by Lauren Wood
“Give it to me,” I rasped from above him, “gimme that hot cum, you sexy son of a bitch!” He looked up at me, and I could see he was surprised by this new revelation of my own complex personality. Honestly, so was I, but I wasn’t about to fight it. It was a fight I’d never win.
“No, I want to keep fucking you, Dana, all goddamned week, you sexy little slut!”
“And you will, Hutch, I know you can do it three times or more! I know what you’ve got and I know what you can do. Now cum inside me, Hutch, cum hard and fast so we can keep fucking and you can cum again, and then again and again and again!”
“That’s right, baby, I’m never gonna stop fucking you! Never!”
My body reacted, my mind no longer my own. Or maybe it was more mine than ever before, unleashed from all the social norms and protocols and responsibilities. Hutch had been right once again; I was free, wild, dangerous.
“Then cum, baby, cum like you did before, like you’re going to do again, so much, so often, so fucking hard into me, so deep in me ... ”
“Okay baby, okay, okay ... ”
“Do it, do it, do it ... ”
“All right, oh yeah, ooooohhhh yyyyyyeaaaaahhhh ... ” Our grinding became a blur of lust and obsession, wet skin slapping, my tits waggling above his twisting torso, his muscles contracting, that magnificent body tense beneath me, shivering. His jaws locked, his eyes rolled back. I could feel his cock twitching and pulsing inside me. And I could feel that hot load inside him, gathered to a seething mass, racing down his length. I could almost see that hot dong spitting that sizzling seed into me, a frothing mad splash that came again and again, filling me entirely, almost drowning me.
My hips kept grinding, lips tight to milk out the very last of his precious pearl. My spine went rigid as I leaned back, arm reaching out to support me as I worked that wand for all it was worth.
Hutch’s senses seemed to return and he looked up with a smile so wide it became an amused huff, his legs twitching as his body released its tension along with its magical package.
We relaxed a bit, but only to get ready for more, and then even more after that.
Once the hours had passed, we lay in the heated repose of another exhaustive session. My body was spent, arms almost unable to move, nerves numb, skin tingling. I rested on his chest, twirling my fingers over his nipples, taking in big, refreshing lungfuls of our mutual musk.
And though my body was useless, my mind couldn’t help but race, with more energy and eagerness than it had ever known. I had to scramble through my memory to be sure that Hutch really had asked me to move in with him and Blu and that I hadn’t just hallucinated it in the heat of our passion, or dreamed it in a moment too convincing not to have been real.
But I knew in my heart that it had happened, and that what he’d invited me to do would happen. We were meant for each other, I didn’t have any doubt about that. And whatever tragedies had happened had only been meant to somehow bring us together, as we were always fated to be. But I wasn’t convinced that things from then on would be that simple. I was about to walk away from the life I’d known for ten years, the father who’d raised me my entire life. And I was stepping into a world I didn’t know, an instant family with a complicated and damaged little girl.
“How’s Blu going to take it, do you think? Me suddenly moving in with you two?”
Hutch smiled and gave me a little kiss on the forehead. “Always worried about the other person, always concerned about Blu.”
“Of course. She needs it, and she deserves it.”
“No, Dana, you’re what she needs and deserves. I’m only happy she’ll have the opportunity to enjoy your company, keep learning from you. You know she’s crazy about you ... almost as much as I am.”
I smiled, snuggling in his chest. But I was still worried. I didn’t want to tell this man anything about the girl he’d raised, one I’d known for less than a week. But I had the notion that, as a little girl who’d lost her own mother, there was more at play than Hutch realized. I knew he was right, Blu liked me a lot and I felt the same way about her. And I knew that, if we had the chance, everything would work out just fine. But I was afraid of what price there might be, and who would have to pay it. And there’d be no way to know for sure until it was too late.
Chapter 19
Dana
Hutch decided it would be best if he spent some time alone with Blu and explain to her one-on-one about me leaving the ship to go home with them. He seemed confident that she’d be thrilled, but I wasn’t so sure. In any case, I left it to him and went to go start delivering word to the band and the rest of the crew and, of course, to my father.
