Chapter Nine
After Linda and Ely went below decks, Karl could give his full attention to navigating the channel between the two islands. He knew it was going to take a while and in this wind, it was going to be dangerous. Having two beautiful women on deck with him hadn't helped his concentration. Although he loved them both, he was somewhat worried about them being together but at the same time, he was just as glad to have had them go below. At the moment, they were simply a distraction and he didn't need that right then.
Amongst other things he was having second thoughts about his course, he wasn't sure they should have even tried this pass in this weather. He could have followed back along the way he and Linda had come when they had arrived in this island group. However, he'd felt that would have been a mistake because it actually doubled their chances of being seen in the same area and it did happen to be the nearest approach to where they actually were heading. If anyone did happen to see them pass, he wanted to misdirect them if he could. This pass would have seemed the logical course to follow if they were actually heading at ninety degrees to their true direction and toward the mainland. Yet by swinging their course ninety degrees soon after leaving the pass, it would allow them to take shelter in another island chain after about six hours or so of travel. However if the weather worsened, it would take longer so he was hoping it didn't. When they were at that new position, they could then change directions again and perhaps throw any pursuit off to an even greater degree. All things considered, this had seemed the best choice even if it was dangerous in this weather.
Right at the moment, he wasn't as confident in that choice as he could have been. He was finding this pass tough to navigate. He found himself checking the radar, the depth sounder, the GPS, and the chart alternately, at the same time as trying to focus on a rain blurred shoreline through the rain-splattered windshield. Making minute adjustments to his steering, he tried to take advantage of what shelter he could find from the wind and waves, but he didn't dare hug the windward island too closely, he didn't know these waters well enough. Often he was in mid channel and in large waves but he couldn't do anything about it. As well as the running waves of the storm, there were reflected waves from the shorelines of the islands that often gave the boat a curious twisting motion. That would throw his steering off, which meant that he immediately had to make corrections. There was no way he could relax, not even for a moment.
It wasn't long before he could smell the coffee perking and he began to impatiently wait for his promised cupful to arrive. He was concentrating on what looked like a rock off of their starboard bow when he noticed a coffee cup being slid into his cup holder by someone behind him.
"Thanks love." He said quietly, still intent on his steering and assuming it was Linda.
"Welcome." He hardly heard the whisper behind his ear then he felt arms slip around his chest and hold him in a tight hug as he was snuggled from behind.
One hand remained on his chest, but the other slowly crept downward. He hesitated a second or two, but when the hand slipped below the belt and cupped his crotch, he tensed. He was positive it wasn't Linda now, just from the touch of the hand that cupped his rapidly swelling arousal. He reached one hand down, grasping the wrist then lifting and pulling it to one side.
"That's enough. I need to concentrate." He said quietly, turning his head to glance over his shoulder for a second. Keri was grinning at him.
"I was just going to say; thank you." She laughed softly. "I could make you quite happy and still let you steer the boat."
"And I'd probably have run us on the rocks from lack of concentration." He growled, turning forward again. "Besides, what would you have done if someone had come up from below? I'm surprised at you."
"By someone, you mean Linda don't you?" She responded laughingly. "To be honest, I don't think she'd be as bothered as you seem to think, not after having had a chance to talk to her. I like Linda a lot by the way. I think she's wonderful, and I think she's trying her best to make do with a difficult situation and succeeding. She's got charm, class, and good sense. Anyway, I've missed you, and your lovin' for long enough that I'd almost forgotten how you felt. You're definitely still quite a man, so if you change your mind?"
"Oh for Christ sake Keri, stop being a pain in the ass." He growled.
"Pain wasn't what I was going to give you." She giggled loudly. "I guarantee that you would have enjoyed every moment."
"You know damn well that's not what I meant." He argued.
"Oh I know what you meant, or at least what you said." She emphasised a deep sigh. " I just think I should thank you the proper way, but I'm not about to force you. I should tell you though, I've been told I give a good hand job and a helluva blow job. Actually, come to think of it, I think it was you who told me that and not all that long ago either."
"That's all fine and dandy, but not now for cripes sake." He responded, still wanting to pay attention to the boat even though the pass had widened slightly and was now easier to navigate.
"Oh man. You are such a stuffed shirt sometimes. I don't know why I love you so much." She sighed again as she wrapped her arms back around his chest from the back to hug him tightly for a few seconds. "Let's forget sex for a while. I've missed you a whole lot and I'm so glad to see you. It's been what, almost nine weeks?"
He couldn't help but chuckle.
"You haven't changed much. You're still a hell of a tease." He said quietly. "But yes, I've missed you too."
"I am not a tease." She announced flatly. "Anything I've offered you is yours for the asking."
"Oh, but at what price." He grinned, before returning his concentration to the job at hand.
"Free." She whispered. "For you, it couldn't be any other way. No strings, no demands. You paid the full price, long ago."
