Chapter Fourteen

  Cayson

  I missed my wife like crazy.

  She was always on my mind, and I daydreamed about our reunion. She wore a loose sundress that was tight on her chest. It blew in the wind slightly as she waited for me at the airport.

  I missed her so much that I doubted if I made the right decision. How could I leave my new bride on this mission? I knew she was safe with family and friends, but I was the one she needed—not them. I couldn’t count the number of times I considered hopping on the first plane home to the states. But then I would leave behind the people who needed me. I was torn.

  My journey started in London where I met with my director. He gave me everything I needed for the trip, such as a tent, hiking boots, sunblock, and even a knife. Then we took the train until we entered Lebanon. I’d only been to London and Australia, so visiting a third world country like that was a bit of a culture shock. The roads were dirty and covered in filth. It was scorching hot and clouds seemed to be a myth. Children ran in the streets covered in rags and they were barefoot.

  It was nothing like home.

  We camped outside the city with a group of a dozen people. They were volunteers from the surrounding cities to help distribute water. They acted as translators so I could communicate with the people and instruct them on the water apparatuses and how they were used.

  That night, I finally got a signal from the Wi-Fi in the computer to contact my wife. She put on a brave face and tried to pretend everything was okay, but her eyes gave her away. She looked dead inside.

  I felt worse.

  I was doing this to us by being here. When I gave her the option to ask me to say, I really wanted her to take it. I wanted her to beg me not to leave. If she did, then there was no way I would be able to go.

  But she didn’t.

  She was hurt I was gone and clearly missed me, but she believed in this operation as much as I did. And she was proud of me for doing something selfless in the aid of others. I admired her for doing the right thing. If the situations were reversed, I would be selfish and ask her to stay.

  I hadn’t jerked off in a really long time, before Jasmine came into the picture. That was a few years ago now. So, it felt odd doing it—at first. But it was the closest I could be to my wife. I refused to pleasure myself alone because that made me feel guilty, but at least I could do it every time I spoke to her. It wasn’t the same as being together and in the same bed, but it was better than nothing.

  The following day we headed into Turkey, walking on foot and taking transportation when we could. In distant countries such as this, taxis, trains, and planes weren’t common, and they were even more difficult to get to.

  We reached the campsite before we sat down and had lunch. The local food wasn’t something I was used to, and most of it consisted of goat meat. I ate it anyway to be polite. I knew this trip wasn’t going to be luxurious or even tolerable so I just dealt with it.

  At sundown, we pitched our tents then prepared for the following day. Clean water wasn’t easily available, so my apparatuses were handy. Everyone carried as many as they could in their bags, and whenever we made it to a new stop the shipment was already there. The fact I appreciated them so much told me how much everyone else would. Without them, I wouldn’t have had a way to drink clean water or bathe. They were a godsend at the moment.

  Larry came to my tent then stepped inside without knocking. “Mr. Thompson, your leader for the rest of the journey is outside.” He had a heavy accent. It sounded Austrian.

  “Thanks, Larry.” I moved to my feet and brushed the dirt from my pants before I stepped outside. Standing there was a woman who looked my age. She was taller than the average woman, a few inches shorter than me, and she had dark brown hair that almost looked black. Her skin was dark like she was in the sun often, and she was very thin. She wore shorts with hiking boots, and her legs were toned from constant travel. She wore a teal top with a red baseball cap. Honestly, she was not what I was expecting. I assumed a man would be my leader, and not because I was sexist. This just didn’t seem like a trip that was safe for women. In other countries outside the States, women were treated as second-class citizens. They didn’t even have any rights.

  Larry approached her. “This is Mr. Thompson from the CDC. He’ll be taking care of the water instruments.” He spoke slowly so he could get the words right. His English was good but it took him a while to get it out.

  The woman examined me with intelligent eyes. Just by examining her, I could tell she didn’t put up with bullshit. She was small and petite but she certainly wasn’t a push over. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand.

  I took it. “Likewise.”

  “I’m Laura,” she said. “I’m a volunteer for the Peace Corps. I’ve pretty much been everywhere and anywhere. You’ll be in good hands.”

  “I’m sure I will be.” I dropped my hand.

  “I really admire what you’re doing,” she said. “Larry told me the circumstances you were in.”

  That I was a newlywed and had to leave my bride?

  “It was either you or this mission wouldn’t be accomplished.”

  Oh. That. “Yeah…but I’m glad to do it. If these apparatuses really make a difference, it’ll give me satisfaction.”

  She put her hands on her hips and continued to stare at me. “So, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover. I suggest you get a good night’s rest tonight.”

  “That’s probably wise.”

  She turned to Larry. “Thanks for getting him here in one piece.”

  “I know my way around too.” He nodded to her then walked back to his tent.

  I remained in front of her, feeling awkward. “Well, good night.” I turned around and headed to my tent. It was a pretty good size and could easily fit another person. It was nice to have the extra space.

  A moment later, the door opened and Laura came inside with her large pack. She set it down then crawled inside.

  I didn’t want to be rude but I had no idea what she was doing. “Can I help you?”

