by Aimee Duffy
Caitlyn doubtfully eyed the small, lanky safety expert whose face was covered in scars. He looked like one of the guys on one of those crazy stunt shows, and she knew from watching a few of them with Amanda that they rarely ended well for the cast.
She was balancing on the edge of the speedboat, trying not to fall into the water at the harbor—never mind jump in. The blood pack aka squib was stitched into her white bikini top—why on earth was she chasing a criminal in a bikini anyway? And all she had to do when she heard the gunshot was press the skin colored pad on her hand with one finger and jump to the left. In theory, it shouldn’t be that hard.
But at the moment the boat wasn’t moving. During the scene she’d have to climb from the passenger seat, gun in hand, stand up on the side, and try to shoot at a spot out of range of the cameras and then worry about how to fall off the boat without cracking her skull on the side. Nerves swirled around in her stomach.
“Caitlyn, it’s not too late to change your mind. Sean can get the expert back, and you won’t have to do a thing.” Jake’s voice sounded tense, and she turned back to him. He sat at the boat’s control panel, his jaw tight and his brow creased.
She sighed. They’d been over this a million times today. Caitlyn wanted to do it. All her life she’d been the quiet, well-behaved girl who was too terrified to put a foot wrong in case she’d be dealt a beating from her father. She’d lived like a nun. Now she had the chance to finally do something crazy and exciting. There was no way she was going to back out.
Although Jake didn’t understand her reasoning, he could tell she was serious so he hadn’t argued as much as he’d clearly wanted to. “I’m doing this, Jake. I want to do this.”
He frowned, then opened his mouth as if to protest further when another speedboat stopped right next to theirs. Sean stood up and rested both his arms on the visor. He wore electric green sunglasses today. “Are you ready, Caitlyn?”
She nodded. The safety expert dived into the cool, blue ocean and swam over to Sean’s boat where he pulled himself up with practiced ease. She only hoped she’d manage that when she had to jump out of the water.
“Right, then let’s get started. Jake, try and go far enough out where you can curve and not get anything else other than the sea in the shot. We’ll edit the other boat in later,” Sean commanded.
Caitlyn slid into the seat next to Jake. He turned and studied her face for a long moment before he spoke. “Be careful. Promise me.”
His warm hand grabbed her chin as his intense gaze burned into her. Her heart opened like a midnight flower responding to the moon. She forgot they were supposed to be just friends. Forgot where she was. “I promise.”
Jake gave a small nod then turned back to focus on the open sea ahead. He started the boat and sped out of the harbor. Once they were in clear sea, Jake slowed and started the curve.
Caitlyn heard Sean yell “Action” through the megaphone. She picked up the prop gun. The plastic vibrated in her trembling hands, and she climbed up onto the front of the boat, staring ahead as if she were aiming for something. She stood on shaky legs, but tried her best to hide it from the cameras. The sloshing of the boat’s belly over the waves caused her left foot to slip, but she soon regained balance and pointed her gun out across the sea.
A gunshot sounded and she pressed the small, invisible device in her left hand. Instantly, a warm, damp sensation spread across her breast. Remembering what the stunt guy said, she bent her knees slightly and jumped to the side. Her feet slid across the wet, shiny surface as she leaped into the air though and the last thing she saw was the rear of the boat rushing toward her face. Then everything went dark.
* * * *
Jake heard the thud over the sound of the speedboat’s engine and immediately he cut it off. For a second he froze, noting that the thick scars of his heart ripped into shreds, knocking the air out of him.
Caitlyn.
Adrenaline shot through him like a rocket. He propelled himself out the boat and dove into the sea. Heart pounding manically, he pulled his arms through the waves, eyes stinging from the salty water, searching for a flash of red hair. The sea before him was empty and the same crushing grief he’d felt when Sarah had killed his child settled like a boulder in his stomach.
No, he’d find her if it was the last thing he did.
