Power Ranger Ninja Storm, Heather Ray [best classic romance novels txt] 📗

off my mind. The memory of him, lying still as death, unresponsive, lips growing colder every time I forced air into his lungs...it won't go away.

It was close. If Hunter had fought me, delayed the CPR even by a minute or two, we wouldn't have been able to restart his heart. Or, if Cam couldn't get the Megazord to us, with its lifesaving AED. Or, if Ninja Ops wasn't equipped with medical machinery that would put many emergency rooms to shame.

It was too close.

Now, he's stable. After I spent anxious hours hanging over Cam's shoulder, he finally told me that Blake would make a full recovery. I have nothing to worry about. I shouldn't worry. I shouldn't...but I can't stop myself.

The dense forest finally gives way to the clearing, and I follow the sound of crashing water to the waterfall that marks our base. I close my eyes, doing my best to focus only on the sound of the water and the rhythm of my breathing.

Focus on breathing...

The sudden sound of the hidden door to Ninja Ops snaps me from my attempt at meditation.

"Hi, Tori."

I can only imagine what my face looks like right now. I stare, completely dumbstruck, as the person that's occupied my every thought for four days walks toward me, a hesitant grin on his face.

I...can't believe it. He's a little pale, and his steps are shorter, more deliberate than usual...but otherwise he looks okay.

He's okay...

"Blake!"

I take one step toward him, fully intending to tackle him in a desperate hug, babbling about how stupid he was, how worried I've been...make him swear to never take such a thoughtless risk again...

But something holds me back. Frankly, a few things hold me back.

I turn away, trying as discreetly as possible to wipe the relieved tears as I fumble for words. "You're alright."

"Thanks to you guys, I hear."

I glance at him, biting my lip and praying that my face isn't burning red. Did Hunter tell him about the CPR? I mean...I'm not embarrassed or anything. Or, at least I shouldn't be. It's not like I kissed him, or anything...desperate times call for desperate measures! And I'm certified! I knew exactly what I was doing!

Easy, Tori. Get a grip! No other guy has ever made you feel so self-conscious...

...which may mean you really

like him.

I'm so wrapped up in my own mind, I don't even notice he's moving until he's three steps from me. Startled, I look up, just realizing that he's holding a bottle of water.

A bottle of water he hands to me, reminding me that I did just run ten miles, and that it's not good for anyone, especially a Water ninja, to get dehydrated.

"Thanks," I murmur, accepting the gift with a wan smile. Feeling entirely too out of sorts to look directly at him, I study the oh-so-interesting wrapper as I twist off the cap. Aquafina, huh? Did I leave this in the kitchen? Or, maybe Cam finally saw the light and switched from tap water...

"Tori, can we talk?"

I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been waiting for this for days...weeks

, really. But now, standing so close to him, without any fear for my life, I just don't know how to act.

Bracing myself, I finally look up at him. He looks just as unsure as I feel, glancing to the side almost as soon as I look up.

Neither of us knows exactly what to do. I guess we just need to figure it out together.

It helps, knowing we're both feeling a little awkward right now. My smile is more relaxed as I nod toward the forest. "Shane and Dustin will get here any second. Want to go somewhere else?"

"Lead the way."

I turn around, walking directly for the steep cliff of the waterfall. Blake follows, just behind me and at my side, looking around curiously.

"Uh...is there another secret cave hidden in this waterfall?"

"No, but this is one of my favorite spots in this forest."

"Where?"

I focus my mind, holding one hand over the lake. A spurt of water reaches up like a fountain, about half a foot high and three feet wide. It should be sturdy enough.

I step onto the fountain, and reach my free hand to Blake. "All aboard the Water Ninja Express. Now departing."

He grins, taking my hand and stepping onto the water beside me. Once we're both steady, I concentrate my power, commanding the lake to cooperate...while, at the same time, silently praying I don't lose my concentration and embarrass myself.

The water spouts in a powerful upward current, carrying us to the top of the cliff. Blake's hand tightens over mine, and before I know it both my hands are covered by his, warm and safe.

It takes only seconds for the water to rocket us to the top, and from there we step onto solid ground.

"That was impressive," Blake praises, "Now I know how you manage to surf so well."

His teasing comment doesn't lessen the compliment, but I still roll my eyes at the implication. "Like I'd cheat. Besides, influencing the ocean's current is much more difficult than controlling still water."

"Doesn't mean you couldn't do it, though." And he...smiles

. The same confident smile I first saw at Kelly's shop, when we first met.

And suddenly...I feel uneasy. I look down, at our hands still locked together, and tug myself free.

"Tori?"

