touch my heart Read online

  He laughed at her excitement.

  “Yes, here in Barbados. In fact, the village I grew up in is the one just beyond the trees at the back of the house. You can see the tops of the houses if you look closely.”

  “I didn’t realize that. Do you still have family here?”

  “No one I’m familiar with. That’s the reason I moved to the U.S. When my mother died, there was no one to take care of me here. My father did the right thing and took responsibility for me. I didn’t even know he existed.”

  “So how was it with him?”

  “It was really fine. He was single, had money and was willing to give me whatever I wanted. Maybe to make up for the years he’d missed.”

  “So you like him?”

  “Yes, I was sorry I didn’t have more time with him, but the time I had was good. He was good to me. I loved him.”

  She thought briefly about what he said and then asked, “Why did you buy the house here?”

  “I’m really not sure,” he replied. “At the time, I was looking for a way to invest, and while I’d heard that land is pretty expensive here, I still thought it would be a good investment. When I saw that this house was going on sale, I decided to purchase it.”

  “You come here often.”

  “To be honest, the first time I came back to Barbados was just after the accident. My life has always been so busy and hectic. Though I did buy the place so I could have somewhere to come when I wanted a break from the craziness that’s New York and L.A.”

  “You have homes there, too.”

  “I have a home in Scarsdale and I keep a condo in L.A.”

  “You have a home in Scarsdale? My brother-in-law, Darren, has a home there, too.”

  “Darren Grayson? I used his company when I purchased my U.S. homes. He’s extremely wealthy.”

  “True, but despite that, he’s pretty cool. You wouldn’t believe he has all that money. Eboni is expecting their first child. I’ll soon have my first niece or nephew. Though Darren does already have a little girl who is simple adorable, so technically speaking, I already have a niece.”

  “It must have been really exciting to find Eboni. I can hear the joy still in your voice.”

  “It was. When we all separated we promised each other we’d find each other, but as time went by, I thought to intrude on their lives might not have been a good thing. But Eboni was persistent. She’s pretty well off, too, so she had funds of her own to hire an investigator.”

  “What does she do?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Sorry, I meant her career.”

  “Now this is pretty crazy. She’s a full-time firefighter and is a fitness trainer at a gym in Manhattan.”

  “Sounds interesting.”

  “Yes, from what she told me, her parents weren’t too happy at first, but they love her. She could have followed in their footsteps as they wanted her to.”

  “In their footsteps?”

  “Yes, they are both doctors and actually thinking about retiring.”

  “I don’t know if I’d ever want to retire. I enjoy my work. Even now, not working has been driving me crazy. If this therapy doesn’t work, I’ll have to start thinking of alternatives to what I do.”

  “What about sculpting? You seem to enjoy that.”

  “I only see that as a hobby. I’m not sure I want to be one of those struggling artists. While I’ve earned and saved quite a lot of money, I’m sure that unless I continue to invest what I have I won’t always have it.”

  She placed her glass down and stifled a slight yawn.

  “I didn’t realize I was boring you.”

  “You aren’t, honestly. I’m just a bit tired. We did have a long day, especially after working out in the afternoon. I’ll probably turn in early tonight.”

  “I’m going to do the same thing, but before you do I have something I want to show you.”

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “Come. We have to go outside.”

  He rose from his seat, reached for his cane and walked onto the patio. She followed, waiting as he maneuvered the steps valiantly.

  The lights on the grounds had been turned on, and what was a well-landscaped garden vibrant with color and life in the day was now a moonlit sanctuary. He walked her toward a tiny gate she’d noticed one day after she’d arrived on the island.

  He reached into his pocket, took a key out and unlocked it.

  He stepped back to allow her in and then followed.

  The place was breathtaking.

  In the middle of the secret garden was a small pool into which flowed a tiny waterfall, the gentle humming of the water soothing like a soft caress.

  He placed his hand on her elbow, guiding her to a wooden bench on which an orange light lingered.

  She didn’t want to sit, content with absorbing the beauty around her.

  “You like it?” he asked.

  “I love it.”

  “It’s one of the changes I made when I purchased the house. On one of my photo shoots, we used a garden which was pretty similar to this one, but on a smaller scale. Since I had the land, I wanted it to be something grand, but beautiful and serene.”

  “I could stay here all night.”

  “Unfortunately, the pool is not for swimming, but in the daytime, you’ll be able to see the fish inside. I like aquariums, as you have noticed from inside the house.”

  “I’m going to sit and breathe in the atmosphere.... No, that’s not the correct word. Ambience. Yes, that’s the word I was looking for.”

  Aaliyah walked to the bench, hearing the tapping of his cane as he followed. As expected, he waited until she was seated before he lowered himself onto the bench.

  “I love it here on the island,” she sighed.

  “I do, too. I didn’t think I would. Too many bad memories from my childhood.”

  She didn’t comment, waiting to see if he’d say more.

  “One of the things that still remains in my memory is the gnawing, empty painful feeling you get when you’re hungry. I loved my mom, but I could never understand how she allowed me to go hungry. She would have the money for rum and cigarettes and the unending parties she went to.”

