Love on the Sound

by Matthews, Jamie

  Ben turned her around and settled her on his lap, straddling him, kissing her deeply as if he might never let her go. Amy leaned in, smelling the dark, faintly spicy scent of his aftershave, loving the feel of his wet hair beneath her fingers. He was still hard, and as he rocked gently against her, she felt herself, incredibly, turned on all over again. Before she knew it, the kiss intensified, and he began licking her, running his hands over her body, then pulling out and sliding his fingers in. Then, he shifted her again to make creative use of the jets while she lost herself in mindless pleasure. The second orgasm went on and on, and by the time he was done, she lay in his arms, limp as a noodle.

  He lifted her out of the tub and dried her off, then grinned at her. “Time for dessert.”

  “You’re going to kill me,” Amy leaned against him, savoring the warmth of his naked body.

  He wrapped a terry cloth robe around her, but didn’t belt it. His eyes traveled up and down her body with appreciation. “You might kill me, too. But we’ll die happy.”

  They had more champagne, dessert, and were well into the wee hours of the morning and, by Ben’s count, on orgasm 20 when they both drifted off to sleep, Ben’s arms wrapped around her.

  ***

  Mid-morning the next day, Amy smiled when Lopez Island came into view below them. She grabbed onto Ben’s hand and leaned close.

  “Thank you for such an amazing birthday. You totally spoiled me. And, I loved it.”

  He kissed her, ran a hand over her hair. “Turns out it was as much a present for me as it was for you. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun on vacation, even if it was just for one day. You know, we could have stayed longer if you wanted.”

  “Nah. It’s good to come home. Plus, I know you’re chomping at the bit to get back to your screenplay.”

  “Guilty as charged,” he admitted as the plane taxied down onto the water with a splash. “Damn, that’s so cool.”

  Nell helped them onto the dock and grinned at Amy when Ben walked up ahead with their suitcases. “Did you enjoy my present?”

  “Hoooo boy. Did I ever.” Amy shot her back a wicked grin. “Didn’t think of you one bit.”

  Nell pretended to wipe a tear away. “My little girl is all grown up. I’m so proud.”

  “I’ll tell you all about it—well…most of it,” Amy amended, “later. Meet up for coffee at Hannah’s tomorrow?”

  “It’s a date,” Nell said, then waved them off.

  Ben drove them back to On the Sound, waving, Amy noticed with amusement, at everyone he saw like he’d been born and raised there. When they pulled up to the inn, she frowned at the sight of two kayaks propped against the front porch.

  “What’s that?”

  Ben parked and shrugged. “Let’s go take a look.”

  “Ben.” Amy got out of the car. “Tell me you didn’t get me new kayaks. That’s too much!”

  “Okay. I didn’t get you new kayaks.” He took her by the hand and led her to the porch.

  “Seriously. You’re going insane.”

  “Amy.” He shook his head. “Chill. First of all, I have the money. Second of all, I didn’t buy you new ones. These ones were perfectly fine. They just needed to be sanded down and resealed. I had the guy paint them to match On the Sound. I added a whale icon to one and a sea star to another, just like you have on the room keys. I thought, if you like it, as you expand and get more for your guests, you could keep adding on the icons. Then it’d be like each guest has their own kayak.”

  Amy stared at the two kayaks, the light blue matching perfectly the shade of paint on the inn. As Ben had said, one featured a whale, in white like the trim of the inn. White scrolling letters spelled out On the Sound along the side. Speechless, she reached out a hand and ran it across the now smooth and glossy surface.

  “Maybe you don’t like them,” he said, worry clouding his eyes. “It’s just paint—we can repaint it.”

  “Ben.” She laid a finger on his lips, then sighed and wrapped her arms around him, laid her forehead on his. “That was exactly my plan.”

  “I know, you mentioned it.”

  “Once, in passing.”

  “I remembered. Hey, hey.” He tipped her head back. “Why are you crying? I screwed up somehow. Let me fix it.”

