by A. C. Arthur
“That’s not to say that we do not endorse a healthy lifestyle, we just do it without the condemnation and stigmatism that has run rampant throughout the world. We don’t all have to be the same size or have the same look or even talk the same talk. We were created to be different, to be bold and to overcome. That’s what My Big Is Beautiful Forever does for the plus-sized individuals, we empower, educate and motivate, because we’re all beautiful and we should all be proud of that fact!”
Clapping resumed once more with a woman across the room standing up in support of Amber’s words. She was a full figured woman with blonde-colored dreads hanging down the center of her back. Another woman of Asian heritage, who was shorter than Amber but still in the plus size range, wore gold bangles on both wrists, large hoops in her ears and her jet black hair twisted up in a bun, stood and applauded. In the next moments more people stood and Brandon joined them. Amber continued to smile as she shook hands with the captain and walked back to her seat. Brandon’s gaze followed her every move.
When the room had calmed down once more and some were actually starting to leave, Brandon stood and bid goodnight to the co-workers at his table.
“Where you going Big Brandon?” Tim asked, his words and body movements slurred and sloppy. “Back to your room? Oh, no, no, not you. Not the famous Donovan brotha. You’ve probably already got your eye on a piece of—”
Brandon clapped a hand hard on Tim’s shoulder before he could finish that sentence. “Good night, Tim,” he said forcefully.
“Jeez,” Tim complained, pulling out of Brandon’s grasp and almost falling over the table. “You ain’t gotta be all tough guy. I know how you Donovans roll. Hell, we all know how the Donovan men get down.” His last words were punctuated by a sickening thrust of his hips and winking of his eye as his tongue flapped out of his mouth.
Kylie rolled her eyes and Bob shook his head. Margaret frowned as she stood.
“You’re a disgrace,” Margaret told Tim. “And I am going to make sure your supervisor hears about this.”
Brandon couldn’t help but frown because while Margaret might have her ridiculous opinions about black people, Tim certainly wasn’t helping the situation. Now, Brandon was for sure going to have to speak to Courtney before the head of HR was tasked with firing Tim.
“Go sleep it off,” Brandon told Tim, when Margaret had left their little group. “In the morning you need to find Sheldon or any other supervisor in your department and do the next thing you do so well, kiss ass. Maybe you’ll manage to keep your job.”
Tim frowned at Brandon. “I’m not afraid of her and I don’t have to listen to the almighty Donovan either.”
This time spittle flew from his mouth as he spoke and Brandon backed away from him.
“Suit yourself,” he said before leaving the table and the fate of his co-worker behind. Sometimes, people just didn’t want to be helped.
Besides, Brandon had much better things to do with his time then try to save a man’s job when that man didn’t have sense enough to take the same precautions himself. Instead, Brandon had a gorgeous woman to find.
When Brandon next saw her, he was once again surprised. She had left the dining room and was standing near an elegant stairway where she posed for one picture after another. A photographer yelled directions to her and she seamlessly obeyed. From a very sultry look, with her head tossed back, all that long glossy black hair hanging loose, hands on her hip, to one where she was laughing riotously. Each shot played in his mind like a movie in the making. A movie that Brandon planned to watch over and over again.
“That’s it for tonight, babe. 10 a.m. tomorrow morning, don’t be late,” the photographer said to her.
She walked to him nodding. “I’m never late, Slyde, that’s usually you.”
They laughed at that and then Slyde leaned in kissing her on the cheek. Brandon knew he frowned, he could feel the tightening of his forehead and at his sides his fists were clenching tightly. He shook that off just in time for her to lift her head, her gaze falling immediately on him.
“Hello again,” he said walking toward her.
She didn’t give him one of those many smiles she’d been tossing around tonight, but looked at him questioningly instead.
“I asked earlier if you were stalking me. I was joking then, but now,” she said while lifting one prettily arched brow.
“A man’s gotta eat,” he replied with a nod to the dining room.
“Ok, I’ll let you pass with that one,” she told him. “Look, I’m really tired. It’s been a long day. So I’m going to head back to my cabin.”
“I’ll walk with you,” he said, just as she prepared to turn away from him.
When she looked at him again he thought she was going to say something else in an attempt to send him away, but she didn’t. She gave a little shrug of her shoulders and began walking. Brandon picked up pace beside her and they made their way through the busy main area and headed toward the elevators which were located at the center of the ship.
“You look very nice this evening,” he said when they’d boarded an elevator, rode up two floors and then stepped off.
“Thank you,” she told him. “You’re dressed very nicely yourself.”
There were too many people moving about and too much noise, when all Brandon wanted to do was be alone with her. He wanted to look into her eyes and have a conversation with her, to find out as much as he could about this woman that had so intrigued him. Maybe because there’d never been a woman to pique his interest in this way before.
“How about a walk along the deck?” he suggested.
“I’d really like to just go to my cabin,” she replied.
Brandon nodded, but was in no way ready to give up. “Then let’s do this. Where is your cabin?”
