She moved forward and leaned her forehead against his. “Nothing to forgive. We simply moved too fast. It may be the wrong direction for us despite how I feel about you.”
His eyes connected with hers. “How do you feel?”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I should plead the Fifth, but I won’t. I have strong feelings for you, Cameron. I’ve even imagined myself in love with you.”
His heart nearly stopped. His love for her was hardly imagined. It was true and pure.
Pulling her head down, he guided it onto his chest. “I don’t want you to live with regret. I want you more than you can imagine. And like you, I felt the timing was wrong. Your earlier reactions to those songs let me see how vulnerable you still are. But let me spend the night and just hold you. I want to be here. I love you, Gabrielle.”
Her heart pounded away at his confession. She wanted to tell him she loved him, too, but she’d said her feelings were imagined. “Please stay. And I’m doing this solely for me.” She smiled through her tears. “I wanted us to make love. I wasn’t just grandstanding or being a tease.”
“I know, sweetheart. I never thought of you like that.”
“Thanks.” She put her head down for a moment. As she raised her head, her eyes were full of some emotion Cameron couldn’t discern. “I’m afraid I gave in to my fear of being hurt again. I’m a woman who thought I was in love with someone I didn’t even like. I was a dreamer all during the brief affair.”
Cameron looked deeply into her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“In the beginning, after I learned to ignore the nagging warnings, I dreamed of what I thought he and I could be together. I daydreamed about how it seemed we were. His tenderness turned into carelessness, and his respect for me dwindled rapidly. Before long I was cringing at his senseless machismo and his desire to control me.”
Cameron squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry, Gabrielle.”
She shook her head. “My dreams eventually turned to nightmares and I could finally see exactly how it was. The love he professed for me felt like hate.” Her emotions spilled over and then she couldn’t continue.
While wiping away her tears, she fought hard to compose herself. “I’ll…be right…back.” Gabrielle got out of bed and fled over to the dresser drawers, where she pulled out a pair of plain pajamas, then headed into the bathroom.
Minutes passed but Cameron was still stunned by Gabrielle’s heartbreaking story. Stripping down to his briefs, he slid into bed, knowing for sure he had to be there for her.
Dressed in her pajamas now, Gabrielle slid into bed next to Cameron and laid her head on his chest. “I desperately need you to hold me.”
Encouraged by Gabrielle’s request and glad she was more composed, Cameron wrapped his arms around her. He gave her a staggering kiss. “Sleep sweetly. I’ll be right here. I hope this is the first night of endless ones.”
Gabrielle smiled as she looked up into Cameron’s eyes. “Sleeping in your arms is one of my dreams coming true.”
“And it’s one of mine. Close your eyes. I’ll set the alarm. We’re both on duty in the morning. If only the gossipmongers knew…”
Lying still, Gabrielle could feel Cameron’s strong heartbeat. His cologne hadn’t completely faded, and she inhaled its faint scent. For something that had begun so hot and heavy, it sure had cooled off in a hurry. She still wanted Cameron desperately, but it had to mean something deep. If it ever happened for them, she knew it would be amazing.
* * *
Bathed in sweat, Gabrielle woke at 3:00 a.m.
Sleeping next to Cameron was wonderful and terribly hard, all at the same time. She had hoped they’d come together during the night and indulge in light foreplay and petting, but for now she was still against them making wild, passionate love. He was sleeping like a baby and she’d slept fitfully. She hadn’t shared a bed with a man in what seemed like eons. And never had she had the kind of uninhibited desire she constantly felt for Cameron.
Careful not to wake him, Gabrielle slipped out of bed and tiptoed into the bathroom. Without turning on the light, she squirted shower gel into the sink and mixed it with warm water to rinse off her sweaty body. On the way back to bed, she planned to get a fresh set of nightclothes.
Wouldn’t it be nice if I had the nerve to go back to bed naked?
Gabrielle wondered how much time she and Cameron would spend together since they’d be at sea for nearly three days before docking in Montego Bay. Of course, they’d see each other at work, but she was thinking in intimate terms. With their cabins side by side, they certainly had easy access to one another.
