Your Hands in Mine P8
Sarah woke alone on Day 5 of their trip, she felt along the sheets to find nothing but cool high thread count cotton and the barest hint of Chuck's scent left behind. As she cracked an eye she saw it was close to 11:00 am.
"Hey, sleepy," Chuck grinned as he waltzed in wearing jeans and a polo, his ubiquitous Chucks on his feet.
"Hey," she rolled and stretched for his benefit as much as her own.
"Nice try, but I have places to be," he smirked.
"Really?" she leaned up on her elbows so the sheets slipped below her very bare chest.
"Yes," Chuck said staring at the recently revealed skin and then collecting himself and looking at her face and repeating, "y-yes."
"Where exactly are you needed on our vacation?"
"Sam is taking me to town, I have some errands to run," he shrugged.
"OK," Sarah relented.
"Just, OK? No additional follow-up spy questions?" Chuck squinted at her.
"Nope," Sarah swung her long bare legs out of bed and stood in the path of morning sun that snuck through the drapes as if the heavens were shining a spotlight on her body.
"I am just going to kiss you," Chuck stated like a starving man who is just going to have one bite of a giant cake.
"Of course," Sarah nodded demurely.
"Just one kiss," he repeated.
"Uh huh," she reached out and looped a finger through his belt loop to pull him closer.
"Maybe two," he amended as he moved into the sweet warmth of her body.
"Two kisses," she clarified as she initiated the first one.
Chuck tasted like coffee and something sweet, strawberry maybe, and Sarah deepened the kiss to investigate further as his hands moved along her bare back, up to her messy hair where they were hopelessly tangled keeping them locked together for a nice long time.
"One," Chuck counted after their lips disconnected with a pop some minutes later.
"That was a really good kiss," Sarah noted her eyes now a darker shade of blue and her cheeks a soft pink, her lips wet.
"Yeah," Chuck nodded his voice kind of gone.
"It is really going to take something for kiss number two to live up to that," she teased.
"Mmmmm," Chuck agreed and Sarah could see his mind working through his options.
For a big tall guy Chuck was fairly unassuming, maybe all those years of having Casey around made him feel smaller than he is, but in this room with Sarah in her bare feet Chuck loomed over her a bit, used his body to subtly move her back towards the dresser. He reached down then, one hand cupping her jaw and the other cupping a thigh as he kissed her and encouraged her on to the dresser.
She didn't need instruction from there, once her bottom was secure she wrapped both legs around Chuck's waist and pulled him in close. His hand moved up her thigh, his fingers trailing along her sides to join the other on her face, giving him the ability to tilt her neck to deepen the kiss. They kissed like this, sneaking tiny little gulps of air when possible for as long as they could. Finally, Sarah felt light headed and pulled back, she opened her eyes to see Chuck's still closed and his lips still searching for hers.
"Go do your errands, I'll be here when you get back," Sarah promised as she ran her thumb over his wet bottom lip.
"Yeah, they are very fun errands," he smiled.
"Oh?" Sarah was intrigued now.
"All will be revealed in due time," Chuck promised.
"OK," Sarah smiled.
"Um Sarah, I need to go, I'm meeting Sam soon," Chuck said with a grin.
"I know, go ahead, I'm going to go for a run."
"OK, but you have to let me go," Chuck indicated Sarah's legs that were still securely wrapped around his waist.
"Oh yeah," she grinned and slowly lowered her legs, running her toes over his butt and along his jean-clad thighs.
"You do certainly give a guy ample reason for hurrying back," he noted as he perused her body one last time before forcing himself to turn and leave.
"Have fun!" she called after him before hopping off the dresser and gathering her running clothes.
***555***
Chuck needed the walk up to the main building to lower his heart rate after the very extended make out session with his wife. Leslie was meeting him in the main lobby to discuss the vow renewal, Chuck wanted to set up a couple things for Sarah in addition to what they had already planned.
Shortly after Sarah agreed to the 2nd wedding they looked at weather forecasts and picked a day that was slated to be sunny and warm. It left them a couple days afterwards for a honeymoon although they both laughed at how it would really not be any different than their trip so far, but both agreed the date was perfect.
"Hello Chuck," Leslie greeted when Chuck strode through the lobby.
"Hi Leslie, thanks for meeting me."
"No problem, let's take a seat," she indicated two comfy arm chairs with a tea service set on the table between them. "Tea?"
"Sure, thank you," Chuck smiled as the woman poured him a cup.
Chuck dropped a cube of sugar into his tea and leaned back to sip it.
"So everything is set for Tuesday," Leslie referred to a portfolio in her hand, "the justice of the peace is booked and the flowers are all ordered."
"That's wonderful, we appreciate the last minute nature of this," Chuck smiled.
"We all think it is very romantic," Leslie admitted.
"I would marry her every day," Chuck said honestly.
"That's so sweet."
"I'd like to surprise her with something back at the cottage that evening, make that night a little different than every other night of our trip," Chuck tried to explain.
"I have an idea, it will take a couple hours though, Sarah has appointments at the salon for her hair and other such things, maybe I can convince her to change there as well and just meet you at the beach?" Leslie offered.
