Uplifting Brew

"Try to be like the turtle - at ease in your own shell." - Bill Copeland

"Are you ready?" I heard Dylan ask. Nodding my head, he took my hand and led me still blindfolded down an uneven path till my feet hit a softer ground. I could feel the heat of the sun beating down on my shoulders. "Okay." He uncovered my eyes, to reveal miles of sand and the sea.

I looked at Dylan, who had a huge grin plastered on his face. "Welcome to the beach!" He exclaimed, his arms outstretched wide and his chest puffed out. "My favourite place in the world." I raised my eyes in surprise.

"What, a man can't enjoy a good day at the beach with the sun?" He frowned, still smiling. "Alright, lets do this right. Take your shoes off and run into the water." I shot him an apprehensive look.

"Trust me." He took my hand and looked into my eyes. "It's worth it." Nodding, I slipped out of my shoes, dropping them into the white sand and running straight into the water gasping as it hit my thighs and chest.

After spending the last few days in the cold weather, my body welcomed this change in temperature as the sun beat down on my skin. Sitting down in the wet sand, I just waited for the water to rush towards me and gently envelope my lower body, lapping against my skin. Breathing in the salty air, I sighed deeply with my eyes closed. The newfound peace allowed me to enjoy my surroundings, to take in the presence around me.

"You know, I basically grew up on the beach. When I was younger we were poor, so living in a little hut on the beach was all we could afford because we built it. My father was always away to earn money to provide for his family, things changed when my estranged grandfather died and left more than we could ever imagine to my father. Life was simpler back then, we were reminded to love each other and to love what we had. We ate fruits, and drank coconuts on the sand. I played soccer on the beach with other kids my age, I wrestled with my older brothers and my best friend was always by my side. How I long for those days." He sighed. I placed a comforting hand over his, to tell him I understood.

We spent the majority of the morning lying out in the sun, unintentionally bronzing our skins. I closed my eyes to really enjoy the heat beating down on us. I must have dozed off when I heard Dylan's soft voice in my ear urging me to wake up. Blinking to adjust to the light, I sat up.

"They're going to be releasing the baby turtles now. We should go." He grinned excitedly. In that moment I saw that boy who drank from coconuts and climbed trees. Scrambling to my feet I ran to catch him, the sand being kicked up behind me. The conservationists had sectioned off an area of the beach with tape as they gently emptied the white buckets of hatchlings. Dropping to my knees, I lay down on my stomach and leaned my head on my hands. We watched as the babies crawled slowly across the sand towards the sea. Hundreds of black blue sea turtles spanned the area, making their journey home. It was a wonderful sight to see, one I would forever treasure in my heart.

"They have only just come into the world but they know where home is and that is a beautiful thing. We spend decades of our life trying to find our place in this wide world, but we never find home. These turtles may never see each other again but they don't need each other to find home because they already know that home is within them. It's here." He placed a hand on my chest. We watched till all the turtles had made it into the water before getting up again.

He took my hand and led me to the water, walking slowly along the edge and watching as the waves washed over our feet removing the evidence of our path. The sun was setting and the beach was starting to clear out leaving only the few romantic stragglers, us included.

The thin dress I had thrown over my swimsuit flowed out behind me and my hair danced in the wind. Dylan began leading me into the water, facing me the whole time. The intense look in his eyes stopped any questions from forming in my mind, my only focus was to follow him into the sea. He placed my hand on his chest, just over his heart, and my eyes widened as I felt the fast paced beat against my finger.

"That's how you make me feel. You make my heart beat. You're a breath of fresh air in all the pollution. You're unique and blindingly beautiful. You unapologetically speak your mind, and to see you blossom has been my privilege." He spoke, unable to stop the emotions from bleeding into his words.

I closed my legs around his waist as he began walking to deeper waters till he was treading water with me still attached to him. Unhooking my legs, I placed my arms around his neck instead so that my weight wouldn't drag him down. He was smiling so sweetly at me, I just wish I could return the gesture. The setting sun around us cast bright burnt skies around us, as the water glistened under the shine.

The smile on Dylan's face slid off as his eyes flicked to my lips. I rested my forehead against his, our noses barely an inch away. My breath quicken when I saw the lust in his eyes. It wasn't predatory like some men had but it was more lustful desire, for me. He didn't kiss my lips, instead aiming for the pulsating artery at along my neck. Gasping, I pushed my head back as he sucked and bit my skin. The cool water helped my burning skin as my hair stood on end, electrified. There was a raw energy pulsing through me with every sensual kiss Dylan lay on my skin. I felt boneless, hanging like a cloth of his shoulders with only his strong arms around my waist to support me. Finally after what felt like forever his captured my lips, intensifying the feeling that was building up in my stomach. Enthusiastically I kissed him back, oxygen becoming a distant memory.

In my haze of desire I hadn't noticed that he had started walking back to the beach with me in his arms. The water slipped off our bodies as we exited the sea, but our eyes were fixed to each others. This raw emotion that coursed through us was new and overwhelming, it had me catching my breath every time I looked at him. He lay me down on the towel, lying down beside me resting on one shoulder. With his right hand he swiped away the wet hair from my face, and leaned into me.

"You're so fucking beautiful." He murmured, the swear word just slipping through his lips. The electricity that sparked between us was almost tangible, my breath coming out in short bursts as he leaned even closer to me. Wrapping his arm around my waist, he closed the distance between us and in that moment we were one.

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Well this chapter was super quick to write. Only a few chapters left, I'm so excited for what is to come! Also couldn't find a Tea beginning with the letter "u" haha 😅