Love: At What Cost

"One of our Pursers' will escort you to your rooms in a few minutes. You both are seated at the Captains table tonight, and he requests evening attire on the first night. After that, it's more casual until the last night or if there is a special event...." He blathered on about rules and emergency procedures, but Michelle saw the blank overwhelmed look on Linda's face and cut him off.

"It's okay Sailor, I know the drill and will keep her in the loop. I know you'll have to recite that spiel a hundred more times today... save your voice." She smiled a five thousand watt smile to take the sting out of her words. He just smiled back, preening before the next couple came up to check in.

"Okay Sweetheart, here we go." Michelle told Linda as she grabbed her arm and propelled her into the great unknown. They ended up two doors down from each other as Linda ohhed and ahhed over the suite and the slinky evening dress that was already laid out on her bed. She recognized her mother's influence, but didn't care at that moment.

"I'll see you at dinner" Michelle told her with a big smile, as she headed to her own suite. As soon as she closed her door the tall woman berated herself.

"Okay girl, get a grip. That poor woman doesn't have a clue. I don't care how wet she makes your pussy. Hands off! She's friendship material only." She told herself. "Damn she's one sexy woman though. A little work on her hair and I can have her in a dress that will make men and women both drool over her. I wonder if...No, no.... Friends only...!"

Michelle had just about convinced herself of the boundaries, when she walked out and saw Linda in her chaste but form fitting evening gown, and groaned. "This is going to be a long trip." She smiled as Linda saw her. "Hey Sugar, I'm going to have to get a big stick to beat them off." She came up and ran her hand down the silk sleeve.

"Oh, then maybe I should change. I don't want that...."

"Sugar, every woman wants the attention you're going to get tonight. That doesn't mean you have to hit back. Let'em dangle and drool." She smiled.

"Like they're going to see me after one look at you.... I don't even come close." Lind said believing it.

"Oh honey, who killed your self-esteem? You're one foxy momma. If you'd let me loose on you, I'd make you the Belle of the Ball." Michelle reassured the reluctant Linda, as she guided her toward the dining area.

Linda blushed at the complement, and then went wide eyed, as they entered the Grand Ballroom. "Wow, this looks like we should be in Paris or something. Does everyone get to come here?"

"Nope... just us upper end guests... They have three of these ballrooms on different decks. All of them have a Captain's table, but we get the real head Captain. There are like three or four of them to run a ship this size. If this was a company, we'd get the CEO. The others get the flunkies."

"I hate to ask, but how much did my mother spend on this trip?" Linda asked with a sinking feeling in her gut.

"Depending on when she bought the ticket. But on this cruise line, all inclusive, single occupancy, for two weeks? About ten to fifteen thousand, Daddy got me a deal; I have some extras but paid twelve." Michelle said unconcerned.

"One week is about Five to Seven for a suite; most are cheaper, but not all inclusive." Michelle explained as she headed to the big table in the front, dragging the gasping Linda behind her.

"I'm going to kill her!" Linda hissed at the news.

"What? Or, should I say who?" Michelle smiled at the look on her friends face.

"My Mother...! She knows I don't like spending that kind of money frivolously. I'd rather put it in my kids college fund." Linda fumed.

"Yeah, I bet that is exactly why she did it. She can afford it, can't she?" Michelle asked concerned. She'd heard of people who spent their life savings on these big cruises.

"Yes, but that's not the point...."

"I'd bet my bottom dollar, that I'd get a different answer from her." Michelle giggled as she sat down next to the fuming but sexy Linda. "Relax Sugar, the money's spent and you are here to have some fun." She didn't wait for the Majordomo as she popped the cork on a very expensive bottle of Champaign.

"Here, take a load off. It will be a few minutes as the others drift in. We might as well enjoy it." Michelle added as she filled their glasses.

After the first drink, Linda relaxed and was surprised at the good company at the table. None of the men hit on her and a few of the women commented positively on her dress. What she didn't see, was the subtle way Michelle was directing some of the more ardent people away from her tipsy friend.

"God, I don't believe I'm playing knight in shining armor. I need laid, and this cruise is supposed to have a girl's only group." Michelle muttered to herself as she waved off another man by softly putting her hand on the oblivious woman who was deep in conversation with some white haired old bat as they served up the next course.

