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Cool Cruising

By: EgmontGrigor2011



CHAPTER 1

Cliff Cross was preparing to sail up the coast of the French South Pacific territory of New Caledonia and was in port in the capital of Noumea topping up with diesel and water. 

He'd been ten weeks sailing up the Australian northeast coast visiting places and then crossing the Coral Sea attempting to find adventure and caught the attention of a nosy shark when he was swimming fifty yards away from his 42 ft sloop. 

It gave him a series of scares and a big adventure story to relate at the yacht club when he returned home. 

But it was the only adventure he'd had to that point that released adrenalin. The shark had decided it wasn't mealtime.

The long-time weekend sailor was over his injuries. His ex-wife had called on him with her two brothers the night the papers ending her marriage had arrived. The three of them had beaten him badly. She was such a vindictive bitch, one of the reasons he'd divorced her, and he'd never again marry on the spur of the moment. 

His mom said his recklessness over sex would be his undoing and if those three bastards had arrived with axe handles it may well have been the end of him. 

He grinned proudly when recalling one of the brothers had gone off in an ambulance with a broken jaw, a collapsed lung and seven broken ribs and he'd managed to lay his ex-wife out cold as she was about to bang him with a cast iron skillet. 

The second brother, suffering only a bleeding nose, was attempting to garrote Cliff with an electrical extension cord when the neighbors piled into the kitchen to sort out the melee ahead of the arrival of the cops.

The incident left him with cuts and severe bruising and both shoulders broken.

Bloody good neighbors were the Boswell's and McKenzie's, salt of the earth.

"Hi."

Cliff looked up to the wharf and up the dress of the woman who had an Australian accent.

Not bad pins, he thought. Pity she was wearing panties.

"Hi."

"Take me cruising."

He'd thought she'd said to take her cruising.

"Eh?"

"You're deaf. I'll come down."

"Nah I'll come up. I was thinking of going off for machine coffee."

He stepped on to the marina wharf and thought Jesus, she was almost as tall as he was and that was a short six foot one. He called it short because these days he had a slight stoop. Well he was thirty-seven.

She introduced herself as Nellie Kingston.

"You're pretty."

"What with these freckles?" she murmured, appraising him with her steady blue-eyed gaze. 

"You look to be in good shape," he said, scanning her breasts.

She ignored that close attention.

"I have $1000 dollars I can pay you to take me cruising."

He sighed and said he was happy sailing solo.

"I knew that. I've had your yacht under observation for two days and haven't seen a sign of anyone else on board. You swim a lot."

"That's because I like swimming."

"Well?"

"I don't know. Come for coffee. How old are you?"

Nellie smiled and said she was thirty-one and was a schoolteacher on a long summer break.

"Married?"

"God no."

That made Cliff grin and decide he liked her. She'd practically spat out the words 'God no' and yet hadn't gone on to say all men are assholes. She probably didn't waste her time thinking perpetually something she already thought she knew.

"Why my boat?"

"Well there are many other cruising yachts here but there are mostly families, over patriotic Americans or Australian and New Zealand guys on an epic and disgusting beer swilling and sex adventure. I wanted quite cruising and I was hoping to convince you to take me and not to pester me for sex."

"I said you were pretty. I didn't say you were sexy. Anyway how would I know if you were any good at sex?"

Nellie smiled expensively and Cliff, a marine insurance assessor, thought that smile would have been triggered by her thinking she liked him. 

She said she liked the way he thought and as he stood aside to let her go into the food joint, she smiled and said thank you.

"I'll get the coffee. Food?"

"Yeah a steak sandwich if you're paying. Hot mustard. Um thanks."

"My pleasure although I must say I don't usually fete males."

"Are you lesbian?"

Nellie snorted and that was as good as a no and told Cliff it was likely they would fight to verbal exhaustion because he didn't believe in shutting down any dame and losing a row.

She returned with a tray of two coffees, a very thick steak sandwich and for herself a modest egg sandwich.

She had the audacity to demand, "If I am to sail with you, you'll have to moderate your abrasive way of speaking."

"No way. I don't believe in shutting down for any um female."

"I rather thought that would be the case. You're obviously a New Zealander."

"Well aren't the compliments flying this morning?"

She smiled. "Where would I sleep?"

Cliff eyed Nellie steadfastly. "Safe as a bug in your hotel room."

She eyed him and said, "I see. Well let's talk about this stubbornness of yours."

Cliff felt secure, as solid as an anchor. But he'd overlooked that with Nellie being a schoolteacher she'd honed her negotiating skills dealing with unruly kids.

* * *

They motored out at dawn two mornings later, a couple of dozen seagulls and a solitary fisherman watching them chugging off.

"Seasick?"

The reply Cliff received was the look a schoolteacher gives a troublemaker.

He grinned.

"Please don't overwork your attempts at humor as we'll have long days at sea."

"You may walk around nude. That wouldn't be scary enough to make me jump overboard."

"Well that is one of the things we hadn't discussed. Thanks and you have my agreement to go around nude as well. It would be unlikely to trigger sexual surges, right?"

Cliff yawned and said he though he'd told Nellie during negotiations that his urges were presently shelved.

She smiled and scratching an ear lobe muttered something that sounded very much like fucking liar but there was no way he could be certain. He decided to listen to her more carefully. Perhaps he was need of company to get his ears and other things back in tune?

Cliff had supervised the construction of the yacht to his design and the wheel was almost hard aft, allowing the helmsman to converse with crew sitting forward on side seating. Nellie was sucking in salt air and watching the seabirds and he thought although she was a bit lean he'd willingly fuck her. There was a fair amount of tit meat to work on.

The deal was she'd do all meals so she said, "What time would you like breakfast?"

"Thanks for asking but meal times are mostly immaterial to me. You are free to decide when we eat."

"I admire this boat. It is well thought out but I must say it's no family boat."

"I thought you said you know nothing about boats and sailing?"

