34
Jack McLachlan
After takeoff in our small private plane to Auckland, New Zealand, I check my watch to see if we’re on schedule. I notice the date—February 1st—and I’m struck by the memory of a conversation Laurelyn and I had on our second date. She told me she would turn twenty-three on Groundhog’s Day. That’s tomorrow. I can’t believe I didn’t remember until just now.
She hasn’t mentioned it. I think she would tell me if I asked her, but I decide I want to surprise her with something special. I just don’t know what it will be.
Our flight lands and I usually have a driver waiting, but not today. Instead, I rent a convertible for the twenty-minute drive to the house so Laurelyn and I can have this experience alone and at our own pace.
After pulling off the road several times for Laurelyn to admire the coastline, we arrive at the house in Auckland. She hasn’t traveled much outside her small world at home and her eyes are wide with elation. I love seeing her like this. Her expression makes me want to show her the world.
“It’s amazing.”
“Wait until you see the beachfront.”
I carry our bags from the car into the house. I give her the tour, purposely making the bedroom our last stop. I’m proud of this room, even if I can’t take credit for how lovely it is since the house was furnished when I purchased it last year. The previous owner did a fantastic job making this bedroom romantic.
Laurelyn walks over and runs her fingers down the sheer fabric draped over the canopy. “I can’t think of a word to describe this room. Romantic isn’t enough to do it justice.”
“I know.”
“You’ve stayed here before?”
“Many times.” I feel the question she doesn’t ask and I answer it. “But always alone. You’re the only one I’ve brought here.” I want her to know she’s the first and only.
She sits on the bed and falls back across the mattress. “Your boss has great taste.”
I look at the beautiful woman sprawled across my bed. “I agree.”
“What are we going to do first?”
Now is the only time I have to go into town for Laurelyn’s gift before tomorrow. “I have to go out to the vineyard for a quick visit. I should only be gone a couple of hours.” She frowns at my news. “This is still a business trip for me, but don’t worry. We’ll have plenty of time for fun.”
“I’m ready to hit the beach.”
“You can go while I’m gone, but I don’t want you to go into the water while you’re alone.”
She pokes her bottom lip out. “Boo.”
“I know you’re a big girl, but it’s still the ocean. Sometimes unexpected things happen and I’d feel better about you not going in by yourself.”
“I get it.”
She sits up and I kiss her. “I’ll be back before you know it. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen. I don’t need you burned for what we’re going to be doing while we’re here.”
I don’t find Laurelyn’s gift right away, so I’m gone longer than I anticipate. When I return to the house, I leave her gift in the car’s glove box. I want her to think I’m clueless about her birthday since she hasn’t mentioned it.
I walk around to the beach and see Laurelyn’s towel on the lounger where she was lying, but no sign of her. I call her name several times without a response. Where is she?
Deciding she is probably inside, I open the front door and shout her name several times without a reply.
Would she have gone into the water after I asked her not to? I know the answer. Yes, she would. The moment I answer my own question, I dash toward the beach and shout her name. I hear panic in my voice and feel it in my chest as I search the water. I don’t see a sign of her anywhere.
I hear my name in the distance and I turn to see her walking along the beach’s edge. She’s wearing a bright red bikini. How did I miss that? I’m flooded with instant relief and that’s when I notice my hands trembling. She lifts her hand to wave and I lift my shaky one to return the greeting. I sit on the lounger to wait on her because my knees are threatening to buckle beneath me.
I’m calmed, or at least appear to be, by the time she reaches me. I hold my arms out for her to come sit across my lap. I pull her close and bury my face in her hair.
“Wow, someone really missed me while he was gone. Is everything okay?”
“It is now.” I forgo telling her about my near breakdown when I couldn’t find her.
“Good.” She reaches for the buttons on my shirt and begins unfastening them. “You, sir, are overdressed. Go change into your trunks and swim with me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
When I come out of the house, she’s already shoulder deep in the clear blue water so I don’t get to feast my eyes on her in the skimpy red bikini. “You just couldn’t wait, could you?”
“Nope. It’s been calling to me for hours and now I’m not alone, so I didn’t break your rule.”
I toss my towel next to hers and walk out to meet her in the ocean. She swims over and puts her arms around my shoulders. “I’ve never been anywhere so beautiful. Thank you for bringing me.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s going to bring you some.”
“Oh, is it?”
“The eight ball says chances are good.” She kisses my mouth and rests her forehead against mine. “Do you come here often?”
“I try to make rounds on Aurelia at least once a month during the summer.”
“Why do you always come alone?”
“I’ve never been with anyone I wanted to bring. Until you.”
