any thrill will do

Be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact, and remember that life's a great balancing act.

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“Aye, I think they regularly use words that I’ve never even heard of in me life,” Sam agreed with a laugh. He was always impressed by his brother and Eleanor. “I think it might’ve been a better go for Eleanor if you arrived here earlier and met her,” he said with a frown. “As soon as I realized Scott loved her still—before he even admitted it to me—it didn’t take too long gettin’ to know ‘er that she loved him too. And that got old real fast,” he snickered. “Oi, knew you were holdin’ out on me. I guess you’ve got to be loyal to your wife there,” Sam teased. “Downright filthy?” he said, punctuating it with a whistle. “I knew sweet Lenore had it in her,” Sam chuckled. “Well then it’s really no wonder that the geezer proposed to you if he were so adamant about bringing you ‘round his family,” Sam said. He didn’t know why he wanted to talk about anything else right then. “Aye—sure. But he were wrong to keep forcing you to be around them if you were uncomfortable with it,” Sam said with a shrug. “Fuck them,” he said matter-of-factly. They sounded awful, and Isla didn’t deserve that. “Seems like you were relieved in plenty of ways when you turned him down,” Sam said with a smirk. “Aye, but I get in trouble with her old man if I try and mention she’s got a great arse!” Sam said with a hearty laugh.

Sam rose his brows. Yeah, because you want to be in a relationship with a guy that makes you uncomfortable, he thought. He couldn’t get over how much he didn’t like hearing about Isla’s previous relationship. “Aye, but I’m sure if he’s buyin’ you shiny things it might be easier to overlook,” he said with a sort-of bitter chuckle. “Right, then give me regards to the great Wine King,” Sam teased, pretending to tip an invisible hat as he put on a posh accent. “Sometimes Parker just drops an old t-shirt on the ground and I see the label is Armani. Or the other day, I noticed you had ten dollar artisan butter in your refrigerator, and Eleanor didn’t think that was expensive for butter,” he said with a laugh. “And those are the times I remember they’ve got more money than I’ve ever seen in me life. But they’re class, that’s why I forget,” he chuckled. “Aye, the poor bastard is whipped like a racehorse by your girl,” Sam said with a mischievous grin. He couldn’t help but stifle a chuckle as Isla tried to insist that Sam was a romantic. He tried, and clearly it didn’t work for him. He was much more comfortable keeping things light, easy. Without things that could hurt him or someone else. “Then you’ve just reached a level of being that most of us haven’t quite mastered yet,” Sam said, his eyes moving along her face. She was certainly something else. “Because I knew for a fact that he was in love with Eleanor and she was in love with him. I just wanted them to be happy. You saw how they were torturing themselves. And well, I’ve got a killer new song out of it,” he smirked. “I just don’t believe that you really loved him,” Sam said as he cocked an eyebrow, then held his hands up. “But what do I know,” he added, then flashed her a smirk. “Isla, you must know that you’re the best of them?” he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. That’s why it felt wrong to be so close to her sometimes. He wouldn’t ever be good enough for her, and the closer he got to her the more afraid he felt. “You’d think if he were okay with you fucking whoever you wanted abroad he wouldn’t be thinking about marriage…” Sam said with a hum. If he wasn’t the first person so say she didn’t really love her ex, then Sam knew he could be confident in his suspicions. “Is that something you want for yourself then, Isla?” he asked, referring to really being in love. 

“Someone needs to be,” Sam joked, though he thought it was true. “I’ve tried, but apparently airin’ out her tits are more important than what I want,” he chuckled, affectionately rolling his eyes. “From what I hear Eleanor likes me loads better than her actual brothers anyway,” he said with a smirk. “Aye, well that’s where I get her and Scotty. They can’t help themselves when I start acting like a clown,” he laughed. There was nothing he loved more than to make the people he loved laugh. It meant that he wasn’t doing something to make them cry. And when he made Isla laugh…he had to force himself to stop thinking about it, even though he’d likely hear it again soon. “Just about as lucky as you since I always give you the best gossip I hear at that fuckin’ place,” Sam chuckled. The level of drama that could unfold at work was so ridiculous sometimes. “I don’t think I could ever be bored of you, Isla,” Sam said against the skin of her neck as he gave her a squeeze. He nodded at her sentiment and smiled. He hadn’t really felt as good as he did with Isla in a long time, when he thought about it. And he had a feeling she was at least some of the reason for it. “You can ask the guys in the band, they’re the ones who’ll tell you how annoying I get running through songs over and over,” Sam said with a shrug. He tipped his head back and laughed. “God, that is the least surprising thing I’ve ever heard,” he said after she explained her story of how she was arrested. “I think that’s your choice to make,” he chuckled. “Bestie.”

“I think she might’ve liked the opposites attract sorta thing, but I don’t think it worked like she hoped,” Sam said with a shrug. “They were too different, I think. He sort of boiled her down to just her quirks, and didn’t see her as a whole person. That were a problem,” he mused. If he were going to be serious about anything, it was always the well-being of his friends, so he kept an eye out on who they dated. Sam gave Isla a confused expression when she said she’d never been jealous. Then he laughed. “Never been jealous? Not even of a friend or something?” he chuckled. “You’ve never wanted someone so bad that you’d throw a fist at someone who got to have them and you didn’t?” Sam joked, though he was serious. He recalled that feeling when Ryan was dating Connor. It was awful, yet exhilarating. “I think you know Scott’s a tough lad by now,” he said with a smirk. That was an understatement, Sam thought. Because on top of Eleanor and Ivy, Scott was also picking up Sam’s pieces too. And he still felt so guilty for it. “Aye,” Sam agreed, “When I first met Eleanor it was at the lobby bar at the hotel, she just started there with her dolphins and invited me for a swim. Babbled on about some dolphin species shite I didn’t understand, and I thought: Scotty would probably like this bird, she’s a ride and she’s clever. Only after I told him that little story did he tell me about her,” he tutted, shaking his head. “Oi, Ivy,” Sam let out an exasperated sigh. “Ivy were the bird Scott dated in Scotland a couple years after Eleanor. They were pretty serious. Ehm—“ Sam scratched the back of his neck. He didn’t know if he should reveal anything that Scott hadn’t talked about with Eleanor, like her addiction, her near engagement to Scott, her pregnancy—considering Isla was her best mate. “Well she up and left him with no explanation one day. She were pretty troubled. He tried to find her but she just…was off,” he explained with a frown. “Lass came here specifically to get ‘im back, but Eleanor had arrived shortly before her and she and Scotty already reconnected. Ivy didn’t really care much about that, though, was sorta cruel towards her, actually. Found that out from Eleanor after the dust had started to settle and I started getting to know her a little better. And Ivy basically told Scott she were still in love with him, hangin’ around him as much as she could. Then well—eh, they did start hooking up,” he said with a dry chuckle. “While he was still hanging out with Eleanor too,” Sam shrugged a bit and smirked. “I think Eleanor only started up with Jason was because she were upset about that, but you’d have to ask her,” he chuckled. “Though once Scotty went all McGregor on ‘im and slept with Eleanor I think he realized who he really wanted and Ivy were out of the picture pretty quickly after that,” he said. “I don’t think I personally do much to give lads a good reputation either,” Sam laughed. “But aye, I know what you mean—bastards like that deserve what comes to them,” he said with an affirmative nod. He knew particularly how awful it was for a married man to do that to his wife, to another woman. And Scott knew it too. Sam would have done the same to Jason if he knew. “Aye, Rory and Parker have been mates since they were wains,” he said with a smile. “If Scott was writing her his love poems—“ he couldn’t help but snicker, “—aye, I bet it were rather dramatic.” 

I trust you too. Sam felt a mixture of happiness and again—guilt—bubble up in his chest. Why did he feel guilty? It didn’t matter then, all he wanted was to stop feeling bad in the moment. Looking at Isla’s earnest expression helped. He chuckled softly, and ran a hand through his hair. “Me mum and I have had a complicated relationship,” he said, and left it at that. It would be too revealing, and it would take him too long, to tell her everything he’d done to disappoint Maeve. “We’re good now though, before you ask,” he added with a little smirk, making sure to catch her eyes. Sam couldn’t let her worry about him. And now he had to deal with revealing so much of his past, all of the things he wished he could just forget. Thankfully when they were in the water, he felt much better. Lighter again. Better, with her here. Sam laughed, and grabbed Isla up into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. “What more do you want, birdie?” he asked before he kissed her. 

“Do you ever think that they’re just making words up to fuck with us?” Isla asked, laughing with him. It amazed her, sometimes, that she could constantly find herself surrounded by the smartest people in the room. “Blame the hotel for making the interview process so long!” She replied with a laugh. “Otherwise, all of you would’ve heard me screaming down the halls much sooner,” She joked. “Of course you knew it before he did. That’s probably the least shocking thing that I’ve ever heard,” She chuckled. “I’m, like, ninety percent sure that I was the first person that Eleanor admitted her feelings to,” She said, shaking her head. “I don’t think she even meant to say it to me when she did. I’ve just got the Cupid touch,” She laughed. “Eleanor will know straight away that it’s me who told you. And then I won’t get the stories any more. You wouldn’t want to take those away from me, would you?” Isla asked, running her hand down his chest. “Down. Right. Filthy,” She emphasized. “Of course she does. Look at her!” She grinned. “I knew that it was really important to him,” She shrugged. “And when you love someone, you’re willing to do things that you don’t really want to, right?” She asked. Back then, there wasn’t anything that she wouldn’t have done to try and make things work. But every time she thought she had a way in with his family, they put up another mile-high wall to keep her out. “I think he thought that what they didn’t like about me was something that they could just get over with time. He didn’t realize it only made it worse until it was too late,” She explained. “Took a twenty carat weight off of my chest, that’s for goddamn sure,” She scoffed. “Surely he’s moved on by now and they’re happily torturing the next girl, poor thing,” She frowned. “That’s because you probably don’t appreciate it the right way,” Isla explained with a laugh, knowing that he was probably saying nearly word-for-word what she would say to Scott.

“I never liked any of that,” Isla said, scrunching her nose up. “I think he thought that I was just being modest when I said not to buy that shit for me,” She shrugged. “But—you know me. My favorite earrings are all made of plastic,” She laughed. “I don’t think I realized just how poorly I fit into the bubble of the elites until I was out of it,” She confessed. “If there is ever some insane circumstance where I run into Andrea, I’ll be sure to tell him that my best mate Sammy sends his regards,” She joked. “Well, they don’t act like people with money,” Isla agreed. “If I didn’t move into her apartment, I don’t think I would’ve ever guessed that Eleanor is as wealthy as she is. Honestly, I would’ve assumed she grew up like anybody else,” She shrugged. “And I didn’t know about Parker until one of you guys mentioned it to me,” She added. “I’ll also just never stop being amazed by their generosity. It’s not so common in the wealthy. At least not when there’s no good publicity around it,” She added with an eye roll. “And why wouldn’t he be?” Isla asked, smirking at Sam. It was tooth-achingly sweet to see Scott be so gentle with Eleanor. There was something particularly energizing to her about watching tough men melt for the women they loved. Especially when they didn’t think that anyone was looking. “What can I say?” Isla asked, shaking her hair off of her shoulders. “I have my cake and eat it too,” She laughed. “You can explain it away all you want, but you can’t fool me, mate,” She smirked. “Maybe you’re just more like me than you thought,” Isla suggested with a smirk. “If it wasn’t love then what else would it be?” Isla asked with a shrug. It certainly felt like love at the time. More than any other relationship that she’d ever had. “Oh, please,” She said, and waved away his compliment. “I hang around with the best of them, so I just look good by proxy,” She said, smiling at Sam. He was the very best of them all as far as Isla was concerned. She felt lucky to be in his orbit in any capacity. “I mean—“ Isla shrugged. “Open relationships work for loads of people,” She argued. “But, in hindsight, I’m sure some of the reason he was so keen to put a ring on my hand was to close us up for good,” Isla mused. His question made her pause, then she started to chuckle a little. “Sure, I guess,” She shrugged. “I think that everyone kinda secretly wants that a least little bit, y’know?” She asked. “To just meet a person and kinda know, y’know?”

“You and your brother just can’t help yourselves, can you?” She asked with a laugh. “You’ve got to big brother everyone around you,” She teased, as though it wasn’t one of her favorite things about them. “I just can’t believe you’re trying to put a pair of—let’s be honest—immaculate tits in a cage,” Isla laughed. “But I do understand your reasoning,” She added as a consolation. “You say that as though you’re difficult to like, even though it’s very much the opposite,” She said, shaking her head at him. It was nearly impossible for her to imagine someone meeting Sam and not immediately wanting to befriend him. “If you make them laugh first, they won’t realize what disgusting thing you’ve said. That’s my tried and true strategy,” She laughed. “And don’t I always love it?” She smirked. “Between the pair of us, I think we know just about everything that’s going on at the resort at any given moment,” She agreed. Sometimes, it was hard for her to keep up with everything that was going on around them. Every day it seemed like there was another new scandal going around. It made all the yachting drama seem so minuscule by comparison. “I could never be bored of you, either,” She replied. It was laughable to think that Sam could ever be even remotely boring. “I promise not to make you laugh or have any fun at all when we start lessons, Mr. Morrison,” Isla teased. “Yeah, but then when you guys kill yet another performance and get swarmed with groupies, they forget all about the time you made them run a song four times in a row,” She said with a smirk. Isla laughed when Sam did after she told him about her arrest story. “I know, so typical,” She said with an eye roll. “It hardly makes for a funny story when it’s that predictable,” She chuckled. “Might have to just fluctuate between the two then,” She shrugged. “To keep you on your toes,” Isla started to grin when Sam called her bestie. “Told ya it’d catch on,” She replied with a wink.

“I see how that could be enticing,” She shrugged. “But I also see how that could easily be a recipe for disaster,” Isla added. “Did they at least have something in common?” She asked. “You know, aside from the fact that they were attracted to each other,” She added with a chuckle. She could see how bothered Sam was by his friend’s old relationship, and she found it so sweet. “Sounds like he manic-pixie-dream girl’d her. What a fucking nightmare,” Isla said with a huff. When Sam started to laugh, she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She didn’t know what was so funny about what she’d said, but she was happy any time she made Sam laugh. “Nope, never once,” She replied with a shrug. “I just don’t really see the point. The way I see it—a person is going to be with the person that they want to be with. If that’s not you, then why would you waste your time being upset about it?” She asked. “And like I said, if I was jealous then I would’ve been in agony all those months that I spent away from my ex,” Isla added. “Oh, is he?” She asked, smirking back at Sam. “That sounds like my beautiful wife,” Isla said with a dreamy sigh. “I can’t believe he knew who she was just by the way that you described her,” She said in awe. “That’s the kind of stuff that could make you cry,” She chuckled, and felt that same wonderful tightness in her chest that came any time she thought about something truly romantic. “Ivy,” Isla echoed with wide eyes. She’d only heard a little about her, but she suspected that Sam might have the real scoop. “Eleanor mentioned that she was an ex of Scott’s,” She nodded. Isla gasped at what Sam told her before she could stop herself. “Oh my god,” She said, putting a hand to her chest. “Poor Scotty,” She murmured. “From what Eleanor’s said, it sounds like Ivy was a total cunt to her,” Isla shook her head at that. How anyone could look at Eleanor and say something cruel was beyond her. “I’m sure it’s pretty easy to have your head done in when your first love and your last are keeping your head on a swivel,” She shrugged. “Messy, messy, Scott. Eleanor mentioned he was a bit of a fuck boy back in the day. Guess old habits die hard, huh?” Isla joked. “It is honestly so hard for me to picture Scott or Eleanor being with anyone besides each other,” She replied, shaking her head. “Jason,” She said, rolling her eyes. “Wait, so Scott, like what? Jumped him?” She asked. “You might be a slut, but that’s all part of your charm, Sammy,” Isla teased, flashing Sam a grin and scratching under his chin like he was a puppy. “And now they’re here together?” She asked, starting to smile. “That’s really sweet. And what a dream, right?” She laughed. “Oh, leave your brother be!” Isla said, and swatted at Sam’s chest. “He’s letting Eleanor live the dream. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be someone’s muse?” 

Isla nodded when Sam told her, albeit vaguely, about his relationship with his mother. “And you knew I would,” She asked with a quiet chuckle. She wouldn’t have been able to help herself. It was hard, almost impossible really, for Isla to stop asking Sam questions about himself. He was one of the most interesting people that she’d ever met. “I’m happy to hear that you’re doing better, though,” She smiled. She easily wrapped herself around him when he picked her up, then chuckled against his lips when he kissed her. “What more do you want to give, bestie?” Isla asked, letting her nails slide up the back of his neck until she could start to play with his hair.

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“If an iPhone photo is all I’ve got to capture me layin’ a fat one on Parker, then I’ll take it. Any evidence is good enough for me,” he laughed. “I don’t think they could possibly ever get bored of each other. They wouldn’t shut the fuck up about each other for like, the better part of a year,” Sam said with a dramatic sigh. Though it was nice to hear Scott speak sweetly of anyone at all no matter how much he teased him for it. “I sometimes feel you might hold back a little for the sake of your wife’s embarrassment,” he said with a coy smile as he laughed. “So I guess he were bringing you ‘round his family a lot?” Sam asked, quirking an eyebrow. In his relationships, Sam made it a point to not involve family at all. Save for now, at the resort where many people he hooked up with already knew Scott. But that was different. The closest he ever got with Ryan was her taking him to his brother’s grave and a video call with Maeve once or twice. He’s grateful now he didn’t have to explain to his extended family why she wasn’t around any more. “Quite a stupid gold digger,” he chuckled. “I really don’t pay much attention when they rich wankers start talkin’ if I’m honest,” Sam said with a smirk. “I’ve only just started really listening to Parker and Eleanor,” he joked. 

“Ew,” Sam scoffed when she talked about how wealthy her ex was. Of course there was some sort of intrigue into that kind of life—he’d been granted a glimpse of it through Parker and Eleanor’s generosity but he would never quite get it. Money would’ve made his life a hell of a lot easier, so it was hard not to feel bitter towards it. “I know a little about wine, but just how to drink it,” Sam joked before he could stop himself. Used to drink it, he amended in his head. Then he had to laugh. This guy seemed ridiculous. “King of Italian wines,” Sam snickered as he rolled his eyes. “He sounds a little absurd, bug,” he said as he flashed her a smirk. “I will not,” Sam said when she suggested he stop irritating his brother. He wouldn’t know how to stop even if he tried. “I think the last thing Scotty is gonna do with Eleanor is soften up,” he laughed. Though of course he knew what she meant. Scott was visibly less tense now that he and Eleanor were back together. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen him like that. He sighed when Isla pressed about his supposed affinity for romance. “Look, birdie—“ he said, and chuckled before he licked his lips and made sure that she was looking at his face. “I think you understand, I like a little drama. The performance of it all,” Sam started to explain. “The romance well—Scotty did that for himself. He wrote the words, I didn’t,” he shrugged. “And sure, say I do think other people can be happy like that, in love or whatever,” he cringed and rolled his eyes as he laughed at himself. “But I’ve found it’s a bit more trouble than it’s worth for me,” Sam finally finished, and gave his face a little rub. “And I know because I’ve done it,” he added, then cringed even harder. Why did he say that? “Hmm,” he sounded when she said that she did love her ex. He wasn’t really convinced with how flippantly she spoke about him. “Punching above your weight? Don’t be silly, Isla,” Sam interrupted her with a serious tone. He didn’t even have to meet this guy to know that couldn’t possibly be true. “Sorry, go on,” he said, and listened to the rest of her story. The whole idea of marriage at all made Sam’ stomach go sour. He’d never seen one that worked. It only complicated things. He mulled what she said over for a moment, and slowly nodded. He wasn’t surprised in the slightest that she’d been proposed to. Anyone should be so lucky to get to know her—he couldn’t blame the idiot for trying to keep her. But it was obvious that he didn’t know what she really wanted, who she really was, if he thought he was going to be engaged to her. “What a sorry fucker,” he finally said, then gave her a toothy grin before he started to laugh again. “Oh Isla, girl,” he tutted, shaking his head, “If that’s how you feel, I know there’s not a chance you really loved the sorry fella.” 

“Aye, she really needs to use that fuckin’ robe I got her when she answers the door, though. You never know, a fella like me or somethin’ could be there and she’d be in trouble,” Sam joked. “Oh yeah, Eleanor loves me alright. I think she’s set a new world record for most eye-rolls in an hour when I see her,” he snickered. “Lass, I can promise I mean it when I say better than anyone,” Sam nodded. Of course, he went much further beyond just annoying his brothers. He worried them, for which he felt so endlessly guilty. He was trying so hard now to make sure that Scott would stop worrying about him now. He was sober now. Maybe not okay. But at least sober. He let out a hearty laugh. “Since you sniff out sexy gossip like a bloodhound I reckon you’ll live a full, long life,” Sam grinned. “No shot, you’re far too filthy for sainthood,” he mumbled against her lips, then kissed along the side of her neck. “But I like you like that,” he added, giving her a sultry expression as he pulled away. “Of course you don’t find me annoying, you’re just as mad as I am,” he said, his expression softening into something a little more affectionate. “Then I have to warn you, music is the only thing I take seriously. If you wanna learn I’m going to be a touch instructor,” Sam said, then smirked again. “I need my students to be kept in line,” he added before huffing a breathy laugh. “Again?” he snorted. “Lemme guess…drunken disorderly conduct? Or maybe nude in public?” Sam mused with a chuckle. “I have a few ideas, girl. But you just have to get in trouble first before I show you,” he said with a wink. 

