Cheating Heart, A Lost Souls Novel: A Lost Souls Novel (11 page)

S
ifting through a bin filled with shiny little pink and purple shells, she wondered if the colors were natural or if they were dyed.  Either way, they were beautiful and vibrant.  For as long as she could remember she loved shells.  As a child, anytime she’d gone to the beach with her parents, she’d spend the day collecting them.  Vienna found one that had both colors mixed together.  When she picked it up, she looked up and jumped backwards, when she saw Jack.  Seeing him there, startled her.  He was standing at the end of the aisle, in all his hunkiness, grinning smugly at her.  His gorgeous blue eyes sparkled.  He tilted his sandy blonde head to the side and crossed his tan arms over his muscular chest.  Vienna tried not to notice how built he was beneath his white T-shirt and faded blue jeans.  She didn’t want to think about how amazing he looked in his new modern clothing.   

Quickly
, Vienna looked around to see where James was in the store.  Then she heard him laugh as Steve cracked an off colored joke about women and beer.  They were still reading the signs on the back wall.  Jack looked solid as if in full human form, but Vienna could never be sure.  Sometimes she could see him when no one else could.  She put the pink and purple shell in her basket with the others and marched over to him.  With her index finger she poked hard at his shoulder.  It flew right through him and she almost lost her balance.  Falling forward she grabbed hold of a shelf to steady herself.  And thank God it held her weight.  She could just picture the entire shelving system crashing down with her.  Feeling like an idiot, she tried to compose herself in case someone had been watching her poke the air.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered, after looking around to make sure no one was listening.

“Can’t I just be here?”

Vienna scrunched up her
forehead.  Again, she looked over in James’ direction to make sure he was still preoccupied, and then turned her attention back to Jack.  “Why?  Is the ghost here?”

“No.
”

“Then why?”

“I’m protecting you.” 

“From what?” she said
, shrugging.  She hated that he was never straight forward.  It was as if he was always toying with her and talking in riddles.  “If the ghost isn’t in here, I’m fine.”

“Are you?” he asked.

“Jack!” she whispered sharply, her temper rising.  Her voice was getting louder and harsher, even though she was trying to be discreet.  “Leave me alone!  Understand?  I’m on a date!  Don’t blow this for me!”

Jack looked
over at James who was now making his way towards Vienna.  “Hey,” James said, draping his arm over her shoulder.  He glanced into her basket.  “Mmm, nice shells.”

Vienna laughed
with relief.  She thanked God that he hadn’t seen or heard her talking with Jack.  She wasn’t quite sure how she’d explain her reprimanding the air.  “Wow!” she teased, getting herself back into the swing of things and forcing Jack from her mind.  “That could have a double meaning, you know.”  She didn’t know why she said that, but was sure it had something to do with her being upset with Jack for interfering with her date.  She hoped he was hanging on her every word.

James’ face
turned a deep shade of red.  Vienna was surprised by his reaction.  She didn’t realize that she could make him blush. 

“
Yeah,” his eyes glanced at her chest admiringly, “those are nice, too.”

Now Vienna’s face turned red
as his eyes swept over her body and lingered favorably in certain sections before they met hers.  She tore her gaze away, embarrassed, and looked over at Jack to see his reaction to their flirting, but he was gone. 

Serves him right,
she thought.  If James had caught her there, having a conversation with the air, he’d most definitely think she was a crazy person.  Is that what Jack was hoping to accomplish?  Was he trying to scare James away?

At the cash register,
Vienna found tiny little starfish, no larger than a nickel.  She had to have them.  She picked out a few to add to her shells.  As soon as she handed the man behind the counter her basket, James stepped in.  He pushed his credit card across the counter to pay for them.  Vienna protested, but he refused to let her pay. 

“
James,” she complained.  It wasn’t a lot of money, but she didn’t want him to pay for them.  “No…you shouldn’t have…”

“I want
ed to,” he said, his sultry brown eyes smiling at her.  “I want you to have something to remember our weekend together.”   

“Thank you.
  That’s very sweet.”

Kim lugged up two
red plastic baskets, like the ones you see in grocery stores, filled with trinkets.  When she checked out, they walked around the block and stopped at another shop.  Afterwards, Steve helped by carrying several of Kim’s shopping bags.  Deciding that it’d be easier to drag everything back to the car rather than carry it all from shop to shop, they headed back to the parking lot.  But before crossing the street, they decided to stop by an ice cream shop for a late dessert.   

“Thanks for the ice cream,” Vienna said, her teeth chattering as they headed for the parking lot.  The actual lot
had been full when they’d arrived and she and Kim ended up parking the rental car in the garage.  Then they’d headed to the pier for their date, except, at the time, Vienna didn’t think of it as a date.  She would’ve never agreed to a date, especially with having been out dancing with Kyle the night before and then running into her ex.  And then, of course, Jack always being on her mind.  It was all so confusing.  So naturally, when Kim set up this last minute weekend getaway and get together with Steve and James, she thought of it as a fun friendship outing.  But somehow things had changed during the course of the evening.  She remembered just how much she enjoyed spending time with James at the Marine Corps Ball and how much fun they had in Las Vegas together.  And, of course, his rugged good looks helped also.  She couldn’t help but be attracted to him even if she didn’t want to be.  He was tall with dark brown hair, deep chocolate brown eyes, and from what she could tell, quite built.  Cuddling up next to him she could feel the muscles in his arms and chest.  He was a United States Marine, which meant that he had to be in top physical shape at all times.  She loved that thought, but it was also a bit intimidating because she loved junk food.  Not that she was fat by any means, but she wasn’t thin and fit either.  She was what she considered average, whereas Kim was stunningly beautiful with a body to die for.  She was one of those people that most women envied.  She could eat whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, and never gained an ounce.   

