Keeping Secrets (The Castaways Series Book 3)

by Alexa Land

  Finally, he told me to hold on to the edge of the table, and my cock twitched as I quickly complied. By the time he put on a condom, I was shaking and absolutely desperate to feel him inside me. He mounted me with one long push, then slid almost all the way out and back in a few times to open me up. A loud moan tumbled from me, but I was too far gone to feel embarrassed by it.

  His thrusts into me became faster and harder over the next few minutes, until he was pounding my ass. It was intense and wild and absolutely perfect, and I gripped the edge of the coffee table as best as I could with my bound wrists and moaned as I rocked back to try to take him even deeper.

  I was riding along on bliss and pure pleasure when he abruptly let go of my hips and slid his cock out of me. I blurted something like, “No, no, no, come back!” When I glanced over my shoulder, I was shocked to see him toss aside his shirt, then unbutton his waistband and step out of his pants and shoes, so he was as naked as I was.

  He picked me up and flipped me around in his arms as if I weighed nothing. My legs circled his hips automatically, and I draped my arms over his shoulders, so my bound wrists were at the nape of his neck. He carried me to the fireplace, pushed my back against the wall beside it, and drove his cock into me again as I held his gaze.

  In all our time together, he’d never once done anything like this. It wasn’t just that we were both naked, and we’d been face-to-face before. But those things combined with the fact that I wasn’t tied to anything made it brand new.

  Some things remained the same, though. He was absolutely in control, and I was still bound, more or less. I was happy about that and really didn’t want those things to change, but this unexpected variation was exciting.

  I supported some of my weight by wrapping my legs around him as he went back to pounding my ass. Then he reached between us and started jerking me off hard and fast. I held off as long as I could, and when he said, “Now, Beck,” a huge orgasm pulsated through me in waves. I clutched him as I cried out, and moments later, he came too. His body shook as he held on to me, and his breath was warm against my ear. He made the most wonderful sounds, almost of relief as he pushed himself into me.

  When it was over, I kept holding on to Lee for quite a while as he stroked my hair and spoke to me reassuringly, in English this time. I was vaguely aware of him untying me and cleaning me up, throwing away the condom, and gathering our things. He handed me the pillows and picked me up. Then we rode the elevator, and he carried me down the hall and let us into our room.

  I remained sort of fuzzy and unfocused for a few more minutes while he tucked me in and got ready for bed. When he joined me under the covers, I whispered, “Holy shit.”

  He chuckled and said, “I’ve always loved the fact that you turn to jelly after sex.”

  “It’s your fault for making me come that hard.” He kissed my shoulder, and I murmured, “I wasn’t expecting you to switch things up the way you did tonight.”

  “Did you like it?”

  “I did. What prompted the change?”

  “I just don’t want to be so rigid during sex.” I flashed him a goofy smile, and he chuckled and said, “You know what I mean. And yes, I do realize I was still calling the shots and you were still tied up, so I wasn’t exactly breaking the mold. But I’m trying, Beck.”

  “I know, and I appreciate it.”

  He played with my hair idly, and after a while, he said, “I loved being a part of your world today. It meant everything to temporarily forget my troubles and spend time with you and your family in this beautiful place. I wish I could stay here forever.”

  “Why can’t you?”

  His eyes searched mine in the semi-darkness. “Maybe I can, someday. First though, I need to clean up the huge mess my life has become and figure out a way to—”

  He stopped talking abruptly, and I asked, “A way to what?”

  Lee broke my gaze and muttered, “Stay alive.”

  6

  The next day started wonderfully. Lee and I slept in, then went downstairs to the kitchen, which Gabriel and Tracy had been kind enough to deep-clean following the buffalo incident. We cooked a delicious brunch together, and after we ate, we visited with Ren and Colt for a couple of hours while sipping coffee in the courtyard.

  But in the early afternoon, my Aunt Angela arrived with her son Frankie, who was a college student and a pretty nice guy. They actually didn’t treat me like a total pariah, so that would have been great except for one thing: they brought my grandmother along.

