Chapter Thirty-Five

Sexcapades: Incredible, mind-blowing, earth-shattering. I can’t get enough, and I seriously want to jump Arlie’s bones every single time my eyes fall to his. Who knew orgasms were so addictive?

For the past four days, Arlie and I have screwed every single moment we could. It’s been a sex-a-thon, and last night was no exception. That’s probably why I’m beyond exhausted this morning. Day fourteen, and I’m not ready to leave Heart Key in a week. I’ve learnt so much about myself here, and I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to be comfortable in the presence of a man, but maybe I’ve needed one guy who is more special than all the rest. Arlie Blight is that guy for me.

“Good morning. I have something for you.” Arlie swaggers in my direction in only his hot pink boxer briefs while holding a silver tray.

“What’s this? Breakfast in bed again? You spoil me.” I scrunch up my nose when I come to sit on my bottom.

“A bit sore?”

“I’m okay.”

“You’re not. I’ve told you, you need a little downtime, but you’re refusing to hear me.”

“I’m fine.” I am fine even though my pink lady taco feels as though she’s been stomped on multiple times.

“Pancakes?”

“You read my mind.”

Arlie pecks my lips when he lays the tray onto my lap.

“Are you eating with me or going for a run?”

“I’m staying,” he says, climbing onto the bed.

“What’s today’s task?” I ram a forkful of pancake into my mouth.

“Zip lining.”

“What?”

“Zip lining. It’s where you throw yourself off somewhere high, like in our instance a mountain, and you zip from the top to the bottom.”

“I know what it is, but I’ve never done it.”

“You’ll be fine. I promise.” Arlie presses his sticky maple syrup-sauced lips to mine. “You said you couldn’t ride a horse bareback, and you’ve done it. You also said you couldn’t windsurf, but how much fun was windsurfing?”

“So much fun.”

“You’ve climbed a coconut tree.”

“Like Fletcher.”

“Yes, like Fletcher … you told me. You’ve gone scuba diving.”

“I have. Seriously, how beautiful was the coral?”

“Spectacular.”

“We’ll have to find a way to come back here.”

“We will.”

“Promise?”

Arlie nods. “I think if you can do all those things, then zip lining will be a piece of cake. If you’re too sore, though, use an out card.”

“No. I’m not backing down. I’m giving everything a go.”

“Good girl.”

***

The harness is pulled tight across my chest before Arlie re-checks the straps at my hips.

“Are you sure you know how to fasten this properly?”

“I’ve done it a million times, babe. You’re going to be fine. I promise.” Arlie places his lips to mine and claims my mouth for only a moment.

“I can’t do this.” I’m rattled.

“You can. I believe in you.”

I’m shaking with each step that draws me closer to the edge. I fix the glove on my right hand. I take a deep breath and lean back like Arlie said to do once he connects me to the line.

“Okay. Ready?”

“No.”

“Three, two, one, go,” he shouts.

I squeeze my eyes together and scream so loud my throat burns. I shoot open my eyelids and laugh.

“It’s beautiful,” I shout. “So beautiful.” A gully of trees below and endless sky surrounds me. “So amazing.” I cheer as I soar as freely as a bird, more free than I’ve been in so long.

The zip line becomes shorter and shorter. I drop my legs and pull my body back, ready for the impact at the bottom, as Arlie instructed I do. It’s nowhere near as rough as my mind had tricked me to believe it would be.

I did it.

There are no screams when Arlie comes into view just a lot of woo hoos, laughing and fuck yeahs, but no screaming coming from his lungs.

When he reaches the ground, I rush towards him. He doesn’t hesitate to hoist me up until I’m clinging to the front of him.

“Such a rush.” His smile says it all.

“I loved it.”

“Do you want to do it again?”

I bob my head. “Yep!”

“You’re turning into a real adrenaline junky. You know this, yeah?”

I bob my head again.

“Okay, but first I want to give you something, and I want to talk to you about something.”

“Me?” I point at my chest.

“Yes, you.”

“Okay. What’s up?”

Arlie gets down on bended knee.

My heart pounds in my chest. My stomach rolls like the waves we’ve surfed on. “Arlie, I’m not ready to get engaged.” Fear leaches onto my heart and squeezes it tight. I can’t marry him yet. I love him, but it’s only been two weeks. I don’t want to rush into marriage.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay.”

He pulls out a square box from his pocket. It’s much bigger than a ring box. My fear, although still present, lessens. He opens the lid.

“A key?”

He nods.

It looks identical to the key he’s been using to unlock the stores on the island.

“I want you to live with me.”

“A key. To your share house?” My hands shake.

