Hidden Currents (49 page)

The residents of Sea Haven looked out to sea and saw what appeared to be phosphorescent lights dancing beneath the water. Often when seals stirred up the ocean floor, the phosphorescent colors of red and green and yellow would glow through the water. In the distance, the fog dissipated as if it had never been and the lights in the sky danced with the rhythm of the music. They turned back to their celebration, crowding around the couples, insisting on dancing.

Elle frowned and looked at her sisters. “I don’t feel him, do you? I don’t feel a threat at all.” She turned to Jackson and followed his gaze, first to Ilya, whom she caught nodding, and then to Damon, who just grinned and winked at her.

“What have you done?” she asked suspiciously.

“Kiss me, wife,” Jackson said, drawing her back into his arms. “This dress, bikini and sarong, whatever you call it, is driving me crazy. We’ll have to go home soon.”

20

THE gate stood open, welcoming them home. Jackson lifted Elle into his arms and followed the path of rose petals strewn along the way leading up to their house—the Drake family home. Elle’s parents had officially turned over the estate and Drake legacy to them, looking very happy as they kissed their youngest daughter good-bye.

Each stepping stone vibrated beneath Jackson’s tread, the symbols blazing with light as he cradled his wife in his arms and put his foot on the stones. He kissed her every other step he took, savoring her soft, willing mouth and the taste of passion and love combined. Her soft laughter floated around them, teasing his senses.

“Look, baby,” Jackson said, “toward the sea.”

Elle turned her head and looked out over the deep blue water. Dolphins performed a water ballet to the song of the whales, leaping and twisting and somersaulting at spectacular speeds. She gasped and held him tighter.

“They’re welcoming us to our home.”

“I believe they are,” he agreed.

The wedding celebration had lasted long into the night. Elle felt like a princess, dancing the night away with her prince. Stars scattered across the sky like sparkling diamonds, and she held out her hand to study the radiance on her finger. “Look at that. It’s so beautiful, Jackson. How did you think of it in the middle of everything else?”

“We couldn’t get married without a ring,” he said and kissed the corner of her mouth. “I had it made months ago.”

“I love it.”

He stepped onto the porch and frowned, turning around, still holding Elle high against his chest. Her long gown shimmered in the moonlight as he twisted around. “The deck looks a little different. When did they change it? There wasn’t an overhang before, and it wraps all the way around the house, but I can’t tell what’s new and what’s old. It all blends seamlessly.”

She nuzzled his shoulder. “It looks like the deck you built at your house.”

He stood for a moment longer, studying the deck, trying to figure out how the new wood appeared aged, as if it had been there for years. He felt Elle shiver in the cool night breeze and he turned back to the house. The front door opened, as if by an unseen hand, spilling light onto the porch. The front room should have been dark and cold, but warmth seeped out, enveloping them, the scent of cinnamon and apple spice drifting with the heat.

He carried Elle to the threshold and looked inside. The front room was transformed. Hardwood floors and high, cathedral ceilings gave the house the look of the one he’d designed. The large rock fireplace was still there with an ornate glass screen around it, the symbols glowing various colors from the flames dancing behind it.

“When did your family do this? I was just here.” He looked down at the large mosaic in the entryway. The tiles danced with light, throwing a multitude of stars on the ceiling. Tiny little sparks leapt and crackled in the air, a mini-fireworks display overhead. He hesitated, leaning close to her ear. “Baby, I’ve got to tell you, this house is freaky. I think it’s alive.”

She turned her face up to kiss him. “It’s just welcoming the new generation. It will settle down as soon as we step inside.”

“You’re certain?”

She laughed. “Take the step. You already married me and changed your name around for me. You may as well go all the way and accept the house, too. I noticed it’s already been rearranged to your preferences.”

He took possession of her mouth, maybe gathering courage, he didn’t know, or it could have been the joy rising like champagne bubbles in his blood. She was beautiful. And she was home. She was his. “You’re my preference,” he stated and stepped across the threshold.

The tiles glittered, throwing off a purple-pink hue, but she was right, the moment his foot touched the floor, the house was just that—a house. No, it was home. It smelled like home and comfort, a haven for them.

