The Moongate Wish: Chapter Ten-A Pic-a-nic

Erika and Glen are off to have a picnic on a island near Bermuda all by themselves. This chapter is almost entirely fluff. Although, it does include the important line, “Hi, sexy.” Anyway, Glen rented a boat and some snorkeling gear. Then he took Erika out to a random island for a picnic. On the boat, they were talking about how they wanted each other, so they make out for a bit once they beach the boat. Then it's time for snorkeling.

They spend a paragraph looking at the pretty fish in the tropical sea. Erika is quite enthused about them. Soon after Erika's mask and flippers come off, so does her bikini top. They're engaging in some hanky-panky (what a great word) when Erika says she's so glad it's just the two of them away from everyone else and that she wants it to go on forever. Nope. No commitments here. Move along. Glen decides it's time for lunch.

Glen watches Erika get lunch all spread out. She's a strong, independent woman, so of course she's setting up the meal by herself. Sorry I couldn't resist. Anyway, while Glen is watching Erika, he thinks about how he wants to tell her he loves her. Then he clamps down on that thought. True, every time he's thought about his future it's included Erika, but that's no reason to think he should commit. Le sigh.

They nibble at lunch and pack most of it away again. Then, after an awkward silence, Glen starts talking about his father. I like to imagine this next sequence in sepia with that too-happy old time-y piano music. Glen's grandpappy barely had the money to send his son to music college, blah blah blah. Anyway, after some hard work and luck, Glen's dad makes it big. One day, he's walking down the road when he hears someone playing one of his songs on the piano. He pokes his head in the window and it's a pretty lady playing. Well, instead of going to dinner, Glen's dad stayed with that lady for the evening. They got married three or four months later. By the way, that lady was totes Glen's momma. Anyway, a whirlwind romance didn't really have staying power and they fought a lot. Also Glen's dad couldn't write good music anymore. Glen's dad killed himself when Glen was nine and his mom struggled to support them. She died by the time he was sixteen, so he had to work his own way up in the musical world.

Erika realizes that Glen's story is a warning to both of them not to get too involved. Because of Erika's parents' marriage fail, she's already wary about that, but still... Glen breaks their contemplative silence by sprinkling sand over Erika's foot. The sand is pink-gold, by the way. I wonder if it really is pink in Bermuda. Anyway, Glen says again that he wants Erika and she says, “Yes. Yes, yes.” She was not only agreeing that they could have sex, but she was agreeing to their relationship on his terms. That doesn't sound like a good relationship to me, if it's entirely what one of the people wants.

So, they have sex on the beach again (although on a different beach) and it's fantastically amazing. Erika fights the urge to cling to Glen and tell him how much she loves him. The chapter ends with her wanting to cry for joy at how awesome the sex was and for how sad she'll be when he leaves her and Bermuda in a couple of weeks.

So, at least in this book and No Love In Return, the women know what's up and the men are deluding themselves about their relationship. I doubt this exists, but I wonder if there's a romance novel where the dude realizes they're in love and the lady doesn't. I dunno. I have the feeling that the only romance novel where a guy knows they're in love would be one that's between two guys. Anyway, for the next chapter, I predict more sex, perhaps not on a beach, and some more tension-filled silences. Also, a fruity drink with an umbrella. There haven't been enough of those in this book.

The Moongate Wish: Chapter Nine-The Talk

A family staying at the Moongate has a delayed flight, so Erika has to be at work longer so she can be there to greet them. She shows them to meany-poo Walter's suite and says food service will send up dinner in a bit. Anyway, around midnight, Erika finally makes it over to the villa of love.

Glen offers Erika a drink, but she declines it. He pours himself a whiskey. Then they start talking: “Girl, what's the matter with you? Why are you all mad at me?” Erika's response is basically, “You know what you did.” No, Erika, he doesn't. That's why he's asking. Anyway, Erika finally reveals what she heard Glen say to Felix and Joni about them. Glen explains that he didn't want Erika's face all over every newspaper. Yeah, the other girls got that treatment, but they wanted it. Also, since Glen is breaking tradition by having a fling while he's writing, the media would make even more of it.

