by Danika Steel
It wasn't easy rowing through the crashing waves, but Jack silently rowed with me. Water splashed over the side and Denna struggled to bail it out. The pained expression on her face was as just as painful for me to watch as it was for her, but we worked together and she even offered to have a go at rowing when Jack grew tired. The harder I rowed the more determined I was to get to shore…but where exactly was the shore? I had no idea where we were, but I was pretty certain we were a long way away from land. The only thing we could do was row away from the storm and worry about finding land later. As Amber Rose grew smaller in the distance, the weather calmed, we were leaving the worst of the storm. Then it happened.
The whole sky lit up like a neon strobe light, it sounded like a whip cracking. Lightning darted out of the black clouds and struck the metal flagpole of the main sail with an aggressive vengeance. From where we were watching, we could see the spark of electricity surge down the pole like a rat down a drainpipe and burst into flames at the base just as the thunder accompanied the explosion. It was almost like watching a dramatic orchestral performance and had it not been at the cost of my beloved Amber Rose I would have been enthralled by the whole event. Denna gently squeezed my arm, trying to comfort me as we saw the fire take hold and I knew she was lost.
There was no time to mourn the loss of my father's legacy, the storm was changing direction and a huge wave was heading straight for us.
I had just enough time to turn the boat, grab onto Denna and secure a hand hold before the wave hit us, nearly capsizing us. As the water finally settled, I raised my head to check our surroundings. I could just barely see what was left of The Amber Rose in the distance and I watched as the storm continued to rage nearby, but for the moment, we were safe. I pulled Denna into my arms and held her as she shivered, but I couldn't help but notice Jack was missing. He must have been swept overboard when the wave hit us.
I searched the sea around us, calling his name, but as inebriated as he was, there was no way he would have survived the swim.
"I have to go in after him!" I shouted over the noise of the wind.
“Please Seth no! It's far too risky and he isn't worth it! Call out to him, do anything, but please don't go in that water, I beg you.” Her eyes pleaded with me and at that moment, I knew she felt the same way about me as I did about her. If we hadn't been in dire circumstances at that moment, I'd have kissed her. I wanted to kiss her so much, but I was afraid I might not be able to stop and we had some hard decisions to make.
“It's not a case of wanting to save him Denna; it's a case of having to. I couldn't live with myself if he died and I didn't even try to save him. I know he's done some wicked things and I've threatened his life multiple times in the past few days, but I have to try. I don't blame you for your feelings towards him…but you understand surely?” I placed my hand on hers and it was most definitely there; a spark of fleeting desire which brought us together.
Denna had to admit defeat, she may not have wanted to, but she realized we were wasting time arguing when I'd made up my mind and my morals were as stubborn as my reason.
“Please be careful…I couldn't bear it if I lost you when I've only just found you,” she said softly.
“I know,” I reassured her with a quick kiss. “Wait here and try to keep me in sight. I promise I won't put myself in any danger.”
“Please be careful!” Denna cried as I dove into the frigid water.
The storm was passing and it seemed the worst of the weather was over, I silently thanked God for small mercies because I wasn't sure I had enough energy to battle against any more horrendous conditions. Sadly, I passed bits and pieces of Amber Rose as I searched the sea for Jack. I called his name and I could hear Denna do the same, but I heard nothing as I continued my fruitless search. I dove beneath the waves, but it was so dark I couldn't see anything. I searched and searched as I felt my limbs growing cold. I would have to give up soon. There was no way Jack could have survived this long in the water as drunk as he was.
Just as I was about to call out to Denna, a swell crashed over me and something hit me hard. I saw stars as I tried to fight my way back to the surface. Some sort of debris must have hit my head, and I heard Denna scream my name, but I couldn't find her and I couldn't find my voice to call out to her.
