upcoming schedule of shows. This would take a few hours and he also offered that he had food coming in for them. Men always respond nicely to food. For me, I decided to just stay back and catch up on my thoughts and writings and enjoy the amenities of the hotel. I also wanted to catch up with Jillian and let her know I arrived okay and all was good. With the band all gone and Maxwell too, I walked the hotel and toured the property taking in the pool area that was so nice and peaceful. Since it was spring and quite warm here in Florida, there still weren’t too many travelers here. I believe Maxwell knew that when booking the band here to stay.
I sat for awhile, out by the pool in my clothes but started to get warm with the early afternoon sun. I thought I would head up to my room, grab my notes and change into one of my bathing suits, a bikini, that yes , Jillian packed. Actually, she jammed them into my suitcase saying, “Madison you have a rocking body even if you don’t show it, you’re heading to the South. You’re going to have hot weather, sunny days, and hopefully heated nights!” I stopped her train of thought. Today, I was glad I hadn’t stopped her before she had packed it for me.
As I sat by the pool, I wrote a bit and then dropped my notes next to me and lowered my beach hat to relax and take all this in. The next few hours flew by and when I looked up through the design of my hat, a thatched pattern appeared with a face just beyond. In a whisper I heard, “Madison please cover up, these guys will go crazy.” Then as his voice lowered, “Please cover up now you’re driving me crazy.” I tilted up and lifted the brim of my large hat and adjusted my eyes realizing that I was within inches of Rand’s face and he was handing me one of the hotel’s large pool towels. “Here, please put this over you.” He said as he actually laid it on me. Normally, at this moment I would have been so nervous and embarrassed and probably shy to be lying in my bikini, but I think it was my knowing that the young girls’ eyes were on us that allowed me to remain calm and mature. I knew that I had just totally climbed two more steps of my confidence ladder.
“Rand, I must have crashed. I thought you guys would be gone for hours, and I wouldn’t catch you until tomorrow at breakfast.” As I spoke those words, I realized how glad I was that they returned.
Even as the sun had warmed my body outside, I knew something simmering between Rand and me was responsible for the warming inside. And for a moment, taking in the sight of him there poolside, in his shorts and tight tee shirt, I think he was the one who needed the covering up. A few young girls had already switched their lounging pool chairs to get closer to where I was and I know it was not to get a glimpse of me.
I got up and wrapped the towel around my waist but my bathing suit top was still on display. I leaned back down into the chair letting out a sigh like Rand had just won in succeeding in getting me covered up. I had definitely taken in some color in the past few hours out here at the pool and I looked at Rand as he touched my skin in between my chest and neck and said, “You got color,” his fingers drifted up and down my sun soaked skin between my breasts, and traveled up to my throat, then he slowly outlined my entire bathing suit top like he was memorizing the shape. I was breathless; I had to actually bite the inside of my cheek to keep it from quivering. He said again, “Would you please cover up you can’t do this to me.” I know I wasn’t doing anything; he could have any girl as they were all there for the taking and ready to be with him anyplace and surely at anytime. I was just lying in the afternoon sun relaxing, but to make him happier I pulled on a Rolling Isaac’s tank top, and he smiled while we walked back toward the hotel.
Their first concert in the sunshine state was great, although I expected nothing less. The band left together
London Casey, Karolyn James