Fumbling around for her deodorant, she found it and put some under her arms. She then dusted her body with scented powder, hoping it would keep her drier until they left for work. After leaving the bathroom, she fumbled around in the dresser drawer until she came up with a suitable nightgown, which she slipped on over her head.
Gabrielle tiptoed across the room but suddenly stubbed her big toe against a chair. She put her hand over her mouth to stifle any sound. She hobbled the rest of the way and was as careful getting back into bed as she’d been slipping out. Cameron was still out cold.
Chapter 9
Cameron awakened, and the first thing his eyes zeroed in on was Gabrielle sleeping. She looked so peaceful, and he held back the desire to outline her beautiful features with his fingers and lips. She was a beautiful woman. He had regrets about how he’d handled things last night, but at the same time he was proud he’d righted the wrong. He didn’t want her to think his interest in her was purely physical. Beauty would fade with time, but he didn’t think what he felt for Gabrielle stood a chance of fading.
“Yes, sweetheart,” Cameron whispered, “we’ll take this slow. It’ll be well worth it.”
Cameron glanced at the clock radio. The alarm would go off shortly, at 7:00 a.m. Instead of waiting for the alarm, he turned it off then got dressed and slipped quietly out of her cabin.
Freshly showered, shaved and dressed in his whites, Cameron had used Gabrielle’s key card to slip back into her place. He’d taken it to make sure she got up on time, since he’d silenced the alarm. He’d also had room service deliver breakfast for two to his suite, which he had brought along with him.
Cameron came over to the bed, where he expected to find Gabrielle still asleep. But she was gone. Then he heard the shower running. He did an about face and went into the kitchen to lay out the food and make coffee. He’d shared her bed last night, and he thought it only fitting that they share breakfast together.
* * *
Gabrielle stepped out of the bathroom while drying herself off. She’d been so disappointed that Cameron had slipped out on her before she’d wakened. She didn’t know what it meant, but she couldn’t stop trying to figure it out. If she hadn’t wakened on her own, she would have been late to work since the alarm clock had been silenced. Why he’d turned off the alarm also had her perplexed.
Cameron snuck up behind Gabrielle and wrapped his arms around her, planting several kisses into her hair. “Good morning, Gabby! You look ravishing.” Taking the towel from her hand, he finished drying her off.
Gabrielle was near speechless and terribly embarrassed. Grow up, she told herself. You shared your bed with him last night. All sorts of things had run through her mind about his absence, but here he was in the flesh. “You’re dressed for work. How’d you get back in?”
“I took your key card off the table. I wanted to be here when you woke up, but you were already in the shower when I got back.”
Although she was thrilled to see him back, she gave him a sly, wicked glance. “How can I be sure you didn’t make a duplicate key card?”
“You know me better than that. It was just a onetime use. Breakfast is ready and so is the coffee. Slip on your robe so we can eat together.”
Gabrielle couldn’t hide her immense pleasure even if she had wanted to. Cameron was a kind, caring man, and it would serve her well not to try to se
cond-guess his motives. She actually liked that he’d taken her key card—it had been a bold move.
She walked slowly to the table. She had slept well the second half of the night, but the first part had been difficult to get through. She plopped down in a chair, unable to believe what a nice breakfast Cameron had delivered. “Cameron’s service or room service?”
Grinning, he winked at her. “A little bit of both. I brewed the coffee and room service prepared the meal. But I pulled it all together.”
Cameron delivered Gabrielle her meal, setting before her the tray with the one over-medium egg, a slice of wheat toast and a bowl of cream of wheat. He filled two mugs with hot coffee and placed one in front of her. “Consider yourself served, babe.”
She smiled brightly. “Thank you, Dr. Quinn. You’ve exceeded my expectations.”
“Good! You don’t have to do a thing to exceed mine. I’m already gone on you. I slept like a log in your bed—it’s more comfortable than mine. Want to try it out tonight to compare?”
