Chapter 7
The evening family dinner was held in one of the ship’s private dining rooms. The long tables were beautifully set, lights dimmed, and the atmosphere was festive.
Jenny was still recovering in the cabin, so Sophie and I sat together near the center of the main table.
The domestic rhythm we’d fallen into all day felt even stronger now — amplified by everything that had happened in the cabin earlier.
Sophie sat close enough that our thighs pressed together under the table.
She kept finding little ways to touch me — her hand resting on my arm when she laughed at something her cousin said, her fingers brushing mine as we shared a plate of appetizers.
I fixed her drink exactly the way she liked it and passed it to her with a small smile.
She leaned in and kissed my cheek in thanks.
But the kiss landed a little too close to my mouth.
It was an accident — or at least it started that way. Our lips brushed for a brief second, soft and warm. Sophie pulled back with a small, surprised laugh, her cheeks flushing. To the family around us, it just looked like an affectionate, slightly clumsy peck between a close uncle and niece.
“Oops,” she said sweetly, giving me that innocent smile. “Sorry, Uncle Alex.”
I squeezed her knee under the table, my thumb stroking her skin. “It’s fine, sweetheart.”
The family cooed at how cute we were. Carla even commented, “You two are adorable. It’s so nice that you’re keeping each other company while Jenny’s under the weather.”
Sophie leaned into my side, her head resting on my shoulder for a moment as she chatted with her cousins about the day’s beach excursion.
I wrapped my arm around her casually, my fingers tracing light circles on her upper arm.
Every so often she’d turn and give me another kiss on the cheek — sometimes dangerously close to my mouth again.
I’d respond by kissing her temple or brushing her hair back, the gestures looking perfectly innocent to everyone else.
We shared food from the same plate, feeding each other bites here and there when no one was looking too closely.
The flirting stayed subtle but constant — little smiles, lingering touches, the way she’d whisper something in my ear that made me chuckle.
To the family, we were just close. Sweet.
The perfect uncle-niece pair stepping up while Jenny was sick.
No one suspected that under the table my hand was resting high on her thigh, or that every time she kissed my cheek I was remembering how she’d looked folded in half on the bed earlier.
The domestic warmth between us was getting harder to hide.
And I wasn’t sure how much longer I wanted to.
We left the family dinner a little early, telling everyone we wanted to check on Jenny.
Sophie walked beside me down the hallway, her hand lightly resting on my arm.
The domestic ease between us felt completely natural now — her leaning into my side, me brushing her hair back when it fell in her face.
When we entered the cabin, Jenny was still in bed, looking pale and miserable. She gave us a weak smile as we walked in.
“Hey,” she said hoarsely. “How was dinner?”
Sophie immediately went into caretaker mode, fluffing Jenny’s pillows and pouring her some fresh water. “It was nice, Aunt Jenny. Everyone missed you though. We brought you some ginger tea and plain crackers from the dining room.”
I sat on the edge of the bed, watching as Sophie moved around the room with effortless care.
She was so attentive, so naturally nurturing.
It was impossible not to compare. Jenny had been a good wife, but she’d never had this kind of soft, eager energy.
Sophie made taking care of someone look like the most fulfilling thing in the world.
Sophie handed me the tea to give to Jenny, her fingers brushing mine with a small, secret smile. “Here, Uncle Alex. You give it to her. You’re better at this than I am.”
I took it, but my eyes lingered on Sophie a second too long. She was still glowing from earlier — cheeks slightly flushed, lips a little swollen. The contrast between my sick wife and my vibrant, fertile niece was stark.
Jenny sipped the tea and sighed. “You two are so sweet together. I’m glad you’re keeping each other company. I’d feel terrible if Alex was stuck in here with me the whole time.”
Sophie sat on the other side of the bed and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek — then another one closer to my mouth, just barely missing. “We’re having fun, Aunt Jenny. Uncle Alex has been taking such good care of me. He’s so… thorough.”
The innuendo was subtle enough that Jenny just smiled tiredly, completely missing it. “He’s good at that. I’m glad he’s looking after you, honey.”
Sophie leaned against my side, her hand resting casually on my thigh under the edge of the bed. “He really is. He makes sure I’m very well taken care of. Filled up, even.”
I squeezed her thigh warningly, but she just gave me an innocent little smile and kissed my cheek again.
Jenny yawned, missing every double meaning. “You two are adorable. I’m so lucky to have you both.”
We stayed for a little while longer, Sophie fussing over Jenny while staying pressed close to me. Every little touch and subtle innuendo from her made the guilt twist in my stomach — but the desire burning under it was even stronger.
When Jenny started drifting off again, Sophie kissed my cheek one more time, her lips lingering.
“Ready to go back to our cabin, Uncle Alex?”