The Boyfriend Cruise

by Deanna Wadsworth

  “Look who I found wandering the corridors,” Mom said. To her left was an awkward twentysomething man with dark hair and a decent tan. The guy looked like he’d rather be anywhere else but did not know how to get away from Mom. “This is Bradley. He was helping you during our cooking class, remember? I saw you two flirting.”

  It took Josh a moment to register the man. “Oh, you gave me the cilantro.”

  Jeesh, Mom thought that was flirting?

  “Is that what we’re calling it these days? Giving you the cilantro,” Aaron quipped in an aside before burying his nose back into a torrid gay romance he’d gotten from Mom.

  Ignoring Aaron, Josh smiled at Bradley with sympathy. “I’m sorry, Bradley. Thanks for helping me in the class, but my mom is embarrassing, and I know it’s difficult to tell her no, but you can go. It’s okay.”

  The guy shrugged. “Well, your mom was right. You are cute.”

  He tried not to scowl as he gave the man a smile. “Thanks, you’re pretty cute too.”

  Beside him, Aaron covered his face with the book to hide his laughter. Josh scowled at him.

  “Then why don’t you boys hang out?” Mom suggested, grinning hopefully. “You seemed to be having fun in the cooking class. And Bradley’s from Indianapolis. Isn’t that great?”

  “Mom, he handed me cilantro. That’s it.” Does she have to read into everything? “Just let the poor guy go. You know I’m talking to Nathan.”

  “On that note, I’m out. I don’t double dip. You guys have a great cruise,” Bradley said, hurrying away before Mom could snag him again.

  “Mom, why did you do that to him and me?”

  “Because Ramona is right. You need a more viable date than Nathan. He lives on this ship. How’s that relationship going anywhere?”

  Her words were like a sucker punch, echoing every fear he’d had since meeting Nathan and everything Clare kept telling him to ignore. Mom had been right about William and Ramona as partners for her children, so could she be right about Nathan?

  Would nothing happen beyond a fling?

  The warm, cozy feeling he’d found while sleeping a moment ago vanished, and a cold ache settled in his stomach.

  Aaron touched his arm and whispered, “You okay?”

  No, no he wasn’t.

  And when Josh spied that damn fishing rod peeking out from the top of her big purse as she surveyed the pool deck for her next victim, he snapped.

  He jumped up and snatched it out of her bag before she could use it again. “No more of that,” he declared.

  Before she could utter more than a startled noise, Josh pounded over to the railing and chucked the damnable thing into the ocean.

  “Josh!”

  “Day-um,” Aaron said.

  “That’s it!” Josh told her, face red from the hurtful truth of her innocent remarks and his frustration with the whole debacle. “No more of this boyfriend cruise bullshit. Go shopping, buy some perfume, or go to the art auction. I appreciate that you wanna find me someone, but just back off, okay?”

  He’d drawn a bit of an audience, which just humiliated him further. Saying nothing else, he plopped back onto his lounger and crossed his arms. Then before he became overwhelmed and cried out of anger—he hated when he did that—he hastily shoved his sunglasses on and pretzeled his arms again.

  Mom looked chagrined for the first time, as if the enormity of what she’d been doing finally hit her. “Okay, sweetie. I’m sorry. Is Nathan joining us for dinner tonight?”

  “No, he has to work tonight. This ship is where he works and lives, as you guys so kindly keep reminding me.”

  “All right, then, I’ll leave you to it.” She paused and gently put a hand on his cheek, thankfully not pinching. “I love you, and I just want you to be happy. I guess us girls kinda got a little caught up in playing matchmaker. I never wanted to hurt you.”

  “I know, and thank you for apologizing.” Maybe he’d gotten his point across.

  When Mom left him, his mood was soured.

  “I say we need a couple drinks after all that.” Aaron said, setting his book down with finality, all humor gone.

  Wordlessly, Josh nodded, appreciating his best friend for knowing that he didn’t want to talk about what had just happened. And for not adding his own two cents into the mix.

  Aaron stood and pointed at him. “Another piña colada?”

