Kissing Fortune (Man Season)

by McClung, Mila

  “Do you think he’ll be there?”

  “It’s one of his hang outs. If he ain’t there, we’ll go look for him somewhere else, all right?”

  “Okay. Thanks, Mr. Travers.”

  “You’re welcome! Now, off to bed with you!”

  “Yes, sir!” she smiled and hurried off to find her bunk.

  The rain hit the deck all night, beating a rhythm that lulled her into a calm, dreamless sleep.

  Morning found Tierney fresh-faced and determined to see her mission through to the end – whatever that might be. Finding Kiel was uppermost in her mind. But she also wanted to figure out who was after her, and why.

  She used Travers’ computer to Skype with her best male friend, lanky, bearded Ernie Saunders, a geek extraordinaire she’d bonded with in high school over, of all things, The Lord of the Rings. If anybody could dig out some info it was him.

  “So, can you help me, bro?”

  “You know I’ll try, sis. I’m glad you called. I couldn’t get a straight answer when I talked to your family. They had the FBI come here this morning, thinking I might be hiding you. Funny thing about those FBI guys …”

  “What’s that, Ernie?”

  “They seemed more like an actor’s version than the real deal. A bad actor’s version, at that.”

  “You don’t think they were really from the FBI?”

  “No, I don’t. And I wrote down their badge numbers. I’m going to try to trace them. You saw both of them, right?”

  “Yeah, they interviewed me.”

  “Well, f they show up, you watch yourself, okay?”

  “I will, and thanks, Ernie love.”

  “You know I’m always here for you, sis. Take care.”

  She nodded, sat staring at the blank screen after he signed off. Ernie was more like a brother to her than Dennis had ever been. He came from a poor family but he never once accepted her offers of help or treated her differently for being born rich. He was the kind who believed in making his own destiny. He worked two jobs and studied at UCLA part time whenever he could save enough for tuition. His dream was to be able to create CGI landscapes and otherworldly beings for movies and video games. He’d made a good living for himself, bought a cool Craftsman house in Westwood with his Asian girlfriend, Lu Jiang, who was a wardrobe supervisor for a cop series at CBS Studios. Tierney envied them, more than once she wished she could live the hip LA lifestyle, without a camera in her face or her parents making all her decisions.

  “When this mess is over I’m going to find my dream and live it!” she sighed.

  Travers cooked a light breakfast of eggs and toast, with juice and more of his excellent coffee. She helped him cast off, was used to boating though she never enjoyed it much with her parents. They always had to turn it into a competition between her and Dennis, to see who could do this better or that. It was never for fun or relaxation. As she stood near the stern of the yacht, watching the seagulls and listening to them shriek, she saw the rear view mirror images of her parents’ faces again. Their expressions were not loving or nurturing. Did aliens put some giant seed pods in their closets while they were sleeping? But, seriously, they’d never been the nurturing type. Still, she couldn’t imagine them having a reason to want her dead.

  They made the trip south over a calm, crystal blue ocean. It was almost too beautiful. Tierney found the time to breathe, to simply live, without worrying about the style of her hair, or how much make-up she was wearing, or what designer clothes her fans might rave about. She cut the legs off her jeans to give her more freedom to move, and rolled up the sleeves of her T shirt so her arms would get tan. She wished she’d brought a bikini but she’d been in such a rush she hadn’t even put on any underwear; which made dressing easier though a bit drafty once the winds changed.

  “My daughter left some outfits in the guest room bureau,” Travers told her their second day out. “She’s about your size. I don’t think she’d mind if one of her favorite reality stars wore her clothes.”

  He grinned. Tierney thanked him and entered the guest room to look for something fresh. She found a pink polka dot bikini and some nice but preppy shorts. A few shirts and sundresses, too; nothing fancy, but then she wasn’t out to impress anybody. She slipped on the bikini and a pair of pink shorts, ran up to the deck.

  A boat came sloshing up beside Travers’ yacht. Two men ventured towards them.

  “Careful, girl. Go below. I’ll do the talking.” Travers whispered then he turned to the men. “What can I do for you, gentlemen?”

