by Sable Hunter
“Yes,” she agreed, nodding her head. “But won’t I get messy?”
Removing her shoes, he put them in the little carryall bag hanging to the side of the chair. “I’ll clean you up, no problem. Now remember, the water is gonna be cool.”
Cassie held on to the arms of the chair as if she were going to propel herself into the water. Bowie steered a little closer to the water line and when the next wave came in, it splashed up on her feet. “Bowie!” She squealed and they both laughed with joy. Knowing she was ecstatic, they traveled on a few hundred more yards until the wind picked up and he caught her hugging herself.
“Cold?”
“No,” she answered.
“Cassie…” He reprimanded her with one word. “We’ve got lots of time and I promise we’ll do this again when we get to our cabin. You can put on some warmer clothes.”
“Oh, okay.” She pouted a bit. When he stopped and headed her back, she turned and kissed his hand. “Thank you, that was wonderful.”
He bent over and touched his lips to the top of her head. “You’re more than welcome, just wait till you see what else I have planned.”
Cassie trembled with excitement. “I can’t wait.”
They loaded back up and headed on west toward the end of Bolivar Peninsula. Almost the whole way, the ocean was just on the other side of the road. There were a few places where it went out of view, but not many. When they crossed a small bridge, Bowie told her this was Rollover Pass, where the waters from the Gulf flowed over to Rollover Bay on the other side of the peninsula.
“Why is it called Rollover?”
“Ah,” Bowie smiled, “a story goes with that. The pass earned its name from the time of Spanish rule when smugglers would avoid Galveston customs stations by rolling barrels of rum and other imports or exports over the narrowest part of Bolivar Peninsula. They even used this spot during prohibition.”
Cassie looked to her left and to her right. “I can see the Bay from here, this is a very narrow piece of land.”
“Three huge hurricanes have devastated this region—the infamous 1900 hurricane, Carla in 1961 and Ike in 2008. There were places on the peninsula that lost sixty-five feet of beach during Ike.”
“I can’t imagine the power of a hurricane.” Cassie mused.
“When we get to the island there are some things I’ll show you. Remind me,” he promised. Along the way he pointed out beach houses. “Most of this area was completely flattened in Ike. These houses were all rebuilt.”
“Aren’t they afraid another storm will come and blow them away again?”
Bowie shrugged his shoulders. “The human spirit is indomitable. Slave ships used to land right over here.” He pointed toward the remains of Fort Travis. They would unload and force the slaves to march from here to New Orleans, some three hundred miles.”
“That’s horrible.” She shook her head, imagining the heat and the mosquitos. “What’s that?” She pointed up ahead.
“The end of the line,” Bowie said with a chuckle. “Welcome to the Ferry.”
Her mouth hung open as they made their way onto the boat with a myriad of cars, trucks, vans and motorcycles. As soon as they were parked and the boat took off, Bowie came around to her door and opened it. “Come on, short cake. There’s no room on deck for your chair, but you’ve got to see this.”
Cassie’s throat choked up a little when he picked her up in his arms. She hugged him around the neck and he carried her to the side. “Wow.” This was the first time she’d ever see a ship up close. Several were going by, oil tankers and cargo ships. “Look, there’s a cruise ship!”
“Would you like to go on a cruise someday?” he asked.
“Hell, yeah!” Bowie laughed.
When they’d left the ferry, he drove her down the seawall. “We’ll come back tomorrow or the next day and investigate this further.”
“Where’s our cabin?”
Cabin. Well, it wasn’t exactly a cabin. He’d rented a mansion, complete with an elevator and a heated pool. “It’s on the west end of the island, about seventeen miles from here.” Along the way, she gazed at the surf, beachside shops, restaurants and bars. “A carnival?” She almost screamed as she spotted Pleasure Pier.
“Would you like to come back and ride some rides?”
Cassie smiled, but shook her head. “I don’t know. We’ll talk about it. Okay?”
