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Author's Note: I didn't expect this story to last this long but since we're already dealing with water, I'll just go with the flow, hey? (yea, that was a daggy pun.) Please let me know how you like the story so far. You know us writers: we have a penchant for A Large Number Of (positive) Feedbacks to boost our fragile egos.
Warnings and Disclaimers by d a m n a t i o n shag_chic@hotmail.com I'd tell you that you looked good as I walked away Eyes On The Back Of My Head; Jack Johnson Stef allowed the monotonous motion of scrubbing the deck lull her. She was operating on autopilot; alcohol still coursed through her and she was feeling slightly sick. But more than that, images from the night before kept flashing before her mind's eye, disallowing her to concentrate on anything else. Experience had taught her that she got involved emotionally too easily and, more often than not, it led to her getting hurt. That was why she had promised herself that she wasn't going to get involved with anyone until she was sure that it was the real thing. Trust fate to throw in a temptation like Jordan. Trust her to cave in less than a week. No use trying to convince herself that the night before had meant nothing. No use telling herself not to fall for Jordan. No use lying that she wasn't a little nervous at the prospect of seeing Jordan again. Stef sighed. What was she to do with herself? Her last girlfriend had said something about her needing to see herself for who she was and accept the way she was. How would it work in this case? "Did somebody get lucky last night?" A gleeful voice interrupted her thoughts. Stef groaned when her head throbbed. "Somebody did, didn't she! Fucken ace! With whom? Ah, stupid question. Stef finally got laid, woohoo!" Alex danced around the soapy deck making whooping noises. Stef grimaced. "For fuck's sake, Alex." "All right, I'll leave you alone. So, where's Jordan?" Alex asked, making an effort to look around. "They don't get back till..." Stef was interrupted by the sound of a speedboat's engine. "... now." She looked around herself and threw her hands up in the air. "Fuck, I'm not done yet. Fuck, fuck, fuck." "I'll help ya." Together, Stef and Alex made a quick job of watering down the deck before the studio staff boarded the boat. "I'm just gonna go lie down in my cabin, Lex. My head's killing me," Stef said. Without waiting for an answer, Stef stumbled down to the crew quarters and entered her cabin. She rummaged through her things and found some painkillers. She flopped onto her bed after popping the pills. When her mind stopped racing, she began recollecting the sequence of events that occurred the night before. It all started at the beach... Stef's lips twitched. She adjusted her head on her pillow, looking for a comfortable position. The images played in her mind's eye: Jordan's smoldering smile as she stretched on the bed; Jordan's flaming head of hair all splayed out on the sheets; Jordan's heavy lidded eyes as they pulled apart after a kiss; Jordan; Jordan; Jordan... "So, you gonna dish or what?" An annoyingly familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. Stef peeked at her some time best friend (and other times annoying pest who never shuts up) from behind her pillow and chose not to answer. She hadn't even heard Alex enter the cabin. "Nothing happened." "No?" Alex's face fell. "Why the hell not?" she demanded. "Too drunk," Stef lied. "Now can I have some peace, please?" Alex must have taken pity on Stef. Her voice softened and she shook her head with a grin. "All right mate. We'll talk later." When Alex left the room, Stef heaved a breath of relief. Stef moved to Cairns almost two years ago--although, "moved to" was probably a loosely used term in this case. Working on the boat meant that she was out of Cairns for longer periods of time than she was in it. She was addicted to what she termed the Seasonal Work Lifestyle where she would alternate months of working with months of slacking. Working on boats supported this kind of lifestyle. Not only did she not have to pay for food and accommodation for weeks on end, there was absolutely nothing she could spend her money on while she was on the boat. Her past experiences always came to the one moment that she lived in. That moment existed out of what everyone considered to be the linear rail that time ran on and it could last for an eternity. Rather than telling herself off for being such a hopeless romantic, Stef had to keep reminding herself that she didn't have to be any particular way or like everyone else. So what if she got emotionally involved easily and believed in Happy Ever After? This was the way she was and there was nothing she could do to change it. In the year that had just gone by, she learnt a lot about herself and, in her own dogged way, began to accept rather than berate herself for the way that she was. Stef decided that all that thinking wasn't helping with her aching head and swept her thoughts aside as she willed herself to sleep. If there was only one thing that she had learnt, it would be that no matter what happens, she would always have herself and that was enough. Dinner came and went. Stef's shift had ended and she was making her way to her cabin, hoping that she wouldn't be waylaid by Alex. She was in no mood to socialize. In fact, the only person whose company she could bear to be in was probably