The Demarcation of Jack

by Blakely Bennett

  “That’s understandable,” Marc said, pushing away from the dresser.

  “Shall we go to dinner?” Summer asked.

  “Does anyone object to the Veranda?” Jenna asked.

  “Not at all,” Summer said. “That sounds great.”

  “Fine by me,” Jack said, taking Summer’s hand.

  Marc held the door as they filed into the hall, heading to the lobby.

  After arriving at the Veranda, they took their seats and ordered dinner.

  “I’m going to the powder room,” Summer said as she stood up. “Coming?” she asked, looking back at Jenna.

  “Sure.” She rose and followed Summer toward the bathroom on the far side of the lobby.

  “Jenna,” Summer said, placing her hand on her shoulder, bringing her to a halt.

  “Is something up? What’s going on?”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “You have this funny expression on your face,” Jenna said, laughing.

  “Oh ... no. It’s just that Marc and I were planning to ask you guys if you wanted to change partners for the night, tonight. All of us, in our room. But I was thinking that with all we’ve been talking about, maybe we should do it some other time.”

  “I don’t know. I’m up for it. I’ll ask Jack but my guess is that he’s up for it, too. It’s the whole ‘relationship part’ that he doesn’t get, although I think he understands it better now. So do you actually have to go to the bathroom or was this a ruse?”

  “It was both, actually,” Summer said. “Let’s hurry.”

  *****

  “That was a delicious meal,” Marc said as they left the restaurant.

  “You guys up for a short walk on the beach to give our food a chance to settle?” Summer asked.

  “That sounds like a great idea,” Jenna answered, taking Jack by the hand. She pushed through the French doors leading off the terrace.

  The sun had set and the evening sky had turned magenta over Tower Island contrasting beautifully with the lime green of the shallows. Two twin-mast sailboats, heading for the harbor, sailed silently past the coral isle.

  Summer and Marc lagged behind to give Jenna the opportunity to talk with Jack.

  “When I went to the bathroom with Summer, she asked me something and I want to check it out with you.”

  “Okay,” Jack said, looking out over the ocean.

  “Let’s stop for a minute, okay?”

  “What is it, Jenna?” he said with impatience.

  “They had planned to ask us if we were interested in switching partners for the night. We’d all stay in their room.”

  “You said they had planned but—” Jack said with an expression of confusion.

  “Well they did, they have. Summer expressed some concern over the timing because of the earlier conversation.”

  “Oh, I see, okay. So what did you say?”

  “I said I would talk to you about it. So what do you think?”

  “Did they mean sex? Intercourse and everything?”

  “I assumed that’s what she meant,” Jenna said, resting her hands on his chest.

  “I don’t have any condoms,” he said, running his fingers through his hair.

  “Is that a yes?”

  “How do you feel about it?”

  “I’m not sure. I mean I want to, but again I think we’re crossing a line and I don’t know where it will lead us. You?”

  “Yes, I want to. Summer … well you know…”

  “I understand,” she said.

  “How would it work?” Jack asked. “I mean ... I wouldn’t want to do it on the same bed or anything like that.”

  “I’m assuming we can work all that out. The condom issue would have to be resolved before I’d be willing.”

  “They probably have them in the store,” he said, running his fingers through his hair again.

  “Right. So are you sure? Because—”

  “I’m sure. I’m a dog, remember? What about you?”

  “I’ll have to wait and see how I feel at the time.” She searched Jack’s face intently and wondered if they were making a huge mistake.

  He wrapped his arms around Jenna and they swayed gently for a few minutes. “Let’s go find them,” Jack finally said. He took her hand in his, giving a gentle squeeze, as they set out to find Marc and Summer.

  “You guys in there?” Jack said as they approached the hammock.

  “Here,” Summer said, waving as she sat up.

  They climbed out of the hammock and stood in front of Jack and Jenna.

  “So,” Summer said. “What’s been decided?”

