Mackenzie

I showered quickly, careful to leave hot water for him. I decided to take inventory of the perishable supplies I intended to have eaten the first day. We hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday.

Well, we had eaten but not anything of sustenance. I would correct that; some bacon, bagels and cheese.

The smell of cooking bacon had me famished. I couldn't imagine how Richard maintained his stamina with the lack of protein.

Sex with Michael had been good, gentle, safe. Michael was my first, my only until Richard. Was it my fault Michael had never ravished me the way Richard had? The way we met, the way he found me, saved me.

He was protective of me. It wasn't fair of me to ask why now. Michael was gone and until last night, I never knew the intensity of raw primal sex.

I wasn't looking forward to being alone on the island, not anymore. I would finish what I came here to do. I would have to check with the Coast Guard that my calculations for the next low tide were correct.

I still had a major decision to make, where to go from here. My world was already turned upside down.

Did Richard turn it right or did his presence make it worse?

I would not know until he was gone. I once thought Richard would be my first and in many ways he was. My first kiss, my first after Michael, my first broken heart.

If I wasn't careful, I was going to let him do it again.

I heard the creak of the door. “I like my bacon crisp,” the voice behind me resonated.

“Making demands again, King Richard?” I taunted.

“Deja vu,” he slammed as he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.

“Take your shower,” I ordered, elbowing him in the gut gently. I wasn't going to ask when he was leaving. If he returned to the cabin he must have made radio contact.

This would be our last day together.

He immersed from the shower, absent of the scent of sex on his body, the scent of me.

“Coast Guard gave me a choice, be ready for pickup within the hour and spend the day with them while they continue the cleanup from the storm.

Or wait it out here, and they will swing back late afternoon then head to the mainland.”

I continued preparing breakfast. “It’s a good thing you don't have much to pack.”

I placed the food on the table. “Sit, you need to eat something.” I served him coffee and poured the last remnants of milk from my Thermos into my cup. “Looks like black coffee for me too for here on out.”

The mood was sober. We sat quietly as we ate. He spoke first. “You didn't ask which I chose.”

I brought the coffee to my mouth to wash down the contents in it. I ran my tongue across my lips and smacked them together, devouring every last drop. “Your choices were spend the day with the Coast Guard or spend the day with me.

Was there really a choice? Besides, I still owe you a shave and a haircut,” I smiled.

“We have the entire afternoon, what do you want to do?” he beamed, doing the Groucho Marx eyebrow raise.

“I thought you could help me survey the island. Make a list of what survived the past year. I’m going to take some pictures, get some quotes from contractors, then decide to keep or sell.”

“Mac, would you really sell?”

“Two days ago I would have said yes. Today, I'm not sure. Two days ago I never even wanted to step foot back on this island. I knew I would eventually have to come back and make a decision. Are you game for a field trip? I’ll let you drive,” I enticed, twirling keys around my fingers.

Driving across the island, Richard noted, “I forgot how beautiful this island was.” I saw his face in awe at the fall colors that had finally arrived.

“There’s talk of large fishing charter companies coming and buying up islands along the coast. One of those companies hired Michael do to some research. Tides, currents, feasibility, environmental stuff. Unlike most of the islands around, the sandbar links this one to the mainland at low tide.”

“My brother-in-law Dickie talked about something similar last time he and Evonne came into town.”

“Does he work for the charters?”

“No he lives on one of the islands off Long Island Sound. That was where I was heading before I got caught in the storm. It sounded like they were trying to push out the lobster fisherman, put in resorts, run fishing charters.”

“Your sister Evonne married a fisherman and lives on one of those practically deserted islands?

Your sister, the one you referred to as the pampered princess, married a fisherman?” I was amused and shocked.

“I guess love changes people,” was all he said.

I heard something melancholy in his voice but did not want to pry. I was enjoying the casual conversations, the scenery and the menial task he agreed to assist me with.

“Don't waste all my memory with selfie’s,” I protested and took my phone away from him.

“One more,” he insisted, wrestling the phone from my hands. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and planted a juicy wet kiss on my cheek as he clicked away.

“Yuck,”I exclaimed as I wiped the slobbering mess off my face with my sleeve. “What are you doing now?”

“I emailed it to myself. The minute you get service, voila. Now that you have my email, there's no reason not to stay in touch.”

I retrieved my phone. “Let's get back, have lunch, then I’ll clean you up. Make you presentable for your family. You’re starting to look like a castaway.” I was starting to forget the reasons I should not be keeping that email.

Oh yeah, broken heart.

He took my hand and ran it across his face. “You don’t like my flavor saver? You didn't seem to mind it last night or this morning,” he drawled, his eyes predatory like he was about to pounce.

I blushed and pulled my hand away. “That’s disgusting.” I turned my back to him and headed for the truck. “You coming?” I hollered over my shoulder.

As I prepared lunch, I suggested he bring some wood from the shelter so I would have some dry ones in case I got hit with more rain. On his return he told me he secured the storm shelter.

“Don't go down there alone, Mac. If the lid drops you could be stuck there for some time before anyone comes looking for you. Someone knows you’re here, right?” he pushed.

“Of course. If I’m not back by the weekend or my friend Sally hasn’t heard from me she threatened to call out the cavalry, so don’t worry. I hope you like canned beans, I used all the perishables this morning.”

Sitting at the table he reached for my hand. “Thank you.”

“It’s only canned beans,” I replied lightheartedly.

“Not for lunch, thank you for saving my life.”

I blushed and he laughed. “What is so funny?” I objected.

“I like that I can still make you blush.”

“You like that you can still make me blush like that fourteen year old girl?”

He randomly asked, “Mac, if you sell, where would you go?”