Long Way Home (20 page)

“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 wanted 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.

“Don’t you dare, Tyler Barnes,” she screamed.

“I already dared,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “And I’m so glad I did.”

Chapter Seventeen

Alexis sat on the edge of Owen’s bed reading him a bedtime story, Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile. When she got to the end where the crocodile was burnt up by the sun, Owen laughed hysterically.

“That’s a silly story.”

“He got what he deserved for trying to eat up those children,” Alexis told him.

“Do baddies always get what they deserve?”

“No,” Alexis said thoughtfully. “And sometimes goodies don’t get what they deserve either.”

“Why not?”

“Because the universe doesn’t recognize fair from unfair. It doesn’t work like that.”

Owen gave her a pensive look. “I like how you talk to me.”

“I have managed to lose most of my Mangrove accent. Thank you, England.”

“No, I mean you answer my questions and sometimes you even use big words. Daddy tells me to go play ball. I don’t like to play ball.”

“Well, I think grown-ups don’t like to think about some of the things you like to think about.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s difficult and most people prefer easy.”

“Do you think the crocodile in the story knows he’s dead?”

Back to his usual thought pattern. Alexis shook her head ruefully. “I really don’t know, Owen.”

“But why don’t you know? Mommy says you think you know everything.”

Alexis smirked and ruffled Owen’s hair. “You might want to steer clear of a career in the CIA.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “Why do you think so much about death, anyway?”

“Don’t know. I guess everything and everyone dies, right? Why not be interested in something that happens to everything and everyone? If I can understand death, then maybe I will understand everything in the whole universe.”

He threw his arms open wide and accidentally smacked Alexis in the face. They both giggled. Impulsively, Alexis reached over and hugged him.