paddle!â
The brush grew thickly around the lake, covering the shingly soil. She ran through it feeling it tug at her skirt and whip her bare legs and not caring. At the waterâs edge she kicked off her sandals and plunged in, wading out until it reached her knees and though she bunched up her skirt with her hands the hem hung down into the water at the back. Beneath her feet she felt the pebble floor of the lake and she wiggled her toes against the shifting surface, laughing and looking around for Race who was running through the bush after her.
âCome on in!â she called. âItâs lovely!â
He was wearing shorts and he paused only to kick off his shoes before plunging into the water.
âCome on!â she urged, then as he splashed towards her, she backed away again.
âLook out!â he warned.
âWhy?â She was still laughing as her foot touched the edge of a trough where the bed of the lake fell away in a deep shelf. The loose pebbles crumbled beneath her and she went under, water flooding into her mouth, wide open with surprise, and billowing her skirt up around her. A moment later, she surfaced, gasping and coughing.
âAre you all right?â Race was swimming towards her.
She trod water unable to speak for a moment then as she got her breath she swam a couple of strokes, back onto the shelf and stood up. Her dress clung to every curve and hollow of her body and water streamed out of her hair and ran in rivulets down her back. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.
âOh jeepers, what a shock!â
Race was beside her, half concerned, half amused.
âI thought you said you were going for a paddle, not a swim!â
âBeast! How can you joke â¦!â She hit out at him and almost lost her balance again. He caught her by the arms and pulled her towards him.
âWhat are you trying to do â drown us?â
âNo â Iâm â¦â But his lips were too close and she broke off. His arms slid around her, holding her there, then as their bodies touched with nothing but the thin clinging wet layers between she felt a tremble run through the length of him and an answering thrill echoed deep within her own body. She stood quite still while he kissed her, his lips warm after the coldness of the lake water, though the sensations she was experiencing made her want to cling to him as closely as the sodden clothing. His hands moved from her back, tracing the curve of hips and thighs as a blind man might and everywhere his hands touched came to tingling, singing life. Her lips responded first, moving beneath his and parting slightly, then her hands, tracing the lines of his back which felt clean and hard beneath the wet cotton. Their hands reached hip level simultaneously and he pressed her to him. The sizzling desire exploded then and she melted, the softness of her body moulding to the hard strength of his.
Their lips became hungrier now, kissing not only each otherâs mouths but any bit of flesh they could find and Alys felt the breath catching in her throat as the water had done a few minutes ago. Half panicking, she twisted her head and her breath came out with a sobbing sigh.
Without speaking Race bent to slip his arm beneath her knees and scoop her up. Her arms went around his neck and for a moment he stood quite still, kissing her again before wading towards the shore with her. On the bank he lowered her gently to the ground, sinking down beside her.
Beneath the pressure of his lips and body she lay slowly back into the scratchy bush. It gave to admit them then closed around them once more. It seemed that already they were not two but one, glued together by their soaking clothes.
âOh Alys!â It sounded like a moan of pain, and strangely it injected a note of harsh reality.
âRace â no, we mustnât! Stop it, please â¦â
âJust a little, Alys. I wonât hurt you.
The brush grew thickly around the lake, covering the shingly soil. She ran through it feeling it tug at her skirt and whip her bare legs and not caring. At the waterâs edge she kicked off her sandals and plunged in, wading out until it reached her knees and though she bunched up her skirt with her hands the hem hung down into the water at the back. Beneath her feet she felt the pebble floor of the lake and she wiggled her toes against the shifting surface, laughing and looking around for Race who was running through the bush after her.
âCome on in!â she called. âItâs lovely!â
He was wearing shorts and he paused only to kick off his shoes before plunging into the water.
âCome on!â she urged, then as he splashed towards her, she backed away again.
âLook out!â he warned.
âWhy?â She was still laughing as her foot touched the edge of a trough where the bed of the lake fell away in a deep shelf. The loose pebbles crumbled beneath her and she went under, water flooding into her mouth, wide open with surprise, and billowing her skirt up around her. A moment later, she surfaced, gasping and coughing.
âAre you all right?â Race was swimming towards her.
She trod water unable to speak for a moment then as she got her breath she swam a couple of strokes, back onto the shelf and stood up. Her dress clung to every curve and hollow of her body and water streamed out of her hair and ran in rivulets down her back. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.
âOh jeepers, what a shock!â
Race was beside her, half concerned, half amused.
âI thought you said you were going for a paddle, not a swim!â
âBeast! How can you joke â¦!â She hit out at him and almost lost her balance again. He caught her by the arms and pulled her towards him.
âWhat are you trying to do â drown us?â
âNo â Iâm â¦â But his lips were too close and she broke off. His arms slid around her, holding her there, then as their bodies touched with nothing but the thin clinging wet layers between she felt a tremble run through the length of him and an answering thrill echoed deep within her own body. She stood quite still while he kissed her, his lips warm after the coldness of the lake water, though the sensations she was experiencing made her want to cling to him as closely as the sodden clothing. His hands moved from her back, tracing the curve of hips and thighs as a blind man might and everywhere his hands touched came to tingling, singing life. Her lips responded first, moving beneath his and parting slightly, then her hands, tracing the lines of his back which felt clean and hard beneath the wet cotton. Their hands reached hip level simultaneously and he pressed her to him. The sizzling desire exploded then and she melted, the softness of her body moulding to the hard strength of his.
Their lips became hungrier now, kissing not only each otherâs mouths but any bit of flesh they could find and Alys felt the breath catching in her throat as the water had done a few minutes ago. Half panicking, she twisted her head and her breath came out with a sobbing sigh.
Without speaking Race bent to slip his arm beneath her knees and scoop her up. Her arms went around his neck and for a moment he stood quite still, kissing her again before wading towards the shore with her. On the bank he lowered her gently to the ground, sinking down beside her.
Beneath the pressure of his lips and body she lay slowly back into the scratchy bush. It gave to admit them then closed around them once more. It seemed that already they were not two but one, glued together by their soaking clothes.
âOh Alys!â It sounded like a moan of pain, and strangely it injected a note of harsh reality.
âRace â no, we mustnât! Stop it, please â¦â
âJust a little, Alys. I wonât hurt you.
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