“Now, we really must eat or drink something or we’ll pass out,” I say.
She pouts.
I laugh and turn around. “Climb on.”
She laughs as she climbs onto my back and wraps her legs and arms around my naked body as I begin to open drawers to find a can opener.
“How are we going to get back tomorrow, do you think?” Liesel asks.
I haven’t told her I found a satellite phone in one of the drawers. I’m not ready to be rescued yet. I’m afraid of what will happen when we return to the real world.
I finally got Liesel. I’m not ready to give her up. I don’t know if I’ll ever be.
“Together,” I answer.
I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but we will arrive there together.
26
Liesel
“Enzo is coming to get us,” Langston says, waking me.
I pull the covers up to my chin but don’t wake up fully. I’m too happy in the mattress, even though I only slept for probably less than an hour last night and Langston had to sleep directly on the floor since we broke the frame.
Langston walks over and sits on my edge of the bed.
I frown—he’s put boxer briefs back on, which means he’s not going to fuck me again.
“I have coffee,” he says, holding a red camping mug out to me.
I sigh but sit up and take the mug from him.
He smiles softly at me as his eyes drag down from my matted hair to my naked torso.
“Wait…Enzo is coming?”
“Yes, I found a satellite phone when I was looking for the coffee beans. I let you sleep for as long as I could, but we need to leave in five to meet him in a nearby field.”
I sip the bitter coffee. We’re leaving. I should be happy we are getting rescued. Rowan and his men won’t be able to kill us, but I’m not happy. I’ve never been more unhappy.
“What’s wrong? Is the coffee bad?”
I nod. “It’s a bit stale.”
“You can sleep on the helicopter, and we can get more caffeine when we get back to Miami.”
I give him a measured smile. “I better get dressed.”
His eyes dart away to give me privacy as I head to the bathroom. I purposely don’t close the door as I shower quickly, hoping that Langston will join me, but after spending all of my five minutes in the shower, I get dressed, disappointed and lonely.
It seems our one night together is over. Our connection is all in the past now. The sex, lust, passion is all gone.
I run my hand through my hair, as I can’t find a comb, when Langston finally pops his head in. “Ready?”
I nod and follow him out of the house. We are both wearing our lumberjack outfits again, but I couldn’t find any shoes that fit me. All I have on my feet are thick socks, unlike Langston, who found real shoes. He moves much faster through the thick brush than I can. I keep stepping on thorns, and my soreness and foul mood aren’t helping.
“Hop on,” Langston says, crouching down in front of me.