by KL Donn
Peeking over his shoulder, I see her mixing something in a bowl as she laughs with Braxton while he sips his coffee. “I think there’s some sparks there.” It makes me sad because she won’t get an opportunity to luxuriate in love.
“I’ve set up the snorkeling and dolphin swimming for mid-morning.” Stunned, I stare up at him. “I figure, first thing tomorrow morning, we could slip into the courthouse and get our marriage license. Have a ceremony this weekend?”
Excitement bubbles up inside of me, and for a split second, I forget that my sister is fading away and squeal with delight as I nod and kiss my soon-to-be husband. “I would love that.”
He nods. “Good, because afterwards, you, Leia, Petal, and Calla are dress shopping in the afternoon, and everybody is bungee jumping in pairs in the evening.” His grin is filled with confidence as I nod vigorously.
Everything is coming together quickly. Almost too quickly as I stare at my sister. Her eyes sparkle with mischief, and she appears happy. For the first time in so long, she doesn’t look as though she’s sick. She’s normal, and that’s all I could ever want for her.
“Shall we go inside?” Beckett raises a brow, and I nod.
“Good morning, Royal!” Leia smiles at me as we enter the house, hand in hand.
I return it. “Morning.”
“More coffee?” she asks, holding up the carafe, and I reach over with my empty cup. “Beckett has a million plans for us this week, but I’m fascinated to know where you'd like the ceremony to take place?”
She’s buzzing with excitement. Almost a completely different person from yesterday. “Oh, uhm, I hadn’t really thought about it yet.” In truth, it didn’t even cross my mind.
“Perfect, because I have an idea.” Shooing her hands at the guys, Leia shuts the burner off on the stove as they walk away, chuckling. “The beach. You basically live there, and there’s something so incredibly romantic to it.”
“I think it might take longer than a day or two to get that reserved, Leia.” I really like her idea, however. It’s how Beckett and I met.
“Not when our parents own our slice of one.” Her eyebrows wiggle up and down, causing me to frown. How is she so chipper? “It’s the medicine," she replies to my thoughts. "There’s highs and lows. Right now is a high, so I’m running with it.”
“Do you feel different?” I would like to think that if I were dying, my body would tell me.
She shrugs. “Not really. I mean, I’ve felt like this most of my life. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t ill, so this is normal, I guess.”
“I’m sorry, Leia. I’m sorry I wasn’t enough to fix you. To make you healthy.” I can’t hide the tears in my eyes.
“None of that, Royal. It’s a miracle I’m even alive. I probably should have died five times by now, but because of you, I've had so many more years. You live inside of me, little sister, and that is something nobody or nothing can take away from me. Not while I’m alive and not when I'm gone.” Walking around the counter, she takes me in her arms, and for a few intense minutes, we grieve together.
“Okay, enough of this. We’re living for now, and I want to celebrate that with waffles and enough syrup to make me upchuck before we go explore the sea.” Leia’s determination is contagious.
“Is there anything else you want to do after bungee jumping? I can’t believe we’re even doing that,” I groan.
“There is nothing I want more than to witness you getting married, Royal. That is my end-all-be-all bucket list. The one most important thing.”
Beckett
* * *
“You’ve gotta come in eventually,” Brax and I tease the girls as they sit on the boat’s launch pad. We’re far enough away from Laguna Beach that we won’t disturb anyone in the cove, but close enough that if the girls want to go back, it’s no problem.
“Is it cold?” Royal’s eyes follow the fish she can see swimming around me. The water is clear enough today that you can see what’s below the boat.
“It’s warm enough that you’ll be fine in the wet suits you two have on,” Brax replies.
“We should just jump, right? Rip it off like a band-aid,” Leia says, wiggling her hands.
“Is that…?” Royal points, and I look back to see a leopard shark swimming around, inspecting. They’re mostly harmless.
