His soft, warm lips lingered on her cheek, and a shiver passed through her. “Good morning. Have you been waiting long?”
“No. Just a few minutes.” He led her to the table. “Why don’t you leave your bag here and go fix your plate? I’ll get mine when you come back.”
“Okay.” Karen surveyed the buffet and filled her plate with a small amount of scrambled eggs, potatoes with onions and peppers, two strips of crisp bacon and a slice of toast, then got a glass of orange juice. She placed her plate on the table, and Damian shook his head. “What?”
“That’s all you’re eating?”
She glanced down at the plate. “Yes, why?”
“I can still see half of your plate.”
“I may go back for more.”
He nodded, leaned down close to her ear and whispered huskily, “By the way, you’re killing me with that outfit. Makes me want to cancel the tour.” His mouth curved in a wicked grin, he winked and walked off.
The timbre of his voice and accompanying look turned her legs to jelly. Karen managed to pull out her chair and drop down in it before she collapsed. She fanned herself and took a long sip of juice.
Damian returned to the table with his plate piled high—French toast, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage and fruit.
“You can go back for more, you know. That’s why they call it a buffet.”
He paused with the saltshaker in his hand. “What? I don’t have that much.”
“Whatever you say,” she said with a laugh, and forked up a portion of potatoes.
He wiggled his eyebrows. “I have a healthy appetite. What can I say?”
Her belly fluttered with the double meaning. She propped her chin in her hand and leaned forward. “So do I.”
“That’s good to know,” he murmured.
* * *
Damian tried to concentrate on his breakfast. Their verbal exchange, combined with the revealing black cover she wore over her bathing suit, had him hard as a steel beam and he was tempted, once again, to drag her to the nearest bed and find out just how healthy of an appetite she had. He had never engaged in this type of sensual play with his late wife—she had been very reserved when it came to sex. But he knew things would be different with Karen. He sensed a passion and fire in her that he eagerly wanted to explore. He forced his thoughts elsewhere and finished breakfast.
“Are you ready to head out?” he asked when her plate was empty.
“Yes.”
He stood, slung his backpack over his shoulder and helped Karen. More than one man turned when she walked by. Damian moved closer and placed a possessive hand on the small of her back. Sending a lethal glare at one man who was staring a little too long, he guided her toward the ship’s exit.
The ship’s coordinator checked off their names, gave them colored wristbands and directed them to a waiting van.
“Damian,” Karen started, once they were en route, “I want to apologize about last night.”
“For what?”
“The whole room invitation thing. I’ve never done anything like that before,” she mumbled, and turned to stare out the window.
He turned her face back toward his. “You don’t have to apologize. If it helps any, I really wanted to accept your invitation, but I didn’t want to come on too strong.”
He placed his arm around her shoulders, kissed her forehead and pulled her closer. They rode the rest of the way in silence. After reaching the park and getting water shoes, he suggested they rent a locker. Damian stripped off his shirt, placed it in his bag and put it in the locker.
“If you—” His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. Karen had taken off the cover and stood clad in a bathing suit that left every inch of her velvety brown back and sides bare. The sight almost dropped him to his knees. A man passing by whispered, “Dayuum!” while staring with his jaw unhinged. Damian couldn’t blame the man, because she was a vision of beauty. He let his gaze roam lazily over every delectable curve.
She placed her tote in the locker and faced him. “Were you going to say something?”
He stared at her with confusion, then realized she had asked him a question. He shook his head. “I’m sorry. What did you ask?”
“I thought you were going to say something.”
For the life of him, he couldn’t remember one word. “Nothing. You look amazing.”
She slowly looked him up and down. “So do you.”
It’s going to be a long day. He closed the locker and reached for her hand. “We’d better get going.”
At the base of the fall, a vendor asked if they wanted their picture taken.
“Yes. Take two.” He wanted a memory of this trip with her. The photographer took the pictures of them together, then one of them separately.
“You can view the pictures on your way out and buy if you like,” the man said.
Once they started the climb, Damian took a picture of Karen using the waterproof camera she’d brought along. Instead of linking hands and climbing with the others, they chose to leisurely climb to the top, stopping to linger in some of the pools along the way. Unable to resist, Damian came up behind Karen, wrapped his arm around her and trailed kisses along the smooth flesh of her neck and shoulders. She moaned softly. Turning her in his arms, he transferred his kisses to her jaw and nibbled on her lush bottom lip until her lips parted. He kissed her hungrily. Her hands came up and circled his neck.
“I can’t get enough of kissing you,” he managed to say huskily against her lips before kissing her again.
“Damian,” she whispered, her body trembling.
He pressed his lips to her temple, squeezed his eyes shut and tried to slow his galloping heart. Damian had never been so tempted by a woman in his life and certainly hadn’t ever lost control this way. He opened his eyes, eased back and released her. Giving her one last kiss, he took her hand and gestured her forward. “Come on, baby. Let’s keep going.”
