Page 77 of Wed to the Devil

The sweat on my skin brings a salty taste to my tongue. The sand is coarse and sharp when it rubs against my bare feet, a stinging feeling that feels like walking on shards of slate.

We spend the rest of the day walking along the shore, taking in the sights and sounds of nature. We talk about our childhoods and things that make us laugh. The sun eventually starts to dip low in the sky, bringing with it a deep orange hue that casts its warmth over us.

Talia takes my hand in hers and smiles up at me. "Thank you for bringing me out here," she says. "I feel so much better when I am away from the noise and the bustle of the city."

I groan, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. “It's for the health of the baby," I grumble in protest.

She giggles and squeezes my hand harder, her thumb caressing my knuckles in a comforting motion.

"I know," she says softly. "It's still nice."

The two of us walk until we find a secluded spot where we can watch the sunset over the horizon. We sit down together, watching as evening slowly creeps in on us and engulfs everything around us in long shadows. Talia leans closer to me and rests her head against my shoulder as we both gaze up at the first few stars and planets over our heads.

It's such a pure moment. All my worries seem to melt away. I'm content with just being here with Talia, enjoying each other's company without any distractions or expectations from either of us.

As we sit there together, I realize that no matter what happens between us in the future, this moment will stay with me forever. This moment of quiet calm is so stark when I consider that the only other people I ever brought to this beach were my brother and Daisy.

Like two little black holes, Burn and Daisy were each consumed by need and complaint, sucking everything around them in, crushing it without thought. But Talia?

Talia just enjoys the sunset without comment. Talia’s skin is a warm, creamy ivory, like a pearl kissed by firelight. Her hair is a rich, fiery copper, more red than orange, like the sky itself is on fire.

Talia is as beautiful as the sunset we are watching. She wears a pair of black shorts and a simple white t-shirt that outlines her curves perfectly. She cradles her baby bump with one hand. Her expression is at once both thoughtful and unreadable.

The light of sunset and the clear blue of the sky is perfect, the sun a ball of pure light against the pure blue of the sky. She keeps her hand in mine, seeming to prefer some kind of skin contact with me. But her eyes are turned toward the horizon and her thoughts seem far away.

The sun is setting, painting the sky in a spectrum of fiery red and orange. It’s the perfect backdrop for our adventure.

We wander around, hand-in-hand, exploring all that this hidden gem has to offer. At one end of the beach stands an old abandoned lighthouse - we climb up to the top and watch as the sun continues its descent into night.

As twilight fades away, Talia turns to me and smiles softly before saying, “This was worth it just for this moment alone.”

We stand there for a few moments more before continuing our exploration around the island under starry skies above us.

The night sky is alive with stars. Sparkling diamonds against a velvety black canvas, they are like a million tiny beacons of hope and possibility.

We sit together at the beach, watching as the stars twinkle above us in the night sky. Talia marvels at the beauty of it all and I can't help but feel a sense of peace.

I take out my sextant and show Talia how to use it to sight stars and calculate our position on the sea. We laugh as we try to identify constellations and guess where we are.

Afterwards, I lay out a blanket for us to share and spread out some finger food that I had brought with me - dates, olives, cheese, cured ham - as we talk about our lives, our dreams and hopes for our future together. The moonlight illuminates our faces as we gaze into each other's eyes under the starry sky above us.

"If we see a falling star, you have to make a wish." Talia gives me a lopsided grin. "I wonder what your wish would be?"

I make a face. "Nothing, probably. I don't really believe in making wishes. Or maybe it's just that nothing I've ever really wished for has come true."

She gives me a surprised look.

That night, we fuck very slowly, forgetting everything else in the world. I slide my hands up her back, exploring her curves as our bodies glide together. We kiss deeply, our tongues tangling as we forget everything else in the world. I can't believe how perfect it feels to be here with her like this.

My hands wander lower and I grip her hips tightly, guiding them against me in a slow rhythm. Talia gasps into my mouth and arches her back, pressing herself against me intimately.

The sensation is exquisite; I can feel every inch of her body making contact with mine. Our movements become more urgent, faster, and soon we're both trembling with need. As the tension builds, I drop my head and bury my face in the crook of her neck for a moment, breathing in her scent and savoring this perfect moment between us. Nothing but bare skin and heated sighs, the press of hot mouths and exultant shouts when we finally come like a cascading avalanche down a mountain.

The next day, we spend most of the day sailing around the island. The gentle rocking of the boat and the salty breeze in our hair lulls us into a peaceful trance-like state. After a few hours, we stop for a swim and then make our way to an isolated beach for lunch.

We spread out the blanket and enjoy a simple meal of cheese, bread, fresh fruit, and cold drinks. The warm sun beats down on us as we sit in comfortable silence.

After a few minutes, I tentatively break the silence by telling Talia stories from my childhood growing up near the sea. I talk about how my mother loved sailing and taught me all of her tricks for navigating these waters. I tell her about our old sailboat that she named after me, and how she'd take us out every weekend if she could get away with it.

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