Chapter Two
Day 2: Sunday
At Sea
Andrew
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Holy Fuck! My alarm goes off, and I swipe at it as fast as possible to turn it off. I’m pissed that I didn’t turn off the alarm last night when I went to bed a whole three hours ago. It’s 6:30 a.m., and now I’m up. Foggy from my short nap, images of DJ are the first to enter my headspace. I’m sure I’m going to have to account for my actions last night since I didn’t respond to any of Ally’s messages. I’m hoping Marcus was able to run interference, but I’m sure I’m going to hear about it…
Knock at my door.
Shit!
Another knock.
“Coming,” I bark at the door.
I open the door. “Good Morning, Ally,” I say, not even having to guess who it is.
“Who was that, AJ?” she asks. “Who was that woman you were with all night?”
“Whoa, Ally, pump the brakes, sis. And how do you know she isn’t here this morning?” I ask.
Surprised, she glances around the room for any evidence. “Is she?” she whispers.
Laughing, I respond, “No. I left her on the tenth floor at 3:20 a.m. if you’re keeping tabs on me.”
“Who is she?”
“Crazy story. I ran into her at lunch yesterday. Literally ran into her, food all over the place, a big mess. I noticed a ring and backed off immediately. I sent her and her husband a bottle of champagne last night at Emilio’s. Remember, you were standing right next to me when I had Javi send it over.”
“What the fuck AJ, she’s married?” she nearly jumps down my throat.
“No, hold on. Funny story. You left, but you would have found our initial interaction hysterical. My table was close to hers, and as I walked by, I again apologized and reminded her to put her cleaning charge on my room. Through some painful and awkward conversation, she revealed that she’s not married, not gay, and not widowed. She wears the ring when she travels for safety and to keep guys from hitting on her.”
Ally seems a little more relaxed with the explanation and slowly nods as if to approve of the idea.
“Oh, okay,” she says. “So, what’s the deal?”
“What’s what deal?” I think we’re now headed into the Spanish Inquisition. “We had a great time. All we did was talk.”
“No way!” she retorts.
“Seriously, we spent the entire night talking about everything. Places we like to travel, foods we like to eat, movies…it was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced with a woman.”
She sees the seriousness on my face.
“What’s her name?”
“DJ,” I answer.
“Last name?” she asks.
“Starts with a J?” I quip.
“Seriously?” she draws out.
“Don’t know,” I reply.
“Room number?”
“Don’t know.”
“What does she know about you?” she solicits.
“That my name is AJ.” I see the surprised look on her face as she knows that’s reserved for a very few people. “And I’m in the family business. Logistics,” I answer.
“Logistics? That’s a good one.” She laughs.
“That creative writing class is still paying dividends,” I jest.
“Are you going to see her again?” she probes.
“Yes,” I confirm with no hesitation.
“AJ, I know you’re on vacation, but you’re also the next CEO of the company. There are some very blurred lines here since employees are not allowed to hook up with passengers,” she reminds me.
“I know, but this is technically not an official work trip,” I volley back to her.
“Should I call Dad and ask?” she pushes.
“Come on, Ally, I’m on vacation. I met a woman I would like to spend more time with. Maybe she’s my cruise crush? Maybe not. I do, however, recall one of our employees who fell in love with a young chef on her second cruise and ended up marrying the guy.”
“Should’ve seen that coming a mile away,” she acquiesces. “Just be mindful that your actions have consequences, not only personally, but also for the company. What if this woman finds out who you are and makes accusations against you?” she says cautiously.
“She won’t do that. It’s not in her DNA,” I defend .
“You just met this woman. How can you be so sure? Just be careful,” she says in her best, “I don’t think this is a good idea, but since you haven’t seriously dated in years and need some fun and relaxation, I’m going to let this slide” voice.
“Well, now that we’ve got that all cleared up, breakfast?” she asks.
“Can you give me an hour and a half? I want to hit the gym.”
“Fine, Destinations in ninety minutes. See you there, bro.”
Going to the gym will help me wake up. Since it’s 6:58 a.m., I’m half expecting to have the place to myself. But there are always a few dedicated individuals who make time for the gym on the cruise. Most say it’s because they know they will be eating the rest of the day.
Although I had only three hours of sleep, I needed to get my head wrapped around DJ. Ally’s right. I do have to watch my step because, at the end of the day, I’m the next CEO of Pinnacle, and what I do and the example I set must be my priority. But I can’t get her out of my head. Running helps me clear my headspace, gets me focused, and gives me some time to think about my next interaction with DJ.
