Finding Paradise (The Gods of Oakleigh Book 1)

by Juanita Kees

  She sighed. Just her luck. Finally she’d found a man who was sexy, kind and caring, and he turned out to be some kind of telepathic loony who believed he was a god.

  In his defence, he kissed like one and looked like one with all that golden muscle, the sexy beard and wavy hair. And, oh that smile. One hot package but was it worth risking her sanity for a holiday bonk? No, there’d be nothing simple about sex with Jax. If she saw heaven in his kiss, what would she see if they took it to the bedroom?

  She heard Penny call out to Helen and looked up the stairs towards the backboard. Penny secured the line and pulled the dinghy closer. Arian climbed out of the cabin to help unload.

  “Can you take Ermioni for me?”

  Arian smiled down at her. “Of course, pass her up.”

  She held out her arms for the little girl. Helen placed the sleeping child into Arian’s arms. Immediately Ermioni snuggled against her and Arian felt her heart contract. For a moment, she took in the sweet little face, flushed with sleep and sun, the Cupid’s bow lips pursed and moist with lip balm. Ermioni’s mop of curly dark hair felt like silk against her skin. A little doll. She tightened her arms around her protectively. A vision of two little girls and a boy, all similar to Ermioni, flashed through her mind. The little boy looked exactly like Jax.

  Arian drew in a breath and chased the picture from her mind. She took a step towards the cabin and stopped at Helen’s voice.

  “Girls, I’m so sorry about what happened back there. Those two can get carried away. Every time they tell it, it becomes a competition, a challenge they both have to win.”

  Arian and Penny murmured in unison, “That’s okay.”

  “I’ve given them ten minutes to sort themselves out.” She smiled. “Don’t be surprised if one of them comes back with a black eye or a split lip. Bloody men and their testosterone.”

  Arian smiled back. “I’ve put the coffee machine on. I’ll put Ermioni down in the cabin, shall I?”

  “Yes, thank you … and, Arian?” Arian turned back. “Jax really likes you. Please don’t be put off by this … weirdness. There are simply things he cannot explain to you right now. He will when the time is right.”

  Great, more weirdness, thought Arian. “Right. Okay then.” She seriously considered the soundness of her own mind as the men returned to the boat and they set sail for Paradise Beach.

  An hour later they sailed into the small harbour. Helen was right, Arian thought. Odys had a split lip and Jax sported a bruised cheek. As Arian and Penny gathered their things, Odys prepared to help them onto the jetty where Jax waited to give them a hand across the gap.

  “There we go, ladies. I’m sorry our little … disagreement … got in the way of an otherwise pleasant day.”

  “No worries,” said Penny. “Thank you for taking us out. We enjoyed the cove.”

  “Yes,” Arian agreed quickly. “We had a lovely time.”

  Odys smiled. “Who’s first?”

  Penny put her hand up and Odys helped her across to Jax. Placing his hands on Arian’s shoulders, he said quietly, “I’m really sorry, Arian. I spoilt it for you. Jax has a bad habit of giving up too easily on an argument sometimes. I needed to remind him that some things are worth fighting for, and not always the ones you think are worth winning.”

  “It’s none of my business, Odys.” Arian bit back the apprehension that churned in her stomach.

  “Not yet but it will be soon,” replied Odys. On that cryptic note, he turned her around and thrust her across to where Jax waited, arms outstretched and a fierce look on his face.

  Jax held her against him for a long moment, his strong arms firm against her back, her breasts flattened against the expanse of his chest. His heart thudded against hers as he looked deep into her eyes.

  “I’m sorry if our argument scared you back there. We’re a family and like brothers, our discussions often become heated. There are things I should explain … perhaps later?”

  “There’s no need,” Arian said.

  He rested his forehead against hers for a brief moment before kissing the tip of her nose. “There is every need for you to understand. I’ll see you a little later up at the hotel?”

  “Umm … maybe we should … I think Penny and I ...” Arian looked at Penny for help. Perhaps it was best they put some distance between themselves and the complexity of the relationship between these three.