  Josh nodded again, arms still crossed when Aaron headed over to the bar. He didn’t want to think about what Mom had said or the reality of it all.

  Nathan couldn’t be with him tonight, but they would have Jamaica and tomorrow night. And then there was still Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

  He wanted to just go with the flow like Clare and Aaron told him, but what if Mom was right? Josh had told himself from the beginning not to get attached and to accept this for what it was—a shipboard fling and no more.

  But Josh was falling in love with Nathan.

  And not just because of the sexy stuff they’d done.

  Josh’s heart skipped when Nathan held his hand, and his belly fluttered when Nathan laughed. Nathan had listened to the song, understood what it meant to Josh.

  But what kind of relationship could they have after the cruise? Snapchatting or Facebook messaging. That would never be enough, for either of them.

  Nathan said he wanted more, but come Sunday night, there would be a whole new batch of men to ease Nathan’s broken heart.

  When Josh went home, all he would have was Weasley, a lonely condo, and memories of a romance he’d never have again.

  “Parents,” a young girl scoffed beside him. “They just don’t get it.”

  Startled, Josh turned to find the young Timbers girl who’d been tussling with her father. She was in the lounger on the other side of him, wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat, big shades, and a skimpy gold bikini that she didn’t even begin to fill out.

  Jeesh, Dad would’ve locked Clare in her room if she tried to wear that!

  Though melancholy filled him, he offered her a smile. “No matter how old you get, you’re right, parents don’t get it. They make lots of mistakes, but they do love us.”

  “Or they love the you they want you to be,” the girl said, her astuteness startling him.

  Before he could say anything else, maybe ask her if she was okay, Luke was rushing up to him. “Josh! Are you alone?”

  Josh gestured around to the crowded pool deck. “Yeah, completely and utterly by myself. Not a soul in the world.”

  The girl chuckled.

  Luke scowled. “You know what I mean. No family around?” He held a bag to his chest and looked around suspiciously.

  “You just missed Mom, and Aaron’s over there getting us drinks. Other than that, it’s just me and….” Josh gestured to the young girl for her name, though he knew it was Sarah.

  “Sarah,” she supplied.

  “Just me and Sarah complaining about parents.”

  “Okay, good,” he said, totally ignoring the girl and what Josh had said as he sat on Aaron’s lounger. “I bought Ramona a diamond necklace for our anniversary in the ship’s jewelry store. Check this out.” He opened the box, and the white diamonds glistened in the sunlight.

  “Oh, that’s pretty,” Sarah purred.

  Well, diamonds were a girl’s best friend.

  “I need you to hide it in the safe in your room,” Luke said. “I don’t trust Mom and Dad not to run their mouths about it.”

  Clare thought Josh would blab about the baby and Luke thought Mom would blab about the diamonds. Heck, they were probably both right.

  “All right, I’ll put it in my safe.”

  Luke bundled the gift back into the bag, looking over his shoulder once more before handing it to Josh. “Thanks, dude. She’s gonna love it!”

  After Luke left, Josh gave Sarah a smile. “Guard our loungers while I put this away?”

  The girl nodded quickly.

  “Thanks,” he said. “If my friend gets back befor
e me, let him know I’m coming back?”

  “Yeah, sure,” she said.

  Josh grabbed his key card and hurried back to their room. He hoped along the way to run into Nathan so they could have a few minutes together, but no such luck. He stashed the necklace in the safe beside their passports, then returned poolside, where Sarah had saved their loungers from poachers.

  “Thanks,” he said, setting his key card down beside a fresh piña colada. Aaron’s towel, book, and sandals were still there, but he was nowhere in sight.

  “Your friend is in the pool,” Sarah told him.

  Josh glanced over, and when he caught Aaron’s eye, his friend grinned wide and waved. He had an umbrella drink and, naturally, he was flirting with a pair of cute guys.

  Grateful to have a moment by himself, Josh reclined in his chair, and sipped his drink quietly. Soon enough the warm sunshine and the lullaby of rum settled him back into slumber, and he finally got his nap.

  Chapter Eleven

  Day Five, Aruba

  “ARUBA? HOW the hell did we end up in Aruba?”

