Chapter 3

3

Itossed and turned all night. My small but very comfortable single-crew cabin wasn't the issue. Nor was the calm Irish sea. Claudia filled my head. She had drawn me in. I thought about the way her dress clung to her, so undeniably sexy. I thought about how vulnerable she seemed, the stumble, the touch. But I felt the touch of that iciness, too. Was that all a front?

It was refreshing the way her gaze lingered on me but unknowingly. No flash of recognition, no spark of I know you. She didn't care who Raven Ramsey was, and that made me want her even more.

I decided to distract myself the following day, but I had a plan for that evening.

Tenders are my least favorite thing about cruise life. You should never have to get into a lifeboat under any circumstances, never mind for half an hour from ship to shore. It makes me feel so sick, and I have no idea why we couldn't dock closer, but then again, that's why I'm not a captain. I kept myself hidden. Most fans would recognize me by my hair, so I wore a baseball cap and kept my makeup to a minimum.

It was a short train ride from the port into Dublin. I navigated Dublin to perfection. I knew it was going to be a highlight. Too soon yet to say if it was the best stop on the route, but it would take some beating.

Dublin was bustling metropolis that somehow had the charm of an Irish town rather than the city it actually was. The people were sunny, happy, chatty, and warm. The streets were clean, the atmosphere was welcoming, and I was in love.

I shopped—new shoes always make me happy. I saw the sights, and I took a little bit of Irish charm with me in my heart as I left.

If someone asked me where should they go? What should they do? What made it special? I don't know as I could put my finger on any one thing. It wasn't Temple Bar, Grafton Street or Trinity College that made it sparkle. It was just the entire place, from the river to the train, from the schoolboys sharing Jammie dodgers in the carriage, to the woman in Deals who wished me a grand day with my poppets.

I'm sure you wouldn't need to look hard to find the parts of a city that make it dark. The homeless, the graffiti, the drugs, the inequality. But my eyes only saw the sunshine side of Dublin town.

I smiled to myself as I made my way back to the ship. I'd had a lovely day.

I called through to Urduja. "All set."

From the echo, I knew I was speaking to her through the bluetooth, but I swear I could hear the eye roll, too. "Yesssss. All delivered, all accepted. Front row. You'll see her if she turns up. That part, unfortunately, I can't guarantee."

Her. Claudia.

I was desperately hoping she'd turn up to see me perform tonight.

"Thank you. You're a star." I grinned.

"I know, I know, you owe me." She disconnected as she started to yell at someone else.

I drew women in because I could be vulnerable. I was happy to expose myself on stage, to show that sexy didn't just mean sex. But on a cruise ship, sometimes sexy could be more obvious. Not tonight.

I felt like Claudia needed to see a side of me that showed more than tight leather. I took a slow walk to my position, settled in place, my heart beating—no, thundering in my chest as I took a deep breath.

My bare feet rested on the pedals as the theater lit up in a soft warm glow. The grand Steinway piano dominated the stage, proud of its commanding presence. Me, I was merely draped on a worn stool, the soft red leather peeling from years of use. A white silk robe fell across my shoulders, loosely tied at the dip of my waist. I reached forward, my fingers offering the lightest of touches against the smooth keys.

"When I feel like this..." The words fell softly from my lips. My fingertips idly meandered across the gleaming ivory keys, giving only the briefest of pressure for each gentle note. I was casual tonight, my makeup minimal and my hair in messy short damp curls. I was making myself vulnerable, although my confidence grew with each word softly sung.

I extended my leg, my bare foot catching the left pedal to soften the tone of the chords, my robe slipping higher up my thigh.

I had chosen to be naked under the ivory silk robe. I enjoyed the thrill of it and giving the audience something different, and it worked so well for this song.

I reached forward, taking the microphone in my hand and rising as the drums began. I slowly made my way to the front of the stage, my bare feet dancing over the worn wooden boards. The cable tangled through my fingers as I sung each soft note, my hips slowly swaying with the beat. I felt eyes on my body, and the heat rose in my cheeks as I blushed, a shy, sexy smile spreading across my face as I bit my bottom lip, my eyes cast down as I fumbled with the mic stand. I dared not look for her, but I felt as if her eyes were on me.

