Since Celeste had only socks on her feet, Luke decided to carry her the short distance to his car in the back lot. The young woman thought this was amusing but unnecessary. Still, she allowed him to gather her in his arms, and she held onto him as they made their way through the darkness.

Inside the vehicle, Celeste seemed fascinated by the dashboard's glowing lights. Furtively studying her reactions, Luke decided that if her story was a lie, she was one hell of an actress.

"Here, let's get your seatbelt on." Leaning over the passenger seat, he grabbed the belt's buckle and pulled the strap across the front of her body. "This helps keep you safe in case of an accident."

"Are there lots of accidents?" she asked.

"Not many. But they do happen. And out this way, you have to keep an eye out for deer." Only after Luke had fastened his own seatbelt did he remove his mask. Celeste's test had been negative, and she didn't seem at all ill now. If her story was true, Luke doubted she'd been exposed to anyone who was infected. And since he'd contracted the virus only a few months earlier, he hoped the current strain circulating hadn't mutated enough to render his acquired immunity ineffective.

When the car began moving, Celeste clung to her seatbelt, her eyes growing wide. "It's okay," Luke assured her. "Nothing to be afraid of, and my house isn't far from here."

She flashed a grin at him. "I'm not afraid. This is kind of fun, actually!"

He couldn't help but chuckle. As they drove along quiet, two-lane streets, she gazed out the window, keenly interested in her surroundings. 

"It feels like I'm a million miles from my home in the mountains, but we're still pretty close, aren't we?" she asked.

"We are. Less than an hour's drive away." Glancing at her, he added, "You must miss your life there."

"I do," she replied quietly. "I miss my grandma terribly."

An unexpected lump of tears rose in Luke's throat as he allowed himself to think of Helena, and how much her passing still devastated him. Instead of trying to offer comforting platitudes that would do no good, he merely patted Celeste's knee. Before he could withdraw his hand, she covered it with her own. 

His small neighborhood was quiet, windows glowing as people huddled inside their houses. His own house was dark; he hadn't been here in a couple of weeks. Again, he carried Celeste to the front porch, and this time, she didn't laugh. It was as if she was afraid to make a sound that might alert the neighbors to their presence. 

After setting her back on her feet, Luke unlocked the door. Reaching inside, he felt for the switch on the wall. Seconds later, the living room was illuminated. "Come on in," he told the woman. "Make yourself at home."

She looked around the living room with the same interest she'd held while riding in the car. "You have a beautiful house."

The place was actually quite humble, with one level and three bedrooms. Luke and Helena had decided upon moving here that they didn't require anything extravagant. Instead, Helena encouraged Luke to invest the money they saved on housing into his clinic. 

He noticed Celeste gazing at a picture on the wall. It was of Luke and Helena on their wedding day. Though that photo made Luke want to break down and weep every time he saw it, he couldn't bring himself to take it down. That wasn't what Helena would have wanted. She would have wanted him to remember all the happy moments they'd shared. 

"Let me show you around," Luke said softly. He led her to the kitchen and told her to help herself to whatever she liked. "I'm afraid the kitchen isn't well stocked; I'm not here much these days, and of course, the grocery stores are still closed. But there's some shelf-stable food in the cabinets, and I can always whip up some pasta for you." As they made their way down the hall, he pointed out the main bathroom. 

When they reached the guest bedroom, Luke turned on the light. "This is where you'll be sleeping," he said. The bed was still neatly made; Helena had always seen to the details of keeping a tidy house. He knew she wouldn't have been pleased by the fine layer of dust that now covered the furniture. 

"Thank you for letting me stay here," Celeste said, her tone subdued. Could she sense the grief lingering like a pall over this place? 

"I'm happy to have you. Now, let's see if I can find some clean clothes for you to wear." 

Celeste followed him to the master bedroom. Unlike the rest of the house, this room was a wreck. The bed was unmade, the sheets tangled from Luke's thrashing about. The hamper was filled with dirty clothes, and clean clothes had been pulled from the hangers in the closet. Once he had decided to stay at his office, he gathered up only a few outfits and other essential items. Then he'd fled this house as though he was being chased. The clinic had a small private bathroom with shower stall, as well as a washer and dryer. He'd used those in order to avoid coming back here. And now, he was all but living at Vanessa's. 

Luke noticed his hands were trembling as he strode to the dresser and opened a drawer. Helena's clothes were perfectly folded. They would be roomy on Celeste, but the lounge pants with a drawstring at the waist, and the soft T-shirts, would be an improvement over the dress she was now wearing. After handing the clothing to Celeste, he retrieved some socks and a pair of slip-on canvas shoes. He even found a three-pack of new underwear Helena had bought but hadn't gotten around to washing. 

