Her Forever Fling

by Kimmie Ferrell

  “Wait! You picked locks?”

  “Among other illegal things.” Elijah shrugged. “Some offenses were harmless, while others, such as knowing how to hotwire a car, could’ve gotten me locked up for a very long time.”

  “I can’t believe this. Thee Dr. Elijah Grayson, also known as Mr. EKG, or as Jayla has taken to calling you, Dr. Heart-Stoppa-Panty-Droppa himself was a bad boy?” Melissa tossed her head back against the headrest, brought one hand to her neck to clutch an invisible strand of pearls while resting the other against her forehead. “Oh, the horror. Oh, the insanity. What will become of the world now?”

  “Ha, ha, ha. So, not only does the lady dabble in comedy, but she’s also leading the nominations for Best Actress in a Romantic Comedy.” Out of the corner of his eye, Elijah noticed the shy smile on her glossed lips. And damn if he didn’t want to somehow capture that moment and store the memory in his head to revisit after their time together on the island ended. Or, you could keep in touch with Melissa, an inner voice said. Why end something that barely has a beginning?

  If only it were that simple. Elijah had no idea what Melissa wanted—if anything—past their week together. It would be wise not to get his hopes up, only to be let down in the end because the more he thought about it, the more Elijah wanted to have Melissa in his life. Whether that meant as a friend or otherwise, he didn’t know. Maybe he was going about it all wrong. If his goal for Melissa was to create memories that would last her a lifetime, then Elijah should think the same. And if their together concluded at the end of the week, at least they’d always have Chaud.

  When Melissa didn’t question his choice in movie genres because their meeting had all the makings of a romantic comedy, Elijah said, “Just know that when you were with AJ, Patrick, and myself, you were guaranteed to have a good time.”

  “I bet.”

  Melissa settled back in her chair, and Elijah couldn’t help but observe her as much as he could while driving. She’d pushed her sunglasses back up her face, and while Elijah was unsure if she’d closed her eyes or not, something told him despite her rested state, she was taking in their surroundings. On one side of the winding road were rolling hills and mountain-like terrain covered in emerald blades of grass, towering trees, and brightly colored flowers. But it was the spectacular views on the other side that more than likely had Melissa spellbound. The pristine waters of the Caribbean Sea extended out for miles, kissing the shores of jet-black sand and the cloudless blue sky of the horizon.

  A comfortable silence filled the air between them. Elijah thought about their next adventure. The morning was packed with activities geared toward them relaxing, but Elijah had different plans for their afternoon together. After they toured the Crystal Caverns, Elijah arranged for them to take a swim in one of the natural hot springs. While swimming in the springs was strictly prohibited, special permission could be granted to specific individuals, and with his GOTC status, Elijah and Melissa made the cut.

  Being allowed to swim in the “healing” waters of the cavern opened up the can of worms Elijah had prepared himself to encounter. It didn’t surprised him Melissa researched the caverns and knew what it signified for them to be able to check this item off the Island Bucket List they’d created. So, without preamble, he told Melissa of his own GOTC status and that he’d recently met the Royal Family without breaching doctor/patient confidentiality.

  “Tell me more about your family.”

  So deep in his own thoughts, Melissa’s question surprised him. “What would you like to know?”

  She shrugged. “Something Google doesn’t know.”

  “Oh, so you’re admitting to searching me on Google?” Elijah tossed Melissa a wry smirk. “What did you find out?”

  “Whatever, Elijah. You don’t know how to be humble, do you?”

  “Excuse you, Nurse Gaines, I wrote the book on being humble. You didn’t know? It reached number one on the New York Times, USA Today, and the Publishers Weekly Best Sellers Lists. I even heard there’s a class being taught on it at Princeton and Yale.” He winked, and Melissa groaned.

  “But seriously.” Melissa pulled her glasses off and perched them at the top of her head. Shifting in her seat to face him, she gave Elijah her undivided attention.

