The message read, "I'll be in New York for three days for meetings next week. My email will be forwarded to me, but since it has to go through Alpha's servers then back to Earth it'll take even longer. The good news is, the meetings should be over by the evening of the 12^th. If you don't have anything planned-like a chorus line of toy boys waiting to escort you about town, how about I come down for the weekend? Be my Valentine?"

Melissa grew warm just reading the message again. She cursed the slow Moonbase email system-it was better than snail mail, but not by much. She couldn't think of anyone she'd rather spend Valentine's Day with, and she knew just what she wanted to do. Hitting the reply button, she grinned, licked her lips and began to type. He was probably already halfway to Earth by now, and might not even get the message for days, but she'd make the attempt. Besides, he could always call her once he reached New York. She knew how these things went by now. He'd be in meetings night and day, and up to his ears in space shit. He'd forget about email, and everything else.

Damn, why couldn't she have a nice normal boyfriend who lived on the same planet she did? She answered her own question. Nice normal boyfriends were extremely boring. When Alan was with her he was intensely with her, giving her all his attention. It was the same intensity he displayed about his job when he forgot everything else existed. Oh, well, at least he had remembered Valentine's Day. She'd certainly give him brownie points for that.

Wednesday night she received one brief message that acknowledged her reply. He would be flying in to the Cape around midnight on Friday. And had made the usual reservations at the Coastal Condos. Could she meet him early Saturday morning? He warned her that there probably wouldn't be time for him to receive another message from her so he'd just plan to meet her at the marina on Saturday morning.

She smiled. If Alan Carter was in Florida, she wasn't going to waste a minute of their time together. She checked the weather. A strong Bermuda High was keeping the jet stream far to the north. That was perfect for her plans. The wind was at an adequate speed so that they would be able to reach the Bahamas in about half a day, even if they had to tack a bit. She was certainly glad Alan didn't get seasick. She headed for the mall. There were a few things she intended to stock up on for the trip.

It was after midnight before Carter's jet landed at the old air force base. There had been a definite lack of concentration on his part all day. John Koenig had taken a flight out Thursday night to London, leaving him with the unpleasant duty of finishing and filing reports before he could leave. The fact that John was anxious to get to Helena only added to his desire to get to Melissa as soon as possible, but he knew he couldn't leave unfinished business, and wasn't about to spend this weekend working. A cab was waiting for him by the time he finished checking out, and he leaned back and relaxed on the short drive to Cocoa Beach, alternately dozing and thinking of seeing Melissa the next morning. She had said she had something perfect in mind, and knew she had an exotic imagination that rivaled his own. No telling what she had planned, but he was sure it would be pleasurable and erotic. She had signed the note, 'your red hot Valentine'.

He checked in with the bored night manager who was watching an episode of the Three Stooges on a tiny television at the desk and headed for his room. Unlocking the door, he knew immediately that someone was there. He could smell the faint odor of cigarette smoke, and a perfume he had begun to think of as Melissa's sex potion.

"You're late, it's nearly one," she said from the balcony, crushing out her cigarette in the ash tray. The sliding glass door was open wide and a gentle breeze blew in from the ocean. He could hear the booming of the breakers on the beach below. "Good thing I made the drinks straight up, or the ice would be all melted by now."

She stood in the doorway wearing a thin robe that billowed around her in the breeze. There were no lights on, but the moon was high enough in the sky for him to see that the robe was sheer and what she was wearing underneath was more decorative than functional.

"I had reports to finish before I could leave, and I kept getting distracted."

"Distracted by what?" she asked approaching him with a drink in each hand.

He accepted the offered glass and took a sip. "I was wondering just what you had in mind for us this weekend. Your activities are always distracting." He took a sip and leaned forward to brush her lips with his. "I really need a shower. Care to join me?"

She took back the glass from him. "I was really thinking of getting undressed more... slowly than that. Why don't you take your shower and join me on the balcony when you're done." She crossed to the bathroom door and turned on the light for him. He was treated to the sight of the sheer robe, now he could see it was bright red and covering a red satin bustier with belts to red fishnet stockings and red slip-on spiked heels. Between the stockings and bustier was the skimpiest red g-string he'd ever seen outside a strip show. "There's a robe for you hanging behind the door," she added after a moment. "Don't take too long."

He leaned forward and kissed her again. "You going to have another cigarette?"

"Not this weekend," she said with a smile. "If you don't want me to."

"Thank you," he said simply and slipped by her into the bathroom. They'd had that argument before and he didn't want to waste their precious time this weekend having it again. She insisted she wasn't addicted to smoking, and he doubted she smoked much. Her house never smelled of cigarette smoke, and neither did she. Alan felt certain that she used cigarettes for effect. They matched the 'bad girl' image she'd created for herself. She also occasionally used them to block a case of nerves. She'd smoked three cigarettes in a row before meeting her parents on New Year's Day, and had behaved similarly the first time she had taken him to meet her parents. Somewhere behind those sexy clothes and the tough persona was a frightened little girl. He loved her complexity. She was different from anyone he had ever met.

The shower didn't take long, and he felt somewhat revived from it. Either that, or he felt revived from the sight of Melissa in that outfit. He would have asked her if she wanted a late dinner, but didn't want her to change now-at least not quickly. The robe she had hung up for him was also red, a brilliant satin. She hadn't bothered to leave him underwear, but that was no problem. The sight of her before left him too eager to bother with such minutiae. His state of mind was obvious, even clad in the satin robe.

