by Demi Alex
She scrolled to the next message, which had come in during yoga class. Warmth spread through her chest as she read.
Spotted you in those tight little pants. Looking good. Text me when you’re done.
She tapped the reply function. Done.
Lunch? was his response.
When?
Soon.
So she tossed the phone onto the bed and headed for a shower.
* * *
Ford made a fist, but kept looking at Charlie as she mentioned her run in with Norrington and his wrong interpretation of their relationship. Problem was, he agreed with the fucker. Charlie did deserve more than he was giving her. She deserved his full attention, not someone who checked his watch for the next staff meeting. “I’m sorry, chère.”
“For what?” She wrinkled her nose and leaned her head to the side. “Why?”
“Norrington is right. You shouldn’t be left alone. Any man lucky enough to be with you should see to your every pleasure . . . especially on a kink cruise. You shouldn’t be denied physical desires. Neither one of us should.”
Not only was he barred from her cabin, but his being in uniform limited their public interaction. While able to enjoy lunch or a casual stroll on deck, they couldn’t participate in Lovers Sail events. He could barely touch her. Couldn’t even kiss her the way he wanted. And it was torture for him, but mostly he didn’t want to think of what Charlie was settling for. She wanted to explore. Craved the experience. Fuck, she needed the sexual pleasure to complete what she’d started. And he wasn’t giving her what she needed.
He wiped his palm down his face. “There’s a masquerade party tonight. It’s a full-kink event, but something I’d like to share with you.”
A twinkle played in her eye and a huge smile brightened her face. “Full kink?”
“Yes,” he said, carefully choosing his next words. “While there will be an abundance of scenes, and even though you’ve grown comfortable with the public activities, you must place yourself completely in my hands. You cannot think to question my choices. Once you decide we will attend, all remaining decisions are mine.”
Excitement bloomed on her chest and the soft pink of her skin confirmed she needed this. He’d do anything to give her what she needed.
“I considered suggesting you stay in tonight,” he said, looking into her eyes. Anticipation. Thrill. Hesitance. “What you’ve seen over the past few days is tame compared to the things that will happen on the ship tonight. It’s the last night, last opportunity. People have connected and have established their limits. They’re going to push those limits and have them pushed.”
Her hand rubbed at the base of her neck, then her finger twirled a strand of hair.
“I know it isn’t very progressive of me, but I don’t want you wandering alone. If you decide we attend the party, I’ll ask Luis and Quinn to escort you to dinner.” He didn’t like placing her in the care of other men, but he’d grown to respect both of them. They wouldn’t allow any harm to touch her. “If we attend the party, I cannot make dinner.”
She worried her lower lip, but she shook her head. “I’d like to go.”
“Then we’ll go,” he said, offering her his hand and closing his fingers around hers once she’d settled her small hand inside it. “I’ll come by your cabin at eleven with a mask. Feathers or rhinestones?”
“Both,” she replied.
Chapter Twenty-five
“Charlene, may I have a word with you?”
“No,” Tyler growled, placing his hands on the table and standing to face Will.
“It’s okay,” Charlie insisted, looking up at Will, before turning back to Tyler. “Really. We’ve been friends a long time.” Will leaned over her back, so she met his eyes and pushed at his shoulder, silently asking him to step back for her to stand. She laced her hand through Will’s arm. “We’ll only be a minute.”
Will led them through the dining room to the atrium.
“Are you crazy sneaking up on me like that? What were you thinking? Tyler is a big guy, and he was pissed. He could have gotten physical,” Charlie said.
“Where’s your guy?” Will asked, his green eyes narrowing and his fingers squeezing her elbow.
“He’s working,” she said. “And why are you acting like this?”
“Working, my ass,” he said, dropping her elbow, looking away, and pacing as if contemplating his next words. After a long silence, he threw his hands up and shook his fists in the air. “He’s working you, Charlene.”
“What are you talking about?”
Will turned to her. Sadness crossed his face. He stepped up to her and cupped her cheek. “Please tell me this isn’t because of James. He’s so not worth it. Not worth anything you do.”