  Amy managed to laugh as he began to sound more and more panicked. “Happy tears,” she reassured him. “This is the most thoughtful gift anyone’s ever given me. You’re amazing.”

  She leaned into him and kissed him, giving herself over to the sensations, the emotions.

  “When can we take them out?” She looked at the kayaks and rubbed her hands together.

  “They need a few days to cure. You’ll take me on the maiden voyage?”

  “Of course,” she promised him, then kissed him again. “Seriously, Ben. I think this is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

  He lit up. “Really? Score one for me.”

  “So modest.” She forced a laugh and shooed him into the house. “Now, get out of here. I want to admire my new kayaks.”

  After he went inside with their bags, and she was sure he couldn’t see her, she laid one hand on a kayak, the other over her heart. Closed her eyes. She’d been in love once before—she’d felt the flutters, the thrills, and then the rock solid certainty that this one man was the one she wanted to spend forever with. And, now, damn it all, she’d gone and fallen in love all over again—over a pair of kayaks and to a man that would be leaving her life forever in a matter of weeks.

  Chapter 24

  Ben checked his watch again while he paced around the front room. Outside, rain streamed down the windows, and wind lashed at the trees. Forty-five minutes had passed since he gave his nearly finished screenplay to Amy to read. What if she hated it? Artie thought it was good. But, that was a few weeks ago. What if everything he’d written since then was crap? Oh, for his younger days when he was so arrogant he didn’t give a shit what anyone thought about his work.

  When he heard her footsteps clattering down the stairs, he had to restrain himself from rushing up to meet her halfway.

  “I loved it,” she announced as soon as she entered the room.

  “Oh, thank God.” Ben sank into an armchair.

  She laughed. “Come on. Do you really not know that it’s good?”

  “No. Well, I think it’s good, but then I wonder if I’m delusional.” He patted his knee. “Come sit, and tell me in great detail what you like. Also, what you don’t.”

  She sat down in his lap. He rested his cheek on her hair and breathed in the citrus tang of her shampoo, the faint whiff of the salty ocean air. Ever since their night in Seattle, things between them felt…different. He couldn’t put his finger on it. All he knew is that while he still wanted her with an apparently insatiable hunger, he found himself just as often wanting to run his hand over her hair, hold her hand. When she left to run errands for the inn, even just for an hour, he missed her.

  “I loved every bit of it. The character, Liam, is so conflicted about his past, but at his core a good man, and I rooted for him from page one. Then I found myself rooting for his so-called enemy, Gabriel, too. The cat and mouse scenes where they’re hunting each other all over the Island, but then in public having to pretend to be civil to not blow each other’s covers…it was funny in a way not enough action movies are.”

  She smiled into his eyes and laid her hand on his cheek. “I’m so proud of you, Ben.”

  And, she was, he could see it in her eyes, the curve of her smile. He blinked back a sudden flood of emotion and tightened his arms around her.

  “That means a lot,” he said, the words inadequate to explain how her praise made him feel 50 feet tall and ready to take on the world.

  “I have one suggestion. You said you were stuck on the next scene. It’s a bit last minute, but I think we should go to the lighted boat parade at San Juan tonight. I’ve only got a few guests, and they’re low key—they can reach me on my cell. At the parade, reside
nts decorate their boats and parade them in the harbor to welcome Santa as he arrives on the Santa ship. I think it would be pretty awesome to have an action scene take place in that setting.”

  Ben stared at her. “Damn. You’re good. I can already see the scene taking shape. Let’s do it.”

  He dislodged her from his lap and sprang up. “We better get to work decorating. I want it extravagantly tacky.”

  “National Lampoon Christmas Vacation tacky?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Ben rubbed his hands. “This is gonna be fun.”

  ***

  To his amusement, not only did Amy immediately begin rounding up lights, tinsel and Christmas figures, but within the hour, Hannah, Nell, Adrian, Paul and Tom had all met them at the marina loaded down with…well…Christmas crap was the only way to describe it. Ben had been deemed hopelessly inept after he broke two strands of lights trying to untangle them. He tried to direct the décor—after all, he had an eye after years of theater and set decoration, but Amy soon steered him to his car.

