Summer Loving
Lise Gold
Claire Highton-Stevenson
KC Luck
Cara Malone
TB Markinson
Amanda Radley
Aurora Rey
Erin Zak
Emma Sterner-Radley
Contents
Introduction
Stranded
Blisters and Beer
Beach House
Order Up!
Tropical Heat
Always Check The Reviews
Park Service
#MissedOpportunities Or Four Times You Almost Kissed Her and the Fifth Time When She Kissed You
Insomnia Club
Afterword
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing this limited edition collection of summer short stories. We all hope that you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed writing them.
Stranded
Lise Gold
Chapter 1
“Are you saying we can’t get back?” Miki looked to her tour guide, expecting him to have a back-up plan while she moved over, seeking a dry spot under the palm tree their group was holed up under. The downpour was getting worse by the minute and so was the wind that was blowing from all directions. Dark clouds were sprawled across the sky, slowly spreading, closing the few blue gaps left. “So now what?”
“Not much we can do, I’m afraid.” Niran put his phone in his pocket, then spread his arms and waved his hands, beckoning the six people who’d signed up for a day in paradise to come closer. The morning had been fun spent snorkeling and exploring the beautiful small island that was full of wildlife, but now, paradise was very, very wet. As they’d walked back to the pier where their boat would pick them up to take them back to the mainland, the skies had opened, and the wind had started raging along the southern coast of Thailand. “It’s a thunderstorm. Not the worst I’ve seen, but still, boats won’t come out in this weather.” He scratched his head and frowned. “It’s unusual for this time of year and there were no weather warnings this morning. It happens sometimes.”
“But surely we can’t stay here? There’s not even a hotel on this island!” Cathy, the most vocal person in their party, exclaimed. Her voice went up a notch as she held her phone up, trying to catch a signal. “Can’t we charter a helicopter or something? We’ll pay for it.” Richard, her husband, shot her a surprised glance but didn’t comment.
“Would you fly in this weather?” Niran laughed and raised a brow at her. “Besides, there’s nowhere to land, the jungle is too dense here, and the strip of beach too narrow.” He let out a deep sigh as he looked around the group, clearly just as disappointed with the situation as they were. “Anyone need to get to the airport tonight?”
The various members of the group looked at each other and shook their heads. “What if we did?” Rita, another woman asked.
“Then you’d have to take it up with your travel insurance because by the looks of it, we’re not going anywhere for a while.” He pointed to the tiki bar where they’d had lunch earlier. It was the only sign of life on the island, apart from a makeshift library, three cabins and a small house. “Come on, let’s get dry first. After that, we’ll figure out the rest.”
Miki followed him along with the others, not in the least bit phased by the turn of events. It was only her first week in Asia and already she’d seen monkeys in the wild and snorkeled over gorgeous reefs. Storm or no storm, being stuck on a tropical island wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to her, right? Coming from Kansas—one of the most active regions in the world for tornados—a thunderstorm would be a walk in the park and since their tour guide didn’t look particularly worried, she wasn’t either.
“Anywhere you need to be tonight?” Alba, a fellow backpacker asked as she caught up with her. “Or anyone you need to get back to?” Alba was from Spain, and in her late twenties, Miki guessed. As the only other single in their group, they’d talked a little throughout the day, although their conversations had mostly consisted of comments on the reefs and the jungle during their snorkeling expedition and the two-mile hike. Outspoken and funny, she’d made Miki laugh several times, but too consumed with all the beauty surrounding them, they hadn’t gone much deeper than that. They would have more than enough time to get to know each other now, though.
Miki looked at her and noticed she had a little heart-shaped beauty mark on her cheek. “No. You?”
“No. I think I’m exactly where I need to be.” The woman tilted her head skyward and closed her eyes for a moment as the rain trickled down her face. She was attractive; shorter than Miki with an athletic physique, big brown eyes and short dark hair framing her cute face. Her huge backpack looked heavy, but she didn’t seem to have trouble carrying it as she walked up the beach with a bounce in her step. “So, are you traveling by yourself?” Her Spanish accent was strong as she spoke, but it only added to her exotic charm.
“Yeah. I’m between jobs and thought I’d explore Asia since I haven’t been here before. I have eleven weeks left and no plan, so I’ll just see where this trip takes me.” Miki smiled at the woman. “Alba, right? I’m Miki.” Although they’d introduced themselves this morning, Miki doubted the woman still remembered her name.
“I know. How could I forget?”
Miki chuckled, not sure how to reply to that. There was something about the way that Alba looked at her that made her both uneasy and giddy, and it had happened several times today. “How much longer will you be traveling?” she asked.
“I have two months out of three left.” Alba shot her a beaming smile. “Time flies when you’re having fun; it only feels like a week since I left home. Waking up and not knowing where the day is going to take me is the best feeling. Take this for example.” She gestured to Niran and the two couples in front of them. “I was planning on taking the night bus to Bangkok to get a flight from there when we got back, but instead I’m stranded on an island with a bunch of random people and a gorgeous woman.”
