Kimberly looked into his eyes, pleased that she had saved herself for Rick. She was touched that he appreciated that nobody had had the pleasure of intimately knowing her body before him. Smiling adoringly at him, she raked her fingers through his hair. Rick rolled off her, but held her tightly in his arms, as she laid her head on his chest, they held each other tightly, kissing, caressing, pleasuring each other. It was about an hour later, when he was attempting to make love to her again, his aroused form, rather evident.

‘Riccardo, I don’t think I can __’

‘You will my love, I will make sure of it,’ he reassured her, erasing her doubts, that she would not be able to reach an orgasm again. And reach it she did, and not once but twice, when she was aroused from a deep sleep in the early hours, by Rick’s hunger to possess her again.

She awoke in the morning, possessively wrapped in Rick’s arms. Their naked bodies entwined to each other. Joy and contentment filled her with the knowledge that Rick Buchanan was her husband. She could not have wished for a better lover. He was caring, gentle, patient and most of all his desire was to please her first before himself. She sighed happily, caressing him, admiring Rick’s sleeping form. Her fingers trailing seductively over the length of his well toned muscular frame. She reached up and kissed his adoring lips, sighing contentedly.

‘I love you Riccardo Buchanan,’ she whispered to herself.

‘Yeah?’ he questioned sleepily.

‘You’re awake, darling?’ she asked.

‘Mmm! don’t incriminate yourself,’ he teased.

‘I thought you were still asleep,’ she whispered.

He mumbled something sleepily, hugging her.

Kimberly smiled, realizing his tired body was not ready for the new day. She tried to snuggle closer to him, and realized the effort was painful to move her lower body. She groaned silently, feeling aches and pains in a part of her body that had been screaming out for pleasure last night.

‘Good morning, how are you this morning Mrs. Buchanan?’ Finally awaking, Rick kissed her lips, pulling her to him.

‘Rick,’ she cautioned painfully. The agony in her voice alerted him perceptively to the cause of her concern.

‘Darling I’m sorry,’ he murmured, putting his arms around her neck and hugging her.

‘Will a warm bath, help at all?’ he asked.

‘I’d rather just lay here for a while,’ she half smiled a reply, having no desire to test the strength of her body.

Rick combed his fingers through her hair, trailing a path down her cheek, over her upper lip. She raised her lips to his, kissing him back. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kimberly’s fingers trailed into his hair, caressing him at leisure.

‘So how do you feel?’ he asked softly.

‘Like I’ve run an ultra marathon, without the necessary practice!’ she quirked.

He laughed loudly, ‘you sure have a way with words, my darling!’

‘Mmm, I’ve made a profession of it,’ she quipped.

‘Would you like me to run you a bath?’ he offered again.

‘I think, I’d prefer a shower,’ she replied.

‘Will you manage that?’ he enquired, concerned.

‘I don’t have a terminal illness, just __the effects of overindulgence,’ she avoided his eyes.

‘Kimberly, I can see being married to you is going to be one sweet journey!’ his eyes were filled with laughter.

‘Enjoy the ride!’ she could not resist.

‘Oh, I intent to,’ he replied, with much promise.

‘How about, I order us some breakfast?’ he suggested.

‘As long as it’s not delivered into the bedroom,’ she replied.

‘Can I carry you to the shower?’ he enquired.

‘No, you go on ahead,’ she declined.

Rick cast a questioning look in her direction.

‘I’d just like a few more minutes please, I will join you tonight,’ she pleaded.

Rick nodded, and slid off the bed in all his glory to the shower.

Kimberly turned on her stomach, groaning at the effort it took to move. She covered her head with the pillow. She supposed the quicker she got out of bed and started moving around, the quicker she could overcome the pain. She would just shut her eyes till Rick got out the shower, then she’d wake up. But before she knew it she had dozed off into a peaceful sleep. It was more than an hour later when she stirred, realizing she been asleep for a while.

Making an effort, she took herself to the bathroom, indulging in a luxurious hot shower, with the scents of the herbal salts, like healing balm, she felt much better, and went in search of Rick. He was in his office, busy with some files. She went up behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

‘Hey you’re up and you’ve showered!’ he lifted her onto his lap.

‘Good morning.’ she smiled, kissing his lips.