  He swallowed hard and tried to focus on the road ahead of them, but his mouth watered at the sight of the smooth, toned brown skin of her thigh peeking beneath in the printed floral shorts she’d changed into after their Reiki session. Melissa was stunning. All morning long, Elijah couldn’t keep his eyes off her. She’d worn a flowy, spaghetti-strapped sundress with sandals displaying her white-tipped pedicured toes. He hadn’t been the only person mesmerized. Guys openly checked Melissa out, one going as far as to whistle when they walked past. Elijah had half a mind to punch the guy in the face. Instead, he’d glanced over his shoulder, making sure to look the guy dead in the eye, and tightened his hold on Melissa’s hand.

  “Elijah, you’re stalling.”

  “Fine. To understand my best friends and me, you have to understand the dynamic. I grew up with both parents, while Patrick only had his mother since he didn’t know his dad, and AJ only had his father. His mother died during childbirth with him. Our parents all tried their best to raise us. My mother was a doctor, one who’d been shunned from her traditional Filipino family after she’d admitted to dating a Black man.”

  “That’s terrible. I can never imagine my parents disowning me or my brother based on who we loved. I’m sorry for the pain she endured.”

  “I’m sure it was difficult for her to adjust, given how close she was to her family, especially her siblings. But Dr. Tala Grayson is a survivor. She was more than smitten with my father, and although he’d been stationed in her hometown in Hawaii, it hadn’t mattered to her. My parents traveled the world together, thanks to his job in the military. They moved to DC when he got a job at the Pentagon, and when he retired, they decided to stay. The decision was made for them once my mother learned her grandfather purchased a home in the District for her to have upon his passing. By this time, AJ, Patrick, and I were inseparable. So when my parents, along with their respective parents, thought it was best to keep us together, it only made sense.”

  “Is that why you all moved into the convert triplex?”

  “Yep.” Elijah nodded, smiling. He didn’t think Melissa remembered the detail he’d mentioned in passing but was thoroughly surprised she had. “They’d done so because we spent so much time together, but also felt it was easier to raise a village when the tribe was under one roof, compared to scattered around Washington, D.C.”

  “That makes sense, given the difficulties encountered in single parents—mainly single mothers—raising young, Black boys. Living together not only strengthened the bond you all shared but also provided extra support when needed.”

  “It really did work out for us. We were molded and shaped into the men we are today thanks to their guidance. I contribute this to my mom.” Thinking about his mother’s decision, which changed the trajectory of his life, he smiled to himself. “She sorta reminds me of you with that explosive attitude jam-packed in a bite-sized package.”

  “Bite-sized?” Melissa asked incredulously. She swatted at Elijah, popping him on the shoulder. “I’m five-five. There is nothing ‘bite-sized’ about me.”

  Elijah made a left into a parking lot. After finding a spot near the door, he killed the engine and turned in his seat to face Melissa. His eyes trailed appreciatively over her body, settling on her full breasts in the black, off-the-shoulder shirt, to her perfectly shaped lips covered in red, finally to her doe-shaped eyes. He licked his lips. “Hmm … you’re absolutely right, Nurse Gaines.”

  Without allowing Melissa time to ponder his statement, Elijah removed the keys from the ignition, stepped out of the car, and walked around to the passenger’s side. He opened the door, extended his hand, and helped her out. “I hope you’re ready for what I have planned for us this afternoon, sweetheart, becaus
e it’s guaranteed to sweep you off your feet.”

  Melissa took one look at the water and backed away. “Absolutely not!” she yelled, shaking her head from side to side.

  “Melissa, wait.”

  “Nope. Nah. No way, no how. I don’t think so because Melissa Serenity Gaines don’t play that. Have you lost your mind?”

  “Sweetheart, I—”

  “Don’t you ‘sweetheart’ me, Elijah Grayson. Because I already know the answer to that question.” She tapped a finger to her temple. “You done lost all your marbles.”

