Love In Troubled Waters Read online

  “Wow, I’m glad we tried that,” she nuzzled his ear. “Thanks for going along with it.”

  “Oh, sweetness, you don’t have to thank me,” he moved the hair away from her face and kissed her deeply. “I should be the one thanking you. That was amazing.”

  As they disconnected from one another and smoothed their clothes out, Isabelle heard the ringing of her cell phone from somewhere inside her purse. She faintly remembered dropping it on her way in. Curious about who it might be, she walked over and dug it out, realizing what she had forgotten as soon as she saw her sister’s name flash across the screen.

  Isabelle turned around to look at Liam with guilt written all over her face. Her budding, hot week with Liam had made her forget that she had scheduled to go to the town fair with her sister, something she couldn’t easily reschedule considering her sister was a very busy editor in New York City. But Liam had already gotten leave for the whole day; something which was also rare. They hadn’t been able to do much beyond a drink, or lunch, and she had been looking forward to an entire day with the man she was beginning to fall for in all aspects.

  “What’s going on?” Liam asked, noticing the expression on her face.

  Isabelle shrugged, plopping down on the couch, deflated. “I’ve been so busy making plans with you I forgot that I was supposed to meet my sister at the town fair today. It’s a tradition. She rarely gets days off, but it’s kind of the same for you. Ugh, I’m sorry, I really don’t want to make you leave, but I don’t think I can cancel with her. I feel so horrible.”

  She put her head in her hands in frustration but found them being removed. Her face was lifted up to his, and she could smell his muskiness. It was a bit intoxicating, rendering her speechless.

  “If you want to go see your sister, then do it. I’m not going to be offended. I completely understand. You just met me for goodness sakes. But, I also love fairs and carnivals.” A smile spread across his face, and it made her wonder what he must have been like as a mischievous little boy. It brought a smile to her own face as well. On the one hand, it was a crazy idea for this man she barely knew to meet a member of her family, but on the other hand, it felt completely right, and she knew they would have a blast.

  “It’s not too much pressure?” Isabelle asked him, sizing up his reaction.

  “Not if we don’t make it that way,” he said with a wink. “But I'm a hard one to scare. I’m in the Navy, remember?” They both laughed lightly, and Isabelle picked up her phone, returning the call to her sister to let her know she’d be bringing a friend with her.

  Chapter 3

  Isabelle found herself feeling nervous as they pulled into the parking lot where she could see her sister, Holly, waiting at the gate. Holly had been nothing short of shocked at the idea that Isabelle was bringing a man with her. Isabelle hadn’t had a relationship of any kind since getting out of rehab and ending the tumultuous relationship that had landed her there in the first place. She wasn’t even sure how to introduce Liam to her sister, considering they hadn’t exactly defined what was happening yet. They were enjoying each other’s company, sure, but despite the casualness of their relationship, Isabelle couldn’t help but feel she was close to him in some way. She decided to let him take the lead.

  It wasn’t difficult, considering he helped her out of the car and headed straight for the woman who looked like a reporter, shorter version of Isabelle, with that signature smile on his face. If he wasn’t in the Navy, he could easily go into public relations.

  “Hello, how are you?” he asked, reaching out his hand to the woman who went from confused to completely charmed in 0 to 60.

  “I’m great, actually, how about yourself?” Holly asked, looking energized while glancing sideways a few times at Isabelle.

  “Doing fine, glad to be here with two lovely ladies on this fine evening instead of back at base. I’m Liam, by the way.”

  The three of them headed through the entrance and into the large carnival that stopped in Jersey every year. It had become a tradition for Isabelle and Holly since their father had taken them every year for as long as they could remember. He’d actually been a carnie once himself, in his younger years, and got a kick out of telling old, entertaining stories to his daughters.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Liam. I’m Holly, Isabelle’s sister. I’m assuming she told you that, though.” Isabelle was trying not to laugh, seeing how easily her older sister was charmed by the man who had done the same to her in the club just a few weeks before. This time, though, all he was doing was being polite. But perhaps being a gentleman was the sexiest thing about him. Well, until he took his clothes off, anyway.

  “Though,” Holly continued, “I can’t say she told me much about you. Or anything at all. I had no idea you’d be coming along.”

  Isabelle looked up at Liam nervously, wondering how he would handle that comment. Holly hadn’t said it in a rude way, but she was clearly digging for information and Isabelle wasn’t sure what information he might give.

  “I actually didn’t know I’d be here, either,” he said immediately, as they came upon a corn dog stand. He stopped and purchased three, handing them out to both women. Everything he did made him look like a perfect gentleman. “I’ve been taking up a lot of your sister’s time recently, and I’m afraid I distracted her from this day a bit. She insisted she needed to come see you, and I agreed. But truth be told, I don’t have a whole lot of time left to spend with her either. I just found out I’m being transferred elsewhere in a few days. I wanted to get as much time in with her, as I could, before then.”

  Isabelle looked up at Liam, tugging on his sleeve. “What are you talking about?” she asked, making them all pause for a moment.

