The Oasis

by Janette Osemwota

  A thought trickled into Lena’s mind as Jasper pulled down the smaller road, avoiding all the abandoned vehicles. Why would the free man follow them, anyway? Lena thought perhaps he wouldn’t risk more deaths of his sinister army, and letting his soldiers track them down without his aid would mean more trouble than she was worth. Whether any of this mattered, Lena didn’t know. An even bigger issue still hung over them: how in the world did Jasper know the free man?

  Up ahead, among the abandoned cars on the road, Lena spotted Jasper’s truck. If she hadn’t known what she was looking for, it would have been quite easy to miss. If she was honest with herself, Lena had wondered why Jasper always hid his car anyways. The whole time she had lived on her farm she hadn’t seen another normal person. In fact, before she met Jasper, she had all but given up hope that there were any other normal people left at all. Yet Jasper acted as if the others had suddenly become quite intelligent and were seeking him out. Or as if he had an enemy—someone like the free man—and knew he needed to keep his whereabouts hidden from someone besides the others.

  Pulling the motorcycle up to his truck, Jasper parked the bike off the side of the road. Lena noted that he again seemed to be trying to hide its location. He smiled at her and turned to pull her off the bike. Letting him slide his hands onto her waist, she closed her eyes and felt the heat his hands created in her body.

  She shook her head and smiled at him, pushing away all her doubts for another time. She was genuinely happy to finally be with him again. Whatever was going on, she knew that the trauma of what she had just experienced was tainting her image of the man who stood before her.

  As Jasper held onto her waist, she slowly leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. She hugged him and breathed in a mixture of smoke, dirt and pure manliness. She buried her face in his chest and just stood there, savoring the feeling. Whatever was going on, Jasper had saved her. She owed him her life. She knew that, if nothing else, this man had risked his own life for someone he had met only a few days ago. And that meant something.

  They stood there for a few minutes. Jasper held her until she finally let go, tears falling freely down her face. His chest was moist and he gently pulled her away from him. As much as he wanted to hold her and let her cry until she didn’t have anything left inside to get out, he knew they needed to get moving. He knew that now that Eric had seen him alive, he would pursue them. It was only a matter of time.

  He lifted her chin and waited for her to open her eyes and look into his. When she did, he nearly lost control. Behind the dirt and blood on her face, beneath the swelling and bruises, he saw a beautiful woman. Her eyes glowed and he knew that if he didn’t let go now he would take her on that very road. But the sun had set he knew they needed to find shelter off the streets.

  He gently rested his forehead against hers as he had done before. Having her in his arms had become more familiar than he could have imagined. He breathed in her scent and paused for another moment.

  “We need to get off the streets,” he said and smiled at her. His teeth shone in the dimming lights. She smiled back at him and turned to climb into his truck.

  He finished hiding the motorcycle in the bushes and followed her into the cab. The silence was welcome. Lena leaned her head against the door and let herself relax as Jasper pulled the truck onto the road and continued driving. It felt like years since she had been able to relax in such a manner.

  But her relaxed state didn’t last long before Jasper pulled his truck into the driveway of an abandoned house. She knew he had chosen it because of the garage, as he drove the truck inside.

  Grabbing his gun, he smiled at her and left the car. It wasn’t necessary for him to tell her to stay put this time. Lena quickly searched the truck and found a pistol in the glove compartment. She wasn’t leaving until he gave her the go-ahead.

  It wasn’t long before Jasper returned. He walked behind the truck and she heard him pull down the garage door, locking their vehicle safely inside. Anyone following them would not notice anything different about the house they stayed in.

  “Everything looks clear.” He smiled at her and helped her out of the car. It felt a little surreal, being in this home. At some point in her life, before things had gotten as bad as they had, she had wished for a life like this. A handsome man standing next to her, holding her hand as she got out of the car. A life that she knew now would most likely never happen. At least a life of any kind of normalcy like her fantasy.

  “I’ll come back down for your things,” he added before she had a chance to grab her bag. They entered the house that had probably been owned by a young family. Lena couldn’t help but look at their happy faces, smiling from the family portraits hung on the walls. They were probably dead. Tears came to her eyes again and she tried not to think about the poor family that had once been living her dream.

  As they reached the stairs, Lena let Jasper’s hand fall from hers and she nodded at him. “I’ll be fine,” she said as she turned away from him. She went up into the darkening house and found the master bedroom. Although she desperately wanted to clean herself up, the bed looked even more tempting. Falling onto the soft mattress, she grabbed the pillows and buried herself under the covers. She sighed as she let sleep consume her.

  * * * * *

  Lena woke up just as the first rays of sunlight came into the room. She stretched out, giving her body a minute to adjust to the soreness left over from her ordeal. It felt good to sleep in a soft bed and to feel so safe. Jasper brought such security into her life. She didn’t wake up once in the night, knowing that he was near was enough for her to get a good night’s sleep. She hoped that he’d been able to do the same.

