Chapter Four
Erik woke from his sleep the next morning in a very bad mood. He came below deck about two in the morning. He had fallen asleep and started to dream of Samantha. He was holding her, kissing her, touching her soft skin. She was kissing him back and touching him in places no one had touched before. She was warm and willing. Her soft moans of pleasure fueled his desire for her. He had to possess her. Just when he was about to make her his own, Erik was awakened by Nate. Nate told him that breakfast was on the table. Damn breakfast he thought to himself. Even in his dreams, he was denied the pleasure he sought. The women the men spoke of again entered his mind beginning to hold more appeal for him.
At the table Erik took his place beside Nate. This was not a good morning for anyone to tease Erik. He needed to release some of his tension before he exploded and did something he may regret, like knock a few teeth from Daniel’s smiling face. The young man was deep in conversation with Samantha. Erik tried his best to remain rational but found it hard with so much raw emotions churning around inside of him.
Erik wondered if she was charming Daniel so she could please her father. He wanted to pull her away from Daniel. Erik felt all those old feelings of jealousy and rancor rising within him. Erik would not let this unwanted lust rule him. Those types of emotions led to disaster for him.
Erik wanted to shout that he would take care of her, love her, even give her children if that was what she wanted. The idea of children with Christine had never occurred to him other than as a passing thought. He had been far too intent upon winning her affections to worry about anything else. With his face he wondered if he could chance giving an innocent child his curse of a face. With a loving woman at his side Erik felt he could face anything.
In his more rational moments Erik considered it far too soon to be thinking in terms of love or permanence in this life he now had. He had not completely driven Christine out of his heart. Knowing all too well his desperation for a connection to others could lure him into believing things that did not exist, Erik cautioned himself not to allow his heart to rule his head or any other part for that matter. A man’s libido could drive him to commit desperate acts as Erik well knew from the things he had been willing to do so Christine could be with him.
Besides, lust and love did not necessarily go hand and hand. One could exist without the other. Erik felt more comfortable pigeonholing what he felt for Samantha in the category of lust only. Not having been in very many intimate situations with women Erik felt he might be very susceptible to any woman who showed any sort of kindness. When he thought in terms of his experiences with women Erik did not have anything other than Antoinette and Christine to count as any type of reference on the subject. What he considered intimate other men would scoff at the notion of mere conversations as being intimate.
He was brought out of his private thoughts by Nate. “Tell us about the sweet woman in your dreams last night Erik. She must be something. If the sounds you were making are an example of how good she is maybe you can pass her on to the rest of us unless she’s someone special to you.”
Erik knew Nate was only teasing him. Nate didn’t know that the woman he was joking about was Samantha. Erik knew this but it gave him an excuse to hit something, hard. He no sooner thought this than he was knocking Nate over and fists were flying. Erik didn’t care where he hit he just wanted the satisfaction of feeling his fist contact something solid.
The fight lasted only seconds but seemed longer to Erik. His face hurt. He was glad of the pain because it gave him something else to think of besides his misery. He could be thankful he had fashioned a cloth mask that resembled an overly large eye patch. At least he did not have to worry it might fall off or break during vigorous activity. When he saw the disgust in Samantha’s face he wasn’t so happy. Damn, he couldn’t win no matter what he did.
He turned to Nate and began to apologize. Nate took the hand he put out and gave Erik’s him a hearty shake. He clapped him on the back and said,” No harm done. We all need to blow off some steam now and then. If I insulted someone you care for I truly am sorry.”
The men began to leave to go about the business of running the ship. When there was no one left except for Erik and Samantha he turned to her and began to tell her he was sorry for ruining the meal she had made for them.
“So there is a woman in your life. Daniel said he thought that there might be a woman in Paris. Daniel wasn’t gossiping or anything. We just wondered if you had left anyone behind that you cared about.”
Samantha seemed to be waiting for him to comment on the fact that he had a woman but he couldn’t tell her about Christine and he wouldn’t want to lie to her. It confused him as to why this discussion was taking place. She could have no real interest in him.
Sam waited a few seconds for Erik to comment on whether he did indeed have someone wasting for him or not. When he continued to look at her without saying a word she excused herself and ran from the galley, but not before he had seen the hurt in her eyes.
