Kiss Me, Lynn (Kiss Me Series)

by Linda George

  Sharon was crying now.

  Lynn nodded and told Sharon, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Alex closed the door after Sharon left and secured the chain. Then, he held Lynn while she cried. He stroked her back, murmured that he hoped everything would be okay, wiped her tears from her cheeks, and kissed her. “I love you.”

  She wanted to tell him she loved him, too, but her life was a jumble right now.

  “Kiss me, Alex. Kiss me.”

  Chapter 18

  The next morning, Lynn went back to her room to change clothes for the ride back to Machu Picchu. Sharon was already up and dressed.

  “A post just came from your father. They did the surgery last night and removed the aneurysm. Your mother came through the surgery with no problems. She’s sleeping. She’ll be in the ICU for a day or two, then move to a regular room if everything goes the way they expect.”

  Lynn didn’t say anything. She just got into the shower and let the hot water wash away some of her fear. Her mother had made it through the surgery. The aneurysm was gone. Her chances for a full recovery had improved immeasurably, but they wouldn’t have a complete prognosis for a good while.

  She had to do what her mother had always suggested when she had a problem that had overwhelmed her. She had to “take two steps back in her mind” so she could see the situation objectively and positively.

  They had Coca tea and something light at the breakfast buffet since they’d be having an early lunch at Machu Picchu before their last day of touring—the best day of the tour, according to Alex. No better way for Lynn to remain “two steps back” today. Then, they’d ride the train back to Ollantaytambo, then go back to Cusco.

  They boarded the bus. Alex was up front, talking to the driver. When she passed him, she let her fingers trail along his lower back, eliciting a smile from him. In a few minutes, he sat next to her and took her hand.

  “Shouldn’t the bus have left by now?”

  “One of the other buses broke down on the way up. The schedule is delayed until they can get that bus out of the way.”

  “Will it be very long?”

  “Not long. This happens sometimes. They’ll get it to the nearest pull-out and do the repairs there. It’s still early, so the buses haven’t started coming back down the mountain yet.” He leaned closer and whispered, “You look beautiful this morning.”

  “So do you!”

  “When you wear blue, it makes your eyes look bluer. They look like the skies over Machu Picchu.”

  It wasn’t more than ten minutes before the bus pulled out.

  “See? Not long. What have you heard this morning?”

  Lynn told him about the surgery. “Mom is in the Intensive Care Unit and will be there a day or two. There’s a good chance she’ll be all right, unless there are complications.”

  “Your father has my cell phone number if he has more news for you. Or, you may call him any time you wish.”

  When they reached Machu Picchu, before hiking to the Watch Tower, they went into the restaurant near the entrance. It was, without surprise, a buffet, and, also without surprise, Alex ladled ceviche onto his plate. When he sat down at the table, he took a bite then said, “They fixed it with quinoa! I’ve never had it fixed that way before. It’s good!”

  Lynn tried not to laugh but couldn’t help herself. “I didn’t think there could be a single way to fix ceviche that you hadn’t tried! We need to put your picture in the newspaper with the headline, ‘Alex Vereau Discovers New Way to Fix Ceviche!’”

  He laughed and even blushed a little.

  The restaurant was crowded with tourists, and noisy with excited children and adults. It wasn’t difficult to spot them, with cameras hanging around their necks, huge purses or tote bags, and floppy-brimmed hats, some of them garish with splashes of bright colors that didn’t match their clothes. Lynn thought about her own hat, which she’d bought at the market. It looked more like an Indiana Jones hat than one a tourist would wear. At least she didn’t think it looked touristy. It reminded her of Alex’s white straw hat.

  After they’d eaten, Alex gathered the group. They entered the city the same way as before, but headed for a long flight of steps that meant a strenuous hike to the Watch Tower overlooking the city. From there, guards would’ve been able to see down the mountain on both sides of Machu Picchu to spy anyone approaching, long before they could reach the city. Lynn wondered how many stone steps she’d climbed since arriving in Peru. It had to be thousands, without exaggeration. Some of these, though, were the tallest she could remember, and most of the way there were no hand rails. The only thing to hold onto was the vegetation on the inside of the never-ending steps.

