Voyage into love

Unlucky at love, Professor Angelina Lewis is resigned that she is more of an intellectual than a romantic. She is in the habit of satisfying the yearnings in her heart with academic pursuits. This all changes when her sister talks her into taking her place on a singles’ cruise. On the high seas, red-hot desire ignites when she meets Jeremy Bell. Frolicking in the Caribbean with the sensual doctor is making Angelina believe in the power of passion. But what happens once they sail into port? Will her shipboard romance get hit with a reality check?

Jeremy doesn’t want the passionate music he and Angelina make to ever stop. From the exotic island of Puerto Rico to the sun-kissed beaches of Miami, he’s pursuing the woman of his dreams. But Jeremy will lose Angelina unless he can prove to her that they share something special—a rare love they’ll never find again on land or sea….

Angelina woke up wrapped in Jeremy’s arms, weak from the pleasures of the previous night. She looked at her watch and closed her eyes again. They only had two more full days together—today and tomorrow. What would happen then?

She tried to move from within his arms without disturbing him, but as she shifted away from him, he shifted closer, holding her tighter. She tried again, and the same thing happened. On the third try, low grumbling laughter came from deep in his chest.

“Are you trying to get away?” he asked.

“Yes, I am. And you’re wide-awake.”

“It’s early, and I like holding you.”

“Well I have a day planned.”

He opened his eyes, “Are you going ashore?”

“We could later, but I have a spa appointment this morning.”

“I see. And you were trying to sneak away.”

He chuckled, grabbing her firmly by the hips and pulling her against the length of his body.

YASMIN SULLIVAN

grew up in upstate New York and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, from which her family hails. She moved to Washington, D.C., to attend college and has earned degrees from Howard University and Yale University. As an academic writer, she has published works on by Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou and Ed Bullins, as well as the writing of the Negritude Movement and historical fiction treating emancipation in the Danish West Indies/United States Virgin Islands. She currently lives in Washington, D.C., where she teaches with a focus on African-American and Caribbean literatures. When she isn’t teaching, she does creative writing and works on mosaics.

Love

On the

High Seas

Yasmin

Sullivan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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Dear Reader,

A poet once said that there’s nothing better than having someone with whom to dream. Our dreams then seem more possible, more viable, more workable, more real. Sharing a good romance novel does the same thing. It allows us to dream together, making us kindred spirits, so that love becomes more possible, more viable, more real in our own lives.

I hope that this novel connects us across such a dream. It is the story of Angelina Lewis and Jeremy Bell, whose story is about learning to embrace the possibility of love and accepting the thrill of the sensual side that lives in each of us.

I am already at work on my next romance project, and I would love to hear your thoughts on this book. Please write me at yasminhu@aol.com.

Warm wishes,

Yasmin

For my mother, father, brother and grandmother,

who have given me the richness of the human heart;

for Jennie and Tanya, who have been my sister-friends;

for Madeline, Freddie and William, who have shaped my vision of love;

and for Vionette and Lois, who have inspired the romantic in me.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 1

Angelina Lewis fidgeted on the gangway, stuck in line with the horde of other passengers boarding the Palace of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships on the Atlantic. It was an hour before departure, when the throng had arrived, but the line was moving along quickly.

She might even have found a way to enjoy the short wait if she wasn’t sure that at least one more person would measure her against the passport she carried. Instead, the suspense of potential exposure was unnerving her. She couldn’t believe that she’d let her sister talk her into this.

Safire had shown up with a suitcase, a ticket and her usual chipper mood, and before Angelina knew what was what, they were in her room packing.

Safire’s calm, elliptical eyes followed Angelina as she flew back and forth across the room. Her sister still wore her usual blazer and matching miniskirt—her work attire. She tugged down the skirt as she adjusted herself on the bed, letting her long curls fall across the pillow. Safire’s plump cheeks puckered from her smile—one caused by mere amusement or by some thought that was more salacious. Angelina couldn’t tell.

“I can’t do this.” Angelina tore through her closet furiously. “I have work to do. Who’ll look after Philly?”

“You have to, or it’ll go to waste. I told you. One of my bosses went into labor early, so I can’t take off now. You can bring your work with you.” Safire sprawled over Angelina’s bed observing her distraught search. “Alex and I can take care of Philly and Rose. It’s all paid for. Live a little. Please.”

Safire flipped open the suitcase she had placed on the bed. “Look, you don’t even have to pack. I was all ready to go. It has everything you need, except some shoes, some undies and your toiletries.”

“There’s barely anything in there.”

“You won’t need a lot, especially not if you find a sexy man.”

Safire winked at her, and Angelina gaped.

“I can’t be like you, running around in skimpy nothings.” Angelina knew her sister well and could imagine what she’d packed. “No, no. I can’t do this. It’s a singles cruise. What am I going to do there?”

“Mingle. Get a life. Get you some. Or just lounge, swim in the pool, see the sights. You don’t have to do the singles events. It’s a regular cruise.”

“Okay, let’s say I do this. I have to get to the bank, pack my work, pack the suitcase, situate Philly, call the neighbors—”

“It doesn’t leave until four o’clock tomorrow. All of that is doable,” Safire said. “Here. Take my passport. Put it with the ticket and the cruise information.”

“I can’t take your passport. We’ll just change the passenger information.”

“I checked. It’s too late to do that. Just use my passport. You’re my sister.”

“No,” said Angelina. “I can’t get away with being you.”

“Of course you can. Here. Now no more about it.”

