There was a time when all I could dream about was getting away, taking a break, and being the only person on an entire island. Okay, so that wasn't going to happen, I'm not rich and I don't have a sugar daddy, so sue me. So I had to take that dream and turn it into something real, something obtainable. Destination: island time!
So me being of the miniscule budget, ended up booking a cruise to Bermuda. I know, not really a lot of island time, but hey, the ship is like a huge floating island, right? Anyways, this is my story so sit back, relax, and prepare to be dazzled. Oh, I'm sure you will want to know what I look like, kind of important, huh?
I'm Nikki and I'm 5'4". Which is not, and I repeat not, short! It's the average height of American women thank you! I've got shoulder length hair that I've recently dyed a pretty carrot color. My eyes are naturally brown, though with my contacts they're the deepest, darkest of blues. I get bored and like to change things up, can't really help it; it's the one area of my life that I truly experiment. Anyways, I'm a nice cream color with about cantaloupe-sized breasts. I like them and men seem to always be staring, so that must be a good thing, right? But I'm just average overall, I can be honest about it. I get a lot of cutes and pretties, but not gorgeous or smoking. Well now you know about me, let's get to the good stuff why don't we?
So this is the story of my summer... and maybe a little bit more...
It was a hot, muggy summer in July and my hair was literally sticking to my neck as soon as I walked out the doors from work. All I could think about was escaping, about lazing about on a sandy beach while the cool breeze from the ocean played over my skin. Sighing, I opened the door to my little Prius and slunk down in the seat, staring at the concrete block of the parking deck before me.
The air was getting heavier and I my heart was racing. I just could couldn't take it anymore! I grabbed my phone and immediate start searching for vacations, something, anything that would take me away from here. Low and behold, an email with a special discount on a cruise to Bermuda. A few clicks later and I was to set sail the next day. A few quick texts with my boss and I was off for the next week. Things were looking up!
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As I peered up through my dark sunglasses, the ship seemed to be taller than any mountain I'd seen. People ran all around, ambled up the ramp, and shouted to those they were leaving behind. It was a madhouse and not exactly what I had been hoping for with my dream getaway. With a wistful sigh, I grabbed my bags and proceeded to be jostled up the ramp as I boarded. Oh well, this was MY vacation and I was going to make the best of it.
When I finally managed to reach my room, it was a pleasant surprise. I was on the very back of the ship, standing on my own personal balcony and the chaos was just a faint drone in the background. I took a deep breath and let it out with a smile. This was going to be doable after all I thought. I returned inside and started putting away all of my goodies. Dresses, sandals, bathing suits, beach towels, and last but not least... a few good romance books.
I did a quick change into a white, lightweight, cotton sundress and snagged one of the books from the table. A bottle of water, my sunglasses, and I was prepared to relax on my balcony while the ship finished getting out to sea. So there I was engrossed and completely lost to the world around me. I didn't even feel the ship leave port and was so caught up that it wasn't until darkness encroached that I lifted my eyes and blinked in confusion at the setting sun that barely peaked over the horizon.
With a yelp, I jumped up and grabbed my phone. I had completely missed dinner, just like me, once I start reading I forget everything else. Luckily for me, room service was free and I could still get something to eat. I ordered up a basket of fish and chips with a coke to drink. Voila! I was set and my book was placed firmly on the table until it was delivered.
Walking back out on the balcony, I leaned my hip against the railing and enjoyed the last sparkling rays of oranges and reds that played against the twilight waters. The wind caught my hair and pulled it out in front of me just as my eyes caught sight of a black dot on the horizon. Not too odd, I thought, we couldn't have been far out of port. I gave a little shrug as knock came to my door and didn't give that speck of nothing in the water a second thought.
I took my food, tipped the waiter, and settled in on my bed to enjoy my dinner as I started going through the pamphlet of activities for the following day. Yoga? Seriously, who does yoga on a vacation? I shook my head and continue on. Hmmm... karaoke, a volleyball tournament, and a... bang?
Startled, my head jerked up and I glanced out over my balcony to see a large wooden ship had hit the rear of us. Men were scrambling across a wooden decking as it lowered. I rushed to lock the door of my balcony and my then my room and stood there in a panic. What in the hell was going on?!?
My hand over my chest, I backed up until my door slapped into the front of my cabin, eyes locked on the door to my balcony. I was only on the first balcony. It would be so easy for someone to hop up there. Fear was crashing through my head as a crash from the interior hall sounded behind me making me jump and twirl towards the sound. They were already inside. I glanced around rapidly at my tiny room, there was no place to hide and the bathroom door was just flimsy, but it was better than nothing.
Just as I took a step toward the bathroom the sound of shattering glass filled my ears and my head whipped towards my balcony. The light from overhead allowed me to see the man standing just inside the shattered remains of my balcony door. Inky black hair swirled around his shoulders, eyes narrowed as they studied me, too far away to see their color, but that chiseled, clenched jaw spoke more than any words. His broad shoulders seemed to fill the room as my gazed strayed down the smooth, bronze chest to the tapered waist caught in the bonds of tattered jeans.
