Chanelle smiled and then almost immediately felt a wave of sadness engulf her. It was moments like these when she missed her family terribly and felt so alone... As she stared out at the brightening sky, she felt the prickle at the back of her eyes intensify, and a moment later, tears began to trickle down her cheeks.
She was alone. Alone with her fears for the future.
Would she be able to return to her job? The work conditions wouldn’t change; she’d have to change, or she’d end up in the same boat. Chanelle groaned at the unintentional pun, wiped her eyes and strode to the door. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, her inner voice chided. Get out there and start enjoying this cruise! Chanelle took a deep breath, tossed her hair back and decided to do just that, starting off with a lovely breakfast in the Galaxy Café.
She opened her door and let out a startled cry at the man standing directly in front of her, his hand raised in the knocking position.
Chanelle blinked at the same rate as her heartbeat. She willed her eyelids to slow down, but her heart continued racing of its own accord.
Vance Kingston brought his hand down. He lifted his other one and Chanelle recognized what he was holding—her sunglasses. Her gaze flew to his, riveted by piercing eyes that looked more blue-green now, with the teal shirt he had changed into.
“You left these behind,” he said drily, “and I convinced myself it wouldn’t hurt to carry out a second good deed of the day. I noticed them when I went back to get my towel and gym bag.” He chuckled. “I guess forgetfulness is a trait shared by Aquarians and Sagittarians.”
* * *
Vance gazed into green-hazel eyes that had a luminescence that hadn’t been there earlier. She’d been crying...and her cheeks and nose were slightly flushed. He felt the muscles in his stomach tightening. Could it have something to do with her ex-fiancé?
“How did you find out my stateroom number?” Chanelle’s eyes bored into his as she took the sunglasses from him.
“Your key card was on your chaise. I couldn’t help seeing the number.” Something in her expression gave him a jolt. “Good heavens, I hope you don’t think my intentions are dishonorable, Chanelle. That would be most unpresidential of me, don’t you think?” He waited for her to reply, but she just continued to stare at him.
“Look, I’m sorry if I caused you even momentary worry,” he said huskily, raising his right arm to the doorjamb. “I’m not trying to stalk you, Chanelle. I just wanted to get your sunglasses back to you...and now I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
The way Chanelle was studying his face reminded him of a teacher trying to ascertain if her student was lying. He tried not to make his mouth twitch in amusement and was relieved when her features relaxed slightly.
She cleared her throat. “Okay. Fine. I mean, I’m okay and I—I accept your apology.” A corner of her mouth lifted briefly. “I’m sorry if I seemed a little testy...”
“Seemed?” he said, raising his eyebrows.
Her eyes widened, as if she didn’t know how to take his remark. “Okay, I’m sorry if I was a little testy,” she said wryly.
“A little?”
She looked at him incredulously. “You make it seem as if I was biting your head off...”
He burst out laughing. “Interesting choice of words.” Something flipped inside him when she laughed back, making her eyes take on an emerald hue. “Speaking of biting...would you care to have a bite with me? Breakfast, that is?”
Her eyebrows went up, as if that were the last thing she’d expected to hear from him. She blinked at him as if he had just asked her a complicated algebraic question and she didn’t have a clue as to where to start with the answer. “I—I was just about to go to the Galaxy Café,” she finally replied.
“I see,” he murmured. He looked past her. “I hope you’re finding your stateroom to your satisfaction?”
“It’s very nice—roomier than I thought it would be.” She nodded and shifted awkwardly in the doorway. “Uh... I forgot my sunscreen in the washroom. I plan to enjoy the sunshine after breakfast, but unless I want to end up with a million freckles, I really should—”
“Would you like me to wait here, Chanelle?” He didn’t know what had possessed him to invite her for breakfast, but he had, and there was no way of taking it back.
She hesitated, then shrugged. “You can step inside. I’ll just be a minute.” She turned and suddenly paused. He followed her gaze to the king-size bed, still unmade, her skimpy teddy tossed on top of the sheets. When his gaze returned to her, her cheeks had already reddened.