“Okay…” Miki couldn’t help but laugh, because it was pretty clear that Alba was hitting on her and that was a first. Miki was the epitome of a super straight, all-American, tall and blonde sorority girl, and no woman had ever looked at her that way. A funny feeling crept over her as she felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Thanks for the compliment, but I’m not into women.”
Now it was Alba’s turn to laugh. “You Americans are so funny. You always want to put yourself in boxes.”
“What’s wrong with that? I happen to like my box.” Miki arched a brow at her and crossed her arms defensively as they waited for Niran, who was talking to the bar owner.
“Nothing. It’s just more fun to play outside every once in a while, that’s all.”
Miki was just about to reply when Niran came back with a bunch of keys.
“Okay, we’re in luck,” he said. “There’s no one else here, so you guys can take the cabins and I’ll sleep on the couch in the bar. The bar owner just told me there’s an official storm warning now, and that all travel has been suspended for the coming ten hours. But don’t worry; we have food, shelter…” He pointed to the small library. “And lots of books, so there’s no need to be bored. Please don’t go into the jungle by yourself. If you get bitten by a spider or a snake, we won’t be able to get you help right now. Rita and James; cabin number one is yours.”
“Thanks.” Rita took the key, looking worried as she glanced at the dense forest behind the cabins. “Will snakes be able to get in our rooms? Are we safe from the storm?”
“You’ll be safe if you just stay around here tonight.” Niran chuckled as he regarded the worn-out shacks posing as their accommodation because they looked like they were about to fall apart. “We get storms all the ti
me and those cabins have clearly been here for a while so I’m sure they’ll withstand another one.” He held up a second key. “Cathy and Richard, you’re in cabin number three. And you guys will have to share one, I’m afraid,” he said, turning to Miki and Alba. “It’s either that, or one of you will have to sleep in the bar with me.”
“No problem, I’m happy to share.” Miki noted the funny feeling that coursed through her as she said it. Her painted toes curled into the sand when she looked at Alba, who simply shrugged and smiled.
“Fine by me, too.”
“Great. Thank you for being so understanding, this is beyond my control.” Niran yelled something at the bar owner, who in turn fired off a long monologue in Thai. “Okay, so we’ll have dinner at the bar at seven. There’s a toilet back there, and if you want a shower…” he laughed as he shook out his wet hair. “There’s an outside shower behind the bar, but I’m not sure if it’s of much use; it’s basically recycled rainwater so you might as well stand out here for five minutes.”
Miki opened the door to the old cabin that was built on stilts. It was made out of driftwood and was topped with a thatched palm frond roof. A small plastic window, covered by a thick layer of dust, let some much-needed light into the dark room that was basic at best. There was a double bed under the mosquito net that hung from the ceiling, one shelf, a stool, one nightstand with a lamp, and a couple of clothes hooks on the back of the door. She’d somehow expected two single beds, and the thought of sharing a bed with a stranger was a little weird, especially after the conversation they’d just had. Her eyes darted from the bed and then back to Alba to gauge her reaction.
“Hey, don’t worry.” Alba gave her an amused smirk, as if reading Miki’s mind. “I’m not going to feel you up in your sleep.”
“Of course not.” Miki sat down on the rickety stool but the minute she did, one of the legs gave in and she fell to the floor. They both laughed, relieving some of the sudden tension in the room.
“Good thing it’s just for one night,” Alba said as she helped her up, but something in her eyes told Miki she didn’t mind sharing at all. She was still laughing as she walked around the bed and put her backpack down. “I hope at least the bed holds. Can I take this side?”
“Sure.” Miki felt embarrassed and a little clumsy, standing there with nothing much to do, so she grabbed one of the towels from the shelf and started drying her long, blonde hair that was sun bleached and tangled from the saltwater. She fixed her gaze on the wall but couldn’t help peeking as Alba took off her bikini top, dried herself off and put on a white tank top.
“Okay, I’m going to turn around now so you can get changed. I promise I won’t look.” Alba let out a chuckle, and Miki felt foolish for being such a prude. They’d been snorkeling in their bikinis and had practically seen each other half naked most of the day, but getting dressed in a room with a virtual stranger was different.
“Thanks.” She quickly opened her bag, grabbed a clean T-shirt and a pair of shorts and dried herself off before changing. Then she ran a brush through her hair and put on some mascara, cursing herself for wanting to look nice. They were stranded, it would be dark soon, and it wasn’t like there was anyone she needed to impress. “Okay, I’m done.” Miki hated the sudden high pitch in her voice. She was rarely shy around people and wondered why Alba was suddenly making her feel so self-conscious.
Alba turned and glanced down at Miki’s legs in the short denim shorts. “You look nice.” She ruffled a hand through her hair, making her top creep up, and Miki found herself unable to look away. Her abs were tight, her skin tanned and smooth and the pair of tiny jersey shorts she was wearing emphasized her perky ass. “Well, I’m going to get a drink at the bar,” she continued, raising a brow when she caught Miki’s stare. “Want to join me? If we’re going to share a bed, we might as well get to know each other better, right?”
