Composing Love

by Ronni Meyrick

  Their fellow passengers ambled back inside the ship, and eventually they were the last ones left.

  The wind picked up when they hit the open waters of the English Channel and Elizabeth shuddered in her arms.

  “Let’s go back inside. We can start our tour of the ship. I think we also need a drink to warm ourselves up.” Billy took a step back. She placed her hands on Elizabeth’s hips and guided her down from the rail.

  “Sounds like heaven.” Elizabeth kept hold of Billy’s camera and took her hand. “Is this okay?” She raised their clasped hands.

  “It’s fine.”

  The last thing I expected was to be walking hand-in-hand with another woman on the first day. And not just any woman: Elizabeth Knight. But if she wants the contact, she’s more than welcome. I’d have to be a complete muppet to say no.

  An hour into their tour, her phone rang again. She groaned and looked skyward when she saw it was another call from Vanessa. She lowered the volume and slipped the phone back into her pocket. “I’ll call her back later. It’s about time she learned to be patient.”

  “It must come with the job. Jane’s the same way.” Elizabeth led her through a set of double doors and back onto the outside deck. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

  “I’d love to; however, I still have to finish putting things away, and I’m tired. I’m afraid I won’t be good company tonight.” The pout on Elizabeth’s lips could only be described as adorable. Billy found herself leaning forward, but she stopped herself before she did something stupid. Don’t kiss her! “Would you like to have breakfast with me on my balcony tomorrow instead?”

  “Yes! What time?”

  They agreed on a time later in the morning so Billy could use the fitness centre and indoor swimming pool.

  They found the on-board sushi bar and ate lunch together. When the meal was over, Billy escorted Elizabeth back to their rooms. Before she could turn and head next door, Elizabeth kissed her cheek and thanked her for a wonderful first day.

  Billy grinned as she spun on her heel and dazedly made her way to her own door. Before she entered, she looked up. The sparkle of a silver wristwatch caught her attention. Someone was holding onto the corner of the wall at the end of the corridor. A flash of blonde hair appeared for a few seconds before disappearing again.

  It seems weird that wherever we went, that Emma woman was not far behind. When I saw her on the deck as we left port, I didn’t think anything of it. But every time I looked around, she was somewhere nearby.

  She stepped through the door but didn’t let it close fully. She held the handle enough for it to appear shut. Under the small crack at the bottom, she saw a shadow on the beige carpet and heard the muffled sound of footsteps.

  With the flare of a magician’s assistant, she swept the door open and stood face-to-face with Emma. “Can I help you? You seem to have something you’d like to say to me or my travelling companion. You’ve been following us around most of the day.”

  Emma’s rapid blinking, erratic breathing, and pale face showed her fear. The way her eyes widened was almost comical.

  “I…It’s…” She wrung her hands together. “It’s a big ship. I’m sure I’m not the only one who wants to see what it has to offer.”

  Billy crossed her arms and took a step toward her. “Yeah, right. Take a hint. Leave us alone!”

  Emma stumbled back when Billy stepped into her personal space. She swallowed hard then turned and rushed away from her.

  I hope that takes care of that.

  After a hot shower and a change of clothes, Billy tackled the rest of her unpacking. Her keyboard was safely set up on the stand and ready to be used. The blinking green power key showed it was on standby. It seemed to mock her. Her fingers itched to feel the keys under her touch. It’d been a while since she’d played for simple pleasure. She settled herself on the bench seat in front of it and played some notes, deftly moulding them into a nameless melody.

  Behind her, the gauzy curtains fluttered in a breeze from the open balcony door.

  Her fingers worked by rote and she found herself playing the opening to Wherever You Will Go. Her voice resonated around the room as she sung the words. It may not have been as professional or exquisite as Elizabeth’s soprano sound, but it was deep and rich and harmonized perfectly with the music her hands created. Eyes closed, she let herself fall into the music, completely losing herself.

  She wasn’t sure how long she played, but when she sang the final note, she heard some of the cabins to the side and below her applauding. I didn’t realise I was that loud.

