Chapter 89

Sara was working shampoo into her hair, still singing, when she heard the voice behind her.

“Need any help?”

Turning around slowly, she squinted through the bubbles, seeing Jon leaning naked against the doorframe watching her with a lazy grin.

“Why do I get the feeling you’d be more a hindrance than a help?”

“Oh, I dunno.” He straightened away from the door, taking the few steps needed to reach the side of the bath. “Maybe you just have a dirty mind?”

He sat on the edge, watching Sara silently as she backed under the shower again, rinsing the lather away. She’d closed her eyes against the sting of the shampoo, so she jumped when Jon laid his palm on her wet stomach. Smoothing her hair back, wiping the water from her eyes, Sara looked down at him with a smile.

“And what do you think you’re doing?” Even as she spoke, though, her hand came down to cover Jon’s.

Swiftly, Jon stood up and grabbed Sara, lifting her right out of the bath. He carried her through to the bedroom, about to drop her onto the bed when she protested.

“Jon - I’m soaking. The bed’ll get all wet.”

“So?” He laughed, dropping her anyway.

She’d barely hit the mattress when Jon was on the bed beside her, one hand sliding up the wet skin to her breast as he kissed her. Sara sighed as his mouth released hers.

“You taste nice.” She smiled. “You taste like coffee and cookies.”

“So do you.” Jon replied, then grinned at her. “At least, your mouth does. The rest of you, however,” he broke off to run his tongue up between her breasts, “tastes like Sara. I know which I prefer.”

He leaned on one elbow beside her, his hand just idly stroking the wet skin.

“What do you want to do this afternoon, then?”

“I’ve no idea.” Sara stretched slowly, then winced. “Maybe nothing too energetic - my back hurts.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” She rolled onto her stomach, rising onto her knees and stretching her arms forward, arching her back like a cat and trying to loosen the muscles. “I think it’s just the way I was lying on the surfboard, when I was paddling. It’s okay - just a bit stiff and tight.”

Jon ran his hand across the base of her back, feeling the knots in the muscle.

“Lie flat.” He said quietly, rubbing his hand gently on her back again.

“What? Why?”

“Trust me, darlin’. It’ll help.”

Sara slowly uncurled, lying flat on the mattress again, and Jon moved closer to her side, smoothing both hands gently down her back until he found the sore area again, pressing carefully against the hard knots with the heel of his hand. At first, Sara tensed against him, but he soothed her with his voice, murmuring reassuringly as he carried on gently massaging her back, until he heard her sigh as her back started to relax.

“Oh, God, that feels good, Jon. You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?” She said drowsily.

“I try, baby, I do try. How’s that feel now?”

“Much better, but now I just want to sleep. You made me sleepy.”

“Why don’t you take a nap, then?” He laughed softly, that low, sexy chuckle she knew so well. “I don’t want you falling asleep on me tonight!”

Jon lay down on his side next to her, one hand still caressing her lower back, and she smiled dreamily, eyes closed as she gave a soft, contented sigh. A few minutes later, he lifted his hand from her back and pulled the cover down over her. Sara made no reaction, even when he whispered her name, and Jon snugged the cover across, keeping her warm while he watched her sleep.

He felt like he needed to move, to do something, and he decided to take a walk into the village, let Sara sleep a while. Quietly, he slipped from the bed and gathered up his clothes, raking his fingers through his hair then jamming on his cap. Still no movement from Sara, so he let himself out of the bedroom and locked the door behind him. When he got outside, Jon put on his sunglasses and wandered along to find the main shopping area - to see if he could find something for Sara. Maybe some souvenirs for the kids, too. It wasn’t difficult - there was only one street, really, lined with a variety of shops, most of which seemed to sell either tourist stuff or surfboards.

In one store, Jon picked out gifts for the kids, then he saw a t shirt for Sara - light grey with the words ‘Surf Babe’ in pale pink. Perfect. He paid for everything, throwing in a handful of chocolate bars, too, then he strolled back to the hotel, seeing the tide beginning to roll in toward the swimming pool rock again. Inside the hotel, he said ‘hi’ to the girl at reception, then took the stairs two at a time as he headed back to the bedroom.

When he’d closed the bedroom door and taken the few steps to the end of the little hallway, Jon saw Sara sitting huddled in the middle of the bed, the cover pulled tightly around her. He was shocked when she turned to look at him, seeing her face soaked with tears, and he dropped the bag of gifts to the floor as he strode over.

“Baby - what’s wrong?!”

She shook her head, one hand emerging from the cover to wipe at her face as she snuffled, a distressed, lost look in her eyes.

“Sara? What is it?”

“Nothing.” She said in a tiny voice, as Jon knelt on the bed and pulled her into his arms, hugging her hard, worried about what had her so upset.

“Liar.” He said gently, kissing her hair. “Tell me.”

“I just.……I woke up and you were gone, and I thought I’d dreamt you being here.” She admitted, sniffling again, then a sob broke through. “Then I saw your bag, and I knew you were really here, but I remembered you were leaving tomorrow, and I just…….I can’t……I don’t want you to go, Jon.”

Her tears spilled over again, soaking into his shirt as Jon held her tight, rocking her in his arms as he felt his own eyes welling up.

“Baby, baby, come on………shhhh………s’okay sweetheart……..shhhhh…..” In a weird kind of way, Jon was almost pleased she was being so openly emotional, but it was heartbreaking at the same time, seeing how much she was hurting, and he couldn’t do anything about it except hold her.

“Sara, baby, don’t cry, darlin’. Shhhh……I love you, Sara, and I’d stay if I could, but I’ll be waiting for you the second you get back to the US. Hey,” he squeezed her even tighter, “come on now - you’re gonna make me cry too, and that’ll really wreck my image, won’t it?!”

That worked, as it made her laugh just a tiny bit through her tears, and he could feel the sobs lessening as she calmed down, until she finally pulled back a little to wipe her face. Her eyes were reddened, and she looked around the room.

“Are there any tissues?” She asked, and Jon grinned as he pulled up the bottom of his t shirt, drying her face gently with the soft cotton.

“There you go.” Jon cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs wiping across under her eyes, taking away the few residual tears, then he suddenly remembered the night he and Dot had agreed to split up, how he’d arrived at Sara’s door drunk, and she’d taken him in. “Guess it was your turn to cry on my shoulder, huh? After that night I cried all over you.”

A tremulous smile hovered on Sara’s lips as she looked at him, her eyes still sad, though.

“I’m sorry, baby.” She whispered. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t normally cry.”

“Well, in my own, twisted way, I’m kinda glad you’re gonna miss me that much.” He gave that lopsided grin. “I’m certainly gonna miss you, Sara. I guess I’ll just have to try to keep busy, and pray the time goes fast.” Jon did a quick mental calculation, then smiled at her again. “Y’know, if you think about it, two weeks is only three hundred and thirty six hours. Does that sound better?”

“A little bit. Still three hundred and thirty five hours fifty nine minutes too long, though.” Sara shifted, lifting her hands to hold his face, looking deep into his blue eyes. “God, I love you, Jon. I really, truly love you.” She sounded almost surprised at her own words, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and tucked her head down onto his shoulder.

The cover had fallen away when she moved, and Jon pulled it back up over her bare back, then put his arms around her again, just holding her close, instinctively knowing that was what she needed from him right now.