Aboard the Wishing Star (12 page)

She reached up.

He grasped her hands, lifted her out, and plopped her on the side of the boat.

She had no idea he was so strong.

He smoothed wet strands of hair off her forehead with a gentle hand. "Are you ready to head back?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. I wish we could stay."

"Me too." He smiled. "But I'm looking forward to taking you dancing tonight."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Than in your arms.

She didn't finish the statement out loud but the wish went up.

"I'm glad, Kara. You're very special to me." His finger stroked under her chin and he bent to kiss her, his lips brushing hers slowly and tenderly.

When he pulled away, giving her a deep smile, she realized what a gift he'd given her today. More than just teaching her to snorkel, he reminded her what it was to be alive. Alive under this blue Caribbean sky, the aqua water below them full of life.

She looked around, soaking everything in. Her job at the bank seemed far away and lifeless. A dead end. She'd been at that dead calm ever since Neil died, when nothing had moved forward again.

Until Nate.

The drivers started the engines. Kara slipped her hands around Nate's waist again, and they sped toward the pier. Her hair flew in the wind, and this time she chanced fully facing the sights they passed. It made her laugh. She'd missed so much hiding away behind him on the way there.

They reached the pier too soon and turned in the machines and gear. A photographer stood by the entrance to the Rhino Rider hut selling photos of all the couples on the boats. He'd taken pictures before they raced away, but she'd been preoccupied.

"Do you want one?" Nate lifted theirs to look at it.

"No, that's okay." She didn't want to seem sappy. The photo showed her head burrowing against his back, as she pressed close against him. He wore a big grin.

"I'll take it," Nate told the photographer. He turned to Kara. "I'd like one and they come in pairs. Here." He handed her one of the photos. "Something to remember the day."

"Thank you."

What a nice gift. He looked strong and sexy in that photo. I'll always treasure this photo and the memory of today.

She wondered if she'd spend hours looking at the photo and missing him when she was home again.

Nate paid the man for the photo then they boarded the van.

Kara stretched her towel across the seat. Salty seawater and sticky suntan lotion covered her. Everyone wore swimsuits back, trying to dry off.

Nate stretched his arm across the back of her seat. She studied his profile as he chatted with the others about the black coral reef none of them would have seen had he not taken the initiative. Confidence rolled off of him with everything he did. His black hair looked silky and gleamed from the seawater. She longed to touch it.

They rode back to the ship and the van stopped to let them off. Daryl approached, tossing the newspaper he'd either been reading or hiding behind into the trash, and Kara quickly rewrapped her towel around her waist as he drew near.

Nate placed his hand on the small of Kara's back and they moved forward together.

Daryl stopped in front of her, his feet spread in a strong stance, "Kara, I want a word with you." The straw hat he now wore partially hid his expression, making her nervous as to what he wanted and what his mood was.

"If you want me to get rid of him for you just say the word," Nate said under his breath.

"No," she whispered, "He's my boss."

Nate didn't say another word, but she sensed tension coiled within his body.

"Daryl, I have to get ready for dinner."

"I've been here waiting for you for some time. You can give me ten minutes." His gaze dropped to her red bikini top then up to her face again.

Kara frowned in confusion as they moved toward the ship and he continued to walk on the other side of her from Nate. "But I told you I didn't know when we'd be back."

Daryl acted like she'd done something wrong, but she hadn't agreed to meet him again. It wasn't her fault he'd waited. Why was he acting like she was to blame?

Kara didn't like the way his eyes had lit as he looked at her breasts in the brief moment before the shadow of the hat hid his eyes again or the fact he'd seen her in a bikini top.

It gave her a squirmish feeling, even with Nate right beside her.

"We have things to discuss. You can spare me ten minutes before you go."

As Nate guided her toward the ship, forcing Daryl to walk alongside, Nate's words to her during snorkeling came back to her,
I've got you
.

"Daryl, I have to go. I'll see you at work when I get home. Enjoy your visit to the island."

