I woke up in the pale lilac light of morning. For once I wanted to get up and see what you were doing, so I padded quietly into the kitchen. You were stood by the sink carving something and I waited patiently for you to notice me. You didn't so I sat down at the table and started eating the yellow fruits you'd put out. Their usual bittersweet taste was refreshing today.
"Hey there," you said. I looked over to where you were stood and something caught the light in your hand. I tensed, thinking about everything it could possibly be. Part of me wanted to get past this paranoia but I still didn't know what to expect all the time. You'd tamed me but there was still some piece of me that yearned for another place.
I smiled at you and continued eating. You strided over and sat down opposite me, watching me pick out another fruit. "I didn't know you liked them so much," you grinned.
"Me neither," I looked down and blushed involuntarily. I could feel your eyes boring into me, and I liked it. After last night I'd thought about you a lot. How much my opinion of you had changed. At first I'd felt confused but then I figured that it was bound to happen, you being the only person who I spoke to each day.
"I've got something for you," you drew me out of my thoughts. I looked up and saw what had been twinkling in the dawn light: a gemstone ring. It seemed to be made of opal or moonstone and was roughly cut. I was captivated by it. You leaned over and took my hand in yours, knocking over the fruit bowl. You didn't seem to care. "I hope it fits," you said as you slid the ring onto the middle finger on my left hand. My hand rested on yours and you looked at me, smiling crookedly.
"I love it," I whispered and lifted my hand off yours to rotate the ring in every angle so I could marvel at each new rainbow it made.
"I'll be out back fixing a pipe," you said, studying my face. "Don't be worried if I come back late, remember I'm still here," you got up and walked out onto the veranda. You turned around and leaned against the doorframe with one arm. I didn't realise my eyes had followed you all the way there. "I'm glad you like the ring," you said and winked at me before you disappeared around the corner.
A few hours after you'd gone I wandered into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. I'd changed a lot since I'd come here. My skin had turned a golden brown shade and my eyes had tiny little wrinkles at the sides, probably from squinting against the sun. I smoothed down my hair and sighed. I thought about you again. Each day that passed made it harder for me to deny what I felt for you. Lately I'd begun to view you more as the man from the airport rather than my kidnapper.
I slunk down onto the floor and kicked off some excess sand from my boots. I watched as it floated away and then vanished from my sight. I leaned my head back and imagined kissing you. The thought had slipped into my head and I jerked forward, shocked, and surprised that I could've even thought about that. I sat up and crossed my legs wondering what would happen next.
I remembered the first time you showed me around. "This where I sleep, for now," you'd said. It was only now that I realised the full meaning of your words. Part of me felt uncomfortable, had you planned this all along? Did you just want someone to bed out here, some 'company' as you'd phrased it? I didn't know what to think.
All I knew was that my feelings for you were growing stronger. I imagined that day you'd first shown me the Separates, and dove shirtless into the murky water. My stomach fluttered and I hugged myself with both arms and drew my knees up. I stayed like that for a while before I decided to go to bed and sleep.
You got back shortly afterwards and the noise woke me. I stretched my arms up high above me and yawned. The sun was hanging low in the sky but bright sunlight still leaked in through the window and I turned my back against it, closing my eyes to feel it's warmth.
The door opened and you stood there, watching me gradually wake up. "Hard at work I see," you joked.
I felt embarrassed and scooted to the end of the bed. I smelled something sweet in the air and I gave you a puzzled look.
"Want to see what it is?" You said and motioned with your hand that I should follow you. Curiosity got the better of me and I stood up, wobbly at first, before padding into the kitchen where I found candles glowing on every surface I could see. You were leaning by the sink, a small smile on your face.
"What's this for?" I asked, wondering if I'd missed something. Did the ring mean more than I thought it did?
"You," you said simply. You looked down at your boots and then carried over a bowl of assorted berries to the table. You placed them down on the powder blue tablecloth and then looked up at me.
"Are you okay?" Your eyes widened, concerned, and you came round to my side of the table and took my face in your hands. "I just thought it would be a nice change, that's all. If you don't like it I'll get rid of it, " your eyes searched mine.
"No, not at all I just wasn't expecting it," I laughed it off and stared into your blue eyes. I took my hand and stroked your cheek, feeling your rough stubble, and looked at your lips. We stayed like that for a long time before you cleared your throat.
You moved to go and get the food from the stove and serve it up as you always did. This time I wanted to help. I opened the cupboard to the left of your head and reached up on my toes to try and get the bowls. I turned my head and saw you watching me, smirking.
"Here, let me help you," your hands found my waist and hoisted me up about two foot into the air. I blushed at the contact our skin had made and grabbed the bowls as an afterthought. Then you lowered me down and my feet made a soft thud as they connected with the floor.
You were always so gentle with me, restraining the power I always knew you had at your disposal. I mumbled a thanks and then handed you the bowls, waiting for you to pour the soup. You looked into my eyes and a smile grew on your lips. I could feel myself smiling too but then I jumped back as you poured some of the boiling hot soup all over your hand.
