Page 5 of Summer Ever After
I did a bit of quick math in my head. She graduated high school late, what did that mean – nineteen or twenty? She has spent three years saving up money for tuition, did that make her twenty-two or twenty-three? “Do you work in town?” I continued my roundabout investigation.
We had reached our knees. At the shoreline we’d been about three feet apart, that distance had closed and the heat from her arm radiated against mine. “I…” her voice cracked. “I do. I’ve got a couple of jobs truthfully.”
A gust of wind sent ripples racing across the bay. Daisy shivered and I slipped my arm over her shoulders and pulled her close to me. Goosebumps pricked on my arms too and I rubbed hers vigorously. “That breeze is coming from the north. It means that the weather is changing.”
She turned to face me and I wrapped both of my arms around her. “I’m only doing this to keep you warm.” I could explain away the hug, but what I couldn’t explain was the raging hard-on pressing into the buttons on her shirt.
Her lips drew into a smile, dimples denting her cheeks below a scattering of freckles. How had I not noticed them? I wanted to pull off her sunglasses, not to see what she looked like, but to see who she was. I was a firm believer that the eyes always told the truth and from behind the mirrored lenses, I couldn’t be sure what she was thinking. Until she reached to wrap her arms around me, threading her fingers behind my neck. “Well, Max. I should probably tell you that I’m freezing.” She pressed her body into mine and a surge of heat ripped through my body. My cock went from a semi to a rager as she pressed her chest into mine. Her nipples pricked through the cotton of her tank top. I released one of my hands to cup her perfectly sized breast. “You seem to be on the verge of hypothermia, according to this thermometer.”
She took my other hand from her waist and pressed it to her free breast. “What about this one? Does this thermometer match the findings of the first one?”
“Your science background is showing.” I brushed my thumb across her puckered nipple. Hmmmm. Let me see.”
She inhaled sharply. “I think that I might need to get a more accurate reading. My voice had dropped low and growly. Daisy had lit something inside of me, and now that it was burning, I wasn’t sure it could be extinguished. I slipped my hand underneath her tank top. This time my breath was taken away as my fingertips met her bare skin. She wasn’t wearing a bra.
“I can confirm that it is indeed, chilly outside.”
Daisy laughed. It was quiet and soft, and fucking beautiful. She stood on her toes and then her mouth was on mine. I squeezed her breast and wrapped my arms around her back, rubbing it in slow circles as we kissed. I had never had a set of sweeter, softer lips on mine than hers. I drew one hand to cup her jaw, pausing to look into her eyes, but I was met with my own – staring back at me from the surface of her sunglasses. I hadn’t imagined the tension that had been simmering between us since she swung her leg over the top of my motorcycle.
“Let me see your eyes,” I whispered, touching the arm of her aviators.
A woman’s voice screeched before I could take them off. “Help!”
Daisy and I jumped apart and whipped to face the shore. The mom was gesturing wildly, pointing to the far end of the bay. The unicorn floaty was bobbing in the choppy water where the sheltered bay met open water. She was running and screaming, but we were closer. “Oh, my God,” Daisy gasped.
We both sprinted down the bay. The splashing from our strides became muted as we made it into the deeper water. The kids were jumping up and down on the float and didn’t seem worried that another gust of wind could send them across the lake.
“Stay here,” I ordered. “I’ll get them and bring them in.”
I didn’t wait for her to object and I didn’t stop to take off my shirt. I dove into the water and took two full strokes before emerging. “Wait there,” I yelled and started an aggressive front crawl. I didn’t want Daisy swimming in her clothes and knew that I could be at the unicorn in seconds. Growing up I had won the regatta swim every single year. My pace was aggressive. My jeans slowed me down, but not much.
When I reached the unicorn, I turned to ensure that Daisy hadn’t followed me. She hadn’t, but she had waded deeper and was standing with her hands on her hips.
“Hi, kiddos.” I hooked my arm around the neck of the unicorn. “Is there room for one more?” I tried to play it cool, I didn’t want them to freak out. They were smiling and seemed to be enjoying their unaccompanied cruise.
“No way.” The older one jumped up and down. Both were wearing those foamy water-wing things.
I turned and waved to Daisy and the mom, who was standing with her hands clutched in front of her. “I’ve got them.”
“Are you two ready for this unicorn to get a motor?” I said in a goofy voice, hoping that they couldn’t hear the tremble. They had been in a bad situation, and I didn’t want to imagine what would’ve happened if they’d made it out into the open water. They probably would’ve been fine, someone in a boat would’ve rescued them, but that would’ve been traumatic. I still had the chance to rescue them, without scaring the crap out of them.
“What kind of motor?” The younger one’s teeth were chattering.
“The fast kind.” I made a roaring sound and hauled myself up onto the rear end of the unicorn, kicking my feet wildly, creating a bigger splash than was necessary. We were heading for shore and the kids squealed and laughed. “This is fun.” The older one stood and held onto the unicorn’s mane. I stopped kicking. “The motor only works when everyone is seated. ”Both boys nodded and sat, crossing their legs.
When we reached the shore, the mother rushed to the unicorn, her arms extended, but the kids bypassed her and ran to the blanket, pushing each other and arguing over what bag of potato chips they were going to open.
“Thank you.” The mom shook her head as the two boys squabbled in the background. “I should’ve been more careful, I should’ve been…” There was a tremble in her voice. I wrapped my arm over her shoulder and squeezed her tightly.
“They’re fine. As far as they know, they just went for an awesome ride. Things happen quickly though, maybe next time tie that unicorn to shore.”
She nodded, her eyes welling with tears.
“Mom. Stevie won’t share the Doritos.” One of the kids screamed, he was standing and crying while pointing at his brother.
The mom’s shoulder relaxed beneath my arm. “I should go. Thank you again.”
“No problem.” I laughed. “It looks like you’re about to have to step in to stop a Dorito battle.”
