The next day passed in a flurry of activity.
The boat was loaded with supplies, Roanna made calls to people to keep her house in order. Those and a dozen other arrangements were made.
When the sun rose on the day they were set to leave, Roanna, Ninian and Erin rose with it.
Roanna showered and dressed alone; Jack had slept in his room the night before, for the sake of being rested.
Ready for what was to come, Roanna dressed in her light linen clothing and went out into the hall.
As she grinned, she stepped into Jack’s room, and shut the door closed behind her.
The room was spotless – mainly because Jack had slept in it only once since they’d arrived in Macapa.
Jack himself was on the bed, laying on his back with one hand under his head, the rest of his limbs sprawled out under the thin sheet that covered him from the mid – chest down to his feet.
His face, usually so easy-going and happy, serious and caring, kind and somber, was relaxed in sleep. The expression was one that Roanna could only describe as restful, and his hair, in need of a cut, covered his forehead.
Suddenly somber, Roanna watched him intently as she stepped closer.
His face was now familiar, almost terribly so to Roanna. She saw it during the day, while she slept and dozed.
His personality, easygoing and smiling, was as sharp a contrast to Roanna’s as possible, but they fit well together. When she was upset, he cheered her up. When he was flying too high in his mind, she anchored him.
Frowning at the direction her thoughts had taken her, Roanna climbed on the bed, straddling Jack a few inches above the hips.
A smile played over Jack’s face, but he still slept.
Smirking, Roanna leaned over and kissed him, lightly nipping at his lip as she did.
Very awake hands roamed from Roanna’s legs to her waist, to her breasts, then back to her waist, pulling her down to lay flat on top of him.
Pulling away, Roanna chuckled as he opened his eyes.
Deep, endless pools of blue stared at her, and she smiled.
“Hello,” she murmured.
“Helluva way to wake up,” he rubbed his hands up and down her back as he spoke.
Smiling widely, Roanna kissed him again, but pulled away before he could deepen the kiss and draw her in.
Nearing a growl, Jack gripped her, twisted and flipped her underneath him, and settled lower down on her, his head resting an inch or two above her belly button.
Resting her head on the pillow with a smile, Roanna briefly contemplated the wish to go back to sleep.
“We’re leaving in an hour and a half,” Roanna reminded him as she ran her fingers through his hair.
Like coarse silk, she mused.
‘”-you go?” Jack asked.
“Hmm?” Roanna murmured.
“Where did you go?” he asked, breathing in deeply.
Incredulous, Roanna looked at him.
“Did you just smell me?” she demanded.
A look of sheepish guilt stole over his face.
“Maybe,” he said, grinning as the guilt faded away.
