Turbulent Kisses (8 page)

Chase rubbed a hand up and down her back. She was soft and inviting, and all traces of the injured tiger she’d shown him before had disappeared.

“So, what do you like about high diving?”

He felt her smile against his chest. “What’s not to like? There’s adrenaline. The rush when you nail a difficult dive. The absolute control it takes to force yourself to jump off that platform.”

Her body tightened, as if she was in the midst of a dive. “You stand up there on the platform, look down and then you just let the body take over. The feeling of weightlessness. The rush. Then, when you have a great entry, the water rushes past your feet and up to your head. You can even hear the bubbles.

“It’s a crazy sensation. Just you and the water – the rest of the world ceases to exist and for a few short moments, there’s only eternal peace. Then, you swim up to the surface, hear the applause and come back to the world.”

“Sounds almost like kitesurfing.” He loved his sport and the adrenaline rush and the sense of danger lured him like a siren to keep competing. To go for bigger and better stunts. For the perfect jump. The weightlessness in the air and the perfect landing on the water. To control the power of the wind with his hands and his body.

One day he wanted to teach Pearl some basic kitesurfing. She’d love it. He pressed her tighter against his body and felt his desire for her rising again. He couldn’t get enough of that woman.

“So how does your leg come into play with diving?”

“You mean how important is it?”

Chase nodded. “Yeah. Can you dive if it’s not one hundred percent?”

“No. Not from the 66-feet-platform.” She explained the need to have her legs perfectly straight as she entered the water and what could happen if they were bent just the slightest bit.

“Why don’t you go head first? With your arms above your head? That’s what I’ve seen on television.”

She chuckled against his chest and her breath tickled his skin. A warm and welcome tickle that spread from his chest across his body and deep into his soul.

“That’s done from the lower platforms. Hitting the water after falling sixty-six feet hurts. And shoulders can only take so much abuse and then that’s it. In competition only feet-first dives are allowed for that very reason.”

His hand trailed down her back and cupped her ass, his imagination going wild.

“Tell me about the perfect dive.”

She described the feeling that comes over her as she takes her place upon the platform. How everything fades away except the beating of her own heart. “It’s a feeling like no other. It’s freedom. And when every muscle is where I need it to be, it’s like something snaps and I’m falling and twisting, and then plunging into the cool water.”

Chase heard the enthusiasm in her voice. “You really love it, don’t you?”

“Yeah. I do.”

He felt such a deep connection to her. It almost tore him apart. He didn’t have words for this feeling. It was new, strange, and wonderful. With his arms wrapped tightly around her, he kissed the top of her head.

Pearl relaxed into his arms and molded her soft curves against his hard body. It was like paradise, and she wished they could stay like this forever.

But he had to know one more thing. It bugged the hell out of him and he just had to know.

“So, your leg. What kind of training were you doing when…?”

Her body tensed for a split second before she frantically shoved herself out of his arms, reaching for a blanket and wrapping it around herself. “We’re done here. Get out!”

Chase’s jaw fell open. He had known he was venturing into dangerous territory with that question, but this had in no way prepared him for her reaction.

“Pearl. Darling. Please, calm down. Come back here and talk to me.”

“No.” She edged further away from him, keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around her body and pointed towards the bedroom door with open terror in her eyes. “Leave. Now.”

After what they had just shared, she was throwing him out. Again. He couldn’t believe it. Volatile didn’t even come close to describing this woman.

“Pearl. Please, listen to me. I don’t know what your deal is with the leg and your injury, but I asked because I care.”

“Yeah, well I didn’t ask you to care. Now leave.” Her face had taken on a dark and unapproachable expression, her voice high-pitched.

Chase leaped from the bed, wanting to grab her and shake some sense into her, but that would solve nothing and probably only make matters worse.

He shook his head at her and left. He wanted her more than anything in the world, but if she changed her mind, he wouldn’t force himself upon her.

***

Pearl waited until she heard the front door close and sank down on the edge of the bed. Tears streamed down her face. She already missed Chase. But he had left, because she hadn’t given him any other choice.

Why did he have to ask about my injury? Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?

She’d never told anyone how the injury occurred. Ever. And he would be the last person she’d choose to tell. There was no way she could manage the pity she knew she would see in his eyes every time he looked at her.

Everyone believed it was a training accident. That’s what she had announced.

But it wasn’t. She had been attacked. Plain and simple. Something she didn’t want anyone to know. Pearl Davids was a strong woman, not a victim.

Since the accident and her urge to hide what happened, she’d told many half-truths and she started to hate the maze of lies she had entangled herself in.

The treatment at the hospital in Milwaukee. Yes, Dr. Kane was a great knee surgeon, but she could have gotten the same care back home in North Carolina. If she had wanted to run the risk of meeting an acquaintance, who might ask questions about her injury…no, not possible.

