Jersey Summer Love

"I-I think this moment has made up for all of the missed sunrises over the past eighteen years," she said quietly, suddenly shy. "I most definitely have never experienced a sunrise like this, safe in someone's arms." She sighed when his arms held her closer. "Logan?"

"Hm?" He was nibbling along her collarbone. Raina gasped and felt lightheaded and queasy.

"I need to sit down. I'm not feeling too good." Logan bent to pick her up but she shook her head. "I can walk fine. Just give me your arm." Logan linked his arm with hers and held her hand, helping her up the beach to the blanket.

***

"How about you lie down for a few minutes and I'll put on the sunscreen?" Logan asked. He didn't want to tax her.

"Okay, that sounds good," she nodded.

Raina put her hair up in a bun and lay on her belly, turning her head to the side. He squirted the hypo-allergenic sunscreen into his palm and rubbed his hands together, warming it up. Starting at her neck, he gently massaged the sunscreen in as he worked his way to her shoulders. He hoped he was being gentle enough for her.

"Is this gentle enough?" he asked.

"Yeah, that actually feels nice."

"I don't want to leave any place uncovered, do you mind if I untie the strings so I can spread it evenly on your neck?" Logan began untying the bikini strings. Raina nodded and he moved down her back in slow circles, releasing the tie at the middle of her back and pushing the strings away. He really did want to make sure he covered her completely, but his ulterior motive was some playfulness. He really wanted to see what shade her eyes changed when she was aroused.

He chanced a brush against her side and was rewarded with a giggle.

"Oops sorry," he grinned.

"You did that on purpose," she accused, lightly.

"I might have and I might not have. You'll never know though, will you?" He kissed the spot between her shoulder blades, squirting more sunscreen into his hand. This time he didn't warm it up and just spread it on. He heard her suck air between her teeth.

"Brr."

"Now, that was on purpose," he chuckled low in her ear as he slathered her arms with sunscreen.

"Maybe you should turn over so I can do the front now," Logan suggested.

"But you haven't even done my legs yet."

"How could I forget?" He swept his hand over her back, across her bikini-clad ass, down her thigh. A chill overtook her and when she wiggled her sweet little butt, Logan swallowed hard and slipped his hands between her thighs and brushed against the fabric covering her. He slowly slid his fingers between fabric and skin, making sure to cover hidden spaces with sunscreen.

Raina lifted her head and he froze. "What are you doing?"

"If you swim in the ocean and move a certain way you might expose more of your skin to the sun," he said simply.

"Oh, good point," she put her head back down and he relaxed, moving down her legs and reached for her feet.

"No way," Raina said.

"You don't want your feet burned do you?" he questioned.

"I'll wear socks." When she realized how ridiculous that sounded, she laughed. "I'll do my feet myself, thanks."

"If you insist," Logan answered leaning his body over hers. "Raina, turn over so I can lather up the front. Then you can do your feet," he said as he brushed the arch of her foot.

"Logan!" Raina yelped and shot up off the sand, her feet tangling in the blanket. As her bikini top fell to the ground, she struggled to cover herself. Logan tried to reach for her but when her arm swung out and clocked him in the face, she slipped on the blanket and fell back. Logan landed on top of her, rubbing his jaw.

"You're so bad," she gasped under his weight, "and you're crushing me," she whimpered. "Are you okay?"

"Okay, so your feet are a no touch zone, got it. Yeah, your elbow got my jaw." Logan lifted off of her and moved away, hard and uncomfortable as he sat up. He reached for the sunscreen.

"Wait. I'll kiss it for you," Raina said, tugging the blanket off of her legs and covering her breasts with her hands.

Logan walked on his knees back over to her, handing her the sunscreen. She was lying in the opposite direction of him and was upside down from his view.

"You've got to be the most adorable ogre I've ever met," Logan smiled down at her, kissing her lips upside-down and referencing the conversation with Coral. Raina giggled and gently kissed his jaw. He timed his move when she closed her eyes, distracting her with his lips. Sliding his hands beneath hers, he took them in his and moved them away, cupping her breasts.

"Logan!" she screeched, batting his hands away from her and reaching for the blanket. "Find me my top please."

Logan pinched the ponytail the top of her head. "Hm," he said as he reached for her string bikini top.

"I didn't want your breasts to burn," he said innocently as he tied the bikini around her neck. "Sorry." He hung his head low.