  Jax nodded and let Arian slip down the length of his body until her feet touched the jetty. “Yes, I understand.” His arms slipped from around her.

  The shame in his eyes tore at her heart, but she needed space to think, to ponder on the day’s events and the outcome. Complications, secrets and lies no longer had a place in her life. She’d left all that behind with Craig.

  “Thank you for a lovely day, for everything.” Arian stepped away from him and picked up her beach bag. She cursed the doubts that clouded her mind and the secrets the small group kept between them because, in that moment, her heart ached just a little for whatever it was that put the pain in his eyes. “We’ll see you around.”

  Jax nodded sadly, his eyes on the horizon beyond her head. With one last look, Arian turned away from the man she thought might be the right one for her.

  Arian and Penny walked along the jetty to the beach in silence. Once out of range of hearing of the others, Penny said, “Jeez Louise, you okay, hon?” She heaved a sigh of relief.

  Arian nodded, not sure she could speak past the massive lump in her throat. Tears of disappointment pricked at her eyelids. She dropped her sunglasses from her head onto her nose to hide them as little drops trickled out the corners of her eyes.

  “Finding Mr Right sucks,” she muttered and swiped at her cheeks. “Just when you think you’ve found him, it all turns weird on you.”

  “I’m sure there’s a perfectly sane explanation for this.” Penny paused for the automatic door to the hotel foyer to slide open. “While you pour us a glass of wine, I’m going to Google me some Greek mythology.”

  Arian hiccupped on a laugh. “You think you’ll find the answers?”

  “No,” said Penny, linking an arm through hers, “but it’s going to be bloody entertaining finding out why Athena was such a little bitch.”

  “And what exactly went on between Ajax and Odysseus, although I’m not sure about the part where he falls on his sword.” Arian shivered. “Sounds a little gruesome.”

  “Bloody oath, I hope there are pictures.” Penny grinned.

  Arian shook her head. That’s why she loved Penny. No matter what the drama or disaster, Penny was always there to lighten it up. Now if she could just get rid of the rock that weighed her heart down in her chest and picture a future without a certain god of Oakleigh, she’d be alright.

  Chapter Four

  “Ilíthios. Anói̱tos. What the hell were you thinking back there?” Helen’s eyes flashed with anger as she stood in front of Jax and Odys. “Jax, you have to rein in that bloody temper of yours. If I hadn’t stopped the two of you when I did, you would have started a goddamn earthquake. Did you two not feel the sand shifting under you?” She looked from one to the other. “No, of course not. You were too busy having a pissing competition.”

  “Helen—”

  “Be quiet, Odys. I’m not done. What do you think those two girls would have thought if Zeus decided to send a lightning bolt out of a clear blue sky to knock you both on your arses? They’re scared enough as it is now. They don’t need a category five cyclone to chase them off any further.”

  “Helen —”

  “Not your turn yet either, Ajax. There’s no point finding the one you’re meant to protect and then scaring her off with your goddam chest bumping. Did the two of you not understand Zeus’ instructions at all?” She stamped her foot, rocking the boat with the force of it. Thunder growled in the sky. “Find the Faerie Queen and keep her safe. Not have another stupid fight that ends up with one of you either falling on your sword or being struck down for disobeying the o
ne who gave you your lives back.” Her body shook with anger now and energy zapped around her.

  “Helen,” yelled Jax and Odys together.

  “Stop,” said Jax, pointing to the darkening sky.

  Helen looked up. “Oh shit. See now? See what you made me do?” She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply through her mouth and out through her nose, holding her hands out, palms up. The energy around her fizzled and popped like wet fireworks as the gathering storm clouds cleared.

  While Helen calmed the storm she’d started, Jax turned to Odys. “Did you mean what you said when you called me a coward?”

  Odys shrugged. “There is nothing cowardly about holding off an army of thousands single-handedly to recover a mate’s body from the battlefield. That’s the stuff true chieftains are made of, courage far greater than anything I am capable of. You could have died that day, sacrificed yourself so I could transport Achilles’ body away safely. Nor is it weak to have fallen prey to Athena’s spell.”

