Hello! I'm back! Hope everyone had a great holiday! I know I did. .
.everyone loved the gifts I bought them, and I was equally pleased about my
own loot. My brother, sister-in-law, and nephew got me a book of
international poetry. . .can we say story fodder?
I also wanted to let y'all know that I'm leaving for Virginia on Wednesday, and I'll be back next Sunday. Spending New Year's weekend with my best friend. I'll try to get started on chapter thirteen before I leave, so the wait isn't so long.
Reviews!
Sailor Elf: Rick and Ardeth in boxers. . .definitely a droolworthy thought, yes? I miss Gargoyles, too. Not sure why it was canceled, since even the worst episodes were better than most prime-time 'adult' fare. Don't ask me why I have this thing in my head about Ardeth and children. . .we only ever saw him with Alex, but it just seems to fit.
Evywannabe: Thank you, dear, same to you. Well, I finally got to the hysterical stuff! More is coming next chapter, but I had to get this in this chapter.
JW: Thanks! I had a lot of fun writing it. And this is the way I like to write Rick. Acting like a goofy teenager, but with a serious streak. In some ways, he and Ardeth are complete opposites. . .Ardeth is serious with a mischievous streak, and Rick is goofy with a serious streak.
Brunette: Yes, I know you love it, and you keep telling me because. . .of incentive? More silliness in the next chapter, and getting back to Beni. I've neglected him long enough, I think. He's giving me the pouty face. Keep trying, Beni. . .Ardeth's is still better than yours.
Terreis: Oh, you're welcome! I figured someone would like those smiley- faced boxer shorts. And as to your other question, concerning that particular line. . .well, this chapter should answer it. More of Ardeth and Celia coming in the next chapter, along with everything else. Let's see how long Ardeth's resolution remains firm. . .
On with the story!
Part Twelve
As could be expected, the children were awake first the following morning. Evy Carnahan was awakened by a tugging at her nightgown, and a tiny voice whispering, "Miss Evy? Miss Evy, wake up. It's morning." The college student reluctantly opened her eyes. She was having a wonderful dream about Rick O'Connell, whipped cream and strawberries, though Evy would have died before admitting it to either of her roommates.
Especially Anck. She would never let Evy hear the end of it. . .whether because it was about Rick O'Connell, or because of the content of the dream. Just remembering *that* made Evy blush as she found a small face only inches from her own. She blinked twice, and the face came into focus. It took her another moment to remember the child's name. Oh yes! Olivia Chase. . .Livvy.
The little girl smiled brightly when she saw Evy looking at her, her eyes showing no signs of the nightmare that woke everyone up the previous night. Evy couldn't help but smile back, and an evil little devil inside her mind wondered if she should tease O'Connell about his smiley-face boxers. Unknown to almost everyone else, Evy peeked out of the room when she heard Celia laughing hysterically.
Since it was so unusual to hear Celia laughing like that, Evy's curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked out, with Livvy tucked against her body. The little girl was asleep once more, but Evy didn't want to leave her, even briefly. Her glance outside was singularly unedifying at first, as the only thing she saw was her American roommate on the ground, almost crying from laughing so hard. Well, it was edifying, in that she saw Celia giddy for once. Then Evy angled her head in the opposite direction, and saw both stepbrothers standing in the hall, wearing only their boxers.
Oh. . .my. Evy gulped, trying *very* hard not to stare, and failing quite spectacularly. Not surprisingly, both young men were as. . .attractive below the neck as they were above, and Evy immediately kicked herself for even thinking that Rick O'Connell was attractive. But. . .oh my. Evy snuck a look at Celia again, who was being lifted to her feet and guided back into the room she shared with Anck, by that young woman.
*She must have been too tired to notice Ardeth in boxers,* Evy had thought, *though how she could miss that, I haven't a clue. I'm not even attracted to the man, and I noticed.* She tried not to think too much about either brother's long, powerful, muscled legs. . .or their narrow waists. Their broad shoulders. Their. . . *EVELYN! That is quite enough, young lady, and you will stop thinking about their fine manly forms before you embarrass yourself and traumatize Olivia!* she lectured herself.
Not that it did much good. Evy shook herself, and told her small companion, "Well, let us see if any of the others are awake and alert." She had her doubts. Evy was the only one of the three roommates who was an early riser by choice. And Anck could be downright nasty when you woke her before she was ready. So, no. . .she didn't think either of her roommates were either awake or alert.
Galen Ferguson might be up. He was a doctor, after all, and they were known to work crazy hours. Hmm. On second thought, perhaps he wouldn't be awake after all. Doctors slept when they could, and when they had a chance to sleep in, they bloody well took it. Evy's mental checklist was interrupted when Livvy pulled on her hand. She was just startled enough that Livvy's momentum pulled her somewhat out of bed.
"Oh, all right, I am coming!" Evy huffed as she found her feet. The student glowered down at the little girl. . .or, at least, she tried to. Livvy's upturned little face took all the brimstone out of her fire, and she sighed, "Very well, lead on. Let's see if we're the only ones up." They checked each room. Jonathan and Galen were both asleep. . .unsurprisingly. As were the children, and Evy was struggling to remember all their names. The only names she remembered right now were Livvy and Alex.
And she would be in very bad shape indeed if she couldn't remember the name of her own nephew! Evy and Livvy continued checking each room, until they came to the room where the stepbrothers were sleeping. Evy whispered, "No, sweetheart. . .we can't check on them?" Livvy turned to look up at her, her mouth forming the word, 'why?' Evy tried to think of a good reason that would make sense to the little girl, then brightened. Ah- ha!
"Because, sweetheart, we could check on Galen and Jonathan because Jonathan is my brother, and Galen is Celia's. But. . .neither Rick nor Ardeth are my brothers," Evy answered, feeling quite proud of herself for thinking up that at this time of the morning. Livvy rolled her eyes and pushed open the door anyhow. Obviously, that rationale would not work on this child. It was especially surprising, since everyone thought Livvy was so shy. Maybe that was just because of the way they met her. Evy opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to call the child back, until she realized the brothers might still be asleep.
And she didn't want to wake either of them. Livvy peeked inside, then withdrew her head to stage-whisper, "Ardeth's up, but Rick in't." Evy almost corrected the child's grammar, until the words penetrated her mind. Ardeth was up, but Rick wasn't. Rick was still asleep. Evy watched men sleep before. It was the only time her brother Jonathan was actually cute. Given that knowledge, she couldn't resist the temptation to poke her head into the room as well.
As Livvy said, Ardeth was awake. . .his bed was made, and Evy was willing to bet he was already downstairs. However, his brother was sound asleep. He lay on his side. . .sort of, although with a man his size, that was hard to tell. One arm hung over the edge of the bed, and brown hair fell carelessly over his forehead. Evy was horrified to realize she wanted to caress those bangs back from his eyes.
Oh, no. No, no, no! That was NOT a good idea. Evy firmly removed her head from the room, carefully closing the door behind her. She didn't know what horrified her more. . .her desire to caress his hair away from his forehead, or her equally strong desire to see as much as she did the previous night. On second thought, she didn't think she wanted to know. That was a very BAD idea.
Instead of focusing on that, she followed Livvy to the last room, where Celia and Anck slept. Unsurprisingly, both of her roommates were still asleep. Somewhere under that blanket was Anck, and Evy wouldn't lay odds on which end of the bed Anck's head was. She just saw a lump under the blankets, and knew that was Anck. Evy switched her gaze from Anck's bed to Celia's, and smiled. Celia lay on her side, arms wrapped firmly around her pillow, and Livvy said, again in that stage whisper, "I think she needs a teddy bear. I'll go get mine!"
Evy caught her arm, saying softly, "No, honey. . .that's a very sweet thing to do, but you might wake Celia up. Let's go see what Ardeth is into, hmm?" Livvy thought about this, then nodded, her eyes lighting up at the idea of seeing Ardeth. Evy couldn't decide if the little girl had a monumental crush on the handsome teaching assistant, or if the little girl chose him as another older brother. Either way, it gained both of her roommates a few extra minutes of sleep. For that, Evy would be extremely thankful.
. . .
As usual, Ardeth was awake at dawn. What was unusual was that for once, he stayed in bed as the sky outside his window lightened. In fact, he thought this was the first time he did such thing in. . .ever since his father died. Ardeth frowned. . .yes, that was right. Even before he became a chieftain, he was driven. Looking back now, the young man realized that a part of him sensed that he wouldn't remain the chieftain's younger brother for long.
Ardeth sighed quietly, careful not to wake Rick as he watched the sun come up. He felt somewhat decadent, but was unconcerned. Surely one morning such as this, in a lifetime, was not such a terrible thing? He had no plan to lay abed even after awakening, not as a habit. No. Thus reassuring himself, Ardeth finally shifted out of bed, ever cautious of waking his brother. Rick was barely human when he awoke, and this morning had too much promise to ruin it by accidentally waking his brother.
He quietly pulled on a pair of sweatpants given to him by Uncle Nassor before leaving Egypt, and a pair of socks. The house was silent. . .he needn't worry about the three college sophomores seeing anything they shouldn't. Unlike the night before. Ardeth blushed, remembering how he darted into the hallway in his boxer shorts. Lucky for him that Anck saved her most pointed teasing for Rick.
Downstairs, he started the coffee maker. It was one of the few kitchen appliances he could work without fear of electrocuting himself. Ardeth smiled ruefully. He stayed away from electrical appliances, except coffeemakers and microwaves. That would be the ultimate irony, would it not? After all the years of battle, meeting his end because of an electrical appliance. Not a pleasant thought. Not a pleasant thought at all.
Unfortunately, it might have come true, for as the coffeemaker began to percolate, a voice exclaimed, "See! I told you he would be down here!" Ardeth was startled and wheeled around, almost swiping at the coffeemaker in the process. This would have been a *very* BAD thing, as he was wearing no shirt and no protection from the hot water. Or, for that matter, from the glass of the coffeepot, if it had broken. However, he managed to escape danger. . .for the moment. . .with a quick sidestep.
Out of the frying pan, into the fire was a phrase Rick liked to use when their situation went from bad to worse, and this was what danced through his mind as he found Olivia beaming at him and Evelyn Carnahan trying desperately to look at anything other than him. Olivia tugged free of Evelyn and ran straight for him. With two small sisters (plus Anatol), Ardeth was quite familiar with what would come next and he crouched down, ready to catch the child. Which he did, much to Ardeth's relief. His other nightmare was of Olivia hurting herself.
"Good morning, Ardeth," Evelyn said sedately, finding an interesting spot just over Ardeth's right shoulder, "and yes, Livvy, you did tell me that he would be down here." Olivia just beamed even brighter, though Ardeth didn't think that was possible. Then again, Olivia was a child who was just full of surprises. Evelyn continued, "You should enjoy the quiet while it lasts. . .at the first whiff of coffee, Anck will be downstairs. And when she smells coffee, she can sound like a herd of elephants."
Ardeth smiled in spite of himself and replied, "As can Rick. If you will excuse me while I put on a shirt, I will remove myself from the path of the herd. I have no wish to be run over." Evelyn grinned and Ardeth looked at the child in his arms, asking, "Do you wish to come with me, little one, or shall I leave you here with Evelyn? I am only putting on a shirt." Olivia didn't seem inclined to let go. . .not even after he explained while he was leaving.
"Why do you have to put a shirt on, Ardeth? My best friend's daddy doesn't always put on a shirt while I'm at her house, and you look a lot nicer than he does. You smell nicer too," the child replied. Ardeth didn't think it was possible for him to flush any more than he already was, but Olivia's words proved that to be a lie. And Evelyn wasn't helping. She was covering her mouth with her hand, and her brown eyes twinkled with amusement.
He glared at her, and Evelyn removed her hand from her mouth, saying, "C'mere, darling. Ardeth needs to put on a shirt, so he won't embarrass Celia or me. Celia already likes him a lot, but if he doesn't put a shirt on, she won't be able to look at him all day." Olivia looked totally lost, but Ardeth knew exactly what Evelyn meant. The college student plucked the little girl from his arms, and shooed him back upstairs.
