Steele Family Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  “Pearl.” His voice deepened. He took a step closer and tenderly ran his hand down her arm, then wrapped his hand around hers. “You’re my best friend. I will always be there for you.”

  Pearl’s body heated up from his simple touch and the meaningful look in his eyes. “You’re my best friend too, Jex.”

  “I’ve been trying for the past few years, but especially the past six months, to show you how much I care, to show you that you’re the one for me.”

  Pearl’s eyes widened and happiness traced through her.

  “But I’ve been a wimp.” He stepped even closer, his strong body overshadowing hers. Squeezing her hand, he released it and wrapped both arms around her lower back. His touch seared heat through her thin tank top.

  “I don’t think anyone could call Jex Steele a wimp.”

  He smiled. “I’ve called myself it repeatedly.”

  “Why?” She moistened her lips and gazed up at his handsome face.

  “Because every day I tease with you about changing your last name, about kissing me, but I’ve never been man enough to ask you when we’re alone, far away from the crowds and the noise.”

  Pearl swallowed hard. If he asked her right now, she simply couldn’t resist him. She struggled to remember why she would even try to resist such a man.

  “Pearl. I can’t promise I’ll never die, but you know how well trained I am and how careful I am about my stunts. I promise you I’ll do everything in my power to stay safe, to keep spending each day with you.”

  There was so much sincerity and—dare she hope?—love in his words. He called her love all the time, but they’d never told each other they loved each other. They’d never even kissed, despite all their teasing, meaningful looks and touches, and time spent together, yet she felt so deeply about him and knew she’d love Jex Steele forever, even after he died.

  “Please say you trust that I’ll be there for you, Pearl, and please, please say you’ll kiss me.”

  The words hung between them. This was no tease, no play for the crowd; this was raw vulnerability and a beautiful plea, between only the two of them.

  Pearl couldn’t swallow or speak past her dry throat. She ran her palms along his jaw, and he groaned deep in his throat. The warmth in her body became an inferno of desire.

  Pearl pulled in a shaky breath and finally was able to get out in a quaky tremor, “Yes, Jex.”

  “Yes?” His voice rumbled with excitement.

  “Yes, I’ll trust you. Yes, I have been dying to kiss you for months.”

  “Months?” He grinned impishly. “Years, love.”

  Pearl laughed and pulled herself onto tiptoes. Their mouths were centimeters apart when she admitted, “Years and years, love.”

  “Ah, Pearl,” he moaned out, and then he pressed his lips to hers.

  The dark room seemed to explode with joy. Pearl ran her hands down to his broad shoulders and clung to him. Jex lifted her up and into his chest, his lips caressing hers eagerly. His mouth was warm and hungry, as if he’d been waiting for this moment longer than she had. Well, he’d be wrong about that. She returned the kiss with all the ardor and passion that had been piling within her. They moved and breathed together in a symphony of delicate and beautiful maneuvers that put every stunt he’d ever performed to shame.

  The kiss took on a life of its own, and Pearl felt like she was floating. Her head was light, but her heart was full to bursting. She wanted to shout to Jex that she loved him. He’d dodged past her barriers, convincing her to trust him, to give him a chance, and finally, finally to kiss him with all the devotion and desire she’d been storing up these past years.

  They broke apart, both pulling in quick breaths. Jex rested his forehead against hers and smiled gently. “Was it worth the wait?”

  Pearl grinned and admitted, “You’re worth the wait, Jex Steele.” Truer words may have never been spoken. She waited for him every day, watching with bated breath to see if he lived or died. It wasn’t easy, but she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else or with anyone else.

  “Ah, that was cheesy and cute, my love.”

  Pearl started to protest, but he cut it off by capturing her mouth again. Pearl threaded her fingers into his hair and hung on. Life with Jex Steele was a roller coaster, but the thrills were more than worth the terrifying plunges.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning, Pearl still felt like she was floating. Jex had kissed her for a good, long time; then he’d tucked her into bed and promised they’d talk more soon. Though she’d been soaring from his kisses, she was grateful they hadn’t pushed too far physically, or gotten into a deep discussion after their kisses. She’d been emotional and so high on love that she would’ve agreed to change her last name last night. Would he still ask his questions today? Her stomach pitched with excitement as she thought about kissing him again.

