The Obsidian Collection Read online

  He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. “Thank you for trusting me with this. I promise I won’t tell a soul.”

  Erika gazed into Brandt’s eyes, searching their depths. His green eyes clear and holding no secrets from her.

  “I know I can trust you, Brandt, thank you.”

  She leaned in and took his lips. She could taste the remnants of the brandy he’d drunk. It warmed her to her toes. She slipped her arms around his broad shoulders, feeling their steely strength. He took over the kiss and gently lowered her to the couch. It was blissful to be held in his arms again. She knew she wouldn’t be leaving him anytime soon.

  He slowly broke the kiss, looking at her with a soft smile.

  “I’m glad you still came and that you came by yourself. It would’ve been very hard for me to walk away from you knowing you were attached to someone else.”

  She gave a soft laugh. “Who’s to say we would have met up anyway? I might have been in my room the whole time.”

  “No, Erika, we would have met. We were fated to meet.”

  She gave him a little push and scrambled back on the couch until her back was resting on the armrest. His words and intense look in his eyes showed he meant every word. She didn’t know how to take them.

  “So, what you’re saying is that if you’d seen me with Rod, you would have come over and done everything in your power to break us up?”

  He moved closer to her again, invading her personal space. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  “I never picked you as someone who would go out of their way to deliberately separate a couple.”

  “I’m not, normally, but from the moment I saw you looking lost in the lobby, I knew I had to meet you. Talk to you. Have you.” He punctuated each sentence with a kiss.

  Erika was having difficulty understanding what Brandt was saying. Sure she heard the words, but she didn’t know how to take them.

  “I see I’ve shocked you?”

  “Well, yes, what if I’d been married? Would you have willingly broken up a marriage for a fling?”

  “If you’d been married, then we would never have met.”

  Erika had to laugh. “You keep surprising me. Who would have thought you would be so into fate and karma.” She finished with a wave of her hand.

  He shrugged. “I guess you don’t know until it hits you in the face. But I’ve had enough talking and I think you have too.”

  She couldn’t deny it; her blood had slowly been starting to heat and wetness was pooling in her panties. She looked up at him through her eyelashes. “Now that I have to agree with.” She reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair away. “I’ll be honest and say I’m glad that I came here by myself too, and that you saw me and decided to help a damsel in distress.”

  He stood and she gave a little yelp as he scooped her up from the couch. “My pleasure. Now shut up and kiss me.”

  Their lips met and his tongue plunged right in, duelling with hers. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders; they bunched with every step he took and she loved the strength in them. Before she knew it, she was being gently lowered onto a bed. Brandt broke their kiss and smiled.

  “I think it’s about time we tried a bed. What do you say?”

  The bed felt heavenly beneath her back. “I think that sounds fabulous. No more talking, Brandt, Make love to me.”

  “My pleasure,” he whispered against her neck while his hand caressed her breast. She didn’t think she’d ever get enough of him.

  Brandt held Erika in his arms, his heart slowly returning to normal after the most amazing lovemaking session they’d shared. He never wanted to let her go. She belonged in his arms. In his bed. In his life. He had to convince her to stay.

  “You know you can’t leave now, don’t you?”

  Erika laughed and poked him in the chest. “Well, seeing as I can’t leave until you call for the chopper, then I suppose you’re right; I can’t leave.”

  “I’m serious here, Erika. I don’t want you to leave at the end of your holiday. I want you to stay, here with me. I can’t let you go.” He pulled her tighter in his arms and captured her lips to reinforce his words. After savouring her taste for a few moments, he relinquished his hold on her lips.

  “I don’t know, Brandt. We’ve only just met and it’s all a little mind boggling for me. We’ve shared so much in such a little time,” she said breathlessly, firing his body even further to life. He didn’t think he’d ever get enough of her.

  “I know, but it feels so right, don’t you think? At least give us a chance to explore this. Stay here with me in this house for the rest of your holiday.”

