She laughs and drops down next to me. We sit by the waterside and I kiss her cheek. The best thing I ever did was tell Aubry I loved her. The last few months were a whirlwind of reporters and lawyers and court appearances but we weathered it all together.

Aubry, forever a fighter, almost had a nervous breakdown when the judge awarded me five thousand hours of community service for my obstruction of justice charge. She was removed from the courtroom for cursing the verdict. Her belief that I should escape all punishment was so vehement that she couldn’t control her mouth. I nearly wept with relief. Plus, my volunteering keeps me close to everyone I love. Somehow, Liam and Nora made sure that I could volunteer at N.E.L., Nora and Eve’s non-profit. And really, I can’t complain. I don’t have a job that interferes with five thousand hours’ worth of community service, and I have more money than I can spend in this lifetime so it suits me to spend my days helping others when for so long I only bothered helping myself.

“Can we stay another day?” Aubry asks, staring out over the water.

I pull her close. “Babe. I’m not even supposed to be out of the country.”

She shoots me a devious smile. “You’re such a badass.”

“Are you mocking me, Ms. Clark?”

She squirms from under my arm and stands, toes buried in the silt sand. She gives me a sultry come and get me look while she shimmies out of her shorts. Her tank top is next to disappear from her body.

“What are you doing?”

She unclasps her bra, letting it slide off her arms and into the sand followed by her panties.

“I feel dirty,” she says as she turns on her heel and heads into the river water. “Come help me clean up.” She wades up to her thighs before diving under the water.

I rip my shirt over my head and fling it to the side before standing and ditching my pants. The sun glints off her wet, jet-black hair when she emerges and my stomach clenches at the immense beauty that is all mine. No one will ever have her like I do. Not now, not ever. She’s chained to me in a way no other ever will be. I dive into the murky water, only mildly worried about snakes, and revel in its cooling effect. When I pop up, Aubry swims to me and wraps her legs around my waist. Her wet skin is slippery and silky soft against me. As she bobs, attached to my waist, water dripping from the ends of her hair down her ample breasts, I lose my breath at the sense of peace and complacency I feel.

“What’s going on up there?” she asks tapping my temple.

“Not all that much. It’s hard to think with your legs wrapped around me like they are.”

Her lips meet mine in a kiss that is animalistic passion. Some women wouldn’t come back here after what happened. Some wouldn’t ever be the same again. Many, as I’ve witnessed through various days volunteering at N.E.L. turn meek and shun physical contact after trauma, but not my Aubry. Her spirit is too bold to be dampened. I kiss her back with vigor. When she requested to come back here, to the jungle, I was hesitant to oblige. I didn’t want to have anything negative resurface for her emotionally. I didn’t want to bear the weight of my own guilt, if I’m honest. Her fingers slide down my arms leaving a trail of gooseflesh behind. The water gently moves around us as she pulls back, eyes hooded, framed by thick wet lashes.

“Why did you want to come back here?” I ask resting my forehead on hers.

She beams, “This is where I fell in love with you.”

“I thought you loved me before that.” Aubry mock gasps at me.

“I had an inkling before but our time here, you know,” she says shooting me a look, “when you were actually here with me, is when I knew it for sure.”

I splash water at her, causing a squeal to burst out of her. Laughing she paddles away from me toward the beach. Chasing her to the beach is easy. My stroke is longer than hers. She lets out a peel of laughter when I tackle her into the sandy embankment.

“Tell me,” she breathes as I roll her on to her back.

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me you love me.”

Grinning I say, “I love you, Aubry Clark,” and spread her legs wide.