She headed downstairs to meet Hannah, Maneet, Bonnie, Raq, Bathsheba, Finn, Luisa, Jordan, and Tatum in the Reverie for a drink. Since most of them would be seated at different tables during dinner, this informal gathering would be their final chance to chat before they went their separate ways tomorrow morning.
“There she is,” Raq said when Spencer walked into the bar. Raq beckoned her to join her and the rest of the group in the booth they had crowded into.
Spencer headed over to them and greeted everyone with a hug. The tight embrace Finn pulled her into was only slightly less crushing than the one Raq had doled out. “I don’t know whether to applaud you for being brave or yell at you for being stupid,” Finn said, “so I’ll just thank you for helping to keep my girl safe.”
“Hear, hear,” Bathsheba said as everyone raised their glasses of champagne in a toast. “You slayed it out there today, Spencer. Come through, diva.” She snapped her fingers for emphasis. “Come through.”
“I learned from the best.” Spencer liked being the object of praise rather than the subject of ridicule. She could get used to this. “I was just trying to keep up with the rest of you.”
“If you’re trying to keep up with me, you’ve got some catching up to do. You’re a few rounds behind.” Raq handed Spencer a glass of champagne. “You look good, dog.”
“Thanks. You guys do, too.”
Everyone was wearing an attractive suit or gorgeous dress. Jordan won the accessories battle, however, thanks to the diamond engagement ring sparkling on her finger.
Raq brushed her hands over the lapels of her charcoal gray suit. The beaded dress Bathsheba was wearing was nearly the same shade. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“This is the place where we met seven short days ago,” Hannah said.
“Before you dumped me for Maneet?” Spencer asked.
Maneet chuckled. “I’m willing to share.”
“That’s what she said.”
“Don’t look now,” Bonnie said, “but she might be changing her tune.”
Hannah kissed Maneet’s hand. “You’re never too old to learn.”
“Do you remember the offer you made me last week?” Spencer asked.
“At this point of the trip, she’s lucky if she remembers her own name,” Bonnie said. “You’d better refresh her memory.”
“You said if I was in the market for a new place to stay, I should look you up.”
Hannah’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you considering a change of scenery?”
“I think it’s time I took a look at what the West Coast has to offer.”
“Excellent. Give me a call whenever you’re ready to get the ball rolling. We can talk likes and dislikes and I’ll get to work on finding something in your preferred style that’s also within your budget.”
“I’m happy for you,” Maneet said.
“So am I.”
“Does your decision to change zip codes have anything to do with a certain cruise director?”
“No. Well, maybe a little, but it has more to do with me. I’m ready to try something new.”
Her brush with death that afternoon had given her a new appreciation for life. She had pledged to start living hers by her own rules instead of someone else’s.
“It’s been an honor to meet each and every one of you. Shall we do it again next year?”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Luisa said. “Without the gunplay next time.”
“I’m down for that,” Finn said.
Luisa leaned toward Finn and gave her a kiss. “I figured you might be.”
“Be sure to give us your new address so we’ll know where to send your wedding invitation,” Tatum said.
“That’s an event I wouldn’t miss for the world,” Spencer said.
“Unless you want me to hook you up with one of the bridesmaids,” Jordan said, “you’ll have to find your own date.”
“I think I might be able to help with that.”
Spencer turned at the sound of Amy’s voice. What she saw took her breath away. Amy was dressed in a black silk chiffon cocktail dress with a plunging neckline. The sheer cape attached to the back of the dress gently wafted behind her as she moved. Her high heels made her long legs look even longer. A string of pearls circled her neck, and her long blond hair was gathered into an elegant chignon. Spencer had never seen anyone so beautiful. She rose to her feet even though she felt like bowing before her.
“Would you like to have dinner with me?” Amy asked.
“I’d love to. Shall we?” Spencer offered her arm. When Amy placed her hand in the crook of her elbow, Spencer felt ten feet tall. She had the privilege of squiring the hottest girl in the room.
The rest of the group joined them in the elevator. When they disembarked on the promenade deck, Spencer tried to follow suit, but Amy wouldn’t let her.
“The main dining room is on this floor,” Spencer said.
Amy punched a button for one of the lower decks. “But my room’s not.”
Spencer felt like she had died and gone to heaven.
Maybe Pilar got me after all. She pinched herself to see if she could still feel it. Yep, still here.
“Are you okay?” Amy asked as the elevator began to descend.
“I can honestly say I’ve never been better.”
* * *
Amy unlocked her stateroom door and ushered Spencer inside. She had spent all afternoon decorating the room. She had felt like a passenger trying to win a prize for most creative door design, only on a larger scale. She didn’t have as much square footage to work with as Bobby and Gage did, but she had done her best to transform the drab, utilitarian room into a more welcoming environment. Even though the final result paled in comparison to the dramatic makeover Bobby and Gage had given the main dining room, she was proud of her efforts. And even prouder to be sharing this night with Spencer.
The last night of a cruise was always bittersweet. Reliving fond memories was fun, but saying good-bye to newfound friends was difficult. This time, though, she felt like laughing instead of crying. Not only had her team met all the goals they had set for themselves before the cruise began, she had also accomplished something she hadn’t expected. She had fallen for someone. Not just anyone. Spencer Collins. The most amazing woman she had ever met.
