Beyond the terracotta rooftops on the pedestrian-only streets of Kérkyra, the wrought-iron gates and the Corfiots who went about their daily businesses, Ray and I sat on a large yellow blanket at a short distance overlooking the sparkling turquoise waters of the Ionian sea. A huge, handcrafted hamper stood at the centre of the blanket between us. It held empty cans of beers, a set of tupperwares, an empty bottle of wine, and a large blue towel. We sat on opposite sides of the hamper, sipping from matching glasses of wine, our eyes absorbing the hypnotizing spectacle that surrounded us. He wore a lightweight cotton T-shirt that clung to his body like a second skin, a khaki short which exposed his hairy legs and a slightly tilted felt hat graciously adorned his head. I had dressed just as casual as he had: a floral-print maxi gown and an enormous straw hat which I got tired of wearing at some point. We wanted to have the closest and the best view of the sea so we'd arrived at the beach early. We wanted to inhale the cold, salty breeze, feel the scalding hot kiss of the sun on own brown skins and reel in the orgasmic feeling of the fine beach sand beneath our feet. We wanted to stare directly into the waters whilst sinking our teeth into a salad sandwich and we did.
The beach wasn't as crowded as we'd anticipated. A young couple and their little daughter arrived hours after we did. They'd spent half their time at the beach taking turns applying sunscreen on their pale white skins and the second half was spent soaking in the hot sun facedown. A multiracial group of four young ladies, probably college friends arrived shortly after the couple did. They all wore matching floral beach wears and stayed very close to the water, striking suggestive poses and leaning in every fleeting second for a selfie. I'd look past them into the horizon which was edged with a tint of silver that ended where the sky and the sea met. The sea was a jewel blue sheet of water that pleasantly stretched into infinity. The sky was ablaze with the fire of the setting sun, burning with beautiful vibrant oranges encased with shades of soft pink. I could taste the salinity in the wind as it brushed slightly against my skin, leaving a ripple in the transiently calm sea. I could not tell if the goosebumps that appeared on my naked arm did so as a response to the chills or if it was simply because my body was in awe of the mesmerizing sight before it. I could feel the warm, olive-gold sand massage my soles as heaps of sea swelled and the resultant waves teased the tip of my outstretched legs.
I was so beguiled by the view before me that my brain was able to trick me into believing I was there alone with Ray, momentarily ignoring the mass of beach goers in the background. I turned sideways to shoot him a stirring smile only to find him staring longingly at me, a wide grin lingering on his lips as he proudly declared;
"I love you so much"
The wind howled and carried his voice into the sea as a form of acknowledgment.