As it fell into place, I looked straight up, and the light caught my eyes. Both my hands rested on the mic stand, and my fingers slowly rose up, drawing it to me. My body moved with a sway to the music, the microphone faintly brushing against my lips.

As the song faded out, the lights dimmed.

The audience was so silent you could hear a pin drop, and then came the cheers. I knew it was a good performance, probably one of my best, and only then did my gaze drop, my eyes lingering on the front row, searching. Looking. And then I found her.

Claudia.

Right there, where I'd hoped she would be.

My dressing room door opened, and I knew it was her before I even turned around—just the sweet scent that suddenly entered the room, the hesitation in the way she tapped, the slowness of how she opened the door.

"Thank you, for the tickets and the invitation." She held the envelope in her right hand and a nearly empty glass of white wine in the other.

"Would you like a refill?" I asked softly as I stood. She finished the last sip of her wine but then shook her head.

"I'd better not," she answered with a soft smile.

She seemed more comfortable in herself tonight, in her clothes. She was wearing fitted dress pants and a cute fitted top. It was simple but in expensive fabrics. Nothing special. You wouldn't pick it off the rack, but it fitted her well. It suited her height, her frame. It drew me to the curve of her small breasts. It made her look effortlessly feminine, and I liked it. Her long thick hair was drawn up into a neat, high bun, and her makeup was minimal.

I had changed, but had only slipped into something more comfortable, a silk tank and shorts.

"So this is where the magic happens?" she asked with a smile as her fingers reached for the clothes rack, thumbing through the leather jackets, sparkly gowns, and tight pants.

I laughed and moved closer. "I like to think the magic happens on stage, but I guess it starts here, becoming Raven Ramsey."

Claudia looked at me, her eyes as bright as silvery diamonds. "And who is Raven Ramsey before she gets here?"

There was an intensity and heat to her gaze and to that moment between us, and I chose to not hold back.

I didn't think. My hands rose to my shoulders and gave a soft sweep across my skin, letting the straps fall. The satin fabric dropped effortlessly. My breasts fell free with a soft bounce, my nipples already hard, not from the cold, but from desire for her. One hand reached out for her ass, the other rose to tangle in her hair. And then I drew her to me, my lips parting to take a long, deep kiss.

Her lips met mine, opening slightly as she slid her tongue between my lips to dance with mine. I grabbed the hem of her top and took it off. Her sunkissed body stood in front of me. Her erect nipples met mine, pressing against them. She took my bottom lip in my mouth and softly sucked on it.

"I need you," she murmured into my mouth.

She hooked one finger into the waistband of my shorts and then slowly pushed them to the floor as I moaned softly at the taste of her tongue.

I felt that need, too. A hunger for her. My fingers released her hair tie and grabbed handfuls of her hair, pulling her lips from mine, gasping as she dragged my lip with hers before she released. I stepped out of my shorts and stood in front of her naked. I wanted to give myself to her. I went back to kissing her, from her lovely lips, down over her throat, and over her small breasts before taking a firm brown nipple in my mouth and sucking. God, I could stay happily there forever, but it wasn't where I wanted to be, so I continued down, kissing her belly and her naval. I released her pants and black lace underwear and as she easily shrugged them from her hips and gracefully stepped out of them. I settled on my knees in front of her.

"I need you, too. I've needed you desperately since the moment I first saw you."

She bit her lip as she looked down at me on my knees. I knew I was looking at her hungrily.

"I need to taste you," I said as I looked at her beautiful naked body and felt my mouth watering in anticipation. Her pubic hair was rich dark gold curls, just like the hair on her head. I was so close I could smell the deep earthy scent of her desire.

She slowly lifted one leg up, placing her foot on a chair and ran the fingers of her right hand through my short hair, inviting me closer.

