Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
RHYS
T hree and half hours later, we’re approaching the entrance to Karijini. Finally. I can’t wait to jump into the water.
“Fern Pool, Fortescue Falls, or Hamersley Gorge?” I ask the car in general.
Davis is scrolling on his phone with a smirk every now and then, Beau is pretending to be asleep, and Morgan is looking out the window, her head bopping along with the music.
But as soon as I ask the question, they all give me their attention.
Beau points out the obvious. “Davis can’t swim while he has that wound.”
It’s only been a few days since he was stabbed. Lucky for him, it’s shallow and no organs were hit. Unlucky for him, mother hen Beau has been activated.
“She’ll be right. Fortescue is probably the closest to the camp site.”
Beau and Davis start to argue. I tune them out and watch Morgan in the rear vision mirror. She was silent the whole way. I’m not surprised to be meeting her eyes in the mirror. I hold her gaze for a beat then focus back on the gravel road.
We get to the campsite and find a place to set up. Which is really just rolling our swags out, something we can do later.
Jumping out of the car we all stretch, all moaning and groaning as we move our bodies around.
“Alright, grab a water bottle, and a towel. Let’s go”
We all get moving until an ‘um’ is heard. Turning to look at Morgan, she’s holding up two bits of material. “What’s that?”
“My bikini.”
That’s her bikini? What the fuck is that going to cover?
I already have the way she grinded her cunt on my thigh while moaning my name burnt into my memory, I don’t need to know what she looks like in barely there clothing.
But another side, be it tiny… not as tiny as I’d like, is telling me I want to see.
“Change in the car, we’ll all turn around.”
Nodding, she gets in the car and three minutes later the creak of the door being opened has me turning around to see her pulling her singlet down over her exposed stomach.
“Can we go now, or do you need more time eye fucking her?” Beau yells out.
Morgan's cheeks flush bright pink while I threaten to stab him. He backs away and we get on with our small walk.
“How far is it?” Morgan asks.
“Ah, fifteen minutes?”
Doesn’t sound overly long, but when you have the heat beating down on your back, while walking over loose rocks walking up and then down small inclines, it feels longer. But not once does she complain. I wish I could say the same for Beau .
“Dude, Davis is walking with a fucking stab wound and not once has he complained.”
“Yeah, but who is stuck walking with him?”
Davis snaps, “No one asked you to.”
They go back and forth arguing, again, until Beau decides to walk off.
Morgan looks behind herself, then up at me.
She gestures backwards, wordlessly telling me she’s going to walk with Davis.
I nod and without thinking, turn to watch as her lean legs and round ass carry her to Davis.
I get lost in ogling her until I hear a dramatic cough.
I roll my head to the side, giving Beau a bored look.
“I bet you’ll fuck her within the week.”
“Fuck off.” I’m not going to fuck her. She is my best friend’s sister. She got out of a terrible situation. The last thing she needs is me. And again, best. Friend’s. Sister.
Finally, we get to the falls. It’s truly beautiful here. It’s peaceful here. The running water of the natural falls just adds to it.
I dive under, and as soon as I break the surface my eyes settle on Morgan as she undresses.
I swear she looks at me as she reaches for the hem of her shirt.
Slowly, she raises it to expose her bare stomach, closely followed by the bikini-covered breasts.
I swallow and keep watching, feeling my blood rush south.
Once again, her eyes flick to mine as the corner of her mouth ever so slightly kicks up.
Her thumbs hook the hem of her shorts, and slowly and sensually, she sways her hips side to side as she pushes them down.
The bikini doesn’t cover a fucking thing.
My mouth waters as my cock jerks. The top cups her breast perfectly, showing off the curve of them. Then the bottoms…
I watch every step she takes, getting closer to the water. Closer to me. But then the sun hits at the right angle, and all arousal leaves my body as I notice the silver skin of a scar.
I don’t know what I’m doing, until I’m standing in front of her, examining the circular scar. I look from the scar to her face. Shame and embarrassment etch into her features as she tries to cover the scar with her hand
“He burnt me with a cigarette.” She covers the scar, lets out a humourless laugh, trying to minimise her pain, shakes her head, and continues.
“And when I cried out, he pressed the hot lighter onto my skin next to it. He got turned on, so he ah…” Tears start to fill her eyes.
“He um..” She looks down at her feet, and says the words in a whisper, like she didn’t really want me to hear the words but needed to say them. “He forced himself on me.”
I wrap my arms around her, and she sinks into my hold.
Davis’s fist clench and unclench. He leaves us to it, while I plan her ex’s death.
Because I am killing him. I’ll choke the fucking life from him.
I’ll watch as he takes his last breath. While his lungs scream for oxygen that I won’t give him.
Here I am planning to take another life, for her.
I don’t hold back the wicked smirk that breaks free.
When she is calm, she pulls away, “Sorry, God, I can’t believe I said it out loud, I’ve never said it out loud.” She does an awkward laugh trying to soothe the moment, I guess. “I didn’t even think of them when I bought these. Let me get something to cover it.” And she turns from my embrace.
I catch her hands. “You’re not and you won’t. These,” I trace the scars, “are a part of your story. Never be embarrassed by them. Ever.”
“Rhys.”
