She shrugged. Unless Dante had blabbed about Lex's Victoria's Secret run, the comment made no sense. Maybe it was time to shift the conversation to another topic. "Looks like you're headed to the pool."
"I am! I'm going to give the Underwater Charades a try."
"Should be fun." Gillian had to hand it to her. Going underwater meant Nancy had to trust her waterproof makeup a lot.
"The big news is, I lost my roommate to a man. BJ left me a 'Dear Nancy' letter. She's moving in with Dante." She laughed in obvious delight. "Ain't love grand?"
"I'm happy for them," Gillian said.
"Me, too. Couldn't be more thrilled. And now I have the bathroom to myself! Well, must be off to the pool. Are you two competing in the Underwater Charades?"
"We haven't decided yet," Gillian said.
"Well, I hope to see you there. Bye." With a flutter of her fingers, Nancy continued down the hall and stepped into an elevator.
Lex watched her go. "Did you tell her about Victoria's Secret?"
"I wouldn't do that. I can't even believe Dante did."
"Then I don't get the comment about ladies' lingerie at all. Unless she thinks I'm a potential recruit to her cause, which is really frightening."
"I can't believe that's it Maybe Dante said something." Lex blew out a breath. "If he did, he's on my list. Again."
"You know, Nancy reminds me of someone, but I can't think who it is."
"Nicole Kidman, maybe?"
"No, I don't think so. I'll remember who it is, eventually." She faced him again. "Lex, back to what you said before, mere's no need for a discussion. Consider that discussion closed."
"Let's go upstairs." He took her arm and started toward the elevators.
"If you think you can convince me with a bag full of condoms, you're wrong. It worked temporarily for the ship-to-shore call, but this is a whole different story."
"I realize that."
The elevator was full, so Gillian and Lex didn't say anything more as they rode up to C Deck. Specifically, the elevator was full of nerds in bathing suits, all of them chattering away, obviously enjoying themselves. After taking a quick inventory of less-than-perfect bodies and ill-fitting suits, Gillian felt better about parading out to the pool in her one-piece.
The message was clear—she'd spent way too much time with Hollywood types who focused entirely on external beauty. All along Cora had been right about taking this cruise together. Too bad the circumstances had turned out to be so crummy.
They were barely inside the room when Lex dropped the bag of condoms to the floor and took Gillian by the shoulders. "Listen to me. I've thought this through very carefully, and I'm going with you."
She pulled away from him and climbed over the mattress on the floor so she could gaze out the window. Better that than looking into his eyes and discovering that he was falling for her. "How could you think it through carefully? You haven't had nearly enough time to do that No, Lex. It's out of the question." In the distance she could see a narrow strip of brown across the horizon. Mexico.
"I've had more time than you might imagine.'' He stepped over the mattress and came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist 'This isn't a sudden decision. I never really pictured you going off by yourself."
"That's always been the plan."
"I know, but after our first kiss, I began to consider whether I would go. Last night clinched it for me, but I didn't want to say it yet because I knew you'd react this way."
She tried to keep her body stiff and resist the temptation of his warm arms around her, but that was a lost cause. Gradually she relaxed against him. "Of course I would react this way. You have a career in L.A. Dante needs you there."
"You need me here." He pulled her tight against him.
Oh, yes, she did, but she couldn't let selfish desires be the deciding factor. "You're basing this on sex." He wanted her right this minute, according to the evidence pressing against her fanny.
"I'd be a liar if I said sex wasn't part of it. I've never had anything this good in my life."
She didn't say anything. She wasn't about to provide him with more ammunition for his insane plan.
He gave her a squeeze. "This is the part where you're supposed to be kind to my ego and tell me that you've never had it better, either."
"I'm taking the Fifth on that."
He leaned down and nuzzled behind her ear. "Then maybe I need to remind you of how good it is. I'll ask you right after I make you come. You might be more inclined to spill the beans with the right timing.''
