Page 42 of Return to the Island

“What?” I demanded, clearly confused, as I took another step or two down toward her.

“The door locked. I couldn’t get it open. No matter how hard I was banging on it, no one could hear me. No one was coming.” I’d reached her on the landing where she stood pressed against the wall. The stairwell was dark, as only the emergency lights were on, but I could see she’d been crying.

“What are you doing in here?” I asked, my voice trembling as I spoke. I stood before her, my heart hammering. I reached forward to tuck a stray hair behind her ear.

“I was trying to find you.”

“You came back,” I said, relieved. My fingers continued to work around her ear.

“I was wrong. So wrong. I got lost in my head again, and it took over my heart.” Liquid-filled violet eyes stared up at me. My hand slipped down to her jaw.

“Why would you let it do that, baby? After all we’ve been through.”

“I don’t know. I just panicked. I couldn’t believe you would want me when we were off that island. That we could be something outside of it. And when Abby…” she let the words falter as I glared at her. I didn’t want to hear her say Abby said. Suddenly, she reached for my shirt and dragged me to her. Her mouth pressed up to mine, and she was kissing me, tugging at my lower lip. I reached for the hem of her shirt, and she released my mouth only long enough to get the tee free of her head.

“I just couldn’t go without you. Not this time,” she said. My shirt was next as hands frantically roamed each other’s body between kisses and comments. I snapped off her bra, and the warmth of her breasts against my chest made us both sigh.

“I’m constantly telling you not to leave me. How could you walk away?” I asked, my mouth working down her jaw to her shoulder.

“This time you said to go. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

I reached her breast and latched onto her, rough in my sucking before my teeth nipped at the nipple. She yelped, but pressed my head to keep me attached to her.

“Tame me,” she whimpered. “Tame me everywhere. Just don’t leave me behind.”

I released her breast with a pop and stood taller. “I didn’t want you to go. I didn’t mean what I said. I didn’t want you to leave.”

Her fingers released the button of her shorts.

“Slow down, baby,” I said, realizing we were in the stairwell, and taking a second to process the reason was the impending storm.

“No,” she snapped. We’d been like this before. I knew what she needed. When she acted most out of control was when she needed to feel in control.

Her shorts were removed, and I slipped a finger inside her. Wet and ready for me, she sighed in relief at my touch.

“You aren’t safe here,” I warned, implying the hurricane. “You should have gone home.”

“I’m safe wherever you are,” she said, exhaling as I removed my finger from her. I fumbled with my shorts and then spun her to face the wall. Her palms went flat, her cheek pressing against it. I slipped into her easily, and we moaned together. My forehead came forward as I slid back before thrusting inward again.

“I was so mad at you,” I hissed, the tension growing for my orgasm and releasing from the last hour of panic, after the crushing disappointment of her leaving me. All that negative energy was catching up to me, and I began hammering into her, thrusting into the depths of her warmth in my relief that she was before me. She wasn’t on a plane. She wasn’t leaving me.

“I love you,” she muttered to the wall, her breath raspy as I filled her once again. I stilled and then I stepped back, letting the slick sound of leaving her fill the stairwell. I spun her once again, wanting to see her face, wanting to look into her eyes.

“Say it only if you mean it,” I said as I re-entered her, slowing the pace only a beat.

“I love you. I love you. I love you,” she said, and each statement increased the rhythm we set.

“Oh, baby,” I said, kissing her jaw and her neck, as my hand cupped her breast and I squeezed. “You make me wild.”

“You tame me,” she stuttered, as I rushed forward into her. “Always.” Our mouths came together, but only briefly. I hitched up her leg, just under her knee, and the shift brought me deeper. Her hand came between us, and I watched as she flicked over the spot that she needed. My free arm balanced near her head, keeping us upright as I slid into her over and over again.

“Like that, baby,” she said to me, stealing my line, and my heart burst as she clenched over me. Her head pressed forward as she let out a strangled cry, and I followed instantly, filling her with my seed. I didn’t pull out immediately, but pressed my forehead to hers.

“No more leaving. No more running, hiding, anything. You own me, Juliet. You can’t leave me.”

She nodded against me and then tipped her head back to take my lips. The kiss was tender and sweet—an apology and a new beginning.

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