* * *
Karen didn’t know how he expected her to climb anything after kissing her senseless. Her legs felt like rubber, her heart raced and her mind was a jumbled mess. She took a moment to collect herself before climbing the next step. They moved at a good pace for a while, and she stopped along the way to take a few pictures to show her students. After taking the last shot, she turned and lost her footing.
Damian tightened his grip on her waist. “Careful, sweetheart.”
The low timbre of his voice in her ear and the heat of his touch wreaked havoc on her nerves. She sucked in a shaky breath. “I’m good.” She glanced up. “We’re almost at the top.”
Once they reached the top, she turned and looked down with her arms spread. “That was great. I can’t wait to get back and see the pictures.”
He nodded. “I’m glad you allowed me to tag along. How about we get changed, stop and pick up the pictures, then get back to the van? It’ll be leaving shortly for lunch.”
“Okay.” They retrieved their belongings from the locker and headed to the changing facilities.
“I’ll wait for you over by the lockers,” Damian said.
She nodded and watched his sexy stroll until he disappeared. “Mmm, mmm, mmm.”
Inside, Karen stripped off her soaked bathing suit, dried off and dressed in shorts and a tank top. She combed out her wet hair and secured it back into a ponytail. She met Damian, and they returned the water shoes, paid for the pictures and boarded the van taking them to the restaurant.
“You didn’t have to pay for the pictures, Damian,” she said once the van pulled off.
“Think of it as my way of saying thank you. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much. I’ll never forget it,” he said, holding her eyes with an intensity that made her insides tremble.
“Neither will I.” She sta
red down at the picture of them in her hands. At least she would have something to remember him by when the cruise ended. But for some reason, the thought of never seeing him again caused a churning in her stomach.
Chapter 5
Karen and Damian entered the open-air restaurant known for its jerk chicken and placed their order. They laughed and talked about everything from the Jamaican sights and weather to music and politics—everything except themselves—while waiting for their food. It took a while for it to arrive, but it was well worth the wait. She bit into the spicy, crispy chicken, and an involuntary moan slipped from her lips.
Damian lifted an eyebrow and chuckled. “Good?”
“Oh, yes. Don’t take my word for it. Try it yourself.”
He picked up a piece of chicken from his plate and tried it. Nodding, he finished chewing. “Mmm, it is good.”
They ate in silence for several minutes. She scooped up some of the rice and peas, loving the subtle peppery flavor.
“Did you enjoy climbing the falls?” he asked between bites.
“Loved it.”
“Are you always this adventurous?”
She shrugged. “I’ll try anything once. Well, except bungee jumping. That will not be happening.”
He threw his head back and roared with laughter.
“What? All I can think about is that cord snapping, along with my neck.”
Still chuckling, Damian picked up his drink and took a sip. “That’s not on my list, either, though I never quite thought about it like that.”
“What about you? Do you like adventure?”
“I used to,” he answered softly. His voice held a hint of sadness.
“Any reason why you don’t anymore?”
He smiled faintly. “Working too hard, I guess.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to join me,” she said, trying to lift his mood. “Sounds like you need to get out more.”
Holding her gaze, he said, “Maybe. I haven’t had this much fun in ages.” He covered her hand. “I’m looking forward to much more.”
“So am I.”
They continued eating, and then he asked, “So, Karen, what do you do?”
She paused with the fork in her hand. The last man she had dated didn’t think teaching met the standards of a successful career. What would Damian think? Karen halted her thoughts. She didn’t care what anyone thought—she loved teaching. “I teach.”
“Really?”
She stilled. “Is there something wrong with teaching?”
“Not at all. I think teachers are hardworking, dedicated and severely underpaid.”
Relaxing, she laughed. “Me, too.”
“What grade do you teach?”
“Fourth.”
He shook his head. “You must have the patience of a saint.”
“Some days it’s a struggle, but I love it.”
“I’m sure you’re a phenomenal educator.”
“Thanks. What about you?”
“I work for a consulting firm.”
Before she could question him further, the driver indicated it was time to leave. They discarded the remnants of their lunch, followed their group out and rode the short distance back to the ship. As they boarded and made their way to the elevators, Karen tried to cover a yawn.
“Tired?”
“A little.” She checked her watch—two-thirty. “Oh, by the way, you’re good to go on the concert tonight if you still want to.”
“You still offering?” Damian pushed the elevator button.
“I am. The show starts at eight.” She got in the elevator, and he followed.
“Thanks. What’re you going to do until then?”
“Shower, wash my hair and probably take a nap. Are you going to meet your friends?”
“I’ll probably relax for a little while, then see if I can find them.”
The elevator opened, and he followed her to her room. She unlocked the door and then turned back.
“I’ll pick you up at seven-thirty. Is that all right?”
“That’s fine.”
“See you in a little while.” He bent low and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Sleep well.” Then he was gone.
