Island Rush (38 page)

“I can understand that,” he nodded.  “You have been through a lot, I get that.  Let’s make something very clear,” he said, voice lower.  His face tightened and eyes shined with intensity and life.  “That shit will never happen again.  You won’t ever go through that again.  And though your life will always have a shadow because of your past, nothing will ever again happen to you if I can help it.  I’m not perfect, Janice, and out of everyone, you know that.  The problems are quite clear with us being together if we were to make it back home,” he said, fire glowing in his eyes.  “Get this through your stubborn skull.  I would risk getting fired, going to jail, and losing my future to be with you.  I considered myself a disgusting man before when I saw you as more than my student.  I saw how it was wrong to want you, but it’s impossible to imagine myself losing you now.  Plus, I never would have expected that you would feel the same about me.  I promise you, with all I have to give, that you will never have to worry about losing me.  If anything, please believe that.  I will only ask one thing from you.  Let yourself be happy.”

I stared at him, knowing he meant every word and feeling it inside me.  My chest was rising and falling in that fast movement that left me nearly breathless.  Overwhelming happiness was a good way to describe the feeling dancing within me.  “Um… I can’t… I don’t know what to say,” I whispered.

Casey’s expression turning vulnerable, he lifted a hand and brought it to caress the side of my cheek.  “Well… I mean, you could always ask me to kiss you,” he whispered back in a shy and cute voice.

My heart kicked at the sight of his eyes, and I froze in place.  I swallowed before I could let my now quivering voice continue.  “Will you please kiss me?” I asked.

Not a second later did his hand reach up and grasp my back through the water.  He pulled me into his body as he sunk into the water more so he was at my level.  Pressing into his chest, his hand on my cheek tilted my face slightly, his lips hitting mine with a sweet urgency.  My fingers rushed up around his shoulders and gripped his back, my need to have him closer growing.  Casey’s mouth moved in sync with mine, letting his sweet taste flow through me.  I groaned as I felt his hands then travel down me until he gripped my thighs, bringing me closer.

My brain had no thought, no control.  And unfortunately, as I kissed him, I forgot that I shouldn’t be doing this.  Shouldn’t because this meant he would be in more pain still. Yet, as we continued, nothing happened.  It was like he wasn’t hurt at all! 

My body had command over everything.  As he pressed me into him, my legs became useless in the water.  I wrapped both my legs around his waist as he supported me.  I knew he should be feeling some pain.  His muscles were tight against his skin as I felt them under my fingers.  He didn’t protest in pain, though, and the only explanation there was, besides the water helping, was what had happened before.  That somehow I made him physically stronger.  It seemed impossible but that word was no longer in my dictionary. 

Chapter 39

I wasn’t sure how long that went on like that, kissing and holding each other as close as we could.  I do know this: it lasted longer than I expected.  When he finally pulled back with the sound of our lips detaching, we both slowly opened our eyes.  Casey smiled and moved his hand that was around my back forward to stroke my cheek.

I was amazed by his touch while surprised by the fact that he was indeed touching me and supporting me. I stared, quite astonished he was standing in the water, knees bent, holding me.

He seeming miraculously better didn’t last long.  Realization to what just took place hit him and, not surprisingly, his body as well.  His face gave an expression of deep pain, and his hands were gone a moment later.  I jumped off him, feeling like a bitch for pursuing my selfish needs.

 “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” I muttered, not knowing if it was for him or me I was scolding. I reached forward to touch him but was too afraid he would hurt more.  He was standing a second later, though, his body still stiff. His eyes squeezed tightly shut, and his breathing was uneven. “You’re okay.  Just relax.  Relax.”

As I watched him calm down and open his eyes in a gradual manner, I screamed at myself in my head. 
How stupid could one person get?  How could I forget that he was hurt?
 It wasn’t a spontaneous thing; we both wanted it, admitted it, and went for it without a second thought. But it was selfish to just let it slip our minds like that.  We were both at fault but mostly me.  I could have stopped us anytime, and I didn’t.

“I’m so sorry.  I know that this isn’t the first time this has happened, and I was sorry.  But I really am sorry.”

He looked up at me, face finally free of the agony this body.  He blushed and sighed,  “It isn’t your fault.  It’s mine.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t blame yourself because you don’t want me to feel bad.  I could have stopped it at any moment and I didn’t.” I was disgusted with myself. 

He ran his hand through his wet hair and smiled at me.  “I knew this would happen.  Going through the hurt was worth it.  The way you felt under my fingertips, your smooth skin… It was worth the pain.  And it especially isn’t your fault because I am the one who suggested it,” he said.

I felt my heart lighten but forced myself to not let my guilt go that easy.  “You were willing to suffer in pain over a kiss?”

