Updated: June 18, 2023

Aubrey

            He helped me into the passenger seat of his truck. No joke–I was good and sore now. I kept shifting in my seat trying to find a comfortable position. He climbed in and started it up. The sound of his music blared with the engine and caused us both to be startled.  

            “Is that the soundtrack to Les Mis?” I asked with disbelief.  It was one of my favorites.

He chuckled with embarrassment as he lowered the volume.

            “Yes Ma’am, kinda a battle hymn before going into court. I usually play ‘One Day More’ it fires me up,” he was flustered by the admission.

            “Clay don’t be embarrassed. It’s one of my most favorite Broadway Shows, I really do love this music,”

            He was eyeing me up again, as he did when I first got dressed that morning, whistling low like a pack wolf. I was in a navy blue skort with embroidered white anchors on it, and my top was sleeveless with tiny blue and white checks that tied in the front. I felt a little too busty in it, but I had the buttons done up to keep the view to a minimum.

            “You are one beautiful woman, Aubrey,” he whispered, leaning over the console to kiss me. His hand cupping my cheek.

            I blushed and kissed him again, staring up into his sapphire eyes. I was falling in love, hard, and it wouldn’t end well. I couldn’t live down here and I’d never ask him to move up North. What the fuck was I going to do?

            He appeared relaxed and comfortably dressed in a grey Kiawah Island tee shirt and khaki cargo shorts. He had snuck down to his room earlier for clothes. The car’s music was interrupted by an incoming call received by his blue tooth.  The dash screen lit up with the name, Jimmy Lee. Clay answered it and barked,

            “Behave you old red neck, there is a lady in the car, and y’all on speaker phone,”

            “Clayton Hoover, ya ole crocodile, did you overthrow the union single handedly and force that sweet Yankee girl to surrender?” Jimmy Lee’s laugh was fun and raucous.

            I snickered quietly, noticing the twang of Clay’s accent getting stronger when talking to Jimmy Lee. Clay glanced over at me and winked. His grin crooked and proud.

            “I did no such thing, unlike you I’m a gentleman and also one who doesn’t kiss and tell,” he laughed. He slid his hand gently onto my bare thigh causing me to flush with arousal.

            “Son, y’all think I don’t know who you are? I do hope that poor girl can walk today, if she got anywhere near that low-country-loch-ness-monster, I’ll know as soon as I see her unsteady gait up my gang plank.” Jimmy snarked, cracking himself up.

            I couldn’t help myself, I burst out laughing.  The ‘Lowcountry loch ness monster’, he wasn’t wrong about that description.

            “Ahhhh the lady incriminates herself, I submit to the court your honor, there is no doubt what deviousness was enacted prior to this phone call. Are you being held against your will, Miss Aubrey? Speak up now and I can have a rescue team meet you at the marina.” Jimmy teased.

            “No Sir, I’m willing and happily accompanying the prosecution to your boat and thank you for your hospitality in advance.” I responded, unable to stifle my laughter.  

            Jimmy Lee chuckled with glee, “Well no doubt y’all worked up a decent appetite. My Livvie has been frying chicken all morning since she heard Clay was bringing a lady along. I hope you’re not one of those dreadful vega-narians or some nonsense like that,” he added with disgust.

            “No Sir,” I replied. “Chicken fried by a good Southern woman is something I’m looking forward to immensely. Not all of us Yankee girls indulge in trendy eating habits.”

            Clay was chuckling, “Vega-narians,” he mumbled under his breath. “That man is impossible to housebreak.”

            “Well now that there is a promising declaration Miss Aubrey, we are looking forward to having y’all aboard. You know where I’m docked Clayton?”

            “Affirmative, heading there now after the lady and I fetch some ridiculously priced drive through coffee. If the creek don’t rise, our eta is about forty minutes. Gimme a shout if y’all need me to pick anything up on the way.”

            “I tell you this, Son. You might have to pick my jaw up off the floor, ‘cause you sounding about twenty years younger on this phone. I’m solid. I’ll holla at you soon,” Jimmy disconnected the call, and the music came back into the car.

Clay was shaking his head and laughing quietly to himself.

            “What?” I asked.

            “You,” he smiled, turning slightly to face me. “He’s met his match for sure, he can stir shit like a Sunbeam blender, and you give back as good as you get, I’m inspired.” He grinned happily running his hand over the inside of my thigh.

            He pulled into a coffee shop drive-thru and ordered us two large cups and knew exactly how to have mine prepared. Handing my cup over to me and then his own, he paid the cashier.

            “Thank you Miss Tilly, please give your Daddy my kind regards,” Clay spoke to the woman inside the pick-up window and handed her a five-dollar bill for a tip.

            “Mr. Clayton y’all so kind, I will indeed.  Y’all enjoy your day now, we all as proud as punch at what you done, congratulations for putting that sick animal in jail.”

