Unintended Love: A contemporary romantic novella (2 page)

Even as a wreck, the plane would be easier to see from the air than they would.

He began gathering up the parachute, so she stood, a bit weak in the knees, and pulled at some of the material that lay caught in the brush around her. Part of it was hopelessly stuck in a small tree that they had narrowly missed on landing, so he took out a Swiss army knife from some hidden pocket and began using tiny scissors to cut the silky fabric free.

“How far is it from here? And how do you know where it is? I don’t see it anywhere.”

Looking grim, he placed both hands on her shoulders and turned her so she was staring down into a wide, sparsely treed valley towards another mountain.

It was the warm, strong feel of his hands that she noticed first. It took a few seconds before she could pick out the thin plume of smoke that appeared to be miles away. She squinted, trying to judge the distance. “That looks too far.”

“It’s only a few miles. Three or four at the most – it’s hard to judge.”

“But, look at me. Don’t you think they’ll be able to find us right here?”

Melanie could hear the complaining tone in her voice, but she really didn’t know how much more she could take. She wasn’t seriously hurt from her hard landing, but she hadn’t been dressed for jumping out of a plane. She wore only shorts, a tank top, and thin sandals on her feet. She was bruised, and had several long scratches on her legs that were slowly dripping short streaks of blood.

She met his eyes and drew in her breath with surprise at how the connection of their eyes made her feel. Her heart began a slow pounding in her chest.

Then his gaze continued down as he inspected her. It lingered for a split second longer than necessary on her breasts, and moved down taking all of her in. He wore a small smile but she didn’t smile back.

“Except for the scratches, you look good to me,” he said simply.

It happened in an instant. All the anxiety of the last ten minutes drained away, as well as the beginnings of arousal, until all she felt was anger. Her insides shook with emotion.

And even though on some level she knew that much of it was in reaction to the terror of only minutes before, the anger felt better than the fear. Besides, he really did have some nerve to look her up and down like she was a contestant in a wet t-shirt contest. Not only that, but hadn’t he almost got her killed? After all, it was the pilot’s responsibility to make sure the plane was safe.

She stared at him and shook her head slightly. It was unbelievable! Because of him, she’d tumbled out of an airplane from eight thousand feet. And now he wanted her to hike two, or maybe a hundred miles, to stand by his wrecked plane in the middle of nowhere in the vain hope that someone would spy that tiny curl of smoke she could barely make out.

Melanie dug her fingernails hard into the palm of her hand and bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to stay calm.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” she said coldly.

“No.” His smile faded. “You don’t look too injured to walk a few miles.”

“I mean really, what was that?”

“What was what?

“You were leering at me.”

He shook his head slowly. “No, I’m sorry if you thought that.”

“I didn’t think it, I saw it.” She looked into his eyes. Those brown eyes. She fought to steel herself against their effects. “I’ve been leered at before.”

“I’m sure you have,” he said with a flash of a smile, then instantly looked sheepish.

But even though he seemed almost sorry, Melanie wasn’t ready to let it go.

“Look, you are the pilot. What’s your name?”

His name was Alex and she knew that. She’d even thought when he’d told her that she liked that name; it seemed to fit him. She also knew that she was acting like a bitch but it was an old habit of hers to replace fear with anger.

Alex looked surprised, as if he wasn’t used to women forgetting his name.

“Alex Ryan,” he said simply.

“Okay, Alex. Alex, we almost died!”

“You’re right. We could have died.” He looked something on the other side of sheepish then. His expression was regretful. He met her eyes and waited.

She took a deep breathe. She was still upset, but more at the whole situation and not as much at Alex. She had asked him to look at her, it was almost an invitation.

Besides, the way he’d looked at her had only been slightly flirtatious, not really rude or crude.

It was undeniable and unsettling that she was drawn to him. So who was she really upset with? It just might be herself. And she should set things straight with him, as who knew how long they might be stuck out here alone together.

They could be rescued within hours or it could be days.

