Stranded With The Billionaire by Brynn Paulin

Chapter Ten

~ Silas ~

My life was complete. In the hazy quiet of early morning, I lay on our too-narrow bunk, holding Lily to my chest. We were still stranded on this godforsaken, deserted island, but I couldn’t have been happier. A light breeze blew and the dawning light played through the trees, casting dancing shadows around us, lulling me into calm wellbeing.

Everything I’d ever wanted was in my arms. She was my world, my obsession, and I’d give her everything in my power to give. Not wanting to wake her, I slowly trailed my fingers up and down her spine, feeling her smooth skin along the tips. She was so soft everywhere. I wanted to explore her with my hands and mouth until she writhed beneath me again.

My cock went hard at the remembered taste of her, and I ran my tongue over my lips suppressing a groan. I might get my mouth on my beautiful woman again, but she’d probably be too sore for anything else. I could wait. I never wanted her to experience discomfort with me, physical or otherwise. Lord knew, it seemed like I’d waited an eternity to have her as mine. I could refrain from taking her again for a few more days…with my cock, anyway. I would definitely have her on my mouth.

Telling my dick to calm down, I breathed her in, loving the lemony fragrance of the shampoo and lotion she’d used. Inhaling her scent, probably wasn’t a good idea when I was trying to get myself under control, but I couldn’t stop it. I wanted to absorb Lily into my senses.

She shifted against me, humming a low sound of pleasure as she woke. Her soft breasts pressed into my side, and my fingers curled wanting to cup them and stroke my thumbs over the tips until they were hard and begging for me.

“Silas,” she whispered, her awareness coming online. Her small hand splayed on my belly, and her cheek nuzzled the pec she’d used as a pillow.

“Morning, wife,” I rumbled. My lips pressed to her temple, and I took another breath of her before trailing my mouth down to nip at her ear.

She giggled. “Good morning, husband.”

My hand paused at the small of her back before I skimmed it down to her ass and squeezed, pulling her even closer until she curled a leg over mine and I felt her heat against my thigh. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m perfect.”

“I already knew that,” I said, kissing her nose then her lips.

She laughed and tapped her palm on my chest. “You’re silly. I meant I feel well-loved by my man.”

“He certainly does love you. What do you want to do today?”

Her happy sigh blew across my skin. “Hmm…I don’t know. Maybe, we can go to the island market, explore the attractions. Then maybe come back and veg on the beach. It’s such a nice place you’ve chosen for our honeymoon.”

I chuckled. “I promise you’ll get a real honeymoon after we’re rescued and things get settled. Where would you like to go?”

“I don’t know. I have a feeling your home is a tropical paradise—”

“Our home,” I corrected. She belonged there. With me. Always. “And it is a little piece of paradise. You’ll feel like you’re at an exclusive resort with beach access. I modeled it after a place I visited in Fiji.”

“Our home,” she repeated in a dreamy voice. “Sounds nice. I imagine, though, you’ll have a ton to catch up on once we get back, and I’ll start with teaching, too.”

“True. But we’ll manage to get away. You deserve a honeymoon. I have a good staff working for me. They’ll manage a couple more weeks—as long as they have occasional phone access to me. What have you always dreamed of doing? Where have you always wanted to visit?” Her family was wealthy, so it would stand to reason she’d explored many places. From what I knew of them, however, I got the feeling she hadn’t gone much of anywhere besides school.

“Just being with you and building our life will be like a dream to me.” She pressed her fingers against my lips before I protested. “But someday, I’d like to go to Europe and see the castles and vineyards…the history. Particularly in Germany.”

I nodded, filing it away temporarily before I started my mental checklist of what to do. My hand skimmed along her torso again, tracing the line along her ribs to the dip of her waist and the flare of her hips. My fingertips feathered along her thigh then up to her pussy to cup her gently. “How are you feeling this morning?” I asked again, kissing her shoulder. “Sore?”

She stretched beneath me, her lithe body pressing into me and sparking my already aroused nerve endings. “Maybe a little twingey, but nothing to complain about.” She rolled to half-lie across my chest. Balancing on her forearms, she rested her chin in her hands and gazed down at me. “Nothing to stop me from being with you, so don’t even consider it.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I laughed. We’d see how things progressed. I refused to hurt her. “How about a walk to the waterfall for a bath?”

“Okay. Maybe some play time on the ledge?” she suggested.

“Sounds like a great plan.” I’d taste my fill while the spray from water hitting the stone misted over us like hundreds of sensual fingers.

