Interlude (36 page)

Karen cupped her hand over her untied top and
turned over. With her other hand she gently grabbed his neck and
pulled him into the wettest, most intense kiss she had ever had.
His tongue gently moved into her mouth and rubbed against hers as
they lay on the blazing hot deck. Her leg rubbed on his side, as
her toes flexed and curled involuntarily. His stubble abraded her
chin, and then her neck as he trailed his possessive kisses down to
her waiting earlobe. She gasped as he bit it, and then moaned
softly as he ran his tongue around. She looked up at his electric
blue eyes. With her hand now resting on his rock hard chest she
said, “Now are you worried about someone stealing your prize?”

“All the more babe,” He said with a
smile.

As they lay there on her giant towel, the
time inched by. She could feel his strong body pressed up against
hers as he thumbed through a magazine he found in the cabin. The
buzz from her phone nearly made her sit straight up. Cal jumped at
her little spasm, as she unlocked her phone and read the text.

“Who is it?” He asked lethargically.

Karen gave him a little smile and said, “It's
Aamina. She wants to know if I'm still sore from the other
day.”

Cal's mouth fell open as he stared at her. He
unknowingly touched his sides where Karen's claw marks were still
healing.

“Cal, I do believe you're blushing.” She said
with a laugh.

Cal shrugged at her as she typed a response.
She gave him one last little smirk and silenced her phone.

“How did you reply?” He asked. The blushing
had turned to embarrassed panic.

“I told her that you have ways of fixing that
kind of pain.” She said, rolling onto her back as Cal gave up and
did the same.

After a while, Karen stirred and randomly
asked, “Did you play video game before we met?”

“Well, I played PC games. MMORPG stuff,” He
said, adding, “Why?”

“Just curious. What's a MMROG..?” She
asked.

“It stands for Massively Multi Player Online
Role Playing Game.” He said, adding, “It's like a video game, but
it's more immersive and time consuming. When I was married, I used
to pass the time playing a couple of them. It gives you nerd status
to be able to talk with other I.T. guys and programmers. It's kind
of like golf is to executives.” Instead of handicaps and golf
clubs, we talk about leveling up and running raids.” He said
lazily.

Karen sat up and stretched. “So, why don't
you play them anymore?” She asked.

Cal chuckled and said, “Babe, when I met you,
my whole life became a video game.”

“Oh really?” She said, running her hand along
the waistband of his swim trunks. “What kind of game is it?” She
asked.

“The kind where I get to be the handsome
knight who serves the reigning princess.” He said, turning over to
look at her. Her green eyes shone in the bright sun, as she took
off her sunglasses to chew on the earpiece.

“The reigning princess. Huh, I think I like
that.” She said happily.

Cal stretched and stood up. He reached his
hand down to help her up. Out of nowhere he asked, “Are we taking
things too fast?”

Karen paused. She didn't like where this
ominous question was heading. “What makes you ask that babe?”

“Well, it's just that we've come so far as a
couple. It’s only been just over a month since we first exchanged
real names, and now we're here.” He said, waving his hands around
him and her. “I guess I just don't wanna ruin what we have by going
too fast. I'm totally happy with how things are, but if you need to
step back or take a break or whatever, just give me a head's
up.”

Karen gave him her best sincere look as she
thought over what he said. “Why would you say that? I love where we
are. I would never tell you that we're moving too fast, because
this is about how fast my life always moves. I'm always traveling,
meeting with dangerous people, and selling volatile hardware to
them. Not to sound cliché baby, but I'm already faster than most.”
She reached out to him and pulled his hands from his sides. As she
looked into his eyes she said, “I fall in love fast too. I just got
lucky this time and gave my heart to someone who knows how to treat
it right.” She could feel his entire body relax as her words sunk
in.

“Oh thank God. I don't wanna ruin what we
have.” He said, punctuating his relief with a kiss on her soft,
plump lips.

Karen straightened up and assumed her best
authoritative posture. “Besides, I'm the princess and you are my
loyal kindhearted knight. You have to follow my edicts and
proclamations.” She joked in a mock Renaissance fair accent.

