by Adams, S. C.
I should get out of the pool and walk over to them, apologize and demand an apology in return, but I can’t. I stay weightless in the water as they make friends with younger, prettier girls. Maybe it’s better this way.
When I finally force myself out of the pool, it’s because the clock is ticking close to noon, and I need to meet Carter for lunch. Verifying that the girls are still at their bar-side posts, I sneak downstairs into our room to shower and change.
Avoiding them is exhausting.
The room is lonely as I get dressed. Even Carter’s room feels lonely with just the two of us. It’s because Caitlyn and Jessica are more than just bodies; they’re personalities. They fill any room they’re in, and I miss that.
I miss them. And I need to do something about it. I’m the one who walked out. Yeah, they hurt me, but I hurt them, too. I can be the bigger person this time.
Carter already has a table when I get to the buffet for lunch. We leave our stuff to protect the prime real estate and load up on delicious buffet food. I’m going to miss having free, cooked food available 24/7.
“I saw Jessica and Caitlyn today,” I say when we sit down with our plates.
“Oh? Did you talk to them?”
“No. I wanted to, but I chickened out. They were with some girls we met on the first day and I felt… I don’t know, like I didn’t belong.”
He takes my hand. “You really miss them.”
“Of course I do. They’re my best friends. We’ve never fought like this before.”
“Then let’s do something about it. How about we have dinner with them tonight? I can reserve a private table at Harper’s.”
“Carter…”
He squeezes my fingers. “Let me do this for you. I hate seeing you so upset.”
Harper’s is an onboard steakhouse, and it’s not one of the free places to eat. The girls and I looked at the menu when we explored that first day and nearly passed out at the prices. But if Carter is insisting on taking us there to repair my friendships with Cait and Jess, then I should take him up on it.
“Okay,” I agree. “I’ll invite them. Hopefully, they’ll actually come.”
“They’ll come,” he says. “They love you as much as you love them.”
After lunch, Carter has to go back to work, so I head for the deck to see if the girls are still there. Sure enough, they are.
“Hey,” I say when I get close enough. They both look surprised but offer me tentative smiles. “I’m really sorry about the other day. I just want you to get to know Carter the way I have. He’s booking a table at Harper’s tonight, on him. Will you come?”
They share a look, and Caitlyn shrugs.
“Why what’s in it for us?”
I stare at her.
“Free food from a fancy restaurant and the opportunity to get to know guy I’m seeing.”
She sighs.
“Okay,” she assents. “We’ll be there. And for the record, I’m sorry about the other day, too. It was never supposed to be like that, Abby.”
Not wanting to push our slight truce, I head for the deck to get the sun I’ve been craving. Living in Miami used to mean constantly tanned skin, but since I took on more clients at the firm, I haven’t had nearly as much time to lay out as I used to. I know, I know, the UV rays are bad for you and I’ll probably be hopelessly wrinkled in two years. Yet, I still adore basking in the sun’s warm rays, and hopefully, this trip can tide me over until I quit my job and get to spend every day on the water.
The waves lull me to sleep under an expanse of intensely blue sky. I haven’t had much sleep since I met Carter. We’re up half the night rolling around on the sheets before we finally close our eyes.
I wake up to some kids running on the wooden deck, their wet shoes squeaking with each step. Their mother trails behind them, looking exhausted and begging them to just stop running, please. The kids don’t listen.
My phone clock reads just after four. My skin feels tight and warm, but luckily I don’t burn, so my sunshine nap won’t leave me in pain tomorrow.
Our room is still empty when I return, so I take a quick shower and grab a dress from my closet. It’s not as fancy as the red number I wore to Carter’s poker tournament, but it’ll be okay for Harper’s. I’m sure the girls will be wearing much nicer clothes. For once, I’m okay with that. Carter likes my jeans and t-shirts as much as he likes my dresses. I’ve never had that before.
