A Means to an End

"Uh huh," he replied, still flushed from her kiss.

"Night, cutie!" Jaime squealed, bouncing up for one last peck on the lips before dashing inside, giggling all the way.

"Damn... did that just happen?" Craig wondered.

*****

"I'm headin' out, Dad. Probably be gone all day."

"That Jaime girl from last night?" Steve chuckled.

"Yes, Dad," Craig sighed, knowing he'd never hear the end of it.

"I knew it!" Steve cheered. "Oh, I meant to check in with ya. Is she ok? Those boys last night were sayin' some awful things bout her."

"Yeah, she's better now. She was pretty upset at first, though."

"I can imagine, what with the shit they were makin' up!" Catching an odd look on his son's face, Steve continued, "They did make it up, right?"

"Dad..."

"Ah, say no more. You never could lie to me, Craig. It's true, ain't it?" When Craig didn't reply, Steve said, "Listen, she seems like a real sweetheart, and you're a grown man, but please be careful. If it's true, the last thing you need is-"

"I got it, Dad. No worries, I know how to use a condom," Craig replied, punching his dad in the shoulder. "Thanks."

"Anytime. Now go on, get!"

After a quick phone call in his car to confirm his activity plans, Craig made the short drive over to Jaime's hotel. Arriving in the lobby, he was greeted by a bubbly blonde at the reception desk.

"Morning! My name's Tiffany. You checking in?"

"Nah, visiting a friend. Room 607," Craig replied.

"Mmm, here to see Jaime? Would you possibly be the reason she came home last night giggling like it was Christmas morning?" Tiffany inquired with a sly look.

Craig blushed at this. "Maybe."

"Well, she is precious. One sec, I just need to buzz her room. Hotel policy." A moment later, she hung up the phone and said, "Yep, she's expecting you. Elevator is down on the left, sixth floor."

"Thanks, Tiffany!"

After a short elevator ride, Craig stood at her door, his hands sweaty and trembling. Taking a deep breath, he knocked softly.

"Hey, you!" Jaime said as she opened the door. "Come on in!"

"Thanks," Craig replied, stepping into the hotel room.

Jaime moved to her open suitcase next to the TV stand. As she rummaged through it, Craig couldn't help but stare at her slim, sexy form. She wore a pink tank top and a pair of gym shorts, though she appeared to still be deciding what to wear for the day. The sight of her red hair in a long, loose braid was more than enough to cause an awakening south of the border.

"So I've got my bikini on underneath, but I wasn't sure what to wear to start the day. What do you recommend?" Jaime asked.

"Tank top is good, but you'll probably want some khaki shorts to start the day, and a pair of tennis shoes. I've got my backpack, so feel free to throw some flip flops in with my stuff."

"Cool. How much are we going to be outdoors? I burn really bad."

"Toss your sunscreen in too, and bring a hat. If we go to the beach later, we can swing by here and grab your umbrella if you like."

"Sweet!" she said, slipping off her gym shorts.

"Woah! Sorry, didn't know you were gonna do that!" Craig laughed, turning the other way.

"Relax, silly. It's just my bikini bottoms," Jaime teased him.

"Oh. Good point."

After slipping on a pair of khaki shorts and tennis shoes, Jaime grabbed a wide-brimmed straw sun hat. Even when she covered herself, Craig couldn't see her as anything but the most captivating woman he'd ever met. Down in his car, Jaime applied sunscreen to her limbs and shoulders while Craig drove.

"Are we heading towards Panama City?" Jaime asked.

"Nope. Goin' to Cape San Blas."

"What's out there?"

"You'll see," Craig grinned.

"Ooh, so mysterious. Ok, you know one of my big secrets, so now it's your turn to tell me one of yours. What's something odd or eccentric about you?"

"Oh come on..."

"Pleeeeeeease?" she pleaded with a pitiful look on her face.

"Fine. It's embarrassing, but I still have all my Power Rangers action figures from when I was a kid. Full setup with action poses on my dresser," Craig said.

"Cool! That's nothing to be embarrassed about!"

"Wait, really?"

Jaime giggled. "Back in high school, I never rolled with the popular crowd. I hung with the D&D kids, played Magic: The Gathering during lunch, and even today I spend most of my evenings playing video games. I'm a huge nerd!"

"You're bullshittin' me!"

"Swear to God. Even brought my Playstation with me, and I'm not talking about my favorite vibrator."

"Nice! What kinds of games do you play?" Craig asked.

"Zelda, Uncharted, Tomb Raider, anything with puzzles or a great story."

"Damn... you do know how rare and awesome a girl like you is, right?"

