King's Bay
written by:
PennLady

King's Bay

I worked like a dog for that company for eight years and what happened?

They fired me.

Bright side? Nice severance package. So screw it. Instead of diving right back into the overcrowded pool of job hunters, I decided to take it easy for a while. I deserved it; I'd barely taken a day off for the last eight years, so I was going to take that package and use it to fund a long, lazy summer vacation to make up for all the spring breaks I never got and all the summers I'd worked through while growing up in Ithaca, New York.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Ithaca. I was born there, it was beautiful, and I didn't think I could leave permanently. I had spent too many summers swimming in Cayuga Lake, too many winters sledding with friends. I had my problems here and there, but mostly I had only good memories. I just needed a change.

When I was growing up, we vacationed in North Carolina, where my mom's parents lived. That was where I first surfed; yes, people can surf on the East Coast. They surprised me by moving to North Carolina after my dad retired. I liked North Carolina well enough, but Ithaca was home and I'd been my job for a few years. My parents thought about selling our house, but when my apartment building decided to go condo and I couldn't afford it, they offered to rent it to me.

My situation was pretty much ideal. I had a great house at a low rent, a girlfriend, a decent job and friends to hang with in my free time. The first crack in all of that was losing my job. Soon after that, my girlfriend, Penny, and I started arguing a lot. I noticed a passive-aggressive streak in her I hadn't before. It started to drive me crazy.

I needed to go somewhere else for a while, just for a change.

I wasn't sure what to do until one day I got call from Manny, whom I'd known since high school. He'd gone out to California right after we graduated from Ithaca College and said he wasn't coming back east of the Mississippi even if his dad died. So far he'd stuck to his vow, but so far his dad was the picture of health.

Manny had done well out there. He had a decent job working for a cable company, a girlfriend, and a spare room which he offered to let me use. I figured why not? I'd always wanted to visit California. Even Penny said the time apart would do us good. With the package from my company, I could take a vacation at my own pace, the whole summer and more. And who didn't want to surf off the California coast?

I flew out and spent the first few days settling in. Manny knew a guy who knew a guy and got me a good deal on a used car so I could get around on my own. I was a little homesick at first and in every comparison I made with Ithaca, California fell short. I figured I just needed a little more time to get used to things and decided to give California a chance.

At the end of my second week in the Golden State, Manny came in from work.

"Hey, man. How's the grind?" I laughed at his scowl.

"Shut up, Diz, you fucking freeloader." The words were mock-angry and Manny grinned at me.

"Not my fault if you're a slave to the Man."

"You got a lot of balls, saying stuff like that when you're staying in my house."

"At least I've got balls. Don't you worry about all those electrical lines shriveling yours up?"

"At least mine won't shrivel up from lack of use."

My turn to scowl—Manny had me there. He'd been going with a girl named Helena for the last few months. I was surprised to find she was a fair bit younger than Manny, but she was cool and we got along. She even offered to set me up with a friend of hers. I surprised no one more than myself when I said maybe another time, but it was the honest answer.

For the first time since I'd started working during high school, I had no obligations to anyone else. Well, I had some obligations to Manny, but that was cool. That was a matter of courtesy and friendship. No one wanted anything from me right now, not my parents, not a boss, not a girlfriend, and I loved it.

Manny went to his room and got changed. It was warm, so he threw on shorts and a t-shirt, which wasn't too different from what he'd worn to work—khakis and a cleaner t-shirt. But I knew how good it felt to make that switch from work to home, especially on Friday. Manny came back and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

"So, you want to hit the beach this weekend?" he asked.

"You bet. I can't believe I've been here all this time and I've only seen the beach, like, twice." That had been a letdown, but even without a boss or a girlfriend, there was stuff that needed my attention, like getting the car, buying groceries and other necessities. The weather hadn't been cooperative, either. Every time I'd been ready to hit the beach, there was rain. Not just showers that you could wait out; these were serious downpours that resulted in some flash flooding. Hell of a way to start a California summer.

This weekend had a better forecast of mostly sunny and warm, and I intended to make the most of it.

"A bunch of people are going to get together tomorrow," Manny said. "It's kind of a big pre-summer, pre-tourist-season party. We'll be in this place called King's Bay. It's perfect—gorgeous but never gets crowded."

"Don't let that get around." I took two beers out of the fridge and handed one to Manny. "If you've got a place like that, keep it to yourself. You probably shouldn't even have told me, but I promise to keep the secret."

Manny laughed. "Good man. Hey, maybe you'll even get laid. Wouldn't want those balls of yours to wither away."

"You are a jealous, jealous man, Manny. I have all this time and nothing to do with it, and you have to get up and haul your ass into an office every day."

"Vacations don't last, Diz. You'll have to haul your ass with the rest of us sooner or later." He grinned before taking a swig from his bottle.

I didn't have to do that yet, I reminded myself. Even after buying the car, I had enough money to go a few months without looking for a job—like I said, it was a nice severance package.

The truth was, I didn't really want to go back to an office. I mean, who does? We all go, and most of us don't mind, and we get along with some coworkers and tolerate the others. I bet a lot of people, including myself, all harbor dreams of going somewhere else, doing something totally different. Something that would have our parents rolling our eyes at how ridiculous we are, like chucking everything and moving across the country to California.

I wanted something different, something new and exciting. Don't we all?

x-x-x-x

We arrived at King's Bay on Saturday morning somewhere between nine and ten. It was the kind of day and place where keeping track of time just made no sense. Why limit your enjoyment, even by noting the time?

King's Bay was incredible. I'm no poet, but this place almost made me wish I was. The water was a cool dark blue out to the horizon. There were mountains to the north and the sun had risen behind them so that it hung bright and yellow in the sky. The sand was soft and white and warm and I could imagine rolling around in it with any number of the women who had shown up. I refused to let the reality of sand in awkward places intrude on my fantasy.

This was going to be a perfect day, I could feel it. Different, new and exciting.

Everyone brought something—food, soda, beer, wine, and some other more interesting things. Manny and I, both culinarily-challenged, brought rolls, chips and stuff to drink. Helena met us there and brought containers of fresh fruit. Introductions were made, to friends and friends of friends. I couldn't keep track of them all, but it didn't matter.

There were lots of women, and all beautiful. It must have been a law in California, at least on the beaches. I wasn't sure one-piece suits were allowed, either. Every woman I saw was in some sort of two-piece, usually a bikini. I did not complain.

Once everyone had some fuel in their system, all attention went to the water. Some people wanted to swim, but most of us wanted to do what everyone wants to do when they come to a California beach: surf.

My second purchase in California after the car had been a surfboard. I hadn't surfed in a long time and I knew I'd never be a pro, but I was going to take all this nice empty time and fill it up with riding waves.

I grabbed my board, strapped the leash around my ankle and headed out. The water was cold but felt great, and I didn't even care. I just wanted to get out to where those waves were.

I swam out a ways, lying on my board and letting the sounds and smells of the ocean wash over me. It had been ages—years—since I'd been to a beach, let alone had time to surf. I loved it.

