by M. Clarke
“Jax. Stop.” I pulled out my hand when he was on his knees. I was in a perfect position to touch his dick. It was hard, long, thick, and so beautiful that I couldn’t help my temptation. Jax was the giver last time, but for tonight, I wanted him to remember Rachel Miller. When I slowly licked his cock, Jax shuddered and closed his eyes. Seeing him unglued like that made me feel good and powerful. When I sucked and stroked it, he growled and released a moan. Feeling Jax’s tight grip on my hair told me he was enjoying what I was doing to him.
“My turn.” Jax flipped me over. When there was a pause and a ripping sound, I knew he was putting on a condom. I inhaled sharply when Jax entered from behind me. He rode me slowly at first, but when his hands anchored on my hips, my insides fluttered with the anticipation of what was coming.
“Jax,” I screamed, feeling the length of him inside of me.
“You like that, babe?” he asked.
“Yes,” I heaved.
“I want to see your face.” Jax flipped me over and slowed things down. His dark eyes twinkled against the candlelight, but became greedier and darker when he entered me again. “I’m going to ride you how I do it on the waves…steady and slow, then rough and hard. You won’t know what hit ya.”
Those words alone made me explode, especially when Jax did what he said he would do. Jax gave me all of him, till his will had been spent and beyond. I had no idea how long we were fucking, but I didn’t want him to stop even though I couldn’t take it any more. He pounded into me and sometimes he slowed things down. Even with the cool breeze, I was hot and sweaty. And I couldn’t believe I was there, under the stars, in the open, completely naked, making love with Jax.
It wasn’t just two people fucking. It became two people making love. He gazed into my eyes as if I was the most precious thing. And the way he kissed me, taking his time exploring my body, making me feel good, and the way he caressed me, I knew I would never forget this night. I would never forget Jax, and today would always be etched in my heart. Like he’d said before, he wanted to have a piece of my heart, be in my thoughts, and live in my memory. Well…he got that for sure tonight.
Jax was right next to me, embracing me. We both lay, exhausted, without a word. Being lost to Jax, I hadn’t realized how dark it had become. Looking up, I noticed the sky had graced us with countless stars. They seemed so close, yet they were so far away. It was mesmerizing to see so many of them, and the candlelight that surrounded us projected shadows behind us. It was surreal to see such a sight. I never would have imagined being there at that moment, in that way.
“They’re so beautiful,” I said, unable to peel my eyes off the stars. “I want to touch them.” I extended my arms as if I could. Seeing the vast sea of them reminded me how small our world was compared to everything that was out there and beyond. Jax took my hand into his and gently caressed my thumb.
“The only thing that’s beautiful is you.” He kissed the back of my hand.
Loving his words, I tightened my grip around his chest. “There’s so many of them. It’s quite overwhelming.”
“I know what you mean.” He pointed to the sky. “Do you see that big star, close to the moon?”
“Yes, I can see it.”
“That’s my grandmother. She told me before she passed away to search for her in the sky, that she would be the biggest star looking after me.”
My heart softened from his loss. “I’m so sorry, Jax.”
“Don’t feel bad. I’m okay. She was old, and she was lucky enough to have a wonderful, full life. She also missed my grandfather terribly. I knew this because she would talk about him all the time, so I assumed her time was near.”
“When did she pass away?”
“A little more than a year ago. We were very close. My parents worked long hours, so she watched over us growing up. Want to hear something funny?”
“Sure.”
“My grandmother never liked any of the women I dated.”
“Really?”
“I would introduce my date to my grandmother after we passed that initial dating stage, and she would tell me that none of them were good enough for me, and that it wouldn’t last. I would laugh at her comment, but she was right. It didn’t last very long. Are your grandparents alive?”
“Not from my father’s side. My maternal grandfather passed away several years ago, but my grandmother is still alive. She’s almost ninety years old and doesn’t like to travel.”
“Make sure to spend as much time with her as you can.” He pointed to the sky again. “You see those two stars, side by side?”
“Yes, I see them.” They were the only two that were side by side, as if they were stuck together.
“My grandmother believed that the coordination of the stars was symbolic to what would happen in the universe, and everything that was meant to be would line up at the right time and place. Our lives are like the stars above. Just like the way each star has its position, each one of us has a purpose in life, and each one of us has a soul mate. When the soul mates find each other, the stars link up side by side. Those two stars are you and me.”
My heart flipped and funny tingles swarmed through my insides. “That’s so sweet, Jax.”
Jax lifted my chin. “I have to say everything I want to say to you. We’ve only got tonight and then who knows what will happen? If it were up to me, I would make you mine, but I can’t give you anything steady because I’m always traveling, not to mention the distance.” He sighed heavily. “Plus, you just came out of a relationship, and so did I. Neither of us knows what we want. We just know what we can’t have.”
I wished there were words I could say to make this better or to fix our situation, but Jax summed it up. Everything he’d said was true. “Maybe some day. Just like your grandmother said, if it is meant to be, then it will happen. Our stars might be adjacent to each other right now, but maybe that was another life time ago, somewhere over the rainbow.”
“Maybe.” Jax shrugged. “I bet they’re still side by side because I wouldn’t let you go.”
