by Adele Hart
“That’s only the end of the meal.” Asa pushes out his seat and stands. The captain also stands, and when Asa pulls out my chair, I get up. “Ready, sweetheart?” He licks his lips like he is still hungry, but I know his hunger is satisfied. At least as far as food is concerned. The man looks ravenous, and a skitter of electricity jolts through me.
“Yes.”
Asa walks around the table shaking everyone’s hand. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you,” he says over and over until he comes full circle back to me.
He leads me out of the restaurant and onto a side deck that overlooks the ocean. The sun is setting and an orange glow rises on the horizon making it look like the sea is on fire.
“Did you enjoy dinner?” he asks.
I lean across the rail and look out as the water rushes past us. “Yes. The food is good, but the company is better.”
He places one arm on each side of me and pushes against my back. I’m trapped between Asa and the ocean. “Now, you flatter me.”
I turn around so my face is flush with his chest. He steps back slightly only giving me enough room to tilt my head up. “Oh, you thought I was talking about you? I was speaking of the captain,” I tease.
His eyes grow amused. “I’m sure I could put a good word in for you.”
“Oh, now you tease.” I try to poke him again, but he takes my hand and holds it against his chest. “Why didn’t you tell me you were the Mr. Cross?”
“Would it have mattered? I kind of liked that you didn’t know who I was.” He pulls my hand to his lips and kisses it. “I would have kept it a secret the whole trip if that was possible.”
“Why?” I run my finger down the center of his tie. When my hand reaches the pointed end, he pulls both of my hands around his waist. The motion forces me against his body. A body chiseled in stone.
“I like that you said yes without knowing who I was. That you gave me—just this ordinary guy—a chance.”
Now it was time for me to laugh again. “Asa Cross, there is nothing ordinary about you. You can fill an empty room with your presence. You can warm the cold with a smile. You’re dazzling.” Oh lord, I shouldn’t drink so much wine. I’m sounding like Justice. No filter.
“Liberty Ferall, you’re the dazzling one, and I will kiss you unless you say no right this second.” His head tilts down, and I watch as those luscious red lips get closer. Everything in me screams ‘yes’.
He stops millimeters away. His lips hovering close to mine. His eyes ask without saying a word.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three and his mouth covers mine hungrily—proving that he hungers for something other than food. His tongue traces the fullness of my lips until I open them enough to grant him entry. He delves in and explores the recesses of my mouth. The kiss sends the pit of my stomach into a wild swirl.
He moves closer, pressing one of his thighs between my legs and I moan at the feel of him against my body.
The boat rocks with the waves, and I rock against his thigh. I feel wanton and naughty. I also feel free.
I should step away and say good night, but Justice’s words come back to haunt me. You’re so buttoned up. She’s right. Ever since I got my ego crushed, I’ve been buttoned up and battened down. Maybe it is time to let my sails loose.
The kiss lasts for minutes, and when he pulls away, his touch still tingles on my skin and his taste still lingers on my tongue. He is better than flourless chocolate cake and that is saying a lot.
“I knew that would be amazing.”
Blood pounds from my brain, leaps from my heart, and makes my knees tremble.
“It was?” I realize my words sound like a question so I repeat them in a more definitive voice. “It was. I don’t think I’ve ever been kissed like that.”
“How old are you, Libby?” Asa steps back and the ocean breeze swirls between us, removing the heat we share.
He offers me his arm, and like earlier, I set my hand in the crook. “I’m twenty-five.”
“Someone should have been kissing you like that for years.”
Four
Asa
How is it that this woman is single? She looks like an angel and kisses like a damn porn star. I want to take her right there on the rail. Libby is the perfect mix between sweet and sexy. She’s intelligent and reserved. She’s the kind of woman who could dine with princes and paupers alike and make them all feel like kings.
“Do you want to dance, or see a show, or just walk around and talk?”
