Cruising Through to Fulfilment

by Ann M Pratley

"Sorry Tanya, you work so well but we have to make cuts and you are the most recent addition so we feel it is fairest that we let you go first," Amanda told her, leaving Tanya feeling sick and a bit panicked. How would she pay her mortgage?

  She was given the option to stay for another few weeks or just leave now, and she chose the latter. She made her way home, sat on her sofa and contemplated all of her options. When David next called and she told him, he was sympathetic but also excited.

  "I can book your tickets from here - please come," he said yet again and this time she agreed. She packed up her personal items and stored them with Olivia, and then rented her home out, furnished, on a week to week lease, to a friend who she trusted completely.

  Soon she was flying again. This time it would be for much longer - one leg to Auckland, one leg to Los Angeles and then one more to New York. By the time she arrived she was almost dizzy with exhaustion, but once she landed in New York she recognised the feeling of excitement inside of her. She was free with no worries about having to be back at work at any particular time, and she knew her home was safe and the mortgage was being paid by the rent. It was uplifting and invigorating to think about as she made her way through the airport.

  Heading out the security barrier, she saw him immediately, looking absolutely stunning and fresh in his handsomeness, making her want to melt against him.

  "Don't get too close - I really need a shower," she laughed and he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately regardless.

  "Best I get you home and into the shower then," he said, smiling broadly.

  He drove through the streets, Tanya's eyes alert and looking at everything. She had seen New York on television and in movies, of course, but never realised just how condensed and big it really was. David glanced at her now and then, amused at her facial expressions and excited to finally have her here.

  Finally he pulled into an underground parking area and parked, and was opening her door for her, once again putting his arms around her and kissing her.

  They caught an elevator and she watched the numbers above the door count over … 23 … 24 … 25 … and then it seemed it was time to get out. They walked down a corridor that reminded her of the hotels she had stayed in, and he opened up a door to reveal a vast open space before her. Past all the furniture and internal workings, she could see large windows, and walked straight toward them.

  "Whoa," she said, in awe, as she stood at the glass and looked out over the sprawling city before her.

  David came up behind her and held her from behind, kissing the back of her neck. She turned around and hugged him tight, wanting to give in to her desire but feeling so unclean from the long hours of travelling.

  "Can I please have a shower?" she asked, timidly, and he laughed at her shyness.

  He led her to his bathroom - a large room with separate shower and bath inside - turned on the water and slowly took his time undressing her and undressing himself. He led her into the shower cubicle and took great pleasure in washing her all over, and after rinsing her, positioning her so the shower was hitting her back and not her front, he kneeled before her and used his mouth to bring her to sweet orgasm. She turned off the shower and used her hands to raise him up, grabbing a towel and drying him off before kneeling in front of him and returning the touch, finally bringing to reality what he could only dream of in the preceding weeks since he had come home. She stood up and they hugged, naked, and he led her to the bedroom, bringing in her bag so she could unpack and dress.

  When she was dressed and feeling refreshed, she returned to the living area, where David was sitting on a sofa, perched as if he was nervous. He stood up as soon as he saw her, taking in her beauty and the way she smelt.

  "I didn't know people actually lived in places like this," she said. "Have you always lived in apartments? Did you grow up here?"

  Her curiosity was endless, he remembered, and he smiled, welcoming her to come and sit down beside him.

  "No I grew up in the suburbs, in a normal house. I moved here after Laney died because it is easier to do business from here."

  She looked around the room and large framed photographs on the wall caught her attention. She jumped up to look at them, set out along one long wall.

  "These are from my home," she said, recognising landmarks of her city. She looked back at him. "David, these are incredible. I didn't even know you took these."

  He blushed, surprisingly, inwardly pleased at her response and words, and was quiet as she sat down beside him again, cuddling into him.

  "Are you okay?" he asked and she nodded.

  "My body wants to go to sleep but I think it best I stay up and go to bed later tonight," she said and he nodded.

  "It does play havoc with your body clock, travelling from New Zealand to here," he said and held her tight. "I'm so glad you are here. Thank you for coming."

  "Thank you for inviting me," she said, looking at him and leaning in to kiss him.

  Now she woke up, her body on fire with yearning. Their kissing changed to passionate and hungry.

  "I need you inside me," she moaned and started pulling off her pants quickly before lying back on the sofa, legs spread wide.

  David sheepishly pulled a condom from his jeans pocket, kneeled before her, pulled his pants down only as far as they needed to, slipped on the condom and plunged into her, both of them groaning in delight of the feel of him deep inside her. Oh how it felt to be inside her! He revelled in the feeling and took his time now, stopping when he need to, to just kiss her, but in her impatience and excitement she started to move herself, and pushed him over the edge, leaving him sated as he slumped forward into her arms.

  They stayed like that for a long time, saying nothing and both enjoying the closeness, before he pulled out, covered up and sat beside her again as she also dressed.

  "Are you hungry?" he asked and she laughed at him. "For food!"