He kissed her again. “We need a bed.”

“This minute?” She nuzzled his neck, smiling at the urgency in his voice.

“Right this minute,” he insisted.

Laughing, Elle started to point up the stairs to her old, childhood bedroom, to the floor where seven bedrooms waited to be occupied, and then realized the master bedroom was now theirs. She inhaled sharply and pressed closer to him, the enormity of their legacy swamping her.

“We’ll be fine,” he whispered, following the direction in her mind.

He started down the wide hall, frowning a little, thinking even that seemed wider with higher ceilings. Doors stood open and as he passed one, he caught sight of a brand-new baby grand piano. Abruptly he stopped in the doorway. Jackson slowly allowed Elle’s bare feet to drop gently to the floor. He circled her waist with one arm, looking around the room in amazement.

“Look at this. A music room.” He stepped inside, his gaze sweeping upward toward the ceiling and all around. The room was built with acoustic tiles, obviously soundproofed. Again, a spacious room with only two wide, comfortable chairs and a thick carpet. Candles adorned shelves and the gas fireplace was built into the wall, almost an exact duplicate of his sanctuary. But the piano . . . He went over to it almost afraid to touch it. “This is extraordinary.”

“Each of my sisters left us a gift. This is from Joley.”

He shook his head. “This is too much.”

She took his hand. “You’ll need this room for solace, we both will. There will be times we’ll need to shut out the rest of the world and just find peace. Joley gave that to us.”

“I’ll never be able to repay her.”

“We’re giving the Drake family the next generation, Jackson. Each of my sisters is contributing to our children.”

The concept was almost more than he could understand, the way the sisters felt about one another, tied so closely together, giving so freely to one another without any thought of return.

Smiling, Elle tugged at his hand. “Come on. Let’s see what our wedding gifts are.”

Jackson was almost afraid to look after seeing the piano. They peeked into another room, this one quite massive, and discovered a library, floor-to-ceiling books with a rolling ladder that ran along all four walls. High-backed plush armchairs with small tables between each set provided cozy places to read, the lighting as perfect as Kate could get it for them and their children. There were reference books, classics, a foreign language section, every kind of fiction with Kate’s books prominent on a shelf.

“She signed them,” Jackson said, slipping one back onto the shelf. “And there’s an entire section of children’s books as well as parenting books.” He flashed a grin. “I’ll bet she had me in mind when she selected those.”

“Some of these are very rare,” Elle said. “This is so Kate.”

The next room had to be from Sarah. High-tech gadgets of every kind were positioned throughout the room. Advanced computer systems, weather stations, interactive stations, and gaming were set up throughout the room. Jackson leaned over one item. “This is for you. A pretty little anklet bracelet so I know where you are at all times.”

Her eyebrow shot up. “Really? Because I’m certain my sister wanted me to keep track of you.”

“I don’t know what half these things are,” Jackson admitted.

“Oh, don’t worry, Sarah and Damon are certain to teach us,” Elle pointed out. “Both are big on security and I’m betting . . .” She crossed the room to open the door to a much smaller room. It refused to open until she pressed her palm over the screen. Inside were weapons. Lots of weapons. Elle stood back so Jackson could peer in, whistling softly, a wide smile on his face.

“
Now
I feel I’m home.”

She pushed open another door. This one was far different, made of steel, fitting snugly into the frame. She looked around. Beds. Chairs. Shelves. Well-stocked first-aid kits. Bottled water. Candles. She looked at him. “What is this?”

“A panic room. I can shove you and the girls inside and know you’re safe.”

Elle, still wrapped tightly in his mind, felt that last bit of tension leave him. She put her hand on his arm. “You’ve been worried.”

He shrugged. “You’re my life, Elle. When we have our children, they’ll be included in that circle and I’m not a man to lose everything. I want you as safe as possible.”

“So you don’t think three protection dogs, a room filled with weapons, a panic room and house that eats people isn’t just a little overkill?”

He gathered her up, pulling her to him. “I think we’ll need three dogs, a room filled with weapons, a panic room and a house that eats people the moment we have our first daughter.”

She laughed. “You’re so crazy.”