After swimming out a while, I sat up and took a deep breath. The sky was clear and the water looked like it wanted to have some fun. I grinned, watching and waiting for a wave. Someone laughed and I turned to see who was out with me. A gorgeous woman with long dark hair sat on a board a few yards away. She looked over at me and when our eyes met I had a flash of vertigo, or thought I did.

"What's so funny?" I called over.

"Nothing. Just basking in the bliss of the perfect day." She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as though she was drinking in the sun.

Wet hair clung to her shoulders and back, tracing all kinds of curves over her skin. Water drops trailed down her sleek neck, and an image of me licking them away hit me hard enough that I oofed out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in. She wore a two-piece suit, but one that was more suited to surfing than a bikini. All the same it left little to the imagination, and I had a great imagination when it came to women.

"What's your name?" I asked. A low roar caught my attention and I turned. I could see a wave coming in that was just begging someone to ride it.

I watched her for a minute and then we both turned around and got ready to catch the wave. I waited, waited, then jumped up and let it take me. It was like flying. Spray from the wave hit me but I didn't care. I concentrated on keeping my balance, making sure my feet had a good grip on the board and adjusting to follow the flow. I wasn't going to try anything fancy.

I glanced over and saw that Surfer Babe—until I knew her name, I would call her Surfer Babe—was up as well. She looked sure and easy on her board, as though she'd been doing this all her life. There was no tension in her body, as I knew there was in mine. I was willing to bet she was smiling, and if she could have closed her eyes and taken the wave in that way, she would have.

I did pretty well until something bumped my board and I lost my train of thought. I shifted and tried to compensate, and ended up going under the water. I came up laughing. Not bad for someone who hadn't surfed in years, I thought, and I turned around to do it again.

I did that I don't know how many times, and Surfer Babe did too. We had a little competition going, but I didn't care who won. Well, that's what I told myself because after watching her a few times, I knew there was no way I'd "win."

Back on the beach I found Manny sitting with a group of people who were grilling some food. I was impressed that someone had thought to bring a grill and realized it was probably way past lunch time as my stomach growled something fierce. I grabbed a beer and a burger and sat, gulping the burger down in about four bites.

"Hey, man." I elbowed Manny. "Who's that girl? Do you know?" I pointed at Surfer Babe.

Manny stared at her for a minute, then shook his head. "I don't know. I mean, I've seen her before but I never got her name or anything."

"Seriously? Come on, man, she's totally doable. Look at that body." I looked myself and had to readjust my swim trunks as a result. "You never even tried with her?"

"Never wanted to. Don't get me wrong, she is an eleven on a scale of one to ten." Manny paused and tapped a finger on his beer bottle, then shrugged. "I don't know, guess she's just not my type. One of those things you know on instinct or whatever. She's all yours, big man."

I scoffed and got another burger. It was good to know Manny had no designs on Surfer Babe, but I wondered why he hadn't tried.

After lunch I stretched out on my towel and slept a while. I woke up with sore muscles but was determined to surf some more. I grabbed my board, put the leash around my ankle and went out into the water.

I kept my eyes ahead, scanning the water, but my senses were alert for Surfer Babe. Once I stopped, I sat up and looked around and there she was, on my left this time. I took advantage of a lull between waves to talk to her.

"Hey, I didn't get your name."

She smiled, a wicked little smile that curled me on the inside. "I never told you."

"I'm Dizzy," I offered.

She looked me up and down and arched an eyebrow. "Then maybe you shouldn't surf."

I laughed. "Call me Diz."

"All right."

I shivered at the sultry tone of her voice and the look on her face. You know how people say, "I could just eat you up!" She looked like she could eat me up, and I couldn't say I'd mind. I liked assertiveness in a woman. Few things are sexier than a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to tell you. Surfer Babe looked like she could give classes in assertiveness.

I savored the shiver and grinned. "What's your name? Or is it a secret?"

"Not a secret."

"Then what should I call you?"

"Let's see who gets in first. You win, I'll give you a name." She licked her lips and most of my blood rushed south.

We waited for a wave, then got into position when one came along. I beat her in by inches, and I wondered if she'd let me win. I'd improved over the day, but she had that ease in the water that I never would, no matter how much I practiced. She had some kind of connection, some innate ability, and some have it and some don't.

We walked back to the crowd on the beach. People were kicking back now, snacking, drinking, smoking the occasional joint. It was as though there was no yesterday and no tomorrow, only the now. I liked the now.

I unstrapped the leash from my ankle, grabbed a towel and rubbed it over my face and hair. "So, gorgeous, what's your name?"

She stared at me for a minute and I got that vertiginous feeling again.

"You can call me Callie."

I chuckled. "Callie like Cali, short for California?"

She shrugged. "If you like."

"Come on, is that your real name?"

Callie gave me another wicked grin. "I said I'd give you a name. I didn't say it would be mine."

For a minute, I was speechless, then I laughed. "Touché. I didn't think of that. I like it, though. Otherwise, I'd have to call you Surfer Babe."

This time she laughed. "'Surfer Babe?' That's the best you could do?"

"I had to think of something, and that was better than 'Hey, you.'"

"Not by much."

"Are you hungry?" I asked. My stomach rumbled. The sun was low in the sky but I didn't bother to check a watch; I'm not sure anyone had one to check. I hadn't even heard a cell phone ring since arriving.

"I could eat." Her eyes raked over me and I got that shiver again. Damn, I'd never known a woman like this, who could get reactions like that from me just by looking. It was a weird feeling, but I liked it.

By the time we finished a light dinner, the sun was low in the sky. A few people went out to catch one last wave, but I was too tired and didn't want to surf or swim in the twilight. Sharks come a lot closer to the shore than most people suspect, and I didn't want to be the opening shot of a Jaws remake.

Instead I spread a towel over a rock and sat on the sand, my back against the rock. Callie sat between my legs, her back against my chest. My cock got hard the second she sat down and only got harder as she shifted, looking for a comfortable position. There was nothing I could do. I mean, for crying out loud, I had a gorgeous woman in a bathing suit pressed up against me.

When she turned around and gave me a wink and a smile, I realized she'd done all that fidgeting on purpose. I grinned back and wrapped my arms around her as we settled in to watch the sun set.

I supposed I should have felt a little guilty since Penny and I hadn't officially broken up. On the other hand, Penny had said she thought we should see other people if the opportunity came up and we wanted to. That had sounded fine to me.

I had wondered if she already had someone she wanted to see, but wasn't upset at the thought. Our increasingly frequent fights had made me pessimistic on our long-term future. If Penny wanted to see anyone else, that only proved me right.

Back on the beach, campfires began to pop up and people gathered around them. Once the sun was down, the warmth of the day didn't last long. Callie and I stayed where we were, comfortable enough with body heat.

"So, Diz, tell me where you're from."

"Ithaca, New York."

"That's a ways away. What brought you out here?"

"I lost my job and decided to have an adventure before looking for a new one." I liked the way that sounded, like I was in control of my destiny.

"You just up and left? What about friends and family?"

