Two Books in One - Ominous Love and Paradox - The Angels Are Here (5 page)

He's just staring at me, his brows furrowed, his eyes burning into mine. I freeze. Oh please, don't let him be a serial killer.

Still holding my arms, he closes his eyes and breathes in through his nose, his chest rising in front of me. As I try to wriggle free, he lifts me from his lap and plonks me on the bed.
Holy cow!
I swallow hard. Is he going to hurt me?
I back up against the bedhead. I should have listened to my parents and not spoken to strangers. What was I thinking?

Chapter Seven

He's standing over me, his eyes piercing mine, his nostrils flaring like he's planning something. My breathing quickens and I start to hyperventilate. Whatever he wants to do to me, I don't think it's good. I'm afraid, but I can't look away. Frowning, he turns and paces the room, running his hands through his hair. Maybe he's remembering who he is, or maybe he really is a criminal. Clenching my jaw, I move to the edge of the bed. I glance at the door, then back at him, but before I have a chance to bolt, he turns to face me.

Crap. As I look up at him, my legs turn to jelly.

His face softer, he kneels down in front of me and takes my hand in his. Whoa. Now what? I hold my breath.

He kisses my fingers and gazes at me. “Eloise, we can't do this. It's wrong and I can't take advantage of you.”

What?
My jaw drops. I want to slap him. How can he say my name like that after just scaring the life out of me? I'm confused. So, he's not going to murder me? I blink twice.

“Eloise, please tell me you understand.”

I swallow a big lump in my throat. Huh? He likes me? I narrow my eyes at him. “You nearly frightened me to death. I thought you were going to hurt me.”

“Hurt you?” He strokes my hair. “I could never hurt you—that's what I'm trying to tell you. You drive me crazy, but I'm not about to take advantage of you.”

Did he just say I drive him crazy? All the air escapes my lungs as my body relaxes. I put my hand on his cheek and run my fingers along the fresh stubble on his face. “But you didn't, Seal. It was me who made the first move, so it's okay.”

Squeezing his eyes closed, he shakes his head. “No, Eloise, it's not okay. I'm not like Tom.”

My heart sinks. This is so the pits. I don't understand, and if he doesn't want me to kiss him, he should stop saying my name the way he does. I flush with embarrassment and fiddle with the hem of my sweater.

A sad smile on his face, he moves a stray curl from my forehead. “Don't be upset, Eloise. It's not that I don't fancy you.
How could I not? You’re a little darling. It's just that you're so young and innocent and I don't even know who I am.”

Scowling, I look up at him. “I'm nearly seventeen, and you're not much older, I can tell.”

He blows out a big breath. “But what if my memory comes back and I find out I'm already in a relationship? And worse, I could be married with children. I might be older than I look.” He holds my face between his hands and looks deep into my eyes. “We can't risk it, Eloise.”

I stare at him, my hopes and desires squashed. Of course he'd have a beautiful girlfriend. What was I thinking? No one as hot as Seal could possibly be free. Blushing beneath his touch, I close my eyes. I just want to stay here and melt in his arms forever. Instead I move his hands away, then I stand up and turn to leave. “Okay, now you've succeeded in making me feel like a cheap tart that breaks up families, I'll go and have a cold shower.”

He grabs my shoulders and turns me to face him. “You know that's not what I meant. It's not your fault that I'm attracted to you. You're so sweet and endearing. But
please
try and understand that we can't just rush into anything, not until I get my memory back. I don't want to be responsible for breaking your heart, or mine. So we must stop before it's too late.”

I pull away. “I don't
want
to be sweet and endearing. And if you don’t want me to fall for you, you shouldn’t say my name the way you do.”

“Your name?”

I press my fists to my waist. “Yes, my name. You don't say it, you breathe it.”

He sighs. “I'm sorry. Listen, I'll look for somewhere else to stay tomorrow. Then there'll be no temptation for either of us.”

“No!” I grab his sleeve. “I don't think that's a very good idea. Where would you go?”

His lips press into a grim line. “Don't worry. I'll find somewhere.”

“You can't. You have no money, credit card, or even a wallet. Have you forgotten, I found you on the beach stark naked?”

He smirks for a second. “How can I ever forget that—to wake on a beach with a beautiful girl kissing me? You have no idea what that felt like, Eloise. I didn’t know who I was, but I was hoping you were mine.”

“Really?” I swallow hard. My heart is breaking. I want to tell him how I fell in love with him the moment I saw him, but the words won’t come out. Instead I say, “I’ll be yours if you’ll let me.”

“We’ll have to wait until I get my memory back before we can talk about this, Eloise. It’s not helping either of us.” He rubs his chin as if deep in thought. “It might be best if I just take off and look for work—maybe I could get a job on a farm with lodgings.”

