In the beat of my ocean song.
Danica bit her lip, reciting the words over again to herself. A shadow fell over the page and she quickly slapped the journal closed. She looked up into Aaron’s tanned face, and her heart fluttered at the sight of him. Oh, the things he did to her insides.
“I didn’t know you were a writer.” His eyes held pleased surprise. “I’m not, really.” She shrugged. “I mean, I like to write, but I don’t know that I’m any good at it.”
“Would you let me be the judge of that?” Aaron tipped his head inquisitively and looked pointedly at her journal.
Danica’s stomach clenched. “Oh, I don’t know . . . I don’t usually let people read my writing.”
His eyes held disappointment, but his smile was gentle. He softly stroked his thumb over her shoulder. “I understand. Writing is very personal. Pictures are, too, you know. Each picture I take seems to have a little piece of myself in it. Knowing how many people end up looking at them is like exposing a little piece of myself to the world each time.”
He held her gaze, and she realized he’d just revealed a part of his soul to her. Something in his eyes reassured her that she could do the same, and that he would guard it carefully. Gathering a deep breath of courage, she gripped her journal with both hands, slowly stood up, and handed it to him.
Aaron took it carefully from her hands and flipped to the last page on which she’d been writing. She watched his eyes scan left to right as he took in her most recently written words. When he looked up from the page, his dimples reappeared.
“I knew it would be good, but it’s even better than I expected.”
Danica released a breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding. “You really like it?”
“I take pictures with a camera for a living. You create pictures with words. It’s a talent I don’t possess, but one I very much admire.” He held the journal to his chest. “Is there any way you’d let me have a copy of this?”
He really liked it. A rush of pleasure flooded through her at his request. “I guess that would be okay.” She took the journal from him, flipped to an empty page, and copied the poem in her best handwriting. Hesitating for a moment, she scrawled a quick note at the bottom of the page and signed her name before ripping the page out and handing it to Aaron.
He skimmed his eyes down to the bottom where she’d signed her name, and smiled as he read out loud, “‘To Aaron, thanks for all the adventures. I’ll remember them always as part of my ocean song.’”
Danica’s face heated, and she covered her cheeks with her palms. “Oh, that sounds so lame when you read it out loud.”
Aaron gently tugged her hands away from her face. “Not lame at all. It’s perfect. Just perfect.”
His face hovered close to hers, and for a breath of a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. Would he? Did she want him to? Oh, who was she kidding? Yes, she wanted him to.
Heart pounding, her eyes darted between his lips and his eyes, and she swore she could see a battle waging in his chocolate irises. His soft sigh fanned her face as he took a reluctant step back, and her heart sank. Clearly he wasn’t as interested as she was. Her chest thudded, still anticipating a kiss that wouldn’t come, and she looked down, breaking their eye contact.
Ever so gently, Aaron lifted her chin so she was forced to look at him again. “I’d like to take you on that second date. Are you free on Friday?”
Confusion swirled, making her dizzy. He didn’t want to kiss her but he wanted to go on another date? She wracked her brain for an intelligible answer. “Um, no, actually. I’ve signed up to go on the catamaran cruise Friday.”
His eyes lit with pleasure. “So have I! I was already looking forward to it, but now I have a whole new reason to be excited.”
His sincerity was genuine, and Danica chastised herself for thinking he wasn’t interested in her. He’d told her he was a gentleman, and he had certainly proven that to be true. He’d also told her at some point he would probably try to kiss her. Right now wasn’t that moment. After all, they’d only spent a few days together. Granted, they’d gotten to know a lot about each other in those few days, but it was probably still too soon to be thinking about kissing.
It was probably way too soon to have the feelings she was developing too, but she couldn’t seem to convince her traitorous heart.
“You know, the cruise is only a few hours. We’ll still have most of the day available.” Aaron pulled her out of her thoughts. “Unless you have other plans besides the cruise?”
Still distracted by his dimples—had she ever found dimples on a man so charming before?—she blinked. “Sorry, what?”
His chuckle was deep. “What’s got you so side-tracked?”
Her cheeks flamed. “My mind just wandered for a moment. Sorry.”
A fire lit in his eyes, and his knowing smile seemed to hint he knew exactly what she’d been thinking. He leaned closer until she could feel his breath on her lips. “I want to kiss you, Danica. More than you probably know. But I’m not going to. Not yet.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “The best things in life are worth waiting for, don’t you think?”
A tingle traveled all the way down to her toes. “I do,” she whispered, nearly breathless.
“Good.” He eased back an inch. “Now, how about dinner after the cruise?”
Danica nodded mutely. Her ear still tingled where his fingers had brushed it a few seconds ago.
“Good. Then it’s a date.” He smiled and took another step back. “I don’t want to hog your whole vacation, so I’m going to go. I’ve got a couple places to visit with my camera, but I saw you and couldn’t resist saying hi.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“I’ll see you day after tomorrow on the catamaran.” He winked, threw her a disarming grin, and sauntered off.
Danica watched him walk away, and then fanned herself with her journal. As much as she was looking forward to tomorrow’s excursion—horseback riding in the mountains, followed by a shopping trip in town—she found herself wishing tomorrow would hurry up and be over.
