A Year Later. . .
by kath and steph

 

"I'm not going."

"Not going?" Sulis asked.

"Don't look so suprised," Kev said as he turned from the window pushing off the sill with his bare feet.

Sulis shook his head. "But this meeting--"

"Is for show only. The deal has already been sealed. You know it, I know it, and they know it."

"Your father will be angry."

Kev pushed up from his chair. "Why don't you go in my place?"

Sulis sucked in his breath. "Me? I . . . can't."

"Why not? You know as much about the Tresiani as I do." He laughed. "Probably more."

"They're expecting you," Sulis said. "They would be offended. They *will* be offended if you don't show up. You're seeing Jaetina at the end of the week. She isn't even expecting you today. Go to the meeting and then--"

Kev moved around his sprawling desk and padded across the thick carpet to the cabinet set against the far wall. He opened it. "This is the first day of business for her shop on our new hub. I am *going* to be there."

He offered Sulis a glass of Demaris Blue. He shook his head. "It's too early for that."

"I'm celebrating. Tomorrow is her 26th birthing day. I'm going to ask her to spend the night with me at the villa."

Sulis backed up, shaking his head. He sank into a plush seat.

"What's wrong with you?" Kev demanded. "I'd think you'd be happy for me. For us."

"Nothing's wrong," Sulis mumbled. "What if. . . what if she won't? She's not. . . like your other women."

"You think I don't know that?" Kev snapped, suddenly angry. "Of course I know it! Which is why I'm so attracted to her! Which is why I *love* her! That's right, Sulis. I love her. Have you ever seen me with one woman for more than a season? No! So are you jealous? Is that it? You don't like it when I'm with Jaetina because I'm not with you?"

Sulis hung his head and he continued. "Get over it. We're not attached at the hip. We're not even attached at all. I never asked for you to be my shadow!"

"I know," Sulis whispered.

"Well, good!" Kev drained his glass and sank into the opposite chair. "I'm not saying these things to be cruel. It's just-- we both prefer the truth, don't we?

"Sulis?

"Answer me!"

"Yes, Kev."

"All right then. Where are my shoes?"

"Beneath your desk."

"Right." Kev disappeared from sight for a moment. Sulis was staring at the floor when he stood up again. "Everything will be fine," he told him.

"The meeting. . ."

"You'll come up with something. Tell them I'm sick. Tell them I'm lost as sea."

"That's not funny."

"You're right. It's not. You always do a better job at coming up with these excuses. I'm counting on you, Sulis. Don't let me down."

"I. . . won't."

"I know you won't. You never do. I'll talk to you in a few days." He swung his jacket over his shoulder, hesitating briefly in the doorway without turning. "I'll com you later, and in the morning. Promise." He stepped into the outer office then closed the door behind him.

 

* * *

 

"Oh, this is so much fun," Nerys said, snapping another picture quickly before the next customer came up to the counter. "I never thought there'd be so many people here!" She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, blushing. "I mean, not that I didn't think--"

"I know what you mean," Jaetina told her assistant, laughing. She'd never expected a crowd like this herself.

Granted, she knew that many of them were here because the gossip newswriters had taken far too many pictures of her and Kev together during the past seasons. The first time it had happened she'd threatened to break the camera into a million pieces and then make the photographer eat them, much to Kev's amusement. Now she barely paid attention to them.

And she also had an amateur photographer for an assistant, she thought, as Nerys took another picture of the store. The younger woman had said that since Kev had to work today, she'd make sure that he could get an idea of what it had been like.

Several of them might have come here due to curiosity about her, Jaetina thought, as a man came up to the counter holding an embroidered tunic, but they were buying the clothes because they liked them. Her worries about going home empty-handed had disappeared completely less than an hour after she'd opened her doors, and now she smiled as she surveyed the crowd.

In it, she caught sight of a familiar face, and her eyes widened. "Kev?"