"I sometimes lie. I didn't want you to become too eager to take me to sea before I could gauge your character and tolerances and self-control and be very sure you didn't regard this as a cigar-smoking cruise leaving me to do all the sailing and then trying to get me to bend over for sex."

"Yeah well I lied each time I gave you the assurance I wouldn't pester you for sex."

"Yes I knew that. I didn't come down on the last shower and it must have occurred to you I'm use to dealing with little liars."

"Uh-ha. Then why did you come?"

"Because they are many things about you I don't find objectionable and have remained confident throughout that you'd not force me to have sex. Now have we done with all that enlightenment?"

"Yes when can I see you nude? That shouldn't blind me sufficiently to obscure any further enlightenment."

"When I'm ready. I would appreciate being left for a little while to sense my freedom."

Those words alerted Cliff. "You sail, don't you? You fucking liar. I bet you father has a 50-plus footer and..."

"Yes and there's no need to shout. Actually Lady Kingston is 72-feet and is fitted out for Blue Water racing."

"Aha I knew it, you fucking liar. And I bet you adore sex."

"Please don't overheat yourself behind the wheel Cliff. I don't want you having a coronary so soon into my days of cool cruising. Now shut up and let me feel my freedom."

Cliff decided he was in love with her. He'd known he'd fall for someone eventually, it would have to be female, and probably when he'd least expected it. Nellie couldn't move her body like that without having a profound feeling of sensuousness and he was confident not only her girlfriends got to enjoy administering to her body.

He snorted under his breath, "Old maid schoolteacher my ass."

He cut the revs of the motor. That slowed them by half a knot but reduced the noise.

She murmured thanks, leaned back and closed her eyes.

He was not to known Nellie was beginning to feel at peace at last. The end of year (summer in the southern hemisphere) had dumped dreadfully on her. 

* * *

Nellie's family had been in an uproar after her mom had walked into their bedroom one Saturday morning when she returned unexpectedly early from shopping, suffering a headache and what she found made her feel even worse. There she found her husband having sex with her best friend. 

Anal sex.

Both families had a bleak three weeks but the two women were got back talking and Nellie's parents were no longer discussing divorce.

During that trauma, the principal at Nellie's school had attempted to have sex with her when he caught her in the toilet during the school end-of-year staff party. She'd kneed him in the balls and elbowed him between the eyes. Someone found him and he was lead off to be patched in the sickbay. 

Nellie wrote out her resignation and handed it to the school administrator.

That evening the police arrived to take Nellie in to be interviewed about a serious allegation of assault on her headmaster.

Nellie's dad followed her to the station and being the managing partner of a major law firm in Sydney he represented her at the proceedings. The lying complainant had two lawyers with him.

The chief inspector listened to the school principal and then Nellie give their versions of what had happened.

After that everyone waited while a police surgeon examined Nellie. He reported she had no lacerations but two deep bruises were appearing on her shoulders in the spots where she'd alleged she'd been held and forcibly pushed against the vanity unit.

The chief inspector asked, "Have you anything further to allege Mr Payne, any amendments to your claims perhaps?"

The school principal spoke briefly with his senior legal counsel and said, "No I want this out-of-control woman charged with assault and sent to jail."

"Miss Kingston?"

"Nothing further to add Inspector Walsh."

"Mr Kingston?"

"You are a lying scumbag Payne and my professional advice, unsolicited, is to drop this ridiculous charge forthwith and pay my daughter $5000 in voluntary damages. If this ridiculous complaint of yours gets to court and you continue with your fabrication, I'll do my utmost to nail you to the dock by convincing the Judge you have lied through your teeth and committed perjury most foul against one of the finest teachers under your care."

The complainant's shoulders slumped.

After conferring briefly with his legal adviser, Inspector Wash said the police had no interest in taking this matter any further. If the Mr Payne wished to test his case in court he could do so as a private prosecution.

Outside the police station the senior lawyer representing Mr Payne came over to Nellie and her father and said, "My client asks would you accept a payment of $5000 and agree that payment ends this matter in all respects."

Bruce Kingston said to his daughter, "Is that what you want or do you reject it and we proceed to attempt to get Payne sacked and stripped of his accreditation as a teacher?"

"I'd prefer to take the money and run."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Right Roger have a check for $5000 drawn on your firm's trust account delivered by hand to my office at 10:00 tomorrow and Nellie will be there to sign and have her signature to document witnessed confirming her acceptance of the payment ends all action by her to seek legal redress in this matter involving your client's complaint."

"My client is not admitting guilt Bruce."

"This is no time for sick jokes Roger. That filthy bastard should swing. That was my daughter he was attempting to have sex with against her will. Christ Roger..."

"Okay Bruce we've got the message loud and clear. This is an appalling incident."

As Bruce drove off he said, "By Christ I'd love to meet that jerk Payne in a car park at night."

"Leave it dad. I fixed him up good. He still looks cross-eyed and that egg between his eyes in grotesque. Also his balls must be up like cricket balls. I timed my knee slam perfectly. Poor bastard. Little wonder his wife left him several months ago, he's a right pig. But dad leave him alone. If you don't you'll answer to me."

"Well you certainly gave it to him darling. Those self-defense courses you attended when at university have proved worthwhile. What will you do now?"

"As I said, I'll grab that check and run. I'll go beachcombing, probably New Caledonia, and contemplate my future."

"Will you take Mark with you?"

"Mark is due for a Dear John letter dad. I'll call him tonight and say au revoir."

"I approve of that. He's too hard for my likening. You need a guy with some softness and sweetness, a guy who can see your aura."

"Please dad, don't give me that challenge. All those guys have been taken."

"Look for a loner Nellie. That's the type of guy who runs deep and will do superbly with my grandchildren. You are thirty-two and that's getting on."

"Oh thanks dad. Are you and mom back to having sex?"

"Um no."

"I'll put in some hard work for you before I leave, probably on the 27th. Christ dad, anal with Betty Lucas. Nothing disgusts mom more that hearing people talk about anal sex and yet she sees you doing it on her bed to her best friend."