She paused momentarily before telling him her cabin number. He could understand her hesitation, she had no idea if he really was a crazy stalker or not. Truth be told, the way he’d been acting around her was new to him too. Normally, he was much more reserved and to the point with women. Ask them out, if they accept, good. If they didn’t, maybe next time. With her, Brandon wasn’t willing to wait until a next time.
“We can head out this way here,” he said touching her elbow to lightly guide her towards the right where the hallway opened out onto the deck. “And then, we can walk all the way up towards your room. We’ll cross over when we get close and you’ll be right there. How does that sound?” he asked, although he was actually already leading her to the outside.
“It sounds like I’ll get my steps in regardless, so why not,” she told him.
“Your steps?”
She lifted an arm and pushed the sleeve to her black jacket back a bit showing him the blue band on her wrist. “Yes, I count my steps every day. It’s a good way to tell if I’m moving enough.”
“Oh,” he said with a nod. “Is that part of your weight loss regimen?”
Amber stopped right there. A few people walked past them as she propped her hands on her hips. “I’m not on a diet,” she told him. “I’m conscious of my health and things that I can do to prevent conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. This just helps keep me on track when I’m too busy to really focus. Which I have been for the past months.”
Another thing Brandon had never mastered was the art of being subtle. He was a middle child, a book nerd and computer geek, and it had taken way too long for his voice to catch up with his tall, gangly frame, so to avoid being overrun by his very opinionated twin sister and athletic older brother, he had to be able to out talk them. Unfortunately, sensitivity had been lost on him, as he was realizing now watching the defensive stance Amber had just taken with him.
He held up both hands in mock surrender. “No offense intended,” he told her. “I was just curious. I listened to your acceptance speech and was very proud of the points you made and what you’re doing for the…” he paused and looked at her as if he were seeing her for the first
time.
“You’re Amber McNair, the national spokesperson for My Big Is Beautiful Forever Foundation. You’re also a good friend of Jenise Langley’s,” he stated as he now remembered where he’d heard the name of that organization before.
“You know Jenise?” she asked him, and then looked at him with what he thought was probably the same surprised gaze he was giving her. “Wait a minute, you said your name is Brandon Donovan. You’re one of the Donovans? As in Savian Donovan, the producer and station owner that Jenise married a few months ago?”
Brandon nodded. “One and the same.”
Amber folded her arms over her chest. The act pushed her generous breasts up higher and his throat went dry.
“I was in Australia for Christmas so I missed the wedding,” she continued. “I really wish I could have been there. I’ve known Jenise since I first started modeling. We hit it off instantly and have been good friends ever since.”
“I didn’t stay in Miami long after the wedding, but from what I can tell she’s a fantastic lawyer and my cousin Savian really loves her,” he said.
Amber smiled then. “I’m glad she found love. If anybody deserved it, Jenise does.”
“Everybody deserves to find love, don’t you think?” he asked.
She hesitated and Brandon immediately thought some fool had probably broken her heart.
“I think everybody deserves whichever type of relationship that will make them happy. And if they’re happy without being in a relationship, well that’s just fine too,” she told him as she turned and continued to walk.
Yeah, there was a jackass out there that had been stupid enough to hurt this phenomenal woman. Brandon thought that was a pity and an opportunity. He walked alongside her now with a renewed sense of urgency.
“What type of relationship are you in?” he asked.
With a knowing gaze she looked over to him. “Ask the real question, Brandon?”
He shrugged. See, being subtle just did not work for him. “Are you seeing someone?”
“No,” she replied. “Are you?”
“No,” he answered. “Are you interested in a long term relationship?”
“No,” was her next response. “Are you?”
Now, it was his turn to pause. “I’m not into one night stands, but I’ve never been involved in a long term relationship.”
She looked surprised. “Really? How old are you?”
“I’m thirty-three. How old are you?”
Another question that a man probably shouldn’t ask a woman, especially not the first day he meets her. Still, this is where their conversation was going and Brandon wasn’t about to back down.
“Just turned thirty last month,” she said proudly.
He liked her a lot already.
“Then we should definitely celebrate,” he told her. “How about you and I have dinner tomorrow at one of the other restaurants, not in the main dining room.”
“Why? Are you hiding from someone in the main dining room? Another woman you’ve been stalking perhaps?” she asked jokingly.
Brandon shook his head. “More like co-workers I can do without seeing for a while. I told you this cruise was business for me. My company likes to reward the top executives with a moral boosting retreat each year. We were very lucky to take a cruise this time around.”
“This is a very generous reward,” she said. “My room’s right through here.”
Damn.
Brandon walked once again toward the inside of the ship, following her down a long hallway until they came to a stop at her door.
“So we’re on for dinner tomorrow?” he asked.
“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
Amber pulled the room key card from a small black purse she’d been carrying and had already turned to insert it into the door. “We’re only on this cruise for seven nights. And you’re not into one night stands, remember?”
Brandon took a step forward, until there was only a whisper of space between him and her backside. “Are you into one night stands, Amber? Would you want to have a one night stand with me?”
She’d gone perfectly still, her body probably reacting the same way as his to their proximity.