He grinned as he stepped up to the counter. "I'll take one of everything."

She laughed, then moved out from behind the counter to join him. "I thought you were supposed to be at work today. Did the meeting get cancelled?"

"Something like that," he answered as he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I didn't want to miss your big day." He knew how hard she'd been working, how badly she wanted to succeed. Her factory had been producing her designs for over two seasons now, sending them out to prospective buyers, but the numbers hadn't been quite up to par. Not bad, Kev had argued, but not as good as they could be. It was almost time for his father to make a decision on a contract renewal. The PR people Kev hired advised more exposure. Moving off Voori to trader hubs and space ports was the next logical step anyway.

"Thank you," she said. "Business has been great so far. Granted, I know why some people have shown up," she said, as a camera light went off nearby. She gave the photographer a perfunctory glare, and he just waved, smiled, and took another picture. She turned back to Kev, trying not to laugh. "They don't fear me anymore. Obviously, I'm losing my touch."

"And I thought I lost them by using public transport and a nifty disguise. Now that they're here, let's use them to your advantage." He extended his elbow for her and guided her to the front entrance.

"I'm suddenly very worried," she said, glancing back at Nerys. The younger woman gave her a cheerful grin, and then continued waiting on customers. "What are you plotting?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out . . . much later. For now. . ." He held up his hand and waved at the paparazzi as they stepped out of the shop. "Photo opp!" He laughed at her expression. "Smile, Jaetina!-- and no sharp teeth!"

"So I take it today's when you've finally gone insane?" she asked through a posed smile.

"Never fear, Sulis tells me that happened years ago." He slipped his arm around her waist and snugged her to his side, ensuring that the camera would pick up her name printed on the sign behind them. Other shoppers had noticed all the flashing lights and were gathering around. People were practically shoving each other to get through the door, or to see what was happening. He heard his name several times and finally held up his hand to signal that show time was over.

The media men took a few more shots and reluctantly backed away. Kev pulled Jaetina back into the store. It was mobbed with people. Lines were forming that backed nearly to the door. "Those pictures will be spreading all over Omena now," he said. "Hubs and Ports everywhere are going to want to see your designs."

"Very clever," she said. "But if we get trampled in all this, I'm blaming you." Then she met his eyes and smiled slowly. His 'something like that' hadn't fooled her; she'd bet today's profits that he'd postponed the meeting specifically because of this opening. She hesitated for a second-- normally she didn't do this in public-- and then put the photographers out of her mind completely as she closed the short distance between them and kissed him.

Kev could hear the click of more cameras but even that faded away as Jaetina became the only thing on his mind. Nearly five seasons had passed since he'd first laid eyes on her. He had hardly looked at another woman in that time. He was happier than he'd ever been while with her and when he wasn't, all he could think about was seeing her again. Unfortunately, neither one of their schedules had allowed for a lot of 'together' time. He hoped, that after tonight that would change. Reluctantly, he pulled away. "Is there a back door to this place?" he whispered.

"Why Kev, are you suggesting I leave my poor assistants here to handle this crowd by themselves? Because if so, I'm game," she said, glancing toward the back exit.

He laughed, noting the trading items changing hands. "I'm sure they can handle it," he said. "Besides, I'm betting you'll be sold out before we get planetside again."

"Hope you're right," she said, moving with him through the crowd. "So if we manage to get out of here, where are we going?"

"Someplace you've never been," he teased.

"That doesn't narrow it down much," Jaetina said. "You're trying to drive me crazy, aren't you?"

"Maybe," he said, pulling her down a narrow stairwell. "Though Sulis tells me that you already are-- for seeing me as long as you have." He paused on a landing, pressed her against the wall and kissed her.

It was times like this, Jaetina thought distractedly, that she understood exactly why the Elders had frowned upon betrothed couples touching each other at all before the wedding. It *definitely* tempted you to do things you weren't supposed to . . .

