by Cyndi Raye
“Jon, what if the paint is wet?” Abby cried out, her tone light as she hugged him right back.
Josh stood back away from the other two. She knew he watched her but what she wanted to do was turn and run down the street, as far away from him as possible. She tried to smile but found it near impossible. He had a right to keep his life private from her and yet did she mean so little to him he had to hide the truth?
She’d been through a bad relationship and break up. She couldn’t handle any more lies or hurt. Sara;s heart healed from the past, but when she thought about how Josh lied to her, it all came back, torturing her soul. In that very moment, she decided Sara Rose Kelley would make her own rules. To have a relationship right now hurt too much.
So she sucked in a deep breath and walked on to the side walk as if she were on stage. She stood in front of Josh and twirled around, a pasted smile on her face, her focus on the crowd of strangers nearby.
Sara’s body art looked as if a vine of red roses travelled down her neck and around her body. Creative flowers and sleeves of body art covered most of the upper part of her. A sprinkling of glitter through her hair and on her skin gave it a daring, spectacular look. Josh whistled low in his throat and she wanted to fall in his arms.
But she wasn’t about to fall in to his trap ever again. He reached out to her and she just took his hand and twirled. He tried to pull her close but she held firm.
When his hand finally stilled, she looked in to a pair of troubled eyes. “Sara, you okay?” he asked her.
“Oh, I’m fine. Actually, I’m better tonight than I’ve been for a long, long time.”
“What do you say, let’s party it up!” Abby shouted, interrupting the two.
The streets were starting to get a bit crowded so the three couples made their way to the small bar Josh and Sara found the first night they met. The bartender recognized Josh. “Haven’t been here in a while, son.”
“He’s been too busy making up stories and lying about who he really is,” Sara blurted out, turned on her heel and found an empty table. Maggie and Abby followed.
“Sara, what in the worlds gotten in to you?” Abby asked.
Sara didn’t like how the two women stared her down as if she did something awful. “Give me a break! I can’t forgive him for lying to me.”
Abby cringed. “Oh Sara, talk to him about it first before you go off on him! I’m sure there’s a reason why he didn’t tell you.”
Maggie scolded, “We didn’t tell you to make a spectacle, although I’m still not sure why he should hide it from you if he’s retiring.”
Sara put her face in her hands. All of a sudden he appeared at her side and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Sara, can we talk?”
She stood up. “I’m not sure there’s much to talk about, Josh.”
“Oh come on, Sara. Don’t be stubborn,” Maggie whispered, elbowing Sara in the ribs. “Let him explain.”
She turned on Maggie, furious. “My days of talking are over. I’m going to dance so if he has anything to say, I’ll be on the dance floor!” With those words, Sara pulled back her shoulders and stomped over to where the local DJ played his tunes.
A few others danced to the upbeat music and Sara joined in, twirling and twisting to the music trying hard to forget Joshua Eden. After a few furious minutes on the floor, she realized she just behaved like a spoiled brat. She turned to Maggie and mouthed sorry. Her friend just gave her the thumbs up and a wink.
The next time she glanced back, the two couples were laughing and holding each other but Josh stood beside the table, hands deep in his pockets, watching her. Josh picked up a glass of his usual whiskey, slinging it down his throat and finishing it off in one shot. His hand went back in his pocket and he leaned back on his heels, eyes fixed on her. She looked away. If he wanted to talk, he had to make the first move.
The great thing about having your body painted is how incredibly free she seemed as she danced away. Sara thought at first she would be afraid to walk around in just body paint, but it covered her so well she didn’t mind after all. She threw back her head, closed her eyes and gave in to the music. The next tune was a low, sultry beat and she hoped it would draw him to the floor. She would tell him she overreacted. She realized she lost her temper too fast and maybe she should listen to what he had to say. She swayed her hips back and forth with more force, thinking to draw him to the dance floor.
