“No problem,” Ron says with a chuckle.
“Nice to meet you,” I say before he walks away.
Oh no. This doesn’t sound good. “Chase, what are we doing?” I’m sure he sees the anxiety wash over me.
“How do you feel about sharks?”
“Um, I don’t want to be eaten by one, but otherwise, I think they’re fascinating. Why?”
“If you’re OK with it, we’re going to get into the cage that’s on the side of that boat and go under water to swim with the sharks. If you’re not comfortable with it, we don’t have to. I swear it won’t upset me. I know I’m springing this on you, but I thought with what you’re studying at college, you’d enjoy it.”
“That sounds awesome. I’d love to.”
He grins and pulls me into a hug, obviously pleased with my decision. I love the feel of his strong biceps wrapped around me.
“I had a feeling you’d like the idea.”
I see several men hard at work as they move around the boat. Chase helps me up the steps.
“Welcome on board. I’m glad you decided to give it a try. He said you’re a risk taker,” Ron says, laughing.
“He did, huh?” I glance to Chase. We sit down before he smiles and squeezes my leg.
“It’s true. You like to risk your safety,” he says with a shrug of his shoulders.
“You worry about me an awful lot.”
“I don’t want anything to happen to you, but I feel this is a safe thing to do, unlike you walking alone in the dark on the beach.” He leans over and kisses my cheek. I don’t think he could be any cuter.
Ron walks back over to us. “We’ll be riding out about three miles before we begin this morning, so I’m just going to go over all the safety precautions as we take off. Since it’s just the two of you, there isn’t any sense in me doing it over the intercom.”
After Ron finishes giving us instructions, I pull my hands up into the sleeves of my sweatshirt, preparing myself for the chilly ride. Chase notices and picks up my legs, swiveling them up onto his lap. He wraps one arm around them while his other arm pulls me tight against him.
I haven’t had a male look after me in a very long time. It’s comforting, so I lay my head against his shoulder and soak in his kindness and warm embrace as the salty, cool mist showers us.
Some time passes before Ron walks past us. “We’ll be stopping in a minute. You must be a very special woman to get this boat to yourself.”
I glance to Chase. “What did he mean by that? Is there normally a lot of people on these tours?”
“Yes, but you don’t need to worry about that.”
“Chase, did you reserve this whole boat just for us?”
“Yes. I didn’t think I’d be able to last minute, but there wasn’t as many signed up for this one, so they managed to move people to the later times.”
“That means you had to pay for everyone. How many are normally on here?”
“Um, twenty or so. Don’t worry about how many, and I really wish I’d told him not to mention that.” He seems a bit aggravated at Ron now.
“You had to have paid at least a couple of grand for us to do this. Why? I would’ve been content on here with other people.”
“I know, but you wouldn’t get as much time with the sharks as I think you deserve.” He smiles as he tucks hair behind my ear. “Also, the selfish me wants to be alone with you.”
“Thank you, but I don’t need you to do things like this. It’s very sweet, but you can’t spend that kind of money on me. It isn’t right.” I look away from him. I’m embarrassed.
“I have it to spend, and I wanted to do something nice for you since you were so understanding about my past. Actually, I’ll want to keep doing nice things for you because you’re so special.”
“I’m very flattered and grateful, but you need to know that I’m probably the least high maintenance woman you’re going to meet. My family wasn’t wealthy, so I don’t have high expectations when it comes to having expensive things or doing expensive activities. I’m fairly easy to please.”
“I know. All the more reason I want to do it, and all the more reason you deserve it. Please just enjoy yourself and not think about that, OK?”
His smile is gone. He was so excited earlier, and now I’ve hurt his feelings. Although this is all too much, it was very sweet of him. I take his chin and turn his face toward me.
“Thank you. I’m just overwhelmed that you did something so thoughtful. No one has ever treated me this way. You’re very sweet, Chase.” I lean over and bury my face against his neck, kissing it a few times. He squeezes my thigh a little harder.
