Title: Hot and Bothered

Author: Jaya

Archive: tay’s site

Disclaimer:  seaQuest is owned by Amblin.  I make no money from this… I’m just playing with the characters.

Pairing: Nathan and Kristin

Rating:  FRAO

Summary:  They’re hot and bothered…

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

 

The young boy standing near the gate of the ferry eyed the wiry middle-aged man warily.  They were still thirty feet from the dock and the leather-clad fellow was already climbing onto his motorcycle and grabbing at his helmet.  He was obviously in a hurry and the boy had no desire to get in his way.

 

The old flat-bottomed ferry hit the metal dock with a loud screech and muscular tanned young men ran to secure the mooring ropes.  The sound of an engine revving grabbed everyone’s attention.

 

Remembering the impatience the rider had shown as he stomped around deck and muttered to himself on the two hour trip to the small island convinced the gatekeeper that he shouldn’t dally and he quickly swung the bars back.  He didn’t even have them secured before the vintage Harley hit the dock and roared off down the narrow street.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

“Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!” Nathan swore loudly inside his helmet as he deftly guided the bike through unfamiliar streets.  “Why didn’t she come to me?”

 

He pondered the question as he continued on his journey to reach the woman before it was too late, kicking himself all the while for not acting sooner.

 

The signs had all been there; he just hadn’t wanted to see them, at least not until they’d almost literally been thrown in his face.  Kristin had dropped by his temporary office to speak to Lucas that morning, and from the minute she stepped through the door Nathan had felt a difference in her.  She hadn’t treated him any differently than she had at any time during the past few weeks but there was… something.

 

Nathan bent low over his drawing table ostensibly working on his ideas for the new seaQuest the UEO wanted him to build but he couldn’t resist taking surreptitious glances at her.  Kristin was simply dressed in a white sleeveless sundress made of some thin gauzy material.  His eyes kept returning to the plunging neckline in the front of the dress and the generous expanse of golden flesh it revealed.

 

As Kristin turned to leave the office she’d caught him looking.  A smile touched her lips as she lifted her hand and fluttered her fingers at him.  Then, with a saucy wink, she was gone.

 

Seeing her dressed that way, witnessing her playful mood, had reminded Nathan of their last night on the seaQuest before he’d had to sacrifice it to save the planet.  They had been so close to taking their relationship to a more intimate level.  But the inevitable flurry of events that followed hadn’t allowed them any time alone.  The inquest was standard procedure but it had occupied almost all of Nathan’s time and what few moments he had left had been spent with Lucas, comforting the boy in the wake of his father’s departure.

 

‘You’ve been a dope, Bridger.’ Nathan was embarrassed to think about the one dinner that he and Kristin had shared with Lucas.  Kristin had invited him back to her apartment for a drink when Lucas took off with Tim and Miguel but he’d declined, pleading exhaustion.  He’d shrugged off the look of hurt that had flickered across her face before she masked it.  A few days ago, once his work schedule had finally become more stable he’d asked her to dinner.  She’d had other plans.  Nathan hadn’t pushed then but now he was sorry.

 

“Come on, dammit!  Can’t you go any faster?” Nathan swore at the bike as he pushed the throttle to the max.

 

Not long after Kristin left he’d taken a break and headed out to grab a cup of coffee.  While he was in the galley waiting for a new pot to brew two young lieutenants had entered, deep in conversation.

 

“Did you see that redhead?  Damn she was hot!”

 

“You can say that again!  Just the way I like them, gorgeous and needy.  You could practically smell sex in the air around her.  If I hadn’t been on duty this evening…”

 

‘You couldn’t pay me to be that young and randy again.’ Nathan laughed internally at the conversation that he couldn’t help but hear.

 

“I’ve always heard that older women make fantastic lovers.  Just the thought of running my hands up those bare arms and stripping that white dress off of her.  She had great tits.”

 

The hair on Nathan’s neck began to rise, his coffee cup frozen at his mouth.  ‘They aren’t talking about… they couldn’t be…’

 

“And that sexy British accent… Can’t you just imagine her screaming out your name with that husky voice… ”

 

The ceramic mug clenched in Nathan’s two hands shattered beneath the angry press of his fingers, shards of pottery falling to the tiled floor.  The young officers turned to look at him. 

 

“Are you okay, sir?” One asked solicitously.

 

“I’m… fine.” Nathan answered through clenched teeth.  He turned and deposited the remaining slivers of the mug in the trash and stalked out the door.

 

Nathan swerved to avoid a large tree limb in the road.  ‘Don’t wreck before you can get there, stupid!’ he told himself.  ‘If you get yourself killed you won’t be able to stop Kristin before… before what?’

 

Perhaps the men in the galley had been wrong.  Maybe they had been talking about someone besides Kristin.  But as badly as Nathan wanted to believe this he knew they hadn’t.  He’d known that something was different about her, he just hadn’t recognized what he saw… hadn’t wanted to see it… Kristin was going on the prowl… her dress, her demeanor… the delicate touch of perfume that floated about her… it all screamed out her arousal to anyone open to seeing it.

 

He’d practically leapt for joy in the hallway when he remembered that the Noyces were throwing a barbecue for the seaQuest’s senior staff that evening. 

 

‘Perhaps it is time for me to start thinking of myself again.  I’ll talk to her… ask her to dinner again... alone.  And this time I won’t take no for an answer.’ Nathan thought to himself and hurried back to his office.

 

When Nathan entered his office he’d immediately scooped up the phone and put in a friendly call to Janet Noyce.  They’d chatted about the party details and then Nathan inquired about the guests.  He was floored when Janet told him that that nice doctor who gave Bill such fits had called that very morning and cancelled.  ‘Something personal came up, she said.’

 

Nathan slammed the phone down.  “Lucas!”

 

The teenager looked up from his computer where he was playing with a new graphic design program.  “Sir?”

 

“What did Doctor Westphalen want?”

 

Lucas stared at Bridger, perplexed.  “She just wanted to let me know that she wasn’t going to be able to go to the movies with me tomorrow.  She decided to go out of town.”

 

“Where?”

 

Lucas grinned as understanding began to dawn.  “She didn’t say, sir.  But… she probably told Katie.”

 

Nathan’s eyes narrowed.  “Get back to work!” He ordered but Lucas saw the smirk trembling at the corner of Bridger’s mouth. 

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

He’d wasted precious time trying to track Hitchcock down but once he found the lieutenant, Nathan quickly cornered her and found out exactly where Kristin was.  According to Katie, the doctor owned a small home on an island enclave a few hours away.  She’d decided to sell the place and had gone out to visit it one last time.

 

Nathan knew the place Katie spoke of.  Late one night after sharing a bottle of wine Kristin had shared some of the intimate details of her marriage to her daughter’s father with Nathan.  This beach home had to be the place where Kristin had caught him in bed with her best friend.  She’d only insisted on keeping the property in the divorce settlement because she knew how much it meant to him.

 

“Why would she go there now?”

 

“Kristin said that she needed to make sure it was in good shape to put on the market.” Nathan knew that Katie wasn’t telling him everything.  “And…”

 

“She did say something about having the yards cleaned up.”

 

“She can hire a professional crew.”

 

“She plans to… hire someone, Captain.  According to Kristin there are always young men hanging around wanting part-time work… good-looking young men.” Katie stared at Nathan with a challenging gleam in her eye.

 

Nathan was so angry at her words that his neck began to pulse but he didn’t respond.  He turned and stalked away.

 

“See you at the party tonight, sir?” Katie called after him.

 

“Not bloody likely!” He bit back.

 

He’d raced home and shoved a few clothes into a duffel bag then dashed to the ferry, making the last boat out with just minutes to spare.

 

‘Where the hell is it?  I followed the directions to the letter… there it is!’

 

Nathan cut the engine on his bike as he pulled down the driveway, stopping and dismounting at the back of the house.  He slapped his helmet on the back of his seat and stripped away his driving gloves and leather jacket, leaving only leather boots, black jeans and a tight white tee shirt, plus a pair of mirrored sunglasses.

 

He stabbed at the doorbell several times but when no one answered he took off around the side of the house.  As he rounded the corner the sound of laughter floated up from the shoreline and he glanced down toward the water, his gaze suddenly riveted to the pier as his blood began to boil.

 

A young man of about twenty, raven black hair and bronzed skin covering bulging muscles dressed in tight shorts and a loose muscle shirt stood, one foot on the pier and one foot in his boat, talking to the woman that Nathan was seeking.  Although he tried to hide it, the kid’s eyes kept drifting away from Kristin’s face and down her body… but Nathan couldn’t blame the youngster for looking at what was so attractively packaged.

 

The sundress was gone, replaced by a pair of tight cutoff denim shorts so brief that Nathan swore he could see the curves of Kristin’s rear peeping out beneath them.  Her chest was barely covered with a next to nothing red tank top hanging only to her midriff; Kristin’s generous curves spilling out on both sides of the plunging neckline and the thin straps.

 

Kristin leaned forward, her hand on the boy’s shoulder.  Nathan’s temperature rose another notch and he set off toward the pier with a determined stride.

 

Her back was to the house so Kristin didn’t notice Nathan’s approach but the young man she was flirting so openly with definitely did.  As he got closer Nathan suspected that the fellow might even be able to feel the steel of his gaze.  The boy dropped his hand from Kristin’s waist just as Nathan’s foot hit the dock.

 

Kristin straightened and turned at the sound of Nathan’s steel-toed boot striking the pier.  Her shock was evident.

 

“What… what are you doing here?”

 

Nathan didn’t pause; he moved straight toward Kristin.  “I decided that I could take time off from work after all.”  His hands slid around her waist and pulled her flush against him.

 

Her protest was lost in the feel of his mouth closing over hers; his tongue demanded entrance and she complied instantly, unable to believe that this was really happening.  Nathan’s hands molded their bodies together tightly, his fingers clamping over her rear and sliding beneath the ragged hem to cup her bare bottom.

 

A low groan rumbled from deep in Nathan’s chest when he realized that Kristin wasn’t wearing anything beneath the shorts or the tight top.  Two thin layers of cotton couldn’t disguise her body’s response to his. 

 

Nathan pulled out of the kiss and turned toward the young man standing in his boat, jaw hanging down at the passionate embrace he was witnessing.  “We won’t be needing your services but thanks for stopping by.”  He dropped one hand from Kristin’s rear to dig in his pocket and fling a hundred toward the boat. 

 

“Just a damned…” A dazed Kristin flared back to life and Nathan quickly captured her lips again, smothering her protests.  He held her tightly and kissed her thoroughly as the boat flared to life and roared away.

 

The sound of the engine seemed to bring Kristin to her senses and she began to struggle in Nathan’s embrace.  Finally he released her only to find himself quickly dodging the swing of her fist.

 

“Now wait a minute!  Is that any way to greet me?” 

 

“What the HELL are you doing here?  And where do you get off sending my lawn man away?”  Kristin’s eyes blazed with fury as she advanced on a quickly retreating Nathan.

 

“I am stopping you from making a mistake!  That kid was barely older than Lucas!”

 

“I should hire a ninety year old to cut the grass?”

 

“The services you were negotiating with that boy had very little to do with grass cutting.”  Nathan swore as Kristin swung her fist again, catching him in the shoulder this time.

 

“You don’t know what the hell you are talking about!”

 

“I know what I see and if you aren’t selling it then you’d better change the wrapping paper because that boy was definitely buying.”

 

“Get the hell off of my property!”  Kristin lowered her hand and stalked away toward the house.

 

Nathan caught up with her halfway up the graveled walk and scooped her into his arms.

 

“Let me go… umph!” Kristin pummeled Nathan’s shoulders and back as he silenced her loud and angry protests with another kiss.  He couldn’t get enough of her.  He could feel the hard tight peaks on her chest drilling into his and thought about lowering his head to taste them right through the fabric that barely covered them but he couldn’t drag his lips away from hers.  She tasted like… ‘like something I have to have.’ Nathan realized all at once.  Not something he wanted or something he needed but something that he couldn’t live without.

 

He’d barely reached the large deck on the waterside of the house when Kristin managed to wriggle free.  The instant her feet touched the warm wood she yanked away from him and ran for the entrance.  Nathan slammed into her, knocking her breath away momentarily as he flattened her against the glass of the sliding door.

 

“Get off of me!”

 

“Not until you listen to me!”

 

“You don’t have anything to say that I want to hear.  What right do you have coming here and interfering in my life?”

 

“Interfering?  What the hell is wrong with you, Kristin?  Well, I know what’s wrong with you.  I can smell it on you… see it in your eyes.  You’re horny as hell.  But do you really think that boy was man enough to scratch your itch?”

 

“You don’t know what you are talking about!”

 

“Deny it, Kristin.  Look me in the eye and deny that you came here to get laid.”  Nathan stepped back just enough to turn her so that she was facing him.

 

“What if I did?  What business is it of yours?” Kristin eyed him defiantly.

 

“I want you.” Nathan was as shocked as Kristin was when the words tumbled out of his mouth, but having given voice to them he pressed on.  “If you need a man so damned badly that man is going to be me.”

 

“Pretty damned cocky aren’t you?” Nathan’s response to Kristin’s question was to press his hips tightly against hers, letting her feel exactly how cocky he really was.  He saw the quick flare of desire in her eyes but didn’t understand why she quickly masked it.

 

“I know what you are doing.  You came out here intending to pick up some local stud and let him screw you in the bed that your husband screwed around on you in.  One last dig at the bastard before you sold this place.  Am I right?”

 

“What I choose to do on my free time is my own business, Captain Bridger, so kindly bugger off!”

 

“Not a chance in hell of that, lady.  Your actions became my business the night that you ended up in my bed.”

 

“I’d hardly call a bit of light petting on your bunk ending up in bed with you.”

 

“It was a bit more than light petting.  Clothes were being shed.  If Lucas had waited five more minutes to interrupt us the kid would have really gotten an eyeful.  We would have been making love and you know it.  Are you going to try and deny that as well?”

 

Kristin turned her head to the side, refusing to meet Nathan’s gaze.  “You wanted me, Kristin.  You want me now… not some green kid… you want Nathan Bridger, the man who’s holding you in his arms right now.  The man who wants you just as badly.”

 

“You don’t.” She whispered.

 

“Then what the hell is this between us?”  Nathan flexed his hips forward, pressing his steely erection into her mound.  A sudden thought came to his mind.  “How long has it been for you?”

 

“What?”

 

“How long has it been since you’ve been with a man?  Since you’ve made love?  Kristin, have you been intimate with anyone since you divorced your husband?”

 

“Which one?” She replied, a touch of bitterness in her voice.  “I’ve heard the rumours… I’m a man-eater.  I devour husbands for lunch and dinner.  How many have I had?  The last count I heard was five.”

 

“You’ve only had one husband and he was a bastard.” Nathan leaned forward and whispered in her ear.  “An absolute asshole who was too stupid to realize what a fantastic wife that he had.”

 

“How… how did you know?  After all the stories…”

 

“You told me about Cynthia’s father… I could see the pain in your eyes.  You were hurt badly and you are wary about trusting again…”

 

“I don’t trust… When I do I get hurt.  Won’t you please go away and let me…”

 

“Take that child to your bed?  I told you, I’m the only man who will be in your bed this week."

 

Kristin shook her head.  “You are the one man who won’t be in my bed…”

 

“Why?  We have a connection.  You want me…” Nathan’s hand slid sensuously up Kristin’s side, his fingers ignoring the barrier of her tee shirt to slip beneath.  His naked palm cupped her bare breast, lifting it until the tight nipple threatened to pop over the low neckline.  “I want you…”

 

“No!  You made it clear that you regretted what happened between us.”

 

“What are you talking about?  I regret nothing.  I told you that.”

 

Kristin tried to fight back the tears that puddled in the corners of her eyes but one escaped and slipped slowly down her cheek.  “You’ve made no move to have anything to do with me since that night.”

 

Nathan stepped back stunned.  “I have… I know that I got caught up in the inquiry and the plans to move the construction of the new boat to Florida and you have every right to be angry about that but I swear that I was trying to make time… I asked you to dinner just the other night and you turned me down.” 

 

Kristin wrapped her arms around her chest protectively as Nathan ran his hand through his hair, his face perplexed.  “You are my friend, Nathan, one of the best friends that I have.  I’m not willing to sacrifice that for something that can’t work.”

 

“But you aren’t willing to take a chance on something more?  Being lovers doesn’t mean that we can’t be friends as well.”

 

“And when we aren’t lovers anymore?  What then?  I’m looking for a short anonymous liaison.  That leaves you out.  I think that you should go.”  With one last look Kristin slid the glass door open, entered the house, then closed it firmly behind her.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

A loud clap of thunder was the only warning Kristin received before the sound of pounding rain dragged her from the bed.  She swiped angrily at the tears on her cheeks and smoothed her hair back then moved down the hallway to the cozy den to close the open windows.

 

“What the…” Kristin swore at the sight of Nathan sitting dejectedly in a chair on the back deck, rain washing over him.  She yanked back the glass door angrily.  “I told you to leave!” She yelled into the downpour.

 

“And I told you that I’m not going anywhere!” Nathan yelled back.

 

Kristin slapped her hand angrily against the doorframe.  Her fist clenched around the handle, her brain telling it to close the glass.  Instead she found herself calling out again.  “Get in here before you are completely soaked.”

 

Nathan grinned in triumph as he stood and grabbed his bag then darted through the open door.  He stopped once he gained entrance to the house, water dripping off of him to puddle at his feet.  “Thanks.”

 

“If I didn’t know better I’d think you ordered this storm up just to gain entry to the house.”

 

Nathan shrugged.  “It’s Hawaii.  It’s the afternoon.  I knew if I waited long enough it would rain.”

 

“You’d better get dried off.  You can use the shower in the guest bath.”

 

Nathan planted his butt against the glass door and lifted one leg to tug at the damp leather boot.  “Let me get rid of these here so I don’t track as much.”

 

The second boot quickly followed and before Kristin could protest Nathan stripped off his socks and the white tee shirt as well.  Her mouth went dry at the sight of his bare chest, tiny droplets of water gleaming from the recesses of his chest curls.

 

“Follow me.” Kristin quickly turned and took off down the hallway.

 

By the time that Nathan reached the tiny room Kristin had turned the shower on and was yanking clean towels out of the linen closet.  She laid them on the counter and then moved toward the exit.

 

“If you toss your jeans out the door I’ll throw them in the dryer.  Do you have anything in your bag that you can wear?”

 

The room was narrow and Nathan didn’t make it any easier for Kristin to squeeze past him.  The moment she was even with him he turned sharply, capturing her against the counter.  “I’m sure that something in the middle will be basically dry.”  His chest pressed against hers leaving damp spots on her tee shirt.

 

Kristin’s tongue darted out to dampen her upper lip as she took a deep breath.  “I’d better go mop up the puddle…” She pushed past Nathan and left the room, closing the door behind her.

 

Nathan grinned as he stripped wet denim off of his legs then stuck his hand beneath the spray to test the water temperature.  ‘If she wants a no strings attached relationship then that’s what she’ll get… at least that is what she will think she is getting.’

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

Kristin threw the wet towels into the washer and sighed.  She leaned back against the machine, her hands sliding to her neck to massage the tight muscles.  ‘Why did he have to follow me?  How could he have guessed what I was up to?  And why does he give a damn?  Nathan Bridger hasn’t shown one scintilla of interest in me since we arrived back on land so why now?’

 

She spun the dial to start the machine then rolled her eyes at the small mirror on the opposite wall.  ‘You look like hell, Kristin.  No makeup, your hair in a pony tail, eyes puffy from crying… if this doesn’t scare him away…’ With a smirk she headed back to the guest room to collect the rest of Nathan’s clothes.

 

“Bloody hell!  Ask a man to do one simple thing…” Kristin swore when she didn’t see Nathan’s jeans.  “Nathan!” She pounded on the door.  “Where are your pants?”

 

“Oh shit!  They’re on the floor.  You want me to bring them to you?”

