Gabrielle frowned. “You became a doctor for your family?”
Cameron laughed. “If it hadn’t also been my own dream, I couldn’t have accomplished it. My mom always talks about how I loved to play doctor when I was little. I love being a physician. More than that, I love helping those in need.”
“I know what you mean. Helping others is one of the main reasons I wanted to be a physician. I also played doctor. My little male chauvinist friends thought I should be the nurse, but I had bigger and brighter ideas.”
Cameron laughed. “Sounds like you took charge. What made you want to try practicing medicine on the high seas?”
Gabrielle looked thoughtful. “I’m adventurous by nature. I like to try new things. I heard most of the pros and cons from friends who work on cruise ships. I took everything I learned into consideration, then I decided to just try it.”
Cameron smiled. “I think you’ll find the job rewarding and enjoyable, just as I do. Working on a cruise ship is altogether different from the world of medicine we started out in. We’re more limited here, and if it comes to drastic measures, we often have to make arrangements for emergency transportation to take patients to a hospital on land.”
Gabrielle nodded. “I researched it a lot before I actually signed on. I’m eager to learn the ways of practicing medicine at sea.”
Cameron smiled. “I bet you’re a fast learner.” He looked up and saw that other greeters had arrived. He instantly got to his feet. “Excuse me for a few minutes. A line has formed again.”
Gabrielle stood, her heart beating faster than normal. “You go right ahead. I’ll see you again.” For sure, she’d see him in the infirmary tomorrow morning.
Before Cameron could protest her departure, Gabrielle had already stepped away.
* * *
The line had dissipated after twenty minutes or so, and Cameron reclaimed his seat at the table. As his eyes searched the room for Gabrielle, he couldn’t help thinking of how enjoyable her company had been. Working with her would be a great experience, as long as he was careful not to compromise his heart. She was alluring, a natural beauty, but he knew she had a lot more going for her than that. The excellent academic and work ethics written up in her bio had revealed that.
His mind turned to thoughts of the scores of single women who came aboard the ship and sailed away into the sunset. Once the cruise was over, they left the ship without looking back. He knew that getting involved with female passengers wasn’t an ideal situation for him.
Gabrielle was the first female doctor he’d worked with aboard a ship, but he still had to remain in tight control of himself. Mixing business with pleasure could be a devastating combination. Cameron also had firsthand knowledge of that.
Finding true love was hard to do, especially on a cruise.
* * *
Gabrielle noticed that her heart was still beating fast even after a quick break in the ladies’ room. She made her way back to the table, where Marjorie and Tristan didn’t look as if they’d missed her presence. She stood quietly and watched the hot chemistry at work. They made a great couple.
As Gabrielle sat down, she cleared her throat. “I’m back.”
Marjorie appeared slightly embarrassed. “What did you think of Dr. Quinn?”
Gabrielle smiled. “I can’t tell you that until after I spend more time in his company. But he seems kind and smart. I’m willing to bet he’s also sweet. But since we’ll be working together, there is no chance for a shipboard romance. Love and labor don’t mix.”
Tristan raised an eyebrow. “I beg to differ. Love and labor go hand in hand. If you can find something special with someone you work with, go for it. Being employed in the same profession is a pretty good start, anyway. At least you’ll have something in common.”
“I agree,” Marjorie chimed in. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to about your work.”
Tristan covered Marjorie’s hand with his. “If you feel that way, then why can’t I get you to take me seriously?”
Marjorie now looked totally embarrassed. “I do.”
“You do what?” Tristan asked, putting her on the spot.
Marjorie blushed. “I take you seriously. I really do.”
Tristan’s broad smile showed he was pleased as punch. “I’m glad to hear it. But why’d you suddenly change your mind? I’ve been chasing you for months.”
Marjorie’s eyes narrowed. “I wasn’t ready to be caught. Can we just leave it at that?”
Gabrielle wanted to laugh at these two dopey lovebirds, but she remained quiet, eager to hear what else they had to say.
“I’m happy to leave it at that if it means I can take you out on a real date,” Tristan said.
