Page 5 of The Cocky for Cody (Mulligan’s Mill)

“Your dick? You tell me.”

“No, I mean snorkeling. We haven’t even got the boat in the water yet and I’m already exhausted.”

“Relax, you’re gonna love it. We just need to figure out what to do with this first.” He gave my hard-on a gentle squeeze. “Someone needs to let the air out of your tires. Lucky for you I know just the solution.”

Without a moment’s hesitation he dropped to his knees in front of me and opened his mouth wide.

I gasped, then let my head go weak on my neck… letting my panic and paranoia wash away like seashells on the shore.

Cody finally got me into my wetsuit, a task that proved somewhat easier after a blow job, when my limbs were loose and limber and my entire body was calm and co-operative.

He dragged the boat to the water’s edge, helped me in, then pushed us out into the gentle waves, pulling himself up into the boat with ease before the water got too deep.

He lowered the motor, turned the key in the ignition, and pulled the ripcord, starting it like a mower.

Soon we were heading out into the crystal blue, leaving the yellow sand and lush green bush behind.

The water rocked us softly, the wind still and the sun warm.

When Cody cut the motor, the boat glided for a few moments more, then bobbed on the sea.

It was quiet and serene, nothing but the clack and plonk of the small waves lapping against the hull.

From a compartment in the bow of the boat, Cody pulled out an anchor and chain and dropped them into the water.

The chain clanged against the side of the boat then stopped, and Cody gave the line a tug to make sure we were securely anchored.

“This looks like a good spot.” He picked up his diving mask, held it against his face, then leaned over the edge and dunked his entire head under the water.

“Oh my God, oh my God! What are you doing?” I shrieked, grabbing him by the shoulders and jerking him back up.

He took the mask away and pushed his sopping wet hair off his forehead. “What? What’s the matter?”

“Nothing, apart from the fact that you just stuck your face in the water without even looking to make sure it was safe. What if there was a shark there, just waiting for you to stick your head in its fucking mouth.”

“Calm down. All I can see down there is coral and a couple of harmless little schools of fish. It’s the perfect spot for a dive.”

I looked around nervously, my eyes scanning the surface for a fin, my ears listening out for that tell-tale Jaws music to start playing. “Are you sure this is safe?”

He sat beside me on the hard wooden bench in the middle of the small boat and wrapped an arm around me, our wetsuits squeaking against one another. “Hey, listen to me. There’s nothing to worry about when I’m around. I’ll fight off anything or anyone who ever tries to hurt you. You got that?”

I smiled and laid my head against his shoulder. “I know you will. But who’s gonna protect you? Do we really have to go down there? Can’t we just stay in the boat and enjoy things from up here?”

“Babe, we’re gonna be fine. Besides, sometimes you’ve gotta risk the scary stuff so you can truly enjoy the wonderful things the world has to offer. If you stay in the boat your whole life, you’ll forever wonder what you missed out on down there. It’s pretty magical, let me tell ya.”

“It is?”

He nodded. “Like nothing else you’ve ever seen before.” He took my hand and squeezed it. “Come on, let’s go for a dip. I’ll be right by your side the whole time. I promise.”

I sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, then. Let’s do this.”

Determinedly I stood.

Perhaps a little too fast.

Instantly the boat began to rock.

“Easy, tiger,” Cody said, grabbing my arm.

But I was already trying too hard to steady myself, fighting against the pitch and rock of the boat until—

“Woah! Woah! Woah!”

I lost my balance and plunged head first over the side, splashing gracelessly into the water before coming up for air, gasping and thrashing.

With a splash, Cody immediately jumped into the sea and held onto me, keeping me buoyant and calming me down. “Easy does it, babe. I got you, you’re okay. Just chill.”

My breathing slowed, and my panic diminished somewhat. I looked into Cody’s eyes. “Well, I guess that’s one way of facing your fears.”

Cody laughed. “I guess so. Although for future reference, you might not wanna splash around quite so much. In these wetsuits you look like a dying seal, which is exactly what great whites like to eat for lunch. Just sayin’.”

Ever so casually he reached back into the boat, grabbed our masks and snorkels, and with a wink said, “Come on then. Let’s go snorkeling.”

As always, Cody was right.

It truly was magical down here.

Sunlight danced in ripples through the ebb and flow of the aqua waters.

Tiny fish with spots and stripes of all colors—blue and pink and orange and yellow—ventured close, curious and playful, before darting away.

