by Dara Girard
“Find someone else.”
Kelli raised a brow. “Are you interested?”
“No. I just don’t want you distracted. We’re here on business.”
“I’ll be discreet, then.”
“Good.”
Kelli folded her arms, sending Rebecca a significant look. “Are you sure you’re not interested?”
“I don’t have time to be interested in anyone.”
“It’s been two years since your breakup. Don’t you think—”
“I think you have too much time on your hands. I want to take a nap before I meet with the stage director.”
Kelli sighed and left. But Rebecca didn’t take a nap. She couldn’t sleep. Kelli was on the prowl, and Rebecca couldn’t blame her. Aaron was a worthy target. She’d been just as eager to get his attention ten years ago, but for a different reason...
Ten years ago
It was really hard to run in three-inch high heels. Even harder to run on a boat, away from a drunken college sophomore she had only just met that evening, who wanted to bed as many coeds as he could on spring break. “Come on, don’t be like that,” he said. Although his words were slurred, his pace was incredibly steady.
“I said leave me alone!” Rebecca shouted over her shoulder. She could see the lights of the island in the distance. The sun had set an hour ago, but there was still a purple haze that colored the sky. She knew she couldn’t make a swim for it. She wished she hadn’t decided to go on the two-level rental party boat and had stayed in her room with her roommate, Marie, instead.
“I just think we’ll have a good time together,” she had told Marie.
She’d heard the rumors and knew what some of the boys expected. Her two other friends were already giving his buddies “good times” somewhere on the boat, but this wasn’t the kind of holiday she’d been hoping for. She’d wanted to go sailing, laze on the beach, shop in one of the crowded outdoor markets. Instead, she’d found herself getting crushed at a keg party, and now running from a drunken college guy who had arms like an octopus. One of those arms reached her and pulled her to him.
“You know, your little act is getting old.”
Rebecca tried to shove him away. He smelled of stale aftershave and beer. “It’s not an act. I’m not interested.”
He looked her over. “It’s not like you should be picky. There are prettier girls out here.”
“Then find one of them.” She tried hard to push him off her, but he held her even closer.
“Why? I’ve got you right here.” He leaned in to kiss her.
She bit his lip.
He swore and shoved her back, calling her a foul name. “You think that was funny?” he said, touching his lip and seeing blood on his fingers.
“I warned you.” But the look in his eyes let her know that her warning had only enraged him. She started running again, getting enough distance to turn a corner out of sight, but she knew there was no cabin room for her to hide in. So she grabbed the rail and swung herself over the side of the boat, hoping that he would pass her without looking down. She heard his footsteps. Heard him swear and then disappear below deck. She held on a little longer, but soon felt her grip slipping. She started to lift herself back up, glad for the cardio class she’d started to take on campus. She had nearly pulled herself all the way up when the chaser popped up and said, “Gotcha!”
His sudden presence startled her. She lost her grip and started to fall backward. He reached out to grab her, but his attempt was clumsy and had too much force. He managed to grip her sleeve and pulled her forward instead of up, and she hit her head before the soft material of her dress ripped in his fingers and she fell into the water, unconscious.
Chapter 3
Rebecca woke up to the sound of voices. When she opened her eyes, she found she was on a rescue craft, and a young man, dripping wet, leaned over her. “You’re going to be okay. No, don’t sit up,” he said gently, pulling her jacket closer together. Then she remembered she hadn’t been wearing a jacket—especially not a man’s dinner jacket. She looked up at him and saw his white shirt plastered to his muscled chest. She couldn’t really place him. He looked much older than the college crowd. “What happened?”
“I saw you go overboard,” he said in a rich island lilt.
“And you saved me?” she said with awe. “I could have been attacked by a shark, or stung by jellyfish or drowned.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up in a quick grin. “I did what anyone would have done. But you have to be more careful. How much have you had to drink?”
“Nothing.”
“Then what were you doing hanging over the side of the boat?”
“I was trying to get away—” She stiffened and sat up too fast. She held her head as the world started to spin.
He reached out to steady her. “I told you to keep still.”
“But where is he? I made him so angry.”
The man gently pushed her back down. “Relax. You don’t have to worry about him anymore.”
“He wouldn’t leave me alone.”
“He will now,” he said in a grim tone. “And the next time someone bothers you, you just come to me...” He lifted his brow in a question.
“Becca,” she said.
He nodded. “You have nothing to worry about. You’re safe now.”
“Who are you?”
“Aaron.”
She wanted to ask him more questions, but the boat landed on the island before she could. The EMTs rushed to meet them. Her rescuer spoke to one of the police officers on the scene while one of the EMTs assessed her, taking her vital signs and applying some ointment to the bruise on her forehead. He tried to encourage her to go to the hospital, but she declined. “I just want to go home and go to sleep.”
