Chapter Ten
"Jack!" she screams jolting upright, eyes seeking redemption.
"I'm here," I reassure her wrapping my arms around her in a tight embrace. "You don't have to do this, we can find another way."
She grins at me, "I shouldn't have even told you about it," she states calmly, "besides there is no other way!" I should have known it is impossible for her to remain calm in a situation such as this. "You think I'm doing this because I want to? No, I'm doing this because I have to! All the resources in the world can't tell you what you need to know. But somehow, someway, I can… and it's killing me."
I say nothing; just stare straight into her longing eyes. Nothing I say will help her right now. She said it herself, it's killing her. So why doesn't she stop?
Desperate to know, I ask, "Why?"
"Why what, Jack?" she spits back at me.
"Why do you do it? Why don't you stop?"
She glares at me, and if looks could kill no doubt I would be dead. There is hatred rising in her, I know it. I can always read her pretty well, though I can't get a read on why. All I did was ask one simple question.
"Now why didn't I think of that?"
"Oh, Nina, lose the sarcasm! It's not getting you anywhere."
"No why don't you lose the questions? You're acting like a god-damn shrink! Believe me Jack, it doesn't look good on you."
"Fine! You don't want to talk? Don't talk, I don't care." I don't think I have ever been this angry with her before. I can't be around her when she is like this. My feet gain some feeling as I rise from the sand covered ground. I remember when I was a kid I used to wonder how people could walk on sand but not fall through. It was always a mystery to me. I smile a shallow smile at the memory.
If I recall correctly the road isn't too far away. If I follow the north star maybe I will make it before sunrise.
"Where are you going?" I hear the shakiness in her voice.
I smile wryly. "Oh, so now you want to talk?"
"Yeah, fine, whatever." She is scared. Dark nights alone outside have always been her biggest phobia. I remember the very moment she told me.
Pivoting around to face her, I tower over her. Fists clenching, she shrieks as I punch them into the sandy dune she is leaning against, one hand on either side of her. Relief floods over her face. She thought I was going to hit her? I could never do that. I would never do that.
"Nina," I say softly easing my fists down to place them on her forearms. I rub them gently. The wanting moans that spill from her luscious lips does not go unnoticed by me. "Turn around," I order, backing away a few paces.
She turns with great caution. I grin mischievously, "don't worry… I'm not going to hurt you."
Now facing her back, I inch toward her silently. I instruct her to sit down. To my surprise she does so without question.
My legs brush against her back lightly. I refrain from leaving this close contact with her. My fingers work with the tense muscles in her neck. Her eyes fall shut as her head collapses back. My eyes roll back in their sockets the moment I feel where he head is. I press against her. My heart beat increases rapidly at the growing bulge in my pants. I jump in shock at the touch of her hand against mine.
She ascends to her feet, I crave the feel of her against her the instant she moves.
"That was nice," I whisper to myself, but she hears.
I see playfulness written all over her face. "And what would that be, Jack?"
"Nina… bomb," I remind her why we are here. Though I am thinking whatever is running through her mind is definitely a lot better. "Come on, get up."
She sighs feebly, "no."
She isn't going to make this easy for me. I return her sigh, "Look, I know you're tired-"
"Tired? I'm exhausted! I can't sleep for five minutes at a time without seeing that condick-"
"Conduit," I correct her, keeping my tone to a moderate level.
"Whatever."
I laugh sarcastically, "Well you go around asking people what a condick is and see what they tell you."
She smiles with honesty, "I'll do that."
"I'm holding you to that," I say sincerely.
She shifts into my arms; eyes remain locked on mine while she speaks, "no Jack, you're holding me."