Chapter 8
This chapter written by mdrgrl1 - send her feedback at mdrgrl1@aol.com
A gentle crashing sound wakes me from a deep sleep. For a moment, I think it's my dishwasher. I blink a few times and realize where I am.
I'm in
And it's not my dishwasher making those noises. It's waves, crashing against the shore.
My heart swells in my chest, and I'm happy to say it's becoming a familiar feeling.
I turn my head and see Josh lying on his side, staring at me. One of his arms is above my head, and the other is tucked close to his chest.
"Morning," he says in a husky voice.
"Good morning." I pull my arm out from under the sheets and run the back of my fingers down his jaw line. "I thought we agreed to sleep for a few more hours."
He smiles lazily at me. "I can't look at you with my eyes closed."
This earns him a kiss. A big, wet kiss. I turn on my side so that we're facing each other. Josh slings his arm over my waist, and I play with the hair at the base of his neck.
"You have six more days of looking at me all day." I smile. "My face might get kind of boring after a while."
"Never." He cranes his neck to kiss my lips ever so lightly.
I'll never get tired of these little kisses. They're incredibly intimate and...new. Josh and I did things a little backwards. We had passionate sex three times and made love once. I guess that's what I'd call it – making love. Not that we've used the word 'love' before. It was totally different than the other times. It was slow and easy and dreamy. Each of the four times was fabulous in its own way, but we never shared little kisses like this. It's a shame because they're really nice.
A few minutes pass, then Josh looks towards the window. "Sun's up."
I look at the clock. "As it should be at noon."
He chuckles.
We didn't have time to explore the property last night. Well, technically this morning. Both of us were utterly exhausted. We checked in, came to our room, and went to sleep. I don't even know the name of the hotel much less the area we're in. Josh told me we were going to the sunny side of the Big Island, but he didn't give me details. I didn't care about details last night. All I cared about was that Josh had asked me to go with him on vacation.
Vacation.
Neither of us has had time off in years. The last vacation I took was spring break my freshman year at
"Remind me where we are." I only read one of the five brochures Josh handed me before we left for the airport last night.
"Does it really matter?" he asks, kissing the side of my mouth.
"No, but it would be informative." I turn my head enough to kiss him squarely on the mouth.
We seem to have sailed right past the awkward phase of our relationship as we crossed time zones. In DC, things were becoming more comfortable, but here even in these few hours, it's like a different world. We're touching and kissing without hesitation.
"We're on the
"Romance?"
He nods. "You know, beaches, mai tais, leis, sunsets."
I've never heard Josh's definition of romance before, but I'm perfectly satisfied with his answer.
"The hotel's called The Orchid," he says. "It's always mentioned in a popular travel magazine. Conor Nate or something."
"Conde Nast?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.
"Yeah." He turns his head towards me. "Apparently, it's one of the top resorts in the Pacific."
I look around the room and realize we're in a suite. There are French doors that lead to a living room, and I can see the white and beige plush furniture. The armoire and dresser in the bedroom look antique, and the king-sized four post bed is magnificent. The sheets must be at least 400-thread count. I snuggle into them a littler further. The room smells like tuberose, which makes sense because there are two tuberose leis on the bench at the foot of the bed.
"I can see why, and we haven't even left the room." I smile.
He scratches his head. "It's pretty impressive."
"It is." I sit up and the sheets slip down, revealing my breasts. "I'm going to take a shower."
Josh's eyes zero in, but he doesn't comment. He just sort of stares. "Before we go to the beach?"
"You know how I feel about airplane funk."
"Maybe I should take one too." He looks up at me with hopeful eyes.
I try to keep the smile off my face. "You could probably use one."
Instead of getting out on my side of the bed, I swing one leg over Josh, bringing my naked body very close to his. Josh's hands immediately grab hold of my waist. He kisses me while I slowly drag my other leg over him and crawl out of bed. I'm standing next to the bed, and Josh has gotten on his knees to face me. Our lips are fused together. I put my arms around him, pulling him closer and stepping back. He eventually stands in front of me and drags me into the bathroom.
"Wow," I say.
"We're pretty good at that, aren't we?" He smirks.
"Yes, we are." I smile. "But I was commenting on the bathroom."
