Diving In

Julia just can't get over how French he is. Eliott talks about the wine they have over dinner like he made it and he has that flowing accent that makes it all sound believable. Sure, sure, the soil's silt content changes the tannins. Yeah. I was about to say that. He was so bubbly and relaxed, and had such an easy laugh. Like a life of socialized healthcare had smoothed over a lot of the sharp rocks of cynicism and left him with an easy friendliness that made him completely charming. And it helped that he wore tiny French swimsuit shorts that showed off his long lean thighs...

How much time had she spent looking at his hands? She was supposed to be listening to another of her new friends, Marta, talking about camping in the Dolomites.

God, the energy on this entire trip was just electric. The decision happened on a whim, a chance listing turning into an offer to join on a scientific dive expedition around the Maldives. Julia had been hemming an hawing for a long time. What if the price wasn't worth it? The self-doubt, not knowing if she could trust herself and her wants. But finally, FINALLY, fuck it, she went for it! It felt like she was making a big bet on herself and her passions and it was paying off more than she possibly could have imagined. The dives were gorgeous and invigorating--small fish flitting between rocks, big humphead wrasse trundling along around them. She especially loved the corals and anemones on the seafloor resembling a vibrant living city. Three times now (she was keeping track), Julia had been stunned to see a whale shark. One was nearly an arm's reach away. This huge, powerful creature, on exhibit in its environment, and she had the honor to help understand and protect it? The rush of all these experiences was washing over her, like coming out from the dark into bright, warm, perfect sunlight. She felt like she could feel it in her skin with every movement. The water, the sun, the deck under her feet, all felt more real, more penetrating, out here. Wait why was she thinking about penetration.

It should have been obvious to Julia that the people who committed to an ecological survey just for the love of it were the kind of people she wanted to be around. The nine others like her had a wide mix of ages, countries, and lifestyles, but they all felt like kids at the aquarium. They seemed like they were thriving just as much as Julia. There was a kind of resonance in the air, where each person's joy and expertise pinged off the rest and amped them up more. Laughs and shouting and playing around came easily to most of them, in a way Julia hadn't felt before. Such fresh camaraderie!

Julia thought back on vacations abroad, earlier in her life. She had had a bit of a... well, slut phase. Being in a brand new place, no chores or routine or house to lean back into, it just unlocked something hungry in her brain. Her little hoeing adventures had been fun, but something she thought she'd left several years in the past by now.

There was so much newness when the trip started it took her a while to figure out what she was feeling with Elliot. He was French (very), in his early 50's, with greying blonde hair, bright hazel eyes with clear laugh lines showing a life lived right. Tall and slim, he had a tasteful tuft of chest hair that was almost always on display in between the dives and lessons. His hands looked gentle but strong, with thick fingers. After a dive, or when the light had a certain angle, the veins popped out on the back of his hands juuust right, and led her into thoughts of how skillful those hands were when running the coral sampling drill, and how skillful they might just be otherwise.

It didn't help insulate her from the electricity that they were mostly wearing either swimsuits, or the generally small, loose clothes they all covered up with. After a dive, most of the men on the trip changed into shorts and, rarely, a shirt. Women did similar - the swimsuits chafed once you got out of the water, but it was still pretty warm and wet out, so nobody wanted to wear too much. Elliot somehow found a pair of shorts that showed just as much leg as his tight little swimsuits, but which also allowed a little more... movement in front. She didn't know she could notice men's shorts this much before. For herself, Julia tended to go with a thin and loose pair of cotton shorts, almost pajamas practically, and a sports bra. Normally she might have been a little nervous about showing this much skin to mostly strangers, and how closely the shorts hugged her butt, but it clicked for her immediately that she felt completely safe here among them.

Julia had come in a little wary, being out on a remote boat with strange men especially. But Elliot had disarmed her right away with his gentle whimsy. He kept leaning just enough on the boundaries of courtesy--mentioning offhand how impressive her knowledge of local fishes were, taking an acute interest in her dating life, finding a way to hang around after dinner to chat--that she couldn't help enjoying his company. When he called out, "oh, very good girl, Julia!" when she helped carry two sets of heavy tanks, the heat that shot, embarrassingly, straight down to her stomach and then kept heading down, almost made her drop one. Two days in, he ran his hand down her upper arm while telling a joke (the audacity!!!) and she didn't even think about pulling back. She went to bed thinking about his lightly calloused hands on her arm and mentally kicking her feet.