"Oh shit!" You growled and rested the pot back on the stove and assessed the damage. Soup and lentils were everywhere and you looked livid. I took a dishcloth from the sink and started to mop up the liquid covering everywhere but you clasped your hand around my wrist and laughed.
"Don't bother, Gem, it's my fault. I'll clean it up, you just sit back down," you shook your head and took a cloth of your own, trying to clean up your mess.
"No, seriously, I want to help," I insisted, and continued working along with you. I peeked up at your face and saw you were frowning.
"Oh," you began, "thanks." You smiled and glanced at me briefly to smile. I smiled back.
After we cleaned up the soup we both sat down and ate the fruit in front of us. You nibbled at something orange when I pushed my plate forward. You looked up, suddenly anxious.
"Don't you like it?" Your eyes were wide.
"It was great it's just I'm full now. I'm going to have a shower," I declared before getting up and pushing my chair in. I could feel you watching me as I walked down the corridor and into the bathroom.
I knew what I wanted to do tonight.
I pulled my top off over my head and took my shorts off. In my underwear I studied myself in the mirror and smiled, trying to build my confidence. I turned to the side and looked at my stomach, trying to grab at any fat I could. Satisfied with the result, I unhooked my bra and peeled off my pants.
I turned the shower on and brown water chugged out as usual but this time I welcomed it. I took the bar of eucalyptus soap that lived alone on the shelf below the shower head and massaged it into my shoulders.
I wanted to smell nice tonight. I worked the soap into my body and scrubbed harshly at my skin. I gathered my hair to the side and rubbed the eucalyptus bar into the strands and inhaled the scent. I smelled like you.
With my hair still dripping I walked into the kitchen with a towel in my hand, occasionally rubbing my hair. I leaned by the doorframe as you had done earlier that night and gazed out at the sun, just about ready to fade into the horizon. In an hour or two the whole desert would be in complete darkness once again.
I seated myself on the cane couch outside on the veranda and looked out towards the sun and you slipped into my thoughts once more. I sighed deeply and then tossed my towel onto the porch railing. I sprawled out fully on the couch before laying down with my feet just hanging off the end of the armrest. I closed my eyes and tried to picture the exact blue of your eyes.
I heard you walk into the kitchen so I sat up and shuffled to one side of the sofa. I couldn't see the sun properly because the rails blocked the view from where I was sat, so I got up to lean against the railings on the towel I'd placed there. With my elbows propping my face up, I was perched comfortably when I sensed you behind me.
"So beautiful," I heard you say before you perched next to me. You looked at me and smiled.
"Yeah, it is," I smiled back, whilst looking at the sunset. I felt you tug at the towel I was resting on and I looked up at you.
"I don't want you to catch a cold, this towel's wet," you explained before taking it yourself and draping it around your neck.
"So it's better if you catch the cold?" I challenged, taking the towel back and throwing it onto the sofa behind us. I heard you snicker next to me.
I straightened my back and yawned. It was a contented yawn.
"You tired?" Your eyes were studying my face and they lingered on my lips before darting back to my eyes.
"Not at all," I laughed, "just fine." The words came as a shock to me and I think you were surprised as well. I just looked out at the sunset and smiled ruefully.
You shuffled closer to me and leaned on your elbows like me. We both watched the sun for a few moments.
"I love the smell of eucalyptus," I murmured, breaking the silence, smelling my forearm.
"Me too," you said. Quieter than usual. I turned to study your face and you looked at me. I looked down at the floor and then up to your pale blue eyes. I could feel my hair had mostly dried but there was the occasional droplet of water than landed on my shoulder.
I watched you as you tracked it as it slid down from my shoulder down to my elbow joint. Your eyes slowly travelled back to mine, as if you were checking for any warning signals, before you stood up a little more and caressed my elbow and rubbed the droplet into my skin with your thumb.
I could've cut the tension in the air with a knife. I was paralysed with excitement at that moment and the best I could do was stare into your eyes. I felt your fingers brush up my arm to my shoulder and then to my neck. I tilted my head to one side and closed my eyes slightly as I felt your right arm move under the back of my shirt to rest against the small of my back.
You pushed me backwards slightly up against the railing and then hesitated briefly. You searched in my eyes for something but in that second I pulled your shoulders down towards me and kissed you hard. Your lips tasted sweet and earthy.
My hands moved from your shoulders to your thick blonde hair while yours travelled up and down my back. You were like a drug I couldn't get enough of. I wanted to touch every single part of you right there and then. Your chest was pushing me into the railings and I could feel the pressure building up in my lower back. It was getting distracting. I started kissing your ear.
"Maybe we should change location," I whispered into your ear, smiling as you turned your head to look at me. Your eyes were bright and wild, an intense blue that tied my stomach in knots. My hands caressed your chest and the action was beyond my control. You tilted your head down to my ear and I felt your breath on my neck.
"Sure," you murmured, before scooping me up in your arms.