Chapter 31
Junie
The next morning, I tell Lisa to take everything. She can stay in Grannie’s house as long as she needs. She can keep my stuff, or sell whatever she doesn’t want. I’m letting it all go.
I make a couple thousand dollars selling my car online, I say a tearful goodbye to my parents, and Eva, then I pack a single suitcase and have Lisa drive me to the airport.
“I finally heard what you’re saying. I want to be here for you, but me hovering around is not what you need.” I say, handing her the keys with a sense of finality.
“I do need your help. But you can’t use me as an excuse not to do the next big thing in your life.”
That one stings for its honesty. I’ve blamed David. I’ve blamed my parents. But the person holding me back from living the life I wanted all these years, is me.
Lisa takes what she wants and leaves no prisoners. She may not be exactly where she wants to be in life, but it’s clear that she lives it with no regrets and she will raise her daughter to be the same way.
“It’s scary,” I finally admit, the word seeming to vibrate within me. “This is a new start for both of us.”
“It is.” She nods. “But it’s also pretty fucking cool. We’ll have to get Luna’s passport just in case.”
I wiggle my baby niece’s toes through her tiny little socks. I picture her strapped to Lisa’s back with a colorful sarong like the women I’ve seen in Indonesia.
“That would be amazing,” I say, straightening up and giving my sister one last hug. The image in my mind shifts to me holding my own baby like that some day. “You’re a great mom. You’re doing what’s best for both of you.”
“Thank you,” she says, then her face scrunches together. “You’re not going to cry again, are you?”
My chest cracks open, the ache to be with Steven again is almost unbearable. I’ll miss my family, but they don’t need me here, and for once I want to follow the call of my heart and take a blind leap.
I told him I was coming back, but I don’t think he realizes yet that I’m actually on my way. For good.
*****
When I step off the boat a full day later, he’s waiting on the dock.
I’ve been delirious with energy for hours—every moment bringing me closer to him. Excitement and love kept me bubbly and awake until now, but as I wait for him to see me, I feel a flicker of anxiety.
His eyes find mine and my breath catches in my chest. I melt all over again as he pushes through the tourists and flying luggage to pull me into his arms and kiss me deeply, wildly.
He dips me over his arm, his mouth burning me like a brand until I swoon beneath him.
The sweep of his tongue against mine is a claim. I’m hot all over.
Slowly, he sets me back on my feet, holding me in his arms so gingerly it’s as if he thinks I might fade away.
“You came back,” he says, finally, voice scraping his throat.
“I told you I would.” My face is buried in his chest, soaking in the familiar smell of his tank top.
“But you couldn’t have finished sorting everything. Where’s all your stuff? What about Lisa?”
“Fuck my stuff. I’ve got everything I need right here.” I look up at him, my chin digging into his muscular pecs. He leans toward me again, raining kisses all over my face.
“Do you really want to stay on Gili Telu forever? I know it seems like a paradise, but it’s a lot different when it’s your every day. You might not realize how much you’ll be giving up—”
I press my finger to his lips before he can build up steam and pull him down to touch his forehead to mine. He’s bent nearly in half.
“You really haven’t been listening. I love the island.
I love the sanctuary. But what I really love is you.
I know exactly what I’m giving up because I know exactly what I stand to gain.
You don’t get to make my choices for me.
” I cross my arms over my chest. “There are a lot of places in the world I’d love to see.
Wherever you go, I go. We’ll figure it out together. ”
“I love you too.”
For a moment he seems unable to say anything else. I can see the thoughts flickering behind his shining eyes, but he finally seems to accept it. He’d better. I didn’t take two planes, a shuttle, and a ferry just to get rejected on the pier.
“Can we go home?” I ask, the hours of travel finally catching up with me all at once.
“Home is wherever we’re together.” He grins, then scoops me off my feet, making me squeal. “But let’s get somewhere with a bed.”