  She pulled her sleeping bag and laid it out. “You mind if I bunk with you?”

  Yes. Very much so. “I prefer to be alone.” I didn’t mean to be harsh but she wouldn’t know what I wanted unless I told her.

  She sat on the sleeping bag then rested her elbows on her knees. “Well, I don’t mean to be rude but I have to sleep in here.”

  I gave her a confused look.

  “The other men on this trip are here to help. But…I don’t think it’s wise if I let myself be vulnerable. One of the biggest complaints in the Peace Corps is rape. Do you get what I’m saying?”

  Anger flushed through me. “You don’t feel safe?”

  “I would rather not sleep in my own tent. Larry told me you were an American and the assistant director of the CDC. Plus, you’re a big guy with a lot of muscle. I doubt one of the others would challenge you. And you look harmless—to innocents.”

  The fact she said all of this like it wasn’t a big deal broke my heart. Why did women have to live in a world where rape was always in the back of their mind? She was giving up her freedom to help other people, and as a result she had to constantly be on her guard. “I’m married.” I held up my left hand where my black ring sat. “Yes, I’m harmless.”

  She examined the ring before she looked away. “Good to know.” She rolled out her sleeping bag then got inside. “There’s no such thing as privacy when you’re out here.” She pulled the covers up to her shoulders then closed her eyes.

  I got inside my sleeping bag and changed underneath the covers. I normally slept shirtless but I felt awkward doing that when Laura was in the tent. Skye wouldn’t like it so I refused to do it.

  “It must have been hard leaving your wife for three months.” She never opened her eyes.

  “Very.” I swallowed the lump in my throat when the depression thumped in my chest. “We’re newlyweds.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  “Yeah, we got married a few weeks ago.”

  “That’s so sad…”

  “But I had to go. I didn’t have a choice, and she wanted me to leave.”

  “At least she’s proud of you. The best kind of relationships are the ones where the couple understands there are more important things than each other sometimes.”

  I stared at the ceiling and shrugged.

  “So…do you have any questions about this journey?”

  I didn’t ask her about her personal life because I didn’t want to know. I wanted her and I to be friends, but I didn’t want us to get too close. I was a married man and I couldn’t afford to give anyone the wrong idea. Skye was on a different continent but rumors could still drift.

  She wouldn’t be happy about me sharing a tent with another woman, especially one that was attractive and close to my age. It would eat her alive with jealousy, so I wasn’t sure if I should tell her. But if I didn’t tell her, she might find out some other way and that would be worse. She would wonder why I hid it from her unless there was something I was trying to keep secret.

  ***

  Laura was in better shape than I was. She could walk all day without breathing hard, she could climb hills with a straight back, and she was even fluent in Spanish and French.

  She walked beside me as we headed to a small village deep in the forest. The more populated areas had access to wells and small sewer systems, but the individuals living in harsh poverty were forced to the outskirts. That was where we were headed.

  Laura carried a pack that weighed almost as much as she did but it didn’t slow her down. “You doing okay?”

  “I’m fine.” I was a little tired but it was nothing I couldn’t handle. “Where did you learn Spanish and French?”

  She kept walking and didn’t break her stride. “I studied abroad in college. I spent a year in Argentina and another in Paris.”

  That was impressive. “Cool.”

  “Have you studied abroad?”

  “I can’t say I have.”

  “There’s nothing like it.” Her breathing didn’t increase even though we were walking fast. “It gives you a better perspective on life. You learn to analyze situations differently. And it definitely humbles you.”

  I nodded as I walked forward. “This trip has already given me a strong sense of perspective. I’m so used to drinking a cup of coffee whenever I want, showering in warm water, and eating a clean piece of fruit that I didn’t even have to pick with my bare hands.”

  She nodded in approval. “See? Everyone should try it at least once. I honestly think the world would be a better place.”

  “What did you get your degree in?”

  “I have a bachelor’s in history and biology, and a master’s in world relations.”

  Wow, she made me feel illiterate. “That’s impressive.”

  “My goal is to work for the UN. But getting in there is pretty difficult.”

  “Your resume is intimidating.”

  She smiled slightly. “Thank you. I love what I do even though I hardly make a penny doing it.”

  We spent the next hour walking in silence, our feet hitting the ground below our feet. The dust would circle into the air, and sometimes I had to cover my nose and mouth so I wouldn’t breathe it in.

  “What does your wife do?”

  The random question brought me back to reality. “She’s the junior CEO of PIXEL Software in Manhattan.”

  She pressed her lips tightly together like she was annoyed. “She’s a suit.”

  “I guess.” I didn’t see her that way but I guess it was the truth.

  Laura acted like I ruffled her feathers the wrong way.

  Instead of talking about this topic further, I let it die. I didn’t have to like Laura but I wanted us to get along. I was stuck with her for three months. It wouldn’t be smart to make the relationship strenuous if I could avoid it.

  ***

  After we camped for the night, I was excited to see that I miraculously had service. I got to call my wife and see her beautiful face. Those curved lips drove me insane. I loved watching them through the screen but I hated the fact I couldn’t touch them.

