“Danica?”
She pulled her gaze from the water. “Yes?”
“I have to tell you something.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m leaving the day after tomorrow to go back home.”
Her face fell. “Oh.”
“I wish I didn’t have to, but…”
She squeezed his hand lightly. “It’s okay. We both knew we’d have to leave. You’re just the one to leave first.” She turned her head but he saw the disappointment in her eyes.
Aaron released a heavy sigh. “I had no idea when I came here I’d end up falling for someone and it would make it so hard to leave.”
Danica’s chin jerked back toward him and her eyes lit with timid hope. “I couldn’t have guessed it would happen for me, either. But now that it has… where do we go from here?”
He didn’t hesitate. “I’d really like to stay in touch. Emails, phone calls, hopefully some visits?”
“You really want all that?” Her voice sounded breathless and she searched his eyes for truth.
“Danica, it’s hard for me to explain my feelings for you. I know we just met, but I have this connection to you I can’t ignore. All I know is I don’t want this to be some short-term vacation fling. I want to continue getting to know you. I want to take you on more adventures, read more of your poems… I know it’s asking a lot, with you in Kansas and me in Florida, but I want there to be an us.” He stroked her palm with his thumb. “Do you feel the same?”
Her lips trembled as she offered him the sweetest smile. “I do. I’ve never been in a long distance relationship before so I’m not really sure how it will work, but we’ll figure it out as we go. I’m willing to try.”
He couldn’t control the crazy grin that he felt tugging at his cheeks, nor could he any longer control the urge to kiss her. He eased his camera and tripod down to the sand and then gently pulled her against his length. A small gasp escaped her lips as her hands came to rest on his chest. He told her with his eyes what he planned to do, and her eyes granted him permission. He brought one hand up and gently tangled his fingers in her hair as he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her face close. He watched in fascination as her eyes closed, waiting and ready for his kiss.
He planned to remember this moment forever. Slowly he lowered his lips to hers and his heart swelled with the sweet feeling of homecoming when their lips finally met. Danica leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he marveled at how well they fit together. After several long, glorious seconds—or was it minutes?—Aaron ended the kiss.
A blissful sigh flowed from Danica’s lips and fanned his as he leaned his forehead against hers. “Wow.”
He chuckled. “My thoughts exactly.”
She tickled her fingers across the back of his neck. “That was definitely worth waiting for.”
“So are you,” Aaron whispered. “I want you to know that I won’t date anyone else. I don’t care how many miles separate us. For as long as you want me, there won’t be anyone else.”
“Thank you for saying that.” She slid her hands from his neck and rested them on his chest. “Same for me. No one but you.”
“Good to know.” He grinned and kissed her forehead. “I hate to end this moment, but the sun will be setting soon and if we’re going to get some pictures we should probably do that now.”
Reluctantly, they stepped apart and he collected his equipment while Danica collected herself. He spent the next half hour alternating between telling her how to pose and taking some candids as she walked along the shore and threw flirty winks over her shoulder at him. The sun began to set behind her. The picture he’d first envisioned taking of her would now become a reality. He asked her to stand with her feet in the water and look out toward the skyline. Her hair and skirt floated softly in the breeze, and Aaron moved around her, taking pictures of her from different angles until he was satisfied he’d made the best use of the remaining light.
“Okay, one more and then we’ll be done.” He mounted the camera to the tripod, then angled the lens toward her and set the timer. Quickly jogging over to her, he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. She laughed happily and angled her head to look at him, a joyful smile lighting up her face. Aaron’s heart thudded as he looked into her eyes, and he felt himself freefall as the camera clicked, capturing this most perfect memory forever.
CHAPTER 5
Th e sun peeked through the curtains, tickling her awake, and Danica stretched lazily across her mattress with a massive yawn. It had taken her forever to fall asleep last night, she’d been so hopped up on adrenaline. She sleepily rubbed at her eyes, and her lips eased into a slow smile as she remembered the reason her heart had kept her up with its insistent pounding.
Suddenly energized, she bounced out of bed and picked out her clothes for today—a pair of yoga pants, a loose fitting tank, socks, and sneakers. Aaron had carefully instructed her on what to wear today and advised her to pull her hair into a ponytail. She still didn’t know where he was taking her on their last Jamaican adventure together, but at least she’d be comfortable.
Her face heated as she anticipated seeing him again this morning and spending the day together. That kiss last night was…wow. No one, in all of her twenty-seven years, had kissed her so tenderly, filling her both with excitement and leaving her feeling so cherished. A pang stabbed in her chest— this would be their last day together. She quickly dismissed any negative thoughts. She would not let the cloud of Aaron’s impending departure ruin today. Today she would enjoy the time they had together to the fullest and wait until he was actually gone to start missing him.
She showered and dressed quickly, pulled her hair into a ponytail, and then headed down to meet Aaron for breakfast. Her stomach danced with butterflies when she saw him and her lips tingled with their own memories. Judging by the look in his eyes, he was as affected by the sight of her.
Breakfast went quickly, Danica’s anticipation growing with every bite. “Are you finally going to tell me where we’re going?”
