by Andy Lewter
He grinned, running his fingers lightly along my back as I ate. "I'm glad you like it."
"So what's on the agenda today? Training?" I asked, swallowing a soft, flaky bite of scone.
"Actually… I was able to talk my parents into letting you become accustomed to the island. You know, so you're more comfortable being here and all."
"Oh? And what did you have in mind?"
He lay back on a pillow and relaxed with his hands behind his head. My eyes fell on a wrapped package with a white bow sitting on the bedside table next to him. "What is that?" I asked.
"It's a gift I brought for you." He grinned his eyes alight with excitement. "You should open it." He reached for the package and set it lightly in my lap.
"I don't need presents…" I bit my bottom lip and hesitated before pulling the white satin bow. My eyebrows shot up when I lifted the lid, pulling a tiny white string-bikini out of the box. "And what exactly is this?" I asked him, hating that the grin he held did wild things to my resolve.
He pointed to the swimming suit in my hand. "That right there will make you the most dangerous Valens on Salvus Island."
I cleared my throat and set the tiny pieces of fabric back in the box. "Dangerous, huh?" I asked, avoiding his gaze.
He nodded. "You have no idea."
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but it'll show too much skin for my comfort. So I guess I'm not going to be dangerous today." I shrugged, gauging his reaction.
His smoldering, copper-brown eyes darkened. "You're more dangerous than you think." He said lowly, raking his dark hair as if trying to maintain his composure. "I had a feeling you'd like this better, anyways." He dipped his hand to the floor next to the bed and pulled up another package with a navy blue bow.
I sighed as he placed the package on my lap. "I don't need gifts. Really, I can't accept this."
He sat up and nuzzled his nose in the crook of my neck. "I like getting you things."
"Please don't… all I need is you." I cupped his cheek.
He kissed my forehead and took the package off of my lap. "Then I'll open it for you." He tugged the blue bow and tossed the lid off the box. I felt my eyes grow wide as he pulled out a navy blue one piece bathing suit that was intricately ruched in folds from top to bottom — the back had four straps that connected in golden chains. Then he pulled out a white stretchy cover-up that would fit my every curve. I reached out and touched the soft fabric — it was cool, light and airy against my skin. It would feel like wearing a cloud.
I hugged him — knocking him back slightly before he wrapped his arms around my waist. "So you like it?" he asked, uncertain of my reaction.
"It's beautiful, thank you! Are we going swimming today or something?"
"Or something," he said, standing up from the bed. "Put it on, we're going on a date."
My stomach erupted in butterflies. "A swimming date?"
He smirked playfully and stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door quietly behind him.
It took all I had not to squeal. My first date. I jumped out of bed and skipped into the bathroom to change. Once I was decent, I stepped in front of the enormous mirror to make sure everything was in its place. The folds in the swimming suit accentuated every inch it covered, and the white cover-up hugged every curve like it was tailored specifically for my body. I look like a celebrity. I shrugged and turned into the closet, finding a pair of strappy sandals to match. I stood again in front of the mirror, finger combing through the curls from yesterday when my eyes fell on the strand of pearls and earrings I had forgotten to take off before bed last night. I gently unclasped the necklace and took out the earrings with care, placing them in the top drawer next to the sink. I have to give these back to Moui.
After brushing my teeth and applying some cover-up and waterproof mascara I had found, I sighed nervously as I stepped out of my room and found my way down the stairs. When I had finally made it to the landing, I noticed a doorway to a room with bookshelves that was filled floor to ceiling with books. I traced the molding that framed the entrance to the room as the desire to look around peaked inside of me. Movement in my peripheral vision snapped me out of my haze of curiosity, and my eyes fell on a wide-eyed Nicholas standing across the room.
"You are the most beautiful…" he whispered, trailing off his words as he started walking towards me. Our eyes locked, and the world stopped moving. Low humming pulsed against my eardrums, signaling me to focus on my breathing.
It's just him and me against the universe. I tilted my head back as he stopped inches in front of me. He grazed my collarbone lightly with the back of his hand, sending a zing of heat through my body. He slowly pulled his hand down my arm, taking his time leaving a scalding trail before he laced his fingers with mine. "Are you ready?" he asked quietly.
An easy smile crossed my lips as I nodded. We walked silently outside hand-in-hand. He opened the passenger side door for me to a black SUV and shut the door quietly after I climbed in. He cleared his throat as he slid in the driver's side and started the car.
"So uh, are we going anywhere… public?" I asked, hoping he would say no. I can't stomach a crowd today.
He shifted the car into drive and pulled out of the circle driveway. "No, nothing public. So you can relax a little bit over there." He grinned teasingly. I realized that he had probably used his gift to read my emotions again. I chewed the inside of my cheek as I tried to hone in on my gifts. I need to figure out how to read emotions on command, too…
We wound through curvy roads with brilliant billowing trees I didn't know the names of. The longer we drove, the more palm trees came into view. Eventually, he pulled the SUV to a stop and shifted to park near a sand-covered path. Silently, he stepped out of the car and opened my door, holding out his hand with a smile that caused my heart to retract tightly in my chest. We walked along the path of sand, shaded with palm leaves and wild flowers that randomly grew along the edges of the path. Rounding a corner, an opening appeared and my mouth parted as I saw clear, sea green waves rush to the wet sand. A blanket and a picnic basket were laid out on the desolate beach, along with two surfboards that were standing vertically in the sand.
