by Rye Hart
I watched as Ana giggled with Tommy. Chanel’s eyes were darting around the room, her hand gripping onto her wine glass. She was nervous, which was odd for her. I had experienced many things with her while we were dating, but none of them included any sort of anxiety or nervousness.
But she was full of it, especially when her eyes landed on mine.
The way she moved across the floor was mesmerizing, like she was floating instead of walking. Ana’s arm was linked with Tommy’s as the three of them headed back to the table. If this was going to happen, and if Tommy was going to orchestrate this, then the least I could do was make this as bearable for Chanel as I could.
So, I stood up and pulled out her chair for her to sit in.
“Chanel,” I said.
“Rhett,” she responded.
I sat back down in my seat, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was snapping pictures of the room, getting candid shots whenever people ventured over to our table. Her lips curled over the rim of her wine glass as heat trickled up my back. I could remember the first time she ever wrapped those lips around my cock and how eager my body had been to blow its load right then and there. I spent the first half of that blowjob trying to contain myself, so she couldn’t choke on my cum.
“So, Rhett,” Ana said. “Broken any hearts lately?”
“Enough, Ana,” Chanel said. “Don’t make this more awkward than it needs to be.”
“Couldn’t have put it better myself,” I said, as I glanced over at Tommy.
“Miss Ana, you look gorgeous tonight,” Tommy said.
“She does,” Chanel said. “And she’s not wearing any panties, if you’re curious.”
“Chanel, are you serious?” Ana asked.
“Just trying to help my best friend out,” Chanel said.
I chuckled into my whiskey as I took another sip of my drink.
“How have you been, Rhett?” Chanel asked.
Her voice caught me off guard as I lifted my eyes to meet hers again.
“Good. I’ve been good. Yourself?” I asked.
“Good,” she said. “Things have been good.”
“Well, glad to clear the air on that one,” Tommy said.
Chanel shot him a look that had me chuckling again as I watched Connie approach something akin to a stage.
“Oh, wonderful. I bet she’s going to tell us what we have to eat,” I said.
Chanel grinned at me, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
“Hello, everyone!” Connie said. “Is this thing on? Can you guys hear me?”
“We can always hear you, Connie!” Tommy said.
“You’re so bad,” Ana said with a grin.
“Match made in heaven,” Chanel said.
“All right. Wonderful. So! I want to thank you all for coming out to our first dinner. Oh, how exciting! Is everyone excited? Okay. So, I wanted to give a fun little welcome speech, but I’ll make it quick, I promise. If you haven’t gotten an itinerary for the cruise, there are some splashed around the room. Grab one, because that’s the boat schedule for the ports as well as our fun little meet-ups like this one.”
“I wouldn’t call it fun,” Chanel said.
“More like homework,” I said.
She turned her eyes toward me, and I watched how they lit up with amusement. I had missed that look. I had always loved making her laugh. It had made me feel powerful then, and it made me feel powerful now.
“There’s a fun little slideshow that we’re going to play to usher in the cruise, so I hope you guys are ready for some trips down memory lane!”
“I’m ready to create new memories, honestly,” Ana said.
“I’m ready to start tonight, if you are,” Tommy said.
“Did you bring a hair tie?” Chanel asked.
“Hair tie?” I asked.
“Shut up, Chanel,” Ana said.
The slideshow began, and it filtered through pictures I had forgotten about. Pictures of Tommy and me running down the hallway in dresses during Spirit Week, and pictures of the cheerleaders at the football games. There were a couple of Chanel and Ana that popped up during prom, and I felt myself tense at the memory. Chanel’s eyes darted over toward me, scanning me like she had that night before she got into the back of the car with me.
I was ready for this ‘fun’ little slideshow to be over.
The longer it went on, the antsier people got. Dinner was being served over the drawn-out project, and some people began to talk amongst themselves. Soon, everyone was talking and getting more drinks while the slideshow lagged on, and I could tell it was pissing Connie off.
Which, of course, became the topic of conversation.
“If she didn’t wanna piss people off, don’t make it four hours long,” I said.
“I was done after thirty minutes,” Chanel said. “How many pictures did she have from high school?”
“And where did she get them all from?” Ana asked. “It’s not like she walked around with a camera.”
“Was that a jab at me?” Chanel asked.
“Hardly. You’re not snapping pictures every second. But this thing’s been going on for, like, an hour and a half. That’s a shit load of pictures,” Ana said.
“That’s true,” Tommy said. “Plus, who the hell wants to be reminded of high school when we’re grown and making memories of our own?”
“Everyone on this cruise,” I said with a grin.
“Maybe we’re just on the cruise to make new memories with old friends,” Ana said.
“I’m here to flesh out this story I promised people and to move on from things,” Chanel said.
Her eyes connected with mine as our food was set in front of us. The four of us ate and caught up a little bit, asking each other about the past ten years. Chanel talked a little bit about her years at Cornell and what she had been doing afterward, and Ana talked about how she had somehow fallen into marketing. Tommy regaled Ana with stories of his real estate business, but I could feel Chanel’s eyes on me.