Melissa had lit two red candles on the table on the balcony. Each was encased in a glass chimney to keep the wind from blowing them out. He could now see the glass table was set for two, and a light supper was waiting. Red was still the main theme. There was a bottle of tabasco on the table next to a platter of oysters which had been garnished with slices of red pepper. There was a bowl of whole strawberries and a fresh salad with kale and raspberries in it. She sat in one chair, her legs crossed provocatively.

"You are marvelous," Alan said. "How did you know I was hungry?"

"You usually are after a flight, and I want you to have plenty of energy," she said seductively.

"Obviously." He took another sip of the drink she had handed him before and leaned forward. This time the kiss was deeper and longer, but he didn't touch her anywhere but her lips. The rest he'd save for later. She seemed to understand.

They made small talk as they ate, talking about the reports he had filed today. "I would have had help if John hadn't left last night for London."

"He did? Helena hadn't mentioned that."

"It's a surprise. She wasn't to know, but he had made reservations at a bed and breakfast in the Lake District."

"Not exactly a winter paradise."

"I don't think they were going to be bothering with the scenery much. He was going to try to make up for that New Year's fiasco."

"Part of which was your fault. Those Margaritas of yours are lethal."

"You haven't complained."

"Well, I hold my liquor better than my sister does."

"I prefer a more experienced girl," he said with a wink.

"I did make sure there was tequila on the boat."

"Oh, are we going sailing?" he asked, shifting in his chair so his leg could rub against hers.

She moved her red satin heel up and down his shin. "I thought we'd sail over to the Bahamas. There's a place I'd like to show you."

"Sounds good. I only packed a jump bag with uniforms, what do I need to bring to wear?"

"I've got everything under control."

"You are a very thorough Valentine. Are we getting an early start?"

"Not too early, because I'm not through with you yet tonight." The look she gave him was enough to raise his temperature several degrees. "Why don't we save the strawberries for later," she suggested.

"Are you in a hurry?" He was through with the rest of his dinner, and eager himself, but decided to tease her a bit.

"Oh, not a hurry exactly, but you do seem... ready for the next step?" she indicated his robe which had fallen open below the tied belt revealing his eagerness.

She stood and leaned over him. She was inviting him to peak down her cleavage, which he found to be a lovely sight indeed, while she placed a hand gently on his knee and moved the tips of her fingers slowly up his thigh. She leaned closer and brushed her lips against his, as her fingers teased his thigh. He leaned forward and she opened her lips slightly and licked his lips, which opened for her. She reached back to the table and chose a small firm strawberry and fed it to him.

"Good?" she asked, nibbling at his ear.

"Mmm, your touch, your taste, who needs berries?"

She took his hand and tugged slightly. "Why don't I hide the next berry and you come and find it," she suggested. She moved into the bedroom, bowl in hand.

He followed quickly. "To hell with the strawberries, I'm going looking for the cherry." He grabbed her around the waist and drew her to the bed. She laughed as the bowl of berries bounced on the bed next to her and the berries scattered. Alan picked up one and popped it into her mouth. He moved between her legs and she stretched languidly, moving her legs up to rest on his shoulders. She rubbed her right calf against his shoulder and he turned and planted kisses against the silk covered leg. He moved his way up her thigh, then reached to trace the line of the g-string with his fingertips.

She reached out, picked up a strawberry from the sheets and popped it in her mouth, then she found another and offered it to him. He brought both the berry and her fingers into his mouth pulling on her fingers gently. They exchanged a smile as she traced his lips with her fingertip. He caressed her thighs and then reached down and tugged at the red lace. It parted with a crackle of velcro and came away in his hand. She laughed at the surprise on his face, but he grinned and leaned down to kiss her now exposed skin, tossing the red lace aside.

His hands moved around her thighs. He wanted her now but intended to wait until Melissa was anxious enough to ask for him. It didn't take long. With her legs against his shoulders, she couldn't reach out to him. She moaned softly.

"Alan-"

"Yes, Mel?"

"Alan, don't tease me!" she said, breathlessly.

"What would you like, dear? Another berry?"

"No-oh!" She gasped, "Alan, take me!" She reached out and buried her fingers in his hair. She tugged gently.

He slid her legs off his shoulder and knelt above her. She spread her legs wide and he reached out, slowly untying the bustier.

"Alan!"

"You wanted to get undressed slowly..."

Now she could reach him better. She untied the sash at his waist and raked her fingernails down his bare chest. As the bustier came untied, she thrust herself up against him and he lowered himself into her, his lips covering hers, her tongue welcoming his. His lips moved down her jawline as her hips moved against him and he breathed in the smell of her perfume from behind her ear. As he tugged at her earlobe his hand found her nipple and squeezed with the same urgent rhythm as her hips. A moan escaped his own lips as she pushed against him and he came inside her.

Her own moans added to his as she clung to him, a sheen of sweat covered their bodies. He rolled off of her and pulled her into his arms. She pillowed her head against his shoulder and reached up to kiss his neck.

"Mmmm, Mel?"

"Yeah?"

"Great dinner."

"Great sex."

"Yeah."

"You should drop in to this planet more often."

"Let's not go there this weekend," he said, curling around her, sinking his face into her silky blond hair.

"Sorry, I won't." It was against their rules to miss each other, or say they missed each other. That might mean they really cared about each other. And neither one wanted to mention the "L" word.

Both of them drifted off to sleep, clinging together, and trying once more to pretend they didn't really care that much about each other. The candles on the balcony burned low and flickered and went out. Melissa shifted position some time in the night and hit the bowl with her hand. She turned over, put the bowl on the floor and fell immediately back to sleep.