Damn it, she was getting wet, and she had to be stronger than that. Summoning all her willpower, she wiggled away from him, hopped over the mattress, and moved to a far corner of the room. "Lex, there is no way I'm letting you take off for South America and leave your life behind. It's bad enough that I have to do it, but you certainly don't."
"I'm going." He stepped over the mattress and took off his glasses. "And I'm about to convince you it's the right thing to do."
"Stop right there." She held up a hand.
He didn't stop. "I know the problem. It's been too long between orgasms."
She backed toward the door and stumbled over the bag of condoms. Bracing her hands against the door, she managed to keep herself upright.
"Watch out." He reached down and snagged a box out of the bag. "There's condoms on the floor." He kicked the bag away.
"You're making my point for me! This is all about sex."
"It's partly about sex." He opened the box and pulled out a condom packet. "And we need to explore that part some more, so I can soften up your initial resistance to this idea of our mutual travel plans."
"Any day now, my roots will start showing!"
He paused in the act of unzipping his pants and stared at her. "Your roots?"
"Yes." She kept her eyes on his face and tried to ignore the fact he'd started unzipping. "And you might not be so sexually attracted to me then."
He frowned. "Are you saying your ancestors are on the weird side? Because I'm sure I can handle that." He finished unzipping his pants. "Everyone has strange people in their family tree, and it doesn't have to—"
She pulled at her hair. "No, these roots. Once I'm down in South America, I won't be dyeing my hair. I don't know if I'll find a place where I can get it colored brown, and if I don't, it'll look really funky for a while, half and half."
Lex started to laugh. "You're talking about your hair?"
"Yes, I am, and if you think that's not important, then think again."
"Okay. I'll think again." He glanced up at the ceiling and tapped his finger against his chin. Then he looked at her. "Nope. Still not important." He took the condom out of the wrapper. 'This." He held up the condom. "This is important."
"Do not put on that condom."
"You're not suggesting we do it without?"
"I'm suggesting we not do it, period!"
"Bad suggestion." He calmly rolled the condom over his penis.
And she, weak person that she was, watched him. "You're ... you're living in la-la land."
"No, I used to live there, but now I'm relocating south of the border. Very south."
"You are not! I won't let—"
His kiss ended the sentence and the discussion. By the time he'd slid both hands under her shirt and unhooked the front catch of her bra, she'd forgotten what they'd been talking about.
What happened next was kind of a blur, except that her legs ended up wrapped around his hips and her back firmly braced against the door. Each time he thrust, the door rattled. She could only hope the maid wasn't out in the hall.
She gasped for breath as her climax drew near. "You're ... crazy."
"And you like it." His hot gaze held hers as he pushed deep.
"So what?"
"So tell me it's good." He shifted the angle slightly, caressing her G-spot with incredible effectiveness. She moaned. "Okay, it's good." "The best you're ever had."
She closed her eyes,
savoring the pleasure. "Yes …the best."
"Gillian, I'm coming."
"So am I. Oh, so am I!" The first spasm rocked through her and she caught her breath.
"I mean I'm coming to South America. Say yes, Gillian."
With the force of a Lex-induced orgasm rolling through her, she'd agree to peddle a tray full of condoms at the county fair. "Yes!" she cried. "Yes!"
"Thanks for letting me …come." Groaning, he shuddered in her arms.
Not until later, as they started to change into their bathing suits, did they realize that the curtains had been open the whole time.
Twenty-five
"THAT WASN'T FAIR," GILLIAN SAID AS THEY RODE the elevator up to A Deck where the pool was located.
"No. but it was a hell of a lot of fun." And he'd gotten the response he wanted. No matter what she said, she wanted him and needed him there when she left tomorrow.
"You can't hold me to that answer."
His glance raked over her. "I intend to hold you to anything I can get away with, including me. That red suit should be illegal." He was glad the elevator was empty. The sexual vibes were still so strong between them that they needed this extra moment of privacy.
"I think it's a little tight."
