If today was anything like every day this week, it was going to be another oppressively hot day. Luckily, it was well before daybreak and the heat was not yet a factor. It certainly was not a factor at 5:30 AM, which was the time Thomas’s alarm clock rang. He hit the snooze button and rolled over heavily. Reluctantly, he got out of bed to find his shorts, t-shirt, and shoes before grabbing his wallet and keys and heading downstairs.

“Hey, buddy, thanks again for taking us to the airport. I know it’s the crack of dawn and you’d rather be in bed,” said Eddie, his mom’s boyfriend, as Thomas entered the kitchen.

“No problem, I don’t have anything planned for today so I can go back to bed when I get back home.”

“There you are, right on time,” sang Sandy as she bopped into the kitchen. She was wearing Capri pants with sandals and a t-shirt that read, “Time for some Fun in the Sun!” Her makeup was light, accentuated primarily by the cherry red on her lips.

“Mom, you look great,” said Thomas.

“Doesn’t she?” asked Eddie. “I’ve been telling her all week she’s gorgeous. It took a lot of convincing to get her to pack her bikini.”

“Her what?” said a voice from the hallway before Tammy, Thomas’s sister, entered the kitchen.

“Mom, you got a bikini? You little minx.”

Thomas, Tammy, and Eddie all laughed. Sandy looked sternly at each one in turn, giving Eddie an extra-long look.

“Honey, what are you doing up? We said goodbye last night.”

“I know, but I got up to pee and when I heard voices I thought I’d come in to see you off.”

“Thank you,” replied her mom. “I think we’re all set. Eddie got the bags in the car and we’ve had breakfast.” She nodded to a travel mug on the counter. “And there’s a coffee to go for Thomas.”

“I hope you and Eddie have a fantastic cruise. I know you’ve been looking forward to this for weeks. I’m sure it will be great.” Tammy hugged her mom and waved to Eddie. “Take care of her and don’t let her get,” she paused then offered air quotes as she said, “seasick.”

Sandy quickly interjected, “Seasick? I’ve never had a problem with boats.”

“Don’t you worry, I’ll take good care of her and make sure she doesn’t get seasick.” Eddie returned the air quotes. To Sandy he said, “I don’t think she’s talking about actual seasickness.”

Tammy smiled and waved again before retreating down the hallway to her bedroom.

“Oh, yeah, well I have on one or two occasions had a bit too much to drink.”

They heard Tammy laugh from the hallway. “One or two occasions?”

“Here you go,” Eddie said as he tossed keys to Thomas. “Ready?”

Thomas took the coffee off the counter and said, “Yep, let’s roll.”

They trooped out to the driveway. Eddie spent the night at their house since it was going to be such an early departure. His SUV was parked behind Thomas’s Corvette, already packed with their luggage.

Once in the car and on the road Thomas asked, “What time is your flight?”

Sandy answered, “It’s at 9:48. First to Charlotte, a ninety-minute layover, then on to Miami.”

Thomas looked at the clock on the dash. It was 6:13. “It should take no more than an hour to get to the airport, which means you should be in the airport and through security by 7:45 if there are no lines. Even with a delay you should be at your gate with well over an hour to spare. What time do you get into Miami?”

“I think we land at 4:44. We’ll get a taxi to the hotel. We should arrive in time for the evening happy hour. Then tomorrow we can start boarding the ship at 11:00.”

Eddie added, “I once took a cruise and tried to fly on the same day of boarding. When the flight got delayed I almost missed getting onboard. Ever since, I fly the day before. Just in case.”

“Makes sense to me,” Thomas said as he flicked on a blinker and buzzed around a slow-moving Cadillac.

“Do you have any excursions planned?” asked Thomas.

“None yet. There are so many that look good. We’ll get onboard and book one or two after we get a feel for what else may be available.”

“OK, one last question, what time is your return flight?”

