Chapter 2

Stephanie had known the captain for a good few years since they’d done a training course together, and they’d developed a good friendship. She’d known he ‘liked’ her and she enjoyed his easy compliments and the occasional slip when he overstepped the mark. It was good for her ego and she knew not to let it go to her head.

They’d agreed to do some work together, and they’d run a very successful short retreat in Bali a few months previously. They’d gelled as a team in Bali, and a delicious energy had crackled between them but they’d had neither the energy nor the time to do anything about it as it had been a whirlwind.

Even the clients on the retreat had noticed the energy between them - and a one or two of the women had said to Stephanie “Well if you’re not sleeping with him, I hope you don’t mind if I do.” There was not a chance he would sleep with a client while a workshop was on. Stephanie just smiled and laughed and said “Go for it” to the women who asked.

The captain was twenty years older than her, and the sense of adventure and accomplishment he had brought into her life with the retreat was intoxicating. And with the clients on the retreat, she was a respected partner to the captain and a leader in the workshops that she ran. Working the long hours with their clients was so very rewarding seeing them awaken to new possibilities. And the money they made was good.

Back home, her friends were still talking about boyfriends, engagements and weddings and it was fun but not fulfilling. In her corporate office she was the respected thought-leader but she was bored. Stephanie was a 31 year old married woman, with her corporate role in marketing. She and her husband were “saving every penny” for a house deposit. They had been together almost 7 years now, he was almost twice the weight he was when they met and while the love was there, the buzz was not. She loved her husband of three years, but Stephanie wanted more. She knew she was ripe and ready for an adventure.

The captain didn’t ask her to come to the Thailand retreat - he just told her. He was standing on the steps of the Westin in Nusa Dua. She was sharing a taxi to the airport with some of the clients, and he said “See you in Thailand in three months Stephanie” and she met his eyes and nodded “Sure.”

Two weeks later, an email arrived showing business-class tickets had been booked for her to fly to Bangkok. The return ticket to Sydney was 14 days after the outward flight. The note saying our Thailand retreat will be in Chiang Mai and a link to the most amazing looking resort. Her stomach flipped when she saw it was clothing-optional. “Fucking hell” she breathed.

Stephanie called the captain “Clothing optional? You have to be fucking joking? What the fuck do I say to any of my friends or my husband when they find out?”

She heard his deep laugh and he said “I admit it’s a bit of a twist. We’ve got the place booked out - so there won’t be any other guests at the resort, and we’ll put no-nudity ground rules in place for the duration of the retreat. You’re a big girl, I think you can work out what to say to anyone who asks.”

“And two weeks? The retreat is only five days? What the fuck about that? How the fuck am I suppose to get the time off work?” Stephanie wasn’t letting him off the hook that easily.

Again another deep laugh “You saw my new pricing. Eighty percent of the spots are already filled by clients that have paid in full. You are going to do exactly what you are asked and it’s going to make you double what the last one did. If you help me close the remainder, there’s a 50% bonus and a week relaxing on a sailing yacht in the Gulf of Thailand. Are you going to turn me down?”

Stephanie knew exactly what the butterflies of excitement in her stomach, and the subtle clenching in her abdomen, were all about. The retreat was three days in duration. Arrive on day one, do three long 12 hour days, and then the clients departed on day five. That left nine days for what?

“No photos, video or social media posts until after we return home - and then only the usual stuff we do to promote the business. No nudity. Money up-front. And I can choose to leave anytime I like” Stephanie fired back rapidly.

“I love it when you’re feisty, your passion is intoxicating” the captain laughed again.

He continued “Check the ticket - it’s fully flexible fare. You can make changes without penalty upto 24 hours before the flight leaves. You can choose to stay longer” he teased.

“You are a cheeky son of a fucking bitch” spat Stephanie and dropped the call.

She knew that the nine days would give them a lot of spare time. But there was no way in hell that she wasn’t going. And she could leave earlier, not later. Stephanie decided that she wouldn’t explain to her husband - she would just tell him that she’d be doing two weeks on this retreat, and that she’d make double the money this time. Which she was.

Her Mum wanted details. Who was this guy? What was Stephanie’s relationship with him? She told her Mum “It’s strictly business Mum. We did really well in Bali, and this one is going to be even better.” Her Mum looked at her but didn’t say anything. Stephanie knew that her Mum only wanted to keep her safe.

Stephanie was sick and tired of being the dutiful eldest daughter that had always been expected to step up and be the responsible one and be the role-mode for her two younger sisters. It was way outside the unspoken cultural code of conduct of her upbringing.

But Stephanie knew that she HAD to try out her wings and take a leap into the winds of life and soar, not knowing where she was going to land. Otherwise she would just be like all the other chooks in the yard - too afraid to go outside the fence and explore the forest.

