In the cabin cruiser Gaskell slept soundly. Around him Sally made her preparations. She undressed and changed into the plastic bikini. She took a silk square from her bag and put it on the table and she fetched a jug from the kitchen and leaning over the side filled it with water. Finally she went into the toilet and made her face up in the mirror. When she emerged she was wearing false eyelashes, her lips were heavily red and pancake make-up obscured her pale complexion. She was carrying a bathing-cap. She crossed the door of the galley and put an arm up and stuck her hip out.
‘Gaskell baby,’ she called.
Gaskell opened his eyes and looked at her. ‘What the bell gives?’
‘Like it, baby?’
Gaskell put on his glasses. In spite of himself he did like it. ‘You think you’re going to, wheedle round me, you’re wrong…’
Sally smiled. ‘Conserve the verbiage. You turn me on, bio-degradable baby.’ She moved forward and sat on the bunk beside him.
‘What are you trying to do?’
‘Make it up, babykink. You deserve a cure.’ She fondled him gently. ‘Like the old days. Remember?’
Gaskell remembered and felt weak. Sally leant forward and pressed him down on to the bunk.
‘Surrogate Sally,’ she said and unbuttoned his shirt.
Gaskell squirmed. ‘If you think…’
‘Don’t think, kink,’ said Sally and undid his jeans. ‘Only erect.’
‘Oh God,’ said Gaskell. The perfume, the plastic, the mask of a face and her hands were awakening ancient fantasies. He lay supine on the bunk staring at her while Sally undressed him. Even when she rolled him over on his face and pulled his hands behind his back he made no resistance.
‘Bondage baby,’ she said softly and reached for the silk square.
‘No, Sally, no,’ he said weakly. Sally smiled grimly and tied his hands together, winding the silk between his wrists carefully before tightening it. When she had finished Gaskell whimpered. ‘You’re hurting me.’
Sally rolled him over. ‘You love it,’ she said and kissed him. She sat back and stroked him gently. ‘Harder, baby, real hard. Lift me lover sky high.’
‘Oh Sally.’
‘That’s my baby and now the waterproof.’
‘There’s no need. I like it better without.’
‘But I do, G. I need it to prove you loved me till death did us part.’ She bent over and rolled it down.
Gaskell stared up at her. Something was wrong.
‘And now the cap.’ She reached over and picked up the bathing-cap.
‘The cap?’ said Gaskell. ‘Why the cap? I don’t want that thing on.’
‘Oh but you do, sweetheart It makes you look girlwise.’ She fitted the cap over his head. ‘Now into Sallia inter alia.’ She undid the bikini and lowered herself on to him. Gaskell moaned and stared up at her. She was lovely. It was a long time since she had been so good. But he was still frightened. There was a look in her eyes he hadn’t seen before. ‘Untie me,’ he pleaded, ‘you’re hurting my arm.’
But Sally merely smiled and gyrated. ‘When you’ve come and gone, G baby. When you’ve been.’ She moved her hips. ‘Come, bum, come quick.’
Gaskell shuddered.
‘Finished?’
He nodded. ‘Finished,’ he sighed.