Marjorie smiled. “You can take me out, Tristan. I’d love to see tonight’s show.”
Tristan leaned over and kissed Marjorie’s cheek. “It’s a date.”
Gabrielle laughed. “Congratulations on your first real date!”
* * *
The living quarters assigned to Gabrielle were located a few decks above midship. The spacious suite wasn’t particularly lavish, but it was nice and homey and it had a balcony. She’d never lived in a place with such a wide-open concept, where she could see the living room, kitchen and bedroom all at once. Only the bathroom was in a separate room.
As Gabrielle closely studied the space, she felt its warmth. Her personal things had already been delivered, but she hadn’t had time to put them away. She hadn’t even paid a lot of attention to the suite’s floor plan until now. Luckily the balcony would offer her a nearby outdoor alternative. Being able to step outside and breathe in fresh air without having to go up on deck was a huge plus. The balcony was decked out with a small round table, two chairs and a chaise lounge to lie on to catch the sun. This suite was her home for the next five months, so she would have to get used to it.
The Parisian Paradise was a huge vessel, which gave Gabrielle plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces to explore and many choices in shopping, dining and entertainment venues. She also loved that room service was available to staff and passengers 24/7.
Gabrielle caught sight of her unpacked luggage and frowned. For her to be truly comfortable, she had to put everything in order right away. There was plenty of time for her to unpack and get it over with before reporting to duty in the morning. After taking off her uniform and hanging it up, she slipped into blue jeans and a white T-shirt.
Starting with a leather garment bag, she took out her dressier and formal attire and hung them at one end of the large sectional closet. She then moved on to the suitcases.
A couple of hours later, she had the cabin suite looking more like a home.
* * *
Deciding to do a little bit of exploring, Gabrielle pulled from the closet a pair of white pants and a gold silk top. As she pulled on the attire, her eyes searched the room for her makeup case. The moment she spotted it next to the leather sofa, she felt totally relieved that she hadn’t left it behind. Standing before the bathroom mirror, Gabrielle was pleased with her appearance. She loved how her long hair fell around her shoulders and how flawlessly she had applied her makeup. Gabrielle picked up her gold purse and dropped her cabin key inside. Just as she stepped out the door, Cameron came out of the cabin right next to hers. He looked sexy dressed in dark dress slacks and a powder-blue silk shirt. She couldn’t help wondering if his assigned quarters were really that close to hers or if he’d been visiting someone.
As Cameron’s eyes fell upon her, she felt butterflies in her stomach. His devastating smile made her weak in the knees. “Seeing you so soon is a nice surprise.”
Cameron walked the few steps to where she stood. “I was hoping to see you before we began working together. Have you made any special plans?”
Gabrielle shrugged with nonchalance. “I just decided to do a little exploring.”
He grinned. “Perhaps I could be your tour guide for the evening. Would you mind?”
“Not at all.” Gab
rielle was pleased by his offer. “It’d be easy to get lost on this vessel.”
“It happens often, Dr. Grinage. One wrong turn can get you all out of sorts. How about starting on the fifth level where most of the live action is?”
Gabrielle smiled brightly. “It’s fine with me. Lead the way, Dr. Quinn.”
He stopped short of offering her his arm. It was inappropriate. “I’d like it if you’d simply call me Cameron. Is it okay to call you Gabrielle? It’s a lovely name.”
“Thank you, Cameron. I like being on a first-name basis with my coworkers.”
* * *
The neon lights and glamorous decor found on Parisian Boulevard astounded Gabrielle. She’d never taken a cruise before, and she was amazed. A bevy of specialty shops shone inside and out with dazzling lights. The colorful and brightly lit Champs-Elysées Casino was located on the same level. Cameron gave her a brief tour of the gambling facility. It wasn’t his favorite place to hang out because he didn’t like throwing away hard-earned money.
“All these bells and lights from the slot machines and screams from winners are exciting,” Gabrielle said.
