"Did you m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.e?" Darla whispered. "Did you rub your c.l.i.t and make yourself come?"

"No. I'm saving it for you." Jessica drew her index finger up the inside of her leg and skimmed the channel between her thighs. She held up her glistening finger. "I haven't come for a week."

"Your excursion isn't scheduled to leave for three hours."

"I know." Jessica slid a little lower in the chair and squeezed her p.u.s.s.y. "I could make myself come for you now. It won't take much." Breathing hard, she spread herself open. Her c.l.i.t tingled as the air hit it. "Can you see my c.l.i.t?"

"Yes," Darla gasped. "Oh G.o.d, you're so swollen already." She lifted her gaze to Jessica's, her expression plaintive. "You do need to come, don't you?"

Jessica nodded eagerly, two fingers poised over her c.l.i.t. "Should I?"

"Not that way. Not yet. You want to come in my mouth, don't you?"

Jessica nodded, her breath coming fast. "You know I do."

"Then let me suck you."

"You will." Jessica dared to tap her c.l.i.t lightly and moaned. "Oh, I really do need to come."

Darla looked at the clock. "I'm due for a break."

"Are you sure?" Jessica caressed her slit, skimming just along the sides of her c.l.i.t. "I could just do it for you here."

"No," Darla said hoa.r.s.ely. "I want to lick you. I want to make you come all over my face."

Jessica laughed softly. "Maybe I don't want you to suck me just yet. Maybe I just want to make you watch me do myself."

"Then I'll lick you while you m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.e."

Jessica's hips twitched and she closed her eyes. "You'll have to do me soon. I'm so so h.o.r.n.y right now." She gazed up beneath hooded lids. "I really need to finish before I scream."

Darla leaned over her desk, retrieved her phone and pushed two b.u.t.tons. "Chrissy? I'm going to be out of the office for a while. I'll have my pager if you need me." She hung up and pushed away from the desk. "Let's go to my cabin."

"And then what?" Jessica asked, rising unsteadily. Her vision was the slightest bit blurry, and she felt as if she might come just from the pressure of her thighs closing around her throbbing p.u.s.s.y.

Darla laughed. "Then I'll give you five minutes before you're screaming my name."

"I've waited months for this," Jessica said. She glanced quickly behind her, saw no one through the doors, and ran her tongue along the edge of Darla's ear. "I'm not giving it up until I'm d.a.m.n good and ready."

"We'll see," Darla murmured. "I'm going to take you on a trip around the world."

"I've been around the world," Jessica said, catching Darla's hand and pushing it under her skirt for an instant. "Now I just want you to f.u.c.k me."

When Darla withdrew her hand, her palm was shiny with come. "If you don't want me to f.u.c.k you silly right here, you'll behave."

Jessica smiled sweetly and touched her tongue to Darla's palm. "Did I say I didn't?"

"Cabin. Now." Darla hissed and dragged her away.

Most of the pa.s.sengers were on deck or at breakfast, and the halls were mercifully clear. Five minutes later, their clothes lay in an untidy path from Darla's stateroom door to the bed where Darla was stretched out naked. She spread her legs and slowly circled her c.l.i.t with one finger. Her engorged p.u.s.s.y gleamed as red as the polish on her smoothly sculpted nail. "Bring your beautiful c.l.i.t over here so I can suck it."

"In a minute." Jessica leaned over, pushed Darla's finger away and delicately kissed the hard c.l.i.t that stood straight up from the folds. "Mmm. So nice."

Darla's belly rolled and she groaned. "Do me a little," she pleaded. "Watching you play with yourself got me so hot."

Jessica kissed her c.l.i.t again and toyed with her opening without entering her. "Should I lick you a little?"

"G.o.d, yes."

Jessica licked very, very slowly, stopping at the undersurface of Darla's rapidly stiffening c.l.i.t to tease it with light, fluttering strokes. When Darla started to writhe, she pressed one fingertip down on the top of Darla's c.l.i.t and ma.s.saged it while she licked all around the end.

"Oh, I'm going to have to come." Darla twisted a handful of Jessica's thick red curls around her fingers and pushed Jessica's head down. "Lick me faster. There. That's good. Yes. Yes, oh G.o.d."

"Oh, no you don't. You've got work to do first." Jessica pinched Darla's c.l.i.t roughly and pulled away. Then she climbed onto the bed and straddled Darla's face.

Her expression dazed, Darla stared up the length of Jessica's body poised above her. "You b.i.t.c.h."

"We'll see who's the b.i.t.c.h," Jessica murmured, opening herself wide with both hands. Her thumbs framed her c.l.i.t. "Suck that."

