“My shift ends in just a few minutes. I looked at tomorrow’s schedule and saw that we’re on duty together, which should be fun. But I really called to see if you’ve made plans for this evening.”
“Haven’t given it any thought. I did a lot of walking today so I’ll have to consult my feet. What are you in the mood for?”
“I was hoping we could have dinner together,” Marjorie said. “We can do the early sitting then catch a live theater show.”
“The early sitting means we’d eat in one of the formal dining rooms, but I guess I can handle it. I’ve been in casual clothes most of the time, so I’d like to dress up.”
“Good. Do you mind if Tristan joins us?”
Gabrielle thought that perhaps that question should’ve been asked beforehand. “Well, I don’t want to be a third wheel.”
“Nonsense! Tristan loves it when you have dinner with us. If you feel that way, maybe Cameron can join us. I can invite him before he leaves the clinic. What do you think?”
“I’ll leave it up to you.” No way was Gabrielle going to protest anything to do with Cameron, yet she felt somewhat uncomfortable. They’d already spent several fun-filled hours together. God forbid that he’d think she’d put Marjorie up to inviting him to dinner.
“I’ll see you at the Paris dining room at five forty-five. By the way, both Tristan and I are on call tonight.”
“Hopefully there won’t be any emergencies. Looking forward to some fun.”
“Same here. See you later.”
As Gabrielle cradled the phone, she couldn’t help wondering if this dinner idea might be a setup by a matchmaker named Marjorie Carson. Gabrielle wouldn’t put it past her to arrange a reason for her and Tristan to be called away, leaving her alone with Cameron. But according to Cameron, each time he’d called into the infirmary while ashore everything had been quiet. Maybe it’d remain that way so everyone could enjoy their evening, Gabrielle thought, as she pulled a pillow back under her head.
* * *
Gabrielle dressed carefully, pairing a fabulous beige linen form-fitting sheath with dark red patent leather shoes and a matching bag. A delicate gold chain with a single two-carat ruby caressed her throat. Tiered ruby earrings dangled from her ears.
Wearing her hair in a loose, swept-up style was a daring addition to her chic look. She’d taken a big risk by painting her full lips in red high-gloss sheen, but a look into a mirror showed her how well the daring shade highlighted her skin tone. Before leaving the cabin, Gabrielle ran into the bathroom and sprayed a delectable scent by Guerlain onto her pulse points. She had only twenty minutes to make it to her distant destination, which worried her. The Paris dining room wasn’t anywhere near her suite, and she’d have to hustle quite a bit to be on time. The elevators would be crammed full with the early sitting diners, but she was lucky to have use of the employee elevators as an alternative.
Out in the hallway, Gabrielle looked over at the door to Cameron’s suite.
Is he there or did he go out?
Not knowing if he had accepted or declined the dinner invitation had her nerves on edge. One minute she hoped he had accepted, and in the next instant she thought it was best if he’d given his regrets. Right now she admitted she’d be utterly disappointed if he had declined.
Walking at a brisk pace, Gabrielle made her way to the nearest employee elevator.
* * *
There was no sign of Cameron outside the Paris dining room. Gabrielle blew out a ragged breath of bitter disappointment. She told herself not to take his absence personally. As she headed over to where Marjorie and Tristan stood waiting, she quickened her pace.
The three friends exchanged hellos and warm hugs.
Marjorie briefly held Gabrielle’s hand. “I’m glad you could make it. The maître d’ will let us in soon, but it seems they’re running a little behind schedule.”
“There’s no hurry,” Gabrielle said.
Tristan lightly pecked Gabrielle’s cheek. “It’s nice to see you. You look lovely.”
Gabrielle smiled. “Why thank you, Tristan. You look pretty good yourself.”
Tristan grinned and nodded.
Marjorie was out of uniform, which made Gabrielle check her from head to toe. The red dress she wore was stunning and it hugged her delicate curves. She had to laugh when she saw that they wore matching colors but in the reverse.