  Today they were set up in the same parking lot as two days ago. They’d do a short spiel for the crowd, then jump in a helicopter to get Jex into the right spot above the Na Pali coastline. Jex was going to do a skydiving discipline called swooping. He’d float down from the helicopter with his highly maneuverable parachute, his camera angle giving views rarely seen by the average person of this breathtaking area. Then he’d swoop above the jungle, skimming the treetops. The landing would be the most dangerous part, as he would come in fast and have to stop on the remote Kalalau Beach. Worst case, he’d plunge into the water. It was a dangerous spot of water because of the vicious waves and undertow, but he’d survived almost going off a cliff two days ago and Queen’s Bath at high tide yesterday, rescuing two boys to boot. She wasn’t any more concerned than usual.

  As far as stunts went, this one wasn’t particularly dangerous. Jex could be injured by a tree catching the chute or the landing not going according to plan, but he wouldn’t be plunging off any thousand-foot cliffs on a mountain bike without any kind of safety harness.

  Jex was all suited up, except for his helmet. She saw him close his eyes briefly and watched as he had his private moment in prayer. He opened his eyes, focused on her, and crossed the space separating them. Pearl hurried to meet him.

  “Hi, beautiful.” He wrapped his arms around her. Pearl loved that they’d exchanged their first kisses last night and it had been private and beautiful. She also loved the way his touch and smile made her feel. “Is today the day?”

  She pumped her eyebrows. “The day I change my last name?”

  “I’ve been waiting for six years.” The depth of love and commitment in his eyes made her so happy. He had been waiting for her, and she’d been waiting for him. Now the waiting was over and only happiness lay in front of them.

  “But you don’t have a ring.” She winked.

  The crowd erupted in excitement. None of them knew what had happened last night, but she was certain they loved having this private insight into Jex Steele’s happiness.

  Jex’s eyes widened. His breath rushed out, and she felt his body tremble against hers. “Seriously, love? You’d seriously consider marrying me?”

  He was so cute and uncertain, completely unlike his normal, over-confident self. She loved both. Pearl’s heart thudded uncontrollably, and she wanted to reassure him and kiss the day away. She leaned in closer and whispered, “Seriously, love.” Pulling back, she squeezed his arms and said flippantly for the crowd, “Get a big diamond ring, and we’ll see.”

  Jex whooped and lifted her off her feet. He swung her around, then set her down gently. “I’ll have that ring so fast your head will spin.”

  She laughed, happiness flooding her. “You do that and pray hard for a positive response.”

  “You’re on.” Jex stared deeply at her. “Kiss for good luck?”

  She nodded and murmured, “Kiss for good luck.”

  Jex whooped again, but the cheers from the audience drowned him out. He captured his mouth with hers. His lips seared into her as if they were on fire, and their bodies melded as if they were one. The kiss drew out in
beautiful splendor, and when he deepened it, she knew she’d never feel love and desire like this with anyone but Jex Steele.

  She finally pulled back to catch her breath, staring up into his dark, beautiful eyes. The crowd was roaring loudly. Jex lifted her off the ground and kissed her again. She laughed and clung to his neck, feeling free and light and so in love.

  Jex set her back down and grinned. “Now that was a kiss for good luck.”

  “No,” she murmured, “that was a kiss because I love you.”

  His eyes widened. Pearl wondered if she shouldn’t have admitted that, but she’d all but admitted it last night. Jex bent close and tenderly kissed her; then he whispered, “Does that mean you will change your last name to Steele when I produce that big diamond ring?”

  Pearl pushed at his chest. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

  “I’m not the one who just admitted that she loved me.” He winked.

