Passionate Choice

Chapter 2.4

Selena has gone with Keith to the Exumas intending to fly back to Nassau from Georgetown when the week was over. But when the time had come for her to leave, she had been very reluctant to go ashore to catch the plane.

"You don't have to go, if you don't want to," Keith had said to her. "You could stay on, sail with me through the islands down to Puerto Rico and the Virgins, on to the Leewards and Windwards. We might even make it to Venezuela. Just nine months I'm going for. Have to be back by the end of next September because there's something else I want to do then. Think of it, Selena." He had sat down beside her on the berth in the main cabin of the yacht where she had been packing her zipper holdall. Since they had kissed on the beach he hadn't touched her and their relationship for that week had been entirely without physical intimacy. It had been a wonderful, joyous friendship as they had swum and dived together and discussed everything under the sun. But all the time she had been aware of his physical attraction for her and had often had difficulty in keeping his hands off her.

   "Think of it," he had continued, moving closer to her until his breath had wafted her cheek. "We would take our time, diving when we want, lazing about when we want. There'll be plenty to see underwater to please you, old wrecks we could visit. It would be nine months of stolen delight if you'll come with me."

   "There are other women but none I like better than you. And, anyway, it would better. Come with me, Selena. Stay with me."

   "But...my studies at university..."

   You'll be studying," he said with a soft laugh. "You'll be learning how to dive really well. And those other studies, that university of yours will still be there next September. But I won't be here. And this chance you have to 'goof off' won't come again."

   "I..." she had begun turning to him and that had been her undoing. The expression which had been blazing in his eyes had conveyed a message no woman could have misinterpreted. "I'll miss the plane to Nassau," she had whispered, making one last effort to resist him.

   "You're not going to catch it if I refuse to row you ashore."

   "You wouldn't do that."

   "Oh, wouldn't I?" He had jeered. "You know you don't want to catch it. You know you want to stay."

   "But if I do stay and go with you what will everyone think?"

   "Everyone. Who the hell is everyone?" He had demanded.

   "My parents, the university authorities, Sheryl..."

   "And I believed you to be adult; a grown up liberated woman," he had taunted. "Do you really care what they will think?"

   "Yes, I do."

   "Then you're very different from me," he had replied coldly. "OK. If their opinion is more important to you than doing something you want to do, I'll row you ashore to catch that plane."

   His sudden withdrawal then had been more successful than his attempts to persuade her had been. Realization that in a few minutes she would be parting from him, never having really known him, had overwhelmed her unexpectedly and she had cried out, "But I don't want to catch the plane. I want to stay. I want to go with you, Saul with you, dive with you, have nine months of...of stolen delight. Oh, please don't take me ashore, Keith. I'll come with you and I won't care what anyone says of thinks."

   He had turned back to her then, had taken her in his arms and there had been no more argument and that night for the first time they had shared the double bunk in the forward cabin, sleeping together and making love.