They woke together as the first rays of the sun burst over the horizon. Alan looked into her wide gray-green eyes and smiled. "Good morning, strawberry girl."

"Good morning. Ready to sail?"

"Ready and waiting." He was conscious of the surf booming on the beach below them and her silky smooth skin beneath his hand.

She kissed him quickly and rolled away from him, "Oh, shit!"

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up.

"I rolled over into the berries," she said laughing.

He laughed with her.

"Can you take care of this while I get a shower? The tide heads out in about a half hour and that'll give us some extra speed in the channel."

"Sure."

She pointed out the drawer where she had left clothes for him. He pulled out a pair of denim shorts, a red tank top and a red speedo swimsuit. He grinned. The shower had just come on. "I haven't seen one of these since the high school swim team," he called to her.

"I almost got you a thong, but decided it might be a bit uncomfortable. That's still aesthetically pleasing." She stepped into the shower.

"How about some coffee?"

"No time. You can make some on board once we clear the inlet."

In five minutes she was out of the shower and toweling dry. Last night she wore make-up, but today she was as fresh-faced as a Catholic school girl, and still beautiful. She pulled on well-worn cut-offs and a red halter-top and slipped on the red high heels. He knew she would remove them and go barefoot once they reached the boat. By the time she had slipped on her shoes and stood at the mirror brushing back her wet hair, which was a strawberry-blonde this week, he had cleaned last night's dinner dishes, made the bed and removed the wandering strawberries.

He moved behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders and moving them down her back, under her arms and underneath the halter to stroke the sides of her breasts.

"How long will it take us to get there?"

"If we catch the tide, we should be there by lunchtime. Ready?"

"Then we need to leave before I drag you back to bed."

 With a flurry of activity they parted, grabbed her duffle, and headed out. They walked briskly across A1A and down the two blocks to the marina. "Check the galley for me and make sure we have everything for those toxic Margaritas of yours. If you need something you can pick it up while you're getting us another bag of ice."

Alan nodded. "Are you going to let me help sail again?"

Melissa smiled, "And give you another treat for doing a good job?"

"Well, that's not a requirement..."

"But you did enjoy it?"

"You know I did."

They boarded the boat and Alan headed below with the bags to check out the galley while Melissa got the boat ready to go. He came back up quickly.

"Steaks for supper tonight?"

"I thought we'd grill them."

"Sounds great. And you got everything I need. I'll be right back with the ice."

Five minutes later they were casting off. The sun was well up now and the day was turning out to be one of those perfect winter days in Florida. The air was crisp and the sky was clear. The wind was blowing from the east-south-east and Melissa was calculating the first tack as they cleared the inlet. Alan brought up a bottle of sunscreen and began applying it to her shoulders as she steered the course. He made sure he covered every bit of exposed skin. She was already wearing Raybans and he brought her hat up to her too.

"You take very good care of me. We'll be coming about in ten minutes or so," she said, glancing up at the penneys on the guide wires to the mast. Can you take the wheel while I adjust the rigging?"

"Sure."

"Then I'll return the favor with the sunscreen."

"I'll look forward to that."

The morning was spent tacking back and forth across the sea. Alan enjoyed watching Melissa concentrate on their course, and climbing around the boat energetically. She shot him sunny smiles that let him know she was happy to be here and happy he was here with her. He made coffee in the galley and found bagels and cream cheese which he fixed for them for breakfast.

Before she put the sunscreen on him, he shed the shorts, and knew quite well that he couldn't hide what he was feeling about her, but she merely acknowledged the compliment with a kiss and promised they would be there soon.

He watched the charts. They were headed for a spot on the map that was north of the main islands. He didn't ask where she was taking them. He trusted her, and he trusted her skill.

When they spotted land she was standing next to him at the wheel. "Almost there," she said. "Why don't we swim first, then have lunch?"

"Sounds good."

Within a half hour they put in at a little cove with wide beaches of white sand and clear blue-green water. Melissa struck the sails and put out the anchors. The island nearby was barely more than a sand bar with a few palm trees. The southern end was a tangle of mangroves, not quite dry land. The northern end was mostly sand and a few palms and hardy bushes.

Once the anchors were out she turned to him and smiled. She shed the halter top and paused to let him admire the view, then she unbuttoned the shorts and let them drop too. The she stepped up on the side of the boat and gave a neat dive into the crystal clear water. Within seconds he had followed her. The two of them splashed and wrestled, neither putting up much of a fight in their wish to touch each other. When Alan succeeded in pulling her into his arms and delivering a passionate kiss, Melissa could tell he was ready to go much further.

To his surprise she pulled back. "Lets get the picnic stuff and head for the beach to continue this."

"Don't take too long."

She climbed quickly up the ladder and disappeared into the cabin. She returned with two ice chests, and tossed a small yellow dinghy over the edge which she had inflated before they arrived. He steadied the dinghy as she lowered the two ice chests. She went back to the cabin for a blanket and a canopy. Then she stood above him, gave a test bounce and launched herself over the dinghy, turning in a flip over him and landing in the water with hardly a splash.

She surfaced and slung water from her blonde hair, then they both held on to the rope of the dinghy and swam toward the beach.

"Should we have taken some clothes with us?"

"Feeling modest, Mr. Carter?"

"Not particularly. Not around you. Nice dive, by the way."

"Thank you."

"It's just a tiny island. More of a sandspit really. There's no one else around," she assured him.

They set up the canopy and spread the blanket in the sun. Melissa handed him a beer and he lay down on the blanket, and enjoyed watching her while she busied herself sorting out their lunch.