Ardeth lost no time, racing lightly back up to the bedroom he shared with Rick. And not a moment too soon, for around him, he heard people stirring. Ardeth barely managed to make it inside the room before he heard Anck growl, "Cafe!" And then a door opened. Ardeth sighed with relief and went to his duffel bag, ignoring the stirrings from his brother. He would focus on getting dressed first, and get a shower later.
"Dammit, Ardeth, we're on vacation," Rick muttered from the bed, "couldn't you at least for once keep your skinny ass in bed, instead of making everyone else look bad?" Ardeth paused long enough in his dressing to glare at his brother. Rick added, lifting his head from the pillows, "Besides, I hate having to look at your scars first thing in the morning. Reminds me of what a lousy brother I am."
Ardeth was on the point of answering, when a sassy voice from the doorway said, "Oops, so sorry, wrong room. . .thought I was heading into el bano." Ardeth whipped around to see Anck Cortez grinning at them both evilly. She winked at him, then added, "Oh, and Senor O'Connell? I have heard absolutely no complaints from either of my roommates about your brother's physique. Then again, Evy has been more interested in checking out yours."
She tossed her head, her eyes twinkling, then flounced back out of the room. Rick and Ardeth looked at each other, then Rick asked warily, "Did you even hear her come in?" Ardeth shook his head. Never even a sound. Rick groaned, muttering, "Damn. As if we don't have enough to worry about, now there's a woman who is so sneaky, she can even get into a room without you knowing about it."
"Truly," Ardeth replied, "and for your information, ya ahi, while I was awake before dawn this morning, I lay in bed for several moments and just watched the sun rise." He didn't tack on a 'so there,' but he was definitely thinking it. Rick offered him a lopsided grin as he pushed himself out of bed. Ardeth continued, "I would strongly recommend putting on a shirt, and possibly sweatpants. Evelyn Carnahan is already awake and downstairs."
Rick swore ripely, and Ardeth winced. He didn't understand why it was necessary for his brother to swear as he did, but after eight years, there was no chance of changing him. If his own father couldn't break Rick of the habit, Ardeth had no such hope.
And the young chieftain was quite certain part of the reason Rick did it was to shock people. . .and because he could be quite inventive about it. Ardeth added once his brother's swearing streak finished, "You did warn me that payback would be much worse if Evelyn saw your smiley face boxers. I was merely warning you." Rick swore again, rooting through his own duffel bag for a pair of sweatpants.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're all heart," his brother groused and Ardeth smiled, tucking his t-shirt into his sweatpants. He would never admit it to the other Med-jai, but he was much more comfortable in these sweatpants than in the robes and trousers. He would never be anything other than what he was. But these clothes were more comfortable. Even so, he wished he could wear his usual attire. There were different levels of comfort.
. . .
Anck Cortez danced back to her room, still laughing softly at the memory of surprising the brothers in their room. That was fun. She woke up in a good mood, especially when she smelled the fresh brewing coffee. Anck wasn't certain who was kind enough to start a pot of coffee. Celia was still asleep, and since Evy didn't drink coffee, it would never even occur to her to start a batch of coffee.
Anck cast a fond gaze at her roommate's curly head. She was sleeping on her side, and for a moment, Anck thought about waking up Celia to tell her about Ardeth. Then she decided not to, for Celia saw Ardeth without his shirt the previous night. No sense in embarrassing her. It was more fun to embarrass Ardeth, since she often saw Celia blush. Seeing. . .or making. . .Celia blush was passé. Making Ardeth blush. . .now that could be fun!
Instead, Anck allowed her roommate to sleep, knowing her peace wouldn't last much longer. Anck heard the children stirring, and knew it was only a matter of time before they started downstairs. That, however, caused her to have second thoughts. Maybe it was best if she woke up Celia now. . .instead of making her wake up like that. Anck went to her friend's side and gently shook her shoulder.
One eye opened, inspected Anck sleepily, then slid shut. Celia mumbled something incomprehensible, and pulled the covers up over her head. This wouldn't do. . .not at all. They had a lot of things to do today, not the least of which was horseback riding. And tonight was the weenie roast. Time to play dirty. Anck whispered, "Wake up, Celia. I saw Ardeth without his shirt this morning." A muffled sound. Anck continued, "I know we saw a little last night, but you were too busy laughing at O'Connell to get a good look. I, however, got a very good look at his most superior physique this morning. Shall I describe it for you?"
This time, the sound that emerged from under the covers was definitely a growl. This was a good sign. But maybe she should add a little more incentive? Smiling impishly, Anck said, "He is a very beautiful man, Celia. You have excellent taste in men, Neil Grady aside. I'm sure Neil Grady doesn't have broad shoulders. Ardeth does. Broad shoulders and so much more. Muscles in exactly the right places. Washboard abs. And he has tattoos, like he does on his face and hands, on his torso. He was wearing sweatpants this morning, but I saw last night that his legs are very, very. . .uhm, nice. Shall I tell you more?"
"You are a cruel, cruel woman, Anck-su-namun. Cold, cruel, and just plain evil," came the raspy voice of someone who desperately wanted to remain asleep. Anck just grinned and the blanket came back, revealing a blinking, too-awake Celia. Well, Anck couldn't blame her. Just thinking about Emmett Tepper in those terms was enough to get Anck's own blood pumping. Her roommate said plaintively, "I was having such a beautiful dream, but how can any dream compare to that reality. . .even though I know he's probably dressed by now?"
Now Anck laughed and swooped in to hug her roommate. Celia returned the embrace, muttering under her breath, then sighed, "He just wants to be friends. He says he's drawn to me, but just wants to be friends." Anck shifted her position until she could look at Celia properly. Her roommate was silent for several moments, then asked softly, "What does it mean, Anck? I don't know how to react, I don't know what to think."
Coming from most members of the male population, Anck would have considered the 'friends' statement to be a ploy of some kind. A brush-off. But Ardeth Bey wasn't most men. So she told her friend truthfully, "I think it's a sign of respect, Celia. He seems to be in a strange position. There is more to his presence in the United States, in Chicago, than what they're letting on. Something is going on, and I think he's trying to protect you."
"I've been thinking about that as well," Celia admitted, "last night before I went to sleep. And I don't know why this is occurring to me, now. . .maybe it's the first chance I've really had the time to concentrate on things other than my classes. For someone who is supposed to be with the campus police, Rick O'Connell doesn't really spend much time there. Evy saw him in the library, researching. They don't act like graduate students. What do you think is going on?"
"I wish I knew, querida," Anck admitted. She didn't know about Evy encountering Rick O'Connell in the library. But there were too many strange things going on. The attack against the stepbrothers outside the student union building. O'Connell spending so little time at the campus police station. . .she had some friends on the campus police, and it was they who told her about how little time O'Connell spent there.
They were suspicious of him, suspicious of the way he seemed to regard his task at campus police as nothing more than a lark. Or, as one of the older, training officers observed, as a cover. But a cover for what? That made no sense to Anck. If O'Connell was involved, so was Ardeth. . .and Anck couldn't bring herself to believe that the teaching assistant was involved in anything illegal, immoral, or unethical. She had no doubt that he was capable of just about anything. Including killing someone.
But for him to be involved in something shady. . .it just didn't feel right to her. If he was involved in something shady, wouldn't he be going out of his way to involve other people? To fool people into thinking that he was respectable? Celia said softly, drawing her attention back to her roommate, "Yesterday, Justin stopped me while I was going to class. He told me that Ardeth asked him to watch out for me."
Anck frowned at this piece of news, and Celia nodded, continuing, "I did a lot of thinking last night, before I finally dropped off. I got some really strange vibes from Ardeth last night, including his comment about having nothing to offer me. I went through my mental filing cabinet, remembering whatever I could about our previous encounters with him. You're right, Anck. Something very strange is going on with both of them."
And that meant whatever they were involved with, so were the girls. Anck didn't know what to do, and Celia said softly, "We can't involve the authorities, because we don't know anything for sure. And Ardeth is particularly vulnerable." Anck looked at her roommate, then understood. Ardeth was Egyptian. . .part of the reason, Anck was sure, for Daniels and Henderson's attack against him.
"And they might be here for a legal reason they have to keep secret," Anck put in. She watched enough cop shows to consider that they were undercover cops. And Celia's expression told her that her roommate was considering the exact same thing. Anck asked softly, "My instincts tell me that they aren't doing anything illegal. . .what are yours telling you?" She was never in a situation like this before, and had no idea what to do.
"The same. Ardeth is smart. . .I think he realizes that people are gonna be suspicious of him. No. Whatever they're into. . .it isn't illegal," Celia replied. Anck was silent. Smart people could be unbelievably stupid, but her roommate was right. Ardeth would automatically be viewed with suspicion. And in a way, Celia was much more sensitive to such vibes than Anck was. Her roommate said softly, "If he were here to hurt us. . ."
"I know," Anck said softly, covering her friend's hand with her own. The two girls were silent, then Anck said, "All right. Then we will keep our suspicions to ourselves. We have no proof of anything. But we'll both keep our eyes open." Celia nodded and Anck released her, adding, "For now, I need some coffee. I'll meet you downstairs, querida." Celia responded with a mock-salute and Anck laughed.
However, she resolved to have a word with Rick O'Connell. If her, and Celia's, suspicions were correct. . .Rick was unwittingly placing his brother in danger by being so cavalier with his duties at the campus police station. Henderson and Daniels knew that there was a connection between Ardeth and Rick. So did Beni Gabor. And Anck knew Beni would sell out Rick O'Connell. He did it once already, after all, and this time, Ardeth and Celia might end up getting caught in the crossfire.
Anck had her opportunity almost immediately. . .she ran into him as she headed downstairs. Colliding with him, Anck murmured an apology, then her eyes narrowed.
She said softly, "I'm glad I ran into you. . .I must talk with you." O'Connell just frowned, and Anck continued, "I know something is going on with you and your stepbrother. I have friends who work at campus police, and they are suspicious of how little time you spend there. Celia and I are presuming that you aren't doing anything to cause anyone harm. But I felt it only fair to warn you. You are placing your brother's life in danger. You can screw around, and not hurt yourself. But he's involved, and he's a lot more vulnerable than you are."
O'Connell started to ask something, but Anck whispered, "O'Connell. The memories of what happened two years ago are still fresh in the minds of many. Some people whom you know almost lost someone they loved that day. I almost lost someone I loved, even before I met them. Do you understand?" All the color left his face, and he reached out his hand to steady himself. He nodded slowly, and Anck added, "I won't tell anyone my suspicions. Just be careful, hmm?"
"I will. . .and thanks," O'Connell replied. He started to pass her, then stopped and turned back, adding, "Anck. . .just so you know. Ardeth and I. . .we aren't here to hurt anyone. We're here to prevent people from being hurt." Anck nodded. Yes. She assumed as much when she heard about Ardeth asking Justin to watch over Celia. But she wanted them to be careful. . .or Justin might actually be needed to protect her roommate, and others.
. . .
Anck's warning vanished from Rick's mind as the day was kicked into high gear. First, there was breakfast, then an hour in front of the tv, watching Saturday morning cartoons. During that time, Galen took Rick aside and told him the clown suit wouldn't be necessary until the following day. Well, that was a relief! After cartoons and food finished settling, everyone headed out to the stables.
The seven chaperones formed up into lines, and for the next four hours, they rode. Each took a child in the saddle with him or her, usually in front. That way, they could keep their arms around the child, and allow the child access to the reins. That was how Galen explained it. By the time noon rolled around, and everyone headed back to the house, all were hot and sweaty and ready for both a shower and lunch.
The children didn't demur when the adults requested the shower first. Rick grinned. Children were like that. For some reason, they didn't like taking baths. It was true in Egypt, and here in the States. Well. . .children were a little more amenable about taking baths in Egypt, due to the heat and the sand. Since there were only three bathrooms, there was always at least one adult with the children. The other three were getting ready for their own showers.
