Journey to Another Life Ch. 07

"Tell me something, and remember our honesty pact. I saw how turned on you were just now. Were you thinking about Charles fucking me."

That's it. He was out of her. And his brain hurt from trying to evade her questions. He moved to her side.

"I was but I certainly want that to remain a thought rather then a memory"

"I mean have you thought about how awkward it could be if something like that happened? We may not seem like a lot of time here, but it could feel like an eternity if something happened and I didn't handle it well or even worse he's made to feel uncomfortable or if he resents being put in that position?"

"What position? On top?" Nikki teased.

"Be serious, babe. There's only the three of us on this boat and we can't avoid each other. He has to cook for us and technically, our lives are in his hands because he is, in case you've forgotten, the captain. What if something did happen and it all went wrong with you or I got jealous and things got ugly?"

"I think you are jealous," she said, pouting.

"Of course I'm jealous."

"But you don't have to be! I'm not in love with Charles. And nothing is going to happen! I am just flirting with a guy I find attractive like I've done before"

"But you could take it further, you want to take it further."

"Maybe I could but it would still be different than what we did. I have attraction for Charles and I admit I wonder what it would be like to get into his pants, but it will never rival what you and I have and I agree with you that it might be difficult for us so I'm totally against it. You don't have to worry. I don't want to take it further"

"But you mentioned you want to get into his pants..."

"Does wanting always have to mean doing? I am only teasing , the both of you actually"

He sighed. "I don't know, Nikki."

"I know the prospect turns you on. And you know it turns me on. And if you allow yourself to enjoy it just like you do when you watch me dancing with another guy then I think it will be worth your while. I promise not to take it too far and leave you out of things"

He looked at her, trying to figure out what she meant. He couldn't very well ask if she was implying that she might have left him out before and was apologizing. With Nikki, though, anything was possible and he put no surprise beyond her capacity to deliver it.

"Let me take control of this fantasy thing from now on," she said, playing with the hair at his ballsac. "I think I know now what we both want to do and I think I know that we have limits we should adhere to and I know I can make fun for us. Think of the possibilities, Ed. We don't have to actaully do anything with anyone else. Just leave it to me and I'll make sure you get a bit of a show and a wonderful time. But you have to stop worrying, nothing you don't want to happen will happen."

"I don't like this feeling, Nikki. And I sense that you are attracted to Charles more than you realize."

"And I sense that you forget how much watching me flirt turns you on."

"No, it doesn't."

She laughed. "Then what is this?" She held his hard shaft in her hand.

By dinner that evening, she seemed to be under the impression he'd calmed down about the matter and relaxed as she knew he eventually would.

Dinner was a quiet affair and Charles didn't join them until well after desert and then only briefly for a drink. Nikki certainly didn't ignore Charles presence and was engaging and flirty as usual but she at no stage caused Ed any feeling of being left out and Ed found himself far more comfortable and not even the slightest bit perturbed. They went to bed early and found themselves something to do until sleep took them soundly.

In the morning Nikki rose without complaint after Ed returned from his sunrise rounds.

"You're pretty chipper this morning," he observed, happy to see her bright-eyed and alert so early in the day but curious about why.

"It's a gorgeous day! Plus, I'm hungry," she said in a conspiratorial whisper. "I hope Charles can whip up something fast."

He grinned at her enthusiasm as he escorted her from their stateroom to the main deck.The hours between 6:00 and 9:00 a.m. in the Caribbean were Ed's favorite. The sun's fresh clarity, not yet blistering hot, cast a special gleam on land and sea. Water sparkled, the horizon beckoned, and the cleanest possible light infused everything it touched. Disarray transformed into order and anything soiled could appear to be spotless under the morning island sun's soft, forgiving radiance. He attributed his ability to overlook (or ignore) Nikki's eagerness that morning to the magical powers of the Caribbean sunshine.

Upon becoming aware of their approach, Charles appeared, slightly surprised to see them so early but gracious nonetheless.

"Good morning to you both. What can I get for you while I make breakfast?"

"Good morning to you, Captain!" Nikki said. "I hope we didn't upset your plans by showing up for breakfast so early."

