Diving Into Trouble

by Shona Husk

  ‘It wasn’t an apology … but it’s kind of more intimate to, you know …’

  Okay, he guessed it was. He’d never really stopped to think about it.

  Then she took her panties off—pretty pink and white lace ones this time. She was still putting on nice underwear when she came to see him. For some reason that was a jolt to his heart, and dick. It was still special and new to her, unless she put on her good stuff on every weekend. He wanted to ask, but decided he preferred to think that she was getting dressed up for him.

  She sat on the bed and crooked her finger at him. He took his briefs off, expecting her to lie back, but she didn’t.

  ‘Closer,’ she whispered as she ran her fingers along his length. She leaned forward a fraction and he took the final step, the head of his shaft now close to her lips.

  Her fingers wrapped around him and became a gentle caress that drew him closer still. Heat raced through his blood and lodged in his balls as she flicked her tongue over the head of his cock, and her fingers tightened around him.

  She tasted and teased, taking her time. His breath caught and shuddered as she took him into her mouth. Her lips and tongue created a delicate sucking sensation as she drew him deeper. He let his hand rest on her head, not forcing or controlling, just wanting to touch her. She glanced up, their gazes clashing.

  His balls tightened as he watched. Her tongue danced over the crown as her hand slid up and down his length. It would be too easy to let go. With a wrench of will he drew back. If she wasn’t willing to screw without a condom he doubted she was going to swallow and he hated pulling out at the last second. He’d rather wear a condom.

  ‘While you’re there.’ She picked up the foil packet and opened it up, giving him another lick before rolling the rubber on. It was like she was reading his mind when it came to sex.

  He pressed her shoulder, lightly, so she lay back on the bed, her legs spread. She’d trimmed the hair on her pussy. Giving him a clear view of her pink swollen lips. A little taste and then he’d bury himself in her wet heat.

  Kurt knelt, grabbing her thighs and spreading them further. His dick throbbed at the sight, but he ignored it for the moment. He wanted to enjoy her. He inhaled her scent then kissed her clit. His tongue pressed on the hard bud.

  She flinched, her hips lifting a little, but he held her down as he licked her slick skin, enjoying the slipperiness and taste of her. She was already wet and ready, but he didn’t rush. He wanted to see her come. He pressed two fingers into and her as he kept his tongue moving on her clit.

  Her breathing became rough as she got close. Her hips lifted and she gasped, her core clenching around his fingers.

  He released her, standing and lifting her hips to he could thrust in. The ripples of her climax made her tight around him. She moaned as if coming again. With her feet up in the air and her hips in his hands he controlled the speed and depth of his thrust and she let him. Her eyes almost closed and her lips parted. Her breasts jiggled with each move. The tension built, his blood was hot as lust burned through him.

  Her hands wrapped around his forearms as if she didn’t want to let him go. ‘Harder.’

  He barely heard her breathy word, but he did as she wanted. Her desire matching his.

  The need to come made his balls heavy and tight, he gave a couple more hard thrusts before letting go. Heat flooded through him and a groan left his lips.

  He became aware of his hard breathing, her nails in his arm, and the way they were still locked together. He needed to move, but wasn’t sure he could. Carefully he lowered her hips back to the bed and eased from her body. She lay limply and didn’t move as he tossed away the used condom.

  She turned slightly to watch as he walked back. ‘Hmmm.’ She smiled. ‘I love our weekends together.’

  He lay on the bed and kissed her. ‘So do I.’

  It had been a long time since he’d felt so comfortable with another person. Had trusted a woman with details of his life, yet Rainy already knew plenty about him. More than some of his other friends. And she didn’t muck around when it came to sex. She wasn’t high maintenance. She was fun. What he’d been looking for but never finding. He loved being with her … he was beginning to love her.

  His fingers coiled in her dark hair.

  That he could sail and see her daily and be with her when they were alongside was almost enough to make him want to re-sign for another two years. Then he remembered the danger and the risk of getting caught.

  The weight was back. She’d distracted him for a while but he’d still made no decision about his future. As much as their relationship was part of what he wanted in his future, he couldn’t let that be the deciding factor. He might as well toss a coin. At least then it would be made.