            “Thank you Miss Tilly, just doin’ my job.” He replied humbly. It didn’t escape him how her glance furtively darted over to me inquisitively, recognizing she had never seen me before and her eyebrows shot into her hairline with the sight of his hand returning to my thigh.  

We adjusted our cups in the cars holders.

            “We’re going to be county-wide news by sunset aren’t we?” I asked with some trepidation.

            Clay snickered, “That’s a good bet, Sugar, I hope you don’t mind.” He leaned over and kissed me, giving Miss Tilly a good view, before pulling out of the lane and back onto the highway.  

            Despite the local rumors of how us Northern girls were raised, I was not one to arrive invited somewhere without a gift for the hostess. I’d asked Clay to stop at a lovely farm stand we came upon along the road to pick up a beautiful basket of arranged flowers for Miss Livvie Cobb. The woman running the stand arranged wildflowers and calla lilies in the ornate basket with a perfectly tied gingham bow.

            I handed her the cash and thanked her profusely. She squinted past me to look into the truck. Her body language relaxed when she recognized Clay.

            “That Clayton Hoover you ridin’ around wit?” she asked me in slight disbelief.

            I nodded my head and she smiled warmly.

            “Well it’s about dang time that man found him a nice woman, we all been hoping he’d regroup from that awful split. Y’all have a nice day now and thank you kindly for stopping.” She handed me the basket and went back to assist other customers.

            He appeared to open the door for me again and assisted me up into the truck, slipping his hand over my ass as I got in.

            “Clay!” I whispered loudly, “They’re all watching us, try to behave,” I implored him. Feeling the probing eyes of the women in and around the farm stand.

            He stepped up onto the running board and leaned in to kiss me, his hand held my face as his mouth opened and his tongue swirled around mine. I slid my hand under his tee shirt. We kissed urgently and eager, and I was sure it was quite a performance for the small audience gathered around watching.

            He leaned his forehead against mine, “I will do no such thing, let their tongues wag. I’m quite bewitched with you Miss Aubrey and could give a good fuck what people think about it.” He kissed me again, jumped down and closed my door.  He waved over to the ladies, who quickly tried to turn around, and act oblivious.

            “Y’all enjoy the rest of your day now,” he quipped over to them. We both giggled as he drove away.

Clay

            We talked like old friends reconnecting, laughing, and teasing. Serious background information was exchanged, as well as my limited tour guide abilities of the surrounding area. We debated over music choices amicably. We were almost there, maybe ten minutes out.

            “Aubrey…” I took a serious tone.

            She looked over at me, so dang lovely. Her eyes were intoxicating, the violet hue, big, round, dark, fringed with thick lashes. I wanted to get lost in them and kiss her over and over again. Her nose cute like a button, and that smile… just fucking pretty as hell.

            “Did you want to say something Clay?” she smiled, as if she could read my mind, licking her lips, luscious and full.

            “I did. I do, about Livvie.” I began with hesitation, I fiddled with my sunglasses.

Aubrey sat back against the seat, and chuckled.

            “She’s gonna interrogate me isn’t she? Bless her heart,” she teased sweetly.

            I guffawed, “Why yes Ma’am she is. I’m second guessing this idea and doubting the wisdom of putting you through the inevitable.” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

            She ran her hand over my thigh, the feel on my bare skin raised gooseflesh over me.

            “Clay, I’m a big girl. I can take it. Was she close with your ex?” she asked gently.

            I sighed and tried to put the last twenty years into a short summation.

            “They were sorority sisters and thick as thieves since they were knee high to grasshoppers. Livvie took our breakup hard, I’m not sure what side of the fence she has fallen on, since my ex-wife excommunicated herself willingly from all our couple friends. She was bumping uglies with a guy from our circle. Two marriages were ruined…”

            I took a large swig from my coffee and put the cup back into the holder, Aubrey reached for my hand to hold. I brought it up to my mouth to kiss the inside of her wrist before I continued.

            “There has been no lack of contention and quite a bit of backyard barbecue discussion about who was to blame for all of it, but it’s equitably distributed. I’m a workaholic and my former wife is not. She didn’t get the attention she needed or deserved. She stopped sleeping with me soon after our son was born, she didn’t enjoy it and I respect that, I’m endowed in a way she couldn’t accommodate and though I tried other ways to please her, it was never enough for either of us…”

            I stopped suddenly, I didn’t want to lay all of this on her, I wanted this weekend to be without strings or judgements. I wanted time with her, all of her for as long as I could have her. She brought me back to life, pouring her beauty and sensuality over the parched earth of my existence. I had forgotten how much I loved sex and to finally find a woman who could enjoy it with me without pleading for me to pull out from the pain. Fucking jackpot. I was falling in love, and it was guaranteed to go up in flames, there was no way this ended good, but I didn’t give a fuck. I was in love, I was enchanted by this woman, and I wouldn’t let the pitch pass by me.

