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| THE PROJECT BY BEESA |
CHAPTER 17 |
"Well, I think that’s enough sharing, don’t you?," asks Téa, as she stands up and stretches.
Todd is disappointed that she wants to end their experiment, and Téa sees this in his expression.
"What? You actually want to keep talking? Wow, I think the heat has gotten to you, Manning."
"No, it’s just that, you know...this is the first time in a long time that you aren’t being openly hostile toward me, and it’s kinda nice, for a change." He immediately regrets his words, as he sees Téa’s expression change. That cold look returns to her beautiful face, and Todd feels his heart sink.
"I see. You thought you were making some progress, is that it? This was all a game to you, a way for you to gain my trust or earn some points or something, isn’t that right?"
"Well, yeah."
"Wrong answer."
"Huh?"
"I was trying to be truthful with you, to make an effort to get to know you better in an honest and open way, but of course, you had other ideas. You had an ulterior motive, as usual."
"I’m trying to be truthful with you, too, Delgado. When you asked me if I was trying to make progress with you, I answered you truthfully. Yes. Yes, I was trying to make progress with you. Why is that a bad thing? That’s why I’m here, duh?"
Téa stares at him, not knowing how to respond, but knowing that she feels the need to get away from him. She hates the fact that she enjoyed their afternoon together, just talking and hanging out with Todd. She knows she needs to destroy the mood and the good feelings that are beginning to form between them. She will not be sucked back into his world. She has worked too hard and come too far to turn back now and let herself get caught up in the chaos that is his life.
"Leave," she says, coldly.
"What?"
"You heard me. I said leave."
"Téa! Dammit! Look, I can’t just leave. We’re on a freaking island."
"Then swim. You’ve demonstrated your swimming ability to me twice now, once a long time ago in Llantano River and once here, so let’s go for three."
"Téa..."
"Cruise ships and private yachts go by here occasionally. If you time things right, you can swim out to one of them and get picked up and taken back to the States."
Todd angrily gets up and heads for the door. As he opens it, he hears Téa speak.
"Goodbye!," she says, lightly.
He turns around to find her waving at him. He slams the door shut and stomps back over to her, stopping inches from her body. He glares at her. She glares right back. They stay like that for several moments, until Todd shakes his head and finally speaks.
"Sorry, Delgado, but you aren’t getting your way this time. I’m not leaving, so deal with it."
Téa raises her eyebrows and gets right in his face. "I’m not getting my way this time? What the hell are you talking about, Todd? I never get my way when it comes to you and you know it, so cut the crap. Guess your attempts at being truthful are over already, huh?"
Todd backs off slightly, hating the fact that she’s right. She didn’t get her way an awful lot of the time they had been together. He runs his fingers through his hair and turns away. He sits down on the couch and leans his head back, sighing heavily. "You’re right."
"I know I am."
"I’m sorry, Téa."
"You sure as hell are. You’re a sorry excuse for a..." She stops herself, immediately regretting her choice of words.
"Don’t stop now, Delgado. Let her rip. I’m a sorry excuse for a what? A man? You got that right. A husband? Damn straight about that. A father? Christ, where do I even begin?"
Téa slowly walks over and kneels down in front of him, sitting back on her heels. She takes a deep breath and looks up at him. "I’m sorry, Todd, I shouldn’t have said that. I had no right..."
Todd looks at her. "You have every right..."
"No, I don’t. I’m...I’m sorry," she says, quietly.
"What happened here, huh? Things were going so well, too well almost, and then bam! You’re all nasty, again. What did I do that pissed you off so much? I thought we were getting somewhere."
"We were...and that’s why I had to stop it."
"What? Why?"
"Because, Todd. I can’t let you back into my life. I can’t. I’ve moved on, and..."
"Like hell you have! You ran away to an island, and your new hobby is committing felonies, and you know weird pilot type people, and you’re so...so..."
"So...what?"
"So cold. So distant. So...hard. So un-Téa-like."
She stands up and walks to the French doors. With her back to him, she says, "I guess that’s the new me. Not a very flattering description, but I can live with it." She quietly opens the doors and goes out onto the patio, taking a second to close the doors behind her. She slowly walks out to the beach, hoping that Todd will take the hint of the closed doors and leave her alone for a while. But, of course, she is soon aware of his presence right beside her.
"I know you probably want to be alone, Delgado, but..."
"You have an astute command of the obvious."
"Hey, that’s from ‘Wayne’s World.’ I remember that line. A lawyer who quotes ‘Wayne’s World.’ Hmm...I didn’t know you were into the classics."
"Todd, I would really appreciate it if you would give me some time to myself, okay?"
"No."
"What do you mean no?"
"No. I mean no."
"Todd..."
"Look, you had all kinds of time alone, before I got here. Well, I’m here now, so you’re not alone. So, get used to me being around, okay?"
"Fine, you can be around, but you don’t have to be around me. This island is big enough for us to co-exist, until you can get back to your home, but we don’t have to spend any time together. You go your way, I’ll go mine...it’ll be just like when we were married."
"You’re a snot."
"You’re a prick."
"You’re a bitch."
"You’re a selfish, childish, lying, manipulative, bullying coward."
Todd grinds his teeth together, trying to control his mounting anger. "There they are. I should have guessed they’d be coming."
"What?"
"The names. The nasty names. You just had to get me back for the names I called you earlier. You really know how to hold a grudge."
"Well, I guess I learned from the master."
Todd stares at Téa for a few moments, then he silently turns and walks away, heading down the beach. She watches him until he is out of sight, then she goes back to the house.