“Aye, he were pretty clean cut. Not a great match, but she liked him at the time,” Sam shrugged. “I understand why he were jealous, not that I agree with it,” he said. “I mean, a reputation like mine…we’d already slept together. If I were in his shoes maybe I wouldn’t like me so much either,” he smirked. Not trusting Savannah was where Sam found the issue. Someone who really loved her would get over his and Savannah’s past, he knew. “You say that like you’ve never been jealous before?” he said, furrowing his brow. Sam wasn’t a stranger to the feeling at all. It sucked, but it was a useful tool sometimes. “Ah, no. I don’t think so? We all started working together at the same time, just sorta became mates like that through employee stuff,” he mused when she asked about how Julia and Scott met. It was all too fuzzy to recall now. “Oh, Scott would be dead at the bottom of the Pacific if that were the case, I reckon,” he joked. Sam was relieved that Eleanor’s arrival didn’t overlap with Scott and Julia’s relationship. He might ask him now what he would’ve done, just out of curiosity. Sam frowned and nodded a little. “I didn’t know Eleanor too well then. I tried to stay out of it. And she kept her distance from me too. Ivy didn’t though. She were really interested in being friends,” Sam explained. “I tried not to entertain it much, though. I just wanted Scott to do whatever he felt he wanted to, and I’d support ‘im. But from where I stood…” he trailed of for a moment, thought of the way Ivy left Scott, about her active drug used. Poor girl. “Eleanor was the obvious choice. When he came to me from seein’ her he was just…light, I suppose. Relaxed. But Ivy were throwin’ herself fanny first at the lad, and that certainly can make a guy confused,” he said with a laugh. “Oh, don’t even get me fuckin’ started on Jason, what a fucking prick,” he said with a disgusted scoff. “He sniffed around me mate Rory, too. You’ve met her? She’s a real lovely girl,” he smiled. “I’m just glad she got together with her girlfriend before he could do what he did to Eleanor,” Sam sneered. He couldn’t help but smile when Isla described how Scott and Eleanor acted around one another. He noticed it too, of course. But sometimes it felt like he shouldn’t be looking, like they were having a private moment in the middle of a crowded room. He remembered feeling like that once. Sam hated that he sort of missed it. “D’you think that’s how they acted when they were kids too?” he asked. “Aye,” he agreed, smiling wider at Isla’s reaction. It was very sweet. 

Even though Isla said that he shouldn’t feel sorry for unloading his life story onto her, he still felt guilty for it. He couldn’t really figure out why. “‘Course I trust you,” Sam muttered, and something inside his chest shifted. Maybe he could talk about the things that had happened to him that were out of his control, but to tell her about all of the damage he had caused made him feel sick. Whatever image she had of him was one that he didn’t intend on ruining. It felt too good to have someone as wonderful as her in his life. Guilt oozed down his spine again.  “Maybe now, yeah,” Sam said with a half-smile as he spoke of Maeve. He wouldn’t have left Ireland again without assurance that his aunts and uncles would be looking after her. The sight of his hand against Isla’s cheek was almost too much after all of this vulnerability. He wasn’t used to this. It’d been a while since he’d spilled any of his guts. “Isla—“ he began, then huffed a laugh through his nose as he dropped his head and took his hand back. It was getting stranger and stranger to call Isla his mate every day. Especially right now. How could she look at him like that and just be his friend? What are you fucking doing! his mind screamed at him. “What am I gonna do?” he echoed, then smirked as he recomposed himself, and prayed that Isla didn’t see he lost any composure at all. Sam was a good liar. “I’ll tell ya what I’m gonna do,” he mumbled before he quickly jumped out of the bed and scooped Isla up into his arms. He ran to the ocean with her without a thought to see if any neighbors could see them naked and tossed her right into the water once he reached it, dunking himself under right beside her. It was the shock his body needed; something to bring him back to his senses. “You want anymore, lass? I can waterboard you next since we’re out here,” he teased. 

“I’ll make sure it’s high quality,” Isla assured him. “Anything for a bestie,” She laughed. “I really don’t think so, either,” She smiled. “I don’t think that they can either,” Isla nodded. “Sometimes when I hang out with them, I feel like they’re speaking another language. They both are just—so clever it’s almost unbelievable,” She laughed. “And I’m devastated that I wasn’t here for it to get those wheels in motion much sooner,” Isla added. Just the times that she was present for were difficult to get through because she wanted it for them so badly. She couldn’t imagine what it would have been like to experience it even longer. No wonder Sam was going crazy. “And you might be right,” She giggled. “Eleanor’s cheeks can only get so red,” She added playfully. “And that’s also what makes it that much more delicious when she tells me the downright filthy details about her and Scotty,” She laughed. “Pretty much any time we weren’t together on the yacht, we’d spend at least some time with his family. They were quite important to him, as you’ve probably gathered,” She shrugged. “I think that’s why he was so desperate for us to get on,” She added with a quiet sigh. It certainly put a strain on their relationship when Isla couldn’t find a way in with them. Nothing she tried got her even a step closer, if anything, it only put her further and further back to the wall. “Exactly!” She laughed. “And they never wanted to get that through their head. I wasn’t up to their pedigree, so it didn’t matter what I did,” She said with a shrug. “Honestly, the relief of not needing to earn their approval was one of the best parts of breaking up,” She admitted with a slight grimace. “Well, it’s easy to not hear Eleanor when she’s speaking when she looks that fit,” She smirked.

“It was—“ She paused as she tried to think of the best way to describe how it felt. “Overwhelming, to say the very least. Honestly, it made me uncomfortable for a long time. It was just—beyond anything that I could even imagine,” Isla said, and let out a sigh. “I didn’t realize the yacht we were on was his until we were already together. I assumed he’d just been employed like the rest of us,” She chuckled, realizing how ridiculous it was now. “I’ve forgotten most of what I knew, now I know just enough to be impressive to couples making a wine list,” She laughed. “I know it sounds completely ridiculous, but he sort of is. Like—we stock a bunch of his wines at the resort,” She explained. “It is absurd. I think most wealthy people are absurd,” She agreed. “Eleanor and Parker are two needles in a lush haystack,” She laughed. “Of course you won’t,” She laughed. “But I did have to try, didn’t I?” She smirked. “Not physically, at least,” Isla added with a chuckle. It was overwhelmingly sweet to see someone as physically intimidating as Scott turn into a melt as soon as Eleanor walked into a room. She blinked a few times when Sam looked her right in the eye. She nodded a little at his explanation, though she wasn’t sure that she was entirely sold. “You can be a romantic without wanting it for yourself,” Isla argued with a shrug. “I mean, look at me. I spend all day talking about love, being around people in love—at work and at home now—and I genuinely love it. I think I’m fueled by it,” She admitted, giggling. “But, I’m perfectly happy in my single position,” She shrugged. The pieces fell into a more understandable place when Sam let it slipped that he’d been burned by love before. Isla understood the feeling. Despite it all, she had to believe that there was love out there for her. Real love. Great love. She just wasn’t sure that she was ready for it yet. “And yet you still believe in it at least somewhat. Or else you wouldn’t have done what you did for Scott. Risking life and limb, really, after you stole his journal,” She laughed. “What?” She asked, squinting at him. Isla stammered when Sam interrupted, then paused to smile. “That’s sweet of you, Sam,” She chuckled. It was hard to believe him, when Andrea was the kind of man most woman dreamed of. “He took it really hard,” Isla nodded. “I didn’t realize that we’d been on entirely different planets,” She said, then quietly sighed. “You’re not the first person to say that,” She shrugged. “If I didn’t love him, then it was as close to love as I ever got.”

“It is sweet that you’re so protective over her,” She smiled. “She’ll get there. Just tell her that it’s important to you,” Isla suggested. “She does love you. It’s how sisters act toward their brothers. I would know,” She laughed. “I guess I just find it a little hard to believe that anyone could think that you’re annoying when they’re always laughing at you,” Isla argued with a grin. Sam was one of the funniest people that she’d ever met, and she could hardly imagine seeing him and not being in stitches at least just once. Even now, when things had been more serious than they’d maybe ever been, he still found a way to slip in something that made her smile. “And how lucky are you that I share it with you first,” Isla smirked. “Imagine how bored you’d be if I wasn’t this filthy,” She replied with a chuckle, then leaned her head back slightly as Sam kissed her neck. “Well that’s definitely true. It’s why we get on so well,” She laughed. Isla hardly knew how to explain how lucky she felt to meet someone like Sam, who really just got her. It was all she could’ve hoped for when she landed in Hawaii. “Oooh, I’ll be interested to see what serious Sammy looks like,” She mused, grinning at Sam. “I’ll do my best to be a good student,” She promised, then crossed her heart. “My friends egged me on to flash an officer and, clearly it didn’t end that well,” Isla laughed. “So—should I behave or not behave at my first guitar lesson? You’re kinda giving me mixed signals here, bestie,” She joked.

“I just can’t imagine Savannah with some all-American boy type,” Isla said with a surprised chuckle. “I could see why some clean-cut boring guy would want to get with her though,” She smirked. “I mean—I guess,” She shrugged. “But if he really loved Savannah, and knew how important you were to her, then he shouldn’t have been so jealous in the first place,” She shook her head. “Well, that’s because I’ve never been jealous before,” She agreed. “I never would’ve survived being in an open relationship if I was the jealous type,” She explained with a chuckle. “Jealousy just feels like a wasted emotion to me. It does more harm than good,” She shrugged. “Oh right, of course,” Isla nodded. “That makes sense. I should’ve figured as much,” She chuckled. “The thought of having one ex on such a small island is enough to make your head spin. I can’t believe Scott’s is still attached to his body after everything,” She said, shaking her head in amazement. She could hide her emotions well enough, but even she had a tipping point. “How unlucky,” She replied when Sam said he didn’t know Eleanor for a time. “I didn’t want to ask Eleanor because I didn’t know if it was still a sore spot—but what was the whole deal with Ivy?” Isla asked, unable to help herself. She just wanted to know everything she could about what went on in her friends’ lives before she got here. “Like what could she have possibly done to compete with Eleanor. Especially when I see her with Scott. It amazes me that it was ever a question,” She said, shaking her head in disbelief. “He was unbelievable—married!” She exclaimed. “Guys like him really do you all a disservice,” She chuckled. “Oh yes, she’s the little pixie, right?” She smiled. “I think I saw her with Parker a few times,” Isla explained. “She was really sweet when I met her, I can’t imagine what kind of damage someone like Jason could’ve done to her,” She agreed. Isla softened when Sam asked her what she thought Eleanor and Scott were like years ago. “I want to say yes, because it feels obvious,” She nodded. “But since they were teenagers, I reckon it was a more dramatic version of what they’re like now,” She laughed. 

“Good,” She said softly. “I trust you, too,” She added with a smile. It should’ve been surprising just how quickly Isla trusted Sam. But they just hit it off so quickly, and she felt so at ease around him from the start. Of course she’d want to share things with him now that they’d gotten so close. She considered him as close to her as Eleanor. Maybe even closer, considering how often she saw him naked. “I’m sure that she did then, too,” Isla argued. “I mean, how could she not when you’ve been taking care of her as you have?” She asked, then gave him a small smile. Isla could only hope that someone would advocate for her like that if ever a major situation arose. “Sam—“ She replied, and smiled at Sam as he dropped his head. She wished she could get into his head, to make sure that he actually was okay, especially after everything that he’d told her about. Isla quirked an eyebrow when Sam repeated what she said. She felt so happy just to see him smile again, and she was even happier to be part of the reason for it. Isla squealed in delight when Sam scooped her up and let out a loud laugh as they hit the water. “Is that really all you’ve got?” Isla teased, grinning at him. “I think you can do better than that,” She teased.

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“Knock yourself out birdie, just don’t get lost in the closet,” Sam joked. “As you fuckin’ should. I bet he’s gonna spring one on me when I least expect it, the bastard,” he said, playfully shaking his fist in the air. “Right now? I reckon Scott and Eleanor wouldn’t be able to hear a bomb going off if it were right in front of their faces; they’re too wrapped up in each other at the moment,” he laughed, even if he was still so happy for his brother. So happy that it was impossible to express out loud without making a fool of himself. “As far as I know that’s accurate. And I’m sure you’ve heard all about it from ‘er as well,” he chuckled. Sam pulled a face in disgust when she elaborated on the type of people that were in her ex’s family. They must’ve spent a lot of time around each other. The closest Sam ever got to meeting the family was accompanying Ryan to Bristol to visit her brother’s grave. And they certainly didn’t have much more than a penny to their name, like his family. “They sound really fuckin’ lovely,” Sam commented, cocking an eyebrow. “Aye, it’s especially fun being in security when some of the more expensive guests think I’m there to be their personal body guard.” He rolled his eyes. “Or when they come running to me spewing some awful classist bullshit about how they think the room attendant stole their watch, only to find the fuckin’ thousand dollar thing in the bottom of their beach bag the next day,” he said with a sneer. At least he had fun with his friends on the job, and he had even more fun hooking up with the daughters and sons of particularly nasty old bags with attitude problems by way of their wealth. “Was your ex a fuckin’ king or something?” he asked with a laugh. He wished he wasn’t so curious about him, but he couldn’t help himself. It was impossible to not want to know everything he could about Isla. “Aye, exactly my thoughts,” he smiled, closing his eyes for a moment when Isla pinched his cheeks. “Scott will go to his grave not giving me what I want,” he explained with a laugh. “Isla, love, I really think you might be seeing what you want to see rather than what’s actually here,” he said, gesturing to himself. Maybe at one time Sam might have thought himself a romantic. He certainly liked romancing his dates. And the only time it turned into something more it was a heartbreak like any other. He wasn’t eager to see it again. “It is,” he agreed quietly. Sam was grateful for getting on that cruise ship every day. Even if it led him to the Ryan disaster, it led him to Scott, and Savannah, and Parker and Rory—he could go on with everyone he loved whom he met because of it. Sam nodded slowly when she explained why she turned down a proposal. “You didn’t love him, then,” he said before he even had a chance to think about it. Maybe there were a thousand other reasons to decline a proposal, but Sam thought that must be the most obvious one. “Is there a longer version?” he asked. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Sam said with a shrug, even if he was curious. For someone so obsessed with love, Isla’s own love life was making less and less sense to him by the second. 

“Aye, I’d have a serious problem with anyone who doesn’t love the bird,“ Sam he laughed. "They wouldn’t have teeth anymore if I so much as heard a negative word about her,” he smirked. And he’d made good on that promise before, feeling smug as he thought about when he’d fought Sebastian for her. He barked a laugh when Isla tried to defend herself. “You didn’t have to, I know where I stand with our dear Eleanor,” he said as he calmed down. “Birdie, I think I know better than anyone what it’s like when a sibling is annoyed with me,” he chuckled, though the thought of Eleanor actually becoming his sister-in-law made him feel very warm. He wondered when Scott wanted to propose, and how he would do it, since there wasn’t really the question of if he was going to. He tried to follow what Isla was saying about her besties and decided it was probably best just to smile and nod along. She certainly was a riot. “Love, I don’t think Eleanor, your best mate would stop telling you about her sex life, no matter how much she wants to kill me when I bring it up to her,” he said with a satisfied grin. “Aye, so fuckin’ charitable,” he said with a little eye roll, kissing her back. “You like me so much you can hardly stand it,” Sam teased with a smug grin. They certainly spent enough time together. He gave her an over-exaggerated nod when she tried to insist that his brothers didn’t really mean it when they said he was annoying. Sam knew he could get on peoples’ nerves, and sometimes he did so on purpose. “It doesn’t bother me much when I’m told I’m annoying anyway, and I bet I can ring Scotty right now and he’ll tell you he certainly does mean it when he says it,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “What’re you a terrible student or something?” he laughed. Sam had taught girls he was seeing how to play a few things before, but most of them never lasted long. Except for Ryan, of course. She was just really catching on when she left. “Aye, I’d love to. I know a tiny bit from picking up the fiddle here and there in pub bands but I’m not very good at it,” Sam shrugged. He wasn’t good at much, but he was good at learning how to play instruments. It was the only thing that made sense to Sam, really. “You don’t?” Sam asked with a smirk when she said she didn’t want to get put in cuffs. “I reckon being in trouble can be pretty fun,” he said, tracing his fingers lightly over the inside of her wrist then huffing a little laugh through his nose.

Sam barked a laugh, and rubbed at his face a little. “Aye, I’ve got a few stories about them,” he said with a smirk. “Caleb was a  fella from Boston, a bit uptight—definitely too uptight for my Sav. He were a bit threatened by me,” Sam explained with a guilty grin and a shrug. “And maybe I didn’t do anything to stop ‘im from feeling like that. But if your lass tells you you have nothing to worry about and that lass is Savannah, of all people, I reckon you should just trust 'er. And apparently he didn’t. I didn’t like him much,” Sam said. “Besides, somethin’ already did happen between us, and nothin’ came of it. So I guess he were just insecure about 'er living with me.” It was laughable to Sam at the time, because he wasn’t going anywhere, and Caleb should have known that coming into his relationship with Savannah. “Then Julia, well, she were a good mate of mine for a bit too,” he said, an uncomfortable feeling creeping up the back of his neck when he thought about how often he and Julia drank together, with Scott too. “She just always had one foot out the door, you know? Then two feet out the door and me poor boy was heartbroken,” he said with an over-exaggerated pout before he laughed. “Though he did get over her pretty quickly since Eleanor showed up, then not long after Ivy, who I’m sure your wife has already given you an earful about,” Sam smirked. “And all of that was just a fuckin’ mess I’m grateful is over,” he added with a hearty laugh.  “What, is Scotty carryin’ her around the flat so her feet don’t have to touch the ground? Or somethin’ else to show what a sucker he is?” Sam snickered when Isla cooed over his brother and Eleanor. Though of course he was more than happy for them too. Her reaction was so cute—the way her nose scrunched up—that it almost threw Sam for a moment. Almost. Though that was much easier to stomach than Isla’s features twisted up, making a face that he could only assume meant she was trying not to cry. That was the last thing he wanted to do to her. He nodded and looked at her with wide eyes when she expressed that she was sorry about what happened. Sam didn’t like to be pitied, which was one of the reasons he hardly talked about the things he’d been through. But Isla’s lips on his hand actually felt comforting. Everything she said was always so earnest. Sam loved that about her. “Yeah—I…” he began, then coughed a little, scratching the back of his neck. “I didn’t mean to say all of that, really, I’m sorry,” he said, even if she’d just thanked him for sharing it. “I hope t’god it’s for the better,” he said with a breathy laugh. Of course he worried every day about Maeve. After all, he was all that she had left. He was just grateful Irish Catholics didn’t believe in condoms so she had seven other siblings mulling around Donegal to take care of her when Sam couldn’t. “I’m okay, birdie,” Sam said softly, mustering up a smile for her. Looking at Isla, it was easy to believe a lie like that. ”A little sensitive is not really how I’d describe Savannah,” Sam barked a laugh. “With talk like that it seems like you’re asking to see an angry Irishman,” he teased, raising his brows. “Which I really don’t think you wanna do,” Sam finished with a playful grin, even if he’d actually rather choke than reveal to Isla the extent of his rage. 

“As if that would ever be something I’d be bothered by,” Isla laughed. “And besides, if it’s lost in your closet, that means it’s easier for me to steal,” She said, wagging her eyebrows. “So I’ll just start carrying around my camera at all times, then,” She laughed. “Because I don’t feel like an iPhone camera can really capture the essence of love like that,” She joked. “And that’s what I like to hear. I’d be concerned if they got back together this soon and were bored of each other,” She shook her head. “I mean, it’s concerning any time you’re bored around your partner,” She said with a shake of her head. “I might have caught some details on a night out or two,” Isla giggled. “But I share the juiciest bits with you, you know that!” She exclaimed. “Tell me about it,” Isla said, groaning as she rolled her eyes. “You know, it’s funny now to think about how convinced they were that I was a gold digger. If I was one, I was a really shit one,” She laughed. “Because what kind of gold digger would voluntarily work for half the year on her own?” She asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. There was really no getting through to Andrea when she expressed how upset she was over how his family talked about her. Maybe he just didn’t want to believe it, or maybe he really was convinced that it was just a growing pain that they would eventually move on from. “Oh god, I can imagine. I’m sure some of those people are the same ones that think we’ve got a private airport for them,” She said with a snicker. “But really, that does suck so much. And I’m sure the resort management loses their absolute fucking mind when someone on staff gets accused of something like that,” She replied, rolling her eyes at the absurdity. “And I’m sure that when they find out that it was their mistake, they make no effort to apologize for causing a scene,” She grumbled, then shook her head. “At least the one-percent aren’t the only people around,” Isla added with a smile. Everyone that she worked with had been great so far. Isla barked a laugh at Sam’s question about Andrea. “He wasn’t royalty, but his family is richer than a lot of royal families. So like—kinda,” She shrugged. It felt funny to talk about Andrea’s wealth, and she knew how hyperbolic it sounded when she described it. “I dunno if you know anything about wine, but his family owns the Trevisani vineyards in Italy. He’s Andrea Trevisani,” She laughed. “So a king of Italian wines, I guess,” She said with a shrug. “Maybe stop being a knucklehead around your big tough brother then,” She teased, giving Sam’s head a few gentle knocks. “I dunno—maybe he’ll soften up now that he has a girlfriend,” Isla replied with a wide grin. Sometimes, she would catch Scott and Eleanor in the kitchen or on the couch and they looked so sweet that she could hardly bear it. “No, I think I’m seeing just fine,” Isla grinned. “Like I said, you stole your brother’s notebook and composed a song out of his love poems. You’re already at a disadvantage here, bestie,” She said, then smirked at Sam. “And besides, me and Cupid are besties. I know when someone is on our team,” She added. “I think I did,” Isla said, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought about it. “But I didn’t love him enough,” She explained. “No, I don’t mind talking about it,” Isla shrugged. Talking to Sam about anything felt about as easy as breathing. “There’s always a longer story, isn’t there?” Isla asked, quirking an eyebrow. “I mean, I always kinda knew that I was punching well above my weight with Andrea—I mean, he’s beautiful and fun and adventurous and open, and for someone born with sixteen platinum spoons in his mouth, he’s really very generous,” Isla explained. “And I was happy with him. He was a really great boyfriend.,” She shrugged. “But then, y’know, he got down on one knee and I realized that I had never once thought about being his wife. And I saw this whole life flash before my eyes and it was fucking terrifying,” She shuddered. “There’s no silence as loud as the one that follows will you marry me?” She said with a sigh. “So, yeah. He proposed to me, I said no, and then less than six hours later I had to get on a flight to Thailand to get on charter for the next six months,” She explained. “I didn’t even feel upset that we’d broken up. I just felt guilty about how heartbroken he was.”

