Stranded With a Hero (13 page)

“Hi, we’re home.” Tyler traipsed into the kitchen followed closely by Luke with Chloe curled up in his arms. They stopped as one.

Naomi and Aaron sprang apart. Heat rushed to Naomi’s cheeks as she wondered how much Luke and Tyler had seen. In the sudden silence, a sizzling noise grew louder.

“Oh my frigging Lord!” Naomi dashed forward as she spotted melted cheese oozing out of the sandwich press and dripping onto the kitchen counter.

Tyler went to help her. As they grabbed paper towels, Tyler said to Naomi, “I left a message on your phone telling you we’d be home tonight. Didn’t you get it?”

“Uh, I must have been too busy to check my phone.” She occupied herself with the cheesy mess, glad for the distraction.

Tyler grinned as she glanced at the two men who had moved off to chat while Chloe and Milo greeted each other fervently. “Mm, looks like you’ve been real busy.”

“How is your mother?” Naomi asked in a rush. “Everything work out?”

“I guess it went as well as can be expected.” A pensive expression replaced Tyler’s smile. Tyler’s relationship with her mother had been fraught ever since her mother had dumped her in foster care at an early age. “I think she was glad to see me, even though she couldn’t wait to get rid of me, if you know what I mean.”

Naomi couldn’t imagine being estranged from her mother, and her heart went out to Tyler. She squeezed Tyler’s hand. “You did your best, and I’m glad you’re all back.”

“I couldn’t let Luke miss more time away from Aaron. It’s such a pity he can’t stay longer, don’t you think?” Tyler grinned at Naomi.

“Yeah,” Naomi murmured laconically, hoping her expression didn’t give her away too much. Yes, it was a real pity Aaron wasn’t staying longer. She might not get a chance to kiss him again. On the other hand, in a mere couple of days he’d worked her up to such point where all she could think about was kissing him, so maybe it was a good thing he was leaving so soon.

…

Another night. Another dinner with Aaron. Except tonight would be very different from last night. For a start, Luke, Tyler, and Chloe were coming too. And they were going to the Red Possum, the unpretentious pub in town with a family-friendly bistro out back. No dressing up, no lamb with stinging nettles, no fancy wines. And no morbid rambling about her breakup, either. That had to be an improvement.

Naomi swiped on some lip gloss and straightened the straps of her casual tank top. She couldn’t decide what she felt about this evening, Aaron’s last night before he left early tomorrow morning. All day she’d felt unsettled, distracted. She’d gone to work at the gift store as usual, except Tyler had accompanied her, not Aaron. A few customers had asked about the charming American, and she’d had to explain that he was spending his final day with Luke. She had to admit she’d missed his company.

By the time they finished work, Naomi was more frazzled than usual, but she suspected her weariness had less to do with work and more to do with Aaron’s imminent departure. It wasn’t fair that someone who’d aroused all her antipathy on their first meeting should now arouse something quite different in her. And it was definitely wrong that he’d effected the turnaround in a few days.

Dinner at the Red Possum was pleasant and friendly, as she’d expected. The bistro was crowded with festive diners. Children ran around in the play area. A constant stream of steak, salad, and chips flowed from the kitchen. There was zero chance for intimate conversation with Aaron. Not that he appeared to want a tête-à- tête with her.

Back at the house, Chloe asked Naomi to read to her, and Naomi quickly acquiesced, figuring she’d give Luke and Tyler a final chance to chat with Aaron while she put Chloe to bed. A while later, longer than she’d anticipated, Chloe was finally asleep, and Naomi tiptoed out of the girl’s room.

Deciding on an early night, she made her way to the annex. As she passed the courtyard separating the annex from the main house, she caught sight of a shadowy figure standing in the paved area. Her heart jumped before she recognized Aaron, and then her heart bounded again, almost cavorting. Aaron had already spotted her, so she couldn’t slink away, and she didn’t want to anyway.

He tilted his head, indicating she join him, and she stepped through the glass doors that gave onto the courtyard.

“I thought you’d still be chatting with Luke and Tyler,” she said.

“I was, but with you taking care of Chloe, I got the feeling they were keen for an early night, if you know what I mean, so I excused myself.”

