Murky Waters

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Tristan and Claire decided to eat breakfast at a place called Hazel’s Nook. The restaurant was bustling with locals and tourists.

Tristan loaded her plate up at the buffet, and Claire opted for an omelet prepared with all her favorites. They enjoyed their breakfast in the relaxed Southern home-style atmosphere.

Tristan ate oblivious to her all surroundings but Claire. Several of the patrons openly appraised Claire’s beautiful partner, and she smiled to herself, thinking that she was with one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. The attention paid to Tristan only confirmed what she believed.

Afterward, Tristan took Claire on a tour of the Gulf State Park where Tristan had camped at the campground for years. They drove through the scenic park that stretched for a few miles down the Gulf when Claire noticed a warning sign that read, “Do not feed or molest the alligators.”

“Who the hell would want to feed an alligator, much less molest one? Although, I suppose they had to put up the sign because someone was foolish enough to try it.”

Tristan laughed. “Claire, don’t you find them sexy? I often fantasize about taking one to dinner. Looking across the table at those big eyes and stroking that green skin, it just makes me hot thinking about it.”

Claire shook her head. “Tristan, I love you very much, but, honey, you have one sick sense of humor. Guess that’s why I love you so.”

After finding a parking spot, Tristan and Claire trekked down one of the public piers to the beach. They picked a spot close to the water’s edge away from the rest of the sunbathers. Once they got everything set the way they wanted, both women were sweating 148

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profusely. Tristan was the first to jump into the emerald-colored water with Claire close on her heels.

Feeling refreshed, they returned to their spot on the sand and relaxed in the chairs they brought with them. They watched as children splashed in the surf and dug in the sand along the beach.

One child in particular caught their attention. He looked to be only four or five, and his head was full of light blond hair. He sat shirtless in a little hole he had dug with his plastic shovel.

A wave washed up on the shore and filled his spot with water. He giggled and laughed and splashed, then jumped up excitedly and proclaimed, “Mom, I farted in the water hole, and it made bubbles.” He ran toward his embarrassed mother, singing his discovery at the top of his lungs.

Claire and Tristan could not help but laugh at his antics. “Tris, have you ever thought about having kids?”

“It crosses my mind every now and then. How about you?”

Claire nodded. “I think about it all the time. Even the mundane things like cooking dinner for them or helping with homework. I think children are wonderful.”

Tristan gave Claire a big grin. “If by some miracle I manage to get you pregnant, I will be happy to let you do the cooking and homework. I’ll do the fun stuff like building tree houses and playing softball. Of course, we’ll have plenty of time to do all that stuff. We’ll be the richest women in the world and be immortalized in every scientific journal on the planet.”

“Who says I have to be the one to carry our children? What if I get you pregnant?” Claire asked smugly.

“Okay, let’s get back to reality. Neither of us is able to impregnate the other. So that brings up the issue of a sperm donor.

I personally think I’m allergic to sperm because it makes me sick to think about it. Therefore, it will have to be you, Claire.”

Claire laughed uncontrollably at Tristan’s supposed allergy to sperm. The conversation, however, made Claire more excited about her life with Tristan. For the first time, she had met someone with whom she believed she would have a future.

Claire lay back in her chair, reveling in the soft sea breeze that blew in off the water, pondering a life with Tristan. She pictured them having and raising children together. Having a family life 149

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once again filled her with a peace she had not known for a long time.

When Tristan’s stomach began to growl, they decided to go in search of a place to have lunch. She and Claire decided on Hooters, which had an open deck that welcomed wet bathing suits.

They ate their fill of hot wings and fries as they relaxed, enjoying the shade of the deck.

Claire gazed at Tristan while she sipped her tea and stared out at the coastline. In this light, Tristan looked so different from the first day they met. She looked happy, especially in this environment.

Claire made a promise to herself then that when they encountered problems in their life together, this place would be their safe haven. They would come here to work out their difficulties.

“Claire, have you ever been snorkeling?” The question broke Claire from her ponderings.

“I’ve always wanted to try it but never really knew anyone who could teach me. Why? Do you know how?”

Tristan smiled. “There’s a place up the road from here near Orange Beach. I’ve been there a few times. Not much to see underwater, but it is fun to collect shells near the jetties. I have my gear in the back of the car, would you like to give it a try?”