I shake my head. “No. What if someone recognises you and they want to harm you? You don't know if someone threw you from a ship or boat.”

He sighs. “I know you're trying to help me, but staying here isn't an option.”

“Why not?” I fold my arms. “If you leave, I’ll be here all alone, and according to you I won’t be safe. You keep telling me that someone might break in. Now I’m scared.”

The corner of his mouth curves into a delicious smile. “Eloise, now
that
is emotional blackmail.”

I pout. “No, it isn’t. I really am scared.”

“Okay, you win. I'll stay until your folks get back. At least I can be here to protect you from Tom, but first thing in the morning I'm going job hunting. I'll need money so I can rent a place.”

I hug him around the waist. “You'll get your memory back soon, and if you’re single and free we can be together.” I stare up expectantly.

He lifts my chin with his hand. “Don't get your hopes up, Eloise. It could lead to heartbreak.”

Frowning, I push him away. “You're just a big tease, and I asked you not to say my name.”

“Sorry.” He holds his palms up. “How would you like to be addressed, young lady?”

I squint at him. “You can call me Elle 'cause I hate that name.”

He walks over to the door and holds it open. “Okay, Miss Elle. I'm now officially your body guard, and if this is to be my room for the next two weeks, I would like some privacy.”

Grunting under my
breath, I stomp out of the room, but as he closes the door behind me, I'm sure I hear him laugh. The nerve of him, and not even a sympathy kiss for my broken heart.

The sun is starting to set behind the hills, making the house darker. I switch on the kitchen light and start to prepare dinner—not that I'm hungry, but I have to feed Seal. After all, he might need nourishment to get his memory back.

I hear the window creak open in his room and I wonder what he's thinking. I know I'm acting like a lovesick fool, but I can't seem to help it. I slam around in the kitchen, looking for something healthy to cook. Seal must be starving by now. I grin to myself. My mother always says that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Huh, he's no man, he's just a boy—a boy too chicken to kiss a girl. I sigh. And I thought it would be wonderful to be in love, but this sucks. I don't have an appetite and I've been light-headed since the moment I laid eyes on him. I can't concentrate on
anything
but him. Jeez, I don't even want to chat online with my friends.

After opening the fridge, I take out the packet of minced beef I'd left to defrost and toss it into a pot with some olive oil and herbs. As it sizzles on the stove, I wash my hands and start chopping some vegetables. Why did I go and make the first move? I don't know what came over me. I've never done anything like that before, ever. How embarrassing. No wonder Seal rejected me. He probably thinks I’m easy. Blushing, I throw the vegetables into the pot with the meat, then I grab a frozen garlic loaf from the freezer. As I place it in the oven, Seal walks in with the toolbox. “Mmm. Something smells good.”

I give him a half smile. “It's spaghetti bolognaise, you'll love it. It'll be ready in an hour, but if you're hungry now, I can make you something.”

“No thanks, I can wait. I'll just get a glass of water.”

“There's homemade lemonade in the fridge, Seal. Help yourself. The glasses are in the cupboard near the sink.”

“Thank you, Miss Elle, that sounds good.” He smiles, his lip curving in a wicked teasing way, then he pours himself a drink.

Pretending not to notice his mocking, I add some water to the pot and pop the lid on. While I wait for it to boil, Seal heads to the back door.

“I'm just putting the toolbox back where I found it,” he hollers.

“Okay,” I say, refusing to look at him, but the little hairs on the back of my neck prickle and I sense he's still watching me. Smiling to myself, I set the timer on the stove and wait for the screen door to slam, then I dash into the family room and peek out the window.

Though it's nearly dark, there's a full moon and I can clearly see the garden, and Seal. As he strides confidently across the lawn, his jeans stretch snuggly across his firm backside. His sleeves are pushed up above his elbows, exposing the rippled muscles on his forearms. Oh, why does he have to be so cute? Or smile in that quirky way? I sigh. I don't know how I'll cope with him around. Why did
I have to find him on the beach? I'll surely die if he belongs to some gorgeous girl, and if he is married with kids … well, it doesn't bare thinking about.

Oh crap
.
He's coming back. If he sees me spying on him, he'll definitely think I'm a weirdo. I dart behind the curtain and peek out from the darkness. After locking the shed, he strolls back, but as he gazes up at the stars, he seems to be talking to himself. Is he praying? Suddenly he turns and stares right at me. Shoot! I step backwards and away from the window, but I trip, falling full pelt across the floor and hitting my head on a plant pot. “Ouch.”

