I Remember

by Julie Cannon

  She was nervous. She’d had women in her hotel room before, and this wasn’t any different than some of the nicer hotels she’d stayed in around the world. She’d never used the grandeur of the room to impress them, but for some reason Dee’s opinion mattered. She hoped Dee didn’t think she was a pompous snob because of the lavish décor.

  “Makes my cabin look like a cheap motel room,” Dee said, turning in a circle to see the artwork on the walls and the tasteful ornaments on the tables. The windows were floor to ceiling and looked out onto the verandah. “My God, what a fabulous view.” She started walking to the verandah, then stopped as if remembering her manners.

  “Go ahead,” EJ said. “Make yourself at home. Can I get you something to drink?”

  “No, thanks, I think I’ve had enough. May I?” Dee reached for the lock on the sliding doors. When EJ nodded she flipped it and stepped outside.

  “This is absolutely beautiful.”

  EJ followed and watched Dee walk across the verandah and put her hands on the railing. The reflection of the full moon on the calm sea cast enough light to see by, and what she saw took her breath away. Dee was bathed in the soft glow, and she couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful sight. It was a scene that the most famous poets and romantics would try a lifetime to describe. Mere words couldn’t capture the beauty of this moment.

  Even if she could have found the words, she couldn’t speak. Dee was breathtakingly beautiful, not just because she was stunning in the blue dress she had chosen for dinner or the way she had swept her hair up and away from her face. The interesting conversation they shared, the challenging way EJ had to think to keep up with her, the way Dee’s body moved on the dance floor after dinner completed the perfect package.

  When she didn’t say anything Dee turned around and studied her for several long moments. Her body crawled with desire. She had been with a lot of women—rich, poor, thin, voluptuous, brilliant, and street-smart—but she had never wanted a woman as much as she wanted Dee. She was intelligent, witty, charming, kind, assertive, and very, very sexy. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”

  Dee walked toward her, holding her gaze like a magnet, the look in her eyes one of determination and desire. There was no doubt what was going to happen. Dee was going to kiss her. Dee was going to touch her. Dee was going to peel her naked and make her tremble with need.

  The kiss was like lightning. Heat shot through her, effectively pinning her feet to the floor. Her head spun and her heart beat so loud she thought it could be heard in the next suite. Dee’s lips were like smooth, warm water gliding effortlessly over hers. They were teasing one moment, insistent the next. God, she knew how to kiss, and EJ wanted to kiss her all night.

  Her hands were shaking when she touched Dee’s cheeks. They were as soft as rose petals, and as she slipped her hands behind Dee’s neck and into her thick hair, she deepened the kiss. She had no idea if they stood like that for hours or just minutes, and when Dee broke away they both were gasping for breath. The kiss left her dizzy, wanting more. Much more.

  “Is this where you expect me to surrender to your charms?” Dee asked breathlessly, their foreheads touching, their breath mingling into one.

  She answered simply. “No.” She raised her head and looked directly into Dee’s eyes. “This is where I expect you to participate.”

  This was the moment that could never be repeated. There would never again be the first touch, the first taste of lips on skin, the first sigh of pleasure, the first glimpse of soft, smooth skin, the first slide of fingers through warm, wet folds.

  She had had more first times than she could remember, but why was it so different this time? Was it the circumstances, the ship, the anonymity? She didn’t know the name of several one-night women, but it had never felt like this. That had been pure mechanics and bodily need. This was something else.

  She wanted Dee inside and out. She wanted to ride away in the moment, wanted to go places where they’d never been before, turn sighs into moans, cling to each other until completely spent.

  In a few short hours Dee had done something to her that she couldn’t explain. She felt a pull toward Dee that she’d never expected. Desire made her knees weak and she trembled in anticipation. She wanted time to stand still and the moment to last forever.

  Dee smiled at her then, eyes bright with desire. “Is this when I’m supposed to say yes?”

