Across Eternity by Aris Whittier Read Free Book Online Page B

softly.
    "Am I that readable?" Her gaze never left his face.
    "No, but you look very serious."
    "It’s your eyes."
    "What about them?"
    "I’ve seen them before." She smiled shyly as she
clarified. "I mean they’re full of understanding and wisdom and
I’ve only seen that in one other person."
    "Who?"
    "My sister, Heather."
    Logan reached for his back pocket, pulled out his wallet, and tossed some
money on the table. "Will you tell me about Heather as we walk on the
beach?"
    "I’d love to."
    He took her hand in his as he held open the door and they stepped outside.

Chapter Seven

 
    The night was cool and quiet and they were completely alone as they left the
coffee shop and walked past darkened stores and empty rows of parking spaces
crowned with tall, skinny meters. Bougainvillea grew in bursts of color arching
over awnings and covering entire buildings in vibrant blankets of pink and
green. It blended beautifully with the endless containers of perennials
flanking business doors and window boxes.
    The fresh breeze caused the tall, ornamental trees to rustle noisily around
them while the towering palms, which ran alongside the beach, fluttered
constantly as the fronds caught the wind.
    Logan leaned into Amber appreciating how the atmosphere seemed to mimic the
profound connection they were experiencing. He’d kept her hand in his
enjoying the way her fingers linked tightly with his and how perfectly they
felt joined. The grip was warm and he’d waited a long time to be able to
hold her hand like this. For him, the small contact felt like an intimate act
even though most wouldn’t consider it intimacy at all.
    They walked quietly like this for several blocks. As the sidewalk ended and
turned into sand, they stopped. Releasing her fingers, Logan casually
unbuttoned his coat and helped her into it. Gently, he pulled the oversized
garment around her as his hands and his eyes lingered for a long moment.
    "Thank you," Amber said looking up at him.
    He fidgeted with a button for a second before he gave up and took a step
back. "Warm enough?"
    She smiled sweetly. "Yes."
    Glancing down at the beach he asked, "Do you want to walk or do you
want to sit?"
    "It’s such a nice evening let’s walk for a little
while."
    Removing their shoes and their socks they walked toward the water. The moon
was high and full and it not only provided the perfect light to walk in but
also to see each other. They exchanged a few brief glances, each aware of the
fact that they were about to travel down a road that would forever change both
of their lives. Logan knew without a doubt that she was the woman he had spent
his life dreaming and waiting for and Amber knew that he was the man that
she’d always hoped existed.
    "Will you tell me about your sister who shares my eyes," Logan
asked as he guided her away from the surge that threatened to consume their
legs.
    "Heather was a special person," she said as she looked down at
the water, which swirled around her feet. "She died last year from
cancer. She was only twenty-eight."
    "I’m sorry."
    "Me too. I miss her."
    Logan lifted his head into the wind, his hair ruffling against his brow as
he stared at the moonlight bouncing off the water. "What made Heather so
special?"
    "I had a feeling you’d ask that. I like that about you. You
catch everything."
    He only smiled at her.
    "So many different things made her special. To me, she seemed larger
than life. When I was younger I thought it was because she was my big sister
but now I know it was just part of who she was. She was clever and witty.
She’d never met a person she didn’t like." Her words trailed
off and then said. "But there was something else that made her truly
unique."
    "Yeah, and what was that?"
    "Throughout her entire life she was never afraid. I know that sounds
silly, but it was amazing. It made life so incredible for her because nothing
inhibited her." She looked up gazing at the miles of beach before them.
"She skydived, bungee