He was wearing a bright yellow shirt and the pink yoga pants he’d made reference to the morning before. On his head was a purple hat like a woman might wear to the horse races. Somehow, Kinsey thought, it fit Sammy to a T on this beautiful Bermuda morning.
“How do, Kins? Your breakfast looks to die for; where’s the waitress?” Sammy took a look around the pool, spotted a waitress walking his way and gave her a big wave to come over and take his order.
As he took to a chair next to Kinsey and placed his phone on the table, she asked, “You like to start your day as a fashion adventurer don’t you, Sam?”
Sammy tilted his head and raised an eyebrow to Kinsey, “Please don’t tell me this is too much again, or should I say, not enough.”
“I love the hat. It all works together very well. You’re quite beautiful.”
“How would you describe what I’m wearing? Give me a fashion summary so I can form a picture in my head of how this comes off to other people.”
Kinsey took a bite of her bacon and took Sammy in, long and slow, from his white sandals to his purple hat, then she tried to put him on the canvas that always stood at the ready in the front of her mind and picture him coming to life in paint; after a long moment of contemplation the words just came from her lips, like a brush to a canvas, “Renoir’s gay cousin comes to Paris, no, comes to Bermuda, in the spring.”
Sammy snorted and laughed, “I love it. I so get it. That’s who I would like to be. I wish I lived back then; I could have moved the fashion world,” he said, then added, “In a good way.”
“Of course,” Kinsey agreed.
Justin came to their table, his mouth agape, as he took in Sammy’s fashion ensemble.
The waitress came to their table and Justin and Sammy quickly ordered breakfast. Kinsey asked for another cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice.
As the men ate their food, Justin eating his like a half-starved adolescent boy, Kinsey made a surprise announcement, “I have an invitation for two to the party on The Naked Seducer tonight. What do you think about that?”
As Justin choked on his tea, Sammy’s eyebrows shot to the top of his forehead and he made a surprised kissy-face with his lips.
Kinsey laughed at both of their reactions, “Surprised?” she asked.
“How?” asked Justin.
“When did you pull that off?” asked Sam.
“I used my feminine guile on Mr. Rublev himself. Remember how I left my purse in the restaurant and had to go back for it? He was there with a gaggle of young women and they were leaving the terrace to go to dinner as I walked into the bar. I caught his eye, he sees with his penis I might add, and the rest, as they say, along with a two thousand dollar bottle of Burgundy, is history.”
“He is a dick, no doubt about that.” Justin said.
He wanted to take me back to his yacht last night but I teased him and made him wait. I promised I’d come tonight if I could bring a date.”
“And he said yes to the date?” Sammy asked.
“He said no. Wouldn’t consider it until I told him it would be my gay brother and he laughed and said my gay brother would be more than welcome. That’s the part you play tonight, by the way Sammy – my gay brother, and I want you to dress the part. Blow that alpha-male-yacht-fantasy-world of his to gay fashion heaven for me. Can you do that?”
Sammy was so happy he stood from his chair, “You got it, sister. I’ll need you guys help in picking my outfit.”
Justin shook his head, “Maybe Kinsey can do that.”
Sammy reconsidered, “Okay, you might not know the ins and outs of my wardrobe. That’s a good point.”
Justin rolled his eyes and then asked Kinsey, “So what are you planning to do? How can you find Trisha by going on Dmitri’s boat?”
“I’m not sure yet, but it’s a start. I want Sammy to visit the crew while I let Dmitri think he’s seducing me, like say, the crew in the galley, and ask about Trisha. I doubt Dmitri will be looking too much at the shenanigans of my gay brother as it is. I can promise – you’re not his type, Sammy.”
“I suspect not, but who is his type?” Sammy answered.
“Off the top of my head,” Kinsey answered, “I’d say I am.”
Justin laughed, “You better be careful. Don’t drink from any cocktail he hands you, and not only that, if I were you, I’d act like you’re saying yes to his advances right up until the time you want to leave the boat. Then just do it – leave. Don’t even tell him; just go get your gay brother and walk off that ship.”
