--: Keifer's POV: --
The water had begun to cool, but the fire in my veins was only getting hotter. We had been sitting in the silence for what felt like an eternity, simply breathing in the fact that we were still alone, still together, and finally unobserved.
I felt Jay-Jay stir against my chest, her fingers tracing the water's surface. "We should probably get out," she whispered, though she didn't move an inch. "Before we turn into raisins."
I chuckled, the sound vibrating through her back. "I don't care if we turn into raisins, as long as you're my raisin."
She let out a soft laugh, turning her head to look at me over her shoulder. The steam had dampened her skin, making her glow under the bathroom's dim lights. I couldn't wait any longer. I stood up, the water cascading off my shoulders, and reached down to lift her out of the tub.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
I felt weightless as Keifer lifted me, setting me down on the plush bath mat. My legs felt like jelly, a mix of the hot water and the way he was looking at me—like I was the only thing in the world that mattered.
He didn't say a word as he reached for a thick, white towel. He began to dry me off, his movements surprisingly gentle for a man of his size. He started with my shoulders, moving down my arms, his touch lingering on every curve. It wasn't just about getting dry; it was a slow, deliberate worship.
When he reached for the hairdryer, I almost protested, but the focused look on his face stopped me. He sat me down on the vanity stool and began to dry my hair, his large fingers combing through the strands with a tenderness that made my heart ache. The warm air, the steady hum of the machine, and the feel of his hands... it was intoxicating.
--: Keifer's POV: --
Her hair was like silk between my fingers. I took my time, making sure every strand was dry. Once she was ready, I did a quick job of drying myself, tossing the towel aside. We stood there in the center of the bathroom, completely bare, with nothing but the humid air between us.
"I've got you," I promised. I scooped her up into my arms again. I didn't head for the cabinet door; I headed for the sanctuary of the bedroom.
I carried her back to the bed, the moonlight catching the smooth, unblemished skin of her shoulders. I laid her down gently, slipping in beside her. The cool silk of the sheets felt like a luxury, but nothing compared to the warmth of her body.
I propped myself up on my elbow, looking down at her. "I think about it every time I look at this room, Jay. This is our last night here for a while... and this was the first place where.. where I really had you. Where I was finally inside you."
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
My face went nuclear. Even after everything, he still had a way of saying the most blunt, heart-stopping things with that low, dark velvet voice.
"Keifer!" I squeaked, pulling the duvet up to my chin. "Don't say it like that!"
"Why not? It's the truth," he murmured, his thumb grazing my lower lip. He leaned in closer, his heat radiating off him. "Since it's our last night... should we have one last round?"
I looked at him, and God, I wanted to. But my eyelids felt like they were made of lead. The stress of dodging Angelo and the heat of the bath had officially drained my battery to zero percent.
"Kei... I'm so sleepy," I whined softly, blinking slowly at him. "I can barely keep my eyes open."
--: Keifer's POV: --
I felt the pout forming before I could stop it. Seriously? I was ready to go again, and she was choosing sleep?
"Fine," I grumbled, intentionally making my voice sound like a sulky teenager.
I rolled over, turning my back to her and pulling a bit more of the duvet with me. I stared at the dark wall, acting like I was deeply offended, even though a small part of me knew she was actually exhausted. I didn't even drape my arm over her. I just stayed there, a wall of silent, muscular pouting.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
I wanted to burst out laughing. This man—this terrifying, powerful leader of the Section E—was currently throwing a silent tantrum because I said I was tired.
"Oh, come on," I giggled, reaching out and grabbing his shoulder. I tried to pull him back, but he was like a literal boulder. "Keifer, turn around. Don't be like that."
I had to use all my strength to tug him over. When he finally relented and rolled back, he still refused to look at me. His jaw was set, and his eyes were fixed on the ceiling, his arms stiff at his sides.
I sighed and climbed on top of him, straddling his waist and hugging him tightly, burying my face in the crook of his neck. I could feel a tiny, microscopic twitch at the corner of his mouth. He was trying so hard not to smile.
"Please? We can do it later," I whispered into his skin. "I'm really, really sleepy, Keifer. I won't stop you later, I promise!!"
--: Keifer's POV: --
I was losing the battle against the smile. Her weight on me was perfect, and her hug was too sincere to stay mad at. But then, a brilliant, tactical idea hit me.
"Okay," I said, my voice still a little gruff. "If you want to sleep, you can sleep. But let me.. let me please stay inside you while you sleep."
Jay-Jay pulled back, her eyes wide. "What? How am I supposed to sleep like that?"
I gave her my best puppy-dog eyes—the ones I knew she couldn't resist. "I won't thrust hard, Jay. I promise. I just want to feel you. Please?"
She stared at me for a long beat, her resolve crumbling. She let out a long, dramatic sigh, but a tiny smile was tugging at her lips.
"Fine," she whispered. "You're lucky you're cute."
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
He grinned like he'd just won the lottery and gently settled me back down beside him. I closed my eyes, trying to drift off, but then I felt him slowly, steadily entering me.