Starfish decorated the seabed, blooms of seaweed swayed lazily back and forth, and near an outcrop of rocks Cody pointed to a garden of giant moss-covered clams.

But it was the sea turtle I spotted that made my heart skip a beat, its shell caked in barnacles, its face ancient and wise, its flippers paddling with slow, strong strokes, steering the creature toward us.

Suddenly I was lost in this natural underwater haven.

I was spellbound by this magnificent siren of the sea, swimming closer and closer to me.

And for the first time in my life, I felt a connection with something other than my boyfriend or even books.

I felt a connection with the natural world.

Desperately I wanted to make that connection real.

I reached my fingers out to touch the nose of that beautiful sea turtle as it came toward me.

The turtle seemed to smile and swim straight for my outstretched hand.

Suddenly there was a swoosh of bubbles.

Something grabbed me.

The startled turtle swam away and all I could think was—

“Shark!” I screamed, coughing out my snorkel and a lungful of seawater as I broke the surface. “Cody! Help! There’s a shark! A shark’s got me!”

Beside me Cody suddenly emerged, spitting out his own snorkel. “Babe! Calm down! There’s no shark, it was just me! What the fuck were you doing down there?”

“What do you mean?”

“The turtle. What did you think you were doing?”

“I was getting close to nature. Isn’t that what you said to do? Are you sure there’s no shark?”

“Brooks, there’s no shark. And I didn’t mean for you to get that close to nature!”

“What are you talking about? It was just a cute old turtle.”

“Yeah, a cute old turtle who was about to snap your hand off. Jesus, their beaks are as sharp as razors. You do realize that to a turtle, your fingers look like big fat juicy worms, don’t you?”

Suddenly we both heard a familiar screech.

We turned to see Kevin perched on the stern of our anchored boat a few feet away.

“Squark! Did someone say big fat juicy worms? I’m hungry!

” He turned to the key in the ignition of the outboard, with its bright yellow wooden float attached, and with an evil glint in his eye he said, “I guess this’ll just have to do. ”

Grabbing the key in his claws, Kevin yanked it out of the motor.

“Kevin! No!” Cody shouted urgently.

Kevin cackled. “Too late. So long suckers. Enjoy your swim.”

With a flap of his wings, the cocky from hell took off into the sky heading back to shore.

“No, no, no, no! ” Cody seemed to plead with the sky, not even looking at Kevin now as he sailed toward dry land.

“Is this bad?” I asked, the magic making way for the menacing music from Jaws once more. I was sure it was going to start playing at any moment now. “Should we be getting back in the boat?”

Cody nodded defeatedly. “Yep. It’s time to start rowing.”

“Rowing?”

“You do know how to row, don’t you?”

Not surprisingly, I did not know how to row.

Cody thought we’d get to shore quicker if he took one oar and I took the other and we rowed together. But after splashing and lurching and going around in a circle for several minutes, Cody took the oar off me and did the job himself.

He had by that stage unzipped his wetsuit and was undressed to the waist.

Streams of sweat trickled down his broad tanned back, while his muscles flexed, shining in the sun.

Before long, we slid onto shore, the hull of the boat gliding up onto the sand with one final powerful stroke from my boyfriend.

I was impressed.

Cody was not, given the scowl on his face as he jumped out of the boat and stormed up the beach toward the shack.

I raced as fast as I could through the sand as it sank beneath my feet, catching up with him just as he pushed open the door.

There was no sign of Kevin, but there on the kitchen table was the key to the outboard motor.

And somewhere in the sky, high over the island, I could have sworn I heard a cockatoo screeching with laughter.

Cody moved the kitchen table out onto the porch, lit some candles, and barbecued a fish on his barbie. As twilight splashed the sky with streaks of pink and orange, we ate, listening to the waves and watching the stars appear.

I could see he was trying to shake off his anger at Kevin.

He was trying to create an atmosphere where we could both relax and cook a meal that we could both enjoy.

But the tension crackled off him as night set in.

“Don’t be mad,” I said. “We made it home alive.”

“That’s not the point. The point is, I wanted this trip to be perfect for you. I wanted to show you all the things I love about this place, so you’ll come back here with me time and time again. But then Kevin had to go and ruin all that. I’m pissed off. I’m annoyed as hell. And… and I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me. Cody, none of this is your fault.”

“Yes it is. He’s my bird.”