Finally exhausted, Domino threw herself down in a thick patch of grass, panting happily while I soaked my feet in a deliciously cold bubbling stream. Taking a cue from Sean, I closed my eyes to worship the sun. A splash of icy water on my face startled me upright with a girly squeak and a mad search for bears.
No bears, just Dec. He was standing close enough to splash me with another handful of water. I jumped up to get out of the way when the next splash hit me in the chest. Oh, it’s on! I scooped up my own handful of water and threw it at Dec. He laughed when it missed him and caught Sean instead. The others found us and an epic water battle began.
I was still laughing on the way back down the mountain. We were a ragged-looking group. Everyone was wet and muddy. Dani was profoundly put out as she tried in vain to dry off without a single dry piece of fabric.
“I can’t believe you people,” she griped.
Aric put his arm around her, and soothed, “You’ll live, babe.”
Dec caught up to me and shook himself like a wet dog. I tried to jump away from him and stumbled over a root growing across the trail. Going down on one knee with a yelp, I flailed my arms to keep my balance. Instead of keeping my balance, I slid into a loose patch of leaves that gave way into the side of the embankment. With a muffled squeak of surprise, I went tumbling over the edge dragging Dec with me. We bounced and slid at least 50 feet before landing on firmer ground in a final messy skid. I ended up on my face in the wet leaves. Dec fell on top of me with a heavy grunt. Stars flew around my head as I blinked into the dirt.
“Get off!” I grunted, pushing at his shoulders. Shoving harder, I inhaled with relief when he pushed himself up to his elbows. Turning around so I could breathe, I ended up wedged between his surprisingly heavy body and the soft ground… most of which was in my mouth. Ewww… I spit a mouthful of dirt out.
With a huge grin, he said dryly, “Nice job, darlin’.”
Voices called down from above. Ricki yelled something I couldn’t understand, but Sean’s words were clear.
“Dec? Are you guys okay?”
Dec cocked his head to listen. After a second, he shouted, “We’re okay! We’ll be there in a minute.”
I measured the width of his shoulders with my dirty palms, commenting, “I had no idea you were so heavy. Are you going to get up or squish me to death?”
Leaning his weight to the side, he sprang to his feet like a cat before hauling me upright and slapping leaves off of me. I let him since I was busily spitting the dirt out of my mouth and digging it out of my ears and hair. God only knew what I looked like. He looked wretched, and I felt a small stab of guilt.
“Come over here, you. You’re a mess.” I plucked leaves and broken twigs out of his hair. He had broad smears of black dirt all over him, including his face. Looking around, I spotted my backpack. The water was nearly empty, but there was enough. After rinsing my mouth, I handed it to Dec.
“I’m sorry, Dec. It was an accident.”
“So what did you want to talk about?” he asked as he circled me, peering interestedly at my body.
“What do you mean? Nothing!” I felt naked and backed away from him. “What are you doing?”
Laughing at me again, he said, “Oh, relax. I’m just checking to see if you’re bleeding! You’re so suspicious! Do I look dangerous to you?”
“Well, no. But looks can be deceiving,” I muttered uncomfortably. “Come on. We’re going to have to walk around the base of the cliff before we can get back to the trail on top.”
Easily pacing me, he surprised me by reaching out and taking my hand. No one could see us from above, but he angled us to the back of a tree to be sure the view was blocked. Serious now, he smiled very gently, his eyes soft.
“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. That was profoundly insensitive of me. I know what you’ve been through.”
He was so sincere I nearly cried.
“Forgive me?”
One dimple made an appearance, and I caved. “Of course I do. Who could say no to the dimples? So while I have your undivided attention…”
A knowing grin creased his face. “Here it comes. Go ahead. Ask me. I know you want to.”
Unable to help it, I started to laugh again. He really was incorrigible. “Fine! What’s the deal with Sean?”
We started to pick our way along, admittedly making our own trail, but down was down. We’d get there eventually.
“Sean likes you, but--”
“But what? Does he have a girlfriend someplace?” I knew it! No one that hot was single! It figured. It made perfect sense. Ugh.