 

An image of Nathan standing naked at the door in front of her leapt into Kristin’s mind.  “That’s all right.”

 

“You can come in and grab them.  I’m in the shower.”

 

Kristin debated that suggestion for a moment then turned the knob on the door.  She’d open it just enough to reach in and grab the jeans then close it back without ever looking up at the stall. 

 

The pants lay right beside the stall so Kristin had to move further into the bathroom than she intended.  She had just grabbed them when she heard Nathan say her name.  She glanced up without thinking.

 

Nathan had slid the door back so that he was revealed completely to her; hot water sluicing down his naked body, his erection pointing straight at her.  Kristin tried to back up as she straightened but his hand snaked out and caught her waist.  The jeans fell back to the floor as he drew her into the shower with him.

 

“You win, Kristin.  One week of sex… no strings attached.”

 

“No…” Nathan saw Kristin’s mouth form the word but her hands were reaching out to him, encircling his neck and pulling him closer.

 

“Yes,” he mouthed in return as his lips moved over hers.

 

Nathan drew up at the last second, less than an inch separating their mouths.

 

“Kris…” Her name was barely a whisper on his lips but it was heavy with longing.

 

Her eyes reflected his desire back at him but he could see the indecision there as well.

 

“Please…” Nathan suddenly screamed as the water pounding down on his back went from hot to scalding.  He thrust Kristin out of the shower and followed her, both of them ending up on the bathroom floor.

 

Kristin scrambled to her knees and began to examine Nathan’s back.  “I don’t think you are burned badly but we need to cool it off.”

 

Nathan waved her away as he rocked up to his knees.  “I’m fine.  What the hell happened?”

 

“The washing machine must have pulled the cold water away from the shower.”

 

“Remind me to adjust your hot water heater.” Nathan slowly stood then swore as he stuck his hand through the boiling mist to turn the tap off.  When he turned around Kristin was also standing.

 

“I could put some lotion on it if you’d like.” She offered, careful to keep her gaze on his face.

 

“I’d like that.  But why don’t you get changed first.  I sort of got you wet.  I’ll find something dry and meet you back in the den.”

 

Kristin nodded, suddenly aware of how her clothes were clinging to her.  “In the den.” She nodded and darted from the room.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

Kristin pulled on a loose pair of dry sweat shorts and tied the drawstring tightly.  She snorted at the suitcase lying on the bed and started digging through it again.  Finally she gave up and plopped down on the bed.  All of the clothing in the suitcase had been packed with the intent of catching the sun and a willing young man.  She didn’t have anything that would cover her up.

 

Her eyes fell on the closet door.  ‘What the hell.’  She stood and slid back the door to reveal half a closet filled with men’s clothing.  Kristin thumbed through them and selected a large black tee shirt then yanked it over her head.

 

The shirt and the rest of the clothes in the closet were reminents left by her ex-husband.  “I wonder what Nathan would make of that.” Kristin muttered to her image in the mirror as she smoothed her damp hair back down.  Nathan was wrong when he said that her desire to have a brief affair at this house was some sort of psychological payback for the man that she had divorced years ago.  She’d arrived without notice to surprise her husband while he was on a ‘retreat’ and yes, she’d been devastated to find out that he was cheating on her but she had moved on.

 

“You can’t hide in here forever, you know.” She raised her eyebrows at her reflection.  “You have to face him sometime.”

 

The moment Kristin opened the door to the bedroom and stepped into the hallway the smell of cooking food assaulted her nostrils.  Her stomach rumbled hungrily as she inhaled deeply.  “Traitor.” She murmured to the noisy organ as she moved toward the kitchen.

 

Nathan was standing in front of the stove wearing a low-slung pair of khaki shorts that hugged his bottom and nothing else.  She leaned against the jamb and watched as he stirred a boiling pot on one burner and then moved his attention back to the frying pan on another.

 

A tickle on the back of his neck warned Nathan that he was being watched.  He gave the sauce a vigorous stir and began to sing at the top of his lungs,  “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore!” in an atrocious Italian accent.

 

Kristin couldn’t help but laugh.  “Don’t give up your day job.  Dean Martin you ain’t.”  She managed to tell him through her giggles as she moved into the room.

 

“I don’t have a day job anymore. I blew it up, remember?”  Nathan’s grin and waggling eyebrows caused another round of chuckles.

 

“You didn’t have to cook.”

 

“I thought I’d surprise you.  You certainly didn’t come well prepared in the food line.  We will have to go to the grocery store tomorrow.  I was in the mood for real meat but I guess that spaghetti will have to do.”

 

“Nathan…” Kristin’s voice held a warning note so he quickly cut her off.

 

“Why don’t you get some plates and utensils?  This is almost ready to eat.”

 

“We need to talk.” She told him as she laid out the table.

 

Nathan brought the bowl of pasta to the table.  “Grab the salad while I uncork the wine.”

 

“Nathan, I’m serious.”

 

“I know… but after dinner.  Let’s just enjoy our meal, okay?”

 

Kristin huffed in exasperation but her stomach rumbled again, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten all day.

 

“By the way, do you have a phone here?” Nathan asked as Kristin sat the colorful salad on the table. 

 

“No… Cynthia and I were never here long enough to justify keeping a line.  My mobile phone is in my purse if you need it.”

 

Nathan sat the wine bottle down and handily lifted the phone out of the side pocket of the handbag on the corner cabinet behind him.  After studying it for a moment he popped the battery packet free and tossed the two separate pieces back on the cabinet.  “There… no interruptions.”

 

A snicker escaped Kristin’s lips before she could stop it.  “And where is the proverbial wet blanket this evening?”

 

“Lucas is attending the Noyce’s barbecue.  He will be spending the next week with Tim and Miguel who are under strict orders as to what the boy genius may and may not do on his off time.  Now, do you think that we could forget about everyone else and have a nice dinner?”  Nathan snapped a tea towel over his bare arm then picked up the wine bottle and offered it for Kristin’s approval.

 

Perhaps it was the wine or perhaps it was the company but Kristin finally relaxed during the meal, Nathan’s gentle humor lifting her spirits.  The fact that he didn’t make any more romantic overtures towards her helped as well.  When the meal was done they cleaned the kitchen together, Kristin washing and Nathan drying then putting the dishes away. 

 

“That’s the last one.” Nathan closed the cabinet door and turned back to Kristin.  Tension immediately flooded through the room again.  “Come on.”

 

“Where are we going?” Kristin protested as Nathan grabbed her hand and pulled her into the living room.

 

“It’s dark outside.  Let’s go look at the stars.  Maybe if we go outside you’ll be convinced that I’m not going to ravish you… at least not until you ask me to.” 

 

“Wait… I’ll be right back.”  Kristin pulled away but true to her word, she returned moments later with a heavy blanket in her arms.  “The ground might still be damp from the rain.” She explained.

 

Nathan took the blanket from her then led the way outside and down toward the pier.  He stopped at the end and spread the covering then sat and held his hand out to Kristin.  After a moment she took it and allowed him to help her down.

 

When Kristin reached her knees Nathan turned her so that she was spooned up against him, his legs wrapped around hers.  She shivered at his touch.

 

“Cool?” Nathan asked as he picked up the sides of the blanket and wrapped it around them, his hands settling chastely at her waist.

 

“I’m glad the storm blew over.  The stars are so much more brilliant here than they are on the big island.” Kristin’s head settled back against Nathan’s shoulder.

 

“Less interference… for the stars and for us.  Kristin… I’m sorry that I’ve been distant the last few weeks.  The inquest took up so much time and I didn’t want you dragged into all of that muck and mire.  Afterwards… I fell into my old trap and put Lucas’ needs before my own.”

 

“I know that Lucas needs you, especially now.”

 

“Lucas needs both of us but I need you and I lost sight of that.  The night you asked me to dinner… the hurt in your eyes when I had to decline… that’s what made me realize…”

 

Kristin shifted uncomfortably in Nathan’s arms.

 

“Your turn.  Tell me why you don’t want me when you so obviously do ‘want’ me.”

 

“I told you earlier.  I don’t want to lose our friendship.”

 

Nathan turned his head slightly and rubbed his nose against Kristin’s ear.  “There’s more.  We’ve always been able to talk, Kris.  From the first time that we met… You were yelling at me within the first few hours.  That proves how well we get along.”

 

“I thought that you deserved it.  I apologized when I realized that you were a bit different than the typical military personnel I’d been exposed to.”

 

“I am different.  Why won’t you let me prove that I’m different than the other men you’ve known as well?  Did the bastard scar you that badly?”

 

Kristin laughed shortly.  “The night I told you about that entire fiasco I told you I was over him.  I meant it.”

 

“But you’ve never married again?”

 

“I never had the desire to.  Before you asked me how long… I have had other relationships since the divorce but…”

 

“Tell me…”

 

“I never wanted them like… they didn’t make me feel the way that you do.”

 

“You didn’t… sleep with them?” Nathan asked incredulously.

 

“Of course I did… I’m human and sometimes I get lonely… need the touch of another person… it was nice.”

 

“Nice?”

 

“Nice.”

 

“But the relationships didn’t last?”

 

“One of them proposed.  I seriously considered it but… getting married just to have someone to cuddle up to didn’t seem very fair to him.  He only proposed because we had reached that point… either get married or break up.  We broke up.”

 

“And since then you’ve confined yourself to quick meaningless rolls in the hay?”

 

“I have feelings… needs.  You needn’t make it sound so sordid.”

 

“No… I don’t mean it that way.  It’s just… if you’ve been with anyone since our tour started you’ve hidden it very well.”

 

“No… it’s been several years.  I guess I finally reached the age where… it just wasn’t worth the effort any more.  And then this scruffy stowaway pops up and suddenly my hormones think I am a teenager again and…”

 

“And what, Kris?  Why am I so different?  If you want a week of sex with no strings attached, why not with me?  I’ll make it good for you.”

 

Nathan saw the curve of Kristin’s jaw slide as she swallowed hard.  “Because I… I have feelings for you, Nathan, in spite of trying very hard not to.  I care for you very deeply and you aren’t ready to return those feelings.  Perhaps you never will be.”

 

“But that night in my cabin…”

 

“I thought that we stood a chance.  It was only afterwards that I realized you were avoiding me because of what happened.  You didn’t want to get caught in that type of situation with me again.”

 

“I turn down one dinner invitation because I have to go to a stupid ass meeting and I’m avoiding you?”

 

“One time?  I left messages at least four times asking you to join me before I finally got the hint.  Then you had to take pity on me and ask me out.  But Lucas was the safety net, wasn’t he?  As long as he was with us you were safe.”

 

“I never got any invitations from you.”

 

“You don’t have to lie.  It doesn’t matter now.”  Kristin tried to pull away but Nathan tightened his grip on her waist.

 

“Of course it does.  I have never lied to you and I never will.”  He buried his face in her hair.  “I never received any messages from you.”

 

“But I left them on your machine at home and at the office.  I even sent one through Luc… as… you don’t think?”

 

Nathan sighed.  “I wish I didn’t but… he’s having a very hard time with his dad’s departure so perhaps he might have conveniently erased them… I’ll have a long talk with him when we get back.”

 

“He has no reason to feel threatened by me.  This doesn’t really change anything.  You could have called me if you had wanted…”

 

“Kris… I wanted… God, I wanted.  But if any hint of a personal relationship between us had come out during the inquiry it would have reflected badly on both of us.  Even though we both know that our friendship didn’t interfere with my command, the navy still would have frowned on it.  I didn’t want to do that to you.  Command would have probably sent you to some remote island lab somewhere and I selfishly wanted to keep you here with me.  I should have talked to you about it… I’m sorry.”

 

“I’m tired, Nathan.  I want to go to bed… alone.”

 

“You aren’t tired.  You are wound as tight as a drum.  I can feel the tension in your body.  Are you that angry at me?”

 

A muffled sob escaped before Kristin could stop it.  “Please, just let me go.”

 

“Not until we come to an understanding.  For whatever reason you are adamant about having a man in your bed this week.  I am equally as adamant that the man be me.  One week… all the lov… sex that we can manage and no strings attached.  Say yes… you know that you want to.”

 

The corners of Kristin’s eyes lined up as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly.  In a flash of inspiration Nathan finally understood.  “Kris… let me help.”  His lips moved softly over her cheekbone as his hands found the drawstring of her shorts and pulled it loose.

 

Kristin didn’t protest but her eyes remained tightly shut and her teeth sank into her lower lip.

 

“Hey, do you recognize that constellation over there?  The one right in front of us with the bright star in the center.”

 

Kristin opened her eyes.  “That’s Ori…on.” She gasped as she felt a feather light brush across her mons.

 

“And that one there?”  Nathan delved deeper, his fingers brushing through her curls to find her labia swollen and damp.  He ran his finger around the rim of her entrance gathering the moisture there then used it to oil her plump clitoris.

 

“Pega… sus… the winged… horse…I don’t think… this isn’t a good…”

 

“This is what you need… what you are craving.  Let yourself get lost in the feeling.  No matter what you decide about the rest of the week, let me give you this.”  Nathan whispered as he continued to stroke her.  “Tell me about the house… how long have you owned it?”

 

Kristin knew that Nathan was trying to keep her mind off what he was doing to her body and avoiding her protests as well.  She also realized that she didn’t want to protest any more.  Her body was humming with desire.  “Lawrence bought it after his first political victory.  He seemed to think that it made him seem more important, being able to say that he was going to his vacation home in Hawaii.  Cynni and I liked it because of the water.”  Her head fell back against his shoulder as he continued to gently tease her.

 

“But this is the first time you’ve been back since that night?”

 

“Mmm… I don’t need the house… oooh.” Nathan felt Kristin’s legs shift apart allowing him greater access.  “With the seaQuest gone I’ll probably be sent somewhere else or return to teaching at the university.  It’s the right time to sell… oh… God!”

 

“Shh…” Nathan gently soothed Kristin as her back arched away from him. “Watch the water, Kris… there… do you see?”

 

“I don’t… It’s dark…”

 

“Follow the path of moonlight.”

 

“I… there… Darwin?  Is that Darwin?”

 

“That’s our boy.  He followed us here, I’m sure.”

 

The dolphin broke the surface of the water in a graceful leap.  He seemed to stop at the highest point, suspended in the air as moonlight defined his graceful silhouette.  Kristin moaned as Darwin descended back to the water.

 

“Watch him swim…” Nathan’s words kept Kristin’s eyes focused on Darwin as he undulated through the water, swimming closer to the pier then ebbing back.  The pulse of Nathan’s fingers kept time with the dolphin’s movements. 

 

When Darwin reached the end of the pier he chattered away briefly at the couple then turned and swam away.  By the time that he had gone fifty yards at a steady pace, Kristin was squirming against Nathan, her nails digging into his thighs.  When Darwin stopped so did Nathan.

 

“NO!” Kristin sobbed as Nathan’s fingers stilled.  “Please…”

 

“Watch…” Kristin lifted her head to see Darwin’s dorsal fin turning.  As the dolphin started back towards them Nathan’s digits began to move again, keeping perfect time with Darwin’s increasing pace.

 

At thirty yards Kristin groaned.  At twenty yards her spine stiffened.  Ten yards later her breath left her lungs and her body went rigid.

 

Darwin broke the water just beyond the pier at high speed, his silver form flying high.  Kristin flew with him, a single sharp scream escaping her lips as her climax washed over her.

 

Nathan wrapped his free arm around Kristin’s waist and held her tightly against him as he worked to prolong her orgasm.  The feel of her skin clenching beneath his fingers and the wetness of her juices on his palm almost pushed him over the edge as well but he fought the feeling down.  This time was for Kristin.

 

Kristin was still soaring when she felt the tender press of Nathan’s forefinger against the entrance to her sheath.  He pressed the tip in and waited.

 

“Oh… Nathan… more…” At her urging he pushed further, his own breath catching as her inner muscles caught his finger and clenched it, seeking to pull it deeper.  A second finger soon joined the first while his thumb continued to circle her sex.

 

Nathan worked lovingly but relentlessly, slowly bringing Kristin to the edge again. He knew that his legs were going to be bruised and quite possibly bloodied from the iron grip that she maintained on them but he didn’t care.  Feeling her body respond to his touch, watching the pleasure that he brought her was worth any discomfort.

 

He could tell that Kristin was fighting the feelings that he was stirring within her, unwilling or unable to turn over complete control to him.  He heard the catch in her breath and felt the tension in her neck as she struggled to suppress any sound. 

 

“It’s okay, Kristin.  Let go… just feel…”

 

The touch of Nathan’s fingers on her body finally became too much and she lost her battle, peaking again without uttering a sound.  Nathan was disappointed but he reminded himself that this wasn’t about him.  When he had her naked in his bed he would make sure that she screamed repeatedly.

 

Kristin finally fell limply against him, her over sensitized body unable to handle any more.  Nathan felt warm tears against his chest when Kristin turned into him.  One hand clutched at his chest, her fingers buried in the light covering of hair sprinkled there.

 

“Kris… honey?  Are you okay?”

 

Kristin sobbed lightly as she nodded.  “That… was… I needed… so good.” She mumbled; the movement of her lips against his skin causing Nathan’s body to tighten even more. 

 

“I can…” She wriggled against his hips but Nathan could tell that her heart wasn’t in it. 

 

“Later.  You rest now.” Nathan stroked her hair lightly.

 

“But…” Kristin couldn’t suppress a yawn.  “You… need…”

 

Nathan couldn’t help but grin at the light snore that drifted up to him as Kristin gave in to her pleasure induced exhaustion and slept, still clutching his chest.  He wrapped his arms even more tightly around her and gently rocked her beneath the shining stars.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

Kristin reached out to Nathan in her sleep only to find her hand landing on cool clean sheets.  Her eyes fluttered open as she moved her arm over the other side of the bed searching for him.  After a few moments her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she realized that she was indeed alone in the master bedroom.

 

‘How did I get back here?’ At that thought vague memories came flooding back – Nathan telling her to put her arms around his neck then lifting and carrying her into the house, Nathan tucking her into bed with a chaste kiss to the forehead.

 

‘I wanted him to stay.  I asked him to but he wouldn’t…’ Kristin remembered Nathan’s cheeky smile at her sleepy request.  ‘I’ll stay when you ask me while conscious.’ He’d told her then rolled her into the pillow and pulled the sheet up to her chin.

 

‘Damn it, Kristin, why are you doing this to yourself?’ Her brain asked.

 

‘Because you love him,’ her heart answered.

 

A week, he’d said.  A week of sex with no strings attached.  Could she accept that?  Kristin knew that she would be devastated when the week was done, when Nathan had his fill of her and walked away.  But her heart was still winning.  If she couldn’t have Nathan Bridger’s heart could she accept his attentions?  

 

The memory of the pleasure she’d felt at his hands made her want to try.  She thought back over the long weeks since the seaQuest had been lost.  She’d been attracted to Nathan Bridger since the moment she’d seen him; the reaction deeper than she’d had in a long time… perhaps ever.  Kristin knew that if Lucas hadn’t interrupted them that night she and Nathan would have made love.

 

Love… as much as she didn’t want to admit it that is what it would have been, at least for her.  “I love him,” Kristin breathed the words into the darkened room.  “Why did I have to fall in love with you, Nathan Bridger?”

 

‘I should have been stronger… not given in…’ The way that Nathan had touched and kissed her that night had sparked desires that Kristin thought long buried.  She hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since then; her dreams filled with erotic images of Nathan.  Finally the needs of her body had won out but Nathan wasn’t showing any interest in her any more.  Instead of becoming the talk of the base by using a military man to assuage her needs she’d come to the island. 

 

And Nathan had followed her.

 

‘Admit it, Kristin, you wanted him to follow you.’ Her subconscious whispered at her.

 

“Did I?”  Kristin sat up in bed as she whispered the words.  “I couldn’t have… he didn’t know where…”

 

‘But you told Katie,’ the small inner voice reminded her.  ‘And you visited his office.’