Luke couldn't bear to give Celeste one of Helena's nightgowns. Those articles of clothing were too intimate, and too familiar to him. How many times had he lifted one of those gowns in order to kiss his wife's breasts? How many times had she stripped out of them before she and Luke made love? 

He grabbed one of his own T-shirts; it had the logo of a beach resort he and Helena had visited years ago. "This should do you for a little while," he told Celeste. "I'm sure you'd like a shower. I'll set out a new toothbrush for you in the bathroom."

Once he and Celeste had carried the clothes to the guest room, she grabbed his T-shirt, along with a pair of panties. Though she had to have known the undergarment would be too large, she merely seemed grateful to have it. Luke realized she seemed grateful for everything.

In the bathroom off the hall, he set out some toiletries and a clean towel. "While you're showering, I'll make dinner for us."

Again, Celeste thanked him. He watched as she reached for a hairbrush on the counter. His wife's hairbrush.

Casting a glance at him, Celeste asked, "Is it okay if I use this?"

Luke tried not to stare at the dark blonde strands interwoven between the brush's bristles. "Of course. You're welcome to use anything you need." Hurrying out of the bathroom, he closed the door behind him, but he wasn't yet down the hall when he heard the door open again. 

Looking over his shoulder, he watched as a sliver of light fell onto the hallway floor, growing slightly wider. It was then that he realized Celeste didn't want the door shut. Perhaps she felt safer leaving it partly open. 

In the kitchen, Luke found a box of spaghetti and a jar of marinara sauce in the cabinet. Far from a good cook, even he could manage that meal. As he set about making it, he listened closely for any sound down the hall that indicated Celeste needed help. He discovered he was comforted by her presence here. It made the sense of loss, of Helena's absence, a little more bearable.

A few minutes later, Celeste stepped into the kitchen. Her dark hair fell in damp strands past her shoulders, and she wore Luke's T-shirt and a pair of Helena's lounge pants. 

Smiling, she looked down at herself. "I like this outfit a lot better."

"I'm glad it worked. I know everything's too big for you, but Vanessa might have some clothes that will fit better. I'll ask her next time I'm at the clinic." Nodding toward the table, Luke said, "Let's eat."

He was glad to see the young woman had an appetite, for she relished the meal. Luke had to force himself to finish his own. Over the past several months, eating had become a chore, something he reluctantly worked into his schedule. Yet he enjoyed listening to Celeste talk more about her life in the mountains. She described her daily routine, and how much she loved spending time by the stream. Her grandmother, having been a teacher, owned a decent collection of books and novels, and Celeste explained that she'd read each of them at least twice. 

Luke found her to be bright and articulate; she seemed plenty capable of adapting to this unfamiliar world she'd wandered into. He hoped she would tell him more about Orion, but the conversation remained on more mundane topics.

When they were finished eating, Celeste was quick to gather up the dirty dishes and take them to the sink. Luke joined her, and as they stood side by side, he asked how she was feeling.

"Physically, I feel fine," Celeste said, "but emotionally, well..." She blinked back tears while washing a glass. "It was just three nights ago that I last spoke to my grandmother."

"I understand." He still couldn't bring himself to reveal to her just how well he understood that raw pain.

A little later, after the kitchen was tidy and Luke was ready to turn off the lights on this side of the house, he noticed Celeste lingering close to the hallway, as if awaiting permission to go to bed. Giving her a tender smile, he said, "You ready to turn in?"

Though she nodded, her expression remained uncertain, and she made no move to go to the guest room. When Luke closed the distance between them, she reached for his hand.

"Would you stay with me for a little while?" she asked in a voice just above a whisper.

Luke raised his eyebrows in surprise. "In your room?"

Nodding again, she repeated, "For a little while."

Trying to think of a suitable response, Luke imagined he heard Vanessa's voice in his head, warning that this wasn't appropriate. But something in Celeste's eyes made it impossible for him to deny her request. She was in a strange house, in a strange town. Hell, he was practically a stranger to her. Her entire world had been turned upside down in the span of a few days.

"Uh, yeah," he eventually answered. "Give me just a few minutes, and then I'll be right there, okay?"

In his bedroom, Luke stripped out of his clothes and let them fall to the floor. After changing into a pair of lightweight sweats and a T-shirt, he went to the adjoining bathroom. While brushing his teeth, he tried to avoid looking at his reflection in the mirror. Finally, he washed his face, hoping the cold water would chase away some of his fatigue.