Ardeth graciously offered the shower to Rick first. The American brother didn't want to know what the other man was up to. . .it didn't involve Celia Ferguson in any way, since Celia was practically shoved into the bathroom by her two roommates. As Rick turned on the water and stepped under the spray, he wondered why he was so bothered by the idea of his brother with Celia Ferguson.
There was no real reason for it. And her staunch defense of Beni didn't count. She was loyal, and she was willing to stand up to Rick. She was willing to stand up to anyone she thought was wrong. That was a good thing. And okay, he was a little bothered by the fact that she came from a wealthy family. But not too much. She still acted like a human being, instead of thinking she was so much better than everyone else.
She was bright. . .almost as smart as Ardeth. Rick listened to her conversations during dinner the night before. That was another plus. And quiet, though Rick heard her get going a few times. She could be funny. . .in fact, she could make Ardeth smile, could make him laugh. So those were both pluses. His brother seemed comfortable with her. . .they talked quite often this morning and the previous night. Rare was the female who didn't make Ardeth so nervous, he could barely talk. Rick's brother was very shy around women.
She had other good qualities. She loved children, and they were equally affectionate toward her. That was very important. While Ardeth had less time to spend with little ones, he adored them. Little Livvy Chase was a perfect example of that. In fact, if Rick didn't know better, he would swear that the little girl was capable of playing matchmaker. That wasn't possible, of course. She was only four years old.
Yes, her ease with children was a plus in her favor. She was very natural with children, and both Rick and Ardeth could spot phonies. So why didn't he like the idea of Celia with his brother? Rick didn't want to think he was so shallow to consider the girl not good enough for his brother because she wasn't as pretty as her two roommates. But the other possibility was even worse. Maybe he objected to Celia, not because of whom she was and what she was. . .but because she could take Ardeth away from him? Was that it? Was he jealous of this girl?
Rick didn't like that idea at all. He would rather think of himself as a shallow jerk because he wanted Ardeth to find someone pretty, someone who was as pretty as Ardeth was handsome, than consider the possibility that he would be jealous of any woman. And Celia Ferguson was barely a woman. . .she was nineteen. A fairly mature nineteen year old, but a nineteen year old nonetheless. However, the possibility was there in his mind, and it stayed there throughout the day. While he showered, while he dressed and Ardeth showered, during the second four hours of riding.
When he wasn't thinking about that, he was watching Evy Carnahan. He liked doing that. During the first riding session, early that morning, Rick and his charge of the moment both felt comfortable enough to nudge the horse into a full-out run. Evy did the same, with the teenager who teased Rick about his boxers the night. The girl hung onto Evy's waist, and as Evy passed Rick, she gave him a smile that turned his knees to water.
If he wasn't astride, Rick knew he would have fallen. Her long dark hair was draped over one shoulder, and she looked so damn pretty. Her eyes were glowing with laughter. Rick once more cursed his brother for noticing how lovely she was first. Then Evy passed him, and the moment with her. He began to think of a whole new use for the liquor in his bag. He didn't intend to take advantage of getting her drunk. . .Ardeth would kill him if he did that.
But if this was what the wind in her face and riding could do. . .maybe a few drinks wouldn't hurt. Rick's groin tightened, thinking of just how Evy Carnahan would look when a few drinks relaxed her. It was becoming harder and harder for him to think about why it would be such a bad idea for him to get involved with her. She was beautiful. . .and her tenacity was quickly growing to be attractive.
Yes. He would do that tonight, during the weenie roast, and after the children went to bed. He just didn't know how easy it would be to get her to take a drink. She was tenacious, but she could also be proper. Then again, she was also a college student. She needed to cut loose, and maybe once he produced the bottle. . . Make it available to all of them. Yes, that would work just fine. He didn't think he would have any problem from Jonathan Carnahan. Galen Ferguson possibly, but Rick would jump off that cliff when they came to it.
At five pm, seven tired adults and twenty-one equally tired children returned to the stables, leading their horses. As Cassandra foretold the night before, Diablo was of no mind to allow most people to ride him. The notable exceptions were the three girls, and Ardeth. It was Ardeth who led him back to the stables, with Olivia Chase on his hip, and the teenage girl who rode with Evy earlier on his back.
Rick glared at his brother without any real heat. There were times when Rick could have cheerfully hated Ardeth. He was handsome, frighteningly intelligent, and animals loved him as much as children. Yes, it would be very easy to hate Ardeth. . .if Rick didn't love him so damn much. And that was yet another reason for Rick to hate him. He had an Ardeth Bey-sized dent in his armor, the armor that protected him from further betrayals.
But he knew Ardeth would never betray him. Beni Gabor was incapable of being true to his friends, even those who protected him. Something Rick could never allow himself to forget, because if he did forget, it might cost him his own life. . .as well as the lives of the people he loved most. On the other hand, Ardeth was incapable of betraying those whom he cared about, or his allies. Rick looked over at the little roommate, once more thinking of her in those terms instead of by name. She looked tired too. How was it possible that she was so attracted to Ardeth, and yet defended Beni so fiercely?
*Because,* he answered himself, *Beni hasn't betrayed her yet. That's a strike against her. She's something of an innocent. Not usually a bad thing, in and of itself. But in this case, she can't see any reason why Beni would betray her. And because of that innocence, my brother may end up getting hurt.* Rick didn't trust Beni to take that misinformation to Lock-nah, but at the moment, he didn't see any other way around it. *Besides,* he thought ruefully, *as Ardeth would say, we can trust Beni to be Beni.*
Wait a minute. There was a clue there. Trusting Beni to be Beni. Lock-nah was a thug and a bully. . .but he wasn't actually stupid. There was a good chance Lock-nah had the sense to take what Beni told him with a grain of salt. They could use that. Rick resolved to talk to Ardeth about this. Tomorrow. There was still the weenie roast and the toasting of marshmallows. To say nothing of the alcohol he brought with him!
. . .
The rest of the evening passed quietly. While everyone was showering, Galen started a fire in a safe place for the roast, then assigned Jonathan Carnahan to watch it. By the time everyone was clean and dressed once more, it was almost six, and everyone was hungry. Anck helped by carrying the mustard and other condiments out to a card table set up by Jonathan while he was watching the fire.
There was no watching tv tonight. . .the children ate their hot dogs and their marshmallows, then went straight to bed. There would be more fun the following night, and Mathayus, Galen's friend, returned to the house with Cassandra. They would stay in the house with the children, while the other adults went back outside. Anck would always wonder how Matt and Cass knew to come to the house, for what came next was the most entertainment Anck had in almost all of her nineteen years.
It began when Rick O'Connell returned from the house after helping to tuck the children in. They all tucked the children in, but Rick returned later than his brother. Ardeth was leaning against a tree, a short distance from the fire. Celia sat beside him, both looking sleepy and content. Anck swallowed hard. They looked so cute together. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and the jealousy that rose up when she watched them together.
Anck Cortez was not a girl who was used to being jealous, for any reason. She had her mother, she had her brains, and she had the skills to make a life for herself. She had her friends, even when Evy acted like there was a fire poker shoved up her nalga. She even had her looks. Anck had more than many people, in one way or another. There was no reason for her to be jealous of anyone. And yet, as she watched Celia and Ardeth, that jealousy was there.
She wanted to hate Celia for that. She wanted to hate her, for causing this jealousy, but Anck was smarter than that. Celia had nothing to do with this. She did nothing. And while the girl was tempted to say her American friend had Ardeth Bey, Anck knew that wasn't the case yet. Evy was further along in 'having' Rick O'Connell than Celia was in 'having' Ardeth Bey. And wasn't that a surprise? Anck got another surprise when Rick sat down beside Galen, saying, "I won't tell if you won't."
What did he have there? Anck looked over the man's shoulder, her eyes gleaming as she saw the whiskey. She didn't like whiskey, not usually, but she would try to make an exception. Anck was open-minded, she was willing to try new things. Galen took the bottle with a thoughtful expression. He said, "You know, I should probably point out to you that there are minors present, and that drinking is bad for your health."
"You could point that out," came the sassy response from Celia, "but you don't have much credibility, dear brother. I remember you coming home quite drunk some weekends during college." Galen responded with a one- finger salute that made everyone laugh. Celia continued, "Thanks for the offer, Rick, but me and alcohol *really* don't mix. Anck. . .not a word out of you."
Anck merely pressed her hands to her chest with an innocent 'who me' look. Everyone laughed, and Ardeth said through his laughter, "None for me, either, ya ahi. I would like to be able to walk in a straight line tomorrow morning." Rick stuck his tongue out and said something in Arabic that made Ardeth flush. The black-haired man replied, "That is anatomically impossible, as you well know."
That drew another round of laughter, and Anck said, "I'll have some." She sat down beside Galen, turning to wink at Celia. Her roommate narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything. It was anyone's guess whether or not she knew what Anck was up to. Rick passed her the bottle, and Anck took a swig. Tears came to her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away, rasping out, "Just takes a little time to get used to it."
She handed the bottle to Jonathan, who took a healthy swig. He sighed in pleasure, wiping some excess away from his mouth, and said, "Good stuff. Definitely an acquired taste. Where did you get this, O'Connell, or shouldn't I ask?" He laughed as he spoke, and Anck rolled her eyes. If she didn't know better, she would swear he was already getting into the alcohol before Rick even brought this out. She saw Jonathan drunk before, after all.
"Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," O'Connell answered with a deadpan expression. Jonathan stared at the American, as if unsure how to take that comment. O'Connell offered them all a bright grin, and Jonathan laughed, albeit nervously. The American said, looking at Evy, "What about you, Miss Evelyn Carnahan. . .would you be interested in imbibing some of this nectar?"
Evy sat down beside him, and eyed the bottle in her brother's hand. Though it was only his hand for a moment more. Then Jonathan passed it back to Anck, who took another swig. Didn't burn quite as much this time. She passed it to Galen, who passed it back to O'Connell. The man took another swig, before offering it to Evy. She wouldn't take a drink. Anck was willing to bet her life on it.
If someone took that bet, Anck would be a dead woman by now. Evy said, tossing her head as Anck did that morning, "Why not?" And she took a long swig? Anck blinked, unable to believe what she was seeing. All right. Who was this girl, and what did she do with Evy?
Her roommate coughed, and Celia rocked onto her knees, ready to come over if the situation called for it. Evy wiped the excess away from her mouth with the back of her hand, then pronounced in a hoarse voice, "I suppose it's time I started acting like a college student. I just hope this doesn't destroy my throat or the lining of my stomach." Anck looked over at her shoulder at Celia, who looked as stunned as Anck felt.
"Well done, Evy!" Jonathan applauded. Evy flashed him another smile, then determinedly took another swig of the whiskey. Anck swallowed hard, the second time in the last few minutes. Celia was getting closer to Ardeth Bey. Evy was drinking, presumably to impress Rick O'Connell. Two things she never thought she would see. A wave of loneliness washed over Anck, for suddenly, she feared that her roommates would leave her behind.
That wasn't the only thing. She was also seeing Emmett Tepper's image in her mind's eye. Anck wasn't sure where the image came from, but it was there, and nothing would make it go away. Maybe it was seeing the changes in her two roommates, changes caused by men. Maybe she was thinking about him all this time, and just pretended otherwise to herself. But why should she pretend?
For that matter, why shouldn't she pursue him? Well, yes. . .if he wasn't interested, she would drop it. But her heart, her instincts, told her that he *was* interested. And not all relationships between students and professors went bad. Anck could keep secrets. She could do this. As the whiskey was passed once more to her, and she vaguely heard her roommate's inhibitions crash, Anck focused on a possible relationship with Emmett Tepper.
Including why she found him so attractive. He was handsome. . .and there was a hint of danger about him. Getting involved with him smacked of playing with fire, but as the song said, she never learned anything by playing it safe.* He could match wits with Anck easily, something she couldn't resist. In fact, she had to struggle to keep up with him, and that was as attractive to her as his face. And she liked the way he listened. Not just to her, but to Celia's defense of her viewpoint during class.
