Chapter One
They rode along in the stretch limousine, slicing down the asphalt highway that led from San Francisco to their private dock in Carmel. The two men occupying the back of the spacious car were looking out of the windows, watching the cities fly past them.
The younger of the two men was sitting up a bit straighter in his seat, his fingers tapping his knee now and then, as he viewed all that they passed with an eagle's eye. "This is going to be an incredible weekend," he said to the slightly older man sitting across from him. Roman nodded and looked out his window thoughtfully, not looking at each thing as it passed, as much as staring past all of it and thinking deeply to himself.
"I'm sure that it will be," he replied with a smile.
Roman glanced at the younger man sitting near him. Allen was his employee, and though only a few years younger than he, Allen's eagerness and vibrant youthfulness was considerable without being immature. It was one of the things that Roman liked best about him.
Allen was tall and thin with carefully combed brown hair. He usually had a wide, easy smile and a loping walk. He had a relaxed posture, which Roman was sure came from Allen's subconscious efforts to slump down from his height and fit in with everyone else. He managed to keep an air of professionalism about him, while still maintaining a laid-back demeanor, and it was the combination of those two traits in particular, that drew people to him and made him successful as one of Roman's sales directors.
This was Allen's first business trip, not only with Roman’s elite yacht and sailboat company, but his first business trip altogether, and it showed in his excitement.
Roman turned his warm brown eyes from his companion to the outside world again, this time watching the city and hills fly past him. The coast came into view before too long, and then he lost himself in the early afternoon lambent light that glinted off the waves rolling in to shore.
It was his home, the water. He was most comfortable in or around any water, really, but salt water was his preference, and it made his job one of his great loves. He made enormous amounts of money selling yachts and sailboats out of his private marina on the San Francisco Bay, and had the passion of a child at play with the yachting club he owned.
He was wealthy in finance and, he supposed, wealthy in life. He was married to a red-headed vixen whom he had fallen for on sight. It didn't take her long to wrap herself around him, and then wrap herself around his wallet and his lifestyle.
Denise was gorgeous, from her bright red hair and her clear pale skin right down to her cosmetically enhanced body and six inch high heels. When other men looked at her, their thoughts went the same way that Roman's had when he first saw her, and there was no way to hide it. Roman had placed a giant rock of a ring on her hand as quickly as he could, and in the beginning they had set fire to their marriage bed almost constantly, but as the years grew older, she was often disinterested in him, too tired or not feeling up to forays of passion and heat.
She had moved herself from their bedroom into her own room, and while she still loved being Mrs. Roman Bruce in the public eye, their private relationship was a hollow shell. He often thought it was ironic how quickly their love had burned through a white-hot blaze and had died down to cooled embers. It made his heart lonely and sad, but he hoped that someday she might find an interest in him again.
Roman thought it ironic that while his wife no longer had any interest in him physically, many other women did. He was tall and handsome in a rugged, almost dangerous way; deep brown eyes, full lips, a narrow nose and high wide cheekbones. Thick dark brown curls crowned his head and were cut short at his collar. His squared jaw was sharp and he often wore a carefully trimmed three-day beard on it, giving him the look of a weekend GQ model.
He loathed ties, and though he was always well dressed in pants, a shirt, and most often a jacket, his shirts were usually unbuttoned just a bit, allowing some breathing room for the muscled wall of his rock hard chest. Women, for the most part, often gave him double-take looks and flirting eyes. They often lingered near him and leaned close to him. They held his hand an extra moment when he held theirs, they smiled and batted their eyes at him, and they laughed too often and touched his arms and his back when they thought they could. Women had been like that with him since he had left high school, and he was used to it, though he did not ever capitalize on it.
Roman was enormously respectful of women, and he never took advantage of the countless opportunities he had to use them for whatever means he wanted. He felt strongly that women treated with dignity and respect would act with dignity and respect in return, and for the most part, he had found that he was correct in that regard.
There were always exceptions, but those were few and far between. He had held his ground in maintaining that he would be friendly, but no more than that, with the women who showed an interest in him, and he was extremely judicious in not allowing any relationship with a woman to progress to one of romance.
Except of course, for Denise.
He had wanted that relationship to progress as soon as he had seen her, and he'd wondered sometimes if he would have ended up marrying her, had he taken his time really getting to know her before they exchanged rings; rings which neither of them bothered to wear any longer. It had occurred to him more than once over the last few years of their marriage, to ask whether he had moved too quickly with her and not known her for her true colors. He had not loved her for who she truly was on the inside, but rather, loved the passion that they had shared and lost.
His life was what he had made it, both good and bad, and he had settled himself into the cadence of it for all that it was. His business thrived. His public life thrived. His marriage was a shining beacon to others on the outside, and a haunted house in the dead of night on the inside. He had lived with it long enough that it only crossed his mind from time to time. He let those moments of introspect stare back at him without answers or direction, and then pass when his attention was focused on business or society.
"Did you hear me?" Allen asked, with a kind smile.
Roman shook the reverie from his mind and looked up, smiling back at the man before him. "I'm sorry, I was thinking of something else. What did you say?"
Allen shook his head a little and laughed. "I was wondering who will be on the cruise this weekend. It's a big boat, and I wasn't privy to the guest list."
The two of them were being driven in a stretch limo from San Francisco to Carmel in order to join several other guests on a long weekend ocean cruise aboard a state of the art new super yacht from one of the sea vessel manufacturers that Roman bought his boats from. It was a luxurious sales pitch to him and all of the other guests who had been invited for the private viewing of the yacht in all its glory before it was shown to the public.
It was not Roman's first time being romanced by manufacturing companies, not by a long shot, and though he would never say it aloud or show it in any way, he had seen enough finery that it took a good deal to truly impress him. While he was always gracious and humble outwardly, he wasn't easily sold on every pretty thing to be passed under his nose.
He was looking forward to this particular launch, because the superyacht they were going to sail on was the star of solar powered innovation by Oceanco; the 105m Project Solar, which collected solar energy through a triad of Dyna Rig Sails. Roman was more than ready to see what kind of ecological differences could be made in the industry of luxury sailing.
The boat had been sailed to Carmel from the Netherlands where it would officially debut after this private premiere weekend. The famous and well-heeled guests in attendance had been hand picked for this exclusive event, and no one had turned it down. Roman had a suspicion that his head may be turned in the course of the weekend.
Roman answered him with a little smile. "I believe there will be about fifteen people for this cruise. That's the guest limit on the boat spec sheet that I saw, and I'm sure they'll maximize the opportunity in order to broaden their buyer's field."
Allen couldn’t hide his anticipation of the event. Roman chuckled a little, and then looked back out of the window to discover that they were arriving at the marina.
"Oh, it looks like we've made it." He unbuckled himself and stepped out as the driver opened the door for him. The driver took their bags to the boat and Roman and Allen took their first look at the superyacht. It was enormous and elegantly crafted. They could see the bridge sitting atop the glittering golden and white vessel like a crown jewel. Beneath that there was a glassed-in level, and then the main deck, which encircled the craft, featured an interior as well as the exterior, embellished with sunchairs, billowed white canopies, a floating pool, a jacuzzi, a barbecue area, a bar, and a kitchen with sliding glass doors to enclose it.