“And no one could blame you for that,” Isla agreed. “She’s a sweet little beach fairy. I think you’d have to be insane not to fall at her feet,” She added with a laugh. “I can’t believe that there is a heart cold enough to not warm up to Sav. Especially when she gives such a warm welcome,” Isla smirked. It was practically impossible to forget. “Oh please, she loves you!” Isla exclaimed. “Don’t be silly,” She added with a smile. “Better than anyone?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow. “I think you forget that you’re talking to the queen of annoying her siblings,” She laughed. “If that day ever came, then I think that would just whither up and die. You know how Tinker Bell dies without applause?” Isla asked, then started to smirk. “That’s how I am with sexy gossip,” She giggled. Isla smirked when Sam rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna get canonized if I keep this up,” She teased, then leaned in to give Sam another quick kiss. She couldn’t help that Sam was the best sex she had on the island, and she couldn’t help how well they got along. Of course she’d want to spend more time with him. “That’s interesting—“ Isla tutted. “Because I was thinking that it was the other way around,” She giggled. “Scotty could tell me a hundred times and I wouldn’t believe it,” She shrugged. “I’ve never found you annoying at all,” Isla smiled. “No, I don’t think it’s that. I mean, I picked up violin pretty quickly,” She chuckled. “I just get distracted pretty easily,” She admitted guiltily. “Well, then you’re on,” Isla grinned. “Because I’ve been arrested? No, not again,” She laughed. “But if you’ve got another reason that I should be put in cuffs then I’m all ears, bestie,” She smirked. “It can be very fun.”

“Well—?” Isla asked, then settled in against Sam as he started to talk about Savannah and Scott’s old flames. “I can’t even imagine Savannah being with someone who doesn’t look like they’ve just left some hippie commune,” Isla joked. “I’ve never understood that. Like—how could you be jealous because someone has a friend?” She shook her head. “I don’t blame you for leaning into it. If he was playing stupid games, he should have won stupid prizes,” She chuckled. “I probably would’ve done the same,” She added. “I don’t imagine Sav is anything but honest,” She shrugged. “Oh really? I never would have guessed. I was starting to think he was your bestie before I got here,” Isla teased, shaking her head at Sam. It was sweet to see how protective Sam was over his friends. She understood the feeling. “You would think that would’ve been comfort to him to know that any flame there was well snuffed out,” She shrugged. “Jealousy does really weird things to people, I guess. I don’t really get it,” She said with a thoughtful frown. She was grateful that she’d never been jealous. It sounded fucking awful. “Did you introduce her and Scott? Or did you two become friends after the fact?” Isla asked. The way that her friends lives were all connected was starting to feel like a sexier Love Actually. “I’d say poor Scotty, but who knows what would’ve happened with Scott and Eleanor if he’d had a whole girlfriend when she got here,” She said, shaking her head. “Eleanor’s told me a few things about Ivy. But I didn’t really want to ask too much about it. It sounded like a really shitty time for my Eleanor,” Isla frowned. Thinking about how hurt Eleanor was, and how she wasn’t here to help her, broke Isla’s heart. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like with Ivy, Jason, Eleanor, and Scott. Just from what Eleanor said, it sounds like it was a fucking insane time,” She chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. “It’s not even that. It’s just seeing how they look at each other, and how they move around each other. It’s just—it’s really obvious that they’re really just so in love. Like, you just know that they’ve found the One, y’know?” She smiled. “I just feel lucky to get to see my mates so happy,” She added with a content sigh. “Please—“ Isla shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for,” She quickly assured him. “I really do appreciate that you feel like you can trust me with things like this,” She said, and she really meant it. It felt good to know that your friend felt safe with you. Isla tried very hard to make all of her friends feel that way. “I’m sure that she feels that it is,” Isla said, and smiled softly when Sam laughed. She ran her thumb along Sam’s knuckles, then leaned them against her cheek and smiled at him. She hoped that he really meant it, and wasn’t just being shy after revealing something about himself. “And what’s so wrong with that?” Isla asked with a giggle. “Maybe I am,” She replied with an innocent shrug. “No, I think I really do,” Isla teased. “Especially when you’ve talked such a big game. What’re you gonna do, Irishman?”

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“Be me guest,” he chuckled. “It’s pretty messy in there, I don’t get to organizing much,” Sam said with a shrug. He did his best to keep the common areas of the house as neat as possible, but his bedroom was somewhat of a disaster area. “Oh, if I’m getting Parker to kiss me it better be for an audience, preferably one with video cameras,” he laughed. “And what more could I want for me mates than to be shagging all the time?” Sam said with a playful sigh. “I think something classic, like Let’s Get It On or True, somethin’ in that vein. Something ridiculously corny,” Sam said, bouncing his eyebrows. “Or we could go cursed and do like, The Hamster Dance,” he suggested as he laughed. “Exactly, so no one’s really coming for you as a person because I just don’t see anyone who could,” Sam said with a grin. Isla was so sweet, so bright and full of life that the thought of anyone not liking her was a laughable concept to Sam. “I’m sure those rich people on the yachts were nightmarish, aye. But again, they’re just pissy toddlers that aren’t happy about somethin’ that doesn’t matter to real people, so they take it out on staff, like the rich brides here,” he shrugged. “What kind of fuckin’ resorts have private jets?” Sam said with an incredulous laugh. As much as he liked working at the resort he still felt a twinge of distaste for the oppulence that much of the guest population displayed, along with their shitty attitudes. When he got close with Parker, then Eleanor, he was honestly taken aback by how down to earth they were. It reminded him not to be so judgmental. “You girls are sweet,” Sam said with an affectionate grin as he spoke of Isla and Eleanor. “I try to keep Scott’s fists away from me pretty face, you know?” he joked, giving his jaw a few light licks. “They won’t learn, which makes it all the more fun for us to expose that everyone’s just as much of a horny bastard as me and you,” Sam said with a loud laugh. “Aye, sure, one girlfriend and I’m make of sweets,” he huffed with a little eye roll. He tried it and when it was good it was really good, amazing even—but when things with Ryan became bad it was awful. Sam didn’t know if he could do it again and make it out sober. “’S alright,” he shrugged when Isla apologized. “We met on that cruise ship I worked on. Same one I met Scotty,” Sam explained. It was easier to talk about Ryan the farther away her departure became. It still felt strange talking about an ex-girlfriend with someone he was hooking up with, even if it was easy for Sam to talk about anything else with Isla. “Mmm,” Sam sounded when Isla said it was different to share something with a romantic partner. “So what made you turn down a marriage, Madame Cupid? Not the lad for you?” he asked with genuine interest. “I’d say I’ve got a pretty class system set up here,” he said with a smirk. Maybe sometimes the endless string of people in his bed did get to him sometimes, but overall he knew it was for the better not to burden people with his bullshit. He had fun, they had fun, no one got hurt. “Aye? Glad to hear it,” he said with a sly smile when Isla said Lucy looked like she was interested in Parker. He made a motion to bite her finger when she tapped his nose, flashing her a smile. 

“I think they were more than happy to see their favorite customer talkin’ to their brother,” Sam said with a warm chuckle. He didn’t know anyone who wouldn’t love to have Savannah in their lives. “When you say the girls, you can just say Eleanor,” Sam laughed, giving his head a little shake. “I don’t reckon Savannah would have much of a problem with me infiltrating either,” he said with a knowing smile. “Now dear old Eleanor has a limit with me before I think she’s about ready to bite me ‘ead clean off,” he elaborated with a belly laugh. “Everyone’s your bestie,” he said with a smirk. “So I’m not to take the piss on Scotty with that sort of information? That’s asking too much of me, babe, please,” he said with a playful whine. “Like she doesn’t suspect that gob of yours sharing any sexy gossip you might have,” Sam teased, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “Charity work now and then…” Sam grumbled, then moved to grab Isla around her waist with his arm, pulling her in flush against him. “Now and then isn’t really accurate, is it birdie?” he chuckled against her neck, stamping a few kisses there before he let her go and relaxed against his pillows. “Aye, so cute,” he laughed with a little eye roll. It mostly just hurt to think of those times with Tom when he was just a young boy. And it hurt even more knowing that there were parts of his childhood—memories of Tom’s life—that he’d lost to years of drinking. It was one of the things that kept him up at night. “Oh I appreciate the sentiment, lass, I do,” Sam said, bringing himself back to the present, “but I do think Tom meant and Scotty means every time they’ve called me annoying, just in addition to having that pesky obligation to also like me since we’re brothers,” he laughed. “Do your worst, bug, I promise you it takes a lot to annoy me. Actually, the most annoying thing to me is being boring, which I just don’t think you’re capable of,” Sam said. He grinned when she expressed enthusiasm for learning to play guitar. Sam always loved to get people excited about music, and he thought he was a decent teacher. Tom had taught him to play the piano himself, and how to be a teacher. “Of course I want to teach you,” he assured her. “I’ve got an old acoustic guitar I can restring for you, I’ll fix it up and then we can start,” Sam smiled. “I feel like it’d be particularly cruel have that sort of law in Hawaii,” he groaned. “Well on me property the law is no shirt no shoes…” he laughed, then raked his eyes over Isla’s bare chest and torso again. “You’re quite the law abiding guest.” 

“Eh, they’re pretty different places to live,” Sam shrugged. “But I think here,” he decided, giving Isla a little smirk. He’d been in the thick of his addiction in San Francisco, but he hadn’t driven his life completely into the ground yet. But in Hawaii, he was sober, got to spend time with his brother, even if he had reached his lowest point here when he had his accident. “Aye, both of them had their faults, to say the least,” Sam agreed when he spoke of Julia and Caleb. They were distant memories now. “Much better off, lass, at least I think so.” Sam had never seen Scott as happy as he was now with Eleanor and Savannah was sober, dating anyone she liked and now seemed to have quite the crush on this new guy. He felt so relieved that they both moved on. And it reminded him that he could do it too. Sam carefully watched Isla’s face as she reacted to what he revealed about Tom’s death. “It was his birthday,” Sam elaborated. He wanted so badly to stop, because divulging in the details of the night Tom died always made Sam spiral. Though he didn’t feel dizzy yet, here with Isla. “Two days before mine,” Sam added with a sad smile. He felt even more grounded when she took his hand. “Aye, well, it certainly wasn’t easy,” he quietly chuckled. It was painful to uproot his mother’s entire life when he finally rid her of James. But in the end it was for the better. At least Sam fucking hoped so. “I think she’s okay now,” he said, because he had to believe it himself to get to sleep at night, which sometimes he didn’t. Sam cringed when he was reminded again about the heaviness of his story, even though Isla’s sentiment was supposed to be sweet. He wished he knew why it was still so hard for him to talk about the things he’d been through. He guessed he didn’t want anyone to view him as weak, or vulnerable, or sad. Even Isla. “Ah—yeah,” he said awkwardly, rubbing the hand that wasn’t holding Isla’s over his face. “I think it would’ve been a wee bit fucked to drop the news that her bastard husband was an even bigger bastard than we all knew then fuck off to a tropical island,” Sam said with a chuckle. “Me?” he echoed with a little scoff and gave his head a little shake. The truth was he was not doing particularly well and what was also true is he would never tell the truth about it. “I’m just fine. So long as James never sets foot in Donegal again, I’ll be grand for the rest of me life,” he said with a weak chuckle. “Savannah cries if the wind changes, are you kidding?” Sam laughed. “Oh, birdie, are you trying to get yourself in trouble here?” Sam teased. “Because you might offend some Irishmen around here with talk like that.” 

“I don’t think you understand the lengths that I’m willing to go to in order to play dress-up,” She laughed. Isla knew herself well enough to know that she’d be too focused on what she could find in Sam’s wardrobe to care about whether or not she found it on the floor or in the closet. If anything, it would make it feel like more of an accomplishment to put something together. “If I even get so much as an inkling that Parker’s gonna kiss you, you already know I’ll be bringing out my good camera,” She laughed. “I’m gonna make it my lockscreen,” She added with a smirk. If she would’ve known how many stupidly sexy people she’d meet when she moved to Hawaii, she would’ve made the move ages ago. “Because you’re a good friend who wants the very best for his friends,” She agreed with a serious nod. “Well, I think it depends on what you think they could power through,” Isla shrugged. “Though, I have to imagine that they’re just going at it like rabbits right now, all that pent up tension and all,” She added, wagging her eyebrows. “Most of the time they’re not,” She agreed. Isla didn’t mind catching a tough word or two from one of her clients because she knew how much pressure they were under. Even if she might slip a less-than-kind word in when her friends asked about her day. “The people on the yachts were nothing compared to my ex’s family,” Isla said with an exasperated chuckle. “The people on the yachts calmed down once they got what they wanted. Just like toddlers,” She agreed. Part of her wondered what Andrea’s family was like now that they had what they wanted. Part of her believed that they hadn’t changed much, or that they’d turned their guns to whatever girl Andrea was surely seeing by now. “I mean, you must see it here constantly too,” She added. “I guess some other resorts have services that pick people up from the private airports?” Isla suggested with a shrug. “I’ve never really experienced anything like that. My ex’s family always had their own drivers so it was kinda a non-issue,” She continued. “But, now I’m very familiar with the staff at Paramount Business Jets,” Isla laughed. “Well, we are in love, so—“ She joked. Isla was unbelievably grateful that the first two people that she met in Hawaii were Sam and Eleanor. She didn’t think she could’ve had a better welcoming committee. “You’re the frontman in a band, you can’t have anyone fucking with the moneymaker,” Isla teased, pinching Sam’s cheeks between her fingers and giving his head a little shake. “You’d think they’d just cave and admit it already, at the very least to get us to stop poking them about it,” She laughed. “Hey! Sometimes one is all it takes!” Isla argued with a grin. “And if that didn’t, then you singing a love song just so your brother and his girlfriend will get together gave you away,” She added, smirking at him. “Isn’t it crazy how one decision can change your life so completely?” Isla asked with a shake of her head. “Life is so fun in that way,” She added, grinning at him. “Well, there’s a long answer, and a short answer. The short answer is that something in my gut said no the second he finished what was, for all intent and purpose, a perfect proposal,” For someone else, she finished in her head, then huffed a quiet chuckle. “I won’t bore you with the longer version of that, don’t worry,” She assured him with a wave of her hand. “You’ve definitely done quite well for yourself,” Isla agreed with a laugh. She had to agree when she was living the same way. It wasn’t that she was even closed off from the idea of meeting someone and pursuing something serious, but the mess that was made of her last relationship did make her a little afraid. She wasn’t sure she was ready to have the Hawaii fun ruined for her just yet. “I’m calling it now. They’ll be a something in a couple weeks.”

“Well, who wouldn’t be happy to have Savannah date their brother?” She asked. “If I wasn’t literally obsessed with my siblings’ partners I would’ve already tried to make Savannah a Bennett,” She laughed. “I didn’t say that!” Isla argued, even if Sam had caught her. Of course he would know off the bat, considering how much time Isla spent with him. “Besides, you’re basically in-laws now, and that makes you siblings. Siblings get annoyed with each other,” She chuckled. “Yeah, and?” Isla asked with a shake of her head. “You’ve got besties, then best-besties—“ She explained, giving a little shrug. It all made perfect sense to her. “You can’t!” She emphasized. “Because Eleanor only suspects that I’m telling you to gossip. If she has evidence, then the sexy gossip train might leave the station for good,” Isla explained before Sam kissed her. She giggled in surprise when he grabbed her, then gave a small shrug. “Maybe not the most accurate,” She said before taking Sam’s face in her hands. “I’m a charitable woman, what can I say?” Isla asked before giving him a quick kiss. “It is!” She cooed, grinning as Sam rolled his eyes. “I mean, I don’t really see how they could say you’re annoying and mean it,” Isla said with a shake of her head. “I don’t think you’re annoying at all. And besides, siblings are always taking the piss, doesn’t mean that they aren’t at least amused by it,” She shrugged. “At least, that’s what I tell myself when Addie calls me annoying,” She laughed. “Oh Sammy, sweet bestie, I don’t know if you know what you’ve just signed yourself up for,” Isla said, grinning devilishly at him. “Well then, let’s do it!” She enthused. “Sounds like fun. I don’t know if you’d be interested, but I know how to play violin. I’d be happy to teach you something, too,” She grinned. “I would have to agree. If I was in charge, every beach would be at the very least topless,” She said, shaking her head. “Well, I don’t want to get put in cuffs because I’m in trouble,” She smirked.

“That’s fair,” Isla nodded. “I think it’s probably hard to compare Maui to anywhere else,” She mused. Isla knew that Maui was nothing like anywhere else that she’d been, but most of that she would attribute to the people that she’d met here. “Sounds like you’ve got a story or two about them,” Isla asked, smirking devilishly at him. “I’m all ears for the gossip, of course,” She chuckled. “I didn’t even need to know Scott before to know that he’s much better off now. Seriously, when I see the two of them together round the flat it takes everything in me not to just start whining over how sweet they are,” She laughed. “I just—“ She scrunched her face and gave her fists a little shake. “Love, you know? It’s fucking incredible,” She said shaking her head and giving a little shrug. “And I’m sure you’re happier to see them moving on and doing better,” She added with a smile. It quickly faded, however, as Sam started to tell her more about what had happened to his brother. It took every ounce of restraint that she had not to start crying for him. He didn’t need that from her. “Oh Sam,” She whispered. “I cannot even begin to imagine what that must have been like for you,” She murmured, then pressed her lips to his knuckles. “Thank you, for sharing that with me. I know it’s probably not easy,” She said, giving his hand a squeeze. “I believe it. It’s a big change, for the both of you,” She nodded. “But it’s all for the better, right?” Isla added with an optimistic smile. “I’m sure she feels a lot better knowing that she’s got a son like you looking out for her,” She added. “No, I definitely think you made the right call. You can’t go through something like that alone,” Isla said, shaking her head. She could hardly believe how much Sam had gone through, and that he could still manage to be so bright and happy. She didn’t know if she’d have the same constitution. “Yes, you,” She said, smiling gently at him. “I’m glad you’re doing okay after all of that,” She replied with a small nod. “There’s nothing wrong with being a little sensitive!” She argued with a giggle. “What kind of trouble am I getting myself in?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow. “I’m just saying the truth, after all,” She added with a smirk. “But hey, you’re welcome to try and catch up anytime.”

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“Sorry I haven’t gone through me whole wardrobe for you, lass,” Sam said with an eye roll. “So dramatic, lass,” he teased, reaching out to grab her nose between his knuckles to give her a little pinch. “One of these days I’m gonna get Parker to lay one on me. Just tryin’ to make it one of those speak it into existence type of things,” Sam joked. “The only time I won’t annoy them is if I know they’re gettin’ laid. Who am I to ruin that? Though now that Scott’s got Eleanor and we know she’s not going anywhere, the door for me to fuck with them more often has definitely been cracked open,” he chuckled. “Next time I’m ‘round yours we can break out the speakers for them, aye?” Sam suggested with another laugh. “Well they’re not angry with you, as a person, are they?” he pushed. “I think taking any sort of rage out on you has to be some sort of negative karma,” Sam said with a smirk. He swallowed. He wondered what Isla would think of him if she met the angrier version of Sam. He was still there, but he’d done a pretty bang-up job at keeping him caged. Especially around her. Sam would rather choke than destroy whatever image Isla had of him. “Like I’d expect anything less from two girls like you,” Sam said with a soft smile. He barked a laugh when she suggested fighting Scott for Eleanor and gave her an exaggerated nod. “Aye, reckon you’d take him down in one swing with those guns,” he teased, shooting her a wink. “I thought you liked when I teased you?” Sam said with a wry grin. “The good thing is when I do piss Scotty off, which is often, I’ve taken some pretty nasty hits in me life. So I’m already prepared for it,” he explained with a hearty laugh. “Exactly, no one’s gonna get past you and I if they’ve just been shifted, are they?” he chuckled. Something turned in Sam’s stomach while Isla recounted her relationship with Andrea, and he didn’t know why he’d even asked about it in the first place. “I do yeah,” he agreed quietly. “I had a girlfriend for a while. Not too long ago. Ryan,” Sam blurted out before he could stop himself. There was something wrong about bringing her up while he was naked in bed with another woman, but it was just so easy to say anything that was on his mind to Isla. Their relationship was as fun as it was confusing sometimes, but Sam was just happy to be riding it out, and that Isla seemed to enjoy it too. “Ack, I don’t know about that. I’ve done some pretty remarkable things with Savannah and Scotty and all,” Sam said, waving a hand. Maybe a part of him did agree with Isla, but a larger part of him, the one that believed he wasn’t meant to be in a romantic relationship, refused to concede to it. “And the things I can’t do with them, well..I’ve got that worked out pretty well,” he added with a laugh, wagging his eyebrows at her. “Aye, laddie’s trying,” Sam chuckled, then laughed harder when she continued. “I think we’re all aware that if a bird’s into women we stand no chance against ya,” he teased. “So best stay out of it, you’re right,” Sam laughed.