“He’s right, Kins, you have to be careful with him. We don’t want you disappearing like Trisha did last year.” Sammy said, agreeing with Justin, then he added, “What about Justin, what can he be doing?”
“I’ll be somewhere close. If you need me, use the flashlight on your phone as a signal and I’ll come running up to the boat. Or. If you can, call me on my phone. I’ll make a diversion by trying to get onboard so you can get away. I’ll sit at a table at the White Horse Tavern and wait.” Justin took a long drink from his glass of water then he looked to Sammy, “Do you mind if I order another breakfast? I’m still hungry.”
“Perhaps we can find an all-you-can-eat buffet for lunch today, Justin. How would you like that?’ Kinsey asked.
Justin nodded his head and said yes as he picked up the breakfast menu to find something else to order.
Kinsey smiled and took a look around at the tranquil pool setting, the surrounding scenery, and the beautiful blue sky. This day and the coming night had the promise of new adventure and for the first time in many a month Kinsey looked forward to the challenge.
She began to make a plan for the day and realized she had a lot to do. She wanted this to be a new beginning, a new start to her life, a new journey to her family and a new commitment, a total all-in commitment, to her marriage. The stoic and youthful look of Justin’s face and the beautiful and friendly eyes that shined from Sammy’s countenance made her want to paint and take photos again as well. Kinsey thought about the dark months that she now knew had passed into the history of her life and she made a vow to never let herself fall back into the stonewalled, slippery, black place that had come to life deep within her mind after the birth of her two beautiful babies.
That place, that dark and awful pit, was still there and she knew she was at risk to fall back down into it if she wasn’t careful. But Kinsey knew as well that if she was able to help these two wonderful young men; that she was (and she could vividly see herself in her mind, standing tall with a shovel in her hands) filling in that dark pit with good clean soil that would always let love and its resulting fruit grow within it.
She watched Justin talking to the waitress and asking her about the breakfast menu as he ordered another meal and then she looked to Sammy, his eyes shining out, as he suggested to the waitress that she bring Justin one of everything on the menu to make sure Justin started his day with a full stomach.
Kinsey laughed with them and she said, as the waitress left their table to place Justin’s order, “I think, gentlemen, that we need to split up this afternoon. Justin, I want you to go back and get some friends, maybe Paul and his wife, and make sure they can be with you tonight as you wait for us to come off the yacht.”
“Like in case we were to get in a fight?” Justin asked, nodding his head like it was a great idea.
“No,” Kinsey said, “I want them there so you won’t get in a fight.”
“What does that mean? I want to kill that guy, Dmitri. I dream of punching his nose into the back of his skull.”
Sammy nodded to Kinsey, “I think she’s right, Justin. You’re too angry, and rightfully so I might add, but that won’t help us find your fiancée. We need this to be a peaceful night.”
“We have to get information,” Kinsey said, “We have to find out where he left her – what island or port he left her marooned on – then you can go find her. After you find her you can tear Dmitri to shreds if you still want to. But now isn’t
the time for that.”
Justin had been sitting high in his chair, his chest flexed; after their words he relaxed, dropping his shoulders, and sat back in his chair.
Kinsey could see Justin’s thoughts as they played across his eyes and for good measure she added, “Put it this way; would you rather wrap your arms around Trisha’s beautiful body or wrap your hands around Dmitri’s neck?”
Justin looked at Kinsey and then to Sam, “I get it. You know I want to wrap my arms around Trish. It’s what I live for.”
“Then let us help you,” Sammy said quickly, “Let Kinsey turn the tables on Dmitri tonight and make him think she’s seducing him while I find out where Trisha is.”
Justin said yes that he agreed and Kinsey followed up, “Here’s the plan: I want you to go find your friends and make sure they can sit with you tonight, Justin. Explain what we are doing and tell them to be ready to help if something unexpected comes up. I need to make sure and get Dmitri’s undivided attention and to do that I want you, Sammy, to show that boat full of people what high fashion really is.”
