I was reminded of Titanic. When Rose kept calling Jack’s name, but Jack was gone, slipping into the water.At least she knew his name.All I could say was, “Hey.”........“What happened?” He sank to his knees beside me and immediately began examining my leg.“Jack.”He grabbed a spike and pulled it out without warning. “My name’s not Jack. It’s Walker. Walker Kaleb.”-Stasia Graham & Walker Kaleb
“What did you do for a living?” I wondered, my question drifting over the water.It felt like it was a good time to get to know each other.A nervous laugh blew from his lips. He groaned. “I was dreading this part. So far, you’ve been the ideal partner.''Wait, let me guess.” I put my finger to my chin. “Athlete?”“No.”“Doctor?”That made him laugh. “Yeah right. Never even made it out of my first year of college.”“Chef?”“What are you going to do? Name every profession you can think of?”“Bartender?”“No, Stasia. I was a model.” He held my gaze, waiting for me to react.I shrugged. “Makes sense.”His dark brow shot up. “It does?”“Mhm. You’re… very… physically pleasing. At least aesthetically you are.” I was glad the dark hid any signs at all that I may be blushing.“Physically pleasing? Is that your way of saying you think I’m hot?” He grinned, so pleased with himself I could have hurled.-Stasia Graham & Walker Kaleb
Suddenly, Walker tensed. He said something the man didn’t like, and Walker totally gave him the Portuguese equivalent of F-off.“He wants the smoked nutria.”I snorted. “Yeah right. That’s ours,” I informed him.He paused and looked me over, up and down. Then his eyes shot to Walker before he said something I just knew was mean.But Walker laughed.“What’d he say?” I demanded, glaring at the man who gave me a wide, amused smile.“He called you a wild cat.”I gave him the finger.The man laughed and then spoke to Walker.-Stasia Graham & Walker Kaleb
He came forward, urging me back until mine was pressed into the ledge. Both of his hands still cradled my face and head. “Or maybe it’s me. You know what they say happens to you when you find the one?”My eyes threatened to roll into the back of my skull. “What?” I breathed.“It’s the only time your heart and brain are on the same page. Your thalamus and amygdala are trying to get your heart to understand what’s happening, so they’re firing off neurochemicals so fast you can’t breathe right. You can’t see anything but them. Your brain gets flooded with oxytocin and dopamine. They set off a chain of emotions that your heart recognizes as love.”“What’s your point?” I arched in his hold, wondering if that’s what was happening to me.Love.“When I look at you, my brain’s warring with my heart. Do you know how hard it is to look at you all day, Stasia? To want you so much I can’t think about anything else? But to also know that I have to spend all day surviving, just so I can feel this way about you? And do nothing about it?”-Stasia Graham & Walker Kaleb
He let out a pained moan. “What would I introduce you as?”“Your girlfriend?”“Oh. That’s it?” He sounded disappointed.“What else would I be?” I stroked his hair, running my fingers through his thick strands and holding my breath for his answer.“Girlfriend sounds so tame compared to what you are to me. We survived a plane crash together. We fought past hunger and thirst. We’re not a new couple going on coffee dates.” He snorted. “We’re married. I’d introduce her to you as my wife.”I could have orgasmed right there. “Did we get married while I was gone or something?”“When you know, you know.” He pulled back, pressing his forehead to mine. “I know, baby. And so do you.”I felt a tingle of lust settle between my thighs. “I know.”“Pretend there’s a fat diamond on your finger.”I held up my hand and gasped at my imaginary ring. “Walker! It’s so pretty.”He smirked, bringing my hand down to kiss my ring finger. He looked up from under his lashes, steam and want boiling in his eyes. “Will you be my wife, Stasia?”“Walker!” I chastised, pulling my hand free. “Be serious.”“Oh, I’m serious, woman. You’re lucky I’m even giving you an option. Say yes so we can go on our honeymoon.”I laughed breathlessly. “Don’t tell me you’re taking me to the Amazon?”-Stasia Graham & Walker Kaleb
“Yeah?” I took the envelope and tore it open, pulling out two plane tickets.Walker stared at them, his eyes wide.The only plane we’d been on since the wreck was the one that got us out of the jungle. If we couldn’t drive there, we didn’t want to go. We’d seen enough of the world to know where we belonged now.“Thanks,” he muttered, taking one of the tickets. “That’s so nice of you two.”“We figured you wouldn’t mind some time away from the kids in the snow. It’s a resort in the Yukon. All paid for.”Walker and I shared a look. Sure, I’d love to go to a wild, mountainous and sparsely populated territory of Canada. Judging by the concerned look in Walker’s eyes, I knew he was thinking the same thing.The next morning, Walker tucked those plane tickets into the pocket of a stranger walking by. He flashed me an easy grin and picked up Faie’s hand. Her other was attached to mine and Bliss was in my arms.“Some gifts are better unopened.”-Stasia Graham & Walker Kaleb
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