Chapter Nineteen
The plane banked gently to one side, and I looked out the window. Amidst a sea of blue water, there was a small island in sight. I pointed to it. “Is that—”
“Somewhere unknown. Yes.” Another bucket-list item. “We have the island to ourselves for the next two days. Since Thanksgiving is next week, I thought you’d want to be home. We can come back anytime.”
An island. Our own private island. This only happened in fairy tales. I wasn’t able to take my eyes off the island as it grew bigger. “How did you find this place?”
When I was greeted with silence, I turned my attention back to Garrick. “It’s been in my family for years. But we’ve taken precautions to keep that from becoming public knowledge. This is what I inherited. My other siblings inherited different properties.” My mouth dropped open. He hadn’t mentioned it to me. But he must have read my reaction pretty well. “I didn’t tell you about it because I wanted it to be the place we took our honeymoon.”
“You have an island.”
“We have an island.”
We.
Ours.
This was a little overwhelming. The island drew closer. “Where is this?”
“It’s near the Bahamas.”
The captain came over the intercom, telling us to prepare for landing. I was spending my honeymoon on an island. “This is one of those things I’m adding to my bucket list,” I said with awe, my hand on the window.
The wheels touched down and we taxied for a moment before getting off the plane. The weather was perfect since it was November—not too hot or too cold. My wedding dress rustled in the breeze, and the palm trees swayed. Waves crashed all around us. This was paradise. I closed my eyes to take in the smells and the sounds and the sunshine.
“Are you ready, Mrs. Shaw?”
“Absolutely.”
Garrick walked with me hand in hand to a black golf cart. As soon as I was safely in, we took off. The wind whipped through my hair, so I leaned my head on his shoulder. Garrick said, “Close your eyes. We’re almost there.”
I closed them. The cart veered to the left slightly. The cart took a few other turns, and then we stopped. “Welcome to one of your homes, Mrs. Shaw.”
One of my homes. It was still hard to reconcile in my mind all that Garrick had. Not that I was without, of course, but his wealth was on a whole new level. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.
“Wow.”
The white, two-story home stunned me with its understated elegance. The front door and windows were open, and the sheer window treatments blew freely from the upper floor.
Without warning, Garrick swept me up into his arms. “I’ll be carrying you over every new threshold, Mrs. Shaw.”
I was happy—beyond happy. This was really happening. We entered the house, and Garrick took us straight to the second floor. White rose petals left a trail for us to follow. The house decorated in varying shades of white.
In the master bedroom, Garrick set me down on the bed. “Welcome home, sweetheart.”
“Home.”
Anywhere Garrick was had become my home.
His fingers trailed down my shoulders, and goosebumps danced across my skin despite the temperature. “Do I get my gift now?”
“Are you a little anxious for it?” I teased.
His lips touched my neck. “Very.”
Breathily, I replied, “I need my purse.”
“Wait right here.”
Without waiting for a response, Garrick left the room. The balcony off the bedroom led to the most spectacular view. I walked out there to take in the place. We were alone. Not a soul in sight. The waves crashed against the shore.
“Knoah?”
I walked back into the room. “I was taking in the view. I can’t believe you have an island.”
“We.” He raised his eyebrow.
I echoed, “We.”
Taking my purse from Garrick, I quickly found the box. Before I handed it to him, I said, “There is no pressure on this. But it was all I could think to get you since you have, well…everything.”
Everything except what only I could hopefully give him.
Garrick took the gift and stared at it for a minute. I was nervous. This might be too fast. Or he might not understand why it was a gift.
With one measured pull, the bow untied. The lid came off next. For one very long moment, he simply stared at the note.
Does he hate it? Is it too soon? It was too soon. I should clarify.
“Is this…does it mean…” It was rare for Garrick to be at a loss for words.
I clarified. “I want us to try to have a baby.”
Since we talked about it, Garrick had said he never wanted to pressure me. I knew he wanted a family. If I went on birth control, it might forever hinder my limited ability to conceive. However, I’d been torn whether or not to try with all the risks involved. The thought of losing another baby terrified me. “I want to take the risk if you do.”
Garrick rushed forward, pressing his lips to mine. “I will give you a baby.” He wanted this. Of course he did; it was one of his bucket-list items.
I hope I can give him a baby. Please let me give him a baby. Just one. It’s all I ask for.
I wanted nothing more than to have a child. But I was afraid to be optimistic after what the doctors had said. And even if I got pregnant, it would be difficult to carry to full term.
“So…no more condoms?” Garrick searched my eyes as if making sure I was serious.
I nodded. “No more. I want our first night as husband and wife to be without barriers. But I don’t want you to think—”
Again, he silenced me with a kiss, his hands rubbing down my back. “I want this. I want you. Whatever happens, happens. But I will expend my every breath making your dreams come true.” I shivered at his vow. “Are you ready for forever, Knoah?”
