On the desert Island…
Wave after wave crashed on the little beach as two entwined figures emerged from the water. Tom helped Sybil as they both tried to reach the sand, staggering, and completely exhausted because of the last few days as well as from the crazy running they had to do to escape the pirates.
They collapsed at last, breathless on the wet sand, and Sybil rolled on her back, trying to regulate her breathing. She ran her hand through her hair and opened her eyes just in time to see Tom's body straddling her. Before she could say anything, he leaned down and kissed her eagerly, his mouth crashing on hers and his body weight heaving on her. As Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in "From Here to Eternity", the world around them faded away and they let go, savoring the feel of the waves that were licking their entwined bodies and the feel of both their skins slipping against one another. They were both alive and finally giving into what they both denied for so long.
As Sybil rolled her arms around Tom's neck to pull him closer, happy to be alive, Tom let his hand slide up along his partner's thigh in a sweet caress to her breasts which caused her to shiver despite the familiar heat spreading in her. As if it was still possible, Tom kissed her deeper, making them moan in unison.
Thanks to the comings and goings of their hips that were just asking to be reunited, Sybil could feel Tom's desire for her against her belly and she only could answer it eagerly. Everything they just went through, after their unexpected reunion, far from separating them just pushing them closer. And now, this mouth against hers, this tongue caressing hers, this body moving against hers was just awaking a desire hid for too long.
She reached up to his cheek to make him slow down a little bit. She needed to see him. To see his face, to see in his eyes that he wanted her as much as she wanted him and not for only one night. Her whole body was crying for him but she wanted to be sure.
Feeling the pressure against his cheek, Tom turned his head towards her hand and his eyes met the diamond. Following his gaze, Sybil immediately understood what he was thinking and a huge feeling of culpability as well as a great deception invaded her whole being. She knew Tom and his principles well enough to know that he wouldn't touch her anymore now that this diamond came between them to remind him she was someone else's girlfriend. Their eyes met and they understood. They understood that what they always wanted was now forbidden, at least as long as she was wearing another man's ring.
Tom sighed with resignation and rolled away from her to lie on his back next to her. He closed his eyes to try to get a grip on his feelings and to empty his mind from what just happened. Sybil sighed too and turned to him, watching in silence his profile that was standing out against the sun of the late day.
"Tom…," she tried.
"We should go," he sighed, cutting her off. "It won't be long before they find us again."
Without looking at her, he got up and reached for her hand to help her up. Resigned, Sybil accepted his help and they started their walk again. They had no plan, but Sybil thought they were heading to their camp. There they could dry off and eat a little bit before making a decision on what to do next.
"Don't you think they have given up?" she asked finally as they were climbing that damned hill again.
"I don't know. We better not go back to the camp. The plane is too easy to locate."
"Ah, and what's the plan, then?"
"I have no idea. I'm taking all suggestions."
"I'm frightened to death."
Tom chuckled.
"That's not a suggestion but, if it can set your mind at peace, I'm a little scared too."
Sybil pattered a few meters to join him.
"Oh no, no. It doesn't comfort me! You are not allowed to be scared. Remember…I need a man sure of himself…"
"Oh, and I thought women liked this."
"What?"
"Men that aren't ashamed to cry, that embrace the female part inside themselves," answered Tom sarcastically.
"No. When they're pursued by pirates, they like them wicked and armed."
Tom stopped and turned around. He took her cheek in his hand and looked into her eyes so tenderly that Sybil could almost feel tears filling her eyes.
"Sorry, that's all I have to give for now."
Then, he reached for her hand and they climbed again in silence.
As the night approached, they reached some sort of clearing and a ghostly vision appeared right in front of them.
"Wow!" exclaimed Sybil. "This island is a real cemetery for planes."
Perched in a tree, the shell of an old plane was hanging in a precarious balance, witness of an old crash. But what made the vision even more unreal was that the tree was standing in the middle of a sort of lake with a little waterfall in the background.
"It's a Japanese seaplane from WW2," said Tom. "It's been here for fifty years."
"Amazing…Do you think you could…," started Sybil looking at him. "No, forget it," she finished, seeing Tom's look.
"We'll be safe here for the night," he said. "I'm gonna go and see if I can find some things that could be useful," he added, walking to the tree with the plane.
At the same time in Makatea…It was pitch black now and Larry and Edna were just leaving the bar. As he was a gentleman, Larry refused to let her walk home alone at this late hour and insisted to walk her back.
"It's my bungalow," she said, pointing to a wood building.
They climbed the stairs with unsure feet. Larry looked at his watch again and was surprised to see it was this late.
"Oh! We need to be ready at 6. They extended the search zone."
"Oh," groaned Edna, entering. "I'm afraid I'm too drunk to be able to wake up at 6."