Erik ran his hand distractedly through his hair in frustration. It seemed he could never learn the knack of speaking to people especially women.
Maybe he should have told her that at one time he thought he had someone special but she had loved someone else. Someone who had a face that wasn’t marked as if touched by the fires of hell. No, better to let her think he had someone important to him than let her know he was falling in love with her. Erik nearly groaned aloud as his mind acknowledged what he had been so studiously trying to dismiss as a man’s lust for a woman.
Erik left the galley and made his way to the deck where he spent the next few hours keeping himself busy so he didn’t have to think of Samantha and how he felt about her. He tried to rationalize this new situation by comparing Samantha and Christine. Perhaps all Erik’s emotions could be blamed on propinquity. Christine had been the only female other than Antoinette he had any personal contact with all those years at the opera house. Now Samantha came along to taunt him with her femininity. Erik rationalized that any woman who spent more than five minutes in his company he would look at in the light of a lover. Of course that thought would be in his mind alone, not an actuality.
He was busy mending a sail when he heard Samantha’s excited voice telling everyone to look over the side. She had caught sight of a pod of dolphins.
Erik looked up but he didn’t move to the rail as the other men did. He stayed where he was and watched Samantha’s face light up. She looked more enticing than any siren the crew had told him about.
Suddenly she was in front of him and grabbed his hand and pulled him to the rail. There was only room for one more person at the rail so Erik stood behind Samantha and rested his hands on either side of the rail to balance himself.
After a glimpse of the dolphins Erik turned his eyes to Samantha. She looked more beautiful to him than anything he had seen in his life. He bent his head slightly so that he could smell the fresh scent of her skin and fresh clean hair gently caressing his cheek. He breathed in deeply. His senses were filled with the feel of her, the smell of her. Unconsciously he pressed himself softly against her. He was torturing himself but to be this close to her was heaven and he wanted to savor each moment. He knew that he would pay for his weakness later but he couldn’t make himself leave her.
Erik had been so caught up in the pleasure of the moment that he didn’t realize that the other men were staring at him and Samantha. He didn’t notice the knowing looks that passed between them. Now they understood why Erik had taken offence at Nate’s remarks earlier that morning. They might only be simple men, but they were not stupid.
Nate motioned with a small movement of his head for the others to follow him. Slowly they left the rail and walked far enough away that the two left behind could not hear their conversation.
Erik and Samantha were so engrossed in their own thoughts that they didn’t notice that they were alone.
Samantha could feel Erik’s breath on her neck. It made her shiver. She was afraid to move in fear of breaking the contact with Erik thereby spoiling the moment. She liked the feel of his arms around her and the feel of his body pressed into hers. It may not be seemly for a woman to allow a man this close to her person but Sam couldn’t bring herself to object.
Erik felt her shiver. He asked her if she were cold. She didn’t answer verbally, she only shook her head. So gently and slowly she didn’t even know she was moving she pressed her body further into his. Erik didn’t know if it was him or her who moved the last inch that brought their bodies tightly against each other. The swaying of the ship rocked their bodies together as if they were making love.
In Erik’s imagination they were making love. If her father or the crew knew of his lecherous thoughts they would toss him overboard and rightly so. He didn’t want to move, but he knew he had to move away from her. He slowly broke the contact between their bodies. He thought he heard a small moan from her, but knew it was only what he wanted her to
feel. He wanted her to miss the feel of him against her the same way he missed the feel and smell of her.
When Erik broke contact with her Samantha turned toward him. It was then that she noticed that they had been the only two at the rail. Sam could feel her face start to warm. She muttered a quick pardon to Erik and hurried to the other end of the ship where she began a conversation with Daniel.
Erik could feel his teeth grinding together. He forced himself to relax and return to mending the sails.
If he could have read Sam’s mind he would have been less angry with poor Daniel. He would have taken comfort in the fact that Sam’s mind was less on Daniel and more on the moments she had spent with Erik and reliving the feel of him pressed against her.
“Daniel if you cared about someone and wanted them to notice you what would you do?” Daniel was the only one she trusted to pose this question to as the others would be drawing their swords looking for the bounder who dared put such thoughts in sweet little Sam’s head.
