Between the Sea and the Sky

She said that she'd never been on a cruise before.

He told her that she'd never lived, that it was time to experience the magic onboard.

"You've picked the right cruise at the right time," he said. "I'm practically a pro at this. I take cruises all the time, now that I'm retired."

"You look a little young to be retired, and to have enough money to spend that much time on ships." Her eyebrow was skeptically arched in his direction.

"I've made some good investments." He had a secret, devilish smile. "And I'm very good at gambling. Want to see?"

They went to the ship's casino, spent a few hours gambling, drinking, and flirting. By the time they left, he was up by $600. He gave her enough of his winnings to cover her losses, and they went to a late dinner at the ship's 24-hour buffet. After dinner, they both knew what they wanted for dessert, and they went back to his cabin.

He had one of the large cabins on the outside of the ship, with a balcony that looked out over the ocean. The water looked black at night, almost invisible against the dark, cloudy sky, but as she stood on the balcony, she could smell the ocean, which was almost as good as seeing it.

He put on some music, and they danced, slowly and closely, right there on the balcony. Their bodies swayed with and against each other, their movements becoming slower and slower...