  “It’s a go but we need to find condoms,” Jack said, smiling.

  “Excellent,” Summer said, winking at Jack.

  “We have them,” Marc said, assessing Jenna’s mood. “Shall we go open some champagne to celebrate?”

  “Good idea,” Summer said, grabbing Jack’s hand and walking ahead of Marc and Jenna who stood locked in a stare.

  “Can I kiss you?” Marc asked, moving closer to her. “I missed you. I’ve been thinking about kissing you all day.”

  Jenna moved into his arms with her face tilted up. “I missed you, too.” She could feel her legs begin to tremble. As he touched his lips to hers, they quivered slightly. She closed her eyes—swirling—she could hear his breathing through his flared nostrils as she melted into the strength of his arms, taken by the care in his kiss. When the kiss ended, they had difficulty breaking away from each other to walk side by side up the beach.

  “I have to tell you something. I wasn’t going to,” she said, walking toward the stairs with him, “but I feel I have to if we’re going to ... you know ... sleep together.”

  “Make love,” he said, peering down into her eyes.

  “Right, well,” she said, glancing away. “Kokila came by last night and we—”

  “Made love?”

  “No ... well ... we started but it was just sex. Good sex but there was no love there so I stopped it. I couldn’t get you out of my mind.”

  “And Jack, was he there?”

  “Yes, he watched.”

  “Summer will be so jealous.”

  “I know you tell her everything, but can this wait, please? I don’t want tonight to be about that.”

  “I completely understand,” he said.

  “So it’s okay? You’re okay with what happened—didn’t happen—with Kokila?”

  “For now, yes.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I mean I still have no say about what you do, but maybe in the future—”

  “Oh, I see,” she said, bringing her hand to her lips. “I’m nervous. Really nervous. It’s been a really long time since I was with another man besides Jack.”

  “It’ll be okay. We have all night and we’ll take it slow,” he said, stopping in front of his door. “Kiss me again before we go inside.”

  Jenna wrapped her arms around his neck, decidedly uneasy. She glanced at the door of the room.

  Marc gently cradled her face in his hands and kissed her forehead and eyes. Lifting her chin, he lightly kissed her lips. He then bit her bottom lip gently, breathing her in, pulling her hair forward to smell her fragrance. Gripping her firmly behind the head, he circled his other arm around her waist lifting her off the ground. The heat between them sparked a fire as their fervor escalated. She became lost and found again in his arms as they solidified their connection. A bit dazed and high from the kiss, they joined hands and entered the room.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Marc and Jenna found Summer and Jack on the balcony smoking the joint Jack had rolled earlier.

  “Would you like a hit?” Jack asked, holding it out to them.

  “None for me,” Jenna said.

  “I’ll pass for now, too. Should we open up a bottle of champagne?” Marc asked.

  “That would be wonderful,” Jenna said, stepping through the sliding glass doors and following him back into the room.

  �
�It’s going to be hard for me to wait,” Marc whispered, passing close to Jenna, trailing his hand along her back. He picked up one of the bottles of champagne and removed the foil.

  “I wish ... no ... never mind,” she said, shaking her head.

  He put the bottle down and took her hand.

  “Tell me.”

  She looked to the balcony and back to Marc and silently mouthed no. He walked her away from the table and away from Summer and Jack.

  He held her and said, “What is it?”

  “It’s stupid,” she whispered.

  “What is? Tell me,” he whispered back.

  “Here we are about to ... you know—”

  “Make love and?”

  “I don’t know how to say it. We’re ... ahhh—”

  “Just say it.”

  “We’re about to have an intimate experience that’s really between the two of us, no matter how you look at it, but we’ll be doing it in front of them. I don’t know how to communicate what I’m feeling. It feels weird, unnatural.”

