Chapter 10
"I'm going to have to lie about this entire weekend," she mumbled into her pillow. "Here I am, in sunny Southern California, in the busy town of San Diego, and what did I do for two days? Not a damned thing."
Deanna Calavicci managed a sleepy smile as she looked at the alarm clock by the bed and noted the time.
"Two hours until check-out," she added.
Next to her, Edward St. John hummed and rolled onto his side, and she moved back to curl up against him, relishing the pocket of his body warmth as she shifted her position. He draped one arm over her body and tucked his hand up under her breast, then pressed his face into her hair.
"I'd suggest we shower together," he said in a sleepy voice, "but then we might get started again and we'd never get out of here."
Deanna's smile widened. They'd begun their time together late Friday night, and all but lost the entire Saturday. Aside from Deanna checking out of her room to share his—and the welcome visits from room service for breakfast, lunch and dinner—they didn't open the hotel room door.
During that time, Deanna used the com bracelet and checked on Ziggy regularly, to make sure nothing had happened back at Stallion's Gate, New Mexico, but all seemed quiet back at Project Quantum Leap. Not the least bit upset at being blocked from communicating with her by the com bracelet being put in the hotel safe, Ziggy finally reassured Deanna that she could (and would) call her on the hotel phone if need be.
Not that everything went as lovely and smoothly as either of them hoped it would. Deanna's relatively fresh trauma still plagued her, and several times as they attempted to re-consummate their relationship, she'd fallen into a state of shock that forced Eddie to pull back and soothe her with words and gentle touches until she came out of it. Despite the confusion and despite the tears, his attentions and tenderness never wavered. It suggested that he'd been through that kind of thing before with a lover, someone traumatized in some way by sexual encounters, but Deanna didn't question him about it. She just appreciated what she'd found.
Her eyebrows lowered. "Are you sure about this, Eddie?"
He kissed her on the earlobe, then sat up in bed and swung his legs over the edge. "I'm sure. I'm very sure," he replied as he stroked her bare arm. "As I've said, I won't be missing out on anything. I'm retired from acting. I don't have any particular reason to hold onto my condo in Los Angeles, nor are there any friends or family to be concerned about." He paused. "It seems appropriate," he added, "to put the rest of my life to good use."
He leaned over and kissed her, then made his way to the bathroom. He looked over his shoulder, winked at her as he saw Deanna enjoying the view, and passed around the corner.
As he turned on the shower, Deanna snuggled against his pillow and pressed it to her face, breathing in the smell of him. The discussion had unfolded slowly, carefully, as she wrestled with her feelings about recruiting Eddie for the Project and pondered the complications involved in bringing an untrained civilian into the fold. There would be a lot of paperwork to tackle, a lot of permissions to be granted, but her father's influence would help in that department.
Deanna crawled out of bed when she heard the water shut off. She grinned and held her hands up, keeping her distance in a comic way as Eddie came back into the room and dried himself off.
"No touching!" she exclaimed.
"Quite right," he replied with another calculated wink.
After she dried off from her shower, she came out to find him dressed and packed, with her suitcase open on the bed and her clothing—a pair of jeans and t-shirt, underwear and socks—ready for her. The Project com bracelet sat on top of her clean clothes, flashing steadily.
"What's up, Ziggy?" Deanna called out to it as she got dressed.
"Good morning, Lieutenant," the supercomputer greeted her. "Nothing in particular. I am arranging your travel schedule for the day and would like to confirm your anticipated departure from San Diego."
Deanna pulled her shirt over her head and pulled down on the bottom of it. "Well, there's been a change of plans. I'm not flying out. Eddie and I are driving to New Mexico."
The two exchanged a smile, and Eddie went over to her and curled his arms around her.
The bracelet flashed again. "Very well. Do you require a rental?"
"No, we'll be using my car," he replied. "However, I will need some help securing both a moving and real estate company, if that's at all possible. You see, I've decided to join you all there in the desert."
"We look forward to your arrival," came the smooth reply. "Welcome aboard."
He gave a quick laugh. "Well, there's much to settle first. I don't even know if I'll be permitted in the building."
"He doesn't have government clearance, for starters," Deanna chimed in. "That alone could take months."
