Chapter 14
Trey closed his cabin door and leaned back against it in the dark. This afternoon hadn’t been in the plan. Not by a long shot. He’d never have anticipated sharing a cab handjob session with Casey. That wasn’t anything he’d seen coming when he and Casey had first crossed paths back in the library that first day.
But all’s well that ends well. He rubbed his leg where Jenn had rubbed it. There’d been a lot of promise in that squeeze. Things were looking better than they had for days. He opened his phone and pulled up the cruise line app, clicking on the text group with Chloe and Desire.
We’re back. Long story short, Jenn’s fine, we’re back on.
He waited a minute after hitting send, hoping they would see it and respond quickly. His hope was rewarded.
OMG, What a relief! Glad you’re both okay, would love to hear the story later. Do we have a location?
Trey sighed, grinding his teeth. He had one last Hail Mary to try to make this work. He opened the door and stepped out into the hall.
Jenn wasn’t expecting the knock on her door that woke her from her nap. She pushed herself up off the bed, where she’d been lying down since they’d boarded again.
She peered out the peephole. Trey, wearing a black tuxedo with a white bow tie, hair slicked back pristinely, every hair in place, was standing a half step back from her door, a gentle half smile on his lips.
What is he doing here? Maybe the handjob and squeeze were a little much? Jenn acknowledged that, for all her grinding on his hand and moaning in the cab, she was still upset with Trey. She looked out again. God, he looks good in that tux. Jenn sighed and opened the door.
“Yes?” she asked, trying to exercise patience and kindness.
Trey folded both his hands in front of him. “Jenn, I’d like to talk to you; I have something to say, and something to ask.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Okay,” she said stiffly.
Trey blinked, then looked up and down the hallway. A few passengers walked by and stepped in and out of cabins down the way. “Do you want to do this inside or outside?”
“Here’s fine.”
Trey blinked again but nodded his understanding. “Okay.” He took a deep breath. “I acknowledge that it looks like there’s been something going on with me and Chloe. I don’t know exactly how you know, or what exactly you’ve seen or heard, but I’d like to offer a complete explanation that I think will help clear everything up and help make things right between us.”
Jenn waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, she shrugged in confusion. “Isn’t there more?”
Trey smiled apologetically. “Yes. Just not here. Will you get dressed?” He gestured down at himself. “This is the recommended dress code, if you’re willing.”
Jenn scowled, but it was her thinking scowl.
Trey held both hands out in front of him. “I know things have been tense between us recently. I’d like to make up for all of it, if you’ll let me. I’m asking, if you think I’ve earned any of your trust, for you to trust me.”
Having said his piece, Trey dropped his hands and stood with them clasped lightly behind his back, ready to wait as long as Jenn needed.
Jenn looked at him, taking in every line of his face, every carefully combed hair on his head, each precisely trimmed hair in his beard. She did trust this man. Implicitly. She nodded. “I’ll get dressed. How long do I have?”
Trey fought to tamp down his smile. “As long as you need.”
Jenn laughed. “If I’m going to outdo you, I’m going to need at least forty-five minutes.”
Trey let the smile have his face. “You’re worth the wait.”
Jenn smiled. “Are you waiting in your room, or mine?” She stepped aside, extending the invitation to come in.
Trey breathed out heavily. He shook his head slowly. “I would love nothing more than to watch you getting ready. But I think, if this is going to happen the way I want it to, I better wait in mine.” The disappointment in his voice was palpable. “Text me when you’re ready.”
“‘Kay,” Jenn closed the door. “See you in a bit, then.”
“See you in a bit,” Trey said, grinning.
As soon as the door closed, Trey stepped back across the hall and opened his phone.
Roughly 45 minutes. Be ready!
He beeped himself into his room, turned on a single lamp, and sat down in the chair in front of the vanity, preparing to wait for the longest 45 minutes of his life.
He wasn’t wrong. When his phone finally vibrated with a message, his knee was bouncing, he’d already paced up and down the room for fifteen of the forty-five minutes, and he was beginning to feel slightly sick with all the anxious waiting.
