Jade (Perfect Match Book 4)

by Rachelle Ayala

  “When I’m here, I feel like I can forget all my troubles,” she said to Aiden during a break between the bands.

  “That’s the purpose of vacations.” He, too, seemed more relaxed after wiggling and jiggling every delicious muscle of his.

  They danced barefoot on the white, smooth sand as servers passed around rum shots and shrimp cocktails.

  “Where do you usually go for vacations?”

  “Here and there,” he said, swaying in that jerking way, overly muscular guys danced. “Usually, I help my mom move things around in her store. I work out with my high school buddies, and teach Krav Maga to children, especially teenage girls for self-defense.”

  “Guess your mother wanted you to have a change?”

  “She loves me,” Aiden said, looking over her shoulder into the dark waves swishing on the soft sand. “I keep offering to take over her store for a few weeks so she can go to an island like this, but she says she’s too old to meet someone new.”

  “You’re never too old for romance.” Jade took Aiden’s hand and clasped her fingers between his. “What happened to your father?”

  “He was killed by a drunk driver when I was ten.”

  “I’m sorry.” Jade drew closer to him. “You became the man of the house.”

  “So to speak. I’m the oldest.”

  “Is that why you joined the Navy?”

  “Yes, there was no money for college.” He held her hand firmly as they drifted away from the rest of the dancing crowd.

  The sand cooled, dampening near the water’s edge, and a pleasant breeze carried the scent of the tropics, frangipani and salt spray, mixing at the water’s edge.

  It was a clear night, with the moon rising large and round.

  The sound of the surf dragged rhythmically, lulling Jade into a serene feeling of safety—wellbeing and peace.

  If this were one of her romance novels, Aiden would be pointing out the constellations to her. They’d wade at the edge of the water, spotting shooting stars and wishing upon them.

  She’d wonder how far the starlight had traveled and how far it had yet to go, and he’d hold her close and whisper in her ear about seeing forever in her eyes, and other nonsensical things lovers plied each other with.

  Maybe she’d recite poetry, and he’d talk about his dreams. And then they’d wander too far out into the water and get caught by the salty mist of an errant wave, drenching them from head to toe.

  She’d giggle and he’d cover her, protecting her with his embrace, and she’d shiver against him, knowing his back was plastered by seawater, yet he’d shield her.

  “Jade, I’m getting all wet here,” Aiden said, as a rogue wave crested, hitting a rock and splattering water over them.

  A shiver traveled down Jade’s spine and she gazed up into the starry night. “It’s like we’re on the edge of the world.”

  “Yes, and there’s only the two of us.”

  “And the stars above.”

  “Stardust and moonlight, stirred by the eternal song of the sea.” His eyes were dark pools of ink and she felt the primordial pull of yin and yang.

  “That’s romantic.” The words barely breathed from her lips.

  “Poetic. I always wanted to be a writer,” he murmured into her ear, tickling her with a delightful web of tingles.

  “Have you written anything?”

  He shrugged. “I dream up stories, but no, I haven’t put any down on paper. Usually, I’m not around a computer when the stories sing to me.”

  “You’ve got to capture them, bind them with ink and pen, or electronic text.” She raised her hand and stroked the side of his neck. “Or they’ll run away with the wind like embers dancing across the treetops, and come to life somewhere else.”

  “Is that why you’re always writing in your notebook?”

  She drew his face down toward him and kissed his cheek. “Until it’s written down, it’s not yours. It’s just a story thread out in the wild. You have to catch it and tame it, then shape it and nurture it.”

  “Will you show me how?” His eyes held all the wonder of the night.

  “What’s your genre?”

  “Spy thrillers mixed with organized crime and politics.” The words spilled from his lips like a thoroughbred surging from the starting gates.

  Her lips tightened, and she averted her eyes from his. A sour feeling churned, as warning bells clanged behind her eardrums. She wasn’t going to get pulled in again—spilling her ideas like pearls tossed at a greedy, plagiarizing pig.

  “Jade?” Aiden tilted her chin up so that she met his gaze. “It’s okay if you don’t want to share your secrets.”

