Another Chance (Seven Days to Fall in Love #3)

by J. C. Anderson

  “Thank you,” he said as he grabbed her hand and gave a slight squeeze, glad that she easily forgave him without question. Sandra wasn’t necessarily his type, but she could curb his loneliness if nothing more.

  “Ok. I feel better now that I’ve got some food in me. You got any other plans for the night?”

  “Well, I see it’s almost seven o’clock and I think they’re having a First Night on-board show. Wanna catch it with me?” Sandra asked as she moved her shoulders to a melody only she could hear. She was definitely jovial, and Charles could feel his mood improving the longer he was around her.

  “Sure,” Charles said and stood, placing his napkin on his plate.

  Sandra intertwined her arm with his, and they walked to the Entertainment Hall. It felt weird having a woman on his arm. Nice, but weird. Sandra grinned as if she’d won the lottery. Her smile was infectious, and soon, he smiled.

  The show was amazing. Lights, music, dancing, jokes, and a little magic. Charles couldn’t help the contentment he felt as he took it all in. Sandra sat close to him, her knee caressing his. As the light dimmed and the spotlight shone on the magician, she grabbed his arm, pretending fear of the darkened room. Cute. The magician started the three-ring trick, showing the audience the interconnected rings. Charles had seen it before.

  The magician and his assistant yanked the rings, trying to force them apart without success. Sandra slipped her hand down to his thigh. Charles tensed, then relaxed as she stilled, not traveling as he suspected she would do. The magician took a shiny, white cloth from his back pocket and placed it over the rings, completely covering them. Sandra’s hand now roamed, tracing circles from his thigh up to his hip. Charles tensed again. The magician said the magic words and yanked the cloth away. Sandra slid down his inner thigh to his crotch. The magician now had one large ring in his hands, which he threw at his assistant. Somehow, as the large ring traveled through the air, it broke apart into three rings. The assistant caught each one in a twirl and dance. Charles jumped from his seat and hurried from the Entertainment Hall.

  Sandra followed closely behind him, nipping at his heels. He didn’t stop walking until he was out on the balcony, overlooking the expanse of water as it parted behind the scurrying ship.

  “What happened back there?” Sandra innocently asked.

  “Sandra, I like you…”

  “But what? Are you gay or something?” Sandra snapped.

  If Charles had wanted to slow down and get to know her, her attitude towards him at that moment killed that notion.

  “No, I’m not gay. But that doesn’t mean I want to sleep with the first woman I meet on a cruise.”

  “Charles, listen, I’m here to have a good time, and I thought we could enjoy each other’s company.”

  “I think your definition of a good time is certainly different from mine.”

  Sandra huffed, attempting to curb her frustration.

  “What does that mean? I’m not proposing marriage, Charles. Spending some time together. Catch a show. Eat a meal.” Sandra stepped closer and soft lips kissed his neck. Then she continued, “Or do something more. We can just go with the flow.”

  Her perfume was fruity with a hint of vanilla. Sweet, almost sickening so. Her thick body pressed against him, full breasts smashing into his chest. She made no move to step back and her warm breath played over his cheek. He could have her now if he wanted. Push her against the rail, unzip her romper, and press himself into her. He watched the pulse of her neck beat a staccato tempo aligned with her shallow panting. She wanted him. His crotch twitched with arousal, begging him to reconsider. Just once. Take and don’t think about the consequences. But he couldn’t. He wasn’t ready, and he refused to play games.

  He stepped back, putting some distance between them. She sighed and grabbed his arm.

  “Charles, are you serious? We have chemistry. I know you feel it.”

  “Sandra, what I feel… is years of sexual frustration trying to relieve itself with a willing woman.”

  “Am I not good enough for you? You don’t like what you see or what?”

  “Sandra, you know you’re beautiful. You don’t need me to tell you that.”

  “Then, what is it? I deserve an explanation after spending my entire day with you.”