Angelina shook her head. She’d be calling the cruise line herself in the morning. There would be a fee, but she would just pay it. Her sister had gotten everything else, so she could pay for that.

Now she stood on board the ship just inside the boarding ramp. One of the crew members looked toward her, and she began to hand over the passport once more. It had been too late to change the passenger manifest, so she was Safire Lewis for the next nine days.

“No, ma’am, I don’t need your passport. I wanted to give you directions. Do you have your stateroom key?”

“Yes,” Angelina answered, “but I wanted to go on deck first to see the departure. Can I do that?”

“Of course. Just follow the left line to the elevators. Six floors up you’ll find the least crowded deck right now.”

“Thank you.”

Angelina shifted her purse and her laptop carry-on from one shoulder to the other and kept step with the line. She looked ahead of her in the line to see how much farther she had to go and found a pair of simmering brown eyes peering back at her. They belonged to a handsome chestnut-brown face that was wearing an intense expression of interest—so intense that she felt naked under the sly perusal.

Angelina flushed, and her cheeks grew hot. Her hand sprang to the buttons lining the front of her dress, checking in case one had come undone. She wasn’t sure how long she held his gaze; it seemed an hour but couldn’t have been for more than a minute.

A woman behind her bumped against her, and Angelina was startled out of her reverie. She turned briefly to the woman, and by the time she turned back, the man had gone around a corner.

She could have just imagined it. He could have been looking beyond her, or he could have simply seen that she was one of the few other African-Americans there. But perhaps that also made it clear that she was alone. She might need to be a bit more careful, more aware of her surroundings.

“You need to have some fun for a change,” Safire had said.

“A singles mixer isn’t my idea of fun right now. I have a semester starting soon. I have an article I haven’t finished. I have—”

“You have to get a life is what,” Safire said and then laughed. “When was the last time you had nookie?”

“Now, listen here. I might need to talk to you about—”

“Oh, no. Don’t start in on me. I have a life. And I enjoy it just fine. This is about you. Relax a little. Meet some people. See some places.”

Angelina could tell that her younger sister was treading gently to spare her sensibilities, and it was just as well. Her sister had a mouth on her that could make a sailor blush. She envied her sister’s freedom, but for Angelina herself, a bit of reading next to the ocean would be a wonderful break. And with the passport fiasco, laying low seemed like a good idea.

When she stepped off the elevator six stories up, the line was gone. People were relaxing in lounge chairs and looking over the railing at the Port of Miami. She found a spot on the banister for the departure, wondering if she’d feel the ship move or if it was simply too large.

Being on deck made what was happening real. She—Angelina Lewis—was actually on a cruise ship going somewhere.

When the horn sounded the departure call, Angelina was exhilarated. She didn’t feel the push off, but she could see the landscape begin to shift as they pulled out of the harbor. She held on to the rail and leaned over, gauging their movement from the receding pier and leaving behind the workaday world as a dark blue expanse opened before her.

For a moment, she forgot about her lists and her obligations. For a moment, she let it all sink in and felt herself enjoy the rush.

She stepped down from the rail and lifted her laptop bag to her shoulder again. She was already smiling when she turned around and found herself again locked in the distant gaze of sensuous brown eyes.

He was across the deck with a small group of other Black men, and he was staring at her, trapping her against the rail. Under his gaze, Angelina felt goose bumps run up her back. Her nipples tightened against her bra, and butterflies began to churn in her stomach. His eyes were trained on her, sensual ebony ovals above angular cheekbones and a rugged jawline. He smiled in her direction with thick, lush lips.

Angelina’s hand fluttered to her chest, and she took a deep breath. Was he looking at her? She glanced to each side. On one there was a family of five still looking toward the shoreline; on the other was a group of teenagers making a lively ruckus. She turned back. It must be her. She felt a tingle in the pit of her stomach and had to stop herself from turning away and fleeing.

He was leaning on the railing with his foot cocked up on one of the lounge chairs in self-assured ease. His elbows rested at his sides atop the rail, and like everything about his pose, his cool confidence suggested that he was out of her league.

He had on a short-sleeved white Oxford shirt that was tucked into pleated blue slacks. The breeze fluttered his shirt along his firm arms up to his broad shoulders, and his top buttons opened to a peek at his hard chest. He was talking with his friends, but all the while he was looking her way.

The brashness of his scrutiny sent shivers through Angelina’s body, and her insides buzzed with nervous energy. As self-conscious as she was under his open gaze, something in those eyes made her pulse skip. She had never had such a visceral reaction to anyone before and hoped that it couldn’t be read in her features. She pressed her palm against her midriff to calm herself but had to look away.

Angelina had been called her sister’s name all afternoon. Now, on an impulse, she decided to be a little like her baby sis. She took a breath and turned back to the simmering brown eyes and met their gaze, deliberately staring back with an audacious smile on her lips.

She was startled that she was being so brazen.

He seemed to hold her gaze, just as he did before, but nothing else changed. Then, when one of his friends said something, he turned toward the speaker and laughed, breaking his link with her. She certainly couldn’t pull it off the way Safire could. So much for the attempt.

Angelina shifted the load on her shoulder and stepped from the railing. Unfortunately, her laptop bag had gotten wedged between the rungs of the railing and toppled her back. She unhooked the bag and launched herself from the banister. No, she certainly couldn’t pull off what Safire could.

Had he seen her fumble? Embarrassed, she looked toward the warm brown eyes, but the face that held them was directed elsewhere. Well, she was no Safire. She didn’t know what had gotten into her in the first place.

