30. Charli
CHARLI
Morning light streaming through the small windows wakes me up early.
The boat lists side to side, rocking as the waves hit the hull.
Gage is still beside me, splayed out on his back across the bunk.
We fell asleep cuddling after two amazing sessions of the hottest sex ever.
He snores a little and rolls toward me to drape his arm across my side before resuming an easy breathing pattern.
Things have gotten intense, really fast. More intense than I could’ve imagined.
It’s overwhelming and exhilarating at the same time.
I don’t want to overthink it right now; I just want to enjoy our time together.
My relationship with Tyler was so gradual: we knew each other forever, started dating, and came back together when he retired from the Navy.
Sure, I was attracted to him. He was certainly handsome, and I thought the sex was good.
But looking back, things were pretty basic.
I could have had a content life with him if I wanted to live in his shadow.
I’ve only known Gage for a few weeks, but I feel connected to him in a different way.
He really listens to me when we talk, he’s not set on a certain unwavering path, and he’s so passionate in bed with me.
The desire in his dark eyes when he looks at me turns me on so much.
It makes me want to fulfill his fantasies.
Is this just what mutual lust feels like?
I doze for a while longer before I can’t ignore my urge to pee anymore.
I get out of bed quietly and tiptoe to the head and then get a drink of water in the galley.
He’s still sleeping when I return to scoot in beside him.
I take a long look at his masculine face.
He took his hair tie out last night and his blond locks are tousled across the pillow.
Long lashes nearly touch his cheeks and there’s a light brown stubble on his square jaw.
I could look at him all day. Brushing a soft kiss across his temple wakes him.
He reaches for me without opening his eyes and pulls me close.
I roll so that we’re side by side. He nuzzles my neck and drops kisses along my hairline. “I love your vanilla smell.”
“It’s my lotion.”
His big, calloused hand rubs my neck and down my back, then up again, before drifting to my belly and up to cup me.
He kneads my breast and I arch into him feeling his morning erection against my bare thigh.
He rolls my nipple with his fingers and props himself up with his other arm. I turn towards him for a kiss.
“It’s so nice waking up with you in my bed. Did you sleep okay?”
I smile into his kiss again. “Like a baby.” He skims down my body to grip my hip and rock me back and forth as his hard length glides along my pussy. “Touch me, Gage.”
“Do you want me again?”
“Mmm, just like this.”
He has me in the soft morning light, another orgasm lighting me up from within. He gives me a squeeze before slipping out of me, and flinging his arm back to lay flat on the bunk.
“God damn, Charli.”
I flip to my belly and get close to him, laying my head down on his chest and hiking my knee up to rest it on his hip. I stroke his chest gently with my fingertips. “I could do this all day.”
He gives me an affirmative grunt before mumbling, “I need to lay here for a minute.”
Running my fingertips lazily across his chest, I scan the small space, noticing several framed photos on the shelf beside the bed. I ask, “Will you tell me about the pictures you have?”
He sighs and sits up, before he reaches for the frames and passes them to me.
He props the pillows so we can lie together and study them.
There’s a few of his family and some of him and his Uncle Bill's travels. He looks a lot like his dad, he’ll always be handsome.
He and his sister have the same coloring, but she looks more like their mom.
“We did a lot together as a family, sailing and visiting with my grandparents. Then as we got older, Gabby and I were involved in sports and activities. Both of my parents were there supporting us. My mom was like a taxi service running us all over. That’s why it was so hard when my dad passed.
It all just stopped.” He’s still for a moment.
I cling to him trying to take away the hurt in his voice.
He continues, “My dad’s parents were already in senior living nearby, and he was an only child.
My Gran— my Mom and Bill’s mother —had dementia.
It was easier to walk away and do something else than to stay there, too many memories and pitying looks. I guess we all left.”
“Baby, I’m so sad for you.” I place my hand over his heart, feeling the steady beat against my palm. “But I’m glad that you're here with me now.”
He laughs low in his chest. “Yeah, if I came to Seascape when I was eighteen, there’d be no way you would’ve looked at me.”
I swat at him. “Stop. I’m sure you were cute then.”
