Chapter 758: Date With Rachel
Chapter 758: Date With Rachel
I chuckled quietly in my head, fully aware of the little performance Maya had just put on.
At the same time, Rachel’s thoughts reached me clearly, laced with growing suspicion and confusion.
[Why does it look like Boss is trying to seduce Dexter...? Earlier she made him carry her even though she was completely fine... and just now... did she expose herself like that on purpose?]
Rachel’s eyes flicked between Maya and me for a brief second.
The pieces were starting to connect in her mind — the clingy piggyback ride, the jealous looks, and now this convenient "accident" with the leaf bra. A complicated expression settled on her face as she tried to make sense of her Boss’s increasingly strange behavior around me.
Maya, still holding the leaf bra firmly in place with both hands, kept her gaze lowered in fake embarrassment, apparently unaware — or pretending to be unaware — of how obvious her actions were becoming to the younger woman standing right beside her.
Before long the last of the wooden stakes was driven into the ground, and the circular fence stood complete, enclosing both bamboo shelters in a rough but solid barrier.
Victoria walked over carrying several coconut shells filled with the clean water we had collected earlier. She held them out to us one by one.
"Here. Drink some. You all need to stay hydrated in this heat."
I accepted a shell with a nod of thanks and took a few swallows of the cool water. Maya and Rachel did the same, the brief pause giving everyone a moment to catch their breath after the work.
The sun was still high, but with the second shelter finished and the fence now in place, the camp finally felt a little more secure.
The four of us sat together in the shade for a short rest. After a while Rachel spoke up, her voice carrying a trace of lingering anxiety.
"Why hasn’t any rescue team shown up yet? What are they doing...?"
Victoria answered in a calm, reassuring tone.
"They must already be out searching for us. It takes time to cover this much ocean. And with that big HELP sign we made on the beach, any plane flying nearby should be able to spot us easily from the sky. They’ll find us soon."
Rachel still looked a little unsettled, so I stood up and held out my hand to her.
"Rachel, come with me. I’ll take you somewhere."
Before she could fully react, I took her hand and pulled her to her feet, already starting to lead her away from the camp.
Maya immediately sat up straighter, her voice sharp with sudden concern—or something closer to alarm.
"Where are you going?"
I glanced back over my shoulder while still moving, keeping my tone light and casual.
"Aunt Maya, don’t worry. We’ll be back before sunset."
With that, I continued leading Rachel away from the clearing, heading toward a more secluded part of the island while Maya’s eyes followed us from behind.
In truth, part of me simply wanted to push Maya’s jealousy to its peak — to see exactly how she would react once it boiled over.
Rachel glanced up at me as we walked, curiosity mixed with a hint of shyness in her expression.
"Where exactly are you taking me?"
I stopped for a moment, turned to face her fully, and lightly tapped the tip of her nose with one finger, a small smile on my lips.
"Did you already forget? Last night I told you we could have our date right here on the island."
Rachel’s eyes widened slightly as the memory of our conversation by the fire came back to her. A soft pink tinted her cheeks.
"...Were you serious about that?"
I nodded without hesitation.
"Yes. I’m completely serious, Ms. Rachel. Would you like to go on a date with me on this beautiful island?"
Rachel held my gaze for a second, then gave a small, shy nod.
"Hmm..."
I smiled, tightened my fingers gently around hers, and continued leading her forward by the hand, guiding her toward a quiet, scenic spot I had noticed during my earlier exploration of the island — a place far enough from camp that we wouldn’t be interrupted, yet still safe.
When we finally reached a small, open clearing surrounded by tall trees, I stopped and turned to her.
"Close your eyes for a moment. I have a surprise for you."
Rachel looked amused but curious. After a second, she obediently closed her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips.
"What is it...? You’re not going to do anything weird, are you?"
"Just trust me," I said softly. "Keep them closed."
While she stood there waiting, I activated God Speed. The world around me slowed to a near standstill. In that stretched time, I moved with precise efficiency, gathering materials and constructing a sturdy treehouse that connected three large trees.
I laid down a thick layer of soft, dried grass as flooring, built a simple but solid wooden staircase leading up to the entrance, and made sure the structure was high enough to feel private and secure. From start to finish, only a few real-world seconds passed.
I returned to my original position in front of Rachel and let time flow normally again.
"Alright... you can open your eyes now."
Rachel opened her eyes and looked straight at me, blinking in mild confusion. She glanced left and right, then back at my face.
"Where’s the surprise? I only see you standing there. Did something go wrong?"
I smiled and gently turned her around by the shoulders so she faced the trees behind her.
"Look carefully."
Rachel’s eyes widened as she took in the newly built treehouse nestled among the three trunks, complete with a wooden staircase leading up into it.
For a long moment she simply stared, completely speechless. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting soft shadows across the wooden structure.
"...When did you do this?" she finally asked, her voice soft with disbelief.
I kept my tone light and casual, though I watched her reaction closely.
"I wanted to make our first date special. Last night, after you fell asleep by the fire, I came out here and built it so I could surprise you today. Do you like it?"
Rachel’s eyes immediately filled with tears. A mix of happiness, emotion, and something deeper overwhelmed her. She turned back toward me, lips trembling slightly.
"You... you built an entire treehouse... just for a date with me?"
Before I could answer, she stepped forward, wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, and pressed her lips against mine in a sudden, heartfelt kiss.
What started as soft quickly deepened. Rachel kissed me harder, almost desperately, pouring all of her feelings into it. Her fingers curled into the back of my shirt as she pulled herself closer.
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