“Not cool,” I hear behind me. Ethan’s shaking and looks ten shades paler than he did on Thera.
“I’m sorry that I circumvented your precious Theran security protocol. If you need to, you can take me down a notch on the Circle of Compliance. But, seriously though, I can’t enter through it. And I don’t know where the entrance to it is back on Thera, nor would I rush to get back there if I did know. So, what does it hurt? Besides, you removed my blindfold and I didn’t hear anything about putting it back on,” I say.
“Can I expect this much trouble our entire trip?” he asks as he puts his hands on my shoulders. Despite his mild annoyance with my disobedience, the right side of his mouth is turned upward in a smirk.
“Trip? I thought I was coming home for good,” I say, raising my eyebrows. I know it’d never be allowed, but he deserves to be tweaked.
“I wish you could stay, but you have yet to fulfill the terms of your contract. So, you will be returning to Thera,” he says. He almost looks sad for me. The guy really doesn’t show a lot of enthusiasm for his job.
“I was just joking,” I say. “You were so much more fun the first time we met. Oh yeah. I forgot. That was just an act.” He grimaces at my reminder of his betrayal.
“I wish it was a joking matter,” he says. “Come on, let’s get some breakfast before we head to your house. We need to get our stories straight.”
Ethan obviously knows La Jolla well as he leads me off the jetty and up the hill towards a swanky hotel buffet breakfast. The walk dries me off and returns some color to Ethan’s cheeks, but he’s still looking a little off. Oddly I feel fine, though to me it feels like dinnertime, not breakfast. But it won’t be the first time I’ve had breakfast for dinner. Yummy. I pile my plate full of eggs, waffles, pancakes, and fruit. And wolf down every bit. It’s not that the food’s bad on Thera—it’s that the selection’s limited and often far too healthy for my liking. He manages to get down some dry toast and a banana, but abstains from the rest.
“The return trip’s always easier, but wow, you’re amazing,” he says. The slight twinkle in his eyes as he labels me amazing makes my stomach flutter. I almost buy that he means it about more than my world-traversing skills. Darcton. Darcton. Darcton. Evil. Evil. Evil. I repeat over and over in my head.
“What can I say? For some people, inter-worldly travel’s just in their blood,” I respond. As I stare at him, I’m reminded of his age and something strikes me. “What does your wife or Cleave or whatever you call the girl you told me about think about you playing babysitter to an unCleaved girl? Wouldn’t she be kind of ticked to find out you flirted with me at that party, even if it was part of your job?” That brings a huge smile to his face.
“What makes you think I’m Cleaved?” he says, his amusement making the topaz twinkles in his eyes appear to jump out in three-dimensional fashion.
“You’re old. Or older. Obviously over eighteen. You’re Brad Darcton’s son. I’d assume you’d have no choice but to follow the Canon strictly,” I say, as if it’s completely normal to be talking about while I push my remaining food around the plate.
“I’m twenty but am not Cleaved,” he says. I cock my head and scrunch my face as I try to figure it out. “I live here—not on Thera. My dad brought me over when I was fifteen to live with my Uncle Henry. I started college at UCLA at sixteen and got my international relations degree by eighteen. And I just finished my second year of law school at University of San Diego. I spend summers interning for the SCI on Thera. The current plan is for me to go into politics—here.” I note that he’s careful not to say that it’s his plan, just the plan for him to enter politics. Wow. Bizarre. Brad Darcton created a loophole for his own son.
“Oh, I guess I should have asked you a few more questions that night,” I say. Under my breath I mutter, “About a lot of things.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he says. “I didn’t want to bore you.”
Although the details of his life are far from boring, what I really want to ask is about the girl and I can’t let myself do that. Can’t let him see how much he got to me that night. “So, what politically correct story have you concocted for my parents? Cause I’m betting we’re not going with the truth.” I study his face as he takes a couple deep breaths before answering.
“I’m a fellow Recruit in Unit 27. We fell for each other the moment we met and you just couldn’t wait a full year to have your parents meet me. The program has helped put things in perspective for you. Helped you move on,” he says, sharply inhaling and holding his breath as he waits for my reaction.
