Across the Ocean

by Heather Sosbee

  salemsme: Wow, that really sounds amazing. Stop rubbing it in. :P

  marxist: If you were here, it would just be you and I going. There’s no way you wouldn’t have a good time. ;)

  salemsme: Emilia DID tell me about your “magic fingers”, and how well they could please a lady. Too bad I live so far away and will probably never get the chance to experience them.

  marxist: A guy can dream, can’t he? Do you have any idea of the things I want to do to you?

  salemsme: You’re always welcome to explicitly explain exactly what you are imagining.

  marxist: I was just thinking of what I would do to you in the hot pools….

  ******

  Present Time

  My eyes slowly open. They’re heavy from being so comfortable and toasty. I’m not sure how long we’ve been in here. I risk taking a peek at Ari while Lára is having an animated discussion with Gunnar, Helgi, and Baldvin. A lightning bolt of shock runs down my insides when our eyes suddenly lock. I can’t look away.

  I can hear the swoosh of blood flowing through my ears and my heartbeat picks up speed. Moments of eye contact between the two of us have been so few and far between that I am unprepared for my own physical reaction.

  I can feel the pinch of my nipples as they harden and I watch as Ari’s eyes drag like a caress down my neck and chest to rest on my nipples. Goose bumps break out over my skin, even though I’m almost completely immersed in hot water, with my breasts floating above the surface like buoys. His eyes seem to heat up, and he meets my eyes again with such intensity.

  A foot is brushing against mine under the water, and I look over to see Gunnar looking at me with a little smirk on his face. I’m guessing he can see my nipples too. Eat your heart out Gunnar, and enjoy the show. I don’t even care.

  I think I’m starting to turn into jelly. The heat of the water has seeped into my bones. My skin is burning up all over, and I can feel some sweat forming on the back of my neck.

  “Phew, it’s getting really toasty. How do you all keep from turning into soup?” Sitting up, I fan my face and neck with my hand. My skin is turning pink, and I might be getting too hot.

  “We’re used to it, since we’re Icelandic men,” jokes Gunnar while wagging his eyebrows at me. Gosh, he’s charming. Take off those damn sunglasses!

  “Yeah, Vikings can handle the heat,” Baldvin adds.

  “I’m going to jump in the shower. I’m turning into a prune. What about you guys?”

  Lára suddenly stands up and water sloshes down her body as she steps out of the pool. She walks carefully (it’s slippery!) over to the door that I didn’t realize housed a shower.

  The guys all shrug and nod in agreement. Gunnar, Helgi and Baldvin climb out of the hot pools and head into the men’s dressing room. Realizing that it’s just Ari and I left, I waste no time in checking him out thoroughly, now that I have a chance. I’m not disappointed.

  Wearing a pair of navy blue swim trunks that end a smidge above his knees, he’s just perfectly Ari. His eyes are eating me up at the same time, now that we have a few seconds to enjoy each other without anyone watching. The pleasure I feel at knowing he is also looking at and wanting me is heady.

  I sit up and shift to rest with my weight on my knees and shins underneath me so the water only going to right above my hips. If anyone suddenly comes out, I want to look like I’m preparing to stand up. Water is cascading down my body in ripples, and Ari’s eyes are following the drops hungrily, as if he wishes it was his tongue making the journey down my stomach and between my thighs.

  The door to the dressing rooms and shower are behind me; Ari is inching closer, but we are not touching. I think we both know the risks of that, and I’m unsure on whether or not he is going to cross that line. There’s no real way for me to know what is going through his mind right now, but fuck, I wish I could. I want to know all the dirty, nasty things he wants to do to me.

  I have far too much respect and admiration for Ari to put him in a position to betray Lára. Of course, the mean bitch in me wishes he would do something anyways, and I don’t want to force it on him. I want him to come to me on his own terms, if at all.

  Ari’s eyes rise again to meet mine. His expression dark and hot and causes my pulse to go crazy. A sense of excitement chases through my body as I see one of his hands lift toward me. I think my breath is trapped in my chest as I watch in seemingly slow motion.