Ed winced. Apologizing to a crewmember, particularly the captain, was rarely necessary, and frankly, only done in extreme circumstances. Charles was at their service, and unless Ed and Nikki abused him in some way, it was unwise to disturb the employer/employee balance. Then again, when Ed considered just how far Nikki had gone so far to to disturb that balance, he decided it wasn't worth drawing attention to her comment.

"Oh, it's no problem, Nikki, I assure you."

Ed winced again. He'd never heard his wife's name on Charles's lips prior to this moment. It was nothing less than jarring.

"In that case, then, something tall and cool would be great," Nikki said as she held Charles's gaze. "Maybe do something creative with coffee. I like the dark stuff," she added with a wink. The double-entendre caused the captain to stand a little straighter and smile wider.

She wore the black and aqua bikini that morning, the one with tiny chains that connected random parts of the skimpy suit. A coordinating sarong covered her from the waist down, but as she seated herself on what had become her favorite lounge chair, the sarong opened to reveal long, slim, tanned legs that ended in a black, high-heeled mules adorned with one blooming teal-colored flower attached to the strap. Charles watched her with the face of a man who knows he should look away but can't.

"I'll make something special," Charles said before turning to Ed. "And for you, Ed?"

"Make it two," Ed said cheerfully. "I like surprises." Had he ordered the same thing in order to simplify things or to rob Nikki and Charles of the attempted exclusivity?

"And don't go to too much trouble with breakfast," Nikki said just as he started to retreat to the kitchen. "If we're going snorkeling today, a lot of food is just going to slow us down."

A pause hung over the conversation. Charles looked at Ed, Ed raised an eyebrow at Nikki. "Are we going snorkeling today?"

"We sure are."

"Huh. That's the first I've heard of it."

"Good thing you like surprises, then, isn't it?" She chuckled and untied her sarong. "Charles, I hope you can come along...?"

As she made eye contact with the good-looking captain again, she opened her sarong to reveal the tiniest of bikini bottoms. Not only did the fabric just barely cover what Ed knew to be her meticulously trimmed pubic patch, but the delicate chain connecting that fabric to the ridiculously small piece across her hip sparkled in the sunlight with the same kind of flirtation that danced in her eyes.

Charles reluctantly looked away to face Ed. "Would that be acceptable to you?"

Ed had looked away from Nikki reluctantly, too, and so needed a moment to process Charles's question. The snorkeling. Yes. That was it.

"If that's what the lady wants, I'm all for it," Ed told him, trying for reasons even unknown to himself to reassure Charles that he was welcome.

"Then, I'd love to come," Charles said as he turned back to Nikki. "Thank you for asking."

"Now go make me that drink!" Nikki teased.

The moment Charles was out of earshot, Ed seized the moment. "Just when I think you've found all the swimsuits that cause coronaries, I see you in another one."

She giggled. "Like it? I've been saving it."

"I think Charles liked it, too."

"That's good," she said, smiling. "You're okay with all of us snorkeling together, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am, but it would have been nice if you'd asked me first."

"Sorry," she pouted through her smile, "but you know I'm on a mission to have fun today."

"I know," Ed replied, his exasperation a mix of mock and real. "Just take it easy, okay?"

"I kind of thought it would be rude not to invite him, I forget these things you know" she reminded him.

He laughed, but didn't push the discussion further. Neither did she. She seemed lost in thought as she turned her face toward the sky and offered her exquisite body to the sun.

When Charles returned with three tall glasses of mocha-colored liquid, Nikki sat up straighter and squealed. The movement made her breasts jiggle. "Look at what a genius you are! What have you made?" She tucked her long legs under her thighs, as if to invite Charles to sit where her legs had been. Charles remained standing and served her the first drink.

"This is the Nikki Special," he said in the same tone of voice Ed knew he'd use with his customers at his restaurant.

"What's in it?" She asked, eyes wide.

"Taste it and then I'll tell you."

She tasted it, swallowing slowly so that the men could imagine the liquid slithering down her throat. "That is positively sinful," she finally said. "Ed, taste yours."

Charles served him and Ed sucked a bit of the concoction through his straw. It was, of course, delicious. "I have to admit I'm dying to know what's in it myself," Ed announced.

"Well, there's coffee, of course—"

"Mocca," Nikki interjected.

"Espresso, in fact," Charles replied. "And a bit of mango sorbet and Cointreau."

"Is that all?" Nikki eyed him suspiciously.

