Page 38 of Wrecked
I watch Nate’s chest rise and fall and imitate his cadence.Within seconds, my breathing calms and the lightheadedness dispels.
“You did so good, Pip. So good. About twenty more feet to the shore. Think you can swim it?”
“I can do it,” I say, my voice coarse. I feel confident for the first time since I awoke on top of the wing.
Nate looks in my eyes, searching for the truth. “Race you,” he says, grinning at my surprised expression.
I take off toward the shore before agreeing to the race, and I hear him laughing in the distance. Seconds later, I can sense him directly behind me and I know he’s letting me win. He won’t go ahead, not until he knows that I’m safe.
The ocean floor hits my knees, tiny rocks and seashells dig into my skin, letting me know that I can stand now. I take off on foot, running toward the shore and collapsing onto the soft white sand. My breaths come in heavy pants as I stare up at the sky. I hear Nate drop down beside me and immediately start giggling. We made it.
We made it.
Several minutes later, I turn my head toward Nate, my eyes connecting with his vibrant emerald stare. He grins at me, taking in my manic laughter after such a horrific experience. An event I only survived because of the man lying next to me. Before I even realize what I’m doing, I crawl over to him, climbing on top of his body. He stares up at me, a question in his eyes.
“Thank you,” I say, emotions pouring from those two simple words.
Then I lower my head and press my lips to his.
CHAPTER 19
NATE (PRESENT)
Ifall back against the sand, the bright sun blinding me as I stare up at the vast blue sky. Large, wispy clouds decorate the gorgeous view, betraying the horrifying scene that took place only a few hundred feet away.
The heat of the sun is intense, effectively reducing the brittle chill from spending so much time in the water. I look over and see Ellie’s leggings almost completely dry and my concern over hypothermia begins to subside. I turn my head back toward the sky and take my first deep breath since the plane started falling apart in the sky.
My muscles ache from the struggle to get us to shore. My head pounds, causing my throbbing temples to keep rhythm with my heartbeat. My shoulder feels like it’s been popped out of place, triggering a tingling sensation down my forearm and into my fingers.
My lungs ache.
My knee burns.
Even my goddamn dick feels sore.
None of that matters as soon as I hear the playful, infectious giggle come from the beautiful woman lying next to me. I turnmy head in her direction, the soft angelic tenor of her laugh evokes a warmth inside my chest, a warmth I only feel when I’m with her. She exudes the kind of joy onlyshecan after what we just endured. I can’t help it as my lips curl into a smile. I watch as she releases her pent-up adrenaline, her laugh turning boisterous, capturing the hysteria of today’s events.
Then she snorts.
A lot.
And now I’m laughing with her. Damn she’s adorable.
She looks over at me, her eyes bright with laughter. I can tell she’s thinking, searching my face for something. Then she’s moving, crawling toward me. I take a deep breath as she climbs on top of me, looking deeply into my eyes. I tilt my head a little, questioning her next move.
“Thank you,” she says. The emotions conveyed in those two words has my breath hitching. She adjusts herself on top of me until she’s aligned in a position I’ve dreamt about for years. The same position I envision when I fuck my hand to the thought of her. The image of her sitting on top of me, just like this, riding my cock until she drenches me with her orgasm, has gotten me through so many lonely nights.
Missing her.
Wanting her.
She lowers her head, her eyes shuttering as she gets closer to my lips. I leave mine open, not wanting to miss a single second of this. I want to burn it into my memory. Her breath feathers across my lips and I wait, letting her make the first move. She gently presses her lips to mine, adding pressure as she sinks further into my body. Her chest pushes up against mine, my hard cock presses into her pelvis, not quite where I need it, but close enough.
I lose all self-control.
I tangle my hand into her long auburn hair, fisting it tight against her scalp. I deepen our kiss, sucking her bottom lip intomy mouth, forcing hers to open in return. I slide my tongue inside, tangling it with hers as she lets out a soft, sexy moan. She kisses me back, just as fiercely, as if she can’t get enough of my taste. I remove my mouth from hers, kissing along her jawline, down the side of her neck, and back up to her pouty full lips—her soft little sighs spurring me on.
Fuck. I’ve wanted this for so long. The sensation of her body on top of mine, her tongue in my mouth, my cock wet with her juices…It’s a fantasy that has gotten me through the last eight years. Knowing that someday she would be mine again.