"It's half my bed as well."

"Try telling that to mom or a Judge dad and see where that gets you. You men can be so thick and so insular and so unreal." 

"Yes dear."

Nellie awoke and knew she was at peace. The breeze ruffled her hair and the slap of water caressed her ears like sweet music. She knew instantly that was water against a hull.

They were sailing.

She sat up and stretched, knowing Captain Cross's eyes would be tracing the outline of her nearest breast, stretched against the cotton fabric of her polo top. She thought of jiggling it for him.

Nellie looked back at the wheel. But he wasn't there; they were on self-steering.

She then smelt bacon and cussed, thinking the poor guy would be hungry and she'd let him down.

Nellie entered the saloon and yawned and said, "Hi, what time is it?"

"A little after 10:30."

"Omigod, I've let you down on my first day. I am so sorry."

"We are cruising baby, anything goes so long as we don't place ourselves in danger. It's fine."

"You are so kind," she said, wondering if he ran deep and could read auras.

"You looked so peaceful asleep I couldn't bear to awake you."

"Omigod I wish my dad could speak so gently to my mother like you have just done. What a wonderful think you said to me."

"Well the alternative of kissing your ass and yelling get my breakfast was unappealing even to me."

She laughed and his gaze jerked back to her and he said, "That was a real happy sound. You appeared a little uptight until now."

"Well I'll take the coffee up and you come with the food when ready. I'll then tell you about my awful month of December up to the time I left Sydney three days ago. Some of that will explain my comment about how I wish my father could deal with my mother more sympathetically."

"Is your father in big business?"

"He's managing partner of a large law firm."

"Don't you think that means being uptight is a carved path of life for him? It's difficult to be soft and sympathetic when you carry big responsibilities on your shoulders on a daily basis."

"Gee I've never thought of it like that. I always think of dad as dad, um except when I am in his office and see him taking calls, something using two phones and people coming to the door and calling to him and he looking at me, smiling reassuringly, having said the interruption would not take long before he was in the clear and could resume talking to me. It would be like that most days for him I guess."

"Yes."

"And mom growls at him when arrives for midweek lunch. I've been there when she's done it and he just smiles and says sorry and when she goes on he smiles and gives little shrugs. Omigod."

"It pays to have empathy and as well it's fair to acknowledge it's the life he chose for himself."

"That's deep."

"Perhaps I'm a deep person."

"What color is my aura?"

Cliff glanced at her and said it's...no I shouldn't be talking like this. Food's ready. Off you go with the coffee."

Nellie whispered to herself that Cliff could see auras, or at least she thought her could. Perhaps she'd misunderstood what he was saying.

Out of habit (in the skipper's case out of necessity) they both scanned 360 degrees as they emerged up the companionway and rechecked the course they were sailing for anything untoward from a mostly submerged shipping container if they could indeed spot such a hazard to a ship or any disturbed water. The alarm-equipped radar was on but nothing and nobody was infallible in every situation at sea.

Cliff erected the custom-built collapsible table and he chose to eat facing her rather that sitting beside her. 

"Right I'm listening," he said, cutting a piece of bacon and Nellie told him about the anal sex incident and the sexual assault on her by the school principal.

"Wow you have had an upsetting time," he said. "For what it's worth I think you handled both incidents admirably apart from resigning your job instead of negotiating with the authorities for a transfer."

"Thank you."

"You should be pretty proud of yourself in getting your parents to cuddle. Your mother would feel terribly wounded but your little speech that life goes on obvious struck the responsive chord it needed to have the necessary impact."

She almost purred when saying, "It was tough but at least they committed to taking the first steps, pushed by me saying I wouldn't leave unless they attempted positive reconciliation."

Cliff appeared to be contemplating something. Finally he said, "My ex wife was frequently at me to engage in anal. Finally she pushed me over the top and we got it underway. The disgusting think about it for me was much later after a row one night she told me one of her brothers had introduced her to anal. I placed my hands over my ears in case she told me which brother and she jeered, 'Cry baby, cry baby' and I slapped her, not too hard, in fact not hard enough because she picked up a chair and broke it over my back, felling me to the ground."

"Omigod."

"We started off really okay but in the third year things began falling apart and it became very difficult living with her. I suspect she was on drugs but never found evidence of that. I finally filed for divorce and our marriage was dissolved just over two months ago and soon after that I gave up my rented bolt hole and sailed across to Port Macquarie and then up the Australian coast to Rockhampton and then over to here."

"Oooh what a lovely sail. What was the highlight?"

"Looking up at you on the wharf two days ago."

"Oooh. When do you have to be back home?"

"I took six months leave of absence with the agreement of my three partners. We are marine assessors and are contracted by insurance companies to make damage assessments and valuation appraisals by insurance companies, which means we can be pretty flexible about taking leave. When someone takes leave he's out of the profit split for that period and the remaining partners work harder and make more money in compensation. It works well."


Cool Cruising



Nellie took the dishes down and cleaned up the galley and when she came back up Cliff placed her on watch and she decided to steer manually. Cliff went down below and booted up his computer and planned more legs of the cruise from downloaded options. They had some great places, world-renown places, to enter sheltered waters behind barrier reefs where the waters were clear, the marine life was prolific and the beaches were populated by birds and various other creatures and with adventurers much like themselves.

Cliff came back up with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"Oooh."

He gawked. She was topless and they were two beauties.

"Stare if you must," she said haughtily.

"They are beauties."

"Oooh."

"You have moved your stuff into the master's cabin. I had offered you that option but you said no and took the single cabin. Am I now supposed to move out?"

"No. I have decided to sleep with you in, um, friendship. We can do that without sex can't we?"

"Of course."

"Well don't look so grumpy."

"I'm not, I reveling in the fact that you feel comfortable enough to walk out me showing your tits."

Nellie dropped her shorts and panties in the one movement.