  Aaron felt loads better now that his burn had healed and he’d gotten laid two nights in a row, thanks to Nathan not being able to come over last night. “It was on the itinerary,” Aaron told him. “Your dad booked us a Jeep ride in the desert.”

  “We were supposed to be in Jamaica.”

  “What makes you think that?” Aaron smeared sunblock all over his face.

  “Because it was on the itinerary.”

  “What’s the difference between one island and another?” he said dismissively. “You sure you’re not gonna go on the Jeep ride?”

  “No. Nathan and I have plans.” Well, I hope we still do. “But since Dad already paid for it, why don’t you take your new man?”

  “Which one?” Aaron winked.

  He laughed.

  “You find your key?” Aaron asked.

  Josh must’ve lost his key card at the pool, or someone scooped it up with the towels, because he hadn’t seen it since his nap yesterday. “No, I gotta go to the purser’s desk and get a new one. In fact, I should do that right now. I’m meeting Nathan for breakfast, and we’re going into Montego—I mean, on shore today.”

  Aaron smiled at him. “You really like this guy?”

  “I do.”

  “He pop your cherry yet?”

  Josh’s face heated. “Don’t joke about that.”

  Aaron’s face softened. “I’m happy for you,” he said sincerely.

  As the sole other person who knew Josh was still a virgin, Aaron’s words eased his embarrassment. “I know.”

  “I just want you to be happy. But I also want details. Have you done it yet?”

  Josh headed to the door and paused, smiling back at him. “We’ve done enough. More tonight when you sleep in Clare’s room.”

  “Yay!” Aaron squealed. “And of course the room is all yours. It’s only fair since I had the room twice already.”

  “Exactly.”

  They both headed downstairs and parted ways, Aaron off to breakfast on the pool deck and Josh to the purser’s desk. As he waited in line, everyone around him chatted about all the stuff they wanted to see in Aruba.

  Last night Josh had seen Nathan briefly at the Under the Sea party, and while they only chatted a few times yesterday, Nathan seemed excited about their day in Jamaica.

  But they were in Aruba.

  Maybe Josh was losing his mind.

  When he reached the front of the line, Josh explained to the assistant purser about his key.

  The man was little, like Penelope, and he flitted around behind the desk with expert efficiency, muttering to himself. “Everything is coming up missing on this cruise.”

  “Like what?” Josh asked.

  The little man paused, then beamed a million-watt smile that made Josh feel giddy and nervous all of a sudden. “Nothing to worry about, Mr. Gilbert.” He handed over a key card. “Here you are. Have a great day in Montego Bay, er…. I mean in Aruba.”

  Okay, something was definitely going on. But what?

  “Thanks. By the way, any word on my mother’s missing earring? Anyone turn it in?”

  He fluttered through screens on his tablet. “No, no one has found it.”

  “Okay, thanks,” Josh said, and as he walked away he could have sworn the guy said something about “all this jewelry missing,” but he couldn’t be sure.

  Halfway across the lobby, he heard his name called out. “Josh!”

  Heart skipping like it always did when he saw Nathan, Josh turned as his date came up to him, crunching on an apple.

  “Good morning,” Nathan said, and then he kissed Josh’s cheek, the scent of his honeyed skin and apple making Josh’s mouth water.

  “I can’t wait to show you Mo Bay,” Nathan said. “And I’m dying for that jerk chicken I told you about.”

  “We’re in Aruba.”

  “What?” Nathan appeared genuinely shocked. “I was with Darrius last night. I hadn’t heard.”

  Josh’s stomach leaped. “Darrius?”

  “Oh, um, sorry, he’s my teacher.”

  “Teacher?”

  “Oh, um, meditation instructor I guess,” he mumbled around his apple.

  “You take meditation classes? At night?”

  “Yeah, I kinda have, um… let’s say a temper. Darrius helps me control my inner… demons. And Darrius only works at night. It’s better for meditation.” Nathan fiddled with his apple core, then stepped away to toss it into a nearby garbage can.

  Why did it sound like Nathan was lying? Then again, Josh didn’t know much about his family or his past. And he had been surprisingly jealous the other night.

