Seaside Kisses

by Stacy Claflin

  "Someone broke a hole in my garage door, and Max made it his job to protect the house for me."

  "That's my Maxy-waxy," Janelle cooed.

  Amara made eye contact with him and rolled her eyes. She picked up Rafael's shirt from the ground. "And I guess this explains… your… uh… jacket."

  Rafael felt heat creep up his neck. He wasn't one of those guys who strutted around shirtless. The only time he went without was when he was at the beach—in the summertime. He shrugged like it was no big deal. "He needed the shirt more than me."

  Amara's eyes widened. "You gave him the shirt off your back."

  "To be fair, he did scratch it."

  Janelle looked over at him. "I'm so sorry. Did he ruin your shirt?"

  "It's no big deal."

  "He designs clothes," Amara added.

  "Nice," Janelle said. "I can't thank you enough for taking care of him. If you ever—are you okay?" Worry covered her face.

  "I'm fine," Rafael said. "It's just a shirt. Really."

  "No. Your face."

  Rafael looked in the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot and the skin around them was red and splotchy. The right eye appeared to be swelling.

  Amara moved beside him, studying his face. "Are you allergic to cats?"

  Rafael touched his red skin. "No… I don't think so. Well, maybe."

  "Looks like a cat allergy to me," Janelle said. "You should go to the hospital."

  "I'll probably clear up as soon as you take Max home. Can you take my shirt, too, since he's been sleeping on it?"

  Amara held it up and handed it to Janelle. She still had it?

  "Consider it done," Amara said, and then turned to Janelle. "You take Max home, and I'll help Rafael."

  "Okay. Feel better. Thanks for taking care of Max."

  Amara was going to stay with him? Maybe he hadn't scared her off with the kiss after all.

  Eight

  Amara looked around the bathroom. "Okay, since you're breathing fine, let me clean out this room, and you go upstairs and run water over your eyes. Try to get all the cat dander off. Oh, and change your clothes. If you want, I'll wash them right away, but we seriously need to get all traces of Max out of here."

  Rafael just stared at her, and with his eyes swollen, she couldn't read his expression.

  "Sure you're okay?"

  "Yeah, but you don't have to stay and clean up."

  "I can't let you be alone," Amara said. "You're allergy could get worse."

  He raised his jacket sleeve and rubbed his arm. There was a long scrape on his arm, and it, too, was red and swollen.

  "Is that where Max scratched you?"

  Rafael looked down and his swollen eyes grew wide. "It didn't look like that before."

  "I'm no doctor, but I'd say you definitely have a cat allergy."

  "It's beginning to look that way. I wonder why it didn't start when I first picked him up?"

  Amara shrugged. "Probably just took a while. Doesn't matter. Just get cleaned up, okay? If the swelling doesn't go down, I'm going to insist on taking you the urgent care clinic."

  "I have allergy medicine I can take."

  "Good. Take that. Maybe we should call your brother, too."

  "Brayden? He's a cardiologist."

  "Right." Amara's face burned. "Well, try the medicine, then."

  Rafael mumbled something as he left the room. Amara wondered if he could be embarrassed about the allergy. Though, she still thought he looked fantastic, even with a little redness. She picked up the box full of sand and took it outside, dumping out the sand and stuffing the box into the recycle.

  Once inside, she opened the cupboard doors under the sink only to find them empty. She wanted to scrub everything with a cleaner, but wasn't sure where he kept the cleaning supplies. Then she remembered how he thought elbow grease was in a bottle. She smiled, but lost hope that she'd find any cleaners in his house.

  She opened a linen closet next to the bathroom and found a few bottles. Those would probably do. She took a rag and got to work. A few minutes later, she heard the shower upstairs. Not wanting to think about Rafael in there, she sang her favorite song to distract herself. That didn't work, so she scrubbed the floor even harder, making her arm sore.

  The water turned off overhead, and she let out a sigh of relief. After a couple more minutes of cleaning, she was done. The solvent was really strong, so she closed the bathroom door, hoping it would dissipate by the next time he went in.