“Don’t be stupid. Does he act like someone who has a girlfriend?” Pointing his chin towards the trail above us, he added, “It’s not that. It’s complicated. We’ve got… uh, family issues. We might have to leave to help our… family take care of some things. He just doesn’t want to get serious with anybody right now.” He locked eyes with me. “That’s probably a good idea.”
He was lying. But it was close to the truth. His story had the right nuances without any facts to make it completely believable. Hmm. Very interesting. Those huge blue eyes stayed locked with mine, and I wanted to believe him. The more I stared into his eyes, the more I wanted to believe him. Of course, he was telling the truth. Why would he lie?
Still moving along, he lifted me up and over a rock that blocked my way. He had an easy personality. Everything about Dec was warm and fun. He was like a puppy; you had to like him.
“So he likes me?” I asked out of the blue 20 minutes later.
Draping his arm around my shoulders, Dec kissed the side of my cheek just as we rounded a bend and popped out onto the main trail. We had an audience. Dec coughed with a strangled laugh as Sean’s eyes narrowed instantly.
With a great show of holding me up, he leaned into my ear. “Do me a favor, darlin’, and limp a bit for Sean’s temper.” Much louder, he said, “We’re almost there, and you can sit down.”
Catching the suspicious gleams in Sean’s and Ricki’s eyes, I stumbled heavily into Dec’s side. He shocked all of us when he scooped me up in his arms.
“Oh, yeah, this’ll make him soooo much happier!” I whispered in between giggles.
Hefting me easily, he replied, “That’s what he gets for being jealous!”
After eyeballing us closely, Ricki asked, “Are you okay? Did you hurt… anything?” Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she took in the tan skin visible through the huge tear in his t-shirt. Half of his stomach was showing, and he did have nice abs…
When we got to the cars, Ricki looked at Domino’s wet, muddy body and asked if anyone had a blanket to cover her seats. Oh, crap, I didn’t even think about that. Ricki’s car had cloth seats. In the end, the dog and I rode back with Sean and Dec. Domino curled up on the leather backseat with Dec, and they were both asleep in minutes. I was all out of witty conversation so I pretended to sleep most of the way back. I kept my face turned away from Sean since I kept breaking into a grin. Sean was jealous? Hmmm. Very, very interesting… Sean glanced at me every now and then, but didn’t break the silence.
Chapter 5: Seduction?
AND SO THE FRESHNESS of spring turned to the sweaty joys of summer, and my days took on a new pattern. I went to work and spent my off time in the mountains or on the lake. Gradually I grew to love my little group of friends. They accepted me here, and I felt wanted. I could count on them if I needed help. Ricki was especially protective, snapping at Sean a few times in my defense. He could be bossy sometimes. I still didn’t know what was going on between us. Sean, Dec, and their other friend Killian, showed up where I was more often than not. I wasn’t surprised anymore; in fact, I missed them if they didn’t come around. Correction: I missed Sean and Dec. Killian got on everyone’s nerves, and no one really liked him. He was too intense and far too dangerous for my comfort. His wicked blue eyes didn’t miss a thing. I swear he knew every thought in my head. He usually wore a mocking expression like he knew something we didn’t. His smugne
ss was annoying. Ricki and Dani still thought he was hot though. I had to admit, he was hot, but not the sexy kind of hot. He was more the nuclear explosion kind of hot. I didn’t want my body anywhere near him. Now Sean, on the other hand…
I finally admitted to myself that I liked him. He was a mystery though. Who was he? What was he really doing here? My instincts screamed run away. He was more than I could handle. But my heart beat faster every time I saw him. There was something sad in those serious blue eyes that intrigued me, made me want to dig deeper. My body reacted every time he was near. I arced towards him like iron to a magnet. I couldn’t resist his pull. I didn’t want to. But what should I do about it? I sat in my lawn chair and gave Sean some thought until I had a plan. Let’s call it Plan C.
Lake Champlain is a very big lake. It stretches between New York and Vermont. There are little pine-covered islands dotted across the lake. I loved exploring these little bits of isolation. Today Sean and I were going off alone. It was the first time we would spend the day together without company. I begged him to take me out on his sailboat the minute I heard he had one. He’d made excuses for a month now, but I finally talked him into it. By the time I used all of my charm, he had no choice. Time to put Plan C into action!
