by E. L. Todd
“I didn’t ask you to. I just want this to stop. Please stop harassing me and destroying my property. I hold no ill feelings toward you as long as you stop trying to hurt me.”
She finally opened the door and looked at Sydney. She glanced at the ring then back to her face. “I didn’t cheat on Coen.”
She wasn’t expecting that. “What?”
“He thinks I did, but it wasn’t me. I passed out at the party in the bedroom and when I woke up, two people were going at it. When I came out of the room, everyone assumed it was me. It wasn’t. I swear.”
“Did you tell Coen this?”
“He doesn’t believe me.”
“I believe you.”
She wiped her tears away. “You do?”
“I know how great Coen is. Why would you want someone else?”
“Exactly,” she said through her sobs.
“I’ll tell him the truth—that you didn’t.”
“Why would you do that? Aren’t you afraid that he’ll leave you for me? That was the only reason we broke up.”
“I’m not worried. I’m sorry your relationship ended because he didn’t have all the information, but we can’t just erase what we have. We’re spending our lives together.” Audrey looked away. “And I understand why you were so determined to win him back. It wasn’t your fault.”
She crossed her arms over her chest but said nothing.
“Can we move past this?”
She sighed. “I guess.”
Sydney played with her fingers in her hands, standing there awkwardly. Neither of the girls looked at each other. When Audrey stopped crying, she walked to the paper towel dispenser and cleaned her makeup. When she was composed, they both left the bathroom together.
As soon as Coen saw them, his body was flexed, ready to intervene if he had to.
“It’s okay,” Sydney said quickly. “We talked it out.”
“What?” he asked, incredulous.
“There’s something that Audrey wants you to know.”
He glared at Audrey. “I really don’t care what this bitch has to say.”
“Just listen,” Sydney said.
He sighed before he looked at Audrey. “What?”
She twisted her hands together. “I didn’t cheat on you, Coen. I swear.”
He rolled his eyes. “We already talked about this a million times.”
“And I wasn’t lying. Please believe me.”
He looked away from her.
Sydney grabbed his hand. “I believe her.”
“You do?” he asked.
She nodded. “It all makes sense. She was trying so hard to get you back because you broke up over a rumor, not a fact. I think she’s telling the truth.”
“Fine. I believe you,” he said.
Audrey looked at him. “Please give me another chance, Coen.”
“I’m engaged,” he said quickly. “I’m getting married.”
“The truth changes nothing?” she asked sadly. “That isn’t fair.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry, Audrey. Everything is different now. I don’t feel the same anymore. I’m totally in love with Sydney. She’s the only woman that I want for the rest of my life. And even if I did still have feelings for you, I wouldn’t be with you. You harassed Sydney, poured syrup in her hair like a teenager, and demolished her car. How could I ever be with someone as horrible as that? Sydney refused to hit you or rat you out, being the better person. When I wanted to yell at you, she wouldn’t let me. It’s obvious who the better choice is.”
“That’s enough,” Sydney whispered.
Audrey started to cry again. “I’m sorry about everything.”
He was quiet for a long time. “It’s okay. I forgive you. But that’s all I can offer you. Sydney has my heart, for now and for always.”
Audrey clutched her stomach and looked at the floor, shaking.
“Hug her,” Sydney whispered.
“Fuck no,” he snapped.
“Just do it,” she said as she nudged him.
He glared at her. “I’m only doing this because you told me to.”
“I know. Go.”
He sighed then approached her, wrapping his arms around her. She cried into his shoulder while Henry and Sydney stepped back, giving them some privacy. After a long time, she finally pulled away from him.
“I really am sorry, Coen.”
“I know,” he said as he dropped his hands.
“Can we be friends?”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I forgive you for what you did, but I don’t want any type of relationship with you. I wish you well and hope you find happiness.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Goodbye, Audrey.”
“Yeah,” she said as she turned away.
Coen came back to Sydney and wiped his hands on his jeans, like he just picked up fresh manure. “I’m so glad that’s over.”
“Me too,” Henry said.
Coen stared at her for a long time. “You’re a much bigger person than I could ever imagine.”
“Everyone is good. They just do evil things sometimes.”
“That’s one opinion,” Henry said sarcastically.
Coen wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m sorry that you had to deal with all of that. Thank you for putting up with it.”
“I would do anything for you.”
“I know you would.” He kissed her forehead. “Let’s get to class.”
9
Sydney packed all her essentials for the trip out to sea. She still couldn’t believe that the brilliant Dr. Goldstein actually invited her to accompany him on the trip. She packed layers because she didn’t know how cold it would get out there. She also brought her snorkeling and swimming gear just in case she was allowed to take a dip in the ocean.
Coen watched her pack. “Three days sounds horrible.”
“It’s going to be so awesome,” she said as she shoved her jacket inside the bag.
“I can’t go three days without having sex.”
“You have your hand, don’t you?”
“It’s not the same thing at all.”