Claire enthusiastically agreed, and they were on the road to Orange Beach in a matter of minutes. The dark-tinted windows of Tristan’s car shielded them from the hot sun outside. Claire looked her skin over and decided that she would need another coat of sunscreen, which would be a good job for Tristan. Unlike Tristan, who had tanned skin, she was fair-complexioned and would be red as a beet without her sunscreen.

“If you want to see where we will be snorkeling, look out over the water when we go over this bridge,” Tristan said as she drove.

Claire looked at the blue-green water. The entire area was alive with activity. She could see the divers’ flags floating on the surface. The beach area itself was peppered with bodies basking in the sun.

Once Tristan had found a spot to park in the crowded lot, they unloaded the gear from the back of the car. Tristan threw a netted bag over her shoulder that contained masks and snorkels. For good measure, she tossed a couple of bottles of water inside, knowing they would get thirsty quickly.

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Tristan led Claire down a sandy path to the water’s edge. “This is where a lot of dive companies conduct their classes; the water is very clear here. Let’s go around the point to the jetties. The waves wash up shells that get caught along the rocks. That’s where I find the most interesting stuff,” Tristan said as she led Claire along.

When they came to the spot Tristan thought was best, Tristan set the gear bag down and applied the defogger to the masks. Once the task was completed, she and Claire waded into the water about waist deep.

“Dip down into the water and slick your hair back. That way, the mask won’t get hung up in your hair.” Claire did as Tristan suggested. When she stood, Tristan helped her with the mask. She adjusted the snorkel until it was in a comfortable position for Claire to use.

“Snorkeling is very simple. You float on the surface of the water; the air in your lungs will keep you buoyant. When you see something you want to collect, you tuck your body and kick with your legs to the bottom. You can clear you snorkel by turning your head down and blowing the air out of your lungs before you break the surface. This will clear the water out of the snorkel without having to lift your face out of the water.

“While you’re snorkeling, water will invariably find its way into your mask. To keep from pulling it on and off your face, the easiest way to clear it is to press on the top of it, breaking the seal a little and blowing with your nose. The pressure will force the water out of your mask.”

When she finished speaking, Tristan noticed the puzzled look on Claire’s face. “You really expect me to remember all that? I’ll be lucky if I don’t get choked the first minute I put my face in the water,” Claire said as she kicked at the little fish that swam around her legs.

“Umm, okay, just remember this: Don’t swim too close to the jetties or the waves may push you into them; they are covered with sharp barnacles. Also, don’t stick your hands in any holes in the rocks. Whatever is living in there may not take too kindly to the invasion of its home,” Tristan said with a smile.

After a few tries, Claire caught on quickly. She swam alongside Tristan, who pointed out different things as they went by. As they approached the jetties, they began to see small groups of silver-151

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colored fish. Claire marveled as they bravely swam right up to her mask but darted away when she tried to touch them.

Tristan studied the floor of the warm Gulf for shells. She dived down and collected a few specimens. Finding them broken, she let them fall back to the sandy bottom. Claire watched her from the surface, still not feeling very confident in her abilities.

Instead, she would tap Tristan on the leg and point to things she found interesting. She was especially wary of the jetties, which were a big pile of slimy rocks covered in barnacles, just as Tristan had described.

After about an hour, they had gathered a nice collection of shells.

Tristan was careful not to take any that had a living creature inside. She and Claire were wading back to the beach when Tristan noticed that Claire’s back and legs were getting red, not to mention the portion of Claire’s bottom that her swimsuit did not cover. “Claire, I think we need to get out of the sun. Your entire back side is getting red.”

Claire didn’t argue the point as her skin began to sting. She glanced over at two men sitting in the sand enjoying the sun. One was openly appraising her as she dried off. Anxiety and fear gripped her as she allowed the thoughts that had been floating in the back of her mind to come to the surface. Were the eyes that had sought her out so many times before now upon her? She swore those eyes were near; she could sense their presence. It was as though she had a link to the person who caused her so many sleepless nights.

Her thoughts and fears slipped back into the recesses of her mind as she felt Tristan’s soft lips on her shoulder. The simple gesture filled her with comfort and the reassurance that Tristan would keep her safe from the person who sought to torment her.

