by Erin Snihur
Shyly staring at their entwined hands, Teresa blushed, feeling his eyes boring into hers as she whispered unconvincingly, “Thank you.”
“You don’t sound very convinced,” Amoz said, his words light and teasing, but rang of the truth. Teresa wasn’t convinced. All night she’d heard funny, yet daunting stories of Amoz and Tariq as little devils in boarding school and then what a charmer Amoz was when Tariq would ever get into trouble. If he was that much of a charmer, why would he be so interested in her?
Ugly cow. Useless cow. Cold, heartless bitch, had been Gerry’s favorite words to describe her in the later years of their marriage when he’d go on an alcoholic binge.
Who knew when she would be truly rid of him and his hateful nature? Even thousands of miles away on the other side of the planet, she heard those words. Her vision blurred as she continued to stare at Amoz’ large, tanned hands holding her small, pale ones.
“Teresa?” Amoz murmured and before she could stop him, he dropped her hand and cupped her chin, forcing her to stare into his eyes with her own. He must have sensed her withdrawing and, when his thumb smoothed a tear across her cheek, Teresa released a harsh breath.
Teresa wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t sure how to say it, period. How could she tell this handsome, strong man that she was scarred, both visibly and emotionally? Her mind racing as Amoz called her name a second time, forced her to open her mouth and blurt out the only thing she could think of. The one statement that would surely cool his attentions.
“I’m married.”
8
“I’m married.”
Teresa’s words had startled Amoz into shock. He stared down at her as her gaze met his, waiting for his response. As he stared, Amoz knew what she wanted him to say. She wanted him to pull away. She thought her statement would scare him.
It only infuriated him. What kind of man allowed a woman such as Teresa to escape?
Not taking his eyes off of hers, Amoz dropped his hands, inwardly tensing as her face relaxed, but tensed further when he gripped her left hand. Softly caressing each finger until he came to her bare ring finger, Amoz tilted his head toward her.
“Where is your ring?” Amoz asked simply.
Amoz watched as Teresa’s face flushed and she glanced down at her left hand. Her face frowned for a minute before breaking out into sheepish smile.
“I threw it into the Atlantic Ocean when we landed in New York before catching our second flight to Elish,” Teresa murmured, clearly embarrassed.
Laughing softly, Amoz shook his head and tucked a strand of her hair away from her face. “You don’t sound like a happily married woman.”
As if trying to come up with a response, Teresa blew out a harsh breath and pushed him aside. Strolling past him, Amoz watched and waited. She only walked a few steps away and stopped before a beautiful lily bush that grew wild off the side of the path.
“He’s not a pleasant man. Our marriage is over, but it’s not legally over yet,” Teresa finally murmured and turned away from the flowers to stare at him.
Amoz smiled gently. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“So, you see?” she asked him with hope in her voice.
He did. He understood why she was so frightened of him, of any men really. Her husband. He was no man. He was a coward.
“I do.” Amoz nodded and stepped closer to her, his hands moving to her shoulders, “Now that I understand what has you so scared, we can take our time and I’ll be gentle when I take you to my bed, ya helo.”
Amoz felt her tense and heard her intake of breath before she pushed against his chest and he was met with her glaring green eyes.
Shit.
“What are you talking about?” Teresa exclaimed, her lipstick stained lips gaped open in shock. “You think I want to sleep with you?”
Teresa had never felt so embarrassed in all her life. She’d just revealed to almost a complete stranger a horrible part of her past. Something she didn’t wish to even think about, but found it reared its ugly head more often than not since she met Amoz.
Amoz sputtered, reaching out his hands as if to touch her, but when Teresa flinched at the contact, he dropped his hands in exasperation.
Running his hands through his thick hair, Amoz leveled her with a smoldering look. “I thought you were explaining to me why you were nervous about our attraction. You must feel it, ya helo.”
Teresa did. How could she not? His close shaven face and pale eyes called to her. Amoz reminded her of every erotic dream she’d had over the years and every romantic novel she’d read.
Shaking her head, Teresa set her jaw stubbornly. “No, I don’t.”
