In Disguise

Scene 26

The scene had been put together perfectly, like a scene from a movie.

The colour of the sea, the magnificence of the boat, the brilliance of the sun, the beauty of the landscape, the way the light shined off his body, the construction of his beaming smile, the smooth texture of his damp skin.

It was exquisite.

Then his lips united with mine in a searing kiss, sucking the air from my lungs and leaving me breathless and desperate for more.

"You wanna go again?" He smiled, licking his tongue across his lips.

"You go," I said, "I'll watch."

He pressed his lips briefly to mine again before he began to swim back towards the boat.

"Make sure you're watching me," he winked cheekily.

Floating around in the crystal water, my surroundings now noticeably quieter since he had returned to the boat, I scanned the scenery and breathed in the delicious warm air in an attempt to take in everything.

Then I turned my body around in the water to face the boat just as I saw him appear on the deck. He smiled broadly when he noticed that the direction of my gaze was focused on him.

His bare torso glistened in the bright light and his arm muscles tensed as he brought his hand up and wiped the water droplets from his face and short hair.

He stood in a strong stance, shoulders back, legs spaced apart and firmly planted on the deck, an air of confidence drifting about him, a hand resting on his forehead to block the sun from his face whilst his other hand was planted on his hip.

Absentmindedly, I lost myself in my distracted admiration of him. But I was soon brought gently back to the present when I saw him make his way to the edge of the boat and peer over at the water down below.

Then I watched with amusement as he took a few steps back before running to the edge of the boat and launching his body into the air, his limbs flailing as he descended the distance down into the sea where the colliding of his body and the water created a wave which soaked me.

A giddy laughter took control of my body as he emerged and swam over to me. He chuckled and gathered me in his arms again.

"You got me wet," I pouted playfully.

He threw his head back and laughed. "Baby, you were already wet."

After floating together in the velvety clear water for a while longer, watching the colourful fish swim around us and enjoying each other's wholesome company, we returned to the boat and splayed ourselves out on the padded section at the front of the boat.

I lay on my stomach, feeling the warm sun shine down onto my back, whilst he lay down on his back and stretched his long limbs out beside me. I bent my arms underneath me and rested my head on them, my eyes fluttering closed in the relaxing heat.

Then I felt one of his arms drape lazily over my back followed by the soft touch of his fingers on my skin, which proceeded to draw messily on my back and bring goosebumps to the surface despite the tingling temperature of my body.

I removed one of my arms from underneath me to rest it on his stomach. Even though we had just been in the water, his chest was already completely dry, as if we had spent all day on the boat.

"Are all of your holidays like this?" I asked him sleepily. "Luxurious, expensive ... "

He chuckled out a laugh.

"Only when I'm treating someone."

I raised my eyebrows at him amusedly.

"And are you treating someone?"

"Always baby," he murmured, leaning over to touch his lips to mine.

I smiled to myself as he resumed his horizontal position.

"What's that smile for?" He smirked.

"I'm just happy."

He bent one of his arms underneath him and propped himself up on his elbows, looking at me intently. After remaining silent for a few seconds, he smiled and said, "Me too."

"For the record," he added with a chuckle, "I haven't always holidayed like this."

"I've never had a holiday like this," I teased.

His lips stretched into a broad grin, laced with wholesome authenticity and genuine happiness, the sort that elicited a smile from me just from the sight of it on his features.

"Well you'll never not have a holiday like this again."

Something about the certainty and decidedness in his voice made me feel as though that could actually be a permanent, concrete thing.

"Drinks?" He offered, coupled with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Yes please."

He leaned down and planted a kiss on my lips before getting to his feet and pacing across the deck. He disappeared into the boat for a few seconds, but not before I had caught him taking a discreet photo of me sunbathing and what looked like a video of the coastal scenery, before emerging again carrying two glasses filled with a colourful liquid.

"Here you go baby," he held one out to me.

"Thank you," I smiled, taking the glass. "Cheers baby," I tapped my glass against his. The refreshing fruity flavour filled my mouth as I took a sip.

"Cheers," he repeated the gesture before tipping the glass back and taking a large swig.

The rest of the afterton consisted of remaining in the same position lounging at the front of the boat, relaxing together in each other's company, engaging in wholesome conversations about our hopes for the future, and drinking more alcohol until we had consumed a substantial amount between us.

Then a notification pinged my phone to life and when I went to check the screen, I saw that he had tagged me in his social media story.

I shot him a suspicious glance, to which he chuckled in amusement and continued looking at something on his phone, before I opened his story and was pleasantly surprised to find the photo which he had just taken of me lying down on the boat accompanied by some love heart emojis and a location pin of where we were.

"Is it okay if I put that photo up?" He asked abruptly, a hint of seriousness audible in his voice.

"Yeah of course," I said, my lips tugging automatically into a smile. "That's so cute of you."

He winked. "Cute is my middle name."

I laughed and pulled him into a kiss.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"Happy holiday baby."

We lay there until the sun subsided gracefully down below the horizon, and the early evening painted streaky patterns in the sky which was stretched out wide above us like a vast canvas.