Going With The Winds

Chapter 17

 Some of you have wondered when I would get back to Dan. Some of you would just as soon I left him in the dust. But oh no, no, no, no. Grins and winks!

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DAN

It was one of those muggy misty fall days that come before a storm. I was taking a break on the beach but behind me I heard the rap rap rap of hammers as our small winter staff put plywood over the windows of the hotel guest house and the new / old beach house. I’d been working with them for hours, hitting my own thumb with the hammer three times, and the poor fat digit was throbbing.

Even my lover Keen was working with them, and along with him Kenny, and Alex. Captain Mike of the beach patrol was going to come help out when he was done his duties for the day. My bestie, Alex, had gone back to bring out some hot chocolate for us to sip in our lounge chairs. He was such a sweety.

After hitting my thumb the third time, Keen had told me, rather sternly to go relax. I had three caring men, four if I counted Kenny, my sexratary, but I still brooded, and I knew why. I missed my husband.

Ok, so he was going to divorce me in a few months, but it didn’t change the fact that since he’d left, I’d felt somehow, bereft, and depressed.

A couple of young guys who looked maybe college age, in other words my age or slightly younger, walked up the beach toward me. I was lying back, one leg draped off the side of the lounger, my bulge, therefore on prominent display in the tight white jeans I wore below my dark green sweater. I saw both their eyes glue themselves to my crotch. Though the cuter one of them licked his lips and offered me a smile, with his head turned toward me away from his walking partner, (no deceit there), I felt none of the usual drive to smile or wink back but pretended not to notice.

What the fuck was wrong with me? I had my bestie Alex and even his new dating mate Captain Mike willing to be a foursome with Keen and me, dear sweet Kenneth regularly giving me blow jobs at the office, but I was still pining for Jake?

And the amazing thing was it wasn’t about sex, was it? I just missed him. I missed his easy sauntering sexy walk, his furry sexy bass baritone voice, his twinkling sea grey, laughing eyes, so gorgeous in their thick black lush lashes.

And he had the sexiest smile. Fuck, but I missed that smile, and the way those broad-shouldered powerful arms could hold me.

Then there was his gentle humor, his presence, so dignified, so alpha male, all of it without effort. It was just him. I liked to be an alfa male, but knew myself as a beta, more naturally submissive. I guess someone would call me a “bossy bottom.” They’d be right.

And maybe, just maybe that was it. Keen was wonderful. We shared everything. We thought alike when it came to business, it was like he knew my mind before I knew it. Sex with Keen was amazing, as he seemed to know exactly how to touch me, how to excite me, but… Something was missing. I just couldn’t figure out what. Maybe, I’d ask Alex when he came back. Maybe it was something we could fix.

Alex might have an idea. My bestie was always good with analyzing feelings.

My mind was going round and round, and it didn’t help that with my crew trying to prepare my properties from the onslaught of a hurricane, that my tension level was rising to go with it.

On impulse I reached for my phone in my carry bag. In a moment I had dialed Jake’s mobile phone.

After a few rings he picked up.

“Dan?” He asked, no doubt seeing my name on his phone.

“Hi Jake. I was just thinking about you with this hurricane on the way. Are you guys going to be safe?”

“Yeah, were fine. Were tucked up the harbor at Annapolis. Depending on the storm I was going to sail us over to St. Michaels to ride it out there, but right now the track looks like the eye is going to right up Delaware’s coast. The question is if you guys will be ok.”

Dammit, just the sound of his voice was making my eyes blurry. “We’ll be ok. The guys are putting up plywood on all the windows and were getting sandbags to try to blunt any tidal surge. I was helping but after busting my thumb under a hammer three times, Keen sent me to the beach to convalesce.”

Jake chuckled in my ear, but then said more seriously, “I hope you and Keen and Alex and whomever evacuate Rehoboth. You can always return after. It’s better to be safe than sorry, Dan.”

I wasn’t going to argue with Jake. “Captain Mike offered his place. He’s a mile away from the coast. The guys can bunk down there.”

“Good.” Jake said. There was a pause, but just when I thought I might get away with it, he came back with. “The guys and you, too, right?”

He knew me too well.

“I intend to ride it out here. Jake, I can’t leave all this. My life is wrapped up in this hotel. Hell, Keen and I were thinking of expanding, buying a guest house in Key West, if anything happens here, all my plans go up in smoke.”

There was a long pause and I belatedly cursed myself for saying Keen’s name. I was such a shit.

“Ok, I won’t argue with you, Dan. But you have insurance for everything, right? You can replace anything but your life, or any other’s lives who decide to ride it out with you. Keen won’t let you do it alone. You know that.”

I let the pause lengthen as I faced the reality, I hadn’t told Dan everything. Insurance would only cover some things. Insurance companies charged a high premium to cover coastal properties. Rehoboth was no exception and I had had to cut some deals that left me a bit exposed.

“Your right,” I said with a sigh.