Darla lifted her head slightly and kissed Jessica's exposed c.l.i.t quickly, then drew back with a sly grin. "Payback time."

Smiling tremulously, Jessica watched through half-closed lids as the very tip of a moist, pink tongue toyed with the end of her c.l.i.t. Each tiny flick made the plump shaft pulse. It was already too stiff to twitch. In between licks, she squeezed it lightly. "Come on. Suck me," she whispered.

"In a hurry all of a sudden?" Darla teased, pushing the tip of her tongue firmly against the shaft of Jessica's c.l.i.toris.

"Put your lips around it." Jessica slid a finger on either side and pulled the hood back harder. Her belly quivered from just that little bit of pressure and, moaning, she fondled her c.l.i.t faster. "Suck the head. Oh yeah, that feels so good."

While Darla toyed with her c.l.i.t, Jessica cupped her breast and pulled on her nipple. Her fingers flew on her c.l.i.t and her hips pumped faster. "Suck harder."

Darla let Jessica's hard c.l.i.t pop out of her mouth. "You're going to make yourself come," Darla warned.

"No I'm not," Jessica panted. "I'm not ready."

"You need to come in my mouth. You know you want to." Darla pursed her full, ripe lips. "Let it go right in here."

It was all Jessica could do not to jam her tense c.l.i.t between those wet, perfect lips and come all over Darla's face. "Not. Yet. Lick. Me."

"I can make you give it up, you know," Darla said with a laugh and stretched out her tongue.

Flick, flick, flick-the beat of Darla's tongue on her blood-filled c.l.i.t made Jessica's hips jerk wildly. Her come flowed like a river, coating the inside of her thighs and dripping onto Darla's neck. Through clenched teeth, she groaned, "Put your lips around my c.l.i.t and suck me, G.o.d d.a.m.n it."

Darla's green eyes darkened. "I can tell you're dying to come." She raised her head and licked the top of Jessica's c.l.i.t as Jessica squeezed it between her fingers. "You know as soon as I suck you, you're going to, so why are you waiting?"

"I'll come," Jessica gasped, rubbing the undersurface of her c.l.i.t back and forth over Darla's outstretched tongue, "when I want to come. Now suck my f.u.c.king c.l.i.t."

Darla made a circle of her lips and closed them around the head of Jessica's c.l.i.t. At the same time, she reached down and rolled her own c.l.i.t between her fingers. She whimpered and the vibration worked through Jessica's stiff c.l.i.t, making her toss her head back and moan. Darla slid her own c.l.i.t back and forth between her fingers, forcing the blood from the base toward the tip. The more excited she got, the faster she sucked on Jessica.

"That's good that's good," Jessica chanted. When Darla started whimpering and writhing beneath her, Jessica focused on the mirror above the built-in dressers across from the bed. Darla's legs were splayed and trembling, her fingers tugging spastically on her c.l.i.t. The sight of Darla getting herself off made Jessica's c.u.n.t spasm and she looked back down, grinning tightly. Darla's eyes were open and glazed, her cheeks hollowed from sucking so hard on Jessica's c.l.i.t. Jessica forked her fingers around the base of her c.l.i.t and pulled it out of Darla's mouth just a little.

"Suck the head. Just the head. In and out. In and out, that's it. Oh Jesus, like that." Jessica plucked the base of her c.l.i.t while she watched Darla suck her. Her c.l.i.t suddenly swelled and got very hard and she felt the tingle of an o.r.g.a.s.m starting. Holding her breath, she got ready to drag her c.l.i.t free so she wouldn't climax yet, but Darla saved her by letting go of her.

"Oh G.o.d." Darla's head fell back and she twisted wildly between Jessica's legs. "My c.u.n.t's exploding! Oh my G.o.d, it feels so good."

Jessica smiled, feeling Darla's b.r.e.a.s.t.s heaving against her b.u.t.tocks as she bucked into her come.

"Oh! Oh f.u.c.k," Darla cried, her mouth twisting with stunned pleasure, "I'm coming all over everything."

Jessica m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.ed furiously, her c.l.i.t barely an inch from Darla's mouth, as Darla shuddered and moaned. When Darla's face slackened as the last of her o.r.g.a.s.m dwindled away, Jessica leaned forward and rubbed her c.l.i.t over Darla's wet mouth. She grunted softy, holding the hood back so she could slide the head between Darla's lips. "I'm going to come in your mouth now, you little b.i.t.c.h." Her thighs trembled so badly she could barely support herself. She vibrated the base of her c.l.i.t rapidly between two fingers and shoved as much of it between Darla's lips as she could. "Suck me now. G.o.d d.a.m.n it, suck me suck me hard." She caught her breath as Darla regained enough strength to work her c.l.i.t with purpose.

