Key to My Heart: An Anthology of Sweet Romance

by Alice La Roux

  She had her hair beautifully curled and pinned back from her face. She was dressed for the occasion, also. She had a beautiful, strapless blue cocktail dress. She was shining, and I couldn't believe that she was standing in front of me.

  I looked up at Thomas, hoping with everything that he would let me go to her. I never liked leaving one man to run the bar.

  "Go on." He nodded his head towards Laura. "She won't be here forever."

  My face dropped when he said that, but I didn't let myself dwell on it. She wouldn't be here forever. The best luck I would have is a few days with her before she returned to her world. All that mattered was that she was here tonight. Right now, she was here with me.

  "Thanks, man." I walked to the end of the bar, nearly tripping over my own feet in my rush to get to her.

  She giggled as I approached her and allowed me to take her hand.

  I leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. "You came."

  She nodded before gazing up at me. "Do you have to finish your shift?" she asked, nodding her head towards the bar.

  I quickly shook my head. "Where are your bodyguards?"

  She threw her head back, a loud laugh escaping her. "I think they have surrendered me to your protection this evening." She nodded her head over my shoulder, silently telling me that they were on the dancefloor.

  "I vow to protect you, my lady," I joked. Staring down at her, I could feel the bass of the music thumping through the floor. I knew that this wasn't the right place for her. I had waited all evening for her and in the middle of a sweaty dance floor was not exactly how I pictured our time together.

  I reached down and took her hand in mine. "Take a walk with me?"

  She nodded her head before entwining her fingers with mine. "Okay," she whispered.

  I smiled and slowly led her to the door, leading her out into the cool night air.

  What felt like only moments later, we made our way down to the beach. There weren't many people out walking due to the late time, and all that could be heard was the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

  We made our way down on to the sand, allowing the moonlight to guide our path down closer to the shore. After a while, I stopped our footsteps and pulled her around to stand in front of me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and rested my hands on her stomach.

  She leaned back, resting her head against my chest. "It's beautiful out here," she whispered.

  "It is."

  I gazed down at her, loving the feel of her in my arms. It was something that I could definitely become accustomed to. She felt too good to ever let go.

  "When do you go home?" I asked, dreading the answer. I hated to ask the question, but I needed to know how long I would have her before she returned to her world.

  She tensed and I knew that no matter what answer she gave, it wouldn't be enough. Having her return to her world before I could see what we could become would never be good enough.

  We were from two different worlds and there was no changing that.

  She turned around slowly before wrapping her arms around my waist. She placed her hands on the bottom of my back before voicing her truth.

  "Tomorrow," she whispered.

  "Tomorrow," I whispered, repeating her words back to her. "Wow, that's sooner than I thought."

  She nodded, staring up at me. "We met at the wrong time, I guess."

  I nodded my head, unable to tear my gaze from her.

  Wrong time. Wrong place. Wrong everything, really.

  As I stared down at her, my eyes trailed down to her lips and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Just one kiss. Just one moment where she'd be mine and I'd be hers.

  "Can I kiss you?" I asked before taking her face in my hands. "Just one kiss."

  She stared up at me for several moments before she slowly nodded her head. She slowly closed her eyes and tilted her head up to mine.

  "Please kiss me," she whispered, softly commanding me.

  How little she knew that she commanded me with more than just words.

  For the first time, someone had gotten through my brick wall and penetrated my iron heart.

  How sad that it had to be someone that I had no chance with.

  Epilogue

  Laura

  Standing in the airport, I stared at the airplane sitting on the runway. As much as I wasn't looking forward to coming on this trip, now I would give anything to stay.

  I took my phone out of my handbag, going straight to the gallery. The night before, I had danced underneath the stars. Drew insisted on us taking a few photos, saying that he wanted to remember this night.

  We had also promised to call each other and stay in touch.

  I wanted so badly to ask him to visit but I had no right to ask that. I was one girl in what could possibly be a long list of girls that he spent his time with. If I asked him, and he said no, I would be mortified.

  Seconds later, our flight announcement was being called over the speakers. I had finally run out of time.

  Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the backpack I had stored beneath my seat and got to my feet.

  "It's time," Dani said. She looked at me with a sympathetic expression.

  I nodded my head, trying to ignore the look on her face. It wasn't making me feel better. I took my ticket from Jo and sighed, following behind them at a snail's pace. Joining the cue of weary travelers, I noticed that I wasn't the only one that appeared sluggish and worn.

  "Laura!"

  I frowned in confusion, thinking I was hearing things at first but when I looked at Dani, I knew that I wasn't the only one that had heard it.

  "What the hell," Jo muttered.

  Several people turned around towards the direction of where the calls were coming from.

  "Laura! Laura!"

  "It's him!" Jo squealed, hugging herself to Dani's side.

  Hope filled me at the thought of seeing him one last time before I left our paradise.

  Seconds later, he came running around the corner. He looked a little worried at first before his eyes landed on mine. He ran towards me, not stopping until he was inches in front of me and taking my face in his hands.

