Beach Day - Hazel

“Look at it,” Hazel shrieked

We were standing among the waves, the sun overhead beating down on us. Hazel was bouncing waist deep in the ocean, flinging her arms back and forth and sending glittering streams of water high into the sky to rain back down. She twisted, looking at me over her shoulder, her hair highlighted with a golden tone.  We had come here for a small vacation two days ago and what was supposed to be a day trip, now had us sleeping on the beach and counting the stars each night.

“You have to come in further,” she was calling to me. “The waves are so strong!”  The glee that wrapped around her words had me itching to hold her. To hear her laugh echo around us.  She had been predictably nervous to come anywhere new. But when we had stepped through the crack in the beachside cliffs and she stuck her toes in the white sand, she couldn’t help her pure delight.  Getting her out of the water had been a chore that I gave up on until it became imperative that we eat. And even then, I was prone to simply bringing her mangos and coconuts that she could enjoy while playing in the waves.

“Would you get over here,” she called out to me, giggling as she was nearly knocked over. I waded my way out towards her, reaching her just as another wave pelted her from behind. I caught her before she could go tumbling into the undertow, holding her firmly against my chest. She smelled like coconut and salt. I wanted to bottle that and her joy up forever.

“You see any dolphins yet?”

Lifting her arm, she pointed a few yards out where we could hear some chittering. No sooner had I spoken, did two jump out of the water in a display of finesse before diving back below.  It had been a gift from the selkies. They had been sending sea creatures up to entertain us all day.  

“We need to find something to bring to Bardle and Kai soon,” she murmured, leaning back against me. “Maybe a few new hats. Or one of those little umbrellas.”

“What are they going to do with a parasol?” I laughed. “There’s no sun down where they guard.”

“That’s not the point. They like to be fancy. And fancy people need lace umbrellas.” She tipped her head back to look up at me, grinning broadly.

This carefree version of Hazel was quickly becoming an addiction. The way she moved against me, the ease of her smile. There was a sensuality to it that I didn’t often see back home. She swayed her hips from side to side, content to exist in her swimsuit, the sand from the beach dotting her skin.  At night, she would untie the green threads that held her top on, bathing naked in the moonlight.  

“We will get them fancy umbrellas,” I promised, kissing her on the shoulder and feeling the heat of her skin sear my lips.

Turning, she hopped up into my arms, wiggling until my hands laced beneath her bottom and she was flush to me.  “I want to go deeper,” she said.  Given her height, she didn’t trust herself going out too far.

Slowly, I walked the two of us out until we were nothing more than heads bobbing in the water. The waves were not as harsh here and the water was far cooler. Looking down, I could see bits of coral reef creeping near our toes.

“I never want to go home,” she whispered to me.

I raised a brow to her. “Would you really give it all up? The shop. The customers. The garden. All of it for this?”

She pushed herself up, her breasts grazing against my chest until she could look down upon me.  “I want to start a new shop here. One where I can sell coconuts. And sip fruity drinks all day.” Holding her arms out, she tipped her head back, the golden rays from the sun darkening her skin.  “We could swim with the mermaids. Trade seashells to the locals. And make love in the sand each night.”

She yelped as I pulled her close to me, unable to resist the draw of her skin. Her lips. Pressing myself against her, I kissed her deeply, licking the sweet taste of papaya from her tongue. “I’d do anything for you,” I whispered. “My island queen.”

Hazel’s laugh was giddy.  “Then that settles it. We will be island royalty. We must talk to the selkies and have them set up our throne.” She frowned a little in concern. “But we are going to be good and kind rulers. Give to people. Not take too much. And hold big cookouts for everyone at least once a week.”

“Of course.”

She hugged me tightly, the smile returning. “It’ll be paradise,” she whispered in my ear.

I didn’t know if she was joking. Maybe there was some truth to her words. But as I stood with her, safe and warm in my arms, the ocean rocking us back and forth, I didn’t care. Because all that mattered was that we had each other. We existed together under the light of an enchanted sun.