Time and tide wait for no man, someone once said. They were right. Add to those two fixtures, the uncertainty of weather, along with a rugged cliffside and you had a set of circumstances for the magic that was to overtake two lives, not yet aware of each other. Each was affected by the surging of their own blood, the anger in their hearts, and the urge for some incomprehensible dream. How could they know what fate had decreed for them?

Brad Machin had a cosy flat not far from the beach and often came down for a morning swim. He was earlier than usual, tempted by the June sun from which the beach was in shadow until it rose higher. That very shadow would match the mood of gloom damned Rita had left him in. Not many mornings ago they’d been breakfasting together after their customary night of hot pleasure. No more. Her buns were now being toasted by that flashy rich guy.

Adding to his anger, on this morning, was his own stupidity for not carrying out his normal check on tide times, especially since now was the season of flood tides. A time when the much higher water smashed against the rocks and cliff face creating dangerous cross currents which could pull the unwary bather under. True, it would be a short while before it was crashing against the cliffs.

But the way the more distant waves boiled, had Brad wondering if the sea was as angry as he was. He gave a low growl under his breath, heaved at the small haversack on his back and thought about going back to his empty flat. Damn Rita. Didn’t life stink?

Suddenly, a mighty clash overhead made him duck reflexively. An explosion? Then the ensuing low rumble told him it was thunder, and across the bay, lightning flashed. Brad, in his despondency, had not noticed the darkening sky, as the sun must have become cloud covered beyond the cliff.

With equal suddenness, large drops of rain, heavier than any domestic shower, splashed down on him, pimpling the dry sand. The wind increased as, head down, he sprinted for the only cover within more than a hundred yards, the Rocky Cave, which, was merely a deep fissure in the cliff. As a kid, he had played inside the shadowed cove, hunting monsters.

Running hard, he knew it was futile really, since he was already drenched, with shirt and pants clinging to his body. Then, his rain-blinded eyes picked out the figure of a woman, covered in a long green kaftan, running from the opposite direction. A small handbag hung from one shoulder, and a pair of green shoes were in one hand.

They reached the opening at the same time, and Brad saw how the rain had glued the material of the voluminous kaftan to a pair of very shapely and braless breasts over a flat belly. Together, they darted under the rocky cover

Tawny hair hung wet and attractively straight to her shoulders. Out of her rain-streaked face, a pair of angry blue eyes blinked and glared at Brad as though blaming him. But, under the shelter, she faced out towards the incoming sea, which was multi-dimpled by the pouring rain, which fell with increasing force.

“Summer storm,” Brad said weakly.

“Life sucks,” she replied bitterly. She looked back at him and, momentarily, her eyes dropped down over his soaked body. “How high does the tide come?”

Brad indicated the solid damp sand all the way to the large rocks at the back.

She looked, frowned, and the breasts under the kaftan heaved, as Brad, enjoying the uncertain look on what was a lovely face, told her, “In an hour it’ll be two feet deep, at least, in here.” Not wishing to alarm her further, he added, “It’s possible to clamber up those larger rocks, to a narrow plateau well away from the water.”

For a moment, she looked from the rocks to the pouring rain outside, before she said, “I’m not going out there, if, as you say, it’s safe in here.”

“It’ll be five or six hours before the tide recedes enough to get out,” Brad advised, already having made his mind up to chance the rain. Her next action changed his mind completely

“Well, I’m not standing around in wet gear,” she said, wedging her handbag and shoes in a small crevice. Without another word, she crossed her arms, gripped the wet fabric, and in one smooth motion, she pulled the kaftan over her head. Briefly, while her face was tangled in the kaftan, Brad had an unobstructed view of a pair of finger-tingling pink tipped breasts.

All she was wearing was a pair of lacy blue panties, almost sheer because of the rain, revealing that there was no pussy hair, and consequently a clear suggestion of the beginning of her cleft.

“False modesty doesn’t become me, anymore,” she said coolly, as she held up her wet kaftan. Brad, brooding on that strange admission, stooped to his haversack and produced the large bath towel he had brought. Keeping his eyes averted from the allure of her naked body, Brad handed her the towel, while taking the kaftan from her.

