Day Six
“Adele … Adele …”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
He kept calling that name when they made love. It made her feel like a fraud. He was saying things that made her heart swell. Intimately. He devoured every drop of her, and still, he wanted more. More of Adele.
They barely slept that night, knowing it would be their last night together … naked. They lay on each other all night, not just inside each other.
He ran his fingers through the length of her hair, “I love your hair.”
She didn’t reply.
“I love the way it smells … long and soft,” he gathered all her hair in his hand and clenched it into a fist, “It feels nice to pull them when you bend … and I like the way they feel on my face when you’re on top of me.”
She covered her face with one hand and laughed, “No one’s ever said that to me about my hair.”
“It’s true,” he laid her hair over her shoulder down to her breast. “I bet you’d look even hotter if you keep them long down to your waist,” he traced his finger down to her pelvis.
She smiled.
“I think I’m crazy about you, Adele; I’ve never been like this with anyone … it’s scary.”
“And I bet you say that to every girl you’ve ever been with,” she said.
He tilted his head back and rubbed his face with one hand, “I know how it sounds … I didn’t want to say it, but I just want you to know that this is very real to me … you know, the last time I had a girlfriend, I was …”
She put her hand to his mouth, “Stop … no personal details, we agreed.”
He let out a frustrating breath, he wanted so much to tell her everything, hoping she would open up to him in return, but she wasn’t letting anything out.
“Right … I forgot. Can I at least have your phone number?”
“No.”
He fell silent. She didn’t know how disappointed it made him feel.
“Fine … but can I ask you something?”
She nodded slightly.
“Does it make you as happy as it makes me?”
She couldn’t deny it; she’s never been happier in a long time; she nodded again.
He charged her with a deep, intense kiss that sucked the breath out of her. He didn’t have to convince her of his feelings for her; it was in his kiss.
“Then be with me, Adele, please … I’m too deep to let this be a stupid fling. I want to be with you.” He cupped his hands on her cheeks and pressed his forehead against hers.
“Sometimes … the best things in life are short-lived,” she says.
He could almost hear his heart breaking. He was on his way over a cliff at full speed and didn’t know how to slow down.
“We can be happy with memories of this … we don’t have to prolong it and turn it into something less memorable,” she added.
“That is the worst excuse anyone had ever said to me for not wanting to be with me,” his voice low.
“Ssshh … I don’t want to talk about it anymore … you promised,” she was calm.
She got up and kneeled in front of him on the bed; she pulled all her hair to one side, “Let’s stop talking, okay? I want you to do whatever you want with me before the sun comes up,” she smiled seductively. “Last chance,” she bit her lower lip.
Heartache or no heartache, how could he say no to that?
They were silent on the boat ride back to Ludus. The sun was setting; it would be the last Bhorma sunset for the both of them. The ship will be sailing back to Lancaster after dinner time. They will arrive in three days, and then everything will be over. That was the only thing on their mind on that boat.
“Miss Leighton, welcome back onboard. I hope you had a pleasant time on the island,” the Shore Excursions Manager welcomed her. “Do you have any luggage to bring to your room?” he signaled one of his staff to assist her with her things.
She straightened her dress, “No … it’s all been taken care of, thank you.”
He gave her a half nod; he then turned to Roman with a suspicious look in his eyes, “Mr. Roman, I see you have been accompanying Miss Leighton offshore … I trust that everything is in order?”
Roman didn’t understand what the question meant, but he didn’t like the look on the manager’s face when he said it. “I was working … if that’s what you’re referring to?”
“Of course,” he pressed his lips into a grin and turned back to Olivia, “I’m glad you are both safely onboard, I was told that they have made up your room, and everything is ready for you upstairs … dinner will be ready in half an hour if you have any request, our staff is always available for you, Ms. Leighton.”
“Thank you,” she smiled politely.
When the manager walked away, Roman was left with a sour expression rolling his eyes. Adele was obviously a more important guest than most others, especially the company’s freelance photographer, who seemed to be tagging along with the beautiful, wealthy lady who’s been missing from the ship for two nights. Even when they stepped on that ship, people were already speculating behind their backs, and they didn’t even know these people.
“I guess I’ll be retiring to my room now,” Olivia said.
“You mean your suite?” he exhaled deeply, “I guess I’ll be on my bunk bed in my super tiny cabin … thinking of you.”
She laughed lightly, “You’re not sleeping on a bunk bed?” she didn’t believe him.
He tucked his hands in his pockets and raised his shoulders, “You’ll have to come see it for yourself.”
She put her hand on his shoulder, “Nice try … I’m going to my room now; maybe I’ll see you at dinner?”
He nodded and half-heartedly let her go.