Heat Wave: A Summer Loving Anthology

by Anthology

  “Nope. I finally got smart.”

  “Flying down to Florida to interview for a job that will have you sailing around on a giant boat for six months? That’s smart?”

  “Brilliant. Besides, I may not get the job.”

  “Let’s hope.”

  I wasn’t about to share that I would pretty much take any job they offered, cleaning cabins included.

  “Ah, I almost forgot my passport.”

  “Passport? I thought this was just an interview?”

  “They may want me to start immediately. I should be prepared,” I lied.

  “You haven’t said good-bye to your dad or siblings yet.”

  “I’ll call them.”

  “There are all sorts of diseases going around these days. You need shots.”

  “The cruise line will supply a full physical and any immunizations needed,” I said as I rolled my suitcase closer to where she occupied the doorway.

  Panic swelled as she attempted to stop me one last time. “Rebecca Ann Stanton, this is a stupid idea!”

  “Mom, I’m pretty sure this is the smartest thing I’ve done since graduating. I love you. I’ll be fine. Just wish me luck.” With that, I kissed her cheek and left my room without looking back.

  ***

  SUNSET CRUISE LINES’ corporate offices were magnificent. Sitting in the heart of Port Everglades, the view from the conference room where I sat was beautiful. No wonder all the employees here walked around with perpetual smiles. Even if they hated their mundane jobs, the environment they were tortured with would be enough to make the Grinch smile.

  At first I had little to no hope of getting the job. Yes, I was armed with many glowing references from past employers, excluding my manager from Hooters, of course. And yes, I had experience in this sort of field if you counted the years I spent counseling kids at summer camp. And, it was because I wanted it so badly that I had a gut feeling I wouldn’t get it. Every time I wanted something that much it never happened.

  But the more I was passed from person to person, the more my hopes increased.

  Based on the fact they kept adding more people for me to speak to, I surmised that my interviews were going well. After many questions, the human resources manager passed me on to the training and development manager. She was a bit more detailed regarding the job’s responsibilities, and a bit more circumspect with her line of questioning. I then met with the Entertainment Crew Administrator and Executive Assistant to the Cruise Director, Ricky Burrows. His fun, boisterous personality had me smiling throughout and completely at ease for the first time all day.

  “Ready to meet our cruise director?” he asked.

  “Absolutely,” I replied confidently.

  “His name is Marco Puglia. He’s originally from Florence and has been with us for seven years now. He recently got promoted, so this will only be his second cruise contract as our cruise director.”

  “I love that everyone is starting on the new ship at the same time. If hired, I feel like I’ll be part of a great debut.”

  “Many of us have worked together before on existing ships. I’ve been with Marco the entire time.” Ricky leaned closer and whispered, “Between us, I make his life organized. He’d be a mess without me.”

  “He’s a very lucky man.”

  “He knows it because I remind him daily, darling. This will be an awesome experience for you. You’re coming into a close-knit family. Starting on The Horizon’s maiden journey together will be very exciting.” Ricky stood and added, “I’ll go grab Marco.”

  As I watched through the plate glass window of the office where I waited, my confidence quickly disappeared. The most gorgeous man I had ever seen in my entire twenty-two years on earth walked toward Ricky.

  Brown hair, brown eyes, sexy scruff over a strong jaw, and a dazzling white smile made it impossible to turn away. I stared dumbstruck at the man who could possibly be my boss. He towered over Ricky. The fabric of his polo shirt clearly showed his muscular build, and crisply pressed black slacks covered two very long legs. The expensive watch on his masculine wrist was so sexy. Yes, I had a thing for men’s wrists...and hands. Marco’s hands were moving animatedly as he spoke to Ricky.

  The air left my lungs as they both turned toward me. Instinctively, I wanted to duck and hide from being caught ogling. Either Marco hadn’t noticed or he was completely used to women ogling. He simply smiled wider and nodded.

  If I had been able to whip out a mirror and apply lip-gloss without having them see me, I would have. But, I couldn’t. I was in a fish bowl and they were heading right toward me. Ricky opened the door to the office and Marco followed him in.

