“Is it getting hard to breathe in here?” Damien asked turning around, trying to give her the privacy she deserved. Of course, it didn’t do any good. Instead, he found himself staring at her through the large mirror as she lowered her jeans and then her lace panties.
Yep, he was having a heart attack. His face was flushed, he was sweating, and the pain in his chest was causing him to hyperventilate. Closing his eyes, he squinted hard, trying like hell to void out everything he just saw, but the image of her was seared into his brain.
“Damien?” her seductive voice called to him like a moth to a flame. He was helpless. He opened his eyes just in time to see her let down her hair. Full luscious curls fell in waves down her back and around her face. She was stunning, a siren beckoning her lover. Dear God in heaven, how he hoped that she wanted him to be that man.
Chapter Two
Lisset heard some people say that hot weather could lower an individual's sex drive. That the heat would make them tired, sweaty, and cranky. She used to believe that. She didn’t anymore. All that was needed was the right person, the right place and in a blink of an eye, everything would change. It was that change she was betting on. She didn’t know when it happened, or if the heat of the Jersey shore had finally gotten to her, but one thing was for certain. She refused stop the impending train wreck that was about to happen. Not that she wanted to.
Never in her life had she met three people who were more unsuited for each other than she, Damien and Devlin. They had nothing in common. They fought all the time. If it weren’t for the promise they made to her brother, she was sure they’d want nothing to do with her. Of course, who could blame them she never made it easy on them. She wasn’t the easiest person to like. Add in the fact she was blind as a bat, well, who would want her?
She wasn’t the woman she used to be before her accident. Hell, even then, she wasn’t a nice person, but she believed she had changed. The only question was had she changed enough?
Who knew? She didn’t feel any different. She wished she could say she looked different, but that was impossible.
In the years since she lost her eyesight, she learned to adjust, to seek out what she couldn’t see. It wasn’t easy. It was hard and who ever said anything to the contrary was a complete idiot. Learning to live without sight was a trial, one she was still learning to master every day. She had her good days and plenty of bad, but at the end of the day, if she hadn’t broken anything, stumbled over something, or bruised a shin, she would smile and put that day in the win pile. When her win pile started adding up, she learned how to live again.
In some ways, she considered her handicap a blessing. While most people relied on their eyes to see, she learned that smell, touch, sound and taste were just as important. In her book, they were more appealing than seeing. Over all she was learning to live in a different way and succeeding. Well, that wasn’t true. Her love life took a nose dive and never recovered. It was funny, she thought. At one point, she had men falling over themselves to be with her and after the accident her only companion was a German Sheppard named Root Beer. He was a loyal friend and the perfect foot warmer when the nights got cold. Yep, that was her life and she could honestly say she was happy. Once the bell of the ball, she was in bed by eight and curled up with a good book.
It was her one pleasure she refused to give up. She appreciated that Damien and Devlin fed her addiction of books. Of course, they thought they made it easier on themselves because it wasn’t easy fleeing in the dead of night with a several boxes of books…so they bought her a Kindle. Too bad she couldn’t use it. She thought it was funny when they handed it to her. They seemed so happy. They were proud of themselves for out smarting her. That was until she asked the one pertinent question… “How am I supposed to read using this?”
Yep, they weren’t the brightest bulbs in the socket, but they were good at keeping her alive. After an hour of apologizing, Devlin made up for it when he handed her a new book, an honest to God, real book, with pages and everything. Lisset loved that book. It was one of her most prized possessions. When she first read the erotic novel, she didn’t know what to expect. Oh, she’d read many romance novels in her time, all lovey and gooey like they were supposed to be, but the book Devlin got her, was more. It wasn’t just about a man and a woman. It was about two men and the woman they adored above all other things and the trials they went through make sure she was happy, loved and safe. That book changed everything for Lisset. For the first time in her life, she wanted more out of her life. She figured that if the heroine in the erotic novel could overcome her own and survive to find her true loves, then so could she.
Since then, Lisset made it appoint to get her happily ever after and it just so happened that the first step was right before her. She knew that neither Devlin nor Damien would ever make the first move, so it was up to her.
“I never thanked you for protecting me,” she said, sensing he was still in the bathroom with her. She may be blind, but she wasn’t deaf. She could hear his rapid breathing over the pelting water of the shower. She wondered if he was nervous like her, but then thought against it. Damien wasn’t the nervous type. If he wanted something, he took it. Oh, how she wished he wanted her.
“We’re just doing our job. There’s no need to thank me.”
“Still, I wanted you to know how much I appreciate it,” she muttered, trying desperately to ignore the chill in the air. This was a bad idea. Who was she kidding? Damien was a good man, funny and honorable. He could have any woman on the planet. Why would he want a blind woman with a toddler? She should have known better. Men like him, wanted a woman with vigor, with passion, with an air of mystery and adrenaline. Hell, the most exciting thing she’d done lately was walk to the corner grocery store all by her lonesome.
Oh yeah, she was a true daredevil.
Sighing, she turned and opened the shower curtain. “I’m going to shower now.”
“I better give you some privacy,” Damien said as he thundered out of the bathroom like a brooding beast. The second the door closed, Lisset slipped into the shower and let the sloshing of hot water cover the tears that flowed freely down her face.