The bulk of the rest of the boat was below deck, and the Master Stateroom cabin at the back of the boat featured a private deck with a hot tub. The most stunning aspect of the yacht itself were the three enormous masts that rose up in a row from the deck toward the blue sky, each one supporting tall sails shaped something like a giant rectangular barrel from top to bottom; the likes of which neither Roman nor Allen had ever seen.
"Those must be the solar sails," Allen said, staring at them in awe.
Roman nodded. "Notice, there's no rigging at all. The sails are all maneuvered from a control center in the bridge. It's one of the most innovative and ecologically sound designs in the entire sea vessel industry. The manufacturers are shooting for a goal of sailing one hundred percent free of fossil fuels. It's fascinating technology."
Allen gazed up at it in wonder. "Awesome!"
The two men stood and looked at the vast work of fine craftsmanship a bit longer, and then walked down to the gate where they were greeted at the dock by the host, who knew Roman well.
"Ah!" he said, holding his hand up as they neared him. "How are you doing, Roman?" He took Roman's hand in both of his, shaking it heartily, and then turned his jovial gaze toward Allen.
Roman nodded and smiled. "I'm well, thank you. Jonathon, this is Allen Banks, Allen, this is Captain Jonathon Heatherwick."
Allen's hand shot forward and he grinned at Jonathon. "It's wonderful to meet you, sir; I've heard so many great things about you and your beautiful boats!"
Jonathon nodded with a welcoming smile. "Of course! Glad to have you, Mr. Banks."
Allen's eyes widened. "Oh, please call me Allen. Thank you so much for having me here! I have really been looking forward to this weekend."
Jonathon smiled and nodded again. "You're very welcome!" He turned to look at Roman. "Your cabins are ready; yours is the Master Stateroom, of course. I'm so pleased that you could come. Thank you for being here!" He grasped Roman's hand in his again, shaking it warmly. "You'll be seated beside me at dinner, and I look forward to talking more with you there! I'll be here as the welcoming committee while everyone arrives, but if you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to let me know, or ask any of the staff."
Roman nodded and smiled, thanking him, then he and Allen walked onto the boat. Allen was visibly trying not to gape at everything he could see, from the mirrored windows to the staff walking around handing out champagne flutes filled with the finest bubbly.
Allen took two glasses of champagne from a passing steward and gave one to Roman. "I still can't believe you brought me instead of Denise. I'm sure she wasn't pleased about it."
Roman looked at his employee and smiled a little. "You sell the boats; she just likes to look important on them. Your time on this vessel is worth more to me than hers would have been; it's an investment in you, it would be frivolous for her. It's just business."
Allen nodded and tilted his head. "Was she mad?"
Roman pursed his lips for a moment. "Yes."
Allen smiled widely and lifted his glass to Roman with a toast. "To business and pleasure,” he said happily.
Roman laughed a little. "Cheers," he answered.
Allen took a drink and then turned to look toward the landing where another limousine had just pulled up. He watched a blonde woman stepping out of the limo and a low whistle sounded from his puckered lips. "...and here's to the pleasure again,” he said quietly.
Roman looked around and saw the blonde woman. He knew her vaguely, having been introduced to her a few times. "Her name is Colette. She's a fine art and antiquities dealer and she usually lives in Paris. I'm surprised she's here. She's been divorced a few times, and I'm not sure if she's currently married, but you can probably..." He lost his train of thought as he watched her companion step from the car.
It was the long, dark, caramel colored legs that slipped out from behind the car door and stole his thoughts from him, followed immediately by the thin sea-blue dress that danced about the stunning form of the beautiful woman who emerged from the car. The material floated around her in the sea breeze as the air touched every part of her that was not pressed against the fabric and the sight of it made his mouth go dry. The woman looked at Colette and smiled. She had a lovely face, elegant and graceful, with wide brown eyes and sweet full lips. She looked like a cross between Audrey Hepburn and the model Iman. Her black hair was pinned up in loose curls behind her head and she laughed lightly at something Colette said as she lifted her small bag to her shoulder and turned toward the boat.
"Were you saying something?" Allen asked as he stared at Colette, who was dazzling in a slender gauzy white dress, which showed off her toned and bronzed legs. She pulled on her wide brimmed sunhat and dark glasses and the two ladies looked as though they might be part of a Vogue photo shoot.
Roman blinked and shook his head a little. He turned away slightly and looked toward Allen. "I, uh, I was saying that you could easily find out what Colette is up to here. She goes through men pretty quickly. I would be careful about setting your heart on her."
Allen laughed and stared, shaking his head a little bit. "Oh Captain, my Captain, it may be a little too late for that."
Roman frowned a little. "Allen, looks aren't always everything. Consider Denise. She's one of the most beautiful women I've ever known, at least, on the outside."
The thought seemed to douse Allen as though it were cold water and he blinked and shook his head, looking back at Roman with an unpleasant sort of half smile. "That's a good point." He took a swig of his champagne and turned toward the boat.
"Well? Can we have a look around?" he asked with excitement.
Roman tilted his head. "Well, we could have a look around this deck; I'm certain there will be a formal tour when Jonathon comes on board. He likes to reveal every detail about the boats as if he's unwrapping a Christmas gift for you."
Allen beamed. "Great! Let's go for a walk. I can't wait to see this!"
Roman nodded and stole a glance over his shoulder at Colette and her friend, who were talking to Jonathon at the gate. The Captain kissed both of their hands and the dark woman grinned at him. She had an inviting smile; one that made a person feel warm just looking at it, as though it were sunshine giving necessary vitamins to the heart and soul. He smiled a little and turned to follow Allen who was already making his way down the deck and talking to everyone he met.
By noon, all of the guests had arrived and the Captain asked everyone to gather at the back deck of the yacht. The stewards passed fresh champagne out to everyone, and the Captain toasted them all, speaking out with a broad grin to all of them.
"Welcome! Welcome all of you to our wonderful weekend cruise. Aside from her loyal and dedicated crew, you are the first people to see this beautiful sea-faring lady, and you'll get to experience her out on the ocean in just a few minutes, when we set sail. I know we will all enjoy our time together this weekend, and I want you to indulge yourselves and partake of everything available to you on this vessel. She is your home, and the crew and I are your humble hosts.
“Please! Raise your glasses in a toast to the Zephyr, the first of her kind featuring solar sails and green technology; we are going to leave the smallest carbon footprint possible in the waves we sail over, and heal the seas and all the life in them. Welcome to the luxury and wonder of the future!" he raised his glass in salute, and all of his guests raised their glasses as well, toasted and drank with him.
Roman found himself subtly looking around for the woman he had seen on the dock, and when he saw her standing with Colette, talking to some of the other guests, he allowed himself a moment to watch her, drinking in her beauty and charm. It made him smile and that was something he didn't find himself doing often.
She seemed to really listen to those who were speaking to her, watching their eyes and taking in everything that they said, replying to them only when they had finished their piece. As he watched her, he didn't notice that everything around him seemed to fade away until she turned and looked right at him and turned the corners of her mouth up in a smile meant just for him. He drew a deep breath, horrified that he'd been caught watching her, he smiled back briefly and turned away, walking toward some of the other guests further down the deck.
*
She felt as though she was being watched, and it drew her attention away from the two men who were talking to her and Colette. She turned her head and saw him, he was staring at her, his dark eyes deeply intent on her, his lips parted slightly and his glass of champagne resting idly in his fingers. The sight of him arrested her on the spot. He wasn't handsome; no, he was ruggedly beautiful. There was just no other word for it; he was beautiful. His gaze made her catch her breath and she blinked for a moment and couldn't help smiling at him. She couldn't imagine anyone not smiling at him.