  She could barely think, let alone speak. The blood was racing through her body like it was on fire, most of it settling between her legs. Under her shirt, her nipples were hard, and her body was screaming for release. She gathered whatever strength she had left and took a deep breath.

  “This is where you’re supposed to say whatever you want to say.”

  “And if it’s no?”

  Her heart lurched and a moment of desperation flashed over her. She would die of longing if Dee said no.

  “Then I’ll somehow pull myself together and walk you back to your cabin. However, you may have to help me because right now I can hardly stand up because I want you so badly.” She did her best to smile and was rewarded with a soft kiss, but not before Dee murmured, “Yes.”

  Dee’s kisses shifted from soft and teasing to hard and demanding in an instant. Dee wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her closer. When their bodies touched EJ responded instinctively, waves of heat coursing through her body, igniting her senses.

  She tasted Dee, heard her quiet moans of pleasure, detected every subtle movement of Dee’s body. Dee’s unique scent filled the air around them and she would forever equate her perfume with this moment. She pulled her lips away from Dee and looked into eyes glassy with desire. Her breathing stopped and the world around her disappeared. Dee was here, in her suite, and she had said yes.

  Her hands were steady as she turned Dee so that her back was to her. The breeze coming through the open door blew a few tendrils of Dee’s hair across her cheek as she bent and kissed an almost-bare shoulder. She slid her hands up and down Dee’s warm, firm arms before returning to the back of her dress.

  The only sound in the room was the soft metallic whisper of the zipper sliding down. She covered the exposed bare skin with her lips, and Dee’s sighs drowned the sound as the zipper moved down the curve of her back. EJ’s hands started to shake as they slipped between the fabric and Dee’s tanned skin.

  *

  “Shit,” Dana said as the cold water splashed over the table. A flashback of all the things they had done together in Emery’s suite made her lose her grip on her water glass, and her mind, she thought.

  Dee felt the cool air brush against her back as EJ parted the fabric even further, moving her hands around her side and cupped her breasts. The sensation of EJ’s hands on her was overwhelming and she couldn’t hold back her moan. Suddenly dizzy, she leaned back against EJ’s hard body, her head falling back on EJ’s shoulder.

  “God, you feel good,” EJ breathed in her ear. The words made her nipples tight, the huskiness causing shivers to dance across her skin. Desperate for something to steady her, she reached both hands behind her and grabbed the fabric of EJ’s trousers.

  EJ held her breasts as if they were a set of priceless Fabergé eggs. The tips of two fingers squeezed her nipples, and she arched her back, grinding her ass into EJ’s crotch. She was rewarded with a hiss and an equal amount of pressure against her. EJ alternately kissed and licked and nipped at the sensitive skin at the back of her neck. Her legs were getting weaker every moment, and she was afraid they’d soon be in a tangle on the floor.

  “I can’t stand up much longer if you keep doing that,” she said, the strength bleeding from her legs when EJ pinched her left nipple.

  “Is that your way of asking me to take you to bed?” EJ replied, repeating her action on her other nipple.

  This time Dee’s legs gave way and she swayed hard against EJ. Before she was unable to, she straightened and turned to face EJ, whose face was flushed. EJ licked her lips, and Dee slid he
r fingers under the straps of her dress and let it fall to the floor. She stood there in just her blue lace panties, inches from EJ, the woman who had driven her crazy with desire.

  “No, this is how I tell you to take me to bed.” She took EJ’s hand, stepped out of her dress, and led her into the bedroom.

  “EJ?” she asked, suddenly nervous. EJ was lying beside her just looking at her as if she were trying to gather her courage. “Is something wrong?” She felt vulnerable and fought the urge to cover herself.

  “You are so beautiful,” EJ finally said, but still didn’t touch her.

  She relaxed slightly. “This isn’t a look-but-don’t-touch situation.” Her voice sounded much calmer than she felt. Why wasn’t EJ ravishing her like her eyes said she wanted to?

  “I’m almost afraid to.”

