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When he led me around the next corner in the exhibition past a dark little nook, I couldn’t resist the pull of the attraction between us anymore. I drew him tightly against me and kissed him slowly, tenderly and completely.
When our lips parted, he looked deep into my eyes.
“What was that for?” he asked, his eyes twinkling in the soft light.
“I just wanted to,” I admitted honestly.
He grinned at me. “Okay.” He nodded, licking his lips and tempting me to do it all over again. “Come on.” He beckoned, pulling me back towards the displays.
We toured around the tanks, Lennox smiling when he heard kids exclaiming in delight about the fish in the tanks. I was content watching him – his childlike excitement, how he smiled at children and parents alike.
He was under my skin. I wasn’t sure what that would mean for us once the job was over and everything was settled, but I didn’t want to think that far ahead. For now I just wanted to enjoy how good it felt to be in his company.
True to his word, when the demonstration started at the main tank, Lennox led us all the way back to it. He told me to roll up my sleeves so I could touch the fish. A member of staff came out and talked to the crowd about the local sea life and the creatures in the tank in front of us. Lennox watched, listened, and smiled when a horn-backed ray appeared from the water and poked its nose against his fingers.
He grinned and turned to me as he ran his fingers over the fish. “See, they love the attention,” he told me.
I put my own hand over the water and as Lennox had told me, the same ray nudged at my hand too. The small sharks in the tank seemed just as happy at being petted as the rays.
When the presentation was over and the other visitors started to walk away, Lennox lingered. He kept his fingers in the tank, letting the sharks and rays keep his attention for just a while longer.
“What?” He laughed without even lifting his head, knowing I was looking at him and not the fish.
I shook my head with a laugh. “Oh, nothing.”
He beamed, pulled his hand from the water, and nodded his head in the direction of where we could wash our hands after contact with the fish. From there, we made our way back to the exit and the gift shop.
We walked out of the aquarium with a plushie seal and ray, and a key ring. Lennox cuddled the seal and I had the ray. He paused, looking at me.
“Thank you.” He gazed at me warmly.
“You’re very welcome.”
As I went to walk off, Lennox grabbed me by the front of my coat and pulled me back to him. Leaning in, his lips met mine for a moment. It was soft and tender, and warmth flooded through me. A contented expression settled on Lennox’s face when he pulled back.
The feelings that stirred within me made me a little nervous, so I took the chance to lighten the mood a little while I could. Holding the ray up, I made it swim around in the air in front of Lennox.
“Look, Lennox, I’m swimmin’!” I grinned, dipping and raising my ray as it ‘swam’ around in the air in front of him. He burst out laughing and nudged me in the arm.
“You’re such a kid. I can’t take you anywhere, can I?” he scolded, trying not to laugh.
“Pfft,” I replied. “You’re just jealous because Larry’s a great air swimmer!”
Lennox shook his head laughing, linked his arm with mine, and we started to walk back to the sea front and where we had parked the car.
About an hour later we arrived back at the car, walking just beyond to one of the benches that faced out over the water. I started to swim Larry through the air and bumped him softly against the tip of Lennox’s nose. He laughed, snatched the toy out of my hand and hid it behind his back. I gasped at the kidnapping of my beloved ray and circled my arms around him, trying to get the toy back.
Our faces were just inches apart. My rescue mission for Larry was swiftly forgotten, and I dipped my lips towards his, using the arm I had around him to pull him tight against me instead. My tongue licked along his lips and teased his. Before he knew what I was up to, I yanked Larry out of his unsuspecting hand and stepped back, waving him in front of Lennox.
“Hahaha! I got him!” I laughed, clutching the toy to my chest and stroking it. “There there, Larry, I’ve got you, you’re safe now!” Shooting a crazed look in Lennox’s direction I grinned.
A hearty laugh erupted from Lennox’s throat as he watched me. “You’re crazy!” He chuckled. “Are you sure that I’m actually safe with you?”
I smirked and waggled my eyebrows at him. “Well, I rescued Larry from his kidnapper successfully, didn’t I?” Before Lennox could think too much about how that related to his own situation I changed the subject. “Come on,” I said, getting up. “Let’s find somewhere to get something to eat. Larry says he’s starving.” I smirked and held my hand out to him, and he accepted it. Together we strolled back to the car.
It was late by the time we finally arrived in Newcastle. There wasn’t much else to do but settle into our rooms and sleep. I stood in Lennox’s room and smiled as I thought back over the day we had shared.
“Thanks for today. It was just what I needed. Sometimes I get so bogged down in the pressures of life that I forget just how much being at the beach soothes my soul.”
