Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
RIGEL
I’m not ready to let Mia go, not even for one night. I never want this moment to end.
I turn to face her, my free hand reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The gesture is intimate, a lover’s caress, and Mia’s eyes flutter closed at the touch. Her skin is soft beneath my fingertips, warm and inviting.
Intoxicating.
Her gaze locks onto mine with an intensity that steals my breath and brings a rush of warmth to my heart and further south.
My dick wakes, hungry and curious.
But it’s too soon.
We’re not there yet.
We’re close enough that her breath mingles with mine, becoming one in the space between us. The world shrinks to the size of our embrace, and in that small universe, it’s only Mia, me, and the endless sky.
“Dance with me.” My plea threads through the air, a blend of desire and tenderness.
“Dance?” Her voice is a melody in itself, a note of curiosity laced with an edge of excitement .
“Yes.” I draw her hands to my chest. “Dance with me.”
“Here?” she inquires, her gaze an ocean I’m eager to dive into, deep and fathomless.
“Under the stars.” It’s not just an invitation but a promise—a promise of discovery and sharing a moment that transcends the ordinary.
“There’s no music.” Her eyes are alight with interest, and her laughter is a soft chime that adds to the night’s charm.
“We don’t need music.” I guide her close, my arms encircling her slender waist, affirming the connection sparking between us. “We have the rhythm of the waves and the beating of our hearts.”
“You’re a romantic?” Her left brow wings up, but before I can respond, she folds into my arms. “Wasn’t expecting that.”
“What can I say? I’m full of surprises.”
“You’re…”
“Yes?” I’m eager to hear her thoughts.
“Amazing. Exactly what I—need right now.”
There’s a hitch in her breath and that weird pause before need. Yet again, I get the intense feeling something is disturbing Mia.
“I’ll take amazing.” I pull her closer, aligning our bodies like a lock and key.
This feels all kinds of right.
With a step that follows the gentle rocking of the ship, we sway, our bodies moving with the pulse of the ocean. Her slender form is a perfect complement to mine, her softness against my strength, her grace following my lead.
As we dance, it’s as if the universe conspires to heighten the intimacy—the wind whispers through her hair, the stars twinkle in approval, and the sea itself plays a symphony for two.
Her hands, delicate yet assured, come to rest on my shoulders, and the heat of her touch scorches my skin.
Our movements are unhurried, a slow dance that matches the lazy trail of a shooting star streaking across the sky. Each step is a silent conversation, and each turn is a chance to get closer.
We’ve just met, and I feel as if I’ve known her forever. I want her to trust me and divulge whatever it is that’s bothering her .
Only… she has no reason to trust me—a stranger.
Despite that, the walls she’s built do begin to soften, her guarded heart opening just a fraction to let me in.
As we dance, sexual tension builds between us. It’s a delicious anticipation that promises more.
More connection.
More depth.
More us.
We’re an inevitability.
The first tenuous threads of affection weave around us. It’s new and fragile yet feels as ancient as the stars above—eternal and destined.
She rests her head on my shoulder, her breath tickling my neck. We rotate slowly on the spot. I close my eyes, savoring the feel of her in my arms, the way her hair smells of ocean and jasmine, the way her heartbeat echoes my own.
“I never want this to end.” Mia sighs, her words muffled against my shirt. “I wish we could stay like this forever, just you and me and the stars.”
I tighten my arms around her, my lips brushing the top of her head. “We have tonight,” I whisper, my voice a promise. “And tomorrow. And every night after that, for as long as you’ll have me.”
“If only that were true.” She lifts her head, her eyes shining with unshed tears, her smile tremulous.
She speaks of our end before we’ve begun, cementing my belief she’s running from something.
Not that I’ll ask. I need time to earn her trust and get her to open up to me.
Meanwhile, I make a silent pledge: As long as our paths intersect, no matter what happens, I’ll stand beside her, protecting her.
A small voice in the back of my mind whispers not to entangle myself with another so soon after leaving the restrictions of the Navy behind.