  She could feel his pain, and the sting of tears moistened her eyes. She hurt for the little boy he had been. Her understanding of him was even clearer now and as she thought about him and what he had endured, she resolved to make sure that when she left the island, he was well on his way to recovery.

  “Didn’t your father know about you? What was happening?”

  “My father knew nothing about me when he left the island. My mother got pregnant by him. And when his parents returned to the U.S., she discovered she was pregnant and did nothing to let him know.

  “When she died, I wasn’t even sure what would happen to me. And then out of the blue, a man I didn’t know came for me and told me he was my father. I had no doubt he was my father. I was his spitting image. There I was, a scared fourteen-year-old teenager, and this big hunk of a man puts his arms around me and cries. I cried, too. From that day, he did all he could to make me happy. I’ve never been hungry a day since, unless I made the choice to be.”

  “It must feel good when you have all you want.”

  “To be honest, I’m not even sure anymore. This situation has made me think about what I had, what I have now and what I’ve wanted for so long. And you have, too.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you. You’ve made me start thinking about my career. What’s important in life, in my life?”

  “And what’s important?”

  “I’m not sure yet. I know what used to be important. What’s important to you?” he asked.

  “Life, love, memories.”

  “Not the future?”

  “Not really.”

  “But that may be a bad way to live. We can’t live in the past.”

  “How can we live for the future when we really don’t know what it holds for us? We could p
lan our lives meticulously and then the unexpected happens and all our plans were for nothing.”

  He thought for a while about what she said. “I don’t know if I totally agree with you, but there is some reasoning behind your thinking.”

  “The night is so peaceful and quiet. It makes you forget the outside world. Even in Barbados, something bad may be about to happen.”

  “True, but something good may be about to happen, too.”

  She remained quiet, hearing the change in his voice to subtle seduction.

  “I want to kiss you.”

  “I want you to kiss me,” she responded.

  She turned to face him.

  He leaned forward, his lips brushing hers lightly.

  She shivered, a chill washing over her body.

  “I love the taste of your lips,” he moaned into her mouth.

  His lips brushed over hers softly. She parted her lips, eager to feel his tongue inside her mouth. He didn’t oblige immediately, tracing his tongue in circles around her lips, increasing her ache for his intrusion. When he finally slipped his tongue between her lips, she groaned, her body shivering again with anticipation.

  When his lips moved from her mouth, she felt disappointed, her body still aching for his taste.

  Then she felt the weight of his hand on her breasts, cupping the left one with a firmness that shot warmth to the core of her being. One finger circled an already turgid nipple, causing the heat to intensify. Her body burned with a fire inside.

  “Oh, that feels so good,” she moaned.

  “Feels good to me, too,” he replied, his voice filled with his own pleasure.

  His mouth rained kisses along the curve of her neck, stopping briefly to nip on her ear. Her body shook as flamed desire heated her to the core.

  He shifted, and then grunted in pain.

  She pulled back, immediately concerned.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, but she could tell he was not fine.

  “Your leg or hand?” she asked.

  “Hand,” he said between clenched teeth.

  She reached for his hand, taking it gently in hers. He growled, but she disregarded him, firmly kneading the hand between her fingers.

  She glanced at him, noticing the beads of sweat on his forehead. She could tell he was doing all he could to bear the pain.

  Slowly, he started to breathe, his body relaxing, the muscles in his hand responding to her kneading.

  In time, his eyes closed, and she wondered if he’d fallen asleep.

  When she was sure she’d done enough, she stopped.

  His eyes opened immediately, staring at her with a gratitude that he reinforced with an uncertain nod.

  “Feel better?” she asked.

  “Yes. I should be accustomed to this by now,” he reasoned.

  “You’ll be fine. While it may be bothersome, it’s evidence that your nerves are coming alive again,” she said enthusiastically.

  “That’s all well and good, but I don’t think there is anything as painful as those muscle spasms. I think I’ll go to my room now. I’ve had enough drama for the day.”

  She stiffened, hurt at his words. So he thought she was drama? While the message she received may not have been his intention, she realized the implication for her.

  “I think I should be heading to mine, too. I need to get some sleep.”

  “You go ahead. I’ll sit here for a bit.”

  He wanted to be alone and she appreciated that, but she wished he’d wanted her to stay. She would have been able to offer him comfort.

  She rose.

  “Good night, Dominic.”

  “Good night, Aaliyah,” he replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  Before she left, she bent and kissed him softly on his lips.

  With that, she walked away, refusing to turn back.

  * * *

  What the hell was happening to him? For the first few months he’d been on the island, he’d been content to be away from the outside world. In fact, he enjoyed being on his own most of the time. Strange, since most of time he’d reveled in the attention showered on him by his fans, especially the women.

  And he’d had no problem with women. From the time he turned eighteen, there was no end to the women who wanted him, and he’d obliged them. On reflection, he realized that they had only provided sexual gratification. Nothing more, nothing less.

