Dancing with Shadows

Five

      Jasmine fell into a routine of talking on the phone with Derick and alternately doing puzzles and lounging by the pool. Derick didn't mind watching her nearly naked body sparkling with the diamonds the water always decorated her body with. She was out there right now, and he watched as she slipped a hand behind her back. He didn't know what she was doing until she pulled her hand back out, clenched in her fingers was the string holding the bow in place. Derick licked his lips as he watched her remove the tiny scraps she used as a top of his new favorite bikini. She had a seductive smile on her face as she slit her eyes open and looked in the direction of the French doors that he was pressed against. Her breasts were displayed for him for only a moment when she reached back up and started to run her hands over the mounds. Derick had no option but to stand by and watch her touch her breasts as she arched her back and opened her mouth in what he was sure was a moan.

      Jasmine knew that Derick was watching her through the doors, and imagined they were his hands that roamed over her breasts. When her palms passed over the tight buds of her nipples, the sensation made her arch her back and pulled a moan from her mouth. There were times when Derick would touch her in a seductive manner, and she tried to replicate his movements as she took her nipples between her fingers. Another moan ripped from her lungs and she felt herself grow damp between her thighs, and it had nothing to do with the pool.

      Jasmine looked over to the doors and felt a pang of disappointment. All the feelings she was nurturing  fled with the realization that she would never know the pleasure of having her husband touch her, love her the way she wanted more than anything.

      Derick noticed the moment she lost that lustful look in her eyes, and he knew what caused it. His brows came together before he turned away from his wife and went through the closed door into his office. The sight of everything exactly where he left it before she kicked him out of their house almost a week before their wedding day made him angry.

      Jasmine gathered her top and went back into the house. She didn't address Derick when she entered, just went up to her room to wash the chlorine from the pool off.

*  *  *  *  *

      She found herself wandering down the aisles of the grocery store looking for something. She just didn't know what that something was. It had been three days since the pool, and she didn't feel the need to go back out there. The conversations between her and Derick became shorter, tense. They never spoke of that day, but it always seemed to come forth in her mind when he called her.

      She stopped in her tracks and just looked into the shopping cart blindly. She knew that she had items in there, but couldn't remember actually shopping. Did she even need any of this stuff? What was she even doing here?

     Zeke couldn't believe his eyes. It was like the universe was throwing them together. He wanted to deck his sister when she pointed out the fact that he hadn't bought dessert in the last four family meals, and his father demanded that he go to the store and make amends. Now as he looked upon that familiar shape, he wanted to wrap his sister up in his arms and twirl her around.

      He stepped up next to Jasmine and looked into her buggy. "Looks like a bunch of randomness," he observed.

      Jasmine jumped out of her skin and gave a little yelp. She looked up at Zeke and blushed wildly. "Oh my! You gave me a heartattack!" she scolded.

      Zeke smiled a dazzling flash of white teeth. "I'm sorry," he amended. She smiled back at him, causing his own heart to skip, and silently considered them even.

      "You know," she accused. "This is the second time you found me at the store. I'm begining to think that you like me."

      "I would have thought it obvious." When the words left his mouth, he snapped his lips shut. His eyes widened in surprise with how easily they slipped out.