Free The Paler Shade of Autumn by Jacquie Underdown Page A

problem. I’m only happy to help,” says Jet.
    Before heading back to her room with Jet, she urges David to hurry, as much as he is capable, to shower and ready himself for the train-ride back to Patna, which is leaving in the next hour.
    Jet offers to accompany them both to the station, but Autumn feels it is best if they say their goodbyes in the privacy of the orphanage. Back in the room, that constrictive feeling in her throat returns, her body feels weighted. How is it that this man creates such emotions in her after only knowing him for one day and night?
    “How about you give me your phone-number so I can contact you, just to make sure you get home ok. No strings attached?” he asks, eyes pleading.
    She shakes her head. “There’s no point, Jet. You live twenty-nine hours away.”
    He harrumphs angrily. “Fuck!” He places his hands on her shoulders. “I can’t have met you, share the most incredible night together, have the feelings I have for you and never see you again. Don’t you want to see how this will develop between us? Don’t you think we deserve that?
    She shakes her head sombrely, a slight gloss to her eyes. “You’ll soon forget about me once I’m gone.”
    His eyes portray complete bemusement. “I won’t forget you. You’re not just some holiday fling, some one-night-stand. You’re worth more than that and you certainly know you mean more to me than that.”
    She sighs and kisses him on his full, supple lips. “Thank you. For everything. I truly mean that.” She kisses him again. “But I better get going.”
    A subtle anguish transforms Jet’s features. He steps closer and kisses her hard on the mouth, his force, urgency, taking Autumn by surprise. He pushes his hand into hers and steps her back to the door, pinning her with his body, all the while kissing her lips, biting her neck.
    She directly assimilates all of his emotions, can see all of his images with total clarity—desire, lust, need and a threat-of-loss, so heavy in his heart. He pulls her shirt and bra off with barely a pause, breaking her contact with his mind. But it was enough time, their hands together, to communicate exactly how Jet feels about Autumn in this moment, about her as she is about to walk out of his life forever, after only the briefest of encounters.
    Jet believes the universe is seeking justice, Karma is having Her day for his past mistakes, for having sown destructive seeds with faceless, nameless women for whom he cared little, and now the seeds have germinated and sprouted, leaving him to suffer the consequences with a woman he cares more about in a single day than any other in his life.
    He fumbles with her shorts for only a second and reefs them from her hips, along with her knickers, then his own. Into his arms he lifts her, and she wraps her legs tight around his waist as he plunges into her, her back up against the wall. It doesn’t take long this time, only pure, ardent, physical gratification within the brief minutes they have left, until she slumps against him, both completely spent.
    Autumn dresses, kisses Jet on the cheek one last time and walks out the door. He doesn’t follow, only watches as she gives a final smile and closes the door. She collects David from his room and they catch a rickshaw to the Gaya train station.
    Seated on the train, heading back to Patna, David asks, “What’s the matter? You seem down.”
    “I’m just sad that it’s our last day. I’m going to miss India.”
    David places his hand on her shoulder. “India or Jet?”
    A solitary tear rolls down her cheek. “Both.”
    Blog – Australian Traveller
    Bodh Gaya, a dusty landscape brimming with beautiful fields, relatively quiet compared to the other cities of India, yet crammed with that which counts more than people—hope. Bodh Gaya is a place of hope and hope is all anyone needs to get out of bed in the morning and get through another day in a workaday world. Hope there is a tomorrow, a bigger