An Echo of Royalty

7

     Standing at the edge, the coolness beckoned to me. Mmm. Crouching down, I riffled through the roll to find the shampoo and conditioner. My book slipped out between the towel and shirt. Oh well. Nearing the water I set my jars down on the rock on the edge then stripped to my undies. The pond was a dip in the scenery, hiding my mounds of dirt and trees, just like a beach. I didn’t worry about anyone from camp seeing me. The luke-warm water sent goosebumps up my legs as I moved into the water. Not cold enough to send me running for a heating blanket, but I would need to dunk to get used to it.

    There was no yellow foam floating across it because of how often it was used. The underwater current that brought in fresh water helped with that and kept the seaweed seeds from growing. It was our small piece of heaven.

    I plunged into the water, going all the way under and breaking the surface to get fresh air. I pushed through the water, swimming in large circles to get the stress off, let it float away from me to be washed away for good. 

     This morning I had been careless. Chiding myself for my stupidity wasn’t helping so I imagined letting it go. What do I do with Joe. Let it go, seep in the water beside me to drift. I made my way back to the rock. 

    Even though it was on the edge of the sand ramp, it was sill in a deeper end. I poured some shampoo and scrubbed my hair. Yes the water isn’t the cleanest, but it is still water. Yes I would still have a layer of dirt on my, but at least it was new. 

    I turned away from the bank to wash my face. 

    Can I really let go what he is doing? Shouldn’t I have a problem with this? Normal people would be concerned with this, but for some reason, I liked the idea of him keeping track of me. Making sure I stayed safe. He’s a stalker. My stalker. 

    I slapped the water. No. You are going to be mad at this.

    Submerging myself in the water I rinsed my locks. When I came back up sputtering, I wiped my face, and blinked any water from my eyes. As I turned to grab the conditioner, I glanced up at a familiar figure by the trees. Joe.

    I hid behind the big rock and blinked at him. He had to know I saw him. “Joe, what are you doing here?” Heat rose in my cheeks. 

    Leaning against a tree, he skimmed through my book. “How can you read this book? It’s so boring.” He continued to look at it.

     “Joe!” I said.

    He glanced sideways at me. “I’m here to make sure that whatever took the coyote doesn’t come back to finish what it started.”

    “That was probably you, I hear you like to follow me. I thought it was a rabbit at first but now that I think about it, wherever I go I hear twigs break,” I said.

    Looking at me full on, he raised an eyebrow. “Animals can snap twigs just as easily as humans do. Are you done yet?”

    “Why?”

    He dropped the book on the pile it came from. “Just wondering when we’re gonna leave.” He twiddled his fingers in his lap.

    I shook my head. “You can leave anytime, I don’t need a babysitter.” I took a step back, further into the pond.

    He stood, and took off his shirt, then kicked his shoes off one after the other.

    What’s he doing? I swallowed, staring at his tanned broad shoulders, that no matter how unclean, still inspired dreams I would never mention to anyone.

    His fingers tugged on the weathered belt and I didn’t miss a beat. The strap slipped out of the ring and pulled it out of the metal clasp. He undid the button and pulled the zipper down. He leaned forward as used his thumb to push the fabric down his legs. All that was left was his boxers. 

    I gulped and exhaled, letting it out long and slow. “You are not coming in here.” I managed to say just above a whisper, watching as he sauntered down to me. Look away, look away.

    My breath came harder and I turned away, slamming my eye shut.

    Swooshing and rippling hit my ears like a gong. He’s in. Should I get out? I’m not done yet. Conditioning my hair was next and then body scrub.

    Ripples tapped my back. Where did he go? 

    Arms enclosed around me from behind. The air caught in my throat. Breathe, just breathe. But he’s so close.

    The muscles in my back strained to hold perfectly still. He was so warm, and against this water, every part of my body now felt cold. A flutter of nerves sparked wherever his skin met mine, which at the moment felt like everywhere. I tried to ignore the feeling of his build against mine but how do you ignore the man you love when he is right here. Crap.