Eddie pulled a paper from a pocket and referred to it when he said, “Arrival time is 7:17 a week from tomorrow. He then recited a flight number.

“Got it,” said Thomas. “I’ll plan on meeting you at the gate when you land.”

The rest of the commute was spent with Sandy mostly chatting excitedly about the trip and what she hoped to see and do while on the cruise. When they got to the airport Thomas maneuvered the car into a drop off lane and pulled to the curb alongside their airline.

“Here we are, the first leg of your adventure is over.”

Eddie jumped out and opened the rear hatch to retrieve the luggage.

Sandy approached Thomas and gave him a hug. “Be careful this week and be sure to look after your sister. You know how she and Billie can sometimes imbibe a bit more than they should.” She delicately avoided adding any mention of a recent time when Thomas was the one who overdid the imbibing.

“Of course, mom, we’ll be fine.”

With the luggage on the curb Eddie came back to Thomas. He shook his hand and said, “Thanks again for the ride. We’ll be fine, you’ll be fine.” He put his arm around Sandy and said, “Ready?”

Sandy nodded vigorously and took his hand. Before she took her luggage she looked back to Thomas and waved a final goodbye.

“Don’t worry and have a great time!” Thomas called as his mom and Eddie melded into the crowd entering the terminal.

When they rounded the corner Sandy looked at Eddie and said, “Do you really think they’ll be OK?”

“Of course, Thomas will be nineteen in a few weeks. He’s going to college in less than month. He’ll be fine. And as you know, he’s been helping Mrs. Willow with work around her house so she will be an adult that can help if the need arises.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” Sandy said.

Eddie finished her thought, “But this is the first time you’ve left them alone for more than a few hours and you are worried.”

She smiled ruefully, nodded her head, then gripped his hand tighter. “OK, enough talk of the kids. It’s time for us this week.”

As Thomas predicted, they were at their gate with over ninety minutes to spare. They settled into chairs and pulled out paperback books they stowed in the extra-large purse Tammy carried for the trip.

The flights were uneventful and they were in Miami on time. Their luggage was some of the first to come onto the carousel and they were exiting the airport to find the taxi line by 5:15 PM.

“Yuck, this weather takes my breath away,” said Sandy as they left the comfortable air conditioning of the terminal and approached a line of taxis.

Eddie agreed. “It does, doesn’t it. The temperature is actually lower than what we’ve had all week at home, but the humidity is so high here it feels worse.”

A taxi pulled over and the driver jumped out. He stashed their suitcases in the trunk and then returned to the driver’s seat.

“Where to?” he said gruffly.

Eddie called off the name of a hotel and street, then said, “Wow, this humidity is something else.”

The driver did not look in the rearview mirror, just stared ahead, and spat, “If you don’t want humidity, then why’d you come to Miami?”

Sandy and Eddie exchanged a look with raised eyebrows.

The cabbie continued, “Everyone comes to Florida expecting a temperate climate like California. Do your research. It’s fucking hot, and even more fucking humid. If you don’t like it, don’t come.”

“Duly noted,” was all Eddie said as he leaned back in the seat.

The driver pulled into the drive and stopped under the canopy of the hotel. He did not exit the car. Instead, he pushed a button to release the trunk. A valet from the hotel grabbed their luggage. Sandy could not hear what Eddie said to the cabbie, or if he gave him a tip, but one or both were not to the cabbie’s satisfaction as he pulled away from the drive with a chirp of the tires.

“Welcome,” the valet said. “Is this your first trip to Miami?”

“It is for me,” Sandy offered. “We’re going on a cruise tomorrow!”

“That’s great. We appreciate you staying the night with us before tomorrow’s adventure. If you do not have passage to the dock you can reserve a ride on our shuttle. It is cheaper than a taxi and you will get dropped off directly in from of the terminal.”

“Really?” asked Eddie.

“Of course, sir, just ask about the service when you check into your room.”

