It was a beautiful sunset, the kind that folks on the west coast get to see all time. The passengers stood at the rail of the 86-foot long Avenger to see the early summer sun sink and fade from the horizon, the deep orange blaze splashing on a few wispy clouds. The majestic wooden tall ship had made its way from New Bedford and through the canal, taking two dozen sightseers on a weekend excursion to Boston. Now, in the open waters of Cape Cod Bay, all Tara could see were the dim lights of a distant shore.
"Hi. Nice night, huh?" said the man next to her. She remembered him from dinner at the captain's table.
"Yeah, breathtaking. You're Ari, right?"
"That's right, and you are ... Tara. You had the whole dinner table spellbound with your story about self-defense with common objects. How do you know so much about that sort of thing? You're not with the British Secret Service, are you?"
"Maybe," she smiled. "And you? Decide to leave Plato and Socrates behind and come mingle with the common folk?"
"Hardly," he paused. "And you are far from common."
She smiled again. "Maybe," she replied coyly.
They made their way quietly to the bow of the great ship and stood listening to the water rush by beneath them. They chatted about small things, moving closer ostensibly to hear better above the din of the waves. She brushed her hand across his. He touched her arm. She put a hand on his chest. He drew her to him, and surrounded by the darkness and the stars, they kissed.
Softly at first, then the tips of their tongues met and danced together like partners on the dance floor. The rush of passion, along with the rhythmic heaving of the ocean swells, made them both a little lightheaded.
"Whoa. I think I need to sit down," she whispered. Well, she did feel a little wobbly, but it didn't have anything to do with the waves. They stood, embracing like Kate and Leo in Titanic until the coincidence hit them both and they laughed, and strolled back to the ship's main salon.
It was late, and the place had cleared out by now. It had an eerie feeling, like a ghost ship plowing into the night.
"This is weird, eh?" she said, half joking.
"Very. Let me walk you to your cabin?"
Instead, she kissed him again. Now, in the calm indoors, they could feel the warmth of each other's skin, hear the rough breathing and soft gasps. His arm around her waist. Her fingers around the back of his neck. "Yes," she said. "My cabin."
The staterooms were small, but elegantly appointed. He closed and latched the door while she turned on a soft lamp. Alone, unhurried now, they both took a breath.
"You're sure you're not British Intelligence, are you?" he joked. "I'm ready to confess everything."
She slowed began to unbutton his shirt, the tips of her fingers exploring the contours of his chest.
"Maybe I am," flicking an errant fingernail crisply across one of his nipples. He drew a quick breath and she could feel him eyeing her hotly.
The two took their time undressing one another, catching glimpses of their warmly lit bodies in the various mirrors that designers install to make tiny cabins feel more spacious. They tasted the salty sea air left on their lips.
She loosened his belt, undid the button fly and he stepped out of his jeans. Her hand reached down and firmly cupped his crotch. He was hot and hard against her wrist.
"Hmmm. Yes, but don't get ahead of me," he teased. He took her wrist and drew her hand to his lips, kissing and sucking on the tips of her fingers. While she was distracted, he lay his other hand against her now bare panties.