“Kinsey Appleton Brodie,” he whispered in her ear as he tried to catch his breath.
“Kinsey Brodie, just Kinsey Brodie. Your last name is a wonderful gift,” she answered.
He didn’t answer, she knew why, and when his breathing became deep and regular, she thanked God for her new name, for her new husband, and even for making her wait all these years. It was worth it was the last thought that rolled across her mind as she fell asleep, her husband lying gently on top of her back, his breath warm and comfortable to her skin.
15
The Next Morning
Tanner heard the sound of waves rolling through his mind and gently washing along the edge of a sandy beach in his dream. Kinsey was standing in the water calling his name. She was in a bikini and she was tanned and happy. She said his name again, this time louder and he woke up from his dream. He was naked, on top of the covers, holding onto a pillow and when he opened his eyes he was looking out the doors to the balcony and into a bright morning sun that hung high and yellow over a blue and green sea.
“Tanner, don’t move,” Kinsey’s voice came to his ear from behind him somewhere, “I’m painting you.”
He thought about it, not moving. “But I’m not wearing any clothes.”
“That’s how you look best to me. I’m almost finished. At least with this first draft. You lying in the sun looking out to the sea is my next masterpiece. I’m going to hang it next to your painting, The Naked Sunset, in our house.”
“Do you have a title yet?” Tanner asked, feeling very exposed and worried about how his scars must look to her. “I’m not sure I like this.”
He began to roll over but stopped when Kinsey said, “That’s fine, roll over, but then I’ll just paint your front. I love that masculine package you have on that side of you. I’d have a hard time painting it though, I’d find myself trying to seduce it – or you – I should say.” She laughed, “You know when I was in art classes and we had models the teachers would always tell the male students never to try and seduce the models. Don’t you think they should have looked at me as well when they said that? I could get in big trouble if I seduce you while you’re modeling for me.”
As Kinsey laughed Tanner took a peak behind him. Kinsey was sitting on a small stool with her easel and paints before her. She was looking to the canvas and smiling. She made a stroke with a brush and then looked at Tanner. She was wearing a gorgeous looking see-through teddy.
“I’m finished here. I’ve ordered breakfast for us down on the terrace by the pool in an hour. You slept in lover-boy. I’ve gotten to know you with my paints while you slept. Somehow, I love you more now than I did last night and that’s saying something.” Kinsey said as she stood from her stool, then she added, “I love your back. It’s so masculine with those heroic scars by the way.”
She made for the bathroom and Tanner watched her rear end, easily seen and exquisite under the sheered fabric of her teddy, slide seductively from side to side with her steps. He felt himself aroused and wondered if he could try to make love to her later that day before they went to the beach to lay out and just be together.
“I went through your toiletry bag,” Kinsey called out from the bathroom, “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Everything I have is yours. Why would I mind?”
Kinsey stepped back into his view, her breasts, firm, but still bouncing slightly with her steps and in her hand was a familiar looking tube of ointment, “I found this.” She said as she approached him on the bed.
“It’s my prescription for my burns. I never can use it because I can’t reach them with my hands to rub it on them. I’m used to it though.” Tanner answered her.
“I thought so. Well, don’t worry. I’ve got them now. I hurt you last night, but it was only because I love you so much. I’ll never do that to you again.” Kinsey slid onto the bed next to Tanner, she removed the top to the tube and said, “Now lie down on your stomach, get flat.”
Tanner did as she said and then he felt the cool touch of the cream to his back. He always woke up with his scars burning and itching. He’d just got used to it though as he had no way to reach them with his hands and he wasn’t asking a guy to do it as most of his mates on the ships were male and he was never comfortable asking a female to do it either. He’d lost Kinsey on the night that he received them and they were deeply personal to him; like a constant reminder that he’d failed her. He was self-conscious of them in public and found himself rarely taking his shirt off around strangers.
“I will do this for you every day – every morning and every night as well. I love them. You should show them off.”
