by G. S. Carr
“Wyatt. I said stop,” Kara repeats pushing on my shoulders.
The words that confirm my worst nightmare ricochet through my body like lightening. Tapping into a strength of will I didn’t know I possessed I drop my hands and step away from Kara as if she transformed into a venomous viper.
“What the hell Kara?” I growl.
“I’m sorry Wyatt, but I can’t. I just…”
I want to cuss and rant at Kara about her horrible timing. Instead I keep my lips clamped shut waiting for her to finish her sentence. The silence stretches between us like a wide canyon.
“Wyatt, I like you. I know I shouldn’t but I do. I want you as I am sure you can tell. But you are still my competition. I need to stay focused on my mother. I can’t risk her life to explore whatever this is between us. I’m sorry.”
I run a hand through my hair in frustration. The chill of the water seeping through my pants causes goosebumps to form on my skin which burned hot only seconds ago. Despite the fact that my body is screaming for my lips to form a protest, I know she is right.
“I understand.” I push the strained words past my reluctant lips.
“Thank you,” She says with a sad smile. “And look I’m sorry about what I said early. I was lashing out and you were the only thing near by to catch my wrath. I got some bad news about my mom from Amanda. Her condition is getting worse. Anyway, it was wrong of me. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I shove my balled fists in my pockets to avoid the temptation of reaching out and pulling her back to my body. “Look we need to get back to camp soon. I’ll go stand over there while you get dressed.”
Kara nods her head in agreement. We stand staring at each other a moment longer as my body fights the command to walk to the spot I indicated. I force myself to turn and walk away from the all too appealing naked woman I kissed moments ago.
My feet march forward increasing the distance between us. The swishing of water reaches my ears a few seconds later. It is a battle to keep myself from turning around for one last peek. Scrubbing my hands over my face I call myself every kind of fool. I should have been the one to tell her no. I should have resisted the urge to kiss her in the first place. She was right. Like her I had someone depending on me. I couldn’t afford distractions. This weakness can not be tolerated.
The thud of footsteps behind me draws closer. Even though I am sure she is dressed if she is walking toward me I still don’t turn around. Coming up on my left Kara stops next to me.
“Ready,” she says in a gentle whisper.
The march of my feet back toward the camp is my only reply. I know I’m being rude, but keeping my lips closed is the only way to keep myself from doing something stupid like saying, I want more than just your body. Please don’t deny us.
* * *
Kara
This competition is going to destroy me. I thought it would be easy. I thought I would come on the show and act a little crazy and scare some guy off. Never in a million years did I anticipate Wyatt. Never did I anticipate my body longing for his touch or my desire to unravel his layers and learn his secrets.
Silence thick with tension blankets us the entire walk back to the camp. I want to say something, but everything that comes to mind falls flat of mending the rift between us. How about those leafy trees, doesn’t seem to cut it.
As we walk into the camp I scan the area. Wyatt set up the tent, a small fire pit, and everything else while I was off having a pity party. Shame floods my system. I am going to have to make this up to him. I continue to the tent as Wyatt makes his final rounds checking on things around the campsite. Two sleeping bags lay side by side in the tents small space. Taking off my shoes I crawl into one of the sleeping bags and face the wall. Rocks and hard earth dig into my back through the thin padding beneath me. Further proof of his thoughtfulness Wyatt layered blankets and towels underneath the bags for added cushion. I squeeze my eyes shut willing sleep to save me from this horrible day.
It’s not long until the grips of sleep begin to pull me under. As I dive into the land of dreams the soft rustling of the tent flap wake me back up. I turn to see Wyatt entering the tent. He only spares me a quick glance before going to his sleeping bag. He settles into it turning his back to me when he lays down. Tonight he doesn’t grab me and pull me close. There is no flirtatious grin and especially no whispered words of endearment. Shoving the sadness those facts evoke I roll over giving Wyatt my back.
