The Moongate Wish: Chapter Ten-A Pic-a-nic

Erika and Glen are off to have a picnic on a island near Bermuda all by themselves. This chapter is almost entirely fluff. Although, it does include the important line, “Hi, sexy.” Anyway, Glen rented a boat and some snorkeling gear. Then he took Erika out to a random island for a picnic. On the boat, they were talking about how they wanted each other, so they make out for a bit once they beach the boat. Then it's time for snorkeling.

They spend a paragraph looking at the pretty fish in the tropical sea. Erika is quite enthused about them. Soon after Erika's mask and flippers come off, so does her bikini top. They're engaging in some hanky-panky (what a great word) when Erika says she's so glad it's just the two of them away from everyone else and that she wants it to go on forever. Nope. No commitments here. Move along. Glen decides it's time for lunch.

Glen watches Erika get lunch all spread out. She's a strong, independent woman, so of course she's setting up the meal by herself. Sorry I couldn't resist. Anyway, while Glen is watching Erika, he thinks about how he wants to tell her he loves her. Then he clamps down on that thought. True, every time he's thought about his future it's included Erika, but that's no reason to think he should commit. Le sigh.

They nibble at lunch and pack most of it away again. Then, after an awkward silence, Glen starts talking about his father. I like to imagine this next sequence in sepia with that too-happy old time-y piano music. Glen's grandpappy barely had the money to send his son to music college, blah blah blah. Anyway, after some hard work and luck, Glen's dad makes it big. One day, he's walking down the road when he hears someone playing one of his songs on the piano. He pokes his head in the window and it's a pretty lady playing. Well, instead of going to dinner, Glen's dad stayed with that lady for the evening. They got married three or four months later. By the way, that lady was totes Glen's momma. Anyway, a whirlwind romance didn't really have staying power and they fought a lot. Also Glen's dad couldn't write good music anymore. Glen's dad killed himself when Glen was nine and his mom struggled to support them. She died by the time he was sixteen, so he had to work his own way up in the musical world.

Erika realizes that Glen's story is a warning to both of them not to get too involved. Because of Erika's parents' marriage fail, she's already wary about that, but still... Glen breaks their contemplative silence by sprinkling sand over Erika's foot. The sand is pink-gold, by the way. I wonder if it really is pink in Bermuda. Anyway, Glen says again that he wants Erika and she says, “Yes. Yes, yes.” She was not only agreeing that they could have sex, but she was agreeing to their relationship on his terms. That doesn't sound like a good relationship to me, if it's entirely what one of the people wants.

So, they have sex on the beach again (although on a different beach) and it's fantastically amazing. Erika fights the urge to cling to Glen and tell him how much she loves him. The chapter ends with her wanting to cry for joy at how awesome the sex was and for how sad she'll be when he leaves her and Bermuda in a couple of weeks.

So, at least in this book and No Love In Return, the women know what's up and the men are deluding themselves about their relationship. I doubt this exists, but I wonder if there's a romance novel where the dude realizes they're in love and the lady doesn't. I dunno. I have the feeling that the only romance novel where a guy knows they're in love would be one that's between two guys. Anyway, for the next chapter, I predict more sex, perhaps not on a beach, and some more tension-filled silences. Also, a fruity drink with an umbrella. There haven't been enough of those in this book.