"One that likes video games? Yeah, most guys either don't care or just don't like gamer girls at all."

"Not me. I think there are few things sexier than a girl who's not afraid to hold her own in gaming."

"Especially if she's also a pornstar?" Jaime giggled.

"I didn't say that."

"Don't worry, just teasing you," she said, brushing her hand against his.

"Here we are," Craig replied, pointing to a building ahead of them.

Looking at the sign, Jaime read, "Broke-a-toe horseback riding. Oh my god, we're going horseback riding?!"

"Not just that; we're going horseback riding on the beach."

Jaime squealed with delight, bouncing up and down in her seat with pure giddiness.

"I LOVE horses! How did you know?"

"Didn't know, but what all-American girl wouldn't love horses?" Craig replied. "I've been coming here since I was a kid. This place is run by a gal named Kelly and her two daughters, Hayley and Nicole. Sweet bunch, I tell you what. I actually had a crush on Hayley once up on a time."

"Aww, unrequited affection?" Jaime asked.

"Somethin' like that. She was never single; married her high school sweetheart, and now they got a little one of their own. But I've been coming here for so long that Kelly lets me take a horse out unguided whenever I want. We can have our own private ride, if you like."

"Morning, Craig!" said an attractive brunette in her early fifties as they entered.

"Kelly, how're the girls?" Craig replied, giving her a quick hug.

"Doin' alright. Nicole is getting your horses ready right now."

"Craig?" came a voice from the back room. Soon, a girl with chestnut hair emerged with a baby in her arms. "Hey! Great to see you!"

"Well look at that, Hayley and her little one!"

"Yep, our little Sophia. Say hi to Mister Craig!"

"Oh, Jaime, this is Kelly and Hayley, two of the owners. Ladies, my friend, Jaime," Craig said.

"Nice to have ya," Kelly said, shaking Jaime's hand.

"Great to be here! Craig sure knows how to surprise a girl."

"So I see," Hayley replied with a sly look.

"Well look at you, Sophia!" Jaime cooed, turning her attention to the baby, who promptly giggled at her.

"Well I'll be, seems she likes ya, Jaime. Wanna hold her?" Hayley asked.

"Sure!"

"Here you go. Mind her head."

Craig stood back, smiling as he watched the scene unfold. As if Jaime wasn't attractive enough already, now she was smiling as she held a tiny human in her arms. It wasn't a far stretch from that for him to imagine her holding their baby, which only served to distract him even more.

"Hey," Kelly said softly, elbowing Craig.

"Huh?"

"I see that look in your eye," she said with a smirk.

"Dunno what you mean."

"Bull. You've got it bad for her, don't ya?"

Craig just shrugged as Jaime returned the baby to her mom.

"Horses are ready! Let's saddle up!" a voice called from outside.

"Jaime, you ready?" Craig asked.

"Let's do it!"

Outside, Nicole introduced them to their horses, Sweet Tea and Little Man. While Craig was quite familiar with this setup, Jaime was excited by every little detail, the bridle, saddle, and reins. Thus, it made for a hilarious and awkward moment when she inquired about the bag strapped onto the horse's backside. Nicole explained its purpose for when the horse goes Number Two while Craig tried in desperation to hold his laughter in.

"We ready to head out?" Craig asked.

"Almost. We had a family sign up at the last minute, gotta get their horses over here for 'em. Sorry, Craig. I know you were hoping for a nice, private ride," Nicole replied.

"Ah, it's cool. Y'all gotta make a living, after all!"

By now, a family of three had arrived: a mom, a dad, and their daughter of about fifteen. While the parents appeared excited, the daughter was being a typical teenager, rolling her eyes at everything. After a quick tutorial from Nicole, everyone saddled up and started out on the trail.

The caravan had quite the view for their ride. The sun shone bright in the late morning sky, yet a steady breeze blew off the gulf, helping to keep the riders somewhat cool. Nicole led the way, followed by the two parents riding side-by-side. Their daughter had lingered to ride alongside with Jaime while Craig brought up the rear.

"You look excited," the teenager mentioned.

"I am! I've never ridden a horse on the beach before," Jaime replied with a smile.

"That's cool... I'm Andrea, by the way."

"Jaime. Good to meet you!"

"I guess it is pretty nice out here," Andrea remarked. Lowering her voice, she leaned over to Jaime and continued, "But I'd rather be hookin' up with all the hot boys on the beach."

Deciding to take a page from Craig's playbook, Jaime replied, "Yeah I've been there and done that, but... it's not all it's cracked up to be."

"Huh?"

