Frolicking By The Sea

May 29, 1896
Margaret Spooner

“Edgar! Stop it.” I tried to sound serious.

It was impossible. His fingers were tickling my sides, relentlessly. The smile on my face, laughter in my throat, and most importantly, the fact I did not try to get away from him, must have given away my truthful enjoyment of his attention. Naturally, he did not stop and I did not really want him to stop.

Looking out over the ocean, I collapsed, laughing, to the sand. Edgar followed me down and wrapped his arms around my waist. His lips found their way behind my ears and kissed my neck. I closed my eyes and leaned back into him. It felt surprisingly safe.

We were both fortunate to have taken our last examinations of the term in the morning. The taste of freedom he offered me was far too tempting to refuse. An afternoon on the beach sounded a perfect way to end the school year. I accepted his invitation without hesitation. Mrs. Carrington seemed less than approving of our plans but fortunately kept her objections mostly to herself for a change. I was expecting a battle when I donned my swimsuit and arrived downstairs.

Edgar whistled appreciatively at me when I reached the bottom of the stairs. I blushed even though I suspected he was only half serious at most. Mrs. Carrington seemed to be oblivious to the two of use by that time and we slipped out the front door without a further word.

I have known Edgar since I started at Primrose. He is the same year as me at Brown and fate seemed to have us constantly running into each other from the beginning. It started off all very cordial and proper and it stayed that way.

We became friends over discussions of our favorite subjects. He is the first person I have met who is as interested in as many varied topics as I. Over our two year friendship I think we have covered every subject from the beginnings of life to the possibility of man in flight (Edgar still believes it impossible!).

Naturally, I have always been attracted to him, but I was quite certain he had never seen me in the same light. Maybe it was the swimsuit that made him look again or maybe it was the freedom we felt with the school term at an end and summer looming on the horizon. Either way I was surprised when he made his intentions obvious.

His hands began exploring higher than my waist as his tongue caressed the back of my neck. I turned myself around to face him never leaving his encircling arms. I pressed my hungry lips against his. I scratched my fingernails lightly down the front of his chest. He moaned softly and his arms pulled back to lightly rest on my shoulders.

I shoved him away into the sand and giggled with joy. I jumped to my feet and kicked a little sand at him. He sputtered in mock anger. I turned and ran down the beach toward the water. When I was knee deep in the salty froth I turned back to look at him. He stood where I had left him, looking only at me with a dopey smile on his face. I laughed some more.

“Come on, Edgar! You’re not afraid of a little water are you?” I called out to him.

He laughed and ran toward me in response. I waded out deeper in the water until I was forced to start swimming. It was cool at first but a welcome respite from the heat of the day. Edgar joined me and managed to lock his lips with mine just as a wave crashed down on us.

We let it push us back to the sand. Side by side we laid on the silky wet sand of the shoreline. I found it impossible to look at him without a fit of laughter consuming me. His roaming hands and lips had nothing to do with it, I swear.

The waves continued to crash over us every few moments bringing a fresh wave of salty coolness. We mingled inappropriately for hours, emboldened by our seeming privacy and the recklessness of water. His hands explored my every curve while his lips provided sensuous comfort. If a moment could last forever, I would choose this one.

In time we settled back on the dryer sand and rocks. We watched the waves come and go, getting larger and larger. The sun began to set behind us, beyond the cliffs.

“Do you fancy me?” I asked.

Edgar laughed. I smiled.

“Should I interpret your laugh as a no?” I teased.

“From the first moment I laid eyes upon you, I dreamed about this day.” He replied suddenly serious.

“I thought you did not even notice me.” I replied.

“Silly girl.” He chuckled.

Silly boy. You could have said.”

“And give you the chance to reject me? I think not.”

“I would never!” I replied, slapping playfully at his arm.

“You jest, but you are quite intimidating, Maggie.”

I could see he meant it and for a moment I felt a twinge of pity for him. It must be so difficult for a man to open himself to the scrutiny of a woman.

“How so?” I asked, fishing for compliments.

“You are smarter than most of the men I know for starters.”

“I doubt that.”

“Then you are a fool or blind.”

I giggled.

“What is so funny?” He asked.

I think his confidence was in danger of being crushed.

“You. I must not be so intimidating if you feel comfortable calling me a fool.”

He blushed a little.

“I did not mean it that way.” He stammered.

I kissed him boldly on the lips and hoped it would restore the confident young man I was falling for.

I must have succeeded because it was dark by the time our lips parted again. I smiled at him even though I doubted he could see it in the darkness. In the back of my head a voice told me it was late and we should be going.

“Why today?” I asked suddenly.

“What do you mean?”

“What made you bold today?”

“The way you looked at me when you descended the stairs in your swimsuit.”

I nodded thinking back on how much I wanted him to notice me on the stairs.

“Will you call on me during the summer?” I asked.

I was suddenly afraid that I had allowed him too much freedom and he might no longer desire me at all.

He grasped my hand in the darkness and pulled me to my feet. He leaned forward into me until our noses were touching. He held both my hands, one in each of his.

“I will call on you every moment of every day if that would make you happy.”

“Shall I interpret that as a yes, then?” I asked.

He laughed and so did I.