My lips parted and my tongue swirled over the skin of her inner thigh, tasting her, then my teeth sank in for a soft, fleshy bite. "You are delicious." My mouth headed inward, closer and closer toward her pussy. I grabbed her ass cheeks with my hands while I buried my face in her, devouring her with my tongue.

Long strokes, nibbles, sucks. She was exquisite and soaking wet for me, and I wanted to taste all of her. I made out with her pussy just as though I was making out with her mouth.

She let out a loud gasp as she watched and felt me exploring her most intimate parts. Not taking her ocean eyes off me, she fixated on my every move.

I took a moment to inhale deeply and breathe in the scent of her. Goosebumps formed on her body when I softly bit down on her labia.

I found her clitoris with my tongue and I circled nice and slowly feeling it swell under my tongue. I wanted to feel her tremble, wanted her to ache, and then finally gave a full firm press of my tongue over her clit.

She leaned back into the wall and let out a loud moan and I took her clitoris into my mouth and sucked.

I glanced up, enjoying her beautiful body coming apart for me.

I reluctantly released her clitoris from my mouth and returned to long hungry strokes of my tongue. Her clitoris. Her vulva. Her anus. I tasted and teased all of her with my mouth. Then I pushed my tongue inside her pussy as deep as I could and felt her pulsing around it.

Her hips instinctively started to work slowly front to back, side to side matching the rhythm of my tongue.

I loved how she moved with me, against me, feeding me her pussy as she wanted me to take her. It made me so wet for her, I could feel myself tingling between my thighs. I just couldn't get enough of her. I was licking her enthusiastically before I pulled away just for a second to look up at her, meeting her gaze. "You are more than I could have ever imagined."

Grabbing my hair and holding it in a firm grip, tilting my face up so she could look down and watch me. Her body gently quivered as she felt my tongue slide back inside her, oh so slowly. She raised her leg to the top of the chair, giving me easier access to her burning core. "You look like an angel on your knees," she panted. Her moans increased as I continued to lick and explore her. Her hand curled, gripping my hair and gently pulling me into her.

I didn't want to stop. I pressed my face forward and felt her wetness on my lips, chin, nose. I wanted to be messy. I wanted to be covered in her. My hands slid up her body and cupped her beautiful breasts, feeling their swell in my palms before my finger and thumb moved together and lightly pulled.

She worked her hips more, up and down, side to side and in a circle, grinding her perfect pussy all over my face. I watched her. Seeing me covered in her wetness was driving her wild. She took needy, hard grinds against my face. She was moaning louder and louder. Her stomach muscles tightened as her body began to tremble. I knew she was close.

"Claudia," I moaned against her pussy, lapping at her faster and firmer as my touches against her nipples became rougher and more intense. "You are so fucking beautiful," I whispered to her pussy as I adored her, and she ground herself against my face.

Throwing her head back and letting out a long loud moan, her legs trembled as I felt her orgasm building. "I'm going to come in your mouth" she cried out.

"Please," I gasped as I took a quick breath. "Come for me."

"Oh fuck, I'm so close! I want to look in your eyes as I come." Grinding harder, her body began to tremble violently, and a scream filled the room as her climax crashed over us both.

She pulsed against my tongue and gushed in my mouth, and it ran all down my chin. I never took my eyes off hers for even a second.

We stayed like that for what seemed like forever, her pussy now still against my mouth as she looked down at me.

I smiled and inhaled the sweet musky scent of her once again. I knew right there I would never get enough of her.

She reached down and hooked her hand under my arm to pull me up to her, looking me in the eye. "You're fucking incredible," she murmured as she ran her tongue from my chin to my lips, tasting herself off of me. Pressing her lips against me and passionately kissing me, she lifted me up and wrapped my legs around her. She turned slowly and walked toward the couch and laid me down amongst discarded clothes.

"You are so sexy. I love the taste of you. Fuck, I like you." I kissed her hard and full. Lying down, we sank into the couch and then kissed some more. I wanted to lose myself in her arms. I wanted to become someone else in the hunger of her kiss.

