Stranded with a Hero (Entangled Bliss)

by Karen Erickson

  He couldn’t stop staring at her. Messy, dark hair crammed under a pink paper hat, a red-and-white, candy-striped sundress revealing tanned arms and legs, snowflake earrings dangling from her earlobes, smooth skin gleaming from the heat. She’d never appeared more wonderful to him. As his eyes ate her up, he felt himself expanding, filling up with some new, astonishing emotion he’d never experienced before.

  He stretched a hand to her just as she reached for another joke, and when their fingers met, she drew in a quick intake of breath, darting a glance at him. He threaded his fingers through hers, the action coming naturally to him. Naomi breathed in deep again, her hand like a humming bird in his. But she didn’t pull away. A glow lit her face for a second, transfixing him. Tiny details seared into his brain—the flecks of silver in her irises, the broiling heat on the back of his neck, the background shrieks of children playing, the infinitesimal twitch of the pulse in her wrist. A silent, electric communication connected them. Then her eyes became shuttered, her glow faded, and she gently withdrew her hand. The moment was gone.

  It felt as if the sun had disappeared behind a cloud. Coldness seeped through him, despite the torrid heat baking his skin. Why had she drawn back? Had she seen something in his expression and misinterpreted it?

  “Naomi, I…” He trailed off. What exactly did he want to say to her? Naomi, I want to hold your hand. Naomi, I really like you. No, those sentiments were lamer than the Christmas cracker jokes. What did he honestly feel about her?

  Before he could think any further, she shook her head, rising abruptly from the table just as her mother and aunts emerged from the house bearing vast platters of dessert.

  “Pavlova!” Naomi’s mother, Helen, called out, and as people gathered around the table, Naomi disappeared into the house.

  Heart thumping, Aaron got to his feet and went after her, weaving around people, his determination climbing. Inside the family room, he paused for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the relative gloom before someone clapped him on the shoulder from behind.

  “I need to talk with you,” Luke said in his ear before leading him to his study. The room was on the opposite side of the house, and as soon as Luke shut the door behind them, the noise of the party cut out.

  Aaron took in the earnest set of his friend’s face. “What’s up?”

  Luke rubbed his jaw, his expression uncomfortable as if he had an unwelcome task to tackle. “I want to know what’s going on between you and Naomi.” His tone was calm, but couldn’t quite disguise a note of apprehension.

  Aaron’s gut clenched. He’d pursued Naomi into the house instinctively, his thoughts chaotic except for the determination not let her slip away. Now Luke was confronting him with a question he didn’t know the answer to. Not yet.

  He glanced around the tidy study, not taking much in, then met Luke’s steely gaze. Aaron exhaled a long breath. “I wish I knew,” he said. “Naomi is…” Incredible, amazing, he wanted to say, but no adjective seemed adequate.

  “My niece.” Luke glared at him. “And I warned you not to try anything with her.”

  Aaron shook his head. “Nothing you imagine is going on.”

  “Nothing?”

  Aaron frowned. “Well, there’s something, but not what you think.”

  “I know there’s something, mate. Out on the deck you two were getting pretty cozy. I saw the way Naomi looked at you, and I didn’t like it.” Luke scowled fiercely.

  “What look? How was she looking at me?”

  “I don’t know.” Luke flung his hand up in an impatient gesture. “Like you were the best thing since sliced bread.”

  Aaron’s heart honest to goodness flipped. He’d never thought it possible, but his heart was racing because a girl thought he was cute. What else had Luke seen in Naomi’s face? Was it plain for everyone to see? But he couldn’t ask these questions because Luke was still glaring at him, hands clenched at his sides.

  “Well?” Luke barked out. “Why are you messing with her when you know what she’s been through and you’re going to be gone any day now?”

  The crude reality of the situation made Aaron’s stomach roll. He held his hands up. “I’m not ‘messing’ with her.”

  “So you haven’t kissed her?”