"Ah, you might not make demands, but . . . " He said slowly, letting his words trail off.
"Oh you big dumb ass. I was just trying to let you know how much I love you and return some of that love you lavish on me and my whole family." She declared. "Just look at you right now. You're risking your life as well as Linda's. In addition since you're smuggling us across the border, you're risking your liberty and your precious boat just to rescue us. You couldn't show your love for me and my family any more than you already are. It isn't possible. All I was trying to do was say thanks and show you I loved you as well."
"Just verbally saying thank you works wonders." Karl said quietly. "I'm quite glad to help."
"Oh shit, I know." She moved away from him to stand in one corner of the wheelhouse, staring out the window into the darkness. She was quiet for several seconds, then she began to talk quietly. "I remember the first day I saw you. I was with Ely. You were living on this old boat even then, but she didn't look much like she does now. She still looked a lot like an old fish boat and some parts of her even stank of fish, especially below in the bilge. You were going to install the generator for Dad."
"Unh huh." Karl said quietly. "That's right. That was just after George had hired me to build the hydro electric plant and wire the cabin."
"That was the old cabin. Now it's supposed to be Dad's chicken house, only no one but you lives at home long enough to keep chickens."
"I think you might keep some now." Karl said quietly. "That is if you want to."
"Chickens you mean? Yeah we might at that." Keri sighed softly. "The problem is where will we get them?"
"Oh, I imagine we can probably find one or two. I've got some if they survived the earthquake. They probably have chicks now since no one will have been there to stop the hens from setting on the eggs."
"Yeah, you've got chickens, and goats, and pigs, even a garden and an orchard."
"The pigs aren't mine. You won them in a bar remember. We'd have been better off if I'd thrown them overboard on the way home or given them back the way I wanted to." He snorted.
"Aw come on, they were so cute and so little." Keri giggled. "And I gave them to you."
"And they grew up to be so big and so tough." Karl sighed. "And I refused to accept them."
"Well, I did try to pen them. Who would have thought they were so bloody strong and determined?"
"Well, they're a pain in the ass now. With all of us being away for a while, I wonder if there will be anything left or if they'll have eaten it all, the whole damn island."
"Oh come on, we got them all down into the bottomland and penned them there. They can't get out of that."
"Huh, they've probably gotten up the gorge and eaten the generator house by now. You have to admit they've been more trouble than they were worth."
"I suppose." She yawned "Right now though, I don't feel like arguing. Since I've been running for almost twelve hours, I'm awfully tired. I think I'll sit down for a while."
"Unh huh, same old Keri, start to lose an argument and you want to go to sleep." He laughed.
"In a moment . . . " She whispered quietly, then fell silent.
When she didn't say anything more for several minutes, he turned to look at her. She was dozing in the chair, exhaustion had caught up to her. He took the risk of moving over and shifting the chair so that if she slumped she wouldn't fall, then he stepped right back to the wheel. Thankfully, it was only moments later when Linda came up from below and found her sleeping there.
When she teased Karl that she was worried that Keri might have seduced him, he did his best to answer ambiguously and suggested that Keri should be helped below decks where she couldn't fall and hurt herself in her sleep. A moment later, when she hugged him and told him that Keri had made a play for her, he admitted what Keri had done when she had brought him the coffee.
Linda surprised him by being amused and saying she found it complimentary. He was slightly nonplussed by her reaction, not knowing exactly how Keri's action could be complimentary. After that they had a long talk that left him even more perplexed with the way he felt. He admitted to himself that he loved both Keri and Ely, as well as Linda, but he couldn't explain the difference of his feelings toward them, even to himself.
Then suddenly, a strong cross wave shifted the boat and Keri seemed to slip in her seat. Karl had to return his full attention to the boat.
"Right now I'd better get Keri below." Linda said firmly, moving to her side. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty." She said loudly as she gently shook Keri's shoulder.
"Hmm, oh, hello. I must have dozed off." Keri said, sleepily.
"There's a bunk for you down below. Do you think you can make it?" Linda winked at Karl.
Keri managed to get to her feet and Linda helped her down the steps just as another large wave shifted the boat. It unbalanced them, but they managed to hang on and stay upright. That was the first in a series of large waves that tossed the boat for a few minutes, then they seemed to pass into a calmer section of water.
A glance at the GPS and the radar showed Karl that they were finally clear of the pass and in open water. Those heavy waves must have been the chop at the entrance to the pass and Karl sighed deeply because he'd felt the boat ride easier almost instantly after crossing through them. He double checked his position and then adjusted his direction, finding that on the new course he was actually able to increase the speed of the boat. Then to, with less to worry about, he could pull a stool over close to the wheel, getting off of his feet for a bit. That felt great, his knees were bothering him although he didn't want to admit it, even to himself.