  Charles, sensing the conversation was derailing his original intent to let her down easily, turned his back to Sandra, once again gazing at the expanse of midnight, colored with overtures of white. She stood beside him, hands casually holding the rails. A soft breeze blew her hair from her shoulders, and the moonlight cast its glow perfectly against her smooth skin. Beautiful. Gorgeous, even. Just not right for him. Although his body responded to her touches, there was no connection, and he’d rather not waste his or her time. Women like Sandra were always looking for a “good time” or so they said. Then enjoying each other’s company slowly grew into the desire for commitment, and he already knew she wasn’t for him. He took her hand in his, pulling her to face him.

  “I hope you find what you’re looking for, but I don’t think it’s with me. Thank you for a lovely day. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

  Before she could respond, Charles left, high-tailing it back to his suite.

  3 - He’s Mine

  Sandra stood by the balcony, allowing her heartbeat to calm. Indignation, anger, and a little sadness tightened her chest. How could he leave her standing there like that? She watched from the peripheral as he walked away, fighting the urge to throw her shoe at the man.

  Before spotting him at the bar, she’d made her way around the ship scoping out available men; at least the ones she thought were available. A group of old men hung by the pool, their speedos outlining their limp packages. Nappy chest hair covered their untoned chests, and comb-overs hid most of their bald spots. Cat-calls and whistles told her she’d caught their attention. If any of them had some actual money, she may have considered it. But the fake Rolexes and cheap gold chains gave them away. A few white men watched her as she walked around one pool, but white men did nothing for her. She could look but rarely had the desire to touch. Such was the scene on each level of the ship.

  Casino - more old men or handsome men with jealous wives or girlfriends hanging on their shoulders.

  Club - young men with no experience and no money.

  Entertainment hall - gay men. What a cliche.

  By the time she’d circled back, she needed a drink. There were no genuine prospects, and her pussy felt the disappointment more than her heart did.

  Then she saw him… sitting at the bar… alone.

  No wife around, though she considered that there might be one in the room. So, she trod lightly, first asking if she could sit with him. When he didn’t say that he was saving the seat for his wife or girlfriend, she mentally fist-bumped the air. She’d made assumptions. Yet, when he didn’t mention a significant other, caution, along with her panties, flew out of the window. He was a handsome, dark chocolate man, eye candy. A muscular body with a lean waist leading to a firm ass. Even sitting, Sandra knew he was tall. At least six feet or more. He was perfect.

  Initially, their conversation was stale and generic, but slowly Charles opened up as he sipped his drink. Sandra could tell something was on his mind, even if he wasn’t forthcoming about what that something was. Dreadful memories, fucked-up situations, break-ups - nothing could stand amid open legs and a willing pussy. At least, that’s what she used to believe. Charles had proven her belief wrong in the matter of a few hours. Still, there was something about him that Sandra liked and wanted more of.

  Normally, when a man said no, she would tell him to kiss her ass and move on to the next. It wasn’t so easy this time. Charles was different. Maybe it was because he was the only attractive, single man on board the ship. Or maybe it was because he was the first man to be a challenge to Sandra. It wasn’t as if she had a string of men waiting at her door. Most just didn’t turn her down. A little charm, a whispered compliment, a few strategica
lly placed touches, and they were putty in her hands. Not so with Charles.

  Sandra pushed away from the balcony and headed down the long hallway in search of the elevators that would lead to her room. Although only a ship, the damn thing was big enough to get lost in. One set of elevators was for staff only, as stated on the security pad next to it. Soon, she found the guest elevator and pressed the up button. Ideas on how to win Charles’ favor filled her mind. She couldn’t quite understand why it even meant so much to her, but it did. As luck would have it when the elevator doors opened, Sarah and MaryAnn stepped out; two people she didn’t want to see at that moment.

  “Hey, girl. We were looking all over for you. Where were you?” MaryAnn said, her sweet southern accent drawing out the ‘you’ with an elongated ‘ew’ sound.

  “Sight-seeing. This ship is gorgeous. Plus, I caught a show,” Sandra said, attempting to brighten her tone.

  The last thing she wanted to do was tell her besties how a man she’d just met and thrown herself at had turned her down. They wouldn’t laugh, but ridicule and judgment were for sure.