"No, there is one more ingredient, but because I am the chef, I must have some secrets. I cannot divulge all of them."

Nikki laughed and even Ed was amused by Charles's playful manner. "I'm glad you made one for yourself," Nikki pointed out.

"It's one of my favorites," he confessed.

"Sit down and enjoy it," she said, patting the portion of her chaise she'd cleared for him. Charles didn't ask anybody's permission this time—he just sat down. Ed was struck by how beautiful both of them were: Charles with his ebony skin and elegant bone structure, Nikki with her centerfold body and insouciant smile. How would it have been if Charles was the man in their fantasy? Ed wondered, before putting the thought out of his head.

The scrumptious drink and intoxicating morning air conspired to make Ed toss his worries aside and just let fate unfold. That, and the fact that Charles and Nikki immediately began to verbally joust with each other as if they had been friends for years. The conversation amused Ed greatly as he knew Charles had no chance.

"Come on. What do I have to do to make you tell me what else is in this drink?" Nikki purred at the black man.

"I am like a prisoner. Just name, rank, and serial number," Charles teased right back.

"Every soldier has his breaking point," Nikki said. "I won't rest until I find yours."

"I am at your mercy then."

"Actually, I could order you to do anything at all for the duration of this cruise. Technically."

"I suppose that's true. And I would comply."

"Would you?"

"Of course."

"Then what's in this drink?"

They both burst out laughing.

"Am I turning into too much of a sun worshipper?" Nikki asked. Both Ed and Charles laughed and shook their heads which encouraged her further.

"I mean I usually like to bask once in a while but rarely this early.It's been known to relax me but I don't like it when it gets too hot."

She stared at Ed and paused, obviously holding an internal debate with herself about whether to keep teasing him about being too hot. Something in her face told Ed she'd decided to let it slide. Instead, she took a new and more direct approach.

"Well, for me, the hotter the better. I'm about to grab some rays before we snorkel. Which one of you wouldn't mind putting oil on my back?"

Now Charles glanced at Ed, who immediately shut his eyes, pretending to be lost in the languor of the morning sun. He didn't want to bail Charles out or give him permission. He wanted him to deal with the sexual tension Nikki was so artfully building. And pay Nikki back for being such a tease.

"All right," Charles said.

He got to his feet to allow Nikki to position herself as she wanted on the chaise. Ed half-opened one eye to watch the scene, stifling a smile at how awkward Charles looked holding his tall, dark drink in his hand while Nikki made herself comfortable. When she'd found a position she liked, she reached around behind her, unhooked the small chain that held her bikini top in place, then let the ends fall to her sides. Most women would have stopped there, but Nikki followed up the gesture with a slight lift of her torso and a yank at one end of the bikini top. Seconds later, the top lay in a heap on the deck next to her chaise as if to announce, beyond any doubt, that she was indeed topless.

"Okay, have your way with me!" Nikki said. She lay on her stomach, face turned toward Charles. "I like it thick, by the way."

Ed saw Charles pause. The man was obviously confused by her last remark and Ed suddenly felt sorry for the poor chap. He was enjoying Charles's discomfort and at the same time enjoying the view his wife was giving him. He felt no tension and instead he settled into a relaxed mode he hadn't felt before. He had to add to Charles's predicament.

"She means the suntan lotion," he commented from behind his pretend closed eyes.

Relief and comprehension spread across Charles's face as Nikki laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry! I should have made myself clearer. Yes, Charles—I like my suntan application thick. There's a bottle right on the table there."

Charles looked chagrined but stayed good natured. He knew enough, too, not to just squeeze the lotion directly onto her smooth, taut back—he poured a bit into his palm and emulsified it first, warming it before applying it.

Ed watched the big, black hands slowly work the product into her skin. Was it his imagination or was Charles moving with more deliberation than he needed to? His hands roamed the contours of her back in broad, sweeping strokes that seemed to happen in slow motion. The abundance of lotion made her back gleam, emphasizing its health, its youth, its nakedness.

"Do you snorkel often, Charles?" Nikki asked as his hands slid along her waist.

"A couple of times a month, usually. I prefer diving but it's harder for me to find the time for that."

"Hmmmm...."

Another silence hung between them. Neither Ed nor Charles was certain whether her "hmmmm" meant she was thinking about something or just enjoying Charles's touch. Finally, Charles asked her.

