Finally

by Miranda P. Charles

  “Yes,” she lied. Well, technically, it was only a half-lie. She was having dinner with Magda and the rest of their party tomorrow for their last night on the ship. But tonight she’d be with Jeff. Hopefully that was still on.

  “That’s a shame,” Ron said with undisguised disappointment. “It’s our last two nights on this ship.”

  “I know. Sorry.”

  “Well, I suppose we could meet up when we’re back in Sydney,” Ron commented in a hopeful tone, giving her a puppy-dog grin.

  She merely smiled, not wanting to promise things she couldn’t keep.

  She wished she was more attracted to Ron. It would have made things simpler for her. But while there was a little bit of chemistry there, she’d only rate it a six out of ten, maybe six and a half when she was in a fun mood. That was definitely nowhere near her attraction for Jeff, which was off the charts. In fact, just thinking about Jeff gave her a warm tingle all over, and—

  “Hey Sarah.”

  —hearing his voice sent her heartbeat soaring again.

  Jeff was approaching them with a friendly smile on his face, but he appeared to be scrutinising Ron.

  “Hi,” she answered, a goofy grin forming on her face. Get a grip, Sarah. It’s only Jeff.

  “Finishing off your run?” he asked.

  “Uh-huh.” She was almost done and ready to go. But now that Jeff was here, she had the urge to stay a while longer.

  Jeff’s gaze flickered again to Ron, who was still leaning against her machine, looking curiously at the newcomer. Sarah remembered her manners.

  “Oh, Jeff, this is Ron. He’s also from Sydney. Ron, this is Jeff. He’s Magda’s other grandson.”

  “Oh right,” Ron said, shaking hands with Jeff. “Yes, I can see the resemblance between you and Zach. Magda must be very pleased that you’re finally here with her.”

  “You’ve met Zach and my grandmother?”

  “Yes. Sarah and I had dinner with them a couple of times. And we went to the theatre with them once, didn’t we Sarah?” Ron asked, smiling at her.

  “Uh, yeah,” she answered reluctantly. What Ron said was true, but the way he’d said it suggested they were together. She didn’t like that. What would Jeff think?

  Nothing, a disdainful voice in her head answered.

  “Which reminds me,” Ron continued. “I hope to see Magda again within the next couple of days to say goodbye. She’s a very nice lady, your grandmother.”

  “She is,” Jeff said with a smile.

  Ron switched his attention back to Sarah. “Ready for the spa or hot tub, Sarah?”

  “Actually, I might do a few more minutes of exercise,” she responded. No doubt Ron was planning to join her wherever she was going afterwards, especially since he was aware of her routine after finishing at the gym.

  “I haven’t been exercising for the last couple of days,” she continued to babble, feeling uncomfortable at the tension that was starting to build between the two men. “And I’ve been eating too much. I should put in more effort. I might not fit in my clothes back home.”

  “You look perfect to me,” Jeff said with a crooked smile, looking her up and down.

  She blushed.

  “Want me to help you with anything, Sarah?” Ron asked, his smile hopeful. “I could play personal trainer to you again. How about the rowing machine?”

  “No, thanks. I’ll stick with this treadmill.” She pressed some buttons on her panel and set the pace for a nice, easy jog. She hoped Ron would take the hint. She didn’t want to embarrass him by constantly saying no in front of Jeff.

  “Okay,” Ron said reluctantly, walking toward the weights area. “Let me know when you’re done. Maybe we can do something after,” he called out before starting his warm up.

  Jeff remained beside her, staring. In fact, he leaned on her machine casually, much like Ron had done earlier.

  “That guy obviously has the hots for you,” he said in a low voice.

  “I know,” she said truthfully.

  “He couldn’t seem to take the hint that you’re trying to let him down gently.”

  She shrugged.

  He chuckled. “Can I have a kiss?”

  She almost faltered in her steps. Luckily, she was able to get back on stride or she would have ended up face down on the floor. “Now?”