  Aaron hesitated, and his friend’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not what you think,” Aaron said. “You think I’m just treating this like my usual casual hookups. But it’s not. Naomi is different. I like her a lot. I enjoy spending time with her.” He wiped the back of his hand across the moisture beading his upper lip. “This past week has been crazy, man. I’ve done things I never thought I would and enjoyed them, too. All because of Naomi.” He paused and swallowed as his milling thoughts coalesced into one conclusion. “She’s special.”

  And I don’t want to let her go. But he kept that to himself.

  Luke released a sigh, his aggressive stance easing. He gazed at Aaron for a long time before slowly shaking his head. “Okay. I’ll stop being the interfering uncle. I’ve just got one thing to say to you, mate.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t screw up.”

  …

  Naomi rolled onto her stomach and watched an ant struggle over the grass of her mother’s back lawn. Rachel, her younger sister, lounged beside her, tongue poking out as she carefully painted her toenails. From their shady spot under the jacaranda tree, they could see into the living room of the villa where their mother and her new partner were watching television.

  “They’re getting on like a house on fire,” Rachel said as she jiggled her brush into the pot of nail polish.

  “Yes.” Sighing, Naomi rested her chin on a clenched fist as she saw Helen and Kenneth laughing together like a couple of teenagers. Love and relationships seemed so straightforward for other people. Her mother and Kenneth were clearly in love with each other. Rachel was living with her fiancé who’d been her high school sweetheart. It wasn’t easy being the odd one out in her family.

  “So what’s going on with you and Aaron?” Rachel asked with the bluntness that only close sisters were allowed. “Yesterday it looked like you and he couldn’t keep your eyes off each other, but then you up and bolted like a rabbit.”

  Naomi bit her lip. Yes, she’d run away, no denying it. Yesterday, she’d felt so close to Aaron, the intimacy between them a rushing, tumultuous river. She’d never experienced such a deep connection with a man in so short a time. With Justin, she’d known him six months before she’d agreed to go on a date with him. The thought of Justin had triggered sudden alarm bells, reviving the hurt of her recent breakup, hurt she couldn’t go through again. So she’d pulled away from Aaron and bolted. She’d avoided him for the rest of Christmas Day, and as her relatives prepared to leave, she’d panicked at the realization that she couldn’t hide from him once they were gone. On the spur of the moment, she’d stuffed a few things into an overnight bag and returned home with her mother and sister, who was staying a few days. Her mum had been surprised but, as usual, hadn’t asked questions. Rachel, however, had no qualms about prying.

  “I needed a break,” Naomi said, twisting a strand of grass around her finger. “It was getting too complicated.”

  “Because he’s going back to the US? That only makes it more romantic, doesn’t it?” Rachel waved her hand, the brush precariously loaded with nail polish. “All those long phone calls, e-mails, and Skype sessions. All that built-up passion exploding when you finally meet again. Oh, ye-ah…”

  Naomi’s cheeks warmed. “It’s not like that at all. No phone calls, e-mails, or Skyping have been mentioned.”

  “That’s a pretty cute toe ring he gave you, though.”

  Naomi wriggled her foot as she glanced down at the sterling silver, freeform ring on her toe. Aaron’s gift had surprised her as she hadn’t thought he’d noticed her penchant for toe adornments. “He gave me two rings,” she couldn’t help confiding. “The other one glows in the dark.”

  “A glow-in-the-dark toe ring? He must be s
erious, then!”

  The blade of grass tore between Naomi’s clenched fingers. The worst thing she could do was read too much into a gift. “Aaron isn’t into relationships, never mind long-distance ones, and I’m not ready for one either. He has his Wall Street job, and I have my teaching.”

  “So?” Rachel shrugged. “Kids in America need teachers, too.”

  Alarmed at where the conversation was heading, Naomi pushed herself upright. “I’m not moving overseas again! I did it once, and I’m not going to repeat the same mistake.”

  “Okay, calm your farm.” Her sister made shushing motions with her hands. “If you don’t want to move, you don’t have to. It’s your life. You make the decisions.”

  Yes, she made the decisions, no one else. And she’d decided she was staying. So it didn’t matter how the mere thought of Aaron made her go weak with desire, and it didn’t matter that his leaving made her heart constrict with a pain she’d never experienced. It didn’t matter because the fact was Aaron was leaving, and she was staying.