  He held his breath, waiting for her answer. Emotions flitted across her face, before the sweetest smile she’d ever given him spread across her features. He knew then he’d won the first battle.

  “Yes, I’ll spend the rest of my holiday with you. I agree there is something true and real between us, but I need to take time. Can you understand that?”

  Brandt reached out and lightly brushed her cheek. Lightness filled the dark places that had taken hold of his soul. It seemed unbelievable that he could fall for someone in a day and half but he knew he was halfway there and it wouldn’t take him long before he fell completely in love with Erika. She was his special someone. The person who gave his obsidian heart a reason to beat again. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her walking in his life, but he knew he would cherish her for the rest of it.

  “I’ll give you as much time as you need,” he said softly. “But be warned, I’ll do everything I can to persuade you to stay with me.”

  “I would expect nothing less of you. It’s going to be a fun couple of weeks.”

  He laughed. “Absolutely.” He caught her lips again, starting another journey of ecstasy between them.

  Erika stood on the balcony watching the sunset. Today was the official last day of her vacation and she knew that, over dinner, Brandt was going to ask for her answer to the same question he’d asked for the last two weeks.

  Would she stay with him?

  If only it was as simple as a yes or no answer.

  There was so much to consider, her business for one thing. She had been putting off thinking about that. Well, that wasn’t the whole truth, Brandt had been able to keep her mind well and truly occupied with lots of activities both in and out of the bedroom, making it almost impossible to think of nothing else but the two of them together. Now the time had come to think about her life and what she’d been doing before she’d come to this island paradise.

  With technology today, she knew she could run her business from anywhere. She had other options too; she could get a business partner in or employ a manager to run the store. Or she could sell the boutique.

  Erika let the thought drift around in her mind. She had built the business up from the small capital her father had loaned her and the money the bank had lent her. She had paid them both back after only two years of trading. She had proven to herself she could take a concept and turn it into a money making venture. Her father had been so proud of when she’d handed him a check for his contribution to her start-up costs.

  “What has got you thinking so deeply about that it looks like it hurts?”

  She closed her eyes and let his voice wash over her, wrapping her in the warmth that emanated from it. His arms slipped around her waist and she leaned back into his strength. Erika didn’t think she’d ever tire from being held by him. This man who made her feel cherished. This man who took her to heaven and back.

  This man whom she loved.

  She had her answer then. Tomorrow she would get on that plane and leave this tropical paradise behind, hopefully with Brandt sitting beside her.

  But only for the length of time it took to arrange for her business and house to be put on the market and to arrange for her things to be shipped back up to this small island.

  She turned in his arms, feeling freer and lighter than she had in all
her life. Flinging her arms around his neck she doused him with the wine she had forgotten she was holding.

  “Yes.”

  It was all she said. It was all that needed to be said. It was going to be all right.

  Brandt cupped her face in both his hands, searching her features. She smiled, letting him know she had no doubts about her decision. He answered with a smile of his own.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. It took me a while to get here, but now that I am, I don’t ever want to leave you or this place.”

  “But what about your business and home?”

  “My home is here with you. My business, well, I’ll appoint a manager and fly back once a month to check on things. What I really want to do is to stand beside you. Help you achieve your goal of helping the families of burns victims. I just want you, Brandt.’

  She went up on tiptoes and kissed him. Putting all her feelings and emotions into that one kiss. He answered her with promises of his own.

  They broke apart, breathing ragged. Brandt’s hands ran up and down her back, and looking deep into her eyes, he let all his emotions show.

  She caught her breath at what she saw shining in his emerald depths. It amazed her that in two short weeks she could find her soul mate and fall in love as deeply as she had. She had no doubt Brandt felt the same way. He showed it with every touch on her skin. With every kiss he gave her. With every wiping away of her tears when they’d watched a sappy movie. He was her life.

  “I love you, Erika.”

