Harrier's Healer (10 page)

attractive woman in the world right here in my arms?”

“I’m not jealous.”
Liar.

“Liar.” Another kiss before he released her and moved them up

in the line.

Alexis remained silent as he got their tickets. A bit nervous now,

she followed him through the security checkpoint. Maneuvering

through the people, his question reached her. “What’s keeping that

brain of yours working so hard?”

She glanced sideways at him. “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Nothing specific, just odd and random thoughts.”

“Trust me, Lex,” came his seductive timbre as he turned her

head toward him to allow his lips to brush over her forehead. “Please

trust me.”

Her eyes fluttered closed at the feel of his lips on her skin. “I do

trust you, Commander. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t’ be here with you.”

“Will you stop calling me Commander? All it does is keep re-

minding us both of our respective Naval ranks.”

“I don’t think I will ever forget you are my superior officer.”

“I don’t want to be the ‘superior officer’ this week, Lex. I want to

be your friend.” His hand cupped her cheek. “I want to be your date

and I want to be your lover. I just want to be a man who is taking
his

woman on a trip.”

Be your lover. Be still my beating heart.
“No matter how hard you

try, you will
never
be ‘just a man’. Even though we are on leave, it still

doesn’t change who we are.”

56

Aliyah Burke

His hands moved to her shoulders and gave her a little shake.

“We aren’t even in the same damn command, so it doesn’t matter.”

Suddenly gentle, his thumb caressed her full bottom lip. “From now on,

call me Scott.” His eyes begged for her compliance.

“I’ll try.”

“Thank you. Now let’s get on our plane.” His hand grazed over

her butt as she turned and began to walk away.

“Hey, now,” she protested as her insides melted. “What was

that for?”

“Would you believe I couldn’t help myself?”

“Not for a second,” she retorted.

Thirty minutes later they boarded the plane. As she checked her

belt, her gaze took in the man beside her. He wore white tennis shoes,

another pair of his jeans that never ceased to raise her blood pressure,

and stretched across that impressive chest of his was a cobalt-blue tee

that outlined every rippling pectoral that lay beneath the cotton.

Everything about him drew her gaze hungrily. “First class,

huh?” she said, trying to keep her thoughts from traveling into sexual

fantasy land.
A bit late for that, Miss Missy!

“Of course.” He took two glasses of champagne from the attrac-

tive flight attendant. “Here you go.” He offered her one of them.

“Trying to get me tipsy, Com…Scott?”

“Not yet,” he drawled with a grin. A grin that faded as he spied

another man in first class eyeing Alexis.

She sipped from her drink. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he grumbled.

“Why are you scowling?”

“No reason. I’m sorry.”

“Hey,” she responded with a wave of her elegant fingers. “You

put me in first class and give me alcohol, I’m good. Scowl all you want.”

A smile broke through the scowl. “You’re amazing, Lex.”

She winked at him. “Nice to know you’re jealous.” Alexis

toasted him with her champagne flute. “Don’t try to deny it. Every time

that man two rows up turns around, your whole body gets stiff.”

He merely shrugged. The plane took off and for the four and a

half hour flight he held the hand of the woman sitting with him. They

began to get to know each other by talking about their childhood.

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57

Scott drove the car into the garage of the house that sat right

along the beach.

“Where are we?” Alexis asked as she got out and inhaled the

smells of the ocean.

“My family’s beach home.”

She whistled through her teeth. “Wow.” It was a huge three-

story home made out of marble. “This is your beach home?”
I don’t want

to stay here.

“Yes.” His skin held a hint of blush to it. “We are just here to get

the keys for the cabin that is further up the beach. Too many of the

family comes here and I don’t want to be disturbed with you.”

Or you don’t want them to see me.

“Don’t even think that. I will introduce you to my family, but

not on the first day of our vacation. We will get settled in first.”

Her eyes grew wide as she looked at him. Had he heard her?

“Your thoughts were all over your face. Oh, Lex,” he swept her

back against the cool marble pillar of the front porch. “I want to be with

you. Stop thinking that I would let someone insult you because of your

beautiful toffee skin. I am so proud to have you beside me.”

“Can we talk about something else?” She wasn’t quite ready to

deal with this yet.

“I just have to grab the keys. They are right inside the door.

Coming?”

“I’ll just wait right here. Would it be okay if I went down to the

water?” Her hands rested against his shoulders as she met his gaze.

“Sure, I’ll come get you when I’m done inside.” He sent her a

smile as he ran his hands up her arms to brush over her face. “Thank

you for coming with me.”

“I will meet you on the beach.” She ducked her head as she

slipped from his embrace.

“Lex,” his rich voice called.

Looking at him over her shoulder through the thick hair that

covered one eye she waited for him to continue. “Yes?”

“Miss me.” He winked and slipped in through one of the mas-

sive double doors.

Not even containing her laugh at his not-so-subtle order, Alexis

moved easily down the path that led to the beach. How she loved the

ocean. Slipping off her sandals, her steps took her closer to the breaking

waves.

58

Aliyah Burke

She didn’t know which one she preferred more, the Pacific or

the Atlantic Ocean. They were both amazing in their own right. The

Atlantic had the sunrise while the Pacific had the sunset, and both could

make her weep at their beauty.

Alexis moved into the cool water, allowing the gentle waves to

lap at her legs. She just stared out to sea.

Harrington Prescott Broderick Leighton, III stood on the edge of

the beach and looked at the woman who stood in the water. Her fingers

trailed in the liquid and she seemed unconcerned with the fact that the

legs on her capris were wet. He’d passed her discarded sandals on the

way down here.