  …

  It was growing dark when Naomi got Rachel to drive her back to Luke’s house. She didn’t want to appear as if she were hiding from Aaron. She’d bolstered her heart against him, and she was determined to appear buoyant and in control. In the gathering dusk, lights shone from the house as she hopped out of the car and said good-bye to her sister.

  The soft burble of the television greeted her as she let herself into the house. She walked into the family room, expecting to find Luke, Tyler, or at least Chloe, but instead there was only Aaron sitting on the couch watching TV.

  He rose as soon as he saw her, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Hey, there.” His husky voice plucked at her heightened senses, sending a hum through her.

  “Hi.” She eased the overnight bag from her shoulder. “Is everyone else out?”

  Aaron nodded. “They went to visit Tyler’s aunt. They’ll be back soon.” After a brief pause, he angled his elbow toward the TV, which was showing the highlights of a cricket match. “I don’t get this game at all. Luke’s tried to explain it to me, but it sounds too bizarre. Do you understand it?”

  “Most of it. My dad was a big fan, and so are all my uncles.” She lifted her chin at the TV. “It’s the Boxing Day test match. Happens every year.”

  “They’ve played all day today, but apparently the game isn’t over yet. It can go on for five days.” Aaron shook his head. “I’ll be back in the States before the match ends.”

  Her involuntary intake of air was so sharp her ribs hurt. “You will?”

  “My airline called earlier. I’m booked on a flight tomorrow.” His gaze fixed on her, and it felt as if he could see straight into her heart. “I leave first thing in the morning.”

  Cold drenched her, but she clamped her jaw and fought through the shock. “I see. That’s—that’s good news.”

  “Yeah.” His gaze was still trained on her, an intense laser beam. “As soon as I land at JFK, I’m renting a car and driving up to Mecklenburg to see my folks.”

  She made herself nod, feeling like a marionette. “Your parents will be thrilled. Maybe don’t rent a Porsche this time.”

  “I won’t.” A brief smile flickered across his face and was gone too quickly. “Tyler opened her store for me so I could get a few gifts for the family.”

  Disappointment panged in her chest. Disappointment that she hadn’t been around to do that for him. She would have loved helping him choose presents. She pictured small-town Mecklenburg with snow sparkling on the trees, fires roaring in hearths, and Aaron arriving home, arms filled with gifts, and his family waiting to greet him. Her chest tightened. Her throat smarted. Aaron was leaving, and she was staying, and it hurt like hell.

  To hide her emotion, she picked up her overnight bag and half turned away, but Aaron moved, too, blocking her escape. She glanced up, fearful he would detect the torment in her face.

  “Naomi…” He cleared his throat. “Uh, I have a gift for you, too.”

  “But you already gave me the toe rings.”

  “Those were for fun.” He moved to a side table, lifted a piece of paper, and brought it back to her. “This is something I really want you to have.”

  She scanned the printout. It was an open air ticket from Sydney to New York, first class, valid for one year. Her heart began thumping deep and fast. “I don’t understand.” Her lungs seemed to have seized up. She couldn’t exhale, couldn’t think. “Why are you giving me this?”

  He shifted on his feet, flexed his hands, and with a shock she realized he was nervous. “Because,” Aaron said in a soft yet tenacious voice, “I would really love it if you could spend more time with me.”

  She swallowed hard, but the wad in her throat wouldn’t budge. “In New York?”

  “In New York, yes, if that works out for you. But if not, I’ll fly back here.”

  “Back here?” She stared at him, stunned. “Just to see me?”

  He nodded. Again his hands curled and uncurled, and his throat worked. His steady gaze had never left hers for a second, and as he stepped nearer, his brandy-colored eyes were clear and fervent.

  “I’d fly anywhere just to see you again.” The low rasp of his voice reverberated through her.

