Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all safe and sound today, enjoying some turkey.
Chapter 11
Mandy dipped the spoon in the small container of chocolate pudding she had found in Tawny and Vicki's bedroom while cleaning it earlier. She fed it to Steve as they stood in the dark galley with a faint light coming from the hall just outside the door.
"So, models really do eat junk food," he said, his eyes focused on her and not the spoon as she gave him another taste.
"I suspected it all along."
She went to give him another bite and he took her hand, turning the spoon in her direction.
"You're turn."
She put it in her mouth and flipped the spoon over and moaned as she slowly pulled it out.
"So good."
"That is one lucky spoon," he sighed.
She smiled and took another scoop and held it up as some of it slipped off the bottom and landed on her breast that was partially exposed. The blouse she had on was now open in the front after she had casually slipped it back on from the last time they had made love, about thirty minutes before. It was almost exactly two hours from their first encounter on the living room rug.
It was late and the rain had stopped but so had time for the two of them.
She giggled and went to wipe away the pudding when Steve grabbed her hand and smiled as he bent his head and slowly licked up the chocolate, moving her blouse off of her shoulder while he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. His lips moved down over her nipple as her head fell back and she moaned softly, wanting him again in the worse way.
He made his way to her neck as her breathing escalated, turning her head to meet his lips, too impatient for the kiss to wait the extra millisecond. She tossed the spoon and small container aside, not caring where they landed.
He lifted her up on the metal counter as she spread her legs and used her feet to pull him in.
The kissing became more intense while she wiggled out of her blouse, letting it fall behind her on the table.
He was in a state of mental bliss, unable to control the need for her. The feelings were mutual as she eagerly displayed, cupping the back of his neck as she passionately kissed him while he quickly removed his shorts, anxious to find that sweet spot inside of her again that drove him close to madness.
He lifted her legs and scooted her to the edge of the table.
She gasped and cried out as he plunged into her.
The first few seconds were always explosive until they found their rhythm and then it became simply mind blowing.
His body trembled slightly over the sound of the pleasure that he was giving her, making him want her all the more.
She laid back on the table and reached over her head, gripping the edges as she allowed him to fulfill his talent that had her entire body rejoicing.
He held firmly onto her hips and pulled her into him, going deep and watching her at the same time, enjoying immensely her reaction from it but also keeping acutely aware of her reactions, not wanting to hurt her over his zealous act, but he was beyond pleased to see that she was indeed enjoying it as much as he was.
He ultimately slowed his pace, not wanting to come even remotely close to crossing that line of losing her enthusiasm.
He slid an arm around her waist and lifted her to a sitting position and wasted no time before kissing her, missing that other sweet spot.
She held on around his and neck quickly broke from the kiss feeling the tingling sensation begin to erupt inside of her.
"Oh god, yes," she whimpered, gripping his neck as he moved quicker giving her what she needed to finish.
He held off until he was sure, which was not hard to determine by her calling of his name that only heightened the moment for him.
Even when she was done it was still pleasurable. Bringing him to the end felt just as good as when they first began.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in, hearing it in his breathing that escalated. His grip around her waist tightened but she ignored the extra pressure knowing it wasn't his fault. He moaned and his body jerked as the intense ending rippled through him.
It shot through him like he'd been struck by lightning, the jolt took his breath away as he fell forward, bracing his hands on the metal table behind her while she held on to him with her legs securely around his body.
He slowed, and then stopped moving altogether, resting his head on her shoulder, all of his weight on his hands still braced on the table trying to keep his balance from the aftermath that left him weak.
"Oh my god," he whispered, never feeling anything like that in his whole life. "I thought I was going to pass out," he panted, still coming down from it.
Mandy giggled as she searched out his lips.
He leaned back and smiled with a slight chuckle over it too as he kissed her, long and deep.
….
