Chapter 4: Lexie

I slept until it was daylight; for the first time since leaving Bristoe. I was ... naked, in bed, draped over a man ... Bill! I was warm, and comfortable. I felt safe. I moved and my thigh brushed against his ... erect penis. Lifting my head, I looked at him and our eyes met; he was awake and looking at me.

"Good morning, Lexie," his voice conveyed much more than a routine greeting. He was smiling, but there was an under-tone of worry.

I hummed in my throat... 'mmmm' - and lazily moved against him, feeling my nipples – hard for some reason – rubbing against the coarse hair of his chest, feeling his erection against my thigh.

I asked, "Have you been awake long?"

"A few minutes." A real smile this time. "I was enjoying looking at you. It was the nicest waking I've ever had ... and the best night's sleep I've had for a very long time."

Morning breath or no morning breath I had to kiss him; so I did, then lowered my head so we were cheek-to-cheek. I just enjoyed the feeling for a while before asking;

"When I first looked at you, you looked worried..."

"A little, yes."

"Are you going to tell me why?"

There was a long pause and I could sense his reluctance to speak.

"You won't upset me. Not much anyway; I trust that you don't want to hurt me."

"Okay, then. I think you should see a doctor. I think you need to be checked out for VD."

"Meaning..."

"Oh. Habit. Sexually Transmitted Disease; what used to be called Venereal Disease. In view of what happened to you, a general check-up might be a good idea as well."

Despite what I'd said to him I was a little angry, but he was right and I knew it.

"Okay ... makes sense. Can you make an appointment for Friday? I won't be working."

"I'll try. Lexie ... do you think ... maybe ... you ought to contact your parents? I think they might be happy to know you're alright."

That hit me in the gut. Mother? Father? Mummy? Daddy? Could I? Could I not?

"From what you said," he went on gently, "it wasn't that they didn't love you. Rather that they were over-protective and restrictive. They'd have to recognise that you're an adult now."

I nodded but didn't speak for a while, instead reaching down and capturing his erect penis in my hand, just as a bleeping sound made itself heard.

"Time to get up," he said regretfully.

I don't think I need to detail the next few days. I became used to the work at the café and known and popular with regular customers. We both had appointments at the doctor's, as a result of which we took heavy doses of antibiotics. They didn't stop us enjoying a wide range of non-sexual activities – the doctor advised us to abstain for a while until we were pronounced clear – we walked, sailed 'Explorer' ... Bill started teaching me to sail; we cooked together and played chess – badly. Neither of us really knew much more than the basic moves. Sometimes we listened to music on the radio, or used one of Bill's tiny collection of CDs. Occasionally we borrowed a DVD and watched it on his laptop. I learned to recognise many of the birds that I saw each day.

Doreen turned out to be a treasure. She clearly had no romantic involvement with Bill, she was happily if sedately married to a crane-driver who worked at the container terminal. Her suspicion was due to her concern for Bill. Once she accepted that I was a worker and not 'sponging off' Bill, once she saw how happy we both were together, she proved a good employer and a caring friend.

The day we got the all-clear on our health, we celebrated with a delivery of Chinese food and a bottle of wine; not expensive, but quite good. Afterwards we washed each other thoroughly, standing naked in the saloon with the stove going. It was very enjoyable, but not a patch on what came next when we went to the master cabin.

"Do you trust me?" His voice was very serious.

"Absolutely," I replied without hesitation.

"Good," he said, producing some lengths of soft rope. He tied me spread-eagled on the bed; not tight, but so I couldn't move more than an inch or so, then blindfolded me.

"Are you okay?" He spoke quietly. "If you want me to stop, I mean if you're desperate for me to stop and let you loose, say... 'pax vobiscum.' Say it now, so I know you know it."

"Pax vobiscum," I said, "it means... 'go in peace" I added.

"Indeed," he chuckled.

He began by breathing on me ... all over. When I started to whimper with anticipation, which didn't take long, he began to kiss me and lick me. When he licked my arm-pits I was surprised, not to mention tickled. I won't say he kissed me everywhere, because he avoided my breasts and ... between my legs ... for ages. When he did get to my breasts, it took him an eternity to get to my nipples and I couldn't hold in the groans and gasps that forced their way out. His eventual arrival at my labia and clit produced the first orgasm I'd ever had other than through masturbation. As soon as my ... convulsions died away he did it again ... and again. The third time, I blacked out for a few minutes. When I woke, I was untied, I could see and I was in his arms. He entered me as soon as he was sure I was back with him and then I was climaxing again; it seemed to go on for ever, intensified when he came in me.

"Where did you learn to do that?" It took a while before I was able to talk at all. "Not that I'm complaining ... it was just, just ... unbelievable. I never, ever came like that before."

"I write erotic stories," he said. "I learned to do that by reading other writers' stuff. I'm glad it works; it'd have been disappointing to find out I'd been writing rubbish for the last few years."

I pressed myself against him; skin to skin, cheek-to-cheek ... revelling in the warmth, the sensual feel of the contact. "I love you," I said.

"I'm ... sort of glad ... because I love you, too," he said slowly.

"Only sort of glad?"

"It's ridiculous," he said. "I'm old enough to be your father. I'm dull and uninteresting ... a typical grey accountant."

I couldn't help it ... I laughed. In fact, it was a close call that I didn't slip into hysteria. The idea Bill was dull ... was far more ridiculous than the idea we were in love.

"What's so funny?"

That triggered another spasm of hilarity. When it – eventually – subsided, I kissed him as passionately as I could.

"You lovely, silly, idiotic, wonderful man! No-one except the terminally stupid would call you dull. Quiet, maybe, but not dull ... or grey for that matter. You've taken me in, cared for me, found me a job, made love to me better than anyone in my previous life ... and most importantly you've loved me. Even before you said anything, I was sure you loved me. There's only one thing I want to know now."