"You're sucking me off," Jessica moaned, unable to hold back as Darla dragged her c.l.i.t deeper into her mouth and tongued it. Eyes closed, Jessica cried out helplessly, her belly undulating. She held one breast and twisted her nipple, the other hand holding her c.l.i.t to Darla's mouth.

Darla laughed around the bulging c.l.i.t and gripped it lightly with her teeth.

"Harder... bite it hard... oh f.u.c.k... feel that?" Jessica's eyes snapped open and she stared into Darla's dreamy green ones, grinding out each word as she struggled not to scream. "Look what you're making me do. I'm... coming... in... your... mouth." And then everything she'd been holding back for days broke free and she gushed over Darla's face, in her mouth, down her neck.

Darla kept swallowing until Jessica rolled off, collapsing on her side with one arm flung across Darla's middle. "Oh my G.o.d. That was so good."

"It was," Darla murmured contentedly. She turned her head and smiled a self-satisfied smile. "I have so got your number."

"You think?" Jessica arched an eyebrow and tweaked Darla's nipple. "Like you didn't just come like crazy."

"It makes me really hot to get you off," Dark admitted.

"Then you should be on fire right about now." Jessica reached down and cupped Dark's p.u.s.s.y. "Oh yeah. You get so wet when you come."

Dark b.u.mped her pelvis into Jessica's palm. "You're getting my c.l.i.t all hard again."

"I noticed." Jessica propped her chin in her hand and toyed with Dark's c.l.i.t. "I've been waiting four months for a return voyage. I'm not hardly done yet."

"We've still got a little bit of time." Dark licked Jessica's nipple, then grazed it with her teeth. "And you know how busy things can get."

"Uh huh," Jessica murmured, her hips rolling to the rhythm of Dark's mouth working her nipple. She stroked Dark's c.l.i.t faster and Dark moaned. "Who else do you have your eye on this trip?"

Dark moaned and moved to the other breast. "You're a tough act to follow." She closed her eyes and arched her back. "Oh, that's going to make me come."

Jessica hooked her thumb around Dark's c.l.i.t and slid her fingers inside her. She stroked her c.l.i.t and f.u.c.ked her in firm, steady thrusts. She wanted to be sure she had Dark's attention, so she kept her pace just slow enough that Dark couldn't quite come. "I saw you cruising that guitar player yesterday. I bet you'd like her to f.u.c.k you, wouldn't you?" When Dark didn't answer, Jessica stopped moving.

"Oh please," Dark moaned, sucking frantically on Jessica's breast. "I'm almost coming. Please. Please don't stop."

"Don't forget," Jessica whispered, pounding into Dark's c.u.n.t again, "I booked this return pa.s.sage a long time ago."

Dark gasped as her c.u.n.t squeezed down around Jessica's fingers and her belly heaved in a series of hard spasms. "Oh G.o.d, oh G.o.d, I'm coming."

Jessica gathered her close and milked her c.l.i.t until the last pulsations quieted. She kept her fingers buried deep inside, knowing Darla would be ready again soon. "You can play as much as you want, with whoever you want," she whispered as Darla twitched and sighed, "but I've already reserved this room for the rest of the cruise."

"Consider that itinerary confirmed," Darla murmured. She roused herself to kiss Jessica languidly. "Do me again?"

Jessica laughed and ma.s.saged the trigger spot that made Darla moan. "I believe we've got time for one more quick excursion."

Cruising Solo Karin Kallmaker "Brandy! Can you help me get these cases to the lounge?"

I turned back from my errand to check yesterday's sales with the gift shop manager to give Mel a hand. The rolling amps weren't that heavy, but they were awkward, as I'd learned yesterday.

"How's the busman's holiday so far?" Mel put one stocky shoulder to the back of the amp again, and I steadied it from the other side.

"I'm loving it. I just wish my girlfriend hadn't broken her ankle. She'd be loving it too."

"At least you got a room to yourself."

I wasn't happy with the empty bed at night. "Ship to sh.o.r.e costs a fortune, doesn't it?"

"Not all that bad," Mel said. "But on our wages it is."

I'd already blown most of my spending money on a beautiful necklace of Venetian gla.s.s for Tess's birthday. The brief stints with the Internet hookup available when we were in port would have to do.

Mel grappled to keep control of the amp, but I caught it before it ran into the wall. "I know why we don't have two sets of these, but moving them from venue to venue is a royal pain."