"I mean, yeah, the boys were super cute, but not a damn one respected me at all; I was just a random hookup to them."

"But weren't they the same for you?" Andrea asked.

"I thought so... until we were done. I felt so used. There was no intimacy, no emotion to enhance the experience."

"I guess that makes sense, but I'm sure we'll meet better guys when we finally turn twenty-one and can get into bars."

Jaime smirked. "I am twenty-one."

Andrea gave a look.

"Seriously, I am. I know I don't look it."

"Wow... you don't look a day over seventeen!"

"It's a blessing and a curse. I'm sure I'll age gracefully, but I always get the third degree whenever someone checks my ID."

"I can see how that'd get old," Andrea said. "But again, the guys have to be better."

"Not really," Jaime replied. "The setting doesn't matter so much; crappy guys are still crappy guys. I've been learning the hard way to look for the right ones."

"How do you tell the difference?"

"For one, they're probably guys you've overlooked before; I know I have. They're usually cute, but not the gorgeous hotties you're talking about. They're quieter and more unassuming, but once you get them talking, their true personalities shine through. Above all, they're guys who respect all women, and not just for their looks. Oh, they appreciate a beautiful woman, make no mistake about that, but they want so much more than that. Trust me, you find a guy who's interested in you as a person, who wants to know how you think and cares about how you treat others, and you've found a keeper."

"Interesting... and I'm guessing this guy behind us isn't your big brother?"

"Nope, he's mine, so back off bitch!" Jaime replied, eliciting a giggle from both of them.

Andrea's parents were far enough ahead of them that they hadn't heard the exchange, but Craig heard everything in spite of their hushed voices. A moment later, Jaime turned her head and winked at him from under her straw hat; he smiled and nodded his approval. Eventually, Nicole brought the group to a halt near the end of the route.

"Here we are. Craig, y'all good?" she asked.

"Sure are. Thanks, Nicole. We'll see ya back at home!"

"Wait, what's going on?" Jaime asked him.

"You and I are getting off here," Craig grinned.

"Ok... why?"

"You'll see."

"There's a hitchin' post there you can tie your horses up to," Nicole said. "Picnic basket is waiting for you on the beach, Craig."

"Picnic basket?! You sneaky bastard!" Jaime said to Craig.

"I mean, if you don't want to have a nice, intimate lunch with me on the beach, feel free to keep riding," Craig smirked.

"Shut up and help me off this thing," Jaime replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

After helping Jaime out of her saddle, Craig opened the picnic basket and began to unpack the blanket and food. Jaime took a moment to jog over to Nicole and say something to her, probably thanking her for setting this up, he figured. Soon, she plopped down on the blanket next to him to inspect their lunch.

"So, what fancy meal has Craig McNeal prepared for us today?"

"The grand delicacy of PB&J, Ruffles, and water canteens," he replied in as fancy an accent as he could muster. "I know it's not much, but it's the best I could come up with for the setting."

"Craig, please. This is the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me in my life. I don't care that it's just PB&J; I care that you thought it all up just for me," Jaime replied, kissing him on the cheek. As they dug into their food, she continued, "So, there's something I've been wondering since last night."

"What's that?" Craig managed through a mouthful of sandwich.

"You're obviously super talented at music and have a real flair for country. Why are you here in Florida instead of Nashville?"

Swallowing his bite, Craig replied, "I was in Nashville for a while. Went to Belmont University and graduated with a mind to do just that, make my career in Nashville. Came close to a recording contract at that. But then... I had to leave. I had to come back here."

"What for?" Jaime prodded, sensing him trying to open up.

"Because... Mom got sick."

Jaime's eyebrows rose at this. "What kind of sick?"

"Ovarian cancer; very advanced. There weren't any symptoms to pick up on for such a long time that by the time the doctors detected it... it was too late. They couldn't treat it, it was inoperable, and all they could do was manage her pain. Mom lasted another three months." After a moment to compose himself, Craig continued, "Mom and Dad had been in business together since opening the bar and grill. Dad was the heart and soul of the place, but Mom was the brains of the outfit. She ran the business side of things, advertisements, accounting and whatnot. That was never Dad's strength, and after she got sick, he started drowning in the logistics of it all. I came down and kind of took over for Mom. Bein' your own agent in Nashville means you quickly develop a knack for business, after all."

"I know exactly what you mean," Jaime said, remembering her early days in LA.

"After Mom passed, Dad was dangerously close to a free-fall. I couldn't leave him here alone, so I made peace with the facts. My dreams of a career in Nashville were done. Family comes first."

