by K. A. Linde
She had never had that thought with anyone before. At least, not like this. Not realistically.
“What do you think? I would guess you have your dream wedding all planned out,” Hayden said.
“I . . . yeah. I mean, I’ve thought about it. I just thought it would be nice and stress free. Not that eloping is for me, necessarily,” Liz corrected. “I guess I always wanted a big wedding too, with all of my family and friends.”
A broad smile grew on Hayden’s face the longer she spoke. When she finished he leaned forward and kissed her passionately. “You are perfect for me.”
Liz laughed and tried to play it off as if it didn’t matter . . . as if he hadn’t just said that they had the same dream wedding. “Come on. We don’t want to be late to your own sister’s wedding.”
He kissed her once more lovingly. He leaned back and trailed his fingers along her collarbones. “Are you going to wear your necklace?”
Liz bit her lip and tried not to look guilty. “I left it at home.”
“Oh,” Hayden said, disappointed. “Maybe next time.”
Liz swallowed and wished she had the strength to tell him she could never wear it again.
They exited the hotel room and took the elevator downstairs. His parents were waiting for them in the lobby. His mom came forward and gave her a hug. “Thank you so much for being here with us today. It means so much to us.”
Liz smiled and looked down at the ground. “I wouldn’t miss it. I’m so happy for Jamie.”
“We’re so happy for her too, dear,” she said warmly. “Come on, y’all. Let’s go down to the beach to wait for the bridal party.”
Liz and Hayden followed his parents out to the private beach where the ceremony was going to be held. The pastor was already in place. James’s mother had flown in on the red-eye that morning from New York City and was already standing on the beach in a black dress when they arrived. Liz had heard mention that his parents were divorced and neither James nor his mother spoke to his father anymore, and his mother had become somewhat of a recluse ever since. She had wondered last night if that had been part of the reason for the elopement, but considering Jamie, Liz kind of doubted it.
There were no chairs, and Liz let her feet sink into the white sand as she waited. She wiggled her toes and watched her feet bury themselves. Hayden reached out for her hand and laced their fingers together just as the bridal party arrived.
Jamie walked forward in a short, flowy white sundress that floated out behind her in the breeze. The dress cinched in at the waist with a multicolored sheer print sash that bowed in the back. Her black bob was straight almost to her shoulders, and she had a circle of small white flowers in her hair. She was barefoot with no jewelry aside from a slender gold bracelet on one hand that her parents had given her the night before. Her mother had worn it at her own wedding and passed it down to her daughter for her wedding day.
James was dressed in khakis and a loose linen button-down. They couldn’t have been more perfect for each other if they tried.
Meredith and Nick followed behind Jamie and James to the pastor standing in a suit in the hot sand. He smiled at them all and then began the service. It was short and to the point. They exchanged vows, slid simple bands on each other’s fingers, and then before Liz knew it the pastor was announcing that James could kiss his bride.
Everyone cheered as they kissed and then the short ceremony was over. Jamie flitted from person to person, thanking everyone for coming even though there were only nine people in attendance including the bride and groom.
Her arms wound around Liz’s neck and she pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad you could be here.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Jamie,” Liz replied.
“I know it sounds crazy, but I already feel like you’re family.”
Hayden rolled his eyes and sighed. “Jamie . . .”
“I love you too, little brother,” she said with a huge smile plastered on her face as she strangle-hugged him.
Liz laughed at Jamie and Hayden acting like typical brother and sister. She didn’t even know why Hayden had sighed so heavily. She liked that she already felt like family to Jamie. She really loved her. She was so much fun and such a free spirit. It made Liz want to loosen up a bit herself. But to Jamie, Liz was fifty times less stressed than her uptight brother. Liz’s smile grew at the thought.
After thirty minutes of pictures, the wedding party retreated to a small private dining room for the small reception brunch. Mimosas and Bloody Marys were served and the whole table toasted the young couple to many years of happiness. When the plates were cleared, the drinks gone, and conversations were dying down, Jamie and James said their good-byes and retreated to their hotel room. No one had any specific plans until tomorrow, so everyone went their separate ways to change and head out to enjoy the sunshine.
When they made it back up to their room, Hayden slid his arm around her waist. “I have plans for us, gorgeous,” he murmured against her ear.
Liz shivered at the soft touch of his lips against her ear. “Plans?”
“I thought you would want to do something after the wedding, so I scheduled something for us.”
“What is it?” she asked, biting down on her lip.
He kissed the side of her neck. “Surprise. Get into your bathing suit. We have to head out soon.”
Liz turned around and backed farther into the bedroom. She tugged the zipper down the back of the dress and slowly inched the straps down her shoulders. His eyes followed the loose material as it revealed more and more of her skin. “Should I bring anything else with me?”
The dress dropped to the floor. Desire was evident in his eyes as she stepped out of the pool of material at her feet and reached back to unclasp her strapless bra.
“I have everything else covered,” he said, taking a step toward her.