“As good as that feels, Skyla, you need to stop. If you don’t, I’m having them turn the boat around. There are things I want to do to you, and I can’t do them here.”
He has me aroused now. I’m pretty certain of what he has in mind, but I want to hear him say it, so I whisper in his ear.
“What exactly do you want to do to me, Chase?”
He turns and locks his gaze with mine. After a few seconds, he leans over and whispers back to me as he cups my face with his hand.
“I find myself wanting to make love to you, which is a first for me. I want to do it gently and slowly, savoring every second of it, but after that … I plan to fuck you hard.”
My heart begins racing. I feel my lip quivering, and the aching pulse returns between my thighs. I swallow hard before I conjure up the nerve to look into his eyes.
“I don’t think I’m going to enjoy myself this morning.”
He lets go of my face and looks at me with a worried expression.
“You told me that if I don’t enjoy myself on this outing, then you’ll make sure I do when we get back. Now I have this unbearable ache between my legs that needs relief, so I need not to enjoy this.”
He gives me a boyish grin. “It’s difficult for me, but I guess I could let you have both.”
Playfully, I push him away. “I’m so sure it’d be difficult for you.” I roll my eyes. I have to do something to break some of this sexual tension, or I’m really not going to enjoy myself because sex is all I’m going to be able to think about, especially after what he did to me the other night.
“OK, back to the task at hand … what kind of sharks are we going to see?”
“They are mostly Galapagos and maybe sandbar.”
When we stop, we get on our snorkel gear. Ron tells us that the water is around 650 feet deep where we’re at. I bravely step up and say that I want to be the first to climb down the ladder into the cage.
Once Chase is in, we immediately see the sharks coming up below us. Some of them look to be as long as eight feet, and they circle around us, sometimes gliding right along the bars of the cage. I’m in awe over this experience. Blessed isn’t a strong enough word for how I feel to be a guest in this magical ocean with these marvelous creatures.
Chase comes up to me several times and wraps his arms around my waist. We smile and point like two kids at the zoo for the first time. I feel as if Bud’s with me when I’m in or near the ocean. He became a part of it, and I know there’s no other way he would’ve wanted to die. I just wish it didn’t have to be so soon. He lit up the world, and the more Chase opens up to me, the more he reminds me of Daniel.
Since we were the only ones on the boat, we get in a few different times, taking a small break in between. I’m cold after we get out for good, so I put on my sweatshirt and curl up against Chase again. He feels warm and safe, and for the first time in a long time, I feel full. The emptiness in my heart is gone.
We get into the Mercedes, and I’m giving him what I’m sure is that big, goofy grin of mine. I lean over and kiss his cheek. “Thank you. That was unbelievable. I had a really great time.”
“You’re welcome. I had a great time, too.”
“To be that far out in the ocean and that close to the sharks gave me a little time to be a part of something so much larger than myself. I can’t believe I’
m telling you this, but I’ve wanted to be a mermaid since I was a little girl. I’d be one very happy mermaid.”
Chase chuckles.
“I know it’s silly.”
“No it’s not. I was just thinking of how damn sexy you’d be as a mermaid. It’s a sight I’d like to see. Of course, only if I can stay in the ocean with you.”
I feel a tug at my heart. Bud called me Nixie. The legend is that Nixie’s a water dwelling spirit that appears in human form. When I was eight years old, Bud and I looked up mermaids on the internet. As soon as he stumbled upon the name, he started calling me that. Bud gave nicknames to everyone he knew.
“Hey, sexy mermaid, you OK over there?”
I snap out of my trance and glance to Chase.
“Yes, sorry.”
“If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, then just tell me, but would you want to grab some things and get cleaned up at my house? As you know, I have awesome bathrooms. You can shower or soak in the Jacuzzi tub. I’m not ready to give you up.”
“I’d like that. I should get to enjoy them since I’m the one who cleans them,” I say jokingly.