It's all white and gray marble from top to bottom. There's a Jacuzzi tub and a separate shower enclosed by two tall panels of glass. The two sinks are flanked by Aveda products. I open a bottle of Chakra III Equipoise body wash.
"Mmm. Smell this."
Josh sniffs it. "Nice."
He opens the shampoo and conditioner and smells each one, offering them to me, while I open the body lotion.
"I love this place already," I say.
We spend at least 30 minutes in the shower, lavishing each other's bodies with the bath products and laughing at ourselves for doing so. There's a lot of kissing and fondling, all under the guise of washing. I've never showered with Josh before, and it's something I quite enjoy. In fact, I think it might be something I'd like to do every day for the rest of my life.
When the water gets cold, I dry off with a thick white towel and consider stealing one for my own bathroom. They're awfully nice. Josh dries my hair while I kiss his nipples. His delicious, pink, manly nipples.
"I'm going to get dressed for the beach," I say in between kisses.
"Dressed for the beach?" He emphasizes the first word.
"You know, put on my swimsuit and sarong."
I don't think he has any idea what a sarong is, but he looks like he at least appreciates the idea of me in a swimsuit.
Last night as we waited for our flight from LAX to
"I didn't bring sunscreen," I say.
Josh pulls on the blue Hawaiian-looking swimming trunks. "I'll go get some at the store downstairs."
"You sure?" I ask.
"Yeah." He throws a gray t-shirt over his head. "Do we need anything else?"
"Find out about snorkeling and maybe kayaking." I brush my wet hair.
I watch Josh's eyebrows rise in the mirror. "Kayaking?"
"You know, paddling in a little boat." I turn to face him.
"I've never, you know, kayaked before." He almost looks frightened.
I shrug. "Neither have I, but it might be fun."
"Paddling doesn't sound all that relaxing." Josh smirks. "It sounds strenuous. I plan on using my energy for other things."
"Other things?" I tease.
He nibbles on my bare collarbone. "Yeah. Other things."
This leads to another round of heavy petting and kissing. Josh is once again in a state of near undress. I didn't intend to take off his shirt, but his chest is underneath that shirt and it begs to be kissed.
"Ok," he says, finally releasing me with one last kiss. "I'm going to the store."
He walks out of the bathroom.
"Don't forget about the kayaking," I yell.
I hear him grumbling before the door closes behind him.
As I put my hair into a high ponytail and slip into my new bikini, I think about the past 24 hours. Just two nights ago, we got into an argument to the point where I left. That wasn't my best move, and I regret it. But Josh and I are starting to communicate better. His apology was sincere and heartfelt. For the first time, I got the sense the he really wants to make this thing between us work. In the past, it felt like figuring out what was happening between us was too much work. And it still is going to require some talking. We can't go from sex to marriage in the span of a week.
I walk into the living room and open the curtains. The sight before me is breathtaking. Our suite faces the swimming pool and ocean. Josh must be paying a fortune for this room. I open the sliding glass door and step onto the balcony. The cement is cold to my bare feet, but the sun beating down on my face is warm. Really warm. I gaze out into the distance, then close my eyes and listen to the waves crashing against the shore. If peace has a sound, this is it.
The thud of a door closing startles me. I turn around to find Josh standing in the small foyer with his mouth hanging open. He drops a plastic container that appears to be full of pineapple chunks.
"I brought fruit," he says, still staring.
I walk into the living room and stoop to pick up the container. Josh bends down at the same time, and the bag that was on his arm falls to the ground. A tube of sunscreen and two bottles of water fall out.
"You're carrying too much stuff." I lean over to pick up the fruit, but Josh has his mouth pressed against mine before I'm able to do anything.
His hands run from my hips to my back and around my neck. His lips don't stray from my mouth. I spend the first minute or so in a haze, simply enjoying the kiss. It isn't until we stop to catch our breath that I realize the reason why Josh might've kissed me so passionately.
My bikini. My very red, very flimsy bikini.
During the four times that we've had sex, I've discovered that both Josh and I are generous lovers. While he may currently have the upper hand in sexual generosity, that will not always be the case. I remove his t-shirt, then wiggle my way down his body, stopping every inch to kiss a new piece of exposed skin. When I get to the waistband of his swimming trunks, I look up at him sprawled on the hard marble floor.
