"So, tonight's your last night, huh?" Aimee asked, as she rolled over on the blanket they shared. It was a perfect day for the beach, the sun high overhead with a cool breeze coming over the Atlantic. It had been a while since the sisters spent any real time together, so they decided to catch some sun before Florida's afternoon storms washed the day away.Paul asked Karla to give him a couple of days to find a replacement, not even bothering to talk her into staying. It was as awkward for him lately as it was for her. She asked him to let her break the news to her mother, so she could explain the reasoning, and he agreed. She didn't need her mother misunderstanding her motives. She still had a hard time understanding them herself. She would work through Saturday night, and then she would belong completely to Mitch for work and play. That thought alone scared the hell out of her. Mitch wanted her to be his full time starting the very next day when he asked her to come work for him, but
Karla just shook her head as she listened to the two of them. Aimee was in deeper than even she realized, and Karla would enjoy watching it all unfold. If Clint was even an inkling like Mitch, Aimee was in for a wild ride. The only hindrance was Bonnie Asher. Karla lifted her head, about to ask about the reappearing runaway, then remembered Abigail and changed her mind. Karla had yet to be able to talk to Aimee about what she would do with the other woman continuing to come around. The fact that Clint and Aimee were at the beach said that Aimee must have listened to Karla the other day and not given up. Clint deserved a woman who loved him and Aimee was that woman. She'd just have to deal with an ex in the picture on occasion. Still, there was always a chance that Bonnie would run away again. They could only hope. Of course, Aimee would scold her for even thinking such a thing, believing that Abigail needed her mother, even if the woman didn't deserve the job. Karla didn't trust that a
Once everyone was pretty well sunburnt for the day, Aimee went back to Clint's condo and Mitch joined Karla at her place. Karla remained quiet most of the day while they were out under the sun, her memories dousing the happy spirit she had earlier. She was glad when Aimee entered Clint's condo instead of coming home, needing time and quiet to regroup for the evening ahead. As soon as they were through the front door, and locked it behind them, Mitch pulled her into his arms, kissing her softly. "It's time to wash some of the grime away," he said, as he gazed into her eyes. "Yeah, the sand has slid into places that are pretty uncomfortable.""I bet, but that's not what I meant." He took her by the hand and led her into the bathroom. Once inside, he turned her away from him, pulling the string on her bikini top loose. Turning her back around, he smiled, as he slid the suit from around her neck and allowed it to drop on the floor. "You seem to think your life consists of everything in y
Karla stood outside Sand Dune, the sound of the ocean coming from behind the building, patrons walking in and out, laughing as they did, and she absorbed it all. Music filtered out from inside every time someone opened the doors and laughter followed. She could picture the chaos. People cluttering around the bar, Sean and Paul doing their best to keep up, while Heath stood by the front door checking IDs, and serving girls, wearing skimpy shorts and low-cut blouses, weaved around the tables taking orders. It was normal for Sand Dune and, even though she knew better things lay ahead, she had to admit, she would miss the happenings of working at a bar, especially this one.The door to Sand Dune burst open and a group of young twenty-something females came stumbling out, arms draped around each other's waist or neck, giggling as they made their way to the car they shouldn't be driving. Karla just chuckled as she shook her head. She knew they would be heading to another bar and, by night's
She left then, after the two hugged, saying goodbye one more time. Paul headed out, probably to her mother's place, giving Sean and Heath the responsibility of locking up the place. Karla slid back behind the bar and started pouring drinks again. The place picked up a little since Paul called her into his office, and it kept them all hopping. Sean and Heath kept calling her the short-timer and getting extra grabs in on her ass or slapping her with a towel. She laughed, caught up in the antics, as the customers cheered her on, some even buying her a drink as a farewell or a good luck to the future. Sean told her to enjoy it. It was her last night after all; what could happen? She couldn't exactly get fired. So she did, pouring drinks for customers, as well as for herself. Even Charlie came in at one point and bought her a drink, saying, "The place just is not going to be the same without being able to look at you.""Aw, you're sweet, Charlie," she said. "But you can forget a goodbye lay
It was four in the morning before Karla climbed into her own bed. She sent Mitch a text telling him they celebrated her last night at Sand Dune with drinks after closing and she was exhausted and going to bed. She promised to reach out when she woke up and apologized for the short notice. Of course, she left out the more titillating aspects of the celebration. He didn't need to know that, even if he said he could handle it. He was male. They don't handle their girlfriend getting banged by others very well. As it was, she'd be getting a spanking anyway for telling him what she did without asking. She would picture him punishing her for screwing Heath and Sean, as opposed to not asking permission to go home instead of to his place, and ease her guilt.Yet, she couldn't sleep. She snatched a quick shower and slid her naked body between the cool sheets, exhausted, a throbbing between her legs reminding her of her night. She should have passed right out.She didn't.Instead, she tossed and
