Chapter 6

Louise tossed and turned, unable to sleep despite her exhaustion. Although Gary's loud snoring really wasn't helping, she knew her insomnia was mainly due to the high levels of frustration she was feeling after the aborted encounter with Rick.

The lights had been switched off ages ago and she assumed he was fast asleep in his own bunk. Peering at the luminous dial of her watch she eventually decided she was thirsty. The more she thought about it, the drier her mouth became. After a while she just had to move; the lure of a glass of water was too great. Besides, both men were asleep, so she figured she could climb down carefully without disturbing them.

Pushing the covers aside, she grasped the edge of the ladder and began to clamber down, searching cautiously for the rungs with her toes, hoping that she didn't crash to the floor in a heap.

"Can't you sleep either?" asked a disembodied voice in the darkness.

She froze. Shit, he was meant to be asleep. "I'm thirsty," she whispered.

"Me too, get me a glass of water?"

Louise felt like telling him to get his own fucking glass of water, but then she would be forced to share the cramped bathroom and that was dangerous. "Okay," she agreed slightly reluctantly.

With the bathroom light switched on temporarily, she screwed her eyes up against the harsh glare. Two of the complimentary glasses were filled with lukewarm tap water and she switched the light off in relief. Unfortunately it left her blind in the pitch dark.

Struggling to see where she was going, she stubbed her toe on the edge of the wardrobe with a muffled yelp.

"You okay?" asked Rick with a muffled snort of laughter.

"Yes, just fucking marvellous!" She wondered how funny he'd find it if she 'accidentally' threw the water all over him.

Light illuminated the small space once again when he switched the small light on above his bed. Louise forced herself to not stare at his naked chest as she handed him the second glass. Her toe was throbbing painfully and she hopped on one foot inelegantly, speculating if it was possible to break a bone that easily.

"Sit down," he said with more sympathy when he saw how much pain she was in. "I'll take a look at it."

The last thing she needed was his hands anywhere near her body, but she sat down gingerly on the edge of the bunk and sipped her water slowly. Trying not to tense up, she watched suspiciously as he grasped her foot and began to gently massage her bruised toe.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he said without looking at her. "I never intended that to happen."

Louise's eyes snapped up in surprise. "Didn't you?" she asked in disbelief. Was he really trying to make her think that seduction was not part of his grand game plan? Yeah right!

"No, I intended for us to talk," he said firmly. "It just seems like every time we get together, things happen..."

He has a point there, Louise thought ruefully. The chemistry between them was certainly volatile. Unfortunately this didn't necessarily mean that they were destined to be the next Romeo and Juliet.

"Anyway, I don't think the damage is permanent," he said, releasing her foot.

"Isn't it?" she muttered. A sharp memory of the last time she'd seen her ex fiancé, Kevin, rose to the surface in a stream of bile and she winced with renewed agony.

"Who was he and what did he do?" Rick asked perceptively.

"Nothing, you don't want to hear about it." Louise wished she'd kept her mouth shut now. She yawned and tried to stand up. A sharp pain shot through her foot and she yelped, abruptly sitting back down again.

Rick scooted across to the wall and patted the mattress. "Look, come and lie down next to me. You need to rest that foot before morning or you might not be able to cycle tomorrow. I promise I'll behave," he assured her earnestly.

Louise wasn't too sure she believed him, but she didn't think she stood a chance of climbing back up to her bunk. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and moved up the bed to lie beside him. He pulled the covers back and she noticed that at least he was wearing cotton boxers; if he'd been naked there was no way she would have gotten into bed with him. Nobody had that much will power, least of all her!

Resting her head on his shoulder was rather nice if she didn't think too much about the implications. He wrapped his arm round her waist and pulled the covers up. Gary's snoring died down and Louise began to relax again, her eyes slowly closing of their own accord.

The next time she opened her eyes, pale light was beginning to seep in through the porthole. She was lying on her side with Rick behind, his body curved round hers. Two things immediately became apparent - one was the feel of his erection pressing against her bottom and the other was his fingers rubbing her hard nipple through the thin cotton of her tee shirt.

