Chapter 10
"Oh, god. Every muscle hurts. Even my hair hurts," Sarah whined as she slowly lowered herself to their bed.
They'd just returned from their latest shore excursion. This one at Amber Cove. As fun as the Adrenaline Zipline and Horseback Riding tour was it had been far more physically taxing than she'd expected.
Asha laughed. "It can't be that bad."
"Says you, Mr. Fit-beyond-words."
"C'mon, it's not like I ride horses regularly. Or at all."
Sarah glared at him. "Then why aren't you crying in pain?"
Shrugging, he said, "No idea. A hot shower should help. And maybe a soak in a hot tub. Want to jump in and wash off then get our suits on and go find a tub to spend an hour in."
"I can't move."
"Well, if you don’t, I'll pick you up because you're going to make the bed stink like wet horse and while I like you, I'm not sure I like you that much," he said with a grin.
"Hey, I'm not the only one who smells like horse." And now that he'd pointed it out, she couldn't stand the smell any longer. "Dammit. Did you have to remind me I stink?"
Laughing again, he bent down to untie his shoes. "You get in first, I'll see where we need to go to find that hot tub."
"Okay." Rolling over, she gingerly got to her feet and stumbled to the bathroom.
She'd just climbed into the shower when Asha knocked on the door and called out, "Sarah?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want me to order room service before we head out for our soak?"
"I'm not hungry right now. We can find a couple of deck chairs and order something up on the pool deck when we get out of the hot tub later or wait until we're back in our room."
They'd been treated to an authentic Dominican lunch on the tour, and she'd been so excited to try the local food she'd eaten way too much. Probably another reason why ever part of her ached.
The thought of soaking her sore body in a hot tub had her rushing through her shower. It wasn't until she reached for a towel she realized she hadn't brought a change of clothes in with her.
"Shit!"
"Sarah? You all right?" Asha must be standing right on the other side of the door because she'd whispered that swear word.
"Yes. I forgot to grab clean clothes." Not that him seeing her in a towel was an issue. It certainly wouldn't be the first time.
"Oh, is that all. I thought you'd fallen over or something. You can get dressed out here while I'm in the shower."
She could. Again, it wouldn't be a first. While they hadn't moved passed kissing and a bit of groping, they hadn't been shy about stripping down to underwear or being wrapped in nothing but a towel over the last two weeks.
God. Dread settled in her overfull stomach. Their holiday was almost over.
Two more days and they'd be docking in Miami and their little bubble would burst.
They hadn't talked about what would happen when they returned to Winter Lake. She'd wanted to bring it up a number of times only to chicken out when she thought about Asha telling her they'd go back to the way things were before their trip once they returned home.
It would devastate her if he didn't want to continue the way they'd been going. They'd had so much fun and a few people on their adventures had commented on what a cute couple they were. She wanted their friends to tell them that. Wanted the people in her life to know her and Asha were together.
But were they together or was this a holiday fling?
"Sarah?"
"Yeah." Would it be better to find out now, get it over with? If they talked about what would happen when they stepped off the ship right now, she would have two days to get her emotions under control before they went home.
Then again, she'd have to spend those two days sharing a room with him and the thought of doing that knowing it would be the last time—
"Sarah! Are you okay?"
Would he be so concerned if he didn't want to continue building what they'd started over the last few weeks? Taking a deep breath, she tucked her towel around her and opened the door.
"I don't want to stop seeing you when we go home."
"Wow. Okay. That was unexpected. Why don't you get dressed and after I shower, we can talk."
"No. I need to know. Now." It was as though uttering the words had increased her urgency to find out his intentions. She couldn't seem to breathe. Not until she got an answer from him. Even if she hadn't really asked a question.
"Sarah, before you hyperventilate." His hands gripped her upper arms and he bent until his eyes were level with hers. "I don't want to stop seeing you when we get home either. How that will look I don't know but I can guarantee you it will not be as it was before."
"Oh." Her shoulders sagged with relief. "So, we'd be boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"If that's the label you want to use."
"What label would you use?"
"Lovers. Partners. Significant others. I don't care as long as it's you and me."
"And you'll be okay with that? With people knowing we're together?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
"We've talked a lot and I know you had all those reasons, you're too old, I'm too young, I work for you, for not doing anything about our attraction before this trip.
But Asha." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I need you to know I understand those concerns and while I didn't, don't, agree with you I know I can't change the way you feel about them.
I can only tell you I think they're not true obstacles to us being together. "
"Okay. I hear you." He took a step closer and moved his hands to her cheeks, cradling her face gently in his warm palms. "Now hear me and hear me good.
I want to be with you. I want to go home and tell anyone who will listen that I finally got my head out of my ass and saw what—who—was right in front of me. "
"This is not a fling for me."
"Me either."
Swallowing through a constricted throat she said words she hadn't even thought. "I understand that but I'm not sure you can stop thinking those things stand between us this easily. And in spite of that, of all those reservations you have, I'm standing here asking you to love me anyway."