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I open my mouth to say something, but the only thing that comes out is a loud exhalation and a gasp. His dick bottoms out in my incredibly tight pussy, and he pushes against my womb.
Vaughn holds onto my hips and works back and forth, pushing more of his cock into my pussy until his balls press firmly against my plush thighs.
“Ahhh! I don’t think this is going to be enough,” I moan, desire blazing in my eyes.
“Baby steps, darling. I’m going to have you screaming with pleasure soon enough,” Vaughn says, sliding a hand up my spine.
I moan yet again, and my pussy squeezes tightly, my back arching to his touch. I push myself back into his arms and grab my breasts. I moan again when he thrusts upward.
Vaughn wraps his arms around me and cups his hands against mine, feeling my breasts as well. He squeezes my breasts and runs a finger down them, his cock steadily rubbing my insides. He kisses my neck.
I moan as his cock rubs against a pleasurable spot inside me again, and I let my arms fall. My chest is heaving, and I’m squeezing around him over and over again.
We lose ourselves in each other, the heat of our bodies both cold and warm to the fire. We’re in a moment, two souls, and the world fades away—exhilarating, terrifying.
I feel the raw energy as we move together, our bodies entwined, igniting a fire in my heart. His hands are all over me, exploring, claiming. I respond with a hunger I didn’t know I had. Each touch sends sparks through my veins, and I realize I’m alive in a way I’ve never experienced before.
It’s the adrenaline from the snake encounter, the fear of being stranded, the uncertainty about our future—all those feelings fade under the warmth of our connection. I’m no longer Vaughn’s secretary. I’m a woman, a partner, lost in the intensity of this moment.
But when we’re finally breathless and spent, collapsing against each other, the reality of where we are begins to creep back in. I see how Vaughn’s expression changes, how his body goes tense as if he’s about to shut down. My heart sinks at that.
I can’t allow him to leave me now—not after all we just shared. I grasp him, my arms around his torso, trying to hold onto this intimacy.
“Hey,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “We can pretend this never happened after we get off this island, okay?”
I turn to him and see the conflict in his eyes as he looks back at me. But there’s a flicker of something—fear?—that I don’t want to linger. I want to feel this bond, this connection that we formed in the midst of whatever shit has been going around in our lives.
“Rachel . . .” he starts, but I press a finger to his lips, silencing him.
My heart is racing, and I insist, “Let’s not think about anything else right now. Just this. Just us.”
He kisses me in response, a soft, gentle press of his lips against mine that sends shivers down my spine. This time, it’s different—less urgent, more intimate. I can tell his breath is warm and mingled with mine, and I remember how vulnerable we are tonight.
I kiss him and draw him deeper, burying my fears and desires behind it. It’s strange that we’re on this island in each other’s arms. I can’t help but think: I have been building walls to guard my heart, but I now am literally tearing down those walls without a second thought.
We break apart, and I lean my head against his, trying to catch my breath. Vaughn’s eyes are uncertain, and the fire crackles beside us, casting flickering shadows across the ground. I want to make sure he knows it’s okay to feel something, and it’s okay to acknowledge this connection between us.
“We can take it one step at a time,” I say softly, my fingers tracing the contours of his jaw. “And we don’t have to put a label on anything. Just . . . let it be.”
He nods slowly and stares straight at me, and I can feel his shoulders start to relax. It’s a small victory, though, and it’s enough to make me hopeful.
The night drags on, and we whisper, tell stories, and laugh, lightening the burden of what we are. Vaughn and I open up about the things in our lives, what we’ve done, what we’ve tried to do, and what we’ve failed at, and it’s so good. I like that Vaughn tells me things I’ve never heard before, and I do the same.
We grow closer with each word, forming a bond of intimacy that seems unbreakable. It rains, and the rain continues to fall, but inside our shelter, it’s warm and safe. I lean against him, his heart beating steadily beneath my ear, and I know that I’ve never felt more at home than I do right now.
Eventually, exhaustion starts to creep in, and I snuggle closer to his side, his warmth a comfort as I fall asleep. I sigh contentedly as Vaughn hugs my shoulders and moves closer.
What I drift off to sleep with is the thought that tomorrow will bring its own challenges, but for now, I’m comfortable being here with him, and in this moment, all things are right. Whatever is next, we’ll be able to face it together and perhaps even learn how to survive beyond this island.
The rain lulled me into a dreamless sleep, the sound of it filling my heart with hope, Vaughn warm beside me.
Chapter twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-Four
Vaughn
The leaves block out most of the morning sun, dappling the ground with patterns as I wake to the sound of water dripping nearby. I blink against the brightness and turn my head, taking in Rachel still sleeping beside me. Her hair is a tangled halo, and her face is relaxed, serene in a way I haven’t seen before. It washes over me in a wave of warmth, and I can’t help but smile, but I need to clear my head.