  Amara paced the lower level, not daring to go upstairs. She'd hardly been invited, and who knew what he'd be wearing? It was too much to think about. She had a hard enough time taking her eyes off him when he wore long-sleeved shirts. And when he'd answered the door with no shirt under his coat, she'd nearly stopped breathing.

  Footsteps sounded on the stairs.

  "Are you still here, Amara?"

  Her heart raced. "Yes." She hurried over to the staircase.

  Rafael stood on the middle, wearing a long red and royal blue robe that wasn't revealing in the slightest.

  Amara let out a sigh of relief. "How do you feel?"

  "Itchy, but all right. I took the allergy pill when I first got up here, and I think it's already working."

  She walked up the steps and stood next to him, only inches away. She could smell his shampoo and soap—it was a heavenly combination. Amara reached up to feel his face, but he backed up.

  "I washed my hands—I swear. No traces of cat. I wouldn't do that to you."

  He laughed nervously. "Okay. What about your clothes?"

  "The only thing that touched Max was my coat, and I left it downstairs."

  Rafael didn't look convinced.

  "If you start to feel itchy again, I'll go home and change."

  "Okay."

  She pushed on his face gently. "It still seems swollen to me."

  "I'm sure I'll be fine after some sleep."

  Her eyes widened. "But what if it gets worse while you're sleeping?"

  Rafael leaned against the railing, folding his arms. "You aren't going to try to force me to go to the urgent care, are you? I'm fine."

  "Or prideful?" she teased.

  He chuckled. "That's not the first time I've been accused of that."

  "How about I stay for a little longer?" she asked. "Just to be sure."

  "I can take care of myself, you know. I've been doing it for years."

  "But you didn't even know you had this allergy. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I left and something happened."

  "You think I'm going to die?" he asked.

  "Hopefully not."

  "Okay, here's the deal. I'll sleep on the recliner. You can take the love seat or couch."

  Amara shook her head. "I'm not going to sleep. You're going to take the couch, and I'm going to watch TV. I hope you can sleep through noise."

  "I grew up with five siblings. I could probably sleep through an erupting volcano."

  Amara laughed. "Perfect. Get some blankets. Do you need anything to drink or eat?"

  "No thanks. I just need some rest."

  "Have you drunk any water?" she asked. "That would help, I think."

  "Are you a nurse?" he asked. "I thought you worked in a candy store."

  "I know a thing or two about allergies. My dad has a ton of them."

  After a few minutes, she had gotten Rafael settled on the couch with a pillow and some blankets.

  "Your eyes look a little watery," Amara said. "Mind if I find a wash cloth and pat them with some warm water? I think it'll help."

  "Sure," he said, his eyes closing. Poor thing looked exhausted.

  Amara found what she needed easily enough and then dabbed his eyes. She felt really bad for him. He was acting tough, but he looked miserable. She set the cloth into a bowl of warm water and leaned against the couch. Rafael's breathing warmed her neck.

  "You can turn on the TV," he said.

  She jumped, not realizing he was still awake. "Okay, thanks."

 
He opened one eye. "No. Thank you. I really appreciate you staying to look after me."

  "My pleasure," she said, never having meant anything more. She scooted over to the recliner, which was closer to him than the love seat. "Goodnight," she whispered.

  Amara thought she saw him smile. Butterflies danced in her stomach. She watched him sleep, listening to his deep breathing. She could still feel his lips on hers from the other night. It was time to think about something else.

  She grabbed the remote and then found a movie to stream, but she couldn't pay much attention. Not when Rafael Hunter slept only a few feet away.

  Amara found herself glancing over at him often enough that she couldn't keep up with the movie's story line. The swelling around his eyes did seem to be going down, but mostly she just liked watching him… and reliving the brief kiss.

  Part of her wished she could go back in time and tell her teenage-self about this. They would squeal together, jumping up and down. Teenage-Amara never would have guessed Rafael would ever kiss her, or that Amara would be alone in his house taking care of him. Grownup Amara almost had to pinch herself.