He shrugged.  “Kissing you isn’t just some normal occurrence.  It’s explosive, obsessive, and beautiful.  Each touch is different and special.”

Getting over how I felt the exact same sensations whenever I kissed him, I smiled at him, blushing.  “Fine.  It was neither of our faults.  But we really should try to stop doing that while you are still in this condition.” I didn’t like that, but I didn’t want him to continue hurting like that.  

“I guess that would be fine.  The last thing I want is for you to worry.  We can give it a few days, see where I stand then.”  He nodded, understanding. It would be hard to keep our hands off each other, but more than anything I just wanted to spend time with him.  We were just excited and wanted to express it.

I smiled up at him, getting back to what we were doing in the water now that that was settled.  “I’ll be right back.  Don’t move,” I said and watched his face transform into confusion. 

I turned around, and my eyes stopped on the bank ahead where I left the other things I brought out other than the shampoo.  Moving up the bank, I grabbed the shaving cream in one and the razor in the other.  Walking back into the water and towards him, I grinned when his eyes caught me approaching him. 

He exhaled dramatically and narrowed his eyes.  “Well, I see what’s going on.  That’s why you don’t want to keep kissing me, huh?  Too prickly for a young girl with smooth skin?”

I laughed. “Never too rough and prickly for me.  I figured that you would want to shave.  But, hey, if you’re not up to it…”

“Give it to me.”

I smiled but only handed him the razor.  He raised an eyebrow, and all I could do was return the gesture.  Teasing and laughing could always replace the kissing. 

“I need the cream first, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.  I just need you to hold the razor for me,” I smiled at him while filling my hand with the white and fluffy foam from the can.  With a handful of the soapy shaving cream, I handed him the can with my other hand.  I think he finally understood what was going on.

“You’re going to put the cream all over my face and then shave me?” he asked.

“Sure, why not?” I smiled.

“I am hurt, but I still have hands to do that myself,” he said, voice filling with affection

“Ever consider that maybe I want to do it for the experience?”

He smiled and chuckled. “Whatever floats your boat,  go for it.”

I stood before him, facing him.  I rubbed my hands together in circles, covering them both with the white cream.  I flicked my eyes back up and saw his brown diamonds pierce mine with undeniable love. 

I placed my palms on his cheeks.  I laughed at his blank reaction to it and started to move my hands in circles over the prickly hairs on his cheeks.  The cream spread over his cheeks and jaw where the small black dots were.  I ended up covering every spot that needed shaving, spreading it over his chin, under his nose, and high on his neck too.

I stepped back, observing my artwork.  His tanned face was half covered in the bright cream, and it was hilarious.  I knew how to make it even better, though. I held back my smile and laughter. “I think I missed a spot,” I said, moving closer.

Dabbing my hands back over his well-covered cheeks, I slid my hands up his face and passed his cheek bones, curving around the front of his forehead.  Spreading the white shaving cream over his forehead, I then slid my hands around his ears.  He knew I was fooling around now. 

His eyes creased in slight humor, but other than that, he kept it well hidden.  I went on, moving my hands under his eyes and on the edges of his nose.  “That must have been one hell of a huge spot, huh?”

“Oh yeah.  There is hair growing everywhere.  You were right, and I shouldn’t have lain.  It was completely disgusting to kiss you with hair growing out of your forehead.  But don’t worry.  You should be better by the time I’m done with you.”

I was close to laughing but held it in, wanting to continue our little game.  When all that wasn’t covered by the white cream was his eyes and lips, I knew my job was done. “Okay, I think that’s all of it.”

He shook his head and laughed, letting it out.  I did the same, unable to stifle it any longer.  “Well, I’m sure that must have been entertaining for you,” he smiled.  “My only issue is that I feel like I didn’t share any of this.  You should know that since we are on an island, it is an awful thing to waste anything.  So I think it would only be right to share…”

“No!” I said, knowing what he wanted to do. “Remember?  No kissing, barely any touching.  You aren’t getting that all over me.”

“Who said anything about any of that?”

Before I knew it, he raised his hand to his forehead, sweeping over it and collecting the extra shaving cream.  He reached out, dabbing some on my nose. 

I looked up and saw him laughing at the sight of me.  I chuckled with him as he pointed a finger in my face.  “And you can’t do shit because my face is already covered!”

“That is true,” I chuckled and held my hand out, sighing overdramatically.  “Razor please?”

“I don’t know,” he said, voice purposefully unsure.  “Can I trust you not to shave my eyebrows off?”

“I think I can handle it, captain.  Don’t flinch, though.”

