Capri's Fate (15 page)

"Pardon?" He turned.

"Boats go on water. I hate water."

"Hmm? You hate to fly. You hate boats." He stretched out his hand to help her stand. "Why do you travel?"

"My job. The world is supposed to be globally connected by the Internet, but people still seem to think it is better for me to meet in person." She placed her hands in his and stumbled as she rose out of her seat.

Thall grabbed her shoulders. "Whoa. Got'cha. You all right?"

Capri smiled. "Yes, my foot just got caught. Let's get out of here and find a boat. Where the hell am I supposed to find a boat and a captain?"

"You forgot. I'm your captain. I'll find a boat. You stretch out on one of the sofa's and have a nap. I think there was a little too much fun for you
today."

Both
Thall and Capri glanced at her stomach, as it announced it was empty and would appreciate more food than just the peanuts and pretzels they'd had earlier. Capri blushed as she pressed her hand on her belly to silence it.

"I'll get us a launch and lunch." He chuckled. "Get it. Launch? Lunch?"

Capri's stomach rumbled out her opinion if his joke.

Thall
led her out of the cockpit and pulled a blanket from one of the storage units. Capri nestled down on a couch and smiled as he covered her and tucked the bottom around her feet.

With a contented sigh,
Capri's eyelids fluttered closed as she listened to the sounds of her pilot unlatching the door and lowering the stairs. She counted the steps as he descended. Silence filled the plane. The storm was gone. No wind rocked it. No rain pummeled against it.

I flew a plane.
She snuggled under blanket.
It was so cool. He was so cool. The way he told me to fuck my fear. He sounded like Sylvester Stallone. No, Bruce Willis.

She closed her eyes and drifted off to her dream world.

Rain splashed against the jet's windows as
Capri gripped the control stick. With a quick flick of her hand, she swiped the sweat from her brow. Thunder rumbled after brilliant flashes of lightning momentarily blinding her. "The plane's been hit."

She glanced around the cockpit. She was alone. "I can't fly this in this weather."

She stood and strode to the cabin. He lay on the couch in his naked majesty. A smile on his face and holding his erection. "Wanna come have some fun?"

Capri
walked forward and paused. She was the same distance away from him.

He slid his hand along the shaft. "Come on. Come play with me. I'm all hot and hard for you."

She watched her feet as she took twelve steps forward. Glancing up she saw she wasn't any closer.

"
Capri. Come here. I want to suck your nipples and fuck you 'til you scream."

"I can't." She broke into a run. "I can't get close to you."

He flew toward her, stopping a mere breath from her face. "Don't you want me to make love to you?"

She stared into his face and watched as his features morphed from Taren, her pilot, to Thall, her Fate.

A rustling sound disturbed her slumber.
Capri crawled out of the depths of sleep enough to listen then drifted back into her dream. A sharper sound startled her awake. She blinked and sat up. A man stood by the doorway. He wasn't her pilot.

"Who are you?"

The man grinned and held up a large knife.

C
hapter Fourteen

Thall
stepped from behind the man, clapped his hand on his shoulder and glanced over at Capri. She looked like she was ready to release one of those high-pitched screams. The kind that shatters glass and makes cats ears flatten against their heads. "Oh good, Capri, you're awake. This is Zaqi. He's going to cook lunch for us."

Zaqi nodded. "I make you Beef Saté and Ketupat. You will like." He turned and exited the plane.

Capri blinked and sat up.

"You okay?"
Thall frowned. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Should I go over and hold her, wrap my arms around her like I did last night? She felt so good.

"I…uh, I'm fine. It shock
ed me to see a man standing there holding a knife."

Thall
pointed out the window. "When I was checking around for a boat, his food truck was nearby. I asked him to drive over and make us some lunch. The cupboards on the plane are getting a bare."

She turned and glanced out to where he pointed. Parked off to the left of the plane was a rusty, green truck with a side panel folded open. She could see Zaqi busy inside preparing their meal.
She turned to Thall. "Did you find a boat?"

"Yup. Right after lunch, we can unpack the plane,
and hop over to the boat. You should be there by this evening."

Capri
raised one eyebrow. "Should? Be there by this evening?"

He laughed. "Well, what else can happen? We flew through a cyclone, landed on a smugglers private runway, met a Komodo dragon, and got routed to the wrong island. Your luck has to change sooner or later."

"I guess an asteroid could hit the earth. Or…" She giggled. "A huge sea monster could rise up out of the water and carry us off to his secret lair."

He crossed his arms. "I got grief for one little UFO, and you've got a sea creature dragging us to the depths of the ocean?"

She giggled. "My bad."

Sa
vory aromas drifted into the cabin. Thall turned toward the open doorway. "Wow, that smells good. I'll see if lunch is ready, yet." He exited the plane. "Ms. Gray!"

Capri
appeared at the doorway of the plane. Thall signaled her to join him. "Lunch is served." He held out his arm, waiting while she scooted down the stairs and linked her arm in his. The touch of her flesh on his caused a small flutter deep in his belly. The brush of her shoulder on his as they walked intensified the sensation. He rubbed the thumb of his free hand against his fingers. His hand was clammy. Focusing on himself, he wondered why his heart beat faster. He wasn't running or doing anything strenuous. He was simply crossing the tarmac, holding on to Capri's arm. Could it be her? Was she affecting him? The mere closeness of her? He smiled.

"What?"
Capri glanced at him.

"What
, what?"

"You have a big grin on your face. I was wondering what the joke was."

Should I tell her, she's the reason? Don't be ridiculous. She's not ready to meet the real me. Let her keep thinking I'm Taren, the pilot, not Thall, her Fate.
"No joke. Just anticipating lunch."