  She was shocked. Many lovers had said many things to her in moments like this, but this was definitely a first.

  “Why?”

  “You’re the most beautiful, exciting, sensuous woman I’ve ever met.”

  She practically felt EJ’s eyes as they roamed up and down her body. “If that’s what you think then you’d definitely better touch me.” She closed her eyes when EJ finally did.

  “EJ, please.” Dee whimpered, pulling her face closer and lifting her hips. “Harder,” she requested. “Faster,” she demanded, and EJ’s name echoed in the pale light of the magnificent suite.

  *

  Dee slipped out of bed, careful not to wake EJ. It was almost six, and as much as she would have liked another lazy morning in bed with EJ, she had to get back to her cabin, if nothing else for some clean clothes. Not that she’d been in her clothes at all since she’d entered EJ’s cabin the night before last. Was it just thirty-six hours ago that she couldn’t get out of them fast enough? Where were her clothes anyway? Back then they had fallen at her feet and sailed across the room, and she expected a scavenger hunt to find them.

  Quietly closing the bedroom door behind her, she walked into the main room and turned on a small table lamp. The soft light was just enough for her to see her dress laid neatly across the chair next to the couch. She remembered seeing it there yesterday when she and EJ were sitting on the couch having coffee. Her body flushed when she recalled what happened right after that, and she turned to her left to where the large mirror hung on the wall. Her hands started to shake and she quickly pulled on her dress and zipped it up. The flash of memory of when EJ unzipped her dress did nothing to motivate her out the door. She tucked her panties into her purse, then rummaged in the desk and pulled out a piece of paper and pen.

  She stared at the blank paper. What should she say? Thanks for the good time? See you later? Let’s do this again soon? She settled on a simple “See you later,” signed the note, and, with one last look around, left the cabin.

  Dana wasn’t sure she was still breathing. These guys were grilling Emery, and with every question came a different flashback of their time together. During the cruise they did more than have sex, but no one would know that by reading her mind. She didn’t know if the location, the mystery, or the sheer force of their attraction had drawn them together, but everything they did, every tour they took, every adventure in every port either began or ended with them discovering more about their bodies, passions, and desires.

  At this moment she couldn’t remember much about their ports of call other than how it felt to have Emery caress her before they went ashore or how they hurried back to the ship to once again fall into each other’s arms. Sometimes they couldn’t wait and Dana had several very quick orgasms in some very interesting locations.

  “Oh, man, I’ve been scuba diving in Bonaire and it is spectacular,” the man sitting beside her said. She realized he’d asked her a question and she asked him to repeat it. “Have you ever been…” She must have had a clueless look on her face because he added, “scuba diving.”

  She froze. Why was he asking her if she had gone scuba diving? Did he know she was on the cruise with Emery? There was no way he could. But then why else was he asking her and not Emery? She forced her face to remain expressionless. She had to remain calm and not look at Emery. She couldn’t give anything away.

  “Not Dana, stupid.” The man to his left slapped the other guy on the arm. “Emery, she’s the one that went to Bonaire.”

  She almost collapsed in relief. Her throat felt like sandpaper and she desperately wanted to drain the glass of water in front of her. She was afraid to, because her hands were shaking so bad she’d probably spill it all over herself. Emery answered the question and diverted the group’s attention away from her.

  “Yes, it was beautiful. If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen,” Emery said, pushing her chair back and standing. “I think I’ll call it a night.”

  Dana used the opening to exit the group as well. She was comfortable with the after-dinner chatter about business, sports, or general bullshit with colleagues, but the topic of Emery’s vacation combined with the close proximity to her was too unnerving. She was wired too tight and needed to get back to her room and relax.

  She hovered by the newspaper stand pretending to be selecting a paper, but in fact she was waiting for Emery to disappear into the elevator. She didn’t want to be in the same one with her. It would be too much. Emery was obviously remembering the more intimate aspects of their cruise, and the last thing she needed was to be alone with Emery in a five-by-five-foot, enclosed space. Only when Emery stepped inside and the doors closed behind her did she move into the vestibule and push the Up button.