“James?” Charlie studied his face, but couldn’t understand. “What does James have to do with any of this?”
“Everything. You’re fucking Keaton Fitzgerald Rutherford III.”
“Rutherford?” Charlie breathed, and all the oxygen seeped from her brain as the lobby swayed in her vision. Her fingers closed around Will’s forearm and she held on to remain standing. Tears pooled in her eyes. “Like in Bruce Rutherford?”
“Fuck,” he growled. His eyes filled with regret, and he let out a long breath as he gathered her in his arms. “You didn’t know. I’m sorry I told you like that.”
“I don’t care if he’s a Rutherford. He doesn’t have anything to do with the firm. He told me about the family.”
“Did he tell you he’s fifty thousand short on cash?” Will asked, his fingers gripping her upper arms. “The bastard is looking at your bank account. He needs money to make his business venture happen. He needs your money.”
No. It couldn’t be. Ford didn’t see her as a bank account.
She couldn’t hold back the tears, so against her better judgment she walked into his arms. “He lied to me?” Charlie asked, burying her face in his shoulder. “Led me to believe he was a decent guy. Told me I could have it all.” She tried to quell the sobs, but couldn’t stop them. “I’ve been dreaming of a fairy tale with a Rutherford. A Rutherford who has shaky ties with his family and needs cash. I’m so stupid. So stupid.”
“You’re not stupid. You’re too trusting. He doesn’t look like James’s attorney.” Will pointed out the obvious. “Bruce is short and stocky. No resemblance.”
“Did he play me?” Her heart ached. “Is it all for the cash or is it revenge for his cousin who lost the case?”
“I don’t think it’s because of the legal stuff. They aren’t exactly James supporters. Bruce runs the New York office of the firm. James hired him because of the firm’s heavy-duty business connection. He was his divorce attorney, but their firm didn’t represent him when the criminal charges were made,” Will said, cupping the back of her head. “Darling, I want to protect you, so I’m going to be honest with you. I’m sorry if I hurt you with the way I said it. Do you think there’s a chance I’m wrong about him making the connection about who you are?”
“He knows who I am,” she said, stepping back and wiping away the tears with a shaky finger. “He knows of my family. He knows.”
“Did he tell you about his?” Will asked in a soft voice. “Did he tell you about his father’s firm?”
Replaying his words in her mind, she remembered him mentioning the family business and Bruce’s first name.
“He told me he had a falling out with his father when he decided he wasn’t going to follow in his footsteps and be a lawyer.” She inhaled and nodded. “He told me that his cousins, Remy and Bruce, had chosen to practice law and were at the family firm.”
“There you go. Maybe, just maybe, he’s okay. Has he asked for any money?”
Charlie glanced up at her friend, wondering if he really believed what he was saying or if he was just trying to soothe her broken heart. She shook her head. “It won’t work. He knew about James. Knew what he did to me. To my family.”
A calm and logical persona had replaced
the angered friend. Will bent and looked into her eyes. “Was he good with you? Make love to you and take care of your needs?”
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Charlie said.
“Only it might.” His expression softened. “A man who cares about a woman makes love to her, Charlene. He doesn’t just have sex,” he said in a gentle voice. “You know the difference.” He rested a finger on her heart. “You know it in here.”
All she felt was pain. Confused and upset, she just wanted to curl up on her bed and sleep until it went away. “Will you walk me back to my cabin?”
“Of course. Whatever you want,” Will said without hesitation. “Charlene, think about it. Think carefully. It’s about you, not your family, and not James. He hasn’t asked for money, and maybe he won’t. If he does, cut him off immediately. If he doesn’t, give him a chance. You deserve to be happy, regardless of how others see your life. Don’t let the family’s social expectations decide your happiness.”
She thanked him and asked if he’d wait for her to clean up and say good-bye to her friends. She returned to the table, exchanged phone numbers and emails, then said her farewells. When Quinn and Luis stood to escort her, she insisted on leaving with Will, saying they had family business to discuss.