  “I love you too, Brandt.”

  Their lips met and they sealed a future together with that one touch, and as the setting sun cast its golden glow over them, Erika was supremely glad she had decided to take the risk and vacation on her own.

  Brandon

  I’m finally going home after being gone for more than five years. My family has become a distant memory for me. As I sit here and write Emma for the last time, to tell her I’m coming home, I think about the fun times we had together. Although Emma and I are many years apart, she is my one constant in life. The one person in my life I can count on and the one person who loves me the most. My parents were in their mid-forties when she was born and had no plans for another child, so she was a welcome surprise for all of us. She was so angry with me for leaving her at a moment’s notice.

  “You can’t leave me here alone, Brandon!” she pouted. Emma was the spitting image of our mother, all except her blue eyes which she gets from our father. Everything else, from her petite frame to the blonde locks of her hair, were our mom’s.

  “Emma, Please don’t’ cry. I’ve got to go. It’s my duty to go. I promise I’ll write and call as much as I can.” She knew whenever she cried in front of me, she would get her way because I was a sucker. I hated it when she cried and she knew it.

  “Please. I can’t believe you are leaving me alone here with Mom and Dad. They are so old and it’s going to so boring.” She sniffled, wiping the snot on her little shirt.

  “Don’t say that. It’ll be fine and I’ll be back before you know it, Dot.” I gave her a peck on the cheek and turned and waved to my parents. My heart sank as I walked away from them. For all I knew, I’d never see them again. For what it was worth, I was going to miss this stupid town.

  That was the last thing I said to her before I boarded the Greyhound bus. It was a long journey to DC where I caught my flight to where I am now. Where am I now? I’m in the middle of the desert, fighting for the freedom of those who don’t have it. Some people don’t think we belong here and some do. Who am I to argue either side? My job is simple, to follow orders and that is exactly what I’m doing. I signed up to be in the Air Force to protect and possibly die for my country. Either result, I’m proud. Now five years later, they are sending me home.

  Home. The word sounds so good. I’ve been yearning for it for so long. The heat and dust of this place is wearing on my nerves. The people are friendly enough, but we always have to watch our backs, especially for suicide bombers. The most recent bombing happened last month, it took out half my platoon including my best friend Derrick. I hate that he went and I am still here. He blew up right in front of my eyes. When you see something like that happen, it’s forever burned into your brain. It’s no surprise I still suffer nightmares of that day. My comrades regularly have to wake me up out of my nightmare state, my body covered in cold sweat. Sometimes, I can smell the smoke enter my nose from the explosion and the blood of Derrick on my hands from when I held him as he took his last breaths of life. He told me to tell his family that he loved them, and that is exactly what I plan to do.

  As I hand the flight attendant my ticket, I look through the window at the dessert and pray to God I never have to return.

  “You can go, sir,” she tells me in a kind voice.

  “Sorry.”

  “Thank you and have a nice flight.” I sling my bag over my shoulders and prepare for the fourteen-plus hour flight home. I’m happy and scared at the same time. I know I’ve changed and I’m no longer the boy my family once knew. Emma pops into my head and I can’t help but to smile, because I’ll get to see that adorable little girl again and tell her I love her. She has been the only thing to keep me going.

  “Sir, you’ll have to stow your bag in the overhead compartment.” I looked down to my see my bag sitting on my feet.

  “Got it.”

  “Thank you.” The attendant smiles at me; her eyes are kind. I toss the bag up into the overhead compartment, but not before getting my iPad out. I downloaded some games, movies, and books for the ride.

  I turned on my iPad and tapped the iTunes app; the first song that popped in was Rhianna’s “Umbrella”. Emma had downloaded it for me to remind me of her. I leaned my head back and remembered all the fun times we had as kids. The times I took her to the park and times, we’d make goofy faces at the passers-by as we ate lunch. She was my rock, my constant. The last letter I received from Emma, she told me she was going on her first date and how excited she was. When I left for my assignment, Emma was only ten years old, yet she’s already old enough to be going on her first date. Geez, the time has flown and I know the little fucker better treat her right or he will have me to deal with.

