than
this was the culmination of two weeks of working on the boat in preparation for
cruising on it once again, and with a man who had, for the first time since she
lost Richard, allowed her to believe life could be good once more. Then
everything began to unravel. She swiped a finger beneath each eye.
"Come
here," Will said, reaching out and pulling her toward him.
Nellie moved to
stand in the curve of Will's arm while he steered with one hand. "I'm
sorry about being so emotional and taking it out on you," she said,
"but you can't imagine what it's like to think your child's in
danger." She knew the tears were not because of Mike, but rather from the
relief she felt on being held again. She snuggled against Will, breathing in
the blend of damp jacket and spicy after-shave.
"You feel
good against me," Will said. "I missed what we had."
"I missed
it too," Nellie replied, " but I'm very
confused right now."
"About
what? Your feelings for me, or letting things happen?"
"Both,"
Nellie replied. "I was a virgin on my wedding night and I never regretted
it for a moment, even though it was challenging for us right up to the day of
our wedding. But it was worth it because our sex life was special to us."
"So, you
won't even consider an intimate relationship with me." It was a statement.
"I don’t
know what I’m willing to consider right now," Nellie said. "I’m
lonely for what I once had with Richard, but that's not reason enough to
compromise my values."
"You don't
have to be lonely," Will said, his hand moving idly up and down her side.
"I can fill that void in your life. And when we make love, it won't be a
quick roll around the bunk. It will be all about taking lots of time and giving
you everything you need."
Nellie looked
up at him. "What about your needs?"
Will smiled.
"My needs are pretty singular. This is about you."
"Still, it
wouldn’t be out of love that we'd be making love because that takes time,"
Nellie insisted, "so when all's said and done, we’d be having sex, not
making love. There’s a soul-connected difference between the two. Marriage
connects more than just bodies. It connects souls. When I make love again, I
want to be joined body and soul."
A loud thump
resounded off the starboard bow, reverberating through the hull. Will snatched
his arm from around her and throttled down the engine, letting the boat drift.
He moved to look out the window. "That was a drift log," he said, as they
cruised past it. "You'd better help me watch for them, especially
deadheads." He handed Nellie a pair of binoculars.
Nellie
struggled to collect herself, her heart still thumping heavily in response to
what had been taking place before the thump against the hull. Taking the
binoculars, she scanned the rakes of green waves while watching for swamped
logs. "Are you sure we'll be able to spot them in this choppy water?"
she asked.
"They're
not too hard to see," Will replied. "Just keep watching for the butt
end of logs." He pressed a switch on the engine control panel, activating
the bilge pump. Soon the sound of air sucking into the intake could be heard.
As Nellie
peered through the binoculars, her mind was not on drift logs. All she could
think of was how much she wanted what Will was offering. An almost overwhelming
urge reminded her of a very potent need...
" Mom! " Mike yelled from below.
"Zeke scratched Katy on the nose and it's bleeding." A series of
barks ended in a high-pitched yelp as something crashed in the galley.
"Now Zeke knocked over the stack of pots in the corner," Mike added.
Nellie set the
binoculars down. "I'd better close Katy in my stateroom," she said to
Will, "at least until we're in calmer waters." When she saw Mike, she
noted at once how pale he was. "Don't you feel well, honey?" she
asked.
Mike shrugged.
"My stomach feels kind of funny."
"Then go
up to the wheelhouse where it's cool and you'll feel better," Nellie said.
Mike didn't
argue, just slowly plodded up the ladder to the
this was the culmination of two weeks of working on the boat in preparation for
cruising on it once again, and with a man who had, for the first time since she
lost Richard, allowed her to believe life could be good once more. Then
everything began to unravel. She swiped a finger beneath each eye.
"Come
here," Will said, reaching out and pulling her toward him.
Nellie moved to
stand in the curve of Will's arm while he steered with one hand. "I'm
sorry about being so emotional and taking it out on you," she said,
"but you can't imagine what it's like to think your child's in
danger." She knew the tears were not because of Mike, but rather from the
relief she felt on being held again. She snuggled against Will, breathing in
the blend of damp jacket and spicy after-shave.
"You feel
good against me," Will said. "I missed what we had."
"I missed
it too," Nellie replied, " but I'm very
confused right now."
"About
what? Your feelings for me, or letting things happen?"
"Both,"
Nellie replied. "I was a virgin on my wedding night and I never regretted
it for a moment, even though it was challenging for us right up to the day of
our wedding. But it was worth it because our sex life was special to us."
"So, you
won't even consider an intimate relationship with me." It was a statement.
"I don’t
know what I’m willing to consider right now," Nellie said. "I’m
lonely for what I once had with Richard, but that's not reason enough to
compromise my values."
"You don't
have to be lonely," Will said, his hand moving idly up and down her side.
"I can fill that void in your life. And when we make love, it won't be a
quick roll around the bunk. It will be all about taking lots of time and giving
you everything you need."
Nellie looked
up at him. "What about your needs?"
Will smiled.
"My needs are pretty singular. This is about you."
"Still, it
wouldn’t be out of love that we'd be making love because that takes time,"
Nellie insisted, "so when all's said and done, we’d be having sex, not
making love. There’s a soul-connected difference between the two. Marriage
connects more than just bodies. It connects souls. When I make love again, I
want to be joined body and soul."
A loud thump
resounded off the starboard bow, reverberating through the hull. Will snatched
his arm from around her and throttled down the engine, letting the boat drift.
He moved to look out the window. "That was a drift log," he said, as they
cruised past it. "You'd better help me watch for them, especially
deadheads." He handed Nellie a pair of binoculars.
Nellie
struggled to collect herself, her heart still thumping heavily in response to
what had been taking place before the thump against the hull. Taking the
binoculars, she scanned the rakes of green waves while watching for swamped
logs. "Are you sure we'll be able to spot them in this choppy water?"
she asked.
"They're
not too hard to see," Will replied. "Just keep watching for the butt
end of logs." He pressed a switch on the engine control panel, activating
the bilge pump. Soon the sound of air sucking into the intake could be heard.
As Nellie
peered through the binoculars, her mind was not on drift logs. All she could
think of was how much she wanted what Will was offering. An almost overwhelming
urge reminded her of a very potent need...
" Mom! " Mike yelled from below.
"Zeke scratched Katy on the nose and it's bleeding." A series of
barks ended in a high-pitched yelp as something crashed in the galley.
"Now Zeke knocked over the stack of pots in the corner," Mike added.
Nellie set the
binoculars down. "I'd better close Katy in my stateroom," she said to
Will, "at least until we're in calmer waters." When she saw Mike, she
noted at once how pale he was. "Don't you feel well, honey?" she
asked.
Mike shrugged.
"My stomach feels kind of funny."
"Then go
up to the wheelhouse where it's cool and you'll feel better," Nellie said.
Mike didn't
argue, just slowly plodded up the ladder to the
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