Once I’m dressed, I escape to Carter’s room. Lately, he’s been leaving it unlocked so that I can slip in whenever I want. This floor is heavily secured, so he’s not worried about anyone breaking in. And even if they did, they wouldn’t get much because he keeps all his valuables in a safe, including several fancy watches and his money clip. I think I even saw some gold bars in there, but I’m not sure.
Yet I know that my man’s not a crazy billionaire. He loves a lot of regular things like baseball and jet-skiing. He listens to all kinds of music but has a soft spot for classic rock. He only sees his parents four times a year when he takes quarterly vacations from monitoring his ships. He’s traveled to hundreds of countries on cruises and flights. He’s never been married and doesn’t have kids. And he’s incredible in bed.
Like I said, fighting with Jessica and Caitlyn has had one good thing: getting to know Carter better.
Six o’clock approaches fast, so I leave my man’s room and head for Harper’s. Carter is at the restaurant already when I arrive, and he looks amazing. My guy is dressed in a black suit with a stark white dress shirt beneath, highlighting his bronzed skin. His black hair is brushed off his forehead, emphasizing those rugged features, and his eyes look so blue that I could melt.
“Hi,” I whisper, leaning up for a kiss when he stands to greet me.
“Hi yourself,” he rumbles. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I titter, shaking my breasts a bit as if teasing him. “I’m glad you approve.”
“Sweetheart, I not only approve, but you’re going to get that dress torn right off you if you don’t behave. It doesn’t matter that we’re in public. One elevator ride, and we’ll be back in my suite,” he warns.
I giggle again, and fortunately, at that moment, Caitlyn and Jessica arrive. They look nice enough. They’re twenty-something girls with long hair and flowery dresses. Carter, by contrast, looks like a billionaire from a movie.
Dinner starts off quiet, but my guy is charming and keeps the conversation flowing like good wine. By the time our food comes, Caitlyn and Jessica are opening up, telling him about their jobs and the things they love. He nods, smiles, and makes insightful comments, and I’ve never been so proud. Of course they love him. Who wouldn’t?
After we eat dinner, Carter excuses himself for a business meeting with some board members, leaving his card with the waiter so that everything is charged to his room.
The girls and I order dessert and sit awkwardly until I break the silence.
“I really like him,” I tell them. “I wish you guys would accept that.”
Caitlyn reaches over and takes my hand. “We do. I’m really sorry I flipped out on you. It just hurt that you would rather spend your vacation with him than with us. But I get it. Now that we’ve really, properly met him…”
“You get it?”
Jessica nods. “We get it. And we won’t complain anymore when you want to hang out with him. But we have a condition.”
“Okay?”
“We want weekly dinners when we get back to Miami. No excuses.”
I laugh. “I can handle that. And breakfast tomorrow?”
“We’d love that. And if Carter is busy at all tomorrow, you can slum it with us.”
“Hey,” I protest. “It’s never slumming it with you.”
I know Jessica is only joking, but it matters to me that she knows that I love her. That I love both of them.
“I know,” she says. “I love you, Abby.”
“I love you, too. Both of you. I promise, no guy will eve
r change that.”
“Good.”
Our dessert arrives just in time for our lighter banter. Caitlyn eats a crème brûlée while Jessica and I chow down on strawberry ice cream. It is absolutely delicious.
After we’ve finished, the waiter takes away our plates, and we walk out holding arms.
“Hey, Carter is busy for the rest of the night, and there’s a movie playing up on the deck. Something having to do with star-crossed lovers, the jungle, and oh, Alexander Skarsgard’s in it. You want to go?”
The girls both grin.
“Alexander Skarsgard? It has to be Tarzan! We’d love to. Ooh, he’s hot.”
We head to the upper deck together, our relationship stronger than it’s ever been. A piece of my heart I hadn’t known was missing is back, and for the first time ever, it feels totally full.
Thanks to Jessica and Caitlyn.
And Carter.