“Oh.” She cleared her throat and searched for a mundane remark. “So are you packed and ready to go first thing tomorrow morning?”

He nodded. “My vacation’s gone much faster than I thought it would. Especially the last few days.”

He studied her with intense focus, the shadows on his face making him mysterious, unreadable. A flurry of excitement ran through her. Maybe she’d get to kiss him again after all.

“The last few days?” She laughed. “You’ve spent them up to your eyeballs in your version of Christmas hell.”

He chuckled too. “It had its perks.”

Now there was no mistaking his interest. She drew in a deep breath to fortify herself. The lush scent of roses filled the courtyard while stone walls protected them, heightening the intimacy of the sultry darkness. She took two steps toward Aaron. He copied her. Inches separated them. Here was her chance to kiss him the way she’d been dreaming of. Tomorrow he’d be gone, so now she could fling aside all her tiresome reservations and simply enjoy this hot hunk of a man who seemed to want to kiss her just as badly.

He was vibrating with tension, she realized. As if he was struggling to control himself. He moved even closer until his shirtfront brushed up against her tank top. Even in the dark, she could see his eyes clearly, and the desire in them ignited her. Without hesitation, she curled her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe, her mouth reaching for his. He met her halfway, his kiss hot, voracious, demanding, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist, pulling her hard against his body. His aggression stoked her blaze. Heat poured through her as she responded freely, running her hands across his shoulders, through his hair, greedy for every inch of him.

He trailed his mouth over her cheeks, lips caressing her flesh before he nibbled gently at her earlobes, his breath hot and fast. “You taste delicious,” he murmured, his voice thick with need. “You’re my idea of dessert.”

The sensuous rumble of his voice turned her legs to rubber, and when his mouth shifted back to hers and his heat engulfed her again, she clung to him, not only for support but to absorb every iota of his charisma. She parted her lips, flicked the tip of her tongue into his mouth, and he made a throaty sound before his tongue slid into her mouth, his strength and virility spreading through her, possessing her. Her head grew dizzy from the pleasure. Her fingers lost their grip on his shoulders. Oh heck, was she about to swoon from his kiss?

Mercifully, he broke off the kiss to give them both some breathing space. “Honey,” he panted, his eyes feverish, his palms burning through the thin cotton of her tank top. He swallowed hard and continued, “I sure hope you’re not going to pull away anytime soon, because I don’t know if I can stop myself.”

“I—I’m not.” She would enjoy his kisses while she could. Tomorrow didn’t exist. All they had was this one balmy, rose-scented night that she’d never forget because she would never meet another man like Aaron Cade. Eager to etch as many memories of him as possible, she reached for him again, and he didn’t hold back.

While his mouth enthralled her, he explored her curves with confident hands. His caresses aroused her; his kisses captivated her. She never wanted him to stop. She felt as if she were floating away, her body lifted up by their passion…

Something hard vibrated against her thigh.
That—that couldn’t be…?
No, it was his phone ringing in his pocket.

“I’ll get that later,” Aaron muttered against her lips, his hands splayed across the backside of her jeans.

The phone fell silent. Naomi held her breath. But the phone began buzzing and vibrating again. The schoolteacher in her sighed. “It might be an emergency,” she said.

“I have an emergency right here in my hands.” Lust and frustration throbbed in his voice. She smiled, thrilling to the feel of his hands cupping her butt. But the phone wouldn’t stop. Muttering a curse, Aaron released her and dug out the phone, answering it curtly.

Naomi moved away to give him some privacy. Her pulses were pounding, her entire body flushed with intoxication and pheromones. She shivered despite the heat.

He’d stopped grunting into the phone. She spun around, anticipation rising, only to be brought up short by the perplexed look on Aaron’s face.

“My flight’s been canceled.” Disbelief throbbed in his voice. “Canceled indefinitely.”

“What?” Confusion whirled in her head. “You mean…you’re not leaving tomorrow?”

“Apparently not.” He tugged at his ear, appearing even more shell-shocked. “Looks like I won’t make it home in time for Christmas.”