  A dull thud hit the balcony door. She rose to her feet and walked outside to find a pale pink rose lying to the side of it. She held the soft petals under her nose and inhaled the sweet fragrance. At the first hint of the beautiful aroma, her eyes closed and she grinned.

  Her hand came into contact with something that crinkled on the stem. She pulled it away from her nose and stared at the small piece of paper that had been attached to the flower with a black hairband. She frowned when she unwound it and pulled it off. When she saw the name on the bottom, she let out a relieved breath and read the note.

  That was beautiful. Each note was pitch-perfect and I could’ve listened to you all night. Thank you for making me smile once more today. I can’t wait to see you in the morning. Hugs, Beth. Xxx.

  Billy grinned like a silly schoolgirl who had her first crush. No melody is as beautiful as you are, sweet Beth.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Loud, continuous beeping filled the room as the alarm clock on Billy’s bedside table rang out. She rolled over and slapped the snooze button, then fell onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, a smile already firmly affixed to her face.

  She makes me happy even in my dreams. Her stomach muscles twitched, and she moaned softly, mindful of the thin walls. Oh, and aroused. Those beautiful kisses felt so real. I wonder if her lips really are that soft. Her palms tingled at the memory of Elizabeth’s silky red hair. In her dream, she’d filled her hands with it as they kissed.

  Her fingers stroked the deep ridge between her abdominal muscles and arousal tightened her stomach. The taut skin was velvet to her touch. The sensation her fingertips caused made her groan. Shit! This is crazy! She jumped from the bed and walked over to the chest of drawers. How is it possible for Elizabeth to affect me so much?

  From the stack of outfits, she pulled out a set of gym clothes and her black one-piece swimsuit. I need to work some of this tension off. Hopefully by the time we meet for breakfast, I won’t be a horny beast.

  Dressed in her workout clothes, she laced her new running trainers up and grabbed her cabin key and a towel from the bathroom.

  When she marched into the fitness centre, she was surprised to see someone on the reception desk. The man-mountain rose to his feet. “Good morning. My name is Edward and I’m the fitness manager. It’s nice to see someone utilising this place so early.” He reached into a cupboard mounted on the wall and held a card out to her. “Here’s a locker key. “The locker will keep your things safe until you’re finished. I’ll give you a quick tour and the safety guidelines.”

  “Thank you.” Billy followed closely behind as Edward talked her through the machinery and outlined the safety features of each piece. The biggest surprise came as they entered the changing rooms. In front of her was the heavy pine structure of a sauna, and sunken into the far corner was a spacious twelve-person Jacuzzi.

  “Oh, wow, I can’t wait to try this out.”

  Edward bent down and put his hand into the water. “It’ll be at the right temperature when you’re finished with your workout.”

  “Thank you.” She turned to the long row of lockers and picked out the number corresponding to her key. “Okay, I’m ready to start.” She placed her things in the locker and secured her towel and costume.

  “If you need anything just holler.” Edward walked out of the room, leaving Billy to her workout.

 
With the earphones of her iPod attached, she started her regime with the treadmill. Each piece of machinery was top-of-the-line and in pristine condition.

  Her half an hour in the gym flew past, and her arm and leg muscles burned as she finished her final few seconds of a five-minute-stint on the rowing machine. The pool is going to feel so good. Thirty or forty laps should work this stiffness out.

  Ten minutes later, with her dark blue goggles dangling from her fingers, she dipped her toe into the coolness of the sparkling water. Sweat glistened over the top half of her body. She walked down the steps, and a soft groan escaped her lips when she submerged herself fully. The silence and peacefulness filled her with tranquillity and she lost herself in the calm. Finally, her lungs screamed and she remembered she wasn’t a fish or mermaid and needed air.

  Her chest rose and fell with each laboured breath as she tried to regain her normal breathing pattern.

  Once she recovered enough to swim properly, she kicked off the side of the pool and glided through the water. Her first stroke was strong and sure, and she found herself quickly having to turn at the far end.

