Sailing

She navigated through the crowed deck area without incident, until the warm Gulf breeze caught the hem of her silk dress. A slightly salty sea breeze lifted the fabric up and away from her leg, exposing her tan thigh and the edge of her lace trimmed panties. Two men at the table she was passing did not miss her exposure, the drunker of the two cat-called and motioned for her to slip up on the open stool next to him. She stopped, smoothed her skirt and shot him a cool look, eyes narrowed, lips tight. He sat back and with palms up motioned 'no problem' to which she allowed the light to return to her eyes and the left corner of her mouth lifted in a sly grin.

"Careful what you ask for round here." She spoke softly but her voice carried smoothly under the notes of the band which insisted on cranking out yet another Doobie Brother's single. The less drunk of the pair, snapped his cell phone shut, grinned back and shrugged his shoulders before returning to his beer; but in the instant that he caught her eye, she felt a shiver. Something deep inside responded to his look. It was an all too familiar feeling, of anticipation, excitement. Primal. But for only a second. There was a regular, dependable source of this feeling now . There was no need to go hunting for it now although it was fun to imagine. She moved on, taking the only open table directly beside the two admiring men.

"You need a menu?" the waitress slid a laminated sheet onto the table top and disappeared without an answer.

Kate looked after her, commenting 'sure'. Her voice went unheard by the waitress but not by the men behind her, nor the man who had slipped onto the chair opposite her. The site of him brought that primal sensation back in full, but in a deeper more familiar place.

"Sure what?" he asked and leaned across the round bar table and placed his lips on hers. She lifted her hips up off the high chair and surrendered at the touch of his mouth as it melted over hers. Releasing her from the kiss, he smiled, his blue eyes wrinkling at the corners and he sat. She smoothed the skirt of her dress and also sat down. He continued to grin.

"What?" she questioned, although she knew. Jack never missed noticing when another man, or on occasion woman, admired her.

"Those two behind you. Sure like looking." He pulled the menu at an angle so they could both study it.

"Oh, those two? Drunk and drunker?" She giggled. Drunker was a mess, but the other one, well, she might try to get a better look later. He had a nice smile. And there was that feeling again rising up from a place low in her being, making her tingle in unseen places.

They studied the menu and settled on a variety of finger foods elaborately named "gifts of the sea". The Amazing Disappearing Waitress reappeared as if on cue and took their order, returning surprisingly fast with their bottle of chardonay and two chilled glasses. Out in the distance, over the bay, the sun began to set. Rays in varying shades of pinks and purples painted the sky and reflected back from the gentle roll of the waves. They watched silently, sipping their wine, as sailboats drifted back to home. On stage the band had given up on muttering Michael McDonald and were now giving Steely Dan a shot.

Voices lifting above the keyboard caught Kate's attention and she leaned back in her chair, hoping to catch the conversation. Her smile ripened and her eyes widened as she tried to hold back a laugh.

Jack leaned forward, nearly tipping the basket of shrimp shells sitting near his elbow. "Fill me in baby," he whispered in his best gumshoe lisp.

Kate leaned towards him and using her hand as a sheild, to perhaps save the band from such blatant gossip, she whispered back, "seems Drunker is asking the waitress if she 'dances' anywhere after her shift. Seems he is hoping to catch a 'Live' Show somewhere."

Jack scanned the deck before answering, "Maybe we should suggest Big Betty's?" Betty's was the better of the dive-y 'gentlemen's' clubs they had driven past on their way from Pensacola. Betty's boasted 'the most nude girls and the biggest boobs' on the Gulf. They had debated whether the bigger boobs were in the audience or on the stage, and now it seemed they were about to get their answer.

Drunker's voice suddenly out-harmonized the band as he lamented, "I need to see some damn nude bitches!" The band continued to play although everyone's attention was now directed towards the two men. Kate swiveled in her chair and caught the Less Drunk's eye. He grimaced as he slipped from his chair and took his buddy's arm. "Sorry," he spoke loudly, to the entire bar, but his focus was on Kate. His deep brown eyes looked into her's and she shivered. Unconscious of the action, she parted her lips and drew in a breath as the tingling sensation became more intense. It was his turn to let the left side of his mouth lift into a grin as he caught the quiver of her back and shoulders. She tightened her muscles and leveled her look then slowly twisted back to face the table and her companion.