She sat up. "That was real slick, but not cool!" she huffed. "Hm, what?"

"I never noticed you have tiny freckles on your face." Logan brushed at one to distract her while he tugged on the elastic of the pony-tail holder. "I like freckles." Her hair tumbled down over her shoulders. She shook her head a little, "and peaches and cream complexion."

"I try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. But yeah, I have a few small fr—eckles. Logan, what are you doing?" His fingers, feather light were touching all around her face.

"I'd say that's more than just a few," his low voice said as he entwined his fingers in her hair. "And this hair...." A hungry look came into his eye as he tugged her onto his lap.

"Not so rough," Raina whimpered.

"I'm sorry, I keep forgetting how fragile you are," he apologized. He'd have to check himself. The spreading sunscreen on her body had gotten him horny and he was trying hard not to think with his other head. But, damn!

"Not fragile," she reminded him, "just sensitive," she sighed.

Logan framed her face with his hands and gently kissed her.

"Are you in pain right now?" He wanted to know. He wanted to help her. He wanted to know the frequency of her pain and if she had good days or if they were always bad days. Was she worth his patience? He liked to think she was, but it was summer.

"You should get some ice on that, ogre boy," Raina suggested.

"That's a new one. Would a beer can work?" Logan grinned.

"Alcohol is prohibited on the beach," she reminded him.

"A can of soda then?" Her voice reciting the beach rules aroused him further.

Why not? I'm hungry. Let's make breakfast."

"I'm hungry too, Raina." He watched her for a clue, but she seemed to miss his innuendo. "Already ahead of you. I started a fire while you were wrestling with the blanket." She blinked at him. "But first, sunscreen."

"Logan, I think I can finish the front," Raina squeezed the tube into her hand.

Logan shrugged, "Suit yourself. I'll get breakfast on." He sighed in disappointment as he turned away from her. Half of him wondered if Raina was a tease, or if she really was that inexperienced. She had told him about her boyfriend. Was it possible that she didn't sleep with him? Could this amazing girl be a virgin? He'd have to find that out before he offended her or did something stupid. He didn't want to blow his chances with her.

He watched her meticulously spread the sunscreen on her arms, neck, and under the straps of her bikini, which were now tied. He was envious of her hands as they rubbed the lotion into the skin of her abdomen. He knew she'd have the softest skin. When she looked up at him, he had to turn away to hide his growing erection. His cock was beginning to harden and he was frustrated.

"Do you want me to put sunscreen on you too?" Raina's voice asked from close behind. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine," he grunted. "I need to take a dip." He sprinted down the beach and plunged into the ocean, hoping it would help relieve something. When he looked back, she was still standing there, frowning.

***

Raina wasn't sure why, but a change had definitely come over Logan. He was being so sweet and gentle with her, another minute he was very obviously pawing at her, and the minute she got bashful and told him she would finish putting sunscreen on herself, he'd seemed annoyed. Well it's not like she was helpless! She was just in pain. She sighed and took the hardrolls out of the plastic bag, spread a few pads of butter on each, lay them on a small griddle she had taken from her parent's kitchen, cracked a few eggs open, and started cooking their breakfast.

She watched Logan walk back up the beach. His skin glistened in the rising sun and her breath caught in her throat. What was someone like him; gorgeous, smart, witty doing with someone like her? A shy, mousy, dreamer? Logan walked up to the blanket and shook his head. Droplets of water flew off of his hair and landed on her.

"I changed my mind. I think I should have some of that sunscreen. Would you mind spreading it on my back?" He sat on the blanket and picked up the tube of sunscreen. Raina brushed her buttery hands off on the edge of the blanket and knelt behind him, reaching for it.

"Did you have a nice swim?" she asked as she began to spread the white cream on his expansive back. His shoulder muscles twitched as she squeezed.

"It wasn't really a swim so much as a plunge. Would you come swim with me after breakfast?"

Raina looked at the ocean with trepidation. "I don't know."

"It's calm and low tide right now. I won't let any waves knock you over," he assured her.

"Will you hold my hand?"

"I'll do one better, I'll hold you if that would help."

"Let's eat first and then I'll decide." As she spread the sunscreen on his lower back, Logan reached back and stilled her hands. He brought them around his front and tugged her against his back.