  Water drips off his fingers and down his arm to his elbow to fall into the pool. Time is slowing to a halt as his hand comes nearer to my left collarbone. My whole body jerks slightly when he finally makes contact, causing a shiver to trace through me from the mixture of cool air and heat from his skin. Oh god, please touch me more. Please, please.

  I’ve always read romance novels that claim that electricity can seemingly travel between two people with the right chemistry. I never understood it before now, but with just his single fingertip on my skin, I’m lit up like a Christmas tree. My nipples pucker again and I suck in a quick breath. Goose bumps break out all over my body.

  The tickling sensation is delicious when his finger starts to drag down my chest at a snail’s pace, leaving a damp yet searing trail behind. My body has begun to tremble and is overwhelmed with anticipation and desire. A deep throbbing has begun between my legs, followed by a trickle of moisture, and I cannot believe how wildly turned on I am from a single fingertip.

  Ari’s finger approaches the upper edge of my bikini top, and hesitates for a second. His eyes are still focused on mine yet are frequently dropping to look at my lips, which are quivering with my breathing and open slightly. I wish so badly that he could kiss me.

  I jerk slightly again as the palm of his hand unexpectedly covers my entire left breast. The heat from his hand completely sears me, and I know he can feel my taut nipple under my bathing suit. I let out a barely audible moan. His thumb sweeps over the upper slope of my breast ever so gently. His eyelids flutter for a second before closing completely in what seems to be sheer bliss. My left hand lifts to cover his, and press it more firmly against my breast. His touch feels so good, so right.

  We are torn from our private bubble when we hear the water of the shower turn off, and we pull away from each other like guilty children. Standing up, Ari heads toward the connecting and deepest pool, but not before I can see his hard cock pressing against his swim trunks. He dunks himself in quickly, making a hissing sound at the heat. At least I’m not the only one turned on and affected by this.

  Now seems like a good time as any for me to get out and change, especially if everyone else is almost finished. I stand up out of the water, and carefully step out of the pool onto the walkway and head toward the dressing room. Before walking in, I look back over my shoulder to see Ari frozen in the deepest pool, eyes fixed on my ass. With a small smirk, I head inside and change.

  ******

  We’ve made it back to the house where we are staying and we’re preparing to head to the house of someone named Sæþór (pronounced like psy-thor) who lives down the street. Even though I can be quite the social butterfly, I’ve found that because everyone speaks a different language, I feel a lot shyer than I’m used to.

  I’ve changed into a pair of jeans and Converse sneakers, along with a green scoop neck tank top that totally shows off my rack. Topping off the ensemble is a light blue zippered hoodie for added warmth. My hair is down and I’ve run a flatiron through it to manage the unruly parts.

  My makeup is minimal, with only some mascara, eyeliner, and a sweep of some blush on my cheeks. I have decided to go for casual since that seems to be what everyone else is doing. I’m not really overly concerned about my appearance; I’m more here just for the good time than to impress.

  Lára, Ari, and I decide to walk down to the party since it’s just down the street, while Gunnar and Helgi decide to go a different party going on at the same time. They promise to meet up with us later tonight and I realize I’m a little bummed that Gunnar won’t be
there. He’s fun…and hot.

  From our suitcases we grab some beers and harder liquor that we purchased before heading out of Reykjavik and put them into a grocery bag. We head out the door and I follow them up the street, all the while admiring how tiny this little town is.

  Coming up to a house, Ari and Lára just walk in without knocking. I’m really hoping I’m welcome because I’ve been raised to always knock. Regardless, there is obviously a party going on inside and no one cares that we’ve just let ourselves in.

  ******

  I have to be honest. This night was alright, but not amazing. I think the most fun I had was when I got to jump on the giant trampoline. I got flirted with a lot, but because of the language barrier, I found that it was easy for everyone to slip back into Icelandic and talk to each other rather than to me. I can’t blame them though. I’m in their country, and they have all grown up together speaking one language.

  Most of this evening was spent with me trying to socialize yet keep Ari at least within my peripheral vision. There were a few times we chatted casually, and he even sat next to me. Mostly though, I think it was a bit awkward and uncomfortable for both of us.