It was even more annoying that the thought of being alone with Alex for days, caused a flutter of excitement inside her instead of dread. It didn’t seem to be a rational reaction either, because what if they were never found at all?

She shuddered, and tried to push the thought away.

“Okay, it’s unfortunate, but I need you,” she said. “I need you because I was never a girl scout, or a campfire girl, or whatever. I don’t take hikes, or cook over open flames.”

She went on, “But I’m not out of shape - I do work out. But despite appearances, I’m really a bit of a nerd. I mean my favorite thing is to read.” Melanie stopped, feeling herself blush. Why was she going on like this?

“I’m just saying... I’ve been camping exactly twice with my husband, and my plan after that, was not to ever go a third time. So, as much as I hate to admit it, and probably unfortunately for you, I am going to have to depend on you more than some more outdoorsy woman might.”

The whole time she was talking, Alex stood looking at her with a small half smile.

When she was done, he nodded. “That’s all right.”

Melanie wasn’t sure she’d made her point.

“Since we don’t know how long we’ll have to be together, I suggest we treat each other with respect,” she said.

“Yes.” Alex wasn’t smiling anymore, but she did see the corner of his mouth twitch, and he regarded her with just a hint of amusement.

“So, you understand?”

“Yes, I understand. You need me, and you respect me. Oh, yeah, and you’re a bit of a nerd.” He grinned at her. “Now, can we get going?”

She glared at him. “Fine. I’m ready, I guess.”

It hit her that she had nothing with her but the clothes on her back. Too bad she hadn’t thought to at least grab her purse, or even just her cell phone.

“Damn,” she said under her breath.

Alex raised his eyebrows, silently questioning her.

“Do you have your cell phone?” she asked. He dug into another pocket and pulled it out.

“I don’t think it will work out here, but say another prayer.”

He turned on his phone, shading it with his hand so he could see the display face in the bright sun. “Sorry, no bars...and it looks like I need to charge it.” He gave a small shrug. “Maybe it will work higher up, like near the plane. And I’m hoping the tracking devise I have is still operating.” 

Melanie watched Alex’s hands as he worked with his phone. He had an athletic build with toned, strong arms that were tan and covered with fine hairs that shone gold in the noon sun. His hands looked strong too, but beautifully capable and sensitive. They look like surgeon’s hands, or a musician or an artist’s.

Her thoughts were troubling because her attraction to this man had made her feel weak in the knees. It occurred to her that she hadn’t felt like this since she’d first met Sam, over seven years before.

She tried to shake it off. She told herself that intense emotions were natural in this situation. Plunging out of a plane and such a close call with death, must have given her quite a jolt of adrenaline.

And it didn’t matter how gorgeous and exciting he was, nothing could induce her to get involved with another man who liked to dance with danger. Not another firefighter like Sam and not a pilot either.

She would never again lay her heart open like that.

“It’s fine,” she said, this time a little sharply. “Let’s go. I don’t want to be stumbling around the wilderness in the dark.”

“You’re sure that you’re all right?”

She shook her head, but started off ahead of him. “I’m good. Let’s go!” 

They walked in silence for a long time. Alex soon took the lead. She was grateful because the tall grass and weeds brushing against the cuts on her legs hurt, and he broke a trail for her to follow.

After the first half hour, she walked lost in her own thoughts. Her mind kept wandering back to how it had felt to be in Alex’s arms, and how she had felt such an overwhelming sense of recognition when looking into his eyes the first time.

It was disturbing though because Martin was waiting for her right now probably pacing back and forth at the airport on his cell calling every authority he could think of to try and find her.

She knew her focus should be on getting back to him, but thinking of Martin wasn’t making her feel better. Instead, she found her irritation growing. This whole situation was so absurd! She should be at the airport by now. Why did her mother have to live on that God-forsaken island anyway? Soon Melanie felt angry again, but now it wasn’t directed at Alex but at fate.

Still, the emotion made her feel strong so the walk to the wrecked plane didn’t seem half as far as it had.

