Kai

 

There were so many things I’d wanted to say to Isla. But at the look on her face – crushed, dew-wet teal eyes, blotchy cheeks, and trembling lips – I’d had to kiss her.

Now I couldn’t stop.

The first touch of her soft lips against mine had triggered the powder-keg inside of me. One I’d been holding the lid on for far too long. Especially since I’d barely allowed myself to fantasize about Isla. The reality of having her in my arms was unleashing everything I’d held back. And every second, every touch, and every damn breath were full of a hunger bordering on desperation.

Getting what I wanted was overwhelming me. I couldn’t believe this was happening.

I’d never felt like this before.

My heart was slamming against my chest, but it felt good. Pain and pleasure. Logic was gone – some deeper and stronger intuition had taken over. Torn in two and made whole.

Terrified, yet overflowing with joy.

Love.

The word sang through me, on and on. It was a triumphant and echoing note of a song I’d just begun to learn.

You love me?

Of course. Isla had said to me in that soft and certain voice.

Locking one arm around her waist, I dug my fingers in and finally learned the swells of her curves. Meanwhile, my other hand was playing with her hair and keeping her head tilted up to mine.

Isla let out a soft hum, her lips parting and I delved into the sweetness of her mouth, heat and desire flooding me in a wave. Her tongue teased mine and a growl rumbled from my chest. Another hum escaped her and I realized she was laughing.

Breaking apart with a gasp, I looked down at her and asked, “What?”

All her tears were gone as she smiled up at me and her eyes were now shining. “To think I was worried about this being a one-sided attraction.” Small, delicate hands hooked around my neck. “How silly of me.”

I pushed both of my hands into her hair, thumbs on her cheeks and held her gaze. “You took me by surprise, Isla. So much so I didn’t even realize you’d gone and left.”

Her lips twitched and she snuggled closer, saying, “I surprised myself. I wish it had been a little less spur of the moment. More special.”

I laughed and let my lips press against her forehead. “Are you kidding me? Spur of the moment is special. That was the most memorable thing in the world.” Taking a deep breath, I went on, “It was like a thousand shooting stars had zipped through the sky. Or sirens came up from the sea to sing. I was so in awe, I couldn’t process it.” I now brushed my lips with hers. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I didn’t know you could feel this way.”

I really had been so blindsided and bewildered, I hadn’t noticed Isla running off. In fact, it took me a moment to orient myself and realize where she’d gone. Exhilarated and infuriated at the same time, I’d flown over the sand and up the stairs to find her, following the ghost of her scent on the breeze. And that word had urged me on, making my blood dance and hum.

I’d be even more in love with you.

In love with you.

In that moment, the word love on Isla’s lips had caused a supernova to go off in my brain. Suddenly all my bullshit, the walls, and the secrets seemed like a fool's errand in the face of something as rare and incredible as Isla. She’d swept everything inside of me away, silencing the shadows and storms of the past, and leaving me filled with a warm pulse of joy inside of my chest.

“You should know you’re all I think about Isla,” I said and was gratified to see her cheeks become pinker. “You said you admire me? I admire you. When I was in my early twenties, I didn’t have the kind of quiet and humble inner strength that you do. Your fortitude. Your passion.”

“Oh, because you’re such an old geezer, Kai,” Isla teased, but her voice hitched in her throat.

“I mean it, you’ve haunted me, woman. When I found you in my room that night…” I trailed off, swallowing. The image of Isla, glowing in the moonlight by my bed had shot me straight through the heart. After all the work to keep her out of my fantasies, I find her there. “You have no idea how close I was to flying apart at the seams. It was like the cruelest joke and the sweetest dream all wrapped up in one.” I was rambling a little but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I wanted to rhapsodize for the rest of time. “I don’t know how I let you leave.”

Isla reached up and teased her hands through my hair. “So, I didn’t imagine that after all.”

“Huh?” I asked, distracted by her touch and filled with wonder. Is this really happening? I asked myself, gazing down at her.

“That night, you asked me if I needed something,” Isla explained, her tone arch. “The way you said it had me almost flying apart at the seams.” She paused. “I did need something, you know.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Thick socks,” Isla responded seriously. “It gets really cold in this room sometimes.”