“Right.” Miki blushed at the reminder. If she didn’t know any better, she’d almost think she was enjoying Alba’s flirtatious ways. But that was crazy, she told herself, because she’d never been attracted to a woman before. “Let’s go get a drink.”
There was an awkward shuffle back and forth as they both tried to leave the cabin through the narrow space between the wall and the bed at the same time, and Alba winked when she pushed past her. A tingle erupted over Miki’s skin as their arms accidentally brushed.
Chapter 2
“Cheers.” Miki clinked her margarita against Alba’s and propped her bare feet up on the couch. The little hippie-bar had a small sheltered area with some barstools, two old couches and a big coffee table. On the walls were pictures of the bar owner and his wife with various guests, and in the corner stood a Buddhist shrine—its altar adorned with candles, burning incense, a bottle of Coke and a bowl of rice. It was charming, the way the bar was put together from all kinds of recycled things, using coconut shells as ashtrays, cans as herb pots, and stuffed old car tires as seating. The ambiance was completed with the meditative tinkling coming from a multitude of beautiful shell and bamboo wind chimes dotted around the room.
“Cheers.” Alba grimaced as she took a sip. “Fuck, this is strong.” She looked up at the bar owner, who laughed at her expression as he poured one for himself. “Prem, what the hell did you put in here?”
“Secret recipe,” Prem said, as he walked over with a handful of jars with tealights inside them. He lit them, then switched on the music and the red Christmas lights in the ceiling, before securing a heavy plastic sheet over the open front of the bar to stop the rain from blowing in. “Looks like I’m open for business tonight. Where are your friends?”
“No idea, they’re actually not our friends,” Miki said, sampling the cocktail. Alba was right; it was really, really strong. “Okay, that came out weird because they’re nice people. What I meant is that we only met this morning, for the excursion. I don’t even know my roommate,” she added, turning to Alba with a grin.
“A couple more of those and you’ll be best friends.” Prem winked and pointed to a shelf. “There are games over there, and I also have some blankets in case you get cold later. Please make yourselves at home, my wife is cooking a delicious Thai curry and I’m making another batch of margarita.”
“It’s kind of cozy here, don’t you think?” Alba said. “With the storm outside, the colored lights, the glimmering candles and the sound of the rain on the roof. I like this little place.”
“Yeah, me too.” Miki noticed the room was shaking each time it was hit by a gust of wind, making the liquor bottles rattle on the shelves behind the bar. “We’re not going to blow away, are we?”
Prem shook his head. “No. The storms here don’t get that crazy; you just don’t want to be out on the water.” He greeted Nirin, who took a seat at the bar and ordered a beer.
“Are you scared?” Alba teased, poking Miki’s arm.
“Of course not.” Miki felt her cheeks color and kicked herself for feeling shy yet again. The way Alba looked at her made her feel uncomfortable and at the same time excited, and she couldn’t decide whether to meet her eyes or to look away. Deciding to change the subject before Alba got all chivalrous and protective over her, she asked: “So, how’s your trip been so far?”
“Oh, it’s been amazing,” Alba said, her eyes lighting up. “Every day has been an adventure; I should have done this years ago. I started in Laos, then travelled through northern Thailand, which is breathtaking, and slowly made my way down here. I was about to move on and get a cheap flight from Bangkok to anywhere, really, when I passed the pier. Niran stopped me and told me there was a spot left on the snorkeling excursion, so I thought why not?” She pulled her legs up underneath her and turned to Miki, her expression turning more serious as she sipped her drink. “I finally got out of a long and toxic relationship about half a year ago, so I needed some time to myself.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s fine. I’m much better off without her.”
&nbs
p; Miki internally flinched at the word ‘her’, but of course, she wasn’t surprised. Her flirtations aside, Alba had an energy about her that Miki had picked up on the moment she’d stepped onto the boat and sat next to her. She’d never met someone who oozed sexual energy the way Alba did. Her body language was confident, and her eyes were intensely focused on Miki when she spoke. Miki found herself staring at her sun-kissed skin and the tan lines visible on her neck from her triangle bikini, thinking how delicate the thin white lines were. Her eyes then lowered to Alba’s toned arms. She looked athletic, strong and seriously fit. “What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a personal trainer.” Alba noticed her stare and grinned while she flexed her biceps.
“Show-off.” Miki laughed. “But seriously, that’s cool.”
“Yeah, it’s fun. I was co-owner of a gym, but my ex and I sold it when we split up.” She shrugged. “So, I had some cash, and I decided to travel a bit before I looked for another job. There are plenty of jobs going around in my field, especially in Barcelona where I’m from.” She narrowed her eyes as she studied Miki. “What do you do? I’m usually quite good at guessing but I can’t seem to gauge you.”
“I’m a junior veterinarian.” Miki took a long drink of her cocktail and it mellowed her a little. It was unheard of that she needed alcohol to make her affable, because she was usually so confident, but tonight she felt like she needed the extra help. “I’m starting at a new practice when I get back. It’s a one-year contract, for a maternity cover.”
Summer Loving Page 1