Page 76 of Pieces of Us

‘But isn’t it unreasonable for me to ask him to give up Billie and not give you up?’ I sniffle, feeling myself suffocating again at all these thoughts.

His laughter cuts through panic. ‘Don’t put me in the same category as that hoe. Babes, come on?’

‘I just don’t know how I’ll ever thank you for what you’ve done for me. I owe my life to you.’

‘Sweetheart, you’ve thanked me quite enough,’ he winks salaciously, making my cheeks heat. It’s hard not to get giddy when he says things like that, because how ridiculous is it that the hottest guy on the planet has had sex with me?

Swatting his stomach, I laugh at his inappropriate insinuation.

‘You are too much.’ I work my way through the path again, trying to listen to where the water is falling.

‘We’ve had some fun times, Amity, but it’s time for you to show Lincoln what he’s missing.’ He catches up to me, holding my hand in his.

‘Thank you for…’ I blush at my next words. ‘Teaching me what I like…and need.’

‘Oh, the pleasure is all mine, baby. Now it will be all his, but even better because of the intense feelings you have for each other.’

Hidden deep within the lush rainforest somewhere lies this damn secret waterfall. I can hear the trickle of water getting louder, but I have no idea how far or close we are. As we duck and weave our way through vibrant foliage, I feel we’re close to the secluded oasis. A few steps more and I can see the cascading waters shimmering in the dappled sunlight, tumbling gracefully into a crystal blue pool below. The magical sanctuary is well worth the walk, and I’m glad we dared to venture off the beaten path because the sight before me is enchanting. It’s Blue Lagoon brought to life.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can already see Jagger has started stripping. Holy hell, he’s a vision. The entire female population would kill to be me right now.

‘You stripping?’ I hesitate as he pulls his shirt and shoes off, leaving him in his black shorts. ‘Don’t you think this is crossing the line?’

‘We’re not fucking.’ He shrugs. ‘Besides, it’s nothing either of us haven’t seen before. Come on, babes, it’s our thing.’

I’m in spandex bike shorts and a crop top. There isn’t much left to the imagination, anyway, but somehow divesting these two little pieces of clothing and my minuscule G-string feels wrong. Especially now that I’ve admitted that I’m in love with another man.

Biting my lower lip, I consider the consequences. ‘I just don’t think I should.’ He eyes me intently. At first, he frowns, but then a megawatt smile etches across his lips.

‘Good girl, honey. Proud of you for resisting all this temptation.’ He sweeps his hands up and down his tantalising torso, teasing. ‘I’ll leave my briefs on.’

‘I don’t have a bra, and I’m only wearing a G-string.’ I want nothing less than to walk back with wet clothes sticking to me.

‘So?’ He doesn’t see the dilemma.

I guess going topless isn’t that bad. Everyone does it in Europe. Besides, I wear G-strings for my day job, so again, it’s nothing sexual or out of the ordinary.

‘Fine.’ Relenting, I push my shorts down and get rid of the skin-tight bra. Jagger being Jagger wolf whistles, making my eyes almost roll back into my head.

Teetering towards him, he takes my hand. With one final reassuring look, we take a leap together. Like always, my heart catches in my throat, but this time it’s because I know that whatever genuine connection we have will take a backseat.

It’s not like I’m plummeting to my death, but I let out a high-pitched squeal anyway, before holding my breath and hitting the natural spring with a splash. It’s deep enough that it takes a few seconds for me to swim to the surface. Somewhere below water, our hands disconnect and we lose contact. When I reach the top, I gasp for a lungful of air while Jag flips his hair out of his eyes.

The exhilarating feeling of diving into the unknown with someone you trust more than anything in the world is something else. We both burst into a fit of giggles. Jag reaches for me and pulls me into his arms. Instinctively, my legs wrap around his torso as he keeps us afloat. We both turn towards the majestic waterfall cascading down the cliff. Mist rises at the base as it hits the tranquil pool. This moment is ethereal, and it’s the perfect way to sever our benefits attachment, reminding me that magical moments and magical people are only meant to touch our lives for a short time.

‘You’ll never lose me, Amity. As much as you think I saved you, you saved me. Your unwavering loyalty, trust and realness in such a fake world stopped me from losing myself as well.’ His murmur draws my attention back to his face. It’s only now that I realise he’s been staring at my profile in reverence.

My arms fasten around his neck, pressing my bare chest to his. Pulling him in for a hug like this is usually the start of mind-blowing sex, but today it’s a source of comfort for us. Still, a part of me wants to give him a proper goodbye. To feel his kiss one last time before my heart, body and soul is tied to Linc for life.

‘Can I kiss you goodbye?’ I ask softly, pulling back a touch so I can see the true feelings behind his eyes. Is he okay with this? I hope he doesn’t feel like I’m using him. We’ve never used each other. We’ve always been each other’s companions.

‘If that’s what you want, Amity. I’ll always let you lead this.’ He has always been such a gentleman. I want him to find the most incredible woman. Whenever he had a girlfriend, whatever we have stopped for a while, but each failed relationship always led us back to each other. As a friend, I can honestly say that he has the worst taste in women.

‘I want to kiss you goodbye.’ Affirming my words, I close my eyes and touch my mouth to his. Feeling the warmth of his lips against mine, a tender sensation is tinged with bittersweet emotion. As my tongue explores his, he tastes like lingering notes of coconut water. It’s not a fast kiss, but a slow one that we’re both savouring. The soft sounds of our breaths mingle together. While the waterfall roars in front of us and the myriad of animals create a sweet symphony, I can honestly say it’s all drowned out. This moment is solely about us. My heart doesn’t race like it does when Linc kisses me, confirming that it never belonged to anyone but him.

Jagger pulls back, giving my lips one last peck before he secures me in a bear hug.

‘Find your happiness, baby, and never let it go,’ he whispers.

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