“No, not exactly. It’s the key to unlock all the treasures of Heart Key.”

“Oh, okay.” Confusion lifts my brows.

“I have a confession to make.”

“Okay.” I drop to the ground in front of him. He takes my hand and places the key into my gloved palm.

“Heart Key belongs to me.”

“Pardon?”

“Heart Key. It’s mine. I own it.”

“What now?”

Arlie’s lips curl as he takes a deep breath. “Don’t be mad.”

I can’t find any words to say so I say nothing. My brain is working in overdrive. My heart is pumping blood so quickly around my body I feel dizzy.

“There was no television show—only a documentary on my search for love.” He keeps his eyes connected to mine. “Twenty-one days to see if I could find the love of my life under the charade of a ‘perfect catch’ show. It turns out I didn’t need twenty-one days. I love you already.”

I place my hand to the side of my head. I’m not quite understanding what he’s saying. He owns the island. The television show was a sham. Is he even who he said he was?

“Say something.”

There’s a long period of quiet.

“Do you own a gym?” I don’t let him answer. “Do you have a sister, and a niece, and is your mother alive, not deceased?”

Arlie’s strong hands clamp my upper arms. “Babe, everything is true. Just not the type of show you’re on, or my social standing.”

“Social standing?”

“Melinda, I do own a gym, but I own more than one gym. It’s a chain, a worldwide chain.” Arlie’s eyes narrow. His lips become a thin line. Concern is inked on his face. “I don’t live here permanently. I have a place in Melbourne. And I do live with my friends. However, it’s a much bigger house than I let on, and when we go home, I’d like to get a place with you.”

“Arlie.”

My mind races. My heart beats hard. He wants me to live with him? Me? He really does love me like he says. I’m happy, so, so happy.

“Will you move in with me?”

Move in with him. Not marry him. Move in with him. I want to, so why am I not speaking?

I nod, completely gobsmacked at the fact Arlie Blight is not exactly who he said he was. But it all makes sense. His social media account was locked down like Fort Knox. He was already here when I arrived, and he knew his way around the place. He was more than comfortable in these surroundings. The kitchen he’s used like a whizz kid, and he surfed the waves as if he had done so many times before. He just launched himself from the cliff above us like a professional.

“Your sister—she’s been to this …”

“Of course. She’s been here, many, many times, and Aggy, too. Hazel’s protective of me after Elissa. I’ve been hurt before, as you know, and she doesn’t want me to get hurt again.”

“So, are we going home to Melbourne tomorrow?”

Arlie swings his head to me and smiles. “No, not if you don’t want to. But we can. It’s up to you.”

“Okay.”

“However, you might want to make your decision after this.”

“What?”

Arlie leans forward and presses his lips to mine. My eyelids instantly close as our tongues tangle.

I’m staying for at least this week.

When I open my eyes, Arlie whispers, “I love you.”

“I love you.”

“So you’ll move in with me?”

“Yes. I will. I want to very much.”

Arlie holds me tightly in his arms. I’m still shaking, but now I’m shaking because the man I’ve fallen head over heels in love with owns an island. Not any island, but one as amazing as Heart Key. And he wants to live with me.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

“You can tell the cameraman to bugger off now, Arlie. You’ve spilled the beans.”

“Yeah, not exactly.”

I gasp. I leap to my feet. I squeal. “Chris,” I yell, running towards him.

“I’m as shocked as you,” he says when I throw myself into his arms.

“You know! What the fudge?”

Smiling face after smiling face appear. Hazel’s little girl of about four with blond hair and light blue eyes identical to Arlie’s. A man I don’t know, but soon learn is Arlie’s dad. My sister, Bridey, and my mother, who never travels. I’m left completely gobsmacked when Matthew Muller joins them.

“Melinda, I’d like you to meet Matthew.” Chris appears smitten.

Holy Jesus, Joseph, and the Mother Mary. Matthew Muller in the flesh.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you.” He steps towards me. He’s wearing a pair of cargo pants and a button-down shirt with a thick gold chain around his neck. He’s even more stunning in the flesh. “You too.”

I’m trembling. I’m confused. “What does this all mean?” I draw in a ragged breath.

“We have one week to relax and get to know each other. Are you okay with us doing such a thing?” Arlie’s eyes find mine.

“Oh my God.” I rush towards Arlie, who catches me mid-leap. “I can’t believe this.”

“I can’t believe I finally found you. I thought you were lost and never going to come.”

And—I thought he was stuck on a bus bound to Nowhere, somewhere between Single Town and Happily-Ever-After Couple Land with no prospect of ever making the destination. It turns out I was wrong. He finally found his way to me.