  Elijah laughed, and Melissa shot him a dirty look. Of course the good doctor found humor in this situation. If Jayla didn’t know with whom Melissa was with, she’d think Elijah was trying to kill her. Hell, even with Jayla knowing they were together, it hadn’t deterred him from choosing near-death experiencing activities.

  The day before, after a relaxing Reiki session in a tranquil oasis, Elijah drove her back across the island where they partook in some water sports. She learned about his competitive nature and penchant for trash-talking during their jet-ski races. And also found out how much of a sore loser he was when Melissa beat him once because he’d thought he would win all three races. She had been floored by Elijah’s patience, as he repeated specific directions to her while teaching her to surf.

  But all that ‘fun in the sun’ stuffed changed when Elijah directed them over to the dock, where a boat awaited them. Melissa hadn’t complained much when she climbed into the speedboat and strapped on the life jacket, ready to explore wherever the driver planned to take them. However, Melissa still didn’t know how Elijah tricked—or coaxed—her into strapping herself next to him, in a seat that detached from the rest of the boat. But she had, and as Melissa anxiously awaited the boat to pick up speed, knowing she would slowly ascend to heights unknown once it did, she’d all but cursed Elijah to hell and back again. However, the reward for once again facing her fears was like a scene out of a romantic movie. With one arm wrapped protectively around her, their hands joined, and her head resting on Elijah’s shoulder, they watched the sunset dip into the horizon while soaring high over Clover Bay.

  Elijah wrapped his arms around her, bringing her body flush against his. “Do you remember our conversation from the other night? The one where I asked you to trust me?”

  “Yes, but this is—”

  “The same thing,” Elijah finished for her. “The location and the activity may have changed, but I still need your trust.”

  “I trust you,” Melissa pouted. Her gaze traveled behind Elijah. “What I don’t trust are those … those things!” She backed out of his embrace. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what God was thinking when He created something so adorably cute and smart.”

  “Well,” Elijah popped the collar of his shirt, “he did create me, so maybe that can give you some insight into His thought process.”

  Melissa rolled her eyes heavenward. “You’re joking, Elijah, but I’m serious. I don’t like dolphins. I’m terrified of them.” The longer Melissa stared at the creatures splashing around in the roped-off area, the faster her heart began racing. She placed a hand to her stomach as it lurched forward in her throat. The remnants of the lunch they’d shared on the private yacht to their current location threatened to make a reappearance.

  He cupped her chin gently, bringing her eyes to his. His lips held a soft smile. Melissa’s heart played hopscotch in her chest. “I would never do anything to hurt you or put you in harm’s way, you know that, right?”

  “I know,” Melissa mumbled. She had no idea why, but since they turned the corner after their disastrous meeting, it was a whole lot easier to open herself to him. Nevertheless, Melissa still felt a little skittish. The last thing she needed to do was allow herself to fall in love with a man who only wanted to have a good time, and falling for the charms of Dr. Elijah Grayson wouldn’t be hard. In fact, Melissa believed if she allowed herself the opportunity, she would be halfway head over heels in love with the man already. But the way her heart was set up, Melissa refused to allow herself to tumble over the deep end. Still, Elijah was intelligent, funny, kind, and thoughtful. The more time Melissa spent with him, learning about his childhood, his upbringing, and his goals and aspirations in life, the more intrigued she found herself. When they weren’t together, Elijah wasn’t too far from her thoughts.

  Yesterday afternoon, after their water sports adventure, Elijah walked Melissa to her suite. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. All of her earlier reservations about him knowing where her room was dissipated, and Melissa hadn’t wanted their time together to come to an end. Unfortunately, Elijah made previous plans to attend dinner with the Royal Family, and although he offered to put in a call to have her invited, Melissa had plans of her own. After her phone interview, she received a request for a face-to-face interview with a staff member from the hospital where she applied. It went well, but if Elijah kept her doing these extreme adventures, like the one that faced her now, Melissa believed she wouldn’t even make it to the first day at the new job; if she got it.