Jake swam under the surface, his eyes burning now as he searched for a shape, anything. In the distance a shadowed outline came into view and he kicked his legs harder, pushing himself through the water with all his strength, until Caitlyn’s face down lifeless, floating body came into view. His heart skipped several beats.
Finally, he reached her and slid an arm around her waist. His heart stopped as he dragged her limp body against his.
He looked at Caitlyn, her skin was too pale and her lips a terrifying shade of blue. All around he heard voices yelling, but he ignored them. Jake knew he was running out of time. Thankfully, he could feel a pulse against the side of her neck but she wasn’t breathing. He sucked in a huge breath, opened her lifeless mouth, and blew air into her.
Herchest heaved against him and water poured from her mouth as the air rushed out of her. Jake tried again, all the while treading water to keep both their heads above the surface. Come on, come on, he thought with fervor as he breathed for her again. Don’t you dare give up now.
On the third breath, Caitlyn began to cough violently. He rubbed her back hard and held her head above the surface. After all the water was out, she collapsed against him. The feel of her shallow breathing sent a jolt of euphoria swirling through him. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Other sounds came back into focus and he noticed Sean’s boat pull up next to them. He handed Caitlyn’s unconscious form to Sean, who heaved her out of the water and wrapped her in a blanket. Jake pulled himself onto the front and his gaze sought out Caitlyn. Though the salt stung his eyes like daggers, he couldn’t look away from her. They needed to get her to a hospital. Now.
* * * *
“Are you certain she doesn’t need to go to a hospital?” Jake asked the doctor for the fifth time.
Sean had immediately called an ambulance. The paramedics had given Caitlyn a once over and declared she hadn’t been under the water long enough for any serious damage to have been done. Instead of taking her to the emergency room—which Jake had insisted upon—they’d advised that she go home and rest. Jake hadn’t been convinced so Sean arranged for one of the doctors to come to the island and examine Caitlyn. Now he was leaving.
“Like I said, Mr. Campbell, Miss Hart was only under the water for a few moments. All the fluid has been removed from her lungs. She may have chest pains for a while and the bump on her head will hurt, but all that is required is rest.”
Jake frowned at the doctor. His English was slightly accented, but the man seemed to know how to speak the language fluently.
“What if she has a concussion?” The knot of terror in his gut had barely eased since the diagnosis. There was still so much that could go wrong.
“If Miss Hart shows signs of dizziness, nausea, or confusion, call me.” The shorter man handed Jake his card. “Please try not to worry too much, and let her rest. She has had quite a traumatic experience.”
With that, the doctor left and Sean left with him to escort him back to Rio. Jake immediately returned to Caitlyn’s room. His breath caught in his throat and his stomach fell to the soles of his feet at the sight of her. She looked so tiny and vulnerable, lying under piles of quilts and covers on her bed. With her face pale and lips still tinged blue, all the worry and tension knotted inside him again.
Sinking down on the wooden chair at the side of the bed, he asked, “How are you feeling?”
“My head’s sore,” she said, her voice little more than a croak.
Jake swallowed. “Would you like some water?”
Caitlyn nodded and tried to sit up. He lifted the glass of water from the bedside cabinet, slid down next to her, and pulled her up so her
head was resting in the crook of his arm. When he held the glass to her lips she sipped at the liquid and winced. A slice of pain stabbed his heart. He rubbed the thick sweater covering her stomach—one of his old jumpers he used when he jogged along the beach in the mornings. It seemed to swallow her whole.
Now that she was there, in his arms, and he was assured she was safe, a blinding anger swelled in his chest. “I told you not to do the scene,” he ground out through a clenched jaw. “You could have been killed.”
Caitlyn tilted her head to look at him. Her eyes grew wide and her face even more ashen. Jake could feel her whole body tremble, and he cursed himself for losing his cool. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply. Hell, but he was furious. What had she been thinking?
“Sorry.” He cradled her trembling body in his arms and dropped a kiss to her nose. “I thought you were going to die,” he whispered against her hair. A shudder ran through him.