Her public image was at stake here. Pearl had always presented herself as a strong, independent athlete. Weakness of any kind didn’t fit into that picture.

Being a victim was weakness. In some part of her subconscious, she even believed it was her fault she got attacked. She should have been stronger, fought back, or – dammit – done something. Anything.

Pearl unwrapped the blanket around her, dragged herself into the shower and then crawled onto the couch, too tired to change the sheets, and her emotions too raw to sleep on the bed where she and Chase had made love.

The next morning, she went to the hospital for her therapy session. Doctor Kane looked at her knee and while he gave her a concerned look, he told her that apart from a small cut into the wound, she hadn’t re-injured her knee.

The work with her therapist was a welcome distraction from her gyrating thoughts about Chase. It was afternoon when she arrived at the beach, ready for a workout and the inner peace that always settled her mind when she reached the runner’s high.

Not today though.

Without Chase, the beach felt empty. Her life felt empty.

Last night had been the third time she’d dumped him, and it dawned on her she might not ever see him again.

Short of sobbing, she pushed herself to run faster and faster, hoping the physical exertion would help drown out the guilt and utter loneliness.

When that didn’t work, and her lungs wouldn’t provide the oxygen to run even faster, she had to acknowledge the futility in her attempt and slowed her pace.

After some stretching exercises, she walked up to a huge rock on the beach and sat down there to stare at the water. Grey like her eyes. Like her heart.

Normally, the water was her friend. Not today. It reminded her of Chase. The memory of the night before haunted her. She’d destroyed whatever feelings he might have had for her. She’d lost him forever. She saw it in his eyes as he left. And there was nothing she could do to fix it.

Things had ended on such a bad note last night, she could never expect him to forgive her. She couldn’t forgive herself.

In hindsight, it was crystal clear she had completely overreacted. Like a frantic maniac. Which she probably was. Why did he have to push for answers to questions she’d never dealt with? Questions she was too scared to face. It was better to pretend “the incident” had never happened. Once the scar was gone, there would be nothing left to remind her of the most terrorizing moments in her life.

She’d be free again. Free from the memories. And that freedom was worth more than being with a man. Even if the man was Chase Paxton. She’d forget him.

Still, her body longed with every cell for Chase’s touch. It was the first time her body wouldn’t obey the commands of her brain. And it worried her to death.

What would happen if she stood up there on the platform and her body decided to ignore the commands of her brain?

No, this had to end. And soon.

Chase woke up with a tight knot in his stomach.
She threw me out again. How dare she!

The sex with Pearl had been off the charts great, despite her tension, and how she’d not allowed him to touch her left thigh. It was one thing being self-conscious about a scar, but a totally different story to react the way she had. There must be much more to her scar than she was willing to share.

What had gotten to him wasn’t the lovemaking, but the deep connection he’d felt to her. This was highly unusual for him. Since when did he connect with a woman on more than a physical basis?

When they’d talked about her motivation and her diving, she’d opened up to him in a way that had twisted his insides. Both of them were kneaded from the same dough.

Her motivation to be a high diver reflected his very motivation to be a kitesurfer. His admiration for her had grown as she discussed her training and the absolute control a diver needed to have. She was so tough, and so strong-willed.

Pearl had the rare mind-set of a champion, and he had no doubts about her competing this season – and winning.

His heart ached at the memory of her. In her eyes, he’d seen a dark secret looming. Something that terrified her up to the point to totally freak out. Like she did when she’d thrown him out. Again.

Chase wanted to help her, take her fear away, but he had no idea how. By now, he knew her well enough to acknowledge that she was too stubborn to listen to him.

If they got back together, it had to happen on her terms. She’d have to come to him, not the other way around.

And that was the crux of the problem. She’d made it very clear she wanted him out of her life. Forever. He wouldn’t force himself back into her life. That just wasn’t his style.

Hell, none of this was his style.

He shook his head and scrubbed his hands over his face, wishing he could scrub the memory of her off as easily.

With a heavy feeling, he rolled out of bed, and trotted downstairs into the kitchen. While shoving some leftover food into the microwave, he eyed the phone, and decided on a whim to call the airline and move up his trip back home to the Outer Banks.

Initially, he’d planned to stay another week, but with Pearl torn from his life, there was nothing keeping him in Sandy Beach, and the sooner he got out of here, the better. He could forget about her and start training for the summer season. It was a few weeks early, but extra training never hurt anyone.

When he hung up the phone, he had secured a flight home that same night.

The phone still in hand, he decided to call his sister Reese. She worked as a professional organizer and lived with her fiancé Nik in Ashton, about twenty minutes north of Sandy Beach.