  The plane ticket slipped from her numb fingers and drifted to the ground. Her legs trembled as she fought to stay upright. “But it won’t—” She gasped for breath. “It won’t work.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because…” She pressed cold fingers against her throbbing cheeks. “Because I can’t uproot myself again. I can’t risk getting hurt again. I just…can’t.” Pain bloomed in her chest. A new kind of pain—bruising and spiked with regret for a future that couldn’t happen. She sobbed in air, and it felt as if she’d gulped a mouthful of tears.

  Aaron clasped her hands and drew them away from her face. The steadiness of his grip flowed into her, and the teetering panic ebbed slightly.

  “I’m not asking you to uproot yourself.” He massaged the backs of her hands with his thumbs. “I know your family is important to you, that your teaching career means a lot to you, and we’ve only just met. But you don’t feel at all like a stranger to me. When we’re together, it feels so good and right. I can talk about anything to you, things I’d never discuss with anyone, let alone someone I’d only met last week. I love being with you, and you’re important—very important—to me.” Round and round his thumb pads circled on her skin, sending waves of pleasure through her. “When I kiss you, I never want to stop, and I will never forget how it feels to kiss you, even if—heaven forbid—I never get to kiss you again.”

  She drank in his words, mesmerized by them as much as his caressing hands and his earnest gaze. He drew her closer until the heat of his chest penetrated the thin cotton of her tank top. Through the haze of her agitation, she thought he was going to kiss her. In fact, she could see the hunger burning in his eyes, could sense her own need leaping to reciprocate, but he held himself back, and she realized he was waiting for her response. Instead of overwhelming her with passion, he wanted her informed consent. His restraint heightened her emotions. This volcanic tenderness she had for Aaron…it felt shockingly like love, but how could she fall in love with a man she’d met a week ago?

  She pressed her hands against his chest to feel the quick beat of his heart. She didn’t know the answer to her question. All she knew was that he had changed her life forever, and she could no longer resist him.

  “I don’t want you to forget me.” She slid her hands farther up his shirt. “Let’s make sure you don’t.”

  He curled one arm around her waist before his mouth slanted over hers in a deep, long kiss that shattered the remnants of her control. Aaron kissed her with a fierce hunger, his hands coasting over her body, echoing his desire. Eventually he lifted his head and eased her slightly away from her, though his hands remained locked around her hips. His eyes were dark and beautiful and drugged with need, and
his lips were so lush they took her breath away. At that moment he was divinely perfect, and if he had carried her off to his bed, she wouldn’t have murmured a protest.

  But though he must have sensed her need, Aaron didn’t press his advantage. Using one finger, he smoothed back her hair that had tumbled over her eyes. “I won’t forget,” he said solemnly. “I promise.”

  He said that now, but what would happen when he returned to New York and fell into the rhythm of his normal life? In the hustle and bustle of his demanding career, with all the temptations of New York to distract him, wouldn’t it be natural for his memories of her to be pushed to the edges, to fade with the passing of time?

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” She stepped back from him, and his hands fell to his sides.

  “I’m not.” His square chin lifted. “And I don’t expect any promises from you, either. That ticket is yours. Use it or not, it’s up to you, but know that I would be absolutely stoked if you did decide to visit me.”

  Chewing her lip, she picked up the fallen plane ticket. First class to New York. That would have cost plenty, but Aaron was so generous, so loving… Her heart constricted. She was more than halfway to falling in love with him. Using the ticket would seal her fate. Could she risk that again? Could she survive if Aaron shattered her heart?

  “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, overcome with equal parts fear and desire. “It all seems so impossible.”

  He cupped her cheek. “Nothing’s impossible if you put your mind to it.”

  Aaron enclosed her with his arms, but his touch only intensified the unease dipping and rolling inside her. It was so tempting to be swept up by his words and the magic of the moment, but she couldn’t afford to be that trusting in fate anymore.

  “I want to believe that, I really do.” She swallowed, holding herself rigid. How she wanted to snuggle into Aaron, make these last moments alone with him special and memorable. But the past nagged at her like a toothache. “But it’s not really true, is it? I mean, it’d be impossible for me to become President of the United States no matter how much I put my mind to it.”