“And your alternative story is?” I say. “Because I’m not sure I can go along with that one. First, you’re a Darcton. Second, you filmed my ex having sex with my best friend which is disgusting. Third, you may have been responsible for that explosion. Fourth, other than you being incredibly attractive and being able to fake a good conversation, I don’t know you well enough to pull off a pretend relationship. Fifth, I’m in a relationship with Blake. Sixth, I’m going through a lot right now with Blake maybe being dead and the whole ex-best friend debacle. So, please come up with something else.” I don’t mention that my relationship with Blake has mostly been fake with some real undertones as of late, including the surprising declaration that Blake is supposedly falling for me.
He doesn’t smile at this. His face is devoid of emotion as he speaks in a soft tone. “Listen to me very carefully, Kira. This is the only story that will explain the fact I’ll be at your side every moment. And I will be at your side every moment. Many lives, including your own and your family members depend on your cooperation.”
“You’re threatening my family now? It wasn’t enough to off all my friends?” I whisper. He leans across the table within inches of my face and stares into my eyes. I get a little dizzy at his proximity. His breath still smells like cinnamon.
“I had nothing to do with that, nor did I know it would happen. I almost died. My job that night was solely to keep track of you and your friends. But you are just going to have to trust me when I tell you that the Ten is serious. So please stop putting both our lives in danger and do as you’re told,” he says. He looks pained, as if he’s seen the Ten in action a few too many times. No, worse than that. It’s personal to him.
“What’d they do to you?” I ask.
“Nothing, and if they did it’d be none of your business. The less you know, the safer you’ll be,” he says, pulling back and looking away.
“Fine. Whatever. But, if you expect anything beyond some hand holding to pull off this scam, I’ll warn you that my parents do not like public displays of affection. It’s uncivilized,” I say in the snottiest tone I can muster. He chuckles.
“As long as you can convince them I’m the love of your life without the PDA, then OK,” he says. “You are attracted to me, so how hard can it be?” He’s relaxing and showing off the flirty side I remember. Or starting up his act again.
“I said that you’re attractive, not that I’m attracted to you. Besides, you don’t want me in love with you,” I say. I’m trying to focus on the negative things about him to keep my attraction at bay, but I know I’m failing. If there were a formula for perfection in appearance, Ethan would be the natural output of it. “Bad things happen to the people I care about.”
“Well, then you must be head over heels for me already,” he says with a wink. “Because I’ve been kind of down on my luck lately.”
“What? Did the love of your life reject you or something?” I say, obviously striking a nerve as a sad look sweeps across his face. Is his girlfriend no longer in the picture? “Because, since you’re not dead or presumed to be dead like I thought you were and Blake likely is, I wouldn’t be complaining,” I say.
“Understood. There’s degrees of bleak,” he says. “But, if you’re in hell, you’re still in hell whether directly in the fire or standing right next to it.”
“Whenever you’re ready to tell me about it, I’ll listen,
” I say. I may or may not believe what you say, but I’ll listen, I think.
He looks away for a moment and then nods before saying, “The check’s paid. Time to meet the parents.”
My parents adore Ethan. In fact, if they knew about Cleaving I bet they’d lobby to institute it here. Who wouldn’t want a twenty-year-old son-in-law who’s already completed his second year of law school? And who has political aspirations with the face to pull it off? He’s charming, polite, and listens to every boring story they tell like it’s the best tale he’s ever heard. They’re not privy to the small little details of his life to round out their impressions—like the fact he was born on another planet to a dictator father.
Jared, on the other hand, refuses to buy that I left a few weeks ago a complete mess, miraculously healed, and fell in love all over again. Well, I did fall for Fantasy Ethan. Just not Reality Ethan. And I have feelings for Blake, but am not ready to declare my love for him.