The two men made a noisy exit. Kate caught herself twice peeking over her shoulder in hopes of catching one last glimpse.

"Well, they seemed nice," Jack commented as he tipped the wine bottle, filling her glass. He laughed then, his warm pleasant laugh and this time the shiver was for him.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Kate slid her fingers around the stem of the glass and held it up, allowing the golden liquid to drip over her lips and onto her tongue.

"Mmmmm, just drunk enough..." Jack let his hand drop to her leg where his fingers proceeded to wander slowly over the soft flesh of her knee to the softer skin of her inner thigh. "Imagine this were my lips," he whispered and began to draw tiny circles and curves on her skin. She closed her eyes and as the evening breeze blew in she could feel his fingers change to the warmth of his lips. Her breath caught with the crash of the waves.

"I want to ..." Jack's next comment was interrupted by the shrill ring of his cell phone. "Shit." He looked at the number on the face of the phone. "I need to take this Kate. I'm sorry."

"K. Just keep your mind right here." She guided his hand, which still rested on her thigh, and moved it higher to the edge of her panties. The breeze only emphasized her warmth.

"Mmmm." He hummed and slid off the chair, taking his exploring hand and his phone with him.

Kate sighed and returned to the snacks on the table. The band now plinked through a 'best of' compilation of Zac Brown. The bar was busy but hardly crowded. The patrons a mix of young and old, tourist and local. She then turned to study the bay and the open water as it rolled out and over the horizon. Nighttime's first stars twinkled down, their reflection sparkling back to the navy blue sky.

Weight on the back of her chair brought her back to the present and expecting Jack's return she turned and slipped her arm around the waist of the less drunk of the two men who had previously been seated behind them.

"So, I was going to apologize for that little display earlier but looks like we're good." He laughed and Kate pulled away from the embrace. Her fingers tingled with the warmth radiating from his skin and his shirt and once again that primal heat raised. She squirmed a little in her seat, feeling the memory of Jack's fingers on her thigh mix with the warmth of this stranger's skin. "I'm Sean. Sean O'Leary...insert bad Irish accent here."

Kate smiled back and took his extended hand. His fingers were callused, his hand shake secure. "Ah, of the South Beach O'Leary's?" He held the hand shake a second longer than he needed, keeping her eyes locked to his.

"That's right. You've heard of us then. Expert drunk handlers our specialty." He

released her hand but his fingers remained against her palm. "You have this other guy removed then?" He nodded to Jack's empty chair.

"Oh. No. He had some business to attend to. Here, why don't you join me? At least until Jack comes back. I hate to sit alone." As she spoke, Sean pulled an empty chair up beside her and settled on the edge. "I'm Kate, by the way." She offered her hand and he grasped it again. This time holding her hand between both of his.

"I can't imagine you being alone for very long." Sean squeezed her hand and then raised it to his lips where he gently kissed her fingers, one at a time. His eyes never leaving her's.

She did not try to stop him.

The Waitress of Incredibly Bad Timing stopped at their table and with a confused look on her face asked if they needed anything. Sean sat Kate's hand on the table palm up and began to trace tiny circles in the tender cup below her love line. "We could use some privacy. But, I guess another bottle of wine would be just fine."

"What are you doing?" Kate asked out loud but unsure if she spoke to herself or the man caressing her hand.

"You look as if you need to be touched. And since we have only just met I figure touching you here," he made a heavier pass across her inner wrist, "is safer than touching you where Jack was."

Kate felt the color rise into her cheeks. Her silk panties were uncomfortably present against her skin and with each pass of Sean's fingers the panties seemed to pull closer to her sex. That primal place began to call out to her.

"You are assuming an awful lot." Her voice was barely above a sigh.

"You aren't trying to stop me." His voice was low and animal. "I was tempted to just kiss those lips of yours as I was leaving earlier. What would this Jack say to that?"

"He would say, can I help you?" Jack stood behind his empty chair. With slow and deliberate movement he sat. "Sorry Kate. Didn't mean to take so long but it looks as if things are all arranged." He leaned across the table and stared into Sean's face, his shirt pulling across his back and shoulders. Kate, her hand still in Sean's. "Shall we be going?"

