Someone Else's Ocean(25)

“Koti.” My father’s voice was a mix of concern and growing impatience for both of us, I was sure.

“Dad, I’m sorry I can’t talk now.”

“Listen to me, you either get on a plane or we will.”

“Dad, I have to work,” I said weakly, his deep voice piercing my heart. “I can’t just leave; my boss depends on me.”

“No more excuses on either side.” I knew his stern words were also meant for my mother, who I was sure was the reason my father hadn’t already shown up in St. Thomas. I knew she was sure I would come running back for financial help, guidance, or both. Another disappointment for her.

“I need to see my little girl.”

His words struck hard and I did my best not to let him hear it. “Soon, Dad, I promise. I love you both. I’ve got to go.”

“Koti—”

“Dad, I’ll call you back. I love you.” I hung up as my heartbeat sped up and my face flamed.

I lay back in bed panting, a tear rolling down my cheek. In and out. Breathe. Nothing’s wrong. Nothing’s wrong. You’re okay. You’re okay.

“Nothing’s wrong.”

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

Five. Ten. Fifteen minutes passed before I lifted my newly drained bones off the bed and submerged them in a shower. Twenty minutes and half a Xanax later, I was dead to the world.





Disco barked as I turned on my side and looked out the window toward the Kemp house before glancing at the clock.

2 a.m.

Unable to handle her yapping, I ripped myself away from the bed and slid on my flip-flops.

I could feel the tension behind the door before I knocked. Seconds later, a T-shirt clad Ian answered with wide, helpless eyes.

“Have you picked her up?” I pushed past him to see Disco in her box in the middle of the living room. “Ian, she can’t see that you’re here and that’s why she’s freaking out!”

“Well, she pisses and shats everywhere!”

“She’s a puppy,” I said, pulling her from her prison. “You have to take her outside every hour or so and reward her when she pees or poops.”

“I’m well aware,” he snapped. “So, you take her.”

“I can’t, I’m allergic,” I said with a mock cough. He crossed his arms as I held the dog toward him. Disco whimpered and scrambled in my grip before she leaped at him. He was forced to catch her and when he did, I could see the delight cover his face. He was reluctantly smitten. He looked over at me with narrowed eyes. “You are conniving.”

“Thank you, I do my best. This is a puppy we are talking about here,” I said, looking at the dog with longing. “Puppy breath, puppy love. Seriously, don’t miss out on this.”

He raised a thick brow and looked down at my camisole top before he averted his eyes without a single tell. Had I gone over there in my skimpiest camisole on purpose?

Absolutely… not.

But my breasts were the elephant that now sat on the puppy at hand.

Disco lay quietly in his grip.

“See, she just needed some love,” I said, feathering her soft fur through my fingers. I leaned down and kissed her forehead before I looked up at a surprisingly close Ian. “Disco needs you, crocky.”

He rolled his eyes as I spotted a large dry erase board behind him.

“What’s this?”

Ian cradled Disco in his arm and stepped in front of me to obstruct my view of the board. “Just something I’m working on.”

I tilted my head. “Why so secretive? I’ve already seen you at war, Marine.”

His lips twitched in amusement. “That was years ago.” His eyes strayed down to his stomach. I saw his disappointment and felt my heart rip slightly at the degrading evaluation he gave himself. So he’d gained a few pounds since his service. No big deal. He’d already lost quite a bit of it in the month he’d been on the island. And I found it admirable that he served at all. Little love handles aside, the man was drop-dead gorgeous. He had to know that. But I wasn’t going to leave it unsaid, I’d been a victim of self-image awareness my whole life. So, what did I do to make sure he knew he still had it?

“Ouch! What in the hell are you doing, woman?”

My hand burned as I lifted my reddened palm away from his firm ass and presented it to him, “Still got it, eh?”

Not my best move, but when Ian Kemp threw his head back and laughed, a wave of pure bliss washed over me.

Ignoring the urge to kiss his prominent Adam’s apple, I shrugged as if I went around slapping men’s asses on a daily basis. I sidestepped him as he kept Disco snug in his arms and looked at the board. There was a list of lecture topics and keynotes.

I nodded toward it in question.

“It’s a course shcedule. I teach.”

“Shcedule?” I grinned, and he grinned back.

“Right, you always had a thing for my accent.”

“Doesn’t every red-blooded American woman? I bet you cleaned up with the ladies very well in Texas.” I gave him a wink and his answering grin didn’t deny it.

My whole body tensed at the sight of his smile. Angry with my horny self, I moved to the defensive. “And your accent has faded a little, what a pity.” He gave me that all-knowing stare again. The one that told me he knew my next words before I spoke them. I walked over to the board and felt his eyes on me.