  “Alex, I’m not sure I can make it to the top. My legs are rubbery.”

  “Rest whenever you need to, mi amor. I won’t let you stumble or fall.”

  She stopped to catch her breath. “Your name for me has changed.”

  “Yes. Querida means ‘sweetheart.’ But ‘mi amor’ means ‘my love.’ My dearest love. That’s what you’ve come to be for me.”

  “I hardly know what to say.”

  “There’s no need to say anything.” He kissed her, then asked, “Are you ready to climb a bit farther?”

  “Sure.” She released a sigh and tackled the steps again, with Alex’s hand on her elbow to steady her. She had to rest several more times before they made it to the top, where the others were waiting, gazing in awe at the incredible view.

  Lynn turned to face the city. Tears came when she realized she was looking at the “classic view,” but not from a great distance. From where they were standing, she felt she was almost close enough to touch the walls, rooms, and terraces that made up the lost city of the Inca.

  “Oh, my…”

  “Every time I see it, my heart catches a little. Spectacular.”

  “This is why I came to Peru—to see the city where the Inca lived and walked and loved, surrounded by these incredible mountains.”

  “I think there’s another reason you came to Peru.”

  She glanced at him. “And what is that?”

  “To meet me, of course!” Another kiss. “And to fall in love.” He excused himself to check on the others.

  “What have I gotten myself into?” she whispered, then smiled. Something wonderful.

  Lynn spied a stone bench with only a few feet between it and a drop-off to the level about thirty feet below. She wandered over and sat down, still enamored with the sight of the famous city. She knew she could sit here the rest of the day and be perfectly happy not to go anywhere else.

  Vicki called her to come for a group photo with the city in the background. Lynn complied happily, knowing she would print and frame the photograph so she could remember this time forever, and the people who had shared the experience with her.

  Alex stood off to the side.

  Sharon grabbed him by the arm. “No, you don’t! You have to be in this picture, too! Without you, we wouldn’t be here! Let’s see. Who should you stand by? How about Lynn?”

  They all smiled at his bashful expression and the blush that crept across his cheeks.

  The guide who would take some of them to the Sun Gate took their picture over and over, using all their cameras, including the one on Alex’s phone.

  Alex’s arm around her waist felt wonderful to Lynn. Sadly, she’d begun counting the hours until she’d have to fly home. Tonight, they’d go back to Cusco to the hotel where they’d stayed before—where she and Alex had danced around the fountain. Then, tomorrow, they’d fly to Lima, board the plane for Houston, then spend a layover before boarding the plane for Virginia. Or for Santa Fe…

  After the photos were taken, the group divided for the different hikes. Lynn and Alex were the only ones staying at the Watch Tower. With hundreds of people milling around on this upper level, and hundreds more below in the city, Lynn marveled at her feeling of being alone in the city, of being the only one there to experience what she was see
ing. It had become easy to mute all the voices, the laughter and cries of children, and the sounds of endless photographs being taken. Thank goodness she’d found a place where no one would block her view of the city below.

  When she was able to take her eyes off Huayna Picchu, the mountain at the far end of the city, she turned slowly, taking in the panorama of the Andes peaks, soaring to incredible heights from the Urubamba River valley far below. The vegetation-covered peaks didn’t seem real, standing verdantly green against an impossibly clear blue sky. Yet she knew they were real because she could feel their presence, as though they were alive, comforting and reassuring her while she waited for news about her mother, and while she thought sadly about the rapidly approaching time when she’d have to tell Alex good-bye.

  <><><><>

  After the rest of the group had left for their hikes, Alex made his way to where Lynn was sitting and sat on the opposite side of the stone bench. It reminded her of the arrangement of a Victorian “courting couch,” where a young lady sat on one side of the S-shaped settee, while the young man courting her sat on the other side.