The blush on her cheeks tells me she’d rather do none of the above. The way she licks her kiss-swollen lips tells me that she’d rather be kissing than talking. However, I want to know more about this girl than the shade of pink I’ll find between her legs.
“I have to know.” I chuckle because her name is too damn funny. “Who in the hell names their kids Liberty and Justice Ferall?”
She stops walking and looks at me in mock shock. “You are not teasing me about my name.”
I grimace and raise my shoulders. “I’ve got to. It requires it. I mean really. Liberty Ferall? Who the hell are your parents?”
She smiles and laughs with me. “My dad is a superior court judge for the state of California. Law is his life.”
I thread my fingers with hers and continue to walk down the outside deck. The slight breeze picks up her hair and a hint of a floral scent passes under my nose. “That makes sense then. Kind of clever if you ask me, and obviously your parents have a sense of humor.”
She squeezes my hand. “They have to have one. You’ve met my sister, Justice.”
“Girl in the library?”
“Very same. I believe you invited her to blog about the cruise.”
“I didn’t. The public relations firm did, but I’m glad they chose her. Otherwise, I might not have met you.” She smiles shyly like she’s not used to people giving her compliments.
We get to the other end of the ship and she leans against the rail again. “I wouldn’t expect much from her. I’m not sure if she’ll spend enough time out of the room to see the ship.” She says the words and once they are out she pulls her hand to her face. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“So I’m guessing the C batteries are not for her?”
I’ve never seen a woman’s face turn so red. “Oh my God, you heard that?” She buries her face in her hands until I pry them away. “I’m mortified.”
“I’m intrigued.” My last words are smothered on her lips. My lips demand more this time and hers return my kiss with reckless abandon. We stay there and taste each other until the sun is completely set, and the wind causes bumps to rise on her skin.
I pull away. “Let’s get you inside.” I take off my jacket and drape it over her shoulders. It hangs almost to her knees. In my head, I picture her wearing nothing but her nude colored heels and my suit coat. Her breasts peek out between my lapels and the V of her womanhood points to her playground.
We enter the ship, and I lead her toward her room. I want to lead her to mine, but something tells me that although Libby has a body made for sin, she hasn’t test driven it much. Unless of course she counts the endless supply of C batteries. Thinking about her masturbating makes my cock twitch.
When we come upon her door she halts and groans. “I think I’ll go to the cafeteria and get some coffee.” She’s smiling, but her voice sounds anything but happy.
I look at the red beads on the doorknob and can only guess it means stop. “Come on, I’ll get you some coffee.” I turn us around and walk toward the library. I watch her eyes scan the room, but I keep her moving to 8150. I slide the key across the sensor and it clicks open.
“Wow,” she says as she walks in. “This is quite an upgrade.”
I try to look at my room through her eyes and she’s right. My suite is the equivalent of a small apartment. It opens to a living room, dining room, and kitchen. There’s a wall of windows that overlooks the starboard side of the ship. The furniture
is well-appointed. The room is decorated in warm chocolate, rich gold, and soft cream. There are two bedrooms, one on each end of the suite, and there is a large balcony that has its own hot tub.
“What’s your pleasure?” I pick up the phone and press two for room service.
She stands in front of the window with the moon and the sea as her backdrop. “Latte, please.”
I ask for two lattes and a bottle of sparkling water and then join her at the window. “Do you want to go outside?” When I open the door she steps onto the balcony. On the chairs are soft cashmere blankets. I pick one up and wrap it around her shoulders.
“This is really beautiful.” She stares into the distance. The moon casts a glow on the water.
Just like earlier, I step behind her and cage her in with my arms. “Yes, you are really beautiful.”
“Does that generally work with most women?” She turns her head and looks up to me.
“Does what work?” I set my chin on her shoulder and wrap my arms around her waist.
“You telling me I’m beautiful.”
When my mouth nears the lobe of her ear, I feel her shiver, and I’m certain it isn’t because she’s cold.
