“I am pretty sure we are not the first couple to make love in the water.”
“Yeah, that’s true, but most couples do it at night when no one is around.”
We were out in the water, and whilst there wasn’t anyone nearby, there were plenty of people on the beach.
“Fine, spoilsport. You’re not fun at all,” she pouted.
Even when she smiled at me when she said that, I could see she was disappointed.
“What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I be a free spirit like Rain?”
Reluctantly, Rain unhooked her legs from around my waist and eased back a little. I stood up and realized I could touch the bottom again. The pier was closer to us.
“I already taught you how to float. You can try it again,” she said.
I tried it and lost balance again. My fingernails dug into her arm in my attempt to keep my head above water.
“I got you, Rolf,” she said, her voice calm and reassuring. She placed a hand on the back of my head to keep it above the water
I nodded and relaxed a little.
She laughed. “You’re doing great.”
I tried to look at her, but when I turned my head I lost my balance, sinking under the water and coming up spluttering.
Her hands pushed me up, so I wouldn’t go under again.
“Ah, Rolf, you can’t let yourself get distracted,” she said with a laugh.
“Are you having fun with me almost drowning?” I splashed her with water, which caused her to let go of me, and I immediately went under again, only to come up spluttering and coughing once more.
“You can’t do that,” she warned me, her eyes sparkling. “You don’t want me to let you go.”
“No, I don’t.” I wound my arms around her neck and pulled myself up against her, her wet body slamming into mine. We slid together, the water sliding over our skin, as Rain tilted her head back, welcoming the kiss she knew was coming.
I didn’t waste a moment, pressing my mouth fully and firmly to hers, eliciting a low growl of pleasure from the back of her throat that made my pulse quicken. My tongue traced the seam of her lips before she opened for me, allowing me to explore her mouth. Despite the chill of the lake water, Rain was anything but cold.
“I have wanted to kiss you senselessly since we met,” I said, trying to keep myself above the water.
“Kiss away, Rolf.” she pulled me back in for another kiss, and this time, when I did finally let her go, I realized it was getting harder and harder to stay away from her.
When we got home, we made love for what seemed like hours. We dozed off and when we woke up we made love again… and again… and again… It was perfect.
“Was it as special for Rain as it was for me?”
We shared my bed every night since then.
I liked the fact that she was not afraid to challenge me.
“How long Rain would be part of my life? Was she a reason, a season, or a lifetime?”
CHAPTER 4: RAIN
During the next days, we established a happy routine. Rolf worked at home, so he had flexible hours, and could take me to a mountain trail or some other adventure.
I also convinced Rolf to show me the backdrops of his days as a shy teen. Places attached to a meaningful memory.
“I told you I wasn’t shy. I was quiet,” he corrected me.
“Noted.”
“Growing up in Middletown was magical. I could ride with my bike everywhere. After school, we used to play baseball outside. We would even stay outside playing way after dark under the streetlights. Our neighbors would sit on the front porch and actually engage in conversations. We spent our summers at the Indian Lake Campground.”
I just smiled and nodded, enjoying the expression on his face while he told me about his childhood and teenage years.
“The real reason why I never learned to swim is that one summer, a kid drowned at the lake. His body was recovered later from the bottom. I will never forget that day. The camp was closed and I was sent back home.”
He was looking at the lake while he was telling me the story. I hugged him from behind tightly. “I’m sorry, Rolf. Death is always a tragedy, but it’s especially tragic when the dead person is a child.”
“I have been afraid of going into the lake since then,” he said under his breath.
“And yet, you let me teach you how to float,” I said, resting my chin on his shoulder.
He shrugged. “They say we must confront our fears. Maybe, it was time to conquer mine.”
I shivered. My own dark fears pushed to come to the surface. They were always lurking in the back of my mind.
“Are you okay?” Rolf asked me, turning around.
I forced a smile and gave him a nod. “Yeah, I’m just chilly. That’s all,” I lied.
As though to confirm my words, a tremor shivered through my body, bringing up a rash of goosebumps on my arms.
“Oh,” he said relieved, and put his jacket on my shoulders.
Rolf claimed to be just an average guy, but he was indeed an extraordinary man. I’ve met lots of people around the world, but I never felt as close to any of them as I feel to him. I just hoped he didn’t get too attached to me. He shouldn’t, or he was going to end up getting hurt.
“Do you have any siblings?” I asked him.
“No, I am an only child. My mom gave birth to me when she was almost forty. Both of my parents retired and went to live in Florida when I went to college.”
With each passing day, we grew closer, learned from each other, and created amazing memories. I shared with him things I had experienced in my travels. Rolf shared with me about Middletown and the people who lived in it. I met a lot of interesting people and, sooner than later, I was making lots of new friends.
I got to know Sheriff Thomas and his deputy, Nick. They were both actively involved in community activities. Sheriff Thomas knew everyone, and everyone knew him.
I talked for hours with Laura, the owner, and manager of the only Bed and Breakfast in town, and we discovered we had a lot in common. Through her, I met her Aunt Molly, a fascinating person who had traveled a lot.
The Middletown Community Center offered a free weekly social dancing class and I convinced Rolf to come with me. We had so much fun dancing together.
Flowers bloomed in rich profusion beneath the slender trees, sending their sweet fragrance into the summer air. More than ever, the place had a feeling of enchantment as the slight breeze moved the leaves overhead, sending dappled pools of golden light dancing across the brilliant purple flowers.
Rolf and I made love in every improbable spot of the house. One day, while we were hiking, I grabbed Rolf’s hand and dragged him, running across a meadow toward an empty barn. We rolled over each other, laughing and kissing like two teenagers. We made love in the barn, filling each other up. That night, the sunset was like a Baroque painting.
One warm night, I finally fulfilled my dream of making love in a lake under the stars.
Rolf didn’t want to take any money from me, so in exchange, I cleaned his place and cooked dinner for him.
One particular evening, I planned on making beef Wellington with roasted potatoes with garlic and herbs, and apple pie. I had had many cooking lessons from different people around the world. I kept all the recipes in a notebook in my backpack.
I made my way to the grocery store, and met Theodore, a wrinkled old man. He looked like someone’s grandpa.