I screamed, scrambling away, suddenly more afraid of the stranger than Warren.
“You’re crazy, man!” Warren moved quickly, dodging the sharp knife. “You could have killed me.”
“I still might.”
“What’s your problem? I didn’t do nothing to you.”
The stranger rubbed the dark-gold stubble on his chin with the blunt end of his knife, seeming to consider the question before answering. “I can’t stand idiots who speak in double negatives — and hurt girls.”
“Double what?” Warren backed into a stack of bikes. “And I didn’t hurt her.”
“Not from my prospective,” he said as he thrust his knife out again, advancing on Warren.
“Hey, cut it out! I don’t mean cut — I mean, lay off!” Warren sputtered, his bravado swept away in the whoosh of a blade. “Can’t we talk this over? I wasn’t hurting anyone. Rayah and I were just having fun.”
“You have a warped definition of fun. I have my own definition — would you like to see how fun this feels?” The knife flashed, whipping past Warren’s arm.
“Okay, okay!” Warren scrambled out of the way. “Put that down and I’ll do whatever you say.”
“You will?”
“Yeah, yeah, just cool it. I won’t mess with Rayah again.”
“I don’t believe you,” the stranger said, his knife hand still sweeping toward Warren. “Convince me.”
“How am I supposed to do that? I give my word I’m telling the truth! I don’t want trouble.” Warren lifted his hands in surrender, brushing against the wheel of an upside-down bike and setting it spinning. “Put away the knife! You’re sick, dude!”
Before the stranger could come after him again, Warren swore and bolted for the door, fiercely yanking it open and then running away with surprising speed, a shadowy blur disappearing into the twilight.
And I was alone with the knife-wielding stranger.
Um … should I thank my rescuer or run out of the room, too?
Huddling in my jacket, heart racing, I stared up at him, scared yet intrigued. He folded the blade of the knife and tucked it into a pocket. The wind from the half-open door whipped his unbuttoned denim jacket around his lean body. His skin glowed with the deep, bronzed tan of someone who spends long hours outside. A surfer, I guessed, as I admired how his sun-drenched skin complemented his hazel eyes and the chestnut waves in his sandy-blond hair. His hands were calloused and strong, like he spent a lot of time doing physical labor.
Glancing down at the floor, I noticed his navy blue cap. I picked it up and held it out to him. “Is this yours?”
“Right. I didn’t realize it had fallen off,” he said as he reached out, not actually touching me but brushing so close that the hairs on my skin seemed electric. “This cap has traveled a long way with me — it was a gift from the captain of the first ship I ever sailed. I would hate to lose it. Thanks for noticing.”
“I’m the one who’s grateful,” I said. “What you just did … um … I hardly know how to thank you enough.”
“You don’t need to. Like Cicero says—” He paused with a distant look, and then quoted: “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”
Literary quotes? From a guy who looked like a surfer but used his knife like an action hero? Now I really didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know anything about him. Not even his name.
As if reading my mind, he smiled. “By the way, I’m Dyce.”
“I’m Amb … Sharayah. My friends call me Rayah and you can call me that, if you want, or whatever you like.”
“I prefer Sharayah … sounds like the sigh of a soft sea wind. As winds come lightly whispering from the West, Kissing, not ruffling, the blue deep’s serene.”
“That’s beautiful. Poetry?” I guessed.
“Right. Lord Byron.”
“Cool. The only poems I know are silly ones my grandmother taught me when I was little. How can you remember so much? You must have an amazing memory.”
“Not so amazing.” He fit the cap on his head at a crooked angle, so the anchor design tilted over his right ear. “I just read a lot of old books.”
“I do, too. Well, except not old ones, usually self-help books. Unfortunately there wasn’t one about how not to be tricked into going into a deserted warehouse with a lying jerk.” I glanced around at the shadowy bicycles and shuddered. “This place is creepy. Let’s get out of here.”
I started for the door but Dyce moved faster. “After you,” he said politely as he held open the door — in a gesture right out of one of those old books he liked to read.
When the door shut behind us, it was a relief to inhale the cool, salty evening air. I was feeling other emotions, too, but I was afraid to analyze them.
“Sorry about roughing up your friend,” Dyce told me, the gold strands in his hair shining under an overhead light as he leaned against the side of the building. “I can’t stand guys who push girls around. But just so you know, I had no intention of cutting him — only scaring him.”
“You succeeded. Warren looked scared enough to pee his pants.”