The bedside lamp was on in the guest room. Celeste had curled up on her side, with her back to the doorway. When Luke approached, she looked over her shoulder and smiled up at him. He'd planned to sit in the chair by the window, but Celeste lifted the covers, inviting him into the bed.

He hesitated, knowing now was the time to set some boundaries, and to explain he was her doctor, not her friend. But the woman was in his house, at his insistence. She needed him. 

Without speaking, Luke climbed into bed, careful not to touch Celeste. When she asked him to turn off the light, he reluctantly did so. Already, he felt the situation slipping out of his control. 

In the darkness, he lay on his back, hyperaware of Celeste's nearness. She smelled clean, like the soap Helena kept in the main bathroom. Breathing in, Luke caught the scent of his wife's favorite shampoo. 

He heard Celeste release a heavy sigh. "I shouldn't have left," she whispered, as if making a confession. "I should have stayed in the mountains."

Luke lifted his head, turning to face her. "Why do you think you should have stayed? You needed help."

"Orion would have helped me, if I'd waited." A sob escaped her. "The last time I saw him, he promised he'd be back soon. He said it wasn't always easy to reach me; conditions had to be exactly right. But he wouldn't forget me. Not when he was supposed to take me home."

As she began crying, Luke couldn't resist gathering her in his arms. "Sweetheart," he said gently, "I understand why you believed Orion. After all, your grandmother trusted him, so you had no reason not to. But all those the things he told you... they're not true. Whoever Orion is, he's a man, just as I am. And no human is capable of traveling light years through space."

Celeste fell silent, and Luke felt her muscles growing rigid. "He isn't like you, Luke. And he knows things you don't. He warned me..." Her voice trailed off.

Luke drew her closer. She'd begun trembling in his embrace. "What did he warn you about? You can tell me."

"He told me that if I took the seed of a human man inside me, my body would require time to... recalibrate itself. I would slip into a dormant state to enable cell modification."

As Celeste went on, a wave of nausea sloshed around in Luke's stomach. With each word the woman spoke, more of his suspicions were confirmed.

"So you see?" Her tone was full of pleading. "Orion knew I'd fall unconscious after Liam and I..."

"After you had sex with Liam," Luke finished. Orion had put the ridiculous idea into Celeste's head that she would suffer harm if she had intercourse with another man. The mind was incredibly susceptible to suggestion, especially the mind of a naïve young woman who could rely only on the word of her delusional grandmother and a conniving man with ulterior motives. Maybe she felt stricken by remorse after sleeping with Liam, and so she'd entered the "dormant state" Orion had described in order to escape the guilt of her perceived betrayal.

Carefully, so carefully, Luke chose his next words. "Is it possible Orion told you that to discourage you from being intimate with another man?"

"Of course not!" While still in Luke's arms, Celeste turned so they were face to face. "He simply wanted me to be prepared in case I met someone in the mountains. Sometimes, if I ventured too far from the hollow, I'd spot a hunter in the woods, or someone fishing way downstream. I was always careful to stay out of sight and avoid them. But Orion knew there was a possibility I'd meet someone before he was ready to take me to my real home. He said I should be very selective in my choice of whom to be intimate with, because that man would become a part of me."

"And were you intimate with Orion?" Luke whispered.

Instead of answering, Celeste pressed her face against his chest. He closed his eyes and stroked her hair, all the while trying to calm his fury that she'd been manipulated in such a cruel way. "I promise he can't hurt you now."

She wriggled in Luke's grasp, clearly wanting distance between them. "He never hurt me! Grandma and I wouldn't have survived without him, not after we were left all alone there. Orion loves me, and I love him! We're meant to be together; Grandma says it's my destiny. And now, when he comes back, he'll find me gone, and..." She started weeping again.

"Shh, it's okay." Luke rubbed her back, trying to soothe her pain. "If he can travel through space, I'm sure he can find you less than an hour from your house, don't you?"

Those words seemed to calm her, and once her sobs subsided into the occasional sniffle, she nestled close to Luke again.

He was almost certain that her bloodwork would come back normal; her unconscious state had been psychosomatic, just as he'd expected, though for a far different reason. It wasn't a primary care physician like him that she needed, but a therapist. Unfortunately, with the ongoing pandemic, he wasn't sure how long it would take for Celeste to receive proper treatment.

"Once you get my test results back," Celeste whispered, "I need to go home. I need to wait for him."

That was the last thing she should do. But Celeste was an adult, and Luke couldn't forbid her from returning to the mountains. Instead, he tried another tactic. "And what about Liam? Don't you care for him? Because I can tell he already cares deeply for you."

