Freefall (Santa Cruz Skydivers Book 1) (28 page)

“Would you have believed me anymore than you do now? Rosa was a saint, and I loved her like I had never loved. What I’m trying to say here is, I’m sorry that your girlfriend is like this. I’ve been watching you this past week with her, and all I can think about is Rosa and how I wish I could have saved her. I didn’t know about her depression. I don’t want history repeating itself. I’ve decided that I’m terminating our contract. But in return, I’m asking you, will you forgive me for the past, Levi? And for what I did to your mother? Will you let me back into your life, no strings attached? My greatest wish is that you and I can start again, wipe our slate clean. I believe we can salvage our relationship. I want to be your father, not your warden.”

Strange emotions ran though my body. “I can’t think about this at the moment. Andi needs me. When she’s better, we can deal with this shit. Discuss it like adults, and you can tell me the full story from the beginning.”

Derek stood and walked around to the other side of the bed where I sat and placed his hand on shoulder. “That’s a deal I can agree to. And if for some reason she doesn’t respond tomorrow, we’ll deal with it like a family.”

I dropped my head into my hands, unable to comprehend what I would do if I lost Andi. How could I cope with saying goodbye? This was one fight I was unsure of winning.

My father rubbed his hand sympathetically across my shoulders and left me alone with Andi. I had one more night to find her and bring her back, which I had no idea how to do.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Andi

I was afloat and adrift, standing on the bow of a large double deck sailing catamaran, lost somewhere in crystal clear blue waters. I didn’t have a care in the world, finally free of my troubles. Nothing could weigh me down.

A slight breeze blew, gently puffing out the large, white billowing sails, pushing the boat to an unknown destination. Sunlight danced across the tops of small waves, their sounds making a hollow, empty knocking sound as they methodically lapped up against the boat’s fiberglass hull. The sun, warm on my skin, was comforting like an old friend. I turned my face upwards and closed my eyes, letting the rays envelope and cleanse me.

My long hair hung loose, brushing against my bare back. Opening my eyes, I looked out at the vast ocean, not another boat or island in sight. But I didn’t feel alone. I felt safe, loved. I wore a white bikini with a white chiffon sarong tied low around my hips, and my skin had a healthy sun-kissed glow. Gold bracelets clinked against each other as I lifted my hand to shield my eyes against the late afternoon setting sun. I was both glamorous and exotic. Like I should be sipping on expensive French champagne.

This was what triggered me. It was all a dream, a lucid dream. I didn’t own a bikini, or know anyone that would own a yacht in the Caribbean. Or did I? My head and heart hurt. A name flashed, a lost memory. But it only brought heartache. Even in my dream, I could feel the pain in my chest as I tried to recall it.

The ocean called to me, like a long lost lover, calling me home. Even though I wasn’t a strong a swimmer, I knew I would be safe. I dove into the warm water, graceful and elegant. My hair flowed behind me as I swam breaststroke under water, going deeper into the darker depths. But still, I wasn’t afraid. Then, he appeared. I knew him. I couldn’t remember his name. But I could never forget those green eyes.

We didn’t talk, but it was like we had always known each other. He swam to me and took me in his arms and kissed me like I had never been kissed before. I wrapped my legs around him, and then we made love. Soft and slow.

We floated under the water, deeper we went into the ocean, but I didn’t need oxygen. His very presence gave me life. I leaned into his neck and bit gently, tasting him on my tongue. All the while he moved slowly inside of me. His hands grabbed my behind, and gently increased the pace, moving me up and down. My legs remained wrapped around his waist, making sure the lack of gravity under the water didn’t let me float away. I wanted this. I wanted him. I could feel myself reaching climax and arched my back as I came. Our mouths met again and we kissed as my body shook from the power of my orgasm. The familiar stranger moved away from me and my body began to ache for his presence.

His lips moved, but his voice reverberated inside my head. “Please come back to me.”

Slowly, he began to rise to the surface, but I kept sinking. His hand reached down to me as his green eyes filled with desperation. I knew if I continued down, I would never see him again. I had to choose. And then I remembered. I remembered the pain and the heartache. Our time spent together flashed before me, and I remembered how he made me feel. I was at a crossroads. This was my choice. As I looked into his pained green eyes one final time, I made my decision. Whether to live or to die. Whether to stay or say goodbye. It was my destiny and my choice to make. And slowly, I began my ascent to the surface, and gasped for air.

****

Levi turned my hand slowly over in his, taking extra caution to not make any sudden movements that might jerk about my IV line as he traced his finger along the lines in my palm. He spoke softly, unable to look me in the eye, continuing to move his finger slowly against my palm. “Do you remember the first night we met and you ran into me?”

Finally, he lifted his green eyes and looked at me. I nodded. How could I ever forget? That was the night my life had changed forever. And despite where I was and what had happened, I wouldn’t change anything. I understood it all now. The vision when I was in the coma, and him coming for me. This was our destiny.

He lifted his hand to my face, tenderly brushed my hair back, and lightly ran the back of his fingers against my cheek. “I knew it then, and I should have told you sooner, but I couldn’t. I didn’t think you would ever want a loser like me in your life. Since my mother died, nothing in my life had ever made sense. Until you came barreling into it. I’ve fucked up, Andi, big time. I just hope you can forgive me. You see, Andi, I love you. You’re all I can think about. I love you so much I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I can’t breathe. You’re my everything. I don’t want to live in this world if you don’t exist. There is no one else but you, and never will be. Even before I knew you, it was you. It’s always been you.” A single tear slid down his cheek.

“Levi.” My throat burned from the tubes that had been stuffed down them, and my voice was so soft and raspy I could barely hear it myself. But I had to say to say it. I had to tell him.

He shook his head and put his finger on my lips. “Don’t talk. You don’t have to say anything. I just needed you to know. I nearly lost you before I had the chance to tell you.”

I blinked hard, fighting sleep. I was tiring. My morphine hit had kicked in and was about to knock me back under to let my body heal. Using my remaining strength, I reached up and grabbed his hand. “Levi...I love you, too.”

My eyes finally succumbed, but not before I saw his whole face light up, and before I drifted away into sleep once more, I felt his lips tenderly against mine. And I knew that when I woke, he would be still be here, waiting for me. Waiting for me to heal, so we could start the next chapter in our own romance novel.

The End

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