Dyce laughed — a low, sexy laugh that made my heart jump. Sexy, smart and chivalrous. Wow, what a combo. Most guys wouldn’t even know what chivalrous meant — but Dyce could probably spell it and use it in a poem. And let’s not forget the fact that he was Class A super-fine. I couldn’t resist some inner tingling at his charm, intelligence and the whole rescuing-me thing.
“Just so you know, Warren is no friend of mine,” I added, not wanting him to think I was chronically stupid.
“I guessed that,” he said.
“I only just met him today, when my roommate hooked up with his friend. I wouldn’t have come here with him if he hadn’t lied to me about meeting my roommate at a party. But no party and no roommate. I was stupid to believe him.”
“You never really know anyone.”
“That’s for sure,” I murmured with a glance down at myself.
“Be careful who you trust and you’ll do fine.”
“But I didn’t trust Warren — he made me suspicious right off. He had this rude way of staring at me. But I tried to ignore it because we were stuck together for a long drive and my friends liked him — especially Sadie.”
“Your roommate?” he guessed.
“No, that would be Mauve. Sadie — she’s the talkative one — was really into Warren and I thought he was into her, too, until this.” I gestured toward the bike rental building. “But why would he go to all the trouble to get me here when Sadie wanted him?”
“I can think of several reasons,” Dyce said, a soft cadence to his voice that would have sounded cheesy coming from anyone else, but sounded classy coming from him.
Dangerous conversation territory ahead, I told myself. So instead of asking the most obvious question, I shook my head firmly. “If you met Sadie you’d know what I mean. She’s really sweet. Warren was an idiot not to hook up with her and to go after me — especially when I made it clear I couldn’t stand him.”
“Maybe he’s looking for a challenge,” Dyce suggested.
“I think it was more than that … something personal. But you showed up before he could … well, anything.”
A cool ocean breeze snaked inside my jacket and I wrapped my arms around myself. I peered around uneasily, as if Warren could be lurking behind shadowy bushes, waiting to jump out and grab me. Everything about his behavior had been suspicious, and I was more positive than ever that his dragon gloves had nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with hiding a telltale glow.
I imagined Warren taking off his gloves and pressing glowing fingers into my skin. Realizing what almost happened made me nauseous. Or maybe it was the combination of lack of sleep, missed meals and too many sips from red cups. I didn’t realize I was swaying until Dyce moved to my side, slipping his arm around my waist to steady me.
“Sharayah, take some deep breaths,” he said gently.
I did as told. His callused touch sent warm waves through me and I started to feel better — for all the wrong reasons.
“I’m okay,” I assured as I stepped away to show him I wasn’t a pathetic wimp. “I don’t usually get dizzy.”
“Shock will do that — sneak up like a sleeper wave then knock you over before you know what happened.”
“Well … I’m fine now. Today has just been totally insane.”
“I understand,” he said, nodding. But of course he didn’t — and I couldn’t explain.
“Getting away for spring break was supposed to be fun,” I added, “but nothing has turned out like I expected.”
“Not all bad, I hope?” he asked with a lift of his brows.
“Not all,” I admitted in a silky tone that would have made the real Sharayah proud but left me embarrassed. Would he think I meant he was the only good thing about today? That I was hitting on him?
“What I meant,” I quickly amended, “was that I had a good time on the drive down here with my friends.”
Saying this aloud made me realize it was true. The drive had been fun. Not the part where I was cooped up in the car for umpteen-zillion miles. What I’d enjoyed was being accepted as an equal by older girls and experiencing the wild side of college, with complete freedom to do or say whatever I wanted. Also, there had been a sense of girl-connectivity with Mauve and Sadie, sharing stories, sick jokes and gossip. And I could even admit (exclusively to myself) that strutting on a stage wearing only a wet T-shirt and thong hadn’t been that horrible. Embarrassing? Yes. Terrifying? Definitely. But the flip side of terror is excitement, and being in a borrowed body had given me the freedom to lose my inhibitions, to let loose with wild spontaneity. I could still hear the roar of cheers and applause from the crowd.
I realized Dyce was staring at me. “Anyway, I’m fine now, although things could have gotten critical if you hadn’t showed up.” I was babbling like I always did when nervous. “Not many guys would bother helping someone they don’t even know. Thanks for the rescue and for not actually killing Warren.”
“He got lucky.” Dyce arched his brows wickedly.
