The Prince and I - 17

We didn’t wake up with the sun. In fact from a guesstimate it was closer to ten. I was fuzzy at best so it took me a minute to realize something was wrapped tightly around me, and it wasn’t my jacket. Or at least not only my jacket. Conner seemed to be trying to meld his body to mine even through all our clothes as he nuzzled my neck.

“Whoa up,” I said softly.

When I realized he was still asleep I shook him. His eyes flew open, he stared at me fearfully. Then awareness hit him. I expected him to move away, so when he didn’t I started to. Apparently he had other ideas because he wouldn’t let me, at least not until he planted a rather intense kiss on my lips. Then he grinned and sat up.

I shook my head and sat up too. “What was that all about?”

“In my dream I kissed you and decided it had to be an omen that I was supposed to. So I did.”

“And if you’d dreamed you were supposed to fuck me?”

“Oh I did that too but I figured it would be a bit forward right now.”

“Damn, Connor.” I grinned as I returned the kiss, just to show him two could play the game. It wasn’t anything fantastic. It’s hard to be fantastic when nature calls and you can hear people close by on the creek path. But it wasn’t bad either. I decided then and there that given the chance I might try to make the rest of his dream come true—if and when the chance arose.

I started to stand. He dragged me down, pointing up. I instantly got the message when I saw two birds circling high in the sky. We both knew it was unlikely they were anything to worry about but still…

“How are we going to get out of here unnoticed?”

I shook my head. “Good question, but we can’t spend all day here. I guess we take our chances and stay very aware of everyone around us.” I crouched when he moved off the plastic to roll it up, cramming it into my backpack. “First thing we do is wait until no one’s on the path then get our asses out of here.”

It took a few minutes until that happened. Then we crossed the creek, hopping from rock to rock, and onto the path. We headed toward downtown after we both took the opportunity to relieve ourselves in the darkness under one of the bridges. By the time we got to the ramp that would take us close to the Mall we were tense, spending as much time looking over our shoulders as ahead of us.

“At least it’s lunch hour so there’s lots of people,” Connor said quietly when we got onto the sidewalk close to Larimer.

“And we can get somewhere safe from here and get something to eat.” We headed to the RTD bus station a couple of blocks away. It had the advantage of being underground and usually full of a wide variety of people, so we wouldn’t stand out too badly. It also had a kiosk which sold over-priced wrapped sandwiches. I counted my change, then Connor’s when he added what he had to mine, and we decided to buy a sandwich and a coke to split between us. Then we sat down on one of the round stone benches to eat before hitting up the restroom.

As we came back into the main part of the station Connor wanted to know what we’d do now. “Wait until dark,” I told him which didn’t exactly excite him from the expression on his face. He stopped, looking at the signage listing all the buses that used the station. Then his face sort of lit up, if you can call a small half smile ‘lighting up’.

“If we can spange enough we can go to where my uncle’s staying.”

“I thought…”

“I don’t particularly want to but right now it would be safer.”

“Good point, but we don’t have to bus it. I have Arthur’s number and I have the feeling he’d be real happy to pick you up right about now.”

“And you.”

“Maybe not. After all I didn’t exactly let him know I found you long before now.”

Connor smirked. “He doesn’t have to know that, now does he.”

“True.” I took out the envelope with the number on it and we went in search of a public phone.