“You’ve suffered a mild concussion, and going home and sleeping wouldn’t be a good idea,” he said. “Do you have someone who can be with you through the night?”
“No, but—”
“Then it’s best that you come with us.” The EMTs began to lead her to the waiting ambulance.
“Please, please,” she said, starting to panic. “I really don’t want to.”
“What’s going on here?” Aaron asked, joining them.
The EMT told him the situation. Aaron looked at her. “And you really don’t want to go to the hospital? They’ll treat you well.”
“No,” she said. “The last time I saw my mother was in a hospital, and it’s a painful place for me.”
“Okay. I’ll look after her,” he said when the EMT started to protest. He waved her forward. “Come on,” he said, then started walking.
“I’ll really be okay by myself,” Rebecca said. “Besides, I have a roommate. She can watch me.” Rebecca wasn’t sure if Marie would still be in their hotel room, or if she would be out partying in town. But she wasn’t going to share that bit of knowledge with him.
He extended his hand and took hers in his. “I’m not going to take that risk. And you don’t have to worry—you won’t be alone with me. People know me on this island.”
That certainly wasn’t a worry for her. She could tell by the way the EMTs reacted to him that he was a man people respected. She wondered how long he’d lived on the island and why he’d been on the rental boat. Or was he a foreign vacationer like her? He was the complete opposite of the man who’d been chasing her. But no, man was the wrong word. The college drunk had been a boy. Aaron definitely was a man. A gentleman, and that was rare nowadays. He treated her with kindness and made her feel safe. She couldn’t stop looking at him. He was like a designer coat marked down to half price—completely irresistible.
“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting company,” he said as he walked over to a motorcycle that leaned up against a stone fence and lifted the one helmet h
e had. “Maybe I should call a taxi for you.”
“No, I’ll be okay.”
He handed her the helmet and helped her close the latch before sitting on the bike. When she didn’t move, he looked at her, concerned. “What’s the matter?”
“I’ve never ridden one of these before.”
Aaron’s face split into a wide grin. “I’m not expecting you to drive it.” He patted the bike with affection. “She hugs the road and purrs like a kitten. I’ve never had a problem with her. You’ll be safe with me.” He raised a brow. “You sure you don’t want me to call a taxi?”
Rebecca closed her hands into fists. She had no reason to be nervous, but suddenly she was. Not because of the bike, but because of the man. On the boat and talking to the EMT, he’d look civilized, but on the bike, with his rakish grin, he had a devilish air. But he’d saved her life, and people knew him. Maybe her imagination was just running wild because of the darkening sky and the warm Caribbean breeze. She took a deep breath, then got on and sat behind him.
“You have to hold on,” he said.
“What?”
He grabbed her arms and wrapped them around his waist. “I want you to hold on tight. I can’t have you falling off the bike now, can I? Ready?”
She could feel the heat of his skin through his wet shirt, and the muscles of his back pressed to her chest. “Yes.”
He revved up the machine, then drove through some of the island’s back roads. She’d never seen some of those places before. Too soon he stopped the motorcycle and shut off the engine.
“We’re here already?” she said, disappointed.
Aaron laughed. “I thought you’d be glad.”
“I was just starting to have fun.” She took off the helmet.
“Maybe I’ll treat you to a longer ride next time,” he said, taking the helmet from her and setting it aside.
Rebecca knew he was saying that just to be nice, but she truly hoped he would. She was about to say so when she looked up and finally saw where they were. A large mansion loomed before her—a mansion with a dark history. “I thought you were taking me back to the hotel.” She raced up to Aaron and grabbed his arm. “Wait, where are you going?”
“I’m going inside.”
“You can’t go inside,” she said in a low hiss.
He looked down at her, confused. “Why not?”
“I read about this place,” she said, casting an uneasy glance at the large structure. “No one on the island comes to this place. It’s owned by this wealthy family who are said to be descendants of the famous pirate Pierre LaCroix.”
Rebecca went on to tell the story she had heard about how in the early 1600s, a free black man from France, Pierre LaCroix, traveled to St. James. He immediately fell in love with both the people and the land. That was before Spain discovered and decided to claim the island as part of its sovereignty. Pierre LaCroix fought along with the people, but when faced with defeat, he escaped and became a pirate instead. He was never captured by the Spanish, who were eventually overrun by the British. “This house belongs to his descendants, who got rich from the gold and jewelry Pierre plundered from Spanish and British ships he and his fellow pirates attacked.”
He rested his hands on his hips, amused. “Really?”
“It’s even been said that the ghost of LaCroix chooses the bride for the eldest male of the family, and if he doesn’t marry the woman selected, he falls to ruin.”
Aaron’s expression changed, and his voice deepened. “If you’re really frightened, it’s not too late to go to the hospital.”
“Why would I do that? I’m not frightened of you, just of this place.”
