Enigma (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"It's absolutely beautiful." Victoria mentioned as he pulled the car to a stop, looking out over the wide expanse of the ocean beyond.

There in Cornwall, there was little to see but the ocean beyond the banks. In other parts of the countryside it was possible to see other countries, but she enjoyed looking at an unobstructed view. It made her think about how large the world really was and how small a part the two of them played in it. He was a spymaster for their majesty and country while she worked to break codes that threatened their soldiers. Perhaps it would be a romantic story to look back on, but for the time being, it was simply their jobs.

"Shall we set up and eat lunch and then go for a swim?" She asked him with a smile on her lips as she leaned over and kiss him one more time before she exited to grab a blanket and the bag that contained their swimming clothes.

 

[KiwiD82]

James didn't answer Victoria's question. He didn't need to. His grin said it all.

He relaxed into her kiss then watched as she climbed out of the car, yellow material swirling around her beautiful form.

James stepped out, then moved to the boot and retrieved the picnic hamper.

"I came prepared," he grinned, patiently waiting for Victoria to lay out the blanket.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know you came prepared because my mother made most of it." She commented with a small laugh as she spread the plaid blanket on the sand and sat down with a sigh. "When I came down for breakfast, she was frantically putting things together in the kitchen."

"If I let you stay here too much longer, your clothes won't fit." She murmured with a smile as she watched him carefully place the basket down and remove things from the inside. "She adores you though. I hope that you know just how much both of my parents love you."

 

[KiwiD82]

James laughed, blushing at being caught out so easily.

"Yes, your mother played a major role," he admitted as he pulled out the sandwiches and cakes.

James cocked an eyebrow with a playful grin as he reached into the hamper for the next item.

"I'll bet you didn't see her with this in the kitchen, though," he said, bringing out the wine bottle and two glasses. "Pinot Gris, 1936. A good year - I hope!"

James let out a laugh at his own lack of wine knowledge. It didn't seem to matter, though - Victoria made him happy and he was almost always smiling and laughing around her.

"Your parents are extraordinary," he continued, pulling the cork out and pouring wine into the glasses. "I hope you know how lucky you are."

The ring remained in its little box inside the hamper. James planned to bring it out during lunch, but he'd wait until after Victoria had finished her first glass of wine.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Don't worry, Jim. We've got a lifetime together. Surely I can teach you how to cook in that time." Victoria said with a grin as she watched him reach into the basket to pull out the bottle of wine and two glasses that her mother had sent him with.

"I'm very lucky to have them in my life." Victoria agreed as she took a glass from him and waited patiently for him to pull the cork and pour them each a glass. "And my brothers and sisters are alright as well."

She smiled at him, knowing that he had grown up lonely. She hoped that her lover had found a little bit of peace with her family. They loved him deeply and wanted to see him succeed in whatever they did in the city. Her father knew a little about what James did for the government. Her mother was kept in the dark about the entire matter. All she knew was that James worked for the crown while Victoria worked for the defense ministry. That was all that she was comfortable telling her family about her job.

"I think it would be nice to have a little cottage on the sea. We could visit every summer." She commented as she brought her glass to her lips and looked out at the sea.

 

[KiwiD82]

James knew the ocean was significant for Victoria. She had grown up on the family farm and visits to the coast had been frequent. City life had nothing to offer them as far as beaches were concerned, so her request was completely understandable.

"I like that idea," James replied, settling down beside her with his glass in one hand.

He took a slow sip, admiring the dazzling light upon the ocean in front of their sunny little alcove.

"I wouldn't want to live far from your family," he continued. "I do adore them and would love to get to know your brothers and watch your sisters grow up."

James shifted over slightly, nudging Victoria's hip with his own as his free hand reached around her back and rested against her waist.

"Perhaps we could convince my mother to move somewhere nearby, too," he mused. "There'd be nothing really keeping her in London if we shifted."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do you think she'd be happy out here in the country?" Victoria asked him as she turned to look at her lover as they painted a nice little picture of their future together. "She's lived her entire life in the city, Jim. That's not so easy to give up."

"She might do very well out here, though. She's always so lonely in the city." She worried about his mother and how sad she seemed.

 

[KiwiD82]

James was enjoying their conversation. Even with no proposal, they had long been satisfied with the knowledge that they would share life together.

"In truth, I don't think she ever truly got over my father's death," he spoke quietly. "I think moving out here would do a world of good for her. A change of scenery, with some fresh air, and maybe a grandchild or two to distract her..."

James smiled at the thought, then dropped his mouth to Victoria's neck, kissing it gently in the sun.

In their line of work, it felt good to be able to think of the future, and to relish being alive.

 

[heartofcourage]

Victoria had a grin on her lips as James leaned in and kissed her neck, the sun warming her skin as his lips left. She turned her dark eyes towards him, knowing just what he was thinking. There was no guarantee that they would make it through this war alive. They could plan and talk about what they wanted for the future and it was a nice distraction.

