Love, by chance? (Lesbian romance)

“Do you want to race to the buoy and back?” Lauren grinned mischievously and raised an eyebrow as a challenge. Jillian smiled in return and then nodded her agreement and they both sank beneath the surface. They reached the buoy at around the same time, both laughing at the fun of the race. Lauren pushed herself and they reached the end far to quickly for her liking. She gasped for air as she enjoyed a good laugh with Jillian.

“I had forgotten how much fun the water could be.” Jillian said and ran a hair through her short choppy hair. Lauren paused to consider Jillian. Did she want a friend to spend the day with at the beach? Or did she have the same attraction that Lauren did?

“There is a kayak rental place right down the beach. My treat?” Lauren said with a smile. They walked up to the sand and Lauren reached down to lift her beach towel and shake the sand from it's surface to no real avail. She frowned slightly at the towel and it's uselessness when it came to doing anything besides covering her in sand. Jillian laughed at her struggle.

“I just have to let my friends know that I'm leaving with a stranger.” Jillian smiled broadly. Lauren frowned a little.

“You are here with friends? I don't want to spoil your plans or anything.” Lauren said with a slight smile. They walked side by side towards a group of girls on the other side of the beach.

“I wouldn't have agreed if I didn't think it would be okay.” She said and quickly looped her own towel around her neck. Lauren stopped just short of the group and Jillian introduced her friends. Lauren fear for a moment that Jillian would recognize that her attention was not on the group of girls, although they were all very pretty in their own right, Lauren could not take her gaze from Jillian for very long. She couldn't help but appreciate the gentle curve of her mouth. Lauren smiled willingly at all Jillian's friends and listened to her make her apologies for having to leave the group. Her friends didn't seem to mind and Lauren paused a moment to consider that she wouldn't mind having such a sweet group of girls as friends, despite their rambunctious outward appearance. They said goodbye to the girls and walked away towards the rental house further down on the beach.

“So what do you think of the beach?” Lauren asked as she gazed at the sun that was still high in the sky despite the hour.

“Are you kidding? I love it. Everything about it. I live right down the road. Born and raised.” Lauren could see the happiness in her gaze. Obviously Jillian had found her home and had never had to look anywhere else.

“So how old are you? If you don't mind me asking?” Lauren asked conversationally as they approached the kayak rental house.

“I'm 25. But I feel much younger.” Jillian replied with a mischievous grin. Lauren chuckled lightly. She could appreciate a bit of immaturity in the people she spent her time with.

“I'm only 21. So it seems to me that we will get along just fine.” She smiled. “Hang on a sec. I will take care of all this.” Lauren walked up to the man at the counter of the shop and ten minutes later they had their kayaks and were on the ocean. Lauren struggled a bit to get in hers and nearly toppled as Jillian laughed nearby. She had no choice but to smile. “How safe it is to kayak out here?” Lauren asked a bit apprehensively.

“As long as you don't fall in where the water is particularly deep you should be fine.” Jillian said but her words did not reassure Lauren at all so she shook her head.

“You are very good at settling people's nerves aren't you? You should be a counselor or something.” Lauren grinned at her own joke and Jillian playfully swatted her with her paddle. Then she looked out past the wake.

“Let's stay relatively close to shore. Just to be safe. Since you haven't been on the water as of yet.” Jillian smiled and led the way just a bit further out where the waves were not quite as harsh. Lauren pulled her kayak alongside Jillian so they could talk as their kayaks sliced through the fish filled water. “So every Saturday night we have a bonfire on the beach. Just a bunch of girls having fun and maybe a touch of alcohol but nothing too crazy. What do you say? Feel up to it?” Jillian asked but seemed to be observing something on the beach beside them. Lauren looked to see what she was looking at but saw nothing. She frowned slightly but then brightened.

“I would LOVE to hang out with you guys tomorrow night. Your friends seem really nice.” She smiled.

“You can bring your boyfriend if you want.” Jillian said with an apprehensive smile. Lauren laughed loudly at her statement.

“That was very subtle. I don't have a boyfriend.” She looked at Jillian pointedly.

“Oh that sucks. Mind if I ask why?” She earned a big grin from Lauren.

“Because I am only into girls.” She raised her eyebrows and waited for a reply. Jillian just humphed and then replied “I thought so.” Which made Lauren's already large grin turn impossibly larged. Then they both laughed. Loudly. Attracting the attention of some beach strollers nearby.