She emerged, damp and slightly more upbeat. I eyed her and topped up her wine for her. “Need a jumper?” I asked her – she’d opted for a vest but no bra and her nipples were clearly visible through the semi-translucent cream cotton.
“Unless we’re expecting company, no. Are we expecting anyone?”
“Nobody knows I’m here except you and my parents,” I said. “I could fling myself off the edge of the world and nobody would be the wiser.”
“Then unless it bugs you…”
“It doesn’t,” I said. “Whatever works for you. I’ve always been easy like that.”
She touched my hand. “You’re so lovely to be around.”
“You’re the only person on Earth who could say that and mean it.”
“Yin and Yang, you and I,” she said.
“Rather say Sun and moon,” I countered.
“I’m OK with being your moon,” she said, and I snorted.
“I’ve made the salad; we just need to sort the olives. I wasn’t sure what else you felt like.”
“Maybe those lamb thingies,” she said as she bent to dig in the fridge. “The skewers.”
“Good idea. Grab another bottle of wine while you’re at it, will you? I’m not going to be satisfied with only half a bottle of this in me.”
“Good thing neither of us have to go anywhere,” she said. “I don’t feel up to moving again tonight.”
“I hear you. I’m also starting to feel the sun a bit.”
“Don’t you dare go fading on me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said. “I’ll get my second wind soon enough.”
Charley lit the chalet’s awful kitsch Doric-column candle and put it on the outside table while I dimmed the internal lights. We carried our food out and set it out on stools that we placed between our deck chairs; I topped her up again as she assumed her position.
“Thanks, Ari,” she said. “Thanks for looking after me so perfectly.”
“How could I not?” I answered her. “Having you here again is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“I’m glad you turned out alright.”
“Not much chance of that not happening, I’m far too much of a goody two-shoes. Unlike you,” I added, grinning.
“Oh, you wound me.”
“I’ll kiss it better then,” I said with a flippant wave of my hand.
She flushed and glanced away.
We sat, and ate, and drank, and watched the slow procession of stars climb up above the sea. A small group of figures walked the beach by torchlight – some sort of night-time entertainment organised by the hotel, I suggested. Charley maintained they were probably German tourists putting out their towels to reserve their deck chairs for the morning, and I cackled at the thought.
Slowly the world stilled. The moon rose, flooding the land with stark silver light and making everything clean and strange.
“I wish I could paint this and frame it and hang it in my flat,” she murmured. “This colour, this mood – the lights, the glass-like sea.”
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it,” I agreed.
“Heaven on Earth, complete with an angel.”
“Giving yourself airs?”
“I meant you, you tart,” she growled.
“I’m no angel. Too earthy.” I disagreed.
“Not to me you aren’t.”
I smiled to myself as her fingers brushed against and then curled around mine. I’d always loved how tactile she was with me, how hugs were as normal as breathing to her…
“What are you smiling about?” she demanded.
“Just… how natural it is to be like this with you. Despite all those years. I was thinking how much I love it when you reach out and take my hand like you just did.”
“It’s because we both knew this was meant to be. Our… friendship. Time and distance were nothing compared to Fate.”
“Mm. You’re drunk, Charley Collins.”
“Perhaps I am. But I’m happy. And that’s a good place to be right now. Chilled. No angst, no drama. Just you,” she said.
I stretched, groaning theatrically as I did. “I enjoyed today,” I announced. “Definitely one of my better. We should go back to that bay. I liked swimming there.”
“Maybe watch the sunset there.”
“That would be nice.”
“Yeah. I think it would. On that note, though, it’s time for the entertainment to commence.”
She rolled forwards off the deck-chair and got unsteadily to her feet.
“Where are you going?” I asked, curious.
“To the sea. It’s time for the skinny dipping.”
“Are you serious?” I laughed. “What if someone sees you?”
“Then they’ll get an eye full of tits and bum, won’t they,” she said with a grin. “Hopefully they’ll enjoy it. So… are you coming?”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Oh, totally. I need a chaperone though. Come on. Put your wine down and come keep me company.”
And she took my hand and pulled me up and after her.
.:.
“Oh God, the water is sublime,” she said.
We’d made our way to the south end of the bay, close enough to not be isolated but far enough away to not offend anyone’s sensibilities. She stood ankle deep, staring out to sea, her hair glowing silver in the moonlight.
“You’re really going to do this?” I asked, amused.
“Totally.”
She turned and made her way back to the sand. She smiled at me, then reached for the straps of her vest and pulled it up and over her head. She dropped it negligently to one side.
She undid the buttons of her linens and let them slide free of her shapely legs.
Then, grinning, she eased her underwear down her thighs. Her lovely perky breasts jiggled slightly as she shimmied her hips, and I watched her in amused (and jealous) admiration.
