The Finale - Weekend in Fiji
DAY 1
After my evening swim, I lay on the outdoor lounge watching the wisps of cloud floating over the surface of the moon. I felt excited and a little nervous about our trip to Fiji tomorrow. I was excited that Reuben chose me, but nervous about how much was riding on this trip. This is it; this is the last opportunity to win Reuben’s heart once and for all…well I already had won his heart, but this trip would determine if Reuben picked me or not. I went inside, showered, and dressed, then packed my bags, eventually I drifted into a deep sleep.
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In the morning, my nervous excitement tempered my appetite, so I skipped breakfast, locked up and waited on the front verandah for Reuben to pick me up. We headed to the port to board the ship that would take us to one of the Dream Islands of Fiji.
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When we arrived at the holiday house in Fiji we looked out at the view. Once we were in each other’s arms all my doubts and fears drained away and turned to excitement. Just being there alone with Reuben made me look forward to the next two days with him.
“I have really been looking forward to spending these next two days with you, Kimmy,” Reuben said with a compelling smile. He wrapped his arms around me, and we looked out onto the calm, aqua water surrounding our two-day holiday home.
“I can’t wait to spend this time with you as well, Reuben.”
“How about champagne, meet you on the balcony? Want to check out the view from there?” Reuben suggested.
“Can’t wait, just want to unpack a few things and change into something cooler first.”
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“That is a great idea, Kimmy.”
I changed into my summer clothes while Reuben popped the cork and rang through for a bucket of ice, which arrived soon after. I poured two glasses while Reuben changed and then he joined me on the balcony.
The sight of him in his new bathers, made my heart skip a beat, and goosebumps broke out over my entire body.
“Kimmy you look so gorgeous in everything you wear and today, wow! even more than usual.” He winked and smiled.
“Thank you, Reuben, you look cute yourself; new bathers?” I said clearing my throat.
“Yes, just for this trip. Anyway, Kimmy, the day is young, what would you like to do first?”
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“I noticed there was a massage tent down there on the beach,” I said. “What to try it out?”
“Absolutely…My turn first?” Reuben laughed.
“Your turn to massage or receive a massage?” I asked raising an eyebrow.
“Leave that up to you, Kimmy.”
“You first, then, Reuben.” The towels were provided, and relaxing music came on as we took turns on the massage table.
Reuben sighed. “You have great hands, Kimmy.”
When it was my turn for a massage, Reuben’s hands felt firm and smooth and a shiver coursed down my spine.
“We could have hired someone to give us both a massage at the same time,” Reuben said but this is much more fun don’t you think?”
“For sure,” I heaved a sigh.
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“I don’t know about you, Reuben but I’m getting rather hot,” I said fanning myself. “Time for a swim?” I replied more as a question rather than a statement.
“So am I, Kimmy.” Reuben smiled. “I’ll hire a couple of Jet skis and we can go for it, what do you say?”
“That is a great idea. I’m going back to change into my bathers.”
“I’ll go and organise that and meet you over there.” He pointed to an open expanse of water.
I met Reuben in the calm waters. “Thanks for this, Reuben.”
“Your welcome, Kimmy, I knew you would want to do some exciting activity while you were here, so let’s race.”
I laughed. “You know me so well. You are on.” We started up the jet skis and were off. We raced around and both of us led at different times, but in the end, Reuben won by a whisker.
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We turned the jet skis off so we could hear each other speak.
“You know you owe me a kiss now since I won?” he said with a playful smile.
“Oh, really? Then I’d better pay up.”
With that, I dived into the water and Reuben followed. We came together and our lips met. The salty exchange in the balmy weather made this kiss even more exciting.
“Well, if that is the reward, we must do this again,” Reuben said grinning like a Cheshire cat.
I laughed.
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The sun was comfortable and warm on our backs and we decided to relax and do a bit of sunbathing.
“Here let me put the sunscreen on you.” Reuben rubbed it on and as his hands spread over my back and shoulders, and the backs of my legs, it felt so natural, but sensual at the same time.
“Turn around and I’ll put some on you now,” I said.
“Thanks, Kimmy.”
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After about thirty minutes, it was getting close to lunchtime and since I hadn’t eaten breakfast, my stomach was rumbling.
“Reuben, I’m getting hungry, shall we eat?”
“Yes, I am too. Let’s grab something to eat.”
While I packed up the sunscreen and towels, Reuben ordered a drink and some island food.
“Oh my gosh!" I said. "I was hungry not starving.” I laughed.
Reuben chuckled. “I thought you’d like to try a variety of the Island fruit and veggies, cheese and meats, these are all locally grown or made here.”
“These look delicious, Reuben. Can we share some of this with the local birds? I know some of it won’t harm them, I—er did some research into the local wildlife here.”
“You did? Why?” he asked.
“Well I knew you loved nature and so do I, which is why we had that date in the Safari Park and I thought it might be nice to check out some of the native wildlife here as well.”
