Random

`The deep, pink sky overhead rumbled as gray, rolling clouds began to form. One by one, drops fell, striking the cobblestoned-streets. Bright, yellow reflections of the black, wrought iron street lamps appeared in the stone-work and puddles as the storm grew in intensity. Rain rattled against the window of the small café, the table seated against it showcasing the weather on display outside as the duo sat together and watched.

“C’mon…” Kristin said as she grabbed his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

“O-okay,” he responded, quickly withdrawing his wallet; tossing a couple twenties on an empty plate to cover their meals. Outside the rain came down in sheets and he pulled his fleece jacket over his head.  “Why’d you park so far down?”

Kristin smirked, unphased by the drenching downpour that was soaking her, her dirty-blonde locks sticking to her cheeks and neck. “Oh, you’re not gonna’ melt.” she said, and together they made a dash for the vehicle; one of them in an attempt to seek the shelter, the other driven by a sudden, streaking burst of fun and energy. Sam opened the passenger door of the small blue pick up and slid in. Glancing back he realized Kristin was not getting in the driver’s side. Instead, there she was - illuminated by the light of the nearest street lamp, arms out-stretched, standing in the center of a puddle, her hips swagging to a song that could only have been heard in her mind. The rain continued to drench her, causing the soft cotton tee to cling to her figure…

...something that never went unnoticed to Sam.

He took his sleeve and began wiping away at the fogging-condensation that had obstructed his view as the rain pelted the roof of the vehicle. Lightning flashed behind her, the skies flaring white and for a split-second it was as if it was daylight.

“Are you insane?” Sam shouted as he rolled the window down, waving for her to get in.

“Just a little” She screamed mid-laugh as she returned her attention to the puddle, this time jumping in it causing the water to splash up around her. Thunder rattled the small pick-up and Sam started reaching for the handle to open the door.

“Oh for fuck’s sakes,” he stammered when he tried to exit, his frame caught by the nylon belt he forgot to unbuckle in his haste.  

“Would you just stay put, I wouldn’t want you to melt” Kristin laughed but still made no moves toward the truck. Reaching in her right front jean pocket she tossed the keys through the open window.

“Find me some music would ya,” She demanded.

“I’ll get right on that,” Sam said, wrapping his arms around her waist as he started dragging her towards the vehicle. “As soon as you get that shapely ass of your behind the wheel where it belongs right now.”

“Not yet” Kristin slipped out “I just want to feel alive” she turned and made her way toward the small pier.

“No no no no…” Sam said to himself over and over as thunder and lightning continued, causing him to flinch and cower each and every time.

“Just get back in the truck” Kristin called over her shoulder “ I will get in soon.” Sam sprinted after her, huffing after only a few seconds as his legs pumped and propelled him forward.

“I need… I need to hit the gym with her… more often…” he huffed as the cold rain struck his flushed-face and neck. Kristin continued to skip along the wooden planks of the observational pier on the lake. The black lamp posts were softly illuminating the pier as the storm began to ease. As she reached the end of the pier, Kristin kicked off her flip-flops, and running, plunged over the railing and into the icy waters of the lake.

“No!” Sam cried as he reached the observation deck. Laughing she turned back to face him.

“Chicken” she screamed in between fits of laughter, turning she purposely kicked up a spray aimed directly at him, the waters splashing up on his bare legs as he stood at the metal-railing of the pier. Still laughing she swam around pier and waded her way up the connecting boat ramp as Sam made his way back and around towards her.

“C’mon,” Sam said, gripping her arm as she laughed in the cool, late-spring air as she emerged from the gently lapping waves. “You’re gonna’ catch cold or worse. Let’s get back to the motel. I knew this was a bad idea. Thank gawd I left my camera equipment there.”

“ Oh shut up.” Kristin said as she slipped her arm free. “Loosen up a little.” She shook her head spraying the water from her hair everywhere, still laughing. She pulled her shirt off over her head and twisted the fabric, wringing it as the moisture poured from the absorbent fabric.

“Gah!” she heard Sam exclaim and as she twisted her head, she was greeted by his black fleece draping over her. “Really, Kristin? Really?” His face flushed red.  