"I'm not done yet," she protested, trying to peek over his shoulder. She felt her hands move down the planes of his stomach and sat up on her knees higher to watch. Logan was moving her hands down lower. She sat back on her feet.

"Raina, are you a virgin?"

"Logan," her confused voice warned. "I don't think...."

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to make you uncomfortable with the question." He dropped her hands and moved away. She got huffy.

"Yes, okay? Yes, I'm a virgin at eighteen. There. I'll undesrstand if you want to go away now. They always do. I'm used to it anyway."

"What? Raina, but you said you had a boyfriend, a serious boyfriend of over a year and I thought --"

"You shouldn't assume, Logan. Yes I had a boyfriend. Yes it was serious. Yes we explored and played a little. But, we never had sex. I'm saving myself."

"For marriage, I'm sure," Logan said softly.

"No. Would you stop the snap-judgments?"

"Snap judgments? It was just a question," Logan said confused.

She pushed at his chest and stalked away, turning around. "I'm saving myself for love and if you must know I'm afraid it will hurt. My body hurts and I've never wanted to test the limits of that. Jus-just go away."

She fled to the car and stood, shaking in front of the door, crying. She was used to this scenario. She suspected this was the real reason she and her boyfriend and she broke up recently. He had tried to be patient with her. He just didn't understand and neither would Logan nor any other guy, she suspected.

Logan stood and looked at her from across the sand. He looked like a moron. His hard-on clearly visible, his jaw slack, and a dumb look on his face. How had she ever thought he was a different kind of guy? Stupid, stupid girl.

"Raina, I'm sorry. Please, don't leave. Come sit down and eat breakfast with me. Unless you'd rather go home and never see me again."

"I'm fine. It's too beautiful of a day to waste at home, anyway," Raina sat on the edge of the blanket while Logan made a plate for her. They ate their breakfast in silence watching the waves crash on the shore.

***

Logan looked over at Raina. She was squinting and shot off the blanket, dashing down the beach without warning.

"Raina!" he called after her. He watched her red-hair stream behind her and the sea spray splash her face as she stood on tiptoe, her arm shading her eyes. He caught up to her and stood beside her.

"Do you see it?" she whispered, excitedly. Logan tried to see what she was pointing to.

"What am I looking for?"

"The flipper. I just saw her. A blue fin shimmering in the sun. Oh Logan, she was right there, a mermaid."

Logan looked at her dumbfounded. Oh boy, either this girl had the imagination and attention span of an eight-year-old or she was nuts. "Um, mermaid? Seriously?"

"I'm serious! I just saw it. I swear I did."

Logan nodded his head, playing along. "I didn't see it, but I know there have been sightings recently." He tried to put some excitement into his tone.

"Truly?" She looked like she was going to dive into the water after whatever phantom she was chasing.

"Um, no. But, you know maybe it was a large fish or something. Or a shark. They've been sighted right off the coast.

She turned to him, her eyes wide. "And that's how you plan on getting me into the ocean by telling me there's a shark out there?"

"No, I didn't say there's a shark. I said there have been sightings way off the coast. Miles away." A large splash of water distracted them at the same time. "Woah! That would have to be one big fish to cause that kind of disturbance."

"I told you. It's a mer-person," Raina tried to convince him as she walked in far enough so that the water lapped at her ankles.

"I don't know about a mermaid. You have some wild imagination! Let's get a closer look. Will you come in the water with me?"

Raina took a deep breath and slipped her hand in his. "Don't let me go," she warned. "It's not my imagination. She was right there," she pointed to a spot a few feet away.

"I won't. Just hold on tight." He clasped her hand in his securely and they waded further in until the water was up to her waist. "A little deeper?" he asked. At her nod, they proceeded. Raina screeched.

"What?" he asked her.

"Ugh, something just brushed against my legs."

"Maybe it's your mermaid," he teased, not unkindly.

"Or a shark," her brow furrowed as she clung to him. She opened her mouth to speak when a stream of water splashed her in the face. "Did you do that?"

"Me? Do what? Splash you? How could I splash you when you are holding both of my arms like a lifeline? No, it wasn't me," Logan told her.

"Well then what was --." Another splash and a squeak sound.

"Looks like we found your mermaid, or your mermaid found us," Logan said. "Wow."

"Wow," she echoed. "Not a mermaid, a dolphin!" They watched the sleek gray form glide past them and then leap in front of them.