“This summer was the right time for us to meet.” He presses a kiss to my forehead and we lie still for a moment. “I had a girlfriend then anyway.”
“Yeah.” I think now was the right time for us.
Years ago, I was still wrapped up in my ex too— trying so hard to be the perfect and dutiful girlfriend.
I had no idea what I wanted, but now I’m getting an inkling of what will make me happy.
I need someone who sees the big picture, but also pays attention to the little things, and wants to spend time with me. It might just be him.
Gage makes us breakfast burritos and French press coffee in the galley. I throw on his t-shirt and he pulls on some swim trunks and we eat sitting in the cockpit in the morning light. It’s barely eight o’clock and already warming up.
I help him clean up the dishes in the sink from last night and then I rifle through my bag.
I put on my tiny purple bikini that drives him crazy.
We rub sunscreen on each other and kiss and cuddle in the sun on the foredeck, enjoying the time together.
A couple of paddle boarders pass through the cove a distance away.
As the sun gets hotter, we decide to go in for a dip.
After swimming, we lie back on the foredeck basking in the morning light.
The paddlers have gone for now and we’re alone in the cove.
A single person walks their dog at the far end of the beach but I’m feeling a little bold, so I sit up and untie my top.
A chill runs over my chest as my nipples pucker in the air.
Gage props himself up on one elbow, transfixed by me. I pass him my bikini. “Can you hang this up for me? It needs to dry.”
He licks his lips. “Yeah.” He stands to clip it to the wire railing along the side of the boat. “I didn’t realize that you were such an exhibitionist.”
I roll to my belly and lean up on my elbows, my breasts brushing against the towel. “Trying to get rid of these tan lines.”
Lying back down beside me, he runs his fingertips along my back, down over the edge of my suit and gives my butt a pinch. “Tan lines are awful.”
“I don’t usually go topless.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
I shift to lay on my side, my boobs squishing together, our feet brushing against each other. We lay propped up facing one another. “I had a really good time. Thanks for making time for us.”
He reaches out for me, taking my hand in his large one. “I wanted to get you alone, and have you to myself, with no distractions or interruptions.”
“Well, it meant a lot to me.”
“I like being with you, no matter what we do. Although the spectacular sex is my favorite.”
I giggle at his admission, then lie back, facing the sun. I turn to look at Gage, his eyes now filled with desire. I suck in a breath making my bare chest rise higher and bend my knees.
“It feels like you get me,” I whisper.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” His knuckles brush along my ribs before grazing the side of my breast. “But it’s pretty hard to concentrate when you're lying here next to me nearly naked.”
I laugh and before I know it, he’s sliding his hand down my thigh and under my ass, to slip his fingers inside my suit bottoms. I suck in a breath as I turn to him.
“Showing your tits off is getting you wet again.”
He pushes his two fingers deeper and circles my clit with his thumb. I arch up and caress my nipples, the hard surface of the deck underneath me.
I whisper, “Make me come,” before he covers my mouth in a kiss.
“You can when I bury my face between your legs.”
He pulls away from me to check the anchor again and I return to his bunk to wait for him. The daylight is muted in here as the sun streams through the small windows above the cubbies. The sheets are rumpled and discarded bits of clothing litter the floor.
Out here, we’re focused on each other. I stand there for a minute thinking about how peaceful this feels.
Then he’s behind me, slipping my damp bottoms off, adding to the pile. “Ready?”
“Yes, I want you.” I reach behind his head to grasp his neck as he skims his hands up and down my body, finally stopping to palm my breasts before pinching my nipples. A shiver runs through me, thinking about what’s to come next.
He brings my arms down and turns me to face him, kissing me slowly and deeply while his hands roam my body. I reach down to unfasten his swim trunks and he takes my wrists to stop me.
“But . . .”
“I want to eat that pussy.” He sits me at the edge of the bunk so my ass is barely on it and spreads my legs wide. His fingertips press against my knees. “You look perfect, so pink and wet for me.”
I trail my nails down his muscular chest to his tight abs. “I love how much you want me.”
“I’ll always want more.” He gets down onto his knees. “Put your legs over my shoulders and stay right here on the edge.”