He tracks down my only suitcase and tosses it into the back of a horse-drawn cart before climbing in, never letting me go. He tells the driver where to bring us and cuddles me close, stroking my legs, holding me to his chest.
Suddenly his face lights up like the sun breaking through the clouds.
“I’ve been looking at boats. There’s this ship for sale on Lombok—”
My grin nearly takes over my face. After Steven pays the driver, the world seems to shrink to just the two of us as we trace the well-worn path back to the bungalow.
We tumble into bed still talking about what the future could look like and all the places that we could potentially call home.
I show him the bucket list my Mom saved and he pores over my childish handwriting.
“We could smash this list in a year! There’s some great diving out in Egypt. We could pop in between some treasure hunting.”
“Would you really want to do that?” I ask, my heart feeling full and content.
“Go on an adventure with you? Fuck yeah I want to do that.” He wraps an arm around my waist and moves me on top of him. After a few more minutes of kissing, I pull back.
“What about work? What about the turtles?”
“I can work wherever there’s an ocean. If you want to see it, we’ll go there. I want to visit my family, introduce you to everyone, but then we can go anywhere.”
“What about me? Eva promised to help me set up a website, but will I be able to freelance from a sailboat? What if I’m no good at it and I don’t make enough money and we go broke and get stranded somewhere?” I’m spiraling. His lips on mine drag me back down to Earth.
“You’ll keep following your heart and using that beautiful brain of yours to figure it out. And I’ll be there to support you every step of the way. Wait until you see how many people have booked the next few weeks because they saw your ads. You’re good at what you do. People will take notice.”
“Can we finish out the nesting season at least? We don’t have to go now?”
“We don’t have to do anything,” he says, snuggling me tight and tucking his head into the crook of my neck and shoulder. I feel something pressing against my leg and a warmth spreads throughout my body.
“Tell me again,” I whisper, voice husky as I grind up against him.
“I love you,” he says, reading my mind perfectly.
I wriggle, feeling his hard steel against my thighs. It makes my mouth water.
“Be careful,” he warns, his voice low, tickling the hairs on the back of my neck.
“Or what?” I ask, twisting in his arms and pressing a kiss to his chest. “Too many clothes,” I mumble, lifting his shirt and revealing his delicious abs.
“I agree.” In a flash, he has me flipped onto my back, his hands caressing my curves like they’re made for him. My shirt and bra are gone before I can blink and his hot, wet mouth latches onto my nipple as he fumbles with my shorts.
“Fuck, Steven. I missed you.” He moans around my breast, licking and teasing me. I have to feel him. I have to taste him.
I push him back and paw at his board shorts while he kneels on the bed.
The velcro comes apart easily and then he springs out, hard and proud, begging for my mouth.
I wrap my hand around his velvety shaft and bring him to my lips.
I hold his gaze as I press a kiss to the tip and watch him shudder with pleasure.
“I missed you too,” he says, cupping my cheek.
Heat blooms in my chest, then his cock twitches, and a different sort of fire rips through my core as I take him into my mouth.
His groan is an aphrodisiac. It goes straight to my clit.
I slide my body beneath him and cup the backs of his powerful thighs to hold me steady.
I love the salty taste of him. It washes over my tongue and I moan. His hands sink into my hair, holding tight, but he lets me set the pace—and I don’t hold back.
This man is mine. Whether here on this island, or halfway across the world, we’re in it together. Just the thought of forever is turning me on. My insides coil tight and I can feel my pussy beginning to drip.
“Junie,” he pants. “I need to be inside you.”
I groan and take him deeper into my throat, as if I could swallow all of his impressive length. His fingers tighten in my hair as I try.
“Junie, please. I can’t—I have to—”
It takes an insane effort to pull back, letting his heavy weight drop from my lips. He’s slick with my saliva and his eyes are dark with lust as I smile up at him.
“You’re so perfect,” he says, tracing his fingers over my face. “So beautiful.”
“I want you, Steven,” I purr as I slide back up the bed, opening my legs for him.