“Oh.” That’s all she says and doesn’t press it further.
When we’re tired of swimming, we come out of the water to relax on the loungers. She’s stretched out with one of her long legs bent.
“I want to take you into town for dinner.”
“Okay.”
“Maybe dancing afterwards?”
“Sure, that sounds like fun.”
After dinner at a romantic café, I take Laurelyn to a dance club I noticed when buying her birthday present. Lights flash around us in the dark and it’s packed shoulder to shoulder. It’s not really the relaxed dancing I had in mind, but she seems happy about being here.
She grabs my arms and we move toward the dance floor. The music is loud and there’s a fast song playing. Laurelyn moves to it like it’s something she’s done a million times.
“Go out dancing much?”
“Yeah. Addison and I hit the dance scene in Nashville a lot.”
She turns her back to me and grabs my hands. She places them on her hips and backs up until her whole body is rubbing against mine as she dances. She knows what she’s doing to me. She can feel the evidence grinding against her ass.
We’re packed on the dance floor and everyone is in his or her own little world. No one is paying attention to us, so I slide my hand from her hip to between her legs. She leans her head against my chest. “You are so bad.”
“I can’t help myself when you’re rubbing on me like that.”
“Sorry. Want to get a drink?”
“Yeah, I need one. A big one.”
We get a couple of glasses of wine from the bar and migrate to the corner so we can hear each other over the pounding bass. “Have you been here before?”
“No. I saw this place today and thought it might be fun. Do you want to leave?”
She shakes her head. “No. I’m having fun.”
I feel someone bump into me from behind and I spill my wine down the front of my shirt. “Shit.”
I turn to look at the jerk behind me and he sees the damage he’s caused. “Man, I’m sorry. Please, let me buy you another drink and pay for your dry cleaning.”
I’m afraid dry cleaning isn’t going to save this. “That won’t be necessary.”
He offers his hand. “I’m Chris and this is my wife, Trisha.”
I’m not really interested in introductions, but I choose to be friendly instead of telling these people to get lost so I can be alone with my girl. “I’m Lachlan and this is Laurelyn.”
I’m shaking his hand but he’s looking at Laurelyn. And for longer than I like. “Is the missus your wife or girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend.” Laurelyn gazes at me and we both grin.
The music is loud, so the wife leans closer. “Have you been together long?”
“Six weeks,” I answer. That means we’re half-over. I wonder if she’s thinking the same thing.
Trish is screaming over the music. “Wow. Things are still in that new, fun, exciting stage for you.” Exciting is an understatement. I should tell them what kind of relationship we have just to freak their married asses out so they’ll go away.
We laugh at our shared secret. I put my arm around her and pull her close. “There’s very little about us or our relationship that’s boring.”
Laurelyn holds her glass of wine out for me. “Will you hold this for a moment while I step to the restroom?”
Trisha takes the last gulp and then slides her empty glass toward the bartender. “I need to go too.”
Perfect. I’m left with my new best friend, Chris. “Your girlfriend is a Yank?”
I take a drink from Laurelyn’s glass since I’m wearing my wine. “Yes.”
“She’s very beautiful. I couldn’t help but notice her when you were dancing. I’d really like to f*ck her.”
What? The music is loud and I decide I misunderstood what he said, so I tilt my head toward him. “What was that?”
He steps closer and puts his hand on my shoulder. “My wife is really turned on by you. She wants to give you head while you watch me f*ck your girlfriend. I mean, if you’re into watching. Our only rule is no kissing. We save that for each other.”
Swingers.
I know I do some weird shit when it comes to women, but this tops the f*cking cake. I look like an altar boy next to this joker. I’m so stunned I don’t answer. I don’t know how to.
Laurelyn and Swinger Trisha come back from the bathroom and rejoin the circle. Laurelyn takes her drink from my hand and I watch her face, wondering if the wifey propositioned her while in the bathroom. Her demeanor seems unchanged, so I assume Trisha left her husband in charge of closing this deal.
She loops her arm through her husband’s. “So, did you ask him, honey?”
“We’re in the middle of discussing it.” He grins at me. “So, what do you think? Are you guys up for it?”
I think Laurelyn is trying to read my face, but can’t. “Are we up for what?”
I pass my empty wine glass to Laurelyn. “Will you hold this for me, baby?”
I guess it can be called a sucker punch since he has no idea it’s coming, but I make a fist and slam Swinger Chris in the jaw, sending him face down onto the dance floor. I want him to get up so I can beat the shit out of him, but he’s smarter than that and stays down. “Get up.”
Laurelyn stands there in shock staring at me because she has no idea what this freak wants to do to her. “Lachlan! What are you doing?”
