⭐ Rafe's POV ⭐

I love her.

I have said it before also but it just doesn't feel enough.

I want to declare my feelings, first to her and then to the whole world so that everybody knows about my love for her and that she's mine.

Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I pulled her closer to me and placed a kiss on top of her head making her glance up at me with a soft smile on her lips.

She leaned closer to me as we walked together. "Why didn't you become a cricketer?" She asked all of a sudden.

"Because...I didn't want to." I replied in a duh tone.

"No, I mean...your parents, they both were cricketers, they both were actually the captain of their respective teams. And even both your grandfather's were cricketers...your sister is a cricketer...why not you?"

I looked down at her. "Seriously? If everyone in my family was a cricketer that doesn't mean that I also have to be a cricketer."

"That's not what I meant...what I think is...you don't know how to play cricket properly, that's why." She grinned wickedly.

I frowned at her. "That's not true! I know how to play cricket, it runs in my blood. But I didn't want to be a cricketer. Growing up, I just got inspired by uncle Matt, his company, and how managed it and all."

"And how did you father feel when he got to know that his son got inspired by his best friend instead of him?"

I chuckled remembering that. "Well, he was pissed off and he even argued with uncle Matt about how being a cricketer is better than being a businessman."

"I'm not surprised at all..." She chuckled softly, the sound of her laughter making my heart skip a beat.

I gazed down at her lovingly, how can someone be so perfect and how can someone so perfect be mine?

My eyes trailed down to her neck where a number of hickeys which I gave her last night were visible as they disappeared under her t shirt.

I bit my lips remembering how she also gave me a few hickeys over my neck which I am sure were visible but there was no one here to see them and even if they did, I don't fucking care.

She noticed me staring at her neck and she blushed and cleared her throat. "Um..."

"Yes, baby?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I'm exhausted...can we rest for a while?"

Shaking my head, I chuckled. "Of course..."

She grinned and set her bag down on the ground and searched through it looking for a sheet to spread on the ground so that we can lay down for a while.

Meanwhile, I excused myself and walked towards the river cause I wanted to wash my face and hands.

I can't wait to go back home and have a proper bath. Not that we didn't bath since we came here...we did... in the river. One at a time, respecting each other's privacy.

As I was done, I got up to go back to Leona when I heard her scream. "Rafe!"

I quickly ran towards the direction where I heard her scream.

There she was, lying on the sheet that she has spread, on her stomach, curled up in a ball and her hands over her head as if protecting it from something.

I went near her and crouched down, gently placing my hand over her back. "Hey, what's wrong?"

She just pointed upwards and I saw a single butterfly flying near her.

Oh.

Without questioning her any further, I stood up and tried to shoo away that butterfly and thankfully, it flew away.

Sighing, I sat down beside her. "It's gone, baby." I assured her.

She turned her head sideways and half opened her eyes. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yes, you can get up now."

She slowly got up, checking her surroundings for any threat before she flung her arms around my neck, hugging me while climbing on my lap, her legs on either side of my body.

"I want to go back home." She cried softly, her tears falling down on my shoulder.

My arm wrapped around her and with the other arm, I gently stroked her hair.

"I want to go back home, Rafe..."

She said home. My home or...her home, back in America? Maybe she wants to go back to her parents.

My heart clenched at that thought.

"It's okay, Leona...we will go back by tomorrow most probably, don't worry." I told her softly, even though it hurt to think that she might not want to stay with me anymore. "We will go back and then...you can go back home...with your dad."

That made her pause and she slowly lifted her head and looked at me baffled with tears running down her eyes. "With my father? Why...why will I go back with my father?"

"Um...you..." I looked away. "You said you want to go back home. And your home is in America, right?"

"America? Rafe, are you serious right now? Why will I go back to America?"

I frowned slightly. "Then...then what did you mean?"

She smacked my shoulder. "Idiot! I meant home...our home. Here, in Australia. I am not going back to America, I'm your wife and I am staying here with you, my home's here now."

My mouth slightly parted in surprise and my heart warmed at her words. A smile gracing my lips.

"You really thought I want to go back with my father?" She spoke when I said nothing, I just stared at her, repeating her words over and over again in my mind.

Biting my lips, I slowly nodded.

"You are such an idiot." She rolled her eyes as she wiped away her tears.

I grinned widely. "Your idiot."

A blush crept up her neck and she looked down shyly, smiling softly.

I lifted her chin with my index finger. "Say something..."

"That was cheesy", she said biting her lips, the blush still lingering on her cheeks and leaning closer, I kissed both her cheeks.