As the meal progressed, Linda drank more wine than since her honeymoon. She was feeling no pain as Michelle tapped her on the shoulder and whispered.

"Are you going to be able to walk to your room?"

"Sure sweetie, I feel fine. You wanna do some dancin? I feel like dancin. Come on let's let our hair loose." Linda smiled at the pretty Michelle, not knowing how it affected the other woman.

"Oh shit, I'm going to regret this." Michelle cursed under her breath. "Okay! Let's go!" She said loud enough to penetrate to the wine fogged woman. Michelle pulled the weaving woman up, made their goodbyes and pulled her to the dance floor as the band started a fast song.

Linda danced rather well for a drunk woman. If Michelle didn't know better, she would have sworn Linda had been a dancer in her previous life. She sure knew how to move her body to the music. 'If I had my way I'd...' Michelle shook her head against the vision of the sexy Linda naked sprawled across one of their beds.

"Only friends... we're only friends." She sang with the music. "God I wish she wasn't so naive, she's driving me crazy... only friends." Michelle laughed at Linda, as she gyrated across the dance floor. "What the hell... at least she's having fun." They ignored the looks as they moved across the floor in an unconscious dance as old as time.

She knew she had to get Linda to her room, once they started the slow songs, she saw the sharks circling. "Okay sweetheart, you've had enough for one night." She grabbed Linda and steered her out of the ballroom before anyone could get their hooks into her inebriated friend.

"You are the nicest person I've met in a long time. I'm glad we met." Linda said with a huge smile on her face as she weaved down the hall.

"You wouldn't say that if you really knew me Sugar. I can be one mean girly girl, if you know what I'm saying." She tried to warn her new friend as she helped her dodge the people.

"Naw, you're just a big sweetheart. You don't think I didn't see how you've watched out for me tonight. I had a great time. I drank too much. I haven't been this sloppy since my honeymoon." She smiled up at the taller woman. "You're so beautiful, you know that. I wishes I looked one tenth as sexy as you." She slurred.

"Damn girl, if you only knew... Don't tempt me.... We need to get you to bed." Michelle said through gritted teeth, fighting the temptation.

They swayed through the hallway with the subtle rolling of the ship as Linda inadvertently but her hand on Michelle's hip and made the tall woman wish her friend knew how turned on she was.

But, Michelle knew for a fact Linda was clueless about her orientation. She refused to take advantage of her weakened state. She knew she had to get Linda in bed so she could sleep off the three bottles of wine after the first bottle of bubbly. She didn't envy Linda's head the next morning.

"Here we are. Where's your key?" Michelle asked as she propped the listing woman up next to her door.

"Oh, I had had no other place to put it... so I hid in my vault." Linda giggled at her own joke. "Keep a look out; while I crack open the safe." She giggled again as she unbuttoned the top three buttons and showed Michelle some very inviting cleavage, as she rummaged in her bra, looking for the keycard.

"Here it is." Linda proclaimed as she pulled the card from under her breast, giving the staring woman in front of her a good look of a swollen nipple. "I found it, now to lock everything back up." She tried to adjust herself.

"Sugar, leave it, you'll be shinnying out of that dress anyway." Michelle said with a dry throat. 'Damn, she doesn't know what she's doing to me. I could feast on those....' "Only friends..." She said under her breath as Linda opened her door.

"Thanks Sweetie, I had a great time. I wish I wasn't alone tonight. Make sure I get up in the morning. Here's my key so you can get in. Night...!" Linda said as she pushed her room key into the startled woman's hand and shut the door.

"And I thought I was wound tight." Michelle grinned at Linda's actions and heard a thud, wondering if she needed to help the poor woman. She listened at the door for a second until she heard Linda flop on the bed and laugh. "I'll make sure I bring a lot of aspirin." She chuckled.

The next morning, Michelle softly opened Linda's door and looked inside. Instantly she'd wished she hadn't. Not that she'd take it back, ever. Linda made it out of the dress and her bra, but didn't make it under the covers. Michelle always liked her women well fleshed and curvy. She saw all of Linda's charms.

"Just friends... She doesn't know any better." Michele told herself as she entered the room. She covered Linda as well as she could so she wouldn't be tempted. Linda's nipples looked so ripe.... "Just friends...!" She protested.