  “Yes, now.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I want to. I had nowhere near enough of it last night.”

  “Well...” She glanced at Ron and found him staring at them with a scowl on his face as he lifted barbells. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. Ron’s watching.”

  “So?” Jeff asked.

  “I don’t want to kiss you while he’s watching, Jeff.”

  Now Jeff was also scowling. “Were you two...”

  “No. But he’d become a good friend.”

  “That’s all?”

  “Yes, that’s all.”

  “I can’t kiss you now?”

  “No.”

  He put on a cute pout. “Okay. Later then.”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “Yes. Later.”

  Jeff didn’t move. He remained where he was, gaping at her.

  “Are you just going to stand there?” she asked, feeling heat creep up her face from his attention. Fortunately, her physical exertion covered up the cause of her blush.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “So Ron would get the picture.”

  “What picture?” she murmured, surprised at where this conversation was heading.

  “That he should leave you alone.”

  “Why? You’re not my boyfriend,” she said flippantly, excited at the prospect that Jeff was being possessive of her.

  “No,” he agreed. “But frankly, I’m a very competitive man. That means I’d hate to see my competition getting somewhere with you.”

  “Oh. What exactly does that mean?” she asked breathlessly.

  “I don’t think we talked about this last night, Sarah. Even though we’re only going to have a casual relationship, I’d prefer it if we remained exclusive while it’s going on. I’m not the type to juggle multiple women. I’m too busy for that. And I’d prefer my partners not to have other men while they’re seeing me either.”

  Sarah turned off the treadmill. This was too interesting a subject to not give her full attention.

  “So let me get this straight,” she said, facing him fully. “While we’re having our... um... hot affair, we’re not to see other people?”

  He nodded. “Would that be a problem for you? Because if it is, then we probably shouldn’t go ahead with our arrangement.”

  “No, I don’t have a problem with it,” she said hurriedly. “But I must admit I’m surprised that you have that rule when it’s only going to be a short fling at best.”

  “I find that seeing more than one woman at a time is too problematic in terms of scheduling,” he explained. “One girl might want to see me at a particular night, but the other might want the same night too. Then I end up with two unhappy ladies. Same goes for my sex partner. I might want to see her at a particular time, but another guy might want her attention at that same time. What’s the point of having a for-fun arrangement when you could have those complications?”

  “I see,” she said, unable to help but be disappointed by his explanation. For a while there, she thought he was being possessive. Turned out it was all about convenience.

  “So what’s the verdict?” Jeff asked.

  That warning voice that went AWOL last night was now whispering loudly that this wasn’t a good idea. But she didn’t want to listen to it. As far as she could see, there was nothing wrong with wanting to have some fun with Jeff.

  “We’re still on,” she said definitively.

  Jeff beamed at her. “Good. I’ll pick you up from your room tonight at six thirty?”

  “Sounds great.”

  As Jeff headed for one of the bench presses, Sarah made a promise to herself t
o simply enjoy what was to come. She’d be having a very short fling with a man she was incredibly attracted to, and it promised to be an unforgettable experience.

  She wasn’t stupid enough to ignore the fact that her crush on Jeff was getting stronger by the day, so this could easily hurt if she weren’t careful. That was why it was important that she stuck to her plan on keeping this affair short. Two full days, to be exact—just while they were still on the ship. Any longer and it could be disastrous for her heart.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “Here we are,” Jeff said, opening the door to his suite.

  He put his hand on Sarah’s back to escort her in, his heart hammering in his chest in anticipation. Finally, he was alone with her.

  Earlier today, he’d ended up joining her in the hot tub after they finished in the gym. Fortunately, Ron was forcibly dragged away by his friends for an important game of soccer, and Sarah had felt free to flirt with him.

  Lord, it took a hell of a lot of effort to look in control and unaffected when their teasing banters got loaded with sexual innuendos. He’d almost suggested going to his room then and there, but something had held him back. He wanted to wine and dine Sarah first, so he’d arranged for a special dinner to be prepared for them and delivered to his suite.

