Below the Barrel (Saltwater Springs #2)

10. Maliah | Western Australia, Australia

TEN

MALIAH | WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA

I wake up feeling refreshed this morning, like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I jump in the shower, remembering the kiss I had with Koa last night, along with the conversation. I’m nervous but I’m more excited than anything to see how this goes. After my shower, I quickly do my hair, tying it up into a ponytail before changing into comfortable clothing.

I grab the duffle bag that I packed last night and leave my room, not expecting to find Koa waiting for me in the hallway. He smiles softly at me, studying my expression to see if I’ve maybe changed my mind since last night. I smile at him reassuringly, and he pushes himself off the wall to approach me.

“Good morning, princess,” he says, taking my duffel from me and throwing it onto his own shoulder.

Ever the gentleman .

We make our way to the lobby, meeting the rest of the surfers just as the transportation bus arrives. Today we’re going to the Pinnacles Desert to sandboard, before setting up tents to stargaze for the night. For once, it’s an excursion I’m looking forward to. The idea of sandboarding across the dunes sounds like a much-needed escape from the intensity of our competitions.

Koa leaves my side to drop our duffel bags in the pile of bags for the bus operator to load, before returning to me and taking my hand in his. I don’t miss the curious glances of nearby girls, or the annoyed expression on Charles’ face as he watches us from a distance.

As we load onto the bus, Koa finds us a seat near the middle and slides in with me, our shoulders brushing as I settle.

“Did you have a good sleep?” he asks, the corner of his mouth turning up.

I nod. “One of the best sleeps I’ve had since coming on this tour,” I admit, feeling my cheeks warm.

“It didn’t top waking up with you on me, but it was definitely close.”

My eyes go round before I whirl my head in every direction making sure no one heard him. He lets out a boyish chuckle before chewing on his bottom lip to try and hide the amusement. The bus rumbles to life and we fall into a silence that feels different now—softer, less strained.

By the time we arrive at the Pinnacles Desert, the sun is high, casting long shadows across the strange limestone formations that jut out from the sand. The landscape is surreal, almost otherworldly, with its golden dunes.

Everyone piles out of the bus, the excitement in the air palpable as everyone heads toward the sandboards lined up nearby. I watch as Koa grabs a sandboard, effortlessly balancing it under his arm like a surfboard before turning to me with a grin.

“You ready, princess?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I reply, trying to match his enthusiasm even though my stomach is doing somersaults.

We make our way to the top of one of the dunes along with our production team, the sand warm beneath my feet as we climb. When we reach the peak, Koa sets his board down, motioning for me to do the same. I follow his lead, my heart racing as anticipation builds. He glances over at me, a playful gleam dancing in his eyes.

“Race you to the bottom?”

I can’t help but laugh, the sound surprising me. Seeing him like this reminds me of when we were still getting to know each other and doing risky things to see how far the other would go, like climbing that ancient tree when we were younger.

“You’re on,” I reply.

We both push off at the same time, the boards slipping down the slope with a rush of speed that sends my heart soaring excitedly. The wind whips through my blonde hair, and for a few amazing moments, I’m free—free from the weight of the past and the expectations of the future. It’s just the two of us, racing through the desert like we’re the only people in the world. It reminds me of how surfing makes me feel, the freedom is addicting.

When we reach the bottom, breathless and laughing, Koa’s hands find mine. He pulls me close, the laughter still lingering in his eyes.

“You almost had me,” he mumbles.

“Almost,” I tease back, feeling lighter than I have in months.

We spend the rest of the day racing each other down the dunes, taking turns on who wins, but as the sun begins to set we decide to take a break.

“Come with me,” Koa says, his voice soft.

Curious, I follow him as he leads us away from the others. We walk in comfortable silence, the sound of our footsteps muffled by the soft sand beneath us. As we crest a smaller dune, Koa points ahead and my breath catches in my throat.

A small group of wild koalas lounge lazily in the low branches of a nearby eucalyptus tree, their round bodies and fluffy ears making them look unreal. I can’t hold back my smile as I watch them, their slow movements and peaceful demeanour making me feel strangely calm.