“Or maybe the stars are letting us know that will be our future.”
“I’m going to hold on to your thought. This isn’t good-bye. It’s see you next time.”
“Okay.” It was difficult to agree with him when I knew deep down that the odds of seeing him again were close to none. “Will you at least tell me where you’re going?”
“To Australia.”
Chapter 14
Rachel
“Thanks for inviting me to dinner and to your beautiful home,” I said to Hendrix, sitting comfortably on the black leather sofa. I was admiring the tall glass window that filled the back wall, and the beautiful view of the hills that seemed so close you could almost touch the plush greens. One thing about Kauai, the thick white clouds were non-threatening and followed me everywhere I went.
“I meant to do this earlier, but it seemed as though my brother was occupying your time.”
Feeling my cheeks flush with warmth, I took a sip of the drink to help me cool down. “I don’t think you mind at all since you got to spend that time with Stacey.”
“He better not.” Stacey kissed him on his cheek. With her legs crossed, her body leaned toward him, almost touching.
“So how did you and Matthew become friends?” I asked.
“Actually, Matthew’s parents and my parents are good friends. Our friendship started when I was in elementary school. Though we didn’t go to the same school, our parents met up quite often at each other’s places, so we got to see each other frequently. Since Matthew and I are the same age, we immediately connected. I don’t know if you were at Max’s wedding, but my parents were there.”
“Oh. I didn’t go, but I heard it was beautiful.”
“I’m sure it was. And I’m sure whatever they have planned in Paris will be over the top. I’m glad Matthew finally found someone. After the tragic loss, I didn’t know if he would pull out of it. I was with him during some parts of his Eu
rope trip, but he stayed longer.” Hendrix paused. “I’m not sure if I was suppose to share that part of the story with you.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t say a word. Becky told me a little here and there.”
“Good. So, would you like to see the rest of the house? There is something I’m supposed to show you.”
“Uh…sure.”
“I’ll stay right here.” Stacey patted the sofa.
Stepping onto the dark hardwood floor, I walked out of the family room.
“You’ve already seen the kitchen, and here is the pool and the Jacuzzi.” Hendrix opened the door.
“Nice pool.” Elegantly designed, it looked like one of the pools I saw in a home magazine.
“Through this door is our garage. You can check out Jax’s collection of surfboards.”
When Hendrix opened the door, I saw that the whole back wall and the sides were filled with them, except it looked like there was one missing. “Oh, wow.”
“Yup, he loves his surfboards. I have to practically beg him if I want to use one. I’m not good at it…maybe that’s the reason. Looks like he lost one, which I highly doubt. Maybe it’s in his car.”
It seemed like Jax didn’t tell his brother about the meeting with the sharks. I didn’t mention it to Stacey, either. But seeing how much his surfboards meant to him, I felt guilty that he had to give up one for me, even though it wasn’t my fault. Regardless, I was beyond touched.
“Enough of surfboards. Let me take you upstairs.”
I followed Hendrix up the curvy stairway and stepped onto the beige carpet. From the second floor, I could see Stacey waving at me. After Hendrix showed me a large den and four bedrooms, we came to the last one.
“This one belongs to Jax. He knew I’d invited you for dinner, and told me to tell you that he’d left a note in his room for you. You’re welcome to go in and snoop around.” Hendrix chuckled. “I’m just kidding. There isn’t much. Jax is a simple guy.”
“Thanks,” I said and entered. Hendrix was right. It was just a bed, a tall wooden dresser, and a bookcase in a large room. Being in his room brought back the memories of Jax and our days together. Granted they were short, but utterly memorable. Those were the ones that hit you hard. I didn’t realize it until now.
Being a photographer, the first thing I noted was a large framed picture of a family of sea turtles that hung above his dresser. On his dresser were pictures of his family. Both of his parents had dark hair. Hendrix looked more like his father, but Jax was a mixture of both his parents. Looking at the younger pictures of him and his brother made me smile. When I turned to the bookcase, I saw a collection of turtles and the note written for me.
Rachel,
By the time you read this letter, I’ll be in Australia. You’re probably thinking that I’m crazy to have so many turtles on my bookcase, but they are my special collection. I collect one from every country I visit. Anyway, when Hendrix told me he invited you for dinner the morning I left, I had to write this letter to you. I wanted to invite you to my room, but I didn’t get a chance so my words on this page will have to be good enough. So, here it goes…welcome to my simple room. To the left is my dresser. On top are pictures of my family. As you can see, no pictures of women…haha. I shoved them away so you wouldn’t see them. Just kidding. Smack in the corner is my king size bed. Go ahead and roll around on it. When I come home, I want to smell you on my pillow and my blanket, so that I can pretend to hold you. God, I already miss you so much!
My work schedule is very tight, so I don’t think I’ll be able to see you one last time before you leave. This sucks! Had I known you were going to be that one star that stands out from the rest, I would not have made the commitment. I don’t know if our paths will cross again, but if you want to give us a try, you know where to reach me. Till then, somewhere over the rainbow.
