Taken By The Heart (4 Contemporary Romance Novellas)

by Sierra Rose

  I filled my plate with all kinds of goodies. Jake pulled out my chair for me to sit down and I thanked him with a smile.

  “What’s for dessert?” Jake asked our hostess as she walked by.

  “Pineapple surprise. Afolabi just has to decide how much rum to flambé it with.”

  “Tell him lots,” the blonde woman in a glitzy silver dress said.

  We all laughed.

  Every time I looked up, I caught Jake staring into my eyes. He was basking in the silver-white glow, his eyes sparking in the flickering candlelight. His jet-black hair hung in waves to his shoulders. Old memories flooded my mind as I stared at his beautiful face and soft lips. I imagined my lips pressed against his. Oh, how I wanted to taste those lips, that mouth, his kiss. I remembered his hair sweeping across my skin as he left trails of kisses down my body. I could still remember the feel of his lips. I could remember every single detail, how good it felt to have him hold me. I wanted nothing more than to embrace him in my arms.

  “This is amazing,” he said, taking my hand.

  I felt the electricity from his touch, and I was stumbling for words. I pulled away and sipped my wine. “This dinner is so elegant,” I said.

  “I can’t believe I’m getting the chance to dine under the African sky with lions, zebras, and giraffes, drinking wine with a gorgeous woman, and listening to a beautiful symphony of insects. I’ve died and gone to heaven.”

  “You’re being so sweet, but yes, this is a little slice of heaven.”

  “How about another toast?” he asked. “To making it to Africa.”

  “Cheers!” I said, clinking his glass.

  I ate my dinner rather quickly and excused myself as politely as I could. Having dinner with Jake in such a romantic setting was too painful, like being back on the beach, watching the sunset. My heart just ached, badly, and smiling through his small talk wasn’t exactly working for me.

  “Ashly, please stay,” he said. “How often does one get a romantic dinner out in the middle of the bush?”

  “Not often, Jake, but I’m afraid that moment, for us, is gone forever.”

  “I don’t believe that. We might’ve lost it five years ago, but I’m here to fix it.”

  By no means did I want to have the same old talk about us again. “I’m tired, and we have a big day tomorrow,” I said. “But it sure was beautiful.”

  He stood. “I’ll go back with you. Tarzan no want Jane to get eaten by lion,” he said, beating his chest.

  As I laughed, he grinned. I always loved the way he made me smile.

  “That was a good Tarzan impression,” I said.

  He chuckled, then put his hand on my back and led me back to our suite.

  * * *

  The next day, we had breakfast on the patio overlooking the watering hole and saw a family of warthogs.

  After breakfast, Anto, our guide and tracker, met up with us. We were going on an overnight camping trip so we could get up close and personal with the bush. He’d warned us not to wear bright colors because it would make us conspicuous to the wildlife. He had told us not to wear dark colors either, because they would absorb too much heat. Plus, tsetse flies love blue or black, so it was best to dress in neutral colors such as khaki, beige, olive, and green, with a safari hat to avoid sunburn.

  I followed his guidelines and got dressed, then strapped my camera around my neck.

  Our Land Rover had no roof or doors, just three staggered bench seats behind the driver. That allowed for a spectacular 360-degree view of the wilderness all around us. As I climbed into the vehicle, Anto turned on some soothing safari music. It was so serene to listen to the music while staring at the beautiful scenery of Africa. I clung to my seat as we raced over a million bumps. It was hot and dusty, but it was nothing less than one of the adventures I’d always dreamt about, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

  Our funny and friendly guide harbored a wealth of knowledge and told us facts about every animal and plant we saw. He even explained how to make toothpaste from local plants. As if that wasn’t amazing enough, he could even identify animal tracks in the dirt and could tell how long ago an animal had been in the vicinity.

  We drove through miles of golden, baking-hot grasslands when I saw a flash of yellow against the green reeds.

  “Look!” I shouted.

  “Leopard,” Anto said calmly. He stopped the Land Rover so we could observe the world’s fastest runner up close.