  “Oh, my!” Pearl released her grip on him. She wanted him to say he loved her back, not tease her. “Go do your stunt, you jerk.”

  He chuckled. “One more kiss.”

  She shook her head stubbornly, but then she couldn’t resist his pleading glance and she started laughing. “You’re incorrigible. One more,” she agreed.

  Jex leaned in, framed her face with his hands, and captured her lips. The kiss was full of passion, desire, and love. She had no power to resist him. He cradled her in close like she was a priceless treasure and then gently trailed kisses to her ear, whispering for only her to hear, “I love you, Pearl Davenport-Jacobsen. You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.” He pulled back and stared deeply into her eyes. “I love you, Pearl!” he said, louder this time.

  Pearl’s cheeks filled with heat, but she didn’t care. She framed his face with her hands and kissed him again. “I think you’ve had enough kisses for good luck. Go show off, my love.”

  He gave her a fierce hug and then waved to the crowd, but then he turned back and swooped her off her feet, cradling her against his strong chest.

  Pearl’s arms instinctively went around his neck as her high-heeled feet dangled in the air. “What are you doing?”

  “You’re coming with me in the helicopter.”

  She laughed. “I forgot.”

  “I know. My kiss could make you forget your own name, especially a name as long as yours.”

  She shook her head and cuddled against him. His kisses last night and this morning had made her forget a lot of things, most importantly her fears for his safety, but last night he’d asked her to trust him. She had to take that leap of faith, because his kiss had also helped her realize a lot of things. She loved him, and she wasn’t about to let him go.

  Jex was soaring, literally and figuratively. The view as he swooped over the lush tropical forest toward the isolated Kalalau Beach was incredible, but it had nothing on the memory of Pearl in his arms, her mouth dancing with his, her firm body pressed against him. Last night she’d kissed him and agreed to trust him. Today she’d said maybe if he got a ring she’d marry him, and then she’d said she loved him.

  “She loves me!” he yelled to the trees below him, and he was rewarded with Pearl’s giggle in his headset.

  “Don’t let it go to your head, big guy,” she said.

  “It’s taken years for me to get you to kiss me and admit you loved me. That’s nothing to get cocky about.”

  Pearl laughed again and changed the subject, “That view is incredible.”

  “It’s nothing compared to your beautiful face.” He pulled on the parachute and swooped farther to the left.

  “You’re on target to land on the beach,” Pearl said. “Start slowing for your approach now.”

  Jex would slow soon, but he caught a glimpse of a small waterfall and clear pool of water below. He dipped to show his viewers. “Isn’t that amazing? From what I’ve heard, a group of locals live here, the naked hippies. Campers who hike the eleven miles to Kalalua might get an offer of pizz—”

  A taller tree that he hadn’t seen on his virtual tour jutted out of nowhere on his left-hand side. He corrected right quickly, but one of the ropes of his parachute snagged on a branch. His flight was abruptly brought to a screeching halt. His body was flung around the tree and he crashed through branches, speeding toward the earth. He wanted to grab a branch to slow his fall, but that would probably rip his arm off. He focused on getting his feet down so he didn’t hit his head or back first.

  A stirring of fear filled his gut but Jex ignored it. He never allowed himself to doubt only to act. Everything would be fine.

  He could hear Pearl screaming his name as the ground rushed up to meet him. His right leg crumpled, taking the brunt of the impact. Pain radiated through him as his head slammed into the ground, and then merciful blackness embraced him.

  Chapter Six

  Pearl watched in horror as the tree appeared on Jex’s camera and then the view went wild. He was flung around the tree and slingshotted toward the ground. She expected him to grab a branch, do a Superman-worthy flip, and hit the lower canopy feet first, but all she saw was his rapid fall through greenery. It did appear he got his feet under him but there was no sign that he had any chance to break his fall.

  “Jex!” she cried out, gripping the bar above her in the helicopter. His camera showed a tilted angle of tropical forest, but no sound came from Jex. “No! Jex!” She glanced frantically around, but there was no place to land the helicopter. “Can you lower me down there?” she asked the pilot.

