by Ivy Jordan
“Why not here?” I asked.
Her answer surprised me. I assumed she would say the memory of her late husband was all around her, making it tough to build a new relationship, but that wasn’t her problem at all. She appeared to have handled his death well, mourning properly, giving it ample time to sink in and not rushing the process at all. “I don’t want to start a relationship with another military man, and this island is so small; there are not a lot of options for a woman,” she chuckled.
My heart raced as the woman’s anxiety fell directly in my lap. She was right. This island was small, very small, and options for dating were slim, nearly non-existent if you excluded the men stationed on nearby islands. “Have you considered venturing to nearby islands?” I asked.
“Who has time for that? I have a daughter and a business. There is no time to hop ferries, no money to hop planes. And, even if I did, I’d most likely run into tourists, businessmen looking for a quick fling before returning to the States, and probably a wife and family,” she rolled her eyes and slouched down in her seat.
“I can understand that.” I sucked my lips into my mouth as I tried to come up with a solution to her dilemma. I didn’t want to recommend Internet dating, having done that myself in New York. It was a disaster, one lunatic after another. “There’s no one of interest on the island?” I questioned, knowing it was small, but maybe, hopefully, not that small.
The woman shook her head. “I came here with my husband and fell in love with the island, mainly because of the seclusion it offered, now it’s the one thing I can’t stand,” she laughed.
“There are plenty of men on this island, eligible bachelors that I’m certain you’re overlooking,” I encouraged.
I thought of the fishermen that passed through on the ships, the large amount of people living outside of town, and all the handsome men I noticed on the beach. “Do you think you may be blocking out these eligible men because you aren’t really allowing yourself to move on, even though you say you are?” I questioned.
“Maybe. It just seems like they are way too young, too old, too married, or too military,” she sighed.
Or too surrounded by drama, I thought of Elijah.
I enjoyed talking with the woman, even though I didn’t feel as though I’d helped her much by the time she left, and a strange cloud hovered above me at the thought she may be right. I’d considered staying here on the island, even though I’d given up on a relationship with Elijah. But, by me staying here, was I giving up on a relationship altogether?
The end of my day rolled around quickly, and I found myself missing Milton. He was the one patient that always seemed to give my day, my life, purpose. Ugh!
I packed up my work, slipping Leah’s file in my briefcase to go over more thoroughly. There had to be some other reason for her not finding love than just the island being too small.
Mitchell waved me into his office as I lingered outside his doorway. I was dreading the talk since I had no clue what I was going to decide. “Come in,” he smiled, standing behind his desk.
I noticed he’d added a plant in the corner, and even a colorful picture on the wall. “You’re sprucing up the place,” I smiled.
“I’m following your lead. It does seem to calm people,” he chuckled as he motioned for me to sit in the chair across from him.
“So, how are things in your world?” he questioned as I took my seat.
Oh, where to begin…
“Things are fine,” I said weakly.
His eyes narrowed as he gave me a professional stare. I knew the stare well. It was one I’d given many a patient. It made me nervous, causing me to squirm and shift in my seat. “Is there something you’d like to talk about?” he probed.
I shrugged nervously, like a first-time patient. I’d always been the one on the other side of the desk; I wasn’t sure I cared for being on this side. “It’s just a personal matter,” I stammered.
“Okay. Well, I think it’s wise to explore what’s going on inside of your head and not leave it to fester into something toxic,” he expressed.
I felt my chest tighten, and then an exhale escaped, loud and dramatic. He was right; I knew that. I just wasn’t sure that he was the right person for me to talk to about this. He was my boss, possibly my business partner.
“I really want you to stay on here and take this partnership, but not if it means causing you any stress,” he added with a warm smile.
I explained to him my dilemma, spilling out details that I hadn’t even told Madison. Mitchell listened patiently, waiting until I took a long pause before interjecting. “One thing I’ve discovered about love is that it always finds a way to overcome obstacles, even those that appear to be impossible,” he offered.
I wished that were true. My love for Elijah was strong, and I knew it would be miserable sharing the small island with him without him in my life. After the letter I wrote, I doubted very much the possibility of ever experiencing the closeness we shared.
“Take all the time you need to make your decision. I don’t want you to turn it down based on love. You still have no idea what the outcome will be for your heart,” Mitchell concluded our talk.
It felt good to get everything off my chest, to admit to someone how I truly felt. I still wasn’t planning on holding my breath for everything to work out though. I was naïve, but not that naïve.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Elijah
It had been exactly a week since Taylor left, leaving behind the cold and careless note. I held it in my hands, reading it over and over again as I sat on my front porch. There was no way this was how she truly felt. Anger and anxiety grew quickly inside of me as I thought about everything we’d shared. I knew I heard her say she loved me, and that wasn’t careless emotion. What we shared was real, and it was about time she admitted it.
I crumbled up the note, tossing it in the trashcan as I headed towards my car. If this is how she truly felt, then she could tell me to my face.
In front of Taylor’s house, my muscles tightened in my shoulders, and I could feel a large lump forming in my throat. What if it were really true? What if she truly didn’t have any feelings for me at all?