“Sam, do you have feelings for someone? There aren’t any new crewmembers other than Erik. Oh Sam you sure do want to make life hard for yourself don’t you? I’ll tell what I know about Erik and the woman he was involved with in Paris, then if you still want my advice I’ll help any way I can.”
He told her about the story he had heard about the man in the mask who had burned the opera house and murdered two men because of his love for Christine Daae. He told her how the man had taken Christine right from under the noses of the whole opera house and then disappeared without a trace. The man had left Christine and her lover in the catacombs and no one had seen or heard of him again. Christine and Raoul had refused to press charges. They told everyone that she had wanted to go with the man but had changed her mind when Raoul had come after her. There was no evidence to prove that the two men were murdered, but everyone knew what had happened. Daniel even knew that this man had been called Opera Ghost and Phantom of the Opera. The man who ruled L’Opéra Populaire with an iron fist had also extorted 20,000 francs a month from the managers.
“Erik may not be the man they were looking for Sam. Think of how Erik has been these past weeks. If he is the man he is different now than he was before. He might be forgiven for going a little crazy. He was left to fend for himself in a world that didn’t want him when he should have had the love of his mother and father. Who can blame him if he didn’t know how to be a normal person when all he knew was darkness and cold lonely days and nights buried alive underneath all the tons of rock and mortar that made up the opera house. I speak of the opera house in the past tense as he cut the chandelier down setting the whole place ablaze.
Sometimes I wonder how great he could have become with just a little acceptance. They say that he is a genius. He could compose, draw, sculpt, design and make costumes. If he is the man it is truly a great loss to the world that he doesn’t create any more. He had all that to give the world and carelessly humanity threw it away. Not many people can contribute to the world in the way that he could. It’s our loss and his because he lost everything that was important to him.
So do you still want to know how to snare your man?“ said Daniel jokingly. He felt it was time to lighten the mood. He knew Sam quite well and had not missed the covetous glances she had been throwing in Erik’s direction. In Daniel’s opinion when Sam at last caved in to her feminine side a landslide would ensue. Once she gave her heart the lucky bastard would have a rare woman loving him.
“Yes I do. Whatever he did in the past he isn’t that person any more.” Sam knew that if she had known Erik before she might feel differently about him. The mere recounting of evil deeds did not sink in as well as witnessing the person committing the acts. To have seen them first hand could show things in a different perspective.
Daniel grabbed Sam and with tight squeeze he said, “Good girl. I knew you were one of the smart ones. He won’t be an easy man to love Sam. He has been hurt for so many years that this recent blow to his heart will have him feeling pretty raw.
I really don’t have much advice to give. Do extra little things for him. A smile goes a long way when trying to get your hooks in a man. Most men are lured in by a sweet smile. Get him to talking about things that interest him. Men love talking about themselves and things that interest them. I should know after all as I am one of God’s gifts to women.”
Sam poked Daniel playfully in the upper arm for alluding to her seduction of Erik as similar to landing a fish as well as thinking of himself so highly. “Thank you Daniel.” With a final hug and kiss on Daniel’s cheek Sam left Daniel to resume his tasks.
Erik watched their exchange trying make it look as though he were intent on his task, but his full attention was on the two people across the deck. He was making a mess of the sail repair. He knew he would have to redo the whole thing later but it didn’t matter as much as it did to see the two of them together. So close and so intent on what the was saying. Erik dare not let his mind enter into those darker corners of his mind. He knew all too well the destruction he could render when possessed by his alter ego. He wanted to keep the Phantom buried where all bad memories should stay.
This sick feeling in his stomach and the need to rip Daniel away from Samantha was a feeling that was all too familiar to Erik.
Erik thought to himself that he would not do this again. He had just regained a little peace in his life he didn’t want to ever go through the kind of pain that he had suffered with Christine. He would have to make sure he stayed away from Samantha as much as he could. Making this decision made Erik relax just a little and he began to unravel the mess he had made of the sail.
Erik felt the hairs on his neck raise. He knew she was behind him. He could smell the scent of the soap Samantha liked to use. He turned so he could look over his shoulder at her.
She was smiling at him. She was holding a bucket of water and a cup. She scooped a cupful of water and offered it to him. She waited for him to take the cup from her.
“Would you care for some water Erik?” She looked innocent of any subterfuge. It was a simple gesture, no need to analyze and speculate over it.