Jordan. However, she wasn't in the right headspace to initiate contact with Jordan so she was going to let it go. Plonking herself on her bunk, Stef sighed contentedly. Alex would probably be up till the early hours of the morning again so she would have the cabin all to herself until then. She could do anything until then! Oh, the options! Stef laughed at herself. She turned on her laptop and put on some music, then kicked her shoes off and picked up the book that she was reading. Ten minutes later, she closed the book; she had only managed to read one sentence all that time. Who was she kidding? She wanted to see Jordan and she would never get to see her if she stayed in her cabin. Propelled by a force stronger than her, Stef changed into an all black ensemble and ran a hand through her hair. Satisfied that she didn't look green in the face, she let herself out of the cabin, wondering where she might be able to locate Jordan. Stef made her way to the stern. The studio crew were all gathered there. Several spotlights were directed at James and his single was playing in the background. Stef looked around curiously. All attention was on James. The wind was low that evening. James looked very dashing in his tweed blazer, turtle neck and cotton pants ensemble. Stef found a spot where she could view the proceedings without being in anyone's way and stayed there, watching the filming in progress. The number of people needed for such a production blew her mind. After a short while, Stef started feeling bored and allowed her eyes to scan the crew of people standing around. She spotted Jordan. Jordan's hair was down that evening, a rare sight for Stef. She had a dark coloured cardigan on and her skirt fell just above her knees. She looked so... feminine, Stef thought, as though this was the first time Stef had noticed that attribute of Jordan's. Stef found herself mesmerized by the movements of slender fingers that clasped an aerosol can. Jordan was turning the can round and round in her hands. Then the can stopped moving. Stef looked back up at Jordan's face to find her looking straight at herself. Caught out, Stef quickly averted her eyes. Then, feeling silly, she looked back at Jordan again and smiled. Jordan had looked away by then but Stef saw a smile playing on the sides of her lips and couldn't help the fluttering in her chest. She decided to wander off somewhere else and return for Jordan when the filming was over. Because most of the people onboard were gathered at the stern watching James in action, the rest of the boat was rather empty--just the way Stef liked it. She went in the direction of the bow. Stef picked out a deck chair and stretched herself out on it, resting her head on her hands. The sky stretched above her, the colours that painted it astounding. The sun was slowly disappearing into the depths of the sea. Then Jordan's face hovered above hers. "Hey," Jordan greeted. Stef snapped upright immediately. "Hey." Then, "I thought you were workin'." "I escaped for a bit. They're almost done anyways." When Jordan sat down beside her, Stef got a whiff of the perfume that she had on. The scent would remain in her memory for a long time after this. "How're you goin'?" "Hung over," Stef said ruefully. "You?" "Yea, bit," Jordan replied, chuckling. "I had a great time though." "Yea, me too." Silence hung in the air between them. Stef wracked her brains to find something to say but there was only one thing on her mind. "So. What are you up to after, you know, work?" Stef ventured. Jordan shrugged. "Nothing much." "Maybe you wanna hang out for a bit?" "Yea, maybe." Stef smiled. She leaned over to plant a quick kiss on Jordan's cheek but was met with her lips instead. They pulled away shyly, then Jordan got up. "I better get back and see if they still need me. Would you still be here?" "Yea. I'm not really up for drinking tonight..." "Neither. I'll come look for you." A Jack Johnson song came to Stef's mind as Jordan walked away. Even though she wasn't the one walking away, it was beyond a doubt that Jordan looked very, very good. "You are so hooked," Stef mumbled to herself under her breath, but she couldn't help the smile on that crept over her face. Stef sighed in contentment when she finally reached home. After throwing her keys onto the couch, Stef made a beeline for the fridge and zoomed in on a can of beer immediately. It seemed like Kylie had recently done the groceries; the fridge was full of food. Stef spent a few minutes looking at what was available and her stomach rumbled as though on cue. Hungry but too lazy to make something, Stef closed the fridge door and went for the pantry door instead. There, she found a packet of chips and smiled triumphantly. Crunching on the cheese and onion flavoured chips, Stef wandered around her apartment, turning on the stereo, getting reacquainted with the music that Kylie and she owned. A breeze came through the open sliding doors that led outside to a nice balcony, ruffling the papers on the coffee table and setting off the windchime. She glanced at the green numbers on the DVD player. Kylie would probably be home from work soon. Stef finished her beer and swiped her mouth with her arm. Opening another can of beer, Stef wandered over to the bookshelf, feeling restless. Both Kylie and she loved reading so books scaled the walls of their lounge room. Photographs lined the rest of the available walls, showing evidence of