She sighed and smiled when he took her hands and began to grind against her hip. He began to bang so hard that it almost knocked Sara in to another person. She opened her eyes to find a six foot tall red-faced man holding on to her hands. Sara froze at first and began to back away but he wouldn’t let go. She finally twisted her wrists and pulled back, taking him by surprise.
“You’re not Josh,” she cried out.
“Josh who? Come back here, you were the one coming on to me,” he boasted.
“That’s ridiculous!” Sara shouted, backing up.
He came at her, his face bright red and angry. He lifted his hand up to her as if he were about to strike her. Sara cringed at first, covering her hands over her face and ducking. She became furious because she would never allow another person to hurt her, ever again.
She straightened, pulled back her shoulders and stepped forward. “Look here Mister-”
A fist flew past her cheek as the guy went flying across the floor landing against a table, knocking over several drinks. He was so drunk, he tried to get up and fell over his own feet. Soon he was on his back again. Patrons laughed and tried to help him up and he finally gave in to all the guffaws and his large frame shook as he joined in the laughter.
“Let’s get out of here before he gets up,” Jake ordered. “We don’t need a free for all tonight.” They headed out the front door before someone called the cops. Sara grabbed her designer bag and threw it over her shoulder, following the others with Josh behind her.
She turned on him out on the street. “I had it all under control,” she said, her voice flat.
He gave his right hand a shake, working the muscles and fingers. “Sure you did. Do you see what dancing like that will do? The way you were throwing yourself around, I’m lucky I didn’t get myself beaten by a whole crowd of men with burning lust for you.”
She put her hands on her hips, her feet slightly apart and stared him down. “Josh, that sounds so sexist. I can fight my own battles.”
Josh’s angry eyes stared into her soul. All of a sudden, he took a deep breath and said so softly, she wasn’t sure she heard. “The only hands I want on you are mine.” He ran his hand through his hair, and took a step towards her. Sara stepped back. He took another step, his dark eyes daring her to move. She backed up but he came closer so they were nose to nose, squaring off in the middle of the street.
When the rain burst from the clouds neither one realized a sudden thunderstorm began. Sara, caught up in his gaze, felt the rush of cool wet on her body around the time she realized her body art began to melt. She had asked for a water soluble paint so it wouldn’t bother her tender skin and never in a million years expected rain. The colors began to mesh with each other, washing away the artist’s beautiful pattern of roses and vines.
“Sara, oh dear. Your melting!” Abby cried out.
When Josh looked down at her and back in to her eyes, she saw the truth. She stood in the middle of Duval Street, naked from the waist up, her body painting in ruins. He took a quick step forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to protect her from wandering eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered, embarrassed. Maggie and Abby came running to her rescue, opening the bag that fell to the ground when Sara stood face to face on the street with Josh. Abby reached in and pulled out her shirt and helped Sara get it back on as Maggie stood in front to hide her from the public view.
Sara looked around to find Jon and Jake tucked under a small roof out of the rain. They were decent enough not to stare. She gave Abby and Maggie a hug. “Thanks, and
tell your men thank you for not embarrassing me more.”
“Those two, they are dears, aren’t they?” Maggie said. “We’re very lucky.” She looked at Josh and Sara and said, “But so are you. Be kind to each other and get things worked out.”
“I want to call it a night,” Sara told her. “I’m sorry, I guess I’m not the party girl after all.”
Maggie smiled. “The rain will slow soon. A tad bit of bad luck on your part that a sudden torrential rain hit us.” Maggie hugged her again. “Go home and make up,” she shouted over the sound of the rain and wind.
As the two women walked away, Sara heard Maggie say, “This would make a great love story.” Now what did she mean by that remark, Sara wondered.
She turned to Josh. “I understand if you want to stay and hang out, but I’m going back to the Inn,” she said, her voice tired and shaky. Even though the air was warm, the sudden wet air and raindrops made her shiver.
Josh peeled out some bills from his pocket and walked over to a man on the side walk. He bent down and spoke to him and shoved the money in the guys fist. Stomping through puddles, he came back to Sara with a large black umbrella and held it up. With his arm draped around her shoulders, he walked with her back to the Inn, not saying a word.
