Long Way Home

by Neve Cottrell

  Midway through the song, Tyler lifted his blue eyes from his guitar and met Alexis’s admiring gaze. He carried on singing while keeping his eyes locked on hers. Alexis began to throb in places she’d once assumed would be neglected for the rest of her life. She could see from the bulge in his jeans that the intensity of the moment was having a similar effect on Tyler. He finished the song, still fixated on her, and placed his guitar against the wall without looking away. Alexis reminded herself to breathe.

  “What a beautiful song,” she said, her voice catching.

  “You don’t know it?” he asked, clearly surprised. When she shook her head, he said, “River by Joni Mitchell. One of the all-time greats.”

  “I can see why.”

  “You’re so beautiful, Alexis,” he told her, sliding onto the couch beside her. “It isn’t fair to all the other girls.”

  “Tyler,” she said by way of objection. Her flaming cheeks didn’t escape his notice.

  “I won’t bite,” Tyler said. “Unless you want me to,” he added with a sly grin. Boy, did he want to. He wanted to bite and lick and nibble every inch of her.

  He still smelled like freshly cut grass and Alexis resisted the temptation to caress his chest. “First blindfolds, now biting. Whatever next, Tyler Barnes?”

  Tyler kissed her forehead gingerly before standing up. “Okay, have it your way. Since everything’s packed and ready, we’d better go because if I sit on this couch with you one more minute, I might not be able to control myself.”

  Alexis exhaled deeply before lifting herself off the couch. She understood the sentiment all too well.

  Verde Beach was an isolated spot on the north end of the island that was popular with fishermen. Thanks to conservation laws, the north end remained relatively unspoiled and spotting wildlife was pretty much a guarantee. Algae were commonplace in the shallow part of the water, which was how the beach originally got its name.

  They towed Tyler’s yellow dinghy behind the golf cart and made the twenty-minute trek to the beach.

  “Are there still eagles here?” Alexis asked as they approached the beach.

  “This time of year, especially. When it gets too cold up north, they nest here. One of the most amazing sights on the island. They’re partial to those tall pine trees over there,” he told her, gesturing toward a cluster of trees. “I brought binoculars in case they decide to make an appearance.”

  Alexis was impressed with Tyler’s planning. He came fully prepared with a blanket and a backpack crammed with food, bottles of water, binoculars, and a change of clothes in case they got wet.

  As Tyler rolled out the dinghy and set to work, Alexis took time to admire the surroundings. Verde Beach was so different from other beaches on the island, it seemed to belong someplace else entirely.

  “Shouldn’t we have gone out early if we want to see fish?” she asked.

  “We haven’t come to see fish.”

  “Oh.” Alexis’s interest was piqued.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked. “I packed plenty of food. I thought we could have a picnic on the beach.”

  “What’s the dinghy for then?” she asked.

  He gave her a sidelong glance. “Were you the kind of kid who peeked at your Christmas presents before the big day?”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll be good.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “I didn’t say I want you to be good.”

  She felt that familiar tingle between her legs, the one Tyler seemed to be capable of calling forth with a mere look, and fought the urge to launch herself into his arms. She imagined herself pushing him back onto the sand and straddling him. Her blush grew deeper and she cleared her throat.

  “Shall I spread the legs…I mean, blanket?” She was certain that her entire face was scarlet.

  “Feel free to spread anything you like.”

  “We’ll get a decent sunset here, I would think,” she observed, changing the subject as quickly as humanly possible. She pulled the rolled up blanket from the cart and unfurled it across the sand.

  “We will. We’re far enough to the west of the island to get a good view.”

  It seemed fairly isolated. Looking around, Alexis wondered whether anyone would stumble across them if she decided to do something rash. She was so torn between holding on to Mark and reaching for Tyler with both hands. When she was with him, she felt better about herself, about everything. Her usual bravado was born out of her abilities. Tyler, however, infused her with a confidence unrelated to her intelligence or her work ethic. It was like he’d glimpsed her very essence and declared it worthy.