Kev pulled away, reluctantly, again. He took a deep breath, then kissed the tip of her nose. "I'll give you a hint," he said. "The location involves water."

"And *that* narrows it down. . ."

***

The first thing she truly noticed about the villa was the balcony. It curved around the entire front of the building, facing the ocean.

Telling herself that pressing her nose to the window of the skimmer would be undignified, she nearly did it anyway. "It's beautiful," she said. Then, knowing his penchant for lavish gatherings, she looked around for other skimmers or aircars.

"Wait till you see the sun set," Kev said, wishing the hours between now and then would vanish. He took her hand and led her along a worn stone path, stopping for a moment to take in the sight of the ocean over the flowering shrubs lining a beachstone wall at the back of the villa. A gust of wind blew his hair back from his face and he put his back against it and stepped onto the deck. The wooden surface was gray and smooth from the salt in the damp sea air and it protested with a loud creak as they walked across it. For a moment, he had trouble with the door and then it pushed open. A flood of memories came back to him as he stepped inside and he smiled.

The room was dotted with white draped silhouettes and he asked Jaetina to help him free the furniture from the sheeting.

She did so, noting the stately, muted colors of the chairs and couch. It made her fingers itch to hang a tapestry on the wall.

"Let me guess," she said. "This is guest house number 82?"

"Actually, it belonged to my mother. She met my dad here, when they were kids. This is where they lived when they first got married and she always told me I'd live here one day, too . . . with my wife." He swept his hand over the top of a table, the memory of her voice echoing in his mind, then his gaze moved to Jaetina's face. "I haven't been here in years, but there used to be an open air market down the road. I thought we could buy some fresh fruit there-- to go with the fish we're going to catch."

She told herself very firmly not to jump to conclusions-- though the jump seemed more like a tiny step at this point.  "I'd like that," she said, moving closer to him, not quite sure whether she was referring to the evening's plans or the idea of living here.

Then, remembering the first time they'd gone fishing, she smiled.  It had been more recreational than anything else . . . small groups of people had stood in the shallow water, holding tiny nets and trying to catch some of the multitudes of fish that darted around their knees.  One had brushed against her, and out of instinct, she'd used her claws instead of the net.  The cluster of children who'd been nearby probably still had nightmares.  "And you're a brave man, to take me fishing again.

"Not brave, smart," he corrected. "As long as I have you and the ocean, I know I'll never go hungry."

"And now I finally know the real reason you've been keeping me around," she teased.

He almost told her then what he'd been thinking about for the past several weeks, seasons even. Instead he laughed. "You've found me out. Now, let's go for that walk."

The village at the end of the narrow road was still as quaint as he remembered, though it seemed much smaller to his now grownup eyes. The locals barely gave them more than a passing glance, probably because the point was dotted with summer cottages; they were used to tourists here. And they both looked the part, Jaetina with her brightly colored dress and heels,which now dangled from one hand, and though Kev wore his jacket over his shoulder, the rest of his attire still spoke of the business world.

He was embarrassed when he realized he didn't have any trading items in his pockets and Jaetina was going to have to pay for their purchases. Then he was impressed with the way she bartered, haggling with the market vendors until both were satisfied with the price. They laughed when they realized they'd bought more produce than they could carry and had to hire a vendor's son to haul their goods home for them in a wagon.

It was a good thing the boy was with them on the walk back, Kev thought, or he might have to push Jaetina into the bushes. He'd promised himself hands (and lips) off for the rest of the day-- as he worked out in his mind what he was going to say to her.

They spent the rest of the afternoon opening windows and cleaning out the kitchen. He tinkered with the cooling unit while she washed up the counters and sink and, finally satisfied that it would keep their food cold, he helped her make the fruit salad. The sun was low on the horizon when they finished, painting the sky in fiery hues of orange and pink.

"Fish will be swarming," he said, hoping the nets would still be in the shed just outside the door.