Unfortunately as soon as he sat down, he started to cool off. He'd gotten his pants wet when he'd been on deck in the storm and instead of gradually drying like he'd expected, they seemed to be getting more uncomfortable and were feeling both cold and wet. He knew that with his arthritis problems he should get out of them as soon as possible because it wasn't good for his knees and legs to get chilled too badly. On top of that, the coffee he'd had earlier had gone straight through him and he needed the head. Even worse, he was feeling the urge to relieve more than just his bladder. He was soon wishing that Linda would come back from below decks. It took long enough that he was actually quite uncomfortable when he finally heard her come up the companionway from below.
"Oh man. I'm glad to see you." He said abruptly. "I need to get to the head. Can you take the wheel for a few minutes?"
"Sure. Sorry I was so long. I had to put Keri to bed. Should I just keep the boat on this heading?"
"Yeah. I'll be back as quick as I can." He said as he stepped to the ladder. "If you have an emergency, blow the whistle a few times. Ely will wake and give you a hand. I'll come back quickly too, even if I can't get here instantly."
"I'll be fine. Take your time." Linda responded as he rushed below.
He hurried to the head and found that his wet pants and shorts were even more uncomfortable than ever when he pulled them back on. He decided that he had to change them, however when he went into his cabin he was somewhat surprised to see Keri sleeping on his bunk. She slept 'au natural' and she must have found the boat too warm, she'd thrown off the covers to cool off and that exposed her lovely body to his gaze. She couldn't have managed to look more attractive if she had tried. He found himself staring for a few seconds, unable to help himself, then resolutely turned his back and found dry clothing.
While he was hurriedly kicking off his shorts and pants, he accidentally caught them on a drawer handle. Then just as he was off balance and turning in an attempt to loosen them, the boat pitched from a large wave. Even as he was losing his balance and falling, he happened to catch a glimpse of Keri's face. Her eyes were open and she was smiling up at him. He was literally thrown into the bunk and on top of her. She caught him in her arms although he managed to prevent himself from crushing her under his weight.
"Pennies from heaven. Someone up there loves me." She whispered, then before he could protest or pull away, her lips found his.
She was nude and very desirable. He was nude from the waist down and lying on top of her. He knew she was willing, even eager. And yet he fought for restraint, almost forgetting in that short instant when her lips touched his. A surge of pure animal desire tried to take over his body. Frantically kicking himself free, he shifted his body away so he wasn't lying directly on her. She moaned, and her arms clamped even tighter around him but he broke the kiss and lifted his head. He paused where he was and held perfectly still.
"I can't do this Keri." He said quietly. "It would be a mistake."
"Aw come on." Keri pleaded. "I need you. It's been way too long."
"No Keri. This just isn't the time. It's too damn dangerous." Karl answered.
"Oh to hell with that. Linda won't mind, not really." She growled, wriggling to try to clamp her legs around his hips as her arms held his chest. "She said it was okay if you started it and damn it, you've started."
"You Bitch, I haven't started anything, I fell, that's all." He growled, fighting against her frantically hunting legs
"Your private bitch, please." She giggled, then she moaned and her voice changed. "And I'm in heat. I don't know what it is, but I need you. I need a man. I need sex. It's driving me nuts."
"Keri, this is crazy."
Her arms prevented him from pulling away, and along with that, every surge of the boat as it pounded into the waves seemed to force him against her wonderful tight warmth. Her position, his position, the mutual readiness of their bodies, all seemed to collaborate against his reluctance. Her body twisted and heaved under him.
"Oh Karl, Please!" She whimpered.
"Keri, I can't and it's not because I don't want to. I'm fighting myself as much as I'm fighting you." He admitted. "I want you too, but right now, it could get us killed or at least caught and jailed. We have to have two people up and watching at all times."
"Even for ten minutes?"
"Keri, you know damn well, you and I - look, if I made love to you, I'd have to do it sort of 'all the way'. I'd be tired. I'd fall asleep and so would you. We're so bushed from all this crap that we're running on adrenaline and I think it's screwed up your thinking. Maybe that's what's making you so horny." Karl argued. "Besides, Linda isn't that familiar with the controls, she might make a mistake or an emergency might crop up, who knows."
"Okay, okay, so all that is true, it doesn't help how I feel one damn bit." She moaned, her body finally relaxing in resignation. "I'm still horny as hell. Fuck. We all are. Even Linda and Trudy are acting horny as hell and both of them are at least getting fucked."
"Oh Jesus woman, do you think you're the only one who feels like a raging sex maniac." Karl laughed sardonically as he rolled to lay beside her. "I've never felt like this since I was sixteen. Maybe the earthquake set off some damn gas that makes people horny or something. I don't know."
"Oh Shit." Keri couldn't help but laugh, even if it was in frustration. "At least I know I'm not alone."
"No, you're not alone." Karl snorted. "And it doesn't help to end up in bed half nude with a beautiful woman."
