Waves And Dreams Ch 03

Chapter 3: An Unexpected Visitor

Laney shoved the papers away, irritated and unable to focus. Sighing, she dropped her head into her hands, running her fingers through her hair. She hadn't seen or heard from Jack since that night he'd left her without an explanation, and she had been distracted and irritable all week. She glared at the stack of papers across the table, not wanting to get back to work, but feeling the press of a deadline. Putting herself through the bachelor's program had been difficult, but now that she was in her doctoral program, she barely had time to breathe. She stood, moving into the kitchen, hoping to distract herself with something to eat. Out of nowhere, Rex jumped up, growling and staring at the closed door to the house. Laney came out of the kitchen as she heard a knock and muttered something that seemed to calm the dog before moving to open it. When she did, she squeaked and slammed the door shut, shocked at the visitor on the other side.

How in the world does he know where I live?

She thought, then moved to reopen the door, holding Rex back with her leg. Jack looked as good as ever, relaxed and smiling, though a bit surprised at her initial response. She didn't offer to let him in, but rather stepped out onto the porch, cursing herself for not putting more into her clothes and makeup that morning.

"Hey, how's it goin'?" Jack asked, too casually.

She snorted softly. "Are you going to explain to me how you know where I live, or should I actually be freaked out?"

He laughed good-naturedly, only aggravating her further. "I went by the aquarium to see you, but they said you were off. This guy there told me where you lived."

Her eyebrows rose. "So they're giving out my address just like that?"

He shook his head. "Not exactly. I told him I had something that I wanted to give Rex. He seemed to think if the dog liked me enough for me to get him something, I must know you pretty well."

Despite herself, Laney laughed. It was a pretty clever trick, she hadn't counted on Jack being so clever. Still, she was angry that he'd left her in the dust like that, and then hadn't heard from him for so long. She'd decided he was just like all the other guys...except, well, he had stopped. He'd known what he wanted and that he could have it, but he'd stopped anyways. This was completely confusing and quite maddening. Her thoughts must've run across her face, because he moved closer to her, his hand reaching up to cup her face and run his thumb over her lower lip. She looked up, and her eyes met clear, brilliant jade.

"I'm sorry about the other day. If I hadn't left when I did...well..."he murmured gently, his gaze intense. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to see me, so I left you alone, but I just couldn't stand it any longer. Something about you is just..." he stopped mid-sentence as his mouth settled on hers, and that fire that she'd felt the last time he kissed her roared once again, strong and intense. She didn't kiss him back right away, still apprehensive, but his lips were persuasive, and soon she found he'd coaxed her mouth open and was lightly dipping against her tongue. She responded, a little shyer than last time, and after a long moment, he stopped, pulling away. His cheeks were just as flushed as hers, and she knew he felt the intense chemistry between them.

"So...uh...anyways, I came to see if Rex wanted to go down to the beach. You can come too, if you want." He grinned at her, and she found herself grinning back.

"Sure, let me just grab his leash and we'll go," she opened the door and let herself in. As Jack followed in behind her, she murmured to Rex, who after a moment, began to wag his tail and walked over to get some more scratches behind his large ears. Jack laughed and sat down on the giant overstuffed couch while Laney ran into her room to change into shorts. His curiosity got the best of him, and he couldn't help looking around, noticing a prescription bottle on table. Knowing he shouldn't, but unable to help it, he moved towards it, catching the bottle up in his hands and going to read the prescription. At just that moment, he heard a door close, and he quickly sat the bottle down, pretending to look around the kitchen as Laney walked in. Although she should've been nervous about a stranger in her house, she just wasn't, not with Rex there. She didn't worry about any kind of attacks when he was around. Seeing where Jack was, she moved over towards the kitchen.