Just what I need,
Vienna thought while admiring James’ strong features,
more confusion.
    

“Where’d you park?” James asked.  Kim and Steve were walking behind them, arms filled with shopping bags.  Vienna could hear Kim giggling
again.

“The garage,” Vienna answered, snuggling up to him
while practically climbing into his black leather jacket trying to get warm.

“Us, too,” James said.

“I want to see your bike!” Kim squealed as they entered the garage and headed for the stairs.  They’d parked on the 3
rd
level.

“You have a bike?” Vienna asked, glancing over her shoulder at Steve, who was climbing the stairs right behind her. 

“Yeah,” he said.  “I just got it.  James and I rode here.”

Vienna looked at James’ back
side.  She couldn’t help herself.  He was just ahead of her.  He stopped and opened the door, holding it open.  “I didn’t know you had a bike?” she asked him.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
James winked.

They walked up the slow incline of the 3
rd
level.  “That’s it,” Vienna said, nodding at their rental car.  Her arms were tightly crossed over her chest.  Even though they were out of the cold ocean breeze, the air within the garage seemed colder, dryer and even more chilling.  Again, she cursed herself for leaving her jacket in the motel room. 

“I want to see Steve’s new bike before we leave,” Kim protested. 

Vienna pulled the key ring out of her small purse and popped the trunk for Kim’s shopping bags.  Vienna opened the back door on the driver’s side and tossed her purse and bag of shells inside.  She locked the car back up and slipped the key ring into the pocket of her jeans. 

“Okay, let’s see your bikes.”  She really had no interest in motorcycles and being frozen to the bone
didn’t help the situation any.  All she could think about was getting into the car and blasting the heat to defrost her frozen extremities.

“We parked just up there,” Steve said
, pointing. 

Kim
said excitedly, “You’ll have to take me for a ride.”

Vienna bit her tongue.  Motorcycles scared the heck out of her.  She’d
never actually been on a street bike before, only once as a passenger on a dirt bike, and it freaked her out.  A friend of hers had talked her into going for a ride.  After that, wheelies, and up rocky hills and sand, she swore she’d never do it again.  No bikes.  Never!  It would have to be life or death before she’d ever get on the back of a bike again.

Steve stopped just around the bend from where they’d parked.  Two bikes were parked side by side.  One was red
, sleek, and looked very sporty and fast.  The other was black and chrome with a black leather seat and leather saddlebags.  It was extremely stylish and classy.  She could already guess which bike belonged to whom.  They very much resembled their owners.  She could see Steve racing around, zipping around corners on the red bike, and James strolling around town on the black bike.  Plus, his black leather jacket matched.  Not that that really mattered. 
Oh God,
she thought,
that is such a Kim type of thought
. 
Just because his leather jacket is the same color as the bike doesn’t mean anything.  Clothes don’t need to match a motorcycle.

“Let me guess,” Vie
nna said, as they walked toward the bikes.  “The red one is Steve’s and the black one James’.”

“Wrong,” James laughed.  “The sports bike is mine.”

“Really?” Vienna asked.  She was actually quite surprised.

Steve and James laughed.  “James is pulling you
r leg,” Steve said.  “I can’t afford a Harley.  Not yet anyway.  That’ll be my next ride.”

“You must be psychic,” James joked.  “How’d you know the black one was mine?”

“I don’t know.”  Vienna shrugged.  “Just a guess.”

Kim
sprinted to Steve’s bike and ran a finger over the seat.  “Take me for a ride.”

Steve
beamed.  “I don’t have an extra helmet.”

“Oh, come on
, please…” Kim begged.

Steve nodded at James.  “Sure,” James said, handing
over his helmet.  “Why not?”

“Yea!”
Kim clapped her hands excitedly.  She handed Vienna her pink and white Coach purse.  “This is so exciting!”

“Be back soon,” Vienna said, still thinking of the heat in the car.

“I’m sure you two will think of something to do to pass the time,” Kim said, securing the helmet. 

“Ha, ha!” Vienna
said with as much sarcasm she could muster.

“We won’t be long,”
Steve said before hopping on his bike.  It roared to life, echoing throughout the garage.  Carefully, he backed it out of the parking space.  Kim hopped onto the back and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.  With leather-gloved hands, Steve gave them a thumbs up before zooming out of the garage.

“Well,” Vienna said.
“No offense, but I’m freezing to death.”

“None taken,” James said, opening his jacket to her
again.  Vienna practically climbed inside, wrapping her arms around him.  She snuggled against his chest and could feel his heart beat quicken in response.  “This is nice.”

“It is,” Vienna agreed, enjoying how comfortable she was feeling with him.  “Would you mind if we went back to the car and turned on the heat.  Maybe we can warm up and chat a bit while we wait for them to come back.”

“Sure.  We can do that,” he said.  “But I want to do one thing first.”

“What’s that?” Vienna looked up at him.  His gorgeous eyes made her knees weaken. 
She leaned against him for support.  Tilting his head down, his lips gently caressed hers.  Without a word, Vienna reached up and removed her glasses to be able to kiss him better.  Their lips met again, this time more eagerly, hungrily.  Waves of pleasure pulsed through her body as she felt his strong warm hands on her back, holding her close. 

Clink
! 
Vienna heard something from behind her.  She tried to ignore the sound and continued to enjoy James’ kiss until it happened again, louder.

James gently pulled away and looked over her shoulder
when the dim security lights in the garage began to flicker.  “What the hell is that?”

The concern in his voice frighten
ed her.  Vienna turned around to see what he was looking at.  A dark shadow loomed in the garage, just before the bend that blocked her from returning to her car.  It held still for a moment, hovering a good foot or so above the ground.  Her stomach tied in a knot.