Page 74 of Closer than Ever

“Down to our shoulders. Then we could swim for a minute? Let’s try to make the most of it.”

“Okay. Let’s hurry.”

They pushed in deeper, wading through the ice-cold water and tentatively swam for a few metres. A slight wave wet their hair.

“Fuck!” Anna said. “That’s so cold!”

“So fucking cold.”

They laughed, gazing into each other’s eyes, swim floating with their arms out to the side in the dark sea.

Hayley stared at Anna. She was actually staring. There was no doubt about it. She floated closer. Anna’s heart raced. She wanted to kiss her so badly. Their legs touched underwater. A few beats went by.

Hayley reached out, drifting her fingers along the underside of Anna’s forearm. “Look at us. Naked in the sea together.”

“Yep. Look at us. Getting hypothermia together.”

“All right. Let’s get out.”

They hurried back to the shallow water. The resistance on Anna’s legs lessened and soft dry sand graced her feet. Anna shivered. It was a warm night so there was some relief but without towels this was a struggle. Anna threw on her clothes that were quickly made damp when they touched her still dripping skin. She had goosebumps, and a quick glance at Hayley in the dusk revealed the same. Anna couldn’t let her eyes linger on Hayley’s body, though. It was too much.

Hayley, now clothed and visibly shivering, stepped towards her, arms out to her side. “For heat?”

Anna nodded, wanting to hug her so badly, but at the same time, petrified of what it might do to her.

Hayley wrapped her arms around her, pressing her body flush against hers. They both shuddered when their bodies made contact. The heat from Hayley was instantaneous. Anna clung to her, resting her head over her shoulder. There was something about this hug that felt different. It felt safe. It felt like home, but that was crazy. Hayley’s breasts pressing against hers was frankly sexual. A hot rush of arousal coursed through her, causing her to squirm.

Hayley spoke over her shoulder. “Are you getting warmer now?”

“A wee bit. You?”

“Yeah.” She squeezed Anna tighter. It reminded Anna of when she would squeeze her to calm down, but this was more tender. Intimate. She was holding her. “You feel so good,” Hayley murmured.

“So do you.”

Hayley pulled back, slightly, brushing the side of Anna’s face as she did so. Hayley hovered by Anna’s cheek for a few very slow seconds.

Anna ached to turn her head and find Hayley’s beautiful lips… but didn’t. Couldn’t.

Hayley stepped away, silently, and picked up the rest of the picnic stuff while not looking at her.

A knot gripped Anna’s stomach. Had Anna just ruined an opportunity for them to take this further after all this time? Is that what Hayley wanted?

Propelled by the pressing need for warmth, they rushed the short distance along the sand dunes, not saying much, back to the campervan. It was like they both had something on their minds. Anna knew what was on hers but she didn’t know how to voice it.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Anna murmured, grabbing two towels and her toiletries bag.

“I will too.”

Anna hovered by the door. “Okay.”

The shower block was empty. They found cubicles beside each other. Anna undressed, keeping her sandals on. The steaming hot water was divine.

Hayley’s sprung on, too. Knowing she was right next to her, through the thin cubicle, naked, was all Anna could focus on. Gently, she massaged shower gel into her body, thinking about how Hayley’s breasts had felt against hers, how they had nearly kissed, and the thin strip of hair between Hayley’s legs. The image occupied her whole brain. She could sense how wet she already was, and not from the shower.

Hayley’s shower stopped.

Anna’s hearing was on high alert, imagining Hayley rubbing herself with her towel. Anna wasn’t ready to face Hayley just yet so she just stood there under the shower, waiting to decide what to do next. Anna’s hands drifted to her breasts. She squeezed her nipple and let her other hand drift lower to find out just how wet she really was. And wow. She was like molten lava. It felt good to acknowledge how turned on she was feeling, even if only to herself.

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