Against All Odds

Chapter 53

But, I reasoned with determination, I had three days to show her, three days to prove to Stella that I could be that man.

Fuck.

It was daunting, now that my mind seemed to grasp the notion with a tenacity that stole my breath away, to think about that. How could I convince her, with nine years of history looming between us like threatening storm clouds, that I could be that guy? After everything we had been through?

I didn't know.

I wish I had data to pull up, numbers to analyse and assess to draw a conclusion from the topic of us. But that would be impossible since Stella was a beautiful anomaly and the odds had been against us from the beginning.

But now? How could I refute fate for throwing us together as often as it had? Perhaps I was too arrogant thinking that the universe had contrived something phenomenal just for me, but still. I knew how low the odds were that we'd end up at the same resort on the same island in the same country, yet here we were.

That ought to count for something.

"Mmm," Stella made a seductive sound in her throat, her lashes fluttering over the curve of her freckled cheeks as she blinked languidly up at me. "You ought to let me give you another blowjob later then. It's the least I could do."

I cast a surreptitious glance at the other two crew members onboard with us manning the sails and making sure we didn't drown or do something equally stupid. "I'd rather you get on your hands and knees and let me eat you out," I murmured so that only she could hear. I doubted that our words carried over to the others over the repetitive crash and spray of a wave hitting the catamaran as it skated over the ocean, but still.

She turned to me fully then so that she could drape her arms loosely around my shoulders and her legs across my lap. "Oh my God, you are such a horndog," she teased, eyes glittering in a way that almost matched the turquoise water surrounding us. "You were inside me about an hour ago and you're ready to go again?"

Maybe it was the unspoken prospect of losing her in a few days time, but I felt a tingle at the base of my cock and I felt myself harden at her words. She felt it against her calf, her eyes widening. "Apparently so," I said, shifting a little to adjust the awkwardness of the position and ease some of the pressure.

She bit her bottom lip. "Well, there is a bed inside that is covered in very suggestive rose petals..."

"And she says I'm the horndog," I teased, rubbing my fingers along her thigh. "But I'd rather you enjoy this, out here, with me, than we spend it... fucking inside a cabin." And then, because I couldn't help myself, I added, "Besides, we can make up for lost time later in our suites."

The eager anticipation so guilelessly expressed on her face made me even more sure of my decision to win her over, to prove to her that I was the man she could share a life with.

Because Stella was filled with love and life and light that complemented the lacklustre ordinary of my existence. She was the spanner in my works, the lit wick to my stowed dynamite.

I thought I had life figured out, that my carefully structured plan was all I needed- stay organised, stay focused, dedicate myself to my job so that I could advance up a career ladder- that was all I needed and I'd want for nothing. But seeing Stella again, being forced again and again to linger in her presence, to soak in the vibrancy of her laugh, the charismatic allure of her person, made me realise that sometimes I didn't need a plan, or a path.

Hell, right then I didn't even think I wanted a direction.

My compass had been smashed to pieces, the magnetic points cast awry so that I wasn't facing any which way, and that was alright.

"I'd like that," Stella said to me, drawing my thoughts away from such tumultuous reasonings. I felt adrift, rudderless, and the lack of control over the situation was unnerving. But I held her tighter to me, running my hand over her thighs while she draped her legs over mine as we sipped champagne and watched the sun glistening over the waves.

It was perfection, this moment, even as I mired in a desperate need to make it moreso. To cement things between us. To blurt out how I would be more attune to her needs, to tell her that Pauline would never treat her so appallingly ever again. Even now, I had multitudes of unread and unanswered messages and missed calls from my mother- something I would deal with later, when I could be sure Pauline would be more accommodating of Stella. Until then, I had no intention of putting Stella through Pauline's disdain, even if that meant my interactions with my mother dwindled.

I hoped it wouldn't come to that, that if this thing between Stella and I did work out we'd be able to figure out some common ground to make this work, because ultimately I loved my small family.

But some things had to change.

And I saw that now.

I hoped to God Stella would too.

In fact, I wanted to tell her now, to apologise to her about all the wrongdoings of the past my mother had inflicted, on all the awkward transgressions and passive-aggressive put downs that no doubt had an impact on this beautiful woman's self-confidence. I opened my mouth to do just that, to begin this conversation between us, but a shout from the stern caught both our attention.

Stella's head whipped around, her hair slapping me in the face and tangling with my tongue.

"Whale shark!" our captain hollered, pointing off to the side.

Both crew members scrambled to work the sails and Stella and I had to duck out the way as they were withdrawn and tucked away. Then the anchor was lowered after we had drifted to a gradual bob in the waves.

Stella scrambled off my lap and stumbled over to the other side of the catamaran where our captain had pointed, leaning over the side to peer into the water.

I watched her for a moment, amused and warmed by her delight. She didn't hold back her enjoyment, not one bit, and she was grinning widely at me and gesturing me over with frantic movements of her hands. I moved to join her, but was stopped by one of the crew who handed me a snorkel and mask, beaming at me as if this was the most exciting day of his life.

"You swim," he said, motioning with his hands to his face to indicate that I should put on the mask, "with the whale shark."

"Oh, hell no."

"Oh my God!" Stella squealed, jumping up and skipping over to me. She took the mask and snorkel from the other man eagerly. "Really? Oh my God! This is like one of my bucket list moments!"

"Yes, swim," the crew member affirmed cheerfully, making a breaststroke motion with his arms.

Stella thrust the snorkelling equipment into my arms and yanked off the dress she was wearing so that she stood in her bikini. "Come on, Kills!" she urged, dropping the garment at our feet and reclaiming her snorkel and mask.

"No way."

She paused at that, eyeing me shrewdly for a moment. "Don't tell me you're... scared?"

"They have the word shark in their damn name, Stella," I huffed.

"Oh Jesus," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Her lips twitched as she began to place on her mask. "Whale sharks are like the most docile animal on the planet. Besides, they wouldn't let you swim with them if they ate people."

I glanced over the side of the catamaran, a huge shadow coasting slowly under the turquoise waves making a shiver of terror unfurl across my skin. How big were these fucking things? "Nuh uh," I insisted. "Look at how big they are! I could be swallowed by one accidentally."

Again, she rolled her eyes at me. "Come on, Jonah. You'll regret this if you don't do it." She grasped my hand, squeezing my fingers for reassurance. "I promise nothing will happen to you and you can get out the water the moment you feel uncomfortable."

Even if I was hesitant, I knew I'd get in that water- for her. I was stripping myself of my t-shirt before I could think more about it, and Stella was darting inside to claim her small, waterproof camera from the bag she'd left on a chair, and then we were jumping off the side of that catamaran, hand in hand.