“What have you been doing the past ten years?” she asked.
I downed the rest of my drink before I picked up my fork.
“I just retired from the Navy,” I said.
“Oh, shit. You enlisted?” Ana asked.
“Enlisted and became a SEAL,” Tommy said.
“What? You’re a Navy SEAL?” Ana asked.
“Was a Navy SEAL. My contract ended about a month ago, and I didn’t re-up,” I said.
“Why not?” Chanel asked.
I turned my gaze back towards her as I drew in a deep breath.
“Only so much of that shit I could take,” I said.
“I can only imagine,” she said.
“Well, I don’t know about any of you guys, but I could use another drink,” Ana said.
“Let me escort you,” Tommy said. “I could use another one as well.”
I watched Tommy offer his arm to her. Hook, line, and sinker. The two of them were going to be banging somewhere, which meant either myself or Chanel would be out of a room at least for a little while. We watched as the two of them ventured to the bar to get another drink, leaning into one another and loosening up as they took shots.
“She’ll puke on him before she can get him naked,” Chanel said.
“You’d be shocked as to what Tommy will fuck through,” I said.
Chanel threw her head back and laughed before she grabbed her wine glass.
“You look beautiful tonight,” I said.
Her eyes connected with mine, raking quickly over me before she nodded.
“You fill out that shirt nicely,” she said.
“I read your blog sometimes,” I said.
“Oh? And what do you think of it?”
“It’s really good. Your writing always has been. I can still remember those letters you’d write to me between classes in high school. I was always in awe of your ability to put words together.”
I saw her blush as she grinned into her wine glass.
“And there they go,” I said.
Chanel whipped her head up as Ana and Tommy left arm-in-arm from the dining room.
“Which room do you think they’ll end up in?” she asked.
“Not gonna lie, if Tommy can get into your room, he will,” I said.
“Great,” she groaned.
“If you want, you could join me on the bow. I was headed there anyway after this dinner,” I said.
“Where all the lounge chairs are?” she asked. I nodded. “We could keep talking or we could stargaze. I’ve also heard rumors about a twenty-four seven pizzeria and soft-serve ice cream machine over that way.”
“You had me at pizza,” she said with a grin.
“Ah, so you’re still a pizza fanatic,” I said as I got up.
“Not a chance I’d give up pizza, though I pile more vegetables on than I used to.”
“Not a three-meat lover any longer?”
“Nope. I developed this fun little thing called heartburn. I guess that’s what happens when people get old.”
“Hey, we aren’t old. We aren’t even thirty yet.”
“That’s old compared to our high school days,” she said.
“True,” I said.
“I take it you know the way to the bow of the ship?” she asked. “Because I sure as hell don’t.”
“I’d better, or my former commanding officers would be seriously disappointed in me.”
I held out my hand to her, hoping she would take it. Her eyes settled on the gesture, and I could see that sea of questions kick up a bit. The boat was gliding smoothly along the ocean, the waves lightly rocking us in the process. Her eyes slid back up to mine, dancing along my face before she sighed.
Then, she slipped her perfect little hand into mine as memories came crashing back.
Her hand was just as warm and soft as I remembered it, and part of me wondered if I could intentionally get us lost so I could hold onto it a little longer.
Chapter 5
Chanel
His hand was strong around mine as he led me out onto the bow of the ship. The deck was beautiful, and the sunset over the ocean was perfect. It was mirrored precisely as the ship cut right into the picture of it all, and I felt compelled to photograph it. I set my drink down on the ledge of the ship and grabbed my camera, snapping pictures to try and capture the beauty of what I was witnessing.
But I could feel Rhett’s eyes on me the entire time.
I was ready to talk with him, to give him a piece of my mind about everything that had transpired between us. My boiling blood was thrashing about like the waves of the ocean, crimson red like my wine and glowing with heated delight like the sunset setting before my eyes. I turned around and captured an entire picture of the ship from my point of view, trying to put space in between Rhett and me. Despite how angry I was with him, I could feel the tension brewing between us the moment I had decided to take his hand.
What a stupid fucking move for me to make. But I couldn’t avoid the warmth I still felt when I was near him. After all this fucking time, and all that fucking heartache. Damn him.
The entire time we walked, I felt his hand flex. I felt the strength in his fingers and the calluses rubbing against my palm. I could see his back working underneath the tightness of his button-down shirt, a shirt that was too fucking small for him.
Part of me wanted to rip it off him before I smacked him across his face, just so I could run my fingertips down the muscles I knew the fabric of his clothes covered.
Once I was done taking pictures, I turned back around. Rhett was holding my wine glass out for me, his body silhouetted by the setting of the sun. My eyes danced along his darkened form. His eyes were burrowing into my soul. I held up my hand, coaxing him into standing there before I lifted my camera to him.
“Don’t,” he said.
“Please. Just one.”
I watched him nod as he lowered my wine glass to his side.