My jaw must have dropped. Here was a man straight out of one of my romance novels. He cleared his throat and I squeaked as I rushed into the bathroom, locking it behind me. A deep, beckoning voice called through the door, "You may wish to come out of there before I come in sugar."
A slight accent carried on the words and I couldn't help the shiver that slid down my spine. I shook my head at the door, unable to find my voice, not a coherent thought one went through my head. Then the door shook with a deafening bang. There was a huge dent in the middle as the edges pulled away from the frame. I froze.
"Last chance missy, come out and play nice now."
Silence.
My heart started to slow, thinking that he had given up and gone elsewhere. My brain started producing thoughts again and I stayed huddled up against the toilet where I had some how managed to cram myself. Taking a deep breath, I took a step. Listened, still silence. Another step.
The door crashed open and swung haphazardly on its hinges, my head followed the movement as my lips parted on a scream. I backpedaled as though I could melt through the wall of the bathroom and emerge to safety on the other side. My back slammed into the wall just before a thick fist closed around the front of my sundress, yanking me from the bathroom.
I was released in a shivering heap in the middle of a room, only to receive another demand, "Well now, that didn't work, so why don't you try working with me on this next part. I want all of your valuables placed in this bag in the next three minutes or we'll have a different sort of talk."
My head shook from side to side idiotically in response. My brain was in a loop and all I could think was that I didn't have any valuables. It took a minute for my ears to realize that I was whispering that over and over and over. My unfocused gaze was settled on the floor and there was not an ounce of resistance in my body.
A bass sigh sounded from some where above me as a pair of hands gripped my shoulders and lifted me to my feet. "Come now sugar, no reason to be difficult, there must be something of value here. Why don't you be reasonable and just collect everything and I'll decide if there's anything I'd like?"
Trembling like a new leaf on a thunderous day, I took tiny steps and started gathering anything I could get my hands on. My pace slowly began to speed up and a pile formed on the bed that he was sorting through as I continued collecting everything I could get my hands on.
When I was finished, all I could see was a pile of clothes with nothing expensive to be seen, my gaze lifted hesitantly to his as I felt him staring at me, "I told you... nothing..."
Blood rushed and pooled in my cheeks as I felt his gaze slipping over me, the weight of it making my heart pound as it ran my length.
"Hmmmm... well all must pay up my girl, this is what I have been told..." There was shake of his head and then his hand clasped my wrist as he began to walk back out to my balcony. There was faint crunching as our feet traveled over the glass in the carpet. Suddenly I was airborne before my bottom jarred against the sloping column next to my balcony and I slid recklessly to the bottom. So surprised that not a sound escaped me when my feet hit the deck.
An instant later, he was back by my side and leading me onto the large wooden ship. The random thought that pirate ships were getting bigger whipped through my head as my feet settled in the middle of his ship. Men rushed around me, to and fro, never pausing as the two of us stood still. He was yelling things and different people, pointing and gesturing as I felt myself growing more and more lightheaded.
His gaze met mine and I could see the stormy green depths of them, the flecks of gold seeming to spark as my body went limp and I lost consciousness.
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I awoke, disoriented as the sway of the bed below me threatened to tumble me for the confines of the tousled sheets holding me prisoner. I blinked rapidly, trying to remember what had happened. I was on a ship, but the room was large and made of wood, that didn't seem to be right. I pinched myself and felt tears prick my eyes. Okay, so I was awake and on a strange ship.
Sitting up, the room began to spin and I instinctively stuck my head over the side of the bed as stars danced behind my eyelids. Groaning, I tentatively opened my eyes to find a large brass container being held below my face. A pair of rough, tanned hands gripped the sides, holding it steady. Slowly, my eyes followed the muscles of the forearms up to a pair of pleasantly bulging biceps connected to bronze shoulders that seemed to gleam in the muted lighting.
Up a thick neck to a square, stubbly jaw to a pair of eyes that beckoned at my memory. They were so familiar and yet I was at a loss as to where I knew them from. Little crinkles in the corner hinted at a friendly nature, but the downward turn of the mouth negated them. I forced myself to sit up and pressed my back against the headboard behind me, gazing up at him as he rose to his full, towering height. I had the sense that I should be afraid, but I couldn't find any fear within me.
He stood there looking down at me, a crease forming between his brows as confusion rose to the surface of his eyes, "You doing okay sugar?"
Silently I began to take an inventory of my body, wiggling my toes. They all seemed to be there. There only seemed to be a deep throbbing at the back of my head. I raised my hand and gingerly pressed it against the spot. A cry burst from my lips as the stars returned and my stomach clenched.
Those rough fingers seized my wrist and yanked it back down to the bed with a gruff, "I don't recommend touching that just yet. I've cleaned it, but it's going to take a bit for it to heal."
"Heal?" My voice cracked and I couldn't help the cough that set my head to throbbing harder.