their travels, capturing random moments of joy. Stef smiled distractedly at a picture of Kylie and herself taken the christmas before: their cheeks were pressed against each others, Kylie's eyes were crossed and her tongue sticking out while Stef's cheeks were puffed out and her eyes were narrow slits. She was about to start on an Asterix and Obelix comic when the lock on her front door jiggled. Stef turned, a ready smile on her face. "Why hello there," Kylie greeted as she walked into the apartment. She leaned over the couch and gave Stef a kiss on her forehead. "Welcome home, sweetie." "It's good to be home." "Are you hungry? I'll make dinner soon." "Have I told you lately that I love you?" Stef said in a dreamy voice at Kylie's suggestion. "Nope." Kylie disappeared into the bedroom and reemerged after a few minutes, looking a lot more relaxed in a large t-shirt and her trackies. Her unruly dark hair was held back with a black head band. "Well, I love you," Stef said. "You just want dinner," Kylie grumbled good naturedly. "By the way, you've got a coupla messages on the machine. "Anything interesting?" Kylie stood at the open fridge, assessing its contents. "Mum's in love again." Stef rolled her eyes. "Who is it this time? The mailman?" "Nope, I think they met at the markets. I think it's serious. They're having dinner together... some time this week, I forget when, exactly." "Uh huh." Stef snorted, shaking her head. "And she wants you to make sure that we get to hers by twelve this Sunday. She's inviting a few friends over for lunch and wants to be sure that it starts on time." "Uh huh." "And Megs called." "Megs? Megan Megs?" Stef asked in disbelief. Kylie shrugged. "Unless there's another woman out there who calls you 'Faulks'." "Dinner with James Beacon? Cool!" "Don't mind her," Mach said to Jordan. "Kelly's not seen much of the world and can be daggy like that." Jordan laughed. "Yea, he's real nice and I told him it'll be cool if we all hung out one night. He's going back to Sydney in a coupla days. Truth be told I think he's a little sick of being a star so you're not allowed to gush, Kell." "Hey!" Kelly protested while everyone else laughed. They were having a few drinks after dinner in the garden. Jordan met Megan for the first time and liked her immediately. Everyone felt relaxed and comfortable; Mach, Kelly and Megan were already in the weekend mood even though it was a Thursday evening. "Oh, we're thinking of getting some people together to go bungy jumping." Jordan's eyes widened. "Oh... I'm not so sure about that..." "C'mon Jordan, it'll be fun!" Mach insisted. "You don't have to jump if you don't wanna," Kelly said. "They've got a live band there, drinks and food. I thought it'll be a cool farewell party for ya." "Kell!" Mach hissed. "Yea, all right then, that sounds fun. When?" "This Sunday. It'll be the four of us, Megan might ask a few friends along, and didn't you say Amy said she'd be interested?" Kelly asked Mach. Amy was a friend from Mach's workplace. "And anyone else you might wanna invite, Jordan." "Ooh, I think Kelly's hoping that you'd invite James Beacon, Jordan!" Mach teased. "So am not!" "Dag." Jordan and Megan laughed. "You can ask him tomorrow over dinner, guys." Jordan thought briefly of inviting Stef and Alex. It would be fun having them there. "So did anything happen between you and James Beacon?" Mach had to ask. Jordan looked startled. She shook her head. "Don't be silly, Mach." "We won't tell the papparazzi, promise!" Jordan giggled. To her, James was a nice guy and a friend. It was funny to be reminded that the rest of the world looked at him different. "No, no, I assure you, there's nothing to tell." "No fling on the cruise? I'm disappointed in you, Jordan," Mach said. "What, is he the only person on the boat I could have a fling with?" Jordan retorted, then regretted her words because all eyes were on her. "Ooh, so there was a fling?" Mach pressed, her brows wiggling. "Tell, tell." Jordan blushed. "There's nothing to tell." She put her beer to her lips and sipped, a small smile playing. "Don't believe ya. I know that look. It's okay, Megan won't tell no one, would she?" Mach said, looking at Megan. Megan shook her head, looking amused. Jordan rolled her eyes. The three beers that she had had loosened her up and she felt buoyed by the feeling of comradarie and love that she always felt around Kelly and Mach. Even Megan seemed lovely and was easy to be around. "There was someone..." she started. Mach whooped. Kelly laughed. Megan chuckled at everyone's reactions. "And?" "And what?" "You gonna see him again? Does he work with you? Is it just a fling or is it gonna be something more?" Jordan laughed at the third degree that she was getting. "I don't know. Uhm... We've exchanged numbers. I'm not... I'm not looking for a relationship though." "So it's just a fling, huh. He live in Sydney?" "No..." Jordan trailed off. Then, in the same breath, she said, "She lives in Cairns." "Oh. My. God." When Megan suggested that they stop seeing each other, it hadn't made sense to Stef; she thought everything was going really well. Sure, they had their fights; which couple didn't? For a long time, Stef refused to believe that it was over. She strove to keep in contact with her ex, calling her up on special days and texting her occasionally, at first hoping that she would change her mind, later just wishing that they could be friends at least. Megan