Haunted
Chapter 26
He was there patiently waiting on her when she returned from her bedroom. She had changed into another pair of shorts, a halter top and had her mass of blonde hair pulled up in a pony tail, no makeup, but she didn't need any. EJ just smiled, she truly was beautiful.
"What?" Sami eyed him warily when he didn't say anything to her, just kept smiling.
"Excuse me?"
"You're not saying anything, just smiling at me with that goofy smile of yours," Sami remarked trying to figure out what he was thinking.
"My smile is not goofy darling," EJ replied, as he leaned across the kitchen counter to retrieve a bottle of sunscreen.
"Yeah right, why are you smiling at me?"
"I can't smile when the most beautiful woman in the world graces my presence?"
"Beautiful?" Sami snorted her obvious disbelief over his remark to her. "I'm a beauty queen all right, rag tag shorts, halter top, hair pulled up and no make-up."
"A vision indeed," EJ tapped her nose gently, "you don't need all the trappings women use to shine in my eyes."
"Right," Sami crossed her arms in front of her, not accepting the compliment from him. He was so full of it, there was no way that she looked good, but she really didn't care, it wasn't as if she was trying to attract him.
"Believe what you wish, you always do," EJ snapped open the bottle of sunscreen and moved toward her.
"What are you doing?"
"Sunscreen darling, your skin is way too fair not to wear it," EJ stated as he squeezed the bottle causing some of the sunscreen to plop out into his hands. He deftly turned her around ready to put some of the lotion upon her shoulders.
"I can apply it myself," Sami tried to turn around, but EJ kept her still.
"I'm sure you can, but do you really want to risk getting these lovely shoulders sunburned?" He whispered softly into her ear, making her shiver just from the sound of his lilting voice in her ears.
"No, but I am quite capable of taking care of myself," Sami started to argue then stopped as soon as EJ began to apply the sunscreen on her shoulders. His touch was heavenly and it did feel nice even if she wouldn't tell him.
"I know you are," EJ said taking his time as he spread the lotion to her back, her skin was so smooth and soft. He could linger all day doing this, just touching her skin and would have if she hadn't of straightened her shoulders and moved away.
"Surely there is enough on there to protect me now," Sami claimed and reluctantly EJ snapped the bottle shut and placed it in the backpack that was already filled with other things for their early morning hike.
"Yes, there is," EJ agreed even though he wished for more time to touch her skin, hopefully there would be more time for that later though.
"So where are you taking me?" Sami asked as they left the house and came upon a place on the island that she had never seen before, the vegetation of the island appearing before them with only a pathway at the entrance.
"You'll see when we arrive," EJ replied, not giving her any clues of their destination. "Now remember if you need for us to stop to let you rest before we get there, just let me know. I don't want you over exerting yourself."
"EJ, I'm pregnant, not infirmed," Sami stated wishing he wasn't so overprotective of her, she wasn't used to anyone looking out for her and really didn't know how to respond to someone when they did try to extend that courtesy.
He turned back to look at her, this woman he loved more with each passing day and wished she would let him be concerned over her well being. "I know you are able to care for yourself and our babies, but I didn't want to push you too hard on the hike."
"You don't mind pushing me on other things," she reminded him sharply, refusing the let the opportunity pass about how he managed to prod her onto other things, namely this little island excursion.
"Some things are worth fighting for," EJ answered sincerely, "and you my dear are something I will continue to fight for as long as I have breath in this body."
He turned back around and continued onward, pausing occasionally to look back at her only to be rewarded with a scowl on her part. He would shake his head and resume walking.
"Are we almost there?" She asked after they had hiked in silence for a while.
"Almost, do you need to stop and rest?"
"No! I just want to get there!"
"You are an impatient creature," EJ stated as he turned around once more almost causing Sami to collide into him.
"And you are an infuriating one," Sami huffed, her curiosity almost killing her the longer it took for them to reach whatever it was the EJ wanted to show her about the island.
"You wouldn't want me any other way," EJ started to chuckle, then stopped when Sami gave him a menacing glare. "Well maybe you'd want me another way."
"Oh you have no idea," she said with a surety.
"I have several, do you want me to expound upon them?" He asked, loving it when she was exasperated with him because it only endeared her to him all the more.
"No," she tried to push past him even if she didn't know the way only to have him grasp her arm stopping her from traveling any further.
"We're almost there," EJ said, pulling her close to him.
"We'll then let's get going," Sami wriggled out of his embrace and prodded him onward.
"You are such a taskmaster," EJ quipped. "Makes me wonder what all you could get me to do with the right incentive of course."
"Shut up," she ordered, wanting to scream when unwanted visions of them together instantly popped into her head. He was surely going to drive her crazy before morning's end.
