Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
KEATON
I ’m not freaking out.
I’m not freaking out…
Okay, I’m losing my shit.
“Keat,” Aslan cups my face, kissing me. “Please, don’t regret it.”
“We just had…” I look around and whisper, “sex.”
He smirks.
The nerve.
“You shouldn’t be gloating. We…”
His happy satiated face is mind-boggling. I’ve never seen him this relaxed or calm. “Don’t overthink it, Keat.”
“It’s easy for you to say.”
He hugs me, pressing me close against him. We’re in a warm cocoon. It’s just the two of us and I’d lie if I said that I don’t want to stay here forever.
“No. It’s not easy to say. You need to understand that I’ve never had sex with feelings before. It’s frightening in so many ways. We don’t know what might happen later, but I won’t let that dim what just transpired between us.”
I stare at him for a couple of seconds. He’s right, this was great, and maybe for once, I’ll let myself live for today.
“Okay.”
He kisses me one more time before pushing himself up and heading to the bathroom.
I rise from the bed feeling different. Something changed, not only between us but within me. It’s like my body chemistry switched on me, and I’m a different person, yet I’m still me.
I can’t explain it.
This is crazy because nothing should’ve changed.
I’m a thirty-two-year-old woman who’s had sex before.
Why do I feel as if this was the first time?
He comes back and kisses me softly.
I stare at him for a couple of seconds before saying, “This is…”
“Confusing. Scary. Life-changing. Any of those ring a bell?”
I smile. “Yes, to all of those.”
Who knew things between us would feel so natural? I’ve always been comfortable with him, but can we sustain this? And if so, for how long?
He tilts his head toward the door. “Why don’t we get ready again, and this time we go and enjoy the day?”
We spend most of the morning by the pool, relaxing. Lunchtime is overwhelming. They set up a buffet in the restaurants. We can choose one of the three, they all have the same food. I’m too nervous to be hungry. Heading for lunch means I have to meet more Spearmans. I can’t keep them straight.
They should’ve given us a yearbook with pictures and names.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Dawn Spearman approaches our cabana.
“We had a late breakfast?”
“Mom, we’ll go later,” Aslan says.
“Your brothers and Fern are already in the restaurant. We’re waiting for you two.”
I sigh because there’s nothing I can do to avoid them, is there?
“They don’t bite,” Aslan whispers. “I promise.”
His mom smiles at us. “It’s so good to see you happy, Aslan.”
Is he happy? Or is she just reflecting her wishes?
“We’ll catch up with you, Mom.”
She shakes her head but walks away.
“Ready to go?”
“What’s my motivation?”
He kisses my bare shoulder. “After lunch, we can go to the room, and I can compensate you for the hazardous experience.”
I chuckle. “I doubt hazardous is the right word.”
He pokes my nose. “Ready to go?”
I sigh. “Yeah…”
We head toward the west restaurant, holding hands. I feel when his hand tenses. There’s a guy with two children coming our way.
“Who are they?” I mumble under my breath.
“Asshole and who I assume are his children.”
I presume this is his cousin, Troy. He’s not as tall as Aslan, his brothers, or some of his other cousins.
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“I can’t remember?”
“A wedding?”
“Nope, most of the weddings I’ve attended don’t include him.” He goes silent as we approach him.
His cousin waves at him. “Hey, Aslan.”
“Troy.” He nods politely.
“Whenever you have time, I’d like to have a word with you.”
Aslan scratches his chin, pretending to think. “Sorry, this week it’s almost impossible.”
“I’ve been trying to talk to you for a long time.”
Aslan shrugs. “Where’s your wife?”
Troy looks around and then at his children. “We’re taking a break.”
Aslan waves at him. “Enjoy your vacation.”
“You can’t keep avoiding me.”
Aslan laughs. “We have nothing to talk about.”
“The family keeps snubbing me since…Listen, this has to stop. I was invited today because it’s a family reunion. You should be a little more mature.”
“Me? I’m not telling them anything. The fact that I choose not to interact with you has nothing to do with the way everyone treats you. This is me avoiding toxic relationships,” he says, and we walk away.
As we make our way to the restaurant, I say, “That’s sad.”
“You’re not expecting me to talk to him, are you?”
“Oh, no, I meant that he’s taking a break from his wife.”
He shrugs a shoulder. “I feel bad for the children. My parents’ relationship wasn’t perfect, but their love always prevailed over everything else.”
“I want that,” I mumble.
“What?”
A soulmate who’s going to choose me above everything, who I’ll choose always.
Someone who won’t leave me because we can’t agree on everything.
Sometimes, not agreeing on one thing doesn’t mean we can’t work together.
I can’t see Aslan through his sunglasses, but I feel his expectant gaze.
I’m almost sure that he doesn’t want to hear about the ridiculous wish.
“Never mind.”
“Keat?”
“I haven’t seen my sister all day.” I change the subject.
“She’s around somewhere. I can ask my brothers to help us look for her.”
When we enter the crowded restaurant, I spot Aslan’s brothers, and my sister is next to Fern. Lex is there too. Okay, so at least they’re not lost in the ocean of Spearmans.
“Let’s get some food before we sit down,” Aslan proposes.
The buffet looks tasty.
I fill my plate with a little of everything before heading to the table. Savannah is laughing. I don’t think I’ve seen her this happy in a long time. Aslan pulls the chair out so I can sit.
This moment seems so perfect.
Is it sustainable, though?
Can life be like this or is this some ideal that ends once we’re back home?
“Stop overthinking.” Aslan kisses my temple.
And I do as he says, at least for now.