chapter 4.57
Beau
When the jeep took us deep into the jungle from the airport, my mouth gaped at the beauty of the place. San Myshuno, while I loved every bit of it, was nothing but concrete, steel, and lights. I'd missed the green of Brindleton Bay and here...it was like the plants took steroids they were so large and lush and smelled so sweet.
The owner of the cottage greeted us in a thick, Spanish accent. "Welcome to Selvadorada, Señor Day and Señor Blackwell. Here the days are of cool mist and the nights..." he shot us a knowing smirk. "You two will be very comfortable. I am sure of this. My name is Santiago Lopez. If you need anything, my number is in the book in the kitchen."
When the jeep took us deep into the jungle from the airport, my mouth gaped at the beauty of the place. San Myshuno, while I loved every bit of it, was nothing but concrete, steel, and lights. I'd missed the green of Brindleton Bay and here...it was like the plants took steroids they were so large and lush and smelled so sweet.
The owner of the cottage greeted us in a thick, Spanish accent. "Welcome to Selvadorada, Señor Day and Señor Blackwell. Here the days are of cool mist and the nights..." he shot us a knowing smirk. "You two will be very comfortable. I am sure of this. My name is Santiago Lopez. If you need anything, my number is in the book in the kitchen."
"It looks beautiful. Thank you, Santiago," I said.
"I am also a painter. I could do a portrait of you and your boyfriend. You two remind me of me and mi esposo so many years ago."
August wrapped his arm around me and said, "Hey, we'd love that, if you don't mind."
"No problemo, señor. I will have it ready for you in a few days. Now let me not trouble you. The bungalow is open air for comfort. Do not fear that anyone will come here. I assure you, the casa is very private."
He took several pictures of us for reference then saluted as he disappeared into the mist.
I wasted no time in finding the bathroom, getting out my razor and shaving off that damned itchy beard. My skin wasn't meant for whiskers. I was so glad August didn't care. For two solid weeks, I was going to be myself for once. Beau Blackwell would never grow a beard.
When I'd entered the area with the bathtub, hoping to take a shower, August surprised me.
"Santiago left this bottle of wine for us. Wasn't that nice?" The open air seemed to swirl around us magically.
August had already drawn a bath. How sweet! I dipped my foot in the tingly hot water and sank. My tense muscles relaxed instantly.
"Let me fill your glass," he said.
This was already an amazing start to a wonderful vacation.
"It's so strange," August said, as he sat down next to me. "This whole place opens up to the mountains. I hope there aren't any animals. We could be in trouble."
"Stop worrying, baby. This is how the locals live. If they were worried about animals, they wouldn't make their cottages like this." I sipped the delicious red wine. "I think it's relaxing. There's nothing like fresh air."
this a bit, not agreeing with me. One thing I noticed about August was his mind was always spinning on the what if's--pinging about things that might happen and usually, it was in a negative scenario. I guessed it was the investigator in him. Sometimes I wished he'd turn it off and relax. But it made him who he was.
"Hey, I've been thinking..." he said after a while. "I forgot to mention this earlier. Ethan said something strange when I interrogated him. Do you think he and Amber have children together? He seemed so shaken up when I mentioned we'd be arresting her if she had anything to do with the money laundering."
I glared. "That's impossible."
Sipping his wine straight out of the bottle, he asked, "Why?"
"Because..." I said, "he kept this secret even from Amber, but...they have the same father. So, there's no way Ethan would do something like that. It's the reason he broke up with her back in high school."
"Really," he said, shock peppering his face. "God. That's some secret. But still...he acted like, I don't know...so protective. Like it'd hurt him too much for those kids to be left."
Swirling my wine, I said, "Well, if he still has feelings for Amber, maybe her kids are kind of like his. They're at least his niece and nephew. Besides, I know Ethan and he wouldn't do something like that."
Cocking his head and shooting me a look under hooded eyes, he countered, "Yeah, but our Ethan wouldn't murder people and put them in vats of acid either."
"August..." I groaned. I wished he'd drop it. Ethan wouldn't want to have children from incest. That's unthinkable. Maybe he was a thug. Maybe he even murdered people out of desperation--I wasn't condoning that, but to knowingly get Amber pregnant when she was his half sister? No way.
He sighed and settled down, making the warm water rock. "Okay...I guess you're right."
I plopped my head back on the cool stone wall. "Damn right, I'm right."
When I couldn't get more relaxed, I felt August's hands slide over me. "Mmm..." I hummed, already excited. It didn't take much in this bathtub.
He kissed me, moving his hands.
"God, you're driving me crazy," I whispered. "Let's get out of this tub."
When we were done, I just lay there, not wanting to move. Our bodies seemed to hum in the afterglow as I nuzzled his neck, relishing his warmth.
He was my August. So perfect for me. I'd dreamed of being with him throughout our lives and now, I knew we'd always fit together. As one.
That night, the calm mountain air lilted over us, rocking me to sleep gently.
I was truly in heaven.
I was truly in heaven.
Next chapter on Sunday, April 8th
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