  Her mind and body were exhausted, that was true, and now that she was rested she worried that in her exhaustion she had disregarded Jasper’s needs. He had probably been up as long as she had, and because she had fallen asleep so quickly, she wasn’t even sure he’d slept at all.

  Looking around the room, she saw that he had set her bag down next to the bed with a couple of bottles of water and some cleaning supplies. She grabbed her things and went into the adjoining bathroom.

  This was the first time since her kidnapping that she had been able to assess her injuries. Her hair was caked with blood and she knew it would take more than these few bottles of water to get it out. She sighed and turned to grab a towel to at least clean her body as much as she could. It was there on the counter next to the tub that she saw a gallon jug of water. Her knees gave out and she almost fell down with joy. Jasper had brought the jug up knowing she would want to clean herself better than she could with just a few small bottles and wet wipes.

  The man was more than amazing.

  It took close to an hour for her to finally get the dried blood off her tender head, and even then she had to use a towel to stanch the new bleeding that started as she pulled the hair away from the wound. It was painful work, but with a quick search through the medicine cabinet she was able to find some pain relievers. She decided against tossing the bottle of drugs into her bag, knowing that Jasper was likely to have something better in his truck. She found some comfortable clothes in the closet that would suffice. She pulled out a man’s button down shirt and threw on a sweater. She pulled on a pair of her own jeans from the bag Jasper had brought up. With her teeth brushed twice, deodorant applied, and her hair pulled back out of her face, she felt cleaner than she had in days. She had used all of the water Jasper had brought up and the tub was streaked with the blood and dirt she’d shed.

  She felt like a new woman.

  Lena walked out of the bathroom fully intent on finding Jasper to confront him with all the questions that were swimming in her head. She deserved answers, after all.

  As she entered the bedroom, Jasper was already there gathering things from around the room. He had combined what was left of their water and packed his bag. It was obvious he hadn’t brought much stuff into the house, and when she thought about it, she realized she didn�
�t even know where he’d slept last night.

  “Listen,” she said, watching his back. When he turned she saw in his face that he seemed to carry a heavy weight on his shoulders. Everything she had wanted to say to him disappeared. A war of emotions raged within her. He stood watching her, the air between them thick with emotion. He seemed to be peering at her intently as he set his bag down on the floor and every time his gaze met hers, her heart turned over in response.

  Her body ached for his touch and she was tired of pretending she didn’t feel that way.

  He seemed to know what she needed and closed the empty space between them. Taking two powerful steps he gathered her in his arms, wrapping around her like a warm blanket. She was shocked by the impact of his gentle grip. Although his muscles rippled under his black shirt, quickening her pulse, he always touched her with such gentleness.

  She buried her face against his throat and let herself be consumed by his embrace.

  He breathed in deeply and allowed his hands to explore her back. It was the first time he felt completely free to touch her. He let his head fall forward and he began kissing her neck, exploring her.

  His slow, drugging kisses were driving her mad and she was shocked at her own eager response to the touch of his lips. She let her hands feel the expanse of his back as she stepped closer to his body, cradling his growing manhood with the mound of her own growing desire.

  He stroked up her body, allowing his hand to softly cup her breasts and brushing her nipples gently.

  Their breathing quickened and he pushed her up against the wall, shutting the door with his foot. Their bodies were pressed fully together now and when he pulled back she parted her lips and raised herself to meet his kiss with enthusiasm. His lips captured hers in a demanding kiss. He released her breasts and she moaned when he let his hands find hers. He pulled her arms above her head and deepened the kiss. He intertwined their fingers and pressed his body against hers. She writhed beneath him, eager to touch his skin.

  “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to touch you,” he whispered, his mouth moving against hers. He nuzzled the side of her neck and released her hands. She panted as he explored her body. She felt paralyzed by his touch. His hand went to her hair and he buried his hands in her locks. He pulled her face back to his and breathed in her scent. “I want you so badly,” he whispered, kissing the sensitive spot just below her ear. He didn’t need to tell her how badly he wanted her; she could feel his need and it matched her own.

  She bit her lip nervously. She certainly wasn’t a virgin, but something about the way Jasper looked at her made her feel like a new woman.

  Pulling her down to the bed, he let his hands explore her body through her clothes. Her body melted against his and her world was filled with him and only him. Lena ached to have him inside of her and she moaned as his hands aroused her passion. He released her and stood off the bed. Reaching up, he pulled his shirt off.

  She had a moment to study his manliness and her heart leapt with excitement. She rubbed her legs together as she felt herself get hot with desire. He was a dark figure of a man, big and powerful, and she felt uncontrollably drawn to him.

  He came back onto the bed, pulling her sweater off, and proceeded to caress his fingers along the line of her shirt. Slowly he unfastened each button with exquisite patience. She closed her eyes and felt her body ignite with desire every time his fingers found her skin. She wore nothing under the shirt. As he unfastened the last button, she felt his breath on her skin. Her lips quivered in unspoken passion as he brought his lips to where his hands had just been. He traced his tongue along the opening of her shirt, reaching her belly button. She held her breath as he made love to her skin.

