by Ashley West
"How's that, love?" I said.
"Oh, yes," she said. "More."
I was using a rocking motion that rubbed her clit while at the same time hitting her G-spot. This technique had the bonus of not getting me too excited so that I could last longer.
I kept it up, noticing that her skin had broken out in a sweat, and she was hot. Her body writhed beneath mine as her pleasure increased. I bent and took one of her breasts into my mouth while continuing to rock into her. After a while, she whimpered and began to thrust her hips back into mine.
"I need you deeper, Nathaniel."
I immediately changed to longer thrusts.
"Harder," she begged.
I drove into her, barely holding on to my control. But damn it. I wanted her to have one more.
I reached down between us and began to touch her clit again and within a minute, she was nearly there.
I pounded into her as fast as I could while I touched her little bud.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" She screamed and let go, her body wracked with wave after wave of pleasure. The clenching of the walls of her sex was too much and after a couple more thrusts, I groaned, stiffening as I found my release.
"Nathaniel," she moaned over and over.
I pressed my hips hard into hers, not wanting to pull out. I wanted to be part of her as long as possible.
I kissed her lips and held her close until she finally went limp beneath me. With a deep sigh, I rolled to the side.
She made a little sound of loss, but I pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her. I loved the feel of her body next to mine. She was perfect. She was Ashlyn. She was my wife. And I loved her.
ASHLYN
Holy shit, I thought the moment I awoke. If I had known sex with Nathaniel was going to be like that, I wouldn't have been holding out.
I pressed back against him only to find him hard — again. I felt myself get wet. I made an interested little sound, and his hand came to my breast. He molded it until I couldn't help but moan. Then his hand dropped down. When his finger slid in, I realized that I was ready for him.
But he wasn't going to rush. Not Nathaniel. He played with me for a while, until I felt my orgasm starting to build again. He switched from circling my clit, to thrusting his fingers inside me, to rubbing the length of my slit. Soon I was breathing in shallow pants, and as he continued to rub my little bud, I felt something nudging my opening from behind.
I made a mewling sound and pressed back against him, begging him wordlessly to fill me. He eased himself inside me, pushing until he had embedded himself as deeply as he could. We lay there for a moment, feeling how amazing it was to have our bodies slotted together this way — fitting so perfectly.
But his hands soon got busy again as he teased my nub while thrusting slowly and steadily into me from the back. I touched my breasts since he couldn't reach them. I rubbed them in circles the same way he was making light circles between my legs on my pleasure button.
Gradually the sensual rhythm increased as he began to pull out all the way and then thrust deep inside me — the powerful beat bringing me closer and closer to nirvana.
My orgasm surprised me this time, the shock of it pulling a cry out of me as the waves washed over me, my body convulsing as I thrashed against him.
I heard him say my name and then he exploded inside me, filling me with his seed as my body milked it from him. He was muttering something into my neck over and over. It was only after a minute that I realized what he was saying.
"I love you."
________________________________________
Waking up beside Nathaniel, with the sea breeze blowing in the window and ruffling his brown hair, was like a crazy dream. I felt happy, and I thought I would burst. When I looked at him with his eyes closed — so vulnerable in sleep — I felt a tenderness like I had never known.
How could I have come to care so much about this man in only a few days? It didn't seem possible. It didn't seem right. But I shoved aside those thoughts. He loved me. I was falling for him. I didn't know if it was love yet, but I cared about him. Time didn't seem to be a factor.
I snuggled into him carefully, not wanting to wake him. I didn't want anything to send him off sooner than need be. But after five minutes or so, he stirred and opened those beautiful aqua eyes.
And he smiled, making my heart skip a beat.
"Hello, wife," he said, his voice growly with sleep.
"Hello," I said. And suddenly feeling shy when I remembered what we had done last night, I buried my face in his chest. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me.
"How are you feeling?" he said.
I looked up at him and grinned, stretching luxuriously.
"Wonderful," I said. "And sore."
He smiled and then the smile turned into a scowl.
"You're saying that the other guy you slept with never made sure you had an orgasm?" he said, abruptly.
"No, he didn't. But I'm not sure he knew how to help me. We were pretty young, and he was fumbling around. Not like you." I bit my lip, feeling shy.
Then a thought occurred to me. "Wait a second. That must mean you have a lot of experience!"
Nathaniel laughed and shook his head. "Let me say one thing. You'll always have at least one orgasm on my watch," he said. "If I have anything to say about it."
He was outraged at my former boyfriend. For me.
There was a knock at the door.
"Yes?" I said.
"I was looking for Mr. Lachlan." The voice of the housekeeper came through the door. "He's not in his room. If you should see him, Mrs. Lachlan, will you tell him something for me? There are several matters requiring his attention."
"Sure," I said.
After she had left, Nathaniel sighed.
"I have to go."
"I know," I said. I was not going to cry.
"But you'll be back soon?"
He grimaced.
"Not the way the schedule stands right now."
I had to try. I had asked, at least. All he could say was no.
"Couldn't I come with you?" There, it was out.
