Through Her Eyes (20 page)

Sometime later, I’m rustled awake by the caress of his body against mine. Quietly, I attempt to slide out of bed when I hear Chase.

“Hey, beautiful. Where do you think you’re going?” He wraps his arms around my middle and pulls me back. It’s the middle of the night, and I’m able to see the moon casting a shadow against the far wall. I can’t make coherent thoughts as I feel his warm hands splay against my ribs. “You’re going nowhere. I’m not nearly done holding you yet.”

“I have to freshen up, Chase Porter. Will you be done with me soon?” I pretend to chide him, but I can’t control the laugh that breaks from my lips.

“Patience.” His eyes crinkle as his mouth parts into a grin.

“What are you so happy about?”

His eyes flicker the way they often do when they warm my heart. “You. Always you.” Not a second passed before I was flipped back onto the bed. Lips trace a path across my hip bone, small kisses. His tongue presses gently against me, causing heat to rush across my body. My core contracts and my breath becomes erratic as he continues his sweet torture. As I feel myself coming apart on his tongue he pulls away, leaving me vacant and needy. Moving up my body he traces my right breast with his tongue and then the left, lightly nipping on each nipple. Devouring them in his mouth, leaving me desperate for his touch.

Desperate to be filled.

“Please,” I whimper. He reaches for the nightstand and pulls out a foil wrapper from the drawer. I feel like I may die from anticipation as I wait. Finally, my hand finds him hard and ready, and I tighten my grip around him, pulling him closer to where I need him most. His lips part against mine, and on the exhale, he pushes into my heat. The warmth of his breath as it lingers on my lips is sweet. His tongue traces the seam of my mouth, seeking entry again. As his movements pick up, I cling to his broad shoulders. My nails scratch down the lines of each defined muscle until I clutch him harder, willing— begging—him to increase his speed.

Faster.

Harder.

Shallow.

Deep.

I become lost in the pleasure, lost in the emotions.

My body starts to contract and pulse around him.

I’m being pulled tight, like a rubber band about to snap.

I explode.

Lights dance in my vision as I return from heaven.

“You steal the breath from my body,” I say while gasping for oxygen.

“And you put the air in mine.”

I lay wrapped in his arms.

“Are you happy?” And in that very moment, I know the answer to the very bottom of my soul . . . I am.

“What are you thinking about?” I stop and ponder his question before answering truthfully.

“I’m thinking about how much my life has changed since I met you. How this trip has opened my eyes. How I see life in a different way. It’s funny how you think the road only goes in one direction, and then you realize it can go a completely different way. You know, my friend, he told me this, but I didn’t believe him. I was so stuck on the idea that I need to be someone else for everybody.”

He pulls me closer into him, my long, messy locks fanning across his chest.

“Sleep,” he whispers, and I do. The steady cadence of his heart lulls me into a deep slumber.

Finally, at peace.

Thirty-seven days since I spoke to Parker

Nine days since I met Chase

T
HE MORNING SUNLIGHT DANCES
over the lush hills in the distance. Capri. It seems to be everything I dreamed it would be in the early morning glow. A soft shimmer casts over the grass as streams of light reflect off the dew collecting on the leaves.

It’s a beautiful view, almost impossible to put into words. I feel peaceful this morning. The wind hits the sails with a soft hiss as I sit on the deck drinking my coffee. I awoke before Chase and quietly escaped the confines of his embrace. As I sit enjoying the waves crashing against the rocks of Capri in the distance, I think of my life back home. The sound of the surf hitting the earth is a stark reminder of the summer it all changed.

For years after the accident, I wore the perfect mask, never showing how the loss of my brother affected me. Never showing how my mom’s words hurt me. How they cut me to the bone. After losing Owen, I desperately needed the survival technique Parker taught me.

“Never show her your pain. She thrives on it, baby girl. Look her in the eye with indifference. That’s the only way she will stop. Your happiness is the best revenge you can give her. Being yourself is more important than being the person they want you to be. If they can’t appreciate who you are, that’s their loss. Not yours.”

He was right, of course. Parker was always right. Always there to hold my hand and protect me. That’s what made this trip so hard. He told me to do this, and I said no. But he was right.
Always right.
I don’t belong in a corner office. I belong here, feeling the sun on my face, drifting in the wind. No destination in sight. At peace.

“What are you doing out here all by yourself?” Chase inquires as he places a lazy kiss on my lips. And when he kisses me . . .

He makes me feel whole.

Like the pieces of me that are broken aren’t that bad.

“I was just thinking that this is where I’m meant to be right now. That I believe I’m meant to learn something from this trip.”

“I agree with you. You know, while I was climbing my first mountain, I learned a few things about myself as well.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what did you learn on that first trip?”

“Not at all. I learned what real beauty was. I learned how it felt to be stopped in your tracks and left in awe of the intricate nature of all matters of life. Often, we get so caught up in the destination that we never see the impact the journey has on us. I learned to appreciate my body and to push myself to excel. I learned to push myself past my comfort level because unless we do that, we’ll never grow. To fall down and pick myself back up again. All the lessons I learned climbing that first mountain I’ve now applied to all aspects of my life, but I’ll tell you what the most important thing I learned on all my travels was, Aria.”

“What’s that?”

“To always remember to breathe.” I stared at him, stunned.

Unable to speak.

Rendered useless.
Again.

“What do you want to do today?” Chase asks from across the cabin sometime later. He smiles at me, and the way his lip turns up gives him a boyish charm. A dimple appears on his right cheek. On a normal occasion, it’s harder to see through his five o’clock shadow, but today it seems extra deep. I grin back mischievously, thinking of how we had spent the last hour after he found me drinking coffee.

