The Beach House (8 page)

“I expect I’ve seen worse,” Jenni said,
squatting down beside him, fascinated by the operation.

Joe grasped Ami’s ankles in one hand and
lifted her, easing the soiled nappy from underneath. Ami lay quiet,
content, used to this ritual. He laid her down on a sheet of
kitchen towel before using another to wipe her down. Once satisfied
Ami was clean he lifted her again and slipped a new nappy under,
pulled the velcro tabs tight around her belly, wrapped all the mess
up inside the old nappy, folded the edges in and used the tabs to
keep everything secure. He repacked the rucksack, putting the dirty
nappy package in a side pocket and smiled at his daughter, who was
laughing and grabbing at Jenni’s long curls as she leaned over her.
Jenni played along, swishing her hair to tickle Ami’s face and
arms. Joe sat back on his heels and observed the two of them,
something raw and scary welling up inside him.

“You want to take her again?” he asked,
watching the way Jenni played with Ami as though she had been doing
this her entire life.

Jenni looked back at him, tanned face
beautiful. “Can I? You don’t mind?”

Joe laughed. “Mind someone else doing the
carrying?”

Jenni lifted Ami gently and cradled her
against her shoulder. “She weighs nothing.”

Joe laughed again and pushed back to his
feet. He offered a hand and Jenni accepted the offer, a natural
move making it easier for her to stand. Joe released his grip as
soon as she was on her feet. “She’s almost twenty pounds now,” Joe
said.

“She doesn’t feel heavy,” Jenny said.

They walked on but after a couple of hundred
yards Ami began to grizzle again.

Jenni looked down at her. “She hasn’t filled
her nappy again, has she?”

“She’s hungry,” Joe said. He looked ahead,
the beach house now visible, perhaps a half mile distant. “We might
make it back if we’re lucky.”

Ami had other ideas. She nuzzled against
Jenni’s breasts, aware only of soft pillowing mounds, knowing this
was where dinner came from. Joe glanced across, not sure whether he
ought to be looking or not. Ami’s mouth knew where nipples should
be and she was wetting the front of Jenni’s sweatshirt. Jenni
smiled indulgently.

“Sorry, honey,” she said. “I would if I
could, but this well’s dry.”

“I’d better give her a bottle,” Joe said.
“Before she dribbles all over you.”

Jenni laughed. “I don’t mind.”

Joe stopped and searched in the rucksack,
found a small flask filled with Kim’s milk to keep it at body
temperature, and a feeding bottle. Joe poured the bottle half full
before offering to take Ami.

Jenni cocked her head to one side. “Can I do
this too, Joe?”

“You sure you want to?”

She nodded, flushing, and Joe tried to keep
his eyes raised and failed. Ami had wetted a large circle around
Jenni’s nipple, and the suckling had brought it erect. The wet
sweatshirt molded around the fullest point of her breast and a
puckered nipple showed as though uncovered. Joe passed the bottle
and repacked the rucksack. Sitting on his heels he watched as Jenni
slipped the teat down against herself, positioning it directly over
her breast where Ami’s mouth continued to search for satisfaction.
Joe experienced a wave of lust rolling through him, making his head
swim. He wanted to nuzzle against those breasts instead of Ami. How
would it be to taste the sea on her body?

Ami found the teat and latched on it
hungrily and Jenni kept her cradled to her breast, as if feeding
the infant. The tranquility and pleasure in her eyes was
unmistakable. Ami sucked at the bottle, gulping noisily, taking in
as much air as milk.

“Don’t let her take too much or she’s likely
to throw everything straight back up all over you,” Joe said.

Jenni slipped the teat from Ami’s grasping
mouth and a tiny cry emerged.

“A little at a time,” Joe said, watching as
Jenni allowed the teat back, waited, withdrew, returned it, the
motion so erotic Joe stiffened inside his trunks, unsure if he was
capable of standing now even if he wanted. He couldn’t take his
eyes of this woman feeding his daughter with such contentment in
her eyes. He followed the curve along her side to her hip, narrow
but obvious, jutting at the waistband of her jeans. He scanned down
over slim legs, back to take in the way the denim snugged tightly
between her thighs, sure he could discern the outline of her full
pussy, the faintest hint of an opening where the jeans pulled
tight. Her waistband was low at the front, her sweatshirt rucked up
where Ami wriggled and sucked at the bottle cradled to Jenni’s
breast, and a band of tanned skin showed, the dimpled lower edge of
her navel, and Joe realized he was making the situation worse for
himself and turned his head, looking beyond the two of them at the
breakers.

