CC Chapter 9
The day was beautiful, the afternoon was spectacular, and the evening rolled in with a bang. After buying something from almost every vendor at the festival, Denise was on a major money high. Jack would just laugh each time she grabbed his hand and drug him into yet another tent. Candles, crowns, soaps, lotions, body sprays, quilts, everything was wonderful and helped Denise remember what it was like to be wild and crazy. She had somehow talked Jack into getting body art painted on him, and she laughed when he came out with a Navy anchor on his shoulder and Denise wrote under it.
"Why the anchor?" She asked suspiciously.
"Cause im taking you sailing tonight and you will forever call me your Sailor man." He smirked as she kissed him.
"OH I will will I? That sounds really cheesy you know." She was laughing to the point of holding her aching stomach.
"Yes, forever. I will be the master of the high seas, no wave I cannot conquer, no vessel I cannot man and no woman I cannot seduce in a..." He paused and looked at her.
"Rowboat," She finally caught a breath and took advantage of his pause. "You expect to sleep on a little row boat Jack?" She laughed as a little boy handed her a red balloon.
"Sleep?" He smiled as she turned and glared at him. "Yes. By all means, I mean to sleep on that little row boat. Now are we done shopping because the dance starts in just a little bit, along with those…things that explode in the sky?"
Denise started laughing again and wondered where in the world this man had actually been all her life. "Fireworks?" She answered him.
"That would be the word I was looking for. Yes Fireworks. They will also be exploding tonight in that little rowboat." He leaned in for a kiss as she placed both hands on his chest and pushed him back.
"Ya, no I don't think so there Sailor." She smirked.
"SEE, I told you. Sailor.. add the man on there and you've got me for life." He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her on her neck.
"We need to put my stuff in the truck cowboy." She laughed and tried to turn away from him.
"Cowboy, sailor, you just can't be happy with one man can you?" He laughed as she swung around and punched him in the arm.
"Be nice." She ordered and stalked away from him, leaving him with all the packages to carry to the parking lot.
"Ill try." He snorted and watched her walk away from him.
As they returned to the party after dropping all the packages at the truck, the first firework exploded into the black sky. The crowd cheered and awed at the sight above them. After about ten minutes of the lights and noise, and the hugs and stolen kisses, Denise was ready to escape.
"Jack, lets go." She whispered in his ear as he kissed her neck.
With no arguing what-so-ever, Jack slipped his hand in hers and led the way to the truck, bound for that small cozy vessel on the wild ocean blue. Okay, small South Carolina lake. Live a little.
When they arrived back at the house, they quickly grabbed some extra blankets, pillows, night time snacks, a bottle of champagne from the fridge, and changed into clothes warm enough for their sailing adventure. They headed out the door and down the lightning bug lit trail to the lake, arms loaded with the supplies for the night. Jack quickly spread the blankets into a bed and helped Denise into the boat. As he stepped into the boat and pushed away from the dock, Denise quickly made sure the oars were where they were supposed to be. Jack settled down beside her and smiled.
Denise held up the bottle of champagne and laughed. "You forgot the glasses."
"We don't need glasses. I'm not afraid of your germs." He leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips.
She leaned back and laughed. "My germs?" She layed back and looked at the stars as Jack leaned on his elbow and watched her. "What?" She smiled at him then sat up and grabbed the bottle from his hand.
"I was just thinking how beautiful you are, especially when the twinkling stars reflect in your eyes." Jack answered.
Denise started laughing after she almost choked on the drink she had just inhaled. "Use that line often?" She asked as he pushed the bottle back to her lips.
"Drink more so you don't laugh at me next time I say something." He snorted.
"If I drink more I won't think straight Jack." She answered.
"Exactly what you're supposed to be doing tonight." He grabbed two pieces of pizza from the snack bag and handed Denise one.
"I would like to just forget about everything tonight." She answered.
"Then forget everything tonight." He smiled at her.
"I will. Just cause you said I can, sailor." She smiled back.
"Now THAT'S what I'm talking about sweetheart." He toasted his pizza with hers and jumped when a fish splashed in the water near the boat.
"Don't tell me you're scared." She laughed and pushed him in the chest.
"I'm not scared but when something goes bump in the night, you start thinking of Jaws. Any minute now the music will start." He replied.
Denise burst into a fit of laughter as a frog let out a loud croak, causing Jack to grip the side of the boat. "Oh my God, you obviously don't go out at night much do you… Sailor?" She joked.
"Hey Denise? Shut up and kiss me." He grabbed her head and leaned forward, attacking her lips with a heat of passion, but pulling away quickly causing the champagne to kick into overdrive and make the boat feel as though it were spinning in Denise's world.
"Okay, you win. This time." She laughed as they both lay back and watched the stars shooting across the sky.
"Close your eyes and make a wish." Jack whispered as Denise curled against him and closed her eyes. "Denise?" He glanced down at her and heard her breathing change into sleep mode. "Sleep well my love."
When the morning sun shown down upon the two sleeping sailors, they both stirred and opened their eyes. Denise realized it was morning and suddenly sat up in a state of shock.
"CRAP, what time is it?" She slapped Jack in the chest as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Good morning to you too. WOW Jack, what a night that was. Better than I've ever had before Jack." He answered
"JACK." She yelled.
"7:05." He answered then grunted at the situation.
"Hurry. Row to shore." She grabbed an oar and started to row, when Jack took it out of her hand and got them back on the route to shore.
"DENISE." Franks voice bellowed from the shore as Denise cursed quietly and tried to think of a reason she was out overnight in a boat with a man.
"CRAP CRAP CRAP." She repeated.
"Well that's better than what you just mumbled. Don't worry." Jack said as they came to a stop at the boat dock and Frank leaned down for the tie rope.
"Frank." Denise was afraid to stand but stood carefully on weak legs.
"Denise, I'm not sure who he is or what you have been doing but I have a confession to make before you say anything. I messed up D, and I don't expect you to forgive me. I…. I had an affair. There I said it. I…expect you to be mad so… Damn, I just.. I can't do this anymore. I need to get away and think." Frank ran his hands through his hair and turned around to walk away. He suddenly stopped and dropped his hands to his side. "I'm sorry Denise. You deserve better." He walked away, down the trail, back to his car.
"Wow. That's not anything what I expected to happen." Jack said quietly, still in shock.
"Did I hear all that right?" Denise asked as she did sit there in shock.
"I think so.. affair, cant do this, need to think." Jack replied.
"That bastard. He cheated on me." Denise was watching the empty trail.
"As apposed to … oh I don't know, you kissing another man?" Jack received an evil glare.
"He cheated on me." She said quietly.
"I like it how you said bastard. Can you do that one again?" Jack smiled.
"Jack." She looked at him and her eyes filled with tears.
Jack quickly wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the head. "It's ok, cry. I'm here. I'm here." He reached over to the dock and pushed them away, setting sail back to the open sea.