Crashed into Love: Boxed Set (22 page)

Joslyn snored lightly beside me, her eyes hidden by
big 1920’s shades even though the sun had gone. I was deliberating if I should
wake her when Liam approached from the beach. My heart raced as my body
reacted, preparing for his touch. Instantly awake, aware, and needy.

“Hi,” he murmured, shooting a look at comatose Jos.

“Hi.” I smiled, appreciating how gorgeous he looked
in khaki shorts and black t-shirt. His skin was deeper with tan; his icy blue
eyes chilled me with their perfection. “Where have you been all day?”

He offered his hand, and hoisted me from my chair.
“I went diving. I figured you and Joslyn needed some island girl time. I
hitched a ride on a boat with some tourists I overheard in the lobby.” His face
brightened. “You should’ve have seen it, Nina. The coral reef here far
surpasses the Great Barrier. We did a wreck dive. Fascinating stuff.”

I laughed gently. “So you went swimming with Nemo
instead of hijacking me from Jos and having your wicked way with me?”

His eyes darkened. He leaned in to brush his lips
with mine. “There were also sharks. Not just cuddly clown fish.”

Sharks? Crap, I didn’t like the thought of him
swimming with Jaws. He kissed me hungrily, hushing my complaints.

“I’ve come to take you to dinner. Do you want to
have a shower first?”

After sweating all day in the sun, a shower was
definitely a requirement. Nodding, I said, “Yes. Where should I meet you?”

He looked fondly at slightly snoring Jos. “I’ll take
Joslyn back to her room, make sure she’s settled. I’ll meet you outside your
fale in half an hour.”

Half an hour seemed too long to go without him after
a full day of separation. Not wanting to come across as a needy, silly woman, I
smiled brightly. “Deal. See you soon.”

I left him to wake Sleeping Beauty, and breathed a
sigh of relief when the air conditioning slapped me in the face. My bed had
been turned down and the staff notched the air-con way too high—it was a blast
of New Zealand weather.

I stripped and jumped into the shower. Last night
had been the best sexual experience of my life, and I meant to experience
another world-eclipsing moment tonight. After drenching myself in moisturiser,
I dressed in a floaty top and shorts with high heels.

A small, sad thought ruined my happy glow. Where was
Nikolai? How was he coping? I hoped the engineer, who could dance with angels
on his heels, would find happiness like I had with Liam.

Unhappiness tried to claim me at the thought, but I
resolutely pushed it away.

Samoa was the best thing to ever happen to me, and I
meant to relish every moment.

I
deposited Joslyn in her
room and left her to fumble in her slightly hung-over state. Heading to Nina’s
fale, I smiled. I’d been to the concierge and asked about a nice restaurant to
take her to. I sincerely hoped we had an amazing night. Followed by making love
in the ocean, or some other idyllic island escape.

As much as I had fun today, diving the wreck, I
missed her with every part of me. Watching her retreat with Joslyn at
breakfast, I knew I had to stay occupied, otherwise I’d swoop in and steal her.

Jogging to Nina’s fale only took a second, and I
bolted up her staircase just as she opened the door.

She smiled. “I saw you coming.”

She stole the breath from my lungs dressed in an
outfit of jean shorts and green top with pink butterflies. Beneath, I could
make out white bikini triangles covering her breasts. No corset tonight, which
gave me a brief moment of disappointment.

She stepped into my arms. I captured her hand to
kiss the back of her sun-bronzed skin. She sucked in a breath, smiling.

Love warmed every facet of me. “You look good enough
to be the main course,” I murmured.

She laughed, a blush gracing her cheeks. Wasn’t that
cute? Even though she’d successfully shocked me in bed by taking control, I was
still blown away by the little things. The way she looked at me with shyness
now and again. The bright solar flashes of love radiating from her eyes when
she didn’t think I was looking.

I was so incredibly lucky.

The crash turned out to be the best thing for both
of us. I doubted she would’ve warmed to me so quickly without the island
atmosphere. I probably wouldn’t have had the guts to be so straight forward
with her either. The only damper was Nikolai, and really that had sort of been
dealt with, too. We talked about Charlotte for the first time in ten years, and
although my heart would always have a hole in it, I could finally erase some of
my guilt and unhappiness.

“Where are you taking me?” Nina asked as we
descended the steps and followed the snaking garden path. Occasionally, I
swatted an overgrown flower or low hanging frangipani to make way. Being tall
didn’t help when walking down a romantic foliage-filled path.

“I’m taking you to somewhere that comes highly
recommended.” I had hopes for the restaurant. They better have lobster and
crab. I was in the mood to splash out and celebrate. After all, I had something
worth celebrating. I had a woman like Nina. I was happy for the first time in
so long, and I was going to share with her my ultimate dream. Tonight was the
night where I told someone what I truly wanted for the first time.