I was making my way through the ship, which was oddly quiet without a full compliment of passengers. But the stores were all still manned, grim-faced men and women standing bored behind the counters of the jewelry and clothing shops, the restaurants and bars all empty, deserted. The commotion on the ocean had become the wheeze on the seas, graves on the waves. It was kind of sad to see Oceania virtually silenced, like a ghost ship, and it was with a definite melancholy that this would be my last impression of the place I’d called home for over a decade.
I walked across the mall and into one of the long, narrow hallways lined with currently empty cabins. I was alone, but a dull thunk somewhere nearby caught my attention. I looked around, seeing nobody and nothing to worry me, so I walked on. A few more little creaks startled me again, unusual even for a cruise ship at sea. But the Atlantic was calm and Oceania massive. She wasn’t given to settling on such calm waters. But I looked around and there was still nobody around, so I told myself I was worrying about nothing and pushed on toward the bow, where the band was rehearsing.
But a chill up my spine told me that I wasn’t alone, an instinct I couldn’t explain but still couldn’t deny. I walked faster, heartbeat picking up a bit as my feet passed one another, carrying me closer to the end of the hall and to one of the many empty but still functioning banquet halls.
I walked in and looked around, empty tables and chairs set and ready for nobody to sit and eat. I walked toward the center of the big room and looked around, only a few busboys glancing at me from behind the kitchen doors.
I took a deep breath, collected myself, and crossed the banquet hall and into another long stretch of shops. That vacuous quiet returned, a sudden feeling that I was entirely alone, even though clerks stood in the shops, looking at me like I was crazy. I was beginning to think they were right.
I made it to the elevator, but decided to take the stairs. Something about being stuck in a closed box just didn’t appeal to me, for reasons I could hardly understand at the time. But there was a stairwell nearby, and I pushed through the door and started the three-flight descent. My rubber-soled shoes squeaked against the metal steps, the sound echoing around me to underscore my own quickening breath.
I thought I heard a second pair of footsteps in the stairwell and I stopped, the sound stopping just a second after I did. I looked up through the stairs, my view impeded. But I couldn’t see anyone up there, and my destination was only a two more flights down. I turned and hurried down those steps, my brain flashing on any of the ugly possibilities.
Is is Caroline? Has she finally lost her mind? No, she wants to seduce my father now, there’d be no reason for her to hurt me. Unless I’m wrong about that. And what about Eric? He could snap at any minute. My mouth went dry as I turned and took the last flight before I could escape that stairwell. Who else might have it out for me now? Who knows! There are hundreds of employees on this ship and they all know about me and Hutch, at least they know what happened before we arrived at Bermuda. What else do they know? What various jealousies or greedy schemes might they be harboring? And what about Hector’s dream? Could this be what he was dreaming about? Could it still come true?
I finally made it to the bottom of the stairwell and pushed the bar across the door. The door opened and I spilled out into the big lobby which separated into four
different hallways. The band rehearsed in the big room at the end of the third hall.
I walked in as the band was midway through a version of I Heard it Through the Grapevine, and I wondered if they didn’t already know the news I was there to share. I hadn’t told anybody yet, but word travelled fast in a community of that size, especially with nothing else to do and nothing else to talk about.
The band let the song collapse and Barry quieted the band, all eyes on me as I approached the stage. “You don’t have to stop on my account,” I said, too late. It was too late for a lot of things. “Anyway, I wanted you all to be the first to know, I’m on my way to tell my father now, that I’m stepping down as a singer here on Oceania. I’ll be leaving the ship when we dock in Miami.”
Sticks nodded to himself from behind the drum set, and Barry tried to smile at the piano. Eric just slumped on his stool, folding in around his bass guitar.