"Now you can see all of me and I feel extremely comfortable because the male around me is you. I feel comfortable with you.

"Then you won't mind if I rush off and masturbate."

"God you are foul," she giggled. "Perhaps one day I'll ask you to demonstrate how far you can squirt when jacking off."

"Wine?" Cliff asked huskily. She said yes please and his hand shook as he poured.

He missed her big toothy smile as she caught the wobbly pour. She wasn't to know Cliff had faked that for her benefit.

Cliff took the drink to her and said looking into her eyes, "Nice tits."

Nellie tilted her head and closed her eyes and was kissed.

"God I'm so relaxed," she said, and offered, "I can even fall asleep having sex."

"How interesting," Cliff said, sitting back away from her and smoothing out his bulge and then removing his polo shirt.

At 2:30 he read the signs and said the wind that hadn't risen above a stiff breeze at its peak, was dying.

"I think we should give up, motor in to behind an inner reef and anchor."

"Aye, aye Captain."

He smiled and turned to starboard and began lowering the main while without being asked Nellie released the sheets and operated the mechanism to furl the foresail.

Nellie returned to stand beside him behind the wheel.

"You haven't attempted to touch me since I undressed?"

That sounded like an invitation or was it schoolteachers enjoy abstract concepts?

Cliff put an arm around her shoulders and rested his hand against the end of her top shoulder.

She snuggled in and said in simple approval, "That's lovely."

They chatted easily and Cliff checked the printout from his electronic charts of the nautical readings and landmarks in this area and lined up the bow of 'Bluewater Assessor' with the visual mark he'd chosen, a small gap between two groups of pines on a ridge.

"So your ex didn't get her hands on the yacht?"

"Nope because mom was smart enough to push me into getting a pre-nuptial signed and registered in which we both named respective assets we wished to have separated from marital property. The house came later so we had to split the sale of that so she did get something out of it as well as her vehicle I bought her after the marriage."

"It's tough when the crap hits the fan."

He grinned and squeezed her and said yeah.

"There's broken water not two far up ahead."

Cliff nodded.

"We appear to be in the gap in the reef but I'll go forward and keep an eye out for coral heads and rocks although I see by the reading we have plenty of water beneath."

As Nellie stepped away she had her bum smacked and squealed. Well hadn't she queried apprehensively about not being touched?

The came into the bay without mishap and anchored well off to ensure the deep keel remained clear of the bottom irrespective of tidal changes and swells.

When anchored, they looked to shore and saw the incredibly white stand and then looked over the guardrails into crystal clear water and saw nature at its best, with myriads of life forms including edible fish and, the sailors totally unconscious of each other's reaction, smacked their licked their lips.

"This is paradise," Cliff breathed.

"Oh yeah and little wonder those world-circling yachtsmen from places such as Le Havre, Cadiz, Naples, Gdynia, San Francisco, Montreal, St Petersburg, Aarthus and Buscan to name a few feel they've reached boating and beach paradise when they arrive here." 

"Yeah and that was a mouthful from you. It will be island paradise providing they don't rip the bottom of the boat out on a reef," Cliff said. "But I hear what you are saying... imagine those guys being here swimming in the sea warmed to 24 degrees while their countrymen up north battle against snow and ice, sleet and messy thaw."

Cliff checked that the anchor was holding and everything that should be closed down was closed down and he then caught Nellie napping. Ripping off his shorts he called "Coming?" and went over the guardrail in a graceful swan dive and hearing Nellie yell "I saw you cock... wait for me" before his fingertips knifed through the surface of a fascinating and exotic marine world, albeit one where a few of its inhabits could harm the intruding human swimmer.

They frolicked in the water, rather like kids, both being very strong swimmers and Nellie unconcerned about being pulled underwater and not wailing 'Oh my hair'.

Twice she pulled Cliff's hand into her groin and once she went underwater and licked his half-erection but nothing eventuated. If Nellie was disappointed about the lack of sexual stimulation she didn't show it.

Eventually they climbed aboard and drying her face she looked at Cliff who was drying his hair she said, "Aren't you interested in sex?"

He stared at her and asked what had given her that idea?

"Well in the water you didn't attempt... you know."

"I'm going forward to launch the inflatable and then attached the outboard. I had this planned. While I'm doing that you get a rug, a bottle of wine, two glasses and some snacks. We'll then go ashore and fuck on the ever so soft sand."

"Oh god, I'm sorry I jumped the gun."

"It's fine. At least I know you're keen and of course you are free to hurry me along if that's how you feel."

Flashing him a dazzling smile, Nellie began humming and practically bounced down the steps into the saloon.

On the beach they fucked for the first time like animals. Nellie was practically screaming for it but even without that hot persuasion Cliff was aroused and knew where his pecker was anxious to be.

It was short, punishing and messy and lying back red-faced and panting, Nellie said, "Wow."

That acclaim satisfied them both perfectly.

They rested and she said, "So anal is out?"

"No I'm hadn't meant to give you that impression. I regard it as a possible option."

"Me too," she said sleepily. "I'm more concerned about who wants to do it to me rather than the size of his dick."

"Good thinking," he laughed. "I like it. You have an interesting way of expressing yourself. Bath in the warm sea to clean up. Our fluids on and in you will provide fish with protein. I'm off on a walk because I feel exhilarated."

"Because of me?"

"Yes entirely. You have set me free, driving away my resentment and restoring my manliness."

"Oooh. Please walk with me again later after I nap. Can you see auras around people?"

"Sometimes."

She smiled and left it at that and told him to have a drink and to kiss her before he left.

They sailed for a month and circling the main island Grand Terre and some offshore islands returned to Noumea where they stayed for three days before Nellie left for the airport to fly home and Cliff sailed back around the bottom of the island to head to Fiji.

"Thanks," she said simply and handed him another check for A$1000 to spend on provisioning.

He accepted the money without attempted refusal.

