Her Forever Fling

by Kimmie Ferrell

  “Two options?” Melissa frowned. “Raw and cooked? Hot and cold?”

  “No. On land…” Elijah placed his hands on her shoulder and turned her to face the water.

  Melissa gasped. Nestled in a cluster of palm trees, tropical flora, and other plants stood a dozen thatched-roof huts, with wraparound porches, along the jet-black sand. A wooden path, lined on each side with tiki lanterns, led to the brightly colored front doors of the huts. Melissa read about Palauan Bay Restaurant, where guests cooked their own food over a fire pit in the center of each hut and had made plans to visit with Jayla.

  Excited, she clapped her hands together. “Okay, what’s the second option?”

  Elijah pointed to a large crane Melissa hadn’t noticed. “In the air.”

  When Elijah asked Jorge for dining suggestions earlier in the afternoon, the man gave him a list of restaurants he knew would surely impress Melissa this evening. All were elegant dining establishments, four and five-star restaurants with breathtaking views of the island or situated not far from the beach. And since he was a GOTC, Jorge mentioned Elijah would receive the red carpet treatment no matter what. It hadn’t taken Elijah long to choose a place for them to eat.

  The Palauan Bay Restaurant was one of the island’s premier and exclusive restaurants. “Tables” or huts were usually booked six weeks in advance, with the cancellation waitlist three times longer. Elijah had expressed this to Jorge, telling him the story about how two years ago, he’d tried to get a table there only to be turned away. But Jorge wasn’t deterred by this information. He’d pulled out his cell phone, and a brief conversation later, he’d secured a reservation at 8:15 for Elijah and his guest, with the option to dine over a hundred feet in the air at the restaurant’s newest—temporary—attraction, Dining Amongst the Stars.

  Now, as he waited for Melissa to say something, anything, Elijah wondered if the need to help her be a little adventurous was too much too soon. “Melissa?” He touched her hand, feeling it quiver within his own. “Talk to me.”

  “You’re joking, right?” she asked, her voice shaking. “Y-You have to be. You have to be kidding. I can’t do that.”

  Elijah wrapped his arms around Melissa, feeling her body tremble with fear against his. She had yet to look at him. Her expressive brown eyes were wide, shimmering with unshed tears, and her gaze trained on the platform with twenty-two chairs attached to a large crane at the edge of the beach.

  He stepped in front of her, blocking her view. “Melissa, look at me.” When she did, Elijah smiled, cupping her face in his hands. “When I asked you to trust me, I meant in all matters that count. I understand the thought of being hoisted close to two hundred feet in the air is unnerving. It’s why I said you have two dining options.”

  “You’re not going to make me go up there?”

  Elijah lifted a brow. Once again, he found himself wondering about the men in her past. It hadn’t been lost on him that Melissa never responded to his quip about him reminding her of the man who broke her heart. And make no mistakes about it, she’d definitely suffered heartbreak. He’d noticed the pain that flashed in her eyes when he asked if she had a boyfriend. Some asshole hurt this woman, and the mere thought of Melissa crying over some dude who wasn’t worth a damn angered Elijah. He wanted to press her on the topic, but Elijah knew there were layers to Nurse Melissa Gaines, and like an onion, it would take time for him to peel them all back. Having to put in work to get a woman to open up to him was foreign to Elijah. In the past, he would’ve balked at the idea, considering it a waste of time. But Melissa was different, and damn him if he didn’t want to know why. “Sweetheart, I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.” He sighed deeply. A part of him regretted his decision to bring Melissa here. Maybe dinner suspended above the beach and the water was too ambitious, but anyone could have dinner at a restaurant. How many people could tell their friends they dined in the sky? Not many people; the unique experience was the reason behind Elijah choosing the Palauan Bay Restaurant for dinner. He wanted to take Melissa out of her comfort zone, open her eyes, allow her to see life in different hues, ones outside the colors she’d grown accustomed to living within.

  “But?” Melissa hedged.

  “But nothing. I know dining in the sky is a bit unorthodox—”

  “You think?” Melissa groaned, rolling her eyes.

  Elijah chuckled, lightly stroking his hands along the small of her back. He leaned forward, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. “It is, and I know it. However, I did mention we weren’t going to play it safe.” Elijah shrugged as if the statement alone solved all the problems Melissa had with eating a meal two hundred feet in the air.

