Summer Down South

by Lily Hayden

  She had a horrible feeling that she’d chucked the key into the cup-holder of her hire car.She pulled out her phone. She’d have to go back to her car and see if she could find them. The motel parking lot was dark and deserted. Not a chance was she staying out here.

  She walked across the road where there were, at least, streetlights and ordered another Uber. She tapped her foot nervously as she waited for the car to turn up. It wasn’t a bad area, but it was quiet down here off the main strip, and she felt a little spooked. She heard tyres squealing around the corner and she looked up hopefully. A guy stuck his head through the window of an old beat-up sedan.

  “Hey, sugar!” He called. “Hop in.”

  “Uh, no thanks.” She called back, mild panic prickling at her chest. “I’m waiting for a friend.”

  His car had stopped right in front of her and she walked away, worried that the Uber wouldn’t see her in the car’s shadow. She deliberately walked in the opposite direction to the way the man’s car was facing. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest as she moved back into the streetlight, but he reversed his car, following her.

  “I just want to talk to you.” He called again, leering out of the window. “Jump in. Talk to me.”

  “No thanks.” She said again, trying to sound confident, but her voice came out a little pitchy.

  She started to walk quickly, but he was persistent, matching her pace. She could feel terror bubble in the pit of her stomach.

  Shit. What did she do? Should she cross the road?

  He was yelling things at her now, and she ignored him, fixing her eyes on the strip mall lit up about eight hundred yards ahead of them. It might as well have been a hundred miles away, she thought desperately, as she increased her strides. No matter how fast she walked, he kept pace with her. She kept her head down, praying that he would lose interest and drive off.

  She reached a crosswalk and he reversed sharply around the corner, blocking her as she went to step off the curb. He was calling out to her the whole time. His comments getting more aggressive as he grew angry at her lack of response. She caught herself from stumbling as she halted abruptly as the car screeched straight into her path. She saw him reach down as if to open the door and she darted in front of the car and broke into a run towards the lights.

  Her heart was racing now, and she didn’t dare look back to see if he was following her. She came to a stop outside a pizza place. She stopped, feeling safer as she saw people inside the store. Her lungs were burning with the exertion and she leaned forward, hands on her knees, fighting to breathe properly. She didn’t know whether she was having a panic attack or just really unfit. She focussed on her breathing. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. It seemed to work, and she felt the panic subside, suddenly feeling very foolish and self-conscious. She sat down on the edge of the curb, wanting to take a moment to compose herself.

  A black pick-up truck rolled into the almost empty lot and she watched it, feeling her body shifting subconsciously ready to move away quickly if needed. The truck stopped at a distance and a man hopped easily down onto the road. Ella watched, from the corner of her eye, as the man crossed over. He stepped into the light and turned towards her.

  “Ella!”

  It was Jason. He quickened his pace and crouched down next to her, his face a picture of concern.

  “What’s the matter?”

  She opened her mouth to respond and to her horror, burst into tears.

  Jason bundled her up, wrapping her in the suit jacket that was hanging over his passenger seat. He drove her back to his place; a handsome, single-storey house with a neat, manicured lawn out front. He sat her down on a plush grey sofa and disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a hot mug. She accepted it gratefully, feeling silly and immature that she’d needed rescuing again. She looked at the proffered drink, unable to look him in the eye.

  “It’s hot chocolate.” He said.

  His sheepish tone made her look up at him in surprise. She would have had him down as an espresso or beer man. She said as much, trying to make a joke and recover some dignity from this awful situation she’d got herself into.

  He laughed and sat down next to her, sliding his arm around her shoulders. She’d taken his suit jacket off and she leaned in, relishing the feel of his warm hands on her bare skin.

  “Seriously, though, Ella.” He tilted her chin up to make her look at him. “Are you sure you’re ok? Do you want me to call your boyfriend?”

  “He’s not really my boyfriend. I’ve only been seeing him a few weeks.” She shrugged, feeling the tears threatening to return. “And anyway, he’s in Europe.”