CHAPTER 4
Danica tried to inconspicuously rub her sore backside as her horse worked hard to climb without stumbling on rocks that littered the trail. She’d ridden before, but today’s ride was taking saddle-sore to a whole new level. As her horse found level ground again, she let her gaze sweep around her and then inhaled sharply as another formerly-unknown missing piece clicked into place inside of her. From her mountain top position, she had a three-hundred-sixty-degree view. High above the tall trees floated fluffy white clouds in a brilliant blue sky, and down below the edge of the cliff where her horse had stopped, palm trees lined the glittering aqua ocean which stretched out before her as far as her eye could see.
Unconsciously stroking her horse’s neck, she was all at once overcome with the sensation of how her smallness compared to her surroundings. And yet, as small and insignificant as she was in the grand scheme of this great big world, God still held her esteemed and knew even the number of hairs on her head. It was a humbling and empowering thought, and she whispered a prayer of thanks for the opportunity to see this piece of His creation and to feel deep in her heart how much she was loved.
Pulled out of her thoughts by the call of her name, she reluctantly pulled her gaze from the majestic view and tugged the reigns to coax her horse into joining the rest of her tour group. Never before would she have had the courage to not only take a vacation by herself, but to experience some of the things she already had on this trip. While at first she’d felt way out of her comfort zone, she now realized she was finally finding a part of herself that she never knew existed. The realization left her with a heady sense of liberation and satisfaction.
Wouldn’t Rob be surprised to see her now? She shook her head and gently kicked her heels into the horse’s flanks to get him to speed up a bit. Rob’s biggest complaint was she was always too reluctant to try anything new. She’d arg
ued she simply found comfort in routine and there was nothing wrong with that. But a restless energy had begun to fester after Rob called off their engagement, forcing her to take a good hard look at her life.
Sure, there was security in routine—but where had routine gotten her? Her fiancé had retracted his proposal after deciding he wanted someone less boring, she lived alone and had no social life of which to speak, and she knew exactly what each day would be like—the same as the one before it.
She’d become overwhelmed with the urge to do something out of character—to escape the security of her safe little world. Thus . . . Jamaica. And so far, it seemed like the best decision she’d ever made for herself.
What would happen when she returned home from this trip? Would she revert to her old self, afraid to take chances, resigned to follow the same routine day after day and only dream of the places she wanted to see and the things she wanted to do, but never have the courage to go after what she wanted? Or would she forever set aside the restless yet safe little world she’d created for herself back home?
No, she wouldn’t revert. She’d been permanently changed and she’d never again be content to spend the rest of her days in the same town, doing the same job, seeing the same people. While she still didn’t find complete fault with the security of a routine, she now realized the need to shake things up every now and then. She smiled to herself, amused at her own transformation. Something within her was changing and she readily embraced the metamorphosis.
Perhaps this new sense of self was what attracted her to Aaron. He brought out her adventurous side—a side she never knew existed until she came here—and she felt free to be this new and improved version of herself with him. Meeting him was definitely a happy bonus—one she hadn’t been expecting, but one for which she was extremely grateful. Even if she never saw him again, she credited him with helping her with her transformation, and she’d never forget him for that.
Danica flipped her reins to keep up with the rest of her group as they began to descend the mountain, and she cringed as she bounced lightly in her saddle. She’d be sore for a while, but she still wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world. As much as she enjoyed her adventures with Aaron, she was glad she had today for herself to reflect and let her thoughts flow freely without the distraction of his chocolate eyes and endearing dimples.
A slow heat filled her face at the thought of him, and she let out a self-deprecating laugh. Yes, she was thankful for today, but she’d be a straight-out liar if she said she wasn’t looking forward to spending the day with him tomorrow . . . and the day after that.
Boy, was she in deep. Aaron placed his hand on the small of Danica’s back and guided her toward the exit ramp, admiring how his hand fit in that spot as if it were made for him.
“ That was crazy!” Danica exclaimed, laughing, as Aaron grasped her hand to descend the ramp off the catamaran. “These Jamaicans are wild!”
Aaron helped her off the ramp and into the sand. “They know how to have fun and forget their worries, that’s for sure.”
“They’re always smiling, always laughing, like they don’t have a care in the world. It’s amazing to me.” Danica rambled on about the boat crew teaching everyone the Dollar Dance and joking around with everyone on board as if they were old friends. “Then again, if I lived here I’d probably be the same way.”
Aaron gaped at her in mock surprise. “You mean you’re not always this happy and carefree?”
Danica playfully swatted at his arm. “You know what I mean. Life can get…well, difficult and frustrating, and it’s hard not to worry or stress sometimes.”
“Sure, I get that.” Aaron steered them toward the resort. “But I think the people here may be on to something. Nothing changes by us worrying or stressing over it—it only affects how we feel.”
“True enough.” Danica kept in step beside him and he made a mental note talk to her more about on the subject of worry later.
“So, dinner?” Aaron asked as they approached the resort.
“Yeah, but give me time to shower and change first.” A yawn stretched her mouth wide. “And maybe a short nap.”
