“You got it.” He had the urge to give her a kiss goodbye once again as she looked up with her large sad, gorgeous blue eyes. His heart hurt at that look, but he had things to take care of, as he did not trust a rescue would happen anytime soon.
He got a long goodbye look and a little wave from her as he headed off with a pained heart.
As he left her view Halo sighed heavily as she scooted close to the edge of the tent and picked up her little soap bar from the Emporium Hotel and began soaping up the hand towel.
After she was done cleaning up she felt better, she had even dug into her purse and found a bottle of Givenchy perfume and spritzed herself. She was even strong enough to take out her ponytail and let her hair breathe. She tired out quickly brushing her hair, but got enough done to be satisfied. Digging into her suitcase, she took out her clothes that had gotten wet and set them out in the sun around her. Opening up the dress boutique bag from Brisbane, she found her red dress had not suffered any water damage. Pulling it out she smiled with the thought of wearing it for Xander someday.
She laid back on the blanket with the dress held to her chest. Her smile grew as she thought what he would think of her all dressed up as if they were at some film premier. She fantasized that he would not be able to resist her and he would be hers and with that thought the feeling in her heart soared high above the island.
She imagined them dancing together at the Met Ball someday… with that thought, an exciting and good feeling warmed her belly and spread to all her extremities. He would look so hot in a Tux… she reveled in the warm fuzzies that reverberated through her. She imagined kissing his lips on the dance floor, with a soft exhalation she let sleep find her.
She awoke to a late afternoon breeze blowing through the tent. She looked out and saw that the sky was full of gray billowing clouds. She looked around for Xander but he was not back yet. She remembered the red dress on her chest and as quick as she could she put it away carefully in the bag then it went into her suitcase as well the rest of her clothes. Digging around she found a loose fitting long sleeve pink hoodie. She thought about wearing a bra, but if she could get Xander to rub her back again it would only get in the way. Besides, she liked giving him a view. She did change her undies into her little black yoga shorts; they were not as sexy as panties but was warmer as it was cooling down.
She pushed the suitcases back in order and propped herself up against hers and waited. She kept looking out of both ends of the tent watching for him, her hands rubbing the tops of her thighs at each glance. She began to worry and began picking at her fingernails. Every time she noticed, she was picking at them she clasped her hands in frustration. The urge to tinkle poked at her, she glanced over to the water pitcher and decided that would be a last resort.
After fifteen minutes of fretting and worrying if something happened to him, she heard him approaching. She quickly put on some lip gloss and ran her hands through her hair. As soon as her hand came away from her hair, he peeked in the tent.
“Halo! Wow, you look fabulous!” Xander said with a big boyish grin.
She saw he was shirtless, “Xander! Look at you! You are all wet! It’s breezy out there come inside and let me help dry you off.” She held up her dry dishtowel and beckoned him in. She watched him take a moment as he thought about it. When it looked like he was going to beg off, she pointed at the spot next to her. “Come on in and sit here.” She saw his posture begin to relent to her request, but his eyes showed that he was thinking about it. She urged him further, “Don’t just stand there, come on!”
He shrugged and stepped up and brushed the sand off his legs and sat down. She began drying off his shoulders then his chest. She saved his hair and face for last. She gestured for him to lean his head down and she began towel drying his dark hair. With her fingertips, she raised his chin up and gently dried his face as she looked into his deep green eyes. She saw he was trying not to show his enjoyment, but she knew. “You take a swim?” She said as she booped him on his nose with the towel.
“Uh, yeah, I was really dirty and I had to check the fish rack. We’re having fish again, I think these ones are kinda like small tuna.” He paused and leaned slightly close to her and closed his eyes, “That perfume… that’s the French one you did the commercial for? The pink bottle one.”
Halo quietly leaned close and exposed her neck close to his nose. From the corner of her eye she saw his eyes open wide at the proximity of their faces, “Here get a closer whiff.” She watched as he breathed in her perfume, “Do you like it?”
Xander drew away and nodded, “Very much. I, uh got my wife some for her birthday…”
“Oh.” Halo replied quietly. “She like it?”
“Uh well, she took it back to the store and exchanged it… for a J. Lo one.”
She faced him now and debated whether to delve further, curiosity won out. “She didn’t like it?” She saw his consternation as it passed over his face, “She took it back because it was mine, right?” She asked.
“Yeah…” He mumbled.
“So your wife doesn’t like me?” She asked with a curious look. She saw his forehead wrinkle up and he looked constipated all of a sudden. It reminded her that she had to go, but she knew something was up and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. “Hey, I won’t be upset if your wife doesn’t like me. What gives? It’s ok, really.” She urged.
“Uh, well no. Not really.” He murmured with embarrassment. He knew the next question but he let her ask.