  “You seem far away,” he commented, unwrapping two sandwiches and handing one to Alexis.

  “I’m getting closer,” she replied with a smile. “Promise.”

  “Closer is a word I like to hear from your lips,” he said before taking a hungry bite of his sandwich.

  “Tuna?” she asked as she scrutinized the sandwich.

  He nodded and swallowed. “My mom’s secret recipe. I can’t tell you what the special ingredient is.”

  “Love?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

  “Are you making fun of my mother?” he asked with mock indignation.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it. I hate to ask, though. Shouldn’t these be shaped like hearts? Did your mom not love you enough to use cookie cutters on your sandwiches?”

  “Now you’ve done it,” he said, tackling her. His sandwich flew to the blanket as he began tickling her. She fell backward on the blanket, laughing so hard she couldn’t keep her eyes open. That wicked laugh of hers was going to be the end of him.

  “And she left the crusts on,” she continued between gasps of laughter. “You were truly neglected.”

  “I like the crust,” he insisted, as his fingers deftly amused her.

  Her side began to ache from laughing so hard. “Truce,” she declared.

  He stopped tickling her and held up his hands in acquiescence. Watching her writhe beneath him as he tickled her had stirred up Tyler’s desire, not that it was ever far from the surface. He craved her like he needed air.

  “You eat,” he said.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “I want to see how cold the water is.” He slipped off his shoes and walked to the water’s edge. The truth was that he needed to cool off. He didn’t want a painful erection to ruin the romantic evening he had planned.

  He waded through the water for a minute, pretending to scout for birds, letting the winter chill of the water work its magic on his manhood. By the time he walked back to the blanket, Alexis had polished off a sandwich and a banana.

  “You were really hungry,” he remarked with a chuckle.

  “I worked up an appetite,” she said.

  For a split second, he thought he caught a look of longing flash across her face and his spirits soared. He ate his sandwiches and chugged down the water, eagerly awaiting the big reveal.

  “There’s another sandwich, if you’re still hungry. I made them small.”

  “I’ll wait.”

  They sat together and admired the sunset until Tyler jumped up without warning.

  “What’s the emergency?” she asked.

  “It’s time,” he announced, rolling the dinghy to the water.

  “We’re going in now?” she questioned him. “It’s getting dark.”

  “That’s the point.”

  She followed him down to the water and removed her shoes.

  “You might want to roll up your pant legs,” he suggested.

  She complied and waded through the water to climb into the boat as Tyler held it steady. He climbed in after her and began to row them over the ripple of waves.

  “Are we going far?” she asked, looking around nervously.

  “No, just far enough.” He rowed them out a reasonable distance and stopped.

  She gave him a curious look. “Tyler, what are you up to?”

  “I’ve always wanted to share this with someone, but
I didn’t want to take just anyone.” He reached down and dipped his hand into the water. As he moved his hand back and forth, the water lit up beneath it.

  “Tyler, that’s amazing,” Alexis exclaimed. She glanced back toward the beach and noticed that the waves now glowed as they rolled into shore. It was incredible. “Can I try?”

  “I hoped you would.”

  She dragged her hand through the water and watched as it glowed. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

  “Bioluminescence,” he told her.

  “It’s like magic,” she said in awe.

  “It’s the algae.” He watched her lean over the boat to move both hands through the water. The movement illuminated the water around her and it looked as though she was surrounded by starlight. Somehow this seemed fitting to Tyler.

  “Magic algae. Who knew?” she said, mesmerized by the beauty of it. “How did I not know about this before? Something else I ignored?”

  He shook his head. “It’s more recent and it’s not all the time. Seems to come and go with certain weather conditions.”

  “I feel like a fairy,” she said.

  “Watch behind the dinghy,” he said and began to row. Alexis turned around and saw the wake lit up as well. “It’s a chemical reaction.”