She smirked at him and snapped the hook and eye open. His eyes fell to her breasts as they dropped full and perky out of the bra. His hands were on her in an instant, pulling her nearly naked body against him as his lips found her.
“My girlfriend the tease,” he groaned.
“I would never.” Her voice came out breathy, and she was pretty sure that if he kept that up they weren’t going to make any plans.
“I like it.”
His fingers hooked into her soft lacy underwear and slowly dragged them to the ground as he knelt before her. He leaned forward and placed earnest kisses down her stomach. Her breathing picked up as he drew nearer.
His lips touched her most sensitive skin, and he chuckled at her sharp intake of breath. He brought his fingers up and ran them gently across her folds. She shuddered as he eased her open before quickly retreating.
“Now who’s the tease?” she managed to get out.
He smiled up at her and gave her another kiss before standing. “That would be me. Now go get dressed.”
Liz stuck her bottom lip out. “Really? Now that I’m all riled up?”
Hayden pulled her close again and melded their lips together. His tongue ran along her lip, entering her mouth when she moaned, and met hers. “I promise to make up for it when we get back.”
“The anticipation is going to kill me.”
“It will be worth it.”
Liz sighed through her sexual frustration and turned to change. It wasn’t as if she and Hayden hadn’t had sex the night before . . . or the night before that, but a part of her just wanted him to grab her, throw her over the bed, and take her. Not that she needed that by any means. They had amazing sex. It was just different, emotional rather than primal.
She slid into a hot-pink bathing suit and threw an oversize white eyelet tank on top, and then followed Hayden out of their hotel room. They took the elevator to the bottom floor and veered through the lobby to the back entrance. They trekked through the sand to a small white catamaran docked near the resort. Six or seven other people were already on deck, beers in hand, music playing through the speakers.
“Oh my God,” Liz whispered into the breeze.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s a great surprise!”
“This is only part of it,” he said, taking her hand and helping her onto the boat. “Wait until you see what else I have in store.”
Liz’s eyes lit up as she stared at the man before her. Damn, did he love her. And she could see reflected back in his eyes that the only thing he wanted in this moment was for her to be happy. He made her happy.
Once Hayden hopped on board, they were promptly greeted by the catamaran tour captain. All food and beverages were included and they were strictly ordered to enjoy themselves.
With drinks in hand, they found an open spot at the front of the catamaran just as they set sail. Their guide sailed them around the North Shore, which, unlike Honolulu, was mostly gorgeous natural habitat and known for bigger waves and isolated alcoves that had been featured in Hollywood films such as Blue Crush and the television show Lost. Liz stripped her tank off and let the rays sink into her skin. Hayden stretched out next to her and they spent the majority of the afternoon enjoying each other’s company and the beautiful natural seascape before them.
“And this is where we’re going to be stopping for a couple hours,” the captain announced.
He turned the boat into a small private lagoon obscured from the rest of the island by cliffs on one side. The water was crystal clear blue, and a white sandy beach was visible on the coast.
“This area is only for tour participants, so you shouldn’t be bothered by a constant stream of tourists. If you got the snorkeling package, see me after we dock and I’ll explain everything you need to know.”
The captain docked the boat and helped the passengers out, where they were immediately greeted by Hawaiian women in traditional grass skirts, bra tops, and multicolored leis. Liz moved to follow the rest of the partiers, but Hayden stopped her.
“I got us snorkeling gear. I wasn’t sure if you would be into it, but I read about some amazing caverns and even a small waterfall in the area. I’d love to check it out with you,” he said.
“I love snorkeling. You think there’s an actual waterfall nearby?” she asked excitedly.
“In fact, there is,” the captain said when he walked up to them. “I can give you two directions to get there. Just off of one of these cliffs. Beautiful sight. Just let me get you through the safety guidelines and you’ll be free to go.”
The captain instructed them on how to use the equipment, which was pretty self-explanatory, all things considered, and then explained where they could and couldn’t go.
“Have a good time,” he said with a wave as he walked back over to his seat. “I have to pick up the next tour. I’ll be back to get you all in a few hours!”
They grabbed their snorkeling equipment and exited the catamaran right before it set sail. After they found a place to leave their stuff, they headed back out into the warm water with their flippers and masks in place. Liz simply couldn’t get over how clear the water was and how much marine life was in the little lagoon. She had a mini panic attack thinking that she might see sharks, but Hayden just laughed at her and told her that he would protect her. Luckily, they didn’t see any.
Hayden gestured for Liz to follow him as they swam in the direction that the captain had instructed to see the waterfall. They rounded a corner into a small closed cavern. After overcoming a momentary panic from closed-in spaces, Liz followed Hayden at an easy pace through the cavern until it opened up to an even smaller lagoon with a waterfall. It was surrounded on three sides by the cliff and then one side had a flat area, which it looked like people over the years had used to rest.
They swam over there and Hayden helped Liz out of the water. She pulled off her flippers, tossed her mask to the side, and lay back in the most stunning natural environment she had ever encountered.
