Illya and April managed to get through the night with relative ease. One bed meant sharing the space, as much to allay suspicion from the maid service as anything else. They each had suspicions about a mutual attraction, but maintained a professional distance, literally, during the night.
Illya was awake at the break of dawn and decided to take advantage of the morning waves, heading down to the water with a surfboard in tow. It was another of the Russian's many skills, the ability to surf. He hedged his secrets against the many needs encountered in the line of duty, and here on Bali it would be an inroad to several factions among the islanders.
It wasn't necessary to wear a wetsuit here, so the blond wore only his swim trunks as he paddled out into open water. He paddled towards three young men, also waiting, as he intended to do, for the first wave of the morning. It was exhilarating to be out here, the first real thrill Illya had encountered on this mission. He was finally feeling recovered from the previous mission's brutalities thanks to days onboard the liner. Now he was tan and fit, and felt as though the days ahead would be better than he at first imagined. What was not difficult to imagine was how Napoleon had spent his first night in Bali, something that cast his thoughts back to April. It was a momentary flash of something that he quelled as quickly as it came upon him.
"Swasiastu.' Illya hailed the trio of young men in Balinese, following up with a question.
"Bapa bisa basa Inggris?"
They all answered in the affirmative, greeting the new surfer in English.
"Yes, yes we do. Are you from the big ship?" The tourism in Bali had become an important business for the locals, and thankfully these three were not opposed to having visitors in their waters.
"I am, arrived here late yesterday. I have been looking forward to getting into the water though, instead of simply sailing." That seemed to please them, a fellow surfer from someplace distant.
"Where are you from?" The fellow nearest Illya was eyeing him with interest, probably aware of the accent. This one was not American.
"Originally, I am Russian. But, I have travelled and been in school in other countries." That seemed to intrigue them, but a wave was breaking behind them and all conversation stopped.
As the wave pulled up from beneath them it thundered in, lifting the boards and the riders up and over the water as each one of them stood up and gained his balance. Illya didn't see that April was no watching from the beach, his concentration was entirely on keeping himself on his board alongside the other three surfers. His form was good, but he lacked what the others had, being born to this and raised in the waters as they grew up and gained their expertise.
April was impressed, even as she saw Illya go first into the water, his feet flailing as he was tumbled beneath the wave. Her intake of breath wasn't fear, but she did hold it until the blond head popped up near the edge of the water as it lapped the shore. She ran towards him then, laughing as he tried to stand but was knocked down again by a second wave.
"Hey there, how's the ride?" She was near enough now to see that he was indeed fine, his tan visible above the white of his buttocks where his trunks had slid down from the water pulling at them. He hitched them up and turned to see the redhead smiling at him.
"That's impressive so early in the morning." April thought Illya Kuryakin was perhaps the sexiest man she had ever known, or seen. He was tan from the days onboard ship. His hair, shorter than usual after having had it shorn several weeks ago, was bleached lighter than normal.
His muscular definition was usually hidden beneath clothing that seemed to indicate a man of such slight build that one never suspected the strength he possessed. It was part of his magic, the subterfuge of his appearance. She thought he was beautiful in the first light of the day.
Illya quickly took stock of his 'bride'. April's hair was slightly tousled, and she was wearing a colorful pareo; she had obviously tied it around her in a hurry in order to get outside and watch him surfing.
"Hello gorgeous!" The uncharacteristically cheerful greeting was accompanied by a kiss. While it surprised April and delighted her simultaneously, he was whispering to her that they needed to keep up appearances. Well, if that's the way he wanted to play it…
April let the kiss linger and then pulled him in closer until she felt him against her, obviously responding to the encounter. It was enough, for now.