Steve flipped over the steaks on the portable barbecue as Mandy set down the last of the raw meat from the freezer. The generator had run out of gas during the night so they opted to cook all the meat that was left, in hopes of it lasting longer without the refrigeration. They had fresh running water still from one remaining tank but no electricity from the boat whatsoever.
"That's it," she announced, standing next to him as she looked down at the grill that had two 5oz. steaks and three pieces of chicken on it.
He put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. "Did you get what ice there was from the freezer into the ice chest?" he asked.
"Yes," she put her arm around his waist. "There wasn't much."
"That's a really good ice chest," he said of the portable Yeti cooler. "It should keep things cool for a couple of days."
"The hot dogs were still frozen pretty solid," she said, "so I put them in there with the ice to help it stay cool."
He looked over at her and smiled, "Good thinking." He looked back down at the barbecue. "So, what do you want for lunch," he asked, "steak or chicken?"
She rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm really not that hungry. You should eat though. You can even have my half."
"Don't do that," he said sternly, all joking aside "Don't think for a second that I'm going to eat if you don't, and don't try to go without in hopes of me getting more. If anything, it'll be the other way around." he pulled back so he could see her face. "Look at me," he demanded and she did. "I'm dead serious about this, do you understand me?"
She nodded, "Yes." Not happy about it, because it was exactly what she had been planning but should have known better, he was far too clever for her to be able to slip that past him.
He squeezed her around the waist, letting her know he wasn't mad even though his tone might have suggested that. "I appreciate the sentiment though."
She kept her eyes focused on the cooking food and smiled, thinking how easy life would be with him. But it also made her question where that life would be? He lived in Hawaii. She liked Hawaii; she would go there if he wanted her too. She could buy a house there on a nice beach, maybe they could live together? He could work and she could…do nothing. It made her mindful and a little uneasy that she had nothing to offer the relationship in Hawaii. Maybe he would move to New York with her, she thought, liking that idea more.
She had a great apartment near Central Park. She pictured them walking there, hand in hand and eating at her favorite restaurants. She could even take him to Paris like they had talked about. She could show him all the places there that she loved and he could show her Normandy. It would be so much more special experiencing it with him. She even pictured him on red carpet events with her, and how good it would feel to be on his arm while the paparazzi took their picture. She would even face the camera and smile proudly, having him next to her.
The fantasy was making her giddy with excitement. They could have a wonderful life together there.
He felt her squeeze his arm and he looked over at her. That beautiful smile was infectious. He leaned over and kissed her, just because.
'Yes,' she thought happily, 'they would have a wonderful life in New York.
…..
Steve stood on the upper level of the boat with the binoculars in his hand. It was a clear day, not a cloud in the sky. He scanned the horizon looking for any kind of vessel that they might be able to signal for a rescue. It had been five days since the storm and still nothing.
The Pacific was the largest ocean in the world and he began to feel like that needle in a haystack. He had no idea where the current had been taking them in the past five days. They could be hundreds of miles from the Cook Islands by now and clearly not on the map of any rescue team, but assured that they had to be looking for them. Cash would be frantic over Mandy and he was sure Danny had been notified by now. It made him feel a little better knowing his partner would not rest until he had all the answers, and that would include finding the boat at the bottom of the ocean if anyone tried to presume, they had sunk.
He lowered the binoculars and wiped his hand over his mouth, clearing away the sweat on his upper lip.
They had food for now and fresh water, but the food was going to run out in a matter of days, either from them consuming it or from spoilage from no way of keeping it cool.
They had an ocean full of fish but no real way of catching anything. This wasn't a fishing vessel by any means, and after searching the boat he realized there was in fact no fishing poles on board whatsoever, which he thought ludicrous, but then again, he was just reminded of where he was. This was a luxury yacht and they had fish flown in, no way was any of them actually going to pull something out of the ocean, gut it and eat it. He chuckled to himself at the idea of seeing Cash do that. He didn't even know how to start an outboard engine.