“You know I am right. I am not convinced even Captain Mike’s place is good enough. You really ought to evacuate the East Coast.”

Well, there was no way I was going to do that. If there was damage what about after the storm when looters would be out? Instead, I decided to change the subject.

“Jake, I miss you.” I said.

“I miss you too, baby.” Jake said softly, after a moment.

“Enough to rethink things with me and maybe get back to where we were?” I blurted.

There was a very long pause, but I just waited.

“Dan. There is a storm coming. Your emotional, and your missing having me to lean on in a crisis. However, Keen loves you and there is no doubt he is very capable. You can lean on him. You should lean on him, now.”

I huffed, and heard myself say, “But he isn’t you. I miss you.”

Jake chuckled in a very sad sort of way. “Oh Dan, Dan, Dan, my hubby. Sooner or later, you will learn that you can’t have us all. And you need to hear me when I say that I need just one main guy in my life. I need a partner. Maybe I am a little pervy, and maybe there will be spice. Maybe there will be others we play with. But he needs to be mine and me, his. I don’t know who that is, but I have really concluded that it can’t be you, baby. I hate labels, but maybe you’re a bit more polyamorous than I am, and maybe were enough different there, that we need to accept that and move on.”

I felt my heart fall in my chest, and something welled up and burst from my mouth… a sob. “But I still love you.” I heard myself say.

“And I love you, Dan. I always will.” Jake said back, immediately. Damn he sounded so matter of fact, so decided that it hurt. I couldn’t say anything. I was too close to be crying to speak. After a moment he spoke gently in my ear. “Look baby. I am going to be gone for a few months. Take the time to explore. Figure yourself out. Maybe Keen is the right fit, or maybe you really need something else. But don’t fixate on me. Take the time, baby. Do it for yourself. I love, you Dan. But it’s a love that steps back and says, ‘my hubby needs to decide how to make himself happy.’ No one can do that but you, Dan.”

After a moment he went on, “I won’t do anything legally till this cruise is over. But you can bet I am going to take the time to figure out just what makes a relationship work for me. I am not going to stand still. Don’t you stand still either and in fact you can start by evacuating everyone, including yourself, to some place safe, ok?”

“Ok,” I said, and wanted to slap myself for sounding so pitiful.

“You talking to Jake?” Alex was back holding a large thermos and two mugs. He'd apparently snuck up on us while my world was full of Jake. I nodded and Alex chirped loudly toward the phone. “Hi Jake. Sending you my love, Sexy! Mmmuah mmmuah!”

Jake laughed and shouted back so I had to hold the phone toward Alex, “You get my love back, you sweet slut!”

Alex peeled out a giggle and took the phone from me. “I am NOT!”

“Are too, now hand the phone back to Dan so I can say goodbye and after you make sure he evacuates!”

"Ewe, not on the beach!" Alex quipped.

"You know what I meant you dumbass!" Jake laughed.

“Aye, Captain Jake!” Alex said with a laugh offering my phone back.

With the phone once more in my ear Jake said, “Ok, I am going to let you go now to be with your bestie. You take care, Dan. No heroics.”

“Yes Sir.” I said, stealing a little of Alex’s tone.

“I love you, Dan. I will check in after this storm has passed. Talk soon.”

“Talk soon. Take care.”

The phone clicked.

Alex gave me a few moments peace, but then it came.

“Well did you two make up? You going to get back together?”

“I don’t know.” I met Alex’s blue eyes. “I really don’t know. Pour the hot chocolate and then come here and keep me warm.”

Alex quirked a brow, letting me know he wasn’t letting me off that easy. But he did as I asked and then crowded onto my lounger with me as we sipped hot chocolate from each other’s mugs between friendly nuzzles.

He was warm, he was comforting, but it didn’t matter. I still missed my Jake.

 

JAKE

 After the call from Dan, I headed from my cabin up through the helm station down into the cockpit and forward toward the salon. I glanced up at the pale gray sky, noting misty breeze. The wind had definitely changed to the south from the usual Northeasterly, but it was still cold, cold and damp, with the warmth of the Chesapeake causing mist to rise up all around us.

We had locked down the long round hard covering with its large porthole windows, sliding in the hatch wall panels that left only a narrow hatchway from the open cockpit to the salon. I went through that gap into the warmth of the salon.

The guys, the crew and passengers were all seated around the salon area, sipping drinks and eating lunch. Everyone looked relaxed, maybe too relaxed.

Mindful of what I had been pressing Dan to do, I said, “You know, gentlemen, it's not too late to grab a flight out of Baltimore or DC to some place inland. Some of you have houses further inland, places to go until the hurricane blows over. We should be ok here, but with any storm this powerful there are no guarantees. It’s causing severe damage to the North Carolina Coast. Tomorrow it will be slamming Virginia and the lower Chesapeake, and by tomorrow night or the next morning, it will be here.”

Miles sounded peevish as he said, “I thought you said, we would be secure here?”