More than that, she felt a connection, a bond to him. She saw a similar connection between Ardeth and Celia, and even between O'Connell and Evy. This morning, she told Rick O'Connell about almost losing someone she loved, before she even met them. Life was too short. . .it was too short in general, and it was too short for regrets. Why shouldn't she at least see if a relationship was possible with Emmett Tepper?
If she didn't, she was afraid she would regret it for the rest of her life. And again, she thought about the possible risks. But the risks were only there if they got caught. Anck believed she could do this without getting caught. And wasn't it worth the risks? She looked first at Rick and Evy, her heart contracting painfully at the brightness of Evy's eyes. Evy, who could be such prig, and was now drinking whiskey. If only to prove herself in some way to Rick O'Connell. Anck didn't tell her roommate that she had nothing to prove, that she was just as good as anyone. That she was good enough for Rick O'Connell as she was. She wanted to tell Evy just that. But she wasn't sure if Evy would listen, at least, not right now.
Next, she looked at Celia, who was watching Evy with a somewhat confused expression. Anck noted the proximity between Celia and Ardeth. They were sitting very close together. Shoulder to shoulder, even. Celia and Ardeth were both fighting their mutual attraction. Fighting it with every fiber of their respective beings. There would come a time when they could no longer fight. When all the walls would come down, and the ensuing fire would consume them both.
No more fighting. Anck made herself that promise. No more fighting. She wouldn't fight her attraction to Emmett Tepper, because if she did. . .she wasn't sure if there would be anything left of her when the fire burned itself out. She couldn't protect Celia from the consequences of the fire that would consume her when the walls crashed, but she could protect herself. She was so busy making that promise to herself, she almost missed the primary entertainment of the night. Almost.
. . .
There was a part of Celia that wanted to keep an eye on Evy, and make sure she didn't spin out of control. But there was another part of her that felt warm and comfortable and sleepy. And in any event, Celia wasn't sure if Evy would accept any effort to help her. She was a grown woman, after all. Not in the eyes of the law, which held a person wasn't of legal age until he or she was twenty-one years of age.
But Evy wouldn't be driving anywhere tonight. . .she would not be responsible for anyone's life but her own, and that was what kept Celia from intervening. Besides, Galen was there, and he warned her with a glance that it wasn't up to her. He was the responsible party here. . .her job was to relax and enjoy herself. She nodded, leaning back against the tree once more. At length, Ardeth asked softly, "Tell me about this house?"
She smiled and answered, "Well. . .it's a family home. My grandfather was born in Oklahoma during the Depression. He was the son of a farmer. Their nearest neighbors were a mile away. . .the nearest town was about twenty miles away. But you know, even though their neighbors were a mile away, that didn't prevent a community from forming. Whenever my great-grandfather or one of the other farmers ran into trouble, the others rallied 'round him."
She paused, remembering the stories her grandfather told her while she was growing up, then continued, "Like, if one farmer had a heart attack or became ill or was injured, the other families would pitch in with the farm, especially during harvest season, until he was back on his feet. I think if my grandfather didn't go to Korea, and serve in the army, he probably would have become a farmer himself. But. . .when he came back, he went to work in the oil fields instead."
Ardeth said nothing, just listened. Celia went on, quite aware that her pride in her family was coming through and not in the least bit worried about it, "He was what they called a 'roughneck,' 'cause he worked in the oil fields. Don't ask me where the term came from, it never occurred to me to ask while I was growing up. Anyhow, he met my grandmother when he came from Korea. She was just arrived in Oklahoma, teaching on the Indian reservations. She grew up among the Indians of British Columbia. . .so she was a natural."
Ardeth shifted his position beside her, his dark eyes never leaving her face, and prompted by his silence, Celia continued, "They married, and eventually moved here. . .to this very piece of land. See, my grandmother's own parents died at sea. . .but she did have some family in this part of the country. It was a great-uncle who left her this piece of land and this house. My grandfather didn't think the oil would last forever, so they decided to move here, and he would start a new trade. He worked, 'cause that was the only life he knew. . .even though the house and land came with a monetary inheritance."
"Your father's family had the money?" Ardeth asked softly. Celia nodded, blinking in surprise. How did he know. . .? Ardeth flushed a bit guiltily, then explained, "Your roommate and my brother. . .Evelyn told my brother that you came from money." Ah. Well, that explained *that.* She would have to decide later what she would do with that information, because her first inclination was to kick Evy's butt.
She would worry about that later, when Evy was capable of defending herself. Celia answered, "Yeah. By the time my parents, my grandparents built a comfortable life, and my father built a successful business on what was created by his father. I grew up in comfort. . . some would even say luxury, but my grandparents were determined that my brothers and I would never forget our roots."
Celia took a deep breath, explaining, "They would tell us stories while we were with them on the weekends, or when our parents left us with them. My parents often go to functions, and couldn't take us with them. So, we stayed with our grandparents. Especially when Galen was in high school. Less so as we got older. And my grandfather always told us that having money was well and good, but we needed a trade, a way to make our own way in life. I was a little sponge, soaking it all up."
"He would be very proud of you," Ardeth said quietly. Celia gulped. She hoped so. The girl gave up months ago on her parents ever being proud of her, but she hoped she was making her grandparents proud of her. He went on, "They helped to raise a girl who will make her own way in life. . .and who will not step on other people or grind down their spirits to do so. A girl who is willing to stand up for her beliefs and her friends."
Now Celia blushed. She was on the verge of telling him about Neil Grady. Her former co-worker was weak and immature, but Ardeth Bey wasn't. She could trust him. And she would have told him. . .except Evy attracted her attention. Celia looked up as her roommate laughed. The first thing she saw was a strange expression on Anck's face, and Celia sent a look, asking, 'you okay?'
Anck smiled, albeit weakly, and nodded. Celia wasn't entirely convinced, but silently promised herself that she would get the full story later. For now, she turned her attention back to Evy. Her roommate was on her feet, wobbling a bit unsteadily in front of Rick O'Connell. Rick was saying something about, 'again, like you mean it.' Celia felt her eyebrows climb into her hairline. Okay, when did *this* happen?
Evy giggled, throwing a clumsy punch into Rick's palm, "M. . .m. . .mean it!" She giggled again as the punch spun her around and dropped her into Rick's arms. He laughed as well, sitting her down and handing her a bottle. Evy informed him haughtily, even as she took another sip, "Unlike my brother, sir, I know how to say 'no' when enough is enough." Celia glanced over at Jonathan, who was sound asleep beside Galen.
"And unlike your brother, Miss," O'Connell returned, "you, I just don't get." The pair sitting against the tree exchanged a look. Celia saw her own emotions reflected in Ardeth's brown eyes. A mixture of amusement and 'what now.' They both returned their attention to the pair sitting in front of the fire. At the same time, Anck rose to her feet and hurried to the house. She was wearing a decidedly evil grin, and Celia chose not to ask. She didn't want to know.
Maybe she should rephrase that. Celia didn't care one way or the other, but she was sure their other roommate *would* before the night was out. Evy took another swig and said, raising the bottle as if to toast O'Connell, "Oh, I know. You're wondering. . . what's a place like me, doing in a girl like this?" Celia almost fell over laughing. *Tell me that Anck is getting the video camera,* she thought, *please tell me that she's getting the camcorder!*
O'Connell said quite diplomatically, though Celia could see his lips quivering with barely suppressed laughter, "Yeah, something like that." Celia glanced over her shoulder, hoping that Anck would hurry up with the camcorder, before they lost any more hysterical footage. 'What's a place like me doing in a girl like this.' She would have to remember that. Evy was a funny drunk. Who knew? She glanced at Ardeth, who was either blushing to the very roots of his hair or was sitting too close to the fire.
Evy's voice distracted Celia from her companion. Again, she gestured grandly, saying, "Well, you see, my father was a very famous explorer, but before he was an explorer, he was a student. He met my mother on this very college campus." O'Connell didn't point out that they weren't *at* the campus, but instead listened as Evy removed the locket from her neck and opened it, explaining, "He loved Egypt so much, he married my mother. She was Egyptian and quite the adventurer herself. And when I came to this campus, I felt closer to them both. They died when I was rather young, you see."
Celia's smile slowly died. That was something she never knew about Evy. She knew about the loss of her parents, of course. That was something Evy told her the previous year, when Celia asked about the close bond between Evy and her brother. But she never knew that her parents met at the university, and that Evy felt closer to their spirits there. It made sense. It made a lot of sense. She always thought that Evy attended college here because she would be close to Jonathan. Which just went to demonstrate that you didn't always know someone.
O'Connell said, "I get your mother, and I get your father." He indicated each picture in the locket with his index finger, adding as he nodded to Jonathan, "And I get him. But what are *you* doing here?" Celia rolled her eyes, then realized Evy never answered his question. What was Evy doing here. Meaning, why was she at this ranch? Celia, for her own part, was curious about what Evy would give as an answer.
However, Evy glowered at O'Connell with an, "Ooooh! I may not be an explorer or an adventurer or a security guard, *Mister* O'Connell! But I'm proud of what I am!" She rose to her feet as she shifted into full rant mode, swaying ever so slightly, especially when she made great, sweeping gestures with her arms. She glared at Rick O'Connell when he tried to steady her with a hand on her waist. He raised both hands, as if in surrender.
"And. . .what is that?" O'Connell asked. Celia heard her companion mutter something under his breath. She couldn't understand what he said, but her bet was that it was in Arabic, and that it most assuredly wasn't complimentary. A giggle around the tree alerted her to Anck's return. She peeked around, and found her roommate filming everything with a gleeful grin. After all the times Anck caught her in the shower with that camcorder. . .
That thought was derailed as Evy answered with a beatific smile, "I. . .am a librarian!" Celia cupped her hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. She should not be laughing, she should not be laughing, she should not be laughing. The impromptu chant didn't work. Especially not when Evy fell to her knees in front of O'Connell and proclaimed, "And I am going to kiss you, Mr O'Connell."
"Call me 'Rick,'" the tall American replied helpfully. Oh yeah. They would definitely need a camcorder. Evy would never believe she propositioned Rick O'Connell like this. Evy's smile grew all the brighter as she repeated his name very softly. She leaned forward, and Celia thought her roommate would kiss O'Connell, right then and there. But instead of kissing him, she fell asleep, face first in his lap. Okay, that was. . . wrong. Just plain wrong, in so many ways.
O'Connell looked somewhat stunned, and Celia bit her lower lip as hard as she could to keep from laughing, especially when he completed the kiss into empty air. However, all her attempts at keeping her mirth under control went the way of the dodo bird when Galen looked from the sleeping Evy to O'Connell, and said dryly, "You got her drunk. . .you can carry her back to the house. Anck, go with him. . .make sure his intentions are honorable."
O'Connell glared at Galen, but gently scooped Evy into his arms, cradling her against his chest. Celia felt a curious tightness in her own chest at the sight of her roommate curled in the man's arms. There was a rightness to the picture, and she couldn't help feeling jealous. O'Connell asked in a soft voice, "And will you be staying with your sister, to make sure my brother behaves himself?"
EX-SQUEEZE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Celia glared at the man, but before she could say anything, her older brother answered dryly, "Nah, I'll be taking Jonathan back. I think I can trust your brother with my sister for a few minutes. I already talked with him. Now it's your turn."
Rick just glared at him again. Celia could have told him that it wouldn't do any good. For all that Rick O'Connell was a big man, so was her brother. . .and his best friend was even bigger. Galen met his eyes steadily, and Rick stomped up toward the house, muttering under his breath. Galen lifted Jonathan to his feet, hooking one of the professor's arms across the back of his neck. He grinned at Ardeth and Celia before heading back up to the house.
The pair remaining just looked at each other. It was just the two of them, and this huge fire. Ardeth's dark eyes were solidly on Celia in a way that jangled her nerves. Could they just stay friends, with the way he was now looking at her? They were all alone in front of the fire, and Ardeth said he wanted to be just friends, but he was looking at her. . .the way he looked at her said something entirely different. Now what? What did they do now?
