“Your long hair sweeping over your bare shoulders . . .” His voice trailed off, and he leaned over to kiss me. “Makes leaving extremely difficult.”
“Yeah?” I asked between kisses, my pulse soaring.
I’d never once been in a relationship where the need was so strong, it couldn’t wait until we were somewhere besides a car, and he wasn’t making it any easier with each tease of his tongue. He drew back slowly but rested his forehead against mine.
“I’m glad I shared a little with you,” he whispered.
“I appreciate it. I was beginning to feel like I was the oddball with all the problems. It’s nice to know there’s enough to go around.”
He sat back and smiled. “It’s going to be really hard to be away from you these next few days.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” I sighed and rested my head on the seat. “You’re kind of rocking my world, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
“I’ve got a few ideas.” His smile deepened.
“And I’ve got an active imagination.”
“This is going to be a brutal trip.” He pulled out of the parking lot, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to fall for Jake Harlen.
Jake was about to pick me up for our Hound Island trip. The last few days had been filled with endless texting, and I couldn’t wait to see him again. I wasn’t sure exactly what changed between us, but it felt like the walls had started coming down. I’d packed my bag for all kinds of possibilities, and waiting for him to arrive was almost painful.
I had no idea what the future held for us, but right now, I was having a lot of fun, and I felt somewhat adventurous even entertaining the idea. I finished reading Smelling in Purple, and my heart was still frozen in those pages. I felt my heart shred into tiny ribbons when she spoke of losing her husband. I mourned the life she’d always wanted and would never have with him again, and I allowed myself to feel her happiness when she let herself discover a new way to exist.
I could understand why Jake wasn’t sure about reading it just yet. I hadn’t lost anyone I loved. Even my grandparents were around, so to experience that kind of pain that literally eats away your will to live left me somewhat hollow. In order to distract myself from wallowing in the sorrow, I wandered over to Mrs. Coleville’s and rang the doorbell.
I’d heard that Mrs. Coleville moved Harry into her home for his rehabilitation, and I wanted to make sure everything was okay before I left. I wasn’t sure how Coco would feel about sharing her home with someone else, but I was sure she’d let them know pretty quickly if she was willing to be kind to Harry or not.
Mrs. Coleville opened the door dressed in a coral caftan and a purple scarf wrapped around her head. She was definitely playing a part. I just wasn’t sure what it was. She invited me in, and I saw that she’d turned her entire living room into a bedroom for Harry. A hospital bed was in the center of the room, and two recliners were perched on either side.
“Where’s Harry?” I asked, not seeing him anywhere.
“He’s doing laps with his walker to and from the kitchen.”
“Already?”
“They don’t mess around. He was already using the walker in the hospital.”
“This is quite the setup.”
“It works perfectly,” she agreed, happy with her handiwork.
I looked around and spotted Coco curled at the end of the hospital bed next to a foam pillow.
“I see someone has settled in well.”
“I don’t think Coco will ever be content with a couch in here again.”
Someone tapped lightly on the front door and pushed open the door. When I saw it was Jake, I jumped up on the balls of my feet before running over to him and giving him a huge hug. He looked refreshed and happy.
“Well, someone’s happy to see you, Jake,” Mrs. Coleville said.
Jake held me tightly and buried his head in the crook of my neck and breathed in. It felt so good to be held in his strong embrace, and I knew I didn’t want to let this go.
We heard Harry making his way back into the living room, and Jake slowly let me down, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.
“I missed you,” he whispered.
“Not as much as I missed you.” I bit my lip and tried really hard to restrain myself in the company of elders. Jake slid his hand into mine and I grabbed it tightly.
Mrs. Coleville went over to help Harry into bed, but he wasn’t having it. He shooed her away and managed to slide himself to where he needed to be without even disturbing Coco in the slightest.
“You two seem to be getting along well,” Harry said, tugging on his sheet.
“He’s not so bad,” I agreed, feeling Jake’s grip tighten.
“Well, find someone when you’re young, or you’ll be stuck with an old coot like me. Isn’t that right?” He looked at Mrs. Coleville with a twinkle in his eyes that made me smile.
“I can’t imagine it any other way,” she assured him. “Anything I can get you?”
“These damn pain pills have got me all plugged up,” he complained.
I grimaced at the excess information but heard Jake snicker, so I stepped on his toes to quiet him.
“I’ve been feeding him fiber shakes all day,” Mrs. Coleville continued as if we’d asked for an explanation.
“I’m sure things will get better in that area,” I promised, turning to look at Jake, who couldn’t even attempt to keep a straight face.
“They should have a warning label on those things,” he grumbled.
“They do, dear.” She patted his shoulder and kissed his cheek.
“Well, I think that’s our cue to exit. I’ll be on Hound Island until the fifth. If you need anything, feel free to call.”
“We’ll be fine,” she assured me.
“The only one that could cause us trouble is Coco, and I’m not sure you’re who we should call first. From what I heard, you’ve almost killed yourself twice.” Harry laughed a jovial tune, but I had to agree. I probably wasn’t Coco’s best hope for making it to her next birthday.