She walked to the elevator, pulled out her key and went to find her cabin.

Angelina’s stateroom had everything she would have expected and more, including a balcony on the water. And luckily, she wasn’t sharing; she had an oasis all to herself. The first thing on her list was unpacking before dinner, and her suitcase had been delivered so she had only to plop it on the footrest to begin.

The pieces she’d added were on top, so she pulled out a couple of capris, a couple of skirts, a few blouses, a dress and some light tops to go over whatever nonsense Safire had packed for herself. And thank goodness. Safire’s clothes were much as she expected.

There were several cocktail dresses, all low-cut and thigh-high. Angelina couldn’t imagine herself strutting around in them. The shorts were okay, but Safire had packed skimpy tank tops and racerback T-shirts to go with them. The skirts were all mini and the tops were off-the-shoulder blouses or camisoles. Even the nightclothes she’d packed were sheer, midthigh numbers.

No wonder the case was only half-full when Safire brought it. Everything in it was tiny—just as she’d expected. The last piece of clothing she pulled out was Safire’s swimsuit. Such a pity she hadn’t remembered her own. She could ball up Safire’s bikini and make it disappear inside her fist.

Angelina stood in front of the closet taking inventory. She didn’t have enough of her own stuff, so she would have to make do with Safire’s pieces. She might have to get another swimsuit on the ship and perhaps a couple of oversize T-shirts to sleep in.

She hadn’t budgeted for extra clothes—at least not at what they would cost in floating boutiques. The light cover-ups she’d brought would supplement the dresses and tank tops, and she didn’t plan to go to many events, so she should be okay. After all, it was a cruise. She could be a little like her sister for a little while. She probably wouldn’t see anyone here again in life.

This made her think again of those warm brown eyes. What had she been thinking trying to send a signal from across the deck? He probably thought she was a loon. No, he probably wasn’t giving her a second thought at all. He could have been looking at the horizon the whole time. In any case, there were several thousand people on the ship. Chances of running into him again didn’t seem great, a fact that made her feel both disappointed and relieved.

Angelina turned to the rest of the suitcase and her carry-on—her work. She set up her laptop on the table and piled around it the books and papers she’d brought. She also pulled out all the cruise information: the docking schedule, the brochure for singles, coupons for the tours and a spa day, a separate booklet describing the ship’s amenities, pamphlets for events and movies.

The next thing to do was to find a place for dinner; she didn’t want to change, so nothing fancy. She found a café-style restaurant and had a sandwich. Then she went back to her room and called to check in at home. Safire was there, and all was well. She started to tell her sister a thing or two about packing such outrageous clothing, but she gave it a second thought. Safire wasn’t actually packing for her when she’d made those selections, so it didn’t make sense to accuse her of anything willful.

The rest of the evening she was going to lounge on the balcony and read. That, however, didn’t last long. She started Ellory Patterman’s history of the involvement of Black women in the World War I effort, and enjoying the book as she was, she drifted into sleep. Angelina woke up a couple of hours later to find her book on the floor and her neck stretched precariously to one side.

She got up and went into her room to change for bed but had only Safire’s short, silky nightgowns. There was nothing to be done about it right then, so she put one on and crawled into bed. For a few minutes, she watched the cruise ship’s information station on television, but before long, she clicked the television off. It was a little early, but she was tired; she’d been tired for some time, and the luxury of the space let her give in to what she needed most—rest.

If nothing else, she would get to relax a bit over the next nine days. She might even be able to take her sister’s advice and let loose a little. There could be a little Safire in her yet.

She curled up in bed, letting herself sink into the cool, crisp sheets. Perhaps it was the enchantment of being aboard a ship on the way to the Caribbean, or perhaps it was the sumptuous feel of the gown she had on, but she drifted off thinking of a warm pair of brown eyes.

Chapter 2

Jeremy Bell had noticed her before she’d even stepped onto the gangway. She was behind his group in the line to board the ship, and she was gorgeous. He could hardly keep from staring at her and hoped that she was one of the members of the singles cruise. She seemed to be. She didn’t seem to be with any of the people around her.

She had on a casual yellow sundress and strappy sandals with low wooden heels. The dress was simple enough, but it didn’t fully hide the voluptuous curves of her body. When the ocean breeze caught it, he could see the succulent shape of her buttock and the heavy sway of her ripe breasts.

There was something hesitant about her stance, an ongoing inquiry in her expression. She had probably never been on a cruise before. The uncertainty gave her a vulnerable quality that drew his gaze to her even more.

He lost her around a bend, but he was delighted to find that they’d been guided to the same deck for the departure. While he chatted with his friends across the deck, he got a look at her as she hung over the railing, delight and excitement written over her expression.

That, and the way her garment fluttered around her, made his own body react. And he hadn’t even met her yet. He was getting ahead of himself, so he settled against the railing to cool down and enjoy the departure with his friends.

They might tease him for trying to talk to a woman on the first day, but he still intended to go over and introduce himself once they were underway. If he didn’t, he might lose her in the multitude of people aboard the Palace of the Seas.

When he found her looking back at him, he was pleased, but not surprised. He was in his early thirties, and he still had it going on. For a while she looked away, and he was a little concerned. That wasn’t usually the reaction he got from women. He actually sighed in relief when she turned back to him, smiling at him from the banister. That was more like it.

Of course, that was when he lost her. He’d turned to Alistair, who was joking about being the odd man out, and when he turned back she was gone.

