Beyond the Waves (Pacific Shores Book 1) (15 page)

She closed her eyes.
Lord, don’t let me fall too hard for him if nothing is going to come of it. Not again
.

The tone of the tires on the pavement changed, and Taysia opened her eyes. She glanced around in confusion, stretching tautness from her muscles. The car’s top was up, and it was fully dark. Kylen pulled to a stop in front of a Best Western, its blue-and-yellow sign reflecting off a puddle in the parking spot next to them.

Taysia glanced at Kylen, her confusion apparently evident on her face.

He grinned. “You fell asleep. And we’re here.”

She rubbed her eyes. “Here, where?”

“Seattle.” He killed the engine.

“Wow.” She stifled a yawn. “I must have slept for a long time.”

“Couple of hours.”

“I’m sorry.” She rubbed her face, hoping she hadn’t drooled all over his leather seats.

“Don’t be.” He glanced out the windshield. “I thought I’d get us a couple rooms, then we could get some dinner. Sound good?”

“I’m starved!”

He chuckled. “Good. Me too.”

A thought hit her and she blurted, “Kylen, I didn’t bring any formal clothes.”

His brow lowered in a thoughtful frown.

Immediately realizing how presumptuous she’d sounded, her face heated. “I didn’t mean for that to sound like—”

He laid a finger across her lips and leaned toward her. “I didn’t plan for anything too fancy on this trip. I’m sorry, I didn’t think of it.”

“That’s fine. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

Another touch stopped her. This time he grinned. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just go inside.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded. Why did she feel so poised and controlled when she was with Blaine and so…
not
around Kylen?

Inside, Kylen secured them each a room, and soon they were back in the car and on the road again.

He glanced over at her. “I know of this great little restaurant that offers casual dining but has some great atmosphere. Sound okay?”

“Sure.” Anything sounded fine, as long as she got to go there with the man by her side, and that was what scared her. Because as hard as she had tried to keep her heart safe from Kylen’s charms, she had come full circle and fallen for him again.

The Rainforest Café was everything its name promised it would be. A small gift shop filled with all kinds of jungle critters, both stuffed and collectible, filled the restaurant entrance and was separated from the dining area by huge saltwater fish tanks. The fish darted and swayed in colorful abandon, the thrum of their filtration systems a low, peaceful gurgle.

Taysia took in the restaurant with gaping mouth as she followed Kylen and the waitress back to their table. Every inch of the ceiling sprouted branches, leaves, vines, or some sort of flora. Two central posts looked like trees growing right up through the middle of the room—and vines and flowers grew on and around them, as well. Around the perimeter of the room, several groups of animals clustered, from gorillas on one end to elephants on the other. Bright splashes of color in the jungle canopy revealed parrots, seemingly ready to take flight. Mood music that Taysia would label
Jungle Animal Chatter
played from hidden speakers throughout the room, and along one back wall a wide waterfall cascaded into a shimmering pool, a light mist drifting up from the base.

Their table sat toward the back of the room, right next to a display of a mother elephant and her baby.

“That is huge!” Taysia eyed the animals.

While only half of the mother elephant protruded from the wall, the beast was well over twice her height, and she couldn’t imagine ever meeting one of those in the wild.

The waitress, dressed in a khaki safari uniform, grinned as she dropped their menus on the table. “This is one of my favorite displays. Y’all get settled in. I’ll be right back with some water and to see about your drink order.”

Taysia was halfway down into the chair Kylen had pulled out for her when the mother elephant tipped back its head, raised its trunk, and blasted a call across the room. Taysia squawked like a shot duck and leaped back, tripping over the chair and sprawling into Kylen.

With a bark of laughter, he wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her firmly back against him.

“Did I forget to mention that the animals move and make noise?” He pressed a kiss to her jaw, just below her ear, but she could still feel the tremor of laughter coursing through him.

