Chapter 107 - When life catches up

His hands glided over my skin, warm and loving. Gentle with every caress. The suncream helped smoothed the motion. I shivered under his touch. They went up to my neck, brushed against my ears so slowly. Then down the curves of my shoulders as I closed my eyes and leaned into his chest. The contact with his bare skin sent my senses in overheating. His fingers continued along my arms, my lips parted letting out a sigh.

"I don't think it's an innocent cream application, anymore," his lips were pressed against my hair. I pressed my legs together to repress the clunch in my lower belly. His arms wrapped around my waist sending the places he touched on fire. A looming shadow came out of nowhere and water rained over us. I jumped and yelled. Grant giggled while waving his arms over his head.

"I thought you needed to cool down," Demos glared at him and got on his feet. He chased after him but Grant jumped into the water forcing him to follow him there. I rubbed away the water and retrieved the bottle left discarded in the sand. They laughed and fought as I applied the cream on my lower body. I was still feeling kind of feverish from Demos' touch.

"Come on, Liliane!" called Grant jumping in victory for his success on getting Demos into the water. I closed the cap of the bottle and slowly walked to where the transparent waves kissed at the white sandy beach. My feet sunk into the powdery texture. I hugged myself and listened to the soothing music of the sea as a little breeze played with my hair. This was not the angry roaring I encountered the first time I came to this island. This was another facette of the sea. I wanted to rewrite that memory and replace it with this one. The sound of slashing water made me open my eyes. Demos and Grant both stood before me. Their faces were serious.

"What?"

-We also want to replace that other memory.

They walked to me and took me in their arms. Their wet bodies soaking me. A threeway hug seemed like the most uncomfortable thing to do. However, we clicked like pieces of a puzzle. Seamlessly adjusting with the other. Grant's arms went around my waist and Demos' around his with me in the middle. We held up until the sun reached the horizon. Till I start to shiver from their wet shorts against my bikini bottom. Water dripped from Grant's hair over my n.a.k.e.d shoulder.

"It's a shame you're wearing it and don't get to swim," whispered Demos into my hair. I looked up at him. It ached to gaze in his handsome face with the golden light of sunset into his intense copper eyes. Grant's lips grazed against my face.

"She doesn't know how to swim, remember," he kissed templed and glided near my eyes. I fluttered them shut with my lips parting. I felt a mouth lowered over mine taking me by surprise. My eyes flipped open and the bodies around me shifted, hands lightly touched. A second pair of lips found mine. My mind melting into two different sets of thoughts. Images flashed as we kissed. Emotions I wasn't sure were mine bubbled up. I gasped, feeling weak. I clung to arms and I couldn't tell who's it was.

"Guys," I m.o.a.ned. I tried to figure out how could three pairs of lips kiss...But my mind was blank. I gave up when I heard one of them chuckled. And so as the sun dipped behind the horizon I rewrote the memories on that beach. But my nasty stomach groaned in the middle of it all. Ruining the mood.

"Let's eat," laughed Grant letting go of me. Demos smiled that slow crooked smile that made my heart leap. We settled down and got dinner on a plate. Demos lit the lamp we brought along. The immerse sky turned darker with stripes of purple clouds. Grant gave me a towel to wrap around my shoulder. Somehow, I completely forgot about the bikini and sat and ate my pasta.

"We'll go back when you're done. I don't want to climb up the cliff in total darkness," said Grant as he studied the path by which we came. From the spot we were sitting, we could see the rumbles and the trees above. There were dark shadows under the trees. I quickly finish dinner, Demos took my plate and handed me a bottle of water.

"I can carry you while climbing up. So you don't have to worry," I almost choked on the water. When I put the cap back on, I noticed he was serious. Damn, I couldn't take the feeling from that kiss out of my mind. They both turned towards me at the same time. I averted my eyes with my cheeks flaming. What the hell, Liliane.

"We should ...mm, go," I got on my feet, spotted my T-shirt and grabbed in on my way up. The bikini was still soaked when I pulled it on. The boys got dressed and we packed in silence. They helped me climb and I was happy to do it on my own. With Grant leading the way with the lamp, Demos extended a hand to me which I gladly took.

"Let's watch a movie when we get back?" tossed Grant over his shoulder. "They have an extended library of free movies that you can choose from," he smiled.

"I had the chance of going through some of them," I looked up at Demos. It was strange that we couldn't contact each other. I feel kind of lonely. He gave me a quick peek.

"Why do you think we can't hear you when we are at the lab?"

"The bas.e.m.e.nt must create interference," answered Grant. He had stopped where the trees gave way to the open field. Our complex was now in view. I nodded at him. I really hated leaving Demos alone.

"Can't we do something about it?"

"I don't think I can. Not without Atlas' permission. Without little talk, I don't think he will give me any favors," I was curious about his interview but I was also a little scared. So I kept quiet. That night we sat and watch some random comedy. I had no idea that it was all about since after the first 10 minutes I fell asleep on Demos' lap.

***

The car pulled in our usual spot the next day, it was business as usual. Dr. Laurell didn't visit. Olga was her same grumpy self. Our good doctor came one hour later. He seemed to be relaxed about the job. I guess no one was really monitoring him. I never once heard Atlas tell him anything about his attitude. We worked on the water system all three of us as Dr. Churchhill was busy roaming around being useless. By 10 I stepped out and went to the toilet that was at the end of the corridor on the same floor. It was empty, the gray floor smelled of strong detergent. I went directly to the stall. When I got out there was a woman washing her hands at the sink. She had short blond hair, closely shaved to her skull. Somehow, the hair cut accentuated her beautiful face.

"Hi," she said as she stared at me in the mirror.

"Hi," I nod and went to wash my hand. One side of her lip curled up.

"You're the robot girl, right?" my eyebrows sprung up. She dried her hands then turned to look at me. "I mean you're Dr. Churchhill's, right?" I pushed my glasses up my face. Did she think I was artificial?

"I'm his assistant," I said with caution. She burst out in a throat laugh.

"Right! I wasn't sure. Are you human?" I just blinked. I guessed it has never occurred to me that I looked like an artificial. I mean, I'm plain.

"I'm very human," she shook her head with her smile not fading.

"I meet Olga so I was a little surprised. She was able to make me have doubts about the whole thing," I guess, she's right. With my mates, I sometimes forget I am not human. "I'm Beatrice, by the way. My lab is right next to yours. I'm working on the maintenance drone for your water system," she didn't give me a hand to shake and I was thankful. I didn't want to touch her. She was dressed in very plain black pants with a black sleeveless shirt. Her arms were muscled with a strange square-shaped tattoo on the upper left arm.

"I'm Liliane Kerry,"

"And the guy with wavy hair?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What do you mean?"

"He is too perfect to be human, right?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"He is Dr. Churchhill's prototype," her smile widened. There was a soft knock on my door, which was odd. We both straightened up. Beatrice reached out for her belt, she waved at me to open the door while she stood beside me. Somehow, she made me nervous. I pulled the door and peeked outside. Grant was standing there.

"What's going on?" he looked worried. Beatrice glanced over my shoulder.

"Quick, something happened to Demos," I don't think I heard him right.