“You’ll be okay. I won’t be gone for long.” She grabbed the bag and carried it to his car. When she opened the back, she saw a bunch of luggage inside. “Babe, what’s this for?”
“Oh. I forgot to mention that I’m going.”
Her eyes lit up. “You are?”
“Of course.”
“How did that happen?”
“I asked Dr. Goldstein if I could go.”
“And he just said yes?”
“Yep.”
“Wow. You should have been a car salesman. You know how to persuade people.”
He laughed. “I don’t know about that.” He threw her other belongings inside.
“I’m so happy you’re coming. It’s going to be so amazing.”
“You are?”
“So happy. Now we don’t have to wait for three days.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s gonna be hard to pull off.”
“Well, people have to sleep sometime.”
He smiled. “I like it. We’ll have to sneak around.”
She pushed her bag all the way to the back seat. Her ring caught her attention as it reflected the light. He hadn’t asked for it back and she hadn’t offered to return it to him. The issue with Audrey was settled. There was really no reason to keep up the charade. Even if she learned the truth, Sydney knew she wouldn’t lash out at their relationship again. But a part of her didn’t want to give it back. She felt like a psycho, clingy girlfriend, but she couldn’t do it. She hadn’t removed it from her finger. She would wait until Coen asked for it back. Until then, she would act like she just forgot. She wasn’t sure what she was hoping for. There’s no way he was ready to get married. They had only been together for a few months. And after she told him the news of her family’s visit, she wasn’t sure if he would even want to marry her. They were set to arr
ive a few days before Thanksgiving and she still hadn’t mentioned it to him. She knew how pissed he was going to be. “We should get going.”
“Okay,” he said as he walked to the passenger door and opened it for her. After she was settled, he walked back to his side then drove toward the loading dock that was connected to the aquarium near the wharf.
When they got out, Coen carried most of the luggage until they reached the medium sized boat. It was almost as big as a yacht, but a little smaller. There were two levels, along with another boat attached to it. Sydney felt the excitement flood through her as Dr. Goldstein walked down the ramp.
“Hello, Dr. Goldstein,” she said as she shook his hand. “Thank you so much for allowing me to attend this trip. It means so much to me. I won’t let you down.”
He smiled at her then pulled his hand away. “I’m excited to have you, Sydney. Thank you for your interest.” He turned to Coen. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“You packed your whole life?”
“Most of them are Sydney’s,” he explained.
“Sure,” he said sarcastically.
Sydney raised an eyebrow. They were particularly chummy for hardly knowing each other.
“My hedges are getting tall,” Dr. Goldstein said to Coen as he tapped him on the shoulder.
“The month is already over.”
“Next time, I’ll make it two,” he said with a smile.
Coen carried their bags up the ramp and down to the deck below. He put their belongings on the two bunk beds.
“What was that?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” he asked, avoiding her gaze.
“Do you know Dr. Goldstein?”
He sat on the bed and felt the springs. “They are quiet. Good.”
Coen would never lie to her, so his attempt at avoiding the question altogether was evidence of his secrecy.
“I asked you a question, Coen.”
He was quiet for a moment. “Yes, I know him.”
“How?”
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Don’t ask me that.”
“I just did.”
He looked up at her with a saddened expression. “I don’t want you to know.”
“Too bad.”
“Damn,” he said as he stood up. “He’s my uncle.”
“Dr. Goldstein is your uncle?” she asked, amazed.
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
He shrugged. “It just didn’t come up.”
Her mind started to race. Why would he want to hide that from her? It definitely wasn’t embarrassing. If anything, his relation to him would have only impressed her. Then it hit her. “You asked him to take me.”
“That’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”
She hugged him and he flinched, surprised at her affection. “Thank you. That was so sweet, Coen.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought you would be mad at me.”
“Not at all. That means so much to me. I would have scrubbed toilets for a whole month just to get a spot here.”
He kissed her forehead. “I’m just glad you aren’t mad.”
“No. Thank you so much. And I’ll show him my talents when we work together. He’ll be glad that he brought me along.”
He smiled. “That’s my girl.”
She stared at him for a long time, moved by his obvious love for her. Dr. Goldstein invited her months ago. Even then, he was willing to do anything for her. She ran her hands up his chest. “I wish we were alone right now.”
He raised an eyebrow. “If I knew this was the response I was going to get, I would have told you a long time ago.”
“I’ll show you my appreciation when we get home.”
“Ooh. This is getting even better.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll be right back. Organize our stuff.”
“Okay,” she said. After he was gone, she organized her belongings and took out her waterproof folders and notebooks, not wanting them to get destroyed from the waves that crashed over the rail. She was so excited that her hands were shaking. She always wanted to be a researcher and hoped she would get enough grant money to have her own expeditions. She wanted to study the fish in the Great Barrier Reef on the coast of Australia but she probably wouldn’t be able to afford it for many years.
Coen returned a moment later. “I have wonderful news.”
“What?”
The other two crew members on the boat are married so they’re sharing their own quarters. My uncle obviously has the captain’s room.”
“So?”