  Her phone alerted her that she had a text. She quickly turned it on silent, not wanting to disturb Rafael, despite his claims to be able to sleep through an exploding volcano.

  The message was from Janelle.

  What's going on? Did you get lost?

  Hardly. Looks like I'm staying over at Rafael's.

  What??????? Get out! I didn't think you were that type of girl.

  Amara laughed.

  That's not what I meant. He's asleep on the couch, and I'm just making sure he doesn't stop breathing.

  Likely story. Two kissing smilies followed the words.

  Stop. Want me to send a picture as proof?

  Of him sleeping? I'll bet he's still hot as Hades.

  If he suddenly clears up, I'll go back to your place.

  You'll do no such thing. I'm fine. See you in the morning?

  We're on for breakfast, and then I have work to do.

  Nighty-night.

  Goodnight.

  Amara put her phone away in her pocket, wondering if she would actually be able to get any work done the next day. If she stayed up all night watching Rafael sleep, she would need to crash as soon as she got home the next morning.

  She glanced back over at him. His arm hung off the edge of the couch and his mouth gaped just slightly. She sighed, enjoying the sight.

  Amara dozed off. She woke when her head jerked toward her chest. Her eyelids were heavy, fighting to close again, but she didn't know how long she'd slept, and she needed to check Rafael.

  It took her eyes a minute to focus, and then she realized that Rafael had some goop coming from one eye. She got up and wrung out the washcloth, dabbing it gently on his face, not wanting to wake him. But it wasn't enough to clean up the mucus, so she pressed harder.

  He made a little noise, but didn't wake. Once she'd gotten it, she went into the kitchen and rinsed out the cloth. Then she kneeled in front of the couch and watched him breathe. She studied the skin around his eyes. The swelling had gone down, and the redness had turned into a light pink—probably only noticeable because she was looking for it.

  She was glad she'd stayed, otherwise she would have worried all night since he refused to see a doctor. Not that she could blame him. There were a hundred other things she could think of that she'd rather do than visit a doctor's office.

  Rafael stirred. Amara watched, listening for his breathing. He sounded good and looked fine—not that he could look bad. He rolled onto his back and let out a little snore. Her heart fluttered. Rafael managed to make even that adorable.

  Amara couldn't help herself. She ran her finger along his face, starting near his eyes and moving down his jawline where stubble had formed. His arm moved, and he took her hand, holding it.

  Amara's heart skipped a beat. Their hands rested on his chest, moving up and down rhythmically with each of his breaths. She could feel his heartbeat. Thump, thump, thump. She enjoyed the feel of her hand in his, against his chest.

  She studied his face again. This time, however, it had nothing to do with his health. She felt confident that he had already made his recovery from the allergy attack. No, she just enjoyed looking at him. He was beautiful—partly the boy she had sat next to, afraid to talk to, as she grew up, partly a grown man, full of mystery. There was so much she didn't know about him, and really wanted to uncover…

  He was kind enough to take care of someone's cat after having his place broken into. Despite his thoughtful behavior, he sported signs of stress on his face—furrowed brow, worry lines. She couldn't help wondering what had caused his distress. And then she remembered Sophia. Of course. How could she be so stupid? Rafael had lost his only sister to cancer.

  Amara frowned. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose Alex—especially so young. Sophia had only been about twenty. Really, still a child in so many ways. Though she knew enough about the youngest Hunter to know she'd made good use of her short years, always happy and bringing others joy, as well.

  Amara had gone to the funeral. She hadn't been to many, but she'd never seen one like Sophia's. It was packed—standing room only for those arriving late. The minister had had to ask people to stop sharing about her after calling forward anyone who wanted to speak. He encouraged everyone to share stories afterward, at the meal—that she'd avoided.

  Rafael squeezed her hand, bringing her back to the present. Oh, how she wanted to lean her head against the couch and sleep next to him. She'd always wanted to be close to him, and this last week had been full of close encounters of the Rafael kind.

  "Have you ever known my feelings for you?" she whispered, barely audible. She knew the answer. Of course he didn't, she'd done nothing but hide from him when they grew up.