Nervousness hit me like a squall of wind. What if
she thought I was moronic? I shook my head to dispel the worry, she would like
it. She’d proven to me she was resilient to things I kept throwing at her. This
was the last one.

We walked hand in hand as we strolled through the
hotel lobby and out onto the main road. The restaurant was in the same small
outcrop of shops where I’d found Nina trying on her bikini.

Nina remembered, her fingers clenching around mine.
“You made me feel so exposed in the shop. Looking at me in that bikini like you
hadn’t drunk in months, and I was a glass of water.”

I laughed. “I couldn’t stop gawking at you.” I
stopped her mid-step, jerking her against my chest. “I don’t think I’ll ever get
bored of looking at you. Touching you. Talking to you. Listening to you.”

Her smile was soft and fleeting, before her eyes
darkened from sapphire to almost black with desire. “You can’t say things like
that if you expect me to behave throughout dinner.”

I nuzzled into her, breathing her delicious scent of
vanilla and spices. “And what do you count as not behaving?”

She kissed along my jaw, sending shivers over my
skin, erupting goose bumps. “Things like playing footsies with you…” Her lips
reached for mine.

I groaned as her tongue entered my mouth sensually,
tentatively, almost as if she wasn’t sure I’d approve.

Hell, I approved. She could kiss me anytime,
anywhere, anyhow.

She broke the kiss the moment my blood boiled and
thoughts of dinner were replaced with a bed and Nina on a platter.

“And I’d give you a hand job under the table cloth.”

I barked out a laugh. “You’d give me a hand job?” It
sounded so crude coming out of her mouth, but my stomach clenched in suspense.
Imagining how great her fingers would feel. How great they
did
feel last
night. How amazing her mouth…
oh God. Stop that train of thought.

Nina nodded, biting her lip. “Yep. While you try to
focus on your food, I’ll focus on you.”

“You’re making dinner sound very appealing.” I
grabbed her round the nape of her neck, pressing my lips hard against hers. Her
breath caught as I plundered her mouth. Pulling away, I murmured, “But I think
I’m over the thought of eating.”

She laughed. “Glad to know you want me.” She pulled
me forward. “Come along. You promised me dinner. Feed me.”

I grinned all the way to the restaurant. I opened
the front door and let Nina in first. Her high heels sunk into soft sand. What?
Sand in a building?

She balanced precariously, wrapping fingers around
my forearm. “Was there a storm I didn’t know of that blew sand everywhere?”

 I didn’t have time to answer, as the maître-d
appeared in an island floral shirt and cargo shorts. His voice was as deep as
the rolling seas. “Welcome to Samoa Scrumptious. We serve the best seafood in
all of the Pacific. And what better place to eat, than on the beach?”

He motioned us to go further inside. “Please. Take
off your shoes. Enjoy the sand below your toes. I will bring you menus. Sit
anywhere you like.”

Nina gave me a sideways look. “How did you know of
this place?”

“The hotel told me. The concierge called it the most
romantic seafood restaurant on this side of the island.” I leaned in and kissed
her cheek. “I wanted to bring you somewhere away from prying eyes.”

She froze, her eyes dropped to my mouth. Oh, hell.
Getting this close again after teasing each other wasn’t a good idea.

Screw dinner. All I wanted was to be alone with her.

My breath caught as Nina swayed in to kiss me. I
dropped to my knees. I seemed to like this position around her.

“What on earth are you doing down there?” Nina
asked, her eyes hot with temptation. 

“Helping you out of your high heels.”

I lifted her foot to rest on my bent knee. She
moaned as my fingers caressed her ankle, reaching for the tiny strap.

Her hands latched onto my shoulders, keeping steady
as I unravelled the securing from her foot and slipped off the shoe. I coaxed
her to lift the next foot, and her head fell forward as I ran a hand up the
length of her calf and pressed in the hollow of her knee, rubbing circles,
hoping it resonated elsewhere. Fuck, I was turned on.

“Liam, you’re killing me.” Her voice was a haunted
whisper.

I stood, looping her shoes through my fingers.
“Good.” I leaned in as if to kiss her, but stopped, smiling. “You ready?”

“You know I’m ready.” Her eyes caused my cock to
surge in my shorts. This restaurant was a bad idea.

She pulled my t-shirt so I stumbled into her. “I’m
ready for you to take me across a table. Or the bar. Crap, even in the middle
of this sandpit. I don’t care… as long as you take me.”

A groan wrenched from my lungs as she bit my
earlobe.

I couldn’t keep up the façade any longer. I needed
to get out of there. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

She shook her head frantically. “Me neither.”