  Tierney watched from a porthole as the men stepped aboard. Both seemed to be shadowing their faces on purpose with caps and lowered heads.

  “Do you have a Miss Evans on your boat?”

  “No, I don’t. My daughter and I are out here to have a bit of fun … fishing, you know. Great weather for it!”

  “Tell her to come up,” the other man ordered.

  Tierney peered hard at the men – she gasped as she realized it was the same two who had interviewed her the day before. But they weren’t wearing suits, and they hadn’t flashed any FBI badges! Travers was in danger. She knew it. But what could she do about it?

  She searched the hull for weapons, found a small automatic in a drawer. It wasn’t loaded. She removed some cartridges from a case, began to clumsily load the gun.

  “I’m no Annie Oakley,” she thought, her hands shaking, “but Istvan did show me how to use one of these things.”

  She hurried back to the porthole, in time to see the two men assaulting Travers in tandem, and him fighting back like a pudgy wildcat. Tierney ran up top and pointed the gun at the men.

  “Back off, jerks! And leave him alone!”

  They stopped fighting, reared back to look at her. One laughed.

  “Put that down, Miss Evans. We’re not playing games here.”

  “I’m not playing either. Let him be!”

  They studied the set of her jaw, nodded to each other and stepped back. Travers came to her, took the gun.

  “Nice work.” He pointed the gun at the men. “I suggest you two get on your own boat and head off. And no more trouble.”

  “Right,” one huffed. They eased over onto their boat. Both began to smile as they cleared out.

  “Why are they … oh, God, do you hear that ticking?”

  Tierney ran to the side of the boat. The creeps had placed a bomb on the side and it was ticking down to zero.

  “Not again! Travers, hit the water, quick!”

  They both jumped for the blue, splashed in just as the bomb went boom, splitting the yacht into kindling.

  “Are you all right?” Travers yelled as he and Tierney were bombarded by debris.

  “No, my leg, it hurts, bad. What’ll we do? We’re stuck out here in the middle of nowhere! And if my leg is bleeding, the damned sharks will be on us in minutes!”

  “Don’t panic, girl. We can make that island.” He pointed his gaze towards a dark gray, barren mound sticking out of the sea. “If you can’t use your leg, hold on to my neck! I’ll get you there!”

  She nodded, clung to his thick freckled neck as he bounced towards the island. It was uninhabited, by humans, anyway. But there were sea lions lounging in the afternoon sun, and elephant seals honking at each other as they cooled themselves on the wet shore. A moray eel passed by the swimmers; Tierney squealed.

  “It won’t hurt you, unless you get too close! Scoot up a bit, I’m losing you.”

  She readjusted her grip, tried to relax as he kept going. Her leg stung like fire, the salt water invading her wound. She wanted to be strong for Travers’ sake. He wasn’t young, and the effort of dragging her to shore was undoing him. He breathed hard, and fast – Tierney feared he might have a stroke.

  “Let me off. I can swim in.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.”

  He slid her off; she began to swim, holding all the bad memories of her childhood at bay for only so long. Then they poured out of her psyche
– the miserable hours she was forced to swim back and forth in the lap pool, endless hours of tears and pain. Her parents were constantly berating her for being lazy and unwilling to try to excel, as her mother had. A child has really only one desire in their life – to please their parents. And she had tried, valiantly. But they could never seem to acknowledge that. They were interested in her if she did exactly what they wanted, with the expected results. Otherwise, she was a damned nuisance.

  “Is it much farther?” she asked; her limbs were giving out.

  “Not much. Hold on, girl! You can make it!”

  Tierney felt something hovering nearby. There was a black shadow in the water, with a fin.

  “It’s a shark! Travers, help me!”

  “Stay calm. We’re almost there!”

  “But I’m bleeding! He’s coming for me. I know it!”

  She was freaking out, losing every last bit of control.

  “Be still, now!” Travers commanded. “Don’t let him see you panic!”

  She was crying, hysterical, thrashing around like a fool, making herself a target.

  Then there came a shot from far off, and another, and another. The water danced with every hit. The shark scurried off into the depths of the sea.

