Life Is A Beach / A Real-thing Fling

by Pamela Browning

  He reached up and grabbed Azure’s hand, pulling her toward him. “Sit down a minute?”

  She did sit beside him, and he closed his eyes. This was so comfortable, so peaceful, and he was beginning to feel very mellow. After a few minutes, she began to smooth his hair back from his forehead. She stroked his head, his temples. Then he felt her lips, soft and gentle, upon his cheek.

  “Azure,” he said, opening his eyes, and it was as if he couldn’t drink in enough of her beauty. He was startlingly, achingly aware of her in that moment, of her softly shadowed throat, her pale hair swooping down to brush against his face. She was so lovely she took his breath away, so beautiful that she made his senses spin.

  She settled against him on the couch so that he could feel her body molding against his. Her lips were soft, provocative, and incredibly sensual. Before he could deepen the kiss, he felt her mouth opening to his, her tongue teasing. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be, he thought fuzzily. There was supposed to be a grand seduction scene, complete with candlelight and wine. He’d wanted to remove her clothes garment by garment, revealing her to his gaze bit by bit, and then when he couldn’t stand it any longer, he would bear her away to bed. A big bed, maybe, strewn with flowers.

  But now here they were with no candlelight and no romance. Just the two of them, just her lips and his, just long leisurely kisses, one melting into the next until he thought he would die of pleasure.

  She didn’t speak, though she did keep kissing him, until after a long time the kisses tapered off and they came up for air.

  “Nice,” he said, realizing that his left hand had worked its way under her shirt and was massaging someplace between her ribs and her breasts. She wore panties, he discovered when his hand ventured beneath the waistband of her shorts. But no bra.

  “Mmm,” she said, leaning into the caress. He thought he would close his eyes for a moment, just a moment, and then perhaps he would resume kissing her. Kissing her, and touching her, and loving her.

  He drifted off to sleep, lost in a daydream that became a nighttime dream of the most delicious variety. He didn’t even know when she slipped out from under his arm so she could stand up, or when she removed his shoes and lifted his feet up to the couch.

  In his mind, she was sleeping beside him, her head on his shoulder, her hand curled upon his chest, and he was telling her about all the things he wanted to do to her, now and forever.

  8

  YOU’VE GOT MAIL!

  To: A_OConnor@wixler.org

  From: D_Colangelo@wixler.org

  Subject: that paco!

  a.j., you won’t believe it but paco went ballistic when i told him you’d met someone. he acted like he couldn’t believe that you’d actually take up with another guy. i said, well, didn’t he have someone else, and didn’t he think that was okay? he said he and tiffany are completely quits, finis, over. i didn’t say anything about when you’d be back, a.j. you are coming back, aren’t you?

  luv,

  Dor

  To: D_Colangelo@wixler.org

  From: A_OConnor@wixler.org

  Subject: Re: that paco!

  Serves Paco right, in my opinion. Right now the guy I’m crazy about is asleep on the couch alone. What happened is too long to tell, but suffice it to say that I had intended to be sleeping with him both tonight and last night (but did not due to circumstances). He’s so adorable when he sleeps, Dorrie! He kind of snores, only it’s more like purring. And he’s nice, Dor, and he’s personable, and—but I digress. Tell Paco I said to take a long walk off a short pier. And you should try some of those thong panties if you haven’t already. They’re not nearly as uncomfortable as they look.

  Love,

  A.J.

  WHEN SHE WOKE UP THE NEXT morning in Paulette’s bed instead of on the pull-out couch in the living room, Azure had to think for a moment to remember where she was. Then it all came back to her—sun and fun, Kevin and his chicken, and Lee falling asleep on the couch afterward.

  She got out of bed and padded into the living room. Lee slept with his mouth open, a position that she found attractive in few men but actually was becoming to him.

  She went into the kitchen, started the coffee, and cut a cantaloupe into wedges. As she was arranging the wedges on a cut-glass plate, Lee stirred and slowly sat up.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  “It’s morning?”

  “Look outside.”