So, Glen was just trying to protect Erika all along. Like I thought. Erika thought that Glen was ashamed of her and that's why he didn't want Felix and Joni knowing. She sees herself as plain and whatnot. Glen assures her that he totally wants her, otherwise he'd just ditch her. Even if he could count on Felix to keep this affair hush-hush, Joni knows too many gossip scouts for her silence to be certain. Erika asks how she can be sure Glen isn't lying to her now. He tells her to look inside her heart. Trust your feelings, Erika. Glen asks for forgiveness and Erika gives it. She asks where their relationship is going, and Glen basically tells her not to worry about that.

Man, they just keep talking. Erika brings up how Glen's blocked on this show and wonders if she should leave him. Glen replies that it's worse without her. Remember when he went to New York and he told you it was worse than ever there? Remember, Erika, you were there when he told you? Anyway, Erika realizes that they're totally gonna have sex again, but she's not happy about it. Apparently being together brings them closer to the time they'll have to part than not being together. Whatever.

Anyway, Glen realizes that he just needs to have Erika near him. The sex can wait until she's ready. Aw. True love. They cuddle a bit and Erika almost tells Glen she loves him. They cuddle some more, until Glen suggests they go upstairs. There's an upstairs to the villa of love? I've been picturing it wrong this whole time. Anyway, they get on the bed and have some more foreplay. Glen is about to promise Erika something, when she stops him and says, “Promises tie knots that shouldn't be tied.” Wow. She wants commitment, but she's not going to let him say something he doesn't mean. This is fiction.

Anyway, Glen reflects on how he should be glad that Erika has enough sense for both of them. Erika reflects on how she totally wants a commitment. She wants to hear Glen say, “I love you,” but it wouldn't mean what she wanted it to. She wants it to mean, “I'll love you forever,” but she knows it'll mean, “I love you now.” According to Erika, that's not real love. (Most girls want a man with the bling bling. I got my own thing, got the ching ching. I just want real love.) Anyway, Erika's willing to sacrifice her dreams for the future for what she's getting now. I mean, kind of. It's not like she's getting another offer with the future guaranteed.

Oh, by the way, Erika has a mole under her left armpit. Apparently, Glen never found it. Glen called her perfect, so she had to retaliate. She lists off her flaws, Glen licks her chin and asks how she tastes so yummy with such ingredients. Erika replies that she's the flavor of the month, then regrets it. Glen realizes that Erika wants a stable future with him, but that would make him just like his father and therefore a failure, so he can't do it! Glen sees it as a “pleasing, cosy, stifling concept.” Interesting. I hope we actually get the backstory here and not just hints of it forever, but it'll probably be anti-climactic like the story behind his scar.

Erika realizes she's spoiled their mood, so she's got to make it better. So, sexy time! In the after glow, Glen says he can never remember quite how awesome it is. Erika stops herself from saying, “I love you,” for the second time. You see, I think the way she thinks Glen is feeling is that he wants her, he needs her, but there ain't no way he's ever gonna love her. She's trying not to be sad because two out of three ain't bad.

Then they go skinny dipping. The villa of love has a private beach, you see. They play in the water, and then have sex on the beach. Not the drink, there's not a bartender in sight. The chapter closes with them intertwined on the sand.

Hm. Not all of their issues are resolved, but I suppose that won't happen until the end of chapter fourteen, the last chapter. So, in the next chapter, I think we'll hear something about the Moongate wish again, but Erika still won't make one, Glen will charm her pants off again, and the new guests will have some drama. Also, a shark will start attacking swimmers, but the mayor will refuse to close the beach because it's the peak of tourist season. Then Glen will have to join with a sea captain and some other guy and go out to shoot the shark.