Zach cleared his throat before speaking in a girly voice, “But, your highness, we lowly people standing humbly before you have a problem.” He smirked sardonically. His jaw tightened when Roger faced him. “We didn’t bring our suits, Roger.”
Roger smiled, his brown eyes sparkling wickedly. “I hadn’t exactly taken you for the timid sort, Zach.” His smile twisted into a smirk. “But not to worry, I am prepared for occasions such as this.” He hit a button by a light-switch. A hidden door in the mahogany paneled wall swung open, revealing a walk-in closet the size of most one bedroom apartments. It was brimming with swimwear and a good assortment of other clothing. “As you can see, there are several to choose from.”
Understatement of the century. He had drawers full of trunks for the guys in every size and color imaginable. I searched through the selection of bikinis hoping for a one piece or at least a tankini. I was swiftly running out of options.
“How about this one?” Zach asked, holding up a turquoise number with studded rhinestones.
“I’ll pass,” I said, still optimistic I would find something I could work with.
“You would look fantastic in it,” he said hopefully.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll pick my own—unless you would like me to choose yours.” I nodded toward the Speedos.
His lips raised in a cocky grin. “Be my guest.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Eww. Those should be banned.”
He cocked his head to the side leveling his gaze to mine. “I wasn’t the one that suggested them.”
I laughed, cuffing him on the shoulder. “Would you stop distracting me?”
He got a funny look on his face. Even though I didn’t know him very well, his smile seemed a little off. “Only if you will do the same,” he replied softly.
“What?” I asked distractedly. With one more rack to rummage, I was frantically trying to figure out how I was going to get out of this. I had no idea what he was talking about, but it didn’t matter anymore. I sighed in relief. “Here.”
I held in my hands the only thing I’d found that might cover my scar. Although it was still a two piece, I thought it would do the trick. I should have kept a swimsuit in my purse.
Zach tugged on the fabric. “That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen.”
I couldn’t disagree. The outdated plaid was in colors usually reserved for bodily excrement. The back of the top looked like a regular bikini, but the front was loose and came to a fringed V. I gazed up through my lashes sweetly. “Who asked you?” He was not getting me into that flashy number no matter how much he sulked.
I followed Cassie into an adjoining bedroom. It was lavishly appointed in cream silks and velvets. The four poster bed could have probably fit Solomon, his wives, and most of his concubines.
Cassie didn’t seem as taken with the place as I was, but I wasn’t as used to opulence as she was. I turned my back to her, undressing.
“Roger seems nice,” I said.
“Yeah, he does.”
I was getting sick of our stilted conversations. But with the men waiting for us, we didn’t have time to get into it. I turned around, surprised by the skimpy thing she was wearing. Her mother would have never approved. That was most assuredly the point.
She walked over to me and strummed my fringe. “You could have chosen something less…repugnant. It isn’t half as bad as you think it is.”
We didn’t have time to argue about my scar again. I couldn’t help that she felt guilty for talking me into riding her Arabian Christmas gift. I didn’t blame her for the accident. That horse wouldn’t tolerate anyone but Cassie. We hadn’t known that at the time, though. “I didn’t exactly plan to swim today.”
She clicked her tongue. “That’s just it.” Shaking her head, she folded her arms. “You shouldn’t have to plan to swim. You think it’s worse than it is. It’s sort of cool.”
I sputtered, lifting the measly patch of cloth that covered the monstrosity between my ribs. “This isn’t cool!” I hated the snow-white patch that marred my otherwise golden skin.
“We need to go,” Cassie said, not waiting for me to follow her.
After a few minutes alone spent preparing for humiliation, I grabbed a beach towel from the hidden closet and went to join the group splashing in the pool. A few of them I recognized. A grimace inched onto my face. The other fifty or so people were complete strangers.
Roger stopped me before I could walk past him. His touch on my arm sent a rippled chill through my bones. “I got that as a joke.” He circled me, intently taking in every inch of my skin as though he searched for something in particular.
