“I hadn’t thought of that. Daniel Rehobeth at the antique shop told me the house has been abandoned for years.”
“I don’t know the man,” Aidan said. “He sounds like one of the resident experts on Pavee Cove.”
“Along with Claire Murphy,” Sam pointed out. Inwardly, she thought of Claire as a nosy rosy, as opposed to a resident expert. “Do you know her and Jason well?” she asked. She recalled how Claire had claimed not to know Aidan that night at The Catch, only to be friendly with him this morning at the market. Although she now understood the way it worked, it still set her nerves on edge not to know from one minute to the next what to expect from people.
“Yes. Jay and I played together when we were kids,” he answered. “Claire was like a second mother to me.”
“Really?” She detected something in his voice. Was it an air of sadness? Regret? Maybe Claire had counted on Aidan to protect and watch over her son when they were boys. Sam wanted to ask if Jason had always been slow, but Aidan looked off into the distance. Seemed this was not a subject he was interested in pursuing right now.
“What about your family?” he asked, changing the subject and reaching down to scoop up a seashell. “Tell me about them.”
“It was just Mom and me. My father passed away before I was born. Or so I was told.”
He tilted his head. “You’re unsure?”
“Let’s just say my mom kept a lot of things close at hand, and my father was one of her secrets. To this day, I don’t know anything about him.”
“Have you always lived in Portland?”
She nodded. “My mother was a social worker. She worked long hours, so I had a string of babysitters when I was young. Once I got older, I took care of myself and was alone much of the time.”
He slid a sideways glance at her. “I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been tough growing up without a dad.”
“To be honest, I didn’t know what I was missing when I was very young. As I grew, I knew his death had left Mom with no other options but to work long, hard hours. I missed spending time with her, of course, but I’m grateful for what she was able to provide for me. She taught me my work ethic, that’s for sure.” She chuckled. “Maybe Mom was too good of a teacher.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve had a job ever since I was legally allowed. And I’ve worked as hard as she ever did. You might say work has taken a toll on me in some ways. I’m only thirty-two, but it seems I’ve lived a much longer life.”
“In what ways?” Aidan’s gaze lingered, piqued with interest.
“I think I’ve used work as an excuse from developing close relationships.”
His eyebrow arched. “Love relationships?”
“Love and friendships both. My one good friend, Linda, is the one I told you about. But right before I came to Pavee Cove, I was starting to brush her off more times than not. I don’t know why she remained my friend, to tell you the truth.”
Aidan slid his hand up to her shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Because you’re a good person. It must mean you’re also a good friend. I for one am convinced of that.”
She felt a blush creep into her cheeks. He had such a calming way about him, which made it easy to share her innermost thoughts. “It’s been a long time since I’ve told anyone how I feel, except for my psychiatrist, that is.” She gazed at him for several beats. “Since I’m being so honest, you should know I have some pretty deep issues with commitment and abandonment, but I’ve been working on them.”
“What does your psychiatrist say about that?”
“She says it all boils down to never knowing my father and to having a mother who was distant and gone so much.”
Another silent pause hung between them. Then he said, “How did you feel when you got that phone call from your mom the other day?”
“It scared me. I thought I was losing my mind.”
“How do you feel now that she called you during one of your parallel universe episodes?”
She chuckled at his terminology and then confessed, “I’m still afraid and confused. I don’t know what’s real from one day to the next. How am I supposed to know which life I’m fated to live? Which one is my true life? Who are the people I’m destined to spend that life with? It’s bewildering and can make for some major headaches.”
“Seems to me you can choose the life you want. You have the power. All you have to do is look through the spyglass. When you land in the reality that suits you the best, break the spyglass.”
She stared with her mouth hanging open. It was an option she’d never considered. When he burst out laughing, she punched his arm playfully and joined his laughter. “I was starting to think you were a fairly good shrink until you said that. But seriously, it might not be such a good idea for me to keep taking chances. I don’t know what will happen each time I look through the spyglass. I used it last night and what I thought might happen didn’t happen. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the way the power works.”
“Maybe Chad wasn’t your destiny,” Aidan said. “Maybe that’s why it didn’t work on him.”
A tingle raced over Sam’s shoulders. “What are you suggesting?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted with a shrug. “I’m just saying this could be your opportunity to discover the life that the winds of fate meant for you to have.”
She thought about that a moment. “Do you think my entire life in Portland never existed? Was it all a dream?”
Aidan flung the seashell he’d been rolling between his fingers into the ocean and faced her. “No. I’m not saying that.” He shook his head. “Frankly, I have no idea what I’m saying. I’m trying to help, but I think I’m making the situation worse. It’s complicated, isn’t it?”
“You can say that again.” She tried on different ideas for size. “If Portland never existed for me, then my mother, Linda, and Chad… all the people I’ve known there didn’t exist. But I know they did. I know Chad lived because you look just like him, except for the length and style of your hair. I remember him because of you. I have my memories of growing up in Portland. Does that make sense or am I talking out of my hat?” She felt on the brink of a mini breakdown again.