  "I had to see you," he whispered. He pressed his lips to mine quickly before pulling back. "I had to see you one last time."

  I giggled up at him, feeling joy course through me.

  His eyes flicked over my head before his face fell.

  I didn't have to ask why. I knew that he was most likely seeing the cue shrinking and with it, our time together ticking against us.

  "I have to go," I whispered.

  He nodded before looking down at me. "Ring me when you get home."

  I nodded, feeling disappointment course through me. Was this it? The end for us with no plans for more. When I saw him running towards me, I’d thought he was here for something else.

  For... more.

  "I have some time off in a few months," he whispered.

  "Will you come and see me?" I asked. There was a note of desperation in my voice. As much as I tried, there was no use in me hiding it.

  A slow and beautiful smile slowly took over his face before he kissed me softly once more.

  "You know I will, beautiful."

  I grinned and slowly walked away from him, feeling a definite pep in my step.

  I had become to this beautiful place feeling hollow and now I was leaving, excited for the times ahead.

  My time with my surfer boy was no longer over.

  If anything, it was only just beginning.

  Chapter One

  Stacey looks out of the window as a tear rolls down her face. She is determined not to cry, not over ‘him’ anyway.

  “Fuck him!” she mutters under her breath as the plane taxies down the runway for take-off. This was meant to be a romantic getaway for two, but now it is rapidly turning into a pity party for one.

  She looks over at the empty seat next to her as more tears fall.

  “You okay, sweetie?” s
he hears as she is pulled out of her thoughts by a sweet old lady sitting in the aisle seat across from her. The old lady holds out a tissue for her to take.

  “Thank you,” she says, taking the tissue, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose.

  “So, what did he do?” the lady asks once Stacey has composed herself enough to talk.

  “Is it that obvious?”

  “It is when you get to my age love,” she smiles sweetly, reminding Stacey of her late grandmother.

  “He cheated on me with a woman he works with. This was meant to be a romantic getaway. We’ve been planning it for months.” Stacey weakly lets out a laugh before she continues, “Well, I have. He left it to me saying as long as I was happy he would go anywhere, as long as it was with me.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “Yeah, right!”

  “Better to find out now than when you’re married,” the older lady replies and Stacey nods weakly in agreement.

  Stacey rubs her eyes as she wakes and stretches out the last remnants of sleep. She arrived late the night before, quickly booked herself into the hotel and crashed out on the bed. It is only in the cold light of morning that she can properly take in the beauty of the room. There is a large balcony that overlooks the beach and in the middle of the room is a gorgeous four poster bed by which, scattered over the floor, is a selection of different coloured rose petals that she vaguely remembers being on the bed before she threw the covers off.

  She looks down at the floor before kicking at the petals, determined not to let ‘him’ get to her. She had cried enough and wasn’t going to let it spoil her holiday.

  Looking over the activity programme, and after some debating, she settles on aqua aerobics for her first activity before breakfast. She changes into her bikini and sarong before making her way down to the pool.

  The pool is as spectacular as her room. Well, it is a five-star hotel! What Stacey isn’t expecting though is the Miss Trunchbull lookalike who stands in front of her as she enters the pool.

  “The harder you work now, the more you get to play later,” Silvie, the Miss Trunchbull lookalike, commands with a wink from her stand at the front. There is a small titter of laughter from the aerobics group since Silvie is only matronly in looks and certainly not in language. However, what grabs Stacey’s attention is the sexy Greek god sitting on one of the sun loungers next to the pool. He would have been totally Stacey’s type if she wasn’t sworn off men for life, thanks to her ex.

  Forty minutes later, aqua aerobics is finally over, and Stacey makes her way out of the pool to collect her stuff with the intention of going back to her room for a quick shower, followed by some breakfast.

  “Morning Senorita,” the Greek god says to her with a surprisingly British-sounding accent. He raises his sunglasses and Stacey gets a stunning view of his mesmerising green eyes and starts to feel a little self-conscious in just her bikini. She smiles and quickly moves to her belongings on the sun lounger. The British/Greek god follows closely on her heels. Stacey quickly starts to wrap her sarong around herself but before she has a chance to pick up her towel it is swept away by a strong muscular arm that then holds it out towards her.

  “Thank you,” she blushes as she takes the towel from his hand. Feeling a traitorous flutter in her stomach.

  “Matt,” he replies as his hand brushes against hers sending a jolt of energy through her body that only makes her blush increase.

  Stacey starts to walk away but stops when she hears his voice again.

  “Do I not get a name?” Matt calls after her.

  A nervous giggle escapes as she looks around, embarrassment evident on her face.

  “Shush! You’re making a scene,” she pleads. Her eyes dart around seeing strangers’ eyes staring at her.

  “A name, please?” he calls, falling to his knees in a begging pose.

  “Okay, okay, get up! It’s Stacey. Now if you don’t mind…” She moves to leave but once again makes it only a few paces before she is stopped as she senses another person walking alongside her.

  “A beautiful name for a beautiful lady.”

  She turns to be met with a mouth-watering smile from Matt.

