The Ocean Between Us (A Southern Heroes Novel Book 1)

by Michelle Heard

  “I’m afraid you can’t talk to Emma. She won’t be comin’ home either. Emma is stayin’ with me.”

  Right there I make the decision to help Emma in any way I can.

  “You can’t keep her there. She’s a South African citizen. She’s mine,” her mother fumes.

  “I’ll keep her away from you any way I can. I’ll find a way so you won’t see her again.” I don’t know how long I have until Emma’s visa expires. I’ll have to get it renewed.

  “Tell her I’m cutting her off. We’re freezing the trust account. You want her, you take care of her,” her mother screams, and the line cuts off.

  I drop the phone on the bed and pull Emma closer.

  “What did she say?” she whispers. She’s trembling all over.

  I take hold of her chin and nudge her face up. “It’s gonna be okay. I can’t let you go back to her, Emma.” I take a breath before I continue, “She said she’s cuttin’ you off.” I see the flash of worry before Emma lowers her eyes from mine. I nudge her chin back up. “Hey, don’t worry about it, Angel. I’ll help you.”

  “Cut me off? She said that?” she whispers.

  “You’ll be fine,” I reassure her. “You have me.”

  She nods twice before she forces a stiff smile around her lips.

  “Thanks, but you don’t have to worry. I’ll be okay.”

  I watch her slam up walls. Fuck, she’s blocking me out.

  “Don’t do that, Emma. It’s okay to hurt. You can talk to me. I’m here to help you.”

  She nods and grimaces as if she’s trying to swallow her tears down. “I don’t know how… how to hurt.” She rubs at her chest. “Shit, I suppose this is it.” She ducks her head and then whispers, “I wasn’t allowed to cry in front of her, so this is hard with you standing here.”

  I pull her back into my arms and hold her for the longest time, placing kisses in her hair.

  “How long until your visa expires?” I need to know how long I have before I need to worry about that.

  “Six months.” Her breaths warm my chest.

  “You’ve paid the apartment for six months. You’re not goin’ back,” I spell it out for her.

  “You don’t understand, Aiden.” She shakes her head. “If she cuts me off, I have nothing. How will I get around? What will I –”

  “You said you wanted to experience new things,” I interrupt her, grasping at damn straws, anything to reassure her. “Experience them here. Experience what it’s like to accept help from someone. Experience what good ole’ Southern hospitality is all about. Just stay and experience what it is you came to experience.” I lift her face up to mine and watch her, waiting and praying she’ll hear me. I’ve never wanted to help someone so much before.

  “Stay here with me, Emma. Give me a chance to show you that there are good people in this world.”

  Please, Emma. Stay.

  CHAPTER 10

  EMMA

  Mom must be having a royal fit. She saw Aiden in just his slacks. She saw his bloody tattoos.

  I can’t believe I talked back to her. I’ve never done that before. I’m scared and proud of myself all at once. It’s such a foreign feeling.

  I look at Aiden’s ruffled hair, then drop my eyes to his chest, taking in all the ink. I try to look at him the way Mom would, but I can’t. I’m nothing like her. I see his strength, and his words ‘you have me’ run through my mind again.

  There are so many questions I want to ask him. If I’m going to stay with him, I have to get to know him better.

  “How old are you?” I finally focus on one question.

  He tilts his head as surprise flashes in his eyes.

  “I need to get to know the man I’ll be living with, and now is as good as time as any,” I explain.

  “Twenty-seven,” he answers.

  Oh, wow! I thought he was twenty-four. What’s another shock to add to my already disastrous day?

  “Are you really from South Carolina?”

  “Yes, I’m from Lyman. My folks and brother also live there. My whole family is in the force. My cousin Cole is a marine, but I get the feeling he’ll be joinin’ us as well once he’s done serving.”

  “How long have you been a police officer?”

  “I served in the army for two years. I went to college when I came back. I’ve been on the force for five,” he says, stopping for a second, “I just made detective, but it was more luck than anythin’ else.”