Chapter Eight

Gosh that hurt. I run my hand across my forehead to feel for a bump. Darn it. My fingers are sticky and there's a distinct metallic smell. I quickly wipe the blood from my face and try to get up before Seal comes back and sees me sprawled on the floor, but I'm too late. The back door swings open and he turns the light on. Great, now he'll see what a klutz I am.

As I scramble to my feet, he rushes towards me. “What happened? Are you okay?”

I pull my hair over my eye and sit on the couch. “I'm fine. I just tripped over a stupid plant pot.”

A hint of a smile plays on his lips. “A stupid
plant pot
?”

Oh, so he thinks
I’m
stupid? I open my mouth to reply to his sarcasm, but I soon change my mind when a trickle of blood runs down my face. Hoping he doesn’t notice, I turn the other away.

With a concerned scowl on his face, he kneels in front of me. “Eloise, your head's bleeding.”

I cover the wound with my hand. “It's just a little cut, nothing to worry about.”

He pulls my arm away and brushes my curls from my eyes. “Keep still a minute. I need to see if you need stitches.”

As he inspects the wound above my brow, I quiver at his touch.

“Sorry,” he says. “Did I hurt you?”

I shake my head. “No, but I hope I don't need stitches. I told you I'm squeamish, and don't like hospitals.”

He gets to his feet. “It's okay. It's only a small cut, so you won't need stitches. But let's get you a plaster because head wounds tend to bleed a lot. Do you have a first-aid kit?”

I stand up and head towards the hall. “Yeah, it's in the bathroom.”

“No, I'll get it,” he says, grabbing my arm. He pulls a tissue from the box on the cupboard and hands it to me. “Apply pressure. It'll stop the bleeding.”

“Thanks.” I press it to my forehead, but as soon as Seal leaves the room, I peek at it. Ewe, why did I look? As always, the sight of bright red blood makes me nauseous and dizzy. Oh, please don't let me throw up. Not now. As I begin to shake, I take deep breaths, hoping to stop myself from fainting. But as Seal comes back, my vision blurs and the room begins to sway.

He grabs me around the waist. “Are you okay, Eloise? You're as white as a ghost.”

Before I can answer, the blackness takes over and I lose consciousness.

*
**

My head is pounding and the flow of water echoes in my ears. Am I dreaming? My eyes flutter open to the bright light and the familiar itchy fabric of our green couch in the sunroom, and the beautiful voices of One Direction singing their hit song, ‘
You Stole My Heart’,
on the radio.

As I look at my clothes, I'm relieved to see I wasn't sick this time, at least I hope not, but a tap running in the laundry has me worried that I was. Shoot. Don’t tell me Seal had to clean up my puke? How embarrassing. As the water is turned off, I quickly close my eyes and pretend to be unconscious again.

Seal comes back into the room and sits down next to me. Gosh, he smells delicious, and it's hard not to sigh. Bending over me, he pushes my curls off my forehead. Oh, no. My heart is banging against my ribs and he's leaning on my chest. He must be able to feel it, or hear my heavy breathing. As he washes the cut above my brow, my heart thumps even louder. I'm sure I'll have a stroke from pure embarrassment. Then I feel it. Whoa! Seal’s heart is thundering like a drum right on top of mine.

“Eloise?” he whispers.

Far out. He just breathed my name. Does he know I'm awake? My insides are on fire, but I don't want to answer him. I'm enjoying his attention and don't want it to stop. He dabs something cold on my wound, and oh boy, does it sting. My eyes pop wide open. “Awww!”

“Oh, I'm glad you're awake, Miss Elle. You passed out on me. Sorry about the ointment, but it'll stop an infection.” His lips twitch with amusement. “Guess it worked like smelling salts.”

My face flushing, I squint at him. He
knew
I was awake, he did that on purpose. I try to sit up, but he holds me down by my shoulders. “Don't move, just rest for a while. You've probably got a concussion after hitting your head. So now, I'll have to get
you
to a hospital.”

I stare up at him. “No, Seal. I don't need to go to a hospital. I'm fine. I told you I faint at the sight of blood, especially my own. I'm just a wimp. It's so embarrassing. Anyway, you refused to go to a hospital when I offered to take you, so you can't force me.”

He frowns. “I don't like seeing you hurt. Now, I'm not sure what to do.”

“Well, now you know how I felt when I found you unconscious on the beach.”

“Okay, I give in, but keep still while I put a plaster on your wound.” As he sticks it on my forehead, I gaze at his soft full lips. He's so frustratingly close that I'm tempted to kiss him, but I don't dare. He'll only reject me again, then I’ll truly die of embarrassment.

