With Love from MN

Every time Laura looked back at the summer of 2011, she smiled. Since moving to the northern reaches of the Midwest (Minnesota), she got into the habit of erasing the memories of dull winters and thinking of only the brilliant summers filled with days spent at the beach, swimsuits and ice cream.

Laura found it easy to make friends in school but once she decided to stay in the area for summer break, she realized she'd have to get out more to find other people to hang out with. A friend of hers mentioned that she had an uncle looking for young women to sell ice cream on the lakes. They pay wasn't good but it was supposed to be fun time you could make a killing in tips.

Laura was intrigued and went to meet this man, Jake, personally. He seemed relieved to see her. Laura was about 5'2'', thin, and pretty fit. She had long brunette hair and dark eyes and by all means was a pretty attractive young woman. Not a knock out, but certainly pretty.

Jake looked at her carefully.

"Not to be crude or anything," he said carefully, "but pretty young girls sell more ice cream than I do!"

Laura laughed and they shook hands.

Jake showed her the bike she'd be driving. It was a big heavy thing with an electric cooler attached to the front, but it was easy to drive on level ground. It had an umbrella and a little safe for her money. Just driving it around the store, Laura could already feel her calf muscles toning up.

Though she was nervous at first, Laura had a lot of fun selling ice cream for Jake that summer. She got to spend the majority of her day outside in a swimsuit, being ogled by plenty of boys on the beach. It was certainly a confidence boost. People liked her attitude, tipped her well and even invited her to parties in the evening even though she rarely went.

On one day, Laura was scheduled to ride her ice cream station out to a place called Hidden Beach. The beach wasn't exactly "hidden" anymore; the city had recently paved a parking lot near by, but it certainly wasn't as popular as many of the other beaches in the city. Laura liked this beach because it was always full of young people, mostly hipsters who lived in the area, many of them students at the university. The police rarely came by to check on things so there was more freedom: dogs running off leash, people drinking beer and whiskey out in the open. There was a fair amount of pot smoking in broad daylight. It was a lot of fun and people tended to buy a lot of her ice cream.

That day she just felt like she was looking good. One thing that helped her sell was not just baring skin, but looking stylish. That day she wore her hair up in curls on top of her head. She wrapped a little blue scarf around them, tied on top and painted her lips a bright red. She was going for a pin up look, which was popular that year on the beach. Her swimsuit matched: a solid navy blue bikini where the bottoms rose up almost to her belly button but were cut well and showed off her well-shaped bottom and showed off her tanned thighs and calves. The top of the bikini was a sort of wired bra that pushed her C-cup breasts up and gave them a very round, full appearance. She finished the look off with cherry red nail polish and a pair of mirrored Ray-Ban knockoffs.

The regular entrance to the beach was always packed with people so Laura took a lesser-known back alley. She must have been a little lost in her thoughts because she was halfway onto the sand before she realized the place was empty. Looking around she noticed that the main entrance was taped off.

"What the ..." she began.

"Hey!" someone shouted from across the sand.

Laura looked over in that direction. A man in red swim shorts was running toward her with a Frisbee in his hand.

"Hi..." she said when he was finally in earshot.

"I don't know if you realize it, but the beach is closed," he said, smirking.

"I figured... What's going on?" asked Laura.

"There's some kind of dangerous amoeba in the water. This lake's been closed. I suppose everyone's off to Lake Calhoun instead."

"Damn!" said Laura. It was going to be a lot of work to ride her contraption all the way to the next lake.

"You have places to be?"

"Well, yes. I'm supposed to be selling ice cream to the masses," she said with her own smirk.

"I'd like to buy some. It's still pretty hot out today, amoeba or not."

"Sure, you can have some, but what are you even doing out here?" she asked looking around again, noticing they were completely alone.

"My friend Sam and I were throwing Frisbee, which is easier to do when the beach is empty, but he got hungry and ran to get us some sandwiches and something to drink. I decided to stay and take in the tranquility."

As if on cue, a car alarm went off a block away, just behind the trees which surrounded the beach. They both laughed.

"Well, relative tranquility" he joked. "Say, what's your name?"

"I'm Laura. And you?" she asked as she pulled out the poster which listed the kinds of ice cream available.

"Hmm..." he said, rubbing his chin and inspecting the poster. "My name is Lawrence."

"Larry, huh?" Laura prodded, still perched on her bike seat.

He looked up at her quickly and shook his head, "I swear, no one calls me that. You'll have to call me Lawrence."

Laura laughed but also felt her face flush as he looked into her eyes with his mock-serious expression.

"I do apologize," she said.

"It's no problem," he said smiling again. He pulled a five-dollar bill out of a pocket in his red shorts and handed them to her.

"I will have a bomb pop and you, miss, can have whatever you'd like."

Laura smiled at him and took the bill.

"Normally that would be against the rules, but I don't think anyone's going to tell on me," she said.