"Want to take it off?" He adjusted the fit of his nerd glasses and tried to look innocent "We can go back to the room, and you can slip it off so you can be more comfortable. I wouldn't mind. Or you could go back and try on the purple one."
"It's the same size. It would look the same."
He waggled his eyebrows. "I know."
"Do you ever think of anything besides sex?"
"I used to. Then you showed up."
She laughed. "So it's all my fault."
"Pretty much." He loved hearing her laugh like that. After the incident with the metal drum, followed by her call to the police, where she had to rehash the grisly details of Theo's murder, he'd watched her battle fear and disillusionment. Sure, he'd used sex to change her mood, but it had worked, and they'd both reaped the rewards.
"Seriously, Lex, you're not coming to South America with me."
"Seriously, Gillian, I am."
"We don't know if we're compatible enough, and then you'd be stuck down there with someone you didn't even like."
"Oh, now we're back to the Aries and Cancer thing." "Maybe."
The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened into the hallway on A Deck. A few passengers were in the hall, so Lex decided to postpone any further comments for now.
The area around the pool was crowded with bodies, some white, some pink, but none tanned. Lex wasn't very tanned, either, but he had more color than most everyone except Dante. Apparently nerds weren't sun-worshipers.
Jared stood on a small platform near the pool and directed the charades with a bullhorn. Lex didn't know whether to be horrified or relieved that Jared's bathing suit wasn't any less nerdy looking than the paisley boxer style Lex had been forced to wear. He checked for Hector and found him, Blues Brothers sunglasses shading his eyes, a navy blue bathing suit paired up with an unbuttoned, short-sleeved shirt. He was holding hands with Dorothy.
If Lex thought for sure Hector had engineered the falling-drum incident, Lex would have no trouble taking the guy on, Mafia or not. But he didn't know. Hector was the guy who looked most like a gangster, but that didn't mean he was the culprit.
Gillian tugged on his arm. "Nancy's coming out of the pool. She must have just finished a round of the charades. Now there's a clue. She has on one of those froufrou bathing caps. If she's wearing a wig, that would make lots of sense."
"That reminds me. I have a bone to pick with Dante. And he's right over there, talking to Cora and Little Ben. Let's go." He caught Gillian's hand and started around to the other side of the pool.
"Hey, buddy!" Dante glanced up, his flip-up shades clipped to his nerd glasses. "You look about as bad as I do. That pink shirt clashes nicely with the paisley. Good work."
"Dante, have you been spreading stories about me shopping in Victoria's Secret?"
"Not me."
Little Ben cleared his throat. "Is this about the time I should go for drinks? I mean, first there's Nancy, and now this."
"No, no," Dante said. "It isn't what you think." He lowered his voice. "Gillian needed underwear for the trip and she couldn't risk going back to her apartment. So Lex did some shopping for her, and I kidded him about it, but I promise I haven't said a word to anybody on this cruise."
Lex gazed at him. "Not even Nancy?"
"Especially not Nancy. Sheesh. Do you think I'd get you into that kind of trouble? Next thing you know she'd be offering you shaving tips." Dante shuddered. "I'm afraid to get in the pool with her. Him. It could be catching."
BJ jabbed him in the ribs. "You are such a homophobe." "You were the one freaking out when you first heard about it!"
"I know, and I'm not proud of that. But she—he—was really nice to me and Dorothy. I'm cool with everything now."
"Goody for you. You're so evolved. Me, I'm staying out of the charades round she's in."
"Well, she's not in this one," BJ said. "Lex and Gillian? What do you say?"
Lex figured they might as well. "Sure." He turned to Cora and Little Ben. "Are you two playing?"
Cora shook her head. "That chlorine is really hard on my hair. We'll watch you."
"And I'll get us all drinks," Little Ben said. "Name your poison."
Lex felt Gillian tense, and he didn't blame her.
"Uh, let me rephrase that," Little Ben said. "What would you both like to drink?"
"Something virgin," Gillian said. "A mai tai would be great."
