d already hired. But if you don’t like her, well, she’s under contract. We can figure something out though. If you don’t think she’s qualified. Once you actually meet her and have a chance to interview her.”
Okay… “But you’re dating her.” There, I’d said it. It was out there now, and he’d understand my discomfort. Or maybe not. Not his fault I’d dumped him and run away from home. More or less.
“Nah. She’s not my type.” He brought me in closer, hand closing on my upper arm.
“No?” His scent was making me dizzy. “What is your type?”
“You of all people shouldn’t have to ask. I like stubborn, smart women I’ve known all my life. Women who taught me that sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to find purpose. Women who are good for me.”
“You make me sound like spinach.” But I was smiling. “Did I really inspire you to go on with your education? Last time we spoke before I left, you were adamantly against leaving for college or even trade school.”
He shrugged. “I was a hardheaded fool. And it took having my heart shredded for me to see my mistake.”
“Why didn’t you ever write and tell me? Or call?”
“Because I didn’t believe you wanted me to. You didn’t even say goodbye.”
I rested my head on his shoulder. “I didn’t, that’s true. But do you know why?”
“At the time, I thought because you didn’t want to be with me any longer. We had a pretty big fight.”
“About not leaving here.” I remembered it well.
“And the next morning I came over to try to kiss and make up—and you were gone.”
“Did I really shred your heart?” Because I’d shredded mine but good.
“Yes.”
“Want to kiss and make up now?” I leaned in but at the last minute planted a hand on his chest. “Just to be sure. You aren’t involved with anyone right?”
His slow smile had never failed to melt me. “Lisa, I hope I’m involved with you.”
And then he kissed me. Fast. Before I could argue with him.
As if I would.
About the Author
Kate Richards divides her time between Los Angeles and the High Sierras. She would gladly spend all her days in the mountains, but she’d miss the beach…and her very supportive husband’s commute would be three hundred miles. Wherever she is, she loves to explore all different kinds of relationships in her stories. She doesn’t believe one-size-fits-all, and whether her characters live BDSM, ménage, GLBT, spanking, or any other kind of lifestyle, it’s the love, the joy in one another, that counts.
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Goodreads Page http://bit.ly/19yVcWh
Twitter http://bit.ly/17AeWeM
Also by Kate Richards
Finally, My Love
Demons Love Cinnamon
Christmas Afternoon Delight
The Vampire’s Bard
Pirate Lady Holiday
Spanking Ms. Whitman
Dungeon Time
Switch, The Trainer
Confessions From the Carnivore Club, Dave and Nancy’s Story
Sierra Seduction
Sensual Delights A Cookie Club Romance
One Night on the Beach
Avalon for Christmas
The Virgin and the Playboy
The Virgin and the Best Man
Two Men and a Virgin
Two Men
Virgin Under Ground
Gale Force Passion
Trail of Hearts
The Milkman Cometh
Madame Eve’s Gift
Frontier Inferno
An Apple Away (The Wiccan Haus)
It’s Just Love
Kimmy
For Ben (Corbin’s Bend)
Her Cowboy (Corbin’s Bend)
Roy and Teri’s Accidental Staycation (Corbin’s Bend)
Honey’s Sexy Surprise
Haunting Suspicions
All’s Fair
Lily in Chains
Terci in Chains
Sweet Christmas Kisses Anthology
Taming Marguerite
Cowboys for a Cause – A Western Romance Anthology Benefitting Covid 19 Relief
The Soviet Connection (Omega Team)
Spurs (Omega Team)
Mission for the Dead (Phoenix Agency)
Topaz’s Trials (Red Petticoat Series)
Bound by Her Captain
His Wild Colleen (Wild Irish)
Wolves and Bears and Foxes, Oh My!
An Evening at Animals
An Evening at Crossroads
An Evening in the Superstitions
Fire and Ice
Witch Way Out (Magic and Mayhem)
Witch Way Inn (Magic and Mayhem)
Witch Way Around (Magic and Mayhem)
Witch Way Series (Magic and Mayhem)
Centauri Captives (with Kallista Dane
His Captive Human
Ravished
Tamed
Conquered
Forbidden
Captivated
Ensnared
Sunset Moons
By
L. Loren
Chapter One
The year of the Orange Moon 2082…
As the sun leaves its footprints on the sky each day, I am drawn to the balcony of the home we shared for over thirty years. Raven Zoe Nev, the woman I love with everything in me, was always there waiting for me. It was the only time we got to spend together, and I cherished it. She promised she would never leave me, even in death. My beautiful wife kept her promise, appearing in the sky each night for our brief reunions.