"Sorry, I should've given you a grand tour, I just didn't think you'd follow me in." She scooted around the table, and he couldn't help but notice that she discreetly picked up the bottle and dropped it into a satchel in one of the chairs. He just smiled back at her, but he couldn't help wondering what was in that bottle, and why she wanted to keep it a secret. Well, whatever it was, he knew it wasn't his business. Shaking off the weird moment, he reached for her hand and pulled her towards the door. Rex trotted along after them out into the sun, and Laney reached down, clipping his leash on. All set, they headed down the short path that led to the beach. Jack wondered how she could afford a beach house, what with what marine mammal trainers made, but he kept it to himself, just happy to enjoy her company and the fact that her hand was still in his.

*****

A short while later, they were meandering down the beach, Rex's leash long past forgotten, watching the black dog jump in and out of the waves. Jack casually put his arm around Laney's shoulders, pleased when she leaned into his side rather than pulling away. She stopped and looked at him with a childish smile, motioning over to a pile of sand that had accumulated during low tide.

"Do you want to build a sand castle?" she asked, with a somewhat impish grin. Jack knew they were going to build one whether he wanted to or not, so he accepted the job of bringing water up to her with an abandoned bucket they'd found. When they finally had enough, they set to work, Jack trying to follow her directions, but often messing up so she'd reach over and correct him, just to get a feeling of her skin against his. His mind drifted off, watching her work so busily.

He was pulling her close, trailing soft, sultry kisses down her neck, feeling the tightness of her body as she responded, making little noises that drove him crazy. He peppered kisses across her throat, just like in his dream, and she subconsciously arched her body towards him, thrusting her perfect breasts into the most delightful position. He could feel the power he was wielding over her, her breath was becoming labored as he gently moved over the soft skin of her back, feeling the coil of her muscles as she arched beneath him, so receptive to his touch. He lowered his face to her neck, hoping to drown in her scent. Her smell alone was intoxicating, and he fancied he could smell the musk of her desire, though her shorts were still on. He moved up to nip at her earlobes, tunneling his fingers into her free-flowing hair as the other hand rested on her stomach, rubbing along her belly towards her gentle curves, then back down as if to venture below her waistband, then back to her curves again. He continued his slow torture of her body, constantly teasing her and delighting in the way she lifted to meet his hands no matter where they were sliding, her body trembling in both need and frustration as she longed for him to touch her. He finally slid beneath her panties, but it was just to rub along her hipbones, aggravating her further and drawing a little moan of lust. He knew he shouldn't tease her so, his erection was possibly the hardest it had ever been, but he delighted in escalating her need further. When he finally relented in his teasing and dropped a little bit further, Laney thrust her hips up, surprising him and forcing his hand to come into contact with her delicate womanhood. He gasped despite himself, he couldn't believe how wet she already has. He gently caressed her, circling around her entrance, not giving her the pleasure she so badly wanted, but teasing her further. When he could tell she was finally fed up, he let his fingers dip into her, watching the rush of relief wave over her body. He could see her nipples, hard and erect, from the over-stimulation, and he moved over them with his mouth, taking in one gently and suckling as he gently thrust his fingers into her, feeling a rush of passion as she writhed underneath him. He moved his mouth to the other, biting and licking in turn, continuing to use his fingers to drive her closer to that point of no return. The low, guttural moan she emitted and the way her body clenched around his fingers told him she had achieved her crest, and he could no longer take it, he moved to take off his own suit; he had to have her right at that moment. He looked down at her, lying in the sand, the flush of passion covering her body, and lowered beside her, ready to experience her at last. He closed his eyes...

"Jack?"

He started, his eyes flashing open to see Laney's beautiful blue ones staring at him in a peculiar way. She looked amused, and a little worried. He growled under his breath, it was just like his dreams, except this was really happening. He was taken aback at the noise she made and then it clicked: he was modeling a full erection just for her, and it was VERY noticeable underneath his athletic shorts. Even though she'd already seen him nude, and he knew she'd felt his member before at least twice, he was still embarrassed. This wasn't while they were kissing; it was just a sand castle for crying out loud. He winced a little and jumped up, chasing Rex out into the ocean, trying to get to where she couldn't see what he knew she'd already observed. Was he losing his mind? He couldn't stop thinking about taking her, and how in the world would he get to know the girl if every thought ended with them having sex? Two weeks ago he hadn't even known she was real, now his fantasies constantly replayed themselves in his head. He didn't look back at the shore, but floated there, enjoying the crash of the gentle waves and the thoughts of his daydream.