"And thanks for the sex but above all thanks for the sailing," Nellie said. "I'm now a new woman and the sex was the best it has ever been for me."

"You'd make a great lover Nellie."

She couldn't look at him but he could tell under her embarrassment she was hugely pleased. Cliff though being in such close contact with Nellie for a month, he probably knew her better than she knew herself. He could read her expressions and knew all her gestures, right to the tiniest movement. It didn't occur to him she now knew him exactly like that too.

They kissed.

Her blue eyes bored into his green eyes as she brushed back his unruly sun-bleached dark hair. "I'm not saying goodbye in the sense of terminal goodbye. I expect you to come to Sydney to see me."

"I'll have to settle back and work hard for some months. Yes I must."

"Then come and stay with me next Christmas."

"Okay that's a date. The bus driver is waiting impatiently for you."

"Christ I wish I were out sailing. Bye lover."

She kissed both her eyes and stepped aboard. The door closed with a hiss and Cliff waved sadly and was unable to see through the darkened windows of the coach.

God what an excellent month he'd had. That time had crawled beyond belief actually.

They kept in contact, calling each other every two to three weeks.

Nellie now taught environmental studies to junior classes at a high school and as they were finishing the call always said, "Remember our Christmas date" and he'd say "Confirmed".

But as Christmas approach Cliff had three options to consider:

•Being in Sydney with Nellie

•Acting as sailing skipper for a client who wished to sail from Auckland to Honolulu with his family from mid-December

•Manning the office because both his partners wished to take off six weeks from mid-December.

It was a no-brainer really. He agreed to work through summer. Nellie was devastated when he called with the news and ended the call abruptly. He didn't call her again and she didn't call him.

He'd been dating other women but it just hadn't worked. None of them fucked liked Nellie. And they really weren't up to scratch in other areas as well so it was a no-brainer and he didn't commit to any one of them. Cliff was shocked when he finally admitted what was in the back of his mind: it had to be Nellie if he were to settle on another woman. That was being ridiculous and he's probably unconsciously set her standards too high to avoid her being toppled by a promising competitor.

Ridiculous yes but there was a glimmer of hope. If he'd been unable to find a suitable replacement, had she? If she hadn't what would be her thoughts?

Cliff decided to do nothing till March when he'd email her and say he'd be in Sydney for three weeks at Easter and would like to see her.

* * *

Nellie arrived home sporting a beautiful tan and looking extremely fit and happy. Her parents were delighted.

They appeared calm and she saw them actually touch a couple of times within the first hour of being back with them. Oh that was so good. She couldn't believe it when she was at a restaurant with her father some days later when her mother had gone to stay with her mother in the Blue Mountains for a night, and he said her mother was now enjoying anal sex.

Nellie wasn't sure she should have been told that but now that she had been told she asked, "So you two have reformed your relationship?"

"Oh good question. Yes with give and take on both sides."

"With mum making the biggest concession by agreeing to take it up the butt."

Her father looked embarrassed but then smiled and said a good question. "That could be correct but I see the biggest concession was me continuing to pay all her bills but trebling her monthly allowance so that she could feel she was financially independent."

"So you are effectively paying for sex and affection?"

"Nope I don't see it that way at all," Bruce said. "I didn't want Joyce to work so that she could raise a family as well as being available to accompany me whenever I travel, and that's fairly frequently. Now she has money to go off by herself to visit friends or do anything she wishes to do without replying on my approval. What she has gained is her freedom, a real feeling of independence."

"God I have acquired very modern parents," Nellie giggled. "I approve of this radical change. I guess you feel this reformation allows you to play around."

"No," her father said smiling. "I've always played around."

Nellie was too embarrassed to keep looking at him. God what a tough bastard her father was.

She'd cried for two hours, unknown to her parents, when Cliff had called to shatter his Christmas dream. She'd had this notion he'd arrive and within a couple of days would have proposed. Well not to be. She'd cut the call abruptly.

Nellie had expected him to call back but he didn't and she waited and then felt embarrassed about calling him. Then a new guy living opposite invited her out and she accepted and within a week were screwing like crazy but after a while she realized it was only a release of passion each time they did it and nothing else came from it apart from big smiles and some accolades. She didn't get the feeling of being loved she always felt when being fucked by... well there was no need to go down that blind alley. She dumped the guy after a couple of months and guys seemed to know she needed it because they appeared and hit on her in sufficient numbers so she always had at least one date going.

When she was lunching with her father, the adulterer whom she couldn't stop loving as her dad, she finally told him about the termination with Cliff.

She'd expected him to be sympathetic but he wasn't also he did say a couple of comforting things but then spoilt that by saying brutally that he'd find someone else and she'd find someone and both of them would no longer think so intently about being connected passionately.

Oh yeah, but she would. She wondered what her mother's thoughts were when being anally penetrated by her husband. They might not be very pretty. God why were relationships often such a fuck-up?

She decided to wait and no nothing about it, thinking something would happen eventually.

Two days before Christmas Nellie received a courier package. She opened it and found an engagement ring.

She couldn't believe it and searched and searched for a message. She called the courier company and the customer services manager checked and said the package had originated in New Zealand but the sender had requested his identity not be released.

Cliff!

It was a little too tight.

She took it to a jeweler and when she returned to collect it she asked for a valuation and was told her replacement would cost approximately $3750.

Two days after she began wearing it her mother said, "That's an engagement ring."

"Yes."

"Well?"

"Oh come on Nellie, stop playing games."

"It came to me anonymously."

"Oh really? Let me look at it."

"God this is a $2000 ring. Did it come from that guy in Auckland you sailed with?"

"I expect it did."

"Then phone him to confirm."

"No I'm waiting for him to contact me."

"When will that be?"

"I have no idea."

Joyce shouted in frustrated, "I can't believe how stupid you are over this. Call him."

"No."

Her mom gritted, "What if he doesn't call you?"

"Then I'll have a beautiful ring but no engagement."

"God I'm off to have a drink."

