Strange Love 79 Stories Under The Stars

Jos finished long shower in the hall bathroom and emerged still towel drying her hair. If it hadn't been bad enough he'd showered before her leaving the entire room to smell of the all-male musk of his soap, she'd been stuck wearing one of his enormous tee s.h.i.+rts that hung loosely around her neck. The sleeves covered her elbows and the hem came down to her knees. They had gotten caught in water sprinklers on their way back from the bayside walkways and it had soaked them both completely through. Frustrating as it was to walk then ride in soaking wet shorts, it was a relief from the awkwardness she had been feeling after their kiss. Her emotions tangled deep in the pit of her stomach as she finally accepting there'd been an obvious difference between Orion and Arei from the beginning… and deep down she'd known it. There had been a warmth with both men that had been completely different than anything she'd ever experienced. A caring compa.s.sion that was devoid of her world and still lacking in the many people around her in today. {…but was that love? Is it love?} Jos scrunched up her nose tossing the towel into the small hamper on the washer in the hidden hallway closet. She checked the timer on the dryer. "Still twenty minutes." She sighed not wanting to wear his clothes around the house any longer than she had too. Unfortunately, she'd only packed for a short two-day trip… a business trip with a crazy man she'd considered f.u.c.king. Jos shook her head in irritation. "What was I thinking??" She grumbled.

She glanced around the dark apartment the only lights on, other than that of the bathroom, was the microwave light over the stove and the string of lights that hung from the ceiling and down the chain of the swing. Arei was nowhere to be seen. He'd been quieter than usual since they'd gotten back and she felt more than a little responsible. She couldn't help the confusion she felt… about him… about Russ… Arei had offered to let her talk to Russ over the phone on one of the several calls he'd had with Orion in the past week, but she couldn't bring herself to talk to him. Not over the phone… What she had to say had to be face to face, there was no other way.

Jos saw a slight flicker in the string of lights strung around the balcony. "Ah found ya." She whispered. She sucked in a heavy breath then slowly released it as she walked to the door. Her breath caught when she opened the door.

Arei was sprawled out across the tiny patio sofa, a book spread open across his bare tattooed chest, his head leaned back over the pillows, his damp hair falling loosely around him, and a pair of baggy pajama bottoms rode low on his hips reveling even more tattooed flesh. Jos considered turning away and heading back into the apartment, but he stopped her with his quiet words not taking his eyes off the sky above. "It's a perfect night, not a cloud in the sky. Why don't you come enjoy it with me." Without looking at her he arched his brows and forged a frown. "You do still like that don't you?" He asked.

Jos cleared her throat and tried to advert her gaze, but her eyes kept going back to his half naked body and the many dark patterns etched into it. Her hands tingled with the thoughts of running her fingers across the slightly raised markings causing her to clasp her hands into tight fists. After several minutes of silence, he lifted his head and sent her a questioning look. One corner of his lips turned up as he watched her force her gaze away from him. He sat the book on the table, his hair fell in waves over one shoulder, his eyes slowly studying her as she watched his every move from veiled eyes. He pushed himself up off the chair and walked over toward her. Her head was now turned slightly away from him and only the tops of her red ears could be seen as he stood towering over her. He ran his hands up her arms, pus.h.i.+ng the sleeves of his oversized s.h.i.+rt she wore up with them.

"I'm not mad at you, kitten, and I'm not going to force myself on you." He brushed a wet strand of hair out of her face once she finally looked up at him with nervous eyes. He let the hand on her arm slide down to her hand and took it gently. He then turned and guided her over to the tiny sofa and flopped down. Gazing up into her eyes her hand still resting in his hand he said, "For just one night sit with me, enjoy the stars, laugh, joke, talk... be my kitten again." He lifted a large hand and stroked her cheek stopping her from turning away. "The way it was before you came to me that night, nothing s.e.xual... Just you and me and the stars."

Jos let out a troubled sigh, "But is it really that easy? To just pretend things are the same now as they were then?"

"It could be, if you wanted it to be." He smiled up at her, "If there's one thing I've learned over the 40,000 plus years I've been alive-" He tugged her down onto his lap and wrapped his large arms around her pressing his head to her forehead, "is if you happen to find someone that you can connect with the way we connected- connect then you don't turn your back on it. Instead you try to get what enjoyment you can out of it, because at the end of the day true joy... true happiness is fleeting. It's only found in the tiniest of moments, flickers of absolute peace and tranquility... You learn to treasure those flickers, let their memories no matter how tiny get you through the long stretches of darkness." He cupped half her face in his ma.s.sive palm. "You and this place has been two of the only things that's brought me any kind of joy over the past 2000 years." He sat back against the pillows his hands trailing down her slender form to rest on her hips. "What do you say, give an old man this one tiny favor?"

Jos couldn't suppress the laugh that burst from her lips. "Old man? Well if you put it that way..." She pushed his hands away from her hips and crawled onto the fraction of a s.p.a.ce beside of him. "I'm sure not going to be setting on any old men's lap in the middle of summer, though!" She teased. "I only do that between the months of November and December."

"I'll have to remember that… and invest in a red suit. Grow out a beard, maybe." He laughed and pulled her against his side in a playful hug but didn't release her completely his arm rested around her. A satisfied smile spread across his lips as he went back to watching the sky. "You know, I think this is what I miss out on the most as an immortal."

Jos glanced up at him the best she could from her smooshed position. "What do you mean?" She asked.