  “What about your friends?”

  She shook her head too embarrassed to admit that he was the only person she knew that actually liked her here. “I just need to get to my car.”

  “You can’t drive. You’ve been drinking.” Jason gestured to the room around him. “I’ve got spare rooms. You can crash here. If you feel comfortable with that?”

  “Oh, I couldn’t.” Ella clumsily got to her feet. “You’ve done enough.”

  Jason stood up and reached out to her.

  “Ella, you’re shaking.”

  “I’m ok.” She said quickly, but now she was safe, and the adrenaline had left her, she was feeling a little overwhelmed.

  He slipped his arms back around her and she relaxed in his arms. He made her feel safe, she realised hazily as she closed her eyes. They stood like that for a moment and she felt his hands start to move slowly up and down her shoulders. She swayed slightly, feeling a frisson of longing in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to look at him, but she didn’t dare to move her head from his shoulder and break the spell.

  “Ella?” His voice was low and deep in her ear, and she shivered.

  She looked up through a curtain of blonde hair and he tenderly brushed it away from her face. Her eyes traced the hard line of his jaw and she longed to brush her fingers across the stubble across his chin. His lips were parted and his fingers moving circles across her bare skin.

  He’s going to kiss me. She recognised the look in his eyes, and she felt the longing that smouldered in the depths of her loins spark into flames of irrepressible desire.

  “Oh, God.” The low, animalistic snarl came from deep within Jason’s throat. The sound was so primal that Ella felt herself stir between her legs and a moan escaped her lips.

  He looked down at her and she saw a shadow of uncertainty cross his eyes. A different panic filled her now. The panic that he was not going to kiss her, and that felt somehow worse than being back in the bar with those bitches and worse than being locked out of her room with nowhere to go. Terrified of letting the chance go, she bridged the gap. Fireworks exploded as he kissed her back passionately. They tumbled to the sofa, hungrily exploring each other with their hands and mouths.

  He stopped abruptly. Ella looked up at him, suddenly petrified that he had had a change of heart, but he was looking down at her with such tenderness that she felt her heart physically swell within her chest.

  He brushed his fingers along her jaw and ran his thumb over her swollen lips. She could see the desire burning in his sexy grey eyes.

  “Are you certain?” He whispered, and she nodded her head.

  She had never been so certain of anything.

  He gently lifted her into his arms and carried her across the hallway, stopping to bend his head and kiss her lips every few steps. He laid her down gently on the soft, cotton covers of his king-sized bed. She sat up and reached out, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. She ran her fingers lightly over the hard planes of his chest, before gently tugging away his shirt sleeves. He helped her as her trembling fingers fumbled with the clasp of his watch, and they both smiled, sharing a silent inside joke, as he discarded the heavy timepiece. Ella turned her attention back to his arm, turning his wrist and running her lips over the scar. He gasped raggedly at the sensation. He kneeled down in front of her and unbuckled her sandals. Ella had ne
ver had a man remove her footwear before and it should have felt weird, but it was strangely erotic. He slid his hands up her bare legs and then gently pulled her top over her head. He leaned back to take in the sight of the rounded, high breasts peeking over the cream lace of her bralette. He brought his mouth down, running his lips across the flesh before lowering the cups and taking first one pink nipple into his mouth and then the other. He pulled the bra off, freeing her breasts and she pulled him close, desperate to feel his bare skin against her. She found his mouth and they kissed again, slowly, deliberately taking their time to explore each other. He eased her shorts away and then her tiny silk panties. He drew back, gasping at the sight of her naked. She sat up, legs tucked in front of her, feeling beautifully vulnerable under his gaze. He cupped the back of her head, running his hands through her hair as he brought her mouth back to his hungrily. She slid her hands to his belt and worked his pants from his slender hips. His abs were taut and hard, and she trailed kisses from his jaw down his chest to the lines at his hips, following them as they disappeared below his tight shorts. She looked up at him questioningly and he nodded his head, a groan escaping his lips as she uncovered the hardness beneath. She twisted her mouth down his thick shaft and moaned as she felt him respond to her touch. He reached forward and traced his hands down her own body, slowing at the mountains of her breasts, the dip of her waist and the curve of her hips before he parted her thighs and found her hot wetness.

