Dan handed Jess a glass of rosé. The River Thames sparkled in the evening sunshine and swans drifted gracefully by the side of the boat. It had been so lovely to spend some time with Evie, who had actually run into her arms when she arrived at the pub. Dan was obviously bowled over by how good Jess looked; in fact he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of her. It seemed such a natural thing for her to follow him back over to the boat.
With Evie asleep in the bottom deck, they now had time alone to talk. Jess’s feelings hadn’t changed for Dan – in fact she felt like she loved him even more. They both took a toke of a joint. The sunset was particularly stunning on this fine summer evening and Jess felt more relaxed and content than she had done for a long time. She lay back on the beanbags that Dan had strategically placed on the top deck and closed her eyes. The next thing she knew was Dan’s lips on hers. They began to kiss fast and passionately. Jess didn’t need to question her actions – she wanted this man – and she wanted him now. She pulled up her skirt and revealed white lacy panties that accentuated her now golden skin. ‘You look so sexy in white.’ Dan panted as he ripped off his shorts. Jess pushed him back down on the beanbag.
‘God I love you, Daniel Harris.’ She gasped and sat astride him.
‘Woah, slow down, Jessy baby, I want to make love to you all night.’
They rocked backwards and forwards tending and teasing each other for what seemed like hours. Then all of a sudden they were again making love fast and furiously, their sweat-drenched bodies sliding against each other. Spent, they lay looking at each other and smiling.
‘Mrs Robinson, I’ve really missed you,’ Dan uttered, softly stroking Jess’s cheek.
Dan made Jess a make shift bed up on the top deck, and went to sleep downstairs so that he wouldn’t miss Evie if she cried.
Jess woke up bright and early, to the sound of ducks quacking and the gentle whirring of other boats going past. She looked up to the sky, smiled, and made her way down to see Dan and Evie. Evie was still asleep, so she snuck into bed with Dan and curled up next to him. He put his arm around her and then suddenly moved it.
‘No, Jess.’
‘What do you mean, Dan? No!’
‘Last night was great, amazing in fact, but I didn’t make you any promises.’
Jess went rigid as Dan continued. ‘You were flirting so much with me in the pub, and when you said you were cool and we should live for the moment – well I took that as read.’
She gulped and no words would come out of her now dry mouth. Dan’s voice brightened. ‘It’s really weird: I don’t get it with us. When I left Alex the last thing I wanted to do was spend time with her, let alone shag her. With you I just still love being with you.’
Jess couldn’t believe the stupidity of this naïve young man. She got out of bed, marched up to the top deck, found her scattered clothes, and got dressed. She then stomped back down to his bedroom.
‘So last night meant nothing, it was just a good fuck is that what you’re saying, Dan?’
‘Oh, Jess, I feel bad now, I don’t want to be unfair to you. What I said to you when we split up still stands. I still want my freedom. Mates eh?’
‘Dan, mates don’t make love for two hours like we did last night, that was special and you bloody know that too.’
She was shouting now.
‘Shh, Jess, don’t wake Evie.’
‘Fuck Evie and fuck you!’
Jess had totally lost it. Snot was now running down her face but she didn’t care. She had to get her true feelings out in the open. ‘How could you do this to me? You’ve been mailing me, rang me twice on holiday. You were the one who left me to get on with my life remember?’ She wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Last night’s mascara was now a black river down her cheeks. ‘What was I supposed to think? I really thought you’d realised you’d made a mistake. Stop denying your own feelings, Dan Harris. Stop making me feel like this!’
Dan was speechless. Jess didn’t recognise her own broken voice. ‘I am such a strong person but look at the state of me, just look at me!’ She pushed her face right into his and hissed. ‘You reduce me to this weak, pathetic, wreck.’
Evie started crying.
‘Daddy, Daddy!’ Jess mimicked.
‘Stop that this minute, Jess, how dare you!’
‘Oh, Dan. I will stop this, don’t you worry. Go back to your pathetic life, living on your smelly boat, with your poor insecure little daughter and lesbian ex-girlfriend – I don’t want to be part of it anymore.’
She grabbed her bag and ran down the wooden path, flanked by boats, towards her car. And as she vowed never to see Daniel Harris again, she felt the other half of her heart fall to the bottom of her stomach.