He seemed hypnotized while gazing at her until she smiled, and then he seemed to wake up. He flashed a smile back at her and then he looked away suddenly and turned, disappearing down the deck.
"Colette," she said softly. "Did you see that man over there?"
Her friend looked over her shoulder and just saw the back of Roman as he walked down the deck and vanished behind the side of the boat. She laughed low and long. "Oh yes, I did. That's Roman Bruce. We get to spend a whole weekend looking at him."
Colette's lips curved in a sultry smile at the spot where Roman had been standing. "I'm so glad he came on this trip." She looked at her friend.
"He'll be just the thing to get you back on your feet, Cami. You couldn't have asked for better company. If you get a chance this weekend, you should spend some time with him. He is brilliant and delicious and he won't treat you like a piece of meat. You'll be safe with him." Colette grinned and shook her head slowly. "Every time I see him I wish I could talk him into my bed, but he's just not that kind of guy, unfortunately. He's so... bite-able." She raised one eyebrow mischievously.
Cami laughed at her and glanced back at the empty place where he had been standing. It made her wonder why he had left, rather than coming over to talk to her. Men often stared at her, but they looked at her hungrily, not with the hidden curiosity that she had seen in his eyes when she looked back at him. She hadn't felt as though she was standing there, undressed under his intense gaze, and she was surprised by that.
***
Roman walked the length of the deck and sat in a chair at the bow of the boat, glad for the shade. The Captain spoke over a loudspeaker for all to hear, "We're off!" and the boat began to move out of the harbor toward the vast and open sea. The plan was to sail south to Cabo San Lucas which would take a little over a day and a half, spend a day in Cabo on the beach, and then sail back up to Carmel. A beautiful, long, sun-kissed weekend that would last from Friday at noon until Monday evening if all went as planned.
He laid back in his chair, feeling the ocean air on his face, breathing it in, and he forgot about everything in the whole world except where he was at the moment. His soul was being revitalized, and he was at home in the splashing sea mist and the cool salty air.
His eyes were closed until he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see one of the stewards smiling down at him. "Sir, are you Mr. Bruce?" the young man asked pleasantly.
"I am,” he answered, wishing he hadn't been interrupted.
The steward smiled at him. "The Captain has invited you to come up to the bridge, sir. I'll be glad to escort you there." He waited as Roman rose up out of his chair. If there was one thing he didn't mind being pulled away from the front of the boat for, it was to see the bridge.
Roman followed the steward up two flights of stairs to the bridge and thanked the young man for escorting him up there. Jonathon looked over at him and grinned, raising his hand in the air.
"Roman! Welcome to the bridge. Have you ever seen such a beautiful and sophisticated bit of technology as this? Come over here and have a look at this." He clapped Roman on the shoulder and began pointing at the screens and dials laid out before them. There were three leather captain's chairs lined up before the control board, which looked as though it might have been made for NASA.
"This lady could practically sail herself. Here are the navigation charts and maps, here's the depth reader... you know, I bet I could find Atlantis with this thing, and here is the cherry on top." He looked at Roman a bit more seriously.
"These are the controls for the sails. They're free standing and free rotating. I can handle all of them from here and they produce up to sixty percent of the power behind this girl. It's really something else. Here," he said, standing Roman before the controls, "have a go at her, this trims the sails." Jonathon let Roman work them and Roman felt a thrill rush through him as he let the wind carry the boat faster across the waves. He grinned like a kid with a toy.
"That's pretty nice, isn't it?" Jonathon asked excitedly.
Roman angled his head and looked down at Jonathon, "It's very nice, Captain." He set everything as Jonathon had it, and then stepped back to let the Captain take over again.
"Have you had a chance to go down and look at your room yet?" Jonathon asked him with a grin.
Roman chuckled and shook his head. "No, not yet. I was just settling in on the deck when you called me up here. That's about all I've seen; the main deck and now the bridge. Nice toast, by the way."
Jonathon nodded and smiled beneath his salt and pepper beard. "Thanks. You are welcome to come up here anytime, Roman, but go have a look at your room when you get a chance. Your bags were taken in already, but you'll probably want to settle in soon. I want you to be relaxed and comfortable for this trip."
Roman took a long look at the wide-open view from the lofty bridge, and he sighed. "Alright, I'll go have a look. I'll come up here and have tea with you this afternoon, and we can trade fish tales, alright?" Roman asked with an impish smile.
"That sounds like a good afternoon to me!" Jonathon laughed, shaking his hand and holding the door for him.
Roman took his time going down the stairs, admiring the view and the boat, and when he reached the main deck, he hadn't gone two steps when one of the stewards was at his side.
"May I help you find anything, sir?" he asked hopefully.
Roman gave him a friendly nod. "Certainly, thank you. I'm looking for the Master Stateroom."
The steward brightened and stood up a little straighter. "Mr. Bruce! Certainly! I'll take you right there." He grinned and led Roman through a private door and down a flight of stairs. "You have your own entrance from the main deck, or you can go out of the other door in your room to the hallway which leads into the lower dining room and entertainment room. The other guest staterooms are down that way." The steward reached the bottom of the stairs and opened his door for him, and as Roman entered, he couldn't help but smile.
The steward disappeared, closing the door behind him and Roman looked with satisfaction at the enormous room around him. The walls, ceiling and carpet were all white, and everything was trimmed with hand carved mahogany. The room was arced in a half circle and the full length of the rounded area was filled with windows that reached from well above the water, to several feet below the water.
It was an open room of two levels; the upper portion of it looked out over the sea and featured a desk area and a mini-bar, and it had sliding glass doors that led out to a private deck with a canopied table, deeply cushioned benches, and a Jacuzzi tub. There was a flight of arced stairs that echoed the curve of the room itself. They widened from moderate at the top step, to a grand curve at the bottom step, and were covered in thick carpet.
In the lower level at the bottom of the staircase, he found the sunken bedroom featured a king sized mahogany sleigh bed adorned with several overstuffed pillows, and capped off on both sides with bedside tables and bookcases. A huge mirror hung on the wall at the head of the bed. In the area around the corner and behind the bed on one side, there was a lavishly appointed full bathroom with double sinks, and on the other side, there was a full walk-in closet and a reading area with a built-in mahogany chaise lounge and a floor to ceiling bookcase.
The bed faced the back of the boat, and looked out underneath the sea. Roman saw that there was a movie screen that lowered electronically from the narrow ceiling and faced the bed, offering digital entertainment. The ceiling in the sunken bedroom was a narrow ring that encircled the room, and except for that ring, the remaining area was open to the second floor where a partial sunroof, hidden from the slightly overhanging deck above, let light into the room.
It was undeniably the best stateroom he'd ever seen, and he walked all through it, examining every part of it. He wound up on his private deck, looking out to sea, and relaxing again, only to have his cell phone buzz in his pocket. He frowned and pulled it out to look at it, and answered it.
"Hello?" he asked.
"Roman! Where are you?" It was Allen. "I've been all over the boat, I think, and I can't find you!"
Roman chuckled. "I'm just sitting out on the deck,” he answered slyly.
Allen stumbled over his words for a moment. "You... you are? I'm on the deck. I didn't see you. Maybe I missed you. It's a big deck. Are you at the front or the back?"
Roman looked around him at nothing but ocean. "I'm at the back of the boat."