  “Last night you—”

  “That was completely different,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. “Believe it or not, I’m beginning to understand the difference between enjoying sex and what you and Summer are looking for in a relationship. If this was about just sex for you—and I don’t think it is—I couldn’t do it. I value our friendship and my relationship with Jack far too much for that. It’s hard for me to contemplate being with you while the two of them watch, even as much as I love them. It’s like ... it’s like having an intimate moment, but having to share it. Do you understand? Am I making any sense here?”

  “I think I understand. Will it help to know that Summer and I discussed one couple being on the balcony and the other being on the bed?”

  “Where’s the champagne?” Summer asked, coming into the room from the balcony. “Oh I’m sorry, if you’re talking, I’ll grab a couple of beers.” She took two Red Stripes and slipped back outside.

  “That helps a little,” Jenna said, stepping in close. “I guess I’ll have to see how it goes. I’m sorry for being such a pain in the ass. I swear I don’t mean to be.”

  “The only pain I’m feeling right now is having to wait to touch you,” he said, bending down and giving her a hug. “Let’s have some champagne and relax, shall we?”

  He walked over to the chair next to the table and sat down, placing the champagne bottle between his legs and untwining the metal cap. He looked up and smiled. “Here goes,” he called out. He placed a thumb on either side of the top and popped it. Champagne immediately welled over the long narrow neck, spilling onto the carpet. Jenna held two glasses at a time for him to fill. “It’s a celebration of love,” he called out to Jack and Summer.

  “Thank you,” Jenna said, before walking outside and handing Summer a glass. Jenna moved to go back inside but Summer caught the hem of her dress.

  “Is everything alright?” she asked. “He sounds awfully happy.”

  “Yes, yes he does.” She smiled through the sliding glass door at Marc.

  Marc joined them on the balcony offering Jack a glass of champagne.

  “Sure,” he said. “Thanks.”

  “I would like to make a toast,” Marc said, leaning against the railing to face the group.

  Jenna moved over to the lounge chair and lay back with her legs outstretched.

  “I would first like to say that this trip has been incredible so far and I have no doubt that the good times will continue. I’ve also enjoyed getting to know you both better. So, let’s drink to our friendship,” he said, holding up his glass.

  “To friendship,” Jack said, raising his glass and then taking a gulp.

  “To friendship,” Summer said, looking to Jack and then smiling at Jenna.

  “To friendship,” Jenna said, catching a wink from Marc as she looked around at everyone.

  “And here’s to logistics,” Summer said.

  “Here, here,” Jack said. “So are we taking the balcony or the bed?”

  “What’s your preference?” Marc asked.

  “To get started,” Jack said, wrapping his arms around Summer and kissing her on her shoulders and neck.

  Marc and Jenna took that as their cue and walked into the room, closing the door behind them. A few moments later the glass sliding door opened about two feet and a blanket, pillows, beer, and the open bottle of champagne surreptitiously passed through, unnoticed by Jack and Summer.

  Summer cooed in Jack’s ear stroking his back softly. “I really like you, Jack.”

  He beamed.

  “Oh my god and that smile—I love your infectious smile.”

  “Stop it,” he said, feigning embarrassment. He covered his face. “I have so much fun with you, too. So sexy and playful, I want you so badly I can taste it.”

  “Anytime you want,” she said sexily.

  Jack pulled her to him in a frenzy of wanton lust, pushing hard against her lips as if to merge with her. He growled his aggressiveness as he picked her off the floor and held her tight against his body. “And yes, ‘I’m glad to see you’,” he said as rubbed his erection between her legs.

  “It would seem so,” she said as she took his hand and placed it on her breast. “I like it a little rough ... yeah, oh ... but not too hard,” she gasped.

  “I’m sorry, I just feel so intoxicated by you, like I don’t know where I am,” he whispered against her neck, reeling. “It’s been so long since I’ve felt such heat.” He held onto her as if she would float away, pressing her against the wall of the balcony to keep her in place. “Is this better? Oh please, let this be better.” Fondling her breast and nipples, he gauged his pressure by her verbal reaction.