“I was a bit damp. If you hadn’t noticed. Would you rather I rang my pants out too.” She slipped her shirt back on and the fabric molded to her figure, almost as if painted on - the dampness adding an almost paint-like sheen.

“Alright Chicken, let’s get out of here.”  Kristin turned and raced off to the driver’s door of the vehicle, Sam’s eyes on her shapely rear as he trailed behind her. She slipped behind the steering wheel, turning the key and at once the engine roared to life as she sat there, impatiently tapping her fingers on the wheel.

“I’m coming! I’m coming!” Sam bitched as he slid back on, buckling up.

“Quit your bitching already, I told you I wanted to live a little.”

The short ride to the motel was in silence save for the radio which Kristin always turned on out of sheer habit. A brief, five-minutes and they pulled into the parking lot in front of their room. Shutting off the engine Kristin opened the door and stepped out of the truck.

“I am taking a shower.” She stated to no one in particular as she made her way to the room door. Sam’s hand grazed the lock as he missed the lock at her words.

“Having problems getting it in?” she asked, further flustering him. He rattled the door open, holding it open for her.

“Not at all.” he quipped.

“Well like I said… I am taking a shower. So find something good on TV.” she said as she made her way through two-bed room and into the bathroom, forcefully shutting the door. Sam could only listen as he heard the water start as Kristin turned-up the volume of the Pandora on her phone…

 No ones gonna love you like I do.No ones gonna care like I do.And I can feel it in the way that you breathe; I know you dream of her while you sleep next to me.

She had reached a hand in under the spray, gauging the temperature of the water as it gently sprayed, steam beginning to form in the small, tiled space. Turning the water hotter she stepped back and slipped her shirt-off. She reached around to unclasp the black bra she had chosen for that day when her fingers ran over those of Sam who had unhinged the garment.

“Sam!” She shouted, arms crossed over her chest. He had a sheepish look on his face.

“It’s nothing I didn’t see ten minutes ago. Plus, I didn’t realize how sheer and lacy it was at the time, because, y’know, I was worried about your modesty an’ stuff…”

“Ten minutes ago I wasn’t stepping into a shower with the door closed. When I want company I will be sure and let you know...”

“Oh I know you want company.”

“ I am freezing my ass off from jumping in the lake and I want a nice hot shower with Pandora.”

“You’re freezing because of those wet-clothes,” Sam started. He knelt down and unbuttoned her jeans, pulling the zipper of the fly and tugged on the legs, taking in the black bikini.

“SAM!”

“You match.”

“I always match, Now get your ass out of here so I can shower.” She watched as he tugged her jeans free, gently folding them on the nearby towel rack, moving the towels to the edge of the shower.

“Turn around.” Sam said.

“Sam…”

“Just do it. Turn around.” She rolled her eyes and twirled around and she felt his fingers glide along her shoulders, slipping under the straps of her bra as he gently pulled the garments down her arms where she allowed it to fall to the floor.

“Okay. You’ve seen me topless. Happy? Now out.” she opened the door with one hand and pushed Sam out with the other. This time locking the door behind him. Quickly shedding her remaining undies, she reopened the door laughing.

“Just get in the damn shower...”

...the room was empty.

“Sam?” He’s hiding… she thought. “What the FUCK? There’s a naked a woman standing here!”

Still nothing - just the music from the Pandora playing from the bathroom. That’s when she noticed that the small chair by the window was missing the backpack that held his camera and peripherals.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” she said angrily tapping her foot. Turning she walked back into the bathroom, slamming the door. The click of the lock filled the empty room. The volume of Pandora rose as…

Well your faith was strong but you needed proof, You saw her bathing on the roof , Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya, She tied you to her kitchen chair, And she broke your throne and she cut your hair, And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

The door rattled as Sam knocked, the sound audible through the song. “Kristin, I’m sorry. I…”

there was a brief pause. “I shouldn’t have tried that. I’m sorry.”  Ignoring him Kristin poured shampoo in her hand and began lathering up her hair.

“I’ll… I’ll just wait for you, um, out here. Don’t, ah, don’t take all the hot water.” He added.