Sean wrapped his fingers around Kate's wrist and as he stood, he pulled her close to him. She started to pull away but he wrapped his other arm around her waist. She couldn't help but breath in his earthy scent and as the breeze flipped the edge of her skirt she shivered again and shot Jack a questioning look. "Yup, I think it is time to go." Sean whispered in her ear. His breath heavy, his lips moist on the spot just behind her earlobe. Kate felt her knees go weak, for just a second.

Jack tossed some bills on the table before meeting Kate's look with a wink. He was grinning as he followed them from the bar.

Sean transferred his hold on Kate to Jack and ambled silently ahead of them down towards the dock. Jack entwined his fingers in Kate's hand and let their arms swing back and forth. It was a beautiful night. A gentle breeze blew in off the ocean, carrying a hint of the late summer warmth. Several more stars twinkled down from above and the moon, nearly full, hung low in the sky.

"What are we doing, Jack?" Kate whispered.

"Something we talked about, once upon a time." He stopped and turned towards her. "Do you trust me?"

He stood still, his linen shirt hanging loosely from his shoulders, his arms at his sides. She looked him over from the top of his blonde hair, down his muscled chest, hidden by the shirt. His slacks fit him well and looked as expensive as they were. She stopped at his feet, sock-less and tucked into worn deck shoes. Yes, just looking at him, she knew she would trust him. No matter what. She didn't need to look into his eyes to know. She had studied those blue eyes for so long. She nodded and replaced her hand is his. Again, she felt a shiver run down her spine.

They walked down a flight of stairs to a waiting water taxi. Sean slipped over the edge and held his hands out to Kate. She reached towards him but instead of taking her hand and helping her in, he grabbed her around her waist and lowered her into the small boat. His hands slid up her sides, caressing her as he helped her regain her balance in the gently rocking vessel. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

It was harder to read Sean, she had known him less than a sunset. She stood a breath away from him, his hands on her shoulders, his mouth a half breath away from her ear. She pushed him away but kept her hands on his shoulders. He looked directly at her, his brown eyes even darker in the night. He neither smiled nor frowned, just stood quietly studying her face, making the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. He wore a navy blue t-shirt which hung loosely and his jeans were well worn, a tiny hole beginning to form just above the left knee. If she were to pass him in a store she would just keep walking. But she looked closer and began to see tiny lines around his eyes, lines formed from years of laughter if she were to guess. They were around the corners of his mouth as well.

She considered his rough hands and his deep tan. These weren't earned from time spent behind a desk. She gave him one more assessing look. His feet, also sans socks, were protected from the rough dock by a beat up pair of navy tennis shoes. She looked into his face. Sean faltered only briefly before he regained his composure. As she smiled, he knew her answer. She kissed him lightly on the lips. "Yes, I think I can trust you too."

Jack had slipped in beside them and he laughed. "Then we're off!" They all sat back as the power boat left dockside and headed towards open water. No one spoke, each keeping their thoughts to themselves until Kate and Sean saw their destination.

Anchored just off the jetty, away from the bay traffic but protected from surf floated a 40 foot sloop. Her masts pointed towards the sky and the nearly full moon, sails drawn in to sleep. "Oh my, Jack!" Kate moved to the edge of her seat.

"Six weeks, baby. We have her for six weeks." Jack's eyes sparkled. From his side of the boat, Sean let loose a low whistle. The taxi driver pulled up to the back of the sailboat and tossed a rope to Sean, who took a practiced steady step off the deck and onto the landing of the larger boat. He quickly wrapped the tether around a cleat and again, offered his hand to Kate. Jack followed and climbed the ladder to the main deck, assisting Kate up as Sean released the taxi.

Kate and Jack stood arm in arm, watched as the water taxi sped off and disappeared in the dim lights of the harbor. Sean slipped onto the deck behind them. And then they were alone.

"Hmmm." Jack gave Kate a squeeze and turned to face their guest. "Champagne?" He motioned to a table near the cabin entrance. A bucket of ice held a bottle of wine. Three glasses sat at the ready. Kate clapped her hands and Sean nodded, walking over to the set up and went about the task of opening and pouring.

Jack returned his attention to Kate. He placed his hands on either side of her face. "You say the word. We will stop."

Kate answered with a kiss, full on his mouth. She pressed her lips to his, opening them slightly as his tongue teased her. His mouth was warm and firm and he responded with deeper pressure, his hands sliding down her neck and over her breasts before coming to rest on her ass. She pressed herself into him, his hands helping with a push and she felt his firmness through the thin fabric of her dress. A loud pop of the wine bottle cork broke their kiss. "Have you begun to think what it will feel like to have the two of us fuck you?" Jack whispered in her ear as he pulled away from her. His hand slipped over her breast and gave the nipple a tweak. Kate inhaled sharply with surprise and her knees once again went weak. It was a delicious feeling.