"My parents live in North Carolina. I still have my friends, but I needed a break." I shrugged and accidentally-on-purpose brushed my arm under her breast. I felt her shoulders shake in a silent laugh. "Ithaca will be there when I want to go back."

"No girlfriend?"

"Nah." I shook my head even though she faced away from me. "Well, sort of. I was seeing this girl, Penny, but we had a big fight after I lost my job. We're in an off phase."

"I see." Callie was quiet for a moment, then changed her position again. I bit back a groan at the friction against my cock. Another image burst into my head, of her on top of me and me driving into her. I knew she would be wet and hot; she'd be as aggressive in bed as she was out on the ocean.

I tried to distract myself. "How about you? You from here?"

She nodded. "I've always lived close to the water. I couldn't possibly leave."

"How about a boyfriend?"

For a moment I wasn't sure she'd answer. Her body tensed and I wondered if I'd hit a sore spot. Then she relaxed. "No, no boyfriend. The last one left. I couldn't keep him." She sounded a little hurt and resigned.

I couldn't help it—I hugged her. "He was an idiot."

That got a laugh. "You don't even know me. Maybe he was smart to get away."

"Impossible. A goddess like you? Who'd want to leave you?"

"It seems like I can't keep anyone," she murmured. "I always have to let them go. Someday I hope someone stays."

"One day you'll find the right guy and he won't want to leave."

"That's sweet, and I hope you're right."

We sat for a while longer and talked. She told me she was an artist, that she wove rugs, tapestries, and other things on a loom. I told her that I'd all but driven my high school art teacher to drink with my lack of ability. That made her laugh, a sound I liked a lot.

Soon it was full dark, with a half-moon shining down and thousands of stars hanging in the night sky. I hadn't seen so many stars in years. It was like there were too many to watch at once; I had to lower my gaze to the water before I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of them. A breeze flitted by and I realized I was chilly. If I was, Callie had to be, as she was still only wearing her swimsuit.

"Callie, you cold?"

"A little." She shifted and my cock, which had at last settled down, jumped to attention again. "You?"

"Yeah. I was going to grab my sweatshirt and go sit by a fire."

She turned and scanned the beach. We could see the knots of people around the fires, some laughing, some talking. Just having a good, relaxing time, enjoying the moment.

Callie put a hand on my chest and my heart raced. Our gazes met and I held my breath, on the edge of that cliff again. "I know of a nice private place close by. Want to come with me?"

Did I want to? Did seagulls steal food? Yes, but . . . I couldn't. I knew Penny had talked about seeing other people, but going off with Callie just didn't seem right. Penny and I weren't done, and being with Callie would feel like cheating, at least to me.

"That sounds fantastic, but I'm going to have to take a rain check." Part of me couldn't believe I said it. I could imagine a little devil on my shoulder foaming at the mouth due to my decision.

The corners of Callie's mouth turned down and I hastened to reassure her. "Look, you are the most beautiful woman here, and there's nothing I'd like better than to be alone with you. But I'm really beat, and I don't think I'd be much good to you tonight." I smiled and ran a finger along her jaw. "Let's just stay here for a bit, what do you say? It's nice just to be with you."

Cripes, I sounded like a Hallmark card. Or a Lifetime movie. From what I've heard.

Callie smiled. "All right. This time."

As a compromise I got my sweatshirt but came back to the rock. We resumed our position, her in front of me, my arms around her, my cock hard against her back. She'd shift every so often and I knew she was getting a little revenge for my negative response to her invitation.

Gentleman that I was, I decided to grin and bear it.

x-x-x-x

The weekend was over too soon and we headed back to Manny's. I took a couple of days to explore at a more leisurely pace. I walked around to see what there was close by, used my bike to go farther away, and went to another beach or two.

As beautiful as the California scenery was, I missed Ithaca. It was all just so different. Different trees, different terrain, even different smells.

With Ithaca on my mind, I called Penny and wished I hadn't. From the second she answered, she was on the offensive. I remembered why I hadn't called her more often and why time apart had seemed like such a good idea.

I couldn't do or say anything right and she threw my vacation back at me at every opportunity as though I was a slacker. That pissed me off. It wasn't like I'd just quit and left. I'd been fired and had taken the time to make some plans and talk about it with her. Nor was I mooching off Manny. Despite his protests, I gave him some money for rent and utilities. Penny ignored me when I pointed all of that out.

"I saw Lee the other day," she said by way of changing the subject.

"Yeah? How is he?" Lee and I had worked for the same company but he'd survived the last round of layoffs.

"He's good. He asked me out, actually."

"What'd you say?" I was curious; after all, seeing other people had been her idea.

"No, of course. God, Diz." She huffed out an indignant breath. "I also saw Pat Troklas a few days ago and he asked me if you and I were still together. I said yes, and he said that was too bad, because he'd always wanted to ask me out."

I could hear the threat under the words, that if I didn't want her there were other guys that did. I wasn't going to play that game. "Penny, if you want to go out with somebody, go ahead. It's pretty clear that you and I aren't working and you said we should see other people anyway."

"What?"

"You heard me, Pen."

"Diz, are you breaking up with me? Over the fucking phone?" She was incredulous.

"I'm sorry it's over the phone, but yes, and we should have done it a long time ago." As I said the words, I knew I was doing the right thing.

"Jesus, I can't believe you!"

What could I say to that? She ranted at me for a few minutes and then disconnected. I tossed the phone on the couch next to me. I guessed I should have been upset, but instead I was relieved, and I was ready to give Callie my full attention.

x-x-x-x

The weekend came and not a moment too soon. The weather looked iffy, but I was determined to go to King's Bay. I was tempted to drive out Friday night, and mentioned it to Manny, but he shook his head.

"Don't bother, man. Traffic will be hellish, and it'll be dark and cold by the time you get there. Seriously, if you want more time, just leave early Saturday morning."

"Okay." I nodded. I wanted to get back there as soon as I could, but Manny was right. I needed to calm down. King's Bay would be there in the morning.

"Why are you so anxious to get out there, anyway?" Manny asked. He'd come home late from work and Helena was at her mom's or her sister's or whatever, so it was just us. We bonded over beers and nachos.

"I need to clear my head, and the best surfing is there." So was Callie, but I didn't say that.

"You want to see Callie." Manny saw through me.

"Yeah, I do."

"What about Penny?"

"We're done." I told him about our last conversation. He'd been working a night shift all week so I hadn't had a chance to tell him Penny and I had broken up.

"You didn't dump her to go after Callie, did you?"

"Oh, hell no. No, it was going to happen anyway. Penny wanted me to be the bad guy and so I finally did it. I should have done it a while ago, I guess. I was sick of the passive-aggressive crap."

"I'm with you, man. That sucks." Manny nodded in agreement and drank some more beer.

"Yeah, well, it's for the best. Even if I go back, it wouldn't fix anything."

Manny looked at me in surprise. "You're not going back?"

I started to answer, then stopped and frowned. I was going back to Ithaca, wasn't I? I'd never considered staying in California. Until now, apparently.

