I'll Remember You (Hell Yeah!) (2 page)

“You really don’t like the water very much, do you?” Taking his hand, she gazed at her husband. To her he was invincible; a superhero who conquered both on the football field and in the rodeo arena. But his greatest accomplishment was holding his family together after they’d lost their parents. He was strong, solid, and compassionate, the best man she’d ever known. The idea that anything gave him pause was unfathomable to her.

“Nope.” Aron squinted toward the horizon, noting cruise ships in the distance and a beautiful yacht, the Isabella, anchored not too far off shore. “The truth is, I almost drowned as a child on a summer vacation trip to Galveston Island.” He could still remember the clutching horror as he’d slipped beneath the waves. “My folks rented an inner-tube for me to float in just off shore. We’d gone to the Gulf of Mexico often, until this incident. Jacob was just a baby, so I was bobbing around out there all alone.”

“Aron…” She could tell the memory bothered him.

“But something happened. Mom and Dad were visiting with another couple and I wasn’t paying attention, just splashing and staring down into the water, looking for fish. The tide was going out and I drifted too far. When I looked up, I could barely make out my parents on shore.” Aron’s voice got distant with the memory. “I panicked, slipping down into the tube and under the water.” He laughed wryly. “Swimming was a skill I hadn’t perfected. You should have seen me. I must have been a sight. Swallowing water, clasping at the rubber, fighting and kicking to get a hand-hold, I screamed every time I surfaced.” The truth was, Aron had almost given up. “But a hand reached down, caught me, and pulled me up and into his arms. My father saved me.”

“All right, that’s it. We’re not doing this.” Libby was adamant. “We’ll go shopping instead.”

She turned, starting to tromp out of the water with fins on her feet. Aron thought she looked like a tropical penguin. “Shopping!” He grabbed her arm to halt her exit. “Stop it.” Disappointing her was not an option. “I’d rather dog-paddle to Cuba than go look at girly giggle-gaggles.” That wasn’t exactly true, but he was trying to use his considerable charm, here. “Come on, I want to do this.”

Libby moved closer to him, close enough she could kiss his chest, licking a few of the tiny water droplets from his skin. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“It’s safe, I promise.”

“I believe you.”  

“Great!” She bounced in the water. “Come on! Let’s go.” She grabbed him by the forearm and began towing him deeper. “This will be so much fun. I’ve always wanted to snorkel. We’re going to have such a wonderful life Aron. Adventure after adventure.”

“I’d rather have orgasm after orgasm,” he muttered, envisioning a lifetime of rescuing Libby from one perilous situation after another. Visions of the bar fight where she walloped Sabrina came to mind. And the terror he’d felt when Molly had thrown her after being spooked by the chicken snake. Both times she’d been fine, but every small bruise and scrape he found on her body just made him weak in the knees.  

“How about both? I want to do it all, Aron.” She held her arms up like she wanted to hug the sky. “I’ve been given a second chance at life; and not just any kind of life…” She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him hard. “I have a chance to live and love with you and that’s more than I ever dreamed.” 

He enclosed her in his arms, loving the way she cuddled up to him. Closing his eyes, he vowed he would never disappoint her or let her down. Making Libby happy was his aim in life. “You know I can’t resist you, you have me in the palm of your hand. Let’s go check out the fish, I’m getting pruney already.”

“Okay!” She perked up, pulled down her mask and dove in, swimming out a few feet. “Come on, slow poke!”

Aron grunted and followed suit. As soon as he was beneath the waves, he was fascinated. Maybe this wouldn’t be too bad. True, he probably went up for air too often, but he had to get his nerves settled. Watching Libby, he smiled around his breathing tube, swallowing a bit of water. Immediately he went up, so he could cough without choking. What he’d said was true; he would do anything for Libby Fontaine McCoy.

Even drown.

He smiled at the thought. Taking a deep breath, he dipped beneath the surface again, searching for her. She’d been right. It was another world beneath the waves. He’d never seen a bluer blue than the color of these waters. And the fish were beyond anything he’d ever seen before - all hues and shapes, darting here and there. But the most beautiful sight was Libby, cavorting and dancing about, obviously thrilled by what she was seeing. She motioned him over and he went to her, watching a school of parrot fish glide by. The look of absolute wonder on her face was worth any discomfort he could ever experience.

