Page 53 of No Strings

“Those two are always on and off. I never know.”

Together, we walk in and when Morgan slips, she reaches for me. Catching her, we share a small look before I clear my throat, and once we’re up right, I let her go. Then surprising even me, I hold my hand out, letting her small soft hand rest in my large rough palm. It’s a stark contrast of how we have two extremely different lives.

I can’t deny that when our hands connect there’s a spark. But I ignore it, and by looks of it, so is Morgan.

When the water reaches her knees, she gasps “Oh God, it’s cold.”

“Come on, Princess, get in deeper.”

Beau the fucker, mutters something at my expense. But I choose to ignore it, for now, because she is wading over. “I’m telling you my nipples could cut through glass, it’s that cold.”

I fight every fibre in my being to not look. Beau makes it obvious he’s staring, so Davis and I both smack the back of his head at the same time.

“Ah, what the fuck?”

“Ah, don’t look at her tits like that.” I say it as if it should be the most obvious thing.

Morgan looks at Beau sceptically, “Um aren’t you gay?”

“Oh no, Princess, I like tasting from both sample trays.”

She laughs, I groan, and Davis rolls his eyes.

“Don’t call her Princess.”

“Oh, so possessive, you’re the only one allowed to call her that?”

My gaze darkens while I growl a yes.

He takes the hint but still he flips me off as he swims away.

Morgan is giggling next to me, and when I look at her, I find she is already looking up at me, amusement etched in her features.

“What?”

“Nothing, I just don’t understand. You won’t stop calling me Princess, but they aren’t allowed to?”

I can’t answer because I don’t understand it myself.

After all the piss takes, we all just swim around, floating while enjoying the sounds of the wind dancing through the gorges that make up Karijini.

“It’s so beautiful here.” Morgan asks.

Davis responds with “You should see Fern pool.”

“Where and how far is it?”

“Ah, you probably shouldn’t go by yourself.”

“Well, I want to check it out, so who is coming with me?”

“Rhys, you go with your Princess, I’ll go back with Davis.” Beau sends me a wink. As if doing this oh so small gesture is for my benefit.

I narrow my eyes in his direction before turning to Morgan “Yeah, alright, come on.” We all make our exit and get to where we left our belongings. “Put your shoes back on, we have I think another ten-minute walk.”

“Sir, yes Sir.” She fakes salutes.

I lean down to whisper in her ear, “If you want to call meSir, you’ll have to get on your knees, first.” Morgan looks up at me, shock evident on her face. I turn to see Davis holding his side. “Get him back, we’ll be an hour or two.”