"That can't be comfortable," I comment.
He lifts his head. "I could be lying on a bed of nails without complaint if you keep doing what you're doing."
I take him by the hand and lead him to the nearest soft surface, which happens to be the sofa.
Now, where was I? Yes, his waistband. I untie the drawstring and rub my fingernails under his shorts, slowly loosening the string. I kiss a trail down his belly from his navel to the patch of hair just above his shorts.
Josh moans and takes a few deep breaths.
When the material is loose enough, I pull his swimming trunks down until they bunch at his ankles. I look up and he gulps. After a few wet kisses on Josh's inner thigh, I take him into my mouth very slowly. His hands fly to my hair, and he mumbles something unintelligible.
We haven't had sex yet, and Josh has been hard or semi-hard since we woke up. I figure this little treat won't last long. However, I'm enjoying it immensely. Not only do I like the way Josh feels and tastes, but I also love the sounds he's making. It's turning me on more than I thought possible.
"Donna," he says in a deep, throaty voice while moving my head up and down.
I do something I've never done before and never thought I'd do: I swallow. I've always considered it unnecessary and rather gross. Never in a million years did I think I'd actually enjoy it.
Josh's orgasm is astounding. It's the longest one he's had yet, and he's not so silent. When he's done, I draw myself back up his body and sit next to him.
"Ohmygod," he says, breathing heavily. "I mean, oh my God."
I smile a very big smile at him. "I'd say that just about covers it."
"Wow."
That's the second time he's 'wowed' after sex. If you consider oral
sex, sex.
I rest my head on his chest and listen to his heart pounding. He puts one hand on the back of my head and the other over my hand.
"That was..."
"Good?" I ask, grinning against his chest.
"Good?" He laughs. "It was far better than good. Amazing wouldn't be too big a word to describe it. Is there a word better than 'amazing?' Cause if there is, that's what it was."
I giggle and lift my head. "I'm glad you enjoyed."
"I very much enjoyed." He smirks.
I get up and go into the bathroom. It isn't until I'm in front of the mirror that I realize my bikini top is gone. "Josh?"
"Yeah?"
I poke my head out and look at him slouched in the same position that I left him in. "Where's my top?"
He holds up the skimpy piece of red fabric and grins. "Right here."
I shake my head and smile. We've done a lot of smiling today. I could get used to it.
I gargle with the complimentary mouthwash, then brush my teeth. When I go back into the living room, Josh is lying on his stomach with his shorts back on.
"Sleepy?" I run my fingers through his hair.
"Mmm hmm." He turns his head towards me. "You wore me out."
"Good." I grab a chenille throw from the back of the armchair and place it over him.
After our fight two days ago, I feel the need to remind him I'm not going anywhere. "Take a nap. I'll be here when you wake up."
He nods, then kisses the back of my hand.
When his eyes are shut and his breathing steadies, I pick up the mess at the front door. Fortunately, only two pieces of pineapple fell out of the container. I throw them away and eat another two chunks. I put the sunscreen and bottles of water on a side table, then dig in the bag to see what else Josh bought. Two pairs of Reef flip flops and some chapstick. I smile.
While Josh snores, I sit on the balcony and read the hotel information book and a magazine about things to do on the
I close the magazine and throw my head back, enjoying the feel of sun on my face. I should put some sunscreen on even though I'm not on the beach. My cheeks are starting to burn. But I'm too lazy to move right now. Everything about this moment feels good. Josh is 15 feet away from me, sleeping soundly. I'm basking in the sun in a bikini and sarong. And
I must've drifted off to sleep because Josh's voice startles me.
"Donna?" he calls from inside.
"Out here."
A minute later, Josh steps onto the balcony, rubbing his eyes. He has marks on his stomach from sleeping on the textured sofa.
"You slept," I say.
"I did." He stretches and yawns. "I *really* did. What time is it?"
"I have no idea." Which is a beautiful thing. Time doesn't matter on vacation.
He rubs his stomach. "I'm starving."
I lift the container of pineapple, which is almost empty. "Fruit?"
He breathes in a big whiff of air. "I smell barbeque."
"It's coming from down there." I point to a little hut next to the pool. There's a large barbeque pit in the back, and a man in a chef's hat is turning meat.
Josh steps to the edge of the balcony and puts his hands on the railing. "Are you hungry?"