As the sun set over the glittering waters of the aqua ponds, the orange moon began to rise and with it, the face of my beautiful angel.
Raven had gone to the sky coming up on ten years now, but I still looked for her in the purple haze of the setting sun each night. I missed her terribly. My life had been lonely without her smile. Without her hugs and her warmth, life was a cold annoyance to bear. I longed for the day the overseer would have mercy and reunite Raven and me permanently. Looking into the sky, I saw her smile at me with the most alluring look on her face. She had been beautiful during her time of the living, but now that she was immortal, she was a glowing goddess. I longed to touch her soft skin just one more time. As I allowed myself to drift into the fantasy of her standing next to me looking at me with all the love she felt, I heard the rumblings of children approaching. My grandchildren were running about the house, causing a ruckus.
“Análí hastiin(grandfather), please tell us the story of how you and Análí asdzą́ą́(grandmother) first met.”
My eight-year-old granddaughter, and youngest of the bunch, climbed onto my lap and laid her head against my chest. She was the romantic of the children, always yearning for the story of how her namesake and I met and fell in love. I could never deny her, giving in to her millionth request. I had to admit, I loved the nostalgia of talking about Raven and my journey.
“Little Zoe, I have told you that story so many times you should be able to recall it for yourself. Why don’t you gather everyone, and I will tell it one last time, but after that I am turning the storytelling duties over to you. It will be your story to tell from now on.”
Zoe looked at me with big eyes but nodded her head. She was going to be a great storyteller. It was her destiny. The child knew every family story backwards and forward. She didn’t need my help anymore. I caught her telling the stories to her dolls and stuffed animals one day and it warmed my heart. I know the love between Raven and I will never be forgotten because Zoe will keep the memory alive.
“Grandfather, we are ready to hear the story. Don’t forget the part about how beautiful she was or how she made you lose your breath.”
I laughed at Zoe’s enthusiasm. Whenever I forgot to tell her favorite parts, she would remind me. I usually did it on purpose just to see if she was listening and could recall the story. My little one was ready for the role she was born to fulfill. This was my last time telling it, so I better make it count.
“Don’t worry Zoe, I think I have it under control. Children come let me tell you about the most dynamic love in the world. It is the love that never ends. Though your grandmother is in the heavens, she finds her way here to visit me every night. Look up to the sky.” I pointed at the farthest star that seemed to be coming closer as I spoke. Raven always liked making an entrance.
“There, you see that star that seems to be glowing? That is your grandmother, coming to say goodnight to me. She watches over us from the heavens, but as the sun sets, she makes her way to me so we can be together. You see her children? She is smiling at you. Happy to see us all gathered to honor her memory. Let’s not keep her waiting. Like Zoe likes to say, sit back, relax, and listen as I give you the word.”
The children, from youngest to oldest cheered and settled in for their favorite story.
“It was the time of the great pandemic of 2020. Hundreds of thousands of our people had perished because of pure greed. Our people had been struggling since our land was forcibly taken from us and we were placed on reservations. These places, while they allowed us to remain true to who we were as a people, were poorly funded and a breeding ground for poverty. With many of the residents without running water and electricity, it was inevitable that the virus attacked us in great numbers.
“The virus, though it did not start in our home, eradicated more than 100,000 of our population. No matter how the Nation attempted to combat it, we just weren’t equipped to win the fight. But don’t think it was just the Navajo people. Oh no, this thing plagued the entire world. Mother Earth, after thousands of years of giving us chances to fix our greed, waged war on the human population. No matter what vaccines or preventative measures our top scientists came up with, the planet would adapt. It was like Mother Nature herself had decided to exterminate our species in order to rebalance life.
“None of us knew it at the time, but the governments around the world had been planning for a disaster such as that. After several waves of the great virus, the population that was once 7.8 billion, had dwindled down to around 1 billion in a five-year span. People were beyond panic. We had all been ready for a zombie apocalypse, but no one had predicted anything like that.
