Sea Air by Jule Meeringa Page A

his story.
    “Whatever happened to Uwe?” I asked at last.
    “He’s a doctor.” He looked out at the sea. “Where would you like to stay tonight?”
    “I thought . . .” I felt confused. Weren’t we going to stay on the boat?
    “In the harbor or anchored?” he clarified.
    “Oh.” I weighed the pros and cons. Anchored meant the open sea and solitude. Port meant . . . neighbors, distractions, and listening ears. “Anchored.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Absolutely.”
    His blue eyes twinkled as he smiled. If I’d been standing, I’m sure my knees would have buckled.
    “Do you see that coastal strip starboard?”
    “Starboard?”
    “Right.”
    “Right.” I looked in that direction. “Got it.”
    “We sail toward it, then drop anchor. Then I’ll make us a little something to eat. Sound good?”
    “Sounds good.”
    That “little something” turned out to be the most delicious thing I’d ever eaten.
    “Where did you get all this?” I asked.
    “Oh, I bought it.”
    “This morning?” That wasn’t possible.
    “Yesterday.”
    “But,” I said, “I hadn’t even—”
    “I was hoping that you’d come.” He said, guessing my thoughts.
    Now it was my turn to smile. “You’re very sweet.”
    “Thanks. So are you.”
    I stood and moved to the railing. It was so quiet out on the sea. The only sound was the splashing of water against the ship’s hull. A burst of wind blew a strand of hair into my face. As I lifted my hand to smooth it back, I felt two hands encircle my waist.
    Slowly, I let my hands fall to my sides and turned around. Suddenly, Mathis’s warm lips were on mine. I sighed and relaxed into his arms, losing myself in an endless kiss. Mathis pulled me tightly against his muscled body, and I felt his excitement. His strong hands ran down my back to my hips, which responded by pressing against him. He stepped back ever so slightly and began to unbutton my blouse slowly. His hands slid up under my bra and gently massaged my breasts, and a hot wave rose inside me. I moaned. “Come on!” Mathis took my hand and pulled me toward the cabin. As we fell into the bunk, I forgot the world around me. My starved body responded to his every touch, and I gave myself to him completely. As the heat of our passion reached its boiling point, I cried out in ecstasy. Then I slept.
    In the morning, two strong hands exploring my body awakened me. Mathis’s finger penetrated me with a circular motion, and blood surged through my veins.
    “Oh my God,” I moaned. “I can’t take any more!”
    Mathis laughed hoarsely and continued undeterred. When his tongue wandered over my thighs, I nearly fainted with passion. Delicately, he drove me to the peak of pleasure and then, just as I reached it, he entered me. Every cell in my body conformed to his rhythm and together we fell into the void.
    We spent the whole day in bed, unable to get enough of each other. Mathis left the bunk only to get us food or to open another bottle of prosecco.
    “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.” Mathis’s fingers delicately traced the contours of my face. “What are we doing here, Nele?”
    “I didn’t think you were coming back,” I confessed, snuggling into the crook of his arm. “When you showed up at my door the other day, I’d just decided to leave. Without you, everything seemed so sad.”
    “It was the same for me. But I needed space so that I could make a decision. This all happened so suddenly. I tried to deny my feelings, but I couldn’t. I fell in love with you, Nele, and I’m powerless against that love. Maybe I should have sailed alone and tried to forget you. But I couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing you again. I had to come back. My God, how did we get into this mess?”
    Mathis looked so desperate; I tried to cheer him up with a laugh. “Things aren’t that bad, are they? We’ll have to find a way to make the best of things. Do we really want to spend these few days complaining