 

Kristin tugged at the tee shirt she was still wearing, the oversized garment wrapped uncomfortably around her body.  She absently climbed out of the bed and stripped the shirt and shorts away then stalked across the room to her suitcase, heedless of the open door or her naked state.

 

The lavender silk sheath shimmied down her body, teasing sensitive areas as it went.  She smoothed it over her hips, her palms coming to rest at the top of each leg.  Her thumb and forefinger lightly stroked over her mons as she remembered Nathan’s touch hours earlier.  Kristin was surprised to feel her desire spark at the memory.

 

Deciding she was thirsty, Kristin moved to the door, only then registering that it was standing wide open.  She moved down the hallway toward the den, wondering if Nathan was in the guestroom since he’d turned down her sleepy invitation to stay with her.

 

Her instincts were correct.  Nathan was sprawled out in the center of the large bed, his arms and legs reaching to the four corners.  The top sheet was pulled haphazardly over his butt; his bare back and legs made Kristin’s mouth go dry.

 

She leaned against the doorframe for added support as she stared at him, her eyes starting at the soles of his feet and traveling slowly upward.  She noted the strength of his thighs, the taut muscles of his buttocks, the sloping curve of his back and the width of his shoulders.

 

‘You need a haircut, Captain Bridger.’ She grinned at her humorous thought.  Nathan’s gray hair curled around his neck making her fingers itch to bury themselves within its thick locks.

 

Kristin took a single step into the room and bit her teeth into her lower lip to keep from crying out as the silk caught and rubbed over her suddenly tight nipples.

 

‘Give in,’ her heart chimed out.  ‘Walk over to that bed, climb on top of him and return the favor he did for you.’

 

‘If you do that then Nathan will want everything.  Do you think he would be satisfied with just your hands?’  Her heart answered.

 

“Why should he be satisfied when I’m not?” She whispered then caught her breath in fear but Nathan didn’t stir.

 

Kristin took a few more tentative steps toward the bed then stopped at the point where Nathan remained just out of reach.  She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, one hand stretched toward the bed.

 

Suddenly her fear won and Kristin bolted from the room.  As the sound of her bedroom door shutting echoed down the hall one crystal blue orb popped open and a satisfied smile appeared on Nathan’s lips.  ‘She’s thinking about me at least,’ he thought as he rolled to his side and grasped the spare pillow in his embrace.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

Nathan slid the door of Kristin’s bedroom open and leaned against the jamb in an unconscious imitation of the pose she’d assumed while watching him in the night.  His hands balanced a tray holding a carafe of hot coffee, two cups and assorted breakfast food.

 

Kristin seemed to be a much more sedate sleeper, but perhaps it only appeared that way because her bed was larger.  She hugged one side of the wide mattress, a light sheet covering her up to her waist.  One leg had worked its way from beneath the cover and lay bare to the thigh.  Nathan swallowed hard as he mentally chastised his manhood for leaping to life at the scene.

 

“Kris,” he finally said, keeping his voice low in an effort not to scare her.  When she didn’t respond he moved a little closer to the bed and spoke her name again.

 

Her hand moved first, grasping at the sheet as she yawned and began to stretch.  She rolled over as she continued to reach out, the cover flipping completely away from her as she rolled to her back.  The lavender nightgown rested at the top of her thighs, allowing Nathan just the smallest glimpse of the auburn curls beneath the hem.

 

“Good morning, sleepyhead.  I brought you breakfast in bed.”

 

A sensuous smile touched Kristin’s lips as she pushed up to her elbows and raised one knee slightly, leaving Nathan little doubt of what sort of dream he had interrupted.  One thin strap of her gown slid down her arm taking a great deal of fabric with it.  The upper swell of one of Kristin’s generous breasts was revealed.   Nathan could have sworn that if Kristin took a deep breath he would have finally seen the entire mound uncovered.

 

Kristin blinked as her eyes focused on Nathan then, realizing the picture that she must be making; she sat up straight and yanked the sheet back over her lap.  She swallowed hard as her mouth watered.

 

“Is that coffee?”

 

“Cream and two sugars plus a dash of nutmeg, just the way that you like it.”

 

Kristin grasped the cup Nathan offered her as she stared at him in amazement.  “How did you know I like nutmeg in my coffee?”

 

“I paid attention.  I pay attention to everything that you do, everything that you like or don’t like.”

 

“Why didn’t you stay with me last night?  I asked you to, didn’t I?” Kristin asked abruptly, her eyes falling to stare into her coffee.

 

“Yes, you asked me to.  But I don’t think that an invitation when you are more than half-asleep after being pleasured over and over counts.  If I had accepted I would have felt like I was taking advantage of you and that isn’t what this week is about.”

 

“I have a choice?”

 

“You don’t have a choice in whether I go or stay.  You are stuck with me until you decide to leave.  But my being here doesn’t mean that I am going to force you to go to bed with me.  That isn’t how I operate.  You decide if we have sex.”

 

“And last night?”

 

“Wasn’t a we situation.  You were wound tighter than a drum and you needed relief.  I understand now why you wanted this week to… I wanted to help you.”

 

“But what about you, Nathan?  Don’t you want…?”  Kristin still refused to meet his gaze.

 

Nathan sat down on the side of the bed and slid his hand under her chin, carefully lifting her face up until he could gaze into her soft sable eyes.  “I want you, Kristin.  But if you really aren’t ready then I can make do.  I’m not going to force you.”  Nathan flashed his best little boy grin.  “Now that isn’t to say that I’m not going to do my best to seduce you.”

 

Kristin couldn’t help but laugh.  “I adore you, Nathan Bridger.  You can make me laugh when no one else on the planet can.”  She leaned forward impulsively and brushed her lips across his.

 

Nathan’s hand slid to the side of Kristin’s neck and held her there when she would have withdrawn.  He attacked her lips with vengeance, licking the soft contours until Kristin couldn’t help but open to him.

 

She didn’t realize that Nathan had brushed her nightgown away until her bare nipple puckered in the cool room air seconds before his palm covered it.  She pulled back, gasping for air as Nathan worked the hard nub relentlessly between his thumb and forefinger.  When he would have lowered his mouth to the rosy peak she stopped him.

 

“I didn’t promise not to try…” he gasped out as he rested his forehead against hers, his hand falling to her thigh.  A whimper escaped Kristin’s throat as the tips of his fingers drifted beneath the hem of her nightgown.

 

Nathan allowed himself just the faintest brush through her curls before pulling back and standing up.  “I think… you should enjoy your breakfast.”  He lifted the tray from the bedside table and placed it over Kristin’s lap before backing away.

 

“Don’t you want something?” Kristin held out a slice of toast to him.

 

“I… I saw some lawn equipment under the porch so I think that I’ll get that old mower going and start working on the grass.”  He licked his lips in imitation as Kristin’s tongue captured a stray drop of jelly from hers.

 

Kristin shook her head.  “You don’t have to.  I can hire someone to do that… after we leave.” She finished at the stormy look that clouded Nathan’s face.

 

“The physical activity will be good for me… help me burn off some excess energy.”  The hunger in his gaze left Kristin with little doubt as to how he would like to burn off that energy. “Enjoy your breakfast.”

 

Nathan turned and fled while he still could.  A few more moments of staring at Kristin propped up, her nightgown barely covering her and he knew he would be begging her to let him stay.

 

The buzzing of the dryer as he entered the living room told Nathan that his damp clothes were now dry so he removed them from the appliance and carried them back to the guest room, dumping them on the bed.  He rifled through them absently, searching for a clean pair of shorts to pull on and pulled out a khaki pair almost identical to the dirty pair he now wore.

 

Nathan popped the button and carefully lowered the zip, not hearing the gasp until he’d reached the bottom.  He whirled around, his hand holding the sides of his shorts together, to find Kristin standing in the doorway.

 

“I dropped the knife…” she said absently, her gaze riveted on Nathan’s shorts. 

 

“I was changing,” he explained.  “I threw my things in the dryer last night so I was putting on a clean pair of shorts.”

 

“Don’t let me stop you.” Kristin replied.

 

Nathan waited a moment for Kristin to move away but she stayed where she was, her eyes cast low on his body as she waited expectantly.

 

“Kris?”

 

“I want to see…” A fiery blush rose through Kristin’s golden skin as she realized she had spoken out loud.  She turned away from the door but Nathan dashed across the room and caught her, pulling her back against him.

 

“What do you want to see?  You were my doctor… you’ve seen me…”

 

“But never like that…”

 

Nathan chuckled when he realized that Kristin meant she’d never seen him aroused.  The fact that he’d been trying to show her for the last day was lost on her.  He turned Kristin into the room, pressing her into the wall by the door.  Her eyes were closed as he moved back a few feet but they flew open as he dropped his dirty shorts to the floor and stepped out of them.

 

“I was just about to change anyway.”

 

Kristin’s nostrils flared and she bit down on her bottom lip as she stared at Nathan standing unashamedly nude before her.  As she watched his arousal grew even more pronounced, rising to bounce against his abdomen.

 

“You can’t stand there looking at me and say that I don’t desire you.” Nathan whispered.

 

“Sit on the edge of the bed.” Kristin told him then advanced forward as he backed up.  When the back of his knees hit the mattress he sat, his hands resting lightly on his parted knees, his face glued to Kristin’s.

 

“I want to touch you… may I?” Kristin swallowed hard as she forced the words out in a whisper.

 

“You could never guess how much I want you to.”  Nathan widened the vee of his legs but left his hands in place, making no move that might scare Kristin off.

 

She knelt on the carpet in front of him and stared at his groin for several minutes before reaching out tentatively.  In a move that surprised Nathan, Kristin bypassed his erection completely, her fingers falling lower to brush over the skin of his swollen sacs.  She lifted the heavy weight in the palm of her hand and smiled.

 

“You’re very full.  You must be very frustrated with me…”

 

“When you are ready, Kristin… not until then.”

 

Her finger moved back to press the sensitive skin just behind the base of his scrotum and Nathan gasped, his hips jerking forward.  Kristin closed her eyes and licked her lips as she sighed heavily.

 

“This could be over very quickly if you keep that up.” Nathan observed; his eyes riveted on the rise and fall of Kristin’s chest, the lacy low cut nightgown barely covering her puckered nipples.

 

Kristin moved her fingers forward and up the vein running along the lower ridge of his shaft.  When she reached the helmeted tip she wrapped her hand around it. 

 

“You’re so soft,” she observed, her voice filled with wonder.  “Even as hard as you are… you feel like velvet.  I’d forgotten…” Kristin lifted her free hand and grasped him below her first.  She still didn’t cover him completely.

 

“Kris!” Nathan’s voice revealed his agony as Kristin ran her thumbnail along the small opening, gathering the seeping moisture and smoothing it over the purple head.  She pumped her hands experimentally and Nathan almost came off of the bed.

 

“I think that you should stop now.” He bit out as he struggled to control his pressing urge to come in her hands.

 

Kristin’s face fell.  “Am I doing it wrong?”

 

“No… God no… but I’m going to lose it any minute if you keep touching me like that…”

 

“Lawrence never let me… and I never wanted to with anyone else… not until you…”

 

Kristin yelped as Nathan grabbed her arms and hauled her up, and into his lap then twisted them until Kristin lay on her back on the bed with him looming over her.  He kissed her greedily and she responded in kind.

 

“Have you decided?” He rasped out when he broke the kiss.

 

Fear touched Kristin’s eyes.  “I want to… but… I just…”

 

Nathan cut her words off with another kiss, this one extremely gentle.

 

“I can wait until you are ready.  I know that you are scared but think about it, baby.  Every fantasy you’ve ever had I want to fulfill.  I will do my best to pleasure you beyond your wildest dreams, give you the most erotic week you’ve ever had.”  He slid one hand lovingly down her body from shoulder to knee then moved away from her.  “You go finish your breakfast.  I’m going to grab a quick shower then head out to work on the lawn.”

 

Kristin didn’t move until she heard the pounding of water from the shower in the connecting bathroom.  She pushed up slowly and stood but instead of exiting the room she turned and moved toward the bath. 

 

Nathan had left the door ajar, by accident or design she didn’t know and didn’t care.  She nudged it open and stood in the entry, watching.

 

The dappled glass of the shower door may have obscured the details but Nathan’s form was clearly visible.  Kristin stared enthralled as she watched the water run over his naked body, tiny rivulets sliding down his arm and over his palm to coat the fat erection he gripped solidly in his hand.  His other hand pressed hard against the wall and his feet were spread wide.  His eyes squeezed shut and his head fell back as he pumped vigorously

 

“Oh God… Kris… Kris… KRISTIN!” Nathan shouted hoarsely as his essence erupted from his body to pelt the end of the enclosure.  He came over and over, long white jets continuing to spew from his body until at last he’d spent himself completely.

Kristin wasn’t aware of the low moan that escaped from her throat until Nathan slowly turned his head to stare at her.  She held his gaze for a long moment then stepped back and out of sight. 

 

They both knew that Kristin’s decision had been made.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

In spite of the age of the stubborn push mower, Nathan had almost half of the lawn done before Kristin emerged from the house.  He saw her wave to him and stopped the machine immediately then moved to join her on the back deck. 

 

His eyes raked her form, clad in another set of skimpy shorts and a halter.

 

“I thought you might be thirsty.” Kristin gestured at the tray of lemonade she’d placed on the table.

 

Nathan grabbed a glass and upended it then turned his gaze back to her.  The hunger in his gaze was evident.  “I’d better get back to work.”

 

“Don’t you… It’s past noon.  I thought you might be hungry.”

 

Nathan shook his head.  “I grabbed something before I came out.  I thought that I’d get this done and then we’d go find a grocery store and find something a little more substantial than pasta for dinner.”

 

“I’ll call for a taxi… if I can find the pieces of my phone.”

 

“Don’t they have a dockside place here?  I dropped your boat and tested the engine.  It could use a good fast run.”

 

“I’ll grab some gardening gloves and do some work on the flowerbeds then.”

 

Nathan gave Kristin an agreeing nod then grabbed a piece of ice and popped it into his mouth as he walked back to the mower.

 

On his third pass down the lawn movement caught the corner of his eye, and he glanced up just in time to see Kristin drop a mat to the ground and kneel on it then bend over to pull a weed from the bed.  He almost ran the mower into a tree while watching the smooth curve of her bottom peep out from beneath the shorts.

 

Nathan swore loudly and pulled his attention back to his task as the side of the metal mower scraped tree bark free. 

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

Kristin jumped when she felt strong fingers slide beneath the hem of her shorts to cup her bottom.

 

“Lawn is pretty much done and so am I.  I don’t want to expend all of my energy… at least not on yard work.”  Nathan winked saucily at Kristin as he squeezed her cheek again.

 

Kristin rocked back on her heels and wiped a soiled glove across her damp brow.  “I won’t complain.  I could take a quick shower and be ready to go in… NATHAN!  What are you doing?”

 

Kristin’s scream erupted when Nathan stood and swung her into his arms.  She gripped his neck tightly as he bound down the hill toward the ocean and waded into the water.

 

“We can shower later.”

 

“Put me down!  No! Don’t!” Kristin squealed again as her butt skimmed the water. 

 

Nathan stopped and bent his knees, both of them falling until the gentle waves lapped against their necks.

 

“You really are a bloody bastard, you know that?”

 

Instead of replying to Kristin’s observation Nathan dropped her legs and wrapped both arms tightly around her as he captured her mouth.  He teased her lips relentlessly and then did the same to her tongue when she opened her mouth to him.  When Kristin entwined her arms around his neck her dropped his to cup her bottom and draw her closer.  She responded by linking her ankles around his back.

 

“God, I wish the damned government hadn’t banned beef.” He swore as the kiss broke.  “I could use a twenty ounce porterhouse right about now.”  Nathan thrust his hips against Kristin’s.

 

“You are in luck.” Kristin murmured in his ear.  “Most of the home owners on this island are very rich and influential people.  You think something as petty as a government ban would stop them from indulging themselves?  We can buy steak at the market.”

 

Nathan’s eyes blazed.  “A nice thick rare steak?  Do you know what that does to me?”

 

“If actually eating it is anything like the reaction from just thinking about it…” Kristin responded to his pulsing hips by rubbing hers in a circular motion over the thick pole between them.  “…Let’s buy enough for the entire week.”

 

Nathan was torn between his desire to drag Kristin from the water to the grass and strip them both naked, and his longing to make their first joining as perfect as possible.  “Come on, woman.  Let’s go get some food.”

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

Even though she’d had someone maintain the boat during the years she’d been away, Kristin was still surprised to find that it ran as well as it did.  Nathan opened the throttle all the way and grinned like a schoolboy as they raced across the waves.  She gripped the edges of her seat tightly and grinned just as broadly as he cut wide circles and loops through the water.  Thankfully there wasn’t much traffic on the ocean since it was early in the week.

 

A quick slice through the water sent the boat almost sideways and a wave washing over the side.  Nathan quickly slowed the engine at Kristin’s yell and turned to find her wiping water from her face.

 

“You did that deliberately!”

 

“Actually I didn’t and I’m sorry, but I can’t say that I am disappointed with the result.”

 

Kristin followed Nathan’s eyes down to find that water had soaked her top as well, molding the wet fabric to her body.  Her nipples pressed rigidly against their covering.

 

Nathan flipped the engine to idle and fell on his knees in front of Kristin, his hands moving behind her neck.  Realizing his intentions, she gripped his elbows and stopped him.

 

“Someone might see…”

 

“I don’t give a damn.”  But Nathan dropped his hands back to Kristin’s breasts, thumb and forefinger of one hand pinching one distended tip sharply while his mouth covered the other one through the wet cloth.

 

Kristin’s fingers gripped Nathan’s hair, holding him to her as her back arched.  She whimpered as his teeth grazed her flesh.

 

A loud catcall tore their attention away from their building desire and Nathan looked up to see a boat full of teenage boys passing nearby.  His hands instinctively covered Kristin’s wet chest.

 

“Way to go, pops!”  One of the boys yelled as the boat sped away.

 

“Damn teenagers!  They should be locked away from thirteen to twenty one.” Nathan stripped his tee shirt over his head.  “Here.  I refuse to let anyone else see you looking like that.” 

 

Kristin laughed, her face still pink with embarrassment as she slid into the bottom of the boat and turned her back to Nathan.  “Those boys were about the same age as Lucas.” She commented as she stripped off her wet halter and dropped it then pulled Nathan’s shirt over her head.

 

Nathan rolled his eyes at her and took a deep breath.  “Market then home then dinner then… dessert.”

 

Kristin’s blush returned at the pure lust in Nathan’s eyes.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

Kristin groaned internally as Nathan slid the boat into the vacant slip in front of the market.  Two curvaceous young women looking to be in their early twenties and wearing practically non-existent bikinis were giving a shirtless Nathan the once over.  The spurt of jealousy that shot through her caught Kristin by surprise.

 

‘One week.  That is all he wants and that is all you want.  Unless… he might prefer one of them…’

 

She took Nathan’s hand and stepped out of the boat, surprised when he wrapped his arm around her waist as they started down the pier.  The younger women left the shade of the building and moved toward them, both girls rolling their hips in an inviting manner. 

 

“Hi,” the blonde offered as they drew close.  “I’m Veronica.  You must be new to the island.”

 

“I’m Tawny,” the brunette joined in. 

 

“Nice to meet you,” Nathan smiled, seeming oblivious to the come hither glances that both girls were giving him.  He brushed past them with not even a glance.

 

“Nathan!  I can’t believe you.” Kristin started as soon as they were out of hearing range.  “Both of those women were gorgeous and openly flirting with you but you didn’t even seem to notice.”

 

“I’ve got all the woman I need right here with me.  Why would I look at another one?”  Nathan planted a light peck on her nose then pushed her through the market door.

 

They wandered the aisles picking up various vegetables and putting them in the small basket Nathan carried on his arm.  Kristin protested at Nathan’s choice of an extremely expensive quart of fresh raspberries but when he whispered what he intended to do with them her protest died while her blush grew.  Nathan caught her off guard with an off color comment about a zucchini and by the time that they reached the freezer section her blood was racing.

