Aphrodite’s Temple
I have to admit that I left Africa with a reluctant heart. It is a beautiful continent; wild and savage in part, but glorious in its verdant richness of textures, whether they were sand or jungle. I saw a hundred types of plants and trees that I hadn’t ever seen or heard of before.
As we pulled away from the shores of Africa, out of the port of Casablanca, I watched Morocco slowly vanishing from view. It had been an exhilarating visit, if not an educational one. I learned that there are areas of the desert that grow food and that areas of the jungle can be almost barren. I saw leaves that were big enough to wrap around me and trees so tall I couldn’t see their tops.
Yes, I will admit that the snakes were worrisome. I hate snakes – I don’t even like earth worms. When I was a child my dad always told me that they were more afraid of me than I was of them, but that couldn’t possibly be true; I’m just this side of having a heart attack when I see one and if they are more scared of me, they’d be dead! And see plenty of them I did. Very small ones that are particularly deadly actually to larger ones that wouldn’t hurt you. Unless you died of fright at the sight of them.
Snakes just give me the creeps. When I see one the little tiny hairs on the back of my neck raise crazily and all I can think of is getting away. Our guide teased me a great deal and wimp that I am, I was close to tears several times. And Adam, the man that I adore has also teased me. He always apologizes and smiles the dimple smile at me when he does, but still, it is very frustrating!
But he is a charming man. He made the whole trip worthwhile for me and as much as he teased me, he took wonderful care of me as well. I was pampered whenever possible – how can you be irritated at someone who does everything in their power to make you feel protected, cherished and adored?
Each day I am more thankful for having Adam in my life. Those early months were very hard and when I think back on those last weeks, it terrifies me. It never occurred to me that it was Sunny who was behind it all. Isn’t it amazing what a ready smile and a helpful attitude will do? It can make you look no deeper at that person that what you see right in front of you. What I see in front of me now is Adam: solid and loving, truly the right man for me.
So, as hard as it was to leave the beauties of Africa, I was very anxious to be on our way to Greece. It is somewhere that I have always wanted to go. As a child Greek mythology fascinated me endlessly and I read as many books on it as I possibly could. One day I would be Hera – strong-willed and very queenly who incidentally sent the snakes to attack Hercules. The next it could be Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, shooting her arrows and bringing down mighty beasts. There were so many I could choose from and I seldom tired of that game. Cassie always wanted to be Aphrodite, Goddess of love. She would wrap a sheet around her and strike what we thought were sexy poses. My dad often took home movies of us and how it now makes us laugh to see them! My face would look like it was in pain as I tried to look ‘queenly’ like Hera and Cassie’s ‘sexy’ looks were more like someone who was eating a sour lemon. I don’t know why we thought it was necessary to suck in her cheeks to make her look sexy. Probably something we saw on TV I’ll bet!
We had been on the Athena for 3 days when we finally crossed into the Sea of Crete which is actually part of the Aegean and shortly thereafter I caught my first glimpse of Greece. Actually Crete, but that is still Greece! We sailed between Crete and Rhodes and my stomach tumbled with excitement! We stopped in Iraklion, sometimes called Heraklion for an afternoon and explored that beautiful city.
It was a city of contrasts, visually and culturally it seemed to me. Next to some of the bluest seas you’ll ever see lies starkly white architecture that seems almost blinding in the bright and clear sunshine. It is almost painful to the eyes, but it also takes your breath away. The architecture itself is blended from the ancient Minoans, the Romans, the Ottomans and Christians as well. And surprisingly, it all just fits together. While the people seem to be modern there is still a flavor of another time, another outlook that seems to permeate the culture of the city.
We had lunch there at a small dockside café and drank ouzo and ate fresh seafood grilled with lots of lemon juice and olive oil. We ate until we couldn’t eat any more, both Adam and I felt roly-poly when we walked out of there. We strolled hand in hand and browsed the shops along the waterfront, admiring the colorful goods for sale. I bought a beautiful hand-made lace shawl for my mother who always admired fine handiwork such as that. I knew she would treasure it always.
After we boarded the Athena again we headed on our way, smoothly gliding over the calm Sea of Crete, sailing past Rhodes. Actually there are several islands that make up Rhodes and they made a picturesque back drop to the blue sea as Adam and I watched from the deck. My face was lifted to the warm Grecian sun and I could taste the tang of salt on my lips.
I caught Adam watching, his eyes sparking with desire as my tongue crept up to lick the salty taste from my lips. His arm was around me as he watched and I felt, rather than heard him groan which was then followed by the briefest of nibbles on my neck.
“Umm Adam, that feels wonderful!” I whispered against his chest. “Maybe we should go to the cabin for a rest. What do you think?”
He looked around him, at the crew on the deck. I’m not sure why exactly, but he seemed to be watching them as they worked. I looked up and several were watching us at the railing. I smiled at Kostos who was working the halyards near us, inspecting them I think. He nodded at me, his blond-haired and blue eyed Adonis looks sparkling in the sunshine as he tossed a careless grin my way. His eyes darted to Adam and darkened a bit I thought, but then I decided I must be imagining it and turned my attention back to Adam, who was staring off out to sea again.
“Well, how about a ‘rest’ my love? I’m eager,” I whispered softly against his ear, letting my lips softly caress his ear lobe in the process.
“Sarah, I think the crew thinks I, uh, bother you a bit too often, if you understand my meaning. They stare at me,” he told me, casting another glance around the deck. For a moment he looked very vulnerable and almost childlike I thought.
I laughed at him and said, “Well then, let’s let them know without a doubt who is initiating this ‘bothering’,” I told him with a laugh. I grabbed his hand and half-led and half-tugged him below decks, smiling at the crew as we past them. The sea wind caught my laugh and tossed it about the deck and that made several of them smile in return.
I couldn’t get him below deck quickly enough to suit me and as soon as our cabin door was closed my clothes were already flying off of me. Not that there were all that many on. I had taken to wearing a bathing suit with a wrap of some kind slung low around my hips. I would never have worn something like that before, but Adam made me feel so beautiful that I didn’t think about things like what my body looked like any longer. I had managed to keep off those 6 pounds I lost before and in fact I had lost another 5 since then. I think it’s all the, er, exercise we get!