Since she was a passenger, Spencer was supposed to be off-limits. But Amy hadn’t been able to abide by the rules. Not this time. Her heart wouldn’t let her. Her bosses wouldn’t be happy that she had allowed herself to become emotionally involved with a client, to put it mildly. She would deal with the expected fallout when it came. At the moment, however, her job was the last thing on her mind. Spencer had taught her many things over the past week, the most important being there were more important things to life than work.
“Room service takes a while on most nights,” she said. “Tonight, the kitchen’s especially overwhelmed, so I took the liberty of ordering ahead.”
“How did you know I’d say yes?”
“I didn’t, but I’m glad you did. Otherwise, I’d have to eat all this food myself.”
Spencer examined the plates Amy had placed on a small candlelit table. She flashed a sly smile when she saw what Amy had chosen to serve for dessert. “Including the chocolate mousse?”
“Everything except for that.” When Spencer didn’t offer any comments on the main course, Amy began to worry Spencer might not like what was being served. Had she gotten something wrong? Had she been presumptuous? She chided herself for overthinking, then told herself to relax. Spencer wasn’t like anyone she had ever been with. She didn’t have to put on airs to impress her. She just had to be herself. “We have so many dining options I wasn’t quite sure what to order. I was tempted to order barbecue to give you a taste of home, but I figured whatever the ship’s chefs dished out couldn’t compete with any of your favorite restaurants.”
“Good call. When it comes to Southern barbecue, nothing beats a good hole-in-the-wall or a shack b
y the side of the road. If the food’s really good, I usually end up dribbling most of the sauce on my shirt. I could probably find a bib if I had to, but that isn’t the look I wanted to go for tonight.”
“The James Bond thing definitely works for you. You should stick with it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Is surf and turf okay by you?”
“Let’s see.” Spencer regarded the table. “Candles, bone-in rib eye, grilled lobster tails, charred lime wedges, cauliflower puree, and a bottle of seriously expensive red wine to wash everything down? I think I can manage. The setup is amazing, and the menu is even better.” She fingered the linen tablecloth Amy had borrowed for the night. “I do have one question for you, though.”
“What might that be?”
“In case I haven’t told you, you look amazing.” Spencer twirled Amy in a slow circle like they were on a spacious dance floor rather than a cramped stateroom. “There are thousands of women on this ship who would love to catch even a fleeting glimpse of you in that outfit. Why am I the only one being treated to such an incredible view?”
“I’ve spent far too much time this week worrying about what everyone else thinks.” Spencer looked so handsome in her tuxedo she was like a dream come true. Amy moved closer to her to make sure she was real. She rested her hands on Spencer’s chest and looked deep into her eyes. “Tonight, the only opinion I care about is yours.”
“What about the farewell dinner? Everyone’s been talking about it for days. Isn’t it supposed to be one of the highlights of the week?”
The farewell dinner, like the white party earlier in the week, were signature events on each trip. Amy had hoped to make her mark on both—until she had decided to take a chance on something long-term rather than temporary.
“The highlight of my week has been watching you come into your own. You seemed lost when you boarded the ship last week. When I looked into your eyes that first day, I was struck by what I saw: uncertainty and fear.”
“What do you see when you look into my eyes now?”
Amy ran her palms over the lapels on Spencer’s jacket. She could feel strength radiating from Spencer. Not just physical. Mental, too. She admired the courage Spencer had exhibited in pushing past the emotional roadblocks that had held her back for so long. “I see determination. Assurance. Fearlessness.”
Spencer slipped her arms around Amy’s waist. “Is that all you see?”
“No.” Spencer’s eyes burned with desire. Amy hoped Spencer saw the same emotion reflected in her eyes. She wanted Spencer. Here. Now. Forever. And she wanted her to know it. “A few days ago, you asked me not to kiss you again unless I meant it.”
“I remember.”
Amy leaned forward and captured Spencer’s lips in a kiss. The previous kiss they had shared had felt wrong on some level because it hadn’t been real. This one was as real as it got.
“Are you sure you want to repeat past mistakes?” Spencer asked when they finally came up for air.
“I used a poor choice of words when I tried to explain my actions that day. When I tried to convince myself I could ignore my feelings for you.” Amy caressed her cheek. “The only mistake I made was trying to deny how deeply I’ve come to care for you. When I think about what could have happened to you today—”
Spencer silenced her with another kiss. “This afternoon is already over and done with. I’m through allowing the past to prevent me from having a future. If you can stop focusing on the future long enough to enjoy the present, maybe we can meet in the middle.”
“I’m not thinking about the next trip, the one after that, or the one after that. Tonight, all I want to think about—all I can think about—is you. The rest of the staff can manage without me for a few hours. Will your friends be able to survive without you?”
Spencer grinned. “They’re big girls. I think they’ll be fine. Allow me.” She pulled Amy’s chair out for her, took the seat opposite her, and filled their glasses with wine. “I know this isn’t the dinner party you originally intended to host tonight, but I must admit I like the change in plans. What should we drink to?”