Aidan sighed and wheeled her around by the elbow to start walking back the way they’d come. “I don’t know, Samantha. I wish there was something more I could say or do, because I hate seeing you go through this torment.”
His genuineness touched her. “At least I’m not alone anymore. We’re friends now, and you believe what’s happening to me.”
“Absolutely.”
They smiled at one another, and she tried to release her pent-up energy by wiggling her arms and legs like she was a rotating washing machine.
“Would you like to do something tonight to take your mind off of all of this for a few hours?” Aidan asked.
“I’d love to. What do you have in mind?”
“Do you enjoy old movies?”
“Yes, I guess so. Why?”
“One of Pavee Cove’s older citizens is a movie buff. He lives in the country, and I’ve heard he’s been showing a classic movie on the side of his barn every Friday night. It’s like going to the drive-in except you don’t need a car. You bring a blanket and park it in the grass.”
“Sounds fun. That’s such a clever idea. What movie is showing tonight?”
“I think it’s a western starring John Wayne. Do you like John Wayne?”
“Sure. Who doesn’t? He’s an American icon.”
When Aidan grinned at her, Sam’s insides melted. For the first time in a long time, she wanted more than a casual date with a man—this man in particular. He was sensitive and sweet, and she was physically attracted to him. The way he looked at her made her feel like she was a precious gem worth taking care of. He stirred a sensual longing in her that had been locked up far too long. As her gaze wandered over his Herculean physique and caught in the liquid pools of his eyes, she was transfixed in a timeless m
oment.
Even though they had just made a date for tonight, she wasn’t prepared to leave him just yet. When they arrived back at his easel, she asked, “Would you like me to sit longer for your painting?”
He appeared surprised. “I don’t want to tire you out, but I’d love to work a little more today. Can you spare another thirty minutes or so?”
“Sure.” She settled onto the big rock and into the pose she’d struck earlier.
Forty minutes later, Aidan laid down his brush. A smile split his face when he approached her from the back of the easel. “I believe you’ll be happy when the painting is complete. I’m very pleased with how it’s coming along.”
“I can’t wait to see it,” she said.
He eased her off the rock and rubbed her hand between his while reminding her of their date. “I’ll come by tonight as the sun is starting to set. I’ll bring the blanket.”
“And I’ll bring the popcorn.”
Their gazes held. Goosebumps rose on her flesh as he kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Would you like me to walk you back to the lighthouse?”
She would have loved to spend more time with him, but Linda always advised that keeping a man wanting more was the key to a successful relationship. Not that her best friend had many successful relationships. Still, she knew more about dating than Sam.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be fine. The time we spent together today was great. I look forward to seeing you tonight.” As she strolled through the sand in the direction of the lighthouse, she sensed his eyes boring into her back. Craning her neck over her shoulder, she caught him watching and turned around to wave and smile.
“Don’t gaze into the spyglass today,” he shouted. “I don’t want anything to ruin tonight.”
“I won’t,” she promised. It was a promise she meant to keep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
It was the scene in The Searchers where John Wayne’s character, Ethan, pulls a gun on his teenage niece. The Comanche had abducted her as a child and he’d been searching for her for ever since.
“Is he really going to kill her now that he’s finally found her?” Samantha whispered to Aidan behind a cupped hand.
“I guess he’d rather see her dead than living another day as an Indian.”
The two of them sat side-by-side on a soft blanket with their legs stretched in front of them. An empty popcorn bag and two empty soda cans lay in the grass next to Aidan. The classic Technicolor film loomed larger than life on the side of Ed Dawson’s barn, which had apparently gone from housing animals to becoming the area’s only outdoor movie theatre.
As Ethan aimed his rifle and Martin Pawley shielded Debbie with his body, Samantha gripped Aidan’s arm and gnawed her lower lip. Sensing he was staring at her, she turned her head and caught the full effect of his brilliant smile. Realizing her fingers dug into his skin, she removed her hand and whispered, “Sorry.”
“No problem,” he whispered back.
She returned her attention to the movie only to feel him watching her again. This time when she pivoted her head, Aidan leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. The prickling of goose-fleshed skin unleashed an uncontrollable shiver that ran the length of her body. Powerless to resist the eager lips that molded perfectly to hers, she lost herself in the intoxicating sensation of his kiss.
When the kiss ended, neither of them moved. Their faces remained close together, with her mouth softly quivering like the wings of a hummingbird. She felt his warm breath on her cheek when his lips parted into a slow smile. For that moment, it seemed they were the only two people on Earth. Then a snicker behind them broke the magical spell. She eased back and searched his open face, catching her reflection in the luminous mirrors of his eyes.
“I’ve wanted to do that all evening,” he said quietly.
Unable to utter a verbal response, she nodded and Aidan’s hand found hers. He laced his fingers between hers, and they remained that way until the end of the movie.
When the western rolled to a close, she reluctantly slid her hand out from his in order for them to join everyone else in a round of applause. While people around them gathered their belongings and began to disperse, he gave her a hand up from the ground. Then he collected their trash and tossed it in a nearby receptacle and picked up the blanket, which he folded and tossed over one arm, while offering his other arm to her. Sam linked hers through his and they followed the throng of movie enthusiasts to a field where all the vehicles were parked.