  One! Only another thirty-nine to go.

  ***

  Elizabeth stepped into the gym and looked around. I wonder if anyone else is as mad as me and has to use a gym at this time of the morning, let alone while on holiday. It appeared she had it all to herself. Within a few minutes, the rubber belt of one of the treadmills spun and vibrated under feet while she jogged along to the music blaring from one of the televisions suspended from the ceiling.

  Movement to her right caught her attention and she stared through the clear Perspex into the swimming pool, where a lithe female body sliced its way through the turquoise water like a hot knife through butter. Every few seconds the woman turned in her direction to take a breath, but the goggles covering her eyes, and the water running over her body, made it hard for Elizabeth to make out any of her features.

  A loud beep from the machine she was on and the slow decline in speed pulled her away from staring at the woman anymore. Fifteen minutes are up already? Damn, I need to keep my mind on what I’m doing or I’m going to get hurt.

  Picking up her water bottle, she moved over to one of the rowing machines. Her eyes travelled back to the pool. The woman’s long legs flipped over her body as she executed a perfect turn and they kicked back off of the wall with ease. Jesus, they’re not just long, they go on for miles. Her eyes remained on the bronze limbs as the muscles seemed to dance and mould into perfect shapes.

  She dropped down from the sight of the window and landed on the floor with a resounding thud. “Fuck, that hurt!” She took her shin in her hand and rubbed fast as the seat of the rowing machine mocked her. She continued to stimulate her leg to stop it from hurting so much. Way to go Lizzie! You’re lucky there’s no one else in here. Fancy being so lost in someone you nearly break your neck falling over the bloody gym equipment! That would be a great way to keep my anonymity. The skin was now red from where she’d rubbed it, and a faint purplish hue was already forming underneath.

  Sure that there was no broken skin or damage, she shifted over to the seat of the rowing machine and settled herself against the foam pad. She buckled her feet into the pedals and grasped the crossbar attached to the spinning wheel. With the first pull back, she heard a soft whirring from the caged wheel. She found a steady one, two, three rhythm and worked with it. The internal counting soon became background noise as her eyes were drawn once again to the pool. Holy hell, she’s got some stamina. The woman in the pool was still swimming at the same pace as before.

  With her next turn, the swimmer changed her style from freestyle to breast stroke. The muscle visible through the racer-back straps of the one-piece, detailed each and every sinewy tendon as they strained with each forward stroke.

  Elizabeth licked her lips and swallowed to try and wet her dry mouth. But, it seemed all of the moisture in her body had headed south while she observed the athletic woman.

  Being close to the floor had its advantages. She could still see the pool, but whoever was in there wouldn’t be able to see her.

  The woman stopped swimming and leaned against the tiled wall in the shallow end. Her chest heaved as she tried to control led her breathing.

  When she moved to the steps, Elizabeth craned her neck, desperately trying to observe more of the person’s features. She nearly fell off the seat when she saw Billy walk over to a white towel waiting on a chair. Holy hell, that’s the woman I’ve been crushing on for the last two weeks! Damn, she looks— Her hair was slicked back. Water dripped with slow deliciousness off of her curves. It was almost like she was watching an ethereal creature step out of a natural-flowing spring or out from behind a waterfall.

  …sexy.

  She continued to stare and stopped rowing the machine as she reached for her water bottle. God, I wonder if this would sizzle if I poured it over my head. She watched as Billy dried herself and noticed her well-defined leg, arm, and shoulder muscles. And… were those tattoos? Well that’s a surprise! I never would’ve thought she’d be into body art. Billy turned and reached for a dressing gown, and she saw another small tattoo near her shoulder blade. Jesus Christ, she’s gorgeous!

  A cough burst from her throat, a reminder that she needed to breathe. A slow flush rose on her neck and travelled up her face to finish on her cheeks as she imagined what it would be like to run her hands over that perfect body. I’d have to start with her legs. Those things go on forever. Her hands reached for the rowing machine handle once more. If I keep my head down and keep rowing she might not see me. I’m not sure I can face her right now.

