Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 120: Island

Shayne and Courtney had booked an all-inclusive island retreat in Mexico for their honeymoon. They take an Uber to the airport early the morning after their wedding, sleepily going through the motions of checking in and moving through the airport until they settle into their seats on the plane to fly out. Shayne, for his part, falls asleep almost as soon as they take off. Courtney isn't quite so adept at sleeping on planes, as their Australia trip the previous year had made clear. Still, she rests, leaning over the armrest between them to rest her head against his and hold one of his hands in her own.

The island they chose for their five-night stay isn't remote – it is a well-known honeymoon destination, after all – but it doesn't have its own airport. So, after their flight into the closest large city, they find themselves on a minibus and then a boat owned by the resort they're staying at, until finally they arrive in the white-sand, turquoise-water paradise they had sought out.

"This is so gorgeous but my body kind of just wants to fall asleep," Courtney admits, leaning against the open balcony door of their spa-suite room and looking out over the ocean.

"Mm, I get that. I think I might go for a walk around the resort and check things out, but if you want to stay and sleep that's okay," Shayne replies, wandering through the room to stand beside her and wrap an arm around her waist. Courtney gently shakes her head.

"Nah, I don't want to waste our time here sleeping. Or not holding your hand. The walk might wake me up anyway," she answers, turning her head to smile softly at him.

Their walk around the resort turns into a walk into the village centre of sorts, at the recommendation of one of the resort staff. There's a local market on, and they wander around as sunset approaches. They find a restaurant for dinner, too, before making the short walk back to their resort, alongside a whole host of other people walking to various resorts along the same beachside strip. Unsurprisingly, they fall into a deep sleep not too late into the evening, lying comfortably beside each other in the expansive bed to the gentle sounds of the ocean through their slightly opened window.

It's already warm when they wake the next morning, and a little humid, but the pleasant breeze through the light curtains over the still-cracked window makes it feel comfortable. Shayne wakes in much the same position he'd fallen asleep in, on his side facing the centre of the bed and Courtney. She, on the other hand, had moved throughout the night from curled against him to starfished across the rest of the bed, kicking all the covers off both of them in the process, although her head is still sharing his pillow.

"G'morning," Shayne mumbles, his voice a little gravelly with sleep. Courtney doesn't answer verbally, but she gives a contented hum and shifts herself back to cuddle against him. It might be a little warm, but she will happily take warm if it means cuddling with her husband. He doesn't complain, of course, hand moving to delicately play with her hair as he too lets himself press down into the plush mattress and settle into her warmth as the ocean's waves provide soft background noise.

"Wanna get room service breakfast?" Courtney breaks their comfortable morning silence sometime later, her voice soft and quiet and melding with the bliss they lie in. She slowly rolls away from him, onto her back, stretching as she sits up.

"Mm, sure," Shayne mumbles his acceptance. Courtney moves off the side of the bed, and his eyes follow her as she walks over to the small table where the room service menu sits, delicately plucking it off the table and scanning her eyes over it.

She looks so fucking beautiful his heart could explode.

"You wanna choose and order while I shower?" she asks, turning back to face him. He watches her expression soften and her cheeks tinge with pink as she glances back to see him watching her.