With that thought in mind, I climbed from the bed to start the day. We might be beginning a whole new journey together, one where we were united and committed to each other, but if we hoped to survive here, there were things we had to do, like put out our SOS flag and gather food and water.

She followed behind me, and my cock immediately responded to the sight of her slim, naked body. Lack of proper nourishment had depleted some of her lush curves, but she wasn’t any less beautiful to me. When we got home to the plantation, I’d make sure she replenished what she’d lost by feeding her the richest, most decadent treats. Then I’d feast on my tasty treat.

My gaze dropped to the juncture of her thighs, and I swallowed, recalling her flavor. Then I noticed the faint stain of blood there. I couldn’t feel bad about that. In fact, I experienced the most proprietary satisfaction at seeing it. In truth, I really loathed that it would soon be washed away. I relished the proof she was wholly mine.

“What?” she asked, catching my stare. She glanced down, and the red in her cheeks told me she saw what I did. “Oh my gosh, that’s so—”

“Mine,” I interrupted. “That so perfectly says you’re mine.”

She bit her lip, looking at me then back at her thighs. “I should have washed up last night, but you wore me out.”

“Lily,” I said, lifting her chin. “Between us, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. And that,” I nodded toward the streaks, “makes me so fucking proud. I love knowing you belong to me and only to me. I cherish the gift you gave me last night.”

“How do you say the most perfect things?” she cried, throwing herself into my chest. My arms closed around her, holding her tight to me. My nose buried in her sweet-smelling hair. My heart swelled. I’d have years of my arms around her, my woman, my world.

“It’s only with you, love. You bring it out of me.”

“Oh, Silas. I love you.”

“I love you, too. So fucking much.”

* * * *

~ Lily ~

The waves tickled my ankles as I walked along the shore. Per my usual, I’d gotten up and done my yoga practice this morning. Silas had watched for a while then headed off to check the crab traps and gather some wood. I’d decided to wade a bit before heading back to our campsite to tidy up and change out our linens. Over the past weeks since wrecking, we’d fallen into a domestic routine, each with our own tasks. I didn’t complain about the so-called “girl” duties I’d taken on. To me, Silas’ were far harder, some of them things I just couldn’t or didn’t want to do.

In the week since we’d “married”, our routines hadn’t really changed much. I smiled. Well, other than lots of sex breaks. Which were plentiful. Silas couldn’t get enough of me, something I loved since, my whole life, I’d always felt somewhat unwanted, and truthfully, I couldn’t really get enough of him either. His strong muscular body, kind soul and the things he did to me utterly enthralled me. That and his love. I couldn’t believe how much I’d come to love him, too. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced, twining deep into my soul and binding every part of me to him. Part of me would be torn away if we ever parted.

I expected he’d find me here on the beach soon then carry me back to our cabin or to some blanket he’d lain out or if we were feeling really desperate, he’d just take me up against a tree.

My smile widened as I waded deeper. Silas didn’t like me to swim alone, but I figured going waist-deep was safe enough. The ocean was calm this morning, the waves lapping gently to shore. Colorful fish flitted and retreated around me as I moved, some seeming unbothered by my intrusion while others swam away as fast as possible.

My thoughts drifting to yesterday, I trailed my fingers through the thigh-deep water that licked the edges of my shorts with each small swell. Silas fucking me against the tree had been pretty hot. My skin heated just thinking about it. We’d been apart for a couple hours while we’d each done our daily tasks. I’d been walking back from washing our clothes when he’d come running down the path toward me.

“Need you,” he’d growled.

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

I didn’t know what had brought it on, and I didn’t care—even when I’d rewashed the wet garments that had fallen into the sand. My skin flushed as I remembered how he’d lifted me and pressed me against a tree, barely doing more than pushing down his shorts and yanking aside the crotch of mine.

Sighing, I enjoyed the cool lap of water against my overheated flesh while I remembered the sensation of him filling me in that position. The water here wasn’t cold by any means, but I was warm and the waves felt good.

“Lily, get out of the water!” Silas suddenly bellowed behind me, running toward me, his feet slipping in the loose sand. My head jerked up in surprise, turning toward him.

“What?” I asked, wondering what had him in such a frenzy. He didn’t look as if he wanted another round of sex; no, his expression was pure terror. “Silas, I’m not that deep.”

“Get out! Get out!”

“Okay, okay, I’m coming,” I grumbled, moving slower than he was. Seriously, this was the second time he’d freaked out like this for no apparent reason. We’d have to talk about this.

He was at the water’s edge, not slowing as I continued toward him. He tore through the shallow swells. As soon as he reached me, he scooped me into his arms then sprinted toward shore as fast as he could through the waves. My hands went around his shoulders.