Before too long Jenni said, “I think she’s
finished.” She held the empty bottle out to Joe. Ami nuzzled gently
against Jenni, satisfied. Joe took the bottle, again their fingers
touching, the contact throwing a jolt along his arm and he wondered
if she sensed the same thing too, or only him.

“You’d better put her on your shoulder,” Joe
said. “Here, put this over you.” He stood, aware that if Jenni
glanced down the evidence of his arousal would be obvious; not
quite as prominent as a moment before, but unmistakable. Why would
she do that, Joe asked himself? He was the one losing his composure
around here. He shook a small white towel and placed it over
Jenni’s shoulder. His finger brushed against the skin of her neck
where her sweatshirt had slipped aside, but she seemed unaware of
the touch, and he let his finger linger a moment longer than he
should.

Jenni lifted Ami to her shoulder and Joe
pulled his hand away. “Do I pat her back or something? Is that how
you do it?”

Joe laughed. “Rub gently, in a circle. She’s
going to burp, but if you’re gentle she won’t bring too much up. It
helps if you walk as well. I think the movement eases the
wind.”

Jenni started to move slowly, walking as
though on hot coals, each bare foot lifting and stepping like a
gazelle. Joe put the empty bottle back in the rucksack, stayed
where he was for a moment, kneeling, watching Jenni’s ass flex and
move as she took those tiny steps. Ami let out a giant burp and
Jenni laughed. She glanced back and almost caught Joe’s eyes
practically devouring her.

“Am I soaking, Joe?” she asked, her eyes
sparking.

He joined in with her laugh and stood,
slinging the rucksack over his shoulder and walking to join her.
“So far so good. Let’s get her back. She’ll probably sleep for a
while now. Do you want to come in and meet Kim?”

Jenni glanced at him. “I’d like that. What
will she think about you bringing strange women home?”

“You’re not strange,” Joe said.

“How can you be sure? For all you know I
might be a crazed islander intent on stealing pretty children.”

“In that case next time Ami starts crying at
three in the morning I’ll give you a call. You’ll be welcome to
take her then.”

Jenni gave the little bundle sleeping on her
shoulder a hug. “Don’t tempt me,” she said, her voice so soft Joe
barely heard, but he did hear the emotion.

“Besides, you’re not a stranger,” Joe said.
“We’ve watched you swim every day.” As soon as the words left his
mouth Joe realized how perverted they might sound and his pace
slowed.

Jenni laughed. “You think I didn’t know you
were watching me?” she said, her voice low, and Joe tried to work
out what he could hear. Acceptance, encouragement, disappointment,
disapproval?

“What I meant to say was Kim would love to
say hello. You will come in, won’t you?”

“If you’re sure, Joe?” Jenni asked.

“I’m sure,” he said, nodding firmly, the
moment filled with unspoken expectation, but Joe feared it might
just be on his part.

***

Jenni let him walk ahead a little, watching the way
his slim ass moved inside the baggy swim shorts, cradling his baby
against her shoulder, enjoying the way Ami’s legs pressed against
her, enjoying the way Ami seemed to take to her, unafraid and
trusting. Jenni didn’t know much about kids, would like to know a
lot more, but Mark had made it clear he didn’t want to bring any
brats into the world. According to Mark the world was fucked up
enough without another wailing mouth to feed. Jenni had tried
working on him, which was always tough because Mark didn’t listen
much to what she said, and when he did listen gave even less
attention to her words. Jenni accepted she would never be a mother.
Almost twenty-nine, a prime time of life for children if it was
going to happen, time left too but she felt the clock ticking and
didn’t see Mark changing his mind.

Twenty-nine, she thought. Time for a change,
maybe. Time to do something about her situation instead of
pretending she didn’t care, instead of pretending things might get
better. Nothing was going to get better, she knew, unless she did
something herself to make it better.

