As Mark quietly trudged through the sand to Katelyn's bungalow in the dark, he couldn't help but think about the lecture he had given his students two weeks ago in his classroom. He had stressed to them the importance of not breaking any of the cardinal rules while on their service trip to the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica: no drugs, no alcohol, no fighting, and absolutely 100% no sex. Doing so would result in immediate removal from the trip and a expedited flight back to Maryland.
With each step he could hear himself saying to students and their parents that such behavior would not be tolerated. You are representing the school and the larger school community, he stated resolutely. He was sure this stern speech would be enough to deter any misbehavior on the part of his students. It never crossed his mind that he might be the one breaking the most serious of his rules.
But there he was, dodging crabs and rocks as he walked from the front of the hotel property where he was staying to the back, where his district mandated female chaperone was staying. Katelyn had volunteered to go on the trip quite eagerly. She was 35 and had never traveled out of the country and felt the need for some adventure after a messy breakup with her long term boyfriend.
Up until their second day working in the mangroves in the heat, Mark had never really thought of Katelyn as anything other than a colleague. Of course he recognized her attractiveness. She was quite petite, just 5'3" and maybe 110lbs, with strawberry blonde hair. Her chest wasn't anything remarkable, nor was her bottom. But she kept fit and could fill out any number of the dresses she wore to school.
At one point in time Katelyn had actually been a mentor of sorts to Mark. His first year teaching was her third, and his district assigned mentor had been flaky all year. Like Mark, Katelyn was a career changer, which led to a more natural partnership given their similarities. She provided invaluable advice during his first years in the classroom.
So the fact that he was now sneaking across the palm tree covered hotel property under the cover of night while the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashed onto the beach a dozen yards away was all the more exhilarating. At 35, Katelyn was 7 years Mark's senior. The age difference only added to the exhilaration. Up until this point Mark had only ever been with women his own age or very close to it. What would it be like, he wondered as he snuck past the last of the student-occupied bungalows to where the female chaperones were staying.
When he got to room 43, he knocked 4 times, pausing between the first 2, just like they had talked about before starting their nightly room checks for their group of 20 students.
Katelyn answered the door in athletic shorts and a sports bra, the very outfit that sparked the initial desire in Mark in the mangroves yesterday. They had been working in the heat for hours alongside their student group, filling planters with fertile swamp mud and stuffing them with young mangrove seedlings. It was impossible not to be covered in a mixture of sweat, mud, and sunscreen.
At some point in the afternoon, everyone began removing their mud caked clothing, revealing bathing suits underneath for most of the students. This was no big deal as they had been hanging at the beach or pool when they weren't toiling away in the mud. But when Katelyn took off her crop top to reveal a low cut purple sports bra, Mark was a little taken aback. Katelyn took notice of Mark's attention. It flattered her that someone might ogle at her, as her recent breakup had really taken a toll on her confidence. She made sure to stay within Mark's view as she continued to work.
Mark was suddenly acutely aware of just how attractive Katelyn was, and it took a lot of mental effort for it not to show in the form of a bulge from his board shorts. He resolved to add the image of a sweaty and muddy Katelyn to the back of his mind for use later in the evening when everyone had gone to bed.
When they had finished their work in the mangrove for the day, they cleaned up by taking a dip in the Pacific. The group of students led the charge across the sand, eager to wash away the grime before heading back to their bungalows to clean up for dinner. As Mark and Katelyn watched their students run unabashed through the sand, they drifted a little closer to one another. There was a certain spark between them, enhanced by the beauty of their surroundings.