*****

Laney wasn't really that embarrassed by what she'd seen, but she had been surprised by his reaction. Sure, she'd seen him before, but she couldn't help but wonder what he had been thinking about to get himself so aroused. She kind of wondered if it was about her, but shook her head, dismissing the thought. Her dreams lately had all been filled with him...him touching her, kissing her, taking her for his own, but she wouldn't ever tell him that, or even expect the same reaction. No, she was just being silly about this, there was no way Jack had any interest in her. He hadn't seen her for so long after they had kissed, so it was obvious. Still, it seemed like every time they were together, they ended up in each other's arms. It was like some chemistry that drew them together, and they couldn't keep their hands off each other.

So...it might be fun to tease him, just a little bit. He kept coming around after all, so there had to be something that he wanted. Laney continued to work on the sand castle, positioning herself on all fours, with her bottom stuck high up in the air, in just a position she was sure Jack would find alluring. She tried to look preoccupied with the sand castle, but her thoughts kept wondering. She'd given up on finding a man a long time ago...they were all just the same. She certainly didn't need one now, she was strong and independent and wasn't willing to give all those things up. Still...she peeked over her shoulder to find Jack staring at her from the water, his arm moving slowly back and forth. What was he....oh my god...he was...no...not right in public. She looked back at the castle, really trying to focus while still teasing him.

She yelped as she was flipped over and pinned to the ground, her cockiness gone as she stared into Jack's menacing green eyes. He looked...angry. He pulled her into his lap as he leaned backwards into an Indian-style sitting position, his hands still tight around her wrists as she fell into his lap, where she seemed to fit perfectly. She tried to fight him off, suddenly very afraid, but pretending to be very tough. He took no notice of her struggle and crushed her against him, kissing her fiercely. She refused to kiss him back, but suddenly, she realized there was something else in that kiss. It was tender, too. And full of longing. She kissed him back, trying to match his ferocity, but she quickly found that just egged him on, and he only held her tighter, his hands releasing her wrists and moving to wrap around her torso, holding her so tight she could barely breathe. He pulled away from her lips and began biting her neck, almost too hard, and she shivered in delight, and a little fear. He came to her ear, whispering hoarsely.

"You should know better than to tease a man like that."

She shuddered as his warm breath hit her neck, thrusting her breasts against his chest without realizing what she was doing. He continued to bite at her, much too hard, but she got the feeling it wasn't malicious. She couldn't believe how much she liked it, being so out of control. Jack very suddenly quit, burying his head in her neck, and she could feel the now familiar strain of his body. He wanted her, right there, but he wasn't going to force her. She loved how in control he was, yet at the same time, he never forced too much. It was confusing. Laney sighed, deeply, feeling her heartbeat begin to slow as she rested in his arms, feeling happy and, for once, taken care of. After several minutes, he stood up, picking her up as well, and set her on her feet.

"That's a beautiful sand castle." She could tell by his voice that he was sincere. She smiled, feeling suddenly shy. He turned to her, taking her hand in his, and headed down the beach, as if to continue their walk. She followed, not willing to remove her hand, and feeling so deliciously alive and cared for.

"So, I've gotten to know parts about you pretty well," he said with a grin, "but I don't know anything about who you are."

She looked at him, not sure where to start, and he smiled at her, making her feel like she might melt right there on the sand.

"Why don't I start, then?" Jack asked, and she nodded.