"If it came from you she might not suspect anything was up," Chuck said although he knew his wife was more perceptive than most.
"We have lovely dressing rooms for brides, it will seem very natural," Leslie assured.
"Wonderful and I would like something formal for dinner in that lovely dining room we have and haven't really used," Chuck grinned.
"Of course," Leslie nodded, "anything particular in mind?"
"Not especially, Sarah likes fresh and local so I will defer to you on that. Neither of us have any food issues."
"Great," Leslie made a few notes in her portfolio as Sam made his way across the room.
"Ready?" Chuck finished his tea.
"I am whenever you are."
"Going in to town?" Leslie asked.
"Yes, I have a few more things to take care of," Chuck said cryptically.
***555***
Sarah ran for a long time, the resort had miles and miles of trails with stunning views at every turn. The weather was perfect for running and after fueling up on the breakfast Chuck had ordered earlier she felt like she could just keep going.
As she went in to her cool down she realized she was near the main building of the hotel, so she slowed to a walk fixed her messy ponytail and went in search of Leslie.
"Hello Sarah," the woman in question said as Sarah came through one of the big double wide doors off the back of the lobby.
"Hello!"
"Were you out for a run?"
"Yes, it was too nice to run indoors. I was hoping to ask you a favor."
"Of course, have a seat, I'll be right with you," Leslie indicated the quiet library area.
A moment later Leslie returned with a tray containing a bottle of cold water and a plate with a sliced apple and presented it Sarah.
"Thank you," Sarah smiled, the presentation was so lavish and thoughtful.
"My pleasure," which was always the answer here at Elbow Beach, and Sarah actually thought it was their pleasure.
"I was hoping to do something special for Chuck the night of our ceremony," Sarah began and Leslie bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"Oh?" Leslie replied as if she hadn't heard the idea just an hour or so before from Chuck himself.
"I'm not sure what, but something in the room to make the evening special."
"Hmmmm, well, let me think on it. Do you trust me and my team?"
"Absolutely," Sarah said honestly as she looked down at the fancy apple tray.
"I'll take care of everything. Speaking of which we have all your appointments at the salon set for that afternoon, if you want we can have your dress and everything brought down and you can dress in one of the bride's suites, keep you away from Chuck's prying eyes" it was both an offer and a command.
"Sure," Sarah said without hesitation after spending the afternoon at the spa the day before. "I wish I had something new to wear. I have a couple nice dresses with me, but it feels like the occasion calls for something new."
"Well as you know Sam is in town with Chuck now, but I am sure he would be happy to bring you in later or tomorrow. With your figure you would surely be able to find something off the rack," Leslie suggested.
"I might just do that, you only get one second first wedding," Sarah grinned.
***555***
When Chuck pulled out his black Amex at the jewelry store everything slowed down, he was not just an American tourist looking for something for his wife, he was a rich American tourist looking for something serious for his wife.
"We're renewing our wedding vows, it is kind of sudden," Chuck explained.
"Do you want a ring?"
"Yes, but not a traditional ring, she has a ring and she loves it," Chuck said with a smile thinking of the moment after the beach when he saw Sarah's rings back on her finger where they belonged, he never wanted them to come off again.
"What do you want to say with the piece?" the jeweler asked.
"Well, this isn't our beginning it is just a special moment in our journey together and I want that journey to go on forever," Chuck said quietly, afraid it sounded corny.
"Wow," the older man leaned forward and looked at Chuck, "you've given this some thought."
Chuck just smiled and nodded.
"Do you have a picture of your wife?"
"I do," Chuck said as he reached for his phone and found a picture of Sarah from the other night in her black & white dress.
"She is lovely," the man said sincerely.
"None more beautiful," Chuck agreed.
"I think I have the perfect thing…" the man stood and indicated Chuck should follow him.
Moments later Chuck was bounding down the steps of the jewelry store with a bag in hand.
"Any luck?" Sam asked as he leaned against the car.
Chuck fished out the ring box and opened it for Sam who let out a low whistle.
"Think the hotel can secure this for me, I really want it to be a surprise."
***555***
It was mid-afternoon when chuck returned to the resort. There was no sign of Sarah in their cottage and as he walked out on the deck he could see why as the sun glinted off her blonde head down on the beach. He changed into shorts and a tee shirt, traded his Chucks for some flip flops and followed the path down to their private stretch of heaven.
As he approached his heart caught in his throat, seeing Sarah sitting on the sand with her knees tucked in to her chest looking out at the water, it was a bittersweet sense of déjà vu.
"Hi," she looked back at him with a smile.
"Hi," he smiled back as he walked the last bit to join her on the warm pink sand.
"There were dolphins earlier," she mentioned.
"I love you," he blurted out and was rewarded with the biggest smile from Sarah.
"I love you too. Always have, always will."
"That's my line," he joked.
"I mean it Chuck, those days I was not myself, part of me never stopped loving you, I am connected to you, forever," Sarah promised.
"I know," he nodded and he realized that he really did know that now.
"Forever," Sarah reiterated before kissing him.
TBC…