was cool and distant on the phone if she even answered it at all. Most of the time, she wouldn't even get a return text message. That stung. A lot. It felt as though she was cast aside, rejected, by someone whom she thought loved her. It was very hurtful. Stef hit the Play button on the answering machine, wondering what it was that Megan wanted. Hearing Megan's voice was an interesting experience. It no longer sounded familiar. It no longer made her heart skip a beat. It no longer made her squeeze her eyes shut and wish that things could have been different. "So what're you gonna do?" Kylie asked, chewing on a broccoli. "What do you mean?" Kylie shrugged. "She sounded friendly enough. She wants to catch up. You gonna see her?" "Dunno. Don't really care to find out what she wants. It's been almost a year. I've tried... all that time... to be friends, to keep in touch. I didn't think we ended on too bad a note. She disappointed me so much. I dunno." "Ah well. Fuck it then if you can't be arsed. But it could also be a kind of closure." Later that night when Stef was in bed, she thought about Megan's voice message--the only one in almost a year--and wondered who came up with the idea that being all grown up meant that you had to play nice and try to be friends with someone whom you felt had betrayed your trust. Jordan brushed her hair one last time, rubbed the smudge under her right eye off with one finger, smacked her lips and adjusted her blouse. Pleased with the overall result, she dabbed on some perfume and left Kelly's room with a large bag in tow. Stef had sent her a text message earlier that day, asking her what she was up to. It had surprised her that she was actually missing Stef's presence; it's just that she was so used to seeing Stef around all the time on the boat. Even though they had only really known each other for a little more than a week, time on the boat seemed warped and so it felt like Stef had been in her life for a lot longer than that. Jordan felt a blush creeping up her face when she spied Stef's familiar figure walking towards her. She ducked her head shyly as they closed their distance between each other. Meeting at an arranged venue was a new thing for them. "Hey." Stef was pleased to see Jordan. She propped her sunnies on her head and grinned. They walked side by side towards the Esplanade, exchanging pleasantries and discussing inane things like the weather, how they still felt slightly landsick after being on the boat for the length of time, and how they were looking forward to a dip in the pool. "So when are you going back to Sydney?" Jordan peeked at Stef from above her sunnies, her blue eyes even more striking in the sun. "In about a week, on Thursday." Stef nodded. "I was wondering if maybe you'd wanna hang out heaps before you go." "Heaps?" Jordan looked amused. "Yea. Heaps. As in 'a lot'." Jordan chuckled. "I know what 'heaps' mean." "I know you know what 'heaps' mean." Stef looked slightly embarrassed. "Sorry. I get silly like that sometimes." "I know you know I kn..." Jordan started laughing, then nodded. "Yea, I'd love to. We, um, we're going bungy jumping Sunday if you wanna come along." "I'm presuming it to be an afternoon thing?" At Jordan's nod, Stef shook her head. "I can't. I'm going to my mum's for lunch. Are you free tomorrow? Would you like to go for a drive, spend the day at a waterfall?" Jordan smiled. "Yea, that sounds amazing." After their night together on Thursday Island, Jordan and Stef only had stolen moments with each other on the boat. Any mucking around was always guarded--neither of them wanted anyone else to hear them or walk in on them. So they spent most of their free time on the boat talking and trying to put other, more physical, activities out of their minds. But now that they were off the boat and quite annonymously walking down the streets in Cairns, the possibility of where their afternoon together could lead put both of them on edge. It being a sunny day, the Esplanade pool was crowded. Jordan suddenly felt like she didn't want to be around that many people and suggested that they go to somewhere quieter. "We could buy a six pack or something." "I'll do you one better. How about a bottle of bubbly?" Stef suggested. "How about two," Jordan said, her eyes narrowing mischieviously. "How about that, I finally meet a woman after my own heart." They grinned at each other and proceeded to carry out their plan. They strolled along the beach away from the crowd. The trees provided a much needed shade on their walk. It was a beautiful day. Finally, they decided that they had walked long enough and found a spot to stop at. There were hardly anyone around them now. A stray tourist or two walked past their little shady spot at times; cyclists sped down the meandering track behind them occasionally; overall, they weren't disturbed. "Cheers." "Wonderful idea of yours," Jordan said, savouring the sweet, bubbly taste of champagne that sloshed past her tongue and trickled down her throat. "Mm." Stef tipped her bottle of champagne and smiled as she swallowed. Instead of getting plastic glasses, they had opted to get a bottle of champagne each. That way, they wouldn't have to waste plastic, they reasoned. She adjusted herself, moving slightly closer to Jordan. Then she took another swig from her bottle. They sat there silently, taking in the sights around them and the growing awareness of their proximity to each