someday. There was one thing he did want.
“Don’t change. I’ll be the only one you see today.”
She swallowed hard, then nodded.
“Let’s get started.” He wondered why he’d asked her not to change. The temptation would be excruciating. But sweet just the same.
“Not in there,” she said as he started into the bedroom.
He smiled. “I can make love to you in any room,
“La Seba?”
“Sex goddess.”
“Living room,” she choked out.
“Then I will join you in a moment,” he said before going into the bedroom.
Callie continued on to the living room, but after a few moments, she wondered what exactly he could be plotting now. She strode to the bedroom door. No Rogar. Could he disappear, as well?
When she moved across the room, she heard the shower running in the bathroom. For a moment, she pictured him standing beneath the spray, water cascading over his sinewy muscles.
A swirl of heat spiraled downward, settling between her legs. What would happen if she opened the bathroom door and walked inside, taking off her clothes as she went? She snorted. As if she didn’t know the answer to that one.
She clamped her legs together as a familiar ache began to build inside her. She jumped when the shower stopped and she hurried out of the room.
Her cell phone was on the counter ringing and vibrating all over the place like a really pissed-off bumble bee. She ran over and picked it up, flipping it open at the same time.
“Yes?”
“Callie, DeeDee. I just wanted to make sure you made it to the cabin okay.”
“Yes, no problem whatsoever.”
“You sound out of breath.”
Silence.
“I hope you’re staying in my parents’ room,” DeeDee said. “I really don’t want that visual.”
“So you told me,” Callie interrupted. Now might be a good time to change the subject. “And you? Did you join your mom and dad?”
“I’ll be there in about an hour. It was a boring plane ride, but I’m in a rented car now. How’d the cabin look?”
“Fine. The Cranes have already stopped by.”
“Bleh! Nosey snobs.”
Her feelings exactly. “I’m afraid Rogar took offense with their snobby attitude, and told them he was a prince. I just hope his admission doesn’t come back to haunt us.”
“I doubt it will. No one would ever find you there. If they do, then sic the Cranes on them.”
“That’s an idea.”
“You take care, and if you need anything at all, I’m only a phone call away.”
“DeeDee?”
“Yeah, sweetie?”
“Thanks. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’ll be eternally grateful.”
“Ahh, Callie, someday you’re going to realize that I needed you just as much as you needed me. You’re the one friend I know who treats me like a real person.” There was a distinct sniffle. “You just make that big alien take care of you.”
“I will.” She slowly closed the phone, then looked up. Sensing he was in the room. He had a presence about him that called everyone’s attention.
He’d changed clothes and wore a pair of dark brown slacks, and a casual hunter green top. He looked so delicious she could eat him up. Now that was a thought.
“If you keep looking at me like that, we might be in trouble.”
She cleared her throat. “Do you want something to drink?” She hurried behind the bar, and opened the refrigerator. She got out a soda.
“That sounds good.”
She set a couple of them on the counter. When she covertly glanced his way, she saw he was still watching her. If he kept this up, she’d be the one jumping his bones. She turned her back to him, and began to rummage in the cabinets. A sigh of relief escaped. This was exactly what she was looking for—junk food. The cure-all for not having sex.
She loaded her arms down with tortilla chips, bean dip, salsa, and chocolate cream-filled cookies, then managed to carry it all to the table without dropping anything. He brought the sodas. They each pulled out a chair.
But they couldn’t live on junk food alone. Not and keep up their strength so before she took her seat, she grudgingly cooked them each a grilled cheese sandwich.
“Okay, tell me when you first knew about your animal guide,” she said, after she set their plates on the table. She ripped open the bag of chips, then removed the lids from the dips. He followed her example and opened the cookies, but when he reached for one, she took it away. “Sandwich first. Chips and dip. Then cookies.”
“Why? These look better.”
“I cook a mean grilled cheese, I’ll have you know. Besides, the bean dip has protein, and the salsa has veggies…” She held a chip up and studied it. “And the chips have corn.”
He pointed toward the cookies. “And those?”
“Sugar and chocolate. They’re for after a meal.”
He nodded, followed her lead, and dipped a chip into the bean dip. He took a bite, then slowly chewed. “I like it.”
Great, she was getting him hooked on junk food. “Do you have stuff like this on New Symtaria?”
“We have better, but this will do.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course.” Bet they didn’t have chocolate. They ate in silence for a few minutes.
She moved a chip around on her plate. “Were you scared when you found out you shared your body with an animal?” she finally asked.
“I knew about my guide from the instructions that we are taught. It did take me a while to distinguish between my own thoughts and that of my guide. It was as though we hadn’t formed the separation that was needed.”
“How old were you?”
“Ten years.”
“I was eight when I started hearing the voice. What did you do?”
“I listened. I asked questions. At some point we began to make the distinction between our personalities.”
She slid the chip through the dip, but didn’t take a bite. “What’s your guide like? I mean, you say he has his own personality.”
Rogar leaned back in his chair, his forehead wrinkling in thought. “Balam? He’s aggressive, like most animal guides.”
“Unless you’re a rabbit,” she said with more than a touch of sarcasm.
“True.”
Great, he didn’t tell her that the rabbit might not be her guide, but then again, which would she rather be? A rabbit or a rhino? She thought the rabbit would be better.
“Balam has also been a good friend and protector.”
“Balam,” she repeated. “I like his name. Can you feel him inside you? Does he understand what I’m saying?”
“Everything.”
Heat flooded her face. “What about when we…uh…” This was so embarrassing.