They gathered their things and began the long walk around the point. Neither spoke much, being a little tired from the adventure.

Tristan’s long legs and stride maintained a much faster pace than Claire could keep up with, so she stayed a step or two behind. She admired Tristan’s backside as she walked; the two-piece swimsuit accented some of the tall brunette’s attributes.

Claire mused to herself about Tristan’s sense of modesty. When they were not in the water or lying on the beach, Tristan kept her wrap around her waist. However, on their trek back to the car, the 152

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heat was too intense to bother with the wrap, giving Claire and the other beachgoers something to enjoy.

Claire admired her lover’s muscular and tanned back as she walked. Her eyes trailed down to Tristan’s rear end and settled there for most of the walk. The sight was having an effect on her that could not be blamed on the hot weather. Her desire was kindled further by the memory of the previous night, when she had dug her nails into those firm cheeks. The memories alone were enough to make her heart race.

When they finally made it to the vehicle, each drank an entire bottle of water. Tristan took another couple of bottles out, and they took an impromptu bath to wash the saltwater from their skin.

After they had dried themselves sufficiently, they climbed into the car that Tristan had wisely started to cool when they had arrived.

Claire put her hand on Tristan’s when she reached for the gearshift. “Tris, don’t pull out yet. Let’s just sit here for a few minutes.”

“What’s on your mind? Is there something else you want to do?

You know, you really can’t go back out into the sun today. You’re a lot redder than you realize.”

“That’s not exactly what I had in mind, Tris,” Claire said with a grin as she reached over and ran her fingertips up Tristan’s thigh.

Tristan’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “Weren’t you the one who fussed at me last night about public displays of affection?”

“Yes, but we were outside in the open. Now, we are in a vehicle with tinted windows.” Claire continued to run her fingers up Tristan’s thigh, locking eyes with her as she did, grinning as she felt her lover’s body reacting to her touch.

“Tris, recline that seat, close your eyes, and forget that anyone else is out here but us,” Claire purred as she ran her fingertips under the thin material separating her from her goal.

“This parking lot is full of people, what if we get caught?”

Tristan asked nervously as she looked around.

“That’s part of the thrill.” Claire said in a seductive tone.

It only took Claire a second to realize that Tristan’s body was not opposed to the idea. “Tris, your body is betraying your sensibilities. Relax and let me do what I will. I promise you will not be disappointed.”

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Tristan did as she was asked and reclined her seat. She spread her legs a little wider, giving Claire the room to move the way she wanted. Tristan looked around for anyone who might be coming near the car.

“Close your eyes and relax. If I see anyone coming near, I’ll let you know. The only thing I want you to concentrate on is what you feel,” Claire said as she slid two fingers on each side of the bundle of nerves that obviously craved her attention. She massaged gently and slowly, avoiding direct pressure to the sensitive spot.

“Claire, this may take a while. I can’t help but be a little nervous,” Tristan said breathlessly as she shuddered under Claire’s attentions.

“I’m in no hurry. The longer, the better,” Claire said as she continued to massage the tender area. She watched as the muscles tensed in Tristan’s legs and stomach. Magnificent, Claire thought to herself, as her lover’s body became taut as a bowstring, displaying her muscle tone.

Claire refused to give credence to the nagging voice in the back of her mind, whispering that she had seduced Tristan to free her of the troubling thoughts that haunted her. Taking Tristan like this was a pleasant diversion, and Tristan certainly didn’t seem to mind as Claire dipped her fingers in the well of her passion, then glided them back to the spot that made Tristan shudder.

Tristan’s breathing became erratic as she gripped the sides of her seat. Claire had completely forsaken her duty as lookout. She could not pry her eyes from Tristan as she brought her closer to ecstasy. Tristan’s breath caught in her throat, and Claire watched as Tristan’s body stilled a minute before she cried out her name.

“You are beautiful, baby. I love you so much,” Claire whispered as she watched Tristan struggle to get her breathing under control.

As a double bonus for Claire’s afternoon, she was allowed to drive Tristan’s car back to the condo. The activities of the day had proved to be a little too strenuous on Tristan’s legs, and she was not quite up to working the clutch. Claire wore a proud smile as she drove her exhausted lover in her sports car down the strip.

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