  “What is your blood type?”

  He frowns.

  “B positive.” A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Is that really important?”

  “If you’re bleeding to death and they ask me that, then yeah, I suppose it is.” It wipes the smile from his face. “I just want to know in case you get your ass kicked next time.”

  “I’ll be in good hands then. You were pretty amazin’ last night. Have you always wanted to be a nurse?”

  I shake my head as I answer him honestly, “No, I studied what I was told to study. My mom wanted me to be a nurse.” I can’t keep the bitter laugh back. “My brother is a doctor in Pretoria. I guess she wanted me to be a nurse so I wouldn’t forget I’m the lower life form compared to Byron.” Saying it out loud hurts. I wish I could switch my heart off to not feel anything.

  “Hey,” he whispers.

  I look up at him, but instead of it being a quick glance, he takes hold of my chin, lifting my face to his.

  My eyes are burning from keeping back the tears. I’m not the type of person who cries over everything, but Aiden is making it hard for me to stop the tears. His other hand takes hold of mine, and he lifts it to his chest, holding it there.

  “You’re gonna be fine. You’re gonna go to school, and have fun. Live a little.” His mouth lifts at the corner in the sexy grin which always makes my heart beat faster. “As soon as you’re dressed in somethin’ more comfortable, we’re gonna go grab some breakfast because I’m starvin’.” He leans in and presses a sweet kiss to my forehead.

  I soak in his warmth for a minute, taking what I can get, because for some reason it’s easing the pain in my chest just being close to him.

  “You come to me if you need somethin’. Come to me about anythin’, okay?”

  I nod, swallowing back the emotion that’s threatening to overwhelm me.

  As Aiden leaves the room, I let a tear roll down my cheek. I can’t describe how it feels that someone stood up to my mother for me.

  I’ll have to find a way to make it on my own now that my mother has cut me off.

  But I will make it.

  I have to.

  I have Chloe, and now I have Aiden.

  I’m not alone anymore.

  I send Chloe an email explaining the latest happenings with my mother, and how Aiden stepped in. I don’t tell her Aiden’s a detective. I don’t want to risk his life while he’s undercover which reminds me to ask him more about it, so I don’t slip up and ruin it all.

  I change into shorts and a t-shirt then quickly wash my face and tie my hair back into a ponytail.

  We step into the lounge at the same time, and I have to admit I feel insecure for new reasons; the main one being he’s not just a student anymore.

  Now that I know he’s older and that he has a job, he comes across more masculine. He looks great in his worn jeans which hang low on his hips, and the charcoal shirt brings out the grey of his eyes.

  But I try to show that I don’t notice any of that or the excitement in my stomach as I leave the flat with Aiden.

  He opens the car door for me, and I brush past him to get in. I catch a hint of his spicy aftershave before I slip into the car. When he walks around it, I practically devour him with my eyes. By the time he slides in behind the wheel, it feels as if I’m going to bubble over with excitement.

  We grab breakfast from a drive-thru, and then he drives us out to a lake. We drive past some students settling in for a day of fun, families, couples in love, and he keeps going until the people disa
ppear behind us and it’s just us and the surrounding nature.

  When he parks the car, all I can do is stare at the beauty all around me.

  The glossy sheen of water is smooth beyond the trees, and I push the door open so I can take in the full sight in front of me. Most of the trees are still green, but some of the leaves have turned to gold and orange, submitting to the coming winter. The ones that have fallen are still soft, not crunchy yet.

  “Are there Bald Eagles here?” I ask, my eyes already scanning the sky.

  “Yeah, if we’re lucky we might see one,” Aiden says as he grabs a blanket from the back of the car. I take our breakfast and wait for him, my eyes going back to the sky.

  I really hope we see a Bald Eagle. I’ve read that they came close to extinction once but with a little help and a lot of determination, they made it. That’s where my hope lies. If an eagle can come back from such devastation, then maybe I can, too.

