The Achilles Heel (26 page)

We smothered each other with our lips, while broken sentences tried to escape. I guess
we had both thought about each other a lot over the last few days.

“Baby! I’m so sorry! God, I missed you! I haven’t stopped thinking about you!”

I’m not sure who said what, but I knew I didn’t want to let go of him.

“Stay with me, Kessler. Take me inside,” I whispered, as he was already carrying me
to my front door, his entire face filled by his smile.

We stumbled through the doorway, hands and lips heavy on the other, when he stopped
and pulled away.

“Wait, stop. Annie, I have to tell you something; I lied to you. My name is Kessler
Carlisle, and I’m a country music singer, and if you’ll just let me explain….”

“Shhh,” I breathed, putting my finger to his lips. “I know.”

“You know?” he said, sounding ashamed. “How?”

“Leslie clued me in on your little secret; it’s okay. I’m not mad, but I don’t really
want to talk about that right now. In fact, I don’t want to talk at all,” I emphasized.
“Now how’s that country song go? Something about things getting hotter after the sun
sets. Is that right?”

“Yeah, that’s about right.” Kessler chuckled, smiling so big that his dimples were
the size of nickels.

“Well, it’s the middle of the afternoon here, and we’re about to make a liar out of
that song.” I slid my fingertips inside the waist of his shorts, making an involuntary
gasp escape his lips, as I turned and led him into the bedroom.

The concepts of space and measured time seemed to blur over the remaining daylight
hours. I couldn’t tell where my body started and his body stopped; a mass of sticky,
wet flesh, pulling each other as close as physically possible, but still trying to
get closer. His erection was painfully hard; I thought it might burst just by looking
at it. I straddled his thighs, taking in every inch of him, filling my insides with
this beautiful man. I slowly leaned back, stretching his manhood out and bringing
him to a sitting position, whispering, “Yesss, Annie, yesss baby,” as he lightly rolled
my nipples between his fingers, stopping only to kiss them. We slowed the pace from
NASCAR to a Sunday drive, wanting to make this last as long as possible; neither one
of us wanting to climax yet.

He fancied watching us in the mirror on the wall as I sat on his lap, with my back
against his chest. As ecstasy shut down my brain, I had to remind myself to breathe.
Until now, I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed being close to a man; his intoxicating
smell, rough hands on my skin, and the feeling in my heart when our eyes connected.

“I can’t wait any longer, Annie. I need to be inside of you,” he whispered into my
ear as he kissed my neck and stroked my ass with his free hand.

I liked seeing him feel out of control; more so, I liked that I was the one driving
him there.

Turning around to face him, my fingers jammed into his thick hair, we kissed furiously
as he slid inside me, and filled his hands with my breasts. When my eyes rolled backwards
and orgasmic electricity suffocated my insides, I lost the ability to focus on anything
other than extreme pleasure.

“Don’t stop!” I blurted out as my fingernails dug into his chest, and Kessler wasn’t
far behind me. The sounds we made at climax aren’t describable, but yes, it was that
good.

The unmistakable smell of sex clung to the bed as the sheets lay tousled across the
footboard. I laid my head on his throbbing chest, enjoying the moment and catching
my breath, our legs completely entangled like a human braid.

“Holy shit, that was amazing!” he gushed, turning to look at my face.

As I started to agree, uncontrollable laughter came out instead. I sat up in an attempt
to make it stop, but it just doubled me over, and I laughed even harder.

“Damn, that’s never a good reaction,” he uttered, sounding concerned.

“I’m so sorry! I don’t know why I’m laughing. It’s just that I don’t remembering feeling
this good and this light and God, yes, it was perfect!” I assured him, cupping his
face in my hands and softly kissing his lips. “Let’s do it again.”

We lay in bed, exploring each other under the sheets, softly and unguarded; free falling
into one another.

The sun had long set when we finally rolled out of bed, both of us delightfully disgusting.
While taking a hot shower, it dawned on me that I had spent the last few hours naked
in the bright light of the sun shining through my windows, and never once had I worried
about my physical appearance concerning Kessler. I wasn’t an unfortunate looking person,
but I wasn’t twenty-two anymore either. Nothing about my body was perfect, and tiny
wrinkles had already started their march across my face. Only now, alone in the shower,
did it cross my mind.

He’s one of the good ones.
I let all my superficial worries go, but as soon as I did, a new set popped up.

