PhotoPrompt Monday Pic 4

I hadn't been able to fit this picture into my story earlier this week but it was such a great picture that I couldn't let it go to waste.

Photo submitted by Arleen at Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe


Beth stepped out of the car and sucked in the fresh, salty air.  She had arrived early to give her extra time to soak it all in.  As she walked down the steps to the sandy beach, she couldn't believe that just yesterday she had been on a corn field in Nebraska.  Today she was on the beach in Florida, waiting for her first surfing lesson.  She was hoping to reinvent herself and step away from her days of boredom and of cold, lonely nights.

Beth took her first step onto the sand, giggling at the feeling of the sand between her toes.  She turned into the wind to feel the breeze blow through her hair. 

"You must be Beth", she heard from up on the parking lot.  Rex ran down the steps with ease, carrying the board.

"Yes!  How did you know?"

"The locals don't glow like you do", he replied with a slight smile.  Suddenly Beth remembered her pasty white skin.

Her face turned red, even if the rest of her wasn't.  "I guess I do stand out a little", she said sheepishly.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing.  You have beautiful skin", Rex said as his eyes wandered, "but lesson number one down here is to use sunscreen, especially as pale as you are.  You will be thankful that you did tomorrow."

Beth had been in such a hurry to get to the beach that she had forgotten about sunscreen.  She stood there hopeless as Rex rummaged through his bag.

Beth couldn't help but notice his tan, muscular body.  Yes, she was going to like Florida!

Rex's first lesson was to teach Beth how to apply sunscreen properly.  Of course, she could handle this on her own, but it gave him an excuse to touch that porcelain skin. 

As he began to rub the lotion on her back, explaining that the trick was to apply evenly, her knees began to weaken.  She had to pull herself together!  She wasn't even in the water yet!
She gathered her strength as much as she could before turning back around.  Facing Rex, she wondered if they would ever make it to the water.