            She slid her hand up my leg, rubbing it affectionally. Her voice was warm and kind with its sexy gravel tone comforting me.

            “Clay, you don’t have to defend yourself to me. Relationships aren’t easy on good days. I don’t know anyone who gets it right all the time. I’m divorced ten years. It was a horrible experience. I lost all our friends, and my in-laws shunned me outright. No matter the circumstances, Livvie is going to make her own mind up about me and out of the gate–I’m a dark horse on paper. I just met you last night, at best I’m a loose jezebel from above the Mason Dixon Line.”

            I started to laugh, she was right about me bringing a girl I picked up in a bar last night to my best friend’s boat for a Saturday social outing. This just wasn’t done. But I’m fifty-two years old and have been alone for a long time, I was starving for what this woman appeared with and I wasn’t tossing her onto a pile of anonymity.

            I pulled into the marina parking lot and steered the truck into a spot. After I cut the engine and slipped off my seat belt, she climbed up into my lap, holding my face and kissing me delicious and soft.

            “We are in some big trouble Sugar,” I sighed, “What did we do?” I held my hands in her dark hair.

She smiled at me, staring into my eyes, her sensational ass in my lap and leaning in to kiss me again.

            “We started a fire, baby. No going back now. We’ll figure it out, don’t think too hard. Everything melts. Bad feelings, awkward starts to relationships– all of it. You’ll see, it’s gonna work out in the end, I promise. I’m magic.” She assured me, and I kissed her again, my soul melting into hers.

            The knock on the window made us both jump and start to laugh, seeing Jimmy Lee’s ugly mug right beside us in the driver’s window.

            “Crocodile, leave that girl alone for a minute and bring her up for some lunch. Sweet Jesus, Clay can you get a hold of yo’self?’

            Aubrey slid off my lap and back into her seat. I got out to open her door and retrieve the flower basket from the rear seat.

            “Lovely to see you again, Miss Aubrey,” Jimmy Lee smiled and approached to hug her in greeting. Aubrey smiled and returned the gesture.

            “It’s so nice to see you again as well, Mr. Cobb.”

            Jimmy Lee, postured, “None of that now, Yankee girl, no formalities here. I do hope you brought along your swimming trunks, Clay asked me to bring y’all to a beach at some point.”

            Aubrey laughed and flushed, “I did indeed, thank you.”  

            Jimmy Lee grabbed our day bags, and I took her hand in mine to walk behind Jimmy Lee toward his boat. I noticed Livvie standing on the aft watching us approach, her sunglasses and visor blocking most of her facial expressions.

            “Clay?,” Jimmy Lee whispered under his breath.

            “I warned her, she’s ready.” I answered his unasked question.

            Jimmy Lee fell back in step beside Aubrey.

            “I’m gonna throw myself on your mercy here and now Miss Aubrey. She sounds sweet enough but don’t be fooled, she’s a cobra, don’t let her squeeze you too hard before you can’t call out for help.”

            Aubrey laughed and patted Jimmy Lee on the arm. “Don’t forget Counselor, my people won the war.”

            Jimmy Lee nodded in agreement. “Yes Ma’am y’all did, but no one here has ever forgotten it, much less forgave it.”

            Jimmy Lee introduced Aubrey, “Livvie, this here is Miss Aubrey Teller, Miss Aubrey this is my darling wife Livvie Cobb.”

            Aubrey presented her with the basket of flowers, “Miss Livvie, I’m so pleased to meet you, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your afternoon.” She purred like a kitten and Livvie tried to hate her but was having a bit of a time. She inspected her from head to toe slowly. Aubrey stood tall and never cowered. I was so proud.

            Livvie took the basket gratefully, “What a beautiful arrangement, I don’t know how y’all knew it, but calla lilies are my favorite. Y’all pick this up at Miss Betty’s farm over on 622?”

            Aubrey gushed with pride, “Yes, yes we did, what a charming spot she has.”

            “Hmmmf,” Livvie snorted. “Did those old buzzards see you get out of Clayton’s truck? They will have the roof off the church tomorrow with their talk. Thank you Aubrey, these are beautiful. Come on now, come aboard and make yourself at home.  Clayton, so good to see you, congratulations on the trial, I must say you out did yourself in that court room. The whole county is fixin’ to run you for president.”  I gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek and thanked her.

            Livvie Cobb was in her day a striking woman. In college she was a living Barbie doll model, long blonde hair, with cheekbones and legs for days. Jimmy Lee chased her around like a rabid dog till she gave him the time of day.

             Raising kids and putting up with Jimmy Lee had worn her down. She wasn’t aging gracefully. Her face wrinkled from the sun, she let her body go and it showed the ravages from being unnecessarily mean spirited most of the time. I was still holding my breath when they escorted us to the top deck lounge area.

