by Kim Pritekel
“Oh, Rachel,” Denny whispered into her mouth, hands sliding up Rachel’s back and curving around until she reached between their bodies, cupping the blonde’s breasts.
“Oh, Jesus,” Rachel gasped, arching her back as her head raised, eyes closing as Denny’s palms pressed against her nipples. Her entire body burst to life, every fiber of her being alive and buzzing. She exhaled shakily as lips and tongue were applied to the column of her exposed throat, her arms trembling as she tried to hold herself up against the onslaught of sensation.
Denny had never wanted anyone so badly as she wanted Rachel Holt in that moment. The taste of the blonde’s skin was exquisite, the texture and weight of her breasts, the feel of her wet heat through the thin sarong she wore. She wanted to make love to her, needed to make love to her. She knew now there was no way she could resist this, what was happening between them. She’d been blessed with a second chance in a situation that otherwise could have been seen as a tragic curse. She’d be a fool to let it pass, when chances were good she’d never step foot home again. This was her life now, so why deny her body and heart?
Gently pushing Rachel to her back, she leaned over the blonde, looking into her face, such a beautiful, beautiful face. She ran the backs of her fingers down the side of the author’s cheek, over her jaw, and finally down the side of her neck. Her gaze drifted down over the blonde’s face, following the path her fingers had just made until finally she took in Rachel’s breasts. Not the first time she’d seen them, but they were more beautiful at that moment than ever before.
“You call me beautiful, but I don’t think you look at yourself,” she whispered, looking into Rachel’s hooded gaze as her fingers inched toward the round underside of a breast. “Your so amazingly gorgeous, Rachel, inside and out. So wonderful. So soft.” She leaned down, placing a soft kiss on waiting lips. “Thank you for last night,” she murmured.
“Any time. I hated seeing you in pain.”
“I’m cured.”
“For now,” Rachel smiled, hand weaving its way into thick, dark hair, gently pulling the brunette closer.
* * *
“And I’m telling you I think you’re out of your mind,” Mia said, glancing over her shoulder at Dean who scowled behind her.
“You don’t think I have ears of an eagle?”
“No, I don’t.”
“And why not?” he stopped mid-step, hands on hips.
“Well,” the girl laughed, “mainly because I’m not quite sure eagles even have ears.” She laughed harder as Dean stomped past her, grumbling to himself about what he heard. “Come on, Dean,” Mia jogged to catch up with his longer stride. “Don’t do this to yourself again. I think you heard what you want to hear.” Her voice had softened, not wanting to hurt him, but trying to be honest.
Dean stopped, feeling that in his heart, though he knew the girl hadn’t meant it that way. Stopping again, he turned to look at her. “Do you really think that’s what I’m doing? Playing tricks with myself, hearing things?”
“I don’t know, Dean, but I just don’t want to see you get so upset again.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. “Come on. Pam ordered us to get her some water, so let’s get her some water.”
* * *
Garrison looked out the side window, headset firmly in place as she watched their tiny shadow move along the waves, then turned to her co-pilot.
“I can’t believe how differently she handles than my Cessna.”
Duke grinned, nodding, his response tinny in her headphones. “Different animal, entirely. I’m actually surprised Davies’ doesn’t have a seaplane.”
“Dad wanted to get one years ago, but it just didn’t work out. We do pretty well with the Bell, Cessna and Herc, though I’m wanting to possibly expand and bring in a few sea-faring vessels.”
“Well, aren’t you just the little entrepreneur?”
Garrison chuckled. “Hey, I’ve got college to pay for, soon!”
* * *
“Om on, eice o it!” Michael muttered around the ‘knife’ held between his teeth. Polished wood with razor sharp reef tied on. He squeezed powerful thighs around the tree to free both hands, reaching up and grunting as he tried to dislodge the stubborn group of cocoanuts. Finally he gave it a good whack with his fist, watching in satisfaction as they fell to the ground below. Grinning with the tool between his teeth, he looked like some sort of psychotic serial killer.
