by Julie Cannon
“You’re hurt.” Emily touched some dried blood over her eye. Fire burned from her fingertips and cascaded through her body. Mistaking the heat for fever, she settled her palm on Hayden’s furrowed forehead. The skin felt cool but heat coursed through Emily again. Her eyes locked with those of her rescuer. The fever was inside her.
“I’m okay, just a scratch.”
Before she could stop herself Emily dropped her gaze to the chest that had provided such comfort and safety. A bikini tan line accentuated the pale mounds of two perfectly formed breasts. Pink nipples came to immediate attention and Emily’s mouth dropped open. She was no stranger to bare breasts, but the ones in front of her were the most beautiful she’d ever seen. She had to clench her fists to restrain herself from caressing them.
Time stood still. Hayden couldn’t look away. Emily’s fingers felt feather light and soothing. Desire flared to life and Hayden saw it mirrored in Emily’s eyes. She was unprepared for the strength of her own reaction. She’d had been instantly attracted to many women, but this was something different. It went deeper than the pulsing between her legs. It gripped her stomach like a hard fist. But this was not the time or the place to explore the feeling further.
Several moments passed before Hayden finally spoke. “Everything else all right?” She wanted to take Emily and make love to her under the afternoon sun for hours.
A flush of embarrassment ran up Emily’s neck. Mortified at what she’d just done, she didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing.
Hayden’s eyes burned with what Emily could only describe as desire. Finally, she bridged the awkward silence. “We’d better get out of this tree and take these kids somewhere safe.”
The children must have heard her reference because they started to stir. Emily dragged her gaze away from Hayden’s and caught their attention. “Hey, guys, time to wake up.” She spoke quietly so as not to frighten them and gently touched their shoulders. “My name is Emily. Can you tell me your name?”
“Victoria.” The voice was soft and weak.
“Victoria, that’s a mighty big name for such a little girl.”
“My name is Jake Nathaniel Hight and I’m five years old. My sister is only three. She’s the baby of the family.”
Emily smiled at the grown-up way the boy talked.
“I am not a baby, I’m a big girl.” She pronounced girl as if it were “gurl.”
Emily breathed a sigh of relief that the two children appeared to be unharmed by their ordeal. “Well, you two are really brave.”
“I’m brave just like my dad. He’s a policeman.”
Watching the exchange, Hayden quickly took inventory of their situation. With the exception of losing their clothing, they were all very lucky to have escaped serious injury. Hayden panned the horizon, not recognizing any landmarks. None were left standing. Buildings had been obliterated; their foundations remained as if ready to be used again. The lush green vegetation of Khao Lak that had not been uprooted and carried away lay limp, bent over from the force of the raging water.
Glancing up to the sky, Hayden judged the time of day to be early afternoon. Out of habit she looked at her left wrist and cursed herself for leaving her TAG Heuer watch in the safe in her hotel room. The large timepiece looked out of place with her bikini, and there was no reason to wear it while on the beach. It was not as if she had appointments to keep.
The sun was beating down and it wouldn’t be long before they were scorched. They all needed fresh water, and clothes to protect their skin from sunburn. It didn’t take more than a fleeting look to know that finding what they needed to survive was going to be a challenge.
Hayden forced a casual confidence that revealed no sign of her darker thoughts. “Hey, guys, my name is Hayden, have either of you climbed a tree before?”
*
Hayden was thin, but not what Emily would classify as skinny. “Strong and lean” was the phrase that jumped to mind. She moved with the ease of someone very confident in her athletic ability. She climbed effortlessly down from the tree, then helped the children onto the ground and looked up expectantly at Emily.
Feeling self-conscious because of her lack of athletic ability as well as her nakedness, Emily steeled her nerves and grabbed the rough trunk. Hayden was directly below her and would see everything she had to offer as she shimmied her way down. Afraid to make eye contact, she inched her way to the ground in a state of disbelief. How in the hell did she end up in this surreal moment? All she wanted was a week of uninterrupted one-on-one time with her girlfriend, holding hands on the beach, rekindling their dying romance. Instead, what she got was an ugly fight with Michelle, an empty seat next to her on the plane, and seven days alone on the beach.
She certainly wasn’t prepared for this. Nobody could be prepared for this. It wasn’t as if she should have packed for a tsunami. Julia said all she needed was a bikini and sunscreen. Oh my God, Julia. She would be frantic when she heard the news. Her good friend had been here before and knew how secluded Khao Lak was from Phuket. The remoteness was what drew Emily here in the first place, and now she wondered how long it would take for them to be rescued.
Sensing Emily’s discomfort, Hayden gave her a chance to collect herself once she’d reached firm ground. If she were honest, she was the one who needed time to collect herself. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and her hands were shaking. Emily scaling the tree was the most erotic thing she’d ever seen. Her body was perfect. Hayden had envisioned the long legs and arms wrapped around her instead of the tree trunk. As Emily’s backside inched closer, her fingers had tingled with the desire to touch the exposed flesh. By the time she hit the ground, Hayden’s knees were weak with desire.