“Yea, we’ll see.” He didn’t like her assuming she couldn’t do something or that he wouldn’t want to be there for her when she tried to do it. Following her gaze, he explained what she was seeing. “Construction on the seawall was started in 1902, in response to the hurricane that killed eight thousand people. It was finally completed in 1963.”
“Eight thousand?” She was surprised and horrified.
“Yes. The seawall is ten miles long and seventeen feet high and kept out all storm surges from overpowering the island until Ike in 2008. Now they’re contemplating building a barrier they call an Ike Dike that would protect all of Galveston Island and the Houston Ship Channel.”
Cassie didn’t understand what he was saying. She was still stuck on the eight thousand people. “How could that happen, so many people dying?”
Bowie sighed. “The year 1900 was before meteorological reports were available, of course. There were a few reports of a storm out over the far islands and then over Florida, but those who watched storms reported that it had gone up the Atlantic seaboard. They were wrong. When the storm hit the island, it came in as a Category 4 with a storm surge of at least fifteen feet. Galveston sits at only eight feet above sea level. The surge washed over the entire island. If you talk about ‘the storm,’ anyone on the island knows you’re speaking of the 1900 storm. Whole families were lost, along with ninety children who lived in an orphanage that sat right on the beach over there. The rich were safe in the Bishop’s Palace, a stone mansion, while hordes of poor died in a church right across the street.”
Cassie could tell he was caught up in what he was saying, there was sorrow in his voice. “It makes you realize how fragile life is, doesn’t it? And how we should treat each moment we have with respect.”
“Yea,” Bowie agreed. Shaking his head, he dispelled the sad thoughts. They drove on down the sea wall until it took a slight inland turn and the seawall disappeared. Cassie strained to see the water. “Don’t worry.” Bowie pointed. “The beach is still there. I want you to keep your eyes open. The homes are magnificent here.”
And they were. Cassie was flabbergasted. Some of the homes were normal—beach houses on stilts, some nicer than others. But what took her breath away were the mansions. Three story homes that looked like gingerbread doll houses. Huge homes, houses that must have cost literally millions. “Who lives here?”
Bowie laughed. “I don’t know. Doctors, lawyers, corporate executives, people from all over. These are summer homes. Many of them are rented out during part of the year. I always figured they had to rent them out to pay the insurance, since they sit right on the beach.”
The colors fascinated Cassie. Of course some homes were white or gray, but many were blue, green, peach, pink, purple, and yellow. “It has a very Caribbean feel, all of these pastel colors.”
Putting on his blinker he turned and Cassie almost flittered. “Why are we stopping here?” Bowie pulled up to a big house, right on the beach. It was yellow, two stories sitting over a covered garage and a patio room.
“This is where we’re staying?”
“Get out of here!” Cassie said with astonishment.
“I take it you aren’t asking to leave.” He laughed as he got her wheelchair ready.
“Not on your life!”
She didn’t know where to look first. The house was gorgeous and the beach was right there—right there! Not even twenty-five feet away.
“There’s an elevator,” he proudly announced. “And a small heated pool off the patio.”
“I can’t believe this.” She marveled as he got her in t
he elevator and showed her how to work it. “I’ve never in my life had anyone do anything like this for me.” Holding her hand up, she beckoned him down for a kiss. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
When they got to the second floor, he wheeled her out and enjoyed showing her around. Bowie had carefully researched the houses online to find the perfect one. “It has a full kitchen, two bathrooms, one of them with plenty of room for your chair and just look at all of this glass and the deck. No better view in the world.”
Everything was beautiful. There was even a fireplace. But the place that drew her the most was the deck where she could just sit and look at the Gulf. “Is that a ship?” She pointed in the distance.
“That’s an oil rig. But if you keep your eyes open, you might see a ship.” He ran down to the truck and got their luggage while she just sat and soaked in the view. When he returned, she followed him in. “I guess we’re sleeping in the same room. Right?” he asked with a lop-sided grin.
“I hope so,” she answered frankly.
