Читать книгу Love on the High Seas - Yasmin Y. Sullivan - Страница 12

Chapter 3

Angelina was getting dressed in one of her sister’s cocktail gowns, just as she had the night before. She hadn’t planned to go to a New Year’s Eve party, but when the owner of those warm brown eyes called her, as surprised as she was, she couldn’t resist the possibility of seeing him again, this time up close.

She’d spent most of yesterday on her balcony, reading, leaving only for meals and to wander briefly around one of the decks. That had made it even more exciting to have an invitation to get out that night.

Still, what was she getting herself into? Did she want to get herself into anything, or did she want to stick with the plan to lay low? Plus, after she had given him her best Safire-like smile, she didn’t know what he might expect. She had put her foot in her mouth, so to speak.

Last night, she had gotten all dressed up, putting one of her cover-ups over one of her sister’s short dresses. It had made her feel sexy, but maybe it’d looked too sexy. She couldn’t decide. She hadn’t even been sure she should go; in fact, she’d dawdled until it was almost too late. Finally, she had decided that it couldn’t hurt to go for a little while—just to meet him.

She couldn’t have known she would end up in the most sensual kiss of her life. And with a stranger, no less. It seemed that some of her sister was getting into her after all, and she’d decided to leave before something else happened, something she wasn’t prepared for.

Today, she’d spent the sunlight hours in Nassau and would forever be enchanted with the Bahamas. The tour had started with a driving visit to the forts and a stop at the Pirate Museum. Then they’d gone to Predator Lagoon to see sharks and barracuda. They’d also had a walking visit of the Ardastra Gardens with its “marching” flamingoes. Lunch had been in the shopping district, and those who didn’t want to get wet stayed to shop. Angelina went for the water. She’d brought a change of clothes and had just worn her shorts over Safire’s bikini.

At the next stop, she’d petted and fed the dolphins, and at the stop after that, followed the snorkeling trail to the Rainbow Reef, where the sand was white and warm, and the water was so crystal clear she could see down to the bottom of the ocean floor. After the snorkeling, she’d swum and then relaxed on the beach in the sun. If she got nothing else from the whole trip, that day had made it worthwhile.

But the tour hadn’t been over. After she’d changed into her extra set of clothes, they were dropped off for an hour-long glass-bottom boat tour before the safari took them back to the ship.

She’d been kept busy all day, but she hadn’t forgotten about that night. The phone was blinking when she got in, and when she checked the message, she found out that Jeremy Bell’s group would be meeting at seven o’clock to have dinner at the Starlight, an open-air restaurant. She barely had time to wash and dry her hair and get dressed.

She was wearing Safire’s turquoise dress this time. It was a thin, knit material of some kind and was as revealing as the other one—as they all were—but she had a short, silver eyelet bolero jacket to put over it. The jacket was made of a satiny material that could go with most evening pieces, which was why she’d brought it. It might be too warm, but it was worth it to have a little coverage on top.

She didn’t have a lot of time to blow-dry her hair, so she pulled it back in a ponytail and added a silver bow. Her skin was still warm from the sun, but she added a little makeup and finished off with her strappy silver two-inch sandals.

She was going to a fair amount of trouble just for dinner, but she couldn’t deny her excitement. Of course, she hadn’t gotten any work done that day, which was a problem. She would make up for it tonight and tomorrow.

At six-forty, her phone rang. It could only be Jeremy Bell.

“I was just about to head out the door,” she said.

“I thought I might walk you to the restaurant.”

“Making sure I don’t ditch out, huh?”

They both chuckled.

“No,” he answered, “but definitely wanting to see you again.”

“I wasn’t sure I’d make it on time, but I’m actually ready. Hey, since I was heading out anyway, why don’t I just meet you at an elevator or in front of the restaurant? Where is it?”

Jeremy laughed for a moment. “See, I’ve actually figured that out. That’s why I thought I would meet you, so you wouldn’t have to. And I’m about five doors down from you at this point.”

Angelina poked her head out of the door and found Jeremy’s tall, broad-shouldered figure striding toward her down the hall. He had a cell phone to his ear.

They both laughed.

Angelina smiled and waved. Something had gotten into her mood tonight. She was smiling and being a bit silly, but she liked it.

When he got to her door, she took the phone from her ear and greeted him.

“Hello. Let me just put the phone down and get my pocketbook.”

He stood just inside the doorway and waited, a crooked smile on his face and a glint in his eye, watching her all the while.

When she came back to the door, ready, he held his arm out for her.

She gave him a skeptical look. “So chivalry isn’t dead, after all.” She chuckled and took his arm, unable to conquer her giddiness. They headed past the nearby elevators to the far ones.

“These are closer to the Starlight,” Jeremy said.

“Where is your stateroom? Are you on this floor?”

“No, I’m two floors up. I’ll show you sometime.”

He smiled at her. She couldn’t tell whether or not he was being saucy, but just in case, she said, “Don’t they all look the same, anyway?”

“More or less.”

“I actually did think I would be late. I should have gotten your number, just in case.”

With his free hand, he fished in this pocket. “Here, take one of my cards. This one has my cell phone number on it, and that’s the phone I carry.”