He pretended not to notice and immediately sat down on the couch and picked up a magazine. He started leafing through the pages, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chanelle walking over and pulling the covers casually over the bed to conceal her teddy. Without glancing his way, she headed to the washroom and closed the door. He heard the water flowing and imagined her splashing cool water over those peachy cheeks.
He was feeling rather heated himself, thinking of Chanelle in that teddy... He tossed the magazine back on the coffee table and leaned back to survey the room. She had some of her toiletries organized neatly on one night table, and there was no sign of her suitcase. He spotted her swimsuit draped over a chair on the balcony and wondered what her reaction would have been if he had been in time to join her in the pool.
The washroom door opened, and Chanelle came out, her hair now held back by a wide navy headband. The casual style emphasized her heart-shaped face and exquisite cheekbones. She had also applied a lustrous red lipstick, and in that snug red-and-white T-shirt and navy capris, she looked like a classic beauty from a bygone era. Innocent and sensual at the same time. Like it or not, that combination sent flickers of desire through him. And the fact that she was unconscious of the effect she had on him made his pulse spike even higher.
She grabbed her tote bag and then suddenly hesitated. “Will you be joining your family?”
He couldn’t help chuckling. “Mariah won’t be up for a while. And neither will Adrien. As for my mother, she will have already ordered room service at the crack of dawn and is now probably consulting with some of the staff about the gala preparations.”
Chanelle nodded, her shoulders relaxing. “I guess we’d better get going, then.”
He glanced at the time on his sports watch. “I know the Galaxy Café can get quite busy, especially around this time. How would you feel about trying a spot that’s quieter? The Constellation Club, for example.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “I... I read that that was for exclusive Zodiac Club members,” she said, her cheeks flushing. “I could only afford the basic cruise plan.” She gave an embarrassed half smile.
“I can guarantee you won’t be turned away,” he said solemnly. “If you don’t mind going as my guest.”
Chanelle blinked. “But...” She looked down at her outfit. “Is there a dress code?”
“Yes,” he said with a chuckle. “You have to wear clothes. What you’re wearing is absolutely fine, Chanelle. It’s not what you think. People aren’t parading in black-tie attire and ball gowns.” His mouth twitched. “In fact, they’re not parading at all. At least not for breakfast.”
“I—I don’t know. I’ve budgeted for dining in one specialty restaurant, but this is—”
“On me,” he said firmly. “And if you really object, you can offer to do your dishes afterward.”
She looked at him hesitantly, then gave a nod, a mix of relief and disbelief in her expression, and Vance felt a warm rush infuse his chest. What he was more accustomed to was seeing a look of smug expectation on a date’s face. Not that Chanelle was exactly a date, but it was refreshing for him to know that a lady wasn’t expecting him to pick up her tab.
Vance followed her out of her stateroom, breathing in her perfume—a sweet berry scent—and as they walked side by side in the hallway on their
way to the elevator lobby, he greeted the housekeeping staff they encountered with a friendly smile and a few words to thank them for the exceptional job they were doing.
The elevator was empty. As the doors closed, he lifted his hand to press the number to the top deck, and as he did so, it brushed against Chanelle’s. Their eyes met, and for an instant, he had this crazy desire to lean down and kiss those fabulous lips. When her mouth opened slightly, it was all he could do to force himself to pull his gaze away from hers and press the button.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door opened, and he indicated to Chanelle to precede him. Her eyebrows lifted, but she accompanied him down the hall without saying anything. When they came to a door marked Constellation Club, Vance pulled his card out of his pocket and tapped it against the brass plate to the left of the door handle. He opened the door wide and smiled. “Welcome to the club, Chanelle.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHANELLE GASPED IN AWE, her eyes widening as she entered. She couldn’t have imagined anything like the room she had just stepped into. The entire ceiling was a glass dome from which were suspended thousands of stars. Chanelle felt like she was taking in a crystal wonderland.