"Of course I do," she responded without hesitation. "And even after I leave with Orion, Liam will be a part of me. That's why I chose to make love with him last night. And also because I knew he was terribly lonely, just as I was."

Luke wanted to explain to her that semen wasn't some kind of magical substance, conveying the very essence of a man once she took it inside her. But he was too damn tired. Too tired to speak, too tired to even move.

And so he fell asleep, still holding Celeste close.

*****

When Luke woke just before dawn, it took him several moments to realize exactly where he was, and who was sleeping beside him. Awareness came slowly and then like a startling burst, prompting him to quickly disentangle his limbs from Celeste's. She released a faint moan but didn't fully wake.

It was nothing, Luke told himself while heading toward his bedroom. It was merely an accident that he'd surrendered to exhaustion before finding the energy to leave her. Tonight, he'd be more careful. 

Once he'd shaved and gotten dressed, his guilt over being unprofessional had mostly subsided. For his outfit, he'd chosen business casual, which was what he wore to the clinic each day. Though it would have been more comfortable to opt for jeans and a T-shirt, he felt the need to reestablish appropriate boundaries.  

Upon finding Celeste in the kitchen, he realized she had no such qualms. Her hair was still tousled, and while she had on the T-shirt he'd given her last night, her legs were bare. Luke wouldn't let his gaze linger on her small breasts, their nipples hard under the shirt's fabric.

He tried to make a joke of her scanty clothing. "Did you decide you didn't like those pants, after all?"

She sat at the table, a glass of water before her. "Sorry, I felt hot when I woke up."

His smile instantly vanished as he approached the young woman. She allowed him to press a hand to her forehead. "You don't feel feverish, but I should check your temperature just in case."

"I'm okay. I just got too warm under the covers." After taking another sip of water, she looked up at Luke. "I didn't even hear you leave my room this morning."

He didn't care to be reminded of where he'd spent the previous night. "Are you hungry? There's cereal, only slightly stale, I'm hoping. And I have some shelf-stable almond milk."

Slowly, deliberately, Celeste put her glass on the table and then stood. Luke stepped back to give her space, but she quickly drew nearer. Searching her face, he realized she was... different. Less sweet and more cunning. 

"You look like you're still tired," she murmured. Lifting a hand, she caressed his cheek. "In fact, you look exhausted, Luke."

Not Dr. Luke now, he noticed. 

"I'm fine," he told her, forcing another smile. "And you seem to be well rested."

Her fingers traveled along the side of his neck, and then to his throat. They lingered over each button of his shirt. "We could go back to bed, if you want." 

Despite Luke's apprehension, the sight of Celeste's tongue sliding over her lower lip sent a current of arousal through him. Immediately, he was ashamed of that physical response. 

He was gentle while grasping her wrist in a desperate attempt to keep her hand from venturing even farther downward. "I think you should eat breakfast." 

"I'm not hungry." When Celeste started to pull away, Luke readily released his hold on her. But instead of retreating, she wrapped her arms around him. Her body was pressed hard against his. She had to stand on tiptoes to bury her face in his neck. "Take me back to bed. Please," she whispered.

Luke closed his eyes, trying to summon the strength to resist. Never had he considered crossing this line with a patient, and he felt a rush of anger that Celeste was pushing him over it now. Self-loathing only served to heighten his fury. Why couldn't he refuse her?

Celeste began grinding against him, her hips moving in an obscene display of lust. A guttural noise escaped his throat as his cock stiffened. It was only when she reached between them to explore the outline of his erection through his pants that Luke grabbed her by the shoulders. She stared up at him, wide-eyed with shock, but that didn't stop him from giving her a firm shake. 

"I want to know who you are!" he said. "No more lies! You're not some innocent woman who just stumbled out of the mountains. Why did you come here?" Already, his anger had gotten the best of him. He felt such a fool for having believed this stranger.

Celeste drew in a sharp breath, looking as if he'd wounded her. "I've told you the truth!"

"Bullshit!" he retorted. "There was never a community on the other side of that ridge, was there? You must take us for a bunch of idiots!"

Her face crumpled under the weight of unshed tears, but she managed to regain control before any fell. It was Luke's turn to gasp when she slammed the side of her fist against his chest. 

"You're the one who's lying!" she shouted. "I thought you were trying to help me, but Orion warned me about people like you. I should have listened! I never should have trusted you!"

Wrenching free of him, she turned and started down the hall. He was immediately on her heels. "Where are you going?"

"Back home, where I belong! Just let me put on a pair of goddamn shoes, okay?"