 

“You have to behave yourself or they are going to kick us out of here.  Stop saying naughty things to me.”

 

“But you like it when I say naughty things,” Nathan turned toward the meat section, his hand raising to casually brush across the tight peaks tenting her tee shirt.  “I can see the darkness of your nipples through the cotton.”

 

Kristin hunched her shoulders to loosen the pull of the fabric as she glanced around then turned away from him.  “You can’t!” She hissed back.

 

Nathan laughed and put an arm around her waist as he bent over to pick up a steak.  “My God!  A ribeye.  Isn’t that gorgeous?  Look at the way the fat is marbled in that baby.”

 

“You really like steak, don’t you?”

 

“Steak… I adore steak.  Eating steak makes me… horny.”

 

Kristin giggled.  “I haven’t noticed you need any help in that department.”

 

“I’m serious.  There is something about red meat that just gets my juices flowing.”  He started piling them into the basket.

 

“Whoa, sailor.  We are only going to be here for a week.”

 

“And I am going to need all the energy I can muster for what I have planned for you, little lady.  You might need some protein as well.”

 

Kristin looked skeptically at the meat.  “I did enjoy steak but it has been so long…”

 

With a gleam in his eye Nathan leaned forward and whispered something particularly naughty in Kristin’s ear.  She jumped back and whirled around, intent on leaving him but he caught her arm.

 

“Come on, sweetheart.  You can’t leave me like this.  I need to use you as cover.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Nathan rubbed his hips against the curve of her bottom.  “I’ve got a boner from hell here and I need you to walk in front of me.  I did give you my tee shirt after all.  Besides, my condition is completely your fault.  Take pity on a poor sailor.”

 

Nathan gripped the back of Kristin’s tee shirt and held it firmly as they moved back through the store toward the checkout, pausing only once to grab a couple of good bottles of merlot.

 

He shifted even closer behind her when he noticed the pretty young cashier watching him with interest.  When he noticed the handsome young bag boy staring he slung money on the counter, grabbed the bags and rushed Kristin out of the store.

 

“A little embarrassed?” Kristin asked as they stepped out onto the dock.

 

“The girl staring I could handle but the boy…” Kristin had turned halfway to look at him and as Nathan spoke he glanced down and chuckled.  “Oh… I guess it wasn’t me he was looking at.”

 

Nathan’s grip on the tee shirt had pulled the fabric tight across Kristin’s chest and without a bra the delineation of her curves was more than obvious as was the dusky hue of her nipples.

 

Kristin yanked the shirt out of his grasp and stalked down the dock muttering… ‘Put me on display for all to see… bloody bastard…’

 

Nathan caught up with her halfway down the pier and whirled her into his arms.  Cold groceries pressed into the back of her thighs as he kissed her hungrily.

 

They were both breathless when they parted.

 

“Let’s go home.”

 

Kristin nodded at Nathan’s words and wrapped an arm around his waist as they moved towards the boat, never noticing the envious stares of Nathan’s admirers.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

“Rollin’ rollin’ rollin’… keep them doggies rollin’… rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ RAWHIDE!”  Nathan stopped, put the meat in the marinade, and did a quick two-step across the kitchen floor, grabbing Kristin and swinging her around once then returning to his task.

 

“You are an absolute nut, Bridger, do you know that?”

 

“I’ve heard rumors but they never let me see the actual test results.  If we’d gotten some ground round I could have sung ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ for you.”

 

Tears sprang to Kristin’s eyes as she laughed.  “If Ben Kreig only knew…”

 

Nathan whirled, the meat tongs in his hand.  “Swear you will never tell…  your word or you get… the tongs.”  He clapped the ends together at her, making a fake lunge at her breast.

 

Kristin grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward into her embrace and covered his mouth with her own.  Nathan pushed her mouth open with his tongue and probed, only to halt when he felt a heavy pinch on his balls.

 

“Two can play at that game, mister.”

 

Nathan inched back slightly to find the salad tongs gently gripping his sacs, Kristin’s hand holding the other end.  She waggled her eyebrows at him.  “So… what’s it going to be… stud?”

 

Nathan flipped the tongs so that he was grasping the open ends and offered them to her in a concession of defeat.  “Uncle.”

 

“Very wise.” Kristin gave Nathan a sharp nod then turned back to the counter where she was slicing potatoes and onions.

 

With a wicked grin Nathan swung the tongs around and pinched Kristin’s bottom with them then darted back across the room, barely dodging the onion that she lobbed after him.

 

“Great!  I was gonna put one of these in the marinade anyway.”

 

Kristin finished preparing her lyonnaise potatoes and slid them in the heated oven then turned to find Nathan staring at her.

 

“Now what?”

 

“How long will those take to cook?”

 

“About three quarters of an hour.”

 

“So we have a half hour before I need to start the grilling.”

 

“Would you like to go for a walk?  Or we could sit on the back deck.”  Kristin backed slowly away as Nathan advanced on her, allowing him to trap her between his body and the counter.

 

“Or… we could…” Nathan grabbed Kristin’s waist and lifted her to sit on the countertop then pressed in between her legs.  In one fluid movement he stripped the tee shirt over her head and flung it behind him then palmed her breasts. 

 

Kristin’s hands immediately flew up to cover her his hands as she flushed under Nathan’s scrutiny.  Without speaking he gently pulled one hand free, and touched one of her hands with his fingertips then carefully lifted it away.  Kristin’s eyes squeezed shut.

 

“I’m not young… not like those women who were ogling you.  I’ve had a child…” She felt the barely discernable touch of his finger brushing light stretch marks along the swell of the bare mound.

 

“You are perfect… more beautiful than I’ve imagined in any of my fantasies… and believe me, I’ve had a great many fantasies about you.  You are going to have to get used to me looking at you because I intend to do a great deal of it over the next few days.”

 

“Nathan… I’m over forty and…”

 

“You are gorgeous.  You’ve seen me in my all together… twice as a matter of fact.  Let me see your breasts… let me touch you… taste you… let me make you half as crazy as you make me…”

 

“The food…” Kristin weakly offered one last protest.

 

“I’m not going to ravish you on the kitchen counter.  I just want you to get used to me looking at you… touching you.”

 

Kristin’s eyes closed as she slowly dropped her other hand, revealing the upper portion of her body completely to Nathan fully for the first time. 

 

“I could look at you… touch you for hours.  You are so beautiful!”

 

He stretched and brushed a feather light kiss across her lips then returned to the feast in front of him, his tongue darting out to taste the bounty of her breasts.

 

“You taste like heaven…” Kristin gasped as Nathan pulled an entire nipple into his mouth, sucking with all the force he could muster.  She arched into his touch.

 

Nathan continued the pressure on both mounds, using fingers and lips to keep Kristin’s desire rising.  When she least expected it he dropped one hand to the vee of her legs and pressed his fingers against the seam of her shorts, pushing it against her sex.  Kristin gripped his shoulders.

 

He worked her swollen flesh through the denim covering, the sudden rush of dampness spreading across the fabric causing his balls to tighten to a painful level.

 

“Move against my fingers, baby.” Nathan felt her sex part beneath his touch and drove deeper, pushing the fabric against the heart of her desire.  “That’s it.” He encouraged when she rocked against him.  He heard the tiny whimper she fought to suppress.

 

“I want you… I want to taste you… to know every little move that makes you hot.” Nathan wanted nothing more than to give in to the demands of his lust, strip her naked, climb on top of the counter and thrust deeply into her.  He grew even harder at that thought.

 

Nathan’s lips moved up to her neck while his fingers continued to pulse rhythmically against her.  “Before the dawn comes I intend to know every part of you.  There will not be an inch of your body that I haven’t loved.”

 

He pulled back to watch Kristin’s face as her orgasm exploded over her, her teeth biting heavily into her lower lip as she struggled not to cry out.  Nathan’s balls tightened and he struggled not to come as he watched her.

 

When the last shudders of her orgasm had faded Nathan wrapped Kristin in his arms and kissed her forehead, holding her tightly until she moved against him.  When he pulled back she slid off of the counter, her head lowered.

 

“Kris?”

 

“I’m a little… embarrassed…” She spotted her shirt on the floor and quickly moved out of his embrace to grab it and hold it in front of her.

 

“Don’t be.  Watching you was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.  I want so much more, Kristin.”  Nathan moved up behind her, his hands slipping to cover her breasts as he lowered his lips to her neck.  “And you want it too, don’t you?”

 

“Yes…” Kristin breathed raggedly.  “I want you, Nathan.”

 

Nathan held her against him for long minutes, neither one of them moving.  Finally he pulled back.  “I’m going to throw the steaks on the grill.  I think that we could both use some nourishment.” The look he gave her as he moved toward the pan of steaks left Kristin with little doubt that they both would need all the energy they could muster for the coming night.

 

~sQ~ ~sQ~ ~sQ~

 

Kristin closed the dishwasher, started it then picked up her glass of wine and wandered into the den but Nathan wasn’t there.  She called his name softly but he didn’t answer from the back of the house so she turned toward the glass door.

 

Nathan was standing at the wooden rail, staring out over the ocean thoughtfully. 

 

“I wish you would have let me help.” He said softly when he sensed Kristin move out of the house.

 

“Everything is done.  You did the cooking so it was only fair that I clean up.”

 

Nathan nodded knowing that Kristin had wanted a few minutes alone to contemplate what they both knew was going to happen.

 

“So…” Nathan could hear the nervous tremor in Kristin’s voice.  “I’m not sure what to do next.”

 

Nathan turned to face her.  “Next we do whatever we want to do.  Tell me what you want.  What did you hope to gain out of this week?”

 

He could see the pink tinge rise in Kristin’s cheeks from the light streaming from the house.  “I wanted… to try something new.”

 

“I’m new.”

 

“That isn’t what… Lawrence had political ambitions from the very beginning and our behavior always had to be beyond reproach, even in the bedroom.  My other encounters… well, Kristin Westphalen is a woman of science not a woman of passion.  She doesn’t loose control…”

 

“Hence the ice queen designation.”

 

“You heard about that too?  My reputation is expanding.”

 

“What would you like to try?” Nathan abruptly returned to her earlier statement.

 

Kristin turned toward the rail and took a sip of wine.  “I’m not a timid virgin, Nathan.  I’ve had many experiences in the bedroom… but not a great deal of variety.  When you let me touch you this morning…” A shudder shook her shoulders.  “What you did in the shower… I want to do that for you.”

 

Nathan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to resist throwing her to the deck.  “But what about you.  What do you want me to do for you?”

 

“I don’t… I’m sure you noticed that each time you touched me it took a while… Most men didn’t find it worth the time or effort to worry about my pleasure.  I am used to that.  I just want to experience you.”

 

“What do you mean by most men?”

 

“Most… all of them… except Lawrence… in the beginning.  After I got pregnant with Cynthia he seemed to lose interest.  I know that he adores his daughter but I must admit that sometimes I wonder how much appearing to the voting public as an adoring family man played into his delight.”

 

“So you are telling me that just because you take a little longer to… preheat… none of your lovers saw to your pleasure?” Nathan was aghast.

 

“It’s all right.” Kristin quickly reassured him.  “It really doesn’t matter.”

 

“Then why are we here?  What turned you on so much that you were willing to sleep with a stranger if you don’t enjoy it?”

 

Kristin turned to him with an amused look on her face.  “Why, Nathan, you did.  I thought you realized… Ever since that night in your cabin I’ve been… I can’t sleep without having erotic dreams about you.  But you are wrong.  I did enjoy it… just because I didn’t… come… like I did last night doesn’t mean that I didn’t find pleasure in sex.”

 

“And do you enjoy it when you dream about me?  Because I’ve had a hell of a good time lately dreaming about you.  The only thing I would enjoy more is bringing some of my dreams to life.”

 

“You’ve dreamt about me?” Kristin was surprised.  “What… tell me about your dreams.”

 

“Initially we were back in my cabin only this time Lucas didn’t interrupt us.  That one started a couple of days after the explosion.”  Nathan lifted his hand to stroke her arm.  “They progressed from there… medbay, the moonpool, the mag-lev… that was a particularly interesting one… we were trying to see if we could beat the time of the lev going from one end of the ship to the other.”

 

Kristin couldn’t help but smile.  “But now you know that would be impossible.”

 

“Not impossible.  We just might have to take more than one trip.” At her look of disbelief he continued.  “You said that you were having erotic dreams about me.  Did those dreams excite you, Kristin?  The fact that you came here on this crazy quest lets me know that they did.”

 

“Yes… they excited me.”

 

“Are you excited now?” Nathan stepped closer.

 

“I… Let me touch you, Nathan.”  Kristin reached out toward his waist but Nathan caught her hand and held it.

 

“The first thing you have to know is that I am not like other men… at least the other men you’ve been with.  Tonight is for you.”

 

“Nath…” his lips cut off her protest as one of his knees worked between her legs, widening them.  He slid his fingers up her thigh, this time sliding beneath the cloth to caress her bare sex. 

 

Nathan groaned as warmth and wetness rushed over his fingers.  “See… you are wet for me… let me feel you completely.  Let me love you, darling.”

 

Kristin didn’t protest when Nathan’s free hand popped the restraining button of her shorts and worked the fabric over her hips.  The garment fell in a puddle at her feet.  Nathan moved quickly, his index finger probing her warmth and pushing inside at a steady pace until he was as deep as he could go.  Kristin gasped as she clenched him tightly.

 

Nathan’s mind whirled at the thought of Kristin clenching his erection in the same way.  “You are so tight, baby.”  He worked a second finger inside her sheath, her gasps and trembling arousing him even more.  “I can’t wait any more, sweetheart.  I need you so much.  Please tell me that you are ready for me to love you.”

 

“I’m ready.”  Her voice was strong, without a waver of doubt.

 

Nathan bent and grabbed her behind the knees, scooping her up into his arms then ran toward the door.  Kristin laughed as she clung to his shoulders, her swinging feet quickly disposing of the shorts hanging from her ankles.

 

“Don’t you dare change your mind.  Don’t you dare…” Nathan repeated over and over as he sprinted down the hallway and kicked the door of her bedroom open.

 

Kristin had a brief sensation of being airborne then she was laying on her back in the middle of her big bed with Nathan hovering over her before she was crushed beneath his weight, his body stretched out over hers completely.

 

There was no mistaking the heavy bulge prodding her mound.  Kristin pressed her hips up against Nathan’s erection as she wound her arms around his back and opened her mouth to his seeking tongue.  The sensation was interesting yet frustrating, Nathan’s chest bare while Kristin’s was covered; Nathan’s sex covered while Kristin’s was naked, the tail of the shirt having worked its way up to her waist.

 

The rough texture of Nathan’s denim shorts brushed against her center, her curls catching in the fabric.  The coarseness added a delicious sensation to the length of her plumping lower lips as she parted her legs and wrapped them around Nathan’s thighs.

 

Nathan thrust his tongue into Kristin’s mouth repeatedly, unconsciously mimicking the motion of his hips as his hungry erection fought against its restraints in an effort to reach the warmth and dampness calling to it from the other side of the fabric.  He felt the metal back of his zipper dig into his sensitive skin, bringing him back to his senses.  He pulled away from Kristin, his hand brushing her cheek to sooth her protests as he rocked back on his knees.

 

“Sit up, sweetheart.”

 

Kristin didn’t seem to notice the endearment as she stared up at Nathan, eyes heavy with desire.  She did as he commanded and pushed her torso up.  Nathan’s hands were there immediately and she lifted her arms obediently as he stripped the tee shirt away from her body and urged her back down.

 

“Oh my god!” Nathan could barely breath as he stared down at Kristin as she lay before him completely nude, her legs parted around his calves.

 

Kristin lifted her hands to her breasts self-consciously but Nathan caught them and pushed them back to the mattress as he bent over her.  “Don’t cover yourself.  Don’t ever hide your body from me.  You are so beautiful.  I’ve never seen anything more perfect.”

 

Kristin snickered.  “Then you haven’t seen a lot of naked women have you?  My breasts sag and…”

 

Nathan’s hands immediately cupped them.  “You have the most fantastic breasts I’ve ever seen… not some blown up hard as concrete fake jobs that wouldn’t move in gale force winds.”  He brushed his thumb over the already tight peak, please to see it ruche up even tighter.  Kristin gasped and arched into his touch.

 

“You… I want you naked, too.”  She bit out as Nathan’s fingers attacked the generous mounds in earnest.

 

“Not yet, lover.  As bad as I want to get rid of my shorts if I do this will be over in a heartbeat.”

 

“Are you only good for one shot?” 

 

Nathan was so caught up in the feel of Kristin’s breasts that he didn’t realize her hands had moved until he felt one press his zipper.  “The way I’m feeling right now I could go all night… hell, I could go all week.  But I told you; this is about you first… KRIS!”  While he’d been trying to distract her, Kristin’s free hand had popped the button of his shorts and lowered the zip a few inches.  He was so engorged that his member was already standing up and the zipper inched down the rest of the way on its own.

 

Colorful language left Nathan’s lips as Kristin took him in two hands, her fingers not able to encircle him completely with one.  He released her chest to grab her hands and pull them above her head, pinning them to the mattress.

 

“That was naughty.” He told her with a smile, the rocking motion of his hips pressing his now freed erection into the soft flesh of her lower belly.

 

“I want to touch you!” She told him defiantly.

 

“Next time you get to be on top.” The waggle of Nathan’s eyebrows told Kristin that he was speaking literally as well as figuratively.  Nathan grasped both of her wrists in one hand and brought the other back to her left breast, his mouth falling to take care of the right.

 

Kristin whimpered when he flicked her swollen nipple with his tongue, cried out when his teeth scraped across the nub and screamed when he sucked as much as he could into the warm cavity of his mouth.  Kristin felt Nathan’s low laughter as she writhed beneath him.  “Ice queen, my ass,” his voice was low as he released the pressure on her peak to murmur.  “You could come from this alone couldn’t you, lover?”

 

“PLEASE!”

 

Nathan returned to the offered feast, tentatively freeing Kristin’s hands as the desire to touch her overrode the need to prevent her from touching him.  She gripped his head tightly, her fingers twisting in his hair as she struggled to push more of her mound into his mouth.

 

While his mouth worked her chest, moving from side to side to service both nipples, his hands brushed her sides, working her skin over and over from breast to hip and lower, occasionally wrapping around her thighs to lightly tease her.

 

As Nathan lovingly worked her body Kristin’s mind flashed back to his earlier words… ‘Before the dawn comes I intend to know every part of you.  There will not be an inch of your body that I haven’t loved.’  He had obviously meant them.

 

Kristin couldn’t believe how aroused her body was, how desperately she needed the man loving her so thoroughly, and that the physical feelings rose mainly from the way he was working her breasts.

 

“More… please… I need… something…” she panted.

 

Nathan pulled his hands back to her breasts and pressed the two mounds together, eliminating the valley between.  When the two rosy tips touched he lowered his mouth and sucked them both inside, loving them fiercely with lips, tongue and teeth.

 

A short but powerful orgasm rocked Kristin, sneaking up so quickly that she didn’t realize what was happening until it was on her.  She screamed, her fingers pulling Nathan’s hair to the point of pain, her toes curling into the comforter.

 

Nathan inched his body down the bed, his hands taking his mouth’s place on her breasts, as his lips tasted her satiny skin.  He lapped at the dampness covering her body, pausing to swirl his tongue in and around her navel before moving lower still.  His fingers continued to pinch and tease her nipples, pushing her through her climax and up toward another peak.

 

When he reached the gentle swell of her mound Nathan lifted his head up to stare at Kristin.  The dreamy look in her eyes made him smile but the scent of her drifting up to his nose made him want more.  He pulled her hands from her belly to her breasts and encouraged her to rub the peaks then used his own hands to pull her glistening curls apart.