They reached the gangplank.

Daryl stepped forward and Kara froze.

"I can't believe you're being so cold. And rude."

Pressure from Nate's hand and his presence next to her made her feel bold. She wasn't going to stay here and talk to him. This was her vacation and he did not belong in it.

"I'm not the one being rude. I didn't show up unannounced on someone else's vacation and expect them to drop everything for me."

She hurried up the gangplank with Nate right beside her and she didn't look back.

"I wish you had let me take care of him for you." Nate's voice was quiet and calm but there lay anger beneath it. "I'd make sure he never bothered you again."

Kara's hands shook as she placed her beach bag on the conveyer for the security guards to scan before they entered the ship again. "The problem is I have to work with him."

"Sweetheart, are you all right?"

She walked through the metal detector, turning to wait for him to walk through and join her. "Yes, Nate. But I'm a little worried about my job. This whole day has been so..."

He pulled her close, listening and watching the conflicting expressions cross her face.

"It's been one of the best days and also one of the worst days of my life. I wish we could have stayed out there in the water and never came back. I'm dreading going home now."

"I can understand that."

They stepped into the elevator. The press of people pushed them back into the corner.

"I don't want him ruining my cruise."

He slid his arm around her waist pulling her close and kissed her temple. " Forget about him. Tonight is the Captain's dinner."

"Yes." She smiled.

"There's my happy woman." He smiled back at her.

"Are you wearing a tux tonight?"

"Of course, sweetheart."

Oh, she could imagine him in a tux, dark hair and tanned, those deep brown eyes and that wonderful smile. He would be so handsome.

All thoughts of Daryl fled as her mind filled with images. Thanks to Viv, some of those images were of him taking that tux off while she watched.

Once out of the elevator, he walked her to her cabin and kissed her softly on the lips.

Nate raised his head and looked down at her. "Call my room when you're ready and I'll escort you to dinner."

She smiled. "All right."

He winked as she opened her door and he took off down the hall.

Viv was in the shower already, but she'd pulled clothes and jewelry out and strewn them all over the bed and dresser. It was as if she didn't have to share the room. She'd taken over all available spaces except Kara's bed.

How terribly selfish.

Viv stepped out of the bathroom. "Nate has got a bonnie bum, that he does."

What is it with her and my boyfriend? Doesn't she have enough boyfriends of her own? Including that nice British man who taught her all those expressions.

"Will you stop with the British expressions? You're driving me mad."

"That's a British expression, driving me mad, and I like them. I wouldn't say them if I didn't like them."

Kara rolled her eyes in exasperation. At least Viv was in a better mood now. It would be nice if she would keep it till the end of the cruise.

She noticed a red box with a gold bow out of the corner of her eye that had been placed on her bed. "Where did that come from?"

"Where do you think?" Viv laughed. "Good show, Nate."

Kara sat on the bed to open the box, which was addressed to her. She pulled off the gold ribbon and lifted the lid. Peeling back red tissue paper, she gasped.

Viv laughed as she looked over Kara's shoulder. "Girl, you're going to love those."

Kara's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. She reached into the box and lifted out a pair of red, strawberry flavored, edible panties. "Oh wow."

She sat on the bed, stunned.

"Don't get yourself in a muddle. Look, there's a card."

Kara opened it and read "Nothing could be sweeter than sharing the evening with you."

"Go Nate." Viv smirked.

"I wonder why he didn't sign it?"

"Who cares? Tell him to eat through the middle first."

Kara turned beat red but didn't laugh. "Nate doesn't strike me as the type of guy to leave his name off of a card." She frowned.

"Yeah, he's more a name it and claim it kind of guy."

Kara sat holding them, intrigued. She'd heard of edible panties but never held a pair. "I wonder if they taste good?"

"Take a nibble."

They both laughed and Kara relaxed. "No, I don't think so."

"Well, you're not the one who'll be eating them." Viv laughed again.

Edible panties. Did he get them on the island? The stores on the ship didn't sell things like that. Did they?