No more distractions. From now on Wyatt stays in his proper place. While we are here, we are enemies.
Chapter 9
Kara
“Wake up. We’re going fishing.”
I groan as Wyatt’s gruff voice penetrates the haze of my sleep. Waking up is the last thing I want to do. A bed of rocks and hard ground do not make for the most restful sleep a girl can have. Between the tossing and turning and midnight bathroom run I feel as if I’ve barely managed to actually sleep. The words five more minutes sit on the tip of my tongue waiting for the chance to spring forth. With a loud yawn I stretch my arms over my head loosening the muscles in my aching body.
“What time is it?” I ask.
“Time to move. We want to get out to the lake and back early in the day so we aren’t sitting out there during midday peak heat.”
He had a good point. No way did I want to be anywhere except under a shaded tree when the sun was at its hottest. But why were we going fishing in the first place? Sitting up I continue to stretch, reaching for my toes, while focusing my attention on Wyatt.
“Why are we going fishing?”
“Because of this.” Wyatt hands be a beige bar with little purple and yellow dots in it along with a bowl of a cream colored gelatinous mass.
“Is that supposed to be oatmeal and some sort of protein bar?”
“Yeah. They didn’t give us many options in the way of food. I guess bland, nasty items that will only serve to keep us alive is another one of their increases in stressful elements.”
“It’s working,” I grumble. “I hope the food in the delivery tomorrow has better options.”
“I doubt it. Which is why we are going to go fishing. But eat this for now. You didn’t eat dinner last night. You have to be careful about eating and drinking enough water out here. Can’t afford to get sick.”
Wyatt extends the food out to me. Is that a hint of concern for me lurking at the edge of his gaze? I take the offered items, brushing my fingers against his as I do. I can’t help it. I need the contact and connection.
“Thank you,” I say on a breathy whisper as our eyes lock.
There it is again. The smoldering heat in his gaze that’s just for me. My eyes linger on his longer than they should, showcasing my desires. Begging him to ignore my words and give us what we both want.
“No problem. Now eat up so we can go,” he says in a brusque tone.
The curt words crash into me with the sting of running into a brick wall. Maybe I misread the situation. He’s probably still remembering my crazy lady moment instead of thinking about me naked.
“I don’t know how to fish.”
“I’ll teach you.”
With those words I am officially dismissed. Pulling back the flap Wyatt hightails it out of the tent as if there isn’t enough oxygen for the both of us.
Alone, I pull the protein bar to my lips and take a bite. My face scrunches in disgusts as I try not to spit it back out. Dried wood rolled in dirt probably tastes better than this thing. The riotous growling of my empty stomach is the only thing that makes me swallow it down. Holding my breath I shovel the food in my mouth to get it over with. My desire to learn to fish growing from nonexistent to overpoweringly affirmative which each bite. In less than ten minutes I am out of the tent ready for my lessons to begin.
* * *
“You my friend suck at this game,” I tease with a Cheshire Cat grin of victory plastered on my face. Wyatt doesn’t take kindly to my gloating, but four straight wins in a row has me pu
ffing my chest out in superiority.
“That’s because you are a cheat,” he accuses. He shifts his attention from the fishing line bobbing in the distance to glower at me.
“Don’t hate because I have a larger vocabulary than you,” I taunt.
“Most of the words you’ve used have barely been more than two syllables.”
“Syllables.” My eyebrows raise in a mock expression of being impressed. “Look at you finally using big words.”
“Whatever. New round.”
“Fine. Let me think of a new category.”
We’ve been out at the lake for a little over an hour. Together we’ve caught about five fish, which I think is enough, but Wyatt assures me that he could eat those by himself. I think he’s just enjoying our little game and doesn’t want to admit it.
Even I can admit it is nice to be free of the tension that’s been riding us. We didn’t speak on the walk to the lake, but after about ten of the most painfully long silent minutes of my life Wyatt invoked our morning truce.
