Thank you to everyone who sent me feedback on my first story here on literotica. I value your input and suggestions. All names used in this story are factious and are not directly related to anyone living or dead.
Standing on the railing of the ship, Beth looked out over the ocean as it rolled by. Shuddering slightly at the cool breeze that blew over her, she pulled her shawl more tightly around her. Coming on this trip she thought would be a good idea, her family and friends had agreed with her on that. She needed to get away spend sometime on herself.
Beth is what you would call a workaholic, she spent more time at her lawyer's office than she did in her apartment. Beth Timmons was a deputy prosecutor in Orange County, California, she had just finished a huge case that she had spent months on end preparing for. She had thought for sure she had seen from every angle that this case was as good as won. Until the day that the defense had brought in their star witness that they said was sure to clear their client.
Brian Bentley was trial for the murder of his wife, he was found standing over her body with the knife in his hand. His prints were on the knife, and he had a motive. His wife of a year was cheating on him with someone from her office. They had previously had an altercation at a party, witnessed by hundreds of party goers that it was extremely heated and that he had threatened her life.
He maintained that he had found his wife dead and had absent mindedly picked up the knife that he found lying beside her body. He also maintained that the threat was said out of anger and nothing else that he never intended to harm his wife no matter what she had done.
Malina was savagely attacked and stabbed over 70 times and her throat was slit. During the autopsy it was found that she had been several weeks pregnant, a DNA test was performed on the fetus and it was determined that the child was not a biological match to the defendant. It was a horrific crime and all the evidence (although it was mostly circumstantial) pointed to the husband.
As the defense called their witness and he took the stand, he was sworn in, his name was Mark Beeman, and he was a co-worker of Malina's. He stated for the jury that he had been with Malina that evening and that he in fact had killed her. With that statement he had burst into tears, relating all the facts of what had happened. He stated that he and Malina were involved in a relationship and had been for several months. That he had begged her to leave her husband but she refused.
When she had told him that she was pregnant and that the child was her husbands that she never loved him and that she was going to return to her husband and work things out with him for the sake of the baby. He had flown into a rage, and when had calmed down he had seen what he had done to her. He had fled the house, and ran and hid in Puerto Rico.
When he had learned that Brian was on trial for the murder of his wife, he could not live with someone else paying for what he had done. So he contacted them and agreed to return to testify and to go to jail for his crime. He broke down on the stand at the fact that he had not only killed the woman he claimed to love but his own child as well.
With the new evidence Beth had no choice to make a motion to dismiss the charges against the husband.
That was 6 months ago, she had been so stressed from that trial that her family and friends insisted that she take a break.
So here she was, standing on the deck of the ocean liner Royal Princess, for a 18 day cruise.
As Beth walked away from the railing she walked towards the dining room, she had intended to stay in her room for dinner but had decided to go ahead and dress for dinner.
Walking into the dining room wearing a pale blue satin dress, formfitting with spaghetti straps, with a white shawl wrapping loosely around her shoulders. Her dark brown hair flowing down her back, with a white sandal with a slight heel. Her slim figure complimenting her beautifully, her breasts though not large, but ample enough filled the bodice nicely.
Sitting at the table Beth looked around her, the lush furnishings of the dining room bespoke of the lavishness of the ship, the high ceilings, the chandeliers of crystal glass hung everywhere on the ship. The even the glassware on the table matched the crystal about the room, the place settings were as lavish, white with green ivy surrounding the edges.
As Beth sat there eating dinner, she was joined at the table that was shared as were all the tables with other travelers unless prior arrangements had been made for private dining, by a young couple who introduced themselves as Dave and Rhonda Mills, they were on their honeymoon.
She introduced herself to them in return, and they were surprised that she was on this trip on her own. She gave a shortened version of how she came to be on vacation alone.
Moments later she noticed as she was leaning down to pick up her napkin that had fallen off her lap that someone else had joined them at the table, as she sat up she came face to face with Brian Bentley.
So shocked to see him she promptly knocked over her glass of wine. Quickly, he grabbed up a napkin and began helping her wipe up the wine as a waiter came to their assistance.
Brian looked down as she was looking up and stared into the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen. He then noticed the total look of shock on her face as she dumped her wine. Then he recognized her as the prosecutor who tried to lock him up.
Brian cleared his throat and reached his hand out to shake hands, "Hello, last place I thought I would see you."
Feeling quite stunned Beth recovered quickly and shook his hand in return, "Yes, it is, isn't it.
Adjusting she self in her seat, Beth returned to her meal. Dave spoke first, "You two know each other?"
Beth just smiled and shook her head in the affirmative. Nervously she tried to continue with her meal quickly, so she could return to her cabin and in truth to get away from him.
Not because of whom he is, but because of how she felt when she looked at him. His incredible good looks, with his dark brown hair in contrast with his darkly tanned skin, and with his surprisingly pale blue eyes, she felt herself becoming extremely attracted to him, again. During the course of the trial she could not help feeling attracted to him, even knowing that he had quite possibly killed his own wife. She knew that she shouldn't considering her position as the prosecutor against him. When it had come down to the witness that cleared him of the charges, she couldn't help feeling so relieved and joyful that her gut feelings had not forsaken her, she knew she couldn't fall for a criminal it wasn't in her make up.
Brian noticed that she kept looking at him through sideways glances, he noticed not only that she was looking at him, but how beautiful she looked. How her hair flowed over her bare shoulders and down her back. The shyness in her glances at him with her beautiful green eyes.
As Beth finished her meal she quickly said her goodnights to everyone at the table, and walked from the room. As she entered the outer companionway she was startled when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Turning quickly around, she stepped back when she saw Brian standing there.
"Hey, Mrs. Timmons I didn't mean to scare you," he said as he clutched her upper arm.
Breathing shakily she said, "it's alright really you just frightened me for a second, and its miss. Is there something that you wanted?" As she looked down at his hand on her arm and he slowly removed it.
Smiling Brian said, "Oh, I didn't know, Miss Timmons then. I just wanted to ask if it was going to be a problem for you with me on board, I mean it is pretty strange that we both end up here at the same time. I just really wanted to let you know it's not a problem for me. I'm here on vacation, getting on with my life, and putting everything in my past all behind me, so to speak."
With a slight cough she said, "Mr. Bentley, I am perfectly fine with your being on this ship. It is after all a public place, and I am glad that you are putting things in the past and getting on with your life. I too am here for the same thing, putting things in the past, and moving on with my life."
"Please call me Brian, I mean we do know each other, perhaps we can have dinner again one evening and really get to know each other beyond what we had went through before," he said with a hint of a smile.
Not knowing what to say, Beth smiled and said, "I don't know about having dinner Brian, and please call me Beth. But thank you anyway."