“Liar,” was all Amoz murmured before his hand snaked out around her waist and pulled her against him.
With a thud, their bodies collided and Teresa only had a moment to place her hands on his broad chest. A gasp escaped her lips and as her mouth opened, Amoz struck.
His head descended and his mouth took hers with smooth ease. Teresa didn’t know what to do. All she knew was that she didn’t want it to stop. His lips tasted of their meal and his tongue quickly thwarted hers for dominance. With one hand wrapped around her waist, squeezing her side, his other hand slid up her back and delved into her hair.
Teresa moaned into his mouth, her body melting against his as her hands seemed to move of their own accord up the length of his chest and around his neck. As soon as her fingers touched his lightly bearded face, Amoz ended the kiss and pulled away. Leaning his forehead against hers, Teresa stared up at him through heavily lidded eyes as they both breathed heavily after the effect of his kiss and touch.
“That was hot,” the teasing voice of her sister, Samantha, called out and Teresa felt herself jumping away from Amoz as he reluctantly removed his hands from around her waist.
Samantha grinned only a few steps away from them, hands on her cocked hip as Tariq casually threw an arm over her shoulder. He too was grinning and Teresa had never felt so embarrassed in all her life. She felt like a teenager being caught by her parents with her boyfriend.
“What do you think, Tariq? Should we leave them alone and go find our own little corner of paradise?” Samantha crooned teasingly up at the attractive man leaning against her.
Shooting Teresa a knowing wink, Tariq chuckled at her sister's words. “I don’t know if we should leave them alone. They might fall in the pool if they become too distracted.”
Blushing brightly and through the corner of her eye, Teresa scanned Amoz to gage his reaction. He was lazily smiling, but his gaze was solely on Teresa. His warm hand at her back sent tingles up her back and she glanced over her shoulder to meet his pale eyes.
Leaning in close, Amoz gave her cheek a soft peck with his lips and murmured for her ears only, “I win, ya helo.”
Shivering at his warm touch, Teresa felt her heart sink as Amoz pulled away. She yearned for his body heat to wrap around her once more, but couldn’t find it in herself to beg him for more, especially in front of her sister and Tariq.
“Don’t you think we should get these lovely ladies back to their room, Tariq?” Amoz asked his friend teasingly.
“Indeed. Wouldn’t want you to be spotted mauling an innocent guest by the paparazzi, would we?” Tariq murmured and before Teresa or Samantha could comment, a harsh look from Amoz had his cheerful friend shutting up quite quickly.
When the foursome found themselves in front of the girls’ rooms, Amoz pulled Teresa off to the side under the watchful eye of Samantha and a teasing Tariq.
“Go out with me tomorrow,” Amoz murmured softly to her.
His hands brushed aside an errant curl and his eyes stared deeply into hers. Teresa wondered if he was trying to read her thoughts. They had been consumed with him and his kiss.
Her blush must have given away the direction of her thoughts, because Amoz chuckled softly when she hesitated. “I promise not to maul you too much. I want to show you my country.”
Glancing over his shoulder,
Teresa nervously bit her lip when she was met with her sister’s cheery grin and a big thumbs up, as if her sister was saying, go for it!
Decided, Teresa met Amoz’ gaze and nodded. “Okay. That would be perfect. Say nine o’clock?”
“Perfect,” Amoz whispered and leaned in close to her so much that she thought he was going to kiss her, but instead, all she felt was the heat of his lips and a slight brushing of them as he whispered, “Dream of me, ya helo.”
Impossible not to, Teresa’s inner mind whispered back as she watched Amoz and Tariq stroll away, deep in conversation.
Turning back to her sister who grinned giddily back at her, Teresa groaned, “What am I going to wear!?”
9
When Amoz said he wanted to show Teresa his country, he wasn’t talking about a simple bus tour or visiting a few tourist attractions. At one point during the course of their day, they were fully immersed in a jungle and standing atop a once active volcano. If Teresa didn’t already know that Amoz was a businessman, she would have guessed he was a historian or tour guide by the way he knew so many facts about Elish and its culture.