Turning to the other side of the tree, and the goodies it had to bear, the Texan stopped, cocking his head to the side as he listened. What was that? Like … like …, a swarm, bees? Locusts?
Climbing higher, Michael strained his neck to try and see above the tree tops. He cried out as he started to slip, fingers digging into the bark as his thighs tightened. Heart pounding, the mechanic resumed climbing, determined to get a look out to sea, or the sky.
* * *
“Any time now would be just peachy!” Pam hollered, the morning catch already beginning to sizzle. She sent Dean and Mia out on a simple errand of getting fresh water, and Michael was to supply cocoanut milk. How hard was it? Climbing to her feet, the veterinarian was prepared to launch an all out fit when she stopped, turning toward the ocean. “What is that?” bringing a hand up, she shielded her eyes from the intense overhead sun, still squinting against the shade. A buzzing, like an annoying mosquito…
* * *
Duke veered off to the left, following the flight pattern they’d registered before leaving that afternoon. They’d gotten a later start than he’d wanted, but such was the life of a pilot. He felt like he was entering the memory that had been so elusive when Garrison had arrived. Familiar, something niggling at him. What was it? What was he trying to remember? On instinct, he veered slightly off their decided path.
“What are you doing?” Garrison asked, noting that Duke was heading them west. She saw the drawn brow and deep lines of the pilot’s tanned face.
“I don’t know. Something, I feel like there’s something out this way. I think I remember, something…”
Trusting her old friend, Garrison turned back to the window, grabbing the radio to call in their new co ordinance.
* * *
Rachel’s head fell back as she felt fingers inching closer to her breast, her nipples straining with arousal, desperate to be touched by Denny. About to grab the brunette for another earth-shattering kiss, she paused, ears straining.
“Wait, Denny, wait,” she pushed up, holding herself up on her hands.
“What is it?” Surprised, the brunette also pushed herself up to her knees.
“Wait, listen.” If the blonde could have perked her ears, she would have, brows drawn, eyes looking absently around as she tried to concentrate fully on her sense of hearing. “Hear it?” she asked at length, gaze landing on Denny.
“I don’t-“ Denny stopped herself, suddenly … yes, yes, she …. Jumping to her feet, she looked around, turning in a circle on the ledge. She was joined by the blonde, who was quickly tying her top into place. Both their gazes settled out to sea.
“Oh my god.”
* * *
Michael nearly fell out of the tree in his haste to get down, forgetting about the prize he’d fought so hard for as he ran headlong toward the beach, powerful body pumping as fast as it could go. Once he broke through the trees, he saw Pam standing at the water’s edge, standing stock still, arm raised to shade her eyes. The Texan stopped mid-beach, eyes glued to the sky.
* * *
“Oh my god!” Duke cried out, startling his co-pilot, making what would normally be a dangerous turn, but he didn’t care. He was an experienced pilot and knew what he was doing. Garrison, so caught off guard by his unusual carelessness nearly started screaming her head off at him, but then she saw it, and then she saw them.
* * *
“They see us! They fucking see us!” Dean was nearly tripping over his loafers as he ran out of the jungle, throwing the cocoanut shell full
of water to the ground, Mia right behind him. “Hey!” he yelled, waving his arms frantically, half yelling, half crying as the beautiful glint of steel and glass in the sky was heading straight for them. “They see us!”
Mia was crying as she ran to join Pam and Michael, throwing her arms around an equally sobbing Pam. They began to jump together, not sure what to do first.
“What’s happening? Oh my god,” Denny breathed, breaking through the trees, Rachel beside her. They watched as if in a daze as the seaplane made several spins high above the island, coming in closer each time, getting low enough to make a landing.
* * *
Garrison was beside herself, tears streaming down her face as she tried to telegraph what they were seeing through the radio wires. Her voice was shrill and almost couldn’t be deciphered.
“We found someone! Oh my god, we found someone! Lots of someones!”