"Not to worry. I am able to 'grease the skids,' as it were, in that department. As far as entering the building, that is at my discretion, and I have already arranged for your personal ID and access fob. You may pick them up from the guard station at the door."
"You're a wonder, Ziggy," she praised the computer. "Thank you."
"Thank you," Ziggy said in return, "for bringing on another Observer. My records indicate that the Admiral is already working past the normal recommended shifts and is in need of some down time. Also," she added, "I have to inform you that you are scheduled for two back-to-back appointments with Doctor Verbeena Beeks tomorrow."
Deanna blinked and stiffened in St. John's arms. "What?"
"The Admiral arranged for a special session with the Project psychiatrist, in order to facilitate your return to the work schedule."
Deanna felt Eddie's arms tighten around her as she began to tremble with anger. A number of thoughts raced through her head, but the main one went back to the issue of control—or, rather, the loss of it. Her entire life had been dictated by others controlling her—her parents, friends, family, the Navy, Steve… even the accident affected her control over her own body. In times of ambiguity, she could look past such events; even though she'd felt certain that Ziggy had, in some way, directed her encounter with Eddie, the results tamped down her suspicions and she'd let herself enjoy the situation to its fullest. But clearly, Al Calavicci had begun meddling in her recovery… and that, she could not look past.
Eddie spoke up for her. "We'll be leaving in about an hour or so," he informed her. "After breakfast, we'll be hopping directly onto the expressway in your direction."
"Very well. I'll be here when you need me."
"Thank you, Ziggy."
With that, the lights on the com faded.
"Batteries are probably low. We'll have to charge that on the way back," Deanna muttered.
"Deanna—"
She broke free of him and hastily packed up her suitcase without looking at him. Eddie remained silent and stood there while she slapped on the com bracelet, zipped up the case and dropped it onto the floor, then popped up the handle and headed for the hotel room door. He did the same with his own case and followed her out into the hallway. She stopped and pushed the elevator button, then gave a sideways glance as he stopped beside her.
"Can we grab something on the road?" she asked in a dull voice. "I don't have much of an appetite now."
Eddie nodded. "Sure."
Everything about her body language suggested that she didn't want to be touched, and he obliged her. They made their way to the parking garage and got into Eddie's car—a well-maintained 1980s two-door sedan—and took off without anything else being said. A stop at a drive-thru coaxed a few more words out of her. By the time they reached the city limits, however, she'd barely spoken.
Eddie pulled over into a rest area, then got out, walked around the car, and opened the passenger-side door.
"Come on," he said gently. He waited until she undid her seatbelt, then took her hand and helped her to her feet.
"What?"
"We're going for a walk." He swept his arm out behind him. "After all, this spot offers such a lovely view of the dog run."
"What if I say no?"
He gave her a gentle smile. "You won't."
With a sigh, and a look of wonder—amazed how he could read her so well, after only such a short time together—Deanna obeyed. They walked along the sidewalk for a while, then turned and headed off along a slight trail, then doubled back to the sidewalks. All the way, Eddie maintained a light banter, and his handholding evolved as he draped an arm over her shoulder, then put a hand on her waist and pulled her close while they walked. Finally, they stopped against the brick wall of the rest area, and he pressed her up against the rough surface.
They stood there, their bodies tight against one another, breathing, for a long time. At last, Deanna looked into his eyes again.
"I'm scared," she confessed in a trembling whisper. "I'm so scared, Eddie."
"I know," he reassured her. "But I'm here for you." He gave a gentle shake of his head as he saw the cynicism and skepticism in her eyes. "Deanna, I'm on the verge of joining a Top Secret government operation that you and a computer say that I belong to, that you both claim I'm genetically connected to, of all things, and I'm having to step away from everything else in order to do it. I know what you're feeling, dear. I do. And my fears may be different, but I am just as terrified as you."
Tears welled in her eyes, and the two of them pressed their foreheads together as they both squeezed their eyelids shut.
"You've been so good to me…"
"You deserve it," he breathed.
They exchanged a slow, passionate kiss, then pulled apart. She set her palms on his chest and slightly pushed him away, then tilted her head.
"You know," she said as she fought back the tears, "if we're going to work together, we're going to have to… set some boundaries."
He grinned. "Agreed. No hanky-panky during business hours, then. Boss."