  The only indication was his accidental kiss—the one he'd apologized for. She frowned. But could it be possible that he hadn't just gotten caught up in the moment, but could actually have feelings for her? Was it possible now that they were older, and she wasn't the school nerd anymore? He was the only guy in town who even seemed to notice she had changed, and that was because he'd been away for so many years.

  She ran a finger along his jawline. "Are you awake?" she whispered.

  He didn't budge.

  Amara moved closer to his ear, her pulse racing. She whispered again, this time in his ear. "Give Amara a chance. She has always adored you."

  Rafael's hand tightened around hers, but he didn't move otherwise. Amara moved closer to his face and brushed her lips across his. They were just as soft as before. She sat back, afraid he'd wake up.

  Nine

  Rafael woke up on his couch, confused. What was he doing there? The TV's screensaver was on. Had he fallen asleep watching something? He sat up and saw a washcloth in a bowl of water on the coffee table… and then he saw Amara curled up on the recliner with a blanket.

  The cat… and his allergic reaction. His face had swollen so badly he barely recognized himself. Amara had probably thought he looked like a sideshow from the circus, but yet she'd stayed to take care of him. She'd insisted, in fact.

  His lips twitched, nearly forming a smile. It was nice to have someone take care of him again. That hadn't happened since… when? Since he'd been home and his mom had cared for him when he was sick? She'd always forced him to stay in bed, but she made her special soup every time.

  There wasn't any soup, but Rafael felt cared for by Amara.

  He got up and tip-toed past her, not wanting to disturb her. Who knew how little sleep she'd gotten? He went into the bathroom through his room and studied his face. He looked as though nothing had happened. He moved his sleeve up and checked the scratch on his arm. Even that looked a lot better—just a little red line.

  Rafael's skin itched. What was going on? Another reaction? He stepped back, tripping over something. His pants and coat, which were probably full of cat fur. The edges of his eyes itched just loo
king at them. He needed to get them out of the room without going into another full-blown allergy attack.

  He went into his room and saw a plastic bag from the dry cleaners. That would do. He slid it off the jacket and went into the bathroom, managing to get the cat-covered clothes inside without touching them. He tied the open ends and then dropped them downstairs. Later, he would decide whether to have them cleaned or just dispose of them.

  Rafael went back over to Amara and checked on her. The blanket was about to fall off, so he pulled it up and tucked it under her chin. He stared at her beautiful face, partially covered by her dark hair, and wondered why she had cared so much to stay with him. Or help him with his egged windows at the store, for that matter.

  Even after forcing himself on her, she still wanted to stay and take care of him. His heart warmed. Maybe he hadn't ruined his chances with her after all. But even so, was it worth the risk? He certainly didn't want to wind up hurt again, like he had with Kristine. And yet at the same time, he didn't want hurt Amara, either.

  His hand brushed against her cheek as he pulled away from the blanket. He flinched, surprised at how much he enjoyed her touch—much in the same way he had when she'd shown him how to clean a window. It was no wonder he'd kissed her without thinking about it.

  Rafael had the sudden urge to sweep away some of her hair and give her another kiss. He froze. No. If she woke up with his lips on hers again, he really would scare her off.

  She had the face of an angel as she slept. He fought the urge to press his lips against hers. As sweet as she was, he needed to do some real soul searching before he even considered making any moves toward building a relationship again.

  After the way his last relationship had ended, he wasn't sure he would ever been ready to try that again. Also, Amara was too… too what? Innocent? Kind? Sweet? All of the above?

  He was no womanizer, but he'd had his share of relationships over the years, and all they had accomplished was to harden him. Amara wasn't a harsh woman of the world like he'd grown accustomed to. Staying in Kittle Falls all these years, she'd managed to hold onto something special.

  Clearly, she was no longer Four-Eyes Fowler, the shy, pimple-faced girl always hiding behind a book. She'd grown into a beautiful woman, both inside and out. If he started a relationship with her—if she'd even go for that—he would likely ruin her. Rafael would bring in all of his heartbreaking experiences from LA and thrust them upon her.