I watch his triceps flex and lick my lips. I'm hungry indeed. "I could eat."
He turns around. "Let's go."
We eat like we haven't seen food in days. I can't remember the last time I had a bacon double cheeseburger with fries. We agree to drink milkshakes now and have fruity alcoholic drinks served in coconut shells at dinner. Afterwards, we walk around the property, admiring the view and the amenities. The hot tub catches my eye. It's an in- ground hot tub surrounded by black lava rocks. The floor is all sand. It almost looks like a natural spring.
"This is cool," Josh says, stepping into the water.
I follow him down the sloping sand bank until I'm up to my waist in steaming water. My muscles are going to thank me later. Josh removes his t-shirt and puts it next to my already discarded sarong. I will never get tired of staring at this man's chest, scar and all.
He pulls me by the hand and sits on the lava rock semi-circle bench. "Ahhh."
I sit as close as possible to him without actually being on top of him. We are, after all, in public.
"This feels so good." I lean back, mirroring Josh's position and closing my eyes.
We spend the next few hours relaxing in the hot tub, lying in a hammock, and walking through the Puako Petroglyph Preserve. Josh tells me stories about family vacations he took growing up, and I share a couple of my own.
Lying next to (or on top of) Josh is great, but it isn't until he holds my hand that I get that butterfly in the stomach, giddy as a school girl feeling in my stomach. There's something about holding hands that really hits home. For the first time, I allow myself to think of what a future with Josh Lyman would be like. If it involves holding hands, little kisses, and interesting conversations, I'm in it for the long haul.
The ultimate long haul.
Josh makes reservations at Brown's Beach House while I buy a sun dress from the hotel store. It's not the most flattering dress I've owned, but it's inexpensive and cute. I'm going to have to convince Josh to take me shopping in Kona tomorrow. Otherwise, I'll be in a business suit, a bathing suit, or this dress for the rest of our vacation.
It surprises me that work has yet to come up in our conversations. Not that I'm complaining, but both of our lives have been consumed with politics for years. Especially Josh's. I know *something* must be rattling around in his mind.
When we're seated at a prime table with an ocean view at dinner, I broach the subject.
"Congratulations on getting Sam on board." I smile.
"Thanks." He scoots his chair closer to the table. "He'll be incredible."
"He will." I nod. "Have you given any consideration to Annabeth as press secretary?"
"Yeah. She's my top choice."
We order two fruity drinks in coconut shells and place an order of fried calamari as an appetizer.
"What about Swayne?" I ask.
"I don't want to discuss work." Josh leans forward, taking my hand. "I'll have plenty of time to worry about that stuff when we're back."
I am utterly shocked. Josh doesn't want to talk about politics? I consider checking him for a fever.
"Ok," I reply. "But if you ever want to discuss it, even on this trip, I'd be ok with that."
He smiles one of those rare, toothy smiles at me. "Got it."
Dinner is unbelievably delicious. The drinks are really good, too. Josh stops me before ordering a third. "We'll get bloody marys in the morning."
He charges dinner to the room, takes me by the hand, and leads me upstairs. There's a predatory look in his eyes that he's had trouble masking all day.
As I take off my dress and put on Josh's gray t-shirt to sleep in, he plays one of the Hawaiian CDs that came with the room. I recognize it as
"Look at this," he says. "It's amazing."
"It is."
He exhales a long breath. "Thank you for coming with me."
"Thank you for inviting me." I smile.
He turns around in my arms and his lips immediately find mine. It's funny how that works. We could be in a pitch black room, and I think we'd find each other's mouths without a problem.
My t-shirt is on for less than a minute, and my underwear is not far behind. I remove Josh's shirt and step back to admire his body in khaki pants and bare feet. He takes my hands in his and places kisses on the inside of my wrists. I can already tell this is going to be a very slow session of making love.
***
We spend the following two days, lounging on the beach and snorkeling. Josh bought an underwater camera and is fascinated by the photos he took of giant sea turtles. We take an evening catamaran cruise and watch the sunset on the ocean. We didn't have a chance to go shopping, so I convince him to take me tomorrow. Although we're only here for two more nights, I need another bikini and sun dress. He could use some new pants. I have a mental picture of what he'd look like in white linen pants and a lime green shirt.