We’ve been at my parents’ house for thirty hours. Ethan slept on the living room couch next to my downstairs bedroom. And even that level of proximity took Ethan selling my parents that he’d only enter my room in case of a non-romantic emergency. The ‘time change’ has decimated my internal clock so I was out cold. I’d barely made it to seven o’clock last night before passing out. I have no idea how I got into pajamas and into my bed and I’m not sure I want to know. And right now I’d love to take a seven or eight hour nap, but that’s not in the cards.
Jared pulls me aside while Ethan’s busy tasting my mom’s dinner concoction.
“Spill, sis,” he says. “You and Mr. Model? I’m not seeing the sparks. You look like you’re pissed at him all the time.” He narrows his light blue eyes at me. Typically I’m brilliant at masking my feelings with a smile, but I just can’t get over the fact that Ethan’s a Theran, a Darcton, and that he was at that party on the Ten’s business. I wonder if I’d have been better off if he’d kept avoiding me. No, perhaps I needed to know the truth. Fantasy Ethan was seriously interfering with my ability to consider a relationship with Blake. Reality Ethan is flawed like all other guys. He isn’t some character from a fairy tale.
“You know how Mom and Dad are,” I say. “If I showed sparks, they’d get out the fire extinguisher.”
“Hardly. They like Ethan so much that I’m sure they’ve already driven down to get your marriage license. But the way you used to look at Tristan… totally different from how you look at Ethan. And where’s the brushing hands against each other and sneaking kisses in the pantry?” he asks.
“Ethan’s not just some high school fling. He’s a little beyond that,” I say, trying to cover my tracks. It’s true that I’ve done little to perpetuate the fantasy of a real relationship. I’m terrified to trust myself around Ethan, because I could so easily forget his lineage and give into him if I was just to go on the attraction factor. Ethan sees that Jared has me cornered, which must worry him, because he’s over in an instant.
“Hey, beautiful. I missed you,” Ethan says, staring into my eyes. He leans down to kiss me and I’m so taken aback by the surprise, and quite illegal, sweet tasting move that it takes me a couple seconds to pull away. My heart’s going haywire, but my brain resents his gesture. I involuntarily lick my lips to savor the touch of cinnamon he left behind. He gives me his patented smile, spreading from right to left. Lawyers and actors share a lot of attributes, and I’m ready to give him an Academy Award for his ‘save’ performance. I want to hurt him, but instead I plaster on my fake smile and hold my tongue.
“How’s the dinner tasting?” I ask. “Would you rather eat out? I know a great place.” I’m trying to decide between ten-star spicy Thai food and a five-diamond restaurant that would put him back a few hundred bucks as punishment.
“It’s dreadful,” Ethan whispers, his lips touching my ear, which makes me shiver. “But, I wouldn’t want to disappoint your parents.”
“This is my vacation and I really feel like I’ve had enough family time for tonight… or today,” I say, correcting my mistake. “I insist you take me out and put a dent in your daddy’s trust fund for you.”
Ethan leaves to smooth over our decision to eat out with my parents, while Jared continues to grill me.
“He’s infinitely more believable than you are,” Jared says. I roll my eyes at him.
“Did you ever think I might just be tired from the time change?” I say.
“What’s the time change again?” he asks, trying to narrow down the possibilities for where I might be stationed. Or to catch me in a lie. If Jared was half as curious in school, he’d be top of his class.
“You know I can’t talk about it,” I say. “I’d be kicked out of the program. I’m not willing to risk my future over it.” Or your future. Or mom and dad’s futures. I can’t handle more deaths on my conscience. Especially not my family’s.
“All I know is that the secrets can’t be a good thing,” he says.
“You’re just irked I left you behind to deal with Mom and Dad all by your lonesome,” I say. “A few weeks ago you were begging to come with me.”
“Does Ethan have a cute sister?” he says, changing the subject. Yikes, I have no idea. I hope my face doesn’t betray my ignorance.
“Sorry, buddy. No sisters,” Ethan says, coming up behind Jared. To me he adds, “Your dad gave me his keys to the Mercedes. Let’s go. I’m taking you for the most romantic date you’ve ever had.” Ethan pecks me on the lips again and then grabs my hand to drag me towards the garage. Jared’s down on one knee and pretending to open a ring box. Funny, Jared. Ethan sees it and winks at Jared. I’m not amused.