Larry watched her entering the bathroom from the doorstep.
"I know how it is…and…"
Not hearing anything anymore, he stopped and stepped into the room a bit.
"You're sure you're gonna be ok? Everything's alright?"
"Yeah, I'm ok," she answered, walking back in the main room. "I'm gonna take a shower…and go to bed," she added while pulling her top over her head as if she was alone.
Larry's eyes went wide seeing her generous breasts lightly covered with black lace and he looked away in front of the evident lack of modesty of his companion. He cleared his throat as she came to stand in front of him.
"And you? You're ok?" she asked.
"Euh…very well. Yes, yes."
"Do you…do you want to spend the night here?"
"Here?"
"Yes, with me."
Larry didn't know what to say.
"You probably think I'm a tease or something but I feel sad and so do you and…oh, I would like you stay," she finished, sliding her little skirt along her legs.
Larry looked away again from the almost naked figure.
"But…I can't," he started, turning to her.
Her back was now to him and all he saw was her curved behind in a little black laced thong as she was throwing her skirt with her foot to the other side of the room. Larry gulped; he was only a man after all.
"Yes, of course, why not," he heard himself say.
"Yes?"
"Yes…I…no, I can't," he finally said walking to her but thinking of Sybil. "I haven't lost all hope and…if I…I mean…if we…"
Larry almost choked when, without any discomfort, Edna unhooked her bra and let it fall to his feet.
"Wao…" he started. "But no!"
"No?" asked Edna, touching her body.
"No, I…"
"Oh, you're sure?" she asked again, walking to the bed, her hips swaying.
"Euh…yes…yes," he stammered.
He wasn't really used to seeing such beautiful women throwing themselves so easily at him despite what Sybil once said after he went to Australia for some time for his work, almost having an affair then.
"See…I…I'm leaving," he said, walking back to the door.
In the meantime
On the island…Despite that it could draw attention to them, Tom lit a little fire thanks to a box of matches he found in the old plane. They needed to dry off and they were now eating with the available means in silence, lulled by the crickets singing, seated against an old tree trunk.
"Fruit of the bread tree," Sybil said finally, dipping her fingers in what she was holding.
"It's not bread," said Tom, shaking his head.
"And it's not a fruit," added Sybil.
They burst into laughter before falling silent again. Tom watched Sybil from the corner of his eyes for a while.
"I want to kiss you," he claimed finally.
Amazed, Sybil turned to him and their eyes locked.
"I loved kissing you," he continued.
"Me too. I loved it," breathed Sybil.
There was a pause. Tom, feeling that she hadn't finished telling him what was on her mind, encouraged her.
"But?"
"But if I start, I won't be able to stop…"
Tom wasn't expecting this answer and his heart beat went faster as hope was rising in his chest.
"It would be great," he said.
"Yeah but…I can't," said Sybil, shaking her head.
Tom looked away and gulped, fixing on an imaginary point in front of him. This scene sounded like a déjà-vu.
"We better try to sleep," he declared through gritted teeth.
"Yes," breathed Sybil.
Tom turned to her and, to her surprise, opened his arms.
"Come here," he said.
Sybil hesitated a few seconds before smiling at him and inched closer. She nested against his chest, all her memories rushing back. Inside, she knew this place was made for her because she felt safe and most of all loved. Why did things always have to be complicated between them?
"I feel good," she breathed, squeezing herself closer to him.
Tom, gazing into space, smiled sadly.
"Safe…I feel good," muttered Sybil as sleep was taking her.
Tom felt her relax against him and finally allowed himself to take the breath he was holding since he took her in his arms. He closed his eyes knowing that sleep would probably elude him this night, even if he was exhausted. Too many things were going through his mind, too many contradictory feelings. He found her back after two years of silence and she seemed to be receptive to his tenderness even if Larry's shadow was over them. But was he ready to let her go again if they made it out alive? Was he ready to face another deception?
He finally opened his eyes and looked down to Sybil. She was peacefully sleeping, a slight smile on her lips. He reached for a strand of hair that had fallen but stopped at the last moment. Not touching her, not starting something they couldn't finish or that they could regret afterward. Sybil didn't want to betray Larry and he fully understood and he wouldn't let her anyway but he couldn't help to think about what almost happened earlier on the beach. They were able to stop, they could. But, inside, he wasn't sure he could do it a second time…
He sighed and decided again to sacrifice his happiness for his love for her. He was going to bring her back to the man she had chosen, even if it had to cost him his life. He looked over the old plane and Sybil's words on the cotton swabs and shopping center rushed back to his mind. And what if it was the answer? He knew now what he had to do: bring the old plane back to life to take her to her fiancé…
To be continued…