“Show them off?” Tanner asked, he was both flabbergasted and puzzled at her reasoning. “I try to hide them.”
“Well, they’re a badge. You saved two children who I bet are eating breakfast with their parents right now. If it hadn’t been for you those two parents would be inconsolable. I bet even now after all these years they would have still been devastated. I’m proud of you and I’d like to paint you with them and I’d like to heal them.”
Tanner closed his eyes. Kinsey was being so gentle and the ointment brought him immediate relief. “They don’t look bad?” he asked.
“They look great. You have the back of a hero. Not many men in this world have a back as sexy as yours, trust me.”
Tanner felt her lips kissing the top of his shoulders. Then she said to him, “You know how we have an hour until breakfast?”
Tanner nodded.
“I did that so I could do this.” She said as she reached around his body and made him fully aware of her.
Tanner pulled to a sitting position and Kinsey leaned into him and said, “I just put this ointment on your back, perhaps too soon now that I think about it, but I’m going to take a shower and I wanted to know if you wanted to join me?” She bit his ear gently and stood from the bed.
As she made her way to the bathroom she turned and gave Tanner a seductive wink. Tanner jumped from the bed and, naked, chased her as she squealed and ran from him. He caught her as she got to the shower and wrapped his arms around her.
“Do you know what the best part of a teddy is?” He asked in her ear as he pulled the strings to her teddy away from her shoulders.
Kinsey nodded. “Knowing you, I’d say that it’s when it hits the floor.”
Tanner laughed, “You got that right,” he said, and pushed Kinsey, now naked like himself, into the shower and turned on the water. “Let me show you a good way to get ready for breakfast.”
Standing in water made Kinsey look young, almost like a girl, and she looked up to Tanner as he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up and placed her so that she was sitting on the bench of the shower. He pushed her back against wall and told her to close her eyes. He knelt down and pulled her thighs apart and when he kissed the inside of them he heard her sigh.
As the hot water rolled down between them and made their skin slippery and warm Tanner kissed Kinsey’s most intimate areas and soon she was quivering with his every move and it wasn’t long before he knew what she liked, what she loved, and what she craved and he made sure to give her all of them at once. After she screamed out his name and thrust herself out to him he stood her up, pushed her against the shower wall and slid into her. He didn’t last long. Having made Kinsey climax turned him on to the point that entering into her made him explode almost instantly. Three thrusts and he was lucky to make a fourth before he came into her with every ounce of himself.
They spent a long time in the shower. They washed the other, kissed, talked, laughed and got used to being together as husband and wife. Then they dressed and went down to breakfast.
They ate under an umbrella by the pool. Tanner had eggs, toast, jelly and iced tea. Kinsey ate a bagel with cream cheese and drank two cups of coffee. They had a clear view of the ocean and Tanner told Kinsey about the boats and ships as they passed by them, just off the coast of Miami.
Then she asked him, “So
I know our honeymoon starts here, but you said you had a surprise and to be ready to pack and go. Is there a certain day or time I need to be packed?”
Tanner looked out to a large sailboat as it passed their hotel heading south. “Let’s do this. There’s a Mass starting just down the block at a small Church, right here in South Beach. It’s near the marina. Why don’t we go to Mass then I’ll take you to the marina and show you something. It should be about ready.”
“Mass and a surprise? Sounds good to me.” Kinsey said. She stood and said, “I need to put on some better shoes. I’ll run upstairs and be down in a minute.”
Tanner stood with her and said, “Okay, I’ll meet you in the lobby.” He gave her a small kiss on the cheek and watched Kinsey walk toward the door to the elevators.
After Mass let out, Tanner led Kinsey on the short walk to the marina. He walked up to the marina office and led Kinsey inside. There was a man sitting behind a desk, dressed in a blue t-shirt, khaki shorts and sandals.
“Tanner, my man. It’s good to see you again. It’s been years.” The man said standing from behind his desk and walking around it toward Tanner, his hand extended.
