Chapter 10

When Chrissie woke in the morning, it took her a noticeable period of time to work out where she was. She felt comfortable and safe, but the scent in her nostrils wasn't Tom's combination of male, simple shampoo and a lingering hint of tar, but feminine, with overtones of cigarette smoke, alcohol and ... apple? The latter was difficult to discern, but Alison was warm and lithe in her arms.

She shifted, wanting to get out of bed to relieve herself and Alison stirred and wrapped herself round Chrissie, humming. It was a contented sort of sound. Chrissie was surprised how pleasant it was to have Alison pressed against her; not sexual, but definitely sensual. Alison kissed her, lightly.

"Morning, Sis. Sorry I disturbed you last night," the print doesn't convey the slurred mumble that none-the-less communicated the idea. "I really needed that cuddle last night. And this morning."

"I liked it," Chrissie admitted after a moment's thought. "Why did you need it, though?"

"My date ... Shaun Brook ... turned out to be a pig. Fortunately I had enough money for a taxi home. You are so lucky, Chrissie."

"Lucky?" Chrissie wasn't really following.

"Lucky. Don't you dare let Tom get away. He's caring, modest, sensitive, hard-working..."

"Sounds like you'd like him for yourself."

"I would. Like a shot. But he wants you, ya daft bat."

Chrissie didn't respond to that immediately, but after a minute or so, "You're going to have to let me get out of bed, or we'll be lying in a lake."

Alison released her. "By all means ... go!"

Climbing out of bed, Chrissie didn't leave right away, but turned and kissed Alison. "I'm not fighting it any more," she said, before leaving the room.

Over breakfast, Alison described fending off her date's increasingly amorous ... or at least, sexual ... advances until her patience ran out and she walked out of the club, called a taxi and came home. "He's history. Not that I had great hopes for him."

"Perhaps you should look round the sailing club, rather than the Students' Union."

Alison grunted. "Sailing's okay. I wouldn't be my father's daughter if I didn't enjoy sailing, but it's not my world. Most of the young sailors are obsessed with racing and can't talk about anything except boats, equipment and tactics."

"So ... what is your world? Music?"

"I like music ... but what I really enjoy is history. I want to take an archaeology degree."

"Why not?"

"It's a small world and hard to get into. And the boys are all nerd-ish."

"Nerds can be sweet ... and they're usually trainable. Think of Jenni's husband; by all accounts he was pretty nerd-ish."

"Humph!"

When Jessica joined them, Chrissie asked if she could play the piano, which was happily agreed to, after which, and after another cup of coffee, Chrissie left to return to Maldon.

In Tom's Skoda, Chrissie was not rushing, so arrived in Maldon a little before mid-day. Parking on the quay, she walked along the prom to buy a hot-dog, chips and coffee at one of the kiosks, then sat on a bench to eat and look out for Reminder...

On board Reminder, the anticyclone that had been giving them fine weather and light winds to help them on the way, was retreating before a depression, the wind veering and increasing towards the north-west. Tom spoke to his passengers; explaining that they could sail and he was happy to do so, but it would involve quite a lot of tacking. Alternatively, they could motor which would be a lot more leisurely and would enable him to take the ship closer to places they wanted to see in safety. After some discussion in a huddle, they said they'd like him to sail as much as possible so about ten they weighed anchor and began a laborious beat up past Northey Island, which took well over an hour. They were 'free' along Collier's Reach past Heybridge and round the point, but Tom resorted to the engine for the last mile and berthing. He thought he saw Chrissie on the prom, but wasn't sure...

Once the ship was moored and secure, Tom bade his passengers goodbye before turning to help Jim and Andy tidy Reminder to make her 'ship-shape and Bristol fashion'. Jim intercepted him as he was about to go aloft to lash the top-sail.

"Skipper ... go find your girlfriend. Andy and I can finish off."

Tom looked at him. "I don't like to leave you to do all the work..."

"For ... crying out loud, Skipper, you've let us off often enough. Go take a break. You're off carrying aggregate tomorrow, aren't you? So go and have some time with your girl. Go!"

Tom shrugged, smiled and shook his hand. "Thanks, Jim. I appreciate it!"

