Page 35 of What Blooms in Barren Lands

“What happened to her?”

“Ah, her husband found out about us. God knows how, after all that time. He came knocking, wanting to kick my arse for it. Poor sod changed his mind when I opened the door and he saw me ...”

I snorted out laughing.

“I can see why.”

“Yes, well.” Einar shrugged, intentionally stretching his broad shoulders, his muscles bulging. “I told him to go ahead, that I wouldn’t fight back harder than he could manage. He still wouldn’t take me up on it, and I felt bad. I panicked ... and I offered to cuff myself if that made him feel safer. I fear that learning I possessed handcuffs nearly gave him a coronary.”

I roared, throwing my head back.

“What did he say?” I asked once I caught my breath.

“No idea. It was a fair few years back, and I hadn’t mastered the accent yet, and he talked very fast ...”

Einar’s cheeks were flushed, and he wore a sheepish expression even though his eyes twinkled with satisfaction at making me laugh as hard as I did.

On an impulse, I lifted myself up on an elbow and leaned over him, my hair falling around both our faces.

“Good for your lady friend. Good-for-her,” I said with emphasis.

I kissed him then and did not stop kissing him. In his arms, wrapped tightly around me, I could discern the moment when companionship turned to passion, in the way his muscles tensed and his fingers became harder and more determined in their bold exploration of me, only to find me equally desirous.

13

A JOURNEY THROUGH RUIN

Icould feel the poke of eyes boring into me from all sides as I entered the dining hall for breakfast the next morning. I debated turning around on the spot and walking back outside, but the appetising smell of coffee reached my nostrils first, and my stomach grumbled pleadingly.

I was grateful for the insufficient window size and its resulting lack of light as I proceeded on my walk of shame towards the buffet tables, my steps uncomfortably loud on the wooden floor. As quickly as possible, I helped myself to a cup of coffee and some dry cereal. Then I swiftly stalked off to the table from which Kevin had waved me over.

“Are you good?” Monika asked me in a voice so full of concern it sounded almost sorrowful.

She placed a tentative hand on my shoulder, signalling that if I fell apart in tears, she would be there to catch me in a hug. It took an immense amount of self-restraint not to start laughing.

“I’m fine, honestly,” I assured her. “I had aniceevening. Don’t you worry about me.”

I couldn’t help but blush deeply. As if it weren’t enough that everyone knew just what I did last night and why, somehow the fact that I enjoyed it made it that much worse. Luckily, all thelads except Dave were looking shyly into their own breakfast plates.

“My god, you did have aniceevening, didn’t you?” Dave smacked the table with his palm, laughing.

His Cheshire grin was at its widest, and his eyes scrutinised my own face so relentlessly that I blushed deeper yet.

“Yes, I did. Now, can we please change the subject?” I said flatly, pushing my cornflakes around the bowl with a spoon.

“But he forced you!” Monika objected in outrage while Dave said, chuckling, “That’s fortunate. I could almost forgive him for being a knobber if he can give you a good time. You’re glowing this morning, I swear to god.”

I groaned, burying my face in my hands, whereas Monika continued her protests, “He’s horrible. He is so violent! And it’s like he’s enjoying all this!”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged, resisting the urge to point out that so was I, to some degree. “He might surprise you. He sure surprised me ...”

But even as I spoke, I could sense my words ringing hollow. The unexpected intimacy of the previous night, the startling discovery of safety and connection, seemed impossible to convey with mere words in harsh daylight. After all, logic could hardly explain something that defied it.

“Oh no, no, no.” Dave shook his head vehemently. “Renny, no. I don’t mind if you have your fun with that grandiose bastard. Use him well, and I’ll commend you for that. But you mustn’t fall for him, hun.”

I made a disgruntled noise at the back of my throat.

“Just imagine he make same suggestion, but he isn’t such a ...” Monika trailed off, searching for the right word.