They drank the champagne and held hands.
Eventually the plane stabilized and they could move about the cabin. So they sat on the couch and watched TV together, feeling like a real couple. She lay with her feet across his lap, and Red massaged her feet softly, gently. His hands were warm and knowledgeable. By the end, she was so relaxed that she dozed off.
She woke as the plane bumped a soft landing on the runway in Florida.
“I slept that whole time?” she cried, sitting up.
Red laughed. “They wanted us to move back to our seats for the landing, but I refused to wake my sleeping beauty.”
The plane slowed down and came to a stop near the airport. She rubbed her eyes. “This might be the strangest night of my life.”
“Perfect,” he said.
***
It was just after ten-thirty when they arrived, via taxi, at Siesta Key, a small tourist island that Nicole had only heard of, but never been to. The main drag was cute, filled with little outdoor restaurants, bars, some of them with musicians playing for the many customers.
Plenty of people walked up and down the strip, and everyone seemed to be happy, as if playing bit parts in the romantic movie that was Nicole’s life.
Red took her to a surprisingly normal grill called Club Baja. They sat outside, where the air was warm and fragrant, and humid. She could smell the beach, the ocean air.
It was like a dream.
“This place has the best fish tacos I’ve ever had,” he said. And proceeded to order fish tacos and beer for both of them, not bothering to inquire what she might like.
Nicole didn’t fight him on this, because by now she expected that he would take charge of just about everything.
And besides, he was right about the fish tacos. They were incredible. “This might be the best meal I’ve ever had,” she admitted.
He nodded, chewing a huge mouthful of food and following it with a gulp of beer.
When the meal was over, they walked hand and hand down the strip with the other tourists, just a regular couple out for a stroll. The only thing that made them stand out was their clothing. Red had taken off his suit coat and tie and rolled up his sleeves, but he was the only guy wearing fancy pants and a button-down.
Finally they arrived at the beach. Red bent down and began unlacing his shoes.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“We’re going to take a walk on this beach,” he said. “Come on.”
So she took off her heels and he took off his shoes and socks. He was now carrying so many different pieces of clothing that he eventually dropped it all in a pile by one of the vacant lifeguard chairs.
She placed her high heels in the pile and they continued their walk, this time right down by the water. The sand was cool on her feet and between her toes. When the water made it to their feet, she shivered a little.
“How can you suddenly seem so normal?” she asked. “Is this an act or what?”
Red took her hand and stopped her. He looked in her eyes. His face was bathed in shadows. “I’m doing this because I want to make you happy,” he said. And then he kissed her.
I love you, she thought. She was frightened to think it, but also glad.
He took her and laid her down just far enough away from the water that the waves didn’t reach them as they kissed on the beach. She was getting sand all over her, and she didn’t care at all.
Soon, he’d removed her blouse. And then her jeans came off.
She was naked. They were far enough down the beach, and it was dark enough that she wasn’t too afraid of being seen. And besides, it was exciting.
Red stroked her face, told her he wanted her. Told her she was everything to him.
“I missed you when we were apart. I don’t want to be apart anymore.”
“I love you,” she told him.
Then he was caressing her breasts, her nipples. The air felt cool against her bare skin.
He kissed down her stomach to the part of her that wanted him most. Between her legs. She moaned and cried out as he kissed her there, too.
“Make love to me,” she told him.
When he entered her this time, it was different. She knew what to expect from his size, which was still amazing to her. But she felt so connected to him now, so trusting of his intentions.
He was gentle. She knew that he was being gentle for her.
She came more times than she could count. At one point she bit into his shoulder to keep from screaming. Scratched his back as he thrust into her, pushing so deep that her eyes rolled back in her head and her hips bucked against him. She clutched his tight buttocks with her hands as he thrust again.
“I’m coming,” he whispered in her ear.
And she felt that too.
***