            Livvie had Aubrey cornered at the table and poured a round of fresh brewed sweet tea into tall ice-filled glasses.

            “Sit, sit, I have so many questions,” Livvie chirped. I found my seat next to Aubrey and slid my hand onto her knee under the table. She squeezed my hand bravely.

            “Jimmy Lee, ask Della to start bringing out the food, these two-look famished. She said it tongue in cheek and I saw Aubrey blush slightly.

            The boat mess crew began bringing platters of fried chicken, cornbread, potato salad, and a full bowl of cut watermelon pieces.

            “Aubrey, this is our chief steward, Miss Della, she’s been with us for years, bless her. Miss Della this is Aubrey Teller, she is a guest of our Clayton’s”

            Della was a petite grandmotherly looking woman with a gentle face and comforting blue eyes. I had been particularly fond of her for years.

            “Mr. Clayton, y’all done us proud, what a victory.” She touched my shoulder affectionately. I stood to hug her and kiss her cheek.

            “Thank you Miss Della, how are your boys?” I asked.

            “Mr. Clayton, you know those two, trouble from the time they drew breath. They keeping me young.” Della now turned her attention to Aubrey, sizing her up more politely than Livvie, but made the measure, nonetheless.

            “So very nice to meet you Miss Aubrey, I hope you brought your appetite, Miss Livvie been cooking since early this mo’ning.”

            Aubrey nodded cheerfully, “Thank you, Miss Della I never go anywhere without my appetite and this all smells so delicious,”         

            We began to pass the platters around the table, Aubrey whispered quietly to me,

            “Can I use my hands? Or should I be using silverware in this situation,” I could smell her bath soap and faint perfume, her scent was like clean laundry off the clothesline after a day in the Georgia sunshine.

I chuckled with her question and whispered back to her.

            “Sugar, use your hands, there ain’t nothing delicate about fried chicken in the south.”

            “That’s an interesting accent you have Aubrey, where abouts up North are your people from?” Livvie asked. She was visibly annoyed by our closeness and the intimate murmuring.

            Aubrey sat up and took her first bite of chicken. I passed her the basket of cornbread, and she took a piece for her plate.  She finished chewing, letting Livvie wait before answering her question.

            “The great state of Pennsylvania,” she replied, “Actually I was born in Philadelphia, but live now in New Jersey on the southernmost point in a town called Cape May. My Daddy was born down here, his people are from Jasper County, and he lived in Beaufort for a bit until he met my mother in Italy when he was stationed with the Marines.”

            Livvie perked up, “So there is some South Carolina blood in your pedigree?” she questioned.

            Aubrey tore off a piece of chicken and held it up to my mouth to feed  me, I took it into my mouth and bit down on her finger playfully. She laughed low and sexy. The sound was music. I was enjoying this show, Livvie was getting herself twisted up in knots and Aubrey was toying with her like a black widow spider who discovered Livvie in her web.

            “Miss Livvie, my family rarely talked about the South Carolina pedigree. My Daddy and his father were estranged for many years. Lots of secrets were kept until recently when my father passed.” Her tone was solemn with a crack of emotion. I reached for her hand and brought it to my lips. She smiled at me gratefully. I wanted to kiss her desperately but had no desire to set Livvie off.

            “Then what in the world brought you down here?” Livvie asked haughtily.

            Aubrey wiped her mouth with a floral napkin. And with great drama and flourish spun her tale. Her voice captivating. She had us all gripped with her testimony.

            “Well to begin with I observed this obscure little trial from any internet media that relented to cover it. I was instantaneously spellbound by the prosecution. Now to my great chagrin, his taller more attractive co-counsel was sporting a wedding ring, but oh my, that ringless lead gentleman was compelling and I was inspired to meet him. Keenly aware that my grandfather’s property was now mine to deal with I made the pilgrimage down here to the Lowcountry to begin those proceedings. My true intention all along was to put forth my best attempt to unabashedly seduce South Carolina’s golden boy of the moment.” She took a dramatic pause, and delivered her closing statement,  

“I don’t want to get out over my skis, but I think my efforts have proven fruitful,” she stabbed her fork into a cut square of watermelon and placed it triumphantly in her mouth.

            Jimmy Lee and I erupted with laughter, especially with Aubrey’s use of Jimmy Lee’s often quoted court soundbite about ‘skis’. Livvie tried not to but couldn’t help herself and it was a nice sound. Livvie rarely laughed anymore, but Aubrey was disarming, you couldn’t resist being swept up in her vortex.

            “Well, I sure enough deserved that, Aubrey, ‘more attractive co-counsel’ been a long time since you heard that Poppa, sad but true,” Livvie chuckled, grinning over at her husband.