“I believe all relationships should begin with honesty.” I nibble at the lobe of her ear, which is absent of jewelry. That’s something I’ll have to remedy right away.
“If we’re being honest, then we both know this isn’t a relationship. This is a one-week cruise and after that we have to go back to our real lives.”
I softly touch her shoulder and turn her around to face me. “This is my real life. It could be your life too.” I have no idea what made me say that. All I know is once her lips touched mine, I can’t imagine kissing anyone else—ever.
She snorts and turns to face the water again. “You’ve known me for two seconds. You don't even know if I have bad habits. Maybe I sleepwalk or snore?”
I brush my lips against her neck and settle my chin on the soft area between her jawline and collarbone. “Do you?”
“Do I what?”
My hands slip under the soft blanket and her back presses into my chest.
“Snore?” I splay my hands across her belly and let my thumbs stroke the underside of her heavy breasts. Breasts I am dying to free from the confines of her clothing. “I’d love to find out.” My palms rise to cup her mounds but are stopped midway by the knock on the door. The growl that comes from me is unexpected. I’m known for my patience and persistence, but Libby makes me want to throw all that overboard and dive right in. “Coffee is here,” I say with disappointment.
I open the door and the steward wheels in a cart with our coffee and the bubbly water. I slide him a bill and usher him out as quickly as he arrived.
When I return to the balcony, Libby is sitting on the lounge chair. She’s discarded her shoes and is the picture of peace and tranquility.
Although her eyes are closed, I know she knows I’m here. “Smells divine.”
“Do you take sugar or anything special in your coffee?”
She opens her eyes and shakes her head. “Nope. I’m told I’m sweet enough on my own.”
I sit the coffee on the table next to her. Rather than take the lounge chair beside her. I lift her up and place her in my lap. She struggles to stand, but I hold her against my body.
“I will crush you.”
“Doubtful, but if that’s the case, I’ll die a happy man.”
“You are so smooth. Is this your game? You pick a girl from each cruise and you treat her like a goddess and ruin her for all other men?”
I wrap my arms around her stomach and hold her tight. “I don’t play games, and if I can you ruin you for all other men, you damn well better believe I’ll try.”
She wiggles on my lap and my cock thickens under her ass. I know she feels it because she moves until it sits between the crease of her cheeks. I want to fucking die right here with her on my lap.
“If you’re going to ruin me, then at least tell me something about you.” She relaxes against my chest and sips her coffee.
“I’m thirty-eight. Never been married. No unexpected children. Only child of Ross and Diana Cross. My father is also in shipping, but he builds them rather than sails them. I’ve dated plenty, never found the one girl who made my heart still until I walked onto this ship. I’d like to see where it takes us.”
“I’m told we’re going to Grand Cayman first.”
“You tease again.”
“No, I tell the truth. It is our first destination. Is there someplace else you’d like to go? I’m acquainted with the owner and I can see what he can do?”
I wasn’t sure if she was teasing me or taunting me. “Libby, there are so many places I want to explore.” I only had a week to convince her of what I knew the minute she leaned over to smell me. “I want to kiss every inch of your body. I want to taste every part of your mouth. You want to talk destinations. The first in my mind is to take you to my bed.”
Five
Libby
I inhale and hold my breath. Asa Cross says he wants to explore me. I’m one portion ‘hell yes’ and three portions ‘no damn way’. What if he finds me lacking? I mean I’m not lacking in much. I have the curves, I have the parts, but I have no skill.
That was evident when three-yank Hank climbed between my legs and spilled himself before he even got to the good stuff and then blamed me. Justice told me it was his fault, and that premature ejaculation was the sign of a man without control. Asa doesn’t come across as such a man. He seems to be in control of everything.
“Talk to me, Libby. I’m not trying to scare you, and if you want to get up and leave that’s okay, but I don’t think you do. Your kisses tell me that you are enjoying me as much as I’m enjoying you. Let’s enjoy each other.”