Amy thought for a moment. Tonight didn’t feel like the end of a trip. It felt like the start of a much different journey. “How about new beginnings?”
“To new beginnings. Speaking of which, I’m going to need your help with mine.”
Amy listened as Spencer talked excitedly about picking up stakes and moving to the West Coast.
“Are you planning to move to Seattle to be closer to your job?” Amy pushed her empty plate away from her. The conversation had flowed so freely during dinner that the delicious main course had seemed more like an appetizer of things to come.
“It will be nice to be in the same time zone as the rest of my team for a change. I haven’t decided which city I’ll settle in, though. Seattle’s beautiful, but it’s cold and rainy most of the year. I’m a Georgia girl. I don’t know if I can acclimate to such a drastic change in conditions.”
“For what it’s worth, the weather in southern California is gorgeous year-round.” Amy felt like an unpaid spokesperson for the state tourism board.
“So I’ve heard. I’ll make a deal with you,” Spencer said as she refilled their glasses. “I’ll show you around my neck of the woods if you do the same for me in yours.”
“You’ve got a deal.” They sealed their pact with a toast rather than a handshake. Amy cleared the dinner plates from the table and set a glass filled with whipped cream-topped chocolate mousse in the center. “Earlier this week, I promised I would spend the last night of the trip gorging on chocolate if you agreed to have dinner with me every night.”
“Our dinner plans were broken a time or two, so I don’t expect you to stick to the bargain we made.”
“No, I insist. It was my idea, after all. I may have amended the terms a bit, but I never make a promise I don’t intend to keep.” Amy dipped her spoon into the sumptuous dessert. The mousse was rich, creamy, and surprisingly good. “What do you think?” she asked after she offered Spencer a sample.
Spencer licked her lips as she set her spoon down. “That the mousse is only the second sweetest thing I’ve tasted tonight.”
“I aim to please.”
“So do I. Right now, I’m making you a promise: I’m going to spend the rest of the night making love to you.”
“Do you always keep your promises?”
Spencer held out her hand. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Much to Amy’s delight, Spencer proved to be a woman of her word. Spencer was a gentle and attentive lover. She also didn’t lack for enthusiasm. Their lovemaking wasn’t a rush to the finish line, however. They took their time. Exploring each other’s bodies. Discovering what gave the other pleasure. Then doing it all over again.
Amy felt like they were on another excursion. Slow, unhurried, and filled with new kinds of adventure. She couldn’t wait to see what their next destination would be.
“I don’t know about you,” she said as she lay in Spencer’s arms later, “but I could use a vacation.”
“How does a trip to the south of France sound?”
“Like music to my ears.”
“Good.” Spencer slowly ran her hand along the length of Amy’s bare back. Amy thrilled at her touch. “Now let’s make a little more.”
Amy’s breath caught as Spencer kissed her way down her body. She closed her eyes when Spencer’s mouth found her center.
“If this is your idea of a pleasure cruise, sign me up.”
Anchors Aweigh
Spencer couldn’t believe how much her life had changed. A year ago, she was a single loner with practically no friends. Now she was in a relationship and had been embraced by a band of women she could always count on to be there for her no matter what.
With Hannah’s help, she was able to find a cool condo in West Hollywood that was in her price range. The spacious apartment was much too big for one person, but it was a co
zy fit for two. She and Amy had been living together for almost seven months. Spencer wasn’t planning to pop the question on this trip as Tatum had on the way to Nassau last year, but she was on the lookout for the perfect ring. Something elegant and understated. Just like Amy.
Amy had feared SOS Tours would fire her when she informed the members of senior management that she and Spencer were an item. Instead, they had given her their unconditional support, along with a promotion and a substantial raise.
“Maybe I should fall in love on every trip,” Amy had said when she told Spencer the good news.
“You can, but only if it’s with me.”
Spencer held Amy’s hand as they walked along Las Ramblas, the tree-lined pedestrian mall in central Barcelona that was popular with tourists and locals alike. Cafés and souvenir kiosks lined both sides of the nearly mile-long thoroughfare, which was composed of a series of shorter streets, each with its own set of attractions. One street featured a former monastery, one an arts center, and another a large open-air flower market.
Spencer reveled in the various sights and sounds. A year ago, she would have found the barrage of stimuli overwhelming. Now she couldn’t get enough.
She and Amy had flown to Europe to board the long-awaited riverboat cruise from Montpellier to Monaco that Spencer had won the year before. The two-day trip to Barcelona was part of the vacation stretcher they had purchased to make the good times last even longer. Hannah, Maneet, Bathsheba, Raq, Jordan, Tatum, Luisa, and Finn had done the same. They were meeting for tapas later and had all purchased tickets on the same train from Barcelona to Montpellier tomorrow afternoon.
Spencer couldn’t wait to see everyone again. She talked to each of them often, and she and Raq played video games against each other several times a week, but conversations held via FaceTime, Skype, or PlayStation weren’t as satisfying as they were in person. Some women’s personalities were too large to be contained by a small screen.
Pleasure Cruise Page 21