  “No,” he said. “I can land on the beach, about a mile away.”

  “Go!”

  The pilot nodded and the helicopter shot forward.

  Pearl’s only thought was her overwhelming need to get to Jex, but she needed to think rationally, she needed help. She shakily tapped a request into the phone to the safety team. They’d get help coming, but it was a remote area. It wouldn’t be coming fast.

  She could hear the pilot talking into his headset, probably sending out his own request for emergency help. She should tell him she’d already made the request, but she would welcome anyone who could rescue Jex.

  How badly injured was he? She squeezed her eyes shut tight and prayed desperately. Please help him. Please help him!

  The helicopter descended on an open spot of beach. One of the safety guys, Nels, helped Pearl out. Sand was flying around, stinging her eyes and her face. She didn’t care. With her head down, she ran out from under the rotors and toward the thick forest, hoping she could navigate it. Her heels were slowing her down, so she ripped them off and dropped them. Barefoot through the sand wasn’t bad, but when she reached the tree line and harder surfaces, rocks and twigs poked at her. She pressed on with Nels right behind her, and Greg, the cameraman who’d been in the chopper, took up the rear.

  They headed up a trail of sorts, and some people wandered out of their campsites, staring at the helicopter and them running past. “You okay?” a man yelled at them.

  “No!” Pearl flung back. She slowed long enough to ask, “Does this trail go to a small waterfall and pool?” That was the last thing she’d seen before Jex went down. She realized she still had her earpiece in, but Jex was making no noise. Her stomach churned, and she tried to remember if she could usually hear him breathing.

  “Yeah. Why?”

  Pearl ignored him and ran on. She heard Nels tell him, “One of our buddies went down in his chute.”

  “I’ll come with you,” the guy said. “I’m an EMT.”

  Pearl appreciated the support and sprinted up the uneven trail. Time dragged on, her lungs were on fire, and her feet got thrashed by the rough terrain as the four of them ran. The EMT guy didn’t say she was going the wrong way, so she pressed on.

  Jex! She could remember him yelling into the headset, “She loves me!” And then she could picture him careening to the ground and saying no more. Please help him, she prayed, a desperate plea to protect the man she’d finally admitted to loving.

  Pound
ing footsteps came from the other direction. Jex! Pearl raced on. It had to be him. He was okay. Jex was going to burst through that foliage any minute, sweep her off the ground, and tease her about being barefoot and how she shouldn’t wear heels in a jungle. His mic must’ve gotten damaged in the crash, but here he was, racing toward her. Tears of gratitude pricked her eyes. He did specialize in miracles.

  A man burst through the foliage, but it wasn’t her man—far from it. Her stomach dropped with disappointment and her eyes widened in shock. This man had long, blond hair in dreadlocks and wore absolutely no clothing. He appeared to be a laid-back, happy guy. He wasn’t smiling right now, though.

  Pearl jerked to a stop, the man behind her plowing into her. She caught herself on a tree trunk before she could hit the ground.

  “You haoles looking for the flying man?” he asked.

  “Is he okay?” Pearl burst out.

  The man shrugged his thin shoulders. “He’s breathing,” he said.

  Breathing? That was the best news he had? She was grateful he was breathing, but he must be in bad shape by the way this man was acting.

  “I’m Quinn,” the man said. “Follow me.”

  Pearl nodded. The man turned and broke into a quick jog. Pearl followed his bare backside, trying not to stare. She wanted to go faster, but she was still recovering from the fast sprint up the trail. Jex was breathing. He’d be okay. He had to be.

  They ran silently up the trail; then the man darted off into the forest. Pearl followed him. This route was even more vicious on her feet, and she almost cried out a few times as branches or rocks felt as if they were poking through the soles of her feet, but she bit her tongue and pressed on.

  She saw the bright blue parachute first, shredded in a tree. Her eyes scanned the ground below, and there he was.