Barry said, “Congratulations, Dana, really. It’s ... it’s not terribly surprising, I suppose, but honestly, you two seem like a great couple, and we know you’ll make a very happy family.” The other members of the band all nodded and muttered and clapped, Sticks hitting a few rim shots and cymbal crashes.
But Eric took off his bass, set it on his stool, and walked quietly across the room past me, his eyes not finding me at all as he passed and stepped out of the room.
I followed Eric into the hall, but only because I’d been relieved to find him rehearsing with the band and not stalking me through the bowels of the ship. “Eric, wait -- ” But he just kept walking, waving me off and shaking his head. “Eric, really, wait a minute, please.”
I got close enough to him to reach out and touch the back of his shirt, he spun; quick and hard with a wild look in his eye. I had to stop myself short to keep from knocking into him. Physical contact with Eric was the last thing I wanted.
“What, Dana, what? You’re gonna tell me what a nice guy I am, how I’m gonna find a real sweet girl, maybe right here on this ship, is that about right?”
He took me off guard, but I stayed on my feet and stood my ground. “Well yes, Eric, that’s right, that is what I was going to say.” The moment was tense between us, the air thick with his frustration. Visions of what drastic and violent action could still fulfill Hector’s prophecy burst in my imagination.
Eric said, “Sure, keep lying. Why not? You’re been lying to us all every day since I’ve been onboard, probably every day of your life.”
“That’s not true, Eric, it’s not true and it’s not fair. You don’t know anything about me.”
“Well that’s the first true thing I’ve heard you say. I don’t know anything about you, not the person you truly are. I know the girl you pretended to be, sweet and virtuous, sweet, shy ... I thought we were alike, that we had a lot in common.”
“I always did too, Eric, and I always thought we could be friends. But we were never going to be more than friends -- ”
“No, because I didn’t have enough money. I’m just some band chump, not the king of the fucking world.”
“You’re not a chump,” I said, “and Hutch isn’t a king. He’s just a man, but he’s a man I’m very fond of, a man who’s changed my life. I want to be with him and he wants to be with me. I wish you could just be happy for us, wish us luck.”
He spat out a contemptuous huff. “You know what they say, ‘When you wish upon a star, some other poor guy gets screwed.’”
I tried to chuckle, but it didn’t take. “Eric, I know it’s gonna be hard to believe, but you really are a great guy. You could be out there charming the girls on deck, flirting with them from the stage. You’re a great musician, and you’re really cute, Eric. You don’t have to be so shy. And you don’t need to put all your eggs in one basket, if you know what I mean. You’re young, you’re a musician on a party boat, Eric! Why would you even want to fall in love?”
Eric shook his head, a bitter smile twisting over his chin. “Want to? It just happens, you can’t help it. That’s what makes it love! See? That’s the person you really are, ‘I’ll just decide to fall in love when it suits me. Love’s just a game, go out and play the field, enjoy your youth.’ Where was all that when you were hiding away in your cabin, turning down drinks and tearing up phone numbers?”
“I was the captain’s daughter, Eric, it’s different. Anyway, I had other reasons for ... for sheltering myself a bit. I was really sad when my mother died, my father and I both were. I guess we both decided it was easier just to cling to one another than take a risk with anybody new. But that was misguided, Eric, I see that now. If I’ve changed at all, and maybe I have ... no, I’m certain that I have, Eric, but that’s the change. I’m not afraid anymore, or at least ... at least I can see now how afraid I was. But I didn’t have to be. And you don’t have to be either, Eric. You really don’t.” He stood there, eyes sinking to the floor. I said, “Eric?”
“I guess, whatever.” He pushed past me, eyes fixed dead ahead. “I gotta get back to rehearsal.” He nudged me aside with his shoulder as he slumped past and shuffled down the hall, back into the rehearsal room.
Chapter 20
Hutch
I took Blu for an iced-cream sundae and sat with her on one of the many decks overlooking the ocean. It was tranquil, calm, and she was smiling that caramel-smeared smile that I loved so much and missed so often. I only hoped what I would say next wouldn’t wipe that smile away for the rest of the trip, the year or perhaps even the rest of her life.