Getting on her knees next to me, she began kissing me some more. Her lips moved down to my neck and traced her tongue along my neck, followed by her lips, making her way down my chest and around one of my breasts then around the other. Stopping and looking at me, she whispered in awe. "They're so perfect," she said, and then placed her lips over one of my nipples, softly sucking it into her mouth and letting it pop out as she pulled away.

"You are so perfect," she murmured into my chest as her sapphire eyes met mine.

Her tongue traced my stomach as she scooted onto her knees, tracing down my body. Licking, kissing, sucking, and nibbling. She looked up at my body as she began to work her way back up from my toes. Her tongue glided along my foot to my calf to my inner thigh before grabbing my leg and spreading it. Her tongue ran up the crease of my groin. I felt myself shudder. I knew I was about to explode. Every touch of her tongue, of her fingers, anywhere on my body was driving me crazy. She turned her head. She looked exquisitely beautiful between my legs. For someone who had looked so out of place from the first time I'd seen her on the ship, she suddenly looked to be in exactly the right place. She paused a second and breathed me in in exactly the same way I had done to her earlier.

I felt myself blush. My cheeks pinked as she laid me out and started to explore me. I was nervous. I'd wanted her, and then she'd told me she thought I was perfect and I melted for her.

I'm not usually nervous during sex. God knows, I've picked up enough women on enough cruises for enough no-strings sex encounters, but this…this felt different somehow from the very start, although I couldn't have put my finger on why.

Sure, she was different from the women who usually threw themselves at me. Maybe it was her iciness, her aloof indifference, that gave me so much pleasure to see it melt away from her along with her clothes.

I told myself to stop overthinking it and simply enjoy.

Gasping as she sucked on my nipple made me tingle from head to toe. After she released my nipple, that's where her mouth went again, all the way down to my toes, and all the way up to my face, kissing, licking, and adoring every inch of me. I felt myself coming apart under her tongue. I felt wide open and vulnerable for her. I was desperate for her, and yet at the same time an inexplicable and unusual shyness overcame me. I felt nervous to open my legs, but her gaze was determined, and her hands pushed my legs apart. "Oh," I moaned as I watched her reach my inner thigh. I could feel the invisible lines her mouth had left on my skin.

She pushed my legs further apart and her face moved back between them.

Her tongue ran over my vulva then softly teased over the top of my labia. I watched as she breathed me in again. Her fingernails softly raked up my inner thighs as her tongue pressed against me, sliding and working her way between my lips, taking the first taste of me and I watched as I felt myself tremble.

Her tongue ran down between my labia, taking my left fold and sucking it into her mouth, gently pulling until it slid out. Then she did the same to my right before lowering to my opening, running her tongue back and forth before she slid it inside.

"Oh, Claudia." I moaned, I loved her name on my lips. I was trembling. I could feel myself flooding with wetness already, wet from making love to her and now wetter still from having had her teasing me. Ultimately, she was at my most intimate place, looking up at me as she licked every tiny little part of me, outside and inside. "Don't stop," I heard myself gasp. "Please…"

She began to work her tongue inside me, running it against my walls and moving it to all the right spots as she explored, pulling it out only to make her way almost casually to my clitoris. Her lips covered it and sucked as two of her fingers slowly and gently slid inside me and curled up to meet my G spot. They pulled out and firmly pushed back in, determinedly pressing my G spot. Once. Twice. Three times.

Claudia was most certainly not straight.

"Oh!" I struggled to keep control. Then I let go in a hot wet explosion for her. Even as I was in mid-orgasm, I reached for her. I wanted her lips, kisses, and touch as I let go. "Oh!"

She continued licking, tasting and lapping up my orgasm. She climbed up to me, pressing her lips to mine and deeply, passionately kissing me, stealing each long, deep moan of my orgasm from my trembling lips.

I could taste me in her kiss.

Her. Us.

As our bodies came down from the high, our minds were still up there, lost. Holding onto each other tight, my thoughts couldn't manage anything other than, "Wow."