            Jimmy Lee leaned over to kiss her cheek,

            “You are and always will be the only girl for me, Laverna,”

            Livvie flushed slightly and touched his face gently.

            “Sweet man,” she whispered sincerely.

            I was flabbergasted. I glanced over at Aubrey, and she was enjoying her lunch, she winked at me, and I turned to summer Jell-O salad on the inside.

            Livvie sat back and picked at her plate,

            “I’m not past the idea y’all just met last night. I’m not judging mind you, but you’ve hardly spent twenty-four hours together, y’all can’t know anything about each other.”

            “You’re not judging?” I asked facetiously.

            “Clayton, we’re not young’uns anymore, we are folks set in our beliefs and…”

            “Liv, stop.” I was stern yet gentle. “I know who we are. I know who I am. I have been unhappy for so long. I didn’t think I could recognize–much less deserve the extent of joy I have experienced in the last almost twenty-four hours. You cannot piss in my grits, we know each other a very long time.”

Livvie nodded her head in agreement. She released her tightly folded arms and relaxed her posture.

            “Clayton, I’m truly sorry.  You’re right. I tend to forget how much you have suffered. I took her side, she was my sister. I never dug into the reasons behind everything. She abandoned all of us. You most certainly do deserve joy and happiness.” She sighed with resignation and turned her attention back to Aubrey.

            “Aubrey, I apologize, there’s a great deal of history amongst us and none of it your doing. I hope I haven’t ruined your day with my silliness.” Livvie idly smoothed over the skirt of her tennis dress.

Aubrey was gracious and humble.

             “Ma’am this chicken is the best thing I have ever tasted, I would endure a twelve-hour, dark room interrogation without a pee break to sit at your table.” She accentuated her point by biting into a crispy drumstick.

            The collective of us all laughed together, the relaxation settled over the entire table.

            “Here darling, let me refill your tea, or would you care for something a tad stronger?’ Livvie asked–her tone sweetened, and she stood.  Aubrey nodded her head her eyes lighting up.

            “Sugar, want some vodka for that tea?” I asked. She turned to me and smiled.

            Livvie laughed again, “Well good news there, I have a jug of Tito’s hidden around here for just that occasion. Jay bug, come help me dig it out,” she ordered, her husband. Jimmy Lee hadn’t heard that particular term of endearment in a minute and jumped to follow her.

            “You,” I shook my head again. “Look what you did, I think Jimmy Lee might just get himself a nice slice of pie tonight.” I chuckled at the crazy outcome of it all.

            “Again, Counselor, it was my side that won the war,” she smiled with triumph.

            Aubrey then leaned in under the rim of my ball cap and kissed me, I turned full around to her, drawing her face to mine and sinking my tongue into her warm mouth. I couldn’t stop, kissing her was becoming like air to me- air I had been denied of for so long.  I drew away slightly, looking into her lust filled eyes.

            “Sugar, I swear to you, I will do whatever it takes for us to be together. I’m not trying to think about it now, it might take the two of us to make some life altering changes, but I want you with me and only you, I swear on all that is holy in this world.”

            “Don’t Clay, don’t make any promises. We can’t go there yet. There is so much complication between us. Just kiss me and don’t think. We are suspended in time right now and I don’t want to end this dream yet.” She begged.

            I kissed her again, my body heat rising. I wanted to take her to bed and crawl inside of her, surrounded by her warmth and wetness.

            Jimmy Lee and Livvie appeared clearing their throats and sporting a bottle of Tito’s vodka to spike our tea. We pulled apart and composed ourselves.

            “Miss Aubrey, the captain’s gonna take us over to Edisto Beach for y’all to get some sand in your shoes, we should be there in about an hour. Y’all want to change into your suits, there’s a second bedroom downstairs, has a full head with a shower,” Jimmy Lee offered.

I grabbed our day bags and almost raced her down the steps, I couldn’t wait to get her alone.

            “Clay?” she asked when I closed the door,

            “Aubrey?” I nuzzled her neck, kissing the sweet-smelling delicate skin.

            “Are we going to really do this here? With your friends so close by?” she asked, her will weakening with my mouth on her neck.

            “Sugar, I cannot keep my hands off of you, they can’t hear anything up on deck.” I assured, slowly undoing her top. I kissed her happily.

            Between her hungry kisses she whispered,

            “I’m going to need to bite down on something to keep my voice down.” She laughed.    Her words were slowing as I removed her bra and began to caress her breasts gently, my mouth finding those hard buds and running my tongue around them.

            “I’m fixin’ to eat that pussy like it’s my last meal on death row. I want you to come all over my face, try to drown me,” I murmured, sliding down her skorts and panties. “Lay down on the bed” I ordered.

She slid onto her back, and I opened her legs, slowly kissing the inside of her thighs.

            “Sweet Jesus you are delectable,” I whispered. “Tell me Sugar, tell me what you want,” I urged.