* 'I Take My Chances,' Mary-Chapin Carpenter.
I also wanted to let y'all know that I'm leaving for Virginia on Wednesday, and I'll be back next Sunday. Spending New Year's weekend with my best friend. I'll try to get started on chapter thirteen before I leave, so the wait isn't so long.
Reviews!
Sailor Elf: Rick and Ardeth in boxers. . .definitely a droolworthy thought, yes? I miss Gargoyles, too. Not sure why it was canceled, since even the worst episodes were better than most prime-time 'adult' fare. Don't ask me why I have this thing in my head about Ardeth and children. . .we only ever saw him with Alex, but it just seems to fit.
Evywannabe: Thank you, dear, same to you. Well, I finally got to the hysterical stuff! More is coming next chapter, but I had to get this in this chapter.
JW: Thanks! I had a lot of fun writing it. And this is the way I like to write Rick. Acting like a goofy teenager, but with a serious streak. In some ways, he and Ardeth are complete opposites. . .Ardeth is serious with a mischievous streak, and Rick is goofy with a serious streak.
Brunette: Yes, I know you love it, and you keep telling me because. . .of incentive? More silliness in the next chapter, and getting back to Beni. I've neglected him long enough, I think. He's giving me the pouty face. Keep trying, Beni. . .Ardeth's is still better than yours.
Terreis: Oh, you're welcome! I figured someone would like those smiley- faced boxer shorts. And as to your other question, concerning that particular line. . .well, this chapter should answer it. More of Ardeth and Celia coming in the next chapter, along with everything else. Let's see how long Ardeth's resolution remains firm. . .
On with the story!
Part Twelve
As could be expected, the children were awake first the following morning. Evy Carnahan was awakened by a tugging at her nightgown, and a tiny voice whispering, "Miss Evy? Miss Evy, wake up. It's morning." The college student reluctantly opened her eyes. She was having a wonderful dream about Rick O'Connell, whipped cream and strawberries, though Evy would have died before admitting it to either of her roommates.
Especially Anck. She would never let Evy hear the end of it. . .whether because it was about Rick O'Connell, or because of the content of the dream. Just remembering *that* made Evy blush as she found a small face only inches from her own. She blinked twice, and the face came into focus. It took her another moment to remember the child's name. Oh yes! Olivia Chase. . .Livvy.
The little girl smiled brightly when she saw Evy looking at her, her eyes showing no signs of the nightmare that woke everyone up the previous night. Evy couldn't help but smile back, and an evil little devil inside her mind wondered if she should tease O'Connell about his smiley-face boxers. Unknown to almost everyone else, Evy peeked out of the room when she heard Celia laughing hysterically.
Since it was so unusual to hear Celia laughing like that, Evy's curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked out, with Livvy tucked against her body. The little girl was asleep once more, but Evy didn't want to leave her, even briefly. Her glance outside was singularly unedifying at first, as the only thing she saw was her American roommate on the ground, almost crying from laughing so hard. Well, it was edifying, in that she saw Celia giddy for once. Then Evy angled her head in the opposite direction, and saw both stepbrothers standing in the hall, wearing only their boxers.
Oh. . .my. Evy gulped, trying *very* hard not to stare, and failing quite spectacularly. Not surprisingly, both young men were as. . .attractive below the neck as they were above, and Evy immediately kicked herself for even thinking that Rick O'Connell was attractive. But. . .oh my. Evy snuck a look at Celia again, who was being lifted to her feet and guided back into the room she shared with Anck, by that young woman.
*She must have been too tired to notice Ardeth in boxers,* Evy had thought, *though how she could miss that, I haven't a clue. I'm not even attracted to the man, and I noticed.* She tried not to think too much about either brother's long, powerful, muscled legs. . .or their narrow waists. Their broad shoulders. Their. . . *EVELYN! That is quite enough, young lady, and you will stop thinking about their fine manly forms before you embarrass yourself and traumatize Olivia!* she lectured herself.
Not that it did much good. Evy shook herself, and told her small companion, "Well, let us see if any of the others are awake and alert." She had her doubts. Evy was the only one of the three roommates who was an early riser by choice. And Anck could be downright nasty when you woke her before she was ready. So, no. . .she didn't think either of her roommates were either awake or alert.
Galen Ferguson might be up. He was a doctor, after all, and they were known to work crazy hours. Hmm. On second thought, perhaps he wouldn't be awake after all. Doctors slept when they could, and when they had a chance to sleep in, they bloody well took it. Evy's mental checklist was interrupted when Livvy pulled on her hand. She was just startled enough that Livvy's momentum pulled her somewhat out of bed.
"Oh, all right, I am coming!" Evy huffed as she found her feet. The student glowered down at the little girl. . .or, at least, she tried to. Livvy's upturned little face took all the brimstone out of her fire, and she sighed, "Very well, lead on. Let's see if we're the only ones up." They checked each room. Jonathan and Galen were both asleep. . .unsurprisingly. As were the children, and Evy was struggling to remember all their names. The only names she remembered right now were Livvy and Alex.
And she would be in very bad shape indeed if she couldn't remember the name of her own nephew! Evy and Livvy continued checking each room, until they came to the room where the stepbrothers were sleeping. Evy whispered, "No, sweetheart. . .we can't check on them?" Livvy turned to look up at her, her mouth forming the word, 'why?' Evy tried to think of a good reason that would make sense to the little girl, then brightened. Ah- ha!
"Because, sweetheart, we could check on Galen and Jonathan because Jonathan is my brother, and Galen is Celia's. But. . .neither Rick nor Ardeth are my brothers," Evy answered, feeling quite proud of herself for thinking up that at this time of the morning. Livvy rolled her eyes and pushed open the door anyhow. Obviously, that rationale would not work on this child. It was especially surprising, since everyone thought Livvy was so shy. Maybe that was just because of the way they met her. Evy opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to call the child back, until she realized the brothers might still be asleep.
And she didn't want to wake either of them. Livvy peeked inside, then withdrew her head to stage-whisper, "Ardeth's up, but Rick in't." Evy almost corrected the child's grammar, until the words penetrated her mind. Ardeth was up, but Rick wasn't. Rick was still asleep. Evy watched men sleep before. It was the only time her brother Jonathan was actually cute. Given that knowledge, she couldn't resist the temptation to poke her head into the room as well.
As Livvy said, Ardeth was awake. . .his bed was made, and Evy was willing to bet he was already downstairs. However, his brother was sound asleep. He lay on his side. . .sort of, although with a man his size, that was hard to tell. One arm hung over the edge of the bed, and brown hair fell carelessly over his forehead. Evy was horrified to realize she wanted to caress those bangs back from his eyes.
Oh, no. No, no, no! That was NOT a good idea. Evy firmly removed her head from the room, carefully closing the door behind her. She didn't know what horrified her more. . .her desire to caress his hair away from his forehead, or her equally strong desire to see as much as she did the previous night. On second thought, she didn't think she wanted to know. That was a very BAD idea.
Instead of focusing on that, she followed Livvy to the last room, where Celia and Anck slept. Unsurprisingly, both of her roommates were still asleep. Somewhere under that blanket was Anck, and Evy wouldn't lay odds on which end of the bed Anck's head was. She just saw a lump under the blankets, and knew that was Anck. Evy switched her gaze from Anck's bed to Celia's, and smiled. Celia lay on her side, arms wrapped firmly around her pillow, and Livvy said, again in that stage whisper, "I think she needs a teddy bear. I'll go get mine!"
Evy caught her arm, saying softly, "No, honey. . .that's a very sweet thing to do, but you might wake Celia up. Let's go see what Ardeth is into, hmm?" Livvy thought about this, then nodded, her eyes lighting up at the idea of seeing Ardeth. Evy couldn't decide if the little girl had a monumental crush on the handsome teaching assistant, or if the little girl chose him as another older brother. Either way, it gained both of her roommates a few extra minutes of sleep. For that, Evy would be extremely thankful.
. . .
As usual, Ardeth was awake at dawn. What was unusual was that for once, he stayed in bed as the sky outside his window lightened. In fact, he thought this was the first time he did such thing in. . .ever since his father died. Ardeth frowned. . .yes, that was right. Even before he became a chieftain, he was driven. Looking back now, the young man realized that a part of him sensed that he wouldn't remain the chieftain's younger brother for long.
Ardeth sighed quietly, careful not to wake Rick as he watched the sun come up. He felt somewhat decadent, but was unconcerned. Surely one morning such as this, in a lifetime, was not such a terrible thing? He had no plan to lay abed even after awakening, not as a habit. No. Thus reassuring himself, Ardeth finally shifted out of bed, ever cautious of waking his brother. Rick was barely human when he awoke, and this morning had too much promise to ruin it by accidentally waking his brother.
He quietly pulled on a pair of sweatpants given to him by Uncle Nassor before leaving Egypt, and a pair of socks. The house was silent. . .he needn't worry about the three college sophomores seeing anything they shouldn't. Unlike the night before. Ardeth blushed, remembering how he darted into the hallway in his boxer shorts. Lucky for him that Anck saved her most pointed teasing for Rick.
Downstairs, he started the coffee maker. It was one of the few kitchen appliances he could work without fear of electrocuting himself. Ardeth smiled ruefully. He stayed away from electrical appliances, except coffeemakers and microwaves. That would be the ultimate irony, would it not? After all the years of battle, meeting his end because of an electrical appliance. Not a pleasant thought. Not a pleasant thought at all.
Unfortunately, it might have come true, for as the coffeemaker began to percolate, a voice exclaimed, "See! I told you he would be down here!" Ardeth was startled and wheeled around, almost swiping at the coffeemaker in the process. This would have been a *very* BAD thing, as he was wearing no shirt and no protection from the hot water. Or, for that matter, from the glass of the coffeepot, if it had broken. However, he managed to escape danger. . .for the moment. . .with a quick sidestep.
Out of the frying pan, into the fire was a phrase Rick liked to use when their situation went from bad to worse, and this was what danced through his mind as he found Olivia beaming at him and Evelyn Carnahan trying desperately to look at anything other than him. Olivia tugged free of Evelyn and ran straight for him. With two small sisters (plus Anatol), Ardeth was quite familiar with what would come next and he crouched down, ready to catch the child. Which he did, much to Ardeth's relief. His other nightmare was of Olivia hurting herself.
"Good morning, Ardeth," Evelyn said sedately, finding an interesting spot just over Ardeth's right shoulder, "and yes, Livvy, you did tell me that he would be down here." Olivia just beamed even brighter, though Ardeth didn't think that was possible. Then again, Olivia was a child who was just full of surprises. Evelyn continued, "You should enjoy the quiet while it lasts. . .at the first whiff of coffee, Anck will be downstairs. And when she smells coffee, she can sound like a herd of elephants."
Ardeth smiled in spite of himself and replied, "As can Rick. If you will excuse me while I put on a shirt, I will remove myself from the path of the herd. I have no wish to be run over." Evelyn grinned and Ardeth looked at the child in his arms, asking, "Do you wish to come with me, little one, or shall I leave you here with Evelyn? I am only putting on a shirt." Olivia didn't seem inclined to let go. . .not even after he explained while he was leaving.
"Why do you have to put a shirt on, Ardeth? My best friend's daddy doesn't always put on a shirt while I'm at her house, and you look a lot nicer than he does. You smell nicer too," the child replied. Ardeth didn't think it was possible for him to flush any more than he already was, but Olivia's words proved that to be a lie. And Evelyn wasn't helping. She was covering her mouth with her hand, and her brown eyes twinkled with amusement.
He glared at her, and Evelyn removed her hand from her mouth, saying, "C'mere, darling. Ardeth needs to put on a shirt, so he won't embarrass Celia or me. Celia already likes him a lot, but if he doesn't put a shirt on, she won't be able to look at him all day." Olivia looked totally lost, but Ardeth knew exactly what Evelyn meant. The college student plucked the little girl from his arms, and shooed him back upstairs.