* * *
The six islanders stood together in a huddle, mixed emotions flowing through each as they watched the white and blue plane make a graceful landing on the ocean surface, taxiing over to them.
Denny felt Rachel’s hand take her own, and she squeezed it back. “I can’t believe they found us,” the brunette whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
“I know.” Rachel couldn’t decide if she was happier than she’d ever been in her life, relief washing through her and threatening to erupt in a windfall of emotion, or if she was scared. She thought of the life she was going back to, as well as leaving the family she’d made. And she’d have to leave Denny.
Dean fell to his knees, his emotions taking him over, unable to control himself. He could no longer see, his vision a solid sheet of tears. He heard the propellers and engines winding down, then the squeak of doors opening, and a woman’s voice.
“Ahoy, there!” Garrison stood on the floater above the wheel, waving an arm at the stunned group that watched from the beach. She jumped into the water, which reached her waist, sloshing her way toward the beach. The closer she got, the more she could tell these people had been there for awhile, but obviously weren’t natives.
Mia was steadily crying, holding on to Pam for dear life. She couldn’t think, couldn’t feel anything but ultimate relief, and the belief that maybe her mother had been right all along, and there was a God.
“Hello!” Michael called out, hurrying into the surf to grab the small pilot in a massive, bone-crushing hug. “Jesus, god are we glad to see y’all,” he whispered into the sweetest smelling hair he could recall.
Garrison couldn’t keep her own emotions under wraps, looking up at the big man with tears in her eyes, which spilled down her cheeks at the look in his eyes.
“We thought y’all forgot all about us,” he whispered, voice choking on the last word.
“Why are you here?” the pilot asked, hope in her gut.
“We was all on that flight that went down,” his brow scrunched in thought. “What day is it?”
“It’s July 30, 2006.”
“We been here for more than a year?” he asked, eyes wide.
“You guys were on flight 1049?” Garrison asked, bursting into tears at his nod. “Oh, Will,” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck, feeling his arms wrap around her waist. “you were right.”
Denny wiped at her eyes again, though it didn’t seem to help, as immediately her vision was sliding all over the place again. She watched as Michael led the pilot to the beach. The blonde looked at them all, unable to believe what she was seeing.
“All of you?” she asked, meeting six pairs of eyes, and matching nods. “What are your names?”
“I’m Denny DiRisio, this is Rachel Holt-“
Garrison’s eyes got huge, Reenie’s face popping before her. “Oh god,” her hands went to her mouth, fresh tears threatening to fall.
“Mia Vinzetti,” Denny continued, surprised when she saw the blonde hurry over to the girl, wrapping her in strong arms.
“Oh, honey,” Garrison cried, unable to control herself now. “Oh, honey,” she said again. “Someone is going to be so happy to see you.”
Mia clung to the stranger, crying even harder at the thought of going home, finally going home. “I’m excited to see my grandparents, too,” she managed. Garrison sniffled, shaking her head as she pulled back just enough to look into the girl’s dark eyes.
“No, honey. Oh, Mia, your mom is waiting for you.”
“What? No,” Mia shook her head, heart breaking all over again at having to say it out loud. “My mom was on the flight with me.”
“Gloria Vinzetti? No, Mia, she survived,” Garrison clutched the girl’s arms, shaking her slightly for emphasis. The blonde heard fresh sobs around her at the news.
“Oh, Sweets!” Dean took the girl from Garrison’s grip, holding her close to his chest as the girl sobbed, sliding in Dean’s grip. Garrison felt like Santa Clause, looking into the eyes all around her.
“Who else do I have here?” She looked at Michael, then at Dean and Pam. “Anyone here related to Milton Bryce?” she saw she had no takers, so began to list off a few other names she could think of, still no takers. “Will Ash?”
Dean’s head popped up from where it had been resting against Mia’s. “Will?” he said, the name like a balm on his tongue. The pilot looked at him, hope in her green eyes. “Will Ash? Have you seen him?” He pulled away from Mia, the girl taken into Pam’s arms. As though walking in a dream, the attorney walked over to Garrison, who looked up into his eyes, filled with profound hope returned.
