Cruising Through to Fulfilment

by Ann M Pratley

  "Follow me," she said, taking on a stance that reminded him that he didn't really know her. Right now she looked not forceful, but self assured, confident … a woman who would lead the way. And the thought excited him.

  * * * *

  They entered the hotel room, him carrying his bag and dropping it alongside where hers sat.

  He looked at her, wondering what he was supposed to do - and what he shouldn't do.

  She sat on the bed, looking at him and deciding to be forthcoming and ask what was on her mind.

  "What happened when you got off the ship? And who was that?" she asked him bluntly.

  He let out a long sigh as he sat down beside her. "That was my ex, Brigitte."

  "Okay … and why was Brigitte at the terminal, waiting for you?"

  "She said she wanted to surprise me … and for us to try again," he said, quietly.

  He looked at her and let out a small, embarrassed laugh. "This wasn't exactly how I thought our week together would start!"

  She looked back at him with a thoughtful look on her face. She could push him about his ex girlfriend, but in reality, did it even matter? So what if he returned home a week from now and got back together with her? It didn't change the fact that a couple of hours ago he could have just gone off with his ex … but he didn't. Instead he still came to the hotel, looking for her.

  No more talk, she decided, not for the moment … and leaned in to kiss him. One thing she had proven to herself that she could do in life, was separate sex from love. One thing did not equate to the other with her, and he was here, and she already knew he turned her on, and there was finishing still to be done.

  He responded as if he were surprised, and then kissed her back, knowing too that this was a short term thing, but something that they could enjoy if they both wanted it.

  They lay down on the bed, just kissing but both enthralled by the excitement that passed so easily between them. Only when Greg thought ahead and made an effort to keep his thoughts in check did they stop, with him pulling away abruptly.

  "Wait, Tanya … I'm not prepared," he said quietly and with slight embarrassment. "I didn't want to assume…"

  She looked at him a moment, confused by what he was talking about, before she realised he was referring to condoms. She smiled at him, appreciating in him that he was thinking about such things when many men would not have.

  "Oh…" she said. "What shall we do about that?"

  She was teasing him and he knew it, but he was determined to not be distracted by her.

  "I will run out," he said, removing himself from her reach and standing up. "I'll be back soon."

  And with that, before she could even speak, he was out the door.

  * * * *

  Alone on the bed, Tanya lay back and let herself enjoy a little laugh at Greg's manner and eagerness. It had been a long while since she had been truly intimate with someone, and now that she was left hanging, with time to think about it, she started to feel nervous.

  It seemed like a very long time between when he left and when he returned, knocking on her door. When she opened the door, he was still looking sheepish and shy, and she found it quite engaging.

  Once in the room, he turned to her and saw in her eyes a hunger she hadn't revealed before now. He had already gotten a feeling of her being confident sexually, but what was coming off her now was something of another level, and he knew he was under her power. She could ask him to do anything and he would do it.

  He didn't have time to kiss her - as soon as he turned around and faced her, she moved forward, put her arms around him and was kissing him. The feeling was empowering for her, feeling him react so sexually, hard against her, and kissing her as if he wanted to be closer and closer to her but couldn't get any closer.

  She walked him backwards toward the bed and pushed him down on it before straddling him.

  He was blown away - rarely had women from his past ever been the initiators and even when they were, they hadn't been so forward as this.

  Lying on top of him, Tanya found she was starting to feel like she was intoxicated. Under her she could feel him hard, and she rubbed herself against him, through their clothing. There was plenty of time for anything else later - right now she was revelling in the exquisite feelings she was experiencing just by the rubbing.

  Greg groaned as they kissed deeply. Feeling her on top of him, moving like she was, was driving him crazy. He wanted to be rid of their clothing, to be closer to her … to be inside her. He pulled away from the kiss, with the intention of pushing her off and undressing her. But when he looked at her, with her eyes closed, he saw something else. She wasn't just feeling good - she was moving in a way that was taking her over the edge.

  She opened her eyes and looked at him briefly before kissing him again. Another movement forward and backward … and she pulled away from the kiss, and on her face he saw her expression as her body convulsed. He watched her, fascinated, like she was a new species he had never seen before.

  After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and looked at him, and upon seeing his smile, smiled sheepishly back at him.

  "Sorry … I really needed that," she said quietly and they both laughed.

  She kissed him again, realising that he must be feeling frustrated.

  He had been timid, letting her take the reins and lead the way, but now he pushed her off him, so she was lying on her back beside him. He lay on top of her and she felt him nestle between her legs, with both of them still fully clothed.

  "Miss Beautiful Tanya, you intoxicate me," he said, taking a breath and looking into her eyes.

  Tanya said nothing, only looked at him, wondering where he was going to venture to next.

  He pulled away and stood up. Without stopping looking into her eyes, he removed her shoes, told her to raise her hips so he could remove her pants, and then straddled her.

  "Sit up," he said, and she followed his instruction.

