Chapter Fifteen
The entire day after James had kissed Mari for the first time, he didn’t see her once. Which completely bummed him out. He kept telling himself that Rosa needed her best friend.
But damn it, James needed her, too.
He sent an occasional text and made sure he said good night and good morning the next day.
The farewell party was his only promised date. And he was determined to make the most of it.
As promised, James donned a pair of jeans that he rolled up at the cuff, shoved a box resembling cigarettes in the sleeve of a simple white T-shirt, and then slicked his hair back.
In the perfect we-want-to-get-more-money-out-of-you style, the shops brought out several racks of clothing items to be bought for those that didn’t bring their own costumes.
James thought back on Mari’s conviction that she wouldn’t be in costume and decided he’d pick her up an accessory that could be worn with whatever she showed up in.
The lounge was transformed into a ’50s-style diner. The staff had placed black and white stickers over the dance floor. Balloons surrounded the entry, and time-appropriate music filled the room.
At least half of the patrons were dressed in full costumes, complete with wigs and makeup. The others either didn’t try at all or blended in with attempts at costumes much like his.
James scanned the room, searching out Mari.
He found her surrounded by the San Diego group, most of whom were dressed for the occasion.
Rosa wore tight capri pants and a sweater with a scarf tied around her neck.
From the look of the heavy makeup on Mari’s face, James guessed that Rosa had insisted on something.
She also wore her hair in a high ponytail with a scarf billowing from the tie.
Mari must have felt his stare.
Even in a packed room and surrounded by people talking and music blaring, she suddenly looked up and saw him.
James liked the way her smile slowly curved over her lips and heat rushed to her cheeks when she looked at him.
After he’d kissed her, a kiss that she definitely returned, James was a little concerned that she’d have some kind of regret.
That wasn’t what he saw in her eyes now.
Relief washed over him.
He stepped into the circle of women and said hello.
“There you are,” Rosa said. “We looked all over for you earlier today.”
“You did?” James glanced at Mari.
“Not all over,” Mari said.
“You have my cell number.”
“It wasn’t urgent.”
A beat of silence stretched.
“You remember Jill and Amanda?” Mari turned to the two women standing there.
“From the waterfalls,” he said.
Jill nodded and fluffed the poodle skirt she wore. “I wouldn’t expect you to recognize me like this.”
Truth was, James wasn’t interested in remembering any of the other women on the cruise.
Only one.
Mari looked at the package James held in his hand. “What’s that?”
He extended it to her. “You said you didn’t bring anything to wear for the party.”
She narrowed her eyes.
The three other women gave them all their attention.
Mari took the package and looked inside.
She smiled and shook her head as she pulled out a bright pink jacket with black letters that said Pink Ladies.
“It was either that or black leather. I thought the leather would be too hot to wear.”
“Where did you get this?” she asked.
“The gift store. I looked for one with skulls, but they were fresh out.”
Mari tossed her head back with a laugh.
“Skulls?” Rosa asked.
James shook his head. “You had to be there.”
Mari handed him back the bag before sliding her arms into the jacket.
Now she fit in with everyone around them.
“Looks great,” Rosa said.
“Thank you,” Mari said.
The music changed, and James extended a hand. “C’mon.”
Mari started to protest.
James handed Rosa the bag and didn’t give Mari the opportunity to say no. “I’ll bring her back,” he said as he pulled Mari onto the dance floor.
The rockabilly beat had James attempting to dance like he knew how.
Holding Mari’s hands, he pulled her in and pushed her away before bringing her in again to swing her over the dance floor. Several other couples were hopping around the same way.
James snaked a hand around her waist and pulled her close as they swayed to the music. “How did we go from dancing like this to shuffling our feet a foot apart?” he asked.
“I have no idea.”
He kept her on her feet for three songs before Mari tapped out. “I need water.”
James directed her to the water station.
“Do you want something stronger?” he asked.
“No. But go ahead.”
He tilted his cup back and refilled it. “I’m good.”
He tossed the empty paper cup in the trash and moved closer to give the person beside him room to pass.
Mari looked him up and down. “What are these?” she asked, pointing to the box he had rolled up in his shirt.
“A small deck of cards I found in the gift shop.”
“Inventive.”
He looked over her shoulder. “Do you want to find Rosa?”
Mari glanced in the direction he was looking. “That’s okay. If we find her, she’s only going to ask you questions.”
“Oh?”
“She’s the only person I can talk to about . . .”