“Thank you.”

By the time they got to the eleventh floor, only one other couple was on the elevator. Jeremy took her chin and brought her lips to his, kissing her lightly.

“Hello again.”

His gesture was so sweet and so gentle that it stopped Angelina in her tracks. She couldn’t help smiling back.

“Hi.”

She waited for him to do something else, but he just smiled at her.

“You’re in a strange mood tonight, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Only because I’m with you again.”

“I’m in a strange mood, too. I don’t know if it was kissing a dolphin—”

“You kissed a dolphin?”

“Yes, the tour let us play with them, feed them. I got my picture taken kissing one. I snorkeled. I swam. It was all wonderful.”

“You look like you’re glowing. You look beautiful, Safire.”

“Thank you, Jeremy.”

He slipped his hand into hers as they exited the elevator on the fourteenth floor. The familiarity between them made it seem as though they had been seeing each other for a while, but the actual newness of his hand in hers sent a thrill through Angelina’s body.

In the atrium of the Starlight, she was introduced to Jeremy’s friend Myron and Verniece, Myron’s date. The four of them would be dining together at a table of eight, so they would be meeting four new people. These turned out to be a newlywed couple from Idaho and an older couple from Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Over drinks, they met one another and talked about the New Year’s Eve events they’d attended. Angelina blushed when she remembered her kiss with Jeremy and was even more embarrassed when he noticed this. He put a consoling arm over the back of her chair and rubbed her shoulder with his thumb. It sent a shiver through her body that she tried to hide.

They also talked about what they had seen of the Bahamas that day.

“We went out with the dolphins, did the powerboat ride and spent the afternoon on the beach,” Drake, the newlywed, said.

“Did you kiss a dolphin?” Jeremy asked Drake’s wife. Angelina saw the humor in his eyes and swatted him playfully.

“I sure did,” Rosalie answered. “It was better than kissing a frog.”

“Or a man,” Angelina added, and the two women laughed.

Jeremy looked at her with surprise and with a challenge in his eyes that said he would be proving her wrong very soon.

“I went on the daylong tour, and it was glorious,” Angelina said. “I think we did everything there was to do in Nassau. I was gone all day. I loved it.”

Angelina stopped when she realized she was gushing. She really did need to get out more. She laughed at herself, and Jeremy turned to her.

She waved away the inquiry and went on chatting.

“What did you guys do, Verniece?”

The woman was hanging on Myron’s shoulder and looked at him. Angelina could tell that she shouldn’t have asked.

“No, no. You don’t have to tell us if it’s too scandalous,” Angelina said.

The table laughed.

“We did get to the pool for a while,” Verniece offered. “And we had lunch in the Coco Lounge. But other than that, we stayed in.”

Angelina turned to Myron and Jeremy. “Weren’t you two with other gentlemen?”

“Alistair and Rudy,” Myron said. “They decided to go to one of the singles lounges for dinner and let the couples be by themselves.”

Once dinner arrived, the conversation quieted down a little. It turned out that the older couple was used to cruising, so they gave some advice about when to arrive and how to get discounts.

After dinner, Jeremy, Angelina, Myron and Verniece lingered in the atrium of the Starlight, trying to decide on the next thing they would do.

“I really should be getting back,” said Angelina. “I was gone all day and didn’t do anything I brought with me to get done.”

Jeremy put his palm against her back. It sent another shiver through her body that she tried once again to hide.

“Come dancing with us, Safire. You don’t have to stay long.”

“Dancing sounds great,” Verniece said.

“There’s a place called the Silhouette Lounge,” Jeremy said. “They have desserts, drinks, dancing. Please.”

“For a little while,” Angelina said.

When they got to the Silhouette Lounge, Angelina picked up immediately on the romantic theme; it was a hangout for couples, replete with low lighting, soft seating and slow music.

Myron and Verniece stopped at the bar for drinks, but Jeremy drew her onto the dance floor, slid his hands around her waist and began to sway.

Angelina’s palms came up to his chest. She thought it would keep a polite distance between them; instead, she could feel how hard his body was through his panama shirt, and that made the gesture seem even more intimate.

Angelina let herself rock to the music—something slow and Italian. As he held her closer, she moved her arms to his shoulders, bringing her chest against his. The sensation sent a tingle through her body, and she it hoped wasn’t noticeable.

Angelina was five-eleven, and in her two-inch heels, she was almost Jeremy’s height. When he lowered his head just a bit, it brought their cheeks together. She rested her head against his, closed her eyes and finally just let herself enjoy their dance.

The next song was in Spanish and just as intoxicating. When she opened her eyes briefly, she found that she had slipped her arms around his neck, not remembering when she had done so. When she turned to him, he was smiling at her.

“I love dancing with you this way,” he said.

“It’s been a while since I’ve danced like this.”

“You’re not rusty at all. I love the way your body feels against mine.”

“Thank you.” She didn’t know what else to say. His low bass voice in her ear sent goose bumps down her back and made her body twitch. She couldn’t tell whether this was apparent or not.

The next song was in Portuguese, she thought, something of a tango. She snuggled closer to his shoulder and swayed with his movement. His hands tightened around her back, bringing her body closer to his.