His only hope now was all that money they had was being used in an extensive search in all directions from the Cook Islands.
He tried not to think about the stories of stranded boats in the ocean that floated for months before they were finally rescued, or had found a current that led them to land. Some survived and some didn't. He didn't worry about himself so much as he did Mandy. If they started getting low on supplies, he couldn't bear to watch her go without. He'd find a way to catch a fish, even if she had to eat it raw, he'd make sure she had something to eat.
He thought of the pantry that had once been filled with enough dry food that it could have sustained them for weeks, but his carelessness had cost them dearly.
"It's hot today," Mandy said, coming up behind him.
He turned and nodded, "It is. You should stay inside where it's cooler."
"So should you."
She stood next to him and braced her hands on the railing. "What if they think we sank and stop looking for us?"
He looked over at her not wanting her to worry about that but knew that was impossible. She was there too and she was also very aware as he was of their dilemma.
"Then we just hang out until we're found by another boat or a passing ship, or we catch a current that takes us to land."
"That could be months," she said uneasily.
"Then we fish and ration the water."
"Fish with what?"
"I'll find a way," he said adamantly. "I can rig something up and I can also free dive pretty deep."
"Don't do anything dangerous, please."
He looked over at her, hearing her words that were more like a desperate plea.
"I can't watch you go without, Mandy, I can't. It's not even happening yet but just thought of it is making me a little crazy."
She moved over closer to him, slipping her hand inside of his. "And I can't watch you go in that water because you feel some kind of duty that you must provide for me. You're providing for me with everything I need standing right here with me. Please don't do anything dangerous, for me."
He couldn't ever recall anyone ever asking him to stay behind. He was always out front of the pack, that's just the way it was. No one ever worried about him…until now. Her plea played havoc on him in two ways, one; it made him very aware of her feelings for him which felt good, and two; knowing how she felt just made him all the more willing to do what he had to do to provide for her, because he felt the same way about her.
Was this love, he wondered? Did they cross that line somewhere in the last twenty-four hours?
He didn't know if it was love or the fact that they relied on each other to survive. Only time would tell he thought, but for now, whatever it was they felt, he'd do what was necessary to get them through this. He'd just have to do it more subtly, not wanting to tread on those feelings she had for him, because at the moment, they were important to him too.
He faced her, envisioning for the first-time what life would be like with her in the real world. She was straightforward which he respected, she was smart, a survivor which he admired and the most beautiful woman he had ever met. The combination of all of those qualities in his opinion was exactly what he was looking for, not realizing it until it was staring right at him. She could make him happy, he was sure of it, but once again he was struck by her reality, and he was standing on it.
Their social indifferences played a drastic roll. He could never ask her to give up all this to come be with him in his modest life, and to live in this world was not something he could do either, not even for her. It might work for a while, but eventually he felt strongly that it would destroy them.
"We'll be ok," he said to her. "I won't do anything to jeopardize leaving you here alone. I promise."
He listened to her, he actually heard what she was saying and replied as such. She leaned her head on his shoulder, thinking once again how easy life would be with him.
…
Cash came in the door of his father's hotel suite, seeing he and Bryce sitting on the sofa.
"I thought you wanted to talk to me alone?" he said to his father, eyeing Bryce. "And what is with all the publicity? I came out of my hotel and was met with paparazzi. Who told them about Mandy?" he eyed Bryce again suspiciously.
"She's a public figure as well as you and your father," Bryce said. "News gets out."
"Sit down Cash," Peter instructed. "I wanted to talk to you without Mr. Williams."
Cash refused to take the seat, "Why? What's going on here?"
"I've heard back from the Governor of Hawaii; he has successfully reached out to Pearl Harbor and the Coast Guard has agreed to help in the search."
"That's great news!" Cash replied enthusiastically. "How? Ships, planes, radar, what?"
"Their sending out a small cruiser and will be working with the Navy using satellite to try and locate the Fair Maiden."
