She dictated the pace. Forced the perimeter to boundaries she had never known existed. Boundaries Joshua thought he'd never survive. She tasted and touched, but every time he went to surge into her, to resume control she lifted her hips out of range, swiftly moving a few inches out of reach. She maintained this touching, grinding, kissing, stroking until she could feel his muscles coil and tremor. He was working very hard to hold onto some semblance of control. She lowered herself. Then lifted. Hovering, then lowered again, enveloping him in her tight sheath. She watched his eyes as she repeated her action over and over. She knew the exact moment when he decided he couldn't wait. It was a fraction of a second before she rode him hard. Clutching her hips with both hands, he held her fast, and then thrust, he entered her deeply, shouting her name hoarsely. The dynamite seemed endless. His heart hammered like a pneumatic drill as it crashed against his ribs.
"Grace." He breathed into her ear as he wrapped the blankets around them tightly, "I'll need a year to recoup my strength." He came back to earth slowly and she didn't fight the possession of his gentle mouth as it took hers in a lethargic kiss. Drained beyond belief, it took immense will power to find the energy to move. He was wrung dry.
His eyes feathered shut as he fell sound asleep.
She smiled contentedly, snuggling into his chest where she mumbled "I love you." Her words were a breathless whisper.
Joshua didn't hear her.
They awoke late. Very late. Grace was wrapped around him, her leg thrown over his, her arm flung across his chest with her head just below his neck, tucked in securely. He had his arm wrapped around her firmly. Sometime during the night one or other must have wrapped the blankets more securely around them, for they were now cocooned within. Strangely, although confined, neither had been uncomfortable. Waking up was as sensual as making love, hair roughened skin grazed hairless skin and their actions sensitised each other into instant response.
"What are you thinking about?" Grace lifted her head off his chest and propped herself up on her elbow so that she could look at him.
A warm red suffused his neck. He was blushing. That puzzled Grace.
He coughed to clear his throat. "Er, what makes you ask?"
"One minute your heart was beating a nice humdrum staccato, and the next it started hammering as if I'd just injected you with adrenaline or something." She grinned, "And now you have turned my favourite shade of red." The fire was still glowing and the room was pleasantly warm. It had stopped raining, and light filtered in through the gap between the drawn, printed, light weight curtains.
"Come on I'll show you how to work the shower, Riah said it was a bit of a hassle." Joshua mumbled happily into the top of her hair as he continued to stroke her temple and brush against her body.
"You're trying to side track me." She replied happily and stretched slowly. "What were you thinking about?"
"Can't a man keep his thoughts to himself?"
Grace felt guilty for pushing him. She hadn't meant to make an issue of it. It had simply fascinated her, the way his heart began to race. One minute it was following a steady rhythm and the next it was as if he'd just sprinted. She inched away. "Yes, of course, sorry." She mumbled as she pushed off the bed. She'd never the get the hang of this after sex communication. What were they supposed to do, not get intimate? Not ask personal questions?
His hand snaked around her wrist, effectively preventing her from going any further. "Grace," he swung his feet off the bed so that he was sitting on the edge. He tugged her to stand between his legs. His fingers forming a band around her wrist. "I didn't mean to sound grouchy."
"I didn't mean to nag."
"You didn't."
"I didn't huh?" She quirked a look at him.
"I just wasn't expecting a mind reader."
"I haven't a clue what you were thinking about."
"You think we can buy a copy of the Kama Sutra out here?"
"What?" Grace burst out laughing. "What's that all about?"
He grinned, "I was thinking we could make the best of you being so flexible."
Grace looked stumped for all of two seconds then she gave his shoulders a hard shove and fell with him to lie on the bed. They were both grinning. She kissed him.
"That's the problem with you computer types. Always need a manual with diagrams. No imagination. No creativity, nooooooo"
Joshua rolled her onto her back and began to show her just how creative he could be and how supple she was.
It was a couple of hours later when he mumbled, "Creative enough?" Pleasantly lethargic. Content. Replete. It took a while to get out of the makeshift bed. "Come on." He tugged her arm, "Time for a shower."
"I'm too tired." She snuggled deeper into the blanket.
For a moment he hesitated, then he tugged the blanket and wrapped it around her. He picked up his victim and unceremoniously tossed her over his shoulder.
"Hey." She struggled to come upright.
"Now don't make a habit of this Grace. When we get married, I'll expect you to be up at six, making my breakfast."
"In your dreams." She mumbled into the blanket that had fallen over her head. With her arms pinned by the cocoon there was little she could do. Joshua marched off to the shower, listing all his expectations and patting her bottom as he went.
It was very late in the afternoon when they finally left the house and went for a long stroll along the beach. It was a glorious day, bright blue skies, cloudless, and warm. They walked to the opposite end of the small secluded bay. It took about an hour. Then they sat on the rocks and watched the waves crash against a rocky outcrop. They probed, supported and challenged. Enjoying their time together. It was idyllic. Then, holding hands they walked back toward the bach.
Joshua cooked dinner, a light salad and steak. Grace set the table. They talked about their work. Slowly learning more about each other.
"It's getting late."
"Hmm." Grace purred contentedly. "Today's been wonderful."
