Sea Legs, page 20
Her mind made up, she swung her legs out of bed and went immediately to the bathroom, where she gasped in horror at the makeup smudged around her eyes. It wasn’t like her to go to bed without washing her face and applying the usual two layers of moisturizer. With the door cracked so she could listen for Kelly’s return, Natalie went through the motions of putting herself back in order—a face scrubbing, a quick shower, and a once-over with her toothbrush. Finally fit to face the day, she emerged, increasingly irritated about Kelly’s prolonged absence. What was she doing that was taking so long? Maybe she was feeling sheepish about last night too, and now she was out there running off her frustrations, anxious about coming back to the room.
A breeze wafted the curtain and Natalie suddenly realized the balcony door was open. She cinched her robe around her waist and peered out to find Kelly stretched out in a deck chair, eyes closed, barefoot and wearing last night’s briefs and tank top. Clearly, she hadn’t gone for her morning run at all.
Natalie felt a shiver run up her back as she studied the long, languid form. Only a few hours ago, it had been a sinewy mass of energy, intent on bringing her pleasure. Those hands, now hanging limply from the arms of the chair, had been alive and in command of her body, as if they had known exactly what she needed. Her center pulsed in response to her wandering thoughts, and she consciously shook them away. This situation called for a little self-control. “Kelly?”
Kelly’s eyes shot open and she straightened up in her chair, a brilliant smile bursting onto her face. “Hey, I didn’t hear you get up.”
“You’ve been out here all morning?”
“Yeah, I woke up a while ago. I was afraid you’d open your eyes and find me staring at you, so I got up and came out here. You want me to go get coffee?”
“You didn’t go for your run?”
“Are you kidding? No way was I leaving today. It was all I could do to tear myself out of bed so I wouldn’t wake you up.”
It was amazing how quickly her emotional pendulum had swung, from blissfully happy when she first awoke to irritation and doubt when she thought Kelly had gone. Now she found herself beaming like a lottery winner.
“So what about the coffee?”
Natalie eyed her up and down. “I don’t know if the rest of the ship is ready for you in your skivvies.”
“Are you complaining about my attire, or is this how you flirt?”
She lifted her eyebrows and smiled. “The only reason I’d complain about your underwear would be because I wanted you out of it.”
Kelly grasped the belt on Natalie’s robe as she pulled herself out of the chair. “Did you like the blue ones I had on yesterday? Those are my favorites.”
“They were very nice. In fact, I was thinking of getting some for myself.”
“No, no. Women like you are the reason they make silk and lace.” Kelly parted the robe daringly and slipped a hand inside. “And there’s nothing I like better than removing silk and lace.”
A wave of heat rushed through Natalie as Kelly pressed her body against her skin. Their slow grind began anew and they met in an easy kiss, with Kelly nibbling gently at her lips. “Where did you learn to kiss?”
“This isn’t kissing,” Kelly answered. “I’m making love to your mouth.”
Natalie was so focused on the feel of Kelly’s lips and tongue that she was barely aware of being out in the open half naked. Her robe fell completely apart as Kelly cradled her bottom. “I’m thinking we should carry this back inside.”
“Sorry. I can’t help myself, especially now that I know all about this glorious body of yours. I’m thinking room service might be a good idea for breakfast.”
“And lunch,” Natalie answered, tickling the downy hair at the small of her back. “And maybe dinner.”
“If we don’t get off this balcony, I’m going to devour you right here.”
Natalie pulled away and cinched her robe, struggling to get a grip on her desires. “Who knew you were such an animal?”
“I’d be a whole zoo if that’s what you wanted.”
She drew a deep breath as Kelly stepped back and stretched, a move that exposed not only her taut stomach, but the snug fit of her briefs. When she stepped aside to let Kelly through the door, she was startled by warm lips against her temple, which refueled the sensations she had almost managed to tamp down.
“I should probably grab a quick shower. I won’t be but a minute,” Kelly said as she removed her top and briefs and tossed them into a laundry bag in the closet. Then she disappeared into the bathroom.
Natalie collapsed on the couch and buried her face in her hands. She had no self-control at all. So what?
Something was off a bit about Natalie this morning, but Kelly couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. Morning-after awkwardness wasn’t unusual, though, and this didn’t seem like more than that. Fortunately, Natalie seemed more relaxed now than when she had first gotten up.
“You can have that last muffin,” Natalie said as she propped her feet on the balcony rail. They had polished off most of their basket of bread, a tray of fruit and a large pot of coffee.
“I’m stuffed. Room service was a great idea. I wish I’d thought of it.”
Natalie popped her playfully with a linen napkin.”Very funny. I’m surprised you didn’t want to get out of the room for a bit.”
“What could possibly interest me out there when I could stay here with the loveliest woman on the ship?”
“You can stop flirting now, you know. After last night, I’d say it’s quite unnecessary.”
“Who says I’m flirting? I’m just finally saying all the things I’ve been thinking since we met.”
“And what were you thinking through that silly charade of trying to make Didi jealous?”