  Strange, that. He’d previously avoided situations where a woman could construe their ‘get-togethers’ as dates. He’d had a few who’d cried their eyes out, saying they’d thought there was something ‘special’ going on just because he’d decided to eat a meal with them.

  But he just really enjoyed having a conversation with Sarah. They seemed to be able to delve into heavy matters and light humour with equal ease. And she made him laugh. A lot. He found himself looking forward to more of those.

  He led her to the dining area and his eyebrows shot up. His suite attendant had done a great job of setting up the table for dinner. Too good, in fact—it looked like this was a full-on romantic dinner date complete with tea light candles, a slim vase with one long-stemmed red rose, rose petals scattered on the side of the table, and a bottle of Carmichael wine—the one Sarah said she loved.

  “Wow,” Sarah breathed, staring at the arrangement with wide eyes.

  He opened his mouth to comment that he hadn’t given instructions for this to look so undeniably romantic, but... what the heck. The mood created by the setting seemed apt for how Sarah looked tonight. She was exceptionally lovely.

  “Shiraz?” he asked, picking up the bottle.

  “Yes, please,” Sarah responded, smiling up at him.

  He repressed a sigh. Why did her smiles always make him want to kiss her? He busied himself with pouring the wine to keep from acting out his thoughts. They had all night, and the food was coming soon.

  “So what are we having?” Sarah asked when he handed her her glass.

  “Last night you had a problem picking out what you wanted because the choices were all good. So I ordered what you didn’t get to eat. Hope that’s okay.”

  “Oh, that’s perfect. Thank you.”

  He held out his hand to her. “Let’s sit on the couch while we wait for the food.” Sarah took his hand and sizzling warmth zipped through his body. How the hell did she do it, making him react like that? He wasn’t complaining though. It felt damned good.

  “So are you planning a big party for your birthday?” Sarah asked as she sat on the sofa.

  He sat beside her, making sure their knees touched. “Not big. Just family and a handful of friends. Depending on whether I’m needed in the office or not, I might work from Magda’s Place for a week from my birthday through to yours.”

  “You mean from your birthday through to Bec and Zach’s engagement party. I feel like I’m intruding on their special day when my birthday gets mentioned.”

  “I’m sure they don’t think that,” he said, placing his arm on the back of the sofa and reaching out to twirl a strand of her hair. Sarah sent him a pretty smile and he simply couldn’t wait anymore. He leaned and kissed her.

  He kept it slow and soft, trying hard not to get his tongue too involved. But it had a mind of its own, and soon enough he was exploring her mouth, tasting its sweetness. He paused to take her glass and place on it the coffee table alongside his, then went back to kissing her, deeper this time. When Sarah placed her arms around his neck, he moaned and gently pushed her down on the couch.

  “You smell so good,” he murmured against her neck, giving it little sucks and butterfly kisses as his hand cupped a breast. Sarah’s breathless gasps and restless hands on his head and back excited him further, and he was hard in no time.

  His lips moved to her cleavage and he kissed the exposed swell of her breasts. Slowly, he pushed the strap of her dress down her shoulder to expose her white, lacy bra. Her pebbled nipple strained against the material, and he just had to run his tongue against it.

  “Jeff,” Sarah breathed, arching her back toward him.

  His own breathing ragged, he pushed the flimsy material aside to free a breast from its confines. Then he took the naked peak in his mouth, laving and sucking.

  “Ahh,” Sarah cried softly, her leg rubbing against his.

  He groaned, control slipping fast as he reached for her zipper.

  The knock on the door made them freeze.

  “Ugh. That’s the food,” he said with annoyance.

  “I’m sure it’ll be yummy,” Sarah said with a grin.

  “I’d rather have you,” he murmured.

  “You can have me for dessert,” she whispered sensually.

  His mouth curved. “What if I have you for entrée?”

  “The food will get cold.”

  “But I’ll make you hot instead,” he teased, kissing her under her ear.

  A louder knock reminded them someone was at the door.