Draping the garment over a large rock which would be clear of the water, he stripped off his own wet shirt, lay it out kicked off his sandals, and turned back. She was standing there, towel still unused, as she eyed him appreciatively.

“I think you’ll be more comfortable out of all your wet things.” And as she nodded downwards and added, “Too shy?”

Hell, he’d never been accused of that before, and very quickly he tugged his pants down. She gave a little grunt of surprise as his already semi-erect cock was freed to her eyes.

The situation was so unreal, and the storm in his mind outdid the storm beyond the cave mouth. “I’m Brad, by the way. Aren’t you -?” He indicated the towel hanging loosely from her hand.

Her smile was weak as she replied, “Call me Linda. Would you dry me?” And she held out the towel to him.

Brad was stunned by the whole turn of events, as tide and downpour splashed just beyond them. She, this Linda, was asking him to rub the towel over her naked body.

She pointed a finger, and said, “Did the prospect of drying me cause that?”

Brad glanced down to see his erect cock rising. What could he do but shrug?

“You think I’m some kind of slut?” Her mouth twisted with emotion. “I suppose I am, now, but nine months ago I was a virgin.” Her blue eyes scanned his face before she added, “Does that not surprise you?”

Brad was certainly confused, but he said, “What you think of yourself has to be your business.” Strange thoughts were rising in the back of his mind, as he patted the towel gently over her wet shoulders, her upper arms and down her sides.

“So, why are you wary of my breasts?” she asked.

Brad had always thought of himself as a lusty character, and briefly, Rita came into his mind, as she had just a moment earlier. He was quick to dump the thought, as he concentrated on gently rubbing Linda's breasts. Even under the towel, they felt exquisitely rounded and full. Brad wondered how smooth they might be under his bare hands.

“Do my legs and then my back, before I return the favour.”

Bending, he passed the towelled hand down her thighs, and up to stroke fast but deliberate along her panty covered crease. Brad wondered whether his cock had hardened even more at the prospect of what could be lying ahead.

He straightened to find her staring directly into his face, an unreadable expression in her eyes. Then she turned her back, so he could use the towel there. Those buttocks looked so ready to be fondled.

“Now, my turn,” she said, taking the towel from Brad’s hands. “And then I’ll tell you how I came to be in this state.”

“Wet?” Brad suggested jokingly, enjoying the rougher application she was making with the towel.

“No,” she said, and her voice became harder as she went on, “angry and hurting.”

“Maybe we could share stories about that. That’s the state I was in earlier.”

“Yes, but yours was just because of the rain.” She towelled hard over his belly.

“You think so?” Brad said, looking towards the entrance to where the sea was about to make a push into the entrance, and everything seemed darker than ever. “We’re going to have plenty of time to exchange stories,” he told her, and gave a shocked grunt as her towelling worked over his erection.

“Mmm, impressive,” she said, putting the towel to one side and added, in a very subdued voice, “I’ve viewed a few of these lately.” She stood, and those blue eyes looked briefly into his, as she added, “And if you enjoy flattery, as most men do, yours compares very well.”

Brad couldn’t help being aware that her lips had been very close to his purple tip before she stood up. Now she managed a smile, “And In the short time we’ve been here, I’ve learned something about you.”

“Like?”

“Like how you’ve shown no open desire to take advantage of my nudity.”

Brad laughed lightly, “That doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it.”

Her returned laugh was pleasing, “Maybe. But that is something I wasn’t used to with Mike.”

“Mike?”

“My so-called boyfriend until a couple of hours ago.” Her face hardened momentarily and then brightened. “Would you help me get back at him?”

“I don’t see how I can help you there.”

Mike gasped as she reached down, and her fingers gently stroked along his cock’s flagging length. The shock of it had Brad taking an involuntary step back until the lightness of her fingers became like electrodes that sent sparks through his body, and his hardness returned.

Rubbing that hardness, she looked into his eyes, and murmured, “If I sucked on it, that would help me get back at him.”