  The last picture I saw of her, the blonde locks I’d come to love were now a golden brown and her crystal blue eyes where now green from contact lenses. I hardly recognized the change in her. But who am I to talk? The desert has really taken a toll on me. No longer am I the little puny guy who left; I’m three times the size, with my hair having changed from dark brown to nearly black. My eyes are still the same deep blue; that will never change.

  As the plane takes off, my heart dances with excitement at the thought of seeing my family again. It’s been too long since I hugged them and told them how much I loved them. I need to feel my family’s warmth desperately. The past five years, all I’ve seen is death. All I’ve heard are bombs going off in the background. My head yearns for silence.

  Being in the military has taught me many things. Some good, some not so much. It has really opened my eyes to see how the world can be an evil of a place. Something as simple as humanity is truly taken for granted. All the horror that I saw overseas makes me think that maybe there are people that want a better world, but from the experience, I believe that’s asking too much.

  Arebella

  I’ve lived virtually my entire life confined in a system that seems foreign to me. All we ever did was work, work, go to church, and then work some more. The women are meant for the housework and the men are to labor outside. Their task is anything from building houses to working in the fields. Anything to keep our farm and community running properly.

  I longed for more and wondered what was out there beyond the walls, the walls put up to protect me. One time, my parents took me into town with them to buy some feed for our chickens. My mother also needed to purchase some fabrics for some new clothes for my baby brother or sister who was due any day. Being Amish has me
confined to my sounds of others like me. We aren’t allowed to socialize with others who are not like us. We live a simple life. So when my parents decided to take me into town that day, I couldn’t contain my excitement. The wagon we drove seemed to take forever to get to town. I asked so many questions on the way there. My mother (God rest her soul) had to tell me to be quiet for the rest of the ride. Shiny metal contraptions kept speeding by us on the journey. I read about cars in school, but never saw one up close until that moment. When we finally pulled up to the feed store, I hopped out of the buggy, bouncing up and down.

  “Baby girl, please calm yourself.”

  “I can’t, Mom.” before I could say another word, a little blonde boy popped out from the store holding his mother’s hand, while licking a lollipop.

  “It’s not polite to stare, baby girl.” I couldn’t help it. I hadn’t seen anything like it ever. He wore blue jeans and the most colorful blue and green shirt I’d ever seen. All the boys on the farm were dull and drab. They wore the same dull black pants and white shirts. We weren’t allowed to wear color in our community. It meant we were being flashy if we did. His blue eyes pierced mine as he passed by me. I knew I would never forget those eyes as long as I lived, and I haven’t.

  “Come on,” my mother instructed as she grabbed my hand and dragged me into the store. My eyes popped out of my head when we finally got in. There were all sorts of shiny things, pointed things, colored things. I wanted to touch everything, but of course, my mother kept tight reins on my hands. By the time we made it back home, it was dark, and all I could think about was the boy and getting out of this life. Even then, at just five- years- old, I knew I needed more in my life. Yes, I loved my family, but deep down, I knew this wasn’t the life I wanted.

  My mother died giving birth to my sister. It was the saddest day of my life because it left me to help raise her. I knew I’d leave her one day and she would never forgive me. This wasn’t the life for me. I dreamed of being an artist and seeing those blue eyes again. The eyes that pierced my soul the day I saw him in that store; they burned in my head almost every waking moment. I’d dream of them looking at me. There hasn’t been another boy who could compare to him. Felix, my neighbor, had become so fond of me. I tried to like him; I really did, but my heart wasn’t with him. My father had arranged with his father for us to marry. The night before my wedding, I ran away, never to see my family again. You see, once I left, I was shunned and never able to return. The night before I left, I spoke to my sister.