He could hear Allen's confusion. "I'm at the back. I don't see you."
Roman stood up. "Stay there. I'll come find you." He sighed and hung up, taking one last look at his private little world before going back up his private staircase to the main deck of the boat. He tapped Allen on the shoulder and Allen turned to him in surprise and then smiled.
"Hey! Did you see the rooms? Aren't they amazing?" he asked, not even trying to hide the delight on his face.
Roman nodded and smiled. "Come on Allen, show me your room."
Allen walked him into the inside of the boat on the main deck. There was a dining area, a bar, a piano, a lounging area and a library. All of it was white, save for the hand carved mahogany, just like his room. Allen led him down the wide white carpeted staircase to the level below. There was an entertainment room with a horseshoe shaped sofa filled with thick white cushions and set about with several pillows.
There was another bar and a smaller dining area, more of a galley than the dining room upstairs, there was a small fitness room with several machines, free weights a sauna and a steam room, and there were two hallways that led down either side of the boat. Allen took him down the left side.
They passed three doors and at the last door, Allen turned and smiled at Roman. "There are four guest staterooms on either side of the boat, and this one is mine." He opened the door and stood back to let Roman enter the room.
Like the rest of the boat, it was all white with mahogany trim, and there were windows all along the wall on the water side of the room. Allen's windows were all above the water line. He had a queen sized bed, a desk, and a full bathroom. His closet was wide, but it wasn't a walk-in. Above his desk was an entertainment center which was set into the wall, facing his bed.
"This is really nice." Roman said with a smile.
"It's great!" Allen said happily. He showed Roman all the little extras that were in the room; the remote controlled electric shades that slid down over the windows and the lights that dimmed, as well as the automatic faucet in the sink and the natural air dryer for his hands.
Roman nodded and smiled at him.
"Do you like it?" he asked in anticipation.
"I do," Roman answered him, sliding his hands into his pockets.
Allen took a step toward him. "I think you should buy it. I could sell this boat in a minute."
Roman tilted his head. "I think you probably could, but we want to make sure before I do anything like that. It's a big commitment."
Allen nodded and looked around his room, well pleased. Then he looked back at Roman. "Does your room look like this, too?" he asked.
Roman tried to hide his smile, but it didn't work well. "Not really. Come on... I'll give you the nickel tour." He led Allen down the hall, back through the community areas and past them to the last door at the end of the boat, which was the other door to his room. He opened it up and walked up the short flight of stairs to the upper level of his room, and turned to look at Allen, whose jaw hit the floor when he saw all of it.
Roman chuckled softly. "Go have a look; I'll be out on the deck." He walked out of the glass doors and sat on the deck while Allen canvassed the entire area that Roman would be staying in. After several minutes, Allen finally showed up on the deck where Roman was relaxing under the canopy, and collapsed beside him in a chair.
"You've got to be kidding me. Roman, you have to buy this boat! You have to!" Allen was thrilled with all that he had seen.
Roman looked over at him and smiled. "Did you see the jet skis and the sailing dinghy?"
Allen just looked at him. "No. Really?" A grin spread over his face.
"Yeah. There's an elevator, too, from the main floor down to the community area on the lower level. Actually, it goes down to the staff quarters, galley and engine room in the belly of the boat as well, but you shouldn't go down there." Roman winked at him.
Allen just shook his head. "I can't believe this thing." He looked back at Roman. "I could sell this in a minute. Think of all the millionaires and billionaires we have between San Francisco and Silicon Valley! This would be gone in a minute!"
Roman shook his head. "They don't always go that fast. When people spend money like that, they want things built to their own specifications. We want to make sure before we spend the money." He looked fully at Allen. "I'll decide before the weekend is over, and I'll let you know when I make my decision. Between now and then, just enjoy yourself, okay? You're being paid for this weekend. Live it up." Allen agreed, and leaned back in his chair, soaking in the sun and sea.
Allen stayed with him a while longer, but then he left to go explore more of the boat and Roman unpacked and made himself comfortable. Later in the afternoon, he went up to the bridge to have tea with Jonathon as he had promised to do. He sat in one of the deep captain's chairs and looked down over the main deck. Jonathon was on the radio and Roman was waiting for him to finish.
He saw a ripple of blue and noticed that the woman he'd been watching earlier was standing at the bow of the boat, looking down over the railing to the waves below. Her dress was sculpted to the curves and lines of her body in the sea wind, and she was laughing and pointing, directing the attention of Colette and the three men with them, to the water in front of the boat.
Roman caught himself staring at her again and meant to turn away, but somehow he didn't. He knew she couldn't see him from where she was, and so he watched her without worry that he might be caught.
"She's a special lady, isn't she?" Jonathon said, standing beside him.
Roman jumped and turned to look at his friend. "What?" he asked, off guard.
"You love her right at first sight, don't you? She's just so beautiful. I've never had my hands on one so nice. I can't decide what I love best about her, because everything about her is just so... amazing. Isn't it?" Jonathon grinned at him.
"Amazing?" Roman repeated quietly.
"She's a superyacht! Of course she's amazing!" Jonathon said, looking down at the control panel and caressing it with a loving hand. He looked back up at Roman who gave him a half smile.
The Captain looked from Roman down to the bow of the boat. "Oh! We have dolphins in front of us. That's what everyone's looking at. We've got dolphins." He looked back up at Roman and lifted his old eyebrows.
"Do you like your room?" he asked.
Roman nodded and laughed. "I do. As you say, it's amazing."
The good Captain nodded back and looked out to sea. "They will bring the tea up any minute now."
A few moments later, the door opened and their tea service was delivered. They sat, drank, and talked, looking at all of the features of the bridge together and then they traded sea stories until the afternoon light grew long and golden.
The Captain left his first mate in charge of the bridge and he and Roman left to get ready for dinner. Roman was annoyed with himself for looking at the woman again as he had. He didn't think he should be interested in looking at her at all. Yet, there was something about the curve of her long graceful neck, and the dimples in her cheeks when she smiled; there was something about the light on her skin and in her eyes that seemed to draw him.
He told himself that he had better keep his attention on everything but her during their trip. He was there for business, and a relaxing voyage on the sea that was so precious to him; he was not there to be entranced by a beautiful woman. He dressed and readied for dinner, sure of what he was doing, until he walked in to the dining room, and then all his certainty was swept away.
The Captain saw him come in and headed straight for him, leading him over to the chair next to his at the long rectangular table. It was only a matter of minutes before everyone was seated at their assigned chairs, and Roman found himself facing Colette, who grinned and winked at him, and Allen, who was seated next to her, could hardly hide his pleasure about that. In the seat to Roman’s right, was Colette's friend.
He drew a deep breath and turned to look at her. She raised her warm brown eyes to look back at him and he felt his chest and stomach tighten.
"Hello," he said in a calm tone with a pleasant smile. "I'm Roman Bruce."
She smiled and a dimple showed up in each one of her cheeks. He couldn't help but smile back. "Hi, I'm Cami. It's nice to meet you!" she said, reaching for his hand. She shook his hand and let go quickly, looking at him and wondering how in the world she had gotten lucky enough to sit next to the most gorgeous guy at the table. He seemed like the strong silent type, but his smile at her felt genuine, and she decided that Colette must be right. Maybe he would be a good person to talk with on the trip. He'd certainly be a nice person to look at, she thought to herself with a blush at the edge of her cheeks.