  He removed her blouse, leaving her in panties and bra, and then stood up. He continued to look at her as he removed his shoes, pants, shirt ... and was only in his boxers. Lying on top of her again, he found himself arguing in his head. He wanted to rush, but he wanted to go slow - he wanted to get to the end, but he wanted to enjoy the journey and not get to the end.

  He kissed her, starting to move on top of her again. He could feel her move her hand, trying to reach down and between them, and he smiled at her.

  "On no, Miss Beautiful Tanya. None of that right now," he said and she smiled back, enjoying this new, open side to Greg.

  They continued to kiss until he could stand it no more, and he moved only long enough for them to be accessible to one another, and to put on a condom quickly. He then plunged into her - there was no other way to describe it, given the force he used.

  She groaned, feeling him fill her up. It had been such a long time and it was heavenly - feeling that joining that was such an individual feeling in itself that nothing else could ever replicate.

  With only two hard thrusts, he came, before relaxing on her to catch his breath again and recover with some sense of normality.

  He looked at her, only to see her already looking at him, and kissed her gently.

  Feeling him pull out of her, Tanya turned on her side and watched him - removing the condom, leaning over to put it in the bin beside the bed, and then coming back to lie beside her, facing her.

  "You seem overdressed," he said, smiling at her, and she initially didn't know what he was talking about.

  He smiled at her confusion, before he leaned over her, ran his hand over her back and unhooked her bra.

  She smiled shyly, surprising him after her having been so forward earlier, and he helped her out of it.

  He looked at her, fully naked now, and she felt vulnerable, no longer like the 'sex goddess' she had felt like when they had first started kissing. She felt shy and could see on his face that he was surprised by her sudden shyness.

  He moved closer to her, closin
g the gap that had been there, and they lay side by side, facing one another, both at eye level, as he put his free arm over her and held her.

  She leaned in and kissed him gently and he responded equally gently.

  "Do you want to share with me the story of you and your ex?" Tanya asked, wanting to get this out of the way if there was any chance the person in question would cross their paths again.

  Greg sighed and moved so he was lying on his back, looking up at the ceiling.

  "I don't know what to tell you, Tanya. What would you like to know?"

  "She doesn’t live in Vancouver?" she asked and he shook his head. "But she came all this way to meet you off the ship?"

  He nodded. "Yes, that is what she said - that she came here to get back with me."

  "What happened between you and her - who ended it?" she asked out of curiosity.

  He rolled onto his side again, facing her but not as close as before, resting his head on his folded arm.

  "I found out she was with someone else, so I ended it."

  He started thinking about that time, and felt his emotions start to change, and his eyes start to water.

  Tanya looked at him closely, seeing his demeanour change in front of her.

  "You are still hurt by it…" she said out loud.

  "Yes."

  "You don't think you want to be with her again, even though she came all this way to be with you?"

  He looked at her, wondering how they ended up in this conversation right after enjoying each other so much.

  "I couldn't trust her now," he said and paused. "I find it difficult to give people second chances."

  She leaned in to kiss him and he responded softly before his kisses increased in strength and desperation.

  Once again he pushed her back onto the bed, this time taking time to kiss her all over from head down. Stimulating her with his tongue, she lay back and revelled in the sensations being delivered to her, and once she reached that point, Greg was putting on another condom and pushing into her again. Tanya found him intoxicating with the way he could be so subtle and quiet in one way, but in this way he was so strong. It was a blend that Tanya had never seen or met before, and it intrigued her.

  After they exhausted themselves again, Tanya laughed quietly.

  "I think we should eat soon - I might need to keep myself energised to keep up with you," she said cheekily and he laughed with her.

  "Come on," he said, standing up and holding out his hand to her. "Shower with me."

  Getting up from the bed, Tanya felt self-conscious again, and reluctantly followed him into the bathroom, quickly grabbing a towel and putting it around her when she could reach one.

  Greg laughed at her quietly. "I think it is too late to hide yourself, Tanya," he said, getting the shower pressure and temperature right.

  He removed her towel and kissed her, before holding out his hand to help her into the bathtub, and from there soaped her and rinsed her, with an incredibly soft and caring manner, before doing the same to himself.

  Outside of the bathtub again, he picked up her towel and gently dried her off before wrapping the towel around her, putting his arms around her, and kissing her.

  Tanya was quiet throughout the whole experience - she had never bathed in any way with anyone before, and found it to be a new learning experience - something she knew other couples did but no lover had ever proposed with her before.

  Now she pulled away from him and returned to the bedroom to find some clean clothing in her bags, and waited for him to get ready also.

  "Let's go," he said, holding out his hand for her to join him as they left to get dinner.

  * * * *

  Walking around the streets of Vancouver city at night was invigorating for Tanya, who, from a small town in New Zealand, found it all exciting and alive, like yet another new adventure she was on.

  When they found a restaurant suited to their desires, they settled in and were almost finished their meals when Tanya saw Greg's head lift up, like he heard something he identified but could not believe.

  "What?" she asked him, prompting him to tell her what had caught her attention.