He wasn’t the only one, I secretly thought, feeling as if Sharayah was momentarily in control as she tilted my head and smiled in a slow, seductive way. The logical part of me (let’s call her Amber) struggled to gain control, but exhaustion made it hard to focus. I wasn’t sure what I was thinking anymore. This body was responding to Dyce — pulse racing, head light, heat surging as if my skin were on fire. Amber warned: Walk away from the hot guy. But reckless Sharayah ignored her.
Dyce wasn’t helping things either, staring at me with an intensity that went beyond casual flirting. So I did what any normal girl with normal desires would do when stuck in the hormone-raging body of adventurous spring breaker.
I studied him right back.
His thick lashes were unusually long and curly for a guy, drawing me in into his gray-green eyes, sea-deep with flickers of sun shining across the surface. I found myself wondering what he was thinking. Was he attracted to Sharayah? Not me, of course. He had no idea a high schooler lurked beneath this mature body. My inner Amber screamed for me to walk away before I was swept up into a storm of trouble.
But trouble sounded kind of fun.
“Do you live around here?” I asked him.
“No.” He shook his head. “Just on vacation.”
“Spring break?”
“You could call it that, although I don’t get into all the partying.”
I started to say “Me too,” until I realized that would be Amber speaking and out of character for Sharayah.
“Too bad,” I said, flashing what I hoped was a sexy smile. “My friends and I came here to have a good time, so we’ll be doing lots of partying.”
“It didn’t look like you were having a good time when I first saw you.”
“I was an idiot for believing Warren. Thank God you got rid of him — but how did you know? Are you psychic?”
“Nope. I heard you scream while I was out collecting driftwood. So I dropped my wood and ran right over.”
“You lost your driftwood?” I asked.
“No sweat. I can always find more. I hadn’t gathered any decent pieces anyway.”
I considered asking why he collected driftwood but that somehow seemed too personal — and my libido was already dancing with danger being so close to him. Down, girl, I thought to Sharayah. Flirting was harmless, but nothing else was allowed. Eli was the one and only guy for me.
The problem was … Eli wasn’t here.
Dyce was.
My skin tingled as my thoughts raced in the wrong direction. I’m always going the wrong way at the worst times, I thought nervously. I stared down at my hands, clutching them together so I wouldn’t give in to my (very bad!) desire to reach out and touch Dyce. I’d never met anyone like him. Danger and mystery swirled around him, as subtle and seductive as a sea breeze. Deep inside me something wanton and wild rattled the cage bars, eager to break free.
“I have to leave now,” I said firmly, more to myself than Dyce.
“Can I walk you somewhere? It’s getting dark.”
“There are plenty of lights, so I can find my way.” Far away from temptation, I thought.
“Still, I don’t feel right letting you go off alone.”
“Warren wouldn’t dare come back — you scared him so bad he’s probably left town. I’ll be fine. I don’t want to keep you from your, um, driftwood any longer. I have to go find Mauve and Sadie. They’re probably waiting back at the car and wondering where I am — especially since I still have the car keys.” I held out the key ring.
“Go on then.” His smile, right into my eyes, increased my reluctance to let him go. He’d been so kind to me — a real hero. He said “good-bye” and started to turn.
“Wait!” My heart pounded as I stepped toward him.
“What is it, Sharayah?” The way he spoke her name rippled like music through my ears and into my heart.
“After everything you’ve done, I should do something for you — a reward, or maybe buy you dinner,” I babbled. “I mean, you may have saved my life.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“But I want to thank you. At least let me buy you a drink.”
“As much as I’d love to accept, I can’t. I need to return to Emmy,” Dyce said with a tip of his cap.
“Oh … I understand.”
Emmy. Of course Dyce had a girlfriend — a great guy like him wouldn’t be single. And it wasn’t like I was without commitments, either.
I reached out to wave good-bye but Dyce misunderstood, clasping my hand to shake it. When our fingers met, I held on — his firm touch was stirring up my willful emotions, dousing the fire of logical Amber. The way he met my eyes, his gaze compelling and his faint dimples enhancing his smile, hinted at mysteries of “what could be” between us.
Not that I was flirting with him or anything.
I was just being polite and showing my gratitude, like anyone would do after being rescued. This had nothing to do with passion, desire, longing …
Get a grip! I ordered myself. Dyce was too old for me — even if I didn’t already have Eli. And it would be unfair to risk Sharayah’s heart on some guy who already had a girlfriend. She wasn’t here to make important decisions, so it was up to me to protect both of us.
Besides, Dyce was going back to his Emmy.
And I had a temporary life to resume.
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder … would I ever see him again?