The range of thoughts buzzing through his head, made Brad hesitate. Was this woman genuinely hurt, or was she slightly crazy? To be offered a blowjob within minutes of meeting was a new experience. Would it not fit her own admission of being a slut? Brad was reluctant to accept that, sure that there was more behind this lovely young lady’s sensuous offer

Yet, he had to admit, to go along with it, would help him recover from Rita’s desertion

“Do you mind?” she asked, positively yet nervously. God, she looked so gorgeous.

“Oh, if you insist,” he said jokingly, and they laughed together. The situation was so unreal, and the storm in his mind outdid the storm beyond the cave mouth. Brad placed a hand on the side of her face, and whispered, “Shouldn’t we precede this familiarity with a kiss?”

She nodded as she straightened, smiled, and presented her lips, to him. The kiss was gentle, her lips were delightfully soft, warm and active. Their tongue tips touched briefly, before she broke away, and dropped to her knees, never having released her hold on his solid cock.

The promise in her kiss had Brad’s mind jumping ahead, and he could have allowed the kiss to go on. As she went onto her knees, Linda, reached for her handbag and placed it alongside her. Then, she leaned into him, her lips closed around his hardness, making Brad sure he had become even more solid.

As she sucked his rod deep to the back of her throat, she gave a little moan of appreciation, which duetted with his moan of pleasure. Their duet was back-dropped by the roar and whine of the elements beyond the entrance, This, was fantastic. But almost immediately she was pulling back, keeping one hand on his now dampened cock, her other hand reaching into her handbag.

Linda looked up at him, smiling, “Your cock is far superior to what that bastard Mike has, and that’s what I want him to know.” She held up what she had taken from her bag. It was a cell-phone.

“You’ve used a smartphone to take pictures?”

Brad had a wave of uncertainty. Where was this heading? Showing their photos to this Mike could have repercussions.

He took the smartphone from her. She had seen the doubt on his face. “All I want are shots of your lovely prick going into my mouth. Just make sure most of my face is hidden by my hair. I want no identification for anyone but him. Nothing his spiteful mind could post on social media.”

“But how will he know it’s you?”

She smiled up at him and pointed to her nose just above the left nostril. Brad frowned not knowing what he was supposed to see. It was a lovely petite nose. “Just before it joins with my cheek.”

Looking closer, Brad saw the tiny black mole, “See it? Only Mike has noticed that. None of my friends have ever mentioned it. But he’ll know.”

Brad smiled down at her, and, despite the increasingly poor light, he enjoyed the attractive face, and the wonderful shapely breasts as she crouched ready to take him back into her mouth. He was finding the whole situation so difficult to come to terms with. “So, face covered with the nose peeping out?”

“And this impressive instrument of yours,” she said, laughing. Then her face looked more pensive. “I can laugh with you now, since being so low.”

Brad was eager for her to retain that light-hearted outlook, as he said, “Women always laugh when they look at me.”

Linda gave him a grateful smile as she said, “And do they all strip naked immediately? And do this?” Her lips closed around his cock and rolled her tongue around the bulging tip.

Brad grunted, but raised the phone, which he had already set on camera. He flicked at her hair so most of it trailed over her face. With some adjustment her nose and stretched lips were visible. First shot, his cock was halfway into her mouth. Next one, when he was in up to his pubes. Hell, she was good.

One more, and this time she drew back her mouth until the tip of his cock was just lingering on her lower lip. Tawny hair arranged to show only that and the important part of her nose, Brad took the shot.

That done, Linda placed a hand under his balls and allowed his hard cock to drop into her hand. Then she struggled to her feet without letting him go. Brad had no objection to that, as he handed over the phone.

“Lucky it had a flash,” he said, indicating how all light had virtually disappeared. Outside it was as black as any night. Brad could not recall any summer storm as fierce as this. Tidal waters were splashing roughly towards them.

“These will be perfect.” He heard Linda’s excited voice, as she viewed the shots he’d taken. “He’ll hate this one,” She held up the one with the whole length of his cock seeming to cling to her lower lip. “Said I wouldn’t find anything better than his. This will show him.” And there was genuine delight in her voice.

“We’d better get back towards the rear,” Brad broke in, indicating where the churning brown, sand stirring sea was flooding towards them out of the blackness.