  He looked at her, listening to something. She didn't know what it was - they were in a busy restaurant and all around were people talking, plus the odd sound coming from the kitchen.

  Greg heard her before he saw her - Brigitte. He sat still, hoping she wouldn't see him, so he could leave without him having to see or speak to her again. His back was to her but he knew her accent and her voice - there was no doubt.

  He heard her voice get louder … closer … and then she was walking right by him, not yet noticing him. He held his breath as she passed by, with a man he had never seen, on her arm.

  Tanya watched Greg in wonder - what was he thinking? What was it that had him so on edge all of a sudden? She watched his eyes, and when the couple walking toward her moved past her, she saw his eyes follow them. She had seen the woman and wondered why she had seemed slightly familiar. She hadn't gotten a good look at her at the terminal but seeing Greg's reaction, she knew it was her - his ex.

  Tanya watched him further, until finally he looked back at her, startled.

  "I thought she was going home … tonight," he said and paused, a diverse range of emotions showing on his face, one after another.

  "She lied to me ... again!" he exclaimed, and Tanya could see anger growing in him - an emotion she had not seen in him till now.

  Tanya watched him, not knowing how to react or what to say.

  "Do you need to talk to her and resolve things, Greg?" she asked quietly, and he looked at her then like he was truly seeing her for the first time in a few minutes, after being in his own world of thought.

  "No, sorry Tanya," he said, starting to stand up. "Let's get out of here."

  He stood up, and Tanya looked up at him, trying to read what he really wanted to do right then. As she was standing up, she felt someone forcefully brush past her.

  "So this is why you wouldn't come with me today," Brigitte started to say to Greg, moving her hand in an indicative movement toward Tanya, while not actually looking at her.

  Tanya saw Greg moan, and it wasn't a good moan like earlier - it was one that betrayed the anger that was bubbling under his surface.

  Brigitte then laid into him - there was no other way to describe it, given her actions and words. Soon another man joined them - the man she had walked in with. He tried to take her arm and she turned on him next, telling him where to go.

  Tanya stood where she was, watching all three people in front of her starting to increase their volume until it was near shouting level, and people around them were starting to take notice and watch.

  Not being able to contribute in any way to what was going on before her, Tanya quietly edged herself backward and around the group of them, and started walking out of the restaurant. They could embarrass themselves all they wanted, but this wasn't her fight and even though she was starting to have strong feelings for Greg, she didn't need to be by his side for any of this.

  She walked out onto the street, glad to be in fresh air and the invigorating sounds of the city again. But what was she to do? Again she was asking the same question, and for the same reason - Greg arguing with his ex girlfriend. What was it that got them going like that, anyway, she wondered. She had had a few boyfriends come and go, but never got into fights like that. Was it a case of deep dislike for one another, or was there a chance that they actually both wanted to be together - were meant to be together?

  Making her way back to the hotel, Tanya wondered how the evening was going to pan out. Greg's bags were in her hotel room, so it seemed unlikely he would run off with Brigitte and never come to the hotel again. But that still left so many possibilities.

  * * * *

  While Tanya had started walking along the street, Greg had stopped listening to Brigitte's rants temporarily and noticed finally that Tanya had left. He was now angry with himself - he hadn't even notic
ed her leaving, being so caught up that he was in Brigitte's drama.

  He had had enough of the argument going on in front of him. Brigitte was trying to argue with him and get him to leave with her, and the man who had walked in with her was trying to argue with her and get her away with Greg. No wonder Tanya had left, he thought to himself - this was crazy. Brigitte was supposed to be at home, not even here in Vancouver, and her intrusion into his holiday was now well beyond a joke.

  He turned away from the table and began walking out. He could feel Brigitte start to follow him, but turning around he saw her male friend restrain her so she couldn't. He paid the bill and walked out as quickly as he could, out onto the street in the hope of seeing Tanya waiting at the door for him. But she wasn't - she had left … again. Again Brigitte had interfered and the result was that Tanya had turned away and left.

  * * * *

  When Greg knocked on the hotel room door, Tanya had been lying in bed, trying to absorb herself in a movie that was on television. It was not her usual activity, watching television, but right now she felt desperate to turn her brain off reality and escape for a short while. After getting changed into a t-shirt for sleeping in, she cuddled down under the blankets and appreciated the secure feeling the bed provided her. It was amazing that only a few hours earlier she had lay here with Greg, not foreseeing any drama at all in their week to come.

  Tanya jumped up to open the door for him, and he walked in, looking apologetic and embarrassed. She left him and went to jump back into bed, as he closed the door softly.

  He came over to the bed and looked at her, smiling at her fondly.

  "This is a crazy day, Tanya, I know … but please know that I am not going out of my way to see my ex and ruin your week."

  She smiled at him. "I know, Greg. Exes happen, that is life," she said, cuddling down further under the blankets, showing only her head sticking out.

  He looked down at her and smiled more widely.

  "You look adorable in there … not at all like the exotic wild lover of earlier," he said and he saw her blush.