  “So you believe me then?”

  “I always have, Jax. It’s Zeus you have to convince that you’re worthy of a second chance at life and happiness. The only reason I fought for the Shield of Achilles was because I wanted you to fight harder for it. For you to prove to Zeus you’d earned it.”

  “Well, since you put it that way ...” Jax aimed a smug smile at Odys.

  “Dickhead, why do I have to remind you who of us is the more experienced chieftain? One day that damned ego of yours is going to be bigger than your head. Sky’s clearing.” He pointed up. “You done with us, Helen? I need a drink.”

  “For now … Jax, you’ve got some kissing up to do. I damn well hope nothing’s happened to Arian while you two have been behaving like schoolboys. I spotted Hades hanging around the hotel pool before we left. Odys, do you think you can keep Penny out of the way for a while?”

  It was Odys’ turn for a smug smile. “Try and stop me. She’s quite a package. A little verbal sparring with that dynamo is exactly what I need.”

  Helen shook her head. “Make sure you apologise for your bad behaviour first. Right, let’s clean up and get out of here. Ermioni and I need a little peace and quiet on our own. And I’ll need to explain the bloody storm to Zeus so he can reconfigure the weather satellite transmissions. I’ll be filling out damned paperwork until Ermioni turns twenty-one, babysitting the two of you.”

  ***

  Arian sat on the balcony of their hotel room, nursing a glass of wine and watching the dark storm clouds over the harbour evaporate. She made a mental note to check for recent seismic activity in the area. Shifting sands in the cove earlier, freak storm clouds and a sudden swell around where the boats were docked — too many coincidences to rule out renewed volcanic activity in the area.

  Anything to distract her from thinking about Jax. She tuned out Penny’s voice reading aloud the information she’d dug up on the internet. It was too far-fetched to believe Jax and Odys were real gods anyway, so what did the age-old myth matter?

  She rested her head against the back of the chair and allowed her eyes to drift closed. In her mind, she pictured Jax as she’d seen him on the trip home. He’d stared off into nothingness, his dark eyes troubled and jaw tensed. Silence had stretched between them, uncomfortable for the first time since they’d met. Her heart ached a little at the distance she’d chosen to put between them, but trust went hand in hand with attraction and right now, Jax had a question mark against the trust factor.

  The hotel door shook as someone hammered on it. Penny jumped and squealed.

  “Holy shit, don’t break the door down, I’m coming.” She put her laptop on the floor and made to get out of the chair.

  Arian put a hand on her arm. “You stay. I’ll get it. It’s probably room service bringing back the dry cleaning.”

  “Right, I’ll keep reading then.” Penny grinned.

  Arian stood and walked to the door. She pulled it open, hand out, ready to accept their clothes back. Instead she looked straight at Jax’s chest. Her heart did a little pitter patter and stuck in her throat.

  He leaned with his shoulder against the doorframe, arms folded, ankles crossed, looking every bit the part of a god come down from Olympus. She let her gaze travel over him, from the leather deck shoes, up the navy cargo shorts, over the white and blue striped shirt, until she met the intensity of his dark eyes.

  “Hey,” he said quietly.

  “Hey.” Her grip tightened on the door handle.

  “I wanted to apologise again.” His warm hand cupped her cheek, stroking the skin with his thumb. “I’m truly sorry.”

  Each stroke sent little shocks through her nerve endings, stirred her blood and robbed her of breath.

  “Who is it, Arian?” called Penny.

  Arian had trouble finding her voice. Jax smiled down at her and answered instead. “It’s me, Penny. Odys wants to buy you a drink in the bar to apologise,” he said, not taking his eyes off Arian.

  “All of us?”

  “We’ll be down later. I have something to say to Arian first.”

  “Righto, I’ll get my shoes,” Penny called back. “I hope he has a bar tab going because he’ll need it.”

