BY THE SHORE

Short Story

Always the good Samaritan, Midwestern, polite, Nathan had given up his seat at the front of the aircraft next to his fiancé Jessica, to an old woman who looked as though if she were about to fall over if she took one more step. So, of course, fate had landed him in her seat. Right next to Fiona and her stupid hair that still smelled like vanilla and her stupid laugh that still sounded gorgeous, and every time her arm brushed his �" it was torture. The prospect of having to spend a vacation week with her flitting around him was suddenly both exhilarating and terrifying.

Her friend Alex was asleep within the first twenty minutes of the flight, and Fiona lost her conversation partner. She knew better than to turn to him, so she simply crossed her legs and put in her headphones. He was bouncing his left leg and it was rubbing against hers, the one time she decided to wear a skirt on a plane. The one time it had to end at her upper thighs, leaving very little to the imagination. And then her hand was pressing into his leg, and he almost jumped at the contact.

“Stop bouncing.” She whispered, but didn’t move her hand. Resting it on his thigh. He could feel it through the khaki shorts he was wearing.

“Move your hand.” His voice was terse, almost silent, and ever calm Fiona, pretending to be absorbed in her nails, moved her hand.

Oh she moved it. It brushed over him, before she pulled it back into her own lap. His heart was pounding, her muscles tense. But two could play at that game, and maybe the little on flight whiskey he had was getting to him, and maybe it wasn’t but at least it was easier than trying to explain what he did next. His hand slid over her knee, soft, smooth, up her thigh. Stoic as ever, she didn’t even flinch. Alex yawned, opening her eyes and he pulled his hand away before she could see anything. As the two girls resumed their idle chatter, Nathan stalked down the narrow isle to the bathroom, shutting the door quickly.

He braced himself against the wall, trying to ignore the feeling of her lingering on his fingertips and if he didn’t have so much self-control, maybe he would just pull her in with him, and kiss her and touch her and be with her but he couldn’t. Nathan had already crossed the line, he had forgotten how dangerous she was.

Thankfully, Fiona seemed to be taken aback enough by what happened during Alex’s power nap that she didn’t speak to him for the rest of the flight, or at baggage claim, or even when they arrived at the resort in the same shuttle and all rode the elevator up at the same time. She talked to Aria, she talked to Jessica, she talked to the staff, but not Nathan. Fiona stayed far away from Nathan and he couldn’t tell if she was trying to help him or torment him. So far it had only really felt like the second.

“Nathan,” Jessica breathed as they set their bags down in the lavish room, opening right onto the beach, “I saw this sign for a full body massage, and I think I’m gonna go get one.”

“Ok, I think I’m gonna take a nap, babe.” He didn’t miss the little pitying smile she gave him

“Yeah, hun you haven’t been sleeping lately. Get some rest so we can have some fun tomorrow.” He kissed her goodbye, and turned to the floor to ceiling glass windows.

The sunset was stunning and he was positive Fiona was going to Instagram it. It was almost relaxing, as he opened one of them, letting the cool sea breeze fill the room. The white gossamer curtains all fluttered in the wind and he actually felt ok. He felt calm. Until his phone went off.

Fiona: We need to talk about that.

So much for relaxing…

Nathan: Later

Fiona: Now, Nathan.

Fiona: Is Jessica there?

Fiona: Never mind I just saw her walk into the spa. I’m coming over.

And the anger was back. Well, anger wasn’t the right word. Anger was too harsh. It was more frustration. Frustration because she was just so…and he couldn’t…and…

She was knocking on his door before he was able to form a coherent thought, and the dread that filled him was excruciating.

“Nathan.” Fiona barely looked at him as she walked into his room, it took him a moment to realize she might as well have been naked. “Pretty view.”

Her back was to him, the white pull over she had on was completely see through in the sun, basking her in a peachy glow. Her undergarments looked black and contained strings and a couple strips of fabric, maybe. .

“So,” She prompted expectantly, sitting in one of the arm chairs. He sat in the one across from her.

“So?”

“I really don’t appreciate you being all moody with me.”

“Fiona.” He said her name as though it were a prayer. “Fiona…”

The second time was much more strained, and she was worried because for the first time in so many years she didn’t know what he wanted. She didn’t know what he was feeling, why he was acting like this…

“Listen. You can’t just walk around like that and send me pictures asking me which one looks better or which one would make you look hotter in a picture and please, please don’t just touch me like that and expect me to be able to be friendly with you because I don’t think you understand what it’s doing to me.” His hands raked through his messy hair, and she nodded.

“What is it doing to you?” Her voice was soft, almost a little husky.