I released a sigh of relief and jumped at the chance to be free of the weight of all that was unspoken between us. Even if for only a little while. I suggested a vocabulary game that we’ve been playing ever since.
“The letter is B, the category is adjectives. Bossy,” I say.
“Brilliant. As in Wyatt is beyond brilliant and can do anything,” he says with conviction. I roll my eyes refusing to take the bait.
“Blissful,” I say with a giggle as I purse my lips, bobbing my head and waving my fingers in a peace sign across my eyes.
“Beautiful. You are so damn beautiful.”
My next word clogs in my throat as I meet Wyatt’s stormy honey-ocean gaze. Where did that come from? My mouth flaps open and shut as my brain grasps for something to say, but comes back with nothing. A thin sheen of sweat forms on my hands loosening my grip on my fishing pole. I rub them against my jeans as a distraction and something to do other than wonder if Wyatt can hear the thundering of my heart as it tries to break free from my chest.
“I didn’t sleep much last night,” he says. “I was thinking about you. About us. We both needs this money. I can’t give up and I know you can’t either which I respect. If I’m being honest I don’t know who is going to get it. What I do know is that you are a brilliant artist, your laugh is almost as contagious as one of those baby videos, and I love being the one who causes it. I make no promises after this show is over and I expect none in return, but while we are here I would like the truce to last past the morning. Please let us have this.”
A shiver licks up my spine and radiates through my body as his words wash over me. My skin tingles with the yearning to have Wyatt’s hands run over every inch of it. The taste of mint floods my mouth in remembrance of his tongue dancing with mine. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth as fear and desire battle for dominance over my emotions. Wyatt’s eyes trail the motion, a barely contained heat burning in their depth.
I nod my head slowly, still unsure of what this will mean for us, but wanting it too badly to deny it.
“Yes.”
Wyatt is up out of his seat, his hungry lips devouring mine, as soon as the word escapes my mouth. His hard body presses into me pushing me back onto the ground. I pull at the edge of his shirt needing to get under it. Needing to run my hands over his hot skin. Our lips part for a brief moment when he pulls me forward to yank my shirt over my head. I let out a soft moan when his rough hands greedily stroke over any part of my skin they can find.
“This feels like heaven sweetheart. You feel like heaven. Thank you,” he says, voice soft with affection. He plants kisses down my neck and over my collar bone between each word. “Now let me return the favor.”
His lips crash over mine once again, giving and taking pleasure. An overwhelming emotion I can’t quiet name blooms in my chest sending heat rushing through my body.
Despite my euphoria tendrils of doubt lurk at the edge of my mind threatening the moment. Thoughts of where this would lead. What would the scars of our time together look like, because I know they will come.
I throw myself into the sensations Wyatt evokes in my body refusing to think about the future. What happens next isn’t important. Only what’s happening in the here and now.
* * *
Wyatt
She is so beautiful. Kara’s soft snores fill the tent as her slow exhales tickle the hairs on my chest. I gently run a hand through her braids while using the other to caress the pads of my fingers over the smooth skin of her back. The sound track of our love making plays on repeat as I watch her sleep. Every intake of breath, moan, and cry of pleasure echo through my mind. This curvaceous five foot seven woman turned my entire world on its head, giving as good as she got.
She put a finger over my lips when I opened my mouth to speak after we made love by the lake. A shake of her head was all the communication she gave me, but I understood. This, whatever this is, is special. She didn’t want to ruin it with words that would force us to face reality. I couldn’t agree more.
When we got back to the camp we made love a second time. This time slower. Savoring the taste and feel of each other. Kara feel asleep in my arms, her luscious brown limbs draped over me. How am I supposed to give her up? Images of my daughters angelic face flash before my eyes. Choosing Emma meant giving up Kara. I will always choose my daughter first, but it didn’t make this hurt any less.
I pull Kara closer, wrapping my arms tightly around her. She stirs, opening her sleep glossed eyes to look at me.