  "Actually I am," she responded cheerfully.

  He stood up and held out his hand, inviting her to join him.

  As they walked through from the living area to the kitchen Tanya noticed another brilliant photo on the wall. It was of a woman - a truly naturally beautiful woman, dressed and groomed immaculately, and laughing while looking right into the camera.

  "Oh! How beautiful! Is that your wife, David?" Tanya asked when she saw him stop beside her and also look at the photo.

  "Yes. Sorry should I have taken it down?" he asked, wondering how Tanya felt about him having photos of Laney around.

  "No! David, she was your wife and you love her … and she is so beautiful. No, never feel like you shouldn't have memories of her around when I am here. I respect your love of her and the life you shared. It doesn't have to be hidden away."

  He turned his attention from the photo to Tanya, amazed again at her mature attitude to things. He suspected the time would come when he would put things like this photo away, but he was appreciative that he wasn't being rushed into it. He kissed her and they resumed their journey to the kitchen to find food.

  After eating he stood with her at the window, the two of them watching daytime transform into night, and the city become lit up.

  "It is so quiet," Tanya said, wondering how they could hear nothing even though she could see lots of cars and people down at the ground.

  David laughed and opened a window in front of them. The sound came booming in, surprising Tanya.

  "The apartment is quiet - the city is not!" David said, still finding joy in her surprised look.

  He closed the window and once again all was silent.

  "What hours do you work when you are here?"

  "Whatever hours I need to. I am not going to work any more this week - I thought you might like to look around the city, and if you do, I am happy to be your personal guide," he said, holding her close. "Next week I'll return to going in each day."

  Tanya loved being in his arms, and felt very safe and secure.

  "I'm exhausted. Let's go to bed,"
she said, enchanting him and he couldn't say no.

  Chapter 24

  The week passed with Tanya being shown the general sights of New York, and David taking her to a different luxury restaurant every night. Once again, when thinking of the simple life she lived in New Zealand, he was pleasantly impressed by her ability to so easily dress up and fit in with the patrons in these restaurants, as if she were born to naturally be there. She was never intimidated by other people - it was as if it simply didn't occur to her to care what other people thought.

  On the first weekend he took her to have dinner with friends of his and once again found himself amazed at her self-confidence around people, even those she didn't know. And everyone seemed to fall under her spell.

  "I know you said she was young, David, but in all honesty, the two of you really don’t seem that far apart in age at all," his friend Kendra said when she cornered him during the dinner they were attending in the home of her and her husband. "I like her, and this is the happiest I've seen you since…"

  David looked at her, this friend he had known for at least 20 years, who he trusted completely to always be honest with him. She had tapered off what she was going to say but he knew - since Laney died.

  Tanya had enjoyed the week, and was particularly enjoying this dinner, getting to meet some of David's friends. Kendra and Tony both seemed lovely and didn't seem to have any issues with her, which she had worried about, knowing that all of David's friends must also have been Laney's friends. Could they so easily accept he was seeing someone new? She had prepared herself that perhaps they would not, but this couple seemed honestly happy to see her and David together.

  At the end of the night David felt a shift had happened between them. Something about him having met and been accepted by her friends in New Zealand, and now her meeting and being accepted by his, affected him and he looked at her with a new level of feeling. I have to marry her, he heard cross his mind quickly before he shook the thought away. No, don't go there, he went on to tell himself. Better still, stop thinking altogether, he ordered himself, and then obeyed, the whole self-conversation having only happened in silence in his mind.

  When they got back to the apartment they fell into each others' arms, equally overwhelmed at how they had found each other and things continued to be so workable between them. They lay together afterward, David holding her tight.

  "What would you like to do tomorrow?" he asked her, eager to do anything that would please her.

  "Absolutely nothing. I want to stay here with you all day, and see and do nothing," she said and looked at him to see his response. "Would you mind?"

  He laughed, in his mind relieved after a week of going out so much, and wondering why he had thought she would need to do so much anyway.

  "Going nowhere sounds perfect to me."

  * * * *

  Next day - Sunday - they spent the day in the apartment, enjoying the simplicity of simply being together. David loved how easy she was to spend time with, and this amazing ability to be so content with just talking, cooking and eating together. She didn't need movies, television or even music - she could just enjoy being anywhere at any time, and he loved that he could relax so much with her. They lived such different lives but she had not said anything about his choice to live in an apartment in the middle of a bustling city, and even though he had seen her house and the quiet of the area she lived in, not once had she made any mention of anything negative about where they were right now.

  "So back to work for you tomorrow, then?" she asked him as they sat on the sofa they had turned around so they could sit and watch over the city. It had never occurred to him to position it so he could look over the city instead of looking at the kitchen, but to her it seemed obvious, and he really liked it like this.

  "Yes I do need to go into my office and visit a prospective property tomorrow," he said, looking at her and thinking how different it might be for her to spend time alone in New York, than how easy it was for him to have spent time alone in her home town. "What do you think you would like to do while I am away?" he asked tentatively.