Gabrielle was moved by his offhand way of asking her to spend the night with him. “I’d love to try out yours.” She suddenly looked flustered. “Are we moving too fast, Cameron?” She sighed. “I guess it’s time to stop asking that question. We almost went all the way.”
“Don’t give it another thought. Sleeping in the same bed together and making love are totally different matters. In my opinion, we’re taking it slow. I promised you we would.”
Cameron took two bites of his egg then set down his fork. “What do you think of having an exclusive relationship? I don’t want to date anyone else, and I don’t want you to, either.”
Gabrielle raised both eyebrows. “Oh, no, I can’t commit to that. There are too many sexy men on the ship. I think that dating others now and then will be perfect for us.”
Cameron’s mouth fell agape. “Are you serious? I really read you wrong, didn’t I?”
Gabrielle smiled tenderly. “No, you didn’t. You read me just fine. But you’ll have to get used to me dishing out a bit of shock value from time to time. I’d love for us to be exclusive, as long as it’s good for both of us.”
Cameron looked relieved as he blew out a steady stream of breath. He wanted to laugh but hadn’t quite gotten over the initial shock of her statement. “Naughty but nice girl, huh? I can deal with it. I just hope you can handle it when my bad-boy side appears.”
“Ooh, that sounds scary. Women say there’s nothing like taming a bad boy. But let me tell you this, I am not into bad boys. So when that persona appears, I’ll run the other way.”
“I’m not a bad boy. Trust me.” He grinned. “Anyway, I’ll get the kitchen. I know housekeeping takes care of it, but I don’t like taxing them since they do a lot of heavy labor.”
Gabrielle nodded. “That’s why I keep my place in tiptop shape. I don’t want them to do anything I can do for myself. And don’t worry, I got the kitchen.”
“Whatever you say. I plan to go on down to the clinic, so I’ll see you when you get there. Can I have a goodbye kiss?”
Cameron kneeled down in front of her and pulled her head down for his lips to meet up with hers. They kissed passionately. “See you shortly, Ms. Naughty But Nice. Your key card is back on the table where you put it.”
“Thank you.” She appeared doubtful. “I’m still worried about what we reveal about us in public. There’s no way I can hide my strong attraction to you. Maybe I should wear sunglasses on duty.”
Cameron cracked up. “We’re no different from any other couple. If you haven’t already noticed, you’ll see couples in uniforms holding hands and even kissing. Stop worrying about it—we’ll be fine. I can make a big announcement about us if you’d like.”
Gabrielle looked horrified. “Please don’t do that. We need to just act naturally, and I hope holding hands and kissing are natural acts for us.” She laughed.
“They are. Turn off the alarms inside your pretty head. By the way, I’m trying to finagle some time to show you Montego Bay. I want to share it with you. Walk me to the door?”
Gabrielle got up and took Cameron’s hand. “Thanks for last night. I wanted to make love to you…and I still do, but I’m glad we recognized the timing was wrong. Hopefully our time will come. See you in the clinic.”
Hand in hand, they strolled to her cabin door, where he gave her a long kiss goodbye.
* * *
As Gabrielle looked into the mirror, she layered her long lashes with a couple of light strokes of sable-brown mascara. While slipping into her white uniform, she gave more thought to what had occurred last night. She and Cameron had been set to come together in a combustible way. Their emotional and physical fires had been stimulated to fever pitch, and an inexhaustible burning inferno would’ve consumed them had they made love. She was sure of it.
They’d been so close to the point of no return. Should I be ashamed that it didn’t work out?
Gabrielle shook her head. “No, there’s no shame in it. I wanted to make love to him, plain and simple. Do I regret the abrupt ending? Can’t say that for sure, but it would’ve been more than an interesting time. I’m sure Cameron is a passionate, tender lover.”
Gabrielle sat down on the sofa and pulled on her white work shoes. Loose-fitting clothing and comfortable footwear were a must in a clinic or hospital setting since they stood on their feet for hours on end. She took a last glance in the mirror at how she’d pulled herself together. Pleased with the outcome, she picked up her purse, key card and briefcase then headed for the door.
