Alla Kar: Stroke Of Fear

“It’s okay, Mrs. Powers. Everything happens for a reason. And I’m pretty sure I know that reason now. I appreciate your call.”

“Thank you for talking with me, Aubrey. We miss you. You should come down and visit soon. Your mother said you were working at a summer camp for the summer, right?”

“Yes.”

“Come and visit when you finish. I would love to see you again.”

“I will, Mrs. Powers.”

“Okay. I won’t hold you up any longer. Please, call me sometimes. I would love to keep up with you. You have a great day, sweetie.”

“You, too.”

Placing my phone on my bed, I stare at the comforter. I can’t imagine how hard that was for her. To call the woman that put her son behind bars. Even if he was wrong, a mother’s love is endless.

I take a shower and get ready for bed. Cassie’s back and talking about her kids today. I don’t tell her I think someone is using the cabin next door. I don’t even mention it. Tanner comes in an hour later, doesn’t say anything as he crawls into bed with me and holds me tight to his chest. Like he’ll never get to see me again.

“Any luck?” I whisper.

He shakes his head against mine. “The police came and looked. They say it was no forced entry. They couldn’t find anything so they left.”

Of course. Tanner tangles his legs with my own and cups my jaw with his palm. “Aubrey. You’re safe. I won’t let anybody hurt you.”

I nod into my pillow and shut my eyes. I believe him.

Tanner

“That’s it, darlin’. Come to me.”

The sunlight is setting behind the trees, leaving a bright beam cascading across the water. Aubrey’s wading in the shallow end. Her arms hover over the surface on each side. The excitement on her face is contagious. “I’m in the water,” she whispers to herself.

I take a step toward her. The water laps at her sides, covering her bellybutton. She’s made so much progress these last few weeks. We’ve actually had a great few weeks. We haven’t seen or heard anything from the creeper guy. Either he left or he’s staying low. I’m guessing the latter.

Aubrey’s laugh brings me back. Lips curling slightly, she smiles to herself like she’s amused about something. “I’m in the water,” she breaths out. “I’m in the fucking water!”

A flock of birds flutter from the tree hovering over the small lake. I laugh and signal for her to walk toward me. Carefully, she treads forward. She looks at the water like it may jump up and consume her, like it did before. Her fingers reach me first, twisting into the nape of my neck. “Darlin’, you’re in the fucking water.”

She laughs loudly. It’s singsong like. I could definitely get used to it.

“Thank you, Tanner. I could have never done this without you. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a really long time.”

“Ditto, darlin’. But, you could have done this all along. You’re stronger than you look. You can’t blame yourself for being scared. Someone tried to kill you. Someone you thought loved you.”

She bites her lip and stares down at the water around her. “His mother called me the other day.”

“Really?” I lift a brow. “What did she say?”

She shrugs and hangs on my shoulders tighter. “She told me she knew it wasn’t my fault. That she was mad at me for so long, but now she understands.”

That’s good, right? Why is she frowning? Lifting her chin, I gaze into her hazel eyes. “Then why do you look so sad, Aubrey?”

The sides of her lips turn down. “Is it really not my fault? I saw him starting to get clingy, and I didn’t talk to him. I didn’t try to get him help. My parents broke any contact I had from him. I—I feel like I couldn’t have done something, Tanner. Why didn’t I?”

“Aubrey,” I say carefully. “It’s not your job to take care of him. He could have gotten himself help. You were scared. You had every reason to be scared. This. Is. Not. Your. Fault. His mother is right. It’s his fault.”

She nods. “Okay.”

“Are we finished for today? Or do you want to swim more?”

She swallows and the smile is back. “I think I’m good for today. You ready to go home?”

I’ve been waiting on this day for weeks. Her eyes search mine, and I know she can see it. “Not yet,” I whisper.

A slow smile crawls up her jaw. Before she can say anything, I reach underneath her and bring her up into my arms. She’s quiet as I carry her toward my truck. The back is already set up. I am not going to let this opportunity pass me by again. I need her.

Her voice is so gentle against me. “Here. Please.”

I nod and set her down in front of the tailgate. “Here, darlin’. Right here. No more waiting. There is a towel right there. Dry off and get in the truck. I’m gonna take care of you.”

Smiling, she slowly dries herself off before she jumps into the back of the truck and slides underneath the mounds of blankets. My heart jack hammers in my chest. I dry myself off and crawl after her, sliding beside her, not touching. Not yet.

Aubrey

This is it. He’s finally going to take me. Take care of me. I’m holding back my nerves, looking over at him. His eyes scan my face, down my neck to the curve of my breast.

He drags his thumb along my jaw like he wants to memorize every single inch of me. Nerves shoot down my body. He continues caressing my face, sending explosive heat through me. “When I pulled you out of the water, I knew I wanted you. I knew I’d have you, too. I wouldn’t stop until you were mine.”

His words send tingles down to my toes. When he bends his head closer, he asks me permission with one gaze. “Yes,” I whisper. “I want it.” His woodsy scent mixes with his soap and it clings to my nose. My entire body aches for his touch. He presses his mouth to mine, slowly, but pulls away.

“I didn’t know how long I would hurt from losing Amanda. Then I saw you helplessly hanging on for life. I knew you were meant for me. The desperation in your eyes broke my heart; I saw that same desperation in the mirror every day.”

Need flows through my veins. My nerves, my bones beg for him. Sliding his thumb up my jaw, he traces the edge of my ear. Then he strokes my lips one lip at a time. I whimper, an ache throbbing through me. He grips my face between his large, calloused hands and tilts my face before fitting his lips against mine. I moan and grip his shirt underneath the blankets. His tongue dips hard against mine and sensation sparks every nerve ending in my body. Despite the chilly afternoon his skin is hot and wet against me. His groans melt with my moans. The sounds set me on fire, everywhere.

Pressing into him harder, he hungrily takes my bottom lip between his teeth, biting and pulling. One of his legs wedges itself between my throbbing thighs. He slows down, and I almost cry out in pain. Don’t stop. He nips at my bottom lip again, his hands running along my shoulders to grip the nape of my neck. He pulls me closer, giving himself better access to my mouth. Desperately, I rake my nails down his sides and grind myself down onto his thigh. Everything changes. I moan into his mouth, feeling the tension tighten in his shoulders.

Pulling away, he rolls over until he is hovering over me. Locking my eyes with his, I trail my shaky hands underneath his shirt and help him pull it over his head. The smooth satin of his chest devours me, brushing against the fabric of my shirt. I’m exploding inside, begging him to hurry. But I want to go slow, too. I need him in every way possible. Tanner’s shoulders jerk with his hard breath, his fingers grab my swim suit and yanks at it until my breasts spill out. He’s seen me naked before, but it feels like he’s looking at me for the first time. Reaching down he cups my breast, his rough finger lightly rubbing over the peak. He bends his head to lap at my nipple, first one, and then the other. He nips them, pulling slightly until a cry rips from my throat.