‘Well, good day,’ he emphasized, with a grin.

‘I’m sorry I seem to have passed out while you were in the shower.’

‘It took super human effort not to climb into the bed again,’ he complained.

‘Have you had breakfast already?’ she enquired.

‘When I saw you sleeping there so adoringly, I cancelled breakfast, and just ordered myself a pot of tea.’

‘Oh darling, why didn’t you just have some breakfast?’

‘I wanted to have it with you,’ he replied, ‘I’ll call and order it to be delivered now?’ he picked up the phone, and instructed accordingly.

A feast fit for a king, was delivered for the two of them. After breakfast, Rick carried her back to bed, ‘I want you to rest honey,’ he instructed.

‘What are you going to do?’ she asked disappointedly.

‘I’ll be in my study, just going through some paperwork.’ he replied.

‘Come to bed with me,’ she urged.

‘Kimberly __’

‘Come to bed with me darling, I want you to,’ she murmured, her invitation not lost on him.

‘But I’d rather you rest ___.’

‘Fine, I can rest in my cabin, I will see you at seven tonight__.’

‘Oh no you’re not!’ he dived into the bed with her hurriedly ridding himself of his shirt and trousers.

‘That didn’t require much powers of persuasion,’ she grinned satisfactorily, wrapping her arms around him, her lips parting, enticing a response from him. His mouth covered hers, gently, teasing hers.

‘For future reference, just remember who wears the trousers in this marriage,’ he warned.

‘You don’t make a convincing argument in your current state,’ she threw at him.

‘You were saying!’ he tickled her mercilessly.

‘No stop! It’s you, my husband,’ she giggled, ‘you wear the trousers,’ she relented, begging him to stop. They stared into each others’ eyes, desire reflecting and mounting, ready to be unleashed like an imminent tornado.

‘I love you Riccardo,’ she cupped his face.

‘I love you too,’ he responded.

‘Make love to me,’ she whispered.

He smiled adoringly into her eyes, his lips parted, inviting her finger caressing his cheek, into his mouth.

Kimberly groaned her pleasure, as his tongue, sent erotic sensations from her tingling fingers to the rest of her body. She pulled his head lower, wanting to kiss his lips, desiring more intimacy with his tongue . He obliged, his tongue on a sensuous journey as it denied her any oxygen, for a while. She gasped, stealing a few seconds, filling her lungs again. She traced her fingers over his body, wanting to discover and pleasure every inch of him.

Her fingers reached his erect form. Rick groaned at the erotic touch of her exploring fingers. Her tongue caressed his taut nipple, loving the way his body responded to her touch, trailing down his body. She held his aroused form in her hand, looking into his dark desire filled eyes. Her mouth moved down over the flat board stomach and her tongue slid lower, until it was tracing around the erect tip.

‘Kim –ber—ly. Dar—ling,’ he stammered. She continued to pleasure him, her tongue running riot over the entire length of him. He lifted her up, his lips hungrily crushing hers. He was uncontrollably aroused, kissing her with such fervor, his fingers trailed to the triangle at her pelvis, entering the soft welcoming center.

‘Oh Riccardo,’ she moaned, purring excitedly.

His fingers delved at the soft tip of her womanhood, making her arch her pelvis involuntarily.

‘Riccardo!’ she purred, wanting him to enter her. Ignoring her plea, he continued to kiss her sensually, his hands caressing her petite buttocks, the palms of his hands raising her pelvis.

‘I want you now!’ she begged.

He hoisted himself above her, his fingers guiding his form inside her. This time she was ready and able to receive him easily. His own need overriding his control, he thrust deeply into her.

‘Darling, oh darling!’ she groaned joyously, her fingers piercing into him, her hands hugging him, running into his hair caressing the nape of his neck adoringly. She trailed her lips down his neck, her teeth gently nibbling on an erratic pulse responding to her stimulation. Unhurriedly, Rick continued to take her to new heights, just when she thought she’d had enough, she experienced wave after wave of exhilarating pleasure until she felt a shudder, a quick spasm, when she was about to climax, only then did he let himself go and together they experienced a volcanic explosion of simultaneous pleasure and completion. Rick lay still on her, his chest heaving, his lungs starving for relief. When he could breathe easily again, he rolled off her.

