Her face was in profile to him, but he thought her nose looked just about as perfect as a nose could get.
Damn, damn, damn, and he’d blown her off through his door. One thing was absolutely certain; her screen was not getting fixed just yet. He wanted to know when she was home.
Maybe, just maybe, he could work up the courage to talk to her before her two weeks were up. He had a strong feeling that his future depended on finding that courage.
Chapter 5
Calli despaired of these speakers at the conference ever agreeing on anything. The world environmental conference in Surfers Paradise was well into its first day and already she could tell that very little progress was going to be made on the pollution problem. It had been an easy task to forge an invitation and an even easier one to be accepted; after all she did know her subject pretty well. The devil of it was they were all so close to solving the problems, they just lacked co-operation. Well, tomorrow was a new day, and she had high hopes for the reforesting projects around the world, that did seem to be a problem they were hard at work on. She would monitor their progress as was demanded by the Co-Op and hope they arrived at some good solutions.
On a personal front, she hadn’t felt one darn tingle. If her mate was going to turn up at the conference, he’d better put in an appearance soon, or she would end up an old maid.
There hadn’t been a lot of time to think of the prospect of failure before; she’d been so positive that her mate was here on Earth, just waiting for her to arrive. Now a chill was creeping up her spine, if she didn’t find him soon then she would finally have to face the fact that she was never to be bonded. Misery was a lousy passenger as she drove back to the unit, her first day completed and no mate had shown up, only eight more days on earth.
She needed to empty her mind of worry; she would run for a few miles on the beach before leaving for the Pod. But first she’d stop and get a burger; comfort food but, what the Hera, they didn’t have burgers like these on Teeron.
Dan was desperate; he hadn’t managed to bump into Ms. C. Anderon all day. He’d found time to get her name off the credit card receipt; he wondered what the C stood for? Carol seemed a bit tame, and Christine didn’t seem to fit either. Ah well! Time would tell.
He’d worked like a demon all day, madly trying to finish the unit ahead of time. He needed to free his time up so he could accidentally, on purpose, bump into his new tenant. He didn’t want to risk knocking on her door and inviting her out, he didn’t think his heart could stand the pain if she rejected him. But, wouldn’t you know it, every time she went out the door he was under a bench or inside a cupboard. Bummer!
Now it was dark and he’d heard her leave a few minutes ago, it was going to kill him if she was meeting a man somewhere and bringing him home. He just might set fire to the place and smoke him out, after all, he thought grimly, he was a carpenter, and he could always fix the place up again.
Calli felt a tingle as she walked to the car, it was only faint, but it gave her hope. Was her mate running on the beach close by, or maybe driving past? If it weren’t so important that she report in at the Pod, she’d take the time to look around. Being responsible was putting a crimp in her future love life but, at least she now knew that he was somewhere near. With a lighter heart Calli pulled out of the driveway and headed for the transporter, somehow she no longer felt tired.
Dan was lying awake when he heard her return, slipping quietly out of bed, he made it to the window in time to see that she was alone. But, where had she been all this time? Was she meeting someone? He crept back between the sheets, anxiety resting like a lead weight on his chest. Tomorrow he had to meet her and find out if she had a man in her life. If she had, he figured a good hypnotist might make her forget him.
Chapter 6
Calli rose early, and gazed longingly out of her bedroom window at the sea. She’d love to dive in and feel the silky, warm water glide over her skin, to push through the waves, stretching her muscles to the limit. But it couldn’t be. She owed it to her crew to keep herself safe and swimming alone in the ocean wasn’t the way to do that. Turning her back on the view she pulled on her shorts, a run would have to do, at least she would be able to smell the salt air and pull it down deep into her lungs as she ran.
Calli was ten minutes into her run when she felt a tingle zap up her arm, joy exploded in her chest, almost stopping her breath. Hail Hera, her mate must be near. Putting on a burst of speed she covered the next two miles in record time, but, no one else was on the beach and the tingle swiftly waned. Depressed, but not beaten, Calli decided to jog back along the roadway. Perhaps he was having coffee at one of the little cafes, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look. There was still plenty of time before she had to leave for the conference.
Dan slammed back into his kitchen in a foul mood; it was fast becoming his only mood. He’d waited five minutes after hearing the screen door bang this morning, then, full of hope, had swiftly followed the fading footsteps. His plan had been to introduce himself and then offer to run with her; for her safety of course. He’d thought it a brilliant plan. That was until he’d hit the beach and saw she was already half a mile away. Damn, that woman could run.
