Three's A Cruise (4 page)

Chapter Four

Haley woke with a start. Eyes wide, she scanned the room. Where was she? Oh, right. Miami. The cruise. They were headed to the port today. A glance at the window showed the sun barely peeking over the horizon. It was early still. Plenty of time.

A warm body adjusted next to her and she turned her face towards Jordan.

Wait
. Last night came crashing back to her. The bar. The dancing. Nathan.

Haley bolted upright. Nathan? He wasn’t next to her. Was he in the bathroom?

More thoughts crept in uninvited. They’d slept with a third. That was a
first
. Haley smiled. It had been awesome, better actually. So good she wanted to do it again. Maybe they could repeat the performance this morning before boarding the ship.

But where
was
Nathan? The bathroom door was open. The light was not on.

“Nathan?” Was he gone? “Jordan?” She shook her boyfriend’s shoulder. “Where’s Nathan? Did he say anything to you?”

Jordan turned onto his side and opened one eye. “No. Why?”

“He’s gone.” She didn’t mean to sound so disappointed. Hell, they hadn’t even exchanged last names, let alone phone numbers. Maybe he’d left a note. Maybe he was on the balcony. Why did she care so much?

Haley swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stepped on the cool tile floor. She gingerly ambled to the open sliding door. The morning air wafted towards her, crisp and refreshing. Nathan was not there.

Haley turned back to the room and wandered around. Nothing. No note. Just…nothing. Like he’d never been there.

With a deep sigh, Haley resigned herself to this information. He was gone. It was as it should be. They never kept a third for a second performance. She crawled back into bed and cosied up to Jordan who’d barely even stirred. Warm and heavy, Haley fell back asleep.

* * * *

It seemed like only seconds passed before Jordan shook her awake. The man smiled down at her. “Are you going to sleep all day? We’re going to miss the boat.” His hair was wet. He’d already showered and dressed.

Haley sat up. She should be excited. She tried to smile, but she felt a renewed bit of grief over the loss of… Loss? She’d never really had Nathan. He’d just been a fun interlude for the evening, right?

“It was good, wasn’t it?” Jordan lifted an eyebrow, his face serious. Then he smiled. That was all he was going to say about it, but it was enough. At least she wasn’t crazy. It had been good.

Haley scrambled out of bed, showered, dressed and packed and they were on the shuttle to the ship in no time.

In line to board, Jordan wrapped his arms around her from behind and leaned his chin on her head. “That breeze feels fantastic. I hope we get some of that out at sea. I’m looking forward to long leisurely days spent lying on a lawn chair soaking up the sun.”

“Me too.” Haley tucked her fingers around Jordan’s and leant back against him. Her favourite place in the world.

She had to shake the nostalgia and get over it. A random man with only a first name had fucked her senseless in Miami, Florida. She knew nothing about him. She didn’t live in Florida. She had no proof that he did either. There was no way to track him down. It was time to move on.

By afternoon Haley had stashed their bags in their cabin and was lounging on a chair on the attached deck watching the shoreline as they prepared to take off.

“I’m so glad we upgraded to a cabin with a balcony. Until you get here, it’s hard to imagine the difference. I think I’d be claustrophobic in an inner cabin.” Jordan took the empty seat next to Haley and tipped his head back. “They’re predicting excellent weather conditions. It takes two days to get to the first port. What shall we do?”

Haley turned towards Jordan and found him holding an itinerary. He smiled. “There’s entertainment every hour on the hour, everything imaginable. Want to plan our days or wing it?”

“Wing it.” That she was sure of. Just the word ‘plan’ made her cringe. If she did nothing but eat and swim, she’d be happy.

“We have the early dinner slot. You want to get dressed and head for the closest bar before we dine? Get a few drinks, maybe join one of these games in a lounge? There’s trivia or… Hey, how about this riveting introduction to the cruise?” Jordan laughed.

“Sounds good. I’ll put on something sexy…something to lure you into my web of deceit all evening.” Haley rose and lifted her eyebrows a few times to entice her boyfriend.

Jordan took her hand as she passed. “Sweetheart, anything you wear will make me drool. You know that.” He tugged her arm until she leant down and kissed him.

By six-thirty, Haley had enjoyed two frou-frou drinks and beaten Jordan in a rousing round of trivia. She had no intention of letting him forget it any time soon.

In no time at all, they were seated in the dining room with a table of three other couples making introductions. They’d be dining all week with these folks, so Haley put on her best smile and made pleasant conversation while they got to know each other.

“Good evening, folks.” The deep voice of their waiter interrupted the chit-chat from behind Haley.

The voice rang familiar in her head and she froze.

“My name is Nathan. I’ll be your waiter this week. Anything you folks don’t have, just let me know and I’ll make sure you get it.”

Haley grabbed Jordan’s leg and squeezed his thigh until her fingers ached under the pressure. She didn’t move a muscle or turn around. Her heart beat nearly out of her chest. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

And then Nathan rounded the table, reaching between two guests to fill a water glass as he continued. “Would anyone like to start with a…” Nathan coughed, choked really.

