Island Stars

by Elin Wyn

  For a moment it felt like she was free. Free of it all, free of the chaos and the doubt and the guilt and it felt wonderful. And she knew exactly who to thank for that. She waded a little deeper, staring down at her feet through the crystal-clear water, kicking up a little sand as she went.

  But what was she going to do about Krys? She wasn’t sure.

  Despite her best intentions, she never really had been a quick-summer-fling kind of girl. She was more of a love-them-once-and-have-your-heart-broken-forever. But what sort was he? And did it even matter? He was just in the area on research. And she had only planned to stay for a week. So why would she risk letting herself get hurt when she knew a fling was all it really could be? An unexpected twinge plucked at her heart. She waded back along the shore, lost in thought.

  “Ow!”

  She stumbled, gasping as sharp pain lanced through her foot. She staggered back, fighting for balance. Instantly, strong, muscular arms lifted her and carried back away from the water.

  “What happened,” Krys demanded. He scanned her body for injury, hands brushing over her too quickly and professionally to give offense.

  “My foot, I must’ve stepped on something,” she gasped as he prodded the area. “A sharp shell or honestly I don’t know what.”

  He frowned as he held her foot elevated. “It doesn’t look like you had a run-in with an urchin or jellyfish. The cut looks fairly shallow, if a little wider than I’m comfortable with.” Against her protests he tore one of the clean spare napkins from the picnic basket into strips and wrapped it around her foot, winding the ends around her ankle to secure it.

  “I’ll settle up at the hotel for it. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

  Elissa forced a smile. “I’m sure you’ll convince them that it was the only appropriate thing to do,” she said dryly. “How on earth did you get to me so fast,” she wondered. She looked from where they had sat down to the beach. It must’ve been at least fifty feet but he cleared the distance and caught her in the time it took her to start to fall.

  “No mystery there, I realized that if I wasn’t going to sleep away the afternoon I better get up and start moving. I wasn’t that far from you when you got hurt. Shouldn’t have let it happen though. We should’ve had protective shoes for you to wear while wading.”

  “Seriously? You want me to wear reef shoes when we’re just out for a picnic?” Elissa rolled her eyes. “Let’s just curl up here for a little bit and I’ll rest my foot and you can tell me more stories about growing up.”

  Krys carefully repacked the picnic basket, latched it and turned it upside down to form a make-shift stool to keep her foot elevated. Elissa looked up at him from where she lay on her back. “This is just a little awkward.”

  She pushed herself up to her elbows and then again to a seated position. “I know I should keep it elevated, but this would really work a lot better if I had something to rest my back against.”

  “I said earlier, your wish is my command.” Krys sat up behind her, arm resting gently at her side. Not holding her, not exactly, but just there. Warm and solid and comforting.

  She relaxed against him. “What were you daydreaming about before you realized that you were about to go to sleep?”

  “Nothing in particular,” he answered, his calm voice signal to return to his easy friendliness, the urgency and command in his tone when he treated her minor injury gone.

  But which was the real him, she wondered. The laid-back traveler, or the concerned one, over-ready to protect her? But why couldn’t he be both?

  She brushed the thought away. It didn’t really matter, did it? In a week she would be gone and probably long before that he’d be back on his own boat. She should just enjoy what they had here.

  So, she started, not entirely certain how she wanted to proceed. “Do you spend a lot of time on your research project?”

  “A fair amount, I guess.” She felt him shift behind her. “But this is probably my last trip out. With the death of my father there’s responsibilities to the family business that I can’t ignore anymore. Mother and I did not exactly agree on this trip.”

  “Your mother doesn’t approve of your research?”

  “No, it’s not that. Just she’s very focused on the practicalities of life. And my research, while interesting theoretically and historically, doesn’t actually have a lot of bearing on everyday life for her.”

  Elissa paused, listening to birds in the trees nearby call to each other. Lush blossoms of fantastical reds and oranges and yellows burst like braided spikes from bushes in the shadows.

  “What is this family business that you’re going to have to take up?”

  “Mostly management. Honestly,” he sighed, “it would be better if we actually made something or did something. What it really comes down to is just managing other people, and hoping what we think is the right decision actually is.”

  “Don’t you have any brothers or sisters who could take over the family business? Doesn’t she know you really don’t want to?” She squared her shoulders. “It doesn’t seem fair.”

  He gave her a little squeeze. “No luck there I’m afraid. There’s just me and some cousins, and right now they’re not her favorite people. I don’t mind going back. I just hoped to find something a little more definitive before it was time.”

  Elissa turned to face him. “You know, it really does sound like you’re looking for something a little more specific than just re-confirming other studies readings.”

  He smiled and shrugged. “It’s just a hypothesis.”

  She settled back against him, now leaning across his chest a little more so that she could see him as he talked. His amazing amethyst eyes looked across the water, focused on something she couldn’t see.

  “There is a specific site I’m looking for. I almost think I’ve got enough clues to discover where it was. But there’s just not enough time, and in the long run my mother is right. It doesn’t really matter where the crash happened.”