I kept swimming, but it was an extreme effort only fueled by my determination and need to see Denna's face once more. I realized how tired I was; my arms and legs were struggling to move as a swimmer should. I tried not to focus on this, preferring to concentrate on my return to Denna, but the more I swam the more I started to feel a rise of panic. It didn't seem like the dinghy was this far away. Was I even heading in the right direction? It was difficult to find my bearings as the waves were lapping at my face. I began to feel the familiar and despairing onset of cramps in my legs. I thought I caught sight of the dinghy and I swam for it with renewed energy, but what I thought had been the boat carrying Denna, was in fact a buoy dancing around in the water. How I could have mistaken it for the dinghy was beyond me but it was becoming evident that I was lost and disoriented in the water. In fact, I was nowhere near anything, and the dinghy had disappeared taking Denna with it.
Perhaps another boat would sail out to rescue me after seeing the fire of the Amber Rose from shore. Maybe I would find my bearings and discover the dinghy was just behind me or had floated behind a rock or some debris from the storm. Denna would surely be looking for me and at least she had the paddles to be able to row over once she'd spotted me.
So exhausted with lack of sleep and having to find extra energy during the night's drama I was overjoyed to find a floating raft of wood passing by me like a friendly Samaritan. I reached out and I managed to hook my arms around it and hitch half of my body onto it. It was fairly robust so I would be alright to seek salvation on it for at least an hour or so. I hoped I wouldn't be marooned on it for that long.
CHAPTER FIVE – OUT OF MY DEPTH
I felt soft hands caressing my body as I woke with a cool breeze blowing in through the open widows of my cabin on the Amber Rose. Confusion flickered and quickly faded in my mind when I saw Denna's slow lazy smile peeking at me from the sheets. God she was beautiful.
"Morning," she said, smiling sweetly.
"Good morning to you too beautiful," I said with an answering idiotic grin plastered on my face as I pulled her naked body against mine, crushing her mouth with my kiss, marveling in how natural it felt to be with her this way.
I ran my hands down the length of her body, feeling the silky smoothness of her mocha skin beneath my touch. She responded eagerly, her hands tangling in my hair as she drew me deeper into her mouth. Soft music played in the background as sunlight filtered in through the open windows and the salt scent of the ocean tickled my senses. I felt my desire for Denna rising, threatening to overwhelm me; I wanted her so badly with an urgency I didn't understand.
"Make love to me Seth," she pleaded, her own sense of urgency driving her desire. Something like fear flickered in her eyes for a moment just before we kissed. When I looked into her eyes again, all trace of her fear was gone.
I couldn't believe my fortune. This beautiful, vibrant woman wanted to be with me, a broken man too afraid to love anyone for fear of losing them. I vowed to be afraid no longer. My short time with Denna had taught me one thing…I'd been waiting for her all these years and I was done waiting.
I covered her with my body, nestling between her thighs, her legs parting for me, inviting me in. I kissed the column of her throat and she threw her head back, arching her body into mine. Her heavy breasts filled my palms as I trailed kisses down to the peak of her hard dusky nipples, taking them each in turn into my mouth to suckle and nibble her to further desire. She moaned loudly as I reached between her legs, parting her bare folds to test her wetness. She was more than ready for me as I slid two fingers inside her, withdrawing to stroke her hard little clit as she writhed beneath me. I kissed her as my fingers returned to fuck in and o
ut of her, following the rhythm of my tongue fucking her mouth. I stroked her to a quick hard climax, enjoying the feel of her orgasm squeezing my fingers, coating them with her slick juices. I needed to taste her now, I thought as I sucked every bit of her delectable wetness from my fingers.