"Ready for lunch? I have sandwich meat here and fresh rolls."

"How about sharing my beer and we'll have lunch in a little while."

She joined him on the blanket and took the bottle from him and took a swallow. He moved his hand from her thigh to her breast. "We should put more sunscreen on, too. I don't want you to get burned," he said.

She reached into one of the chests and brought out a bottle. With a smile, she put a generous helping on her hands and began to massage it into his skin. He took the bottle from her and began to return the favor. The rubbed each other gently and thoroughly, until Melissa leaned over him and pressed her lips against his. All thoughts of sunscreen vanished, and Alan concentrated on touching her and pleasing her. There were no thoughts of lunch for a long time.

After they ate sandwiches and drank a couple more beers, Melissa offered to show him the rest of the island. Alan could hear the surf booming, and asked where the waves were. The little lagoon they were anchored in was well sheltered from the wind and there were no waves there.

She showed took his hand and led him over a ridge of sand dunes. Sea oats grew in clumps around them, but it was easy to walk around them. Bird tracks could be seen in the small depression between two rows of dunes. The wide round leaves of a sea grape bush could be seen growing on the other side of the next line of dunes. They passed by a group of bushes and Melissa plucked several purple red grapes and fed him one as they descended down to a beach where breakers roared onto the shore.

"Hey, those are good," he said.

"They make great jelly too. We're a bit past the best season for them, but there's still enough for a snack."

"I can't see you doing something as domestic as making jelly," Alan said with a laugh.

"Oh, I have quite a domestic side."

"You keep it well hidden."

"You keep me occupied with other activities whenever we're together."

"Good point. This place is beautiful, but I keep expecting a cruise ship to anchor alongside had debark about a million people. I have a hard time believing it's just the two of us."

She smiled. "This place is too small for that." She pointed to the south. "That end is all mangroves, and hardly even counts as dry land." She turned to the north and led him in that direction, slipping her hand in his as they walked along at the edge of the surf. Gulls glared at them and reluctantly made way for them. Brown pelicans were diving into the waves a few yards away. "The beach curves around about a mile before heading south and bringing us back to the cove where the boat is."

"Do you bring men here often?" he asked. He still had a hard time accepting the fact that she was very independent and experienced. It was as if he had been given the Chinese curse, to be careful what you wish for. Melissa was as independent as they came, and was not the type to cling to him. He liked that, but he sometimes wished...

"Actually, the only other person I've ever brought here is Helena. She was seasick all the way over, and got a bad sunburn while we were here. She also wasn't interested in skinny dipping," Melissa said with a smile. "You've been much better company."

"Glad you think so. Hey, John said Helena will be getting that job on Alpha that she wanted so bad."

"Really? That's terrific. That's what she's always wanted, to be in space."

Alan put his arms around Melissa's waist. "and what about you, little girl? What have you always wanted?"

Melissa smiled and kissed him softly, her arms around his shoulders. They held each other for a long while before she answered. "I don't know..." she finally said, more serious than she usually was. "I've been a rebel so long, I've forgotten how to have any sort of goal." She pulled away from him, her eyes twinkling, the serious moment over. "I would have made a hell of a pirate."

She turned and ran up the beach. Alan watched her run and smiled. "That you would. You'd be a force to reckon with." Then he raced up the beach behind her.

As the beach curved away from the windward side of the island, the waves began to hit the beach diagonally instead of straight on. Alan caught up with Melissa and tackled her to the sand. They rolled to a stop with Melissa on top, both laughing, waves sneaking up to swirl around them. She kissed him deeply and Alan decided that a clothing optional beach was definitely a good thing. What a time saver.

They made a complete circuit of the island, picking up a beautiful queen conch shell half buried at the northern end of the island. It was over a foot long when Melissa pulled it from the sand. She waded knee deep into the water and carefully rinsed the sand from it. The exterior was a rich golden color, tipped with a milky white. The interior was a brilliant pink fading to milky white at the lip. It was absolutely beautiful.

The sun was beginning to set. They packed everything back into the dinghy except for the canopy and swam back to the boat. Alan fixed the Margaritas while Melissa readied the charcoal in a small hibachi grill up on deck. Alan made a pitcher full of the Tequila mix and they watched the steaks and vegetable kabobs cook and the sun set.

By the time dinner ended they were working on their second pitcher of Margaritas. The stars were beautiful and they sat together on deck with Alan pointing out stars and naming them for her. He was mispronouncing more than half of them and she was laughing. She headed inside and returned with cushions which she placed on the deck then she settled into his arms while he continued to give her astronomy lessons.

"Hey, space man, when can I come visit you?"

"Well, they don't usually allow visitors on Alpha," Alan said.

"You'll just have to tell them you need a good lay and you need me to come up," she said, nuzzling his neck.

He laughed. "I think most of them haven't been laid in so long they don't remember what it's like."

Melissa opened her arms expansively, slinging her glass carelessly and sloshing Margarita around, "Bring'em on, I'll remind them."

Alan rescued the glass and placed it on the seat next to them. "I think I'd rather keep you to myself."

She stared at him, "Really?"

"Really," he said, smiling back at her.

They'd donned matching red satin robes while cooking and eating. He leaned over and untied her robe so that he could reach her more easily. He covered her lips with his and delivered a long deep kiss.

"You know, you should take piloting lessons. You'd love flying."

"Think so?" She trailed kisses along his jaw line.

"Mmmhmm. You'd love the high speeds and the thrill. The feel of the stick between your legs."