  “Don’t spoil it with science,” she said, giving him a playful swat.

  “I thought I was the romantic,” he teased.

  “I think anyone would be a romantic out in this,” she said truthfully. “How many women have you impressed with this fantastic display, Mr. Peacock?”

  “I told you,” he said, “I didn’t want to bring just anyone.”

  She stared at him, drinking in his gorgeous face. His blue eyes shone even in the growing darkness. “Tyler, I don’t deserve you.”

  “What do you mean? Why would you not deserve me?”

  She sighed. “I’m not fun and romantic like you. I’m ornery and selfish and a workaholic. I don’t socialize with nice humans. I’m the old woman who sits with her baseball bat and yells at kids to stay off her lawn.”

  “That’s usually an old man.” He smiled and flashed the dimple that made Alexis weak in the knees. Good thing she was sitting down.

  “Sexist.”

  “Well, that’s not the Alexis I’ve seen.” He reached forward and took her hands in his. “I don’t know where you get this image of yourself.”

  “Oh, I don’t know, my family, my colleagues, my boss. The mirror in my room.” She ticked them off on her fingers.

  Slowly, he closed each finger and covered her hand again with his own. “Alexis, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever known. You’re beautiful, you’re smart, you’re funny. I know you think you deserve to wallow in sadness, but you’re wrong.”

  They sat cloaked in darkness now, except for the light that rippled as the waves crashed against the shoreline. Even though they were in a boat in the ocean, the moment felt completely intimate to Alexis.

  “It feels appropriate that I’m sitting in blackness,” she whispered, “because that pretty much sums up my soul.”

  It pained Tyler that she felt this way. He figured the only way to convince her otherwise was to continue to show her how much he loved her.

  “Alexis, you are not the darkness.” He stuck his hand back in the water and swished it around until it blazed with light. “This is the light I saw in you when we were younger and it’s the light I’ve seen in you every day since you walked back into my life. Each time I’ve been here over the years, admiring this miracle, has reminded me of you. That’s why I brought you here tonight.”

  He pulled her across to him and held her tightly against his chest. Alexis closed her eyes when he began to stroke her hair.

  “I don’t know how long I’m going to have your attention, Alexis. I don’t know what your plans are after you leave here, but I’ll tell you one thing, I don’t want you to go back into the world without knowing how I feel about you, not because I want to tell you, but because I think you need to hear it. I have been in love with you since we were sixteen years old. Every woman I’ve been with has paled in comparison and when I dream, I dream of you. Now do you think I’m the kind of man who would waste years of his life loving a soulless, selfish shrew?”

  She wanted to believe he was right, that she was a better person than she believed. He was such an amazing man. He deserved a woman who matched his passion for life and love. Could she possibly be that woman?

  She became acutely aware of his biceps wrapped around her shoulders and the feel of his rock-hard abs pressed against her. Her body certainly wanted her to be that woman.

  “I’m not telling you all this to put pressure on you,” he said in a low voice. “I know you have your issues to work through, but…” He didn’t get to finish the rest of his sentence as her lips locked onto his. He laced his fingers through her hair as she slipped her hand under his shirt to feel the ripple of his muscles.

  “Alexis,” he murmured, kissing the curve of her neck.

  “What?” she whispered.

  “We are probably safer doing this on dry land.”

  “I thought you were all about taking chances,” she teased.

  “Not this kind,” he said, giving her a quick kiss before picking up the oar. As he rowed them back to shore, Alexis had another chance to admire the glowing seascape.

  “Thank you, Tyler,” she said. “I’ll always remember this.”

  “That was the plan,” he said.

  Once they were in shallow water, she climbed out of the dinghy and waded back to the sand. Tyler pulled the boat out of the surf and rolled it back to the golf cart. Alexis made her way back to the blanket, relying on moonlight to direct her. She hadn’t realized how chilly it had become. She’d been sheltered by Tyler and the boat. She felt his arms wrap around her once more and she turned into him. His finger lifted her chin toward him and she felt his lips once more. He sucked gently at her lower lip and Alexis felt pangs of lust shoot down her legs.