“As you wish my lady,” Cal said, stepping
back and bowing majestically. Karen's resulting fit of giggles was
cut short by the sound of an outboard motor approaching. Cal looked
for a pair of binoculars in a nearby compartment, as Karen peered
out to see who was coming. Before Cal could produce the binoculars
she tapped him on the back and said, “Don't bother, it's Soren and
Ethan.”

“This is some setup you've got here Cal.”
Soren said, as he hoisted his backpack to the boat's first mate.
Ethan made his way up to the steps on the transom, as he tied off
the red Zodiac boat. He grabbed his own giant backpack and took
Cal's proffered handshake.

“Thanks Soren, it's on loan from my business
partner for the next couple of days. I hope you guys don't mind
bunking together, there are only so many private cabins on
board.”

“Ha! No problem. I once spent three days in a
snow cave in Bratislava. This will be great!” Cal couldn't help but
feel jovial around the two. Their high spirits were in contrast to
Karen’s new icy demeanor as they found their little cabin room
below deck.

“Ugh! They had to come and ruin our
vacation.” She said, her hands balled into little fists as she
breathed through her frustration.

Cal reached out and took her hands. As he
slowly kissed one finger after the other, he said calmly, “it’s
okay babe. I'm sure they work pretty hard for you. They deserve a
break too.” He paused, adding, “Besides, it's not like we don't
have our own sound proofed, private cabin.” His kisses strayed up
her arm, and over her smooth shoulder. Her head turned to smell his
skin.

Karen could feel her anger melting away.
Cal's soft lips on her skin were just what she needed to calm her
down. She wanted to strangle her two cohorts, but Cal was making
her forget everything. “I guess you're right.” She whispered
quietly, as her eyes blinked closed. She was just beginning to
nuzzle into his scratchy, stubbly cheek as Ethan came bursting from
below deck.

“Hot damn! I found us some fishing poles!” He
yelled over to Soren, who was now peering out over the bow like a
little kid. Cal couldn't help but laugh out loud as the two grown
men recreated the flying scene from Titanic, as they stood at the
bow of the boat.

Karen looked up at Cal from his strong, warm
embrace. “I hope you know this is entirely your fault.” She said,
as her eyes narrowed into smoldering little slits.

“You know, I should have told you sooner that
I think you're hot when you're angry.” He said to her. She walked
away and held her middle finger up at him as her hips swayed to and
fro.

“Promise babe?” He yelled to her.

The evening fell quickly on their little
inlet. The captain insisted on getting back to the open water
before the tides changed, so they motored out and anchored off the
coast of Ibiza Town. As the boat rocked gently back and forth, Cal
kept busy cooking up the fish that Soren and Ethan had managed to
catch. His usual culinary prowess won more hearts, as the captain
and his first mate sampled his pan-seared creations. Soren and
Ethan took turns regaling everyone with war stories and showing off
the occasional scar. Just as Ethan finished showing off his stab
wound from a bar fight in Nigeria, Cal pulled up his tank top.

As he set his beer down he said, “I got this
from a photo copier back in 2006.” He said, pointing to a little
scratch on his side. The two hardened veterans paused, and then
broke out in fits of laughter. Cal smiled and pulled his shirt back
down as Karen looked at them over her book. She just shook her head
and gave them a quiet eye roll as she went back to reading. As Cal
cleared the plates, he could hear the faint sound of music coming
from the starboard side. When he peered out the window, he could
see a large ferry that was lit up like a nightclub and lolling
gently with the waves. Soren looked over his shoulder to see where
the noise was coming from. Their captain, and his crew of one, made
their good nights as they sauntered below deck.

“What's with that ferry?” He asked, pointing
at the boat that was emitting pulsing electronic music.

Cal wiped his hands on a dishtowel and said,
“It's a party boat. They load them up with partygoers and booze,
and then they cruise around the island until sun up. It's basically
a floating night club. They're all over the coast line at
night.”

“I wonder if they take stowaways.” Soren
pondered out loud. With a mischievous grin he turned to Ethan and
yelled, “Man the boats!”

“I don't think it's really my scene lad.”
Ethan said. He was busy trying to figure out the nautical charts
that were spread out on the granite counter. His half framed
reading glasses were pulled down on his nose.

“There's gonna be girls...,” Soren chimed
musically.