"Have you told Danny? Why are you excluding him?"
"Because I want to talk to you about this McGarrett man. Do you know that he used to work in Naval Intelligence?"
Cash shrugged, "No, but I'm not surprised. He's pretty smart."
"Yes, he is," Peter agreed. "He's very smart."
Cash narrowed his brows at his father. "What are you getting at? You do also know that he's a police officer."
"Captain Bordeaux told me that Frederick disappeared during the storm, at least that's what Mr. McGarrett had told him. He himself hadn't seen him since dinner. He also had brought your sister out during the height of storm and up to the bridge which Tony thought was very dangerous."
"Maybe he just wanted to keep an eye on her."
"And maybe he wanted to be the hero again," Bryce jumped in. "Perhaps he got rid of Frederick and planned on doing the same to Captain Bordeaux so he could get her alone on the boat."
"You're insane," Cash laughed over the ridiculousness of that, looking back and forth between them, "both of you are crazy."
Peter stood up, "Captain Bordeaux said that Steve and Amanda had been together quite a bit. He even said that at one point he defied his order to come back to the boat while ashore. Instead they went and spent the afternoon together."
Cash laughed, "Oh my god, are you kidding me. If you remember Dad it was part of the agreement that Steve didn't have to take orders from Bordeaux."
"Exactly, which gave him the run of the ship," Bryce replied.
Cash rolled his eyes and shook his head, "What have you been filling my old man's ears with Bryce? It sounds to me like a lot of bullshit." He focused on his father. "Did he also tell you that Steve jumped in the water to save Mandy from a highly potential shark attack? Just jumped in and put his body between the shark and Mandy. Why would he do that if he didn't take his job seriously?"
"Amanda is worth a lot of money, Cash, and for a civil service employee who makes less than $100,000 a year, jumping in the water to assist her would be like risking your neck for $30,000,000."
"Now you really sound like Bryce! I'm not going to stand here and listen to this anymore." He turned to leave when Peter spoke up again.
"Bordeaux can't explain Frederick's disappearance and he said that when he went to open the door of the control room it seemed to already have been unlatched and that's why he thinks he fell through and out into the storm. Mr. McGarrett was the last one through that door. He also claims that the radio was working fine before he went to bed and then when he got up to the bridge during the storm, it was out. All I'm saying is that there are a lot of unusual circumstances arising from this and it's making me nervous."
Cash sighed heavily and wiped his hands over his face. He was tired, exhausted really, barely getting any sleep over the past four days. "I'm sorry Dad, but I'm just not buying it. The next thing you're going to tell me is that Danny is an accomplice too," he chuckled. "Just remember the one equation in this whole bullshit accusation you and Bryce got going on. We went to Steve and seeked him out, it wasn't the other way around. We had to practically beg him until he said yes." He put his hand on the doorknob and spoke once more before leaving, "I'm not going to mention this to Danny, and I suggest you don't either. He doesn't take to kindly to people talking shit about his partner and especially falsely accusing him of murder!" He opened the door and walked out, slamming it closed behind him.
"You didn't beg him to take the job," Bryce said, "you paid him a hefty sum. I love Amanda, but she's very naïve' and I hate to say it, but so is Cash. McGarrett might be a cop and a decorated Navy person, but when you lay out $30,000,000 in front of a person who has no chance of ever seeing even 1% of that in their lifetime, well I'm not as naïve' as they are, that can change a person's thought process."
Peter stared at the door his son had just exited through. "I agree and someone who knows the law also would know how to get around it."
…..
Mandy sat on the very edge of the bow of the boat, resting her arms and chin on the railing, looking out at the vast ocean in front of her as the sun set on their fourth day being stranded.
The colors showed off a pink glow as the sun seeped through the pillowy clouds in the far-off distance.
"It looks like cotton candy," Steve said as came up behind her, holding a bottle of red wine and two plastic cups.
