by Cynthia Dane
“Here.” Cornelia by Northwest was the (at the time when he bought it) brand new vessel with a name that even he couldn’t explain. A humble two-stories tall and boasting enough room for a mere two dozen, it was Miguel’s second home in Monaco. Certainly, he had spent many tipsy nights in the cabin, sometimes with a female partner, sometimes alone. Usually his days were going out by himself, entertaining business associates, having silent time with his father (who had his own, much bigger yacht,) or even going fishing if the mood struck him. And taking pretty women like Judith out to show off and indulge in carnal pleasures.
He wasn’t sure about that latter part for today’s excursion. Which was interesting, because usually once they were out on the water, all Miguel could think about was getting beneath his companion’s skirt. When they were alone all the way out there… conversations died. Interests waned. If left to her own devices, the woman would either take a nap whilst sunning herself or play on her phone from here until eternity.
Even if Judith was bored, she never let on. From the moment they stepped on the yacht, she was smiling, checking out the cabin and bringing out more bubbly, and hovering around Captain Miguel as he showed her this and that – including the rope knots he tied by himself.
“I went through this phase as a kid where all I wanted to do was tie ropes,” he explained.
Judith laughed. “You gonna tie me up again sometime soon?”
“Perhaps.”
She asked when they were going to leave the dock and have some fun in the sun. Miguel informed her that he had no intention of cruising with the yacht. “Excuse me?” Judith asked, tapping her foot. “Then why did you bring me all the way up here? To look at toys I can’t play with?” Her hand went straight for his crotch.
Instead of indulging in what she offered right there in a public marina, he pointed to the smaller boat docked beside his. “We’re going out on that.”
She looked over the starboard side. “Ooh, sporty!”
“You don’t even know yet.”
In Monaco, speed boating was a sport. Hell, anything that combined dangerous, motorized vessels and showing off was a time-honored tradition. (He had shown Judith the world famous speedway earlier that morning. If they had more time together in Monaco, he would have taken her to the Grand Prix. Maybe one day, when he was her patron.) How much money did you have? How could you best show it off without looking like you were doing it on purpose? There were many art forms in the world, but for European billionaires, this was one of the most recognizable.
“It’s so cute!” Judith sat in the passenger seat while Miguel checked that everything was in order. “Do you go out in this thing much?”
“On beautiful days like this? As much as I can. But it’s not fun unless I have someone as equally fun to be with.” He winked at her, although she probably couldn’t see it through their combined sunglasses. “Ready?”
“Should I put on a lifejacket?” Judith eyed the one by her feet.
“If you really want to. I promise I’m a safe driver!”
He backed out of the dock, careful to not hit any of the other small boats whipping in and out of the marina. Judith held on with white knuckles, but the glee on her visage wasn’t anything but pure excitement. Her baggy white blouse and khaki shorts looked as carefree as the rest of her.
“You might want to put your hair up, though,” Miguel cautioned at the last minute. “Or so many women have told me over the years.”
“I dunno.” Judith pulled a red scrunchie out of her pocket and whipped her hair back into a loose, low-hanging bun. “You might look good with long hair.”
“Don’t think so.” Once she was situated again, Miguel gunned the gas on the boat and took off for the open water. Judith shrieked so loudly she almost drowned out the motor.
There was nothing like exploring the open seas at top speed, kicking back waves behind a boat and greeting the blaring sun above. Even with dozens of other white vessels crowding around them, Miguel still saw – and felt – nothing but freedom. When he was much younger, this was one of the only ways he could appropriately get away from his family. This and driving his assortment of luxury sedans and sport cars. Unlike the cars and roadways, Miguel was not beholden to trifle things like roads. He could go anywhere. Whip in any direction. Face whatever view he desired. One of his favorite things to do was speed up and down the length of Monaco, taking in the crowded architecture and wondering what it looked like one hundred, five hundred years ago. Then he would veer off toward the southern coast of France, taking note of the rolling countryside and the Maritime Gendarmarie patrolling the coast for idiot billionaires and lost tourists in need of assistance. And pirates. I always wanted there to be pirates. Now Miguel was glad to not have to worry about pirates, but once upon a time, when he was a kid…
“This is amazing!” Judith cried, touching his shoulder as he whipped the boat around not once, but twice, creating a centripetal force that made both of their stomachs lurch in excitement. “Where the hell are we?”
