Vampire’s Dilemma. Penny Ash
sip of whiskey. “You don’t want to get mixed up with me sweetheart, with what I am.”
“Ah.” She shifted a bit closer.
“Dangerous, Lucy.”
“Yes, I know.”
Shel turned a bleak gaze on her. “Do you really?”
Lucy placed her hand on Shel’s thigh. “What are you so afraid of?”
“If we do this I will end up hurting you.”
“I’ve been hurt before.” Lucy met his eyes.
They sat in silence for several minutes. Shel took another sip of the drink she’d brought him. On impulse, he held the glass out to Lucy. She took the glass and turned it until she could drink from the spot his lips had touched. Shel raised one eyebrow slightly. Lucy took a sip. And coughed.
Shel took the glass from Lucy and set it on the deck, pulling her closer and patting her back. “First try at whiskey?” He smiled into Lucy’s hair when she nodded.
Lucy leaned against him and Shel slipped his arm around her. They sat on the deck in silence. The sky was growing light and Shel suddenly had the urge to go for an early morning swim. He stood and dove into the water, coming up a few feet away from the yacht.
“Come on in, sweetheart,” Shel called to Lucy.
“I can’t,” Lucy clutched the sheet closer.
“Sure you can.” Shel swam a little closer.
“I don’t know how to swim.”
“I’ll teach you.” He held out his hand.
“Sheldon…”
“Do you trust me or not?” Lucy stood there looking at him for a long moment. Shel thought she would do the wise thing and go lock herself in the cabin. Lucy took a deep breath and jumped into the water. Shel caught her and pulled her close. Lucy kissed him.
Chapter Seven: I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
Shel caught a glimpse of something purple. Lucy. She was walking along the beach again with the little plastic bucket she’d found in the hold. Probably had it full of more beach trash. Two days anchored in the lagoon of the deserted key and she still couldn’t get enough of wandering the beach. Shel’s hand strayed to the strand of small shells tied around his neck, fingers brushing over them. He tossed the oilcan into the toolbox and went to see what she was doing.
As he walked toward Lucy, she crouched down to examine something on the wet sand. The way Lucy took pleasure in the world around her astounded Shel. In his centuries of life Shel had been with many women, hundreds of them, and he couldn’t remember one who was happy with simple things the way Lucy was. They all wanted fine dresses and jewels, cars and fancy houses, yet here was Lucy living on a small boat with him and asking for nothing. Shel shook his head.
Shel didn’t understand it but she opened up a completely new world for him. He loved the way Lucy could sit and be quiet, as if just being with him was enough. If he’d had her in the beginning, things would have been different. They would have married and had children, he’d never have felt the need to visit women like Isabel. Shel would never have become the monster he was now.
The sea breeze brought Lucy’s scent to Shel like an offering. His whole being seemed to relax. She was close, his inner self seemed to say, everything was well. Shel couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped him.
* * * *
Lucy gave the colorful shell a nudge with her fingernail. It was empty so she picked it up, dropping it into the bucket with the rest of her tiny treasures. She rose up and saw Shel walking down the beach toward her. He was wearing the jeans with the ripped knees and the old white shirt he’d worn when they met, unbuttoned as usual. Lucy smiled, waiting for him.
“You’re going to get sunburned out here,” Shel said when he got close. He shrugged off his shirt, and then slipped it around her shoulders.
“So will you.” Lucy caught his hands, stilling them.
“I don’t want you to…” Lucy stopped Shel with a finger to his lips.
Lucy took Shel’s shirt off and put it over his shoulders, waiting until Shel slid his arms into the sleeves. “Compromise. Let’s go walk in the shade.”
Shel smiled. “All right, compromise. Let’s go back to the boat.”
“Not until I show you what I’ve found.” Lucy caught Shel’s hand and pulled him along toward the tree line.
It took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the shadows but Shel could see they were on a narrow trail. He slowed, tugging Lucy back toward him. She gave him a puzzled look. “Lucy, this is probably a wild pig trail. They’re dangerous, let’s go back to the boat.”
“It’s not a wild pig trail,” Lucy said, her voice patient.
“Looks like it is,” Shel shivered at the thought of Lucy being mauled by an angry wild pig.
“Trust me, Sheldon.” Lucy looked into his eyes with that deep calmness that always shook Shel to his soul.
He remembered asking Lucy if she trusted him enough to jump into the ocean with him even though she couldn’t swim. Shel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “All right. What did you find?”
“Come on, it’s a surprise.” Lucy pulled him along.
Shel kept an eye out for wild pigs, giant fruit bats, crazy cannibals, whatever. Lucy trusted far too easily, after all she trusted him. And he really wasn’t trustworthy at all.
Shel followed Lucy down the trail with a bemused smile on his face and lustful thoughts in his head. The image of Lucy lying on the ferns, orchids in her hair, sprang into Shel’s mind. If it wasn’t a wild pig trail, they could make love right here. There was no one around for miles. Lucy looked over her shoulder at him with a teasing glint in her eyes. A white-hot glow began deep inside. The woman kept turning his world inside out and he kept letting her. He’d have to sit down and figure out why one of these days. If she let him alone long enough.
* * * *
Lucy led Shel up the foot trail. She stifled the urge to laugh. Leading him up the garden path, she thought with a mental chuckle. Lucy suddenly realized she had never allowed herself that freedom, never let go the way she did with Shel. Lucy smiled. He was too serious all the time and she was going to make sure he had fun. Like right now. The trail ended in the tiny clearing. Lucy stopped, stepping to the side to let Shel see what she’d found. He stopped and stared at it the same way she had.
“Come on,” Lucy gave his hand a tug. He looked at her, startled.
Shel followed her without a word to the little concrete platform. The metal framework was still sturdy. At first, Shel thought the white thing in the corner was some sort of weird cocoon. A few seconds of examination and he recognized the thing. Amused, he realized it was a hammock with mosquito netting hanging around it. So that’s where that old army survival kit disappeared to.
“Happy holiday, sweetheart.” Lucy’s voice was a soft whisper in his ear that sent a tingle through him.
“Holiday?” Shel’s mouth was suddenly dry.
“Has to be one somewhere,” she ran a finger down his spine.
“Uh…yeah…” Shel swallowed hard. Lucy was doing it to him again. Just when Shel thought he had his emotions under control. He had to stop letting Lucy rock him like this. Later, the tiny voice in his head whispered.
Lucy slowly walked over to the netting, reaching up to untie the knot that held her sarong on.
Steeling himself, Shel stepped forward and stopped Lucy, covering her hand with his. Shel felt the gentle tremor of her heartbeat. Each tiny shockwave traveled up Shel’s nerves into his brain, amplifying until it pounded through him
Lucy