Swim, Butterfly Ch. 17

Body Heat

At five minutes before eleven, knees weak, I sit on the edge of the bed and pull on a long, heavy skirt, boots, and a dark sweater. June and Rudy still sleep. I slip on my coat and clamp the red blanket under my arm. I don't want to wrap up in it yet; it might attract attention from any late night fun-seeker roaming about. All the responsible people, and I should be one of them, clammed up in their rooms hours ago, probably asleep.

I kiss June and Rudy on their smooth, cool cheeks. I know I shouldn't risk waking them, but I can't help it. They slumber still. I make sure I have my room key, open the door just enough, and slip through.

The darkness of the unlit beach beckons as I cross the deserted coastal road. I pull my coat tightly around me as the wind whips my hair. The ocean surf pounds like my heart and in the dark, away from the streetlights, I wrap the red blanket around my shoulders. Damp sand clings to my feet as I forge my way closer to the surf, seeking my lover.

I look around, my eyes adjusting to the dark. Stupid, wandering the beach alone because again, no one knows where I am. The surge of danger hits me full in the face with the icy, driving rain. I breathe deeply the salty air, squinting against the wind down one side of the gloomy stretch of beach, then the other.

Shuddering, I look over my shoulder and barely make out a dark, vague figure by the dunes. The figure grows larger, taller, closer. My pulse quickens. I pray it's Jimmy and not someone who saw me sneak across the street and followed me. I stand stock-still, as if a stalker can't see me if I don't move.

The wind blows wet spears of hair into my eyes as the figure in the dark ambles over. I make out the luminous face against the black hood... the huge eyes focused on me, the soft hands pulling my face close to his, the firm lips on mine. Stinging rain pelts our faces, fights its way into the corners of our mouths, and the deep kiss lets it in. Jimmy pulls back and says in a raspy voice, "Too cold and wet. Your room."

I take his slick hand and we stumble through the soft sand. At one point, Jimmy releases my hand to embrace me from behind, pressing his hardness against me and trying to kiss my neck through the blanket, hood, collar and scarf. I laugh at his clumsy love making. He growls, shaking his head and taking my hand again. We tumble and tug and pull each other over the sand for what feels like the world's longest walk on the beach. I feel like a drenched, witchy figure darting in and out of the street lamp's sulfurous glare as we cross the street back to the hotel.

My chilled fingers fumble with the room key, but I get the door open and peek inside. All quiet. I tug Jimmy in, and we pull and tug off our wet, clingy jackets. We start on our shirts when Jimmy stops, placing a finger on my lips and looking over my shoulder. I turn my head to follow his gaze. "Wow, there they are," he whispers. I look at him. He smiles, and puts his finger to his own lips, then undresses me.

His cool hands float along the curve of my back, tickling me, so he hugs me close instead. "God, I'm glad you showed up," he murmurs into my tousled hair. I press my nose against the black shirt over his chest and inhale his spicy, grassy scent while my breasts warm against him.

One of the kids rustles in the blankets and murmurs. Jimmy and I freeze, and out of the corner of my eye, I see June turn over, wiggle, and settle. I exhale slowly, quietly, then hook a finger under the hem of Jimmy's t-shirt, lifting it just enough to slip my other hand underneath. Gliding my hand up over his abs, his chest, his shoulders, I lift the t-shirt over his head, taking in the whole of his glowing torso. I kiss him about the collarbone, my fingertips tracing his ribs and the smooth, elegant muscles of his back as he shivers, my nipples pressing into his skin. He breaths faster as I work open the button on his jeans and slide them down over his hips, then to the floor. Nude and chilly, we wisely slip underneath the comforter. He wraps me in his sinful, silky arms.

"You're cold," I kiss his lips.

"You're warm, inside and out," he murmurs.

"I'll warm you up."

He runs his hand down my waist, "I love you."

I grin in the dark, "Shh, you don't have to."

We speak further with kisses and hands, exploring, reacquainting. He mounts me gently and the tip of his cock noses about my pussy. I must stay quiet because June keeps thrashing in her sleep. I can only imagine what'll happen if one of them wakes up while Jimmy's nine thick inches probe me.

"Hey," he whispers in my ear, "let me in, you stubborn thing."

"Don't you like it nice-n-tight?"