other. Stef looked around and wondered if Jordan would mind if she kissed her in public. She decided not to take the chance. Then she felt Jordan's head touching her shoulder and a warmth began spreading from the spot that their bodies connected to the centre of her chest. "How's your mum like?" Jordan asked suddenly. "Huh? Mm... bit loopy?" Stef said, then laughed. "She's a nice lady. My parents split up when we--my sister and I--were very young. Don't have much memory of my dad. Mum brought us up single-handedly. She had heaps of boyfriends throughout our lives but none of them were permanent fixtures. She's always falling in and out of love." Stef chuckled. "We see her pretty often. We spend most Sundays with her. When I'm not around, Kylie drives to Yungaburra on her own." "Is that your sister?" Stef nodded. "And my flatmate. We've always been close growing up. Mum was around but she wasn't always there... I mean, you know, adults and their problems--love, money, work..." Jordan smiled. "Adults and their problems, huh?" Stef returned the smile. Their faces were turned towards each other and inches apart. "Yea. It's funny," Stef said, her voice dropping slightly. She looked away, drank more of the champagne, then continued. "You always know that you're a kid when you're a kid. And you... well, I did anyways... you think that one day you'll become an adult, like there's some kind of initiation, some special moment. But that's not true. There's no sign that tells you you're now an adult. You don't wake up one day knowing that you're an adult. You're still the same kid, just... older. You have more experiences, more memories, but not necessarily wiser." "You don't feel like you're an adult?" Stef shook her head. "Not really. My whole life, people tell me to grow up. And I keep waiting to become a grown up. But I'm more and more certain that there's no such thing as an adult. The concept 'Adult' doesn't mean anything on its own, like how 'Tall' only means something in relation to something that is 'Not As Tall' or 'Shorter'." "That's such an interesting way to put it." "Sorry, I'm babbling." "No, don't apologize. I like listening to you. You make a lot of sense and you make me look at things different. I like that." Stef didn't know what to say to that. She didn't know what to say, so she leaned in and kissed Jordan instead. The kiss took both of them by surprise but they settled into it quite comfortably. Breaths fused. The smell of champagne, the taste of Jordan's lip gloss and the scent that Jordan uses combined to intoxicate Stef's senses. She forced herself to pull away. "Do you wanna go somewhere more private?" Jordan asked, her voice husky. "Uh huh." Stef nodded. "Let's go then." "Where?" Stef asked, her heart and mind racing. "Somewhere more private, silly." Jordan was smiling at her now. Stef smiled back, thinking how beautiful Jordan looked. "Well, we could check in to the Four Seasons..." The hotel was conveniently right behind them. "What a great idea." They folded into each other the moment the door closed behind them. Articles of clothing were removed without thought. Stef walked them in the general direction of the bed. When the back of Jordan's calves touched the bed, they tumbled upon it, a heap of soft chuckles. When Stef kissed her again, Jordan let herself get lost in it. She liked how it felt as though they had all the time in the world. The hours in the afternoon stretched ahead of them, a seemingly long, winding path that didn't have a destination in sight. The kisses trailed down her jaw to her neck. A bite at the curve of her neck sent a thrill of anticipation shooting through her body. Jordan flipped them over so that both of them were lying on their sides. She hadn't had a proper opportunity to explore Stef's body as yet and she had been fantasizing about it, wondering how it would feel like to have Stef under her, feeling the same feelings she felt when Stef touched her. She tasted Stef's neck and felt her shudder. Trailing her smiling lips on smooth skin, Jordan felt a sense of power in being able to draw such ready responses from the body pressed against hers. She tried out her power, biting, teasing, sucking until a rather exasperated sounding Stef blurted out an expletive. "What, don't you like what I'm doing?" Jordan teased. "I do. Too much," Stef answered. Jordan arched a brow, a smile still playing around her lips. She found herself getting aroused just by giving Stef pleasure and the knowledge surprised and pleased her. Now, to cross unchartered territory. Jordan bit her lower lip and, with a look of intense concentration, slipped her hand past the waistband of Stef's pants. "Oh." The word came out like a rush of air. Stef looked at Jordan, feeling slightly amused and very vulnerable. "What? Did you expect to find something different?" When Jordan finally lifted her eyes to Stef's, she said in a voice that was barely a whisper, "You turn me on so much." Their lips came together. Their kiss bruised as their movements increased and grew frantic. Then fiinally, their kiss swallowed as they cried out against each other's lips. Jordan was distracted all the way through dinner. She tried to concentrate on her meal and the conversation that was being conducted around her but her mind kept flitting back to Stef and their few hours of bliss that afternoon. Was it just that afternoon? Jordan wondered. It felt like a long time ago--too