AUTHOR POV
The afternoon sun shifted across the bedroom floor, casting long, golden shadows across the crumpled duvet. On the bed, the "alien" finally began to stir.
Jay Jay let out a soft, disgruntled groan, her fingers twitching against the mattress. Slowly, she began the agonizing process of untangling herself from her chaotic sleeping position. She dragged her left leg down from the top of the headboard, kicked her right foot out from beneath her hip, and rolled over onto her back with a dramatic, heavy sigh.
Keifer sat perfectly still in the armchair across the room, watching her with an amused, silent grin.
Jay Jay blinked her eyes open, squinting against the bright tropical light filtering through the sheer curtains. The massive, oversized black t-shirt she wore was twisted around her torso, the collar resting dangerously low on her left shoulder. She didn't look at Keifer right away. Instead, she slowly raised her left wrist, staring intently at her delicate gold wristwatch.
She blinked at the small hands of the watch, processing the numbers through her sleep-fogged brain. Then, her gaze snapped over to Keifer. Her bottom lip immediately pouted out.
"You're late," she mumbled, her voice thick and raspy from sleep.
Keifer raised an eyebrow, leaning forward in his chair. "Late for what, Jay?"
"It is exactly 4:40 PM," she declared, pointing a strict, accusing finger at her watch face. "My schedule clearly states that window number two for the day opens at precisely 4:35 PM.You have wasted five whole minutes of your designated contact time sitting over there looking like a giant, useless oak tree."
Keifer let out a low, breathy chuckle, standing up from the armchair and stretching his tall frame. He walked over to the edge of the bed, looking down at his tiny, swimming-in-his-clothes girlfriend.
"My deepest apologies, my Queen," Keifer said, his voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "I didn't realize the timer started running automatically. How much time do I have left?"
"Exactly twenty seconds," Jay Jay sniffed, crossing her arms defensively beneath the massive cotton shirt. "And the clock is ticking, Keifer. If you don't use it right now, it expires, and you will have to wait until tomorrow morning."
Keifer smiled softly, his expression turning gentle. He slid onto the edge of the mattress, leaning down into her space. He carefully wrapped his massive arms around her waist, lifting her easily against his chest. Jay Jay didn't fight him, she simply collapsed against his shoulder, her small hands clutching the fabric of his shirt as she buried her face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent.
"One... two... three..." Jay Jay began counting out loud against his skin, her voice dropping to a fragile whisper.
Keifer held her securely, resting his chin on the top of her head. He closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of her breathing matching his own.
Even with her ridiculous rules and dramatic tantrums, having her relaxed and safe in his arms was the only thing that mattered.
"...nineteen... twenty. Time's up!" Jay Jay announced abruptly.
She placed her palms against his chest and shoved him backward with all her might.
Keifer, playing along, let his arms drop and tumbled backward onto the pillows, letting out a dramatic groan of defeat.
"Get off my bed, tree," she ordered, a tiny, triumphant smirk finally returning to her lips as she adjusted his giant shirt over her shoulders. "You've had your fix for the day. Go make me some iced tea."
Keifer lay flat on his back, looking up at the ceiling with a happy, relieved smile. The drama from nine days ago was finally fading, replaced by the familiar, beautifully chaotic rhythm of his bratty girlfriend.
"Yes, ma'am," he laughed, rolling off the bed to do her bidding.
Jay Jay's POV
I watched Keifer walk out of the bedroom, his broad shoulders easily filling the doorway before he disappeared down the hall. I looked down at the massive black t-shirt engulfing my body. It smelled exactly like him—sandalwood, sea salt, and that warm, comforting scent that always made my chest feel tight.
I wouldn't admit it out loud, but my heart was beating a little too fast.
Twenty minutes later, the giant tree returned.
He wasn't carrying the iced tea I had demanded. Instead, he was balancing a tray with a bowl of steaming, homemade medicinal soup. The herbal aroma hit my nose instantly, and my entire face twisted in disgust.
"I am not eating that," I said, pointing an accusing finger at the bowl. "It looks like grass water, Keifer. It's not even medically important anymore. My fever left days ago."
"You need your nutrients, Jay," he said softly, sitting on the edge of the mattress. He ignored my glare, blowing gently on a spoonful of the liquid before holding it up to my lips. "Just a few bites. For me. Please."