“Once the Navajo scientists discovered the skyrillian plant at the base of the Navajo Mountain, they were able to use it to slow the death rates. The plant wasn’t a cure, but it helped some people to develop antibodies. That’s when the government started mandatory testing. If you had the antibodies, you were placed into a lottery. If your number was selected, you were transported to a military base and given instructions that would allow you to leave Earth for a new home on the Planet of the Seven Moons. Apparently, they had ‘discovered’ the planet years ago and started setting up colonies, not unlike they did with the United States. There were rules and stipulations in place, one of them was you had to be married and within childbearing age so they could populate the new home. That presented a problem for me. I was single, but a chink in the armor allowed me to win the lottery. I never told them of my marital status. They just assumed my wife would be joining me on the trip.
“The day I met your grandmother, the love of my life, I was traveling from planet Earth on a transporter vessel. The officials were informed that my wife would be meeting me onboard. I had until I arrived at the space station to find a woman to pretend to be my wife or I was going to die. They would return me to Earth where they had abandoned the people not selected in the lottery. They were left to their own devices for food, clothing, shelter, and most of all without medical care. Those unlucky enough to be left behind were sentenced to a life worse than death. The virus was still rampant and without medical care, they would be destroyed.”
“Grandfather, this is my favorite part. Tell us what she was like when you first saw her.”
Zoe bounced with excitement as she waited for the description of how I viewed Raven. It was her favorite part because I often told her how much she reminded me of her grandmother. Being only eight, Zoe never got to meet Raven. There were pictures, of course, but it wasn’t the same as feeling the warm hugs that only a granny could give.
“Hush up, child and let me tell the story. There will be plenty of days for you to recall this tale later.”
I chuckled as she zipped her lips with her fingers and threw away the key. It was such a Raven thing to do.
Chapter Two
“Standing on the deck overlooking the lower level of the transportation vessel, I watched the men and women coming and going. They were all paired off like the old story in the Christian bible of Noah and the ark, only we were the ones being herded not the animals. The gigantic guards were dressed in all black gear from head to toe. I mean these men were freakishly large. I had never met a man whose thighs were as big as a tree trunk, but each one of those guards had them. They never removed their helmets. Their reflective masks didn’t allow us to see their faces. Not one inch of skin was visible. I found it strange but went along with it.
“As I was musing about the way the light reflected off one of the huge guard’s mask, I caught movement from the corner of my eye. There was a woman who seemed different from the rest. I couldn’t quite figure out why, but then it donned on me that she was alone. Leaning in to get a closer look, I noticed all the guards in her area seemed to be on high alert. They surrounded her making her appear small, but there was nothing small about this woman. She exuded power and confidence that I had never seen.
“Her dark skin glowed in the light against her white flowing dress. Her hair was a black
cloud reaching for the heavens. From my vantage point, I could see the white makeup she wore that outlined her eyes, illuminating her perfect face. I was enchanted by her from the first sight of those narrow piercing eyes. My body found itself gravitating towards her as if being pulled by an invisible rope. I needed to be near her. To touch her. To bask in her presence. Running down the escalator, I made my way to her. As I came closer, I could hear what was transpiring.
“I said where do you think you are going?” One of the guards yelled at the beautiful creature that was staring back at him as if he had lost his mind.
“You are not allowed to travel alone! Show me your pass, NOW!”
I was compelled to do something. She was independent and fierce and maybe she didn’t need my help, but I needed hers. It seemed she was traveling alone like I was. She was the answer to my problem, just as I was to hers. I quickly stepped into the circle of guards and staked my claim, hoping she would just go along with it. If she disputed me, we would both end up dead. As one of the men dared to reach out his hulking arm to grab the woman of my dreams, I stepped in front of her, blocking his access.
“Don’t you touch my wife!”
“The gasp that left her mouth was slight, but just loud enough for me to hear. To anyone else, it may seem as if she was happy to see me, but I knew it was of surprise. That only lasted a second because the next thing I knew she was moving her body into mine as if we belonged together. I flashed her a slight smile and then turned back to the guard prepared to fight for this woman, even though I had only known her for a few seconds. They say love at first sight doesn’t exist. That it is a myth. Don’t listen to them children. Love at first sight is real. I know because at that moment I would have died for her. I had never felt like that about another person in my life except my mother.
The Glittering World Anthology: Native American Romance Paranormal Fantasy Page 22