            “You Clay, all of you,” she sighed, her hands on my head.  

            I dipped my mouth to her wonderland and began to feast. Using my tongue, my fingers, I gently brought her to climax over and over again. Listening to her hold back her cries of ecstasy, she squirmed and buckled beneath me.

            “Let it out Sugar, no one can hear you over the boat’s engine,” I urged. She looked down at me her face glowing with lust.

            “Give it to me Clay, I want you inside me,” she growled like a feral animal.

            “But Sugar, I know you’re sore, you been shifting in your seat tryin’ to get comfortable all morning. I don’t want to make it worse.” I didn’t want to hurt her. She was a fucking animal, her whole body was swelled with lust.

            She sat up and reached for my cargo shorts, undoing the buckle and buttons.

            “Give it to me, slow and steady and don’t stop until I scream.” She begged,

            I took off my shorts and boxers and slid her down onto her back. I held my erection in my hand for her to see it,

             “This is this what you want, all of this?” I toyed.

            “Yes, please, every inch,” she sighed. It almost brought me to tears, in my whole life a woman never looked at me like this, no fear, no repulsion, pure desire and devotion. Where had she been?

            I put the head at the entrance and teased her swollen lips, she was soaking wet, and I almost came from the feel of her. I inched in easy, but she was open to me, her body adjusting to the size, like a flower with petals stretching open to the sun, her pussy bloomed and took me all in.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh fuck,” she cried out. Her hands slid down my back, lightly scratching me with her fingernails. The feeling caused chills up my spine.

            “Aubrey….so wet… so fucking good,” I groaned, full throttle inside her, the trembling of her internal walls stroked me. Her legs around my waist, her mouth rooting for mine to kiss. I stared down into her eyes, never breaking the gaze.

            “Sugar, I’m falling in love with you, it’s not happenin’ slow, ” I whispered. “Don’t break my heart, promise?” I murmured, burrowing inside her and feeling her encompass me.

            “I promise,” she whispered staring into my eyes. “Baby go faster, I’m gonna lose it soon.” I sped up feeling my control starting to unravel. I fucked her hard and fast, until we climaxed together.

            I fell onto my back and brought her with me in my arms.

            “I have no control with you, that should scare me,” I chuckled.

            She snuggled up against me running her fingers through the hair on my chest. She peppered sweet kisses on me. I reached for her face, kissing her again and again.

            “Christ on a bike, what are we gonna do?” I worried aloud. She sat up and leaned down to cover my mouth with her own,

            “Clay you promised, stop thinking about it. We are going to sit in a very warm bubble bath tomorrow night back in my suite and discuss all the options. I will stay up all night until we come up with a plan that works for both of us. But not today and not tonight. Let’s enjoy this please? Now get up and help me into my bathing suit.”

            I watched her sexy body get out of the bed and reach into her bag for her swim suit. I helped her adjust the hidden bra inside and whistled when she turned around. It was a black one-piece strapless swim dress. Her boobs looked luscious, and I bent my head down to run my tongue inside her cleavage.

            “C’mon we’ve been gone long enough, we are gonna cause a problem,” she fidgeted reaching for a coverup dress she had in her bag and slipped it over her head. She grabbed a small bag with sunblock and her sunglasses.

            I quickly dressed in my trunks and slipped on my boat shoes.

            We appeared back up on the deck to Livvie and Jimmy Lee well into their cocktails, the mood was much lighter, and I actually heard them laughing together.  This day was quickly becoming a miracle.

Aubrey

            Edisto Beach was a small quaint beach town, and the weather was unseasonably warm for late March. The captain pulled into the small marina and docked in a slip for us to disembark. We met a driver who took us across the island to the beach. Miss Della packed us a cooler of adult beverages, along with beach sized blankets, towels, beach chairs and umbrellas.

            The men had us quickly set up close to the water and we sat in a circle drinking and laughing, mostly at Jimmy Lee’s expense. He was a great teddy bear of a man. Fair skinned and freckled with mischievous green eyes, reddish blonde hair, and ruddy complexion. He was slightly taller than Clayton but huskier.

            They ribbed each other constantly and were fun to be around.

            “Sugar, want to go for a swim,” Clay asked, standing in front of me and holding out his hand.

            “Absolutely,” I agreed, taking his hand as he pulled me to my feet.

            “Be mindful out there for jellies,” Livvie warned, adjusting her sun visor.

            “She should mind that sea monster Clay is concealing in them trunks,” Jimmy Lee teased. We were walking hand in hand toward the water line when I turned to look at Jimmy Lee and gave him the thumbs up.  You could hear his laughter for miles away.

            The water was warm and calm, and I dived under the surface. It was wonderful. Clay dived beside me, and I felt his arms encircle me when we resurfaced. He kissed me sweetly and we swam around and splashed each other joyfully.

