~Chapter 9~
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"Terrence!" He turned to walk toward the water with her. Realizing what his destination was, she protested. "No! It's too cold!" She wriggled in his grasp but the truth is she's scared of the deep water, dreading the outcome of his intention.
He decided days ago that what would benefit her most was a healthy dose of fresh air and exercise, and he was going to make sure that she got it. He held her firmly against him, grinning. "It'll be fine. You'll get used to it quickly. We'll do it together." He plowed further and further into the water. The first part of her to feel the water was her feet. She yelped and panted, wiggled and clung more tightly to his warm body as the cold hit her. He was greatly amused by her struggles. When he reached the depth at which the water just barely lapped at his hands on her bum, he stopped. "Get ready" he said in a playful tone of voice. "This part is the worst." He bent his knees slightly, lowered a bit of her derriere into the water. "Teeeerrenceee!" she complained and tried to climb higher in his embrace. He chuckled at her predicament. "You're so cute. Here we go again." He walked forward a couple steps and when she began vocalizing he dipped her down to her waist. Flare held onto him for dear life while whimpering pitifully as he advanced into deeper water.
The contrast between her relatively normal upper body temperature and the chilled feel of her submerged lower half made her acutely aware of how she was positioned against him. Their hips were intimately fused together underwater. She looked up at him and his eyes reflected her thoughts. He slowed and stared at her mouth. Time stood still as she wondered what would happen next. Suddenly he grinned "Hold your breath!" and plunged the two of them into the bracing water.
She came up spluttering and majorly ticked off. Impatiently wiping the water from her eyes, she forgot all about the cold as she advanced toward him. She had never before seen this teasing side of Terrence, but she was up to the challenge. She grow up with her older brother. "You're going to regret that!" With a move she learned in childhood, she planted one foot behind one of his and shoved him backward. He fell into the water with a look of delighted shock on his face, which was quickly replaced by one of mock revenge.
"Come here, you..." he said threateningly, regaining his feet.
"No!" she shrieked, running toward shore. She got a few yards from him when she heard churning water close behind and felt a strong hand grab her ankle. She turned to pry open his fingers and found herself face-to-face with that look. He stood and quickly secured her with his hands around her waist. "You're not going anywhere" he said in a low devilish voice. This was true; with the difference in their heights she would be underwater if he wasn't holding her. She didn't want to escape, anyway. Glistening bare-chested Terrence was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. He lowered his head and kiss her forehead.
He lifted his head and they regarded each other with eyes narrowed. Shallow breaths could be heard mingling with the gentle lapping of water against the shore. How easy it would be for things to get out of hand. With some effort, he chose the high road and suggested in a low voice "Shall we go for a boat ride?"
She nodded. She leaned her head against his chest as he carried her shoreward and lightly let her down onto her feet. Flare waited as Terrence went to get life vests from the house. He returned with a picnic basket as well. Helping her put her life vest on and settling the basket in the kayak, he asked "Have you paddled before?"
"No..."
He approached her from behind and put his arms around her to demonstrate where to place her hands on the paddle. "Use your water hand to pull backward, and your air hand to push down and back...Water hand back, Air hand down." He went through several strokes with her until he was satisfied that she had the hang of it. Finishing the lesson with a kiss on her neck, he pushed the kayak into shallow water and held it still as she got in and seated. Handing her the paddle, he pulled the craft into deeper water before himself getting in. "See that clump of trees over there?" He pointed into the distance. "That's an island. We're heading there..." Grabbing his own paddle he declared "Okay, let's go."
