This follows on from the story 'Ambushed' in answer to a couple of requests to continue where it might head. The original has been slightly revised as well.
Emily had spent most of the night awake in a sense of amazement. When sleep did finally overcome her, there was far too little before her arm had to fumble from the sheet to kill the annoying buzzing. Totally oblivious to the racket, Kevin slept on.
She didn't give him another glance as she threw a robe about her naked body and wearily staggered out to awaken their guest. There was no need. Suzanne's shower was running in the guest bathroom, the clothes already laid out suggesting she was travelling light casual. Emily padded back to her room and rummaged for her light brown shorts and sandals. As she held up coat hangers with her pale green T-shirt and a canary yellow one to decide between them, the musty fragrance of last night's dalliance wafted up the neckline of her robe from between her legs, catching her nostrils.
She couldn't help wishing she knew what Suzanne's immediate thoughts were after their glorious lovemaking last night as she showered in the en-suite. Twenty minutes later, she was beginning to pessimistically downgrade it to just a one night stand as she dressed and finished drying her long hair. She started feeling guilty about last night and a little disturbed at having made a fool of Kevin. Leaning over the bed and turning his unwilling face for a goodbye kiss, she recoiled in disgust when the odour of sour beer met her.
Wheeling her clattering suitcase down the driveway to the impatient taxi driver beside the opened boot, she saw Suzanne was already clicking on her belt in the rear seat. As the surly cabbie clumsily arranged her trunk beside the battered orange one, she decided to opt for the front seat and nurse her growing shame. She began to dread how the next four days would go, and hoped the impulsive actions last night could be quickly forgotten all round. She decided that's what Suzanne was probably feeling and decided that her own behaviour from hereon should revert to purely business-like.
Seatbelt on in the front of the taxi, Emily heard Suzanne click hers in the back. In stony silence right up until they entered the airport, she just stared blankly out her side.
"In three hours, we'll be on Hamilton Island," she heard her gloom interrupted by Suzanne's nervous first words, a little excitement in the girl's voice. She sensed Suzanne leaning forward but she kept her stare out the side window as she replied.
"I hope there's some time to sight-see." Her tone sounded flat and non-committal, but she felt better now that the ice was broken.
Emily's glance down confirmed that a sly unseen hand was slyly creeping through the space between her seat and the door and touching her leg. She dropped an unseen hand down and began secretly caressing along it with her thumb, still pretending to stare out.
From the moment they alighted, a relaxed patter started up, continuing through a snatched breakfast at the airport. Soon they were on board strapping themselves in. By the time their in-flight coffees were being stirred, Emily too was like an excited schoolgirl going off to Hamilton Island on a holiday rather to work. Their surging enthusiasm spilled over to include the attractive young brunette in their aisle seat. Conversations with Annette revealed she was a flight attendant on leave heading to her favourite destination, one she had the chance to do often and on the cheap since she was in the industry.
Stepping out of the plane at the other end, the trio amicably parted vowing to catch up as Beth walked across. Gazing outside to the uncharacteristically grey Hamilton Island skies, Emily knew that the news wouldn't be great.
"Overcast and drizzle today, showers tonight and cloudy tomorrow morning, then clearing," was Beth's glum summation as she strolled with the pair to the luggage carousel. "The dawn shoot on the beach tomorrow is definitely off, and we'll review this afternoon's outdoor session over coffee, shall we? Let's meet in half an hour and make alternative plans just in case. But tonight unless tomorrow's forecast improves, you can stay up and nightclub a bit or whatever knowing you can sleep in till 8ish."
The concept of getting out into some quick Queensland sunshine today had flown out the window. Trolleying their cases past the hotel entrance, Beth pointed out where to meet her for coffee in thirty minutes, then escorted them to the porch of their beachside cabana.
"I'm in the main hotel in room 207 if you ever need to phone or call on me," she smiled. "Why don't you two unpack and unwind a bit for half an hour and I'll see you for that coffee and chat in thirty minutes? That's nine thirty by my watch."
Emily gaped at the space inside their high-ceilinged cabana as soon as she entered. They were barely fifty metres from the shoreline of main beach, only a little further from the hotel, and so central to the rest of the island. You could walk to anywhere on it from here.
"Your choice, left or right?" she called out to an equally wide-eyed Suzanne ahead of her, indicating the twin beds.
"My choice? OK. I noticed you slept on the right hand side of your bed at home. So I'll take the left," came the offhand reply as Suzanne wandered in to inspect the bathroom.
"Okay. We've got twenty five minutes. About last night " Emily offered then paused, deciding now would be the best time to get the topic off their chests. Turning away from Suzanne, she swung the suitcase up onto her bed and started unzipping. As she took her halter neck top out, she decided to replace of her T-shirt immediately. She lifted the T-shirt bra and all over her head as Suzanne's guarded response came back.
"Are you feeling guilty?" she heard from the bathroom behind her.
"No," she paused and thoughtfully replied. "Not now. Not as much as I should be, I guess. Why?"
"Because ..." she heard the strangely drawn out, unfinished answer.
Emily was just lifting the halter neck to drape it about her neck when her suitcase was yanked off her bed by a sudden arm from behind. Almost before it had hit the floor, she was spinning around trying to work out why a completely naked Suzanne was dropping to her knees before her.