With the door closed, Adam finally came to life and had his shorts off as quickly as I had my clothes off. He grabbed me and we dived for the bed together. His hungry mouth found mine and instantly our tongues were dueling and dancing delightfully with one another.
His hands found the wetness that was flowing freely from me and I felt his fingers trace me delicately, stroking my aroused sex tantalizingly. I rewarded him with a shudder as I was so close to orgasm. He stroked the engorged guardian of my womanhood, tracing its outline and the aching valley below it and then I found my release, my legs closing around his hand as the contractions took me and my eyes shut tightly with the pleasurable sensations.
I moaned softly against his mouth and tried to slide down his body to take him in my eager mouth, but he only looked at me and shook his head no.
“No love, I want to be inside you – NOW,” he told me as he slid his lithe body between my legs and I felt him enter me smoothly.
My body immediately contracted around him, pulling him into me tightly and he bent to kiss me while he gave me a moment to adjust to his hardness. His tongue searched my mouth, stroking my own tongue lovingly and then he was moving inside me, his tongue imitating his heated length as his rigid shaft thrust in and out of my pulsating depths.
I clung to him desperately each time he withdrew from my body and I tried to pull him back into me, squeezing him tightly until he sank back into my greedy body.
I was moaning loudly now as was Adam and neither of us cared if anyone heard us; we had only one goal in mind and it was so close we couldn’t control ourselves any longer.
Adam pushed into me as far as he could go and then I felt the pulsations of his release, his body flexing and contracting as he groaned against me. It was all I needed and I joined him then, on that beautiful plateau of passion and I felt complete. This was exactly where I was supposed to be.
We slept for an hour of so after we made love and then rose and took a shower before getting dressed to go up on deck for dinner. I had come to love our dinners out on the deck. We often watched the sunset and whether it was out over the water or an island, it was always beautiful.
Tonight was no exception I thought as I stood on the port side of the ship as we sailed north, weaving our way though the many small islands here. On the east side of the ship we were passing Kos, an island just off the Turkish coast and we could see Turkey as well, it’s coast line dark in the late evening, with little villages lit up occasionally upon it.
To the west or port side the sun was a fiery orange-gold tonight, sinking into the waiting arms of the sea and the sky was helping to show it off to the best advantage. The lovely horizon was streaked with pinks, purples and oranges, like some incredibly beautiful finger painting slashing across the heavens. I sighed with pleasure as Niko brought us some wine to sip while we waited for our dinner.
I was in no hurry for dinner; truthfully I had eaten so much at lunch that I wasn’t altogether hungry yet. But this quiet time, this interlude of peace was very welcome. We could hear some of the deck hands singing as they took care of whatever their tasks were before they had their dinner as well.
I had put on a sun dress, my only concession to dressing up for dinner. Had it been Adam and I only, I would have ate stark naked if I could because I felt so decadent and comfortable.
As the last wisp of the sun set below the horizon they brought our dinner out and set the table. Another sumptuous feast had been prepared and suddenly my mouth watered as I looked at the Dolmathes that was waiting for us. Dolmathes are grape leaves stuff with rice and crayfish and are totally delicious; plus, you get to eat them with your fingers! We sipped retsina wine with them and relished the soft breeze that helped to cool things down.
“I could do this forever,” I told Adam, sitting back in my chair and taking another sip of the dry retsina wine.
“What, eat? You’re marrying into the right family for that,” he laughed.
“No! I mean, yeah that’s okay but what I meant was,” I laughed and rolled my eyes at him, “What I meant was, being here on this ship. Cruising around these islands in the warm tropical air.”
“So you think you could do this forever? Give up being a landlubber?” he asked softly and I could swear that he wasn’t teasing any longer.
“Well – maybe for awhile. It’s a nice dream anyway,” I told him. I sat there, pensively twisting the stem of my wineglass around in my fingers as I contemplated a life on the sea.
I had now been off of work for 6 months and I was finding that I didn’t miss it at all, which surprised me. But then again, I wasn’t sitting idly around the house doing nothing. In fact, I sometimes wished that we could do that a little more.
I would really like to go spend some time at home. But is that Kansas or California now. Could it be a boat?
My silent perusals were interrupted when Misha brought out our next course – Garithes Santorina which is shrimp with feta cheese topped with olive oil, crushed red peppers and garlic and then broiled together until bubbly. They served that with grilled zucchini and we took our time, savoring every bite.
As we ate, Adam chatted with Misha who is also the cook about how she made the Garithes Santorina because he wanted to try it at home. She was very polite and accommodating, telling Adam that she would be glad to share the recipe with him.
Misha left us to head back to the galley. She had promised Adam something chocolate for dessert, but wouldn’t tell him what and I laughed as he squirmed in his seat, just waiting for the chocolate.
Misha didn’t keep him waiting long. She brought out silver dessert cups full of Zorbe Katasha, a sort of chocolate sorbet. It was wonderful, a bit grainier than what American’s think of as sherbet, but the chocolate flavor was awesome. It made a wonderful and light ending to the meal and I had to resist the temptation to scrape the dish with my spoon!
After dinner the sailors always played music and sometimes they danced as well. Not for our entertainment, but for their own; we were just lucky enough to be allowed to hear it. They were a boisterous and happy group and I think once the ouzo got to flowing, they became even happier. We at back in out seats, feeling the slight rocking motion of the ship as we sipped a last glass of the retsina wine. The first time I had tasted it I wasn’t totally sure I liked it. Retsina is a dry white wine, which I normally like but its twist is that it is made with pine resin, which gives it any odd, unmistakable flavor. Most people they say either love it or hate it and I guess I fall into the ‘love’ it category.
The moon rose and I noticed it was only a day or two off of full. It was shining brightly, almost winking at us in it’s intensity as if to say ‘this night is for lover’s, make the most of it’.
We took the moon’s advice.
The next two days were spent skimming over the deeply blue Aegean that was sometimes so still it was almost like glass. The ship had an engine as well as the sails, so we moved about from island to island, sometimes going ashore and sometimes only watching as we slowly sailed past. Occasionally we caught glimpses of ancient buildings that were remnants of what Captain Petros called ‘the old Gods’. These buildings gleamed brightly in the sunshine and a few times we stopped so we could visit them. Captain Petros told us that Kybylos has a wonderful temple there we can visit.
