31. Mustaf

Waking up to the gentle kisses of my wife is like coming out of a dream and jumping right into another.

"Good morning, sweetness," I say, my voice raspy with sleep as I peek out at her.

She giggles, and the sound is so delightful that it fills my soul. "Good morning, husband."

Opening my arms to her, I scoop her up against my body and press a kiss to my forehead. "Who knew you'd like being my wife so much, hm?"

Her head rests against my chest, snuggling in, and my heart flutters like the first time I ever saw her. The image of her curves strutting into the bar teases me at the back of my mind.

"You did," she responds gently.

"That I did," I agree.

After another deep, passionate kiss, she tells me she already called home to check on Asher.

"His grandmother has him well occupied. They started today with pancakes, so he was pretty content when I talked to them."

Lucky for us, both Meiko's parents and mine were perfectly happy to watch Asher while we went on our honeymoon. We ended up agreeing to split the time with a three-day sleepover at Grandpa and Soba's, followed by three days with my mother and father, known to Asher as Nona and Pappy.

"What should we do today, husband?" she asks playfully.

Being back in the Maldives for our honeymoon feels almost surreal. It's both familiar and all-new somehow.

I grin at her, feeling a surge of love and excitement. "How about we start with breakfast in bed?" I suggest. "And then maybe a walk along the beach?"

Meiko nods eagerly, her eyes lighting up at the thought. "That sounds perfect."

We spend the morning lazily enjoying each other"s company, feasting on pastries and fruit while watching the sun rise over the ocean. Afterwards, we slip on our swimsuits and head down to the beach, hand in hand.

The sand is warm beneath our feet, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore is soothing. We walk for a while, stopping every now and then to kiss or simply enjoy the view.

After spending the morning lounging on the beach, Meiko and I make our way down to the clear blue waters, turned golden by the afternoon light. We race each other into the ocean, laughing and splashing each other as we go.

As we swim further out, the water becomes deeper and the waves grow stronger. I wrap my arm around Meiko"s waist, pulling her close to me as we navigate the choppy waters.

She looks up at me with a playful smile, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "Race you to that buoy over there!" she challenges, pointing to a bright orange buoy bobbing in the distance.

I grin back at her. "You"re on!"

We take off swimming towards the buoy, our strokes strong and steady. Meiko is a strong swimmer, and she keeps pace with me easily.

As we near the buoy, I notice that the current has picked up, pulling us further away from the shore. I glance over at Meiko, concerned, but she seems unfazed.

"Don"t worry," she says, reading my mind. "I"ve got this."

She takes a deep breath and dives underwater, swimming towards the buoy with powerful kicks. I follow close behind, amazed at her skill and grace.

When we finally reach the buoy, Meiko wraps her arms around it, her chest heaving with exertion. I swim up beside her, and she looks over at me with a triumphant smile.

"I win!" she declares, laughing.

I shake my head, grinning. "You cheated! You took a shortcut!"

She giggles, leaning in to kiss me. "Maybe. But I still won."

As we kiss, the waves ebb around us, and the current tugs at our bodies. Suddenly, I feel a surge of desire, and I pull Meiko closer to me, deepening the kiss.

She responds eagerly, her hands running over my chest and shoulders. I slide my hands down to her hips, pulling her even closer as we lose ourselves in the moment.

As we kiss, I feel a deep sense of connection, as if we're two halves of a whole. Our lips move together in perfect harmony, and I can feel the heat of her body pressing against mine.

My hands roam over her curves, exploring every inch of her soft skin. She moans softly into my mouth, her own hands running through my hair and down my back.

We break apart for a moment, gasping for air, but our eyes remain locked. There's a fierce intensity in Meiko"s gaze.

Without a word, we dive back into the kiss, our tongues dancing together as the waves ripple around us. I can sense the tension building between us. My hands slide down to her hips, pulling her even closer to me. I can feel her legs wrapping around my waist, and I know that she wants me just as much as I want her.

We continue to kiss and touch each other, lost in the moment. It's as if we're the only two people in the world, and nothing else matters.

When we finally break apart, we're both breathless and flushed. Meiko looks up at me with a sultry smile, her eyes sparkling with desire.

"I love you, Mustaf," she whispers, her voice laced with emotion. "More than I ever thought was possible."

I smile back at her, my heart swelling with love. "I love you, too, sweetness. But it"s getting dark. We should head back."

We swim back to the shore, but as soon as I can stand, I scoop Meiko up into my arms and carry her across the beach. She giggles, wrapping her arms around my neck and nuzzling into my chest.

"I can walk, you know," she says playfully.

I grin down at her. "I know, but I like carrying you."

She smiles back at me, her eyes shining with affection. "I like it, too."

As I carry her back to the hotel, Meiko snuggles closer to me, her head resting on my shoulder. "You know, I could get used to this," she says with a smile.

I chuckle, squeezing her tighter. "Good, because you"re going to have to get used to it," I say playfully. "I plan on carrying you around like this for the rest of our lives."

Meiko giggles, her laughter warm and infectious. "Well, I suppose that"s okay, as long as you don"t drop me."

I pretend to stumble, making Meiko squeal with laughter. "Oh no, I"m dropping you!" I say, pretending to let go.

Meiko clings to me, her laughter turning into a playful scolding. "Mustaf, don"t do that!" she says, swatting me on the chest.

I grin down at her, feeling happier than I ever thought possible. "I"m just kidding, sweetness. I would never drop you."

We stay there for a while longer, simply enjoying each other"s company and basking in the love that surrounds us. It"s a moment that I will cherish forever, a memory that I will hold close to my heart for the rest of my life.

The End