"It's beautiful," Mandy replied, keeping her focus straight ahead as he set the bottle down and slid his legs under the railing, sitting next to her.
She looked over at him, "I thought they all broke," she said of the wine.
"This one managed to survive. I found it hidden in a box in one of the cupboards when I was looking for the cups." He displayed it for her. "I'm assuming it's a good bottle."
"Oh!" she smiled. "That is a Chateau Lafite Rothschild and its very, very good. I take it the box was not your ordinary run of the mill box."
"No, actually it was in a blue velvet cushioned box."
"That's because it costs about $7500 a bottle," she smiled. "Crack it open and let's toast this beautiful sunset before its gone."
"$7500!" Steve gasped. "Are you serious?! I knew it was going to be a good wine but $7500!" he shook his head, "We better save this one. I don't feel right opening it."
Mandy reached out and took it from him, "Fine, then I'll open it."
"Mandy wait, are you sure?"
She smiled and leaned over kissing his cheek. "I'm sure. $7500 bottle of wine is not that big of a deal. My father just keeps it stocked in case he has a special client onboard that he wants to impress. He would drink it one night and replace it the next."
"She took the opener he had and opened it, pulling the cork out and smelling it, and then let him. "Can you smell the special Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that were used?"
Steve smelled the cork and shrugged, "I smell wine."
Mandy chuckled, "Delicious wine." She poured a small amount in each cup, "Let it sit for a minute before you drink it so it…"
"Can breathe," he finished her thought. "I'm not naïve' to wine, I'm just not accustomed to drinking a bottle that has to breathe or is made from expensive French grapes."
She looked over at him sheepishly, "I wasn't trying to be snooty or insult you; I was just saying."
"I know," he quickly added, "It's just that, this is normal for you, and it's a rare treat for me, very rare."
The subject of their social gap was rearing its ugly head again, but neither one wanted to go there and be reminded of a life outside their little bubble they had created. Here they were happy and falling in love, out there they came from two different worlds and neither one could comprehend the other.
They both quickly changed the subject to one that had nothing to do with her wealth and his lack of it.
"Is your computer…" he began, when she spoke simultaneously.
"We need some…" she stopped catching him mid-sentence. "Oh, I'm sorry what were you going to say?"
"What? No. You go ahead. What do you think we need?"
She blushed slightly, "I was just going to say. We need music."
"That's what I was going to say!" he replied chuckling.
"It was?" she smiled brightly.
"Yea. My computers dead. I was going to ask if yours was still working?"
"The wireless speaker is dead, but my laptop is still at about 50% before I turned it off yesterday. It has pretty good sound. I'll go get it."
She slipped her long legs out from under the railing and braced her hand on his shoulder as she stood up.
He turned and watched as she hurried off, smiling at the innocent nature of her enthusiasm but also enthralled by her body in the cut off jean shorts with fringes and the red bikini top she wore to stay cool. He felt his body begin to stir awake at the sight of her. How could he not, she was stunning, making his heart not only beat faster but soar, a feeling he was not accustom too. He'd had his share of women but none had made him feel the way he did when he was with Mandy.
She was like a breath of fresh air in his life, never knowing what it really felt like to be alone, until she left the room. He missed her and she was only a few steps away. He thought about what would become of them after they were rescued.
In the beginning, being rescued was all he cared about, but now everything was different, all he cared about was her and he knew that wasn't going to end once they left the boat.
He thought about home and being in his bed with her, but that pleasant thought turned on him. He pictured his meek little house that never had, nor would it ever contain a bottle of wine worth $7500. Hell, he couldn't think of anything in his house that cost that much. He wanted to see her again when this was over, but how and where? She lived in New York and he lived in Hawaii. Even if she moved there, how would it ever work? He could never ask her to live in his house, it wouldn't be fair to what she was accustom too and he would never feel comfortable living in a multi-million-dollar home that she paid for.