He went to three singles functions that night to see if she’d come out to any of them. He took time out to have dinner with his boys—Alistair, Myron and Rudy—at the singles reception in the Senator’s Quarters. Then he ditched them to check out a couple of the smaller singles mixers—the one in the Luau Bar and the one in the Messenger Lounge. He didn’t see her and had no way of knowing if he’d missed her.

If she wasn’t there on the singles cruise, he had no real way to find her again. There were thousands of people on the ship. That’s when he remembered the brochure. He pulled it out and rummaged through the pages. Each of them had had to submit a bio and picture for it, and it had come a couple of days before they were set to depart.

Unfortunately, there were dozens of pages of singles listings, and not everyone had sent in a picture. But there weren’t that many African-American women in the lineup, either. He found one that seemed to be her. The picture was small, so he couldn’t be sure. She was wearing a bikini and waving toward shore from the back of a motorboat. Her name was Safire Lewis, and she was twenty-three, hailing from North Miami. The woman he saw seemed to be older than twenty-three, but then women never told the truth on these things anyway. Right?

Safire Lewis was extroverted and outgoing. She liked swimming and jazz clubs, and she was looking for a man who thought he could tame her urges with tender loving care. She described her style as sophisticated but a bit risqué, and she defined herself as a sensual woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to get it—a little rambunctious but genial, sometimes saucy but always sweet.

She was looking forward to the singles cruise so that she could relax, kick back and meet some great guys. Her turn-ons were broad shoulders, confidence and someone who knew how to have a good time. Jeremy thought he fit that description. To describe herself in five words or less, she wrote “naughty and nice.”

It didn’t say much more than that, but that was more than enough.

Jeremy looked back at the picture. Her description of herself turned him on as much as seeing her had done. It made him more determined than ever to find her again the next day, when they would be at sea.

Easier said than done, however. The ship had fourteen decks, twenty restaurants, five spas, four movie theaters, gardens, pools, a casino, a carnival, a shopping district, a sports zone and numerous bars, lounges and cafés.

“You’re looking for whom?” Alistair asked.

“A woman I saw in line yesterday.”

“And you expect to find her how?”

“I think she’s listed in the singles brochure. I’m going to scout out the singles events.”

“I’ll go with you to the singles stuff,” Myron said.

“Me too,” Rudy said.

“I, on the other hand, will be at the pool.” Alistair wasn’t there for the singles mixers; he had a partner back home. He’d come to relax and enjoy. “I’ll meet you guys for lunch. Where?”

They were in Myron’s stateroom, and he picked up the booklet for the ship. “Okay. We have about thirty pages of options here.”

The other men laughed.

“Is there a singles luncheon venue today?” Rudy asked.

“Oh, joy,” Alistair said with a note of sarcasm.

Myron picked up the singles brochure. “In fact, there are three.”

“Pick one,” Jeremy said.

Myron shrugged. “The Onyx sounds good.”

“The Onyx it is. One o’clock.”

Jeremy, Myron and Rudy did a round of the singles events listed for that morning. Myron had started talking to a woman at the Pool and Cabana mixer, so they left him behind and headed to the Café mixer. She wasn’t there, and they didn’t want to go to the Date for the Day event, so Rudy left him to join Alistair, and Jeremy continued on alone.

Before heading to the Onyx, he stopped at the concierge to see if he could get Safire Lewis’s cabin number or telephone, which turned out to be the same thing. He tried calling the number they gave him but got no answer. At least he knew that if it was her—if the woman he saw was Safire Lewis—he could hope to reach her by phone. That much discovered, he joined his boys for lunch, still keeping an eye out for her.

He called her again before dinner—no luck. He called again after dinner—eureka.

“Hello.”

He had no idea what her voice sounded like.

“Hi, I’m trying to reach Safire Lewis.”

There was a pause on the other end. “Yes, this is she.”

“My name is Jeremy Bell, and I think I saw you when I was boarding the ship. I was wondering if you might want to get together for coffee or dancing or—”

“Who is this?” she asked.

Jeremy laughed out loud.

“I’m sorry. That’s a fair question. I’m on the singles cruise, and I think I saw you when we boarded. You had on a yellow dress. I wanted to meet you.”

“And you were wearing?”

“What was I wearing? I had on a white shirt and blue pants, I think. Let me check my closet. Yes, that was it. I thought you might have noticed me, too.”

“I remember you. But how did you get my name, my number?”

“After looking for you all day, I checked the singles listing. Luckily, there aren’t that many Black women on this cruise, so I took a chance that you were the one I saw.”

“Oh.” There was a pause.

“Look, you probably already have plans for tonight because it’s New Year’s Eve, but if you don’t, maybe we can meet at one of the mixers.”

“I hadn’t actually planned on going out tonight. I brought some work with me and was in for the night. But maybe...”

He could hear her hesitation, but at least she was thinking about it.

“I had planned on going to the Peacock Lounge for their New Year’s Eve party. Maybe we could meet there.”

He didn’t get a response right away.

“I’m not sure. Let me see how much I get done, and I’ll consider.”

“Well, no pressure. I’ll be there, and if you don’t recognize me, I’m sure I’ll recognize you. I hope you can come.”

“I’ll see,” she said.

It was clear that she didn’t want to commit, so he decided not to push it.

“It would be great to meet you, so I’ll keep a lookout.”

“Okay, then.”

“Goodbye.”

Clearly, he hadn’t made the impression he thought he’d made. When she looked back at him and smiled, he thought that they’d connected. Now she seemed unsure if she wanted to meet him.

