Ocean Breeze

by Laura Conway

  Abbey turned on the shower and stepped inside, letting the warm water massage her back as she closed her eyes and images from last night played in her mind.

  When she came back into Payton’s bedroom half an hour later, Payton was getting dressed, her hair beautifully messy.

  “Morning,” Payton said with a smile.

  Abbey tied her wet hair up in a messy bun as she crossed the room to wrap her arms around Payton, her fingers interlaced at the nape of Payton’s neck.

  “Good morning,” Abbey said, lightly brushing her lips across Payton’s.

  Abbey was waiting for Payton to tell her that last night was a once off, that it didn’t change anything. Abbey was still leaving and she didn’t expect Payton to completely change her mind overnight.

  “Are you hungry?” Payton asked, her arms encircling Abbey’s waist.

  “Starving… I’ll make us some eggs if you want to shower?”

  “Sure… I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

  Abbey went into her room to get changed into fresh clothes for the day, khaki shorts and a white tank top.

  The air conditioning came on automatically, keeping the house cool, but the weather app on Abbey’s phone promised a high of eighty-nine degrees today and she had to keep reminding herself that it was only May.

  Abbey went downstairs in her flip flops and took her time making poached eggs and getting the coffee on, knowing that Payton would be a while upstairs.

  Abbey couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she poured herself a cup of coffee and cracked the eggs into the water but at the back of her mind, she was waiting for Payton to gently break it to her that this wasn’t really happening and even if it was, Abbey was still leaving.

  She couldn’t let herself get carried away but she wasn’t really sure how not to. She’d been dreaming of last night since the first time that they’d kissed and maybe even before that if she was being completely honest with herself.

  When Abbey was in New York, she never gave herself the opportunity to fall for somebody. It just wasn’t part of her plan. Everything was about work.

  She’d been living in Tampa for almost four months now and she still couldn’t believe the difference in the way she was here. She felt more relaxed, she loved taking photos and being out in nature. The only problem was that she was falling for Payton.

  Abbey had stopped wondering about work and how Melissa was doing weeks ago. She was focusing on herself for once and finding a meaning for her life outside of work and her clients.

  “That smells amazing,” Payton said as she came down the stairs and into the kitchen.

  “It’s just eggs,” Abbey said with a soft laugh as she poured herself another cup of coffee. “Will I pour you a cup?”

  “Please.”

  Abbey filled their plates with two poached eggs and toast and brought them over to the dining table.

  “Thanks for this,” Payton said as she started eating.

  “You’re welcome… Any plans for today?”

  “No… But I was thinking of taking you somewhere new to take some photos?”

  “Sure… I need to replace your camera,” Abbey said as she took a bite of her toast.

  “Please, don’t worry about the camera. It was old and I never used it. I’ve upgraded about five times since then. I was going to give it to you… as a way to remember your time in Tampa.”

  They both fell silent, Payton’s words hanging in the air.

  “Sorry,” Payton said after a few seconds. “I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

  “Well… It had to happen at some point.”

  When they finished eating, Abbey cleared her plate and brought it over to the dishwasher. Payton did the same, finding the last bit of free space for her plate and mug before closing the door and turning it on.

  Payton reached for Abbey’s hand before she could walk away.

  “Come on,” she said, lightly running her thumb across Abbey’s hand. “Let’s go for a walk on the beach.”

  Abbey nodded and let Payton lead her outside, the morning sun already as hot as a blazing fire. They made the short walk down to the beach in silence, loosely holding hands.

  “So…,” Abbey said as she bent down to take off her flip flops letting the warm sand surround her feet. They headed down to the water’s edge so that the sand wouldn’t burn their feet.

  “So,” Payton echoed. “Last night…”

  Abbey glanced over at Payton, trying to gage her expression, looking for any hints about how this conversation was going to go, but her face was neutral, her blue eyes squinting slightly as they walked along, the tide washing over their feet.

  “Do you regret it?” Abbey asked, not able to wait any longer.

  “What? No!”

  “Because I thought that you didn’t want this to happen,” Abbey said, motioning between the two of them with her hands.

  “I didn’t want it to happen because I didn’t think that I could handle you leaving… But last night… You gave me such a scare… Seeing your face… Covered in blood… I don’t know. I guess I just threw any sense or reason out the window.”

  “And now?”

  Payton glanced over at her as they walked. “I think it’s too late to try and be sensible, to think about January… This is happening right now and…” Payton’s lips moved into a smile. “I’m glad that it did.”

  “Me too,” Abbey said, returning her smile and reaching for her hand. “I thought you were going to say last night wasn’t going to happen again.”

  Payton laughed softly. “Even if that’s what I wanted… There’s no way it wouldn’t. I’ve never wanted someone so much,” she said, meeting Abbey’s eyes. “I just can’t believe how hard I tried to prevent it from happening.”

  “It’s only May… We still have plenty of time.”

  They walked in silence for a while, their bare feet sinking into the wet sand with each step, a gentle breeze coming in off the ocean.