  “You know what we need? Lunch and booze. Why don’t you pick us up some sandwiches and stock up on beer and wine for the parade tonight?”

  “You’re just trying to get rid of me.” Ben reached out and removed a strand of silver tinsel from her hair. “It’s my boat.”

  She laughed up at him, then gestured down to the marina as laughter drifted up. “Tonight, I think it’s become our boat. I have to confess that we’ve been waiting to do this for years, but none of us have a boat. Not really the same to decorate the kayaks.”

  “Fine, fine.” Ben muttered, with an exaggerated put-upon sigh. “I’ll go run the errands.”

  “Plus, you’ll buy the good wine and maybe a fancy picnic dinner, too.”

  Ben scooped her up in his arms, enjoying the sound of her breathless laughter. “So, you’re just using me for my boat and my money? Maybe I should dunk you in the bay.”

  “No, no.” Amy patted his cheek, expression sober. “I’m using you for the sex, too.”

  He laughed and set her back on her feet. “All right, all right. I’ll be back in an hour.”

  In the village, Ben stopped first at the wine store, where the owner greeted him warmly. He’d found that after the initial double take, most in the village had gotten used to him, and in fact, making his way from the wine shop to Paul’s grocery, Hannah’s bakery, the liquor store, a restaurant and finally the sub shop took him well over an hour. He was stopped in the street, but instead of autographs, locals wanted to discuss the weather, the boat parade or asked about his plans for Christmas.

  Laden with bags, he dumped everything in the car and remembered he needed to call Steve and Lucas. The past few years, now that Steve was divorced, and Ben remained estranged from his family, they had gathered at Lucas’ for Christmas dinner. He sent a quick text to both of them asking if they had time to talk. He wandered to the village square and sat on one of the benches while he waited. Before long, Steve called, and Ben patched Lucas in.

  “You’re still there,” Steve greeted him. “Aren’t you wearing out your welcome by now?”

  “I hope not,” answered Ben. “I’m writing a screenplay.”

  “Is it going to sell?”

  Ben laughed at Lucas. “Says the CPA. I don’t know yet. I’m writing it for fun.”

  “Oh, Jesus.”

  “What about that sweet little innkeeper? You planted a big smootchie on her when you were drunk. You hitting that yet?”

  “Fuck you.” Ben stood up and paced, the anger instant and overwhelming. “It’s not like that. She’s not like that.”

  “Whoa, whoa. Dude. I was just joking.”

  “Not funny.”

  “I didn’t mean…hmm. Okay. So you two are…dating?”

  “I….” Ben sat down and rubbed his forehead. “Yeah. I guess we are.”

  “Aren’t you leaving in a few weeks?” asked Lucas.

  “Yeah. It’s complicated.” He sighed. “Fuck.”

  “Wow. She’s got you all twisted up, huh?” Steve sounded delighted.

  “About time,” agreed Lucas. “I liked her. I approve.”

  “Marry her before she comes to her senses,” added Steve.

  “I don’t know why I even talk to you two.” Ben took a deep breath. “I was calling to find out if we’re still on for Christmas dinner.”

  “Of course. Mary and I ordered the ham today. So, now, back to Amy.”

  “It’s okay with Mary?”

  “Moron. I just said we ordered the ham. I thought it was a thing. Christmas dinner. Isn’t it our thing?”

  “I was wondering, too, with Mary being pregnant and all,” Steve admitted.

  “What difference does that make?”

  “Let me talk to her. You don’t know anything about women,” said Ben.

  “And you do? Fine.” Lucas shuffled, and Ben clearly heard him say, “Ben wants to make sure he and Steve are welcome for Christmas dinner, seeing as how you’re pregnant and must only have two brain cells left in your head.”

  “Jesus.” Ben rolled his eyes but couldn’t help smiling when Mary’s laugh rolled through the phone. “Hi, Mary. What your idiot husband should have said is, we don’t want to be extra work for you.”