 

Nathan lowered his face to the damp rosy flesh and inhaled deeply then flicked his tongue out to taste her for the first time.  A loud groan slid from deep in his throat as he savored the sweet but slightly salty flavor.  He fell on her ravenously, his thumbs pressing back the hood covering her swollen sex so that he could caress it with his eyes and then with his mouth.

 

Kristin squirmed beneath his ministrations.  She filled the room with soft cries and moans as she pulsed against his seeking lips.  Nathan wedged his shoulders beneath her thighs and lifted slightly as he delved lower, his tongue sinking deep inside her warm sheath.

 

Her juices washed over his taste buds as her cries grew louder and her movement increased.  Nathan could sense how close she was and how badly Kristin needed to find release again.  He thrust his tongue deep one last time then returned to her distended sex and sucked it into his mouth.  His teeth clamped lightly on the center and Kristin’s body went rigid, the sound of his name filling the room.

 

Time stopped for Kristin as the world exploded around her.  Overwhelming pleasure poured through every nerve of her body as she thrashed against Nathan’s mouth and hands.  She was unaware of Nathan lifting his head to watch her, inserting his fingers into her swollen cavity.  The only thing she knew was ecstasy. 

 

One orgasm crashed into another as Nathan pushed her higher and higher until at last he sensed that she could take no more.  His own erection pressed into his belly, twitching and throbbing, wanting to share Kristin’s bliss.

 

“Not yet,” he told the unruly member as he flexed it down, attempting to ease the pressure.

 

When Kristin’s senses finally returned she found herself lying on her stomach on the bed, a now naked Nathan kneeling between her parted legs.  His erection was trapped between his stomach and the swell of her bottom as he bent over her, his lips and tongue laving the skin of her clavicle.

 

“Nath…” she tried to push up but her muscles were still trembling.  She felt Nathan’s body press close to her back and then his head was on the mattress beside her.

 

“Hi there, gorgeous.” He brushed her lips.  “I was wondering if you were going to come back and play some more.  Did you enjoy yourself?”

 

Kristin couldn’t help but blush as she remembered her inarticulate screams filling the air.  “You know I did.”

 

“And it didn’t take very long at all for you to… pop, so to speak.  So let’s forget that ice queen thing once and for all.”

 

“But you… you need…” Kristin could feel how desperate he was, his iron rod throbbing against her back.  She made another attempt to roll but Nathan stopped her.

 

“You need a little recovery time and you on your back is too dangerous.  I don’t want to hurt you.  Just relax…” The weight of his body lightened as Nathan slid down, his lips returning to taste the skin of her back.

 

“Nathan… please…” Kristin wiggled beneath him as her desire began to grow again.  He felt her hands run along the sides of his hips as she sought and found his rear then grabbed hold.   She then pushed her bottom up, trapping his erection even tighter between them.

 

“Oh, Kris… you are being a naughty girl…” Nathan couldn’t resist pulsing against her.  “But I’ve got a lot more skin to cover.” 

 

Nathan returned his attention to Kristin’s back, ignoring her muffled protest when he slid a little lower and her hands lost their grip on his butt.  She twisted angrily beneath him, somehow managing to dislodge his arousal.  The swollen tip caught on the bottom curve of her buttock and slid forward between her legs to slip between her thighs.

 

Kristin’s labia quickly wrapped around Nathan’s member, coating it with her juices as she bucked against the hardness.

 

“Dammit, Nathan!  I need you inside me.  I need to feel you…” Kristin’s hands clenched the comforter as she pushed up against him with all her strength.   “Love me…”

 

Kristin’s sudden move caught Nathan off guard and his upper body fell to one side.  Kristin shoved her hips into the air, pistoning up and down against the length of steel still pressed into her sex.

 

Nathan came upright with a gasp and grabbed her hand, pulling it away as she tried to grasp his member and guide it into her. Kristin swore in frustration as he pressed her hands back into the comforter.

 

After a brief struggle with himself to contain his own passion Nathan shifted his knees to the outside of Kristin’s legs and freed her.  “Turn over, sweetheart… please?”

 

“But…” She rocked up against him again.

 

“NO!” Nathan took hold of her hips and rolled her to her back then moved his knee and pressed it between her legs.  “I know you want new and exciting but I have to see you… I want to watch your face as we join… kiss your lips…”

 

Kristin pulled her legs up and around his then wrapped her legs around his thighs as she reached her arms up to twine around his neck.  “Then kiss me…” She parted her lips.

 

Nathan fell to one elbow over her; that hand reaching to stroke a strand of fiery red hair drifting across her shoulder.  “You are sure?”  The manner in which he asked the question let Kristin know that she best be sure of her answer because he wouldn’t ask again.

 

“Very sure.”  She answered without hesitation.  “I’ve wanted you for so long…”

 

“And I you, lover.”  Nathan pushed his shaft into position, the bulbous head sliding easily into the entrance of her sheath.  Kristin’s muscles locked around him immediately, urging him further in.

 

“Slowly…” Nathan cautioned as he moved to rest on both elbows.  “You said it’s been a while… I don’t want to hurt you.”  He rocked his hips experimentally, sliding another inch or two of his member inside her. 

 

With that said, Nathan lowered his torso so that they were pressed fully together from top to bottom.  He slid his arms beneath her shoulders; his fingers sliding into her silky hair as he finally lowered his lips to hers.

 

The kiss began tenderly, Nathan seeking to distract Kristin as he eased further in, bit by bit.  He stopped immediately when her muscles contracted to block his way; his kisses growing more passionate as he gave Kristin’s body time to adjust to his intrusion.  Slowly her muscles eased around him and eventually she rocked her hips up, signaling Nathan that she was ready for more.

 

“That’s it, lover… open up for me,” he murmured as he slid another inch. 

 

Kristin’s eyes closed and she ran her hands down the rippled plane of his back to grip his bottom.  Her nails dug into his flesh as she urged him forward.  Within a few moments he was embedded to the hilt, not an inch of him visible between them.

 

When Nathan didn’t move Kristin opened her eyes to find her lover propped above her, staring at her face.  He lifted a hand to her jaw and tenderly traced its classic line.

 

“I lied to you earlier… when I said I’d begun to have dreams about you after the explosion.  The first time I dreamed about you was the first time I actually slept on the seaQuest.  The very first night I dreamed that instead of walking by when I saw you at the moonpool with Darwin I walked into the room, stripped away your uniform and loved you there on the edge of the water.”

 

Kristin’s breath caught.  “The first night…?  You never said… in all the time we were on the ship you never hinted…”

 

“I was so shocked… it took me a while to accept what was happening… to understand that it was okay… and lover, I have to tell you… this… being right here, right now… buried inside you… beats any fantasy or dream that I ever had.”

 

Tears rushed to Kristin’s eyes and Nathan lowered his lips to gently kiss them away.  “No tears, darling.  Tonight only happiness is allowed.”

 

Kristin smiled.  “They are happy tears… Make my dreams come true, Nathan.”

 

“For the rest of our lives, darling.”

 

If Kristin realized what Nathan said her response was lost in her cry as Nathan finally moved within her, pulling his shaft back until only the tip still parted her lips then plunging forward, seating himself completely with one thrust.

 

The room was soon filled with the sounds and scent of their passion as they pounded each other relentlessly, both of them frantic to bring the other to release.  Nathan fought his own climax as he tried to bring Kristin back to the peak again.  Her already sensitized sex reacted quickly and soon Nathan recognized the telltale signs of her release that he had observed over the past two days.

 

He broke his rhythm and circled his hips experimentally until he heard a slight gasp from Kristin.  With blinding urgency he plunged against the walnut sized kernel of sensation he’d found.  Kristin howled when her orgasm rushed over her, her sheath clenching Nathan’s arousal in a vice grip as her body went rigid.

 

Nathan fought against and broke her hold, pushing Kristin even higher as he let his own desire loose and spilled himself into her womb in almost painful spurts.  He lost himself completely in her, the pleasure blinding him to everything else.

 

The gentle stroke of Kristin’s hands against his back helped pull Nathan back into himself and he realized that he had collapsed on top of her.  He tried to shift his weight but her arms tightened around him.

 

“Don’t leave me… please?” her plaintive whisper reached his ears.

 

“I’m too heavy for you.” Nathan answered but he snuggled deeper into her embrace anyway.  “Hold on,” he told her after a few moments then rolled to his back, carrying Kristin with him.

 

 “Did you enjoy that?” Nathan asked.

 

“Oh yes… I said I wanted to try something new…”

 

Nathan turned to look at Kristin, his surprise showing.  “You’ve had a child so I know that what we just did wasn’t new.”

 

“No… but I’ve never… even when Lawrence did care enough to… well, you know… I’ve never had an orgasm from within.”

 

Nathan knew the grin that spread across his face was silly but he couldn’t help it.  He was delighted that their first time making love had given Kristin something she’d never had before.

 

“You feel wonderful.  I know that I was a bit hasty but after two days of foreplay I just couldn’t hold back any longer.  Next time will be better, I promise.”

 

“You may kill me if it gets any better.” Kristin chuckled.

 

“This is just the beginning, sweetheart… Oh SHIT!”

 

Kristin jumped, Nathan’s curse catching her by surprise.  “What?  Did I do something wrong?”

 

“No… I did.  I had a condom in my pocket but I… I was damned irresponsible.  I meant to pull it out before but…”

 

Kristin settled back into his embrace.  “It’s all right, Nathan.  At my age I suspect that I stand a better chance of being struck by lightening than conceiving.  Besides, I have an implant.”

 

“That’s good… but there are other reasons for using protection.  After the way I’ve preached to Lucas…”

 

“We are okay there as well.”

 

“How can you know that?” Nathan asked.

 

“Blood tests are part of your yearly physical.  You had one about a month before we lost the ship and since I was CMO I know that you didn’t test positive for any sexually transmitted diseases, not that I would have expected you to anyway.  I suspect that you were an extremely monogamous husband.”

 

Nathan couldn’t help but smile at that.  “Boringly monogamous.”

 

“Wonderfully monogamous.  Carol was an extremely lucky woman.” Kristin quickly changed the subject.  “As for me… I also had the blood tests about a year ago and since I haven’t been with anyone in several years and when I was protection was an absolute must, I am healthy as well.”

 

“So we don’t need the rubbers…”

 

“Not unless you feel better using them.  I don’t mind…”

 

“Not a chance in hell if we don’t have to.  I love the feel of you, no barrier between us.  I love the way that you cling to me so tightly… I love that you are adventurous.  Tell me your every fantasy, Kris… I’ll do my best to make them all come true.”

 

“You’ve already made a wonderful start.” Kristin murmured against his neck.  She rocked her hips into his and Nathan was amazed at the immediate hardening of his shaft.

 

“My god, what you do to me woman!  I emptied myself five minutes ago and you’ve already got me ready to go again.”

 

Nathan’s hands grasped Kristin’s hips gently then slid slowly up her sides, urging her up as they went.  By the time that they cupped her breasts she was sitting astride him, his erection growing within her body.

 

Kristin’s fingers trailed across Nathan’s upper body, her fingers tracing the whorls of soft gray chest hair scattered along his chest.  When her gentle touch crossed a flat male nipple the sensation shot straight to his groin and Nathan couldn’t hold back a moan.  Kristin grinned with delight at her discovery and turned her complete attention on the two brown peaks.

 

Nathan’s answering smile encouraged her even more.  “Do you like that?” She asked.

 

“Think about how you feel when I touch your nipples.”

 

Kristin nodded slightly then squeezed each tip between her thumb and forefinger.  Nathan’s eyes pinched closed as he arched into her touch. 

 

It was Kristin’s turn to moan when Nathan lifted his fingers to caress her arms, the rough pads just barely skimming soft flesh.  She rocked forward slightly.

 

“That’s it, lover,” Nathan encouraged her as his hands moved over her chest to lightly tease her ruched aureoles.  “Move just like that…”

 

Kristin moved as Nathan encouraged her, palms flattening out over his torso to balance herself as she experimented with the pace of her thrusts.  Nathan’s hands continued to roam, over her back, down and around the curves of her bottom, across her thighs and calves then back up to her breasts again.

 

“Nathan…” Kristin whimpered beneath the force of the feelings building inside her.

 

He nodded.  “That’s it, lover.  What do you want now?  Tell me…”

 

“I want… more.  I need more.  But I don’t know… I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

Nathan moved his hands to Kristin’s hips and held them tightly.  “You won’t hurt me.  Ride me… take me as deep as you can.  I want to watch your breasts bounce in front of me… I want to watch your face as you come for me.”

 

Kristin screamed as she ground her hips against Nathan then rose up on her knees and impaled herself on him again.  The next time Kristin thrust Nathan had his feet planted against the mattress and rose to meet her.  She soon lost all sense of time and place; nothing mattered but the pleasure that her movements were creating for both of them.  Nathan’s hands kept her steady, as her thrusts became more erratic, his thumbs pushing down into the wet curls surrounding the center of her desire.  A slightly off balance thrust and the tightening of his fingers pushed his thumb straight into the bed of nerves.

 

Seconds later Kristin sobbed as a massive orgasm shook her to the core.  Her body jerked and convulsed with the intensity of her climax before she fell forward to rest on Nathan’s torso.  Nathan was amazed that her hips continued to move on him even though he knew that she must be exhausted. 

 

“Kris… it’s okay, darling… you don’t have to… Oh SHIT!”  The feel of teeth closing around his nipple and tugging was enough.  Nathan’s hips surged up as his juices rose from his balls and poured out into Kristin’s womb.

 

“They were fools… every damned on of them…” Kristin heard Nathan whisper the words as he tugged a blanket over their legs.

 

“I’m glad… glad it was you…” a yawn cut off her words.  Within minutes they were both asleep.

 

~sQ~

 

The sun was high in the sky when Kristin finally rolled over and blinked her eyes open, one hand reaching instinctively for the other side of the bed.  It was empty.

 

“Nathan?” She called before she could help herself.  When no one answered she pushed her torso up and searched the room with her eyes as she listened for movement in the adjoining bath.  The shine in her eyes faded when she detected nothing.  Kristin fell back into the pillow, dejected.

 

“Good morning, starshine!”

 

Kristin popped back up on her elbows; joy returning to her eyes and a smile to her face as Nathan sang to her from the doorway.  He paused, breakfast tray in hand, to drink in the sight of her lying among the rumpled sheets.  Her hand clenched the cloth beneath her but Nathan was pleased that Kristin didn’t act on her impulse to grab the sheet and cover herself.

 

“I thought you might be hungry after all that… exercise.” Kristin squealed as Nathan stepped up on the bed and walked up the mattress, balancing the tray with his hands.  When he reached the top of the bed he stopped and Kristin quickly rolled to the side as Nathan carefully lowered himself into a sitting position.  He sat the tray down beside him then held his arms out to her.

 

“Come here.”

 

Kristin was in his arms instantly, her mouth opening for his kiss without hesitation.  Dishes on the tray rattled as Nathan pulled her body toward him without ever breaking their oral connection.

 

“Wow!  What a nice good morning that was.” Nathan murmured as the kiss broke.

 

“When I woke up you weren’t here… I thought that maybe you might…”

 

“Regret last night?” Nathan laughed.  “Not a chance in hell, honey.  I enjoyed myself so much that I thought we might just spend the entire day here… if that meets with your approval of course.”

 

Kristin settled into Nathan’s side, his arm sliding around her shoulders to hold her close.  “I might be persuaded…” Her fingers traced down his hard abdomen to play with the button of his shorts.  “…But you have me at a distinct disadvantage…”

 

Nathan carefully grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his rapidly expanding package.  “Food first… and then maybe a hot bath for you… hmm?  You must be sore…”

 

“A bit,” Kristin admitted, “but a good sore.”

 

Nathan leaned back against the headboard and reached into a bowl on the tray, his fingers emerging with a bright red strawberry.  He carried it to Kristin’s mouth and watched intently as she bit into the ripe fruit, a low moan sounding at its sweet taste.  Her tongue darted out to caress her lips, catching every drop of juice.  He slowly fed her the entire berry, delighted with her obvious pleasure.

 

“Your turn,” Kristin told him as she swallowed the last drop with relish.  She reached into the bowl and came up with a piece of pineapple.  “Oh… you like a little variety for breakfast.” She waggled her eyebrows at Nathan as she brought the fruit to his mouth.

 

Nathan grabbed her wrist and held it steady as his lips plucked the fruit from them.  He swallowed then brought her fingers to his mouth and laved the sticky tips with his tongue.

 

Sensation shot through Kristin’s body and pooled between her legs.  Nathan saw the desire spark in her eyes and with an impish grin pulled one of her fingers into his mouth then began to suck rhythmically.  He bathed every finger thoroughly and had her breathing heavily before he released her hand.

 

Nathan plucked another strawberry from the bowl, one of the largest that Kristin had ever seen.  She opened her mouth expectantly but Nathan only touched the berry to her lips and allowed her the tiniest of bites before pulling it back. 

 

“Don’t tease…” She pouted, her lower lip extended enticingly.

 

“Never…” Nathan bent to suck on that lip as he dragged the berry down her throat and over the swell of her breast. 

 

“Nath…an!” Kristin moaned as his lips followed the sticky trail, laving the juice from her rapidly heating skin.  The soft flesh of the berry rubbed her marbled nipple and Kristin arched into Nathan as his mouth quickly followed.

 

“Forget… break…fast…” Kristin moaned as she wrapped her arms around Nathan’s shoulders.

 

“Mmm… nope… most important… meal… of the day…” Nathan spoke around her nipple as he sucked and teased it.  “My fav… orite… from… now on…”

 

Kristin’s passion clouded brain barely registered Nathan tugging her leg over his, not realizing what he was doing until she felt a finger probe the entrance to her sheath.

 

“What!?!?”  Kristin jerked her hips back but Nathan’s hand was on her bottom holding her steady as he slowly pushed the berry into her.  She clenched against the invasion but Nathan moved his lips back to her, kissing her soothingly as he coaxed her to relax.

 

“New and different, remember… trust me…”

 

“But I’ve never done this…”

 

“I haven’t either…” Nathan’s index finger curved around the berry.  “Do you want me to take it out?”  He held Kristin’s questioning gaze and after a moment she shook her head slightly, her inner muscles clenching around the berry and his finger.

 

“No…”

 

Nathan kissed Kristin again as he reached into the bowl and came up with a piece of melon.  He held it to her lips and she nibbled it away then returned his earlier favor and sucked his fingers dry.

 

Kristin’s next offering was a raspberry but instead of offering it to Nathan she slipped it between her own lips then offered both to him.  The sweet syrup from the berry mingled in both their mouths as one kiss quickly turned into another and then another.

 

More fruit flowed between them as their passion built.  Kristin used the soft flesh of a slice of kiwi to trace a pattern over Nathan’s chest then cleaned it off, never realizing that the shape was a perfect heart.  Finally Nathan dug one more piece of fruit from the bowl, a ripe juicy peach quarter.

 

“I love peaches…” Kristin murmured as she bit into the perfect flesh.  Nathan moaned softly as a rivulet of juice ran out the corner of her mouth as she chewed slowly, savouring the fruit.  He bent to lick it from her skin.

 

Kristin swallowed the fruit then caught Nathan’s gaze.  “Please…” she whispered as she shifted back into the pillows.  Nathan stared at the peach in his hand for a moment then palmed it and placed it on the swell of her breast.  Kristin gasped as Nathan rubbed the fruit all over her torso, taking care to completely cover each mound before coating her abdomen.  When he had coated her open sex with peach juice he grinned and pushed the remaining pulp from his palm into her snug channel as well.

 

“My God, I feel like a cornucopia.” Kristin told him but her legs widened to cradle him as he shifted over her.

 

Nathan cleaned her body slowly, the taste of the fruit mingled with Kristin’s own unique flavor arousing him to a fevered pitch.  By the time he reached her navel Nathan was in agony within the confines of his shorts.  He paused to try and rein in his own desire only to be distracted by the pulse of Kristin’s hips.  His eyes darted up Kristin’s body to find her staring at him expectantly, her fingers gripping the sheet beneath her.