Sara felt wanted and cared for and pampered. Josh held her under the umbrella, his arm holding her as if he’d never let her go. He protected her from the wind and rain that tumbled down in torrents. She clung to him, her arm wrapped around his waist, letting her feet splash through the puddles as they walked.
Confusion overwhelmed her. On one hand he treated her like nothing else mattered in the world except her. But the man held deep secrets from her. They did need to talk and she had to give him a chance to explain why he lied.
“Josh, I-”
He picked her up in one swift movement, like a scene in a million dollar movie. The umbrella flew from his hand as the wind carried it away. Wild winds whipped around them, tossing and turning the umbrella down the street until it got lost somewhere in the rainstorm. There was a giant puddle that he stomped through with her in his arms to keep her dry.
Sara flung her head back and smiled, the rain pelting on her face. He was her knight in shining armour, her secret agent man.
<><>
Josh stirred the embers in the old fireplace in the small library adjacent to the dining room. Most of the guests were gone for the night or in their rooms, so he gathered up two glasses and a bottle of wine and sat back on the small love seat waiting for Sara. They really needed to talk.
He hated the fact he deceived her, but in his line of work, he couldn’t run and tell others he was an agent. He ran his hand through his hair. He shook his head, realizing he once again spoke another lie.
He kept the truth from her because her brother asked him to keep things quiet for now. He told himself he’d compromise the safety of Morgan and Sophie if he ever let Sara in his world.
Or did he keep it from her because someday she’d find out and hate him for the lies and a lifestyle he lived? Perhaps in the long run it would keep her from getting too close. Mr. Agent man destined to live a life alone in paradise. Josh shook himself and sat back. He had his own issues to deal with, ghosts from the past, no thanks to his Father.
Josh looked up to find her standing by the door. She wore a long, plain black pullover top with matching yoga pants. Her feet were covered in a pair of socks that had each little toe encased like a glove. He placed his arm over the back of the couch as she sat beside him.
“A glass of wine will warm you up, would you like some, Sara?” he asked in his gentle, low voice.
“Please.”
They sipped on their drinks and stared in to the fireplace. “All we need is soft music and this would be so romantic,” she commented.
“Sara, I’m sorry,” he said softly.
“I’m trying to run it through my head, trying to understand why. I still don’t understand.” She set her wine glass on the coffee table and turned to him. “Josh, I can’t help myself, I’m falling for you and thought perhaps you felt the same way. I even trusted you enough to tell you about my past, my horrible life before all of this. I’m distraught you lied to me.”
He took her hand gently in his. He lifted her hand and kissed her palm then brought her hand to his face and let it rest against his cheek. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply. “Ah Sara, there’s where you’re wrong. I am falling for you. So deep that I’m not sure if I’m coming or going.”
The phone buzzed. He drew in his breath, but at this point Morgan or Sophie may call for back up. “I’m sorry, I need to take this.” Josh spoke on the phone for just a few seconds and stood up. He walked to the library door and closed it, turning the lock. He strolled over to the fireplace, lifted a framed photo and turned it face down.
He sat back down beside Sara. “Now, where were we?” he asked. He picked up her hand. She watched him and sat back and laughed.
“Did I just see you turn down that picture frame? What, is it a hidden camera?” She picked up her wine glass and took a tiny sip. Sara sat back and snuggled in to his arms.
Josh smiled. “It’s true, the photo has a camera encased inside. The phone call I received came from Art. He’s got high tech video instruments on us and he warned me to shut down this room if we didn’t want to be on camera.”
“Are you sure there’s not any more?”
He shook his head. “No, Art’s honest if anything, although I’d mostly like to choke him. Enough about him, let’s talk about us.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what to say or do about us, Josh.”
He stood and walked to the fireplace. He stared in to the flames for a few minutes and then turned to her. “Sara, I’m going to trust you with this information because your brother may be in perilous danger.”