  “Miss Stanton?” he asked with the hottest, sexiest Italian accent I had ever heard.

  “Um…yes. Rebecca.”

  He held out his sexy hand and I stared for a beat before accepting it. Long, manly fingers wrapped around mine in a firm handshake. His smile widened when I forgot to let go.

  “I’ll give you two some time to chat,” Ricky said before leaving me with this Italian god.

  Marco sat in the chair across from mine and crossed a long leg over his knee. “So, you would like to be part of our entertainment team?” His English was impeccable, but the way he rolled his “Rs” when he spoke had me wondering what other talents he had with his tongue and how it would feel dragging over my skin.

  “Yes,” I responded in a breathy whisper.

  “Why?” His next question threw me.

  “Um...well…” I flushed a deep red, embarrassed by my stumble. All words left my thoughts. I couldn’t come up with one suitable reason why I wanted to be there. I had plenty of reasons, but none that would really fly in a job interview. After a few seconds, I shrugged and tried to excuse my unprofessional behavior. “Sorry, I’m very nervous.”

  The timbre of his laugh caused my heart to beat a bit faster. “Don’t be nervous. You’ve impressed those I trust to hire the best people for my team. I take our jobs very seriously. I feel kind and happy people are a must for our profession. I don’t care how great an applicant looks on paper, the person must capture my attention.” His smile reappeared before he added, “Brava, you passed the test, Miss Stanton.”

  “Please call me Rebecca,” I said shyly. I wasn’t a shy person, so this was new.

  “Ah, sì, Rebecca.” My name never sounded so beautiful before. “So, Rebecca, I simply would like to know why you chose my team. Why are you here?”

  “Honestly?” He nodded, waiting patiently. “I needed excitement in my life. I was…stuck.”

  “This job may sound exciting, but it is hard work. Working on a cruise ship isn’t the party everyone thinks it is.”

  “Oh, I know, Mr. Puglia. I’ve waitressed and worked at summer camps. I’m always prepared to work hard. I love people and I needed a change in my life. I needed to surround myself with happiness. What better place?”

  “Well, you could have applied at Disney World,” he teased.

  “I was always afraid of Mickey Mouse when I was a kid.”

  Marco laughed, and that awesome sound once again jolted my heartbeat. Staring at him daily would be a distraction, but I was prepared to suffer through it.

  “You have experience managing people, but are you prepared to keep your staff happy and smiling? I believe a happy staff makes for a happy cruise ship.”

  “Absolutely. I worked at a summer camp for years, starting as a counselor and moving up to the group counselor position. I feel no one is as demanding as a kid looking for a great summer camp experience.”

  “E vero.” He nodded, making me assume he agreed. “You can expect the same on the ship. Those passengers spend a small fortune for a week of heaven. It’s our job to make sure they get it.”

  “I’m all about finding a slice of heaven, Mr. Puglia. It’s my one and only mission in life. I’m a dreamer. Some may see that as a negative.” I shrugged apologetically and added, “I feel I have one shot on this planet and I need to make the best
of it.”

  He assessed me for a few seconds before asking a few more questions. With each one, my nerves started to dissipate. Just like the others I spoke to before him, he made me feel comfortable and at ease. It was easy to fill him in on my life details. I was even honest in spilling details of my brief career with Hooters. Of course, I left out why I got fired.

  Satisfied with our chat, Marco smiled, saying, “Well, Miss Stanton, I’d like to welcome you to Sunset Cruises.”

  “Rebecca,” I corrected. “Really? I got it?” I clapped and may have let out an embarrassing squeal. I immediately blushed when Marco bit his bottom lip to stop from laughing. “Um…sorry. I’m so excited. Thank you so much, Mr. Puglia.”

  “Marco,” he countered. “We’re very casual here at Sunset, one big happy family.”

  “I look forward to meeting my coworkers, Marco.”

  “Benissimo.” His Italian sent shivers down my spine. He met my eyes and smiled wider. “I know you have spent hours here. Force, you’d rather come back tomorrow to review your contract?”

  “Force?”