‘I think I need to get back to a gym routine to keep up with your demands,’ he teased lightly.

She was equally breathless, but could not resist, ‘sign of the times,’ she mused, ‘perhaps I should have married a man my own age!’

He turned on her.
‘I take that back,’ she laughed, before he could torture her again.

‘Mmm very wise!’ he acknowledged with a devilish grin.

He leaned over her, his elbows on either side of her shoulders, his fingers trailing into her hair.

‘Speaking of fast learner, Kimberly you were amazing!’ he murmured.

She blushed profusely, hiding her face into his shoulder.

‘Kimberly, he grinned, not wanting to embarrass her further. He hoisted her onto his chest, hugging her tightly, as his fingers caressed lightly over her back.

Kimberly thought it delightfully erotic to lay on him, her naked breasts firmly on his bare chest, she clasped her hands under his neck, kissing him, teasing his lips apart, their tongues entwined, their sweat glistened bodies wrapped in each other.

‘You’re okay?’ Rick enquired, his lips brushing against hers.

‘Yes,’ she smiled, glad that there was no more aches and pains threatening.

They lay in each other’s arms, laughing, teasing each other. Rick laid his head on her lap, she was cradling him, caressing her fingers into his hair, loving on him.

‘Sing to me, my sweet Kimberly,’ he mumbled sleepily.

She wanted to sing a song to him that would emphasize her intense feelings for him, and gave him an unplugged rendition of Lionel Ritchie’s Endless Love,

My love, there’s only you in my life,

The only thing that’s bright,

My first love,

You’re every breath I take

You’re every step I make

And I want to share all my love with you

No one else will do

And your eyes, tell me how much you care

You will always be my endless love, two hearts

Two hearts that beat as one

Our lives have just begun …

She completed the song while he listened attentively, entranced by her melodic voice.

‘That’s a personal dedication to you,’ she spoke softly, holding his eyes to hers.

‘You sing so beautifully, I’m deeply aroused just hearing how sensationally you sing. It fills me with so much love for you my darling,’ he whispered.

‘Thank you,’ she almost choked on a response to his expressive thoughts. She thought perhaps they needed a change of scenery.

‘So Mr. Buchanan, do you have any intention of seeing the outside of your cabin, I’m kind of feeling some cabin fever!’

‘We’ve not even been here like twenty four hours,’ he complained.

‘I’m keen to take a walk about,’ she tried to entice him, not getting any purchase.

‘Rick com’on, let’s walk, I need coffee and chocolate cake, please.’

‘Will I ever be able to say no to you!’ he seemed to talk to himself.

Kimberly snuck away to have a quick shower, she was almost done, when he opened the door. ‘May I join you?’ He was hopeful.

Wiping the spray of water away from her face she cast a cynical look in his direction.

‘As long as your only intention is to shower and you have no private agenda,’ she warned.

He grinned sheepishly.

‘Actually, I’m about done,’ she informed him.

‘Good, you can do me!’ he handed her the soap.

This was going to require some discipline.

‘Turn around,’ she commanded, wanting to start with his back, she was having difficulty keeping a straight face. He meekly obliged. She soaped the vast expanse of his shoulders and back, turning him around. She ran the soap across his chest, her fingers caressing over his fine torso, as she rinsed off the soap. Unable to resist she groaned inwardly, pulling his head down, she caressed his lips with hers. His hands came to her waist.

‘Hands off Buchanan!’ she instructed.

Disappointedly, his hands fell to the side. She was so tempted to mould her body to his, she wanted to be enveloped in his arms. Kissing him one last time, she escaped out of the shower.

‘You do the rest,’ she threw at him, her cheeks colouring.

‘Kimberly no!’ he pleaded. He was still moaning and groaning even after she shut the bathroom door.

She quickly slipped on a pair of shorts and a shirt before he could return. She was busy with her hair when he strolled in, towel around his waist. She caught his eye in the mirror. He was sulking, giving her the puppy dog look.

‘Did I not warn you that you could join me only if you wanted to shower?’ she reminded him.

He would not answer.

Oh! I’m not going to always give in to those puppy dog looks.

‘I’ll make it up to you when we come back,’ she whispered, placing her arms around his neck.

‘In the shower?’ he wanted to know.

‘Yes, I promise,’ her tongue caressed his nipple, tasting the fresh scent of the soap on him.

