Epilogue I #2
"I was told I was relieved of all duties except sitting back and enjoying the scenery," he pointed out. His hand slid from my shoulder down my arm, his fingers tracing patterns on my skin. "Which I'm doing very diligently."
The mangroves opened up ahead, the channel widening, and I could see the bright blue of open ocean beyond. We were almost through to my favorite spot.
"Okay, for real now,” I glanced back at him, and the sight made my breath catch a little. His hair was slightly mussed from the wind, his eyes soft as they looked at me, completely relaxed. "This next part is where it gets really beautiful. Are you ready?"
His expression gentled even further. "Lead the way, darling."
I paddled us out of the shadowy mangroves and into the open water beyond, and even though I'd seen this view a thousand times, I still had to pause to take it in.
The ocean stretched out in every direction, crystal clear and so blue. The water was calm here, protected by a reef further out that broke up the waves, creating a perfect little haven of glass-smooth surface.
Small fish darted beneath us in schools, visible all the way to the sandy bottom, maybe fifteen feet down. In the distance, I could see the line where the reef broke the surface, white waves cresting and rolling.
"Marie," Wade breathed, his voice full of genuine wonder. "This is beautiful.”
“It is.” I set the paddle across my lap and turned around to see his face. Honey was standing now, her front paws balanced on the very tip of the kayak, surveying the ocean like she owned it.
"This is my favorite spot on the whole island. Papa and I used to come here and just float for hours. Sometimes we wouldn't even fish, just... exist in the prettiness of it all."
Wade reached forward and took my hand, threading our fingers together, and lifted my knuckles to his lips to press a long, lingering kiss there.
"Thank you for sharing this with me," he murmured against my skin.
My chest went tight with emotion. "Of course. I wanted you to see it. The real island, not just the resort parts."
He pulled me closer, carefully, so we didn't tip the kayak, until I was twisted around in my seat, facing him. His hands came up to cup my face, thumbs stroking my cheekbones.
"I love seeing you like this," he shared fondly. "Happy, doing something you love, sharing places that matter to you. You're glowing, darling."
"It's probably just sunburn," I smiled, but my voice came out thick.
"It's happiness," he corrected, and then he kissed me. Soft and sweet, tasting like the coconut water we'd packed and something that was just Wade. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
When he pulled back, I had to blink away the sudden sting of tears. "So," I managed, trying to keep my voice light. "Worth the expensive tour price?"
"Absolutely." He kissed my forehead, then pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me while we sat in the gently rocking kayak. "Best money I never spent."
His hand came to my waist, fingers spreading wide, and he murmured into my hair, "Though I have spent hundreds of grands on you at this point."
I pulled back to stare at him. "You what?"
"Mmm. Maybe closer to a million if we count the kayak and all the pink things." He said it so casually. "Haven't been keeping track."
"Wade—"
“Daddy. And it's not even close to what's appropriate," he continued, his thumb stroking along my ribcage. "My little tour guide deserves tens of millions."
"I don't need millions," I protested. "I just need—"
"Me?" he supplied, grinning.
"Well, yes. But I was going to say something less cheesy."
"Too late.” He kissed me again, longer this time, deeper, until I was melting into him and forgetting we were in a kayak in the middle of the ocean.
When we finally broke apart, both of us breathing a little harder, I had a wicked idea.
"You know what?" I said innocently. "I think you need to experience the water properly. Really get the full tour experience."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Marie..."
"What? I'm just saying, you can't truly appreciate the ocean from inside a kayak. You need to be in it." I planted both hands on his chest. "So let me help you with that."
"Don't you dare—"
I shoved hard.
He went over backward with a surprised sound and an enormous splash, arms windmilling, completely caught off guard. Water sprayed everywhere, soaking me and making the kayak rock violently.
I burst into laughter, real, belly-deep laughter that made me double over. "I got the rich tourist in the water!"
Honey, clearly deciding this looked like the best game ever, immediately jumped in after him with an excited bark and her own smaller splash.
Wade surfaced a few feet away, water streaming down his face, his hair plastered to his head. He blinked at me once, looking genuinely shocked.
Then his expression shifted into something playful and dangerous.
"Oh no," I squeaked, already trying to paddle backward. “Daddy. Daddy, don't you dare—"
But he was already swimming toward the kayak with powerful strokes, way faster than should be possible, and before I could get more than two feet away, his elbows hooked over the side.
"That," he growled, voice full of amused menace as water dripped from his chin, "was a tactical error, darling."
"It was hilarious," I countered, still laughing even as my heart raced. "You should have seen your face!”
His hands shot out and grabbed my waist.