"I don't know. Doesn't matter." I waved a hand to dismiss the idea. "I don't need to make a decision yet. Besides, I'm enjoying the beach too much." I grinned. "Ithaca's fantastic, but you can't surf there."

And, I thought later as I lay in bed, Callie wasn't in Ithaca.

x-x-x-x

I didn't sleep well and woke up early Saturday morning. At six I told Manny I was leaving, and he stared at me as though I was insane. "Jesus, Diz, even the fish aren't awake yet." He shook his head, yawned, and went back to sleep.

I threw my stuff into the car and took off. The morning was dazzling despite the forecast. Pastel pinks and oranges colored the sky as I headed to King's Bay. I rolled the windows down to enjoy the California breeze. It rushed through me, sparking feelings that you just don't get from Freon-cooled air.

I tried to relax and enjoy the ride, but my thoughts were a jumble of Ithaca, California and Callie. In an effort to distract myself, I turned on the radio. Commercial. I made a mental note to bring my iPod next time and tapped the station buttons. On the fourth I at last found a song, something by the Beach Boys. Couldn't get away from them during the summer in California, I supposed.

When I saw the turnoff for King's Bay, I drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. I was relieved to be there, so much so I was surprised. I hadn't realized how much the place had gotten under my skin and how much I'd missed it. I thought I might even like it better than Cayuga Lake.

The scenery soothed me. It was as incredible as it had been the first time, maybe more so in the early morning light. Since the sun was behind me, I could look out over the water without worrying about a glare.

I checked my watch, saw it was going on seven and found a place to park. I stepped out of the car to stretch. Some gulls screeched and flew over the water, and I thought I saw a dolphin farther out.

Mesmerized by the waves, I thought of Callie and had visions of her rising up out of the water, her long wet hair clinging to her body and water streaming off her skin. My eyes snapped open as I realized I had no idea where Callie lived, or even if she'd be around this weekend.

I took a deep breath to calm down. I smelled the salt water, closed my eyes against the breeze and swore I felt the spray of the waves on my face. I was too far from the water for that, but there was something about this place that made me feel I could anyway. I let out a long breath; all of that was great, but I was still sitting by an empty beach, alone.

"What the fuck am I doing?" I smacked my hand on the top of the car.

What was wrong with me? I had left the house at some god-forsaken hour of the morning—on a Saturday—to go to the beach and hopefully see some woman that I barely knew. I didn't know where she lived, how to contact her, or even her goddamned last name.

I leaned against the car for a few more minutes and was quiet, letting the sounds and smells wash over me. After a while, I calmed down and decided not to worry about it. I hoped I'd see Callie but even if I didn't, I'd take advantage of a day to myself at the beach where I could think without anyone distracting me.

I opened the car and reached in for my stuff. Despite my eagerness, I'd packed plenty of food and drink for the day. I took my cooler, my surf board, and a bag containing a towel and a change of clothes. I walked down to the beach and staked out a spot beyond the high-tide line on the sand.

I'd worn a sweatshirt which I stripped off and dropped onto the towel. At this hour the temperature was on the cool side, but it would warm up fast and the chilly air felt good. I wadded up the sweatshirt and used it for a pillow. With the adrenaline rush gone, my poor sleep and early morning caught up with me and I zonked out.

Something smooth glided along my skin and I heard a voice. "You're going to burn lying here in the sun. You should be more careful."

I smiled before I opened my eyes. "Hello, gorgeous."

Her laugh was low and throaty. "How would you know if I'm gorgeous or not? Your eyes are closed."

I looked up to find Callie sitting next to me, dragging her fingers in circles along my upper arms. "I could tell by your voice. Like a siren, beautiful and dangerous."

She laughed again and pushed at my shoulder. "You are so full of it."

"I can't help it. I've been thinking about you a lot."

Her hand stopped moving. "Really?" She sounded surprised.

I propped myself up on my elbows. "Really. It's hard not to think about someone as beautiful as you."

For a minute she didn't say anything, then gave me a soft smile. "That's sweet."

I guessed I'd honestly surprised her. She had none of the cocky, flirty attitude that she'd had even a minute ago. It made no sense. Callie was beautiful, and she didn't strike me as the type who wasn't aware of it. Surely other guys had told her she was pretty. So why would my flirting make her go all mushy? Before I could ask, she pushed her hair away from her face and recovered herself.

"So what brought you out here so early?" She stretched out beside me.

"I had a lot of stuff on my mind and needed a place to think. Plus I was hoping I'd find you." I was conscious of her next to me, and glad I'd opted for sweatpants to start the day, since my body couldn't help but react to hers. I rolled over to face her. "And lucky me, I did."

"Lucky you, I was up early myself." She drew circles on my arm again. I shivered as goose bumps ran up my skin in the wake of her touch. "And no one else is here yet," she said.

"So I have you and the beach all to myself?"

"For as long as you like."

My mind raced with the implications of that, but I tried to sound nonchalant. "I bet you say that to all the guys."

She went silent; her body went still. Her fingers stopped moving and I felt the tension radiate in waves.

"Look at me, Diz."

I rose up on my elbow and met her eyes. They were dark and I couldn't have looked away for anything. I wanted to apologize but it was like I was paralyzed. I couldn't wiggle my big toe, let alone talk.

"Diz, I'm only going to say this once. I don't say that to all the guys. I said it to you." Her voice was hypnotic and powerful. I was lost in that and in her eyes. "I only say it when I want to, when it's right."

My mouth was dry as I tried to swallow. "So is it right?"

The tension fell away and her eyes lit up. "We could find out."

I grinned, although I felt some residual uneasiness from whatever had transpired between us. I ignored it. "What do we do first?"

She laughed and stood, then held a hand out a hand to me. "We swim."

x-x-x-x

We swam. We surfed, we rested on the beach and we swam some more. I'd never seen anyone as at home in the water as Callie. She was one of those people that made you think if mermaids were real, she'd be one. If she'd grown a tail and headed out to the horizon, I wouldn't have been a bit surprised.

I noticed after a while that the beach wasn't as crowded as I had expected. That struck me as odd. Summer was in full swing. I remembered Manny telling me that King's Bay was like a little secret; that some people knew about it, but it was never as packed as a lot of other beaches. Even so, it seemed like there should be more people around.

"Is it always like this?" I asked Callie.

"What do you mean?" She tipped her head back as she drank from a bottle of water. I watched a drop of water fall onto her neck and trail down. It was all I could do not to lean over and lick the water off of her skin.

"Diz?"

"Hmm? What?" I shook my head before another drop could distract me. "Oh, I just meant the beach. I thought there would be more people." It was hard to ignore the image of me running my tongue along her shoulder, finding the pulse point at the bend in her neck and then . . . . Christ, I had to stop thinking about that.

She gave me a little smile and a shrug. "Sometimes there are. Sometimes not."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Do you have a spell or something to keep them away?"

Callie leaned in close; I thought of the sea as I caught her scent. "Do you want me to keep them away?"

At that moment, it seemed completely possible that she did have some kind of power to keep people away if she wanted to. I smiled at her. "I like having you to myself, but it doesn't seem fair not to share the beach."