  Laura unrolled her cot beside me and got her pillow ready.

  I suddenly realized I wasn’t alone. I really wanted some privacy, especially if I was going to jerk off while staring at my wife. Laura wasn’t a nuisance because she was quiet and didn’t snore when she slept, but she was cramping my style at the moment. “Laura, do you mind if I have the tent for about twenty minutes? I’m going to call my wife and want some privacy…”

  “Sure.” Her voice sounded happy but the look on her face told me she was annoyed. She grabbed her water bottle and a book before she walked out into the night.

  When she was gone, I made the call through Skype.

  Skye answered it immediately like she’d been waiting for my call all day. Her face appeared on the screen, her eyes lit up in joy as she looked at my face. “What a nice surprise.”

  She was suddenly pushed out of the way by Slade. “Dude, what’s up?” He crowded the camera and stared at me with a smile on his face. “How’s the desert? Or wherever the hell you are?”

  “Hey, Slade.” I wanted to talk to my best friend but I didn’t have a lot of time and I preferred Skye’s company. “Things are going okay. It’s a lot of walking and a lot of exertion.”

  “You don’t have camels to take you everywhere?”

  Skye pushed him out of the screen. “He’s my husband. I go first.”

  “You talked to him last time,” Slade argued. He grabbed the computer and put it in front of him. “Now it’s my turn.”

  I knew it was best to give him a few minutes of my time so he’d hand the computer back to my wife. “How’s it going?”

  “Okay,” he said. “I got a new member of my band. She’s a girl.”

  “That’s interesting…” I wondered how Trinity felt about that.

  Slade read my mind. “She’s cool with it. And this girl is really good on the guitar, even better than me.”

  I nodded. “That’s cool. I’ll have to listen to you play when I get back.”

  “You definitely will.”

  I grew serious. “Thanks for taking care of Skye while I’ve been gone. It means a lot to me.”

  He shrugged. “I got your back, man.”

  “You didn’t have to move in with her though.”

  “Trinity and I don’t mind. Plus, your mansion has a lot of extra space.” He looked around like he was examining it for the first time. “I kind of feel like a polygamist with two wives.”

  “Okay, that’s enough.” Skye yanked back the computer toward her.

  Slade snatched it away again. “I’m not done talking to him.”

  “Slade.” The command in my voice forced him to calm down. “I miss you a lot, man. I wish we could talk more. But please let me talk to Skye. She needs me more than you do.”

  Slade sighed and dropped the argument. Then he handed the computer over.

  Skye relaxed when she got her way. “Hi…”

  “Hi.” I stared at her face and just watched her. Just looking at her was enough. It gave me strength I didn’t know I had. It rejuvenated me and forced me to push on. “You look beautiful.” She always looked beautiful every time I saw her.

  “Thanks…” She stared at my face like she was thinking the same thing.

  “Can you…be alone right now?”

  Skye’s eyes moved passed the screen like she was looking at something. “Yeah, give me a second.”

  “Ooh…cyber sex,” Trinity said from the background.

  I rolled my eyes.

  Skye carried the computer upstairs and to her bedroom. Then she set it down on the bed. “You want me to do the same thing as last time?”

  “No.” I told her to lay on the bed naked with her head tilted toward me. Her breasts and the rest of her long body were in my line of sight. “Now touch yourself and think of me.”

  She reached her hands between her legs and did as I asked.

  I opened my lubricant and touched myself in the same way, watching her please herself. Her lips parted slightly as she gasped and moaned quietly. One hand massaged her breast while the other continued to move between her legs.

  I beat myself hard, knowing I didn’t have a lot of time. Sex came so infrequently that it didn’t take me long to reach my threshold. I felt the explosion deep inside me before I filled my palm. I continued to watch my wife through the screen, wishing I were really with her. She reached her climax a moment later, and soon we were both satisfied.

  I quickly cleaned up just in case Laura entered the tent. I hoped it didn’t smell like cum too bad. She probably knew what I was doing. Why would I call my wife and ask her to leave if that wasn’t what I was doing?

  Skye pulled her clothes back on then faced me. Her hair was a little messy from lying down, but it looked sexy. I couldn’t think of anything to say so I just stared at her, memorizing the freckle in the corner of her mouth. The moment made me think of all the men who’d gone to battle for months at a time. They couldn’t contact their wives like I could. I had the ability to stare at her from the other side of the world. For that, I was grateful

  “I miss you,” I whispered.

  “I miss you too.”

  “It makes me happy knowing Slade and Trinity are with you.”

  “Yeah…they keep me company.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  “How was work?”

  “Boring. How’s your day?”

  “Tiring. We did a lot of walking. In the morning, we’ll reach the village and distribute the devices.”

  “That’ll be nice. Hopefully, it’ll make the walk worth it.”

  “I’m sure it will.”

  She stared at me with longing. “I’d do anything to kiss you right now.”

  “Me too.” My heart hammered in my chest. “When I get back, that’s all we’ll do.”

  “And other things…I hope.” She gave me a playful smirk.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16