Ocean's Fire

by Stacey Tucker

  “I love a good mystery,” Ronnie said with interest. “Now good? This guy isn’t going anywhere.” She gave him a light slap on his rear. “I have about a half hour.”

  “Great,” Skylar said, “it’s a book I have in my locker. I’ll be right back.”

  “Why don’t you meet me in the Round Room in five?” Ronnie said.

  The Round Room was the viewing area for the indoor ring. It wasn’t actually round, but one entire wall was made up of floor-to-ceiling windows that curved outward, giving the room its nickname. It was pretty sparse with the exception of a mahogany table long enough to seat thirty people. Ronnie was already seated near the end closest to the door when Skylar walked in.

  Skylar took the Book of Akasha out of her bag and pushed it across the table to Ronnie. “I was hoping you could tell me what language this is,” she said.

  Ronnie stared at it with wide eyes. “Where did you get this?”

  “It was my mother’s,” Skylar said, avoiding the details. “I’ve been doing a bit of research but not coming up with anything.”

  Ronnie carefully ran her fingers over the cover and opened it with extreme care. “I have a degree in ancient world cultures,” she said as she turned the pages. “I studied for three years in Egypt and two in India in my early twenties. I haven’t been east since my daughter Rhia was born. I gravitated toward the great Sanskrit texts: the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita.” She paused and looked up. “This is Sanskrit, for sure.” She got to the last page. “The back pages have been torn out. It’s always been this way?”

  “Oh, I didn’t notice that. How can you tell?” Skylar asked. She had looked over that book a dozen times and never noticed the missing pages.

  “Here, it’s very slight but you can see the remains of some parchment.” Ronnie showed her a small amount of fibers at the bottom of the last page.

  “Can you smell that?” Skylar asked. The familiar scent of the book filled her nose from across the table.

  Ronnie inhaled deeply. “It smells like stale cigarettes,” she said, wrinkling her nose. She continued to examine the leather-bound book.

  Skylar deflated. “Oh. I smell my mother’s library.”

  Ronnie reached out and squeezed her hand. “I can do some translating tonight for you. Do you mind if I take it?” She held the book tenderly with both hands. “I promise to bring it back tomorrow. We could plan on meeting here after rounds?”

  Skylar didn’t know Ronnie very well but felt a warmth in her that soothed a small part of her soul. “I would love your help,” she said. “With this book and whatever else you feel like sharing.” She instantly felt self-conscious, like she’d said too much.

  Ronnie gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll see what I can come up with,” she said, carefully placing the book in her shoulder bag. “Have a good night, Skylar.”

  “You too,” Skylar said. She was uneasy to let the book go but was grateful for the help. She waved as Ronnie walked out the door. She sat for a few seconds, then grabbed her bag and started down the steps—and smacked right into Argan.

  “I was coming to find you,” he said. “Ronnie said you were up here. How’s your day going?”

  “Great!” she said too enthusiastically. “I mean, really good.” She gave up trying to sound nonchalant and sighed loudly.

  “I was hoping to see you later,” he said.

  Skylar smiled encouragingly.

  “You probably have plans, but if by chance you don’t . . .”

  “I don’t have plans,” Skylar said with a smile. She leaned on the stair railing, trying to pose in a way that hid the mud stains on her jeans.

  “I make a mean chicken pot pie,” he said.

  “Is that a dinner invitation?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I accept.”

  “Great!” Argan clapped his hands together. “Do you want to come to my place when you’re done?”

  Skylar looked down at her dirty pants. “Argan, I have to get the barn off of me if we’re going to have a meal together.”

  “Okay, well, you could clean up at my place,” he said innocently. “To go all the way home . . .”

  “I’ll figure something out before that and swing by at seven,” Skylar said. “Is that good?”

  “Perfect,” Argan said, already backing down the stairs as if nervous that she would change her mind. He lingered in the aisle for a moment and smiled up at Skylar before disappearing around the corner.

  Skylar geared herself up for another cold shower.

