Chapter 44
forty-four
ORION
We meet at Paradise that night for the hurricane party. Sienna also claims it’s her dodged bullet party. She and Haley both came back once the worst passed. I told Carina it’s not a hurricane but a tropical storm, just to see how she’d react. I endured a long but naked lecture on colloquialisms, dark humor, and the importance of community in the face of danger.
I’ve never been happier.
Carina and I spent the day in bed. I didn’t realize it would be different, being able to press into her and tell her I love her. But it is, and it’s amazing. I’m adjusting to the knowledge that I get to do this for the rest of my life. Then she rolls her hips and asks me what else I have for her.
Everything. Absolutely everything I have is for her.
I was prepared to make cocktails for her throughout the day. I paid enough attention to her drink orders at Paradise to know what she likes. Mysteriously, the ingredients are always in my fridge. She refused, claiming it was too much effort and she only wanted to drink the rum that brought us together. I didn’t mind licking my favorite rum off her nipples and hearing her giggle.
Also, hearing her giggle for the first time.
I have everything I’ve ever wanted—Carina in my arms, wild and free.
She was more than a little tipsy when we walked along the roads to get here, rather than the beach. The rain had stopped but the wind blew fiercely. Carina laughed the whole way. Giggling over the way my hair wouldn’t stay out of my face, and how she’d teach me to braid it if I let it grow a little longer.
We immediately join Christian and Autumn who stand a few feet apart from each other. I don’t understand them. I’ve been forced to keep my distance from Carina in public and hated every second of it. How can you be in the same space as your wife and not want to maul her?
Even now, Carina is leaning on me like she needs me to stand. But that might be the rum.
“Finally,” Christian says under his breath.
Carina pulls away. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, um. He knew,” I admit.
“What?” both Autumn and Carina exclaim.
“You two aren’t as sneaky as you think you are,” he says.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Autumn asks with mock hurt in her voice.
Christian shrugs. “It wasn’t my secret.”
My arm wraps around Carina’s waist, holding her close to me. She reaches up to whisper loudly into my ear. “Come on, let’s get you something to eat.” At least she has the sense to know what we need.
She leads me by the hand to the bar. Alex and Bristol are busy, simultaneously making drinks and taking orders. The place is as crowded as I’ve ever seen it and the atmosphere is festive. I laugh when I see the special cocktail of the night, Foley’s Folly. I’m not sure I want to know what Alex put in it.
I find Sienna across the room. She looks happy as she talks animatedly with Haley. Then she glances up and her eyes go wide. She and Haley make a beeline for us.
Carina shocks both of them by giving them hugs.
“I knew it,” Sienna shouts over the noise. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“It’s against the friend code to bring up good news when a friend is going through a bad time.” Carina sips her water.
Sienna laughs, deep and full-throated. “Fine. If that’s how you want to play it.” She turns to Haley. “Called it.”
“I didn’t argue with you!” Haley turns back to Carina. “How long?”
Carina and I look at each other. She shrugs. “There’s no sense in denying it now.”
I take the full green light and kiss her temple. “Since the day of the charter.”
“No you didn’t!” Haley says, her eyes full of giggles.
“I didn’t know you had it in you! I need to know everything,” Sienna exclaims.
“Later.” Carina’s hand drifts to the waistband of my shorts.
Sienna is pulled away, and Haley gives Carina a sign saying she’s watching us but goes to talk with Christian and Autumn.
Carina turns to me with fear in her eyes. “What if I fuck up again?”
“We’ll work through it,” I assure her.
“What if I want kids and you don’t?” She shakes her head like this will break us. Like I forgot something fundamental about her and I’ll come to my senses and call off this whole relationship.
“I want kids. Do you want kids?” I admit.
“Maybe. Yes.”
“Great. That’s dealt with.” Her arms wrap around my waist and mine are around her shoulders. She is absolutely everything to me. My home. My anchor. My whole life.
Now everyone will know.