No Man's Land: The Mississippi Tour
Jarod Finn as master of a Mississippi Cruise Sternwheeler was carrying on a family tradition. His great grandmother, Becky, had taken and given her child her lover's last name, even though there was no hint of matrimony. She called him, Jarod, because she would never give a child the only first name she knew his sperm donor by. Becky passed herself off as a Civil War widow, which side her husband died for changed depending to whom she was talking. She eventually (re)married an upstanding member of a church she was trying out. Thus her son, Jarod, had a middle class upbringing.
The first Jarod trained on all kinds of boats creating himself a career as a Mississippi river man. He even worked for a year with his sperm donor, though neither knew of their relationship. He saw that there was demand for a ferry service to take Mississippi men to Louisiana women, and an even better return business carrying Looser-iana women to Mississippi. His father bought Jarod two boats and became a silent partner in the ferry business, and an offshoot business on the Mississippi shore that his church would not approve of. Both businesses prospered, and through the generations, two ferries became four sternwheelers, one of which was a permanently moored casino. The other business was considered the best house in three states.
The latest Jarod had the same name as his father and grandfather but felt no need to add a number at the end. He was not married, preferring variety. As master of the Thomas Stonewall, he had many pretty single tourists and some married ones who wanted to experience a steamboat captain. If he was feeling paranoid or an imposing husband was present, he avoided the married ones, but he seldom slept alone.
June Johnstone had booked a week long Mississippi River cruise, New Orleans to Vicksburg, for her husband and herself, but a crisis happened at work and her husband, George, couldn't go. She offered the spare ticket to her sister, and June had a traveling companion. June's sister, Stacy, was delighted for the diversion, because she had just finished a hostile divorce. June and Stacy flew from Cincinnati for New Orleans on a Friday. They had dinner at Antoine's on Saturday night. After breakfast at Brennan's, they embarked on the Stonewall on Sunday afternoon.
Since June and Stacy were the two prettiest women on this trip, not a high bar to pass on this particular tour, Jarod made sure that they were seated at the Captain's Table. This was not a great honor since there were only seven tables on the Stonewall. Stacy, unattached for the first time in five years, was in full flirt mode, but her interest was on the first mate, Steve, not Jarod. Jarod easily turned his attention to June. He had not picked a favorite sister when they were seated, so June, while a target of opportunity, was not a second choice.
The Stonewall was not a showboat. Jarod's family spent the entertainment money on a Mississippi River historian. They had a tape music system for dancing after dinner. Since the average hair color for tourists was gray, Jarod chose popular music from the forties through the sixties.
After a few moderately fast dances with June, the songs became slower and more romantic. He chose to end the dancing with Sinatra's, The Way You Look Tonight. Jarod took June back to her cabin. The two hundred feet took thirty minutes, in which June told him about her family. Jarod found out that George, her husband, was in his mid fifties, and June was about ten years younger. June's two children were a daughter, Susan, a junior in college, and Bob, a senior in high school.
Jarod was thirty eight, a good age to entrance a forty five year old married woman approaching the empty nest. When they reached her cabin, Jarod said:
"With the way you look tonight, there is only one thing to do."
He kissed her firmly on the lips. He did not open his mouth. The kiss was more than a peck, but well short of necking. June thought to protest, but returned the kiss with a closed mouth as well. During the kiss, she felt his erection, and he felt her nipples firming on his chest. June wanted to say something, but was conflicted. She just smiled and closed the door. June felt both invigorated and guilty over the incident. For the first time in a month she caressed her clit to soothe herself to sleep. She was sure, however, that she would never tell her husband of this night. Stacy rolled in at three in the morning, and found June sleeping like an angel. Jarod went back to his cabin satisfied with a successful first step.
June sat next to Jarod at dinner the next evening. They danced every dance to the romantic tunes that Jarod selected. This time the last song was the Righteous Brothers, Unchained Melody. She molded herself to his body. Jarod walked slowly along the deck with June; this time he did most of the talking. He told of adventures on the Mississippi. Some were his own, some he adapted from Mark Twain. They ended up at his room.
"We will soon be passing Baton Rouge. The view of the lights from the captain's cabin is unique."
June allowed herself to be led to the large forward windows. The lights of Baton Rouge witnessed Jarod initiating a kiss. This time June opened her mouth. The kiss continued away from the windows. June found herself half lying on a couch. Jarod's hand was caressing her thigh.
"I hunger to touch you."