“Hey. you okay?” she asks with a tired yawn.
“Yeah. God back to sleep.”
She lays her head back on my chest. Her soft snores continue seconds later. I kiss the top of her head and close my own eyes. When the time came I would give her up. But right now I am going to enjoy every second we have together.
Chapter 10
Kara
Rain rain go away. Come again another day. The childhood song plays through my mind as I lay in the tent enveloped in Wyatt’s warm embrace. We’ve been sitting in the tent for a while talking about nothing and everything as we wait out the storm. The harsh rain has been beating against the tent all morning. It doesn’t look like the sky will be clearing any time soon.
“We should just go for it. It’s only a little rain,” Wyatt states, stroking his hand up and down my arm.
He’s right. We need to go out to get the food and the only thing stopping us is a little water falling from the sky. That still doesn’t stop the groan from rumbling in my throat as I think of going out in this weather. My hair may be in braids, but I am still a black woman who has about as much fondness for the rain as a cat. Being unnecessarily wet is at the absolute bottom of my situations I want to be in list.
“Come on let’s go,” Wyatt says gently shaking my shoulder. I bury my head further into the crook of his arm, latching on tighter to his waist.
“Why do today what you can do tomorrow,” I respond with a cheeky grin.
Wyatt lets out a low chuckle then swats my jean clad behind. “Because today we need food that we don’t have to catch ourselves. Plus we don’t know how they have packaged everything so we should get it in case it is something that won’t last long.”
I suck my teeth and roll my eyes in mock annoyance. “You know being a little less practical won’t kill you.”
“In this situation it just might,” he retorts with a laugh.
Wyatt plants a kiss on my lips before releasing me and sitting up. He reaches into his bag of clothes and pulls out a hoodie and plastic parka. I follow his lead and reach into my bag to pull out a light jacket and the other plastic parka they gave us with the equipment.
I hate being wet. A shiver trails down my spine as I think about leaving the warm dry confines of the tent. All I want is to stay here in our bubble of bliss sheltered from reality. I glance at Wyatt’s back as he moves toward the tent flap.
“I’ll get the stuff ready. Don’t take too long,”
Wyatt says before stepping out of the tent after one last kiss.
“I won’t.”
It’s weird but stepping out of the tent feels like agreeing to more than just getting wet. It’s like stepping away from Wyatt and the haven we’ve created. I rub my hands up and down my arms warding off the apprehension tying my stomach in knots. This is ridiculous. There is no bogeyman waiting outside the tent. Nothing to be afraid of. Squaring my shoulders I pull my parka a little tighter around myself then pull back the flap to step out and start the trek to retrieve our food.
Rain pelts my skin piercing it like tiny razors. I find Wyatt a few feet away emptying one of our backpacks. He runs his hand through his rain slick hair pushing it out of his eyes. Holy sprinkle babies Batman he is hot. My raging libido kicks up again as I watch him move. The torrential rain plasters his clothes to his lean muscled body. My body temperature rises so high I’m surprised the rain drops aren’t turning to steam as they hit my skin. I stalk toward Wyatt like a lioness ready to capture and drag her prey back to her den.
“Okay I’m ready. Let’s go,” he says in a determined tone.
My eyes blink rapidly as his words knock me out of my haze of desire like a bucket of ice water in the face.
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go.”
Wyatt extends his hand to me with a reassuring smile. I take it intertwining my fingers with his. I’m ready to get this over with.
* * *
Cindy
“Sir, sir.” I rush through Peter’s open office door, panic nipping at my heels. We are so screwed. A small group of set designers are huddled around his desk reviewing a new design model.
“Yeah what is it Sydney?” He questions, not looking up from the model.
“Cindy sir. And we have to get them out of there.”
Finally giving me his attention Peter looks at me as if I am an annoying fly buzzing around his sandwich as he is trying to eat. The little group parts to give me room to squeeze in.