It was a very real possibility that they may not see each other again. He had to accept that, no matter how painful that thought felt at the moment, in the end it would save them both from a more agonizing heartbreak from their two worlds colliding.
He looked over, seeing her carrying her laptop with that beautiful smile, setting his heart racing once again.
He might have to accept their fate, but not tonight he decided; tonight, she was still his.
She sat down next to him and flipped open the laptop, "I'm still at fifty-eight percent," she said. "How about if I just shuffle the music and we listen to whatever comes on, or, I could start with Come On Eileen?" she grinned.
Steve laughed, "No, just shuffle it. If it comes up it was meant to be."
The first song that came on was a Christmas song and they both laughed, she moved on to the next one as The Black Eyed Peas', I've Got A Feeling, came on. She turned the volume down so it wouldn't consume the moment.
He handed her the glass of wine, "Not a bad night to just hang out."
"I'm perfectly content," she agreed, tapping her cup against his as they both drank.
"Mmm," he said of the wine, clearly able to taste the difference between a thirty-dollar bottle of wine to a $7500 bottle. "That's really good. Drinking it out of a plastic cup doesn't seem to take away from the taste, or does it?" he asked, "Are we ruining it somehow?"
Mandy shook her head, "Tastes the same to me, although I'm sure my father would have a heart attack if he saw me drinking it out of a red plastic cup."
"And with the help no less," he said jokingly.
She looked over at him, "You are not the help," she countered.
"Technically I am."
"So, is that why you were nice to me," she asked jokingly, "because you were paid?"
"In the very beginning, yes."
She looked over at him, shocked over that reply. "Did Cash ask you to spend time with me?"
"No, of course not. I was hired to come here and watch over you, your brother, your guests and the security of the boat. I've done that to the best of my ability, but what I didn't expect…was you."
She looked at him quizzically, feeling as if she might faint if she had grossly misjudged him and he turned out to be like the rest. "What do you mean by that?"
"You took me by surprise, Mandy. And to be completely honest, I'm seldom shocked over anything, but you…" he looked over at her seeing apprehension in her eyes as if she were waiting for him to drop some kind of nuclear bomb on her that would destroy what they had built between them. "I've never met anyone like you before who has me so…" he couldn't find the right words to describe what he was feeling, not able to articulate these knew emotions.
"So…what?" she asked, finishing his thought for him. "So trapped, so confused, so unsure…"
"No!" he quickly cut her off., "So…" he used his hands to try and show her the built-up set of emotions that were growing daily because of her, "so happy, so completely blind-sided by this incredibly beautiful woman. So, baffled by the feelings that I have for you that just seemed to come from nowhere, yet I feel like they've been there the whole time and I just never realized it until I met you. Jesus, Mandy, I dream about you. I mean…" he laughed, "You walked away and I missed you. What the hell is that? This is all new and crazy for me. I try and wrap my head around it and then you walk in the room and all I see or think is…you!"
Her mouth dropped open in shock and the pain in her gut turned to tenderness in her heart. It was so unexpected and heartfelt that he almost seemed burdened by the feelings that he had for her, but in a good way.
"Oh," she whispered softly. "I didn't know, I mean I kind of did, but," she stammered, taking a leap of faith with him, coming out of that shy bubble that he had managed to burst days ago. "I feel the same way about you. This is new for me too. Being with you is very exciting, and being, being with you," she blushed slightly talking about sex without actually saying the word, "is amazing and feels so good that it goes beyond the act and…" she cut herself off, feeling she was becoming very close to saying the 'L' word but was terrified she would frighten him away, even though she was quite certain that she did love him.
It pleased him immensely that she felt that way about the two of them sexually. He did too, but it was hard to tell from a man's perspective, you just never knew truly how a woman viewed the sexual encounter unless they so elegantly expressed it, as she had just done. He felt a burst to his ego as he blushed slightly over her affirmation. He wanted to make her feel good in bed, more than any woman he had ever been with. It was like a weight had been lifted when he realized then that it really wasn't the performance that drove the moment during sex, but the feelings that they felt toward one another. That was the key to unlock the perfect sexual experience with her.