    What do I do now? I could only stared wide eyed off in to space. Feeling how wonderful it was to be this close to him, wanting for this to happen more often. But for now, with what I felt as an obstacle between us, what do I do?

    A cold shiver radiated my body, ending with my jaw chattering. How can that happen, it’s not that cold in here. 

    “Am I warm? You have goose bumps.” His fingers traced down my arm, sending another shutter.

Was it the air around us getting chillier causing this, or him?

    He moved behind me, then planted a kiss on my left shoulder. I closed my eyes wanting to sink into this. To relax into his arms and enjoy the water with him. If I ever had a dream before everything bad happened, this was it. To be with someone so handsome and wonderful, someone who wanted me. Not only my body, but me, really me. 

    I ground my teeth, urging my brain to come to its senses, but it only helped a little. This was becoming somewhat irritating, thinking so much about me and him over the past few days. Him trying to get me give in. Should I just let it happen? This is the perfect opportunity. Where do I go from here?

    I could turn around and kiss him, or snuggle into his arms. That would lead us somewhere I told myself I couldn’t go. I wanted to be with him but, would he really leave no matter what, like Trina and Melissa said?” 

    “What are you thinking about?” His hands continued to move up and down my arms.

    I shrugged best I could in the position I was in. “To be honest, I don’t know what to do.”

    “Well I have some ideas of what you could do but, I think if I say them, you’ll get mad at me.” He paused letting the try for humor float away. “Why don’t you know what to do? You usually always think of something. Did I catch you off guard?” I could hear the smile in his voice.

    I couldn’t help but grin. He knew he surprised me, but like the man he is, he enjoyed the confirmation. 

    I let my smile wilt. As much as I wanted and enjoyed his warmth, and to be this close to such beautiful pine scented skin, I didn’t want him to realize how much I didn’t want to move. Would he hold on to me or let me go? 

    Slowly I stepped away, moving through the water.

    “If I leave now, will you promise not to look?”

    He looked back at the rock my stuff is on. “But you’re not finished yet, you can finish first. Who knows exactly when the next time you’ll come to do this is.” He looked at me.

    “Am I going to be able to finish or are you going to stare at me the whole time?” I walked to my stuff slowly, watching him as I went, crouched under the water.

    He watched me move, a smile creeping up on his face. “I can’t promise you that I won’t watch some of it. I’ll swim around though, if it helps.” He walked backwards and kicked off. He flipped over and swam away.

    The rock is next to shore. It is kind of on an underwater cliff. I can swim up to it and keep my body down deep at the same time. I didn’t look back to see if he watched me. 

    It had gotten cold without him standing with me. Water splashed and I looked behind me to see him glide through the water. He flipped over to do backstrokes, saw me watching, and smiled.

    “And you asked me not to stare.” He kept swimming.

    I turned around blushing and smiling. He almost had a point.

    I put conditioner in my hair and let it sit, humming to myself as I washed. time for me to rinse my hair so I went down. Even in the dirty water I could feel how soft it was compared to before the bath. 

    I came up quick to check that Joe wasn’t watching. He was still swimming but saw me watching him again, and came swimming back to me. I reached for my body scrub and began to pour it into my hands.

   “Can I use some of that? I wasn’t planning on bathing when I came to the pond.”

    I looked at him hesitantly as I slowly handed him the bottle. “You really want to smell frilly?”

    He poured some in his hands and set the bottle down and began squishing his hands to make it lather. “Well I don’t really care what it smells like as long as I smell relatively clean, and like you.” He gave me a small grin. I glared back.

    We both lathered our bodies. My back was towards him so I could stand a little further out of the water and reach more places. I felt the water move behind me and wondered if Joe was going to try and hold me like he did earlier. Instead he rubbed my back and asked, “Want me to get your back?”

    I didn’t answer, I just let him finish what he’d started.

    I looked around the pond. It’s so beautiful here. That’s the only positive thing the vampires did. They caused us humans to hide in forests and solitary places that are beautiful. I may never have seen this place if it weren’t for them.

    “What are you thinking about?” Joe finished with my back. I ducked my upper body back into the water turning to look at him. We both started washing the bubbles off. 