"Only by accident, you said it was anyway." She laughed.
"Alright kid. It was an accident." Karl sighed softly. "Just an accident."
He kissed her lightly. Keri smiled sweetly up at him.
"If this was an accident, I think I like accidents." She sighed, then stated flatly "It's not as if we haven't had an accident or two before you know."
"I guess." He smiled. "I must be driving you and Ely nuts huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, with Linda. I mean, I practically lived with you and Ely as . . . well I guess as husband and sort of co-wives for several years, Ely even had David and there is no doubt he's my son, even if I'm not supposed to be able to have kids. Then Ely and I sort of drifted apart, She and David moved to Seattle for a while. You went off to school and then to work. Yet I always made room in my bed for you when you came back and I did the same for Ely. Now I have Linda along and I seem to be pulling back. Even I don't get it."
"She's new, Ass Hole." Keri giggled. "And from what I've seen she's bloody smart and damn competent. You're on tenterhooks because you really like her a lot. But although you know she likes you, she's told you she likes women too, so you may be a little insecure with that. Besides, she may be a touch possessive and a bit worried that we'll try to steal you back from her and I imagine she's made you aware of that as well. She hasn't figured out how being around you works yet."
"So, how does being around me work? I've still got that to figure out."
"Oh man, ask a woman to describe the impossible when she's exhausted." Keri laughed softly. "Tell ya what I'll trade a short snuggle for an attempt to describe it."
"Wench. You always need a snuggle." He chuckled.
"From you? Oh, of course I do." She sighed softly as he wrapped an arm around her, just gently holding her.
"Okay, describe away." He muttered, trying not to inhale her hair as it moved near his mouth, then he had to blow it away after all. "Pffffuuff"
"Oops." She shifted a bit. "Better?"
"Unh huh. Looks great, tastes yukky."
"Well, enjoy looking at it while you can, it won't be there for long, I guess," And then she softly started to cry.
"What are you talking about?" He asked softly.
"I'm losing it, like Ely did. Alopecia. Didn't you notice . . . down below? My pussy is almost bare."
"Oh shit. I thought Ely's disease was genetic, from her Mom, wasn't it?"
"I guess it was Daddy too." Keri sniffed. "Although he denies that he had anything to do with it, of course! It's an auto-immune disease, so it could come from him just as well."
"He would deny it." Karl had to grin. "Hey, alopecia isn't communicable is it, I mean, I seem to be getting a bald spot on top of my head too."
"That's male pattern baldness, Dolt." Keri couldn't help but snicker. "Alopecia is not a communicable disease. And I may not lose all of my hair, but since I've lost almost all of it on my body now, I will probably be bald in a year or so."
"Poor Linda."
"Poor Linda? Why the hell poor Linda?"
"Well, she's going to be outnumbered. I mean I'm going bald, your Dad is almost bald, Ely is bald, David is bald, now you're joining the crew. Gee, that leaves only Trudy, Mary-Beth and her with hair. And if it comes from your dad, Mary-Beth might lose hers one day as well."
"Oh you idiot." She snorted. "All you can do is make jokes about it."
"Well, is there anything I can do about it? If there is and if you want me to, I will."
"Sure, sex once a day." Keri snapped quickly, then snickered.
"Oh sure." Karl laughed.
"Well, it was worth a try." She giggled.
A sudden wave caught the boat and they felt the sickening lurch.
"Sweetheart, you had best get back up top. I'll be okay."
"Yeah Linda is going to wonder what the hell happened to me." He started to roll out of the bunk.
"Mmm, possibly I guess, but she may have it figured out, she's smart. Before you go, I need a hug first."
So Karl hugged her tightly for a few seconds, then pulled free and stood up. He looked down at her and smiled as he was pulling on his pants, she winked broadly then closed her eyes again, making no comment. He hurriedly slipped away and up to the wheelhouse. Linda turned as he came up the steps, then broke into laughter when she saw he was wearing dry pants.
"What's so funny?" He said defensively.
"It's just that I know where you keep your pants and it took quite a while to change them." She giggled.
"You find it funny?" He seemed totally surprised. "I almost got raped."
"Sorry babe, I saw how you acted with Keri. 'In order for it to be rape, one person has to be unwilling.' And somehow I think you were quite willing."
He just stared at her for a moment. "Well, at least nothing really happened."
"It didn't?" Linda said in surprise. "You've got to be kidding."
"No, nothing happened. Did you put her up to the attempt?" He asked incredulously
"Oh, I didn't put her up to it." She laughed. "As horny as she was, she didn't need suggestions. Cripes, remember she made a play for me before she did you. She's as horny as I seem to feel, maybe even more."
He sat on the stool in the corner and stared at her like he was seeing a total stranger.
"I think I can stay at the helm for another couple of hours if you want to go below and finish the job off right." She giggled again. "You can't leave her frustrated."