  Ren’s mother was an ice queen, no two ways about it. She’d never really welcomed me to the family in the first place, so it had been all too easy to disown me after my ex-boyfriend stole from her and I naïvely believed he was innocent. And apparently, she held a grudge like nobody’s business. When I said hello, she acted as if I hadn’t even spoken and swept past me into the hotel lobby.

  Ren said, “I’m so sorry, Beck. I had hoped asking them to come to the ranch would help bring the family together.”

  I got up from the table, and Lee stood up too and put his arm around my shoulders. “It’s not your fault,” I told my uncle. “I think I’m going to get out of here for a while. I really don’t feel like dealing with her scorn.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Ren said. “Dante’s going to be arriving soon though, and we’re planning to talk business this afternoon. Don’t you want to be a part of that?”

  Nothing ever came from those meetings. It was just a lot of time spent sitting around going, ‘I don’t understand why we can’t get this place to turn a profit’, followed by Dante throwing out a bunch of ideas that we’d already tried with no success. Besides, I’d turned down Ren’s offer to make me a co-owner of the ranch, so what was the point of me being there? I told him thanks but no thanks.

  I took Lee’s hand, and as we crossed the courtyard he said, “I generally make a point of not yelling at little old ladies, but it was pretty tough to hold back just now.”

  “She’s not worth getting upset over.” We’d been heading toward the fleet of golf carts, and I asked, “What time are you planning to head to the mainland?”

  “Around six-thirty.”

  “Are you taking the ferry?”

  “Actually, Rus arranged a helicopter for me.”

  I asked, “Speaking of your cousin, what’s he doing today?”

  “He flew to L.A. this morning to do some recon for tonight’s meeting. He’s coming back with the helicopter though, and he won’t leave my side before, during, or after the meeting, so you have nothing to worry about there.”

  “In that case, do you want to go somewhere?”

  “Sure. Want to head into town?”

  “Actually, I have another idea. Let me shoot a friend a quick message to see what he’s up to.” After I sent a text, I asked Lee, “How do you feel about horseback riding?”

  He tried to keep his expression neutral, but he still looked a bit panicked as he said, “I really don’t want to do that. Ever.”

  I smiled and said, “Noted.” My phone beeped in my hand, and after I read the message I told him, “My friend Sage is a graduate student at a marine lab on the other side of the island, and he just wrote back to tell me he has some time today. It’s a pretty interesting place, and I haven’t seen him for a while because he’s been busy with his research project. Would you like to go visit him?”

  “Sure, but does it take a long time to reach the other side of the island?”

  I shook my head. “The widest part of Catalina is only eight miles across, and from here, it’s less than four miles. We could take ATVs if you want. They’re a lot of fun.”

  When he agreed, I messaged Sage to say we’d see him soon. Then we circled back to the main building, packed a picnic for three, and grabbed sunglasses and jackets. Once we reached the four-wheelers, which were parked near the stables, I asked him, “Do you want to take one or two? They’re a blast to drive, but be forewarned: whoever’s second in line is going to get pre
tty dusty.”

  “One. Definitely.”

  “Okay. Would you like to drive?”

  “As much as I want to say yes, I think it’s best to defer to your expertise, since I’ve never even seen one of these things before.”

  I secured our lunch in the utility basket, and then we both donned helmets and climbed onboard the vehicle. It was basically a chunky motorcycle with four fat tires, and Lee seemed a bit concerned as he wrapped his arms around me. “Hold on tight,” I said. “And if you need me to slow down, just let me know.” My tone was slightly teasing. He rolled his eyes, but he was grinning.

