Chapter Twenty

I stared at the sliver of moon hanging in the sky.

“Perfectly fitting, don’t you think?” I said to my tree. “Just like me. I’m a sliver of myself.” The tree stood perfectly still in the night air. Her branches silhouetted against the sky.

What if Renn was gone forever? What would I do with my life if he never came back? Ever.

Ever was a word that didn’t do well alone. It goes much better with happily and after. The way my life used to be. The way I thought it never would be again after David, and then along came Renn. And the world opened up, even better than before.

His lips. His touch. His eyes. His voice. There wasn’t room in my mind for thoughts of anything else.

My hunger for Renn overpowered everything. It didn’t matter that he claimed he came from the future. Maybe he did. So many things in this world defy logic. Especially love.

Fifteen steps from my tree to my bathroom. Thirteen steps from the bathroom to the kitchen. Please, God, bring him back to me.

I opened and closed my fridge. A hunk of cheese, some old apples, and a quart of milk occupied the bottom shelf. Nothing too enticing.

My stomach growled. I opened the fridge again and picked up the healthiest looking apple, one without any bruises. Although, it didn’t matter. I probably wouldn’t each much, anyway. I might never eat another decent meal. I’d wither away, waiting for someone who might never show up.

The apple tasted sour. I spit the skin into my hand and tossed the whole thing in the trash. The fabric in my pocket grew warm.

“Jessica.”

I spun around.

Renn smiled at me from across the doorway. He leaned against the wall, his trench coat open to expose a silky blue shirt. His lemony scent drifted into the room.

“It’s you,” I said, stating the obvious and feeling foolish for doing so.

His smile filled me with lightness.

“It’s me,” he said, as if he’d just returned from the store. In fact, he held a bag of donuts.

Donuts! He vanishes out of the bathroom and materializes out of thin air the next day with donuts?

A second later, the bag fell to the ground, and I was in his arms, kissing him. Putting the ever back into my life.

****

If Renn had any doubt, even the slightest bit, it had vanished with Jessica’s smile. She lit up his entire being.

No question he looked ridiculous holding a bag of donuts, but social etiquette demanded he bring something as an apology. The bakery was the only place open.

Now, several hours later, after being lost in their lovemaking, he sat outside her door, staring at the most amazing tree. Her essence spoke to him. He couldn’t say why, but he felt certain the tree was a female.

Every time he looked at her leafy branches, she swept down across his head, as if she was mothering him. A drop of sap wet his arm, tiny as a falling tear.

As Arlianna had said, his life was in his hands. He knew what he had to do.

Jessica would not be anywhere, with anyone, but him. He had convinced Arlianna to give him twenty-four hours to figure out his future. After that, she would be forced to report him AWOL from his mission.

This world may be different from the one he knew, but not when it came to love. The heart still beat to the rhythm of desire and yearning. No amount of technological advances could change that.

He tapped on his locator, opening the icon of his personal journal. On second thought, he closed the icon and pulled out his pen and paper.

From the Personal Journal of Renn Porter Stars dot the sky like powdered sugar.

Jessica talked me into her bed rather easily. Made love like it’s supposed to be made.

Burning. Hot. Desire. Can’t get enough. My tongue on her skin. Salty. Spiced with lust. Thrusting inside her I thought I would lose my mind. Maybe I did.

Making love has never been like this for me.

I want to stay in this time, this place 4ever. But not yet. I must inform Jessica although it will pain me to do so.

Natasha must not get away with her false matches. Her destiny lies in my hands.