"That wasn't nearly enough of a taste," I rasped as I kissed my way down her body, pausing to worship each of her breasts, teasing and tormenting her dusky nipples on my way down to her beautiful wet pussy. She was perfectly waxed, something I never would have thought I'd like, but the sight of her smoothness, and the glistening dampness along her thighs, nearly sent me over the edge. Without hesitation, I plunged my face between her thighs, drinking her in like a man dying of thirst. My tongue swirled around the sensitive nub of her clit, stroking her, kissing her in the most intimate way as she moaned loudly, spreading her legs wider to give me full access. My fingers found her opening and plunged into her again and again as my tongue pleasured her clit. Her dampness flooded my face and her hands fisted in my hair, pressing her pussy against my mouth as she desperately searched for her climax. My tongue slipped inside her, replacing my fingers and she moaned, arching her back, pressing herself against me as she tried to take me deeper. I stroked her inner wall with my tongue as my hands gripped her hips allowing me to drive into her harder and harder, spearing her with my tongue. With a last flick of my finger over her clit, she came hard and loud on my tongue. I tasted her salty sweetness, intoxicated by the scent of her.
"Seth!" she called my name as she came for me. "Please, I need you inside me now!" she begged and I complied with one hard, deep thrust. She felt so good, her body clenching around my shaft as I stilled inside her, enjoying the last fading tremors of her orgasm.
"Denna!" I gasped softly as she kissed me, tasting herself on my tongue as we began to move together. It was if we'd been together like this for a lifetime, we were so in sync with our bodies, I knew what she wanted without her having to ask. I knew she was desperate to fuck, her legs wrapped tightly around my hips as she moved with me, but I wanted to prolong this moment as long as possible. "Slow down baby," I whispered as I drove our frantic pace to a slower one. I pulled almost all the way out of her in one an exquisitely slow movement, before plunging back inside her with one powerful stroke only to repeat the process, surprising her on occasion with two or three hard fast strokes before returning to the slow pace of our lovemaking.
"Seth please!" she begged, her breath coming in sharp little gasps of pleasure. "Faster!" she urged as I began to plunge into her faster and harder, her hips rising to meet mine with every stroke until we were both panting and sweating, searching for our release as we fucked. "Oh Seth!" she moaned, arching her back, her release coming hard and fast as I spurted inside her with my own hot release.
I collapsed beside her, utterly spent from our furious lovemaking. Denna was already fast asleep with a silly smile on her face, but I felt parched, in desperate need of a drink before I could settle down for an afternoon nap. We would be making love all day and into the night, but I was sure I would never get enough of her.
I pulled on a pair of pants before I wandered into the saloon where I froze, utterly mortified as I saw my beautiful Amber sitting at the bar looking just as lovely and fresh as she had on the last morning we spent together nearly thirteen years ago. She was breathtaking, but she'd been just a girl when she died, she'd hardly had a chance to live at all. I couldn't remember her ever being this young, and in that moment I finally realized how very long the last thirteen years had been.
"Amber," I choked, "I'm so sorry love." I struggled to keep my tears at bay. She must have heard our heated lovemaking and the last thing I would ever want was to hurt Amber…or Denna for that matter, I thought as I looked over my shoulder into the bedroom at her sleeping form. I was so confused as to why Amber was here. She was dead after all.
"Oh my darling Seth!" she smiled her radiant smile. "I want you to be happy with Denna, I chose her for you love," she said softly. "I've watched you all these years and I've wanted to help you move on, to be happy again but you always were a stubborn man." She smiled fondly at me, the sunlight filtering in through the windows behind her illumined her hair, making her look like the angel she was. "I chose Kelly for you, you silly man," she continued, "she is so much like me in so many ways. I thought you might bond over your shared loss, but I finally realized you needed someone different, someone more serious like you. Kelly wasn't the right choice and I'm glad you both realized that, but I am so happy she gave you a son to love. You've truly been a family in all the ways that matter and it's been wonderful to see you and Kelly maintain the kind of friendship we had when we were children. It's okay to love Denna, she needs your strength Seth, but you have to wake up. As much as I would love to keep you here with me, I'm afraid of what will happen to her if you don't, and Will and Kelly and your mother still need you too. Wake up love, it's not your time," she whispered softly as frightening images of a burning Amber Rose filled my mind and a scalding hot thirst filled my senses.