“It is a temple dedicated to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love,” he told us with a definite twinkle in his eye.
Evidently the good captain had noticed the same thing the sailors had: that Adam and Sarah spend a lot of time in their cabin. And we ain’t playing Scrabble!
“Kybylos is a small island yes, but it is beautiful. The whole island was once dedicated to the worshipers of Aphrodite. Her priestesses served her at the temple. It was a sort of, how you say, um bordello, maybe? Yes, I think that is the word. Only the most beautiful women could serve their Goddess and they must all be virgins when they come to serve. It was considered a great honor to work the temples. Of course, the ancient priests used the services of the priestesses more than anyone. Not such a bad occupation I believe!”
“Um, I believe you are right,” I laughed. “Still, there must have been something spiritual in it, wasn’t there? I mean it wasn’t all about sex was it?”
“What in life is more spiritual than sex my dear lady? Sex is communion between souls, sharing a deeper unity of spirit than any other activity I know of,” he pointed out somberly.
“Well, prayer maybe,” I added, thinking about what he had said.
“Possibly,” he agreed. “Ah well, I am sure you will enjoy your stay on Kybylos very much indeed.”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it a lot. Do very many people live there?”
“No, not many I believe; probably less than a hundred now. It is only a small fishing village and as the fish become fewer in our warm waters, so do the fisherman you understand.”
I nodded and stole a look at Adam who had been very quiet during this conversation. He was staring off to starboard, watching the dolphins that were playing in the waves stirred up by the ship. I wasn’t even sure he had been listening he seemed so intent on the antics of the playful dolphins.
“Is there nothing else there for the people?” he asked, still looking at the dolphins.
“No, only a little tourist business I believe. It is a shame, it is a very lovely island,” Captain Petros told us. “You have friends who are renting a villa there I believe you said?”
“Yes, the Villa Koustakas,” Adam told him.
“Ah, that must be the one that you can see from the harbor, such as it is. The harbor I mean!” he laughed and I noticed that he had very merry blue eyes that crinkled at the corners when he teased or laughed.
I had thought that Greeks were supposed to be dark-eyed and olive-skinned people with dark hair. And most seemed to be but there were a good many that were blond and light-eyed. The same thing had amazed me when I lived in Italy, but that was easy to explain. Austria and Switzerland were just to the north which made the variations understandable. And generally speaking the farther south I traveled in Italy the more everyone looked like the vision of Italians most American’s have. So why should Greece be any different? Different areas, different people.
They don’t have states in Greece, they have Peripheries’, which are like states I understand. There are 13 of them plus Mount Athos, which sounds like an interesting place.
It sits on a peninsula, the easternmost "leg" of the larger Chalcidice peninsula and protrudes into the Aegean Sea for some 60 km. Mount Athos itself is steep and densely forested and has 20 self-governing monasteries. Though land-linked, it is accessible only by boat. The number of visitors is restricted and all are required to get a special entrance permit before entering Mount Athos. Only males are allowed entrance into Mount Athos and Orthodox Christians take precedence in the permit issuance procedure. Only males over the age of 18, who are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church are allowed to live on Athos. There are religious guards, who are not monks, that assist the monks, and any other people not monks are required to live on the peninsula's capital, Karyes. The current population numbers around 2,250.
Even though it was a place I wasn’t going to visit it was still fascinating to me I guessed. Maybe because it was ‘forbidden’ to females, who knows?
On the morning of the third day we woke up anchored off of the island of Kybylos. It had a natural rock harbor Captain Petros had told us, but it was a shallow one, so large ships couldn’t anchor safely there. The island itself looked to be about 3 miles long from where we were and we knew that it was about the same wide. It had many hills, mostly sand-colored rock, but it was the biggest hill that begged all the attention. Probably a thousand feet or so high it seemed to tower over the rest of the island. Sitting on top of it was the ruins of the temple of Aphrodite. Several columns still stood as well as other parts of the temple that we couldn’t see from here the captain told us.
We could also see the villa from the harbor. There was a main building with a long arm extending from each side of it, curving along the hill. The wings looked like arms and the villa seemed to be embracing the island, as if protecting all within its reach from harm.
There was a small village located near the harbor with maybe a dozen houses perched on the steep streets. They were all pristine white and had colorful flowers growing everywhere; trailing from balconies, growing in pots and gardens. Red tiled roofs seemed like icing on cakes and the whole village was picturesque to look at. I couldn’t wait to get to shore, not only to explore but to see Cassie and Georgio.
Our bags were packed and deck hands moved them onto the dock. Adam and I thanked the captain and his very polite and gracious crew. As we stood there chatting for a moment I spied Cassie and Georgio waiting for us and my face lit up in a huge smile. Adam and the captain both noticed and with a final farewell, we were on our way down the gangway. I had to hold back from launching myself into Cassie’s arms I was so excited to see her.
Cassie looked so great, tanned and happy I decided. Her eyes were sparkling, the laugh lines that decorated them making her all the more beautiful. She stood within the shelter of Georgio’s arm, almost bouncing in her excitement to see me.
Georgio looked just as happy and his gaze shifted from us to Cassie, looking at her with adoring eyes and I knew that my friend was going to have a happily-ever-after ending, just as I was.
The day was spent very pleasantly, the four of us catching up on all the happenings in our lives since we has last seen one another, which was at Christmas, in Italy.
Cassie was recovering nicely and in fact she considered herself totally recovered but Georgio’s cautious side reminded her almost daily that he wasn’t convinced of that. I think he was probably a little over-protective and given Cassie’s proclivity to just throw herself into whatever was happening that was probably a very good thing. But she was participating in normal activities now and Georgio was teaching her to play tennis, which in part accounted for her beautiful tan. Even though she has naturally red hair, she is an anomaly when it comes to tanning. She does tan, very well and her skin almost had a coppery glow, due to some Native American blood in her probably. I noticed too that she was letting her hair grow from the almost pixie style she had worn for more years than I had cared to remember. The longer style suited her well I thought.