  “Jack, open your eyes and look at me,” Summer said.

  “This is ... I’m—” Jack laid his head against her shoulder and tried to steady his breathing. “We should make arrangements.”

  They worked in tandem to spread out the quilt and set the pillows. He opened a beer and poured Summer another glass of champagne while striking a match to rekindle the joint they had shared earlier. They lay beside one another looking up at the stars.

  Jack turned on his side to kiss her full lips. He moaned as he increased his pursuit.

  “Hang on a sec,” Summer said as she sat up and stripped out of her sundress.

  Jack straddled her waist, fondling her breasts and tugging on her nipples.

  “Yes, perfect,” she moaned, as she greedily thrust her hips up into him and reached up to pull his lips to hers.

  He kissed her back, getting lost in the sensation of all things Summer. He trailed his fingers under her panties, capturing her wetness on his fingertips. Bringing her essence up to their mouths, they shared her taste in a steamy kiss that escalated their desire to the boiling point.

  He began to lightly touch and kiss his way down, savoring every inch of her body.

  “Jack, I can’t take it,” she said, nudging him toward her most concentrated desire.

  He seized the moment and pulled her panties to one side, exposing her ache. He teased with small kisses, increasing, tasting, and enjoying her fleshiness, basking in her womanhood as he gave of himself selflessly, anticipating her arrival at the peak of release.

  “Sweet god,” Summer cried out, clamping down on Jack’s head with her thighs and pulling him in tight against her body. She convulsed and jerked as her orgasm exploded and then subsided with unusual aftershocks. “What the fuck was that?” she said muffled by the blankets that twisted about their bodies in a tangled mess. “Jack, what have you done to me?” She laughed, pulling her legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “Is there more?”

  “I think that can be arranged,” Jack said. “More champagne?”

  “Absolutely,” she said, jumping to her feet and throwing her arms above her head basking in the ocean breeze. “Jack, that was amazing.”

  “Thank you. But I have to tell you, you completely jazz me.” He lay
back on the pillows, observing Summer. “Your ass is so round. I love the curvature in the small of your back,” he said, throwing off the blanket.

  “Well hello there,” she said, hungering after Jack’s arousal. “One good turn deserves another.” She knelt on the blanket between Jack’s legs. “Shit.” She sat up straight.

  “What’s up?”

  “Condoms ... they’re inside. It’s your fault you know,” she said softly as she kissed his face. “I’ll sneak in and get them. Be right back.”

  *****

  “Why are you standing all the way over there?” Marc asked after he moved away from the glass sliding door.

  Jenna stood by the dresser, holding the empty champagne glass in her hand with her arms crossed in front of her.

  “You have me all to yourself now,” he said, advancing to where she stood and taking the champagne flute from her hand.

  “I’m struggling.” She released her arms and let them hang to her sides, palms out.

  “Come here and stop worrying,” he said, enveloping her in his embrace. “It’s just us. Let’s enjoy each other. Kiss me, Jenna.”

  She could feel the blood pulsing in her body. She gazed into his eyes, which were illuminated by the light filtering through the small opening in the glass doors off the balcony. She closed her own and rose up to kiss him.

  “Jenna, please look at me. Be with me, here and now,” he said softly.

  Her eyelids fluttered open as he began to kiss her with an urgency that caused her to cry out. He possessed her with his very kiss. Guiding her away from him, he then untied her halter.

  She stood there with her dress hanging from her shoulders aching for his touch.

  “So, so, beautiful,” he whispered. He turned her around and from behind, he gently caressed the dress off her shoulders, letting it fall languidly to the floor. He lightly bit his way down her neck and wrapped her in his arms as he pressed his body against her back. “I’ve thought about this moment a great deal over the last couple of days,” he whispered. He stepped back and helped her slip out of her panties, immediately scooping her up in his arms. Carrying her toward the bed, he lowered her to stand in front of him. He pulled his shirt over his head, not taking the time to unbutton it.