  “Crash?” Elissa frowned

  Krys blinked. “Sorry, the wrong word. Wreck, of course.” He looked down at her. “So when your time here is up, what do you think you’ll do?”

  This was it, she decided. Enough thinking on to the past and enough worrying about the future. She reached up and traced the edge of his jaw lightly with one finger.

  “I don’t know yet,” she murmured. “I’m not going to think about it. I’m going to focus on what’s right here in front of me.”

  He lowered his head over hers, then paused, his eyes searching, piercing until she felt she lay bare and exposed before him. Her mouth felt dry with anticipation, and a heat she knew was not from the sun parched her lips. Her tongue darted out to wet them and she felt a shudder run through his chest.

  He whispered this time. “Anything you wish.”

  She tilted her head back and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I wish lots of things. But right now I wish for you to kiss me.”

  It was as if her whispered words released him from an enchantment. His arms tightened around her and though she expected from the heat of his gaze for him to fall upon her, his lips softly brushed her forehead, then her temple, and in the softest of touches at her eyelids.

  Her breath grew shallow as each touch only heightened her awareness of him. The most gentle of kisses against her lips and then the hollows under her ear.

  Elissa thought she would explode. How could he be doing this to her with just the lightest of touches? His teeth lightly grazed the lobe of her ear and she groaned, liquid in his arms.

  An echoing sound came from deep within his throat and finally, oh thank goodness finally, he ceased his teasing of her senses and returned to her lips, right where she wanted him. Once, twice he gently pressed his closed lips against hers. Feeling exceptionally daring she flicked her tongue out to run along the seam of his lips, and he answered her invitation. Long moments passed as they tasted of each other. She wrapped her fingers in the curls of his hair and
he slid his hand down her back pressing her closer to him.

  From behind her closed eyelids there was a bright flash. Elissa didn’t care, couldn’t care, but she felt Krys stiffen in her arms. Her eyes fluttered open to see him staring out into the ocean once more, but for the first time his face was hard, cold.

  “We need to be getting back.” Without further comment he helped her to her feet, rolled up the blanket and roughly stuffed it back into the basket.

  “Can you walk or should I carry you?”

  Disoriented, Elissa could only stare at him. What on earth had happened?

  “I’ll carry you, it’s faster.” He swung her into his arms before she realized it, still carrying the picnic basket in the hand that supported her legs.

  “No, I’m fine. What’s wrong?”

  He didn’t answer her, just covered the expanse of beach in long steps, bringing them back to the pier. He set her gently inside the boat.

  “Wait! My shoes, they’re still…” She didn’t get a chance to finish. He gave no answer other than the tightening of his jaw, but handed her the basket and then ran full out to scoop her sandals from where they had casually been tossed next to the flatted sand that was all that was left of their idyllic picnic spot.

  The sail back to town was nothing like the relaxed easy trip out. Krys remains tense and silent and Elissa stayed curled on the bench. Either the chop was harder or he was pushing more directly into the wind than before, for she needed all of her concentration on keeping her balance and not being knocked to the deck.

  Finally they eased next to the pier by the Sunset Lagoon. Adair saw them coming in and caught the line Krys threw to him, weaving figure eights around the cleat until they were secured.

  Turning her back to Krys, Elissa reached to Adair to help her out of the boat. She stepped barefoot onto the dock, sandals and hat in hand, and began walking away without a second glance.

  “Elissa, wait!” He called out from behind her. She kept moving. She’d gotten to the end of the dock and had turned towards her cottage when he caught up with her. “Please, let me explain.”

  “What exactly do you think you want to explain? I thought we were having a lovely afternoon.” Her throat tightened at the memory of their kiss, the searing heat between them. “I thought you were enjoying yourself as well. And then what? You decide it’s time to leave and away we go and no more words?

  Anger flared through her. “I don’t know what sort of games you’re used to playing, but count me out. You wanted to know what I plan to do with the rest of my week? Not spend it with you.”

  She started off towards the cottage. He walked next to her, silently. She ignored him. She knew perfectly well she couldn’t walk faster than him, probably not ever, and certainly not with her injured foot.

  “At least let me carry your things,” he murmured, sounding chastened.

  “I’m fine.” She kept her voice carefully flat.

  “Elissa, I know you don’t believe me, but I don’t think you saw there was a flash.”

  She kept walking. “I didn’t see much of it, but I could tell that there was something.”

  “Elissa the minute we say that we needed to get back. It meant,” his voice trailed off. “There was a weather change coming, a storm. I don’t know these waters well enough to be caught in them in bad weather. Not with you aboard.”

  They were almost to her cottage now. Elissa stopped, not knowing where this was going. “You’re saying you turned into mister ice man, rushing us away, not saying a word, because you were worried about the rain?”

  His eyes searched over her face, but she refused to bend, to give them an ounce of softness until he explained.

  “Not the rain, a storm. I know I acted badly but I was afraid.” He looked away, obviously uncomfortable. “I don’t react well to being scared.”

  Her heart softened, just a bit. “You were scared,” she stepped towards him and rested one hand lightly on his shoulder. “You were scared for me.”