As we make our way into Kona for dinner, I spot a row of boutiques. I duck into one, while Josh seems content to explore the golf shop next door. There's also a book store and a jewelry store at the end, but I doubt we'll have time to go into either before our dinner reservations.
"What did you buy?" I ask, eyeing his bag.
"A couple of shirts and some pants."
"Linen?" I ask.
He nods. "White linen."
I never imagined he'd actually, you know, buy them. That was supposed to be a fantasy.
*
On our second to last day on the
I've never had a massage like this. We're in an oceanfront cabana overlooking a koi pond. The sound of waves and the feel of the tradewinds are about as calming as it gets. Josh is right next to me, moaning every time the masseuse digs a little deeper. I think he has his eyes open most of the time making sure my masseuse isn't getting his kicks, but he's still enjoying it.
When the massage is over, the masseuses leave and Josh grabs my hand. "That was unbelievable."
I keep my eyes close and moan.
"You seem to have enjoyed it." I picture him smirking.
"I did." I'm surprised I can speak. "It was heavenly."
We lay there for a few more minutes before getting dressed in a robe and flip flops.
"You should get a manicure like the lady suggested," he tells me.
"You wouldn't mind?"
He shrugs. "Why would I mind?"
I kiss him on the lips. "Ok. I'll be back up before dinner."
"I was thinking of room service tonight," Josh says, rubbing my arms. "Maybe we could eat on the balcony."
I smile. "Sounds good."
He looks at me with this penetrating stare that I've never seen before. It's not passionate or tender. It's like he's trying desperately to memorize every detail of this moment.
"I'll see you in a few," he says.
I walk back to the Spa Without Walls for my manicure and pedicure, while Josh takes care of plans for our last night in Hawaii. A large part of me is sad to leave. Things here have been so different from life in DC. Everything moved so slowly and methodically. We never had to worry about time. Josh and I were free to kiss when we wanted to kiss and talk about things we'd never discussed in all our years knowing each other. It has been the most refreshing break of my life.
I take a shower in the spa and put on the sundress that I bought yesterday. I notice that my shoulders are sunburned, but my arms are tan. My nose is a little red, but my face has fared well considering my alabaster skin.
When I enter our room, there are two lamps on in the living room and a sliver of light coming from the bedroom. The balcony door is wide open and the breeze is blowing the sheer drapes into the room. I can smell the salt air and hear the waves crashing.
Something on the coffee table catches my eye. Just this morning, it was covered with Hawaiian brochures and magazines. I take a few steps closer until I realize there's only one thing on the table: an open box.
A little black velvet box.
I blink several times, trying to gain control over what certainly must be my imagination. I reach down and take out the most beautiful antique diamond ring I've ever seen.
"I needed four minutes, not four weeks."
I spin around to find Josh leaning against the bedroom doorframe with his hands in the pockets of his white linen pants.
"Josh." I put my hand over my chest.
"Four seconds, really." He gives me a dimpled grin.
I'm having a hard time keeping it together. If I don't blink, I won't cry.
"And I thought we could, you know, get married." Josh takes a few steps closer, then removes the ring from my hand. It's amazing that he can manage a swagger in just three steps. "We could wait a week or so if you want to," he adds.
The man goes from sweet to cocky in a matter of seconds. Is it strange that it turns me on?
I raise my eyebrows, but a smile is tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Could we?"
He nods. "Sure. I'm flexible like that."
I slide my hands up his chest until they rest on his shoulders. "And what if I don't want to wait a week?"
He smirks. "I'm free tomorrow."
I pretend to think about it for a second while running my fingertips over the back of his neck. "We'd have to cancel the surfing lessons."
He puts his arms around my waist. "I'm ok with that."
Josh slips the ring on my finger before kissing me soundly on the mouth. When I pull back, I cup his face in my hands and stare into his eyes. This is the moment I've waited for my whole life. I didn't know who it would be, but nine years ago, I wished it to be the man in front of me right now.
It doesn't really surprise me that we've gone from friends to lovers to…this in such a short amount of time. We don't need a long courtship or a dating plan. Going to the movies with Josh wouldn't make me love him any more than I do now. It also wouldn't help us come to this decision any faster. I know this man inside and out, and he knows me just the same.