Luke followed her into the guest room. "Wait. Celeste, I'm sorry—"

"No!" she roared. "How dare you call me a liar, when you're the one who kept pushing me to talk!" Tears now spilled down her cheeks, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she slipped her right foot into a canvas shoe. 

"I'm sorry for what I said." Luke was stricken with shame; how could he have behaved like that? He still didn't fully understand what had compelled him to do so. 

Celeste didn't seem to hear his apology. Shaking her head, she moaned to herself, "Why did I leave? I could have stayed in one of the empty houses and waited for him. What if he's already come back and left again? What if I've missed my chance?"

Her distress bordered on grief, and it made Luke's chest ache to witness it. Holding up his hands, he slowly approached, but Celeste jumped to her feet.

"Sweetheart," Luke said when she tried to dart past him, "you need to stay here."

"Get out of my way," she growled, her eyes flashing. 

"Let me help you—"

"You're not helping me. You're hurting me!" Celeste tried to push him away, but he stood firm. When she again pummeled his chest, he withstood the blows. It took several minutes for her to exhaust all that rage. Finally, her shoulders slumped, and she let out a pitiful wail. "I don't belong here! I belong with Orion."

She allowed Luke to take her in his arms. Rocking her back and forth, he whispered soothing words, along with more apologies. 

"Please let me go," she whimpered, though she made no effort to leave his embrace.

"I can't," he whispered. "Not until I'm sure you'll be okay."

She finally lifted her head to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry I made you angry before. I know I must have looked ridiculous, but I was only trying to show that I want you; I want you to be a part of me, always."

"Ah, Celeste," he sighed, wiping a tear from her cheek. 

"I want to take a part of you with me, when I leave with Orion." Her voice grew more insistent. 

Luke started to explain that he could only remain in her memories, but before he managed to utter a word, Celeste wove her fingers through his hair, guiding him downward.

Her lips, wet with tears, met his, and he moaned into that first kiss. It was wrong, he knew. Perhaps unforgivably so. Again, he thought of Vanessa and her warning. Had she sensed even then that Luke was out of his depth? 

As if to banish his doubt, Celeste kissed him harder. Her tongue greedily explored his mouth, and he welcomed the intimate intrusion. When he finally broke the kiss, they were both breathing fast. 

"We should stop." Though Luke tried to sound firm, his words held no conviction. "You're my patient..."

In reply, Celeste again rested her hand on his head, and again, she guided him lower, but he understood he wasn't to stop at her mouth. It took only a glimpse of the blatant lust in her eyes to make him yield. 

Luke sank to his knees in front of her. Tenderly, he removed the shoe from her foot, knowing she wouldn't be needing it any time soon. His hands glided along her bare legs, moving upward until they slipped beneath the T-shirt. 

Without hesitation, she drew the shirt upward, revealing that she was naked beneath. Yesterday, his gaze upon her nude body was clinical as he searched for signs of illness or injury. But now, he had no professional detachment to hide behind. No mask would conceal his desire. 

Leaning forward, he nuzzled her labia. Her pubic hair was coarse against his nose and lips as he inhaled her heady scent. Celeste slipped a hand between her thighs, spreading herself wide to reveal her glistening inner folds. 

Luke felt the pull of her need, just as he felt the pressure of her other hand on his head. She drew him forward until he extended his tongue, eager for the first taste of her. It lingered in his mouth, growing stronger when he suckled at her inner lips. 

She draped a leg over his shoulder, the heel of her foot resting against his back. Directly behind her was the bedside. Her cries spurred Luke on; with a delight he made no effort to hide, he teased her clit. That pearl swelled even more against his tongue, and he quickly discovered just how much direct stimulation Celeste enjoyed. Languidly, he stroked himself through his pants, granting himself that idle pleasure while his attention remained focused on her. 

Celeste soon grew so excited that she was grinding against his face, covering his skin in her juices. With each lash of his tongue, he worked her into more of a frenzy. 

"I'm... I'm almost there!" she panted. 

Luke prayed this would be enough to satisfy her, for his own resolve had crumbled like a dilapidated building collapsing in on itself. There was no hope of rebuilding it, not while his body pulsed with the singular need to be inside this woman. 

She came against his mouth, and beneath his tongue, moments later. As her entire body quaked, her fingers tightened in his hair. He craved that pain, just as he sometimes longed for the sting of scratches on his back. 

Finally, Celeste slumped forward, as though unable to support her own weight. Her arms again slipped around Luke, and she held onto him while breathing fast. He couldn't resist giving her swollen folds another tongue-filled kiss. 

She began tugging at his shirt, urging him upward. When he climbed to his feet, their eyes locked, and it was then that he knew this wouldn't be enough.

Not for either of them.