"You'll just have to make me," EJ laughed imaging many ways she could make him be quiet or at least quieter than normal, then again maybe not.
She was about to say something else when they finally came to a clearing.
"Thank goodness, does this mean we are finally here?" Sami asked pushing past him, then gasping as she saw the magnificent view that appeared before her very eyes.
"Yes, we're here," EJ dropped the backpack and pulled her close to him, "What do you think darling? Was it worth the hike to get here?"
"It's truly amazing," she whispered leaning back against his frame and allowed him to hold her in his arms as they surveyed their surroundings.
"Do you like it? This is my favorite place on the entire island," EJ revealed to her, kissing her on top of her head. "I've never shared this spot with anyone else before."
Sami's heart skipped a beat over his words and she began to smile. She had never seen a place like this before, it was incredible. "Thank you for bringing me here. This is beautiful."
"You're welcome," EJ smiled with her and took her hand, leading her closer to the water's edge. "You ready to enjoy our island paradise?"
"Ours? EJ this is your place, not mine," Sami corrected him, but he shook his head.
"I've never wanted to show this place to anyone before, it was my secret hideaway that was until you came along into my life."
His words were so sincere that she felt her heart melt even more. How was she ever going to be able to fight against her heart concerning him when he kept surprising her with something new all the time?
Haunted
Chapter 27
EJ stepped back away from Sami to drop the backpack he had been carrying on the hike to the ground. Sami hadn't moved, it was like she was mesmerized by the water, the scenery set before her was a sight to behold.
EJ leaned back against a rock, steadying himself as he began to take off his hiking boots, the water would be a welcome relief after hiking. Even though it was only mid morning, the temperature was quickly rising. He plopped his boots by the wayside and reached for the hem of his shirt, deftly stripping it from his body and tossing it to the ground also. He was about to reach for the zipper of his shorts when Sami turned around giving him an almost frantic look as she realized his intentions.
"You are not taking those off," she pointed directly to his shorts. There was no way she could deal with his nakedness today. It had taken all the strength she possessed to ignore his lack of clothes he wore on the island when he went swimming in the ocean, now to have him in calmer waters of the basin of blue water that surrounded the cascading waterfall before them would be asking entirely too much of her.
"Yes, I am," EJ calmly replied, returning to the task at hand of shedding his remaining article of clothing.
"No, you are not!" Sami crossed her arms in front of her and taking a stance that showed she meant business. She could not handle this situation if EJ was totally nude. How could she keep herself distracted from his form, especially when he was so comfortable being around her without a stitch of clothing on to cover his body? She turned away from him quickly when she saw he wasn't going to give into her demands of keeping his shorts on in her presence.
"I didn't make the trek all the way up here to look at the water darling. I am going to experience it to the fullest extent and you should too." EJ shucked his shorts off and threw them to the ground with a chuckle. She was going to have to get over this hang up of hers about the clothes he wore or didn't wear depending upon the circumstance. "Besides I don't want to be wearing wet shorts when we hike back. To say the least it would be a tad uncomfortable."
"You have an excuse for everything," Sami huffed, her irritation growing at him. She wouldn't face him, even as she heard him move closer to her, and then passed by her side as he eased into the water. She wished she was anywhere else at the moment. He was without a doubt the most infuriating man she had ever met in her lifetime. Try as she might, if he was determined to do something she was hard pressed to make him bend to her will instead and this time he was not listening to her at all.
EJ waded out until he was covered to the waist by the water, "You can come on in now. I'll even be a gentleman and not look while you shed your clothes and make your way over here to me."
She snorted over his gentleman comment, why a true gentleman wouldn't strip naked and suggest for her to do the same. "You consider yourself a gentleman EJ? Why that sentiment is just preposterous!"
EJ chose to ignore her attempt to rouse him to anger and instead started to swim toward the misting cascade of the waterfall. "The water feels wonderful, you should come in."
Sami was mad at herself, here she was in what had to be one of the most beautiful spots she had ever seen in her life and she wouldn't even turn around and look at it, much less partake in all that the place had to offer all because of her being mad at EJ. Did she really want to pass up this opportunity to relax when lately there had been far too few moments in her life to truly savor and enjoy?
EJ continued onward when she wouldn't come in, hoping that if he gave her a bit of time that she would finally see that he wasn't trying to seduce her, he was only wanting her to experience this amazing place firsthand in hopes that she would end up loving this sanctuary as much as he did.