“Why not, but we’ll take some of this food back to our place to nibble on later tonight as well.”
“‘Our place,’” I said staring into space, “that sounds so nice, Rueben.”
“Yes, it does, doesn’t it?” Reuben agreed.
“Well, we won’t need dinner, so some of this with a drink later would be perfect.”
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By the time we’d eaten and talked our heads off, it was beginning to cool down.
“I think I’ll go and change, it can get quite cold here at night with the sea breezes and such, being an island,” Reuben said.
“You go ahead and change, and I’ll get the bonfire started,” I said. “It’s so great that they have it here ready and all we have to do is ignite it, such a great idea. You can’t have an island holiday without a bonfire,” I laughed. Once the fire was roaring, I went and changed. When I got back, Reuben stood in front of the fire, his shirt was on the ground and under it was his guitar.
“What’s this? You brought your guitar?”
“Yes, I wrote a song just for you, Kimmy and I want to sing it to you now.”
It was a beautiful, touching ballad that expressed his deepest feelings about me, and my eyes welled. He had obviously been working on it for a while.
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“Oh…Reuben, that was so moving.”
“I’m glad you like it, Kim, it is how I feel about you. Come, let’s lie by the fire.”
Reuben picked up his shirt, shook the sand out of it and put it back on. We lay by the fire in each other’s arms.
“I just love looking into the fire, don’t you? It’s so mesmerising. I could stay here all night,” I felt the warmth of the fire on the front and Reuben’s body against mine on my back.
“Yes, I love watching fire too, it’s a bit like watching fish swim in an aquarium. It’s relaxing and as you say hypnotising.”
“I wish we could live here every day, but I suppose it wouldn’t be a getaway then, and perhaps we wouldn’t appreciate it as much.” With dreamy eyes, I stared into the fire.
“Are you ready to go back to the beach house now? It’s getting late and…I have another surprise for you.”
“Another, what have you been up to Reuben Church the third?”
“Wait and see. If you douse the fire, I’ll go and get it ready.”
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When I went inside, Reuben had changed back into his bathers. I’m sure he knew how I liked looking at him in them.
“Since you over-indulged the local birdlife,” Reuben laughed. I made you a cake, white chocolate, your favourite, to have with some coffee.
“How did you know that was my favourite?”
“I have my own little birds that feed me with information.”
“Oh, do you now? Does that little bird happen to be named Katherine? Mum told you, didn’t she?”
“Okay, you got me, I texted her before we left and asked. Anika tutored me a few days before this holiday. It’s the only thing I can cook now successfully, but Anika is patient, she is teaching me some new dishes.”
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After the coffee and cake, we sat on the lounge in silence for a while.
“I love that we can sit here together, Reuben and not feel awkward if there is silence. It shows we are completely comfortable with each other.”
“I agree, Kimmy, it is a sign, that is for sure. Please come sit on my lap now.”
Butterflies attacked my stomach and a warmth spread throughout my body.
“Kimmy…I—”
“The answer is yes, Reuben, I’m ready.”
Nothing more needed to be said. I knew what he was going to ask, and I intended to tell him tonight anyway. He reached for my arm and I put it around his neck. An intense kiss followed.
“I’m going to have a shower and get into something…more comfortable.”
Reuben didn’t say anything, but his smiling eyes followed me into the bathroom until I shut the door.
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When I came out, he had also changed. His eyes lit up when he saw me. He sat on the bed and I went to him and he pulled me gently onto his lap. We looked deeply into each other’s eyes.
“I have been waiting some time for this, Reuben and I think now is the right time. I know the competition is not over yet, but this feels completely appropriate for this weekend.”
“You don’t know how long I’ve waited for the right moment too; Kim and I agree. I have been thinking about you a lot lately. I've watched you for so long now, and how well you fit into my life.”
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“I’m willing and ready, Reuben if you are.”
“I am, Kim.”
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After that, we became one and the whole world surrounding us didn’t matter. Everything around us went into a blur, and our focus was completely on each other.
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DAY 2
After our passion-filled night together, I woke in the morning and Reuben was leaning over watching me sleep. When I opened my eyes, they locked with his and we both beamed. He’d taken my hair down and it lay freely over my back. He was stroking it with his hand.
“Hey there, sleepyhead,” Reuben said smiling.
“Hi. How long have you been watching me?”
“Oh, only about half an hour.”
“Why didn’t you wake me? It’s our last day together, I don’t want to waste one minute we have together,” I said with mock admonition.
“I like watching you sleep and after last night, well—you—"
“Hey! I’m not at all tired.”
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“Right, you asked for it, Mr Church.” I grabbed a pillow and starting pounding on Reuben. He responded and grabbed another pillow. Then it began…
We exchanged blows and the feathers in the pillows started flying everywhere. For a while I had the upper hand, then things changed, and he overtook me, and it went on bouncing from one to the other. We laughed as we copped each blow.