Chapter Five

Aaron couldn’t believe it. A volcano. A fricking volcano on some tiny Pacific island he’d never heard of had single-handedly ruined the Christmas plans of hundreds of travelers, including his. Because of the volcanic ash, all flights between Australia and the States had been canceled indefinitely.
Indefinitely
. He wasn’t going home to New York. He wasn’t going to spend Christmas with his folks in Mecklenburg. Even if he bribed his way onto a plane to Europe, which were all fully booked—he’d checked—and then caught a connecting flight to the States, he wouldn’t make it home on time.

So here he was on Friday afternoon, sitting on the floor of Luke’s family room, helping Chloe decorate the new Christmas tree. Naomi and Tyler were at the store, and Luke was wrapping presents in his study. Aaron had flopped on the couch, still stupefied about his disrupted travel plans, when Chloe had tugged at his hand and asked him to help her with the tree. The five-year-old was too winsome to resist, and soon they were discussing the merits of red versus gold baubles.

“Look what I made at preschool.” Chloe held up a giant cardboard snowflake thickly encrusted with silver glitter. “Can you put it near the top, please?”

“Have you ever seen real snow?” Aaron asked as he hung the snowflake in the upper branches of the tree.

Chloe shook her head, red curls bouncing. “No, but I seen it in books.”

It was another stinking hot day. The tinsel on the tree stirred lazily in the draught of the overhead fans. Outside, heat shimmered in the glaring sky. Aaron rubbed the back of his neck. Here he was hanging fake snowflakes for a kid who’d never had a white Christmas before. Out of the blue, he was gripped by a longing to feel real snowflakes falling on his face, icy cold and feathery, to hear the squeak of snow against his boots as he plowed through a fresh snowdrift.

“Snow is wonderful,” he found himself saying to Chloe. “It’s fresh and cold and makes everything pretty. And no two snowflakes are the same.”

Chloe nodded, crossing her arms. “That’s what I told Amelie from preschool. She tried to take my snowflake home, but I know what mine looks like.”

Aaron laughed and told her that hers was the best snowflake he’d ever seen.

Chloe rummaged through a box of decorations and picked up three salt dough initials—C, L, and T. “And I made these specially for Mum and Dad.”

As Aaron helped her fix the initials, he couldn’t help remembering similar ones he’d made many years ago which his mother still faithfully hung on the Christmas tree, even though the dough was flaking off and the colors had dulled. No doubt his salt dough initials were dangling on his mom’s Christmas tree at this very moment.

His chest pinched unexpectedly. When he’d called his parents to break the news that he wouldn’t be making Christmas, his mom hadn’t gnashed her teeth or started wailing as he’d half feared. Instead, she was more concerned about his well-being, that he’d be taken care of properly over Christmas, and when she heard he’d be spending the holiday with Luke’s vast family, she’d breathed a sigh of relief. “I just don’t want you spending Christmas on your own,” she’d said. That had made him feel worse than if she’d tried to guilt-trip him.

“Just make sure you keep warm,” she’d said near the end of their call.

“Mom, it’s like a hundred degrees here.”

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot.” She’d laughed. “We had two inches of snow yesterday.”

“Have a cold one for me, son,” his dad had yelled in the background. “And we’ll see you when we see you.”

They were too understanding, his parents. Like him, they must have thought that if he hadn’t cut the timing of his flights so fine, he wouldn’t be in this predicament. Because of his desire to minimize Christmas in Mecklenburg as much as possible, he was going to miss it altogether.

For eleven years, he’d resigned himself to the annual ritual, knowing he couldn’t get out of it without hurting his family’s feelings. Now, he had the perfect excuse for not making it. So why wasn’t he happier? No forcing himself to eat everything his mother put in front of him, no helping his dad fix the Christmas lights in the freezing dark, no listening to the small town gossip which never varied from one year to the next. No having to wear the garish holiday sweater his mom bought for him. No sidestepping his sister’s attempts to fix him up with one of her single girlfriends. No need to keep up with his brother-in-law’s passion for the Giants. He was off the hook this year.

But instead of being glad and relieved, he had an uncomfortable knot in his stomach, and nothing he did could lift his spirits. His mood wasn’t improved when Tyler arrived home from work alone. Naomi, it seemed, had gone out with friends and would meet them later at the carols by candlelight event.