Linda looked at him, and in the gloom, Brad could see the sudden worry in her eyes. “Are we in danger?” Her voice was more strained now, clearly not convinced.

“We’ll be all right,” he reassured her. “The boulders at the back are easy to clamber up.” He chuckled trying to settle her mind. “Even if you are bare-assed.”

“Better not trust water levels,” he said, as he picked up the towel, his clothes and his haversack, while Linda grabbed her kaftan and handbag. They made their way to the furthest large rocks. Brad spread the towel on one of them, which had a layer of drying seaweed covering it. and she came in close, her breasts against him. Their bellies close against each other, demanded a kiss, and with their parted lips pressed together, there was much more passion involved as tongues wrestled, and explored each other’s cheeks and gums.

Linda dropped a hand to feel at his cock which had slackened since her mouth had released it. The touch of her cool fingers Brad was sure brought it instantly to life. Not to be outdone he realised that she had performed all the favours this far.

“Will you be comfortable lying back on the towel?” he quietly asked.

“Why?” she asked, the puzzled expression belying the fact that she had already sat on the towel.

Brad placed his hands cautiously on her shoulders and eased her onto her back as he said quietly, “Because I owe you one. If you have no objections.”

Her blue eyes were wide as she stared up at him and said, “If you want to fuck me, I won’t fight you off.”

Looking down at her beautiful face, her delectable body, he wondered just what this poor young lady had been through for her to make that response. He knew exactly what his intentions had been when he laid her back. “That may happen later, but only with your permission.”

Leaning over her, he stroked one breast, before bending to lick at her nipple. It was pleasing to hear her gasp, and say, “You’re very gentle.”

The breasts under his lips and tongue were so perfect, he luxuriated in sucking on the pink tips, bringing them up to willing attention. Again, Linda sighed, “So gentle.” Which added to Brad’s concerns about what experience she had been subject to. He wanted to move on to his original goal. He had no experience of a shaved pussy, so had to admit to himself that his intentions here were based on curiosity.

Moving his head down to where Linda’s legs were bent so that her feet just touched the sand, he found she had guessed his intention as she parted her legs. Brad, kneeling in the sand, was looking into the succulent pinkness of her. His cock was reacting to the sight, as he leaned forward, and his lips and tongue savoured her bare mound.

He left one hand squeezing her left breast while the other stroked her inner thigh. Through that, he could sense her tension, and the moment his tongue slid into the smoothness of her crevice, to touch on the nub of her clit, she gave off what was close to a scream, and cried, “Oh, God, that’s—Oh, do it. Do it.”

Unsure of the nature of her plea, Brad continued, to slide his tongue along her bare slit which was becoming increasingly moist, and wonderfully creamy. Vaguely aware of the splashing waves behind him, he probed her entry with the tip of his tongue, causing her to give a little squeak, heaving her hips up to him

Now he licked to savour her wonderful creaminess and breathe in that maddening musky aroma of her. He heard her indrawn breath as his tongue moved back to where he hoped he’d find her clit bud opening. Sure enough, as he expected like a rising seedling it awaited the blessing of his tongue, the moment he touched it Linda’s whole body jerked, and she cried out, “Oh, so marvellous.”

When, at the same time, he slid two of the fingers that had been stroking her thigh, into her wet and eager entry she gave another yelp, this time indistinguishable. Brad’s face was greedily awash in her juices as he lapped at her clit.

Two things happened with his next movement. Removing one finger from her entry, he probed at, and into, her tight little anus That really had her screaming as she cried out, “Fuck me, Brad, Now, you must.”

Brad would have gladly obliged but at that very moment, he felt water splash onto his feet. The tide had caught up with them. Standing, he looked down, at a desperately panting Linda, her eyes wide with passion. “Please, Brad. Do me!”

“Sorry, Linda,” he said, waving his hand behind him to where the water came pouring out of the near darkness, “we’ve been caught out.”

Linda raised her desperate face and looked beyond where Brad was standing, already almost ankle deep. “Oh, no. I’m near to cumming. Dammit.” But unsteadily she clambered to her feet, as Brad climbed alongside her, kissed her before pointing up to the next rock. They gathered up their things and Brad helped Linda to scramble to the next level.