  ***

  A caged wheel spinning in the gym caught Billy’s attention as she rubbed a towel through her hair. She rose up on her tiptoes and when she saw Elizabeth, her heart rate kicked up another notch. She subconsciously licked her lips. Without another thought, she raised her hand when she noticed Elizabeth glance towards her.

  She stomped into her trainers and strode confidently into the gym.

  Elizabeth’s eyes glinted from the bright lights when she approached. They were a deeper shade of green than normal, and the desire in them was naked, unchecked, there for anyone to see.

  Good Lord! Please don’t say anything inappropriate, Billy. Think before you open your mouth. This is too important to screw up!

  “Good morning. Are you enjoying your work out?” She stopped next to the machine Elizabeth was on. “If you want, you can borrow my iPod to listen to. It makes things easier and time goes by quicker.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. For some reason, I can’t seem to concentrate.” Elizabeth stopped the machine and grabbed her towel to wipe her brow with. “Something caught my eye and threw me off.”

  “Oh? And whatever caused such a distraction?” Billy bit her lower lip, then released it and took a sip from her water bottle.

  “An incredibly hot woman was in the swimming pool wearing practically nothing.” She fanned herself dramatically with her hand.

  “Practically nothing...and I missed it?”

  Elizabeth’s gaze worked its way up from her feet and slowly rose upwards over the robe. “I’d lie down in front of a bus for one kiss from that woman. She looked like a female Adonis, all taut muscles and beautiful bronze skin. But trust me, you didn’t miss her.”

  Billy coughed loudly as she tried not to swallow her own tongue.

  Can I seriously be lucky enough to have her feel that way about me? She has me turned inside out. She cleared her throat and took a hesitant step forward. “Seriously, you’d do that?”

  When she received no reply, she took the next step that separated them and bent down so she was at Elizabeth’s height. Her hand shook when she reached out. She cupped Elizabeth’s chin and tilted it up until their eyes met. She caressed her cheek with her thumb and those brilliant green eyes closed. Elizabeth sighed deeply. Billy’s lips followed her thumb and she placed the slightest kiss against her silken skin and breathed a t
rail to her ear. “You wouldn’t have to do that. I’m pretty sure she’d kiss you if you asked.”

  A couple of seconds of silence ensued before Elizabeth turned her head into Billy’s palm and nuzzled it. “If that’s all it would take… Billy Christian…” She paused to place another kiss against her hand. “Would you please—”

  The briefest of kisses whispered over her lips. When she leaned in for more, she found nothing but space. She opened her eyes and glared at Billy.

  “I’m sorry, Beth, I know you wanted more.” The expression on her face broke Billy’s heart. “Please, it’s nothing bad. But I don’t want our first proper one taking place in a gym. I will do it again, but not here. You’re so beautiful and deserve nothing but the best; it has to be perfect.” She placed another lingering kiss on her cheek and stood back up.

  “I hope the moment comes sooner rather than later. You’re an amazing woman and have me totally captivated.”

  A dazzling smile spread across Billy’s lips. “Thank you. I feel the same way. Now, I’m sorry to leave you, but I have a breakfast date I’d hate to miss.”

  “Snap! I hope your companion is as beautiful as mine.”

  “I doubt that. She has no equal.” They smiled at each other and Billy turned and strode purposefully from the room. You’re a lucky girl, Billy. Treat her exactly how a woman of her beauty deserves. Romance her. And be honest and tell her what you want from life.

  ***

  An hour later, the table on Billy’s balcony was set out with a lavish continental breakfast, complete with fresh-squeezed orange juice and a two-litre thermos jug filled with hot coffee. Cloches covered everything until her guest arrived, but with each passing minute she grew more anxious. She paced the cabin and wrung her hands until they tingled. I’m going to be a nervous wreck when she gets here. Where’s the confidence I felt earlier gone?