“Cameron should be along shortly,” Marjorie told Gabrielle. “A passenger showed up in the infirmary just as he was about to lock up. He doesn’t think it’s anything serious.”
So Cameron is joining us.
A wave of euphoria swept over Gabrielle. She struggled to successfully mask how happy she was. She felt like breaking out in song and dance, but no one could know about her deep desire for Dr. Quinn.
Although she was horribly confused about what direction their relationship might go in, she wasn’t the least bit perplexed about her steadily growing romantic feelings for him. She had fallen hard for Cameron Quinn. Once they had sat in the glitzy Paris dining room, Gabrielle gazed out the ship’s wall-to-wall windows, which offered great panoramic views. The sun hadn’t set yet and she couldn’t wait to watch it set with Cameron by her side.
* * *
Cameron strolled into the dining room, his eyes straight ahead. He was eager to get to the table where his friends sat, yet he still took time to enthusiastically greet passengers who recognized him.
There was an empty space on Gabrielle’s side of the table and he sat down next to her. “Sorry I’m late. When duty calls, we answer.”
In a whispery voice, Gabrielle let him know she was happy he could join them. No one had heard what she’d said to him, but her comment had come through clearly to him.
Cameron leaned into Gabrielle, putting his mouth close to her ear. “You look ravishing! Thrilled I was invited.”
Gabrielle smiled radiantly. “Thank you. And you couldn’t look any hotter.”
Cameron’s heart skipped a beat. “If you all don’t want to wait for the waiter to arrive, I can get us drinks from the bar,” he suggested.
“I’ve already ordered wine,” Tristan informed him. “The waiter shouldn’t be long getting back to us.”
No sooner had the words left Tristan’s mouth than the waiter appeared with two bottles, and he poured wine in their crystal stemware.
“I’m assuming everyone but me has looked at the menu,” Cameron said, “so let me take a gander at this evening’s entrées.” He picked up his menu and flipped it open, but in a few seconds he set it aside again.
“That was quick,” Gabrielle said. “Did you take a course in speed reading?”
Cameron’s piercing eyes darkened then fastened on Gabrielle. “I’m a man who knows exactly what he wants. I don’t waste time pondering.”
Color crept into Gabrielle’s cheeks. She knew Cameron hadn’t been only talking about food choices, but it was best to let it go. Trying to figure him out was probably useless. Dr. Quinn was a multifaceted man.
As Cameron’s eyes continued to devour Gabrielle, he thought about how beautiful she looked. Every man wanted a gorgeous woman who possessed a dynamic personality and a sexy body. But looks and a fabulous body weren’t nearly enough to satisfy Cameron. He wanted so much more. He wanted to experience a deeper connection with his soul mate, to have more of a spiritual journey. His idea of true love was two kindred spirits united together in ways that had nothing to do with outward beauty or hot pleasures of the flesh.
If anyone could change his mind about falling for a coworker, Gabrielle was the one. From what she’d said last night, she wasn’t too thrilled about dating coworkers, either. Her ordeal with her ex still pained her a lot, but he wasn’t anything like Jordan. It was bad enough that he was in danger of breaking his own rules, but Cameron knew that she also had to want it for anything to occur. Yet he’d already foolishly told her he wanted her as a friend, completely omitting the romantic feelings he had for her.
&nb
sp; What man in his right mind wanted only friendship from the woman who visited his dreams?
Cameron quietly asked himself if he would miss out on something wonderful and gratifying if he kept her at arm’s length. What if Gabrielle was indeed his soul mate? Was it possible they were destined for each other? It was a mind-boggling situation.
Thoughts of them becoming romantically involved constantly taxed his mind and challenged his rule about not mixing work and women. Cameron wasn’t so sure which one would eventually win out.
* * *
The party of four dug into their delicious looking meals with gusto.
Gabrielle noticed that Marjorie and Tristan were very attentive to each other. Every so often he twirled the ends of her hair around his finger. Their eyes stayed deeply connected whenever they talked.
