Romantic Acquisition (16 page)

He led her through to a dining room that could seat twelve people easily.  There was also a lounge or family room, whatever it was called on a ship this size, a breakfast area that could be opened up to the breeze on the deck.  Carlo led her from one amazing room to another, and Kate was stunned by the size and opulence of the ship. 

“Please tell me this isn’t your ship, is it?”
she said when they walked through the galley and she saw five different cooks working diligently on what looked to be very elaborate dinner preparations. 

Carlo laughed.  “No.  A friend of mine owns it,” he said.  “I went to college with him.”

“Oh, well that’s better,” she said sarcastically.  “What does your friend do?”

Carlo led her
out of
the galley
before answering
, “He runs a country,” he said casually. 

Kate laughed, thinking he was joking but the expression on his face told her he wasn’t.  “You’re serious?  You’re friends with someone who runs a country?”

“Sure.  Even princes need to go college.  How else would they know how to run a country?”
he said and pushed her gently ahead of him since the hallway they were entering was too small for two people to walk side by side.  He kept his hands on her shoulders though and guided her through the maze of hallways. 

“Good grief!  He’s royalty?”
she sputtered, completely in awe of the ship now that she knew it was owned by a real-life prince. 

“Here’s your room,” Carlo said and opened another door to a lovely room decorated lavishly in varying shades of white. 
It was larger than her bedroom in her house, she thought as her feet sank into the thick, white carpeting. 

Kate stood in the doorway, not sure she
’d
heard him correctly.  “My room?”

“Unless you’d like to stay in mine
,” he smiled wolfishly
. 
“I’m right next door,” he said, close to her ear.  His word instantly sent shivers throughout her body. 

Kate immediately noticed the small vibrating under her feet.  “Is that the engine?” she demanded.  At his nod, s
he raced to the window and pulled back the curtains.  “No!” she said as she noticed that the shoreline was already a small dot on the horizon.  “What have you done?”
she asked, turning back to face him, her eyes wide with apprehension. 

Carlo leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his arms over his chest.  “I believe the
romantic
term is shanghai but kidnapping will also work
, if you’re looking for a more technical way to describe it
.”

Kate shook her head, her mind instantly comprehending all the ramifications of her predicament.  “But why?” she asked, her eyes wide as she looked at his casual stance. 

He
pushed away from the doorjamb and
walked closer to her
,
standing
over her
as he looked
down into her worried eyes.  “Because we’ve
kissed
twice and both times, you’ve run away from me afterwards
.  The feelings those kisses incited within you aren’t rational so I needed to come up with a way to get you in a place where you couldn’t run away from me again, or what I can make you feel
.
  If a kiss can make you feel like that, just imagine what making love will be like.” 

He let his words sink in for a moment before continuing.  “
I ran into my friend last night and he invited me for a cruise.  I thought it would be a sure way to get you to face me the morning after we make love.”

“No!” she said and backed away from
him
. 
She wasn’t sure where she would go, but knew she had to stop his words and the images they conjured in her mind. 

“Yes,” he contradicted, following her step for step.  “And we will, you know.  You’ve been running away, keeping your distance,” he said, his hand coming up to trace a finger down the sleeve of her sweater.  “But we both know what happens anytime we start touching.”

Kate could feel her body giving in already, wanting to experience his touch.  But she pulled back, her arm shaking. 
“Carlo, we can
’t.  This won’t work between us,” she begged.  “
We have to maintain our distance.”

“Why?  Why won’t it work?”

“I’m just not the right person to….to do this kind of thing,” she said lamely
, her hands waving between their two bodies as if that explained everything. 
.

“I’m not sure I understand but I’m willing to listen if you’ll explain,” he said and took a step back to give her
some
space.  “What is the ‘right’ person in your mind and what kind of ‘thing’ are you referring to?”

“You know, this sex…we
can’t do it.  I
t isn’t….right.
  I’m not right,” she said but her words didn’t make sense even to herself.  She wished she could explain her feelings but she was too embarrassed to talk to him about what her mother had gone through and how she’d almost repeated the same mistake.  It was too humiliating to know that her father hadn’t wanted her, that she wasn’t good enough to make a man stay in her life. 

Carlo smiled and her stomach flip flopped.  “
There’s more to this and eventually you’ll trust me to talk to me.  I’m very understanding.  And just for the record, when we kiss, it feels
very right to me
,” he said, his voice husky.  “
And I know you felt the same way because you melted in my arms.  You felt everything I did and don’t try and deny it,” he said, stopping her retreat by pinning his arms on each side of her head.

“Carlo, please!” she pleaded.

His mouth was only inches from hers.  “Please what?” he asked softly.  “Please take you to that incredibly co
m
fortable bed over there and make love to you until we can’t talk anymore?
  Please ease the sexual tension we’ve both been feeling for the past two months and explore your body with my hands and my mouth?
”

Kate was lost. 
His words were exactly what her body wanted.  He was right, she’d been feeling exactly those things and more.  But her one sexual encounter kept her silent.  She couldn’t endure that kind of humiliation and pain again.  She didn’t think it would be the same with Carlo but she wasn’t willing to risk it either. 