It was the emotional risks that Stephanie was far more concerned about. The energy of her connection with the captain was unique.

At her corporate job Stephanie’s boss, Gemma, agreed to the two weeks unpaid leave without a question. Gemma had heard all about Bali and she fully approved of Stephanie’s side-project, and even told Stephanie to book two of the days as paid volunteer-leave. Stephanie’s energy at work had sizzled since Bali and Gemma felt there was a bit more to the story than what Stephanie had told her.

Gemma knew that the only way that you got to grow was by putting yourself out there. If Gemma was honest with herself, she was somewhat jealous but she wasn’t going to be petty and stop Stephanie from exploring life.

Despite her passionately angry outburst, Stephanie talked with the captain every week or so leading up to the retreat, and they kept everything professional and light mixed in with the usual off-colour jokes and banter that usually flowed between them.

And when she booked the client into the final spot on the retreat four weeks before she was due to travel, she could feel the excitement vibrating up and down her spine. The bonus was hers! Stephanie sent a text to the captain “We’re 100% booked - pay up!!”

The fee and the bonus arrived in her account within the hour. She had more than doubled what she had made on the Bali retreat and the bonus was hers. She would do the five days and then leave, Stephanie told herself. But she didn’t change the ticket.

In the last week before the flight to Bangkok, her dreams grew increasingly erotic. Once the heavy flow of her period was out of the way, Stephanie’s husband got ridden unexpectedly hard. She sucked him back to hardness, got on her knees and demanded to be fucked hard again. He wasn’t stupid enough to complain about it, but the next morning he was dragging as he asked her “What was last night about?”

Stephanie laughed at him and said “I was horny all the way through my period, and I really needed to take the edge off before I go travelling.”

The next night Stephanie packed stylish harem pants, a yellow halter top and fresh underwear in her carry-on for the flight from Sydney to Bangkok. Heading to the airport she wore yoga pants, comfy knickers, sports bra, a hoodie and slipped her white thongs on her feet.

Her excitement bubbled and she found herself laughing and joking with two of the assistants in Victoria’s Secret. She treated herself to a completely impractical see-through strapless terracotta coloured bra and matching thong, and then bought ice-pink and deep-yellow sets of the same.

“I fucking love a bonus” she thought to herself.

About 90 mins before the plane landed, the hostess woke Stephanie from another erotic dream and looked knowingly into her eyes “We will be landing in 90 mins, and we’ll be waking everyone else in 5 mins. Did you want to use the rest-room before there is a queue?”

Stephanie lifted the blanket and as she stood there in her Qantas pyjamas, she could immediately feel the chill of the cold cabin air invade her damp knickers. Her nipples were trying to drill a hole through her sports bra. Removing the thick sleeping socks, slipped her flip-flops onto her feet and pulled her carry-on bag from the locker above her head.

The hostess led the way to the rest-room. Stephanie was so grateful that the bathroom in business-class was a bit bigger than the usual tiny bathroom. Locking the door she stripped off the pyjamas and damp underwear. She stood in front of the mirror letting the cool air caress her naked body as she looked at herself. The lighting in the restroom was completely unflattering to her tan lines she mused, her boobs looked pale and slightly blue in the reflection. Goosebumps stood out on her arms and she told herself it was the frigid cabin air.

She ran hot water into the bowl to rinse it, and then refilled it. Stephanie used the fluffy cotton hand towels to give herself a sponge bath. Next she brushed her teeth and freshened up her makeup wanting to look her best. She pulled out the Victoria’s Secret bag and selected the deep-yellow underwear - next to her tan the colour really popped. Her pale breasts were displayed through the silky material of her strapless bra, her nipples at full attention and she loved the look. Stephanie admitted to herself that she wanted the captain to love it too.

She put on the harem pants, and the halter top. Examining herself in the mirror - Stephanie’s nipples stood out clearly. She carefully folded her damp underwear into another cotton hand towel and buried it deep into the bottom of her carry-on. Stephanie took one last look in the mirror. She might as well have not worn the bra she thought.

As she opened the rest-room door, the hostess asked her with a smile “So who’s the lucky man then?”

Stepping close to the hostess Stephanie whispered in her ear “My new lover” and giggled. The eyes of the hostess widened for a second and looked down at the wedding rings on Stephanie’s left hand and then put her finger to her lips and looked up at her.

“I’ll never tell. Have fun!!” the hostess giggled, her eyes flashing with joy. Stephanie handed the pyjamas to the hostess, who turned away to stow them.

Confiding in the hostess had brought the butterflies back into her stomach full-force, and Stephanie waved away the food that they brought. She was too excited to eat, but she did have a glass of water and then a glass of champagne. She couldn’t wait to meet the captain at Bangkok airport.