"She seemed quite happy." He managed to snap back.
"Oh sure, I'll bet you were fighting her off to get away." She laughed, then she heard a giggle and turned to see Keri's head pop up from below.
"He did too. He hopped out of the bunk and ran." She said, climbing the steps slowly.
Karl flushed bright red. Keri was still undressed, but carrying her clothes and wearing a blanket draped over her shoulders.
"You're a bitch." He said quietly.
"Hah, not long ago you looked at me like I was something special on the other side of the candy store window." Keri laughed. "Linda, can I take our man back to bed? He didn't satisfy me, really he didn't, all we did was have a nice talk, then he ran off too soon."
"I didn't think he'd taken long enough." Linda laughed. "I can stay awake for a while if Karl goes and has a nap."
"Sure, but I might not let him nap very long." Keri joined in the laughter.
"You're both bitches." Karl growled. "Just what the hell is going on?"
"Well, as I told you, Keri made a play for me and I told her that we were sort of on a honeymoon so it was up to us if it went further than hugs and kisses. I think she was willing to let it go at that. You must have been the one to take it further." Linda grinned at him. "Just what happened?"
"You're not mad?" Karl stared at her.
"If it was your choice, how can I be angry after I told her it was our choice?" She said. "But I am curious, what did happen?"
He stared at her for several seconds and then had to laugh himself even if it was a bit hesitantly.
"I guess I can tell you. It really was an accident. I was changing my pants and shorts because they were wet and uncomfortable from before, from when we were getting everyone aboard. I was just kicking them off my feet, the boat hit a wave and I lost my balance. I landed on the bed and sort of on top of Keri. I'd even been trying not to look at her because she'd shoved the blankets off and was laying there nude. She woke up, wrapped me in her arms, and started kissing me. I guess if I'd known what you had said it might have been more than a kiss, but I managed to pull back, and talk some sense into her. I don't know how." He stopped talking suddenly.
No one said anything for a few seconds and then he spoke again.
"I'm sorry Keri and I'm sorry Linda."
"Oh for fuck sake." Linda stared at him. "You stupid bastard. I love you, but we're not married or anything. I don't have any claim on you or on your dick. From the way the world is going, with earthquakes and tsunamis and flu's, we may all be dead in a few days or a few months. If we make it to your island hideaway, we'll be lucky. Then we're going to be stuck together on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere and as I see it, we're going to have to share everything. In my case, that means I'm going to have to share you as well. Particularly since these two have been involved with you for years and you've been with me for what, two days. I'm a realist if nothing else. I could be a bitch and try to claim you for myself and then be hurt when they trip you, or I can bow to the inevitable and play around a bit myself since Keri seems to be willing."
She was almost in tears. Keri was at her side and hugging her almost instantly, with Karl just a second behind but on her other side. She found herself laughing and crying as well.
"Look at you two." She sniffed. "A beautiful nude woman and a man she was just with, or at least in the same bed with, both hugging me and the man doesn't know where to put his hands for fear he might touch the other woman."
All three of them had to laugh even if it was a little insecurely. Linda grinned as she felt Karl relax and felt him reach around her to touch Keri gently.
"That's better," She said quietly. "But Karl, why don't you stand between the two of us and hug us both"
"Just what are you trying to do? Drive me nuts? Just what the hell is going on?" He asked, stepping back and sitting on a seat.
He stared at the two women in confusion. Keri turned around and glared at him.
"You stupid S. O. B., wake up and smell the roses. Linda is trying her damnedest to make the best of a strange situation." She was standing with her hands on her hips, the blanket still draped around her shoulders. "Both Ely and I still love you, even after all these years and she knows it. We didn't hide it from her and she can see that you love us as well, She's giving you the opportunity to still be involved with us if you want."
"But . . . " Karl started to protest.
"Shut up, damn you." Keri growled. "Linda was right. We're going to have to all live in close proximity on an isolated island for God knows how long. If this fucking flu going through the whole continent is as bad as they say, we don't dare do anything else, we have to stay isolated. I'd imagine that being stuck on the island and having to work with you every day, we'll still act the same way as we always have, hoping that we'll be able to seduce you. Linda knows both Ely and I can't keep from wanting to go to bed with you if we had to."
She walked over close to Karl so he was staring up at her.
"There's an added complication." She smiled as she turned and looked at Linda. "I've always been attracted to beautiful women and I'm very attracted to Linda. Now I think it turns out the feeling is mutual, so while we aren't exactly willing to give up on men, meaning you, I believe with a little imagination, we could all be in a hell of an enjoyable situation."
She paused and smiled, lifting a hand to touch his face lightly.
"Linda was smart enough to see it almost instantly. I like the idea a lot and I think . . . No, I'm positive that Ely will be willing to play along. I know she's fascinated by you and I've seen her friends, she likes women a lot too." She slowly let the blanket slip from around her and sat on Karl's lap.