Damn, he thought to himself, what trick did the world have in store for him now? He reached out his hand and took the cup. Drinking all the water he handed the cup back to her. She then sat the bucket and cup down near his feet and left without another word. He noticed that she hadn’t offered anyone else a drink. Perhaps she thought he looked thirstier than anyone else.
Erik didn’t know what to think. She had actually approached him. This was only the second time she had spoken to him that wasn’t concerning something to do with the ship or pass a message from one of the other men on to him. His resolve to stay away from her was crumbling fast.
He decided he would wait and see what happened during the evening meal. If she was cold toward him he would then know that what he thought he saw in her eyes was just wishful thinking.
Erik prayed that he wasn’t in for more heartbreak. The last time it had almost cost him his life and his sanity.
The bell that signaled the evening meal was ringing. Erik put away his tools and set the sail down and headed below deck.
Soon he would know if he was imagining things or if Samantha did feel something for him other than the dislike she had shown for him most of the time he had been on board.
Chapter Five
Erik had taken his usual seat at the table. From where he sat he had a good view of Samantha. She was serving the men their food. She usually started at the head of the table, but tonight she started with Nate and then she was at Erik’s side.
“Erik I know you like your meat on the lean side. I picked this steak just for you.”
“Thank you Samantha. I mean Sam.” Erik wanted to say more but thought it best to not let himself express more than a simple thank you. Words had often gotten him into trouble.
She just smiled and went on to the next man. No chastisement for calling her Samantha. She picked the best meat for him and had smiled the whole time. Erik looked down at the tempting cut of beef. He would enjoy this twice as much knowing that meat would be running low soon and that Samantha had chosen it with him specifically in mind.
Erik didn’t listen to the talk that was going on around him. He was to busy with his own thoughts. It took several moments for him to realize that Nate was talking to him.
“Erik we will be stopping at one of the small islands tomorrow. How about coming and visiting a few friends with us? They will show you a real good time, make you forget you troubles. A man needs a night of comfort every now and then and we won’t hit land again for another month. Will you come?”
Erik gave a distracted “Yes”. The sound of shattering glass made everyone turn toward the sound. Sam had broken a dish.
“Sorry, it slipped.”
No one mentioned the fact that the dish had hit the wall and not the floor or that the splattered contents were on the wall opposite to where Sam stood.
If Erik was confused before he was really confused now. After dropping the plate Samantha had served dessert. She passed Erik by. When Captain Sinclair mentioned this she started back toward Erik with his piece of apple pie. Somehow the dish tipped and his pie landed on the floor. He would almost swear that she had done it on purpose.
“Sorry but that was the last piece. I can get some canned peaches if you like.” It sounded to him like she would rather dump them on him than serve them to him.
“No thank you Samantha I’ve had enough.”
She was about to walk away then turned back toward him. “My name is Sam. Please try to remember. Everyone else does.”
She made it sound as though he had less intelligence than the rest of the men. He didn’t know what he had done to her but he wished he could take it back. He ran through all that had been said but couldn’t remember anything that would have upset her.
Nate got up and the other men followed him. When they gathered up top they questioned his reason for asking Erik to join them the next day. He told them he just wanted to be sure he hadn’t misunderstood what he thought he saw earlier. No mistake those two were on the brink of falling in love. They just needed a little push. They were in luck to have such a man as Nate to show them the way. The crew dubiously agreed.
Erik followed soon after the others. He had no wish to upset Samantha any more than she was already. He needed to clear his head anyway and the night air might help. The night sky was clear. The blanketing darkness looked as if it were sprinkled with diamonds. This is what I need he thought.
He had decided that he would go with the men tomorrow and he might just try one of those women they were always talking about. A woman who had no other thought other than to please him. One who wouldn’t change her mind every five seconds. Yes, he would enjoy all that tomorrow would bring him.
Sam made sure that all the men were gone before she left to go up on the deck. She needed to be alone. She was feeling hurt and betrayed. She had thought she had made it clear to Erik how she felt. She supposed a man could care for one woman and still be with another. Some of the crew had wives at home yet they had women in every port. They claimed they loved their wives but Sam didn’t think they did. She wouldn’t stand for a man to have other women and come home to her and expect her to act loving and willing to make love knowing he had been with some one else.