“Like what you see?” she inquired softly.

He nodded. “Very much.”

“Problem?” she queried.

“A fast developing one,” Nathan replied.

The silence in the room was broken by the stir of the curtains and the sound of her controlled breathing. It was too much.

“Kiss me, Nathan” she breathed.

He stood and walked away from her, turning his back so his eyes were focused on the shore and not her ridiculously provocative outfit.

“Nathan?” She was behind him now, hands slipping around his hips, untucking his shirt.

They ran all over his torso, all over his warm skin and he wondered how her hands could be cold even in Hawaii. She pressed kisses onto his back, as she coaxed his shirt off, and he could feel the heat of her through her cotton pull over. Her fingers unhooking his belt buckle was his undoing, and as she threw it to the ground, he turned and picked her up, holding her against him.

He eagerly took her face in his hands and brought her mouth to his for a long and tender kiss. She parted her lips willingly to allow entry to his questing, probing tongue and his hands moved slowly down her neck, to stroke her breasts, in turn with his thrusting tongue. She moaned and wound her legs about his back.

His lips pressed deep kisses to hers, and her moans were muffled against his mouth. His hands worked her out of that ridiculous white cloth, the golden light saturating her skin and eyes and hair and something this wrong shouldn’t have been so beautiful. She was gripping herself to him, her legs clenched tightly around his hips as he roughly palmed her bottom. When he pushed her against the wall, grinding against her, her mouth dropped open. Fiona was gorgeous, head thrown back, eyes shut, lips trembling as she moved against him.

His lips moved down her neck, leaving rough kisses in a trail from her jaw to collarbone. Rough kisses that would turn into purple splotches she would have to attempt to cover. He tried not to smirk at the thought. He couldn’t decide if they were moving too fast or too slow, if he needed her right then and there, or if he wanted to kiss every inch of that damn delicious skin until she was begging �" but then again, she was already whimpering. Her nails dug into his bare shoulders and for a moment he remembered they didn’t have much time. He gently set her down, and turned her around, so she was holding herself up against the wall. Nathan slowly kissed the nape of her neck, brushing aside her beautiful hair, tugging at the tiny bow holding her top up with his teeth. From her neck, he bridged a path between each of her shoulder blades. Then down every vertebrae, until he reached the second bow, undoing that one in the same fashion. He was on his knees, holding her hips and kissing her lower back as though he were worshiping her. With every caress of his lips against her skin, he could feel her tense, her breathing quicken. Nathan stood, pressing into her, pulling her against him. She was still bracing herself up against the wall, her hands planted firmly above her head, as one of his started to touch her breasts, holding her back to his chest. Flush and bare and soft.He maneuvered them both so that his weight bearing them as he trailed kisses over her breasts.

“Please,” She begged breathily, nuzzling into his neck a little, “Please, Nathan?”

And how could he deny her when she asked so sweetly? How could he deny this ethereal, stunning, sexy girl anything?

So, she helped him yank his shorts off, and his boxers followed. She didn’t waste much time staring at him in all his glory because oh, Fiona knew. They both knew. His body was almost as familiar to her as her own. Fiona knew all the sensitive areas. She knew that when you bit his shoulder and his neck, he moaned your name in the most seductive way. She knew that when you scraped your nails down his abs, he shivered with pleasure. Well, maybe she liked to let herself think that the last one was just for her…but still. She knew him.

For a quick moment, he started to fumble through his wallet which was on the coffee table, and it took her a moment to understand what he was looking for.

“Can we just…?” She didn’t get to finish the question because his lips were suddenly on hers again and she knew they were both close.

And in one thrust they were finally together and she was tangling her hands in his hair, her back pressing against the wall, his hips rocking into hers. He knew what she wanted before she could even think of asking, and he set her down on the desk so he could move a hand to rub her right where she needed it. Fiona was almost embarrassed at how close she was, at how her moans kept getting louder and louder, his name leaving her perfectly swollen lips over and over.

Fiona’s moans and cries caused a dissonant symphony of sorts to pervade the room. Nathan thought he had never heard anything quite so beautiful.

“Nathan…Nathan…oh…Nathan…” he could feel her tighten around him, as her body trembled, and he groaned softly into her neck. He kissed gently, his lips brushing against hers before his tongue swept through her mouth again.She tried to urge him on, her body filled with need for him again already.

She grasped at him, pulling him ever closer stroking along his back as she felt the quickening rush that precipitated her pleasure.