Chrissie was surprised to see Tom leaving Reminder so quickly. Thinking he was just going to the toilet or fetching something, she didn't immediately stand, but sat and watched him step onto the quay. However, as he did so, he looked round and, seeing her sitting there, walked towards her. She stood slowly, heart racing as she watched him and took but one step forward into his arms when he reached her. Then their arms tightened around each other and they did their level best to merge together. They didn't succeed, but the attempt was most satisfying...

"How are you feeling?" Tom's voice was gentle.

"Much better now! I missed you. You?"

"Me too. I ... don't know what to say..."

The sky seemed to darken and a gust of cool air shook them. Tom looked up. "The barometer's dropping," he commented, "I reckon the weather's going to deteriorate. Let's go back to Peewit."

Right on cue, they felt the first drops of rain and the temperature dropped quite dramatically. Holding hands, they ran the few yards to Peewit's berth, the tourists on the quay and outside the pub also scattering or disappearing inside.

On board, Tom shut the hatch; it was very gloomy. "Are you warm enough, Chrissie?"

"It's a bit chilly," she admitted, adding with a grin, "but I'm sure we could warm each other up." As she spoke, she was removing her clothes.

Tom, however, left the cabin to go to the lazarette to turn on the gas. When he returned, he lit a small heater on a low setting before undressing himself.

"Why the heater? I thought we were going to warm each other up?"

"Ah," Tom smiled, "but this way, we don't have to huddle under a duvet and I can worship your body more effectively."

"Worsh ... eep?" Chrissie squeaked as Tom swiped his tongue through her pussy, flicking her clitoris.

He didn't stay there, though, kissing his way up until he could take her hard little nipples between his lips (on one side) and finger and thumb (on the other). Over the next minutes, he stroked, caressed, fondled, kissed and sucked his way round her body until he found her clit again, by which time she was almost screaming.

"Don't make me wait any longer, Tom, please?"

"Your wish is my command, my lady," he said, sliding up and positioning himself over her; he slid into place so easily it was ... as if that was how they were meant to be. He just looked into her eyes, seeing the love there and the desire and longing, not only for an immediate satisfaction, but a long-lasting fulfilment. They moved together, weaving a harmony of pleasure and passion, reaching a peak that dragged groans from their throats.

Tom stayed over her, embedded, gazing into her eyes. "Marry me, Aisling..."

"Oh, yes..."

He began to roll off her, but she clung to him and rolled with him until she was sprawled on top of him, kissing him, her breasts pressed by her weight against his chest.

"Sweetheart..." Tom began, "I have to go away tomorrow, early. Hopefully I'll be back Thursday night. I ... didn't mean to ask you until I got back, to give you a chance to realise what it was going to be like..."

They were silent, listening to the wind in the rigging and the rain, now drumming on the coach-roof, there was a rumble of thunder in the distance.

"I'm glad you did, Tom," Chrissie said quietly, "I worried a bit that messing you about, especially in view of your own ... hangups ... might lead you to back away. Tom, I want you. I don't want to live without you. I want to be as close as I can be to you as much as I can. I know you'll have to be away a lot, but I hope we can be close in a way, even when we're apart. That when we are together it will make the rest worthwhile."

The cabin was lit momentarily by the electric blue of a lightning flash, followed seconds later by a crack of thunder. Chrissie pressed herself against Tom, who was stroking her back.

"Do you not like thunder?" Tom asked.

"Oh, I don't mind. Actually, it's really nice being warm and dry while there's a storm going on outside. Not to mention being ... like this." She wriggled on top of him.

He laughed. "Yes, it is rather ... pleasant."

She pretended to be offended. "Only pleasant?"

He rolled her onto her back, following to kiss her. Then, lying beside her with one hand gently caressing her breast and a with a very serious expression said, "Chrissie, Aisling ... my love ... I never thought we'd be together like this after you left for college. I thought you'd meet someone clever, probably musical, of your own class and all I'd see of you would be in the papers..."

"Tom! Don't you dare put yourself down like that!" She lightly punched his shoulder. "You know, I think if we didn't love each other so much we'd not have had such problems. I want you to know that I think you're too good for me, and since we're not going to agree on the subject, and since we do agree we love each other, I suggest we set that argument aside. All that matters to me is that I want to spend my life with you, that I feel incomplete and unhappy without you..." her hand reached down and found his manhood ... which was responding to her despite their recent love making, "and it seems there's something here we need to take care of. I've got a nice, warm, snug, home for this..."