My Beloved: A Thin Love Novella(33)
“Kona,” she started shifting her weight on her feet, toes digging deep into the sand so she could move closer to him. “I promise to stop worrying so much.” His eyebrow came up and Keira giggled. “Okay, I’m really going to try to stop worrying so much.” Kona nodded and Keira caught the quick blink his eyes made, as though Kona was trying his hardest not to cry. “I promise to tell you, really tell you, when I’m scared, when I’m not happy. I promise,” Keira closed her eyes, steeling herself, wanting so much for this next promise to be heard, to be believed, “I promise, no more running. I promise I’ll be yours, your Wildcat, your wife, whatever you need.” Keira squeezed his fingers, letting him kiss her forehead as her tears fall. “I promise, bebe, to be your beloved. Always.”
Kona kissed her then, took control of her lips like they were precious, like she was. He didn’t seem to care when the kahu fussed at him, when Ransom cleared his throat until Kona pulled away. They didn’t watch the holy man as he dipped a koa bowl into the sea, then a ti leaf, blessing their union with prosperity and health. Kona barely nodded, barely took his gaze from Keira as the kahu sprinkled their rings, the platinum bands three times with that seawater before he chanted over them. She barely registered slipping Kona’s ring over his finger, him doing the same to hers. And all the while, those rich, dark eyes stared down at her.
And before the white haired man could finish his blessing, Kona kissed Keira again, hands holding her head still as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth, as his moan vibrated against Keira’s lips, as she heard Ransom’s phone clicking a picture, and then the boy and the kahu left them alone in front of that altar holding each other, praying that the promises they made would never be tested, that their lives, however difficult, would be lived together, in their always.
The lake house was cold. Late that Christmas night, with Ransom in the city—likely trying to see Emily, the cute little redhead he’d been pining over for months and trying to convince her father that he wasn’t some pervert for sexting his daughter naughty pictures—and Kona already snoring, Keira debated whether she should start a fire. It was a distraction, she knew.
She’d waited all day, two weeks really, wanting their first Christmas together as a married couple to be perfect, and it had been. Christmas Eve had been at Leann’s house with her husband Will trying to understand Kona explaining what the purpose of an on-side kick was, and Christmas Day had been at the Lake House, opening presents with Ransom and, being ridiculously spoiled with the overkill gifts Kona had bought for them. Less than a month of marriage hadn’t taught him that he didn’t need to overcompensate for all the holidays he’d missed with them. But Keira knew there would be plenty of time for that. There would be years to teach him about simplicity and focusing on moments, not money spent.
But with their son gone and the mess of boxes and wrapping paper squared away, Keira had chickened out on giving Kona his final gift. He knew she was hiding something, she could tell. She kept biting her lip, kept glancing at him, then quickly away again when her nerve would rise up and then suddenly leave her.
“You okay, baby?” he’d asked as she brushed out her hair and he tucked himself under their thick duvet. “You’ve been acting weird all day.”
More like, for weeks, but she didn’t tell him that. Instead she shrugged, climbed in next to him and rested against his chest. “It’s just been an exhausting day and, um… I miss Bobby.” Lame and stupid, Keira. He’ll never buy that.
Kona yawned, still suffering from the carb overload he’d gorged down at dinner. “One week, Wildcat. Nashville is eight hours away and we’ll spend New Year’s with her.” He kissed her temple, pulling her close to him as he rolled over. “You’re worrying.”
Actually, she wasn’t. She wasn’t worried. She was maybe a little apprehensive about giving Kona his gift, wondering how he’d react. She knew he wanted this. He’d talked about it for months, but there was still that small voice reminding her of the last time something like this happened. It hadn’t been the best experience of her life.
She let the minutes tick by and soon, Kona’s light snore fell on her ears as Keira stared at the ceiling, rubbing her fingernails against Kona’s knuckles. Then, he turned, rolled away from her with those snores deepening and Keira watched the rise of his large, beautiful body, the dips and curves of all that round muscle. He loved her. That beautiful man loved her so much. There would be no way he’d be upset.
A quick roll to her side to open the drawer on her bedside table and Keira sat up in bed, spinning the tiny box in her hand and watching Kona’s back, his large arms, trying to muster the nerve to wake him.
Maybe I should wait until morning, she thought, biting her bottom lip. Maybe that would…
“I swear to Christ, Wildcat, if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going to spank you and it won’t be in the fun, hot way you like.” He rolled over, lifted onto his elbows and the teasing smile on his face vanished when he noticed the way Keira nervously chewed on her lip. “Baby, I’m picking.” He sat up, flicked on the lamp and scooted next to her. “Come on, talk to me.”
“Here,” she said, handing him the small white box tied in a red ribbon. “My last Christmas present to you.”