"Have two mum, you need to calm down."

The bedroom door slammed.

Running a shallow bath, she shaved her legs, armpits and vulva and then rested back after draining the bath and began a warm water and hopefully hairless refill. She examined the ring and tried to remember details from the valuation certificate. It has 10 found side stones individually clawed into the platinum setting with a round 1.21 carat round center diamond, um ideal cut and really high clarity, S12 she thought.

Looking at the ring made Nellie thing she should go and fetch her waterproof vibrator but she felt a little lazy. She reached down and thought that was good but could be better. She twisted the ring on her finger and tried again and moaned as she every so gently rubbed her clit and it felt s-o-o-o good. She was almost asleep and with the running water quite high enough when she ejaculated and that brought her out of her state of half-dreaming, imaging the head of Cliff's cock was massaging her as he held gently worked his erection up and down over her outer pussy lips.

She signed and felt very content, reaffirming she had to wait patiently and it would happen.

* * *

Across the Tasman Sea in Auckland, New Zealand, the equally frustrated Cliff Cross was also caught in sexual and emotional limbo. His passion dulled from missing close contact with Nellie, and like her he had only himself to love but like her that wasn't enough. They both knew whom they wanted to hold, cherish and love.

Was that such a big ask?

CHAPTER 2

It happened quite unexpectedly for Cliff. He'd arrived at a dinner party at the home of the Commodore of the Royal Mt Eden Yacht Club unaccompanied and the thoughtful hostess had thoughtfully seated 'the dashing bachelor Mr Cross' beside Melanie, her adult daughter from her first marriage.

Initially Melanie probably saw nothing dashing about Cliff Cross, who looked bored to his back teeth and his suit was in need of dry-cleaning. But when he asked what did she do for a crust (what was her occupation) she replied ski instruction down in the South Island at Queenstown, he appeared to come alive.

"I adore skiing and have a week in Colorado every winter."

She asked where and named a couple of resorts.

"Yeah I've been to them. Dad and mom began taking my older sister and me to Colorado when I was nine. But these days I settle for the occasional change to Jackson Hole, Wyoming or to Vail in Colorado where I know quite a few people or I take a 6-day heli-ski package at Silverton that seems so un-American and delivers my liking for skiing fresh power."

"Silverton? Then you can really ski?"

"I think so but then are all tend to get big-headed about what we do well, don't we?"

Melanie turned to talk to him more intimately. Their knees touched and she may have meant to pull away but somehow that just didn't happen.

Much to her mother's delight, Melanie went home with Cliff that night.

Melanie went down on Cliff as he drove home in his black SUV and inside the apartment overlooking the marina they left a trail of clothes. She was strong and had endurance and obviously loved sex. She had a big pussy and small tits whereas in respect of size Cliff would have preferred had the 25-year old had those sizes reversed but really he had no complaints. Melanie was so good at it and that told him she probably only skied and fucked. The downside was she lived and worked six months in New Zealand, more than 600 miles from where he lived and worked and then for the other six months she lived and worked in the Northern Hemisphere ski season, usually in North America.

Yeah it was a downside but at least he could fly down to Queenstown every weekend more or less for six months each year to be with her. The expense would be worth it, expensive sex but worth it.

However, the bubble about some sort of permanent liaison with Melanie exploded next morning when she brought him awake feasting on his morning erection.

He loved it.

When they both lay back, sated, she said brightly, "What should we do today between bouts of sex?"

Cliff eyed the drying semen on her chest and didn't have to think, "Let's go sailing."

"Christ no, I get seasick when I step on to a jetty."

After that day their brief liaison was over.

During the lunch break a couple of days later the frustrated Cliff fucked the office manager over his desk and Mrs Adams was delighted because usually Cliff showed no interest in her. Well he was the younger partner by far.




Cool Cruising



That was the week when Cliff had the brilliant idea of ensuring that Nellie, the one woman in his life he rarely cared about, maintained her interest in him. He guessed she might share his frustration in being unable to find a suitable replacement social partner. It could backfire or it could succeed brilliantly. He went to a quality jewelry shop.

Cliff selected the senior and elegantly dressed saleswoman, told her briefly about Nellie, her likes and dislikes and her coloring.

The saleswoman advised him professionally. "Buying cheap won't do it and sending an expensive ring might also fail."

"Would you keep the ring under such circumstances if it arrived for you Martha."

"Oh yes but then I'm the romantic type."

Cliff didn't know what type Nellie was or even what other types were there to choose from. He just said, "Show me what you've got Martha."

She chuckled and gave him 'the look' but became professional and began showing him the options in ring design. 

After sending off the ring Cliff waited and waited in vain for the call from Nellie to break the deadlock from her end. It didn't come but at the same time she hadn't sent back the unsolicited and almost anonymous gift. She'd have the brains to know it was quite an expensive ring and know they would be only one person in her live who'd do something like that and not enclose a note. She'd know it was a message.

But was Nellie now wearing the ring and being called a fucking idiot by her mom that Cliff had yet to meet? He believed he would be correct on both counts.

Cliff resumed dating women, mainly for social intercourse but if they wished to be fucked he would oblige, happily in fact.

At quiet times when out sailing alone he often wondered in this relationship with Nellie would be the strangest the world had ever known but always came to the same conclusion: it would not come close.

* * *

Nellie's mother was angry. "These young men I line up for you... you just used them for sex and then spit them out."

"Yes of course mother. I go for quality and as my procurer you have failed to supply that."

"God you ungrateful little bitch. From now on you find your own men."

"Thank you mother."

Nellie had completed her online master's in education and had won a position at a top private school for girls where 90% of the teachers and support staff were female and that meant her exposure to males had reduced dramatically. She countered that by having her fair hair colored ash blonde and replaced her bras with tighter ones and had her mother almost frothing at the mouth in disgust.

But it worked. She or her mom no longer had to find men; men found her.