Tanner shook hands and said, “It has been a while. It’s good to see you, Ken,” then he turned to Kinsey and said, “This is Kinsey, my wife.” He smiled and added, “That felt good. That’s the first time I’ve introduced her to anyone. We’ve only been married a day.”
Ken shook Kinsey’s hand, his eyes lit with her beauty, “I’m more than impressed, Tanner. I’d say I’m even a little jealous. Good for you. Good for both of you, actually.” He turned back to Tanner, “Have you told her about it? It’s all ready. They finished working on it yesterday and I have to say, you picked a spectacular one. It’s almost as gorgeous as your new bride.” Ken looked again to Kinsey nodding his head.
Tanner took Kinsey by the hand and said to Ken, “I haven’t. She has no idea. Why don’t you walk us out to it and I’ll tell her as we go.”
Ken nodded, grabbed his pass key to the docks and went for the door.
Kinsey let Tanner lead her by the hand and asked with big, excited eyes, “Show me what Tanner? What are we doing?”
Tanner led her down the walkway to the docks, just steps behind Ken. “I bought us something with the advance from my new book. I thought I’d show you what I’m all about on this honeymoon and also let you see some new things. You might see something you’d want to paint as well.”
This is all very vague, Kinsey thought as they followed Ken through the dock gate and past several large boats to the end of the dock.
“There she is.” Ken said, his voice loud and excited. “You should both be more than happy with her.” Ken was holding his arms out wide. In front of him was a large, sleek, beautiful new sailboat.
Kinsey looked at Tanner, not getting what it all meant. “What is he talking about?” she asked.
Tanner turned to the boat, then back to Kinsey, “This is our new home for the next week. Or month. Year even, it’s up to you. I bought this and had it delivered here so that I can sail you back to Charleston.” Tanner put his arm around Kinsey and gestured to the boat with his other hand, “We can sail wherever you want to go. You can take pictures, draw, paint; get yourself back into your art. I can be your captain, Kinsey, and sail you to paradise.”
Tanner turned to Ken and asked him to step on the boat and help Kinsey come aboard. Ken did as told and in a moment, Ken, Tanner and Kinsey were all aboard the vessel.
Ken asked Tanner if they needed anything else and when Tanner said no he took his leave and said he’d see them back in his office.
“This is yours, Tanner? You bought this?” Kinsey said, looking down the length of the boat and then up the tall mast as Ken stepped from the boat and made his way down the dock.
“Ours.” Tanner corrected, then he took Kinsey by the hand and led her along the side of the boat toward the bow, “This is our new life. Our new adventure. I want to take you to some of the most wonderful places on God’s earth. I’ve seen them and I want you to see them with those artistic eyes of yours. I don’t want to make you go anywhere but I want to offer you everywhere.”
Kinsey felt her heart soaring at the thought. She’d follow Tanner anywhere he ever wanted to go, no questions asked, and yet here he was offering her the same – only better – he’d take her across the seas, a steering wheel in one hand and the rope to a mainsail in the other, to wherever she wanted to be. “I’ve never been sailing like that, Tanner. I don’t think I’ll be much help. I imagine I’d be a lot more like Gilligan than a true first mate.” Kinsey looked up to Tanner, smiling, her teeth shining white in the sun and the bright glint of her funny joke reflecting from her eyes.
Tanner couldn’t resist her and he kissed her. “I love you, Kins. I can teach you this stuff, it comes with time on the water. Until then you can paint and I can try and get you pregnant. I hear there are lots of different way to love a baby into this world. I’m willing to try all the possible variations.” Tanner kissed Kinsey one more time.
“Variations?” Kinsey asked.
“Positions might be the better word.”
“I can do that.” Kinsey reached around Tanner and squeezed his backside. “I’m a painter. Anything like that, anything visual…” She paused and looked up to Tanner, “well, let’s just say -the thought of being tangled up in you turns me on in a big way. I get it.”