She bent her head to kiss him lightly on the lips, then pulled back and grinned at his confused face.
"Don't you want a harem?" She whispered. "Most men would love it."
"What?" He frowned at her.
"You heard me." She laughed softly. "There are three of us and one of you. We all like men and we all love you, each in her own way. All of us are willing to share you as long as you don't mind us playing amongst ourselves when we're not in your bed."
"But, what will your Dad say?" Karl protested.
"Dad isn't exactly an angel." She laughed again, very soft and sultry. "Hell, he seduced both Ely's mom and mine at nearly the same time, so close that we're only a few months apart in age, and he's seduced every nurse that came into the house. She was either in his bed or out the door inside of two or three weeks, you ought to know that by now. Dad will probably congratulate you, in fact, I think he'd like nothing more than to have you living with either Ely or me. Actually, I think he'd like it even better if it were both of us. He likes you. He also keeps his nose out of Ely's and my business, unless we ask for help. You can't use him as a scapegoat. This choice is yours."
Karl just stared at her, then at Linda.
"This is just too weird." He said slowly, shaking his head. "We're out here in a hell of a storm and could get into real problems if we're not careful. If the coast guard or the navy or the police from either country catch us, we could lose the boat and I suppose we could be shot for breaking martial law"
He paused for a few seconds, then carried on speaking. "I admit it, I'm tired, and I'm depending on you, all of you, for help to get us back to the island and when we get there, we might not even have homes to live in. Now, on top of that, you all seem to be trying to talk me into living some sort of group marriage with you. I'm confused, I'm exhausted, and to be truthful, I'm sceptical as hell."
Keri slowly stood and walked over to stand beside Linda at the wheel.
"So go to bed. You said before that there should be two people on deck, so Linda and I can handle the boat for a while. If we have any problem, we'll call you. Or if you need to talk before you can sleep, go wake up Ely. Cuddle and talk to her if you want but . . ."
Just then Ely came up from below.
"Hello, did I hear my name mentioned?" She said quietly, she was wearing one of Karl's shirts and Karl doubted if she was wearing anything else. "I got woke up and couldn't get back to sleep."
Karl looked at her and had to laugh. Somehow it seemed fitting that she should be there as well.
"That's my shirt." He accused.
"Well, I didn't have a house coat." She grinned at him. "I didn't think you'd mind."
"I don't really." He chuckled, feeling relieved, at least Ely was still acting somewhat normally.
"Hi Sis." Keri said quietly. "It's a good thing you're here. We were just discussing your future love life."
"What?" Ely stared at her. "What in hell are you talking about?"
"They seem to have decided that they want you as part of a harem." Karl said "And they want me to be the pasha, or whatever the guy is called who has the harem."
Ely astounded him by giggling and blushing.
"Well? Let's hear your thoughts." He insisted.
She was still grinning, but now she looked thoughtful as she waited for a few seconds before she spoke.
"I have to ask Linda a question first." She turned toward Keri and Linda. "Linda, if Karl says no, can I still come over and . . . well, be your 'friend'?"
Linda cocked her head off to one side and seemed to think deeply for a moment.
"That depends on the friendship, if it means sex, that wouldn't really be fair." She said quietly. "After all, I'd feel like I was cheating on Karl. I'm sorry, but if I can play, so should he."
Keri turned to Karl, not saying anything for a moment. Her face surprisingly sober for her since she was usually so bubbly and buoyant.
"What do you think?" She said quietly.
"Honestly? I'm too damn tired to think about something this complex." Karl said quietly. "I want to know what you all think, then I'm going to go to sleep and let my mind mull over what everyone has said for a while."
"Good." Ely smiled softly. "I think it could work, but it could also be a hell of a mess. Whether it works or not is up to all of us, and that includes Dad, Trudy and both of the kids. Hell any relationship is difficult, this idea is a hundred times as difficult, but if it did work, it would be wonderful."
She paused and slowly stretched.
"Actually, I had the same sot of idea churning in my mind, that's why I couldn't sleep. I've got a proposition for everyone." She turned to Keri and Linda. "Can you two keep us afloat for two or three hours while Karl and I get some rest? He looks like he hasn't slept much in days and I know that I haven't slept much either, I'm bushed. I promise not to seduce him, I think we should all wait and think about the whole thing for a while, at least until we're safe at home."
"I can handle the boat, but if there is a problem, I might call you." Linda said quietly.
"Keri?" Ely asked
"Oh, I'm tired, but if Linda and I can talk, I can stay awake for a while. You need sleep more than I do."
"Well, Karl?" Ely looked at him. "If I promise only to cuddle, would you let me sleep with you?"
"You're making sense." He sighed. "I haven't really slept solidly in a long time."