“He won’t hurt you,” I tell her, but she shakes her head. Paddling back to the boat, I grip her knees as her legs dangle over the edge. “You really believe I would ever bring you somewhere that you could get hurt?” She shakes her head, but her eyes don’t move. “Trust me, baby, I’ve got you.”
Her gaze softens as they slide back to mine. “Forever?”
“And ever.” Gripping the back of her neck, I drag her mouth down for a kiss.
“You two are so gross,” Leia mutters, but I hear the longing in her voice. What Royal and I have is something she’ll never partake in, but she’s damn glad her sister will.
“Come on, then,” Braxton calls, and I know what he’s going to do before he grabs Leia’s arms and drags the older sister into the water, making Royal bounce and slip off into my arms.
“Braxton!” they both scream together. The other man just laughs.
Helping the girls put their goggles on and the snorkels in their mouths, we get ourselves ready and take them down into the water.
This isn’t my first time snorkeling Laguna, and I have to say, it’s one of my favorite places to be. The aquatic life is plentiful, and the colors are vibrant. A school of bluefish dart back and forth underneath us and through the coral. Gone as quickly as they arrived.
The leopard shark is now swimming alongside Royal, and while she looks terrified, she’s curious enough to reach out and touch him. She jumps when it startles and swims off. Seconds later, it turns around and falls in with us again.
I can feel her relaxing as I hold her hand. The more we explore, the more carefree she becomes. Leia points out a clownfish that darts in and out of rocks as we pass. A stingray digs into the sand below us, and once it’s settled, he’s out of sight.
Royal’s tight grip on my hand gradually loosens the longer we swim, always staying close to the surface in case Leia needs a break. Scores of fish and coral surround us, and witnessing the girls' excitement at seeing something I’ve always taken for granted is like snorkeling for the first time for me. I never thought I’d feel so free again in my life, but Royal has given that to me. In more ways than I believe I’ll ever truly comprehend.
After getting a few underwater photographs of the girls together, inspecting, being silly, holding hands, we slowly float back to the surface and ride the gentle waves back to the boat.
“That was amazing,” Leia exhales, and the peace emanating from her is palpable. I’ve always believed there was a healing quality to the sea, and she’s proof I’m right. “I’ve never seen anything quite so magnificent.” Her hold around Braxton’s neck tightens as he lifts her onto the diving deck of the boat.
“I’m definitely doing this again,” Royal comments and grins back at me as I help her up the steps, following behind her. As she turns her head to see Leia still sitting on the deck, her feet dangling in the water, a somber look crosses Royal’s delicate features, and I know she’s imagining a time when she won’t get to bring Leia back here.
Draping a towel across her shoulders, I bring her in close to my chest, kissing her temple. “You’re giving this to her now, baby, don’t dwell on what you can’t change.” She sniffles and turns, burying her face into my chest.
“Thank you for being here, Beckett, for helping me give her the life she's always deserved.”
Tilting her chin up with a finger, I brush my lips across hers. “You don’t ever have to thank me, Royal. I’ll always be here. For everything.” Delving in for a deeper kiss, I lick across the seam of her lips, and when her tongue comes to play with mine, I follow along as she retreats.
“Okay, love birds, let’s go.” Braxton chuckles as I hear
the cooler we brought with lunch open and close.
Getting the girls settled, I slowly steer us out of the lagoon and towards Monarch Beach, where they get to swim with dolphins. Brax and I agreed this is something they’ll do together, and we’ll watch on the sidelines. With enough instructors in the pool of the rehabilitation aquarium, I know they’ll be in good hands.
Leia
* * *
Exhaustion weighs heavily on my body as we cruise through the water on the way to the dolphin interaction exhibit. Something I’ve dreamed of doing my entire life. Snorkeling was an out-of-this-world experience I’m so glad I got to do. The prismatic life living under the surface of the ocean is magical.