14
Abby
I yawn mightily, opening my eyes with a secret smile on my face. It’s nice being in Carter’s king size bed, especially when compared with the narrow berths in my own shared room. Not that Jessica and Caitlyn are so terrible, but when you have three girls cramped into a fifteen by fifteen space, it can get crowded. There’s constantly the smell of hairspray, and my two buddies brought so many clothes that fabric is pretty much draped everywhere: off the bedposts, off the open door of our tiny closet, and even on the towel bar in our miniscule bathroom.
I suppose it makes sense though. This was supposed to be a getaway for the three of us to have fun, so I guess it means things are even more fun if we’re living cramped like mice. Not. As a result, I’m really glad that I’ve been able to sleep most nights in Carter’s spacious suite, and to revel in his huge, king-size bed.
Not to mention waking up to him is a sight to behold. Most mornings, he’s up before me and already tapping away at work on his computer, but this morning, I see a god of a man splayed beside me, and my breath catches. Carter is all heavy muscle, bronzed skin, and a backside that makes my mouth water. He’s sculpted with tattoos running up over his arms and chest, and my eyes go wide at all the twirly swirls.
“Are you staring at me while I sleep?” he grunts, his eyes still closed.
I giggle a bit.
“Okay, so what if I am? You’re just so gorgeous,” I titter again.
One blue eye opens, catching mine.
“I’m glad you think so, sweetheart. You’ve got it going on too.”
At that compliment, I blush because I know he’s being kind. I’m creamy and soft, but I’m also big. Not just compared to the twig-size models you see in magazines, but also when compared to normal-sized girls out there. So I know Carter’s being nice.
I blush again.
“Thank you,” is my quiet murmur. “I’m glad you like what you see.”
He growls and reaches over me to grab me by my hips, pulling me next to that bronzed chest.
“No really, sweetheart, I mean it. You’re absolutely gorgeous and I wouldn’t trade you in for anyone.”
“Not even hot supermodels who get paid billions of dollars to stand around and look pretty?”
He shakes his head.
“Nope, not even them.”
“Not even for a beautiful princess like Kate Middleton with lush brown hair and big brown eyes?”
He looks down at me, pretending to think.
“Well, maybe for her,” he drawls.
I giggle, slapping him on his chest lightly. Ow! His muscles are as hard as oak and I titter again.
“Please, Kate Middleton is married already. You can’t have her.”
He grins.
“No, I was just thinking sweetheart. You look a lot like Kate Middleton, with your curly brown hair and sweet caramel eyes. She has nothing on you,” he declares.
I giggle again.
“Yeah, except she wears diamond tiaras every night and has three kids already.”
He grins at me, his blue eyes gleaming.
“Well, you know I’m worth a lot of money, sweetheart. I can get you a diamond tiara if you want. And also three kids if you’re game.”
My mouth drops practically to the floor.
“Are you serious? You can’t be. Who wears diamond tiaras?”
His eyebrows waggle.
“Well, like you mentioned, Kate Middleton does, but if you want to wear one for me, I’d be more than happy to get you one. Let’s see, you’d look especially amazing completely nude with crystal heels and a diamond tiara on those gorgeous curls, baby girl. I can see it already. I’ll come back from work, tired and weary, and you’ll greet me on my bed with nothing but that tiara and some skyscraper heels on. It’ll be amazing.”
This time, I start to giggle again.
“Oh you,” I say playfully, swatting him on the arm this time. Wow, even his forearm feels as hard as oak. This guy has muscles all over, and it turns me on.
But then Carter grows serious.
“No, I mean it, baby girl. We have a jewelry store on-board. Why don’t you let me take you there, and get you a little something? I don’t think they stock tiaras, but maybe a ring or a necklace? A bracelet? Would you like that?”
I can’t help but to stare at him. Is this man insane?
“Um no, I’m okay,” I say, my cheeks flushing. “I have plenty of jewelry already.”
Carter’s brow goes up quizzically.
“But surely, a girl can always use more jewelry? Especially diamond jewelry?” he adds, one corner of his mouth quirked. “Because I’d love to see you draped in gemstones, sweetheart. You’d look so good wearing that and nothing else.”