  He let her hair go. ‘I might start dinner.’ He grabbed his jeans and tugged them on, leaving Rainy lying on the bed.

  In the kitchen he got out what he needed to make the lemon and parmesan pasta. It was quick, easy and tasty and he had white wine in the fridge to go with it.

  He’d already started cooking by the time she came out; while she had no shoes on, she was dressed.

  She smiled as she watched him in the kitchen. ‘Do you always cook shirtless?’

  ‘No. I don’t want to distract the crew.’ He flexed his stomach and pecs. She laughed.

  ‘I heard about nude donk runs that used to happen on the old O-boats.’

  Yeah, he’d heard lots of stories about the old Oberon Class submarines, including the way stokers would keep their safety boots on and take everything else off when running the engines. ‘Good thing it doesn’t happen anymore as you’d be the one distracting the crew.’

  Having women onboard had changed life on the boats. He’d been part of an all-male crew before Ellis. Ellis was calmer and there was definitely less blokey innuendo. Less porn too. Although everyone had a few magazines for the trips away, or a few movies on their laptops for private viewing and some time alone in their rack—there wasn’t enough water for a long enough shower to get that done in there.

  Did Rainy and the other women indulge? He glanced at her. They must.

  ‘What are you thinking?’

  ‘Nothing I’m going to say aloud.’

  ‘You were thinking of me wearing only my steelcaps.’ Her lips curved in a cheeky grin.

  ‘I wasn’t but I am now.’ He smiled. ‘Could you set the table for me? This is almost ready and it’s best served fresh.’

  She joined him in the kitchen, getting what she needed while he served up and poured the wine. They sat and she raised her glass. ‘To secrets well kept.’

  He touched his glass to hers and took a sip.

  Being with Rainy was too easy.

  ***

  Someone pounded on the front door, interrupting the dinner they’d almost finished. Her foot was on his, her gaze seemed to burn his skin. Kurt glanced at Rainy; she’d stilled with her glass halfway to her lips. Her foot sprang away from his as she went on alert.

  ‘I’m not expecting anyone.’ But that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t drop around. His heart kicked up a notch. Maybe if they sat quietly the person would go away and they could continue with their stay-in dinner and movie date.

  ‘Open up, Garland. I know you’re in there.’ Blue knocked three more times. ‘I need somewhere to stay.’

  ‘Fuck me.’ Kurt put down his fork. ‘I have to let him in.’

  Rainy glanced at the door, worry pinching her face. ‘This isn’t going to go well.’

  ‘You reckon?’ If Blue was here then it meant Kylie and he had fought, again. ‘I can’t leave him.’

  Her expression clearly stated that she thought he could. He wished he could, but Blue was a good friend and Kylie was screwing him around in the worst way.

  ‘If it was anyone else, I wouldn’t open the door.’

  Rainy glanced at the table set for two and the wine. ‘He’ll look at this and know.’

  Kurt nodded. Dinner for two and wine, it
was pretty freaking obvious. ‘I trust him.’

  ‘Perhaps I should sneak into the garage and leave while he’s in here.’

  ‘That’s even more suspicious. He’ll ask who was here.’ There was no way he could get dinner hidden away. Shit. He should’ve known this moment would come.

  ‘Garland, don’t be a prick.’ This time it was less of a knock and more of a thump, as if a body had hit the door.

  ‘He’s my boss.’

  ‘He’ll be cool.’ And if he wasn’t, there would be words.

  She closed her eyes and took a breath. ‘Fine.’

  It was anything but fine. Kurt got up, he checked out the front window to see if Blue was alone. He was. And he was tapping the cigarette in his hand. His motorbike was parked on Rainy’s side of the garage, not that Blue knew that. He’d have parked so Kurt could get his car out if needed.

  Kurt unlocked the door, but didn’t open it fully. ‘This is really bad timing.’

  ‘You got company?’ Blue looked surprised, as if the idea of Kurt having a date was almost beyond imagination.

  Kurt gave a single nod.

  ‘You’ve been keeping that quiet. I need a bed for the night. I’ll use earplugs.’ He placed his hand over his heart. ‘I don’t need to hear you having sex when I’m not getting any.’

