Page 75 of The Ex Factor

As I lay with my hands underneath my head, I fought against the breeze that was trying to gently rock me to sleep.

“Are you going to hog the hammock all weekend?”

Aarti’s voice near me brought out an unintended smile. I opened my eyes under the sunglasses to gaze at her beautiful face. She stood looking at me with her hands on her slender hips.

“You brought me here for that, did you not?” I asked.

“Yes, but I didn’t know you wouldn’t share.”

“I don’t mind sharing. Climb in.” I grinned.

“Okay, scoot,” she teased.

“Sure.” I wiggled my body.

She let out a beautiful laugh before climbing in to rest her head on my arm.

“This is so relaxing,” she said and placed a hand on my chest.

“Yes, now don’t disturb me while I nap.”

I felt the curve of her lip, the movement of her cheek against my chest as she smiled at my words. I felt the entirety of her body against me. Her silky legs, grazing against mine. The soft ofher stomach against my hipbone. I could feel the warmth of her body through the two layers of clothing between us.

Then I felt something else. Her breath got deeper and labored. Her body stiffened. The palm resting on my chest moved a few inches inward, then stopped abruptly. I tried to ignore the sensation, but the mind has a mind of its own. And my mind was bossing over me hard. Quite literally.

Then, without a word, she pushed herself up with the hand on my chest.

“What happened?” I asked as if I didn’t know the answer to that silly question.

“Nothing, this isn’t working. It’s uncomfortable. I am all scrunched up. I’ll go lay down on the chair.”

I nodded and watched her lower herself into the lounge recliner.

I closed my eyes and went back to pretending to nap. Her delicate floral fragrance still hovered around me, nudging me softly. I heard her shuffle.

“I’ll be back in a bit,” she said.

“Alright,” I said with my shaded eyes still closed.

The sea was calm before the evening tide. The sun was making a slow trek toward the horizon with the intention of setting but taking its time, teasing, provoking, wondering how long it would take for mortals to surrender to the beauty of the evening sky. A gentle breeze sang to the sun, asking it to stay a bit longer. I basked in the lull of the breeze and the now predictable rhythm of the waves lapping at the shores. My closed lids began to relax over my eyes, and I was just about to slip into slumber when I felt a pair of soft lips on mine.

My eyes flew open, and my arms lifted up in a defensive posture.

“It’s me,” Aarti said.

“Aarti, what are you doing?” I removed my sunglasses, dropping them over the rim of the hammock, and they landed in the pristine sand with a soft thud.

She had changed into a skimpy two-piece bikini and stood over me, bathed in sunlight, looking like an ethereal being.

“I thought you wanted this,” she said and undid the knot on her top, then pushed it off her shoulders.

I sat up as high as I could in the wobbly hammock.

“What are you doing?” I asked, flabbergasted.

“Do you want me?”

I’d stopped breathing. She touched my cheek gently. “Do you want me, Sujit? Me?”

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