The reality of my situation‌—‌that in fact, I was also a liar‌—‌came rushing over
me faster than the water from the showerhead. I needed to fully let him into my life,
show all my cards and let him decide if he wanted to stay. I hoped he would forgive
as easily as I did, because after today, it would break my heart if he decided to
go.

“Kess?” I called out, wrapping up in my robe.

I found him sitting at the kitchen table, looking at the Pelican Case, and I knew
there was no turning back now.

“Hey, baby,” he said, as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me onto his lap.

He smelled of Old Spice, which I loved‌—‌a manly man’s deodorant, and his hair was
still damp from his shower. This was such a perfect moment I was about to ruin; my
new lover who made me feel like a teenage girl when he called me baby, sitting in
his lap with his arms around me, both of us fresh from our first sex-capade.

“I’m sorry about snooping, but it was lying on the table. Why would you have a case
like this?” he asked as he turned it around in his hands, inspecting the craftsmanship
of the box. “Isn’t this the kind of gear used by the military?” he asked curiously
but unassuming.

“Kessler, I’ve got some confessions of my own and I want to be totally honest with
you; no secrets. Okay?”

He nodded, looking paranoid, like he was ready to jump ship.

I took him through the days after Jack died, telling him about the key that Robert
Graville had given me, about unlocking the box I had dug out of my basement, the pictures
of the flag‌—‌which was the reason I was in St. Croix‌—‌and the case and its contents
I had pulled out of the ocean‌—‌which was the reason I was staying.

“Are you okay so far?” I asked, praying to God that he didn’t bolt for the door.

“I’m speechless, and I don’t really know what to say. Is there more?” he asked, I’m
sure hoping I would say no.

“I’m afraid so, but just a little bit,” I told him.

“Okay, then I’m gonna need a beer. Want one?” he offered.

“Yes, please,” I said, walking over and kissing his shirtless back as he pulled two
bottles out of the fridge.

At this point, I was worried it was all too much for him to absorb, which must have
showed in my demeanor, because he put his arms around me, stroked my hair, and said,
“I’m still here, Annie, and I’m not going anywhere. Don’t look so worried. I’m just
taking it all in.” He finished his beer in three remarkable gulps and said, “Okay,
I’m ready. Go.”

“Really, the only other part I haven’t mentioned is that I think my brother-in-law
has it out for me; to harm me. Oh, and I got a little over two million dollars after
Jack died, so don’t worry about me wanting to spend your money. I’ve got that covered,”
I quickly said, trying to make a little joke.

“
What?
You’re brother-in-law? Are you serious? Why?” he asked, almost choking on his words.

“I’m not sure.” I sighed. “The only reason I can come up with is the insurance money.
Jack changed the Will leaving me the only beneficiary, then suddenly and suspiciously
dies three months later. I think it really pissed Jamie off, getting blindsided and
totally cut out, but I can’t be sure. That’s why I had to find out if there was another
box, another piece of the puzzle. So I came to St. Croix and the first day here, I
met this cowboy and after a very short time, began falling in love with him.”

He took my hands and wrapped them around his waist. “First of all, I don’t care about
the money, Annie. I wanted to find someone who loved me for who I am, not what I have,
and I did; that’s why I came back. When I first saw you sitting on your balcony, all
I could do was tip my hat. I felt like such an idiot that I didn’t have the balls
to even say hello, and you can bet your ass that Wade rubbed it in all night! This
doesn’t happen to me‌—‌the way I feel when I’m with you‌—‌and everything you’ve told
me so far, it doesn’t scare me away from you. It’s totally messed up and certainly
troubling, but it’s not gonna make me leave this island without you,” he said, as
he smoothed the hair away from my face and looked hard into my eyes. “Now get your
shit, only the important stuff, ‘cause we’re staying at my house from now on. You
can come back over to grab more clothes, but not alone. From here on out, it’s me
and you.”

“Kessler, you don’t have to do this; take on my life and completely disrupt yours.
I mean, please don’t feel obligated to move me into your house.”

“This is who I am, baby, and even though I’m gonna sound like a complete pussy, I’ve
been waiting for you for so long. Waiting for a woman that I would fly two thousand
miles on a moment’s notice for. Yes, you have completely disrupted my life because
I’ve finally found you. I’m in love with you, Annie, and I just can’t see why I shouldn’t
go to the ends of the earth to keep you safe. Me and you, baby,” he whispered, as
he wiped the tears off my cheek and held my hand over his heart.