A waiter in a crisp white shirt, black trousers and aquamarine cummerbund greeted them and led them to an oval glass table with silver legs. The upholstered chairs were ivory damask, and as Chanelle sank into one, she gave Vance an incredulous look. “This place is out of this world,” she said, expelling a deep breath. Her gaze returned to the ceiling. “There must be a thousand stars up there.”
“Two thousand, five hundred, to be exact,” Vance said. “Each glass star is crafted by hand in Murano, Italy. They sparkle with the natural light of the sun in the day, and the dome has a fiber optic star ceiling. But on starry, starry nights—” he flashed a smile at her “—the dome halves retract and the club members are treated to a night under the real stars. And if they’re really lucky, they get to see a meteor shower or a shooting star.”
“Stunning,” Chanelle breathed. She looked around at the gleaming glass tables, each decorated with a multifaceted crystal vase holding a couple of stargazer lilies. In the center of the room, a life-sized and slowly rotating Aquarius statue poured water into a pool from a gilded urn, its gentle gurgling sound adding to the relaxing ambience. The sides of the pool were transparent, and dozens of exotic fish of all colors flitted past each other. Chanelle was mesmerized by their flecks of gold and turquoise, crimson and black, emerald and orange. And their varied shapes and sizes. She could have stood there for hours, enchanted by this giant aquarium. And all around it, the marble floor resembled the ocean, with its varying hues of blue. Sea and sky, she thought. What a heavenly place...
When her gaze returned to Vance, she didn’t know what to make of the indulgent look on his face. Was that a flicker of compassion in his eyes? She stiffened. Maybe he was just feeling sorry for her with her limited budget. Perhaps he made it a point to be charitable to a guest every time he went on one of his cruises... She felt a sudden hot prickle inching up her neck.
What had she gotten herself into? She was way out of her league. A few female guests had turned to scrutinize her from head to foot, and from their raised eyebrows and whispered comments to their partners, Chanelle had begun to feel self-conscious. For a moment, she considered making an excuse to leave, but then her inner Sagittarian warrior voice reminded her of her vow to enjoy the cruise and new experiences.
She straightened in her seat and tossed her hair back. Vance was still looking at her with a bemused expression. She picked up her menu and, while scanning it, wished she knew exactly what he was thinking.
She thought she had sensed something more elemental in the elevator, but it must have been her imagination...
The way he was looking at her now was exactly how he had looked at the housekeeping employees. No hint of flirtation in those aqua depths. Yet Chanelle couldn’t help feeling conflicted. She hadn’t booked this cruise hoping to hook up with some guy to make her boo-boos better. In fact, after Parker had left, she had vowed to focus on work even more and not bother with men at all. And she had certainly succeeded. Except that the consequence of her increased devotion to her job had taken its toll physically and emotionally. No wonder it was called burnout. She had felt scorched and withered, like a tree caught in a summer fire.
And now her cheeks were burning as Vance’s cool blue eyes gazed at her calmly. Nothing in his expression or body language even hinted that he was in playboy mode. And anyway, why would he be wanting to play with someone like her? She had seen the photos of some of the women he had dated, with their perfect features and haute couture.
Some of their handbags had cost more than her monthly salary...
No, she was definitely not his type. All Vance was doing was engaging in a kind act for a guest whom he had caught being upset and in tears over something...and he had considered the fact that she wouldn’t want to face a lot of people after that.
Nevertheless, she still felt awkward. He wasn’t just anybody.
“I usually eat breakfast alone,” she said, eyes fixed on the menu. Her words came out more gruffly than she had intended. “In fact, I had almost changed my mind about taking this cruise. I just wanted a holiday where I could relax and be pampered and not have to deal with socializing.”
She looked up to see Vance gazing at her quizzically. “You can relax and be pampered here. After breakfast, I can introduce you to our spa professionals...”
