Author's note:
Recently I attended a short conference overseas. During my time away from home I stayed in a beachfront resort located beside an ocean beach on the outskirts of a small coastal town.
After landing at the airport and while walking across the tarmac to the terminal building I was approached by a guy who I vaguely recognised. He introduced himself and asked if I was attending the same conference as he, which I was. He asked me how I was travelling there, a distance of some 50 miles, and I told him I didn't know, probably I'd catch a shuttle. He said he'd booked a rental car for the next five days and offered me a ride, which I gratefully accepted. We travelled together, found our accommodation, spent some time on the beach swimming in the warm sea, had a snack, and attended the first conference session. We travelled to and from the conference venue for the next three days, finally travelling back to the airport together and flying home on the last day.
He is happily married and deeply in love with his wife. This story is therefore fiction based on actual events, exploring what might have been. Some people in the story actually exist but their names have been changed. The activities and practices described in this story are not necessarily condoned or recommended. If you choose to do anything described in real life with real people you do so at your own risk.
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The flight was comfortable and seemed to be over almost before it began. A good book to lose yourself in when flying is a great asset. After we landed on the sunny runway of the small regional airport we had to cross the tarmac to the terminal building. When I was about half way to the terminal building, I was approached by a guy who I seemed to recognize, who asked if I was going to the same conference that he was.
"Yes," I replied, "I'm Michelle. I think we met once before."
He told me he had a terrible memory for people and names of people he had 'met once before', even attractive blonde ones, and he could neither confirm nor deny my assertion, but hey, who was he to dispute that? He introduced himself as Joe and we chatted amiably as we entered the building. He asked how I was travelling to the venue, about an hour's drive further south.
"I don't know. I guess I'll find a shuttle or something," I replied.
'I've booked a rental car if you'd like a ride. I'd enjoy the company far more than travelling alone."
"Hey, thanks, yes that would be great."
We passed through immigration and I waited by the carousel for my bag. He only had carry-on so went through before me, telling me he'd find the car then find me again. Small terminals are great as there are few people and you can do that sort of thing.
Five minutes later I emerged from the building and was just in time to see him walking over from the carpark. We loaded my huge suitcase into the boot, nearly filling it, then headed out of the car park and hit the road south.
As well as being easy on the eyes, Joe was also very easy company and time flew. Before we knew it he was turning off the freeway towards the small coastal settlement which was our destination. He'd been in this part of the world a couple of times before, he told me, while for me it was my first time there. Hence I let him drive me around and show me the layout of the small town. We explored the town and found my accommodation, where I dropped my bag, the conference venue and his accommodation in that order. The resort he was staying in was right on the surf beach with the endless ocean rolling onto the sand. We watched the waves for a while then decided we really needed a swim.
We changed back in his room, one at a time and alone, then hit the beach again with towels, hats, sunnies and sunblock. After lying on the warm sand for a short time we needed to cool off in the water.
"Come on, let's go," I said, grabbing his hand to pull him upright.
We strolled to the water's edge, the sun pouring over our bodies like warm liquid honey. The water was tepid even to our overheated skin; no cold entry shock like in the seas around our homeland. We waded in and dived under one of the small waves which rolled gently to shore, then swam out a little to about shoulder depth, floating freely over each wave.
We stayed like this, walking occasionally and maintaining a friendly conversation until I dropped into a hole and fell sideways as a wave hit me. We reached for each other in that moment, resulting in me being well steadied by Joe and coming to rest with our arms around each other. In a beautiful place with a great guy who had just rescued me, what could I do? I kissed him, tenderly, on the lips.
What would he do? Let me go? Turn and run? No. He kissed me back, again tenderly and lovingly.