To do that he had to put his hands on her thighs and push at her buttocks, and, even in the dim light, he could see her thighs were damp with the juices he had been so recently tasting. “Oh, finger me, Brad. Please, finger me. I so want—” She stopped, as a sudden thought seemed to hit her, and she looked over her shoulder to Brad, before asking, “Will the water get this high?”

Uncertain of her query, Brad told her, “Possibly, probably on its final push.”

With surprising determination, she turned to the rock which was just over two feet high, braced her hands on it, and pushed her buttocks back towards him. “Take me, Take me, doggy style. I’m so desperate for your cock inside me.”

Just a moment’s hesitation, before Brad moved up close behind her and placed his hard point at her entrance. Linda’s hips jerked back to ensure immediate access for his cock. His whole length surged up into her, a piston riding her gap, and she screamed on her ready orgasm.

For Brad thrusting avidly into her honey channel, it was pure ecstasy to be taking her, hearing her continued moans and yelps, and feeling her responding b thrust back at him. His hands reached around to squeeze her breasts tenderly, before one hand stroked down her belly to find her clit once more. A move that drove her over the edge once more, and wild obscenities poured from her mouth. While her hips ground frantically back at him.

Her inner muscles clenching on his heaving cock, her hips thrusting, the smooth rapturous feel of her under his fingers, all added to his own hefty drive into her, were just too much. Within seconds he was exploding his seed deep inside her, hearing his own growls matching her ecstatic cries.

He was hunched against her back as the final involuntary jerks emptied him. Brad was delighted to hear her lightly whisper, “So good. So good.”

Below them, the water was deepening, splashing madly at the dark entrance, before flowing more calmly up to the lower rocks. Slowly, Brad eased back until his flaccid cock drooped out of Linda, and slowly she stood, reached for her handbag from which she extracted a pack of tissues. Handing some to Brad, she began to dab at the cum running between her thighs.

“It really was,” Linda said, turning to him as she wiped.

“What?” Brad asked, using the tissues on himself.

“So good,” she told him. “I’ve been fucked so often over recent months.” Her face came close to his as she went on, “Some innocent little virgin, eh?” Linda paused, and raised her face for Brad to kiss, before going on, “But what you've done from that very first kiss, makes me see that I’ve been so naive.”

Brad felt just a little embarrassed, yet pleased, “I’m not that good,” he said modestly. Were there real tears in her eyes? “Come on, one more rock and we’re on the plateau. You can tell me your story.”

With little struggle, they reached the flat level of rock, about ten yards long. They spread the towel and sat snuggled together, arms around each other, watching the dark sea rise below them.

“I’m not cold,” Linda said, sounding surprised.

“The air’s still warm, out of that wind,” Brad told her, and then squeezing her shoulder, added lightly, “And given the fun you’ve just had. Now tell me.”

Her head was against his bare chest, “I’ll sound so dumb.” Linda began reluctantly. “Mike, from that first date, when I discovered I was highly sexed, but I gave him all the credit. He had my virgin mind believing he was the ultimate. Those first months he took me in every orifice. Hurt me often. But what did I know?”

Brad’s anger rose as she told of him fingering her to orgasm in cinemas, taking her against a wall in back lanes while people passed on the main street, telling her that this was a sure way of retaining his “love”.

“That’s what he called it,” Linda was almost sobbing now. “Then he asked me, told me, how much he’d enjoy watching his best friend take me.”

Brad found himself hardly daring to breathe, to suppress his anger, as she told him of the depravities inflicted on her.

“I did it, but then it was other friends. You see why I’m a slut?”

“No, you’re not,” Brad said vehemently. “The bastard abused your innocence.”

“I know that now,” she said plaintively, and her eyes were moist as she turned her face up to him, before telling him of the events of the evening before.

An all-night fancy dress party at the mansion-style home of a rich friend. Linda was an Egyptian princess, and Mike went as a Roman centurion. It was a lavish house, loads of rich folk, and champagne by the gallon.

At sometime early morning, Mike had told her that his rich friend wanted to fuck her. This fat bellied guy led her to his bedroom and immediately passed out. Linda went to find Mike, found him being straddled by a dark-haired naked beauty, and they had both laughed at her. Then the jeering woman revealed that Linda was just a stand-by for others in Mike’s life.