long, in fact. And she couldn't wait to see Stef again. After dinner. Back in the room. Their room. Their room till the next day anyway. Mach and Kelly were going to wonder where she was spending her night and with whom; she realized that she didn't care what they thought. "Jordan, Jordan..." Mach sang. "Hm?" "You look a million miles away. Is everything okay?" "Oh. Yea, sure, everything's fine. Sorry, I think I was out in the sun for too long this arvo. I'm a little burnt and feeling a little out of it." "And who were you burning with this arvo?" Mach teased. "Huh?" Jordan felt a blush rising. James and Kelly were both looking intently at her. "What do you care? Anyway, I'm sorry, what were you guys talking about?" Mach decided to let Jordan off the hook. "James was just telling us about the time he went bungy jumping." "You've done it before? It must have been terrifying!" "It was. But I love the adrenalin rush. I've done it a coupla times. It would be cool to do it again this Sunday." James lifted a morsel of food to his lips. He was enjoying dinner with Jordan, Mach and Kelly immensely. They were at a small Korean restaurant where people hardly gave him a second look. The food was delicious and he really liked Mach and her sharp wit. Kelly was a lot quieter but James caught a few glimpses of her cheeky smile. They seemed like such genuine, down-to-earth people. "The thought of it is giving me the shivers," Jordan said with a smile. "We'll see. I might surprise myself, like I did when I snorkelled." "Oh yea, we're supposed to go snorkelling together, Jordan!" Kelly suddenly recalled. "Ssh! Don't remind her! It's our shout!" Mach hissed loudly. James listened to the exchange and chuckled. "Well, if you guys have time tomorrow we could go snorkelling together. Henry's arranging a small yacht party tomorrow night; I'm sure he won't mind us going out somewhere earlier in the day. It'll be heaps of fun." This way, he could hang out with them again. More importantly, Jordan would be there. "That sounds cool," Kelly said. She looked at Mach and Jordan. "You guys have any plans?" "I don't. I've reserved my weekend for you, Jordan," Mach said. Jordan grimaced. "Uhm. I kinda promised someone that I would go on a drive with them tomorrow... Sorry..." Kelly and Mach looked at each other. "You sure you can't come, Jordan? That was the whole point, you know, to snorkel with you? You could invite your friend along... If it's okay with James that your friend comes along, of course," Mach added quickly, looking at James. "Yea, definitely. The more the merrier," James said, looking from one face to the next. He wondered who Jordan's 'friend' was and got a funny feeling in his chest. She couldn't have hooked up with someone on the boat, could she? Not after she turned him down... If she did, he would sure like to see who his rival was. "I'll ask her," Jordan said finally, not wanting to commit to anything. James' heart lifted at that. It was a chick; Jordan hadn't hooked up with anyone. "The party's at seven. I don't really know many people here in Cairns. I'd really like for you guys and any of your friends to be there if you don't have plans," James said, suddenly feeling excited about the stupid party that he was sure he would be bored shitless at. "Are you sure?" Kelly asked. "That's really nice of you," she said shyly. She was definitely more than a little star struck. He must lead such an interesting life, so different from hers. She wondered how he became famous, if he was once a struggling artist, if he had lived his entire life trying to become who he was and succeeded. "Maybe I could ask a few people from the boat crew?" Jordan asked. Perhaps Alex and a few others might be interested in coming along. "Yea, do that," James said, finishing his dinner. "Like I said, the more the merrier." "Why is it that we've been here longer but it seems as though Jordan knows more people in Cairns than we do?" Mach grumbled out loud to Kelly. Everyone laughed. Stef awoke to the sensation of a warm body pressed against hers. She smiled against a curved shoulder and kissed it. She felt the body stir but didn't stop what she was doing. It felt so good to wake up next to someone that she liked, was completely infatuated with, whose company she enjoyed immensely. She trailed a tongue down the smooth back and smiled when she heard a soft gasp. Jordan's hand appeared, searching for her head, finding it, and long fingers lost themselves in Stef's hair. When Jordan finally turned around, her breathing was hard and her lids were heavy. Her body was tingling from Stef's administrations. Everything felt so good. She felt insatiable. "Morning." "Mm... Morning," Jordan replied, stretching. "I'm hungry." "And I'm horny." They laughed softly, then Stef leaned forward to bury herself in the crook of Jordan's neck. "I feed you, then you feed me," she murmured. "Uh huh," Jordan managed out, before all her thoughts disappeared and she succumbed to the many feelings her body was experiencing. "I wonder if Jordan's gonna bring The Fling," Mach said, rubbing her chin. Kelly smirked. "Don't call her that." "Well that's about all I know of her. Jordan's all evasive and shit." "She just doesn't want you to make a big thing out of it." "As if I'd do something like that!" Mach said, sounding affronted. "I dunno, maybe she's not comfortable that she slept with a woman?" Kelly hazarded a guess. "Nah, doubt it. She wouldn't