Enjoying a really active and constant sex life again, Nellie began to wonder if she'd over-stated in her mind just how good sex with Cliff had been and in other ways how he and she had fitted together like left and right-handed gloves.

Her late gran, married young to an infantryman during World War 11, had told Nellie when a young teenager, she'd coped with the absence of her new husband for almost four years by using a quotation as solace, 'Absence makes thy heart grow fonder.'

Well? Yes perhaps this long separation and loss of contact was similar to what her gran had endured and her mind was attempting to immortalize her relationship with Cliff as something extraordinarily. All men had dicks and it should be obvious to any woman that some used their dicks better than others, were more considerate to their female partner than others and possessed a greater array of qualities than others.

And Cliff, a recent divorcee, had taken her aboard his yacht to ensure he had a supply of pussy to ejaculate in while her circumnavigated Grand Terre. Everything they'd done had been what he wanted to do. Oh yeah, everything was for Cliff the seducer's benefit. When she'd had her period he didn't back off, he'd switched to anal sex.

But Nellie's mind was not standing for that bullshit. It forced her to remember how he'd resisted taking her aboard although he couldn't keep his eyes off her breasts. Yes it had been touch and go. She finally got aboard by convincing him she didn't want sex or at least she didn't want him pestering her for sex.

They had natural affinity, being two hurt people adrift. Even so it hadn't been easy.

She'd be a liar to insist they only did things he wanted. She recalled he asked her every morning, either before or after sex, what did she wish to do that day and within a couple of days of sailing she'd simply reply whatever he wished to do.

And which of them had been the most eager for sex? Nellie blushed knowing that answer.

He'd awake during the night and listen to her breathing and would say, "God after all that swimming and sex you're awake?" She'd yawn and say yes. He'd fetch them chilled water and chat, yes chat and he would caress her but very lightly and avoiding the places he'd know could arouse her. Now how many guys would hold back like that knowing they had at least one more shot ready to fire?

What's more, he'd allowed her freedom to go for a quiet walk or swim by herself whenever she'd say she was going for a walk or a swim and had not invited him. And if he wanted more sex and she didn't what was had been his response? Yes, quite.

Slowly Nellie filtered out the crap and was left with the absolute conviction that he was the best lover and best male companion she'd ever had and perhaps would ever have and he was worth enduring all this noncommunicative crap until he was ready to trigger something.

On Sunday morning Nellie was in bed and heard her phone she'd left in the kitchen. She heard her mother coming and covered up because the guy she'd been had knocked her around a bit because she'd refused to have sex with him because he was too drunk. She had reddish patches on her shoulders and bruising was appearing on her left breast. The bastard had punched her but fortunately he'd not gone for her face. Two young guys had come to her rescue when she'd left the car screaming with her assailant in pursuit. They'd beaten him up pretty savagely and she regarded that as rough justice and accepted she'd been stupid getting into the car with her date but did so when he'd suggested she'd better drive.

Joyce handed her the phone and said, "It's one of your many male friends."

"Hi it's Nellie."

"So you have a raft of male friends from what I hear?"

"Cliff," she screamed.

Nellie heard her mom say as she walked out the door, "Oh so that scoundrel thinks it's time to come sniffing around."

* * *

Nellie was almost peeing in excitement as passengers from the Qantas flight from Auckland began emerging from the secure area at Sydney International Airport. She attempted to calm herself to not be overly friendly. In fact she thought she should act coldly and somewhat distant.

Her mom and dad had wanted to accompany her but she'd said no, it could be a difficult reunion. She'd like to have it patched up before they were introduced to him.

Her mom had said, "Yes that guy needs a severe tongue lashing.

Her father said quietly, "Nellie push the shit aside and start all over again and see how it goes before making real decisions. If you think about it, your association has endured despite months of no-talkies."

Nellie was felt thinking well they both were right. And now she was confused. She drove to the airport thinking about what her maternal gran, who had a liking for simple quotations, would have said in such a situation. Oh yeah, "Play it by ear."

Jesus that was great advice."

She looked at the stream of arrivals who included people from other flights when a voice said in her left ear, "Hello Nellie. Great tits."

"Cliff," she screamed and flung herself into his arms and rained kisses on him.

They broke apart, breathing heavily, well at least she was, and both ignored the laughing people around them.

"Oh yes, I remember you as the woman who loves to kiss."

Nellie couldn't believe how some of the women around them were staring at Cliff, looking as if they wanted a piece of him.

She took his arm and he pushed his luggage on a trolley as they walked to the exit.

Cliff said something so banal that a novelist would never think of writing, "Well what have you been doing since I last saw you?"

"That was eight fucking months ago," she wailed, although not greatly upset.

"Really, was it that long ago. You should be kept in touch more often."

Nellie sighed thinking she could cheerfully club him. He was such a fucking tease.

"This is my mother..."

"Hello Mother."

"... Joyce Kingston."

"Good morning Mr Cross."

"What no kiss?"

"I'm contemptuous of you because of the way you've held my daughter in limbo."

"Well that doesn't make me admire you ma'am, and what about you sir?"

"Oh Cliff please call me Bruce. Welcome to Sydney. My daughter simply adores you. She tells my you sail."

"Yes Bruce. Can we go sailing now? I can't wait to board Lady Kingston and the close confinement might soften your good wife's hard attitude toward me. There's nothing like knifing thought water on a good vessel to set people on equal footing."

"Well I expect I could call up a couple of mates for crew."

"Christ Bruce, she's only 72 ft, not the Titanic. There are four of us. Your wife can steer can't she?"

"Well yes..."

"No thank you. Count me out."

Cliff eyed Bruce steadily. "I'd call that mutiny captain. You ought to deal with it."

"You are coming sailing Joyce. Please don't spoil Nellie's big day."

"And if I refuse?"

"I'll put your over my knee in full view of the public, lift your dress right back and..."

"God what a horrible day I'm having. Very well. We will have to refuel and provision so that's two hours of sailing time gone."