I point to Chris on the floor. “You want to know what I think? Is that a clear-enough answer for you?”
Security is stalking in my direction to throw me out, so I put both hands up. “No need. We’re out of here.”
I take Laurelyn by the arm and pull her toward the door. “What’s going on?”
“Not now,” I growl at her.
She follows me outside and comes to a halt. “Why did you hit him?”
I keep walking toward the car. I’m afraid I’ll go back inside and kill him if I don’t get out of there.
We get into the car and I grip the steering wheel. That’s when I realize how damn bad my hand hurts.
“Lachlan, you’re scaring me.”
“No more than I’m scaring myself.” I just lost my shit over some guy telling me he wanted to f*ck her. He made me see red. I wanted to choke the life out of him for what he said.
She’s staring at me. “I highly doubt that.”
I can’t talk to her about this right now. I’m too furious. I start the car and drive to the house in silence. I’m pissed off. She’s scared and confused. Not a great combination.
Neither of us says anything when we get to the house. She walks inside and goes straight to the bedroom. I go to the kitchen and search the freezer. I don’t find frozen peas, so I wrap ice in a dish towel and put it around my swollen hand. It hurts like hell, but I don’t regret hitting that a*shole. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
I calm down after I stand in the kitchen for a while. I decide I owe her an explanation, so I go into the bedroom to find her. She’s wearing her nightgown and standing in front of the sink washing her face. She watches me in the mirror as I come up to stand behind her.
I put the dishcloth-wrapped ice on the counter before I place my hands on her upper arms and kiss one of her bare shoulders. She reaches up to touch my injured hand. “You’re bleeding. You need to clean this so it doesn’t get infected.”
She takes my hand. “Is there any antiseptic here? Or maybe some triple antibiotic ointment?”
I’m rarely here, so I don’t make a habit of keeping stuff like that around. “I doubt it.”
She brings it closer for a better inspection. “You should at least wash it with soap and water.”
She cuts on the water and soaps a lather onto her fingers. She washes my knuckles until the dried blood is gone and then blots it dry. “I’m afraid you’re going to owe your boss some new towels.”
“He’ll get over it.”
She’s still holding my hand when she looks up at me. “Tell me what happened.”
I focus on her eyes as I remember his words, “I’d really like to f*ck her.” The thought of anyone else having her makes me crazy.
I reach out to hold her face. I lean forward and kiss her, not knowing if she will let me or not, but she does. When I finish, I take her hand and pull her into the bedroom toward the bed. I sit on the edge and pull her hips toward me so she’s standing between my legs. Her fingers play in my tousled hair.
“I want to know.”
I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “That guy, Chris, told me he wanted something of mine—something I wasn’t willing to share.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You. He wanted you.”
“Me? But he’s married.”
It makes me sick that I can’t say it without picturing it in my head. “He asked me to watch him f*ck you while his wife gave me head.”
Her eyes are wide. “Oh?” I see it on her face when it clicks. “Ohh. Swingers?”
“Exactly.”
“You pounded his face in because he wanted to have sex with me?”
“I damn sure did and I’d do it …” She cuts off my words with her mouth as she slams it against mine. Her hands are at my chest working to unfasten the buttons of my wined-stained shirt. Unsatisfied with such slow progress, she reaches for the bottom and pulls it over my head while it’s still buttoned.
She unfastens my belt buckle and then the button on my pants, this time more successful with the process. She slides my zipper down and puts her hand inside my jocks. Her hand encompasses me as she glides it up and down. Damn, this girl knows how to give a hand job.
She kisses me hard while her hand pumps me. I’m close to coming, but she doesn’t let me. “Where are the condoms?”
“Outer pocket, big suitcase.”
She kisses my mouth. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Hell, there’s no chance of that. I stand and kick off my daks and jocks while she’s digging for the rubbers.
She slinks toward me flipping a foil package between two fingers. She uses her palms to push me down on the bed. “I’m putting it on this time.”
“No argument here, baby.”
She opens the packet and I’m such a guy. I lift my head because I want to watch her put it on me. It’s hot watching her hands touch me like that. When she finishes, she shimmies her panties down her legs and steps out of them. She climbs one knee at a time onto the bed and straddles me. My hands are splayed over her hips as she watches my face. “So, you don’t want Swinger Chris to have me?”
Ugh, I need that image out of my head. “No f*cking way.”
My tip is at her wet entrance, but she doesn’t slide down on it. She’s rocking her hips back and forth, teasing me. “Can anyone else have me, or is Swinger Chris the only one who can’t?”
“No one else can have you, Laurelyn. I’m the only one.”
She smiles. “Then show me.”