With the breeze blowing my damp hair around my face, I’m exhilarated, ready for the next adventure. If only my body would continue to cooperate. The fatigue is burdensome right now, so I lean back on the arm of the seat and close my eyes. After eating half the lunch Royal made for everyone before we embarked on our morning, I felt slightly better. But nothing lasts forever.
The heat of a blanket and body next to mine has my eyes opening to tiny slits as Braxton stares down at me, concern in his brooding eyes.
“We can go home,” he offers, and I shake my head.
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” I snort, and his eyes darken further.
“Not funny,” he grumbles.
“But true.” I smile up at him dolefully before looking away and surveying Royal and Beckett. They’re everything I never hoped to want.
The love that man has for my sister is almost painful to watch. His eyes are always fixed on her; his hands search for her when she’s not within reaching distance. His body migrates to Royal before any other.
Beckett Larrabee is precisely the man my little sister never thought she’d deserve. He’s going to breathe new life into the younger version of me and give her the happily ever after I never imagined for myself.
Chapter 7
Royal
“Say Something" by A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
Swimming in a large tank with two dolphins displaced from the ocean was both sad and enchanting. It’s not something I ever thought about doing before, but the pure joy on Leia’s face made it all worth it. They were beautiful creatures filled with such life. Bash and Crash—our dolphins—had such exuberant personalities. Learning that they could never swim freely again because of damage to their fins, making it nearly impossible to outswim a predator, was enlightening. They were found by bystanders near Monarch Beach a couple of years ago. After being assessed, treated, and attempting three releases back into the water, the decision was made to keep them at the rehab center.
As we learned, it’s very rare for them to have human exposure outside of their trainers because the stress of being exposed can kill them. When asked why we were allowed to meet them, we were told that the pair holds a special bond with sick people. I'm unsure if that made Leia feel better or worse, but I understood their explanation after seeing her with them. I observed how the three interacted, and it was truly magnificent.
After we left the aquarium, we drove back to Beckett’s place in peaceful silence. Leia laid down for a few hours because even before we met the dolphins, she was looking exhausted. She swore she only needed a nap, though.
“Are you sure I look okay?” Leia asks again. I’ve never seen my sister so insecure about her attire before, and I think it has a lot to do with the fact that Braxton formally asked her out for tonight.
“You look amazing, sis.” I walk around her as she stares in the mirror. The little blue dress forms to her subtle curves and leaves just enough to the imagination without being too revealing. With matching blue flats and a black and gold shawl, she’s going to grab everyone’s attention tonight.
Biting her lip, I watch my sister contemplate changing again. “I do like this dress,” she whispers.
Picking up the shawl and purse, I open the bedroom door. “Good because Brax’s jaw is about to drop.” Waving my hand for her to walk through, I get to witness the magic in motion.
Leia strides into the living room with the confidence I’ve always noticed in her, and when Beckett nods his head towards us, Brax turns around, and his eyes immediately darken with desire. Leia stops at the intensity in his gaze, forcing Braxton to stride closer to her with a cocksure swagger in his step.
“You look stunning,” he whispers down to my sister as I walk into Beckett’s open arms.
“Don’t be late, kids,” Beck jokes and gets ignored as they walk out the door together. With eyes only for each other, Leia is finally going on her first date.
As soon as the door closes behind them, I turn my face into Beckett, and the tears I’d been holding in all day fall freely. I thought I was handling my emotions okay, but seeing my sister thrive for the first time in her life, despite the inevitable, is becoming harder and harder on my fragile control.
“Hey, don’t cry, Royal. She’s going to be okay.” Except we both know she isn’t.
“I hate it so much. That Leia isn’t going to have a future. It’s not fair.” I feel his arms sweep me off my feet as he walks outside and sits us both on one of the lounge chairs.
Brushing his fingers through my hair, Beckett leans down and kisses along my cheek and neck. “It’s not fair; it’s incredibly painful. But you’re doing everything for her that you can, and that’s all we can do.”