  “Seven o’clock, right on time,” Argan said when he saw Skylar waiting at his door.

  “I’ve actually been hiding in the stairwell since six,” she joked.

  He unlocked the door and they went inside. “You don’t have to stalk me, beautiful.” He winked, and Skylar blushed. “Give me five to rinse off, okay?”

  “Sure,” she said. “I’ll just sift through your drawers while I wait.”

  “I thought you did that last night?” he said with a twinkle in his eye.

  Skylar barely had time to check her phone for texts before Argan exited the doorway of the bathroom, steam wafting behind him, in a white towel.

  Skylar held her breath, not sure where she should look. Argan was obviously comfortable wearing a towel around her, but she was not comfortable seeing him in it. He walked past her to the dresser. She finally took a breath in, and when she did the scent of freshly soaped skin enveloped her.

  She studied Argan as he dug through his dresser drawer. He was slender but perfectly defined. The muscles in his back narrowed to a fine point just above his towel line. When he turned to face her, she couldn’t hide her astonishment at the set of abs staring back at her. She sucked in air over her teeth.

  “Damn, Argan, really? What block of marble were you chiseled from?” she asked, only half joking.

  “What?” he asked modestly.

  “How did you get that body?” she asked, almost annoyed. She was acutely aware that her figure was nowhere close to his caliber.

  He shrugged. “Lifting hay bales, I guess.” He ducked into the bathroom to change and came back out wearing shorts and a Rosen T-shirt. He flashed a heart-stopping smile and Skylar shook her head. “You look great, by the way,” he said. “I should have said that earlier.”

  “Thanks,” she said, now able to look him in the eye. “How long do I have you tonight? What time do you have to go back to the barn?”

  “No time really. It’s my own schedule. I’ll check on the horses after our date.”

  “This is a date?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.

  “Did you change your clothes more than once to come here?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said, flushing a little.

  “Then it’s a date,” he said in all seriousness.

  Skylar wondered how he could be so casual. She was still stuck on the fact that her childhood friend had grown into a man with the body of a divine sculpture, and she was working to calm the unfamiliar pulse running through her veins.

  As they enjoyed their meal—Argan’s chicken pot pie was all he’d billed it to be— they resumed catching each other up on their lives in the last decade, although Skylar refrained from sharing the craziness of the summer. She was sure it would send Argan screaming for the hills.

  The sound of a soulful saxophone was playing through the speakers. Argan pulled Skylar off the couch and led her to the small braided rug in the middle of the floor. He lingered in front of her, holding her hand. She let out a nervous giggle as he brushed her hair off of her shoulders. His fingers grazed her neck and she shuddered.

  “You are so beautiful, Skylar, more beautiful than I remember,” he said.

  She swallowed hard. “I don’t think I was beautiful at eleven years old, Argan. More like gangly, with crooked teeth,” she said.

  He shook his head. “To me, you were the most beautiful creature in the world.” He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, then slid
his fingertips down her back. At the same time he took her other hand and started moving her back and forth to the music.

  “In a dancing mood, are you?” she asked.

  He started to move her around the room in answer. Visions of the boy she knew returned. He was strong on his feet, guiding her in a circle, holding her tight around her waist, and she appreciated his expertise. He leaned forward, and Skylar bent back so far she thought she would hit the floor.

  And then she did hit the floor. Argan laughed as he came crashing down on top of her.

  Sklyar looked up at him and could feel his breath on her face. “This feels good. Like we’re kids again.”

  “It is good,” he said. He didn’t take his eyes off of hers. “But we’re not kids anymore.”

  A new wave of emotion for her old friend washed over Skylar. She was still trying to connect her old life with this new one. Argan was still looking into her eyes, and she thought he was searching for a sign that his advances might be welcomed. He propped himself up on his elbows to take his weight off of her, but kept his body pressed to hers. He touched her hair and made his way down her face and neck with very light strokes. She could feel his hands tremble as he touched her. He bent his head a fraction to meet her lips with his. He kissed her once, softly. Neither of them closed their eyes. “I’ve often thought about how your lips would taste,” he whispered, never looking away. He bent his head and kissed her again, this time with greater intensity, and pulled her closer.