  A few seconds later one of the men joined her, and thankfully he started asking questions about one of Martin Engineering’s projects. The faint sound of the bell signifying the arrival of the elevator interrupted her answer. The doors opened and Emery stood directly in front of her. She looked from Emery to the lighted Up button and back to Emery.

  “What’d you do, Emery, get on the wrong elevator?” the man asked, clearly amused.

  “I guess when I got on, it was going down, not up,” she answered sheepishly.

  Dana had no choice but to step inside. Emery looked at her with knowing eyes. Just as Dana and the man stepped inside, Jim Bethel squeezed between them. He was practically wheezing in his haste to join them. “What a ride when you think you’re going up but end up going down instead. Makes your heart pound, doesn’t it?”

  He was leering at her, and she refused to acknowledge his poorly phrased innuendo. Jim was standing very close, and she thanked God that Emery had already punched the button for their floor. Otherwise she would have had to reach around him and couldn’t have pushed the button without some part of her body touching him.

  The ride to the thirty-eighth floor seemed much longer than it had the other three times she’d taken it, maybe it was because Bethel had her pinned in the corner, or maybe because she could see Emery’s face clearly reflected in the mirrored elevator doors. She wondered if Emery was remembering another time they were in an elevator, but that time very much alone. It seemed like an eternity before they finally arrived at her floor.

  “I’ll escort you to your room, Dana,” Bethel said. He had barely moved, and if she intended to get off the elevator she would have to brush by him.

  “No need for that Jim, I’m on this floor too,” Emery said, firmly meeting her eyes. “Her room is right next to mine. We’ll see that we both get in safely,”

  She looked at Emery, and other than the tightening of the muscles around her eyes, Emery’s expression was unreadable. But Emery was clearly pissed and didn’t give Bethel a chance to argue.

  “Thanks anyway, Jim,” she said, somehow sliding around him and exiting without being forced to touch him. “See you all in the morning. Good night.” She quickly headed down the hall in the direction of her room. When she heard the ding of the doors closing she risked a glance over her shoulder. Except for Emery walking beside her, the hall was empty.

  When they were almost to her door she said, “I can’t believe you put up
with that shit.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Emery asked.

  “Bethel. I can’t believe you put up with his shit,” she repeated. “I would have expected you to have ripped his balls off and spoon-fed them to him by now.” The thought of Emery doing just that eased a little of the disgust she felt.

  Emery stopped in front of her door and said, “He’s never been like that. He’s a sleaze but he’s never stepped over the line. At least not with me. Maybe he knows I’ll do just that.” One corner of Emery’s mouth quirked up in a small smile. It didn’t stay long before she frowned. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t,” she said with emphasis. “I’m a big girl and perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

  “I know you can but it’s my job—”

  “No, it’s my job. Actually it’s every woman’s job to tell creeps like Bethel to shut his mouth, keep his eyes above the neck, and back off.” Unfortunately Dana had a lot of experience in doing just that. She was surprised that Bethel was so blatant, but some dogs never learned.

  “Dana,” Emery said.

  “Don’t Dana me, Emery. I can take care of myself,” she repeated, then realized she was angry, her pulse racing just because she was thinking about Bethel.

  “I don’t doubt that whatsoever.”

  Emery’s voice was so soft she couldn’t help but look into her eyes. They were dark and dangerous and reflected confusion, conflict, and desire. She knew Emery wanted her. She knew that every time Emery looked at her. She was cool on the outside but her eyes gave her away. At least they did to Dana.

  A war was raging inside her. The choices were simple: slide into Emery’s arms for what she knew would be hours of sexual pleasure or stay completely professional and go to bed alone. No one would ever know. It would be so easy. Their rooms were next to each other. Actually they were connecting. If for some reason any of their fellow meeting attendees came knocking at either door with an invitation for breakfast they could step back into their own room. No one would ever know.