by Shawn Wall
"Are we going to the ocean?"
"I'm only giving hints, not answers. We need to buy you appropriate attire.”
The store was true to its name. There was ocean stuff everywhere with surf and boogie boards galore. The back wall was nothing but swimsuits, so she made her way through the aisle, picking a tasteful one-piece. Of course, they had seen each other's bodies, even during the day, but Suzanne didn't know how she felt about lying on a beach with him able to examine every curve using the sun as a spotlight.
"I like this one.” Seth held up his selection, and his eyes were wide. His choice, of course, was a two-piece in aqua blue, at least what there was of it. Suzanne frowned when she looked at it.
She shook her head. "You had better get me a T-shirt as a cover if you want that one.”
"We can do that.” Seth was grinning from ear to ear.
She made sure to exchange the swimsuit for her size since the one he had chosen was for a child. He grabbed some trunks for himself and back on the road they went. The highway led through low marshlands, and then finally, they reached a bridge. The bridge extended across the sound, which was longer and wider than any channel Suzanne had ever seen. The waves were white-capped, and the cool wind blew off the water toward them. She could even taste the salt in the air, and she knew they were going to the beach. Seth and his surprises were both definitely worth the wait.
When they passed a Kitty Hawk sign, an hour or so had passed, and she knew they had to be nearing their destination. Seth turned left and drove for several miles by rows and rows of beach houses. These were only a few feet apart, mostly two stories, up on stilts. Farther down the road there was more space between them, and they grew much larger. Some had huge balconies with bay windows and were designed in every color and shape imaginable. They finally veered to the left and parked under an open garage of a three-story, yellow beach house.
This house was much fancier than those surrounding it. How were they going to stay here? She knew Seth always had money, and he worked hard, but even with his trust, this was just too extravagant. He didn't have to do all this. She would be happy in a shack with him. But, knowing Seth, he would never have it. He liked nice things and would not allow her to have anything second best.
"Surprise,” he said, and then waved his hands in the air.
He lifted her helmet off her head before she could, slightly touching the small cut. She instantly flinched.
His forehead wrinkled. "Your head still hurts. We should have waited another day to travel."
"No, it’s only a little sore from wearing the helmet all day. I'm fine really. Now show me around."
"This is my aunt's house. That's why we went through Virginia, to get the key.”
They climbed a set of stairs from the garage that led to the first level deck, which wrapped around the entire first floor. Seth unlocked the door, and inside was a huge open living and kitchen area with a cathedral ceiling. The beach theme was prevalent throughout this space, and it was decorated like a New England cottage. Wicker and white was everywhere in the sitting area with ocean colors and whitewashed wooden tables and chairs. The kitchen cabinets were whitewashed as well, with light wood floors throughout the lower level. As they climbed the pale wooden staircase to the second level, she noticed a small sunroom with more wicker furniture and French doors opening to another wrap-around deck. The remainder of this level had two bathrooms and two bedrooms with bunk beds in each.
"Are we sharing a bunk bed?” she asked with a chuckle.
"Oh no.”
They climbed another set of stairs to the final level. There was another sitting room with a wall of windows facing the road. The remainder of this floor was a huge master suite. The suite faced the ocean and had another wall of windows that were covered by blinds. The ocean was clearly visible from a pair of French doors that led to a small deck. These walls were a cool light blue, almost a shadow. There was a huge bed in the center with four posters and a canopy, draped with white netting flowing down to a soft blue comforter. For sure the entire scene rendered her speechless.
"Are you all right?" His voice was no more than a low rumble, and he brushed her cheek with his fingertips.
"I'm absolutely perfect." She smiled at him. “Thank you."
She leaned to kiss him, only getting a peck, and before she knew it, he pulled away.
“You make yourself at home. I’m going back to the market we passed and get us some groceries for the next few days.”
Did she miss something? Why would he pull away? He had been pretty careful with her since they left the hospital. Was he scared he would hurt her? Scared she would break? Or maybe she had misread everything. She’d thought things were back on track as before. Maybe after her fall, Seth had changed his mind about the reconciliation.
Making her way back to the master bathroom, she now felt gritty and desperately needed to bath. Ah, a Jacuzzi Tub. That should bring back fond memories for him. As she soaked in the tub, she daydreamed of their day at the cabin, and how wonderful the warm water felt on her skin. Even from the third floor, it was hard to miss Seth’s motorcycle pulling up. As she listened closely to the quiet house, the front door shut, and then cabinets and fridge started opening and closing. She hoped he would look for her after putting away the groceries.
“Suzanne, are you still upstairs?”
Finally. She’d wait and let him find her. Surely that will be enough to spark their reunion. Now she could hear his footsteps on the final flight of stairs, and when he opened the bedroom door, she felt giddy with anticipation. She held her breath and couldn’t wait to feel him touch her.
“Suzanne.”
He peered at her as he slowly walked through the bathroom door.
“I’m sorry. I’ve interrupted your bath. I’m going to start some dinner. You just take your time and rest. Come downstairs when you’re ready.” His voice was quick and short as he turned, trying to escape.
“Wait! Can you hand me a towel?”