“Aye, that’s where they met. She were friendly with his sister and he’d be round the shop sometimes bringin’ his art to sell or somethin’ like that, Sav said,” Sam explained. “Girls night…plus Sam, right?” he said with a smirk, shooting her a little wink. “I mean, you and Sav are me best mates, how cruel would it be if I’m not invited!” Sam laughed. Though it was quite sweet how Isla had already gotten on so well with all of the girls. Not that he expected anything less with the way she and Eleanor got close so fast. “I think Scotty wishes I’d let him breathe for a moment about it, but that’s not gonna happen. Poor bastard can’t go all mum on me now that I know Eleanor tells you everything anyway,” he said with a devilish grin. “Oi! What’s that say about you then?” Sam exclaimed, grabbing her hands from his sides and laughing as she writhed to break free. He kissed her knuckles then let them go. “I’m sure she appreciates not havin’ the attention on her then,” he chuckled. “Tom was more like me. I mean, I were pretty much his shadow, which yeah, he did find a bit annoying sometimes,” Sam laughed, then sighed. Tom was the reason Sam retained any sort of joy to his personality after he died. He knew that if he became some sort of shut in he’d be turning in his grave. As if everything else Sam had done wouldn’t disappoint him too. Sam furrowed his brow. He never really thought silence annoyed him. But if he was keeping busy with loud music and people and conversation it didn’t leave enough room to wallow in his feelings. And he didn’t like to sit in those at all if he didn’t have to. So he supposed she was right. “It’s just really hard to find someone as fucking gorgeous as you annoying, trust me. A lot of people would say the same,” Sam said, cocking an eyebrow as he snapped out of his head. “Oh, sure, but I just dunno if you’ll ever be able to catch up with me, lassie,” Sam teased, kissing her before she could argue back. “You want me to teach you?” he asked, raising his brow when she said she wanted to learn the guitar. Nothing made him happier than teaching his friends how to play. Just like Tom had taught him the piano. “Well if it’s a party here no one would bat an eye. Between Sav and I people expect something strange to happen most of the time,” he laughed. “I don’t know why you bother wearing shirts at all,” Sam teased, raking his eyes over her again before moving his gaze back up to her face. 

“I am,” Sam said, but didn’t elaborate just yet. Navigating the things that have happened to him was hard enough in his mind, let along telling someone about him. “Yeah, pretty much. It’s a cool city. On the water, lots of art and shit there. I liked it,” Sam said with a fond smile as he thought about the short time he’d lived there. “I never expected to end up there, but I’ve gone about most of me life just saying yes when an opportunity is there,” he shrugged. “Well,” Sam chuckled a bit. “A little gossip for you. Scotty and Savannah both were datin’ people who wanted to move down here. And they were pretty involved any all that, so I guess it just made sense,” he told her. “Then they ended up breakin’ things off with them and leavin’. Pretty fucked if you ask me,” Sam said with a bitter chuckle. At the time he was so heartbroken for his friends, and he didn’t know that the same fate was waiting for him. Though he knew that pain was a distant memory for Scott and Savannah now. He’d actually never seen either of them happier. “No,” he sighed. “I think I mentioned a little while ago about me father, aye? Scott’s father too and all,” Sam said awkwardly, scratching at the back of his neck. “He was always a fuckin’ nightmare, honestly. He was never good to Maeve. After Tom was killed—ehm,” Sam wanted to smack himself for the slip of his tongue. Surely her next question would be killed?! But he kept talking instead. “It got worse. I knew he were cheating on her but I never had any real proof. And well. There was Scotty, real proof.” Sam sighed, and ran a hand over his face. Even though he’d already smoked he didn’t feel stoned enough for this. “So I went back to Ireland after we’d discovered it and kicked the bastard out for good. Told Maeve everything and finally she were able to do it. Fucking Catholics,” he said, huffing a humorless laugh. “It weren’t an easy time, to be honest,” Sam said. And he was still drinking then. He’d almost gotten physical with James, spitting in his face; get the fuck out of here and never show your face in Donegal ever again! “I’m sorry. This is some fuckin’ bleak shit,” he said, rubbing at his face. Sam knew that none of it was easy to hear. It was bad enough relaying what happened to Savannah and Scott when he’d finally come to Hawaii. “I had to make sure mum was okay before I came back, and I didn’t know how long that would be. She were obviously a fucking mess,” Sam said, and refrained from detailing how he was falling apart too. “So I just sort of showed up one day after Maeve were settled and I knew Sav would have me back. She’s a good one, aye,” he said with an affectionate smile. “And if she didn’t I’m sure me brother would,” he chuckled. “That fucker in the sky can so some good sometimes, aye?” he joked as he talked about finding Scott. He liked to pretend that Tom had brought them together from beyond the grave somehow, guided him onto that cruise ship. “Ack, well, you know. Irishmen and Scots aren’t so different in humor. Which I’m sure you know now,” he said with a smile.

“You should be sorry!” Isla replied, swatting playfully at Sam’s chest when he rolled his eyes. “I will just have no choice but to raid your closet the next time I come over,” She smirked. “And what gave that away?” She asked, giggling when he pinched her nose. “Can we also speak into existence it’s a day that I’m also around to witness?” She added with a grin. “Sounds like a surefire way to make sure that they’re fucking all the time. I like the way you think, Sammy,” She chuckled. “What are we gonna play for them?” She asked, smirking as she started to think about it. “What kind of mood are we trying to set for them?” She mused. “I think there are times where they think that they’re angry at me,” Isla nodded, thinking about the last time she got screamed at by a particularly curt bride. “I usually just let them rage out and try to pick up on what they mention. Like, they may just be yelling at me because they can’t yell at the seamstress or a bridesmaid or a chef, you know?” She asked. “And frankly, I had the worst insults that I’ll ever hear flung at me well before I ever came here, so anything they can say is a walk in the park,” Isla said with a chuckle. It was hard to forget some of the things that Andrea’s family had said about her, and to her face, no less. She could only imagine what they said about her in private. It was amazing to her that it never affected Andrea’s feelings toward her.  “That’s sweet of you to say—do you think you could accidentally say that in front of my morning client?” She laughed. “She’s been harassing sweet Aurelia because the resort won’t charter a jet for her to bring her dress. Is that not the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard?” She asked, shaking her head. “I don’t know how many different ways she can say that we don’t have a private jet before it sticks,” She smirked. “It’s easy to have a perfect marriage with a wife like Eleanor,” She grinned. “That’s what I’m saying!” Isla laughed, giving her bicep a pat. “Not when you’re teasing me about having hot, fresh-off-the-presses gossip,” Isla replied with a pout. “With the amount of hits he’s given you, I can’t believe your head isn’t all dented,” She said, then started to examine his head for any dented spots. “Though they will try,” She shrugged. “How much longer d’you reckon it’ll be before they finally learn?” She asked with a laugh. “See? I knew you were a Candy Heart,” Isla grinned, pinching Sam’s nose. It felt strange to picture Sam with a girlfriend, and when she did, it gave her a feeling that she didn’t quite have a name for yet. “Did you meet her here? Or was she back home?” Isla asked before she could stop herself. Realizing that she’d asked out loud and not in her head, she immediately shook her head. “You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to,” She offered. “I’m not saying that those can’t be special and important too,” She argued. “It’s just—different,” Isla shrugged. It was hard for her to explain what it was about romantic love that made her heart race—even when the love wasn’t hers. She felt like she was still living off the high of Eleanor and Scott finally getting together. “Yeah, I’d say it looks like you figured that out just fine,” She chuckled, shaking her head as he wagged his eyebrows at her. “From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t look like he’ll have to try that hard, she seemed pretty into him last time I saw them,” She said with a smirk. “And don’t you forget it,” She replied, tapping Sam’s nose after each word.

“So she’s already got an in with the family?” Isla joked. “That is really sweet. Walkin’ round the shop, pining over each other—“ She mused, smacking a hand to her heart and shaking her head. “It’s music to my ears, mate,” She laughed. “You know I’ll gladly nominate you as an honorary member of girl’s night,” Isla promised. “It’s the rest of the girls that you’ll have to win over,” She smirked. It felt impossibly good to have a circle of women in her immediate vicinity. She could hardly believe how lucky she was sometimes. “You might even say we’re—besties,” Isla replied with a chuckle. “You can’t go and expose me! Then Eleanor won’t tell me anything anymore!” She whined. “She already thinks that I don’t tell you all the goss that she tells me. Or—at least she pretends not to know,” She giggled. Any time she had some news, good bad or scandalous—Sam was who she immediately thought to tell. “It says that I’m a good person who likes to do some charity work now and then,” She teased, flashing Sam a big, playful grin. She appreciates eyes not being directly on her, but she still thinks I’m annoying,” She laughed. “That’s so cute,” She whined. It was sweet to think of a younger Sam trotting after his brother, and to think of him having someone that he looked up to that much. It was how she felt about her own brother most days. “As someone who is an older sibling, let me let you in on a secret,” Isla said, then leaned in closer as though they weren’t the only two people on the porch. “Even when your sibling says that you’re annoying—they don’t really mean it,” She said, then gave him a quick smile. It had always made her feel proud of who she was to see the things that Adeline would take from her. She was confident that Sam’s brothers both felt that way about him, too. How could they not when he’d turned out to be the person she knew? “So you’re saying that I can be even more annoying?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow. “Interesting…” She muttered before letting out a laugh. “Catch up?” Isla asked, her eyebrows furrowing. “Bestie, I’m about to lap you,” She said with a shake of her head. “You’re the one that needs to pick up the pace!” She added, laughing against his lips before kissing him back. “If you want to commit to teaching me, then hell yeah! That sounds fun,” She grinned. Isla then hoped that her years of violin lessons would help her pick up the guitar more quickly. “Aren’t there laws against that in the States?” She asked. “If I get arrested and they deport me, you guys would all miss me too much,” Isla explained. “So really, I wear clothes for your sakes,” She laughed. 

Isla nodded slowly, waiting patiently for Sam to give a little more, but when he didn’t, she just assumed that he wasn’t ready to. “From what I know about it, it seems like it. “Do you think you like it better there? Or here?” She asked, though she supposed the comparison was apples and oranges. This, as far as she could remember, was all of America that she’d seen, and she knew that Hawaii was a lot different than the rest. “I get the feeling,” She laughed. Saying yes to scary things was what led her to yachting around the world, and ultimately it was what led her here. But fresh starts never scared her. “That is so fucked, oh my god,” She said with a slow shake of her head. “I can’t even imagine the sort of cunt that convinces their partner to leave behind what they know—in a different country, no less—and then just mug them off,” She scoffed. “Though, I have to imagine that both of them are better off now, right?” She shrugged. “Right, yeah, I remember you saying,” She nodded as Sam explained his relation to Scott. “I—I didn’t know that’s how you lost your brother. I’m sorry,” She said softly, and thought she might actually be able to hear her heart shattering in her chest. As Sam started to tell the story about his return to Ireland, Isla gently reached for his hand, lacing her fingers through his. It wasn’t much, but she hoped that it might give him even some small comfort. It amazed her that after everything Sam had been through, that he was still able to keep so much joy about him. She wasn’t sure that she’d have been able to do the same. “That must have been so hard for you both,” She said with a quiet sigh. “Please, don’t apologize,” She replied, then gave Sam a small smile. “I appreciate that you feel like you can share this sort of stuff with me,” She said. “It’s good that you had each other to get through it. I’m sure she was grateful to have her son there for that,” She replied with a small nod. “How is your mom doing now?” She asked. “How are you doing?” She added. “I’m sure Sav was just as happy to have you back as you were to be back,” She chuckled. “I think she’s the nicest person I’ve ever met. Does she ever get even slightly upset?” She laughed. “I think I’ve met just enough of you now that I can can confidently agree. I always liked working with the Scots and Irish. They have almost as much fun as the Aussies,” She winked.

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“Two things which you know I already own,” he said with a toothy grin. “Oh, dear Isla, you and I both know I could make a hazmat suit look sexy,” Sam joked, shooting her a little wink. “Aye, go on then, I’m sure they’ll believe you,” he teased with a little smirk. “Parker breaks me poor heart on the daily, he could stand it just this once,” he laughed. “Besides, neither one of ‘em have ever had a problem with me ignorin’ them once they find out I was a little preoccupied,” Sam said, laughing again. Just as Sam would absolutely never hold it against either of them for ignoring him if they were having sex. “Oi, don’t go makin’ yourself upset over nothing. I just said it’s probably impossible for anyone to be angry with you anyway,” Sam assured her when he watched her frown. He would actually take personal issue with whatever miserable person could have the capacity to make Isla feel bad. “Aye, you two just have a picture perfect marriage, don’t you?” Sam joked. Though in his experience the only way a marriage could be perfect is if it were fake. “Well then if I were sworn to secrecy you’d never know, aye?” he teased. “And that’s really 'cause I don’t feel like havin’ Scotty take a swing at me if I told on 'im,” Sam chuckled, then laughed at Isla’s outburst. “She were walkin’ down the hall and tried to make it seem like they weren’t just fuckin’ each other’s brains out minutes before while we were talkin’. But I don’t know what she expected, I’m a bloodhound for shagging, and her hair looked like a lion’s mane anyway,” Sam recounted as he laughed. “Sure it’s more intimate,” he agreed, furrowing his brow. “You were almost engaged, weren’t you? I bet you’d know a bit about that,” he said with a shrug. “Aye, all of these things are possible,” Sam mused. “Isn’t he? That’s how I fell for ‘im in the first place,” he said, mimicking like a tear had come to his eye. “Dunno, reckon she’s fair game if you let Parker join,” he joked with a little wink. 

“I’m sure he’s used to it, his sister owns that metaphysical shop I were tellin’ you about. You should go with Sav next time she takes a trip. That’s how they met each other,” Sam said with a soft grin. “I love nothin’ more than all of me loved ones shiftin’ left right and fuckin’ center. Everyone is much more agreeable that way,” he chuckled. “Aye, well she did hook up with me the one time so I’d have to agree,” Sam joked with a laugh before he winced at the memory. As much as he loved Savannah to think that was how they met was so strange now. “It is, I can assure you,” he muttered, then leaned in to give her a kiss, sliding his hand gently along her torso and hip before he pulled away with a little smirk and dropped back onto the pillows. Isla was just so easy to kiss. “Is that so?” he laughed. “I’m the baby and everyone in me family considers me to be pretty annoying,” he said. “And technically, Scotty is also a middle child. And he could be silent for days if no one spoke to ‘im first,” Sam joked. “I do like it. I like anyone that can grab the attention of an entire room without having to try. Gives me a little something to compete against,” he teased, giving her a little wink. “What?” he echoed back. “Yeah, Scott and Savannah and I all lived in San Francisco for a bit after the ship. Then they both moved down here with a bunch of our mates,” he explained, then coughed a little. He didn’t really know if he should air out the fact that they’d most likely moved for Caleb and Julia, especially since they were such distant memories now. “I’m glad I came here too,” Sam said with a very sincere smile. He didn’t know where he’d be if he didn’t. Drunk under a bridge somewhere in Ireland, maybe. “Oh, I knew I were leavin’ Ireland eventually after I sorted out what I needed to there,” Sam said, sitting up a little bit and taking another hit from the bong.  “I did miss them,” he said, because that was true. “And since Scott and I had only just found out we were brothers I needed to come back and get as much time with him that I could,” Sam said with a gentle smile. “Especially since—well you know I told you our oldest brother Tom died. I wasn’t about to lose another one,” he added, and let out a shaky sigh. It was so hard to contain himself talking about any of this. But in front of Isla, he didn’t feel so embarrassed about it. He didn’t feel embarrassed at all, really. Mostly safe, if not a bit guilty for ruining the mood with his shitty life.

“And yet this is how I’m finding out about it,” She tutted. “You know, if you hate me, then you could just say that,” Isla joked. “Slutty hazmat suit is not something I thought that I’d be picturing today, but here we are,” She said, barking a laugh. “You really do help me be creative, Sammy,” She joked. “They will!” Isla argued, grinning at Sam. “These love triangles, mate, they’ll get you,” She tutted, shaking her head. “And I’m sure that most of that is because they know you’re extending the same courtesy to them,” She chuckled. “Although, I wouldn’t really put it passed you to stand outside their window Say Anything-style whilst blasting The Lonely Island or something,” Isla smirked. She could practically see it all playing out in front of her, and could see the giant grin on Sam’s face when he got the reaction that he wanted. “You say that, and yet my phone still blows up the second a peony isn’t the right shade of pink,” She chuckled. “So I think a bride or two may be inclined to disagree,” She said, then shrugged gently. “But, it’s hard to get upset about that. I know that those women are just under an immense amount of pressure to have a perfect day. So, if they need to get a little rage out, I’d rather I be the target than some poor passerby,” She said with a smile. “We really do, don’t we?” Isla asked with a content sigh. “I can’t wait until we’re common law’d and Scotty has to joust me for her hand,” She laughed. “D’you reckon I can take him?” She asked, flexing her bicep. “Well, now you’re just teasing me. That’s so mean of you Sammy,” Isla said with a pout. “Yeah, I don’t blame you for not wanting to be on the receiving end of that. I can’t imagine it ends well,” She chuckled, shaking her head. “It’s like a sixth sense to just know when someone’s been freshly fucked,” She agreed with a laugh. “Oh god, I cannot wait to badger Eleanor for the details,” She said with a smirk. “Yeah, sort of. Andrea didn’t have an office, so it was just around the bridge and captain’s quarters and the like, and only at night or when we didn’t have a charter,” She shrugged. “And we had our whole arrangement and all, but it really did feel nice to come home to someone after being gone for a while, you know what I mean?” She asked. She remembered the way it felt to get off of the plane and see Andrea waiting at the airport with his arms spread wide to catch her and the biggest smile on his face. It was hard not to miss the feeling of being so loved by someone. “And of course you can share things and experiences with a friend, but it’s not quite the same, is it?” She mused. “Ah, the sting on unrequited love. Looks like that playboy might just snag another if he gets lucky,” She said with a shake of her head. “Oh, bestie,” Isla cooed. “If I did that, then I’d break your heart by fucking the guy you’re in love with and break Parker’s heart by stealing the girl he’s chasing after. And I just don’t think I could have that weighing on my conscience,” She teased, pinching his cheek. 

“Oh, right! I remember the place,” Isla nodded. “I didn’t realize that’s where they met—are you kidding?” She asked, then slouched across Sam’s torso. “That is so fucking cute, I can’t bear it,” She whined, punctuating it with a string of laughter. “I can’t believe I’m going to have to call for a girls’ night so that I can get all the details from Savvy,” She said, peeking up at Sam with a grin. Now that she was properly situated here, it excited her to be able to do something as simple as calling the girls together for a little bit of drink and a gossip. “That’s what I’m saying! And who could blame us for just wanting to see our friends be happy?” She asked with a smirk. “Yeah, but she was bound to take a misstep somewhere,” Isla teased, then let her jaw drop playfully as she tickled Sam’s sides. “Lucky you, huh?” She mumbled before kissing him. “Well, the youngest is supposed to be the ham. I just got lucky that Adeline would rather die than have more than two people look at her at once, so I was able to just kinda absorb that energy,” She laughed. “Sure, but that silence annoys you,” Isla countered with a smirk. “Annoying to one is not annoying to all, clearly,” She said with a gestured to herself. “We’re really just pushing each other to be our loudest, funniest, selves aren’t we?” She laughed. “Once I learn how to play guitar, I think we’re really gonna be on equal footing,” She mused. “Because I don’t know that a violin’s just gonna show up at a ripper unless it’s at my flat, and I dunno what other tricks I’ve got aside from taking me top of,” She joked. “You got quiet. I thought maybe you were thinking about something,” She shrugged. “What made you pick San Francisco?” Isla asked. “Did one of you just decide and the rest followed suit?” She continued. It always interested her what might call people someone to leave behind what they know. “That mate must’ve made a hell of an argument to get the lot of you to agree to move here,” She said with a shake of her head. “Good, we’re lucky to have you here,” She smiled. “What was it, like, visa stuff?” She asked with a grimace. “I’ve had friends have to deal with stuff like that before. It’s such a pain in the ass,” She sympathized, nodding slowly. “And I’m sure they were thrilled to see you. Did they know you were coming back? Or did you keep it a secret until you were able to come?” She asked. “Of course,” Isla nodded. “I mean, it was a miracle that you two found each other at all. I think that anyone in your situation would have done exactly what you did,” She said, then gave Sam a gentle smile. “The way you two are together, you’d never know that you didn’t grow up together. If it were the accents giving you away, I’d never have known,” She offered, hoping it might feel like some sort of comfort. “It’s really sweet.”

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

Sam squinted at her and rubbed at his jaw. “Too cool?” he parroted, cocking an eyebrow. “I don’t have time for their bullshit right now, I have a gorgeous woman naked in me bed,” he said with a hearty laugh before he grabbed his phone from the deck. It was a missed call from the girl he met earlier. He considered it forgotten as soon as he swiped the notification away. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t reckon anyone could ever get angry with you, bug,” he said with a little chuckle. Isla was so sweet, so energetic and magnetic that the thought of someone being angry with her was actually laughable. “Aye, Eleanor won’t even let me tease you!” he joked, shaking his head. It was so sweet to watch the two of them together. Even sweeter when they were all at the beach and they wore their slinkiest bikinis. “If Eleanor is tying Scotty up do you really think he’d tell me? I’d never fuckin’ shut up about it! You can ask your wife to find out though, I wouldn’t be so surprised if she likes to be in control every once in a while,” he snickered. “Now that I can at least confirm. I ran into sweet Lenore lookin’ a mess comin’ out of his office just yesterday,” Sam said with a loud laugh. “Aye, I’d say so,” he agreed, and forced himself not to think about how nice it was to always have Ryan to come home to when he was with her. As much as he enjoyed playing the field, there was something to be said for a partner who’d have you no matter what. “Aye! That’s her. Lucy. Though she’s givin’ me boy a hard time. Dunno why, ‘cause he shifted her the night of the last gig,” he chuckled. “Aye, she’s a fuckin’ ride,” Sam said with a little whistle. “Maybe she’d be more willing to give you a go,” Sam joked. 

