* * * *
Candace closed and locked the door and pressed her forehead against the cold metal. Ryan. Oh. My. God. She took a deep breath and turned so her shoulders pressed against the door and her palms flat against it.
What am I doing
?
I’ve known him a few hours
. She peeled herself off the door and took the few short steps to her bed. The cabin steward had turned down the bed revealing ivory satin sheets, and had left behind a penis-shaped towel sculpture and the promised list of activities for the next day. Lying across the foot of the bed was a tiny pink baby-doll nightie. A pair of terrycloth slippers sat on the floor.
Candace showered and pulled on the satin nightie. The light fabric felt cool and decadent against her heated skin. She rummaged through the goody basket and found a bottle of rose-scented skin lotion. After spreading the lotion on every inch of skin, she crawled into bed. Candace propped the pillows behind her and pulled the basket closer. Someone knocked on her door as she sorted through the books looking for something to read.
“Who is it?” she asked through the door. No way would she open her door for a stranger on this ship.
“David, Ms. Candace, your steward. I have running shoes and workout gear for you.”
“Thank you. Can you leave them by the door please?” She listened while he did as she asked and bid her goodnight. When he left, she opened the door and whisked the small bag of clothes inside. She scanned the contents, surprised that everything appeared to be her size. The bottom of the bag contained Ryan’s note.
“He remembered,” she whispered. The note said he would come to her room at eight the next morning to escort her to the Odyssey deck for a short run followed by breakfast. He suggested she read the list of offerings for the next day and decide what she wanted to do. She’d been avoiding the list, but Ryan’s note reminded her she wouldn’t have to do any of it alone. He would be there as a buffer.
She climbed back into bed with the list. She found the remote and clicked on the television for company. There weren’t many channel choices, it turned out. She found one satellite link to a major news outlet, but all the rest were onboard channels. Candace flipped through several movies ranging from romantic comedies to XXX rated porn. She stopped for a moment on one of the channels. The people were in a room identical to her stateroom, down to the villa scene on the wall and the luxurious bedding. Oh. My. God. It appeared to be one of the
Lothario
cabins and, if she was correct, she squinted to see the date imprint in the corner of the screen, it had been recorded today. How did they do that? The couple fucked, moving from one improbable position to another. They knew they were being taped, the man kept looking up into the camera making sure his face and other parts were visible. The woman flashed her face to the camera whenever she had a chance.
Candace noted the angle of their gaze and followed it in her own room. She found the small camera attached to the cabinetry in one corner of the room. She snatched the comforter, dragging it up to cover herself. How did one go about turning it on and more important, could someone turn it on and spy on the rooms’ occupants? Not wanting to take a chance on it, she grabbed the bottle of skin lotion and jumped out of bed. She pulled out the desk chair and stood on it while she smeared the lens with lotion. She applied a thick a coating to the tiny blank eye.
She returned to the bed. The on screen couple was still going at it. They weren’t bad looking and Candace became engrossed. Soon she kicked the heavy comforter off and ran her hands over her body to ease the growing ache. It had been so long since anyone had touched her that way. Months before the wedding date her fiancé had suggested they abstain until the wedding. She’d agreed to the arrangement, giving in to his argument that their wedding night would be so much more special if they did. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but now that the wedding was off, she knew there had been more to it than that.
The man on screen positioned the woman on the bed so the camera picked up her whole body. He spread her legs and knelt between them. He slid down and buried his face between her thighs. Alone in her bed Candace pulled her knees up and let them fall open. She knew women took men into their mouths, she’d done it for her fiancé a few times, but he’d never offered to reciprocate. Now, as the ache grew more pronounced between her legs she wanted to know how it felt. The woman by the pool sure seemed to enjoy it. Her fingers sought her tender flesh.
On screen, the woman bucked her hips and ran her fingers through her partner’s hair, holding him to her. His hands supported the woman’s hips, holding her up and open to him as he licked and sucked. Candace heard him moan low in his throat, or was it the woman? She couldn’t tell, but both were lost in the moment. Neither one was looking at the camera now.
Aching, Candace sifted through the welcome basket and found a penis-shaped vibrator. When she’d looked at it earlier, she thought she’d never have a use for it, but watching the couple on television had her so hot and hurting, she knew she needed release.
She wasted little time getting the vibrator out of its package and coating it with one of the oils that guaranteed to bring you to the highest orgasm you’d ever had. Candace was beyond caring, she needed something between her legs, and she needed it now. As soon as she touched her swollen and heated skin with the slick cold plastic, she wished she’d taken the time to warm up the oil, the vibrator, or both. With a flick of her thumb, the device began to vibrate, emitting a low hum that filled the room.
Candace slid the head across her clit and down to part her folds. She was wet and the plastic glided along her slit. She worked it up and down applying pressure to her clit and delving into her opening further with each pass. With her eyes glued to the television, the vibrator became a man’s hot tongue, tasting and taking. Soon she closed her eyes, imagining the face of the man she wanted between her legs. He bore a remarkable resemblance to a certain pirate.
The pressure built as she delved in and out, deeper and harder. She flicked across her clit each time her imaginary lover pulled out and dove back in. The climax rocked her, and she clamped her legs tight as her body clenched around the hard plastic. When her muscles quieted, she flicked the button and the device stilled. Her hands shook and her breath came in shallow gasps. She relaxed her thighs and the vibrator slipped almost all the way out.
