Morning

Morning

            The dark, bluish gray water slapped back and forth against the barnacle-covered pilings of the dock.  Looking at the water in the distance, Sam noted it looked a hazy blue as she tossed the bags her and John had packed the night before into the boat.  Skies were a cornflower blue with tinges of pink as wispy and cotton ball clouds floated by with the sun peeking behind- giving a pinkish glow to the side of the boat next to its name, Fireworks.  She had named it that after the first time John and her kissed – Fourth of July.  A whisper of a breeze danced a strand of ebony hair across Sam’s cheek.  Her fingers swept it aside before she stepped inside the boat, silently hoping the wind would pick up as the morning crept along.

            She received a text from John saying he had just left her mother’s and that Cheeto was happy to see grandma.  The text put a smile on her face, which was something that hadn’t happened too often in the recent past.  Between her divorce, John battling for visitation rights to Liam, and her work load, Sam hadn’t felt like smiling much.  That’s when Alexis had offered to take Cheeto for the night so John and her could get away and reconnect, relax.  She missed her son, but the need to escape for the day was a bit greater.  No harm would come to him and her little sister Molly would enjoy playing “Mommy” to her nephew.

            As she waited for John, Sam did prep work on the ropes and sails, still hoping the winds would pick up.  While tightening the ropes and preparing the sails, her mind wandered to the previous week when she had helped John with a case.  They had been in the middle of a stakeout when things went from random chatter to her straddling his thighs and kissing his lips in the cramped quarters of the front seat.  Only to be interrupted by a loud gunshot from inside the building they were supposed to have been watching.  Other than that small moment, intimacy has been sparse over the last few weeks.  Sam hoped this rendezvous would squelch that problem.

            Once finished preparing the boat, it began to sway from oncoming waves from a boat that had passed.  Sam had been too deep in her thoughts to notice it.  She adjusted her weight to the rocking boat as she walked over to the bags, picking them up to bring down to the cabin.  Turning away to walk to the cabin, she heard firm, rhythmic footsteps vibrating down the dock.  Before stepping down onto the first step, Sam looked over her shoulder and saw him.  The sight of the morning sun on his skin drew another smile from her lips.  Tension she didn’t know that had been built up inside her released, giving her hope that their day would be wonderful.

            “Hey,” she called out, noting his smile in return and the slight wave of his fingers from between bags of groceries.

            As John got to the boat, Sam placed her bags down and met him to take the others from his hands.  She held out her hand to help give him balance while he stepped down onto the boat, giving her a soft, lingering kiss as he took the bags back from her.  The kiss made Sam lick her lips before softly biting her bottom lip as her eyes languidly scanned up his body.  John’s dark jeans hugged his thighs and his unbuttoned black shirt showed off more of his delicious skin that she hoped to kiss.  A crooked smile and a quirked eyebrow was Sam’s last message to him after she was done appraising him.

            “Do you like what you see?”  John asked, stepping closer to Sam and bending down to place a chaste kiss next to her ear and whispering, “I hope whatever you were just thinking, you will show me later on.”

            Heat rushed to her skin and pooled deliciously between her thighs. She gasped loudly as he followed up with warm, wet kisses down her neck and to her exposed clavicle before slowly gravitating to the tops of her breasts, where his lips airily kissed each rounded flesh.  Sam’s staccato breathing, pink flushed skin, and dilated eyes pleased John.  He wanted her there, up against the outside of the cabin, but didn’t want to risk arrestment for nudity.

            “We will finish this later, in a more appropriate setting,” he said, his voice rough and deep and his eyes half closed as he concentrated on her mouth.  They stared at one another, not wanting to look away.  He had her firmly against the outer cabin wall with his hands planted beside her and she had her hands clenched to the front of his shirt.  Each were holding ground.  John leaned into her mouth, brushing hers with his.  He slowly inhaled her scent, mixed with salt, the smell of the open water, and the air around her.  Sam noticed the light, fresh scent of his aftershave, the clean, citrusy touch of his shampoo, and the hint of the spearmint gum he must have chewed before coming to her.  John was about to lift Sam into his arms and carry her deeper into the cabin of the boat when someone called out to them.