Sam barked a laugh. “You know Savannah would say yes in a heartbeat. But I don’t know her lad well enough just yet to know if he’d be keen on it,” he said, then clapped his hands together in prayer. “But he is a good lookin’ fuckin’ lad, so here’s hopin’,” he laughed. “I don’t know if there’s a sexier situation than a beautiful Aussie woman naked out here on me back porch,” he said, reaching out to take her chin in his hand. He gave her head a gentle wiggle then stamped a kiss to her lips. Sam was getting too comfortable, he knew, but he actually had no idea how to stop himself. Why should he deny himself the things that made him feel good? “Stuck with you? I know you know that’s not how I feel,” he assured her with a smirk. Sam felt lucky that Isla wanted to stick around after they had sex. Especially considering she was actually getting to know him. “You don’t make any sense. You’re like, so confident and all that then you go callin’ yourself annoying. I don’t find you annoying at all,” Sam said, furrowing his brows and huffing a little laugh. Nearly everything about Isla was picture perfect. He let out another loud, hearty laugh. “Wonder if they’re doin’ it on the terrace, or maybe on top of the washing machine?” Sam joked. “Oh, well,” he began, then got quiet for a minute and took the bong back to take another big hit. “She actually lived here for a month or so before I moved to Hawaii. We were livin’ in San Francisco together, then I had to go back to Ireland for a bit. I didn’t know if I were even gonna make it back to America,” he said, and couldn’t believe the words were leaving his mouth. He didn’t know if he wanted Isla to know about all of the things he’d buried within his loud, jovial personality. He worried that she’d pity him, look at him differently, and that frankly scared the hell out of him. But for some reason he spoke anyway. 

“Next thing I know, I’m only gonna see you in wayfarers and a tasseled leather jacket,” Isla said, then paused. “On second thought, I think that’d actually be quite sexy,” She laughed. “Oh, I am so telling them you like me more than them,” Isla teased. “Think of how you’re breaking your poor boyfriend’s heart,” She added with a laugh. “And since both of them know what that’s like, I’m sure they’ll understand once you explain yourself,” She smirked. “I really hope not. I get sad just thinking about it,” She said with a small frown. If she even suspected that someone was upset with her, she had to confront it right away for the sake of her own sanity. She’d never shied away from confrontation, especially if it meant solving a problem as soon as it started. “Of course she won’t, because she’s the loveliest and most wonderful wife in the world,” She grinned. “I don’t know! You could’ve been sworn to secrecy. And brother secrecy supersedes besties secrecy, so I couldn’t really blame you for it,” Isla shrugged. “And you know if Eleanor even so much as hints at it that I’m going to have to get every single dirty little detail!” She exclaimed. Her mouth fell open and she gasped dramatically at what Sam told her about Scott and Eleanor. “Those little sluts!” She exclaimed with a giggle. “But, I mean, what’s the point of having your own office if not to root in it?” She laughed. “Though, I guess you could argue that you could do it with a stranger, too. It’s just less—I dunno—personal? Intimate? Whatever,” Isla shrugged. “Maybe she’s just a one-and-done kinda girl. Or maybe she just wants to get a feel for what else is out there, since she just got here and all,” She explained. “Or maybe she’s afraid she’s gonna get a crush on Parker. Your boyfriend is quite the charmer,” Isla teased with a laugh. “Oh, had Parker not already gotten dibs, I’d be all over her,” She laughed. 

“He’s bound to have a touch of a wild side if he’s into a little hippie like her,” Isla said with a grin. “Which works in my favor,” She laughed. “Hopefully Sav’s too,” She added with a devilish grin. “It’s so nice to see your mates all getting laid, isn’t it?” She laughed. “I wouldn’t suspect that a girl that looks like her has a hard time hooking up with the fittest of the fit,” She smirked. “Hmm,” Isla thought, smirking at Sam. “That does sound like an especially sexy place to be,” She agreed with a nod. Isla giggled quietly when Sam wiggled her head and happily leaned in to kiss him. If she started to think about her set up with Sam for too long, she realized just how dangerously close to the fire that she was playing. But that’s exactly why she wouldn’t allow herself to think about it more than just in passing. Sam was a friend, perhaps even a best friend. And that was that, and that was all she wanted. Right? “I know, I know, I’m just joking,” She assured him with a smile. “That’s because I’m a middle child. We’re just genetically built to be more annoying than the average person,” She laughed. “You just happen to like that I’m obnoxious,” She joked, giving Sam’s nose a little pinch. It felt good to be spending all of this time with Sam and not feel him getting exhausted by her. She was well aware that her high-energy was not always enjoyed. “I hope it’s an and and not an or,” Isla replied with a laugh. “What?” She asked with a smile once Sam got quiet. Isla nodded as Sam told his story. “I always forget that you didn’t come directly here after you all were on the cruise ship,” She said. “I’m glad you came here,” She added with a smile. “What made you ultimately decide to come back?” She asked. “Did you just miss everyone here too much?”

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

Sam raked his eyes along Isla’s body again and brought them back up to her face with a smirk. “Yeah, the view is pretty spectacular,” he said, making it evident that he definitely wasn’t referring to the picturesque beach behind them. “I don’t really give a shit who it is,” he chuckled, shaking his head. Even if it were Parker or Scott instead of the woman he’d met earlier, he knew that both of them would simply understand that he was tied up with Isla in his bed. If any of his friends were getting laid the last thing he would do was try to interrupt it. He gathered that Scott caught on to that however, but he was more than happy to leave him alone now that he knew his brother was busy with Eleanor. “Though I’d never throw you under the bus to those two gaffers,” Sam added with a little smirk. “Besides, Scotty’s probably tied up—god willing—and from what Parker’s told me he seems to be pretty busy these days too,” he said, raising his eyebrows. When he was with Isla he felt it nearly impossible not to gossip. Something about her made him want to tell her everything. Not everything—he tried to remind himself. Everything would mean telling Isla things that would probably make her run away, and he wouldn’t blame her for it. 

“Aw come on now, I gotta take care of you after you took care of me, aye?” he joked with a little smirk. “She’s out with the Lone Ranger,” Sam chuckled. He made a mental note to double check that she was in fact going to be coming home that night. Sam gave his bare bum a little wiggle when she whistled and shot a wink back towards her before he made his way inside to grab water and some snacks. He stacked a few pillows to recline against and looked at her, cocking an eyebrow. “This was me sexy date,” Sam laughed. Even if he were being perfectly serious. Lately he didn’t find himself as interested in as many different people. Sam needed a moment to look himself in the mirror and figure out what exactly he thought he was doing. Not now, though of course. When he was with Isla he didn’t want to feel bad. Feeling back actually seemed impossible around her. “I want ya to stay if ya don’t have anything going on. Of course if your wife won’t miss you,” he teased with a little wink, taking a long swig from his water bottle. Sam reached out for the bong with an already packed bowl sitting on the iron garden table beside the swinging bed and took a few hits before passing it off to Isla. 

“Tell me about it,” Isla said, then cupped her chest playfully. Despite the surroundings, she found herself unable to look anywhere but Sam. It was hard not to look at him when he looked like that, especially with his hair tousled and messy. “Oi, he’s too cool all of a sudden?” She teased, grinning at Sam. “As if either of them could ever get mad at me,” She replied, putting her hands under her chin and batting her eyes. “Scotty especially. Eleanor would yell at him,” She laughed. “You think Eleanor’s tying him up?” Isla asked, leaning her head to the side in amused thought. “I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t be fucking at every opportunity. And making opportunities for it whenever else,” She said. “Isn’t that one of the best parts about having a partner?” She laughed. “I’m amazed they’re even making it to work on time,” She joked. “Good lad!” She gasped at Sam’s gossip about Parker. “Tell me it’s the new brunette that works the bar,” Isla said, then patted Sam’s chest. “I really hope that it is, I like her. And crikey, she’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” She grinned. 

“It is only fair,” Isla agreed with a smirk. “Now that’s a pair I’d love to get in the middle of,” She laughed. “D’you reckon they’d allow visitors? I’d be honored just to watch,” She asked, flashing Sam a grin. She laughed when Sam wiggled in front of her, then dropped back against the pillows. She sighed contently, making herself comfortable among the sheets before Sam came back. “Well, this is quite sexy, so you could definitely do worse,” Isla teased. There was a reason that Sam had easily slid to the top of Isla’s list of people to call when she was bored or looking for something fun. There were probably a plethora of reasons as to why Sam had remained unchallenged in his spot, but Isla didn’t even entertain the thought. He was just a bestie, like Eleanor or Scott. “I didn’t have any plans for the day, so now you’re stuck with me,” Isla grinned. “Famous last words,” She added with a laugh. “My wife is probably getting railed right now. So as much as it pains me to say it—she’s definitely not missing me,” Isla laughed. She took the bong once Sam handed it to her and took a few hits. “Did you and Savvy live somewhere else on the island before this place? Or did you just get insanely lucky on the first go?”

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

Sam dropped on his back beside Isla, the swinging porch bed rocked gently, coming to a slow, tiny rhythm as they lied beside one another and caught their breaths. Dusk was starting to fall over the horizon over the sea, and Sam pulled Isla half on top of him to give her another kiss. “Fucking grand as usual,” he muttered against her mouth with a little chuckle, closing his eyes as he dropped his head back onto the beaten-up pillow beneath him. His phone, sitting beneath the hanging bed buzzed loudly against the wooden planks of his back porch, but he ignored it. He guessed it was probably the girl he’d met at the resort earlier that day who he’d given his number to and asked her to call if she wanted to hang out with him that night. After Isla asked him, though, he knew that there wasn’t a chance he would be passing up a sure thing with her. A comfortable thing. It was nice getting to know her, truly. Especially now that Scott and Eleanor were together and he was around Isla more often than not. She was funny and vibrant and obviously just as good as him in bed. Being around her made him forget how little he liked himself. When Isla was so effortlessly confident it was easier to remind himself that he could be like that too. He just wished he didn’t feel like such a liar sometimes. But what was the alternative? Telling Isla, who was so jovial and full of light, all of the tons of baggage he carried around with him inside his head? Sam couldn’t think of something worse to burden a woman with. Especially one he was having excellent, effortless sex with. Even if he found her so easy to talk to he could hardly believe it sometimes. 

“D’you want some water?” Sam offered with a lazy smile. “‘M gonna go turn the light on inside for Sav when she gets home and I’ll be right back out,” he said, reluctantly rolling off of the bed and stretching a bit before he sauntered inside, giving her a little smirk before he did. Floyd lied fast asleep on the couch, and he clicked on a lamp in their living room then poured two glasses of water and grabbed a bag of chips and a bowl of cut up watermelon from the fridge before meeting Isla back outside on the porch bed. He paused for just a second and admired her, sitting in the rumpled blankets, her blonde head of hair messy from his hands in it, her figure backdropped by the setting sun and ocean. Jesus. He settled back in and offered her and popped a piece of watermelon in his mouth. “You going back to your flat tonight?” he asked. Most of him hoped she said no. 

Isla let out a breathless chuckle once Sam hit the mattress next to her, then ran a hand through her hair as she composed herself. “And I’d say only twenty-five percent of that is because of the view,” Isla laughed, then draped a lazy arm across Sam’s chest as she laid back down. “If that’s your boyfriend or your brother calling because you were supposed to be somewhere, you can totally blame me when you ring them back,” She joked, then gave a lazy giggle. She never minded being the one to blame for something like that. And in her mind, it was easy to forgive your friend for being late somewhere if they were off having really good sex. Which her and Sam did. Often. Having such a good and surefire thing with Sam made it easy for Isla to put him at the top of the list of people that she’d ring when she wanted to have a little fun. It helped that she also just liked hanging out with him, as evidenced by how much time she spent with him fully dressed. She was just as happy for that, since Sam was so funny and so effortlessly charming. Isla found it funny to see herself become so close to the stranger she’d hooked up with in the pool on her first night in America. 

“If you’re getting up anyway, then yes,” Isla said, grinning back at Sam. “And if Sav is inside, tell her to pop out and say hi!” She called to Sam once he got up. She did a wolf whistle as she watched Sam walk away, and then chuckled to herself. After a quick stretch, Isla finally sat up, pulling the sheets up against her chest, then she took a look at the view from the bed. It felt like being at home to watch the sun dip under the clouds like this, and it amazed her that anyone could choose to live where they couldn’t see it. She had a brief thought about grabbing her phone and snapping a picture of it to send to her siblings or to her friends back home, but her phone had gotten lost somewhere between the sheets and the ground, and she wasn’t sure that she was quite ready to search for it. Some things were better to just be in the moment for, anyway. She let out a content sigh before attempting to shake some of the craziness out of her hair. She knew that it would leave it mostly unkempt, but she didn’t mind all that much. “When you’re giving me world-class service like this, I don’t know if I want to,” Isla teased before grabbing a piece of watermelon. “But if you’ve got a sexy date that you’ve got to get ready for, then I can get out of your hair now, of course,” She laughed.

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“Didn’t know I was takin’ a test here, lass,” Sam teased. “Of course I wouldn’t mind teachin’ you how to play. Especially if your poker face is as bad as you say it is,” he smirked, then raked his eyes over her. “Don’t reckon you’ll need much help with the strip part of it though, aye? You’re an expert there,” he added with a breathy laugh. “Obviously you’re the type of girl who loves flattery,” Sam teased, “And I’m more than happy to oblige, love,” he added with a wink. “I want you to say whatever you want. Actions speak louder than words anyway, and since you seem to be pretty eager to see me, that says enough right there,” Sam pointed out with a chuckle. He still liked to watch Isla try to tease him, though. Even if he was extremely confident that Isla would keep coming back for more with how well their last few encounters went. “Oh, sure. I think Sunny has a bit too much energy for Floyd, but she’s just a puppy. She’s got too much energy for everyone,” Sam said with an affectionate smile. “Aye, Zelda is a sweet cat. She likes to snuggle,” he nodded. “They spend enough time alone together you’d think it would’ve happened by now, but alas, here we are,” Sam sighed, shaking his head. When Isla laughed, Sam couldn’t help but laugh with her—it was impossible not to. “Sweetheart, look,” he said as his laughter subsided, “if it’ll make ya happy to stick a spider on me head while I’m sleepin’ go for it. How ‘bout we save the bug talk for another time though, aye?” he said with a shake of his head. “I can’t imagine I’ll be getting on your bad side any time soon,” he said with a smirk. Sam intended to not let anyone ever get close enough to him again who could see his bad side. Isla seemed to be a relatively happy and well adjusted person—he wouldn’t risk damaging that. Even if he did like talking to her almost as much as he liked having sex with her. “He got exactly what were comin’ to him. He didn’t even swing back,” Sam said with a scoff, then shook his head. He didn’t really want to get into how aggressive he could be—he knew it was off-putting. And he’d been much calmer since he stopped drinking, anyway. “And it’s easy to like a gorgeous woman like yourself,” he replied with a smile. “I’m more than sure you’ve got plenty of people wrapped around your finger,” he teased. “Glad, among other things,” Sam said with a mischievous grin.

“I’m always having fun when I’m getting me dick out,” he said with a laugh when he noticed her smirk. If Sam could guarantee getting laid after a shift at work without having to lift a finger, he would be stupid not to take advantage of that. And he knew his brother would understand and take that into account when he made the schedule. “I think it’s in your best interest to make sure the party runs itself so you’ve got free time. Or you know, you could still use a little break if you’re stressed. I could definitely help out with that,” he said with a cheeky smile. “What’s the point in playing dumb when you already know what’d make me happy, girl,” he teased with a low voice, raking his eyes over her face before letting a short laugh out through his nose. Sam nodded and looked away from a brief moment when she commented about what he’d said about Tom. It was beautiful, he supposed. With all of their faults. It was why it was still so hard to let him go after all of this time. “Oh trust me lass, it’s exactly how I feel,” he chuckled. Sam’s relationship with his family was so painfully complicated. He hardly wanted to talk about it with Savannah and Scott, let alone a girl he was having casual fun with. “I’d actually really like to see a tiger beat box,” he said with a whistle and a laugh. 

Sam put his hands up in the air. “Knickers or no knickers involved, you won’t have them on for too long around me anyhow, will ya?” he said with a smirk. “I’m not giving you a look,” he said, though he did feel a little caught. “Right, of course. I just think it’s interesting that you’re not the type of girl who wants a fella if you’re so interested in it all,” he said with a shrug. He was genuinely curious. After Ryan he thought he kind of reviled the idea of romance all together. For himself at least. Even if he knew writing the song for Scott and Eleanor was a glaringly obvious tell that he still believed in love on some level. “I don’t have a booty call list!” Sam laughed. “I just put everyone in a group chat to save time,” he joked with a hearty laugh. “How’re you to be me wingwoman when you’re the girl I’m trying to get in bed?” he asked, laughing again. Though he didn’t mind the idea of Isla talking about him to other people, since he was more than sure she’d been enjoying sleeping with him. “Oh, yeah, I’m sure Eleanor will be talkin’ about your fanny to everyone she meets,” he teased, shaking his head. “You can put me down as a reference if it really means that much to ya,” he joked, than barked another laugh. “Who’s wet dream did you bust out of, girl?” he asked as he calmed down. 

Sam scoffed in mock-affront. "Aye, just the little witch,” he said with a playful eye roll. “What kinda perks?” Sam asked, smirking and looking down at himself before back up at Isla with a toothy grin. “I know you’re only teasing anyway, since you just keep comin’ back for more,” he said in a low voice, then he barked a laugh. “I grew up fishing and sailing with me father. I don’t need handcuffs when I know how to tie a knot,” he said with a wink. “Those stuffy neckties I have to wear for work are a little softer on the wrists. The skin’s sensitive there,” Sam added with a less than innocent shrug. He let out a quiet sigh when Isla agreed with him. All Sam knew how to do was run, really. In every sense of the word. He still felt like he was, even halfway across the world from Ireland and every skeleton he’d left there. Shaking his head and laughing as Isla went on about her spiders, Sam grabbed her cheeks between his hands and planted a big kiss to her mouth to cut her off. “Hardly think you want to scare a poor fella who’s about to make you come?” He kissed her again and moved his hands downward on her body. “That’s what I thought, girl,” he chuckled. He liked how confident Isla was. He couldn’t help himself, always drawn to women who he’d consider a match. And Isla so effortlessly bounced everything he said right back to him. “God, I think I missed when they talked about that treasure in the Pirates of the Caribbean film,” he laughed at her joke about the map. “Right, so right now we’re going for gold,” Sam replied, stamping another kiss to her lips. He smirked against the skin of her neck when he heard her make a noise and rolled her hips against his hand. Sam pulled his head back to look at her with her head relaxed against the couch while he worked his fingers over and he dipped back down to Isla’s neck, kissing along the side of it to her ear. “Don’t have much to tease me about right now, do you birdie?” he muttered. 

“You’re not!” Isla laughed. “It’s not like I would’ve walked out the door if you’d said something else,” She replied, sharking her head. “That’d be psychotic behavior,” She snorted. “And so what if it is? Then you get to see me naked much quicker, and I think that’s luckier than winning the pot, no?” She smirked. “I’m the Stephen Hawking of taking my clothes off, mate,” Isla joked, giving Sam a wink. “I mean—“ She began as she gestured to herself. “And I’m happy to hear them at any and all times,” Isla laughed. “And I never shut the fuck up as is, so now that the door’s been open—welcome to Hell, mate,” Isla teased, flashing Sam a grin. “Of course I’m eager to see you. Are we not friends?” She asked with a confused chuckle. “Oh, but she’s so sweet!” Isla cooed when Sam talked about Sunny. “She reminds me a lot of one of the dogs we had growing up. I’ve already offered to babysit Sunny if Scott goes away. I assumed Eleanor would be going with him, anyway,” She giggled. “I know, I love when Zelly comes and hops up on my bed for a cuddle. I was very relieved that she warmed up to me being in her home so quickly,” Isla smiled. “I just can’t believe that neither of them has ever accidentally slip. I don’t think I’ve got that kind of willpower,” She shrugged. “Aw, what?” She asked with a pout. “Are you getting scared?” She teased, then grinned at Sam. “Y’know now that you’ve given me permission that I’m totally gonna do that now, right?” She giggled. “But not when you’re sleeping, because anything could scare anyone if they’re just coming out of sleep. That’s way less fun,” She shrugged. “I’m gonna let you in on a little secret,” Isla said, leaning in closer to Sam. “I don’t really have a bad side. I don’t think I’ve ever held a grudge for longer than a few seconds,” She chuckled. Isla just never saw the point in holding on to anger, it had never done her any good. And it didn’t feel fair to hold someone’s mistake over their head. “So he knew that he’d done something bad then? Maybe he thought it could be, like, a penance or something,” Isla shrugged. She had to stop herself from thinking about Sam fighting, because it put her body at war with itself for finding it both so sexy and so stupid. “And that’s just how I like them,” Isla grinned, shrugging her shoulders. “Yeah,” She giggled. “Among other things.”