Karl stood slowly and when no one made any more comments, he and Ely went below. He led the way to the captain's cabin and once inside he pulled off his shirt and pants, kicking off his shoes. Ely slipped out of the oversized shirt and as he thought, she was nude underneath it. She slipped past him and into the bunk, then turned to look at him with a grin on her face.
"I know you sleep without clothes, at least you did the last time we were in bed together, what was that, about two years ago?" She chuckled. "So hop into bed. It's okay. I did promise to be good."
She was lying on her back, her body on display to his gaze and he knew it was intentional. He looked at her in unabashed admiration for a second, then he slowly bent to pull off his socks, and hardly paused before he slid off his shorts.
Then he stood beside the bunk and he gazed down at her lovely figure, admiring the way she looked once again. She had a beautiful face and a figure to match. He could feel his arousal grow and knew she was watching him as much as he was watching her.
Her skin looked as smooth as milk chocolate, yet a bit lighter in colour, like she was extremely well tanned. A heart-shaped face and hazel eyes gazed up at him, dark red lips glistened softly in the soft light above a soft yet pointed chin. Her breasts were round and firm, and on their tips were firm hard nipples of chocolate brown, even as he watched they seemed to tighten and swell. His gaze wandered downward, taking in the sight of the soft smooth hairless skin from the top of her head to the tip of her toes.
She watched his eves travel down her body, then back to her face and their eyes met. After a few seconds she shivered.
"Oh man." She sighed as she stretched and simpered. "You make me feel so naked and helpless."
"Good." He grinned, flipping out the light, then he slipped into bed at her side and leaned over her, kissing her tenderly.
"Man, am I happy to have you on the boat and on the way to safety." He sighed. "Just how is my son's Mommy anyway?"
"Happy to be here, but horny as hell." She chortled. "Now that I'm actually in bed with you, I'm sorry I promised to be a 'good girl'."
"Well, I guess I could play yellow pages."
"Hmmm? Yellow pages? Oh! No, please for God's sake NO!" She laughed. "That would drive me wild right now, I know how your fingers get me going and they just wouldn't be enough."
"Well, it was only a suggestion." He laughed softly. "Can we at least cuddle?"
"That, we can do." She sighed and cuddled close.
"S'nice." He murmured softly.
"Yes, it is, I've missed you." She murmured in return. "Actually I hope Keri and Linda do work something out."
"Mmmm." He moaned. "Too tired to talk."
"Okay love, go to sleep." She smiled sleepily and twisted her head to kiss his cheek one more time.
"Love you." She whispered.
When he didn't answer, she listened closely to his breathing. She chuckled. He really had been tired. He was already asleep, so she curled herself tightly against his chest and listened to his heartbeat with her eyes closed until she too dozed off.
Up in the wheelhouse, about that time, Linda and Keri were talking softly.
"By the way, just what is his cabin like. If we do decide we can all live together, are we going to be crowded." Linda asked quietly.
"Well, he calls it a cabin, but it's actually a house and it's quite big. Let's see, on the main floor he has a huge kitchen with a pantry off to one side, a bathroom past that, and a door to a little side porch. Opposite that, there is one open side on the kitchen, that opens into the main living room. The living room has a big fireplace and a wood heater against the back wall with two couches and several comfy chairs. In one corner he's got a whole wall of radios and stuff and opposite it there's a small bedroom that he calls his quest room. Along the back wall, there's a set of stairs going up to his loft"
Keri paused for a second and grinned.
"Upstairs, well, that's mostly just his bedroom and it's huge. There's another fireplace in it, a couple of walk-in closets, a bathroom with a tub, several dressers and bureaus, a hide-a-bed, a couple of big chairs, and of course his big bed. Ely and I talked him into making it king size. The floor is wood, but covered with old oriental carpets and there are two French doors leading out onto the deck. The deck is the roof over the front porch of the house, and it's the full length of the house."
"It sounds wonderful." Linda smiled wistfully. "I wonder how badly the earthquake damaged it?"
"We'll know in a day or two at the rate we're moving." Keri grinned.
"As soon as the waves drop a bit, we'll be able to make better time."
"I suppose, I just don't understand our direction, this isn't the most direct heading if we're going to the island."
"I think the idea is to lose any pursuit and confuse any watchers. I know he suggested at one time that we might hole up during the daylight and move only at night."
"That makes sense, but that means we've only got about two more hours of travelling time before daylight, it's getting close to dawn."
"I suppose, I think we'll have to wake him in another hour or so, to find out what he wants to do. We should have asked before he went below."
Although the wind had dropped somewhat, it hadn't let up all that much and the rain was pelting down extremely hard. The forecast was actually predicting lessening rain and winds, but they hadn't materialised, so the boat was slogging against steady waves and wind. Both being at the wheel meant that neither of them was really all that busy, one watching the radar and the GPS, while the other kept the ship pointed slightly off the wind's heading, where Karl had told them to run. According to the charts they would intercept a series of small islands in another two or three hours, but at the moment neither of them could seem to remember any of the harbours there.