Ardeth lost no time, racing lightly back up to the bedroom he shared with Rick. And not a moment too soon, for around him, he heard people stirring. Ardeth barely managed to make it inside the room before he heard Anck growl, "Cafe!" And then a door opened. Ardeth sighed with relief and went to his duffel bag, ignoring the stirrings from his brother. He would focus on getting dressed first, and get a shower later.
"Dammit, Ardeth, we're on vacation," Rick muttered from the bed, "couldn't you at least for once keep your skinny ass in bed, instead of making everyone else look bad?" Ardeth paused long enough in his dressing to glare at his brother. Rick added, lifting his head from the pillows, "Besides, I hate having to look at your scars first thing in the morning. Reminds me of what a lousy brother I am."
Ardeth was on the point of answering, when a sassy voice from the doorway said, "Oops, so sorry, wrong room. . .thought I was heading into el bano." Ardeth whipped around to see Anck Cortez grinning at them both evilly. She winked at him, then added, "Oh, and Senor O'Connell? I have heard absolutely no complaints from either of my roommates about your brother's physique. Then again, Evy has been more interested in checking out yours."
She tossed her head, her eyes twinkling, then flounced back out of the room. Rick and Ardeth looked at each other, then Rick asked warily, "Did you even hear her come in?" Ardeth shook his head. Never even a sound. Rick groaned, muttering, "Damn. As if we don't have enough to worry about, now there's a woman who is so sneaky, she can even get into a room without you knowing about it."
"Truly," Ardeth replied, "and for your information, ya ahi, while I was awake before dawn this morning, I lay in bed for several moments and just watched the sun rise." He didn't tack on a 'so there,' but he was definitely thinking it. Rick offered him a lopsided grin as he pushed himself out of bed. Ardeth continued, "I would strongly recommend putting on a shirt, and possibly sweatpants. Evelyn Carnahan is already awake and downstairs."
Rick swore ripely, and Ardeth winced. He didn't understand why it was necessary for his brother to swear as he did, but after eight years, there was no chance of changing him. If his own father couldn't break Rick of the habit, Ardeth had no such hope.
And the young chieftain was quite certain part of the reason Rick did it was to shock people. . .and because he could be quite inventive about it. Ardeth added once his brother's swearing streak finished, "You did warn me that payback would be much worse if Evelyn saw your smiley face boxers. I was merely warning you." Rick swore again, rooting through his own duffel bag for a pair of sweatpants.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're all heart," his brother groused and Ardeth smiled, tucking his t-shirt into his sweatpants. He would never admit it to the other Med-jai, but he was much more comfortable in these sweatpants than in the robes and trousers. He would never be anything other than what he was. But these clothes were more comfortable. Even so, he wished he could wear his usual attire. There were different levels of comfort.
. . .
Anck Cortez danced back to her room, still laughing softly at the memory of surprising the brothers in their room. That was fun. She woke up in a good mood, especially when she smelled the fresh brewing coffee. Anck wasn't certain who was kind enough to start a pot of coffee. Celia was still asleep, and since Evy didn't drink coffee, it would never even occur to her to start a batch of coffee.
Anck cast a fond gaze at her roommate's curly head. She was sleeping on her side, and for a moment, Anck thought about waking up Celia to tell her about Ardeth. Then she decided not to, for Celia saw Ardeth without his shirt the previous night. No sense in embarrassing her. It was more fun to embarrass Ardeth, since she often saw Celia blush. Seeing. . .or making. . .Celia blush was passé. Making Ardeth blush. . .now that could be fun!
Instead, Anck allowed her roommate to sleep, knowing her peace wouldn't last much longer. Anck heard the children stirring, and knew it was only a matter of time before they started downstairs. That, however, caused her to have second thoughts. Maybe it was best if she woke up Celia now. . .instead of making her wake up like that. Anck went to her friend's side and gently shook her shoulder.
One eye opened, inspected Anck sleepily, then slid shut. Celia mumbled something incomprehensible, and pulled the covers up over her head. This wouldn't do. . .not at all. They had a lot of things to do today, not the least of which was horseback riding. And tonight was the weenie roast. Time to play dirty. Anck whispered, "Wake up, Celia. I saw Ardeth without his shirt this morning." A muffled sound. Anck continued, "I know we saw a little last night, but you were too busy laughing at O'Connell to get a good look. I, however, got a very good look at his most superior physique this morning. Shall I describe it for you?"
This time, the sound that emerged from under the covers was definitely a growl. This was a good sign. But maybe she should add a little more incentive? Smiling impishly, Anck said, "He is a very beautiful man, Celia. You have excellent taste in men, Neil Grady aside. I'm sure Neil Grady doesn't have broad shoulders. Ardeth does. Broad shoulders and so much more. Muscles in exactly the right places. Washboard abs. And he has tattoos, like he does on his face and hands, on his torso. He was wearing sweatpants this morning, but I saw last night that his legs are very, very. . .uhm, nice. Shall I tell you more?"
"You are a cruel, cruel woman, Anck-su-namun. Cold, cruel, and just plain evil," came the raspy voice of someone who desperately wanted to remain asleep. Anck just grinned and the blanket came back, revealing a blinking, too-awake Celia. Well, Anck couldn't blame her. Just thinking about Emmett Tepper in those terms was enough to get Anck's own blood pumping. Her roommate said plaintively, "I was having such a beautiful dream, but how can any dream compare to that reality. . .even though I know he's probably dressed by now?"
Now Anck laughed and swooped in to hug her roommate. Celia returned the embrace, muttering under her breath, then sighed, "He just wants to be friends. He says he's drawn to me, but just wants to be friends." Anck shifted her position until she could look at Celia properly. Her roommate was silent for several moments, then asked softly, "What does it mean, Anck? I don't know how to react, I don't know what to think."
Coming from most members of the male population, Anck would have considered the 'friends' statement to be a ploy of some kind. A brush-off. But Ardeth Bey wasn't most men. So she told her friend truthfully, "I think it's a sign of respect, Celia. He seems to be in a strange position. There is more to his presence in the United States, in Chicago, than what they're letting on. Something is going on, and I think he's trying to protect you."
"I've been thinking about that as well," Celia admitted, "last night before I went to sleep. And I don't know why this is occurring to me, now. . .maybe it's the first chance I've really had the time to concentrate on things other than my classes. For someone who is supposed to be with the campus police, Rick O'Connell doesn't really spend much time there. Evy saw him in the library, researching. They don't act like graduate students. What do you think is going on?"
"I wish I knew, querida," Anck admitted. She didn't know about Evy encountering Rick O'Connell in the library. But there were too many strange things going on. The attack against the stepbrothers outside the student union building. O'Connell spending so little time at the campus police station. . .she had some friends on the campus police, and it was they who told her about how little time O'Connell spent there.
They were suspicious of him, suspicious of the way he seemed to regard his task at campus police as nothing more than a lark. Or, as one of the older, training officers observed, as a cover. But a cover for what? That made no sense to Anck. If O'Connell was involved, so was Ardeth. . .and Anck couldn't bring herself to believe that the teaching assistant was involved in anything illegal, immoral, or unethical. She had no doubt that he was capable of just about anything. Including killing someone.
But for him to be involved in something shady. . .it just didn't feel right to her. If he was involved in something shady, wouldn't he be going out of his way to involve other people? To fool people into thinking that he was respectable? Celia said softly, drawing her attention back to her roommate, "Yesterday, Justin stopped me while I was going to class. He told me that Ardeth asked him to watch out for me."
Anck frowned at this piece of news, and Celia nodded, continuing, "I did a lot of thinking last night, before I finally dropped off. I got some really strange vibes from Ardeth last night, including his comment about having nothing to offer me. I went through my mental filing cabinet, remembering whatever I could about our previous encounters with him. You're right, Anck. Something very strange is going on with both of them."
And that meant whatever they were involved with, so were the girls. Anck didn't know what to do, and Celia said softly, "We can't involve the authorities, because we don't know anything for sure. And Ardeth is particularly vulnerable." Anck looked at her roommate, then understood. Ardeth was Egyptian. . .part of the reason, Anck was sure, for Daniels and Henderson's attack against him.
"And they might be here for a legal reason they have to keep secret," Anck put in. She watched enough cop shows to consider that they were undercover cops. And Celia's expression told her that her roommate was considering the exact same thing. Anck asked softly, "My instincts tell me that they aren't doing anything illegal. . .what are yours telling you?" She was never in a situation like this before, and had no idea what to do.
"The same. Ardeth is smart. . .I think he realizes that people are gonna be suspicious of him. No. Whatever they're into. . .it isn't illegal," Celia replied. Anck was silent. Smart people could be unbelievably stupid, but her roommate was right. Ardeth would automatically be viewed with suspicion. And in a way, Celia was much more sensitive to such vibes than Anck was. Her roommate said softly, "If he were here to hurt us. . ."
"I know," Anck said softly, covering her friend's hand with her own. The two girls were silent, then Anck said, "All right. Then we will keep our suspicions to ourselves. We have no proof of anything. But we'll both keep our eyes open." Celia nodded and Anck released her, adding, "For now, I need some coffee. I'll meet you downstairs, querida." Celia responded with a mock-salute and Anck laughed.
However, she resolved to have a word with Rick O'Connell. If her, and Celia's, suspicions were correct. . .Rick was unwittingly placing his brother in danger by being so cavalier with his duties at the campus police station. Henderson and Daniels knew that there was a connection between Ardeth and Rick. So did Beni Gabor. And Anck knew Beni would sell out Rick O'Connell. He did it once already, after all, and this time, Ardeth and Celia might end up getting caught in the crossfire.
Anck had her opportunity almost immediately. . .she ran into him as she headed downstairs. Colliding with him, Anck murmured an apology, then her eyes narrowed.
She said softly, "I'm glad I ran into you. . .I must talk with you." O'Connell just frowned, and Anck continued, "I know something is going on with you and your stepbrother. I have friends who work at campus police, and they are suspicious of how little time you spend there. Celia and I are presuming that you aren't doing anything to cause anyone harm. But I felt it only fair to warn you. You are placing your brother's life in danger. You can screw around, and not hurt yourself. But he's involved, and he's a lot more vulnerable than you are."
O'Connell started to ask something, but Anck whispered, "O'Connell. The memories of what happened two years ago are still fresh in the minds of many. Some people whom you know almost lost someone they loved that day. I almost lost someone I loved, even before I met them. Do you understand?" All the color left his face, and he reached out his hand to steady himself. He nodded slowly, and Anck added, "I won't tell anyone my suspicions. Just be careful, hmm?"
"I will. . .and thanks," O'Connell replied. He started to pass her, then stopped and turned back, adding, "Anck. . .just so you know. Ardeth and I. . .we aren't here to hurt anyone. We're here to prevent people from being hurt." Anck nodded. Yes. She assumed as much when she heard about Ardeth asking Justin to watch over Celia. But she wanted them to be careful. . .or Justin might actually be needed to protect her roommate, and others.
. . .
Anck's warning vanished from Rick's mind as the day was kicked into high gear. First, there was breakfast, then an hour in front of the tv, watching Saturday morning cartoons. During that time, Galen took Rick aside and told him the clown suit wouldn't be necessary until the following day. Well, that was a relief! After cartoons and food finished settling, everyone headed out to the stables.
The seven chaperones formed up into lines, and for the next four hours, they rode. Each took a child in the saddle with him or her, usually in front. That way, they could keep their arms around the child, and allow the child access to the reins. That was how Galen explained it. By the time noon rolled around, and everyone headed back to the house, all were hot and sweaty and ready for both a shower and lunch.
The children didn't demur when the adults requested the shower first. Rick grinned. Children were like that. For some reason, they didn't like taking baths. It was true in Egypt, and here in the States. Well. . .children were a little more amenable about taking baths in Egypt, due to the heat and the sand. Since there were only three bathrooms, there was always at least one adult with the children. The other three were getting ready for their own showers.
