Chapter 1
Leila moaned softly as her husband’s fingers caressed her thighs. Sunlight streamed through the window and twinkled like a distant star through each sweat droplet on his clean-shaven, naked body. His blonde hair glowed in the morning rays like dew on a grass blade. Her husband’s lips brushed against her sternum, sending a ripple of goosebumps across her breasts. Arching her back, she wanted another kiss.
Joseph’s lips traveled down her chest and onto her stomach, stopping periodically to kiss softly. Everywhere his lips touched filled with the lightning of a storm cloud and Leila felt her lap twitch with desire. His hands still caressed the outside of her thighs, holding her in the palm of his hands. With the same swooping arc as the sun, his fingers traveled across the tops of her legs and toward the center of her being. She let her knees separate, and Joseph smiled with glee.
Her husband moved his body between her legs and Leila wrapped her ankles around his torso, bringing him closer to the warmth she felt inside. Joseph was no hulking sailor, however, his thin frame sported a strong physique. Now, with her ankles wrapped tightly around his back, she relished the feeling of his back tensing and relaxing as he moved up and down her body.
Leila placed her hands on the back of Joseph’s neck, and once she did, he looked up at her again. His bright blue eyes pierced her and his goofy smile was that of a man in love. Joseph let his lips drag against her body as he traveled back up to her breasts, stopping to caress her nipples with his tongue. His unshaven stubble scratched and prickled her skin which only seemed to add to the immense pleasure she was experiencing. She gripped the back of his head, weaving her fingers into his hair, and pulled him closer.
She wanted more. She wanted him closer. She wanted him to occupy the same space she was in. She wanted him to breathe with the breath in her lungs. She wanted him inside of her.
Joseph grabbed his wife’s hands with one of his and pressed her wrists into the pillow above her head, using the other hand to steady Leila’s hips. Leila squirmed with delight as she felt Joseph’s body weight against her. Joseph lowered his head once more and kissed Leila on the lips.
Leila felt the pressure against her hips as Joseph slowly pressed himself inside of her. His girth filled her in every way she craved. A tingling sensation overcame Leila’s body and she held Joseph’s bottom lip between her teeth, moaning as her husband continued to enter her.
Joseph’s body was tense with pleasure, but the moment that his hips met Leila’s he relaxed and let out a euphoric sigh. Both of them looked into the other’s eyes, their desires and cravings visible to one another. Her husband placed his hand behind her ear and stroked her hair gently, “Your beauty is parallel to a spring morning.”
Leila gyrated her hips against her husband, earning her a gasp of pleasure from his lips, “Darling, I am flattered with your poetry, but please don’t stop what you’re doing.”
Joseph smiled devilishly and moved his hips backward, allowing his shaft to slide out of the warmth it had penetrated. Leila leaned her head back and bit her lip. The pleasure overwhelmed her and she already anticipated the next thrust. At this very moment, she felt incomplete without her husband’s presence inside of her.
The feeling was intoxicating, and it made her eyes close with euphoria. It was a feeling she had missed since the last time they had been intimate, which had been far too long ago.
With gentle force, Joseph thrust his body back into Leila with a soft grunt. Leila squealed as the force of Joseph’s hips adjusted her position. She looked up at her husband and smiled gently, begging for more with her eyes.
Joseph prepared another thrust by rearing his hips again, and as his pelvis made contact with his wife’s body he let out his feelings of satisfaction. Leila broke free from her husband’s grasp, wrapped her arms and legs around her husband’s warm body, and squeezed tightly. The feeling of her husband’s shaft throbbing inside her was better than any sensation she had felt before.
Leila squeezed her arms and legs so that she could feel every bit of his girth inside of her. Joseph repositioned her hands to her hips and steadied her, his arms strong and stiff like the sides of a ship.
She leaned her head back and let a whimper leave her lips as Joseph continued to press his body into her and then recede. He was like the ocean, and with each wave crashing down on her she felt the pleasure intensify. As the wave rolled back out, she anticipated the next tide.
Joseph pulled Leila closer to his body and buried his face in the crook of her neck, his panting and moaning muffled by her flesh. Leila kissed his hair and tasted his sweat. The warmth inside of her burned brighter. She pressed her hips against his every time he reached deep inside of her, and she was delighted to hear her husband’s moans become louder.
Suddenly, animalistic strength overcame her husband. Joseph lifted her body off of the bed and his rhythm increased, penetrating her deeper than before. His grunts and moans became that of a wild animal, and his movements became rough and sporadic. Leila squealed in delight as she held onto her husband close, savoring the overwhelming joy that surged through her body.