"I'll have a virgin, too," Lex said. "Pina colada."
"I can take a hint." Dante rolled his eyes. "Virgin for me, too. Bloody Mary. Maybe I can talk BJ into a real drink."
BJ shook her head. "Mineral water with lime."
"Some cruise this is," Dante muttered.
Little Ben stood. "So that's a mai-tai for Gillian, a pina colada for Lex, a Bloody Mary for Dante, and a mineral water with lime for BJ. I'll be right back."
"Next round!" Jared called out over the bullhorn. "To refresh your memory, one partner gets in the pool, and the other one gets the word from me. Then both partners submerge themselves while the one who knows the word tries to communicate it to the one who doesn't. You can say the word, act out the word, whatever you want. The first partner who leaps up and says the word out loud wins that round for their team."
"I'll get in the pool," Gillian said. "You go get the word."
Lex hesitated. "Get in the shallow end, okay?"
"Are you worried about me drowning?"
"No. I'm ... uh, the thing is, I can't swim."
Dante stepped up. "But that doesn't mean he's a nerd, or anything."
"Of course it doesn't." Gillian smiled. "The shallow end's fine."
Lex was grateful she was okay with his non-swimming status, but he was also grateful they'd had plenty of sex leading up to his revelation.
"I'll get in the pool with her," Dante said. "Just to make sure she's okay."
Lex gave his partner a sharp glance. "Behave yourself."
"Like you have to say that. Have I ever poached on your territory?"
Lex lifted his eyebrows.
"I mean, recently?"
Gillian laughed. "Let's go, Dante. And don't worry, Lex. I'll keep him in line."
Lex felt certain she would. On the way over to the podium where Jared was giving out the word, he checked to see if Hector was still in his lounge chair. He hadn't moved, and Dorothy was still by his side. Once again, it seemed unlikely that anyone would try something with all these people around. But Lex had thought that before, and then a large metal drum had nearly crushed the woman he loved.
Loved? Where had that come from? Sure, he was planning to go with her to South America, but that was so that nothing horrible would happen to her. That didn't mean he loved her... exactly. Then again, that was a fai
rly drastic move to make for someone else.
"Ready for the word?" Jared asked him.
"Yeah, sure." He took the card that Jared handed him and shielded the contents as he opened the flap. Commitment. Son of a bitch.
"Got it?" Jared peered down from his perch atop the podium.
"I've got it." He walked back toward the pool where everyone's head bobbed above the surface, including one particular head, a blonde who kept telling him how ugly she'd look once her roots started to show.
There was nothing particularly significant about that word showing up right now, he told himself. This was a couple's cruise, so of course they'd choose words that had significance for people who were hooking up. Commitment was a good word for charades, because it wouldn't be that easy to say underwater.
But he couldn't shake the feeling that the word was meant for him, so that he'd understand what he was about to take on. He'd told Gillian he was coming along, but he hadn't told her why, maybe because he hadn't been clear on that himself. And yet the word love had just appeared so naturally in his brain, as if it had been simmering there, waiting for the right moment to shine.
By going with Gillian to South America, was he saying that he wanted to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her? He hadn't been willing to put that kind of weight on the decision, but it wasn't fair to tag along on such a momentous journey without giving her some idea of his intentions. No wonder she hadn't been excited about his announcement. He hadn't framed it right.
Vaguely he remembered some of the points from Little Ben's astrology report. Cancer and Aries were supposed to have problems because Cancer wanted to be romanced and Aries wasn't into that. Judging from his behavior toward Gillian, he'd been a textbook case. All sex, no hearts and flowers.
With luck, he had some time to remedy that.
GILLIAN COULDN'T GUESS THE WORD. WITHOUT HER glasses, all she saw were a mass of bubbles when Lex tried to say it. Then he kept patting his heart, and she was convinced the word was angina. But when she leaped up and yelled it out, she was wrong. Then she thought it might have something to do with his lungs and she guessed congestion. Dante and BJ were declared the winner before she had even a clue.
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