He grabbed her bag from the top bed then pulled it to the bottom one. “We’re going to be alone every night.”
“Isn’t that weird because of your uncle?”
“I don’t care what he thinks, and he doesn’t care what I do. I’m a guy in college. Of course I’m going to have sex with my girlfriend. Even if people were in here, I would have done it anyway.”
“You’re so classy,” she said sarcastically.
“I’m just always hot for you. And don’t act like you would have survived three days without getting some. You are worse than I am.”
“You have a point.”
“So, the ship is about to leave. Let’s go to the portside.”
“Okay,” she said as she followed him.
Coen’s uncle drove the boat out to sea, far enough away that the waves became choppy and there were no other boats around them. Sydney marked down the coordinates for future reference. The air became saltier as they moved away from the shore but Sydney enjoyed the scent.
When Dr. Goldstein was on deck, she basically followed him like a stalker, assisting him in any way she could. Whenever he opened a textbook and browsed through it, she scribbled quick notes about what he was reading. When she found his research notebook, she practically memorized every word. Coen watched her with a smirk on his face, happy that he made this happen for her. She ignored him completely, but in light of her joy, he didn’t care.
When Dr. Goldstein took zero readings, Sydney organized all the data into a spreadsheet and sterilized the equipment before she put it away. Every time he took a step forward, Sydney was already there, beating him to the punch. Her obsession was slightly embarrassing but Coen didn’t tease her about it. She obviously loved this.
When their day was completed, they ate processed food stored in the cabinets and a small vegetarian stew. Sydney was relieved that everyone besides Coen didn’t eat meat. If there wasn’t any food to accommodate her, she would have had to starve or just eat it anyway. After they marked anchor, everyone retired to bed. When Coen moved to the stairway, he realized she wasn’t following him. She sat on the deck and looked across the ocean, the breeze running through her hair.
“Ready for bed?” he asked as he sat beside her.
“How can I sleep when I know this is out here?”
The waves were docile and rocked the boat slightly, not enough to be distracting. Even though it was pitch black, it was still beautiful. The wide expanse of the ocean never seemed to end. The greatest part of the moment was the stars. There were so many, shining brighter than the sun itself.
When he looked at her, he saw the moonlight fall on her face, highlighting her features and strained cheekbones. Her brown hair cascaded around her, making her look hypnotic and awe inspiriting. Coen had seen many beautiful women in his life, but she was definitely the fairest of them all.
“It’s beautiful,” he whispered.
“I’ll never forget this moment.”
“Nor will I.” He lay down on the deck, facing the heavens. She settled beside him and rested her hands on her stomach.
“There are so many,” she whispered, looking at the stars.
“I couldn’t count them.”
“I can’t believe it.”
He grabbed her left hand and held it within his own. His fingers caressed the ring on her finger, feeling the band. Her heart raced when sh
e felt him. She didn’t want him to ask for his ring back but she suspected he would. His uncle hadn’t commented on the ring, which she thought was odd. It was hard to miss.
He leaned over her. “You know what I want to do?”
She smiled. “I can guess.”
“This is such a beautiful place and I want to do something beautiful with you.”
“What if someone comes?”
“I couldn’t care less.” He pulled down her shorts and underwear then removed his own. They both kept their shirts on, just in case. His left hand grabbed hers, his fingers resting against the ring, then he inserted himself inside of her.
She wanted to gasp but she didn’t. She kept it lodged in her throat so she wouldn’t make a sound.
He pressed his forehead against hers, rocking into her in sync with the waves of the boat. Her body felt warm against his, perfect. He had never felt a deeper connection to someone. She was beautiful, amazing, perfect, the list went on. He never expected to find someone he loved unconditionally so early in his life.
The light of the stars fell on her face and reflected in her eyes, making them look wilder and more vibrant than ever before. His gaze locked onto hers and he saw his entire future within her depths. He wanted to do this every night for the rest of his life. There was no one else for him. Even though he sometimes felt jealous knowing that Henry was equally obsessed with her, he couldn’t blame him for falling in love with Sydney. She was too wonderful and magnificent to ignore. When he felt his orgasm start, he held it back, waiting for her to go first.
Having sex in absolute silence was more arousing than listening to her scream his name. He could hear every breath that escaped her lips, every slight moan that burst from her throat, and he heard the sound of his cock moving inside her, the moisture sliding in and out.
When she closed her mouth overs his, he knew she was trying to be quiet. He felt her hot breaths increase as she crumbled underneath him, feeling her body dissolve under his movement. Her fingers dug into her skin, her hips moved harder as she enjoyed the explosion that radiated through her body. When she was done, she relaxed her hold, and Coen let himself go, staring into her beautiful green eyes the entire time.
They stared at each other as they caught their breath, unable to break the connection that they both felt. When he was inside her, he felt like he was a part of her, that she ended and he began. Her soul touched his, massaging his heart as he made love to her, declaring his undying love for her. He didn’t know what was more beautiful. The majestic glory of their location in the middle of the ocean, or the pure and wonderful act they just committed.