The chef served fresh sea bass, salad, breads, lobster and soup, impressing everyone at the table. During the course of the meal, and after a few consecutive glasses of wine, Roman found that Cami was an easy person to talk with. She was smart and funny, interesting and polite. He liked her without feeling like he had to put any effort forth in doing it, and that was a welcome change for him.
Colette eyed him with little smiles all throughout dinner when no one else was looking and he smiled back politely, as he always did with women he wanted to dissuade without insulting. She didn't seem to want to take no for an answer. Allen didn't seem to notice, and he kept talking away with her, believing he had her rapt attention.
The Captain spoke with all of them at the table, and most of the guests enjoyed speaking with one another. There was talk of what everyone wanted to do after dinner and Jonathon spoke up with a smile. "There will be a bar service with s'mores at the barbecue on the main deck at the front of the boat, then downstairs in the entertainment area, there is a wide selection of films available. The Jacuzzi, which is also on the front deck, is always open, of course, and the canopy over that will be rolled back for anyone who wants to relax beneath the stars. Also, as a special treat, two of our staff are quite talented musicians and they'll be playing some live music for you out on the deck for a while tonight."
The group was very pleased with their options and Cami looked over at Roman. "That all sounds really good. What do you think you'll do?" she asked with raised eyebrows.
Roman gazed at her face for a moment and shrugged. "I don't know. You're right; they are all great choices. Maybe a little of everything. What about you?" he returned her question to her.
She smiled at him. "I'll have to see. The s'mores sound good, though, but so does the hot tub."
He nodded and looked away from her, willing himself not to picture her in the steamy water of a Jacuzzi. He turned to look at the Captain and focused on the older man. "What about you, good Captain, what will you be doing?"
Jonathon smiled and looked down for a moment and then back up at the guests with a grin under his beard. "Oh, I've got a boat to sail. I'll probably keep it pretty simple tonight. I may take a book with me, though!"
They shared a light laugh with him and Colette looked at Roman intently and said, "I'll be heading for the hot tub. I'd love some company."
Allen grinned and piped up, "Great! I would love to come and join you! I'll meet you out there!" He watched her with adoring eyes.
Roman lifted his chin and told her, "I think that's a great idea. Allen is a lot of fun. You two will have a wonderful time."
She turned and looked at Allen with an almost imperceptible pout and then downed another glass of wine.
With dinner done, Roman stood and pulled Cami's chair back for her She looked up at him and smiled and he nodded in a friendly way and turned to Jonathon.
"Thank you for a wonderful evening. I'll see you in the morning, he said, reaching for the Captain's hand. Jonathon nodded and grinned, and Roman turned and left before anyone could say anything else to him. He wandered out to the back deck and tried to clear his head from all the wine.
He had tried to keep his mind on dinner, on conversations that turned and twisted through the table, on everyone else but her, while still trying to be polite, but she was sitting beside him, warm and sweet, distracting and beautiful. Her perfume had tempted him to look at her and make him want to draw nearer to her, her smile and lilting laugh had made him forget that there were other people at the table for brief moments, and he kept pulling himself back to everyone and everything else.
It was like he was swimming in deep water and there was a current that was trying to pull him down, but he knew if he kept swimming, the current couldn't touch him. He just had to keep swimming.
The ocean air was cold on his face and his body and it felt good. It made him feel alive and awake and empowered. He breathed it deep and it made him feel strong. Then he felt a warm hand on his arm and when he opened his eyes and turned to see her standing there in her blue dress, his strength ebbed away with the pull of the tide.
"Hi!" she said with a cheerful smile, her brown eyes lifted to look at his face. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. I just saw you here all alone and thought maybe you'd like some company." She stood beside him and placed both her hands on the railing, holding tightly to it and raising her shoulders shyly, looking at him over the curve of the one beside him.
Roman drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Oh, uh... yes, thank you. That would be nice." He didn't know what else to say to her.
Luckily, she knew what to say to him. "I noticed that the Captain and you seem close, have you known him long?"
He nodded. "Yes, actually, we've known each other for several years. He's a good man."
She smiled and her dimples showed. "You're a good man too, I'm willing to bet. I didn't know what to expect this weekend. This is really different than I thought it would be. It's my first time on a ship like this."
He tried to hide a smile. "It's not really a ship; it's a yacht, or a boat. I know it's big, but it's not quite big enough to be a ship."
Just then, one of the stewards walked up to them with a platter balanced on his hand. "Miss Cami, your s'mores are ready," he said with a smile. Roman looked down at her as she picked up two s'mores and thanked the steward, then turned and handed one to him.
"What's this?" he asked with a spreading grin on his face.
She tilted her head. "Well, it's a s'more. I wanted one, but they weren't done yet, so the steward said he'd bring some to me when they were done. I asked him for two so we would each have one."
He turned it over in his hand, enjoying the smell of warm chocolate and toasted marshmallow rising up to his nostrils and making his mouth water. "Thanks!" he said, taking a big bite of it and looking at her with a chuckle. "That was thoughtful!"
Cami nodded and took a bite of her own. She closed her eyes and relished the flavor and texture of it.
Roman looked at his while he chewed and knitted his brow. "They taste different than I remember."
She looked up at him and laughed. "Well, these are made with fresh gingerbread instead of graham crackers. They're softer," she said, tilting her head and laughing again. "You have a little..." She raised her hand timidly, hesitating at first while he looked at her in confusion, and then she slowly lifted her finger to his lips and he stood stock still while she carefully wiped away chocolate and marshmallow cream from his lower lip.
He stared at her, slightly embarrassed, and she shrugged and looked down at her fingertip. "They're a little messy," she said, looking around for a place to clean her finger, and seeing nothing convenient, she popped her finger in her mouth and sucked it clean.
Roman watched her for a moment and then turned away and faced the view at the back of the boat, ignoring what she'd done. "So, you said this is your first time on a vessel like this... how is it that you came to be here?" He took another bite of his s'more to try to simplify the moment and relax. He was careful to use his other hand to wipe at his mouth, in case anything stuck there.
She swallowed her bite. "Well, I'm an artist in Los Angeles and Colette is one of my biggest patrons. We're more friends than business associates. She asked me to come along on the trip. She thought I needed it."
Roman blinked and looked sideways at her with a lowered brow. "Why would she think that?" He pushed the last of his s'more into his mouth and savored it.
Cami frowned and looked down at the treat in her hand, picking at it thoughtfully. "Well, I just got out of a bad situation. I needed some fun. I needed some laughs, and some relaxation, and she thought this would do the trick."
Roman was curious. He didn't want to be, but as he stood there watching her pick her s'more apart, he felt like he had to know, and the current tugged harder at him. "What happened?" he asked softly.
She pulled the marshmallow out of her s'more and squished it between her fingers. "I was engaged to a guy; I really thought we were going to make it. I thought he was the one, but then I guess I wasn't the one for him. He broke up with me right before our wedding. I mean, the invitations were all sent out... the hotel was booked... the caterer, you know, all the things that cost the most and don't give refunds. All those things. He found another woman he wanted more, so he ran off and married her, and I paid all the bills and threw myself into my art." She laughed and wiped a few tears from her cheeks. "Colette loved the art, but she hated seeing me so hurt."
Roman felt his heart go out to her. It made him sick to think of anyone going through pain like that, especially when they thought the love was real. He looked down at her long and hard for a moment as she wiped at the tears on her face, and in a split second, he made a decision.