I check in at the counter and head to the treadmills. As I approach, I see one other person who is as crazy as I am to be up this early on a vacation day. She is pounding away on that machine like she’s running from a fucking bear. As I get closer, I can’t help but notice the great ass and tight body, and holy shit…
“Good morning,” I mouth as she’s listening to music.
Delaney
Not slowing down, “Good morning,” I reply, which probably sounds more like a yell since I’ve got Queen blaring “One Vision” in my ears.
What is he doing here so early? And how awesome do I look right now?! Fuck! That's not exactly how I imagined our next meeting. He jumps on another machine, not wanting to interrupt my workout. Considerate. Either that, or he can’t stand the foul sweat smell surrounding me. Regardless, I look and smell like ass, and he’s looking F-I-N-E fine this morning. How the fuck does he do that with only three hours of sleep?
I really couldn’t sleep last night as the idea of him grinding into me kept me tossing and turning until I couldn’t take it anymore. I finally broke down and grabbed my bullet to help relieve some of the burning tension between my thighs. Seriously, the image of him on top of me, feeling his hard cock pounding my center and sucking on my nipples… Yeeesh, I’m going to get wet all over again just thinking about it. It didn’t take long to O, and I was finally able to fall asleep.
As my workout is ending, I see him in a full sprint on a machine two down from me. His legs are like tree trunks, strong, firm, and solid. His pace is impressive, and his ass is chiseled in near perfection. His T-shirt is clinging to his body, which allows me to see the outline of his pecs. His shorts are loose, and my mind wanders, thinking about what’s underneath. I’m sure he has more than what’s needed to satisfy the lucky woman he takes to bed.
I grab a towel, drink some water, and try to get myself together before I get off the machine. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and almost gag. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t talk to me ever again.
I walk over to him, and he intentionally slows his machine, takes his AirPods out, and grins. Fuck me! His smile. It’s inviting and sexy all at the same time.
“Hey,” he says, panting, trying to catch his breath.
“Hey, didn’t mean for you to stop,” I say. And I mean it. I really don’t want him to see me like this. It’s just not a good look. My shirt is stained in sweat, my hair is damp and tangled in a tight bun, and my face is red and burning. Ick!
“What are you doing here so early?” he questions.
“I could ask you the same question.”
“I forgot to turn my alarm off and figured since I was up, I might as well work out some tension.” He smirks.
“What kind of tension?” I pose, not missing a beat.
“The kind of tension that keeps you up at night,” he answers. “And you? Why are you up so early?”
“Same,” I answer, holding my breath and waiting for his reaction.
“Hmmm, something tells me there’s got to be a better way than running on this monotonous machine to work out that kind of tension, don’t you think?” he tests the waters.
Holy shit. He’s seriously flirting with me, sexual innuendos flying left and right, and I like it. No, I love it. I look like complete ass, and his eyes, those sexy eyes, are still gazing at me, visually undressing me, and talking to me like he just wants to make me his own. #yesplease
I feel the heat in my face start to move toward my center, and the tingle between my thighs makes it very clear that, yup, I’m wet all over again. Trying to remain cool and collected, “I’m sure if there was a better way, you’d probably know about it,” I counter.
What. Am. I. Doing? I may have a creative writing side that helps with my alone time, but to be having this conversation out loud with a hot guy is so not on brand for me. I’m sure some lawyer who represents one of my sponsors is twitching right now and doesn’t know why. Feeling proud, like I can hold up my end of this sexually charged conversation, I anxiously await his next playful suggestion.
He steps off the treadmill and leans in to speak more softly so only I can hear him. I feel his breath on my skin. Yes, please.
“Do you trust me?’ he asks in a serious tone.
“Yes,” I reply without even thinking twice about my answer. Where is he going with this?
“Hear me out. Do you like massages? ”
“Absolutely.”
“How about you come to my room, and I’ll give you a massage that rivals one you can get here at the spa?”
“Seriously?” I ask.
“Yes, and before you think this is some kind of crazy invite, know that I’ve read the book Massage for Dummies . I promise this will be nothing more than a massage you would experience in the spa, except I don’t charge $250.”
I quickly try to process this invite. I already booked a spa massage, so what would be the difference? Somehow, I’m more comfortable taking my clothes off with him rather than with a complete stranger in the spa. I am very intrigued, curious, and turned on.
“I’m in.”
“Okay, give me an hour. Stateroom…”
“15001, I know,” I cut him off.
I have no idea what I’m doing or thinking, but I’m not nervous or anxious about it. He makes me feel a lot of things, but in this moment, he makes me feel wanted and safe.