I turn in his lap and feel the steel of his rod beneath my bottom. Lord is it big. “I don’t think I’d be good for you. I’m—”
“Fucking beautiful? Witty? Sweet? Smart? So fucking sexy that I can’t get my cock to soften when I’m in your presence?” He reaches below my ass and adjusts his hard dick. “Yes, you’re all those things.”
“God, Asa, you make me want to throw caution to the wind and say yes, but I’m not that girl. I don’t kiss on the first date, and I definitely don’t have sex.”
He lifts both of us to our feet, and I’m afraid he will kick me out because I said no, but he doesn’t. He flips a switch and the bubbles in the hot tub churn.
“Let’s relax then. I’m pretty sure your room is still occupied. I’ll send a steward to look, but in the meantime, let’s enjoy this beautiful moon and the sound of the water rushing.”
“I don’t have a suit here.” I gave-him-an-I’m-onto-you look. I can see where he’s going with this. If I’m naked, then it’s one less barrier for him to have to pull down.
He peeks at the tag on my dress and then marches to the phone. He rattles off a few things I can’t hear and disappears into a separate room.
I’m not sure if I’m supposed to stay or leave. I want to stay. I want to let him do all of those things he said he wants to do to me, but Justice is right. I am buttoned up. With my shoes in my hand, I walk to the door thinking I’ll sneak out before he comes back, but the knock on the door halts me.
“Asa, someone is at the door.”
“You can answer it, sweetheart. It’s for you.” He calls from the room. The way he says sweetheart isn’t the voice of man who wants me to leave.
I pull the door open and a tiny woman holds out a bag. “Enjoy,” is all she says and disappears. I open the bag to reveal three swimsuits in my size.
As if I’m not already in shock, Asa comes out of the room in nothing but swim trunks that hang low on his hips. He’s got legs like a Viking and a chest to match.
“You can change in the room down there if you like.” He points to the door opposite the one he emerged from looking like a swimsuit model. “I’ll wait for you in the water. Do you want sparking water, cham
pagne, or wine?”
I’m speechless. I look at Asa and then back at the bag of suits. He walks over and peeks inside. I stand still and watch him. My mind is screaming ‘yes’, and now I’m two parts ‘hell yes’, and two parts ‘no damn way’.
He pulls a pink one out and says, “I think this will look lovely on you, but choose whichever makes you most comfortable.” He leans down and swipes his lips across mine. “I love the taste of you. I can’t wait to taste all of you.” He turns and walks to the kitchen where he opens the wine refrigerator and pulls out a bottle of champagne. “I think we’ll have this. It’s our first night anniversary. Happy anniversary, sweetheart. Go get changed.”
Nope, Asa isn’t the kind of man who isn’t in control. He’s a pirate who is plundering my common sense. I walk in a passion-induced haze down to the room and close the door. I switch the light on and see my reflection in the mirror that takes up an entire wall. My skin is heated and my lips are still puffy from his kisses. The kisses I’d do anything to experience on repeat all night.
When I let my dress drop to the floor, I reach for the pink suit. It’s my favorite too. It fits perfectly, which surprises me since I spent a week trying to find a suit before this cruise.
I adjust my boobs and pull the high cut fabric near my ass down to cover just a little more, and then I walk with false bravado to the hot tub.
Asa has two glasses of champagne sitting on the edge of the tub. His head is tilted back and his eyes are closed, and immediately I am three parts ‘hell yes’ and one part ‘no damn way’. The man is everything I could ever dream of. He’s every book boyfriend mixed into one and he’s mine for now.
He doesn't open his eyes, but he knows I’m there. “Glad you joined me. I promise you won’t regret it.”
The tub is built for two. It’s a lover’s tub that requires an intimacy between the people who share it. It’s either face each other and tangle our limbs together, or sit one in front of the other and face the same direction.