They had been here on the island for almost three weeks and would stay with us for the next week until it was time to go to Lavrio, where his family was. It was also the place where he would be working for the next 3 months, teaching surgical techniques in a university teaching hospital there. In the meantime, it was clear that they were enjoying the time off and their time together. They constantly follow one another with their eyes and whenever they are close enough to touch at least one of them will reach for the other. It makes me so happy to see it because Cass has deserved someone this wonderful for a long, long time.
Later that evening after a leisurely dinner with Cassie and Georgio Adam and I decided to take a walk around the island. Specifically up to the temple. There was a clear path that led to it and it was still light out so we could easily see our way. We took a flashlight with us just in case though. Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared!
1000 feet doesn’t seem very high, in thought anyway, but half-way up Adam and I were both winded and so we stopped for a couple of minutes and sat on a large boulder along the side of the path. It looked for all the world as if one of the Gods had put it there as a resting place on this path to the temple. We scooted up to the top of the boulder and looked out to the west, where the sun was starting to dip low in the sky.
“I think we need to start some exercises, other than our usual exercise,” I joked, once I got my breath back.
“Not me, I’m just taking it easy for you love!” Adam quipped, but he was laughing so hard it was difficult to really understand what he had said. “Maybe we just need to do more of that particular exercise, hmm?’’ He leaned down to nibble on my neck and I sighed at the feel of his lips kissing that sensitive spot so enticingly.
“I think we are both sufficiently recovered now Adam; lets continue on up the path.” In truth I would enjoy nothing more than having my way with him then and there but we were very exposed here, perched on this rock. The vista of the whole town and the harbor was sitting just below us and I was afraid someone could see us. “C’mon,” I said, tugging on his hand to get him moving again.
He gave me this sexy lop-sided grin he has, but scooted down off the boulder and we continued our journey up to the temple. We held hands and I was so excited to get up there I found myself practically skipping along the way.
A few minutes later we were there and it was spectacular – even the air felt different. Almost magical really I thought as I gulped in huge breaths of the air after our last dash up the path.
The suns last rays caught at the white marble and made it almost glow – at least I thought it was the sun, but it was sinking lower in the sky even as we watched. The brilliant gold’s and oranges that reflected off the Aegean almost took my breath away it was so stunning of a site.
I reached out to touch the pillar that I was standing next to and felt the marble beneath my fingers, still warm and almost soft really. I mean, it wasn’t soft, but it seemed that way, possibly because it was worn so smooth through the centuries.
“Adam, feel this. It’s – it’s incredible really!” I told him, placing his hand where mine had been.
His fingers stroked over the stone almost lovingly, the kind of caress he would use on me and just watching him sent shivers up and down my spine. I wasn’t connected to that pillar, but it almost felt as if he was stroking me instead of it.
My breath caught in my throat and I had to turn away and not watch him any longer. My heartbeat was rushing through my body. It felt as if my blood was singing through my veins, throbbing with each beat of my heart. I was aroused and my body let me know it by sending a stream of wetness spreading damply between my legs.
I walked to another pillar, at the back side of the temple and wrapped my arm around it, mostly for support but also to see if this pillar made me feel the same way.
What is this feeling? It is flooding my body with sensation and something that felt like an imperative.
I needed Adam and I needed him now.
The blood was now singing though my head and all I knew was the desire that rushed though me, pounding through my head and veins. I felt as if I was vibrating with need, much like what a guitar feels like when someone strums the strings.
“Adam, Adam,” I called out, and when I turned around he was behind me, his eyes echoing the same things I was feeling.
He pulled me to him tightly, his erection huge and pulsating against my belly and I groaned against his mouth and grasped his hips, drawing them as close as possible as I ground my belly against him.
The sun was completely gone now and the moon was rising, the full moon. It shined its magical glow down upon two lovers who were honoring this temple and the Goddess Aphrodite in the most simple of rituals and offerings.
We found a block of marble and Adam carried me to it and stood me before it, pulling each piece of clothing off of me with impatient movements. I was doing the same thing, trying frantically to get Adam’s clothing off as well.
Finally we were both naked and we stood proudly so, in the glow of the moon and offered ourselves to one another, in the ways of the priestesses and priests of old.
Adam was staring at me and I looked down and saw that the moonlight was beaming off my breasts, making them glow almost magically as the sun had made the stones of the temple itself glow earlier. My chest was rapidly rising and falling with my desire and I thrilled when I noticed Adams chest was doing the same.
He picked me up and sat me down on the block of marble and then he was kneeling in front of me, spreading the soft lips of my body, tracing his tongue over the wetness and the aching folds of me.
I came quickly, with a rush of more juices and still I begged him to continue on, not to stop this delicious madness…
I lie back on the warm marble and spread myself open as wide as I could and moaned out my pleasure; almost an invocation to the Goddess herself. Adam responded by inserting a finger into the wet channel that would soon hold him so delightfully. He wiggled his finger, finding that elusive magical spot inside me and again an orgasm washed over me, leaving me panting and needing him now.
“Adam, now, inside me please!” I demanded with a silken voice that was still smoky from the intensity of my orgasm.
He rose up and stood looking down at me for a moment; and just for that moment I saw the satyr in him, waiting to take me and I opened my arms to him, urging him to join with me.
He was in me then, driving into me with a delicious rhythm that had me on the brink again almost immediately. Over and over he plummeted into my body as desire and need surged through both of us, pushing us towards the peak of our passion. Our eyes locked and I wasn’t even sure we were breathing any longer so enveloped in this magical act we were.
His pace increased and so did my movements to meet him, hips pushing against hips, the pounding sounds echoing in the still and quiet night as did our cries when we found our peaks. The orgasms rushed over us both, pounding in our ears, surging though our bodies as muscles contracted and pulsated with satisfaction.
We laid there on the marble that was starting to cool with the evening’s darkness until our breathing was somewhat normal again. His hand clasped mine, his thumb tenderly stroking my own.
I was afraid to speak – something had come over both of us this night and whether it was just desire or something more magical I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to break this spell though and I was afraid that if I spoke it would.
Adam leaned over me and kissed me tenderly, softly, his lips a mere caress upon my own. And his eyes – they were focused intently on mine but they were no longer the satyr’s eyes, only my own dear Adam’s.
“Sarah marry me here and now, in this place.”
Coming soon…The Wedding!