I grab some things from my house, and we drive to Chase’s. My nerves are starting to get the best of me. I have no doubt we’ll be fooling around today, but how soon, and how far we go is the big question.
More than a Mere Taste
Chase
I’ve had the best morning with Skyla. She’s the tranquil light at the end of the tunnel. She takes nothing for granted. I still don’t deserve her, but I vow to be better because of her.
As soon as we enter the house, she looks at me as if she doesn’t know what to do next. I take hold of one of her hands. “When I’m finished showering, I’ll run out and get us some breakfast. Does that sound good?”
“Sure. I’m hungry since I got up so early.”
“Go take whichever bathroom you want, except for mine, or you’ll have company.”
She gives me a nervous smile before we both walk upstairs to the bedrooms. After pleasuring her the other night and our conversation about sex this morning, there will be no way for me to keep my hands off of her. I’m selfish, so I’m sure I’ll take more than a mere taste this time.
After I finish showering, I leave to get breakfast. Skyla’s sitting on the patio when I return. I get a strange, warm feeling seeing her so comfortable at my home. She belongs here with me.
“I have breakfast. We can eat out here if you want.” Damn she smells good, and she’s wearing some revealing ass clothing, too. She has on a low cut, light blue top that gives me a great boob shot as I stand over her. Then she has more of those damn tiny denim shorts on.
“Thank you. I’m starving. I guess it’s from all that flailing around I did in the shark cage.”
“Between the two of us, there was a lot of that going on,” I say, chuckling.
After we eat, we stare at the ocean in silence. I’m in amazement over how much Skyla loves the ocean the way I do. I’m hopeful that one of these days, we’ll surf together. She’s by far the coolest woman I’ve ever met.
I look over and find that she’s sound asleep. I quietly laugh. I guess I got her up too early, and then I imagine the sound of the waves put her to sleep, or maybe it was the flailing. I have to laugh again. I can’t recall ever feeling this happy. I want to lie next to her, so I pick her up. She slightly opens her eyes.
“You can go back to sleep, baby. I’m going to put you in bed.”
She yawns and wraps her arms around my neck before she closes her eyes again. I can’t get over how much she trusts me, and it honestly annoys me a little. She’s going to end up hurt by trusting the wrong person. Her kindness makes her naïve. She believes her goodness is in everyone, and it’s unfortunately not true.
I gently place her in my bed and watch her roll over away from me. After climbing in, I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close. I can’t resist nuzzling my nose into her neck and hair. Damn, she feels and smells unbelievable.
It surprises me when she starts to roll back over. I let her go and back up. She stares at me, inches from my face before she leans right in and kisses me. I wasn’t going to mess around with her right now, but she wants to, and I’m not about to turn her down.
My hand runs up into her hair as I pull her head close, deepening our kiss. Her hand goes under the back of my shirt, and just like the other times, her touch sets me on fire. I have a constant burn for Skyla. I’m not numb or high, so I feel her touch awakening every nerve on my body.
Letting her mouth go, I slowly graze my lips along her jaw line until I’m near her ear. “You make me feel alive, Skyla,” I whisper before my lips move to her neck. She rolls onto her back, inviting me in to touch and taste all of her.
Sitting up on my knees, I pull my shirt off before I reach down and pull hers up over her head. Shit, she has a hot, lacy bra on. She reaches behind her and unhooks it, throwing it off my bed. The deepest breath escapes me as I admire her.
A smile appears on her face. “I’ve been waiting to get up close and personal with your chest and abs, and they’re about to be on top of me. Your body is sensational,” she says, gazing up at me.
“Really? You want to talk about my body while you’re topless in my bed with the most gorgeous set of tits?” In a second, my eager mouth is on one, and my hand is on the other. Her nipple hardens against my swirling tongue, and her hands pull on my hair.
“Fuck,” I groan. “Skyla, my body wants to explode, but I want to go slow and enjoy the feel and taste of your skin.”
