Demerae slams on the breaks and they both look back at me wide-eyed. “Did you see something?” Demerae asked.
“Meal plans? How long are we going to be here?”
Demerae rolls his eyes and continues driving down the road. “It looks as though there is a second hurricane forming and the two together have us apparently sandwiched in here for a while. We cannot leave until the weather clears up and they are able to get the supplies they need to clean up the damage that has been caused to the runway and the docks. But we are safe here, outside the rough waters it’s mostly a lot of wind and rain,” Sean said forcing a smile before turning away to look ahead at the makeshift road. Sinking back into the seat I consider what the upcoming days are going to be like. Misery is obviously ahead, pure misery. Demerae pulls in beside a small cabin with a large covered patio. It is almost like something you would stay in at a secluded resort but unfortunately, that is not the case. Demerae grabs a bag from the seat beside me and leads us through the front door, Sean following holds the door for me with an obnoxious smile. It is one big room with a quaint sitting area, a wooden desk, a chair, and a chest with a mirror directly across from the small rustic bathroom. My eyes follow to the other side of the room where the single bed sits, with its four posts and netting. It looks small but maybe because the room is starting to spin around it.
Demerae grabs hold of my arm, “wow. You look white, you might want to sit for a second. You have some extra food and drink and some other things you might need throughout the night in the small fridge near the desk. The bath only has a shower but the pressure is good. There is a directory on the table if you need anything else.” He says while opening the windows and turning on the rhythmic ceiling fans before heading towards the door. “See you tomorrow. Oh and I recommend the netting it helps with the bugs. So you might want to figure out something so you can share that.” He seems to understand the one bed is not something we consider an easy agreement between us but he doesn’t stick around to help us work it out.
“Are you going to get a shower because I would like to?” Sean asked ignoring the bed issue.
“Please,” I said handing him the extra clothes they gave me before we left.
He pauses to look me over.”You okay? You do look pale?”
“I’m … I’m fine. I need a few minutes to catch up with the events is all,” Sean stares at me for a few seconds longer before eventually nodding and continuing to his shower.
When it is my turn, I melt under the pressuring water, and even though it stings a bit on my wounds, my stiff muscles are grateful. I take as much time as possible in the bathroom, avoiding the bed and him. I am so exhausted and I want to crash into bed and not worry about it but I know my mind will not let me do that. I haven’t let a man even kiss me since .... If he were a gentleman he would not even suggest us sleeping in the same bed together. Surely, he is reasonable. But he did carry me off the plane. He just picked me up and carried me! How can I kick him out of the one bed? No, I should get the bed tonight I was the one injured. I would obviously allow him one of the two pillows and some blankets to make a bed in the floor, since there is not a sofa or chair he could easily sleep in. The floor should be fine, he will have plenty of room and we can alternate nights. I am not ungrateful or unreasonable. I inhale, sticking out my chest confidently. Ava you walk out there and tell him how it is going to be, do not let him bully you. “Sean, I think we should alternate the use of the bed. It is the proper thing to do, and if you don’t mind me taking it tonight then I will be more than happy to let you have it tomorrow night.” I walk out of the bathroom sure of myself, until I see him lying in the bed with the netting already closed around his side. He lays on his back shirtless and almost asleep. My flawless argument with the bathroom mirror is beginning to falter.
“Sean?” I said weakly.
“Will you please get in bed and we can talk about whatever it is tomorrow.”
“But ...”
“I’m too tired to even try anything, I promise. So please get in bed and go to sleep,” he said not even bothering to open his eyes.
I look at him, then at the bed and after putting on another layer of clothes, I exhale and climb in next to him. I pull the netting around me and move as close to the edge of the bed as possible. Great argument Ava, I think you almost had him there.