“Jake…” Her voice was a hoarse whisper.
He pressed his mouth to her lips briefly and felt the coolness of her skin. “The doctor said you should rest. I won’t be far.” Jake laid Caitlyn down and tucked the mound of blankets around her. “I’ll check on you in a while. Try and get some sleep.”
Caitlyn nodded. Her eyelids heavy as she offered him a strained smile. Jake forced his lips to curve before he turned and left her in the room. The stress of the last few hours had drained every ounce of life from him and he felt like his legs might give way at any moment. But he had to stay awake and make sure she was okay. He headed to the kitchen in Caitlyn’s villa in search of coffee. Jake had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
Chapter 9
Caitlyn had never been so tired or cold before. Her blood trickled through her veins like treacle. To roll over onto her side was an effort she could hardly manage. She didn’t bother to move unless she absolutely had to. The pain in her chest and throat reminded her of the events of the day and she couldn’t help waking up every time.
She didn’t remember anything after jumping off the boat until she started coughing up the burning saltwater from her lungs. The dark in between scared her, but Jake told her when he’d come in throughout the day to check she was okay, that it was him who had pulled her from the water. The thought he would do that made her heart swell with emotion.
When she opened her eyes, Jake came into focus next to her bed. Her lips hitched up. Over the past day he’d been by her bedside every time she woke up. Although she could do without the throbbing pain in her head or burning sensation in her lungs, she liked the idea of being looked after. It was a nice change.
“How are you feeling today?” Jake asked. The dark smudges under his eyes made Caitlyn wonder if he’d slept at all.
“Better,” Caitlyn said. Her throat felt like it had been rubbed down with grit.
When she reached out a heavy hand toward the bedside cabinet, Jake jumped up and brought the glass to her. His free palm rested against her forehead for a second and his eyes wrinkled with concern. “You still feel cold.”
“I’m okay, really.” Caitlyn pushed herself up until her back was propped against the pillows. She then reached a hand out to take the glass. Jake ignored her feeble attempt to reach for it and maneuvered the rim of the glass to her lips. She took a sip, and noticed the pain wasn’t quite as bad as it had been. Earlier, the sensation in her throat made it feel like someone had scratched the inside with needles. Now, there was only a slight sting.
Once she’d had enough water, Jake put the glass back on the table and returned to the chair. She’d never seen him move so slowly, nor had she seen his eyes as strained around the edges. He needed rest.
“I’m really okay. You can go and get some sleep.”
Jake frowned. “You’re the one who should rest. Your body’s been through hell.”
Caitlyn’s mind raced back to her sixteenth birthday, just over eight years after her mother’s death. She remembered trying to stay out as late as she could, knowing Amanda was at a sleepover. Unfortunately, the icy winter air became unbearable and she went home early to find her father too far gone in his grief and a bottle of cider. He’d beat her so thoroughly that night Caitlyn had been unable to get out of bed for a week. It was the worst she’d ever received from him.
“I’ve had worse,” Caitlyn told Jake. His eyes lit with curiosity, so she racked her mind with something to distract him with. “You said you ran your father’s company after your parents died. How old were you?”
His eyes flickered with emotion for a second before he hid it. “I was eighteen when they died. In my last year of high school.”
Caitlyn’s eyes widened. “I thought you said your brothers were younger. How much younger?”
Jake shifted in his seat and his shoulders stiffened. “Both were under sixteen. I had to apply to be their guardians.” He shrugged his shoulders, but Caitlyn could see how stiff the gesture was. “I ran the company until Tom finished university, then I left.”
Caitlyn frowned. “So how did you become an actor?”
“You’re full of questions today.” Jake laughed and shook his head. She was glad to note that his posture was less rigid. “It seemed like the opposite of what I was doing. The freedom of it all, the traveling, appealed. As did the money you can make. When Tom started university, I took night classes at the local acting academy. Tom and I always made sure someone would stay home for Sam. He was…a bit of a handful.” Jake grinned wide, his eyes glittering with memories.