“What do you want?” he asks, settling his body over mine. His strong biceps frame my face. I can’t help lifting up to sink my teeth into his clavicle.
“I want you to fuck me like I’m yours.”
“You are mine.”
“I’m yours.” I confirm.
He’s hard as steel and I’m soaked. He lines his cock up with my body and slides through my slick folds. We both make impatient, needy noises while he teases. I dig my nails into his shoulders, silently begging.
When he finally pushes inside, it’s a tight fit. He pulls me flush against his body, holding me close as he feeds me inch after inch. It’s deliciously perfect. He’s made for me. It should be impossible to feel this good.
“You’re really here?” he asks, as if he still can’t believe it. As if he’s not rocking his hips and sending me into dizzy oblivion.
This isn’t a dream. Or if it is, then I never want to wake up. I had to fly halfway across the world to find my person, but now I can’t imagine my life without him. I tighten around him as I grow close to my peak.
“I’m here. We’re here.” I pant. He takes my breast into his mouth again, snapping his hips hard, deep, daring me to fall over the edge. “Together.”
I can’t resist him. I clench around his cock and lose all control. His lips find mine, messy, uncoordinated, but every inch mine mine mine. We swallow each other’s moans as he shudders on top of me, spilling himself inside me, claiming me for his own.
*****
Eventually we recover, clean up, pull our clothes on, then tear them all off again. We’ve only been apart for a week or so, but we can’t keep our hands to ourselves. When the sun finally peeks through the window, he rolls over in bed and tucks me under the crook of his arm.
“I never want to leave this bed,” he groans.
“Then we won’t,” I say, like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Being with him feels easy. It feels right.
“We have to. There’s something you’ll want to see.” He presses a kiss to my forehead then sits up. I mourn the loss of his warmth in the sheets, but an excited curiosity flutters in my belly.
“What is it?”
“You’ll see if you get dressed.” He lands a playful swat on my butt.
“Jerk.” I stick out my tongue, but climb out of bed and dutifully pull on a bathing suit and sarong. It feels so good being back on the island. I might throw out the last of my bras.
“You know I wouldn’t kick you out of bed unless it was for something good,”he teases as we walk down the sandy path to the beach.
“Is Mason still around? I’d love to see him again.”
“Aye, he’ll be there.”
It’s barely sunrise, but as we approach the dock outside the sanctuary, I see the dive boat is loaded and ready to go. Mike and Thomas notice us first, waving from the deck.
I gasp. “Is it—Jimmy?”
Steven smiles and I run for the boat, flying off the dock like it’s second nature. I share hugs with the crew and the sanctuary staff.
“You’re back!” Mason grins.
“You too! I couldn’t miss this.” The boat is organized chaos with movement in every corner.
“You’ve caused a lot of good trouble here.
” Mike shades his eyes as he talks to me.
“We can’t keep up with the applications and donations.
Mason and Thomas have agreed to come on as full-time staff.
This year is going to be huge for the rescue, and it’s mostly your doing. I’m glad you made it back.”
I look back at Steven and every word drips with meaning, “I couldn’t stay away.”
Jimmy is loaded onto the boat and we take off for the open water. We don’t have to go far—the area off the coast is perfect for munching on algae and sea grasses. He looks bigger than I remember, and maybe I’m just projecting, but he seems happier. Like he knows he’s finally going home.
“Thank you for finding me,” I whisper as I stroke his shell. “I think we rescued each other.”
Steven hangs back beside me and lets Mason and Thomas lead the release. My heart feels broken open and refilled with hope as Jimmy’s flippers start moving, eager to be back in the sea.
“I love you,” Steven says as he splashes into the water. When his voice goes low and smoky like that, I can’t help but feel a thrill in my core. It’s like we’re in our own world even when the boat erupts into cheers.
“I love you too.” I sigh, and it feels like a weight off my shoulders. I’m no longer floating on the tides, just treading water. I’m safely on shore. I’m home.