  Kurt didn’t move. ‘Blue … you’re not going to like it.’

  Blue blinked, Kurt could almost see him trying to work out who was inside. ‘It’s a guy? That’s fine, whatever gets you off … really, a dude? I never thought you swung that way.’

  ‘No, it’s not a guy.’ There was no way to say it so he opened the door, but he blocked Blue’s path so he couldn’t go in yet. ‘If you say anything to anyone I will make sure you get food poisoning so bad you pray for death.’

  ‘I’m already praying for death, so I doubt this will make my life worse.’ Blue pushed past, made it the few paces into the living room and stopped when the dining room and Rainy came into view. ‘Well that’s fucking awesome.’ He turned around to face Kurt and pointed the unlit cigarette at him. ‘You’re fucking a crew member, and my trainee. This is fucked up. You did make my life fucking worse. You fucking cunt.’ He stalked through the house and into the kitchen. He lit the cigarette on the hot plates and walked past Rainy. She opened her mouth but Blue shook his head. ‘Don’t speak to me, not yet.’

  Then let himself out the back. The red of the glowing tip all that could be seen in the shadows.

  Kurt closed the front door. ‘That went well.’

  ‘Maybe I should go. I think he has something on his mind.’ Rainy stood.

  ‘You’ve had three glasses of wine, you aren’t driving. Besides the damage is done.’

  ‘Action Stations … oh, that’s right we never made an Emergency Operating Procedure for what we’d do if caught.’

  Kurt picked up his glass of wine and drained it without tasting it. ‘I’m going to open another bottle. We’re going to find out what’s wrong with him. He will keep his mouth shut.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yeah. I know things about him he’d rather not get out.’ The relaxed dinner they’d been having, and the hopes of a busy night, had evaporated. At least they’d had the afternoon. They’d talked like any couple and for a few hours his life had been brilliant.

  It was only right it went to shit.

  Blue came in and closed the back door. Cigarette smoke clung to his clothes. ‘Right …’ he looked at Kurt and then Rainy. ‘I guess you get to hear about my fuck-up since yours is pretty obvious.’

  He sat at the table and took the wine when Kurt offered it, drinking half before putting it down. ‘You know what, after not smoking for five months they really taste like shit.’ He shivered. ‘With a buzz.’ He touched his pocket. ‘I can’t believe I smoked it.’

  ‘You can get a new one not to smoke.’ Kurt said. But ever since deciding to quit, Blue hadn’t smoked. There’s been no tapering off or replacements. He’d gone cold turkey except for sniffing the second-hand smoke.

  Blue nodded. ‘Really, Milly? This might be okay on ships but, really? Do you know how fucked this is?’ He finished his wine and refilled the glass.

  ‘I met Kurt before I joined the boat. I didn’t know he was in the navy.’ Her words were clipped and her lips set.

  ‘You should’ve stopped when you realised.’

  ‘I didn’t want to stop.’ Kurt said. Rainy was not wearing the blame for this. He’d been the one to approach her in the first place. ‘We got through the workups, no one knows. What is the problem?’

  ‘I know. And fuck …’ Blue shook his head and had another drink. ‘I can’t go home tonight. So I’m stuck with you two.’

  ‘What happened this time?’

  ‘She wasn’t there when I got home on Friday, left a note that she’d gone out. Fuck knows where. Then she rolls home this afternoon, and I smelled it on her. She’s been smoking dope again. I turned out the house until I found the stash. I can’t have that shit in my house. I don’t want her smoking it, or using worse, while she’s pregnant. I don’t know what she’s doing when she goes out.’ His face twisted in anger. ‘She doesn’t fucking care about me or the baby.’

  Kurt leaned back in his seat. He’d thought Kylie had cleaned up her act after getting pregnant, but apparently not. ‘Do you think she’s doing coke too?’

  Rainy’s eyes widened.

  Blue let out a harsh laugh. ‘Yes, my girlfriend is a druggie. When we first got together she was fun to hang around. We’d go out all night, then fuck all day. Then she got pregnant. Promised to clean up her act and I promised to quit smoking. It was going okay. I thought it was … now … there’s nothing I can do.’