He turned and faced her, taking both her hands in his and lifting them to his mouth, as she stared at him in surprise. He wrapped his lips around the remains of her s'more, stuffing his mouth with all of it from both of her hands, he sucked her fingers clean, and then in a muffled invitation, he held his arms out to her while he chewed away at the wad of stickiness he'd just eaten. "Woof y- keh- t- ds?"
Cami could not have been more surprised. She stared up at him through her wet eyelashes and started to laugh from her belly at the gorgeous, ridiculous man standing in front of her, holding his arms out to her, with his mouth full of the remains of the s'more she had shredded. "What?!" she asked him.
He swallowed with difficulty and looked down at her with an air of elegance. "I said, would you care to dance? Do you hear the music?"
She turned her head to look toward the front deck and then she realized that the staff were playing a violin and a cello, and she grinned through her tears and looked back at Roman, standing there waiting, with his arms still raised toward her.
"I'd love it!" she said with a grin. She stepped toward him and he held her close, turning her delicately around the wooden slat deck of the boat, there in the wide-open Pacific Ocean under a brilliant moonlit sky, and they both felt happiness, and relief, and the beginnings of friendship.
They danced for two lively songs, and then the musicians slowed their melody, and a love song filled the night air, drifting to the couple and around them, winding them closer together until their bodies met, and their arms were closed around one another.
Her warmth felt good to him in the cold night air, and the scent of her perfume pulled his nose closer to her ear as he let himself breathe in her essence. He felt her slump in his arms slightly, and he looked down at her.
"You can't keep the sadness,” he said quietly.
She looked up at him. "I can't?" she asked. "Haven't I earned it?"
He tilted his head and looked around for a moment, and then back down to her, gazing into her eyes. "Well, I guess if you wanted to cherish it, you could, but who would want to do that? No, you've got to let it go. You have to let it fall away from you and open yourself up to the possibility of new love."
"Do I? Is there a possibility of love again? I don't think that's true for everyone. I think some people are just lucky," she told him softly, her eyes locked on his as they danced slowly.
He frowned a little. "Well, of course, it's possible. Everything is possible. You never know who you... might meet..." he said with unintentional hesitation. He meant it to sound as though she could meet someone who could love her, but there he stood, holding her and dancing with her in the moonlight, while her perfume intoxicated him and it felt like he was saying she might meet him. He mentally bashed himself for the way it had sounded coming out.
"What about you?" she asked, her eyes on him still, looking at him deeply.
He knew it. He'd said it wrong. He'd fouled it up and now she was confused about what he meant. "I... didn't mean me... I meant you might meet-"
She looked at him in confusion as he spoke and then she laughed at him. "No, no... I meant what about you finding love. You said everything is possible, so I was asking what about you? Have you found love?" She smiled at him and watched him as he closed his eyes in understanding and a little embarrassment.
He laughed a little, and said, "Oh... sorry." He turned her in a wide circle under his arm and drew her back to him again, holding her as close as he had been. "I thought I'd found love. Real love. I thought I had found passion and a partner for the rest of my life."
Cami looked at him with a furrowed brow. "What happened? Did you get divorced?"
Roman shook his head. "No... no, we're not divorced. We're still married. At least on paper."
She looked a little sad for him. "Is the love still there?"
He took a deep breath and shook his head, pursing his lips for a minute. "No. No, I don't think it is."
"Maybe you just need to find it again,” she offered generously.
He looked away from her as shame clutched at him, but there in the dark cold night, in the warmth of her arms, he felt safe; he felt as though he could trust this new friend he had made.
"I have tried, but she's just not interested in it. She doesn't even share the same room with me, or the same bed. We haven't made love in a long, long time. It's just not there anymore." His voice was quiet and the music held them close.
Cami watched him with sympathetic eyes and a heart that hurt for the loneliness she saw hidden away in him. "How long has it been?" she asked him.
He sighed and looked away from her again. "Oh, I guess it's been about two and a half years. Maybe three... yeah, three years."
She stared at him and stopped dancing, leaving her arms at his side. "You haven't made love with her in three years? Do you have a lover on the side?"
He shook his head. "Oh God no, of course not. No. It's just she and I."
Cami felt her heart ache for her new friend, and her eyes filled up with tears for him. "That is so awful! How could anyone be in such a close relationship and not be loved? Not be touched and held? How horrible to feel so alone when you are bound to someone who should love you more than anyone else in the world!" She shook her head as he watched her, and he realized that the words she had spoken were the truth that had darkened his heart for so long.
He was alone, completely alone, because he had no one to go to; no one because he was married to a woman who was absent from his heart and his bed. It was one of the worst things he'd ever heard or felt, and he stared at Cami in a near horror.
She shook her head and threw her arms around him, holding him tightly in an embrace, pressing herself as closely to him as possible.
At first he didn't know quite what to do; he was taken aback by her suddenness, but then she held on, and on, and on. His worries about what she was doing and why she was doing it, began to drift away and after a while, he was just there in her embrace, and he let himself feel it, let himself be wrapped up in it, and let himself feel the warmth of physical affection from another human.
His arms closed tightly around her and he held her in return. It almost broke his heart.
He realized it had been ages since he had been held and hugged by someone who cared about him. So long since anyone had held him so close. And it had been just as long since he had been able to hold anyone else and share affection. He felt hot tears roll down his cheeks as his body trembled in her arms.
She began to cry silently with him, holding him tightly as he let go of years of pain and loneliness. After a long while, just embracing each other and letting it all out, he loosened his arms from around her just a little, and whispered in her ear, "You don't have to keep holding me if you want to let go."
Cami smiled and whispered back, "My grandma taught me to never be the one to let go first, because you never know how much the other person needs to be hugged."
He held her closer to him and kissed her cheek by her ear. "Thank you," he said softly.
Then he let a little laugh escape him. "You know, if everyone hugged like that, no one would ever let go."
"Wouldn't that be a beautiful world,” she said with a smile, and kissed his cheek in return. Her breath and her lips were warm on his skin and he closed his eyes, feeling all her kindness and comfort, breathing her sweet scent in and finding himself whole in the soft feel of her body against his. He truly could not remember the last time he had felt so close to anyone. He turned his head slightly and pressed his lips softly to her cheek, and in that gentle kiss, he tasted her tears. His breath grew shallow and his heart began to pound in his chest.
"Why are you crying?" he asked quietly, his words touching her skin.
She whispered back to him, her words on his cheek, "My heart hurt at finding someone so lonely." She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his skin, slowly and softly. "How long has it been since anyone held you? Just... held you?" she whispered, moving her mouth across his jaw, nearer to his mouth.
He closed his eyes. "I can't remember," he answered her, kissing her cheek as their lips neared one another. Just as they were about to taste each other, just as their lips were about to meet, the music stopped, and the sound of the ocean hushed their pounding hearts. The cold wind swirled around them as their warm breath mingled together on each other's lips.
Roman struggled against the current and with tremendous difficulty, he pulled his head away, taking a step back and looking down at her. "I'm so sorry..." he whispered, staring at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
Cami shook her head and lifted the corners of her mouth in a gentle smile for him. "No! Please don't apologize. We haven't done anything at all; we haven't done anything wrong. I just held you, that was all. And you held me back, and that's something that friends do. It's okay; there's no need to apologize. Please don't say you're sorry, unless you really, truly are."