As she turned away she heard Mike laugh, “‘She’ll be back, she knows how good I am.’

Linda told of wandering aimlessly, before trailing down to the beach. “I was hurting so much I even thought of walking into the sea.”

Brad was so shocked, he turned her tear stained face to his, “You wouldn’t have done that, would you?”

“Anger was just replacing self-pity when the rain came.” She buried her face into Brad’s shoulder, “Oh, and you’ve been so different, so gentle.” Linda’s face almost broke his heart as she looked up at him again, and whimpered, “You really don’t think I’m a slut, do you?”

“I think you’ve been put through a travesty of living that you didn’t deserve. You are too lovely for that.”

Linda’s hand stroked over his bare chest, as she said, “Now you know why I wanted those photos.” She looked up at him and it was good to see a look of triumph on her face. “I’m going to send them to him, but then I’ll change all my contact details, so he can’t respond.”

“Vengeance can be sweet,” Brad said, with a glad smile.

“I’d love to see his face when he sees your lovely cock, going into me. Pity he won’t see how gentle you were.” Her brow wrinkled as she asked, “Didn’t you say something earlier about being angry and hurting too?”

“Oh, yes, not as much pain as you maybe, but emotionally I know how you feel,” Brad said and told her that Rita had been a fashion model. “Beautiful. Lively... Insisted on doing it in every room in our flat. Then,” Brad sighed, “just last weekend she phoned, couldn’t face me, to admit that she was going to live with this very rich fashion designer, who I’d thought of as a wimpish character.”

“Her loss,” Linda said and then gave a cold chuckle, “So here we are, two shipwrecks stranded on the rocks.”

“Very apt,” Brad told her, and they hugged each other, while fresh ideas built up in Brad’s mind. When the tide went out he could not imagine that, even though it had been such a short spell, they could just go their separate ways.

They were silent for a few minutes, watching the sea roar up to the opening and then flow gently to the rocks below them. When he noticed Linda’s deeper breathing, he found that she was sleeping, her head on his chest.

“You’ve been awake all night,” Brad said quietly, and stroked her hair. “I’d forgotten.”

Brad’s backside was complaining about the hard rock under him, but he did not move. He wasn’t sure how long he sat, stroking Linda’s hair, and watching the dark sea pouring in below them.

He had just managed to pull his haversack under him to give some relief, when he was aware of Linda’s fingers stroking along his flaccid cock, which instantly twitched.

Her voice was almost dream-like as he heard her murmur, “What a promising sight to wake up to.” She raised her head to look at him as her fingers closed around his roused hardness.

God, Brad was finding that face every bit as thrilling as what her fingers were doing to him. Come on, Brad, get your thinking straight. Things don’t happen that quickly. But his mind was full of ideas about time and tide, and chances.

Already he was hard in her fingers, and those eyes looked into his, and they were clouded as she whispered, “Brad, would you, please, screw Mike completely out of my body’s memory.”

Brad could not restrain a laugh, as he quickly said, “I’m sorry, Linda, but I’ve been thinking.” It was good to see the little cloud of worry cross her face.

“Yes?” she said, her voice shaky.

“Yes, and I’d rather it was me screwing you without any thought of Mike.”

For a moment she looked uncertain, then a relieved smile crossed her face, “Yes, we can do both things at once.”

Thinking of the tough rock under him, Brad suggested that Linda straddle him. “But you’ll be uncomfortable,” she said.

“Uncomfortable, driving up inside you? I doubt it.”

She was still holding on to his hardening cock, as she placed her feet on either side of him and began to lower herself. Brad, on impulse, reached his fingers out to poke into that smooth crevice. Ah, his fingers came away soaked. No doubt she was ready.

“Just place it exactly where you want it,” Brad whispered.

With some expertise, she manoeuvred his cock head until Brad could feel those warm lips enclose it. He immediately thrust with his hips as she settled down causing his erection to pierce up deep into her, drawing satisfied gasps from both.