  “It’s not that,” she backpedaled, shivering. “I love helping new writers. I teach creative writing for foster kids as a way to find their core personality.”

  “You don’t have to explain.” He let his hands fall to hers. “I knew you weren’t as difficult as you made yourself out to be. I’m guessing you’re actually quite sweet.”

  He returned the kiss on her cheek, and she felt herself glow from the depths of her heart.

  “Thanks, Aiden,” she whispered, more to herself. And at that moment, she wanted to kiss him again, but as the tide surged and wet her legs, she knew she shouldn’t give him mixed signals, nor should she play with fire.

  Because once lit, some fires never go out.

  Chapter Nine

  “I can’t hold my breath as long as you can,” Jade coughed, shaking the water out of her snorkel tube and goggle combination.

  The mint green ocean water was warm and salty, but she couldn’t keep it out of her snorkel tube.

  Aiden removed the mouthpiece and chuckled. “You got to blow out all the water first before you take a breath.”

  “I had no air to push the water out, and then I got water in my nose. Why don’t I stay on the surface?”

  “You’ll never find hidden treasure without diving. You can do it.”

  “As long as you promise we go up when I run out of air,” Jade said.

  “I’ll drag you to the surface and breathe for you if I have to.” He gave her the “OK” sign. “Squeeze my hand when you need to come up for air.”

  “Okay, I’ll trust you.” Jade gave Aiden a reassuring smile. There was no better snorkel partner than a guy who went on dangerous underwater missions.

  She pulled her hair clear of the mask and placed the tube into her mouth.

  Aiden took her hand and they glided off over the colorful coral reef. Orange fans, light purple lace, and antler-like spikes intermingled with knobs and mounds of all shapes and colors. Fields of anemones wafted like underwater flowers, and fish of all sizes and shapes darted among the reef.

  Jade was comfortable as long as they swam on the surface and her tube was safely out of the water. She took advantage by taking many breaths as fast as she could before she had to go below the surface.

  Soon enough, Aiden pointed at a tiny green turtle flanked by angelfish and tugged at her hand, signaling a duck dive.

  Taking her last deep breath, Jade put her head down and kicked out as Aiden dragged her under the water. Her heart pounding, she tried not to blow out any air, knowing she needed the air later to clear her tube.

  The tiny turtle flapped his front legs and flitted around a huge fan-shaped coral. It was so cute the way it moved, like it was flying underwater.

  Jade let go of her fears and worries, knowing Aiden was at her side. Following the turtle was amazing, and she was going to outlast Aiden if it was the last thing she did. After all, his muscles consumed more oxygen than hers, and he was doing most of the work, pulling her along.

  The sunlight streaming through the sparkly water was like sheets of gold, and beauty surrounded her. She’d be sure to remember everything so she could write about it—the peaceful feeling, the mesmerizing way schools of fish wove around the rocks and reef, the lone green turtle surfacing toward the point of light far above.

  ****

  Aiden s
queezed Jade’s limp hand, and his heart leaped clear to his throat. Bubbles trickled from her mouth, and she was no longer swimming.

  Her body drifted at his side, relaxed.

  She’d passed out, and she was drowning.

  He grabbed her and propelled himself with rapid, powerful kicks to the surface. She wasn’t moving, so he snatched off her snorkel and mask and lowered his own to his neck. Her eyes were closed, and water bubbled from her mouth.

  They were far from the beach, and he had to clear her airway and breathe for her while dragging her back. He tilted her head to the side to let any water dribble out, then sealed his mouth over hers, giving her four rescue breaths.

  He towed her, kicking as hard as he could toward the beach, then tread water and gave her four more breaths.

  She was unresponsive, and he had to keep working to bring her to land where he could do chest compressions.

  These accidents happened, even to elite Navy SEALs who overheld their breath and went into a state of hypoxia. Aiden should have warned Jade not to try and outlast him.

  What was she thinking?

  His heart slamming against his ribcage, he splashed his way up the beach, dragging her and throwing her onto the sand.

