Chapter 46: Bass Lake (6)

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Bass Lake, California

I lie on my bed itching. I'm not actually scratching at myself, but my body is definitely tingling, like I'm hooked up and being charged at a power point. I imagine that my hair would be standing on end if I looked in the mirror right now.

The sun is setting gently and I feel alive with anticipation and exhilaration, the sensation heightened as I think back at the afternoon. At the way I had dropped my jeans to the ground and taken my t-shirt off, without argument, at Harry's instruction, revealing myself in just my bikini. I can't lie that I had loved the way he reacted, no sudden movement, but the way his pupils dilated and he bit at his bottom lip, again, it made me feel a slither of the important person he claims to want me to be.

Without speaking I had walked in to the water and he had gone back to where he was previously sitting next to his fishing rod, all the time just watching me as I submerged myself fully and then floated on my back until my fingertips wrinkled, the sun drying my chest and stomach whilst the rest of me remained in the water. There was no noise except for an occasional chirp from the wildlife and we remained that way for over an hour.

And now I am here, back at the cabin, after we have walked back from the lake, still largely in silence. My brain is muddy and my body is burning, a slow heat like the evenings dying sun and I lay with just a towel wrapped around me, my wet hair drying naturally.

'Oh what a day.' Ana breaks my trance by flinging the door open and storming in to the room, her frenetic energy highlighting my own sedated state. 'Sorry did I wake you?'

'No I was just dozing.' I sit up on the bed.

'How was Yosemite?'

'Oh it was amazing, you missed out big time by staying here, it was just stunning. So how was sunbathing?'

'Nice.' I smile to myself.

'So you're coming to the party tonight, right? I won't let you stay on your own all day long. You do too much thinking.'

'Of course I am.' I can see she is shocked by my lack of protest.

'So I need to tell you what happened between me and Duncan.' She speaks hurriedly. 'He finally kissed me at Yosemite!' She squeals. 'I mean come on, FINALLY, and the setting was so romantic.' I'm listening to her, honestly I am, but I'm distracted my stroking my hipbone with my index finger, dizzily dreaming what I might wear tonight.

'Did you see Harry today?' Ana asks unexpectedly when she has finished up with the scene by scene run through of her encounter with Duncan.

'No why would I?' I don't like lying to her but I don't know what to tell her, plus she will just make a big deal about it and I'm kind of enjoying just keeping the afternoon between ourselves.

'I don't know, but he didn't come to Yosemite with the others so I assumed he must have stayed back here. Maybe he's ill or something?'

'Maybe.'

***

Ana is still continuing with her chatter as we approach the same cabin as last night for yet another house gathering, except this time without the karaoke. I feel selfish for not listening to her, I am selfish, but I can't help it, I don't know what I'm thinking or what I'm doing right now.

Inside the party we quickly take our usual seats and I'm happy that Harry is staring at me quite obviously. No smiling just staring.

As each half hour passes by my resolve grows edgier, my legs are twitching and I'm forever picking at the label of my beer bottle until all that's left is a mess of tiny pieces of paper on the carpet. Finally Harry stands up and leaves the room and you can almost hear me breathe in relief. But I need to find a way to follow him; if I get up now will anyone notice?

'Meet me outside in ten minutes.' He speaks from where he is now sitting on a chair in the kitchen, whilst I pour myself a glass of water trying not to look at him.

Ten more minutes sat back in the room, pretending, pretending, pretending, waiting, waiting, waiting.

I leave the cabin through the back door and try to locate him in the darkness.

'Niamh.' I hear him whisper. 'This way.'

Still not speaking I follow him towards the lake and then in to the wood, heading in the same direction as we did just this morning. As we trudge further in to woodland he stops abruptly and surveys the area. I'm not sure what he's looking for, is he checking if anyone can see us? He walks towards the largest tree in view and kicks away the leaves to make a clearing before sitting down, his back against the massive tree stump and facing me.

Instinctively I walk towards him. I don't think about what I'm doing or ask if it's okay, but I stand over him, aligning each of my legs on either side of his knees, slowly lowering my body downwards. Finally I'm straddling his lap, my thighs now clamped around his waist and I look down to study his outfit, cut off denim jeans and an England football jersey. Normally I loathe the things but his is different, long sleeved and simple white with only the single badge on the left side of the chest and I run my fingers along its edge.

I look back up and our eyes meet and the tension crackles before he finally reaches his hand up to grab my hair, pulling my mouth down to meet his. His kiss is hungry as I writhe against him, selfishly using him to gain my own pleasure. Breaking our kiss I watch as his shaking hand moves to the strap of my top and bra. His long fingers trace along my collar bone causing me to shiver, before he returns to study the straps of my clothing, slowly peeling them downwards and revealing my left breast. His eyes are wide and dark, like that of a tormented man, but without hesitation his mouth plunges and his hand cups me and I feel his angst fizzle in an instant whilst I have no ability to do anything other than moan. The moment is wild and illicit, and my breathing is rapid as I tug at his hair, all the time my hips still moving up and down, round and round. I can feel him against me but I'm unable to stop as he lifts me up slightly to unbutton his shorts. Without being told to do so I stand up and remove my own jeans before sitting back down quickly, just the fabric of my underwear separating us now.

Disbelieving he looks in to my eyes for what seems like forever, as if offering me the chance to back out now before it's too late. But my mind is made up and I struggle with him to grab at his shorts, to retrieve the condom from its pocket. I snatch it from him, ripping at the packet, before working together to unroll it around him. With my panties to the side I lower myself on to him and gasp at the sensation, at last the exquisite feeling of real life flesh.

'Oh Niamh.' He moans in to my neck as he bucks against me, lifting himself momentarily from the ground and I can feel my mind blackening, the buzzing in my ears growing, as I reach out to the tree stump for stability. With each thrust I'm sinking but the glistening heat between us it still rising and our lips meet again, now sloppily, and I'm biting on to his jaw line before grazing my own chin against his stubble.

'Oh God.' I gasp, before grabbing his hair again hard now, the world unravelling around me as both my body and mind concede defeat.

Authors note: So I know some of you are probably thinking, whoa where did that come from, that happened quick, but I wanted to get across the idea that sex doesn't always have to be something discussed thread through the needle before hand, that sometimes it is best to just go with the moment. I thought this was an especially important action for Niamh since she over analyses everything, but here with Harry she was just free to get on with it without thinking too much about it. Plus strange things happen to your usual behaviour when you are on holiday, you find yourself doing things that you would never dream of doing at home :)

PS: I'm not talking about the videos I uploaded for the next few chapters, but I told you at the beginning this song would come back, remember?

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