I swallowed hard, pushing open my car door, and stepping out to the street. I knew I wasn’t going to get past this, past her, without the truth, no matter what that truth may be.
Walking towards her front door, it felt as though a strong force was pulling me back. I pushed through, reaching her porch, and extended my finger to the bell. The door opened quickly, and Taylor stood in front of me, her eyes filled with surprise, and her lips parted with nothing to say.
“That letter you left me, is that how you truly feel?” I blurted before she could speak.
Her lips moved, but nothing came out of her mouth. “I can handle it. I just need to hear it from you, not from a damn letter,” I insisted.
I watched her hand slide up and down the door frame, and her weight shift from foot to foot as she obviously struggled for words. “It was for the best,” she mumbled.
“The best? For who?” I grimaced.
“For you,” she insisted.
“Really? I’d love to know how you think leaving me a letter, leaving without so much as a goodbye or fuck you, was best for me,” I growled.
Tears filled her eyes as I stared into them, causing my anger to subside and my heart to swell with pain. I wanted to reach out and pull her into me, to comfort her, but I still needed answers. I needed her to say there was never anything between us, so I could turn away, and never look back.
“I didn’t want to interfere with your relationship with Bailey,” she sniffled, her tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
“I don’t understand,” I stared into her pain-filled eyes.
“I couldn’t have made it without my father. You are going to be one of the great ones, Elijah. Bailey deserves to have you in her life,” she lamented.
I stood there on Taylor’s front porch, finally understa
nding why she wrote the letter. Nothing in that letter was truly how she felt. She was pushing me away because that’s what she thought was best for Bailey, a child she’d never even met. “I can have Bailey and you in my life,” I explained.
“Kellie was going to make certain that wasn’t happening,” she sniffed, wiping the tears from her cheek.
“Kellie can’t control my life, our life. I never had any intention of letting her dictate my relationship status, or who I had in my life. If she can’t handle you being a part of the package, then that’s her problem, not mine, and certainly not yours,” I insisted.
I watched her eyes soften, and her lips part again as if she had something else to say. As far as I was concerned, there were no more words that needed to be spoken. I pulled open the rickety screen door, pushed my way into the house with my body pressing against hers, letting my hands slide around her back to her ass cheeks as our lips met. Hers trembled at first touch, and I could taste the salt of her tears on my tongue as it entered her mouth.
She gasped as I lifted her into my arms. Her legs spread around my waist, gripping onto me as I walked her down the hall, and into her bedroom. I stopped at the edge of the bed; Taylor’s body melted into mine as our kiss pulled apart. I didn’t want to let her go, ever. “Don’t ever try to run from me again,” I whispered, slowly lowering her to the mattress.
Her eyes danced on mine as I swallowed the words inching their way from my heart to my lips.
She scooted up the mattress, her lips curled into a smile with a faint giggle escaping. I lifted off my shirt, worked quickly to kick off my shoes, and peel off my shorts as her eyes lingered on mine. Her body curved into a beautiful silhouette before me, stretching out to reach for me as I lowered onto her.
That familiar scent of vanilla poured from her skin to my nose. My mouth gently bit into the flesh of her shoulder, stirring a sweet moan from her lips. My erection pushed against her thigh, unprotected, but unwilling to retreat from its mission. “Let’s get you out of those clothes,” I whispered in her ear.
Taylor squealed as my hands gripped at her shorts, tugging them away from her body. She quickly obliged my orders by pulling her tank top over her head. My eyes focused on her full breasts as the shirt made its way to the floor. My mouth watered as it lowered onto her sweet flesh, sucking on the stiffened nipple that teased my tongue. Fuck, I missed her.
Her legs parted wide enough for my hand to playfully caress the warm flesh hidden between them. My fingers slid through her arousal, using it for lubrication as I stroked her swollen clit. She moaned, pushing her hips into my hand; her mouth bit onto my shoulder, gently biting down and letting her teeth sink into my tightened flesh. I knew I couldn’t wait to be inside of her, to feel the contraction of her orgasm squeezing my cock. I lowered myself between her legs, rolling my tongue through her plump pussy lips, tasting her arousal against my tongue and causing my hard cock to flinch hard against my thigh. Her taste was so sweet, so delicious, that I buried my tongue deep between her legs, lapping up her arousal with a hunger-filled passion.
My hands slid beneath her, pulling her to my mouth as I lifted to my knees. Her full breasts, her parted lips, and her hungry eyes filled my view as I filled her with my tongue.
It wasn’t long before she caved to her arousal, allowing her orgasm to take over. Her eyes closed, soft moans rolled from her lips, and her body twitched in my hands as contractions clamped around my tongue in powerful bursts.
As her body calmed, I gently lowered her to the mattress once again, letting my mouth slowly release from her sweet flesh. Those words again threatened to push past my lips, but I pushed them back, not willing to ruin this perfect moment.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Taylor
So many times I thought about calling Elijah, or just showing up on his doorstep. Not once did I think he’d be the one to show up on mine, demanding that I give in to my true feelings.