“I noticed them on the bus ride in,” he says, from behind me.

“They’re incredible,” I whisper.

“You’re incredible,” he says.

I glance up at him and realize he’s watching me instead of the koalas. My heart flutters and I look away, pretending to focus on the koalas, but the warmth in my chest spreads through my whole body.

We stand there for a few more moments, soaking in the beauty of the scene, before heading back to the campsite. The sky has already begun to deepen into twilight, so we quickly set up our tent together, our hands brushing occasionally as we work. Each touch sends a spark through me, and I can tell he feels it too in the way he hesitates.

Most of the teammates were given their own tents, but some, including Koa and I, were given one larger tent to share. I try not to overthink it as we put our duffle bags inside of the tent before joining the others around a small fire. Only a small group of cameramen remain to film us, while the rest of them are setting up their cameras pointing toward the sky and surrounding landscape for filler shots.

I ignore the lens as I take a can of flavoured malt liquor from Koa. We both open our cans and take a sip, feeling refreshed after a day in the heat. I try to listen to the stories being shared around the campfire, but all I can focus on is the way his leg presses against mine, the way his shoulder brushes mine.

A burst of gasps has me jumping back to the present as I follow everyone’s gaze to the sky, and my jaw drops at the sight of The Milky Way arching above us like a river of stars that seem almost close enough to touch. There are shooting stars streaking across the sky, their trail of light fading into the night. It’s beautiful and I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for being able to experience something so magical.

When the fire begins to die down and others start heading to their separate tents, Koa and I share a look before we both rise and slip away from the remaining people in the group into the privacy of our tent.

Inside the tent, the air feels charged, thick with unspoken tension as Koa pulls the tent flap closed behind us, sealing us in our own little world. We both change out of our sandy clothes and into the nightwear that we packed.

Koa wears a black T-shirt and a pair of light grey sweatpants, slipping them over his boxers, before turning to look at me, resting his arm on his knee. I pull my top off, revealing my naked top half to him before I slip on an oversized pink T-shirt. I don’t miss the way his Adam's apple bobs in his throat. I don’t feel embarrassed showing him my bare body, he’s seen it before. I slowly slip off my thong before throwing on a pair of pyjama shorts.

We sit and stare at one another for a moment in charged silence, and I’m not sure who moves first, but suddenly we’re wrapped in each other, his hands on my waist and mine tangled in his hair. Our lips meet in a rush of heat, the kiss hungry and desperate, as if we’ve been holding back for far too long.

The dim light from the lantern we’d placed in the corner of the tent casts a soft glow over our features as he lowers me onto my back on the tent mattress. His body presses against mine, solid and warm, and I can feel the tension in his muscles as he pulls me closer, deepening the kiss.

His hands roam over my body, exploring, memorizing, while my fingers trace the lines of his back, the hard planes of his chest. His mouth moves from mine, finding the sensitive spot on my neck just under my ear and I let out a low moan as he gently sucks the spot. He continues his descent, kissing my collar bone just as his hand slips under my shirt. He finds my pebbled nipple and pinches it gently, causing me to jolt, a chuckle escaping from his mouth.

He lifts my shirt and stares at me appreciatively before lowering his lips to my nipple. Just as his lips close around the sensitive skin, a sudden, playful scream pierces the night, startling us both. We pull apart, panting, and he brings himself back up resting his forehead against mine as we catch our breath. Outside we can hear the others laughing, the sound of someone chasing after whoever screamed.

We both laugh softly, the moment broken but not lost. Koa brushes a stray lock of hair behind my ear, his earlier urgency giving way to something gentler, more tender.

“Maybe it’s a sign,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough.

“Maybe,” I whisper back, my heart still pounding. But instead of moving away, I lean into him, resting my head against his chest. His arms wrap around me, holding me close, and for the first time in a long time, I feel as if everything is exactly where it’s meant to be.

We settle down, the warmth of his body against mine lulling me into a peaceful haze until I drift off to sleep with a feeling of contentment I haven’t felt in a very long time.