Page 23 of Jewel of the Sea

Aymee propped her chin on her hand, watching the rain batter the windowpanes. Enough water streamed down the glass that the building might as well have been standing in a riverbed.

Most people stayed indoors during such weather, which had made for a slow day at the clinic. It was just as well — Aymee was having a hard time focusing. Her father had departed an hour earlier to attend a bedridden mother-to-be and, left to her own devices as evening approached, she found herself uncharacteristically morose.

The change in her was astounding; a few days ago, she’d been content to wait patiently through an entire week just to chance a glimpse of Arkon. Now, every hour was a battle against her craving for his presence.

She smiled, brushing a fingertip over her lips. She’d kissed him.

What had Macy felt, what had she thought, the first time she kissed Jax? Surprise? Shock? Had she been confused to feel something so powerful for something — someone— so different, soother?

When Aymee looked upon Arkon, she saw something…familiar. A kindred spirit. His physical differences were nothing to instill fear and disgust; she’d been awed and inspired by him from the first moment she looked upon him.

Her finger paused on her lower lip, and for an instant, she felt his mouth upon hers again. He’d gone so still, his muscles tense, eyes wide with astonishment, and she’d known he’d never been kissed before. A thrill coursed through her at the knowledge — the thrill of being the one to give him that experience. She’d wondered, as she lay atop him, his limbs coiled around her legs and waist, if kissing wasn’t the only thing he’d never done.

But how could that be? Arkon was powerful, agile, and intelligent — his people had to see that, too. Perhaps only kissing was new to him.

Aymee straightened in her chair and looked down at the desk. The papers spread over its surface were covered in sketches of Arkon’s hands in varying poses. She traced her finger along one of the many lines — the webbing between forefinger and thumb — and recalled the feel of his hands. Heat sparked inside her.

She’d desired other men, but what Arkon made her feel with a simple glance was beyond comparison — and beyond her understanding.

With a sigh, Aymee gathered the papers, slipped them into her leather satchel, and closed the flap. There was no point sitting in the clinic alone watching the rain fall. Though the night ahead seemed impossibly long, tomorrowwouldcome.

She just hoped the storm would pass by then.

After ensuring everything was clean and the supplies were stored, she turned off the lights and made her way into the front room. She looped the satchel strap over her shoulder, pulled her coat on over it, and stepped out into the downpour.

Cold wind pelted her with stinging rain, soaking the bottom of her skirt before she’d managed ten steps. She paused in the middle of the square, shielded her eyes with a hand, and glanced toward the promontory, where the lighthouse’s signal blazed in the gloom —danger, danger, seek out shelter.

Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the pale cylinder of the lighthouse. A deafening crack of thunder followed.

“It’s really not safe to be out here in this storm,” someone said behind her, their raised voice muted by the howling wind and torrential rain.

Aymee started and spun to see Randall Laster standing a few feet away, water streaming from his dark green poncho. “You should come into the town hall until the lightning lets up, at least.”

Her gaze shifted to the warm glow spilling from the windows and open doorway behind him.

“The lightning could last all night,” she said.

“Wouldn’t hurt to give it a little more time, would it? Warm up and have a few drinks.” Randall glanced over his shoulder. He and his rangers were sleeping on cots in the town hall’s back room while they were in town — not necessarily the sort of company she was eager to keep. She had no wish to find herself in another heated discussion with him.

“My home isn’t far.” Aymee glanced up as another bolt of lightning divided the sky, followed immediately by an earth-shaking boom.

“If it’s not far, why not have a drink with me? Then I can escort you home and make sure you get in safely.”

Aymee frowned. “I don’t—”

“Please,” he said, stepping closer. “Just as two people looking to unwind, not as a ranger and a doctor.”

Blinking against the rain, she searched his face. It wouldn’t kill her to be kind to him, to mend whatever discord existed between them. It could even curb her impatience. Sitting at home and staring at the walls wouldn’t make tomorrow come any faster, so why not seek a brief distraction?

“Okay.”

He smiled and stepped aside, gesturing her onward. “After you.”

She hurried across the square and entered the building. Heat settled over her as she removed her coat and hung it on a peg near the door. When she walked into the common room, the townsfolk within greeted her with smiles and waves. She’d expected a few familiar faces, but at least a dozen locals were seated at the bar and tables, chatting and drinking.

“Hello Aiden,” she said to one of the men at a table near the bar. The gray streaks at his temples seemed a little more pronounced every few days.

He twisted around in his chair and grinned when his eyes met hers. “Aymee! What a pleasant surprise. What are you doing out in this storm?”

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