It soon became clear that Linda was very used to this position, and Brad cast that thought from his mind, as she wriggled and rose and fell above him. Her face, her eyes, her lips all showed signs of how much pleasure she was getting from their activity.

Brad stroked both breasts, before she leaned forward to place moistened lips on his, and briefly, their tongues tangled. As she drew back, she murmured, “We could be the only people in the world.”

Fanciful, given what she had left behind her, Brad thought, but her rising and falling along his heaving rod had him grunting. He reached down, and his fingers easily found her clit. The moment he touched it, she gave off such a squeal of delight, and her heaving up and down on him increased.

“Oh, Brad, I’m cumming,” her voice came from far away as his own balls began to leak their supply. Normally he might have rolled over on top of her to gain extra thrust, but given their situation, he managed to sit up, so they were face to face, breast to breast at the moment they both hit that high. Together they twisted, squirmed, gasped, grunted, and, yes, laughed. It was, despite some discomfort, that kind of delight.

Tissues at the ready, they cleaned up as best they could, and Linda began, “I could suck you clean, I’ve done—” Brad placed his fingers over her lips, not wanting to hear any more of what had happened in the past.

Linda sighed and moved to lie alongside him, “Oh, why couldn’t I have met you a year ago?”

“Because this day has been planned for us by more kindly gods,” Brad told her.

“Oh, that’s a lovely thought,” Linda sighed.

They lay for a long time, watched the tide begin to recede, while outside the sky was brightening. Linda raised a worried face to him, “Is it nearly over?”

“Only if you want it to be.”

Linda sighed again and told him how she intended to email the photos of their activities to Mike. “Then I’ll change all my contact points, email address, iPhone, everything.”

“But he must know where you live?”

Linda’s face fell. She clearly hadn’t considered that. But Brad saw the chance to put to her the idea that had been mulling in his mind over the past hours.

“What can I do?” she asked looking so uncertain.

“Suppose you weren’t there?”

“My parents live too far away, and he knows most of my friends since—” She stopped and shook her head.

“Would you come back to my flat? There’s something I need you to do there.”

Her face moved from worry to something close to excitement, but she asked, “What could I do?”

“Well,” he drew in a deep breath, “I need every room in the place cleared.”

She frowned, “Cleared? Of what?”

“Of bad memories—you said I’d helped you expel your bad memories. Well?”

Her face was a picture of confused thoughts, joy, surprise, concern.

“There’s only one proviso,” Brad said, putting on his mock serious expression.

“What’s that?” she asked.

Brad gave her a wide grin, and hugged her close, “When you’ve done the last room, you have to start all over again, and again, and again.”

Linda buried her face into his neck, and Brad felt her body heaving against him.

Linda was sobbing quietly. Brad lifted her chin, “If that thought makes you so unhappy—”

“No, no,” Linda shook her head madly. “I feel so lucky.”

Brad told her that when they left the cave they could drive to her place, which, he learned, was only three miles away. They could pack all the clothes and things she might need, collect her laptop, which she was definitely going to need.

“And then back to my place.”

A gurgling from below them had them looking to where the sea, was withdrawing near the entrance and outside brightness showed that the clouds had passed.

Linda had one request, “Could we do it once more in here? Standing against the wall. Rid me of one last memory.”

Just a little surprised, Brad told her it could still be uncomfortable. He was even more surprised when she picked up the towel as they stood up and indicated his haversack.

“With the towel, rolled, and your sack placed at my lower back,” she suggested.

Within seconds they were standing toe to toe, with Linda’s back cushioned against the wall, as they kissed passionately, and Brad fingered her clit until she began twisting her head. She gasped wildly, and it seemed that they were driving to a wondrous conclusion, as Brad entered her, heaved upwards, almost lifting her off her feet.

There was no way that this could last long, within seconds they were pounding madly at each other. Linda’s fingernails raked Brad’s bare back, and if anyone had been outside they’d have been wondering what kind of dragon made noises like that.

Once again, they clung together in their exhaustion, and watched as the water cleared the entrance. They dressed slowly in slightly damp clothes, collected their things and walked out to the entrance, blinking at the brightness.

Then, together they walked out into the promising sunshine of the rest of their lives.