Embarrassed by her lascivious thoughts, Hayden forced her attention to the daunting task in front of them. “Help will probably come to the beaches first. The sun will set over there,” she pointed across the devastated landscape, “so that’s the direction we should go.”
“Do you know where we are?” Emily felt more composed than she’d been a few moments ago. She rubbed her arms where the bark had scratched her, and her actions drew Hayden’s attention. Her breath caught at the look of unbridled desire on Hayden’s face. Their nakedness was unsettling, and a long since forgotten throb of desire settled between her legs.
“No, and there are no familiar landmarks to go by. Absolutely nothing looks like it did this morning, but I know the beach is that way.”
A pair of small hands grabbed her leg tightly. “I don’t want to go to the beach.” Jake’s voice shook.
Hayden knelt down so that she was eye level with the boy. “I know, I don’t want to go back to the beach either.” She caught a surprised expression on Emily’s face and wondered what it was about. Did Emily think that just because she was butch, she wouldn’t know how to comfort a scared child? She remembered as a child when she was frightened all it took was a few kind, straightforward words from her mother and she felt better. “But that’s where the people are that are going to help us.”
His chin started to quiver. “Is that where my mommy is?”
Hayden scooped him into her arms. “I don’t know, but I bet she’s looking for you and your sister. What do you say we go and find her, okay?” Hayden had minimal experience with children and even less with ones the ages of these two. She didn’t know what to do with them, but she did know they would have to go slow and rest often.
Jake’s bottom lip trembled and a tear slipped down his cheek. “Okay. Is my daddy there too?”
Hayden couldn’t answer his question but instead pulled him closer, and he laid his head on her shoulder. “Hey, big guy, everything’s going to be all right. But I’m gonna need your help. Do you think you can help me?”
The youngster’s eyes lit up. “My dad always lets me help him when he’s doing something really important.”
“Well, then I know you can help. Let me tell you what I need you to do.” Signaling Emily and Victoria to follow, Hayden start
ed walking in the direction of the beach.
*
Emily was surprised how easily she let Hayden assume the lead in their journey. In her everyday life as a teacher, she was the planner, the one in charge—she had to be with a room full of first graders. She hadn’t started out wanting to be a teacher. She was going to be a world-renowned scientist like her parents. Her life had been mapped out for her from the very beginning and she blindly went along, ever the dutiful daughter. It wasn’t until Julia dragged her along to a school for the homeless that her company was sponsoring that she found her true calling and her backbone. It had been a downhill slide with her parents ever since. The latest argument was over this trip. They were furious with her when she had told them of her plans to go to Thailand over Christmas, insisting that family should be together during the holidays. Their emotional blackmail used to be effective, but in the past year Emily had drastically changed. She was restless, tired of settling, of going along to avoid an argument.
She was definitely not a follower, and certainly not one that would willingly be led across this disaster to God knew where with a stranger in charge of her destiny. Oddly enough, she was comfortable in this role with Hayden and knew instinctively that they would be safe as long as they were together.
“Here, try these.” Hayden handed her a bundle of clothes. “Sorry, it’s the best I could do.”
While the three were resting Hayden had gone scouting ahead and had stripped three of the dead. Besides the fact that it wasn’t easy to concentrate with Emily’s naked body constantly within arm’s reach, they were all at risk of extreme sunburn if they didn’t get some clothes on. Her feet were sore from walking in the mud and debris, and she was thankful she hadn’t stepped on anything more dangerous than a piece of cement. She’d found a loose-fitting pair of shorts for herself, and a man’s shirt that was missing the top three buttons.
Emily appreciated the tantalizing view of her breasts the damaged garment provided. Hayden looked sexier in the shirt than when she had nothing on. As she sorted the clothes for herself and the children, Emily shuddered and tried not to think of where the garments came from. Emily stepped into the shorts, thankful they had a drawstring she could cinch tight enough to keep them from sliding down her thin hips.
The clothes and flip-flops for the children were way too big. Hayden tore the bottom off her shirt and made makeshift belts to keep the garments from dragging on the ground.
Looking down at her T-shirt, Emily started laughing. It was emblazed with a surfer riding a giant wave. “Pretty appropriate, don’t you think?”
Heat exploded in her veins when Hayden’s eyes landed on her chest. She felt her nipples harden, and Hayden’s eyes darted back and forth between the two protruding buds.
“Uh…” Hayden’s mouth was so dry she couldn’t have said anything even if she could think of something. She was leaning over as she helped Victoria dress, her face in direct line with Emily’s breasts. If she leaned forward just a little she could…
“Owie!” Victoria shrieked.
Instead of reaching out and touching Emily’s breasts, Hayden was squeezing the child too hard. “Sorry, sweetie.” She gently rubbed the little arms. “Okay, everybody ready?”
Hayden took the lead, Victoria grabbing her hand and holding it with strength Hayden never would have imagined the little girl had. They trekked on in the direction of the beach. Rescuers would follow the path of the water searching for survivors along the way, and sooner or later they would meet up with them. Hopefully sooner, Hayden thought. They were hot, tired, and thirsty.
Chapter Three
“Are those people dead?”