Julia wasn't quite flirting back but she wasn't... not enjoying herself. They had gotten closer day after day. The special attention Elliot showed her had gotten some little smirks from the other expeditioners and a bawdy wink from Marta. Sure, she was being lusted after, but he was a gentleman about it! She kept thinking about him when she was lying in bed after their hard days, but hadn't even been able to touch herself on the trip between being so busy and sharing a cabin with another woman.

On the fifth night, the expeditioners celebrated Elliot's birthday together. It was a great time, as everything feels when you've spent the whole week living your dream. Julia was moving between different conversations all night--people had such fascinating stories, and they were coming from all over the world!--but found herself brushing against Elliot more often than not as the social groups schooled and separated during the night. She noticed every time.

Little pockets and singlets went off to bed (or to their own fun) as the night went on. They couldn't drink heavily or go too hard because of the early morning dives, but they'd had some lovely wine to pass around that had everyone feeling just right, just relaxed and talkative enough, while staying alert.

Julia found herself on the upper deck with Elliot, and nobody else around. They were sitting in chaise longue chairs made from the same beautiful dark wood as the paneling, watching the final streaks of sunset glow on the clouds. The dark but lively ocean offset pleasantly against the warm wood of the deck, and the warm glow of the wine in Julia's body. They were half-lying down, side by side, knees bent. Elliot offered a toast --"To the fish!" and clinked glasses before draining the rest of his.

She didn't remember the chairs touching like this before. It was a warm and still night, but she felt a small chill breeze off the water brush over her legs and raise goosebumps. A few minutes into swapping stories, Elliot's knee nonchalantly leaned over against hers. She felt her face flush and her eyes flutter a little bit, and her voice caught in her throat for juuuust a moment mid story. Elliot noticed, there's no way he didn't, but didn't comment on it. A true gentleman. He knew what he was doing without having to look directly at it. After a few more minutes and another laugh, his hand found its way onto her mid thigh and gave her a squeeze. She felt like she was melting. She had goosebumps over her entire body, and it wasn't from the breeze. That electricity shot through her again--this beautiful older Frenchman, this dive daddy, doing this to her--from her toes up to her scalp she felt the tingle, and it shot straight down to her crotch. She had to stop from clenching her thighs together to relieve the pressure.

He kept his hand on her as they kept talking back and forth. It was almost funny, how obvious what was happening juxtaposed against how they were talking about the places they'd like to dive someday. His eye contact was feeling more powerful than the wine and Julia felt her heart thumping loudly in her chest, and in her ears. She knew she must be blushing furiously and could see her nipples hardening with excitement. His eyes, even in that dim evening light out on the deck, were still so bright and clear, and his smile so easy, she just couldn't look away.

--The conversation paused. Elliot looked down at his hand on her thigh, and back up at her. Julia's head felt like it was full of warm fluff; her gaze also went down to his hand, and back up to his eyes, and her smile just got slightly wider. Elliot slid his hand--god, finally this touch--inward, downward, not enough but still enough, to her inner thigh, close to the hem of her shorts. She let her leg fall open towards him slightly, a yes, please. She was sure he felt the warmth radiating from her pussy, growing more wet by the moment, from this close.

But he paused his hand there. Bâtard! They started up talking again, but Julia felt the shake in her voice. When her voice cracked as he rubbed his pinky finger just under the hem of her shorts, she went quiet. They weren't pretending now.

She had said "fuck it" to go on this trip in the first place. It was expensive, difficult, unknown, maybe even risky. What if she couldn't gel with the other expeditioners? What if it felt like a waste? Worse, what if she thought she knew what she wanted, made the leap, and was left aching and disappointed? But she HAD gone, after all. She was taking command of her life god dammit! What if she turned down the chance to do something huge and thrilling and risky, and regretted it forever? What if exploring this world filled her up, satisfied her like she hadn't felt in a long time...? Huh? Who's thinking these pervert thoughts?