“With you, yes.”
His fingers traced along my collarbone to the nape of my neck, where, button by button, he undid my wedding dress. The anticipation was nearly painful.
Finally, the dress slipped off my arms and to the floor. I turned around. His eyes devoured me as I stood before him in the barely there blue lingerie I’d been hiding under my dress. The sheerness of it showed off every line and curve of my body. “My something blue.”
“Gorgeous.”
His possessive tone made my core clench. He moved my hair behind my shoulder and kissed my jaw. On instinct, I arched back, wanting more.
“Say it. Now.”
“Yours.” His fingers grazed over my nipples through the fabric. Little electric currents raced through me. “I-I’m yours.”
His fingers found the front clasp of my bra. With ease, he unfastened and I spilled free. “Mine.”
“Yours.”
My neck moved to the side as his mouth nibbled along my neck. His thumbs swiped across my exposed nipples, once, twice before they moved down at an achingly slow pace.
“Please. I need you to touch me, Garrick.” The tip of his fingers pushed against my clit and I moaned. “More. I need more.”
My panties came down over my hips, exposing my most intimate parts. Garrick kneeled before me. Warm air blew against my sensitive flesh. My knees nearly buckled.
“I’ve got you. I will always have you.” Garrick stood. His mouth took mine in an almost savage kiss.
“I need you. Now.”
He picked me up, and I wrapped my legs around him, pressing myself against him to feel the delicious friction. Gently, he laid me back on the bed. My hair fanned against the pillow. One finger, then two, dipped inside me. “You’re so ready.”
“Yes, I’ve been telling you this. Hurry.”
He stood, taking his time to unbutton his shirt. There was nothing sexier than a shirtless Garrick. His pants were next. I squirmed, knowing the final moment was near. Even the fabric of my bra provided some release.
Garrick hovered over me. “Forever.”
“And ever.”
The crown of his dick entered me. Bit by bit, he pushed further into me, our eyes locked the entire time. This time, we were truly one, with no barriers, unlike any of the other times. “Fuck, this is amazing.”
“Don’t stop. I need you all the way in.”
In one swift thrust, Garrick was fully seated. “I’m never letting you go. Ever. Understand?”
On a breathy reply, I responded, “Yes. Move. I need more.”
I wrapped my legs around his waist as Garrick moved in and out of me. Our bodies became slick as we prolonged the moment as long as possible. I dug my nails into his back to try to stop myself from coming. The veins in Garrick’s neck bulged from exertion.
“Our first time. Together.”
“Yes.”
“I can’t believe you’re mine.”
“Me neither.”
Our eyes never left each other as Garrick thrust inside me again. On the next thrust, the sweetest euphoria rushed over me, and stars danced behind my eyelids.
With one final thrust, Garrick spilled himself within me. Completely spent, he rolled us over so I rested on his chest. With him still inside me, sleep soon found us.
~ ~ ~
I lay in Garrick’s arms. The sound of the waves lulled me in and out of sleep. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?”
“I don’t ever want to move.” I kissed his chest. “Does it feel like our connection intensified?”
“Being inside you without barriers…well, it’s indescribable.”
“It is.”
Were we successful? Did we make a baby? It was hard not to focus on that thought. If it was meant to be, it would be. That was the only way I would mentally survive the road ahead of us.
“What are we going to do for the next two days?” I asked.
“Whatever we want. I’m disconnecting from the world.”
I smiled. “Is your bucket list nearly complete?”
“No, quite the opposite. It’s only just begun. We’re going to spend our lives creating memories and marking items off our list.”
“That will be a dream come true.”
His hand trailed down my back. In an instant, I was flipped onto my back. “I can think of one I want to mark off right now.”
“What’s that?”
“Making love to my beautiful wife as much as possible on my honeymoon.”
“I love the sound of that.”
~ ~ ~
After lying out in the sun for a while, I walked out to the clear, cool ocean water. It was our last day here in our private paradise. Somehow, our security detail had remained out of sight. For two days, all our problems had melted away.
I glanced back at Garrick, who was asleep on one of the lounge chairs. We needed this break from…everything.
Fish swam around my ankles. I closed my eyes and lifted my face to the sun in a peaceful moment. From behind me, I heard Garrick enter the water, and he wrapped his hands around me. “What are you doing out here? I thought you were napping.”
“Enjoying our last day in paradise.”
Shifting, I cringed at the soreness between my legs.
“Have I been too enthusiastic with you? I can tell you’re sore.” Garrick noticed everything about me.
“I’m fine.”
“Knoah—”
“You’re not withholding sex from me on my honeymoon. I don’t care how sore I am.”
Leaning down, he grazed my lips. “I would never deny my wife anything she wanted on her honeymoon.”
“That right there is a smart husband. You’re getting the knack of this.”
“I’m glad you think so.”