Aaron shook his head. “Not yet. But you’ll see soon.”
“The anticipation is killing me!”
He chuckled and lightly traced his fingers over her wrist. “Didn’t we already establish the best things in life are worth waiting for?” His eyes hinted at the memory of their kiss.
Her gaze automatically flicked to his lips. They stretched into a knowing smile and brought a rush of heat to her chest. “Yes, I suppose we did.” “Just a little longer,” he whispered as he pulled her out of her chair and kissed her softly on the cheek.
Weak in the knees, she let him lead her to the front of the resort where they caught their ride. They rode over rough terrain and pulled up to a line of bright orange, windowless Hummers. She gave Aaron a questioning look, but he only shrugged, and she rolled her eyes at him. They climbed into a Hummer and bounced up the mountain until they reached a stable where several large mules were being prepared for riding.
Danica drew back. “We’re riding mules?” This was Aaron’s idea of one last great adventure?
“Will you just trust me?” He helped her out of the Hummer and led her over to the rest of the group.
Following instructions, they sat on a hard wooden bench and listened to the guides explain what was about to happen. Danica tried not to think about her still saddle-sore backside and muster up some enthusiasm. As she listened and it became clear where they were heading, her excitement grew and she promptly forgot her soreness.
“Zip lining?” She whispered into Aaron’s ear. “That’s what we’re doing up here?” Her voice squeaked. “Oh, my goodness, Aaron, I can’t believe it!” The guide shot her a pointed look and she clamped her mouth shut, but her foot bounced in eager anticipation. Even as they mounted the mules and began their trek the rest of the way up the mountain, Danica barely registered her surroundings. Her mind continued to conjure images of flying through the air, wind rushing past her face. Her
heart raced at the thought of it. After what seemed like ages, they finally reached the top of the mountain and Aaron quickly dismounted. He helped her off her mule and her feet met the ground, but her hands still rested on his shoulders and his hands still spanned her waist. For a moment they stood gazing into each other’s eyes. A shrill whistle broke their spell, and they obediently—if not reluctantly— followed the group to a covered pavilion where the guides handed out what looked like repelling gear.
Before she knew it, she and Aaron were approaching a platform on the edge of a steep drop. The guides began giving instructions. Danica did her best to listen attentively, but her gaze kept trailing to the gaping valley below them. Goodness, they were high. The tops of the trees looked no bigger than the plastic trees from the Lego set she’d played with as a kid. What if she fell? What if her pulley wasn’t hooked up right or something went wrong and she fell through all that open air until she finally reached the far, far away ground?
Her heart pounded painfully, nearly rocking her back and forth with its force. Her breath came out in short bursts, and a wave of dizziness overtook her. She grasped blindly for Aaron’s arm and dug her fingernails into his skin.
“What’s wrong?” Aaron searched her eyes. “Do you not want to do this? It’s okay if you don’t.”
“I—I thought I did, but now…” She gulped as she took another look at the drop. “I don’t know if I can go through with this. What if I fall?”
“You won’t fall. I’ve done this twice before and there’s never been a problem. I promise you they take every precaution for people’s safety.” He spoke confidently, but his reassurance did nothing to ease her anxiety.
“It’s so far down. Look at all that open space, nothing there to catch you.” Her voice came out strained and she tried unsuccessfully to clear her throat. “Aaron, I’m sorry but I’m scared.”
He rubbed his hands up and down her arms as if trying to warm her up, and she realized she was covered in goosebumps. When she shivered he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her.
“It’s okay.” His voice rumbled next to her ear. “You don’t have to go through with it if you don’t want to, but I also really think you’ll regret it if you don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I saw how excited you were when you figured out what we were doing. You couldn’t wait to get on that zip line. It wasn’t until you saw how high up we were that you got scared. But everything you’re afraid of was there when you were excited. Seeing it doesn’t make the reality any different than what it was before. Only your perception has changed.”
Danica mulled over his words as he rubbed his hand in slow circles on her back. He was right—she had been excited. She’d pictured herself flying through the air, free and wild like a bird, and the thought had filled her with a longing to experience the uninhibited release. She hadn’t thought about the ground being so far below her until she saw it. But that risk had still existed, even when it hadn’t been the focus of her thoughts. Being aware of the risk didn’t make the task any more dangerous.
She opened her eyes, and her gaze travelled across the wide expanse to the far side of the valley where the other end of the zip line disappeared. Could she be brave enough to do it, to face the risk for the reward of reaching the other side?
Aaron pulled back and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Let your faith be bigger than your fear. You won’t regret it, I promise.”
Danica reached down deep and summoned every ounce of courage she possessed. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
Aaron’s smile was almost reward enough. He took her hand. “Come on. I’ll go before you. That way I’ll be waiting on the other side for you, okay?”
The tour guide attached his harness to the pulley system with thick, sturdy clips. The guide tugged hard on it when he was done, convincing Danica everything was connected securely. Then he stepped back and signaled for Aaron to proceed. Aaron turned his head to meet Danica’s gaze and shot her a reassuring smile then, before she could even return his smile, he stepped to the edge of the platform and pushed off the edge.
