Bare essentials, p.6
Bare Essentials, page 6
“Take it. It’s not going to bite.”
Chastity wrapped her fingers around the butt.
“It’s heavy.”
Matt smiled.
“Okay. Step up to the firing line.”
Chastity moved a couple feet forward.
“Spread your feet shoulder width apart.”
Chastity did as instructed.
Matt yelled, “Clear the range!” Then stepped close behind her. He lifted her other hand to her gun heavy wrist.
She could feel the heat of his naked body through her clothes.
“Now, index finger on the trigger.”
He overlapped his trigger finger to hers.
“Gently, squeeeeeeeze.”
BANG!
Chastity squealed with the sound of the discharge.
“Place the gun on the counter.”
Chastity laid the gun down.
“I forgot rule number four. Always wear hearing protection. Here. Put these on.”
He handed her a pair of noise canceling earmuffs.
“Can I do it again? By myself this time?”
Matt laughed. “Sure. Pick up the gun. Remember to…
BANG!
~~~
Chapter 38
The evening sun was beyond the horizon when Matt and Chastity returned from the gun range. Matt had embarrassed himself when certain physical manifestations occurred when he wrapped his arms around Chastity to help her aim the pistol.
They slowly climbed the stairs to her bungalow.
Chastity flopped into the nearest chair.
“Thank you for a wonderful afternoon.”
“You are welcome. I’d better go now.”
“Wha…?”
“I’ve still gotta clean the guns. They rust too easily in this humidity.”
Matt turned and walked away without another word.
The screen door shuts behind him before Chastity knew what had happened. She was thoroughly confused and extremely frustrated.
~~~
Chapter 39
Rhonda stepped from the admin office into the mid-morning sunshine. She saw a flash of hot pink in the distance. It was Chastity.
Rhonda seething with jealousy, said to herself, “It’s about time I teach that little bitch a lesson.”
A horn beeped twice as Matt cruised past in his electric maintenance cart.
Rhonda watched Chastity turn at the sound of his horn. She smiles and waves.
Matt stopped the cart.
Chastity leaned against the front of the cart and leaned in.
Rhonda was too far away to hear what was being said, but she knew it wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Then again, maybe it was.
~~~
Chapter 40
Matt wanted to tell her how enticing she looked in her bikini, but knew better than to comment on Chastity’s growing comfort with her own exposed skin. So, he avoided the subject all together.
“You’re upset, aren’t you?”
Chastity evaded a direct answer by scanning the horizon.
“Are you up for a little adventure after dark?”
She reached in and absentmindedly stroked his leg.
“I might be.”
Matt grabbed her hand. Certain portions of his anatomy were responding to her caress and it was neither the time or the place to satisfy his cravings – or hers.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
Matt changed the subject.
“If you’re interested, I might be by your place around dusk. Dress accordingly.”
Chastity pulls her hand away.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Fair enough. But if you were to go out with me tonight, let’s just say that what you are wearing right now, might mean you are overdressed.”
Chastity blushed and stepped away from the cart.
“Bye.”
She ignored him as he pulled a U-turn and drove away before she can respond.
~~~
Chapter 41
Rhonda stepped into the street and raised her hand to signal Matt.
He stopped.
“Morning. What can I do for you.”
Rhonda snarled, “I ordered you to stay away from the guests.”
“Bit difficult to do with my job, don’t you think?”
“Look smart-ass…”
Matt interrupted, “Is this all because I won’t sleep with you?”
Rhonda swung her hand at Matt’s face. She missed.
Matt quickly drove away before she got another chance at him.
Rhonda decided to extract her revenge on another and stomped after Chastity.
~~~
Chapter 42
Chastity’s hot pink bikini by the water’s edge immediately drew Rhonda’s eyes to her.
Rhonda stepped out of her tram. And strutted across the warm sand in nothing but canvas slip-ons.
Chastity was sinking her feet into the wet sand as the waves lap around them.
Rhonda approached with a smile on her face that belied her true intentions.
“Have you got a minute, Ms. Cousins?”
Chastity, perky, turned and freed herself from the sand.
“Sure.”
“I thought I made it perfectly clear to you the first day you arrived that you were not to associate with the hired help.”
Chastity was shocked by the venomous look on Rhonda’s face. “I… We haven’t…”
“Don’t try to bullshit me, Missy. You rich little bitches seem to think that any man here is fair game… I’ve seen it a hundred times. You all do it. You’re worse than fucking vampires.”
“Ah…”
Rhonda spit fire, “Don’t lie to me. I know what you’re after and I don’t care how much money your daddy has.”
“But…”
“I can send you back to the mainland on the next plane whenever I like. You are a guest here, you don’t own this damned island. You understand me?”
“I think…”
“You don’t think with anything but your cunt. He’s mine. You hear? You stay away from him.”