I took a deep breath. “As secure as we can be anywhere on the Chesapeake.” I said. “We are far up Annapolis harbor. Our chief risk is of some limb or piece of flying debris slamming into the hull or this salon roof. The glass is bullet proof, the fittings are strong, but all bets are off if say a waterspout snakes up this harbor, just like a tornado on land and hits us directly.”

Ok maybe I was exaggerating, but it was technically possible.

“Honey, we’ll be fine”, Lawrence said from where he sat beside Rion, their thighs touching. Again, I wondered if Martin noticed the chemistry between Rion and Lawrence. “Rion and Martin are staying, and they own the boat. If they trust it and our captain, I am sure we can.”

Martin had gotten up to get himself another drink. Jim had put out some hot spiced cyder. From where he stood, he nodded, “Nothing to worry about. We have this yacht snugged to a concrete based dock, with several thick hawser lines plus an anchor just in case somehow all those lines were to let go. We aren’t going anywhere, and this hull is a composite carbon steel. “Enchanter is tough, and I put our chances aboard her the equal to any hotel.”

I heaved a sigh, but said, “Well when it hits, this salon will be off limits. You’ll all have to ride it out below.”

Keith, who was helping Jim make sure everyone had the food they needed, paused to quip. “Nothing like fucking with a storm raging outside, isn’t that right, honey bear?”

Jim growled, “Keith, reign it in, baby,” but the ship’s engineer and exec was smiling.

“Will they be all right in Rehoboth?” Asked a quiet voice and we all looked around at shy, quiet, crewman, David.

“I was just on the phone with Dan, actually. They are going to ride it out at Captain Mike’s place which is a mile inland. They should be ok. I wish they would evacuate completely, but what can I do? They are grown men.”

Maybe they could see my worry, or Martin could because he changed the subject. “How bout a game of cards after lunch? Anybody up for that?”

“Strip poker?” Keith said, immediately.

“Keith.” Jim growled.

“That sounds like fun!” Someone said.

Rion yawned. “I didn’t sleep well last night. I think I need a nap.” Immediately after he said that, Lawrence turned and whispered in Rion's ear. Whatever he said made Rion blush and his lips part. O boy.

The guys chattered back and forth and soon it came down to a game down in the dining room below, though no one seemed sure what the game would be. I suspected strip poker for much of the crew. Some others were opting to go nap or read a book, the usual.

I was late getting some food in my stomach so served myself as lunch wound down. As I ate, I took in a few things.

One was Miles, who motioned to his partner, Lawrence with a little half hidden gesture I found intriguing.

After Rion had left the salon to go take his nap, Miles and Lawrence exited to the cockpit in the opposite direction.

I finished lunch and, pricked by curiosity, followed them.

On reaching the cockpit I found it empty, but the two men were forward on deck talking by the fore mast. I pretended to be busy straightening lines, coiling up sheet lines, but the slight wind sent me their voices. People forgot how easily sound carried over water.

As I tuned in, Lawrences low half whisper carried to me. “Well, it’s going slow, but Rion is giving in little by little. I almost had him at the bar until that blond airhead Cass interrupted us. We were ... grinding...making out like crazy, and I was about to drag him into a side lounge…” Lawrence's next words were lost to me.

Niles gravelly voice carried somewhat better. “Well Cass isn’t going to interrupt you now. Martin is playing cards, so is Cass. Jim and that slut of his, Keith are leading that card game. Now is the time. You offered Rion a massage, and he didn't exactly decline, did he. Now is our chance. I want something to hold over him by tomorrow.”

“Why tomorrow? And who says Rion will roll over if you have something on him?”

"Because I intend for us to get out of here before that storm hits." Miles declared somewhat louder.

“Shhh, the Captain is back there.” Lawrence whispered. Feeling their eyes on me, I removed a seat mattress and pretended to check inside the bench locker for something.

“He’s too busy with the ship to hear us.” Niles hissed to his young partner. “You leave Rion to me, after you fuck him, or get him to fuck you. Either way. I have a member of the crew in my pocket, ready to walk in on you and then report it to me. Even if Rion is willing to expose himself, he would have to expose you and he won’t do that. He’s too noble.” Even at a distance that whisper of Niles was full of contempt and malice. “Now go get some oil and lube and go give Mr. high mighty Rion a good, compromising time.”

Nile’s subsequent chuckle sent a chill up my spine. What was his purpose in compromising Rion and who the fuck was the member of my crew willing to help them?

I ruled out facing them over a whispered conversation I wasn’t supposed to hear. I needed to catch them with their pants down. And I needed it to be both of them. Needless to say, gone was any lingering attraction I had for Lawrence. He was no dummy, no beautiful, but slightly vacuous simpleton, but an equal conspirator. But if I made a move on my own, they would abort, and that wouldn’t do at all. Clearly, I was going to need an ally. Who could I trust if not a member of my crew? One thing I was not going to do, and that was to put up with this shit any longer.

After a minute or two of turning things over in my head, I decided on a plan and set about putting it in motion.