Becoming Calder (A Sign of Love Novel)(51)

CHAPTER TWELVE


Calder



Calder,
My thoughts are only of you. There are six hundred, seventy-seven steps between my front door and yours. I'm sure of it. I've counted them. I walk them in my mind. I step out of my front door and I come to you in the night. I slip into your bed and your heat burns into me as we quietly touch. Your mouth finds mine in the darkness and the taste of you makes every part of me ache with want—my body, my skin, and my heart. I know you in the dark, just as I know you under the bright daytime sun. I'll know you in Elysium, and in any other place the gods deem to send me for loving you. I'm not afraid. But I miss you, and I don't want there to be any steps between us. I want my bed to be your bed, and I want your nighttime heat to be within arm’s reach. Every night before I fall asleep, I pray that day comes quickly.
Yours always and forever, Eden


P.S. I suppose my academic lessons have ended for now. I have to say I like the new curriculum very much, E.


I grinned down at the paper and then hid it under my mattress with the other note Eden had written me. I flopped down on my bed, which was really nothing more than a straw-stuffed mattress and a wool blanket, and lay there trying to cool my body down. I'd probably be wise to go jump in the river quickly before I went back to the fields. Eden's note had the blood coursing through my body and images of us in bed together filled my mind. I groaned and put one arm over my eyes, trying in vain to empty my brain.
After a minute, I sat up and unfolded the blank piece of paper Eden had provided with her own note.


Eden,
My thoughts are only of you. When I bathe in the morning, the water running down my skin is your fingertips, touching me everywhere. When I work in the fields, the feel of the velvety plant leaves reminds me of your skin. As I stand in my doorway, looking toward the main lodge and you, the deep blue twilight sky is your eyes. I burn for you, so intensely I feel like I could light every worker cabin, all fifty of them, and we'd no longer need candlelight. I'm going to take you away from here, to a place where my bed is your bed, and my home is your home. And in that place, I'll never be more than an arm's reach from you, my beautiful, brave Morning Glory.
The spring festival planning is underway for the workers and I've been assisting where needed. I won't be allowed to come near you during it, but I'll see you, and I'll know you see me, too.
Yours always and forever, Calder


I turned the paper over and did a quick sketch of myself, standing in the doorway of our cabin, looking toward the main lodge. I drew light emanating off my skin and cast a glow over all the cabins surrounding my own. I smiled as I folded it up.
I left the cabin and walked the half-mile to the edge of the field where Xander was standing, leaning against some sort of light green box by the side of the dirt road.
Xander turned when he heard my footsteps and cocked an eyebrow. "Decided to come see where all the action is?" He laughed.
I grinned at him. "Is this what you do all day? No wonder you're mostly crazy."
He snorted. "I'd disagree with you, but . . ."
I smiled and leaned against the box next to him. I patted it with my hand. "What is this anyway?"
He looked down at it and then back toward the road. "It's an electrical box. It houses some wires or something that bring electricity to the main lodge."
I nodded, furrowing my brow. "So aren't you supposed to be walking around or something?"
"What's the point, Calder?"
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "Hector would say it's how safety is ensured."
Xander let out a humorless laugh. "More like how slaves are ensured."
I stared at him. "Slaves?"
"Isn't that what we are? Don’t we work out here all day for no pay?"
I stared at the road for several minutes not knowing exactly how to answer that.
Xander turned toward me, seemingly reading my mind. "Hector would say we work for our family, but Calder, if the floods don't come, if Hector's wrong about that, then we're going to end up old men out here."
I shook my head. "I wanted to talk to you about that." I let out a deep breath and turned to face Xander. "I need to leave. It's not safe here for me anymore. I need to take Eden with me and leave." I looked around to make sure there wasn't a soul in sight.
Xander didn't look surprised, but he studied me for a few beats before responding. "Yeah, you do."
I let out another breath. "I need help."
Xander laughed softly. "Yeah, you do."