  She looked over Elijah’s shoulder toward the crane again. “I guess now is as good of a time as it’ll ever be to tell you I’m deathly afraid of heights. I took a sleeping pill before we boarded the plane so I could sleep through the flight.”

  “Wow. Well,” Elijah pretended to pet his pockets. He removed his wallet, opened it, and rifled through it, frowning as he looked at her. “I think I left the melatonin gummies I carry around in my other wallet.”

  Melissa held out her hand as her laughter rang out in the night’s air. “Sir, now you might as well hand over your comedic microphone and those dreams because that joke didn’t work well.”

  His eyes grew wide, and his jaw slackened with the realization behind his words. “Now that you mentioned it, it really doesn’t.” Elijah shook his head. “That joke was all sorts of wrong.” The last thing he needed was for Melissa to think he went around handing out sleeping supplements to his dates. He didn’t.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Melissa frowned. “Just plain wrong, but I guess I can give you a pass. It was the first bad joke you said today.” She paused briefly. “Unless you want to add your suggestion of dinner in the sky to the list.”

  “Nope, not at all.” Elijah tightened his arms around Melissa and smiled, nodding his head toward the contraption. “How about this? If you accept my challenge and go through with this dinner, I’ll definitely make it worth your while.”

  Both of Melissa’s eyebrows shot up near her hairline. “Really? And how do you plan to do that, Dr. Grayson?”

  Elijah bit back a groan. He hadn’t meant his offer to show Melissa something worthwhile to sound so … sexual. Elijah only wanted to coax Melissa into agreeing to dine amongst the stars. In return, he planned to take her on an adventure most tourists—and natives—of Chaud could only dream of embarking upon a private tour of the Crystal Caverns along with a swim in the natural grotto. However, something in the way Melissa called him Dr. Grayson threatened to unravel Elijah at the seams. Maybe it was how she’d all but whispered his name in a breathless, seductive tone, or how her eyelashes kissed the tops of her cheeks, though he could see her eyes were still open. Whatever it was, it forced every single innocent thought to the darkest corners of his mind, vaguely reminding him he told Melissa he would take things at whatever speed she set. It also forced Elijah to throw the promise—and his common sense—out the window.

  The grin he sported only moments ago slipped from his lips. Elijah stepped closer, inhaling the tantalizing aroma of Melissa’s perfume—a soft and feminine fragrance with notes of chocolate, peaches, and floral hints—and fixed his hungry gaze on her slightly parted lips. It was torture not to take Melissa in his arms and feast on her supple mouth, to test their softness, and make them yield under the power of his kisses.

  “Sweetheart,” Elijah started, his voice dipping lower. He glided his fingers over the exposed skin of her arm, causing her to tremble under the gentle caress. “You’re going to get yourself into some trouble you’re not quite ready for if you call me Dr. Grayson again.”

  With a gasp, her whiskey-colored orbs inflated like Macy’s Day balloons. Melissa opened and closed her mouth several times but said nothing.

  Elijah chuckled quietly, stepping away from Melissa. “So, do we have a deal, beautiful?”

  Melissa
hesitated briefly, then gave him a quick nod.

  Elijah, along with the twenty other diners, a safety lead, chef, and two other workers, all noticed Melissa’s trembling as they were strapped into their seats and were hoisted one-hundred-eighty-five feet in the air. She spent the entire ride up with her eyes closed and her hands clutching her seat. But once the table was in position, and after the first two rounds of shots—courtesy of a couple celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary—Melissa began to relax. Halfway through their four-course meal, she loosened up considerably. He reveled in Melissa’s wide-eyed wonderment, enjoyed her ear-to-ear smile when their eyes connected, and the silly dancing she’d done in her chair with each bite of her food.

  Almost three hours later, as Elijah ushered Melissa through the resort’s sweeping doors and into the bustling lobby, he couldn’t wipe the silly grin plastered on his face off. It had been etched on his lips since Melissa agreed to go through with Dining Amongst the Stars. Despite seeing the fear and uncertainty in her expressive brown eyes after he mentioned it, a glimmer of excitement twinkling within her orbs. It made the short celebration Elijah partook in when he grabbed Melissa into his arms and spun her around, her delighted squeals filling the air, well worth the stares coming from the patrons of both restaurants.