Ford being the cousin of the lawyer who’d represented James was difficult to digest. Keaton Rutherford . . . of the Rutherfords. Ford needed money . . . well, he’d admitted that was the reason he’d stayed on for the extra cruises, but was he manipulating her feelings to gain access to her money? She rubbed the heel of her hand in the center of her chest, but the ache wouldn’t fade. “How bad is it when I want the cause of my pain to hold me and tell me it would be okay?”
“Bad,” Will said, his voice troubled. “You are a beautiful, smart, and great woman. While you may not realize it, you can have any man you want. Do you want Rutherford?”
She looked down at her feet and walked, not answering, but considering his words. Her heart wanted him. Her mind told her she was crazy.
When they reached her door, Will took her keycard from her hand. “I don’t think you should be alone tonight. Stay with me or with one of your friends. Better yet, do something totally out of character and throw caution to the wind and continue your sexual liberation. It looks good on you. Beautiful. Crook your little finger at any man you choose, and let him make you feel good until Rutherford is a mere bleep on your radar.”
It was impossible not to smile and release some of the sadness. Charlie went up on her toes and touched her lips to Will’s cheek. “Thank you. Right now, I need time alone. I’ll decide while I pack.”
“I’ll turn my phone on. Call me with anything.” He unlocked the door, handed her the key, then stood back for her to enter. “Anything, Charlene.”
She took off her dress, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. With a heavy heart, she hung the Do Not Disturb sign on the door and set the carry-on bag on the bed. Charlie folded and refolded, quickly determining that sticking with original plans kept things easy.
She fit the pretty new dresses and lovely nightie in a plastic bag, placing it on the shelf in the closet. Not only did they add bulk to her suitcase, they reminded her that she could only have it all for a weekend.
The weekend was over. The fairy tale was complete. She took the phone off the hook, turned off the lights, and crawled into bed.
Allowing five minutes for tears, she resolved not to regret her time with Ford. She’d cherish it. Unfortunately, like in packing, sticking with original plans kept things easy. A fling was a fling, which meant there was no longevity in the plan. Ford had never promised her more. Her fairy tale was over.
She hugged her pillow to her chest and closed her eyes. There was a knock on her door. She glanced at the time. Ten thirty. Charlie turned over and buried her head in the covers. A message chimed on her phone.
Open the door, baby.
Sorry. I’m tired and not up to the masquerade party.
Open the door!
She let out a long breath and threw back the covers. The moment she turned the handle and the lock released, the door’s movement forced her back, and Ford stepped in. He cupped her cheek and touched his lips to her forehead.
“Are you well, chère?”
She nodded, trying hard not to meet his concerned gaze.
“Luis and Quinn said you didn’t look good at all, and that you left the dining room sick.” He looked over her T-shirt, her boxers, to her toes and back up to her eyes. “You don’t look sick. You look beautiful.”
That earned him a smile. Beautiful, even with red eyes. Well, maybe they could never work. Maybe the tabloids would have a field day with a Stanton-Rutherford affair, but Charlie deserved a good-bye kiss from the man who had stolen her heart. She deserved a good-bye hug. She stepped into his arms and placed her cheek on his chest.
“What’s wrong? Were you ill? Why did you run out of the dining room like that?”
“It’s nothing like that. I’m not ill, but it’s true I didn’t feel great. I’m a bit overwhelmed with everything that’s happened these last few days, and I need to sleep.” Sleep and transition back to real life.
“Okay,” he said, dropping a kiss on her head. “Get back in bed.”
She looked up at him. “What about no staff in passenger cabins?”
His arms wrapped around her and lifted her off the floor. He walked her to the bed, and once he’d gently lowered her to the soft surface, he caressed the side of her face. “You’re so tired. You didn’t feel well. We’re going to bed, and we’re going to sleep. Now.”
“What about the captain?”
He returned the phone to its base, then lifted it and dialed. “It’s Rutherford. She’s okay. Just tired.” He nodded as the other person spoke.
She silently rejoiced in his words. He hadn’t hidden his name but had identified himself as a Rutherford. It wasn’t a devious plan. It was a huge negative factor fate had thrown their way, but Ford wasn’t hiding his identity.
