Kendall stole a sidelong glance at Zach as he concentrated on the road before them. She was exhausted, which exacerbated her feelings of bewilderment that he had been so casual about this visit to his desert hideaway. She wanted to ask him why he had agreed to take her there, but was too afraid of the answer to voice the question. However, when she asked herself what answer she was afraid of hearing, she had no reply. She sighed deeply and leaned back against the seat allowing the smooth jazz music in the CD player to wash over her.
At Kendall's sigh, Zach glanced over but assumed by her closed eyes that she preferred not to talk. That was just as well because he was still assimilating his own feelings from the previous evening. Zach enjoyed a good wager, especially one that paid off as well as this gamble on Kendall. When he had predicted that Kendall had a face that gamblers would love he had been very right. From the moment they had stepped into the main casino together, she had mesmerized the crowd. The Grand re-Opening had been an invitation-only event with special care taken to invite many of the "high rollers" who had patronized The Seasons in the past. Despite the fright that he knew she was feeling she exuded confidence as their hostess, and never once acted intimidated even by the most assertive of customers. While he had been tempted a few times to react to someone who became a little too forward with his wife, Kendall found a way to put him in his place with class and grace… something that he would not have believed possible when he had met her a year earlier. Whatever their future held, he was satisfied with the decisions they had made together, and hoped that they could continue to work in concert when their families started using them as convenient targets.
Kendall's thoughts were following much the same track as Zach's were. She was so proud of herself and of Zach for all that they had accomplished in so short a time. Most of the night and the early morning had been spent in the casino… when she and Zach had returned to the penthouse it had been near to dawn and they had fallen into bed together too exhausted to do more than remove their clothing. He had seemed happy with the re-opening, and she hoped that he was proud of her, but she still felt apprehensive… this was only the beginning and one small success when compared with the daunting tasks ahead of them – it just didn't seem like they had accomplished enough before going home.
Upon waking at mid-morning, they had quickly dressed in jeans, boots and t-shirts for the short drive out of town. Zach had looked at her with as much admiration at the casual attire as he had in her formal gown the evening before, and she once again found herself blushing at his obvious admiration. He had chuckled at her discomfiture, pulling her close and telling her how lovely she looked in everything she wore. Another piece to a very confusing puzzle – this kind and attentive man, who was at once a canny businessman and a passionate and considerate lover, was not the same man she had met a year earlier. If anything, Zach was more a mystery to her now than he had been before they wed, and she was very uncomfortable with the sense of belonging that she felt in being his wife. She had to forcibly remind herself that this was an open business arrangement and any feelings that she might believe he had for her could not possibly be real… any more than what she felt toward him. No, this had been a weeklong fantasy vacation that was coming to an end – reality would hit soon enough so she should relax and enjoy one last day of the illusion.
As Zach slowed the car to turn down a dirt road, Kendall opened her eyes and sat up in the seat. Without looking away from the road before him he commented, "We're almost there. You'll be able to see the casita as soon as we make the next turn."
She leaned forward eagerly, anxious to see how accurate the artist's rendition had been. They rounded the corner, and she drew in her breath sharply as she recognized the talent of the unknown painter. It was as if the building had grown from the land and it shimmered in the heat of the morning sun. Upon further inspection, she realized that it was larger than she had expected… probably having narrowed her expectation to the single room that she had seen once at Zach's casino many months before. She also noticed a few small outbuildings that had been left out of the painting, and realized that it was a small estate more than a "little house" as its name would imply.
"Oh, Zach… it's beautiful," she breathed without thinking. Looking at him quickly she saw a broad smile split his face as if he was pleased that she liked it.
He parked the car and quickly jumped from the vehicle to remove their bags. They had packed only what they would need for the night. The remainder of their luggage would be sent to the airport by personnel at The Seasons the next day. Kendall took her time in exiting the automobile feeling a sudden sense that she was intruding in a place where she had no business. However, as Zach walked past her toward the front door he called over his shoulder, "Come on, let's make some breakfast."
She followed him into the house and noticed an immediate temperature change from the heat outside. Inside the thick walls of the casita it was much cooler and she immediately recognized the main room as the original on which the one at Zach's east coast casino was modeled. Without stopping he turned to the right and down a short hallway before entering another room. She followed him slowly, taking in the warm, inviting nature of the house before finding him standing in the midst of a room dominated by a large antique four-poster bed hung with mosquito netting.
"Funny looking kitchen," she said with a grin.
He smiled back and laughed, "I'm sure we can think of something to do in here."