“Do whatever you want to me. I just want you, Chase … more than anything.”
“Shit, don’t tell me to do whatever I want.” My mouth takes in all of her magnificent breast as my lust rushes to the surface. I swear I’m going to bury myself inside of her. She tilts her head back against the pillow, arching against my mouth while pulling even harder on my hair.
“Do you have a condom?” she asks as she gasps for air.
“Yes.”
“Don’t take your time, Chase. Just fuck me hard.”
“Damn, Skyla, you are the hottest woman.” I’m off the bed, pulling off the rest of my clothes. She’s wiggling out of her shorts and lacy underwear just as fast. Clothes off, condom on, and I’m back on top of her in seconds.
“Please, Chase. My body is aching for you to be inside it.” She stares at me with pleading eyes.
I slide right in, and how wet she is catches me off guard. “Skyla, you feel incredible.”
Skyla
Chase slides right in, filling me full. I feel desperate to be this close to him. His tongue probes my mouth as he thrusts into me repeatedly, answering my urgent plea. The ache I felt before is now a throbbing sensation, but it feels heavenly.
The lust he’s unleashing on my body feeds my pleasure. I rake my nails down his back before I lift my hips, allowing him to bury himself deeper. Each thrust grinds me into a space of sheer ecstasy. I open my eyes and Chase is giving me a burning stare.
“Keep your eyes on me, Skyla. I want to see your face again when you come.”
His desire filled words and thrusts feed my pleasure until my trembling body climaxes, crashing around him. He plunges against my release before his body stiffens. I feel the exquisite, powerful muscles along his body squeezing me tight as he erupts inside of me, letting out a harsh groan. He collapses, his face lay in my hair while heavy breaths of relief fan my neck.
“Every inch of you is fucking irresistible. You’re mine, Skyla. All. Mine. I won’t be able to let you go.” He brushes kisses along my cheek and forehead while he strokes my hair.
We settle next to each other, and I curl up against him, hearing only our heavy breathing as I draw along the ripples of his abs with my fingertips.
“I don’t want you to let me go, Chase, and that was the most exceptional orgasm ever.” I rest on his chest, feeling happier and safer than I ever have in my life.
Chase
A blank
et covers me when I wake up. It’s Skyla’s soft body draped across me, radiating so much warmth. I feel her chest moving above mine, her hair tickling my neck. The magnitude of grief and loneliness I’ve felt for years is confirmed from the happiness I’m feeling today.
I’m gently running my fingers through her hair as I glance at the clock and see that it’s only one. The doorbell rings. I debate on letting it go, but whoever it is rings the damn thing again.
Surprisingly, I’m able to slide out from under Skyla without her waking. She must be a heavy sleeper. She’s now face down on my bed, looking alluring as ever with half her body out of the sheet. After slipping on my shorts, I go downstairs to the door.
“Hey, bro,” Eric says.
“Figures I got out of bed for you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, and why are you still in bed? It’s after lunch, dude.”
“Let’s go out on the patio, and since when do you come to my front door?”
“Since I walked in on you groping Skyla.” He’s chuckling now. “So, are things still going good between the two of you?”
In the past, I didn’t hesitate to tell him there was a woman in my bed, but Skyla’s special. It should be up to her if she wants him to know, so I need to get him out of here before she wakes up.
“I’m not pushing her away again. I really like her.”
“I’m glad for ya, man. A little jealous but glad for both of you. I’m still going to be friends with her, so you’re going to have to deal with that.”
“I don’t care if you’re friends, but I can already tell that I’m going to be jealous with her. No one is taking her from me.”
Eric gets his phone out. “Chill, bro, nobody’s trying. I need to call her and see if she’s coming down to the beach tomorrow before I forget.”
Shit. He can’t call her right now. “Why don’t you do it later?”
“No. I want to see what she says about your sorry ass, anyway.”
“Dammit, I said don’t call her right now.”
The Mermaid and her King Page 10