The universe seemed to agree with my plan. His friends were out of town someplace and wouldn’t be around to chaperone. My friends didn’t dare ask to come with us. The weather was cooperating too. The sky was perfectly blue with a breeze. It was going to be hot today. I was counting on that.
The lake sparkled as we cut through the water. Domino was leaning into the breeze with her ears flapping gently. She was in Heaven. I scratched her between her shoulders, and she licked my face. Sean was focused on the water ahead of us. He seemed to be taking us into the open water. Oh, no, no, no. That would not work. We need to park.
He jumped when I came up behind him. “Sean, see that little cove? It’s so cute. Can we go check it out? Please,” I added for good measure.
“I thought we’d cruise a little further down the lake before we stopped anywhere.” His jaw seemed tight, tense.
I tried to pout. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m sure.” He was looking straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact and gripping the wheel with white knuckles.
Fine. He could be that way. I was expecting this. I would have to play dirty to break him down. So I gave his hand a little squeeze and smiled with full firepower.
“Okay, you win, for now.”
I went to the front of the boat. He couldn’t avoid seeing me if he wanted to keep steering it. When I started peeling off my t-shirt, the boat lurched a bit. Probably it took five full minutes to peel off the shirt and my shorts. I did a lot of stretching afterwards. My bikini could not have been smaller. It was a simple suit. It was a deep purple with tiny little straps and push up cups. My breasts were doing their best to escape right now. There was no way he could miss them. I stretched out on a blanket and put in my earphones. The sun would shimmer off of the coconut oil I was slowly rubbing over my arms. I was wearing very dark sunglasses so I could watch him. Oh, he was definitely trying not to look. It was funny to see him struggling with the urge. What I didn’t get was why he was holding back. I could tell he liked me. He did everything he could to avoid getting close though. I was breaking him down with relentless dedication. Today I was bringing out the big guns.
After a little while, I noticed the boat turn towards a secluded cove. I perked up. Was my plan working? I did my best to look sexy. I made sure he was looking before dragging my long hair across my shoulders. Our eyes met. His were bleak as he stared at me. I didn’t understand the expression, but smiled wickedly at the smell of victory.
After anchoring the boat, he hesitated for a minute, seemingly torn, and looked skyward. I held out my hands, and he took the first steps that would change my life forever.
Resigned, he reached out, and I tugged him to the deck. Oddly hesitant, he hovered above me while I leaned back on the blanket. His eyes searched mine. They were that wicked shade of ocean that I wanted to drown in. He was trying to tell me something, but all I could see was infinity in those eyes. I wanted to follow him anywhere. He held my gaze, challenging me to look away. I couldn’t drop my eyes. I was suddenly very aware of a power in him I only vaguely sensed before. A trickle of fear crawled between my shoulder blades. But it was far too late for second thoughts.
Sean was resting on his elbows above me. The hard muscle of his chest brushed against my breasts; his thighs pressed mine, until we were connected from head to toe. Every nerve in my body twitched, crying out for him. I wanted to run my hands over his bare shoulders, but I couldn’t move. I was paralyzed and hypnotized. The seconds dragged; the silence broken only by my heartbeat thudding in my ears. Still, he watched me, eyes on mine, as if he were trying to read my soul.
My thoughts exploded like fireworks. Every memory, every thought I’d had about him raced through my head until I made a startling discovery. Somewhere along the way, I’ve fallen in love with him.
He stroked my lower lip with the pad of his thumb, those beautiful lips of his curling into the barest hint of a smile. Leaning close, he dragged his mouth over the shape of my face once, twice, and again, before whispering against my lips, “If I look into your heart, Mica, what will I find?”
Mesmerized, lost, I answered, “You. Only you.”