That too was an eye opener and a new experience for him. Was that love?
He questioned their feelings once more. How could it not be love? What was happening between them is precisely why the word had been created to begin with and used so expressively. They were living the textbook description, weren't they?
Mandy on the other hand already had made up her mind about what he was pondering. She also decided to broach the subject that both of them were agonizing over.
"What about after this is over? God willing it will be, soon."
He knew exactly what she was asking, "I would like to see you after. I hope so."
She smiled over that, seeing her future unfolding in front of her. "You should come to New York."
He felt his plans had just been shattered and his worst fear over their dilemma coming to light. "Maybe, but my job. I can't just take off whenever I want and fly to New York."
"Then don't just visit, come and stay."
He looked at her seeing the excitement and hopefulness in her eyes as she stared back at him, anticipating his reply. He would do just about anything for her at this moment, anything, but wasn't sure he could change his life for her to adapt into the one she led. It wasn't who he was, nor someone he would ever be. She wasn't like them either but how could he ask her to adapt to his life when he wasn't willing to do the same for her?
"I don't know, Mandy."
She got her answer, shattering her dreams as well.
She bent her head and nodded her understanding, "I know, it's a lot to ask."
"What about Hawaii?" he asked.
She looked up at him, feeling her insides become taught. She would go there, but she felt she had nothing to offer him there. Her other greatest fear would be losing his interest. Assured he would become bored with her and embarrassed by her lack of real-world understanding that he lived in. She had read so many books but had no real concept of his life or the pressures of money and bills that he and his friends had. How could she ever fit in with them? She felt strongly they would never accept her, and where would that leave them? She felt her presence would isolate them, which went back to her biggest dilemma, he would lose interest in her.
She had nothing to offer him except money, and she already knew how he felt about that from the sunglass's incident.
It was horrible catch-22. They might have fallen in love but they had nowhere to live together.
She reached over and took his hand, "Let's not think about after, I just want to live in this moment with you."
He nodded, feeling the first wave of what it felt like to have a broken heart.
They turned and looked out at the water as the sunset turned from a cotton candy pink to orange and purple, still holding true to the beauty as the song ended behind them and a new one came on.
Mandy fought back the tears as the one tune that she did not want to hear began with Sarah McLachlan's hauntingly sad piano introduction of Angel. It was the same song she had played over and over after her mother's death. It spoke to her at time in her life when she felt abandoned, not realizing at the time that the abandonment would turn to rejection and neglect throughout her life, not only from her farther but from her peers whom she would never fit in with, no matter how hard she tried.
"I've never heard this song before," Steve said. "I like it. It's pretty." He smiled to himself, not ever recalling using the word 'pretty' to describe a song before. His normal reaction if something like this came on the radio would be to turn it off, but there was something about this one that touched him.
"It is," she replied, turning her head to hide her sadness and heartbreak.
He used the railing to pull himself up and went over to her computer, starting the song over.
He went back to her and held his hand down in front her, "Come on. Let's live in the moment," he repeated her words.
She looked up over her shoulder at him as he smiled down at her. She wanted to say no, not seeing this as a song she would ever dance to, but the gesture was sweet, how could she deny him.
She took his hand as he helped her to her feet, keeping hold of it as he wrapped the other around her waist, pulling her close to him.
They moved slowly together on the deck while the sun faded below the horizon and the first few stars in the sky made their debut for the night.
Mandy rested her cheek against his, feeling his five o'clock shadow that tickled her skin. He smelled like the fresh air around them with just a hint of sweat from the heat, but it was a masculine scent reminding her of when they made love.
