Summer Lovers

Chapter 3: Red Bikini

I wake up at six thirty in the morning feel refreshed and well rested, I don't know if it was this king sized bed or the hundredths of plants surrounding me but I don't mind it. I start the day off by putting the kettle on, I'm really craving green tea after having that huge apple pie for dinner. I make my tea and sit on the porch over looking the lake, there is meant to be a waterfall Alexis' brother installed years ago hanging off one of the big rocks. I will have to go looking for it later today as I'm already sweating and it's only seven, I might even go for a swim in the swimming pool, that Gracie recently installed which is mainly for the dogs but I am a huge lover of swimming and being near water.

I grab my red bikini out of the draw I recently packed away, Alexis gave me this when we went away for spring last year. It's very revealing with a cheeky cut so I haven't had a chance to wear it yet but seeing as it's so secluded here and there are no more dog drop offs, it will be fine to wear. I put on a pair of denim overalls on top of the bikini and I head down to the kennels where the dogs are enthusiastically barking and jumping. I feed each of them one by one. The last one being a Golden Retriever puppy called "Rosie" I am so drawn to this puppy, not because she's a puppy but because she always seems the most excited when I see her. I've always wanted a Golden Retriever or a Dachshund, I think a Dachshund will suit me more as I head into the city, I may get one when I finally get my own apartment there.

After they have their breakfast, I open each of the kennels and let them run freely along the big secured paddock. I start to clean out there kennels and refill their waters whilst they play and chase each other then I continue to go over the notes Gracie has left for me. There is a note to go buy some dog supplies with the credit card she left, I will head into town sometime this afternoon.

I go out to the paddock and grab a hose and start spraying the dogs out which gives them a thrilling. I sit on the ground as Rosie attacks me with licks. I give her a big squeeze and continue to watch peacefully the other dogs peacefully as they play with the hose, she rests her head in my lap and has a snooze.

It's not until I feel the hot sun slowly burning my face, I realise that it is boiling hot outside by ten in the morning. "Come on!" I yell out to the dogs and do a head count of them, the last thing I would want is to lose a dog that is in my care. I open up the gate to the fence which reveals a clear blue lap pool. Gracie really does love to spoil these dogs. All dogs including Rosie dive straight into the pool, they must be feeling the heat today. I smile with pure happiness as I carefully watch them splash, swim and sun bake. Gracie has it so good here. I pull off my denim overalls and lay on a sun bed that has a clear view of the pool.

It isn't until I'm looking down at my very tanned body that I've achieved from being in the sun constantly but I also notice how skinny I look, it's not attractive, I sort of gave up on having scheduled dinners from all the time I had spent studying and just ate simply when I could, which really isn't healthy, next year will be a new year, a new me. I won't even know myself.

A small dog catches my eye outside of the pool fence where it can reach the open road. My heart drops, have I already lost a dog? Did it get out yesterday when I didn't see? The panic settles in as I yell out "Hey! Come on Buddy!" It stops and I notice it's a Dachshund/Sausage dog of a black and tan colour. I don't remember seeing him but it must've escaped yesterday when I opened the kennels. It looks at me and seems as though he is going to run to me, but instead, he decides to bolt in the other direction. I quickly gather up the other dogs and call them over to the fenced paddock so I can go and search for this sausage. I have no shoes on and it pains me as I quickly run on the hot dirt to the front of the driveway. I stop him a few metres down the road. I whistle "Buddy come here! Good boy!" He doesn't even look back and continues to head up the road, me following him although I can feel my feet getting cut up along the sharp rocks.

"Maxie!" I can hear a males voice shout but I can't locate where it's coming from. "Max! Get here now!" Familiarity comes with the voice. I look behind me to realise it's Andy Collins, Alexis did not tell me he has a summer house next door to her Grandmother. Max, the wild sausage dog obeys and runs up to Andy with his tail in between his legs.

"I've heard Dachshunds are Stubborn but I haven't experienced it until now!" I puff and laugh as I walk up to Andy. He chuckles before looking up at me with a confused look "Wren Peters?" He stares down at my body and and a light shade of red flushes his tanned skin. Shit. It isn't until now I just realised I'm still in my red, revealing bikini. My eyes widen "I was just at the pool, sorry I didn't have time to change" I blurt as I try to cover my body with my arms. He shakes his head out of the trance he was in "You don't need to be sorry," his eyes meet mine and he points to the cottage "Are you helping out Gracie whilst she's away?" I smile slightly "Yeah I am, it's beautiful here. I didn't know you had a house next door, Alexis never told me." He smiles back, " Yeah well my parents only brought it about six months ago. This is my first summer here. Thought I'd enjoy some peace before cramming back into textbooks again." I can't help but feel as though he is analysing every part of my body slowly but not in a judgemental way, more so, a seductive way. Max runs up to me after Andy places him down and rolls on his back, I huff and sit down with him, still out of breath giving him belly scratches.

"I'm sorry, Max can be a little shit at times." He says taking a seat on the hard dirt next to me. I look at him, he is shirtless, just wearing a pair of simple board shorts with a black cap on backwards, his eyes are glistening in the sun and I feel the heat rush to my cheeks. He really is gorgeous. "It's okay. I was just worried I had lost a dog on my second day here." I laugh. "Max is a gorgeous dog." I say, when Andy doesn't reply I look to him and see him blushing using his hat to cover his lower region. That's when I remember I'm still in this red bikini. I quickly stand up, "Well I better go put the dogs back in their kennels because I need to head into town." "I can take you into town if you want, me and Max were just about to head in to grab some supplies." "I'd love to but I better go to the cottage and get changed first" I say embarrassingly, looking down at my bikini. Andy doesn't say anything when I meet his eyes, he just slightly nods and swallows to be what looks like a large lump his throat.

"I'll drive my ute up to the cottage in fifteen minutes to pick you up."