  “We don’t have to swim with the dolphins. There are other things for us to do here.”

  “I…” Melissa exhaled a noisy breath. “I don’t know. I feel like if I don’t do this, it’s somehow letting you down or disappointing you, and for some reason, that makes me feel terrible.”

  Elijah took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers together. “But you shouldn’t. If anything, I should be the one feeling terrible. I had no idea you were afraid of dolphins. If I knew, I never would’ve arranged for us to do this.” He brushed a kiss against her forehead. “As for you thinking you’ve disappointed me, far from it. I know we only met five days ago, but I’m proud of you. We’ve done some crazy stuff together, most of which took you out of your comfort zone. I’m just happy you gave me this opportunity to spend time with you because I like you.”

  “I like you, too, Elijah,” Melissa said. She glanced away, unable to withstand the intensity in his eyes, and smiled. Hearing his admission sent a rush of something warm and sweet coursing through her body and kicked her pulse up a notch. She didn’t want to dwell on what their mutual attraction meant for them since they would be leaving soon, but Melissa couldn’t ignore the hope that blossomed in her chest at the possibility of them extending their time together beyond tomorrow’s good-byes. Melissa closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. Once she opened them, her gaze connected with Elijah’s.

  He raised an eyebrow in question. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours, beautiful?”

  Heat flooded her cheeks at his compliment. “Stop trying to sweet talk me, Dr. Grayson. Dang, I already decided I’ll go over and, at least, meet the killer sea beasts.”

  Elijah laughed. “Not killer sea beasts. They’re harmless.”

  Melissa pursed her lips together, eyes narrowed. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

  Three hours after agreeing to introduce herself to the trainers, Franklin and Stephanie, and the dolphins—Finn, Glory, Summer, and Kisame—which meant “demon shark” in Japanese, Melissa hadn’t wanted to leave. It took her a while to warm up to the creatures, especially since it was as if they smelled her fear and all decided to be a lot more playful than usual, according to their trainers. Back in her room now, Melissa realized that in the end, it was an experience she would never forget. She was thankful for Elijah, his quiet, reassuring strength, his patience, and most of all, his presence. He had an uncanny way of knowing the right thing to say or do to pull Melissa out of her own thoughts and back to the present.

  She prayed she could keep her growing feelings intact for a few more hours because once the night was over and the good-byes were exchanged, Melissa could remember the details of their time together with vivid clarity and not with a broken heart.

  “Melly?”

  Melissa jumped at the sound of her name being called. She’d been dressing for the night’s festivities—drinking and dancing with
Elijah, Jayla, and the mysterious Jae at Ambrosia.

  “Hey.” She turned to face Jayla. Her eyes swept over her best friend in a silent assessment. “Damn, Jay, you looking good!”

  Melissa barely saw Jayla the entire time they were on the island. And when she did, it was like they were two ships passing in the night. Most times, Jayla was coming back into the suite after spending the night with Jae while Melissa was heading out to meet Elijah. They hadn’t gotten a chance to really talk and bond on what could be their last vacation together for a long time. But if it meant her not meeting Dr. Elijah Grayson, she would do it all again in a heartbeat. There was no denying fate played a part in their meeting and who was Melissa to deny Jayla the chance to de-stress before the move.

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” Jayla said, popping her lips together.

  Usually, the sound grated on Melissa’s last nerve, but Melissa could only laugh at her best friend as Jayla stooped low and twerked her butt in a circle like Megan Thee Stallion, showing off her own pair of industrial-strength knees.

  “I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun with a guy.”

  Melissa quirked a questioning brow. “So, are you saying things can go further with you and Jae?” She held her breath in anticipation of Jayla’s response, and sure enough, it was true to Jayla form.

  “Oh, hell naw!” Jayla frowned, shaking her head. “Melly, I know you believe in happily ever after, but, sis, all I believe in is ‘happily orgasms right after’. I’m not looking for anything after I leave here, and thankfully for me, Jae isn’t either.”