She laughed with him before commenting, "If that's all you have planned for us today…"
He scooped her up in his arms and dropped her on the bed before falling down next to her. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her until they were feeling a little breathless and then Zach pulled away and started to rise from the bed. Kendall looked at him with confusion and pulled at the waistband of his jeans. Allowing himself to be pulled backwards, he lay laughing, "… you're right… nothing to do in here…"
"Why… you…" she said as she scrambled on top of him in an attempt to tickle until he pulled her close and flipped her beneath him. Their playful wrestling soon turned erotic and it wasn't long before any thoughts of leaving the bedroom were banished from their minds.
A while later Zach re-entered the bedroom wearing nothing but his blue jeans and carrying a tray holding cups of coffee and plates with scrambled eggs and toast. Kendall stretched beneath the covers before pushing herself to a seated position, "More spoiling… I'm getting used to this."
"I aim to please, ma'am," he answered in an exaggerated drawl, as Zach laid the tray on the bed. He seated himself Indian style across from her while she pulled his t-shirt from the floor and slipped it over her head.
Kendall giggled and sipped her coffee, watching him through veiled eyelashes. This relaxed and easygoing man was yet another Zach Slater to add to her collection. Almost as if entering the casita had transformed him he had an easy laugh and an even easier smile. His mood was infectious, but she soon found herself feeling conflicted by her very happiness and enjoyment of this relaxing time together. After eating, Kendall pulled on her jeans before joining him in cleaning up the dishes. They toured the rest of the house before ending up seated near the fireplace. Without a word, Zach pulled her into his arms and she rested against his broad chest as they talked.
"I thought we'd ride out to the dunes and have a picnic supper. You'll love sunset over the desert, the colors are so vivid… and then the stars… I bet you've ever been anyplace without light pollution. Out here they look so close that you could reach out and touch them," he explained when she asked what he planned for their stay.
"How did you manage all this… the food, the horses… we only decided late yesterday to come here," she asked.
"I have a caretaker that lives here. He's got a small apartment attached to the stable. Whenever I have time to come out I call him and he gets it ready," Zach answered simply.
"Must be nice… and Ethan thinks that he's destroyed you by shutting down two casinos," she shook her head. "He has no idea who you are, does he?"
"No… and that's the problem… he's not interested in finding out. The only way he can avoid becoming a Cambias is to listen and learn. My son is too stubborn to do either one the easy way… so we'll make him do it the hard way," Zach answered softly.
"I wonder…" Kendall mused without finishing.
"If he saw the news of the re-opening? …Or if he heard about our marriage?" Zach asked in curiosity.
"I'm sure everyone knows about our marriage… and I imagine he knows about The Seasons by now, too. It's three hours later in Pine Valley… and the media was pretty well represented," she replied. "I think that's what surprised me the most last night… it wasn't just the local news but the wire services and even some of the entertainment newsmagazines that covered the opening. With our picture plastered all over the place there's no way he couldn't see it."
"Kendall… why are you surprised that they're interested in us? You're the daughter of Erica Kane and I'm the once-dead son of Alexander Cambias… that alone would make us…" he said with a short laugh, "…newsworthy. But when you consider the old tyrant's will, my suit against Ethan and the convoluted family relationships created by our marriage… maybe gossip is a better word than news."
Kendall tried to laugh with him, but her eyes showed concern as she realized the tangle of relationships that were exacerbated by their choices… and found herself once again dreading a return to Pine Valley and facing the extreme disapproval of her family and friends. At her frown, Zach rubbed his hands down her arm, "Hey… hey… hey… we came here to relax and unwind. No troubled thoughts are allowed." As he had done before to comfort her he tilted her face up to him and kissed her with gentle lips, conveying the message that all would be well by his very tranquility.
The remainder of their time at the casita was spent in relaxation, banishing all thoughts of the near future until they left the pleasant oasis. Zach enjoyed Kendall's determination to ride even though it became readily apparent that she had not been riding in years. However, she had adamantly refused to allow him to stable the horses and use the ATV… claiming that no animal was going to get the better of her. In the end, she allowed Zach to double up with her and lead her horse by its reins to make their appointed destination before sundown. She was overcome by the beauty of the desert, just as he had hoped she would be. After experiencing a glorious sunset, they made love beneath the stars… both of them reveling in the acceptance they each received from the other – for this one magic night, neither of them paused to examine their feelings or to question them. The day and night passed far too quickly and they soon found themselves heading toward the airport… and home.