THE GOLDEN ROSE

Chapter 14 - Completely Lost

Zacatecas, Mexico – present day

Shawn stared at Camila in shock. "A ghost told you their ship sank."

"She didn't say that, she said it didn't arrive. And it wasn't just any ghost, it was Clara's Mom."

"Let's go back to bed, and in the morning we'll start googling and give Diego a call to see if he has learned anything about them."

"We know he got back, because he sent funds to the Priory."

Shawn didn't state the obvious, that there was no mention of Clara, but he could see the realisation of it on her face.

"Come on," he said, reaching out his hand. "Let's go back to bed."

She took his hand quietly and they mounted the stairs. Once there, they stood beside the bed and he looked down at her. "You are so beautiful," he said, stroking her cheek. "I miss dreaming of you."

"You don't have to now," she smiled up at him. "You have the real me."

"What does that actually mean for us? When we go home, we have careers, we are travelling all over the place. When do we get to see each other?"

"We can work it out," she said, sliding her arms up around his neck. "I promise."

He smiled down at her. She was so tiny, and so cute. "I think I need some incentive."

"It all about one thing with you, isn't it Mendes?"

"I'm a guy, of course it is!" he grinned. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. She kissed him back with enthusiasm and he smiled against her lips before pulling back. The smile slid from his face. "It's never only sex with you, it's always been a soul connection, something much more than just friendship or even just being in love. You're my person, Mila, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Her big brown eyes darkened and her lips were parted and softly pink. He kissed them gently and sweetly. "You are my person too, the world has always been a better place knowing you were in it."

She stood on her tip toes and kissed him again. This time it was like a torch to kindling and a moment later he was pulling his t-shirt over her head and she was pulling the drawstring on his shorts, and they were tumbling naked into their bed. He was beginning to learn how to touch her, and she did the same for him. It was exciting and familiarly comforting at the same time. He loved touching her everywhere, noticing new things about her each time. He followed each gentle caress with a kiss and she sighed, letting her head fall back. She was right, they would work it out. This was the most right thing he'd ever felt, and he had a feeling the connection between he and Camila and their eighteenth century counterparts was a sign that they were meant to be together, always had and always would.

***

Enroute from Zacatecas to the Atlantic Coast, New Spain – 1770

It was late when Sebastaio called a halt and Clara slid off Trueno and stretched her legs and back. She spun around to help him setting up camp to find him staring at her with hooded eyes. It sent shivers down her spine. They had had no real time together since the night at the ruins and she was looking forward to it. But first, she was starving. She removed the food sack from her saddle bags and looked inside. Fruit, bread, cheese and salted pork. She laid it all out, that would do for tonight. There was rice and beans and other items for later in the trip. They sat in silence and ate. Sebastaio had yet to comment on her declaration of love and she was starting to get very annoyed with him.

They cleaned up after eating and he filled up their water from a nearby stream while he prepared for bed. She looked at their packs. Did she do one bed or two? She pursed her lips, feeling her anger grow. If he couldn't bring himself to discuss their feelings for one another, perhaps she should keep the bounty her body offered to herself. She made up two sleeping pads and then pushed past him as she headed for the stream and he was returning. At the stream she removed her jacket and began to use her kerchief as a cloth to wash with. It was still warm and she looked at the water with longing, then without a second thought she removed her clothes and waded in, squatting so that the water reached her neck, but keeping her hair, piled up on her head, free and dry. The night was dark but the sky above the stream was well lit with stars and a big half moon, it gave her enough to see by. She noticed him as soon as she turned, leaning against a tree beside the rock where she had laid out her clothes. He had his arms crossed and he watched her with interest.