“I live for that.” Sammy said, interrupting.
“I know you do. It’s your dream assignment and I want you to go get started on making sure you steal the show when you walk up that gangplank tonight. I’m depending on you to find out where Trisha is as well. I don’t see how I can ask Dmitri something like that without making him suspicious of my motives.”
“I sure agree with that,” Justin said, “I don’t know what Dmitri Rublev does for a living but I found him to be almost paranoid about other people’s motives in the brief time I was with him before Trisha disappeared.”
“What about you, Kinsey? What do you need to do?” Sammy asked.
Kinsey stood from the table. “I have to get my mind right for one thing. I’m coming from a dark place and I want to make sure I have the confidence to pull this off.”
“Well, you sure have the look. No problem there, right Sammy?”
Sammy nodded back to Justin, “You got that right,” then he turned to Kinsey, “How about I get us a little time in the health spa today and let me work my magic on you to make sure you’re all you can be. You could wear a pair of denim overalls tonight and still look incredible but I’d love to show Dmitri just how hot you can be.”
Kinsey thought about it for a moment then said, “I don’t have time for a make-over today. Could you just come up to my room before we leave and help me there?”
Sammy stood and reached out to Kinsey and ran his fingers through her hair, “I’ll take anything I can get if it involves this beautiful hair.” Then he added, “I have a lot to do. I’ll call both of you and check in later. I have some clothes shopping to do and I think I need to go into Hamilton to do it. This is going to be so exciting.” he said, as stepped back from the table and turned to go. He gave both Justin and Kinsey his best smile and left them, walking across the deck of the pool with an almost audible swishing sound coming from his swaying hips.
Kinsey turned to Justin and smiled.
Justin said, “He’s something, is he not? Quite a character. A good person too. I can’t believe he’s doing this for me.”
“He’s amazing. I came to this island with an incredible sadness in my heart and he’s done so much to push it out from inside me.”
The waitress came bringing Justin his second breakfast and after she had placed the plates on the table before Justin and left, he said, his fork hanging at the ready over the food on his plate, “We should try to help him get back together with Carlton. It sounds to me like if he’d just tell the guy he’s here in Bermuda, Carlton would come here to get him.”
Kinsey nodded and smiled, “Sammy’s like a scorned women. He doesn’t even know if Carlton cheated on him. He’s just assuming it.”
“So what can we do?”
Kinsey sat back down in her chair, “I have an idea. I have a lot of things to do today, but later on I want you to distract him for a few minutes and get him to leave his phone. He’s always putting it on the table before him when he sits down and you just need to get him to leave it for a moment after I send him a picture or a message from my phone so that he unlocks it to look at it. Maybe it will stay unlocked long enough so I can find Carlton’s phone number.”
“That’s a great idea. Let’s just call Carlton and tell him to come surprise Sammy. You’re a genius.”
“It’s at least worth a try.” Kinsey replied.
She was getting ready to stand and leave when Justin asked, “Why are you doing this? I mean for me. Why would you risk your safety for me? It’s not like you know me that well. We aren’t old friends.”
“But we’re friends, no?”
“Of course we are, but you did it, you and Sammy, out of the blue, you completely befriended me and I’m grateful. But why would you do it? This is your vacation. Why are you helping some boat captain-slash-waiter on your vacation?”
Kinsey put her hands on the table, looked at her nails, made a quick note to be sure and get them manicured before the day was over, and then she answered Justin’s question, “You remind me of my husband when we first met. You almost look like him even. You love the sea, the sky, the outdoors, being on a boat, and you’re a thinker, just like he is. When you told me and Sammy what happened to you and Trisha I could hear you learning and growing as a man as your story unfolded. I heard you learning how to love a girl the right way and that’s something that both my husband and I each had to learn also. We lost one another for four long years and then right when I was ready to give up on ever finding him again God saw fit to bring us back together. I want to give that back; I want to help you find your fiancée and I want to be at your wedding and I want to be a part of your lives as you love each other and grow old together. I’ve been where you are now and I know how sad it is. I don’t want you to give up on finding Trisha and being overcome with anger. I want you to have the love of your life come back into your life. I want you in Trisha’s arms again.”