Taking a gamble, and praying with everything in her that she was right, Garrison placed a hand on his arm. “Are you Dean Ratliff?” At the nod she got, Garrison’s face broke into the biggest smile Dean had ever seen. “Oh, Dean,” she whispered. “Because of you we’re here.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, tears slowly leaking out of red-rimmed eyes.
“Will never gave up hope of finding you. We’ve been searching for you since September.” She reached up, taking the slight man into a warm embrace, letting him cry on her shoulder.
“Are we going home?” he whispered. At the pilot’s nod, Dean finally was able to let go of the grief and fear, loss and isolation. Garrison held him, whispering to him, telling him all about how much Will loves and needs him.
Denny was sobbing, almost numb on sensation overload, her heart feeling like it was about to explode.
“Garrison?” Duke stepped up on shore, meeting the blonde’s gaze. He felt bad interrupting, but they had pressing business. “We’ve got storms moving in. We need to get moving.” The pilot looked at each of the survivors, tallying mentally in his head the fuel they had left and added weight of six adults. Making a decision, which he knew Garrison wasn’t going to like, but had no choice. “We can take half of you today, and come back for half in the morning.”
Garrison looked at him, surprised, but then her years of experience took over. She knew Duke was right, sighing sadly as she pulled away from the attorney, facing everyone. “He’s right. We can’t chance the weight in getting back safely.”
“I’ll stay,” Michael said, stepping back. “Let the girl and Dean go.” He motioned toward Mia and the attorney, who looked at him with ever grateful eyes.
Duke nodded his approval. “One more.”
“Go,” Denny said, turning to Rachel. The blonde shook her head.
“No. Not without you.”
“Please go,” Denny leaned her forehead against the blonde’s, eyes closed. “Please.” She needed to break this now, make it hurt less later. “Please just go with them.”
Rachel threw her arms around Denny’s neck, hugging her with everything in her. Eyes squeezed shut, she breathed in the brunette’s scent, memorizing everything about her. Finally she released Denny, looking to the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. She looked inside the brunette’s soul, and saw herself reflected back at her. Nodding at what they dare not speak, she placed a soft kiss on Denny’s lips, then let her go.
“I’m g
oing to miss you,” Pam said, hugging Mia close. “I’m so happy for you, honey. So, so happy.” Holding the girl by the shoulders, she smiled, amazed at the light she saw shining for the first time in those dark eyes. “Goodbye.”
“Thank you, Pam. For everything.” Mia leaned in close. “Tell your daughter you love her,” she whispered in the older woman’s ear, then was gone.
Denny tried to keep everything in as she watched the goodbyes, seeing Mia walking over to her. “I will never forget you,” the girl said, taking the taller woman in her arms.
“You won’t have to,” Denny whispered, squeezing Mia tight. “I promise we’ll have that mocha breve someday, you and me.”
Mia nodded, giving the brunette one last squeeze before letting her go. She studied the sad blue eyes. “Denny?”
“Yeah?”
“Follow your heart.” The girl nodded over to where Rachel was saying her goodbyes. Denny smiled, sheepish. If only the girl understood how hard it really was.
“Go home and tell your mom hi for me, okay?”
“Oh, I will!” Mia was filled once more with the knowledge that her mother was alive! She no idea how, but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered except that she was alive.
“Alright, red, you’re finally free of me,” Dean said, grinning up at the large man. Michael chuckled.
“Yeah. Maybe we’ll find some peace on this damn island.”
Dean laughed, almost giddy with his unrivaled excitement. He extended a hand, watching as the Texan looked down at it, then before he could breathe, Dean was pulled into a bone-crushing hug.
“You take care of yourself,” Michael said, feeling Dean nod.
“You, too, big guy.” Dean stepped out of the hug, hand still on Michael’s shoulder. “Go take care of your kids. They need their dad.” Michael smiled with a nod, having no idea just how he was going to tell them their momma was dead.