"It isn't over yet." He tugged her to her feet. "Come on, bed time."
She raised an eyebrow. "I suppose this was on your list of demands that I couldn't quite make out this morning."
"I'm in charge now." He advised her, his meaning not lost on Grace.
This time they used a bedroom.
Grace and Joshua visited local tourist spots and took in the indigenous historic sites. They visited the Marae, read about the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, marveled at the hollowed out canoe and took a day cruise around the bay. They swam in the warm ocean water that lapped a few yards from the back door of their bach and they made love on the beach. They talked, walked and swam. Hours disappeared as they both relaxed. They cooked, they ate and they made love. That was the pattern for the week. Sheer lotus eating existence.
On Friday Grace had her period. She had been dreading the advent of this day. She woke up knowing that it signaled the end of their agreement.
"I'm not pregnant." She told him after breakfast. He looked at her, and Grace caught a fleeting glimpse of sadness. "I guess that means we don't get married." She said softly. She needed to give him an out. Just in case he needed it. It was her inexperience and his sense of chivalry that had led to this compromise.
He froze. Then, with his back to her he said, "We should give it a while before we let everyone know that we've broken up." His words were flat, but he wasn't looking at her, so she couldn't tell what he was feeling. "Maybe wait till after Christmas or something." Joshua wanted to yell in frustration. "I'd hate to ruin Christmas."
Grace wanted to cry. If only he'd said that it didn't matter, that he still wanted to marry her. If only. Even, if he just said he wanted to go out with her. Perhaps she should ask him. She was liberated. She should ask him. The words didn't come.
"I guess." She agreed quietly.
"We should see each other. It would look a bit odd if we just stopped. We'd have a lot of explaining to do." Why had she been so keen to tell him about her period? Surely the last couple of days had shown her how in tune they were to each other.
"Yes. I suppose." She mumbled. So their love making was nothing more than sex for him.
"If we gradually ease off, we won't have to deal with an inquisition." Joshua wanted to shake her. Why was she doing this? Why the hell did they have to break off? They got on well. There was passion in their relationship and even when she was asking irrational questions they had great conversations.
"I guess." Grace was trying desperately to hang onto a shred of composure. So, it was just sex. He was treating splitting up objectively. Dispassionately? Clearly he'd only pushed her into accepting his proposal because he felt guilty. She didn't want them to stop seeing each other, but she couldn't beg. Could she? If only he'd say that he didn't care about the pregnancy. If only she had the courage to make an overture. If only.
He loved her. She certainly wanted him. She must love him. She must. Why didn't she say so? Women always did.
"I'll go pack." She stated quietly and left Joshua gazing out of the window.
They cleaned and tidied the house, restocked the wood supply and Joshua replaced the front door lock, before they left. He'd bought a new lock when they'd gone into Russell on Wednesday. While he fixed the door, Grace took a walk along the beach. When she returned, he'd checked on everything and then they left.
The drive back to Auckland reminded Grace of her first trip with Joshua. On that occasion he had also switched on the radio, effectively cutting out any talk. The return journey had seemed longer than the journey up to the bach. Neither of them spoke much. Both of them were waiting for the right time. It never came. He drove straight to her parent's house. They were both home and together they came out to greet Joshua. They all stood in the driveway and spoke for a while, talking platitudes.
After about five minutes Grace said, "Well, I guess you want to get going."
Ben and Angie exchanged silent looks.
"Yes. I'd better." He replied stiltedly as he walked around to the boot of the car and retrieved her travel bag.
"Won't you stay for dinner or something?" Angie asked in a desperate attempt to keep him there.
"Thanks but I'd best get going."
Angie flashed her husband another message.
"We'll take your gear in." Ben told his daughter as he sensed the tension and picked up on his wife's silent order. He reached for the large bag and began to walk back to the house before Grace could disagree. "See you soon Josh." He called over his shoulder, hoping that was the case.
"See you Josh." Angie said as she brushed his cheek with a kiss and then followed her husband back to the house.
That left Joshua and Grace standing nervously beside the car.
"They're not known for their tact." Grace finally said as her parents disappeared into the house.
"I had a great time Grace." Joshua responded, ignoring her previous statement.
"Me too." She replied and smiled tentatively. It was almost as if they were on their first date, wondering if there'd be a second.
"Call me when you get back from Whangamata." He ordered, "And you are not to go back to the cottage if that maniac hasn't been traced."
"Yes dear." She replied cheekily.
He kissed her cheek. "I mean it."
"Yes. I know you do."
"If they haven't got him, tell your folks. Tell me. We'll work something out."
"They'll get him." She pulled out of his arms. "Grace."
"I'll tell them if he isn't caught by the time we get back. He'll probably stop anyway. He'll get bored."
"No risks Grace."
She folded her arms across her chest. "You are bossy."
"Your point is?" He teased. She quirked a brow. "Don't be stubborn ok?" He stated, "if they haven't traced him, call me." He began pulling her to him, "we'll sort something out." Then he was kissing her lips. With her breathless he let her go and opened the car door. "Give me a call, ok?" The window scrolled down and just before he pulled away, he said, "Grace, this isn't the end with us."