After returning from a local town where she and Amoz strolled through a bustling marketplace, Teresa finally admitted to her exhaustion and aching feet. Amoz had a simple solution.
Come to my suite, ya helo.
His words had sent butterflies swarming about in her stomach and she’d tried to protest, but he’d insisted. He claimed the jacuzzi hot tub and private pool in his suite would soothe her aches. He’d even sent a maid to grab her bikini from Teresa’s room. She hoped Samantha hadn’t been there when the maid had arrived. She could only imagine what her sister was thinking.
When Teresa had asked her sister if it was okay for her to go on a tour with Amoz, her sister hadn’t protested one bit and claimed she and Tariq were going to spend the day by the pool soaking up the sun and “getting to know one another”. Samantha had winked when she’d said that and Teresa rolled her eyes at her sister’s ease at spending physical alone time with a man she barely knew.
Isn’t that what you want with Amoz, a voice hissed at the back of her mind.
Now, standing in Amoz’ guest bathroom, Teresa was practically shaking with nervousness. She stood before the full-length mirror and felt as though she’d become an entirely different person in Amoz’ company.
Throughout the day, they’d flirted, teased and been close. Amoz hadn’t given up holding her hand the entire time, even while he’d been driving. He made every excuse to touch her briefly before pulling his hands or body away. It was as if he knew that every time their skin met, tingles raced through her veins and she’d lose her train of thought.
When they’d arrived at his suite, Teresa had been in shock. It was like a townhouse, rather than a hotel room, with a full-service kitchen that made Teresa’s inner baker drool. At the back of the kitchen was an attached living room and private patio that led to the private pool and hot tub.
Teresa had never seen a suit like this and almost wanted to comment on its luxury. Amoz had humbly mentioned that he and the owner of the resort were close and, therefore, he was given special privileges at the resort. From the glint in his eyes, Teresa knew there was more to the story, but she didn’t want to comment or ruin their perfect day.
How can I go out there like this?
The maid obviously hadn’t thought to check and see who’s bathing suit she was fetching before bringing the bathing suit Teresa was currently wearing. It was Samantha’s no doubt, as Teresa would have never bought such a flimsy bathing suit. The strings at her side barely held the bottoms up around her waist and the top at her neck threatened to come undone every time she shifted.
Grimacing at the way the skimpy bikini revealed the scars that littered her lower stomach, Teresa grabbed the closest towel and stepped out of the bathroom, intent on finding Amoz and asking him for a t-shirt or cover up. Her scars had always been embarrassing for her. Others would often ask about them if they ever were revealed and she never liked revealing the truth behind them. She never wanted to appear weak to others. Thus, she always wore high-waisted bathing suits.
As she emerged in the bathing suit, Teresa paused in the archway that led to the living room. Amoz stood facing the wall of sliding glass doors that looked out over the crystal beach and pool patio. He was drinking something from a clear glass. Possibly brandy or whiskey. He had admitted to enjoying the occasional drink in the evenings. He claimed he was a bit of a connoisseur when it came to those things.
Teresa had been nervous when he’d admitted it. Gerry had been an angry drunk, but Amoz wasn’t Gerry. She had to realize that. As she stared at his strong back and wide shoulders, Teresa shuddered. Amoz certainly wasn’t Gerry. She was certain Amoz wouldn’t cower away from Gerry like she had. He would most definitely tower over her ex-husband. In the market, Amoz had almost towered over everyone else. His powerful stature and warm hand encasing hers in his had made her feel safe today. Something Gerry hadn’t made her feel in a long time.
Teresa didn’t want to interrupt Amoz’ quiet contemplation as he stared out of the glass at the beautiful view of the sun setting on the horizon. He must have sensed her watching, because his body tensed and didn’t relax until he had turned completely around and his lips morphed into an easy-going smile.
“There you are. I was getting worried. Are you ready?” Amoz murmured and set his glass on the coffee table in the middle of the living room.