As they strolled over the grass, she glanced up and gasped softly. A blanket of stars winked overhead, and the half-moon dangled lazily amongst them. Captivated by the ethereal moment and the squeeze of Aidan’s hand, a burning desire shot from her core to every nerve ending in her body.
He opened the passenger door to his old pickup and closed it behind her once she was in. Rolling the tip of her tongue over her lips, which tingled with the lingering sensation of his electrifying kiss, she shivered from wanting more.
After climbing into the driver’s seat, Aidan slammed the door. Moonlight cast a silvery beam through the front window onto his chiseled face. Their gazes connected and her heart started to pound. Something about him that made her feel so comfortable. There was no use denying it was probably because he reminded her so much of Chad. But she wouldn’t go there anymore. Aidan was the man who had kissed her. The way he looked at her made her feel beautiful and wanted. Her skin practically sizzled just from being near him.
Dr. Teagan’s words echoed in her ears. You hold the power to change your life. Aidan had basically told her the same thing. She had already wasted too many years alone. It was time to take a leap of faith. She scooted toward him and wound her hand around his neck.
A scorching fire ignited between them the moment Aidan cupped her face in his hands. She inhaled his spicy scent and her lips spread in silent summons. His fingers trailed down the slender arch of her neck before his mouth branded her with a fiery kiss. Quaking with pent-up passion, Sam’s mouth parted wider in invitation, to which he complied. The touch of his tongue entwining with hers was dizzying, and her breath hitched when his hand slid to her breast. When she deepened the kiss, a soft groan tore from his throat.
Samantha didn’t want to stop, but she had no intention of making out in a car like teenagers, so she broke the kiss. “Why don’t you drive us home now,” she whispered.
Aidan nodded and jammed the key in the ignition and gunned the engine. She sat next to him on the ride home and scratched her nails up and down his thigh. When she noticed he was breaking the speed limit by ten miles per hour, she smiled and peppered his neck with butterfly kisses.
She’d never seduced a man before. Not having had much experience, it was surprising how easily Aidan succumbed to her advances, and how exciting it felt to be doing the seducing. For once, there was no over-analyzing or considering the pros and cons of her actions, the way she did every day in the construction business.
She wove her fingers through his long hair and nibbled his earlobe. She’d always been in absolute control of her life, and even micro-managed the business, and Chad, to a point. But this kind of control felt different. In a sense, she was actually giving up control by allowing herself the freedom to follow her heart and her hormones. It felt damn good.
The truck tires squealed and screeched to a stop in the gravel parking lot outside the lighthouse. Aidan jumped out of the pickup and flung open her door before she had time to slide to the passenger seat. When she swung her legs out of the pickup, he swept her into his arms and kicked the door shut with his foot.
“What are you doing?” she cried lightheartedly, while tossing her arm around his neck.
“Taking you home, as you requested.” He strode purposefully toward the lighthouse.
She fished the house key out of her purse, and he bent as she unlocked the door from his arms. “Watch your head,” she warned. He ducked in time and carried her over the threshold. The living room was bathed in light wit
h a flick of the switch.
“That way?” he asked, nodding toward the winding staircase.
“Yes, but you’d better put me down now. You’ll kill us both if you try to carry me up those steps.”
After a quick assessment of the narrow circular stairs, he set her on the ground. “You’re right. It would be a bad start to a lovely night.” Aidan grasped her hand and led the way to the second level where they came to a stop in front of the bed. His Alpha male behavior had her exhilarated in a way she never would have imagined possible. A spotlight of moonbeams streamed through the window onto the mattress. When he flashed her a wicked grin, the reckless, bold behavior Sam had exhibited only moments earlier faded. All of a sudden, her nerves took over. It had been so long since a man had seen her naked, and a couple of years since she’d made love. Stupid questions ricocheted through her mind. Had she shaved her legs before going out tonight? What kind of underwear did she have on? Would he like her body?
Panic quivered in every cell as she came to the swift conclusion that this was a mistake. But Aidan gave her no time to back out. Before she knew what was happening, she had been laid upon the bed and he was slowly undressing her, first with his lustful gaze and then with his eager hands.
Lying naked, she shivered, either from chill at being unclothed, or from nerves. Probably both.
“Don’t be scared,” he whispered, stroking her hair and letting his gaze roam over her. “You’re so beautiful, and I care about you very much.”
In an instant, he’d stripped out of his own clothes and Sam got the first glimpse of his body. Beneath that sensitive artist’s veneer was the body of a Greek God who, she soon discovered, had the hunger of a wolf.
When he began kissing her and working his spell on her needful body, she was catapulted into another dimension—and she hadn’t even gazed through the spyglass.
* * * *
As Aidan held Samantha against his chest, cradled in his arms, he felt their two hearts beating in rhythm. He’d known making love to her would feel this way, like two halves that had become whole. Not since he was a boy had he felt so content and close to someone.
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