Don’t forget to roll on my bed naked. If I were there, we would be rolling over every inch of my bed right now. I would make you wet, and I would fix that for you. One more thing before I end this letter. I left a small gift for you on my bed. It’s a small reminder of me, and our short time together. We’ll always have Kauai. Kauai will never be the same without you.
Jax
A tear threatened to fall, and I felt a tug in my heart. Against the headboard was a small stuffed turtle. A note read:
Rachel,
Take me home and make me yours. I belong with you.
This is five for me. I’m sure no one has ever given you a stuffed turtle before.
I held the stuffed turtle and hugged it as I lay on Jax’s bed. Feeling the soft blanket against my face, I spread my body out. I could smell Jax on his pillow, making me miss him even more. As I closed my eyes, I thought about the beautiful night at the beach, how sweet he was taking me to a special place he had never taken anyone else. I could replay it in my mind as if it were a movie I’d just seen. The only way for me to know what I really wanted was for me to go back home, back to my routine, let time pass, and see if I felt the same way about Jax as I did now.
“Rachel, are you okay?” Hendrix peeked through the crack of the door.
I swung my legs around and sat up. “Yes. Come in.”
His eyes shifted to my hand when he walked in. “Jax left you a turtle? He loves turtles.”
“Yes, he told me. I didn’t know Jax could play the guitar.” I pointed to one in the corner that I hadn’t seen before.
“He’s pretty good at it. He can also sing. I guess all of the musical talent and the good looks went to him.” Hendrix snorted.
I smiled at his words. For such an attractive man, he was humble. Thinking it was a good chance for me to find out what Jax did for living, I had to ask. Not knowing if Hendrix would tell me, I had to somehow word it correctly. “Jax told me he was going to Australia. Do you know why?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“I’m sure he did. I just forgot.”
Hendrix raised his brows with a grin. “Nice try, Rachel, but if he didn’t tell you, I’m not at liberty to say. He’ll have to tell you when he’s ready, or maybe when you’re ready.”
Grrr! I blushed with guilt from trying to trick him. “Okay.”
“Ready to go? I’m treating both of my ladies to ice cream at Lappert’s.”
I hopped off the bed. “Yup. I’m ready.” I paused with a thought. “Can you give me a minute? I need to do something.”
“Sure. I’ll meet you downstairs.” With that, Hendrix left the room.
I found a paper and a pen on Jax’s desk and wrote him back.
Jax,
I didn’t get a chance to roll on your bed naked. However, I did inhale your scent from it. I’m going to carry that with me. And to leave you with a parting gift, I left you mine. I’m also going to take good care of your present. Thank you for thinking of me. And you’re right, no one has given me a stuffed turtle, so that’s number five. I’ll be waiting for the day you say number ten.
I don’t even know how to end this letter. I feel so much that it’s hard to put it into words. For a short amount of time, you’ve touched my heart in more ways than one. I wish our roads could have been different, but for now this is the way it has to be. There are no words to tell you how much I’m going to miss you and our time together. Till then…maybe somewhere over the rainbow. We’ll always have Kauai. I will never be the same without you.
Rachel
Chapter 15
Rachel
The next two days I spent with Stacey and Hendrix. Though I didn’t want to be the third wheel, they insisted I join them. Hendrix even told me that Matthew had asked him to escort me to these sites; I had my suspicions about whether or not he was telling me the truth. But knowing Matthew, I wasn’t surprised.
The next day, we visited the Garden of Kauai National Tropical Botanical Garden and Waimea Canyon, then, the next day, we drove to the north shore and spent some time in Kilauea Point. We even saw a luau. To be honest with myself, spending time with Hendri
x made me miss Jax even more. I didn’t like this feeling at all.
“I can’t believe tonight is our last night,” Stacey pouted. She looked like an innocent child when she did that. “It went by so fast. I don’t want to go back to reality.”
“I hear ya,” I said, drowning in the awful thought as we waited in line for our table.
Hendrix placed himself in the middle and wrapped his arms around from behind us. “I’m glad you picked this island and we got to spend time together. You are welcome to stay at my place the next time you come. I will always cater to your needs.”
“Thanks, Hendrix,” we both said in accord.
“Have a seat, anywhere you’d like. I’m sorry I have to work tonight. We’re shorthanded today. Days like this are when I miss my brother,” Hendrix rolled his eyes playfully. “It’s too bad he couldn’t make it to say good-bye.”
“I think so, too,” Stacey said, curling her lips into a frown.
I just smiled and nodded.
“Anyway, enjoy your last night at Ocean Front. The band should be setting up soon. You both owe me a dance.” He winked and walked away to the bar.
Since we’d already had dinner, we sat at the table closest to the band. Stacey and I ordered piña coladas that were served inside of pineapples, which I thought was the coolest thing.
“I haven’t finished packing,” Stacey said out of the blue. “I’m procrastinating.”
“I know what you mean, but I’m almost done. My mind is on my job right now. I have an assignment as soon as I get back. Then, we’re off to Paris, to the wedding. We can think of it as going on another vacation.”
“At least I get to meet Hendrix there. He’s going to stop by New York afterward.” Stacey twirled her straw before she drank out of it.
“That’s great.” My excitement rose for her, then turned to the person caressing my arm.
