I admitted a week before graduation that I’d looked into resorts and decided on one called The Brando in French Polynesia. He did some research after my confession and agreed that it was gorgeous. The resort was very private. It seemed like more of a romantic setting to me, though there was a lot to see and do. We could make it just a trip since families probably went there all the time. We were a family, right?
Perry booked the trip for a month out, shocking me when he told me that he set aside three weeks away from home with the knowledge that he could work there if absolutely necessary. I thought that it would be good for him as well, which is why I showed so much excitement at the extra time even as I wondered if any of the amount would feel like too much with my feelings for him.
I acted thrilled when he told me the dates. I was mostly done with classwork and went shopping for some vacation clothes. Perry picked the beginning of May to leave since I worked so hard to get ahead and graduation would be done. We could both really relax.
Perry smiled as I brought home shorts, skirts, and shirts to wear. There were also new swimsuits that were sure to torment him, and I was surprised to see him excuse himself quickly to go upstairs as I held them up, looking uncomfortable.
Perry was becoming an addiction to me, and I regretted the trip momentarily as I stepped under the hot water of my shower again. How could I bear it when we were virtually alone in that place?
We got through the days by working a lot and focusing on my graduation. We both felt my parents with us as he sat alone and watched as I crossed the stage with tears in my eyes. Perry told me many times that he was so fucking proud of me, making me feel a little guilty for my feelings that were developing for him. My friends told me that I glowed when I smiled and took the picture up there and he stood back afterward to watch me embrace my friends and closest teachers. Did he think the same thing?
He took me to my favorite seafood place and ordered a small bottle of their best champagne to toast with as I smiled at him. I knew that he was determined to make this a special night and I smiled as he slipped a small, wrapped gift across the table. “Perry, what is this?” I asked as I took the silver wrapped box and stared at him.
“Just open it,” he told me in a raspy voice as I leaned forward and tore carefully at the paper. It was a red box, and I opened it, peering inside as I struggled to see what it was in the dim light of the room. There was a candle at the table, and as I turned the box over to slide a chain with a pendant in my hand, I gasped softly.
It was a necklace in the shape of a delicate diamond teardrop that sparkled in the amber glow of the candle. I recognized it, and tears filled my eyes as I remembered my mom wearing it sometimes. “Mom’s necklace?”
“Not only that. That was a gift for their first wedding anniversary. It was before the company really took off and Mila always said that she preferred this over everything from Tiffany’s after and she wanted you to have it on a special occasion if they were ever gone.” His eyes shimmered with tears as he swallowed. “None of us expected anything to happen. I’d give anything to have them here in person tonight, Caroline. I feel like a poor substitute.”
“You are why I am celebrating tonight. I would never be here without you.” I reached across the table to cover his hand with mine, feeling sparks against my skin as our gazes locked. “You gave u
p your life for me.”
“I did the only thing I knew how to. I gave up nothing,” Perry insisted as I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. The waitress set the bottle down as she eyed our joined hands, pouring it for us as she asked if we needed a moment to decide. I noticed that Perry didn’t make any effort to separate from me, giving the woman the distinct idea that this was a date. I could only imagine what she must think with both of us looking so emotional. “Yes, we’d like that.” She disappeared, and we parted slowly as I licked my lips, his eyes following the movement.
I looked at the necklace again for a long moment before securing it around my neck only to trace it with my fingertips. Perry handed me one of the glasses and paused as he seemed to think about what to say. “Here is to all of your hard work and your focus, Caroline. You have made me so proud, and I know that they can see all of this. Here’s to the future that you are going to have and all of your future success.” I raised my glass, and we clinked them together as a tear slid down my cheek.
“Again, because of you. You didn’t leave me alone,” I said with a trembling voice. “I love you for that, Perry.”
“I love you, too. Always have,” Perry told me, reminding me of how long we’d known each other and what he meant to me. We sipped the bubbly, dry liquid and I laughed as I set it down to dry my eyes.
I opened my menu to read the selections, still playing with the pendant. I went with the usual choice of steak and crab legs while Perry chose the Shrimp Alfredo. The waitress smiled as she glanced between us, assuring us that she’d bring the food over soon.
“Thank you for this…all of this.” I had gestured with my hand before I took a long swallow of the champagne. “I have no idea how to ever thank you properly.” I had many ideas, but they were nothing that I would admit to him.
“It’s a pleasure to see you smile,” Perry told me as I swallowed the lump in my throat. Would my parents hate me for feeling this way about him? Would they support me? “I took a closer look at The Brando. There is a lot to do. Think you’ll be up to most of it?”
I hated talking about it sometimes. I felt like I was taking advantage of his already generous nature when I told Perry yes to the trip. “I think so. Scuba diving might not happen, but I do want to snorkel over the coral and all the sea life. I want to swim at Mermaid Beach and explore every inch of the grounds.”
“That all sounds great to me,” Perry agreed as he slowly sipped from his glass. I knew that he was going to stop since he was driving us home, leaving me to drink most of the bottle. “It is a lovely area and sounds like we’ll have a lot of it to ourselves.”
“I like that idea better than a crowded beach with a million people,” I murmured with some regret as he smiled at me.
“I prefer it as well.” I touched the necklace again, feeling it rest against the burgundy material of the cocktail dress that I wore underneath the gown. All my friends and I went shopping for them together and planned on meeting up later if we weren’t too drunk. That was not possible as I eyed the bottle and took another sip. We had a lot of plans before leaving on the trip.
I was good and buzzed when we finished eating, and I held onto Perry’s arm as we walked to his car. I giggled and chatted as I leaned closer to inhale his scent, wondering if I was imagining things as he stiffened beside me. Perry opened the door to his car, helping me inside as his hand brushed against my bare back.
I shivered, feeling my nipples harden against the dress before he jerked his hand away. I wanted him to keep touching me, to slip my dress off when we arrived home and do it everywhere.
Once we arrived home, Perry told me that he had something to do and left quickly. Of course, he made sure that I didn’t need anything first. I stumbled up to my room and slipped off the dress, managing to find a tank top and some shorts before I stumbled downstairs. I turned on the television, finding something on one of the movie channels that I watched with blurry eyes.
I wanted Perry here with me. Sober, my need for him was strong, but after a little alcohol, it was nearly unbearable. I stared at the people on the screen as they dropped all their clothes and started to have sex, making me moan as I slid my hand between my legs. I didn’t know if I was alone other than the memory of his leaving so fast, but I stroked my clit as the man drove his cock into the woman hard and rough.
I was a virgin but thought that I wanted Perry to treat me that way. I moved my hand down, slipping a finger inside of myself as I kept playing with my clit, gasping as the pressure built up inside of me. I moved deeper and was soon coming as I cried out Perry’s name in a broken voice, relaxing as warmth washed over my fingers and against the shorts that I was wearing. The need to have him inside of me nearly made me weep as I curled my body up into a ball, watching the screen in silence.
I knew that I should get to bed, but I dozed off on the couch, wondering where Perry was.
Chapter Six