Julia looked back at him. He was so sexy, this lusty Frenchman. His body pressed up next to hers, warm and physical. She felt a coy little thrill at the thought of a little tryst on what was otherwise her Big Science Girl mission. And here, so far from home... who would know? Even if Back-at-Home-Julia might have balked, even if it was risky and strange and novel. Her pent up energy for this trip, and no physical release in a week, had her steaming. She felt like she was on fire. She and Elliot leaned into each other until their faces were less than a foot apart.

Fuck it!

She leaned toward him just a fraction, tilting her head and parting her lips slightly. Looking at his mouth and back up to his eyes. He got the hint. He closed the distance, meeting her lips with his. He was gentle with that first kiss, warm and soft. Maybe it was his maturity, but this kiss was patient in a way those old travel hookups never were. He knew they had time, and he loved to play... She felt their breath on each other like this and giggled a little bit, giddy. Julia pulled back just a centimeter, and he followed. Elliot's hand on her thigh pulled Julia closer and pulled her legs further apart, and with his other hand behind her head he pulled Julia's face to his. They started kissing hungrily, fighting out all the tension they'd built up to this point. Their wine-tasting tongues played on each other eagerly. Julia could feel how wet she was, and was sure if he looked that Elliot would be able to see it even through her shorts. Her chest felt like it could burst with the rush and she let out a small moan. Julia started rubbing one hand on Elliot's strong thigh and the other on his chest.

Elliot's hand on her thigh moved down, moved in... he pressed the base of his palm against her pussy, through her shorts, and she couldn't help gasping as she arched her back to push against him. The pressure had built up over these days, and was threatening to overwhelm her brain completely. She grinded her clit against his hand, digging her nails into his chest and enjoying the scratch of his body hair. Her breath was hot and fast.

"Fuck, Elliot!"

He responded by pulling Julia's face to his with the hand on the back of her head. She was riding his hand, and was starting to think she could climax if they just kept it up. The friction and pressure of her wet panties against her was one of her many weaknesses. She'd been waiting all week thinking about this and was aching for relief. But Elliot made another bold move! He pulled back for just a second. Tragically, he moved his hand off of her crotch and out of her hair. Julia had a moment of "what?? No!" before she met his eyes. He was smiling, beaming nearly (as he should be), and wrapped an arm around her waist--

"Julia. Come come. Get on top. Yes, just like that. You're so good for me."

She sat straddling his lap, hands on his shoulders. She rested her thighs around his waist, with her ass in easy reach of his hands and her groin pressed hard onto his. With their minimal clothing she could feel how hard he was easily; she could see his thick cock against his thigh, straining against his shorts. How hard he was for her, 20 years his junior! Julia felt flattered but also like the hottest little hoe she'd ever been. It felt wrong but also felt so luxurious. Wasn't this trip about finding a new hunger for life? She was taking a goddam bite.

They went back to making out while Elliot's hands roamed over Julia's back, over her sides. The roughness of his palms over her bare ribcage made Julia shiver with pleasure. She made a small high squeak into his mouth when one hand went up to her breast, alternately pinching her hard nipple and squeezing it through her bra. The other hand seemed to just be enjoying its wandering, feeling the soft skin of her back, shoulders, and arms. Julia had both hands pressed firmly, but carefully, on Elliot's neck to brace herself. Straddling his lap had spread Julia's pussy lips just so slightly, so her clit was almost directly on top of his rock-hard cock. Her hips had a mind of her own and were grinding her against him, and he was responding in kind by slowly pushing back up into her hips. They knew they were exposed here, out on the deck, even though everyone should've been in the aft section of the ship, or in bed. They wouldn't be bothered here but had to be careful. For now. She wished she could be as loud as she felt.

The hand that wasn't on Julia's breast moved to her hair, gently grabbing a large fist of it and pulling her head back and away from his lips. He moved to her jaw, gently nipping it with his teeth before trailing his tongue over and down. He sucked at the vulnerable base of her neck and she felt the teasing scratch of his canines pressing into her, tickling that sense of raw carnal heat. She couldn't help moaning as he went, bucking her hips onto him. He was humming with pleasure as he explored in turn. His mouth went lower as he leaned her back, and he lifted up her bra. Exposed to the sharp sea air, and more turned on than she could remember being in ages, her nipples were hard and sensitive. He kissed his way down her chest before rolling his tongue around one nipple. His bite just barely dipped into pain at the same time gave a solid pull back on her hair. Fuck him for being this good at this! Julia had to stifle a groan of pleasure into her hand as she bent back, under his control despite being on top.