"Oh, and you know how much I like to feel a stick between my legs." She moved her hand down his body in search of a stick. "Why don't you give me flying lessons? I could be one of your pilots on Alpha."

Alan chuckled. "They'd all be afraid you'd steal an Eagle and become a space pirate."

"Only if I can abduct you with the Eagle," she whispered, her tongue tracing his ear.

"You don't need to abduct me, I'd go willingly," Alan answered, sliding gently inside her.

He loved her gently, satisfying her, relaxing her, then he held her as she drifted off to sleep. Without realizing it, he fell asleep himself. When he woke, the moon was high above them and the wind had picked up just a bit. The temperature had dropped some and Melissa was curled up tightly against him. He stood and entered the cabin, visiting the head and finding a blanket to take back up to the deck. He found his own bag and searched in an interior pocket for a long velvet box. He stopped in the little galley to put on the coffee pot and set the timer for morning.

Back on deck, he spread the blanket over her and hid the box among the cushions for the morning. Then he settled under the blanket with Melissa and returned to sleep.

The sound of a motor woke them the next morning. The sun was already bright, and Alan could smell the coffee he had started the night before. Melissa found her robe and stood.

"We have company," she said cautiously. "I think its friends, though."

"Were you expecting someone?"

"Not really. Sometimes out here it's best to be cautious, but I think it's ok." She gave a significant glance at the cabinet by the wheel that held a loaded handgun. Alan sat up and pulled on his own robe, but decided to remain out of sight.

The other boat approached and slowed. Alan noticed Melissa relax a little.

"Hey Ms. Thompson, how you doing this morning?"

"George! Hello. I'm fine."

"Just wanted to make sure it was you and you're all right."

"Just fine. How's your wife? Had that baby yet?"

"Had the baby! You haven't been by for a while. That baby is crawling now!" The man laughed.

"Has it been that long?" Melissa laughed too. "Congratulations. Boy or girl?"

"A little boy. Mean little devil. Always wants his way."

"You make him behave George."

"Oh, we do, we do."

Melissa held out her hand to Alan. "I want you to meet someone."

Alan had pulled on his swimsuit and robe. He stood next to Melissa. "This is Alan Carter, a friend of mine."

"Mr. Carter. Glad to meet you," A tall slender black man stood at the wheel of the skiff. He was dressed in khaki with a wide leather gun belt. The boat held the emblem of the Bahamas police. "Glad Ms. Thompson has someone along with her this time. She makes me nervous when she comes over alone."

"I try to keep an eye on her whenever I can, but she's hard to keep up with." Alan felt a lot of relief that the man was a cop, and concerned about Mel, and married to someone else.

"She stays on the move, that's for sure. Just over for the weekend?"

"Yes, we'll be leaving this afternoon or first thing in the morning."

"I'd suggest this afternoon. Pressure's dropping, the wind will be better for you today."

"Thanks George."

"You two have a good time." George gunned the motor and headed out of the cove.

Alan went below to pour the coffee. Melissa picked up the bedding and visited the head while Alan scrambled some eggs for them and toasted two bagels.

"I didn't realize it had been so long since I'd been over here. I guess it must have been last summer some time." Melissa said as she slid into the booth and picked up the mug of coffee Alan set in front of her.

"How did you find this place, anyway?"

"Well, actually, I won it in a poker game."

"You won it? An island?" Alan said with a grin.

"A couple of years ago I was at this party in Miami. Someone suggested a game of strip poker, and I was doing really well. I was on some kind of streak. It was a weird party, with all kinds of odd individuals there. I was drinking these rum drinks that really don't compare to your toxic margaritas, but they were really getting to some of the other players. This guy was down to his underwear and the Colt .45 he had in a shoulder holster. He pulls this deed out of a pocket on the holster."

"Wait a minute, he was armed?"

"I think he was some kind of drug dealer or something. I'd never met him before. But anyway, he wanted to raise the stakes, and he offered this deed. Everyone else folded and I called him. Well, he was so drunk he'd misread the cards. Thought he had four kings, when two of them were jacks. So there I was with this deed. He signed it over to me and told me to have it recorded. Someone else in the game was a notary and an investment banker and he told me what to do with it, so I ended up with this island.

"The guy called me once and offered to buy it back, but by that time I'd been here a couple of times, and I really like it here. I'd already met George and he told me that it was part of his patrol area and people were always using it for a pass off spot for drugs. So I told the guy that it really wasn't for sale, that I was happy with it. Sometimes I wonder if he still uses it as a place to stage his drug operations, but I haven't ever seen anyone here."

"And that's why you keep the gun?"

"Well, it never hurts to be cautious. I guess I wouldn't make such a good pirate after all."

Alan grinned at her. "The live pirates would be."

"Oh, by the way, when I made up the bed, there was something hard in your pillow case."

Alan snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot. Happy Valentine's Day." He gave her a quick kiss and headed forward. He found the box and brought it back to the table. He sat across from her and reached out for her leg. He pulled her foot into his lap, caressing her calf. "I thought this was appropriate for a red hot Valentine."

He opened the box and turned it toward her. It was a gold ankle bracelet with a ruby pendant cut in the shape of a heart.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Melissa touched the pendant and smiled at him.

He took it from the box and placed it around her ankle. She watched carefully and noticed that it had two latches to keep it from falling off. "Oh, Alan. I love it."

She stood and put her arms around him. "You know, we never went to bed last night."

"That's true, we didn't."

"Maybe we should go to bed now," she suggested.

"Well, I'm not really sleepy..." Alan teased.

"I wasn't planning to sleep," she whispered in his ear.