Kelly dropped her teasing smile. “I only agreed to help you because that’s what you wanted. I’d much rather have you be happy with me.”
Natalie looked away, shaking her head. “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I’m not the prize you seem to think I am.”
“That’s my call.” She scooted her chair closer and took Natalie’s hand. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re the biggest prize there is. This is probably going to sound weird, but I feel like I can be myself with you. Actually, it’s more than that. I feel like I can be the person I want to be. I like how we go together.”
The smile on Natalie’s face as she nodded said she knew it too. “I like the way I am with you too.”
“How are you with me? What is it you feel?”
“You pay attention to me. I feel very…I don’t know, you make me feel good about myself.”
“You should, Natalie. When you take my arm, I feel like the envy of everyone here.”
Natalie was blushing demurely, but obviously enjoying the compliments. “You know, the people closest to me call me Nat.”
“That’s what I want to be, close. Like really close.”
They held their gaze for a long, steamy moment until Natalie squeezed her hand. “I think we ought to get off this balcony.”
Kelly scooped up the remnants of their breakfast and followed her through the glass door. She continued on to set the tray outside for pickup, and placed the Do Not Disturb placard in the lock. By the time she returned, Natalie had pulled the curtains for privacy, leaving a gap to allow sunlight into their room. She was sitting on her unmade bed, and had loosened the tie on her robe.
“Feeling…sleepy, Nat?”
“Come here, you.”
Kelly dropped to her knees and slid her arms inside the robe to feel the warm skin. “You are irresistible.”
“I want to touch you. Will you let me do that?”
“I’m all yours.” She pulled her tank top off and tossed it on the other bed. To that, she added her shorts and briefs.
As she stood naked, Natalie eyed her up and down with obvious pleasure. “You have the most amazing body.” She shifted and motioned for Kelly to lie down. Then she shed her robe and stretched out beside her.
“I can’t imagine anything feeling more fantastic than this.” Kelly couldn’t stop herself from running her hand along Natalie’s hip to cup her bottom.
“I want you to relax. I didn’t get a chance to do this last night.” She ran her hand gently across Kelly’s stomach, stopping short of stroking her breast. “What do you like best?”
“Whatever you do.” She sucked in a breath as Natalie raked her fingernails across her nipple. “I could go for that.”
Natalie’s mouth found hers and they dissolved in a kiss. A warm hand traveled from her breast to the hollow of her throat and back again, but their lips never parted.
It was all Kelly could do to remain submissive under the tender onslaught. Natalie had taken the kissing lesson to heart, and was exploring her mouth with her lips, tongue and teeth. Finally her hand ventured lower to tickle the stiff hairs of her mound and she instinctively parted her legs. At the first touch, she realized she was wet and ready.
Natalie recognized her response and slid her fingers through the slick folds. “I should have known this part of you would be hard too.”
Before Kelly could respond her lips were crushed in another kiss, this one strong and demanding. The stroking quickened as their passion flowed, and she pressed upward for more contact. Both of them moaned rapturously as Natalie plunged her fingers inside and her thumb grazed the clitoris. Kelly was torn between the desire to push Natalie’s hand deeper or to clutch her round bottom in an effort to draw her body even closer. Her own needs won out and she found herself rubbing Natalie’s hand to urge it on its intimate quest.
Natalie was panting furiously in a rhythm that matched her strokes, her open mouth only millimeters from Kelly’s ear.
The first deep impulse rippled from within and slowly built to a powerful clenching of her walls. “Oh, God. Feel me…feel what you do.”
“Kelly…” she whispered. Natalie gripped her in a tight embrace, burying her face into her neck.
Kelly was sure it was more of an emotional gesture than a physical one, and stroked Natalie’s head reassuringly. “I don’t want to scare you half to death or anything, but if you want to make love with me like that for the next fifty years, you certainly may.”
Natalie smiled as the credits rolled on the sappy dog movie she and Kelly had found on the ship’s family entertainment channel. Their only foray outside the stateroom—a walk around the Promenade Deck to allow the cabin steward to freshen their room—had been cut short by a sudden storm that was now a driving rain. The weather had sent them back to their stateroom after all, where they again gave in to temptation.
The movie had been a pleasant way to rest and pass the afternoon. When she had offered her lap as a couch pillow, Kelly took her up on it. Now she was fast asleep, and Natalie had no choice but to sit perfectly still through the next movie. Not that she minded. Being close had its own rewards.
Her fingers brushed the hair just behind Kelly’s ear. It was soft and baby fine, like worn satin. She would never have guessed that “soft” would have described so many things about Kelly—her hair, her skin, her lips, and most of all, her touch. But that wasn’t what had made their lovemaking so thrilling and satisfying. Even more than all the physical sensations was the way Kelly had whispered sweet words of endearment, phrases that had made Natalie feel like the most special woman in the world. And the fact that Kelly had climaxed again from her own excitement…Natalie had heard of such a thing, but until last night had doubted it could actually happen, let alone with her.
