Abby

I had spent the weekend getting ready for this cruise, then spent last night with Colin. Conversation continued to flow easily between us, and I found myself learning more and more about the man I was engaged to. He told me stories of his first Caribbean cruise. How he got so drunk he almost tossed himself off the side of the ship. I told him I was going to be keeping an eye on him after hearing that story, and he told me I could keep an eye on whatever part of him I wanted.

Being around him again was really nice.

Far too early Monday morning I woke up, too excited for my own good. I padded around the penthouse and triple-checked my bags several times before we finally set off for the port. I was nervous about being with Colin on the cruise, but I was excited for the cruise itself. Things were still strained between the two of us and I could tell he was still mentally thinking through his every move and going out of his way to tell me stories about himself.

While I loved the effort he was putting in, I knew I wasn’t reciprocating the way he probably wished.

We rode to the port and grabbed our things. Colin was insistent that he carry my luggage, but I told him I could handle it. Just that one little thing caused a storm behind his eyes, and my own feelings to surge. Everything seemed to be a battle between us. Between what I was capable of doing and what he wanted to do for me. I knew he felt it was chivalrous thing to do—to carry my luggage for me—but I didn’t care about him doing shit like that, especially when he was already laden with his own.

I just wanted him to be with me.

The moment I stepped onto the cruise ship, my mind turned to my surroundings. The ship was huge and absolutely beautiful. The high-vaulted ceiling of the main floor was painted in all these beautiful colors. Bright carpets directed people all along the ship. There were showrooms and dining rooms, piano bars and even karaoke bars. There were open decks with hot tubs, pools with slides, and D.J.’s spinning music. There was an entire level dedicated to spa treatments and a workout area.

That area I would be avoiding completely. Especially if I was going to be drinking in a hot tub.

I’d always wanted to take a cruise, but never had the money to. And when Derek left me virtually penniless, I’d cast all thoughts of luxurious vacations from my mind. But here I was, setting down my luggage in one of the most luxurious suites I’d ever been in. There was a massive plush couch that sat in front of floor-to-ceiling glass walls. The massive bed was caddy-corner by another set of tinted floor-to-ceiling walls, so we could wake up to the sight of the ocean. The bathroom was decadent, with a jet tub and a huge walk-in shower.

And the balcony that sat out over the ocean was thrilling.

“Colin,” I said, breathlessly. “This room is beautiful.”

“So—do you like it?”

Standing at the windows, I was looking out at the ocean I could already see, even though we were still docked.

“This view is gorgeous,” I said, giggling. “But—why go through all of this?”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“We could have just had a regular room and still spent time together. Why the decadence? Do you—do you think I need that from you in order to love you?”

“No,” he said, as he strode towards me. “No, Abby. Not at all.”

He took my hands and brought them to his lips to kiss.

“I want to spoil you. Not because I think you need it to stay, but because you deserve it. You deserve the best, and I want to give that to you. I just have to learn how you enjoy being spoiled. Some women enjoy jewelry and the flowers, but some women enjoy other things, like lavish dinners and fine wines. Some women enjoy books, and some women enjoy travel. I want to figure out what makes you happy, then spoil you with the very best of it. Because you make me happy, and I want to experience that happiness with you.”

Tears were welling in my eyes as I nodded and looked down.

“Plus, I just figured we could use a vacation. I figured we could use the time to get to know each other without getting interrupted by work all the time. And if you didn’t want to take in the shows and the nightlife on the ship, we’d have a spacious comfortable room to come back to and talk. Room service. Baths together. The whole nine yards, but with enough room to have some space,” he said.

“You did all this—just to get to know me?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I did.”

Shocked was how I was feeling. He had listened to me. Not only that, he had taken what he’d heard and put it into practice. He had kept his promise to me, and that was new for me. I wasn’t used to taking people at their word. I was used to waiting for their actions. When I was with Derek, I was thrust into a world where I always had to question his motives. I always had to tag along with him and fake happiness when he got me something he thought would make me happy. Because if I showed discontent, it was somehow my fault.

But not with Colin.

And I was finally beginning to digest that.

As I looked up into his eyes, I registered the bags underneath them. The deep wrinkles in his furrowed brow as he studied me closely. The turmoil he must have gone through during these past few days while I was rolling around in my pathetic emotions. I could see the exhaustion written on his face. Raising my hand, I fingered the wrinkles on his forehead as the warmth of his skin penetrated mine.

“You did all this just to know me,” I said, in a whisper.

“And I’ll do it ten times over if it means keeping you,” Colin said.

Maybe we were meant to be together after all. Maybe this was it. Being this worried about what was happening between us was a good sign. He was running towards me instead of away from me. Clinging to me instead of backing away from me.

And I figured the least I could give him was the same—no matter how scared I was.

“So,” I said, breathlessly. “What do we do first?”

“Well, the ship’s going to take off soon, and then it’ll be time for dinner. Why don’t we clean up and get ready?” he asked.

“Sounds good to me.”

We took turns hopping into the shower before we started getting ready. I watched him put on a wonderfully-tailored suit that clung to the best parts of him. His broad shoulders that tapered into a slim waist. His perky ass that bled into strong, muscular thighs. I felt heat building in my pelvis as I slipped a little black dress on, and I felt his eyes lingering on my body as I struggled with the zipper.

“Need some help?”

His voice was husky as I looked at him in the mirror. His eyes were hooked onto my waist, roaming over my curves. I nodded silently, watching him approach me before his hands descended onto my back.

I could feel the ghost of his skin against mine as he pulled the zipper up my back.

“How do I look?” I asked.

I watched as his lips descended onto the nape of my neck for a kiss.

“Breathtaking,” he said.

He escorted me on his arm into our dining room and the maître d’ sat us at a table along the wall. We were handed a menu that had a list of foods that set my mouth salivating, as soft piano music began playing in the background. I turned my head and took in the piano in the middle of the room. A woman was sitting there in a beautiful floor-length black gown, her fingers effortlessly drifting over the keys.

“If you have something you want to hear, she takes requests,” our waiter said.

“That’s good to know, thank you,” Colin said.

The food we ordered that night was amazing. The atmosphere was soft and dark, shrouding everything in a bit of mystery as we cruised through the ocean. I ordered the quail and Colin ordered the fish, and by the time we were done eating I was ready for a second course. The food was cooked to perfection and seasoned just right. I could’ve eaten it every day for the rest of my life and been completely content.

“That was too good,” I said, grinning.

“Do you want dessert?” Colin asked.

“Nope. But I wish I could have some more of that quail,” I said.

“Then get one.”

“What?” I asked.

“It’s an all-inclusive cruise. If you want another quail dish, just order one,” he said.

“I can’t do that. Can I?” I asked.

“That’s the wonderful thing about a cruise,” he said, grinning. “You can do anything you want.”

“Except throw yourself over the edge while drunk,” I said.

“You could actually do that, but it’s not recommended.”

“No. Definitely not,” I said, grinning.

“How about this? If you want another quail dinner but you don’t think you can eat it all, I’ll split it with you.”

“I couldn’t really order another one, could I? I mean—that would make me look—”

“Don’t even complete that statement,” he said, sternly. “You’re anything but. This cruise is for both of us to relax, sleep, and get to know each other. You do whatever it is you want to do. Let me learn about you, Abby. Don’t hold yourself back.”

I felt my breath catch in my throat as our waiter appeared back at our side.

“Have we decided on dessert?” he asked.

Colin looked at me with eager eyes as I smiled at him.

“No dessert, but I would love another one of those quail dishes,” I said.

“Coming right up.”