Blinding light flashed in my eyes, but all I could focus on was Denna. We were in the dinghy and she had my head cradled in her lap. I could see that she was exhausted; her head rested against the side of the boat, her body slumped in despair. It must have been incomprehensible that a casual fishing trip could turn into such a chaotic disaster. First she had been thrown onto a boat with someone who'd tried to rape her twice, then the boat had hurtled headlong into a storm which had now probably sank to the ocean floor along with Jack. Amidst all these brutal conditions, she was having to deal with a potential romance which in itself seemed completely inappropriate in light of our recent circumstances. Her thoughts must be all over the place and I felt so helpless as my eyes closed again and I struggled to maintain consciousness.
Just when I thought I'd dropped off to sleep again, I heard her voice. I thought I was in the dream again and that my yearning to return to Denna in our bed on the Amber Rose had given my mind tricks to play with, but it was Denna and she was pleading with me to wake up. She was calling out my name.
Opening my eyes was a major effort, as was focusing, but it was Denna and we were still in the dinghy. She was patting my face like a lunatic in an attempt to wake me.
“Come on Seth wake up!" she called loudly, her voice cracking. "Open your eyes! Open your eyes for me again, please!" She begged.
I attempted to speak but failed, my mouth felt like a block of sandpaper and my voice had disappeared. I was on absolute empty, not a drop of water had passed my lips and by now I think my stomach had turned inside out, it would probably considering eating itself if I didn't get something in there soon.
"Oh thank God!" She choked as my eyes flickered and stayed open despite the bright sun that felt like hot pokers dashing into my brain. She passed a flagon of water to my lips. I drank greedily, and as the droplets of clean, wet fluid trickled through my mouth and down my parched throat, I could feel my skin and my tongue dancing in appreciation; thankful that at last there was some rehydration. I'd tasted nothing but salt water for the past few hours. Finally, she wrenched the flagon from my grasp. "No Seth, we have to conserve what we have," she said desperately, taking only the smallest of sips for herself.
Sleeping had probably saved my life in terms of shutting down and knowing it wasn't going to be re-fueled. Denna wrapped something around me, I saw that it was a sail, she must have retrieved it from the wreckage. I was so confused and bewildered by the whole chain of events, I perhaps wasn't thinking straight; a progressive amnesia or post traumatic stress disorder was overcoming me.
“You might go into shock so take it easy,” she advised, wrapping the sail tighter around my shaking shoulders.
Eventually I was able to speak. I was in need of answers. “Well, you know where I've been, where did you go?” I finally managed.
"It was so dark," she whispered, "I-I lost you…I'm so sorry!" she sobbed and I Instinctively pulled her into my arms and comforted her as
best as I could. Her body rattled against me as she sobbed relentlessly. This strong, ballsy woman was falling apart in front of me. She was in shock and had it not been for the fact I had to take care of her, I think I would have been in the same condition. What an absolute mess, attempted rape, shipwrecked, a dead passenger, lost at sea with only a few supplies. This was certainly one boat trip I wasn't going to forget in a hurry and I think it was safe to say that Denna would be feeling the same.
Denna placed a finger on my lips as I tried to comfort her. "Don't, I'm fine now that you're back with me," she said softly.
I frowned at her as I took in our circumstances. She'd been busy while I was out cold. She'd retrieved what she could from the wreckage of Amber Rose. I saw a few flagons of water, several were already empty; a first aid kit she'd used to patch up the wound on my head as well as her own injuries. There was a flare gun, some emergency meals she'd pulled from the pack that was stored on the dinghy; and she had fashioned a sail from some scrap wood and canvas she'd managed to salvage. A compass rested in her lap and I could see we were heading southeast at a decent pace thanks to the favorable wind and her considerable skills as a sailor, even in these conditions.