  “I was going to tell you later. I just found out this morning. It’s the way it goes for us soldiers.” He sounded calm about it, and maybe that was because he was used to it, but even as they all came upon the strip of carnival games on one side of the lot, Isabelle felt a roiling queasiness in her stomach. She didn’t know how far he would be going or if there would be anything for them after he left, and she had been so hopeful that they could get to know each other and see where this led them. Things between them just felt right and good. But as she saw Holly throwing away her corn dog stick and paying for darts to pop some balloons, she realized that it was best to enjoy the moments they had left, including the one right in front of them. She could worry about the details later.

  “I wanna try my hand at this one too!” Isabelle said, paying for her own set of darts as Liam stood behind her. He held her hips as if she was his possession, just the way she liked. It made her feel a twinge of hope that they would figure something out. Holly and Isabelle smiled at each other, looking ready for a reprise of their silly childhood rivalry before they both began throwing their six darts at the balloons, trying to pop them. They both managed to get two and won stuffed animals the size of their palms.

  Isabelle frowned down at the tiny cat in her hand. “This is it?” she pouted playfully, looking up at Liam.

  “You know these games are rigged, right?” he asked her, amused. She nodded in agreement before taking his hand and leading him to the next game. It was turning out to be a pretty fun evening as the three took turns eating sweet snacks and playing games that were impossible to win. As it got cooler and darker out, Isabelle knew the night was winding down.

  “We have to ride something before we leave!” she exclaimed, heading toward the rides. “At least the Ferris wheel.” She pointed up at the tall, colorful structure that made up the center of the carnival, tugging at her two companions.

  “You know, I may look like a tough guy, but to be honest, I’m a bit afraid of heights,” Liam admitted, looking up at the ride nervously. “You two can go, though. I’ll be right here when you get back.”

  Isabelle giggled and patted him on his back. “Are you sure?” She asked, feeling slightly unsure. But then again, where would he go? He nodded and smiled, pulling her to him
and offering a sweet kiss on her lips and forehead. Feeling just a little lightheaded, Isabelle made her way to the ride with Holly, climbing into a blue seat before being moved up for the next pair to climb in.

  “So, he’s a Navy man, huh?” Holly asked, nudging her sister playfully. It took Isabelle back to a simpler time when the two of them were young teenagers doing their hair and nails together. Being two years apart had made it easy for them to be best friends, but when Holly had gone off to college when Isabelle was 16, her world started to fall apart. It was fortunate that Holly had landed a great job in New York instead of further away, because it was Holly who kept Isabelle grounded and sane after the trouble she’d gotten herself into. She was the only person who cared or tried to understand her perspective.

  “Yeah, I know. It shocked me too. I find myself thinking that no way am I good enough for this guy,” Isabelle admitted as the Ferris wheel began to take them up and up and then back around. Holly smiled and looked out over the carnival below thoughtfully.

  “I think it’s great. Don’t sell yourself short like that. You deserve the best, Izzy. I realize that obviously the two of you haven’t been together that long, and I doubt that you’ve spent any time at all defining things, but I can tell by the way that man looks at you that he’s falling head over heels. And he seems like a good man. I’m proud of you, Isabelle, this choice to not isolate yourself anymore and to take it slow with a good man. I think maybe this is finally something I can pass on to Mom and Dad.” Holly smiled and patted her younger sister on the leg as they made their round-about again, making Isabelle’s stomach drop a little. She gasped and then laughed outright, like she hadn’t in some time. It was another reason she needed her sister. To remind her of her inner child. The inner child who knew how to be playful and creative and have fun in innocent ways. Being high on life was so worthwhile and rewarding.

  Isabelle thought about what her sister had said about her parents. They hadn’t wanted much to do with her after they’d found out about her experiencing with drugs and alcohol and the crowd she was hanging out with. She couldn’t blame them. They kicked her out the minute she was old enough for them to no longer feel guilty about it and had kept their distance even after she had graduated and made it out of rehab. Could Liam be the doorway to bridge the gap between them?

  As the ride finally came to an end, Isabelle felt hopeful and happy, climbing out of the blue seat and making her way back over to where they’d left Liam waiting. She was momentarily shocked to see that Liam was not as she had left him. Instead, he was holding a giant stuffed penguin in his arms.

  “What in the world?” she asked as they approached. “I thought you said the games were rigged.”

  “They are,” he confessed. “But I couldn’t let my girl leave without a big stuffed animal. Isn’t it like a requirement?” he asked with a big smile as he passed her the penguin.

  “Of course, it is!” Holly exclaimed, making them all laugh as they began to make their way back towards the parking lot.

  “My girl? Am I your girl?” Isabelle whispered in his ear as they walked along.

  “I hope so”, he kissed her on the lips quickly but ever so softly. “You feel like my girl.”

  “I do, don’t I?” She grinned. “Thank you for winning me a prize. I love it,” Isabelle breathed into Liam’s ear, wrapping her free arm around him as they walked. Her heart happier than it had been in a long while.

  Chapter 4

  “I can’t believe you’re leaving in 48 hours,” Isabelle whispered into the dark of her bedroom, a place she was sure she and Liam would be holed up in as long as possible, at least until it was time to say goodbye. It was something she was not at all prepared for. Two weeks with this amazing gentleman, and his mesmerizing blue eyes was not enough to keep her going for however long his next assignment was.