  “I’m yours, Alexis,” he said softly. “Whenever you want me, I’m yours.”

  She sank deeper into him, quivering as his hand snaked its way inside of her clothes. He pushed her bra up and over her breasts and gave her nipple a light squeeze between his fingers. Alexis gasped at the sensation of pleasure tinged with pain. For so long, Alexis seemed to feel only pain. For Tyler to show her that pleasure could be found alongside it, Alexis felt heartened. Maybe he was right. Maybe there was hope for her, after all.

  She unzipped his pants and dropped to her knees on the blanket. Tyler had given her so much in such a short time, had loved her unconditionally for so many years. She wanted to show him her appreciation.

  “Alexis, are you sure?”

  She took the length of him in her hand, stoking the fire of his erection. When she gently raked her nails along his inner thigh, his abs contracted and she reveled in the effect she had on him. He groaned in anticipation as her lips swept over the tip.

  “Alexis,” he moaned, his fingers tangled in her hair.

  When she finally took him in her mouth, his heart contracted and he could no longer think straight. In that moment, the only feeling in the world was the sensation of her sweet mouth gliding across his shaft. Desperate to keep himself in check, to prolong the pleasure, he slowed the momentum of his hips and she responded in kind. He opened his eyes to make sure she was really there and it wasn’t simply another of his erotic Alexis dreams. He’d enjoyed so many of them over the years. None of those dreams compared with this moment. The feel of her luscious lips devouring his erection.

  Her hands moved to grip his muscular backside and he began to pump harder, unable to keep the mounting pressure at bay anymore. She dug her nails into his skin as he erupted with the intensity of a thousand dreams of her.

  When she dared to look up at him, hoping she hadn’t made a complete fool of herself, his blue eyes were staring down at her in wonder. His gratified expression told her everything she wante
d to know.

  “Not that I’m complaining, but what did I do to deserve that?” he asked.

  She stood up and raised her lips to meet his. “More than you know.”

  “If I keep doing whatever it is, will you keep doing that?” He engulfed her in his arms and held her tightly. “I must be in the best dream of my life.”

  “Then don’t let me wake you.” She pressed her head against his firm chest. “I want you to be happy.”

  “When you’re with me, how could I be anything else?”

  They stood like that for a few minutes, holding each other, neither willing to shatter the spell they were under until Alexis inadvertently spoiled the moment with a hungry stomach.

  “Sorry,” she whispered, embarrassed by her rumbling belly.

  He chuckled and kissed the top of her head before releasing her. “Was my picnic not enough for you?” he asked as he zipped up his trousers.

  “I guess the sandwich was small,” she admitted, remembering the other tuna sandwich. She peered at the blanket. “The other one must be here somewhere.”

  “Alexis, you are not eating that! It’s been out here for hours.”

  “What? It’s not like it’s hot outside. I’m sure the mayo is fine.” She kneeled down and felt around for the sandwich in the darkness.

  “Hold on,” he said, making his way to the golf cart and turning on the ignition.

  The light from the cart was enough to help them see. Tyler joined her at the blanket and began packing up his belongings.

  “Do not eat that,” he said, gesturing to the sandwich in her triumphant hand. “Let me take you to my house and feed you properly.”

  She narrowed her gaze, suspicious of his motives. “Only if feeding me properly isn’t a euphemism for something sexual.”

  He snaked an arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck. “You’re in charge. If you’ve had your fill of Cock à la Tyler, then real food it is.”

  She elbowed him playfully. “Was that the best dish you could come up with?”

  “Hey,” he said teasingly, “it’s a delicacy here on the island.”

  “So you’re saying your cock is like truffles.”

  Without warning, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the water as she squealed in protest.