With the move and getting the house organised taking longer than expected, Charlie and Joey had lost a few days of the holidays for their trip, not that their girls were too upset. The girls had settled into the house quickly and loved spending time with their parents and grandparents, especially Ruby who had been loving the idea of finally having grandparents who not only acknowledged her, but wanted to spend time with her so when Joey had suggested that they still spend a full week on the boat with them and just half a week with John and Gina, both girls had kicked up a fuss, saying they could spend plenty of time with their mums later and preferred to spend the full week with their grandparents. Joey had looked at Charlie and shrugged, neither of them upset at the prospect of having a week alone together on the boat.

Another change was made before they set off on their trip. The weather forecast wasn't too flash so they'd nearly been forced to cancel, before deciding on a river cruise instead of risking an ocean cruise, which meant Charlie's yacht had to be left behind. John had disappeared for a day and then arrived back at their place with his boat, one more suited to the river and large enough for the four of them to sleep aboard instead of camping on the shore. Ruby had rolled her eyes and once again complained about having to resort her clothes. To Charlie's surprise, she and John had hit it off once they had discovered their shared passion for boats, spending hours talking about them.

Now, on the final night of their trip before John and Gina came to pick up Ruby and Harley, the weather had cleared and they were planning on spending the night ashore camping for a change. Leaving the girls to their talk, Joey headed up on deck, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth of the sun before walking up behind Charlie. Circling her arms around her waist, Joey leans against her back, resting her chin on Charlie's shoulder. Knowing the girls were nearby, Charlie does her best to ignore the feel of Joey's nipples through the thin material of her bikini top while watching where she was steering the boat.

"What are the girls up to?" she asks, pleased her voice didn't crack.

"Ruby's teaching Harley about fashion."

"Oh, I am so sorry."

Joey chuckles, "I have a feeling the clothes bill may start going up."

Charlie gasps at the feeling against her back, wishing she had put a t-shirt over her own bikini top as Joey's nipples rub against her bare skin as she chuckles. "Joey, you're distracting me."

"Do you want me to move?" she asks with a smirk.

Thinking about it, Charlie shakes her head. "There are going to be times when we're not alone so I'm going to have to find a way to resist ravishing you."

"Do you regret bringing the girls on the trip?"

"Not at all. I've loved spending the last few days together as a family." She smirks, "The nights are another matter."

"Well, one more night, then our nights and days can be," she whispers the rest in Charlie's ear, the palm of her hand resting flat against Charlie's belly feeling like fire to Charlie.

Charlie shuts her eyes, trying to regulate her breathing. "Ok, you need to get away from me right now."

Laughing, Joey steps to her side. "I thought you wanted to learn how to resist me."

Charlie glares at her, "You don't play fair."

"Do you really want me to play fair or nice," she says in a sultry voice.

"Seriously Joey, I think you need to get off this boat."

Joey raises her hand, "Can't swim while I still have the cast on."

Scowling, Charlie threatens to cut it off and throw her overboard.

Chuckling, Joey moves back behind her, hugging her close. "Could you really live without this?"

"Of course not," she says with a shake of her head. "Though there are times when I wish I didn't love you so much."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," she smiles, "It's kind of hard to keep my mind on other things when all I want to do is make love to you and just be with you."

"You are with me and as for making love, we've only gone a few days without since we've been on the trip."

"It's torture," she groans.

"It's not my fault you're so loud."

"You're not so quiet yourself babe and the cabin walls are that thin we can hear the girls talking so the last thing I want to do, is have them listening in on us having sex."

"Did you just call me babe?"

"You're a surfy chick, it seemed to suit."

"Speaking of surfing, are you going to take me up on my offer of lessons?"

"I'd like to retain my dignity, so no thanks."

"Ruby's taking me up on them."

"Ruby's a teenage girl, I'm a police Sergeant and somehow, I don't think getting dumped repeatedly into the water would be good for my reputation."

"If you've never tried surfing, how do you know you will suck at it?"

"I tried skating as a kid and I learnt very quickly that I really don't have very good balance."

"You handle a yacht on churning seas."

"I can hang on to things on a yacht."

"Harley surfs and she's really good."

"Even more reason for me not to embarrass myself."

Joey sighs, "Trust me to fall for a wimp."

"Call me what you like Joey, you're not talking me into sacrificing my dignity."

Ruby takes a moment to watch them, still amazed at how relaxed her mother always looked in Joey's arms. "Hey guys, do you want a drink?" she yells out.

"That'd be great Ruby," Charlie calls back.

Stepping away from Charlie, Joey lounges on the cushions they'd laid out on the deck. "She doesn't give up," Charlie mutters under her breath at the pose Joey was giving her.