Copyright © 2010 by Cynthia Hope Hodge
I have to admit that I left Africa with a reluctant heart. It is a beautiful continent; wild and savage in part, but glorious in its verdant richness of textures, whether they were sand or jungle. I saw a hundred types of plants and trees that I hadn’t ever seen or heard of before.
As we pulled away from the shores of Africa, out of the port of Casablanca, I watched Morocco slowly vanishing from view. It had been an exhilarating visit, if not an educational one. I learned that there are areas of the desert that grow food and that areas of the jungle can be almost barren. I saw leaves that were big enough to wrap around me and trees so tall I couldn’t see their tops.
Yes, I will admit that the snakes were worrisome. I hate snakes – I don’t even like earth worms. When I was a child my dad always told me that they were more afraid of me than I was of them, but that couldn’t possibly be true; I’m just this side of having a heart attack when I see one and if they are more scared of me, they’d be dead! And see plenty of them I did. Very small ones that are particularly deadly actually to larger ones that wouldn’t hurt you. Unless you died of fright at the sight of them.
Snakes just give me the creeps. When I see one the little tiny hairs on the back of my neck raise crazily and all I can think of is getting away. Our guide teased me a great deal and wimp that I am, I was close to tears several times. And Adam, the man that I adore has also teased me. He always apologizes and smiles the dimple smile at me when he does, but still, it is very frustrating!
But he is a charming man. He made the whole trip worthwhile for me and as much as he teased me, he took wonderful care of me as well. I was pampered whenever possible – how can you be irritated at someone who does everything in their power to make you feel protected, cherished and adored?
Each day I am more thankful for having Adam in my life. Those early months were very hard and when I think back on those last weeks, it terrifies me. It never occurred to me that it was Sunny who was behind it all. Isn’t it amazing what a ready smile and a helpful attitude will do? It can make you look no deeper at that person that what you see right in front of you. What I see in front of me now is Adam: solid and loving, truly the right man for me.
So, as hard as it was to leave the beauties of Africa, I was very anxious to be on our way to Greece. It is somewhere that I have always wanted to go. As a child Greek mythology fascinated me endlessly and I read as many books on it as I possibly could. One day I would be Hera – strong-willed and very queenly who incidentally sent the snakes to attack Hercules. The next it could be Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, shooting her arrows and bringing down mighty beasts. There were so many I could choose from and I seldom tired of that game. Cassie always wanted to be Aphrodite, Goddess of love. She would wrap a sheet around her and strike what we thought were sexy poses. My dad often took home movies of us and how it now makes us laugh to see them! My face would look like it was in pain as I tried to look ‘queenly’ like Hera and Cassie’s ‘sexy’ looks were more like someone who was eating a sour lemon. I don’t know why we thought it was necessary to suck in her cheeks to make her look sexy. Probably something we saw on TV I’ll bet!
We had been on the Athena for 3 days when we finally crossed into the Sea of Crete which is actually part of the Aegean and shortly thereafter I caught my first glimpse of Greece. Actually Crete, but that is still Greece! We sailed between Crete and Rhodes and my stomach tumbled with excitement! We stopped in Iraklion, sometimes called Heraklion for an afternoon and explored that beautiful city.
It was a city of contrasts, visually and culturally it seemed to me. Next to some of the bluest seas you’ll ever see lies starkly white architecture that seems almost blinding in the bright and clear sunshine. It is almost painful to the eyes, but it also takes your breath away. The architecture itself is blended from the ancient Minoans, the Romans, the Ottomans and Christians as well. And surprisingly, it all just fits together. While the people seem to be modern there is still a flavor of another time, another outlook that seems to permeate the culture of the city.
We had lunch there at a small dockside café and drank ouzo and ate fresh seafood grilled with lots of lemon juice and olive oil. We ate until we couldn’t eat any more, both Adam and I felt roly-poly when we walked out of there. We strolled hand in hand and browsed the shops along the waterfront, admiring the colorful goods for sale. I bought a beautiful hand-made lace shawl for my mother who always admired fine handiwork such as that. I knew she would treasure it always.
After we boarded the Athena again we headed on our way, smoothly gliding over the calm Sea of Crete, sailing past Rhodes. Actually there are several islands that make up Rhodes and they made a picturesque back drop to the blue sea as Adam and I watched from the deck. My face was lifted to the warm Grecian sun and I could taste the tang of salt on my lips.
I caught Adam watching, his eyes sparking with desire as my tongue crept up to lick the salty taste from my lips. His arm was around me as he watched and I felt, rather than heard him groan which was then followed by the briefest of nibbles on my neck.
“Umm Adam, that feels wonderful!” I whispered against his chest. “Maybe we should go to the cabin for a rest. What do you think?”
He looked around him, at the crew on the deck. I’m not sure why exactly, but he seemed to be watching them as they worked. I looked up and several were watching us at the railing. I smiled at Kostos who was working the halyards near us, inspecting them I think. He nodded at me, his blond-haired and blue eyed Adonis looks sparkling in the sunshine as he tossed a careless grin my way. His eyes darted to Adam and darkened a bit I thought, but then I decided I must be imagining it and turned my attention back to Adam, who was staring off out to sea again.
“Well, how about a ‘rest’ my love? I’m eager,” I whispered softly against his ear, letting my lips softly caress his ear lobe in the process.
“Sarah, I think the crew thinks I, uh, bother you a bit too often, if you understand my meaning. They stare at me,” he told me, casting another glance around the deck. For a moment he looked very vulnerable and almost childlike I thought.
I laughed at him and said, “Well then, let’s let them know without a doubt who is initiating this ‘bothering’,” I told him with a laugh. I grabbed his hand and half-led and half-tugged him below decks, smiling at the crew as we past them. The sea wind caught my laugh and tossed it about the deck and that made several of them smile in return.
I couldn’t get him below deck quickly enough to suit me and as soon as our cabin door was closed my clothes were already flying off of me. Not that there were all that many on. I had taken to wearing a bathing suit with a wrap of some kind slung low around my hips. I would never have worn something like that before, but Adam made me feel so beautiful that I didn’t think about things like what my body looked like any longer. I had managed to keep off those 6 pounds I lost before and in fact I had lost another 5 since then. I think it’s all the, er, exercise we get!