I ignore those thoughts, focusing instead on the warmth of her body and the softness of her skin .
For now, in this perfect moment, there is only us—two souls united under the endless expanse of a star-studded sky.
We fall silent, the only sound the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull and the distant hum of conversation from the other passengers at the bar a deck below us.
The air between us is charged with possibility, with the promise of something new and exciting on the horizon.
I guide Mia toward the ship’s bow, our hands still clasped. As we reach the bow, I release her hand and move to stand behind her, my arms wrapping around her waist in a gentle embrace. The warmth of her skin seeps through the thin fabric of her dress, igniting a fire within me that threatens to consume us both.
Mia leans back against me, her body fitting perfectly against mine, as if we’re two puzzle pieces finally coming together. I breathe in the scent of her hair, the gentle fragrance filling my senses.
“Do you trust me?” I whisper, my lips brushing the delicate shell of her ear.
A shiver runs through her body as she leans further into my embrace. Her head tilts back to rest on my chest.
“Y-y-yes,” she breathes, her voice trembling with the weight of her words.
Slowly, I trail my hands down her arms, savoring the silky smoothness of her skin. When I reach her wrists, I gently guide her arms up and out until we’re both standing with our arms outstretched, like birds ready to take flight.
“Close your eyes,” I whisper, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear. “And just feel. Feel the wind on your face, the salt spray on your skin. Here, at the edge of the world, you can be anything you want to be. You can fly.”
Mia does as I ask, her eyes fluttering shut, and a contented sigh escapes her lips. I hold her close, savoring the way she feels in my arms, the way her presence calms and excites me all at once.
She trembles against me, and I tighten my hold on her, anchoring her to me. Together, we draw in a breath, the essence of the ocean filling our lungs.
“Now open your eyes,” I murmur, my voice low and intimate. “And look up at the stars. See how they shine? How they go on forever? That’s how I feel. Like the whole world is ours for the taking.”
“This reminds me of that scene.” She lifts her arms out again. “Do you know which one?”
Do I?
It’s why I brought her here.
I raise my arms up and out, standing behind her, and together we shout, “King of the world!”
It couldn’t be a more perfect moment.
Our voices carry over the vast expanse of the inky black of the sea. Her laughter mingles with mine, easing the tension from the heavy words spoken moments before.
Her laughter is a joyous sound that sets my heart racing. I’ve never been a believer in love at first sight, but that’s changing fast.
I might be a convert.
As our laughter fades, we slowly lower our arms. My hands come to rest on her hips, and I gently twist her around to face me.
Her eyes shine, and the moment our gazes meet, the world around us fades away. The only sound is the pounding of our hearts and the ragged cadence of our mingled breaths.
The air crackles with desire.
Each moment, the magnetic pull between us grows stronger.
I cradle her face, my thumb tracing the gentle curve of her cheekbone. I allow myself a moment to drink her in and let my gaze roam over her features, absorbing every detail and committing this moment to memory—like how her eyes sparkle and how her lips part slightly. It’s in the way she gasps when my thumb sweeps down her cheek and across her lips.
I breathe in, my voice raw with emotion. “I’ve never met anyone like you. You make me feel alive in a way I never knew was possible.”
“I’ve never felt anything like this before,” she confesses, her voice trembling with emotion. “It’s like every moment with you is a new adventure, a new discovery.”
Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears, and her hands come up to rest on my chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt.
“I’m falling for you,” she says, “and it scares me, but this can’t last. At the end of this cruise…”
“Don’t say that.” My grip tightens, afraid I’m losing her.
“But it’s the truth. Once this cruise is over…” Her words hang heavy in the air between us, and she doesn’t complete her thought.
Her gaze lifts to my lips, her own parting slightly, an invitation and a plea all in one.
“Then we make the best of the time we have.” I close the distance between us, my lips brushing against hers in a soft, tentative kiss that quickly deepens into something more urgent.
More passionate.
More carnal and raw.