He smiled happily. He looked gorgeous in a pair of designer shorts and a polo shirt.

Rick clasped his hand to hers, as they left his cabin, she removed her hands, looking around, but not before she caught the look of irritation, in his eyes.

The blonde with the previous gym equipment challenge spotted Rick, and was making her way to them.

‘No!’ Kimberly groaned, ‘she should take up knitting!’

‘A ring on my finger would send her a clear message!’ Rick grinned.

‘How about you articulate to her who the gym instructor is?’ Kimberley hissed, unamused.

‘Rick darling! The boutique is not accepting my charge card, when there’s more than enough funds in it!’ she pouted.

‘Innovative, how about that?’ Kimberly muttered under her breath, although Rick caught her words.

‘Excuse me Miss Sloane,’ he mocked, ‘duty calls!’

Kimberly’s smile did not reach her eyes, as she turned her back on Rick. She placed her order at the restaurant, and requested it be delivered to one of the deck chairs, she pointed to. She did not order for Rick, not knowing after how long he may resurface. Throwing herself onto the lounger, she raised her feet resting it on the ropes in front of her. She sipped on her coffee, losing all appetite for her chocolate cake. She closed her eyes, as she listened to the soothing sounds of the mega ship as it made light of cutting across the rough seas like a heated knife through butter. It felt like some thirty minutes later, when she heard Rick’s voice, in the lounger next to her.

‘Why haven’t you had your cake?’ he asked softly, a polite smile on his face.

‘Surely you have duty, that calls!’ she replied sarcastically, go away I’m relaxing.’

‘Kimberly!’ he hissed warningly.

‘What?’ she challenged him.

‘Let’s walk,’ he instructed.

‘I don’t want to,’ she defied him.

‘Kimberly, in the time it takes me to stand up, if you don’t start to get up, I’m carrying you to my cabin,’ he warned.

‘What if I scream?’ she tested him.

‘The choice is yours,’ his voice was deadly quiet, as he rose.

She rose with him, and to anybody who observed, it looked as if it was by mutual agreement the pair departed.

She cast her eye towards his, he refused to be baited, not looking in her direction at all. He greeted the patrons cheerfully, as they passed along the way.

‘Can I fetch my guitar?’ she questioned, angrily.

‘I’ll walk you there,’ he responded.

‘I know the directions to my cabin!’ she flung at him. In the maudlin mood she was in, she’d much rather string her guitar in her own cabin.

He placed his hand under her elbow, it looked casual to any observer, but Kimberly felt the force of his firmness.

‘Perhaps we need to discuss an itinerary for the duration of this cruise,’ he proposed, when they were back in his cabin.

Kimberly was sitting on his bed, stringing her guitar. Rick’s eyes watched her animatedly.

‘You mean the boundaries you’re going to confine me to similar to the job descriptions you contract your employees to!’ she accused.

‘I’m sure if we can plan around our respective schedules, it will allow us time for ourselves each day,’ he replied.

‘We can have breakfast together, and meet again for dinner,’ she proposed, knowing it would be rejected outright.

‘We will have lunch together here every day,’ he instructed. ‘I propose you start your day at nine after we breakfast, break from twelve to two, and then work till seven, after which, the rest of the night you belong to me,’ he stated.

‘Did I hear you say this was a discussion, Your Highness, it seems it already has the only seal of approval required!’ she flung at him.

He glared at her angrily, she could tell from his eyes he was ready to do battle, she held her breath guardedly.

‘Okay Kimberly, I’m listening, let’s hear your alternative!’ he raised his voice an octave.

She slid off his bed, ‘Riccardo to a certain degree, your proposal can work,’ she halted there.

He was behind her in an instant, his arms circling her waist, ‘so what is the problem?’ he questioned, his lips planting kisses on her neck. She arched her neck, closing her eyes, savouring the erotic caress. He turned her around in his arms, his eyes trained on her lips, ‘so to what degree does it not work for you?’ he wanted to know.

‘Riccardo,’ she murmured, her eyes blazed with unmistakable desire, she knew they should be having a rational discussion, but damn this man knew just how to tear through her defenses.

‘That’s my name, I’m listening,’ he prompted, his lips teasingly close to hers.