He stared at her, standing there before him, her eyes kind, her heart wide open, loving, forgiving, helping, generous beyond measure, and he knew he didn't regret it at all. He hadn't felt cared for in ages, and he hadn't realized it until she had held him, as though he had been starved for affection for so long he didn't even know it when it was soaked into him, like a monsoon rain on a parched desert. He covered his mouth with his hands and smiled beneath his fingers, then let his fingers fall away from his face.
"I'm not sorry. I'm not sorry one bit." He reached for her and pulled her into another embrace. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you so much." Then he let her go and stepped away from her. She smiled through a tear at him and held his hand.
Roman lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers warmly with firm lips, and then he let her hand go. "I need to get to bed. Have a good night, beautiful Cami, and thank you so much." He shook his head at her. "You're an amazing woman." He turned and walked away from her, and as she watched his back disappear through the door to his room, she felt a piece of her heart go with him.
Roman showered and went to bed, his heart and his thoughts on nothing but Cami. When he finally fell asleep, he slept better than he had in years. Cami went to bed feeling sorry for him, wondering what kind of wife wouldn't want to be with him every single night. She knew in her heart that she had found a friend she wanted to keep.
The sun pulled them both out of bed, and each of them was showered and dressed, and out exploring the ship, both of them looking for the other one, neither one of them wanting to admit it to the other.
Allen found Roman before Cami did. He pulled Roman down to a deck chair beside him and covered his face and his sunglasses with his hand. "I made a huge mistake," he groaned.
Roman's mind shifted toward Allen and he looked at him through narrowed eyes. "I told you to be careful with Colette."
Allen nodded. "I know."
"What happened, did you fall for her?" Roman asked, with an air of disappointment.
"Not exactly." Allen looked left and then right, making sure no one was around them. "We were in the hot tub together and she was drinking a lot and I wasn't. She was talking about how she could never find good love and we were listening to the musicians play last night, and I don't know what came over me, but I just grabbed her and kissed her. Right out of the blue. She just went nuts and started kissing me back... and then we made out... and then she took me to her room and I woke up tangled in her sheets. She didn't want to let me go last night."
Roman tried to hold it in but he couldn't. "She wouldn't let go of you?"
Allen shook his head slowly. "No. She was like a vice grip on me. She told me she fell in love with me."
Roman laughed out loud then, but just as Allen looked at him in aggravation, a high pitched voice called down the deck toward them. "Oh pooooopsie! Poopsie, where are you? There you are!" Colette came tottering toward him on high-heeled sandals and pulled him up from his chair, wrapping her arms around him and walking him down the deck as he looked over his shoulder helplessly at Roman. Roman just laughed at him and shook his head.
Cami found him just before breakfast. He was sipping a cup of hot coffee at the back deck where they had spent their time together the night before.
"I thought I might find you here!" she said with a grin, reaching for him to hug him tightly. He hugged her back, holding her close and enjoying every moment of it with no guilt at all. After a long while, he let her go.
He looked at her and saw that she was dressed in a light peach sundress with white swirls throughout it. He grinned. "Peaches and cream. You look beautiful."
She turned in a circle and her wavy loose hair flew out around her, falling to her elbows when she stopped twirling before him. "Thank you. You look good too." She took in his white button up shirt, snug shorts and tanned sculpted legs with a smile.
"There's a buffet breakfast, would you like to get something to eat?" he asked, hoping she'd say yes. She nodded and took his arm as they headed into the dining room. They ate together at a small table on the deck, looking at the sea and the land as they sailed past it in a parallel line. They saw whales and dolphins playing in the water, and when they looked overboard later, they were thrilled to see schools of huge jellyfish as they passed by.
They spent the morning walking around the boat and talking. She showed him her stateroom, which was an identical match to Allen's, although hers was on the other side of the boat, and then he showed her his room, and she gushed at the incredible beauty of it. They walked out on his private deck and talked about many different aspects of their lives, enjoying each other's company, humor, wit, and kindness, as they sailed along in the sunshine.
Before they knew it, the boat had reached Cabo San Lucas, and they decided to go ashore and spend the afternoon shopping in the little seaside town, talking with the Mexican people, admiring their wares, tasting their food and beer, and loving their music. It was magic for them both.
They swam in the waves and walked in the sand. Both Roman and Cami felt that their friendship had deepened considerably in no time at all. He bought each of them a silver bracelet, placing hers on her wrist and then she placed his on him, and they smiled at the old tradition of friends sharing matching tokens.
After a long day in the sun, sand, and sea, they went back to the boat and headed in separate directions, showering and napping, and agreeing to meet for dinner. Roman found her on the deck in their spot, just before dinner was served, and this night, when they sat beside each other, they were sharing stories of their day together in Cabo, and listening to everyone else tell their own tales. It was a night full of regalement and happiness.
Neither of them really wanted to spend any more time at the dining table than was necessary, and so they both skipped out early, and headed to the back deck of the boat. They were talking and laughing when they heard some of the others coming their direction, and not wanting to lose their time together, Roman led Cami quietly through his private door down the stairs into his room and they went out to his deck where they could have privacy in peace.
"I hope that's okay,” he said. "I just didn't want to visit with everyone else tonight. We'll be back in Carmel tomorrow, and then I'll go my way, and you'll go your way, and who knows when we will see each other again."
She shrugged. "Oh, I'm sure we'll run into each other at some point." She smiled and they both knew it was a long shot, and neither of them wanted to think about it, so they both looked at the sunset. Roman hated the feeling that he was going to lose the ability to see her after they returned.
He'd made a close friend, and it was going to slip away. The current between them pulled hard at him and he rose up off his chair and went to railing at the edge of the deck.
She stood up and went to stand beside him, pointing at the dolphins that were jumping in the brilliantly colored water of sunset as the sun sank into the ocean. "Don't hold on to the sadness. Just let it go,” she said sweetly. "We had a great time, didn't we? I know I'm never going to forget it." She nudged him with her shoulder and turned her head to look up at him, but his expression was serious and he pursed his lips.
"I don't want to let it go,” Roman said softly. "You're a great woman, Cami. I'm so damn lucky to call you my friend. You can't even begin to imagine what you gave back to me in the brief time we've been out here." He shook his head as his breath and his heart caught in his throat.
She turned him toward her and looked up at him. "Hey..." she said softly, taking his hands in hers, "it's alright. This was a powerful time for me, too. I was all broken up about some idiot and you and I found a way to heal together. That's huge."
He looked down into her lovely face and could not look away. "It is huge, and it should be enough. We should be able to walk away from this and not feel like we're losing. It just doesn't feel fair. It's like you woke me up, and I didn't even know I was asleep."
Cami shook her head. "You weren't asleep, you were just left alone for far too long."
"I don't want to be alone again," he said quietly, reaching his hand up to her cheek and running his finger along her cheekbone. Her eyes darkened and her mouth turned down in sadness.
"Please don't look like that..." he whispered, feeling the current suck him down into powerful depths. She lowered her eyes and he saw a tear roll down her cheek. He knew it was for both of them, and he brushed it away with his fingertips. Then he brushed the next tear away with the barest touch of his lips on her cheek, and then he succumbed to the current and let himself go. Their mouths met in a tentative kiss that began to catch fire almost immediately, burning away all the air in their lungs and the resistance in their bodies as they wrapped themselves around one another in a tight embrace.