Ahead of her Joe kicked at an empty shell,
leaned over to pick a piece of wood up and she watched as his
shorts pulled snug, cupping his ball sac between his thighs and she
flushed, shivering with sudden lust. She hadn’t felt this way, this
out of control, since Paul. Jenni wasn’t sure if she wanted this or
not. Wasn’t sure if she needed this, not now, not ever, then
thinking suddenly – if not now, when? She had to make the decision
she had been putting off for far too long. Had to decide what she
wanted from her life. More of the same or something else? But what
else… and how far did she want to go?

As they approached the beach house Joe saw Kim
stretched
out on the sun lounger. She had carried the lounger
off the porch, set it up on the dry sand in front of the house,
angled directly toward the sun. She was lying on her front, wearing
only tiny black bikini bottoms.

“Hey Kim,” Joe called as they walked up from
the tideline. “We got company. You want to get some clothes on,
babe?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Jenni said. “I’m all
grown up. I’m sure I can cope with a little nudity.”

Sounds good to me, Joe thought, but he said,
“Kim’s a bit of a slut when it comes to flashing herself around,
Jenni. I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

“Why not?”

Joe looked at her, but she was grinning and
he realized she was teasing.

Kim stirred and Joe wondered if she had been
asleep. She liked to sleep in the afternoons now, since they had
arrived at the beach, often taking herself to bed, alone if need
be, for a nap after lunch. Kim rolled on to her back, scrabbling
for her bikini top and cupping it around her breasts. The top was
miniscule and her sleep fuddled movement left one nipple peeking
free. Joe reached down and slipped his finger inside and tucked her
away, her nipple responding instantly to his touch, and Kim smiled
sleepily.

“This is Jenni,” Joe said. “She was kind
enough to carry Ami most of the way back.”

Kim held her hand out and Joe pulled her to
her feet. Kim kept coming, wanting a kiss, and Joe brushed her
lips, feeling a little awkward in front of Jenni. Kim’s lips curved
into a smile under his and Joe grew nervous.

“She’s such a sweetheart,” Jenni said,
slipping Ami off her shoulder and turning her around to let Kim
take her.

“Not at three in the–”

“We’ve done that,” Joe said, laughing, and
the two women joined in.

“Nice to meet you at last,” Jenni said.
“I’ve seen you around since you moved in, and nearly came over to
say Hi, but I thought you might want some privacy.”

“You’ll stay for coffee, won’t you?” Kim
asked, then before giving Jenni chance to answer said, “Put some on
Joe, we’re going to talk about you behind your back.” Kim handed
Ami to Joe. “Put her down before you start the coffee.”

As soon as Joe took Ami, Kim slipped her arm
through Jenni’s as though they had been lifelong friends and leaned
across and whispered in her ear. Jenni’s face flushed briefly and
her eyes glanced at Joe, and he wondered what the hell Kim had
said.

“Go on,” Kim said. “Coffee. I need strong
coffee. Have you been for your swim today?” The last aimed at
Jenni.

Joe took Ami upstairs to the small back room
next to their bedroom and laid her in the cot, carefully turning
her on one side. Ami was gone to the world, her mouth suckling on
her thumb, tiny legs twitching as she dreamed of the coming day
when she might walk on her own, without Joe’s strong hands to
support her. Joe stood at the side of the crib, lost for a while in
the wonder of his daughter, then sighed and went down to the
kitchen to start coffee. He watched Kim and Jenni outside, sitting
at the bleached wooden table on the wide porch, heads together,
talking animatedly. What was Kim plotting now?

When the coffee was brewed Joe loaded a tray
with mugs, sugar, cream and the coffee pot, shook a pile of
chocolate cookies on a plate and carried everything outside. Kim
had pulled her dark blue cover-up around her, the move only serving
to accentuate the sex appeal of her body, which showed clearly
through the gauzy material.

“Are you not swimming today?” Kim asked,
offering a tiny pout and Joe wondered what she was up to now.

“I walked instead,” Jenni said. “I need to
get home soon. Mark gets back at six and he likes his dinner on the
table.” Joe watched the cloud settle behind her eyes again as she
talked about home.

“Tomorrow?” Kim said, ignoring the sudden
change in mood. “You’re swimming tomorrow?”

“Maybe. Tomorrow’s Saturday, change-over
day. I need to clean the empty houses and get them ready for new
tenants. I’ll try, if I get time. If you want me to.” She looked at
them both, looking up from eyes shyly downcast and Joe was once
more knocked out by her beauty and he wondered if she was aware of
how she looked. She didn’t give the impression she was, which only
made her even more alluring.