We floated on our backs holding hands like sea otters when they sleep. The sun was strong, and I was feeling it start to sting my skin.

            “I need to put something on and get under the umbrella,” I said. He held me close to him in the water, his face in my neck. I wrapped my legs around his waist, it was nice to be weightless in the water and held by him.

            “Are you enjoying yourself, Aubrey, anything else you’d like to do?” He whispered.

            “The beach, the ocean and you? That’s all I’ll ever need,” I said seriously.

He smiled with joy and kissed me softly.  I could taste the salt water on his lips, and I poured myself into that kiss. We headed back to our fort in the sand, drying off and applying sunscreen to each other’s backs. Livvie poured us both another Tito’s and tea and we relaxed in our chairs. Digging our feet in the sand.

            “Tell me about your Momma, Aubrey. You haven’t spoken about her.” Livvie asked.

            My throat closed up, it was a normal reaction when anyone inquired about her. It must have shown on my face. Clay sat up and took my hand.

            “You don’t need to do this.” He whispered with concern. I squeezed his hand and swallowed my tears. Livvie sat up now, smelling the blood in the water. She cooed,

            “It’s alright dahhhhhlin’ you amongst friends now,” she assured, drawling out the word ‘darling’ as if it would convince me of her undying loyalty.

            Southern women and gossip–especially new news from an outsider, it was like catnip to them. Spill the tea, was their mantra. I took a sip of my drink and took a deep breath.

            “My Momma… she was killed in a car wreck when I was four years old. Daddy met her when he was deployed overseas. Him and his buddies went to Taormina, Sicily for leave and he met her there. He told the story all the time, she was posing as a waitress in a small villa restaurant, but in truth she was part of the Italian military intelligence. He fell desperately in love with her, and she did the same, according to him. I never did get to ask her myself…” the tears started to well in my eyes. The sound of his voice echoed in my head—the many times he told me I was her spitting image.

            “Marianna Genovese,” I mumbled. Clay perked his head up.

            “Not the Genovese family?” he asked in shock.

            “The very same,” I replied with trepidation.

            Jimmy Lee was stroking his chin. “Little girl, what’s the chances her car wreck was not an accident?”

            I looked up at Jimmy Lee, the ancient sadness swept over me,

            “Jimmy Lee, my Daddy swore it wasn’t an accident with his last breath. He begged me to keep digging, he left me everything he’d investigated from the moment she died. Files and pictures and police reports, all dead ends. No, I don’t believe it was an accident.”

            The group got quiet when Livvie asked, “Aubrey honey, what do you do for a living?”

            I was surprised it had taken her this long, Clay asked almost right away at the bar last night. He also guessed the truth from the questions I was asking him about the trial. He recognized subject matter expertise.

            Part of our conversation in the car during the ride to meet the Cobbs I inquired if it was something I could trust them with. He assured me I could, but he’d go along with whichever story I wanted to tell.

            “Miss Livvie, I’m a free-lance writer. I’ve been published in many magazines. Mostly travel and leisure, fluff stuff. But…it serves as a cover. I’m a private crime scene investigator and forensic profiler. Predominately on a contract basis. I’m hired anonymously to review forensic evidence, photos, autopsy reports and create a profile of a suspect based on various levels of evidence.”

            They gasped, her and her husband. As if they were waiting for something entirely different. They sat forward in their seats, their full attention and wide-eyed.

            “Sweet Jesus,” Livvie declared, “In a million years I would have never guessed that, how in the world do you keep that a secret, you’re never called to testify?”

            “It just stays that way. I work for law enforcement, off book. I have security clearance, so the most I can tell you is what I just did. No I’m not called as an expert witness, ever.”

            Jimmy Lee attempted to ease the tension.

            “Miss Aubrey we could have used you for the past year and a half. Christ, SLED could use you anytime.” He was referring to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the lead investigators into the murders the men had just tried and won conviction for.

            I looked over at Clay quickly, he nodded in encouragement.

            I took a deep unsteady breath, “Jimmy Lee, they did use me.” I said quietly.

            He was stunned, his glance went to Clay instantly, “Did you know?” he asked his friend.

            “Not until last night, there were layers, buffers in place for her privacy, but it came across her desk.  It was Aubrey, Jimmy Lee, she solidified it was Nadler.”

            Jimmy Lee was aghast, I watched his facial expressions morph, forming the multitude of questions and disbelief. They had endured months and months of investigation, subpoenas and multi-jurisdictional law enforcement work and it came down to an unknown woman from New Jersey who focused the lens on their prime suspect.

            “How?” Jimmy Lee asked, sitting forward in his chair, zeroed in on me, “How was it you?”

            I wasn’t sure how much to indulge. I toyed with the hem of my cover dress and wouldn’t make eye contact. My voice quiet and humble.