Ready.
He liked Jenn’s message, then switched threads and typed his own message:
She’s ready. Get everything ready; we’ll be down as soon as possible.
Trey opened the door and stepped across the hall. His breath caught in his throat.
Jenn stood, clad in a shimmery red silk evening gown, a simple yet elegant halter top that plunged deeply at her bust and went backless far down her body. She turned to give him a full view. The back plunged past where the small of her back tucked inward, to the point where her body began to push outward again and became her ass. She raised her arms, which were clad in white satin gloves to her elbows, up to her head, allowing Trey to see everything he wished to know about her outfit and what lay beneath it.
Her makeup was done up for the evening, simple yet elegant, her eyes smoky and dark. A tasteful diamond choker adorned her throat and set off the earrings that sparkled behind the feather wisps of her pixie that sat in front of her ears.
“Wow.” It was more an exhale than a fully formed word. Trey had to remind himself to close his mouth. “You look… Amazing.”
Jenn smiled, holding out her hand. “Lead on, good sir. I’m intrigued to hear this explanation you’ve promised me.”
“It would be my absolute pleasure.” Trey bowed, then delicately took Jenn’s hand, leading her carefully down the hallway toward the elevators, never once breaking character, their hands held out high before them. Couples and individual passengers who passed them on their way couldn’t help but smile as they did. Trey smiled to himself. He was already enjoying this thoroughly, and the absolute best was yet to come.
He pushed the button for Deck 7.
Jenn frowned. “What’s on Deck 7?” Her eyes scanned the deck guide to the left of the elevator doors.
“A private venue,” Trey offered, his eyes on the indicators above the door. His armpits had suddenly begun to sweat.
“Really? I didn’t even know there was such a thing!” Jenn said, glancing at him. “This evening just got a little more interesting.”
I really hope so. Trey smiled. He reminded himself of the hours and hours he’d spent planning this, weighing it out, discussing options with Chloe and Desire. It was a good plan. He took a deep breath in when the elevator dinged and gestured to allow Jenn to step off first.
They were in a tasteful yet small hallway, dark except for several wall sconces with electric candoliers.
“Oh! This is different,” Jenn observed, looking up and down the hallway. “Which way?” Trey indicated with his thumb to the left. He allowed Jenn to walk ahead of him, taking the moment to enjoy watching the way her body moved beneath the silk as she walked. The motion of her ass, the taut shape of her calves as they alternately pushed back the material of her dress, the curves in her back as her arms swung gently side to side.
She’s beautiful.
“Are you going to come, or are you just going to stare at my ass?” Jenn asked from down the hallway.
What I’d really love is to come while staring at your ass.
“Yeah, coming!” He jogged to catch up with her, then turned and pointed down a short hallway to the “Moonlight Lounge,” according to the placard on the door.
“Moonlight Lounge, huh?” Jenn whispered. “I like the sound of that.”
Trey smiled, opened the door, and ushered her into the room, closing the door securely behind him. As promised, there was a key that allowed him to lock it.
Jenn turned at the click.
“What’s–,” she turned to look into the quiet, empty room. “What’s going on? Where is everyone?”
“I thought I’d offer you a little something more with my explanation,” Trey said quietly. He nodded further into the room, where two shapes had left the relative shadows of one of the private dinner booths.
“Who…?” Jenn whispered, then stopped when Chloe and Desire stepped into the light from the chandelier hanging over the center of the floor. Both of them were dressed similarly to Jenn and Trey, Chloe wearing a dark dress with swirling paisley patterns embroidered into the skirt, and Desire wearing a sharp tailored black tuxedo with black bow tie and black dress shirt.
“You’re fucking with me.” Jenn turned to look at Trey. “Okay, you promised me an explanation. Start talking.”
Trey smiled in what he hoped was a comforting manner. “I thought I’d let her do the explaining, instead.” He nodded at Chloe.