Still, the time passed fairly rapidly. They each found the other to be interesting to talk to and were able to keep up a conversation that kept them entertained. After an hour they were surprised in mid-discussion by Ely joining them on the bridge.
"Hey, what's this?" Keri asked in surprise. "You should be sleeping like a baby."
"Oh I did, for a while, but I wanted to be sure everything was okay." Ely grinned. "Karl made sure I was relaxed and I zonked for a little while, but I woke up again a while ago and I just can't get back to sleep."
"I thought you said when you went down with him that you were going to be a good kid and just sleep." Keri laughed softly while Ely grinned.
"She probably was good, damn good." Linda laughed. "But we're talking about Mister Horny and now that I think about it, he never committed himself to being a 'good boy', or anything."
"Thank you." Ely laughed as she approached and hugged Linda thankfully. "I did protest, and he must be really tired, he listened to me, all we did was cuddle."
"What? We send you down there with our man and you let him sleep?" Linda grinned, then surprised Ely with a quick kiss before turning her attention back to the wheel. "Actually, you should have seduced him, and you should have stayed there. You of all people should know that when he wakes up he has his biggest and best erections."
"Well. . ." Ely drawled slowly as she grinned back at Linda. "I thought it might be . . . sort of your turn, I mean Keri and I have had him for ages and. . . ."
Linda thought for a moment then shook her head.
"No, I told Karl I'd take control, so I'll stay here at the wheel even if the idea is tempting." She smiled. "You still look bushed and I think you should get more rest. Actually I even hate to ask Keri to stay here with me while you're sleeping, but I'm not sure I'll stay alert if I'm alone. However, in your case, you still look exhausted. Besides, it's too good an opportunity for some great sex if you happen to wake up when he does. I don't think Karl should wake up alone either. We've sort of teased him a bunch since you came aboard, he's probably frustrated as hell."
"Sweety, I already know about his highness and great morning sex." Ely laughed softly, then yawned deeply. "And I do have to admit I miss it, of course that might be 'cause I ain't had none for two years."
"His highness?" Linda laughed.
"Our pet name for Karl." Keri laughed softly. "He likes top-of-the-line things, he'd rather do without than have crap."
"Ah, I see." Linda grinned at Ely. "Say Ely, talking about doing without, what's this about no sex for two years?"
"She was playing 'her highness' too." Keri laughed. "Her job kept her away from home and from Karl for two years. She seemed to prefer going without to accepting second best."
Linda laughed aloud. "Well, your wits seem fine." She grinned at Keri, "You can't be all that sleepy."
"I'm fine, in fact I feel better standing here than sitting down. To be honest, I'm finding that I get a bit sea sick when I'm below decks this trip. Besides, Ely is the one who's tired. She hasn't really slept at all well for days, just dozed for an hour or two at a time. I've been able to sleep at least a few hours every night since the earthquake and I even had a short nap before but I don't think she's been able to sleep much. I think it's finally catching up with her now."
Linda turned and looked at Ely, who just smiled weakly.
"I'll be alright." She said, her voice almost a whisper as she suppressed a yawn.
"Like hell." Linda growled. "Keri, would you be okay at the wheel for a few minutes?"
"Sure, but why?" Keri said, moving quickly to take Linda's place.
"I'm taking this silly bitch below and putting her to bed." Linda said firmly.
She brooked no argument, but insistently forced Ely down the steps and forward into the bunk with Karl. She had to help Ely undress once more, but this time at least Ely helped. Karl awakened partially as Ely lost her balance taking off her pants and practically fell upon him.
"What?" He grumbled sleepily.
"Ely needs to sleep." Linda whispered.
"Um, okay." He answered, then wrapped Ely's nude form gently in one of his arms.
Linda bent and kissed Ely lightly, then leaned over and kissed Karl as well.
He just smiled and relaxed, lolling back with his eyes barely open.
"When we get to the islands ahead, what should we do?" She whispered quietly. "Are we looking for a harbour or what?"
"Hmm, oh yeah." He yawned and started to sit up. "We'll go into the harbour at the old dynamite plant. It's been abandoned for years. The dock and breakwater there shelters the harbour from almost any wind and it's made of concrete with wood facing so the tsunami shouldn't have damaged it much."
She pushed him back onto the bed and smiled down at him. "I know where that is, I've been there. You just relax." She whispered. "Let your women handle this. You rest. If I need you, I'll call."
He sighed softly and lay back again.
"Thank you." He whispered softly. "Just let me rest for a few more minutes."
"I love you." She whispered back to him, her fingers gently brushing an errant strand of hair from his face then stroking his soft beard as he relaxed.
In only those few seconds, as she looked down at the two of them, he had fallen asleep.
"Have fun kids." Linda chuckled as she quietly slipped out of Karl's cabin.