He shrugged. “True enough, but there’s a downside to the excitement. The cruise liners make it easy for people to gamble away their money by borrowing funds against their credit card. Most people think they can make up the losses.”
Gabrielle hunched her shoulders. “I’ve never gambled. I’m not sure I can feed money into an inanimate object and expect it to pay me back handsomely. But from the excited sounds in here, there seems to be lots of winners.”
“Most definitely, but far more are losers,” Cameron remarked. “It’s one thing to have fun gambling and something totally different to be addicted.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. But I don’t have to worry about it. I’m a cheapskate, a budgeter. I don’t just give away money.”
“I wish I knew how to keep a tighter budget. I tend to splurge every now and then, but I usually have something to show for it. Maybe you can give me some pointers.”
“You got it. I have a great book on financial planning in my cabin. You can read it if you’d like. It helped me out a lot.”
“If you don’t mind bringing it to the clinic tomorrow, I’ll take good care of it.”
Gabrielle nodded. “You’ll have it in the morning.”
As the tour proceeded, Cameron showed Gabrielle both formal dining rooms, the Paris and the Marseille.
“Let’s go back to Parisian Boulevard,” Cameron suggested. “There’s plenty of duty-free shops.”
As Cameron and Gabrielle made their way back to Parisian Boulevard, they passed by several music venues. It seemed to her that music was offered all over the ship, like the live calypso and reggae she’d heard inside and outside on the main deck for hours on end. There was even a jumbo LED screen that showed special movies, concerts, sports and other entertainment.
“Would you like to get something to drink?” Cameron asked.
“All this walking has me a bit thirsty. I’d like a cold soda or iced tea.” Gabrielle was glad she’d chosen to wear flat sandals. In heels, her feet would have taken a good pounding.
“We’ll go into one of the lounges where we can listen to music. I don’t hang out on the ship very often. Even though the clinic closes at 6:00 p.m., one doctor is always on call. As the medical commander, I’m the backup and go-to person if two doctors are needed.”
“I know that there’s minimal free time. Still, I’m pleased with my decision.”
Cameron chuckled. “Let’s see how you feel after the first month.”
Gabrielle eyed him with curiosity. “Is that a warning?”
“Hardly. I just want to know your thoughts after working aboard for a while.”
“I’ll be sure to tell you. Have any of your crew members been unhappy?”
“That’s an understatement. There are some folks who can’t hack it. They think the job is glamour and glitz until they’re aboard for a week or so. Most of those who quit leave very early. It doesn’t take long for the boys and girls to separate themselves from the men and women.”
Gabrielle smiled. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to scare me.”
Cameron stopped and looked into Gabrielle’s eyes. “I’m just answering. I’d never frighten you on purpose.”
Feeling herself getting lost in his intense gaze, Gabrielle looked away. “I won’t ask any more questions. I’ll wait and see what happens with me.”
The urge to take her hand to reassure her pulled at Cameron, but he didn’t dare. Holding her hand was too intimate for what could only be a working relationship between them. Although he found her extremely attractive and very sexy, he had to abide by his own rules, no matter how hard it might become.
* * *
At the Cannes Lounge Gabrielle and Cameron were escorted to a table near the piano bar by a hostess with a bubbly personality. Once they were seated, she took their drink orders and left.
Cameron settled back in the plush chair. “This is a nice place to relax. The guy who plays the piano and sings is excellent. He normally does the top forty and on some nights he plays oldies but goodies. Do you like the karaoke scene?”
Gabrielle chuckled. “I love to listen to people who can’t sing, yet are brave enough to get up there and give it a shot. I don’t have that kind of courage. What about you?”
“I don’t sound too bad, but I’d have to be feeling pretty good to put myself on display. I do sing in the shower though.”
“I—” Gabrielle cut her response short as the hostess set the drinks on the table.
“What were you going to say?” Cameron asked.
“I also sing in the shower. The sound of my own voice isn’t that bad to me, though it might be terrifying to others.” She chuckled then lifted her glass of iced tea. “Here’s to us building a great working relationship, Cameron. I believe we’ll work well together.”