His mouth came down on mine in a kiss that stopped my heart. A current passed through my lips to my toes. I vibrated with it, desperate to arch against him, needing to touch him, to sink into him, but I still couldn’t move. I lay in beautiful agony as his lips move over mine, his tongue sweeping into my mouth, tasting, stroking, demanding a response. Tiny lights sparkle behind my eyes as a tidal wave of need crashes through me. I want more than kisses, more than this. I want everything he can give me. With a groan, he wraps his arms around me, dragging me tightly against him, skin to skin, heart to heart. Every inch of me was pulsing with the need to move closer. My skin was too tight and too hot, raw and exposed. My heart was skipping beats, and I couldn’t quite catch my breath. The sensation turned to pain, and I moaned against his lips. He dragged his mouth away and laid his forehead against my shoulder, his breathing ragged, heart thumping. Raw power surged through him, and my instincts were screaming again. Run, run. I was getting in way over my head here. But I didn’t have the will to move, didn’t want to move. I was shaking inside. He lifted his head, looking down at me, his expression somber, eyes dark with intensity. I felt naked and vulnerable. I lowered mine.
He pressed a soft kiss on each of my eyelids, murmuring, “It’s too late for that now, Mica. We’ve already crossed the line. I’ve seen what’s in your heart. There’s no reason to hide.”
I opened my eyes. The sun bathed him in a beautiful golden glow. This time when I tried to arch against him, my body obeyed. His mouth moved over my neck, nibbling, tasting my skin before slanting over my lips once more. The strange current passed through me again, a hot rush of power that curled my toes. This time, I didn’t fear it. I relished it. It was intoxicating as it sang through my veins, making me light and weightless. I wanted more. I wanted to float away in it. My fingers were digging into his back when everything went black.
“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”
My eyes popped open at once. I blinked in the sunlight, disoriented. Domino was stretched out on the blanket with me, regally surveying the shore. Sean he hauled me upright. I expected him to immediately step back like he usually did, but this time he didn’t. Instead, he held me at arms’ length, strong fingers entwined with mine.
“Regrets, Mica?” His eyes were unreadable in the bright light.
“What did you do to me?”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
“So are you.”
Neither of us was willing to answer the question so we called a truce. The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur. We went ashore on a quiet little island. I brought a picnic b
asket, and we sat and nibbled on the fruit and cheeses. There was a shy feeling between us now. I wanted to ask how he felt about the kiss on the boat, but I was afraid he might regret it. He asked if I had regrets. I did, but probably not the kind he was thinking about. I regretted… what exactly? That we didn’t go further? That I fell asleep somewhere along the way? That I didn’t tell him I loved him? That he didn’t tell me he loved me? If I was being honest, I would admit to all of the above. I should be freaked out, but I wasn’t. Deep down inside, I knew this was meant to be. No matter what happened now, I would not regret that strange intimacy I had with Sean.
The sun was getting lower across the water. We probably needed to head back, but I didn’t want this time to end. I must have looked disappointed because he came over to sit on the blanket. He pulled my back against his chest. Domino curled against his side. We sat there in silence, but it was a comfortable one. I was safe in his arms. He kissed the top of my head, and I felt hope for the first time in many months.
Journal Entry: 6 Jun
Wow, today was amazing. I’m in love with Sean!!! He’s so… unbelievable. He’s so much more than just another guy. There’s just something about him. I can feel some of the broken pieces coming together inside of me. I am not afraid when I’m with him. He’s scary and I’m sure, dangerous, but I feel safe with him. He treats me like I’m fragile. My heart doesn’t ache for my lost life, lost innocence. I feel peace. I feel chaos. I don’t know what to do about him!
Chapter 6: Disclosure
I TRIED TO KEEP it on the down low; really I did. What we had was so personal I didn’t want anyone to know. It was impossible to hide the change though. Our friends noticed something was going on as soon as they saw us together. I lit up like a candle when I saw his face, and he gave up trying to fight his attraction to me. He spent his time with me, and everyone knew we weren’t just friends. My friends approved because they knew what I had gone through, and Sean was gentle with me. He would protect me from Scott and his friends if they tried anything else. I glowed with happiness every time Sean was around. Plus, he was smokin’ hot! What friend wouldn’t approve of that?
The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) Page 7