“I’m totally doing this,” she said.
She collected her things into a bundle and turned back to the sea; I swallowed, suddenly and inexplicably touched by the wonderful curves of her profile under the moon’s gentle kiss…
“Are you coming?” she asked.
“Who, me?” I said, guiltily.
“Yes. Come on. Be daring with me.”
“Um… technically, we’re not allowed to do this, you know…”
“Ariadne Taylor. Live a little, will you? Nobody’s around but me, nobody will see you… except me. And I’ve already seen it all anyway.”
I eyed her and then, flushing, heart fluttering for no good reason, I slowly stripped out of my shirt and bra and dropped them beside hers.
Then, face aflame, I untied the drawstring of my pants and let them and my knickers fall to the sand beneath me.
“Gosh, Ari, you grew up so nicely,” she said, and I blushed even hotter if that were possible.
She grinned at me and reached out her hand; intensely and strangely self-conscious, I stepped forward and took it.
She dragged me out into the water with her, moving further and further offshore until the sleepy waves of the Aegean lapped at our bare breasts and shoulders.
She moved closer to me; leaned in.
“See?” she breathed. “Isn’t that nice.”
“It’s…. weird…” I laughed, conscious of the goosebumps crawling over my back, of the strangely exciting feeling of cold water against my bare labia. “I… I’ve never done this before. It’s so weird, not having fabric covering me…”
“Mm. I could tell you were a virgin. I do it whenever I can. Whenever the water’s not freezing.”
“Really?”
“Oh, totally, I love being in a state of undress in the water. Especially around… beautiful people,” she added in an undertone.
“Really,” I said, deadpan this time.
“Uh huh. I’m an exhibitionist, after all,” she laughed. “Well. Sort of. Sometimes. Situation dependent.”
“Why? What made you…”
“I don’t know, really. Music festivals at Uni, perhaps – that cured a lot of hang-ups. Or maybe I was always just like this. Looking for an excuse to drop my knickers for all and sundry.”
“Which am I then? All or sundry?”
“Definitely sundry,” she said softly.
Something brushed slowly against my breast, and I jerked. “What the fuck was that?” I whispered, as visions of gills and fins and slashing teeth rose from my deep subconscious.
“My hand,” she said. “Sorry. I misjudged, I was trying to just get my arm around you… better?” she added, as I felt her fingers trail down my back.
“Oh. Um…”
I stared down at her slightly lop-sided smile.
“Why?” I asked, shakily.
“Because I wanted to be closer to you.”
“… Oh.”
I shuddered.
“Charley,” I whispered, as her fingers roamed further.
“Uh huh.”
“What… what are you doing?”
“Seeing whether I can… possibly tempt you into… anything,” she breathed over the soft murmur of the water.
“… Um…”
“Tell me to stop if you want me to.”
“… I…”
She moved closer still.
“See, I’m definitely open to… things…” she murmured. “Very, very much so, in fact, from the moment I saw you yesterday. God, you’re gorgeous, Ariadne…”
She pulled herself to me with a shivery little sigh. I swallowed as I felt her bare breasts and their firm, hard nipples against me; I let out some sort of weird whimper at how nice it felt, how wrong it felt…
How right… moaned an utterly foreign little voice deep within me.
She nuzzled my neck, and I let out a soft, ridiculous sound as she brushed it with her tongue.
“Charley…” I managed.
Her thigh nudged against me, and she slowly wormed her leg between mine, and upwards, and farther upwards still… and as I felt her skin press up against my lips, for a single shining moment I nearly, nearly gave in to the sudden hot alien rush of desire…
“Charley,” I moaned.
“Mm…”
“I’m… I’m not…”
“Tell me to stop… and I will…”
“… Stop,” I whimpered, almost hating myself. “Please…”
“Oh? Oh. Really? Alright,” she sighed. She gave my neck one last kiss and released me. I moaned again as she removed her leg from where it had fitted so very, very well…
“Can’t blame a girl for trying,” she said, almost sadly.
I snatched a panting breath, then a second, and shook my head to clear it from the twofold effect of wine and incandescent desire to be touched again…
“Are you…” I asked, when I could.
“Bisexual? Oh yes. Very much so. Technically trisexual, really.”
“Tri… what… what on earth…”
“I’ll try anybody at least once.”
I stared at her. And then I started to laugh, and soon enough she joined in.
She fumbled for my hand, and I squeezed it hard.
“No hard feelings, please?” I whispered. “I’m… just not… well, anything, really…”
“Oh, Ari. You could set me on fire and I’d still love you with all that I am,” she breathed. “I’m… sorry for misbehaving like that. It won’t happen again.”