~~~
Hours later, Téa is resting in a hammock that is set up on the patio. It’s dark, except for the light from the moon and from the lamps inside the house that are shining through the windows and the open French doors. She has one leg dangling over the side, allowing her bare foot to touch the brick below. She pushes off with her foot, every once in a while, causing the hammock to swing slowly, back and forth. The gentle motion helps her to relax...that, and the four Tequila Sunrises she has consumed are combining to make her feel quite tranquil. She holds her fifth drink in her hand, resting the bottom of the glass on her stomach. Her other hand is tucked behind her head, and she is so comfortable, she is nearly asleep. She is unaware that she is being watched.
Todd gazes at her from his secret spot, a few yards away from her. He is leaning his left shoulder against a palm tree, savoring the opportunity to look at her as much as he wants. She is so beautiful, and he just can’t take his eyes off of her. Téa-watching has always been a favorite activity of his. As he has already done several times, his eyes sweep over her slender body, starting with her bare toes that are touching the patio and working his way up. He spends quite a bit of time inspecting her lovely legs, particularly the one that is dangling over the side of the hammock, since it is completely exposed. Her sun dress has buttons that run all the way up one side of the skirt, and she has unbuttoned them all, leaving her one leg bare all the way up to her hip, and the other leg isn’t much more covered. He longs to touch her, to feel her soft skin under his fingertips. His gaze wanders over her body and up to her shoulders, where the thin straps of her dress have slipped off both shoulders. Her face is turned away from him, leaving her neck vulnerable to his eyes and his imagination, as he recalls how indescribably wonderful it had felt to be free to kiss her there on their second wedding night. He still remembers how it felt to touch her and kiss her...he still remembers the scent of her perfume and the warmth of her skin...he still remembers how nervous and shy they both were. He smiles wistfully at the memories. How could two such jaded people, who have lived such hard lives, have suddenly felt so innocent with each other? Todd knows the answer...it is because they were with each other that such feelings were possible. Such feelings are not possible for either of them with anyone else, and they both know it.
Knowing that he is risking her wrath, again, he leaves the security of his hiding spot and walks over to her. Sensing his presence, she slowly turns to face him. She looks up at him and lazily smiles. "Hi, Todd," she says.
"Hi."
"I’m drunk."
"Yes, I know."
"You do?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"I’ve been watching you."
"Of course, you have. I should have known." She takes a sip of her beverage.
"Anyone as little as you, who polishes off four of those things and is nursing a fifth is probably drunk...even if it is a girly drink." He gets a chair and pulls it over right next to her. "I think you’ve had enough," he announces, taking the drink from her and downing it in one gulp. He coughs a little and hears Téa laughing. He sets the glass on a nearby table and looks at her.
"Silly boy, you weren’t expecting me to be so heavy handed with the booze portion of the girly drink, huh?"
"Uh, no. Damn, that was pretty strong."
"Stronger than it looked, hmm?"
"Yeah," he says, as he is about to sit down.
"Much like me...," she says, as she reaches up and grabs his shirt, pulling him on top of her.
Todd is caught off guard and off balance, as he falls heavily upon her body. He lands with his legs between hers, and his face is mere inches from hers. She is smiling broadly, with a sleepy look in her eyes. She wraps the previously dangling leg over one of his and slides her arms around his back. Todd is already quite flustered with this unexpected turn of events, but what Téa says next floors him.
"I love you," she says, grinning and giggling.
"Huh?"
"I love you," she says, as she rubs their noses together. "I missed you. Where’ve you been? Were you doing laps around the island or something?," she slurs.
"Téa, maybe you should stop talking. You’re saying things I don’t think you want to be saying. You’re kind of hard to understand, on account of the booze, but I think I’m getting what your words are, and maybe you should shut up now?"
"Why? What I’m saying is the truth."
"I hope so, and I’m really happy to hear it, but this isn’t right. You’re really drunk..."
"Shhhhh...," she says, as she places her hands on his cheeks, gently caressing him.
"No, really, come on, Delgado..."
Téa silences his weak protests by pulling him toward her and placing her lips on his. She kisses him softly and slowly, and he is only able to resist for a moment before giving in, regardless of Téa’s inebriated state. They kiss for a few minutes, as their hands roam over each other. They move against each other, and Téa can soon tell just how aroused Todd is feeling. She slides her hands down his back and places her hands on his butt, pulling him into her and causing him to moan. He breaks off the kiss and pulls away from her.
"We have to stop, okay? You’re drunk, so we have to stop." Todd extricates himself from Téa’s embrace and gets off the hammock. He stands up slowly, groaning at the discomfort. He turns his back to her and gives himself a few minutes to regain control. When he turns back to face her, he finds her watching him, with a sad expression in her eyes. He walks over to her and begins buttoning her skirt, all the while aware that she is watching him. When her legs are covered, he pulls her shoulder straps back into place. He reaches under her and picks her up in his arms, carrying her through the open French doors, pulling them closed with his foot. He carries her into her bedroom and gently places her on her bed. He covers her with the light bedding and crawls in beside her. As she opens her mouth to speak, he quickly puts a finger against her lips.
"No words. Just sleep." He pulls her into him, encouraging her to rest her head against his shoulder. She is too drunk to offer any resistance, so she snuggles in close to his body. They wrap their arms around each other. Todd kisses Téa’s forehead, and she softly sighs. "We’ll get there, Delgado. In our own time and in our own way, we’ll get there." She mumbles a barely audible "I know," and they both drift off into a peaceful sleep.
To be continued...
