Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
----------------------------------------------------------
“Okay, open your eyes,” Jim said.
“Did you buy me another house?” Pam asked, smirking, her eyes closed tight.
“Just open your eyes and you'll see.”
The first thing her eyes spotted was a sign that read: “Lake Scranton.”
“What are we doing here?” she asked, curious.
“We're having another beach day, to celebrate the anniversary of the first beach day, which was one of the most important days of my entire life. But this time Michael isn't in charge.”
She just gazed into his eyes without saying a word.
“What?” he asked.
“You're just so thoughtful, so creative...with your pranks...and now this. Are you sure you're not an artist?”
He thought for a moment.
“I suppose I am in my own way. But nothing like you. But today, I don't want you doodling – and I certainly don't want you taking notes. You’re actually going to be participating.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me taking notes?”
“Absolutely I am. It's your day off.”
He removed a notebook out of his bag, held it up, and then tossed it in the garbage can.
“Why thank you. You're so kind.”
“You're welcome. I have the feeling that you're going to remember this day for a long time without any notes.”
“You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?”
“I know I'll remember. Especially if you wear that two-piece bathing suit. Last time, I was so excited when I overheard you say you were wearing it. But I was so disappointed because I never actually got to see you in it.”
“Aww, I'd love to, Jim, but it's not like I wore it under my clothes today in the hope that you would take me here. You should have told me.”
“No, then it would have ruined the surprise.”
He reached into his bag and produced the suit.
She shook her head. “You never cease to surprise me.”
“Good. Now go put it on so we can get on with the games.”
“Where am I supposed to change?”
“In the car.”
“What if people see me?” She blushed.
“They won't. There's no one here. But just in case, I'll guard the car.”
“Okay. But no peeking, Halpert. Or should I say, pervert?”
----------------------------------------------------------
“For our first game: the egg-in-the-spoon race,” he said.
She looked even more beautiful in her bathing suit than he had imagined, and he had spent a lot of time imagining. This is what two-piece bathing suits were made for.
He gave her an egg and a spoon, and ever so gently, tied a blindfold around her eyes.
“That feels good. I could get used to you blindfolding me.”
He was speechless.
“Even though I can’t see you,” she said, “I imagine that you look very flustered right now, very cute.”
“Since you’re not allowed to remove your blindfold, you’ll never know. Now – ready, set, go.”
He remembered how Kelly had been so petrified of walking into the giant rock – even though it was nowhere near her and Ryan had told her it was nowhere near her. Jim had gotten Pam within inches of the rock, but she hadn’t hesitated once. She completely trusted him. He smiled to himself.
“Turn left.”
Before long, he had gotten her within inches of the water. Karen hadn’t been upset when he had tricked her into walking into the lake, but he knew Pam would be more playful. That first beach day, it was Pam he had wanted to be playing with, it was Pam he wanted to be with.
As soon as she felt the water between her toes, she ripped off her blindfold, turned toward him, and yanked him into the water, and on his way down, he yanked her into the water with him. She didn’t even pretend to be upset.
“So this is why you wanted me to wear the bathing suit.”
----------------------------------------------------------
“And for our second game – although it’s not really a game – instead of Michael making you cook the entire office a billion hot dogs, I will be cooking a few for us, and only us -- and they will actually be cooked this time.”
“I don’t mind cooking this time. Actually, I want to cook for you.”
“And I’ll let you cook for me any other time you want. But tonight, I want to cook for you.”
She watched him grill the hot dogs. She liked watching his long arms at work. He was so focused and careful. He obviously knew what he was doing and enjoyed doing it. At his party a few years back, she had stolen a few glances of him barbecuing, but this time, she could look for as long and as hard as she wanted. He took his time, and neither of them felt the need to say anything until he was finished.
Sitting at the picnic table, she slowly and sensuously slid the hot dog into her mouth, which made him choke on his.
“This is the best hot dog I’ve ever had,” she said. “Seriously. Have you ever considered a career as a chef? And most importantly, it’s cooked this time.”
----------------------------------------------------------
“And for our third game: sumo wrestling. But this time, unlike Michael, I did not forget the gloves in my car.”
“I don’t need the gloves. I don’t want you to go easy on me.”
And he didn’t. He charged at her – although not as ferociously, and certainly not as frighteningly, as Stanley had – and before she knew what hit her, he had knocked her to the sand and he was on top of her. She liked the feeling of his weight – just the right weight – pressing down on her.
“That was pathetic, Beesly. I don’t know which you’re worse at – this or table tennis.”
“I let you win, Halpert.”
“Sure you did, Beesly, sure you did. You know, you look absolutely ridiculous – and absolutely adorable.”
“Back at you, Halpert.”
Even if they wanted to get up immediately, it would have been a while before they were able to. But they were in no hurry.
----------------------------------------------------------
“And now for our fourth and final game – although this is definitely not going to be fun: the coal walk.”
“You don’t expect me to do the coal walk again, do you?”
“Of course not. I’ll be doing it.”
“Are you crazy?”
“I’m absolutely serious. That night, Pam, you walked across hot coals – literally and figuratively. And now I want to honor you and celebrate that night by walking across hot coals for you. I couldn’t have been prouder of you. That took a tremendous amount of courage. And you gave me the courage to ask you out on a date. It was the first time I was certain that you felt that way about me. If you hadn’t done the coal walk, we might not be here right now.”
“We’d have gotten together eventually.”
“I know. But I was tired of eventually. And I’m tired of waiting now, too. I’m just going to do it.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I know. I want to.”
“Okay. What kind of count-off do you want?”
“I don’t want any. I’m just going to do it.”
But before she could say a word, he was walking – at least he wasn’t running as she had – across the coals, doing his best to wear his usual Jim face and act nonchalant like this was just a walk in the park, but she knew how much pain – physical pain – he must be in, and she felt so close to him that she could almost feel his pain herself. She felt like she was walking across the coals with him.
She breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped onto the sand a few seconds later.
“Wow, what was I thinking? That was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made in my entire life. That was totally not worth it, Beesly,” he said, unable to contain his big goofy grin. “The things I do for you. It’s like I’m James Bond and you’re England, which makes sense because my real name is James and Beesly is an English name.”
“Well, it meant a lot, dork. I don’t know any other guy who would have done what you just did.”
“And I didn’t just walk the coals. I also made us a very romantic fire.”
He laid out a blanket in front of the fire, and they sat down.
“God, do my feet burn. Now I know what Michael must have been going through.”
“Here, give me your giant feet, and I’ll take care of you.”
He complied, and she removed two ice cubes from the cooler and proceeded to rub them ever so gently over the grill marks of his charred feet.
“This makes it all worthwhile,” he said.
When the ice melted, she took another ice cube from the cooler, but this time, she put it into her mouth, brought her mouth to his, and with her lips, slid the ice cube into his mouth. They went back and forth until the ice cube melted, then she went to grab another piece, but he grabbed her hand.
“Pam, that night when you walked the coals, I almost attacked you right then and there. But obviously I couldn’t. I had to control myself. But now, there’s no one around but us – unless Andy is still stuck in the lake – and I don’t have to control myself.”
Before she knew what hit her, she was on the ground and he was on top of her again.
----------------------------------------------------------
A long time later, lying on the blanket in Jim's arms, without her bathing suit, sand in her hair and everywhere, and a few flames still burning, she said, “Jim, this was one of the best nights of my entire life. I'm awarding you ten points, a gold star, and a thumbs up.”
“Me too. Best 75 bucks I ever spent.”
----------------------------------------------------------
johngaltstrikes is the author of 6 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 10 members. Members who liked Beach Games Anniversary also liked 2903 other stories.
