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“There’s a trio of blondes at three o’clock I’ve been watching for a few. Think I might go say hello. You want to go with?”
“Nah. Think I’ll cool off in the water for a bit.”
I would rather be inches away from the magnetic girl sporting a black two-piece with curves in all the right places.
Micah rises from the blanket, brushes sand off his legs and board shorts, and straightens his spine. I’m half tempted to tell him it doesn’t matter if you have sand on you, dipshit, you’re at the beach. We are surrounded by sand. But I opt to refrain from jabbing him.
In a few quick strides, he walks away from me and makes a beeline for the females who I hope will occupy his time a while. After I’m certain he is not turning back, I scoot to the edge of the blanket and stare out at the water a moment. Cora and Shelly tread water just deep enough to reach the edge of their shoulders. They talk about something, Shelly’s hand animating above the water every five seconds. Cora watches her studiously behind the dark tint of her sunglasses and smiles here and there.
Deep breath in, I stand from our reserved spot on the beach and trek fifty feet toward the water’s edge. The small waves break over my shins as I shuffle into the water. Once I stand waist deep in the salty surf, I sink in the water, and wet my hair before swimming to Cora and Shelly.
As I approach them, I hear them talking about seeing a movie later. Intrigued, I wonder if I will be invited to said movie. Who cares what plays on the screen, I would love to just sit beside Cora for two hours in the dim-lit theater. Would I even be able to focus on the movie? Probably not.
“Hey,” Cora says, breathless. I tread water on her right until I realize I can reach the sand below, planting my feet but keeping my body the same height as the two of them. “Tired of tanning yourself.” A teasing smile lights her face.
“Ha-ha. Micah walked off to hit on some chicks and I was getting toasty on the blanket. Thought I’d see what you two were up to.”
“We were just talking about seeing a movie later,” Shelly chimes in. “Not sure what’s playing, but we could pick whatever. Usually, there’s always something good at the theater around the holidays.”
“I’m in, if that’s okay with you guys,” I tell them both.
“Cool,” Shelly pants, her body winded from treading water so long. “I’m gonna head back to the blanket, tan for a little, and see if anyone else wants to join us.”
Before either of us says another word, Shelly swims to shore and leaves me alone with Cora. Exactly what I was hoping for.
In the anonymity of the water, my hands itch to reach forward and grab hold of her waist. I stare at her dark lenses through mine, neither of us uttering a word. We have never needed to fill time with meaningless conversation. By some unknown universal connection, we can read each other without ever speaking a word.
As if she hears my thoughts, as if she kno
ws the urge building inside me, she swims closer and stops inches from my frame. The water surrounding me ebbs and flows with her arm and leg movements as she continues to tread. I stop fighting my instinct. Stop resisting what is in front of me.
The moment my hands grasp the curves of her waist, her arms and legs still. To anyone looking from the shore, nothing has changed except for her lack of distance. Our bodies hidden in the wide open. It is exhilarating. Not that I care if anyone sees us together. If anything, it would be heaven to tell the world my feelings for Cora. Feelings that have been growing stronger by the minute.
One hand holds her steady while the other begins to trace lines along the side of her torso. Up and down. Bikini top to bikini bottom. Her lips part just enough to see past the bold red rouge.
Under the water, her chest expands and contracts under my touch. She doesn’t stop me, but I have to know if she is okay with me touching her like this. As much as it would devastate me to hear her say no, I would never press her for something she had no desire to pursue. I don’t want to ruin what we have.
Leaning forward, my face an inch or two from hers, I whisper, “Is this okay?”
Her breath hitches, and I wonder if her eyes are closed behind her heavy-tinted lenses. She nods, her voice breathy when she speaks. “Yes.”
Her fingertips brush over my chest, startling me. “Sorry,” I mutter. “Just unexpected.”
She doesn’t say anything in response, her fingers exploring my chest as we bob in the water. Minutes pass, the sounds of other beachgoers fade away. All that exists is her and me and our bodies growing closer and closer as we explore each other’s skin.
My eyes drop from her frames, focusing on her lips and wondering what it would be like to kiss her. I have dreamed of kissing a few girls before, but that is all. Just dreams. But I think if I kiss Cora, I will never want to kiss another person in my life. My eyes pop back up to hers, wishing I could see her bold green irises. See what she is thinking. What she is feeling. If they hold the same questions or possibility mine do.
Without thinking, I close the last inches between us. My head tilting, lips hovering breathless above hers, waiting to see if she backs away. When she doesn’t draw back, I take the gesture as invitation and seal my lips to hers.
Warm, soft lips press against mine, her hands breaching the water’s surface and wrapping around my neck. I pull her impossibly closer to me, swiping the tip of my tongue over her lips and relishing in the sensation when she parts them and lets me in.
Her mouth is sweet and hungry on mine. And when a small whimper echoes in her chest, I am a goner. My hands roam her body under the security blanket of the water, kneading and caressing her hips. We stay like this, the measure of time nonexistent.
But when I feel her legs wrap around my waist, her strength locking us together at the hips, I break my mouth from hers, gasping. At this rate, things will progress much quicker than either of us is prepared to handle. In public, no less.
“Why’d you stop?” she asks, confusion lacing her voice.
“Because we have forever. And I don’t want to rush anything with you.”