* * *
After showering and taking a short nap, Damian went in search of Troy and Kyle and found them in the casino playing blackjack.
Troy looked up from his cards. “What’s up? I see you got our message. I was wondering if you’d show up.”
“How long you guys been playing?”
“Long enough to lose damn near all my money,” Kyle grumbled, turning over his cards and showing another busted hand.
Damian laughed. “I’m glad I got here when I did. I need to keep my money.”
“Please, you have almost as much money as Midas.”
“Yeah, right. And you don’t? Kyle, you have more money than Troy and I put together.”
“That’s because Kyle is a miser,” Troy said and signaled the dealer to give him another card.
“It’s called managing your money properly,” Kyle said, mimicking the nasally tone of their high school economics teacher.
They looked at each other and broke out in laughter. Back in high school, they had teased Mr. Cornwell and laughed behind his back, but the three friends had taken the man’s words to heart, made some lucrative investments and were now financially well-off. Doing this had also given them the freedom to start their own business when they were ready for career changes.
“How was Dunn’s River Falls?” Kyle asked.
Damian smiled, remembering how good Karen looked in her swimsuit, how smooth her skin felt and how much he liked kissing her. “Great.”
“That good?”
Damian nodded.
Troy lifted an eyebrow. “You’re not planning to back out on us tomorrow, are you?”
“Nah, man. But I am going with her to Monte’s show tonight. Front row, reserved seats. Remember when we saw her dressed up that first day?”
“Yeah,” they both answered.
“Karen’s best friend had just gotten married to Monte. So he reserved some seats.”
Kyle threw down another busted hand. “I think I’ve lost enough money for one day.” He stood. “Let’s go listen to some music and grab something to eat, and then Damian can tell us all about Karen.”
They filed out of the casino and caught a performance in the atrium. There was no room on the main floor, so they ended up going to the next level. Afterward, over an early dinner, they lamented the fact that so many great singing artists, like the one they’d just heard, were going the independent route. With radio stations and music companies looking for quick money, the market seemed to be flooded with cookie-cutter mediocre talent.
The conversation turned to Karen. “I don’t know much about her, except that she’s a teacher,” Damian said.
“Did you tell her you used to teach?” Troy asked before forking up a piece of steak.
“No. I just told her I work for a consulting firm.”
“Good move,” Kyle said, toasting Damian with his wineglass. “You don’t need to divulge all your secrets to somebody you probably won’t see again.”
“Hmm.” For some reason, the knowledge that he might not see Karen again after this week bothered him, but he decided not to share that piece of information with his friends. He wanted to learn more about her. One week wouldn’t be nearly enough time for him to uncover all he needed to know. But it was a start. He checked his watch and realized he had less than an hour to change before meeting Karen. He finished his meal and stood. “What time do you want to meet in the morning?”
Troy shrugged. “Say breakfast at eight, and we leave around nine?”
“Okay. Wh
at are we doing?”
Kyle and Troy shared a smile. Kyle said, “You just need to bring a couple of changes of clothes. We plan to have a good time.”
Damian divided a wary gaze between the two men. “What are you two up to?”
“Just want you to enjoy yourself,” Troy answered. He chuckled. “We may never get you out of the house again, so we have to pack it in while we can.”
Though Troy had said the comment in a teasing manner, Damian couldn’t stop the guilt that arose. They had been friends since middle school, and Damian could always count on the two of them to have his back no matter what. “I’ll be ready.”
In his room, Damian changed into tailored slacks, a silk polo and loafers. Thinking he might not get back until late, he filled his oversize backpack with the clothes he’d need for tomorrow’s excursion and placed it on a chair. He pulled the duffel bag from the closet and searched for the condoms. He found them, tore off a few and put them in his wallet. Taking a quick look at his watch, he picked up the card key, slipped it into his pocket and left to pick up Karen.
When she opened the door, he could only stare.
“Hey, come on in. Let me grab my purse.” She walked a few steps, slipped her arms into a sheer cover-up, turned back and chuckled. “Damian, are you coming in?”
Shaking himself, he followed her. “Sorry. Every time I see you, you take my breath away.” She wore another sexy dress paired with matching sandals.
She smiled. “Thanks. You look pretty good yourself.” She slung a purse over her shoulder. “I’m ready.”
So was he.
* * *
In the elevator, Karen closed her eyes briefly and drew in a deep breath. The heat in Damian’s eyes threatened to incinerate her. The chemistry between them increased exponentially each time they were together, and she didn’t know how much longer they’d last before the intense desire overtook them. She glanced up to find his eyes fixed on hers. His gaze drifted to her mouth, and she subconsciously licked her lips, remembering the warm slide of his tongue against hers. Just as he reached for her, the ding of the elevator sounded.
Damian leaned close to her ear and murmured, “To be continued.” He wrapped a hand around her waist and steered her around the crowd waiting to board, down the hall toward the theater.
All of Me Page 5