Just as quickly as Joseph had gained his sudden vigor, his body became stiff and a gasp of orgasmic pleasure overcame him. Leila felt a warmth deep within her and smiled in satisfaction. She kissed her husband passionately, feeling his lips with hers and exploring fractions of his mouth with her tongue. Joseph keeled with ecstasy and collapsed on the bed, Leila’s arms and legs still wrapped tightly around him like a snake.
Joseph, now on his back, let out an exhausted sigh. His body still throbbed with pleasure and a euphoric grin was plastered on her husband’s face. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Joseph massaged the base of his shaft and sighed.
“That was amazing,” Joseph began to look for a cloth to clean himself with.
Leila’s heart burned for more. Rolling over, she crawled towards her husband and showered his stomach with kisses, “I’m not done with you yet.”
Joseph touched her shoulder gently and kissed her forehead, “I’m afraid I am done. You have worn me out entirely.”
Leila’s body slumped and she sat upright in bed with disappointment. She still wanted more. She still wanted him.
Her husband stood up and began to search the wardrobe for his clothes. As he slipped on a pair of beige pants he looked at his wife who was still sitting on the bed naked, “Before you head to the market, would you be able to take the children to school?”
“Certainly,” Leila replied with a cheery tone, trying not to let Joseph know she was dissatisfied with their abrupt ending. Joseph continued to dress quickly: ” It is a big day at the press, and if I get that promotion, we can move into the city.”
Leila smiled softly, wrapping her chilled skin in the blanket, “You’ve been working very hard. I think Mr. Waters will keel over and die when he sees you awarded the same title as him.”
“I’m sure it will come as a surprise to him. The old geezer hasn’t noticed an ounce of my hard work,” Joseph grumbled.
“But I have, darling,” Leila reassured, now beginning to climb out of bed, “and I couldn’t be more proud.”
“Think about how grand it will be when we can live in the city,” Joseph began to daydream. He got a faraway look when he was enthralled with his own thoughts, “No more walks through this desolate countryside. Floors that aren’t dirt. You won’t have to walk as far to get groceries.”
Leila picked up a brush and ran it through her chestnut hair that ended just below her jaw, “Speaking of groceries, our list is longer than usual, which means I may be home later than usual.”
“As long as you are home in time for dinner,” Joseph finished buttoning his white collared shirt, “I am making my mother’s potato stew, and I’m going to use that bread you made last night.”
A smile crept across her face. She loved having dinner with her family and couldn’t imagine missing it for the world. She stood up and began to look through the same wardrobe that her husband had pulled his attire from. She felt his hands caress her back and she giggled as the hands became curious below her waistline.
“You are truly irresistible,” Joseph whispered in her ear.
Leila turned to face her husband and Joseph presented himself, “How do I look?”
Joseph fixed his blonde hair into a ponytail and straightened the cuffs of his white button-up dress shirt. His beige plants were neat, clean, and cinched at the waist with a leather belt. His physique was fit and his posture was proper. Leila was in love with every bone in this man’s body. The mere sight of him was enough for her to blush. Joseph was the son of a family friend, and the moment they met they became inseparable.
“Absolutely ravishing,” Leila grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. She could still feel the desire raging in her body. Her body still felt warm, and the images of their morning activity replayed in her mind over and over.
“Hopefully not too ravishing,” Joseph kissed his wife on the head, “I’m trying to get the press master’s approval, not make him fall in love.”
Leila ran her fingers up the buttons on Joseph’s shirt and fixed his collar, “You better be off. I’ll take the children to school.”
The school building was a white three-story high building and was by far the largest in the countryside. Its sun-faded blue roof and window shutters acted as a beacon for academic learning that the teachers proudly upheld. A woman wearing an orange dress eagerly ushered children in through the front door.
Leila waved to both of her children and waited patiently until they disappeared into the building. Turning towards the city, she was distracted by the great expanse of blue that rested under the summer sun. The schoolhouse overlooked the bay and arguably had the best view of the harbor below.
The wind rustled the leaves of an old oak tree that Leila knew very well. Standing only a couple paces away from the main road, it had become Leila’s favorite spot in the entire town. Its leaves were a lush green and its bark was a dusty brown. Branches protruded from the trunk in every angle creating the perfect canopy to read a book. Leila often sat at the base of the tree and watched boats sail in and out of the bay until her children were done with school. Leila wanted to spend the morning beneath the tree’s strong arms but forced herself towards town.