“Have fun, you two.” Mrs. Coleville wiggled her fingers at me, and I smiled as we headed out the door.
Jake shut it softly behind us, and I hopped into his arms.
“I missed you far too much for my own good,” I whispered.
He kissed me sweetly, and my entire body instantly responded. Something told me this getaway was going to be nothing short of spectacular, and the sooner we got there, the better.
I ran my fingers down his chest and drew back. “Should we get going to the ferry?”
His eyes fastened on mine, and his smile deepened.
“I’ve actually got a surprise.”
“What’s that?” I asked in a somewhat euphoric state.
“We’re not taking the ferry.”
Well, that didn’t last long.
“How else are we getting there?” I asked nervously. “There’s not a bridge.”
“You’ll see. Let’s go grab your bag.”
I stood still and stared at him. “Why do I feel like you have something up your sleeve?”
“It’s not like I don’t have to compete against this perfect stranger or anything.”
“I’m pretty sure you’d win,” I assured him. “Now, let’s just head to the ferry and—”
“Pretty sure?” he teased. “You’ve done it now.”
“Done what?”
“You’ll see.” He smiled and pulled me off Mrs. Coleville’s stoop.
“Tell me, or I’m not moving.” I stopped walking and flashed a wicked smile.
“This will be more fun for me than you,” he growled, picking me up and nearly tossing me over his shoulder.
“Put me down.” I smacked his shoulder and realized it would take more than that to make a dent. “Put me down right now.”
I kicked my heels back and forth as he continued ignoring me, marched me over to his car, and set me down.
“Get in and I’ll go gr
ab your bag. Where’s it at?”
I folded my arms and stayed silent, all while trying not to laugh. A thrilling undercurrent was running between us, and I really didn’t want it to end.
“Well, I’ve already found a bra in a bookshelf, so it can’t get much worse than that. If you’re not going to tell me where your bag is—”
“In the dining room.” I opened the passenger door and slid into his comfortable car.
I had absolutely no idea what he was up to, but something told me it was something I would never forget.
He jogged toward the car with my bag in his hand. He tossed it into the back seat and we took off.
“We’re going in the opposite direction of the ferries.”
“Very astute of you.” He laughed. “Might have something to do with us not taking one over there. I just don’t feel like the hassle of it all. I mean, do you?” He glanced sideways at me, and my stomach turned into a fiery ball of excited nerves. I was excited and terrified at the same time.
“It seems like we’re headed to your house.”
“Yep.”
“So how can we get to Hound Island from your house?” I tapped my fingers nervously against my knee.
“Only time will tell, but there’s no turning back.”
“Who says?” I asked.
“Me. That’s got to count for something.”
“I suppose.”
“Once we get to my house, I’ll put the blindfold on and—”
“Whoa, buddy. I don’t know what you have planned, but it certainly doesn’t need a blindfold.”
“You’re right. Most people wouldn’t require a blindfold, but you’re not most people.”
I watched woodlands trade out for the sea grass and knew we were getting close to his estate. My heart rate was running wild, and so were my thoughts. Anything I imagined terrified me, and I had absolutely no idea what to do about it. He seemed so excited.
“So what in the world made you think we couldn’t do a ferry?”
“I try to avoid lines as often as possible.”
“And you’re sure this is safe?” I asked.
“As safe as anything, but honestly, I can’t let BlznNerd—”
“Bookie,” I corrected.
“Bookie, Nookie, whatever.” He grinned. “I can’t let him fill your head with dreams that you’ll never act on.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what that has to do with getting to Hound Island,” I muttered, worry pummeling through my veins.
The fence for Jake’s estate came into view, and he pressed a button. I watched the gate slide open, and as we drove through, it felt like gravity no longer existed in my little micro-cosmos. I was certain whatever he was about to show me had nothing to do with water and everything to do with air. I took in a shaky breath and slowly let it out as he pulled his car into the garage.
“You’re going to do spectacular.” He opened the glove box and pulled out a black satin blindfold.
“Are you serious?” I asked, suddenly getting extremely turned on, which confused me and the situation even more than I imagined.
“That’s an interesting look.” He laughed, dangling it from his fingertips.
“Maybe we can use this later?”
Jake let out a low grumble, and I nearly became unhinged, but I knew we had places to be.
So I took in a deep breath and snapped it away from him and hopped out of the car. He grabbed my bag and followed me out of the garage, beaming, and I realized he was actually enjoying this little shuffle.
“What will I get in return for putting this on?” I dangled the black satin in front of me.
“What would you like?” he asked, his voice low as he slid his arms around my waist.
“A repeat of Forgotten Cove.”
His blue eyes darkened, boring into mine, and I suddenly wondered if we’d ever make it off Fireweed.
“I think we can make that happen,” he murmured.
The way he spoke to me—the way he looked at me—gave me a sensation like I was falling without a safety net to catch me, and for the first time in my life, I was okay with that sense of endless freefall.