"Then I'm your man," Alan replied.

"I'm happy to hear that."

Both of them avoided anything that sounded like commitment. Alan had even looked at diamonds, but couldn't manage to make that kind of statement to her. He knew quite well that John intended to tell Helena that he was in love with her. Things were different between him and Mel. Neither wanted an absentee partner. Neither wanted to make a commitment they couldn't keep. But Alan definitely wanted her to know that she was at the top of his list, and given a different set of circumstances... well, anyway, Mel was certainly special, and he wanted her to know that.

Without hesitation Melissa pulled him forward to the bedroom. She kissed him hungrily and moved her hands underneath his robe and down his chest. She pushed him back onto the bed and crawled on top of him. Alan tugged at the tie to her robe and pushed the satin away from her shoulders. His hands found her breasts and his fingers toyed with her nipples. She continued to move her hands up and down his body, moving lower each time until she was caressing his hardness through the thin material of his swimsuit. He sighed and she pulled back abruptly. He raised himself up on his elbows and watched as she moved to remove the swimsuit. She grinned eagerly, kneeling beside him on the bed, her hands still caressing him as she made a careful visual inspection of his naked body.

Alan reached to continue caressing her breasts, and she shifted slightly so he could reach her better. She leaned forward to kiss his chest and then began to trail kisses down his chest and abdomen. Her fingers played with his erect shaft and scrotum, alternating gentle caresses with long slow scratches. He moaned as her lips traveled lower.

"Mel!"

"Mmm? Yes, dear?"

"Oh-" any coherent thought left him as her lips played with him. Her fingers moved down his thigh and then back to his crotch. Alan lay back on the bed, no longer capable of doing any more than enjoying Melissa's touch. She sensed the change and turned quickly, straddling him and kneeling above him. She impaled herself quickly on him as he came and continued to move up and down, prolonging the sensation.

Alan gasped and reached up, rubbing against her nipples with the heels of his hand. She leaned down for a long deep kiss as her own orgasm began. She arched her back and moaned, every muscle tensing as she pressed her hips against him. Then she collapsed against him, utterly relaxed. He held her gently. "Oh darlin'. That was the best yet."

She nuzzled against his neck. "The whole weekend has been awful nice."

He sighed and held her close. She closed her eyes and smiled. The two of them dozed as the boat rocked gently with the motion of the waves.

Nearly an hour later the light from the window dimmed. Melissa stirred and looked up. Alan woke at the motion and reached out to caress her.

"It's clouding up a little. I'm going to listen to a weather report. Then how about a swim?"

"Will we have time?"

"We'll need to go get the canopy from the beach anyway. I intended to go back over to the beach this morning," she smiled and caressed his thigh. "I got distracted."

Melissa poured them each a cup of coffee while they listened to the weather station from the mainland. She consulted a chart and went up on deck to check the wind and sky herself. Alan reflected again that she really would make a good pilot.

"We should leave in another couple of hours. There's a front coming across Florida. It must have started moving faster. I'd rather cross the straits before the wind changes."

Alan nodded and they dived into the water together. This time Alan noticed the rocks and the amazing amount of life below them. The cove was about twenty-five feet deep below the boat. A number of brightly colored fishes swam about below them.

"Want a mask?" she asked as they surfaced.

"Sure. Do you SCUBA?"

"I haven't in several years. And I don't have any regulators or tanks on board. Do you?" she pulled herself up the ladder.

"I'm certified, but haven't had time lately. Maybe next time we come?"

She stopped. "You'd like to come back?"

"Yeah. It's a great place."

He'd obviously said the right thing. She shot him a delighted grin and shot up the ladder. Minutes later she returned to the side of the boat and tossed him a black mask and snorkel. She held a blue set and dived in with a flip as she had before. When she surfaced she spit into the mask, rubbed the saliva on the interior of the glass and pulled it on, settling the snorkel into her mouth and blowing hard to remove the water. She gave a flip worthy of a mermaid and dove beneath the surface.

Alan followed her and he found she knew the cove as well as she knew the beach. She led him north of the boat to a coral formation about ten feet below the surface. Sponges waved gently in the water and he noticed a lobster scuttling quickly out of sight. They came up briefly for a breath and moved below again. This time she pointed out a small hole. Alan drew closer and they held still for a moment. The snout of a moray eel appeared. They remained still and the eel eased farther out, staring at them with cautious beady eyes.

After their next breath she pointed out an octopus curled up in a dark recess. Then she led him toward the beach. Two tiger rays glided beneath them along the sandy bottom, just a few feet away. They each had a 'wing span' of over a meter. The rays moved upward to avoid a scattering of spiny sea urchins, then they veered back toward deeper water.

They walked up onto the beach together. "Unfortunately, we need to get moving. I'd just as soon reach the mainland by dark," she said.

"That was fantastic, Mel." He pulled her into his arms. "Thanks for bringing me here. It really has been a terrific weekend."

She put her arms around him and smiled. "I'm glad you liked it. I'm glad you want to come back."

"Anywhere with you." He kissed her. "Do you come here by yourself?" He was suddenly concerned.

"Not often. I really don't come anywhere near as often as I'd like to."

"Really, Mel. Isn't that dangerous?"

She shrugged and turned to strike the canopy. Alan pitched in. "It's a retreat for me. Like I said, I don't come often, but I don't like to bring just anyone."

"Then you bring me when you want to come. I'll worry about you if I think you're popping over here alone all the time."

She just smiled at him and rolled up the canopy, poles and lines. "I'll be happy to have you come with me any time."