Aaron blinked and didn’t move. It took her a moment to realize that the pose reminded her of something. Or rather, someone. In her search to find information about the island, she’d seen a picture of the pirate Pierre LaCroix, and Aaron now looked eerily like him. Like a man who could laugh at a hundred-foot ocean wave, handle a knife with ease and seduce a woman with just a look. Her heart dropped to her feet. “Oh, no. You’re one of them, aren’t you?”
He nodded.
“I thought you were here on holiday like me,” she said, quickly trying to cover her mistake. But she couldn’t tell whether she’d made him annoyed or angry. His face held a blank expression, but his golden-brown gaze hadn’t lost its intensity. “What were you doing on the boat?” she asked.
“One of the chaperones fell ill and I stepped in.”
“I see. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—”
He shrugged. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.” He jerked his thumb to the door. “Are you ready to go in now, or do you want to tell me some more ghost stories?”
Rebecca covered her face, embarrassed. “I’ve had a traumatic experience. I cannot be accountable for anything I say.”
He laughed and took her hand. “Come on.”
A maid greeted them the moment they entered. “Please take her to the TV room,” Aaron said. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
Rebecca followed the woman, in awe of her surroundings, amazed that it wasn’t as foreboding as she’d imagined and feeling even more embarrassed that he felt he had to look after her. She didn’t want to be a bother.
“You brought her here?” she heard a woman say.
“Keep your voice down,” Aaron said. “She could hear you.”
“But why didn’t you just take her back to her room?”
“Because I didn’t think it would be appropriate for me to spend the night in one of the guests’ bedrooms.”
“You could have just asked one of the staff to stay with her. You didn’t have to look after her yourself. You should have convinced her to go to the hospital.”
“She doesn’t like hospitals, and she’s one of our guests. Besides, it shouldn’t have happened.”
“Oh, Aaron,” a younger female said. “You’re such an old man. Things like this happen all the time.”
“All our guests should be safe. I knew those party boats would be a problem.”
“What are you so worked up about? They’re not even part of our business. If she wants to sue, she can sue them—what happened has nothing to do with us. You always take on more responsibility than necessary. Send her home.”
“Not until I’m sure she’s okay. I just wanted you to know why she’s here, not for you to try to change my mind.”
“Well, you certainly need to change your clothes,” the older woman said. “You’re dripping water everywhere.”
He snapped his fingers. “Oh, right, she needs clothes. Candace, could you give her something?”
“Aaron,” the older woman said, irritated. “Just have the staff go to her room and get some of her things.”
“Mum, it’d take too long. She could catch a chill and get sick.”
“What chill? It’s perfectly warm, and I doubt she’s that delicate,” the younger woman added. “You’re such a protector.”
“I don’t have time for this. I have to go change and then keep an eye on her. Will you help me or not?”
“Okay, just this once.”
Rebecca pretended to watch TV when she heard his footsteps. He stopped and looked in on her. “Why aren’t you sitting down?”
“I didn’t want to get the sofa wet.”
“Right, I’m sorry,” he said, looking contrite. “I forgot about that. My sister will have something for you to wear in a minute. I’m just going to get changed, and I’ll be right back.”
“You really don’t—” she started, but he’d left before she could finish.
Rebecca looked around the elegant room, feeling even more awkward than before. If his family didn’t want her there, maybe she should have gone to the hospital. She felt fine. She wasn’t nauseous and was steady on her feet, and she didn
’t like feeling like a stray cat he’d found.
She put his jacket down, then poked her head out into the hallway. No one was around, and if she left, then the problem would be solved. She started to tiptoe to the doorway when she heard an amused female voice. “That’s not a good idea.”
She turned around and saw an attractive young woman, a little older than Aaron, grinning at her. “He’ll just come and find you.” She held out several clothing items. “Just get changed, and get used to being here.”
“But I’m really okay,” Rebecca said, reluctantly taking the clothes.
“My brother takes his responsibilities seriously,” the woman said, leading Rebecca to a bathroom. “He’s going to look after you until the morning, so you might as well get used to the idea. I’m Candace, by the way. If you haven’t figured it out by now, my family owns the hotel where you’re staying.”
“Rebecca,” she said, following the woman’s example. Rebecca walked into the bathroom, then turned to her. “This is all so embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing? You have no idea how many girls would love to be in your shoes.” She winked and then closed the door.
Resigned, Rebecca changed, then looked at her torn dress. She’d designed it herself, but the stitching hadn’t been strong enough. She’d have to take better care in the future. She didn’t want them to think she’d fallen overboard on purpose. Then her thoughts turned back to her rescuer. He was wonderful, and she could understand why he’d be a hot catch, but she didn’t want to give him or his family the wrong impression. But since she was going to have to stay, she decided she’d make the best of it.