Page 69 of Wild Life

“I’ll help you,” he offered. The last time I had tried to go off on my own, he’d impaled me from behind to teach me a lesson.

“You will?”

“Of course! I know this land better than you, and I can help with the landscape.”

“I thought you didn’t want me exploring off on my own because I’d get hurt?”

“I’ll be right by your side.”

I hugged him tighter, and he pressed a kiss to my forehead. We were going to work as a team to find the bats.

Partners. It was a word I assumed would always paralyze me. The idea of being so intertwined with someone else that you depended on them for happiness terrified me. Commitment was beautiful, if it was never broken.

Something had changed inside me, though, clearing the cloud of fear that had always hovered around. I longed to be one-half ofus, so long as Aleki filled the other half.

I spoke against his chest. “Aleki?”

“Maris?”

“I think I love you.” My heart stilled, bracing itself for rejection. One that never came.

“IknowI love you,” he whispered into my hair, embracing my consciousness with his love.

Life pumped through me like blood, touching every part of my body in a radiant warmth I had never experienced. Nothing in my life before this man existed. He was the only thing that mattered in my present, and the only future I yearned to have.

Chapter 31

Lovely Lullabies

Aleki

The fire crackled and sparks jumped into the evening air almost as excitedly as the stick in Maris’s hand moved in the dirt. It was only the two of us by the fire pit, since Poaka had decided to turn in for the night.

Maris worked quickly, using the pointed end to draw what I assumed was the map of the island. Except the series of circles and lines resembled the bicycle I used to ride around for hours after school.

Damn, I miss that bike.

“And if we follow the trend of their flight pattern backward, their roost must be beyond the waterfall.”

She sat back on her haunches, pride radiating from her. She tapped her pointing tool against her thigh for several beats. “So what’s beyond the waterfall?”

“Nothing more than trees. Then farther along, the beach.”

“Hmm.” She touched her finger to her chin. She was a feisty mix of charm and brains.

“Oh,” I said, remembering something. “There are also caves.”

Her eyes widened, and before I could ask what I’d said wrong, a smack landed on my arm, stinging my skin. “You didn’t say anything about caves! You were going to keep them from me? The roosts are probably in there.”

I rubbed the area where she had slapped me, even if it didn’t hurt. I wanted her sympathy, and maybe a kiss on my bicep—a long, slow kiss with tongue. “I wasn’t trying to keep them from you. You never asked.”

“Remind me to be mad at you later. Now, more about these caves. How far are they from the waterfall?” She resumed drawing in the dirt again.

I played out the path in my head. “It’s a decent walk, but not impossible.”

“Impossible for you or for me?” she asked, her eyebrow hitched. “Because we’re not working with the same level of muscle here.” She pulled her sleeve up to her shoulder and flexed her arm. Sure, it wasn’t comparable to mine, but she had toned up considerably since she had first arrived. She was stronger. More capable.

“You can do it. I believe in you. And if not, I’ll carry you.” I’d carry her everywhere if she’d let me.

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