He followed her in as she walked over the beautiful sandstone floors. He'd tried to make sure everything inside was to her liking, while being luxurious of course.
He followed her into the kitchen, and she stopped to take it all in. She smiled as she surveyed the small space, admiring the cozy room with its modest appliances, natural, lightweight wooden countertops, and simple cabinetry. It was perfect for two people who wanted to cook simple meals together, as he'd planned.
He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed the back of her neck. "What do you think?"
She leaned against him and took a deep breath. "I love it." She turned in his arms so she could look into his eyes. "Thank you."
He returned her smile as he bent his head to kiss her again. When he finally released her, he held out his hand for hers before leading them further into their bungalow.
The main living space had a comfortable couch and chairs, perfect for relaxing in the evenings after a day at the beach or exploring the island. There was also a hammock strung between two heavy wooden beams on the deck overlooking the water so they could lie together and soak up some sun while listening to the waves crashing against the shoreline.
But best of all was the bed tucked away behind sheer curtains that opened up to the water, allowing them both to drift off each night surrounded by nature's beauty.
"It's like our own little paradise," Kaitlyn said softly as they both stared out at the endless ocean beyond them.
Carter hugged her close to him and nodded in agreement. "It sure is," he murmured against her hair before placing another gentle kiss on her forehead. He had finally found a place where they could be together without any distractions or worries - just them enjoying each other's company and everything that this special place had to offer them both.
She turned to face him, looking both stunned and happy. "It's beautiful."
"You're beautiful." Carter couldn't help but feel this was the calm before the storm.
He'd fallen head over heels for this woman, but right before his eyes, he saw her internally withdraw from him.
With a sigh he pulled her toward the couch. They sat down and he tried to figure out how to approach things. "What's going on with you?" he asked, praying she'd just level with him.
She sighed and threaded her fingers together in her lap, staring down at them. "I'm just ready to get away from all of it. They don't know why we crashed, HR hasn't resolved your Sally problem even though it should be so easy to prove she lied, Fawn still isn't free, I'm not sure why I was fired, and I haven't heard from Devon at all, which is frightening." Her shoulders seemed to relax as she unburdened, but Carter sensed there was more.
He put his hand over hers. "I'm sorry you're stressed. If it helps, I'm not worried about my job or Sally or Devon or even the crash. We survived and we have each other, that's all that matters." Still, that nagging feeling that he needed to tell her the truth about Fawn plagued him. There just hadn't been a good time. Between the crash, her healing, all the stress she'd been under... he hadn't had a chance.
Kaitlyn nodded. "I know. And this is amazing." With a wave of her hands, she gestured around them, then put her hands under his again. "I'm sorry if I seem ungrateful."
Carter just shook his head and smiled at her. "You don't seem ungrateful," he said softly. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before pulling her closer to him on the couch.
He thought for a few moments, considering his next words carefully. "Can we try to forget everything and just enjoy one another for a few days?"
Kaitlyn looked into his eyes, and he could see all the worries that had been consuming her reflected in their depth. She sighed and nodded slowly.
Carter couldn't help but think this was exactly what they needed - time to escape from reality and focus on each other.
He closed his eyes as she reached up and touched his cheek lightly, brushing her soft thumb over his lower lip in a way that made his body react before speaking again in barely more than a whisper, "Let's do it."
Carter smiled, wanting to pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless, but not wanting to rush her. Instead, he pulled her closer to him in a tight embrace before leaning back enough to look at her face again. He wanted nothing more than to make sure she knew how much he care for her and cherished her no matter what happened in the world outside their walls.
"Thank you," he said, kissing her again. She leaned into him, her lips parting as her tongue tangled with his.
He lost himself in her taste and warmth for the next few minutes until she pulled back and laid her hands on his chest.
"Are you hungry?" she asked.
"Starving." He laughed, but he knew she meant more than food.
She stood up and squeezed his hand. "Come on, let's cook something." She lit up and he found himself almost as excited for to delve into an activity with her as he'd been for something more... intimate.
He stood up and followed her into the kitchen. She gathered ingredients together and he watched, entranced by her until she turned to look at him, stopping in place, her eyes wide and her lips parted. "What?" she asked softly.
He closed the distance between them and kissed her neck, histongueexploringeverydelicate curve until he settled in the crook ofherneck before whispering, "I want you."
Her throat flexed as she swallowed hard. "Right now?"