He had to go up for air more often than she did, but they finally got a rhythm and a routine going. She led the way and he followed. Amused, Aron wondered if it would always be like that. Oh, he knew he was the man and he was alpha enough to have no doubts on his masculinity, but where Libby was concerned, he was weak. He loved her beyond reason. As long as he had breath in his body, he would turn heaven on its side to make all of her wishes come true.

Laughing, he watched her pick up a starfish, point at a seahorse and wave at him frantically when a dolphin came close enough for her to touch. That was a dang big fish—mammal—hell, whatever. Reluctantly, he had to admit; this had been a good idea. He bet he would hear her talking about this for years to come.

Going up for another gulp of air, he looked around at the island. The Westin resort, where they were staying, was a five star hotel with every amenity a honeymooning couple could desire. All in all, the Caymans were a beautiful place with crystal clear waters and pristine white sand beaches. Aron was glad he’d brought Libby. True, if he’d had his druthers, they’d have gone camping in Wyoming. But pleasing her was pleasing him.

Taking another dive, he glanced around for his wife, always trying to be conscious of where she was. She reminded him more of a mermaid than he could have imagined, with long dark hair flowing behind her, that gorgeous body glimmering in the sunlight. The almost imperceptible swell of her stomach only made her more attractive to him, the evidence of their love. Okay, there she was and she was safe and happy. He raised a hand in her direction and she waved back.

So, what could he examine to amuse himself? Swimming just below the surface, so his snorkel tube stuck up for air, Aron paddled farther out, looking for his own brand of adventure. Noticing a small cave in the distance, he swam closer. This was intriguing, more his style than brightly colored fish and seaweed. Staring at the dark opening, he noticed something glimmering just inside, right where the sun-dappled sand gave way to shadow. Could it be gold? He grinned. Now this was more like it. If Aron McCoy was going to be messing around in the ocean, at least he needed to find some sunken treasure. ‘Arg! Matey!’ he thought as he drifted down to investigate.

Taking one last look in the distance toward Libby, who was nose to nose with some big orange fish, he ducked into the rocky opening and bent to retrieve the shiny object. Damn. Picking it up, it was obvious to him he’d stumbled upon something of value. Holding his breath past the point it was comfortable, he studied his find—a gold coin with the face of a beautiful girl. Gazing at the image from long ago, he smiled, realizing the woman could have been Libby. There was a distinct resemblance. He couldn’t wait to show it to her. Despite his burning lungs, he went a few feet farther, just to see if there were more gold coins on the floor of the cave. Hmmmm, there was none that he saw, but there was very little light filtering into the darkness. Maybe he’d come back with a lamp. Grasping the coin in his hand and needing air, he started to turn and swim out of the cave when the waters seemed to shimmer around him. Movement, like the world vibrated for a second. A muffled sound reached his ears. Aron looked up and saw a dark shape coming toward him. Rocks. It was a cave-in! Desperately, he started backing out. But he didn’t make it. A crushing blow to the back of his head made him gasp, losing his last bit of air. He swallowed water as he lost consciousness.

The last image Aron had in his mind was of Libby…

***

Libby had never had so much fun in her life. Since she entered Aron’s world, everything had changed. The idea that she could look forward to many years with the man of her dreams was flippin’ amazing. A blue spotted fish was playing peek-a-boo with her around some seaweed. The sun-dappled water looked like someone was spinning a huge disco ball overhead and a small sea turtle came right up to her and stared. Libby noticed while meeting his gaze that her eyes had crossed and she giggled. The giggle made her choke a bit, so she glided upward, kicking her feet as she broke the surface.

Where was Aron? She hadn’t seen him near her. Honestly, she halfway expected to glance up on shore and see him lounged out in all of his manly glory, half-naked girls in bikinis tempting him with grapes or something. But no, he wouldn’t go to shore without her, nor would he accept any bits of fruit from the fingers of sexy women. She would bet her life on the faithfulness of Aron McCoy. He would never leave her nor forsake her.         

Dipping back down, she looked around for him. Why, that rascal. He had swum away from their area. She paddled out farther from shore, looking for him. Nothing. Hmmmmm. Surfacing again, she took another few breaths, then dove back and traveled parallel to Seven Mile beach. He had to be here somewhere.