"Hey, sleepy head, Time to wake up Sugar." Michelle called out before she could refuse the temptation.

"Ohh, God, what time is it?" Linda groaned, rolling over. "What did I do last night? Why does my mouth taste like carpet?" She covered her head to quiet the pounding she thought was coming from the next room.

"Nine in the morning... danced your ass off... and I think you took a nose dive into the carpet last night before you found the bed. Are you hungry?" Michelle answered grinning.

"What... huh...? Food's icky. I need coffee." Linda said as she tossed off her covers, giving Michelle a free show. "I need to brush... I need a shower... I'll be right out." She stumbled out of sight to the shower. Michelle bit her lip as Linda discarded her panties, showing off her new bikini wax and the tuft of brown pubic hair in a perfect V that pointed to a moist, slightly protruding clit.

'Only friends... damn she's sexy.... Only friends.... Oh, I'd like to dive into that...Only friends... If this is torture for some wrong I did in a past life. It's not fair!' Michelle breathed fast trying to control herself. "I'll be right back, Sugar" Michelle called out as she headed to the door, on the way back to her room to take the edge off.

"Okay, keep my key. If I drink like that again, you'll need it. They gave me two." Linda called over the shower spray.

"Okay, I'll see you in a few. Come get me if you're done first." Michelle made a hasty retreat before she joined the sexy woman in the shower. "Damn, finally a woman I could really fall for, and she is straight as straight can be. I don't even get a curious vibe from her." She muttered as the vision of Linda's ripe body flashed in her mind.

Linda stumbled out of the shower and felt almost human again. She tried to pinpoint what was so different about her new friend, and why her body tingled every time they touched. The only time she felt anything close, well, Tim could make her tingle. Linda pulled on her clothes, thinking about her husband. For the first time since... she smiled at the knowledge that Tim would have laughed his ass off at her antics.

She pulled herself together, putting her extra key in her pocket, as she went to go get her new friend. She was concerned when she heard moaning coming from behind Michelle's door. She knocked and called out.

"You okay...? Michelle...?" After a few seconds she got a response.

"Yeah Sugar, I'll be right there," was the breathless reply. She waited as the water came on, and then Michelle opened her door. "Okay, ready.... That isn't what you're wearing is it?"

"Well yeah, what's wrong with it?" Linda asked wondering if she dressed inappropriately for this cruise line.

"Nothing, if you're going for the spinster schoolmarm look. You're on vacation Sugar. Not a business trip." She looked disdainfully at the frumpy dumpy clothes.

"Oh, ummm, my mom helped me pack." Linda said in her own defense.

"Well, I'm hungry. We can sort out your wardrobe later. Come on, daylight's burning. Let's go to the buffet." Michelle again hooked her arm in Linda's, as she guided her in the right direction.

After breakfast, and a quick look at Linda's wardrobe; Michelle dragged her new friend down to the on-board shops to get some appropriate vacation clothes. Linda had never had so much fun picking out a wardrobe. She refused to think of the dent in her credit card as they outfitted her. She did blush at the swim suits that the tall woman had picked for her and insisted she try on.

"I can't wear these. I'm a middle age mom, not some knockout co-ed." She complained and refused to come out of the dressing room, trying to hand back the rest of the skimpy suits.

"Oh bother... Here, let me see!" Michelle overrode Linda again. "Damn girl, you've got the body... you just need to flaunt it once in awhile. You're going to have the men tripping over their tongues and half the women too." She caught her breath at the sight before her.

She had Linda change into the cute short set she had found and made sure the clerk knew they wanted the suit no matter what Linda said. As she led Linda to the next shop, Linda complained.

"I've never spent so much on so little cloth. That suit is almost indecent. My daughter would love it though."

"If she looks anything like you, she'd look great in it. I expect to see you wearing it this afternoon for the mandatory, 'I'm a sexy woman' stroll around the pool. We're going to knock them dead." They laughed, giggled and had a great time paling around together.

The problem didn't appear until it was almost time for dinner a few days later. They were sitting in the spa when another woman came in and started hitting on Linda... hard. Linda was oblivious, but Michelle saw green and red. She couldn't help herself as she got snotty with the other woman and had to finally set poor Linda straight on a few things.

"Sugar, we need to have a talk." Michelle said as she motioned Linda over to a secluded table once they left the spa area.