“Daddy, no!" I squealed, dropping the paddle. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"Too late for apologies,” and then he pulled.
The kayak tipped sideways, and I was airborne for one weightless second before I hit the water with a splash that knocked the air from my lungs.
The warm ocean closed over my head, and I came up sputtering and laughing, my curls plastered to my face and neck. I shoved hair out of my eyes just in time to see Wade grinning at me, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
"Not so funny now, is it?" he asked.
"Still pretty funny," I gasped, treading water. "Your face when you went over was priceless."
Honey paddled between us, barking happily, clearly thrilled that we were all finally in the water where we obviously belonged. She did a circle around us, her little life vest keeping her afloat, tail wagging so hard she wiggled.
Wade swam closer and pulled me against him, his arms wrapping securely around my waist. I wound mine around his neck, and we treaded water together, the kayak floating peacefully a few feet away, the sun warm on our wet shoulders.
"You're trouble," he breathed, his voice was full of affection.
"You love it," I countered, grinning up at him.
"I do." He kissed me, slow and thorough, tasting like salt water and sunshine. "I love you."
"I love you too." I rested my forehead against his, both of us floating there in my favorite spot in the whole world. "Even though you paddle like a turtle."
He laughed, and his hands slid lower, cupping my ass under the water, squeezing and kneading.
“Daddy,” I mumbled, very aware that we were technically in public even if there was no one around for miles.
"What?" he asked innocently, his fingers tracing patterns on my skin through my swimsuit. "I'm just appreciating my tour guide. She did an excellent job."
His hands kept moving, exploring, one sliding up my back while the other stayed on my bottom, and heat was pooling low in my belly despite the water.
Then, about twenty feet away, a dark shape moved through the water. Round shell, flippers paddling gracefully.
"Oh my god," I gasped, immediately slapping Wade's hands away. “Daddy, stop, there's a—"
"A what?" he asked, hands stilling.
"Turtle!" I pointed, my voice dropping to an excited whisper. "Right there, look!"
Sure enough, a sea turtle was swimming past us, completely unbothered by our presence. It was huge, probably a green sea turtle based on the shell pattern, and absolutely stunning.
Wade turned to look, his arms still around me but no longer wandering inappropriately. “It’s majestic.”
"I know, right?" I watched it glide past, so graceful in the water. "I was worried we'd scare it away with all our... activity."
"You mean my activity," Wade corrected, amusement in his voice. "You were the one worried about scarring the turtle for life."
"Marine life deserves respect," I declared primly, still watching the turtle disappear into deeper water.
"Unlike rich tourists who get pushed out of kayaks?"
"Exactly. You understand perfectly."
He laughed and pulled me close again, pressing a kiss to my wet temple. "Come on. Let's swim for a bit, then we'll get back in the kayak, and I'll let you boss me around some more."
"Let me?" I pulled back to look at him. "I'm the tour guide. I'm supposed to boss you around."
"My mistake," he said solemnly, but his eyes were dancing. "By all means, boss away."
We swam together for a while, sometimes racing, which I won, because island girl, sometimes just floating on our backs side by side, hands linked, staring up at the perfect blue sky.
Honey paddled around us in happy circles, occasionally barking at fish she saw beneath the surface.
At some point, Wade pulled me back against his chest, both of us treading water, and wrapped his arms around me from behind.
"Thank you for this," he murmured into my neck. "For sharing this place, for being yourself. For pushing me out of a kayak."
I laughed and leaned my head back against his shoulder. "Thanks for letting me boss you around and critique your turtle paddling."
"Anytime, darling." His lips found my skin and pressed soft kisses to my neck. "Anytime."
We stayed out there for another hour, swimming and floating and eventually climbing back into the kayak for the return trip through the mangroves. Honey reclaimed her captain position, and I let Wade try paddling again, which hadn't improved, but I only teased him about it a little bit.
By the time we pulled the kayak back onto the beach, the sun was high and hot, and I was sun-drunk and happy.
Wade dragged the kayak up onto the sand, then pulled me into his arms, both of us still dripping wet.
"Best tour I've ever been on.”
“Really?” I grinned up at him.
“Of course. Five stars. I may just have to buy the company.” He kissed me soundly. "Though the tour guide is a little bossy."
"The tour guide," I said, poking his chest, "is perfect."
“That’s true as well.”
I stood there on my beach with salt drying on my skin, Wade's arms around me, and Honey shaking water all over both of us.
This was healing, too. Not just therapy, processing trauma, or learning to sleep through the night.
This was healing. Sharing the things I loved with someone who loved me back. Being in my element, bossing around the man who meant the world to me. Laughing until my stomach hurt.
I was living. Truly alive and living in my paradise.