Lawrence looked around the beach, faking a worried expression.

"Nope," he said, "only me."

Laura laughed and folded the bill into the safe. She hopped off the bike seat to open the cooler.

She pulled out a bomb-pop and handed it to Lawrence and grabbed herself cherry popsicle. She turned on the old tape deck that was strapped to the cooler thinking it'd be cute and a little ironic, just the two random people eating popsicles together on a beach listening to music. The entire tape was old big band classics, something to match her attire. Lawrence just raised his eyebrows silently then opened the wrapper on his treat. The sun was hot on their shoulders so Laura cranked her umbrella open and jumped up to sit on the cooler. This way they were face to face and out of the sun.

Laura took a good look at him. He was probably about 6 feet tall. He was tan enough for early summer. Though, he looked like he usually sported the typical Minnesota complexion for the rest of the year, which is relatively pale. He had dark brown hair, nearly black, cut stylishly: long on top but buzzed short on the sides. He was clean-shaven and pretty fit, but not like he worked out at the gym on a regular basis. Maybe he was a runner, thought Laura.

"So, Lawrence, what is it that you do?" she asked, crossing her legs at the knee and trying to look serious.

"I'm a grad student at the university. I'm studying computer science," he said and rolled his eyes.

"And I take it you love what you're doing," said Laura, laughing.

"Sure, but it's summer. I'm trying to distance myself from all of that for the next few months. Grad school is, well... It's hard! I'm doing my best to think only about Frisbee and drinking beer."

"Fair enough," said Laura.

"How about you, are you a student?" asked Lawrence, pulling a red handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to her. Laura took the handkerchief and dabbed her forehead with it not sure why he handed it to her.

"Well, yes, I'm going to be a sophomore at the U next semester. I'm studying biology... I think. I'm not from here, so I'm spending this summer taking classes and trying to meet people, I guess."

Laura tried to pass the handkerchief back to him but he shook his head and pointed his vaguely to own chest.

"No, you have a little ... something..." he said blushing but with a wide grin on his face.

Laura looked down at where her popsicle had dripped cherry-red juice down her breasts.

"Oh!" she said, quickly dabbing at the juice with the cloth.

"I for sure thought you would have noticed that," said Lawrence, laughing and shaking his head.

"It's just so hot out I guess," she said slightly embarrassed, trying to wipe the mess from her bathing suit.

"Yes, however, what is melting was once ice cream, so it should still be cold. Believe me, I'm a grad student, I know these things," said Lawrence still laughing.

Laura looked up at him smiling wryly.

"Then what's that," she exclaimed, pointing at him where blue juice was running down his chest. "It's hardly masculine to dribble popsicle juice down your chest. I'm a lady, so I can get away with it!"

They were both laughing now, barely able to catch their breath. Laura reached out and wiped the juice from Lawrence's chest. Lawrence snatched the kerchief away from her and wiped at some red drips on her knee. She tried to snatch it back from him but missed and had to hop of the cooler. She was about to begin chasing him but he stopped suddenly.

"Wait, there's a solution to this problem," he said while laughing. "We have to finish our popsicles. Then there'll be no more mess."

"Okay... On your mark, get set... Go!"

They both devoured what was left of their treats, racing each other. There really wasn't much left, but Laura clutched her head after she threw her stick on the ground.

"Augh! Brain freeze!" she yelled and leaned back on the cooler with her eyes shut tightly. Lawrence only laughed.

"Here, give me that kerchief, I'm sure my face is a mess" said Laura with her eyes still closed. Lawrence was wiping his own face off.

"That seems like a waste, there's still a lot of popsicle left over on that face of yours," he said, smiling.

"Well, I can tell you I'm not saving it for later, if that's what you're trying to say" keeping her eyes closed.

Just as she opened her eyes, Lawrence leaned in and put his lips onto hers. Laura inhaled sharply as her heart began to race but she closed her eyes again enjoying the moment.

Laurence pulled back and straightened up.

"Um, I'm sorry. I just really like cherry," he said jokingly, but it did seem like he was a little worried about her reaction.

Laura swallowed hard.

"It's okay," she said. She flushed an even brighter shade of red but didn't know what to say.

Lawrence handed her the kerchief and Laura wiped off her face, smiling at him.

"Gosh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed you like that. It hardly registered that you're only a sophomore in college. You are young! I was just taken by the way you eat a popsicle, I guess." Lawrence chuckled nervously and gave her a look that made her feel more comfortable, like he was the one who needed comforting.

"No, no, really it was nice," She looked up at him but he didn't look convinced. "It was nice. I ...liked it." Laura didn't think she could blush any redder but she certainly felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"Look at you," said Lawrence smiling but shaking his head in mock disapproval. "Just a young blushing schoolgirl selling ice cream on the beach. Who knows, that could have been your first kiss! And I, of all people, stole it from you!"