  “So, where are we going today?” Abbey asked when they were on the way back.

  “How do you feel about going on a hike? Nothing too strenuous. I promise.”

  “Yeah. Sure.”

  “I was thinking about Lettuce Lake Park. There’s a trail that’s about two miles long. There’s boardwalks and look out towers. It’s a good spot for taking some nature shots.”

  “That sounds perfect.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  “I’m not sure that the bug spray actually did anything,” Abbey said when they got back to Payton’s that evening. “But hopefully the photos made it all worthwhile.”

  Abbey left her camera bag on the dining room table and went to the refrigerator for a bottle of water.

  “I don’t think the bugs got me but I feel absolutely disgusting,” Payton said, tugging at her damp tank top, the sweat patches visible on her stomach and lower back.

  “Me too… Shower?” Abbey asked, her eyes raking over Payton’s body, taking in the toned legs that she’d tried to avoid staring at all day.

  Abbey couldn’t remember the last time she was this happy. She’d thought she’d been happy before, when she’d won a case or landed a big client but this was something else entirely.

  “Hmmm… I like the sound of that.”

  “Come on,” Abbey said, leaving her camera bag beside the door and reaching for Payton’s hand to lead her up the stairs.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  May 27th

  Payton knew she was going to be away this weekend. She’d had a wedding booked months ago in Miami and Abbey could see the weekend marked on the calendar in the kitchen but that didn’t make saying goodbye to Payton today any easier.

  “This is really bad,” Abbey said with a sad smile.

  “I know… But it’s just for the weekend. I’ll be back on Monday morning,” Payton said, her hands on Abbey’s waist as they said goodbye.

  “I can’t believe how much has happened in the last week.”

  “You mean
how much sex we’ve managed to have in just a week?”

  “You might have turned me into an addict,” Abbey said with a grin, leaning in to find Payton’s lips, kissing her slowly, her lips parting against Payton’s.

  “Hmmm…,” Payton hummed against Abbey’s lips. “I wish we had time to…”

  “I know,” Abbey said between kisses. “But we don’t.”

  “Sunday night.”

  “Right,” Abbey said as she pulled away and took a step backwards.

  “I better get going.”

  “Good luck.”

  “Thanks,” Payton said, leaning in for one last kiss before grabbing her keys and her bags and heading out the door. “See you Sunday night!”

  “Bye.”

  Abbey watched Payton go and then went over to the couch, flopping down on it and running her hand across her face.

  How did this happen? I’ve gone completely over the deep end and it’s only been a week.

  Abbey took her phone out of her pocket and debated calling Melissa but she didn’t know what she’d say. She wanted someone to reassure her that it was going to be okay but there was no way that it was going to be.

  Abbey knew that she was going to get her heart broken and there was nothing that she could do about it.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  May 28th

  Abbey sat down across from Eve, bringing both of them another iced coffee.

  “Thanks,” Eve said, reaching for the ice-cold glass. “So, I know I was completely out of line that night… I just wanted to formally apologize for kissing you… I don’t know what came over me. I’m happily married… I just had a brief moment of weakness.”

  “It’s okay. I didn’t mean to disappear on you either the last few months. But to be honest, I just didn’t know if we were going to be able to stay friends. I accept your apology by the way.”

  “I mean it.”

  “I know… So, how’s salsa going?”

  “Good. We’re finishing up for the summer soon. You should give it another try in September.”

  “I’ll think about it,” Abbey said, taking a sip of her iced coffee. “I might have a partner this time.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Yeah,” Abbey said with almost a wince.

  “Why the face?”

  Abbey sighed. “I did the one thing that I wasn’t supposed to do… Fall for someone while I’m here.”

  “Fall for someone? It must be pretty serious then.”

  “It is… For me… It only just happened but we’ve been gravitating towards each other for weeks.”

  “Are you happy?” Eve asked, her eyes studying Abbey.

  “Yes,” Abbey said, unable to keep her lips from moving into a smile.

  “Well then… That’s all that matters.”

  “I’m still going back to New York though… That’s where my life is, my business.”

  “When?”

  “January.”

  “You still have eight months,” Eve said, stirring her drink.

  “I know and it sounds like a lot of time but… The last four months have flown by and no matter how long we have together we still have to say goodbye at the end of it so… I don’t know.”

  “There is such a thing as a long-distance relationship, you know.”

  “I know…but uh…,” Abbey said with a laugh. “We’re already living together.”

  Eve nearly choked on her drink. “Well, aren’t you the stereotypical lesbian? Moving in after the first date…”

  Abbey smiled. “It’s not like that. You know how I booked a place through AirBnB?”

  Eve nodded.

  “There was some mix up… The house wasn’t actually free. The owner was still living there and was going to be living there for the foreseeable future but she offered to let me stay anyway and we made it work… It wasn’t what I was expecting. I wanted a quiet place to live, no housemates… But that’s what happened.”

  “So, the woman you met is the owner of the house you’re staying in?”

  “Yes. Payton.”