“Nathan,” she panted over and over. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

Nathan followed her directions willingly and she was writhing, her body aflame as she built closer and closer to crescendo. She suddenly cried out, one hand twisting in his hair as her body trembled.

She tried to slow him, her body wound so tight but before she could explain herself a second climax overtook the first, her body stiffening then collapsing against his still questing tongue.

It didn’t take long before he was reaching his own climax and his hand was fisted in that dark hair and she didn’t even care that he was being rough because it was Nathan and it felt good. He buried his face in her shoulder, his release in perfect harmony with her own.

They held each other for long minutes. She stroked the hair from his eyes, kissing his temple softly as their breathing returned slowly to normal.

“Oh Fiona.” It was gruff and muted against her skin and when she felt him relax, as they both tried to catch their breaths, he whispered “I love you, Fiona. I love you so much.”

And the rest of vacation, he avoided her. He looked away from those itty bitty things passed off as swimsuits, he ignored every smile and laugh and look directed at him. He was perfect for the rest of vacation, until that last night,

Fiona: I’m going skinny dipping, come join me?

Because how could he deny this ethereal, stunning, gorgeous girl anything?

Fiona: I’m going skinny dipping, come join me?

Nathan, you are stronger than this. You are engaged and you are stronger than this. Besides, you’ve already seen Fiona naked a million times and…

But he wasn’t. Maybe because he couldn’t get that damn sound out of his head, the sound of her moaning his name, shaking and holding on so tightly.

Nathan: Fine. just this once, Fiona. And then no more

Fiona: I know

***

There was a little cove, on the right side of the hotel shoreline and it created an enclosed little pool. When he walked out in his swim trunks, silently grateful that Jessica and Alex had decided to go to a traditional Hawaiian dinner that night, he could see Fiona in the middle of the secluded pool. Nathan swallowed, his throat suddenly felt too dry as his eyes scanned over her back. The water level lapped against her hips, silver and deep blue in the moonlight and he was already struggling to maintain his composure.

“Do you know when Alex and Tan are supposed to get back?” He asked her as he waded slowly into the ocean before stepping up and over the rocks.

“Mmm. Midnight, but knowing Alex, probably more around one. She likes to party and so does Jessica. To be safe we probably only have half an hour.”

“Oh ok.” And everything else seemed to die before it could leave his lips. The millions of apologies left because she was running a hand down his arm, and even though she kept her eyes focused on the water, he could see she was crying.

“She’ll be so beautiful.” There was something heartbreaking not only in her whisper, but in the fact that she was pressed against him, warm and soft and naked and beyond arousing yet she still blinked tears out of her green eyes.

“Not as beautiful as you’d be.” He regretted it the moment he said it and Fiona fought back a cold laugh. None of this felt right. “I do love you, Fiona.”

“That doesn’t fix it.” Nathan nodded in response and Fiona’s thumb ran over his cheek. “One last time?”

“Of course.”

Her hair was up, and Nathan had always loved it down, but her hand stopped his before he could pull out the hair tie. His lips pressed against her temple, and then to her collarbone.

“Mmm.” It left Fiona’s mouth in a soft, reluctant moan, one of her hands gripping Nathan’s wrist.

“Trying to do my job for me, Fi?” His breath was warm on her neck, and she still smelled like vanilla.

“Don’t talk I’m still mad at you.” She quipped and kissed him before he could respond.

It was ferocious and deep. Her teeth tugged at his lower lip and she pulled at his hair with wet hands.

“I don’t like it short.” Her words were mumbled into his mouth.

“Don’t talk I’m still mad at you.” He whispered back, picking her up so they could finally be together.

And then it hit him, that this was the last time. The last time she would be holding onto him, her thighs pressing against his hips, moaning his name, biting his shoulder. So he took it slowly, no matter how tortuous it seemed. Slow and soft and gentle and she was not happy but it didn’t matter because the moonlight bathed her in a shimmering glow and the stars dotted the sky in intricate patterns and something this wrong shouldn’t have been so beautiful.

The moon had rolled behind the clouds and it was done. They were done. And there were tears in her eyes again and he hated it because he would give anything to kiss them away and bring her back to his room and curl up with her but he had made his choice. This was the last time.

“I’m not going to stop loving you.” She told him, as she dried off, pulling on an oversized T-shirt and shorts. “I’ll just…keep it to myself.”

“I’m not going to stop either, Fiona.”

His voice was like a slap, and she could feel her chest growing tight.

“Have a good night, I’ll be around if you need me.”

And with one last kiss, lingering softly on his lips, she walked away.

The moon didn’t come out again, the stars seemed to fade and the water was black against a grey shore. The color had left with her.