He sighed and closed his eyes, pulling me into a tight hug.
"I wish you could."
"Why not?" I wanted to understand and to know if he didn't want me around. He opened his eyes, and they were full of sorrow.
"It will be crowded, busy, and not safe. We'll be going through dangerous waters. I can't risk anything happening to you. Not after yesterday." The worry in his eyes was real. He thought I would be in danger, and he wanted to protect me. I could see that.
Still, I glared at him.
"I'm not a china doll, Nathaniel. I wanted to work with you. I could see your research and learn from you."
He scrubbed his hands over his face.
"I know. We can arrange for you to do that. I promise. I'll make sure that everything is perfect for that voyage. But this one is set and can't be changed because it was scheduled before we were married."
I nodded, trying to swallow my disappointment.
At least I had tried.
But I still felt like someone had kicked me in the guts.
We got up. He went to get dressed. By the time I got to the breakfast table, he had already eaten and gone down to the docks.
I wandered around the house listlessly. I didn't want to let him go without me. I wanted desperately to stay with him. If only there was some way I could go with him. He finally came up to the house for lunch, and we ate together.
"Everything ready?" I asked.
"Almost. We'll be ready to set sail on the afternoon tide," he told me.
I nodded, taking a drink of a yellow transparent liquid that tasted delicious. The housekeeper said it was the juice of a sea fruit. I stared at the frosted glass as a drop of condensation made its way down the side.
"I'll miss you, Ash," he said, taking my hand across the table.
"I'll miss you, too," I said.
The moment lengthened. F
inally, he stood up.
"I'll find you around two o'clock to say good-bye," he said.
"Okay."
He kissed me on the cheek and left.
Just because he was going to look for me, didn't mean I would be here, though. I hated goodbyes. My father had said goodbye and disappeared.
I huffed out my breath. I refused to say goodbye to Nathaniel. What if I said goodbye to him, and he never came back?
It was fine if he wanted to come looking for me.
But I wouldn't be here.
Chapter Eighteen
NATHANIEL
When I came in to say good-bye to Ashlyn, I couldn't find her anywhere. I found the maid and she said that Ash had gone for a walk — she didn't know where — and had left me a note.
I had an ominous feeling in my heart. I went into my room and tore open the envelope.
Dear Nathaniel,
I'm sorry that I'm not here to give you a proper send-off, but I hate farewells, and the last thing I want to do is say goodbye to you. I will try to be useful while you are gone and stay out of the way. I want you to know that I appreciate everything you have done for me and last night was the most amazing night of my life. I wish you luck on your trip. I'll try to keep busy.
Yours,
Ashlyn
P.S.
I remembered that you were asking for some pictures of me, so I've loaded a few onto a storage device for you to take with you. It's beside my computer.
I noted that she ended the letter with "Yours" and not "Love".
Slowly, I folded the note, tucking it safely in my pocket. I would want to read it again, I knew. By the time I got back, it would be extremely well-worn. I walked down the hall to her room, thinking.
She didn't want to say good-bye to me. Well, that was good news, wasn't it? She didn't want me to leave. That was excellent news.
I still longed to kiss her once more before we weighed anchor. I smiled thinking that last night was the most incredible night of her life. That was very, very good news. I loved knowing that I had given her that.
I opened the door and went to the desk, lost in thought. I poked around the messy desk, bumping something on the computer so that it woke up. Oops. I couldn't help but look at the screen when it turned on.
The computer showed a receipt for five hundred thousand credits.
The credits were being transferred from the marriage agency, TerraMates, to Ashlyn O'Connor's bank account.
I sat down limply on the chair, feeling shocked. A moment later, my heart started to ache.
She didn't love me. Or even care about me at all.
She had done it for the money.
I had known that the women got paid, but I hadn't thought much about the amount. Thinking about the expensive TerraMate fees, the analytical side of me couldn't believe Ashlyn was getting paid so little.
The emotional side of me was crushed.
I pulled out the note and read it again. Now that I read it in this new light, it seemed as though she were saying goodbye in the most polite, non-confrontational way possible.
She wasn't going to be here when I returned.
She had been holding back the whole time. Yesterday when I had poured out my heart to her, she hadn't said she loved me. She had another chance in her 'note'.
It was all an act to get the money, and then leave.
A few days ago, I wouldn't have cared if my fake marriage fell apart. The problem was that I had fallen head over heels in love with her.
I shook my head. I was the fool, then, wasn't I? To think that an arranged marriage could ever end in love. I looked at the ring on my finger.
Stupid Celtic love knot. Eternity, my ass.
She was gone, and I would never see her again.
________________________________________
The crew hauled in the Dream's anchor, and with a favorable wind blowing, we were off. Unlike previous departures, this time my heart was heavy.
I had anticipated being sad when I left because I would be missing my wife. But I hadn't anticipated being broken hearted. She was probably on her way to the spaceport this instant to get off this drowning planet and start spending the cash.
I sighed heavily.
"Why so glum, Captain?" Vess said, coming up beside me. "You're not missing the wench, are you?"