Sami went to the rock that EJ had leaned upon earlier and sat down upon it, crossing her legs while EJ kept on swimming. She tried to occupy her thoughts on anything besides imaging being in the water with EJ and then thought she should just give him a taste of his own medicine. Let him look at her, but she wouldn't let him touch. Why he'd go positively insane with want for her. She started to smile, glad her devious side was slowly but surely coming back to her.
She'd strip too, why she didn't have anything to be ashamed of, she was barely showing despite being pregnant with twins. She made sure EJ was busy swimming and started to remove her clothing, loving that for once she would get the upper hand with EJ. He really did need to be put in his place. It seemed his arrogance knew no bounds.
Well it was done, Sami thought as she slowly stepped into the water. She was almost in fully when she realized she had caught his attention after all. She had to stifle a laugh when he floundered for a moment after seeing that she had shed all her clothes and took down her hair, letting it flow freely down her back, the ends of it already becoming wet as she stepped further into the water. She finally dipped under the water's surface only to gasp in surprise when she saw EJ close by when she arose from the water.
She met his eyes and glared at him, "Are you happy now? I'm in the water."
"Very happy," EJ stated moving even closer to her until she held out her hand in protest.
"That is close enough, thank you very much," Sami informed EJ with as much authority in her tone as she could muster.
EJ shook his head, "I don't think so."
"Well I do," Sami splashed water in his direction and flitted off; loving the feel of the water on her body as she expertly swam away from him. It wouldn't do to let him get too close to her or she might lose her resolve to teach him a lesson.
"Samantha, are you really going to make me chase after you?" EJ asked as he floated towards her retreating figure.
"You can't catch me," Sami boasted with a laugh as she kicked away from him, managing to keep him at arm's length every time he tried to get close to her.
"I bet I can," EJ replied as he finally caught up with her, laughing as she sputtered when he dunked her underneath the water.
She swam away again, not taking much notice of where she was heading until she realized she had no where to escape from him when she looked around seeing the flat rock plane of the base of the waterfall that she had wound up at in her attempt to swim away from EJ. Now she knew she was in over her head in more ways than one at the moment.
"You don't play fair EJ," Sami pouted as she tried to keep afloat, knowing that being able to dart past him was now an impossibility.
"No, I don't," EJ agreed with a wicked smile, his eyes alighting with merriment as he moved in closer, causing Sami to back into the slick rock ledge as he placed both hands on either side of her.
Sami watched him move closer, so close that their lips almost touched and she felt her heart flutter with excitement in her chest. She was surprised that EJ couldn't hear it aloud because the sound of her beating heart was resounding quite loudly within her own ears. She looked into his eyes, seeing the intense look of desire burning brightly for her in those dark smoldering depths and she knew how easily should get lost looking into those eyes from now on if she wasn't very careful.
She felt herself losing her resolve to keep her distance from him as their breath began to mingle with one another, their lips close to touching, but not yet making the connection, one that Sami was fearful of being able to break if they kissed one another.
"EJ," Sami spoke softly, as she slowly inched her closer to him, her lips almost brushing against his own.
"Yes, my dear?" EJ asked, wondering what she wanted from him and hoping she would allow him to kiss her lips,
She quickly reached up to dunk him under the water before they could kiss, laughing as she managed to barely get past his embrace as she gleefully stated, "You didn't think I was going to make it that easy for you, did you?."
"You never do," EJ managed to get out after shaking his head in disbelief as she made her way to the middle of the lagoon, her laughter resounding all around him by the time he finally caught up with her. Eventually catching her by the ankle as she tried to push away from him once more, but he held his grip upon her until she stopped trying to move.
"EJ, you are going to pull me under," Sami shrieked as he did just that, taking her with him underneath the water's surface for a few seconds, and then laughing when they both resurfaced. Sami instinctively placing her hands on his shoulders to get her bearings back after he had taken her under with him.
"You've already pulled me in so deep that I'm afraid I won't ever be able to get out from underneath your spell," EJ whispered to her truthfully, laying his heart open for her to see, all she had to do was claim it because she was the only one he had ever felt this way about, he loved her with everything he possessed if she would only be willing take a chance on him.
He looked at her again with those soulful eyes of his and before she thought better of it, she leaned in closer, relishing the feel of their wet bodies touching as they seemed to instantly meld against one another. Her fingers found their way into his dark hair, tugging him closer as they finally kissed both allowing themselves to let go and just feel the amazing sensations of being together that each brought out in the other.
She was slowly losing the battle because this connection they shared flared up instantaneously whenever they touched one another. She had to get her emotions under control before she did something really stupid like having sex with EJ. Somehow Sami found the strength to pull away from him, "EJ, I don't think it is a good idea if we sleep together again."
"We're just kissing sweetheart and furthermore I don't want to sleep with you, I want to make love to you. There's a huge difference between the two things. I want to show you how right we are for each other, that we belong together."