She shoved my shoulder playfully, blushing even more. "Stop it, Rafe." And she attempted to get off me but I tightened my hold around her waist.

"Kiss me first." I whispered, leaning forward.

"No."

"No?" I pouted.

She nodded and attempted to get off me once again but I didn't let her, instead, I made her lay down and climbed on top of her.

"Kiss me." I demanded once again, pinning both her arms above her head.

She shook her head once again, grinning mischeiviously.

I shot her a glare and pressed my lips on her. If she won't kiss me then I will do it myself.

I started to slowly move my lips over her but she being stubborn had pressed her lips firmly together, refusing to kiss me back making me frown.

I growled lowly against her lips. "Leona, you better start kissing me back."

But she didn't making me feel frustrated and I pulled back eventually, glaring at her and got off her, sitting cross legged, with my back towards her, my arms folded across my chest and I huffed to myself.

I heard her chuckling behind me and a few moments later, she threw her arms around my neck from behind, pressing her front to my back.

She peeked at me over my shoulder. "Hey?"

Grumbling to myself, I turned my head away and she chuckled again. And she pressed her lips right under my ear.

And she continued pressing kisses trailing down to my neck making me close my eyes and she slightly parted her lips and bit down earning a low groan from me.

She pulled back. "I think you forgave me now."

I snapped my head towards her to see her grinning. I deadpanned. "No."

Her grin dropped instantly and she pouted sadly. "No?"

"No." I confirmed.

She removed her hands from around my neck and came infront of me. "Not even when I do this?" She cupped both my cheeks and crashed her lips on mine.

I smiled into the kiss and falling back on my back, pulled her on top of me, kissing her back passionately, holding her by her waist.

We continued kissing for a few seconds but had to abruptly pull apart when we heard something.

Confused, we looked up at the sky because at distance we could hear the sound of a helicopter.

Leona got off me and I sat up straight as we both looked at each other in confusion.

"You said today is the sixth day!" Leona panicked.

"Yeah, of course it's the sixth day!"

"Then why is Carl already here?! We haven't found the pen drive yet!"

"I don't know!"

"Oh God! What if it is the seventh day only? What if you forgot to calculate the days because you are an idiot!" She accused.

"I am 100 percent sure about the days!" I argued and got up and she did the same.

"Then why is he here?!"

"How will I know?!"

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration while she quickly picked up the sheet spread on the ground and placed it inside the bag, slinging it over her shoulder and I picked up mine.

At a distance I could see the helicopter as it came closer and closer.

"Come on." I grabbed her hand in mine and started to walk towards the helicopter as it started to descend a few meters away in a clearing near the river.

"No!" She tugged at my arm. "We didn't find the pendrive yet!"

"We can't do anything now! Let's see what that fucker has to say."

She looked worried but I dragged her with me anyway.

The helicopter finally descended and the door slid open while we watched standing there, baffled and worried.

"Uncle Matt?" We both said simultaneously, looking at him in surprise.

"Thank God, you both are alright." He sighed and walked towards us.

"What... what's happening?" Leona questioned. "Where's Carl?"

Leona's question wasn't answered, instead he just engulfed us both in a hug. "We were so worried about you both." Pulling back, he kissed both our foreheads.

"Uncle, won't you tell us what's going on?" I asked.

He sighed. "Well...you guys don't need to find that pen drive anymore because everything is solved now."

"How?" We both asked.

"Isaiah helped us...and can we please have this conversation back at home...?"

"Isaiah helped? Really? I thought he wouldn't..." Leona said. "And what about that pen drive?"

"That pen drive isn't here...Carl made sure to not hide the pen drive here so that he could win...the pen drive was with him only...but it's with us now." He explained.

"I'm still so confused..." I shook my head.

"You will understand everything soon, Rafe. But we need to leave because..." He trailed off as he looked around the forest, "this place is freaking me out. I don't know how you guys survived here."

Leona chuckled softly at that and uncle gestured us to follow him towards the helicopter.

Leona sat beside me and uncle sat opposite to us as the helicopter started ascend.

For a second, uncle's eyes trailed down our necks where we gave each other hickeys, his eyes widening slightly and he looked away instantly.

Okay, I did say before that I don't care if anyone sees us like this but this is embarassing.

Leona noticed that too and she blushed glancing up at me and I bit my lips, blushing too.

Feeling embarrassed, she hid her face in the side of my chest and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

I could see uncle watching us from the corner of his eyes and a soft smile playing on his lips.

There's nothing to hide anyway.

And I kissed the top of her head and a minute later, she fell asleep like that.

Leaning my head back, I felt myself drifting off to sleep too.

I love her was the last thought in my mind before I fell asleep.