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Chapter Eighteen
McKenzie
I can’t believe that all this time Noah has had internet access! Although I’m not too mad he didn’t tell me. He’s right; if it hadn’t been just the two of us, completely isolated from the outside world, things might have turned out differently. And I wouldn’t trade the last five days for the world.
I watch him as he fiddles with the computer, trying to connect it to the satellite. He is so beautiful, and even more so now that I know who he is on a deeper level. He may think he’s not worthy of love, but I know better. He has a romantic heart under that warrior exterior. And while he may think he doesn’t want to be needed, the way he’s methodically stripped away my inhibitions so that I will give him my unequivocal trust—not to mention the way it obviously turns him on when I do—says otherwise. For once, I feel like I’ve found someone I can lean on, someone strong enough to be my port in a storm and trustworthy enough to not let me drown.
“There you go. Tweet away.”
I hesitate for a fraction of a second, wondering what on Earth I’m supposed to tweet from the equator. Then, like Liam’s sending me a message from the other side, I know just what to do. I type in Liam’s handle.
“You’re tweeting from your brother’s account?” Noah’s watching over my shoulder.
“If I can guess his password.” My fingers fly over the keyboard, and then Liam’s familiar face pops up on the screen. Damn, I miss him.
“How did you know his password?”
“Lucky guess. I still know Liam better than anyone else.” I can’t help but feel smug.
Never underestimate the power of fuck it, I type and then hit post.
“That’s what he wanted you to tweet from the equator?” He sounds almost disappointed.
I shake my head. “No, he didn’t say specifically, but that was his trademark saying—his motto—and it seems perfect. And now there’s one more item checked off the list.” I turn to Noah, wrapping my arms around his still-naked torso. “Thank you.”
Several hours later, we dock at the marina at Tawua on the island of Borneo in Malaysia. Tomorrow, we’ll dive Sipadan Island, which Noah tells me is the best diving site in the world, although not necessarily for beginners. But I’m not worried. The certification process back in Charleston had been kind of terrifying, and at the time I’d wondered how I’d ever get the courage to actually dive in the ocean. But after getting a taste of snorkeling in the Philippines, now I can’t wait. And there’s no one I feel safer with than Noah. Maybe I’ve changed, or maybe it’s just the way I feel around Noah. It doesn’t matter. I’ve never been happier, or felt more alive.
“We’ll stop here and figure out the best way to get to Sipadan,” Noah informs me as I help him tie theKairosup at a small marina where half a dozen other boats are similarly docked. He grabs my hand to help me to the pier, but doesn’t let go, and my heart thrills a little as we walk hand in hand to the marina office.
Noah nods at the man behind the counter as the bell on the door announces us. “Good afternoon. We want to dive Sipadan tomorrow. What’s the best way to do that?”
The man stands a little taller as Noah walks up. I’ve noticed that about Noah. He has a commanding presence about him that everyone responds to, from the guys Gemma, Charlotte, and I were dancing with in Vegas to this marina worker.
“You ever dived here before?” He directs his question to Noah, who shakes his head. I might as well not even be here.
“You’re in for a treat. It’s amazing. There are twelve dive sites total, and each of them have something unique to offer. But you’ll need a diving outfit to take you. You can’t go without apermit issued by the Sabah Parks government agency. There are a limited number of permits available each day, which are distributed between all of the dive outfits.”
The man pulls a tattered brochure out from under the register, but even the worn paper can’t dull the beauty of the blue water and the unique little houses on stilts depicted on the front. “Your best bet is to stay at a dive resort. This one’s fantastic, but it’s pricey. It’s the only resort on the island, though, and a speedboat can take you wherever you want to dive.”
“That will be perfect,” Noah says.
“That’s too much,” I protest. “We could just stay on theKairos.”
Noah’s gaze swivels to me, and his eyes are hot. “I plan to use and abuse that gorgeous body of yours tonight until you’re screaming with pleasure. I’d prefer to do it where we have a comfortable bed and plenty of room.”
His words, spoken so blatantly in front of the man, assert his claim over me and make me blush, but it’s also a huge turn-on.
Noah turns back to the marina owner. “Are there places to dock a sailboat near Sipadan?”
“Well…” The man hesitates. “There are docks in Semporna, but nothing like mine.” His chest puffs out slightly with pride. “Semporna’s small…not much there, other than it’s the gateway to Sipadan. If you want to leave your boat here, I’ll make sure she’s safe. You can catch a bus to Semporna in town. It’s a little over an hour’s drive. If you call ahead, the resort will pick you up on the other end and take you there by speedboat.”
“Perfect.” Noah hands him a hundred-dollar bill. “Keep theKairossafe, and I’ll give you double when I return. How do we get to town?”
Thirty minutes later, Noah has called and reserved us one of the little houses on stilts built over the incredibly blue water on Sipadan and made arrangements for the resort to pick us up. The marina owner’s son, whose name is Gustav, has driven us into town and dropped us off at the Sabindo Square Bus Terminal, refusing the money Noah offered him. Inside, we check the bus schedule. The next bus doesn’t leave for another thirty minutes, so I take the opportunity to go to the restroom before the hour-and-a-half-long bus ride.
I grabbed my bag off the boat, and I dig through it, looking for a tube of mascara. I’ve barely worn any makeup since I’ve been in the Philippines. Gemma and Charlotte would be shocked. I stop, studying my face in the mirror. I look different, but I can’t quite put my finger on how. My typically dark-blonde hair is definitely lighter and shot through with gold streaks, and my skin has turned the color of coffee laced heavily with cream, but it’s something else. Something deeper. Whatever it is, I know I have Liam to thank for it. I just wish he hadn’t had to die for me to get a new lease on life.
I shake my head. The important thing is that I’m not wasting any more of this precious thing called life, and I’ve crossed five things off Liam’s bucket list so far, including one that I’d originally had no idea how I’d be able to. I think about Noah and his dark proclivities and the things he’s taught me about myself, and the things we’ve explored together. And tomorrow, I’ll tick one more thing off as we experience what is supposedly the best dive site in the world.