Sam’s thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Erik leaning against the rail. His mask made his face seem dark and mysterious. He looked dangerous and exciting at the same time. He drew her as no one else had ever before. She had never dreamed such dreams as she had been having since Erik came on board. She would die if her father knew what kind of thoughts went on in her head at night.
She had never even kissed a man other than her father. In her dreams she did a lot more than kiss. She couldn’t remember all that she dreamed, but she knew that she did much more than kiss him in her because when she woke her heart was racing and her skin was flushed while sweat covered every inch of her body. She woke feeling as if some unknown need had been satisfied. She had thought that she might get to learn what it was that she did in her dreams with Erik from the man himself. If her dreams were that good she thought she might die from the realty.
She wanted to know what it was that made the men so eager to go to these women they would see tomorrow. What kind of power was there in the act of sexual gratification that made people willing to betray those they claim to love for a few moments of pleasure? She hoped she would find the answer to her questions soon and she hoped it would be Erik who gave her the answers.
Erik turned and saw Samantha at the other end of the deck. It seemed as if she was looking at him. She didn’t turn away, but continued to look at him. He knew he should go below but he couldn’t stop himself from walking toward her. He kept his eyes locked with hers as he walked closer to her. She didn’t look away either.
Erik came to a stop in front of her. He didn’t know what made him reach his hand out to her. She didn’t reject him as he thought she would but took his hand letting him pull her closer with no resistance. She continued to look into his eyes.
Erik slowly began to move his lips toward hers. She still didn’t move. He moved his body in closer to hers so that all that separated them was their clothing. Every inch of flesh could be felt by both of them.
Before he bent the last inch that would bring their lips together he gave her one last chance to retreat. She didn’t. To his surprise she wrapped her arms around his neck and moved the final inch to put her lips against his. She softly moved against him. His mind began to whirl as sensations he had long repressed began to surge through him. She opened her mouth and softly nibbled at his lower lip.
Erik put his arms around her and pressed his lips harder into hers. He began to move his hands along her body. He wanted to touch her everywhere. He wanted to feel her naked skin against his own. He wanted to possess her as he knew no other man had.
Erik knew he would have to stop soon or he would lay her down on the deck and make love to her under the darkness of the night sky. He didn’t want their first time together to be rushed or out where anyone could see. He wanted to be able to take his time and insure that they both got pleasure from their joining. Erik had no experience in such matters only what he had learned second hand from the liaisons of the opera house employees and patrons.
Erik slowly took his lips from hers. He looked into her passion drugged face and almost changed his mind. He shook his head and said, “Not here and not tonight.” He then lowered his head to hers for one last kiss before he left her. When his lips touched hers she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed closer to him once more testing his resolution.
Erik gently took her arms from around his neck and whispered, “Good night.” Then he left her without another word. He felt like running from her as he could not say how resolute his decision not to take her actually was.
He hoped he had made the right decision. The way his luck was she could change her mind by the morning.
Erik went to bed not knowing that he and Samantha had been seen not only by the crew but by her father as well. Had he known his dreams might not have been so vivid.
Nate was feeling quite proud of himself. He knew that Sam just needed a push in the right direction. He was looking forward to the next day. He wondered what excuse Erik would give so that he wouldn’t have to go with them tomorrow. He felt like having a little fun with Erik. He didn’t think he had ever seen Erik smile or heard him laugh. Strange. Well this time tomorrow Erik would have a lot to laugh and smile about.
Nate might not have felt so happy if he had seen Sam’s face after Erik had left. He missed the tears running down her face and missed Daniel trying to comfort Sam. Daniel asked what had happened. What he understood was that she and Erik had been together and Erik had rejected her. Daniel couldn’t convince her that she was mistaken, that perhaps Erik just respected her and her father too much to let his baser instincts rule his head. She refused to believe what Daniel was saying. He finally gave up and let her cry while he held her.
Neither Sam nor Daniel saw the dark figure standing in the shadows. If Daniel could have seen the rage in Erik’s eyes he might have been afraid. Erik didn’t like to feel this kind of rage. He resisted his urge to throw Daniel overboard.
He had come back because he thought she might have thought he didn’t want her. He had left her so abruptly she might have misunderstood. Now he could see she had found a replacement for him. His pitiful demonstration of his affections had meant nothing to her.