They swam back to the boat, secured the cabin and Melissa set about trimming the sail. She showed Alan the course explaining that basically they just needed to head west until they hit land.

With the wind cutting directly across their course they made good time. Melissa set the sails and joined Alan at the wheel. She turned on the radio and they listened to a country station and Melissa steered while Alan held her.

"Why don't we go dancing tonight?" Alan asked. "Or do you have more exotic plans?"

"When do you leave tomorrow?"

"Not until late afternoon. And I'm catching an Eagle at the Cape so I can sleep all the way back to Alpha if necessary."

"Then I think we should start the evening by going dancing," Melissa replied with a smile.

Alan kissed her neck and moved her hands up and down her body. Dancing would be a good start.

They made the marina well before sundown, but by the time they had cleaned up the boat and secured it the light was beginning to fade. They walked the few blocks back to the condo and shared a leisurely shower together, which led to leisurely lovemaking on the bed. Much later Alan heard Melissa's stomach growl.

"Perhaps we should go eat," he suggested drowsily.

"Mmm, yeah," she responded softly.

He was about to tell her he could stay here and hold her forever when she rolled over, collected her bag and headed for the bathroom. She shut the door firmly behind her.

Ok, Alan thought, the timing was bad. He wondered if that was too close to the "L" word, and if she had sensed his mood. He didn't really want to make any promises to her that he might not be able to keep, but he'd never been in an exclusive relationship this long. He had no idea if it had also been exclusive on her part. He was almost afraid to ask.

He got up and pulled on his red robe with a grin. What would she be wearing tonight, he wondered. He pounded on the bedroom door. 'Hey Mel, want a Margarita before we go?"

"That would be great," came the muffled response.

Alan had retrieved the ingredients from the boat and he pulled them out of the bag now and set about making her favorite frozen drink. He poured two large glasses and searched through his bag for the khaki slacks and gray shirt he had brought along. He was just buttoning up the shirt when Melissa emerged from the bathroom.

Her hair was pulled tightly against her head and twisted up into a small tight bun. Somehow it made the hair look more red than blonde now. That matched the low cut red dress she was wearing. The sleeves were short and seemed to somehow float above the dress. Perhaps they were separate, he'd have to investigate that later. The dress was mid-thigh length, and flared out from her hips so that it swished as she walked across the room. This time, the silky hose were not fishnet although they were tinted red. As the skirt swished he thought he could just see the red lace of her garters. The clear platform sandals made her just about half an inch taller than him. He could see her red painted toes that matched her red fingernails and the ruby heart looked perfect against the clear ankle strap.

"Oh yeah!" he said as she picked up her drink and took a sip.

"You like?" she asked seductively.

"Very much." He fastened cuff links and eyed her appreciatively, already thinking of removing the dress later this evening.

They sat on the balcony to finish their drinks. Clouds were moving out over the ocean. The surf pounded below them. They could see the white foam of the breakers, and the lights from a ship on the horizon but the sky was dark.

Dinner was at a hotel nearby. The food was good, and Alan loved the way Melissa caught every eye in the place as they were seated.

During dinner Melissa described a bar just down A1A where the music was live, mostly a mix of country and Caribbean, good music to dance to. Alan agreed quickly. After coffee they left the restaurant and walked down the street. It was only a few blocks more to the bar. It was a Sunday night, but it was also Valentine's Day and they were in a beach town. The street was full of cruising cars, classic and new. There were plenty of others on the street and they passed several other bars and restaurants. Alan wondered if they were a bit overdressed, but when Melissa tugged him inside a brick building they fit in with the crowd just fine.

The band was really good, and Melissa pulled him straight out onto the dance floor. After two songs Alan asked her if she wanted a drink. The place was crowded. There weren't any available tables so they headed for the bar. A tall surfer-type stood at the bar, his long blond hair neatly tied back in a ponytail. Alan ordered margaritas and the bartender obliged quickly.

Melissa took a sip.

"How is it?" Alan asked.

"Not as good as yours," she replied with a smile.

"Hey, mate!" Alan called the bartender back over. He slipped the man a bill and said, "My girl here says I make better margaritas. Think I can use your blender?"

"I don't know, man. We kinda have rules about that sort of thing."

Melissa blushed as Alan called her 'my girl'. Alan winked at her. It wasn't easy to make Melissa blush.

"Come on, mate. It's Valentines Day. I want her to have everything she wants. I'll teach you my secret."

Alan slipped around the bar while he was talking and the bartender didn't protest. With Melissa looking on Alan gave the guy lessons in putting together the perfect margarita. When he poured the drinks, he also gave the bartender a taste and the man had to admit that it was better. Alan handed Melissa the drink with a flourish and she laughed and kissed him.

"Much better," Melissa said. She leaned forward and pressed her lips slowly against him.

"Hey," the bartender said. "You two should enter the contest."

"What contest?" Alan asked, taking another sip of his own drink.

The bartender pointed out a sign by the door, a kissing contest at midnight with the prize of $500. Melissa laughed. "How do we sign up?"

"Just show up," the man said and headed for the other end of the bar.

Melissa pointed out a booth that was empty and they headed for it. They alternated dancing with retreats to the booth with their drinks. Alan pulled her into his arms after a line dance and drew her back to the booth. They finished off their second round of margaritas and Melissa melted against him. He kissed her and moved his hand up her thigh, feeling the edge of the stockings. His hand moved farther up her thigh to her hip.

"Mel?" he asked softly as he nuzzled her ear. "Do you have any underwear on?"

She laughed softly. "What kind of underwear should I have on?"

