Hug

Chapter 12

Grace heard the sickening thud on the rocks and froze, shutting her eyes tight. Her breath was coming in sharp, shuddering gasps. She tightened her precarious hold on the cliff, pushing her foot further onto the rock that had been the only thing that had saved her from the same fate as Jen.

After a minute or two, she opened her eyes. Her whole body felt battered, her hands sore and bloody from clinging to the rocks. She had to move, while she still had the strength. Painfully she pulled herself up and back onto the safety of the path, then slowly moved into a kneeling position facing the edge of the cliff. She was shaking violently. Dreading what she was going to see, she looked down over the cliff edge. There was Jen's broken body on the rocks below, her deathly white face looking at her, eyes open and seemingly reproachful. A pool of blood had formed under her head and was dripping on to the sand.

Grace drew her breath in between clenched teeth, and everything went dark. She was going to faint. She quickly pushed herself away from the edge to the safety of the cliff wall. Putting her head between her knees, she waited until the darkness cleared and her head stopped .buzzing.

She felt something on her hand and looked up to find Jasper, whining softly and pawing gently on her sleeve.

She stroked him. "I'm so sorry Jasper." He licked her hand. She put her legs out in front of her and pulled him on her lap, hugging him.

Carrie had been fed, changed, and was now asleep in the beach house. Audree would keep an eye on her, she said, so Grace put on her bikini and walked down to the beach to look for Carl.

The sky was a perfect pallette of California blue with streaks of soft coral and vibrant yellow, changing and becoming more beautiful by the minute.

Enjoying the warm breeze on her body, Grace looked along the beach for Carl and Dennis. Where had they got to? The sea had calmed, so no surfing for now.

"Grace! Over here!" 

Carl was sitting on the edge of the pontoon some 100 yards from the shore, swinging his legs in the water. He waved.

Smiling and waving back, she walked into the ocean, noting in the clear aquamarine water the little fishes swimming round her feet, tickling her ankles. The sea was the temperature of a tepid bath, gorgeous. She enjoyed the sensuous feel of the water travelling slowly up her body as she walked further into the sea.

She started swimming leisurely, and noticed Carl had slipped off the pontoon into the water also, and was swimming to meet her.

They embraced, treading water. Grace put her arms round Carl's neck and kissed him.

"You taste of salt and beer!"" she laughed. He drew her close, wrapping his arms round her waist.

"You're a mixture of salt and sun cream!" He nuzzled her neck. He grinned, and turning round, they swam the short distance to the pontoon.

Grace made to pull herself up, but Carl stopped her and took her hand.

"No, don't sit up there...come round to the back. Where we can't be seen." He smiled wickedly.

Once away from the prying eyes on the beach, they kissed fiercely, mouths open. Grace braced herself against the pontoon, one elbow on the top. She pulled Carl close with the other arm, her hand moving down to feel the muscles of his buttocks through his swim shorts, the hardness of his erection against her. Carl peeled off her bikini top, tossing it on the pontoon, kneading her breasts, her nipples between his fingers. She wrapped her legs around his waist, but he pushed them away, swiftly ripping off her bottoms and his swim shorts. He grabbed her again urgently, and in an instant, he was inside her. Grace cried out in joy and surprise, her head back, and he kissed her throat.