This time, he’s slow about lowering his mouth to mine, letting me object if I want. I have no objection, only an objection to him not kissing me yet. The world stands still when his lips finally meet mine. My arms wrap around his middle tentatively, my fingertips grazing his side. I’m surprised by his thumbs grazing my cheeks. I open my mouth to him, deepening the kiss. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, brushing against my tongue. I moan, leaning in, pressing my body against his.
He breaks the kiss off, rubbing his thumb over my lips. “I thought I made it clear to you that you’re so much more than some charity case to me. That collision changed both of our lives.”
I want to believe him. My heart nearly jumps through my chest to hear him say the words out loud. Isn’t this what I want? A confirmation that he’s feeling even remotely the same? So why do my thoughts go to war with heart? Is it to temper these budding feelings?
I’m saved from having to address his statement or my feelings when I hear his phone beep with an incoming email. I take the easy escape. “Don’t you need to get that?” I ask, my voice low.
“No, I don’t. I have much more important things to do.” He kisses me again, this time a little harder. His hands drop to my hips, pulling me against him where I can feel his erection. I moan again, opening my mouth. He seizes the opening, his tongue dancing against mine. He lifts me, pressing me against the wall of the pool.
His kiss is desperate as he holds me against his rock-hard body. I spread my legs, hooking them around his hips in an effort to get closer to him. I can feel his hard-on straining against his bottoms, urging against my core. Charlie’s hand comes up behind my neck, tangling in my wet hair. His other arm snakes up my back, crushing me against him. I lean up, at a severe disadvantage, overcome with the need for more. There will be no coming back from this moment.
I don’t want to come back from this moment.
His phone starts to ring.
“Ignore it,” he says breathlessly, not moving his mouth from mine. He starts to kiss down my neck, one hand sliding down my bathing suit strap. His fingers dance along the edge of my top, over my breast, teasing as he goes. I groan as my body comes to life under his touch. I can feel a fire kindling between my legs, so I dig my heels into his bottom, pulling him closer to me, closer to that heat. I know I’ve had boyfriends before, but never in my life have I been this turned on. The phone stops ringing as Charlie slides my other strap down. My hands are more tentative with him. I run my hands along his shoulders and then up to his hair. I’ve imagined what it would be like to run my hands through his golden locks, and I’m so glad to finally do it, finding them silky in my fingers.
Charlie’s phone starts to ring again. He groans, hesitating for a minute, moving his mouth down to my jaw.
“If it’s important they’ll leave a message,” he says.
I hope they don’t call again.
He cups my breast through the bathing suit top, his lips leaving a fire-hot trail down my neck that he sucks and nips at, his tongue soothing as he goes. I release his hair and reach behind me to unclasp my top, which I struggle to get a grip on. He has me pinned firmly against the side of the pool. I whimper when he finds a sensitive spot along the column of my neck. Charlie grins at the noise.
I’m thankful that the villas around us are vacant. At this moment, as his hand starts to tentatively tease into my top, I wouldn’t even care to find out that there was someone watching. The phone stops ringing while I fumble with the strap. I’m just about to get it undone when it rings a third time.
Charlie lets out a frustrated groan, dropping his head onto my shoulder. His lips are swollen as he steps away from me, staring into my dazed eyes. I can read his mind, the apology written on his face without him even needing to say a word. Charlie doesn’t cross back to the stairs; instead he braces his hands on the deck and hauls himself out of the water. He strides over to where his phone rings. He checks the caller ID before answering. With his free hand he adjusts his bottoms, trying to hide the evidence of his arousal.
“What, Jack?” he snaps, opening his laptop, prepared for whatever might have come up. “What is so fucking important that you couldn’t handle it?”
I take this moment to fix the straps on my top, making sure I’m still covered in all the right places.
Charlie goes quiet, listening to the other end of the phone. His eyes flick to me, then back to the computer, apology written within. They talk business a little more, Charlie dropping into the seat with an aggravated sigh. Jack’s a good friend, an old friend, so he doesn’t hold back letting him know just how frustrating he is being.
“Yes, Jack, Bora Bora is fucking amazing. I literally went to an island in the middle of the ocean to get away from you. Now leave me alone unless you want me to kick your ass when I get back.” He ends the call and looks at me.
I am still flushed, sitting in the water under the golden sun. I climb out of the water, wrapping a towel around my chest, feeling too exposed.
“I’m sorry,” he says, looking at me over the top of his laptop screen. The set of his shoulders tells me that he’s settling in.
“Nothing to be sorry about. I’m going to cool off inside for a little while.” I need to cool off both from the temperature and my emotions. I may not remember the last five years, but the ache between my legs tells me it’s been too long since I’ve been truly satisfied.
“I want to pick up where we left off. Maybe get a closer look at that tattoo on your back.” He gives me a sheepish and then devilish grin. This time, I know the blush I’m feeling is from him.
I step into the cool AC, goosebumps breaking out over my still wet skin. My phone sits alone on the table where I left it, no messages or emails waiting for me. Technology hasn’t changed much in the five years that I lost, but I’m still getting used to the nuances. There wasn’t much to be transferred over from the Cloud outside a few innocuous photos of food and flowers. I won’t forget the anguish on Charlie’s face when he handed me the phone and saw that I had no photos in there as a reminder of who I was.
I give in to the urge to download Pictogram. I may not have anyone to follow me, but it doesn’t mean I can’t start to rebuild my life. At some point I had one, posting silly photos and videos from college, but I can’t remember the handle or log in info. I try searching for my name but with no result. I then search Vivian’s name and am delighted to find her but that is quickly overshadowed by disappointment that her page is private. My thumb hovers over the request button, uncertain if I should.
Charlie walks in to find me lost in my phone. He’s quick when crossing to me and then takes my phone and sets it aside. I raise my eyebrows at him, at the audacity of him censoring my phone time.
He sits down, apologetic. “I am really so sorry. I told Jack to fuck off.”
“I heard,” I say, interrupting him, tucking my feet under me. This is uncharted territory for me, for us. I always had clearly defined relationships, not chaotic make-outs with my what, roommate?
“Let’s head into town, walk around, and get a feel for the place. Go shopping, find somewhere to eat lunch, and then when we get back it will be late enough in New York that Jack will be too tired to bother me again.”
“I’m not sure it’s ever going to be too late for Jack to bother you. I’ve seen the hours you work. But sure, just as long as we pick up where we left off at some point,” I say, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye.