Passion: A Single Dad Small Town Romance

by Bella Winters

  As the pleasure started to claim her, I grabbed her legs and raised her off the ground. She gasps and screams as she buckles and thrashes, getting her own release. I held her so one she wouldn’t fall and two so I could get in deeper. I wanted to lose myself completely and judging by the way my thighs were shuddering it wouldn’t be long until I did.

  “Oh fuck,” I grunted as the pleasure built up. It was a pressure, swelling and building up, and any minute now it would explode…

  Fireworks burst, waves of desire crashed over me, I got full satisfaction with this mystery woman. As I dropped her to the ground and we both stood panting next to one another, a cold sensation settled in the pit of my stomach. Much as I loved my life there was always a small element of guilt that came with it. I was always very open and honest with the women before we had sex, but I couldn’t seem to stop it from coming.

  “I suppose I better go,” I commented quietly, hating myself for banging and leaving. I wouldn’t be so quick to go if I didn’t have stuff to do. I would at least stick around for a drink. “Erm, like I said I have a trip to pack for. Sorry I have to go like this but…”

  “No, don’t worry about it, hun,” the girl replies with a bright smile. She tugs her jeans on with ease, acting as if this is normal. Maybe it is for her, maybe this is the sort of thing she does all the time. Maybe she’s the female equivalent of me. “It’s all good. Maybe you should just come back here when you get back. We can go for round two.”

  “Sure, sounds good.” I know I won’t. I have no intention of setting foot in this bar again unless I have a gig to play but there’s no way I will tell her that. There’s honesty and then there is just being a dick. “I shall see you soon, okay?”

  “Yep, bye, Stephen. It’s been great having you around.”

  I leave the cellar rapidly, needing some fresh air. I hang my head low as I walk through the bar, I don’t want everyone to stare at me knowingly as I leave. I just need to be in my own space now, to prepare for the next stage of my life. I have the cruise tomorrow, which I’m hoping will change everything for the better.

  My big break is coming, I just know it. I just have to be patient and wait for it.

  Chapter Three - Tia

  This is good, I think to myself as I glance my eyes around to drink in the scene surrounding me. This cruise is really good for me, I’m glad I went for it.

  Luxury doesn’t even begin to cover what Princess Cruises offers, it’s incredible. The bedrooms are better than what most five star hotels offer, with mattresses so comfy I could sleep forever, duvet covers and pillows that offer just the right amount of softness and warmth. Plus, the shower is wonderful. It’s a proper wet room that I can really relax in. Any tension in my muscles is long gone by the time I get out of it.

  And that’s just the bedrooms. Up on deck there are endless shops I can spend my days in, with absolutely everything on offer any person could ever want. It’s almost as if they cater to every single individual person which is weird since its in the middle of the ocean. There’s even an art gallery and a library which is amazing. I love it. I also really like the swimming pool outside, which is great to swim in during the sunny periods.

  It has everything.

  So, why do I still feel so lonely?

  I slam my notebook shut, feeling awful about myself. I came here to relax and to write, but I haven’t actually managed to get any writing done. I keep telling myself that I’m really enjoying myself but the truth is I still feel like crap about myself. I’m missing direction, I need some focus. I just don’t know where to find it.

  I sigh loudly and slump my head backwards. My eyes fall closed and I try to find some comfort in the space I’ve got in my alone time. In the middle of the ocean I don’t have any signal on my phone which means I can’t communicate with anyone at all. On the plus side, it means I don’t have to see how wonderful and fabulous everyone else’s life is, but on the negative side I feel far too cut off from the world for words. It sucks.

  And the other people on the cruise, none of them are like me. Most people are older, settled in life, happy to join in with the lame activities that the staff have to offer such as crafts and book clubs. None of them are young and alone, looking for someone to connect with…

  Well, hello!

  All of a sudden, as if I can feel the prickle of someone looking at me, and my eyes snap open. I prop myself up onto my elbows and I glance around. My long dark hair falls in front of my eyes which I blow to knock it out the way, to reveal… him.