Sex had never been like that for her before. It wasn’t that she had never had a powerful climax. But those came mostly at her own hand, and after a lot of practice. The main difference with Kelly was finding herself the object of someone’s lust. Neither Theresa nor Didi had shown the hunger for her that Kelly did. Both of them had been focused either on their own satisfaction or their sexual prowess and skill. From the moment she and Kelly had kissed last night, she felt it was all about her.
“What are you thinking about?”
Natalie was startled by Kelly’s voice, and unnerved by the twinkling blue eyes that seemed to be reading her prurient thoughts. “I’d better plead the Fifth on that one.”
“Hmmm…you make it sound so interesting. Sure you don’t want to elaborate?”
“I’m very sure.” Despite her efforts to distance herself from her thoughts, her hand still stroked Kelly’s hair. “I can’t get over how soft your hair is. I wish mine was like that.”
“No, you don’t. Yours is so thick and wavy. And I love the color.”
As usual, Kelly had managed to turn the conversation into a stream of compliments. “You’re always so good for my ego.”
“I’m also house-trained.”
“If only you could cook.”
“I can learn. What’s your favorite dish?”
“Anything with shrimp. But you don’t have to worry about cooking, because I like to do that.”
“And I like to eat. Don’t you see what that means?” Kelly sat up and grinned. “We’re made for each other. It would be a perfect life.”
Natalie laughed aloud. This line of playful banter carried none of the seriousness of their afterglow chat, but the message was the same. Kelly wanted this to last. “And what would you be doing while I was slaving over a hot stove?”
“I’d be busy laying tile somewhere or up on a ladder wiring a new light fixture.”
“Are you really serious about doing all this work at my house?”
“If you want me to.”
“I’m not even sure I can afford you.” Natalie caught herself staring as Kelly stood and stretched, again showing off her flat stomach. “We’ll have to go over your skin—I mean your rate. That’s what I meant to say…rate.” She covered her face as it heated up.
“You’re welcome to go over my skin if you like, Natalie.” She inched her shirt upward. “Just say the word.”
Natalie fanned herself. “Boy, it got warm in here all of a sudden.”
“That’s because you need ice cream. I’ll run up to the stand and get some.”
Natalie’s eyebrows went up and down suggestively. “And what are we going to do with this ice cream?”
“It’s hard to say. The possibilities are endless.”
Chapter 20
Bursting with energy, Kelly bounded up the stairs to the ice cream parlor. Funny how a day spent lying around lazily would be the best time she’d had so far on the cruise. No question about it—she and Natalie were both feeling something special.
“Where’s the fire?”
She turned at the familiar voice and waited as Yvonne caught up. “Hey, stranger! What are you guys up to today?”
“I’ve been in the casino all afternoon losing the eighty dollars I won last night. Steph went back to bed after lunch with one of those books your friend swapped for her. That was a lifesaver, by the way.”
“Yeah, Jo thought the same thing. She didn’t know what she was going to do for the last three days without a new book. Have you seen Didi or Pamela?”
“Not since this morning. They were in the picture gallery looking at all the photos from dinner the other night.”
Kelly smiled as she remembered her pose with Natalie. “I forgot about those. I’ll have to go find ours.”
“I know it’s there, because Didi found it. Just don’t be surprised if she gave you a set of horns and a moustache.”
“Why would she do that?”
“You tell me. Maybe she noticed the breakfast tray outside your stateroom this morning and the Do Not Disturb sign.”
Kelly chuckled uncomfortably. “So much for keeping things low-key.” She wasn’t particularly embarrassed for the others to surmise how she and Natalie had spent their morning, but it made her ill at ease to hear that Didi was upset about it. This was a special time for her and Natalie, and she didn’t want Didi to spoil it with a tantrum. More than that, she didn’t want Natalie to suddenly have second thoughts just because Didi had decided to reinsert herself into the picture.
Yvonne nudged her with an elbow and gave her a knowing wink. “So what’s up? Are you guys an item, or just having fun?”
Kelly was uneasy about sharing too much, though it was too late to try to pretend nothing had happened. “I can’t speak for Natalie, but it feels like the real deal for me. We’ll just have to take it one day at a time and see where it goes.”
Yvonne shook her head. “I’m just glad you finally hooked up. I made a bet with Steph that you would, and now she’s going to have to pay up. Good thing, since I lost all my money at the craps table.”
“Glad we could help.”
“I have to warn you, though. Steph’s been awfully patient about Didi, but she won’t sit by again and watch her best friend rot in another bad relationship. She’ll kick your ass.”
“She won’t have to. I plan to worship Natalie for as long as she’ll let me.”
“Natalie deserves that. But Didi’s got her head so screwed up right now she probably doesn’t even know what she wants. I just hope Natalie doesn’t jump back into that fire if Didi snaps her fingers.”
That was Kelly’s fear too.”So what exactly happened between them anyway?”
Yvonne shook her head. “Nobody really knows. Something pretty embarrassing for Natalie, I’d say, because she didn’t even tell Steph what it was. All she said was that honesty wasn’t always the best policy. We don’t have any idea what she meant.”