Caitlyn’s heart went out to the boy who’d lost his parents so young. Why did she ever think he was irresponsible? When it mattered, Jake had done the right thing by his brothers, all the while making sure that they had a company to inherit.
“What happened to your parents?” she asked.
His face morphed into an empty mask. Only his eyes gave away the pain he still felt. Caitlyn longed to hold him tight and take the pain away somehow.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s okay. They were in an accident. Sam was in the car too. He’s lucky to be alive.”
A lump formed in her throat. She reached out a hand and he clasped his fingers around hers. Caitlyn squeezed, silently offering comfort.
“What about your parents? Do they live in LA with you and your sister?”
Caitlyn stopped breathing and her heart thudded wildly in her chest. No one knew about her past, not even Amanda knew the extent of the beatings. Caitlyn always made up excuses for being hurt. But Jake wasn’t asking that, only asking where they were.
Plus, he’d saved her life today and shared a part of his past with her. Surely she could do the same. “Our mother died when I was eight.” She paused, wondering how much to say. “Our father didn’t take it very well. He turned to drink and lost his job. When I turned eighteen, I received my inheritance from my mother. It wasn’t very much, but enough to move to LA. Amanda came with me, and we haven’t looked back since.”
She realized that not telling Jake the whole truth made her sound like a bad daughter. He didn’t look at her like she was a horrible person though. He looked at her with an expression she’d never seen. “That must have been tough.”
Tough. It was, but that part of her life was behind her now. She nodded her agreement.
“Why did you get into acting?” he asked.
Caitlyn racked her brain for a way to explain so she wasn’t lying; she still wasn’t willing to admit the mess her life had been. “I wanted to support Amanda through college so she didn’t have to spend her inheritance once she was old enough to get it.” It was true, but there were hundreds of jobs she could have done. “Plus, I liked the idea of getting to be someone else, even if it was only for a little while.”
His warm hand cupped her cheek. Caitlyn pressed her head into it. “You’re amazing just as you are, Caitlyn Hart. Don’t ever change that.”
It must have been the sincerity in his eyes along with the beautiful words that did it. One minute
she was firmly in her drained body, the next she was falling. Hard. Her heart swelled with an emotion so powerful she couldn’t even lie to herself anymore. She loved Jake. She’d probably loved him for weeks. Now though, the thought of loving him wasn’t as terrifying as it had been, especially since she knew he was capable of being so caring and responsible.
Her lids grew heavy and she allowed herself to be pulled down into a peaceful sleep. They may just be having a fling, but he cared about her too. Enough to risk his life to save hers. Enough to share some of his past. A smile curved her lips as unconsciousness stole her.
* * * *
Jake’s mobile vibrated in the pocket of his shorts and he stifled a groan. Slipping it out, he checked the number on the screen, already knowing who it would be. Tom. He raked a hand through this hair and hit the reject button. Between his brothers and Caitlyn, he’d already been roped into doing something he didn’t want to. This time he was going to put his foot down.
“Are you okay? You look tense.” Caitlyn’s voice sounded from behind him and he turned around. She stood in the door frame, her hair wet from the shower and darkened to deep cherry curls, and a white towel wrapped around her body. A dart of heat shot straight to his groin, but he ignored it. Caitlyn was hunched over and held the door frame for support. She was still weak.
“How are you feeling today?” he asked, trying to change the subject.
Hell, his body was rigid with all the conflicting emotions being in close contact with Caitlyn had surfaced. Their heart-to-heart the other day had made him feel things he didn’t want to. When she told him how she’d lost her mother, and effectively her father—through drink—his chest had tightened and emotions he couldn’t name flooded him. None of which he wanted to analyze too closely. Except, of course, lust, which was a given and the more prominent of them. So Jake had made a vow to himself that he wasn’t going to ask her any more questions. They were having a fling and already it seemed to have gone far beyond that.