Thirst for Adventure

Chapter 30

Leo had already met several of her friends, and they had agreed to meet for dinner later. Her friend Kristen seemed very curious about Comr. Kristen had always been too smart for her own good, Leo thought with a grin. She recalled how Kristen had tried pumping her for information on Comr. She couldn’t blame her, seeing as she had never mentioned Comr to her friend in the past during their marathon phone calls. She would have to be very careful tonight at dinner.

Comr stopped at a table displaying unusual jewelry, admiring a French barrette with little white and pink porcelain-like flowers on it. He carefully fingered the tiny blooms.

“This is very beautiful.” He observed Leo’s reaction to it.

“It is pretty.”

“The workmanship is so detailed. It must be very costly.”

Leo swung her gaze to him, observing his interest in the barrette. He doesn’t know it’s a cheap manufactured item.

“If I were home,” he continued, unaware of her scrutiny, “I would give this to you, Adeeann.” He gazed appealingly at her. “But I do not have plastic.”

Leo caved instantly under that sweet gaze. “I’ll lend you the money, but I expect you to pay it back.” She fished three dollars out of her pocket.

“No plastic?”

“Not for this.” She gave him the money.

He gave the dealer the money, then motioned for her to turn around, placing the barrette in her hair at the crown of her head. Leo suspected that he could live the rest of his life in kingly style on just one of the smaller stones in the hilt of t

he dagger he called the Cearix. She also suspected that he would part with his life before he allowed the knife to be desecrated in such a manner.

Comr surveyed his handiwork, pleased with the result.

“Thank you. It’s a beautiful gift, Comr. It was nice of you to think of me.”

His hand warmly cupped her face. “I would give you more, Adeeann, much more.”

Leo gazed into his beautiful eyes, feeling slightly disoriented. Yes, more…She blinked away her confusion. By God, he’s wearing me down! I can’t let this happen. No way can I let this happen. “L-let’s check out the art show.”

He smiled knowingly at her. “You lead; I will follow.” His arm swept in front of her. As she went ahead of him, he intoned in a voice too low for her to hear, “For now.”

The art show was wonderful. Comr really seemed to enjoy this portion of the convention. Several covers of popular books were showing, as well as additional original art work.

Comr stood before a particularly austere rendering of an alien landscape. The artist noticed his interest. “What do you think of it?” He asked Comr.

“It reminds me of Altarran Gaedre Two, in the Spheris sector. Have you been there?”

The artist grinned. “Occasionally.”

“A starkly beautiful place to view, but treacherous for the unaware.”

“Yes, I tried to capture that feeling on canvas.”

“You succeeded. Once, I was robbed of every croness I carried by a chaktan in the olde city.” Comr warmed to the memory. “I had imbibed too much, and I was completely disrobed. She took me—” He abruptly stopped as he remembered Leo’s presence. She seemed avidly interested in the tale. Too interested. He decided it was best not to continue the story.

The artist chuckled. “You must be one hell of a writer. Hey, I’m tired of standing around here; why don’t you let me buy you a beer?”

Comr turned to the artist. “Thank you, but I would not know what to do with a bear.”

“A beer, Comr,” Leo explained. “English is his second language.” Or for all she knew, his thousandth language. “A beer is spirits, Comr. Fermented grain—”

“Ah—keeran. Yes!” He slapped the poor guy on the back, sending him five feet across the room. “Let us go, my friend.”

Leo, thinking she’d take the opportunity to slip away, maybe see the Regency Dance, made to move discreetly away. Before she got two feet, Comr grabbed her by her shirt collar. “You are going somewhere, Adeeann?”

“Apparently not.”

They had their drink, enjoying themselves with the artist, whose quick wit and ability to jump into what he assumed was role playing made the time a lot of fun. Of course, Comr had no idea he was participating in a game of sorts.

Since it was late afternoon, and she was tired from the night before, Leo told Comr she would like to rest before meeting the others for dinner. Noting the dark circles under her eyes, Comr readily agreed.

Once inside the hotel room, she could barely keep her eyes open blaming last night’s anxiety over sleeping with him, as well as jet lag for her overtired state.

She quickly changed into her nightgown and plopped into bed, telling Comr to have fun watching the cartoons. Trying to decide how to instruct him on what time to wake her, she hit upon the perfect solution, informing him to wake her when the Flintstones came on. She was snoozing before her head hit the pillow.

Leo felt cold air hit her back and groaned a complaint into the pillow. As usual, her nightgown had hiked up, way above her waist, and if she wasn’t so sleepy, she’d yank it down. She thought she felt the tip of a finger lightly glide down the indentation of her back to the base of her spine.

Comr whispered in her ear. “Adeeann, it is time to wake up.” She brushed away his lips from her ear, mumbling something unintelligible.

He bent over her, his hair sweeping across her back. The tip of his tongue found the two little dimples at the base of her spine, above the band of her underwear. A small frisson lightly vibrated in its wake.

“Cut it out, Comr.”

His answer was to graze her buttock with his teeth.

That got her up.

She rapidly flipped over, but he adroitly slid her under him, seeming amused at her expression of horror mixed with panic.

“Do you not like my wake up?” he asked, way too innocently, while running his open palm down the length of her hair.

Leo froze, not certain what to do.

Comr dropped onto his forearms, leaning fully against her, his jean-clad thighs pressing warmly against her bare ones. His fiery gaze locked on her soft, full mouth. Her tongue, in response to a nervous reaction, barely came out of her mouth to lick her suddenly dry bottom lip.

He raised his eyes to capture hers as he ran his finger over the spot she had just moistened, and brought it to his own lips, as if he were…tasting her? His eyes flamed anew, and apparently he decided to come back for seconds, for he dipped his head intently toward her.