The thin knit of her sister’s gown did almost nothing to shield Angelina from the intimate contact of Jeremy’s body. She could feel his manhood pressing against her hip, and she sucked in a breath. He only held her closer and moved himself along her until he was nestled at the center of her body. Her sex started to throb, and her breath became heavier.

As he swayed against her, his body rubbed against her center and sent delicious prickles through her sex and into her breasts. Of their own volition, her hips tilted forward, bringing her into greater contact with the onslaught of his manhood. She caught herself and stopped the vulgar thrust, but she could feel herself growing damp, growing needy. Her arms gripped his neck tighter, and she bent her face toward his shoulder, not wanting to be seen.

Jeremy left one hand pressed against her back and drew the other up to her nape. The gentle fingers exploring her neck made her shiver and twist in his embrace, and the sensations running through her body made her gasp for air. Her mouth was already open when he turned to her and found her lips with his own, pressing his tongue deep inside.

A murmur escaped her and was trapped by his mouth. She hoped that he hadn’t heard it over the music, but in response, he pressed even closer to her and held her in place, running his chest against her breasts and his manhood along her sex. Angelina pulled herself from his lips as the sensations poured over her. Her core throbbed, wanting more, and she winced, sucking in her breath. She knew he could hear her, but she couldn’t help it.

He put his lips to her ear. “Your body has been responsive to my touch all evening, Safire.”

Angelina was mortified that he had noticed. She didn’t know what to say, and she could barely think with his deep voice sending shivers down her spine.

“Let me come back to your room with you. Let me make love to you.”

Angelina stepped back, unsure how to answer. Her body was crying out to be loved by this man, but she wasn’t Safire. She didn’t just go to bed with men. They were still strangers. And she wasn’t that daring.

“I—I don’t think I can. I don’t really know you yet.”

All she really knew was how good he made her feel. She was still catching her breath just from his touch and his body. For once, she wished she was Safire. But she wasn’t. She wasn’t ready for this.

“I can’t. Really.” She wanted to, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it—to walk back to her room with a stranger and... “I can’t.”

Jeremy seemed a bit confused and definitely let down. He sighed heavily, conceding to her answer.

“Okay. Get to know me tomorrow. We go to St. Thomas. I wanted to do a bit of shopping. Why don’t we go together? Shop, have lunch, get to know each other.”

“Okay, if I’m not booked for a tour. I can’t remember.”

She laughed at herself, and he joined in, breaking the tension between them.

“I need to be going, anyway,” she said. “How about if I call you when I get back to my room and let you know?”

“Let me walk you.”

“No, no. I know the way from here.”

In fact, she didn’t, but she could find it. She just didn’t trust herself alone in her room with him. As much as her body was turned on, anything could happen. Her hesitancy registered, and he let it go.

“Call me as soon as you get back.”

“I will.”

He kissed her good-night. The look of desire in his eyes was palpable and made her catch her breath. She had to turn away before she said something she couldn’t retract. She hurried to the elevator and pressed the button for her floor.

What was she doing? She had a beautiful man who wanted to come to her room and make love to her, and she had said no. Was she being reasonable, or was she just being afraid? She didn’t know, but she had to figure it out and soon.

She got to her room and checked the schedule that Safire had given her. She wasn’t booked into a tour of St. Thomas, and they would be there two days. She checked the cruise guide and found a couple of things she would like to do, but they could wait for the second day.

She pulled out his card—Jeremy Bell.

“Hi, it’s me.”

“I’m glad. I was about to come looking for you.” He chuckled.

“I had to look through the brochure to see if there was anything else I wanted to do in St. Thomas. I’m not booked for a tour, but I wanted to go to Coral World and ride the submarine and see some of the castles and...”

He was laughing before she finished.

“What?”

“You don’t get out much, do you?”

“Maybe I don’t. And who knows when I’ll get back to St. Thomas?”

“I’ll bring you there on our honeymoon. How’s that?”

She could play, too.

“Maybe I want to see Hawaii on our honeymoon. Betcha didn’t think about that.”

They were both laughing.

“Okay,” he said. “Anything you want to do in St. Thomas is fine with me. Just save us a couple of hours on one day to do some shopping. Deal?”

“Deal. What time should we meet?”

“Well, since you want to see the whole island, we should get an early start. How about we meet at eight-thirty for breakfast and disembark at nine?”

“I’ll figure out an itinerary for us and let you know in the morning.”

“Let’s meet in the State Room for breakfast,” he suggested.

“I’ll see you then.”

Angelina hung up feeling elated. It was so easy to be playful with him on the phone. It was up close and personal that it got a bit iffy. She turned on her phone to check in at home. Safire was there again, as promised, and things were going well. She could relax a bit.

If only she could relax. Her body still buzzed from Jeremy’s touch and, without her consent, it still wanted more. There was nothing to do but play it by ear. She knew she was being a bit conservative, but she needed to know something about the man before she bedded down with him. And who knew how long that would take?

She giggled to herself as she changed into one of Safire’s risqué nighties. Maybe tomorrow she would know enough. It wasn’t likely, but she could dream.