            “Good morning! It’ll be a beautiful day to be out on the water,” an old man from two docks over shouted to them.  John and Sam shyly laughed as they separated, waving to the old man and agreeing with him.  While John made small talk with the man, Sam prepared and tightened one last sail, then finally walked back to the bags.  Inside the bags, she noticed some cheeses, crackers, meats, deserts, their iPod, some plastic cups and plastic diningware, and a bottle of Whiskey.

            “Um, John, I think some of these things need to be put in the mini fridge.  I’m going to head down to put them in,” Sam called over to John.  He waved goodbye to their new acquaintance and turned back to Sam.

            “Here, let me help you.  We need to carry our packed bags down below also.”

            Sam handed off a couple of bags to him and grabbed one of the packed bags, following behind John down the stairs, heading further into the cabin.

            When they entered the main part of the cabin, John took the packed bags to the bedroom while Sam took the other bags to the small kitchenette. She put the perishables in the small refrigerator, the plastic cups, plastic diningware and the whiskey on the counter, and the iPod in her jeans pocket.  Leaning against the small counter, a distant flag flapping in the wind caught Sam’s attention.  The wind had picked up, which in turn brightened her spirits a bit more.  Patting the pocket to be sure the iPod was in place; Sam left the kitchen area to head to the cockpit.

* * *

            John and Sam slowly moved away from the docks, leaving behind a wake of white, foamy water and small waves moving in opposite directions of each other.  The sun had peaked up from behind the clouds, illuminating what was going to be a perfect day.  The temperatures were still warm and Sam wouldn’t wait to get further out on the water so they would let the sails out a bit more.  John stood beside her with his hand low on her back, giving light rubs and kissing the back of her neck.  There were no other boats out on the water, so navigating the boat wasn’t too hard to manage.

            When the boat had passed the markers, Sam upped the speed, wanting to get out in waters that were more open.  Once the shore was barely in sight, she slowed the speed, asking John to help her with the sails.  After they were set, the boat began picking up speed from the wind. 

            “I want to go a ways more before we anchor out.  Just want to reduce the chance of seeing other boats because this is our time alone, John,” Sam said, resting the back of her head on John’s chest as she stared out the window of the cockpit.

            “Once we’re anchored, where would you like to have lunch- the cabin or out on the bow?” he asked her, removing her hair from her neck to place gentle kisses along her smooth skin.  Sam lightly bit the inside of her cheek as she thought of her choices.  Inside the boat contained many places that they could use has props, the cloudless, warm, breezy day won out as the mental images of their naked bodies being sun-kissed while they blissfully panted and moaned flooded Sam’s imagination.

            “The idea of the warm sun and breeze surrounding us as we eat sounds very relaxing,” Sam said calmly, softly stroking John’s arm.  John gave his approval by lifting her face back to his, then cupping the base of her skull to better angle her mouth to his.  Sam groaned and sighed as he deepened the kiss, but hastily broke away as his fingers entwined in her hair- pulling her apart from him.  Her eyes opened to meet his deep, cerulean stare.  Sam was momentarily lost and without breath or words as the churning abyss of desire kindled between them. 

            Their lips touched once again quickly.  John pulled back, softly stroking her cheek.

            “You better navigate this boat,” he said, huskily, and then walked away- leaving Sam fleetingly out of sorts.  She grabbed the wheel and steered further out into the vast cobalt before her.

            About twenty minutes later, after traveling for about an hour, Sam spotted a distant piece of land that she knew was a sandbar.  It was close enough that if they got bored with being on the boat, they could quickly get to it.  Sam put the break on and went outside to tie down the sails and dislodge the anchor.

            After settling everything, John set their lunch out on the bow and waited for Sam to return.  She said she needed to change clothes, which it wouldn’t take her long.  He was beginning to pour a can of soda into one of the plastic cups when Sam walked around the side of the cabin, appearing in a very tiny, black bikini with her hair pulled up in a ponytail.  Her bare feet showed a newly done pedicure with bright red polish donning each toe.