  She met his kiss with an ancient longing rising up from her core. As her mouth enjoyed exploring his, Skylar heard a snap and her eyes widened. A door hidden deep within her had just unlocked. She quickly softened back into the rhythm of their embrace, dismissing the phantom sound still ringing in her ears.

  Suddenly, Argan sat up.

  “What’s wrong?” Skylar asked.

  “I should ask you,” he said. He wiped wetness from his chin and then her cheek. “You’re crying.”

  Skylar wiped her cheek as well. “It was the kiss.” She sat up.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  “I just mean it was really good,” she said, conflicted. The door deep within her held firm despite the pounding of her heart against it. She wanted to give her whole self to Argan. She knew she was safe, but something stopped her.

  “It’s getting late. I should go,” she said, getting up. “And you have rounds.”

  Argan stiffened. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “Gosh, no,” she said.

  “Then stay with me,” Argan commanded. “I just found you again. I don’t want you to go.”

  She hesitated. Too many emotions were crashing together inside of her. “I need a toothbrush,” she said, shaking her head in defeat.

  “Done.”

  “Okay.” All the thoughts in her brain would have to wait. Tonight, this felt good.

  They kicked off their shoes and made themselves comfortable on the bed. Skylar nestled under Argan’s arm.

  “I’ll check the horses after you fall asleep,” he said, running his fingers through her hair.

  Skylar began to relax under his touch. “Do you believe in fate, Argan?” she whispered as she played with the buttons on his shirt.

  “I believe there are forces that align situations for us. It’s up to us to do something about it,” he said. “It didn’t hurt that I spent many nights dreaming about our reunion.”

  She picked her head up off his chest and looked at him. “You made us happen?”

  “I believe human will creates miracles. How else can you explain the unexplainable?”

  “I never thought about it until recently,” she said with a yawn. “Thank you for finding me.”

  The morning light came too quickly through the ring window. Argan startled when he saw Skylar staring at him, her face only inches away from his.

  “Did I dream this?” she asked, playfully poking his cheek with her finger.

  He stretched to shake the stiffness off. “Yup,” he said. “We made this happen with our dreams, Skylar.”

  She didn’t understand what he meant, but it sounded good and she was too content to ask. They remained intertwined, awake but not speaking. After some time, Argan leaned over to his bedside table without releasing her from his arm. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a box. He handed it to her.

  She sat up. “Argan! It’s the box I gave you!” She beamed. She opened the lid, and there was the magic rock. She couldn’t believe it. “I wasn’t even sure your dad gave it to you. You saved it all this time?”

  “Of course I saved it, Sky. It was my last connection to you. I kept it with me wherever I was.” He leaned into her and kissed her hair. “When I came back to the States, I hoped I would get to see you again. Like I said, I dreamt of it.”

  “Why didn’t you contact me sooner? Why didn’t you come find me? We still lived at the farm.”

  Argan hesitated. “Fear, I guess,” he said softly. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t care, or would be with someone else, or . . . so many things. My fantasy was perfect and safe. I still had you in my head and my heart. To take the chance that might be ruined forever? That was too much. But I knew the chance would be forced upon me eventually.”

  “You couldn’t have planned it better. Although it seems like you did,” she said.

  Argan’s mood rebounded. “The desires of the heart are strong, Sky. They work miracles.” He kissed her again and pulled her back into his arms.

  Skylar glanced at the clock on his bedside table. She knew she had to go. She had to be at the barn in a half hour.

  He could read her thoughts. “You don’t have to go far.” He spoke against her lips, not releasing her kiss.

  “I need to put on fresh clothes and compose myself for the day,” she said.

  “I have a list of ways to make you stay.” He was playful now, sliding both hands around her backside to pull her onto him. Skylar took in a ragged breath. Her body responded with intense heat, all inclinations to leave forgotten. The door within her shook from the earthquake rumbling in her core.