  “Wow… That must be kind of weird.”

  Abbey sighed. “It’s not really. I thought she was beautiful from the first time I saw her… And we’d kissed a few times but Payton didn’t want to go there when she knew that I would be leaving… And then one night, it all changed and now here I am, knowing that I’m going to get my heartbroken but I can’t seem to do anything to stop it.”

  Eve reached for her hand across the table. “You’ll figure it out. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  May 29th

  Abbey opened a bottle of white wine and poured herself a glass, bringing it into the living room to where her laptop was open on the couch. She wasn’t sure what time Payton was going to be home so she decided to edit some of the photos that she’d taken while Payton was gone.

  She found a new place to take sunset photos, a spot that was closer to the street where people were almost always jogging or walking their dogs.

  Abbey got comfortable, stretching her legs out on the couch, and reached for her laptop. She opened PhotoShop and got started on the first photo.

  As she got better at taking and editing her photos, she found that she could let her mind wander and it didn’t compromise what she was working on.

  She was glad that she met Eve yesterday. She didn’t want the whole year to go by without seeing her again and thankfully, things weren’t awkward between them.

  A long-distance relationship…

  Abbey almost shuddered at the thought. She didn’t think she could go months at a time, weeks at best, without seeing Payton.

  Even though this was all new, Abbey couldn’t see it working out like that. They’d gotten so close, so quickly… living together. How could they go from that to seeing each other a few times a year for a week or two at a time?

  It just wasn’t realistic.

  Just when Abbey thought she was getting the hang of the whole living in the moment thing and meditation, her life was turned upside down and now, all she could think about was the future and how it could possibly work out for both of them.

  They were both so independent and settled in their lives. For one of them to give that up, to move across the country, would be a lot to ask.

  Abbey saved the photo she was working on and reached for her glass of wine. She took a drink, letting the nicely chilled Pinot Grigio slide down her throat.

  She turned when she heard a car door and a few seconds later, Payton was opening the front door.

  “Hey,” Abbey called, leaving her laptop down and getting up to cross the room. “How’d it go?”

  “Hi,” Payton said with a smile. She was empty handed, her gear still in the car. “Good. How was your weekend?” Payton asked, wrapping her arms around her and giving her a quick kiss.

  “Quiet. Just took some photos and met up with Eve.”

  “Oh, how’d that go?”

  “Surprisingly well. She apologized and we’re going to forget all about that kiss.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Jealous?” Abbey asked with a smirk.

  “No.”

  “Oh… Not even a little?”

  “No… I’m here with you right now and she’s not,” Payton said, her hands on Abbey’s waist as she leaned in to find her lips, kissing her deeply. Their lips parted and their tongues met in a slow and sensual dance.

  “Good answer,” Abbey breathed when she broke the kiss a few seconds later.

  “Let’s go upstairs.”

  Abbey nodded and let Payton lead her up to her bedroom. Payton pushed the door closed and backed Abbey up against it, her lips crashing into Abbey’s in a hungry kiss.

  Abbey groaned as Payton’s hand slid into her shorts, finding her clit and drawing slow, deliberate circles around her bud with her fingers, leaving Abbey weak at the knees.

  Abbey’s hips pushed back against her as she deepened their kiss, parti
ng her lips against Payton’s and finding her tongue. She moaned into her mouth when Payton’s fingers moved further south, gliding through her sex easily.

  Payton plunged two fingers inside of Abbey, her lips never leaving Abbey’s as she moved her fingers faster, each thrust hard and deep.

  Abbey moaned as she got closer, her orgasm building from somewhere deep within her.

  Her hand gripped Payton’s arm, holding on as her hips bucked and her body shook. Abbey kissed Payton hard as she came, a wave of pleasure moving through her body until she almost collapsed into Payton’s arms.

  Payton wrapped her arms around Abbey, kissing her shoulder lightly, working her way up her neck, gently nibbling on her earlobe before returning to her lips again.

  “Come to bed,” Payton whispered, finding Abbey’s hand and leading her the short distance to the bed.

  Abbey fell onto the bed on her back with Payton climbing on top of her.

  “No way are you topping me again,” Payton said with a confident smile, using her arms to hold her weight.

  Abbey just grinned back at her and swiftly rolled them over, switching their positions.

  “You had your way with me,” Abbey said, slipping her hand underneath Payton’s top. “Now it’s my turn.”

  Payton’s stunning blue eyes locked onto hers and Abbey’s breath hitched when she saw a tear trickle down her face.

  “Hey,” Abbey said, freeing her hand from underneath her shirt and wiping her thumb across Payton’s cheek. “What’s wrong?”

  “I um… I got a job offer.”

  “While you were at the wedding?”

  “Yeah. A friend of the groom… His wedding photographer broke his leg and he’s trying to find a replacement.”

  “So, he wants you?”

  Payton nodded.

  “That’s great news, isn’t it?” Abbey asked.

  “Professionally, yes. He has a lot of connections so if it goes well, I’m sure I’ll get a lot of referrals.”