“Now, this is a surprise,” she murmured.
Her eyes drifted from the waterfall to her boyfriend standing shirtless over her. He ran his hand back through his wet hair. His biceps were defined as he held his arms over his head, and she could make out each line in his abdomen as the water ran down his body. His little tease from earlier came back to her in full force, and she felt her body warming just from looking at him.
“I thought you would like it,” Hayden said, sinking into the space next to her.
Liz nuzzled into his chest and slid her hand down the slick surface. “About you making it up to me,” she whispered huskily.
Hayden laughed deep in his throat. “Is that where your mind is?” His hand trailed the length of her body.
“Is that not where your mind is?”
“Oh, it is,” he said, rolling over on top of her and pinning her back against the ground.
As he pressed his body down against her, she felt him stiffen through the thin material of his swim trunks. His mouth crashed down on top of hers with none of the hesitancy that he usually exhibited. They were alone in their own world out here, and the exhilaration of being out in the open like this fueled their passion.
His fingers wound into her hair and she exposed her neck to his mouth. Her hands found the waistline of his swim trunks and it took every ounce of effort not to just rip them off. She gripped on to them for dear life as he ravaged her neck, down to her collarbones, and found the strap of her bikini.
“Hayden,” she groaned. “I want you.”
Not having any more willpower, Liz started tugging on his trunks and dragging them down his thighs. Hayden sat up and pulled them off as she easily stripped out of her bikini, baring herself before him.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” he said, leaning back over her.
Their lips met hungrily as he pushed himself forward inside of her. Her eyes fluttered closed and she groaned at the feel of him filling her. It had only been a day and it felt like forever. She felt insatiable; she couldn’t figure out why she had waited so long initially, and now that she had tasted him she couldn’t get enough. She wanted to explore every inch of his skin. She wanted him to trace every curve.
Her heart swelled as Hayden pulled back slowly and then lunged into her swiftly. She met his rhythm, always craving more, desiring more from him. And he gave it to her over and over again. She felt her body giving in to the intensity and elation of the moment.
She didn’t even think about the rocks digging into her back or the grass scratching up her arms and legs. What mattered was this feeling, this right here. Knowing that Hayden had done all of this for her, and that he was going to keep doing things like this for her. Knowing that they created their own memories, they had control of the future, not the past, and they were doing that together. Knowing that in love, the strongest emotion of all was the connections . . . in proving to someone day in and day out that this was what they deserved and accepting nothing less. That was what Hayden was giving to her.
Liz’s back arched off of the hard ground as he drove forward into her forcefully enough to scoot her backward. All pretenses of taking her slowly were gone, and he was demanding all of her. And she was giving it back.
Her body spasmed with climax as he pushed into her once more. He pumped a few more times before grunting and coming with her.
“Fuck, Lizzie,” he murmured against her neck.
“That was amazing.” The words were wispy and she suddenly felt as if she was floating on a cloud.
Hayden collapsed on the earth next to her and she buried her head into his chest. Their breathing began to slow as they lay there recovering from the intensity of what had just occurred. Liz tried to wrap her mind around what she had just felt and experienced.
She had been giving Hayden everything she had for a month now. She knew that wasn’t a very long time, but she was glad that at least she had figured it out. She had wasted too much time obsessing about something that was never going to happen, never going to go the way she wanted. When the thing she had wanted for two years, the person who had been giving her everythin
g for months and months, was right in front of her. And to be honest, the last month had been better than all the others combined. She felt them grow and mature with each other in a relationship . . . in a healthy and sane way.
And she knew what this feeling meant that was bubbling up inside of her. She had known for a while, but it was never clearer than now, when she was lying in a secluded area in Hawaii, surrounded by nature, listening to the beat of Hayden’s heart and the sound of the waterfall splashing.
“Hayden,” she breathed, sitting up on her elbow and staring down into his hazel eyes. They were practically gold in the sunlight, and it made her shiver at the sight.
“Yeah, gorgeous?” he asked, pushing her hair off of her face for her.
“You know I love you, right?”
He smiled that brilliant smile up at her and nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’m glad you finally figured it out.”
Chapter 14
EDITOR
Liz spent the majority of her summer in Hayden’s new one-bedroom apartment in Charlotte. She wasn’t taking any classes, and the paper practically ran itself; Hayden had been absent all last summer and it had still continued just fine. She knew that once school started she wouldn’t have as much free time to come see him, so she wanted to spend as much time as she could with him now.
Right before the summer ended, Liz met with Professor Mires and her scholarship advisement committee to determine how she was going to spend her scholarship intern hours. Liz had been planning to work with the Raleigh News reporting staff that she had contacts with, but Dr. Mires had something else in mind. She had gotten in touch with her colleague Nancy from the New York Times and had secured Liz a spot working with their team on a political journalism reporting portfolio. It included some travel to and from New York City to meet with the team and perfect on-site reporting skills.