"Yes, it does smell wonderful. I'm surprised you can't hear my stomach rumbling."

He tossed back his head and chuckled. "I think that's because mine's even louder."

"I sent a text and rescheduled the mee
ting for tomorrow afternoon. So I can enjoy the rest of today."

They stopped at the side of the food truck. Zaqi held out two plates. "You take this and I will bring tea for you. Where you sit?"

Thall shrugged and looked around the empty tarmac. "Not quite Central Park here. Uh, how about on the steps? Have an outdoor picnic."

"Brilliant."
Capri reached up and took the plates from Zaqi. She handed one to Thall and held one to her nose. "Mmm, this smells heavenly."

He
took the chopsticks Zaqi offered and followed Capri to the plane's stairs. He handed her a pair and settled two steps above where she sat. "Enjoy."

With his chopstick, he nudged the chunks of beef skewered together on a bamboo stick and an interesting, little, woven, green square basket. He picked up a stick and sniffed the beef. A blend of spices filled his nostrils and made him swallow. Opening his mouth, he bit a piece of beef, chewed and gulped it down. The flavor of this beef was very different from the Beef Bourguignon he'd had for lunch. That meal tasted as if he should be dining at the palace. T
his flavor was more suited to the steps of an airplane seated near a beautiful woman on a bright, sunny day. He dipped his next bite into a light brown sauce, then slipped it into his mouth. More flavors mingled with the beef and the combination made him sigh.

Capri
swallowed. "I agree. With your sigh, that is. This is so good. But then anything dipped in peanut sauce is worth eating."

"Anything?"
Thall tilted his head. "I can think of a couple of places to pour this on and then lick off."

She rolled her eyes. "Have you tried the ketchup?" She tapped the woven, green container. "Or whatever it was he called this?"

Thall shook his head. "I'm in love with this Saté thing. I might just distract you and steal yours." He pulled another piece off the stick, dipped it and popped it into his mouth.

"Don't you dare."
Capri pointed her stick at him. "You just might end up like my younger brothers."

Zaqi returned holding a large, red teapot with a Black Dragon sketched on the side. He placed the tray on a step between them. He poured tea into one of the tiny cups and handed it to
Capri.

She smiled. "What kind?"

He grinned and pointed at the teapot. "Black Dragon. It is a tea for an Emperor."

Thall
accepted an offered teacup, sniffed and sipped. "Oh, uh, hot."
Emperors drink this stuff? Poor guys.

"Mmm, excellent."
Capri placed her cup on the stair then tapped the little green square. "What did you call this?"

"Ketupat. It is rice cooked in coconut leaves. May I?" Zaqi pried open the woven casings. "There. If you wish, you may pour peanut sauce on it as well."

Thall chuckled. "We've already been discussing what to pour peanut sauce on."

Zaqi stepped backed. "I must go now. Leave your things by hangar, and I will collect them later. I hoped you liked my cooking?"

Standing, Capri made a small bow and straightened up. "It is wonderful. Thank you, Zaqi."

As they
ate, they watched him clean and put away his cooking utensils, then drive across the tarmac.

Capri
sipped her tea and leaned back on the railing. "That was wonderful."

Thall
tossed his tea onto the tarmac, stepped past her and collected their plates and cups. "Bring the pot. Let's put this away, get our gear, lock up the plane and head to the wharf."

"Oh joy, a boat."

"I got us a big boat."

She laughed. "
A cruise ship isn't big enough."

Fifteen minutes later, they
stood next to a rickshaw rental with their luggage. Capri stared in the opposite direction as the runner lashed her beloved suitcases the back of the basket.

Thall
held out his hand to help her into the rickshaw. He stepped closer to the driver, explained where they were headed then settled into the cab next to Capri. The rickshaw stopped next to a large, gleaming, white cabin cruiser with the name Fates Attracted on the side.

"Big enough?"
Thall waved his hand at the boat.

Capri
hopped out of the cab. "Spectacular. This is ours?"

Thall nodded as he untied the suitcases. "All ours and guaranteed to go fast. So we should get to where you want to go before you know it."

A blast of music erupted from Capri's purse. "Oh my God, I totally forgot about my cell." She clicked it on. "Hello? Hi, Kat. Yes, it's so good to hear from you. No, I'm fine. Having quite an adventure." She walked a few steps away from the boat and lowered her voice.

Thall
tilted his head and focused his hearing.

"You should see my pilot? Well, he's more than that. We have to take a boat to get where were going.
Yes, I am quite aware of the fact I am terrified of boats and water, and thank you so much for reminding me, but with this guy, I feel safe. Like somehow, even though weird things are happening, he'll protect me."

Her voice was quiet for a moment.
"No, I don't know how to explain it. I miss you, too. Yes, I'll call. If I can. Love ya." She dropped her phone into her purse and returned to the boat.

So, I'm the big protector, eh? I can keep her safe. From everything, except me.
Thall lowered his head to hide his grin as he balanced her luggage in both hands and his bag tucked under his left arm. "I think I've got this. Let's go onboard." He climbed up the stairs, crossed the walkway and stepped onto the yacht. Dropping the suitcases, he held out his hand to help Capri aboard.

A loud roar rumbled across the air. The water shuddered and sloshed the boat against the wharf.
Capri stumbled forward. With his balance jostled by the unexpected movement of the boat and Capri pressing into him, Thall fell backward, smacking the back of his head on the deck. "Ow." He closed his eyes and inhaled. Capri's breasts squished against his chest. Her hips dug into his. His eyes popped open. "Shit! Get off me."