Damien wanted to kick his own ass. He never claimed to be the most poetic man on the planet but damn, she was standing before him naked and he didn’t say a damn thing. Well that’s not true, he spoke, when he should have kept his mouth shut. She thanked him for protecting her, he had to go and muck it up by saying she was just a job. No wonder she wanted nothing to do with him. He deserved everything he got and more. Leaning his head against the door, he closed his eyes and prayed for a sign, anything that gave him the courage to not give up. He never wanted anyone like he wanted Lisset. She was his moon and stars all wrapped up in one.
He remembered that hot day in Scotland when he met Lisset for the first time. She thought she was alone that day, out in her garden waiting for the man she thought she loved. There was a gentle breeze and the air smelled of warm earth and flowers. He found her that bright beautiful morning mucking out weeds in her garden. However, it was that moment, that one magical moment when she took off her woven sunhat and swiped a long sweaty tendril from her face, the sun glistening down upon her. He stood mesmerized as she reached for a bottle of water and took a drink. It was a warm day, and when she rubbed it across her flushed forehead and sigh with contentment, Damien felt every nerve ending in his body spark to life.
She was the most magnificent creature he’d ever seen. The wind blew and he drew in her delicious fragrant into his soul. Her sweetness surrounded him with fervor. When she looked directly at him, he fell to his knees. It was in that moment he knew she was meant to be his forever.
Okay, so he didn’t really fall to his knees, it was more like he tripped over his own two feet and fell flat on his face, but in his mind, he believed the later. She unmanned him in every way. Like everything in his life, his joy was short lived, because the moment she realized he was there, his magical moment was over. He wasn
’t there to love her forever he was there to protect her. As much as it pained him to think about hurting her, he did just that.
He knew about Sergio and instead of letting her have her happiness, he and his brother whisked her away in the middle of the night. At first Lisset didn’t believe them. She just thought her brother was over reacting where she was concerned, and he just needed to mind his own business. However, when Sergio and his men showed up, Damien and his brother refused to give Sergio the chance to prove them wrong and he didn’t, especially when he started shooting at them.
Now she lived her life in the shadows, because of him.
It wasn’t easy, especially with a small child in tow, but they were making do. When Skylar was born, he thought that just maybe, he’d get his happily ever after, after all, but like all the months leading up to Skylar’s birth, Sergio refused to give up, and he and Devlin were forced to whisk her away, again and again.
At least he could honestly say, Lisset was happy where she was at, now. He never thought New Jersey would be the ideal place to raise a small child, but with his extended family, well…they became her family. She never had a big family growing up, so when she arrived in New Jersey, it was a shock to her to say the least. She went from living alone to having a slew of relatives eager and begging to help her. Damien was forever grateful to his family for that. Lisset was easy to love, when she let down her guard. He didn’t blame her for being closed off and suspicious. Over time, she learned to relax around them and then trust them. When she started smiling again, Damien thought that just maybe there was a small chance. If anyone deserved a chance at love, it was her. He wanted that for her.
Over the last two years, Lisset made so many adjustments and compromised as much as she could. She agreed to let him, and Devlin take charge when the time came, entrusting them with her life and with the life of her child. So far, they had kept up their end of the bargain.
Yet, it was time to move again. Only he wasn’t so sure it was the right thing to do. Lisset had made a home for herself in Atlantic City. She had friends, people she could visit with and who would miss her. Skylar had playgroups and cousins to play with. Then there was Momma. The woman was a saint in Damien’s book, and utterly irreplaceable. Add in the fact that she was Skylar’s grandmother and adored Lisset, and well, there was no way in hell he could break his mother’s heart. Yet, that was exactly what he had to do.
God, he hated this more than she’d ever know. All he wanted to do was to give her the life she deserved. Instead of doing that, he was going to side with his brother and uproot Lisset and Skylar’s life, forcing them both to start over again.
“Thought you were taking a shower,” Devlin said walking into the bedroom. Looking up, Damien stared at his brother and wondered if he had any feeling left in his body. For years the man was a robot. Doing whatever it took to get the job done, with no regard for anyone’s feelings. Damien didn’t know when his brother changed. Before, he was a carefree person and fun to be around, now he was all business. “You need to talk to Lisset. We are leaving in forty-eight hours.”
“She doesn’t want to go.”
“Too bad,” Devlin replied as if his word was law. “She doesn’t have a choice in this. I’ve made arrangements for a new safe house.”
“What about Momma?”
“Oh, for Christ sakes!” Devlin shouted. “Are you going to whine about her too?”
“I’m just saying Mom is going to be upset when we leave. Maybe we should consider that before we just up and leave without telling her.”
“I don’t have time for this shit. I’ve had to call in for reinforcements. Gino has contacted a friend of his and they are going to give us the added security we need.”
“Who?”
“Gino didn’t say, but he loves Skylar, so he wouldn’t put her in danger or Lisset for that matter. Hell, our whole family fucking loves that woman.”
“Where are we going?” Damien asked.
“Gino said we’d get the coordinates in air.”