    “How this place is the only good thing that came from vampires.” I replied

    His expression changed to wonder. 

    “If they hadn’t ruined the city and other people’s homes, we wouldn’t have had to go into hiding in beautiful places like this. I would never have seen this; we weren’t a camping family. I’d be a city snob by now who knew nothing but city life.” 

    “You’re seeing a silver lining to all of this?” 

    “Well, yeah. Think of all the people who have met and now have relationships. Mellisa is getting married, Carter and Alanah have been together for months. Besides that, people are friends. If we are gonna make it through this mess we have to see the silver lining. Make lemonade from lemons. It’s a shred of hope that we all need.”

    He looked down at the water. “Maybe! Do you ever wonder where you’d be if this didn’t happen? I know I’d be working for dad in the family store. Probably wouldn’t have gone to college.”

    “I was getting’ ready to go to college. Not sure for what yet . I didn’ really have a lot of expectations for myself back then. Had no idea what I’d wanted to do. Now it doesn’t matter. Everythin’ people have worked for, is history now. Everythin’ the world has worked to accomplish is pretty much gone.” I stared at the water from this understanding. It was a terrible thought.

    “Where’s your silver lining now?” I looked up at him.

    “A person has to try to be positive in these situations. You should try it sometime.”

    He looked around the pond. “I would, if what’s positive for me would stop running away from me.” He didn’t look at me.

    I waited for him to look back at me, wanting to see the look on his face that was only meant for me. When he didn’t, I turned and headed for the edge of the pond. I was done with my bath and our conversation felt over.

    I covered my chest with my arms as it came out of the water. At least my butt wasn’t the most important thing to cover. 

    The water had almost uncovered my butt when I heard some splashing and then Joe grabbed me from behind. His arms were wrapped around my arms around my chest. “Plug your nose.” 

    I plugged it just in time to be thrown into the water.

   I came back up to the surface, blinking water from my eyes searching for the culprit, with vengeance. He was behind me. When he saw the look on my face he turned to swim away but didn’t kick off the ground. I leapt at him and pushed him under.

    I kicked myself backwards away from him to get some safe distance before he’d retaliate. He didn’t come up yet and I looked around, wondering where he could have swum to.

    Grabbing my legs, he pushed me up. I flew over his head, doing a belly flop behind him.

    I turned myself around waiting for the next attack. I couldn’t help but mirror his grin. He pulled back, and shoved the water at me and the splashing began. He moved closer so I stepped away from him to save myself from another dunk. He continued his approach and before I realized how far we had moved, my back bumped against the wash rock. 

    We kept splashing as he continued to move closer. He leaned forward and hugged me, ending the splashing. My arms were at my sides and our chests were pressed together. His smile never fading. 

    Up till now I had done a pretty good job at keeping my chest in the water, and still play. Now there was nothing I could do to protect myself with us pressed together like this. I started to panic and wiggle, then he kissed me. Melting into the kiss, I found myself enjoying it. His arms moved into hug. He ran his hands up and down my back, and through my hair. My arms were free to run up his sides, and to his face. 

    I moved my arms to hug his shoulders and neck as he slowly lifted me up in his arms. Enjoying myself, I knew how much I wanted this; to be with him, to be able to do this, and more; to share myself with him. 

    He lowered his arms slowly until they were strait and stretched, relaxed. I felt something on my stomach, something I hadn’t felt before. I opened my eyes realizing. Panicking, I pushed him back. I feet touched the floor of the pond. I covered myself. I am naked! Joe is naked! I try to step away from him, but his arms were still around my waist.

    “What?” He asked.

    I squirmed out of his arms and he let go of me. I looked up at him, then turned to run as fast as I could in the water, to the shore. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” I whispered to myself as I got out of the water and wrapped my towel around me. I grabbed my clothes and book, and walked fast back to camp. I didn’t glance back to see if Joe followed me. 

    I stumbled through the trees. Stepping on branches that hurt my bare feet I tried to step on the dirt. I winced when pain stabbed my toes.