She smiled back, her white teeth nibbling at her full bottom lip as though she was uncertain of something, but her body language belied it. God, she was tempting. You read about temptresses and femme fatales, but Callie was all of that and more. She knew what she was doing.

I wished I knew what she was doing. Her mouth was inches, maybe centimeters, from mine. I wanted to kiss her. I had a feeling it would be like nothing I'd experienced before. A fleeting thought of Penny crossed my mind at that, I guess because she was my most recent "experience." As I pushed the thought out of my head, Callie pulled back with a frown.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You're thinking about someone else?" It was less a question than a statement, and she sounded hurt.

"No, I mean, yes, but not like you think." I took the initiative and reached out to her, rubbed my hand over her shoulder. "I told you I had a girlfriend, back in Ithaca. I don't anymore."

"You broke up?"

"Yes. In fact—" I ran my eyes over her body, drinking in all the details I could, then met her gaze again. "I was hoping I could cash in that rain check today."

Callie laughed. "I think something could be arranged." She trailed her finger down the middle of my chest; my cock jumped in response. "I can't believe she let you go. I wouldn't have."

I cleared my throat. "You might decide she did the right thing."

Her lips curved and she laughed low in her throat as she drew her finger upwards. I bit back a groan.

"Now, Dizzy, why would I ever let you go?"

"Maybe I'm a bad kisser," I offered. I was dizzy, all right, and she was making me so.

"Let's find out."

She leaned across the little bit of space between us and pressed her lips to mine. I was conscious of the two points of contact: our lips and her finger on my chest. It felt like we were fused together at those points. Her tongue flicked against my lips and we both snapped.

I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and opened my mouth, anxious to taste her. Her tongue met mine in a teasing but urgent duel and she hooked her arm around my shoulders. She pressed her breasts against my chest and her hips against mine. I couldn't hide my erection and didn't even try.

Callie pulled her lips away and ran the tip of her tongue along my jaw. I groaned and felt her smile. She rolled her hips against me and I responded in kind. I had no idea if anyone could see us and I didn't care.

I found her lips again and plunged my tongue in her mouth while I pressed her down on the towel. She was aggressive in her response, slung one leg over mine so that I could feel the heat between her legs. I think we would have fucked right there, but the screech of a seagull about three feet away startled us both.

Laughing, I rested my arms on either side of her shoulders. "I guess we were offending him."

Underneath me, Callie wiggled her hips against mine and my laugh ended on a groan. The chuckle that ran through her made her body shake and I narrowed my eyes. "You're going to get us in trouble."

"No one's paying attention."

I found that hard to believe, but I glanced up to find it was true. There were a few people surfing, a few swimming, a few lying on the beach, but none looking at us.

"You're right, but I'd still rather do this somewhere a little more, ah, secluded," I told her.

"You don't want to take me here on the beach? Here on the soft sand with the sound of the waves in the background?" Callie undulated and I started to wonder just how much we could get away with. We were farther back from the shoreline, in the shadow of some trees. I couldn't believe I was considering it.

"I would love it." I pressed my cock against her to prove my point and got that wicked grin in response. "I just don't necessarily want everyone else to see it."

"Do you want me to make them go away?"

"Sure." I grinned and kissed her. "The sooner we can be alone, the better."

"Sooner, then," she said. She dragged her nails down my back, making me groan. With a laugh, she pushed at me so I'd get up. She jumped to her feet and held out her hand. "Come on. Let's swim one more time before it's too late."

I reached out but just before taking her hand, I turned and ran towards the water. I heard her cry of indignation and kept running. I went into the water and spun in time to catch her, but lost my balance and we both fell into the shallow waves. We laughed and Callie rolled off me to lounge in the water.

Waves crashed and got smaller and rolled over us, covering Callie's legs with white bubbles before retreating again. I reached over and popped one bubble high up on her thigh, just shy of her suit bottom. She watched as I moved my hand towards another one on her stomach. When I touched her skin, I felt her tense and then tremble.

I looked up, wondering what the next move was, and whose.

"They're gone." Her voice was low but I could hear it over the waves.

I blinked and looked around. The beach was empty. How had that happened? I looked up at the sky saw some clouds, and guessed the threat of rain had made people skittish. That made more sense than thinking that Callie could empty the beach at her whim. She ran a finger over my lips and I lost that thought.

"Where shall we go?" I asked.

Callie stood and walked away from the water; I followed. She grabbed my towel from near the trees, strode over to a pile of large rocks and spread the towel on the sand in front of the rocks. I watched, barely breathing.

She came back over to me and put her arms around my neck. Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips and her eyes raked over my body just as they had the day we'd met. The sun was still high over the water and it reflected in her dark eyes. I looked down at her breasts, full and trapped in her bathing suit top. My mouth watered at the idea of removing it.

"Is it secluded enough for you?" Before I could respond, she anticipated my next question. "No one will come back, don't worry."

"That's good." I couldn't believe it. A gorgeous, exotic woman wanted me to make love to her on the beach. I'd fallen into a fantasy, and thank God it was mine. I didn't even ask how she could be so confident no one would come back.

"Come on, Diz." Callie slid her hands down my arms until she found my hands and tugged me forward. Her voice took on a sing-song quality, lulling me. "Let's go over there. We'll lay on the blanket, and take our clothes off, and you can drive me crazy, and I'll make you feel like you never have before."

I snapped out of my trance. "When can we start?"

"How about now?" She stopped and turned around. "Undo these."

Her bathing suit top had hooks behind her neck and under her shoulder blades. I reached for the lower strap, but stopped. Instead, I pushed her hair aside and ran my fingertips lightly over her shoulders and then over her upper back. I saw the goose bumps on her skin and heard her gasp.

I undid the top strap and stepped closer. I felt the heat from her body and she no doubt felt my cock pressing into her back. I slid one hand around her waist, splaying my hand over her stomach. I kissed the nape of her neck and she moaned, rubbing her ass against me and making me even harder.

I was enjoying the slow pace but wanted more so I released the second hook and dropped her top onto the towel. I took her breasts in my hands, exploring by touch. They were firm and just large enough. Her nipples were hard beneath my palms when I rubbed my hands over them. Callie's head dropped back onto my shoulder, allowing me to find that spot on her neck I'd fantasized about as well as giving me a view of her breasts.

I refused to speed up. I licked and sucked at her neck while I tugged at her nipples and then rolled them between my thumbs and forefingers. She reached a hand back between us and squeezed my cock through my trunks; I responded by sucking harder on her neck and she cried out.

She spun around, her eyes wild in the late evening sun, and shoved off her suit bottom before doing the same to mine. Breathing hard, she put a hand behind my neck and yanked me to her, crushing her lips to mine. Her free hand grabbed my cock and stroked in a steady rhythm, squeezing at random intervals and making my knees weak.

"Feel what you do to me," she said against my lips. With one hand still on my cock, she used her free one to put one of my hands between her legs.

"Jesus, Callie." I ran a finger around the folds of her pussy before sliding it inside. She was hot, slick and wet and I almost came at the mere thought of what she'd feel like wrapped around me.