  He wrapped his fingers around hers and squeeze. “I know it sounds stupid, but yes I wanted to get back to safety.”

  Elissa had to stop for a moment. No one, no one other than her grandparents had ever been worried for her safety, not like that. Her friends would want her to be okay, fellow students probably didn’t wish her any harm, but no one had ever been that concerned.

  The ice in her spine began to thaw and she smiled. “Alright then, but don’t ever pull anything like that again. You have to talk to me.”

  He brushed a lock of hair off her cheek, tucking in behind her ear. “I’ll do better. I’ll try.”

  She handed him her hat and sandals and wrapped her fingers in his as they continued towards her cottage. “You better do more than try, buddy. Think of this as an experiment. You’ve got the results. How would you alter things for next time?”

  “Next time I will find a way to be careful, and let you know what’s going on.”

  “No more not talking?”

  “I’ll try.”

  They reached her cottage door and he paused while she unlocked it. “Dinner tonight?” He sounded hopeful, but wary.

  She thought for a moment. He had scared her on the sailboat. For a moment she hadn’t known that cold stranger.

  “Sure, how about eight?”

  He leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers. The memory of their searing kiss on the beach made her belly knot with something she couldn’t quite place.

  “I promise not to be late this time,” he murmured into her ear.

  He waited until she closed the door behind her to leave.

  When she was inside Elissa sagged against the door. Was this the summer romance she wanted?

  It felt like something more. But could she risk it?

  Krys stepped off the path through the trees into a thickly overgrown growth. He pulled a gleaming device from his pocket

  He pulled a small tablet from his pocket and then folded it open. He turned slowly, the tablet held in front of him, as if searching for a signal but what he saw made him mutter. “I know it’s here. But I can’t find it. Who’s here?”

  Frustrated with the device and with himself he jammed the device back into his pocket and headed off to be ready for dinner.

  Chapter 7

  This time Elissa ran late. It was already ten past 8 o’clock when she hurried up the walkway towards the Blue Moon and Krys.

  A crisp linen white short-sleeved shirt showed off the darkness of his skin to perfection and though the charcoal slacks hid the muscles of his legs, she remembered what he looked like in the shorts he’d worn earlier that day.

  She’d fretted, uncharacteristically worried, about what she should wear for dinner. She hadn’t really packed expecting to go on a date-date. She had plenty of formal and girls night out outfits for the bachelorette party and other wedding associated gatherings but none of them seemed right for tonight.

  And then she found, still in her suitcase, a loose maxi dress she had thrown in, almost expecting to use it as a beach cover-up. The soft tan fabric had a hint of gold running through it and its subdued Greek key pattern ran around the hem. With her hair end up in a casual twist and bangles on her wrist she decided to pretend simple elegance have been the plan all along. The small fresh bandage on her foot would have to be either ignored or considered a particularly forward thinking fashion statement.

  He bowed slightly and held the door open for her.

  “I’m so sorry,” she started, but he waved the words away.

  “It is still your day. And besides, if it means you come looking like that I will wait as long as it takes.”

  Elissa was glad the subdued lighting of the vestibule hid what she was sure were her flaming cheeks. While Krys checked on the reservation she glanced around the dining room. Ethan and Hasana were at their usual table, and as usual seemed eye deep in another argument. She shrugged her shoulders. How those two manage to get anything done on this island was a mystery to her. Lei
gh and Neil sat with them, pointedly ignoring the bickering pair.

  Sada came up and gave her a quick hug. “It’s nice to see you taking some time for yourself. I’ve certainly seen more hectically planned weddings. But your friend’s schedule was getting pretty close to the limit.”

  Elissa laughed. “Megan has been planning her wedding for over a year. I think it would’ve been better if we had tried to limit her planning time to three months. Having extra time didn’t seem to make anything go easier, it just gave her time to add more complications to the whole thing. But her dress was lovely. Thank you so much for the last minute work on it.”

  “No problem,” Sada said. “She looked lovely and I love making brides shine on their day.” She glanced over at Krys, his back still turned to them. “So,” she grinned. “Any chance I’m going to get you into my shop? Adair says that the two of you seem to be awfully friendly.” Her voice was light and teasing.

  “I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet.” Elissa waved her hands in front of her as if warding off a curse. “We’re still very much in the glad-to-be-getting-to-know-you-and-let’s-talk-about-dinner stage of things, I think.”

  “I know.” Sada didn’t look the least bit chagrined. “My brother says that I’m a terrible matchmaker. I can’t help it.”

  Krys walked over to the two women. “Is everything well?”

  Elissa sent silent pleas to Sada, which must have been heard. “I just wanted to check with Elissa, Adair said it looked like she got injured on your picnic?”

  Elissa pointed to her foot, the napkin bandage was gone and she just put a bit of antiseptic and a bandage over the shallow cut. “It’s just a flesh wound, I’m glad to report.”

  Sada rolled her eyes at the movie reference but let it slide. “That’s good. We hate to think of anybody not having a fabulous time here.”