Reese’s voice was cheerful as always when she answered her phone and she confirmed that she was free this afternoon and happy to meet him. As was her fiancé, Nik. He’d only met the man a few times, but the man absolutely adored his sister. That made him more than okay in Chase’s book.

After lunch, he drove up to Ashton and arrived twenty minutes later at their mansion just as Nik was taking delivery of another car.
What a beauty!

As the grandson and heir to the shipping tycoon Nikos Petridis Senior, Nik had plenty of money at his disposal, but he usually lived an unspectacular life – except for his weakness for cars. Fast and expensive cars.

Chase rushed out of his rental car and watched wide-eyed as the delivery driver carefully unloaded the newest addition to Nik’s car stable.

A brand new Lamborghini Diablo in a brilliant yellow color.

“Chase. Come and see my newest baby,” Nik called to him, his eyes showing the excitement of a five-year-old on Christmas day.

Chase sauntered over, eager to run his hands over its sleek lines. This car was almost like a woman. It had curves in all the right places, with a powerful motor inside and sexy as hell. The doors swung up like wings to open and allowed him to glance at the black leather interior. He smelled the exhilarating smell of brand new and grinned, “Yellow?”

Nik shook his head in indignation. “Not yellow.
Giallo Midas
.”

Chase ran his fingers along the smooth roof, while Nik asked, “Isn’t she beautiful?”

“The hell she is. What’s she got under the hood?”

Nik launched into a detailed description of the car’s attributes. “A V-12 with dual overhead camshafts. Five speed manual transmission and all the bells and whistles they offered.”

“Speed?”

“Top speed in fifth gear is around two hundred miles per hour. But she can go from zero to sixty in four seconds.” Nik’s voice grew excited as he rounded the car.

“Wow.”

“Excuse me, but didn’t you come here to see me?” Reese interrupted their little car fest.

Chase turned and grinned at his sister. “Just talking cars, sis.”

Reese rolled her eyes. “Boys. So, are you going to visit with me, or sit out here and drool over a car?”

Chase chucked her under the chin. “Of course I’m going to visit with you. But I can multi-task and drool at the same time.”

Reese and Nik both laughed at that and Chase pulled her in for a hug and gave her kisses on both cheeks, before he turned back to the Lamborghini, continuing to ask Nik questions. Like most guys, Chase also had a weakness for cars. He just didn’t have the deep pockets to afford several six-figure vehicles.

“Let’s take her for a ride,” Nik suggested, his enthusiasm enough to rival a child’s on Christmas morning.

Chase gave his sister an apologetic look, begging for understanding. She sighed and waved them both off. “Go play and come see me when you get back. Oh, and be careful!”

“Yes, ma’am.” Chase saluted her. Grinning at Nik, he told him, “Let’s go before she changes her mind.”

Nik chuckled, kissed Reese on her lips and then slid behind the wheel. He took it easy as they headed out to the open road, but then he let the sports car show them what it could do.

After a while, he stopped and suggested, “Why don’t you try her now?”

Chase looked at him in awe. “Really? I can drive her?”

“Why not?”

Why not indeed.
Chase and Nik changed places and Chase took it easy until he felt comfortable with handling this little firecracker. When he put his foot down on the accelerator, he could feel the entire 650ps engine coming to life beneath him.

They were out on a deserted road and he let the car fly, the roaring sound of the motor filling the air and the slight tremble reverberating through his body. The engineers hadn’t given her the name ‘Diablo’ for no reason.

It was almost as good as kitesurfing. Or sex. With Pearl. Overwhelmed by his need for her, he pushed down the throttle all the way and the acceleration pressed him against the seat.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins. The risk. The speed. The absolute control, or lack thereof. It was addictive, but also extremely dangerous. One second of inattention could quickly become fatal.

Nik’s voice reached through his state of elation. “Chase. You might want to go a tad slower.”

He removed his foot from the gas pedal and glanced over at him. The man was pale and almost shaking.

“No problem. I got carried away for a moment.”

Nik said, “I know that feeling.”

Chase felt Nik’s stare as the man scrutinized him. “Man. You need to sort out your problems somewhere else. Not inside my car.”

He raised a brow at the ridiculous accusation. “What? I don’t have any problems.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes, really. Why would you think I’m having problems?” Chase asked, bringing the car down to a normal rate of speed.

Nik tapped his finger at his forehead and grinned. “I know that look of yours. It means serious woman trouble. I hate to tell you this, man, but your days as a womanizer are all but over and counted.”

Chase gripped the steering wheel harder. “How would you know?”

“Ask Reese. The same exact thing happened to me when I met your sister. And let me tell you from personal experience, there is no way to resist it. When you get hit, you might as well give in graciously.”

“Nah, man. You’re completely off base here. I’m not having woman troubles. Not me.” Chase lied.