            John stopped pouring, holding the can in midair, as she slowly walked over to him.  Sam appreciated his gapping at her as she noted his long, hard swallow.  Upon sitting down, she placed an unopened box wine between them, prompting John to tear his gaze from her breasts to the offensive, cheap wine.

            “Box wine?  Seriously Sam, if you had told me that’s all we had for wine, I would have picked up a bottle or two at the store,” he said, smirking, and tapped the top of the wine.  She looked at him mockingly.

            “John, I’ll have you know that this box wine is quite good.  It’s one of my favorites.”

            He shook his head and went back to pouring his soda.  “I think I’ll stick with this.”

            Sam shrugged her shoulders and said, “Suit yourself.”

            Spread out on a forest green and white checked blanket were small packages of different cheeses, crackers, and slices of meats.  Small finger sandwiches were placed on napkins and a bowl of kettle-cooked chips set beside them.  There was nothing fancy about the meal but it didn’t matter to Sam.  All that did was that moment with the man she was in love with.  The man she had been missing over the past few weeks.

            John offered her a cup of the wine while he was fixing her a plate of food.  She watched him over the rim of the cup, slowly taking in the dry wine.  He eyed her.  The wine made her lips a deeper rouge, and the liquid glistened on her mouth, making him to lick the redness from her sweet lips and tongue.  The hardness in his pants strained against the zipper.  It made him sit up on his knees to relieve the discomfort.

            Placing different little cheeses, crackers, and meats on a plate, Sam felt her tummy rumble.  John offered her one of the smoky cheeses, bringing it up to her mouth.  She went to take it from his fingers, but he stopped her by pulling back and lifting her chin.

            “No, Samantha.  Let me feed you.  I want to take care of you, nourish you,” John quietly replied, softly tapping Sam’s chin.  A slow, demure smile spread upon her lips before she parted them to accept her lover’s offering.  The flavor of the cheese was intense as the smokiness of it conquered her taste buds.  She loudly hummed in approval, enjoying the cheese more by closing her eyes.  When Sam opened them again, she was met with John’s lustful stare.

            With nearest stretch of land miles away and nothing but water surrounding them, it made his eyes bluer, making it impossible for her to look away.  But why would she want or need to look away?  This man before her loved her, cared for her, and embraced and accepted a child that wasn’t his.  She hardly ever asked anything of him.  That was because he somehow always knew when she needed him. 

            Sam saw his fingers in front of her, offering another piece of food, except this time it was chocolate- a small, dark square.  Her lips parted one more but this time she took in the tip of his finger, giving a gentle, prolonged suck.  A sharp intake of air came from John’s direction.  The sound pleased her.  She couldn’t see him, her eyes were closed as she took in the richness and smoothness of the treat.

            As she opened her eyes, her surroundings came into sharper focus.  It was then that she heard Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl” playing in the background and John was still gazing at her with a small side smile playing upon his lips.

            “So, did my brown-eyed girl enjoy herself?”  He asked over the music.

            Sam rubbed the top of her thigh, nodding as she spoke.  “Immensely.”

            “I hope you don’t mind.  I put the iPod on my Van Morrison playlist,” John said, placing cracker topped with cheese and meat into his mouth.

            “No, I don’t mind.  I sorta like his music.” 

            Sam wanted to get their conversation going before they did anything else.  Until then, they enjoyed comfortable spans of quietness mixed with easy small talk about the beautiful day, the food, and lovely moments of shy smiles, sweet kisses, and tender touches.

            Finishing the last of the food, Sam and John disposed of empty packages and used diningware.  By the time they had finished eating and cleaning up, it was after twelve with the sun high in the sky and small, cotton-ball clouds passing above.  Sam had walked back to the hull, finding a place next to a rail with a plastic cup of wine in hand.  The sun kissed her skin.  John marveled at her Greek beauty.  Switching his weight to his left foot caused a small creak to interrupt the silence.  Sam looked over to him, smiling at the view of the beautiful man before her with his wind tousled hair, golden tan skin, cerulean eyes, and the sight of his shirt being fully unbuttoned.

            She patted next to her for him to join to her.

            “Come sit next to me.  I’d like to talk, and not just about food or weather.”