"I'm...sorry," I sigh, making some space between us. I can't believe how quickly such a sweet moment turned sour. "But, when you said that...when you turned on the charm, I just started thinking about how we met, and..."

"You think I'm lying to you? Still?"

I wince at the hurt in his tone. "Not exactly...but I know you're good at being insincere."

"Insincere, huh?" he repeats flatly. After a pause, he folds his arms, his posture screaming 'defensive.'

"I guess I deserve that."

Wow, did that come out wrong. "I'm not trying to settle any score, Blake. I want to be honest with you." I release a long sigh, and wave upstream. "Listen, let's get comfortable, and really clear the air. Okay?"

"Okay."

We start walking again, this time with a bit more space between us. I can't help but feel guilty for being so, blunt...but I also can't deny my feelings. Even if those feelings keep contradicting themselves.

The rocky edge of the cliff gives way to grass and trees as we move away from the edge, and we soon arrive at a serene spot by the river that feeds the waterfall. I take a seat on the grass, and after a moment's hesitation, Blake sits beside me. I glance at him, measuring the distance. He's just out of reach, unless we were both reaching out; both stretching to bridge the gap between us.

Uh...right. Obviously, I'm reading way too much into this.

"I've been meaning to give this back to you," I murmur, unstrapping the Thunder Morpher from my wrist. It's a pathetic attempt to restart conversation, but at least it's reasonably true. "And, I'm sorry for taking it from you to begin with."

"You didn't take it, I gave it to you," he responds. Our fingers barely touch as he takes his morpher.

"And I should've given it back." An entire sequence of events plays in my mind, bringing with it all the panic I felt in those moments. "Hunter attacked you because you were helping us! If you had died..."

I bite my tongue before it runs away with me. Blake doesn't need to know how horrified I was in that moment, watching him collapse as a web of electricity crackled over his body. How I immediately thought about all my furious words to him...and that I despite all his attempts to make me listen to reason, I spent all my time on Vertical Island either trying to beat him senseless or ignore him altogether.

I sigh, bowing my head as that familiar shame makes me feel slightly nauseous. I glance at him, realizing he's still waiting for me to finish my thought. "You...you could've died," I rephrase.

"Tori, please don't blame yourself," he insists. "I won't lie to you: part of the reason Hunter and I fought was because of you guys, but we have our own issues." He straps his morpher into place. "But we're working on them. We're on the right path, now."

"That's good to hear." I look at him, watching him contemplate the morpher on his wrist, as I muster the courage to ask my next question. "So, where does this 'path'

take you?"

"Right here. Your sensei offered to continue our training, and let us join your team against Lothor. We're stronger together than apart."

My stomach flips at the thought, yet at the same time a murmuring worry has been laid to rest. Part of me did expect Hunter and Blake to disappear into the sunset, like they did the last time.

"I hope that's okay with you."

"It's great news," I assure him, "and I think Shane and Dustin will agree. We could definitely use your help. Hunter..." I choose my words carefully "..may take a little getting used to, though. He's really intense."

"He'll loosen up," Blake assures me, nodding his head. "This will definitely be good for him. For both of us. It's been a long time since we've been able to trust anyone, but we know we can trust you guys. Now, you need to know you can trust us, too."

And just like that, he cuts to the heart of the matter. "Blake, it's not that I don't...trust you. It's more like...a lot's happened. I don't know how to deal with it."

I gather my knees to my chest, silently watching the water flow stubbornly forward. I wish I could do that...stop thinking about the past, stop second and third guessing myself.

I mean...I understand his motivation for lying before. I was ready to forgive him before Vertical Island...and I know he wasn't to blame for that nightmare. But, I learned something about myself in that fight, and that's what scares me now.

I glance at Blake, watching him raise his head, staring into the sky above us. "Yeah, a lot happened after we met," he sighs. "A lot went wrong that I really wish we could just...undo, you know?"

He runs his fingers through his hair, making the dark strands stand on end. "There's a lot in my life I wish I could undo. But I can't. There's a lot that's broken in my life that I can't fix. But us...you and me...it's not beyond fixing. I care about you, Tori, and I think we still have a chance."

He turns around, facing me fully. "What do you think?"

What do I think?

I turn to face him, reading the determination in his eyes. He believes in us… believes we can be something. He does care about me. He's proven it as we fought our way through the tailor-made nightmare Lothor had orchestrated. There's really no reason to doubt.

And I care about him. As jumbled and confused my feelings are, I'm sure of that much. The way I feel around him, how often I think about him, how he's always able to get a rise out of me, one way or another. What I feel for him is surprisingly strong, considering everything we've been through the past