  Tonight, the embarrassing situation with his hand had only proved to him that he wasn’t ready for love or a relationship. In fact, he wasn’t ready to have intimate contact with any woman. It hadn’t even been his leg. Just his hand, his useless hand.

  He rose from the bench, walking as fast as he could.

  His leg hurt, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to get to his room. Away from eyes that stared at him too much when they thought he wouldn’t notice. He saw the pity in Mrs. Clarke’s eyes and the other staff members.

  He hated it.

  Chapter 9

  Dominic walked out of the gym. He knew that he’d been unwilling during the session, but he couldn’t help himself. Last night had set him back. He’d been heading in the right direction with his attitude, but the debacle with his hand the night before had only proved that he was less of a man. Yes, he had all the right parts, but his leg and his hand served to show him that any hope of romance was only an illusion.

  No woman would want a man in the position he was in. He couldn’t imagine himself walking up the aisle with a cane in one hand. How the hell was he going to hold a ring?

  “We’re going down to the beach. You left before I could tell you,” Aaliyah said, interrupting his thoughts.

  “To the beach? I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”

  “It’s really not what you think. I’ve been given the go-ahead to use the methods I see appropriate for your treatment and Dr. Graham has agreed about the beach therapy.”

  “You mean now?”

  “Yes, that’s why I cut this session short. You thought I was giving you the time off because you were a good boy?”

  He grinned. He couldn’t help it.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be a jerk.”

  “Well, you were one. While I didn’t expect our relationship to dramatically change, I really did expect you to be a lot more pleasant, Mr. Wolfe.”

  “So we’re back to Mr. Wolfe?”

  “I really wasn’t sure. Is it Mr. Wolfe, or should I call you sir?”

  “I was that bad?”

  “Worse.”

  “When do we go to the beach? Now?”

  “Yes, I’m just going to go upstairs and get what I need.”

  “I’ll wait in the backyard for you. Can I bring Nugget?”

  “Sure. But he’ll have to stay out of the way.”

  “He won’t be any trouble. As long as he sees a crab hole he’ll be happy.”

  “Good. I’ll be back.”

  When she disappeared, Dominic returned to the gym, searched for a loose-fitting pair of trunks and headed to the kennels for Nugget.

  As he approached, the barking of delight started. He bent, patting the dog on his head, causing him to spin around in circles.

  “Come. Let’s go.”

  Nugget tore ahead of him, coming to a stop by the gate. When Dominic opened the gate, the dog raced outside, running around with an energy that could only be a result of him being confined for a few days. Vowing never to let it happen again, Dominic followed the dog down to the path that led to the beach.

  Aaliyah was there waiting.

  When he reached Aaliyah, she bent down to scratch the dog behind his ears. Nugget looked up at her with utter adoration.

  He shook his head, wondering if he wasn’t doing the same thing. He was convinced he was staring at her with his own look of admiration.

  “Well, I’m ready. Lead the way and I’ll follow. I hope the path to the beach isn’t too rocky. I wouldn’t want you to hurt your leg.”

  “I’ll be fine,” he
replied. “I know this area like the back of my hand. There are steps going down to the beach. I’ve been down a few times. It wasn’t easy, but I made it.”

  They walked along the cliff’s face, watching Nugget’s antics as he stopped to examine every hole he passed.

  The trip down the steps leading to the hidden cove took longer than he’d expected, but part of the enjoyment was walking behind Aaliyah and admiring the nice curve of her behind.

  * * *

  The beach was empty. She’d noticed his sigh of relief when he saw that no one was there. He’d informed her that on the island, beaches could not be privately owned, a government policy.

  She knew that people being around was one of the reasons he’d hesitated when she’d first asked. While Dominic was fit, his body well toned, his abs forming a solid six-pack, one leg was noticeably smaller than the other. But she’d already noticed the hint of rebuilding muscle tone. The few scars, a result of the accident and surgery, had faded and were hardly noticeable.

  “We won’t go in the water today. Just walk on the sand. Because the sand is soft, it’ll force you to use your leg muscles even more. Ready to walk?”

  “Not going in the water?” He folded his arms in defiance.

  “We can walk a bit in the water, but I promise we’ll go completely in next time. I just need to make sure your leg is strong enough.”

  After walking a few laps up and down the beach, she suggested they return to the house.

  He stopped. “Do we have to leave now?” he asked. “We could chill on the beach for a bit. We don’t have anything to do for the rest of the day.”

  “Where?”

  “Over there,” he replied, pointing out a row of almond trees.

  She picked her gym bag up and wrapped a towel around her waist. She wished that Dominic would do the same thing. Since he’d taken off the shorts, the green-and-black close-fitting trunks did little to hide the generous bulge. Her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own, focused in on his crotch.

  When he reached for his shorts and slipped them over the trunks, she sighed in relief.

  She didn’t want to spend the rest of their time on the beach having naughty thoughts.

  When she reached the shade of the trees, he waited until she spread her towel down and then lowered herself onto it.