  “If we don’t eat soon I’m going to starve,” Aiden says as he takes my hand and pulls me through the trees to an open patch of sand. It’s quiet around us, and it feels as if everything is finally calming inside of me.

  Right now, there’s no worry or fear, just all this serene beauty.

  After Aiden has spread the blanket open over the sand, we sit down and eat in silence. We don’t disturb the nature around us with words. When we’re done eating, he tugs me down, to lie next to him.

  I can’t get enough of the scenery around me. The lake stretches out wide, and not too far away I can see a dock. It’s such an incredible experience. My eyes dance from the lake to the trees, then finally stopping at Aiden who’s staring at me. There’s a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his full mouth, which reaches all the way to his eyes.

  I can’t mean it enough when I say, “Thank you for bringing me here.”

  “You’re welcome.” He turns on his side, resting his head on his palm. “Tell me what you’re thinkin’ right now.”

  Seriously? I’m thinking about how I want him to kiss me. There’s no way I’m telling him that.

  “Grey.” I blurt out. It’s the color of his eyes.

  “Okay, before that,” he says letting out a chuckle.

  Be brave, Emma. Tell him.

  “That I want to kiss you,” I admit.

  He brings his hand to my face and caresses the line of my jaw. Leaning down, his lips follow the tingling trail left by his fingers.

  “Emma,” he breathes against my skin, “if you want somethin’, just take it.” When the tingles reach my abdomen, they feel like full-blown electric pulses, bringing every nerve in my body to life. I unclench my hands over my stomach as I close my eyes again, and the world diminishes until there’s only him.

  Bringing my hands up to his chest, I grip fistfuls of his shirt. I open my eyes and meeting his grey ones, I take what I want.

  I pull him down and crush my mouth against his. Thank God he doesn’t hold back. I open my mouth, and he slips inside, teasing me with his tongue. He takes control of the kiss until I’m breathless and sure I’ve got more of him than actual air in my lungs.

  I want so much more. I want what we had yesterday.

  I push against his chest until he’s flat on his back, and I straddle him. Pressing feather-light kisses over his jaw, I move to his neck. I shift down until I feel his hardness right where I want it.

  “Emma,” he growls. He grabs hold of my hips, and for a moment I think he’s going to keep me still. Then his hips thrust up hard.

  Sensations ripple through my abdomen, and my breath explodes from my lungs. He doesn’t stop. He keeps rubbing against my sensitive core until I wish we weren’t wearing clothes.

  I need to feel him. I need to… “Aiden,” I groan when it becomes too much.

  He rolls me onto my back and unbuttons my shorts. Covering me with his body, he slips his hand under my panties. When he thrusts a finger inside me, my body lifts off the ground with pleasure. I groan with desire and growing bolder than I’ve ever been before I shamelessly start to move my hips. My abdomen clenches, and I feel it all the way to my toes. I grab hold of his wrist and press him harder against me, as I find my release with his name on my lips. He continues placing kisses on my neck and down my collarbone, making this moment only so much more perfect.

  After he pulls his hand away, and he’s buttoning my shorts again, I lift my hands up to his face. I let my fingers trail over his skin, really taking him in for the first time. I don’t know what’s happening between us, but I like it. I press my palms flat against his jaw so I can feel more of him.

  My eyes drink in every inch of him. I notice a faint cut disappearing into his hairline, and I wonder if he got it in a fight.

  “I love touching you,” I admit, reveling in how good it feels.

  He presses another kiss to my lips before he says, “Good ‘cause I love touchin’ you.”

  A while later, I’m folding the blanket when I hear the cry far above me. My eyes jump to the sky, and I want to call Aiden, but all that comes out is a rush of air.

  As the eagle soars over the lake, I’m dizzy with emotions I can’t begin to describe. My chest expands and shrinks all at once. My heart stutters and I hold my breath. There’s an aching pain spreading through my chest, but it’s different this time. It’s sweet as if something is finally being released. Something I’ve been holding inside me for far too long.