"Good," she said, following him outside.  "Or we could just forget the whole fishing idea and go swimming.  Clothing optional," she purred, giving him a wicked grin.  She did love trying to rattle his composure.

"Okay." He unfastened his belt and pulled it off, draping it over the railing beside him and stepping down into the sand. He pulled off his shirt next. "What are you waiting for?"

She barely held back the words, "for you to finish".  And she might've actually taken him up on the challenge if it wasn't for the necklace she was wearing.  The pendant would definitely raise questions that weren't necessary right now. 

So she settled for a quick laugh.  "One of these days I *am* going to catch you off-guard."

He hid his disappointment behind a smile. "Looking forward to it." Climbing back up on the deck he handed her his shirt. "This should cover you up enough for the water. Don't want you to ruin your dress. I like it by the way." He backed off the deck again, dropping down to the sand and calling over his shoulder. "See you down there."

She should do it, now that he wasn't expecting it, she thought. Just leave his shirt and her dress and necklace behind. Compromising, she removed her dress and tucked the necklace into one of the pockets, and buttoned up only three buttons on his six-button shirt. Then, grinning, she went
down to the ocean.

Kev couldn't keep his eyes off her when he turned and saw her walking down the beach. It was a difficult to traverse the deep, dry sand and the motion accentuated the sway of her hips. His shirt came barely to her thighs and just before her bare feet hit the hard, wet sand, he caught a glimpse of her navel.

The net in his hands drifted away, forgotten. He forgot his self-inflicted no touching rule as well and met her in the knee deep waves, circling her waist with his arms. "This is a nice look for you," he said. "Simple yet very . . . alluring. You should definitely wear my shirts more often."

"But what would my clients say?" she teased. Then, realizing that the net was gone, she couldn't help a laugh. "Looks like me catching you off-guard happened sooner than expected."

He smiled back at her, noting how her gaze had moved over his shoulders and chest before lingering on his lips and moving up to his eyes. "And it looks like we won't be grilling any fish tonight either," he said. "Somehow, I'm not disappointed."

"Agreed," she said. "Any ideas as to what we should do instead?" Which was, she decided, the most polite way to say 'if you don't kiss me in about three seconds I'm going to tackle you and risk drowning us both'.

"Hmm," he still held her loosely in his arms. "We could swim. But that would involve letting go of you and I don't really want to do that."

While she normally enjoyed the banter, her tolerance of it-- and ability to come up with a worthy retort-- was all but gone now. "Then don't," she muttered, cutting off any reply he might've made by pressing her mouth to his.

* Kev was surprised, then pleased by Jaetina's assertiveness. Not that he'd never seen her assertive before-- the adjective could sometimes be attached to her name-- but he was usually the one to initiate any intimacy between them. He let her take the lead, for a few moments at least, enjoying the way her hands wandered over his shoulders and down his back as they kissed. Her nail tips drew trails of goosebumps up and down his spine and, taking a deep breath, he scooped her into his arms and carried her back to the villa.

Distracting him *too* much while he was walking, she decided, would probably result in both of them ending up in a heap on the floor. While not necessarily a bad thing, she'd prefer that to be intentional. Distracting him a little bit, however, was perfectly acceptable. Before she could settle on how best to do that, he set her down on the couch, and she raised her eyebrows when he didn't sit down next to her.

* Kev closed his eyes, then opened them again. Jaetina was still staring up at him and the confidence he felt in his every day life evaporated. He'd wanted to carry her up the winding stairway to the loft, because that was how he'd been picturing them in his mind nearly all day. Instead he was dripping salt water on the villa's exotic carpet as she waited for him to say-- or do-- something.

Reaching out, he took her hand. He brushed his lips over the back of it. "I love you," he said finally. "I think from the first moment I saw you. I was in love with how you looked, your violet eyes, your flashing smile-- but now I've gotten to know you and. . . Jaetina, will you stay here with me tonight-- be with me like. . . we've never been before?"