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Finally, Reuben had me pinned. “Okay, Okay I surrender, you win. I’m all hot and bothered now. I am so ready for a swim. Are you?”
“I don’t know, I quite like it where I am.”
“Ha-ha! so do I but look at that weather out there, we have to take advantage of our last day.”
“Yes, your right I suppose.”
"What about the mess we've made?" I asked.
"We'll clean it up together later on."
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We changed into our bathers and went for a long walk along the beach.
“Did you see there is a fire pit to make a Hᾶngi or Lovo meal?” Reuben asked.
“Yes, I saw that. Let’s have one tonight, shall we?” I replied.
“Yes, what would you like? Chicken, beef or pork, or just veggies tonight?”
“Any, I don’t mind. In the meantime, I had a thought, Since you have your guitar, I would really like to learn some tunes, Reuben. Could you teach me a few chords?.”
“For sure, I just happen to have a second guitar back at the house actually. I will go and get it.”
“Why did you bring a second guitar? I’m confused,” I said giving Reuben a puzzled look.
“Let’s say I wanted to be sure to have a working guitar to sing your song. If a string broke, I’d be really disappointed. I can’t see a shop around here that sells guitar strings, can you?”
“Definitely not,” I laughed. “You really do plan ahead, Reuben.”
“In my business, you must, Kimmy, it’s just second nature of running a successful business. It’s like your sports in some ways. If you don’t plan when you can train, it doesn’t always happen.”
“Yes, that is true, I can relate to that for sure.”
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Reuben taught me a few chords, enough to at least play in a basic duet and I loved the challenge.
“This is so much fun, Reuben. I love listening to the flamenco guitarists and always wondered how they made their guitars sing. I have a bit of an understanding of how they do it now.”
“You’ve picked it up quickly, Kim. You and I will be able to jam together in no time.”
“I don’t know about that, but it’s a start, thank you.”
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“We should probably put on our dinner don’t you think?" Reuben queried. "I’m not sure how quickly the food cooks underground.” Reuben prepared the ground and once the food was in, he covered it with leaves and left it to cook. We showered and changed into cool clothes and then came down to the bar for a drink.
"How did you learn to do that?" I asked.
"What a Hᾶngi? I did some research on my own. While we wait, let’s put some music on.”
Reuben turned on the outdoor stereo to easy listening and for a while, we danced solo.
“Dance with me, Kimmy?” He opened his arms and I moved into them and we swayed together in perfect sync, moving closer after each song.
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…Until again our lips met. Once we were in each other’s arms we couldn’t seem to stay apart.
“I love you, Reuben. I really hope this is not the last night we spend together.”
“I hope so too, Kim.”
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When we finally parted, we were both breathing heavily.
“I—er think our food is burning, Reuben, we should really get it out of the pit don’t you think?”
“It doesn’t burn easily under there, but I guess we should eat if we want to catch the sunset on our last night.”
“Here, I know how cold it is getting down here, I brought some clothes down with us to put over the top of what we are wearing while we ate. We’ll be fine once we get back to the house.”
“Thanks, Kimmy, it is starting to get a bit chilly down here.”
“Just thinking ahead, Reuben." I winked. "This is the life, isn’t it? Beautiful scenery, great food, gorgeous clear water, and—”
“Great company.”
“Oh, yes that is the best part,” I agreed.
After a few hours, dusk turned everything a golden colour and the cool weather rolled in.
Our food finished cooking just as the sun began to set. The sand glowed like gold and the sky turned rose and violet. It could not have been a more perfect last evening meal together.
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When we went back to the house, Reuben popped a bottle of champagne and we drank together as the sun descended. The scene was like a romantic movie.
"We've had so many relaxing moments here, Reuben, if things turn out I'd love to come back here with you sometime."
"That is for sure, Kim and there are many more places like this I would love to show you."
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“A toast…To you, Kimmy, I have enjoyed this weekend so much and if this is what it will be like living with you, I have no complaints at all.”
“To you, Reuben,” I hope we can spend the rest of our days and grow old together.” I kissed him gently on the cheek. “Whatever happens, I want to thank you for the best time of my life, regardless of the outcome.”
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“Let us enjoy the last night of this weekend away with no doubts or regrets. I don’t want to dwell on what might be, I want to enjoy what time we have right now, together,” I replied.
Reuben turned me to him and kissed me eagerly. “You always know what to say at the right time, Kimmy.”
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After another night full of passion, we fell asleep in each other’s arms.
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The time had come for us to part. We had breakfast and when we boarded the tender that would take us to the ship and back to civilisation, we stayed close for the whole trip back. I had said all I needed to and that wonderful comfortable silence overtook us again.
"I will see you soon, Reuben. I'll remember this weekend forever and hope that we can have many more."
"So will I, Kimmy. See you soon."
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