Erik turned away and made his way below deck. He knew he would find sleeping hard but he would try. It would be even harder not to sneak around in the shadows with a rope fashioned into his familiar Punjab to use around Daniel’s neck.
Chapter Six
Erik had known he would have a restless night. If he had thought he could escape the dreams of Samantha he had been wrong. In his dreams he couldn’t lie to himself. If she came to him again he would take in her in his arms like he had before. He wanted her just as much today as he had yesterday.
“Come on Erik. We’ll set anchor in a few minutes. We always eat with the chief and his wives. Come on get up and get ready for the time of your life,” Nate said sure that Erik would decline his invitation.
“Alright give me a couple of minutes. I’ll join you on deck.” He wasn’t looking forward to facing anyone today. He wanted to avoid seeing Samantha. She would know where he was going and what he was going to do. It shouldn’t bother him, but it did. He got out of his bunk and dressed. Putting off the moment as long as he dared, Erik reluctantly made his way topside.
The others were already waiting for him. It seemed everyone was waiting for something. They were all looking at him expectantly. He didn’t know what to say so he just said he was ready when they were.
They all exchanged glances. They seemed to want him to say something else. They began to whisper to one another.
“Are you sure you want to come Erik? If you don’t want to come because of your young lady we understand. No hard feelings.” Nate gave Erik this easy way of declining his invitation with no hard feelings.
“No I want to come. A little companionship is exactly what I need right now.” Nate and his crewmates scratched there heads in confusion. They would have bet Blackboard’s treasure that Sam and Erik had some sort of understanding between them.
Erik turned to go down to the waiting dingy. When he turned he saw Samantha standing against the rail a little further down from where they were climbing over the side. She looked upset. Erik told himself he didn’t care. She wasn’t his problem. Let Daniel take care of her. She wasn’t his to worry about. She had given him proof how fickle she could be. He had enough of trying to compete for the love of a woman.
Before he left he heard her ask if he were going with the men to see their friends. He wasn’t sure she had directed the question toward him until he met her questioning eyes.
He didn’t answer her only nodded his head. Let her think of him what she wanted. He wanted to feel something other than this gnawing hunger for things he was never able to have. Erik thought it long past the time he experienced for himself what the others whispered about or patted one another on the shoulder for having made another conquest.
Erik saw Samantha’s shoulders slump and she hung her head down. Before he could say anything else Daniel came from below.
“Let’s get moving. There a lot of pretty women who are just waiting for me to show them a good time,” said Daniel genially, not knowing he placed his life in jeopardy.
Erik couldn’t believe that Daniel was going with them and he said as much in front of Samantha. This must be why she looked so upset. Daniel was going to be with someone else after being with her last night. How often had this scoundrel played Samantha for a fool?
Not knowing what else to do they all headed down the side of the ship. Before they got over the side the captain came and spoke to them. He gave them the same speech he always did and which they ignored for the most part. They respected the captain so they did heed his words in part. They would never do anything to jeopardize the captain’s friendship with the people of this island. They relied on the fresh water supply as well as replenishing fresh fruits, vegetables and meat stores in trade with the chief.
With final goodbyes they headed over the side. Samantha watched them all leave feeling her insides churning as if she might be sick. The person she watched most closely was Erik. She silently willed him not to partake of the pleasures those island beauties had to offer.
She felt as if she wanted to cry or scream or maybe just beat a certain person across his stupid head. Maybe she’d do all three.
Her father asking her if she wanted to go ashore he could have the other dingy readied brought Sam out of her daydreams of beating Erik.
“Maybe later. Right now I want to enjoy the quiet.” Really all she wanted was a good cry.
“Sam if there were something wrong you would tell me wouldn’t you?” asked her father. For all he seemed not to hover over Sam, Captain Sinclair watched her closely at all times. He trusted his crew but men were men and could let lust rule them at times when brains would serve them better.
“There’s nothing wrong. I’m just a little under the weather today that’s all.”
“I thought you might be spending the day with Erik. I noticed you two were getting along better last night.
She looked at him and asked what he meant mentally crossing her fingers he had not witnessed Erik kissing her or more correctly, her kissing Erik.