Tanner ran his fingers through Kinsey’s hair and cupped the back of her neck with his hand. “I’m trying to explode your world and you go and blow my mind, Kins. Just by looking at me and being sexy and talking about loving me and saying I can have you anyway I like, you set my mind to running wild and my blood to pumping strong and hot.”
“I aim to make doing that my life’s work. I always want to excite you. You’re doing it for me now – talk about being swept off my feet – sailing off into the sunset with you blows my mind as well.”
“So it’s a yes? You want to do this? We can sail out of here tomorrow, together, just the two of us and we can watch the orange sun set behind the green waves. I’ve noticed that you see color better than I can. I want to take you where the colors are overwhelming and let you paint them.”
“If you want me to paint I have to get my art supplies sent down. Maybe in a couple of days they can be here.” Kinsey said.
“They’re already on board. Jessica had them overnighted two days ago. You were so busy getting ready for our wedding that you never went into your studio and saw them missing.” Tanner said, lifting his eyebrows to the sky.
“Really! You are so sly. And so is Jessica. I love her. I love Jessica, I love Dale and I love you. I guess anything I can think to need then is already aboard this boat?”
“It is.” Tanner said nodding, “Let’s go. I want to take you for a walk on the beach and then give you a massage. You didn’t get much sleep so I’ll let you nap afterwards and I’ll come down here and see Ken and make sure we’re good to cast off tomorrow morning.”
After their walk on the beach and back in the hotel room, Kinsey’s massage, as she suspected it would, became one long, slow, enormous buildup to an incredible orgasm. Then she listened to the waves roll to shore outside their open window and fell into a hard, deep sleep.
The sun was shining bright in the window when Kinsey awoke and she was confused. She felt well rested and healthy, like she’d napped for several hours, but the bright sun made no sense to her. It should have been late evening or perhaps nighttime even.
“That’s my girl.” She heard Tanner saying behind her. She turned to see him dressed in different clothes than he’d been wearing earlier in the day.
“I let you sleep. You were exhausted from the wedding. I knew you were but I didn’t think you’d sleep that long.”
“What do you mean? How long did I?” Kinsey sat up. She felt confused but very alert. She also had to go to the bathroom very badly.
Tanner came to her on the bed and kissed h
er on the cheek, “Let’s just say I gave you an incredible massage. You slept all afternoon, evening and night. It’s morning, Kinsey, and we have a boat waiting for us to set sail on down at the dock.”
Kinsey jumped from the bed. “I wouldn’t believe you except I have to go to the bathroom like I never have before in my life.” She ran for the bathroom and relieved herself.
Tanner talked to her from the other room, “I thought we’d go to dinner when you woke up but you never moved. You just kept sleeping so I had room service bring me dinner and I wrote. I finished my book and I took you in. I watched you sleep and fell more in love with you.”
Kinsey came out from the bathroom, “I’m a bit confused, but I feel incredible. I’ve never done that. I slept awful in those years I couldn’t find you. I would lie awake and feel so alone and then I’d pray for you and I’d finally go to sleep but I never slept well. I think my body is adjusting to having you again…”
Tanner was nodding and he put his hand to Kinsey’s arm as he interrupted, “It’s like you’re decompressing. It’s the same for me. Now that I have you again, my body is letting go of a lot of bad things. I think getting out on the open seas with you will be good for me. I sure hope it is for you as well.”
Kinsey put her arms around Tanner and looked into his eyes, “I wish we were at sea now, Tanner. Don’t worry about me, I have never wanted to do anything more than what you’re offering me. I might get pregnant soon if we keep up at this rate anyway and I doubt I can sail the high seas then. Morning sickness might be a bit much, huh?”
Tanner pulled her close and kissed her. Then he said, “Why does the thought of you pregnant with my baby turn me on so much?”
“Because he an expression of our love. A child is a gift. I think that having your baby would make me feel complete. To birth your child…”
Lights on the Far Horizon Trilogy Page 15