  He did and saw sunshine. He groaned. “It’s morning, all right. I didn’t mean to sleep all night.”

  “Oh, and what did you mean to do?”

  “I meant to go on kissing you,” he said. He swung his feet over the edge of the couch.

  Azure brought the plate of cantaloupe into the living room and set it down on the table beside Lee. “Do you have plans for today?” she asked as she walked back to the kitchen.

  He started to say no, but then he remembered the appointment with the man from the seed company. “I—well, as it happens, I do.”

  Azure looked surprised. “Oh. Well, never mind, then.”

  He joined her in the kitchen. “How about dinner tonight?”

  She turned away, fiddling with coffee mugs and sugar and spoons. “I’d like that. But not if you’re busy.”

  “I won’t be. This appointment today—it’s important, or I’d break it.” He had to talk with Fleck, too, and find out what had passed between him and Azure.

  She handed him a mug of coffee. “It’s about a job?”

  “More or less.” He hated being evasive. He hated pretending to be someone he wasn’t. But he couldn’t come clean. Not now, when things were going so well. Not now, when, if he read the signs correctly, she was beginning to care about him.

  “A job—that’s good, right?” She took her own mug and preceded him into the living room, where she sat on the couch with one leg tucked under her.

  “Yes, it is.” He sat, too, but on the chair across the room. He was eager now to get out of here, anxious about what Fleck had told her, worried that he had dug himself in too deep with this deception of his. By tonight, he’d have his facts straight and his course would be clear. He’d tell her who he was, tell her that he was in love with her, ask her if she felt the same.

  “Help yourself to the cantaloupe,” she said.

  “No, I’d better go.” He took his half-full coffee mug to the sink.

  “I thought we could have a leisurely breakfast. I could fix eggs, toast—”

  “I’m afraid I don’t have time.”

  Her expression darkened. “Is anything wrong? Did I do or say something?”

  At the door, he grasped her shoulders. They felt delicate under her thin robe, and he imagined how it would be to brush the robe aside, to kiss the hollow below her shoulder, to feather more kisses up the side of her neck. “Everything is fine. I have something I need to do, that’s all, and I’m looking forward to this evening. Pick you up at seven?”

  “Seven is fine,” she said, but her eyes were deep pools of concern.

  “I—” he said, but he stopped short of what he wanted to say. There would be time for that later.

  “See you tonight,” was all he said, and then he left.

  Azure closed the door softly behind him, wondering why he had bolted so quickly.

  At least she would have time this morning to work out, she thought, and even though she wanted to, she resisted the urge to go out on the balcony and watch as Lee’s red convertible pulled out of the parking lot.

  “WHAT DID YOU SAY TO AZURE when she called me?” Lee demanded when he found Fleck lounging in the main salon of the Samoa.

  Fleck clicked the remote control and brought the large-screen TV out from behind the folding doors that hid it from view when it wasn’t in use. “Only that you’d have dinner with her on Friday.”

  “Friday,” Lee repeated. He thought for a moment. “The day after tomorrow. That means that I have until then to be Lee Sanders.”

  “Is that
a problem?”

  “I don’t know. I want to tell her who I am. I need to tell her who I am. This pretending to be someone else presents problems.”

  “I haven’t noticed that,” Fleck said with a straight face.

  “Having fun, are you?” Lee couldn’t help grinning.

  “You’d better believe it. I found a beach bunny waiting in the Mercedes when I came out of the juiceteria yesterday. That wouldn’t have been so bad, except that I had been chatting up this awesome babe inside, and she—”

  “Awesome babe? Juiceteria? This babe wouldn’t have happened to have a small diamond inserted in a hole in her left nostril, would she?”

  “How did you know?” Fleck stared at him.

  “A hunch.”

  “You don’t have dibs on her, do you?”

  “No, Azure is the one for me.”

  “Hey, Lee, are you going to tell Azure or not?”

  “I’ll tell her tonight, probably. But if she calls again, find some excuse not to talk to her. I don’t want you messing things up.”

  “Right-o, buddy. Everything is kewl.”