Isla barked a laugh and nodded. “Yeah, I’m always having fun then too,” She agreed with another chuckle. Isla was silently relieved to know that there would be at least one person at the next few parties to hang out with during the slow parts of the party. And if that person could be the same person that she hooked up with after the last partygoer stumbled out, then it would be even better. She really couldn’t believe her impossible luck since her arrival. “I could do that,” Isla mused. “Or—and this is the better option, I think—you could pawn off the real work onto the other security guards so that you’ve got free time,” She countered with a grin. “Like I’ve said, you’re welcome to come visit me in my office at time. For whatever reason,” She offered. “I’m just fishing to see if there’s anything else that I haven’t discovered yet. Like a secret sweet tooth or a very particular fetish,” She giggled. Isla gave Sam a brief smile when he mentally stepped away. “Alright,” Isla shrugged. “If you say so,” She added, then gave Sam another smile. “Tigers’ growls sound pretty deep, so I imagine it’d have one of those low, booming bases, y’know what I mean? The kind that feels like it’s rattling your bones.”

“I think so far, the record is about an hour,” Isla laughed. “Or maybe even less,” She added, smirking back at him. Isla had a horrible condition that caused her clothes to slip right off at the sight of someone she found attractive. And for a girl like her, it was amazing that her clothes managed to stay on at all. “I thought we were saying what we meant from now on?” Isla asked, raising a challenging eyebrow. “Well,” Isla began as she thought about how best to explain herself. “It’s like this: I do, obviously, feel a certain pull towards big, romantic things. But I get my fill of it every day at work. It’s all I do for eight-plus hours a day, y’know?” She asked. “So I don’t feel any particular need to go out and find it in a relationship. And I get to have sex with whoever catches my attention, which is a pretty nice perk to keeping things breezy,” She shrugged. Isla didn’t want to get into the complicated nature of her and Andrea’s relationship, because explaining the details of a semi-open relationship was often hard to do with people who have never experienced it. And it’s not like that detail was really necessary for Sam to know now. Or maybe ever, really. “You are so full of shit you don’t have a list!” Isla exclaimed, scoffing a laugh. “I’ve got a list forming and I’ve barely settled in!” She shook her head. “I might steal that group chat bit. See who answers first. And if two answer at once—“ She trailed off with a devilish grin. “If I’m the girl you’re trying it on with, wouldn’t that make me the best wingwoman. Since I’m selling you to me?” She laughed. “Of course she will, because Eleanor is a good friend,” Isla teased, giving Sam a playful side-eye. “As if I’d ever need to sell myself to someone that hard that they need to call someone,” She laughed. “That’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me,” Isla replied as she wiped a fake tear from her eye.

“She’s a sexy little fairy, I’d be an idiot not to want to hang out with her more,” Isla argued with a laugh. “She does have a roommate though, so I suppose he’ll just have to third-wheel when he’s home,” She shrugged. “An orgasm, for starters,” Isla said with a snort. “And you keep inviting me back for more, so it appears that we’re in the same boat, mate,” Isla replied with a low chuckle. “Well,” Isla said as she presented her wrists to Sam. “You wanna just talk about it? Or you wanna be about it?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow. Isla giggled against his lips when he kissed her. “And what if I did want to scare him, then what?” She asked, smirking at him before leaning up to meet his lips. “I’ve done it plenty, I know how fun it is,” She joked. There were a few places that Isla really let her ego take off, and in this particular spot, she let it rocket off to another dimension. “Who could blame you when Jack, Will, and Elizabeth are on the screen?” She shrugged, then let out a laugh. “Exactly right,” She laughed before he kissed her again. “I’m sure I’ll come up with something,” She mumbled back with a breathy chuckle.

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

Sam’s jaw fell open. “Not at all, love. I don’t spend time with people I don’t enjoy,” he assured her, giving her a little wink. “Don’t worry, I have,” he assured her. If Sam didn’t have his intuition, he would have surely ended up dead by now. His intuition and agility, he would have to add for all of the times he’d just barely avoided catching one too many fists. “So you’re saying we should play a little poker then?” Sam joked when Isla talked about being unable to hide her expressions. He liked people who could wear their heart so openly on their sleeves. It reminded him that it wasn’t so dangerous to live that way. “I think planning weddings would be a little worse than just boring for someone who didn’t really like it,” he chuckled. Sam couldn’t think of a job he’d be more ill-suited for. Well, he definitely could. He’d be ill-suited for a lot of things. Most, he’d argue. Sam laughed along with her when he said her name, especially when his first instinct was to still call her Juliet. “Isla, love, have you looked at yourself? Of course I liked you when I saw you,” he said, raking his eyes over her before looking back up at her face with a smirk. “You’re right, you didn’t have to say it, I know,” Sam assured her with a cocky grin. “I know all about girl talk. Me roommate and best mate is a girl!” Sam defended with a chuckle. “Aye, I’m a lucky lad to have all these pups around,” he said with a genuine smile. He’d always wanted a dog growing up. “Your hopes? Our hopes, love,” Sam corrected, shooting her a wink and clicking his tongue. “You can imagine how painful it’s been for so long now,” he groaned. Sam’s mouth fell open and he held his hands up as Isla rattled on about his aversion to snakes and bugs. “You’ve got a lot of questions lass. What’re you gonna wrangle up a special delivery of bugs and snakes and shit for me?” he said, barking a laugh. “Sure is, girl,” Sam agreed, and thought he shouldn’t elaborate further. He hardly wanted to face anything darker with himself, let alone a girl he was sleeping with. “He was a little prick,” Sam grimaced when he thought of Sebastian. “But as ya’ve met Sav, you can see why anyone who mistreats her is a king prick,” he sighed. “I bet you’re very convincing when you want to be,” Sam said, cocking an eyebrow at her and flashing her a grin. “That’s grand, Isla,” he said with a genuine smile as she talked about her experience in university. Sam hadn’t ever dreamed of going to university. He was barely cut out to finish secondary school. He almost wanted to laugh though, learning that Isla was a photographer too, just like Ryan. He’d be withholding the detail from Scott for as long as he could, surely. “Aye, you’re here,” Sam agreed with a little chuckle. “And I’m glad you are, love,” he added with a smirk. 

“Anyone who’s organized in any sort of fashion is impressive to me,” Sam said with a shrug. He wouldn’t even know how to be organized if he tried. Maybe he had a chance at one time, but he felt that he’d drank that potential away. Much potential, really. “I’ve already let the lad know it’ll be of personal interest to me to work your weddings,” he said with a cheeky smile, shooting her a wink. “I can think of something else that might put you back in your good graces with me, aye?” Sam said, wagging his eyebrows at Isla before letting out a laugh. “Everyone’s got their thing,” Sam agreed with a gentle nod. He knew that by its most common meaning, Sam wasn’t necessarily very intelligent. But he could play a song back on the piano after only hearing it one time and he knew how to throw an excellent punch. That had to be of some kind of merit. “Aye, wouldn’t be who I am without the lad,” Sam said of Tom, then left it at there. Because if he went on any longer about his brother he’d shoot the rest of his day to hell. “The misery is the dealing with me family bit,” he elaborated with a chuckle. “Then I hope you get to see them soon,” Sam said with an earnest smile. He wondered what it was like to feel like that about your family. 

“Music to me ears, girl,” Sam said with an overly dramatic sigh. “Well now—let’s not get too hasty there—what do they look like?” he asked, raising his brows when she talked about her underwear before letting out a hearty laugh. “Sure,” Sam said, squinting his eyes at her before huffing a short laugh and crossing his arms over his chest. He didn’t really know what she was after talking about romance when Sam had been making his very clear that he wasn’t interested in that sort of thing, but he wasn’t trying to be mean. Especially because he wanted to keep sleeping with her. “Alright,” Sam said with a grin curling up on his lips. He took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to the back of it, then to the inside of her wrist before looking up at her face with light eyes. “You’re very, very sexy,” he said, smirking as he gave her back her hand. “Sorry lass, I don’t kiss and tell. I let other people do that for me,” Sam explained with a less than guilty grin. “Maybe you should get your one Eleanor to start playing wingwoman,” he suggested with a laugh. Sam shook his head and clicked his tongue when she called him a tough guy. “That’s what I thought, all talk,” he teased. 

“Aye, who’d turn down such a generous offer,” Sam said with a smirk, taking a moment to rake his eyes over her face. He was curious to see just how long she’d be this enthusiastic for—if she’d turn over a stone of Sam’s personality and run away. It didn’t bother him so much, because he was always ready to move on to the next thing when he had to. He barked a laugh when Isla talked about her handcuffs. “Don’t have any of me own on hand, no,” Sam said as his laughter subsided. As if he’d be able to find anything in his disastrous room anyway. “I’m a fast runner,” he said with a shrug. Sam narrowly avoided getting into serious trouble far too many times. The list of things that should have killed him by now is so long. And he knew he probably would remember half of it. “Right, I’ll be waiting,” Sam played along with her threat, giving her another little wink. “I’ve planned that I’m going to fuck you in the morning, and later tonight, yeah,” Sam assured her with a cocky chuckle, humming softly as she ran her hand through his hair. “Is there a problem with that?” he asked. “Gonna swipe a map of the resort at work tomorrow and we’ll start marking off spots we’ve shagged,” Sam suggested, laughing against her skin as he kissed it. “Dunno about any record, but if you want to go at it like we’re trying to break one I won’t be stopping you,” he said, leaning in to give her a kiss. “These are a little easier though,” Sam laughed against her lips as he hovered over her on the couch, brining his fingers to hook around her swimsuit bottoms, pulling them down her thighs. He moved a hand in between her legs and his lips to her neck, feeling his mind turn off in that blissful way it always did when he was on top of someone. 

“Good answer!” Isla replied with a laugh. “I’d have been more surprised if that wasn’t your answer,” She smirked. “I’m only playing if it’s strip poker and you don’t mind teaching me how to play. Maybe I’ll have a little beginner’s luck,” She said with a shrug. “And if not, then you get to see me naked. Sounds like winning all-around,” She laughed. “It’s a lot of time and lot of effort and love and if it’s something that your heart just isn’t in then I imagine it’s pretty torturous,” She agreed. “That’s what I’ve been trying to explain to Aurelia, I want her to love the work, not just working together,” She nodded. “You’re welcome to keep laying the compliments on me any time,” Isla said as she dramatically tossed her hair over her shoulder. “But I don’t have to say it to you anymore if you don’t want me to,” She shrugged, then flashed Sam a challenging smirk. “So then I shouldn’t have to explain how vital it is!” She laughed. “Yeah, I’ll say!” She grinned. “Do they get on well?” She asked. “I was quite excited to move in with Eleanor because the flat came with a bestie and a cat,” She laughed. “If we’re both hoping for it, then maybe we can get fate in our favor,” She said, crossing her fingers. “I’m suffering and I’ve only been here a couple of weeks. I think if I’d been here as long as you have, I’d have locked the pair of them in a room and not let them out until they’ve gotten together,” She joked. Sam’s reaction to her questions made her almost double-over with laughter. “Oh mate,” She said as she caught her breath. “If that’s your reaction to the mere idea, then maybe!” She said before a few more giggles escaped. “Best for you to say on my good side then, huh?” She teased. “And I assume you’ve already found it, yeah? So you’ll tell me when I’m headed down the wrong way?” She chuckled. “I don’t know how you could meet that girl and do anything but fall in love with her,” She shrugged. “I mean, the welcome at the door alone—“ She joked with a shake of her head. “I’m sure he got what was coming to him,” She added. “I am,” Isla confidently replied. She didn’t often have to worry about not getting her way when she went out of her way to charm people. “It’s a lot easier to get people to do what you want them to when they already like you,” She added with a laugh. “My best mate from home didn’t go to uni, but she moved to the same city so we got to live together. That was more fun than anything that happened at uni,” She grinned. “I’m glad to be here too,” She smiled. “And I think both of us will be even more glad that I’m here very soon,” She chuckled.

“It’s a learned skill, trust me,” Isla said with a breathy chuckle. “I didn’t really get organized until I was living on the yachts. When your bedroom’s the size of a linen closet, you’ve got no choice but to get it together,” She joked. She didn’t think much of the lack of space until she started moving into the captain’s quarters with Andrea. Her first Asian charter after had been tough. “See? I knew you were having fun,” She said with a satisfied smirk. “I’ll be sure to plan ripper after ripper so you’re nice and busy the whole time,” She winked. She was happy to know that she’d have a friend to hang out with during the parties. She was even happier to know that she might have a reason to sneak away for a little bit. “Well?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow. “Are you going to share it or are we about to play a guessing game?” She teased. “Yeah, exactly! And no one is better than the other. They’re just different,” She shrugged. That was the mantra that kept her from comparing herself to her genius siblings. Now, she could just be proud of the insane things that they were accomplishing. “What a beautiful thing,” She said with a smile. She sensed that Sam didn’t want to talk about it, and she didn’t want to push it. “Somehow, I don’t believe that’s how you really feel,” She replied with a smirk. “I think it’d be easier to teach a tiger to beatbox than it is to get all the Bennetts in the same time zone, let alone the same exact place,” She laughed. “It’ll happen eventually,” She added with a shrug.  

“Yeah, I’m sure that it is,” Isla said, laughing at Sam’s expression. “You just decided that you don’t want to know. Are you backtracking on me now?” She asked, starting to smirk. “How will I ever know whether or not to wear knickers under my dress?” She asked with a dramatic pout. “Don’t give me that look,” Isla said, shaking her head and laughing. “I really meant what I said before. I’m not here to be your girlfriend,” She assured him again. “I don’t even need to be the first person on your booty call list,” She added with a chuckle. After ending things with Andrea, the very last thing that she wanted was to be wrapped up in another grand romantic drama. Especially with her coworker. She’d already learned her lesson with that big time. She smirked at Sam as he kissed her hand and her wrist. “I’m aware,” She replied with a grin. Fine,” Isla shrugged. “Then I am your wingwoman no longer,” She said with a playful tut. “I won’t have time when I’m so busy building my reputation bird by bird,” She winked. “I’m happy to know that at least one person will be out there preaching the good word,” She said with a gesture to her hips. “I mean, if you want to wrestle that’s fine. But I only wrestle Spartan-style. Naked with a little lubrication,” She joked.

“I’d have to be an idiot to turn down free weed and a chance to hang out with Savannah some more,” Isla teased as a wide grin spread across her face. “And I guess hanging out with you again has some perks,” She laughed. “Aw, you don’t?” She asked with a small pout. “Maybe you’re a little more tame than I pegged you out to be. A pity,” She said with a snicker. “You must be if you haven’t gotten caught yet,” She agreed. “You say that like I don’t have a spider guy in my phone right now,” Isla laughed. “If you know anyone that can make good on that promise, it’s me,” She chuckled. “I can’t think of a better way for someone to spend their day than fucking me,” She replied with a grin. “So I don’t have a problem with that at all,” She laughed. “Like a treasure map for orgasms,” She joked. “Shagging like you’re trying to break a world record is the only way I know how to do it, mate,” She said, laughing against his kiss. “Much easier,” She agreed. As he kissed her neck, Isla ran one hand through his hair and used the other to grip on the arm of the couch and secure herself. She rocked her hips gently against his hand and let out a quiet sigh as her head nodded back against the cushion.

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“Well for one you just tried to pretend like you don’t like me, when you very obviously do because you same seem to leave me alone,” Sam chuckled, giving her a smirk. “But maybe I’m just good at reading people,” he shrugged. Sam’s perceptiveness with was one of the things that he relied on often, and he trusted his own judgement. And he got nothing but positive things from Isla. “Did all of my shagging on company hours give it away?” Sam asked, wagging his eyebrows at her. He couldn’t really help himself—Sam had always had an affinity for trouble and for most of his life he’d always had someone to grab his collar and hold him back before he got into anything too serious. He was trying to do that for himself, but it was definitely a challenge, especially at work where Scott let him get away with anything he wanted. “All I meant is that it’s easy to fake a smile,” Sam chuckled, holding his hands up. “It’s nice to know you’re not, though,” he added, giving her a small smile. “Okay, fair enough. I guess you do have to be a softie to enjoy a job like yours,” he said with a smirk. When Isla did her impression of Frodo, Sam barked a loud laugh. “You’re a riot,” he said. “Isla,” Sam began, a smirk coming to his face, “You shagged me within like, two hours of meeting me. And I liked you even before that,” he finished, giving her a wink. Sam rose his brows and an amused grin came to his face. “I bet she gave up more than Scotty. But it’s cute that she was talking about the trip to a stranger,” he laughed. “Aye, of course. I’m a very proud uncle,” Sam chuckled, pulling out his phone and showing her a few photos he’d taken of Sunny and Floyd at Scott’s flat. “Cute little bugger, aye?” he said, then laughed again at Isla’s comment. “Reckon you give her enough tequila and you can get one of those medals. You know, before Scotty gets in there for good,” he joked. “I would say I find the bugs more grim than scary,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “Snakes are an absolute no-go. There’s a reason St. Patrick drove ‘em off of the island,” he chuckled. “Oi, so getting banged out on every surface in the resort isn’t enough for you? What kind of debauchery are you talking?” Sam said, though he still wouldn’t talk about some of the worst things he did. “A year or so ago I jumped a guy for Sav,” he told her with a shrug, because in that story he wasn’t the villain. At least he didn’t see it that way. He didn’t want to ruin whatever image she had of him, because the Sam she met was the one he was trying so hard to genuinely be. “Aye, I’m sure. I could never do a job like yours, so I give you plenty of credit for it,” he said with a smile. “Lass, I’m nothing more than an overgrown toddler. Me brother will be the first person to tell you that,” he laughed. “What’d you go to university for?" 

"How organized,” he chuckled. “You’d probably want to pass that along to me brother though, he makes the schedule,” Sam said. Though he actually hoped she would do it. He had so much fun working the last wedding with her, and if there was one thing Sam always tried to do, it was have fun. “You’re such a tease talking about all of these deadly parties and then I realize I’m gonna have to do actual work at them,” he groaned, then flashed her a playful smile. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you did,” Sam chuckled when she assured she didn’t think he was stupid. He certainly felt pretty stupid most of the time, but he wouldn’t admit that to Isla. “Isn’t that just being street-wise?” he said with a smirk. That is where Sam was actually very confident. He and Tom spent most of their childhood causing a ruckus, and after he died Sam only doubled down on his behavior. Which ultimately got him kicked out of his home and on his own entirely in Galway. He learned a lot, though there were pieces missing from then. One of the things he learned then is that drinking enough helped him not feel any pain. “Aye, and he’ll never let you forget just how intelligent he is,” Sam said with an eye roll when he spoke of Scott. “Just never get trapped playing a trivia game with them. It’s fuckin’ irritating,” he joked with a laugh. “I wasn’t always the funny one. Tom was the ripper,” Sam said with a fond smile and a shrug. Though he knew that Tom thought that Sam was the funnier one. He missed arguing with him about that, like he missed everything else. It was ten years now that he’d been gone and Sam still didn’t know how to get used to it. “I’d never put you through that misery,” he teased. “And you’d be happy to see them? That’s grand,” he said with a chuckle. 

“So we’re on the same page then…no more knickers, aye?” he said, wagging his eyebrows. Sam gave her an amused smile. “Aye, sounds good lass,” he said with a tiny laugh. He guessed he was maybe just sore about Ryan still, or rather getting used to the realization that he truly wasn’t meant for a proper relationship. He’d probably just run it into the ground and make them leave like what happened with Ryan. Sam was more than hopeful for Scott, though. He was certain. “You’re cute, girl,” Sam said after she explained her Candy Heart joke. “Aye, only once or twice, huh?” he said with a smirk. “I’d be happy to bring it to your attention again,” he added, raking his eyes over her before moving his eyes back up to his face with a grin. “What, have you been striking out other than me? I hardly believe that,” Sam laughed. “And if you are I’d be happy to introduce you to some people,” he offered with a wink. Sam barked a laugh and shook his head. “I reckon he were fit in his prime,” he said as his laughter subsided. “Oi, go on then, give me your worst,” he teased, opening his arms out to her. “Aye, just making sure. It’s delicate information,” he said with a grin. 

“Well good,” he said with a grin. “Cause I was gonna ask if you wanted to come back around tonight after you were off of work, and I want to sleep in tomorrow,” Sam said, raising his eyebrows. “Sav and I tried a new edible recipe and we need some testers,” he explained with a mischievous smile. “I think you’re way sexier than Joan Blackman,” Sam said in a low voice as he stopped a little closer to her. “I guess I’d have to get put in cuffs—by a policeman, I mean,” he laughed and flashed her a smirk, “—to find out if I could charm me way out of them,” he chuckled. “I’ve just never been caught,” he added with a shrug. Though of course he was hardly causing the same kind of trouble here in Hawaii that he did when he was a teenager and young adult. Sober Sam didn’t even know how he’d do running from police these days, and he didn’t intend to find out. “Aye, and where are you getting these specifically six spiders?” he laughed. “Don’t let the young grasshopper keep you from surfing on the big waves,” he said with a grin, though he thought it very sweet that Isla would be looking out for spots that would work for him while he was still learning. A lot of things about her were very sweet—until she was pressed against him and being sweet was the last thing on Sam’s mind. “Bed’s for later when you come back over, of course,” he said with a cocky grin, bending a little and picking Isla up in his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as they kissed. “Third…fourth…we could really be starting a good record 'ere,” he mumbled as he pressed kisses against her mouth, and her cheeks while he walked her over to the couch and laid her down on it. “Agh, I hate getting out of a wet swimsuit,” Sam laughed as he wiggled out of the rash guard and tossed it aside before he dipped back down to kiss Isla again. 