By the time Ruby comes back with their drinks, Joey was looking the picture of innocence. "Thanks Ruby," Joey says, smirking over her head at Charlie who was just taking her own glass. "What's Harley up to?"

"She's colouring in." Ruby sits next to Joey on the cushions.

"Looking forward to getting home?" Joey asks her.

"Yes and no," replies Ruby. "I'll be glad to get my own room back but I'm going to miss you guys."

Joey puts her arm around her. "It's only going to be a week Ruby."

"I know, I'm just so used to having both of you around."

"You can call us at any time."

"You and mum want to be alone, though."

"That doesn't mean you can't call us."

"Thanks Joey." She gives Joey a kiss on her cheek before bounding to her feet. "I'd better go and keep an eye on Harley before she starts colouring in mum's book."

"What!" Charlie turns, spilling her glass of wine all over herself.

"Geez mum, I was joking." She rolls her eyes and heads below deck.

"She got you there," Joey says with a chuckle.

"I'm not sure whose worse these days, my daughter or my girlfriend."

"Why don't you go and change, I'll take over here."

"It's not that bad."

Joey walks over to her, running her hands lightly over her. "You're a bit sticky."

"You just want control of the boat."

"You know, I had no idea you were such a control freak when it came to boats."

"I like to be in charge."

Joey puts her hand to her forehead in a mock salute, "I promise not to run us aground, Skipper."

Shaking her head, Charlie brushes her lips over Joey's. "You win."

Joey rubs her hands together, "Ooh, goodie."

Charlie walks away, muttering about having three children aboard.

Later that evening, sitting around the campfire, Ruby's gaze moves between the other three as she tells her ghost story. Charlie puts her arm around Harley when she snuggles against her, burying her head against her shoulder. "It's just a story Harley," she says softly.

"I know that, I'm just cold."

Charlie holds her tight, pleased by how close they had become in such a short time.

Joey glances to her right, smiling at the way her daughter was clutching on to Charlie, before signalling to Ruby to finish the story before she scared Harley too much.

Ruby's voice gets quieter as she draws the story to an end, falling silent as she stares at the fire, before leaping to her feet with a shout.

Stumbling backwards off the log in fright, Charlie sits up, glaring at her daughter and trying to ignore Joey and Harley's laughter.

"It's not funny," Charlie mutters.

"It is from where we're sitting," Joey says.

"Ruby could have scared Harley," argues Charlie.

Harley puts her arms around her mother's neck. "Were you scared honey?" Harley looks at Charlie before shaking her head at her mother. "Sorry Charlie, seems like you were the only one."

Sighing heavily, Charlie sits back on the log, her elbow on her knee as she rests her chin in her hand.

"I think it's time for marshmallows," suggests Joey. When Harley and Ruby go to get the marshmallows, Joey scoots closer to Charlie, putting her arm around her. "It was funny Charlie."

"I know," she murmurs, grinning. "I'm just afraid I'll never live it down."

Brushing her lips over Charlie's, Joey promises to keep the teasing to a minimum.

"God, I haven't been in a sleeping bag since I was a kid," Charlie says, snuggling down into the warmth.

"Harley and I usually go camping at least once a year so we're quite used to them."

"What about Riley?" Charlie asks, still curious about the other woman who had been so important to Joey.

"God no. Riley hated camping and her idea of roughing it was going without her mobile for a day."

Charlie chuckles.

"Maybe we could make this a family tradition," suggests Joey. "Even if it's just getting away for a weekend every now and again."

"I really have enjoyed this and I know the girls have, so I'm sure they wouldn't object, but I have a feeling anything longer than two days will be too much for Ruby to handle again."

"Harley will probably be the same in a few years."

"Especially once she starts dating."

"Now that is a horror story."

"Ah, the joys of motherhood; boys, money, fashion, boys, fashion, boys and it goes on."

"Or in Ruby's case, girls."

Charlie smiles wryly. "I never expected that."

"April's a lovely girl."

"Yeah she is."

Joey rolls her bag over until she was against Charlie. "We should have gotten a double sleeping bag or at least those ones that can be zipped together."

"Joey, having you in the same sleeping bag would be too much of a temptation."

"We've spent the past few nights sharing a bed."

"This is a little more intimate and the walls are even thinner than on the boat."

"I just like snuggling up to you."

"So I noticed," she grins, her lips suddenly only inches from Joey's. "Don't start something you can't finish," she warns.

"Maybe the next camping trip we get the girls some decent headphones and mp4 players for night."

"Sounds good," she murmurs, their lips meeting.

Joey draws away a few minutes later. "Night Charlie."

"Night Joey."

Waking the next morning, Charlie smiles at the two extra figures who had made their way into the tent during the night; first Harley who'd been scared after the story and then Ruby who hadn't like sleeping in the tent alone. Carefully getting her hands out of the sleeping bag, she claps them loudly together, shouting, "Everybody up!"