  “Shhh,” he said soothingly, sliding a finger down from forehead to her lips. Isabelle closed her eyes in response. “It’s best not to dwell about it until we have to. Let’s enjoy our time together.”

  She nodded and blinked trying to keep herself from tearing up at the thought of being so far away from him. He had just gotten the final news on where he would be stationed: Key West. It was much too far away to imagine continually trying to visit him. Worst of all, despite their incredible connection and amazing two weeks together, they still had not defined anything. It was easy to believe that they would just go their separate ways and forget what they had shared for that short span of time. Though, Isabelle wasn’t certain about her ability to just forget. He felt so right.

  “I’m just afraid,” she admitted, feeling her body tremble in response as his naked body pressed up against hers. “There are things in my past that make situations like this hard to handle.”

  “Don’t be afraid,” he told her, picking up her hands and kissing them over and over. “There’s a plan for us, and even if it isn’t for us to be together long-term, I won’t forget you. I won’t abandon you, wherever I go. I admire you, Isabelle. I adore you. I love your heart. I know you have a past, everyone does. But it doesn’t have to define your future. You get to define your future.” They were the most encouraging words she had ever heard from anyone about her life, and it warmed her to the core.

  Isabelle stretched her neck and planted her lips on his, forcing them open so that her tongue could dance inside of his mouth for what might be one of the last times. Liam had come into her life for a reason, even if she wasn’t sure why. Still, he was leaving her feeling new and confident in a way she never had before. If only she knew she could maintain that once his glow was gone.

  Liam’s hand slid down the backside of her body, squeezing her backside possessively before heading back up her spine to her neck where it rested, tangled in pieces of her long, chestnut hair. Isabelle pressed her breasts up against his warm, hard chest before stretching one leg over his hip so that she could feel his hardening member grow against her thigh. It had become a comfort for her over their whirlwind romance of sorts, and she hoped that having his body one more time would help her sustain that comfort inside of her until they could meet again.

  Isabelle let her nails rake lightly down his back as her breathing picked up, while Liam moved his lips to her neck and down to her collarbone, sucking on the sensitive skin there. Their sighs blew in and out in unison as Liam pushed forward with his hips, lifting the head of his erection to her now wet center, aching for his attention. She moaned as he slid deep inside of her, sliding in and out ever so gently this time, a new feeling to their rhythm. Liam was going to take his time with her and enjoy what they had left, leaving a searing memory behind in her body, mind, and bed.

  ***

  Isabelle found herself wiping away tears at the end of one of her favorite movies. It was probably the third romance she’d watched on Netflix that day, and she knew she was just being a ridiculous glutton for punishment.

  Liam had been gone for about a month now, and Isabelle was making a living doing freelance photography. She had been able to land a few bar mitzvahs, a wedding, and an engagement party. It paid the bills well enough, but it didn’t keep her as busy as she felt she needed to be to keep herself sane through the days, missing the man who had turned her world upside down in such a short time. She found herself sinking further into a state of depression, something she knew was not good for her previous bad habits and addictions, but she didn’t know who to call, either. She had talked to Holly a few times and gone to dinner with Lana once. But Lana was also busy now, traveling through Eastern Europe with her brother. She had left just a couple days ago, leaving Isabelle utterly alone in the apartment.

  Isabelle’s phone buzzed next to her, and she reached for it hopefully, wanting to hear from anyone at this point. She was happy to see that it was an e-mail from Liam. It was one of his only ways of communicating these days. Whatever they had him doing in Key West kept him busy. But then again, if they hadn’t needed him there, they wouldn’t have moved him there
in the first place.

  Dearest Isabelle,

  How are you my sweet thing? I hope you are doing well. I picture you smiling and laughing, and it gets me through the day. The weather is warm and sunny here, but I wish you were here to enjoy it with me. I hope to find a day where I can make that happen. My days are not the same without you. I wish I was there for you. I wish I was there to protect you, not that you need it, but a woman with your qualities is hard to come by and I’m sure that many men would love to have you, if given the chance. I’m sorry that I have been so busy since I got here, but my services are needed on this base like never before. I’m confident that I am doing great things for the people of this country, and that is the only solace I have for being away from you for so long. I have attached some pictures so that maybe you can imagine yourself here with me.

  Your Liam

  Isabelle scrolled down to see the pictures he had taken on the beach and a couple of pictures with him and his fellow Navy men. It made Isabelle smile to see him, safe and sound out there somewhere and still thinking of her. Liam had escalated their relationship since leaving, though he did express he would understand if she wanted to date others until they could figure something out. He didn’t expect her to wait for him. And although that was sweet and kind of him, his willingness to let her do as she pleased made her wonder how serious he really was about her. She couldn’t help but feel confused and depressed.

  Isabelle was trying her best not to seek out any other men, and it had been easy at first. She just stayed in and cried most nights. It’s not too difficult to wait for someone when you exclude yourself from the outside world as much as possible.