 

Nathan didn’t give Kristin time to ask again.  He wedged his shoulders beneath her thighs and lifted then lowered his mouth.  Kristin screamed at the touch of his lips against her, his tongue laving the outer fringes of her channel before moving in.  The strong muscle burrowed into the pulp and through it until he was brushing her.

 

“Oh… god… ohgod… ohgodohgodohgod…” Kristin moaned continuously as Nathan assiduously consumed the peach remnants.  She could feel the strawberry moving within, the flexing of her muscles driving it repeatedly against her most sensitive inner spot.

 

“You taste… so damned… GOOD!” Nathan bit out as he sucked the final bit of peach into his mouth.  Before Kristin could reply he lifted his lips and locked them over her swollen bud.

 

Kristin’s moan grew into an ear-shattering scream as her climax slammed through her body.  Nathan immediately pulled his mouth back to her sheath, his right thumb and forefinger slipping over her clit to continue the stimulation.  He thrilled as the taste of Kristin rushed into his mouth, the slight strawberry flavor only adding to his delight.

 

Moments later he felt the berry touch his lips, driven out by the continued clenching of Kristin’s muscles as his fingers and tongue coaxed multiple orgasms from her.  He carefully bit the berry and pulled it free as Kristin finally collapsed back against the mattress.

 

Nathan chewed half of the berry, amazed at how powerful the infusion of Kristin’s essence was even though it had only been in place a short time.  He caressed her sex again, gently this time, knowing that she was so sensitized that he might easily hurt her, then moved slowly back up her body.  He gathered the last traces of fruit juice as he went, paying special attention once again to her still tightly puckered breasts.

 

By the time Nathan’s face was level with Kristin’s her eyes had fluttered open.  She smiled at him contentedly, her hand lifting to stroke his cheek.  Nathan quickly removed his shorts then pressed his body close to her side and slipped the last bit of strawberry into his mouth then kissed her.

 

He felt Kristin gasp when she realized that two tastes were oozing from the berry.  Her nails dug into his biceps as she clung to him.  By the time that they broke the kiss, the last piece of fruit was gone.

 

“Kris, I…” Nathan paused, wanting desperately to say the words that were in his heart but afraid that he might scare Kristin away.  “I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as you right this very minute.”

 

Kristin smiled at his words as she drew him close for another kiss.  He felt the pad of her foot as she slid it over his calf and knee but didn’t realize what she was doing until she dropped it over his hip behind his butt.

 

“Honey, you don’t have…” His protest died as Kristin positioned his demanding member at her entrance and rocked forward; the leg thrown over Nathan’s hips giving her added leverage.

 

Nathan slid in easily; Kristin was more than ready for him.  He tried to move slowly but Kristin was ready for more.  She dug her fingernails into his bottom and urged him to move quicker.

 

“Tell me, lover… I don’t want to hurt you…” Nathan gasped in her ear as they pulsed together.  “Is it too much?”

 

“Yes… too much… more… harder, Nathan… move faster…”

 

Nathan struggled to comply, his hands sliding down to cup the curves of Kristin’s bottom to anchor her as he moved rapidly back and forth within her.

 

Kristin’s head fell back, her eyes shut and her lips pressed tightly together as she struggled to reach the peak but it eluded her. 

 

“Relax, sweetheart.  Don’t try so hard.”  Nathan stopped the motion of his hips with just the tip of his staff still caught inside her body.  His fingers kneaded the tight muscles of her bottom gently as he ran his tongue caressingly over her mouth.  Kristin mumbled a protest but gradually she began to relax.

 

Once Kristin had melted completely into his touch Nathan every so slowly pressed his hips forward.  This time he kept control of the pace, building their passion slowly while keeping Kristin focused on their kisses.  When he knew that she was near he slid a hand between their hips and fingered her clit.

 

Kristin jerked against him and tried to push the pace forward but Nathan continued to maintain control.  Her climax took hold gradually, stealing over her almost before she realized it.  Nathan held her mouth and her body tightly with one arm while the other hand worked magic against the nerves of her sex.  He swallowed the sounds of her completion then returned them as he peaked himself.

 

Nathan sagged back against the mattress, his solid grip on Kristin insuring that she followed.  He was amazed at the sense of loss he felt as his flaccid member slipped from her warmth but Kristin quickly cuddled up against him.  She tucked her head into the crook of his neck as one hand slid up and down the flat plane of his abdomen.

 

“That was wonderful…” she murmured absently as she traced the pattern of his chest hair down toward his hips.   “… in spite of my problem…”

 

“Kristin, you don’t have a problem.  You were just trying too hard.  I’ll let you in on a little secret.  Hard and fast is wonderful but I really enjoy soft and slow as well.  I love the way that your body fits mine.  I could hold you here all day.”

 

“All day?” Kristin shifted her legs where they were tangled with his, a small amount of sticky residue catching the hair on his thigh and reminding him of his breakfast feast.

 

“Well, maybe we could take a shower…”

 

“A shower is good and then…”

 

“Back to bed?” Nathan asked hopefully.

 

“To the kitchen for some real food.  I loved the fruit but I’m afraid that with all of the exercise you’ve been providing I’ve built up quite an appetite.  Nathan… Nathan!  What are you doing?”  Kristin squealed as Nathan rolled them toward the edge of the bed then in one fluid motion, stood and scooped her into his arms.

 

“Splish splash, I was takin’ a bath…” Nathan belted out at the top of his lungs as he took off toward the bathroom.

 

~sQ~

 

The week passed quickly… too quickly, Kristin thought.  Nathan was true to his word.  He had pulled out all of the stops in the innovative category, from carefully planned intensely erotic encounters to unplanned quickies in the lake and on the boat in the middle of the cove.  They’d come together on almost every conceivable surface in the house as well as on the deck beneath the stars.

 

Kristin hummed a tuneless melody as she dragged a brush through her hair.  The woman staring back at her in the bathroom mirror seemed almost a stranger to Kristin.  Her body was relaxed in a way it hadn’t been in a very long time and her eyes glowed with happiness.  Even her hair seemed to shimmer.

 

A tiny tingle at the back of her neck alerted Kristin to the fact that she was being watched.  She lowered the brush as she turned to the door and saw Nathan propped against the frame, watching her… the same silly grin on his face.

 

“Hi you…” Kristin drew her eyes down Nathan’s lean muscled body, an extra gleam sparking in her eyes over the navy blue silk boxers that he wore.  Nathan had learned quickly that they were her favorite.

 

“Hi yourself…” Nathan replied, returning the favor with his eyes, trailing the sparkling blue orbs over Kristin’s bare legs to the short hem of her flowered silk robe.  He lingered on the swell of her breasts, pleased to note that the tips quickly peaked at the attention.

 

“I missed you,” Nathan stepped into the room and reached a hand out to brush the curve of Kristin’s cheek.

 

“I’ve only been gone a few minutes,” Kristin blushed slightly beneath Nathan’s touch, amazed at the sensations he could evoke in her with just his fingers.  She shifted toward him as dampness pooled between her legs. The brush in her fingers clattered to the counter.

 

“Even a few minutes is too long.  Tonight is our last hurrah here.  I don’t want to waste a minute of it.”

 

“No… neither do I.”  Kristin took Nathan’s hand in hers and slid around him then dragged him into the dark bedroom.  He followed willingly.

 

When they reached the edge of the bed he stopped Kristin and pulled her close, his fingers tugging playfully at the ends of her sash.  He reached his other hand out and touched the blinds on the window over the bed, allowing moonlight to spill into the room.

 

“And what is my lady’s pleasure this evening?  Shall we…” Nathan bent his lips to Kristin’s ear and whispered an assortment of delights into her ear.

 

Kristin gasped at the mental image some of the suggestions caused but when her robe swung free courtesy of Nathan’s nimble fingers; she shrugged out of it and sat back on the bed.

 

Nathan’s eyes never left her as she slid to the middle of the bed and lay back against the pillows, legs parted and arms outstretched.  Moonlight played across her body, turning her skin silver.

 

“Love me, Nathan.  Tonight I need for you to love me.”  The emotion in her voice was palpable and Nathan felt his throat catch as he stared at her, her body language clearly defining the gift she was offering.  He snatched his shorts off then crawled on top of Kristin, filling her with one smooth stroke.

 

Once he was seated Nathan paused, his torso propped on both elbows as his hands tenderly smoothed riotous red curls back from her face.  He captured her gaze and held it with his own.

 

“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Kristin?  I do love you.”

 

Kristin gasped, her eyes clouding as she tried to process what she was hearing.  “No… you don’t have to say…” She tried to turn away from him but his hands held her face in place.

 

“I, Nathan Bridger, am madly, passionately and overwhelmingly in love with you, Kristin Westphalen.  Sex didn’t have a damned thing to do with this week.  We were making love.  We are making love… aren’t we, Kristin?”

 

“Yes… love… I… I love you, Nathan.”  Kristin stopped speaking; a look of terror crossing her face as she realized that she had actually spoken out loud.

 

‘Don’t let her get spooked, Bridger.’ Nathan’s subconscious quickly warned.

 

“I knew that you did.  How could you help it?  I’m so lovable.”

 

Kristin looked stunned for a moment, unable to believe that Nathan was making a joke but she quickly realized that he was trying to prevent her from retreating from him.

 

“You are very lovable… when you aren’t behaving like a complete ass.  Which you have been known to do on occasion.”

 

“This from a woman who loves to argue with me over the least little thing…”

 

“I’m not arguing with you now, Nathan.”

 

“Good… because this is an argument you don’t stand a chance in hell of winning.  This week has been about you realizing what I already knew… that you love me just as much as I love you.”

 

“There is no bloody way you could have known that for certain.” Kristin protested.

 

“I only suspected… until you came to my office the day you left to tell Lucas good-bye.  When you looked back over your shoulder and gave me that little wink and wave… I knew instantly.  You were crazy about me.”

 

“That’s a hell of a big ego you have there, sailor.”  Kristin told him but she was smiling as she spoke the words.

 

“That isn’t the only thing around here that is big.” Nathan pressed deeper into her warmth, groaning with pleasure as Kristin’s muscles tightened around him.  “How about it, gorgeous?  May I make love to you?”

 

“Only if I can make love to you as well.”

 

Then words were no longer necessary as they moved together, the experience made all the sweeter by having expressed their feelings aloud for the first time.  In the end the words ‘I love you’ joined the mantra of Nathan’s name falling from Kristin’s lips as she crested and fell.  Seconds later Nathan joined her, filling her body with his warmth as his refrain joined hers.

 

As the final waves of passion ebbed away Nathan fell into Kristin’s welcome embrace.  When he would have moved she held him tightly with both arms and legs.

 

“Stay,” she whispered quietly and he complied, shifting slightly to move some of his weight off of her but staying locked within the warmth of her body. 

 

He pressed a tired kiss to her temple.  “I love you, darling.”

 

“Love you more.” Kristin yawned as she returned the kiss against his chin.

 

Using his foot, Nathan hooked the sheet with his foot and carefully dragged it up until he could grab it and drape it over their hips.

 

“Sleep now, darling.”

 

“You too…”

 

Nathan smiled as he watched Kristin’s eyes flicker closed, tracing the shadows the moonlight threw across her classic features until sleep finally overtook him as well.

 

~sQ~

 

“I can’t believe that I let you talk me into staying three more days, Bridger.  I have experiments in progress.  My data is going to be shot to hell.”  Kristin glared at Nathan as he tied off the boat and jumped to the dock.

 

“But think how happy your libido is.” He waggled his eyebrows at her as he held out his hand.

 

Kristin jumped to the deck with a short laugh.  “Get the groceries.”

 

Nathan gathered up the bags and split them with Kristin then they made their way back to the house, talking all the while.

 

“I really can’t believe that Bill actually bought your excuse… I pulled a muscle and am having difficulty walking.”  Kristin scoffed.

 

“I only told the truth,” Nathan protested.  “I do have one particular muscle that has been pulled quite a bit this week and when it is in its most extended state I do have a great deal of trouble walking.  That is why I’ve spent most of the week in bed.”

 

“Oh… is that the reason?”  Kristin asked somewhat sarcastically.  “And here I thought that you couldn’t resist my charms.”

 

“Your many charms, sweetheart.  And each and every one of them are impossible to resist.  In fact, I am so susceptible that once we get the food stowed in the house I am going to show you exactly how irresistible you are.”

 

“Nathan!” Kristin chastised him but the flush on her cheeks told Nathan that she was intrigued.  He grinned as he dropped a step behind her to ogle her firm bottom outlined by the tight shorts.

 

“Yep… damned irresistible.”  He could have sworn that Kristin’s hips took on an extra wiggle.

 

“Move it, sailor.”

 

Ten minutes later all of the food had been stored and the couple had disappeared into the bedroom.

 

~sQ~

 

“I’m not sure that this is a very good idea, daddy.”

 

“We’ve been all through this, Cynthia,” Lawrence Phelps told his daughter as the trio moved toward the front of the beach house.  “Your mother told you that she was going to sell the house.  I want to buy the house.  After the mess that your brood of children have made of my other one I would think that you would understand.  I have very… fond memories of this place.”  Lawrence ventured a smile at the woman standing next to him, his second wife, Elizabeth.

 

Cynthia watched with steely eyes, knowing that her father would think she didn’t have a clue what he was referring to but Cynthia wasn’t dumb.  She’d heard her mother crying night after night, listened at a few keyholes, and knew a damned sight more about the reasons for her parent’s divorce than either of them were aware of.

 

“The children needed some place to stay until other arrangements could be made, daddy.  Besides, it did wonders for your public image and earned your daughter’s eternal gratitude.”

 

“Until the next time you want your father to do a favour for you.” Elizabeth chimed in, her voice icy cold.  There was no love lost between stepmother and stepdaughter.

 

“The fact remains that you are here without mother’s knowledge and I don’t feel right about that.”

 

“You tried to call your mother, didn’t you?” Lawrence was quick to justify.  “It isn’t your fault that she didn’t answer her mobile phone.  Besides I know that she has always told you that the house is yours as well.  Just think of it as inviting your daddy for a weekend visit.”

 

“Only daddy invited himself.” Cynthia answered wryly.  “I’m not stupid, daddy.  You insisted that we come out today because you knew that mother would be traveling back.  This way if you get caught you can always say that we just couldn’t connect.”

 

“You are being impertinent, Cynthia.  You should not speak to your father that way.”  Elizabeth told her stepdaughter in a perfectly modulated tone.

 

“You aren’t my mother, Elizabeth.  Don’t you dare presume to tell me what I should and shouldn’t do.”  Cynthia glared at the woman a moment, a look that many a crewmember from the seaQuest would have recognized and called the Westphalen death glare.  Finally she turned and fitted her key into the lock of the patio door.

 

“We only have a few hours before the last ferry leaves so speed is of the essence.  The taxi will be back in just over an hour.”

 

“The house hasn’t changed at all.” Lawrence observed as he moved into the comfortable den.

 

“Mother and I haven’t spent a great deal of time here in the last few years.  I used it for a few college vacations but since then…”

 

Three heads jerked up as the sound of a loud moan ricocheted through the room.

 

Cynthia’s eyes grew wide.  “Mom!”  She exclaimed as she raced toward the hall, Lawrence close behind.

 

“Oh my God!” Cynthia couldn’t stop the cry from escaping as she grabbed both sides of the open door leading to her mother’s bedroom.  In the instant before she yanked back against the wall of the hallway the image she saw burned into her brain.

 

A naked man was kneeling in the center of the bed with his back to the door, only a quarter of his profile visible.  Her mother’s body was wrapped around the man’s, their bodies moving in obvious passion.  Female arms twined around male shoulders, one leg locked over his hips while the other leg was bent, the knee pressing into his scapula.  Kristin’s head was visible over the man’s shoulder, her eyes opening and locking with her daughter’s in the instant before Cynthia moved back.

 

“Daddy don’t!” Cynthia flung an arm back over the open door but a second too late.  Lawrence Phelps froze in the doorway, his perfectly groomed wife peering over his shoulder as twin screams came from the bed.

 

For a millisecond Kristin thought she was imagining her daughter standing in the entrance to the bedroom but Cynthia’s first cry then her second made it clear that she wasn’t.  She thought for just an instant about trying to stop Nathan and then it was much too late.  The sensation that had been building since Nathan chased her into the bedroom peaked without warning and all thought was lost as she screamed his name, overwhelmed by the pulsing waves of her orgasm.

 

Nathan had no idea of the scene that was taking place a few feet away.  All he knew was the sharing of pleasure with the woman he loved.  As her warmth flooded over his member sheathed deep within her, he groaned then joined her scream of completion as his juices surged forth to fill her womb.

 

Then, to the utter amazement and delight of both of them, just as the waves of pleasure were pulsing away a second climax racked them both.  Nathan would have sworn that he was drained dry but he found himself still hard and the clenching of Kristin’s muscles around him sent them both back into the depths again.

 

With one last groan Nathan found himself falling back toward the foot of the bed.  He tightened his grip on Kristin, ensuring that she made the trip with him.  Her legs stretched out to tangle with his but to Nathan’s surprise Kristin didn’t cuddle up to him.  Instead she lifted up on her elbows and stared across the room.  At the look on her face he turned his head and followed her gaze.  His muscles tightened protectively.

 

“Walking in by accident is one thing but standing and watching shows a complete lack of breeding.” Kristin told the well-dressed man standing in the doorway.  “Get the hell out of my bedroom, Lawrence and take Betty Boop with you!”

 

Stronger men than Lawrence Phelps had crumpled in the face of Kristin Westphalen’s wrath and he wasn’t about to make a scene after seeing the thunderclouds gathering on the face of the man who’d just made love to his ex-wife.  He turned and grabbed Elizabeth then dragged her down the hallway.

 

“Lawrence!  You aren’t going to let her speak to you like that, are you?”  Elizabeth’s voice faded as the couple moved down the corridor.

 

“Dammit, Kris!  Was that bastard watching us?  I’ll beat his ass…” Nathan stopped speaking when Kristin held up her hand and shook her head slightly.

 

“That goes for you too, Cynthia.  We will join you in the den in a little while.  Try to keep the gold digger out of the silver, will you?”

 

“Cynthia too?!?” Nathan hissed as a feminine chuckle was heard just outside the door.

 

“It happened so fast I didn’t see a thing.” Nathan groaned when he heard the familiar voice.  “Really!”

 

“GO!” Kristin ordered.

 

“I’m going, I’m going… don’t get your panties in a wad… oh, I forgot… you aren’t wearing any!”

 

“Cynthia Grace Phelps!  You are in no way too old for me to paddle your backside!”

 

“I’m gone… oh, by the way, speaking of backsides... you do have a damned fine ass, Captain!”

 

Kristin’s head fell to Nathan’s shoulder as it shook back and forth.  “Some days I wonder why I ever thought I wanted children.”

 

~sQ~

 

“This is ridiculous, cooling my heels in a house I once owned.  Where the hell is that woman anyway!” Lawrence muttered for the tenth time in as many minutes as he paced back and forth in the small den.

 

“Mother isn’t under an obligation to hurry, daddy.  We barged in on her after all.  If she and Nathan want to stay in the bedroom and make like bunnies all day you have no right to say anything.”

 

“Nonetheless, keeping us waiting is rude.” Elizabeth interjected.

 

“I don’t believe that either of you has any cause to speak of rudeness at the moment.” Kristin spoke as she exited the hallway, Nathan close behind her.  “At least Cynthia had the decency to pull back into the hallway.”

 

“We heard you scream,” Lawrence stopped pacing to glare at Kristin.  “We thought you might be in trouble.”

 

“Far from it,” Kristin answered with a smile.  “What are you doing here, Larry?”

 

“I… Cynthia invited Elizabeth and I out for a long weekend.”

 

“Good one… now try the truth.”  Kristin folded her arms and glared at her ex-husband.

 

“Now listen…” Elizabeth Phelps spoke up in defense of her husband but he didn’t need or want her assistance.