“None of that right now.” He laughs as I watch him move. Each stride is fluid as he makes his way around the room. He stands with his hands on his hips. His eyes search the room for his discarded clothes from this morning. My face flushes at the memory.

“You want to go to Anacapri?” I shrug and stick my tongue out.

“Sticking your tongue out, are you? I have someplace for you to stick your tongue,” he mocks.

“Promises, promises.” I rise in one fluid motion. He smothers a groan as I approach him and lift up to my tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips. My naked breasts press again his strong torso.

“Aria,” he says in warning.

“What?” I tilt my head and smirk.

“Nope, not happening.” I pivot my body away from his as he lightly smacks my backside.

After a frigid shower to wash away my dirty thoughts, I enter the galley to grab a snack. As I lean into the fridge, two strong hands wrap around my middle. A squeak escapes as Chase lifts me into his arms and sits me on the counter.

“You okay, Princess?” He grins mischievously.

“I’m perfect,” I allow my fingers to trail down his chest. “There is one problem I might need your help with.” I continue to run my hands down the V of his torso, dipping inside the waistband of his jeans.

“And what’s that?” His voice is husky. I lean into him, place my lips on his, and bite down softly. His mouth parts, and I become ravenous. I’m on edge from the delicious torture of delayed gratification.

“Luciano?” I moan into his mouth.

“Don’t worry,” he mumbles between kisses. “He won’t return until tonight.”

“When did you tell him to stay away?”

“When you were showering. I knew I couldn’t resist you for long.”

“Just wanted to torture me a little?” Slowly he pushes my panties down my thighs and I push forward toward his hand. Tilting my hips up to meet the warmth of his caress. I’m silently begging, pleading with my body for him to touch me. Soft fingers tease my sensitive skin. They dip inside me and then find the wonderfully sensitive spot buried deep within. My body starts to quiver as he pushes upward with his fingers massaging me, bringing me so close I’m teetering on the brink of eruption but just as I’m about to explode he pulls back leaving me vacant and greedy for more. Reaching into his jean pocket he grabs a condom then rips it open before he aligns himself against my core.

Our bodies slowly come together and his lips press firmly into mine. His grip tightens around me as his control wavers. He’s holding back. Letting me adjust to him. I push forward, taking him deeper, and again our bodies meet as he enters me fully. I exhale, relaxing into him, letting him claim me completely. He thrusts in and out, each stroke lighting a fire. The bond between us grows with each move he makes. My heartbeat pounds as he throbs within me. The surge of release tingling as a shiver claims my whole body until I soar higher than I ever thought possible.

Cleaning up and re-showering is necessary after “breakfast.” We decide to spend the day on the other side of the island near the city of Anacapri.

Once at Anacapri, Chase says we should take the chairlift up to Mount Solaro. I’m nervous. The chair lift has me completely on edge. It’s nothing more than a chair strapped to a long piece of wire.

“This is insane. I’m not getting on that thing.” Chase is not affected at all. He laughs as I refuse to get on, then leans into me and gently takes my hand. His lips places tiny kisses across my knuckles, and I’ve forgotten what I’m so afraid of.

“Don’t live in the past. Don’t be stifled by your previous fears. You can do this.” This saying sounds so familiar, but I just can’t place it. I take a giant gulping breath, and my fears begin to diminish. All the way to the top, I keep peeking at the chair behind me. I’m so completely distracted with the lust bubbling inside me—threatening to explode from me at any second—that I don’t even notice we’ve made it to our destination.

Getting to the top turns out to be an amazing experience. One of the best of my life. One for the books.

The views are more breathtaking than anything I’ve ever seen. We make our way away from the lift and head to the gardens. There we find a pair of chairs with a view overlooking the sea and the famous Faraglioni rocks, and enjoy the caprese sandwiches and wine we had picked up at the market below.

“So, what did you think?” Chase asks. The rich timbre of his voice makes me want to reconsider not having my way with him right here in public.
What the hell has gotten into me? Chase Porter, that’s what.

“This is amazing. These are the kind of little destinations I need to add to my bucket list.”

“You have a bucket list?” His eyebrow arches.

“It’s not really a bucket list per se. More a list of places I need to go.” My mind begins to flutter with memories of Parker, but I nudge them away. I refuse to allow them to ruin this perfect moment. Chase studies me as if he wants to say something, but nothing comes out. “Do you have a list of places you want to go?” I ask him.

“Hmm, I’ve been everywhere already. I guess my bucket list would be to take you to some of the scariest places I’ve been, and make you push yourself past your comfort zone and try something new.” His expression is serious. His eyes tell me he isn’t lying. This is what he intends to do.

Crazy thing is . . . I want him to.

Chase’s fingers stroke my arm as we step into the little souvenir shop in Marina di Capri. As we walk through the doorway, the cool breeze from the air conditioner hits my bare skin and leaves a trail of goose bumps. I withdraw my hand from his and make my way to the far wall. Leaning down, my fingertips trail over the postcards. I pick one up and study the image. It’s of the Faraglioni rocks. I swallow hard and let my eyes roam the room to find Chase. He’s staring at me. The beginning of a smile tips the corner of his mouth. He must realize he’s been caught. I break into a wide grin at the thought. His beautiful eyes are brimmed with humor. Every gray speck sparkles with the light that reflects off them. The postcard grows heavy in my hand, and guilt washes over me. But not the guilt I expected.