Ethan regarded him seriously for two seconds
and said, “I'll drive.”

Cal laughed as the two men scattered to the
little red power boat and fired up the engine. Like soldiers making
a run on a fortified beach, the two men buzzed off into the clear
night. Cal watched them from the window just long enough to see
some people on the deck throw them a line to tie the boat off with.
As the two men were absorbed into the throbbing mass of dancing,
bouncing people on the low deck, Cal smiled and said to Karen,
“Let's go see about improving your mood.”

Karen looked back at the party boat. She
breathed out audibly, knowing what Cal had planned now that they
were alone. “Shall we retire to our quarters?” She asked
formally.

“Well, there's not much retiring that's gonna
happen, but we can sure try out that nice big bed.” Cal said with a
smirk.

Cal inched close to her and closed her book.
Karen took her hands and ran them over his torso through the tight
tank top. As she blinked lazily, Cal took her hand and led her to
the bedroom.

Chapter 17

Karen balanced herself on the edge of the bed
as Cal kissed her slowly. Their unfettered access to one another
was taken for granted, as they now had to watch their behavior
around her two employees. The stray kisses and groping that had
become the norm, had to be kept to a minimum now. Both Soren and
Ethan would act like children upon witnessing their public displays
of affection. Now, she was letting it all out like a pressure
relief valve. She ran her hands through Cal's hair, pausing every
now and then to grab it and pull him into whatever tilted position
she wanted. He kept trying to get her top off, but she blocked his
efforts. She wanted to stay in their make out session longer. She
moaned quietly as Cal showed her again and again how good of a
kisser he really was. Karen placed her hand on his waist as he
slowly pushed her onto the bed. She could feel the mattress shift
underneath her as Cal put his hands out on either side of her. His
invading tongue took on a more intense feel as she was pinned under
him. All of a sudden, she felt him pause and stand back up.

“Where are you going?” She asked him.

He walked over to a wood cabinet on the wall.
She could see him pulling out something. As she sat up on her
elbows, she got a glimpse of what was in store for her. Cal was
coiling a length of white rope around his forearm. As he turned to
her, he smiled and gave a sinister chuckle as her mouth hung
open.

“I saw this rope in here when we first
unpacked. I've wanted to use it on you the whole time.” He
said.

Karen sat up on the bed and gave him an
incredulous look. “Oh, is that so? And you just think that I'll go
along with being trussed up like some kind of marine vessel?” She
asked.

“I think I may be able to persuade you.” He
said with a confident smirk.

Karen's insides melted like warm chocolate as
he focused his deep, blue eyes on her. As he slowly walked toward
her, he took off his tank top as he stopped between her legs. She
could feel his muscular thighs against hers as he reached down to
unfasten her top. She closed her eyes, which gave her a tactile
overload of him. She could feel his strong hands on her bare skin,
as he pulled the bikini top from her shoulders. While he was
reaching around her, she took the opportunity to smell him. She
smiled lazily as her nose brushed up against his nipple.

Cal gently took both of her hands and brought
them around to her lap. As he began wrapping her wrists, she was
amazed at how soft and smooth the white rope was. The sensation of
her slow immobilization was making her moist, as Cal began teasing
her with his knowledge of knot craft.

“This is called a wrapping.” He said, as he
wound the rope dutifully around her wrists. He then switched and
wound tighter coils around between her two wrists. “This is called
a frapping. This will help make the binds strong, but not too
tight.”

“Aren't we the little Boy Scout...,” Karen
said breathlessly.

Cal leaned over and gripped her hair as he
gently pulled her head back. While her face was pointed up toward
him he kissed her slowly. Her eyes were wide with astonishment at
his aggressive move. “When I'm done with you, you won't think I'm a
Boy Scout.” He said in a dark voice. Karen gasped as he finished
his sentence with a firm push onto the bed. As she lay there, Cal
took his time unbuttoning her little shorts. With a quick tug,
every last stitch of clothing she was wearing came off. She held
her bound hands above her head and tried the strength of the knots.
Her fingers splayed and arched in a showy display of her capture,
as Cal untied his trunks. His member seemingly jumped out at as she
looked at him from her supine pose.