“All done,” he says, wiping my face with a cool flannel. The touch of his hand on my cheek sends shivers down my spine. There he goes again, the big tease. I look away to hide my desire and to stop the temptation of his beautiful eyes. I used to think that being in love would be wonderful, but it's not. It sucks. It's like sending a kid to a candy shop without any money.

He puts his hand on my brow. “Eloise, are you sure you feel okay? You're burning up.”

Sighing at the mention of my name, I glare at him. “No, I don't feel okay. You keep saying my name and making me burn up. You're the biggest tease, ever.” Uh-oh. Now, he's staring at me with a strange fire in his eyes and he's breathing heavy. Crap. Now what?

His seizes my face and kisses me. Oh my God. His lips are electric, but so very soft. Closing my eyes, I taste his sweet mouth as his tongue circles mine. His scent is intoxicating and his fingers are tangling and tugging my curls, sending me wild. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I melt into the couch as strange muscles clench in my belly. Whatever he’s doing, I don’t want him to stop. As I gasp for air, he groans into my neck, “Oh, baby.”

My heart is pounding, trying to leave my body and stars are flashing in my head. I've surely died and gone to Heaven, or why would a dreamboat like Seal be interested in me? I love him and so want to tell him, but I'm afraid he'll laugh
at me.

He glances at me, a tortured look in his eyes, then he rests his head on my chest.
“Eloise, why did you make me fall for you?” he whispers.

I bite my lip. He’s
fallen
for me? My heart skips a beat, but I’m totally confused. Then I realise he’s regretting the kiss. What a tease. He makes me high, then he drops me down. I scowl, but as I’m about to push him away, he’s on top of me again, grabbing my jaw and kissing me passionately.

Whoa. I’m burning up with strange feelings I’ve never felt before.
I just want to die in his arms and stay here forever and ever. I’m floating on air and about to spontaneously combust. Squeezing my eyes shut, I gasp as a strange thrill releases in my belly, sending ripples through every inch of me and making me weak. Jeez, I'm fully clothed and he didn't even touch me. Breathless, I lean against his shoulder to hide my face.

When I open my eyes, he’s staring at me with a knowing smirk on his face. I flush with embarrassment and look away. Surely he can’t know
what just happened to me. Can he?

He holds me close. “I’m flattered.”

My face grows even hotter. “What?”

He grins. “Babe.”

Huh? He called me babe. Smiling, I hug him tight. I’ll love him forever and ever.

“Say it,” he whispers huskily.

What? Can he read my mind?

Hovering over me, he gazes at me through lush black lashes. “Say it, Eloise.”

I bite my lip. “I love you, Seal …” But before I get to finish my sentence, the walls start to vibrate and the windows rattle. Jumping with fright, I wrap my arms around his neck. “What’s happening? Is it an earthquake?”

He covers my body with his. “Maybe. I’m not sure.”

Suddenly a flash of lightning lights up the room and the loudest thunderbolt I’ve ever heard roars above the house. Large objects crash onto the tin roof and smash against the door.

“I guess not, it’s just a really bad thunderstorm,” he says.

I start shaking. “It's so scary. It sounds like the roof’s going to blow off.”

He looks towards the window. “I'll go outside and check to see everything’s okay. And I better bring some wood in for the fire.”

I hold his face. “No, Seal, please don't go out there. The last time there was a bad storm, I saw a strange man in the garden.”

He goes rigid. “You did?”

I nod. “Yes, he was under a gum tree outside my bedroom. I don't think I imagined it, but I might've.”

“Show me.” Taking my hand, he pulls me to my feet and strides towards my room.

As we walk through the door, I point out the window. “He was under that tree.”

Seal peers into the garden. “What was he doing?”

I shrug. “Nothing, he was just leaning against the trunk. I only saw him when a lightning flash lit up the garden, then I couldn't see him anymore.”

“I don't like the sound of this,” he says. “You'd better be extra careful.” With a worried look in his eyes, he pulls me close, trapping my hands against the hard muscles of his chest. “Thank goodness I'm here to protect you until your parents come back.” He kisses my forehead above the Band-Aid. “I couldn’t bare it if anyone hurt you, honey.”

As he glances out the window, I snuggle into his arms. “I feel the same way about you, Seal.”

He holds my head between his hands, forcing me to look at him. “Listen carefully, Eloise. I'm going to check around outside and make sure there’s no one sneaking about. Lock the door behind me, but don’t open it until you’ve checked through the window that it’s me. I’ll knock on the door when I’m ready to come in, but I’ll collect some wood for the fire first, okay?”

“All right.” I hug him around the waist and rest my head on his chest. “It’s so nice having you here to protect me.”

He sniffs. “I can smell smoke.”

“Oh, crap!”

“What?”

“I've burned dinner.”