have if she did. I hope The Fling comes along. I'd like to meet her." "Don't call her that." "Fine, the Lesbian Who Popped Jordan's Lesbian Cherry then." "Mach!" "What a mouthful. I think I'll stick to The Fling." Mach hollered and jumped into the water. James went in next, followed by Stef. Kelly took her time, waiting for Jordan. The other boat crew, Alex, and her girlfriend were chatting with the Captain of the yacht, who happened to be an acquaintance of theirs. It was a good size vessel. Kelly admired her lines, thinking back on the times she got to sail her father's boat. Maybe Mach and she could save up and get a small boat, she thought. That would be an amazing way to travel and live for a while. Jordan emerged, looking striking in her bikini top and sarong. Jordan always occupied the space that the was in, Kelly thought. Like Mach did, but in a different way. Mach was dark and confident; Jordan was elegant and ethereal. "Not in the water yet?" Jordan said in way of greeting. "Nah. They all jumped in, hollering and whooping and what-have-you. I thought I'd wait for more civilized company." Jordan chuckled. She took the bottle of water that Kelly offered her and sat down beside her friend. "You look happy," Kelly commented. "After that night at Sapphire's Bar, this is a good turn of events." Jordan smiled. "Yea. It's been good. I think I needed that cry. I might call Haley up when I get back to Sydney." "Stef seems nice." Jordan nodded. "She is." "You guys look cute together." Jordan laughed. "Uh huh. Don't start. You've seen us 'together', what, for ten minutes?" "You can still look cute together in ten minutes. And it took us more than ten minutes to sail out here, so don't be coy." "Hey ladies, I think the gang's calling for us to join them in the water, whaddaya say?" Alex said, interrupting Jordan's and Kelly's conversation. Jordan slapped her hands on her thighs and got up. "Sure, why not. Kell?" They put on their gear and slowly stepped down the ladder into the water. Everyone was feeling relaxed to the point of lethargic by the time evening swung by. They had spent a few hours in the water, snorkelling and swimming, and had shared a huge tea after that. James was a charming host and everyone was having a relatively good time. Jordan was right about how alike Mach's and Alex's personalities were. They didn't seem to take to each other though, perhaps because of that. Alex's girlfriend, Julie, was a lot like Alex--loud, friendly, witty. She had short, spikey hair and two brow piercings and she laughed a lot, which annoyed the hell out of Mach. Mach liked to think that she wasn't at her sarcastic best because she was around Kelly too much. Kelly, who taught her moderation and sensitivity... Kelly, who was turning her into a nice, boring person. Julie interrupted her train of thoughts with a sudden spurt of loud laughter at something James said. Mach had to bite her tongue before something sarcastic escaped her. She got up from her seat and went to the bow of the boat. She found Stef there, sipping on a glass of wine. "Hey," Mach greeted. "How's it goin'?" Stef smiled. "Would you like a glass of vino?" "Nah, I'm good. I'm on beer. Mind if I join you?" "Have a seat." Stef shuffled a little to her left. She had a faraway look on her face. Mach felt as though she was intruding and was trying to decide if she should leave Stef to her thoughts. Before she moved to leave, however, Stef spoke. "How're you liking Cairns? Kelly was saying that she worked at the Yacht Club? I worked there for a bit when I first got here." "Yea, it's pretty here," Mach replied and decided to sit down. "So, you like working on boats?" "It's not too bad. You get to save heaps and you can afford to take a lot of time off to go travelling if you wanted. The season's ending for me. I think I might take off for a bit in a few weeks." "Where to?" Mach asked conversationally, then she grinned cheekily. "Sydney?" Stef lowered her head. "Uhm..." She looked a little awkward, shy even. Mach liked that. She had the same quiet quality that had drawn her to Kelly. "Maybe? I might go spend some time with my mum first, then I'll see how I go." "You coming bungy jumpin' with us tomorrow?" Stef shook her head with a smile. "Lunch with my mum. She's inviting her friends over, which means she's gonna show Kylie--that's my sister--and me off to them. She's a funny one." "You're close to your family. That must be nice," Mach said wistfully. "We only had each other. Dad split on us when we were real young." "Mine too," Mach revealed, surprising herself at her candidness. She was normally a lot more reserved. "True? Ah well, here's to the No Dads Club," Stef said, raising her glass of wine. Mach met it with her bottle of beer. "Sometimes I wonder if he's the reason why I'm so insecure in my relationships. You fall in love... and then they leave." Mach snorted at that. "Same. Until Kelly. She's managed to hang around for a bit." "She seems like a good one." Mach nodded. "So's Jordan. You just have to know how to hold on to her. She could be slippery." Stef smirked. "Uhm. We've only met each other less than two weeks ago. I'm trying not to think about having to hold onto her." "Well, I've learnt that we all have to fight for the things that we want. And even if we don't get it, at least we know we've tried. No one fights for things that they want anymore. Since when did it become weak for someone to hang