He slowly turned, trying to avoid looking at her. What was wrong with him? He reached into a closet and grabbed two white, fluffy towels, and before he could turn, she stood up out of the tub. She grinned at him as he turned around and reached for a towel. His eyes widened, and she knew he stopped breathing at least for a second, and then she heard him gasp.
“Here you go, I’ll see you downstairs.”
He practically threw the towels at her and ran, well, sprinted was more like it. What was all that for? A realization of horror hit her. He didn’t feel the same as before. It wasn’t her falling asleep or the accident that kept them apart. Or maybe it was the fall, and he realized now he only wanted friendship. She knew he still cared to be sure, maybe even loved her. A skimpy nightgown was definitely no longer needed, that was for sure. How embarrassing. She couldn’t face him, not now.
What a fool she’d made of herself. Three months ago, in this same instance, he would have taken her in a moment. Poor Seth. He had her on this romantic trip, and he was just stuck she supposed. Guess, he was probably thinking he’d have to tough it out not wanting to hurt her. After all, he was a good guy and had always had a big heart. He was probably contemplating just how to let her down, and she had certainly made her intentions known about their relationship.
Suzanne sat on the large four poster bed, the bed meant for their wonderful reunion, and she began to cry. She lay on her side and pulled her knees to her chest. It would be only further humiliation for him to see her cry and that would put him in an awful position. Maybe she should offer to take one of the spare rooms, but not now. Facing him at this moment was not an option. The cleavage line of her tight top, not to mention the see-through material, would definitely make him think she was throwing herself at him again.
At least thirty minutes passed, and she could smell an aroma of onions and garlic coming from the kitchen. She was so hungry, but she wouldn’t dare go downstairs. Hearing footsteps, she quickly wiped her tears and closed her eyes.<
br />
“Suzanne, honey, where are you?”
She was as still as possible, trying not to betray herself. And in the same instant, she willed her tears to stop. Now, her breathing slowed as she pretended to sleep. He kissed her cheek. Oh, the sting of his touch. Covering her with a blanket, he brushed her cheek with his hand and spoke under his breath.
“I love you.”
He quietly closed the bedroom door. Maybe she just wasn’t beautiful enough to tempt him anymore. She stayed in the same position, never opening her eyes, and fell fast asleep.
* * * *
Morning came, and she could feel Seth’s body against her back. There was a jolt just from his warmth and touch as his arm rested around her waist. Why had he even come to bed? Probably for sympathy or maybe that was just an old instinct. She slipped from under his hold and tried to not wake him.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get dressed.” She kept her head down, not looking at him.
“You must be starving. You’re not eating enough. I’ll get breakfast started.”
“That’s okay. You don’t have to do anything for me.”
“You’re a silly girl. I want to.”
Grabbing her only outfit, she quickly ducked into the bathroom. Maybe she could save him the trouble of having to endure the trip home. Surely a Greyhound bus passed somewhere close or within driving distance, but she didn’t have a dime. In the rush, she hadn’t even thought of bringing her wallet.
The smell of bacon was wonderful, as it filled the house leaving her absolutely famished. When she descended down the last flight of stairs, Seth was already pouring pancake batter on a griddle.
“I poured you a cup of coffee, and I got that creamer you like so well. It’s on the counter.”
She sipped her coffee and sat on a barstool at the island, keeping her head down. Now, she couldn’t look into his eyes for fear of what she might see.
“Thanks. I’m sorry you had to cook dinner last night just for me to fall asleep.”
“That’s all right. You’ve been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours. Besides, we can have leftovers for lunch.”
Seth sat by her, and they ate in silence. The odd tension between them was undeniable, and she couldn’t help but feel sad. A knot formed in her throat as she closed her eyes for a brief moment.
“Is there something wrong?”
“Well, I realized I didn’t bring my wallet. I don’t have any money with me.”
“Is there something you need? We can go into town and get anything you want. You don’t need any money.” He was always the protector.
“No, there’s nothing I need. I was just making an observation. I’m going to wash my dirty clothes. Do you want me to wash yours, too?”
“Well, if you don’t mind. I’ll clean up the kitchen while you do that.”
While she gathered their clothes, she contemplated. How did she bring up what was going on? Surely he could feel the tension and distance between them.
“Suzanne, let’s go into town and see some sights. The Kitty Hawk Museum is pretty close.”
He had snuck up behind her.
“I really don’t feel like it. I’d rather just stay and rest. You can go.”
“I don’t want to go without you. Are you sick? Is your head okay? Do we need to find a doctor?” His voice had a deep tone.
“No, I’m fine. I’d just like to be by myself. I may walk down to the beach or something.”
“Well, I do need to go buy a new boogie board. The ones in the garage are horrid.”
“Good then. You go. I’ll be fine.”
He quickly dressed and kissed her on the cheek.
“I won’t be more than a couple of hours.”
“Take your time, Seth. I’ll be fine.”
How civil and boring they had become. This trip was a mistake, and she shouldn’t have agreed to it. The original decision she’d made more than a month ago was the right one. She only brought him down, and he was far better without her. Their love had been narrowed down to a kiss on the cheek. Guess she’d better make the best of it. After all, it was spring break. She deserved at least one day on a beach.