  He probed at the soft lips gently and she could feel herself growing dizzy with pleasure. When she felt herself start to lose control, she pulled him gently back to her mouth again and his hands slid back up her body to cradle her in his arms. He pulled back and looked deep into her eyes and she nodded, understanding his question. He shifted gently, reaching for the bedside cabinet and she felt her body longing for his return. She took the condom from him and fumbled with the wrapper, before sliding the sheath over him smoothly. She pushed him gently down onto the soft pillows and he pulled her down onto his chest, kissing her with wild abandon. She shifted her hips, feeling him enter her easily and they moved in perfect synchronisation. Her climax was building, and she suppressed the urge to let it rip through her until she felt he was close. He was holding back too, and she bucked against him, pressing her body against his, her teeth grazing his earlobe. He groaned, and she whispered through ragged gasps that she was coming, and she felt him raise his hips sharply to meet her as she rocked wildly, meeting her orgasm as it flooded through her, erasing her senses and leaving her breathless and trembling.

  Uninvited Guests

  She hadn’t got off to the best start, but three weeks in and Taylor was in love with her temporary home. The blazing heat was still taking some getting used to but having over one-million acres of mangrove forests, marshes and wetlands at her fingertips to explore was heaven.

  Every day was unique. She was in awe of the subtropical wilds that nurtured such a diverse range of exotic life. It was hard to believe that just minutes from her home, she had seen awesome beasts like pythons and rattlesnakes up-close-and-personal. She had seen white-tail deer out in the sawgrass and followed a trail left by the Florida black bear, although she hadn’t managed to catch a glimpse of one in the flesh just yet.

  Taylor woke up every morning, not needing any alarm to rouse her, excited and enthusiastic for each new day. The other interns were all friendly. Hanna and Caitlyn were especially lovely; Taylor didn’t feel she would ever have the deep, easy friendship that she had with Ella and Shauna, but they were nice enough and made an effort to invite Taylor to hang out with them at evenings and weekends. It was nice of them to offer, but between the long days working and Deon’s demands on her spare time, Taylor was just happy to chill alone.

  Friday night had arrived, and the other Interns were heading into Miami to let their hair down after an exhausting-but-exhilarating day. Taylor watched them getting ready, feeling a little envious and a twinge of home-sickness as Hanna and Caitlyn helped each other out with their hair and make-up, making her think of her own pre-night-out rituals with her best friends back in Chicago.

  “You sure you don’t wanna come?” Hanna smiled warmly at her as she caught Taylor’s eye.

  Taylor smiled back. “No, but you guys have a blast! I’ll come next time.”

  Taylor waved the foursome off and headed into the kitchen, ready to make herself some cereal. She banged the refrigerator shut in annoyance when she realised they were all out of milk. This was the only downside of living here: it was like being back in a college dorm. She grabbed some cash from her room. There was a gas station just a couple of miles away. The others had taken the centre’s little van to get them back and forth from Miami, but Taylor was damned if she was going without cereal. She dug out her gym sneakers that she’d optimistically packed, despite the fact that she hated working out with a passion and hadn’t used them once since she’d been here. May as well kill two birds with one stone, she grimaced as she limbered up, stretching her legs out against the porch steps. She launched off into a slow jog, pushing through the initial discomfort as her body reminded her grumpily that it did not like running.

  The evening was still uncomfortably hot, and she was drenched in sweat and breathing hard by the time she reached the gas station. The door jangled, announcing her presence as she slipped gratefully into the air-conditioned store and the girl at the cash register and her one customer both turned to look at her.