The streets were quiet, which was to be expected at this early of hour. Most people who were in the city were just beginning to go to work, which meant that only the housewives were out and about. Occasionally, a carriage full of goods or timber would pass her and kick dust into the air, but there was still room for the sound of birds.
Roads here were familiar to Leila because she had lived here her entire life. Her father was a cobbler who had made a living making shoes for sailors who came in and out of the port city. It had earned her father a sizeable living, and as far as he was concerned there was no reason to leave a great opportunity. Leila’s mother had lived in the city for her entire life as well, and Leila couldn’t imagine her mother leaving even if her family dragged her.
Both of Leila’s parents had been entirely comfortable growing their roots in the quiet town they called home, and they were buried in the cemetery overlooking the harbor just as they had requested. Joseph’s parents also chose to stay in one place, which solidified Leila’s fear of dying in her hometown.
Leila had grown bored of the city. Every alley was explored and every brick had been counted. She had tried every bread from the bakery and she had smelled every flower that sprouted in the various window boxes that peppered the street with color. Red brick titans showed little age, and the city looked the same now as it did back when she was a kid.
The only thing that changed was the ships in the harbor, and Leila blamed them for her gradual distaste for her home. The boats and the sailors that came with them were the only thing that changed. They had seen the world and boasted of their stories over tall pints of ale.
When she was a young woman she had overheard a group of sailors hashing their greatest fishing stories and it had started an obsession that Leila refused to rid herself of. The only thing that kept her from going completely manic was her opportunities to hear the stories of sailors. She would hang around the docks to hear stories of big waves and even bigger fish. She fell in love with stories of sea monsters and mermaids. In a way, they had become her siren song, and no amount of gossip and stories could quench the hunger that burned inside of her.
The market’s bustle could be heard from three streets over. While she loved days at the market, it was simply a story she told her husband so she didn’t worry about her. Leila rounded the corner and gazed upon the one place in this city that still brought her excitement. It was a humble cottage made of round stones and a wooden roof. It was larger than an ordinary house but seemed out of place among the large red-bricked warehouses and general goods stores nearby.
Walking along the back of the building, Leila came upon a large wooden door with rusted metal hinges. Her stomach twisted as she raised her hand to knock. She hated lying to Joseph, and she was sure that if she told him he would have no objections. In a way, the secrecy added to Leila’s excitement, and this was the only way to keep herself sane in this dreary town.
Leila knocked on the large wooden door and it swung open before she could move her hand away. The hinges creaked under the weight of the door, and a short and stocky woman dressed in a faded green dress covered in stains stood in the doorway. Her face was dirty and her blonde hair was pulled to the back and strangled into a ponytail. Loud shouting and singing bustled from behind her.
“’Bout time you got ’ere,” the troll-like woman grumbled, “These men’re getting rowdier by the minute.”
Leila blushed and began to speak but the woman cut her off with her thick accent, “Don’t be gettin’ red on me. Where’s the list?”
Reaching into her pocket, Leila procured a parchment that had the list of groceries she needed. She pushed the paper towards the woman in the doorway and the ponytailed woman snatched it from Leila’s gentle hands. Leila watched the woman’s thick eyebrows knit together as she scanned the long list of items.
“Hell,” she smiled, “I’d be yer husban’ if I ate this well e’ry night.”
“His waistband does not share your jealousy,” Leila commented as she dug deeper into her dress and pulled out a small bag of jingling coins, “i hope this is enough to pay for the list.”
“If you know me, you know I can strike a deal with any merchant that steps foot on this port,” the grisly woman shook her fist and smiled, ’I’ll come back with coin to spare. You better get in there before they tear the place down.”
“Certainly, Bonny,” Leila said as she squeezed her thin frame past the woman in the doorway.
Bonny wiped the sweat from her brow before stepping out of the doorway and closing Leila in. She looked at the list one last time and tossed the bag of coins in her hand as she walked towards the main road.
The atmosphere bustled with lively music and loud chatter. Leila wrapped an apron around her thin waist and tied it behind her. Jesting men’s voices became louder as Leila walked from the tavern’s kitchen to behind the bar. The building shook as every man ranted and raved. Chandeliers holding lit candles hung from the wooden ceiling and cast soft, warm lighting on the tavern’s customers. Rosy-cheeked sailors slurred their words as they clapped and sang. The room bathed in the comfort of cheap ale and sea shanties.
Leila’s smile was from ear to ear. The only thing that kept her from going completely manic was her opportunity to hear the stories of sailors. What better place to find them than at a tavern?