Despite Sean’s presence, I fall asleep easily, exhaustion having more control over me than my fears. However, it isn’t long before the fears creep back in and so does the voice. The darkness suffocates me as I watch the door light up around its edges. I pull and tug as hard as I can to release my hands, panic taking over as his shadow surges towards me. I want to scream but I can’t breathe as he holds me down with him, caressing me like his lover. No matter how much I beg he will not stop. You’re fearless, stand strong against him. I kick away from him proud of my strong stance as I watch him cringe into anger and come at me with desperate determination. The constant blows to my body come swiftly, until I go limp and watch as he becomes excited with control. My clothes are ripped from my body as he resumes controlling his lover with forceful hands and smiling wildly with every grunting push. Stop him Ava. Stop him! SCREAM DAMN YOU! “NO! STOP! NOooo!” I screamed.
“Ava!” Sean screams at me. My eyes open out of my dark nightmare, fighting. “It’s okay,” Sean, said cradling my face with concerned eyes. “Dreaming about the plane crash?” I nod softly with broken breaths. “Yea me too, but we are safe now. And we won’t be here forever, I promise.” My body eases with his words. My trembling hand reaches out to touch his that is still holding softly against my cheek. He watches me silently as I hesitate to touch him several times before finally resting against his warm hand without a single quiver. I look up into his eyes - recognizing them. I try to breathe enough to speak but before I can, he rolls away from me without saying another word.
Chapter 6: Sean
Nothing but crazy dreams, I had hoped that all of yesterday was a dream but then I woke up and reality set in. Damn. Now I’m awake, wide-awake, what am I going to do now? I can feel her roll over towards me, letting soft red waves of hair fall across her face. Before I can stop myself, I sweep them back off her face with the sides of my fingers. Luckily she doesn’t wake up. She had her hair up before. Right? I hadn’t noticed anything but the color before. She is sleeping so peacefully, her sweet face expressing nothing like our previous conversations. Taking my fingers around the edges of her soft face, I remove some lingering stray hairs while watching her full lips make slow motions. I’m feeling disturbingly pathetic suddenly. Leaning back on my arms I try to refocus my attention to more appropriate matters but with a soft whimper she jerks suddenly next to me.
“NO! STOP! NOooo!” She screamed.
I jump to her immediately, “Ava!” When she opens her eyes, she stuns me with such intense fear showing deep in her eyes. I try to comfort her with a sincere smile but I become captivated watching her trembling hand taking minutes to reach mine. When her eyes look up into mine, I get a strange familiar feeling. I am not sure if she is a groupie so obsessed by me or … I don’t know. Unsure of what to say or do next, I roll away from her silently, hoping to fall back asleep.
Dreams come rushing into my mind, dramatic and enriched with senses beyond what I have ever experienced. I don’t understand what is taking over me but I am enjoying touching, feeling and being caressed by the intoxicating emotions my mind is creating. I exhale softly bringing it in closer, while searching for the softness and sighing with satisfaction when I find it. Finally being able to take hold of what has been taunting me in my dreams for so long, I wake myself up and immediately gasp at the site in front of me. She is going to knock the shit out of me. I try to untangle myself from the girl I barely know when her hands suddenly appear. Caressing my chest and my head she sends my mind elsewhere. Feeling her breathy moans against my skin and her tender lips trailing along my neckline, my eyes begin to roll back in my head. Fuck, she’s driving me crazy
. I need to stop this. Instinctively I grip what is in my hand and realize that is her bare ass. My lips prepare as hers are working their way towards mine.
“Ohhhh Sean.” She moaned. She’s knows damn well what she is doing. Fuck it. I press my now hard as hell erection into her freely, pulling her ass up into me more but pausing when she gasps and stops moving. I sit up cautiously seeing her bright eyes. “Don’t panic please, I woke up like this too. Nothing has happened, it’s all still innocent.”
“Is that your hand on …?”
Carefully I pull my hand away from her ass. “Sorry, innocent except for maybe that but I didn’t see anything or even try anything. I promise.”
“Well then can you get off me?”
Wonderful, now I am a freaking pervert. “Yes, and again I’m sorry.” I try to move but her legs are locked around me and holding me down on her. I huff raising my eyebrows at her as her glare changes to embarrassment. “Do you mind letting go of me so I can get off you?”
She removes her legs slowly and without looking my way sorry.”