  “Oh, scusi…um, maybe?” I nodded, understanding his question. Before I was able to respond, he added, “Or, if you’d like to do it today, I can show you to the break room. You can help yourself to lunch while I chat with personnel on your contract details.”

  “I’ll stay!” I blurted out a little too quickly.

  A masculine chuckle filtered right over to where I sat and caused my heart to pound. “Very well.” He stood and motioned toward the door. “Andiamo, Miss Stanton?”

  “Rebecca,” I corrected.

  “Rebecca,” he repeated, rolling the R and caressing the vowels in my name. He waved toward the door he held open with a warm smile. As I walked by, the masculine scent of his cologne had me wanting to bury my nose in his neck. Instead, I hurriedly walked past him to where the air wasn’t so seductive.

  Chapter Two – Marco

  WHAT WAS IT YOU Americans always said, holy fuck?

  Sì, holy fuck!

  That girl is bellissima. I’ve met plenty of beautiful women in my life but never one who made me feel like a horny teenager. At first sight, Rebecca Stanton was simply stunning. Her eyes were the color of the Mediterranean Sea of my homeland. Silky, wavy brown hair hung past her shoulders and looked like decadent chocolate gelato. When she smiled, she lit up the room as if someone flipped on the lights. But, mamma mia, her body could bring me to my knees. The professional blouse and skirt she wore did nothing to hide her magnificent curves. Tall, toned legs, a long, graceful neck, and full breasts had me embarrassingly aroused. An image of her in a bikini made my arousal grow.

  I was a professional. I had tremendous self-control. I met all kinds of pushy women during my travels. American women were dangerous; however, European women were relentless in their pursuits. In my profession, I had to practice restraint every day. Politely rejecting a beautiful woman’s advances became second nature to me. Passengers were always off-limits.

  Coworkers were not off-limits. Among the staff that I worked with on Sunset Cruise Lines, I had a reputation. I didn’t sleep around, but I liked women. When stuck on a cruise ship for months and months, a man had to do whatever was necessary to survive. Always honest, I explained it wouldn’t become more than it was. Always a gentleman, I never made them feel as if I used them. The truth—I had, but they also used me. My number one rule was to only sleep with peers. My rule was easy to follow since there were plenty of female coworkers from which to choose. The more successful I became, the fewer I had to choose from. Since becoming cruise director, there were only a handful of possibilities.

  Regardless of my limited choices, Rebecca would be off-limits. I would be her boss…a no-no. Hiring her would make my life hard. Yet, letting her walk away after now meeting such an exquisite creature would be harder.

  Beauty wasn’t the only part that made a woman attractive. Her personality was more important. A beautiful woman who was antipatica—in English, nasty, made her an ugly woman. Nothing turned me off more than a bitchy woman.

  So, when Rebecca Stanton’s fun, sweet, pure personality came through, my attraction to her grew with my erection. The short time I spent with her showed me the real Rebecca Stanton. One could say I was blinded by my testosterone, and they’d be correct. But, the people who spoke to her before I did all felt the same.

  Aida Henson, the personnel manager, was the first to be charmed by Rebecca. That woman was as warm and fuzzy as a cactus. It was rare to get a smile or a compliment. Rebecca won her over without a problem. Next came my assistant, Ricky Burrows. He said if I didn’t hire Rebecca, he’d quit. He said he’d quit on me every day, but after Aida’s glowing recommendation, his threat seemed real for the first time.

  They were correct. Rebecca was bellissima. We talked for a bit, and I needed her on my staff. I could just imagine the passengers responding to her. Being successful was important to me. A staff makes or breaks a cruise director. I learned from the best. I want to be the best and the highest-paid cruise director on the open seas.

  I loved my job, every part of it. Even with the long hours and little vacation time, I still loved it. I beat dozens of others in the business to get this job. This ship was magnifico. One of a kind in technology and innovative amenities, all eyes in the tourism world were on The Horizon’s maiden voyage. The spotlight was on us, on me, and I intended to leave an impression.