"That was not my first kiss," she said. "I swear! You just surprised me. And I'm a sophomore in college. You're only, like, four years older than me I'm guessing. I dated a guy who's older than you when I was in high school."

"A criminal!" shouted Lawrence and they were both laughing again.

"I think you're the criminal Lawrence, breaking into abandoned beaches, stealing the hearts of young ice cream vendors..."

"So I've stolen your heart, have I?"

"Well, not quite, but you could I suppose," countered Laura, "If I weren't so wise."

Laura hopped up on the cooler again to get out of the sun. Lawrence stepped closer to her to get into the shade as well.

"So, here we are," said Lawrence.

"Yep," said Laura, biting her lip.

Lawrence's face got serious and he leaned in once more, this time Laura was expecting it, waiting for it. She needed it.

Then he paused and opened his eyes.

"Are you sure this is okay?"

Laura smiled, and just as she was going to tell him "yes," he kissed her on her open mouth.

They were laughing as they kissed and Laura couldn't help but put her hand on the back of his head to pull him closer to her. He took a step closer, lips still touching hers until he bumped into her bent knees. She spread them enough for him to lean onto the cooler she was sitting on. He dared to put each of his hands on the outside of her thighs just as she ventured her tongue into his mouth. He let her in, so willing to meet her in this way.

Lawrence pulled away slightly and leaned his forehead on hers.

"My, this is serious," he said, breathlessly.

"Uh-huh," was all Laura could muster. Their eyes searched each other's faces and Laura noticed how flushed Lawrence was and maybe a little sunburned. Just then the last song quit and "Stompin at the Savoy" began. Lawrence smiled.

This time Laura came up to his lips, kissing him in sweetly at each corner of his mouth and then on the tip of his nose, which he laughed at. She pulled back then, making him lean in, teasing him.

Lawrence grabbed her thighs more tightly then, as if to hold her in place, but she dodged all of his advances.

"That's okay, at least I have these," said Lawrence and patted the side of her thighs. He landed a kiss on each knee.

Laura gave him the most serious look of disapproval she could muster.

"Oh, you want me up there now do you?" he asked.

Lawrence leaned back in between her legs and put his hand on her cheek. He brushed his thumb across her soft lips.

"Right here?" he whispered.

Laura managed to nod her head slightly. They kissed again, this time Lawrence's hands found the back of her neck and her cheek where he touched her softly.

Laura struggled to breathe. She really wasn't all that experienced. Her "boyfriend" from high school wouldn't do much more than hold her hand or kiss her on the cheek because of their age difference and well, the law. That relationship had ended a long time ago anyway and she hadn't found anyone else. She was struck with the fact that she was making out with a relative stranger on a deserted (but very public) beach in the middle of Minneapolis.

Lawrence's hand trailed down her upper arm as they kissed. He brushed the back of his hand against her smooth skin lightly enough that it nearly tickled. Laura brought her hand up to his face. She felt the hard stubble on his cheek and traced the outside of his ear with her fingertip. Lawrence's hand dropped a little as he brushed the back of his fingers against the tip of her breast.

Laura stopped kissing him in order to swallow and catch her breath. She was trembling.

Lawrence opened his eyes, stepped back a little and took a long, intense look at her.

"Ah, I see..." he said, shaking his head but smiling.

"What is it?" asked Laura, actually concerned.

"I need to take you on a date," He said with his eyebrows raised.

"Right now?"

"I don't know about right now, but I need to take you on a date before this goes much further."

Laura sighed.

"But this is nice," she said. The words sounded like pleading but she wasn't embarrassed at this point. She wanted more.

"I don't think you get it though, Laura," he said, biting his lip in frustration. "It wouldn't be too difficult for us to go fuck behind those trees over there, even before Sam gets back. But I don't think that's what you want."

Laura looked down at her hands folded in her lap and bit her lip. She was shocked by what he said and also she realized, she was disappointed.

"Well, I guess can't speak for you," said Lawrence laughing a little. "But I want to get to know you, Laura. I think I would like you. Would you go out for dinner with me some time, maybe? I could even make tonight work."

Laura looked up at him and saw his expression. He looked worried, like he was holding his breath and expecting her to say no.

"Of course I will! Of course we should go out. Tonight would be great!" said Laura all at once with a big smile on her face.

"Whew, I'm relieved to hear it," said Lawrence. He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "How about eight o'clock? Here, give me your phone."

They programmed each other's numbers in their phones. Laura hopped off the cooler and began closing the umbrella. She could feel Lawrence right behind her, head down close to hers, smelling her hair and probably her sweat, too. He kissed her right behind the ear and stayed like that for a moment.

"Larry! Hey, Larry!" The voice was coming from behind them.

Laura simply raised her eyebrows theatrically at Lawrence and he gave her a comical shrug.

She rode off silently then, with a certain smile on her face. Laura looked forward to the rest of her wonderful summer day.