“If you’re asking am I attracted to you,” she said before taking a deep inhale and exhaling slowly. “Then the answer is yes. There’s no sense in denying that.”
Her words had him stepping closer, loving the feel of her soft bottom against his growing erection. It was his turn to inhale deeply and exhale…not slowly enough because he could swear he felt dizzy. The scent of her hair was something fruity and tantalizing.
“No,” he said slowly. “We shouldn’t deny it.”
“But this is ridiculous. As I said we’re only going to be on this cruise for seven nights and…”
“Seven nights is not a one night stand,” he said, placing both his hands on the door so that his arms blocked her in.
She shook her head. “This is crazy. I just met you a few hours ago.”
“And you wanted me then. Just like I wanted you. We’re adults Amber, there’s no handbook that says when we can or cannot enjoy each other. No set rules on how two people should interact according to some schedule.”
When she turned partially, looking over her shoulder at him and said, “Well, there’s the bible,” Brandon almost faltered.
Instead he groaned. “Don’t do that. Not here. Not now.”
With a little more maneuvering, she managed to turn around completely to face him. For a few moments she simply stared up at him and Brandon at her. What else could he say? What could he do? She lifted a hand grasping the back of his head and pulled him closer. Her lips were soft when they touched his, wet when he opened his mouth to hers, and simply delectable when the kiss deepened. His hands fell to her hips, rubbing along the soft curves as blood pumped fiercely through his veins. She leaned into him, he pushed her back against the door, thrusting his hips forward. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, daring him to touch and explore. The kiss—her kiss—was masterful, and arousing and he wanted more. It was just that simple.
Until she pulled away.
They both heaved, unable to speak for the first few seconds.
Then Amber cleared her throat. “Like you said, not here. Not now.”
She turned away from him at that point, slipping her card into the door.
“Tomorrow,” he managed to say before she closed the door.
“We’re docking tomorrow,” she told him and then as if she’d had to think about it once more and had reluctantly come to a conclusion, “Dinner.”
The door closed then, leaving Brandon to smile and shake his head. He was happy and aroused. Irritated that one wouldn’t be appeased, but relieved that tomorrow would be another day. Another opportunity.
It was always good to look forward to tomorrow.
Chapter 4
There was nothing like bad news first thing in the morning.
Not being able to find a scrunchie to hold all her hair back from her face while she walked around the gorgeous islands of St. Maarten in ninety-five degree weather, was definitely bad news for Amber. She had a tendency to sweat, a lot. It was a horrible affliction that she blamed solely on her mother, Zelda. Summers in Chicago could be intolerable and Zelda always carried her sweat towel with her because no matter if she were walking one block or fifty, she’d probably be drenched by the time she returned home.
That was a word Amber had missed over the past year. Home. She hadn’t been to her house in Northbrook in far too long. So long, that her cutie-patootie Essie, probably had no idea who she was. Essie was the most adorable Teacup Yorkie imaginable and she was probably driving Zelda mad with her antics and disappearing around the Oakridge Manor house where Amber’s parents lived. Her youngest sister Fiona was supposed to take care of Essie, but she’d backed out when she was able to sub-let an apartment closer to her job which had a stern no-pet policy. So Essie had been sta
ying with Zelda and Elder, her dad, giving them both a run for their money.
Finally settling on a rubber band she’d found in the bottom of her suitcase, Amber pulled her hair back and surveyed herself in the mirror. Today’s bathing suit was a wild and frisky cheetah print one piece, with sheer black shoulder straps. Her cover-up was a black knee length dress with fringes around the bottom. Flat black sandals, gold chandelier earrings and a chunky gold bracelet on one wrist, her Fitbit on the other, and she was ready to go. Grabbing her huge day bag she headed out of the cabin ready for a day of sightseeing and shopping. As she moved she silently gave thanks that the photo shoot originally scheduled for this morning had been postponed.
Amber felt composed and confident once again. A drastic change since last night, she thought, as she closed the door behind her and stood for a few seconds in that spot. The one where she’d wantonly kissed Brandon Donovan, for the second time. Okay, in all fairness, the kiss at the pool was just part of that little trick he’d played on her. It was simple and harmless. Even though it had whet her appetite for more. The second kiss, now that was the clincher. She hadn’t planned it, but looking back now, she couldn’t say there was anything that would have prevented her from going full steam ahead. She had a habit of doing that, which had followed her all her life.
No, she’d stopped when that reckless and careless abandon had almost destroyed her.
Yet last night that part of her had surprisingly resurfaced, snatching away all thoughts of caution and preservation she’d trained herself to have. It was him, she knew. Brandon Donovan was not like anyone else she’d ever met, and she didn’t even know why. All that she was absolutely certain of was that she wanted him, without question. How could that be? She didn’t even know the guy. Of course she’d heard of his family. Jenise had told her all about them when she’d begun working on Savian’s murder case. Amber had to admit that made her more than a little skeptical about the family, but they all couldn’t be responsible for what one of them did. As it turned out, Savian was innocent and Jenise had fallen in love with him. Theirs was the sweetest real life love story that Amber had ever heard and she’d really regretted not being at her good friend’s wedding.