He patted her hip not taking his eyes off the sky. "Companions.h.i.+p." He said simply.

She furrowed her brows, "I don't get it, wouldn't that give you the opportunity for a longer lasting 'companions.h.i.+p'? I mean infinitely so, I'd think."

He smiled looking down into her curious eyes. "Only if I found another immortal to spend my time with." His smile morphed into something sad and a bit darker. "There are plenty of creatures on this planet that claim immortality, kitten, but only a select few truly are and even so can still be killed. We are a dying bread." He looked back toward the stars not wanting to see the effects his next words would have on her. "Humans for instance have such short lives in the grand scheme of things, barely a flicker... werewolves have a lifespan between 300 and 600 years, if they aren't killed. Vampires can live longer but typically don't. Fae can live several thousands of years; your friend Raven is well over 4000 if I'm not mistaking." He risked a glance at her and saw irritation and hurt combined.

"And what is your point? Love is love." She replied. "Sometimes it's a great affair and other times it's, as you said, a flicker. It doesn't matter what someone is or how long you have with them as long as you get that tiny piece of happiness to hold on to 'in those dark places'." She tossed his own words back at him.

He arched a brow, "Says the girl that has been stalling here for the past week not even willing to talk to him on a phone?!?"

"It's more complicated than that and you know it." She huffed.

He shrugged, "I guess all I'm saying is you have to know the benefit outweighs the losses and hards.h.i.+ps you're sure to endure..."

She fell silent understanding good and well what he was saying. She and Russ would not have the same lifespan and they would have to decide if that was something, they were willing to live with or not. Whether his people would even consider a non-werewolf as one of them… Whether it was even possible for them to have a family. What would that mean for their children if they were to have them… would they have a long full life, or would it be cut short by the wear and tear of aging. She let out a heavy sigh and rested her head against his meaty side. "I don't want to thank about any of that tonight." She said and focused on the large expanse of clear sky and glistening stars.

"Fair enough." He replied and reclined back into the pillows propping his huge bare feet up on the small coffee table. He traced tiny circles with his fingertips over the material of the s.h.i.+rt she wore. "Would you like me to read to you? Or tell you a story? You used to like it when I did either." He watched as the youthful wonder he'd been missing over the past week to return to her eyes pus.h.i.+ng the storm behind the beautiful pulls away.

Jos thought about it for a few minutes before answering. He gazed up at him with the usual child-like wonder she'd always had when he'd offered to tell her stories of his past and how the world had been during his youth. "A story please…" She paused for a second then added. "This time about YOU." Recalling how most of his stories had always be vague to mask the fact he was not Orion.

Arei chuckled, "I guess I'm busted, huh?" He leaned forward pulling her even tighter to him and kissed the top of her head. "As you wish, as story of my past." He arched a brow as he smiled down at her. "I hope you like stories about horses.Where should I begin..." The last part was more to himself but she answered.

"From the beginning, you were always so vague and if my timeline is correct Orion wouldn't hardly talk about anything." Again her mind traveled back to her time with the twins, and she was able to pick out even more differences between the identical men.

"Hum, let's see." He rubbed his well groomed facial hair. "We were born to the Fury, Gaia." He glanced down at her, "You already know who our father is." He continued, "Creatures of the land, one the brute strength and hunting skills of the bear and the other the speed and agility of a stallion. We were lucky to be born twins and to have several other siblings allowing us to have a relatively normal childhood. They also taught us to use our different abilities to our greatest potential. After we reached maturity Ry seemed to keep with the G.o.ds more while I favored the human world more." He let out a reminiscent sigh. "Ah, I can remember King Adrastus of Argos. He Knew how to fight! We rode into man battles, there was nothing in the world I couldn't out run or run down. Oh, and if he was thrown I'd simply s.h.i.+ft and fight with my hands COMPLETELY IN THE BUFF! Nothing disarms a man like fighting against a naked one." He winked down at her as he continued telling his stories one of the most legendary warhorses in their history.

Several hours had pa.s.sed before Arei realized he no longer had an audience. Jos had fallen asleep snuggled against him. A warm smile spread across his lips as he lifted her into his arms, careful to not wake her. He stood and carried her with ease into the apartment and into his master bedroom. He set her carefully into bed and adjusted the baggy tee s.h.i.+rt that had ridden up before pulling the covers up and tucking her snuggly in. He leaned down and kissed her gently on her soft full lips.

"Um, Russ..." Jos moaned sweetly in her sleep as she returned the kiss slightly.

He pulled back brus.h.i.+ng her stray hairs out of her face unable to be upset as he smiled down at her peacefully sleeping below him. "Even when it's another man's name on your lips I still can't seem to make myself no be in love with you, kitten." He bent and kissed the tip of her nose before standing and turning to leave from the room.
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"Don't leave." She whimpered still fast asleep.

Arei turned and bent back down over her stroking his large hand over her hair and cheek. For someone who had grown and matured into such a fierce looking woman, she was still very much the hurt abandoned girl he'd known all those years ago. "Not tonight, kitten." He kissed her forehead and whispered. "I wouldn't have the restraint." With that he stood and once again turned away from her casting longing glances over his shoulder as he walked toward the door. He clasped the handle of the door tight, fighting the urge to return to her side, to crawl into the oversized bed and pull her tight against him. His head fell softly against the door as he forced himself to turn the k.n.o.b. "If only I'd manned up and made you listen to me all those years ago..." He shook the thought of what their life could have be, could still be, away and forced himself to walk through the door way and away from Joslyn.