 

“Shut up, Elizabeth.”

 

“Lawrence!  How dare you speak to me in that tone!  I will not tolerate rudeness from you or from that woman!”

 

“Watch it, Betty Boop!” Kristin replied, fire flashing in her eyes.  “Let’s get something straight.  I want an explanation from my daughter or from my ex-husband.  You have nothing to say that matters so sit back and shut up!”

 

Elizabeth looked at Lawrence expectantly but her husband said nothing so finally, realizing that she was friendless in this particular room, she crossed her arms and sat back with a loud ‘humpf’.”

 

“Maybe I should…” Nathan murmured against Kristin’s ear.  “This seems like a family matter… I could go make some tea or some lemonade or something…”

 

Kristin looked back and searched Nathan’s face, trying to discern if he was really anxious to escape.  “Stay?” She mouthed to him and was pleased to see a relieved look in his eye as he nodded his ascent.

 

Kristin took Nathan’s hand in hers and squeezed it tightly then led him to the empty sofa.  He sank into the soft leather, pleased when Kristin sat close beside him.  He draped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into his shoulder.

 

“Now… first of all I believe that you and Betty Boop owe the two of us an apology.”  She told Lawrence.

 

“What the hell for?  You screamed.  We were rushing to your rescue.  We had no way of knowing that you were screwing the help.  What does your vacation fling do anyway?  Besides you obviously… gardening?  Boat maintenance?”

 

Kristin felt Nathan’s muscle clench tightly beneath the hand that rested on his thigh.  She pressed his leg reassuringly.

 

“My ‘vacation fling’ is captain of the flagship of the UEO navy and more than capable of kicking your ass so perhaps you should consider adding a second apology to Nathan for your condescending attitude and snobbery before he asks you outside and does just that.”

 

“Cap...?  Nathan… Cynthia called you Nathan so that would make you Captain Nathan Bridger?” Lawrence was obviously surprised.

 

“My name is Nathan Bridger and yes, I am a submarine captain for the purposes of this particular conversation I am Kristin’s fiancée.”  His fingers tightened around Kristin’s shoulder as he felt her tense at his words.

 

“Mother!  Why didn’t you tell me?  This is so wonderful!” Cynthia squealed excitedly.  “I knew… I could tell that the two of you had feelings for each other!”

 

“There hasn’t really been time to tell you, Cynthia,” Nathan continued when Kristin didn’t speak.  “We haven’t even really talked about it but… our time together this past week has been so special that it seemed the perfect time to pop the question.  It was so impulsive that I haven’t had a chance to get your mother a ring yet.”

 

Lawrence had noticed Kristin’s silence during this exchange.  “Is this true, Kristin?  Are you going to marry this man?  After swearing that you would never remarry are you finally going to walk the aisle again?”

 

The question pulled Kristin out of her daze.  She turned her head to stare at Nathan, their eyes locking.  “There is nothing that I want more than to marry this man.”

 

Nathan released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding as he touched his lips to Kristin’s.  Only she saw the slight wink of his eye as he pulled back.

 

“So… I believe that my lovely bride-to-be and I are waiting on both apologies and explanations?”  Nathan’s voice grew hard once again as he turned his attention back to Lawrence.

 

Lawrence glanced around the room nervously but Elizabeth simply glared at him.  “I… I offer my apologies for the earlier incident.  We should have called out or turned away immediately.  I also apologize for impugning your honor, Captain Bridger.  There is no excuse for my bad manners.”

 

Nathan resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the conciliatory tone in Phelps voice.  The man was a born politician.  “Apology accepted.” He answered finally.

 

“Why are the two of you here, Lawrence?” Kristin asked again.

 

“We were visiting Cynthia and she mentioned… that is, she wanted to come out here and… well, we tried to call you but you weren’t answering your phone… Cynni wanted us to see the place again and…”

 

“You bullied your daughter into bringing you out here, deliberately waiting until you knew that I couldn’t be contacted to refuse your request.  I was married to you for fifteen years, Larry.  I understand how your mind works.  Now tell me why you wanted to come out here.”

 

“Cynthia mentioned that you were going to place the house on the market.  Lawrence and I are interested in purchasing it.  We have such… fond memories… of the times we spent here.”  Elizabeth offered.

 

“I think this house holds a lot of wonderful memories for all of us, be they old or new.” Kristin offered Nathan a smile.  “If you want to buy the house why didn’t you just say so?”

 

“Because I didn’t suppose that you would sell it to me.” Lawrence offered grudgingly.  “After you fought so hard to take the house away from me in the divorce settlement I didn’t guess you would let me buy it back easily.”

 

Kristin snickered.  “That was a different time.  I’ve made the decision to sell this place and I have no qualms about selling it to you, Lawrence… as long as you are willing to pay full market value.”

 

Lawrence drew his back up straight.  “I would offer you a fair price, Kristin.  I am hurt that you would think otherwise.”

 

“You do realize, I’m sure, that the appraised value of this home has more than doubled in the last ten years?”  Kristin knew that Lawrence didn’t by the way that he swallowed hard.  “Leave the name of your attorney and I will have mine contact him with the appropriate papers.”

 

“Leave… yes, we do need to be going…” Lawrence began.

 

“Shit!” Cynthia jumped up and ran to the door, completely ignoring her mother’s chastising look.  “The taxi!”

 

She returned moments later, glancing at her watch as she entered the room.  “The taxi must have come and gone, not that it matters now.  There is no way that we have time to get to the dock before the last ferry leaves.”

 

Nathan watched a tiny vein in Kristin’s neck pulse wildly as she swallowed hard.  “There is nothing to be done then.  You will have to stay the night.”

 

Kristin stood resolutely.  “The linens on your bed are fresh, Cynthia.  Lawrence and Bet… Elizabeth can have the pull out sofa.”

 

“Sofa!?!” Elizabeth sputtered.

 

“I am certainly not giving up my bed for two uninvited guests.” Kristin answered.  “You may sleep on the floor if you prefer.”

 

“You can’t mean…” Lawrence moved in close to Kristin.  “I thought that perhaps Cynthia could bunk with you and Elizabeth and I might have her room.”

 

“And Nathan could sleep out here?  I don’t think so, Lawrence.”

 

“You are going to share a bed with your lover while your daughter is in the house?”

 

Kristin raised an eyebrow.  “Why shouldn’t I?  Cynthia’s presence in the house never stopped you from having your little… sleepovers.  At least our daughter is an adult now.”

 

“Dad, you and Elizabeth take my room.  I’ll be more than happy to sleep on the sofa bed.” Cynthia offered.  “I insist.”

 

“We can’t take your bed, Cynni.  This was my stupid idea.  Elizabeth and I will take the sofa.”

 

“I don’t see why I should have to suffer because of your misjudgment.” Elizabeth snapped at Lawrence.  “I would prefer to sleep in a real bed.  Cynthia will be much more comfortable on the sofa than we would be.”  She turned to Kristin.  “Presumably you have something we can borrow to sleep in?

 

“There are some old tee shirts left in the closet.  I’m afraid that my nightgowns wouldn’t fit you.” Kristin’s eyes skimmed Elizabeth’s somewhat thicker body.

 

Elizabeth knew exactly what Kristin was thinking.  Her eyes narrowed.  “Pajamas for Lawrence, perhaps?”

 

“Sorry.  Nathan doesn’t wear any.”  Kristin smiled cheekily.  “Cynthia, why don’t you come help Nathan and me in the kitchen.  I’m sure that we can manage to scrape together an adequate supper.  We can catch up a bit while we cook.”

 

“That sounds wonderful.  We can discuss wedding plans!”  The trio departed into the kitchen as Lawrence Phelps made his way to the liquor cabinet and poured three fingers of gin and threw it back in one gulp.

 

~sQ~

 

“Where are the others?”

 

Cynthia looked up at the sound of her father’s voice to find him standing in the entrance to the kitchen.  She smiled at him and went back to washing dishes.  “Nathan is in the garage adjusting the hot water heater.  He said it had been unreliable since they arrived and he had been too busy to fix it.  Mother walked down to make sure the boat house was locked up.”

 

“Elizabeth and I should have volunteered to do the dishes.”

 

“Yes, you should have.  It would have been the least you could have done after Mother and Nathan agreed to house you and then cooked you an excellent dinner.”  Cynthia’s tone wasn’t ugly but rather honest. 

 

“Elizabeth isn’t the type to do dishes…”

 

“Elizabeth isn’t the type to do much of anything except attend parties and spend money.  Oh, I understand she’s an expert at stealing her supposed friends’ husbands as well.”

 

Lawrence was stunned but he quickly tried to mask it.  “You shouldn’t listen to gossip, Cynthia.”

 

“I’m not an idiot, Daddy.  Where there is smoke there is fire.  Besides, I saw Elizabeth come and go from our home too many times when mother wasn’t there.  You didn’t raise an idiot, you know.”

 

“She was just… that is… Elizabeth was helping me plan…”

 

“It doesn’t matter, Daddy.  You chose Elizabeth and I have come to accept that.  I am just glad that Mummy has found someone to make her so happy.  I’ve never seen her happier.”  Cynthia gleefully twisted the knife just a tad to make her father squirm and squirm he did.

 

“Look… I… I am going outside for a few minutes.  Could you make my excuses if Elizabeth comes this way?”

 

“Cover up for you while you sneak a gross and disgusting cigar, you mean?  Of course, Daddy.”

 

With a nod of thanks Lawrence slipped out the side door and headed across the dark lawn, not wanting to take any chance on accidentally run into Nathan.  The spark of the match marked his location briefly but he soon had his cigar lit and was careful to keep the tip pointed away from the house.

 

He wandered toward the lake, not realizing that his path was taking him to the boathouse until he saw the thin beam of light beneath the door.  After one last deep drag, Lawrence pinched the edge of the cigar off and dropped it to the ground, taking care to smother it with his foot while he tucked the unsmoked portion back in his inner pocket.

 

Phelps pushed the door open and stepped inside, glancing around for Kristin.  He found her packing life preservers back into storage lockers on the boat.  He stepped inside the room and pushed the door closed behind him.

 

Kristin sensed that she wasn’t alone and also knew instinctively that her visitor wasn’t Nathan.  She straightened quickly and turned toward the door.

 

“Larry, what are you doing here?”

 

“I stepped outside for a breath of fresh air and saw the light so I thought that I would see if I could help you.”

 

Kristin sniffed the air knowingly.  “If you wanted fresh air why did you light that damned cigar?”

 

Larry laughed as he shook his head.  “You know me so well.”

 

Kristin raised a single eyebrow.  “We were married for fifteen years.  One does tend to get to know their partner in that amount of time… at least to a certain extent.”

 

Phelps frowned as Kristin turned away, knowing that she was referring to his betrayal of their marriage vows.  “You know… I think that this is the first time that we have been alone together since our divorce.”

 

“This is the first time we’ve been alone together since I walked into our bedroom and found you sharing my bed with the former pole dancer.”

 

“I’ve always been sorry that happened.  You deserved better from both Elizabeth and I.”

 

“Of course I did.  But I didn’t get it.  I’ve dealt with your horrendous treatment and moved on.  I thought that Elizabeth was my friend but I now realize that she was using me to get to you.  In the intervening years I’ve made real friends… I’ve learned to know the difference.”

 

Larry reached out a hand to help Kristin as she climbed from the boat but didn’t release it once she was safely back on the floor.  “I’m glad that you’ve put your life back together.  I am just as proud of all your successes.  I have followed your career avidly.”

 

“I’m sure that thrilled Betty Boop.” Kristin observed wryly.

 

“Avidly but quietly,” Larry smiled.  “Kris… this Bridger guy… are you sure about him?”

 

Kristin’s eyes narrowed.  “It isn’t really any of your business.  Why do you ask?”

 

“All these years… you’ve had other relationships but you’ve never been anywhere near marrying anyone.  I know that I hurt you but maybe that wasn’t the only reason.  I’ve always wondered if you didn’t want anything that permanent with another man because you… maybe you still had feelings for me… have feelings…” Larry pulled Kristin closer.  “You are so beautiful, Kristin.  You have always been the most gorgeous desirable woman I’ve ever known.  I was a damned fool to get involved with Elizabeth but in spite of all of that I have never stopped loving you, Kristin.”

 

“Larry!  You don’t know what you are saying!  You’ve obviously had too much to drink.”

 

“I was foolish… I was jealous of all the time you were spending with your work and I fell into Elizabeth’s trap but she isn’t the woman that I want.  You’ve always been the one I want beside me.”

 

“No… you wanted the divorce.  You wanted to marry Elizabeth.”  Kristin was obviously confused.  She didn’t seem to notice Larry steadily pulling her closer.

 

“I didn’t.  I never planned to marry her but you wouldn’t listen and then… she was pregnant, Kristin.  The scandal would have ruined my political career.  So I married her but then she lost the child.  I gave you up for nothing.  I still love you.”

 

“If I’m honest I have to admit that I still love you too but…”

 

By this time Larry had Kristin fully in his embrace.  “Don’t marry Bridger, Kristin.  I love you.  I want to be with you again.”  With no warning Larry kissed her hungrily, his lips bruising and possessive.  Kristin’s arms went around him instinctively. 

 

Neither of them heard the gentle brush of the door over the flooring.

 

Within seconds Kristin began to struggle wildly against Larry’s grip.  Finally she managed to break the kiss and put a few inches distance between them.

 

“Stop, Larry!” She commanded but he didn’t seem to hear.

 

“Seeing you this afternoon… hearing you scream out in passion… I’ve missed that so much.  I’ve missed touching you… loving you.  Your body is so beautiful, Kristin.  Let me love you…” Larry’s fingers were rapidly freeing the buttons of the denim shirt Kristin wore.

 

Kristin yanked away from Larry’s grip and moved backward, one hand held out in warning.  “STOP IT!”

 

Her shout stunned him.  “I don’t understand…”

 

“What did you think, Larry?  You’d come in here and profess your undying love for me and I’d fall into your arms as if nothing had ever happened?”

 

“You said you love me.  I heard you!”  He responded petulantly.

 

“I’m not denying it.  We were married for fifteen years, Larry.  We have a child.  Cynthia binds us together always.  As much as I hate the hurt that you caused me I could never hate you because the child that I love so much is a part of you as well.  That is why I love you, Larry, but I am not in love with you.”

 

“You’re not… you have to be.  You don’t love Bridger, Kristin.  You just think you do because he satisfied you in bed.  But our lovemaking was magical.  Let me remind you…” Phelps took a step toward her.

 

“I think that you had better return to the house.  Your wife will be looking for you.  Tomorrow morning the two of you will take the first ferry back to the big island and we will forget that this conversation ever took place.  I am sorry, Larry, but you made your choice a long time ago.  You can’t go back and even if you could, I don’t want to.”

 

Kristin’s words finally got through to Lawrence.  “You’re sure?  I’ll divorce Elizabeth… give up my senate seat… I’ll do anything to win you back.”

 

“There is nothing that you can do. I’m not a prize to be won, Larry.  I’m a woman to be loved.  Nathan Bridger loves me… and I love him.  Go back to the house.”

 

Phelps nodded skeptically, still unable to believe that Kristin was truly serious in turning him down.  He watched her all the way to the door but she didn’t call him back.

 

Kristin sighed with relief when the door closed behind Larry and sank wearily down on a narrow wooden bench, her face buried in her hands.

 

Nathan’s unique masculine scent reached her nostrils seconds before she felt his arm go around her shoulders.  She sighed with pleasure and leaned into him, her head coming to rest on his chest as he settled down beside her.

 

“So how does it feel?” He asked gently.  “Knowing that you’ve won in the end?  Even I will enjoy watching you and Larry wipe that smirk off of his bitchy wife’s face.”

 

Kristin slowly raised her head.  “What are you talking about, Nathan?”

 

He grinned sheepishly, his face flushing with embarrassment.  “I came in a little while ago.  I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but I didn’t know Phelps was in here until I had pushed the door open and then I didn’t want to intrude.  Once I realized… I went back outside and stayed behind the building until you were alone again.  Phelps didn’t see me.  Don’t worry.  I’ll keep your secret until you are ready to act.”

 

Kristin’s confusion was obvious.  “I still don’t know what you mean.  Act on what?”

 

“Phelps’ divorce.  Your reconciliation.”

 

Kristin couldn’t help but laugh.  “I feel like I’m in an episode of the Twilight Zone.  Larry and I aren’t reconciling, Nathan.  How could you even think that?  Larry did give it his best shot but that is mainly because he saw us this afternoon.  He could never stand to be bested and it was obvious to him that you were a better lover.”

 

“But I heard you… Phelps told you that he loved you and you said that you loved him too.  I saw you kiss.”

 

“And then you left?  You should have stayed for the rest of the conversation.  I did tell Larry that part of me would always love him.  We made a child together, Nathan.  Hating Larry would be like hating a part of my daughter.  But the most important thing that I told my ex-husband was that I wasn’t in love with him anymore.  I told him that I was madly in love with you.”

 

Nathan smiled hopefully.  “You did?”

 

“Yes.  I also told him that you loved me too.  If I’d had any doubt of that before, your actions this evening took care of it.  The way that you supported me… even faking an engagement… you have acted well above and beyond the call of duty.”  Kristin leaned in to give Nathan a gentle kiss.

 

“You are sure?” Nathan asked again.  “I would never stand in your way if you wanted… Cynthia would probably be very happy…”

 

“Nathan…” Kristin laid two fingers over his lips to quiet him.  “I love you.  My daughter is old enough to understand that.  You saw how happy she was this evening when you announced our fake engagement.  You are the only man that I want.”

 

Kristin slid off of the bench to her knees and shifted in front of Nathan.  She rested her hands lightly on his thighs as she lifted her head up.  “Kiss me, Nathan Bridger.”

 

Nathan eagerly lowered his lips to fulfill her request, secretly relieved that she still wanted him.  He knew that he had been lying when he told Kristin he wouldn’t stand in her way.  He would fight tooth and nail to keep this woman by his side always.

 

Kristin kissed him passionately, pouring all of her emotion into the oral connection as she used her body to convince Nathan of her true feelings.  Her hands slipped around his waist and grabbed the bottom of his tee shirt, yanking the hem free and working it up his torso.

 

Nathan released his hold on Kristin’s forearms and lips to lift his arms above his head and strip away the shirt.  It fell unheeded to the floor as Kristin slid between his legs and pulled his face back to hers.  His fingers moved to continue the task Phelps had started and soon the denim shirt hung loose on Kristin’s shoulders.  Nathan stripped it away and went to work on the clasp of her tiny bra.

 

He gasped into Kristin’s mouth when he felt her hands close around his erection and squeeze gently.  He hadn’t even realized that she’d released his zipper until he felt her first touch.  He tried to slip off of the bench but Kristin’s body wedged between his legs had him locked in place.

 

“Lift!” She commanded, releasing her hold on his staff to grab the sides of his shorts.  Nathan put his palms flat on the bench and pushed his body up, holding it there while Kristin worked the shorts over his hips and down past his knees.

 

Nathan pushed at Kristin’s shoulders in an attempt to ease her back to he could join her on the floor but she simply smiled and refused to budge.  Once again she took him in hand, her fingers playing over his taut skin as she learned the shape and feel of him.

 

“Kris, let me down… I want to… oh, KRIS!” A hoarse shout left his lips as Kristin bent low and touched her lips to his engorged tip. 

 

Nathan’s knees fell further apart and his head fell back as Kristin slowly ran her tongue around the purple plum of his helmet.  He pulsed gently into her hands, almost sobbing as her lips slipped over him.  One hand slipped lower, soft fingertips tracing the curves of his throbbing sacs through the nest of dark curls that surrounded the base of his manhood.

 

“Honey… let me… oh… GOD!  Yes… do that again… that feels so…” Gentle pulses turned into demanding thrusts as Kristin took him deeper, her tongue drawing intricate patterns over his helmet as she locked her lips and pulled.