It was only then that Teresa noticed Amoz’ button up shirt was open, revealing a smooth, chiseled chest. Swim trunks hung on hips, drawing attention to the tantalizing v-shape that led to an area Teresa recalled feeling pressed against her the other night during their kiss.
Blushing, Teresa held the towel tightly around her and stammered out, “I think there’s been a mix up. I think the maid brought Samantha’s bathing suit instead of mine.”
“It doesn’t fit?” Amoz murmured, an eyebrow raised in question.
“Yes, I mean, no,” Teresa sighed in frustration and blew out a harsh breath. “It does fit, but it’s a bit more revealing than my other suits.”
Amoz lips morphed into a wolfish grin. “I see. Are you worried I’ll ravish you in the hot tub, ya helo?”
Scoffing, Teresa swayed in place and tried to stretch the towel lower so she could cover herself. “No, of course not, it’s just, I was hoping you might have a t-shirt, I could borrow, or something?”
Amoz tilted his head. “I’ve seen you in a bathing suit, Teresa, you have nothing to worry about, you are too tired for such activities tonight. I promise not to become some insatiable beast at the sight of your bikini.”
An image of she and Amoz wrapped around each other in the heat of passion in the hot tub burst forth in Teresa’s mind and she instantly blushed. Her core ached at the thought. Oh, how she wished she could be the kind of girl like her sister who was so free and willing to enjoy life that way.
“It’s not just that. I mean, you’ve only seen me in my own bathing suit,” Teresa murmured, her words trailed off as she sucked in a harsh breath. Why was this so difficult for her to explain?
Stepping closer, Amoz placed his hands on her bare shoulders. “Tell me, Teresa, take your time and breathe.”
Shuddering and eyes closed, Teresa saw flashes of the times Gerry had abused her enough to leave the very scares she wished to hide from everyone. Even this man before her would surely be disgusted by the very sight of them. Forcing her eyes open, Teresa blinked back the tears that threatened to fall and stared into Amoz’ pale brown eyes.
“I…Gerry...,” Teresa stammered a few more times before she was able to get the words out, “I already told you my ex-husband wasn’t a pleasant man and, well, I have a few scars that I always try to hide. They always lead to more questions then I care to answer.”
Amoz seemed to hesitate and Teresa’s heart sank as the silence wore on.
Good job, Teresa, you’ve disgusted him. Gerry was right. Yo
u are a disgusting…wait, what is he doing?
Teresa’s line of thought trailed off as Amoz removed his hands from her shoulders and took a step back. Teresa felt her eyes widen as she stared open mouthed while Amoz slowly removed his open shirt. His chiseled chest and rippling arms drew her eyes, but his strong hands pulled his focus as he began pointing them out.
His own scars.
A few littered his upper arms and a few more littered his lower chest area. One even appeared to be dangerously close to where his kidneys should be. Noticing her attention on that angry looking scar, Amoz smiled at her.
“If the knife had been an inch closer, I would have surely lost my life,” Amoz murmured.
Gasping, Teresa moved forward without thinking and before she could stop herself, freed a hand from holding the towel tightly around herself to touch the scarred flesh.
“How?” she merely asked.
Amoz shrugged solemnly. “Elish wasn’t always so peaceful when I was a younger man. Others I received during my self-defense training and when I was training in a special forces unit here along the Arabian Coast.”
Impressed, Teresa glanced up at him while her hand trailed from the lower scars to his arms where more scars lay, a few she suspected were bullet holes.
“You were in the army?” Teresa asked in awe. “I thought you said you were a businessman.”
“I am. The men in my family only pursue a few terms in the special forces before moving onto business. My grandfather believed it would teach us discipline and be good assets for us later in life. He was right, I suppose,” Amoz murmured and, when Teresa met his now heated gaze, she blushed at the realization she was still caressing his skin.
Pulling her hand away, Teresa bit her lip, unsure. “My scars weren’t given in the heat of battle. I don’t wear them with honor.”
Amoz nodded in understanding, but held out his hand and lightly traced the towel that was wrapped around her cleavage. “I understand, but you should. Your scars show others that you have been through hell and came out the other side stronger than before.”
