At Any Price(55)

I exited the shower, my body still singing with his caresses. I shivered in anticipation of what would happen later tonight, perhaps even on the top deck, under the stars. We toweled off and dressed in casual clothes to go up to the top.

All of OC hugged a south-facing coast that was the curve of Southern California as it twisted its way toward Mexico. At this distance from the coast, the plentiful lights of OC and LA were but a glow along the horizon.

The moon was a tiny sliver of a waxing crescent and so, being just about to set, provided little competition with the stars. The lights from the coastline, however, did prevent maximum viewing. Still it was far better than trying to stargaze on land. The light pollution over the Los Angeles metropolitan area was considerable and on the best of nights, it was difficult to discern more than a dozen or so stars on any given night. It wasn’t like the skies over Anza, which were so dark and clear you could see satellites gliding through the quiet night skies. But out here, you could see almost as much.

Adam had stopped by his office to check his e-mail and I had wandered up to the deck, alone, trying not to be annoyed. It was a wonder, really, that he had ignored it for as long as he did. I couldn’t expect a miracle. So I waited for him for almost an hour. He came up carrying two big blankets and—of course—his cell phone tucked into his pocket.

After finding the most recognizable constellations, we lay back on a wide cushioned bench beside each other, gazing up at the black dome above us.

“I still can’t believe you were up there.”

“Yep. For ten days. And if I get my way, I’ll go up again.”

“How did you turn off work for that long?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t. I worked by satellite for a few hours every day. But I also had to participate in science experiments, too. I enjoyed that a lot.”

From here the blackened sea stretched out around us, calm, rocking gently.

I sighed. “It must be so satisfying, to see your wildest dreams come true.”

He was silent for a long moment. “What are your dreams, Emilia?”

I shrugged. “You know, I don’t have an answer for that besides ‘become the best badass doctor ever.’” I frowned, glad for the darkness that cloaked my face. He couldn’t see the valley of worry that had etched itself into my forehead. Though I’d finished my premed program, I was still far from that dream. It was a sobering thing, to see the thing I wanted so much in the world just beyond my reach. The one barrier was something I feared more than anything—failure, yet again. It had paralyzed me, prevented me from retaking the test over and over again until I got it right. No, I wouldn’t take it again until I’d paid the price with blood, sweat and tears, studying hours and hours a day until I had the material ingrained as a part of the fabric of my brain.

“That’s a worthy enough dream,” he murmured. “But there’s got to be something deep inside—something you’ve always wished to do or see.”

“Thanks to you I think I can cross a couple things off the list I never even knew I had.”

He turned his head and looked at me. “That trip to Europe should hardly count. You deserve to go back, to enjoy it like it should be enjoyed.”

I sighed. “Maybe I’ll do that.”

“So what other things have I helped you with?”

“Hmm. Flying first-class. Swimming with dolphins. Spending a day on a gazillion-foot yacht…” I took a deep breath. “Experiencing the most amazing kiss ever.”

He was still watching me, and in the dim light I could tell he was smiling. But if he made a sarcastic remark right now, I knew I would die of humiliation. I was still reeling from the fact that I’d even put that out there. He cleared his throat. “What a coincidence,” he breathed. “I had that one on my list, too.”

I turned my head to look at him. “Had?”

“Yes. But I can cross it off now, too.” He rolled onto his side toward me, watching me still. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try to do what I always do.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

He ran his finger along my jawline before tracing the outline of my lips. His touch burned hot and cold and my lips shivered.

“I always try to top my own personal best,” he said quietly.

When he leaned over and kissed me, it was with the force of all the suppressed tension between us the entire day. That talk in the Jacuzzi had brought us closer together and that shower had ensured that both of us had our motors revved and ready to go by the time he first kissed me.

He rolled on top of me, pressing me into the cushion. His hands and mouth were everywhere. And he was going fast, unbuttoning my shirt, and reaching inside. I shivered and he stopped only to reach for one of the blankets to cover us.