I snapped picture after picture, hoping to capture the breathtaking moment. His jaw was outlined against the setting sun, and his broad shoulders were draped in an angelic glow. He looked almost vulnerable behind the walls drawn up in his eyes. The slightest glimmer of the sun reflected off his wetted lips, and there was something that tugged me toward him and tossed me into his magnetic frame, hoping I would stick this time.
I dropped my camera and reached for my wine glass, our fingers brushing against one another. The electricity that flooded up my arm rattled my bones, and I tried to shake the feelings I was experiencing.
“Do you want to start, or should I?” I asked.
“I’ve missed you,” Rhett said.
I almost dropped my wine glass as I choked on the sip I took.
“What?” I asked.
“No one was ever able to replace you and what we had. And trust me, I tried.”
“Uh-huh,” I said.
“Despite what happened between us, I loved you, Chanel. I know I hurt you as badly as I could have that night, and I’ve never really forgiven myself for it. I honestly don’t know how it happened, to tell you the truth. Maybe part of me knew you deserved so much better than I could offer you.”
I felt my jaw drop in shock as he turned toward me. I had no idea what to say. What the hell was I supposed to say to that? A few seconds ago, I was ready to hit him. I was ready to knock his world back into last week, so he would no longer be on this cruise. But now I was stunned, and his face was moving closer to mine, and soon, I could feel his breath on my lips, hovering there, pulsing like the fucking tease he was.
I stepped toward his body and closed the distance between us. My wine glass dropped to the ground, shattering at our feet. His arms covered my back, his strength soaking into my muscles as my hands threaded around his neck. The fire that sparked in my toes burned up my legs and took out my knees.
I collapsed against him as our tongues danced, and he held me to him delicately as if he were holding a pillow to his chest.
His hands were all over me, grasping my ass, running down my legs, and massaging my back as my hands cupped his neck. My fingertips slid down his back, and I groaned at the chiseled muscles they raked over. Our lips were swelling underneath the pressure as Rhett backed me against the ledge while the heat of the setting sun soaked into my skin.
Then, I opened my eyes and saw what was happening and pushed him back with my hands.
Not before I felt the strength of his chest give underneath my touch, however.
“I can’t do this,” I said breathlessly. “I— I can’t open this up again.”
“Chanel, I didn’t—”
“You spoke, and now it’s my turn,” I said.
Rhett backed up from me as I stood my ground and smoothed out my dress.
“You broke my heart that night,” I said. “I was so excited to spend the night with you, for real. But when I opened the door and saw you half-naked with that girl in your lap, I felt like I’d been punched in the chest. All the air left my lungs, and all you did was stare at me.”
He shook his head. “Because I couldn’t believe what was happening either, Chanel. I’ve carried that damn night with me ever since then. I knew I was drunk, but I didn’t think I was drunk enough to do what I did. In all honesty, I was a little afraid that night. We said we would pretend the week before had never happened and this would be our real first time. I guess I subconsciously fucked it up so you would see that you deserved better.”
I could feel his body heat radiating against me, and I couldn’t think straight. I watched as he backed up, and I slipped away from the balcony. I put some distance between us as his eyes followed me, the sun slowly setting below the water and cloaking us in darkness.
“You said I was too good for you.”
“You know it’s true,” Rhett said. “You were bound for Cornell and I was bound for the nearest factory. Joining the Navy was the only way out, but I wasn’t going to drag you along with me. You were going to be someone great. I would have on
ly held you back.”
“You don’t know that, Rhett!” I said in frustration. “If you really thought I was so damn smart, you should have trusted me to make that decision for myself!”
“And what? Follow me all over the globe instead of getting an Ivy League education? Or going to college anyway and trying to stay together when I was half-way around the globe, facing death and danger every damn day? That wasn’t the life you deserved. It worked out for the best. You have to see that now,” he said.
I wrapped my arms around myself and paced the bow for a few minutes. He was right about one thing, if he’d never have cheated, I would have followed him anywhere. I shook my head and closed my eyes, taking in a deep, shaking breath.
“I’m so proud of you and of everything you’ve accomplished,” Rhett said.
“I do more than just the blog, you know,” I said.
“I know. I kept tabs on you.”
“What?” I asked.
“I wanted to know how you were doing. Had to see if life was treating you as well as you deserved. I needed to know you were happy and that fucking up the best thing that had ever happened to me at least gave you the success you deserved. I had a drink in your honor when you got that internship with The New York Times.”
“You’re being serious right now,” I said.
“As a heart attack.”
“So, you checked up on me to make sure that what? I was happy? That I was safe? What would’ve happened had I not been? What the hell would you have done then?”
He closed the distance between us, his body stalking up to mine as his eyes held my stare. I swallowed thickly as he backed us into the darkness, shrouding us from the rest of the ship as my back hit the wall. We were in a darkened crook on the most deserted part of the ship as his hands came up and blocked me in, and suddenly, all I could think about was kissing him again.
“I would’ve done anything to get to you and make it right.”