“Sam I saw you and Erik last night, we all saw you together. I thought you two had finally gotten over your misunderstanding. I guess I was wrong. I’m sorry if things didn’t work out for you Sam. If you need me for anything I’ll be here. I’ll always be here for you.” Samantha had been her father’s whole world outside of sailing the world in his ship.
“I know you mean well father but this time I think I need to work things out for myself. I am a woman you know, not your little girl anymore. Maybe later we can talk but not just yet.” After hugging him she said she wanted to lie down for a while.
Captain Sinclair looked toward the shore and saw that the men had reached the beach. There were people waiting for them on shore. The men were being greeted as old friends. They had been coming to the Island for many years and retained this cordial acceptance of one another. It had been a prosperous friendship for both the captain and the chief.
Erik stood back and watched all the people hugging and kissing. A young woman approached him. She put flowers around his neck and kissed his cheek. She didn’t seem to notice his mask or if she did she didn’t seem to be frightened or even slightly curious about it. Erik decided he liked these people. He would have a good time even if it killed him.
Samantha waited all day and long into the night for them to return. She dosed off and on. She finally decided she would go and wait on deck. She wasn’t waiting to see if Erik came back aboard tonight. She just wanted to make sure that anyone coming aboard didn’t hurt themselves if they had too much to drink as they usually did. She ignored the fact that on every visit the men stayed ashore until the next morning.
It seemed like forever to her but was only a few hours later that the dingy was coming back. There were only two people in the small vessel. One man rowed while the other lay in the bottom of the dingy.
She waited as the first man climbed over the side. As the man stood she could see it was Erik. A different Erik than the one she saw before. His mask was in his hand and he wasn’t very steady on his feet.
Nate climbed over the side shortly after Erik. When he had both feet on deck Nate offered a steadying hand to Erik.
“He’s a little bit the worse for wear Sam. I guess he isn’t used to drinking . After a few he was too drunk to stand so I thought I better bring him back aboard. If you help just a bit we can manage to get him below.”
“Take him to my cabin. It’s closer than the crew’s quarters.”
Nate looked at her for a moment then shrugged his shoulders. They struggled their way down but managed to get him safely onto Sam’s bunk.
“You don’t have to stay. Father is still aboard if I need anything,” said Sam as she eyed Erik wanting to question him as to whether he had enjoyed any of those women while she acknowledged she had no right to do so.
“If your sure you don’t need me I would like to go back.” Nate had an understanding with one of the island women. They had not had any sort of ceremony performed but had committed themselves to one another in their eyes. Nate had no other family or attachments anywhere. He only saw Meleah three or four times a year but those times counted for more than some marriages where the parities saw one another on a daily basis.
Sam nodded her head knowing he would be anxious to return to Meleah. Alone with Erik she was able to see what he had always hid behind his mask. He was very badly deformed on the right side of his face and up into the hairline. She thought how cruel to give him one part of his face that was so striking and then take away the other side and replace it with what many people wouldn’t be able to look at without showing their horror. She wasn’t horrified or put off by his face. Perhaps because she had been able to get to know the man he was underneath all the scars she was able to see more than that damaged part of him. Even though he had hurt her she knew he was a good man. He couldn’t help not loving her as she loved him. During her time spent pondering her feelings Sam had admitted to herself that love had entered her heart whether Erik returned the emotion or not.
As she watched him he began to stir . He opened his eyes and muttered the name Christine. He reached for her and pulled her down to the bunk beside him. He looked at her face for a moment then pulled her down to him so that his lips touched hers.
Even though he thought she was Christine she couldn’t help responding to his mouth on hers. She pressed her body against his. He gave a moan of pleasure. She moved so that her body was on top of his. She could feel all of him and he felt good. She wanted more. Sam put her hands on his shirt front and began to undo his buttons. With his shirt unbuttoned she could touch him as she had wanted for a long time. Her hand was slowly going down his body when he suddenly flipped her over and he was on top.
Erik raised his head and looked at the woman beneath him. He saw Samantha’s face. She looked back at him steadily. He did not see rejection mirrored back at him from her eyes. She slowly raised her lips to his. Samantha was softly brushing his mouth with hers but gradually she pressed more firmly against him. She had no idea really what to do other than what she had overheard from the crew when they thought her to be occupied elsewhere.