"Ahh... umm... Kei... Keifer!" I gasped, my fingers digging into his forearms.
"Baby, I'm going slow. Really slow," he whispered innocently, his breath hot against my ear.
"Atleast tell me when you're entering!" I scolded him breathlessly, my heart starting to race again despite my fatigue.
"Sorry, I forgot," he murmured, and I could hear the smirk in his voice.
He started to move with agonizing slowness. We were wrapped in each other's arms, the rhythm so gentle it felt like the rocking of a boat. I was actually starting to drift off, my head lolling against his chest, my moans turning into soft, sleepy hums.
But then, out of nowhere, he delivered one powerful, deep thrust that hit a spot that made me scream into the quiet room.
"Keifer! You told me you'd let me sleep!" I yelled, half-opening one eye to glare at him.
--: Keifer's POV: --
I widened my eyes, looking like the picture of pure innocence. "Yeah! What did I do? I'm just... adjusting."
She was too tired to even argue. She just groaned and let her head fall back onto the pillow, her body going limp. I watched her, a surge of affection hitting me. She really was exhausted.
I kept moving, but I kept my promise this time. I kept it slow and rhythmic. I leaned down, kissing her jaw, licking and gently biting at her skin, moving to her breasts as she began to breathe deeply in her sleep. I wasn't quite satisfied yet—I never was when it came to her—but seeing her so peaceful, I couldn't bring myself to wake her up again.
I carefully shifted, pulling her small body up until she was draped over me. It was becoming a habit, having her sleep right on top of my chest, her heart beating against mine. This way, I was still deep inside her, anchored to her even as she dreamed.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
I was in that half-dream state where everything felt warm and fuzzy. I could feel Keifer underneath me, his skin hot, his hands possessively cupping my hips. Every now and then, I'd feel a slow, shallow pulse of him inside me—just enough to remind my body he was there.
"Love you," I mumbled into his chest, not even sure if I was saying it out loud.
I felt him stiffen for a second before he relaxed, his arms tightening around me until I was practically part of him.
--: Keifer's POV: --
My heart did a violent thud against my ribs. Even when she was practically unconscious, she knew how to take the wind out of my sails.
I buried my face in her neck, inhaling the scent of the island and her lavender oil. I didn't move anymore. I just stayed there, buried deep within her, feeling the steady rise and fall of her chest.
The moonlight shifted across the floor, marking the passing of our final hours of freedom. In a few hours, I'd have to be the cold, calculating leader again. I'd have to deal with Angelo's sharp eyes, the F4's loud antics, and the constant threat of Section E's enemies. But for now, I was just a man holding the only thing in the world that made him feel human.
I stared at the ceiling, my fingers mindlessly tracing circles on her lower back. I didn't want to close my eyes. I didn't want to lose a single second of this.
"I've got you, baby," I whispered into the quiet room. "Forever. I promise."
I stayed awake like that for a long time, watching her sleep, feeling her heart rhythmically tapping against mine, until finally, the exhaustion of the day won, and I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep, still locked together with the girl who owned my soul.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
The first thing I felt was the silence. Not the heavy, tense silence of yesterday's "inspection," but a soft, cool stillness that only exists in the hour before the sun truly wakes up. I blinked my eyes open, the room bathed in the deep indigo of pre-dawn.
Then, I felt the weight. And the heat.
I was draped over Keifer like a human blanket, my cheek pressed against the rhythmic thud of his heart. As my brain slowly hummed to life, the memories of last night came rushing back—the bath, the bed, and Keifer's... persistent request to stay connected to me while we slept.
I looked down, feeling the friction of the duvet against my skin. We were still exactly as we had fallen asleep. He was still buried deep inside me, his large hands resting possessively on the small of my back even in his sleep.
My face went instant crimson. God, this man is actually insane, I thought, but a tiny, traitorous smile tugged at my lips. It was barely 6:00 AM, but I was wide awake and felt surprisingly refreshed.
I tried to move with the stealth of a ninja. I slowly, agonizingly, began to push myself up. I had to be careful; the way we were positioned meant that every millimeter of movement was felt. As I began to slide upward, trying to pull myself off him, the physical sensation of him leaving me was overwhelming.
I bit my lip so hard I thought it might bleed, trying to keep a lid on the reaction bubbling up in my throat. But as I finally reached the end and pulled completely away from him, a sharp, involuntary gasp escaped my lips.
"Ahhh..." I quickly clamped my hand over my mouth, my heart hammering against my ribs.
I stayed frozen for a heartbeat, looking down at Keifer to see if I'd woken the dragon. He shifted slightly, a low groan vibrating in his chest, but his eyes stayed closed. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and stood up on the cold floor, my legs feeling a bit shaky.
I turned back immediately, tucking the duvet around his broad shoulders to make sure he stayed warm. I stood there for a second, just watching him. With his hair tousled against the pillow, he didn't look like the cold leader of Section E. He just looked like Keifer. My Keifer.
I turned to sneak toward the bathroom, but I hadn't even taken two steps when a low, gravelly vibration stopped me in my tracks.