Aaron wasn’t paranoid. Naomi had been avoiding him ever since last night when the call about his flight cancellation had interrupted their kissing. When she’d learned he was hanging around for a few more days, she’d looked startled and embarrassed, and had hurried off with some excuse. One minute she was dynamite in his arms and they were enjoying the most amazing make-out session, and the next she couldn’t bear to be with him. The abrupt reversal jarred him, and he was waiting for an opportunity to get her alone and have it out with her.

Christmas carols usually made Aaron shudder, but this time he was keen to accompany the Maguires to the park in the middle of town where the carols by candlelight event was taking place. The throngs of people in shorts and dresses sitting on picnic rugs put him in mind of Fourth of July celebrations in Mecklenburg. Except here people wore reindeer antlers and tinsel necklaces, someone handed him a sheaf of carol lyrics, and a young man in an elf costume sold him six candles. They had settled on the grass with another family when Aaron spotted Naomi with a group of friends on the other side of the lawn.

A guy was chatting keenly with her. He had one hand resting on the tree beside her, the thumb of the other hooked into the belt of his jeans. Classic body language of a guy who was interested.
Jackass
. The knot in Aaron’s stomach tightened. Why was he unpleasantly surprised? Naomi was gorgeous and friendly and one heck of a kisser. Of course she’d have men running after her now that she’d ditched her douche-bag boyfriend. By this time next year, she’d be holding hands with a man who thought himself the luckiest guy on earth.

Maybe he should go over there and check out this jackass monopolizing Naomi’s attention. Before he realized it, he was on his feet and striding across the crowded lawn. The choir gathered in the bandstand had begun to sing the first carol, but Aaron plowed on, his attention fixed on Naomi. She spotted him when he was still a distance away, and her face, which had been relaxed, stiffened slightly before she pasted on a smile.

“Hi, Aaron,” she called out, sounding overbright.

She introduced him to her friends, and he made casual conversation with them. Some were old school friends of Naomi’s, including the guy who’d been paying her so much attention. But Naomi seemed fidgety and uneasy, and Aaron couldn’t help thinking it was because of his presence. He decided that instead of trying to draw her aside, he should hang around until she was more relaxed, which meant he had to sing a few carols.

As he mumbled along to “Silent Night,” he marveled at the lengths he’d go to for this woman. Eventually there was a break in the carol singing, and Aaron found himself temporarily alone with Naomi as her friends went in search of a bottle opener. He’d wanted to speak with her in private all day. Now he had the chance, but he didn’t know how to express himself.

Naomi played with her can of soda, seemingly as ill at ease as he. “Did you speak with your parents?” she asked, breaking the stilted silence.

He nodded. “They were very understanding.”

“I’m so sorry.” Her brow furrowed in sympathy. “For them, I mean. I know you don’t mind missing Christmas with them.”

“I thought I wouldn’t mind, but I don’t feel as carefree about it as I’d imagined.”

“Oh?” She glanced up, gazing at him fully for the first time since last night. A tiny smile curled her lips. “Could it be possible that Aaron Cade isn’t the Big Bah Humbug he likes to make out he is?”

He grinned, glad to see her smile again, even if it was at his expense. “I never claimed to be the Big Bah Humbug. That was you.”

“True.” As her eyes warmed, he moved closer, drawn to her like the proverbial moth to a candle. The choir started up once more. Around them, everyone began singing, except them.

“I’m glad you’re smiling again,” he said under cover of the singing. “I thought I’d mortally offended you last night.”

She looked away, the cusps of her cheeks turning pink. “You didn’t offend me.” She paused, then shook her hair back. “It’s just that I thought you’d be thousands of miles away by now. That’s why I…” She made a circling motion with her hand as her cheeks grew rosier.

“Why you gave me the most fantastic kisses?”

“Fantastic?” Her eyes widened at him. Her lips parted, and he ached to taste them again right here in the middle of this crowd singing goddamn “Jingle Bells.”

“You thought you could let yourself go because I’d soon be safely out the way. I understand.” He brushed his fingers against the back of her hand. “I don’t want you to be embarrassed or feel you have to avoid me.”

