Free Love's Last Chance by Jean C. Joachim

one from Drake’s hands.
    “Hey! Get your own!” Drake grabbed for the
towel but missed.
    Johnny jumped up, a naughty gleam in his
eye. “You want it? Come and get it.” He took off with Drake in hot
pursuit. Dorrie sat back, laughing at their antics as they raced
around the beach, Johnny always one step ahead.
    John faked throwing it in the water, and
Drake leapt up in the air to block it. Eventually, they came back
to Dorrie.
    “She’s base,” Johnny said, panting for
breath as he slid down next to her.
    “Base hell, gimme my towel!” Drake snatching
it back from Johnny and put it with his things, but Johnny didn’t
move. He slipped his arm around Dorrie, resting his hand on her
bare shoulder, creating a tingle.
    “Truce?” he asked, his brown eyes staring
into hers.
    “I’m not mad at you.” Have I forgiven
him?
    “If you say so. But you could have fooled
me. Not even a hello kiss…after five years!”
    Johnny leaned closer to her. She watched his
gaze move down to her mouth. Instinctively, her hand came up to
rest against his chest. Big mistake! Once her fingers
touched his skin, feeling the strong muscle underneath, she knew
resisting was futile. The scent of him mixed with the smell of salt
water lured her. One glance at his lips, and she knew she’d kiss
him.
    He brought his mouth down slowly, carefully,
on hers. He pressed gently as the tip of his tongue caressed her
lips then snaked inside for a few seconds when she parted. Slow,
sensuous, teasing. That was always Johnny. No slam bam thank you
ma’am for him. Always seductive. Always irresistible.
    He pulled back. She opened her eyes to peer
into two almost black pools looking back at her with questions. But
she didn’t have answers. Not yet, anyway.
    “That’s better,” he whispered, so softly the
ocean breeze almost carried it away.
    “Hi,” she muttered, blinking up at him, her
pulse racing.
    “Hi,” he stared at her.
    Drake came back and shook ice-cold water off
on them. The chill broke the spell.
    “What the hell?” Johnny scowled at
Drake.
    ‘Wake up, lovers,” Drake laughed.
    “We’re not lovers,” Dorrie piped up.
    “Oh yeah?” He chuckled. “You give a good
imitation.”
    “Where’s Chrissy?” Dorrie asked, moving the
spotlight away from her private connection with Johnny.
    “She’s coming tonight. Staying with the
women,” he said, plopping down on the sand next to Dorrie, turning
his back to John.
    “Why? You’re married.”
    “Didn’t want her in the house with three
gross guys. And it’s not okay for me to stay in your house.”
    “Why not?” Johnny slid his fingers over hers
and closed them around her hand.
    “I might see some…uh…undressed ladies.”
    “Doubt it would be your first time,
Drake.”
    “It would with these women,” he
snickered.
    “It’s up to you. Afraid to have your wife
with us studs, Drakie?” Johnny mocked.
    “Some studs. Dirty towels everywhere, drunk
guys sleeping on the floor. She’d love it…not!”
    The three rose from their towels and shook
them out. They headed back to the house. Drake and John were lost
in discussion about dinner, who was coming that night, who had
planned to arrive the next morning, and the logistics for the
parties they had planned.
    Dorrie hung back slightly, listening to the
sound of the crashing waves and breathing in the fresh, salty air. Whatever happens, it’s healing just to be here, near the
ocean. She smiled, feeling calmer than she had in a long time
as she trudged through the sand, back to the small house she’d call
home for the weekend.

Chapter Five
     
     
    When Dorrie turned left onto her street, she
was met with a whirlwind of people. Gone was the quiet she’d
relished just two hours before. She sighed and entered, steeling
herself for a raucous time of reunion mixed with partying. A few
new folks arrived while the guys already there mixed a lethal
potion of alcohol and juice in a new, clean bucket. Two women were
building a