  Including his head, Lee thought, which had better remain cool so that he could work his way out of this quagmire of deception.

  THE PHONE AT THE APARTMENT was ringing as Azure let herself in after a full workout at the gym.

  “Hello?”

  “A.J.! Thank goodness you’ve finally answered!”

  It was Dorrie, and Azure was delighted to hear her voice. “Is something wrong at work?”

  “No, but Harry is agitated over this Santori thing.”

  “You can tell him I’m having dinner with Santori on Friday.”

  “That will relieve him a whole bunch, I’m sure. But what’s with this guy of yours? The one you’re so crazy about?”

  Azure sank down on the couch and touched the cushion where Lee had rested his head last night. It still smelled of him, or was it her imagination?

  “I may have overstated things, Dor. I don’t know what to think. He spent the night on the couch—”

  “All night?”

  “Yes, all night. I slept in Paulette’s bed.”

  “Paulette’s not there?”

  “She went to a seminar in Orlando. Get this, Dorrie—he spent the night and ran off without even drinking all of his coffee this morning.”

  “Kiss or no kiss?”

  “A brush on the cheek and a Shoulder Grasp.”

  “Ah, The Shoulder Grasp. And what did you do?”

  “Nothing. I was too stunned that he was leaving. He asked me out for tonight, though.”

  “Hmm. What will you wear?”

  “I don’t know. I may have to go shopping again.”

  “Buy something very sexy. Something you’re almost falling out of. And then fall out of it at an appropriate time.” Dorrie laughed.

  “What’s all this stuff you keep writing to me about Paco? You know I’m over him.”

  “He’s not over you, A.J. He went nuts when I told him you’d met someone. He yelped and spilled his café latte down the front of his pants. I hope it burned him in an inconvenient place.”

  “Me, too.” She paused and glanced at her watch. “I’d better run, Dorrie, if I’m going to go shopping.”

  “Okay, but pick up your cell phone once in a while, won’t you? And answer my e-mails.”

  Azure was hard put to explain how she only booted up her laptop once a day now and how her cell phone had lost its importance. She couldn’t even explain it to herself, unless it was a result of being overcome by fresh ocean breezes, gaudy colors, and too much sun.

  “Right. ’Bye, Dorrie.”

  “Goodbye, A.J.”

  After she had hung up, Azure went to find more clothes of Paulette’s that would fit. She discovered a lime-green wraparound skirt in the back of the closet and a clingy black T-shirt with rhinestones around the neckline. With big sunglasses and hair piled haphazardly high with loose tendrils escaping around her face, she looked like a babe. A South Beach babe.

  Which was proven when she sallied past Goldy’s desk and Goldy called after her, “Oh, Mandi! Come here for a minute, please.”

  Azure turned back around. “I’m Azure. Did I fool you?”

  Goldy appeared flustered. “You sure did. What’s come over you?”

  “A tropical depression, which I’m trying to alleviate by dressing for success. With Lee, I mean.”

  “I see. You look mighty cheesy, Azure.”

  “Thanks, I’ll take that as a compliment and as a sign that I’m finally starting to fit in around here.”

  She heard a clucking from below the counter near Goldy’s feet. Thoroughly inured to Miami Beach quirkiness by this time, Azure didn’t bat an eyelash, nor did she remind Goldy of her own rule that chickens were not allowable pets at the Blue Moon.

  LEE ARRIVED TO PICK HER UP for dinner a few minutes before seven. His early arrival might have knocked Azure off balance if she hadn’t been ready and waiting for at least half an hour herself. Her hair was loose, cascading down her back in a shimmering free-fall, and she was dressed to stun in a new black slinky strapless confection that made the most of her breasts, which kept surging over the top of it like pink grapefruit bouncing out of a bowl.

  Lee became properly bug-eyed when she answered the door, and the look on his face made all the money she had spent on her new dress well worth it. She’d invested in glittery mascara, too, after seeing a model in a store wearing it, and she’d bought a pair of strappy black sandals with impossibly high heels. She wouldn’t be able to run fast in those shoes, and she hoped that Lee would realize that she didn’t want to.