Suzanne found her bikini and T-shirt. It seemed funny now that Seth had handpicked both items. There was plenty of sunscreen in the bathroom, and she had time soak up some rays and enjoy the beach while he was gone. The swimsuit was fairly skimpy. There was a tie at her neck, back, and one on each hip. She starred at herself in the bathroom mirror. The suit definitely left little to the imagination.
There was a crowd farther down the beach by the long dock. That must be the public area. There was not a soul on their section of beach. At the house to the right, she noticed a group of guys sitting around a table playing what looked like poker. They were not much older than Seth. Probably just college kids on spring break. She slipped on her T-shirt. It would be best to wait until the beach for exposure.
The air blowing off the water was cool to her skin, and the warm sun high in the sky created a nice balance. Her toes stung from the hot sand as she walked to the water’s edge. The tide crashed against the bank, covering her feet, and the water was cool and crisp. Walking back closer to the house would be better so she spread the towel out just far enough so that the tide couldn’t reach her.
She slipped off her T-shirt, and she wasn’t shocked when the guys from the next house whistled and shouted out. She shouldn’t have expected any less with what she was revealing. As she applied a generous coat of sunscreen to her reachable parts, she hadn’t noticed anyone approaching until suddenly a shadow cast over her.
“Do you need any help with that?”
“Seth, I thought you would be gone for a while.”
“The first store had some nice boards. I got lucky. Besides, I didn’t want to leave you alone for long.”
“I’m not an invalid.”
“I know.”
She flipped onto her stomach, trying to keep him from seeing her so exposed. If he didn’t want her, then she didn’t want him staring at her body. She shouldn’t be embarrassed. After all, he was the one who picked the scandalous piece of clothing.
“You can apply sunscreen to my back.”
She rested her head, at first turned away from him, not wanting to look. That didn’t last long. She couldn’t resist. She had to peek and quickly turned toward him. She had to see if he had any emotion at all when he touched her. Seth grabbed the sunscreen, and at the moment his hands touched her back rubbing in the lotion, sparks lit up all over her body. He swallowed hard, staring down.
“Undo the middle string please.”
“What?” Seth’s voice was shocked.
“So I won’t have a line.”
He reached and pulled on the string, letting it fall to her sides. She knew she could feel his hands shaking as he continued rubbing sunscreen lotion from her shoulder to the small of her back. It was the most sensual moment she had experienced since their separation. Why couldn’t she lie there all day and let him touch her? She daydreamed of other things, fonder memories. Suzanne didn’t know why he reacted like he did. He wasn’t dead after all. Maybe it was just physical. She stayed on her stomach for about thirty minutes. Seth lounged beside her with his eyes closed and his hands behind his head. He looked peaceful. Almost like he had fallen asleep.
“Seth, could you tie my string? I think I’m done on this side.”
He quickly opened his eyes, not answering and grabbed the strings.
“Hey, that’s tight. Loosen it a little.”
“You don’t want it to accidentally come untied.”
“If you tie it in a knot, I won’t be able to undo it later.”
“I will be able to.”
She flipped over on her back and closed her eyes. His glare burned through her. Let him look. She wouldn’t be embarrassed about the way she felt. She hadn’t been turned but about twenty minutes when all of the sudden, he spoke.
“Suzanne, I can
’t stand this. Let’s go back to the house.”
“Why? I’m enjoying the sun.”
“Please don’t argue. Just come back with me.” His tone was desperate.
He took her hand, helping her up, and she walked ahead of him. The guys on the deck didn’t whistle this time, but they stopped to stare. Suzanne glanced back just in time as Seth grimaced. This is it. The end will come soon. Maybe Seth couldn’t keep up the ruse any longer, and he needed to expose his true feelings. She walked faster up the deck and had reached the inside staircase by the time he reached the door.
“Hey, wait up. Where are you going?”
“I might as well change out of this swimsuit first or at least cover up. I’m practically naked. It won’t take a minute, and then we can talk.”
She rushed to the master suite, and Seth was quick on her heels.
“Wait up!”
She was already in the bedroom, headed toward her bag when she felt his arm reach around her waist, quickly turn her around, and pull her to him. She froze, muscled tensed, and she tried to free herself from his hold. But he held her as tight as he could without hurting her and looked into her eyes.
“You are driving me crazy, Suzanne!”
He didn’t let her respond, and his mouth was on hers, hard and firm. She was so weak and betrayed herself, moaning against his lips. Suzanne gave in immediately, moving her mouth in motion with his, and as their lips opened, they shared one another’s breath. His hands moved down to the small of her back, eagerly extending down to her thighs and up her spine again. At that, every nerve in her body seemed to ignite in unison as her heart beat fiercely. Next, he stopped at the string along her rib cage, and his fingers released the knot in an instant. Then, he moved to her neck, releasing that tie as well, letting her top fall to the floor. An even greater need and hunger from deep inside her surfaced. In an instant, she moved her hands greedily, pulling off his shirt, and pressed her skin firm against his chest. His mouth left her and extended soft kisses across her jaw line, down her neck, and across her right shoulder blade.
“My sweet berries and cream-”