The Maître-d who’d kindly ignored our entire private
moment, was behind the tiki bar, mixing some fruity cocktail. I raised my
voice. “I’m afraid we’re not feeling well. We’ll come back tomorrow.”

Not waiting for his answer, I grabbed Nina’s hand
and bolted out of the restaurant.

L
iam laughed as we ran.
I didn’t care I was barefoot. I didn’t care we were running down a potholed
street in the pitch darkness. All I cared about was being alone with the man
who set fire to my soul.

I let my head fall back and giggled at the absurdity
of us bolting from a restaurant because we were so desperate to have each
other. I was drunk on lust. Hallucinating on need.

Liam looked at me, his icy eyes glowing in the dark.
He wrenched me to a stop, his chest rising and falling hard as he crushed me
against him. I sucked in a breath just as his mouth connected with mine. I was
ready for him, like I was every time. I opened my lips under his. 

I tangled my fingers in his glossy hair, pulling him
closer. Bruising both of us with the passion he erupted in me. I wanted to
crawl inside him and sate myself.

Liam growled as we attacked each other. His tongue
massaged mine and his taste seeped into my being. We took turns taking
possession. He grabbed the back of my neck, not letting me go. I whimpered as
he pressed his hard body against me.

We stumbled, and I tripped.

Our mouths ripped apart as he caught me mid-fall,
his legs splaying wide to keep our balance. We panted, looking at each.

Then we laughed.

I struggled to speak around my giggles. “You have no
self-control. Shame on you for attacking me on a public road. Shoeless no
less.”

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around me, snuggling me
to his side. Every part of me that loved Liam rolled onto its back to have its
belly rubbed. The sensation of being tucked into his side—protected and cared
for undid me, and I left myself unravelled behind us—strewn along the road like
a bundle of ribbon. Getting tangled with the warm breeze, never to form into
the same person I had been.

The small shack of sparkling lights and paper
lanterns faded into the darkness as we darted down a small sandy bypass and
appeared on the beach. Even in the night-wrapped world the beach was a
sparkling jewel. The water glowed with the silvery sheen of a crescent moon and
reflected the stars glittering above as if it were a perfect mirror. The gentle
lapping waves distorted the starry night, making it seem like another
dimension. A watery world where nymphs and mermaids reigned.

He straightened, pulling me with him. “I know I
should be in awe of the view, but my brain is fogged with nothing but thoughts
of you naked.”

I sucked in a breath as Liam’s lips trailed down my
throat. Was I supposed to say something? Probably, but all thoughts skittered
in lieu of an undying, relentless burn that would turn into a forest fire and
consume everything if Liam didn’t deliver on his promise he started in the
restaurant.

I swayed into his touch, closing my eyes. Then
wrenched them open when Liam stopped.

He smiled, touching my cheek. “I made a promise to
myself to tell you about what I want in my future over dinner. I ruined the
over dinner part, but perhaps I can tell you during a stroll on the beach?” He
kissed me before adding, “Before we go for a swim, and I get you naked.”

The thought of not having him kiss or touch me in
that very moment was hard, but I smiled. I wanted to know everything about him.
I threw my high heels into the sand, smiling. “Let’s walk and talk.” 

His fingers laced with mine, and we headed down the
sugar-soft sand to the water’s edge. The waves lapped, kissing our toes as we
ambled in the silvery light.

Liam didn’t say anything.

I looked at him. Why had he gone silent? My heart
hammered. What if it was another reveal like Charlotte? I didn’t think I could
stand another heartbreaking admission.

I squeezed his fingers. “Are you going to tell me?
Or wait till we’ve patrolled the entire beach?”

His lips tugged into a half-smile. “Just trying to
get my thoughts in order.”

My heart fluttered. Why was it so hard? “Liam, this
isn’t going to be another—”

“No.” He laughed. “It’s just difficult as I haven’t
told anyone. Not even Joslyn.”

I was honoured he wanted to share something so
personal, whatever it was. “Just do it quick. Blurt it out.” I kicked a wave,
sending droplets raining.

He sighed. “Okay. Here goes.” Giving me a wry smile,
he said, “I want to quit Kiwi Air.”

That was completely unexpected. “What? Why?” My
eyebrows raised to my hairline.

“I want to move away from New Zealand. I’m sick of
the cold, the lacklustre weather.” He frowned, warming to his cause. “I don’t
want to fight with traffic, or be told where to go. I want—”

“But if you don’t fly, what are you going to do?”

He blinked. “I didn’t say I was going to stop
flying.” He gave me a secretive look. “I just want to quit commercial.”

I couldn’t understand what was going on. “So…”

He laughed. “I want to open my own airline.”

