Crossroads (16 page)

How can this be my reality?  How can Nick be real?  All of these feelings he has… I feel like I am in a dream.  His arms tighten around me, reminding me I’m not.  He leans down to kiss me and I feel like I am floating on a cloud.  Who knew it could be like this?  With
Nick
of all people!

I twist my
head to kiss him on the neck and he returns the favour, nuzzling mine.  The next thing I know I’m airborne, and being placed on the kitchen bench as Nick pushes his body between my legs.  He trails kisses up along my jaw then stops at my mouth.  Of course I kiss him back, I kiss him back with a ferocity that only Nick draws from me.  But when I feel his hand climbing my thigh and creeping under the hem of my dress I pull from his lips.

“C’mon, let’s go on this picnic.
” He looks at me with disappointment. “Where’s that patience you say you have?  Plenty of time for this later.”  I smirk at him and he groans, hanging his head.

“I j
ust got through telling you I won’t be leaving you alone Em.”

“I never said I wanted you to.”  I give him a shove and then jump down from the bench.  “Just give me a minute to get changed,”
I call out as I head towards my bedroom.

“I can help you with that,” he groans from where he remains standing, now with his hands bracing hi
s body against the bench, his head turned in my direction.

“I’ll be right out,” I
say, ignoring his comment and shutting the bedroom door behind me.

Moments later I am ready and back in front of him.

“So I was thinking we should go to your place so you can get changed into your swimmers and then we could take your car?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Nick replies, picking up the picnic basket with one hand and grabbing hold of mine with the other.  I collect
the bag I prepared earlier, with sunscreen and a couple of beach towels, and we head out the door.

When we get to Nick’s house he pulls me into the kitchen where we find his mum seated at the table doing a crossword.

“Emma, it’s so nice to see you again,” she says standing up to give me a squeeze.

“Hello Marie,” I say
, hugging her back.

“Are you hungry, let me make you
something.” She shuffles to the fridge and pulls out what looks like a bowl of lamb or chicken covered in herbs and spices.

“Thanks but-”

“Ma, we’ve got our lunch organised already.  We’re having a picnic at the beach,” Nick says putting the picnic basket on the table.  He turns to me, “I won’t be long,” then disappears toward his bedroom.

“What have you got in there?” Marie asks
, peering at me with what I presume is concern for her son’s diet.

“Just a couple of rolls and some fruit and water,” I reply.

“Well, let me get you some spanakopita to take with you.”

“Ok
ay thanks, that would be lovely,” I reply, feeling the need to entertain her, even though I have no idea what she is talking about.

“Babe?”
I hear Nick call from the hallway.  “Do I need a towel?”

“Nah, I’ve got you covered,” I reply as a thrill shoots through my body
- I love the sound of his voice and I especially love that he just called me
babe
, it makes this whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing seem real.

Seconds later, Nick is standing back at my side as I place the
container of whatever-it-is in the basket.

“Ma
, are you taking over our food supply?”

“Oh, you know I’ve got to look after my boy.”  He walks over and gives her a peck on the cheek before turning to collect the basket.  “Have a lovely picnic
you two.”

“
Thanks for the, ah, food,” I say, not remembering what it was called.

“Anytime Emma.”
  She gives me a wide smile.

“See
ya Ma!”

We step back outside into the hot sun and I’m instantly relieved that I didn’t have to see Nick’s dad.  Obviously Nick feels the same way because he mumbles, “Good thing Dad’s out.”

“Hey I’ve been meaning to ask you, what was your sister’s name again?”

“Maria,” he says lifting up the boot lid of his hotted up orange Commodore.

“So your dad is George, brother George Jr. and your mum is Marie and sister Maria?”

“Yep, I’m the odd one out.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that, I just wondered who you were named after?”

“My grandfather.”

“Yiayia’s husband?”

“Yeah, he died a long time ago.  I don’t really remember him much.”  He shrugs,
then opens the passenger door for me.

“What nice manners you have,” I say.

He leans into me, his lips almost, but not quite, touching mine.  “I’ll show you just how good my manners are later.”  He ghosts his lips back and forth across mine, leaving me breathless.  Then he pulls away, walks to the other side of the car and climbs in.  I shake my head to clear the fogginess I suddenly feel and take my seat.  After closing the door I reach for the belt.