Ardeth graciously offered the shower to Rick first. The American brother didn't want to know what the other man was up to. . .it didn't involve Celia Ferguson in any way, since Celia was practically shoved into the bathroom by her two roommates. As Rick turned on the water and stepped under the spray, he wondered why he was so bothered by the idea of his brother with Celia Ferguson.
There was no real reason for it. And her staunch defense of Beni didn't count. She was loyal, and she was willing to stand up to Rick. She was willing to stand up to anyone she thought was wrong. That was a good thing. And okay, he was a little bothered by the fact that she came from a wealthy family. But not too much. She still acted like a human being, instead of thinking she was so much better than everyone else.
She was bright. . .almost as smart as Ardeth. Rick listened to her conversations during dinner the night before. That was another plus. And quiet, though Rick heard her get going a few times. She could be funny. . .in fact, she could make Ardeth smile, could make him laugh. So those were both pluses. His brother seemed comfortable with her. . .they talked quite often this morning and the previous night. Rare was the female who didn't make Ardeth so nervous, he could barely talk. Rick's brother was very shy around women.
She had other good qualities. She loved children, and they were equally affectionate toward her. That was very important. While Ardeth had less time to spend with little ones, he adored them. Little Livvy Chase was a perfect example of that. In fact, if Rick didn't know better, he would swear that the little girl was capable of playing matchmaker. That wasn't possible, of course. She was only four years old.
Yes, her ease with children was a plus in her favor. She was very natural with children, and both Rick and Ardeth could spot phonies. So why didn't he like the idea of Celia with his brother? Rick didn't want to think he was so shallow to consider the girl not good enough for his brother because she wasn't as pretty as her two roommates. But the other possibility was even worse. Maybe he objected to Celia, not because of whom she was and what she was. . .but because she could take Ardeth away from him? Was that it? Was he jealous of this girl?
Rick didn't like that idea at all. He would rather think of himself as a shallow jerk because he wanted Ardeth to find someone pretty, someone who was as pretty as Ardeth was handsome, than consider the possibility that he would be jealous of any woman. And Celia Ferguson was barely a woman. . .she was nineteen. A fairly mature nineteen year old, but a nineteen year old nonetheless. However, the possibility was there in his mind, and it stayed there throughout the day. While he showered, while he dressed and Ardeth showered, during the second four hours of riding.
When he wasn't thinking about that, he was watching Evy Carnahan. He liked doing that. During the first riding session, early that morning, Rick and his charge of the moment both felt comfortable enough to nudge the horse into a full-out run. Evy did the same, with the teenager who teased Rick about his boxers the night. The girl hung onto Evy's waist, and as Evy passed Rick, she gave him a smile that turned his knees to water.
If he wasn't astride, Rick knew he would have fallen. Her long dark hair was draped over one shoulder, and she looked so damn pretty. Her eyes were glowing with laughter. Rick once more cursed his brother for noticing how lovely she was first. Then Evy passed him, and the moment with her. He began to think of a whole new use for the liquor in his bag. He didn't intend to take advantage of getting her drunk. . .Ardeth would kill him if he did that.
But if this was what the wind in her face and riding could do. . .maybe a few drinks wouldn't hurt. Rick's groin tightened, thinking of just how Evy Carnahan would look when a few drinks relaxed her. It was becoming harder and harder for him to think about why it would be such a bad idea for him to get involved with her. She was beautiful. . .and her tenacity was quickly growing to be attractive.
Yes. He would do that tonight, during the weenie roast, and after the children went to bed. He just didn't know how easy it would be to get her to take a drink. She was tenacious, but she could also be proper. Then again, she was also a college student. She needed to cut loose, and maybe once he produced the bottle. . . Make it available to all of them. Yes, that would work just fine. He didn't think he would have any problem from Jonathan Carnahan. Galen Ferguson possibly, but Rick would jump off that cliff when they came to it.
At five pm, seven tired adults and twenty-one equally tired children returned to the stables, leading their horses. As Cassandra foretold the night before, Diablo was of no mind to allow most people to ride him. The notable exceptions were the three girls, and Ardeth. It was Ardeth who led him back to the stables, with Olivia Chase on his hip, and the teenage girl who rode with Evy earlier on his back.
Rick glared at his brother without any real heat. There were times when Rick could have cheerfully hated Ardeth. He was handsome, frighteningly intelligent, and animals loved him as much as children. Yes, it would be very easy to hate Ardeth. . .if Rick didn't love him so damn much. And that was yet another reason for Rick to hate him. He had an Ardeth Bey-sized dent in his armor, the armor that protected him from further betrayals.
But he knew Ardeth would never betray him. Beni Gabor was incapable of being true to his friends, even those who protected him. Something Rick could never allow himself to forget, because if he did forget, it might cost him his own life. . .as well as the lives of the people he loved most. On the other hand, Ardeth was incapable of betraying those whom he cared about, or his allies. Rick looked over at the little roommate, once more thinking of her in those terms instead of by name. She looked tired too. How was it possible that she was so attracted to Ardeth, and yet defended Beni so fiercely?
*Because,* he answered himself, *Beni hasn't betrayed her yet. That's a strike against her. She's something of an innocent. Not usually a bad thing, in and of itself. But in this case, she can't see any reason why Beni would betray her. And because of that innocence, my brother may end up getting hurt.* Rick didn't trust Beni to take that misinformation to Lock-nah, but at the moment, he didn't see any other way around it. *Besides,* he thought ruefully, *as Ardeth would say, we can trust Beni to be Beni.*
Wait a minute. There was a clue there. Trusting Beni to be Beni. Lock-nah was a thug and a bully. . .but he wasn't actually stupid. There was a good chance Lock-nah had the sense to take what Beni told him with a grain of salt. They could use that. Rick resolved to talk to Ardeth about this. Tomorrow. There was still the weenie roast and the toasting of marshmallows. To say nothing of the alcohol he brought with him!
. . .
The rest of the evening passed quietly. While everyone was showering, Galen started a fire in a safe place for the roast, then assigned Jonathan Carnahan to watch it. By the time everyone was clean and dressed once more, it was almost six, and everyone was hungry. Anck helped by carrying the mustard and other condiments out to a card table set up by Jonathan while he was watching the fire.
There was no watching tv tonight. . .the children ate their hot dogs and their marshmallows, then went straight to bed. There would be more fun the following night, and Mathayus, Galen's friend, returned to the house with Cassandra. They would stay in the house with the children, while the other adults went back outside. Anck would always wonder how Matt and Cass knew to come to the house, for what came next was the most entertainment Anck had in almost all of her nineteen years.
It began when Rick O'Connell returned from the house after helping to tuck the children in. They all tucked the children in, but Rick returned later than his brother. Ardeth was leaning against a tree, a short distance from the fire. Celia sat beside him, both looking sleepy and content. Anck swallowed hard. They looked so cute together. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and the jealousy that rose up when she watched them together.
Anck Cortez was not a girl who was used to being jealous, for any reason. She had her mother, she had her brains, and she had the skills to make a life for herself. She had her friends, even when Evy acted like there was a fire poker shoved up her nalga. She even had her looks. Anck had more than many people, in one way or another. There was no reason for her to be jealous of anyone. And yet, as she watched Celia and Ardeth, that jealousy was there.
She wanted to hate Celia for that. She wanted to hate her, for causing this jealousy, but Anck was smarter than that. Celia had nothing to do with this. She did nothing. And while the girl was tempted to say her American friend had Ardeth Bey, Anck knew that wasn't the case yet. Evy was further along in 'having' Rick O'Connell than Celia was in 'having' Ardeth Bey. And wasn't that a surprise? Anck got another surprise when Rick sat down beside Galen, saying, "I won't tell if you won't."
What did he have there? Anck looked over the man's shoulder, her eyes gleaming as she saw the whiskey. She didn't like whiskey, not usually, but she would try to make an exception. Anck was open-minded, she was willing to try new things. Galen took the bottle with a thoughtful expression. He said, "You know, I should probably point out to you that there are minors present, and that drinking is bad for your health."
"You could point that out," came the sassy response from Celia, "but you don't have much credibility, dear brother. I remember you coming home quite drunk some weekends during college." Galen responded with a one- finger salute that made everyone laugh. Celia continued, "Thanks for the offer, Rick, but me and alcohol *really* don't mix. Anck. . .not a word out of you."
Anck merely pressed her hands to her chest with an innocent 'who me' look. Everyone laughed, and Ardeth said through his laughter, "None for me, either, ya ahi. I would like to be able to walk in a straight line tomorrow morning." Rick stuck his tongue out and said something in Arabic that made Ardeth flush. The black-haired man replied, "That is anatomically impossible, as you well know."
That drew another round of laughter, and Anck said, "I'll have some." She sat down beside Galen, turning to wink at Celia. Her roommate narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything. It was anyone's guess whether or not she knew what Anck was up to. Rick passed her the bottle, and Anck took a swig. Tears came to her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away, rasping out, "Just takes a little time to get used to it."
She handed the bottle to Jonathan, who took a healthy swig. He sighed in pleasure, wiping some excess away from his mouth, and said, "Good stuff. Definitely an acquired taste. Where did you get this, O'Connell, or shouldn't I ask?" He laughed as he spoke, and Anck rolled her eyes. If she didn't know better, she would swear he was already getting into the alcohol before Rick even brought this out. She saw Jonathan drunk before, after all.
"Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," O'Connell answered with a deadpan expression. Jonathan stared at the American, as if unsure how to take that comment. O'Connell offered them all a bright grin, and Jonathan laughed, albeit nervously. The American said, looking at Evy, "What about you, Miss Evelyn Carnahan. . .would you be interested in imbibing some of this nectar?"
Evy sat down beside him, and eyed the bottle in her brother's hand. Though it was only his hand for a moment more. Then Jonathan passed it back to Anck, who took another swig. Didn't burn quite as much this time. She passed it to Galen, who passed it back to O'Connell. The man took another swig, before offering it to Evy. She wouldn't take a drink. Anck was willing to bet her life on it.
If someone took that bet, Anck would be a dead woman by now. Evy said, tossing her head as Anck did that morning, "Why not?" And she took a long swig? Anck blinked, unable to believe what she was seeing. All right. Who was this girl, and what did she do with Evy?
Her roommate coughed, and Celia rocked onto her knees, ready to come over if the situation called for it. Evy wiped the excess away from her mouth with the back of her hand, then pronounced in a hoarse voice, "I suppose it's time I started acting like a college student. I just hope this doesn't destroy my throat or the lining of my stomach." Anck looked over at her shoulder at Celia, who looked as stunned as Anck felt.
"Well done, Evy!" Jonathan applauded. Evy flashed him another smile, then determinedly took another swig of the whiskey. Anck swallowed hard, the second time in the last few minutes. Celia was getting closer to Ardeth Bey. Evy was drinking, presumably to impress Rick O'Connell. Two things she never thought she would see. A wave of loneliness washed over Anck, for suddenly, she feared that her roommates would leave her behind.
That wasn't the only thing. She was also seeing Emmett Tepper's image in her mind's eye. Anck wasn't sure where the image came from, but it was there, and nothing would make it go away. Maybe it was seeing the changes in her two roommates, changes caused by men. Maybe she was thinking about him all this time, and just pretended otherwise to herself. But why should she pretend?
For that matter, why shouldn't she pursue him? Well, yes. . .if he wasn't interested, she would drop it. But her heart, her instincts, told her that he *was* interested. And not all relationships between students and professors went bad. Anck could keep secrets. She could do this. As the whiskey was passed once more to her, and she vaguely heard her roommate's inhibitions crash, Anck focused on a possible relationship with Emmett Tepper.
Including why she found him so attractive. He was handsome. . .and there was a hint of danger about him. Getting involved with him smacked of playing with fire, but as the song said, she never learned anything by playing it safe.* He could match wits with Anck easily, something she couldn't resist. In fact, she had to struggle to keep up with him, and that was as attractive to her as his face. And she liked the way he listened. Not just to her, but to Celia's defense of her viewpoint during class.
