Lauren brings out the fried chicken, along with a few snacks and some water for Gem. One of the qualities I like about Lauren is she always thinks of the small things. Gem has become important to me, and it means a lot that Lauren thought of her too.
The topics over lunch are light. We talk about the books we’re currently reading like we used to when we came here for lunch. Lauren tells me how she's surprising her mom for her birthday.
When we talk about her family and her trip, I sense she's leaving something out. I want to push, but I don't because I want to enjoy today. Whatever she's leaving out, I don't want it to burst the bubble we’re in yet, as selfish as that might be.
"You ready to go swimming?" she asks after packing up our food.
My nerves take a hit. While I loved swimming before my accident, things are different now.
As if Lauren can sense my hesitation, she places a hand on my shoulder."I'm right here, and Gem will stay at the shoreline. If you can't find your way back to shore, she’s trained to go in after you and pull you back. But I won't let it go that far," Lauren reassures me.
I know she's right. I have to trust Gem, but I also trust Lauren. Without another thought, I strip my shirt over my head. Lauren’s sharp intake of breath is oddly satisfying. Downtime on deployment didn't allow us to do much but lifting weights and hitting the makeshift gym was one of my favorite ways to kill time.
I haven't been able to go to the gym like I used to, but I’ve been doing physical therapy, and I know I'm in good shape. I’m carrying a lot more muscle than the last time she saw me. I give her a cocky smirk to hide that I want nothing more than to see her in her bathing suit. The soft sound of clothes being removed tells me she's getting ready to swim in the lake.
Lauren takes my hand, and we walk until the cold lake water reaches my feet. By the time the water is knee deep, she’s let go and starts splashing around in the water. I wade toward the sound before diving under the water and coming back up.
When the splashing gets close to me, I lunge for her, causing her to giggle. I always loved that sound.
"So, tell me, what's different about our favorite spot here at the lake?"
She takes a minute, and it sounds like she's swimming closer to me. "Not much has changed. The dirt parking spot is gravel now, and there's a fire pit to the right side of the lake. Otherwise, it looks the same."
"And what about you? Are you in one of those bikinis that drove me crazy?"
She lets out a little giggle and moves around in the water. "Maybe you should come find out," she says in the voice she used when she was flirting with me.
I stand there shocked. She's never let her wall down this much around me. I leap toward her before she changes her mind, and she erupts into more giggles.She crashes into my chest, and I wrap my arms around her waist. My hands touch skin, and I know she's in a bikini. What I wouldn't give to see her smooth skin, water dripping from her hair.I want to rage at this blindness.
We both freeze, breathing hard, waiting to see who makes the first move.
Lauren moves away, and the spell is broken as we splash around again. But when I bump into her again a few minutes later, I wrap my arm around her waist. This time I'm not wasting my chance.
Her skin against mine sends my heart racing. I expect her to pull back, but she does the opposite and presses her body into mine. I can feel her nipples like bullets against my chest, and there’s no way to hide how hard I am.
Bringing my hand to her face, I cup her cheek, sliding it to the back of her neck and pulling her toward me. She melts into me, and our lips collide.
I kiss her like I have so many times in this lake, like I’ve wanted to for weeks. I kiss her like she's mine, and this might be the last time I hold her in my arms.
When she grips my waist, my cock grows impossibly harder, and I moan into her mouth. She leans against me and then abruptly pulls back. She puts so much space between us that I can’t reach for her.
"I'm so sorry that was too far."
"If you couldn't tell, I was enjoying myself. It wasn't too far for me,” I reply.
"You are a patient," she tells me yet again.
"Lauren, we both know this is beyond any normal patient relationship. I am your patient, but I was your friend first, and then we were... more." I can't bring myself to say how much we meant to each other.
"And now we aren't. So patient is where it needs to end."
Water dripping fills the air as she walks out of the lake and away from me.