The valet motioned for a bellhop who put the luggage on a wheeled cart. He hovered near the counter until he heard a room number then discreetly left to deliver the luggage.

“And finally, here are your keys,” said the receptionist. She handed a key to both Sandy and Eddie as she repeated their room number.

“Our bags?” Sandy asked questioningly.

“They have already been taken to your room,” said the woman behind the counter. “In fact, happy hour started about fifteen minutes ago. If you want, you can go through those doors and get a drink and a light meal before you go to your room. I believe you will find many of our guests here tonight will be going on your cruise tomorrow.”

They entered the room as directed and saw the bar just to their right. No one was in line so they started by getting wine. A white for Sandy and a red for Eddie. Eddie took their wines to an empty table as Sandy got plates and headed to the small buffet. After plating food, they returned to their table. Another couple approached and asked if the open seats were reserved.

“No, please, help yourselves,” said Eddie.

They dropped off food and went for drinks. When they returned the man said, “Hello again, my name is Garret and this is my wife Jasmine.”

“Hi, I’m Eddie and this is my girlfriend Sandy. Are you two here for the night, then onto the cruise tomorrow?”

“We sure are,” sang Jasmine. “It’s going to be our tenth cruise for our twentieth wedding anniversary. How about you two? Are you celebrating anything special?”

Sandy said, “Nothing specific. It’s been a very busy summer. Eddie just wrapped up a huge contract early so this is a chance to get away for a week. For me, it’s my first cruise, so I’m really excited. Eddie has been on one before.”

“Oh, I can imagine. I remember my first cruise. I was all aflutter about seasickness, or a wreck, or any number of other maladies. Everything was fine. Just as everything will be fine on this trip.”

The foursome ate, then migrated to the bar and got another round of drinks. They pondered what to expect on the ship after it had been in dry dock for almost three months. By 9:00 Garret rose and offered his hand to Jasmine. She took it and as she stood she offered a farewell to Sandy and Eddie.

“It’s been a pleasure meeting you. I think we are going to call it a night. I’m sure we’ll see each other on the ship.”

“Nice meeting you, too,” said Sandy.

Eddie rose and shook Garret’s hand. “Good night, and yes, we’ll probably meet again onboard.”

Eddie and Sandy causally walked to their room hand-in-hand.

“This has been a wonderful start to our first vacation,” said Sandy.

Eddie concurred. He took out his key and let them into their room. As promised, their luggage was situated neatly by the door. Sandy picked up the smallest carry on and headed to the bathroom.

“Give me a few minutes and I’ll be ready for bed.”

“Sure,” Eddie said as he clicked on the television with the remote control. He kicked off his shoes, then sat on the bed to remove his socks, pants and shirt followed. He was making himself comfortable on the bed in just his underwear when the bathroom door opened.

Sandy walked gracefully out of the bathroom wearing a black nightie with matching panties. She approached the bed with a seductive sway of her hips. With her hands, she alternated cupping her breasts with running them through her hair. She stood and slowly danced at the foot of the bed, watching the front of Eddie’s shorts rise to the occasion.

“Babe, you look fantastic,” Eddie said. He couldn’t take his eyes off Sandy.

She put a knee on the bed and slowly crawled forward until she reached Eddie’s hips. She pulled the front of his boxers down and let his little man free. Taking his dick with one hand and his balls with another she began to lick the underside of shaft.

Eddie leaned back into the pillows and moaned loudly.

Sandy continued her ministrations on Eddie until just before he was ready to pop. She then worked her way up his chest and sat on his lap, kissing him deeply. He suddenly flipped her onto her back with a squeal. He kicked his boxers off, then pulled her panties off and threw them aside. He spread her legs and lowered himself between them as she guided his dick into her well-lubricated opening.

They made love in several positions. Each time he was close to climax Eddie was able to slow the action and prevent an orgasm. It did not mean he left Sandy hanging on a precipice. He brought her to three powerful orgasms before she finally rolled him on his back and straddled him. She bounced up and down on his lap, not slowing as his breathing quickened, but rather speeding up to bring him to his own thunderous release.