He waited a beat. “Us?”
Mari looked away.
Shy didn’t suit her.
James ducked until he met her eyes before standing tall again. “Us.”
“Yes.”
Another person pressed into their space, searching out a glass of water.
James wrapped his arm around Mari’s shoulders and moved them away from the heavy traffic of people.
He kept his arm where he placed it, his hand dangling as if he’d been in this position a million times. Leaning close to her ear, he asked, “What did you tell her?”
Mari glanced at his hand, then at him. “You know, just because this looks like a high school dance doesn’t mean we’re kids.”
“I have two daughters, Mari. Both of whom are in high school. Whenever they have sleepovers with their besties, they’re always talking about boys.” He shrugged. “So, if the shoe fits.”
Mari rolled her eyes but didn’t pull away.
They found the dance floor, and the shy evaporated from Mari’s body within seconds.
They moved like they knew what they were doing, bumping into people who laughed just as loud as them.
When a slow song finally played, James took full advantage and wrapped Mari in his arms.
“Should we sign up for another week?” he asked.
“And leave Ellie at home with Trevor?”
“Ouch.”
She laughed.
“I’m sure Cindy is keeping an eye on them.”
“But an empty house . . .”
James urged her head to fall on his shoulder. “Shh, don’t ruin my trip.”
Mari relaxed, and James savored the moment.
The slow song didn’t last long enough.
James caught a breath alone when Mari went to the restroom.
As soon as she stepped away, Summer slid up next to him.
“That looks cozy.”
That’s because it is.
“Not a word to my girls,” he told her.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m serious, Summer.”
“Why? Are you embarrassed or something?”
James looked at her as if she was crazy. “It’s not me. It’s Mari. She’s been a widow for a decade and hasn’t dated once.”
“So, she wants to keep this a secret?”
“Secret sounds deceptive,” he said.
“Because it is,” Summer said.
He turned to face her. “We don’t want the interference of anyone else’s thoughts or feelings about us. Not until we can label them.”
“Okay . . . okay. I can buy that. But don’t expect me to keep this from Cindy.”
He expected nothing less. “Just make sure she keeps her trap shut.”
“I’m not in charge of what other people do.”
James saw Mari emerge from the bathroom.
“What happens on this ship stays on this ship. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
He walked away with Summer laughing behind him.
“Ready for more?” James swayed to one side, then the other.
Mari pulled her shirt away from her body. “What I need is some fresh air.”
James took her hand. “Your wish is my command.”
They had to traverse the dance floor to get to the exit. James took advantage and swung her around twice before leading her out the door.
They stumbled into the corridor, laughing.
“I don’t remember the last time I danced this much,” Mari confessed.
James headed straight to the doors leading out to an abandoned deck.
A blast of air hit them both. “I say we take swing lessons when we get home.”
Mari laughed.
“I’m serious . . . kinda.”
“Don’t you have a business to run?”
“The clock stops after five.” He lifted her hand in the air and ducked under it before pulling her close.
He was getting entirely too comfortable listening to her laugh.
“You’re crazy.”
She reached out for the railing of the ship, and James leaned against it to look at her.
Mari placed a hand on his arm. “What are you staring at?”
“You.”
She cocked her head to the side and started to lower her eyes.
“No. Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Look away whenever you’re feeling something.”
She squared her shoulders and stared right back, almost in defiance.
“There you are,” he said. “There’s the woman who told the twentysomething to go to his room and take a nap the first day on this ship.”
She laughed. “I did no such thing.”
“You might as well have.”
Her laughter faded, and James saw her fight the urge to disconnect.
God, she was beautiful. Warm and flush from the dancing.
The sea air blowing the strands of hair that came loose from the ponytail.
His body stirred when her eyes shifted to his lips.
James wasn’t sure who moved first. Him or her.
One second, he was thinking, the next, he was dragging her lips to his.
Unlike their first kiss, this held so much more promise.
If she had to think about their first kiss, she wasn’t thinking about it now.
He moved to press her back against the railing, his hands on both sides of her face.
Her small hands moved over his back, her fingers kneading his skin.
He urged her lips open.
Mari’s sigh sounded like a surrender.
The power of the music, dancing . . . and flirting balled up and into their kiss.
There was something raw in how she touched him. The feisty, barking Italian in her, if he had to guess.
His body took on some serious heat, the kind that made him want to press his hips to hers. There would be no denying what he wanted if he did.