Below the Barrel (Saltwater Springs #2)

9. Maliah | Western Australia, Australia

NINE

MALIAH | WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA

“Okay, screw movie night, we need details,” Eliana says the moment she jumps into the group video chat.

I feel like a deer caught in headlights as I stare at hers and Kairi’s curious gazes through the screen.

“Details on what?”

“You and Koa, obviously,” Kairi says, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, he’s been talking to the boys, but Fin refuses to give me details.” Eliana pouts, crossing her arms over her chest.

He’s been talking to the boys about me?

With a deep sigh, I spend the next hour filling them in on everything that’s happened so far, including the night I spent in his room. By the end of it, Eliana’s jaw has dropped to the floor and Kairi is squealing while she covers the blush creeping onto her cheeks.

“So…okay, wait. Let me get this straight,” Eliana starts. “You discovered that you still have feelings for him, and he very clearly has feelings for you?—”

“I don’t know that,” I cut in.

“What’s there to know? He’s being extremely obvious about it, Mal.”

I want to believe her, with all my heart I want to, but I can’t. I thought he had feelings for me before too, only to find out he had somehow fallen out of love with me in a matter of days.

“I think he just sees me more as a comfort while on tour. Someone he knows and is familiar with, that’s why he seems affectionate,” I theorize.

“You and I both know damn well that if I were on the tour with him instead of you, he would not be trying any of that with me,” Kairi says, suddenly becoming very serious.

“Yeah, but it’s just because we have a history together, It’s a different type of comfort,” I say in defence.

“He’s a guy, he can find comfort with any girl there.” Eliana’s words reignite the ugly jealousy inside of me and I ball my hand into a fist on my lap. “But he’s choosing you. I don’t think you should write him off so easily.”

That’s easy to say when you don’t know the full story .

If they knew how Koa and I ended, how he broke my heart, they wouldn’t be trying to convince me to give him a chance right now.

“Anyway,” I say, trying to change the subject. “Today has been emotionally exhausting, helicopter ride and all, I think I’m going to call it an early night and go to bed.”

They both give me disappointed looks but neither of them fight me on it. We say our goodbyes and I quickly hang up before climbing out of bed and pacing around my room. Eliana was right about one thing, he can find comfort with any girl here.

I snatch my phone from the nightstand, my thumb hovering over his name before I finally press it, typing out a quick message.

Me:

What are you doing?

He doesn’t answer right away, the seconds ticking by, and after ten agonizing minutes of waiting for his reply, I find myself snatching my key card from my dresser and storming out of my room, crossing the hall to his door and banging my fist on it without a second thought, the sound echoing down the empty hallway.

I hear a muffled commotion behind the door—footsteps, something being knocked over—and finally, the door cracks open. Koa stands there, shirtless, a towel slung low around his hips, droplets of water glistening on his chest and dripping from the ends of his damp hair. His frown deepens as he looks down at me, confusion etched in his features.

“Maliah? Is everything okay?” he asks, stepping aside to let me in, his voice laced with concern.

But all the words I was ready to say vanish the moment I take in the sight of him—his broad shoulders, the defined lines of his abs, the way his wet hair clings to his forehead. My throat tightens and my mouth goes dry.

“I…I uh…” I stammer, unable to think of a single coherent thought.

He studies me for a moment, his gaze intense, before he reaches out and gently takes my hand. The warmth of his touch sends a jolt through me as he pulls me into his hotel room, the door clicking shut behind us. He leads me further inside, stopping at the foot of his bed before releasing my hand. I watch as he walks over to a chair, picking up a neatly folded pile of clothing and bringing it back to me.

“You left this the last time you were here,” he says softly, holding the clothes out to me.

I look down and recognize the outfit I wore to the winery—the night I spent in this room with him. Memories of that evening flood my mind as I think back to the warmth of his body next to mine, the way I’d woken up on top of him. I remember how close I’d come to kissing him, the tension between us thick.

But I don’t take the clothes. Instead, I raise my eyes to his, then let them drift to his lips. What would it have felt like that morning, to close the gap between us, to finally give in?

Before I can fully process the thought, the clothes slip from his hands, forgotten, and in an instant, he’s on me. I’m pressed against the wall, his body molding to mine as his hands cup my face, his touch both gentle and possessive. His breath is warm against my skin as he leans in, his voice low and rough.

“I told myself I wouldn’t hold back the next time you looked at me like that,” he murmurs, his words sending a shiver down my spine.

My heart races, pounding so hard in my chest that I’m sure he can feel it. I look up into his eyes, seeing the desire that mirrors my own. It’s clear he wants this as much as I do, the intensity between us growing with every passing second.

“Kiss me,” I whisper, the words barely escaping my lips.

Koa doesn’t hesitate. His mouth crashes into mine, and the world around us disappears. His kiss is demanding and hungry, but there’s also a tenderness beneath it. The feel of his lips on mine ignites a fire deep within me, and I melt into him, my hands sliding up his chest, feeling the firm muscles beneath his skin.

Our bodies press together, every inch of him burning against me, and I can feel his heart beating just as wildly as mine. His hands move from my face, sliding down my neck. He leaves one hand to rest there while the either continues to slide down my shoulder, until he’s gripping my waist and pulling me closer.