 

The fingers holding his balls felt the tightening muscles as Nathan’s juices began to rise. Kristin clamped down harder with her mouth while the hand wrapped around the base of Nathan’s erection began to pump vigorously.

 

Nathan came with a loud cry, one hand tangled in Kristin’s hair to hold her in place while the other fell to his thighs.  His thumb and forefinger slipped beneath Kristin’s hand and squeezed the root of his shaft tightly, halting the flow of his fluids after two deep spurts.

 

Kristin pulled back with a smile on her face as her tongue slowly ran over her lips.  Nathan quickly moved into the space that she left and fell to his knees in front of her.  He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her passionately, thrilling at the co-mingling of their tastes on Kristin’s tongue.

 

“Kris… I want you… Let’s go back to the house…” Nathan murmured between kisses.

 

“Sure… we can… provide an encore…”

 

“Damn!” Nathan drew back, his hands falling to cup Kristin’s breasts absently.  “We could always…” He waggled his eyebrows at Kristin as he jerked his head toward the floor.

 

“Only if you volunteer to get the splinters in your butt!” She laughed.  “Come on.”  Kristin stood and pulled Nathan to his feet then winked and led him toward the boat.

 

Nathan stepped down into the boat first then lifted Kristin up and slid her down his body until her feet touched his.  “An inspired idea,” he told her.  “And we can be as loud as we want out here…”

 

Kristin grinned in agreement.  “As loud as we want…” The snap of Kristin’s shorts flew apart with a loud pop.  Before she could react the garment was pooled around her ankles.

 

“My my… we are impatient, aren’t we?”  Kristin laughed.

 

When Kristin turned away Nathan wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in the curve of her neck.  “Trying to escape already?”

 

Kristin moaned at the feel of Nathan’s hard shaft against the cleft of her bottom.  “I was going to get a blanket.”

 

Nathan released Kristin but his hands remained at her waist while he followed her the few steps to the storage locker. 

 

“Afraid I’ll run away?” She laughed as she bent and pulled a blanket and a cushion from the locker.

 

Nathan’s hands roamed across the curves of her naked bottom, his mind flashing back to the first night that he had made love to Kristin and the silent plea of her body when he’d laid on top of her back.  When Kristin tried to stand Nathan’s hands were on her shoulders, pushing her back down.

 

“Nathan?” She asked, unsure of what was happening.

 

“Trust me, lover.” Nathan bent low over her back and whispered in her ear.  He slid his hands down her arms and entwined their fingers then pushed her palms flat against the lid of the storage space. 

 

When Kristin felt the press of Nathan’s knee against her thighs she understood and slid her feet apart, widening her stance so that Nathan could shift between her parted legs.  With one final squeeze of her fingers Nathan slid his hands back up her arms and over her shoulders then down her back to her waist.  He could see the dampness of her auburn curls peeking from beneath her upturned bottom.

 

“Ready?” He asked gently.

 

“Yes,” Kristin breathed, pushing back against the hand running over her smooth cheek.

 

Nathan took his straining erection in hand and pushed it down then ran the swollen head through Kristin’s damp folds, taking special care to bump against the center of her desire before moving back and pressing between her lower lips.  He slid in a few inches and stopped.

 

Kristin’s head fell back as a short cry of protest escaped her lips.  “More, Nathan… oh, please!”

 

“Help me, lover.  Show me…” Nathan’s hand slid around Kristin’s thigh.  His fingers brushed lightly over her mons.  She swore in frustration, her body torn between pushing forward into Nathan’s touch or back into his hips.

 

Nathan sensed her dilemma and quickly stroked his index finger into her center to find and caress the delicate bud hidden there.  Kristin jerked back forcefully, impaling her body fully on Nathan’s with one smooth stroke.

 

“That’s it, sweetheart… don’t rush…” Nathan continued to play with the sensitive pearl beneath his fingertips until Kristin had adjusted to the depth and feel of him in this new position then began to rock slowly back and forth.  He matched her movements, keeping his strokes slow and shallow.

 

Desire built slowly, both man and woman wanting to prolong this most intimate moment between them as long as they could.  Nathan took advantage of Kristin’s position to rock forward and palm her breasts, teasing the tight tips mercilessly.

 

“Damn you, Bridger… Move!” Kristin demanded loudly when Nathan slowed his stroke; his attention focused on the heaving of her breasts heavy in his hands.  She gripped his erection in the vise of her inner muscles and pulled, causing Nathan to yelp.

 

“Moving, lover… moving!” Nathan returned his concentration to the spot where their bodies were intimately joined and thrust heavily, causing Kristin to cry out with pleasure.  A second stroke brought the same cry of intensity and soon they were pounding against each other, the sounds of their passion mingling with the vibrations of their flesh slapping together.

 

“Nathan… ohgodohgod… please!  PLEASE!” Kristin pleaded as she fought to peak.  Nathan felt the tension build within her and wrapped an arm around her waist.  His free hand returned to her mons.  He used his second and fourth finger to pull the top of her sheath apart, sliding the hood covering her clitoris back so that his middle finger directly touched the overly sensitized bed of nerves.

 

Kristin’s body went rigid as she came hard, a low keen rising from her lips as her clenching muscles temporarily locked Nathan in place.  He quickly broke free from her grip and resumed thrusting as well as rubbing her clitoris and within seconds Kristin climaxed again.  This time her body went wild, writhing and twisting as she screamed Nathan’s name over and over.

 

By the time that Nathan had brought Kristin to a third peak he couldn’t hold his own pleasure back any longer and her joined her in release, thrusting into her warmth uncontrollably until his juices flew from his body in great spurts, pounding Kristin’s womb with his warmth.  The continued clenching of Kristin’s inner muscles around him pulled a second release of fluid from him as he slumped forward over her back, dropping his own hands on top of hers to support him.

 

With a great effort Nathan reached out for the edge of the blanket and flung the cover out onto the floor of the boat then sank to his knees, taking Kristin with him.  From there they stretched out on top of the blanket, their sweaty nude bodies spooned together.

 

“Oh God!” Kristin moaned as Nathan nuzzled her neck gently.  “That was… incredible!”  She gasped as another after shock rolled through her body.

 

“You are incredible!” Nathan murmured into her ear as his lips brushed over the tender curl of her lobe.  “Everything about you… I love you so much, Kristin.  I love you enough to let you go back to that bastard if you truly wanted him but I’m so grateful that you didn’t.”

 

“There was never any danger of that happening.  After the time we’ve spent together this week… the way that you’ve loved me… and I don’t mean just sexually… although that has been fantastic… but… just being close to you, talking with you, laughing with you…”

 

“Arguing with me…” Nathan interjected.

 

Kristin chuckled as she snuggled deeper into Nathan’s embrace.  “I’ve never felt more at ease… at home… with any man.”

 

“Then stay here…” Nathan pulled Kristin even closer, seemingly embracing her with his entire body.  “Stay in my arms.  Make them your new home for the rest of our lives.”

 

“Nathan… what...?”

 

“I’m asking you to marry me, Kris… to make the engagement real.  You buy a pretty gown and I’ll polish up the dress blues and we’ll find a little church by the ocean and promise to love each other forever.”  He felt Kristin tense in his arms.

 

“I… Nathan, I swore that I’d never… but if I did… I’d choose you…”

 

Nathan pulled out and away from Kristin’s body then rolled her to her back and shifted on top of her.  He pressed his muscular form into hers tightly, not an inch between them from calf to mid chest.  His forearms pressed close to her sides as his fingers slid into her hair.

 

Kristin stared with awe at the blue-eyed man over her, longing to say the words that he wanted to hear.  She opened her mouth and tried to speak but no sound emerged.

 

“I know that you’ve been hurt, baby.  I understand why your opinion of the male sex is so low… but I promise you that I am not like the others who have hurt you.  Take a chance on me, Kris… I won’t promise wine and roses all the time.  We like to argue too much for that to happen… but life certainly won’t be boring and we’d have a hell of a time.  Come on, lover…” Nathan’s eyes pleaded with her. “… follow your heart.  What does it say?”

 

“Nathan…” Kristin’s voice was full of anguish.  “I do love you and I want… but I… ca… I… Yes, I’ll marry you, Nathan Bridger.” 

 

It would be a toss-up as to who was more surprised at the words, the man hearing them or the woman uttering them.  Kristin clamped her lips together tightly, her eyes filled with fear… and something else as well…

 

“Don’t toy with my emotions, Kristin.  You’ve got about two seconds to take your agreement back or I will consider it legally binding and there is no way and hell that you will get out of it.”

 

Kristin shook her head, her eyes filled with amazement.  “I don’t want to take it back.  I want… I have to marry you, Nathan.  I can’t go on without you… without being committed to you.  But what happens if the UEO transfers…”

 

Nathan quickly pressed a hard kiss to Kristin’s lips.  “No what ifs… You said yes and you didn’t take it back.  Together we can deal with any other obstacle that might arise.”  When Kristin would have protested again Nathan silenced her with another kiss.  “I can’t wait to get back and tell Lucas.”

 

“He won’t be happy.”

 

“I think he will be.  I know the kid has been a pain in the ass but… ultimately I believe that he is going to see that the love we have for each other only enhances the love we both have for him.  He needs to learn that parents can be happily married.”

 

They both lifted their heads as a faint cry of ‘Mom’ drifted into the building.

 

“She’s getting almost as good as Lucas…” Nathan sighed.

 

“Actually… she’s worse.  Lucas only saw my naked back.  Cynthia got a full view of your gorgeous bum.”

 

“So you like my ass, huh?”  Nathan grinned.

 

Another cry from the house saved Nathan from Kristin’s retort but not from the look she gave him as she rolled her eyes.

 

“Unless we want to get busted again we should get dressed and head back to the house…” Kristin murmured reluctantly.

 

“Damn…” Nathan replied good-naturedly then brushed one last kiss across Kristin’s lips before releasing her. 

 

They stood slowly and climbed out of the boat to search for their clothes.  Nathan quickly yanked on his shorts and tee shirt but Kristin moved somewhat slower.

 

“What did you do with my underwear?”  Nathan turned to stare at Kristin standing naked, her shorts and denim shirt in her hands as she scoured the floor.

 

“You weren’t wearing any as I recall.”

 

“My bra, silly.” Nathan received ‘the look’ once again as Kristin pulled up her shorts.

 

He chuckled as he walked to the bench he had been sitting on and lifted the lacy garment in question from a hook on the wall.  He dangled it over Kristin’s head and laughed, the chuckle catching in his throat as he watched her breasts bounce from the effort of her jump to grab it.  The response of his body was immediate.

 

Kristin heard the gasp and stopped to see if her suspicions were correct, smiling evilly when she saw that they were.  Instead of jumping again she took a step forward and pressed her hips into Nathan’s while tilting her head to bite his neck.

 

“Shit, Kris…” Nathan swore as the brassiere fell from his fingers.

 

Kristin caught it handily as she stepped back from Nathan.  He reached out to grab her but she eluded him, running for the door with a playful giggle.  Nathan took off in hot pursuit.

 

Somehow Kristin managed to thrust her arms into her denim shirt while maintaining a short lead on Nathan.  When she reached the kitchen door she turned and pulled the shirt open, the fixture above the door spotlighting her naked breasts.  Nathan stopped a few feet away from her, breathing heavily.

 

“You are a minx.”

 

Kristin smiled seductively as she moved her hands to cup her own breasts, her fingers rubbing over the hardening nipples.  “Changing your mind about marrying me?”

 

Nathan groaned.  “My god… I’ve created a monster!”  He lunged for her.

 

With a merry laugh Kristin twisted the knob and fell back into the kitchen, Nathan barely a step behind.

 

They were met with two wide-eyed stares from Cynthia and Elizabeth as the glasses of wine they were sipping on hung in mid-air.  With a vehemently muttered ‘bloody hell’ Kristin whirled back toward Nathan and used his chest for cover as she quickly fastened the buttons of her shirt.

 

“Sorry about that,” Nathan told the women sheepishly.  “We thought you would be in the den.”

 

“Well I never!” Elizabeth blurted out.

 

Kristin turned to face her former friend, one eyebrow lifted sardonically.  “At least not without a pole…”

 

Elizabeth flew to her feet.  “You jealous bitch!”

 

“Of you?  Hardly.”

 

“You want Larry back and you can’t stand it that he prefers me!  You… you probably staged this entire scene with Bridger to try and make Larry jealous but it won’t work!”  Elizabeth’s voice was shrill as she yelled at Kristin.

 

“Elizabeth!”  Lawrence’s cutting voice sounded from the kitchen door.  “That’s enough!”

 

At the sound of her husband’s voice Elizabeth immediately stepped back.  “I didn’t mean…”

 

“I’d like a few words alone with Elizabeth.  Would the rest of you wait in the den, please?” Kristin asked.

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

 

“I didn’t ask your permission, Lawrence.  Go to the other room with Nathan and Cynthia.”

 

Kristin and Elizabeth eyed each other silently until they were alone in the room, then Elizabeth attacked.

 

“You can’t have him back.  He doesn’t want you!”

 

“And why could you possibly think that I would want him back?  Lawrence cheated on me.  I would never trust him again.”

 

“You’re lying.  Being a senator’s wife would give you new outlets to fund your research.  Don’t think that I don’t know he has been helping you out all of these years, swapping favors to get money directed to your facilities.  He was only doing it because he felt guilty… not because he is still in love with you.”

 

Lawrence’s words and actions in the boat house just an hour before flashed through Kristin’s mind and for a moment she was tempted to tell Elizabeth about her husband’s pleas but at the last second she changed her mind.

 

“Look, Bett… Elizabeth.  Lawrence and I have been divorced for ten years.  We will always be linked because of Cynthia but the past is the past and neither of us is interested in revisiting it.  I don’t deny that I was terribly hurt by Lawrence’s infidelity and your betrayal of what I thought was a meaningful friendship.  But time healed that hurt.  We have all moved on with our lives.  I have met a wonderful man and we are going to be married.  The time has come for you to accept your position as Lawrence’s wife and stop thinking of me as a threat.”

 

“But…”

 

“But nothing.  Tomorrow you and Lawrence will leave on the first ferry and with the exception of family events involving Cynthia or any future grandchildren we don’t ever have to see each other again.”

 

“Nothing could make me happier.” Elizabeth added spitefully.  “Are you done with me now?”

 

Kristin nodded.  “More than done.”

 

“Then let me say a few things.  I’ve lived beneath the shadow of the brilliant Kristin, the beautiful Kristin, the perfect mother Kristin for all of my married life and I’m tired of doing it. I am sick to death of the censuring looks that the domestic staff continues to shoot my way. I am tired of dealing with the subtle barbs that your bitchy daughter loves to stab me with.  Never having to see either of you again would be heaven to me!”

 

Kristin’s anger bristled and she stepped menacingly toward Elizabeth, ice in her voice.  “Your inferiority complex is your own problem but if you ever try to keep my child away from her father you will have to deal with me… in spades.  As for the other… you made your bed, now lie in it.”

 

The brief flicker of fear that flashed in Elizabeth’s eyes let Kristin know that her point had been made.

 

“Now, if you will excuse me, I’m feeling rather tired so I think that Nathan and I will be turning in.  It’s interesting… I never knew what a shitty lover Lawrence was until Nathan.”

 

With that final shot Kristin turned and headed toward the den, Elizabeth close behind.  She entered the room to find Nathan and Cynthia deep in conversation while Lawrence sat silently, staring at the kitchen with a worried look on his face. 

 

When Nathan realized that Kristin was in the room he immediately stood, moved to her side and pulled her into his arms.

 

“Everything okay?” He whispered into her ear.

 

“No.  But it will be as soon as we can be alone.  I need to be close to you… to be a part of you…” Kristin murmured back.

She felt Nathan’s grin against her hair before he pulled his head away.  “It’s getting late and we’ve had a long day so Kris and I are going to turn in.  See you in the morning.”  He quickly guided Kristin toward the hallway.  Just before they disappeared Kristin stopped and turned back.

 

“And if you do happen to hear any screaming, please be assured that I am not in any danger and I have no need or desire to be rescued.  We’ve given our last public performance for the day.”

 

~sQ~

 

“How’s that?” Nathan asked as he laid a nude Kristin on the mattress and stretched out beside her; their bodies pressed close together.

 

“Better…” she murmured, eyes closed as she turned her face into Nathan’s neck and nuzzled it.  “But… oooooh… much better…”

 

Nathan stroked the pads of his fingers lightly over Kristin’s thigh in an upward pattern, the tips traveling a little further with each sweep.  Kristin bit her lip to quiet her moan as his hand finally brushed over her breast.

 

“You are very tense.”  Nathan shifted over Kristin and sat back on his knees as he brought both hands into play; massaging her shoulders deeply but tenderly.

 

“Did you see the look on Lawrence’s face a few minutes ago when I said that bit about the screaming?  He didn’t blush that red this afternoon.”

 

“I thought that he returned to the house after he left you by the boat but he obviously didn’t…” Nathan said thoughtfully.

 

“No, he came in after us…” Kristin’s eyes flew open as she pushed her torso up and glared at the door.  “You don’t think…”

 

“Yes, I do.  Senator Phelps got two public performances from his ex-wife and her extremely handsome, well-endowed lover.  But don’t worry.  There won’t be a third time.”  Nathan inclined his head toward closed door, a strong wooden chair having been wedged beneath the handle.

 

Kristin glanced down between their bodies where proof of Nathan’s endowment was pressing against her mound.  She pushed her hips forward. 

 

Nathan grinned as he gently pushed her back against the mattress.  He loomed over her as he held his torso up with his hands and wedged a knee between her thighs.  Kristin returned the smile as she parted her legs then wrapped them around Nathan’s hips as he moved his other knee in.

 

“Relax,” he commanded, his hands resuming their tender ministrations to her shoulders.

 

Kristin sighed and her eyes fluttered closed.

 

“Did you have a bad confrontation with Betty Boop?”

 

“It wasn’t pleasant.  She actually accused me of trying to get that lying piece of shit back.  I don’t know how I stopped myself from telling her what the bastard tried down at the boathouse.”

 

“You didn’t tell?”

 

Kristin shook her head, eyes never opening.  “It wasn’t worth it.  I just want them gone.  Do you think that we could forget about them until tomorrow?”

 

“Done.”  Nathan’s hands moved lower to massage Kristin’s heavy breasts.

 

Kristin slowly relaxed beneath the touch of Nathan’s skilled hands, her muscles loosening and then tightening again as strong fingers slowly set her body on fire.

 

Their joining was as tender as the earlier one had been passionate.  That isn’t to say that passion was absent because it was a part of every kiss, every touch.  But their earlier joining gave them enough control this time to extend the session.  Nathan teased Kristin to the very edge of her tolerance then brought her down slowly only to have her repeat the same sequences on him. 

 

By the time that Nathan slid into Kristin she was more than ready for him, her body clinging tightly to his as she convulsed into climax.

 

“That’s is, sweetheart.  Relax, lover… go with the feelings…” Nathan slowly rocked his hips against hers, the slight push and pull warming their skin.  Kristin answered with small thrusts of her own.

 

“Come with me…” she whispered.

 

“Always…”

 

Words faded into quiet moans and sighs as they moved in perfect sync.  When it became obvious that the end was nearing for both of them Nathan pulled his lips from Kristin’s breast back to her face and brushed her lips gently, his hips never faltering from their ever-increasing rhythm.

 

“I love you, Kristin… forever.”  Nathan caught Kristin’s gaze and held it.

 

“And I love you, Nathan… always.”  The whisper had barely faded when a scream rose from deep in Kristin’s lungs and flowed from her lips as a mind-numbing climax crashed through her body.  Before her cry had faded Nathan’s voice joined hers, the force of Kristin’s peak pushing him over as well. 

 

They fell to the bed, a tangle of arms and legs, oblivious to the world outside their door.  No further words were need as they cuddled close to each other and drifted off, moonlight slipping between the blinds to bathe their sleeping bodies.

 

~fin

 

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