Her breath got caught into her throat.  She looked over to her seemingly non-aging grandfather to see if he was still asleep. She heard his unattractive snore, and turned back around to face the green giants that stood in a circle of four. The trees branches blew east; she followed the wind dancing in between the leaves with her eyes. It was a hot day and it was obvious by the sweat that trickled down her chest along with her grandfather, yet she kept feeling a cooling breeze run through her scalp and swept over her brown facet.  She inhaled slowly, coming out with an exhale. She was supposed to be resting since she had been feeling sick for the past two days…but something was coming…something different…something that made her legs cross over one another in shame, but for the feel of sensation and awkward intimacy. She stood up on the wide angled porch and straightened out her dark orange sun dress. She looked at her grandfather Gordon, whom was still napping and slowly walked down the stairs, vanishing in between the tree giants.

   She slowly walked east, following the wind through the trees. She wiped her sweaty chest with her dress, and shooed away at the butterfly that kept trying to land on her face. In frustration she took off her uncomfortable sandals and continued on foot. Each step she let the earth’s crust, soil, and soul massage her feet she moaned in freedom and joy of actually walking by herself, just to see what exactly she was feeling. Her grandfather usually wouldn’t let her walk alone for only one reason. She hated the reason…yet she couldn’t change her fate…it was in her blood, along with her mother, her grandmother, and those who followed. She rolled her eyes at her own thoughts and continued to tread through the woods. It wasn’t until she heard a loud thump which was very close.

The shore? She thought. She walked hostile towards the sound, and even though her mind kept telling her to turn around… but her curiosity continued to take over.

“Aw shit! That’s just great!” A voice came from the thump sound. She stopped, and the only thing that separated her from the imposter was the huge leaf plants. She carefully looked out at the shore, and spotted a ruined row boat.

 No wonder the stranger is angry. She thought, trying her best to hold in a giggle. She only turned her head slightly to the left and saw a man. She couldn’t see his face, but his back only screamed masculinity.  He wore a thin white button shirt with a white…now dirty… wife-beater tank top, with black swim trunks. It was obvious he wasn’t Brazilian. His skin was white, and was only tanned by the sun.  It wasn’t until he turned around, when her heart almost gave out. His handsome jaw lined with after-shave…his bronze hair was kissed by his sweat and the ocean water…the wife-beater he wore only stuck to his chest, showing his carved muscular form, and he wore sunglasses.

Even while he was cursing at his boat, she felt flourished, and free…as if her body would give out on her right there. She bit her lip in ecstasy and pulled down the giant leaf in front of her for more access to the beautiful stranger.

Her head cocked to the right in confusion when she saw a paint-brush and board in his hand.

*****

     Todd Kramer could not believe this was actually happening to him. He got off the plane and was planning to relax on his vacation, take a boat and do some painting, of which he never gets to do. Then all of a sudden a harsh wind blows at a sketch he was creating of the ocean view…his paint brush was damaged by sea water…the row boat crashed into a huge underwater boulder…and his arms ached from trying to row as fast as he could to the nearest shore.  Some vacation. He could only curse out loud and kick at the sand roughly. He threw down his paint-brush and board and wiped the sweat from his head. He glared at his sea water filled canteen that laid beside the damaged boat.

“Why are you doing this to me!” He yelled as he looked up to the sky.  He chuckled awkwardly to himself. He walked towards the boat and examined it.  “Aw damn it. There’s no way I can get out of here.”

    He looked around and only fell to his knees.  He took the end of his paintbrush and began outlining on the sand. He then got up and continued to draw upon the sand whilst walking. The wind continued to blow and he sighed in thanks…he looked up and smiled.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

“What are you doing?”

His eyes snapped open as he turned towards the voice. He looked in awe. It was a young woman, no older than nineteen whose eyes, if he weren’t mistaken, looked at him in lust. Her was in a short, yet curly fashion, and she simply adorned the dark orange dress that accentuated her body form.

“I’m uh…I’m drawing.” He said hearing himself sound like a complete idiot.

She chuckled huskily. “I can see that. But what are you drawing?” She wasn’t exactly good at speaking clearly in English, but she was close enough to where he could understand her.

“Umm….just something that could possibly help me get out of here…um…do you live around here?”

“Yes.” She grinned. Even though it wasn’t a full smile, her grin alone made his heart quicken.

“By yourself?”

“No.” She started coming towards him.

“You live with someone?”

“My grandfather.” She said as she stopped an arm’s reach away from him.

“I’m Todd Kramer, by the way.” He reached out to shake her hand.

She smiled at him and took the masculine hand into her own.. “I’m Bobbie Taluro.” She said.

“Bobbie? Is it short for anything?” He tried his best not to stare at the contrasting color between their hands.

She shook her head no. “I don’t believe so.”

He chuckled. “That’s grea-“ He stopped as he sighed…he was beginning to feel a bit dizzy.

“Sir? Are you okay?” Bobbie asked in worry.

“Yeah, I’m just a little dehydrated.” He said. He tried to walk towards her, but instead fell to the ground, still conscious. She quickly held the big man in her arms, as she possibly could…only to feel a sudden rush through her body.

He chuckled. “Can’t believe I’m fainting like this on the first courting.”

She smiled at him, and rubbed his hair from his beautiful face. She didn’t mean to make him feel dehydrated, she just wanted to touch him, only to forget one of the flaws. However, she didn’t care… So quickly she wanted him to be hers, and hers alone.  That’s why she disobeyed grandfather’s orders of talking to strangers. She wanted this man, and wouldn’t let his dehydration get in her way. She touched his fine pink lips and removed his sunglasses, as she stared into those piercing sea green eyes. He stared back at her.

“Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to talk to strangers?” He whispered. “A white one at that?”

She only smiled and continued to let her finger roll through his scalp. “I barely even know you…I don’t even know-“

“Shhh.” She whispered. “Rest.”  His eyes started to get hazy and she knew if he didn’t get some kind of hydration he would probably pass out…she had no choice.

She looked at his now dry lips and slowly bent her head down. She sighed.

“Sorry grandfather.” She whispered and allowed her lips to lay upon his. Todd, who was still in a haze, groaned.

Inside his mouth, it felt like fresh water was poured on his lips and down his dried aching throat. Although he felt hydrated, he couldn’t move. He only opened his eyes, just enough to see the young woman above him with her eyes closed.

Todd  blacked out.