Miguel slowed down and looked to the shoreline. “That’s France right there.”
“Are we near Nice?” She said it the English way.
“Not quite. And it’s pronounced Niece.”
“I bet you threw a nephew in there somewhere too.”
Miguel clicked his tongue. “Typical American. Always have inappropriate thoughts on the brain.”
“Hey! You’re the European! Didn’t you guys invent incest?”
“So I’ve been told.”
Judith leaned over and kissed Miguel on the cheek. “I’ve never had this much fun on a boat before. What else you got?”
What else he got? Miguel had enough to blow her mind from here until death!
They spent the better part of an hour jetting around the Mediterranean, stopping here and there long enough for Judith to take her pictures and catch up on her giggling. She’s really enjoying herself, huh? It was rare for a woman to not enjoy this – unless they were terrified, Miguel supposed – but something about Judith’s mirth made him happy too. For a woman who probably had her pick of boating enthusiasts over the years, she was acting like this was a brand new adventure. She has never been to this part of the world before. No, that wasn’t it. There was something else in that laugh and in that smile. Like she was comfortable with him.
That was it. Until now, Miguel had never been with a woman who was this comfortable with him. They were either putting on a show, trying to seduce or use him for some other end. Whether he paid them to be there or not… didn’t matter. If he paid them, then it was another job. If he didn’t, then they were trying to get his money in other ways.
Judith was being paid to be there… and seemed to genuinely enjoy his company.
Their excursion came to an end after Miguel veered back to the port and pulled up alongside the Cornelia by Northwest. By then, other boats were returning to the dock as well, including a speedboat occupied by no other than Roger Richards, an English multi-millionaire whom Miguel had been tenuous friends with since school in London.
“Bolivar! Long time no see, amigo!” The man stood up in his boat, nearly tipping it over with his lovely, buxom blond companion inside. Great day to take your date out boating, I guess. “You back in Monaco for long? I just got here myself.”
“Going back to America tomorrow, unfortunately!” Miguel called back. “Who’s that with you?”
“You don’t know my girlfriend, Carmen Santiago? She’s from Valencia too!”
Not going to correct him. His family was from Valencia, not him. “Pleasure, Ms. Santiago.”
She looked up with her freakishly white teeth and overly tanned cheeks. “Bonjour!” she greeted with a thick Spanish accent. After Roger leaned in to whisper something, she corrected, “Hola!”
“Who is that gorgeous creature with you?” Roger asked, leaning back to get a better look at Judith. “She must be American. I’m not being rude!”
Judith kept to herself, like
she had at lunch. “This is Judith! My girlfriend!”
“You sly dog! Excuse us, but we have to get going!”
Miguel nodded and waved goodbye.
“Your girlfriend, huh?” Judith crossed her legs… away from Miguel. “That was presumptuous of you.”
“What should I have said, mi amour? That you’re the most beautiful escort in the world?”
“It would’ve been the truth.” She smiled.
“Be that as it may, I have to think of my image as well.” Miguel hopped onto the dock and extended his hand to help Judith out. “I wish I could tell the whole world that you’re my beautiful girlfriend.”
Hand clasped in his, Judith took two long strides through the boat and landed gracefully on the dock. She remained halfway in his embrace. “If all my clients found out that I was your girlfriend… hm, it’s not great for business.”
Miguel quickly changed the subject. “So where to now?”
Her tone changed as well. “What do you think? I want to go to Monte Carlo and see what all the fuss is about!”