"Well, I'm not actually from here, as you probably guessed from my accent. I was born in Australia, and grew up there with my mom and dad and my little brother. I started surfing when I was 10 or so, using boogie boards and stuff like that. I'm 24 now," he answered her questioning look. "I was great at it, and I wanted to go for the pros, but my parents wanted me to get a degree, have something more stable. I went to college and got a degree in biomedical sciences." Here he laughed at her expression. "I hated it. My parents wanted me to have it. Anyways, everything in my life was pretty normal and average. My parents made enough money, I had what I needed, nothing unusual. One day, about four years ago, my little brother, he was 13 at the time, he begged me to take him surfing. I knew it wasn't a good day for it, but I could never say no to him, so I took him out anyways. He had a short board, it was a lot easier for him to maneuver." He paused here and Laney started getting an idea of what was coming, but she kept silent. "I went out first and got a couple of really great waves, so I decided it wasn't as bad as the broadcasters had been saying. I went ahead and told him to come on out. He started to paddle out and was half-way to me when I saw it...a huge, gray triangle in the water. The shark got to him before I could. I never saw him again." He paused here, and she could feel the sadness radiating from him. Laney gently squeezed his hand for encouragement. "They killed sharks for weeks after that and finally found the one that had done it. They knew because of the biopsy...I quit surfing for a while after that. A scout was coming to see me in a professional meet a week after it had happened, but I couldn't get back in the water. Everything was like a memory of seeing Micah out there in that water, it stained red with his blood, realizing I couldn't do anything. I moved to get away from the memory, but I longed for the beach, so I came here, partly because of UTMB, I figured I might as well do something with my degree. Just can't quite figure out what. And I started surfing again when I moved, I feel like I'm doing it for Micah. He wouldn't have wanted me to quit living."

But that's what you've done

...he thought to himself, disgusted. He felt a squeeze of his hand and looked down to see Laney's typically blue eyes cloudy and sad. "I think you're good enough for the pros..." she whispered.

He'd heard it before, but her little comment put air under his wings. He squeezed her hand in return. "Well, that's me, what about you?"

He was shocked at her response. She pulled her hand from his and began walking faster; he could tell she did so without realizing it. He was surprised, then concerned, but caught up to her, drawing her to a stop.

"Whoa, Laney, what's the deal? Why are you racing off on me? You don't have to tell me anything, sweetheart, it's fine."

She looked at him, her eyes still stormy. "Yeah, so you can leave, right? Just like all the others! Let's talk about my past, and then you can just disappear on me, just like everyone else. Oh, but make sure you sleep with me first!!" She slapped his hand away, but he was too stunned by what she'd said to realize it. She raced down the beach, Rex following her, and back towards where her house was, leaving a stunned Jack in the middle of the sand.

*****

Laney slammed the door shut, feeling stupid and miserable. She'd had no right to have an outburst like that, Jack certainly hadn't done anything to her, but she'd treated him like a villain anyway. After he'd opened up to her. She plopped down ungracefully on the kitchen floor, feeling too flustered to care, when she heard a pounding on the door. She moved to stand up, but didn't get the chance, as the door burst open and she heard heavy footsteps on the floor. She looked over at Rex, who jumped up, hackles raised and growling, but the dog suddenly fell silent and laid down, and she knew who it was at the door, as if it could've been anyone else. She shrank back in fear as Jack came straight up to her and grabbed her around the wrists, his face clouded with rage. She looked at Rex, but as the dog began to move, Jack shot him a look that had the animal crawling away as if it had been kicked. She knew she was in trouble then. He shook her, gently but firmly, as if trying to put some sense into her. She knew she should have picked her words carefully, but she was enraged at him for thinking he could maul her however he wanted.

"Who the hell do you think you are, bursting in here like that?!" she blazed with false courage. He ignored her question completely.

"What the hell was that back there? Why'd you leave that way?" his voice was so soft, she knew just by the tone how close to the edge he was. She stubbornly lifted her chin and looked away. Wrong choice.

He shoved her down to the ground, making sure she didn't hit her head, but firmly all the same.

"Why. Did. You. Leave." He pronounced each word so clearly and carefully, and with her position so vulnerable and open, she didn't know if it'd be best to continue with her false bravery. She couldn't resist.

"I don't have to answer you! You're just a goddamn asshole with shit for brains that couldn't get a girl if you were Jesus Christ himself!" She spat at him, immediately regretting it.

He picked her up easily and ignored her cries of protest, taking her towards the bathroom. She flailed and struggled as he turned the shower on and cried out in shock when he dropped her to the tub, cold water hitting her and soaking her instantly.