Her eyes followed his lips as if hypnotized, ‘I love you,’ she whispered.

‘Oh yeah!’ he mocked, ‘so to what degree is my proposal not going to work?’ he demanded.

‘And to think, I was accused of not deviating from my single mindedness!’ she spoke softly.

‘Now we’re even,’ he countered, ‘so out with whatever you’re stalling about.’

She sighed, ‘Riccardo, my creative output is not equivalent to a production line in a factory, I can’t always achieve what I want on demand, from nine to five!’ she started.

‘Where is this rabbit trail leading to Miss Sloane?’ he questioned, his fingers caressing on her thigh and her buttocks.

‘It’s Mrs. Buchanan to you,’ she remarked with difficulty, her attention more focused on the burning trail his fingers were leaving.

‘I have more interesting ways I’d rather spend my time than argue semantics, now out with it!’

‘I’d like you to allow me some time at night,’ she blurted.

‘When at night and how much of my night?’

‘Well that’s just it, I cannot programme my creativity.  Perhaps after dinner, or maybe you don’t get paranoid, if I leave our bed, to go and work. It would not happen every night.’

‘Okay, Miss Sloane, if you’ve performed your wifely duties, and I’m fast asleep, you may leave our bed. But if I awake and have need of my wife, then I reserve the right to come and carry you back to bed.’

She cast a cynical eye at him. He was not offering her anything. She could have his time, only if he was fast asleep and if he had no need of her. Why was she not surprised?

‘Now, I’d like to collect on your promise of the shower?’ he demanded.

‘But we’ve showered like two hours ago!’ she remarked.

‘I need you in the shower now,’ he demanded, picking her up.

‘But I don’t need a shower now,’ she replied innocently.

‘You’re going to have one anyway,’ his lips was caressing hers, all the way to the shower. Kimberly roped her arms around his neck, kissing him back. He placed her on the tiles, unhurriedly unbuttoning her shirt, stealing kisses in between. Kimberly helped him remove his shirt. His mouth took possession of hers, his fingers unhooked her bra, as his hands closed over breast. She heard him groan with pleasure. Kimberly hurriedly removed his shorts and briefs, wanting to touch him.

‘Darling, don’t be in a hurry,’ he murmured.

She groaned impatiently, as he rather seductively soaped her body, and her aroused nipples, his fingers then moulded her petite buttocks against his frame.

‘Riccardo,’ she groaned excitedly.

Her soap filled fingers caressed his chest, gliding over the mat of hair, her tongue, teasing on his nipple. Rick groaned as her fingers ran seductively over his muscular thighs, carving the taut muscles of his shapely buttocks.

‘Kimberly,’ he murmured his pleasure.

She stoked his aroused form, soaping him, caressing him. Rick’s mouth sought hers hungrily, his tongue ardently clinging to hers, as his fingers trailed down to below her waist, touching her, entering the soft moist inside.

‘Darling,’ she breathed excitedly. Rick went down on his knees, his mouth covering the lips of her womanhood.

‘Oh, Riccardo, darling, ___ so wonderful!’ she purred between gasps of pleasure, holding tightly to his neck, not wanting him to stop, but then simultaneously needing him inside her. She pulled on his shoulders, wanting him to arise, then she was planting kisses on his stomach, his lower abdomen, until she had him in her mouth, her tongue, erotically stimulating the tip of his manhood in a circular fashion.

‘Honey please stop! he begged. He picked her up, pinning her against the wall, parting her legs, he entered her in one deep thrust.

‘Riccardo!’ she cried out, clinging to him as if her life depended on her hold on him. He panted, moulding her body to his, tucking her legs around his waist, he continued to fill her with wave after wave of inexplicable pleasure, until she was exploding with him in a crescendo of fulfillment. He held her under the shower, supporting the both of them against the wall until they regained their breath. He soaped and rinsed them of, then carried Kimberly to the bed.

She lay on her stomach on the bed wrapped in her bath sheet too spent to move. Rick toweled himself of, and threw himself onto the bed in all his glory. She lifted her head, grinning at his boyish behaviour, planting a kiss on his forehead, his fingers caressing her legs as she lay on her stomach.

‘So how about some tea and chocolate cake? he suggested.

‘Coffee and cake,’ she murmured sleepily.

         -End Chapter Four-