  “Hello!” Travers shouted. “Leave it to you to make a hero’s entrance!”

  Tierney looked to where he was shouting. A ragged yacht was speeding towards them. At the helm she could see Kiel Fortune, as beautiful and golden as a pirate in a Technicolor epic.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Tierney woke in a warm, clean bed on Kiel’s boat. She was naked, sheathed by a thin blue knitted blanket. Her leg was bandaged, still stinging like the devil. Speaking of whom, Kiel Fortune entered the room, eyed her with a strange melancholy that unnerved her.

  “You feeling better?”

  “Yeah, I guess so. Did I pass out?”

  “You did.”

  “Sorry. You must think I’m an awful wimp.”

  “No, actually you’ve dealt with this stuff a lot better than most would. Is your leg still hurting?”

  “Some, but not like it was. Where’s Travers?”

  “He’s on deck, minding things.”

  She glanced out a small window. The sky was indigo, lit up with a crescent moon and about a zillion glittering stars.

  “It’s night.”

  “Yeah.”

  God, what an idiot she must seem to him! Usually she could talk to a guy with the sweetest phrases and sexiest suggestions until he had to give in or bust. But she didn’t know what to say to a man like Kiel. He wasn’t some airhead jock or moody pianist. There were sorrows in his eyes that defied categorization. Things he’d probably never reveal to a living soul. To a complicated, intelligent man like him she was just a shallow, reality show diva, not worth the time of day.

  “I hope you don’t mind but I had to take your clothes off. I washed them and hung them out to dry.”

  “Oh, sure, thanks.” He’d seen her naked? She wasn’t at her best asleep. Istvan said she snored, and sometimes drooled – ugh! But who could believe anything he said?

  “You’re a … a beautiful girl,” Kiel whispered unexpectedly. She dared to peer into his cinnamon eyes, glistening in the dim lamplight. What was she seeing there now? He closed the door, stepped closer; sat next to her on the bed. “Travers told me everything.”

  “What do you mean by everything?”

  “He told me about the guys who tried to kill you two. And he told me why you’re here. You came looking for me. Right?”

  She let her gaze wash over his face; licked her dry lips in anticipation.

  “You must think I’m really arrogant, or stupid, to come after you.”

  “No, I believe if you want something, or someone, bad enough, you’ll find a way to get to them. So, do you want me, Tierney?”

  She didn’t answer in words but raised her arms and wrapped them about his neck. He leaned in, touched her lips with his, opening them wide enough to taste her. The waves shot through her like prickly little fires, standing all her senses on end. His strong hands enveloped her as he twisted round to lay down close beside her. The blanket fell to the floor – as did his jeans. Her mouth gaped wide when she saw the hard length of him. Her fingers clasped him, explored him; worked him over roughly. He moaned, growling with a throaty tone that excited her. She kissed the soft hair on his chest, breathed in the scent of him. He smelled of earth and salt and endless sky. The clouds in his eyes remained as he molded her with his hot mouth and hands, though a flame had sparked within the centers, drawing her in with its warmth. She smiled as he moved his lips over her breasts, almost screamed when he slid down between her thighs and lapped at her like a thirsty animal.

  “Do you want me, Tierney? Say it! I need to hear you say it, loud!”

  “Yes, I want you, Kiel! Like I’ve never wanted anyone before! Kiss me; make love to me until you drive me insane!”

  He seemed satisfied by her words, rose up and plunged into her madly; hitting his target so desperately that she feared he would break her thin frame in two. But she took every inch, held him tight within her thighs, not letting go for one moment. She was lost in a spiral of heat and mist, happily gorging on him until he was spent to the core. He groaned in torment, loosened himself from her and began to pull on his jeans.

  “Get some sleep. We’ll be at my hacienda by noon tomorrow.”

  He left the room without glancing back at her. She was stunned. Nobody had ever treated her like a third rate hooker before. She wanted a chance to savor the ecstasy that he had given her. Talk about rockets to the sun! Wow! She wanted to talk to him, to really know what made him tick. And she needed to find a way to vanquish that impenetrable sorrow from his eyes. But now she was cold and shivering, the crash had come too quick. Damn him. Who did he think he was?