  The night had been perfect—the dinner, the company, and the conversations. Everything went better than Elijah could’ve planned, and now that the evening was nearing its completion, he didn’t want it to end. Maybe he could suggest they get a drink at Ambrosia or even a walk on the beach. But before Elijah could fix his mouth to ask, Melissa stopped walking and faced him.

  “I really had a great time this evening, Elijah.”

  “Oh, you did?” Elijah raised an eyebrow. “Even having dinner hundreds of feet in the air, with your legs dangling and the wind whipping through your hair?”

  Melissa smacked her teeth together and rolled her eyes heavenward. “Are you really asking me this? You know I did.”

  “I do, but you can’t fault a guy for wanting to hear those special words. ‘Oh, Elijah,’” his voice rose several octaves and took on a heavy Southern accent, “‘I had such a fantastic time with you tonight. Dinner was perfect. You are perfect. How did I ever get so lucky? Pinch me, I swear this is a dream.’”

  “I do not sound like that!”

  “Yes, you do, but it’s okay. I told you I love your accent.” He took her hand in his and started toward the elevators. “C’mon, it’s getting late. Lemme get you to your room so you can be well-rested for tomorrow.”

  Although Melissa had yet to comprise the full list Elijah asked for, she’d given him five activities, including horseback riding on a beach, scuba diving, visiting the island’s only nude beach, getting a tattoo, and visiting the Crystal Caverns—which topped her list. He’d told her to think outside of the box, and to most people—including himself—her requests were on the safe side. Still, Elijah planned to incorporate some once-in-a-lifetime activities he knew were sure to help Melissa step out of her comfort zone and create memories neither would ever forget.

  She stopped abruptly, her eyes widening as she glanced around the lobby. “You don’t have to, Elijah. I think I can make it up there alone. Besides, I’m sure you’re ready to get back to your room and relax after running around the island with me.”

  “Honestly, it’s nothing.” Elijah glanced over at Melissa and noticed the panic-stricken expression on her face, the trepidation in her eyes. She chewed on her lower lip. Her eyes scanned the lobby, almost looking for a way out. Apparently, Melissa wasn’t yet comfortable enough with him walking her back to her room. However, he knew better than to push, although not seeing Melissa safely to her door felt like the most ungentlemanly thing he could ever do.

  Elijah was raised to do things like pulling out chairs, holding doors open, paying for meals, picking up a date and dropping them off at their door, and other life lessons his parents—and godparents—drilled into him, Patrick, and AJ. If anyone found out he hadn’t seen his date to her door, he would never hear the end of it, but as he’d maintained all evening, Melissa ran the show.

  “Normally, I’d insist on walking you to your door to ensure you made it safely.” When she opened her mouth to respond, he placed a silencing finger on her lips. “But I won’t. You’re setting the pace, Melissa. If every date ends in the lobby, fine. Call me when you get to your room. I’m staying in the Noir Suite. The front desk can connect you.” They stopped in front of the elevator bay. “So, I guess this is goodnight.”

  “Yeah, I guess it is,” Melissa said, barely above a whisper.

  Yet, neither of them made a move to leave. Elijah wrapped his arms around her waist, closing the gap between them. His eyes locked on her mouth. He couldn’t pull his gaze away if someone threatened him to do so. Each time she worried her lower lip with her teeth, he wanted to pull it between his own and gnaw on it until she begged him to take her, kiss Melissa until her knees turned to jelly. With the hunger burning brightly in her hooded eyes—and the way she’d melted in his arms, her breasts crushed against his chest—Elijah knew if he kissed Melissa, he wouldn’t want to stop until he had her naked and writhing in pleasure beneath him. If things worked out the way he planned, it would be sooner rather than later.

  Reluctantly, he released her. Elijah cleared his throat. “I, uh, have some activities lined up for us tomorrow based on the list you gave me, as well as some suggestions from the staff.”

  “Really?” A gorgeous smile tilted her lips, and Elijah swore his heart knocked against his chest. “I can’t wait. What time should I be ready?”

  “The answer depends on whether you’re okay with meeting me for breakfast or not.”