  She reached down and held his shoulders as he unbuttoned her pants. When she looked down, their eyes connected and his look of desire drained all her doubts and fears. A moan escaped her lips as he let his lips follow his hands in their invasion of her body. Before she could catch her breath, her jeans were on the floor and his mouth was on her most intimate place. Through her panties she could feel him exploring her body. He traced his fingertip across her hip and his hand seared a path down her abdomen to her thigh. She felt an awakening response deep with in her as a whimper escaped her lips.

  “Jesus, you are so soft,” he whispered as he stroked a finger down the edge of her thong.

  “Jasper,” she said throatily.

  He looked up at her and pulled himself up to capture her mouth again. His demanding lips caressed her own and she fell into the kiss. She trailed her hands down his back, feeling his body. Letting her hands slip into the back of his pants, she pulled him closer to her. She desperately needed more of him.

  Suddenly he rolled and pulled her on top of him, his mouth still exploring hers. Her shirt fell open and his hands caressed the opening of her shirt, outlining the tips of her breasts with his fingers. Passion pounded the blood through her heart, chest, and head. She slowly began to grind her hips against his growing manhood and she captured his growl between her lips.

  He pulled back suddenly and rolled her back over. He tugged off his pants and she saw him for the first time fully exposed. He stood there and let her take him in. He was well endowed and for a moment she was afraid she couldn’t handle him.

  Seeing the slight hesitation on her face, he came back to her arms. “We’ll go as slow as you need to,” he said. His words touched her heart and she was filled with warmth.

  His fingers burned into her skin as he slipped off her panties. They lay there for a moment, her blue eyes staring into his brown ones. He pressed against her and she rose to meet him in a moment of uncontrolled passion. He held her face against his as he entered her and she cried out as he filled her completely. He stilled, giving her time to adjust to his size and she let a moan of bliss escape her lips. He smiled as he pressed his face into the nape of her neck. He inhaled her scent as he began to move slowly, rousing her to the peak of ecstasy. She couldn’t control her cry of delight as her body moved with him.

  He stilled his body and panted against her. “You’re so tight,” he whispered. He wanted to consume her in every way imaginable. His eager touch was matched by her own. She spread her hands against his chest and stroked the firm muscles. He wasn’t sure how long he could hold on. Wanting her to feel the exquisite passion that he felt, he trailed kisses down her chest and took one of her nipples into his mouth. She felt the hysteria of delight rise inside her and her body began to vibrate with liquid fire.

  She could sense the thrill of his arousal and moaned as his hand moved between their joined bodies. He found her core and stroked her until she felt her passion rise. She cried out as she exploded against him, her body tightening around his own. He had taken her to heaven. She closed her eyes and let the waves of ecstasy throb through her as she succumbed to his body. He looked into her eyes, watching them change as she cried out.

  Jasper lost it and came inside of her, filling her. He melted against her, letting his body fall onto hers as the whole world spun. She had taken him beyond heaven. She took him somewhere he had never been and he wasn’t letting her go ever again. She was his forever.

  Jasper wrapped his arms around Lena. He saw tears on her cheeks and panic overcame him. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

  She looked up at him and gently caressed his cheek. “No,” she sighed.

  Relaxing, he realized he knew what she felt. Her heart was bursting with love and anguish. He chuckled and began trailing kisses along her neck. She smelled like roses and she was like a breath of fresh air.

  He had spent his whole life feeling apart from the people around him. Being with her had reminded him of the fresh air he was missing. Being with her reminded him of what he needed to do, and of how important finding the O.A.S.I.S. was.

  * * * * *

  Stepping out into the hallway the next morning, Lena went looking for Jasper. She didn’t need to go far before she saw him lying on the floor. He had pointed his rifle out
the corner of the window. Her smile faded and she dropped to the ground immediately. He barely glanced at her as she crawled across the floor to him. She sat with her back against the wall on the other side of the window.

  “Good morning, love.” He smiled at her but didn’t take his eye off his target.

  “Morning,” she said and smiled a little. If his attitude was as light as it was, then the danger wasn’t as great as she thought. She waited for him to explain.

  “How was your night?” He cocked his gun, but otherwise didn’t move. “You look fabulous.”

  She sighed and her cheeks flushed crimson. She couldn’t help but laugh at her predicament. She looked again at the photos of the couple that had once lived here. She could never have imagined being coy with a man while he held a rifle pointed at some imminent danger.

  She laughed and thanked him. “So, what’s going on?” She saw a smile cross his face; apparently he’d known it wouldn’t be long before she would ask.

  “So, a man can’t just sit with his rifle in the morning?”

  Although she loved his banter, she had a feeling that he was hiding something from her. They still needed to have a very important conversation, including how he knew the free man. Every time she intended to bring up the topic, something seemed to come up. Until they were safe again and a little farther away from her recent captors, that conversation might just have to wait a little longer.

  “No, Jasper,” she sighed. “A man shouldn’t sit with his rifle so early in the morning.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Why are you?”

  He looked over at her for just a second before returning his eyes to their target. She knew there was something he wanted to tell her, but that he chose not to.