Justin paused, looked about at the people sitting at tables around the pool and at the sunbathers tanning in their lounge chairs, then he turned back to Kinsey, “That’s a good answer,” he said.
21
Tanner on the Prowl
Tanner stayed well behind her, keeping from her sight. He’d been following her for the last two days, and soon, yes it couldn’t come soon enough, he’d make his move and begin what for him would be, as he’d taken to calling it the last few days, The Great Seduction. He would be wrapped in this beautiful woman’s arms by the coming dawn – at least he hoped.
It had been a long time since he and Kinsey had made love and Tanner missed the soft and tender touch of a naked woman. He missed the rhythm of making love – the sometimes gentle, sometimes powerful, oftentimes frantic thrusting and connecting of two human bodies. The coming together to be one. He felt, again, something he’d hoped he’d never again feel – he felt the loneliness of being kept away from touching a female body. It was like when he’d lost Kinsey those years before and how his heart, his soul, his mind, and his loins had yearned and ached for her every moment of every day.
Tanner had to be with this woman who was walking, a beach bag over her shoulder, down the path through the dunes to the private beach below and he had to be with her this very night or he knew he’d explode as a man.
The woman paused in her walk and took a look around her to the beautiful scenery – the white empty beach, the rolling waves as they came to shore, the deep blue sky and the green and blue sea and Tanner watched her as she took in a deep breath of the salt air, and, seemingly invigorated by it all, resumed her walk down the path to the shore.
Tanner had had to duck behind some bushes growing next to the path to be sure and not be spotted by the girl as she had taken in her surroundings and he stayed down and out of sight as she made her way to the beach and spread out her towel before sitting down on it and making herself comfortable.
He watched her as she rubbe
d lotion on her arms and legs and he felt himself getting physically warmer, even beginning to sweat, so naturally seductive was her application of the tanning oil. He found himself overwhelmed when she removed her cover-up to apply the tanning oil to the rest of her body. She was as beautiful a woman as he’d ever seen. She turned to lay on her stomach and Tanner heard himself make a noise in the back of his throat when she removed her top before lying down. Then he moved his eyes lower down her body and saw that she was in nothing but a dark blue thong and he sat down hard in the sand and shook his head. He physically couldn’t be like this much longer.
He remembered the first time he saw Kinsey, as he pulled up to her in his sailboat as she stood alone in the sand, barefoot, her shoes in her hand, waiting for him to come sweep her off of her feet. He’d been able to do it then; could he do it now? Again?
That was the last time he’d ever approached a woman romantically. Could he still swing it? He doubted himself much more this time. There were so many variables with this situation. This was a beautiful woman who seemed intent on being alone. Would he be bothering her with his eminent advance? She exuded a raw sexuality that he found he could not keep from approaching. This was not in his plan. He had wanted to wait and seduce her with a spectacular dinner at a world class restaurant but his balls ached in the worst of ways, and so, with physiologically no other choice, he stood up from behind the bush and began to make his way down to the beach and to the gorgeous girl – as she lay all but naked, sunning on a deserted beach – to do everything in his power to seduce her.
He was almost off the path and on the beach when the girl suddenly stood from her towel. She didn’t bother with her top, and, wearing only her thong, she began walking toward the water’s edge.
If she’d turned her eyes back to the path he would have been seen but the girl never did look his way and Tanner watched her as she walked to the ocean. He took in her dark brown skin and her long hair that stopped just at the top of her tight butt cheeks that swayed and pivoted with each of her steps in the sand – like a super model walking away from the camera at a beach photo shoot – and he felt the raw passion of her walk as it burned him clear though his mind, his heart and his body, indeed, more than anything, burned through his body.
Lights on the Far Horizon Trilogy Page 24