ANNIE

K
essler cleaned out a few of the drawers in his bedroom and bathroom so I’d have a
place to put my clothes and personal belongings.

“I want you to feel at home here, so whatever you need just let me know, but first
let me show you something in the basement,” he said, as he led me down a flight of
stairs carrying my Pelican Case for me. The marble was cold on my bare feet and chills
ran up my legs.

We walked down a narrow hallway and through a heavy door that made a suction sound
when opened. He turned on the light, and I was surrounded by racks and racks of mahogany
shelves filled with wine.

“This is beautiful, but I thought you didn’t like wine,” I remembered.

“I don’t, but I had it built when I bought the house and thought that celebrities
are supposed to have wine cellars. I’ve come a long way.” He smiled, shaking his head.
“This isn’t even what I wanted to show you.” He pushed on one of the walls, and it
popped open. “This is.”

He punched in a code and the door of the safe unlocked. “You can use this for whatever
you need and the code is 1492. Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred
and ninety-two. Can you remember that?” he asked.

“Yeah, I think I learned that around the fourth grade,” I teased him.

“Well, me too, and that’s why I use this code for everything. We’ll lock up your case
tonight and work on it tomorrow. Now, can we please go to bed? You wore me out today,
and this morning I woke up in Nashville. I’m exhausted, but really looking forward
to falling asleep with you next to me,” he said as he kissed me, and we headed back
upstairs.

I slipped into one of the hundreds of LSU T-shirts he owns. “Oh, my, gawd, that’s
sexy!” he cheered, smiling ear to ear. Pulling the covers back for me, he patted the
empty side of the bed, “Get on in here, baby.”

I snuggled down into the feather bed mattress and found my nook in his arm as my ear
rested on his bare chest. I listened to his heart beating and was warm inside and
out, until I realized I had one secret left.

Don’t do it! Don’t sabotage another perfect moment with bullshit from the past.

But I promised him total honesty, and I was all about keeping my word.

“Kessler,” I whispered, my voice barely squeaking out his name.

“Yeah, baby,” he answered, kissing my forehead and letting out a comfortable sigh.

“I have one more confession.”

“Uh-oh. How is that even possible?” he asked.

“Well, I don’t know if I should even mention it. I mean, we just got together, and
I don’t want you to think I’m insinuating or expecting anything, and it’s just something
that hasn’t come up, but…” I rambled, sounding like an imbecile.

“Annie,” he cut me off.

“I feel like I should tell you I’ve had two miscarriages.” He sat up, propping himself
on an elbow. “And I don’t think I can have kids. I’m sorry if this is presumptuous,
but we said no secrets, and if you still want kids, then I’m probably not the girl
for you because I can’t give you any,” I said looking down at the sheets, too scared
to look in his eyes. I might have just changed everything.

He lifted my chin up until I had nowhere else to look but into his eyes and said,
“I’m so sorry that happened to you. It must have been awful, but I want
you,
Annie, and if down the road we want to talk about kids, then let’s talk. Right now,
I couldn’t be happier. Me and you, baby,” he affirmed, gently kissing me on the lips.

I laid there in the dark not wanting this wonderful day to end, but feeling grateful
for the way the events of the day had unfolded. For the first time in a long time,
I thanked God.

***

The sweet smell of breakfast wafted into the bedroom where I was still sleeping at
ten in the morning. Kessler whistled a tune I didn’t recognize, but I figured country
music was about to be a huge part of my life, so I started paying attention.

“Kess, this looks like the breakfast buffet at the Ritz Carlton. You’ve totally out-done
yourself here. Thank you, honey!”

“Hey, darlin’! How’d you sleep?” he asked, kissing my forehead, not waiting for an
answer. “I know, I got a little nuts, but when I woke up this morning, I felt so good
and you weren’t up yet.” He put his arms around my waist and lifted me off the ground,
sitting me on the island, spatula still in his hand. “I didn’t want to disturb you
but needed to focus my energy on something, so I started making breakfast‌—‌which
by the way, is a lot more fun to do when you aren’t just cooking for yourself. But
now that you’re up‌—‌and sitting on the kitchen counter with my LSU shirt on‌—‌all
I want to do is take it off you.” His voice faded into a whisper.