Erik raised his head to see her more clearly and put his hand on the first button of her shirt. Before he went further he wanted her to be sure. Once he started he did not know if he could stop.
“Samantha are you sure this is what you want?” When he had first blearily looked at the woman hovering over him his mind had brought Christine’s image for just a few seconds. Christine’s image had dissolved leaving only Samantha incredibly close to him.
She slid her lips along his scarred face and placed her lips against his ear and murmured, “Yes.” Having him know it was her and not some other woman pleased her beyond words. At this moment he could ask anything of her and she would grant whatever he requested.
If he was dreaming Erik never wanted to wake up. He slowly removed her clothes and then his own. She was better than he could ever have imagined. e touched her and kissed her in places he was sure no one had touched or seen. Before he made his final possession of her he asked her once more if she were sure. Her response was to pull him to her and kiss him until coherent thought was no longer possible.
After that Erik lost what little control he had. He caressed her and kissed her everywhere. He finally made her his own with one gentle movement. He hesitated when he heard her cry out but she pulled him to her and they began to do what lovers had done since Eve first tempted Adam.
Hours later Sam woke to find Erik asleep beside her. She couldn’t believe how incredible Erik had made her feel. Not once but three times he had turned to her. Each time she had been eager for him to possess her. At first he had not seemed to know what to do any more than she had. The greater their ardor, the more emboldened they had became. One caress had led to another. Soon it had not mattered if neither of them had experience. Learning together had its own rewards.
Just looking at him and thinking of what they done made her want him again. She wondered if it were possible. She slid her hand over him and placed her lips on his neck and began to work her way down his body. She again noticed that he had a the body most men would covet and women would envy her for having him as her lover. He was muscled from the physical labor he did every day. She didn’t have anyone she could compare him with, but she thought he was a fine specimen as far as she could tell. He looked wonderful to her.
Erik woke to the feel of Samantha doing things to him that had only ever been in his dreams before. If he were dreaming again he was going to store this one where he had put the others.
“Samantha?”
“Do you think I’m insatiable Erik?” asked Samantha even as she continued to seek places she might have missed paying homage to during the night.
“If you are insatiable then so am I and I wouldn’t change that for anything. Do you know how many men would kill to be where I am right now? I can’t believe you want this face beside you. Kissing you. Are you sorry we made love?” Samantha had seemed eager for his possession but Erik could not help the doubts that plagued him.
“Erik does it feel as if I regret being with you? Now shut up and show me how much you want me.” Samantha knew this was not proper but could say she regretted it or felt guilty for having given herself to Erik.
The next time Sam woke she decided she should get out of bed, get cleaned up and dressed before her father decided to check on Erik. He wouldn’t mind that she had let Erik sleep off his night but he surely would object if he found her in bed with him naked as the day she was born.
She hurriedly washed off and got her clean clothes. As she dressed she wondered if Erik would remember all that they had done the night before. He had been drinking but he had seemed sober when he made love to her. Would he remember that it had been her and not Christine he had made love to?
Erik had not acted as if he had one thought of Christine in his head when they talked. He had not seemed to be confused after that first time he had murmured Christine’s name.
She left Erik lying in her bunk. She went up on deck to face the new day. Everything looked brighter than it ever had before.
If she had known that the passion she had shared showed on her face she wouldn’t have felt so eager to meet any of the crew and especially not her father.
Luckily she met no one. She could relive her night with Erik in her fantasies, fantasies that could never compare to the real thing.
That Erik may have been with this other woman bothered her. She knew it wasn’t fair to be jealous of someone he had known before her but she was.
She hoped he remembered that they had been together last night. He had first called her Christine but she knew darn well he had known who she was when he took her to heaven and back. He had whispered her name, not that other woman’s name in his passion. He had known she was Sam when he looked into her face.
Samantha looked dreamy and distracted. She looked like a woman who had been loved all night long and been satisfied completely. Samantha was an eager student and she wanted Erik to teach her all the ways they could satisfy one another.
Erik had performed so well that Sam had not realized he had known no more than she had. Love and Erik’s desire to please her had given him the forbearance to place Samantha’s pleasure above his own which ensured him the maximum enjoyment.
They had both been willing pupils in the art of pleasuring. Now they must learn the art of loving another without any secrets or masks between them.