At first he’d put on a burst of speed and narrowed the gap between them. Just as she was almost in hailing distance, she’d appeared to pause for a heart-beat then, incredibly, had shot away as if he was standing still. Resigned, he decided to go to plan B. Hitting the surf just out the front of the units he figured to be casually exiting the water as she returned. It might even work better than the run idea. Good humour restored, he’d grabbed his board from the laundry and spent the next hour surfing and watching the beach.
He’d swallowed half the ocean when he saw her dressed and heading for her car. His frustration so great, the massive wave that took him off his board could have had ringing bells on it and he still wouldn’t have noticed.
Calli diligently recorded the day’s session at the convention. It all appeared to be going well, and she had to admit, Earth was not in nearly as much trouble as had been thought back on Teeron. These humans had a huge population and many different cultures so, a lot of the time they didn’t agree. But, eventually, they seemed to arrive at workable solutions to their problems.
Teeron had only one race and a small population. On a planet roughly the size of Earth it made for very little conflict, which in turn provided the right environment for technological growth. That was why the Co-Op sent out regular research pods to the other galaxies; they were fond of peace and wanted to keep it that way. Any signs of extreme warfare on a planet and Teeron would make sure it was crossed off the list of possible friends.
Earth had been one of those questionable planets.
Calli didn’t linger after the last member had given his speech, rushing out to her car and peeling out of the car park. She was bubbling over with excitement after overhearing a conversation between a travel agent and the speaker from Germany. She’d found out that there were glow worn caves in the nearby hinterland and she was eager to see this strange phenomena. Nothing like that existed on Teeron.
Great Hera! Thought Calli thirty minutes later, where was the logical, methodical brain that she’d been born with? Here it was only six thirty in the evening and not a chance of seeing the glow worms before eight, when the sun set. Ah well! She would just hike the sign-posted trail and get a good look at this Queensland Bush; a pleasant memory and tale to take home to her friends. Unfortunately, it was going to mean that by the time she finished here, then went out to the Pod, it was going to be midnight before she could wrap her stomach around a hamburger. Calli had developed a distinct taste for burgers. With an inward smile, she thought of her plans to take that little culinary specialty home with her.
Dan heard the door slam and repeated his actions of the night before, slipping quietly over to the window; he checked that she was alone. Yep! So far so good, but, she was starting to look a bit tired. Her shoulders were drooping and her
beautiful face looked a little sad and worried.
Had some jerk just dumped her, he’d mangle him, tear him into little bitty strips and feed him to the sharks, dangle him by the toes over a cliff. Hang on, hang on, where was he storing his brains these days? If she’d been dumped, wasn’t he ready and only too willing to comfort her? Surprisingly, the answer was not a whole-hearted, yes. Sure he wanted a chance with her, but not just because she was feeling down. No, he wanted her to take one look at his ugly mug and intimidating physique, and love him anyway. A tight band squeezed his chest painfully, he was asking the impossible, and he knew it.
His introspective mood wouldn’t let him sleep, so he sat for an hour on his tiny balcony and watched the stars. He’d always found comfort in gazing at the endless sea of lights. Maybe somewhere out there, there was a woman who wouldn’t find him too repulsive. All he had to do was live till he was three or four hundred years old, until space flight became common and other worlds were found. Dan liked to think it would all be possible some day. Yeah! He thought with a disgusted snort, just not in time for him to pass on any of his genes.
Calli tossed and turned, sleep a hopeless cause; worry making her heart race and her head pound. She felt desperate for someone to talk to, to share the worry with, but there was no one. She was the Executon, and she, would have to decide what to do. Callem’s team hadn’t reported in. Oh! It happened from time to time, a broken communicator, a storm that interfered with the signals.
But still she worried.
Tomorrow she would slip out of the conference early and man the Pod all night. If it meant that she would miss meeting her mate, then so be it. Calli would put her crew’s wellbeing before any personal interests.
Chapter 7
Dan was miserable. She’d been gone nearly twenty-four hours; obviously someone was taking up her time. He gazed out at the beach, trying to decide whether to surf the dawn waves or wallow in misery. Surfing won out and he headed for the beach.
Young Jamie had been told not to go into the water without his father. But how was a ten year old guy, with a brand new surfboard, supposed to ignore these great waves? He’d figured on a quick set, then back to the unit before his parents woke up. Now he sat, quivering on his board in the early morning breeze, watching the fin circle him and praying for a wave to take him into shore.