Now, my cheeks are as hot as a flame, and I blush all over, grabbing the sheet to me. But Carter won’t be stopped. He leans forward and drops a kiss to my nose.
“I wasn’t kidding about the kids part either. If you want me to give you three babies like Kate Middleton has, I’d be more than happy.”
That makes me sit upright because all this talk about jewelry was frivolous and fun, but the talk about children makes me grow serious all of a sudden.
“Carter,” I choke out. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.”
“What is it?” he asks, lounging back and stretching like a giant bear. Muscles play beautifully under his skin and my mouth goes dry just seeing it.
“Well, you know we haven’t been using birth control,” I say slowly. “And I’m not on anything, so to say, so I could definitely get pregnant.”
Instead of freaking out, the billionaire merely stretches again, almost like he didn’t hear.
“Carter,” I say, my voice more sharp this time. “Did you hear me? We haven’t been using protection, and I’m not on anything. That means I could get pregnant very easily. In fact, I could be pregnant right now.”
This time, the handsome billionaire turns to look at me with amused blue eyes.
“Is that so bad?” he asks. “I’ve always wanted to be a dad, and a little girl who looks just like you would be really cute. What would we call her?”
If I thought the talk about jewelry was shocking, then this conversation is even crazier than before.
“What do you mean, a little girl that looks like me?” I ask slowly. “You can’t be serious.”
Carter merely shrugs again.
“Oh, I’m serious sweetheart. I’m ready to be a dad, and honestly, you getting pregnant isn’t the worst thing in the world.”
“It’s not?” I sputter, utterly confused. “What do you mean? You’re ready for an unplanned pregnancy?”
He shrugs.
“I’m just saying that I’m a forty-five year old man, and you’re a luscious, ripe, and beautiful young woman. I could have a kid now. Hell, I probably should have had kids twenty years ago when I was younger because I hear kids take a lot of energy. But hey, better late than never,” he grins. “At least I’m coming to the party, even if I’m a little late.”
I still can barely breathe and mer
ely stare at him.
“You must be kidding,” I say. “An unplanned pregnancy is … well, it’s hell, isn’t it? I mean, I’d have to give up my job, people would look at me weird, and how in the world would I manage a baby? I can barely pay my electricity on time, much less organize day care and diapers.”
He shrugs.
“Sweetheart, you’re not giving yourself enough credit. First of all, those were all exaggerations. You’re not just an accountant, you’re a CPA with a college degree, and one thing I know about folks with college degrees is that they’re generally pretty organized. For example, are you late on any of your student loans?”
“How do you know I have loans?” I ask defiantly.
He snaps his fingers.
“That’s because you don’t, right? Let me guess. You’re super organized and financially disciplined, and so you’ve probably paid off all your student loans already, even though you’re only five years out of school.”
I blush because Carter’s right. By nature, I’m risk-averse. When I was in school, I had to take on some loans just to survive for four years, but as soon as I got a job, I started paying them down. It wasn’t easy because I’ve never made much as an accountant, but I watched where every penny went and was able to put a little towards the loan bit by bit. Finally, last month, I finished paying off the burden, which is why I let myself come on this cruise. If I still had thousands of dollars owing, then I definitely wouldn’t have let myself splurge on a vacation. It would have been a staycation for me, thank you very much.
“How did you know?” I ask.
Carter smiles knowingly at me.
“Sweetheart, I’ve been in business for more than twenty years now, and one thing you learn as CEO is how to read people. That, more than anything is my job. I need to understand the people who work for me, and as a result, I’ve become a pro at assessing a person’s weaknesses and strengths. The moment I met you, I knew you were a saver. You’re someone who pays her credit cards on time and never carries a balance, right?”
I bite my lip. I swear, this guy is a mind-reader.
“You’re right,” I say slowly. “But it’s because I don’t spend a lot to begin with, so it’s not hard to pay down my balance. Besides, the interest on those cards is something ridiculous like thirty percent. I can’t afford to pay that!”