“Good. Follow me.” He led her to a good size master bedroom with a king size bed, an in-room bath and French doors which led out onto the deck, facing the ocean. “What do you want to do first?”
Cassie looked outside. “I want to walk along the beach and hunt for seashells.” Then realizing what she had said, corrected herself. “Well, you know, you push me down the beach and let’s look for seashells. I also want to get in the water so bad I can taste it, but I know that’s not possible.”
“No, it’s too cold for you to get in the surf.” He sat down on the bed by her chair. “But if you’ll put on warmer clothes, we’ll go for a walk and when we come back, we’ll go get something to eat and then jump in the heated pool together.” He turned her chair so she was facing him. “How does that sound?”
“Perfect.” She eased toward him. “I wish I could get in your lap. I’d love to be held.”
Bowie was tempted to just pick her up. “We’ve got to experiment.” He had an idea. “Get ready, I might have a plan. Did you bring a bathing suit?”
A frown crossed her face. “No.”
With a wicked wink and a smile, he replied, “Good thing our pool is warm and private, we’ll be skinny-dipping.”
Quick as a wink, she found a windbreaker and a lap robe. “Now I officially look like an invalid.”
“What did you say?” Bowie asked from the other room. She could hear him putting some things away in the kitchen.
“Nothing, I’m ready when you are.”
When she rolled out to meet him, he pulled her hair out from under her collar. “A golden waterfall.” Wrapping it around his fist, he tilted her head up for a kiss. “You’re temptation itself.”
Cassie felt her nipples grow hard and she kissed him back, slipping her tongue in his mouth. “I hope you enjoy this trip as much as I do.”
“More. Don’t doubt it.” Taking her to the elevator, they climbed on board and headed down to the beach.
Cassie tucked her robe under her legs and zipped up her jacket. As soon as they left the confines of the garage, the wind whipped through her hair like a tornado. She gathered it and held it over one shoulder. Bowie took her down toward the water, just a few feet from the tide line and turned west. “Let’s see what we can find.”
It was getting late and the sun was absolutely magnificent over the water. “I have never seen a more gorgeous sight in my life. It looks like a poster.” Cassie marveled at the rich purple, vibrant pink and bright orange that spread over the sky like an artist’s palette.
“Hold it.” Bowie stopped her in the sand. “I think I see something.” He stepped another couple of feet toward the water. “I found a sand dollar.” He handed it to her and Cassie accepted it, running her thumb across the grainy shell.
“It’s beautiful.” She held it with both hands, as if it were precious.
“Do you know the story of the sand dollar?” he asked.
“Yes, I think so.” She ran a finger over the surface. “There’s a star in the middle, people relate it to the star of Bethlehem and there are holes on the sides and the middle representing the wounds of Christ.” She turned it over.
“And if you open it up, there are five little doves inside.”
“But I don’t want to break it open.” She held it close.
“You don’t have to,” he assured her.
“Hey! How are you?” Cassie looked up and there was a stunning redhead stopped in front of them. She hadn’t seen the stranger approach, so she must have come down from one of the beach houses.
“Hello,” Bowie spoke to the woman.
“Hi,” Cassie said with a smile.
“I’m Sasha Wilson, I live up there.” She pointed to a beautiful home, modern with an abundance of glass.
“I’m Bowie Malone and this is my girlfriend, Cassie Cartwright.”
As soon as Bowie said girlfriend, two things happened. Sasha’s face fell and Cassie’s heart jumped. Cassie didn’t know who was more surprised.
“Oh,” Sasha said and paused like the information changed everything. “Well, we’re having a small party and I saw you guys walking—uh—going by and thought I’d invite you.”
Cassie knew what Bowie looked like and she could just imagine seeing him strolling along the beach like some magnificent Viking who had just swam ashore. She also saw the woman look from her to Bowie and back to Cassie with a look of confusion and disbelief. In other words, what was a man like Bowie doing with a cripple?
Cassie didn’t answer, she didn’t have to. Bowie did.
