Amsterdam

After arriving in Egypt on Tuesday, I had approximately fourteen hours to 'rest' before I was slated to return to Cairo International. The flight I took next had brought me to Amsterdam, where I would stay for a full day. I needed the time to sleep and recover. Since I had no friends here, I would really be able to get some shut-eye.

I planned to stay at the Dylan, Amsterdam. A taxi picked me up from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Terminal G, and took me first to Pucinni Bomboni, possibly the best chocolate shop in the Netherlands. I planned to purchase extra chocolates for Jill. I never brought her anything.

After making my substantial purchase, I returned to the Taxi and we headed toward the Dylan. As we traveled over the cobblestone streets of old Amsterdam, I had a sudden desire to sightsee. Despite my constant travel, I rarely got to explore the surroundings of my host cities.

I need a vacation

Yes!

A vacation was precisely the thing. I don't think I had ever used a day of vacation in my five years as an air marshal. I had lost so many days of paid time off that I couldn't even count them. I thought that I was due a break, and there was no more perfect time. I could take two or three weeks right when Jacob arrived in Boston, and possibly arrange for us both to take a trip overseas. Perhaps a trip to Italy, or a cruise around the Greek Islands.

Maybe both. I had enough money saved, and flying cost me nothing.

I decided to make a call to Central Control in the U.S.

"Central, this is June speaking."

"June, this is Officer Isabella Swann, Badge number 427341. I am calling to arrange for vacation time."

"Certainly, Officer Swann. How much of your time?

"I'd like to take three weeks; I have at least three, don't I?"

"Yes, Isabella, you have five."

"Wonderful, and it's just Bella. I'll take the three, for now." Maybe we could go somewhere else at Christmas.

"And when would you like to take leave, officer?"

"Let's see, how about a month from now."

I dreamed of Sami.

After he had arrived home from his business early in the evening, he joined me in his master suite.

"Bella."

When he had said my name, I had almost come apart. Putting any semblance of modesty aside, I had lifted myself from the bath water so my lover could see me. His eyes shone.

"Beautiful."

As Sami walked towards me, I could see the definition of his body through his thin cotton shirt. He stood tall and thick, with a defined musculature. His golden skin shone in the flickering lamp light, as he reached a large hand out to help me out of the elevated bath.

He smiled at me widely, expectantly.

He was so beautiful. So sensual. His eyes were brown like mine, but deeper, and fringed with thick black lashes. He had shaved off most of his hair, but what was left gleamed black.

"Bella, I had a mind to help you relax." He leaned into my neck.

"Let me help you relax."

I felt the warm breath on my neck, and I shivered. His crooked smile let me know that he had felt my reaction; that he enjoyed it. He wrapped one thick arm around the small of my back, and crushed me to his chest. His other hand reached out for something I couldn't see.

Using the arm he held just above my behind, he turned us and guided me to the bed. It was large and low, and dressed with silky looking sheeting and a mass of large pillows.

"Will you lay down for me, my Isabella?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that he had taken the after-bath oil that Bahti had left near the tub.

Sweet jesus.

But there was nothing sweet about this.

Sami had helped position my naked body the just the way he wanted, so that I was lying face up, sprawled across the soft sheeting of his bed. Pouring a large amount of oil directly onto my skin, he instantly began rubbing large circles over my breasts and stomach, eventually focusing attention on my erect buds.

He began to move his hands in long downward strokes, and they glided smoothly over my hips and thighs, and down my legs. The blood flow to my lower help increased, and I began to throb between my legs.

Sami helped nothing when he stepped back and removed his shirt in a quick, graceful motion. I gaped at him with longing, and smiled as he leaned his upper body over my oily form.

"Were you peeking at me, miss?"

I giggled at the absurdity of it all, but then answered his question in a husky tone.

"I could never look away."

He growled, and moved away from me for just a moment. I heard the belt buckle of Sami's pants hit the floor, and I knew that there was nothing between us now.

It had made me a little giddy; completely ecstatic and a little nervous. When he leaned back up over my body, and let some of his weight fall on me, and the pressure of his weight contrasted with the feel of his smooth skin.

He was so big and solid, and yet his skin was like silk under my fingertips as I explored the backs of his well-defined arms. One of his hands tangled into my hair. Another glided between our bodies over my oily belly, and down my pubic bone. It slid around my backside, and gripped my ass firmly.

"Ahhh, Bella. Tell me what you want."

"I want you."

He laughed heartily, and it was almost evil. I turned into his neck, prepared to beg, but I felt his hand move to my core. It rested there.

"You are absolutely sinful," he breathed at me.

I arched my hips, pressing myself against his hand.

"Ah, Sami, please," I moaned.

I screamed his name again when I felt two long fingers stroking my wetness. Sami groaned at the feel of it.

He attached his pillowy lips to mine and licked my bottom lip so gently. So painfully. His tongue entered my mouth, and I allowed it. We kissed each other deeply, exploring each other thoroughly. The kiss was a fight for dominance.

I reached down to feel for him, and he was there; long and hard. He hissed at my touch. It was guttural, and almost dangerous. I wanted it so bad; wanted to impress him, to leave me longing for me.

"Take me..." I pleaded. He did, and it was not gentle.

When I woke up in the plush hotel bedding, I realized three things. One was that my fantasy was getting out of hand; that I was losing my focus on reality, and that sex consumed even my dreams.

The second, more disturbing realization (which I was beginning to blame on therapy) was that some of my emotions about this past experience with my favorite lover were not entirely pleasant. It had occurred to me that I had not been in control at all; that if I had wanted to stop, I probably would have been SOL. I felt used and dirty.

The third realization was that I was starving.

It was dark in the room, and I couldn't locate a switch. Reaching over to the bedside table, I patted my hand around roughly like a blind man to feel the objects there. I found my cell, and used its light to locate the switch to the table lamp. It was on the wall behind the lamp shade.

Go figure.

Locating a room service menu, I dialed #0.

"The Dylan kitchens, may we help you?" A foreign voice asked formally.

I realized that I hadn't even scanned the menu. I reviewed in quickly, and placed my order almost instantly. I had always been decicive.

"That will be all Ma'am?"

"Yes please, sir."

I sat motionless on the edge of my bed, staring blankly out the large windows of the Dylan. The view was probably spectacular, but I felt nothing.

Inordinate amount of time spent in obtaining sex, being sexual, or recovering from sexual experience.

Recovering from sexual experience.

Put it out of your mind.

I flipped my blackberry back and forth in my hands, wanting badly to call Jake. Now was not the time. I decided to text him instead. That would be okay.

MISS U WOLFIE.

Fifteen minutes later, a knock on my door announced the arrival of a tray carrying one large piece of black forest cake, an iced oatmeal raisin cookie, a bottle of water, and a manhattan, straight up. Shifting the plates around the tray, I saw that whomever had put the meal together had seen fit to put a few packets of crackers on the tray, under the edge of my plate. Evidently they disapproved of my diet.

Gentle buzzing announced the arrival of a new message.

THINKING ABOUT YOU. XO JAKE.

I couldn't wait to tell him about vacation. I couldn't wait to plan it for that matter.

I knew just the thing.