He handed me the razor, and I inched closer.  I first placed the small blades against the top of his cheek and let the razor run south down his face.  It took the white cream off with it in the process.  I continued doing that until his face was clear of any prickles, even using the extra on him to get any spots I missed.

When I finished up, I wiped off any small remaining white spots before looking over his smooth face. Smiling at the sight before me, of his smooth, beautiful face and clean hair, I ran my hand back over his cheek, feeling his clear skin.  “Looking good, handsome,” I said.

He smirked, “I should hope so.  Now, what?”

Trying to keep my confidence up and blush away, I said, “Well, we are almost done.  Just one more thing.” I slid my hands down him and his chest, and even further into the water. Feeling his stomach in the water, I went lower until my fingers brushed the hem of his shorts.   

Embarrassing or not, I knew he would feel better. “What are you doing?” he asked while I started to tug on the edges of his tan shorts through the water.

My hands slipped lower in the water, dragging his pants down.  I craned my head above the water as I stretched my arms lower to get his pants off.  I slipped the tan shorts he wore down his legs until he had the ability to just bend his leg enough for me to slip it out.  A small grunt following, he lifted his other leg, and I managed to swipe it. Almost instantly, I could see the sigh of relief from Casey’s face. Who wants to wear the same pants for two weeks straight, anyway? 

“Stay here.  I’ll get some new clothes and extra clothes to towel off with.”  Smiling through the air, I turned in search of clothes for the both of us as we continued to drip in the grass. 

Night had fallen upon us faster than we predicted it would.  After we had dried off with some clothes I retrieved from where we left them under the tree, we put on new clothes. Casey was relieved to be out of those tan shorts, and I was able to find his size among the men’s clothes we found. He now wore a pair of sweat pants and a red tee-shirt.  After taking care of him, I rushed to get myself clothed as well. 

It was our first night in our shelter, and we were excited to see how much warmer we could get.  Building a shelter, even this open, could trap a lot of heat.  Because of that and the fact that we were cold, we got to work on fire immediately. 

We gathered sticks and dry leaves, settling our fire half inside and half out so the smoke and sparks could escape easily.  Once we got it assembled and glowing hot with flames, I rushed back to the large pile of clothes.  Which reminded me of something I have been meaning to talk to him about….

Taking two armfuls of fabric, I returned to spread the material in the grass under our shelter.  The clothes would act as a cot for us to lay and sleep on.  As I began to lay each article of clothing we planned to lay on, I glanced up at him and asked.

“This reminded me of something. Why do you think the suitcases and carry-on bags started coming up on their own? It was very random.”  I had an idea and wanted to see if he agreed.

Trying to stay as relaxed as possible, especially in the chilly air, he found my question to be a welcoming distraction.  “It sounds like you have an idea of what it was,” he pointed out, smirking.

“Yeah, I do.  The only thing I can think of is that it had to do with how shallow the water is.  It’s not at the bottom of the ocean hundreds of feet down.  So I thought that maybe because of that, the waves and tide affected it.  Gradually pushed it along the rocks.  I don’t know, but it makes sense that it would cause the plane to break open more on the bottom,” I said, spreading the clothes out into our bed for the night. 

“That’s what I thought it could be,” he nodded, smiling slightly.  “It makes complete sense too.  The bottom tore open along those rocks when we crashed.  It would explain why a bag came up that day.  And with the waves slowly moving it, it would shift enough that more bags would be released.  I mean, there was a large hole on the bottom when I went down there, which I had access too because the plane was tilted.  It was how I was able to get bags out.”

It was crazy to think that was how it happened, or that the crash happened period. “That has to be it,” I agreed as I finished spreading the clothes. We quickly settled on it, planning to be as warm as we could be for the night.

Casey lowered himself slowly, wincing, and laid on his good side like he did last night. Facing the fire, he opened his arms up to me, which I gladly accepted.  Now spooning me and acting as another source of heat, we were becoming warmer by the second.

His breath was moving hot and easy in my ear, making my skin tingle and body relax.  It was soothing to know he was as warm as he has been yet.  It was the first time since we slept on the island that he was fully clothed.  My head resting on his outstretched arm, I took in a breath of relief. 

We watched the fire flicker, the only sound in the air being the crackle it made.  A smile spread across my warm face, staying steady and not ready to break. I was so happy with where we were, what I accomplished today, and who was holding me.  I was even giddier at the thought of living in a home like this with Casey for who knows how long.

“You are so wonderful,” he whispered into my ear from behind. I felt my easy smile break wide with my teeth. His arm that wasn’t acting as my head rest slowly eased up to my back, crawling to grasp my hip.

“Don’t…” I said in an attempt to warn him about the deal we made earlier. The deal where we agreed, we needed to back off each other for a while.