  I have consumed one beer too many, and I’m definitely feeling the buzz. Baldvin has been hanging around me quite a bit, and I’m starting to suspect he’s flirting with me. He’s good looking and nice, but I’m not really interested.

  After several hours, Ari and Lára tell me they are ready to head back for the night. I’m a bit relieved. I feel a little out of place here, since I don’t know everyone like they know each other, nor am I Icelandic. I am, however, quite tipsy. Beers may or may not have been given to me in excess by the guys tonight.

  Immediately upon returning to our borrowed house, Lára heads to her room with a little wave in my direction, Ari close behind. I plop down onto the pull out couch that I prepared before we left for the party. After a fierce struggle of toeing my shoes off, I snuggle into the comforter and let out a tired sigh.

  Lára emerges from her room in some red pajama pants and a white camisole and heads straight for the bathroom, probably to take care of her girly business and brush her teeth. After some minutes pass, she emerges and smiles at me.

  “Night,” she says, heading back into her room.

  “Goodnight!” I call after her.

  After waiting some minutes (I’m not too certain how many of them it was, what with the being tipsy and all), I work some crazy leg motions that I don’t think I could do while sober to maneuver my pants down and off. Wiggling out of my shirt and tossing it onto my bag, I lay there listening to the sound of music playing from the house next door.

  Listening to the noises of a party the next house over, I’m having trouble falling asleep. The dark curtains over the window aren’t completely blocking all the sunlight out of the room, and it’s rather distracting. My brain is all over the place and it’s hard enough to focus, let alone to fall asleep without the world starting to spin. At least there is good music playing next door.

  I’ve learned so much about different types of music while being here, and I’m really enjoying it. There are a lot of bands that I’ll be listening to in the future. The always awesome Icelandic musicians like Sigur Rós, Gus Gus, and Björk. The non-Icelandic musicians like Chicane, Younger Brother, Muse, and Damien Rice….

  Wait, what was I thinking about again? Man, I’m really sloshing around in my head. I’ve got to stay awake a bit longer so that I don’t get sick when I close my eyes. It’s so easy to think about how sexy Ari looked in the hot pools earlier today, though, so I zoom in on those memories. You can do that when you’re drunk, you know.

  Remembering his hand cupping my breast, my own hand lifts to mimic my memory. Trailing my fingertip slowly from my collarbone down to my breast, I let out a small huff of frustration.

  All of this vacation is just one big tease. I could really, really use an orgasm right about now. Everyone seems to be sleeping, going to sleep, or partying, so maybe I will just take care of things on my own. Plus, it’ll help me fall asleep.

  Pinching my left nipple briefly through my bra and tank top, I let go and my hand wanders leisurely down my stomach until I come to the edge of my lace panties. Closing my eyes, my fingertips inch under the elastic and inside. If I concentrate enough, I can pretend it’s Ari touching me.

  I slide my fingers between my sensitive folds and am already wet. I brush lightly against my clit, and in my mind, Ari is the one touching me. His hand is eager to feel me, to pleasure me. I scissor my legs to kick the comforter down and lift both of my knees for better access while placing my feet flat against the bed. I’m already so turned on just from imagining his touch. He drives me crazy with desire.

  Rubbing in small, slow circles, I feel my orgasm begin to build steadily and I let my head fall back against the pillow. My mind wanders to Ari’s eyes and how hot they had burned while he touched me. I know he wants me as badly as I want him. His fingers know just where to touch me and how to please me.

  I’m so wet already that when two of my fingers dip down, they easily slide inside. Pressing the palm of my hand against my clit, my mind pictures Ari standing over me, his fingers inside of me. His mouth is on my nipples, sucking and biting. My fingers begin fucking at a slow pace, stroking inside my wet heat, building my pleasure against my clit and g-spot.

  My breathing has turned into panting, and I’m trying to remember that I can’t make any sounds since there are people sleeping on the other side of the wall next to my pull-out bed. My other hand comes up to my mouth, and I bite lightly on the back of my wrist to keep quiet as my fingers are moving faster, working me into a frenzy.