"It's a fairly stiff southerly and according to harbor conditions I checked on the Internet in Auckland early this morning, the wind is expected to hold up all day and right now the tide is one and a half hours after full tide so if we sail down harbor well come back on a tidal flow', so not diesel consumption. And we can stop at just one deli on the way to the marina and get simple food. There will be wine and beer and rum on board, well that's my guess."

Bruce looked at Cliff with respect. "Right on sailor."

"Oh god," Joyce gritted. 

At the marina they walked down the finger float. Bruce jumped aboard to unlock and start the diesel engine to warm it up. The two women waited and Cliff walked the length of Lady Kingston, admiring her. He returned to the women, kissed Nellie and lifted her over the guard railing onto the deck.

"Board mom."

"Mrs Kingston?"

"All right but mind how you go, I'm heavier than Nellie."

"Thanks for the warning. Please keep your tits away from my hands."

He could see her struggling to hold off to block a smile.

Joyce was lifted aboard with some effort just as Bruce arrived with the short aluminum gangway.

He looked at Joyce in surprise and said, "How did you get aboard?"

She said, "Ask Superman."

The thaw was underway.

An hour later they had changed course to avoid a Saturday racing fleet and Bruce said to Cliff to relieve Joyce at the wheel. A few minutes later he handed Cliff a new can of beer and asked what did Cliff think.

"She's a quality craft, well-fitted out and everything I've seen looks A-1 condition. It's a little early for me to comment but I'd said she could do with fine-tuning of the rigging by experts. I sense she should go a bit faster when reaching."

"Thanks you're the second person to have suggested that. We are only pleasure sailing at present but I get then done before we enter the Winter Sailing Series."

Later when Nellie was at the wheel Joyce called, "That launch coming across on port is on a collusion course with us."

"I see it mom."

Half a minute later Joyce called, "This is a two million dollar boat Nellie, bear away."

"What should I do?" Nellie asked Cliff."

"Hold your course. We have right away whatever way you look at it. Just keep your hand near the hooter."

Joyce yelled, "Do something Bruce."

Bruce said laconically, "Cliff is with her. They will have talked about it."

Nellie said, "This is why mom is not with us when we race. Oh Christ that bastard is holding course."

"Give him another fifteen seconds. My pick it he's seen a bikini babe at the wheel and is attempting to bluff her. He has the power and maneuverability to get clear."

Ten seconds later the launch changed course and headed to pass behind them. The four guys aboard waved and whistled and the skipper yelled, "You've got guts and great tits baby."

"God those buffoons ought to be marooned on Fort Denison Island (Pinchgut)," Joyce said. "Did Cliff tell you to hold course?"

"What do you think mum?" Nellie said and could see her dad grinning.

With clear water ahead, Nellie hauled off her top and Cliff removed his.

"Nellie!"

"Get your tits out as well Mrs Kingston. It's how sailing is meant to be."

He was ignored but saw Joyce and Bruce conversing. Next time Cliff looked up Joyce was wearing only panties and Bruce had removed his shirt.

They had all dressed to enter the marina. It had cooled anyway. They docked, with Cliff at the wheel.

After leaving everything shipshape, they sat back in the saloon drinking wine and Joyce said, "You're a fine sailor Cliff. Would be like to go sailing tomorrow? I'll get full provisions aboard in the morning and invite a young sailing couple we know to go with you."

"Thanks Joyce but I'm only here for two weeks. During that time I aim to allow you and Bruce to really get to know me as the guy who will take your daughter away from you. I have to talk to Nellie about organizing an engagement party for next Saturday; I see she is wearing her engagement ring. So tomorrow I suggest we sail again together but on the condition you bare your tits again Joyce."

"I'm embarrassed, I have sag."

"Christ Joyce you look great for your age. They are nowhere near your knees."

She shrieked in laughter and said she was now ready to give him a welcome kiss.

As soon as they got home, Nellie took Cliff to bed while her mum prepared late dinner.

Nellie grabbed the thick cock and licked it and then squeezed the balls hard and said, "Why did you stop communicating with me?"

He grabbed a tit and squeeze, making her squirm. "You were just as guilty as I was. It was power play."

"I'm not sure about power play but the separation of distance had me so frustrated I was ready to go mad. It made any attempt of maintaining a close relationship seem so futile and then when you cancelled your intention to come here at Christmas I was devastated and wished to hurt you by not calling you. I could have gone to Auckland as it was the summer school break."

"Yeah and I knew that. I guess we started by trying each other out and then it became a matter of neither of us wishing to yield and I don't see that as being such a bad thing when all the time we knew we were only a telephone call away."

Nellie said yes, they were both strong willed people and both had been prepared to blow a romance over failure to pick up the phone.

Cliff nodded and said he knew it was childish but it seemed pointless to get over-excited about a reunion that wouldn't happen any time soon."

"Yeah that was my thinking too," she said. "I knew you weren't totally stupid and that you knew we were so right for each other."

Smiling, Cliff said yeah he agreed. "Sit on it now."

"What without foreplay?"

"You have been aroused for most of the day. I could smell you."

"God Cliff you are disgusting. You had opportunity to attend to my need on the boat."

"Yeah but doing it this way is much better. I wanted us to remember our reunion in the best possible way. You are oozing. Push it in."

Nellie knew what he was saying made sense. She pushed down, facing him and was quickly underway. He caught her flying tits and squeezed and that brought her into her first released.

She just loved it.

They looked good when they were together... she had photos to prove it. And they were good together when they fucked ... she had vivid memories about that and now was receiving absolute confirmation. 

He felt her come again and that had him shooting up inside her.

"God are you protected?"

"Yes of course. Come on, don't tail off. You haven't lost your staying power I hope."

They were ready when called for dinner and arrived in the dining room looking casual and found Joyce in there alone; Bruce was in the kitchen decanting red wine.

Joyce's jaw dropped when she saw how slouched they both were.

"Omigod, what have you two been doing?"

As if she didn't know!

THE END