The adrenaline rush left as quickly as it had come and took with it the strength from her legs. She smacked his arm in humiliation as she noticed two businessmen at the next table laughing at her. “Yes, you did.”

“Well”—he tucked her closer and nuzzled her neck—”I can’t honestly say that I’m sorry.”

She grinned and gave him an elbow to the ribs as she stepped away. Her face was warm enough to cook the elephant, which once again stood placidly still and innocent looking. She sank into her chair and hid behind the large menu.

For the rest of the night, every fifteen minutes or so when the elephant trumpeted its preprogrammed duty, Kylen busted up laughing. And, when the meal wound down, he wouldn’t let her leave until she had chosen a cute, cuddly elephant from the gift shop as a reminder of the trip.

It was late when they stopped in front of her hotel room door.

Taysia couldn’t remember the last time she’d had an evening filled with so much fun. “I had a really good time tonight, Kylen. Thanks.” She fingered the soft ear of the stuffed toy.

He grinned and jotted something on an imaginary paper. “Taysia finds scary elephants fun.”

A laugh burst out rather loudly, especially for a hotel hallway this late at night. Hunching her shoulders guiltily, she covered her mouth, then whispered, “You’re not going to let me live this one down, are you?”

There was a twinkle in his warm gaze as he stepped closer. He cocked his head, squinched up his eyes, and studied the ceiling as though deep in thought. “Mmmm…probably not.”

She whacked him with the elephant. “Well, then—” Presenting him with her back, she slid her key card into the lock. “No good-night kiss for you!”

But before she could open the door and make her escape, Kylen had her by the waist. “Whoa. Whoa.” He turned a half circle and set her out into the hallway, then planted himself in her doorway with his arms folded. “I
might
be talked into reconsidering.”

“Oh? So you want to take this to the negotiating table, do you?”

“I do.”

She giggled and sauntered closer, tapping the stuffed elephant against her palm and suddenly finding it a little hard to breathe. “So? What terms, dear sir?”

“Well…” He cupped his chin and studied her with a mischievous smirk. “I’m thinking that for a good-night kiss, I might be talked into forgetting the Great Elephant Incident.” He plucked the stuffed animal from her grasp and dropped it on the floor by their feet.

Her eyes narrowed. “Forgetting for how long?”

The grin that spread across his face told her he had her right where he wanted her. And when he forked his fingers into her hair, she knew she was right where
she
wanted to be.

“That all depends on how amazing the kiss is.” The words emerged on a gruff rumble, and his gaze dropped to her mouth for a moment before rebounding.

“Well”—her chest tightened with anticipation as she slipped her arms around his back and kissed him softly—”let’s see how much I can make you forget.” Her lips skimmed like silk across his for a moment, and then she pulled back. “How’s that?”

“Mmmm.” He wrapped one arm behind her and tucked her closer. “That was a good start…but I still have this vivid picture of you leaping into my arms because of a little animatronic elephant.”

“Vivid is not good.”

He angled his head as though thinking about it. “It is fading a little. Give it another try.”

She laughed outright and kissed him again, her arms moving of their own volition to wrap around his neck. This time when he pulled away, they were both breathing hard.

Resting his forehead against hers, he inhaled a long draw of air. “Who am I and why am I here kissing you?”

She chuckled. “That good, huh?”

“Mmmm.” He dropped a slow kiss on first one corner of her mouth, then the other. Looking deep into her eyes, he spoke softly. “I love you, Layne.”

She swallowed. She wanted to reply that she loved him too, but she couldn’t get the words to move past her suddenly closed-off throat. Feeling helpless, she pulled back slightly and studied the sleeve of his T-shirt.

“Don’t worry about it.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then stepped away and bent to retrieve the elephant. “This is going to take a while, I know, Layne. I don’t want you to feel rushed. Just take your time. I’m not going anywhere.” Handing her the elephant, he added, “See you bright and early tomorrow? I know this awesome breakfast place.”