Sean passed glasses around and then raised his to the couple. "To the possibilities of the open sea." The three clinked their glasses together and drank.

Jack moved away from the group and sat on the bench along the port side of the sloop. He held his glass in one hand, crossed his legs and looked from Kate to Sean and back. "You want to taste her, don't you Sean." He spoke quietly, but in the silence of the ocean his voice carried, amplified by their uncertainty.

Sean sat his glass down on the table and placed his hands in his back pockets. Rocking back and forth in his tennis shoes he replied, "yeah."

Kate, unsure, took another drink of champagne. The chilled wine tickled her tongue as it bubbled down her throat and into her head. One more drink and she emptied the glass.

"Let him have a little taste, Katie." Jack remained reclined on the seat. He took a slow sip of his wine.

Kate carefully walked to the table, placed her glass upside down in the bucket then returned to her place on the deck. The gentle waves rolled the boat a tiny bit and she found she needed to stand with her legs slightly apart to keep her balance. With deliberate movement, she drew the hem of her dress up with her left hand until at last the lace edge of her panties was visible. She continued to draw the silk up until the waistband of the panties could be seen resting against her firm, rounded abdomen. Closing her eyes, she drew her fingers down to the band of the pale pink panties, gently working the fingers under the lace. She caressed the smooth skin, feeling the lace push back against her hand. She gave a sideways look at Jack, who remained seated. He tipped his glass and took another sip. Slowly, she moved her hand further until her fingers felt the tender bud of flesh between her legs. With her first touch, she began to ache and she gave a languid sigh. Her fingers pushed further into the warm moistness and she caressed her self to the rhythm of the gentle breeze. Throwing Jack another glance, he smiled and closed his eyes, raising his own fingers to his mouth. "You can taste me, can't you Jack." she said and he nodded as he sucked one of his own, dry fingers.

She slipped deeper inside herself and moaned gently before looking at Sean. He remained standing, hands in back pockets, tipping forward and back on his heels. His eyes were focused on the movement of her hand behind the pink lace. Mindlessly, he slipped his tongue over his lips. Kate tipped her hips to one side as she caught site of the swollen shaft hidden by Sean's jeans. Gently pulling her fingers from inside, away from the warmth of her sex and out into the cooling night air, she stretched her arm outwards and brushed her fingers over Sean's lips. He caught one with his tongue and licked it slowly before opening his mouth and drawing the finger in, once again out of the night air and into warmth of foreign heat and moisture.

"Good?" Jack asked, his voice taking on a huskier tone, a combination of wine and desire. The two standing figures, fingers of one in the other's mouth, both nodded yes. "Mmmm. So, Sean, what would you like to do next?"

Sean took hold of Kate's hand, slowly moving her finger first into then out of his mouth. "I want to touch her. Feel her..." He spoke to Jack but kept his eyes on Kate. As his voice moved around her ears and into her head she felt her breath catch and her knees weakened again.

"Go ahead, touch her." Jack's voice remained low. Kate felt her breasts firm against her dress.

Sean took a step closer. With calculated movement he raised his hands to her shoulders. His touch was light over her skin as he slowly caressed the bare flesh of her arms. She stood still and continued to watch his face. In his eyes, the nearly full moon shone back. She could feel herself sinking into it as he untied the knot and let the wrapped bodice fall open.

Her bare breasts, full and white, peeked from around the silk; the nipples hard with arousal from the night air and anticipation of what may come. Sean traced the line of her collarbone before drawing his fingers down her sternum and around the nipple of her left breast. She gasped and he did the same as his hand cupped her soft flesh.

"Oh, god," he whispered and moved closer, bending slightly to take her into his mouth. His tongue licked at the dimpled flesh and Kate stopped breathing. The warm wetness of his tongue as it tickled just barely below her nipple sent a ripple down her abdomen to the moist hidden area between her legs. Sean teased her a few seconds more then pressed his mouth to her breast and drew her tender nipple in where he gently pulled at the throbbing flesh. Kate's eyes slid open with pleasure and she inhaled the sea breeze and let her head fall back.