Yasmin Sullivan - Love on the High Seas

They waited a few minutes for the next safari and took it to downtown Charlotte Amalie. They got off at the waterfront, where there were so many shops that they didn’t know what to do.

“Okay,” he said. “What are we looking for? I’d like to get something in gold for my mom. Maybe something crystal. That’s as far as I know.”

“I’m more in the silver range, perhaps some shells or tokens—tight budget.”

“That’s fine, too.”

They held hands as they walked up and down the passages on Main Street, stopping in stores.

He leaned over the counter in the jewelry store, circling her waist where she stood next to him. He kissed her arm, and she laughed and then waved him away. She helped him pick out a rope necklace and matching earrings for his mother, a pair of gold chains for his father and brother, a locket for his grandmother and a watch for his grandfather.

He wished he could get her to pick out something for herself, but he knew that she wouldn’t have it. He contented himself with the fact that she was letting him, at least in small ways, be openly affectionate with her.

She got her presents in one of the places that specialized in silver, and then they went to a souvenir shop where he got rum balls and perfume for his coworkers and casual friends, and where she got shells for hers. The rest of their time was spent window shopping, trying tropical-flavored ice creams, and walking Main Street and Back Street before returning to Emancipation Garden to catch a safari.

Along the way, they decided that when they got back to the ship, they would change for dinner, eat and see a movie that night.

“I thought we were going shopping,” she said.

“What? We did. We shopped till we dropped. I’m shopped out,” he said and then chuckled.

“Look at these teeny little bags we have.” Safire held up her little bag of shells and jewelry.

“But these are easier to pack, you see.” Jeremy pointed to his little bag of jewelry and perfume.

“Next time, we have to get bigger things. Not more expensive things, just bigger ones. We should look like we just spent four hours doing something.”

Both of them laughed.

Back aboard the ship, Jeremy kissed Safire goodbye as if it weref a regular habit between them. He then headed to his room to rest for a little bit, shower and change.

When he got to her stateroom, she was still changing. He lingered at the door, and she was out in a few minutes with a green dress on—a sleeveless one with thin straps. Like the others, it showed off her curves. Like the last one, it was cut close to her body and snug against her breasts. This time, she had a green shirt over it that was a sheer material. With her strappy one-inch heels and all made up, she looked breathtaking. This woman was growing on him in a very short time.

After dinner in the Captain’s Boardroom, they picked a disaster movie and hunkered down in the theater. Jeremy liked the genre, but he liked having Safire curled up on the seat next to him even more, cuddled under his arm in the chill of the cinema.

Still holding her, he slipped his hand up the large sleeve of her cover-up and stroked her forearm, keeping her warm. One of her hands came up to rest on his skin, and to his surprise, she played her fingers over his arm, stirring sensations in his body.

When his forearm caught one of her breasts as he warmed her, he felt the intake of her breath and the spasm in her torso. They had a corner to themselves, so he moved his forearm over her breast again to see if she would respond again. Her chest heaved against his arm, and her fingers tightened on his wrist. He did it again and again until she turned her head into his shoulder and closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she snuggled closer to him and laid her hand on his chest, feeling through his shirt. It was a tentative gesture, but he stopped to see what she would do. She closed her fingers over one of his nipples and created a pressure that sent a hot ripple from his chest down to his swollen groin.

In response, he captured one of her breasts, using his thumb to create a hard crest through the satiny fabric of her dress. Her upper body jerked, and she squirmed in her seat.

When the lights came up, Jeremy was startled. He had spent the entire time watching Safire, not the movie. Under the lights, she smoothed down her dress and adjusted her cover-up, warily checking around to see if anyone had noticed them.

He took a deep breath to collect himself, tugged Safire’s hand and drew them both from the theater and toward the elevator.

“Where are we going now?” she asked.

“Home, love.”

He felt the questions rise in her, but she remained silent and let herself be drawn along his path.

As the door to his stateroom closed, Jeremy pulled Safire into his arms and a passionate kiss, pressing every inch of her against his body, which had been teased for too long. She responded to his touch, but she was quiet. He broke the kiss to put on one of the dimmer lights next to the bed.

When he turned back, he found Safire still at the door, her arms clasped protectively in front of her chest, one of her ankles teetering nervously upon the heel of her shoe. Now that they were alone, her hesitance was back. He could see in her a shyness that made her seem vulnerable and plucked at his heart.

He didn’t want to frighten her away, and he was more than willing to go at her pace, but God, he wanted her so badly that he was going to have a hard time if she didn’t want him back tonight. One thing was clear. The desire between them was unmistakable. The only question was whether or not she was ready to give in to those feelings.

He crossed back to her and took her in his arms again, pressing her lightly against the door. He held her body flush with his, knowing she could feel his sex wedged against her center. He pressed himself into her and kissed her until her hips tilted forward, seeking the feel of him. He deepened his kiss until her hips rocked against his, riding her almost imperceptibly along his manhood. He thrust his tongue deep into her mouth until it elicited a choked whimper that set his pulse on fire.

How he wanted her.

When he tore his mouth from hers, she held him tightly around his shoulders, as if she didn’t want him to see her. Jeremy dipped his head to her neck, kissing the tender flesh. He opened her cover-up and bent down to press his lips over one of her breasts though her dress. Her body twisted, and her arms tightened about his head.

Slipping from her embrace, he lowered himself onto his knees in front of her, nudging through her dress at the center of her womanhood. He wanted to take his time, but the beauty of this woman was urging him onward. He heard her breath catch as he raised the hem of her dress and brought his mouth to her panties, kneading her sex through the slick shield of thin cotton. She was so wet, so ready, that it was all he could do to keep his knees on the ground.

His palms on her hips pinned her to the back of the door, but her hips swirled against them. She was rather quiet, but he could tell that she loved his mouth upon her. Her breathing, the way her hands tightened around his head, and the taut thrust of her groin told him that.

He hooked his thumbs in the material at her hips. He might be pushing it, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted her. Her hands flew to his wrists as he began to pull down the intruding underwear.

He stopped, but her panties were already clear of her sex. He kissed her intimately, parted her slick path with his tongue and sucked her into his mouth. Her body jerked against the door, and she shuddered, gripping his wrists. Safire was making his body blaze.

Still, she hadn’t let go. His tongue and lips toyed over her; his mouth drank in her honeyed liquor; his nose took in her floral scent. Still, she was choking back her murmurs and biting off moans.