“You ready?”
I nodded, taking in a deep breath.
He wrapped his hand in mine, and we began walking toward the pastures.
“Are we getting there by alpaca?” I asked, only somewhat kidding.
“Now, that would be adventure.” He laughed.
When we got to the first barn, he stopped me, his eyes falling to my mouth, and I hoped for a kiss. But instead, he held out his hand.
“It’s time for the blindfold.” His breath skittered across the top of my head, and my entire body prickled from the sensation.
“Here you go,” I said breathily.
His expression turned serious—or as serious as a person could be who was blindfolding someone next to a barn full of llamas—and he kissed the top of my bare forehead that was peeking out from the satin.
“Don’t be skittish,” Jake whispered, guiding me forward. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Promise?” I whispered, feeling his fingers digging into my hip as he walked me forward and around several obstacles.
“With my life.”
A shiver ran through me just as we stopped walking, and I realized I’d stopped breathing along the way.
Jake set my bag somewhere and dug his hands into either side of my hips and rotated me slightly.
“Can I take this off now?”
“No,” he said coolly, walking me forward.
“Leg up,” he directed, and the next thing I knew, he was helping into a tiny capsule of some sort.
My hands glided along leather seats, but beyond that, I had no idea where I was.
“Can I take this off now?” I asked as he reached over and began harnessing me in.
“One more second.” His voice was low, and then I heard a door shut before hearing him from the other direction.
“I want this to be the most spectacular adventure of your life. My hope is that no matter what happens in the future, you’ll be able to look back at this and remember how beautiful facing your fears can be.”
My fingers trembled with a mixture of fear and excitement as he slid the blindfold off, revealing a tiny cockpit.
“You’re a helicopter pilot?” I whispered.
He nodded, and my entire body tensed. I looked down at my harness and back at his fingers as he began flipping switches and pushing buttons. Lights began blinking and gauges told him things only he understood.
“I can’t,” I breathed, closing my eyes.
“You can, and you will.” His voice was kind yet stern, but I kept my eyes shut. “Put these on.”
Since my eyes were closed, I didn’t know what these were, so I slowly opened one eye to see a headset in front of me.
“Got ‘em?” he asked.
I nodded and slid the headset over my ears.
“Hear me?” His voice drilled directly into my ears, and I nodded, silently praying I wouldn’t die of a heart attack on what had been promising to be a wonderful getaway.
The sound of the rotor blades above drowned out the momentary silence and calm I’d started to feel as Jake continued pressing buttons. I couldn’t do this with my eyes open. There was no way. I turned my head to look out the tiny window and bid farewell to the solid ground I never wanted to leave.
Jake began talking to the nearest control tower using lingo that only meant something to them. With my eyes shut, I kept my breathing steady and pretended I was anywhere but a helicopter.
“You might not want to miss this.” Jake’s confident voice came over loud and clear, and I knew he was right. I didn’t want to regret missing my first and last helicopter ride, because I was certainly not riding back in this thing.
I blinked my eyes open as Jake began lifting us off the ground. My palms were as slick as an ice rink as I peered below, watching everything in view become tiny game pieces of lif
e.
I wanted to speak. I wanted to ask him questions, but no words would come out as I stared below.
“You doing okay?” he asked.
I nodded and then realized I didn’t want him looking over at me for an answer. “Yes.”
The sparkling water glittered in the sunlight as we glided through the sky, and I was in complete awe at the beauty.
Several islands dotted the blanket of blue below, displaying a mesmerizing quilt of blues, greens, and greys.
“This makes a person believe in the wonders of this universe.” I touched the cool glass and continued to peer out the window.
“It’s nothing I ever take for granted.”
I looked over at Jake as he stayed focused and alert to what the various gauges told him. There had to be at least ten dials or gauges and tiny lights. I decided it was best if I stopped looking at them and looked behind me to see another row of seats.
“How long have you been flying?” I asked.
“Longer than I was supposed to.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, glancing at him sideways. His rather angular features looked even more defined as he studied the dashboard. Seeing him in this much control made it hard to concentrate on the beauty surrounding us. I couldn’t wait until we landed and I could show him my appreciation for getting us there safely.
“You have a goofy look on your face,” Jake said, flashing a grin.
“You’re not supposed to be paying any attention to me, and no, I don’t.”
His laughter came through the headset, and my entire body warmed. There was just this protective way about him, and it was something I’d never experienced once I reached adulthood. I never felt like I could trust someone so wholly, but with Jake, everything was different.
“I started flying with my dad,” Jake answered my earlier question. “After he died, flying was one of the places I could find solace.”
“I can see why.” I was shocked at how at ease I’d already become in the sky with nothing more than a few blades whipping around overhead. My shoulders no longer felt knotted and tense, and my spine was no longer as stiff as a popsicle stick. I might even be able to get used to this. “I’ve never seen so much beauty in one place.”
Forever Love on Fireweed Island (Island County Book 4) Page 17