Karla shrugged her arm out of Aimee's grasp and turned back to the stove. She bit her lower lip, pulling bacon out of the frying pan and placing the crispy strips on the paper towel. She wasn't sure if she should tell her sister what she did or not. Aimee could be a judgmental prude at times, and Karla already beat herself up enough about what she did. She didn't need the sanctimonious lecture. Yet, Aimee was also like a dog with a bone when it came to wanting something. She would nag Karla to death until Aimee wore her sister down. Like now. She wasn't pressing the issue. She just stood there, her arms over her chest, waiting, as if she knew Karla would tell her. It was rude. She wouldn't do it. No. Not this time. She would just fix her BLT and ignore Aimee's staring, judging, obnoxious…Karla took a deep breath. "I cheated on Mitch last night. Or this morning. Whichever. I had sex with Heath and Sean at Sand Dune before we left."She turned to see her sister's reaction and wished she
Karla stood outside the door to Mitch's apartment, her nerves making her fingers tremble. She took Aimee's advice and wore a short skirt, which barely covered her ass, along with a tank top two sizes too small, which made her chest ooze out the top. The shirt was meant to distract him. The skirt was to make it easy for him to spank her. She wasn't sure which way today would go, but she prepared for both. She even left her bra and panties at home. They would only get in the way for whichever path they took.She sighed as she reached out and knocked on his door. Time to face the music.It didn't take long for Mitch to open the door, a curious look on his face, his dark hair disheveled, and a cup of coffee in his hand. "I didn't expect to see you so early. I figured the celebration would still be going or you'd be passed out, ready to wake up with a hangover."She gave a weak shrug. "No hangover. I'm pretty sober."He cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Wha
They were the last ones to arrive at the park, the others already choosing a spot and Marvin Asher firing up the grill. Karla wore a skirt that actually covered everything it should and had her breasts tucked conservatively out of sight. Aimee was shocked but glad. Clint's parents would get to know all about her sister soon enough. Aimee didn't need the first meeting to be a shocker for them.Abby ran to the Ashers first, giving them each a hug and squealing when her grandfather picked her up and threatened to throw her in the air. Then, to Aimee's surprise and delight, the little girl ran to Aimee's mother and hugged her as well. She offered the others a quick hello and then darted for the playground, Clint's mother following just to keep a nervous eye on her. Paul and Mitch stood beside the picnic table, Karla clinging to Mitch's side, as Aimee's mother sat in front of them, all talking and laughing. Aimee stood still a moment, soaking in this perfect scene. They were one big happy f
Aimee stretched, her arms extending out to her side only to come up short as her hand hit another body. Rolling over, she gently ran a hand over Clint's face, a smile dancing across her own. The Saturday morning light peeked through his curtains, calling them to rise and shine, but Aimee ignored it, as she had tried to do every morning since Monday night. Every night she fell asleep beside him, and every morning she woke up wrapped around him, her arms exploring his naked chest. No matter how tired they were when they went to bed, the two of them decided, for Abby's sake, they'd make sure they wore pajamas before falling asleep. A young girl still had moments of nightmares, after all, and needed her Daddy in the middle of the night. Monday night everything changed. Bonnie was no longer his wife. Oh, he still had to stand before the judge next week and make it official, but for all intents and purposes, it was a done deal. Nothing stood in the way of their happiness now.She ran a fing
When the kiss broke, he grinned down at her. "Just tell me we can do some more photo shoots."She laughed again, harder, freer. "Clint Asher, I'll do whatever you want. All you have to do is name it." She kissed him again, this time softer, with less urgency, but just as much passion.When the kiss was over, she slid back into her seat, scooping up her wine glass as she did. "So tell me about today."He did, sharing with her how Bonnie wasn't planning on signing the papers in the beginning. First, he told her Bonnie's revelation of a need for family and why she returned. Then, he explained how he convinced her how signing the papers was the only way for the two of them to get on with their lives, that she could be the best mother to Abby she could be, but she would never again be his wife. He told Bonnie that she needed to respect Aimee and make the transition as smooth as possible. They were Abby's parents, but they would never be friends.When he finished, Aimee told him about Bonnie
