by Rita Hogan
“You’re right on time, Landon,” Brooke greeted when she opened the door. “Good, you brought a light jacket. It’s getting cooler sooner than I expected.” She closed the door and leaned against it to peer at him before continuing. “But you would have realized that, wouldn’t you?”
He nodded, giving her a slight smile.
“If you think it might be too chilly, we can always eat inside my room.” There was a nice sitting area in the stateroom, large enough to accommodate a decent-size dining table and two comfortable chairs.
“And miss the sunset? Outside will be fine. Did you order already?”
“No, I thought we could relax for a moment with a drink and peruse the menu. What can I get for you?”
“I’ll take whatever dry wine is in the fridge. Thank you.”
Landon watched as she poured two glasses of Merlot.
Handing the drinks to him, she nodded toward the sliding glass door. “If you don’t mind taking these with you, I’ll grab my jacket.”
A few moments later they were seated in the comfortable chairs on the balcony looking at the menu.
“What’s your favorite dish?” Brooked inquired.
“The best beef in the world comes from Argentina. I recommend any of the steak entrees. If you prefer something lighter, the Chilean scallops and asparagus risotto is also really good. ”
Brooke took a moment longer to look over the menu. “Both of those sound really good.” She looked up at Landon. “Would you like to share?”
“Yes, please.”
She was about to stand to call in the order when he placed his hand on top of hers. “I’ll take care of it.”
A few minutes later he returned to his seat. Landon took a sip of his wine. “It is a beautiful sight isn’t it?” He asked, referring to the setting sun.
“Mmm hmm. I wish it took longer for it to go down; it always seems to pass so quickly.”
“Do you take time to watch a lot of sunsets?”
“Not as often as I would like. What I always try to catch, when I can, is a good storm. I’ve pulled over in my car a number of times to watch the dark clouds billowing across the sky.”
Landon turned away from the setting sun to look at Brooke. “Have you photographed many storms, lightning and all?”
“I have. Montana has wonderful skies for photographing storms. You can see them coming from miles away. Once I spent a week shooting various stages of light backdropped against Beaverhead Rock. Have you heard of the place?”
“Unfortunately not.”
“Wait here a moment while I get my tablet. I’ll show you some of the shots I took.”
Sipping his drink, Landon realized he was already lost in the moment with her, captivated by her retelling of her adventures, never wanting it to end.
Soon she was back.
He watched as her nimble fingers searched for the file of photos. When she found them, she held out the device to Landon so he could scroll through them while she finished her story.
“I chose that week because the weather forecasters were calling for serious storms on one of the days. I packed up all my camera and camping gear and headed for Beaverhead Rock to await the tempest’s arrival. By the second day, I had captured all the dawn, daylight, and dusk shots I wanted. No storm came.
“Afraid of wandering too far from my campsite and getting lost, I was soon bored out of my mind, trying to fill it with things to occupy my time. I’m sure I took a picture of every pebble in my camp.”
“You went alone?” Landon questioned with arched eyebrows.
Brooke nodded her head.
“Do you always go alone?”
“I do,” she said simply.
“I apologize; I shouldn’t have interrupted your story. Finish telling me what happened.”
Brooke looked away from him, turning her attention toward the setting sun. Half of it had already dipped below the horizon. “As each day drew to a close, I was getting more and more discouraged. I had a time limit on how long I could stay. On the last day, I waited until two o’clock that afternoon, holding out hope for the storm the weather people said would come.
“All day, the air had been as dry as the Sahara, the sky as blue as the ocean, not a cloud was in sight. Feeling defeated, I finally packed up my gear, but left my waterproof camera out until the very last minute.
“In the blink of an eye, the weather turned. I smelled the rain clouds before I saw them. It was the most incredible thing to see the dark rolling mass of precipitation, thunder, and lightning rolling toward me like a freight train.”
Brooke reached for the tablet and scrolled through the photos until she reached the one she wanted to show Landon. “This is the photo I was after.”
The massive rock formation was in the background, the brownish red stone a deep contrast to the blackening sky. In the foreground a bolt of lightning ricocheted across the plains. Landon could almost feel the thunder rolling through his body. She had captured the precise moment when one tip of the lightning beam reached toward the earth and struck a tree rooted near Beaverhead Rock. The blaze from the wild energy was forever caught on camera.
He could imagine how excited she felt when, later at home, she reviewed the pictures and saw the blazing tree with the rod of energy standing straight on top, the solid rock illuminated to a glowing red by the bright light.
“When was this taken?” Landon asked.
“Six months ago.”
He suddenly felt an overwhelming sorrow for Brooke. She had journeyed to Beaverhead Rock with no one to share the moment. He wondered if she were as lonely as he was.
The thought of her solitary life left him aching, weakening his resolve. She had told him earlier while on their way to the forest in Villa La Angostura that there was no one. They were two lost souls meeting here in this beautiful country—him with nothing to give.
“It is a beautiful picture,” Landon said quietly.