Miguel knew she would say that. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that any dreams she had of them strolling through dressed like the most beautiful couple in the world, blowing on dice, and blowing hundreds of thousands of Miguel’s money wasn’t going to come true. There was one small problem.
“What do you mean you can’t go inside?” Judith stared at the throng of tourists lining up like they were going to an upscale club. Bouncers were telling them whether or not they could go in, based on how they were dressed. Yes, my lovely, we would have to go back to my apartment and dress for the occasion. That wasn’t the problem, though.
“No, citizens are not allowed into the gambling rooms. We can go everywhere else on the premises, but we’re not allowed to gamble.”
“What the fuck!”
“You could go, if you want. That restriction wouldn’t apply to you.” He grinned. “We would have to pretty you up first, though. By their standards, that is.”
“I don’t want to go by myself.” Was that a real pout or her playing up her skills? “It’s no fun if I’m not with you.”
“Then let’s go somewhere else.”
“Wait.” Judith popped out of the car and took a picture. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Chuckling, Miguel pulled back out onto the road. “What are all the pictures for?”
“I want pictures in case I never come back again.” Before Miguel could protest that line of thinking, she explained, “I take pictures of all the new places I go. Just in case, you know? I know you have good intentions, but what if I die before I have the chance to come back? I could die of pneumonia or get in a car crash or something.”
Miguel, stopped at a light, eyeing the surrounding automobiles and motorcycles with suspicion. “That’s… depressing. Let’s get out of here.”
They ate at Miguel’s favorite Monegasque restaurant for dinner. The place was on top of a building, an open-air abode with plenty of fauna growing from relocated earth and looking as if they were under a rainforest canopy. There were plenty of openings to see the sea and twinkling stars as they emerged. The temperature remained balmy, meaning Judith never had to cover up those beautiful arms or legs. Nor did Miguel bother with a jacket, even though he had one.
They ate. They drank. They told off-color jokes and debated the current gold standard. The great thing about Judith was that she knew how to have fun and was intelligent in the areas Miguel lived and breathed every day. She had opinions on Quentin Tarantino movies like she had opinions on the latest named CEO of this company and the rising stock prices of that company. Most of the latter she had learned from her clients over the past few years, but a lot of it was also self-study so she could be the perfect conversationalist. Miguel commended her on her abilities.
“The thing most of you clients don’t understand,” Judith began, on her third glass of wine, “is that I am as hardworking and clever as you lot who make billions playing a round of golf. I may not be a millionaire, but I have the skills to become one over the long term. I’m not talking about the sex, although that’s the major draw. Once I have you ensnared, I keep you by being witty, charming, and always surprising you.” She tossed her bushy hair behind her shoulder. “Come for the cunt, stay for the emotional turmoil I bring to your heart.”
Is she wrong? Miguel managed to smile, but inside he realized how much of a sucker he was. “I admit, it worked on me.”
“Of course it did! You’re one of the best clients from the beginning. You knew exactly what was up and what we were doing. You didn’t even pick me. My boss picked me for you, based on you saying what you wanted.”
“I only really told her one thing…”
She was still grinning. “Was she wrong?”
“No way. Although I’m glad there is so much more to you than that. Regardless of how I meet a woman, I rarely want to spend this much time with her.”
“The first since your Nigerian model girlfriend?”
“Perhaps.” I was thinking more like… since Rosa. He would never admit that, though. “I’m not the most social guy.”
She looked at him in disbelief. Or at least he was pretty sure it was disbelief. It could’ve been the three glasses of wine.
The wine was on his side. They walked back to his apartment, having walked to the restaurant in the first place. When it’s only a five minute walk away… That was the nice thing about a country the size of Monaco. He could walk anywhere in his tipsy, not fit to drive state. He wasn’t drunk, but he was also pretty sure driving was a bad idea, no matter how good he usually was. Instead, Miguel slung his arm around Judith and lumbered down the sidewalk with her, singing a common French children’s song – badly.