  As for Lee, he looked suave and debonair in a pale gray sport coat worn over a white shirt thrown open at the throat. Below that he wore jeans and boat shoes without socks. She thought he looked fantastic, except for the no socks.

  He held the door open for her as they left the apartment. “Want to try a new place around the corner? Goldy says it’s good.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  Goldy was urging the chicken around the lobby on its leash when they arrived in the lobby. “I can walk her like a dog. Isn’t that something? Where are you two headed?”

  “Lu’s Junkanoo, on your recommendation.”

  “Try their special drinks,” she said.

  “I take it you’ve decided to keep Fricassee?”

  “Kevin hasn’t shown up to take her back,” Goldy said, but she didn’t seem unhappy about it.

  Lee chuckled as they left the building. “That Goldy. It’s always something.”

  “Never a dull moment,” Azure agreed, thinking that things were going smoothly this evening with Lee. The unaccountably sexy light in his eyes as he appraised her earlier, the eagerness with which he seemed to greet the evening, the attentive way in which he helped her into the Mustang—none of this bespoke a man who was tired of the chase.

  The restaurant turned out to be decorated in pink and purple, and waiters wore straw hats and turquoise shirts with brightly patterned ties. Reggae music blared from speakers hidden behind potted palms, and they went into the bar and sat down at a tiny table.

  Lee ordered a beer, and Azure ordered white wine at first. But Lee thought she was looking longingly at the drink that a waiter carried past them, one that came in a large frosty glass with a wedge of pineapple hanging over the edge. “Want one of those?”

  She shook her head. “No, that’s not necessary,” she said, thinking that Lee’s limited budget might not extend to fancy drinks, but Lee had already beckoned the waiter over to their table.

  The waiter poised his pencil over his order pad. “We have a special on tonight. It’s Lu’s Mango Tango Surprise, and if you drink three of them you get the fourth one free.”

  “What’s in it?”

  “If I told you that, it wouldn’t be a surprise,” said the waiter with a wink.

  “Go ahead, Azure, try it,” Lee urged. He thought it was cute the way she squ
inched up her eyes and thought for a moment.

  “All right. But I’ll never be able to drink three of them.” She settled back in her chair and smiled at him. “You know what I’m thinking?” she said.

  “Not a clue.”

  “That I’m getting into this Miami Beach rhythm, finally.”

  The waiter brought her drink, and she took a sip through the straw. Her eyes crinkled in delight. “Mmm, that’s good. Know what? This drink is rather strong.”

  “Live it up, Azure. Let your hair down.”

  She fluffed her fingers through it. “It’s already down anyway.” She laughed. “I can’t remember when I last felt so carefree. Plus I’m getting a tan that will impress everybody at the office.”

  “Do you like living in Boston?”

  She considered this. “I think so. I mean, I was sure I did up until now. But when I think of going back, I seem to remember how drab all those gray buildings look when compared to the exciting colors of Miami Beach. The pinks, the turquoises, the bright greens and oranges—all jumbled together in a kind of tropical salad. It’s so much more energetic, so—” She stopped and thought for a moment. “It’s so titillating, I guess I’m trying to say.”

  Lee had an idea that Azure O’Connor had never used the word “titillating” in a sentence in her life. He leaned back and watched as she pulled the straw out of her drink, set the pineapple wedge aside, and tipped the glass up to drain it.

  A waiter appeared immediately with another drink. “I didn’t think I wanted another,” she confided, leaning over the table toward Lee, “but they’re awfully good.” She had positioned herself so that he had a spectacular view of her cleavage, and he found himself shifting in his seat and thinking that he wouldn’t mind being next to her so that he could slide an arm around her shoulders. But she had taken off on another subject.

  “I told Karma that I didn’t know how she could marry Slade and go and live on that ranch way out at the edge of the Everglades, but she was extremely happy about the whole thing. I guess when you meet someone special, you have to tailor your life to fit his. Hers. If you’re a guy, I mean. Gosh, I think the drinks are getting to me. Is it possible to feel giddy after only one and a little bit of another?”