“Huh.”

“What?”  Nick turns to me after clicking in his own seatbelt.

“Nothing
, just… I had a flash back to the last time I was in this car.  I remember different belts.”  I do, I remember they were tricky to do up.

“
Different belts?
”  Nick laughs.  “The only time you have been in my car you were a little under the weather.  I assure you I haven’t changed my seatbelts.”

“Was I really that drunk?”

“Ah yeah.”  Nick turns the ignition and Empire of the Sun blares through the speakers.  He turns down the volume and turns up the air-conditioning.

“Why were you so opposed to a little drunken debauchery that night Nick?  Things could have been so different between us
…”  I swallow back my sadness, thinking of all the time we’ve wasted.  Time that we can’t ever get back.  Time that is quickly running out.  “You never seemed the type.”

“The type?”

“To walk away, to knock back a sure thing,” I say, anger suddenly taking over.

“Em I explained that-” I shove his hand off my arm as it comes over to soothe me.

“No Nick!  You humiliated me that night!” I say with a snarl.

“I love it when you’re feisty.
” He smiles at me, and I feel my anger wavering.

“You walked away and left me high and dry.”

“High and dry?”  He leans across the centre of the car baring his teeth in a sexy, smug smile.  “Really?”

We stare at each other for a moment
and I feel my insides clench, the already hot car feeling even hotter.  His eyes smoulder as his teeth grate across his bottom lip.  I feel an intense desire to get closer to him.

“
High and dry?
” he asks again in a husky voice.

“Wet and wanting then.”
  I lick my lips and lean closer causing Nick to groan and close his eyes.  “Kinda like now,” I whisper.

His eyes open wide and he charges me.  He kisses me so hard that I think I he
’s probably bruised my lips, but I don’t care.  I reach between us and undo the belt that is restricting me.  I lean over the centre console so our chests are meshed together.  Nick’s big hands are on either side of my head and mine are tugging on his hair.  My legs are writhing, trying to find their way over to his side of the car, my bum lifting off the seat.   I can’t get close enough.  Between heated kisses Nick speaks.

“You do realise… that we are in… my parents’ driveway
… in broad daylight,” he breathes. 
I don’t care.
  “Ma’s probably… watching us… right now.” 
Okay I do care.

I pull away and sit up straight in my seat.  Smoothing down my dress
, I then re-buckle my seatbelt.  I’m staring straight ahead, because I am so turned on right now I can’t look in Nick’s direction.  He chuckles from beside me and puts the car in reverse.  I glance at the house as we leave and, sure enough, when I look up at the lounge room window I see the curtain move.

The sea air hits me as soon as I get out of the car.  I cannot remember the last time I went to the beach. 
I pull the picnic basket from the back of the car and join Em at the steps leading down to the sand.

“This was a really good idea Em.  It’s a perfect day for the beach.”

She smiles at me before turning to the stairs.  I follow her down the steps my eyes glued to her the whole time.  The sun highlights tinges of red in her hair as it gently whips around behind her in the light sea breeze.  I am a couple of steps behind but I can still smell her perfume and it makes my mouth water.  She dumps her bag and pulls out a beach towel.  With a flick of her wrists she has it spread out on the sand.  I place the basket down nearby and she goes about placing another towel down for me.  Taking a seat beside her, I open up the basket.

“So what did my mum give you?”

“Spank-in-optera or something,” she says scrunching up her face.  It’s adorable and I can’t help but smile and stare, she truly is mesmerizing.

“Span
akopita.”

“Whatever wog boy,” she
teases me with a smirk.  “What is it anyway?”

I grab the container out and open it to show her
.  “It’s basically pastry filled with spinach and feta.  Here, try some.”

She takes a
square piece of deliciousness and hesitantly bites it.  I watch as she chews and her eyes light up at the flavour.

“Good?”

“Mmm so good,” she groans and I find it hard to concentrate on anything but her mouth as she takes another bite and moans. 
Good thing my board shorts are a little baggy.  Watching her eat is hazardous.

Finally tearing my eyes from her, I grab one of the rolls
from the basket, unwrap it and take a bite.  Looking out to the ocean I see only a few people about, well it is lunchtime on a Tuesday I suppose.

“Do you mind if I eat the rest of this?” Em asks picking up the container of spanakopita.  “It’s so yum!”