“So which sister gave you the panic room?”

“Libby. No doubt about it. She’d want us all safe at all times. And did you notice all the first-aid equipment in there? Definitely Libby. We’ve got a lifetime supply of Band-Aids.”

He laughed and moved her down the hall, his body making urgent demands. “How do we take that top off without ruining it?” He had been looking at the temptation of that bare expanse of soft skin all evening. His hands were already sliding over the lace, unhooking and opening the delicate material so that when she stood in the doorway of the room closest to the master bedroom, he could cup the soft weight of her breasts in his hands.

Jackson put his chin on Elle’s shoulder, peering into the nursery. He knew immediately this had to be Hannah’s gift to them. Stars spun on the ceiling. The room looked celestial, a mural painted on all four walls. Symbols of protection were woven into the theme of the universe, the room in soothing colors, designed to bring peace.

“I want to make a baby with you right now.” He bit the lobe of her ear, his whisper wicked. “We can try and try until we get it right. We need practice, Elle.”

“Hmm,” she mused, turning her head, one arm going back over her shoulder to cradle his head so she could kiss him. “I don’t think you have too much of a problem in that department.”

His hands went to her hips, pushing at the satin material. “If I was that good, I’d have you out of this dress already.”

She shimmied until the long drape of material slid down her thighs to pool on the floor, leaving her in a white lace thong that left her buttocks bare. Both his hands immediately went to cup the tempting invitation, and he pulled her to him, lifting her onto her toes. His mouth fused with hers and he walked her backward right out of the dress and toward the master bedroom. Elle’s hands went to the buttons of his shirt as they moved down the hall, opening the thin white tuxedo shirt so she could run her hands up and down his bare torso. The moment he lifted his head, she trailed hot kisses down to his flat belly.

Jackson inhaled sharply, looking in wonder around their room as Elle’s fingers busily worked on his trousers. She knelt, pulling the slacks down, pushing the material onto the floor so he could step out of them. Two walls of the room were glass, filled with salt water, where coral and fish lived and swam in the giant tank. Soft lights threw off a glow as the brightly colored fish with strange shapes moved peacefully behind the glass. He knew this was Abigail’s gift to them. The ocean in his bedroom.

He looked down at the woman kneeling at his feet and his heart swelled. This was a fantasy he’d never imagined, not in his wildest dream. He reached down and pulled the pins from her glorious hair so that it spilled down her back, the silky strands caressing her breasts so that her nipples peeked out at him enticingly.

“Elle.” He said her name. Waited until she looked up at him. Very slowly he drew her to her feet. “Tell me that I’m
your
choice. Not the house. Not fate.
Yours,
Elle. It has to be your choice.”

She brought both hands up to frame his face. “Forever and always, Jackson. You’ll always be my choice.”

She went up on her toes, tilting her head to reach him. He simply swept her up and took her to the bed strewn with rose petals, laying her down, coming down with her, and Elle knew, in her heart, in her mind, that she was home.

The wind rushed up from the sea to the house just below the Drake estate where Sarah and Damon lived, swirling around, listening to the soft sounds of love coming from the bedroom. The wind moved over the old mill where the new bookstore and coffee shop stood proudly looking out to sea. Kate and Matt hadn’t quite made it inside their home just beyond the mill. They lay on the deck together, hands frantically moving over each other’s body. Moving along the coast the wind found Abigail and Aleksandr’s beach home overlooking the sea, where Abigail sat on Aleksandr’s lap in the hot tub, a glass of sparkling champagne in her hand, holding it to his mouth while her hips moved in a slow, sensuous rhythm. Just a bit farther up the coast in the huge estate, Ty pressed Libby against the glass, his mouth fused with hers. Across the highway, the wind traveled to find Hannah wrapped in Jonas’s arms, their bodies intertwined on the huge four-poster bed, and then it whipped through the acreage of trees to the large house next door where Ilya had Joley pinned against the wall, her ankles locked around his hips. Kicking up leaves and twigs, the wind circled back, heading home, heading out to sea, stopping only to surround the Drake home for a moment, caressing the windows as, inside, Elle and Jackson made love.