She found my lips again, nipping harshly while keeping her hips moving with my hand. Her breath was ragged. So was mine. I swept my thumb over her clit. She moaned and released my cock. She clung to me for balance and dug her nails into my shoulders. "Don't stop," she managed to say between gasps.

I grunted an assent and continued, wanting to feel her come around me. A moment later, she did; she cried out and shook with her release. Her head dropped back, then she slumped forward against me. We were still for a moment, then I moved my hand from between her legs and up to her breasts. She shivered as I traced one nipple with a still-wet finger, then followed it with my mouth.

"Callie, I can't wait any more. I want to fuck you."

"God, yes."

We lowered ourselves to the towel. She smiled with half-closed eyes and wrapped long, strong legs around my waist. "Now, Diz. Take me here on the beach, just like you want."

I did. I didn't think I'd ever been so hard in my life, didn't think I'd ever wanted anyone this badly. I plunged inside of her and groaned with pleasure and relief. She raked her nails over my chest, sending shocks through my body. I gritted my teeth in an effort to hold my orgasm off for just a little longer.

Callie met every thrust, wanting this just as much as I did. She closed her eyes and squeezed my arms as she came once more. Her inner muscles pulsed and grabbed me and I was done. I kissed her again, my tongue desperate in her mouth as I felt everything build and then I tore my lips away and shouted as I came. My hips moved almost of their own accord as I came back to myself and it took me a moment to stop.

I held myself up on my forearms so as not to crush Callie and dropped my forehead to her chest. Her heartbeat sounded steady. I wondered if mine would ever come down to a normal rate again.

"Diz?"

"Hmmm?"

"Just checking."

"I'm here."

"That's good." She ran her fingers through my hair.

"No, that was incredible." I raised my head to meet her eyes.

She smiled. "I told you, didn't I?"

"Yeah, I guess you did." She'd said she'd make me feel like I never had before, and she had not lied.

x-x-x-x

After that weekend, I went to King's Bay whenever I could. June somehow turned into July without me noticing. I spent as much or more time at Callie's place than I did at Manny's. Manny invited me to various parties and barbeques and get-togethers, but I always begged off. I wanted to be with Callie as much as possible.

One day I came down with some kind of virus that made me as sick as a dog, and only Manny hiding my car keys kept me from going to Callie.

"For fuck's sake, what is wrong with you?" he'd asked. "You have a fever and can barely keep water down. You want to get her sick, too?" I didn't, but it didn't make me want to stay home any less.

After I was better, the time sped by again and July faded into August. Everything I did was measured against seeing Callie. I loved being with her.

We developed a little routine. Swimming and surfing in the mornings, then some lunch followed by a relaxing afternoon where she'd work on any weaving projects she had going on. I was fascinated by the way her hands manipulated the threads on the loom to make the various designs. She sang when she worked and it made me think of the sirens from mythology. Callie was on land, but she'd lured me in just the same.

Time and weather permitting, we'd take another afternoon dip in the water. In the evenings we sometimes got together with friends of hers. I enjoyed getting to know them and was pleased to find a couple of baseball fans in the group. When I was able to talk one-on-one with someone, we were surprised by what we didn't know about Callie.

"Isn't it funny," I said to a girl named Amber one night, "how King's Bay is never crowded? Not even on the big days like Fourth of July? It's like there's some kind of force field around the place."

Amber didn't laugh like I thought she would. "I have noticed," she said. "Sometimes I think only certain people can come here, and only if Callie lets them." She was silent for a moment and then shook her head, chuckling. "Listen to me. I think I've had too much wine."

I gave a quiet laugh and nodded as though I agreed. The idea was too far-fetched to take seriously, but it seemed plausible at night in King's Bay.

One night as I getting ready to go see Callie the next day, my parents called. I'd been talking to them every week or so since coming out to California. They'd been supportive of the idea, even paying for my airline ticket. Mom was always after me to send pictures, and Dad joked about sending her out to stay with me.

Instead of the usual pleasantries and a discussion of baseball standings with Dad, they had something to say and it floored me. Someone had made an offer on the house in Ithaca. The house that I lived in. That I'd grown up in. The house that I'd always considered mine.

"I hate to push you, son," Dad told me. "I know you wanted more time out in California. But to tell the truth, you haven't said much about coming back. If you can give us a firm date on when you'll go back to Ithaca, we'll turn this down. But if you aren't sure, then honestly, Diz, we could use the money."

He went on to say he thought I might be tired of living in the house anyway, that it wasn't suited to a single guy like myself, but I barely heard him. He said they didn't need a decision right away, but they did need to have an answer within a week to ten days. I said I'd sleep on it and let him know in a couple of days. We said our good-byes and I mulled over the conversation as I went back to packing.

Manny came into the kitchen. He grabbed a beer and leaned against the wall. I was glad to have something to distract me from my thoughts. Reaching for something to say, I realized that I hadn't seen Helena in a while, and asked Manny if she was okay.

He frowned. "Yeah, I guess. She's been talking to some guy at work. Perry." He scoffed. "Perry, can you believe that? Sounds like some Ivy League prick. She says she's just training him and has to spend a lot of time with him because of that, so what can I say?"

"You think she's lying?" I stared at him. That didn't sound like Helena, but I didn't know her that well.

"I don't know." Manny shrugged and drank his beer. "Never mind, let's change the subject. You got a plan yet?"

"Sure." I went back to packing. "I'm heading over to King's Bay to see Callie. I'll be back in a few days."

"No, dickhead." He rolled his eyes. "A plan like an 'I'm going to get a job' type of plan. It's August, Diz."

"I know. I'm good." My money was still holding out. I didn't go out a lot or drink or anything, so my expenses were mostly food and gas for the car aside from what I gave Manny.

"Yeah, I know, and I appreciate the money you've given me towards rent and all. You know you don't have to."

"I know, but hell, I'm not a freeloader."

"Of course not. But Diz, what I mean is, what about Ithaca?"

"What about it?"

"For Christ's sake, I'm asking you. When you came out, the whole idea was you would go back. I don't care how long you stay, that's not the issue. I'm just surprised you'd consider not going back. You said you'd die in Ithaca; you told me you'd have them scatter your ashes in Cayuga Lake."

I had said all that, but talking with Manny made me realize I'd been losing my reasons to go back all summer. My job, Penny and now the house. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd spoken to any of my friends back there. It hit me that almost all I had left of Ithaca was memories.

Truth was, I'd gone days without so much as a thought of Ithaca and hardly noticed. It seemed farther away all the time. Sometimes it felt like I'd always lived in California, and Ithaca was a place I'd dreamed about.

I thought a little more, then called Dad back and told him to take the offer.

x-x-x-x

I pondered everything as I drove out to King's Bay the following morning. Did I really want to stay in California, or was I just overwhelmed with my current freedom, and Callie? Was I just caught up in the novelty in being somewhere different? I kept coming back to the fact that I wasn't sure what I had to return to. I could find a job out here, and Callie was here.

