M/f, consensual, light bondage
She first saw him at the gate in Denver. Absentmindedly, her gaze had settled upon him as she tried to pass the time before boarding by perusing her fellow travelers. She didn't mean to stare, but surely must have, for he felt her gaze. Folding his paper, he looked around as if seeking the source of a curious sound. His eyes scanned passed her, and then snapped back. Her eyes softened and widened a bit, but not for a moment did she consider looking away as a gentle warmth flooded her. He seemed similarly contented as he drew a deep breath and let out a sigh and smiled.
Just then, the music dribbling into her ears from her iPhone switched to Prince's "Sexy Mother Fucker." She threw her head back and laughed lightly, and looked back to see him smiling and laughing with her for no other reason than the pure joy of it.
Their gazes ran into each other again and again. On the way to the restroom. In line to board. Moving about the plane. She tried to play it cool, but she noticed that it seemed each time she found herself more and more distracted.
Once in Miami, she lamented what would likely be her last glimpse of him as she sought the gate to her last leg that would take her into Key West. She consoled herself with thoughts of all the crystal clear blue warm water that awaited her during the impromptu week away she'd scheduled at the last minute. After a hell of a week she'd hit the discount travel sites and booked a flight, called her favorite bed and breakfast on the island, and then headed home to pack a bag with skirts, sarongs, and t-shirts. Packing in less than half an hour, she grabbed her gear bag, already packed and ready for a warm water destination.
Everyone else was standing in line at the counter at the gate, so she fell into line and daydreamed of the power cat ride out to the Dry Tortugas, where she intended to finally overnight after at least two leisurely snorkeling swims around the fort. An island fort and state park 70 miles off of Key West, the idea of being so isolated and alone (or nearly so) thrilled her. She could only imagine what the cosmos would look like at night from that vantage point.
Lost in her thoughts she fidgeted in line, and as she whirled around to relieve the dislike of standing still she nearly struck him with her bag. Standing somewhat dumbstruck she tried to compose herself and smiled in response to his gentle, "Hello."
"Going to Key West?" she asked. "Absolutely, but maybe not the way we planned." He pointed to the board behind the counter, and she saw the word, "Cancelled."
"Well... crap," she said as she dropped her bags. Turning back to him, she extended her hand and introduced herself. "I'm Morgan," she said. "Mark... very nice to meet you," he said as he took her hand in both of his, shaking it but also giving her a bit of a bow.
They both went to the counter to hear that yes, the flight—which was the last of the day—was cancelled. The smiling attendant assured them they were already booked on the next morning's flight. "Oh hell no," she said. "I've got a boat to catch tomorrow morning. What kind of deal will you give me on a rental car?" she demanded. The counter woman signed and handed her the voucher from underneath the counter. Morgan smiled, said thank you, and turned to look at Mark.
"You coming?" she said, surprising herself that she'd just invited a total stranger on a 3-4 hour car ride.
***
Almost four hour later, they neared Key West, no longer strangers. They'd fallen into an easy partnership of driver and navigator as he shared his local knowledge of growing up in South Florida and the Keys to guide her around traffic snafus, found a great snack and smoothie at Robert is Here in Homestead, and reviewed the must-see places in the Keys, many of which she'd found herself in the half dozen times she'd visited in the past ten years. He'd bought gas, and she'd bought dinner: huge plates of stone crab claws at Keys Fisheries in Islamorada, a concrete block building that brought seafood in the rear, moved most of it out to trucks for Miami and beyond but served fantastic deals out the little diner window on the other side. They dove in to the luscious salty and sweet meat inside the porcelain claws with gusto, butter dripping and saltwater flying.
He enjoyed seeing the way she rolled her eyes and moaned in pleasure as she ate, and she enjoyed how he smiled and shook his head at her when she laughed a little too loudly, or stole a look at her when he thought she wasn't looking. There was a spark between them, a warm connection and unusual comfort. She tried to downplay the edge to the spark, but her defenses fell when he reached over, laughing, and used his thumb to wipe away a stray drip of butter from her chin. She froze as his thumb grazed her bottom lip, and he must have felt it too for he froze, effectively holding her face in his hand for a moment.
Her pulse fluttered, her mouth suddenly went dry, and her nipples hardened all in a split second as a burst of warmth flooded down her core and into her pelvis. Suddenly her cheeks flushed and she turned her head away, wondering how to put the brakes on her runaway limbic system that was suddenly dumping arousal into every pathway in her body.
***
The rest of the drive in to Key West was a little uncomfortable. After a few miles, she suddenly pulled the car over, throwing sand on the shoulder of the road. Turning sideways into the car she looked at him. "What was that?" she said. "I'm not sure," he chuckled. "But I liked it."
She held out her hands, palms up, and he slide his large, warm hands onto hers, and there it was again. Warm flowing energy with a wonderful spark. She relaxed, clasped her hands in his and closed her eyes. She relaxed at the exact same moment he pulled her to him, across the seat of the car and into his lap. She nuzzled his chest as he enveloped her in his arms, the warmth growing and covering her. Gently he stroked her hair, and softly kissed the top of her head as he ran his hands over her body. Chills and waves of pleasure washed over her, and she knew with a thrilling certainty that before long she'd be peeling away his clothes and pressing skin to skin.
"Stay with me. Or let me stay with you. Or..." she looked up and said, "I've got a king bed in a cozy B&B looking out onto a quiet local street, what have you got?" He chuckled and explained he was staying at a friend's vacation house, empty while the owner was away on business. "Oh, that definitely wins," she said. She reached for her cell phone, and called the B&B. She wasn't quite ready to cancel the reservation, but explained she wouldn't be in tonight or if she was it would be very, very late. They told her where the key would be in the event she did arrive.
***