  She was gorgeous and slowly crept up to us.

  “Uh, guys, she’s getting closer,” I said.

  “Isn’t she magnificent?” Jake said in amazement.

  Suddenly, the young leopard leapt on our vehicle, and my heart pounded in my throat. I met Anto’s gaze and smiled. “Um…in case you didn’t notice, there’s a wildcat on the hood.”

  He just laughed nonchalantly as the leopard made herself comfortable on our hood, staring at me with her amber eyes, so close that I could make out each of her white whiskers.

  As frightened as I was, I couldn’t resist the urge to snap several photos. “We’re safe, right?” I asked.

  “Wild animals are unpredictable,” the tour guide said, “but she’s just a baby.”

  “But babies have mamas,” Jake chimed in.

  We enjoyed the moment for as long as it lasted. After a few minutes of lazily resting on the hood, the leopard jumped down and gracefully walked off.

  “Wow,” I said. “My heart was beating a million miles a minute, but I got it on film!”

  Jake put the lens cover back on his camera. “I bet we both got some fantastic shots.”

  We drove in and out of the bush and stopped to watch a herd of zebras, springboks, and impalas, who were sitting in the shade, trying to cool off. After a few more amazing pictures, we ventured on.

  A few minutes later, Anto slammed on his brakes at the sight of a large, muscular lion standing right in the middle of the road, only about five feet in front of us. The sun beaming down on us from above gave the lion a golden aura. Never before had I been so close to the king of the jungle without the safety of a thick glass or moat to protect me. The majestic, powerful beast had distinctive gold fur and a long, thick, bushy impressive mane. He cast us an amber stare, as if he was curious.

  “He’s…huge,” I said, my mouth agape.

  “I can see why he’s king,” Jake said. “Surely no animal in their right mind would mess with him!”

  “The lion is a symbol of power and dominance,” Anto said, gripping the steering wheel. “He can eat up to forty pounds of meat in one sitting.”

  “Whoa! That’s, like, over a hundred Big Macs!” Jake exclaimed.

  I shot Jake a big smile. “I dare you to go pet the kitty.”

  He playfully slugged me. “Not a chance.”

  “Why doesn’t he attack?” I asked.

  “He’s not interested in eating a vehicle, but it might be a different story if we get out.”

  I chuckled. “I think I’ll stay put.”

  “We’re not moving until the lion gets out of the way,” Anto said, shaking his head and clicking his teeth. “Today it was a lion, yesterday twenty-foot-tall giraffes.”

  “That’s a whole other kind of traffic jam than what I’m used to!” I said.

  The lion let out an intimidating roar, stretching his powerful jaws wide. Staring in amazement, I aimed my camera and started snapping, just in time to capture the big cat with his mouth open. After making his presence known with that roar, the lion shook his head and strolled away as if he didn’t have a care in the world, which he probably didn’t.

  Once the lion had trotted off across the veldt, Anto pressed the gas on the Land Rover and took us to the place where water buffalo were known to gather. Our assignment was to have our picture taken next to a wild herd.

  “Ah, the perfect spot!” Anto said as he parked the vehicle.

  I grabbed my camera and stepped out. Beneath my feet, the grass was a deep gold, the same color as the lion we’d
seen, and above me, the skies were blue and filled with raptors, like something out of prehistoric times. Acacia trees stretched out for endless miles.

  We waded through a river, which wasn’t nearly as easy as they made it look in the movies, and before long, I was panting from the effort. Pebbles shifted under my shoes as I walked to the other side, and under the stifling weight of my wet clothes, I stumbled over a rock or two. I just hoped no crocs lurked nearby. In spite of the difficult river crossing and my trepidation about being eaten alive, the spectacular wilderness, undisturbed wildlife, and breathtaking scenery was a dream come true. As I stared around me, I couldn’t stop smiling. Everything in every direction was absolutely stunning.