My throat is tight as I nod. Knowing and accepting it are two completely different things, however. Maneuvering around so I’m facing Beckett, I place my legs on either side of his hips. The tulle of my skirt bunches up between us as I lift the edges of my shirt and pull it up and over my head.
“Make love to me, Beck.” My eyes plead with him. I need to feel alive, and he’s the only one who can do that for me.
Leaning forward, his rough hands glide up my back, pulling me closer as his lips nuzzle between my breasts. Nibbling on the flesh as he explores upwards to my collarbone and sucks on the sensitive tendon at my neck where it meets my shoulder.
Dragging my hips closer, I feel his erection throbbing between my legs as his pelvis thrusts upwards. Weaving my hands through his lustrous hair, I hold his head closer to my chest, loving the way he kisses me with such reverence. Beckett squeezes me like he never wants to let me go.
“Please, Beckett,” I beg with the man who holds so much of me in not just his hands but heart. I’ve never felt such acceptance and peace with another human being before.
His fingers gradually slide down my back and around to our front. He dips under my skirt, our lips never breaking apart as I feel him push his shorts down and slide my panties to the side. Instantly his hardness glides through my folds, knowing exactly where it belongs as he fills me up.
“Nice and slow, Royal.” His words buzz against my swollen lips.
With his hands on my hips, Beck helps me find a natural rhythm. Leaning into his chest, my hands drift through his shaggy hair, holding him to me as our mouths tangle in the same cadence as our pelvises.
I shift my hips, grinding down onto him in circles; my breath catches as we move in sync, not looking to race to the finish line. It’s just us finding each other in this emotional storm that’s overtaken everything.
Kissing up Beck's neck and along his jaw, I press my head to his, confessing, “I used to dream about you. Wonder how your touch would feel.” His fingers dig into my hips with his tension. “At night, when I was all alone, I’d slide my fingers between my legs and gently circle my clit until little shocks of pleasure would roll through my body. I never had a name for crying out, so I’d bite my lip and imagine you holding me all night long.”
“Christ, baby.” The words sound torn from his soul as his hips pump up into each downward stroke. “I did the same. I’d picture these perfect plump lips wrapped around my cock, swallowing until I’d come.” My core clenches at his words. “I’d imagine you unable to capture all of my load, so it’d drip out the sides of your mouth, and w
hen you were done cleaning me up, you’d lick any lingering jizz from your lips.”
I can feel my orgasm rolling forward, but it needs a push over the edge. “Tell me more,” I plead with Beckett.
Lifting up the ends of my skirt, he grips my ass firmly with both hands, pushing me up onto my knees so it’s easier for him to drive his throbbing length into me. To command complete control. When I feel my butt cheeks spread, the cool air hitting the tiny ring of muscles, I moan into his neck as I drop my head to his shoulder.
Logically, I know what his actions are leading up to, but when I feel the tip of his finger brush across the sensitive pucker, my gasp of surprise makes him chuckle. “Are you sure you’re ready for more, baby?” I nod against him. “I’d stay up at night sometimes, dreaming of how you’d look bent over, one of these pretty tutus of yours draped across your back and this tiny, tight, alluring asshole peeking out at me. Begging to be fucked hard.”
My body feels like it’s on fire, craving Beck's filthy mouth. “More,” I breathe out, closing my eyes and relaxing my body. Unable to move, I wait for his next words or for him to turn his fantasy into reality.
After swiping his fingertips through our mixed juices, Beckett doesn’t hesitate to work through the ring of muscle, pushing until the digit is all the way in and dragging it out slowly. My body shivers from head to toe.
“I’d picture your hands holding each cheek wide open for me, so I could slip the head of my cock in, and I’d settle there, just like that, stroking the rest of my length. I’d use your sweet pussy nectar to make sliding my hand up and down seamless, and when I was about to blow, I’d pull out just a little, so I could watch as my cum disappeared into your tight hole. And when it was overflowing, it’d slide out, and it would drip down into your golden fucking cunt.”