Rhonda turned on her heel and walked away.
Chastity chased after her.
“You don’t understand…”
Rhonda pivoted, her hands rose to strike Chastity.
Chastity dropped to the sand and cried out.
Rhonda, with a wicked smile, menaced, “You come anywhere near me or him and I’ll rip that bikini to shreds and ship you back to the mainland nude. You got that?
Chastity nodded.
“Now get the fuck out of my sight.”
Chastity was paralyzed in place.
Rhonda kicked sand in Chastity’s face before she strode back to her tram and drove away.
~~~
Chapter 43
The sun was dropping into the ocean when Matt, naked except for a blanket over his shoulder, rapped his knuckles on Chastity’s front door. After a minute with no answer, he opened the door.
“Chastity?”
He heard her whimper, “Go away.”
Matt moved toward the bedroom.
He stops at the door. He could tell Chastity had been crying.
“Are you all right?”
“Go away. I don’t want to see you. Ever again.”
“Why? What happened?”
“I can’t see you any more.”
“What? Who told you that?”
“Rhonda. She says you’re hers.”
Matt’s single sharp laugh echoed off the walls.
“In her dreams!”
He moved to her side. “Now, get out of bed and let’s go watch the fireworks.”
“Go away.”
“I’ll take care of Rhonda, you’ve got five minutes to meet me outside. Move it.”
~~~
Chapter 44
The afterglow of dusk still illuminated the evening sky when Chastity, dressed in a lime green bikini and an ankle length floral print wrap around skirt stood in the open door of her bungalow.
Chastity was excited. She was beginning to think of Matt as her “boyfriend”.
Matt had a small ice chest in his hands and the blanket was still tossed over his shoulder when Chastity, unexpectedly lept from the top step into Matt’s arms.
He dropped the small ice chest and fell backward into the sandy that edges the road.
Chastity was sprawled across his body.
“Are you okay?” Matt asked.
“You were supposed to catch me.”
Matt could hear the irritation in her voice and laughed. “Next time, warn me.”
“What makes you think there’s going to be a next time?”
“You’re the one on top and that’s always a good indication.”
Chastity scrambled to her feet.
Matt followed more slowly.
In the distance, he saw Rhonda march toward them. She was breathing fire from her mouth.
“Come on. We’d better hurry,” Matt urged.
Chastity wrapped her arms around his arm, leaned her head into his shoulder and squeezed.
Matt turned and scurried away as Chastity skipped along beside him.
Rhonda watched the pair escape down the street toward the beach.
Rhonda stood anchored in place. “You may think you’re smart, Matthew Kirkpatrick, But I swear I’ll have your balls in a vice before you leave this island.
~~~
Chapter 45
Matt had spread the king-sized blanket on the sand beside the cooler and, with an exaggerated gesture, said, “Your palace, milady.”
Chastity giggled. “Thank you, kind sir.”
They settled on the blanket.
Matt opened the ice chest and pulled out a plastic bottle of wine. He unscrewed the top.
“It isn’t champagne, but it bubbles.”
Chastity smiled and accepted the bottle.
“Thank you.”
Chastity took a sip and held it toward to Matt.
“Got one of my own.”
Matt opened his and held his bottle toward Chastity.
“Happy Fourth of July.”
Chastity touched her bottle to his.
“Happiest yet.”
In the distance, the first whoosh of fireworks streaked through the air. As it exploded, Chastity cautiously removed her bikini top.
Matt ignored her semi-nudity.
~~~
Chapter 46
Matt and Chastity were lying side by side, watching the fireworks finale as it exploded in the air.
“WOW! That was amazing. Thank you.”
“For what?” Matt asked.
“I’ve never seen fireworks before.”
Matt was incredulous. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. We didn’t have fireworks or wine coolers, or moonlit nights where I grew up.”
“Surely, you had moonlit nights?”
Chastity’s wistful answer surprised Matt. “If we did, I didn’t have someone special at my side.”
Matt laughter exploded into the night.
“You’re laughing at me.”
“No I’m not. If you’ve never had moonlit nights, then you’ve never been skinny dipping either. Right?”
“No.”
Matt stood and pulled her to her feet.
“How about it? It’s a beautiful night. Want to join me in the surf with nothing between us but the water?”
Chastity hesitated. “You go first. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Without another thought Matt ran into the surf and dove into a wave.
Chastity untied her skirt and slipped bikini bottom off. Now naked she squealed with delight and plunged into the surf after him.
~~~
Matt and Chastity were standing arm in arm in waist deep water when a large wave lifted them off their feet. She squealed as they were separated.
Matt quickly pulled her to him and then slipped her behind him.
She was riding piggy back with her arms around his neck when Matt walked out of the ocean and stops at the blanket.
He knelt and twisted so Chastity could step onto the blanket without getting her feet sandy.
She dropped onto her back.