Once in the garage I pull my hand from Ethan’s and bring my fingers to my lips to pretend to wipe off his cinnamon taste.
Ethan takes me through the McDonalds drive-through. I hate to say it, but I’ll take the McRib sandwich, a chocolate shake and french fries over my mom’s cooking any day. We drive to the beach and Ethan lays out a blanket he must have found in our garage. I’m a little irked my fries are cold by the time we get there. Eating in my dad’s car though… never going to happen. He’d contact the SCI to make sure they grounded me on Thera and may still do that if we can’t air the car out by the time we get back.
“Romantic enough for you?” Ethan says. “Restaurant food. Beautiful view. Fabulous company.” He’s kicked back on the blanket shirtless, enjoying the relatively hot day for San Diego. He’s like the perfect combination of Tristan and Blake if I was to just look at his physical attributes. Six foot one, toned, oozes sex appeal. Even the six-inch scar he has on his hair-free chest somehow makes him look more appealing. His abs… holy smokes. But as nice as he’s been to me, I can’t get over his pedigree chart.
“You must not have dated much in college. McDonalds on the beach really doesn’t scream romantic date. Too busy racking up the degrees to figure out the dating protocol, eh?” I say.
“Not at all. I dated. And none of those dates warranted a trip through the McDonalds drive-through. You, on the other hand, are lucky to have gotten fed given your lackluster performance the last couple days,” he says. “A steel post could have mustered up more excitement about that kiss. I expected so much more from you.”
“We’d agreed not to kiss,” I say. “You caught me off guard.”
“I agreed to no such thing. You were supposed to sell everyone on our incredible whirlwind love story. I managed to get your parents to like me, but your brother’s not buying any of it,” he says. He narrows his eyes and adds, “And I knew you wouldn’t dare react to the kiss. You know what’s on the line.”
“Keep up that line of talking. That’ll warm me up to you,” I say with a sneer. “I’m so sick of this crap. Do you honestly think I’ve forgotten the threats? Please don’t treat me like an imbecile.”
“I don’t think you’re an imbecile at all. Just a terrible kisser, so I was disappointed. I could give you lessons,” he says, laughing.
“You think I don’t know how
to kiss?” I say. “I assure you that I do. I just don’t want to kiss you. I don’t like you and I don’t trust you,” I say. He scoots closer to me so that I have to look him straight in his gorgeous sapphire eyes.
“Really? Can you tell me with all honesty that you didn’t feel anything for me at that party?” he asks. “I kind of thought you were into me, but maybe I was just deluding myself.” He doesn’t say it in an ‘I think all girls love me’ way, but in almost an embarrassed to even be asking way.
“Why do you think I did?” I ask, answering his question with a question.
“Well, other than all the flirting and blushing, you just seemed really concerned about whether I was alive when I showed up on Thera and so annoyed that I didn’t come see you sooner. You were keeping track of my whereabouts,” he says in a tentative tone.
I gaze out towards the ocean, not wanting to look at him any longer. I’m embarrassed my feelings were so apparent. “That was before I knew who you were. Your sweet act at that party was just a ruse.”
“Come here,” he says, motioning me towards him. I lean forward slightly. “Closer.” I don’t want him to kiss me to make his point so make sure the only thing near his face is my ear, although even his breathing in my ear makes me reconsider. When his lips brush my ear by accident I have to take a deep breath to keep from suggesting we head back to Thera and Cleave. A move I’d regret, as I don’t ever want Darcton in-laws.
He strokes the side of my face and then says, “You’re going to have to trust me at some point that I have as much on the line as you do. Do not for one moment think that because Brad Darcton is my father that I get preferential treatment. I do what I’m told or the consequences are as severe for me as they’d be for you. Stop punishing me for who my father is. I’m nothing like him and you know it. I never misrepresented myself at that party.”
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