“What the hell?” I laughed. “Geez, Silas—”

“Sharks,” he gasped, putting me on my feet on the shore then bending to rest his hands on his knees. He lifted an arm, pointing out to the water, way out, and my gaze followed.

“Oh my God,” I cried at the sight of the large, dark shadows in the glassy depths. I stumbled backward, breathing hard, and I fell to my butt in the wet sand. I crab walked back a few feet so the waves couldn’t touch even my toes.

Dropping down next to me, Silas crushed me to him. His chest rising and falling with his sharp draws of air, more from panic than exertion, I suspected. “It’s tiger shark migration season,” he said. “It comes this time every year. I should have warned you to be aware, but I… Well, with everything, I forgot it was that time.”

“T-t-they a-a-attack humans?” I asked, shaking so hard I could barely speak even though I knew I was safe here with him onshore. If he hadn’t come out to the beach, I could have died.

“Yes. They’re creatures of opportunity that way.”

“W-we could have b-been k-k-killed when the b-boat ca-capsized!”

“Yes. But it was unlikely since the ocean was so rough on the surface and we were up top. While some sharks were in these parts, most weren’t as it wasn’t heavy migration season yet.”

Something to be thankful for in an unlikely circumstance. I turned my head and stared at the dark shapes still swimming slowly back and forth. They were pretty far out but still way too close.

Silas’ arms tightened around me even more, almost bruising around my ribs. His face pressed into my neck. I felt his emotions vibrating through him. “A few more minutes and I might have lost you. God…”

“I’m here.”

“You wouldn’t have even known until it was too late,” he told me. “They swim slow but attack fast when they see what they want. Jesus, Lily. I can’t…even… I’d die if something happened to you.”

“I’m sorry,” I half-gasped-half-sobbed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I can’t lose you. Please don’t put yourself in danger again.”

“I didn’t know,” I whispered. I hadn’t even known there was danger! Still, I nodded against his chest, promising something I couldn’t guarantee, while my stare was still riveted to the dark shapes out in the depths. I knew next to nothing about tiger sharks, but I’d seen pictures. If I remembered correctly, they looked a lot like great whites. A macropredator—that’s what they were called—and one of the most dangerous of the species.

And I’d blithely offered myself up as breakfast.

“I’m never going in the water again,” I whispered, my terror unparalleled. Did sharks smell fear like they smelled blood?

“It’s not all like Jaws,” he promised. “Most of the time the ocean near the plantation is pretty safe. We have lookouts for sharks and monitor the migration trackers. There have been no recorded attacks in generations.”

“I don’t want to be the first in modern history,” I grumbled. Talk about a terrible claim to fame.

“We’ll make sure you’re safe. And keep our nighttime activities to our private pool. That group out there is probably just passing by on their way to their summer waters. Shark attacks around these islands are very rare since the abundance of food is so great for them. You just need to be careful is all.”

“It’s going to be awhile.” Like never. It was too soon to even consider it. Ever.

“Okay.” He stood, carrying me. “Let’s stick to the waterfall then, hmm?”

“Okay.” That seemed safer. I’d try not to remember the shows I’d seen about fresh water predators…but those had been Africa and South America, not Micronesian islands. C’mon, Lily, don’t freak out.

“Or wading,” Silas said. “That’s pretty safe. Sharks aren’t going to come into water that’s barely above your ankles.”

“I don’t know…”

Silas stood and scooped me into his arms again. “My poor traumatized baby. Let’s do something to distract you.”

“Don’t try to tell me you’re not freaked out at all.”

“Beyond the telling,” he confessed, pausing his steps and pushing his face into my neck. He took a breath, and I felt a shudder go through him. “I think we both need a distraction.”

Sounded like a good plan to me.

As we moved from the shoreline, I kept my eyes on the shadows out there. Until a few minutes ago, I’d felt so safe here. Now, I pondered what other hidden predators might wait for me because I was so dumb about this region of the world. Maybe, I shouldn’t have come here to the Pacific islands, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be with Silas. My heart ached at that thought, of the idea of being without him. Still, I had to wonder what I was doing here. So far I’d endured a shipwreck, being stranded for weeks on a desert island, a near-shark attack, and who knew what else I was unaware of…

Was the universe trying to tell me I was on the utterly wrong path? I buried my face in Silas’ chest to hide the tears that sprang to my eyes. I didn’t want to be wrong about him or being here. Until now, even through all the disaster, I felt as if I belonged. Now, I wasn’t so sure.