            “You all knew it was him, but no one could place him at the crime scene. The SLED investigators traced every lead, and everyone was eliminated but Nadler…. the evidence was sparce and circumstantial.  No DNA, no murder weapon, but he made one fatal mistake.  His arrogance, his hubris got the best of him. I knew he couldn’t help himself, he took off his glove to touch the inside of his wife’s foot. We pulled latent prints from her on a hunch.”

            “You? You were the hunch for the latent print?” Jimmy Lee huffed with skepticism.

I glanced over again at Clay, I needed some cover now, I never discussed my work, and this was already too far.  He nodded quietly.

            “C’mon, y’all let’s start to head back, “ Clay suggested firmly, he stood to help me from my chair and started to shake the sand from our towels and seats. Jimmy Lee and Livvie were reloading they wanted more answers but started to gather the things at his urging.

            “No more,” Clay warned them, “It’s gone too far now, and this information is never to be discussed outside of us,” he whispered to his friends.  They nodded silently in affirmation.

            “I’m dead serious with both of y’all. Not a fucking word to anyone.” He whispered sternly. He glared down at Livvie.

            She backed away and softened, “Not a one, Clay. On my Momma’s grave.” She vowed.

            We made our way back to the boat and headed for the showers. The boat got underway with the plan to dock back in Beaufort for a seafood dinner.

            I was drying my hair when Clay came out of the shower, “You okay, Sugar?” he asked, concern heavy in his voice. “That was a lot, I’m so sorry.” He was holding onto the towel around his neck, dabbing at his head and face.

            I finished fixing my hair and applied my makeup. He was right, it was a lot, but I felt safe with him, safer than I had since I lost my father. I didn’t know what to do, I could hear the ticking of the clock, time was going to separate us soon and I didn’t want to face it.

            He sat on the edge of the bed, the towel wrapped around his waist waiting for me to answer him. I touched his cheek gently.

            “I’m fine, really. Thank you for getting me out of there. I’m sorry to put you in this kind of position. I don’t talk about this, I never have, and I’m accustomed to living that life. I trust you, you are a sworn officer of the court, and you could potentially face federal prison for disclosing my identity.”

            “I’m aware of that,” he said quietly. He took my hand and held it to his heart. “You can trust me with your identity, your life and your heart, I’m falling madly, deeply in love with you, and it’s true we don’t know everything about each other, but, honey, I’m all in…” his voice drifted off. “….the idea you could be in danger, Fuck, Sugar please don’t let that idea take root in my imagination.”

            I quickly stood up and straddled his lap. I tugged on his goatee.

            “I’m not in any danger, with the exception of my heart. I’m falling in love with you too, hard and fast. You and I will need to figure this out if you want time past this weekend together. For now, I want some of your famous roasted oysters and a very dirty martini at a dockside restaurant.” I kissed him urgently. He tried to pull me down onto the bed, but I stopped him.

            “We’ll never get out of here, if you start your shit,” I laughed. “Let’s get dressed,”  

            We arrived back on deck with our tote bags and made our way to the truck. Meeting Livvie and Jimmy Lee at the wharf restaurant, we sat right along the water, the atmosphere was relaxed and beautiful.

            “Miss Aubrey,” Jimmy Lee began, “I’m so sorry, I reacted very poorly, I was taken aback and after so much drinking my senses were not sharp. Please forgive me.” He asked. I reached across the table to touch his clasped hands.                 

            “Nothing to apologize for, it’s like it never happened.” I smiled, the waitress came with our cocktails, and I happily sipped at my dirty martini.

            “Aubrey, when do you have to leave?” Livvie asked. Clay and I exchanged sad glances.

            “Monday morning, but I’ll be back. Things here in Beaufort county are far from settled on my Grandfathers property. I’m willing to bet I will be back and forth at least a year. And well there are other reasons now for me to spend more time in the Lowcountry,” I smiled bashfully at Clay.  He reached under the table for my hand.

            The food was incredible, my most favorite dish is She Crab Soup and the area is famous for it, I was gleefully grunting with delight at the taste of it.  

            “Saints preserve us girl, I make better she crab soup than this,” Livvie huffed with indignation.

            “Oh really-Miss Watermelon Festival Queen of 1998, you only crack open your winning she crab on the occasion your husbands best friend brings a professional escort home for lunch, forcing us unpaid sex workers to eat your fried chicken?” I snarked back.

The table shook with laughter, Livvie snorted her drink and almost choked. “I did not want to like you Yankee Girl, no sir, but I’ve got to give it to you—you growing on me some,” she said, wiping the tears her laughter produced down her cheeks.

            I smiled, “Well I’m still not sure how I feel about you, I might have to try this alleged famous She Crab soup and get back to you.”

            “I’ll hold you to it,” Livvie assured. She reached out to touch my hand. Tears glistened in her eyes. The sentiments were genuine.