  He trailed one finger down her arm, creating a shiver of pleasure. “What are you thinking about?”

  “How long I’ve waited to sit here and see what I’m seeing now.” She turned toward him. “I was also thinking about you.”

  He seemed really pleased with that. He pulled out his cell phone. “Would you like to e-mail your father and see if he has any news?”

  “Yes! That would be wonderful!” She gave him the address. “Please tell him I’m thinking about both of them, hoping for the best. Also, tell him we’re at Machu Picchu, and I’m taking lots of pictures. They’ll be thrilled to know where we are.”

  Alex sent the post then put his phone back into his pocket.

  “Will you’ll go to Santa Fe to be with your mother during her treatment?”

  “Probably. She’ll tell me not to come, though.”

  “Why would she tell you that?”

  “Because she’s a strong-willed woman, and she won’t want me to ‘fuss over her.’”

  “What about your father? Will he need you there during the treatments?”

  Lynn thought about it. “Maybe. He knows my mother better than anyone, and he knows we haven’t always gotten along well. He might think it best if I didn’t come.”

  “My mother and my sister who lives in Lima don’t get along well, either. My sister thinks my mother shouldn’t tell her what to do, and my mother thinks she should keep taking care of my sister, even though she’s twenty-seven years old.”

  “That sounds a lot like my mom.”

  “Sometimes, though, a child has to live her own life the way she wants to live it, and not the way her mother thinks is best. That’s what I told my sister, anyway.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Connie.”

  “And the others?”

  “Henry, Joe, Robert, and Kathy.”

  Lynn knew their names were probably Consuela, Enrique, José, Roberto, Katarina—and Alejandro. Beautiful names.

  “Are you the eldest, youngest, or in the middle?”

  “In the middle. My brothers are older. My sisters younger. Connie has always wanted to leave home and live on her own. But not me. I still live close to my mother, to take care of her when she’ll allow it.”

  “You’re a good son.”

  “I try to be. And you’re a good daughter. Sometimes, it’s best not to crowd your mother too much. If I go by to see my mother every day, she starts to worry there’s something wrong, and I’m not telling her what it is. But if I don’t go by often enough, she thinks the same thing.” He laughed. “She’s a dear, sweet, funny, fussy woman, my mama.”

  “I’d love to meet her.” Lynn immediately wished she hadn’t said that because it could give Alex the wrong idea.

  “If we decide to get married, will I need to ask your father for his permission?”

  She felt her face flush. “No. I would decide for myself.”

  His kiss came so quickly and was so passionate, it took her breath away.

  “This isn’t exactly the best place…” she said softly when they parted.

  “I know.” He looked down shyly, then away. “When will you be able to decide if you can stay in Peru a while longer?”

  “I don’t know.”

  He looked into her eyes. “Do you want to stay with me, so we can get to know each other better?”

  She sighed. “I’d like that very much.”

  His grin widened, then he laughed. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that.”

  His phone pinged. “An e-mail.” He checked quickly. “It’s from your father.” He handed her the phone without reading the post.

  She read the post then told Alex, “Mom is still sleeping after the surgery. He wants me to enjoy the rest of the tour. He’ll let me know how she’s doing tonight.” She squeezed her eyes shut but couldn’t stop the tears.

  Alex came around to the other side of the bench so he could sit next to her and hold her close.

  <><><><>

  Those who had hiked to the Inca Bridge returned first. Alex went to talk to the guide.

  “Wow! What a hike!” Sharon sat down next to Lynn. “Have you been here the whole time?”

  “Yes. We’ve been talking.” She hesitated. “I got a post from Dad on Alex’s phone. Mom is still in the ICU. They’ll be watching her closely for the next twenty-four hours.”

  Sharon’s expression changed immediately. “So what does this mean for you and—”

  “Dad told me to enjoy the rest of the tour.”