To be fair, she didn’t know him from Adam; he could be a serial murderer. She seemed more cautious than her bio had led him to believe. That, or she was swamped with something for work. Or she simply wasn’t that interested in him from what she saw. He had no way of knowing.

At least she remembered him. And she might come tonight. He wasn’t sure what he would be doing until he spoke to her. In fact, he probably would have rung in the New Year at one of the sports bars with his boys if he hadn’t spoken to her. Now, he had time to change and catch up with the guys to let them know his new plans.

He met up with Alistair and Rudy at a sports bar around ten o’clock. Myron had a date with the woman that he’d met at the Pool and Cabana mixer, and Jeremy would be meeting them in the Peacock Lounge at eleven.

“I’ll be back before twelve-thirty if she doesn’t show.”

“She’ll show,” said Alistair. “Hottie that you are.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

When he got to the Peacock Lounge, he was given a mask made of peacock feathers. He didn’t know that everyone would have them on, and he hoped he could still tell who she was. At least there wouldn’t be that many choices.

The champagne was already flowing from towers of crystal glasses arranged on silver platters. An elaborate ball was rigged to drop, and the countdown was already ticking down on a monitor. Whistles and party favors were piled up on tables skirting the room.

He found Myron and his date on the dance floor and nodded to his friend. Myron had a thick frame and wore a loose yellow panama shirt with a pair of brown slacks. He had tracked Jeremy’s entrance with one lazy eye and nodded at Jeremy over his date’s shoulder.

After a couple of songs, they came over, and Myron introduced him to Verniece. She had a pleasant smile and seemed completely unassuming. Her tall, full figure matched Myron’s thickness, and even her yellow skirt set with French dots blended with Myron’s attire. The two seemed evenly paired.

The three chatted for a while, and then he left the couple to enjoy their evening together, wandering over to the array of cheeses and breads. Nearing midnight he began to get a little disappointed, but he still held out. Safire had been noncommittal, but she at least seemed to consider his invitation. He would give her until half past midnight, maybe even longer, because she seemed well worth the wait.

He recognized her the moment she hit the doorway, and what he saw made his body pulse. She had on a strapless red cocktail dress that hit her midthigh and hugged every delicious curve of her body. Over that she wore a sheer red wrap with a floral burnout pattern. It was almost as long as the dress, but so translucent that it hid nothing of her shapely curves.

When she stepped down into the lounge, he saw that she had on black pumps that showed off her taut calves and supple rear. As she rounded the banister, he walked toward her.

Her face was partially hidden by the peacock mask, but the pretense of anonymity only made her look sexier than ever. Her lips were red and smiling, and she’d piled her hair on top of her head in cascading black curls.

She seemed a little hesitant in a way that made her seem vulnerable, but then she hadn’t seen him as yet, and she didn’t know him.

“Safire?”

“Jeremy?”

He lifted his mask so that she could see his face. “Yes, it’s me. I’m glad that you could make it. When it got close to midnight, I began to worry.”

“I’m glad I made it, too, and with two minutes to spare.” She was looking at the countdown on the monitor.

He took her hand and led her toward the dance floor. He couldn’t help smiling. When they got near the center of the floor, he didn’t let her hand go. Knowing that she wasn’t afraid to get what she wanted, he held her hand within his, playing his fingers over hers. It was sensual and erotic touching the fingers of a masked stranger.

They just looked at each other for several moments, and then the crowd around them started counting down the seconds. That was when he knew he would kiss her.

When the count got to ten everyone joined in, and the chant rose around them. They simply stared at each other through peacock-feathered masks, waiting. Suddenly, the Happy New Year call went up and the ball dropped, accompanied by an explosion of silver confetti and streams of colored balloons.

Jeremy stepped to Safire, put his arms around her and brought his lips to hers. For a moment, they lingered that way, lips poised, close to each other. Then he touched his lips to hers, possessing her and drawing her body against his.

At first she was still, not willing to give in to the moment. But as he continued to move his lips over hers, they softened underneath his, and her hands came up to his shoulders, pressing lightly against him.

He gripped her hips harder and pulled her flush against him, parting her lips. Her mouth opened for him, and he slid his tongue into the sweet wetness of her. Her grip on his shoulders tightened, and her mouth widened, letting him in. She stirred in his embrace, and her arms came up to surround his shoulders and then his neck. Her fingers at his nape sent a quiver through his body and heat into his loins.

Their tongues began to explore, and he was seared by the heat of her body. Her chest heaved against his with each breath, and he wrapped his arms more fully around her.

He had no idea how long they remained locked together, but when he opened his eyes, they were calf-deep in balloons, and the silver confetti in her hair made her look like an angel.

As he looked at her, her cheeks flushed. She took a breath and stepped back from him, straightening her body and dusting the confetti from her shoulders. She looked around them nervously.

“I don’t know what got into me,” she said.

He could see the embarrassment written over her as she continued to pick the confetti from her clothing. It made him smile.

“Happy New Year,” he said.

She smiled and stopped fussing over the confetti.

“Happy New Year to you, too.”

“It’s time for champagne.”

“Oh, none for me. I hadn’t planned to stay, really. I just wanted to come welcome in the New Year and say hello.”

“You can’t leave so soon. You just got here. Give me the first dance of the New Year.”

“I’m sorry. I really should go. I have some work I’d planned to get done tonight.”

Jeremy couldn’t help the disappointment he was starting to feel.