The creep factor oozing off him pummeled into me. Disgusted, I yanked my elbow from his grasp. “Yeah, thanks for that.” I glared at him, wanting to pound the amused look off his smug face. Maybe there had been something to the way Natalie had acted toward him. “If you’re going to house a department store, you might want to supply other options besides bikinis.” If I hadn’t been so mad, I would have laughed at the bewildered expression that slid across his features.
His voice cracked as he spoke, “Why would I ever do that?”
I walked away without saying a word because what I had to tell him wasn’t nice. Where did Zach go anyway? He had officially disappeared. No one I asked claimed to have even seen him.
I searched around the three pools, the spa, the lawn, the tennis courts—you get the idea. I climbed the bigger than I expected hill in a final attempt.
A private beach complete with sand and surf lay nestled snuggly at the top. I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn Roger’s parents had trucked in the mountain of earth that lay beneath my feet. This was the only place I had seen in Indiana that wasn’t relatively flat. I walked to the water’s edge, dipping in a toe.
I was pleasantly surprised. It was warm and soothing against my skin. The rage of rushing water roared from somewhere below me. I walked a few feet into the shallow end. Shielding my eyes from the glare of the glistening water, I dug my toes into the sand. This was the closest I had ever come to a real beach.
The view of the sunset reminded me of my favorite bluff back home. Nothing but sky was visible in the horizon. I might as well have been standing on the edge of the world gazing at the gilded gates of heaven.
“I will never tire of seeing that,” a melodic voice erupted behind me.
If I had gotten a bit more air, I would have landed on Mars. “Zach.” I put a hand against my pounding heart. “You scared me.” I hadn’t even heard him come up to me.
“I noticed.” He smirked. “I was trying my best not to disturb you. You looked so peaceful, but I am a selfish man.” He chuckled, moving closer.
My attraction to him was hard enough to handle when he had all his clothes on. My pulse raced with his approach for an entirely different reason. He had the sort of flawless body that belonged on the airbrushed pages of a magazine. His skin glowed golden in the blazing sunset that brought out rusty hues in his dark hair. My fingers itched to trace every angle of his sculpted abdomen and chest.
“Leave it to you to make this thing look good,” he said, running a finger under the strap on my shoulder. “By rights, it should be burned. Are you going to tell me why you insisted on wearing it?”
“No.”
He traced my collarbone. “Really?” In one fluid motion, I was in his arms, and he carried me deeper into the water.
I hoped he couldn’t feel the thud of my heart beating against his chest. “What do you think you’re doing?” I asked, more calmly than I felt.
“Changing your mind,” he said just as evenly.
I could see where he was going with this, and over the edge of a cliff wasn’t my idea of fun. “Don’t.”
He grinned. “Tell me.”
I stiffened in his arms. “If you do this, I will leave—without you.”
His exaggerated exhale tickled my neck, sending goose-bumps down my body. “Don’t you ever relax?”
I gritted my teeth, hati
ng what I had become in the past few weeks. If he had tried this back home, I would have protested, giggled, and screamed but loved every minute of his antics.
Things were different now. I was on edge constantly. “I’m so not okay with heights. Let me down.”
The set of his jaw didn’t give me any comfort. He walked up a ramp between the two converging rivers that made the waterfall. On sure feet, he stepped to the edge. I honestly didn’t know how he was still standing with the water blasting against his knees. He leaned into my ear. “Tell me.”
I clung to his neck like grime to a barn cat. “I don’t want to.”
When he looked over the edge and back at me, the humor in his gaze died. He sighed, stepping back a few paces. My heart found its way back into my chest. He carried me to a lounge chair, setting me down gently.
“You can’t possibly think that thing is pretty,” he commented after a while.
“Pretty isn’t everything,” I said.
He raised his brows, tucking his strong chin inward in mockery then looked at me sidelong. “It helps.” His smile turned to a teasing grin.
I shot him a dirty look before giving him my back. Pretty soon, he placed a timid hand on my shoulder.
“Come, now. It can’t possibly be as bad as all that.”
