Page 29 of Below the Barrel

We stand there for a few more moments, soaking in the beauty of the scene, before heading back to the campsite. The sky has already begun to deepen into twilight, so we quickly set up our tent together, our hands brushing occasionally as we work. Each touch sends a spark through me, and I can tell he feels it too in the way he hesitates.

Most of the teammates were given their own tents, but some, including Koa and I, were given one larger tent to share. I try not to overthink it as we put our duffle bags inside of the tent before joining the others around a small fire. Only a small group of cameramen remain to film us, while the rest of them are setting up their cameras pointing toward the sky and surrounding landscape for filler shots.

I ignore the lens as I take a can of flavoured malt liquor from Koa. We both open our cans and take a sip, feeling refreshed after a day in the heat. I try to listen to the stories being shared around the campfire, but all I can focus on is the way his leg presses against mine, the way his shoulder brushes mine.

A burst of gasps has me jumping back to the present as I follow everyone’s gaze to the sky, and my jaw drops at the sight of The Milky Way arching above us like a river of stars that seem almost close enough to touch. There are shooting stars streaking across the sky, their trail of light fading into the night. It’sbeautiful and I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for being able to experience something so magical.

When the fire begins to die down and others start heading to their separate tents, Koa and I share a look before we both rise and slip away from the remaining people in the group into the privacy of our tent.

Inside the tent, the air feels charged, thick with unspoken tension as Koa pulls the tent flap closed behind us, sealing us in our own little world. We both change out of our sandy clothes and into the nightwear that we packed.

Koa wears a black T-shirt and a pair of light grey sweatpants, slipping them over his boxers, before turning to look at me, resting his arm on his knee. I pull my top off, revealing my naked top half to him before I slip on an oversized pink T-shirt. I don’t miss the way his Adam's apple bobs in his throat. I don’t feel embarrassed showing him my bare body, he’s seen it before. I slowly slip off my thong before throwing on a pair of pyjama shorts.

We sit and stare at one another for a moment in charged silence, and I’m not sure who moves first, but suddenly we’re wrapped in each other, his hands on my waist and mine tangled in his hair. Our lips meet in a rush of heat, the kiss hungry and desperate, as if we’ve been holding back for far too long.

The dim light from the lantern we’d placed in the corner of the tent casts a soft glow over our features as he lowers me onto my back on the tent mattress. His body presses against mine, solid and warm, and I can feel the tension in his muscles as he pulls me closer, deepening the kiss.

His hands roam over my body, exploring, memorizing, while my fingers trace the lines of his back, the hard planes of his chest. His mouth moves from mine, finding the sensitive spot on my neck just under my ear and I let out a low moan as he gently sucks the spot. He continues his descent, kissing my collar bonejust as his hand slips under my shirt. He finds my pebbled nipple and pinches it gently, causing me to jolt, a chuckle escaping from his mouth.

He lifts my shirt and stares at me appreciatively before lowering his lips to my nipple. Just as his lips close around the sensitive skin, a sudden, playful scream pierces the night, startling us both. We pull apart, panting, and he brings himself back up resting his forehead against mine as we catch our breath. Outside we can hear the others laughing, the sound of someone chasing after whoever screamed.

We both laugh softly, the moment broken but not lost. Koa brushes a stray lock of hair behind my ear, his earlier urgency giving way to something gentler, more tender.

“Maybe it’s a sign,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough.

“Maybe,” I whisper back, my heart still pounding. But instead of moving away, I lean into him, resting my head against his chest. His arms wrap around me, holding me close, and for the first time in a long time, I feel as if everything is exactly where it’s meant to be.

We settle down, the warmth of his body against mine lulling me into a peaceful haze until I drift off to sleep with a feeling of contentment I haven’t felt in a very long time.

ELEVEN

KOA | TAVARUA, FIJI

“It’s shaped like a heart,”Maliah says quietly, more to herself.

Although her hands are in fists, knuckles white, she’s bravely looking out of the plane's window down at the island we’ll be staying on for the next two weeks. I glance out the window to see what she means, spotting the small heart-shaped island instantly. It’s surrounded by vibrant hues of turquoise water, and I can see the massive waves from up here.

“Prepare for landing at the Nadi International Airport in 15 minutes,” the pilot's voice sounds over the intercom.

Maliah jerks back in her seat, gripping her arm rests as an anxious expression takes over. Still afraid of heights, but she’s getting better.

“Relax, we’ll be fine,” I say encouragingly, but I’m met with a fake smile and an eye roll.

I’m not sure why I thought things would be different after waking up from our night camping in the Pinnacles Desert. I guess I had hoped it would change something, maybe show her how easy it would be to go back to how we were when things were good between us. Instead, I woke up to an empty tent, she’d even taken her duffel bag with her. The bus ride back to our hotelwas almost completely silent because she pretended to sleep the whole way, and we’ve barely spoken in the two days since.

I release an exaggerated sigh and close my eyes for the remainder of our flight. When we land in Nadi, I’m not surprised to find someone from our production team waiting for us with a private vehicle after we climb off the plane. We toss our bags into the trunk and hop into the backseats, small cameras fixed all over the interior point directly at our faces.

Forty-five minutes later, we’re reunited with the rest of the surfers and production teams on a boat transfer to Tavarua Island. Maliah wanders off to stand with a group of female surfers for the thirty-minute boat ride, and I’m left wondering if I pushed her too far.

“So, are you two a thing now, or what?”

I glance to my left to see that Reese has joined me as I stare out at the crystal-clear water. I look over his shoulder and spot Charles close enough to listen in on us. His eyes find mine before he quickly looks away pretending to be focused on something else. I roll my eyes and return to staring at the ocean.

“I never said we weren’t a thing,” I reply.

“Does Maliah know that?” Reese asks.

I force a chuckle. “Did Charles send you to do his dirty work?”

---