            “But baby I've been here before, I've seen this room and I've walked this floor, You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya, And I've seen your flag on the marble arch, And love is not a victory march, It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah”

She sang along driving home the fact that she was now quite pissed off, as Kristin never sang.

“I can hear you singing. Are you that pissed? I said I’m sorry.”

The water shut off. and the song was soon silenced. Sam didn’t know which was worse,the angry singing or the silence as he sat on the bed, nervously tinkering with his camera.  After what seemed like an eternity, Kristin emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel that barely covered her form, her arms raised as she used a separate towel for her hair.

As he looked up at her, he fumbled with his camera, dropping it on the carpeted floor.

“Can you work that okay?”

“What is it with you and entendres tonight?” he asked, retrieving the device and giving it a once over to make sure he hadn’t damaged it.

“Why are you mad? I was being a cad and I totes agree with your anger about that, but I just figured you wanted some space from my antics! And don’t… just don’t start riding my ass because I use ‘totes.’ Lots of people use totes.”

 

Kristin sighed as she crossed the room to rummage through the small bag she had brought along. Still silent she removed a pair of black yoga pants and a white tee. Turning on her heels so quickly that the towel tumbled off her head she made her way back into the bathroom and shut the door silently.

Slowly, Sam opened the door again. “Okay - I know hints when I see them.” He grabbed her gently and pulled her out into the bedroom. “Let’s talk.”

“TALK!!!” Kristin glared at him as she dropped the towel.

He practically leapt from his bed onto her, the two tumbling unto her bed. He gripped her wrists and pulled arms by her head, his eyes meeting hers as she bit-hard on her bottom lip. Anger still flared in her eyes.

“I’m not devoid of morals, Kristin. And I have the worst guilt for a non-practicing Catholic.” His hands raised and met hers, his fingers interlocking with hers. “Is this…”

He paused…

“Is this a line? I need to know.”

“A line?” she continued to stare Sam down “A FUCKING LINE”

“Am I crossing a threshold?” She could see the sincerity in his eyes, in his expressions, in his body language. He was was hesitant.

“ I would say you passed a threshold over an hour ago”

“I didn’t get the glimpse I was given now, Kristin.” His hands released from her fingers and traced down her wrists, down her forearms and along her biceps, stopping at her shoulders. “I don’t like to assume anything. I need some sort of sign… permission…”

“Permission? You want permission?” He brought his face down to hers and she could smell the mint on his warm breath (his damn addiction to Altoids) and his eyes slowly closed as their lips met. He reached down, and pulled the sheets out from underneath her body, tossing them to the side along with his shirt as he brought his hands down to her tapered waist, his fingers running over her warm, intoxicating flesh. Her lips greeted his several times as the kiss lingered on, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pushing her pelvis into his.

“Wait...” she stammered, trying to catch her breath as Sam backed away, shaking his head.

“What the fuck are we doing?!” Kristin sat up on her right elbow, her cheek resting in her palm. “This is gonna’ fuck everything up.” She pulled the flimsy comforter over her body.

“Define ‘everything,’ Kristin,” Sam started. She could see the frustration on his face. “If by everything you mean the mood right now, then yes.” He leaned and started to kiss the nape of her neck as she faced the small lamp that sat between the beds.

“By everything…. I mean EVERYTHING.” she pushed back pulling the comforter tighter around her as she slid off the end of the bed. Her sigh was audible through the whole room as she crossed back into the bathroom.

“No point in closing the door now.” Kristin said as she pulled on the yoga pants and reached for the shirt sitting on the ledge of the sink. Sam sat on the edge of the bed staring at her as she pulled the shirt over her head and made her way back to her small bag.

“For a mother of three, you have the most perfect nipples I have seen,” Sam said, his head propped up on one arm as his eyes followed Kristin’s movement. “Pretty sure I appreciate them a lot more, too.”

“That is so not the point…. and no that was not a pun.” Kristin pulled out a toothbrush and a small tube of Crest.

“Would you just … give me a minute….” She spun on her heels and made her way back to the bathroom yet again. This time swinging the door around. Sam heard the water turn on and the distinct sound of her brushing her teeth.