“Why?” She held up her finger as he began to answer, “Wait. It’s because you like me, isn’t it?” She saw his face flush red and she saw him give her a little shrug. He looked like some little boy whose hand was just caught in the cookie jar. “Oh my… this is interesting. You follow me on Twitter and Facebook?”
He slowly shook his head at her, his face still flushed. “Well...”
“Wait a minute there is more here than meets the eye. I know I’m putting you on the spot, what’s up? Come on, it’s ok.”
She saw his shoulders slump and he was now looking down at his hands, “You added me as a friend as well as many others when you tried to do a personal page. You had to delete it because you were spammed by requests and private messages you said. I wasn’t entirely sure it was you posting...” He sighed heavily.
“I remember that, yeah it was mostly me… Oh wow! Is that where I know you from?” She said excitedly and bounced a bit in anticipation.
A way out dawned in front of him, he knew he could not outright lie to her, “You know? I’m not sure… could be. You may have seen my pics?”
Halo stared at him for a long time thinking, “Well I don’t remember… but I hate to bother you, I really, really have to go potty.”
“OH!” Xander said, happy to get out of the conversation. He quickly scooped her up and carried her out of the tent.
“So did your wife find out?” She asked as he quickly carried her to the loo.
“No. Your personal page wasn’t up long enough, just a few days. It became a moot point, I did tell my daughter though…”
“I’m seeing a pattern here Mr. Mystery man.”
“Oh?” He gently sat her down on the loo.
“Xander?”
“Yes, Halo?” He asked as he began to turn away.
“I need help, and I’m not wearing a blanket.” She almost burst out laughing as his mouth fell open; she held her laugh to a loud giggle.
“I’ll run back!”
“No, just close your eyes if you want.”
“It’s no prob…”
“It’s either now or I’ll have to change them.”
“Oh hell!” Xander moaned.
She wanted to tell him to think of his grandma, but she did not want that thought in his head when he thought of her, “Just like before, think about this: You would have seen me naked anyway.” She saw his hand stop in midair as he was going to help her up. “Seriously, I would have only had on panties and pasties.”
> With a hoarse voice Xander replied, “That isn’t helping. You know you are killing me, right?”
“Yes, but I really need to go.” She began bouncing on the seat.
“No! Don’t do that, you might fall in. Here, let’s get this over with.” He pulled her close to him, hands trembling.
She felt his hands slide down and slip under the waistband of her yoga shorts. He got them down past her bum as his head was turned. He then looked directly at her face and sat her up on the loo.
“Hey, I think I got this. Do you have any…” He quickly handed her his ever handy supply of moist towelettes. “Thanks. I’ll call you back.”
He nodded and made sure she would not fall in and then stepped away for a short walk. He heard her call out to him and he came strolling back looking away from her.
Halo began chuckling at him as he stepped close, “Oh Xander, you really crack me up. I’m sorry if I’m being a pain!”
“It’s fine. You just don’t understand…” He looked away and with still trembling hands, he got her tight fitting shorts up. He did find out how soft her bum was and his manhood threatened to let him know how it felt about it too.
“Why are you so red? Are you ok?”
“Wha? Oh, I think I bent over too quick.” He made it sound as believable as he could. “Ready?”
“Yes, thank you. I feel much better.” She felt herself lifted off as if she was but a feather to him, she so enjoyed being in his arms. She knew why he turned red, he had brushed against her bum…
“So, what is it I don’t understand?” She asked quietly as he carried her back.
“Halo, you are you! Half the men in the world would give anything to be with you or even meet you. Don’t you get it?”
“I know what you mean. Xander, really I’m just another pretty face…” She stopped short at his look, “What?”
“See? You don’t get it.”
“No Xander, it’s you who’s not getting it.” She countered, “Xander, do you know how hot you looked? I saw you this morning and you looked like some perfect Greek sea God coming up out of the water. Hell, if you weren’t married, and with me sick or not…”
Xander laughed and suddenly stopped short when she gave him a hard look.
“You have no idea…” She replied with irritation in her voice.
He gently set her down in the tent and plopped down next to her. Looking at her, he replied with a frown, “Halo, I’m just a guy. A two-bit actor out of… Oregon no less.”
“And I’m an actress out of New York then California…” She countered. “You my handsome hero, just don’t want to acknowledge it. I know the real reason why, and it’s ok… for now.” She teased.
“Halo…” Xander stopped talking and put his head in his hands, hiding his face, and shook his head.
Halo reached over and rubbed his knee, “Xander?” She asked softly. She watched as he shook his head and looked up at her with glassy eyes.
After a quiet moment he spoke, “You don’t get it.” She started to interrupt, “Halo, please listen!” She stopped her interruption and let him continue, “I will do anything for you! Shit, I’d rather die than see you hurt, ok?” He sighed as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders, “I—I’m married…” He groaned.