“Go right ahead.”  I nod, and then watch as she eats the remaining two pieces while I eat two ham and salad rolls.  I meant it when I said I have a hard time saying no to her; I really wanted some of that spanakopita too.

“This is nice,” she says, leaning back on her hands after lunch.  Lifting her face up towards the sky, she closes her eyes as mine trail down her face, her neck, the plunging neck line of her light pink summer dress. 
I need a distraction.

“So what was this thing you bought for both of us?” I ask.

“Well,” she says sitting forward.  She grabs a water bottle and takes a sip, dragging out her answer.  “I was thinking about when you are overseas.  I wanted something for you to remember me by.”  Sadness falls across her face momentarily, but she blinks and it’s gone.  “So I went shopping.  It took longer to find than I thought it would.  But…”  She stands up.  “I thought you would probably want something small, easy to carry.”  Her hands reach down to the hem of her dress and she tugs it up slowly.  My eyes automatically flick down to her legs as the dress goes higher and higher, slowly teasing me.  Her cream coloured thighs are begging me to touch them.  She wriggles her hips at me.

Fuck the what?  Em is doing a strip tease! 
Suddenly she pulls her dress up and over her head, revealing a skimpy navy blue bikini with the Australian flag barely covering her breasts.

“I thought you could carry a picture of your hot Aussie girlfriend with you.”  My eyes roam all over her body as my dick jumps to attention.  I gulp and try to find the words
.  My mouth remains agape as she falls back down on her knees beside me, a wide smile on her face and a sparkle in her eye.  “Did I render you speechless babe?”

I swallow hard, “Yeah, just a little.”  My voice comes out like a strangled moan.  I clear my throat.  “You blow me away Em.  Just when I think I’ve got you all figured out, you find another way to surprise me. 
So much for the shy girl from the train station.”

“It’s you.
”  She blinks at me and I see an emotion on her face that I cannot name.  “You bring me out of my shell…  You make me feel stronger and more confident. 
You
do that.”

“I do?”

“Yes.”  She nods.  “You make me feel good about myself.”  She blushes, then murmurs, “You make me feel… sexy.”

That’s it!  I close the gap between us and kiss her hard.  I push her until she is lying back on her towel and
I’m on top of her.

“That’s because you are sexy Em.
”  Lifting up, I look down her perfect little body one more time, before looking back at her beautiful green eyes.  “
So damn sexy
.”

She bites her lip then and I complete
ly unravel.  I kiss her passionately and deeply and without remorse.  I don’t care that we are at a public beach.  My tongue thrashes with hers as one hand tangles in her hair and the other cups her breast.  Her breast that is barely covered by the skimpy little scrap of material called a bikini top.  She feels so good as I grind into her, my hard against her soft.  A small moan escapes her mouth as she threads her fingers through my hair and kisses me back even harder.  We are in the middle of a not-so-crowded beach, out in the open and I am about to fuck her senseless.  I vaguely register the sound of children laughing but I’m unable to pull away.  Luckily for all concerned, Em is stronger at resistance than I am.  She pushes my shoulder and moves her head to the side.

“
Nick… Nick, stop,” she says, breathing heavily in my ear.  I groan in frustration and pull my head up to look at her.  “There are kids here.”

“Just
… give me a sec.”  I try my best to even out my breathing as her hands come back down to rest beside her glorious body on the towel.  I move off her with a grunt, pulling the towel I was lying on previously with me and quickly laying it across my lap.  She sits up.

“Are you right?”  She smirks at me with hooded eyes, taking pleasure in my discomfort.

“No, I’m not fucking right, you little minx,” I breathe out, smiling back at her.  “I’m hard as a fucking rock.”  She bursts out laughing and, shaking my head, I do the same.

“Well
Mr. Hard-as-a-fucking-rock,” she whispers seductively, leaning into my shoulder.  “I’m going for a swim.”

She stands in front of me and proceeds to brush sand off her legs. 
Of course
she has to bend down in front of me to do it.  Bending at the hip she slowly brushes the sand from her calves.  Her tiny little bikini bottoms practically in my face.

I groan, “So not helping!”

She giggles, straightens up and then with a little shake of her tight arse heads in the direction of the water leaving me stuck on the stand for a few minutes more.