"Where are you going, baby?"
--: Keifer's POV: --
I wasn't dreaming, but I wasn't fully awake either—until the weight on my chest vanished. The sudden emptiness felt like a physical ache. But it was that soft, muffled gasp that truly pulled me out of my slumber. I knew that sound. I knew exactly what had caused it.
I opened one eye, seeing Jay-Jay's silhouette near the foot of the bed. She looked like a ghost in the dim light, her hair a messy halo around her face.
"Where are you going baby?"
She jumped, spinning around with wide eyes. "Keifer! I... I thought you were asleep! I didn't want to wake you."
"I was," I muttered, sitting up and letting the duvet slide down to my waist. I rubbed my face, squinting at her. "But then I felt the emptiness. I felt that you weren't on me anymore."
I watched the blush creep up her neck even in the shadows.
"Why did you go?" I asked, my voice softening as I reached out a hand toward her. "Did my little one problem you? Was I too much for you to sleep with?"
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
"Keifer! Stop calling it that!" I hissed, though my heart was doing that stupid fluttering thing again. "No, you weren't 'too much.' I just... I'm not sleepy anymore. I decided to go take a bath."
I expected him to lay back down and grumble, but instead, the mattress groaned as he stood up. He walked toward me, completely unbothered by his lack of clothes, moving with that predatory grace that always made me feel tiny.
He stopped right in front of me, looking down with a sleepy but intense gaze.
"Why are you here?? Aren't you sleepy?" I asked, leaning back against the dresser.
"I was," he murmured, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "But how can you take a bath alone when I'm right here? And it's still way too early to be out of bed."
"You should sleep more, Keifer. You have a long day of dealing with my brother ahead of you," I teased, placing a hand on his chest to keep some distance.
"I'm ready to shower with you," he countered, a slow, sleepy smirk spreading across his lips.
I groaned, lightly hitting his shoulder. "You are impossible! You just want an excuse to stay in the water for an hour."
"Exactly, but with you"he whispered, leaning down to nip at my earlobe. "Now, let's go. Every minute we waste talking is a minute we aren't in the steam."
--: Keifer's POV: --
The shower was supposed to be "peaceful." That was the deal. But with Jay-Jay standing under the spray, the water slicking her skin and her eyes half-closed in enjoyment, my resolve lasted about thirty seconds.
I spent the next twenty minutes finding every excuse to touch her—lathering the soap over her back, rinsing the shampoo from her hair, and pulling her back against my chest just to feel the water hit us both.
"Keifer, we have to go!" she laughed, trying to wiggle out of my arms for the tenth time. "It's been almost half an hour! Kuya Angelo and the others will be up soon!"
"They can wait," I growled into her neck, tightening my hold. "The boat doesn't leave without us."
"Keifer Watson, out! Now!" she commanded, pointing toward the door with a fake sternness.
I let out a dramatic sigh, finally stepping out and grabbing a towel. I watched her finish up, realizing that no matter how much time I spent with her, it would never feel like enough.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
By the time we were both dressed and our bags were packed, it was only 6:58 AM. The room felt different now—cleaner, emptier. The reality of leaving was finally setting in.
I walked over to the window, pulling back the curtain. Outside, the island was bathed in a soft, pearly pink light. The ocean was calm, a sheet of glass reflecting the sky, and a light breeze was tossing the palm fronds. It looked so beautiful it made my chest ache.
"Keifer?" I called out.
He appeared behind me, his arms sliding around my waist. "Yeah?"
"Can we go out? Just for a little bit?" I turned in his arms, looking up at him. "A walk near the shoreline? It looks so peaceful out there, and the air feels so breezy."
He looked at the clock, then back at me. I knew he was thinking about something, about Angelo, about the schedule. But then he saw the look in my eyes.
"How can I deny you that?" he whispered, kissing the top of my head. "Come on. Let's go before the chaos starts."
--: Keifer's POV: --
We slipped out of the cottage quietly. The island felt like it belonged only to us in this hour. The sand was cool and damp under our feet as we reached the shoreline.
I took her hand, our fingers interlacing perfectly. We didn't talk. We didn't need to. We just walked along the edge of the water, the small waves occasionally reaching up to wash over our toes.
The breeze was cool, carrying the scent of salt and damp earth. I watched Jay-Jay—the way she looked at the horizon, the way her hair blew across her face. This was why I bought the island. Not for the status, not for the "sanctuary" logic I told Angelo. I bought it for this. For the version of her that didn't have to look over her shoulder.
"I'm going to miss this," she said softly, squeezing my hand.
"We'll come back," I promised. "As many times as you want. This is yours, Jay. Always."
We stopped near a cluster of smooth rocks, the sun finally beginning to peek over the edge of the world, turning the indigo sky into a blaze of gold and orange. I pulled her back against me, her head resting on my shoulder as we watched our final island sunrise together.
In this moment, there was no Section E, no F4, no enemies, no secrets. There was just the girl in my arms and the quiet shore of infinity.