that Devon wasn’t out and about helping
with the morning chores. Jose rustled up an impressive breakfast as always.
Alex found himself glancing continuously toward the Alcazar’s tent. He
eventually saw Roman emerge and join the group round the fire-pit. He was quiet
and the most pensive Alex had ever seen him. He watched the man pick at his
food and drink his coffee before he fixed a plate and took it into the confines
of his tent.
Alex
breathed a sigh. He was spending way too much time thinking about another man’s
wife. What concern was it of his if she ate or not? He finished his breakfast
and listened to the banter around the fire. As the group began picking up and
preparing to depart, movement outside the Alcazar’s tent caught his attention.
He
watched as both Roman and Devon stepped out of the tent. While he was dressed
in the customary khakis and T-shirt, she was wearing sweatpants. Alex watched
as Roman raised a hand and gently traced what Alex assumed were the bruises on
her face. Alex slid his eyes away when Roman leaned forward and presses his
lips to her forehead.
When he
turned back he saw Roman catch her hand before she went to go back into the
tent. She turned and whatever he said seemed to upset her. She shook her head
emphatically and placed her hands on each side of his face and stepped forward
until they were practically nose to nose. She spoke quietly and grabbed his
face when he attempted to shake off both her hands and her words. She continued
to speak to him until finally he gave a half-hearted nod of his head. She
nodded her head in unison with his and gave him a small smile. He stepped back
before rushing to gather her in his arms for a quick hug before leaving
quickly, almost as if he didn’t want to leave her.
Alex
watched Devon as she watched Roman walk away with the team. She raised a hand
and brushed it against tears that weren’t apparent from where he sat. She
glanced around the camping area as if sensing his gaze. She froze when she saw
him and then quickly retreated back into the security of her tent.
Alex
remained where he sat for a while longer, and while he wouldn’t admit it to
himself, he was waiting to see if Devon would reappear, but she didn’t. Tossing
the rest of his now cold coffee into the nearly extinguished fire, he rose and
went into his own tent to watch the camera feeds from the night before.
~*M*~
Devon
stepped back into the tent and watched Roman leave with his team members. He
was no fool and knew her story about falling at the falls had been untrue. When
the morning light had entered the tent and he’d seen her face, he’d gone
ballistic. He’d demanded she tell him who’d attacked her. But she’d refused to
tell him.
She’d
tried to make him see which side of the situation was the most harmful. She’d
not been seriously injured, whereas, an allegation like this – about someone
one who wasn’t really affiliated with the team against someone who was – would
be devastating to her. She needed to keep it quiet. She’d begged him. When
she’d told him she wasn’t going on the dig due to her face, he’d really gone
off. He’d wanted nothing more than to storm out into the camp and take on
everyone. She’d finally managed to get him to calm down and let her stay. But
he’d been resistant until the bitter end.
This
was her problem to deal with, not his. She’d not let him – a man who’d been by
her side since she was a small girl – be hurt by her and her circumstances.
This was his dream job and she was determined not to let it become a nightmare
because of her.
She
wiped at the useless tears on her face. What had she been thinking staying so
long at the falls? She’d put herself in that situation. Her stomach had fallen
when she’d seen the look on Ben Allred’s face as she’d forced Roman to leave
her at the tent. What right did he have to judge her? But… she knew why. Once
again she felt the familiar wave of self-pity
with the morning chores. Jose rustled up an impressive breakfast as always.
Alex found himself glancing continuously toward the Alcazar’s tent. He
eventually saw Roman emerge and join the group round the fire-pit. He was quiet
and the most pensive Alex had ever seen him. He watched the man pick at his
food and drink his coffee before he fixed a plate and took it into the confines
of his tent.
Alex
breathed a sigh. He was spending way too much time thinking about another man’s
wife. What concern was it of his if she ate or not? He finished his breakfast
and listened to the banter around the fire. As the group began picking up and
preparing to depart, movement outside the Alcazar’s tent caught his attention.
He
watched as both Roman and Devon stepped out of the tent. While he was dressed
in the customary khakis and T-shirt, she was wearing sweatpants. Alex watched
as Roman raised a hand and gently traced what Alex assumed were the bruises on
her face. Alex slid his eyes away when Roman leaned forward and presses his
lips to her forehead.
When he
turned back he saw Roman catch her hand before she went to go back into the
tent. She turned and whatever he said seemed to upset her. She shook her head
emphatically and placed her hands on each side of his face and stepped forward
until they were practically nose to nose. She spoke quietly and grabbed his
face when he attempted to shake off both her hands and her words. She continued
to speak to him until finally he gave a half-hearted nod of his head. She
nodded her head in unison with his and gave him a small smile. He stepped back
before rushing to gather her in his arms for a quick hug before leaving
quickly, almost as if he didn’t want to leave her.
Alex
watched Devon as she watched Roman walk away with the team. She raised a hand
and brushed it against tears that weren’t apparent from where he sat. She
glanced around the camping area as if sensing his gaze. She froze when she saw
him and then quickly retreated back into the security of her tent.
Alex
remained where he sat for a while longer, and while he wouldn’t admit it to
himself, he was waiting to see if Devon would reappear, but she didn’t. Tossing
the rest of his now cold coffee into the nearly extinguished fire, he rose and
went into his own tent to watch the camera feeds from the night before.
~*M*~
Devon
stepped back into the tent and watched Roman leave with his team members. He
was no fool and knew her story about falling at the falls had been untrue. When
the morning light had entered the tent and he’d seen her face, he’d gone
ballistic. He’d demanded she tell him who’d attacked her. But she’d refused to
tell him.
She’d
tried to make him see which side of the situation was the most harmful. She’d
not been seriously injured, whereas, an allegation like this – about someone
one who wasn’t really affiliated with the team against someone who was – would
be devastating to her. She needed to keep it quiet. She’d begged him. When
she’d told him she wasn’t going on the dig due to her face, he’d really gone
off. He’d wanted nothing more than to storm out into the camp and take on
everyone. She’d finally managed to get him to calm down and let her stay. But
he’d been resistant until the bitter end.
This
was her problem to deal with, not his. She’d not let him – a man who’d been by
her side since she was a small girl – be hurt by her and her circumstances.
This was his dream job and she was determined not to let it become a nightmare
because of her.
She
wiped at the useless tears on her face. What had she been thinking staying so
long at the falls? She’d put herself in that situation. Her stomach had fallen
when she’d seen the look on Ben Allred’s face as she’d forced Roman to leave
her at the tent. What right did he have to judge her? But… she knew why. Once
again she felt the familiar wave of self-pity
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