Koa deepens the kiss, as if he’s afraid to let go, afraid to let this moment slip away. I respond by tangling my fingers in his hair as I tilt my head to give him better access. His tongue sweeps against mine, and I moan softly into his mouth, the sound vibrating through both of us.

The intensity of this moment threatens to overwhelm me, and I find myself breaking the kiss. Koa rests his forehead against mine as we both gasp for air. His eyes are dark with lust, his breath ragged.

“Maliah,” he breathes, his voice thick with emotion.

My heart twists painfully at the sound of his voice, filled with a longing I’ve missed for so long. But, instead of pulling him back in, instead of giving in to the overwhelming desire that’s been building inside of me, I shake my head and gently place my hands on his chest to push him away. The warmth of his skin beneath my fingers feels like a cruel reminder now of everything I’ve lost.

I look down, avoiding his eyes as I try to steady my racing heart.

He’s the one who broke up with me , I remind myself, the memory flashing through my mind.

He’s the one who said he didn’t love me anymore . The words echo in my head, cold and cutting, pulling me back to reality.

I finally look up at him and I know he can see the hesitation and hurt in my eyes, so I force a small smile, but it doesn't reach my eyes.

“I should go,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper, scared that if I speak any louder I’ll burst into tears. “I have to pack for the camping excursion tomorrow.”

Confusion and hurt flicker in Koa’s eyes for just a moment before he hides them behind a mask of calm. He silently watches as I bend down to pick up the clothes he’d handed me earlier, my hands trembling slightly as I gather them in my arms.

I avoid his gaze as I turn to the door, afraid that if I look at him again, I’ll lose the strength to walk away. Every step feels like I’m leaving a part of myself behind, the room growing colder, emptier with each one. When I reach the door, I hesitate, my hand hovering over the handle. A part of me wants to turn back and run into his arms and forget everything that’s happened between us, but I don’t think I can. I close my eyes for a moment, trying to steady the storm of thoughts swirling around in my head.

It feels like I’m constantly here, on the brink of giving in, only to remember why I can’t let that happen. With a deep breath, I force myself to turn the handle and open the door, but before I can step out, his hand connects with the wood, gently pushing it closed again. My heart skips a beat as I feel the warmth of his body behind me, so close I can almost feel his breath on my neck.

“Don’t go,” he says softly, his voice a mix of pleading and determination.

I swallow hard, my fingers tightening around the door handle as I fight to hold my ground. I can’t let myself give in to him, not now. But the raw intensity in his voice, the way he’s pleading for me to stay, leaves me frozen—unable to move, unable to think. I can’t bring myself to look at him, afraid that I’ll cave from a single glance.

“Maliah,” he continues, his voice low, “please, just wait a moment. I know things are…complicated between us. Our past…it doesn’t make things easy, but can we just focus on right now? On how we feel about each other in this moment?”

I shake my head slightly, my eyes still fixed on the door in front of me. “I don’t know if I can do that,” I whisper, my voice trembling with the weight of my emotions. “You hurt me, Koa.”

“I know,” he says, his voice thick with regret. “I know I hurt you, and I wish I could change what I did, what I said, but I can’t. But this, what I feel for you right now and what you feel for me…it’s real, Maliah. It’s right here, this moment. Can’t we just see where that takes us? Just for one day?”

His words hang in the air between us, and for a moment, I feel a flicker of hope. What if he’s right? What if I could let go of the past, just for a day, and only focus on what we have now? I’m torn between the safety of holding onto my pain and the possibility of something I’ve always wanted.

I finally turn to face him, my eyes meeting his. The sincerity in his gaze and the raw emotion that he’s not even bothering to hide, makes my heart ache in a way I can’t ignore anymore. Maybe I can try, just for a day, to see what happens if I let myself feel what I’m feeling without the burden of what happened in our past.

“I don’t know if I can just forget,” I admit. “But maybe I can try. Just for one day.”

A look of relief and hope washes over his face, and he nods, stepping back slightly to give me space.

“That’s all I’m asking for,” he says with gratitude. “We can take it at our pace. No pressure, no expectations. Just us.”

I give him a small, tentative smile, then turn back to the door. Opening it, I step out into the hallway, but instead of leaving, I pause, the door still slightly ajar. I glance back at him one last time, catching the hopeful expression on his face.

“Goodnight, Koa,” I say softly.

“Sweet dreams,” he replies, sending bolts of electricity through my body.

I close the door behind me and cross the hall back to my room. As soon as I close my door, I lean my back against the cool wood, clutching the clothes he’d returned to me earlier against my chest. My thoughts are a whirlwind, my heart still racing from what just happened. I don’t know if this is the right choice, if I’m making a mistake by letting him back in, even for a day. But there’s a part of me that wants to believe it’s possible—to believe that maybe we can find our way back to each other.

I hug the clothes tighter, letting out a shaky breath as I close my eyes. Tomorrow, I’ll try. I’ll pretend the past didn’t happen, just for the day. And maybe I’ll find out if there’s still something worth fighting for between us.