Callie . . . I couldn't sort out my feelings about her. Everything that had happened between us was always so hot and fast and felt so good, I hadn't stopped to analyze it. I didn't want to.

I pulled up by Callie's house and sat in the car for a minute, my thoughts scattered. I shook myself and got out, remembering the first time I'd seen her place.

I had been almost surprised to find Callie had a house. She had to live somewhere, but I had first seen her as so exotic and mysterious that a house had seemed too ordinary. I had envisioned her living in a tent on the beach, or a cave along the shore or something. It turned out she lived in a bungalow not far off the beach. It was quiet and she had space to work on her weaving. She had neighbors, but none too close, so we didn't have to worry about, you know, being too loud.

Callie came out as I was grabbing my stuff from the trunk.

"Hi, handsome." She leaned against the porch rail, giving me a good view of her cleavage in the low-cut summer dress she wore.

"Hey, gorgeous." I smiled as I shouldered my bag and closed the trunk.

"I wondered when you'd get here." She met me at the top of the steps to the little porch.

I set my bags down and slid my arms around her waist. "Got here as soon as I could."

"Never soon enough." Her eyes held a sinful promise before she reached up to kiss me. I met her halfway. She locked her arms around my neck and arched her chest forward to press into me. I kept one hand on her waist and let the other roam over her back, her ass and the top of her thighs before coming back up to cup one breast through the soft material.

"No, never soon enough," I confirmed when we separated.

She held the door as I took my stuff inside. All the rooms were on the small side, but comfortable. She hadn't stuffed her place with knick-knacks like some women I'd known, but it didn't feel bare or spartan. When I'd asked her why she didn't have more pictures, she'd gestured at the windows. "Who needs pictures when I can look out and see that?" I couldn't argue.

It was evening, and cool, so instead of swimming we went for a walk on the beach. There's nothing like a beach in the evening. The sun looks like it's sinking into the water and the sky turns all shades of pink, purple and blue. The water gets darker and darker until all you can see is the foam as the waves crash close to shore.

You didn't get that in Ithaca.

"Hey. Hey." Callie tugged at my hand.

I looked down. "Hmmm?"

She studied me. "Something's on your mind."

"Oh, sorry. Just been thinking."

"About?"

I told her about my parents and my talk with Manny. She was quiet for a while as we walked on the sand. She kept her hand in mine but mentally we were in our own worlds. I was so far in mine that I almost jumped when she spoke.

"Do you want to go back?"

"What?"

"I'm serious, Diz." She stopped and crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you want to go back to Ithaca?"

"I—I don't know. I don't!" I protested when she narrowed her eyes. "I haven't thought much about Ithaca lately. I thought I'd go back but now I don't know. I realized that there's less and less for me there. I even told Dad to take the offer on the house." I figured I could always find another place to live. "But . . . what can I say? It's where I grew up. It was my home."

"I care about you, you know." Her voice was a little unsteady. "If you're going to leave, you should have the decency to tell me."

"Callie, I'm not leaving, at least not yet." I put my hands on her shoulders. "Please, I came out here to think. Don't guilt trip me into anything."

"I'd never do that!" Her eyes flashed with anger. "You can't stay unless you choose to. I don't want you stay unless you decide you want it for yourself." She stopped for a moment and when she continued her voice was tight. "I made that mistake before, trying to keep someone with me. I won't do it again no matter how much I want you."

"Callie, I'm sorry. I'm seriously considering staying. And you'd be a big part of why I'd stay."

"Really?" She looked wary, but hopeful.

I took her hands in mine and pulled her to me. "Really. You're the best thing about this place. There are times, I swear to God, that I'd walk across burning coals to get to you." I kissed her.

She relaxed against me for a moment. Her breasts pressed against my chest, the flimsy material no barrier to the warmth of her body. She drew back and kissed me once more, quickly, and started walking back to her house.

We didn't talk on the way back but it was a comfortable silence, or so it seemed to me. Back at her place, I thought we'd kick back and talk or something, but she was edgy. When I sat, she paced. I asked her what was wrong.

"I want you to stay," she said.

"Callie, come on . . . ."

"I'm not trying to do anything to affect your decision." She held up her hands and shook her head as she came to sit next to me. "I just . . . you're the best guy I've met in a long time. I want you to stay with me."

"Thank you." I brushed her hair back and let the soft strands drift through my fingers. "Ithaca's always going to be a part of me, that's all. Sometimes it's hard to let go."

"I understand." She paused and then that sexy smile appeared. "Maybe I could make my case for you staying in California."

I leaned back on the couch and put my arms out at my sides as though I was surrendering. "I'm open to hearing your presentation."

Callie laughed at that and relaxed. We drank some wine and had a late dinner. I had lots of opportunities to touch her; I'm pretty sure she provided them, although I wanted to think I was being slick and teasing her. She touched me, too, and I didn't object.

"Come on, baby. Let's go back to my room." Callie leaned in, ran her tongue along my neck, then stood up.

"Yes, ma'am." I followed her.

Once in the room, she shimmied out of her dress and I was hard by the time the dress hit the floor. She looked up at me from under her dark lashes wearing only underwear. "Do you like what you see?"

"How could I not?" I stepped forward but she shook her head and held out her arm, stopping me with one finger in the center of my chest. "What?" I asked.

"Come here." She drew me closer to the bed and motioned me to take off my shirt. I complied and she threw it on the end of the bed. "Lay back." I did, watching her the whole time. She laughed. "Relax, Diz."

I laughed, too, but I knew she was up to something and I was curious to find out what. The bed, like her room, was plain but comfortable. I watched her walk across the room to get something, admiring the way her ass and hips moved. She came back holding something like a rope. As she got closer I realized it was a surfboard leash.

"What's that for?"

She dragged one end of the leash over my chest and gave me a coy smile. The non-answer only heightened my excitement. My cock twitched as she trailed the leash down my arm. She tightened the ankle strap over my right wrist, then tugged on the leash. I let her pull my hand back and watched with surprise and fascination as she ran the leash around a post in the headboard and secured the other end around my left wrist.

"There." Callie nodded in satisfaction, then got on the bed. She swung one leg over my waist and straddled me. She wiggled her body until her pussy was on top of my cock. I hissed out a breath. Even with her underwear and my shorts between us, I could still feel the heat of her.

"What's this about?" I raised an eyebrow. I'd never done anything like this, but I was game.

She leaned forward, her hands on either side of my shoulders. I had an incredible view of her breasts as they swayed in front of me. Her lips curved up in a promising smile. "I want to make sure you pay attention to my presentation."

"Trust me, you have my undivided attention." I raised my head to kiss her, but she pulled back just enough that I couldn't reach her.

She laughed, a sultry sound that sent more blood racing to my groin, and rubbed herself over my cock. I'd end up light-headed if she kept this up and couldn't stifle a groan.

"Relax, sweetie," she said. "You're going to enjoy this."

I had no doubt.

Callie began with a deep kiss. It was odd to lie there and respond only with my mouth. With my hands restrained, I couldn't hold her or touch her as I usually did. I couldn't help it when my hips arched and I groaned when she flicked her tongue over my nipples. She sat up and matched my rhythm, rubbing herself against me. The friction was torture, especially when I knew what she felt like with nothing between us.