  I fired up the engine, and we pulled away slowly, to avoid spooking the horses that were in a nearby corral. Then we climbed over the hill and descended into the island’s interior. It was a gorgeous day. The sky was clear and impossibly blue, and a gentle breeze stirred the yellow wildflowers that blanketed the open land to either side of us. Small, brown lizards darted off the road up ahead, and after a few minutes, we passed a group of bison, which were grazing peacefully in a little valley. It was fun to open up the engine and fly along the paths that crisscrossed the island, but it was so beautiful and peaceful out there that I decided to take it easy, so we could savor it.

  Eventually, we reached the far side of Catalina. The marine lab was located on the edge of a rocky cliff, above a small cove. It was co-owned by two universities, and because it hosted a lot of school groups, it was fronted by an impressive, modern-looking visitor center. Lee murmured, “This is a lot fancier than I was expecting.”

  “This isn’t even the good part. The really interesting stuff happens behind the scenes.”

  After I parked, we deposited our helmets in the catch-all at the back of the ATV, and I put on a baseball cap and grabbed the picnic basket. I fired off a text as Lee paused to examine an enormous skeleton of a blue whale, which was immediately to the right of the main entrance. Not ten seconds later, Sage rushed through the automatic doors and nearly tackled me in a hug as he exclaimed, “I missed you!”

  “I missed you, too! You look gorgeous, as usual.” Sage had been one of the first people I’d met when I moved to Catalina, and I just adored him. He was a strikingly handsome African-American guy with wondrous, lush curls that almost reached his shoulders and beautiful gray eyes, but he seemed totally unaware of how attractive he was, so I liked to remind him.

  “You lie. I look exhausted.” Even though he was my age, he was usually so serious that he seemed older. I’d made it my mission to try to get him to have fun and loosen up a bit, but I’d been failing lately, since he’d been overwhelmed with the research he was completing for his PhD.

  I introduced my friend to Lee, and they shook hands and exchanged greetings. As we went into the building, Sage told me, “I’m sorry I blew you off the last few times you called and tried to make plans. Actually, I just did the same thing to Vee this past weekend.”

  “It’s okay. We know you’ve been busy.”

  Lee indicated a nearby restroom and excused himself. As soon as he was out of earshot, Sage turned to me and said, “Okay, your boyfriend is gorgeous.”

  I grinned at that. “Thanks. I think so, too.”

  “Is he Greek? I love his accent.” I nodded, and he said, “How did I not even know you were seeing someone? I feel like I’m totally out of the loop.”

  “I hadn’t told anyone about him until this past weekend,” I said. “What about you? Any hot dates I should know about?”

  He frowned and shook his head. “I’m still trying to get over the fact that your uncle has a boyfriend now, and that this guy’s actually younger than I am. I used to think Ren never gave me a second look because of my age, but then he and Colt got together! That guy can’t be more than twenty-two.”

  “He’s actually twenty-one.”

  Sage sighed. “I’m not gonna lie. I had it bad for your uncle, and I’m pretty upset that he’s off the market.”

  “Is that why you haven’t been to the ranch in weeks?”

  “No, it’s because my research has basically all gone to hell, and I’ve been scrambling to salvage something out of three years’ worth of work. But let’s not talk about that now, because it’s depressing.”

  When Lee returned, Sage gave us a tour of the visitor center. The lights were dim to make it easier to view the creatures in over two dozen aquariums, which were spread out amid interactive displays. Then he led us to a covered patio at the side of the building, overlooking the ocean.

  Since we had yet to see another person, I asked, “Where is everyone?”

  “Gone for spring break. I volunteered to stay behind and lend a hand, since it’s a lot for the staff to maintain without the help of us grad students.”

  After we ate lunch and visited for a while, Sage said, “Let’s go to the lab. I’m sure you’re dying to see Stevie.”

  Lee asked, “Who’s that?”

  My friend grinned and told him, “You’ll see.”

  As soon as we stepped through the door that separated the visitor center from the research facility, I broke into a jog, and Sage called, “Dude, even sixth graders on field trips know better than to run in here!”