She slid her arms around his neck, holding him to her, and he picked her up around the waist, hugging her to his body, their lips and tongues moving swiftly together. "I want you so much it hurts me..." he whispered. "I know this shouldn't happen..." He felt twinges of guilt in his heart, but she kissed them away and clung to him, feeling heat engulf them both.
"It's my choice too, and I want it as much as you do. I want to give you the love you've lived without for so long," she said, in between his kisses. He opened the sliding glass door and walked into his room with her wrapped around him, and closed the door behind him, then walked toward his bed.
“I know I've never known anything like this before." He stood her on her feet and slowly peeled her dress from her, staring at the swells of her breasts and the curves of her waist and hips. He ran his fingers over her lightly, tracing the lines of her, touching softly as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back, breathing in the electric feel of it.
He pulled his own clothes off and lowered her to the king sized bed beneath them, touching her softly, tasting her, exploring every inch of her with his lips and tongue, with his hands and his body as she sighed sweetly in happiness, kissing him in return and curling herself around him.
Ramon could not get enough of the taste of her mouth or the feel of her body against his, and as she wrapped her legs around him, it took everything in him to pause and look at her in all seriousness.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked hoarsely. She nodded and pulled him to her breasts, "More than anything I have ever wanted.” She kissed his face, and then his lips. "Make love with me, Roman, please make love with me."
He closed his eyes and pushed himself inside her, feeling her tighten around him as he began to pump himself into her depths, and a rush of pleasure and passion such as he had never known, swept through him, and overwhelmed him so much that he had no thought in the whole world but here, right there, right then. They moved together, twisting and grasping, kissing, biting, clinging and moaning as their bodies locked together, and their orgasms made them hold desperately to each other, as she trembled in his arms and he flooded her with all that was in him. The energy in them dissipated and they laid back against the pillows, holding hands, kissing softly, and smiling in amazement at one another.
They were silent awhile, gazing at one another, neither one wanting to break the spell. Their soft, intermittent kisses became warm again, and then hot, and before long they were tangled in impassioned love again. It was three times that they lost themselves in each other before the sun came up, three times that they clung to one another and felt their worlds turn inside out. Then they fell asleep in the light of the new dawn, and when they went to shower together, they made love again, wishing they could hold on to every precious moment they had as the boat drew nearer their destination.
They dressed, and found their way back upstairs, trying to act like the friends that they had been before they found their way into each other's arms, and hoping that no one else noticed.
She left him for a short time, heading to her room to change her clothes and pack her bags. He packed his bags in his room and he heard a knock at the door. He knew it was her; he knew she needed him one more time, but when he opened the door, he saw Allen standing there looking like hell.
Roman blinked and stepped back. "What happened to you?" he asked, astounded at the state his friend was in.
"She didn't let me out of her room all weekend. I don't think I can even move." He walked over and sat on the edge of Roman's bed. "I should have stayed in here with you. I'd have gotten some sleep."
"Well, we'll be back in Carmel soon, so go shower and pack, and maybe you'll have time for a nap. Just lock your door and don't answer it." Roman chuckled a little at Allen, and sent him on his way down the hall. He looked past Allen to see if Cami was there, but she wasn't, so he closed the door and finished packing.
He was thinking of the transition. He was thinking that he would have to go home to Denise and he knew that he may never be the same again. There was a sharp knock at his door and he knew it must be Allen.
"Come in," he hollered.
The door opened and Cami came in. She was wearing a slip of a dress and he couldn't tear his eyes away from the curves of her body that pressed against the material. He knew those curves, and it was all that he could do to raise his eyes to meet hers.
"This is goodbye, isn't it?" she asked, looking at him miserably. "You're going to go back to your wife, and your world, and I'm going to go back to mine, and that will be the end of it, won't it?" she whispered.
He shook his head. "No... we can... we can talk... we can..."
She shook her head back at him. "No, we can't. We live far enough apart that we won't run into each other. We won't be near each other. We won't be close enough to... do this again, and even if we were close, I don't want to be your mistress. I don't want to be an aside to your marriage. The best way to do this is to end it, and call it the best dream we ever had."
He frowned and furrowed his brow. "That's not enough!" he spoke adamantly. "You brought me back to life again... you gave yourself to me... you... you touched me...." He reached for her and pulled her close to him, holding her tightly and kissing her hard on her mouth.
His hands moved over her thin dress and cupped her breasts, and he felt her nipples harden beneath his palms and fingertips and he groaned in need. He moved her to the bed and slid his hands up underneath her dress, moving his fingers between her thighs to touch her, to feel the moistness between her legs. She cried out softly as he massaged his fingertips over her and slid them into her while his mouth moved over her neck and lips, and she came in moments at his touch.
"Once more. I have to have you one more time," he insisted, pulling her dress from her body and pushing his clothes off him to the floor. He laid her back on the bed and made no pretenses, no flirtatious foreplay, he only spread her thighs apart swiftly and thrust himself into her. She clung to his shoulders and buried her face in his neck, kissing his chest. Then she threw her head back as he took over the deepest parts of her, driving her to ecstasy again and again, while his mouth sucked hungrily at her breasts and her tongue.
He took all of her that he could take until he was spent, and everything in him flowed into her, warming her, connecting them, making them one, one more time, before he kissed her softly and pulled himself from her, rising up above her to dress himself again. He lifted her carefully to her feet and kissed her sweetly on her mouth.
'There has never, ever, been anyone like you in my life, and I know we didn't have much time together, but I am so glad that we shared what we did have. You have given me more than you will ever know," he whispered, and she kissed him again, unable to speak. She pulled on her dress and he turned away from her, unwilling to watch her cover her body and get ready to leave him.
She hugged him from the back, circling her hands around his waist, and he turned in her arms and kissed her hungrily once more, drinking in her kiss like it was oxygen, and then he let her go. They wandered to the landing in their own separate ways when they docked, and they looked at each other and waved goodbye amidst the other guests who were oblivious to them, all waving and chattering as Cami and Roman stood watching each other silently.
Their eternal moment was broken by Allen, who came rushing up to Roman and begged in a hoarse whisper, "Get in the car, get in the car, get in the car!" He pushed Roman toward their limo. "Hurrry! Go faster! Go!" Just as they were climbing in, he heard Colette calling for her poopsie, almost yodeling up the hill to him, waving her arms and dashing after him.
The driver closed the door and Allen sank down to the floor and looked up miserably at Roman, whispering, "Is she gone? Are we going yet?"
Roman shook his head and looked out the window. "Just another minute."
The car pulled away and he watched Cami climb inside her limo. She turned just then, and looked toward his car. He didn't think she could see him through the dark glass, but he felt as if their eyes had met one last time, and he wished her every good thing in the world, for the rest of her life, and then she was out of sight, and the limo was rolling down the road.
"You can get up now,” he said, looking down at Allen.
Allen slowly clambered up onto his seat and slouched into the deep cushion.
"You would not believe what I went through this weekend." he sighed loudly.
"Oh, do tell." Roman laughed at him. "Wait... on second thought, I don't think I want to know." He reached over and clapped his hand down on Allen's knee. "At least you made it out alive, buddy. That's saying something. Most of her ex-husbands fall off the edge of the earth and no one ever hears from them again."
"Lucky bastards," groaned Allen.
Roman poured them both a drink and as Allen nursed his carefully, Roman stared out the window and watched his life come back into focus. By the time they reached San Francisco, he was almost sure that it had been a dream, and he would have been positive about that, had it not been for the thin silver bracelet around his wrist.