With the door closed, Adam finally came to life and had his shorts off as quickly as I had my clothes off. He grabbed me and we dived for the bed together. His hungry mouth found mine and instantly our tongues were dueling and dancing delightfully with one another.
His hands found the wetness that was flowing freely from me and I felt his fingers trace me delicately, stroking my aroused sex tantalizingly. I rewarded him with a shudder as I was so close to orgasm. He stroked the engorged guardian of my womanhood, tracing its outline and the aching valley below it and then I found my release, my legs closing around his hand as the contractions took me and my eyes shut tightly with the pleasurable sensations.
I moaned softly against his mouth and tried to slide down his body to take him in my eager mouth, but he only looked at me and shook his head no.
“No love, I want to be inside you – NOW,” he told me as he slid his lithe body between my legs and I felt him enter me smoothly.
My body immediately contracted around him, pulling him into me tightly and he bent to kiss me while he gave me a moment to adjust to his hardness. His tongue searched my mouth, stroking my own tongue lovingly and then he was moving inside me, his tongue imitating his heated length as his rigid shaft thrust in and out of my pulsating depths.
I clung to him desperately each time he withdrew from my body and I tried to pull him back into me, squeezing him tightly until he sank back into my greedy body.
I was moaning loudly now as was Adam and neither of us cared if anyone heard us; we had only one goal in mind and it was so close we couldn’t control ourselves any longer.
Adam pushed into me as far as he could go and then I felt the pulsations of his release, his body flexing and contracting as he groaned against me. It was all I needed and I joined him then, on that beautiful plateau of passion and I felt complete. This was exactly where I was supposed to be.
*****************************
We slept for an hour of so after we made love and then rose and took a shower before getting dressed to go up on deck for dinner. I had come to love our dinners out on the deck. We often watched the sunset and whether it was out over the water or an island, it was always beautiful.
Tonight was no exception I thought as I stood on the port side of the ship as we sailed north, weaving our way though the many small islands here. On the east side of the ship we were passing Kos, an island just off the Turkish coast and we could see Turkey as well, it’s coast line dark in the late evening, with little villages lit up occasionally upon it.
To the west or port side the sun was a fiery orange-gold tonight, sinking into the waiting arms of the sea and the sky was helping to show it off to the best advantage. The lovely horizon was streaked with pinks, purples and oranges, like some incredibly beautiful finger painting slashing across the heavens. I sighed with pleasure as Niko brought us some wine to sip while we waited for our dinner.
I was in no hurry for dinner; truthfully I had eaten so much at lunch that I wasn’t altogether hungry yet. But this quiet time, this interlude of peace was very welcome. We could hear some of the deck hands singing as they took care of whatever their tasks were before they had their dinner as well.
I had put on a sun dress, my only concession to dressing up for dinner. Had it been Adam and I only, I would have ate stark naked if I could because I felt so decadent and comfortable.
As the last wisp of the sun set below the horizon they brought our dinner out and set the table. Another sumptuous feast had been prepared and suddenly my mouth watered as I looked at the Dolmathes that was waiting for us. Dolmathes are grape leaves stuff with rice and crayfish and are totally delicious; plus, you get to eat them with your fingers! We sipped retsina wine with them and relished the soft breeze that helped to cool things down.
“I could do this forever,” I told Adam, sitting back in my chair and taking another sip of the dry retsina wine.
“What, eat? You’re marrying into the right family for that,” he laughed.
“No! I mean, yeah that’s okay but what I meant was,” I laughed and rolled my eyes at him, “What I meant was, being here on this ship. Cruising around these islands in the warm tropical air.”
“So you think you could do this forever? Give up being a landlubber?” he asked softly and I could swear that he wasn’t teasing any longer.
“Well – maybe for awhile. It’s a nice dream anyway,” I told him. I sat there, pensively twisting the stem of my wineglass around in my fingers as I contemplated a life on the sea.
I had now been off of work for 6 months and I was finding that I didn’t miss it at all, which surprised me. But then again, I wasn’t sitting idly around the house doing nothing. In fact, I sometimes wished that we could do that a little more.
I would really like to go spend some time at home. But is that Kansas or California now. Could it be a boat?
My silent perusals were interrupted when Misha brought out our next course – Garithes Santorina which is shrimp with feta cheese topped with olive oil, crushed red peppers and garlic and then broiled together until bubbly. They served that with grilled zucchini and we took our time, savoring every bite.
As we ate, Adam chatted with Misha who is also the cook about how she made the Garithes Santorina because he wanted to try it at home. She was very polite and accommodating, telling Adam that she would be glad to share the recipe with him.
Misha left us to head back to the galley. She had promised Adam something chocolate for dessert, but wouldn’t tell him what and I laughed as he squirmed in his seat, just waiting for the chocolate.
Misha didn’t keep him waiting long. She brought out silver dessert cups full of Zorbe Katasha, a sort of chocolate sorbet. It was wonderful, a bit grainier than what American’s think of as sherbet, but the chocolate flavor was awesome. It made a wonderful and light ending to the meal and I had to resist the temptation to scrape the dish with my spoon!
After dinner the sailors always played music and sometimes they danced as well. Not for our entertainment, but for their own; we were just lucky enough to be allowed to hear it. They were a boisterous and happy group and I think once the ouzo got to flowing, they became even happier. We at back in out seats, feeling the slight rocking motion of the ship as we sipped a last glass of the retsina wine. The first time I had tasted it I wasn’t totally sure I liked it. Retsina is a dry white wine, which I normally like but its twist is that it is made with pine resin, which gives it any odd, unmistakable flavor. Most people they say either love it or hate it and I guess I fall into the ‘love’ it category.
The moon rose and I noticed it was only a day or two off of full. It was shining brightly, almost winking at us in it’s intensity as if to say ‘this night is for lover’s, make the most of it’.
We took the moon’s advice.
*****************************
The next two days were spent skimming over the deeply blue Aegean that was sometimes so still it was almost like glass. The ship had an engine as well as the sails, so we moved about from island to island, sometimes going ashore and sometimes only watching as we slowly sailed past. Occasionally we caught glimpses of ancient buildings that were remnants of what Captain Petros called ‘the old Gods’. These buildings gleamed brightly in the sunshine and a few times we stopped so we could visit them. Captain Petros told us that Kybylos has a wonderful temple there we can visit.