Why couldn’t he just let it go? I wasn’t all up in his business, so why did he feel the need to be in mine? “Drop it already.”
Zach sat beside me, coaxing my chin upward. His voice was soft. “Aren’t you having fun, lass?”
I wouldn’t look him in the eye. If I did he would see every insecurity I had. “I was before you decided to go all Tarzan on me.”
He thumped his chest, doing a great imitation of the call. I tried to smile, but I didn’t think it helped.
“You weren’t like this the other day.” He turned away as if in thought then glanced back at me hastily. “Don’t you like swimming?”
The other day I didn’t have four terrifying men after me. I would have liked to give him an easy out, but I didn’t want to lie. “I usually love it.”
Cassie had an indoor pool back home. On the rare occasion I actually got to stay the night at her house, we would spend hours in the water. She taught me how to float first. I had progressively gotten better. Thankfully, I was an adequate swimmer now. The one thing I didn’t like was the high-dive.
He frowned. “Is it me?” His brows furrowed as though he was really worried. “Have I done something to offend you?”
I closed my eyes, inhaling a sharp breath. “I’m sorry. I’ve had fun today, really. I just have other things on my mind right now.”
He grinned, tucking my hair behind my ear. “I’m a great listener.”
I didn’t like being such a disappointment, but I couldn’t snap myself out of it. I could just imagine how fast he’d be gone if I did tell him everything that was wrong with me at the moment. “I’d rather not talk about it right now.”
He knelt in front of me and took my hands in his. “You can’t expect me to not be curious.”
“It’s a free country,” I said. “Be curious all you like.” I was pushing him away when normally I would have been doing everything in my power to keep him interested in me.
The sun had made its final descent. The haze of twilight settled all around us with the stars spotting the barely glowing sky above. In a few minutes, I would be able to relax a little.
Zach tugged my hand. “Do you wish to go join the others?” He sounded dejected.
Why was I acting like this? I needed to snap out of it. My mood wasn’t his fault. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather stay here for a while.”
He nodded then moved to a lounge chair opposite me, wasting no time in getting comfortable. “Why don’t you tell me of your home?”
The subject seemed safe enough. “Have you ever been to eastern Utah?”
He made an odd sound, sort of a half concealed groan. “It has been many years.”
He wasn’t old enough for it to have been that long ago. I leaned back and put my arms behind my head preparing to give him details.
“I see,” he said in a sympathetic tone, his eyes soft with compassion.
I followed his gaze down to my exposed torso. How could I have been so stupid? The bottom half of my scar poked out from beneath the fringe. I bolted up, pulling awkwardly at the fabric.
He shook his head. “Everyone has imperfections, Rayla.” In an instant he moved to the edge of my chair. Calloused fingers caressed my shoulder before skimming down my arm. “Some are just more visible than others.”
I turned away. Then I got mad. “Really, where’s yours?”
His face crinkled thoughtfully while his eyes held haunted shadows. “You’d be surprised.”
I gave him a look. “Enlighten me.”
“There are certain things I want to change so badly about myself that it consumes my life.” Unless he was a fantastic actor, he was being sincere.
“Like?”
He grimaced, only slightly, but it was enough to make me wonder. “I would rather not get into that with you yet.”
I cocked my jaw, clicking my tongue. “It’s okay for me, but not for you, huh?”
He leveled his gaze to mine seriously. “If a scar is all you have to hide, you should be thankful.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shoved a hand through his dark hair. “Only that there are worse things to bear than a scar.”
The truth burned me like a solar flare. I should have been able to put on a pretty bikini without so much as a second thought, but I wasn’t there yet. I hoped I would be some day. I felt ridiculous being so shallow. “You didn’t answer my question,” I said after a moment of hesitation.
The lines of his face turned hard. “I know.”
“There you are,” Natalie yelled, cresting the hill in a sprint with Sam close behind her. “Help me, Rayla!” She crouched down between my chair and the stacked rock wall.
“They can’t save you,” Sam said coldly, standing by my feet. “You will pay.”
I turned back, whispering, “What did you do?”