  “Come on, come on,” Aiden begged as he alternately gave Jade chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

  A small crowd gathered around and someone called the lifeguards.

  “Why did you have to compete with me?” Aiden asked, doing more chest compressions. “Why didn’t you signal me? I should have paid more attention.”

  Bending over, he again sealed his mouth to hers and forced air into her lungs.

  She heaved below him, and he quickly turned her head to the side as she coughed out water.

  Closing his eyes, he thanked God and helped her sit up. She coughed, hacked, and gasped.

  “What happened?” She looked up at him, blinking once she got her breath under control. “I thought I was holding my breath.”

  “I know, and you almost drowned. Why didn’t you tell me you needed to surface?” He gently wiped her sand-crusted hair from her face.

  “It was so peaceful down there, like heaven. I saw a bright light and wanted to swim toward it. Why wasn’t I out of breath?”

  “You must have hyperventilated before we dived. Your carbon dioxide ratio went down and your brain didn’t think you needed to breathe, so you ran out of oxygen.”

  “You saved my life? How can I thank you?”

  “By staying safe.”

  She looped her arms around his neck. “I’m safe as long as I’m staying with you.”

  Warmth blossomed in Aiden’s heart at the way she looked at him, as if he were her personal hero.

  And he was.

  Aiden had rescued his buddies before, as well as civilians they’d come across in the field.

  But this one made him feel like a conqueror—a winner. And to the victor belonged the spoils, or in this case, the beautiful maiden.

  Gently, he lifted her from the sand. His lips sought hers, and he settled in for a long, soul-searing kiss. His reward, at least for the rest of the week.

  Sure, Jade might be using him for the experiences and the feels, but now, she would never forget him.

  His memory and what he did today would be forever enshrined in her heart, and that made Aiden feel bigger than any man in the world.

  ****

  “Dani, you won’t believe what happened today.” Jade palmed her phone to her ear while lying on a chaise lounge poolside.

  Aiden was in the water playing a pick-up game of water polo with a professional team from Germany. His muscles glistened wet, and his skin was smooth and bronzed. He was fast and agile, but also a strong swimmer.

  Jade watched, mouth open, as Aiden stretched out his arm and hurled the ball into the net. His throw was so fast, the ball was a blur.

  His teammates slapped his shoulders and high-fived him. Then, all the men swam off toward the other side of the pool, churning the water into a white-hot froth.

  “Jade? You still there?” Dani’s voice reminded Jade to suck in her drool. “What happened?”

  “Oh, I’m watching Aiden play water polo.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got quite a hot romance going. Do tell.” Dani’s voice sparkled with interest.

  “It’s nothing like that.” Jade’s gaze tracked Aiden as he bumped the ball across the pool, deftly keeping it away from the other men. “I almost drowned today, and Aiden saved my life. There’s no better man at the beach than a Navy SEAL.”

  “Did he do mouth to mouth?”

  “I was out cold, maybe?”

  “Ah, too bad, but you must be kissing him by now, aren’t you?”

  Jade took a little too long to respond, as Aiden batted the ball away from an opponent. The water churned as he spun and passed it to a teammate who shot into the net past the goalie.

  “More than kissing?” Dani’s voice rose triumphantly. “You’re hooking up, aren’t you?”

  “Uh, no, and I’m not planning to,” Jade said.

  “I can’t believe you have a Navy SEAL in close quarters and you’re not rough-riding him.” Dani giggled. “Or you’re lying. Holding out on me.”

  “I’m done with romance,” Jade said, cupping the phone as the men climbed from the pool for a break.

  Aiden came toward her, hand out for a towel.

  She threw him one and raised her hand for a high-five.

  “Who’re you talking to?”

  “Just my friend, Dani,” Jade replied.

  Aiden scrubbed the water off his fine body and twisted his face. “Danny? One of your boyfriends?”

  “Uh, no, Dani’s a girl, short for Danielle.”

  In her ear, Dani said, “He sounds jealous and yummy. Deep voice. Is he as muscular as he sounds?”

  “More.” Jade felt her cheeks heat. “Aiden, can you grab me a mojito?”