  “Thanks,” she replies through her blushes as the traitorous flutter attacks her stomach again. She goes to move again but is stopped as Matt gently places his hand on her arm.

  “Have breakfast with me?”

  “What?” Her eyes widen as she stares blankly at him.

  “Have breakfast with me.” This time it’s less of a question and more of a command.

  “I…” Stacey starts to reply but is cut short when a larger man in a suit comes up and whispers to Matt, giving Stacey the perfect opportunity to make a run for it back to her room. She has had enough of men and their cheating ways and the last thing she needs is to get involved with a person so soon after ‘him’, no matter how many flutters she gets in her stomach.

  Back in her room, she can’t seem to shake off the thoughts of his smouldering good looks and mesmerising green eyes. Frustrated, she decides a shower is in order but while she is there, she can’t help her hands wandering between her legs, imagining strong arms replacing hers as she tries to satisfy the ache brought on by her brief encounter with Matt.

  Later that afternoon, Stacey is laid out on her bed. She is having a vivid dream of mesmerising green eyes and the talented hands of this stranger doing amazing things she can only dream about with her body. It’s just getting interesting and steamy when she is startled awake by a very loud knock on the door. Assuming its housekeeping, she shouts for them to wait a minute while she composes herself and throws on the dressing gown that is next to her on the bed. When she is feeling more composed, she shouts again for them to come in. When no one enters she shouts again and waits, a little more frustrated since she was woken up just as her dream was getting good. With no reply, she sighs impatiently and walks over to the door, grabs the handle and pulls it open.

  “Can I…” Stopping dead in her thoughts she realises no one is there. She looks up and down the corridor but comes up blank. In fact, the whole floor looks and sounds deserted. Giving up, she looks down before going to close the door and notices a single red rose on the floor just outside her room. Bending down and picking it up, she looks around once more. Seeing no one, she closes the door and holds the rose to her nose inhaling the heavenly scent. How did someone know roses are her favourite flower? Then it hits her. It’s ‘him’!

  Throwing the rose in the nearest bin she mutters to herself, “I want nothing from ‘him’!” as she pictures James, her ex, with his arse in the air pumping into the other woman. She closes her eyes briefly and shudders as she collects her light jacket and heads for the door in search of the nearest bar.

  Two hours and several cocktails later, Stacey is propping up the bar with a small cocktail umbrella in her hair and a blue coloured drink in her hand. Downing the last of the drink, she looks over the cocktail menu ready to try another.

  “A Suck, Bang and Blow please,” she slurs.

  “If only,” comes the sound of a familiar sexy voice next to her.

  “Martin!” she turns and shout a little too loudly to be deemed appropriate in a bar.

  “Matt,” he replies. “And she’ll have a water.” He glares at the barman making the drink.

  “But,” she pouts. “Wait, it’s you!” She looks over his body for far too long to be deemed appropriate before catching herself and resting her eyes back on his face.

  “Why do all men seem to think they know what I need! I don’t need roses from my dick of an ex and I don’t need water from you!” She finishes with a flourish of her hand in his direction before turning back to the barman.

  “Suck, Bang and Blow me!” she shouts as she slams her money down on the bar and nods her head for emphasis. There is another look between Matt and the barman before Stacey’s drink is placed in front of her.

  “Thank you!” she exclaims loudly as she picks up the drink and downs half of it triumphantly.


  “So, what happened to you this morning? I turned around and you had left.”

  “Wasn’t hungry,” she replies tartly and downs the rest of her drink, making an effort to pop her lips after she swallows.

  “Wow, you really are making me work,” he sighs.

  “No! I’m really trying to make you see I’m not interested! I’m done with men.” She moves off her stool and stumbles but just before she face plants onto the floor, she feels strong arms scoop her up.

  “Let me prove you wrong,” Matt whispers into her ear as he carries her out of the bar.

  “Wow, you’re strong,” she giggles as she feels the muscles in his forearm and kisses him just before she passes out in his arms.

  Stacey wakes early the next day with a splitting headache. She tries sitting up but groans at the motion and slumps back into bed. She never usually drinks and now she remembers why. Looking over to the clock, she spots a glass of water and some pills. Thinking how organised she is while drunk she downs the water and tablets in the hope of rehydrating herself.

  After a couple more hours sleep, Stacey is beginning to feel more like herself and finally decides to venture out of bed—firstly, in search of more water and secondly to relieve her bladder that is protesting at its fullness.

  While sat on the toilet, her stomach starts to rumble as she realises that she hasn’t actually eaten anything since yesterday—well, unless the fruit in the cocktails count as food. She makes her way down to the restaurant and is seated quickly. As she looks over the menu, she senses a presence by her side.

  “Oh, hi,” she says without looking up. “I’ll have the smoked salmon omelette please.”

  “A great choice, Stacey.”

  On hearing her name, she jerks her head in the direction of the voice hoping its not who she believes it is.

  “However, you might want to tell the waiter!” Matt chuckles as he takes the vacant seat across from Stacey.