Hayden faltered at the young boy’s innocent question. They had been walking for an hour, and during that time she had lost count of the number of bodies they passed. She didn’t know why she was counting. Maybe it was the training that had been drilled into her to keep track of details. Maybe it was because she was trying to wrap her mind around the magnitude of the carnage. The most disturbing were those buried in the mud with only an arm or leg protruding as if reaching for heaven. It was late afternoon, and the heat of the midday sun had started to take its toll on the dead, spreading stench and the threat of disease.
Hayden glanced at Emily. “Do you want to take that one?” They’d fallen into a natural rhythm of taking turns answering the boy’s questions.
“Not on your life.” Not that she wouldn’t have, but the sound of Hayden’s voice as she answered Jake’s questions gave her a sense of calm. Hayden was a tall, strong woman with a hard edge, yet when she spoke to the children, her voice was soft and calm and always at a level they could understand.
“Thanks, you’re gonna owe me big time for this one.” The relaxed banter between the two of them was surprising. Here they were in an obvious life-or-death situation, and they were chatting like old friends. They hadn’t shared any personal information, but it was as if they had known each other for years.
Emily teasingly bumped Hayden with her shoulder as they sidestepped a car mangled by the water’s force. “I already owe you my life, I can’t get any deeper in debt than that.”
Since she had defied her parents, quit her job, and was now doing what she wanted to do, Emily hated being in debt to anyone for anything. Surprisingly, she was okay with this form of debt. If not for the woman walking beside her, in all likelihood she would be one of the bodies they passed. Emily still couldn’t believe it. She wondered if her parents were worried about her. They were news junkies with CNN blasting through the house every waking moment. Surely they’d heard about the disaster.
“You don’t owe me. It’s what anyone would have done.” Hayden recalled having this conversation shortly after she plucked Emily from the water. “I will collect on Jake’s question, though. Don’t think you’re getting out of that one.”
Emily grinned, lightening the mood. “If I’d known you were that easy, I would have had you rescue me years ago. It would have saved me a lot of grief and heartache.”
Hayden’s stomach tightened at the thought of Emily experiencing any kind of pain. There was something about her that made Hayden want to protect her. She knew it was silly; Emily was a grown woman, perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Hayden wondered what kind of pain she was referring to. Did she have a difficult childhood or unceremoniously get her heart broken? She stopped as an overwhelming desire to keep her safe washed over her. The silence was deafening, and a shroud of death and destruction hung over them like a cloak.
Emily continued on a few steps before realizing Hayden had stopped. “What is it? Do you hear something?”
“No, it’s nothing.” Years of experience had taught Hayden it was usually not in her best interest to openly talk about her feelings. She had been in the Army for twenty-three years, way before “don’t ask, don’t tell” was the military’s position.
At the look on Hayden’s face, Emily lightly touched her arm. “Hayden, what is it?” Her voice was soft and caring, her eyes encouraging conversation.
“If I would have known you needed rescuing, I would have been there.” Hayden had no trouble speaking the truth but tried to keep it light.
“That would have caused quite a scene. If you rode up on your white horse and carried me away, my parents would have shit.” Emily grimaced at exposing the little girl in her arms to her language.
“You didn’t get along with your parents?” Hayden picked up Jake and started walking again.
“I did until I grew some balls and started to live my own life.” Emily suppressed a shiver, remembering the ugly confrontation she had with her parents when she told them of the change she was going to make in her life. Raised voices, angry words filled their house for the better part of an afternoon. But she held firm and was proud of herself for remaining so. “I was the prodigal child of two geneticists. My mother won the Nobel Prize when I was eight. I knew in no uncertain terms that I was expected to exceed the accomplishments of my parents.”
“And did you?” Hayden sidestepped a pile of lumber beaten into matchsticks by the water.
“Oh yeah, did I ever. Ever heard of the Ashley Institute?” Emily continued when Hayden shook her head. “Not many people have. It’s a world-renowned think tank. They offered me a research position after I got my Ph.D.”
“And you didn’t take it?” Hayden prompted. She could tell that Emily was intelligent, but never would have expected a Ph.D.
Emily tasted the bile in her throat. “No, I took it, all right. I worked for six years with the greatest minds in the world.”
“So what happened?” Hayden shifted Jake to her other arm.
“I decided I wanted to teach homeless kids.” Emily recalled the day she’d accompanied her friend Julia to a homeless shelter. There she found children of all ages thirsty for knowledge, eager to learn everything about the world around them but unable due to their social conditions. Emily was soon spending all of her free time with the children, teaching them everything from their colors to Christopher Columbus and quickly discovering a love for teaching children.
“And that’s bad because…?”
“Because I quit the Institute. My parents have never forgiven me. I’m a professional embarrassment to them.” Even now, two years later, Emily still felt the sting of her mother’s comments. One time when she was meeting her mother for lunch, as she approached the table, she overheard her mother on her cell phone telling someone that her daughter teaches the snotty-nosed kids of worthless parents. The comment had been a blow that Emily never told her mother she had overheard, but it had definitely cemented their wounded relationship.