“It is a temple dedicated to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love,” he told us with a definite twinkle in his eye.
Evidently the good captain had noticed the same thing the sailors had: that Adam and Sarah spend a lot of time in their cabin. And we ain’t playing Scrabble!
“Kybylos is a small island yes, but it is beautiful. The whole island was once dedicated to the worshipers of Aphrodite. Her priestesses served her at the temple. It was a sort of, how you say, um bordello, maybe? Yes, I think that is the word. Only the most beautiful women could serve their Goddess and they must all be virgins when they come to serve. It was considered a great honor to work the temples. Of course, the ancient priests used the services of the priestesses more than anyone. Not such a bad occupation I believe!”
“Um, I believe you are right,” I laughed. “Still, there must have been something spiritual in it, wasn’t there? I mean it wasn’t all about sex was it?”
“What in life is more spiritual than sex my dear lady? Sex is communion between souls, sharing a deeper unity of spirit than any other activity I know of,” he pointed out somberly.
“Well, prayer maybe,” I added, thinking about what he had said.
“Possibly,” he agreed. “Ah well, I am sure you will enjoy your stay on Kybylos very much indeed.”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it a lot. Do very many people live there?”
“No, not many I believe; probably less than a hundred now. It is only a small fishing village and as the fish become fewer in our warm waters, so do the fisherman you understand.”
I nodded and stole a look at Adam who had been very quiet during this conversation. He was staring off to starboard, watching the dolphins that were playing in the waves stirred up by the ship. I wasn’t even sure he had been listening he seemed so intent on the antics of the playful dolphins.
“Is there nothing else there for the people?” he asked, still looking at the dolphins.
“No, only a little tourist business I believe. It is a shame, it is a very lovely island,” Captain Petros told us. “You have friends who are renting a villa there I believe you said?”
“Yes, the Villa Koustakas,” Adam told him.
“Ah, that must be the one that you can see from the harbor, such as it is. The harbor I mean!” he laughed and I noticed that he had very merry blue eyes that crinkled at the corners when he teased or laughed.
I had thought that Greeks were supposed to be dark-eyed and olive-skinned people with dark hair. And most seemed to be but there were a good many that were blond and light-eyed. The same thing had amazed me when I lived in Italy, but that was easy to explain. Austria and Switzerland were just to the north which made the variations understandable. And generally speaking the farther south I traveled in Italy the more everyone looked like the vision of Italians most American’s have. So why should Greece be any different? Different areas, different people.
They don’t have states in Greece, they have Peripheries’, which are like states I understand. There are 13 of them plus Mount Athos, which sounds like an interesting place.
It sits on a peninsula, the easternmost "leg" of the larger Chalcidice peninsula and protrudes into the Aegean Sea for some 60 km. Mount Athos itself is steep and densely forested and has 20 self-governing monasteries. Though land-linked, it is accessible only by boat. The number of visitors is restricted and all are required to get a special entrance permit before entering Mount Athos. Only males are allowed entrance into Mount Athos and Orthodox Christians take precedence in the permit issuance procedure. Only males over the age of 18, who are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church are allowed to live on Athos. There are religious guards, who are not monks, that assist the monks, and any other people not monks are required to live on the peninsula's capital, Karyes. The current population numbers around 2,250.
Even though it was a place I wasn’t going to visit it was still fascinating to me I guessed. Maybe because it was ‘forbidden’ to females, who knows?
*****************************
On the morning of the third day we woke up anchored off of the island of Kybylos. It had a natural rock harbor Captain Petros had told us, but it was a shallow one, so large ships couldn’t anchor safely there. The island itself looked to be about 3 miles long from where we were and we knew that it was about the same wide. It had many hills, mostly sand-colored rock, but it was the biggest hill that begged all the attention. Probably a thousand feet or so high it seemed to tower over the rest of the island. Sitting on top of it was the ruins of the temple of Aphrodite. Several columns still stood as well as other parts of the temple that we couldn’t see from here the captain told us.
We could also see the villa from the harbor. There was a main building with a long arm extending from each side of it, curving along the hill. The wings looked like arms and the villa seemed to be embracing the island, as if protecting all within its reach from harm.
There was a small village located near the harbor with maybe a dozen houses perched on the steep streets. They were all pristine white and had colorful flowers growing everywhere; trailing from balconies, growing in pots and gardens. Red tiled roofs seemed like icing on cakes and the whole village was picturesque to look at. I couldn’t wait to get to shore, not only to explore but to see Cassie and Georgio.
Our bags were packed and deck hands moved them onto the dock. Adam and I thanked the captain and his very polite and gracious crew. As we stood there chatting for a moment I spied Cassie and Georgio waiting for us and my face lit up in a huge smile. Adam and the captain both noticed and with a final farewell, we were on our way down the gangway. I had to hold back from launching myself into Cassie’s arms I was so excited to see her.
Cassie looked so great, tanned and happy I decided. Her eyes were sparkling, the laugh lines that decorated them making her all the more beautiful. She stood within the shelter of Georgio’s arm, almost bouncing in her excitement to see me.
Georgio looked just as happy and his gaze shifted from us to Cassie, looking at her with adoring eyes and I knew that my friend was going to have a happily-ever-after ending, just as I was.
*****************************
The day was spent very pleasantly, the four of us catching up on all the happenings in our lives since we has last seen one another, which was at Christmas, in Italy.
Cassie was recovering nicely and in fact she considered herself totally recovered but Georgio’s cautious side reminded her almost daily that he wasn’t convinced of that. I think he was probably a little over-protective and given Cassie’s proclivity to just throw herself into whatever was happening that was probably a very good thing. But she was participating in normal activities now and Georgio was teaching her to play tennis, which in part accounted for her beautiful tan. Even though she has naturally red hair, she is an anomaly when it comes to tanning. She does tan, very well and her skin almost had a coppery glow, due to some Native American blood in her probably. I noticed too that she was letting her hair grow from the almost pixie style she had worn for more years than I had cared to remember. The longer style suited her well I thought.