  “Well,” she said after a few seconds, “a girl has to eat. Let’s meet at nine.”

  Elijah tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned forward, placing a lingering kiss on her cheek. “Sounds perfect. Goodnight, beautiful. Sweet dreams.”

  Melissa stepped onto the elevator and turned to face him. Long, curly lashes kissed the tops of her cheeks as she ran the tip of her tongue over her lips. “Good night, Dr. Grayson. Sleep well.”

  As the doors slid closed, sleep was the last thing on Elijah’s mind.

  Chapter Six

  The next day, as they cruised along the island’s east side, with the top down, Melissa asked Elijah, “So, how much trouble did you and your friends get into when you were younger?”

  “I don’t think there’re enough hours in the day for me to list everything we did.”

  Twisting in the passenger seat to face him, she pulled her black printed sunglasses down to the tip of her nose. She arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Wow, so you’re really going to avoid the question?”

  “I’m not avoiding the question, so much as saying it’s a lot. I don’t want to bore you with the details.” Elijah glanced over to Melissa before focusing his attention back on the road with the makings of a smile on his face.

  When Elijah expressed his interest in exploring the island without depending on a driver, he hadn’t expected the Alpine white 2021 BMW Z4 M40i to be delivered. But as Jorge reminded him, the car was another luxury perk of being a GOTC. While he waited for Melissa to meet him back in the lobby after breakfast, Elijah wondered if the car was too flashy. He’d thought about asking Jorge to arrange for other means of transportation, but the decision was taken out of his hands when Melissa bounced through the doors and over to where he stood with Jorge. Her eyes had slowly scanned the car before they slid over to him. “Good thing it’s not expected to rain today,” she said as she sauntered over to the passenger side of the vehicle. “Because we’re definitely riding with the top down.”

  “Hmph! Sir, I don’t know if you know this or not, but I’m a cardiac nurse, and you’re a cardiothoracic surgeon. Boring is pretty much my first, middle, and last name.”

  Removing one hand off the wheel, Elijah stuck it out in Melissa’s direction. “Nice to meet
you, Nurse Boring Boring Boring. My name is Dr. Boring Boring Boring. No relation, of course.”

  Melissa accepted his hand. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Boring.” She threw her head back, releasing a loud, belly-shaking laugh from deep within her diaphragm.

  Elijah found himself momentarily transfixed by the melodic sound. It filled his ears and seemed to echo in the soft breeze as he maneuvered the car along the winding road. Melissa laughed plenty of times that morning over breakfast. They’d even shared a few jokes during the thirty-minute guided, private tour of the Crystal Caverns, an underground, awe-inspiring cavern adorned with centuries-old stalactite, stalagmite, and speleothems of limestone and crystals, and naturally heated hot springs. Each time Melissa’s laughter rang out, he couldn’t help but smile. He enjoyed its sound and secretly vowed to hear it even more during their time together.

  “But seriously, Elijah, I told you about ‘The Shenanigans of Mel and Jay.’ I think it’s only fitting you tell me about ‘The Mis-Adventures of AJ, Pat, and El.”

  “Wow.” Elijah looked at Melissa. “You actually made a name up for us? It sounds like a television show.” He shook his head. “I don’t know if you’re ready to hear about how bad we were.”

  “So tell me, Dr. Grayson, how bad were you?”

  Her voice dropped to a sultry whisper, and Elijah shifted in his seat at the sudden heat flooding his body. She’d done it again; called him Dr. Grayson. Elijah warned her last night that calling him Dr. Grayson would get her into trouble. He hadn’t forgotten she’d done so before the doors of the elevator closed. But it seemed, Melissa enjoyed pushing the envelope. His lack of reaction to her saying Dr. Grayson didn’t mean he didn’t want to…that he hadn’t felt the hardening of his erection in his pants. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to think of anything other than his body’s reaction. Elijah chuckled. “We were pretty bad. More like hellraisers and jokesters. If we weren’t interrupting the teachers cracking jokes, joanin’ on our classmates, we were playing practical jokes on one another, which usually disrupted the class. I can’t even recall the number of times we got suspended over the years, but it was a lot. I remember one time the three of us got detention and had to stay after school. Patrick had something confiscated, and the teacher locked the item in her drawer. Since I knew a thing or two about picking locks—”