"You are a big softy, you know?" She murmured as she passed him a plate for his food. "You take good care of her. I know she's proud to have a son like you, Jim."

She had talked to his mother at length on occasion. She enjoyed a good relationship with the woman and she would often call her when James was gone for a long period of time, simply to talk to someone that was connected to her beloved son.

 

[KiwiD82]

James nodded in silence. He knew that what Victoria said was true, but he also knew that his mother worried about him.

It was understandable, really. The poor woman had already lost one of the men in her life in the Great War, and she was terrified that she might lose another now. Her fear of losing her son was part of the reason James had sought work based in England.

His mother would struggle if she was left on her own, so being around the Stirlings would make a world of difference.

James took one of the sandwiches from his plate and bit into it, still watching the waves rolling onto the beach.

"I can't wait for this war to be over," he began, choosing to change the topic of conversation. "Then I can make you mine properly - get married, get a house, move out to the countryside..."

James couldn't help but smile to himself. Although the immediate future was a fog of uncertainty, there was much to look forward to beyond that.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It seems that you've done a lot of thinking about things after the war." Victoria mentioned, glancing at her lover as she took a bite of her own sandwich, glancing out towards the glistening waves. "It's a nice little thought, most certainly. However, we have to get past the war first."

Victoria went quiet for a long moment, glancing over at James as her mind swirled with all of the different possibilities. "You know that if something happens to you, I'll take care of your mother. I won't let her be alone."

She meant it too. His mother was just as much a part of her family as he was of hers. She admired the woman for being as strong as she was in the face of so much tragedy. She adored her son and wanted the best for him, no matter what.

 

[KiwiD82]

James smiled weakly as Victoria spoke. He had no doubt she would look after his mother. He didn't want her to bear such a burden, but he also quickly realised she wouldn't listen to him if he tried to convince her not to.

Victoria was her own woman, fiercely independent at times. In truth, James found that extraordinarily attractive.

"She thinks the world of you, you know," he replied. "But I'd rather not spend our one day alone together on the coast discussing the horrible 'what ifs'. I'd rather wine, dine, and swim with you."

James' grin grew then, as he became genuinely excited about what the afternoon held for them. They could worry about the cost of war any time they liked - but swimming with his lover in the ocean was a rare and wonderful opportunity.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's been a long time since you're been swimming. Are you sure that you want to be seen in your bathers?" Victoria asked with a teasing smile on her lips as she took a sip from her wine glass and another bite of her sandwich. "Then again, I have been keeping you busy in the bedroom. Perhaps you won't look so bad out here in the sunlight."

 

[KiwiD82]

James let out a loud laugh at Victoria's playful jest.

"With the combination of your workouts and your mother's bulking up routine, I probably look like a boxer!"

His smile was wide and free as he took a quick swig from his wine glass.

"I'm fighting fit," he added.

He lifted up the bottom of his shirt just above the waistline of his pants.

"And white. Fighting fit, and very, very white."

He laughed again, finding himself losing the stresses of the morning and the worries of the evening with this new and welcome distraction.

"Whereas you," he continued, placing his glass on the blanket and leaning across to kiss her on her neck again and to nuzzle against her cheek. "You do know I only agreed to come to the beach because it would mean seeing you in your bathers, right?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I cannot help you if you don't get out of the buildings in London and enjoy the rare sunlight. That's why I eat my lunches in the park when it's not raining." She murmured, giving him a smile as he showed off his pale belly to the sunlight. "Instead of going to the pub for lunch, you should probably take my advice. After all, I always know best."

A soft laugh left her lips as he leaned across the blanket and nuzzled against her cheek and throat. She knew why he had come to the beach with her that day and it had nothing to do with seeing her in her bathing suit.

"You just want to see me CHANGE into my bathers." She murmured, turning her head towards his own and kissing him gently. "That's why I told Agatha she couldn't come. I wanted to watch you change into yours as well."

 

[KiwiD82]

James chuckled when Victoria jested, admonishing him for eating at the pub.

"Alright, shared lunches in the park whenever possible from now on."

James cocked an eyebrow playfully at Victoria's comments about their bathers.

"Is that so?" he laughed. "Are you sure your pretty eyes will be able to handle seeing so much white skin?"

James muffled his next chuckle with his sandwich, soundly finishing it off to leave his plate empty, before placing a cake upon it.

He was beginning to wonder if he should wait until after their swim to propose. Or perhaps he could pop the question in the water. It would happen when it happened - until then, he'd wait until it felt natural.

 

[heartofcourage]

"My pretty eyes handled it yesterday when you were naked at Berry Head." She commented, grinning as he pulled out a slice of cake for the both of them. "Trust me, Jim. Your pasty skin won't run me off any time soon."

It was true. There was nothing that was going to make her run screaming when it came to James. She adored him and everything about him. He was physically strong, his body fit, and she was proud to be seen on his arm. She thought that they made a good couple.

 

[KiwiD82]

"Ah yes, Berry Head," James grinned, the recent memory intoxicating him with delicious thoughts. "I wasn't the only white body there, though I was probably the luckiest!"

