by Jayne Rylon
“That was incredible,” Banks said as Archer introduced him.
Waiting for Kahori to thank each of his friends for their lavish praise nearly killed Tosin. But when she worked down the line and finally stood in front of him, he couldn’t find the words to tell her how much of an impact her performance had made on him.
“Wow,” he breathed as she looked up at him expectantly. “Is there anything you suck at?”
She tipped her head back and laughed, drawing appreciative stares from every man within hearing range. “Plenty of things.”
“Yeah, like what?” He couldn’t help himself. He reached out and encircled her wrist with his fingers, rubbing the light marks left by her fiery apparatus. If only they were rope marks instead…
“For starters, I wish I’d given you a better kiss earlier.” She bit her lip as soon as the confession escaped, as if she hadn’t meant to say it aloud.
“I’ll give you a do-over.” He leaned in, his mouth parting of its own accord.
“Come eat, Kahori,” her dad shouted at her. “You must be hungry.”
They sprang apart as if busted doing a hell of a lot more than flirting.
After the initial shock wore off, she amazed Tosin by smiling—slow and wide—then holding out her hand to him. “He has no idea how famished I am.”
Tosin licked his lips. “Same here.”
Seven
Endorphins released by dancing had clearly made Kahori high.
It was the only reason she could come up with to explain the outrageous remarks she’d made to Tosin. No matter how many times she chastised herself, reminded herself of the dangers, he teased out her inner sex kitten. Hell, she hadn’t even known she had an inner sex kitten before him.
Stupidly, she kept on indulging the riskiest and most vulnerable aspects of her personality. Yet she couldn’t help but want to meet that part of her she’d never before unleashed.
Though Tosin had acted like a perfect gentleman while they ate, praising the cooks as he devoured his meal, all she could see was the way he followed local customs by sucking the rich juices off his fingers one-by-one in compliment and the lingering hunger in his eyes, which food alone couldn’t satisfy.
Despite the undercurrents, she found him remarkably easy to talk to. Him and his friends. Female companions who were more interested in their careers than immediately raising families were rare in Aitutaki. It was refreshing to have people to talk to who could understand her ambitions.
Knowing that one day, hopefully, Waverly would wear a ring Kahori’d made as a symbol of the woman’s partnership with Archer felt rewarding. Kahori had put so much into that piece, it thrilled her to know it had found a worthy home. The evening topped her list of favorite festivals. Memories she’d already made would last long after they’d sailed away again.
For including her in his inner circle, she intended to thank Tosin properly. Plus, make sure she never forgot the way he made her feel simply by being nearby. If his attention alone could make butterflies riot in her belly, what would his passion do?
Melt her completely.
Gathering every scrap of courage she could muster, Kahori drew a deep breath and asked, “Would you like to take a walk? There’s a spot not too far from here I’d love to show you.”
He stood so fast he drew the attention of several of the village elders, including her father.
Damn!
Banks came to their rescue. “Miguel, Sabine, I think we’d better talk to the council about the algae grow operation before it gets too much later, don’t you think? I wouldn’t want any of them to leave before they can hear us out, and maybe take a vote.”
Genius. Pure, utter, legendary genius.
Tosin murmured, “Thank you.”
Before anyone could stop them, Kahori grabbed his hand then half-dragged him toward the lagoon so they could enjoy the view as they walked along its shore. It was easily Aitutaki’s best feature. Land only accounted for about six and a half square miles of the atoll. It was comprised of the main mass and fourteen other uninhabited islets—little more than blobs of sand and palms, really—called motus around the perimeter. One of those held her uncle’s private resort, complete with overwater cabanas and a single spectacular honeymooners’ suite. The remaining fifteen or so square miles within the barrier reef consisted of placid, crystal clear water rife with sea creatures.
She didn’t have to tug much before Tosin got the idea. They ran over the soft, warm sand with their fingers laced together. By the time they’d reached the placid surface of the trapped sea, a fit of giggles had assaulted them both.
It may not have been a daring escape, but they’d evaded her father’s grasp.
Tosin drew her close to his side, his fingers running along the length of one of her necklaces, then murmured, “You know, I’ve been all over the world. Still, I’ve never seen a place full of as much beauty as this one.”
She might have thought he meant the turquoise water, or the sugary beaches, or the pristine environment, or even the postcard-esque line of palm trees along the deserted stretch of tropical paradise if he hadn’t been staring into her eyes.
When he slouched, angling his face toward hers, she shook her head. “Not here.”
Sure enough, when she glanced over her shoulder, Hemi and his father, Kimo, monitored her interactions with the papa’a from their spots around the council’s table.
Tosin nodded, then followed her silently, wandering into the shallows as if he loved the silky feel of the saltwater against his skin as much as she did. Beyond him, on the northwest side of the main island, she could see the impressive boat she knew he’d come from. It was a beautiful one the likes of which they didn’t see often around here.