“How about tomorrow? Can we meet for lunch?”

“That would be—” She stopped. “I’m on a tour tomorrow when we stop at Nassau.”

“Have you ever been to the Bahamas?”

“No, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

“Then you have to go see Nassau,” he said. “My friends and I planned to disembark as well, but just to do some shopping and hit the beach. You enjoy the tour.”

She smiled and turned to go, but he wasn’t giving up that quickly.

“Wait. What about dinner?”

She turned back to him. “That sounds good. Will other singles be there?”

Jeremy hadn’t planned on a group for dinner, but he sensed it would make her more comfortable.

“Yes, we can meet at one of the singles buffets and go from there. I still have your number. I’ll call and leave a message when we figure out which one.”

“That’ll be fine. I’m sorry I have to run.”

Jeremy wanted to take hold of her and kiss her again, even if it was a kiss good-night. But something told him not to go that quickly. He simply smiled at her, and she smiled back before turning toward the door.

After the fire of the kiss, Jeremy had hoped that they would end up in each other’s arms tonight. Instead, he nodded toward Myron on the dance floor and decided to make his way back to the sports bar to find Alistair and Rudy.

He couldn’t wait to see Safire again, to feel her in his arms again. If she wasn’t afraid to get what she wanted, he had to find a way to let her know that he was it. But that would have to wait until tomorrow night.

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.

Chapter 4

Jeremy had gotten up at seven. It was too early to be getting up, but it gave him an hour in the gym. And that early, he almost had the place to himself, except for Alistair, who was a workout fanatic.

The two had laughed when he had come in to find Alistair on the elliptical machine. But it gave him the chance to update his friend on his new romance and let Alistair know that he’d be gone for the day.

“No, we haven’t done anything yet.”

“Uh-oh. Are you losing your touch? It never takes you this long. Hey, Myron said you got tongue action on the first night. What’s happened?”

“Myron has a big mouth. And nothing’s happened. Maybe I just want to take it a little slower this time.”

“Uh, no,” Alistair said and laughed. “Maybe she does.”

“Okay, so she does. But I’m liking it this way, too.”

“That means you’ve been bitten by the love bug.”

Jeremy put down the forty-pound weight he was lifting and looked at his friend. “Maybe. Too soon to tell.”

Alistair raised his eyebrows. Maybe said a lot, at least for Jeremy.

Actually, Safire wasn’t turning out to be anything like her description—except that she was hot as hell. She’d probably been lying on her application like all the singles—height, age, weight. He chuckled to himself.

Only Safire didn’t have to lie. He was even more attracted to who she really was than to the racy profile she’d submitted. He was more intrigued by Safire herself. He could also tell that underneath her controlled demeanor there really was a fiery, sensual woman. He wanted her to come out and play.

He had to admit this much: had they simply gone to bed together the first night, he probably wouldn’t be spending all this time getting to know her. And he was enamored with what he had gotten to know. He could see her passion, but he had also gotten a taste of her wit and her smarts. He wanted more of her—not only under the sheets but also outside the sheets, and that was a rather new prospect for him.

Jeremy put on a short-sleeved white shirt and a pair of khaki slacks. Some socks and his boat moccasins and he was ready to go. He slipped his wallet into his back pocket, clipped his phone onto his belt, dropped his camera into his breast pocket and headed to the State Room to find Safire.

She was already at a table but hadn’t gone to the buffet as yet. She was pouring over a sheet of paper in front of her, and as he sat down she started chattering.

“Good morning. I’ve got it down to Coral World and Bluebeard’s Castle, but I think we can have lunch there, so we can save that for later.”

He could see her sheer pleasure over the prospects of the day.

“Should I have brought my swimsuit?” he asked.

“Oh. I didn’t bring mine, either. I thought we were shopping. Although you can swim at Coral World,” she said. “But then we’d have sand in our britches all day.”

Jeremy laughed out loud.

“Promise me,” he said, “that tomorrow, whatever else we do, we go to either Magen’s Bay or Frenchman’s Reef.”

“You know the island well, don’t you?”

“I have college friends from St. Thomas,” he said. “I’ve visited before. But I haven’t been to Coral World.”

“Perfect. We start at Coral World. We walk the aquarium, pet the fishes in the petting zoo and have our pictures taken with an iguana.”

Jeremy laughed.

“It goes with the picture of me kissing of the dolphin. Stop laughing.” She swatted at him playfully. “Anyway, then we go to Bluebeard’s Castle, and then we can shop till you drop. Sound good?”

“Sounds wonderful. But let’s get some breakfast so we don’t miss the safari.”

“I’m too excited. You go ahead.”

He took her arm and tugged her to the buffet. “Eat something. For me.”

They both had a light breakfast and caught a nine o’clock safari that would drop them off at Coral World and pick them up in two hours. He wrapped his arm around her for the safari ride and linked their fingers once they got to the aquarium.

He got shots of her petting the starfish and stingray and other sea creatures in the petting zoo. All he could think was that he wanted that hand on him. Then she took the camera from him.

“I’m not petting a stingray,” he said. “Do you know why they call it a stingray?”

She laughed. “I did it. Come on.”

“You did, but apparently you don’t know why they call them stingrays.” He laughed. Nevertheless, he put his hand in the water and petted the animal so that she could capture the image.

“Now I just have to get you kissing a dolphin, and we’ll have matching images. Hey, how do I get these from you?”

“I’m sure there’s someplace on the ship where we can burn them onto a CD. We’ll check.”