He went back and forth between her tits as his free hand went down and onto her ass. He squeezed it hard, before giving it a light smack. He started kneading it, using it to pull her forward and down onto his lap. Julia could tell he was as flushed with arousal as she was. But she couldn't have him taking all the lead. She shifted back just slightly, then took his hand off of her ass. Looking him in the eye, she held it with both hands and give him a long kiss in the middle of the palm. She then pressed it flat onto her stomach, then pushed it lower until his fingers got under her waistband. Elliot got the hint again and continued, finally dipping into her panties. Julia wrapped both hands around his wrist as his hand disappeared followed by it pressing against her dripping cunt. He let out a pleased gasp as his fingers slid along her smoothly, whispering, "Ah hah, Julia, you are so wet? For me?" and she couldn't help but make a pleased wiggle on his lap with his enjoyment.

Elliot's fingers felt thick and glorious rubbing against her. He easily slipped in two fingers and curved them back to rub her g-spot. God, she'd been thinking about exactly this just yesterday, this was almost unfair how good it felt in the flesh. Her clit was on the middle of his palm as he worked his fingers in and out of her. Julia's abs tensed as she humped hard into his hand and as she felt the heat building in her core. The ocean lapping against the hull drowned out the soft wet noises of his fingers as they pumped in and out, and her long groans, louder with each passing moment.

He started going faster to match the rhythm of her hips rocking back and forth and she responded by almost slamming onto his hand. "Yes, yes, fuck, yes, keep going like that. Elliot. Elliot..." she gasped, as the wave built up, higher, before crashing over her entirely. Her legs and abs were vibrating as she came, hard, onto his fingers, feeling herself clench around them as he kept pressing against her g-spot just right. She leaned down to kiss Elliot again, gasping into his mouth as she rode out the lightning going through her, shooting between her brain and clit and back again.

After what felt like minutes of pulsing heat, her body relaxed and folded forward to lay flat on Elliot's. This was the most skin-to-skin contact they'd ever had, and it felt marvelous. Elliot slowly pulled his hand away and they could both see how wet she'd been. She blushed, even now, but Elliot just smiled and brought those fingers up to her lips. She parted her lips and let his digits into her mouth, tasting herself on them. He gently pumped them in and out while she sucked and nibbled on them in return. Licking between the fingers and making strong eye contact, telling him she knew what to do too.

"Julia, my coquette! You are a minx, toying with my heart these many days! Do you taste as good as you look?" -- "Well, you'll just have to find out won't you?" --"Hah! I will, you are right. So, you come to my room. Solo cabin, no roommate, just us. We go?" -- She dramatically pretended to think, rubbing her hand on her chin: "Hmmm. Well..." and got some satisfaction out of seeing a flash of fear across Elliot's face. "I think so, yes. Yes." Her big smile and hungry gaze assured him that it was only banter, that she was not done with him yet. They were giggling like teenagers as they made their way across the dark deck and downstairs, towards Elliot's small separated cabin near the fore. The noise of the ship and the waves down here were like white noise machines, and she wasn't worried anymore about being caught.

As soon as they got into the room and closed the door. They paused for a beat; Julia felt the closeness of the walls, the low ceiling, the dark space she shared with this near stranger. She had taken a few gambles up to this point, and she knew could navigate what happened next. Now's not the time to doubt herself. She gave a small nod to Elliot, and he immediately pulled her close. He gave her a long, hot kiss, before biting her lower lip and pulling back. He pulled her sports bra up and off, exposing her chest bare to him for the first time. He kissed down her neck and collarbone, giving another small bite at her nipple, tenderly dragging his tongue over her ribs, before going down onto his knees. He looked up at her as he hooked both hands into her waistband and pulled them down, fast, exposing her entirely. She stepped one leg out of her discarded clothes, and her panties were still around one ankle when Elliot reached around to put a hand onto her bare ass, squeezing hard and pulling her hips towards his eager face. He kissed and licked from her hipbone in wards, achingly taking his time.