He pulled back suddenly.  “I promised myself I wouldn’t make the first move
this time
.  You’ve got to come to me.  I’m a patient man,” he said and stepped back. 
T
he haze of sensuality snapped clear instantly and she had to reorient herself. 

She watched as he strolled over to the doorway.  “Your clothes are already in the closet.”

“My clothes?”
she asked blankly. 

He smiled at her confusion.  He knew he’d affected her and it gave him hope. 
“Sure, I had a personal shopper pull together some outfits.  It was easy.  I just told her your size and what I liked.  She did the rest.  Even packed it all up in a suitcase for me.  Thanks for the tip,” he said and winked as he stepped out of the room.  “Dinner is at eight, cocktails are in the main lounge in twenty minutes.  Dress up in something fancy,” he said and pulled the door closed.

Kate stared at the door he’d just left and tried to figure out what had just happened.  She was on a boat for an undetermined amount of time going to an unknown destination with a group of people she’d probably only heard of via the evening news with a wardrobe that she hadn’t picked out with a man she wanted more than anything in the world but was the ultimate playboy and probably wanted things other than what she wanted and therefore she should avoid like the plague. 

Where had she lost control?

Taking a deep breath, she looked around her stateroom.  It was lovely, she had to admit.  The bed was draped in white, with a sheer white canopy surrounding two sides.  The pillows were stacked up against the headboard and looked inviting but she avoided them, knowing she’d just sink into their plushness and hide for hours. 

The carpeting was thick and white and there were two large white chairs with a dark wood coffee table in front of them.  She saw several doors and opened the closest one.  It was a bathroom done in white and black marble, larger than her bathroom at home and definitely more elaborate.  Another door revealed a fully stocked bar and refrigerator filled with snacks
,
fruit
, juice, bottled water, wine and beer
.   The last door was filled with clothes that made her gasp in delight.  There were several cocktail dresses, some sun dresses, shorts, shirts, slacks, sweaters and shoes to match every outfit.  A dresser was also filled with lacy underwear, bras, thigh high stockings and three bathing suits, all two piece and all looking extremely skimpy. 

Besides the bathing suits, she loved the whole wardrobe.  Whoever had chosen the dresses definitely had her tastes in mind. 

She looked at the clock and realized that she only had ten minutes before Carlo was expecting her up on deck for drinks.  She suspected that if she wasn’t up there, he’d come
back down
and get her.  She glanced through the cocktail dresses and chose a blue strapless dress that looked both elegant and daring.  The bodice was fitted with a scalloped edge but the skirt flared out ala 1950’s with layers and layers of fabric holding it up. 

Kate tried it on and fell in love with the wonderful piece.  She spun around and watched her figure in the full length mirror, loving the way her legs floated out from underneath the filmy fabric.  She felt like a
movie star
in the dress. 

Pulling her long hair off her neck, she twisted it simply in a French twist, leaving soft tendrils to float down the sides.  The shoes were sparkly and high, adding a few inches to her height. 

It took her thirty minutes to get ready and she was worried about Carlo coming to get her.  So she rushed out of the room and tried to find the main lounge.  She got lost twice and was redirected by
a crew member each time
. 

There were already five people in the lounge, including Carlo
, by the time she finally found the right room
.  The men were dressed in tuxedos and two other women were dressed in cocktail dresses.  Carlo immediately stood up and met her in the doorway where she stood, nervous about entering such an intimate setting.  It looked like everyone already knew everyone and she was the only stranger. 

But Carlo eased her fears by introducing her to everyone, including their host, Prince Jamil Ali Hassan of Hurtrain, a relatively small country in the
M
iddle
E
ast that was strategic for it’s oil reserves and it’s place in the
Mediterra
n
ean
S
ea
,
if Kate’s geography
knowledge
was correct. 

Prince Jamil was with a beautiful blond woman who introduced herself as Melissa Atkins, a stock broker from
New York
.  The other couple was another college friend of Carlo’s, Lord Phillip Pender, Earl of Daton and his lady friend, Ashley Morgan, a model from
New York City
.  As soon as the woman’s name was mentioned, Kate remembered seeing her on the runways and the latest cover of a fashion magazine. 

Both Prince Jamil and Lord Pender were handsome men, both tall and appeared very fit.  Kate could tell that they were used to living this kind of lifestyle and it amazed her that some people could take this kind of splendor for granted. 

Within a half hour, Kate felt as if she’d know
n
the other four people all her life.  The women laughed at Kate’s shyness but ordered Prince Jamil, who didn’t like being referred to as Prince, to make her a drink, which he did immediately. 

The women motioned for Kate to join them on the sofas and the three of them talked fashion, a topic all three of them loved.  They asked Kate’s opinion of the latest lines coming out and were genuinely interested in what she had to say.  The men stayed near the bar and joked about the various nuances of ladies fashions, sending a pointed comment
s
towards the women
every once in
a while.