They got another tourist to snap a photo of them in front of the iguanas and then headed down into the circular dome that led to the ocean floor. The top aquariums were self-contained, but the bottom wasn’t an aquarium at all; the glass opened onto the ocean floor and the animals of the reef.

He loved watching Safire’s reaction. He also loved having her hand in his or his arm around her.

She had on orange capris with a light orange sleeveless top that was made out of chiffon with a lining underneath. It billowed out at her hips and made her look ethereal. She had on strappy gold one-inch sandals to go with it. It was all simple, but it made her look simply stunning.

She had also started touching him back—nothing major, but without seeming to think about it, she put her hand to his chest when she pointed out the shark swimming in a huge circle around the aquarium tier. Every time she touched him, it sent a quiver through his body and puffed his ego up just a little bit more. If only she knew what she was doing to him. Later, she grabbed his shoulder and shook it when she realized that what she was seeing was an octopus.

“You just got that?” he teased.

She swatted at him. “Who knew they could curl up like that? Where’s the beak?”

“I think we’ll have to wait till they feed it.”

She checked her watch.

“We better go,” she said, “before we miss the safari.”

They got something of a tour of the island as they were taxied to Bluebeard’s Castle. Then they had a tour of the castle and ate at Room with a View Restaurant. It gave them a chance to sit down and relax and talk for a while.

“So what do you do?” she asked.

“I’m a radiologist. I like it, and it’s a good living. What about you?”

“I’m sure it is interesting. And you don’t have all the odd hours to contend with, right?”

“I’m on call every other week, but mostly it’s nine to five. It was one of the things that attracted me to the practice. I love work, but I like to have a life as well.”

“I’m a teacher. History. And the paper grading and class prep never end.” She chuckled. “But I like it.”

Jeremy could tell that there was more she was about to say, but she left it at that, so he let it go.

“Where are you from?” he asked.

“North Miami—born and raised. And you?”

“You’re from Miami and you’ve never been on a cruise before?”

“How did you know I haven’t been on a cruise?”

“You just seemed a bit awestruck the first day I saw you.”

She laughed at that. “I guess so. I was on a cruise with my family when I was little, but I don’t really remember it, so I guess this is my first. But what about you? Where are you from?”

“I’m in Miami now,” he said, “coming from D.C. I went to Howard University, but I got a good job offer in Miami when I was finished with school, so here I am. I’ve been in South Miami for a few years. Now I live in Richmond Heights. I like the city, and there’s stuff to do, so I don’t get bored.”

“Do you date a lot?”

“Ouch. Here come the real questions. I date a bit. I like to get out and have fun.”

“What does that mean—get out and have fun?” she asked.

“It means that I date, but that I haven’t found the right one as yet to make a serious commitment. I’m always open about that.” The worried look on her face told him that Safire wasn’t too pleased with his answer. “I’m hoping it might be you,” he added to temper the news.

“Have you been married before or serious? Do you have any children?”

“You don’t hold back, do you?” he said and chuckled. “I don’t have children, but I’d like to one day. I have not been married before. I dated a woman in college, but it didn’t work out. School took too much of my time, and she didn’t understand.”

Jeremy noticed that Safire was asking all the questions.

“I don’t want to be the only one under the microscope,” he said. “What about you? Do you date? Have you been married or serious? Children?”

“No to all of the above. No children. No marriage. No serious relationship, actually. I guess I’ve spent too much time trying to get my education behind me and then trying to get acclimated to teaching and paying off student loans and dealing with family obligations. I haven’t really dated since high school, but that doesn’t bother me.”

He wanted to ask about her family obligations, but he let it go. There would be time for more details later. For now, it was time for them to get a move on and get some shopping done.

They waited a few minutes for the next safari and took it to downtown Charlotte Amalie. They got off at the waterfront, where there were so many shops that they didn’t know what to do.

“Okay,” he said. “What are we looking for? I’d like to get something in gold for my mom. Maybe something crystal. That’s as far as I know.”

“I’m more in the silver range, perhaps some shells or tokens—tight budget.”

“That’s fine, too.”

They held hands as they walked up and down the passages on Main Street, stopping in stores.

He leaned over the counter in the jewelry store, circling her waist where she stood next to him. He kissed her arm, and she laughed and then waved him away. She helped him pick out a rope necklace and matching earrings for his mother, a pair of gold chains for his father and brother, a locket for his grandmother and a watch for his grandfather.

He wished he could get her to pick out something for herself, but he knew that she wouldn’t have it. He contented himself with the fact that she was letting him, at least in small ways, be openly affectionate with her.

She got her presents in one of the places that specialized in silver, and then they went to a souvenir shop where he got rum balls and perfume for his coworkers and casual friends, and where she got shells for hers. The rest of their time was spent window shopping, trying tropical-flavored ice creams, and walking Main Street and Back Street before returning to Emancipation Garden to catch a safari.

Along the way, they decided that when they got back to the ship, they would change for dinner, eat and see a movie that night.

“I thought we were going shopping,” she said.

“What? We did. We shopped till we dropped. I’m shopped out,” he said and then chuckled.

“Look at these teeny little bags we have.” Safire held up her little bag of shells and jewelry.

“But these are easier to pack, you see.” Jeremy pointed to his little bag of jewelry and perfume.

“Next time, we have to get bigger things. Not more expensive things, just bigger ones. We should look like we just spent four hours doing something.”

Both of them laughed.