  "I will find ways to occupy myself," she said quietly, wondering the same thing herself and thinking over what she would do at home that cost no money, given that she now had no income.

  "Can I do anything to make your self-occupation easier?" he asked, looking amused at her.

  "Actually, maybe you can help me. Is there a library anywhere near here?" she asked, surprising him. He nodded.

  "It is probably a 30 minute walk each way," he said, and she smiled.

  "That would be perfect then. Can you show me on this map where I will walk?" she asked, handing him a tourist map she had picked up.

  He circled the library and where they currently were.

  "Go this way," he said, drawing lines on the map streets. "It is more scenic than any other way."

  He suddenly jumped up to get something out of his wallet and then was back, handing it to her.

  "Take this - it's my library card," he said and she looked surprised at him having one. He laughed at her. "I don't use it very often, but have been known to borrow a book or two in my time."

  "Thank you."

  * * * *

  In the morning it was Tanya's turn to see David ready himself for his work day. She watched him put on a shirt and tie, and that, along with him being so immaculately shaven and fresh, made it very difficult for her to keep her hands to herself. He looked at her and could see it clearly on her face, making him blush but also feel amazingly attractive and young.

  "Tanya, you have to stop looking at me like that," he laughed loudly and she gave him a suggestive grin.

  "Like what?" she said back, coming closer to kiss him.

  He let her kiss him before he took a deep breath and stepped away.

  "I have to go!" he said, smiling brilliantly at her. "Be careful out there and I will see you later."

  And then he was gone, leaving Tanya alone in a huge open living area in a huge apartment, in a huge city. She walked to the sofa in front of the window and sat down, taking some time to just think about how her life had taken a turn. What was she doing here? She loved him - she knew that without any doubt - but she couldn't work in this country and even her little hobby garden that she had been able to start at home was unlikely to be doable in this building.

  For now, though, she was here and she didn't want to sit around all day - she had to move, she had to walk, so grabbing the key card he had left for her, and her map, she headed out into the very noisy and very busy street.

  Walking into the library she was dumbfounded. The library in her little hometown would probably fit in one room of this library! She walked in, and knew she would be quite happy exploring this for the day - perhaps for the week, or even the month! Suddenly, things didn't seem so bleak, being unemployed. She found a section of books she was interested in, and a sitting area that provided comfortable seating, and made herself at home.

  * * * *

  When David walked into the apartment he wasn't in a great mood - an issue with one of his contractors had upset him shortly before he came home, and it was the first time he had found himself in a bad mood for a very long time, he realised.

  Tanya walked toward him when he came in, and saw straight away that he wasn't his usual cheerful self.

  "What?" she asked, and he tried to put a smile on his face for her but she stopped him. "No, don't try and hide whatever it is, David. Come and sit down and tell me what has happened," she said, taking his hand and forcing him to sit down.

  He briefly considered brushing it off but it had made such an effect on him. He quickly remembered back to when he used to come home to Laney, but when she was sick he never talked about anything negative, and that did take a toll on him, he now thought to himself. Things were always so happy with Tanya, but they wouldn't always be - they couldn't always be - so he relaxed and told her about what had happened. During his talking she held his hand and looked at him clos
ely, and he could tell that she was really listening to him, and it was so refreshing to him. Even as he spoke he could feel the stress melting away, and she was wonderful - she didn't try and jump in and tell him that he should do this or that, she didn't ask if she could help - she just listened and that was that. And that was appreciated by him - that was all he needed to calm down and be able to put the matter behind him until the next day.

  She pulled him into her arms and held him, not needing anything from him, and he welcomed her response to his mood.

  They sat like that for a long time, until her stomach growled, making him laugh.

  "Do you want to go out for dinner?" he asked and she shook her head as she jumped up.

  "No, I am going to cook dinner for us," she said happily, making her way to the kitchen. He didn't move to join her - just watched her and let himself love watching her. She moved with such grace, and she was confident in his kitchen too … in fact she looked right at home, like she was enjoying herself immensely and not like it was any kind of chore to her. When she had prepared everything and it was cooking slowly she came back to him, straddled him and kissed him passionately.

  David clung to her, needing to get closer to her, but pulled back and gently lifted her up and off him as he felt her start to rub herself against him through their clothes, and knew he would not last long at all.

  "Wait, I need to get out of these pants," he said, standing up and walking her backwards to the bedroom while he kissed her. Once they were both undressed he pushed her back and indulged in tasting her before slipping deep inside and letting the stresses of the day completely flow away.

  Afterward Tanya leapt up, full of energy still, and got dressed again, laughing.

  "Oh! I have to check dinner," she said and he smiled at her before dragging himself out to get dressed into casual clothes. When he got to the kitchen she was already serving up their meal, and it felt like such a welcome sight, having her here when he came home, making him wonder if she had felt the same way during his time in New Zealand, when he had prepared their meals every day for when she got home from work.