* Instead of answering, she got to her feet and for a instant his hearts nearly stopped because he thought she was leaving.

"I want to show you something," she said, heading back out to where she'd left her dress. "Normally I might say let me think about it, suggest spending at least an hour at opposite ends of the house so I know I've made a decision clearly." She took the necklace out of the dress pocket. The cord was strands of dark blue and green thread that she'd woven herself; she'd bought the gemstone-studded band.

"But I've been wearing this for almost half a season now. Trying to figure out a way to give it to you," she said, smiling quickly. "I'm not exactly suited for setting up things like this." And in a moment she was going to start chattering, she thought in amusement, when she hadn't even said the words that honestly mattered here. "I love you, too," she said, slipping the necklace over his head. "And the answer's yes."

It took a moment for what she was saying to register and then he was nearly overwhelmed with exhilaration. He laughed, feeling suddenly giddy and liking it. "A half season?" he asked. "You've kept me waiting an entire half season?" He swept her off her feet and started for the staircase.

"Hey, I've kept myself waiting, too," she said, holding back a laugh as she went on. "Well, now that that's settled, we've got a lot of things to get done. Have to notify people, settle on a location for a little ceremony, find flowers--"

"Make wild, passionate love," he added, placing her in the center of a large sleep square and dropping down beside her.

"Suppose I don't have to ask what's first on the list."

Then it was his turn to cut off anything else she might've said, and she smiled against his mouth. For once, *finally*, she thought, she didn't have to end this by backing away and returning to her apartment alone. The knowledge of that made her want to try and touch him everywhere at once. Feeling suddenly predatory, she pushed him onto his back and then straddled his hips, grinning down at him. He *had* said 'wild', after all.

Kev reached up and unfastened the three buttons on her shirt. He pushed it over her shoulders, letting his gaze dance a slow waltz across her dusky skin.

Any instinctive qualms she might've had about being undressed
disappeared when she saw the look in his eyes. She'd put that look there, she thought, feeling both slightly baffled and very, very pleased.

Wondering with a quick smile exactly what else she could do, she leaned down and kissed the side of his neck, then bit his shoulder lightly.

* He moaned softly, pressing his hips upward, then lifted his head and caught her mouth with his own. His hands moved constantly, up and down her sides, over her back, into her hair.

"I love you," she murmured in between kisses, wanting to say it, to hear it, while she still felt capable of some form of rational thought and speech.

He kissed her harder then pulled away, all at once and breathless, and turned her onto her back. He removed the rest of his clothing, flinging away his wet shorts and moving over her. The first moon had risen and shone down on them from the skylight over their heads. He kissed her forehead. "I love your face," he murmured, trailing kisses to her neck, her shoulder. "I love your body." He kept moving, leaving moist marks down the center of her chest. "I love your heart, your spirit." He could feel her trembling, and slipped down beside her, leaning back on one elbow, staring into her eyes as his fingers continued to caress her body. "You are so beautiful. I love you, Jaetina Weaver."

How did he do that? she wondered lazily. A moment ago she'd been ready to tear his few remaining clothes off and now, though she still wanted him naked-- she wasn't an idiot-- she no longer felt as frenzied.

In fact, her mood was almost . . . tranquil? Sweet?

*At any other time, she would've laughed at the very idea of applying those terms to herself. The man had a way with words, that was the only explanation. Then she gasped and arched her back.

And his hands. *Definitely* a way with the hands, too.

He smiled down at her. "Kiss me," he wispered, and let me make you my wife."

At the moment, he probably could've asked anything of her and she would've complied. Good thing he'd requested something she wanted to do anyway then, she thought, and followed his words without hesitation.

* * *

Another bit of information to file away-- he wasn't a light sleeper, Jaetina thought, easing herself away from him and then putting on his discarded shirt. She looked around for a sheet as well, saw only pillows.