“Uh huh.” Moving away from her, I sit up trying to calm myself back down before I get up.
“Umm I’m sorry, I’m not sure why I would have been like that. I didn’t mean anything,” she said fidgeting with the blanket.
“Don’t worry about it, clearly you weren’t the only one doing, I mean not doing but … or … being like that, however we got like that.” What the hell did I just say? I said it and I don’t even know. Her face turns puzzled as she searches the room obviously trying to figure out my ramblings too. Wow all those years of being smooth and suave and one plane crash and I am Forrest Gump.
“Do you mind if we forget this ever happened?” She asked.
“Deal.” I responded eagerly with a nod, while taking notice of what she is wearing as she gets out of bed. You can barely see her. Is she wearing two layers of clothes? I relax knowing it must have been the dream because she isn’t doing anything for me in that. “Supposedly there is breakfast at some community cafeteria this morning, let me know when you’re done and I will walk you over,” before I can even think another thought she darts out.
“I’m ready, let’s go!” She stares at me wide-eyed and eager.
“That was quick. Can you give me a second?”
“Sorry, I’m really hungry. Your mother said we ... well you probably know.”
“Yes, I know. Sorry about my mother by the way, she likes to meddle into my personal life.”
“I like your mother she’s sweet.” She said before pausing, “your personal life? I don’t understand?”
“You mean you hadn’t figured it out yet?”
“I mean I wondered why she wanted to know if I had a boyfriend. Why it mattered what kind of men I usually like but I thought she was being sweet not that she would ever consider me for you. I mean you’re … you’re …” She stopped abruptly blushing.
I laugh at her attempt to try to be polite. “I am what? A jerk, an asshole?” And lately a pervert.
“No you’re a celebrity, I’m not anybody. Why would she ever consider me for you?”
“Well my mother has this idea that with her help my brother and I can find the love of our lives. My brother is married now, so she is concentrating on me and she doesn’t think Hollywood has anyone that is right for me.” Ava suddenly comes running at me and I am not sure what her facial expression means. “What?”
“Your mother likes me!” She glows excitedly.
“What?” I asked staring at her excited expression.
“Well I mean she thinks I am good enough for you. I have never had anyone’s mother think I was right for her son. It’s so sweet and it makes me feel good that she thinks that way about me, you know?” She said shrugging with an innocent smile. I am totally fucked. “It makes me feel good that’s all. Don’t worry Grant, I am not going to fall in love with you all of a sudden. Gees you are so uptight.”
And you’re annoying as hell. “I wasn’t worried and so she likes you, it doesn’t bother me. This is a strange conversation, let’s never bring it up again?” I get up meeting her smiling face with a scowl.
“Okay but when we get married your mother can come visit us anytime she wants.” She winks at me laughing.
I shiver causing her to laugh harder as she walks away from me. Once I finish getting ready, I find the annoyance patiently waiting for me with that stupid grin still on her face. “Come on and wipe that stupid grin off your face.” Holding the umbrella up for us, she continues to giggle and make ridiculous comments. “I’m going to push you into the rain if you don’t stop,” I said glaring at her biting her lip to keep from laughing.
“I’m sorry,” she pouted. “Sean?”
“What?”
“What’s your favorite name?” I glare down at her waiting for it. “I was wondering about possible baby names. You should have some say in our children’s …” She starts laughing and I push her out from under the umbrella into the rain. “UGGhhhh, Sean!”
I laugh with pure delight watching her slip and slide in the mud, “I warned you.” I continue to smile watching her walk casually back under the umbrella with her clothes stuck to her body from the rain. She growls at me as she crosses her arms and walks silently with me. “Are you mad at me now?” She ignores me, “don’t worry you look almost as good wet as I do … almost.”
“You are such a jerk,” she said causing me to laugh harder.