"What's the matter? Did I do something wrong?" Linda asked perplexed.

"No Sweetie, that's the problem. Oh God, I don't believe I'm doing this. Umm, Sugar, do you remember that tart at the gate?" She fished for a place to start.

"Yeah...." Linda said hesitantly. "What about her?"

"You do know she was a Lesbian don't you? Well, at least Bi...."

"She's what?!" Linda gasped, stunned.

"Damn, that's what I thought. How old is your mother?" Michelle asked dreading the answer.

"Mom's in her mid to late sixties, why?"

"Let me guess, you don't like men hitting on you, so she picked a cruise with a women's only group on it?" Michelle rolled her eyes already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, that way I could choose which group I wanted to mingle with... Why...?" Linda had a hollow feeling in her stomach.

"Shit! Um... Sugar, I hate to tell you this, but a Single Woman's only group is parlance for... Damn... women who like other women. As in Lesbians; that's why she hit on you. She, like I, saw the ring, but no man so...." Michelle shrugged, hoping Linda would catch the drift.

"No...! You're kidding right!?" Linda blushed at her naiveté.

"No, sorry, but... Damn it... Come over here and I'll point some things out for you." Michelle scooted Linda's chair so she could show her what she was talking about.

"See that woman over there with the really short hair and no tits to speak of?" She continued at Linda's nod. "She's what is commonly called a Dyke. A Butch Dyke in all her glory. She might as well be a man, but minus the penis. Unless she's wearing a strap-on...." She directed her friend's attention over to a willowy woman drinking at the bar.

"Her, she's a femme, or what is called a Lipstick Lesbian. She is as feminine as they come. But, I can promise you, a man has never gotten close to her goodies. She's drooling over the dyke, but will never make the first move." Pointing in the pool, Michelle showed Linda her next example before the smaller woman could bolt.

"That couple over there, well they want the femme. She's Bi, and he wants to watch, if not join. They'd do better on a swinger's trip. But, I might be wrong. He could be one of the rare ones who can accept his wife's lifestyle without having to be involved. Let me tell you, those are rare and far in between."

"How... how do you know?" Linda was shocked at what Michelle was showing her. "Are you Bi-sexual...?"

"I'll answer that later, if you still want to know.... How I know, is because I've been on these cruises before. Now... about that woman in the spa, she was giving you all the signals that she wanted to spend the afternoon buried between your legs or you between hers. If I wasn't there... well she might have pounced right there. She wants nothing more than some quickie girl-girl sex." Linda blushed at her words.

"This is her time to live a life her husband doesn't know about. She has to make the best of it while she can. Her husband feels secure because there are fewer men and he doesn't know. He's probably plowing his secretary while she's away, but doesn't want anyone to touch what he thinks belongs to him. Separate businesses, vacations, and all that."

"How can you be sure?" Linda asked shocked. As she watched, she saw the woman in the pool hit and score with another woman as they left hand in hand, the husband, smiling as he followed.

"Because I know, or I'm at least close. I've met many people like them before. I know what to look for. Now, if you look on the lower deck," She pointed at the pool that was below them. "You will see a different dance going on. They are mostly single, or pretending to be single partiers. There will be a few mass orgies out of that group... a few Date-Rapes too."

"All of a sudden I feel the need to put more clothes on. I didn't want to come here looking for some cheap sex. I was trying to avoid that." Linda said as she crossed her arms in front of her almost exposed breasts.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that Sugar. That's why I pulled you over here. You had to know what was going on before something happened that you didn't want."

"Am I keeping you from having the fun you came for?" Linda asked hoping this wasn't some kind of a set up.

"Linda, I'll tell you honestly.... There isn't anyone on this boat I'd rather be with right now. I haven't felt this good... Anyway, I like you Sugar. That's a minor miracle for me...."

A man started coming over with a couple of drinks, Linda saw him and she also saw the look of distaste on Michelle's face. She paid attention to the subtle movement, the shocked look on the man's face. She knew for a fact, Michelle directed him away without saying a word.

"Wow! That's impressive... A touch and a twitch and you sent him packing. How did you do that? Can you teach me?"

"Sugar, I think you're right. This is a conversation that we need more clothes on for. Let's go change and have dinner." Michelle redirected Linda, while thinking 'I'd love to teach you that, and a whole lot more.'