"What!" Joey bolts up, looking sleepily around. Scowling when she sees Charlie's grin, she lies back down.

"What's that noise," Ruby mumbles, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Just your mother's attempt at revenge."

"Harley's still asleep," Charlie notes with amusement, gently nudging the girl until her tired eyes open. "Time to get up honey."

Stretching, Joey sits back up, glancing at her watch. "John and Gina are going to be here soon, so we should get breakfast out of the way and pack this place up."

Three hours later, the girls were gone and Joey and Charlie were alone on the boat.

"So," Charlie pushes Joey onto the bed, lying over her, both gasping softly as their nipples brushed against each other through their bikini tops. "Are you going to go quietly or screaming?"

"That depends," she runs her hands up Charlie's back. "On what you intend to do."

"For starters, this," crushing her lips against Joey's, kissing her hungrily, her tongue demanding entry. Groaning, her tongue enters Joey's mouth, their tongues dancing together as their groans grow louder, her hands roaming over Joey's body, gently kneading her breasts before taking Joey's hands and lifting them over her head, pinning them against the bed. "God I've missed this," she murmurs against Joey's lips, her lips moving downwards. Charlie kisses each breast through the material before using her teeth to drag the bikini top down, freeing Joey's breasts.

"Jesus Charlie," Joey gasps, arching her back as Charlie's lips cover her sensitive nipple. She teases the nipple with her teeth and tongue as she releases Joey's hands, her own now moving lower, one slipping inside the waistband of Joey's shorts, teasing her sex briefly before removing her hand. She moves to take the other hardened nipple in her mouth, treating it to the same torture, smiling around the nipple at the sounds of arousal coming from Joey.

Sitting up, Charlie straddles her, quickly removing her own bikini top. Gripping Charlie's hips, Joey sits up, her mouth latching onto Charlie's nipple, her hand cupping the other breast.

"Oh fuck," Charlie moans, thrusting her chest hard against Joey's mouth and hand. Pushing Joey's head away and onto her back, Charlie crushes her lips against hers, her lips once again moving downwards as she kisses her way slowly over her body, pausing briefly to flick her tongue over each nipple, continuing lower, her hands now gripping the top of Joey's shorts. Moving to the side, she slowly tugs at the shorts, easing them down Joey's legs, her lips following the same path. Removing the shorts, Charlie makes short work of Joey's knickers and her own shorts and knickers.

Her chest heaving with anticipation, Joey watches with lust filled eyes as Charlie lowers her head between her legs, kissing the inside of both thighs. "Oh god," she thrusts her hips up against the invading tongue as Charlie thrusts inside her. Her good hand grips the sheet as Charlie slides her tongue in and out. Thrusting her hips to the rhythm of Charlie's tongue, Joey starts to feel her orgasm build. "Charl..." her words cut off the moment Charlie sucks her clit into her mouth, her body stiffening as her orgasm hits her hard, screaming out her climax. Pausing a moment while Joey's body rides the wave of pleasure, Charlie thrusts her tongue back in, quickly working Joey to another climax. Joey arches her back, "Ahhhhhhhhhh...fuck," she collapses back on the bed as Charlie continues to thrust inside her, her tongue now joined by two fingers.

Keeping her fingers inside her, Charlie moves back up, capturing Joey's lips. She groans when she feels Joey's fingers enter her, her own arousal allowing Joey's fingers to slide easily in and out. Charlie thrusts down hard against her hand, trying to force her deeper, their hips now meeting each thrust of their hands, their movements getting frantic. When Joey's thumb flicks over her clit, Charlie moves her mouth from hers, crying out her climax. The sight of her lover's pleasure sending Joey over again.

"Oh god," Charlie gasps, removing her fingers from Joey so she could rest her hands on the bed either side of Joey, allowing her to thrust harder against Joey's hand. Staring into Joey's eyes, she rides her hand. "Oh, ah," she pants, the feeling between her legs growing, her eyes widening as Joey slips a third finger into her, her thumb circling over her clit. "Oh fuck." Her body bucks and shudders as she climaxes hard.

Collapsing on top of Joey, Charlie lies there almost breathless as Joey's arms encircle her. Raising her head, she moves, kissing Joey deeply before settling to her side, resting her head on her shoulder.

"You're right, we are rather loud," she murmurs.

Joey chuckles, kissing Charlie on the forehead. "We have a week out here alone, with no one around for miles."

"So no one to hear us scream," jokes Charlie, running her fingertips over Joey's belly.

"Unless you're up for round two already, you need to stop that."

Chuckling, Charlie cuddles up against her, sighing contentedly.

Next Chapter: Charlie and Joey return home to a surprise.