  The bit Blue had left out was that he’d come very close to getting kicked out of the navy. He’d returned one positive test after too many weekend benders. He’d been counselled and warned. Kylie was endangering Blue’s job—the thing Kylie liked most about him. Blue was the perfect boyfriend for Kylie, part-time and lots of money. She wasn’t the first woman to trap herself a submariner.

  ‘You can break up with her.’ That Blue had moved her in to his house had been a big surprise. There was no way Kurt would’ve done that. Paid child support and been there for the kid, sure, but sometimes it was better when parents didn’t live together.

  ‘I can’t. That’s my kid. And I don’t want my kid being raised by her.’

  Kurt didn’t point out that Blue was away half the year and wouldn’t be there to keep an eye on things. ‘Maybe you should go back to the psych.’

  He shook his head. ‘They’ll run me out.’

  ‘Why? I would’ve thought asking for help with your girlfriend would be a good thing.’ Rainy was frowning, but at least she didn’t look as tense as she had.

  ‘It’s more complicated than that.’ He shook his head. ‘I should never have trusted her to be on the pill. I didn’t follow basic fucking Standard Operating Procedure.’

  Blue’s gaze swung between Kurt and Rainy. ‘No one on the boat knows about the drug issues. They know the relationship is rocky … in the way Everest is just a pebble.’ He finished his wine. ‘I hope that wasn’t the good stuff.’

  ‘Nah, I keep the cheap shit for when you drop round. I’m not stupid.’ Kurt topped up Blue’s glass.

  Blue laughed. ‘I beg to differ.’ He pointed to Rainy.

  Rainy crossed her arms and leaned back. ‘If she’s using, tell the police.’

  ‘I don’t want my kid born in jail. It’s bad enough I’ll be away.’

  ‘So it’s really about the baby, not Kylie.’ She bit her lip. ‘Are you sure it’s yours?’

  There was silence for a several moments. Kurt didn’t envy Blue at all. He was in a shitty place. But instead of walking away from the woman who’d caused him so much grief over the last couple of years, he’d kept on seeing her. If he’d walked away, she wouldn’t have gotten pregnant and he wouldn’t be in this mess.

  ‘Honestly,
no. But I don’t think she’d lie about it, she knows if it isn’t, she’s out.’ He rested his elbows on the table and cradled his head in his hands. ‘I don’t know what to do.’

  ‘Move out.’ Rainy said.

  ‘I agree. There’s too much at stake.’ But Kurt knew Blue wouldn’t listen. They’d had this conversation before, but this time it was worse as he had proof she was using.

  ‘You offering? Actually, I take that back. I can’t be here around this.’ Blue slouched in his seat and shook his head. Kurt wanted to say it was just sex, that it was fine, but he couldn’t as that would be a lie after today. ‘The house is mine. I can’t move out of my own house. At least if she’s there I can keep an eye on her.’

  Rainy topped up her glass. ‘But we’re leaving in weeks.’

  ‘Maybe I can talk to the psych and get taken off the boat. Fuck, that’ll look bad and throw any chance I have of making the promotional lists this year. They can’t replace me anyway. I asked months ago when I worked out the baby’s due while we’re away.’ He glanced at Rainy. ‘MTs are rarer than hen’s teeth.’ He finished his second glass of wine. ‘I think I’ll leave you two lovebirds to finish your evening. My sleeping bag in the usual?’

  ‘Yep.’ Kurt watched Blue get up, take a moment to steady himself then walk down the hallway to the bedrooms. His sleeping bag was on the housemate’s bed from last time, which had only been four weeks ago. Just before he’d started seeing Rainy.

  The door shut and for a moment there was absolute silence.

  ‘That’s why Blue won’t say anything.’ Kurt really hoped that was true, otherwise being trapped on the boat for five days with everyone knowing would be extremely uncomfortable.

  Chapter 12

  There were five days at sea, with STG still testing them, to get ready. Rainy was hoping she was ready, but she was anxious about being on the boat. Tasker knew too much, and she knew too much about him. How was she supposed to work with him now? So far they’d only spoken about work. If she could feel the tension, could everyone else or was she overreacting?