  Sharon nodded. “We’ll be back in Cusco tonight”

  “Yes, and back to Lima in the morning.”

  “So you’re going back?”

  “What else can I do? As soon as we get back to Virginia, I’ll have to arrange a flight to Santa Fe.”

  “You could change your flight from Houston to Santa Fe instead.”

  “I guess I could. It would certainly be less expensive to pay the fee than to pay for another flight booked less than two weeks ahead of time.” She stood and walked away a few paces, then came back and sat down again. “I just wish they could tell us what’s happening!”

  “Maybe we’ll hear some really good news tonight. That she’s awake and trying to get out of bed and clean something.”

  “Maybe.”

  “You don’t have to live through this alone. We’re all here for you. So is Alex.”

  “Tomorrow, we’ll leave. I may never see him again.”

  “Positive thoughts, remember?”

  <><><><>

  The group who’d gone to the Sun Gate returned a while later, elated, but extremely tired.

  Vicki and Sheila looked like they’d been on a super roller coaster.

  “The view from the Sun Gate is extraordinary!” Vicki said. “I tried to imagine what it would’ve been like, approaching Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail from that gate in the mountains for the first time. Astonishing! It’s so surreal, it would be like entering Heaven.”

  Sheila agreed. “It looks exactly like the pictures! I like this up-close view a lot better, though. Wow. Is that ever beautiful!”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Lynn tried to imprint the view in her mind. She had a dozen photographs now, but closing her eyes and remembering actually being here would always be better. Photographs couldn’t capture the full majesty of the surrounding mountains, or the feeling of being almost on top of the city below.

  Alex came up beside them. “It’s almost time to start back. Take lots of pictures in the next ten minutes!”

  Lynn’s chest felt tight at the thought of leaving this magical place. Somehow, she had to come back someday.

  On the way down, Lynn had no difficulty keeping up with the group or getting her legs to cooperate. No rubbery knees this time.

  When they reached the bus, she got on sadly. When Alex sat down next to her, he slipped his arm around h
er shoulders.

  “We will come back, Amor. You will see. There’s no need to be sad about leaving. I promise we will come back—just the two of us—and we can sit on the bench the whole day, if that’s what you want.” He brushed the hair back from her face and kissed her cheek. “I’ll bring cushions for us to sit on.”

  Lynn didn’t answer. She couldn’t. She wanted to believe him…

  Chapter 19

  In the village, they boarded the train to return to Ollantaytambo. Everyone in the group contributed money to two envelopes—one for Alex and another for Rudolfo—their tips to thank them for such an excellent job on the tour. The fat envelopes were sealed and names written on the front. Sharon handed Rudolfo’s envelope to him and he bowed, grinned, and said, “Muchas gracias, Señoritas!”

  Lynn handed the other envelope to Alex, which was even fatter, since he’d been their most impressive guide.

  Alex said nothing when he took the envelope. Instead, he stood in the aisle among the ladies, held the envelope in front of him, then kissed it noisily! Everyone laughed and clapped!

  He tucked the envelope into his pocket, then sat down next to Lynn again, still grinning and nodding his appreciation.

  Lynn snuggled against him with her arm beneath his and their fingers laced, and rested her head on his shoulder on the way back. Her thoughts tangled in her mind—her mother’s surgery, what she could be facing now, and how much she wished her parents could meet Alex. She smiled when those thoughts changed to memories of seeing him the first time in Lima at the hotel, peering at him through the closing elevator doors, the first time he kissed her hand, and how she’d grown to love him in only a few days. They’d progressed from holding hands to making love since she’d arrived in Peru. Could it be infatuation instead of love? Was it nothing more than a vacation fling? She frowned. No, not a fling. Much more. Her feelings—her love—for Alex had grown deeper every day, bringing her joy and happiness she’d never known. He’d become part of her. She looked up at him and found a quizzical expression on his face.

  “What is it, Amor? What are you thinking?”