Protecting Melissa (Holiday Cove 4)

Chase and Jackson went back underwater and I watched their snorkel tubes bobbing in the water from where they must have stopped to explore something. I smiled and wrapped my arms around my waist. I had no idea what would happen between Chase, me and Jackson, our relationship was far from being definable in my mind—mostly because baby daddy sounded like nails on a chalkboard—but I knew he loved Jackson—or at least seemed to—and he’d love the little one growing inside of me.

They popped up from the water and Jackson waved at me. I waved back and he launched into a story before I could get out a single word. “Mom! Mom, we saw a puffer fish! It didn’t blow up though…” he sounded sad about the last part. “But it was so cool!”

I laughed, amazed at how quickly he could perk up. “Wow! You better be careful, sweetheart. I don’t want you getting stung.”

Chase grinned. “Don’t worry, Mama.”

My heart fluttered at the look in his eye and the easy way he rolled Mama off his tongue.

Little did he know how appropriate the nickname really was…

35

Chase

Around dusk we all trooped it back to the house. It was best to not be out past dark in an unfamiliar part of the island. I wasn’t sure what was lurking in the thick foliage but I knew that between the snakes, spiders, and monkeys—it wasn’t smart to wander around once the sun went down.

Besides that, we were all starving from our day of adventure. Even Melissa commented on being hungry enough to eat a bear.

“Well, I don’t know that we’ll find any bears out here. A wild boar perhaps…though that wouldn’t be a battle I’d voluntarily pick.”

She laughed and came to match my pace. “Oh, come on. Mr. Navy SEAL would be scared of a little piggy?”

I chuckled. “I’m okay with admitting that a two-hundred-pound pig with sharp tusks is not something I’m prepared to mess with. Goring doesn’t sound like a great way to go.”

Melissa laughed again and tossed her long hair back over her shoulders. After she had left me and Jackson to go sun on a rock, she’d let her hair air dry and the resulting waves were far more seductive than anything a stylist in a fancy salon could come up with. Between her tan, the smattering of freckles across her makeup-free face, and her loose waves, I was having a hard time keeping my eyes fixed somewhere other than on her.

Not to mention the sweet bikini she’d strut around in all day.

I adjusted myself under the cover of the beach towel in my hands. As much as I enjoyed Jackson’s company, I was ready for him to scoot along to bed so we could cook up something even hotter than the night before. Though, last night would be hard to top. The image of Melissa grinding on my cock got me rock hard in my swim trunks.

“Probably true. That’s all right. I won’t send you out into the jungle with a spear and war paint.”

“Gee, thanks.”

She nudged into me with her shoulder and I started to reach for her before Jackson’s small voice reminded me I wasn’t allowed to touch her at that moment. “Chase! Do you think we could do this tomorrow too?”

I laughed and patted him on the shoulder as he squeezed between the two of us and took one of each of our hands, making a chain. “I think we could swing that. But…if you’re interested, I have another idea for an adventure.”

Melissa raised her eyebrows at my suggestion. I hadn’t run it by her yet but I figured she’d be up for it. She was getting just as stir crazy as I was. “A new adventure?”

“Uh-huh. There’s a flea market coming to town. I saw something about it on TV last night.”

“Before you nodded off?” Melissa asked, smiling.

“Yeah. Pre-nap. Anyway, we’d have to take the ferry over the canal but it looks nice and we need a few things.”

“Sounds good to me. What about you, bud?” she asked before reaching over to smooth Jackson’s hair.

“Okay, but then more snorkeling the next day!”

We all laughed and headed into the house to fix something for dinner. Since we were running low on supplies, we ended up eating leftover fish from the night before and wrapped it up in corn tortillas. It was a far cry from proper Mexican food, but it filled us up after a busy day of exploring the island.

When dinner was done, the dishes put away, and Jackson bathed and sleeping soundly, I captured Melissa in my arms and carried her off to my bed for another night of sweet lovemaking under the stream of light from the full moon outside the window.

“Chase! You have got to see this!”

I turned to look down at Jackson as he tugged on the edge of my shirt.