  Tierney wrapped the blue blanket around her like a sari, and stomped through the boat’s living quarters, searching for Kiel. She heard voices above deck, followed them to the stern where Travers and Kiel stood conspiring.

  “You should be resting, girl!” Travers decided as he lit up a foul-smelling cigar.

  “I need to talk to our host, if you don’t mind.”

  “He can hear anything you might want to say.”

  “Are you sure? Do you really want your friend to know what a jerk you are?”

  “I’ll step down to my room,” Travers said, “I need to check the news anyway.”

  He left, patting Tierney’s shoulder like a concerned father as he passed her.

  “What’s your problem?” Kiel asked with a snarl, his perfect profile pointed towards the heavens. Even in the dim moonlight he took her breath away; made it hard to keep up the angry stance.

  “You don’t know? Are you clueless, or just brain dead?”

  “So you wanted me. I obliged.”

  “And that’s it? Did you even consider using protection?”

  “I figured a girl like you would be using something. You are living with that piano player.”

  “He’s a world class pianist!” she huffed.

  “Whatever. I watched some clips from your show online. He seems like a world class ass to me.”

  “You watched it? Why?”

  “I wanted to see who you are.”

  “The diva on that show isn’t me. It’s edited to look a certain way. I get the worst of the cuts, to make me seem selfish and shallow.”

  “And you’re not?”

  “No, well, maybe I am a little too used to getting my own way. I had a bad childhood …”

  “So who didn’t?”

  “Right. But I thought I’d make up for it by having everything I wanted.”

  “Did it work?”

  “No.” She scooted closer to him, breathing in the sea air and the wonderful dusky scent of his body. “Why did you leave me, Kiel? Was I awful at it?”

  He dared to look down into her green, glistening eyes. He sighed, deeply, giving her hope that the
re was some feeling in him for her.

  “You were good. But you know that. Girls like you bank on that.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “You learn all the tricks to pleasing a man, so you can really hit him hard; leave him begging for more, caught in your snare like a starving dog after your bones. But I can’t play that game, Tierney. I’m sorry it looked like I was using you. I wasn’t. I wanted you too, since the second I laid eyes on you. But lust is easy to satisfy …”

  “It was more than lust for me.”

  “How could it be? You don’t know me.”

  “I knew all I needed to know the minute I saw your eyes.”

  “Real life doesn’t work that way.”

  “Maybe for some it does. It hasn’t for me before. But this time I’m certain of my feelings. And I know they won’t change no matter what you do or say. I love you, Kiel. And if that makes me stupid, fine. But it’s just the way it is.”

  “I can’t accept that. I …” he paused, his chest shaking with a sudden, tangible pain, “I can’t let you into my world, Tierney. It’s a lonely, ugly place.”

  “It couldn’t be any worse than what I’m going through now. Somebody wants me dead, Kiel. I’m scared. And I don’t know who I can trust.”

  “You can’t trust me. And you can’t love me. Go on down to your room. It’ll be daylight soon.”

  He moved past her, disappeared into the hull. Tierney glanced round, wet-eyed, at the smiling moon and dancing stars. The hint of a sun was rising in the east. She felt utterly, miserably alone.

  Late morning found Tierney sitting at a table in the boat’s galley, sipping good coffee and munching on chocolate donuts fried by Travers.

  “Like them?”

  “Um hum, they’re great! You could spoil a girl with this kind of food. I’ll bet I’ve gained five pounds since I met you.”

  “Wouldn’t hurt you to gain five more! You rich girls are too skinny. You know, in my youth, there were ads in the backs of comic books, selling stuff that made you gain weight so you’d attract more fellas? Man, have times changed!”

  “Blame it on the fashion mags. And Hollywood. I actually had anorexia when I was thirteen. My parents were trying to turn me into the next Margot Fonteyn … you know, the ballerina? And I starved myself sick hoping it would make me lighter on my feet; which it didn’t! It only made me so weak I couldn’t stand, much less dance!” She made sure Kiel wasn’t near then she whispered: “Tell me more about him, Travers.”