My breathing calmed as his tongue slid slowly up my belly, only stopping for a moment to tease my puckered belly button with a quick flick. He circled each breast before reaching my neck, and then his lips sucked at my tender flesh. Trembles still rolled through my body, causing my legs to quiver as his hard cock rested against my thigh. “I need you,” I moaned, arching my back and pulling my neck from his mouth.
“I didn’t bring anything,” he whispered, his eyes filled with apologies.
I smirked, squirming beneath him so I could reach the nightstand by my bed. I pulled open the drawer and fumbled inside for the box of condoms I’d bought before trying to run away. His eyes lit up as I pulled the box between us, offering him the protection, and satisfaction he thought inaccessible. “You never cease to amaze me, Taylor Madden,” he laughed, taking the box and discarding it to the floor once pulling out what he needed.
The anticipation of what was next brought my skin to a wild crawl. I exhaled loudly after gasping in a long breath and watched as Elijah lifted to his knees and expertly dressed his cock with the latex condom.
His movements were sensual, slow and steady as he pushed between my legs. My hips widened, allowing his cock to press into my opening. My body still trembled as his hips rolled into mine, pushing himself deep into my body. His warm breath tickled my skin as it oozed from his lips, and the tightness of his grip around me soothed the ache in my soul.
I’d missed this man so badly, more than I even cared to admit. He was the reason I wanted to stay on this island, and the reason I’d wanted to leave. My heart was so entangled with his that it was impossible to unravel. I stretched my mouth to his neck, kissing gently at his soft flesh, and fighting back the tears that struggled to escape from my overflow of emotion.
My eyes lifted to his, locking onto the dark, mysterious glow that surrounded them, never wanting to look away, not even for an instant. I was in love, utterly and undeniably in love with Elijah Grant.
Once our bodies were drenched in one another’s passion, and our thirsts were satisfied, Elijah rolled to his side, still holding me tight in his arms. I stared into his eyes, considering all the reasons I’d run away from him, and wondering if they were right. How was he going to make this work? Could he convince Kellie that she couldn’t control his life?
His hands roamed freely up and down my body, creating tingles just beneath my skin that made me shiver and moan. His eyes penetrated into mine with intensity, and his expression grew serious. “Please, don’t ever take off like that again, even if you think it’s for my own good,” he said softly.
I shook my head with a smile I couldn’t control smeared across my face. It felt good to have someone care enough about me to work so hard. “It’s important to me that you get to spend time with your daughter; after all, that’s the reason you decided to stay here,” I expressed.
“That’s not the only reason,” he grinned, pulling me in close to his chest. My face buried into his chest with my ear to his heartbeat. It sped up as he squeezed me, allowing me to feel the emotion flowing though his body.
His words warmed my soul, giving me the courage to make the decision I’d struggled with for the last couple weeks. “I’m taking the partnership at the practice,” I announced, looking up at him for reaction.
“That’s great, you deserve it,” he exhaled, his lips curling into the same crooked smile that I’d noticed on Bailey when I saw her at the market.
“I was going to turn it down,” I sighed. “Before, when I thought about staying here without you in my life,” I admitted. It was the closest thing I could say to him without telling him I loved him to express how I truly felt.
“I’m glad you’re staying,” he smiled, brushing my hair from my face.
I was glad too. I liked it here on the island. Like Leah, the slow-paced seclusion was appealing to me, but unlike her, I didn’t have to worry about finding love on the small island. I’d already found it.
I slipped into the kitchen to make sandwiches while Elijah dressed. I thought about going out, but f
eared we’d run into Kellie before he had a chance to talk to her. I also feared there would be no reasoning with her, that she would forbid him to see Bailey, leaving him to resent me.
His arms wrapped around my waist, pushing me into the counter as I finished smearing mustard on each slice of bread. I giggled as he nibbled on my ear, and the fears about Kellie drifted away, somewhere far out of thought, allowing me to enjoy this sweet moment with the man I loved.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Elijah
I marched up to Kellie’s front door with my balls swinging between my legs, where they belonged. I’d be damned if she was going to chop them off and carry them around in her purse. This was my life, and if she wanted me to be a part of Bailey’s, then she’d have to accept it.
She swung open the door, her lips pressed into a tight smile. “We need to talk,” I insisted firmly, hanging on to my passion with all my might.
“Of course,” she agreed, opening the door and motioning me inside. I was certain her warmness would turn cold once she heard what I had to say.
“Where’s Bailey?” I asked, careful not to start our conversation where she could hear.
“She’s down for a nap,” she replied, her voice filled with confusion.
“Okay. You need to listen to what I have to say,” I started. “Taylor is an important part of my life, and so is Bailey. I chose to stay, to be here and be a father to that little girl, but I never agreed to take on your rules and regulations,” I added.
Kellie stared at me, her eyes growing cold and narrow, and her expression lost of all warmth it once had at the door.
“You can’t dictate who I have and don’t have in my personal life, no more than I can yours,” I said, waiting for her reaction.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for Bailey to have women in and out of your life,” Kallie snapped, her hand sliding to her hip.