“This is wrong Devlin and you know it.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think. We were hired to do a job and that exactly what I am going to do. Until Pavlov is in custody, Lisset and Skylar are not safe. I don’t have a choice.”
“This situation or whatever it is between you, me and Lisset is more than a job and you know it. Besides, we always have a choice, brother.”
“I’m not doing this with you. Just get Lisset on board with the plan,” Devlin said, storming out of the bedroom.
Pushing off the bathroom door, Damien looked around the room for his phone. Unable to find it, he stopped dead in his tracks. He knew where it was, where he’d left it. Turning to the white door, he sighed and gently knocked. When he didn’t hear her response, he quietly opened it, hoping to retrieve his phone and leave before getting noticed. However, when he entered the steamy bathroom, he heard her silently crying as the thick streams of water trying to muffle her sorrow. It was an odd sensation. Lisset wasn’t prone to dramatics or episodes of unhappiness. Damien didn’t like hearing her cry especially when he knew he was the reason for it. Without guidance from his mother or brother, Damien didn’t know what to do. In all honestly, he was treading in uncharted territory.
“I can hear you breathing,” she sniffed.
“I’m sorry,” Damien muttered. “I forgot my phone. Are you alright?”
“Not really, but there’s nothing I can do about it, is there?”
“I can talk to him again. Maybe there’s something else we can do.”
“I hate this Damien. I hate getting comfortable, just to pack up in a few months. I’m tired of running. I want Skylar to have a home, a real home, where I don’t have to worry about how long the stay will be. I can’t keep doing this,” she sobbed. Before Damien could think about what he was about to do, he removed the towel he was wearing and stepped into the shower. Taking her in his arms, he held her, saying nothing as she cried into his chest. It felt right having her in his arms this way, something he never thought would happen, but wished. Only it was under different circumstances. However, what he wanted and what she needed were two different things, and he would stay there with her in his arms for as long as she’d let him.
She was right, he and his brother had asked too much of her over the years. It was time they started thinking about her and less about themselves.
“I’m sorry for dumping all over you.”
“That’s what I am here for. If you need, then lean on me anytime.”
“For the first time since all of this has happened, I feel normal. I like living in New Jersey. The people are wonderful and your mother, she’s just so wonderful. I don’t know what I am going to do without her help.”
“What if we take her with us?” Damien asked, before he could sensor his thoughts.
“You mean it,” Lisset sniffed.
“Sure,” Damien replied. “I’ll just tell Devlin that Ma is coming with us. He’ll love the idea.” NOT! But Damien wasn’t going to tell her that. She was smiling again.
“Oh, you are a wonderful man,” Lisset yelped happily, grabbed his face and kissed him square on the lips. She wasn’t sure what she was doing now, but she went from upset and crying to happy and kissing Damien. It wasn’t her best approach, but damn, the man could kiss something fierce. Out of the two brothers, Damien was the sweetheart. The one who always wore his feelings on his chest, that and she could always count on him to tell her how it was. Damien never sugarcoated anything. If she was being honest, he was also the bluntest man she knew, but he was kind and he did love Skylar. However, none of that seemed to matter now, because she felt as if she stepped over some imaginary line and there was no going back.
“Oh my god, I’m never leaving this shower! This is amazing!” she gasped, as she turned to the middle of the shower, and lifted her head up towards the spray. The hot water cascaded over her body soothing hiding her shock and embarrassment. Okay, she really wasn’t embarra
ssed, she was just surprised at what she did.
“I’m glad you like it,” Damien said smoothly, moving closer to her. “This shower was built to accommodate more than one.” She may be blind and couldn’t see his face, but when his arms encircled her waist it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know she’d officially opened a can of worms. He gently ran his hands over her back, down to her butt and back up to her sides. Lisset raised her head, mesmerized by the feel of the water dripping down his strong chest and thick arms. Leaning over she traced the path of the falling drops before rolling her tongue around his nipple and sinking her teeth into his hard pec. He smelled like sunshine and earth, and sex, a clean fresh male scent. She continued to roll her tongue over his nipple savoring the salty flavor of his skin.
He squeezed her butt as he pushed his hardening cock against her pelvis. A primal growl escaped from his full lips. Innocently she continued her exploration of his body, seeing him for the first time with her hands. She may not know what he looked like with lust filled eyes, but she felt what it did to him as he hands moved over his body.
“Can I wash you?” Damien leaned down and groaned into her neck peppering it with kisses. “I would love to feel your little hands all over me.”
Lisset reached her arm towards the wall. She knew this bathroom from memory. Everything was exactly where it should be, from the soap, shampoo to her conditioner. Reaching for the soap she squirted just enough to fill her hand with a thick creamy liquid. Rubbing my hands together, she turned around and stopped. Damien wasn’t like the other men she dated. He was different, he was special. She’d wanted him for months now, but nothing ever came of it. Of course, running from her ex-did put a hamper on any relationship. However, this was different. Everything about Damien screamed forever that he wasn’t the love em’ and leave em’ type. Then again, where would she go? She was a blind woman with a toddler. It wasn’t like she could just walk away, but then again…did she really want to?
Lisset: The Men of Treasure Cove Page 3