* * *
The entire staff was in the reception area when Gabrielle walked into the clinic. She greeted everyone and smiled. Then she noticed how everyone was smiling and grinning at her strangely. The looks on their faces said they knew something about her—and she was dying to know exactly what that was.
“Is everything okay?” Gabrielle asked anxiously.
“We’re fine,” Tristan said, “and from all indications, you’re even better.”
Gabrielle was wary now, wondering what Tristan was getting at. She looked him square in the eye. “If you have something to say, there’s no need to dance around it. Spit it out.”
“From what Dr. Quinn tells us, you guys are dating exclusively. Congratulations! You’re a great couple.” Tristan clapped his hands and the others joined in.
The claps felt like slaps to her face, and Gabrielle’s complexion reddened.
“Thanks. I’ll be in my office.”
Without another word, Gabrielle walked past the staff, went into her private office and closed the door. She wanted to cry, but she’d have to settle for bawling inwardly. She was on duty. There’d be plenty of time for tears when she was alone in her cabin.
Other than the pounding in her head, she felt numb. The fact that Cameron hadn’t discussed with her the announcement he’d made to the staff made her feel ill. It was like something Jordan would’ve done to show he was in control. She remembered how horrified she’d been when he’d mentioned making a big announcement. She’d clearly let him know it wasn’t something she wanted him to do.
There was a knock on the door and Gabrielle lifted her head. She quickly composed herself. “Come in.” Her voice sounded weak.
Cameron walked in and posted himself on the corner of Gabrielle’s desk. As he leaned over to kiss her, she backed away. He stared at her in confusion.
“Wow, the temperature sure has dropped drastically. There’s a subzero chill in the room. What’s wrong?”
She rolled her eyes. “As if you don’t know. How could you be so insensitive? I never dreamed you’d be this callous.”
Cameron frowned. “Please tell me what you’re talking about.”
“Your big announcement about us to the staff! Why’d you do it when you already knew I didn’t want you to?”
Cameron drew closer then took her hand. His beautiful eyes softened as he looked into her tear-filled gaze. “It’s easier to put it out there than to allow gossip to run
rampant. I don’t want the staff whispering behind our backs. I can take it, but I’m not sure you’re ready for the scrutiny. This was not an attempt to hurt or undermine you.”
“It wasn’t?” Gabrielle said, fuming.
“You asked me how we should handle it publicly, and I just ran with the ball.”
Gabrielle glared at Cameron. “Do I look like a little girl to you? Do you see me as a damsel in distress? Because your assessment of what I can and can’t handle sucks. I need you to treat me like the woman I am. You knew I would’ve opposed it because I said so earlier. But if you had tried, I’m sure you could’ve persuaded me that it was for the greater good. But now, I just feel betrayed.”
Cameron’s eyebrows angled. “Betrayed! That’s a strong word to describe your feelings over what I did. I call it clearing our path. But since I’m catching hell, I may as well tell you that I also told the powers that be that we’re dating. I don’t see any reason to keep our love affair a secret. We’ve already been seen out and about together.”
“So it’s a love affair now? We didn’t even make love.”
Cameron held back a chuckle, fearful of offending her further. They hadn’t made love physically, but their minds and bodies had had one hell of a passionate workout.
“It’s whatever we want it to be, Gabby. Whether we’re sleeping together or not, people will assume we are. The move I made doesn’t have to be analyzed to death. Let’s not complicate it.”
Gabrielle put her elbows up on the desk and formed a steeple with her hands. “I guess you think I’m overreacting?”
Cameron stroked his chin. “There’s nothing to guess about. You’ve made yourself crystal clear. So where do we go from here? The invitation to spend the night in my cabin is a standing one, and nothing will happen that we don’t want. That’s my heartfelt promise to you. I love you.”
“So how do I go out there and face our staff members?”
“They’re all ecstatic about us as a couple. I wished you hadn’t been approached about it before I could tell you. But are we still exclusive or not?”
Waves of Passion (Kimani Romance) Page 14