"Do you dive, too, Nikki?"

"No, I never have, but I was just trying to picture how I'd look in a wet suit!"

His laugh was deep and throaty. He seemed genuinely amused. "You would look fine, I look like a fearsome amphibian!"

They all laughed at that, and while they did, Nikki separated her legs a little before turning slightly and winking at Ed.

"Charles, I hate to impose on you any further, but if you could work that stuff into my thighs, I'd appreciate it." She reached for her Nikki Special and sucked down a few inches of it before returning it to the deck floor.

The sight of Charles's hands playing so near to her buttocks prompted Ed to take another long swig of his drink, too. The man's pink nails skimmed the firm, supple slopes where thigh met ass cheek, then practically disappeared along the insides of her thighs.

"Oh, that's perfect," Nikki meowed. "I can never quite get at those spots myself. Thank you so much, Charles."

"You're welcome," came the quiet, controlled reply.

"And I guess you might as well do my calves, as well. As long as you're there."

Ed wondered whether Charles was fighting a woody as much as he was. He wanted to see what was going in the big man's shorts but he dared not allow himself to look. No matter what he saw, it would displease him. He shut his eyes for real and let Nikki weave her spell. Besides, if he watched any more, his own erection might threaten to betray him.

"If I may, I'll clean up after breakfast now," Charles announced.

"Oh sure. Thanks again. See you in about an hour, then?"

"Very good."

Ed said nothing to Nikki after Charles's exit, and she said nothing to him. Gradually, morning glory was replaced by torrid midday heat.

Snorkeling evolved into a pleasant enough affair, with the waters warm and tranquil, and the marine life colorful. Nikki swam in her blue and black bikini, seemingly unaware of its failure to keep her entirely covered as she pursued anything that caught her eye. She didn't overtly flirt with Charles and she devote most of her attention to Ed. Perhaps, Ed reasoned, she knew her real work had already been accomplished on the boat. The snorkeling was merely an excuse to let the men stew in their own juices for a while.

Charles rose to the surface first, beckoning Ed and Nikki to join him.

"If you're ready for lunch, I'll return to the boat and make the two of you a picnic lunch. You can enjoy it on that island over there." He pointed to a very small, somewhat distant patch of land in the distance. "I'll take you."

"That sounds fantastic," Ed assured him before Nikki could voice her opinion. "We'd love that, Charles."

They returned to the boat as a group, with Ed and Nikki heading directly to their cabin to change out of their snorkeling gear and freshen up. Nikki had to peel out of her delicately constructed bikini carefully, so Ed seized the time to use the bathroom.

Although he didn't intend to tell Nikki, he was thrilled by the prospect of spending the afternoon alone with her in a place where Charles would be absent. He liked Charles, of course, but he wasn't sure whether he could endure another several hours watching Nikki weave a more intricate web of her exhibitionist teasing around him. It had been fascinating to watch—his hard-on told him so—but he found himself wishing things would slow down a little. He knew what Nikki wanted for them he wanted it too, but he had to do it at his own pace.

Seconds after he turned off the shower, he heard a gasp from the bedroom. A million possibilities raced through his mind, each inspiring a uniquely disturbing response from him. He wrapped a towel around his midsection and bolted out of the bathroom.

He found her kneeling on the bed, naked, peering through the blinds that covered the rear porthole. His first thought: thank goodness she's alone. His second thought: thank goodness she's safe.

"What is it, sweetheart?" He asked her, thinking she'd spotted something wrong with the boat. Upon coming up behind her to share the view, he instantly discovered what had caused her to gasp.

Charles, who obviously didn't know the boat well enough to realize he could be seen, stood naked and unashamed under the pontoon shower at the rear of the boat. With complete ease and not a glimmer of self-consciousness, he relaxed as the spray rinsed the ocean salt off his body. His fit, black physique, slick from the water, stretched in grateful response to the warm, refreshing gush. His back was to his audience, putting his firm ass cheeks on display, but when he turned to reveal a soaped up cock and balls, Nikki gasped again.

Ed was tempted to gasp, too. Never had he seen a flaccid cock so thick and long—not in a porn film or in a locker room. Charles stroked his meat to work up more suds and a silence so heavy fell on Ed and Nikki that it was almost painful.