"Well-" Alan wasn't sure how to answer that. He was spared by a commotion on the dance floor. A couple of people were moving a machine onto the floor. Contestants were lining up. "So, want to enter the kissing contest?"

"Why not?" Melissa said with a laugh. "You can think about my underwear-or lack of." She took his hand and slid out of the booth.

They joined a line of about twenty couples around the dance floor. A few more joined the line after them. The rules were explained. The girl would be hooked up to a heart rate monitor. Her heart rate would be measured for thirty seconds. Her partner would then have three minutes to kiss her and increase her heart rate. Increase in heart rate would be noted on the board, and the couple with the highest increase in heart rate during the kiss would be the winner.

There was plenty of laughter and cheering, and friendly banter as each couple gave it a try. By the time most of the girls were strapped into the machines, their heart rates were already pretty high. Melissa turned to Alan and whispered in his hear, "Know anything about biofeedback?"

"Not much. You?"

"Enough to win this contest. Give me your best kiss, dear."

"No problem."

When their turn came, Melissa sat coolly in the chair and allowed herself to be hooked up. She looked at Alan and winked. Then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her heartbeat slowed down. When they started the timer she opened her eyes and looked straight at Alan. Alan looked back at her, noticing with his peripheral vision that her heart rate was already rising. Alan took two quick steps, the roar of the crowd fading as his universe narrowed down to only her. He knelt next to her and slowly leaned forward to place his lips on hers. She encouraged him by moving her tongue against his lips. He pressed harder against her deepening the kiss. When the buzzer called time on them he reluctantly pulled back.

The cheers of the crowd roared back into his ears as they smiled at each other. Melissa unstrapped herself from the machine and they checked the board. Their score was much higher than any of the others.

They re-joined the crowd and cheered on the other contestants, but none could match their score. Five crisp one hundred dollar bills were counted out into Alan's hand. He winked at Melissa, rolled the bills up and tucked them into her cleavage to much cheering from the crowd. The band struck up another number and Alan pulled Melissa into his arms for another dance.

It was after two in the morning before they were ready to leave. They had danced just about every dance and consumed several more margaritas. Alan asked the bartender to call them a cab. It wasn't a long walk back to the condo, but they weren't particularly steady on their feet at that point.

In the darkness of the back of the cab Melissa allowed him to explore for her elusive underwear. His first idea had been right. She wasn't wearing any, and as he gently explored he knew she was quite ready for the two of them to be alone again.

They necked on the elevator , his hands moving up and down her body. When the elevator opened he handed her the key card and swept her into his arms. He carried her down the short hall to the door. She inserted the key card in the door and pressed the handle. Alan carried her to the bed deposited her gently and crawled on top of her.

"Mel, this has been the best weekend," he whispered into her ear.

"Yes it has." She moved her hands through his hair and down his body. She loosened his tie and began to unbutton his shirt. Alan pulled off the tie and tossed it on the floor. His shirt followed shortly. He pulled up her dress to find the red bustier she had worn on Friday night. She sat up briefly and allowed him to assist her in pulling the dress over her head. She unfastened his pants and he stood to shed pants and underwear. He knelt beside her and unlaced the bustier, caressing her thighs with his other hand. He unhooked her stockings but didn't try to remove them.

As he caressed her finally-freed breasts she stroked his thighs moving to caress his shaft. He stretched out next to her and she rolled onto her side to face him. They kissed long and deeply without any hurry. She gently pushed him onto his back and rolled to kneel above him, tucking her knees close in next to him. He caressed her thighs as she slowly lowered herself onto him. She reached forward and adjusted the pillows behind him so that he was propped up and could look her over with ease.

"You are so beautiful," he said.

She smiled back and touched his lips with her fingertip, then she trailed her finger down his jaw-line, his throat to his chest. She drew intricate patterns on his chest around his nipples and he reached forward to caress her. She caught his hands and placed them back on the outsides of her thighs and began a gentle rhythm with her hips. She leaned back, placing her hands on either side of his knees, arching her back and moving so that he moved into and out of her each time. He stroked her thighs, enjoying the sensations. He could see her breasts with firm hard nipples and he sat up suddenly, pulling her to him as he pushed himself hard into her. His lips covered first one nipple and then the other and she moaned as she climaxed and clung to him. He thrust into her and felt her shiver slightly as he released. Then he drew her down onto the bed beside him and continued to hold her and stroke her gently.

They remained tangled together, dozing. "Alan, that was wonderful." Melissa finally said.

"It all has been. I can't wait to do it again."

"Good. Don't stay away too long."

"I'll try not to."

Melissa got up to use the bathroom and Alan managed to stay awake long enough to use it after her, then he crawled into bed. She was already sound asleep and he pulled her into his arms and quickly fell asleep himself.

It was after one the next day when he woke up. Melissa was curled up next to him, once again scrubbed clean and fresh, her blonde hair was scattered across the pillow looking like spun gold tinged with red.

He slipped out of bed and retrieved his clothes and packed his duffel. Once dressed he returned to the bed and sat beside her, tempted to crawl back into bed with her. Her bare back was toward him looking extremely enticing. He kissed her neck.

"Hey."

"Mmm?" she mumbled.

"I've got to get going."

She turned over and opened her eyes. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She tried again. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." It was the first time they had admitted that to each other. He leaned down and kissed her softly. "Go back to sleep if you want. I'll email you when I get to Alpha."

She nodded, glanced at the door, then reached out a hand to caress his knee and closed her eyes again.

What a weekend.

Maureen J. Long

March 12, 2000