I cup one of her cheeks, relieved when she leans into it. Then I tell her what I told her the other day, “I told you; you are not broken.”
She nods as those tears return, but she still smiles at me.
I told her the truth earlier; I like seeing her smile.
“Let’s go swimming, Princess.”
She rolls her eyes but laughs. And that is music to my ears.
When we turn around Davis and Beau are close. Apparently, things are back on then.
“I still don’t know how I never noticed.”
“Those two are always on and off. I never know.”
Together, we walk in and when Morgan slips, she reaches for me.
Catching her, we share a small look before I clear my throat, and once we’re up right, I let her go.
Then surprising even me, I hold my hand out, letting her small soft hand rest in my large rough palm.
It’s a stark contrast of how we have two extremely different lives.
I can’t deny that when our hands connect there’s a spark. But I ignore it, and by looks of it, so is Morgan.
When the water reaches her knees, she gasps “Oh God, it’s cold.”
“Come on, Princess, get in deeper.”
Beau the fucker, mutters something at my expense. But I choose to ignore it, for now, because she is wading over. “I’m telling you my nipples could cut through glass, it’s that cold.”
I fight every fibre in my being to not look. Beau makes it obvious he’s staring, so Davis and I both smack the back of his head at the same time.
“Ah, what the fuck?”
“Ah, don’t look at her tits like that.” I say it as if it should be the most obvious thing.
Morgan looks at Beau sceptically, “Um aren’t you gay? ”
“Oh no, Princess, I like tasting from both sample trays.”
She laughs, I groan, and Davis rolls his eyes.
“Don’t call her Princess.”
“Oh, so possessive, you’re the only one allowed to call her that?”
My gaze darkens while I growl a yes.
He takes the hint but still he flips me off as he swims away.
Morgan is giggling next to me, and when I look at her, I find she is already looking up at me, amusement etched in her features.
“What?”
“Nothing, I just don’t understand. You won’t stop calling me Princess, but they aren’t allowed to?”
I can’t answer because I don’t understand it myself.
After all the piss takes, we all just swim around, floating while enjoying the sounds of the wind dancing through the gorges that make up Karijini.
“It’s so beautiful here.” Morgan asks.
Davis responds with “You should see Fern pool.”
“Where and how far is it?”
“Ah, you probably shouldn’t go by yourself.”
“Well, I want to check it out, so who is coming with me?”
“Rhys, you go with your Princess, I’ll go back with Davis.” Beau sends me a wink. As if doing this oh so small gesture is for my benefit.
I narrow my eyes in his direction before turning to Morgan “Yeah, alright, come on.” We all make our exit and get to where we left our belongings. “Put your shoes back on, we have I think another ten-minute walk.”
“Sir, yes Sir.” She fakes salutes.
I lean down to whisper in her ear, “If you want to call me Sir, you’ll have to get on your knees, first.” Morgan looks up at me, shock evident on her face. I turn to see Davis holding his side. “Get him back, we’ll be an hour or two.”
“Ah yeah, two aye?” Beau dances his eyebrows.
Deciding ignoring him will be the best course of action, I pick up my towel and Morgans and tell her to follow me.
The ten-minute walk was actually fifteen and felt like thirty. But when I see the smile that breaks out over Morgan’s face, it’s worth it.
Morgan toes out of her shoes and she strips out of her shorts. It’s not a show like last time, but still I can’t help but watch her ass as she walks away. With every step, her hips sway. My eyes follow the motion. Left to right. Right to left.
I catch her look over her shoulder, a triumphant smirk on her lips. Oh, the tease. I look down at my feet like a little boy who got caught with his hand in the lolly jar. My cock is throbbing with need. Fuck. Have more self-control.
“Rhys hurry up.” She calls from the middle of the natural pool.
“Yeah, coming.” And I am, just not the way I’d like to. Like on her tits. Or deep in her… No. Self. Control. Show some.
The cold water thankfully kills any and all remaining boner. We swim to the falls, and she sneaks behind them. I follow her, propping myself up on the rocky ledge.
“So, what do you think?”
“It’s magical.” She looks around. We’re under the shelf that causes the waterfall, and then her gaze settles on the running water.
“Did you know, according to Dreamtime; the rainbow serpent made these gorges? ”
Her hand plays with the water that rushes over the lip of the rock formation, “Really?”
“Yep.” I look around the small alcove before continuing. “The Aboriginal people believe that the serpent’s soul rests in the waters.”
“That makes this place so much,” She pauses trying to find the right words, “More. Just more beautiful, more peaceful, more.”
I look at her, “More.” I agree. And once again, the fucking air shifts. I watch the way the light from the sun coming through the water dances over her face. Causing small rainbows. Her blue eyes glint in the light, like they have been dusted with glitter.
And like two magnets, not able to resist the pull, we’re leaning into one another. My heart is thumping in my chest, but just as our lips are about to meet, my brain kicks back online, and I pull away.
Ah self-control, I do possess some.
“Rhys?” Her voice is quiet and confused.
I put distance between us and rub my hands over my face, “Fuck. No. I can’t. We can’t. What are we doing?”
She doesn’t answer, rolls her eyes, and then dives back into the water. She’ll realise I just saved us from… I don’t know, crossing a line we’ve already crossed.
This is exactly why us being along isn’t a good thing.