She leans in, winks, and whispers, “Did you do something to that poor horse?”
Did she just wink at me? Yes, yes she did. Staring back at her, I give her the biggest smile and laugh. I reach out to touch her arm, and my heart starts racing with all the heat radiating between us. Her skin is soft and erupting with goosebumps.
She pulls away quickly. The urge to touch her feels right, and it’s an automatic response. We haven’t talked like this since the last summer we were together. I miss how easy it is to be near her, feel her presence, touch her, and talk to her. The connection with her is undeniable.
Why did I let all of this go? She was it for me, and I totally messed it up.
I want to get to know her again, but as soon as my hand brushes against her arm, I notice her shoulders tense and her eyes dart away. Her posture is rigid, and hesitation lingers in the air between us. I’m determined to be there for her, to be the person she feels that spark of connection with and to show her how easy our conversations can flow, just as they did years ago. I could sense the warmth of our interaction earlier, but I realize I overstepped when I touched her arm. Those goosebumps on her arm didn’t go unnoticed by me. She feels it but may not want to admit it.
It’s time to back pedal a bit with her. Something easy to talk about that will get us back on track. I want to laugh and joke around like we were just a few minutes ago.
“How are you liking Aruba so far?” I ask her, leaning back in my chair.
As she brings her attention back to me, she asks, “I’d come back here every year. My friends and I usually try a different destination for each girls’ trip, but this is the place that really has me rethinking that.”
Her eyes drift off to the open ocean, almost as if she is thinking about something. The pirate ship is sailing along the ocean, and we have a view of the sky and nothing beyond the horizon.
Snorkeling will be fun, and there is a rope swing, one of the big perks of picking this excursion. I’m all about an adventure and having fun. It reminds me of when I was younger. I tap myfinger on my chin. When was the last time I jumped off a rope swing? Was it the summer I left for Utah? It might be. Surprising myself, I let out a little laugh and nod my head.
“Are you ready to jump off?” I ask, and with my arms wide, I point to the back of the ship.
“Yes, I’m excited about it. It’s been a while since I was on a rope swing. I’m sure you're ready to jump off, Mr. Adventure,” she teases.
I still remember when we would use the swing down by the lake with my friends, and Faith would use the rope swing. It was our summer tradition on the weekends.
“You know, when the opportunity comes, I’ll be the first one in line.” I rub my hands together and whistle.
She is making me really nervous; I don’t want to say the wrong thing. Swallowing hard and leaning my elbows on my knees, I realize I need to get up. Faith flinches as I abruptly stand and say, “I’ll be right back, do you want anything to drink besides your water?”
“No, I'm good, thank you.”
I move along the deck of the ship to the bar to grab myself some air that isn’t next to Faith. I’m thankful for the line at the bar because it gives me a few extra minutes to breathe.
The feelings I have right now push me to talk to her. I can tell her what happened and explain all of it. But we are here to enjoy this excursion, not dig into our past. It may not ever be the right time. She doesn’t deserve for me to bring any of this up. For now, I clear my mind, shake it off, and get a soda from the bartender. I’m happy just talking with her and keeping the conversation light.
I head back to my seat, and the captain gets on and announces we are going to anchor. That means snorkeling is about to start—the assistants on board start handing out all the snorkels and masks. What’s nice about this ship is there are acouple places for us to go off of, especially with so many people. It makes for a much better experience.
Faith is smiling as she starts to put on her mask. She looks so happy being here.
“Looking good,” I say to her, but I really wanted to smack that ass. She looks amazing in that bikini.
She is wearing a pink-and-white flowered bikini that is showing off her…well everything. Not much is left to the imagination. Her boobs have filled in, and I can see her nipples peeking out of the thin fabric. The bottoms are hugging her ass like it’s a hammock and accentuating her luscious thighs.
Calm down there before you give yourself a hard on in front of her and everyone else.
I adjust myself and demand to think of something else to calm down my overactive dick. Easier said than done when she stands right next to me and is radiating sex.
“Gee thanks, mask and all,” she says with some snark.
With my mask and snorkel in hand, I nod to her. “Come on, let’s get in the water.”
I gently guide her forward, my hand resting lightly on the small of her back. She doesn’t pull away, and I sense her lean back slightly, responding to my touch. We reach the edge of the boat, and one by one, we plunge into the water. The temperature is perfect.
I'm gliding through the expansive ocean, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of marine life. The water is a deep, endless blue, and sunlight filters down in beams. Schools of vibrant fish dart around me, their scales gleaming like jewels in the sun.
I've never snorkeled in such a breathtaking place before, where the water glows with an ethereal blue and the sun casts rippling patterns through the water. Having Faith here is a bonus—an opportunity to truly be with her. I glance back,expecting to see her right behind me, but she's nowhere in sight amidst the shimmering water.
FIFTEEN