"Sure, butterfly, but I gotta' get in first," he thrusts hard, forcing me open, and a gasp escapes me. It hurts at first, but now we can start moving with each other. I don't want to rush, though, and want to make it last. I slow my motions against Jimmy's thrust, my hand on his cheek, then down his neck. Something doesn't feel right.

I press back against him, "Tell me, Jimmy."

He breathes hard, "I miss you."

"I'm right here, love, take your time," I caress his smooth head, trying to look in his eyes, "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to lose this. I don't want to lose this erection," he can barely speak, continuing to love me and burying his face in the crook of my neck. "I fucked another woman today. It's not fair, not fair to you."

"Jimmy, if you can't..."

"I can," he slows down, nearly withdraws all the way, leaving the tip inside, then penetrates me deeply, forcing me open. Wetness washes over him in velvety warmth he can't get sheathed in a rubber. It feels so good going naturally. How ironic he spends so much time inside other women, but always wearing that necessary barrier, if indeed he's careful like he says he is. So sad he only has me once every few months. It's not enough. Jimmy, you need someone to love at home.

I lose the rhythm, like I'm here, and he's there. I take his face in my hands and kiss him, "Jimmy?"

"I went down on her today," he looks at me, "I hope you can't taste her. I think it's sick. It's horrible."

"Shh, I know it's part of what you do. I knew it when I came down here that you'd be working. You told me so." I stifle a giggle, adding, "At first I thought she was your mother."

A short bark of laughter escapes him. "Oops, shh! Bad Jimmy!" he whispers. At least I see a smile again, close to mine. "You deserve better," he murmurs. I don't question him while between the sheets. Lovemaking is for bodies and souls, not debates. However, there's something too tense about the bed, and hey, beds aren't the only place to make love.

"Let's get out of here, go take a warm shower." I suggest.

He slows, stops, and nods. Slowly he withdraws. We kiss again and climb out of bed. I glance at the kids to make sure their eyes are closed, and Jimmy and I pass quickly through the acid, flashing colors of the TV.

In the bathroom, we hold each other, skin to skin, while the water warms up. His body relaxes in my embrace with the shushing of the shower beside us. I didn't realize how uptight this trip made him. I don't think he expected it, either. He's come here eager to please me, it seems, but I really want to put him at ease and please him just as much.

When the shower is warm, I take his hand and he carefully steps in behind me. Imaginary tropical rain washes over us, two slick bodies moving and gliding along one another as we embrace again.

"I feel like we're in a giant rubber," Jimmy giggles.

Indeed, the walls and the plastic shower curtain are off-white, and we're surrounded by warm fluid. Jimmy turns me around, pulls my backside against him with one hand, and pushes me gently forward with the other, sending flurries through my midriff as he bends me over. I brace myself with my arms against the shower wall, and this time, he enters me smoothly, with the help of the water running down my back and over my backside. He moves slowly in and out, in and out.

"This is the fourth fucking shower I've had today," he chuckles, "and by far, the best." He speeds up, banging into me, working up a tingle in my lips every time his body slaps mine. The sound of each wet slap even sounds like fuck fuck fuck to my ears. I shiver despite the warmth as Jimmy bends over, grabs my tits, and grunts, "Cum, bitch, I want you to cum!" He works me hard this way, and with a quiver, I climax. He rams me hard one last time before he spills, jerks a few times, then he's spent.

Jimmy lies panting on me in this bent position, releases my breasts, and curls his arms around me. He softens and withdraws, turning me back around to face him. His hands gliding up and down my back, he says, "Sorry I called you a bitch. I don't mean that, not you."

"I know. It's all right."

"It's not all right. You're not my punching bag, in any way. I like you too much," he says, rocking me. "I don't want to lose you over something stupid I say in the throes of passion."

My arms tighten around him. How do you lose someone you don't really have? Who cares? We hold each other a few more minutes, soaking in the mist and warm water, when he asks, "Caroline?"

"Yes?"

"I have something important to ask you."

Uh oh.

"I've been thinking about this for a long time," he continues.

I brace myself, "Yes? What is it, Jimmy?"

"Um, how can you have standing water and running water if water has no legs?"

I bury my mouth in his chest to smother my laugh and stifle my nervous nausea.Fucker! "All right, Jimbo, you fool, get off me!" I frown yet smile, pushing him away. "But stay a while. We can talk, sleep, eat cheese doodles in bed, whatever you want. I'll set my phone alarm for three."