The chorus of the song played and she felt the sad tune take on new meaning as the words, 'In the arms of the Angel' filled the air, feeling his hold on her tighten at that very second, bringing tears to her eyes again, only for a different reason. She did love him, there was no doubting it anymore.
He slid his hand over the small corset of her back, her bare skin against the palm of his hand. She was soft and warm to the touch. He closed his eyes and listened to the song, wanting to capture this moment with her to hold on to for when he had nothing left of her.
She pulled back and looked at him not ashamed of the tear that slid out of her eye and down her beautiful cheek.
He used the hand he was holding to wipe it away and then gently kissed the back of hers, not taking his eyes away from the ones that were pulling him in deeper and deeper until he almost whimpered over the spell that he couldn't escape from. He was in love with this woman, this incredibly amazing creature that swept him off his feet. He wanted her, but not here on the deck or on the rug, or on the table, he wanted her in bed, in a bed that he took her to.
The song ended and he backed up, still watching her and still holding her hand. He continued to back up, taking her with him.
She knew what he wanted because she wanted the same. She nodded her head and squeezed his hand as he turned and she followed behind him while he led her to the back of the boat and down the hallway to her room.
Mandy undid the ties of her red bikini top and let it drop to the floor as he too removed his shirt, letting it fall to his side. Neither one spoke but they held each other's gaze that said everything they needed to. He slid his shorts off as she did the same, standing before each other completely exposed, not wanting to hide anything from the other over how or what they were feeling at the moment.
Mandy sat down on the bed and used her long-tanned legs to scoot back, staring at him hungrily as he knelt down and crawled up to her, laying her back with a deep kiss that set the tempo. His hunger for her was rampant but not in a hurried eager way that it had been, he wanted to feel her slowly and to worship her the way she deserved to be. He wanted to make love to her.
Mandy tilted her head back as he kissed her neck, moving down over her breasts, savoring them with his tongue and lips while her hands roamed through his hair as soft moans escaped from her throat.
She spread her legs apart as he moved down her body, caressing her stomach with his hands and lips. She had the sweet scent of perfume and sex which delighted his senses, wanting to savor it for himself, knowing she would taste as divine as her fragrance, and she did.
"Ahh," she cried out as her head turned to the side and she reached down gripping onto his shoulders as he held her firmly and gave her the most pleasurable sensation she had ever felt in her entire life.
He brought her just to the edge of ecstasy and then held her there, keeping her suspended but not allowing her to follow through just yet. It was driving her mad and him as well.
The timing was right, he knew it and she was begging for it, pulling on his shoulders as he moved up her body, partaking of the beauty that lay before him until he met her lips with welcoming enthusiasm.
She reached down between them and gently stroked him before guided him to her spot that was aching for him.
The natural impulse was to move swiftly and eagerly, but he held back that urge and moved slowly feeling every inch of her meticulously over and over.
He gripped the sheets of the bed and squeezed them into a tight fist, the feel of her so intense this moment of passion was taking over his body.
She was not of her mind anymore but over taken by his presence that had her immersed in what she could only describe as his shower of love. He didn't have to say it and she didn't need to hear it from him, he was showing her and she felt every drop of it.
He searched out her lips again as the bond between them became increasingly stronger.
She broke from the kiss and gripped onto his hips, moving with him as her climax began to build.
He too felt it, increasing his pace to the movement of her body, feeling it rise from inside of him just as she plateaued. Her nails dug into his body as he plunged into her, and then it hit him.
The intensity ricocheted throughout his soul, releasing a part of himself into her and taking away a piece of her that would stay with him for the rest of his life.
….
They laid close for a long time without speaking. Her back nestled close against his chest while his hands showered her with affection.
"I want you to know something," he whispered. "No matter what happens, I'll always be close if you need me. I'll never be out of touch for you."
She closed her eyes, knowing it was the beginning of their end.
"We'll be ok," she said quietly, but didn't believe that for a second, and neither did he.