  Jax smiled again, sweet and sexy enough to melt any resistance Arian might have left. “Hurry,” he said to Penny, dropping his hand and pushing away from the doorframe.

  Arian stepped aside on very wobbly legs. “Come inside.”

  He squeezed into the tiny hallway, his body brushing against hers, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. Arian shivered at the touch, and held the door open as Penny swept past. With a wink, she flipped the sign on the doorknob from ‘service room’ to ‘do not disturb’ and pulled the door closed behind her.

  Arian stood staring at the emergency evacuation procedures on the back of the room door. What now? She turned to see Jax out on the balcony, standing with his hands on the railing, staring out to sea. Taking a deep breath, she went to stand next to him. The silence stretched and Arian waited, her nerves fluttering like butterflies in her stomach.

  “I’m really sorry about what happened at the cove today. Odys knows what buttons to press. It’s an argument we’ve had for years.”

  “Yes, Penny has the same habit. I guess it comes from being friends since childhood.”

  He turned around and leaned back against the railing, one foot up against the trellis. His hand covered hers. “We fight like boys, I’m afraid, but we shake hands and forgive. It’s a long story and I’d like to tell it to you. I need to explain, but I’m afraid to.”

  “Afraid? Why?” Arian wasn’t sure anything he’d say would make sense right now anyway. Not when her nerve endings zapped and her hands itched to touch him. The smell of coconut lotion mixed with the muskiness of his cologne teased her nose and stirred the desire that simmered within her whenever he was near. She shivered.

  “Because there is something about you that has touched my heart and I’m afraid if I tell you my secrets too soon, we will lose this magic between us.” With a gentle tug, he pulled her towards him and into his arms. He tipped up her chin with a gentle finger. “I came here to talk, but when you’re near, the world and reality fade and all I see is you.”

  His hand on her back massaged slow circles then his fingers danced up and down her spine. Arian relaxed in his hold and let the sensations warm her heart, though her mind still warred with what she’d seen and heard at the cove. “We’ve only just met.”

  “Yet I feel like I’ve known you forever. I tried to stay away, Arian. I know we scared you and Penny with our intensity. We are Greek, passionate and proud of our heritage. Sometimes we forget others don’t know our story, nor do they believe in myths.”

  Arian felt the vibration of his voice under her hands, the intensity of his tone in her heart. For the first time since Gran died, she felt a part of something, a sense of belonging, a connection that ran deeper than anything she’d ever experienced, stronger even than her relationship with Gran.

 
“There is so much I need to tell you, so much to explain, and I need your trust before I can say anymore.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he held her against his heart.

  “I don’t trust easily, Jax. I’ve been hurt too many times trusting the wrong people.” Yet in his arms, she felt safe, secure and loved. How could that happen so quickly?

  “I understand. I too have difficulty trusting, but you, Arian … you appear to be an exception. When I am with you my heart soars and my spirits lift as if you are breathing new life into my soul. I understand how that may sound pathetically poetic. I swear on my honour, it’s not a pick-up line.”

  She smiled into his shirtfront. If someone had said that to her in the bar last night, she wouldn’t have had any trouble believing it was a pick-up line. Coming from Jax, it sounded like a promise of paradise. “I believe you because I feel the same.”

  “Good.” Relief threaded his sigh. “May I please kiss you now?”

  Too far under his spell to object, and captivated by the need in his eyes, she whispered, “Yes.” The muscles in her abdomen tightened with expectation as he lowered his head. Arian rose on her toes, meeting him halfway.

  His mouth brushed hers, softly, sweetly, until she leaned closer and stilled his lower lip with a nip. Any more teasing would drive her insane. With a soft growl, he crushed her to him and kissed her until she moaned with a mixture of pleasure, pain and desperation. Whatever magic this man possessed, she wanted it — all of it — now.

  Her hands wandered up over his firm chest, across his shoulders and into the soft tangle of hair at his nape. The brush of his beard against her skin sent shivers of delight through her as his lips left hers to press a trail of kisses down her neck. She arched against him, feeling the press of his readiness against her stomach.