"Four," he counters. We step out of the tub and grab towels.

"Uh, how about 4:23?"

"Okay, but that's pushing it, and NO cheese doodles in the middle of the night! Yuck."

I chuckle, "All right, no doodles, but won't your friend miss you?"

"Client. I doubt it. She passed out last night, and this is my time anyways," Jimmy explains.

"Did you ply her with booze all night?'

"Yep, wasn't hard."

"You treat your women well." I poke him.

"Hah, well, I just give them what they want, without strings."

"You don't like me drinking." I remind him.

"I care about you. I don't want to see alcohol wreck you. It creeps up on you, you know. I've seen it happen. You think you control it, but one day, you realize it's really controlling you, or worse, you don't realize it at all, but everyone else does. Plus, it'll make you fat," he pokes me back.

And he's right. We finish drying off and wrap ourselves in the thick white towels; carnal desires satisfied, Decency reappears. Just before we leave the bathroom, Jimmy asks, "Did you and Pete ever fuck in the shower?"

"No, why?"

"Just wondering."

I take him by the hand and lead him back to bed. I set the timer on my phone to 4:24 to get one more minute with him. We nestle under the covers and talk, and I don't want to fall asleep, but the long day and the long night catch up with me, and at some point I fall asleep and don't even remember.

***

All too soon, the phone alarm buzzes in my ear. Shit! Well, at least this time I woke up when I was supposed to. Missing the alarm again could have meant the kids waking up to see me and Jimmy fast asleep, Jimmy's head plastered between my tits. No lying my way out of that one.

My arm's glued to his back with a fine film of sweat. I don't want to move, but I must. I rouse him. He opens his eyes and groans, "Fuck! I was just dreaming that I was sleeping in a super-comfy bed with a beautiful woman."

I smile, tapping the tip of his nose, "Well, good news--your dream was real."

"I know, this bed is great," he grins.

"Oh, fuck you--get out," I cuff his shoulder, then embrace him hard. "No, don't go."

"I don't want to."

We lie a little longer, then the mom in me emerges, "Get up, sleepyhead, before the rest of the world wakes up." I watch him stretch and slowly sit up, then I go out on a limb, "When's your next break?"

"Middle of the day. The lady's going to lunch with a cousin." He leans over to grab his jeans up off the floor.

"Okay. Check out is at eleven, then I'm taking the kids downtown to eat and walk around some before we leave. Uh, why don't you meet up with us?"

Jimmy stops wrestling his damp jeans up his legs and looks at me, "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"How are you going to spin this?"

"I'll just say you're an acquaintance from work in Philly years ago. You're down here with your family, like Mom and Dad family, and we all just have lunch together. That's all."

"Do we meet in town or here?"

"I'd rather meet you in town, but do you need a ride?"

Jimmy looks upwards for a moment, "No, I think I can walk. It'll do me good to clear my head."

"Sweet. Meet us around noon in the middle of the pedestrian area, Washington Street, around the giant green clock. You'll see it."

"Will do, butterfly." Jimmy grins.

I watch him continue to pull up his pants, stifling a giggle when he loses his balance and nearly falls over. I try to help, and we must look like clowns, giggling and tugging. Our clothes are still damp, because like boobs, we forgot to hang them up last night. Poor thing, he cringes while pulling on the damp hoodie.

"Leave it off," I nag, "You can go through the inside of the hotel back to your room, I think. Or maybe they keep steerage totally separated from the first class quarters." Shit! That was mean.

Jimmy narrows his eyes and cocks his head. "Ookay, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing." I shake my head.

"Don't hide anything from me, Caroline. You don't have to."

"No, I know. It was a comment that just popped into my head, but it was mean, and I'm not going to say it. I'd never say or do anything to hurt you, or belittle what you do, and I mean that."

"You better not," he looks down at me, tucking in his T-shirt, sliding his hand down his pants, back out, back in. "Say anything you want to me. I can take it. As long as it's not a lie."

I stand up and press my naked body against his damp clothes. My hand slides down, cupping his balls, then stroking upwards, copping a good feel.

"Oh, no, no...," he backs off. "No, I have to save some for later, you know. Got to pay the bills."

I nod, kissing him on the lips and letting go. My bottom lip quivers. I bite it and hold my breath while I watch him slip through the door. I crawl back into bed, blot the tears with the sheet, and sink into what's left of his body heat.