Cameron raised his glass. “Hear, hear. We’ve already managed to break the ice quite nicely. If there is anything you need help with on the job, don’t be afraid to let me know. I’m a great supervisor, Gabrielle, a really fair and patient one.”
Gabrielle smiled softly. “I can believe that about you. You seem down-to-earth.”
The couple smiled warmly at each other as they clinked together their glasses.
* * *
Freshly showered and ready for bed, Gabrielle climbed in between the sheets. She had a feeling that she wouldn’t be sleeping alone tonight. Cameron’s strong presence wasn’t going away anytime soon. The great impression he’d made on her would stay with her for a long time. She wouldn’t mind him sleeping next to her, even if it was only in her dreams. Sighing, Gabrielle positioned the extra pillow against her abdomen and wrapped her arms around it.
Chapter 2
Seated on the chaise lounge, Gabrielle waited for the sun to make its appearance. In the city she’d never seen this many bright stars in the sky at night, unless she was near a beach in her hometown. It was a breathtaking experience. Awed by the vision, she sighed. The sea was calm and she finally felt the same. The slight movement of the ship was hypnotic. Although the humongous vessel cut through the waters with great speed, she could barely feel it.
It was still very early in the morning, but Gabrielle had slept fitfully throughout the night. She had tossed and turned repeatedly, as had her mind. The last time she’d awakened, she hadn’t been able to get back to sleep. With dawn so close, she’d gotten out of bed to experience a sunrise at sea. She’d put on a white velour bathrobe, then stepped out onto the balcony and been instantly welcomed with a warm breeze.
From the moment Gabrielle’s head had hit the pillow, just before midnight, her thoughts had been filled with the fantastic time she’d spent with Cameron. He was a true gentleman, and she already liked him a lot. His shaking her hand before they’d departed had spoken volumes. It saddened her that they couldn’t have a romantic liaison, but she�
��d find contentment in working alongside him in the clinic. He wasn’t the first desirable man to be off-limits to her.
Gabrielle reminded herself that she was here to do a job, which she felt was an amazing experience, one that she’d never have on land. She was eager to learn as much as she could from Cameron. By the time her first five months were up, she’d be able to execute the most important procedures and policies of the clinic.
There had been so many personal questions she had wanted to ask Cameron but she hadn’t dared to. Whether he had a current girlfriend or fiancée was constantly on her mind. She couldn’t imagine a man as good-looking as him without a woman, but she also figured it might be hard for him to get involved with anyone aboard the ship, especially anyone from his staff.
There wasn’t a shortage of females on the cruise, but he hadn’t seemed to notice anyone in particular last night. He’d given her his undivided attention. She had delighted in every moment of it despite the fact that they would never be anything other than coworkers.
Getting up from the chaise lounge, she leaned over the railing and stared down onto the dark waters. To help clear her head, she inhaled deeply. The air didn’t smell polluted. In fact, there wasn’t any kind of unpleasant scent wafting upward from the sea.
The perfectly formed sun appeared to rise majestically right out of the ocean. Slowly, unambiguously, the round, orangey-yellow ball of dazzling light wended its way into the heavens. With a smile on her face, she watched the incredible ascent.
* * *
Freshly showered, with only a bath towel wrapped around his waist, Cameron stood in front of the bathroom mirror in his cabin suite. As he carefully shaved overnight stubble, he couldn’t keep his mind off Gabrielle. He could still smell the beguiling perfume that had tantalized and teased his nostrils unmercifully all evening. Nuzzling her neck with his nose had been a constant temptation for him, making him wish things could be different.
An image of her long chestnut hair flowing like a silk curtain had stayed with him. He’d wondered if she wore the thick single French braid only when working. The hairstyle was flattering, but it hardly rivaled the sex appeal of its full-bodied silkiness sweeping her shoulders. As they’d strolled around the open deck, taking in the sights and sounds, the stirring winds had played in her hair, making his fingers itch for the same privilege.
Waves of Passion (Kimani Romance) Page 2