They were both silent for several moments, each lost in their own thoughts. It was he who spoke first. “Please tell me you sold the photo?”
When she didn’t respond he turned toward her, studying her profile.
Brooke did not glance at him as she answered. “No, I never offered it to anyone. I had it printed on canvas and it hangs in my living room.” Again there was silence until she added, “However, I did sell some of the other photos I took that week of the wildlife and,” she looked at Landon with a lovely smile on her face, “even one picture of a pebble. A calendar company made an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
A bubble of laughter came from Landon. “You actually sold a picture of a pebble! That’s great! It sounds like I hired the right person to redo the pictures for my brochure.”
A knock on the door announcing the arrival of their dinner didn’t allow Brooke to respond.
Landon stood before she could. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Good evening, Carlos,” Landon greeted the middle-aged service waiter.
“Good evening, Mr. Gray. Where would you like for me to put this?”
“We’re outside on the balcony.”
Carlos followed Landon with the cart, which contained two domed lids and an array of condiments.
Landon introduced his employee to Brooke while the waiter placed the platters of food on the table.
“Carlos has been working with me on The Absolution for as long as the boat has been touring.”
Brooke stood form her chair to offer her hand to the loyal employee.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Carlos,”
Accepting her hand, the waiter replied, “It is my pleasure to meet you, señora.”
As Carlos was placing the last of the condiments on the table, Landon shared with Brooke about his family. “Carlos’s daughter had his first grandchild a few weeks ago.”
The man beamed at the mention of his newest family member. “Would you like to see my latest picture of her, Mr. Gray?”
“Of course.”
&nb
sp; The grandfather pulled his phone from his pocket and searched for the photos. He looked at Brooke as he held the phone out for both of them to see. “My Maria is six-weeks-old. She’s the most beautiful girl.”
“Ahh, she is darling, Carlos,” Brooke said with genuine delight. She glanced up at him for a moment. “She looks like you.”
The way the waiter gazed at her, one would have thought she had given the older man the sun, moon, and the stars.
“Gracias, señora, and I agree. Of course my wife thinks Maria looks like her.”
Brooke laughed. “I am a photographer working in Patagonia for the next six months. I would enjoy taking pictures of Maria for you, a gift for a first-time grandfather.”
If Carlos was smitten with Brooke before, her offer had enslaved him to her for life.
“Oh, señora, it would be a wonderful thing. You know where I work; call me whenever you like and we can make arrangements. Gracias, gracias!” he exclaimed with a slight bow.
Smiling, she told him she would be in touch.
The owner of The Absolution gave Carlos a tip before he closed the door behind him.
Brooke looked at Landon. “What a nice man.”
He held out the chair for her as she took her seat at the table. “He is the hardest blue collar worker I have ever known, and insightful. If he comes to me with a problem or concern, I listen. I knew from almost the beginning that he would be invaluable and humble. When I offered him the position of head waiter, he turned it down, not because he wasn’t up for the challenge but because he was simply happy serving. It’s what he does.” He removed the domed lids from their plates.
Closing her eyes briefly, she inhaled the delicious scent of the food and sighed. “This looks absolutely divine. Are you sure you want to share?”
The steak entrée was on her place setting, the scallops on his. He laughed. “I think the real question is, are you sure you want to share?”
He could tell she caught his meaning by the humor that filled her eyes. “You have it all wrong, Landon.” She looked down at her plate. “This steak looks wonderful, but I’m dying to try those scallops.”
Laughing, he made quick work of dividing the meals in half. When he handed Brooke a plate, he waited to begin eating until she took the first bite of a scallop.
Leaning back in her chair, she tilted her head upward slightly and closed her eyes as she finished the delicate, slightly sweet morsel, with hints of bay and rosemary lingering on her tongue. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
He swallowed hard at the sight of her enjoying the dish.
When she opened her eyes, Landon was certain they both had felt the jolt of awareness. Brooke took her fork, piercing the other half of the scallop, she held it toward Landon’s mouth. “Here, have a try.”
He held her gaze as he took the taste she offered. “Mmm, I never tire of eating this dish.”
Over the next half hour they enjoyed dinner while they discussed the particulars of running The Absolution. Brooke laughed at some of Landon’s more humorous stories about the guests, and her mouth fell open at some of the more outrageous ones.
When they were finished with the meal, he gathered up the tray and set it outside Brooke’s door while she made coffee.
To her merriment he had ordered dessert.
They sat side by side in the dark, drinking coffee and eating chocolate soufflé. The lights of a nearby town flickered along the shore under the moon’s soft light.
“Thank you for taking me to see the waterfall,” Brooke said. She was finished with her dessert and reaching for her tablet, which sat on the other side of the table.
Landon saw her choosing something from the application menu but didn’t catch what it was. The glow of the device illuminated her face. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
Soon he heard music streaming from the speakers, soft and melodic. The song sounded familiar but he couldn’t place the tune.