  He saluted her and swaggered off, water droplets glistening on his back, and Jade noticed women’s eyes trailing him.

  “Okay, spill it, chick,” Dani ordered.

  “There’s really nothing to tell. We’re getting along, doing everything this island has to offer.”

  “You mean doing every surface this island has to offer,” Dani teased. “But if you’re not, you need to have your head examined. Besides, you can have sex without romance.”

  “I’m not that way. I’d rather write about it than do it.”

  “Don’t you wonder what you’re missing? Just think of all the research you could do on positions, angles, sensitive zones, everything to make your love scenes hotter and spicier. Not to mention the descriptive language. Oh, I’m getting hot just thinking about all the combinations.”

  “It’ll be over in less than a week,” Jade said, injecting much needed sanity back into the conversation.

  “Then time’s a wasting,” Dani said. “If you don’t get that hot bod in bed while you have access, don’t whine to me about missing out.”

  “You have a point,” Jade sighed. “I just might start a new series based on Navy SEALs.”

  “Now you’re talking. Never pass a good man by, especially for the sake of art.”

  Chapter Ten

  Nightlife at Ile d’Amour congregated around the harbor where the cruise ships docked. A strip of nightclubs, bars, and small casinos lit the pedestrian-only waterfront with neon lights and a festive tropical atmosphere.

  A Ferris wheel perched a hundred feet above the bay, not as high as the mega ones topping London or Dubai, but according to Georges, it was rated to withstand winds up to a hundred ten miles per hour.

  Fortunately, it wasn’t hurricane season, so Jade agreed to go up with Aiden in one of the private glass-enclosed pods.

  While he was freshly showered, shaved, and smelling delicious with a hint of sporty cologne, she felt like a wet dog dragged in from the pound.

  Her near drowning resulted in scrapes and cuts on her elbows and knees, an irr
itated eye that had to be flushed out at the island’s clinic, a ragged cough from inhaling seawater, not to mention blistered and peeling sunburn and itchy mosquito bite bumps that spread as large as a silver dollar.

  Which was why she was wearing a pair of jeans, and a thin gauzy tropical shirt over her tank top. Sunglasses hid her irritated eyes.

  If only Aiden would quit staring at her and complimenting her every ten minutes.

  The private pod rose each level as new people took their seats. Aiden was a perfect gentleman, with one arm around her, pointing to sights he wanted her to see.

  The sun was quickly setting, painting the western sky a burnished red, purple, and orange, over the darkening water.

  The rim of the volcano loomed behind them, shrouded in mist, and cruise ships docked in the shining harbor below.

  “I’m hoping the sun will set the moment we hit the top,” Aiden said, his eyes twinkling. “It’s been quite a day, hasn’t it?”

  “I can see the reef where everything almost ended for me.” Jade peered down past the harbor to the dark reef beyond.

  “Let’s think of it as a new beginning,” Aiden said.

  Jade nuzzled closer to his heated chest and rested her head on his shoulder. “I owe you big time.”

  “No, you don’t.” He rubbed her forearm. “I’ve saved lives before, evacuating civilians or rescuing hostages. Most don’t even know who I am.”

  “But I do know who you are.” Jade inhaled the scent of his cologne mixed with the salty tropical sea. “I want to do something for you.”

  “Is that an invitation?” He removed her sunglasses and gazed deep into her eyes.

  She nodded and wet her lips, her heart suddenly pounding ferociously. “I will never, ever forget this day and what you did for me. I’m hoping you won’t forget me, either.”

  “I doubt you’re forgettable,” he murmured.

  “It seems only fair for me to give you something to remember,” Jade said, summoning up her courage. “Why did you come on this trip? Was it only for your mother, or were you hoping for romance?”

  His Adam’s apple bobbled deeply, and he turned his gaze to the deep blue horizon. “Truthfully? I was hoping to spend my leave putting words on a page, but when my mother mentioned I was chosen to go on this trip, I did hope that I’d meet a woman I can take home to her—not putting pressure on you or anything, but you know how it is. I’m the eldest son of an eldest son.”