Chanelle felt the temperature in her cheeks climbing a few notches at the image that flashed in her mind: Vance lying on a spa bed with hot lava stones positioned down his strong, muscled back. And his Aquarius tattoo on the upper right side...
“Um, thanks, but I’ll be fine.” Besides, her budget had been stretched far enough. She looked around. The view was stupendous. Endless sea and sky. The clouds had shifted, and the sky was a mix of blues with the occasional ribbon of pink.
Vance had been saying something, but what? She looked at him blankly. Her stomach did a flip.
“Coffee or tea?” he repeated.
“Sorry...” She held up her hand. “I don’t think I should be here.” She bit her lip. “I should go.” She caught his frown as she began to rise and then promptly sat down again. She owed him an explanation, at the very least. Her heart thumping, she looked at him squarely. Why be anything but honest? “I have to admit I’m feeling a little out of my element,” she said. She glanced toward the other guests before turning her gaze back to Vance.
He leaned forward, both elbows on the table and his hands clasped under his chin. “I think you have all the right elements,” he said lightly. “And if you’re referring to your bank account, it’s not an issue, remember? I’m pretty sure I can cover it, unless you’re intending to eat me out of house and home. Or should I say ship and stern?” His mouth quirked to reveal a flash of dimple.
“I—I’m...well...okay,” she relented. Why was she making such a big deal about the whole thing? She needed to take her own earlier advice and lighten up. “I have to warn you, though,” she said, managing a tentative smile, “I do have a good appetite.”
Vance nodded his approval as he handed her the menu. “Good. Go crazy. I’m ordering my favorite—buttermilk applesauce pancakes with Ontario maple syrup.” He grinned. “Something sweet for a sweet Canadian boy.”
Chanelle felt laughter bubble up inside her. She sensed that something was shifting between them. Or maybe it was just her. Maybe some of her inhibitions were losing their grip on her. Perhaps it was time to let go of her tendency to control the situation and just enjoy the moment...
She had read enough to know that letting go completely could be a challenge for highly sensitive people like herself. Well, she would rise to the challenge, she decided. Why not enjoy this unexpected turn of events instead of being overwhelmed and feeling out of place? How often
would she get the chance to be in the company of a gorgeous guy in a fabulous restaurant on the top deck of his cruise ship? A guy with a dimpled smile that made her stomach swirl in a good way...
“I’ll try the crepes filled with hazelnut chocolate and ricotta cheese,” she said decisively. “For a sweeter Canadian girl.”
He burst out laughing, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “So the Sagittarian has a competitive streak, does she?”
For timeless moments, Chanelle felt like she was suspended in a cloud of pure pleasure as they exchanged smiles. Then the waiter appeared with a carafe of coffee, took their order and reassured them it would be ready shortly.
“So where does this sweeter Canadian girl live?” Vance said, pouring her coffee first.
“Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario,” she replied, adding cream to her cup.
He nodded. “Ah, the Soo. Been there. Stopped overnight on my way to Lake Superior for a fishing trip with some guys—let me see—three years ago. Nice little town. Big Italian population, right?”
Chanelle nodded, taken aback that he had come through her hometown.
“We stayed at a hotel by Saint Mary’s River. Checked out the Station Mall; one of our absentminded buddies had brought all his fishing gear but had forgotten the important stuff, like clothes and underwear.” He chuckled. “While he went searching for his designer boxers, the rest of us waited it out at a pizza and gelato place.” He sighed. “I ordered a double scoop of hazelnut and pistachio. Heaven.”
Her eyes widened. “You’ve got a great memory.”
He looked at her unblinkingly. “I remember anything that looks good and tastes even better,” he said, his mouth tilting up at one corner.
Chanelle felt a warm rush swish through her. Flustered, she looked down and took a sip of her coffee. Her mind was zooming to places she didn’t want it to go, and she’d be horrified if Vance even suspected what she was conjuring up in her imagination...
Caribbean Escape with the Tycoon Page 6