  I don’t know who he is, but he looks just like the man I have been picturing in my fantasies over the last few days. He started on my last day of college and continued ever since. The blond haired, green eyes giant who could devour me in a heart beat. As I look at him my heart literally stops beating for a moment and a heat consumes me. He is everything!

  I glance back down as I feel my cheeks blush, but soon it’s as if a magnet it pulling my gaze back upright in an instant. As I look again, I realize that he isn’t quite like the man of my dreams, but close enough. He doesn’t appear to be covered in tattoos, and although I can’t see too much it seems that his eyes might be more blue than green but he’s close enough.

  Oh, my God.

  I don’t know what to do with myself. He shoots me a smile that lights up his whole face, but I don’t think I give it back. I don’t know what my face is doing actually, I feel all weird and tingly inside. It’s as if I’m having an electrical shock, it prickles and races all over me. I even have to sit up a little straighter because I’m trying to disguise the emotional turmoil that I’m currently experiencing.

  What do I do? I think frantically. What can I do?

  The sight of this man inspires me in a way that nothing has done for a very long time. I want to talk to him, I want to grab onto him to explore this magnetism further, I want to explore the fantasies that are now circling my mind at an even more rapid speed than before. I want my night of passion, damn it! But for some reason, my mojo is no more. I guess I lost my confidence a long time ago, probably at the same moment I found Liam kissing the blonde in the bar, and I haven’t recovered it. I just didn’t realize it until now.

  I need to go and speak to him, I don’t want this opportunity to pass me by. He’s got to be, by far, the most interesting person on this cruise and I need to utilize that before I lose my mind, but I don’t know where to begin.

  Just go and say hi! I try to convince myself. He smiled at me, he must at least see something in me, just go casually past him and say hello.

  Despite the fact that the idea of doing that fills me with an intense pit of dread, I ignore my labored breaths and I push my eyes upwards to see him again… but he’s gone. Ice cold upset consumes me and I feel like a damn idiot.

  Of course… he was just being friendly. Why would he be interested in me? I’m just… boring.

  The stark realization that I’ve becoming boring in my loneliness hits me hard. Maybe that’s why my friends didn’t care too much about leaving me behind. Over my final year of college, I got so wrapped up in ignoring the future that I became self centered and dull without even meaning to. That is something I need to change. I need to get out of this pit of misery and I need to start looking forward.

  Without much thinking about it, I grab my notebook back up again and I start scrawling. Inspiration hits me and I write, I use the feelings that I have just from seeing the mysterious fantasy man to start creating a story.

  ‘He’s there, standing in front of me, the man I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with. Or if not love, then lust. With his hot, muscular body nearing mine, my heart leaps and dances about in my chest. There’s a fire in the pit of my stomach, a burning that races all the way down to my center. If I don’t have him soon then I might just die.”

  Hmm… not too bad.

  I haven’t ever written anything steamy before, I guess I always assumed that was something that more confident writers did, but I don’t think I�
�ve done a terrible job. I’m sure it’ll need some work, I bet an editor would go crazy, but it’s something. It’s mine. I’ve started writing again and that’s all that matters to me.

  “Miss, would you like a drink?” one of the waiters asks me.

  He has a tray of delicious looking, fruity and undoubtedly very strong cocktails in front of me that make my mouth water. I really want a taste, but now that I’ve started writing I think it’s better to have a clear head. I shake my head and return my eyes back to the paper… but then it hits me. All writers drink, don’t they? The real ones anyway. That’s what I’ve heard at least. They need it to keep them going and to help the inspiration to flow… that’s what I want too.

  “Actually, do you know what…” I call out to the waiter calling him back. As he spins around I get a flash of a penguin because of his black and white uniform, which nearly makes me burst into laughter. “I think I will have one.” I bite down on my bottom lip and examine them all. “The pink one please.”

  As he hands it to me, an excitement bursts through me. I wrap my lips around the straw and suck back a huge sip, relishing the strawberry taste. It’s one of those cocktails that’s so well made I can’t taste the alcohol in it at all. But I know it’s there from the way that it makes my head spin.

  “Thank you very much.”

  He bows his head to me, which brings back the penguin memory. Honestly, it’s almost impossible not to chuckle at him. “You are very welcome, Miss.”

  “My man steps closer, closing the space between us. My heart beats faster and my mouth runs dry with desire and lust. As I can feel the intense heat emanating off of him I’m filled with the most intense electrical sensation in the whole world…”

  “Hello,” a voice bursts through my shock barrier, causing my eyes to tug away from the paper. It’s deep and chocolatey, melting me inside. “I saw you from across the deck a moment ago and I just knew that I had to speak to you.”

  Hot damn, it’s him!

  As I realize that it’s my dream man that I’m looking at, the one that I’ve just been writing about, I snap my notebook shut and swing my legs around to the ground. “Erm, hi.” I can feel my cheeks heating up, my body freaking out, I just know that I’m not acting in any way cool at all.

  Hold it together, I warn myself. Don’t blow it because of shyness. I need to get my groove back

  “Are you a guest on the cruise?”

  “Huh?” I don’t quite understand the question. “Erm, yes, yes I am.”

  He chuckles, the most adorable sound that I’ve ever heard in my life. “Ah I see, I work here you see.”

  “You do?” In all honesty I haven’t thought much about the staff here. I see them about the place, serving all the customers, but I never really look at them. I feel guilty, what sort of person doesn’t notice staff? Am I more like my mother than I first realized? Just another thing that I desperately need to change… “What do you do?”

  “I play music,” he says with a self-deprecating shrug. “I’ll be doing a show later on in the ballroom if you’re up for it?”

  I haven’t watched any of the entertainment, mostly because it all sounded really lame, but I’ll sure as hell go to see this gorgeous guy playing. “Yeah, I think I’ll be there, actually.”

  He smiles as if I’ve said something that he really likes and he extends out his hand to me. I take it, and as our skin brushes together I feel excitement coursing through my system. If he can make me feel this way with just a handshake, imagine how he will make me feel if he touches me everywhere…

  Oh God, I need to sort myself out.

  “I’m Stephen, by the way,” he says in a seductive tone of voice. As he smiles at me I spot the mischief in his eyes which draws me in deeper. I love that glint, it makes me think that of all the naughty things he seems to want to tell me. “Stephen Jones.”

  “Yeah, I’m Tia. Tia Daniels. Are you from New Zealand?”

  “I am actually.” He looks impressed. “Most people automatically think Australia.”

  Stephen, what an amazing name Stephen from New Zealand. It rolls off my tongue and thrills me. I definitely want to go and see his show, I feel a spark of magic within me. This might just be the night that I finally throw caution to the wind and I have some much needed fun.

  “I guess I’ll see you later, Tia,” he says while taking a step back from me. “I look forward to it.”

  “See you,” I whisper back while biting down on my bottom lip to try and contain my smile. “Can’t wait.”

  Chapter Four - Stephen

  As I stand backstage, I feel an unexpected flurry of nerves racing through my system. I don’t usually feel anything like this before I play a gig, especially one so small time and with a clientele that really isn’t me, but today is different. Today the gorgeous brunette from the deck earlier on has promised to come and watch me play and I want to be good for her.

  My heart beats a little faster as I think about her sexy, svelte body in that black, tight bikini she had on earlier. The way her dark hair spilled down her back and her brown eyes flashed when she got excited… damn, she’s hot. She makes this cruise so much less boring than it really is. I can’t wait to get to know her better.

  “…and now, we have a wonderful show for you, ladies and gentlemen.” I hear the host calling out to the audience, ready to announce me. “Stephen Jones, a musical genius all the way from New Zealand.”

  I breathe a little deeper, trying to compose myself, then I grab my guitar and I force my feet forwards. My heart races, my mouth runs dry with nerves, but I make myself smile brightly. I need to look confident, even if I don’t feel it. Acting the part allows everything else to fall into place.

  I push the curtains open and step into the blinding lights. They’re so bright and white I can hardly see out into the crowd, but I know they’re there. The cheering and clapping proves that to me.

  “Hello, everyone!” I yell while holding my hand above my head. “It’s great to be here tonight for Princess Cruises.” I pause for the excitably, drunk audience members to whoop. “Now, usually I would start with a big, wild number but I don’t know if that’s right for tonight.” I’ve been thinking about this all day long, I know my usual set pieces won’t work here. It just isn’t the same people as I get in dive bars. I can make it work though, what does it matter? “So, I’m going to start with a song I wrote called Midnight Blue.”

  I perch my butt on the chair and I start strumming the guitar. As I do my nerves subside. Music is my everything, it calms and relaxes me in a way that nothing else ever will. This is why I left New Zealand, because this is what I need to be doing with my life.

  “I walk through the midnight valley, thinking only of you…”

  My eyes scan the crowd as I sing. Now that I’ve adjusted to the lights a little I can see, but not her. Not yet. I feel disheartened. Was she not as into me as I thought? Did I imagine the chemistry between us?

  “…you’re the love of my life and losing you makes me blue…”

  It isn’t the most inspired words I’ve ever written, but it’s my first ever song and it holds a special place in my heart. Plus, despite how cheesy it is, it’s a crowd pleaser. Even in the worst of dive bars with the hardest audience members, they seem to love it so I know these people will.

  Oh my God.

  All of a sudden my heart stops in my chest as I spot her. Tia Daniels. She’s sitting in the back of the room on a table on her own, with her dark hair pulled back and a dark dress that clings on to her curves perfectly. She looks heart stoppingly beautiful, which inspires me to sing even better. I can feel my voice crooning in the best way possible.

  My lips curl up into a smile and she does too. We share a really nice moment which manages to blur out the other people in the room. I sing, only for her, and it feels incredible. I like this woman, there’s something about her that entices me in. I think I might like her more than the usual woman I hook up with. There’s something about her
that I’m actually interested in.

  Maybe the cruise will be the first day of me changing. Maybe, with time locked together on a boat where we can’t escape from one another I might actually give myself a chance to fall for someone.

  I never started this trip thinking I would fall for anyone, but it isn’t completely unrealistic anymore.

  As the song comes to an end, the cheers become almost deafening. Just as I suspected, everyone loves the slightly cheesier numbers, which I’ll stick to for the rest of the night. Who cares how I get my potential record label signing – if that ever happens for me – I need to get it somehow, and Mom is right. These rich people might have connections anywhere in the world.

  “I dedicate this next song to the beautiful brunette sitting in the back,” I say into the microphone, causing everyone around to look at Tia. She blushes brightly which only makes her look even more adorable. “I hope she’ll meet me later on at the bar for a drink once I’ve finished playing here.”

  Wolf whistling bursts out around the room which makes me chuckle. Maybe there was a big warning when I first got this job not to sleep with the guests, but that wasn’t serious, was it? I don’t think anyone really sticks to that. I can always pretend I said that as a joke anyway if it gets me in shit. Plus, there’s only a few more days on this cruise anyway. Even if I get kicked off, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

  There will always be other opportunities anyway. US is full of them. That’s why I came to America, that’s why I left everything behind.

  “Right, here it goes…”

  I strum happily, my smile growing brighter. This is going to be an awesome night, I just know it. I can’t wait to see where it leads.

  ***

  “Yes, okay, I know.” The manager will not stop going on about my little comment out there. I don’t want to be a dick but she’s really hashing my buzz. That was the best show that I’ve ever played and now I’m pretty sure that Tia is out there waiting for me, and I’m stuck in here being told that I cannot under any circumstances sleep with anyone who has paid to be on board. I get that, I understand what she’s saying to me, but in all honesty I have no intention of listening to her. “I won’t do anything silly, it was only a joke.”