Had Cameron not been there Gabrielle wondered if she would’ve felt totally out of place. She had to wonder if there was a love connection in their future. If so, would they give in to their desires for each other despite being coworkers? Cameron was the only man who’d ever made her heart beat so fast and with such meaning.
* * *
The two couples had left the Paris dining room right after dessert and had walked the short distance to the Cannes Festival Theater, where they’d watched a Broadway revue entitled Hot Stuff. After the show, they went to the Eiffel Tower Lounge, which was selected by the men for its variety of after-hours entertainment. The lounge had dancing, live bands, karaoke sessions, a DJ and piano bar. The venue was designed with a spacious parquet floor, and dim overhead lighting and candlelit tables created a cozy, romantic ambience.
Once Cameron claimed a table with perfect views of the entire lounge, Marjorie and Tristan excused themselves and headed straight for the dance floor.
Cameron pulled out at a chair for Gabrielle. “Would you like to dance before we settle in?”
Gabrielle nodded eagerly. “I’d love to. The steel band is smoking.”
Cameron took Gabrielle by the hand and led her to the parquet floor, purposely steering clear of the area where Marjorie and Tristan were. He wanted to give the couple their privacy, and he also shamefully wanted Gabrielle to himself. He turned around and gently brought her in close. Excitement bubbled within Cameron as he held her in his arms. She had him aching badly for her.
How many times have I thought about kissing her?
He’d already lost count. Every time he fantasized about her, he wished they could be more than coworkers. When she appeared in his thoughts and dreams, he easily surrendered his full attention to her.
Cameron wanted Gabrielle as his lover, his one and only lover. He had had a complete change of heart about dating coworkers. Everything about her was intriguing to him despite the fact they’d only met days ago, and it was hard for him to keep his eyes off her at work and during training sessions and even at play. He loved her velvety soft voice and the tender compassion she had for her crewmembers and the patients she treated.
He had never believed that one woman and one man could have it all and could do it all for each other. But Gabrielle not only had him entertaining that possibility, she had him already conceding that it was doable if he moved slowly and carefully.
The tempo of the music suddenly sped up drastically. Many guests who’d sat out the slow songs rushed to the dance floor as faster-paced music blared from every corner of the room. Gabrielle was happy she knew all the latest dance steps. Her friends at home loved to party, and dancing was one of their favorite things to do. Gabrielle and Cameron danced the first two slow songs of the next set before returning to the table. As Gabrielle looked around for Marjorie and Tristan, she couldn’t spot them in the crowd.
Shortly after they took their seats, the handsome DJ stepped to the microphone.
“Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! Is everyone having a good time?” A wave of thunderous applause exploded. “Welcome to the Eiffel Tower Lounge! We’re now moving into the first karaoke session of the evening. Come on up and give it a try. No need to be shy.”
A very attractive woman immediately took the stage.
Marjorie and Tristan reclaimed their seats just before the lady belted out the first note. “This should be a blast,” Tristan remarked, rubbing his hands together in eager anticipation.
The music to Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” softly swirled around the room.
As the music played, a waitress came to take drink orders from the group.
Gabrielle cleared her throat. “I’d like to have a club soda with lime.”
Cameron smiled knowingly. “I’ll have the same as the lady, thank you.”
Marjorie and Tristan followed suit by ordering virgin drinks. Everyone had early-morning duty, not to mention the even earlier repeat lifeboat training and mandatory safety sessions. Once everyone had drinks in hand, their sights were set on center stage.
The female singer had a robust voice and did justice to the song she’d taken on. It wasn’t a Whitney Houston performance, but she had excellent control of her vocals and was able to hit all the high notes and guttural lows. As she stepped down from the stage, she received a standing ovation.
“Wow! Anyone who goes onstage after her better have their act together. She was amazing,” Gabrielle said.
Cameron smiled at Gabrielle. “Want to do a duet with me?”
Gabrielle drew her head back. “No way am I getting up there. I got a feeling this crowd can get fierce. The first singer knew what to do with a microphone, but what if no one else does?”