  “You should have told us. We could have come to the show with you,” Sarah said, chiming in as she looked around the floor, taking in the atrium’s beauty.

  “I figured ya’ll were resting. Besides, I didn’t know we had to spend every waking minute together,” Sandra snapped, crossing her arms across her heaving chest.

  “Damn girl. Calm down. I didn’t say that. It’s our first night on board. We just wanted to hang out. That’s all,” Sarah said, frustrated with her friend’s nasty attitude.

  “All right, ladies,” MaryAnn said as she sneakingly stepped between them, once again the peacekeeper. “We didn’t mean to intrude on your private time Sanda, or whatever you were doing. Let’s at least plan a day together.”

  “That’s a good idea. Maybe one day we dock, we can plan a day out,” Sarah said.

  “Whatever. Just let me know what ya’ll decide and I’ll go along with it,” Sandra said, her tone softer but still with a hefty dose of rudeness.

  “Girl, what’s up? This is supposed to be a girl’s trip and you act like you don’t want to be around us. You were crazy excited a few hours ago,” Sarah said, confused by Sandra’s sudden behavior change. Sandra sighed, refusing to tell them the truth.

  “Nothing. I’m just tired. The sway of the boat is getting to me, I guess. I’m headed to bed. Let’s meet for breakfast and plan out the week with girl time and private time. Cool?”

  Sandra’s fight died with her need to getaway.

  “All right, then. We can meet at the all-you-can-eat-buffet at, say, nine-thirty?” MaryAnn asked.

  “Yep. See ya’ll then.”

  Sandra quickly turned and walked into the elevator she’d held with one hand while conversing, not caring about the next person waiting for its arrival. Sarah and MaryAnn’s muddled faces disappeared as the doors closed on them. Her own behavior confused her. Charles’ face slipped into her mind, activating all her senses. It was as if he was standing right in front of her. Handsome face, beautiful smile, a woodsy male scent. Her fingers tingled, her core dampened, and her nipples strained against her cotton outfit, showing themselves proudly.

  Yeah, she wanted him badly. It had been a while since she’d been with a man, and she was feeling the effects. She knew Charles could soothe the ache deep inside of her. Now, all she had to do was convince him.

  4 - It’s You

  Sarah and MaryAnn sat at one of the few empty tables in the room. The all-you-can-eat buffet was already congested with cruise guests. Sarah had hoped few people would be up and about so early in the morning, and they could basically have the large dining hall and the buffet to themselves. But it wasn’t meant to be as the hall bustled with couples, families, and other groups of friends. Sarah and MaryAnn looked at the door, then glanced at the clock on the wall. It was forty-five minutes after, and Sandra was still a no-show. Agitation ate at Sarah. Pettiness was a well-known character trait of Sandra’s, but standing them up when it was her idea to meet for breakfast was beyond childish.

  “Where do you think she is?” MaryAnn whined, “Girl, I’m hungry and I see a croissant with my name on it.”

  “I don’t even know. We did say nine-thirty, right?” Sarah asked.

  MaryAnn nodded her head. “I don’t know what’s up with her. She was acting pretty strange yesterday.”

  “Stranger than normal?” Sarah quipped, then chuckled. “I mean, you know how she gets. If something happened, you know she won’t tell us until she’s acting erratically and we call her on it.”

  MaryAnn giggled while nodding in agreement. “I know, Sarah. Sandra has always felt like the odd man out. No matter how much we try to include her.”

  “I don’t know why,” Sarah said, exasperated with having the same conversation that had plagued their small friend’s circle for years. “We call her, just like we call each other. Invite her on these trips. We plan nothing without her. That doesn’t sound like a person who’s being left out.”

  “I know. I know,” MaryAnn said, then sighed. The feelings were Sandra’s alone, and neither one of them could convince her otherwise.

  “This is crazy, MaryAnn. We’ve been on this cruise for two days, and she’s on my damn nerves already. I had to scrape myself together to even come on this trip. I want to have fun, not worry that some secret issue she won’t tell anyone about is upsetting her. This is silly.”