“Oh, interesting choice,” Jenn said. She turned, hands on her hips, and said, “You have thirty seconds, Chloe.”
Chloe smiled at Jenn. “Actually, would it help if you referred to me as soulsurfer06 ?”
Jen frowned for just a moment, then her mouth dropped open, and her eyebrows flew upward. “What?” Her hands went up to her mouth in disbelief, remembering at the very last moment not to touch them to her lips and cheeks. She pressed them together in front of her face. “No… That’s why you looked so familiar!” She turned to look at Trey. “How…”
Trey grinned. “You matched. Months ago, before you got so busy with the merger.” He nodded at Chloe, who was also smiling. Desire was also smiling. It seemed no one could help it. “When you didn’t respond on the website, Chloe found me and reached out on social media.”
“I just couldn’t let you disappear into the depths of the internet,” Chloe said, holding out her hand to Jenn.
Jenn hesitated. She looked at Trey, and there were tears in her eyes. “It was all for me? The sneaking around? The text messages, the meetups with Chloe in the bar, it was all so Chloe and I could be together?”
Trey nodded, his grin infectious. “I’m so sorry. When you confronted me about Chloe, I panicked. I didn’t know how to keep the surprise and explain at the same time, so I… choked. I’m truly sorry about that. You must have thought the absolute worst of me.”
Jenn nodded quickly. “I did.” She stepped over to Trey and took his face in her gloved hands, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Trey’s body tingled, and he wasn’t sure if it was more from relief of the surprise being sprung or from the kiss itself. Either way, he enjoyed it.
“ I’m sorry!” Jenn whispered, cradling his forehead to hers. “I… with the merger, and everything after…” She suddenly looked up, her mouth aghast. “Oh, my god, everything with Casey!”
Trey laughed quietly. “So there may have been just a bit of revenge fucking involved there?”
Jenn looked at the ground, embarrassed. “Maybe just a little bit. God! What you must think of me!”
Trey tilted her head up with a finger. “I think the world of you, Jenn. You work harder than any person I’ve ever met. You’ve accomplished more this year than I could ever accomplish in a lifetime.”
Jenn sputtered, removing her glove so she could wipe away the tear that pushed out from her eye. “You’re making me cry.” She sniffed. “And breaking my cruise rule.”
Trey leaned into her, wrapped a hand around the small of her back, put his mouth right next to her ear, and whispered, “Fuck your cruise rule.”
He gently turned Jenn around to face Chloe, who stood waiting for her, hands kneading each other in midair.
“Ten months ago, you matched with a woman who wanted to meet you and help you explore this side of yourself. This woman. We’ve travelled across an ocean specifically so that this night could happen. Don’t let it go to waste with misplaced guilt.” Trey put one hand gently on her lower back and pushed her forward.
Chloe reached out, and Jenn took her hand. Trey noticed a shiver that traveled up Jenn’s spine, and he let his hand slide down to pat her ass affectionately.
Trey turned to look at Desire. “Wanna get a drink?”
Desire nodded.
“No!”
Trey turned to look at Jenn, surprised. “No?”
“Will you stay?” Jenn turned to look at Chloe, suddenly bashful. “Is that okay?”
Chloe nodded, smiling. She turned to look at Desire, who gave a thumbs up and unbuttoned their jacket, then walked to the dinner booth they’d come from and sat down.
“Are you sure?” Trey asked, glancing at first Jenn, then Chloe. “You want me to just… watch?”
Chloe smiled. “Is that gonna be a problem?”
“Hell, no!” Trey said quickly. “I just want to make sure that’s really what you want, and you’re not just doing it out of guilt or shame or something.”
Jenn shook her head. “I want you here. I need you here.”
Trey smiled in reassurance and brushed his thumb over Jenn’s cheek. “Then here’s where I’ll be.”
He turned and walked to join Desire at their booth and slid in at the opposite side of the single long bench that curved around the large table. He found a comfortable position, and then he stopped moving, and simply watched.