“Thanks so much, Sasha, but Cassie and I already have plans that we just can’t break.” With a smile, he took the handles of her wheelchair and they went on their way.
They didn’t go too much farther because as the sun set, the temperature dropped. Cassie spotted a jellyfish and a piece of brightly colored coral that Bowie picked up for her. When they returned to their beach house, instead of heading to the elevator, Bowie went for the truck.
“Where are we going?” she asked as he carefully loaded her up.
“Do you like crabs?”
“Yea, I think so.”
“You think so?” Bowie teased.
“Well, I like crab cakes and crab salad.” She offered as he turned on the engine and backed out.
“Girly food. We’re going to go pick up a couple of buckets of legs from Joe’s Crab Shack, come back and get messy together.”
Cassie laughed. Bowie could make anything sound sexy.
They made the drive back to the seawall, picked up the food and returned to the beach house. Soon, they were both elbow deep in butter and crab juice. “Wipe your chin, you messy little squirt.” He handed her a roll of paper towels. “We’re going to have to dip you in the pool to get you clean.”
Cassie smiled. “I’m dirty all over.”
“Damn, I’m hungry.” Bowie’s eyes grew hooded.
“You aren’t full?” Cassie pushed the remainder of the crab, potatoes and corn toward him. “There’s plenty.”
“I’ve got a different hunger that needs feeding.”
Warmth and arousal flooded Cassie as she realized he was talking about sex! With her! “Oh.”
They finished their meal quickly, their eyes clashing.
“Ready?” he asked and she knew he meant for more than a swim. Exactly what was about to happen, she didn’t know, but she trusted Bowie completely.
“We need towels.” She headed for the bathroom, as much to have a moment to compose herself as to get linens for them to dry off with. Piling them onto her lap, she returned to find Bowie waiting for her next to the elevator door. “I’ve never swam naked before.” She bit her bottom lip and glanced at him shyly. “I’ve never swam. It’s been a long time since I was even in a bathtub.”
“Well, you’re in for a treat.” Bowie felt his heart pinch. She had missed so much—but no more, not if had anything to say about it.
When they reache
d the bottom, Bowie rolled her to a gate, which he unlocked. When Cassie first saw the interior of the private patio, hidden behind a twelve foot brick fence, she was astounded. The pool was not huge, maybe fifteen by thirty, an artistic kidney shape. It was beautiful to her, she wasn’t going to be making any laps.
“Okay, there’s a heated cabana over here. Let’s step in there and take off our clothes and then made a mad dive for the warm water.” He wheeled her in and started to strip. Cassie hesitated. “What’s wrong?” he asked. Kneeling down in front of her with just his jeans on, he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.
“A little nervous, a little excited, a little shy,” she whispered as she began to take off her jacket.
“A little sweet, a little cute, a lot sexy.” He began to help her. Discarding the lap robe, he again removed her shoes. “You didn’t have enough clothes on.”
“The water will warm me up.”
“Yea,” he agreed. “And me.”
In a few seconds they were both naked. Cassie couldn’t help but cross her arms over her breasts, letting her hair fall over her body. She wished she could cover up her limp legs completely, but she couldn’t. “What now?” she asked, looking down, anywhere but at him. He was just too overwhelming to behold. Why was she so nervous? She had been naked with him before.
“You’re beautiful. Don’t hide from me, Rapunzel.” Slowly, she lowered her arms and just looked up at him, waiting. When he gently leaned over to pick her up, she trembled. “Don’t be nervous. You’re going to love this. I’ll never let you out of my hands.”
She clung to his neck, absorbing his body’s warmth as he held her in strong arms, then stepped carefully down into the pool.
“Ah!” She squealed a little bit, then laughed. “I expected it to be cold, but it’s not.”
“Nah, feels good.” Cradling her close, Bowie walked from the shallow end toward the middle of the pool. “You okay?” He watched her face as she felt the warm water flow over her body. Without turning her loose, he lay back, pulled her on top of him and began swimming, holding her aloft on his chest.