She was powerless to move. A quick glance across towards Gary at least reassured her that he was still fast asleep and blissfully unaware of what was going on a short distance away. Desire sent sharp sparks shooting through her body and she arched her back, hearing Rick groan when her bottom pressed against his hard cock.

His hand left her aching breast and slid downwards, slyly insinuating itself inside her shorts. "Open your legs" he whispered in her ear when she tried to clamp her thighs shut.

It was hopeless. She wanted him and they both knew it. Relaxing her muscles, she allowed his fingers to find the wet folds of her sex. Delicious spasms of pleasure assailed her senses as he played with her, relentlessly building the tension to screaming levels. She was almost out of her mind when she felt him tug her shorts down and slide his cock between her thighs.

His shaft rubbed across the wet folds of her sex, brushing over her clit as his fingers continued to tease her. She ached with unrequited desire and she turned her face towards him. Their lips met in a hungry kiss, fuelled by all the frustrations of the previous nights encounter.

"I want you," whispered Rick when they broke for air. His hand once again found the curve of her breast and she moaned when he caressed the flesh, pinching her nipple painfully.

"I need you..." The words almost choked her as desire continued to wage war with common sense. Oh God, she wanted him. Her body was screaming for it after being left aroused and unsatisfied a few hours previously.

She muttered something unintelligible, still unwilling to actually beg him to fuck her. He grasped her hip, pulling her back against him and with a growl he thrust inside her as far as he could in the position they were in. For a long moment he paused, allowing her to become accustomed to his size. Sweat poured off her as the heat between them rose. She wanted to kick the covers to the floor and scream at him to fuck her senseless, but a small modicum of sanity prevented her. Instead she grabbed his hard thigh and pushed back against him, revelling in the sweet sensation of fullness.

His fingers rubbed across her clit, creating a sensual rhythm as he thrust gently inside her. His breathing was harsh in her ear, but she barely heard him above the sound of her own pounding heart. This was like nothing she had ever experienced before; her body moved in a timeless dance all of its own accord, writhing against his and seeking satisfaction from the nameless desire that had besieged them both.

He kissed her neck tenderly as she felt the first prelude to her orgasm flutter deep inside. One final thrust pushed her over the shining precipice and she pulled the edge of the pillow against her mouth in a belated attempt to smother her cries.

"I can't hold on any longer," she heard him say as if from a distance The pleasure was so extreme, her whole body felt like it was in carnal meltdown. The room faded out and she was lost in the white hot blaze of bliss.

A sensation of heat flooded her inside and she felt him pulsing hard as he came too. They stayed locked together as slowly the pleasurable aftershocks faded away, leaving their bodies joined with a sticky mixture of sweat and bodily fluids.

"Louise, we really need to talk" Rick whispered in her ear just as the announcement that it was morning bellowed over the tannoy speaker.

"Oh shit," she moaned in anguish. What had she done!

A loud shuddering groan emanated from the opposite bunk and they both raised their heads and looked over to see Gary stirring sleepily. There was no way on earth that Louise wanted him to see her in Rick's bed, so she rolled forward and swiftly pulling her shorts up, she dived out of the bunk and into the bathroom.

Rick said something in a low voice, but she ignored it and shut the door firmly behind her. She sat down on the toilet seat and buried her head in her hands miserably. Oh God, this was a truly terrible mistake. Once again she had allowed her libido to ride rough shod over good sense. The last vestiges of orgasmic endorphins were soon washed away on a sea of despair.

Shit, shit, SHIT!

Sounds of activity and voices from the other side of the door persuaded her that she ought to get a move on. The feel of sticky spunk drying on her thighs helped make the decision to jump in the shower. She figured she may as well take advantage of that last remaining clean towel.

The sharp spray cleansed her body well enough, but it did nothing to appease her self doubts. By the time she hesitantly opened the bathroom door again with the towel securely wrapped tightly around her slim body, the guys were both dressed and sat on their bunks talking.