"Just as good?" Logan asked, just as excited.

"Even better," Raina agreed. "But why is it so close to shore?"

"Well, it has been an unseasonably hot summer and a mild winter. I just can't believe it's letting us so close to it." The dolphin picked up speed and circled around them. "It likes you. I think it wants you to go swim with it."

"Aren't you afraid if I go with it that I'll never come back? Maybe it's enchanted and the second I touch its fin, it will transform into a man and take me away."

"I think you should take that thought and get it onto paper and just enjoy this moment with me," Logan suggested. "It would make a great story line, but a sad ending for me. Please don't let the enchanted dolphin lure you away like the sirens and mermaids of old did to the sailors," Logan played along.

"Maybe it's a wish granter."

"Did you wish to be braver in the ocean?"

"Huh?" Raina kept her eye on the dolphin.

"Well, it looks like the dolphin had more luck getting you comfortable in the ocean than I did," Logan noted.

Raina looked down and noticed she was in up to her neck, treading water like nothing. She had let go of Logan's hand at some point and was so distracted, she forgot to be scared. The dolphin waved it's fin, slammed it's tail down and leaped away from them.

"Wait, don't go!" Raina sighed. "You're beautiful, graceful, mesmerizing. Thank you."

"It looks like the dolphin man isn't sticking around. But I'm not going anywhere," Logan said as he swam over to her. "Two magical experiences in one day. Do you want to try for a magical evening?"

"A magical evening?"

"Well, I'd like to take you out on a proper date. I took a couple of days off from work. So there's no rush to get back up north. What do you think?"

"I'm not sure I have enough energy for that." Raina sighed, trying to touch the sand with her feet and couldn't. They had drifted into deeper water. "I can't reach the bottom." She was tired and achy from treading water.

"Well I still can. Hold onto me and I'll bring us back to shore."

"I don't want to need you to bring me back to shore," she frowned.

"It's okay to need someone sometimes, Raina. I know you aren't helpless. You're just tired. Let me help you. Are you always so scattered?"

Raina wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He tried to focus, but her wet body was clinging to his, her sweet little curves were pressing in all of the right places and he was enjoying the moment. He tilted her onto her back and when her head dropped to the water, he kissed the column of her throat. She sighed.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I have a hard time focusing sometimes. It isn't ADD or anything like that. It's called FibroFog. Does it bother you?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I can keep up with you, I think. Anyway, I'll make your time with me worthwhile and I'll even build a nap into our time together, if that would help."

"A date or a day?" She her brow.

"I was thinking all day and night," he said honestly, carrying her into the shallows.

"I'd love to go on a date," she responded to him and to his kisses. "My Dad wants to meet you though. A date would be a good excuse for that."

"Will anyone be home tomorrow?"

"No." She shifted to look into his eyes. "My parents are working and Coral is going to Six Flags Great Adventure with her friends for the day. Why?"

"Perfect." He grinned, kissing her.

"Dinner tonight so I can meet your parents. And then tomorrow, when no one's home, I get you for the whole day," he told her. "Sound good?"

"What do you have planned?" she asked, curious.

"It's a surprise." He let her go when her feet could touch the sand again.

***

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Raina slid into the truck beside Logan the next morning. He knew that if her parents saw her on his bike, he'd get his balls busted, or worse. That was the threat her Mom had given him the first day he met her and he could tell she was a woman of her word. He hoped that taking a few days off of work would ensure that her parents would be working, at least one of those week days. Looked like so far, he was right.

He was glad her Dad was laid back and chill. They'd talked cars and shop before their dinner date and her father had even shown him his own pride and joy, his Corvette. Her mom had played twenty questions with him, but had been pleasant and sarcastic. He now knew where Raina's sister Coral got her spunkyness from and where Raina got her stubborn streak from. He'd always been good with girls' parents before, but this just felt so natural to him. Once they'd dwelled for a few minutes on his age and he'd satisfied their curiosity with what he was doing with their teenaged daughter, they'd put him at ease.

He hoped that today's date didn't screw things up. He knew her parents' concerns and rules about motorcycles. He'd learned that Raina's father lost his best friend in an accident when they were younger and was therefore incredibly cautious. He soothed his worries by reminding himself, as he would remind Raina when the issue came up, that he was taking the bike off-road for that very reason.