“So you’re really a divemaster on that cruise ship?” She’d heard the whispers of the other women backstage tonight, many of them hoping to convince him to guide them on a midnight adventure. During dinner, he’d let Sabine and Waverly talk about themselves and what they did onboard, without insisting on bragging about his own accomplishments. His humble silence had impressed her more than if he’d boasted, but it left her wondering more about him.
“Sort of.” Even in the starlight she could see his throat flex as he swallowed. “It’s complicated. It didn’t used to be. Archer, Miguel, and I traveled all over the world. Diving for a living, visiting new places, and partying with pretty women. That was kind of our thing for a decade.”
“It’s not anymore?” she wondered.
“Well, you see, Archer sort of inherited six or seven billion dollars. But who’s counting?” Tosin laughed, though his humor seemed tinged with disbelief. “He put most of it in a trust for charity stuff. Banks runs—”
“Wait. Banks. Archer. As in Archer Quartermaine. Founder of the Banks Foundation. That Banks?” Kahori stopped dead in her tracks. Why hadn’t she put it together before now?
Because they seemed so damn normal, and the name on the card he’d given her hadn’t been Quartermaine. That’s why.
“Uh oh.” Tosin grimaced. “I hadn’t expected you’d have heard of us. Can we forget I said all that and go back to where we were before?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I can’t erase my memory like that. But it doesn’t really change how I think of you. We are who we are. You’re still the guy who brought me flowers. And the guy who nearly crashed into my booth when he first saw me. A divemaster on a really sweet ship. The rest…eh. Not as important.”
“Did I mention that I don’t just work there? Archer sort of gave Miguel and me each a one-third share in the Divemaster Project, including the boat itself.”
“That must make you…”
Tosin nodded. “Rich. I guess. If I ever planned to sell, which I don’t. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of. A life where I do what I love forever and help make other people happy along the way. I’m the luckiest bastard ever. Doubly so because I’m here, spending this time with you.”
Well, that whole “who you
are isn’t important” thing might not be true after all.
Okay…it was a Big Fat Lie.
Because now she realized clinging to this man for more than tonight would be utterly impossible.
When she didn’t reply to that, he tried to lighten the mood some.
Tosin shook his head ruefully, “So you noticed my graceful entrance that day, huh?”
She appreciated the effort. There’d be time to mourn what she could never keep later, when she’d lost it. Right now, she should enjoy.
“I took it as a compliment.” She squeezed his hand as she spotted the shadow of her landmark rock up ahead. “Why don’t we see if I can show you something that will live up to the incredible sights you must have seen so far on your journey around the world, huh?”
“I’m sure you can, Kahori.” He kissed her knuckles then followed her into the crevice between two giant slabs of basalt. It was narrow enough that they had to go single file, at least for a while.
“Are you sure we don’t need some sort of lantern?” Tosin asked, sounding unsure after they’d shuffled a couple dozen feet into the cave entrance. “Sharks, eels, sting rays, whatever…underwater stuff never freaks me out. But I’m man enough to admit that if a bat swoops down in my face, you’re going to have to give me mouth-to-mouth after I faint.”
“Doesn’t sound so bad to me.” She patted his hand. “Just a little bit farther.”
By the time they’d rounded the last bend in the tunnel she knew by heart, a faint light had already began to pulse around them.
“Is that my eyes?” he asked, rubbing his free hand over them.
“Nope. Glowworms.”
“Seriously?” Tosin walked a little faster. “I hear water, too. The tide is out right now so that should be okay, right?”
“Yep.” It thrilled her that he was so in touch with nature, a quality she could appreciate. “It’s safe for a couple more hours. This entire passageway floods at high tide, though.”
“Holy shit, wait until I tell Miguel and Archer about this.” His enthusiasm energized her further.
But when they passed through the stone archway into the main cavern, his excitement turned to astonishment.
Kahori didn’t blame him. It was fairly large, big enough to fit several cottages inside. Stalactites and stalagmites speared throughout like snaggleteeth. Illuminated by the glowworms on the ceiling, they took on hues from navy to teal. On the backside of the cave a waterfall tumbled gently from the ceiling, causing rings that extended out into the otherwise mirror-like surface of the subterranean pool. A stream ran out the other side to rejoin the ocean beyond. Not many living people knew about her secret place—potentially only her and Tosin—but the walls were covered with prehistoric paintings that bonded her to her ancestors, rooting her to a place she hadn’t always felt secure in.
Especially after her mother had run off with a tourist when Kahori was a toddler. She supposed she couldn’t blame her father for mistrusting Tosin, given the way he’d been betrayed by the love of his life. Kahori was all he had left. Another reason nothing serious could come of her time with Tosin.
Instead, she vowed to enjoy each minute he was there and interested in her to the fullest.
“Is it okay to swim here?” he asked her in a hushed, reverent whisper.
Kahori nodded then began to strip off her clothes. Why hedge? She didn’t get the feeling that Tosin would object to nudity. She was about to find out if her impression was correct.
“Fuck yes. You’re gorgeous, Kahori.” His accent made her name sound special as he ditched his shirt and then his shorts. Bare beneath, he definitely didn’t have any qualms about displaying his body to her. Or probably the world.