Matt looked at Chastity in the moonlight and Chastity enjoyed his eyes roaming her body.
“So, what do we do now?” she asked seductively.
Matt smiled as he lay down next to her. “We moonbathe.”
“Moonbathe?”
“It’s just like sunbathing, we don’t get burned.”
Chastity giggled.
“You’re silly.”
“And you are beautiful.”
~~~
Chastity was sound asleep when Matt wrapped the blanket around them. Without any effort he fell asleep with her in his arms.
~~~
Chapter 47
Most people fail to realize that there is a difference between dawn and sunrise. The variation is that gray band of ever increasing light. It was in this grayness that Matt found himself spooned against Chastity whose head rests on his extended arm. He sniffs the back of her neck.
He whispered in her ear, “Hey, sleepy head.”
Chastity’s eyes sprang open. “Wha…?”
“Good morning, Chastity.”
Chastity quickly surveyed the beach. It’s empty.
Matt rolled onto his back and pulled Chastity against his chest.
She beat his shoulder with her fist.
“You beast!”
Matt laughed.
“What?”
“You know what.”
“It is simply a natural physical reaction to having a beautiful woman in my arms.”
Chastity blushed as she buried her head in his chest.
“You’re still a beast,” she said before, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.
Without another word she jumped up and ran back to her bungalow.
~~~
Chapter 48
The day did not start well for Humility. She had promised the senior cousins ‘substantial’ income when they gave permission for her to take Chastity to New York and the bitch disappeared.
And when the seniors found that she had given away fifty percent PLUS expenses, they were furious.
Humility had just been released from her months long stay in her a cockroach infested cell and she was not happy when she returned to her desk.
She quickly opened her top desk drawer and extracted Bruno Mauricci’s business card. She dialed the telephone.
It RINGS twice.
A male voice answered, “Mario Brothers Pizzaria. By the pie or by the slice. May I take your order?”
Humility screamed, “NO!” before she slammed the phone into its cradle.
She picked up the card again and slowly dialed the correct number, speaking every number out loud.
The phone rang three times before a voice answered, “Thank you for calling. You’ve reached the law offices of Bruno Mauricci. I am either in court or with a client. Leave your name and number and I will call you back right away.”
The answering machine beeped.
Humility, frustrated, angry, and just off bread and water, yelled, “I haven’t heard a word from you since I got back from New York. You better call me or I’ll be looking for another lawyer.”
Of course, she failed to take into account she had been incommunicado for that entire time.
“So get off your fat ass and do something or else,” she threatened before she hammered the phone back into its cradle.
~~~
Chapter 49
Chastity stretched as she woke. She rubbed her eyes open. She yawned and. stretched again before she threw the light blanket to the other side of the bed.
She quickly rolled her feet to the floor and sat up. She separated the mosquito netting and walked into the bathroom.
Chastity looked at the shower and quickly decided against it. She’d take one when she returned from the beach.
A moment later, towel in hand, Chastity threw it over her shoulder and walked out the door naked as a jaybird.
~~~
Chastity was lying on her stomach as she enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her back. Her eyes are closed and fully relaxed when a shadow blocked the sun from her head.
She cracked an eye open as Matt plopped down in the sand next to her. He crossed his legs and said, “You’re getting a little pink. Time to turn over.”
“Already roasted that side.”
Matt chuckled.
“Where’s your sunscreen?”
“Didn’t bring it.”
Matt was curious, “Why not?”
Chastity lifted herself onto her elbows.
“Didn’t think of it. Besides you weren’t around to slather me.”
Matt laughed.
“Well. I think you’ve had enough sun for the day.”
“Why? I burn once, it peels, and then I tan.”
“Sounds like a good way to get skin cancer. Come on. Let me drive you home.”
“No need. I’m meeting Nina for lunch at the cantina. I’ll just walk.”
Matt looked at her. “Chastity. It’s time for you to get out of the sun,” he said, sternly.
Chastity answered reluctantly, “Oh. Okay.”
Then she brightens, “Walk me to the showers?”
Matt helped Chastity to her feet.
She picked up the towel and shook it into the wind. Sand was whipped into them.
“Face away from the wind to do that.”
Chastity giggled.
“Sorry.”
“Yeah, I bet,” Matt said before he took her hand in his.
Chastity snorted her denial as they stroll across the sand.
“Sure I can’t run you home?”
“Nope. I mean… I’m sure.”
“Nina’s, then?
Chasity looked at him. “Matt. Go to back to work.”
Chastity walked over to the showers.
Matt saw her glance back over her shoulder and smile. He waved before he climbed into his cart and scooted away.
~~~
Chapter 50
Matt entered the admin office and found Jim was stuffing files into banker boxes. As they got filled they were sealed and a couple from the housekeeping crew loaded the boxes onto trolley behind Rhonda’s tram.