After a few moments, she had mercy on me and took off my shorts. I gave a long, audible sigh of relief. She climbed back on the bed, straddled my leg and reached for my cock. Her hands were cool against my skin, which felt feverishly hot. She slid her hands up and down in a rhythm that was almost soothing but kept me on edge.

"Good?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Fantastic. Oh, Christ." She began a dual stroke—one hand rubbed circles on the head of my cock while the other stroked the shaft. I wonder where she'd learned that. She captured some of the pre-cum on the tip and continued the circular motion with lubrication. I thought my eyes would roll back in my head and I'd see my brain.

As lost as I was in sensation, I noted could tell she was excited, which aroused me more. I watched through half-closed eyes as she rubbed her pussy on my thigh. Her nipples were hard and her eyes bright. Her breath was as ragged as mine. I'd always liked knowing the woman I was with was as excited as I was, but it had never affected me like this before.

Watching Callie above me, knowing she was hot and wet from what she was doing to me made me want to explode. The way her hands moved in coordinated circles and strokes kept me on edge but wouldn't let me over. She must have sensed my thoughts.

"Not yet, honey." She leaned forward and gave me a quick but deep kiss, then rose up again.

I strained against the leash but it held, preventing me from touching her. She shook her head and made a tsking noise as though I'd been caught taking an extra cookie. "You're going to kill me," I told her.

That laugh again. "I hardly think so. Where's the fun in that?"

She slithered back down my body and licked up the length of my cock. I grunted and shoved my hips forward. She ignored me and took her time. Her tongue traveled up and down the sides of my cock, then on the sensitive underside again. I said something like, "Oh, fuck!" when she sucked one of my balls into her mouth, and then the other.

I felt her moving on the bed, but wasn't sure what she was doing. When she put her mouth around my cock, I forgot everything else. She took me in, then slid up, teasing me with the tip of her tongue on a sensitive point behind the head. Down again, then up, this time swirling her tongue over the flat head. I wondered how it was possible I hadn't come yet, and didn't see how I could last much longer. I warned Callie.

"Well, then, guess I'd better move things along," she said. She dragged her tongue once more over my balls, one by one, then up the ridge on the underside of my cock. Done with that, she crawled forward, eyeing me as though I was her prey.

I lifted my head, wanting to feel her lips on mine. I thrust my tongue in her mouth as soon as our lips touched and made a primal sound in my throat. I didn't know where it came from or if I'd ever done it before. Callie made me feel things I never had—just as she'd promised.

"Do you want to fuck me, Diz?" She lowered her pussy against my cock and rubbed.

"Christ, yes."

"Do you want me?" She slid along my length but didn't take me inside.

"Yes. I want you, Callie. Let me fuck you." She waited and I looked at her, then let out a breathless laugh as I read her expression. "Please."

"Since you asked so nicely." Callie rose up and grasped my cock in her hand, moved it into position, and enveloped me.

For a moment she was still, then with a sigh ground herself against me. I felt her slick muscles pulse around my cock. I could only lay there at first; those first sensations took my breath away. Callie leaned her head back and ran her hands over her breasts, tweaking and rolling her nipples since I couldn't. I imagined my tongue teasing the hard nubs and got my breath back.

I braced my feet on the bed, raising my knees, and she leaned back against my thighs. I had better leverage this way and stared at the sight of my cock sliding in and out of her.

"Yes, Dizzy. Yes. Don't stop." Callie dropped one hand between her legs and began to rub her clit, every so often making cool, slippery contact with my cock.

I gritted my teeth and kept going. I longed to run my tongue over her body, to nip and suck at the spots I knew were so sensitive. It was true—you want what you can't have, and I wanted her like nothing else in the world.

Whether she read my mind again or just wanted it, I didn't know, but she fell forward and braced herself on her hands. Her breasts were within reach and I took one in my mouth, savoring her cry of pleasure. I sucked hard and rubbed my tongue over her nipple and the skin around it, making her moan for more. I released one and took the other, did the same thing and then grazed my teeth over her nipple. She keened.

The sound broke me. "I can't stop, Callie. I'm going to come."

"Me, too." Her voice was breathy and rough. "Don't stop."

She raised and lowered her hips in time with my thrusts, both of us moving as fast as we could. My muscles tensed, my balls tightened and I exploded inside her, pressing into her as though I couldn't get close enough. She closed her eyes and continued rocking against me at an almost frantic pace.

"Yes, yes . . ." she murmured in a soft, high-pitched voice and then drew in a sharp breath. Her whole body tensed; her pussy squeezed my cock and she cried out as she kept moving. I matched her but didn't need to. Her muscles rippled along my shaft and I thought I might come again from the sensation.

At last she collapsed on top of me, her breasts crushed against my chest, my cock still inside her. I stared at the ceiling and waited for my breathing to even out. I'd forgotten my hands until she reached up and released them.

I flexed my wrists and fingers but there were no ill effects. Letting out a long breath, I stroked my hands through Callie's hair and over her back. She shifted a little and I slipped out of her but otherwise we stayed as we were.

"Well, that was something," I said. I was drifting into that calm, pre-sleep phase.

"Something good?" Callie sounded more awake than I felt, but not by much.

"Something fantastic."

"I bet the girls in Ithaca don't do that."

I laughed and she did, too. At some point she moved off and lay next to me and fell asleep.

My own sleep was restless and full of dreams. I couldn't remember them, but they disturbed me and I kept jerking myself awake to get out of them.

I wasn't sure what time it was when I gave up on sleeping, but I saw Callie wasn't in the bed and got up to find her. It was easy to see she wasn't in the house, so I stepped outside. The moon was bright and reflected off the waters in the bay. Still groggy, I followed the path down to the beach and stopped, puzzled at what I saw.

Callie stood naked on the beach. Between her and the water was a huge bed of hot coals. It stretched left and right. You couldn't get to the water without walking over it. The embers glowed like red stars.

I had to be dreaming, but I felt more lucid and awake than I ever had before.

"Hi, Diz."

"Callie, what's going on?"

"I wanted a midnight swim."

"Oh. What's this? It wasn't here before." I gestured at the coals. "How are we supposed to get to the water?"

"You walk over them." She said it as though she did it all the time.

"Why? We never did before."

"Maybe you just never noticed."

I started to say something but shook my head. It didn't feel like I was dreaming, but I didn't understand. "This never happened in Ithaca."

Callie threw her head back and laughed. "You're not in Ithaca anymore, baby. California is a place all its own, especially King's Bay."

"Tell me about it."

She chuckled and stretched; her body shone in the moonlight. "I'm going in the water, Diz. Come with me. Stay with me. Please." She reached up and kissed me on the mouth, then turned towards the ocean.

I watched, agape, as she walked across the coals. She turned to me with a hopeful look when she reached the water, then dove into the waves.

I didn't need Ithaca anymore. I walked to the water and followed her in.

This story was inspired in part by the Marillion song "Cannibal Surf Babe."