Did he want her to wear them tonight? She wasn't ready. This was moving too fast. She needed to talk to him. And this was the Captain's Dinner, a formal evening. She'd wear silk stockings, not edible underwear.

Goodness, what could he be thinking? Surely he doesn't expect me to wear them to dinner tonight? This is total surprise. We need to talk about this.

She pulled on lace panties and then silk stockings. After stepping into a black satin evening dress, she stood in front of the mirror. The dress fit close and the open back dipped all the way down to her lower back. She'd never worn anything so revealing and tonight she felt like the most desirable woman in the world. In fact she felt delicious. All the talk and teasing he'd been doing about food and eating had sent her thoughts in this direction. Even more so since receiving the gift. He'd made it clear there was at least one thing he'd like to do with her. She felt delicious and naughty.

Viv dressed in a purple sequined gown. She turned to look at Kara. "Girl, I can't believe you're wearing that. So daring and sexy."

Kara glanced into the mirror. She paused and wished for the first time in her life that someone could paint her. Just like this.

She'd never really seen herself before. Vital. Alive. Beautiful.

Viv sniffed. "If that's new perfume, I don't care for it."

"It's not new. Neil's mother gave it to me."

"The woman hates you."

"Yes, well, she doesn't hate me, but she didn't like me much before and now she blames me for his death."

"I wouldn't wear that if I were you."

Maybe she needed to cleanse her life of some remnants Neil left behind. Including gifts from his mother.

This wasn't her old life now. She could choose a new perfume to celebrate her new life.

Kara washed her hands and wrists in the sink. She hadn't yet sprayed it behind her ears where she couldn't wash it off. She lifted the perfume bottle and dropped it in the trash.

"I called the guys and said we'd meet them at the cocktail party."

"But Nate was going to meet me here." Disappointment filled her. "He was going to escort me."

"Plans changed."

Viv had made plans without consulting her. Kara frowned, wondering what had been said to pull that off. "Let's go then."

They headed to the Captain's Cocktail Party in the theater.

Her earrings swung whenever Kara turned her head. They almost touched her shoulders, and she'd left her hair down. She felt like a fashion model on parade as men watched her move.

Nate let out a long, low, approving whistle as she approached. Nate in a black tux made her weak in the knees. The way he filled out the tux with his broad shoulders and the shine in his dark hair and dark eyes. His gaze held her still. A slow grin began in the corner of his mouth and spread across his face, his white smile even brighter contrasted by his tan and the black tux.

Warmth flooded through her. She needed a chair. Or a fan. She resisted the urge to fan herself with her hand. "You look marvelous this evening, sweetheart," Nate said, moving toward her to take her hands in his. "I admit the extra time to get ready seemed unnecessary because you're beautiful without makeup. But looking at you now..." He held her away from him, their hands touching and his gaze swept her again from head to toe. "You look good enough to eat."

His deep voice sent a ripple of awareness through her body and she thought about the strawberry panties.

"Thank you." Flustered and suddenly shy, she didn't know what else to say.

Good enough to eat. Oh my.
Her face turned what she knew must be a bright shade of red.
Could he think I'm wearing the strawberry panties now?

With great effort, she turned her gaze away from him to scan the room. A champagne fountain stood in the middle of the room. Waiters walked about with trays of champagne.

She accepted a glass from a passing waiter and turned back to Nate.

His deep brown eyes watched her and his expression told her he found her beautiful, as much as his words had done. Women dressed in sequins and beads, diamonds and elegant gowns filled the room, yet he paid them little attention.

His hand slipped behind her back. She breathed in as his fingers touched the small of her back.

"Chilled?"

She was, but the heat from his fingers warmed her. "Only a little."

He leaned close and whispered in her ear. "I'm glad it's just the two of us tonight. This is going to be a magical evening, Kara. I'm glad we'll be bringing in the New Year together."

His breath tickled her ear sending tingles down her spine as she thought of the edible panties again.