  Noah’s blue eyes met hers across the store and Taylor felt her hand fly up, quickly wiping away at the sheen of sweat across her forehead before she realised she was doing it.

  “Hey.” She arranged her features into a friendly smile, irritated at herself for her immediate reaction.

  After Taylor’s embarrassing first day, she had spent enough time around Noah to have got over the mortification, but she couldn’t help remembering the way he had cupped her ass, sliding her phone into her pocket, instead of handing it to her like a normal person would. Instead of angering her, Taylor was even more annoyed that her treacherous mind kept flittering back to the scene with something akin to excitement.

  “Hey.” He took the bottles he had been buying from the girl at the counter and walked over to Taylor. “Pretty hot for a run. Make sure you stay hydrated.”

  He juggled the bottles in his arms and snapped a water from the pack he was carrying, handing it to her, flashing her a wide, white smile.

  She took it, strangely flattered at the sweet gesture and unscrewed the lid, taking a gulp.

  “Thanks.” She sighed, refreshed. “I needed that. Just remembered why I hate running.”

  “Well, you’re in great shape.” He responded, letting his eyes run over her body.

  She shot him back a flirtatious smile before she could stop herself.

  Jesus, Taylor! She silently warned herself. What is wrong with you?

  “You up to anything tonight?” She asked, nodding to the pack of beers under his other arm.

  “Nope.” He shook his head. “Just a quiet one. I thought you kids were all heading out for a wild night.”

  She took a step back at the term he used and regarded him through narrowed eyes. She might have made the mistake of flirting back at him and, yeah, maybe he did make her feel a little hotter than running in 90 degrees had, but she wasn’t being patronised by the asshole.

  Her steely gaze had been described as 99% ball-breaker by guys in the past, but Noah’s mouth twisted into an amused laugh at her expression.

  “What’s that look for?”

  “Kids?” She tried hard to keep her face looking stern, but his laugh was infectious, and her mouth was fighting the urge to smile back.

  He held her gaze, his piercing blue eyes crinkling at the corner, until she buckled under the intensity and looked away.

  “I wasn’t feeling a wild night out.” She shrugged finally, feeling unusually self-conscious and tongue-tied. “Anyway, enjoy your weekend.”

  She picked up her grocer
ies, paid and headed back out of the store, already regretful at the weight of her carrier bag. As she stepped onto the forecourt, Noah’s van drew up alongside her.

  “You want a ride back home?”

  Taylor hesitated, not wanting to be a burden but equally not feeling the long walk home. In the time it took her to reflect on his question, Noah had leaned across the passenger seat and thrown open the door.

  “Jump in.”

  She slid into the van, gratefully setting the heavy bag at her feet next to his own purchases. He pulled a hard left back onto the main road and started to drive in the direction of the interns’ house.

  “You live near the centre?” Taylor asked, wanting to fill the silence.

  “Yep.” He glanced across the van at her. “Born and raised. You like it here?”

  “I love it.” She nodded, feeling herself relax a little. “This place is amazing.”

  His smile gave Taylor a flutter of childlike pleasure that he was happy with her response, and she opened her mouth to say something else when his phone rang interrupting them.

  He threw her an apologetic look and jabbed at the ‘answer’ icon, jamming the phone between his shoulder and his ear.

  Taylor turned and politely gazed out of the window. They were almost at her place, and she hoped that he didn’t miss it. As if he was able to read her mind at the same time as grunting monosyllabic responses into his phone, Noah pulled the van to the side of the road. He turned back to Taylor, holding up two fingers in the universal gesture of “give me two minutes”.

  “Hey,” He cut off whoever was speaking. “I’ll be right there. Just stay back and try not to let it out of your sight.”

  He hung up the phone, tossing it back into the centre console, before turning his attention back to Taylor.

  “Sorry about that.” He said. “Is this close enough for you? There’s a big, bold ‘gator that’s wandered into a residential area. There’s nobody answering from animal services, so I need to get over there.”