She stared at him, and as “Jingle Bells” reached its crescendo, she nodded and gave him a self-deprecating smile. “Thanks. I feel silly now.”

“Don’t.” He leaned forward to whisper in her ear as the crowd began to applaud. “And if you want to give me a repeat performance of last night, I wouldn’t say no.”

Flushing, she shook her head. “That’s, er, flattering, but I’m sure I’ll be too busy.” But the shine in her blue eyes told him she wasn’t too averse to the prospect.

…

Naomi checked her wristwatch. It was Christmas Eve, with only ten minutes left until noon, when the doors of Java & Joolz would close and they could officially start celebrating Christmas. She looped a length of ribbon around the gift she was wrapping for a waiting customer.

“Oh hi, Aaron,” Tyler called out from the other side of the store.

At the sight of Aaron’s tall, broad-shouldered figure, Naomi’s heart gave a small leap, and the bow she was tying slipped through her fingers. She managed to finish the wrapping and hand the gift to the customer before Aaron came up to her counter.

He smiled, and she couldn’t help smiling back. “I need your help,” he said suavely.

How could she resist those dimples of his? “Sure.”

“I want to buy a few Christmas presents.”

She arched her eyebrows. “Now? We’re closing in ten minutes.”

Hands on hips, he surveyed the shop. “I need gifts for Luke’s sisters. There’re four of them including your mom, right? I thought this would be the perfect place to pick up something.”

“But we shut our doors in ten minutes! Honestly, what is it with this last-minute Christmas shopping?” She mimicked his hands on hips stance. “Besides, no one expects you to come up with a sackful of presents when you’re stranded here.”

“I know that, but over the years I’ve heard a lot about Luke’s sisters, and I’d like to give them gifts.” He shrugged. “My family’s used to my idiosyncrasies, but I don’t want your entire family thinking I’m a weird Yank who hates Christmas.”

“We won’t think anything of the kind. And we don’t go in for extravagant gifts anyway. A box of chocolates would be more than sufficient.”

Aaron tapped his fingers on the counter. “Jeez, not getting very good customer service here. I’m giving you carte blanche to sell me stuff, and you’re actively discouraging me.” He winked at her. “Maybe I’ll ask Tyler instead.”

“Well of course I’ll help you,” she quickly replied. “I know what my mum and aunts like.”

He grinned in triumph. “I thought as much.”

She took him around the art gallery, showing him various gifts. In a few minutes, he picked out handmade pottery tea sets, brightly colored sarongs, and some of the eclectic jewelry made by Tyler.

“I knew you’d come through,” Aaron said as Naomi wrapped the gifts. “And it’s barely closing time.” He leaned across the counter and lowered his voice. “I have another favor to ask.”

Why did her insides go all mushy when he spoke in that husky, mellow tone? She couldn’t do anything except nod weakly.

“Can you come shopping with me after you close up here? I sure could use your help picking out something nice for Tyler and Chloe.”

“You mean instead of a gift card?” she couldn’t help teasing.

“Who needs gift cards when I have a personal shopper like you?” His eyes sparkled, and she laughed, secretly admitting to herself that spending time with Aaron would be no hassle at all.

After checking with Tyler and Ally that she wasn’t needed anymore, she left with Aaron. Burronga’s main street was more crowded than usual. Saturday morning combined with Christmas Eve meant everyone was out and about. Giant Christmas decorations hung from flagpoles lining the street. Along the sidewalk were large wooden boxes planted with flaming red poinsettias. The smell of cinnamon doughnuts wafted in the warm breeze. Naomi breathed in the sugary scent and reveled in the heat of the sun beating down on them. Yes, this was the way Christmas should be.

They hopped into his Porsche, and she pointed him to a toy store, where Aaron decided to buy a bike for Chloe, even though Naomi protested it was too much.

“Every kid needs a bike,” he said, “and I noticed she’s outgrowing hers.”

He didn’t seem the type to pay attention to a five-year-old, let alone the state of her bike. Aaron wasn’t as hard-nosed as he came across, she thought. And that only made him more fascinating.