“Are you trying to act like you’re not enjoying yourself?” Isla replied with a giggle. “I’m not really a mysterious person,” She chuckled. “So you might not be that good at it. Test that theory on someone more elusive,” She joked. Isla had always worn everything about her proudly on her chest. Her siblings often joked about her middle-child syndrome, but she couldn’t help it. She was aware of how much she could be for some, and she wanted to get that out of the way as quick as she could. “Oh, it definitely helped,” She giggled. Isla had been grateful to know that someone like Sam worked at the resort, because it meant that people could have fun on the clock. She worked hard when the time called for it, but she liked knowing that pranks and silliness and shagging were all on the table. “That is unfortunately true,” Isla said with a little frown. “My face always tells on me,” She admitted with a chuckle. “I don’t think I’ve ever been able to hide it,” She shrugged. “I can’t imagine doing this day in and day out if you were made of stone. It’d be so boring!” She replied with a shake of her head. “So are you,” She grinned. Her eyebrows raised slightly when he said her name and she immediately started to laugh when he reminded her of the night that they met. “Even before?” She repeated with a smirk. “Good to know,” She said. “And I’m sure it goes without saying that I thought the same of you,” She laughed. Isla gave a thoughtful nod as she compared what Sam to what Eleanor had told her. “I think that’s fair. But—girl talk is very sacred so I think it’s a little different,” She explained, more seriously than she had anything else. Isla happily looked through the pictures Sam showed her and cooed over the sweetness. “Why wouldn’t you be? She’s such a darling!” She enthused. “And you’ve got such a sweet boy of you own,” She added with a smile. “Don’t get my hopes up, mate,” Isla replied with a snicker. “I do hope that’s sooner rather than later, it’s painful to watch them be so obviously in love with each other,” She said with a small pout. “So what do you do when you’ve got a little visitor?” She asked with an amused chuckle. “Do you choose your location based on snake population? There’s no snakes in Hawaii either,” She laughed. “Are you one of those that can’t even see the pictures without getting spooked? Or is it just an in-person thing?” She asked. “Oh, don’t get me wrong I would love to get banged out on every surface in the resort,” Isla quickly assured him. “But there is plenty of other trouble that can be made in and out of the resort,” She shrugged. “He sounds like a bogan,” She said. “Thank you,” She said, bowing her head for a moment. “I don’t think I’d be able to do what you do. I don’t think I’d be able to get people to do what I say that easy,” She laughed. “I’m glad to know that I’m in good company,” She joked. “I actually got my degree in photography,” Isla replied. “I wasn’t really interested in going to begin with, but I knew that it would make my parents happy, so I did. And I thought that since I had spent so much time behind a camera with my parents that it would be the easiest thing for me,” She explained. “I hadn’t even considered wedding planning until I started working at photography companies in uni. I started shooting a ton of weddings and that’s when the idea first got planted,” She smiled. Isla could’ve gone on for hours about the why of her career choices, but she wasn’t sure that it was interesting to anyone but her. “And now, after a little sidestep, I’m here!” 

“Well, it’s rather important that I know when my parties are, isn’t it?” She laughed. Her party calendar was the most organized thing she owned—everything from color scheme to theme to level of fun was somewhere on the chart. “Just say the word and I’ll send it over,” She promised with a smile. She knew that she would be happy to see Sam at more events, considering how much fun it had been to have him there the last time. Some of the parties that were coming up were sure to be even more exciting, and she would want to share that with her fun friend. “I don’t mean to be!” She argued with a playful pout. “I’ll tell Scott to throw a couple extra security guys on if he can so it’s less work, how’s that sound?” She smiled. “Sure, it could be. I just think that there are different kinds of intelligence,” She shrugged. Spending a life surrounded by her genius family had made her feel inferior for a time, but when she realized that she was smart in her own ways, she came into herself. “I don’t know how I would ever allow myself to be put in that situation,” She giggled. “I’d show my ass if I had to play any game of intelligence against them,” She joked. “Well, you had to get your sense of humor from somewhere, right?” She asked with a warmer smile. “As if planning a big party would ever be misery for me,” She chuckled. “I’d be thrilled to see them,” Isla grinned. 

“That’s what it sounds like,” Isla chuckled. “No more knickers,” She smirked. “It’s a shame I’ve got such cute ones—what a waste,” She shrugged. “You don’t believe me,” Isla said, then slowly shook her head and clicked her tongue. “That’s fine for now. But you’ll see,” She continued, flashing Sam a smile. Sure, people often told her that she shouldn’t see the world with these rose-colored glasses, but her response was always why not? She liked the world in shades of pink, and if she could recruit more people to see it that way, well, that was just icing on the cake. “So I’ve been told,” She replied, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, by all means,” Isla laughed. “Any time the mood strikes, feel free to tell me how sexy you think I am,” She instructed with a wide grin. “I’ve done quite well for myself,” She assured him with a smirk. “But not so much at the resort. It appears that someone hasn’t been spreading rumors about me,” She teased, heaving a dramatic sigh. “I think so too,” She chuckled. She shook her head at him when he opened his arms to her. “Such a tough guy,” She teased. “I know it! You can trust me,” She promised.

Isla smirked when Sam invited her to come back over after work. “How could I say no to such an offer? I’m happy to be a test subject,” She laughed. “I hope they send us to Mars,” She enthused. “That’s an awfully big statement,” Isla said as she looked up at him. “Are you sure you want to dig in on that?” She asked, putting her hands on her hips. “Were they your handcuffs?” She asked, lilting her head to the side. “Because if they are, I wanna see if they match mine,” She giggled. “That does surprise me a little, actually,” She admitted with a smirk. Isla had gotten into some trouble once or twice in her college days, but it was never anything more than a slap on the wrist and a few hours in the drunk tank. Nothing that her and her friends didn’t laugh off at breakfast the next morning. “You worry about that mouth and I’ll worry about procuring the spiders, alright?” She chuckled. “I’ve got my ways,” She added, quirking a playful eyebrow at him. The more she was getting to know Sam, the happier she was about this sort of arrangement they had. A breezy friendship with a reliable hookup was just the thing she needed as she got herself settled into this Hawaiian life. And Sam was just fun, she thought, which was a surprisingly hard thing to find. “I’ll still go!” She assured him. “But now I’ll be more thoughtful about the other places I go,” She explained. It was exciting to teach someone a new skill, and with how quickly Sam was learning, she was sure that it wouldn’t take long for them to move onto better waves at other beaches. “Oh, you’ve really planned the whole day, have you?” She laughed. When Sam picked her up, Isla linked her arm loosely around his shoulder and ran her hand through his hair. “Well now that we’ve got this streak going, I feel like we’ve got to see it through,” Isla laughed. “There’s got to be some kind of world-record in there, don’t you think?” She joked. She let out a quiet sound as her back dropped against the couch and she immediately did her best to peel off her wet rash guard when Sam started to go for his. “It sticks right to you,” She agreed with a giggle, then reached up to cup his face when he kissed her. 

[isla-bennett]

sammorrison​:

“I might not know you very well but you seem like the kind of person who wears her heart on her sleeve,” Sam mused, his eyes raking over her face for a moment. “Aye, it’s a skill I’ve honed over many years of getting into feckin’ trouble,” he chuckled. Sam’s smart mouth got him into and out of every situation he’d ever been in. Almost. At least when he was sober enough to use his mouth for talking instead of drinking. Which he had been now for five hundred and thirty three days. The longest now that he’d gone without drinking since he was thirteen. Or twelve. One of the things Sam hated most was that his memories now only came to him in clipped vignettes, and it was hard to decipher what was real. Isla’s voice brought him back from the depths of his mind, where it often liked to wander. “Lass, might I remind you we’ve only just met. Who’s to say you’re not a cynic under that pretty smile?” he said with a smirk. Though he guessed he was a pessimist, assuming everyone was just as miserable as he was on the inside. “I’ll spare you the details,” he chuckled, shrugging off the offer to tell her about the things that he’d done, and tried to hide the surprise in his expression at her seemingly serious offer to listen. But Sam hardly wanted to confess any of that to Savannah or Scott, let alone a woman he’d only just met and had fun with. What a way to ruin a good thing. “Aye, rest assured me opinion of you is nothing but positive, girl,” Sam said, giving her a wry grin. “I did just about as much, actually,” he laughed when Isla said she’d beg for Scott and Eleanor’s story. “I were out with Scotty the day after to get him a puppy and the lad was just so fuckin’ smug about not giving anything about the night up, so I rolled around a little and whined on me front lawn until he got too annoyed and finally told me what happened. Which he should’ve started with, because your Eleanor gave him a nice little bruise right here for everyone to see,” Sam chuckled, tilting his head and tapping the side of his neck. He smiled as Isla talked about Eleanor’s apparent enthusiasm and felt something warm in his chest for his brother, and the thought of things working out for him. Because Sam didn’t know anyone more deserving of it. “Oi, you’re acting like I’m the first person in the world to hate bugs!” He laughed. “Life is very funny indeed,” Sam agreed with a quiet side. Though funny was an understatement, he thought. “I reckon it’s no more ironic than me working as a security guard with my track record,” Sam said with a smirk. “Planning for yourself versus someone else is quite different, I presume.” At her question, Sam paused for a moment. “I were eighteen almost nineteen when I left me village for Galway,” he answered, trying not to cringe at the memory of Maeve screaming and crying as she told him to get out of her house. 

Sam cocked an eyebrow. “Just because I know how to breakup fights between drunk bastards doesn’t mean I want to,” he groaned. “I’d much rather work the ones where I can fuck off with you,” he added, giving Isla a small wink, then smiling as she laughed. It was nice to hear Isla talk about her family. About how normal and nice they sounded. Sam wasn’t really ready to dive into the complicated nature of his own family, and thought that explaining what happened to Tom and his discovery of Scott was enough for the day. Surely she wouldn’t want to hear about how much trouble he caused not only his mother but the rest of his family, about how he had to beg for them to speak to him again, about how he went from fun drunk Sam to disaster drunk Sam in their eyes. “Aye, well I finished me schooling by the skin of me teeth at sixteen, but I never liked the assumption that I’m daft. Tom was smart,” he said before he could stop himself, “And I dunno how much you got to know Scotty in your onboarding but he’s feckin’ smart too. But I definitely agree that as long as I’m considered the jester of the family I’m alright with that,” he chuckled. “Oh, quite optimistic to think so lass. But me family doesn’t have much at all to save after the bills are paid,” he said with a shrug. But in his sobriety he’d been slowly saving up for tickets to get at least Maeve to visit if he could manage it. He didn’t realize how much money he had leftover when he wasn’t spending it on whiskey. “I’m sure they’ll get here. And maybe not all at once, but given that they travel a lot someone’s got to stop in Hawaii eventually no?” Sam mused. “Thank you,” he said quietly when Isla expressed kind sentiments towards his and Scott’s relationship. And he left it at that, because it was too early for him to start reeling. Especially with company over. 

An excited smile stretched across Sam’s lips. “Where they should be,” he noted, feeling a little more comfortable as their conversation moved into something more familiar. “Guess you’ll just have to stick around with me and find out,” Sam said. Though the last thing Sam would want to admit out loud that he was a secret romantic. After how horribly things ended with Ryan, Sam was more determined than ever to protect himself from a heartbreak ever again. It was too much to bear on top of every other violent emotion he felt nearly every day. “Team Candy Heart?” Sam questioned with a chuckle. “You joke, but I’m sure you’re very aware of how sexy you are, hmm?” he said with a smirk, leaning a little closer to her. “All I meant is I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that plenty of people want you. I bet the bloke you turned down still hasn’t recovered,” he added. Perhaps Sam was coming on a little strong, but Isla hasn’t given him any reason not to. And her responsiveness to him only made him all the more eager to flirt. “What’re you, Mrs. Rogers?” he teased. “Oh will you? I’d like to see you try,” Sam said with a grin when she said she’d throw him to the ocean. What he didn’t say is he thought about doing that himself more often than he’d ever say. “Hmm, don’t worry then, love, you’ll get a little preview of the song so long as you promise not to go humming it ‘round your roommate." 

"Oi, first Sav with the insistence on early morning yoga, then me brother with the early morning gym, and now you with the early morning surfing. Does anyone on this island like to sleep in?” he laughed. “You mean you don’t want to be my Maile?” Sam said with a smirk. “If we got arrested I think we might stand getting deported so maybe…not so much exactly the plot of the film but more so being the king of rock n’ roll and living the easy island life and all of that,” he laughed. “Not give you attitude, you’re asking for too much now, girl,” Sam smirked. “I’ve been out with Scott on his boat before. It’s leagues nicer here than the murky Irish coast,” he explained. Sam gave her a proud smile when Isla praised him on his progress and nodded at her assessment. “Right,” he said with a satisfied hum, sticking his board in the sand before letting them back into his house. “Sav?” he called out and when she didn’t answer it confirmed that she had left for work. “Now what was the deal?” he said, bringing a hand up to push Isla’s damp hair behind her ear. “If I stand up on the board we shag anywhere but me bed, aye?” And before she could answer he slid his hand to her neck and nudged her closer to kiss her, his other hand snaking around her waist and pulling her in. 

“What gave that away?” Isla asked with a chuckle. “I think there are much worse things to be than a little sensitive,” She shrugged. “You? A troublemaker?” She quirked an eyebrow. “That must be the most shocking thing that I’ve heard all day. Maybe even all week!” She teased, flashing Sam a grin. Isla would not necessarily describe herself as a troublemaker, but more of a troublefinder which was mostly a result of poor impulse control and a mouth that never really knew when to stop. She did, however, believe that she was a pretty good judge of character, which was what kept her from getting mixed into anything too dark. “Oh, I really doubt you believe that I could be a cynic. Like you said before, I’m not that good of an actress,” Isla giggled. “And if I was such a secret cynic, don’t you think my job would be torture?” She smirked. “Spending all day around the obscenely happy,” She said with a shake of her head. “Alright then, keep your secrets,” Isla quoted, doing her best Frodo impression. “Good,” She nodded. “Not sure my ego could’ve handled the hit if it took three tries to get you to like me,” She laughed. “Eleanor only took a little pushing, thank god,” She smiled. “But I was prepared to go full-annoying to get those details. One of the first things she’d talked about when I met her was that boat trip. Of course I wasn’t going to just let that go,” She chuckled. “I heard about the puppy! Please tell me you’ve got pictures to show me,” She pleaded. “I saw it popping out of his collar the other day. Atta boy, Scotty!” She grinned. “If I got a hickey from Eleanor, I’d show it off like an Olympic medal,” She joked. “No, no you’re not,” She giggled. “They’re just not something to be afraid of!” She argued, still having a little bit of a laugh. “Especially when these aren’t even that bad. And there’s no snakes here,” Isla explained. “It’s my favorite thing about livin’ it,” She grinned. “You know, you keep talking about this infamous track record, but I’ve yet to hear any good stories of real debauchery. I’m starting to think you’re all bark, no bite, mate,” She teased. “Quite different,” Isla nodded. “But I’ve learned quite a lot about people between doing this and the yachting,” She said then started to smile. “It’s weird, isn’t it? I still feel like a kid most days,” She laughed. “And I’ve been out of the house since I was in university.”

“If that’s really what you want, then I’ll print you a calendar and highlight all the parties you’ll want to work for,” Isla offered with a shrug. “I can even tell you which ones to send the people you don’t like on. Like, there’s a Russian wedding at the end of the month, and just based on the questions that they’ve asked me so far, it’s going to be insane. Like, I’ve been having dreams about this wedding, that’s how excited I am. Security guards, on the other hands, should start training for it now,” She laughed. She supposed that it really would be in the best interest of the security team to know which weddings were going to require some extra muscle, so maybe it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to give them a head’s up of what she suspected was to come. She’d rather ask for too many hands on deck than to have one or two guards going crazy trying to manage people. “I don’t think you’re daft at all,” Isla assured him. “I think a lot of people make the assumption that just because you’re a ripper, or maybe not intelligent in ways they deem acceptable that you’re daft. But, in my experience, that couldn’t be further from the truth,” She shrugged. “He definitely seemed pretty intelligent when he was showing me around. And I don’t really think that Eleanor would be in love with a guy who wasn’t intelligent,” She added. “It’s not easy to be the funny one, but someone’s got to do it,” She laughed. Isla thought that her whole family was quite funny, so being able to be the funniest among the group was something that she’d been deeply proud of. Even when sometimes her jokes were met with shocked faces. “Well, if ever there were going to be a Morrison family reunion around here, I hope you know how to ask to help you plan it,” Isla grinned. “It wouldn’t surprise me much if my mum and dad ended up here for a day or two,” She agreed with a nod. “But it might just be a quick airport hello before they got on their connecting,” She chuckled. 

Isla giggled at Sam’s smile then shrugged. “Seems like a waste to wear them at all,” She joked, heaving a dramatic sigh. “This is all part of a very elaborate plan I’ve just now established to shake off the cynicism,” She joked. Though, with Sam’s elaborate plan to help his brother, Isla didn’t suspect that Sam really needed that much help. Maybe just a gentle coaxing to believe that it wasn’t such a bad thing to be a romantic. “Yes, team Candy Heart,” Isla said, standing a little straighter. “I can’t believe you’re only just now hearing about us. We’ve been around since the dawn of time, mate,” She chuckled. “The worst-kept secret society of all time,” She joked. “It’s been brought to my attention once of twice,” She grinned, turning her chin to her shoulder. “I’d love to see where these plenty of people are congregated,” She joked. Though, even only being here for a short while, Isla was already doing alright for herself. Granted, most of that came at the expense of shattering the only rule she’d made for herself, Isla decided that if she only saw them once that it could be forgiven. Very few of them were able to stand out enough to warrant seeing them again, anyway. “A young Mr. Rogers could’ve called me any time he wanted for a real beautiful day in the neighborhood,” Isla winked. “You see these guns?” She asked, flexing her arm and giving her bicep a pat. “I’d watch your mouth, mate, or you’ll be kissing Poseidon goodnight,” She joked. “I won’t! I haven’t given you a reason not to trust me yet, have I?”

Isla grinned, shaking her head. “I’m not up like this every morning,” She assured him. “Just when I see the waves are going to be good,” She shrugged. “I mean, if you think that I can hold a candle to Joan Blackman, then I’m all in,” Isla grinned. “And here I thought you could talk yourself out of any trouble,” She tutted, clicking her tongue. “If we get arrested, how about you just let me do the talking,” She teased. “Have you not gotten that all covered already?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow. “Keep it up and you’re gonna wake up with six spiders in your bed tomorrow,” She teased, flashing him a playful grin. “I think the ocean here gives most places a run for its money,” She agreed with a short nod. “You will!” Isla enthused. “I’m still figuring out what beaches are for who, but I’ll keep you in mind as I do,” She offered. Isla grinned upon the realization that they were alone and sauntered in closer to Sam. “I mean, if the bed is what you want then—“ She chuckled, shrugging. “But we’re two-for-two on anywhere but. Why not go for a third?” She asked, sliding a hand up his chest as they kissed.

[isla-bennett]

earlgreyeleanor​:

“I really do just think that if he wanted me—if he loved me—he would tell me,” Eleanor said with a weak shrug. “And since he hasn’t he doesn’t feel it. Isn’t that what they say…if he wanted to he would?” She felt herself frown as soon as she said it. “I didn’t need any of those men to help me spot a good thing, Scott set the bar so high it practically left the atmosphere,” Eleanor sighed. “But…they were good in bed that’s true enough,” she giggled, rolling her eyes. “I’ve convinced myself that he doesn’t feel the same because of the blaring fact that he doesn’t or I’d already know about it,” she said. “I mean, I’m not pretending like I want to be friends with him to you. Because I don’t just want to be his friend. But I’d rather be Scott’s friend than his…nothing,” Eleanor sighed. “It’s just so very complicated with everything that’s happened between us. So fucking complicated,” she huffed. “And you can’t quit and go back to yachting because I won’t allow you to leave me,” she said, cocking an eyebrow towards Isla. “I don’t know what shell you’re referring to,” Eleanor said with an amused smile. “I won’t keep trying to argue with you since we clearly don’t find the same things embarrassing,” she chuckled. “And I love that about you. Your big old heart,” she said, putting her hands over her own chest and closing her eyes while she smiled. “Well I was trying to get his attention texting him in the first place, wasn’t I? Then I kept his attention by being a drunken clown and making him worry,” Eleanor said with a small frown. “I still think he was texting me so much because I made him worry about me being too drunk,” she said, rolling her eyes and dropping her chin into her hand again. “And before you go off about that I know that he cares about me, of course he cares about me, but it doesn’t mean that he’s in love with me,” she said, pointing a finger at Isla. “And I love every time you bring them back to the flat because they make everything look so lively and bright, so keep ‘em coming,” Eleanor enthused with a grin. “I do,” she laughed when Isla noted that she liked a bad boy. The only boy she ever dated that didn’t catch an attitude with her was Henry. And she supposed that’s why she spend nearly the whole last year of their relationship bored, for lack of a better word. “I’m happy to remind you any time that you’re a joy and delight to speak to, even if it’s just to say hello,” Eleanor assured Isla, resting her hand on hers when she touched her arm. “I don’t even want to know what it takes to embarrass you, and I hope I never have to see it,” she nodded. “Not almost painful, it is painful. So when given the opportunity to stamp one’s ego out I’m happy to jump on it,” she chuckled. “Maybe tell Adeline that I’m really really dying to speak to her and she’ll take pity on your poor flatmate,” Eleanor joked. “Oh! Same as Peter,” she said, excited at the prospect of having something, anything more in common with Isla. “It must be really nice that you got on so well when you were teenagers,” Eleanor said with a tiny smile. “Oh my god, I love Americans that sound like cowboys! Except—ehm, except Jason. His is awful and horrible and his mouth should be sewn shut so he can’t talk over another girl ever again,” she said with a huff. “If you’re involved it is sexy, Isla dear,” Eleanor said with a sleepy giggle.

