Chosen Mate Ch. 03

His sight became normal again with her touch as she flowed eel-like into the watery bower, curling around his body. He thought for a moment that she would surge onto his lap, but she remained low in the water, peering through the small gap in the pleasant nest, wrapping arms around his thigh. She trembled slightly, and then gripped his leg tighter. He stood, water cascading down his body with the sudden movement. She sank lower, hands on his feet, spying between his legs.

"This is private property." He called, waving them away, unashamed of his nakedness and emphatic with his right to prevent them entrance to the pool. The small craft hesitated in the break that secluded cove from river. The men looked up from their paddling. He recognized them. It was B and B. The brothers stared for a shocked moment, startled by his sudden appearance in this remote spot. Harry glanced down at Sandra as she looked out of the small depression. Her fists now dug tightly into the gravel, her body rigid with emotion at the disturbance of their idealic day. She knew who was there also. Bobs booming voice called over the water.

"Harry? Hey! Airing out are you?" That was Bob, always direct, to the point, and irritating.

--Oh hell, here we go again. Oldman spat. He didn't think they had seen Sandra yet. Harry stepped in front of her then spoke loudly and insultingly.

"I'm trolling for suckerfish fairies Bob. Get the hell out of my fishing hole. You're scaring them away." Bob's laughter covered his quick conversation with Sandra. "Did they see you yet?"

"No, if they had they would be wrecking the boat trying to get away." she growled back, pissed. Bob's laughter faded away to be replaced by his taunting words.

"Sure you've got the right tackle for that Harry?" The loud voice was chased by his hearty amused laughter. Sandra moved in a fit of anger. She was going to get involved; he knew this to be an absolute fact. There was no stopping her now that they had insulted her plaything. He strode forward, splashing knee deep into the cove and turned slightly as she exploded out of the water. Her eyes were two points of flashing, frozen, fire as she stepped up on the gravel, placing her fists on her hips and raised her chin displaying her snarling lips.

The brothers fell back in surprise at her sudden appearance and impending biting words. Loud thumps and the clatter of displaced equipment echoed from the small light aluminum boat.

"His tackle is just fine Bob. If you want to save your own then you better go now so we can finish our picnic in peace!" Billy was paddling furiously now as he beat the water to froth trying to regain the safety of the river. Bob was looking desperately for his. They paddled swiftly out into the current, turning down river and moving rapidly toward the end of the gravel bar.

"Cya, Harry. Have fun." Bob's parting shot sent Sandra striding purposely across the gravel bar toward them. They bent to their paddles and vanished swiftly.

Sandra continued to berate the brothers with threats and repercussions while Harry turned away and dived, shallowly and easily, into the cool liquid sheath of the cove. Backstroking easily toward the rocks, he gazed up at the faded blue sky while he concentrated on working the stiffness from his limbs. He heard footsteps running across the gravel then a quiet heartbeat of time later, her splash as she dived in behind him. A few strokes later she bobbed up beside him, breast stroking easily as she kept pace. He turned enough to see her eyes as they continued to the rocks that were nearby now. Boy, he sure hoped she was careful where she pointed them; they seethed with determined mayhem that was mirrored on her face.

--He, He, He, chuckled Oldman. Harry ignored him; when he started all you could do was wait him out. His hand touched a stone and he turned, searching for the seat beneath the water under the low shelf. Finding it, he settled in. Sandra tread water a hand breath away, turned toward B and B's direction of retreat. A good word he thought, for retreat it was. He reached out with his legs to encircle and pull her back snugly against him. Her body pressed warmly against him; his hands moved, caressing breast and junction; he kissed the base of her neck hungrily. The water between them became warm as she writhed in his embrace.

"You know," he spoke in her ear, while trying to see her face. "You have to tell me why you scare them so bad. Do you carry a weapon?" She turned; pushing free and tread water. She smiled sweetly, but her eyes promised uncompromising mischief.

"Just my wits," She said, turning, and spat a stream of water onto his face. He lunged for her, but she flipped away gracefully and dove deep; her kicking legs faded into the depths. He stuck his head under the water and could see her swimming across the bottom toward the gravel bar. He set off in pursuit over the surface; his warmed up muscles moving well as he sped toward her destination.

He was just a step behind her when she rose from the water. She turned, knowing exactly where he was hoping to overtake her at the surface. She had seen him swimming above her after he had passed mid-point.

He stepped forward, taking her in his arms, and kissing her without preamble. He fed on her lips as she devoured his, each moaning their sudden need as tongues danced in sensual communication. Picking her up and staggering the few steps to the nest that waited for them, he descended clumsily, splashing a considerable amount of water out of the shallow depression in his haste. He lowered his body on hers. They tumbled and swirled over each other like fish spawning. At last, they lay side by side, clasping each other tightly while the late afternoon sun began slanting through the trees. Breathing deeply, their hands continued to rove freely, extracting the last bit of sensation from the others body. She rolled atop him; her gentle kisses seemed to pull the soul and heart from him. Sapphire eyes of reflection returned the drawn emotions of her kisses.

"I have to work tonight," She said at last, standing and walking to the quilt and picking up the towel he had dried her with while they ate lunch. He also stood, walking to the truck and sitting on the lowered tailgate and drying off with another towel drawn from the stores in his bag.

She was dressing now. The dark blue panties soon covered her most precious possession, so recently shared with him. The jeans hid from sight the long supple legs that had trembled against his as they lay in the warm bed of water. Her top denied him the sight of her sweet golden treasures that she had offered to the sun and to his ravenous mouth.

He walked to the quilt, bag in hand, and began dressing and packing. She knelt behind him and combed out his long tangled hair as he tidied the campsite. His preparations for departure complete, he regained his feet and looked down where she knelt. Head bowed in contemplation; she gazed unseeingly at the brush held in her hands.