They had been here on the island for almost three weeks and would stay with us for the next week until it was time to go to Lavrio, where his family was. It was also the place where he would be working for the next 3 months, teaching surgical techniques in a university teaching hospital there. In the meantime, it was clear that they were enjoying the time off and their time together. They constantly follow one another with their eyes and whenever they are close enough to touch at least one of them will reach for the other. It makes me so happy to see it because Cass has deserved someone this wonderful for a long, long time.
Later that evening after a leisurely dinner with Cassie and Georgio Adam and I decided to take a walk around the island. Specifically up to the temple. There was a clear path that led to it and it was still light out so we could easily see our way. We took a flashlight with us just in case though. Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared!
1000 feet doesn’t seem very high, in thought anyway, but half-way up Adam and I were both winded and so we stopped for a couple of minutes and sat on a large boulder along the side of the path. It looked for all the world as if one of the Gods had put it there as a resting place on this path to the temple. We scooted up to the top of the boulder and looked out to the west, where the sun was starting to dip low in the sky.
“I think we need to start some exercises, other than our usual exercise,” I joked, once I got my breath back.
“Not me, I’m just taking it easy for you love!” Adam quipped, but he was laughing so hard it was difficult to really understand what he had said. “Maybe we just need to do more of that particular exercise, hmm?’’ He leaned down to nibble on my neck and I sighed at the feel of his lips kissing that sensitive spot so enticingly.
“I think we are both sufficiently recovered now Adam; lets continue on up the path.” In truth I would enjoy nothing more than having my way with him then and there but we were very exposed here, perched on this rock. The vista of the whole town and the harbor was sitting just below us and I was afraid someone could see us. “C’mon,” I said, tugging on his hand to get him moving again.
He gave me this sexy lop-sided grin he has, but scooted down off the boulder and we continued our journey up to the temple. We held hands and I was so excited to get up there I found myself practically skipping along the way.
A few minutes later we were there and it was spectacular – even the air felt different. Almost magical really I thought as I gulped in huge breaths of the air after our last dash up the path.
The suns last rays caught at the white marble and made it almost glow – at least I thought it was the sun, but it was sinking lower in the sky even as we watched. The brilliant gold’s and oranges that reflected off the Aegean almost took my breath away it was so stunning of a site.
I reached out to touch the pillar that I was standing next to and felt the marble beneath my fingers, still warm and almost soft really. I mean, it wasn’t soft, but it seemed that way, possibly because it was worn so smooth through the centuries.
“Adam, feel this. It’s – it’s incredible really!” I told him, placing his hand where mine had been.
His fingers stroked over the stone almost lovingly, the kind of caress he would use on me and just watching him sent shivers up and down my spine. I wasn’t connected to that pillar, but it almost felt as if he was stroking me instead of it.
My breath caught in my throat and I had to turn away and not watch him any longer. My heartbeat was rushing through my body. It felt as if my blood was singing through my veins, throbbing with each beat of my heart. I was aroused and my body let me know it by sending a stream of wetness spreading damply between my legs.
I walked to another pillar, at the back side of the temple and wrapped my arm around it, mostly for support but also to see if this pillar made me feel the same way.
What is this feeling? It is flooding my body with sensation and something that felt like an imperative.
I needed Adam and I needed him now.
The blood was now singing though my head and all I knew was the desire that rushed though me, pounding through my head and veins. I felt as if I was vibrating with need, much like what a guitar feels like when someone strums the strings.
“Adam, Adam,” I called out, and when I turned around he was behind me, his eyes echoing the same things I was feeling.
He pulled me to him tightly, his erection huge and pulsating against my belly and I groaned against his mouth and grasped his hips, drawing them as close as possible as I ground my belly against him.
The sun was completely gone now and the moon was rising, the full moon. It shined its magical glow down upon two lovers who were honoring this temple and the Goddess Aphrodite in the most simple of rituals and offerings.
We found a block of marble and Adam carried me to it and stood me before it, pulling each piece of clothing off of me with impatient movements. I was doing the same thing, trying frantically to get Adam’s clothing off as well.
Finally we were both naked and we stood proudly so, in the glow of the moon and offered ourselves to one another, in the ways of the priestesses and priests of old.
Adam was staring at me and I looked down and saw that the moonlight was beaming off my breasts, making them glow almost magically as the sun had made the stones of the temple itself glow earlier. My chest was rapidly rising and falling with my desire and I thrilled when I noticed Adams chest was doing the same.
He picked me up and sat me down on the block of marble and then he was kneeling in front of me, spreading the soft lips of my body, tracing his tongue over the wetness and the aching folds of me.
I came quickly, with a rush of more juices and still I begged him to continue on, not to stop this delicious madness…
I lie back on the warm marble and spread myself open as wide as I could and moaned out my pleasure; almost an invocation to the Goddess herself. Adam responded by inserting a finger into the wet channel that would soon hold him so delightfully. He wiggled his finger, finding that elusive magical spot inside me and again an orgasm washed over me, leaving me panting and needing him now.
“Adam, now, inside me please!” I demanded with a silken voice that was still smoky from the intensity of my orgasm.
He rose up and stood looking down at me for a moment; and just for that moment I saw the satyr in him, waiting to take me and I opened my arms to him, urging him to join with me.
He was in me then, driving into me with a delicious rhythm that had me on the brink again almost immediately. Over and over he plummeted into my body as desire and need surged through both of us, pushing us towards the peak of our passion. Our eyes locked and I wasn’t even sure we were breathing any longer so enveloped in this magical act we were.
His pace increased and so did my movements to meet him, hips pushing against hips, the pounding sounds echoing in the still and quiet night as did our cries when we found our peaks. The orgasms rushed over us both, pounding in our ears, surging though our bodies as muscles contracted and pulsated with satisfaction.
We laid there on the marble that was starting to cool with the evening’s darkness until our breathing was somewhat normal again. His hand clasped mine, his thumb tenderly stroking my own.
I was afraid to speak – something had come over both of us this night and whether it was just desire or something more magical I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to break this spell though and I was afraid that if I spoke it would.
Adam leaned over me and kissed me tenderly, softly, his lips a mere caress upon my own. And his eyes – they were focused intently on mine but they were no longer the satyr’s eyes, only my own dear Adam’s.
“Sarah marry me here and now, in this place.”
Coming soon…The Wedding!
Copyright © 2010 by Cynthia Hope Hodge