  Jeff exhaled loudly and tugged at Sarah’s bra to cover her up again. Then he pulled himself up and held out a hand to help her stand.

  “I think I better open the door,” Sarah said, straightening her dress.

  “Why?”

  “We-ell.” Sarah looked pointedly down at his crotch where a tent had formed.

  He chuckled. “Your fault.”

  With a sultry smile just for him, Sarah sashayed to let the server in.

  *

  “Oh, yum. I’m glad you ordered this, Jeff. This is better than what I had last night.”

  Jeff grinned, enjoying Sarah’s obvious delight at their meal. The way she’d made him horny earlier, he’d almost taken her straight to bed and forgot about the food. But he didn’t have the heart to deny her dinner when she seemed really keen to taste the gourmet feast he’d ordered.

  “I think you’ll enjoy the restaurant at Magda’s Place,” he said. “We’ve secured the services of an award-winning chef who’d moved from New Zealand to the Hunter Valley to run the restaurant when it reopens.”

  “Wow, I can’t wait. I love food—good food.”

  “Is that why you were doing double sessions at the gym?” he teased.

  Sarah puffed. “I have to. I don’t know how you can avoid eating more than you normally would when you’re on holidays. Um, not that I’m on holidays. I’m here to work for your grandmother.”

  His eyes narrowed, noticing the change in Sarah’s expression to something akin to guilt and embarrassment. Heck, he didn’t want the mood killed.

  “Gran had specifically told you to enjoy this cruise as if you’re not at work because she has no plans on becoming sick or injured. Thank God it looks like staying that way until the end of the trip,” he said.

  “I know. I’m glad she’s remained fit and well. Bec and I still feel guilty that we’re getting paid to be here and enjoy all this. Well, it’s changed for Bec now since she’ll be part of your family soon, but it’s different for me. I’m very grateful, of course. But sometimes I think I shouldn’t be enjoying myself too much.”

  “Gran’s paying you for the peace of mind that if anything unexpected happened, she has profe
ssional nurses to look after her. That’s nothing to feel guilty about.”

  “But she’s not paying me to enjoy this great food and your company,” Sarah said, waving her arms at the table.

  Jeff moved his seat so he was closer to her, then placed a finger under her chin so she would look at him. “Hey, I thought we were having a good time. Where did all this come from?”

  Sarah let out a big sigh. “Your grandmother’s way too generous. And then here I am with the intention of sleeping with you. It just seems so...”

  “So... what?” he queried after a pause.

  She shrugged. “I feel like I’m already taking advantage of Magda’s generosity by accepting payment for doing nothing the majority of the time, not to mention the fact that I didn’t pay a single cent to be on this trip. Now I think I’m being too unprofessional to even be here in your suite,” she said in a small voice. “I know I should have thought about this before but—”

  His chuckles halted her guilt-ridden speech. “Baby, I’ve been hoping for the last few days that you’d be unprofessional with me. Rebecca did it with Zach. Why couldn’t you do it with me?”

  “They’re getting married,” Sarah countered, as if that accounted for a world of difference.

  “My point is, they started out with just acting on their attraction for each other. Frankly, who cares that you’re here as my grandmother’s nurse? I don’t care. I still want you.”

  Sarah smiled. It was another one of those that seemed to warm the room—and his whole being. He leaned and placed a kiss on her lips. “No more mood killers, please,” he murmured.

  She chuckled. “Okay. Sorry. Let’s finish the food. It’s divine.”

  He smiled and forced himself to get back to eating. Truth be told, his horny mood hadn’t been killed one iota. He’d rather have Sarah now.

  Patience, Jeff.

  *****

  Jeff discovered that Sarah was a rather slow eater. She was someone who relished her food and discussed what wowed her about it. He truly appreciated that dinner wasn’t a boring affair with her, like it could be with some people who either stayed quiet, or made superficial conversation to cover up the silence. So it surprised him when Sarah shook her head on the delectable-looking last course. “No dessert?”