“Morgan?” A light went off in her eyes. “That can only mean one thing.” She stood beside him. She wrapped her arms around herself as if she were chilled. “Oh please, don’t tell me what I think you’re about to.”
Josh nodded. “If Morgan works undercover for the agency. I’m sorry, it’s true.”
He watched her face go from fright to anger to sadness all in one quick movement. “How?”
“Morgan has been an agent all along Sara, but he should be the one to tell you this. He planned to have you stay with him but he got called inside. He’s working on a big bust right now and my sister is inside with him. She’s an agent too.”
“Your sister? What have I walked in to?” Sara paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. “Let me get this straight. Maggie and Abby said you worked under cover for ten years. Now you are thinking of retiring and that’s what you’re doing in Key West, considering giving up this secret agent lifestyle.”
He nodded. She continued to pace, stop and pace again. Her anger was beginning to boil over and all Josh wanted to do was hold her. But she needed to get it out.
“Well, I’d say your idea to give it up is back firing big time!”
He nodded. “Tell me about it! If it weren’t for Morgan and Sophie, I’d have resigned. The paperwork is waiting to be delivered before my sister paid me a visit.”
“You can’t stop now,” Sara argued. “There are people counting on you.”
“I know Sara. I know!” He backed away from her and walked to the French doors leading to the dining room then swiftly turned back to her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he groaned. “I’ve spent the last four months drowning in liquor trying to find every excuse in the book to stay with the agency. But when it came right down to it, I want a normal life. Do you realize how long it’s been since I’ve had normal?”
She shook her head.
“Never.” He hung his head. He said it. Finally, after all these years he told someone his deepest desires, to just be a normal person. It drained him because he’d been fighting it all these years. He stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“No, give me your hands Josh,�
� Sara whispered. He let her pull them from his pockets and she guided him back to the love seat. They sat down and she faced him, never letting go. “Why haven’t you ever had a normal life?”
He hesitated. He never told a soul. His sister and the police knew his story, but no one else. He leaned his head to hers, foreheads touching. She felt so good, so safe. His demons tried to keep him from telling her. Beads of sweat poured from his temple, but she lifted her hand and brushed it away. “Tell me,” she said, her gentle voice prompting him.
“You are so sweet Sara, so good. I’m not sure you want to hear this.”
“Tell me, we all have demons.”
“I watched my Mother kill my Father.” He waited for her to pull back, for a reaction but he heard nothing. Not one sound came from her.
Finally, she said, “Tell me what happened.”
He closed his eyes remembering the night it happened. “I told you before I knew what you went through because my Mom was abused by my Father. He was a drug dealer, very ruthless. I’m not sure how my Mother ever got involved with him, but she did. My sister and I were always treated well. We got to do whatever we wanted, except when he got drunk.”
Josh sighed. His Mom always tried to protect them, give them what they needed. What she didn’t give them was a Father who cared enough to get away from a life of crime.
“My Father got drunk and beat her, at first it was a few times a month. Later, it was almost daily. He had become a monster, taking his own drugs and drinking like a raging alcoholic. He was starting to unravel. The nights he tied my Mom outside in the garage were hell for me and my sister. I tried to protect her. I kept her hidden at times so he wouldn’t go after her. It worked until one night he was so out of control he told Mom he was going to do the exact same thing to Sophie. She was only twelve.”
“I was seventeen. I had enough. The day he came after Sophie I hit him with a piece of wood from the fireplace so hard it knocked him out. My Mother came in to see what happened. She picked up the wood and just kept hitting him over the head over and over again. He never recovered. He went in to a coma and died several hours later.” Josh put his head in his hands as if it would erase the memories. His heart cried out for what happened. He looked up at her, his eyes tortured. “It wasn’t the end of it. My Mom, she lost her fight to live. Even though she worked so hard to protect us, after that she gave up. A few nights after this happened, she took one of his guns, walked out in to the woods and shot herself and that’s where I found her. We lost both parent’s just days apart.”