Someone Else's Ocean(81)

“I still can’t believe he pulled this off,” she said, glancing back at her family with love-soaked eyes. “We, uh, didn’t really get to have a honeymoon. I got sick on our first try.”

“Morning sickness?”

“Yes, it’s the worst. Do you have children?”

“No,” I said, staring at their beautiful little boy who wore a T-shirt that read Woo King.

“No kids yet, someday?”

Someday?

“Well, my little man was definitely worth it,” Abbie said, kissing his hand before she scoured the rental with a smile.

Pangs of envy hit in that moment as Cameron leaned in and kissed his son on the forehead. “Ready to go swimming, buddy?”

He nodded and nestled further into his father’s arms.

Realization struck, even with all the families I’d checked into rentals over the past year, it was the first time in my life I wished for a family of my own. My own baby boy with eyes the color of his father’s.

Shocked at my personal admission, I walked the beautiful family through their beach house. Abbie ambled with me as Cameron chased Noble through the expansive living room. “Noble, stop. Don’t touch that, buddy. Why you little…” he picked the baby up easily and tossed him up over his head, catching him as he squealed. “Gain, Dada, gain!”

Abbie took a step out onto the long back porch where she was met with the sight of thousands of miles of expansive ocean.

“You can get to the beach from the first level,” I said as she looked back at her husband with utter love. Abbie’s excitement was infectious. “This is incredible, baby!” She yelled to Cameron who answered back with a pride-filled grin. “Happy you love it, babe.”

I chimed in. “You won’t get used to the view and that’s a good thing.”

“I just can’t believe we’re here,” she smiled. “I didn’t realize how much we needed this.”

“You’ll be a new woman by the time you leave. Cameron’s scheduled a massage for you in a few hours, there is a week’s worth of groceries in the fridge. He’s also opted for concierge service and a driver for the length of your stay. My number is in the book on the table.” Abbie stood, eyes glistening, her smile growing with every word I spoke.

“Happy?”

“Ecstatic.”

“Awesome. There are two keys to the house on the foyer table. And please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”

Cameron joined us standing by Abbie’s side with a newly animated little boy wiggling in his arms.

“Thank you so much, Koti, I couldn’t have pulled this off without you.”

“You’re welcome and welcome to St. Thomas.”

I left the smiling family with a new kind of ache in my chest. I was just about to head back to the office when Jasmine called.

“Hey buddy, did you get the Bledsoe’s checked in?”

“Yep, all set.”

“We’re done for the day if you want to knock off.”

“Are you sure?” I asked with a smile.

“Yes girl, go play with Ian. But just keep your phone on for calls. I have a date tonight.”

“Really? With who?”

She paused. “Jasmine, with who?”

“Toby. Am I crazy?”

“Of course not, I kind of figured that was going to happen.”

“Really, you see us together? He’s so…”

“Bold? Confident? Perfect for you?”

“If you thought that, why didn’t you say something?”

“I wanted you two to figure it out for yourselves.”

I pulled up to a stoplight where a Jeep, the same style as mine waited with me. I glanced over to see I had the attention of the passengers, a group of teenage guys.

“Let’s just hope he doesn’t come out in an apron or want me to R. Kelly his ass.”

“What?”

“Pee on him or some freaky shit.”

The guys burst into laughter as I hung my head. “You just embarrassed me at a stoplight,” I hissed as I smashed onto the gas the minute the light changed.

It was all I remembered aside from the crunch of metal.





IGNORING MY PHONE, I RAN through my list of lectures and made notes. Looking around the expansive beach house, I basked in the serenity of Koti’s bubble. As soon as she got home, I was going to cook her my favorite meal and spend the night making her moan. I wasn’t taking a single fucking minute of our time together for granted. After making sure I had everything I needed I glanced at the clock. She would be home any minute. Warmth spread as I thought of the way she’d woken me up that morning, her lips wrapped around my cock before she lifted herself to sink on top of me. We didn’t utter a word, just reveled in the connection as I pulled her to me so we were chest to chest, hearts pounding as she slowly rode me until we had no choice but to break the silence with words of praise.

There was something to be said about the sex we had, but the connection we shared was what made it so fucking incredible. Koti was a safe haven, and I drank with greed from her never-ending fountain of beauty and warmth. There was always an understanding in her eyes, kindness of her words. Our relationship was effortless, she was a relatable friend and an incredible lover. She gave and gave, and I took without hesitation because even though at the heart of it, I felt selfish, I felt like she too was thriving on letting me have my way. Anything else would have been unacceptable, I knew that I cared too much about her to hurt her. If I felt for one second over the last month we shared that she had suffered in any way, I wouldn’t have returned to St. Thomas. There was no benefit in making her confess she needed me the night before, but my desire to know if the feeling was mutual was too much.