  He had a point. The huge room was filled with tanks and equipment, and the concrete floor was a bit slick, so I slowed to a brisk walk. When I got to the end of the building, I thoroughly washed my hands and arms, up to the elbow. Then I climbed three steps to a platform, folded back the lid on a huge aquarium, and called, “It’s me, Stevie. Please come and say hi. I’ve missed you, honey!”

  It was fairly dark inside the tank, and as my companions caught up to me, Lee said, “I’m having a disturbing flashback to that film, The Shape of Water. I haven’t actually seen it, but I got the gist from the previews.”

  “Oh, it’s way better than that,” I said, as I stuck my hand in the water. A large shape moved in the depths, and a moment later a long, red tentacle reached out of the water and snaked its way up my arm.

  I had to laugh when Lee jumped back and swore in Greek. Then he blurted, “What the hell is that?”

  “This is Stevie,” I said. “He’s a Giant Pacific Octopus, and he’s one of my very favorite creatures on this planet.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Sage said. “I’m going to bring Stevie’s dinner, so you can feed him.”

  He stepped through a doorway to my left as I ran my fingertips over the octopus’s wondrously soft skin. I said, “Did you hear that, honey? It’s dinnertime, and I’m so happy that I get to feed you.”

  Stevie inched his way up my arm, and when he’d gained enough traction with his suction cups, he pulled himself partly out of the water. Lee inched closer, and after a moment he asked, “Doesn’t that hurt?”

  “Nah. I definitely feel the suction, but I’m honored that he’s holding on nice and tight. Sage says he only does that with people he really likes.”

  Lee came up to the base of the platform and asked, “Do you really think he knows who you are?”

  “Definitely. Octopuses are very intelligent, and one way they tell people apart is by tasting them. That’s essentially what he’s doing right now with his suckers. Stevie happens to be blind, which is why they don’t think they should set him free. Otherwise, he’d probably know me by sight, too.”

  “Is he named for Stevie Wonder?”

  I grinned and said, “Yup. Grad students are a pack of dorks.” While we were talking, Stevie reached up with another tentacle and inched across my T-shirt until he reached my neck.

  “Why is he back here and not out in the visitor center?”

  “They tried putting him out there, but he really didn’t like it. He spent all day hiding in his cave, and he got really depressed.”

  “Octopuses get depressed?”

  “Oh yeah. He stopped eating and showing an interest in anything. But when they moved him back here, he perked up again.”

  I was pleasantly surprised when Lee asked, “Do you think it’d be alright if I helped feed him?�
�

  “Sure. Just take off your watch and wash your hands and forearms really thoroughly, to keep him safe.”

  Lee followed my instructions and joined me up on the platform, and a few moments later Sage returned and handed me a plastic bowl. I gave Lee a shrimp, and he asked, “What do I do?”

  “Just place it against his suckers. He’ll do the rest.”

  When he did that, Stevie wrapped his tentacle around the shrimp and took it below the water’s surface. Lee hesitantly ran a fingertip over the octopus’s skin and murmured, “He feels like silk. I don’t know why I expected him to be slimy, or…oh boy.” Stevie snaked the tip of one of his tentacles around Lee’s wrist, and my boyfriend watched closely. But after a few moments, he said, “This is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced.”

  We spent quite a while interacting with Stevie. Then Sage hid a shrimp in a plastic children’s puzzle ball, which he dropped into the tank. The octopus let go of us and went after the toy, which he opened in less than a minute. My boyfriend exclaimed, “Did you see that? He really is brilliant!”

  After we said goodbye to that amazing creature, Sage gave us a tour of the rest of the facility. My friend told us about the many research projects that were in progress, and Lee asked a million questions. He was earnest and childlike in his fascination. I’d never seen him like that before.

  It made me wonder what he’d been like as a kid, but then I realized he probably had to grow up really fast, between his horrible father and the fact that he started working at fourteen. He tried to put up a façade and pretend all of that had hardened him, but he was such a kind, gentle soul. Not everyone got to see that. I felt incredibly lucky that he chose to share it with me.