The Wife Stalker(19)
Piper lifted the tea bag and placed it on the small porcelain dish, smiling to herself. She and Leo had never spent a weekend day together, but this Saturday was going to be different. Stelli and Evie were spending all day Saturday and Sunday morning with Leo’s parents. That meant that Leo and Piper had the entire day and night to themselves, and she planned to make the most of their time.
She rose and walked to the conservatory, where a wall of glass faced out across the Long Island Sound, sat in an armchair, and closed her eyes. Her mind had been wandering lately when she meditated, and so she tried to keep herself focused on her breath, in and out. When she looked at her watch, she was pleased to see that a half hour had passed. Pulling out her yoga mat, she did some stretches and a short routine. Her body felt supple and limber.
Everything was good. Even the weather was cooperating—it was a gorgeous July morning, with no rain in the forecast, and winds were from the southwest at ten knots. An ideal day for sailing. She had made arrangements with the club to pack a lunch basket and a bottle of wine for them to take on the sailboat. Leo would meet her on the dock at noon.
With one last look at the calm waters, she went upstairs to dress, pulling on a pair of white shorts and a navy T-shirt, and taking a light sweater from the closet shelf in case it got cooler toward evening. On the way out, she grabbed a tube of sunscreen, since she couldn’t remember how much was left in the one on the boat. She’d been so busy at work and her mind occupied with Leo that she hadn’t taken it out since the beginning of June, and she’d missed it. Being on the water, controlling the sails and rigging—that was a time when she was alone with the elements and had to concentrate fully. It cleared her head, stopped her ghosts from haunting her. Out on the water, she could be herself, unencumbered and pure.
She walked along the boards and felt a swell of exhilaration as she neared the forty-one-foot Jeanneau she kept docked at the pier. It was a beauty and often a challenge to skipper alone, but Piper loved a challenge. She stepped on board and went below. A small basket of fruit sat on the table, and she opened the refrigerator door to find a variety of cheeses along with a bottle of white wine inside.
“Permission to come aboard, Captain?” Leo’s deep voice called to her.
“Permission granted,” she said, laughing, as she climbed the stairs to the upper deck.
“What a great boat,” he said, running a hand along the shiny railing. “You handle this all by yourself?”
“I do, but it can be a lot, especially docking and tying up. It’ll be good to have your help. But we’re lucky—the water’s like glass. It’ll be so peaceful out there today.”
They worked the lines together, and Piper maneuvered out of the slip, setting sail. They sailed the Sound in silence, and she noticed Leo’s shoulders relaxing as he leaned reflexively into the gentle motion of the boat. After an hour, she tacked closer to shore, set the anchor, and joined him.
“Enjoying yourself?” she asked him.
“I can’t think of any place I’d rather be than on this little bit of heaven with you.” He reached his hand out to hers and pulled her gently onto his lap. “You make me happy,” he said, and his lips touched hers.
The kiss was long and deep, and Piper felt a stirring inside of her that was almost painful.
“Let’s go below.” His lips were now against her ear, his voice low and husky.
Together, they hurried to the stateroom. Piper turned to him as she reached the bed and paused, waiting for him to undress her. He understood, lifted the T-shirt over her head, and immediately his hands were unfastening her bra, freeing her breasts. He caressed them, first with his hands, then his mouth. Piper let out a moan and lay back on the bed. She had never felt such intense desire. They made love as if starved—urgently and passionately. After a second, more languorous time, they fell asleep to the soft rocking of the boat.
They awoke hungry, and Piper wrapped a leg over his. “How about some food and a glass of wine?”
“I don’t know. Can’t we just stay in bed forever?” He kissed her, pulling her body closer to his.
“You can come up for air, Mr. Drakos. We have all day.” She ran a hand across his belly, nestling her head against his chest.
“I want to know everything about you,” he said. “What your dreams are, what’s most important to you, all the things you care about.”
“Ah, let’s see . . . I want to make a difference in people’s lives. I know that sounds like a cliché, but I really mean it. I believe in the basic goodness and decency of most people. Sometimes you just have to help them connect to that part of themselves. It’s very gratifying.”
Leo kissed the top of her head as she lay against him. “You’re a wonderful woman, Piper. I feel like I could face anything with you by my side.” After a while they got up and dressed, then devoured the cheese and fruit. Piper poured a glass of wine for each of them and took a long swallow of hers.
“We should probably pull up anchor,” she said. “It’s getting late, and I want to get back while it’s still light.”
“All right. But first . . .” He took her hand and pulled her back toward the bed, lifted her T-shirt over her head once more, and pressed his body against hers. They fell onto the bed together, locked in each other’s arms; his mouth hungrily found hers. She could feel the flush of heat surge through her entire body, as they made wild love.