Making a detour into the bathroom, she found a large gray beach towel in one of the cabinets. Deciding that would do, she wrapped it around herself as she headed downstairs and outside.

The sun wasn't quite ready to make an appearance, and she tread carefully over the shadowed ground. She'd gone barefoot often on Tivona, but those calluses had long since faded away. Disregarding the path down to the beach, she stayed within easy sight of the villa, walking across the wide expanse of grass to a flowering tree with raised roots. Sitting down on one of them, she looked out across the water.

It felt strange to be doing this; she didn't know where to begin. Some of her villagemates had spoken to those who had been lost-- her father had made pilgrimages to speak to his brother often-- but she herself had never lost anyone.

"I know of the Voorian custom to ask the blessing of those closest to one's chosen partner," she said. "And though I realize I can't hear the answer, I'm asking for yours.

"My name is Jaetina Weaver," she continued. "On my homeworld it is a rare thing, almost unheard of, to die of old age. To die saving another is the last honor a warrior can earn. We learn early on to recognize such a capability in others. I believe that if you had ever found the chance to visit Tivona, they would've accepted you readily.

"We also learn to recognize it in ourselves, understand who we would be willing to step into the darkness for. I would make such a journey for your son.

"It is one of the few things I can promise you. Tivonans can be difficult enough for other Tivonans to live with. I don't know if Kev is entirely sure what he's gotten himself into yet. But as marriage is new ground for both of us, I suppose we'll learn."

She thought she saw something then, in the instant of daybreak when the sun peered over the ocean. A silhouette of a woman.

Jaetina told herself that it was just a trick of the light, that she'd been staring right at the sun and it had temporarily altered her vision. But part of her didn't truly believe that. Then a breeze stirred the branches above her head, and as a tiny sprig of dark red blossoms fell into her towel-clad lap, she wondered if she hadn't gotten an answer, after all.

Kev opened his eyes to the murmur of Jaetina's voice drifting up to him through the open window. He crawled from the pillows and padded to the balcony railing. Catching a glimpse of movement from beneath the branches of an euli tree he left the villa and walked through the yard.

Bending, he dipped his head beneath the leaves. "Can I come in?"

She looked him over. He hadn't bothered to find a towel, or anything else. She definitely approved. "Yes," she said, pausing in her open perusal of his body to wonder how long he'd been out there; if he'd heard anything she'd said.

He lay down beside her, his head in her lap and smiled up at her. "I'm you're husband now?"

She nodded, trailing her fingers through his hair. "You're stuck with me until one of us dies or I drive you crazy."

"I'm already crazy," he said. "Crazy in love with you." He caught her hand with one of his own. "I want to make you happy, Jaetina."

"I don't know," she said. "I'm really hard to please." She smiled. "You can start by making me breakfast sometime later. Seeing as I only married you for your cooking."

* "Deal. And since I only married you for your wit, you can lay down and whisper something sweet in my ear."

She stretched out, toying with the necklace he now wore, her mind drifting to a moment last night. The moon had gone behind a cloud, leaving the room in darkness and reducing them to a pair of voices.

Hers, amusement hiding just below a mournful tone. "I thought you said you loved me."

His, lazy and completely unworried. "I do."

"So why did you just try to kill me? I may never move again."

Then a quick intake of breath, a smile revealed by the light of the returning moon.

"On second thought. . ."

"I vote we just run away," she told him now. "Stay here forever."

"Unfortunately--" He kissed the tip of her nose. "They would--" He nibbled her bottom lip. "Come looking--" His mouth found her neck. "For us." He moved over her. "Three words," he said. "That I promise to tell you every day. And--" he grinned before kissing her again-- "they aren't, 'breakfast is ready'."

"Disappoint a girl, why don't you."

"Give me five minutes," Kev murmured. "And then tell me you're disappointed."

"Deal," she said. "But, inside. I have to work up to this level of exhibitionism."



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