AFTER THE RAIN (Bonus edition)

24. Out with un-sex

Stormy avoided looking at Marcus after they disembarked. She couldn't. She wouldn't. The weird thing that had just happened between them had left her feeling a little awkward. Well, a lot awkward. What the hell was that, anyway? Some strange no-sex sex? Had they just invented some new kind of thing? Un-sex?

She needed someone to throw a bucket of ice water over her head. She needed to snap out of it. Her hormones were zinging and her body was physically aching for him.

She walked away from him and took a few deep breaths while repeating a new mental mantra: out with un-sex, in with innocent thoughts. It seemed to work after about the tenth time, when her heart rate and raging hormones dipped down to something more acceptable. She looked around for the first time. They had landed near the beach. The most beautiful beach in the entire world.

The place was magical, unlike anything she'd ever seen or experienced before. When she was growing up, family holidays away weren't exactly her dad's (and whichever wife he was currently on) thing. Her foster families had never really taken her anywhere, either. And then of course there was her very limited, stretched-like-old-stale-chewing-gum financial situation, which put a huge damper on things like eating food and travel. Her current financial situation was pretty dire. She hadn't told anyone about it, and wasn't planning to, either.

But if truth be told, she had nowhere to live when she got back to South Africa. Her landlord, the kindest, most patient man the world had ever created, had finally asked her to leave, after months and months of being unable to pay the rent. She couldn't even afford a roof over her head, let alone holidays away. Although this didn't panic her as much as it might have panicked someone else; she always made a plan. It was how she'd grown up – how she'd been forced to grow up. She'd had to fend for herself from a very early age. But somehow, everything always seemed to work out. The universe provides what you need, when you need it. That's what she believed, anyway, and if it meant spending a few nights at the women's shelter at the nearby church, so be it. If it meant busking with her guitar for a little while to make extra money, that was also okay. She always landed on her feet again; it was just who she was.

Of course, Lilly and Damien always offered her accommodation when she needed it. Damien even said he would build a little studio apartment on top of their garage for her. But she couldn't accept charity, and she didn't have anything to barter with them. Lilly had said that the pleasure of her company was more than enough, but Stormy didn't want to be in the way. Relationships are hard enough without your step-sister living on your roof.

She quickly pushed all those thoughts out of her mind; no use in dwelling on the what if, when, what and how. She was right here, right now, and she was going to enjoy it. Although they were only going to be in Mombasa for a little while, she was determined to do absolutely everything she could to take in the experience. Starting with that sea.

It was perfectly crystal clear at its most shallow. From the clearness, it radiated out and turned into a pale, powdery blue, which almost looked like it would be soft to the touch. The color reminded her of the beautiful Blue Calcite crystal – that swirly, pale, almost cotton-candy blue. She smiled to herself and turned around to see where Marcus had got to, but when she did and saw the look on his face, her stomach seemed to involuntarily jump up and down a few times. He had a smile plastered across his face, maybe the biggest smile she'd seen so far, and he was just looking at her. Staring, almost. His pupils looked big, black and dilated, even in the bright light. He was also more casual than she'd seen him before: relaxed with his hands in pockets, his hair all messy and tussled from the wind, and leaning against a palm tree. He looked great. Amazing. Perfect.

The look on his face, though! That look in his eye – the glint, the shine and the depth. She smiled back at him, and they held each other's gazes for the longest time.

She was the one who eventually broke eye contact and turned her attention back to the sea in front of her. She walked down onto the beach and took off her sandals. The warm white sand squished between her toes and she wiggled them, savoring the sensation. She loved the feel of sand beneath her feet, just like she loved the feel of mud between her toes, or rain on her bare skin. The sand was fine, soft and snowy in color. The contrast between the white of the beach and blue of the sea was breathtaking. Huge palm trees dotted the beach, casting long shadows over the sand, giving it a beautiful, mottled appearance. The scene in front of her was like an exquisite patchwork quilt, bits and pieces of different colors, shapes and textures all blended together to form something wondrous and unique.

"Beautiful," Marcus said, suddenly standing right behind her.

"It is," Stormy replied, turning to face him. He was so close... And then he did something truly unexpected.

He reached out and touched her cheek, letting his fingers linger. His eyes seemed to trace the surfaces and features of her face; he ran his gaze from her eyes to her lips and then to her nose. His look was so intense that it actually made her nose tickle; she rubbed it self-consciously, and he smiled at her. A sweet, sexy smile that was doing more to her than she would care to admit. He held her gaze as the wind picked up and strands of her hair blew across her face. He took a strand between his fingers and looked at it.

"Pink," he said, twirling it around his finger. "I like it." He let go of that strand and took up another – a blue one this time – between his fingers. He took a step closer and tucked it behind her ear with such gentle care that it made her feel melt-ish inside. The feel of his fingertips on her ear made her shiver. Stormy was still wearing the colorful scarf that Marcus had bought her at the market, and the wind suddenly picked it up and took it away. It flew for a few meters before landing on the sand.

Marcus immediately moved to get it. He picked it up and dusted it off before walking back up to her and gently putting it around the back of her neck, using it to pull her even closer. Their faces were almost touching.

"It matches your hair," he said, gently knotting it around her neck.

There was something so undeniably powerful between them, it was impossible, impossible to deny. And it was becoming harder and harder to fight against it – no matter how many promises they swore to each other, how many attempts at hand shakes they made or lines they drew in the sand. She wondered just how much of Marcus she would need to be satisfied. The answer was a little disturbing, because she just couldn't see herself ever getting enough of him. With each encounter, the need to be with him grew ten-fold. He was like an addictive drug: the more she had, the more she wanted. More, more, more.

And then he did something that almost knocked her off her feet. He pulled her closer and planted a kiss on her forehead. Just like that, without any reason. A soft, gentle kiss that felt so caring it almost brought tears to her eyes. The gesture was so kind and loving, it felt almost couple-ish. Almost like he was a person in love...

"Come, let's go check into our hotel," he said, smiling down at her before turning and walking away. Stormy watched him for a moment, and as if sensing her gaze, he turned his head and dazzled her with yet another smile. A smile that seemed to reach right inside her.