The woman noticed them watching her and approached them with a broad smile. "My my, this is a very small world," she said. "I certainly didn't expect to see you guys here."
"Or we you," Joey said. "Is Shannon here with you?"
"She certainly is," Shannon said from behind them, causing both Charlie and Joey to jump in surprise. Shannon chuckled as she walked around them and put her arm around Graves' waist. "So, did you miss us so much that you had to follow us here?" she teasingly said.
"More like this was the only place I could find a vacancy at such short notice," Charlie said. "You as well?"
"Not exactly," replied Graves. "This place is run by my aunt and she always makes one of the cottages available for family during the Christmas and other holiday periods," said Graves. "My cousin was meant to have it this week, but I negotiated a swap with him." She grinned at them. "One day he'll realise I'm the one who actually ended up on top in the deal he currently thinks he won."
"Turns out my Officer Perky is a great negotiator," Shannon freely boasted. "She also managed to talk her way out of hosting Christmas dinner this year."
"I did no such thing," Graves said. "Mum offered off her own bat," she said. "As soon as I told her I had a serious girlfriend that I wanted to join us for Christmas, mum decided the best way to make Shannon feel welcome, was by having a proper Christmas meal."
"And for some reason, her mum thinks her daughter's lack of culinary skills and decorating prowess would somehow prevent my brother and I from feeling welcomed." Shannon glanced sideways at her girlfriend. "I have no idea how she reached that conclusion when I know for a fact that Perky is a great cook."
Graves shrugged innocently. "It must be the pressure of cooking for the family that somehow affects my skills in the kitchen whenever they're around."
"Yeah, that would be it," Shannon drolly said. "Lucky for me though, Perky's tactics don't work on me."
"But yours work on me," she muttered.
"That's because I have a negotiating tactic not available to anyone else and one that I'm not ashamed to use against you," Shannon smugly said.
"Those are the best sort of tactics," Joey said, knowing exactly what they were referring to.
"Unless you're on the receiving end of those tactics," muttered Charlie.
"Funny, I never hear you complaining when you're on the receiving end," Joey said.
"I think this conversation has gone completely off track," the slightly blushing Charlie said.
"If you get your bags, I'll introduce you to my aunt," Graves offered. "I warn you though, once Aunt Kath knows you're friends of the family, she'll spoil you rotten."
"I have no objection to being spoiled," Joey eagerly said.
"Me either," added Charlie.
After sharing tea and scones with Graves' Aunt, Joey and Charlie headed off to their cottage. It was the furthest away from the main reception/restaurant building, which afforded them with more privacy.
"I'm loving this place even more," Joey said as they stepped inside.
"The cottage or the basket of goodies Kath told us would be waiting for us here?"
"Both," grinned Joey. Kath had been extremely apologetic at the booking mishap and so had prepared a complimentary basket for them as an apology.
"Ooh, chocolate, nuts and champers on ice," Joey said as she sorted through the basket.
Charlie read the card that was attached. "And fresh strawberries and chocolate sauce in the fridge," she said. "Ooh and we can expect the same for every day we're here."
"Graves did say her aunt would spoil us, but this seems too much, even for the mix up with the booking," Joey said.
"When we thank her for the basket, we could tell her that one basket was more than enough, but I get the feeling we'll still find another one waiting for us tomorrow."
"Then there is only one thing we can do," Joey sagely said. Then she grinned broadly and reached in. "And that is to enjoy every last tasty morsel."
Joey stopped and breathed in deeply. "Ah, fresh air without the taint of salt or fish," she murmured happily. She swung their held hands as they walked around the main area. Along with the cottages and main building, they saw a small playground and activity area for the kids. They hadn't seen or heard any kids yet, but they had waved in passing to three other couples during their walk.
"It's certainly different to home," Charlie said.
"That's because there is no wedding talk or cop talk or anything other than the peace and quiet of these surrounding."
"I'm so glad we did this."
"So am I," said Joey. "Even though everything has started to settle down at home, it really is nice to just take a complete break from it all."
"I love the Bay, but it is nice to have a change of scenery every now and again, especially when it is such gorgeous scenery."
"Why thank you for the compliment my dear," Joey said, preening herself for Charlie's benefit.
"You're gorgeous too of course," smiled Charlie. Joey's reply was loud and rumbling. "And hungry," she said. "Not sure how after those scones and the way you scoffed down those chocolates from the basket."
"I didn't want them to melt," Joey said. "As for the hunger, well, I have a hectic couple of days ahead of me and I need the energy."
"Hectic, as in how hectic?" Charlie asked.
"I want to explore every inch of this place," Joey said.
"We might not have time to see it all," Charlie warned her. "You heard Kath's description. The land the inn is on goes on for acres and has heaps of must-see places to visit."
"Then we'll just have to come back until we see it all."
"We can definitely do that."
"That was an amazing meal, Kath," Joey said appreciatively to their hostess as she picked up their empty lunch plates.
"I'll pass your compliments onto the cook," said Kath.
"Have Graves and Shannon already eaten?" Charlie asked her.
"Steffi took Shannon on a picnic to one of her favourite little private haunts," she replied. "I doubt we'll see them again before sundown."
"Steffi?" said Joey.
"Her cousins used to mispronounce her name as Perstephone or Stephanie as kids, then it became shortened to Steffi and it kind of stuck," Kath explained.
