" Morgan placed Allison’s hands around the tall bedpost and quickly unbuttoned the gown and pulled the corset laces loose. Reaching around the redhead for the shirt she’d been sleeping in she carefully slid the gown and corset down over Allison’s hips then slid her arms into the shirt. As the fabric of the shirt slid down over her hips Morgan knelt and took first one leg then the other out of the pile of clothes at Allison’s feet. Allison giggled as Morgan’s hair tickled the back of her knee, knocking herself off balance as she tried to move away. Morgan caught her as she started to fall and swung her up into her arms, laughing at the shaking form in her arms. Carefully she laid Allison down in the bed then pulled the blankets up and tucked them around her. Allison’s giggles trickled off and she looked up at Morgan with an odd look in her eyes. Morgan brushed the red hair away from her face gently, then reached over and turned the lamp on the side table down."Good night, Allison," she said softly. The younger woman’s eyes drifted shut and Morgan moved away from the bed, pausing as she heard her name.
"Mmmm…Morgan?"
"Yes, Allison?"
"Thank you for the book."
"You’re welcome."
"And the puzzle box….and the silk ribbons…." Morgan laughed softly.
"You’re welcome, Allison. Get some sleep." She waited for a moment to see if the young woman was going to say anything else, then started for the door.
"Good night, Morgan. Don’t let her bite you." She shook her head in confusion and decided to ignore the comment, smiling to herself.
"Good night, Allison."
Morgan slipped out the door and headed for Carolyn, fleeing the enticing woman sleeping in her bed.
The next few days passed by quickly, Morgan’s routine set by the two women she was spending time with. Her days were passed with Allison, playing chess, strolling, or just talking. Morgan found herself enjoying the time spent with the young woman immensely, looking forward to each day, wondering what the redhead would want to do. Dinner was always eaten in the room and Allison always insisted on dressing up for it, driving Morgan crazy with her bare shoulders and not quite innocent looks. Her evenings were spent in Carolyn’s company, sometimes spending a while assuaging the blonde’s jealousy with words, other times just silencing her with kisses. Morgan felt like she was walking a tenuously thin line between the two women, and as the days passed she started to feel a sense of impending doom.
Since giving Allison her book they both spent the early afternoons writing, her in her log recording progress on the ship and so on, Allison working away on the pages of her journal. Her curiosity was peaked by the fervor with which the redhead wrote at times, but she resisted the urge to open the book and peruse the pages. Jacob stopped by to check on them a couple of times, turning down Allison’s invitations to dinner, and shooting knowing looks at Morgan as he watched the two of them interact.
A week had passed since the ship had made port and Morgan found herself staring up at Carolyn’s canopy, unable to fall asleep. The blonde was deep in slumber by her side, but she felt a restless energy keeping her from following suit. Finally giving up she slipped out of bed and into her clothes. Quietly she left Carolyn’s suite and padded down the hallway, slowly making her way back to her room. She paused outside the door for a long moment, debating whether she would be able to sleep any better there, then decided that she should at least try. Her body was exhausted, and the constant dance between Allison and Carolyn was slowly wearing at her. Quietly she snuck into the room, closing the door carefully behind her. Moonlight streamed bright through the window, painting the shape of Allison’s body in silver, and Morgan found her eyes suddenly tired. Pulling off her breeches she dropped them next to the bed and carefully crawled under the blankets, sighing softly as the luxurious feather mattress pulled her down. Stretching out on her back she yawned and gratefully succumbed to the sleepiness that stole over her. As she drifted off she felt Allison roll over and curl against her, pillowing her head on her shoulder and sliding an arm across her stomach. Morgan slid her arm around the redhead and pulled her closer, sliding into a deeper sleep than she’d had all week.
Allison blinked her eyes open in the early morning light, momentarily disconcerted. Her dreams had been so vivid, so real, that it took her a moment to recover. Sighing softly she stretched then jumped as she felt an arm slide around her waist and pull her back. Allison relaxed a little and smiled as Morgan tucked her into the curve of her body, her arm wrapped firmly around her waist, the gentle puff of her breath warming her shoulder. Closing her eyes she decided against getting up, enjoying the feel of the woman wrapped around her. Usually Morgan didn’t come back to the room until it was time for breakfast, and Allison had fallen into a routine of getting up early and bathing, then spending some time writing in her journal or trying to figure out the puzzle box that the captain had bought her. Allison let her thoughts drift idly, wondering what they would do to fill the day. The seductive warmth of the body behind her started to make her drowsy and she fought to stay awake, wanting to enjoy the embrace as long as she could.
Rap Rap Rap.
Allison blinked her eyes against the brightness of the sun streaming through the window and looked around in confusion, wondering how it had gotten so late in the morning. Morgan yawned and rolled onto her back, throwing her arm across her eyes. Allison rolled over and looked at her sleepily.
"Did you hear someone at the door?" she asked. Morgan peeked a blue eye at her from under her arm, shook her head, then reached her other arm around Allison’s waist.
"Mmmm…no…come back to sleep." Allison’s eyebrows arched in surprise as Morgan tugged her into her arms and sighed contently. She hesitantly laid her head down on Morgan’s shoulder, her eyebrows pulling together in consternation.
Rap Rap Rap.
Allison laughed softly as Morgan grumbled under her breath. She covered Allison’s ear with her hand.
"Who the hell is it?!?" She bellowed. Allison giggled behind her hand and received an indignant glare in return. Suddenly the door swung open and hit the wall, making Allison jump. Morgan tilted her head up and shot a baleful glare at the fuming blonde standing in the doorway. Allison flinched at the daggers being stared at her and Morgan rubbed the small of her back.
"Is there a reason you’re waking me up, Carolyn?" Morgan asked, her tone very cold and angry. Carolyn propped her hands on her hips.
"Well, Captain, I see things have changed considerably since last night. Perhaps you should come see me when you’re….awake….and we can discuss things." Carolyn didn’t wait for an answer, merely swung around and left, making the windows rattle in their casements as she slammed the door shut. Allison peeked a look at Morgan’s face, wondering what she was thinking.
"Well, Miss Allison, that was quite the way to start the morning, don’t you think?" Allison smiled hesitantly and felt the hand on her back rub softly in reassurance. "Don’t worry…she’ll calm down. I hope." Morgan shook her head and carefully untangled herself from Allison and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Are you going to go down there now?" Allison asked, wrapping the blanket around her as she sat up in the middle of the mattress. Morgan nodded and glanced over her shoulder.
"It’s best that I go now before she has too much time to fabricate what things I did last night after leaving her bed." Morgan sighed, pushed herself to her feet, and walked into the bathing room. Allison heard water splashing, then Morgan walked back out, drying herself off as she moved across the room. Once again Allison’s eyes were drawn to the marks on Morgan’s back as the captain dropped her shirt to the floor.
"Morgan?"
"Yes?" The older woman pulled a clean shirt over her head and turned around, running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tame it.
"What happened to your back?" she asked hesitantly.