  Sarah softly hit the table, not wanting to draw attention to herself, even though she wanted to hit it harder. They’d all been friends since middle school, but she had a love-hate relationship with Sandra. Sarah had always thought Sandra incapable of managing a single thought outside of herself. It was amazing that Sandra had managed a career as a counselor. Then again, maybe not. Sandra was the type of person who coveted attention. So, as a counselor, the students had no choice but to listen to her. She probably ate it up. Sarah doubted Sandra even knew how irritating she was. Sarah heard MaryAnn’s stomach loudly growl, angry to be so close to food and not eating it. They both laughed, and Sarah’s frustration calmed a bit, though it simmered just below the surface.

  “Come on, girl. We’ve been sitting here for twenty minutes now, and I’m starving. Let’s eat. She can find us when she gets here,” Sarah said, then quickly stood.

  As she stood, her elbow connected with something firm. Then, a warm hand grasped her arm.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you.”

  His voice was golden… yet familiar. Sarah turned and saw a handsome man held her arm. No, not handsome. Gorgeous. His smile was shy, yet genuine, which sparkled in his brown eyes. She felt like she knew him, but then she would remember if she’d met him before.

  “No, I’m sorry,” Sarah said, as she righted herself and turned to face him.

  She couldn’t shake the idea that she knew him and blurted the thought aloud before she could catch herself.

  “Don’t I know you?”

  Sarah looked to the floor, scared that he could read the attraction in her face. He wore khaki shorts and a yellow polo shirt that somehow complimented his dark skin. Sarah’s heartbeat sped up to a painful speed, and she struggled to catch her breath.

  “I don’t think so. I’d remember you, for sure,” he said as his eyes gleamed with what Sarah thought was desire. He felt it, too. How? He was a perfect stranger. Wasn’t he? His voice sounded like someone she knew or had at least spoken with before. Then it came to her, and her desire immediately turned to fiery anger.

  “It was you,” she said, each word punctuated with a finger-point to his chest.

  “I’m sorry?” he said, perplexity knotting his thick eyebrows.

  “You knocked my stuff over on the port. I didn’t see you because you didn’t stop to help me. But, I never forget a voice.”

  Understanding, then embarrassment stained his cheeks. Uncomfortable with being caught, he looked beyond Sarah to the wall, refusing to meet her scowling gaze.r />
  “That was you?” He asked softly.

  “Yes, it was. You didn’t even stop to help me. My stuff, lingerie included, flew all over the port.”

  “I am so sorry,” he said, hands grasped together as he pleaded for her forgiveness.

  Sarah crossed her arms over her chest, feigning anger that had dissipated as soon as she saw his sincerity. Still, she liked that he wanted her forgiveness.

  “I was in a rush. I was late, and I hadn’t gotten my boarding pass. When I heard the boarding call, I freaked. Please… is there anything I can do to earn your forgiveness?”

  MaryAnn who stood silently by watching the exchange finally piped in.

  “Well, the ship’s supposed to dock this afternoon. I say you can pay her back with a drink, or lunch, maybe even dinner.”

  Sarah huffed, her face draining of color as she waved her hands back and forth frantically, “That’s unnecessary. Your apology works just fine.”

  “No, I think that’s a great idea. I can do that,” Charles said, smiling once again. He and MaryAnn shared a shoulder hunch, proud of their combined brilliance.

  “What? Why would you do that? You just met me,” a bewildered Sarah asked.

  “Well, for starters, I owe you. I really am so sorry I did that to you. It wasn’t very gentlemanly of me. The other reason is, I’d like to get to know you better.”

  His admission both shocked and excited her. Her body responded, and she trapped a moan that threatened to escape her slightly parted lips. He wanted to get to know her better. Yes! No. No. She didn’t come on this trip for that.

  “Look, I don’t even know your name…” Sarah defended, trying to get out of the potential date.

  “Charles Whittle.” Charles extended his hand, patiently waiting for Sarah to accept it.

  “Her name is Sarah Gains,” MaryAnn said, her smile beaming from ear to ear. “I’m MaryAnn. Nice to meet you, Charles.” MaryAnn shook his hand while Sarah stood in stumped shock. Finally, Sarah found her voice and said,