He reached a hand up and ran it through Victoria's hair, caressing her scalp as the strands crawled between his fingers.

"Those birds must have had quite the show!" he chuckled, recalling the sight of his lover in the throes of ecstasy as they looked out across the sea.

James adored Victoria. When she joked and teased, she highlighted her intelligence and wit, and he felt as though he was falling in love with her all over again.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know you had quite the show." Victoria murmured as she leaned forward and kissed James gently.

Her hand gently cupped his cheek, the moment deepening for the briefest of moments before she pulled back and looked at him with a soft smile. She was getting sentimental in her old age, she thought to herself wryly. No other man in her life had made her feel the way that James did.

"Shall we change? Or will you be stuffing your pale body with more cake?" She asked him, laughing softly at the bright spark in his eyes. "And no, you cannot watch me change."

 

[KiwiD82]

James laughed. There lay Victoria, resplendent in her bright yellow dress, teasing him with her words.

And he loved it.

"It'd be rude of me to not finish my cake," he teased. " What would your mother say if she knew you let me stray from the Stirling-Braithwaite Fattening Diet?"

He chuckled again, before feigning shock at Victoria's other comment.

"What am I even doing here, if I can't watch you change?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not sure. It was your idea to come on a picnic, my darling." Victoria commented, stealing one last kiss from him before she stood from the blanket and grabbed the bag that contained her bathing suit. "I'm going to change. You finish that cake and then come join me in the water."

She left him with a smile, laughing as she looked at him over her shoulder, knowing that he was watching her every movement. That was how they met, actually. When she had come into the war office for that secretary's position, she had felt his eyes watching her every move. At first she had simply thought that he was making sure that she wasn't some kind of unsavory character. Now, she knew that he was watching the way that her hips swung back and forth as she walked. There was something endearing about it and soon afterwards, he had asked her out on a date.

She changed in a dressing room that had been set up on the beach, exiting to the bright sunlight once more in her bathing suit. The sun felt good on her skin and the sea air definitely felt even better filling her lungs as she made her way down towards the shore.

Bathing Suit: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/44/e5/8f/44e58fc8ac1a8b30356f6bbcfdfc2e64.jpg

 

[KiwiD82]

Victoria had a hold over James that he couldn't quite put his finger on. She was, of course, stunningly beautiful. She was fiercely independent. She was extraordinarily intelligent.

James had noticed her the instant she'd arrived for her job interview. The way she held herself was bedazzling to witness, and he was no less entranced by her now.

Despite how well he continued to get to know her, there always seemed more to discover. That was it: the mystery of Victoria Stirling was what kept him returning to her side time and again.

She seemed impossible to resist, which was why James watched her every step as she disappeared to the outdoor changing room.

When she closed the door, James moved to the picnic basket and looked inside at the ring in the small box. It glittered and sparkled back at him until he hurriedly put it away again. He didn't dare take it into the water - lest he lose it - and the beach was empty as far as he could tell, so it should be safe where it was.

James was lying back down on the blanket when Victoria emerged, sporting her swimsuit. It was a perfect opportunity for him to marvel once again at her lean figure, her bare arms and almost bare legs on delicious display. He wasted no time in standing, quickly changing into his own bathers right there on the picnic blanket.

Then he rushed down to join her, with the distinct intention of chasing her into the water and wrestling her fine body among the gentle waves.

 

[heartofcourage]

Victoria head someone running across the sands when she made her way towards the surf. Looking over her shoulder, she squealed as she saw James charging towards her, his bathers already on. She started to run then, her toes in the water as his strong arm wrapped around her slender waist. He had caught her and she was more than happy to surrender to whatever he wanted to do to her.

"Jim!" She cried out, a smile on her face as he dragged them both deeper into the water, the salty sea already sweeping over her calves and thighs.

 

[KiwiD82]

James' laughter accompanied the sounds of Victoria's squeals and the splashing of water as he lifted her by the waist, arms and legs flailing helplessly.

He could feel her body writhe and twist within his grip as he dragged her further into the water.

He reached for her legs with his other arm, and after several attempts he managed to take hold of them under the knees. His other arm shifted from her stomach to her back, and he lifted her fully out of the water.

He grinned widely, planting a quick, firm kiss on her lips, and then, despite her laughing protests to the contrary, he pulled his arms away and let her fall completely into the water.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Don't you dare!" Victoria cried out, gasping as he swept her legs into his arms and held her out over the water. "Jim!"

He was grinning like a man possessed, his lips soon capturing her own. She melted in his arms, her body relaxing as the heat of that kiss made her burn for him. Then he was laughing at her protests, pulling his arms away until she dropped into the water.

The sea closed around her, a scream cut off as he head went beneath the waves. He was in for a world of trouble, she thought to herself as she pushed to the surface. Her blonde hair was plastered to her face, her dark eyes burning as she scooped it out of her face with a hand, looking at him with a look that promised retribution.