Taysia couldn’t push back a feeling of deflation. And she could hear the edge of hurt in his voice. They’d had such a nice evening, and now she had ruined it. What was holding her back? She honestly believed Kylen had changed. So why couldn’t she seem to tell him that?

Folding her arms, she asked, “How early?”

“Seven?”

“Okay. Sounds fine.” She smiled wistfully. “I’m sorry, Ky. I’m trying. I really believe you’ve changed, I just…” She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“We’ll get through this, Layne. Have a good night.”

Even though he was trying to encourage her, defeat traced the edges of his tone. And when his door clicked shut, Taysia felt it like a jab to the heart. Could they really get through this? Would she ever be able to trust this man again?

She flopped down onto the bed fully clothed and stared up at the ceiling. “God…” The word just hung there in the stillness for a long time. “I don’t know what to say. Why can’t I seem to let go of the past and move on with Kylen? I think I love him. And I know I hurt him tonight with my silence, but I’m just so afraid of him hurting me again.”

She stilled. There it was again. Her blasted pride. All wrapped up in its own prickly little coat of armor and blocking all attempts at letting go of the hurt.

And where would she be, if she opened herself up to Kylen and he walked away from her again? Right back where she’d been when he came back to town. And that hadn’t been such a bad place.

But where would she be if she trusted him again and things worked out this time? A genuine smile bloomed on her face. Now, that would be a place she’d like to visit.

“God, please help me conquer my pride. Don’t let me think on past hurts. Don’t let me worry about getting hurt again. Just help me to look to the future.”

Chapter 9

Kylen knocked on her door at the promised early hour the next morning and handed her a steaming cup of her favorite Starbucks.

“Mmmm, thanks.” She trundled her bag out and let the door shut behind her as she took the first wake-me-up sip. Her breath released in pure satisfaction.

Kylen chuckled as he took the case from her and led the way down the hall. “I already checked us out.”

“Oh, good! Breakfast!” Taysia actually gave a little skip as she hurried around to her side of the car. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this lighthearted.

He laughed outright. “What do you want?”

“Anywhere’s fine, I’m famished!”

Kylen sank into the driver’s seat and angled her a look. “That’s good, because I know a place that is known for its huge servings and great food. I’ve been craving some of their biscuits and gravy since I moved back home.”

“That good, huh?”

He nodded. “That good.”

But when they’d been driving for more than twenty minutes, Taysia began to get curious. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” He reached over and laced his fingers with hers. “I had to pick someplace faraway, because I knew it would take me a bit to work up the courage to hold your hand.” He tossed her a wink.

She huffed. “Yeah, right.”

“You don’t believe me?” he asked as he pulled into a left-turn lane.

“You’ve never had to work up courage to do anything in your life, Ky. You just do it.”

“Ah, well, there you are wrong. You are very scary. I’ve had to work up my courage to talk to you lots of times.” He grinned.

She chuckled and mimicked fangs hanging over her lower lip.

He nodded. “Yeah. A lot like that.”

She smacked his arm, then glanced out the window. “Kylen, there’s nothing out here. Where are we going? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“There’s where you are wrong. We’re here.” He turned right into a dusty gravel parking lot next to what looked like an old school and a bowling alley.

Taysia scrunched up her nose as dust filtered up from under their tires. A sign proclaiming “The Maltby Café” hung weathered and forlorn off the corner of the old bowling alley. An old bowling pin replica still hung on the front of the brick façade. Taysia peered out at the building, but didn’t undo her seatbelt.

“Are you sure we’re in the right place?”

Kylen grinned and pressed the release on her clasp. “Yep.”

Reluctantly, she got out of the car and followed him across the tightly packed parking lot toward the building. There sure were a lot of cars out here in the middle of nowhere. Standing around the gravel parking lot, clusters of people chatted with one another. And a loudspeaker wired to the wall above the door squawked, “Stevens, party of four…Stevens, party of four, your table is ready!”