  “Oh, please. You’re family. Two more men in the house to whisk me off my feet because y’all think I’m working too hard? Sounds like less work to me. Now go away; you’re interfering with my reality TV show binge.”

  “All right, ladies, we good? Good,” Lucas said without waiting for them to reply. “See you on Christmas.”

  “Sounds good. Gotta go, I’ve got a class.” Steve disconnected.

  “Wait, Lucas,” Ben said, before he could hang up. “So….”

  The silence dragged out.

  “Dude. You’re killing me here. I have the afternoon off, and I’m spending it with my beautiful wife. I’m about to give her a foot massage.”

  “I’m sorry I’m interfering with your pathetically transparent plans to get laid,” Ben shot back. “I guess I was just wondering how you knew that Mary was the one.”

  “Wow.” Lucas was silent for a long moment. “I was kind of kidding, but Amy really has gotten to you, huh?”

  “I don’t know. I mean…I live in L.A. She lives here. It was supposed to be a fling. But…things are different.”

  “Well.” Lucas paused, and Ben could almost see him looking at Mary with that look in his eyes—as if she was the sun, moon and stars all rolled into one. “I could give you lots of reasons. But, your head is probably all messed up, and you’ll just overanalyze it to death. So, I’ll just say this. She’s the one I want to see first thing in the morning. She’s the one I want to be next to every night when I close my eyes to go to sleep. And, I want to keep doing that, every day, for the rest of my life.”

  Ben heard Mary’s soft, “Awww,” in the background, and he smiled. “Go be with your wife. I’ll talk to you later.”

  He hung up. As if he’d conjured her up with his thoughts, the phone rang, and Amy’s name flashed on the screen.

  “We’re hungry. What’s taking you so long?”

  He heard Nell dimly, in the background, yell, “Move that sweet ass, Morrison!”

  Amy giggled, and Ben shook his head. “I’m not sure any of you need more booze.”

  “Hannah brought a bottle of wine with her,” Amy admitted.

  “I’m on my way.”

  He shoved the conversation with Lucas to the back of his mind for later. Way later. Right now, he had a boat to decorate.

  ***

  In the waning late afternoon light, Ben stood with his arm draped around Amy. The others gathered around them, with the exception of Tom, who was on board, ready to flip the switch. As the group counted down from 10, Ben snuck a glance at Amy. She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek. Then, her face lit up with a red and green glow.

  “Holy crap.” Ben stared at his boat, covered from port to stern with lights. The strands were a mix of blinki
ng multicolored, plain white, icicle shaped lights—a mish-mash of whatever they had found hiding in their closets. “I’m not sure it’s going to stay afloat.”

  A giant red plastic Santa glowed on the bow, green tinsel wound around his neck like a scarf. At the back of the boat, two large plastic reindeer glowed. Both had big red noses; one blinked. The sides of the boat were ringed with other glowing plastic figures—penguins, elves, candy canes, Christmas trees. And, when they had run out of those, they had added pink flamingos. To one side, neon lights spelled out “ho hoho.” When it was full dark, the glow from all the lights would be blinding.

  “This. Is. Fantastic.” Ben laughed. “Thank you guys so much.”

  Hannah gestured with her wineglass. “To the parade!”

  They all clambered on board. Ben decided to just use the boat’s engine, rather than risk dislodging the lights strung up the poles and across the sails. The parade began at 6:30, but Hannah wanted to arrive early to drop off a box of cookies. The theater kids were selling hot chocolate and cookies to raise money for the program.

  “It’s not as exciting as hearing those sails snap in the wind,” Amy commented, coming over to lean her head on his shoulder.

  Ben smiled at her. “It gets us there before Santa, though.”

  “True.”

  The wind whipped her hair back, and she tilted her face up to the sky. He looked at the curve of her neck, the way the freckles dotted her nose, those big, deep brown eyes.

  She turned and caught him staring. “What? Do I have something on my face?”