  My gaze drifted to Jake. My cheeks grew hot as I stared at the safari shirt stretching across his broad shoulders and strong chest, with the sleeves rolled up at the elbow. Khaki pants were the perfect finish for his swashbuckler ensemble. His black hair hung in shaggy waves under his hat. He looked really hot, but there was no way I’d ever admit that to anyone. The guy still made me furious. If he’d had a bullwhip, I would have wanted to strangle him with it.

  Anto advised that we should hike downwind so the herd wouldn’t smell us. I stared ahead through the tall elephant grass. As the buffalos grazed, their tails and ears wagged and twitched. Their reek drifted through the air, and I covered my nose with my hand. Nonetheless, I peered straight ahead. The animals resembled overgrown oxen, with short faces, wide muzzles, and a flat forehead with prominent eyes. A thick layer of mud covered their dull, gray skin. I stared at their giant heads and enormous, white, curvy horns that stretched out to a five-foot span. Even the smallest of the beasts had to weigh close to a ton, and most stood six feet at the shoulder.

  I heard the snap of a twig, followed by a loud crunch as we moved along, and I was terrified the noise would alert the animals that there were intruders at their buffet. “Is this really such a good idea?” I asked, fearing I’d be trampled any minute.

  “We need that picture, and we’re gonna get it,” Jake said, taking another daring step closer like it didn’t even faze him. “That’s no bull!” he said with a grin.

  “Stop,” I said, rolling my eyes at him.

  “What?” he said, feigning innocence.

  When we were within twenty-five feet of the buffalo, I could hear them chomping away on grass. I tugged Anto’s arm. “This is close enough, right?”

  He nodded.

  I let out a sigh of relief. “What if they charge us?” I whispered.

  “They’ll run first. But if they do charge, don’t run. Just lie flat on the ground behind me and my gun.”

  “What!? I don’t wanna be a doormat for those things!” I said. “We’ll be trampled!”

  “Maybe…or maybe not,” Anto said, shrugging. “It’s still our best chance.”

  I let out a long breath. It was official: Our guide didn’t care if he lived or died. He was carrying a rifle, but I was sure those measly bullets wouldn’t do anything to stop the whole herd, if even one of the massive creatures.

  Jake handed Anto the camera, then the guide slinked into the grass cautiously, looked around for a moment, and climbed on top of a large rock. He motioned for us to stand closer together, and Jake took full opportunity of the necessary closeness, slipping his arm around me. “Smile,” Anto whispered.

  I rolled my eyes when Jake pulled me even closer.

  “Smile!” the man whispered more insistently.

  Realizing he wasn’t going to give up, I finally smiled. All things considered, having to stand next to Jake for a photo was slightly less hazardous than being killed in a stampede because I didn’t want to say “Cheese.”

  After Anto snapped the picture, he jumped back down and handed Jake the camera.

  Jake glanced down at the digital image. “It’s good.”

  “Great,” I said. “Let’s go.”

  As I took a step away, another twig snapped. The beasts lifted their heads and snorted. I instinctively grabbed Jake’s arm, and he protectively moved me behind him.

  Suddenly, there was a pounding of hooves, but when I peered around Jake, I was relieved to see them running off to the left.

  I turned around, with my nerves still on edge, only to see a lioness bolting out of the tall grass. I backed up slowly, but to my surprise, she ignored us and made her way to some thicker vegetation, where a dead animal was waiting for her to feast upon. I couldn’t even make out what kind of animal it had once been, but its insides were strewn about.

  Jake grabbed my arm and led me to the right.

  Wide-eyed, I glanced over my shoulder to make sure the lioness wasn’t following us, and I was thankful she wasn’t. The last thing I wanted was to end up like that dead animal.

  We made it back safely to our vehicle and sped off. I hung on as we continued the bumpy ride over rocks, brush, and fallen branches. Everything was so beautiful and I couldn’t stop staring up at the indigo sky dotted with the most fluffy, white clouds. It was the prettiest sky I’d ever seen. I never took time out like this for myself, and it was nothing short of amazing. After a few minutes, Anto slowed down.

  “Look ahead!” he pointed.