  “Oh, fuck.”

  I freeze. My eyes fly open and I look up. Ari is standing there with no shirt on, and only a pair of blue plaid pajama bottoms. My mouth hangs wide open in shock, as his eyes glitter with a mixture of surprise and heat. Awash with sudden nostalgia, my mind immediately flies back to many years ago when he touched himself for my viewing pleasure. How much I enjoyed it, and how much I know he’ll enjoy watching me.

  I can immediately see that he is hard and straining through his pants. I’m guessing he had been on his way to the bathroom and couldn’t help but see the show I was putting on.

  Strangely though, I’m not shy. Not with Ari. I don’t see how this is any different or less sexy from what he did for me. I don’t even see a reason why I should stop what I’m doing. There are really only three options here. He can either: leave, watch, or participate. One way or another, I’m getting an orgasm.

  Chapter 5

  There is just something about Ari that gets my blood hotter and flowing faster than it already was. He is standing in the hallway but I want him closer, so much closer. I want him to watch me. I’m dying for him to put his hands on me, his lips, and his tongue. A fleeting thought passes me and I really, really hope that Lára is fast asleep. My dark side is shining tonight and she’s going to get a little dirty.

  Very deliberately, I lift my unoccupied right hand, and move it to cup my right breast through my bra, rubbing in circles around my nipple. Biting my lower lip, my eyes lock with his. I want him to know that this is just for him.

  Not removing my underwear, I continue slowly rubbing my clit, my eyes still watching him. He takes a step toward me, almost involuntarily, and then another. Soon he is standing at the foot of the pull out bed. His fingers are clenching and unclenching as his eyes zero in between my legs.

  My lace panties don’t hide much, so I know he can see what my fingers are doing. I slide two of my fingers back inside my pussy as my back arches and head falls back with pleasure.

  I take a peek at Ari and can see he has one hand adjusting his rock hard cock through his pants. His eyes are still completely locked on my fingers. He grips my calves just below my knee and slowly starts to drag my body down near the edge of the bed. I feel the bed shift and see that he’s come up here on his knees, between mine. Both of his hands lift to grab
my knees possessively, pushing them wider apart as he slides his legs in to cradle the underside of my thighs. His gaze is searing hot as it flows over my body and a trickle of wetness seeps out of my pussy in response.

  I’m thoroughly shocked that he has gotten this close. The heat coming off his body is seeping into mine, making me crave more. His eyes are deep, dark and very, very hungry. A dart of lust heads straight for my pussy, and I can feel it rippling around my fingers.

  Ari’s cock is so very close to my pussy, and when I lift my hips off the bed a little, they come in contact. My hand starts to slide out of my panties, wanting to grind my clit against him (no brainer). With a slight frown of focus, his hand lets go of my knee and snakes out to grab my retreating hand. Pulling firmly, he forces me to lean up against my other elbow while he brings my hand to his mouth.

  Eyes meeting mine, he slides the two fingers that are glistening with my arousal, very slowly into his mouth. He wraps his lips around them and begins to suck them clean. Pulling them out of his mouth, he separates my fingers, licking and sucking between and around them. His eyes roll slightly back in his head as he closes them.

  A low, deep sound of pure pleasure rumbles in his chest. Holy fuck. My hips jerk against him of their own accord, since they’re obviously as turned on as my brain is.

  Guiding my hand back down, he slides my fingers back inside of my panties and resumes his grip on my knee.

  “Continue,” he growls quietly yet firmly in a tone that allows for no argument. You better believe I’m a good girl. I do as I’m told. I run my fingers through my wetness and bring it up to coat my clit. I’m so goddamned turned on and wet that it’s dripping down between my ass cheeks.

  While looking up at him, I bite my lip and slide my fingers inside. His eyes are focused on my fingers, so I pull my hand back a little to use my thumb on my clit while my fingers begin a steady and firm tempo. My panties are being pushed back away from my pussy by the back of my hand in this position, and Ari can see everything.