We reach the cafeteria and Ava obviously starving rushes to the door in front of me, thankfully, since her wet clothes are stuck to her body and clearly showing every curve. Now I know why I must have been subconsciously drawn to her ass this morning. I follow her closely through the line, “you don’t want that one.” She looks at me as I shake my head at the apple she begins to take. “No the ones in the back are much better, fresher, plus you don’t know who touched that before you.” I said shivering a sour expression. With a sigh, she leans over and reaches for one a little further back. “No further back, yea that’s good.” I take my time eyeing her as she reaches and stretches her ass further out to me.
“I don’t know why I listened to you, this one doesn’t look any better Sean, and I’m going to wash it off anyway.”
“Are you kidding this one is way better.” She gives me a suspicious look and I simply smile innocently. It was better for me, at least.
Chapter 7: Ava
Upon entering the cafeteria, everyone turns immediately to look at us, making me nervous. Thankfully, Sean is with me and guides me to a service line of food. He hands me a tray directing me to go first. I return his gracious smile happily. Maybe he isn’t too bad.
“Ava! Ava over here!” Kevin called out motioning for me to sit with him and Gavin. I turn back towards Sean who is following me and looking guilty suddenly.
“I’m going to sit with them.” I motion towards Kevin’s table.
“I’ll follow you,” he said with an innocent glow but I narrow my eyes at him. “What? I didn’t do anything.”
“Ava, you are looking beautiful this morning,” Kevin said eyeing me with a low grunt while Sean groaning, sits down beside me.
“I don’t think I am making any major fashion statements, Kevin,” I said knowing he is more excited about my clothes sticking to my body. Which is probably why Sean looked so guilty too? I glare at him eating happily next to me. Gracious my ass. “How is your leg Gavin, feeling any better?”
Gavin motioned to his crutches, “I am getting along. It could have been a lot worse, especially if Sean hadn’t helped me off. Thank you by the way Sean, I never got a chance to tell you with all the excitement.”
Sean waves him off, “no big deal.”
I introduce myself to the other two people at the table and am able to learn more about them and the island. The impressive looking Jamaican is Khenan Williams. He is in charge of the island, keeping things in order as he summed it up for me. Khenan’s presence immediately commands respect, his position
was clear before I even asked. Khenan’s wife, Ashlen, is a pretty Jamaican with a commanding presence of her own and one that Khenan respects more than any other. Their eldest son our taxi driver from the night before, Demerae just turned twenty. Their daughter Breanna is sixteen going on twenty-five and giving her father digestion problems already. Their third child, Alizabeth, the baby of the family, Khenan has to pause to consider an explanation before telling us about him.
“Alizabeth is an entertainer,” Ashlen said with a smile placing a hand on Khenan’s arm.
“An entertainer, is that what we’re calling it? Huh. Be careful Sean, if he finds out you’re here, you may never get rid of him,” Khenan said motioning in Sean’s direction.
“Consider me warned but I look forward to meeting him anyway.” Sean said with a laugh.
“Well in that case, you will probably find him in the gymnasium shooting hoops. When he isn’t trying to thank the academy for his award he is usually winning championships with last second shots,” Khenan said with a proud smile.
“Oh hoops! What do you say Sean? You, me, one-on-one?” Kevin said standing up pointing at Sean animatedly.
“I don’t want to do anything with you, especially not one-on-one.” Sean groans back at him.
“Come on! After breakfast, it will be fun?”
“So this is a sugarcane island. I understand it is owned by a company, is that correct?” Sean asked glimpsing at Kevin folding his arms in disgust.
“Yes, well the company bought the island to mainly harvest sugarcane. The island isn’t big enough for much else, no one wanted to build homes here because the views are not good and it isn’t right for any resort. Our waves are not right for any water sports and our beaches are mostly rock, we only have one small beach that is even halfway decent. It is the best answer for unused land and for people who need work in the area. The conditions are perfect for harvesting sugarcane and the company can use the island to do research for alternative fuels. With so many families living here year-round, they subject us to alternatives constantly but we get to live here free and make decent salaries considering the benefits. We know everyone here, except during harvesting when we have seasonal help come in and harvest. They stay in something similar to a military barracks, it is closed down when not in use to save money. We send the kids to private schools off the island, except for Demerae who is taking a semester off from college to earn more money to help pay his way.”