And why should he? His near-perfect form made her wish she was a sculptor instead of a jeweler. She’d pay particular attention to the distinct lines than ran from his hips to his groin and those that separated his washboard abs. And of course to his impressive cock.
“So are you.”
“Show me where it’s safe.” He held out his hand to her, not afraid to let her lead. She imagined he was used to doing this for his own clients, but he didn’t flinch when she navigated the craggy floor.
Kahori took him to the water’s edge and beyond. Until her toes no longer touched bottom. She floated on her back, kicking lazily toward the waterfall as she observed the twinkling overhead.
Joining her, Tosin swam alongside her. Quiet for a while, he broke the silence to read her thoughts. “They look like constellations.”
“I love looking at the stars,” she admitted. “Especially here—they’re so bright. When I was traveling to cities, it always made me sad to realize how little those people can see of the world and what’s around us. Our people used the stars to find their way across oceans, but there…I was lost.”
“Maybe you just needed a better guide.” Tosin couldn’t possibly know how true that statement was. Thankfully, it seemed like he was about to show her the way.
Eight
A few moments later, they reached the far side of the cavern. When it became shallow enough, Tosin stood and tugged Kahori to him. She didn’t resist, wrapping her legs around his hips. His hands fit perfectly over her ass, holding her close as he captured her mouth.
He covered her lips with his then, swallowing her soft moan as he kissed her thoroughly enough to curl her toes where they treaded through the water.
Kahori savored her first true kiss, from this man or any other. Her prior interactions hadn’t been this affectionate, or as intimate. A sad but true statement on her lack of love life. Instead of dwelling on it, she snatched the opportunity she had now to indulge all the whimsical and romantic fantasies she’d entertained throughout the years.
With the cave sparkling around them and him filling her with equally glittery feelings, she lost herself in their exchange. Making out with him, she lost all sense of time or place. All she knew was the brush of their mouths, and tongues, against each other.
Tosin never let her slip, though eventually he did stride forward until she could perch on one of the stones that had been worn smooth by millennia of erosion.
Before Kahori had grown accustomed to the pure bliss he imparted with his lips and teeth, along with the rub of their torsos against each other, he’d moved on to the curve of her neck. A sharp nip followed by the wet heat of his lick caused her to cry out and cling to his shoulders in an attempt at grounding herself against the onslaught of pleasure.
“Easy,” he crooned before wandering lower still to cup her breasts. He weighed and plumped them in his hands, accustoming her to his touch, before taking the tight tip of one into his mouth and flicking his tongue over it. Only when he’d damn near driven her mad with lust did he begin to suck on it, igniting her as easily as the sparks had kindled her poi earlier.
Cool water splashed across her skin, helping salve the blistering heat his touch left behind.
And still it shocked her, just how much more pleasurable it was when he kissed a meandering path across her stomach to her mound. The first contact of his mouth on her pussy had her spine arching impossibly. The position only granted him better access to her core.
She spread her legs without bothering to fight him, herself, or the inevitable course of events.
With a groan, he accepted her unspoken invitation. Tosin buried his face in her folds and devoured her slickness. He used his tongue to work her open then inserted one of his long fingers into her body. She clamped down on it, hugging it tight within her.
It felt better than anything she’d ever done to herself, and nothing at all like the pain she’d experienced the last time she’d let a man near her when she was this defenseless.
The bliss Tosin imparted left no room to think about her regrets.
Kahori concentrated on the waves of rapture washing over her along with the stream of the waterfall, which caressed her every place Tosin couldn’t reach while otherwise occupied.
It didn’t take long
before her shouts threatened to crumble the rock walls. Unexpectedly, a strong orgasm hit her. She shuddered and quaked in his arms. His name echoed off the stone and filled the space with proof of her ecstasy.
He chuckled against her body, the amusement sending shockwaves through her sensitized flesh. The softest of tugs on her clit rejuvenated her pleasure, astounding her even as it thrilled her.
Tosin wrecked her. He brought her up and over the peak into climax time and time again until she was utterly boneless and gasping for air. “Mercy.”
He lifted his head, smiling as he gathered her in his arms and lowered her into the warm, soothing water so he could place an almost chaste kiss on the corner of her gaping mouth. “Sorry, I got a little carried away. You taste so fucking sweet, and sound even better. It felt amazing when you came on my hand, too. I could never get enough of that. But I’d like to try.”
His frank speech set off aftershocks that rattled her to her bones. What was she doing? She was so out of her league with him. Too late, she realized that she might have swum too far out to sea to make it back to shore.
A rookie mistake. One she might not survive.
This had been foolish. And she would pay the price.
Because now that she knew what she was missing, she would never be happy with life the way it had been. Not ever again. She’d destroyed her own haven as surely as the strongest typhoon slamming into the island could have.
The best she could hope for was to make it worth it.
It would help to know she hadn’t only taken from him, but had given a part of herself as well.