  It struck Josh he didn’t know very much about Nathan at all.

  Maybe today they could fix that.

  “Well, if we’re in Oranjestad,” Nathan said, rejoining him, hands in his pockets, “we could get a Jeep. There’s lots of cool places I know about.”

  Josh gave Nathan a suspicious look. No one seemed concerned they went to a different port at all. “Does the captain change itineraries like this often?”

  “If there’s port or docking issues. Like too many ships scheduled. Someone screwed up. Or politics. Sometimes we have to,” Nathan said easily.

  Josh had never heard of such a thing.

  “Ready to get breakfast, then go ashore?” Nathan asked.

  “Actually, I need a few things from my room. Wanna come with me?”

  To Josh’s delight, Nathan took his hand in his.

  As they walked back to Josh’s room, it struck him that he’d never held hands with a man in public before this week. Suddenly all the weirdness of the morning wasn’t important. Not the island they were at, not the end of the cruise—just the wonderful feeling of Nathan’s hand in his, proudly declaring to the whole ship they were together.

  “You should know, Darrius is an old man. Like really ancient. And straight,” Nathan said offhandedly. “I can introduce you to him, if you like.”

  Josh squirmed. So Nathan had sensed Josh’s jealousy. “No, that’s okay. I trust you. If you need to meditate at night, who am I to question it?”

  Nathan ran his free hand over Josh’s chest. “I won’t have to do that tonight. My only plans are you.”

  Trembling from sudden want, Josh looked around when they arrived at his door, but there was no one there, so he took the chance to turn and face Nathan.

  “Good morning,” he said, and before Nathan could respond, Josh kissed him.

  He didn’t know how many more of these glorious kisses he would get, but he would stock up on them for as long as they were available.

  Nathan let out a grunt of surprise, but then he was fully invested in the kiss, wrapping his arms around Josh’s waist and plunging his tongue deep. A low guttural moan vibrated in Nathan’s chest, sending shimmers of pleasure to Josh’s toes.

  When Josh stepped back, Nathan backed him against the door, thrusting his groin into Josh’s
. He broke the kiss, gasping for air, blood pounding. His cock was filling, pressing against his underwear. He shifted his hips, rubbing against Nathan.

  Nathan groaned again, hands clutching at Josh’s tank. Then he dove in, kissing a line up Josh’s neck, nipping and making Josh yelp in surprise. Nathan pushed his hard cock against Josh and held it there, grinding and humping until Josh’s vision blurred.

  “Don’t know what got your motor going this morning, but I like it,” Nathan purred, his voice deep.

  Pushing Nathan back, Josh turned toward the door and fumbled for the room key. Nathan grabbed his hips and thrust his cock against Josh’s ass.

  “Oh my….” Josh let his head fall back, savoring the sensation of Nathan against him, though he knew they needed to get into his stateroom before anybody with kids walked by.

  Nathan kissed his neck, warm body fully against his back. “I want you,” Nathan whispered, humping against him and nipping his neck. His hands slipped under the front of Josh’s shirt, one questing for his nipples, the other for the top of his shorts. “It’s safe now.”

  “Safe?” Josh repeated, then chuckled and pushed his hands away. “Yeah, it’s safe. Aaron already left.”

  Nathan allowed Josh to untangle him so he could get his key out of his pocket. It took several attempts with Nathan against him, but finally Josh pushed open the door.

  “I’m gonna fuck you so good,” Nathan growled, following him inside, hands all over Josh again.

  “You better,” Josh teased, starting to turn and kiss Nathan, but then he suddenly realized they weren’t alone.

  “Aaron—wait, what?” Josh blinked through his cloud of lust when he realized it wasn’t his friend. “Hey! How did you get in here?”

  Nathan’s body stiffened, and he stepped away.

  Sarah Timbers stood in front of the closet with the safe wide-open.

  Something sparkled in her hand.

  “Put that down!” Josh ordered, pounding forward to snatch Luke’s anniversary present away from the little thief.

  But he only took one step before he realized her eyes were glowing gold like something out of a horror movie.

  He drew up short when smoke swirled from her nostrils.