“Thank you. We’ll be fine.” He placed the phone on its cradle and looked at her. “The doctor said to ring him at any time if we need him. And in order to put your mind at ease and help you sleep better, Georgiou has been informed that my girl will not be alone. He sends wishes for a quick recovery.”
He leaned over her, touched his lips to her forehead again, and then turned off the light. She heard the water running. Charlie stayed in bed and didn’t question him anymore. He returned, showered and with wet hair, and climbed into bed beside her.
“Sleep well, baby,” he said, fitting her against his chest. He kissed her again, and then tucked the covers around her shoulders. “Good-night.”
“Good-night, Ford.” Charlie had one more night of her fairy tale.
Chapter Twenty-six
Ford inhaled her sweet scent and kissed the back of her neck. “I don’t want to let you go yet. Sail with me, Charlie. Stay for the next cruise, finalize the feature, and submit it via email.”
“I can’t,” she replied, curling her back and bringing her knees against her body. “It’s okay, Ford. We had a great weekend. Let’s not push our luck.”
A chill crept into his bones. She was blowing him off, cutting ties, and he hadn’t had his fill of her. He wasn’t about to let her get away that easy. “Chère, I’m going to report to work and tie up loose ends with the ship. I’ll call you as soon as I’m free. We’ll figure this out after all the guests have disembarked.”
She nodded, but didn’t turn to look at him. He didn’t like it. Didn’t like it one bit. But Ford was determined to find a way to be with her and convince her to keep him around. They were not done.
He touched his lips to her shoulder, and then he reluctantly released her. He was scheduled to report to duty. But more importantly, he needed time to think. There had to be a logical solution.
* * *
Charlie checked her phone as the train pulled into Penn Station. Ford hadn’t texted or called since she’d
turned it on. She didn’t blame him. She hadn’t returned his texts before she’d disembarked, and she’d turned off the phone completely after the third time she’d sent him to voicemail.
After a futile attempt to have her fly back with him, Will had taken her to the train station and seen her off. He’d offered to ride the train with her, but she’d claimed that she needed the time to work on her piece. Well, at least it wasn’t a lie. She’d drowned herself in her work and the time had passed without too much notice.
She’d only turned the phone back on to call Kat and Paul the previous night and let them know she was on her way home, continuing to send all others to voicemail. Her parents had called twice, Will five times, and even her grandmother had phoned once. Not answering her grandmother felt bad, but she didn’t want to hear dinner-date plans from her parents or warnings to stay away from money-grubbing men from Will. She’d just wanted to finish the feature and get home.
Now she was home, with a feature and a proposal for a three-part series. She had no idea why Kat had insisted on meeting her train, but neither did she mind. Charlie could use a hug to keep her together. She raced up the concrete stairs and wrapped her arms around Kat. “Oh. My. God. What an amazing trip.”
Kat hugged her tight, as she’d expected, and then looked over Charlie’s skimpy attire. “You’d better get some clothes on before you freeze that gorgeous tan off. Are you even wearing socks?”
“Yes, I’m wearing socks. They’re no-shows.” Charlie dropped the suitcase on its side and unzipped the main compartment. She needed a moment to compose herself and remember to stay positive. No way was she going to pop Kat’s romance bubble.
“Please tell me you’re wonderfully in love,” Kat said, squatting and helping search for her coat.
“Got them,” Charlie said, pulling out her jacket and a scarf. “I had amazing, earth-shattering, bone-rattling sex. The best sex of my life.”
“Obviously,” Kat replied, rolling her eyes. “What’s his name?”
“I’m not saying.” Charlie didn’t want to dampen the mood. She’d revel on the great sex part and get her dose of romance via Kat. She wasn’t willing to share how easily he’d let her go. She wasn’t willing to share Will’s theory that, once Ford had figured out Charlie wouldn’t be taken for a fool, he’d moved on to finding a more susceptible rich woman on the final cruise. Actually, that was something she didn’t even want to think about.