Several times she saw something out of the corner of her eye, and would whirl around, expecting to find him right behind her. But he wasn’t. Libby began to panic, swimming to the left and to the right. She went up to the surface, countless times. She went to shore and ran up and down the sand, looking, calling, “Aron! Aron!” People stared at her. They started coming to her and she cried. Several helped her look. She went back into the water, searching and searching.

Libby didn’t give up looking, not until two men came and urged her to sit while they began looking in her stead. One of them called the authorities. “Help me, please.” She began to cry. “Help, Aron. I can’t find him.” Big hiccupping sobs racked her body.

“You need water.” Somebody urged her to drink. “You’re too hot.”

Libby felt sick, but she couldn’t stop. She pulled away from them and ran back into the water, not even putting on her gear. The people who were helping her, caught her, pulling her back and she literally collapsed, screaming Aron’s name at the top of her lungs. “Aron!”

A concerned couple called emergency services and a doctor from the hotel came down to see to Libby. A whole crowd of people hovered around her. After he’d learned she was pregnant and under such stress, the doctor wanted to call for an ambulance. But Libby adamantly refused to leave.

“Who can we contact for you?”

“Jacob McCoy.” She gave them Tebow’s main number. “I want Aron!” she wailed as her heart broke.

***

ON THE NAUTA YACHT – ISABELLA

“Señorita, come quickly. Paco has pulled a man from the water.”

Martina Delgado slammed her drink down and stood, fire in her brown eyes. “No! Is he insane? We can trust no one!”

“We assumed he was dead, Señorita.” The man held his arms out. “He was floating face-down.”

“Assumptions kill. Why would he bring a dead body on board?” Slinging a towel over her shoulders, she started walking across the top-deck of the Isabella where she’d been sunning. “The Toro Cartel will do anything to hurt me, even planting a bomb on a body to blow us sky-high.” Hurrying down the stairs, closely followed by her first-mate, she flung her long dark hair over her shoulder in frustration. “Did anyone search it? Where is this body? Perhaps he’s just a Cuban refugee.” 

“Sanchez put him in your office on the couch.”

“My office? In God’s name, why?” Huffing her anger, she rushed down the hall. Pulling open the door, she found two men standing over a body laid out along a sectional sofa. “Stand back! Let me see.”

Most young women would feel uncomfortable surrounded by men carrying AK47s, but Martina didn’t even notice it. She was the Diosa de la Guerra, the Goddess of War, queenpin of the El Duro Cartel. Her reach was wide, her word was law, and anyone who got in Martina’s way paid for the indiscretion with their life. “Is he breathing?”      

“Yes, Señorita.” Paco cleaned up the puddles off the shiny hardwood floors, before his mistress could slip and fall.

“There is bleeding from his skull. I fear he is injured internally. He needs x-rays and an MRI.” Juan Carlos, her personal physician, glanced at her for direction. “Shall we help him or let him die?”

From what Martina could see, the stranger was broad, tall, muscled-up, in other words ripped. Paco had removed his mask, but the victim’s head was turned, facing the back cushions. ”Let me see his face.” They rolled him toward her. She moved closer to get a better look. And when she did…

‘¡Ay, Dios mío!’ she thought with wonder. No matter how long she lived, she would never forget this man. The Texan, Aron McCoy. “Any identification?” Her voice did not betray her recognition or the emotion she felt. 

“No, Señorita.”

Aron had visited Los Banos twice to inspect the prize Criollo-Corriente bulls her father’s family had bred for generations. She placed a hand on Aron’s chest. The hand trembled. How many times had she dreamed of touching him? But he’d never more than acknowledged her existence with a polite greeting, even when she had blatantly come on to him. “Do not let him die.” As much as she tried, Martina could not keep the concern from her voice.

“Shall we take him back to shore? I can make some calls.” The doctor took his stethoscope and listened to the patient’s heartbeat.

“Can’t you help him? We have the necessary equipment on board.”

Dr. Carlos started to speak, but he was interrupted by Captain Fernandez. “Diosa, I have been alerted of earthquakes. There is no tsunami alert, but I would feel better if we headed out to open sea.” The elegant older gentleman, intensely loyal, spoke from the doorway.