She smiled proudly. “Put ice in his trunks.”
Zach narrowed his eyes at Natalie. His jaw tightened. “You deserve anything you get.” He grabbed my hand, pulling me to my feet.
Sam swept the chair sideways. Natalie squealed, trying to out-maneuver him. She didn’t make it.
Attempting to wrench away from him, she said desperately, “You can put ice in my suit. Rayla, do you have a drink?”
Sam smiled wickedly before he looked over at the edge of the falls. Did all male minds work the same? “I have something better in mind.”
She put her hands on his cheeks. “Please, Sam. I’m sorry. I won’t do anything like that again.”
He grabbed her wrists, pushing her into the river. She kicked at him and squealed the entire way.
“Not after this,” he said, grinning. Without another word, he pinned her arms to her sides in a bear hug. She smiled at him. I couldn’t see his expression, but her eyes flew wide just before he shouted, “Geronimo.”
Her “No” was squelched when they hit the water. Zach grinned down at me. My smile shriveled.
“Don’t even think about it,” I said when he came closer. Natalie’s laugh rang clear from below.
“Not that I don’t find the idea tempting once more, but I think I will pursue your affections another way.”
If I were him, I would have given up on me an hour ago. Why was he being so patient?
He was probably right about one thing. If Natalie was anything like I used to be, she would be even more into Sam. That didn’t keep me from being wary about what he had in mind. “How’s that?”
“You’ll see.”
He led me through a wooded area. The new mulch tickled my feet. The scent of pine mingled with chlorine in the fresh autumn breeze. When we reached an isolated lawn, he pulled me down beside him, the grass prickling my back and l
egs. I gazed at the pockmarked sky trying not to think about the bugs that were no doubt crawling underneath me.
We lay there in pensive silence for a while. What was he thinking about? Probably wishing he had chosen a different date.
“You were going to tell me of your home before we were so rudely interrupted,” Zach said.
I glanced over at him. “You were trying to avoid my questions.”
He laughed ironically. “There is a significant difference between doing and trying.”
I turned toward him, resting my head on my arm. “Why are you being so evasive?”
He raised himself on an elbow. “You should talk. To be diplomatic, I will answer one question, if you promise to tell me more about where you grew up.”
I didn’t know what he could possibly think was so interesting about a hick-town with one stop light, but I was willing to dish if he would. “Agreed.” This might be my only shot at getting a straight answer from him; I wasn’t about to waste my opportunity on any old question. “Why did you say those men at the game couldn’t hurt me when I am near you?”
The moonlight cast his face in slight shadow, but he looked shocked. His teeth flashed white when he chuckled lightly. “I didn’t see that one coming. Clever lass. Alright then, what do you know about them?”
That wasn’t an answer, either, but it was a start. “They’re not normal.”
He laughed, running a hand up and down my arm. “And what, pray tell, is normal?”
I shivered, but it wasn’t from the chill in the air. “Good point. I just don’t like how I feel when I’m around them.”
His hand stalled mid swipe. The lines of his face hardened, his eyes narrowing. “Explain.”
“I’m not sure I can describe it, but I’ll try. It’s as if all my senses are on overload and one more emotion will send me over the edge of sanity.”
His brows rose. “Hmm, that would be disconcerting.”
“Understatement. Are you going to answer my question or not?”
He smirked. “Patience is not your strongest attribute is it?”
I sat up, ready to leave. He grabbed my elbow. “Relax. I was just playing with you.”
I shrugged off the calming sensation his touch gave me. “Look, Zach, I’ve had some strange things happen to me lately. I’m worried all the time. Your comment earlier gave me a glimmer of hope. Do you know something about those men? Can you really protect me from them, or were you just being arrogant?”
“Direct, aren’t you?” His gaze locked with mine. “I can help you if you will trust me. The best advice I can offer right now is to never be alone.”
How much could I really say to him? I hardly knew the man, yet I found myself relaxed as if we had been friends since birth. “Aunt Grace told me that, too. Why?”
He shrugged as though the answer should be clear. “They are less likely to act rashly around others.”