The night dragged on, and Aimee could not shake her nervousness. Clint had asked her over to join them for dinner but still had not said anything about what he felt they needed to discuss. He hadn't even mentioned his meeting with Bonnie that afternoon, which made Aimee keep quiet about how the woman visited her. No need to bring up the subject if he was going to end it with her.Abby was a bundle of energy, bouncing on the couch and wanting to dominate the attention. After growing bored with that, she dragged Aimee to her room and played tea, while her father cooked dinner and music played from the front room. As Aimee played dolls with Abby, she wondered if the girl knew the extent of everything that was happening in the lives of the adults around her or if she was blissfully oblivious. For the little girl's sake, she hoped it was the latter."Dinner's ready," Clint called from the front room. Aimee had to admit he sounded happy since she arrived, not as if he was ready to send her o
A knock came at the door. Aimee glanced over her shoulder but didn't move to answer it. If it was Clint, she wanted to postpone the inevitable for as long as possible.Whoever it was knocked again. Karla stepped out of the hallway, glanced at Aimee, and then moved to answer the door. "You worry too much," Karla said over her shoulder.Aimee turned back to the ocean, the curling waves matching the churning in her stomach. She knew she was being dramatic, but she couldn't stop herself. She hated defeat."What the hell are you doing here?" Karla's voice snapped Aimee's attention around. Expecting to see Clint standing there, she was stunned when she noticed Bonnie, the woman ramrod straight, her neck stiff, and one white-knuckled hand gripping her purse strap close to her shoulder. Aimee could feel the confusion furrowing her brow, her eyes squinting, as if trying to make sure she saw what she actually saw. "Bonnie?""Again I ask, what are you doing here?" Karla stood in front of the oth
Something went wrong. While Aimee had no idea what that something was, she knew it had to be about Clint's divorce. Why else would he text her saying they needed to talk right after meeting with Bonnie? The waves barreled onto the shore, breaking upon the sand and rearranging the Atlantic Coast, just as Clint's text rearranged her security, sending her spinning in the riptide of the unknown. She stared at the white foam as the ocean sucked it back out into the deeper waters, reclaiming it as its own. Had Bonnie succeeded in the same thing with Clint? Had she won the fight and taken her husband back? Once again regaining her happy little family?She closed her eyes against the onslaught of scenarios that pummeled her mind, her head screaming against the intrusion. With everything she could muster, she tried to fight the battle within her, giving Clint the assurance he wanted that she believed him when he told her he would be here forever. Yet, it wasn't her experience. Men said whatev
Clint pulled into the local Starbucks, deciding it was the safest place to meet Bonnie to get her to sign the divorce papers. Hopefully, the opportunity for her to respond negatively would be greatly reduced by the public meeting. He had no doubt that meeting her in private would lead to her doing something detrimental to the proceeding. He just wanted to get her to sign the divorce papers and get the whole thing over with, so he could get on with the rest of his life, get on with his relationship with Aimee.He sighed. Hopefully, get Aimee to calm down and return to normal. It wasn't that all the adventures she came up with weren't hot as hell. They were, and he wouldn't mind doing them, but not if she only did them to compete with Bonnie. He wanted Aimee to be Aimee, the woman he fell in love with, the woman who sat on the couch with him and Abby and watched Disney movies, the woman who jumped into a flour fight in the kitchen, giggling and tossing the white powder everywhere. He did
Aimee stretched, her body screaming its protest at her, hating the fact that morning was already here, and she needed to rise and shine. Only one part of that would be possible until after coffee. She rolled over, her gaze drifting to the sliding glass doors at the east of her bedroom. The morning sun coaxed her, urging her to call into work and take the day off, to make a day of it at the beach, the sun's rays kissing her flesh. She grinned, scrunching down into her covers, her mind drifting to Clint's lips on hers, the passion in each one of his kisses, warming her insides like the sun would warm her outside. If she was going to call out of work, she wanted to spend the day in bed with Clint.Once they left his workshop, he went to pick up Abby and then met her at Charlie's for dinner. Abby was a chatty little girl, while she drew on her kid's menu, excited about being out with them. It was even pleasant to sit at a table, Clint's arm stretched across as he held her hand, Abby bounci
They spent the next hour moving things around in his workshop, setting up a photo shoot of the furniture he intended on selling, and making each piece look enticing. Aimee threw herself into the task at hand, examining the shadows cast by the lighting inside the workshop and making a small studio spot off to the side with nothing in the background, using some of his dark dropcloths as background drops. Clint helped her move things around, happy to be the manual labor to her vision for his photos.Outside, night started to fall, casting darker shadows on the ground as lamp posts popped on, offering only a slimmer of light to illuminate the world. Aimee finished taking her pictures: rocking chairs, tables, even a dresser Clint had crafted himself. They teased, laughing at each other when Aimee wasn't so focused on what she was doing. This was her passion, taking pictures, and she could get lost in the process for hours, inspecting angles and lighting, zooming in and out, carefully select