I turned to him with angry eyes.
"Her name is Ashlyn. And you may call her Mrs. Lachlan."
He held up his hands, palms facing me.
"Whoa. Sorry, Nat. I didn't mean any disrespect. I thought it was a marriage to get the cops off your back. Remember? Last week?"
"It was, Vess. Until it wasn't anymore."
"Oh boy," he rolled his eyes. "You fell for her, didn't you?"
I gave him a black look.
"How could I have fallen for someone in three days, Vess? It's not possible." I stared up at the rigging and closed my eyes. Then I looked at Vess again.
"Look. She's not important. I didn't fall for her. And even if I had, it doesn't matter because she's gone."
"You've got it bad," he said, matter-of-factly.
"Stop saying that, Vess," I said, irritated.
"I can stop saying it," he said, leaning on the railing. "But that won't make it any less true."
I didn't answer, and he looked at me, waiting for a response.
"Come down to my quarters for a drink of Eau de Vie and I'll tell you the whole story."
"Now you're talking, sir!"
I told him the whole ridiculous story. He high-fived me.
"She screamed when she came?"
Commiserated with me.
"A note? She didn't even tell you herself? Well, that sucks."
Sympathized with me.
"I've been a fool, Vess," I said.
"I'm a bit of a fool for Veralia, too. All men are fools when they meet their soul mate, Nathaniel," he said, pouring us another shot.
I couldn't believe I was having a conversation with my big burly first mate about soul mates.
"You've never been in love before, have you?" he asked.
I shook my head no.
"I never want to be again," I said.
"You don't know if she's left you. Call and ask your maid. Maybe she's back and pining for you," he said.
Against my better judgment, I activated my communicator.
"Mrs. Morley, it's Nat. I was wondering something. Did Mrs. Lachlan come back from her walk yet?"
"She did, Mr. Lachlan."
"She did? Oh good," I said, relief coursing through my body. Vess nodded at me.
"See?" he said.
"But Mr. Lachlan, one thing is peculiar."
"What is it?" I asked.
"I went to ask her about supper, and her door was ajar. I knocked and pushed it open, and all her things are gone, sir. I can't find her anywhere."
There it was, then. She had left. She didn't care about me. She had married me for the money, and now that she had got it, she was leaving me.
I was right about everything.
I said good-bye and hung up, feeling numb.
"What is it, boss?" Vess said, looking afraid to ask.
"She's gone, Vess. Took the money and all her things."
"Aw, Nat. I'm sorry." He clapped me on my shoulder with one of his big hands.
"Yeah, Vess. Me too."
"She left you a present, at least," he said, pointing to a small box on my desk. I hadn't noticed it before. "I'll get back on deck, Captain, and leave you to it."
I nodded, staring at the box like it was a snake.
After a long time, I went over and opened it. It was a gold bracelet. She had bought it the day I took her to the weird Earth food restaurant. She had told me that she wanted to get it for her brother, but I remembered her asking me a question. Which one would I choose for myself?
She had been buying it for me.
I didn't need a bracelet. I could buy myself a thousand bracelets if I wanted to. I held the cold piece of
metal in my hands and remembered Ashlyn's golden hair and sky blue eyes. I thought of how she had moaned and writhed beneath me last night. I thought of how devastated I had been when I had thought that she might die. And about how she was probably at the spaceport right now, evading crazy fortune tellers and heading back to Earth to spend her bank account full of credits.
With a roar of pain, I threw the gift hard against the far side of my quarters. I stood there, looking at it and breathing slowly. I had a change of heart, and I picked up the bracelet, examining the chain carefully to see if it had been damaged.
It was intact.
I dropped it into my desk drawer and slammed the desk shut, trying to remember that she meant nothing to me. I didn't care about her trinket. I would hawk it as soon as I could.
It had all been an act. She made a fool out of me, and I would do well to remember that.
________________________________________
Something was odd. The ship didn't feel right. There was a strange energy aboard, and I couldn't figure out what it was. At first I thought that it was because I was upset about Ashlyn leaving me, but I soon realized that wasn't it. There was something indescribably uncomfortable about my ship.
"Vess," I said, as we cruised towards our target. "Could you have the ship searched? Something is wrong and I don't know what."
"Sure, Captain, except you might want to wait on that because I have some news you need to hear."
"Shoot," I said, crossing my arms.
"Our target ship has left early and is taking an entirely different route than expected. They're finally on to us, sir."
"Winds and sea, Vess. Can we still intercept?"
"I think so if the currents are favorable."
"Cut through Restricted Zone Number 2 if you have to. We need that ship."
"Are you sure, sir? If they catch you again…"
"We have to get that cargo, Vess."
"I know, sir."
"Well, make it happen!" I said shortly.
"Yes, sir."
At the thought of missing the target, all thoughts of searching my ship flew out of my mind. We supplied several refugee camps with many more people like Johnny and Miralee. If we didn't get the cargo, they would go hungry and not get the supplies they needed.
The afternoon passed quickly. Crew members relieved each other every hour to keep the ship moving as fast as possible.