Back aboard the ship, Jeremy kissed Safire goodbye as if it weref a regular habit between them. He then headed to his room to rest for a little bit, shower and change.

When he got to her stateroom, she was still changing. He lingered at the door, and she was out in a few minutes with a green dress on—a sleeveless one with thin straps. Like the others, it showed off her curves. Like the last one, it was cut close to her body and snug against her breasts. This time, she had a green shirt over it that was a sheer material. With her strappy one-inch heels and all made up, she looked breathtaking. This woman was growing on him in a very short time.

After dinner in the Captain’s Boardroom, they picked a disaster movie and hunkered down in the theater. Jeremy liked the genre, but he liked having Safire curled up on the seat next to him even more, cuddled under his arm in the chill of the cinema.

Still holding her, he slipped his hand up the large sleeve of her cover-up and stroked her forearm, keeping her warm. One of her hands came up to rest on his skin, and to his surprise, she played her fingers over his arm, stirring sensations in his body.

When his forearm caught one of her breasts as he warmed her, he felt the intake of her breath and the spasm in her torso. They had a corner to themselves, so he moved his forearm over her breast again to see if she would respond again. Her chest heaved against his arm, and her fingers tightened on his wrist. He did it again and again until she turned her head into his shoulder and closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she snuggled closer to him and laid her hand on his chest, feeling through his shirt. It was a tentative gesture, but he stopped to see what she would do. She closed her fingers over one of his nipples and created a pressure that sent a hot ripple from his chest down to his swollen groin.

In response, he captured one of her breasts, using his thumb to create a hard crest through the satiny fabric of her dress. Her upper body jerked, and she squirmed in her seat.

When the lights came up, Jeremy was startled. He had spent the entire time watching Safire, not the movie. Under the lights, she smoothed down her dress and adjusted her cover-up, warily checking around to see if anyone had noticed them.

He took a deep breath to collect himself, tugged Safire’s hand and drew them both from the theater and toward the elevator.

“Where are we going now?” she asked.

“Home, love.”

He felt the questions rise in her, but she remained silent and let herself be drawn along his path.

As the door to his stateroom closed, Jeremy pulled Safire into his arms and a passionate kiss, pressing every inch of her against his body, which had been teased for too long. She responded to his touch, but she was quiet. He broke the kiss to put on one of the dimmer lights next to the bed.

When he turned back, he found Safire still at the door, her arms clasped protectively in front of her chest, one of her ankles teetering nervously upon the heel of her shoe. Now that they were alone, her hesitance was back. He could see in her a shyness that made her seem vulnerable and plucked at his heart.

He didn’t want to frighten her away, and he was more than willing to go at her pace, but God, he wanted her so badly that he was going to have a hard time if she didn’t want him back tonight. One thing was clear. The desire between them was unmistakable. The only question was whether or not she was ready to give in to those feelings.

He crossed back to her and took her in his arms again, pressing her lightly against the door. He held her body flush with his, knowing she could feel his sex wedged against her center. He pressed himself into her and kissed her until her hips tilted forward, seeking the feel of him. He deepened his kiss until her hips rocked against his, riding her almost imperceptibly along his manhood. He thrust his tongue deep into her mouth until it elicited a choked whimper that set his pulse on fire.

How he wanted her.

When he tore his mouth from hers, she held him tightly around his shoulders, as if she didn’t want him to see her. Jeremy dipped his head to her neck, kissing the tender flesh. He opened her cover-up and bent down to press his lips over one of her breasts though her dress. Her body twisted, and her arms tightened about his head.

Slipping from her embrace, he lowered himself onto his knees in front of her, nudging through her dress at the center of her womanhood. He wanted to take his time, but the beauty of this woman was urging him onward. He heard her breath catch as he raised the hem of her dress and brought his mouth to her panties, kneading her sex through the slick shield of thin cotton. She was so wet, so ready, that it was all he could do to keep his knees on the ground.

His palms on her hips pinned her to the back of the door, but her hips swirled against them. She was rather quiet, but he could tell that she loved his mouth upon her. Her breathing, the way her hands tightened around his head, and the taut thrust of her groin told him that.

He hooked his thumbs in the material at her hips. He might be pushing it, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted her. Her hands flew to his wrists as he began to pull down the intruding underwear.

He stopped, but her panties were already clear of her sex. He kissed her intimately, parted her slick path with his tongue and sucked her into his mouth. Her body jerked against the door, and she shuddered, gripping his wrists. Safire was making his body blaze.

Still, she hadn’t let go. His tongue and lips toyed over her; his mouth drank in her honeyed liquor; his nose took in her floral scent. Still, she was choking back her murmurs and biting off moans.

When he moved one of his hands up to her breast, her hips rocked her core onto his mouth. She quivered, clipped short a wail and gripped his shoulders. His fingers spread over both of her breasts, tweaking and groping the hard nipples, and his mouth continued to graze her inflamed sex. He was ready, as ready as she was.

Her hips went taut.

Just as she cried out, she cut off the sound, and it fell to a low whimper.

Jeremy looked up at Safire, smiling. She was biting her lower lip. Her eyes were closed, and she was trying to catch her breath. He rubbed the outsides of her thighs to comfort her.

When she opened her eyes, however, her hands sprang across her chest. An expression of shock came onto her face.

She fumbled awkwardly to raise her panties, toppling him backward in front of her. Before he could right himself or say a word, she had slipped through the cabin door behind her and escaped down the hallway. When he got to the door, there was no sign of her, not even the imprint of her shoes on the carpet was left.

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