The last time she had seen Martin seemed like a long time now, but it had only been a week.

He had made her dinner at his place, a nice enough condo although obviously furnished from one shopping trip to a big box Scandinavian furniture store, and afterward they’d had sex, and it was all good.

He was a capable lover, at least he seemed to care that she had a good time too. But it wasn’t anything like what she’d had with Sam.

But then nothing was ever again going to be like it was with him.

Almost two years had passed since the accident, and a year since Sam had died.  The pain had lessened to something manageable. She was ready to move on, and someone like Martin could give her the part of her life that she could never have had with Sam even if he’d lived because of his injuries. Martin was someone she could see herself with; he would be good to her, and someday he would be a good father. She wanted to be a mother someday.

And she would grow to love him, she was sure. Not the way she had loved Sam, but that was fine too. It hurt too much to love a man like that when you lost him.

That last night lying together amidst tangled, mint-green sheets, Martin had leaned over and kissed her lightly. “Let’s do it,” he’d said.

“We just did ‘do it’,” she’d answered, surprised. “Are you ready to go again so soon?”

He’d chuckled. “Well, give me a few... no, I mean, let’s get married.”

The memory she had now was somehow connected to the scent of him that night. It was minty, like his sheets. His breath, and even the lingering essence of his soap had smelled clean and fresh. Melanie considered now. Maybe that was why she had said almost said yes. Could you, or even should you, pick a mate because you like the way they smell? Probably not.

They had only been seeing each other for a few months, but even after so short a period of time, she felt like she knew Martin fairly well, he wasn’t particularity complicated. And it was mostly good. He was very intelligent without being neurotic, he was thoughtful- in short a safe bet as a husband and a father.

And he wasn’t in a dangerous profession like Sam and her father had been as wildfire fighters. Martin had a safe profession as an accountant.

She’d never heard of an accounting-related accident anyway.

It did surprise her when he’d proposed so soon. Almost as much as when she’d heard herself say maybe.

She had thought about saying yes right then, but when she began saying the word something had stopped her. A word in her head shouted “Wait!” In that moment she’d pushed the feeling aside not willing to analyze it. Instead, she’d said that she would think about it while she was at her mother’s. 

The next morning before she’d left for her mother’s, Martin’s eyes shone with excitement as he told her his idea for a destination wedding.

“What do you think about having it in Greece, like in Mama Mia? I’ll bet I can Google where that movie was made.”

She’d had to laugh at his excitement, but she’d known she wasn’t feeling the same. She’d brushed it off then, telling herself that it was because she’d been married before and he never had. They made plans to get together the night she got back.

If she ever did get back, Melanie thought, coming back to the present with a flash of fear. She glanced up at Alex who walked a few feet ahead, and he, as if feeling her eyes, turned and nodded.

“Not much farther, maybe another mile or so.”

“Good.” 

She could handle another mile but then what? She wasn’t going to mention it, but besides getting very weary from the walk and everything they had been through, she was really thirsty and her stomach had started a dull empty ache. He must be feeling the same, but maybe not, he looked very strong and vital and not at all tired.

She watched him as he walked ahead, admiring his sleek but strong back, his powerful shoulders, and his, she had to admit, quite beautiful backside. She shook her head, told herself to stop and forced her eyes, and her mind, away from Alex and his many physical charms.

During her visit with her mother, Melanie had told her about Martin’s proposal, truly expecting her to be happy. After all, Martin was successful, good-looking, intelligent, and she’d seemed to like him the one time they had met. But her mother said very little at first. Then she’d got them both a refill of coffee, sat back down and nodded.

“Okay, I get it. But do you really love Martin, sweetheart?” 

Even though she’d known her mother would ask questions, she hadn’t expected that one. She had to admit, it was a damn good question and perhaps the most obvious. The truth was that she didn’t know. Or did she?

“He’s a good man, and he seems to love me. I think we could make it work,” she’d said tentatively. “I don’t suppose I’ll ever love anyone the way I loved Sam.”