“Who are they?”
“What did your aunt say? I need it all before I can answer your questions.”
I had to trust someone, and my gut insisted Zach was okay. I told him everything I could remember, even the things I had pieced together. I didn’t know how, but entering the freeway for the first time on my way here had been like walking out of a soundproof room into a roaring crowd. The feelings had hit me so hard and fast that I hadn’t been able to process anything other than terror. Something had been wrong, but I had ignored those impressions. What would have happened if I had turned around right then? Would the fae have followed me? Would I have put my family in danger?
He took my hand and my pounding heart slowed. “The Fae are everywhere, Rayla. They control all human correspondence. I am surprised you have been able to reach your aunt at all. I am also stunned they didn’t manage to take you earlier.”
I still couldn’t believe I was having this conversation with him when I hadn’t even told all of this to Cassie. “The whole idea of being an Elemental, I mean. Don’t you find it odd?”
His expression held completely serious. “Why would I?”
“Come on. Manipulating matter. Sounds absurdly close to magic if you ask me.”
He smiled. “What was seen as magic centuries ago has turned out to be merely unexplained science. You can’t tell me you’ve never felt the elements.”
“What?”
“They swirl around us all the time…even now.”
Just then I noticed the thickness to the air, and it wasn’t from the humidity. I had to admit I might be feeling something. I considered what he had said for a moment. Admittedly, I had always felt connected to nature. It was most intense when I ran, but I had felt it other times, as if I was literally an extension of creation. The thought scared me now. How much about myself didn’t I understand?
Trepidation found its way into my heart. How did Zach know all this stuff, anyway? My muscles coiled, ready to spring. I was suddenly wary of this man claiming he could protect me. “Who are you?”
Zach squeezed my hand, but I still could have bolted. “Someone that can help you, but you have to trust me. I have devoted my life to figuring out a way to change things.”
His voice soothed me for some reason, settling my nerves. “I need to understand how you know so much about them.”
He chuckled. “Let’s just say I’ve had plenty of experience with the fae. You and I want the same thing.”
I relaxed a little more. “What’s that?”
“I want to find a way to keep the lords from taking you. I felt that you were different the moment I saw you. I had no idea just how unusual you are.”
“Thanks,” I said with a laugh. “I’ve always wanted someone to tell me I was a freak.”
“That’s not what I said, and you know it.” He traced my cheek lightly. “You’re special—one of a kind.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, we humans are engineered that way. It’s sort of how DNA works.”
He laughed, inching closer. Cradling my neck, he laced his fingers through my hair. “You talk too much.”
I gulped just before his lips met mine. I had little resistance when it came to him. His lips moved leisurely over mine for a several blissful moments. His mouth brushed the line of my jaw and up toward my earlobe. His soft breath sent chills down my skin. The tune he sang to me sounded old like something a bard would have written in the middle ages. After only moments, I found myself melting into him.
I let him finish before I pulled away. Completely calm, I stared at the stars thinking about home and what would become of my life. He settled next to me. “It will be fine, Rayla. I promise.”
I glanced at him. “How can you know that?”
“I…” He placed a hand at my shoulder. “Change doesn’t always mean worse.”
“I—I guess that’s true. I’ve just had this idea in my head for so long about how my life would go. It’s hard for me to accept that it won’t go that way.”
“I’ll do whatever I can to help you. You have to know that.”
Somehow I did. Zach didn’t say things he didn’t mean. When I smiled at him, he waggled his finger for me to come closer. He pulled me into a hug and held me for quite a while. It was only when the last amount of tension left my shoulders that he pulled me into a kiss.
My head swam on a dizzy cloud. I could have spent hours in his arms, soaking up his strength, but I couldn’t let this go any farther than it already had.
I pulled away reluctantly, readying myself for his withdrawal. It was better to get this over with than have him claim I had led him on for months. I swallowed and steadied myself. “There’s something else you should know about me.”
Interest sparked in his eyes. “What’s that?”
“I’m not going to sleep with you,” I stated matter-of-factly.
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