I huffed, crossing my arms, but under his intense, pleading gaze, I leaned forward and swallowed it. It tasted exactly like what it was—healthy and annoying. He patiently fed me bit by bit, wiping a stray drop from my chin with his thumb, his touch lingering for just a fraction of a second before he remembered the rules and pulled back.
Once the bowl was empty, he set the tray on the nightstand. But instead of getting up, he stayed right there, staring down at his hands.
The playful, teasing look he usually wore was entirely gone. He looked completely drained, his eyes filled with a raw, heavy longing that made my breath hitch.
I know that look.
"Jay?" his voice dropped to a low, rough whisper. He looked up, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my chest ache. "Can you... can you please let me take you in my arms? Just for forty seconds."
I blinked, taken aback. "Your time for the day is already up, Keifer. You used your twenty seconds."
"I know," he pleaded, reaching out to lightly touch the edge of the duvet, his fingers trembling slightly. "I'll trade it. I won't use any of my contact time tomorrow. I promise. Just give me one real hug right now. Please... I missed you so much. It feels like you're a million miles away even when you're sitting right in front of me."
He missed me.
He missed me so much it looked like it was physically hurting him.
Hearing those words slice through the quiet room made a sudden lump form in my throat.
He really thought he broke me, my chest tightening as I looked at the slight slump in his massive shoulders. He's still carrying all that suffocating guilt from the villa. He thinks if he touches me without permission, I'll slip through his fingers again.
Deep down, beneath all my stubborn armor and dramatic rules, my own heart was screaming. I had missed his warmth more than I cared to admit. For the monts, sleeping without his heavy arm thrown over my waist had felt cold and empty. I was lonely in this giant bed, pretending to be angry because my pride didn't know how to apologize for scaring him first. I didn't want him to wait until tomorrow. I wanted him right now.
I looked at his desperate expression, then looked down at my watch, pretending to calculate something very important so he wouldn't see how badly my own hands were shaking.
"You are a terrible businessman, Keifer," I muttered, trying to keep my voice haughty, though it cracked slightly at the end. "Trading away tomorrow's time for forty seconds today? That is a horrible investment."
He swallowed hard, looking ready to apologize and walk away.
"However," I interrupted quickly, clearing my throat and shifting around in the oversized shirt. "Since you forced me to choke down that horrible grass soup when it isn't even medically necessary, I am feeling incredibly generous. I am going to give you a special discount."
Keifer froze, his eyes widening slightly. "A discount?"
"Yes. A premium exception," I sniffed, opening my arms just a fraction. "You can hold me right now. And your forty seconds for tomorrow will stay completely untouched. But on one condition: you never make me eat that homemade medical sludge again. Deal?"
A massive, breathless wave of relief washed over his face. He didn't even waste a second answering.
"Deal," he whispered.
Before I could even blink, Keifer lunged forward, his huge arms wrapping completely around my waist and back, pulling me flush against his solid, radiating chest. He pulled me so close it felt like he was trying to merge our bodies together, burying his face deep into the crook of my neck. A heavy, shaky sigh escaped his lips, his entire chest expanding against mine as he finally, truly relaxed.
I let my hands slide up his broad back, clutching the soft fabric of his shirt, completely drowning in his heat. But my stubborn pride still wanted to maintain control, so I closed my eyes and began counting softly against his shoulder.
"One... two... three... four..."
"Jay, please," Keifer interrupted, his voice dropping into a thick, ragged whisper directly against my ear. His grip tightened around me, his large hands anchoring me so close I could feel the desperate thud of his heartbeat.
"Please stop counting. Just for these forty seconds, don't count the numbers. If you keep counting them out loud, the moment the numbers are up, I'm going to have to let you go and leave. I don't want to leave yet. Just let me hold you."
The raw vulnerability in his voice made my throat tighten completely. The words died in my mouth. I stopped counting, my lips parting in a soft breath against his neck as my arms wrapped even tighter around his shoulders. I let my watch drop against the mattress, completely forgetting about the ticking clock.
For the first time in days, the cold silence of the island was completely gone, replaced by the steady, unyielding thud of his heart against my palm.