More than that, she felt a connection, a bond to him. She saw a similar connection between Ardeth and Celia, and even between O'Connell and Evy. This morning, she told Rick O'Connell about almost losing someone she loved, before she even met them. Life was too short. . .it was too short in general, and it was too short for regrets. Why shouldn't she at least see if a relationship was possible with Emmett Tepper?
If she didn't, she was afraid she would regret it for the rest of her life. And again, she thought about the possible risks. But the risks were only there if they got caught. Anck believed she could do this without getting caught. And wasn't it worth the risks? She looked first at Rick and Evy, her heart contracting painfully at the brightness of Evy's eyes. Evy, who could be such prig, and was now drinking whiskey. If only to prove herself in some way to Rick O'Connell. Anck didn't tell her roommate that she had nothing to prove, that she was just as good as anyone. That she was good enough for Rick O'Connell as she was. She wanted to tell Evy just that. But she wasn't sure if Evy would listen, at least, not right now.
Next, she looked at Celia, who was watching Evy with a somewhat confused expression. Anck noted the proximity between Celia and Ardeth. They were sitting very close together. Shoulder to shoulder, even. Celia and Ardeth were both fighting their mutual attraction. Fighting it with every fiber of their respective beings. There would come a time when they could no longer fight. When all the walls would come down, and the ensuing fire would consume them both.
No more fighting. Anck made herself that promise. No more fighting. She wouldn't fight her attraction to Emmett Tepper, because if she did. . .she wasn't sure if there would be anything left of her when the fire burned itself out. She couldn't protect Celia from the consequences of the fire that would consume her when the walls crashed, but she could protect herself. She was so busy making that promise to herself, she almost missed the primary entertainment of the night. Almost.
. . .
There was a part of Celia that wanted to keep an eye on Evy, and make sure she didn't spin out of control. But there was another part of her that felt warm and comfortable and sleepy. And in any event, Celia wasn't sure if Evy would accept any effort to help her. She was a grown woman, after all. Not in the eyes of the law, which held a person wasn't of legal age until he or she was twenty-one years of age.
But Evy wouldn't be driving anywhere tonight. . .she would not be responsible for anyone's life but her own, and that was what kept Celia from intervening. Besides, Galen was there, and he warned her with a glance that it wasn't up to her. He was the responsible party here. . .her job was to relax and enjoy herself. She nodded, leaning back against the tree once more. At length, Ardeth asked softly, "Tell me about this house?"
She smiled and answered, "Well. . .it's a family home. My grandfather was born in Oklahoma during the Depression. He was the son of a farmer. Their nearest neighbors were a mile away. . .the nearest town was about twenty miles away. But you know, even though their neighbors were a mile away, that didn't prevent a community from forming. Whenever my great-grandfather or one of the other farmers ran into trouble, the others rallied 'round him."
She paused, remembering the stories her grandfather told her while she was growing up, then continued, "Like, if one farmer had a heart attack or became ill or was injured, the other families would pitch in with the farm, especially during harvest season, until he was back on his feet. I think if my grandfather didn't go to Korea, and serve in the army, he probably would have become a farmer himself. But. . .when he came back, he went to work in the oil fields instead."
Ardeth said nothing, just listened. Celia went on, quite aware that her pride in her family was coming through and not in the least bit worried about it, "He was what they called a 'roughneck,' 'cause he worked in the oil fields. Don't ask me where the term came from, it never occurred to me to ask while I was growing up. Anyhow, he met my grandmother when he came from Korea. She was just arrived in Oklahoma, teaching on the Indian reservations. She grew up among the Indians of British Columbia. . .so she was a natural."
Ardeth shifted his position beside her, his dark eyes never leaving her face, and prompted by his silence, Celia continued, "They married, and eventually moved here. . .to this very piece of land. See, my grandmother's own parents died at sea. . .but she did have some family in this part of the country. It was a great-uncle who left her this piece of land and this house. My grandfather didn't think the oil would last forever, so they decided to move here, and he would start a new trade. He worked, 'cause that was the only life he knew. . .even though the house and land came with a monetary inheritance."
"Your father's family had the money?" Ardeth asked softly. Celia nodded, blinking in surprise. How did he know. . .? Ardeth flushed a bit guiltily, then explained, "Your roommate and my brother. . .Evelyn told my brother that you came from money." Ah. Well, that explained *that.* She would have to decide later what she would do with that information, because her first inclination was to kick Evy's butt.
She would worry about that later, when Evy was capable of defending herself. Celia answered, "Yeah. By the time my parents, my grandparents built a comfortable life, and my father built a successful business on what was created by his father. I grew up in comfort. . . some would even say luxury, but my grandparents were determined that my brothers and I would never forget our roots."
Celia took a deep breath, explaining, "They would tell us stories while we were with them on the weekends, or when our parents left us with them. My parents often go to functions, and couldn't take us with them. So, we stayed with our grandparents. Especially when Galen was in high school. Less so as we got older. And my grandfather always told us that having money was well and good, but we needed a trade, a way to make our own way in life. I was a little sponge, soaking it all up."
"He would be very proud of you," Ardeth said quietly. Celia gulped. She hoped so. The girl gave up months ago on her parents ever being proud of her, but she hoped she was making her grandparents proud of her. He went on, "They helped to raise a girl who will make her own way in life. . .and who will not step on other people or grind down their spirits to do so. A girl who is willing to stand up for her beliefs and her friends."
Now Celia blushed. She was on the verge of telling him about Neil Grady. Her former co-worker was weak and immature, but Ardeth Bey wasn't. She could trust him. And she would have told him. . .except Evy attracted her attention. Celia looked up as her roommate laughed. The first thing she saw was a strange expression on Anck's face, and Celia sent a look, asking, 'you okay?'
Anck smiled, albeit weakly, and nodded. Celia wasn't entirely convinced, but silently promised herself that she would get the full story later. For now, she turned her attention back to Evy. Her roommate was on her feet, wobbling a bit unsteadily in front of Rick O'Connell. Rick was saying something about, 'again, like you mean it.' Celia felt her eyebrows climb into her hairline. Okay, when did *this* happen?
Evy giggled, throwing a clumsy punch into Rick's palm, "M. . .m. . .mean it!" She giggled again as the punch spun her around and dropped her into Rick's arms. He laughed as well, sitting her down and handing her a bottle. Evy informed him haughtily, even as she took another sip, "Unlike my brother, sir, I know how to say 'no' when enough is enough." Celia glanced over at Jonathan, who was sound asleep beside Galen.
"And unlike your brother, Miss," O'Connell returned, "you, I just don't get." The pair sitting against the tree exchanged a look. Celia saw her own emotions reflected in Ardeth's brown eyes. A mixture of amusement and 'what now.' They both returned their attention to the pair sitting in front of the fire. At the same time, Anck rose to her feet and hurried to the house. She was wearing a decidedly evil grin, and Celia chose not to ask. She didn't want to know.
Maybe she should rephrase that. Celia didn't care one way or the other, but she was sure their other roommate *would* before the night was out. Evy took another swig and said, raising the bottle as if to toast O'Connell, "Oh, I know. You're wondering. . . what's a place like me, doing in a girl like this?" Celia almost fell over laughing. *Tell me that Anck is getting the video camera,* she thought, *please tell me that she's getting the camcorder!*
O'Connell said quite diplomatically, though Celia could see his lips quivering with barely suppressed laughter, "Yeah, something like that." Celia glanced over her shoulder, hoping that Anck would hurry up with the camcorder, before they lost any more hysterical footage. 'What's a place like me doing in a girl like this.' She would have to remember that. Evy was a funny drunk. Who knew? She glanced at Ardeth, who was either blushing to the very roots of his hair or was sitting too close to the fire.
Evy's voice distracted Celia from her companion. Again, she gestured grandly, saying, "Well, you see, my father was a very famous explorer, but before he was an explorer, he was a student. He met my mother on this very college campus." O'Connell didn't point out that they weren't *at* the campus, but instead listened as Evy removed the locket from her neck and opened it, explaining, "He loved Egypt so much, he married my mother. She was Egyptian and quite the adventurer herself. And when I came to this campus, I felt closer to them both. They died when I was rather young, you see."
Celia's smile slowly died. That was something she never knew about Evy. She knew about the loss of her parents, of course. That was something Evy told her the previous year, when Celia asked about the close bond between Evy and her brother. But she never knew that her parents met at the university, and that Evy felt closer to their spirits there. It made sense. It made a lot of sense. She always thought that Evy attended college here because she would be close to Jonathan. Which just went to demonstrate that you didn't always know someone.
O'Connell said, "I get your mother, and I get your father." He indicated each picture in the locket with his index finger, adding as he nodded to Jonathan, "And I get him. But what are *you* doing here?" Celia rolled her eyes, then realized Evy never answered his question. What was Evy doing here. Meaning, why was she at this ranch? Celia, for her own part, was curious about what Evy would give as an answer.
However, Evy glowered at O'Connell with an, "Ooooh! I may not be an explorer or an adventurer or a security guard, *Mister* O'Connell! But I'm proud of what I am!" She rose to her feet as she shifted into full rant mode, swaying ever so slightly, especially when she made great, sweeping gestures with her arms. She glared at Rick O'Connell when he tried to steady her with a hand on her waist. He raised both hands, as if in surrender.
"And. . .what is that?" O'Connell asked. Celia heard her companion mutter something under his breath. She couldn't understand what he said, but her bet was that it was in Arabic, and that it most assuredly wasn't complimentary. A giggle around the tree alerted her to Anck's return. She peeked around, and found her roommate filming everything with a gleeful grin. After all the times Anck caught her in the shower with that camcorder. . .
That thought was derailed as Evy answered with a beatific smile, "I. . .am a librarian!" Celia cupped her hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. She should not be laughing, she should not be laughing, she should not be laughing. The impromptu chant didn't work. Especially not when Evy fell to her knees in front of O'Connell and proclaimed, "And I am going to kiss you, Mr O'Connell."
"Call me 'Rick,'" the tall American replied helpfully. Oh yeah. They would definitely need a camcorder. Evy would never believe she propositioned Rick O'Connell like this. Evy's smile grew all the brighter as she repeated his name very softly. She leaned forward, and Celia thought her roommate would kiss O'Connell, right then and there. But instead of kissing him, she fell asleep, face first in his lap. Okay, that was. . . wrong. Just plain wrong, in so many ways.
O'Connell looked somewhat stunned, and Celia bit her lower lip as hard as she could to keep from laughing, especially when he completed the kiss into empty air. However, all her attempts at keeping her mirth under control went the way of the dodo bird when Galen looked from the sleeping Evy to O'Connell, and said dryly, "You got her drunk. . .you can carry her back to the house. Anck, go with him. . .make sure his intentions are honorable."
O'Connell glared at Galen, but gently scooped Evy into his arms, cradling her against his chest. Celia felt a curious tightness in her own chest at the sight of her roommate curled in the man's arms. There was a rightness to the picture, and she couldn't help feeling jealous. O'Connell asked in a soft voice, "And will you be staying with your sister, to make sure my brother behaves himself?"
EX-SQUEEZE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Celia glared at the man, but before she could say anything, her older brother answered dryly, "Nah, I'll be taking Jonathan back. I think I can trust your brother with my sister for a few minutes. I already talked with him. Now it's your turn."
Rick just glared at him again. Celia could have told him that it wouldn't do any good. For all that Rick O'Connell was a big man, so was her brother. . .and his best friend was even bigger. Galen met his eyes steadily, and Rick stomped up toward the house, muttering under his breath. Galen lifted Jonathan to his feet, hooking one of the professor's arms across the back of his neck. He grinned at Ardeth and Celia before heading back up to the house.
The pair remaining just looked at each other. It was just the two of them, and this huge fire. Ardeth's dark eyes were solidly on Celia in a way that jangled her nerves. Could they just stay friends, with the way he was now looking at her? They were all alone in front of the fire, and Ardeth said he wanted to be just friends, but he was looking at her. . .the way he looked at her said something entirely different. Now what? What did they do now?
* 'I Take My Chances,' Mary-Chapin Carpenter.