“
What?
” My mouth hung open. “Do you have any
idea how difficult it is? All the paper-pushing. The rules and legalities.
Why
do you want to do that?” I shook my head. “Flying is about freedom. Not
shackling yourself with liability.”

I squeaked as strong arms wrapped around me,
plucking me from the sand. He kissed my neck. “I’m going to open my own airline
somewhere hot like Tahiti. I’ve looked into it, and flying charters isn’t as
hard as if I wanted to buy a bunch of Jumbos.”

My heart sank. Here I was thinking the worst that
could happen when we returned to work was dealing with the rumour mill, when in
reality, Liam was going to leave. Why did he make me feel so strongly for him?
How dare he do that when he knew he was leaving?

I stiffened in his grasp. “When are you quitting?”

He allowed my body to slink down his. “I don’t know.
It’s just a dream at this point.” His eyes delved into mine, a twinge of
embarrassment in their depths. “I know it sounds stupid. Probably won’t happen.
Just a wish. Forget I said anything.” Letting me go, he walked ahead.

I’d hurt his feelings. Damn. I didn’t mean to, it
was just all so… sudden. My own mind churned with what it meant. I let him go,
trying to unscramble my thoughts. What exactly just happened?

I followed, but a few paces behind.

A few moments later, Liam spun around. “I’m sorry.
I’ve never told anyone, it kinda came out wrong. I did tell you for a reason. I
didn’t tell you to hurt you.” He sighed. “Can I start again?”

My chest ached at the thought of him leaving, but I
nodded.

He looked at the moon. “I’m sick of life telling me
who I should be; how I should act. Ever since losing Charlotte I know how
precious life is, and I want to do something I love. Something that I’ll look
back on when life is at an end and say, ‘I’m proud and happy’. Not slog through
shift work and never do what I want.” He waved his arms, encompassing the
beach. “
This
is what life is about: enjoying the special places on
earth.” He came forward, stopping a breath away. “
This
is what life is
about. You and me. Emotion.
Connection
.”

My eyes tightened. “Then why make me fall in love
with you and leave?” My heart raced.
Oh God, I was so stupid
. He was
telling me this for a reason.

The rush of knowledge tingled my blood as he took my
hands gently. “I knew you from afar and I was already half in love with you
before we arrived in Samoa, but something is pushing us together. Something
beyond our control. How else do you explain the overwhelming knowledge we
belong together.” He stiffened, adding, “I know that sounds crazy and frankly
scary when we’ve only had a few days together, but it feels like years. I’ve
never felt so sure of anything before. I’m not going to pack up and quit, not
after what I feel for you. For the first time ever, I’m enjoying living. I
don’t suffocate with how unfair the world is that I’m still here and Charlotte
isn’t. Thanks to you, I’m not berating myself every moment for being able to
fly, when she’s six feet under in a coffin. You freed me, Nina.”

My stomach clenched, taking in his passion. The
Samoan evening cocooned us in heat and a smidgen of panic filled me. He carried
all of that around inside? How did he think I’d freed him? I’d done nothing but
fall in love. It was a huge responsibility to be such a poignant person in his
life.

Swallowing my thoughts, I touched his cheek. “I’m
happy you’re healing, but it’s not me who helped. By talking with Nikolai
you’re finally able to move on. It’s what you should’ve done many years ago.”

He shook his head, running hands in his hair,
glistening with moonshine. “You aren’t listening. The crash. Samoa. It’s all
like it was meant to happen to let me face my issues. I know I’m being way too
forward and should wait to see how our future pans out before telling you my
dream, but time feels borrowed. Like any moment I’m going to wake up and none
of this will be real.”

He sucked in a breath before finishing, “I want to
open my own airline in Tahiti. And I can’t do it alone.”

My heart jumped into a gallop. Was he going where I
thought he was?

“I want someone by my side to help with the running,
the flying. To live in paradise and enjoy life in a different way. To be free.
Together.”

My palms pooled with sweat. I loved him, but this…
this was too much. Too soon. It didn’t matter that my feelings for him were as
strong,
it was too soon.
Everyone would think we were nuts—that our
relationship was doomed to fail just like the drunken Las Vegas weddings
between strangers. I couldn’t change my life so suddenly. I needed time to
think. Plan. Make sure what was between us was true, and not just an intense
infatuation. “Liam. I—”

He gathered my hands. “Nina, life is too short not
to try. I know that now, and I don’t intend to waste another moment not doing
what I’ve wanted to do since my wings were pinned to my blazer. I’m asking you
to invest in us. Invest in a future that could be anything we wanted.” He
swallowed and the sincerity in his voice buckled me. “Would you come with me?
Would you be my co-pilot?”