  “God, you have such power over me,” she breathed.

  He stopped moving and looked her in the eyes. “Is it all right . . . that I’m doing this?”

  “Of course, I just meant that I was leaving five minutes ago and now look at me.” She giggled, hoping to ease his sudden concern.

  Argan effortlessly flipped her on her back. His perfection was illuminated by the soft light of the new day. He somehow looked angelic and quintessentially human. He is what all men should be, Skylar thought.

  He gave her one more soft kiss and held her head between his hands. “I have to leave for Stonybrook this afternoon,” he said. “It’s only two nights though.” He sat up.

  Her good mood faltered slightly. “Well, okay. It’s a date for the weekend?” she asked as she pulled on her boots. She made do with day-old clothes from her emergency suitcase. Her outfits were in need of refreshing. She gave Argan a rueful look. “With my delayed exit this morning, it will have to be the walk of shame to work.”

  “Wear it proudly,” he said, resting his arms on his knees, still sitting on his bed. She rushed over to him and gave him a deep kiss good-bye. He engulfed her with his arms and started to pull her down on the bed.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” she said lightheartedly, pushing off of his chest. “I can’t be late.”

  Argan gave an exaggerated sigh. “Okay. See you on the weekend?”

  “I’ll be here,” she said. He pulled her close and gave her a long, lingering kiss.

  Skylar was finishing her rounds when Ronnie pulled into the parking lot in her soft-top Jeep. She hopped out with a little girl carrying a school bag. The girl couldn’t have been more than six or seven. She was barefoot and wore a sleeveless sundress and rings of shiny bracelets up her arms. Her mop of blond curls stood in stark contrast to Ronnie’s dark red hair.

  “Skylar, this is my daughter, Rhiannon,” Ronnie said.


  “Rhia for short,” Rhia said. She stared right into Skylar’s eyes until Skylar had to look away. She thought it odd for such a young child to have such fierce eye contact.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Rhia,” she said.

  “Rhia’s a bit different than other six-year-olds,” Ronnie said, sensing Skylar’s uneasiness. “She is wise beyond her years.” She stroked Rhia’s hair with motherly love.

  Skylar smiled in reply.

  “Skylar, your aura is dusty,” Rhia said. “It’s because you’re so sad. You should get more sleep. It will help. Do you know why humans sleep? It’s not the reason you think. What’s your favorite animal? Mine is a horse. I love the horses. I came to see the new one, Cheveyo. But he’s not new to me. Do you like it here, Skylar?”

  Skylar looked at Ronnie for help.

  “Rhia, you’re going to make Skylar’s head explode.” Ronnie chuckled.

  “I do like it here. Thank you, Rhia,” Skylar said.

  “And Argan, Mama says you like Argan,” Rhia said.

  “Yes, I like Argan.” Skylar started to relax a little.

  “I love Argan,” Rhia said. “He reminds me of my daddy.”

  “Is that right?” Skylar asked.

  “I’m going to marry Argan someday,” Rhia said.

  “Rhii-aa,” Ronnie warned gently. Without another word, Rhia skipped away to visit with the horses.

  Skylar couldn’t remember ever being so vibrant. Except with Argan, she realized. With him I was that vibrant. She could swear she saw an animated glow trail behind Rhia like a school of fish. “She is quite something, Ronnie.”

  “That she is,” Ronnie said. She started filling buckets of water for the horses. Skylar helped.

  “At first I wasn’t sure I wanted children,” Ronnie said. “But some timer went off in my late thirties and that was it.” She picked up a bucket to fill with grain for the horses. “From the time she was born, she’s had a mystical way about her. Before she could hold her head up, she would look into my eyes as if she was speaking to me without words—as if she was reading my mind. I could never figure out which. And the ability only got stronger as she got older. She can read people’s feelings just by looking at them. She says she sees different colors around them or around a particular part of their body. It’s quite fascinating. Many times when she sees these colors in various places, it correlates to an illness the person has, even one they might not be aware of.”