Summer Shorts - Anthology

Watermelon by ronaboberts

Watermelon by ronaboberts

What is it about Greek islands? What makes them so addictively relaxed? Summer - hot, white, suffocating. Pesky seagulls flying right next to your face on the ferry, trying to steal the biscuit right out of your mouth. Olive trees. So many olive trees covering the island hills like a soft green carpet. And then there is the sea. Transparent, crystal blue. Like a drop of rain, many drops of rain. Many. Many.

Except it doesn't rain when I am there. The white, rounded pebbles on the beach - parched by the sun like dry, hot, tiny cotton balls. My only escape - the shade on the porch of the single family hotel in this secluded yellow bay. And watermelon. Cold, juicy, ruby watermelon. Sweet. Ah, so sweet it melts my heart.

"I see the way you look at him, agapi," the hostess of the hotel says to me while placing yet another plate of watermelon in front of me. She doesn't care I can't take another bite, I'm so full. But it's nice to have someone take care of you sometimes.

"You like him, admit it!" she says and points her sixty-year old finger at me. "He's an attractive man, exactly the man you need!"

"Efharisto, Calliope! Kalimera," I say to thank her for the watermelon and wish her good morning.

"Parakalo... parakalo." You're welcome, she says, but doesn't buy my trying to change the subject even for a second.

I love her, but I pretend I don't notice that she can see right through me. What am I supposed to do? I am here only for a week and then I'll be back where I came from. And he... he...aah!

Cole.

Hot.

Hot.

Hot like the summer. And sexy. Chiseled perfect body. He... he is a dream. My dream. I watch him jog every morning. He runs on the beach while I'm eating my watermelon. I must have swallowed at least a thousand of those slippery watermelon seeds, my mind is so into him, my heart – lost, maybe for good.

He is a dream. Cole. He is a dream I'll never have. So I stole his journal instead. And now I know all of his secrets. I sneaked in his room last night while he was away, I saw it on the nightstand and I stole it. Yes, I feel guilty for doing it, believe me! But I couldn't help it. He's bewitched me. 

Oh my god! He's coming! Moving like a predator, his skin covered with drops of sea water. He's close to where I sit now and I swallow hard almost choking on the sweet watermelon juice. I stop breathing. He comes close. Closer. Right in front of me and braces his arms on both sides of my chair, leaning close to my face. Very close.

Heartbeats. Mine. Thump, thump, thump... Painful heartbeats. Excited heartbeats. His hot breath is teasing my hot breath. My eyes are stuck on the irregular scar across the end of his left eyebrow. I can't sleep at night, thinking about that sexy scar of his. Cole. He's got so much man in him, it's not even funny.

"You stole my journal last night," he says to my lips, his voice – husky, deep.

"Maybe," I say and I'm burning on the inside.

"Did you read it?" he asks. Ah, that voice is gonna be the end of me.

"Maybe," I say, holding my breath.

"I want to take you on a date tonight, agapi mou," he says.

"Ok," I say and I see the sweet laughter in his eyes, tingling his lips with a smile.

"And your journal?" I ask.

"Keep it," he says, "For now."

***

A/N: "Agapi mou" (in Greek) means "my love."