Setting the tablet on the table, Brooke stood. Gazing down at Landon, she extended her hand to him. “Will you dance with me?”
He debated with himself for all of two seconds. Standing to his full height, he looked at her as she stood close. She was staring at the opened collar of his shirt rather than his eyes. Was she having second thoughts? Gently with his finger, he touched her chin, tilting her head upwards. He searched her eyes for what seemed like years.
Holding his gaze, Brooke reached for Landon’s hand. She wrapped her free arm around his waist and slowly pulled him to her.
The closeness of her body next to his, sent pulses of desire coursing through him. Slowly, they moved to the rhythm of the music, gazing at each other for a while longer. Soon, Brooke rested her head against his chest. He could feel the soft silkiness of her black hair at the base of his throat.
Landon felt Brooke trembling. The subtle tremors soon became stronger. Moved by her display of emotion, he pulled away slightly to look into her eyes. He was stunned to see tears coursing down her cheeks.
Concerned, he asked, “Brooke, why are you crying?”
Embarrassed, she placed her head back against the solid wall of his chest.
Rubbing his cheek across the top of her head, he struggled with his own feelings.
Only when he felt her trembling subside did he pull away to look at her again.
“Please tell me,” he urged.
“I like being held by you.”
“Brooke, you have no idea what you do to me.”
Slowly, Landon lowered his head toward her, giving her ample time to halt what she knew was coming. Joy filled him when she allowed his lips free access to hers. Standing on The Absolution in the cool dark evening, they were no longer two lost souls seeking solace in this hauntingly beautiful land. For the first time since forever, Landon felt hope. The way her mouth clung to his chipped away at the doubts and confusion that consumed him.
Placing his hands at the nape of her neck, he deepened the kiss. Brooke may have initiated the physical contact, but it was Landon who took, with a hunger that left him shaking. Landon knew what bonded him and Brooke wasn’t about touching and tasting with the senses, but about connection of a deeper kind. It was a bond that transcended space and time. Would their relationship ever see the fullness of what he felt in his heart?
Feeling the first shards of doubt creeping in, Landon moaned and pulled away from her. She looked as stunned as he felt.
“I’m sorry, Brooke. I shouldn’t have. I must go.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Olivia huffed as she punched her pillow for what felt like the fiftieth time. How could she sleep when every cell of her being was churning with a montage of emotions? Everything was going as she planned, yet nothing was going right.
Landon thwarted her dogged determination at every turn. He was a beguiling creature, a shape- shifter. The solid image of who she expected him to be all these years had cast a long shadow of doubt, beginning the night he took her to Dragonfly; the memory of that night caused her to ache. Her journey on The Absolution had only succeeded in lengthening the dark shade of uncertainty. Memories of Jacob and all that she had lost in him failed to re-ignite the flame of resoluteness.
She sat up in bed, hugging the pillow close to her chest. Rocking back and forth, Olivia fought the memories of Landon’s touch, his kiss. During the last few days of that long-ago summer, there were moments when she wondered what it would be like to be held by Landon Gray. She had never been given the chance to know and had ceased to wonder—until today.
Wanting to throw something, she stood and chucked her pillow at the wall next to the bed. The soft downy mass connected with the picture above the headboard. She watched as the gold leaf frame banged against the wall and wobbled. Why? she wanted to scream. Why had she asked him to dance? What had she been thinking? She was weak, something she never viewed herself as being.
She thought about the life-threatening circumstances she faced while seeking the papers for Brooke’s identity.
Olivia had stared danger boldly in the face. With nerve and bravado, she had altered the events of that night, escaping unscathed. When she stood face-to-face with Landon, who represented a different kind of danger—a more ominous threat—her courage wavered, for he held within him the power to wield great regret, marring her for life. It frightened Olivia to her core.
Over the last week, she had seen glimmers of the man behind the person who had ripped her life to shreds—glimpses of sorrow and brokenness she never expected to find. Earlier, on the way to the forest when he had spoken about how pieces of him were missing, forever lost, and that what remained was no longer worth giving, Olivia had been stunned by his exclamation. Was he being sincere?
Later, in the cemetery, when she had spoken the words about life and death, she hadn’t known from where they had come. On the way back to the boat, her speech came back to haunt her as she realized they were a reflection of herself: she didn’t know how to live. All her talk about life surrounding that small plot of land, anchored in death. She hadn’t been living since Jacob died. Olivia knew what Landon had been thinking when he asked if she made her photography journeys alone. He had felt sorry for her because he, too, knew what it was like to be alone.
There was one journey she didn’t wish to make alone, the return trip she would make to the waterfall Landon had shown her that day. Olivia could almost feel the warmth of his lips on the back of her hand. The simple act of tenderness had touched her. Something marvelous had happened inside of her when she saw the raging waterfall with him by her side. For the first time, she wasn’t interested in traveling by herself to a beautiful part of the world with no one to enjoy the captivating sights from behind her lens. When Landon had offered to find her a guide, the disappointment she felt had been keen.