Page 18 of Something Beyond Fame

I lowered myself slowly onto my knees, moving toward her. Making my way up her clothed body, my breasts swayed a little with each movement, I felt my body bared to the elements, nature’s gentle kiss on my skin. I wondered if she could see in my eyes how I felt, how she made me feel. I didn't say the words, but they lingered on my lips. All of my emotions were there, on show. She held herself up on her elbows, her thighs together so I could straddle her. My fingers traced up her chest as I burst into a smile.

I rested, hovered slightly above her, my knees bent sliding wider to straddle her hips. My fingers trailed through her hair as my thumb ran over her cheekbone. She was so beautiful. So warm.

So mine.

Cupping her face, I brought her to me as I moved over her. Always in sync, we shared a soft, light kiss. Our lips barely moved, the gentle touch of her breath on mine, just offering each other a tender caress and the promise of more.

We spent the entire night out on the deck watching the stars dance above us as the moon painted our naked bodies in its soft romantic glow.

9

I’d been to Belfast before, but I’d never stepped off the ship, so I hadn’t much of a clue as to what to expect. We docked a little way out of the city and took the shuttle into the center, and then I stepped into the heart of Northern Ireland.

Except it didn’t really feel that way.

Belfast is the pulsing hub of Northern Ireland’s industrial center. The port is a working area filled with workers loading and offloading freight.

The city could have been in many places in the UK. The high streets were familiar, the shops the same. The accent was softer than in the south, and there was much less Irish cheer.

Claudia didn't seem to know the meaning of the word relax, which amused me.

Her first words were, “Finally, I can get the UK signal,” the second we stepped off the ship. She checked her mobile at least every thirty seconds, and that was no exaggeration. The times she didn't check, she seemed to have a wrist flick down to an art, where she could scroll her watch for the latest updates she had missed in those all-important minutes she hadn't been able to detach from the real world.

“Don’t you get tired?” I asked as we walked, and I licked my ice cream. It wasn't the weather for it, but I was in the mood for some creamy goodness. She looked at me with her eyebrows raised as I chased a drip down my cone, and then she smiled warmly.

“Yes, I get tired. Just like anyone does, I guess, but at the same time, I also love the speed, the pace, the hustle and bustle of my job. I’m not sure how I’d cope if I didn't have it. My mind works fast, you know,” she teased.

“So do your fingers,” I teased back and got the pleasure of her light pink blush.

“Raven!” she exclaimed as I laughed.

“Joking. Joking. Kind of.”

Belfast did have its charm. It reminded me in some ways of home, that port city feeling. But it wasn’t a touristy place. There was no spot that made me ooo or aaah. I took maybe five photographs, and only a day later I probably couldn’t tell you anything distinctive that stood out for me in Belfast.

But I’m happy I went, because as our coach crossed over the river and Claudia slipped her hand into mine for a light squeeze, I felt my heart pang, an explosion of feelings, and all of a sudden Belfast held that spark of something special.

That night on stage, I felt different. I stepped forward slowly, my hand shaking as I gripped the microphone stand. For a bustling cruise ship stage, my nerves hold. But for her, it was intimately intense as I felt her gaze on me. As usual, she sat in the front row. The light was soft. There was no spotlight tonight, just a warm glow that caressed my figure. My black dress was simple. Tied in a loose knot at the nape of my neck, the fabric ran down in thick black strips over my breasts, hugging my hips as it fell to the floor.

My skin was so pale it seemed to glow. I closed my eyes, singing softly. As my eyes flickered open once more and my eyes met hers, I almost lost my place. My fingers gripped the stand tighter, and my knuckles whitened as I tried to stay composed.

I drew the microphone closer, the steel pressed against my dress. My lips kissed the microphone, my mind losing itself in the lyrics.

My body swayed, my hips circling, and I felt as if I was singing for her alone.

My Claudia.

“You were breathtaking tonight,” Claudia murmured as she entered my dressing room. I looked up at her through the mirror and felt myself going pink, bathing in her attention and affection.

“Thank you. I was singing for you,” I said softly, shyly.

“I could feel that. I felt every single word, Raven. You really are so talented. I was wondering if tomorrow you would let me arrange something for us. I’d like to spend some time with you. Do something special. If you have time.”

“I have time.” I smiled. “But I have one request,” I said as I slowly turned and stood.

“Oh yeah? What is that?” she asked playfully.

“If we’re doing something special, I want absolutely zero, and I mean zero, cell phones.”

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