on to something that they want?" Stef looked at Mach thoughtfully. "Hm." Mach wasn't even sure who she was talking about anymore--herself or Stef or just people in general. They saw people coming towards the yacht. Mach looked at her watch: it was half-past seven. "I guess the party's starting. I might start on the wine now." Stef laughed. "Sure, I'll go get you a glass." "Cheers." Mach emptied her beer bottle in three big gulps. "Boo." Stef jumped slightly then smiled when she saw Jordan. "Hey... Wassup?" "Moonlighting?" Jordan asked, amused. Stef was at the sink, the sleeves of her white shirt rolled up to her elbows, her arms submerged in soapy water. "Yea, I broke a whole load of glasses so I'm working off my debt." Jordan sidled up next to Stef, leaning against the sink. She ran a finger down Stef's arm and they shared a smile. "I'm after some wine glasses. You should come join us." "Yea okay. There aren't any wine glasses left, I looked." Stef unplugged the sink and wiped her hands dry. She began polishing a few wine glasses and handed them to Jordan. "Here you go." "Thank you." "Did you have a good day?" Jordan nodded. "Yea, it was great. I think I'm really into snorkelling now. I love the way it feels out there. In the water. Everything just seems so magical." "Yea, like a bubble." "Huh?" "It's like you're in a bubble. Nothing else exists but the beauty around you. Nothing else matters." "Yea, just like that." They stood together in silence for a long moment. "Well, I'm all done here. I'll catch you later. I left Mach outside," Stef said. "All right." Jordan touched Stef's arm again and left. Stef watched her walk away, a small smile on her face. She collected herself, went in the other direction and sat herself down beside Mach. She poured Mach a glass of wine from the bottle by their feet and topped herself up. "Sorry I took so long. They ran out of glasses so I had to wash some." "No worries. I managed to scare a few people away with my sharp teeth and glowing eyes so that we won't be disturbed." Stef laughed. "You are quite something, Mach. You crack me up." "Yea well, was born with it. People either hate it or love it. I guess I got myself another fan," Mach said, making Stef chuckle again. "Ready to go join the party?" "Sure, why not. The party shouldn't be deprived of my presence for another moment longer." Mach clinked her wine glass to Stef's and took a sip. "All hail the almighty Mach," Stef said dryly before sipping her wine. Kelly felt a pair of arms sliding past her waist in a familiar motion to encircle her. She smiled without looking up to see whom it was and placed her hands on Mach's. "Hello, hello," Mach greeted her small circle of friends. Jordan smiled across at Stef who was standing beside Mach. She was swaying to the music, feeling very relaxed. James touched her arm and leaned in to say something to her. She was taken by complete surprise when she felt his lips upon hers. Her initial reaction was to flinch and place her palm against his chest. "Whoa, what... what are you doing, James?" "You're gorgeous, Jordan. I know you're not looking for anything but I'm really drawn towards you. Maybe..." "Um." Jordan looked like a deer caught in headlights. She glanced at the people around them and saw them trying not to pay attention to what was happening. Stef looked really awkward and was drinking her wine quite rapidly, her eyes darting everywhere but at Jordan and James. "James, I thought we agreed to be mates. I... I'm involved with someone else," Jordan said as quietly as she could. "What? You don't have to come up with an excuse to shoot me down," James said, starting to feel quite piqued at being shot down twice. "I... no, it's not an excuse." From the corner of her eyes, Jordan saw that Stef was no longer standing beside Mach. "But you said you weren't looking for a relationship," James pursued. "I did. It... just happened." "Who-" "I don't have to explain anything to you, James." "I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend you, Jordan." Her expression softened at his apologetic tone. "You didn't. I'm just gonna go top up my drink," she said, even though her glass was still full. She spotted Stef standing with Alex and Julie and went in her direction. "Hey." Stef turned and gave her a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "How you doing?" Stef shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. At that moment, Jordan realized that Stef had come to mean something to her in the short time that they had together. She found her jealousy endearing. "Wanna dance?" Stef studied Jordan's face for a moment, then shrugged again. "Sure." Jordan put her arms around Stef's neck, careful not to spill her glass of wine. She saw the surprise that flitted across Stef's face and smirked. After a while, she felt Stef's body relaxing as they swayed to the music. James saw them wrapped up in each other and understood. The sight left a sour taste in his mouth. "You are something amazing, Jordan," Stef said finally. Jordan didn't reply but her sweet smile made Stef lower her face and touch her lips to Jordan's. Their eyes fluttered shut simultaneously. When their kiss broke, Stef grinned. "When I'm with you, I feel like we're in a bubble." "A bubble." "Yea, you know, just the-" "I know." "So maybe this could be something." "Maybe." "Maybe's good enough for me right now. Maybe's fucken fantastic right now." Jordan chuckled. |