Halo saw him look away with hurt in his face, she felt horrible all of a sudden. She had the biggest urge to lean over, hold him and kiss him for all she was worth. Then a small revelation dawned on her, for him to get upset this way… there has to be more, more than just him liking her too. She let that go for now, but he made his point but she felt she just had to counter it—just a little bit.
She reached out and caressed his hand with hers as her own eyes began to tear up, “Xander, I’m sorry if I hurt you. It was not my intention. I have one more question on this subject, may I ask?” She leaned over to see his face as she watched him nod as he refused to meet her eyes, “What if we are stuck here for months, a year or forever? Then what?” She watched as he turned to her with widened eyes, he gave her a tight-lipped frown and shrugged. ‘Fuck getting rescued!’ Shot through her mind like a flaming arrow at his look of uncertainty.
She squeezed his hand with hope in her heart, “Ok, Mr. Mystery man. I’m so sorry if I hurt you. Please, can I give you a friendly squeeze? You look like you need one.” She saw him hesitate but she did not relent and she began to tug at his hand. She felt a moment of resistance, but her persistence won out and he leaned close and she met him half way and pulled his head down to her shoulder.
She whispered at him as she wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders, “It hurts me to see you upset, I am so sorry.” She felt him nod then he gently pulled himself away.
“I need to start dinner before the rain hits.” He mumbled.
Halo watched him get up and shook her head at herself, she reminded herself not to push the poor guy. She sat back and had herself a think. Perhaps she did see his picture and checked out his Facebook profile. Is that where she knew him from, did they chat? She could not remember, maybe they did and he is afraid to tell her. It still did not quite fit…
The smell of fish roasting made her stomach rumble and it took her thoughts to food. She crawled over so she could watch him better, sat back and watched him cook their dinner with a smile.
Trip to the Loo
Xander watched as Halo slowly took her time as she walked across the sand to the new and closer loo that he built. This one had more privacy as he built a short wooden three-sided frame and lined it with palm fronds. The seat was made with four overlapping pieces of wood planks that had washed up on the beach a few days earlier. He had taken to walking the around the island’s beaches every morning as various forms of junk and plastic were being deposited by the current.
“You are doing great, Halo! Take your time.” He urged her.
Halo was using a walking stick and her legs felt like rubber bands, but she was determined to get there and back without Xander’s help. She enjoyed it when he carried her, but being a pain in the ass was not sitting with her well. “Woo.” She sighed and stepped up to the loo and sat down on the wood plank seat.”
“You think you can handle getting your shorts off?” Xander asked quietly.
“We shall see…” Halo mumbled as she began sliding off her shorts.
“Hey!” Xander exclaimed and quickly turned around, showing her his back.
“Oh, sorry.” She smiled then got her shorts down and frowned. Even though it was awkward with him helping her go potty, she enjoyed his touch and liked the feeling of him taking her clothes off. “Ok Xander, you can take a little walk please.”
Without turning around, he called out, “Yes ma’am!” Then headed off towards the beach whistling, ‘Never on Sunday.’
He gave her a few minutes before he came back whistling the same song and saw her waiting and ready to head back. He shot her a smile, she returned it and began slowly making her way back to the camp with him close at hand.
Halo collapsed in a heap in the tent, out of breath and sweating, “Wow, that was tiring…”
“You did very well! I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, can’t believe not more than a month ago running seven miles was nothing. Here I can hardly walk fifty yards…”
“Yes, but consider how you were a week ago. Most people do not recover this quickly from pneumonia or whatever you had.”
Halo looked up at him and winced, “My back kinda hurts more now.”
“As a reward, tonight I’ll massage it for you if you would like?”
Halo nodded emphatically, hoping he would offer a back rub, even though her back was actually getting much better. He had already stopped with the cupping as her breathing was improved. She so enjoyed his hands on her, but she felt guilty asking as he was always so exhausted when he would return home in the afternoon from working the garden and from fishing.
Even though he was tired and hungry, he would make them dinner and help her with whatever
she needed. As soon as he laid down at night, he was out like a light. In addition, every night like clockwork, he would roll over and spoon her until early morning, when it would be her turn. She still thought he never realized what had been doing. She knew he enjoyed it when he woke in the morning and she was curled up around him.
One time she caught him lying awake and stroking her hand softly as she hugged him close. At first, she thought he was thinking about his wife, but through her hair she watched him watch her. She loved the look on his face… it looked like he was in heaven. She worried if she could even fall asleep without him now. A shiver ran through her at the thought of him not being next to her.
“So, are you good with me heading out to the other island today?” Xander asked interrupting her thoughts.
Forever and a Day Page 41