Haley raised her gaze and met his.

His mouth hung open, the last word dangling in the air unspoken. His face turned beet red and he swallowed hard. Then he licked his lips and Haley trembled remembering those lips on her nipples, her clit, her pussy, just a few hours ago.

Another guest chuckled and finished Nathan’s sentence. “Drink?”

A collective silence ensued before Nathan recovered enough to continue. “Yes,” he muttered. “Sorry.” He pasted on a fake smile and turned towards the rest of the guests. “I’ll get your drink orders first and be right back.”

Haley watched as his hands shook. He didn’t write anything down. It was obviously his custom and he was surely very good at his job under normal circumstances, but this was anything but normal. How the hell was he going to remember what eight people had ordered? She felt miserable on his behalf.

Nathan did not look directly at either her or Jordan again and then he walked away from the table. Haley glanced at Jordan who nodded. She excused herself and followed Nathan’s path towards the bar.

Nathan faltered in his steps, moving without exact precision. He even bumped into a few chairs in his path. When he reached the bar, Haley was on his tail and leaned in next to him. She let her arm brush against his, igniting a fire that rushed up her arm and down through her chest.

“You okay?” she whispered.

“Fine.” He didn’t turn in her direction.

“Nathan…”

“It’s fine. Let’s just forget about it.” Nathan called his order to the bartender, faltering after the fourth drink. “Damn,” he muttered.

“The woman in red wanted Merlot and her husband ordered a gin and tonic.” Haley laid a hand on Nathan’s arm. “Talk to me.”

“Thanks. For keeping the orders straight. I think I’ve got it from here. I was just shocked, is all.” He finally turned to face her. “Can we just…pretend last night never happened? I have a job here and you have a luxury vacation to enjoy.”

Nathan’s words stung. Was that how he saw her? And Jordan? Rich folks on vacation?

“Nathan—”

“No.” He stopped her and she leant back when he jerked his arm from her grip. He lowered his voice. “Please. This is uncomfortable enough as it is. Don’t try to make it into something it isn’t.”

“What? A quick romp between the sheets?” she hissed. “Why did you run? You didn’t even leave a note. You just snuck out in the middle of the night and I—”

“You what, Haley? Don’t give me some line about how much you cared.”

Haley flinched and took another step back as though she’d been slapped. In fact, her face stung with the force of it.

Nathan continued, his voice low as he leaned in for her ears only. “Go back to your seat. Spend a wonderful week with your boyfriend. Pretend you never saw me before in your life. Don’t give me some bullshit line about how great last night was and how much you wish we could do it again. You’ve never once taken a third for a second romp, have you? Huh?”

She didn’t respond. Her mouth hung open, but no noise came out. He was right, damn him. But this was different.

“Don’t look at me like that. This is
not
different.” Was he a mind reader? “I’m your
waiter
,” he spat out through clenched teeth as though the word alone were a profanity.

Was that what this was about? His job?

“It wouldn’t matter what you said right now, Haley. I need this job and I love this job. Hell, I’m normally even good at this job. The staff is not permitted to fraternise with the guests. Period. End of story. So, slink back to the table and forget about me. Got it?”

It didn’t matter if she had
it
or not because Nathan turned on his heel and walked away.

Haley wandered to the restroom to collect herself. She looked in the mirror and stared at her reflection for several minutes. Women came and went around her, but she barely noticed them. When the room was finally empty, she splashed water on her face to cool her cheeks. Fuck her makeup. She didn’t care. Her cheeks still burned with embarrassment. Why?

What had she done? Why did she feel like such a lowlife right now? Was this somehow her fault?

A tear formed in the corner of her eye and Haley dabbed it away.
I will not let a virtual stranger make me cry
.

Fear that she’d somehow been unkind made Haley’s heart rate increase. Never in her life had she been accused of treating anyone as any less than human. Hell, she’d not grown up as affluent as she was now. She knew the value of a dollar, damn it.

Somehow Nathan had ripped her to shreds in two minutes flat and left her picking up the pieces.

Fuck him
. Haley straightened up to her full height and patted her unruly curls with her hands. She was not going to let Nathan ruin her vacation. The guy was a prick if he meant to insinuate that either she or Jordan were prejudiced. It wasn’t true. And it was his loss if he chose to believe that to be the case.

Chapter Five

Jordan stood by the table, glancing around the room. He’d seen Haley follow Nathan and he’d seen her head for the restroom a few minutes later. If she’d ever emerged, he’d missed it. He was worried. It had been several minutes. He exhaled a long breath when she headed his way.

With a brief smile no one could possibly interpret as sincere, Haley took her spot at the table and spread her napkin in her lap.

Jordan would give anything in the world to wipe the look off her face. She’d even been crying.

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “What happened, love?”

“Later,” she muttered.

Jordan was dying for details, but Haley couldn’t very well share her conversation with the man they had slept with last night right here at the dinner table.

Instead, Jordan took her hand under the table and squeezed it in comfort. He made polite conversation with the other guests at the table and tried to cover for Haley’s strange behaviour, claiming she didn’t feel very well.

