Colin

We woke up late on our second day of the cruise. After enjoying the libations in the hot tub and getting a two-hour couple’s massage, we went back to our suite and watched movies. We binged on them as we ordered room service and drank through three bottles of wine. We didn’t get to bed until almost three in the morning and finally found sleep, the both of us pretty inebriated.

Neither of us opened our eyes until it was time for lunch, and the ship was already alive with the sounds of people laughing.

“Whoops,” Abby said. “Looks like we missed breakfast.”

“That’s okay,” I said, groaning. “We can order in breakfast from the kitchen.”

“Or we could get dressed and go get lunch,” she said.

“That, too. I was hoping to enjoy your body a bit more, though.”

“Naughty, naughty,” she said, grinning. “Come on. Let’s go get some lunch. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a little hungover.”

Lunch service was bustling with people. The waiters and waitresses were running all over the place while people with drinks in their hands stumbled down hallways. I kept my arm tight around Abby’s waist, but made no movement to pull her out of people’s paths. I kept her close as we navigated the hallways, then I let her go once we got to the dining area. I wanted to protect her, but not make her feel overwhelmed or controlled. I was trying to find that balance between making her feel comforted by my presence, without implying she couldn’t take care of herself, and forcing her to be controlled. As much as I wanted to, I didn’t physically steer her around, I just supported her.

After the stories we had shared yesterday, I didn’t want to ruin things.

“Thank you,” she said.

“For what?” I asked.

“For letting me walk on my own, without acting like I needed a bodyguard on my arm to navigate a hallway,” she said.

I smiled down at her, thankful that my efforts to curtail my over-protectiveness hadn’t gone unnoticed.

We were guided to our table and sat down with menus. There was an older couple next to us, smiling and giggling at each other as they ate. I hadn’t noticed them before, and I could tell by the look on Abby’s face that she hadn’t either. Her eyes were sparkling as she watched the two of them interact. They held hands the whole time, the elderly woman smiled and laughed at her husband.

“Hello,” Abby said.

I panned my gaze over to her as the elderly woman gave her a kind smile.

“Hello there,” she said. “Are the two of you having fun?”

“Oh, yes,” Abby said. “Loads. This is my first cruise ever, so I’m really taking it all in.”

“This is our first, too,” the elderly man said. “I’m Bernie, by the way, and this is my wife, Doris.”

“It’s nice to meet you both. I’m Abby, and this is my fiancé, Colin.”

“A pleasure,” I said.

“Oh, he’s handsome, sweetheart,” Doris said.

“I know. I caught me a good one,” Abby said.

“What are you guys celebrating?” Bernie asked.

“Our engagement,” I said, as I eyed Abby closely.

“We didn’t get a chance to properly party directly after he popped the question,” Abby said, grinning. “Work meetings and all.”

“Oh, the younger crowd stays so busy,” Doris said. “I’m glad the two of you are taking time to be with each other now. It’s really important.”

“It is. We’ve been married fifty years. Trust us, it is very important,” Bernie said.

“Fifty years?” I asked. “That’s incredible. Congratulations.”

“Yes, sir. Fifty years as of yesterday, and she looks just as beautiful as the day I married her,” Bernie said.

The smile on Abby’s face was bright with happiness as she watched the two of them interact.

“What are you two getting yourselves into today? I don’t believe we dock until tomorrow,” Doris said.

“I’m not really sure,” I said. “We took in that show last night—”

“Oh, so did we! That comedian was so funny. And not vulgar at all, which is so hard to find sometimes,” Bernie said.

“I know, right?” Abby said. “It was nice to find a clean comedian that was actually funny.”

“Does vulgar comedy offend you?” I asked.

“Not really, but it does get old,” Abby said.

“Good to know,” I said, grinning.

“Well, if the two of you don’t have plans, why don’t you join us?” Doris asked. “We were going to head to that piano bar and listen to some music.”

“Are those open right now?” Abby asked.

“Yes, the only thing not open right now is the dance club,” Bernie said.

“There’s a dance club?” Abby asked.

“Oh yes, sweetheart. Bernie and I will be dancing there later,” Doris said.

“We would love to join you in the lounge. Is that okay with you, Abby?”

“I would love to,” she said.

The four of us wrapped up lunch before we headed to the piano bar. I felt like meeting this couple was a sign for us. Fifty years of marriage and they still looked at each other the way I looked at Abby. I could see the way her eyes lit up with joy whenever they shared an intimate moment. Whenever Bernie took his wife’s hand or whenever Doris leaned over to kiss her husband’s cheek, Abby was taking it all in, and I could see her being swept away with ideas of what could be. Ideas of how her life could turn out.

