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Her gasps of his name were swallowed up by the sounds of the sea. She could feel he, too, was exploding with pleasure. Their frenzied groans and gasps of climaxing mixed together, a language they were both speaking fluently.
A moment later his arms gave way and he collapsed to her side. She rolled against him, the warmth of his body enveloping her cool skin. This was not just an escape. A distraction. A release. As she lay in his arms, she knew it was something far more transcending. Their souls had connected, and even after the waves of pleasure had subsided, it remained. It would always remain.
CHAPTER 19
MICK
This might have been the best thing about what had happened on the beach. If there was anything to top that amazing moment, it was that they were laughing. Effortlessly giggling. There was no awkwardness between them. The jokes came as easily as the passionate kisses had.
Mick couldn't help but grin as he and Charlize made their way back to their corporate housing apartment. It had been more than he had dreamed, and there had been so many dreams of Charlize. The soft glow of moonlight guided their path, casting silhouettes on the pavement as they headed to the door. Despite the gentle breeze that rustled their clothes, the warmth of their connection lingered.
As they reached their apartment, Mick couldn't help but tease Charlize, "You know, I just found sand in places I didn't know existed."
Charlize chuckled as she fiddled with the doorknob, her voice filled with delight. "Same here. Let's hope no one saw us out there. We were like two college kids with nowhere better to hook up. It’s a little embarrassing.”
“As the one with my ass in the air, I wasn’t embarrassed at all; we could have charged for that show we put on.”
Inside the apartment, they discarded their sandy clothes and shared a playful laugh about their impromptu escapade. The lingering traces of the beach clung to them, as if the ocean itself wanted to remind them of the passion they'd shared.
Finally cleaned off and fresh from the shower, Mick pulled Charlize into his arms, their bodies fitting together effortlessly. They sank into the couch, pulling the throw blanket over them.
Charlize, her voice still tinged with laughter, rested her head on Mick's chest. "You know," she began, "I think I might be done with all this work soon. I really mean it this time. I know we’ve said it before but I can picture it now."
Mick raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious. “I would love to see you really sail off into the sunset."
She chuckled softly, her fingers tracing patterns on his chest. "This organization, it's bigger than just us. It's strong, and it'll continue even after we leave. I've been grinding away for so long, answering Carmen's calls for new cases like it's my sole purpose in life. But I've come to understand that there might be more to life than this. And just because I’m not there to save the day doesn’t mean someone else can’t do it."
Mick listened attentively, his heart swelling with affection for the woman in his arms. He couldn't help but wonder what her plans might entail, and if there was a place for him in them.
"So," he asked gently, "If not literally sailing into the sunset, what do you think you'll do when this is over?"
Charlize's expression turned somber, her eyes cast away from him. "It'll depend on how it all goes down. If we manage to pull this off, if everyone is safe, and justice is served, maybe I'll find myself back on a beach somewhere."
A wistful smile played on his lips as he squeezed her tightly. "I never used to like the beach all that much, but after tonight, I can't wait to go back."
Mick could tell something had changed. She didn’t laugh this time, and he knew that joke was funny. "And if things don't work out as planned? If we fail, or if people lose their children or their lives because of us? What will you do then?"
Her gaze turned haunted as she finally looked back up at him. She spoke quietly, her voice carrying a hint of resignation, "If that happens, Mick, I'll be gone. In the night, without looking back, I’ll simply disappear. The darkness will swallow me up, and I won't find my way back out."
“Not if I don’t let you go. I won't let you disappear. You can't run away when my arms are wrapped around you, holding you tight.” He squeezed her again.
Their fingers intertwined as they sat with their breaths in sync. There was one more thing he knew she needed to hear. Something she deserved to hear.
“The fight we had, and the time we spent apart, it was torture for me. I screwed up, Charlize. I should have been there for you, supported you through it, instead of trying to force you into getting help. Like I’m the picture of perfect mental health. What do I know?”
“Mick, don’t.”She leaned up a bit but he shook his head and continued.
“I thought I was doing the right thing, but I see now that I should have been your partner and had your back, not turned it into some big thing that could have cost you your job. I made things worse for you and I was too stubborn to admit it.”
She reached out to touch his chin making sure she had his full attention.
"Mick," she began, her voice soft but resolute, "you weren't completely wrong. I did have some darkness inside me that led to reckless choices and impulsive decisions. Some of the things the Kinross Organization did after you outed my rash actions actually helped me. I think I needed to be called out on it in order to deal with some shit. But I can feel it rising again, an antsy impatience, and a desperation that's been gnawing at me. Maybe I don’t have it under control.”
Mick's heart ached at her words, and he tightened his grip around her, trying to be the anchor that kept her from floating away. “It’ll be different this time.”
“How do you know?”
“Because last time you had to decide if you should wait for me or go it alone. This time, I’ll be there no matter what. We’re going to be exactly this close together from this point forward.”