“Since you won’t join me, I hope you enjoy.” Cameron stood. “Wish me luck.” He strode off toward the stage. Passengers and crewmembers who recognized him clapped and cheered.
Marjorie snickered. “My money is on the commander. Look at his sexy swagger. That’s not the strut of a man who’s about to make a fool of himself.”
Gabrielle got up from her seat. “Well, I don’t know what’ll happen, but I’m going to join him. If he’s brave enough to get up there, I’ll show him I have just as much bravado. Wish us luck.”
As she heard the name of the song Cameron had chosen, Gabrielle wished she could turn and run back to the table. “Where Is the Love” was a favorite, and it was a beautifully written and arranged oldie but goodie song.
Smiling broadly to show his appreciation of her support, Cameron stepped up to Gabrielle, handing her the smallest mike. Enfolding her hand in his, he held it tightly.
The first notes out of Cameron’s mouth were unbelievably beautiful, making her weak in the knees. Glad the words to the song were on the prompter, she sweetly, soulfully, sang her part, showing she also had a fantastic singing voice.
They stared into each other’s eyes and suddenly the performance felt very intimate and romantic. So close to swooning, Gabrielle hoped she could hold up until the song was over. From Gabrielle’s and Cameron’s very real flirtatious gestures, no one would’ve guessed they weren’t madly in love. The performance brimmed with passion, and their voices blended together splendidly. She sang alto and soprano. He hit high, low and deep guttural notes, pleasantly surprising his friends and crewmembers. With their eyes locked in an impenetrable embrace, the couple tried to figure out what messages they were sending to each other.
Gabrielle knew she’d want Cameron as her lover if it weren’t so complicated. Would he want her the same way? She and Cameron as lovers would more than likely be off the charts. She knew that if she gave in, waves of forbidden passion would sweep them out to their very own private island.
Although today was a new day and all negativity had to be squashed, she hadn’t yet fully reconciled with the issue of dating a coworker. But at this moment, Gabrielle had never been happier. Life was good for her, and she silently vowed to make sure it stayed that way.
Chapter 5
Gabrielle massaged sunblock into her freshly showered skin. The sun hadn’t come up yet, but she was due at the appointed muster station within the next thirty minutes for a
nother training session. Surprised by Cameron’s early-morning wakeup call, she had barely been able to contain herself. She was so attracted to him that remaining aloof in front of other employees would be difficult. Gabrielle was afraid everyone else would pick up on the electrifying chemistry between them, just like Marjorie had.
Not wanting to borrow trouble, Gabrielle had to keep her distance from Cameron as much as possible during training. Thank goodness they were in different groups, though actively a part of the same session. This was about business, and she planned to remind herself of it every second. It’d be so easy to get sidetracked because he was always on her mind.
Cameron had also informed her that he’d checked out their work schedules, and if she wanted, there’d be time for him to show her around Freeport, Bahamas, the next port of call. They’d also have time to hang out together in Key West, Florida, the last port of call before a couple of full days at sea would return the ship to its home port of Galveston. Then the seven-day cruise would be complete. After the stops in Freeport and Key West, Cameron would be on call up until the disembarkation process.
Gabrielle knew what she wanted, but was it the right thing?
* * *
The lifeboat session had gone surprisingly well, and Gabrielle had managed to remain calm and professional around Cameron. Pleased with how well she’d handled it, Gabrielle hurried back to her cabin to get ready for her land excursion. She had decided at the last minute that it was okay to allow Cameron to show her around Freeport.
Rushing inside the cabin, she went straight to the bathroom. When she came out, she was wearing a red-and-white polka-dot bikini and a loose, white, gauzy cover-up.
Next she briskly brushed her hair into a ponytail and tied it with a matching polka-dot wrap. Then she began packing her oversize red straw satchel with items she’d need to enjoy a sun-filled day in Freeport. She smiled to herself when she realized that the only thing she’d really need to enjoy the day was Cameron’s company.
Waves of Passion (Kimani Romance) Page 7