Nathan came and went various times throughout the meal, as if nothing had transpired. He didn’t make eye contact with Jordan, and Haley never lifted her face during the entire meal. Before dessert was served, Jordan excused them both, promising more friendly interaction tomorrow night.

Jordan followed Haley from the room and wrapped his arm around her in support the minute they were in the hall. He led them to their stateroom before speaking a word.

As soon as the door clicked, Haley’s face contorted and tears fell freely down her face. “I’m so…sorry… You know…how much…I love you.” She choked on nearly every word, coughing around her sobs.

“What?” Jordan sat her down and grabbed a towel animal from the bed. Why was there a towel folded into an animal shape on their bed?

He wiped her face and held her close. What was she sobbing about? If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was about to dump him.

He smiled, not quite a complete smile, but a semi-confident one. Her words had sounded precisely like those of an it’s-not-you-but-me speech.

“Haley? What do you have to be sorry about?” Now he was growing worried.

Haley grabbed the towel from Jordan’s hands and scrubbed her face before she looked him in the eye. “For being all girly and slobbery on you. For caring what that damn man thinks of me and probably hurting your feelings in the process.”

Jordan grew more confused than before. “What are you talking about, Hales? How are you hurting my feelings?”
Perhaps she
is
dumping me. Are we too far from shore for me to swim back tonight?

“I’m a blubbering fool.” Haley swatted at Jordan. “How could I love one man while crying over another? Don’t just stare at me. You should slap me or something. I’m such a bitch right now.” Haley stood and started pacing.

Jordan sat rigid, never more confused.
Did she say she loved me? Twice?
Was she dumping him or not? Had some conversation transpired between her and Nathan in the two minutes they’d spent together that had sent Haley into another man’s arms and left Jordan high and dry?

“Hales.” Jordan stared her down until she stopped pacing and looked at him. “You aren’t making a lick of sense. Did you just say you loved me? It seems you are also breaking up with me in the same breath.” Jordan opened his palms on his thighs.

Haley scrunched up her face and giggled through her tears and ranting. “Of course I love you, you idiot.” She launched the towel at his head where it rebounded and fell to the floor. “What’s this nonsense about breaking up?”

She paused and tilted her head to one side as though if she could scrutinise his expression it would all be so clear. “I’m trying to apologise for allowing Nathan to get under my skin. I thought we clicked last night, the three of us. I was actually disappointed to wake up and find him not there.”

Jordan nodded. That had been true for him too. The three of them had fitted together like a puzzle. The disappointment had not been one-sided. Jordan had been distracted all day thinking what-ifs. He just hadn’t voiced his thoughts or worn them on his face.

“What did Nathan say?”

“He told me in too few words to take my rich ass back to my table and enjoy my affluent vacation. Not to bother him. He needed this job. No,
wanted
this job.” She sucked in a breath. “Okay, maybe he didn’t say quite all of that, but it was in his eyes. He thinks we’re snooty rich folks who wouldn’t be caught dead with the likes of him or anyone in his position.”

Haley looked towards the floor. “I’m sorry I let that bother me. It’s insensitive to you and I don’t deserve your love while I’m blubbering over the words a waiter said to me in the dining hall.”

Jordan stood and took Haley in his arms, wrapping her in his strong embrace. “That’s crap and you know it. I love you, Haley.” He tucked her head against his chest and held her there. “I’ve loved you for a long time.” Until now, they’d never spoken the words out loud.

Deep exhales slowed his racing heart. “I felt the same thing you did last night. Just because I don’t voice my thoughts doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I was at least as disappointed as you to find Nathan gone this morning. In fact, when the man came up behind us and I heard his voice asking for our drink orders, my cock grew twice as thick just from his tone alone.

“I’m sorry he made you cry. You are not a snooty rich woman. He’d no right to imply that. I’m sure a confusion of emotions were warring in his head and he had no way to process them that quickly. When you blindsided him at the bar, he hadn’t had a chance to even take a breath. Imagine being in his shoes and finding us at his table this evening.”

Jordan began to rock back and forth, almost dancing to imaginary music. “It’s gonna be okay. You’ll see. Let him cool off. Tomorrow night, he’ll be more amiable. I’m sure. Hell, maybe by the end of the week, he’ll even cave and give us his number,” Jordan teased.

“Doubt it.” Haley lifted her face. “You should have seen the fury in his eyes. That was not a man I’d expect to spend one more minute thinking about us. I’d be more worried he’d spit in our food every day.”

“Well, on the plus side, we’ve already swapped spit with the man, so who cares?” Jordan smiled and tipped Haley’s chin up farther. He kissed her gently.

“Funny.”

“Let’s pop open this nice bottle of wine,” Jordan nodded towards the desk area, “and relax on the balcony for a while. The breeze will feel fantastic and we can drown our sorrow over Nathan’s loss.”

Haley smiled falteringly. It was a start. He needed to drag her out of this slump as soon as possible so they could enjoy their vacation. Tomorrow afternoon he vowed to himself to go change their dining table to the other side of the room.