[sam→isla]: sure i’ve seen apollo 13 like 5 times! [sam→isla]: when it happens just make sure uncle sammy is there [sam→isla]: i’m just not going to do that xx [sam→isla]: that’s what i thought girl [sam→isla]: i’m more than happen to keep your mouth occupied love

“But you really want him and you really love him and you have only told me,” She said, raising am eyebrow at Eleanor. “So isn’t the pot calling the kettle just a smidge?” She chuckled. “Babes—did you get selective amnesia or something? The boat trip? Ring a bell?” Isla asked. “That goes in the dictionary next to if he wanted to, he would!” She laughed. “Then, at the very least those other lads were just a lesson in what you don’t want and the things you won’t accept from your partner. Which, at the end of the day, is just as valuable,” She shrugged. Even Andrea, who was a good boyfriend on paper, had taught Isla plenty of lessons about relationships. The biggest lessons, really. “And now you can take all that good dick and use it to make Scotty go crazy,” She teased, wagging her eyebrows at Eleanor. “You’re the only person who doesn’t know it, darling. You’re smart enough to have fooled yourself. Which, is kind of an amazing feat, really. Even though I hate the thing you’ve chosen to fool yourself about,” She chuckled. “I understand why you feel that way, but is it worth depriving the both of you of what you really want?” She asked. “I just—I can’t wrap my head around why you wouldn’t want to just relieve yourself of having to carry this weight on your shoulders,” She explained. “And even if we were living in some bizarro world in which Scott doesn’t have feelings for you, do you really think he’d shun you? I find that extremely hard to believe,” She added, shaking her head. “And if he were the sort of guy to do that, then you’re better off knowing he’s an asshole now rather than pining over an asshole for the rest of your life,” She shrugged. “Oh trust me, I don’t want to go back to that. I’m really enjoying having roots somewhere. I think I’d like to let them grow for a while,” She grinned. “Of course you don’t, because we’re breaking right out of it,” She chuckled. “Clearly not,” She chuckled. “You can thank Stas and Jack-o for that. They make me look cold by comparison,” She joked. “Babes, I don’t know if worry is the word I’d use for what you made him do. Seethe with jealousy would be my description,” She laughed. “I don’t think he’s in love with you because he cares about you,” She agreed. “I think he’s in love with you because he’s in love with you,” She corrected with a grin. “Oh, I wasn’t going to stop. If you didn’t like them, then I would’ve just started keeping them in my room until I looked like that one scene in The Great Gatsby,” She joked. “And I’ll gladly remind you of the same,” She said, grinning at Eleanor. “If I ever do get embarrassed, it’ll be a shock for us both,” She laughed. “As you absolutely should. Men have had their egos stroked for long enough,” She smirked. “Oh, she’s very excited to meet you. honestly, I think if I told her that you wanted to meet her tomorrow, she’d drop what she’s doing,” She smirked. “Yeah! It was nice being so close in age I think. Even Adeline isn’t that much younger than Patrick, so the three of us were all pretty close,” She shrugged. “It was really great,” Isla nodded. “Even though most of my friends had crushes on Patrick at one point or another. I guess you just sort of get used to it, you know?” She chuckled. “He should fuck off back to the mainland and go bother his wife,” She said, rolling her eyes. “You got that right,” She snickered.

[isla→sam]: wow a real space cadet [isla→sam]: not if he’s gonna call himself uncle sammy [isla→sam]: why? are you jealous that scott and i are besties? it’s okay you can admit it [isla→sam]: well i saw how hurt your feelings got when you thought your bestie ranking was called into question so i had to put your mind at ease [isla→sam]: i would hope so if you’re picking me up at this hour

[isla-bennett]

earlgreyeleanor​:

“Well tell them that I want us to be together too, and not the one that needs any more convincing,” Eleanor said, rolling her eyes a little at the smirk on Isla’s face. “Exactly what it was. I always end up in those with horrendous men…” she huffed. “Haven’t I already explained it?” Eleanor said, furrowing her brow. She felt her chest tighten when Isla referred to Scott as her person. That’s what she’d always felt like, and to hear it said back to her made her feel a little less crazy for thinking it. “I’d truly rather be his friend and torture myself just to keep him in my life than push him away with any unwarranted feelings I have for him,” she reminded her. And waited for Isla to tell her that there’s no possibility he doesn’t love you, too, Eleanor! “You play cupid professionally, I don’t think you’d disappoint him,” she said with a small chuckle. “Yeah, and I’ve always found myself becoming mates with loud, shameless nutters but I still haven’t mastered the way of life myself,” Eleanor teased. “I don’t have an issue admitting to being an embarrassment…” she said, an amused smile coming to her face. “Of course I have to thank you,” she said, knitting her brows together. “Or, he noticed I was drunk and wanted to make sure that I got back alright. He worries about stuff like that,” Eleanor explained and realized how that sounded as the words left her mouth. “But what if I really wanted to talk to you? Then surely you’d answer me,” she pressed, then giggled at her That’s So Raven joke. “More likely that you’ll nick some flowers from your office for me tomorrow,” Eleanor chuckled. “Well, I didn’t have much luck making any good friends in the circles that my family ran in so I guess I thought I needed to branch out,” she shrugged. “And I only went right up to Scott because he looked my age and he was so handsome that I decided to be brave and talk to him and I just got lucky I guess. Then we started going out I really did befriend a lot of tough guys,” Eleanor explained with a smirk. “Love, I sincerely doubt anyone could walk away from you feeling badly, don’t worry,” she assured Isla with a little chuckle. “If anything he’d be more embarrassed about it than you,” she laughed. “Putting men in their place is a favorite pastime of mine,” she joked. “Well, let’s plan a face time soon! Of course whenever you can pin them down from around the world,” she said. “Well he’s not much older than you, right? Peter and I shared a lot of friends when we were children before he only started hanging round with massive wankers,” she sighed. “I’m excited too!” Eleanor said with a smile. “To be fair to them I have a hard time distinguishing American accents from one another unless they’re really strong,” she said. “Uh-huh…everything sexy all the time for Isla,” Eleanor mumbled with a sleepy chuckle. 

[sam→isla]: angriest astronaut i’ve ever seen [sam→isla]: one of these days she’ll crack and give you a snog at LEAST  [sam→isla]: you sure scott knows he’s your bestie? might even have to explain the slang to the old man  [sam→isla]: are we not?  [sam→isla]: are you going to be such a contrarian when i pick you up? turning up the road now btw

“I think both of you need more convincing,” Isla shrugged. “Because neither one of you can convince yourself to just tell the other one how you feel. Even though I’m sure both of you are smart enough to know that you’ll feel so much better once you get it off your chest,” She argued. “Darling, that’s what situationships are for,” Isla began. “You get the horrible guy out of your system so that you’re able to spot a good thing when you’ve got it,” She chuckled. “It’s an unfortunate fact that horrible men are often obscenely good in bed. It’s what keeps us coming back for more,” She sighed. “Sure, but your explanation has a lot of holes in it darling. Like a gaping crater because you’ve somehow convinced yourself that Scott doesn’t have the same feelings for you that you have for him,” She smirked. “But don’t you see?” Isla asked. “That’s what both of you are doing. And you’d be so much happier if you’d stop pretending like you just want to be friends. Because obviously you don’t,” She replied, shaking her head. It seemed so obvious to her, and she wondered how they couldn’t see it when they were so much smarter. “I hope not, because I’d have to quit and go back to yachting then,” She laughed. Isla felt quite lucky most days. It was hard not to when she had her dream job in paradise, and when there were people like Eleanor around her. “Well, now you’ve got me to help you break out of that last bit of shell, darling. And I won’t rest until I do,” She grinned. “I’m sure it’s loads easier in times like these when you aren’t being an embarrassment to begin with,” She chuckled. “You don’t!” Isla quickly assured her. “I would’ve been more than happy to be here and bolster you, even if we’d just met yesterday,” She said with a smile. “Why couldn’t it be both?” Isla asked, then gave Eleanor a smug look. “He just doubly can’t ignore you when he’s worried about you. “Of course I would, but not at Mach ten like Scotty here,” She laughed. “And I wouldn’t just chat with you while you’re on a date because I wouldn’t want to distract you from said date,” She explained. “Though I’m more than sure Scotty doesn’t feel that way based on how much he texted you tonight,” She chuckled. “That was a given whether or not you’d had a date tonight,” She shrugged. Isla always got a particular joy from giving gifts to people she cared about. Being able to spark a little bit of joy within someone, even if only just for a moment, always made it worth whatever the price of said gift was. “If I don’t take the flowers home and give them out, then the just die with no one to admire them. And I can’t have that,” She explained. “You love a bad boy and I love that about you,” Isla teased. “That’s what I’m always hoping for,” She nodded. “I’m glad that I’m doing it well. And it really does mean a lot to me to hear that,” She said, reaching for Eleanor’s arm. “Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me,” Isla laughed. “Though, I’d argue that I’m hardly ever embarrassed. It would have to be something truly mortifying to embarrass me,” She chuckled. “And it should be! Men really ought to be humbled more often. Most of them have really huge, really unearned, egos. It’s almost painful to watch,” She joked. “Patrick’s the easy one. His schedule is pretty regimented,” Isla explained. “Adeline really just is dependent on how much work she’d got to do,” She continued. “Ideally, I’ll pin down a time with both of them for one go so that they’re not eating up too much of your days,” She laughed. “He’s just recently turned 27,” Isla replied. “And he was only a year ahead of me in school, so pretty much all of our friends were the same,” She explained. “I can’t tell you how many times we unknowingly ended up at the same party,” She laughed. “That’s true. The only one I distinctly know is that southern-cowboy accent. But I’m sort of learning some others as I meet more couples at work,” She added. “If I had it my way, everything would be sexy all of the time,” She agreed with a giggle.

[isla→sam]: and you’ve seen many of them? [isla→sam]: a girl can dream <3 [isla→sam]: oh i KNOW he knows. how could he not? go ahead and ask him yourself if you don’t believe me! [isla→sam]: shhh no we are :)  [isla→sam]: if you don’t like it you know how to shut me up [isla→sam]: practically an expert even

[isla-bennett]

earlgreyeleanor​:

“Don’t hurt yourself there, hmm?” Eleanor said with a smirk. Her persistence was very sweet and very amusing, but Eleanor just supposed that her optimistic nature faded with age, or that there was enough baggage with Scott that to be so optimistic felt foolish. “Well let’s just thank whoever’s up there I didn’t see that,” Eleanor said with a frown. “Oh Jason was absolutely not my boyfriend, but ex-thing, sure,” Eleanor said, furrowing her brow. “I certainly agree that he’s the best person for me,” she said, giving Isla a sad smile. “That’s a cute way to put it. I’ve always liked people that had traits I wished I had you know? Ones to try and learn from,” Eleanor shrugged. Since it was already an hour or two after she arrived home, Eleanor was decidedly more sober and indeed already embarrassed about texting Scott for half of her date with Henry and on the entire way home. Now she mostly wished Isla would give it back so she could read exactly what she said. “I won’t argue with anything you just said,” she sighed, rubbing a hand a little too hard over her face. “Thank you for looking out for me and taking care of me,” she said softly, reaching to find Isla’s hand to squeeze again. “Well he probably won’t make me feel embarrassed outright but steering clear of me because of how embarrassing I was acting isn’t the most unbelievable thing in the world, is it?” Eleanor asked. “Stop putting the image of Scott with flowers for me in my head, it’s borderline torture when all I want is to see him right now,” she whined with a little laugh. “I just did what I pleased, really. Which was getting away from my family and making friends in a new country. And I kind of had my head in the clouds as a kid so the whole dangerous shipyard thing didn’t quite register. So if that’s wild to you,” she chuckled. “Yeah, and my brother Peter too, remember I told you,” Eleanor said with an exhausted huff. “How could anyone have a negative interaction with you? You simply aren’t capable of it,” she insisted. “I guarantee Scott’s heard more about you than he probably wanted to,” Eleanor joked. “No, of course I’m not! Not ever, it’s one of my favorite things about myself. And being in sciences gives me plenty of opportunity to shove my intelligence is mens’ faces, which is something I’m also pretty proud of,” she laughed. “I’m sure I’ll meet my match once I get to talking with Patrick and Adeline. I’ll find out during nerd time,” Eleanor said with a grin. “Is it really annoying then if everyone thinks you’re charming?” she pointed out, raising her eyebrows. “Oh, we’re absolutely doing that, it’d be so funny. And lots of people confuse British and Australian accents so we could definitely make it work,” Eleanor giggled. “For sure has to be a restaurant with one of those floral arrangement walls that I always see on my feed,” she said. “Got it. Must be sexy,” she laughed, tapping the side of her head as if to lock in the memory. “Mmmph, the sweetest,” she mumbled, turning her head into her pillow. 

[sam→isla]: aye of course i love her and i’m not afraid to say it like someone here with a joint and cigarette simultaneously hanging out of his gob  [sam→isla]: eleanor will come around i’m sure…be patient and consistent 😁 [sam→isla]: you’re getting your best bestie and that’s IT [sam→isla]: why the fuck have you got me saying bestie [sam→isla]: not a worry i’ll just have to take them off myself then

“It’s a worthy cause,” Isla laughed. “Whoever is up there must also really want you and Scott together, considering how they keep pushing the two of you together,” She smirked. “A situation ship, yes I’m familiar,” Isla laughed. “If that’s how you feel, then why all the hiding?” She asked, furrowing her brows. “I mean, if this is your person, then you can’t let that go. If you do, you might regret it for the rest of your life,” She argued. “And I simply cannot allow that,” She said. “I’d be doing my friend a great disservice if I did,” She joked, then patted the tattoo on her thigh. “Of course, I totally get it. Because then you can hope that their good stuff rubs off on you,” She smiled, knowing that there were plenty of things about Eleanor that Isla could only hope to become. “Because you know I’m right! Wow, I’m really on a roll tonight, aren’t I? I think this might be a record for me,” She laughed. “You don’t have to thank me,” Isla assured her, then squeezed her hand back. “I’m happy to do it. And really, what are friends for if not to celebrate and sook with?” She asked with a shrug. “Considering the fact that he was immediately replying to all of your drunk texts, while knowing full well that you were on a date with someone else, I’d say that he couldn’t avoid you even if he tried,” She chuckled. “This is not the behavior of a man who just has casual, platonic feelings for someone,” She said. “Because I love you, and I wouldn’t have responded after the third drunk text if you’d been texting me on your date,” She explained. “I’m giving you your That’s So Raven moment,” She laughed. “Because I see Scott giving you flowers in your future,” She smirked. “And I know how that is firsthand,” She reminded her. “Which is how I know that it’s badass to go off on your own, befriend the toughest person you can find, and also put your life in danger to do so,” She chuckled. “Oh right, yes you did,” Isla said, then gave a short nod. “I hope it never happens! I’d be crushed if I thought someone walked away from me feeling badly,” She pouted. “And if I had even an ounce of shame, maybe I’d be embarrassed by that fact. But all I can say is good for him,” She laughed. “They’re great stories,” She joked. “And you should be proud of that! Putting men in their place is so sexy of you,” She smirked. “They’ve already started asking about when they’re going to get to meet you,” She said, grinning back at Eleanor. “As far as Patrick is concerned, there is no his friends and my friends, it’s all just our friends,” She laughed. “And now he’s especially excited because he already knows something you have in common,” She said. “I suppose that would just be annoyingly charming, wouldn’t it? And there are worse things to be known for,” She laughed. “That’s true. I’d say most Americans would call us all British without really trying to guess,” She guessed. “That’s exactly what I was thinking! Then she can brag about her cool life and her fun job,” She grinned. “It should always be sexy,” Isla agreed. She waited until she was sure that Eleanor was fully asleep before cautiously sliding off the bed and slipping back to the living room.

[isla→sam]: sounds like quite a sight. i hope scott has fun on mars x [isla→sam]: oh i do try believe me [isla→sam]: wow, he really hates to see me and scott being besties 🙄 he’s so mean to me! [isla→sam]: because we’re besties :) BEST besties apparently [isla→sam]: so you DO want me to put them on then???????????????? [isla→sam]: wow…….i can’t believe he wants me dressed like a PURITAN……….

[isla-bennett]

earlgreyeleanor​:

“So you’ve said,” Eleanor deadpanned. She gave Isla a fond smile after she squeezed her. If she were less drunk and better with words she would tell Isla just how much it meant to her to have bonded so quickly with someone like her. “It was hard enough hearing about it then picturing it in my head, if I ever saw it with my own eyes I genuinely would have offed myself. She was so fucking rotten so it made it all the worse. It’s like, how could he have been with someone like that and—ugh, no I’m not going there,” she said with an exasperated chuckle. “Then my stupid arse got caught up with Jason partly for distraction and partly to make Scott jealous—and of course that was a disaster,” Eleanor sighed. “And I can’t stop being embarrassed about nearly everything I say and do,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes at herself. “Which I’m sure my embarrassment is justified, before you say it’s not because I got my phone taken away,” Eleanor said, cocking an eyebrow as she looked at Isla. “And so with that, I’m sure I’ve embarrassed myself enough to make a good enough guess that he won’t be at our door tomorrow morning,” she said. “I’ll give you all the love anytime you want it,” Eleanor assured her, scrunching her nose as she smiled. “Well he seems to think that he was scary to me when we first met. Or at least he tried to be because a clueless girl wandering around a shipyard was definitely a liability,” she chuckled. “Yes, well, his bad side isn’t really a good place to be. And of course he’d be sweet to you! I talk about you all of the time and I’m sure Sam overshared about you to him too,” Eleanor laughed. “You’re right. Boys are so annoying,” she huffed. “I can be kind of a know-it-all! I mean I try not to be but I used to yet told off all the time by my mother and brothers for it. So that’s got to be ego,” Eleanor insisted. “Oh, please, I’m not that clever,” she chuckled. “Of course you don’t find me annoying, you’re bouncing off the walls ninety percent of the day,” she teased. “That’s a very good question,” Eleanor giggled with a shrug when Isla asked why they didn’t have sex on the deck too. “I think we’ve already established that I’m more than happy to stay on the phone with them and talk shop for as long as they want to,” she said with a smirk. “They’re happy tears now, don’t worry,” she mumbled into Isla’s shoulder when she held her and smiled when she felt her kiss her cheek. “I reckon we look kind of like sisters too. Or it’s just that we’re both blonde,” Eleanor joked. “Oh we should absolutely take her out for her birthday, how sweet,” she agreed excitedly. “So maybe I’ll look into French lessons with a nicer instructor,” she chuckled. “Well—I’m always excited to see Scott but now you’ve got me thinking about him sweaty and shirtless…” Eleanor muttered with a sleepy laugh. “Mmhmmm,” she hummed. 

[sam→isla]: better be or else everyone else is gonna have to deal with the grumpy bastard [sam→isla]: she’s okay i guess… 😉  [sam→isla]: no one over here would complain if you two wanted to crack on just so you know [sam→isla]: do you want me to come pick you up or not love? happy to bring you your bestie over instead [sam→isla]: bokeeee how corny [sam→isla]: always one step ahead girl x

“And so I’ll keep saying until I’m blue in the face,” She replied with a grin. “And after I’m blue in the face, I’ll be happy to remind you once more,” She chuckled. “I think even the strongest of us would’ve had to take a knee after that,” She said, shaking her head. It was bad enough to think about the person you love seeing someone else, the knife was only made hotter when said someone else was dangling him in front of you like a toy. “Everyone’s got to have one terrible ex, right? To get it out of your system?” She joked. “He had Ivy and you had Jason and now you can concretely say that you’re both the best person for one another,” She shrugged. “We’ve got a very cute yin-and-yang thing going for us in that way, don’t we?” She giggled. “I took your phone because I know you get embarrassed easily and I know that you’ll be unhappy for letting yourself drunk text in the first place. I know we haven’t known each other super long, but I do feel that I’ve gotten to know you quite well in this time,” Isla said proudly. It made her feel good—great, really—to have immediately connected with someone as great as Eleanor. And talking her off the ledge of potential embarrassment felt a lot like what she and Adeline had done for each other in the passed. It felt good to feel like a sister even whilst being miles away from one. “You said it yourself that he’s not the type to do that,” She gently argued. “And maybe it’ll be the grand gesture he needed to get the feelings off of his chest. As simple as men can be, they can be quite unpredictable when led to their own devices,” She shrugged. “And I’ll gladly do that for you too,” She smiled. “You really were a wild one then!” She exclaimed with a wide grin. “Prancing about on the dangerous shipyard with the tough guys on the dock. God, I love you,” Isla giggled. “From the sounds of what he did to Jason, I’d have to agree,” She nodded. “I’m glad I’m sprinkling enough positive interactions to earn such sweet words,” She chuckled. “And happy to know that my adventures are keeping the boys entertained while they’re on the clock,” She joked, wearing the words like a sash of honor. “So annoying!” She agreed with an eye roll. “You shouldn’t ever be ashamed of being smart. It’s a great thing. The world would’ve fallen apart with the smart people,” She said earnestly. “You are that clever to me. And I know clever,” She replied. “Oh, I know that I’m annoying. I’m just lucky that most people find my annoyingness to be charming,” She giggled. “I know, I know. I’ll make sure to factor in nerd time when I make plans to call them next,” She teased. “I’ll allow tears so long as they’re happy,” She said. “I reckon that we could pass for sisters. Next time we go out, we’ll try it. Make up personas and everything and see how many people we can fool. It’ll be even funnier to see how many people pick up on the fact that we’ve got completely different accents,” She laughed. “I know of a couple of places that are cute and Instagram-worthy, I’ll let her pick from those,” She chuckled. “If you get an at-home French tutor, make sure they’re sexy so I can have some eye candy while you’re learning,” She grinned. “I’d say sweet dreams, but I think you’ve already got that covered,” She chuckled.

[isla→sam]: as well we should if we don’t push them together [isla→sam]: yeahuh i’m sure that’s how you feel  [isla→sam]: that makes three of us mate [isla→sam]: oooh well i always wanna have bestie time and one bestie is asleep so bring him along :) [isla→sam]: me????????? CORNY!?! [isla→sam]: panties: ON [isla→sam]: you already know this x