  I stared at the magnificent elephants through my binoculars and watched the old matriarchs lead the way as their precious families and young calves lumbered right behind them on the green and brown earth. Suddenly, a blur caught my eye. An ostrich sped past us going so fast, I swear it could have been mistaken for a road runner.

  “Get a picture!” Jake said.

  I snapped, but I was sure it was nothing more than a blur.

  “Did you get it?” he asked.

  When I glanced down at the view finder, I was pleasantly surprised. “I sure did!”

  Jake shot me the biggest grin ever as the wind whipped through his hair.

  Chapter 10

  On the way to our camp, we saw more lions feeding on a buffalo carcass. Looking through my binoculars, I even caught a glimpse of six white rhinos and one black one with her baby. I watched a leopard drinking at a waterhole, only to be chased away by an angry herd of elephants, and I also saw a wild pack of dogs with at least ten pups. We saw lots of giraffe, hippos, and antelope. Every time I saw a new animal, my excitement grew. Our African safari was, by far, one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I made sure to document everything with my camera.

  When we set up camp, I realized that Jake and I would be forced to share a tent; we were informed that if we separated, it would break the requirements of the will. Since we didn’t want to risk being disqualified, we had to play by the rules. Jake wanted to sleep under the stars, but our guide was against that, because it wasn’t safe at all. I actually had to agree with Anto; as much as Jake was on my nerves, I didn’t want him to get eaten by a lion or bitten by a malaria-carrying mosquito.

  After dinner, we sat by the fire and chatted with Anto. He had been a tracker for twenty years, and he had the best stories to share by the fireside. We listened anxiously and hung on his every word. The black sky twinkled with billions of glittering stars, a breathtakingly dazzling display.

  After a while, I excused myself and sat down in front of our camp to watch an approaching lightning storm. Black clouds drifted in the sky as bright flashes of light lit up the golden grasslands. We were serenaded by the natural sounds of the wildlife around us. The little slice of African wilderness truly touched my heart and soul. Just being out there in the bush, practically alone with my thoughts, was a life-changing time for me.

  After about an hour, Jake approached. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. Everything I dreamt of and more.”

  “I’d love to spend another week in Africa.”

  “I know, but we don’t have that kind of time. It’s so peaceful and serene here, though. I could just sit here for hours with my thoughts.”

  “Being with you is just as magical for me as Africa,” he said. “I’ve never stopped thinking about you, Ashly,
not once. I’ve wondered what you’ve been up to all these years.”

  “Well, you didn’t just ditch out on me, Jake. You also left your friends and family. You didn’t bother calling or emailing them, either, and they didn’t know if you were dead or alive. You just dropped off the face of the Earth.”

  “I was just…ashamed.” He paused for a minute, then continued, “I actually came home a couple times, but you were so busy with school.”

  “I didn’t know you came back.”

  “Only a handful of people knew. I know you’ve always loved fashion and photography, so I’m glad you’ve been able to combine your two passions into a career.” A smirk grew across his lips. “I remember how long you used to spend choosing your outfit, fixing your hair, and putting on makeup.”

  “Well, I had to look good. After all, you were the hottest guy in school. I had to make sure your attention didn’t stray.”

  “My attention? Ashly, you’ve always taken my breath away.”

  I smiled. “Thank you, Jake.”

  “How much longer do you plan on being a fashion photographer and journalist?”

  “I’m kind of sinking trying to do that while running my own business. Like that old movie, something’s gotta give. When my business takes off, as I hope it will, I’ll have to quit my job. But I also wanna start my own fashion magazine, so my journalism skills will come in handy.”

  “You’re so smart and talented. If anybody can do it, you can.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  He smiled. “Anytime. You know, I remember a few of our photo sessions. Didn’t that one, uh…risqué one of me win first place in one of your photo shows? It had a black background, and I was looking down.”

  I cleared my throat and looked away. “You weren’t naked, Jake. You were covering yourself with your hands, and it was a sensual photo. Nobody knew it was you because I shadowed your face.”

  “Sensual, huh? Well, I’d like to retake that shot.”

  A chill shot down my spine. “Are you serious?”