"It's been so long since I've been to a beach…" I swallowed, remembering old memories of my dad.
Nicholas was beaming. "This is a private beach — my family owns this spot."
I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "This is perfect."
"Do you know how to surf?" he asked, pulling off his shirt and revealing his chiseled six-pack. I unconsciously reached out and ran my fingers down every ripple — then jerked my hand back once I realized what I was doing.
Nicholas quirked a brow with a smug grin. "See something you like?"
I blushed, clearing my throat. "You're hot."
A deep, throaty chuckle escaped as he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to his side. "Now back to surfing… have you ever been?"
"I've always wanted to, but no." We walked to the blanket and he opened the basket, pulling out a bottle of sunscreen.
"Nothing will dare to hurt or injure my girl. Including the sun," he said jokingly. But there was a serious undertone in his voice that led me to believe he wasn't kidding.
I pulled the white cover-up over my head and set it gently on the blanket, careful not to leave it where it would wrinkle. Before I could turn back around, the humming returned. When my eyes locked on Nicholas’ half-lidded eyes, I focused on pushing my senses to see what he was feeling. The answer came easier that I expected. Adoration, happiness and… lust.
"See something you like?" I laughed, mimicking his earlier comment, putting my hands on my hips.
"You're so dangerous…" he mumbled, shaking his head. He squeezed lotion in his hand and started massaging the lotion on my back and arms — he was cautious when he smoothed the lotion on my face, taking his time around my lips. The way he touched me was sensual — possessive. And I love it.
He wouldn't allow me to put any lotion on him. He sai
d Valens normally don't need sun block, and then explained that he was 'taking extra precautions' when it came to me. I rolled my eyes.
"Ready for your lesson?" He grinned, lifting a board out of the sand.
"Okay, but you're going to have to go easy on me." I picked my board up out of the sand and walked toward the crystal clear waves. The sun was shining bright overhead and the temperature was perfectly warm. Cool salt water rushed over my toes, sending chills up my legs. Looking back at Nicholas, I pulled in a steady breath and concentrated my senses again to see if I could read him on command. He's really happy — a telltale sign of the weather, I assume. Smiling at my accomplishment, I waited for him to lead the way into the water. He stopped and strapped his surfboard leash to his ankle and motioned for me to do the same.
Lying down on his board, Nicholas started paddling out against the waves. I mimicked him, paddling behind him. He stopped and turned his board around to face the shore, then straddled the center and sat up, waiting for me to follow suit.
"When you see a steady whitehead, lay down on the center of the board with your feet hanging slightly off the end. Make sure the nose of the board is above water or you won't be going anywhere. Paddle a few strokes with your hands to gain momentum and then tuck your legs in before standing up. Humans normally practice on the sand before coming out, but I have a feeling you'll do just fine starting out here," he said, smiling crookedly.
I nodded, taking note of his instructions. "Are you ever worried about sharks?"
His eyes grew gravely dark, and the wind picked up behind us. "I will rip every last fin off the shark that comes within one hundred meters of you."
My eyebrows shot up and just as I was about to say something, a tall wave lifted us and Nicholas was up before I could see him paddle. He cut his board side to side, riding confidently with a bright light touching his eyes. His muscles were flexed broadly as he kept himself balanced, and his movements were finessed with power and strength. The wave eventually died and he hopped off his board into the water, flinging his hair to the side and turning back to look at me with a wide grin. "Come on, Abby! Your turn!"
I nodded and bit my lip nervously, turning to watch the waves behind me. No way could I ever look like that. My stomach jolted when a big wave rose behind me. I lay down on the board and paddled till I felt it was right to tuck in my legs and stand. Closing my eyes tight, I planted my feet in the middle of the board and hovered a moment before I realized I was up. I'm standing. I smiled wide as I saw Nicholas clapping and whistling — then the board started bouncing uncontrollably and I was off just as fast as I had gotten on. My leash strapped to my ankle slipped off and I was pulled under the water into a current. When I was able to break free and reach the surface, I burst into uncontrollable laughter. Nicholas was by me instantly, scooping me into his arms and holding me close to his chest.
"You're a natural," he breathed, pressing his forehead to mine, carrying me to shore.
"You're crazy! That was terrible!" I laughed again while wringing the water out of my hair.
He chuckled quietly as he stepped onto the sand, holding me tight against him till we got to the blanket. He set me down and plopped down next to me.
"Thank you for this — for everything," I said, smoothing his brow.
"There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. You know that, right?" he asked — his voice cracking.
"I'd like to think that…" I said quietly.
He smiled, revealing his perfect white teeth. "You can feel our connection, I know you can. I'm going to help train you — I'm going to take you places and show you things you'd never dream possible. I live to see the light shine in your eyes, Abby. You're everything to me…"
"You don't have to take me places and feel the need to spoil me. Can you feel how happy you make me?" I asked, gazing into his eyes. He nodded slightly. "Then nothing else matters but you and me." I whispered, cupping his cheek and sealing my salty lips to his.