Dan immediately saw the problem as he hit the first wave, diving under it he powered out to the boy, not giving a second thought to his own safety.
Calli had decided to take a walk on the beach before she went inside to change. She’d spent another fruitless night, worrying and waiting for a signal that never came; she would have to make a decision today.
Breathing deep of the salt laden air, she lifted her head to enjoy the sunrise and clear her mind. That’s when she saw the boy’s danger and the powerful figure racing to his rescue. They would need the repeller attached to her wrist communicator; she dived into the water, and narrowed the gap between them in record time. Only a few strokes behind the boy’s rescuer, she watched, stunned, when he dived under the surfboard and aimed straight for the shark. Calli had never seen anything so brave.
Pounding the water right under the shark’s nose, Dan managed to stop its circling. With a silver flash of its tail, it turned and disappeared into the depths of the ocean. Dan headed for the surface in a burst of pure adrenalin; nothing like surviving to brighten your day.
Calli had reached the boy and was holding his shivering body on the board in front of her as she paddled back to shore. Casting a quick look over her shoulder, she was in time to see a sun-god burst from the sea. Never would she forget her first sight of Dan. As he erupted out of the ocean, the sun rising at his back turned his body to gold and placed a halo around his gorgeous hair. Water showered off his outstretched arms, sparkling like diamonds, his victorious grin blinding in its radiance.
A powerful tingle enfolded her whole body. With a beaming smile, she joyfully held out her free arm to him. Hail Hera, her mate had arrived.
Dan couldn’t believe his good luck, his dream woman here and in time to watch him be heroic. Someone upstairs definitely loved him. On top of that, she was looking at him like he was the most handsome man in the world. Grabbing her hand, he slipped onto the board behind woman and boy, and working his powerful arms, easily took them in to shore.
Dragging the board high above the water line, Dan turned to give the boy a damn good lecture; then didn’t have the heart when he saw his pale face and huge, shocked eyes.
“Don’t suppose I have to tell you not to do that again, huh?” Jamie shivered, even though the air was warm.
“No sir”. He gulped, and whispered through blue, cold lips. “I’ll never swim without my dad again.” Dan took pity on him.
“Come on up to my unit, I’ll make us all a cup of hot chocolate.” As he spoke he carefully shepherded the boy and Calli towards home. Gazing over the boy’s head he stared at a fully clothed, dripping wet Calli.
“You’re my downstairs tenant aren’t you? Why not get changed and come straight over. You’ve had a fright too; a warm mug of chocolate will fix us all up.” Calli couldn’t believe her ears.
“You mean you’re the man I spoke to the night I arrived, you’ve been here all the time?” Dan looked bewildered at her obvious chagrin, but smiled easily.
“Sure, you just haven’t been around much for me to introduce myself.” Calli cursed under her breath.
“Oh! I’ve been working ever since I got here for the conference in Surfers.” That explained the days, thought Dan, but what about the nights?
Calli was dressing, when her wrist communicator buzzed. Swiftly checking; she went weak with relief to see it was Callem. Hail Hera, whatever had gone wrong; he was now at least back in contact and able to send his report. With a lighter heart she crossed the hall and knocked on her landlord’s door.
Dan felt frozen to the spot when he opened the door, and found the same admiring gaze on her face. This beautiful, wonderful woman seemed to find nothing wrong with his looks.
“Hi! Come in the chocolate’s ready. Young Jamie has gone home, a warm drink and he was back on top of the world. I’m Dan by the way.”
Calli looked into his rugged face, only inches above her six foot one, and thought it a perfect name for such a magnificent man.
“I’m Callianta, but everyone calls me Calli.” Dan was pretty sure he’d never heard a more perfect name.
“I’ll call you Callianta, if you don’t mind, a perfect name for a perfect woman.” Calli laughed.
“Not perfect, but I’m glad you think so, because I’ve never met a braver more handsome man than you.” Dan looked down into her beautiful, silver blue eyes and completely lost his heart and all sense of caution.
“I don’t suppose you want to get married do you.” Calli gazed back into his warm, loving green eyes and answered confidently.
“Of course, who else would I bond to? I really hope you like to travel though.”
Dan vaguely wondered where she wanted to go. But it didn’t matter; he’d go to the ends of the earth for this woman.
Teeron was a good bit further, but, in all the many years that followed, Dan never even considered complaining.
The End
Other titles by Beth Sadler
Twisted Dreams
Freedom
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