  The eagle cries out, staking its claim on its territory and a piece of my soul. It swoops down lower on the other side, gliding gracefully, flapping once, twice, and then it’s gone.

  CHAPTER 11

  AIDEN

  I’ve just wasted an entire hour with Katia and Colton because I didn’t get shit on when the main event will be. In a hurry to get to where Emma’s waiting for me, I jog across the courtyard, watching as a guy lean into her personal space.

  What the fuck? It’s only day two, and already the wolves are descending.

  As I come up behind Emma, the fucker says, “Come on, baby, don’t be so cold. We’ll have fun, and I can show you how good I am. After the fight we can go to my dorm room, and I’ll show you what else I’m good at.”

  He tries to reach for Emma’s hand, and she takes a quick step backward, right into my chest.

  “Oh, sorry,” she gasps, and as she glances over her shoulder, I see the panic in her eyes. But then she realizes it’s me, and she visibly relaxes.

  I wrap an arm around her and pull her tighter to me. I want to pound my chest when she brings one hand up, grabbing hold of my bicep, leaning her cheek into the muscle.

  The fucker looks startled, and he should be for messing with my girl.

  I lock eyes with him, daring him to give me a reason to beat the shit out of him.

  “I didn’t know she had a boyfriend,” he stammers nervously. “I’ve seen your fights, dude. You’re good. I’ll be at the fight on Saturday. It will be my first one.”

  They’re going to wipe the floor with this guy. He’s half the size of most of the guys who go to these fights.

  “What’s your name?” I ask. I’ll get Katia to set me up with him, that way I can teach him a lesson and probably save his life, so one of the other guys don’t end up killing him.

  “Kyle. Man, I can’t believe I actually get to talk to you. This is fuckin’ amazing. Do you have any tips for me?”

  “Yeah,” I say, “don’t treat women like shit and don’t get killed on Saturday.”

  Keeping my arm around her neck, I pull Emma away, turning my back on the poor fucker. Once we’ve put some distance between Kyle and us, I stop and turn Emma, so she’s in front of me.

  “Tha –” she starts to say, but not caring that we’re in public, or how she might feel about it, I slip my hands into her hair, and pull her face to mine. I kiss her so everyone around us will fucking know Emma’s mine.

  So she will know she’s mine.

  She grabs hold of my wrists and pulls herself closer.

  Fuck, it feels he
avenly to fall into her.

  I drop my hand to her back, drawing her body tightly against mine, and I let her sweetness fill my mouth as our tongues twist greedily.

  If we were alone now, I’d forget what I said about her first time having to be special, and I’d make her mine.

  I break the kiss, smiling when she inches up to follow my mouth, but I don’t buckle under the temptation.

  “If we don’t stop, I’m going to undress you right here,” I say. Emma’s face flushes at my directness, and she drops her forehead to my chest. “With that said,” I continue, “I don’t think it’s a good idea that we go home right now, ‘cause I won’t stop. So, a public place it has to be. Any ideas?”

  She hasn’t left the apartment except when she comes here for classes.

  “We can go anywhere,” she answers me.

  “What would you normally do on a Friday?”

  As she adjusts her bag, I reach for it and throw it over my shoulder. She turns half away, looking at the students passing us by.

  “Really, we can do anything you want to do.”

  I tilt my head so I can see her face, and I try to keep mine neutral. Now that I’m starting to really fall for Emma, it’s getting harder to not lose my shit when I see the damage her mother has done to her. I better not meet that woman in person.

  “Then I’ll just have to think of somethin’ that will sweep you off your feet,” I tease.

  She smiles, standing on her toes so she can reach my ear. “Give it your best shot, Detective Holden.”

  Heat flushes through my body and straight to my cock. I tighten my hold on Emma’s neck, keeping her close to me.

  “Is that a dare?” I breathe the words over her jaw which makes her grab hold of my shirt. I can’t keep from smiling. I love how responsive she is and that I’m having this effect on her.

  “Yes,” she says, desire smoldering in her eyes.