  When I got the promotion on the new ship, the cruise line gifted me with a few days vacation time. I immediately flew home to Firenze and spent the time with mi famiglia. I hadn’t seen them in six months and departing was bittersweet. It always was after I went home. It was hard to leave your life behind, yet when you loved your job as much as I did, the sadness quickly faded. I returned a few days ago, and I was ready to get started. Prior to receiving my promotion, management handpicked the rest of my staff. The only position to be filled was for the entertainment staff coordinator. So, that made Rebecca my first hire.

  Once we finalized Rebecca’s package, all that was left was to formally offer her the job. Aida raised a brow when I said I wanted to be present.

  “Why?”

  “She’s my first hire as The Horizon’s cruise director. Sono sentimentale.”

  Aida looked toward Ricky for translation. “He’s sentimental.”

  “Fine. There’s no need for both of us to be here.” Aida handed me Rebecca’s contract and left the conference room. Although I was always pleasant to her, that woman didn’t like me.

  Ricky smirked at me knowingly. I met his eyes and challenged him. “What?”

  “Nothing. I’ll go get Rebecca,” he said, leaving me alone to wait.

  Ricky’s reaction caused me concern. I needed to be more attentive. I’d worked too hard to gain the respect of management. I couldn’t allow her to...to…you know, sex me up. When Ricky returned with a giggling Rebecca, the excitement grew in my pants. The sound of her laugh and the look of happiness on her face made me stupido.

  ***

  AS OUR CAPTAIN SPOKE, my staff sat around the Lido lounge applauding enthusiastically. Their smiling faces portrayed their excitement. The faint smell of the wood varnish still hung in the air. The brass handrails sparkled. The new furniture, the state-of-the-art stage, even the liquor bottles lined perfectly at the bar begged for tomorrow to come.

  The next day was departure day. We’d spent the week getting ready. Rehearsals left us exhausted at the end of each day. I was holding my last staff meeting before we set sail, and I needed to set the tone. Once Captain Stefan was finished, I planned to say thank you to my staff. They gave me everything they had, and I appreciated it. I held high expectations and they didn’t disappoint me. I also needed to tell them how very fortunate they were to be here, but the hardest work was yet to come.

  Of the thirty employees who worked for me, I knew half of them very well. We’d been together for years and were all very close. I started with them as part of the
entertainment staff. After moving up to Assistant CD, and then later CD, being their boss could have easily made things awkward for us. But they respected me and I them. I only anticipated two problems. First was Dina James. Dina and I started together with Sunset seven years ago. She’d been a great friend, until we crossed over the line. That was right before I got promoted and remains to be my biggest regret. Dina hasn’t gotten over our brief affair. And now, I couldn’t get rid of her even if I wanted to. Her work performance was not the issue, thus making her untouchable. I was stuck with her. She had me by the palle…balls, and she knew it.

  To my left, Ricky sat proudly with my second potential problem at his side. In just a few days, Ricky and Rebecca have become friendly. I decided to keep my distance. After meeting her, I spent the night remembering the smell of her perfume, the curve of her neck, and the outline of her breasts while I pleasured myself. I dreamed about her and woke hornier than I’ve ever been. I thought of her as I had my morning espresso. I decided Rebecca Stanton was pericoloso…dangerous. She was affecting me more than anyone ever had in my thirty years on this earth. I pulled out a pad and wrote down all the reasons to stay away from her—twenty-six in total. Top of the list, she was my twenty-two-year-old employee.

  The more I avoided her, the more I was jealous that Ricky didn’t. That bastardo hung around her every chance he got. It wasn’t like I needed to worry he’d put the moves on her. Ricky wasn’t interested in the parts Rebecca had. It still angered me that he could be close to her.

  I witnessed the rest of the staff getting to know her, and she fit in with them perfectly. The men on my team aren’t hiding their attraction toward her. Yesterday during our rundown of pool activities, I overheard them complimenting her while drooling. It took everything I had not to shut them up. After each day, I made Ricky recount all I missed. It had little to do with my staff preparation but more to do with hearing details of Rebecca.

  Figlio di puttana! I regretted the day she interviewed for us.