"My captor," she responded. "How nice of you to refer to me by my proper name, for once."
"I've noticed you looking out at that horizon for some time now. Tell me, what is it you are searching for?"
"I was simply searching for my home," she replied, turning back to the waters. "It's been so long since I was taken, I need to remember where it is that I came from."
"Lady Veronica," Emmanuel said, placing a rough, calloused hand on the small of her back. Her breath caught in her throat. "Your home is here now. With me."
Veronica turned around only to find him looking directly into her eyes. His were of the lightest blue, almost glowing as his gaze pierced her soul. His auburn hair was held back in a ponytail, bound by a leather strap. And his face, with its many faded scars, had seen so much that she would never know.
"Lady Veronica," he said, his voice barely a whisper above the crash of the waves below. "It is true that you have been on this ship for many nights. And in that time, I believe that I … I have fallen in love with you."
Veronica felt her knees go weak as Emmanuel slowly lowered his head to hers. Her heartbeat quickened in her chest, her eyelids fluttering shut as she felt his warm breath on her lips. Just as they were to embrace as lovers, a loud, harsh voice called her by name.
~~~
"Veronica!" the voice said, and Veronica was wrenched from the arms of Emmanuel to the cushions of the couch. She sat up quickly, her heart pounding as she blinked around the room. The sounds from the television were gone.
"What?" she asked. "What's wrong?"
"The game's over," he told her. "Let's go to bed."
"Oh," Veronica said, the adrenaline quickly seeping out of her. "Okay."
She got up from the couch and stretched, hearing her back crack. Greg walked in front of her.
"Were you having a nightmare?" Greg asked. "You were moaning a lot."
"Oh," Veronica said, trying to recall the dream as the details melted away. "I ... don't remember."
"Well it must not have been good," he said.
Veronica thought hard. She could recall the sounds of water and the smell of salt in the air. And there was something else ... somebody was with her, holding her close, and her eyes were closing ...
"The game was good," Greg said, interrupting her thoughts. "Nick's gonna have a field day at the office tomorrow."
"Mmm," Veronica replied as her dream dissolved from her mind.
They reached the bedroom. Veronica changed into pajamas while Greg stripped down to his t-shirt and underwear. They brushed their teeth and climbed into bed, turning out the lights on their bedside tables.
Veronica turned on her side away from Greg, her arm tucked under the pillow. She closed her eyes as she heard Greg settle on his side of the bed, their bodies not touching beneath the sheets. After a few minutes, however, she felt the mattress shift as Greg moved closer to her, his hand snaking over onto her stomach.
Veronica didn't respond. She tried to pretend like she was asleep, deepening her breathing and ignoring her husband's advances. But it didn't make a difference. Greg's hand ran up and down her stomach regardless, reaching up to cup one of her breasts beneath her pajama top.
Veronica felt her husband's body shuffle towards her, his stiffness pressing against her lower back. He began to grind himself into her, squeezing her breast as he did. She felt his fingers pinch her nipple and she winced. Rolling over onto her back, she felt his hand quickly leave her shirt as he yanked down her pajama bottoms, leaving them at the foot of the bed.
Greg climbed on top of her, his cock already out of his underwear. She felt the cold smear of his precum along her inner thigh as she kept her eyes closed. He pushed his hips forward and tried desperately to enter her, like a blind dog trying to go through a doggy door. He reached down and felt around with his fingers, crudely holding her open while he shoved himself inside.
Veronica winced as she felt him force himself into of her. He immediately began moving back and forth, his breathing haggard as his weight kept her pinned to the bed. She tried to think of sexy things, to make the act more enjoyable. One of his hands found her breast and he squeezed it hard, like he were trying to pop it.
Veronica was suddenly struck by a memory, almo
st a lifetime ago, of her and Greg when they were first going out. This was at a time when they were young and couldn't keep their hands off each other. They would make love all night long, taking their time and slowly bringing each other to the point of no return. Veronica recalled how vibrant she had been, how happy she was just to be alive and with the man she loved.
She felt Greg shudder on top of her and her insides flooded with warmth. He collapsed, breathing heavily, as though he'd just been out running. They hadn't kissed once.
Greg pulled himself out of her and rolled over onto his side of the bed. Veronica felt the cold wetness leaking out of her, creating a spot on the sheets. She got up and went to the bathroom, cleaning herself up. When she got back to bed Greg was already asleep, snoring loudly.
Veronica reached under the covers for the pajama bottoms and slipped them back on, climbing in beside her husband. She turned onto her side again, away from Greg, and listened as his snores filled the room. Curling her legs up she tried to think of what she had to do the next day. Shopping. Cleaning. Run errands. Sighing to herself, Veronica closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. It was a long time before she did.