Black Diaries

42. Welcome to Paradise

"Yes," I mouthed back, and he bent down to kiss me.

Suffice it to say that I think the pilot should have been paid triple. To me, personally at least, the flight to the island seemed remarkably short. But that might just have been because I was very, very busy.

Still, by the time the island came in sight I was beginning to exhibit slight signs of fatigue.

"Cassidy?" Cautiously, Elliot lifted one of my eyelids, which had drifted almost closed in the middle of our latest kiss. "You're exhausted, aren't you?"

"Just slightly sleepy," I yawned. "It'll pass. Come here! I'm not finished with you!"

I moved towards him, but missed his mouth and accidentally planted a kiss on his eyebrow. He chuckled.

"You're almost out for the count, admit it! How long have you been up?"

"Dunno," I mumbled, snuggling against him. He was so warm... so comfortable.

"Did you sleep on the plane at all?"

"Couldn't... the noise... can't sleep when it's so loud."

"Cassidy, we were in the air for about eighteen hours! How have you held out this long?"

"D'know. Was 'xcited."

With my eyelids drifting down as they were, I couldn't see anything of the island. But I felt the helicopter descend and finally touch down on smooth ground. The thrum, thrum of the rotor blades dwindled, until the only sounds from outside were a faint splashing of waves and the songs of birds.

"You, Cassidy, need to go to bed."

"Mm?" I mumbled.

Without further discussion, Elliot opened the door and slid out. A moment later he was in front of my door, pulling it open, and his strong arms were around me, lifting me out.

"Dn't! Perfectly fine... can walk... b'myself..."

"Of course you can."

Not paying the slightest bit of attention to my protests, Elliot lifted me bodily from the helicopter and started striding away. His shoes beat a regular, powerful rhythm on the concrete.

"Put m'down! 'lliot... Ptmmm.... Mmmm...." My protests subsided into a hum of appreciation. The feeling of his strong arms around me, rocking me gently from side to side was so intoxicating, I couldn't help it. "'ve changed m'mind... D'nt put me down."

A soundless chuckle reverberated in his chest, and I felt him bend down to press a kiss on my forehead. I couldn't have that! As quickly as my state of stupor would allow, I shifted.

"Lips!" I demanded, stretching up as far as I could.

He did as I commanded. Our lips melded together, and I opened my eyes just far enough to see his mesmerizing midnight-blue gaze bore into me, and the stars sparkle above us.

"Sleep," he breathed against my lips. "Sleep, my Cassidy. You're the only woman I've ever needed, the only woman I've ever wanted."

And the last things I heard and felt before drifting off to sleep was the gentle crunch of sand under his shoes and the feel of his lips on mine.

❤☠❤☠❤☠❤☠❤

When I awoke, I thought for a moment or two I had been transported into fairyland—the southernmost corner of fairyland, to be exact, where the evil witches went for their summer vacation. I was lying among crisp, satin-soft white sheets in a sort of room. I say sort of, because rooms are not normally constructed simply of a few wooden beams holding up a roof, with no walls, leaving a pleasant breeze to drift in and caress my face.