“Blu, I have something to tell you, I think you’re going to be very excited about it.” She looked at me, her spoon ceasing, hand letting it rest in the big bowl. I smiled, hoping she’d jumped to some wrong conclusion or another. “Blu, you like Dana, right? I know you do.”
“Um, yeah ... ”
“Well, how would it be if she came back with us, to live?” Blu didn’t answer, but her little mouth sagged in a tiny pout. “We’re not getting married, at least not immediately. But I think I’d like that. Wouldn’t you?” Blu shook her head, saying nothing, crossing her arms in front of her. “Blu, look, I know how you feel, that you’re afraid for Dana, that something’s going to happen to her.”
“It’s already started, in the town, that man -- ”
“He was just a mugger, Blu. And I took care of him, just like I will anybody who tries to hurt either of you.”
“You can’t promise that!”
“Okay, that’s fair, but if I can’t promise it, you can’t keep going around acting like I should be able to promise it. That’s not fair, is it? I’ve always been fair with you, Blu. It’s true, life hasn’t always been that fair to us.”
“And it’s not gonna be fair for Dana either, not if she comes back with us.”
“That’s not true, Blu, there’s nothing unlucky about our family. In fact, we think life’s been unfair to us, but that’s not really true, Blu. I’m sorry I ever let you think that. It was because, well, we didn’t do anything to deserve what happened, your mother didn’t. It just kind of happened anyway, and it wasn’t fair.” Blu just looked up at me, pouting, her big eyes tearing up. “But y’know what? Bad things, sad things like what happened to us, to your mom, they happen to everyone. Dana’s mom died too, just like yours. But she didn’t deserve it, Dana and her father didn’t do anything to deserve losing her. They’re good people, you know that’s true, right?” Blu nodded, arms sinking from in front of her narrow chest.
“The thing is, Blu, bad things happen to everyone, so it is kind of fair, it’s a part of life. For all the good things that happen, some bad things happen too. But we can’t be afraid to go on living, Blu, we can’t just spend the rest of our lives shutting ourselves off from the rest of the world, from all the new and exciting people there are to meet.”
She wasn’t convinced, but I didn’t think I could sway her with just a few words at that point. She would have to learn for herself, and she would. As her father, I would have to see to it. But I knew it would take some time.<
br />
“Anyway, I know that once you give it a chance, you’ll see that everything will work out just fine. The main thing is not to be afraid, right? What did a great man once say?”
“We have nothing to fear ... ”
Together, we said, “... But fear itself.” My smartphone rang and I pulled it out, glad to see Dana’s name on the screen. “Dana, your ears must be burning, we were just talking about you.”
“And?”
“And I think everything’ll be just fine.”
“Oh that’s ... that’s great, Hutch. Can you meet me at Davy Jones’ Locker, the bar Hector works?”
“You don’t feel like drinking alone?”
“No, I ... I wanna talk and I’m not sure it’s something Blu should hear about.”
I gave that a little thought and didn’t like what I was hearing. But I didn’t get to where I was in life by making foolish assumptions, I got there by getting to the bottom of things. So I said, “Gimme twenty minutes,” before hanging up the phone. I’d been given the cruise director’s number to call if I needed someone to care for Blu, so I pulled up the number and ushered her to me. She was a little over-anxious, but that was balanced out by Blu’s relative disappointment.
Chapter 21
Dana
Hutch seemed nervous as we strolled along on deck, so I was quick to make myself clear. “I’m not saying Caroline’s dangerous, of course not.”
“Well that’s a damned good thing, because she’s looking out for Blu.”
“That’s not what I’m saying though, Hutch. I’m just worried about my father being alone with her on this ship without me. She’s got her sites set on him now that she thinks I’m going to be your rich wife.”
Hutch shrugged. “That is a reasonable assumption.” Off my stunned look, he casually said, “You don’t think I move women into my home, into my daughter’s life, without looking toward the future?”
