Page 18 of Stay Awhile
She laid her head against my shoulder, then closed her eyes briefly during the ride back to the boat. I had to come up with something and quick because this man could not make it on that boat. Not with these people and damn sure not with Blue.
The van slowed down when we made it to the dock. I watched as everyone, including our new friend, got off the van. I kept my eyes on him as he walked around the bus, surveying his surroundings before stepping into the nearby greenery. Rookie mistake. I leaned down for a minute and slightly tucked Skye’s bags beneath the seat. I stood and held my hand out to lead her out.
I helped Skye out of the van again, then walked toward the dock with her before conveniently stopping. She looked at me with a confused expression.
“Save me a seat in the same place we sat last time. I forgot your bags. I’ll just go back real quick to get them,” I told her, urging her toward the rest of the people walking.
She smiled and walked ahead, following everyone else. Once everyone was out of sight, I walked along the side of the bus where I had seen the man duck off into the greenery. Adrenaline surged through my veins, taking me from the unknown into a familiar place. Sweat beaded at my temple, the Fijian heat finally settling in.
Each step I took was pillow soft as I made sure not to snap any branches. I didn’t want to alert him of my presence. He waslying flat on his stomach with a gun focused on the dock. I guess he thought I hadn’t noticed his ass.
I leaned down, then tapped my ankle for the blade tucked safely, until I looked over to the right and noticed his jacket. I grabbed the leather jacket, then made quick work of wrapping it around his face and neck to muffle his shouts. His arms swung wildly, but there was no way out.
I tightened my grip until his arms went slack at his sides. Once I was certain ole’ boy was no longer with us, I tossed his ass into the bush, then grabbed the bags I placed to the side. There was a trash can with a fire going, so I dropped the leather jacket inside and kept it moving.
The attendants were still waving passengers on, so I slipped into line and made my way to the back of the boat. My time here was definitely coming to a close. I was found.
I glanceddown at my phone, realizing just how late it had gotten. All I could think of was what we would do next. Back home, I hadn’t remotely gotten this close or far with anyone else. I went through the many notifications on my phone. I had a few text messages from my family and from Chyna.
I checked each message with a shake of my head. Based on the many texts, I guess they had finally figured out that I hadn’t been kidding when I told them I was going out of town alone. They were all trying to figure out my location and if Chyna had gone with me.
I was trying not to take offense because this wasn’t my usual way of doing things, so it made sense that they were concerned. My only problem was that they were just now catching on, and I had been gone for a few days now. I would be back home in two more.
I released a sigh as I clicked Chyna’s name and opened her text.
Chyna: Skye, I didn’t mean to offend you. I had to step back and check myself. I just want you to be safe, but then when have you ever not been? I’m sure you got it under control. I just wanted to remind you that if you need me, I’m still here. Even though I’ve been fucking up lately. Let’s do lunch when you get back. I think we need to talk.
My finger hovered over the bar for me to place my message. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to respond or not, but I knew I couldn’t stay mad long at her. If I was in her position, I might not have gone about it the same way she had, but I would have told her I would keep my eye on her location, or for her to notify me whenever she got back into her hotel room.
I released a breath and started my message to reply.
Me: We definitely need to talk, but I get it. I’m doing something that isn’t usual for y’all. When I get home, we can set something up. Have fun on your trip. I plan to.
I hit send, then locked my phone, then slipped it into my pocket. Just as I did that, Brodrick came into view. He looked a little more uncomfortable than the last time I had seen him. He appeared as if his eyes couldn’t relax or stay focused on what was in front of him. The tightness in his shoulders couldn’t be missed either.
But how much did I know about him to assume he wasn’t actually like his usual self? I clasped my hands on my lap and smiled up at him, hoping it would help to settle him. I waved my hand to get his attention, and his eyes latched onto mine.
He gave me a tight smile, then headed in my direction. He held the bags of things I picked up while we were in town. The man didn’t let me pay for anything, which was new to me. Men assumed because I had money back home that I didn’t want to be treated like I was a princess, which was wrong. I’d never meta woman who didn’t want to be treated like they didn’t have to stick a hand in their purse or pocket.
It was sad I had to go to an island to get that kind of treatment, but I was going to cherish it. Finally, he placed the bags at my feet and took the open seat beside me. His eyes were still wandering around the boat like he was looking for someone else. It could be because it was late as hell. Shoot, I should be looking too. Who knew what was in these waters? This boat didn’t seem that damn secure.
“Did they give you a hard time down at the docks?” I asked.
He finally looked down at me, and his shoulders relaxed a little. He placed an arm behind the back of my seat.
“Nah, but the line did build up by the time I went to the bathroom and grabbed the bags. Let me find out you were out here missing me,” he returned.
I placed my hands over my face to hide my smile and warm cheeks from his view. He reached out and took one of my hands into his, then leaned down to place a kiss against my knuckles. He settled back against the seat as the boat pulled away from the dock slowly. We settled into a comfortable silence. So much so, I leaned my head against his shoulder and sleep overtook me.
A tap on my shoulder awoke me. I peeled open my eyes and looked around to see everyone around us was already standing and leaving the boat.
I glanced up at Brodrick. “I didn’t mean to hold you up, and I hope I didn’t get any drool on your shoulder.”
He gave me a smile and bent down to collect my bags then stood to his feet.
“Nah, you looked so calm asleep. I wanted to give you as much time as possible. I don’t have anywhere else I would prefer to be.”
I couldn’t hide my smile that time. This man was full of flattery and honey. He held his hand out to help me stand up. I took it, and he turned so I could walk ahead of him.