I averted my eyes from the sight of Mel's rippling biceps. She was about my height but probably carried twenty pounds more muscle-a fine figure of a woman in an A-shirt and shorts. When I'd met her my first thought had been "power butch" and that had proven quite accurate. She also liked to play, if the gossip during the staff lunch was anything to go by. There had been a time when I'd have issued her an invitation or accepted one in a heartbeat.

We finally muscled the amp into the lounge and went back for the second one. Once it was in place, the rock band's sound woman took over and Mel and I caught our breath. Just as we were leaving, two of the musicians pa.s.sed us, one saying to the other, "Tuesday night-but invitation only."

The other answered, "Oh, I have my eye on someone to invite already, if I can wait that long to do her."

"I wonder how I could get an invitation to that party," Mel said to me as the lounge door closed behind us.

The image of Mel and the heavy metal girls all having a really hot time left me feeling a bit weak in the knees. Tess would laugh-the older I got the more I understood her cat scratch fever hormones. My kitty was in major need.

Mel was regarding me with that mixed expression of cool interest and playful impishness I knew so well from the many times I'd had the same expression. Before I'd left on this trip, Tess had said, her ankle wrapped in that d.a.m.ned heavy cast, "As long as you come back home to me, I don't care if you have some fun. I don't own your body or your brain, Brandy. Just your heart and your future. Don't do anything that'll cost me either one."

Thankfully, before Mel could actually start the conversation I could tell she was considering, I recalled my original errand.

"Jessica wants to know how the CD sales went yesterday. If you see her, would you tell her I got slightly delayed?"

Mel nodded and headed aft while I went up a flight to the shopping concourse. There were times I forgot I was on a ship, but then there would be a slight hesitation in the rise or fall to remind me. Tess would love the stores, even if we couldn't afford anything in them. There was a turquoise bikini in one window that reminded me vividly of the one she wore for sunbathing, the one that I had removed many, many times so I could worship the unbronzed parts of her.

The gift shop manager had the previous day's sales records all ready. I glanced down the list and could see that all of the artists had sold a few CDs, but I had no idea if the numbers were strong or lackl.u.s.ter. I hoped Jessica would explain and I'd get a chance to show I had a brain for this sort of thing. Tess and I had hopes of joining the Ladies on Vacation Enterprises staff. We could settle into an apartment of our own instead of the two studios Club Sandzibel allotted us. The work was hard but very fun so far.

By the end of the day I was exhausted in a good way. I'd also overheard a fairly noisy couple having a tryst in the fitness room restroom, which brought back a lot of fond memories. Then there was the couple losing their clothes on the way to their stateroom. They caught me looking and did not seem to mind. After the late-night comedy act finished, I swear the ship levitated on the l.u.s.t endorphins alone as the corridors slowly emptied and the guests found warm beds for the night. In some cases, I was certain, the beds they found were not their own.

Feeling sorry for myself, I sat in my stateroom and tried not to miss Tess. I was perfectly capable of arranging some fun-that is if everyone on the prowl hadn't already been claimed-but I was pretty tired. No energy for conversation and flirting at that level.

I decided that a quick tryst with my vibrator might be just the thing and claimed it from the dresser drawer. A search for the nearest outdet to the bed only increased my frustration level. The bargain cabins where staffers stayed were so small there was just one outlet, in the bathroom, which was so tiny there wasn't even room enough to lie on the floor. Mel had joked the shower stalls were converted coffins.

And, dang it, I had never mastered the art of having a full-blown, knee-shaking, muscle-clenching o.r.g.a.s.m standing up. Twenty minutes later I had ascertained that there was no miraculously appearing extension cord in my suitcase. The corridor outside was empty of any other human beings, let alone one with an extension cord slung over one shoulder. I was tired and cranky and no longer in the mood to let my vibrator have its way with me.

I went to bed, and it took nearly fifteen minutes to fall asleep.

Monday. The home of the Olympic Games. Herding women onto tenders because the ship was too large to dock. Answering die same question two hundred times. Herding women into the shade, herding them onto shuttles and greeting every minute with a big smile and endless energy. By the time I got off the very last tender back to the ship, Jessica had already thanked me twice for my help, and praised my quick thinking when a guest had abruptly succ.u.mbed to heat stroke. I hoped she remembered I was the one whose girlfriend-as ideal an employee as I was- had broken her ankle two days before our planned flights. I was playing it low-key for now, but I wasn't planning to leave for home without pigeonholing her and giving her the full Brandy and Tess credentials.