Her breath caught in her throat as she watched Aaron soar across the open valley at an alarming speed. Her hands clenched into fists until her fingernails became sharp razors against her palms, but she wouldn’t relax until he landed safely on the other side. He grew smaller and smaller until finally he slowed and came to a stop on the other side, landing on another platform barely visible from this distance.
She let out a huge breath as relief coursed through her veins. He’d made it! And now—she gulped—it was her turn. Heart pounding in both fear and anticipation, she approached the platform and allowed herself to be hooked up by the skilled guide.
“Okay.” The guide patted her solidly on the back. “You’re all set. Just step to the edge and push off.”
The ability to draw a complete breath suddenly seemed impossible. She sucked air in desperate gasps as she moved to the edge of the platform and looked straight down. Another wave of dizziness rocked her balance and she took a frantic step backward.
The guide’s eyebrows dipped in concern. “You okay? Wanna back out?”
“No!” The word burst out of her and she forced herself to calm. “No, I’m going to do it. I just need a minute.”
The guide offered her a comforting pat on the shoulder. “In my experience it’s best to not overthink it. Just…jump.”
Danica looked straight ahead at Aaron’s tiny form. “Let your faith be bigger than your fear,” she whispered. “Just jump.”
And then she was flying.
Exactly as she’d imagined, the wind rushed past her face, giving evidence to how fast she was moving. She looked down and gasped in surprise. What she hadn’t been able to see from her vantage point on the mountain now stretched below her like a Thomas Kinkade painting. Trees of all different sizes and shades of green—some dotted with bright yellow, orange, and fuchsia flowers—swayed softly in the breeze, bringing to mind the gently rolling waves of Kansas grain. A waterfall spilled topaz water from its place tucked into the mountain in between the trees.
How many people got to see something like this? This was special, and she’d nearly let herself miss it. Her fears leapt from her chest and disappeared behind her in the breeze, and she spread her arms wide and threw her head back. She whooped at the top of her lungs. “Yeeeaaaahhhhh!” Her eyes greedily took in every detail she could catch, and she laughed as a bird flew under her. She was soaring even above the birds! She couldn’t believe she’d almost let her fear keep her from this.
How much of her life had she missed out on because she was too afraid to step outside of her comfort zone? Her heart filled with sadness for her past self, and she resolved to never let go of this feeling, to take more chances and let herself fully live her life, not merely float through it.
Too soon she saw the platform at the end of the line drawing close, and she put her gloved hands on the line the way the instructors had demonstrated and squeezed to slow her descent. Her feet hit the platform, and the waiting guide steadied her before removing the hooks from her harness.
As soon as she was free, Aaron’s arms encircled her, and he spun her around. “You did it!” His eyes sparked with jubilance in the face of her accomplishment.
“Aaron, that was the most incredible experience of my life! I felt so . . . free!” In a burst of euphoria, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him firmly on the lips. “Thank you for talking me into it.”
“If that’s the thanks I get each time, we will definitely be doing more of this.” He winked, and she giggled happily.
The guide chuckled under his breath and pointed to an area where they could wait. “Okay, you two love birds, clear the deck for the next person coming in, please.”
Aaron took her hand and kissed her knuckles as they stepped off the platform. “Tell me your favorite part.”
Danica drew her bottom lip between her teeth and tried to thin
k of how to answer. “The view was stunning. I’ve never seen anything like it. But I think my favorite part was how I felt up there, looking down on a part of the world I never would’ve seen otherwise.” She wrapped her fingers around his. “This might be hard for you to understand, what with all the places you get to see and capture with your camera, but I’ve never been anywhere or done anything. I’ve spent my whole life in Wichita, Kansas, and never thought I’d venture outside my little corner of the world. Coming here was a huge step for me, but I needed it. I needed to get outside of myself, if that makes sense.”
He nodded and his eyes glistened with understanding. “It does.”
“All the things I’ve done here in Jamaica have been…” She struggled to think of the right word. “Redemptive. Like with each new experience I’ve grown and discovered something about myself I never knew before, and it’s changed me a bit each time. When I was up there flying above that valley, having faced my fear and letting go, it felt like I finally became me. The me I was meant to be but never let myself be.”
She stopped and shook her head. “I’m rambling and probably not making an ounce of sense, am I?”
Aaron’s smile, so tender, tugged on her heart. “You’re making complete sense. I’d hoped it would be that way for you. It was for me, too, the first time.”
For reasons Danica couldn’t explain with words, learning they’d shared the same soul-changing experience bonded her more firmly to him, and she leaned up on her tip-toes and kissed him lightly. “I’m not going home the same person. Part of that is thanks to you.”
Aaron shook his head. “You started this journey on your own. I was just privileged enough to get to come along for the ride.”
“I did, that’s true. But the old me was still there and might have held me back even after I took the step of coming here.” She squeezed his hand. “You pushed me along, gave me opportunities I might not have sought out on my own, and in the process I grew and I won’t ever be the same. So thank you. It’s the most precious gift anyone has ever given me.”
Destination: Romance: Five Inspirational Love Stories Spanning the Globe Page 28