They fell asleep in blissful contentment, their bodies entwined with one another. When the alarm rang at 8:00 they were already awake but were avoiding actually getting out of bed.

At 10:00 they were at the front lobby of the hotel waiting for the shuttle. Garret and Jasmine came around the corner pulling their luggage.

“Good morning,” said Garret. “Hope you slept well.”

“Yes, wonderfully,” said Sandy. “If the ship’s beds are half as comfortable I don’t know that I’ll ever want to get up.”

“Is it the comfort of the bed, or the company in the bed?” asked Jasmine with a raised eyebrow.

“A bit of both,” said Sandy without missing a beat as she winked at Jasmine.

The shuttle arrived on time and took them to the port. They were deposited at the front door of the terminal. They checked in and only had to wait twenty minutes before they were called to board.

Sandy was giddy with excitement as she crossed the gangplank and stepped onto the ship.

“I can’t believe this, we’re on a cruise ship!”

Eddie was constantly amused at Sandy’s childlike wonder at each thing she saw onboard, from the magnificent primary staircase and lobby to the restaurants, to the pools on the top deck, to finally their room.

“This is amazing,” gushed Sandy for the umpteenth time as she explored their room.

Eddie asked, “I hope the bed is as good as the one in the hotel.”

Sandy turned to face him and as she did she pulled off her shirt and bra in one motion. “Let’s find out.”

They were naked and in bed in a matter of seconds. Thirty minutes later they lay on their backs, well sated for the moment.

“Yeah, it’s as comfortable as the hotel,” said Sandy with a goofy grin.

Eddie rolled over on his side. He cupped Sandy’s breast and kissed her, “That’s good, because we haven’t yet broken it in properly.”

Sandy saw the time and jumped off the bed. “Oh, c’mon, we need to get dressed. I want to be topside as we depart.”

They hurriedly put their clothes on and made their way to the top deck. Sandy found an open spot along the rail as Eddie stood in line at the bar for drinks.

“Here you go,” he said when he returned with a colorful concoction, topped with a small umbrella.

Sandy took a sip, then gasped. “Did you feel that?” She peered over the side and saw that the ship was slowly moving away from the dock.

“We’re moving!”

Sandy continued to look down as the inches turned into feet and the boat slowly pushed away from its moorings. The next jolt was when the main engines engaged at they began to head forward into the channel which would ultimately take them to sea.

“And we’re off,” said Eddie.

There was a loud chorus of cheers from both the boat and the well-wishers stationed ashore. Waves from both passengers and onlookers continued until they were well down the channel.

Eddie and Sandy continued to explore the ship. It was not that large and they were able to orient themselves quickly wherever they were at the time. After a thorough exploration, Eddie said, “Let’s go back to the room and get changed. Dinner will be in about an hour.”

Sandy was more impressed with the food than anything else she had yet experienced.

“This is so good, I can see why people say you can gain ten pounds when on a cruise,” she said after putting down her fork when the last her dessert was finished.

The next few days were a blur of activity. An excursion at their first port of call, followed by a day on the beach at their second stop. The third day was an a day-at-sea.

“What is on the agenda for today?” asked Sandy as she stretched after waking mid-morning. The small sliver of light poking through the curtains aligned perfectly with her nude body, highlighting her in a soft yellow glow. She saw the look on Eddie’s face. “That’s a good start, now get over here.”

Eddie jumped out of his chair and discarded his shorts. He hopped onto the bed and again coupled with Sandy in enthusiastic lovemaking. When they were done he held her closely.

“Because today is an at-sea day they will have a headliner for the entertainment tonight. I think I saw that a comedian / magician will be onstage.”

“That sounds like fun,” Sandy said as she extricated herself. “Let’s get dressed and see what we can find on the ship for this afternoon.”