Aaron elbowed her teasingly. “All right, Sleeping Beauty, wanna meet up around 6:30?”
“Sounds good.” She wiggled her fingers in a flirty wave. “See you then.”
Aaron watched her disappear onto the elevator and then made his way toward his room in the opposite tower. Truth be told, he could use a nap, too, but even though his body craved rest, he suspected his racing mind wouldn’t allow it. He hadn’t told Danica yet he was leaving in two days. He’d have to tell her over dinner tonight that they’d have one more day together, enough time for him to take her on their third official date, and then the next day he’d have to get on a plane and leave her behind.
Already the thought made him sick to his stomach.
As he unlocked the door to his room and slipped inside, he mentally ran through how he would tell her. Would she be disappointed? Would she want to keep in touch after he left? He already knew he wanted to stay in touch with her. He felt a connection with her that he couldn’t leave behind on this island without a serious dose of regret and what-ifs. He didn’t doubt she had feelings for him. Whether she knew this about herself or not, her face was an open book and he had little trouble reading her. He liked that about her. It went well with her straight-forward nature and left little to the imagination. He believed he could trust her, and he very much liked that, too.
The real question would be if she wanted to continue this relationship after they parted ways. Did they even have a relationship, or was this some vacation fling? He ran his fingers through his hair and flopped onto his bed. This wasn’t a fling for him—his feelings were real, and he wanted to see where things could go for the two of them. It would be difficult, trying a long-distance relationship, but he was willing to try if she was.
His mouth pulled into a slow smile. He couldn’t wait to see her reaction tomorrow when he took her zip lining. He suspected she’d never been before, but wouldn’t she love the adrenaline rush she’d experience as she flew over the trees? He loved watching her face flush with pleasure, her eyes light with excitement, as he introduced her to new and thrilling things. In a way, it was like experiencing them all again for the first time. He’d grown accustomed to the unique experiences that came hand in hand with his profession, but Danica brought a new light to things he’d done a dozen times before, and he again experienced the thrill of a simple boat ride or the surge of waves slapping against his legs as he walked the beach.
His thoughts wandered lazily over the last few days, recalling little details that stuck out in his mind, reliving his favorite moments with the girl who had managed to capture his attention so effortlessly. He always had a difficult time leaving Jamaica—it was one of his favorite places in the world—but this time it would be markedly harder. He didn’t want to go, but it couldn’t be helped. His plane ticket was already booked and he was due to present the pictures from this trip to his editor in a week. He’d need the in-between time to edit the photos and select the best ones for submission.
“Ugh!” He smacked his hand to his forehead. “I haven’t gotten any pictures of Danica yet!” He made a mental note to do that tonight after dinner.
Speaking of dinner, he realized time was slipping away and he needed a shower before meeting back up with Danica. Aaron jumped off the bed, gathered a pair of khakis and a white button up shirt, and quickly made it through his shower. Making sure to grab his camera and portable tripod, he dashed to the elevator. Ten minutes later he was seated comfortably on a plush sofa in the resort lobby when he saw Danica step off the elevator. He nearly let his jaw drop open as he took in her appearance. Her hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders and down her back, and he caught a hint of auburn highlights as she walked under the chandelier. Her gauzy white dress, with its tiny straps clinging to her shoulders and fitted waist, floated softly down to hover
over her sandal-clad feet. Not only did her look appeal to him as a man, but it caught his photographer’s eye as well.
He could have sat gazing at her all night, but she caught his eye, smiled, and headed toward him. Aaron rose and greeted her with a chaste kiss on the cheek. She even smelled amazing—like lilacs. His favorite.
“You look beautiful, as always.” The blush he loved stole across her cheeks as she thanked him. He offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
Danica slipped her fingers around his arm and smiled up at him. Lord help him, his heart actually fluttered. How was he going to tell this woman goodbye?
Conversation came easily through their dinner of shrimp, vegetables, and decadent desserts that Aaron was certain would never be found in America. Finally Danica pushed her plate away, laughing.
“It tastes so good it’s hard to stop, but I think if I eat one more bite I may burst.”
Aaron checked his watch. “How would you like to walk some of it off, then? I was hoping to get some pictures of you tonight, like you asked. I could get some shots with the sunset.”
“Oh, yes, that would be great!” Danica scooted her chair back. Again he offered her his arm, and again she took it with a giggle. “What’s so funny?”
“It’s not so much funny as it is sweet.” Danica squeezed his arm. “You’re the only man who has ever offered his arm to me as we walked. It’s such an old school thing to do, but I love it.” She graced him with a sincere smile. “You truly are a gentleman.”
Right now, if he were honest with himself, he didn’t feel much like being a gentleman. The way Danica looked up at him, her bright eyes framed with dark lashes, full lips tilted alluringly, he felt overcome with the urge to pull her close and cover her lips with his own. He reminded himself to be patient and took a steadying breath as he led her outside.
Once on the beach, he lowered his arm and reached his hand for hers. She took it willingly, and he laced their fingers together as they walked. There was only a slight breeze tonight so the waves were calm and serene as they gently swished against the shore.
Destination: Romance: Five Inspirational Love Stories Spanning the Globe Page 27