Page 26 of Eclipse Bound
"We could go to my place," she suggested finally. "It's not far from here, and we'd have privacy to discuss what to do about Milano."
The invitation carried implications beyond strategic planning, and both of them knew it. Eclipse considered the many variables. There was the increasing deterioration of his skin-suit, the potential risk to Rowan if they were observed together, and the growing resonance between them that made proximity both desirable and distracting.
"That would be acceptable," he decided against his better judgment.
He saw the heat between her thighs rising in temperature. Unable to help himself, he let a tiny trail of his essence drift toward her. As he made the smallest of contact, she gave a light gasp and sat up straighter.
The heat drew him in, pulling more of his essence into her body like a vacuum needing to be filled. He slipped into a wet crevice, and she gasped louder. The vehicle swerved as she pulled to the side and hit the brakes.
Her hips wiggled and her mouth opened wider as she drew in a shaky breath. "Easy there, tiger."
"I am not a tiger," he said. "And this would be easier if you remove your coverings."
"Stop for a moment," she breathed heavily. "I can't drive when you do that. We'll wreck."
He reluctantly obeyed and withdrew.
Rowan smiled as she resumed driving. She turned onto a side road that wound through stands of juniper and prickly pear. "Fair warning, I’m not sure how clean it is. I wasn’t planning on company."
"Clean is a subjective assessment," Eclipse noted. "I find your presence alters my perception of physical locations."
"That might be the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me," Rowan replied, her energy field brightening with genuine pleasure. "Even if it does sound like something from a physics textbook."
They arrived at her home, and she stopped the vehicle in front. She lived in a small cluster of homes surrounded by nature.
Rowan kept her eyes carefully forward. “Try not to make eye contact with Mrs. Lowen. She’s my nosy neighbor, currently looking through her curtains at us. Once she starts talking, she doesn’t stop.”
Eclipse nodded, understanding the directive. He dared one glance at Mrs. Lowen. Her forehead pressed against the glass of her dwelling as she stared at them. He refocused his attention on Rowan’s door as they quickly walked up the drive.
Inside, the space reflected her practical nature while revealing aspects of her personality Eclipse hadn't yet observed. Bookshelves lined one wall, filled with volumes on journalism, politics, Earth history, and surprisingly, astronomy. Plants occupied sunny corners, their energy signatures indicating that they had been carefully tended. A desk held a computer and neatly organized files, while a comfortable-looking sofa faced both the fireplace and the large window with its panoramic view of the valley in front of the house.
"Nothing fancy," Rowan said, setting down her keys. "But it's mine, and it has a good view."
"It is well-suited to its purpose," Eclipse observed. He wanted to resume touching her where they left off in the SUV, but she had told him to stop, and he would respect that. "And reveals much about its occupant."
Rowan raised an eyebrow and studied him. Her cheeks were still flushed from what he'd done in the car. After a moment, she cleared her throat and went to the kitchen area. "Oh? And what does my home reveal about me?"
"You value knowledge," Eclipse said, gesturing to the books. "You seek to nurture life, despite your transient history," he indicated the plants. "And you appreciate the balance between practical function and aesthetic pleasure." He nodded toward the furniture arrangement that maximized both comfort and the view.
"Not bad," Rowan acknowledged. "Would you like tea? It's a human custom after dinner. It doesn’t taste like the chocolate."
"I would like to experience this custom," Eclipse agreed, though he would much rather experience touching her.
As Rowan prepared the tea, Eclipse examined the photographs displayed on a small side table. Most showed landscapes rather than people, though one featured a younger Rowan with an older woman who shared some of her features.
"My grandmother," Rowan explained, noticing his interest. "She raised me after my parents died. She's the one who taught me to question everything and never take the official story at face value."
"A valuable perspective for a truth-seeker," Eclipse noted.
"It was," Rowan agreed, a shadow passing across her expression. "She died while I was in college. Cancer. Sometimes I think it's good she didn't live to see what happened with my career. She was so proud when I got an internship at a newspaper."
Eclipse sensed the complex emotions behind her words. "I believe she would be proud of your resilience, regardless of external circumstances."
Rowan looked up from the tea she was preparing, something vulnerable briefly visible in her expression. "Maybe. She always said character shows most clearly when everything else is stripped away."
The kettle whistled, breaking the moment. Rowan poured hot water into two mugs, adding leaves contained in small perforated metal spheres. The herbal aroma that rose with the steam was not unpleasant.
They moved to the sofa, mugs in hand. Through the window, the night sky spread before them, stars brilliant in the clear desert air.