Sami swam away from him, she couldn't process this, and her emotions were running too high at the moment. It was like when EJ touched her that she lost all rationale and was willing to throw away everything in her life just to be with him. He was driving her crazy, she would be certifiably loco before they left the island, she was sure of it.
Haunted
Chapter 28
"You know I never imagined you for a coward Samantha Gene Brady!"
His words stopped her mid stroke; he didn't just call her a coward. No way should she and that word ever be associated together in a sentence. She wished she were standing on solid ground just so she could stand tall to refute his ridiculous allegation. She may be many things, but being a coward was not one of them.
"You arrogant ass!" She shouted back at him. "How dare you call me a coward!"
"If it bothers you so much, then come back here and tell me to my face instead of trying to slink away from me as fast as you possibly can!" EJ challenged her, not caring one way or another if she was upset by what he had said to her because so tired of playing this fucking back and forth game with her letting him get close to her only to be turned away time and time again.
He swam to the ledge, climbing up on the rocky surface when he reached it, uncaring if he cut himself in the process. He stared back at her as she made her way back, mildly surprised that she hadn't of gone for the safety of the other side to retrieve her clothes before trying to confront him, but then again he guessed he had pissed her off royally and she was going on pure adrenaline instead of planning out her next move against him.
She was tiring out, but she'd be damned if she would let him know it, Sami thought to herself as she swam over to the ledge, trying to be careful as she began to climb up the slick surface, hoping that she wouldn't slip and fall because no matter how mad she was at EJ at the moment she still had to be cautious in her actions so as not to harm her unborn babies.
He saw her pause momentarily and immediately his thoughts went to her safety. What was he thinking trying to provoke her when she was pregnant? When she was the mother to his children, even if she didn't want him to be their father he was and he needed to keep that very important fact in mind.
He reached out a hand to her, half expecting her to scoff at his efforts of trying to help her, and then she surprised him by taking his helping hand, only using it to provide the necessary leverage she needed to secure her footing, then immediately dropping it as soon as she was standing beside him.
She looked at him fiercely, wondering how they could go from one moment of playing in the water to an almost fight all within the space of a few minutes. EJ made her run the entire gamut of emotions when he was around, and usually there was no half way or middle ground for them to find.
"Well I'm here right in your face," Sami snarled, for once her worries of being nude around EJ were nonexistent, there was no way he was getting away with calling her a coward, she just wouldn't stand for it. "Call me a coward again, I dare you!"
"Coward," EJ whispered, his voice sounding sexy as hell even while the word made her blood feel as if it would boil by his saying it yet again.
She brought back her hand to strike at him, only to have him deflect it by grasping her arm. They stood locked in a stare down, both refusing to look away from the other.
He was so masculine, every muscle clearly defined as he stood there before her, their bodies shielded from the waterfall although they could hear the steady roar of the water as it plummeted down just a few inches away from them.
"I'm not a coward," Sami pronounced every syllable plainly wanting EJ to recant what he had just said to her.
"Then stop fighting this, stop fighting us," EJ said, moving her towards the rock wall while he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm married EJ," Sami cried out wearily, wishing she had not taken vows with Lucas, but she had and now her being here with EJ on the island was just proving to her more and more that she had made the wrong decision in marrying Lucas.
"He doesn't love you," EJ said taking his hands and running them down her body, watching her reaction as he touched her. Then he returned his hands to her face, stroking the place where Lucas had hit her, being careful not to cause her any further pain by touching the faint mar of the bruising that was still left upon her face. "Samantha, he wants to control you, belittle you, he wants to make you feel like you are not worthy to be loved unless you do exactly what he wants you to do to suit him. Do you know how badly I want to hurt him for even thinking about hitting you, much less for him to actually do this to you?"
She clutched at his shoulders, afraid she would cry after hearing his words. She wanted to look away from EJ, to escape his piercing stare for she knew if she gave into EJ, she would only want more from him. She had no right to be hoping for things to be different because she was married to another man, not to the one who was the father to these children she miraculously had growing inside her.
"EJ, even if I wanted to…"
He cut her words off before she could complete her sentence, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss, one that was raw and full of untamed emotion. Their tongues clashed as they tasted one another, each one allowing the other to revel in their exploration of one another. Sami's grip on EJ tightened as desire began to flick its tortuous flame of heat within her body.
Yes, she wanted him even if she would probably end up with a broken and tattered heart after everything was said and done. She didn't want to look back on her life years from now and wonder what would have happened if she had only allowed her heart to overrule her mind for a change, so with that thought in mind she decided to see exactly what EJ was trying to tell her about them belonging together.