Jaime slid close to him, placing a hand on his and laying her head on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too. But Dad's been doin' way better over the last couple years. And Mom... I know everything's goin' great for her. She's in a better place, after all."

Turning her head, Jaime gazed into his eyes, seeing nothing but sincerity within them. "You really believe that, don't you?"

"I have to. It's what gets me up every morning. I know your upbringing probably turned you off to a lot of religious concepts, not that I can blame ya, but I can feel in my bones there is a Heaven. Without it, life has no higher purpose. It'd be nothing more than the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain, and once you're dead, you're dead. I just can't think that's all there is to our existence."

"I know what you mean. That's partly why I'm starting to get sick of LA. So many people out there are just so... hedonistic. Your line about pleasure and pain describes them to the letter. Not everyone out there is like that, but a hell of a lot more than I'd like to think."

"I'm glad you haven't given in to that lifestyle," Craig grinned, lifting her hat to kiss her on the forehead.

"But I'm a pornstar, right? How does that not describe me? I'm living a sinful, self-indulgent life."

"I'm gonna let ya in on a little secret: we all live sinful, imperfect lives, myself included. It's just our fallen nature."

"Except your mom, right?" Jaime grinned.

"Oh no, she made mistakes to be sure. We all fall short of the glory of God; my mom was no exception."

"But then... how is she in a better place, as you say?"

"Because it's not about perfection. It's about faith. It's about trying our best to live a perfect life even knowing we'll fail. Fightin' the good fight, as it were."

"Huh... I never thought of it that way. The nuns sure never described it like that."

"Perspective," Craig said, raising his canteen with a grin.

"I'll drink to that," Jaime agreed.

The couple spent the next several minutes eating in relative silence, sharing smiles and glances the whole time. After lunch had been consumed, Craig started to get the itch to get back in the saddle and stood to check on their horses. Jaime just grinned as he walked over to the hitch.

"What the hell? One of our horses is gone!" Craig called out. "Sweet Tea's here, but no Little Man!"

"Oh no!" Jaime said with a giggle. "Could it be that Nicole took Little Man back with her, leaving just one horse for the two of us?! Oh well, guess we'll just have to ride together..."

Craig eyed Jaime. "You knew about this?"

"When I saw what you had put together for me, I got a burst of inspiration and asked Nicole to take one of the horses back with her. That way, we'd have no choice but to ride together. She did say Sweet Tea could handle the both of us no problem. I... hope you're not mad at me."

Craig just smiled in disbelief. "Naw, I can't be mad at such a brilliant and devious young woman! If anyone can keep up with my scheming, it's you."

"Good! Because I'm not sorry!" she replied with a grin.

After voicing her desire to take the reins, Jaime swung herself up with a slight assist from Craig. He hoisted his body up behind her, finding it a surprisingly comfortable fit for both of them in the saddle; Jaime was so tiny that there was plenty of room. After getting a feel for things once more, she gently tugged the reins and pointed the horse in the direction of the ranch, hanging her sunhat around her neck in the process.

"Come on, Sweet Tea. Let's go home."

As the horse plodded down the trail, Craig slipped his arms around Jaime's waist to hold her from behind.

"You know, you called me a sneaky bastard earlier, but I think it takes one to know one," he whispered in her ear.

"I admit to having a bit of a mischievous streak," Jaime replied. "Craig... thanks. This has been the perfect day."

Jaime turned her head carefully, allowing Craig to crane his neck around. It was awkward at first, but they soon were able to share a long, affectionate kiss to go with the incredible scenery. All the while, Sweet Tea kept up his steady pace.

"Best first date ever?" Craig asked as they parted.

"You have no idea."

*****

It can be said that time slows in critical moments, and for Craig and Jaime, the concept was completely real. After a fantastic day of mini-golf, lounging on the beach, and an evening crawfish boil outside Steve's place, the pair strolled hand-in-hand back to Jaime's hotel. Neither wanted the day to end, but they were also nervous at what that might ultimately mean. Arriving at the door to the hotel, Craig leaned in to kiss Jaime, but to his surprise, she stopped him.

"I don't... I don't want you to kiss me goodnight, not yet," Jaime explained. "I don't want this night to be over."

"Me either," Craig admitted.

"Come up with me?"

"You're sure you want me to?"

"Positive," she replied with a grin.

Taking Craig by the hand, Jaime led him through the lobby, practically skipping with giddiness the whole time. The only resistance they encountered was a giggle and a knowing glance from Tiffany, the receptionist. By the time they reached the door to her room, Jaime's heart was pounding with nervous anticipation, but Craig remained calm and collected.