“Socks,” I growled, squinting at her and then pressing my face into her neck. She laughed as I nuzzled my nose underneath her earlobe. “You better be kidding.”

“Nope…” Isla said and I kissed her neck, causing her to let out a breathy laugh. “Okay, okay. I needed you, Kai. I’ve never had anyone I could rely on until I met you. At least – not in a long time. No one who cared about the little things.” Her voice was getting scratchy and I lifted my head. “No one who wanted to see the whole picture.”

A smile spread across my face. “Mm, I need the whole picture. And the whole story. Everything. Best friend as a kid. Favorite music. Places you’ve lived. First time you picked up a pencil and realized you were born to dazzle people with your art.”

Isla pulled me down and kissed me. The supernova sensation fired off through my brain again, flooding every vein in my body. Only this time I had Isla in my arms and that lingering heat demanded to be sated. Unzipping my hoodie, I shrugged it off and tossed it aside.

On instinct, I walked us forward until we tumbled onto the bed together. This was more like it. Sliding my hands underneath her layers of clothes, I found the bare skin of her stomach and traced patterns across it. Wrote the word love over and over again. She shivered under my touch, her own hands now slowly exploring my chest and shoulders.

My fingers now ran around and lightly up her back. But I needed more. Breaking the kiss, I rolled us over so that Isla was underneath me and tugged off her sweatshirt. She smiled up at me.

I savored this moment, the late afternoon sun washing her skin in gold and lighting up her hair. The sweet scent of her and the quickness of her breath. Isla.

As I looked down at her, Isla snuck her hands into my shirt and I bit back a groan. Her fingers worked across my abs and to my back, her smile growing sinful.

“Two can play at that game,” I murmured, rolling up her tank top and brushing a kiss above her navel. At the same time, I locked my elbows against her arms so she couldn’t move or wriggle free. A gasping laugh escaped her and she squirmed as I took my time lavishing kisses on her stomach. But as I went lower, scraping my jaw against her hipbone, a moan escaped her.

Grinning, I let her hands go and she all but tore off my shirt, dragging me back down to her. Our kisses became frantic and Isla was arching against me. My hands slipped under her waistband, following the contour of her ass and squeezing tightly. She responded by gripping my hair.

Somehow, we’d rolled over and now Isla was straddling me. I groaned as she pulled away, squirming down to press kisses to my chest and I was becoming harder by the minute. I wasn’t sure how much longer I was going to last and I sat up, flipping us back over.

Her legs were around my waist and I was gripping her breasts underneath her tank-top, vaguely wondering why I hadn’t taken her bra off yet. Fingers raked through my hair and I almost laughed. I guess I wasn’t the only one holding back all this time.

We kissed and kissed until finally, gasping, me back on my back again, Isla’s head on my chest, we lay there, completely overcome and a bit worn out. But my body was still raring to go, even as my mind reluctantly began to process things again. Glancing out the window, I saw it was getting dark out and I made a face. We should probably eat.

“I’m hungry,” I announced. “That make-out session burned some serious calories. Guess I didn’t need to work out today.”

Isla laughed and sat up, sitting on my stomach. “Dinner?”

Rubbing her arms, I grinned wickedly. “Oh, I’m not looking at it?”

At that moment my stomach rumbled and both of us laughed. But looking at Isla, with her swollen lips, messy hair, and sparkling eyes, I was pretty sure I could go a few days without food.

“Well, I’m hungry, too.” Isla sighed. “But I don’t want to stop.”

“Should we take things slower?” I asked, suddenly worried I was acting like a teenager in heat and it was affecting Isla. “We don’t have to rush,” I said.

“Hm, tell that to the door," Isla said innocently.

I put my hands over my face. “Caveman moment, my bad.”

“Don’t apologize.” Isla leaned down and whispered in my ear. “It was kind of hot.”

Lowering my hands, I grabbed her hands and grinned. “Good to know.” Then I slowly sat up as I brought her wrist to my lips. Deliberately I traced my way to the crook of her elbow, where I lingered, and then up to her shoulder. When I looked back at Isla, her eyes were wide and her lips parted as she panted slightly.

“What was that?” she asked.

“Anticipation building,” I said, giving her a quick kiss and swinging off the bed. Hiding the wince at the pressure in my pants, I gestured with my head. “C’mon kid. Dinner.”