We couldn’t have met this couple at a more appropriate time.

“So,” Bernie said, as we all sat down, “what do the two of you do for a living?”

“Well, I’m the owner and CEO of Murphy, Inc.,” I said.

“And I’m his public relations representative,” Abby said.

“A businessman! Well, I own one myself. A string of hardware stores in my hometown,” Bernie said.

“And I’m his accountant. And payroll. And manager. And sales representative if someone calls out sick,” Doris said.

“I’m the brains, she’s the brawn,” Bernie said, laughing.

Abby was giggling right along with them, her smile bright as our drinks were delivered to us.

“So, CEO of Murphy, Inc., huh? What business are you in, son?” Bernie asked.

“Are you familiar with the internet platform that’s geared towards entrepreneurs? The one with the discussion forums and the podcasts?”

The elderly couple was staring at me like I’d grown a third eyeball in the middle of my head.

“The thing in the news that’s having the language issues?” Abby asked.

“Oh, yes! The company with the—the translation issues. Yeah. That company’s supposedly, what did the news say, honey?” Bernie asked.

“The news said that the website was ‘changing the way businesses funded themselves,’ or some such thing,” Doris said.

“That was it. You own that?” Bernie asked.

“Yep. Built it from the ground up,” I said.

“He’s a keeper,” Doris said, winking.

“I’m starting to figure that out,” Abby said.

I looked down at her as her gaze slid towards mine. I reached for my hand out to hers and squeezed, offering her a kind smile. Her eyes were wide with delight as we continued to talk with the delightful couple, and when our conversation finally wound down, the entire afternoon had passed us by.

“Holy crap. I can’t believe how long we talked,” Abby said.

“What time did you say that dance club opened again?” I asked.

“Eight o’clock, I think,” Bernie said. “Just after dinner service.”

“Care to do some dancing tonight, Abby?” I asked.

“I’d love to. I haven’t gone dancing in so long.”

We took in dinner with Bernie and Doris, then parted ways to go get changed. Abby put on this dazzling dress that fluttered around her knees, and I put on a pair of khakis and a button-down shirt. I was ready to twirl her around on the floor for hours, her beautiful hair whipping around in my face. We met Bernie and Doris just outside the doors, then the four of us walked in and made a beeline straight for the dance floor.

I was stunned with how well Abby could dance. She twirled her body and shook her hips. She kicked up her leg and snapped her body into different positions. I found myself trying to keep up with her instead of the other way around, and when I twirled her into my body, I captured her lips with mine.

“I had no idea you could dance like this,” I said.

“Well, now you do,” she said.

“We’re going dancing more often. And by the looks of it, I’m gonna need to take lessons.”

“Bring it on, sweet cheeks.”

She twirled back out as we continued to salsa around the floor. The songs bled into each other, from salsa to swing, to foxtrot. I carried her around the floor and she moved with a grace that silenced me. Her body pressed into mine as my leg slipped in between hers, and together we twirled around the floor while others watched us in awe. Her hair was fluttering and her dress was flaring with every turn. Her body moved every time I guided her into a free space on the floor and her hips always seemed to be pressing into mine. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was grace incarnate. The way her body moved and the way she commanded everyone’s attention.

It was as if she was born to be shown off.

Song after song had us entranced, and when we finally got a chance to sit down, sweat was dripping down the back of my neck. We were panting for air as Abby sank into the side of my body, and I held her close as the music rattled my ribcage.

“You got the energy for one more song?” I asked.

“I was actually thinking about getting a drink and heading back to the room,” Abby said.

“We can do that, too.”

“Could we come dancing again tomorrow night?”

I lifted her face towards mine before my lips descended onto hers.

“We can come back whenever you’d like,” I said.

It seemed I could actually feel her smile as I helped her to her feet. She was limping in her heels and stopped to take them off. We made our way back to the room, her shoes slung over her shoulder, and I picked up the phone to order us drinks from the kitchen.

But she took the phone from my hands and hung up before I could order.

“Do you not want—?”

Her finger pressed against my lips before a devious smile crossed her face. Her hands slid down my chest, unbuttoning my shirt as they slid down my torso. Her hands pushed my shirt away from my body before she started to undo my belt. I could feel myself swelling as her eyes locked onto mine. I lifted my hand and cupped her cheek as my belt slid from around my waist. She held it up beside her and let it go, and the metal of the belt buckle clattered to the floor with a bang.

“The drinks can wait,” Abby said.

Then, she went to work on the button of my pants.