“Wait, how does that last part go again?” Judith asked as they entered the foyer of the apartment building. “It sounded dirty.”
Miguel had intended to keep things cleaner until later that night, but from the moment they entered his apartment, Judith was on him, stroking his chest, his hips, his damned cock as if she couldn’t wait to get him in bed. Maybe she couldn’t. Maybe she truly wanted him as much as he wanted her.
With wine in him, it was certainly easy to believe that.
Judith hopped off the ground, legs springing around his waist. Miguel held her tight against his chest, fighting back the endless urge to kiss her. It was more pertinent to get her to his bed. “Do you believe me?” he asked, lost in her color-changing eyes. “That I love you?”
“Dunno. How many languages can you say it in?”
“I love you.”
“That’s one.” They were in the bedroom, door barging open.
“Je’taime.”
“Two.” They stopped at the bed.
“Te amo.”
Judith landed with a heavy thump on the bed, Miguel instantly looming over her. “Three. Give me one more.”
Was there anything better than surrounding such a beautiful woman on a man’s own bed? Miguel could bury his face in her breasts if he wanted. “I’m trilingual, mi amour. What do you want from me?”
“Surprise me.” Her fingers did the dirty work for him.
Miguel scrambled his brain into a huge mess trying to think of any other language he was familiar enough with. Italian? Too safe. Portuguese? Would she even know that one? How the fuck did one say “I love you” in German? I should know that one!
“Wo ai ni.”
Judith stifled an ugly noise. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how you speak Mandarin.”
“So sue me.” Miguel placed a careful kiss on her forehead, his body heating up, his heart thumping so loudly that it was almost deafening. “I’m a billionaire. I can afford a lawsuit.”
“You can make up for your lack of linguistics by fucking my brains out.”
That was all the permission Miguel needed. He shoved himself on her, covering her mouth with heavy kisses and rubbing against her thighs in the hopes that she would be ready for him sooner rather
than later.
Based on how hard her fingers dug into the back of his neck as his fingers wandered inside her… she was ready sooner.
Please say you love me too. Miguel gave lovemaking his all. All his passion. All his desire. All his hopes for the future and the regrets of the past. He had loved and lost before. It seemed so far away and irrelevant now. Men loved. Men lost. They grew older and wiser. Miguel was at an age where it made sense to pick a woman who made him laugh, love, and live the hardest. Don’t you love me too?
It wasn’t manly to ask that out loud. Nor to beg. Nor to imply that he was somehow less without her affections. It didn’t stop him from constantly thinking it, however. A man could help how he acted and what he said. He could not help the tumultuous emotions in his heart.
The only way he had to communicate was through his actions. So he showed Judith how much he could love a woman with his body. Every thrust, every kiss, and every groan upon his lips was a message to her heart.
When a man loved that hard, there was no reason. No rules. No forces of nature too strong to make him see reality. Who cared that Judith had a job that prevented traditional monogamy? That wasn’t why he had fallen in love with her. She was a woman of free will, and she exerted it with such power that he couldn’t help but be in awe of her. It was a miracle that no other man had come along and swept her off her feet yet. Why couldn’t it be him?
It felt so to right hold her in his arms, beneath her, on top of him, in whatever direction they naturally fell. The sheets were ruined from how hard they loved. Skin bruised from lips and eager fingers. Judith cried out more than once that Miguel was one of the strongest men she had ever been with. He knew what she meant, and had no reason to disbelieve her.
When he came, it was before her – but not without taking her down with him.
She is mine. You are mine, Judith. Do you feel that? It’s me, inside of you, like you are inside of me in many ways. Was it animal, or was it man? That sensation of pure pride he felt when he was as deep as he could go, unleashing his virility within her core. Judith wailed. The most beautiful sound Miguel had ever heard as he came down from his climax.