****
I sighed dreamily as we pulled back into the drive at my house. My house. That thought made my insides twist. I chewed on my lip, thinking about my mom and sister when I heard Nicholas clear his throat.
"I saw this earlier and thought of you." He grinned, holding out a bright red orchid with a deep, red center on each petal. "It's beautiful, but the distinct placements of the petals look dangerous. Like you want more than anything to pick it and enjoy its beauty, even if that means potentially getting hurt if it happens to be poisoned." He paused, reading my reaction. "Luckily, orchids aren't poisonous." He smiled crookedly.
I pulled the delicate flower from his grasp and smelled its sweet fragrance with a soft smile. I twisted the stem of the flower in my fingers, watching him curiously. "Is that a compliment?"
"Absolutely," he breathed.
Smiling, I kissed the palm of his hand. "Then thank you for the 'potentially dangerous', beautiful flower. And the best first date any girl could ask for."
"This was your first date?" he asked, quirking a brow.
I nodded. He wrapped his arms around me so tight, that the breath rushed out of my lungs. "That makes me so happy," he whispered and placed a kiss on top of my head. He jumped out of the car, opened my door and held out his hand for me.
The day had passed quickly, and we tiredly walked hand-in-hand as the shadows of the night danced in the wind. Nicholas opened the front door and watched me as I walked in.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this place," I said, shaking my head at every angle I looked.
Nicholas chuckled and guided me up the stairs, placing his hand in the small of my back.
"You can get used to anything, given enough time. You deserve this, Lady Everett," he said happily, stopping in front of my bedroom door. I tilted my head and looked deep into his bright, copper eyes. He smoothed a stray hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ear.
"Unfortunately, we need to start training tomorrow." He traced my jaw line with his thumb, leaving a burning trail where he touched.
"Hmm?" I asked, not hearing a word he had said as I breathed in his musky scent. He cupped my chin and sensually pulled me closer to him, his hooded eyes focused on my lips. He brushed his lips teasingly against mine before softly kissing me. I pulled his bottom lip between my teeth and wrapped my arms around his neck. Eagerly, I tugged him closer to me and deepened the kiss. With a deep moan, he roughly pushed my back against the wall, running a fervent hand down my side toward my hips. He moaned again and pulled away, giving me a dark smile.
He shook his head and chuckled. "The things you do to me, Abigail Everett."
I smiled and shrugged. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."
Laughing, he laced his fingers with mine and kissed the back of my hand. "Sleep well tonight — it's going to be a long day tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning, my beauty."
"Goodnight." I sighed, biting my lip as he turned and walked down the stairs. I twirled my flower between my fingers to stop myself from going after him. I stepped into my room and shut the door behind me, kicking off my sandals and gently placing the flower on the bedside table. I took a quick shower, using bath products with labels I didn't recognize, and tied a plush robe around me when I was finished.
I plopped on my bed and sunk into the softness of my blankets. Reaching toward the bedside table, I clicked the end of a pen and flipped open my purple notebook.
Thoughts of Nicholas raced through my mind. Sighing deeply, I pushed my senses to calm my inner desires — only to find they magnified. I can feel him close. I tossed the notebook aside and paced the room a few times, growing more frustrated with every step.
Air — I need fresh air. I slid the sliding glass door open and pulled in a deep breath of the cool, tropical air. Padding to the ledge, I peered down into the black abyss of Salvus Island. A slight breeze touched my face and I heard a rustling of trees to the left.
Pulling in another breath to calm my resolve, I padded back into my room in search for a pair of
pajamas. The bed had been made during the day while I was gone, and my dirty pajamas I left on the floor had been collected. I tried to not let that creep me out.
There was a weird repetitious crunching noise coming from outside. I needed to find a computer to search the animals around here.
Stepping into my closet, I started sorting through all the hangers of pajamas, looking for the least provocative. I need to talk with whoever shops for me…
A loud thud echoed from the balcony.
I gasped, and shut off the light — closing the closet doors as silently as I could with my heart lodged in my throat.
Someone is on the balcony.
I grabbed a stiletto from the shoe rack, holding it tight in my grasp. Oh, how I wish someone had trained me!
I knelt down, adjacent to the door to gain advantage over to whoever would walk through the door. It may be lame, but heels hurt like a mother if you hit with them right.
I held my breath — listening for the tiniest of movements.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps enter the bathroom. My heart thudded so hard I had to focus to keep my breathing in control.
My breathing… My gifts I had discovered weren't exactly for defense, but it was worth a try. I took slow, deep breaths. Focusing, preparing for whatever was about to come through that door.
I could almost feel them… almost. If only my heart would stop slamming against my ribcage. I listened harder, keeping my breathing steady, hoping I could get my gift to work on command just this once.
The intruder wasn't coming in; maybe they left my bedroom? I stood, relaxing slightly from my defensive stance.
And then there was a click. The closet door creaked open.
It was now or never.
I found all the courage could manage and jumped toward the perpetrator, slamming the heel of the shoe down hard and fast, connecting with his arm.