She lay there for a few minutes staring at her reflection. Was that really her? Her cheeks were flushed, the baby-doll nightie pushed up to bunch below her breasts, her panties around one ankle. Her spread thighs glistened with her juices. The pink vibrator lay between her legs, half in, and half out. What had become of her? She’d never made herself come before. Sure, she’d felt herself, but she’d never owned a vibrator before. Half a day on the
Lothario,
and she’d experienced more sexually than she’d previously thought possible. Chilled, she pulled the comforter up to her shoulders and reached between her legs to retrieve the vibrator. She kicked the panties off her ankle and tossed them to the foot of the bed. The couple on screen continued fucking, but Candace had lost interest. She turned the set off and picked up the activities list again.
* * * *
Ryan sat across from her at the poolside table where last night Candace knew a woman had been served, or rather, served herself up, for any and all to feast on her. “I hope they gave this a good cleaning,” she said, tucking her hands in her lap.
“Yes. The staff is discreet, but thorough.”
“I sure hope so. The thought of eating my breakfast off the same table where…, well, you know, it just bothers me.” They’d ordered a light breakfast, preferring to eat outdoors in the sunshine rather than in the crowded dining room.
Ryan excused himself and went to speak to one of the waiters at the poolside café. Candace didn’t have any idea what he said to the waiter, but the man hustled off as soon as they finished. When Ryan returned to the table Candace asked, “What was that all about?”
“You’ll see.” And she did. A few minutes later, the same waiter reappeared with a snow-white tablecloth and proceeded to cover their table. Candace looked around at the other diners whose tabletops were bare and blushed at the curious looks she saw on their faces.
“How did you manage that?”
Ryan shrugged his shoulders. “I threw Richard’s name around. I’m not above using our friendship to get results.”
Their breakfast arrived and they ate in companionable silence. Candace hated long gaps in conversation, but with Ryan, she didn’t feel they had to be talking all the time. It was enough to be together, sharing a meal and the fresh air.
Ryan finished first, folded his napkin, and placed it beside his plate. Their waiter cleared the dirty plate as soon as Ryan leaned back in his chair. “Did you have a chance to look at the list for today?”
Candace swallowed the last bite of fruit and dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin. She took her time, folding and placing it beside her plate. The napkin and her empty plate were whisked away in the blink of an eye. “My, they’re efficient here.”
Ryan smiled. “Yes, they are. Good service is rewarded, so don’t forget to fill out your comment card on the last day.”
“I will.”
“So, what will it be today?”
Candace gave up trying to avoid answering. Ryan would press her for some kind of answer, and she had no idea what it was going to be. She’d read the list and a few of its items clearly spelled out what you were in for, but others were cryptic, and she had no idea what they entailed. “I’m not sure. I don’t know what everything is.”
Ryan nodded. “Like what?”
“Mmm,” she consulted the list Ryan produced from the pocket of his running shorts. “Well, what exactly is the Stand and Deliver contest?”
“Good choice. It’s one of the favorites with the women. There’s a preliminary contest every day, and winners of the daily contests compete on the last day.”
“But what is it?”
“The contestants are all men, passengers only. They have three minutes to produce a boner, and then the audience does everything they can to make the men go limp. The last one standing, so to speak, is the winner.”
Candace turned beet red. “Really? And they do this nude?”
“Completely. I understand the women have a great time. A few are there to support their men, doing what they can to keep them aroused, while others are trying to get them to go limp. The only rule is no touching the contestants.”
“Have you ever competed?”
“No.”
“Would you?”
Ryan rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and placed his chin on his upturned fist, studying her for a moment before answering. “I would --for you, but I’d prefer to show you my stamina in private.”
She averted her eyes. Ryan looked at her as if he wanted to strip her naked, and she couldn’t shake the graphic image she had in her mind of Ryan showing her his stamina. If he only knew how she’d pleasured herself last night, and that the face she’d imagined between her legs had been his. She shifted in her chair as need throbbed between her legs.
She focused on the list again. “I assume the Bare the Biggest is a ‘who has the largest breasts’ contest?” Candace glanced at Ryan for confirmation.
“Yes, and there is a men’s division too.”
“I should have known.”
“This is the
Lothario
.”
“I’m beginning to get the idea.” She ran her finger down the list, stopping midway. “And the
Kama sutra
Yoga?”
“Just what it says. It’s a couples class. They teach you basic yoga positions that are useful if you want to do the more elaborate positions in the
Kama sutra
. There’s also a class later in the week devoted to
Kama sutra
positions. It’s a couples class too, for obvious reasons. Then there’s the Sex-aerobics class. They show you how to keep your heart rate up for an aerobic workout during sex.”
“Photography?”
“Basic instruction on taking nude photos. The video class is tomorrow, I think.”
“No explanation needed for that one.”
“No.”
“Well, what would you suggest?”
“How about the massage class? That’s also a couples one, and its hands on.” Ryan looked into her eyes, holding her gaze. Desire simmered in their blue depths.
“Okay.”
Ryan’s eyes crinkled at the corners and his lips curved into a satisfied smile. “That’s not until mid-afternoon. What do you want to do until then?”
“How about the art class?”