"Why doesn't she go by that all the time then?" Joey asked out of curiosity.
"She did through school, but once she got into the Academy and they started referring to everyone by their surnames, she decided she liked being called Graves more," Kath told them. "Said it made her sound more authoritative, so these days, everyone other than family calls her Graves, even her closest friends do," she explained. "As for that fiery red head of hers, well, who knows what creative name she'll eventually settle on for Steffi," Kath added with a chuckle.
"We've heard a few of them and none are really to the satisfaction of Graves."
"I've heard a few myself," Kath said with another chuckle. "Steffi is certainly going to have her hands full with that girl, that's for sure," she said. Kath grinned broadly. "And with that passion she displays for just about everything and her willingness to voice her opinion, Shannon will fit into this family just perfectly."
"I'm kind of bummed we didn't get to see the waterfall today," Joey said as they watched the sun begin to set from their front porch.
"We can go first thing after brekkie tomorrow and spend all day there if you want," Charlie suggested. "Kath said the cook is more than happy to prepare picnic hampers, provided we give him a bit of notice."
"Maybe not the whole day, but I'd definitely like to spend a few hours there," she said. "It's just a shame that skinny dipping and getting up to no good with each other is out of the question."
"Not necessarily out of the question," said Charlie. "Kath said we're free to skinny dip and do whatever we want." She smiled wryly. "She just warned that most visitors that came here, also liked to see the popular attractions and so we might get interrupted."
Joey smirked at her girlfriend. "I have no problem with being busted buck naked under a waterfall with my equally naked girlfriend."
"Easy to say before it actually happens."
"Ok, so if the waterfall is a no sex zone, then I wonder if Graves would let us in on one of her little private hideaways."
"Speaking of which," Charlie murmured and nodded her head to the left. It was the first time they'd seen either woman since they'd absconded before noon.
"Well, wherever they've been all day, they obviously enjoyed it," Joey said. Both women had their arms around each other and were laughing loudly as they drew nearer to their cottage. "Now I really want to know where this place is."
"Somehow I get the feeling Graves will remain tight lipped so that she and Shannon can reap the benefits of total privacy."
"Perhaps we could try torture," suggested Joey. "Tickle it out of her."
"We'd have to get past Shannon first."
"Or they could just ignore us completely," Joey bemusedly said when the couple walked right on by them without even seeing them. They were so obviously wrapped up in each other, that Joey doubted they were capable of noticing anything outside of their little world.
"God, they're as bad as us," Charlie said with a knowing smile. She turned to her girlfriend. "I know it's not the waterfall, but that tub inside is built for two and there are strawberries in the fridge, along with chocolate sauce and half a bottle of Champers."
"I might have another use for that chocolate sauce," Joey said in such a way that Charlie felt the heat rush to between her legs. She grabbed Joey's hand and practically dragged her inside.
"Oh fuck that's cold," Charlie gasped when Joey began to coat her nipples in chocolate sauce.
"Let me warm you up," Joey said, moments before her mouth enveloped one of the chocolate encrusted nipples.
Charlie moaned as her cold nipple quickly became heated within Joey's mouth. Joey licked and sucked, making sure every drop of chocolate was gone before she moved onto the next one.
"Oh god Joey, that's wonderful," she whispered.
"Yes it is," Joey murmured around the nipple in her mouth. "Tasty too."
"How much sauce do we have?"
"Enough for numerous encores," Joey told her and recoated each nipple. Charlie closed her eyes and laid back to enjoy the sensual feel of the cool chocolate, followed by the heat of her girlfriend's mouth.
Coat, lick, suck, the process was repeated over and over until Charlie gasped out, "My nipples are so hard, it's almost painful."
"I like hard centred chocolates," Joey joked as she cleaned the nipple of chocolate.
"Haven't you had enough sweetness yet?"
"You're right," Joey said. "Time for some different goodies."
"Oh yes," Charlie cried out when Joey's mouth found her clit. She was already so worked up from the chocolate nipple tasting that she wouldn't last long. Her girlfriend seemed to sense this and slowed down. Charlie opened her eyes and gazed down the length of her body. She saw Joey lying between her legs, grinning up at her. "Anyone ever tell you that you're a tease?"
"Yep," Joey said, swiping out with her tongue. It was a single swipe that had Charlie's hips bucking off the bed in reaction. Another swipe received the same reaction. Then there was a pause, followed by another swipe and Charlie's hips were bucking off the bed again. Having found the rhythm she liked, Joey began to play her girlfriend's passion like an instrument.
"Joey, I need more!" Charlie begged minutes later.
"As in?"
"As in you inside me," she cried out.
"Like this?" Joey said, thrusting her fingers into the silken heat.
"Yes!" squawked Charlie. Joey dispensed with the slow torture and picked up the pace. Charlie's hips matched her thrust for thrust and in no time, Charlie was racing for the precipice and flying right over it. "Yes, yes, oh god Joey, yes!" she screamed as she came hard.
Joey allowed Charlie to ride through her orgasm, then smirked up at her. "You mentioned a two person tub before?"
"I just need a moment to get the wobble out of my legs," Charlie breathlessly murmured.
"I'll go start running the water while you dewobble."
"Ok," was all Charlie could manage to say.