“Could I be falling in love?” he asked no one in particular.

“What does this one woman have over me that makes it impossible to

get her out of my head? She is so beautiful, but I have no idea what to

do.”

He’d removed his shoes and socks and placed them where he’d

seen hers. With a glance at his pants, he shrugged and moved silently

into the water. Slipping up behind her, he slid his hands around her

waist and placed a kiss on her temple.

“Mmmm. You should be careful, sir. I don’t normally let stran-

gers kiss me.”

“Well, I am grateful that you have allowed me to, my ebony

enchantress.” His hands went under the hem of her shirt and teased her

flat stomach. “I would have another, if I can turn you from whatever

man holds your affections.”

She smiled as she overlooked the ocean. “What makes you think

any man holds my affection?”

“So no one does?” His hands moved down to run over her

thighs.

“I didn’t say that. I just asked what made you think that any

man held my affection.”

“Tell me about him,” he ordered.

With her head resting against his shoulder Alexis put her small-

er hands over his forearms. “There is nothing to tell.”

“So, are you unattached?” His breath warmed her ear.

“Well, there is this one man…” She let it hang.

“And?”

She looked at him over her shoulder. “And nothing. That man

will be by the wayside if he doesn’t feed me, ’cause I am hungry.”

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59

His chest moved with his chuckle. “Okay, let’s get going. I want

to get us settled and then we will go for dinner. I don’t have food in the

house so we will also have to go shopping.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She didn’t move, just stayed there in his

comforting embrace.

I am. I am falling in love.
“Let’s go.”

She sighed heavily but still turned and walked with him back to

the car where they slid with wet legs onto the seats. Alexis set her shoes

beside her and watched as Scott wiped off his feet and put his shoes

back on.

He put them on the small two-lane road that curved with the

coastline. It took about twenty minutes of drive time but the scenery

was breathtaking. Scott pulled into the paved driveway of a beautiful

log cabin.

“
Jesú
, this is your cabin?”

“What do you think?” He put his gaze on her face and waited

while she looked around.

The cabin had two stories and there were large, open windows

all around that allowed the sun to flood the interior with its warmth

and let those inside gaze at the ocean. It sat on a small edge and as they

walked towards the door, Alexis saw the path that would take her

down to the beach.

“I think it is beautiful. My God, why would you ever leave this

place?” she said with awe.

“This is where I come to relax after a mission. Let me give you

the grand tour.” His hand settled familiarly on the small of her back as

he unlocked the door and allowed her to enter first.

C h a p t e r N i n e

Coming down the polished stairs, Alexis could only shake her

head. This place was amazing. Scott had all modern appliances and

technology but the place still retained a comfortable rustic feel to it. The

upstairs had five large rooms, the most amazing being the master

bedroom where he’d placed their bags.

The room had totally screamed “man”. There wasn’t a lot of col-

or and the furniture was dark but the room was spotless. His closet was

organized as were the rest of the things she spied. His room had a

California king-sized bed that was covered with a charcoal gray comfor-

ter.

The furniture he had was simple yet functional. There was a

straight back chair and a large stuffed armchair beside a small table in

his bedroom; this man was not a man for knickknacks. Her eyes grew

heavy as she imagined what it was going to be like sharing that bed

with him tonight.

“What did you think?” he asked as he met her at the bottom of

the stairs.

“I think it is obvious you are a military man; your room is per-

fectly squared away,” Alexis murmured with admiration.

His large hands lifted her with ease off the stairs and he lowered

down the hardened expanse of his body. “I love this place,” he said in

his seductive timbre.

“It is absolutely beautiful. I love this view you have.” She

squirmed out of his arms and walked over to the front room that

overlooked the ocean. The windows were floor-to-ceiling, allowing for a

remarkable observation of the brilliant oceanic picture. “It is very easy

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61

to see why you would want to come here. Do you spend family gather-

ings here?”

His body moved up behind her as his arms slid around her

waist. Together they stood in the afternoon’s fading sun looking out

over the vibrant colors the water at sunset offered. “No, the family

prefers the beach house or the manor for gatherings. This is my place.

My solitude.”

“So, you just have parties here, then?” She closed her eyes in

bliss as Michael Bublé began to croon throughout the dwelling.

“I will admit that my Team has gathered here for a few relaxing

days. But it has been a ‘men-only’ excursion. You know…drinking beer,

not having any manners, the whole male-bonding thing.”

“Having seen your Team, I would hate to be the one to clean up

after that! I bet you are one rowdy bunch!” She laughed as her eyes

opened in time to witness the final fading of the colors from the setting

of the sun.

His body swayed against hers in time with the music. “Dance

with me,” he purred in her ear.

Without a single protest, Alexis spun around in his arms and let

his body lead hers slowly but with incredible grace around the open

space in front of the windows. Her eyes closed again and she rested her

head against his chest.

“You feel so perfect here in my arms, Lex. So perfect,” he mur-

mured as darkness fell over the land, immersing the dancers.

Oh, you speak the truth, Scott. I love being in your arms.
She

couldn’t say anything out loud; her entire body was enjoying the feel of

being in his solid embrace. If only they could dance forever.

“We should get changed if we are going to get something to

eat,” he said as the music picked up its beat.

“What type of place are we going to? A jean-and-tee place or

something that requires me to dress up?”

His eyes seemed to burn as he gazed upon her. “Jeans. I thought