by Nic Tatano
It’s Tyler first cruise and he loves the flexibility of participating in the shipboard activities or just loafing. Sam is having a blast and really excited about his first trip to Europe and I know he’s beaming because his new wife does nothing but turn heads on the ship when she goes to the pool. He wanted her to enter the bikini contest but she would hear nothing of it. Turned out there was a write-in vote for her anyway and she took home the trophy.
Right now I’m getting ready to tie up one final loose end which has been bothering me for months. No, it has nothing to do with the puzzle on he-who-must-not-be-named. Until last week I still hadn’t come up with a nickname for Tyler’s alter ego superhero. But thankfully it finally hit me and I have an appropriate present to give him in a minute, just in time for the ship’s costume party tonight.
He enters the cabin, carrying a single sheet of paper. “I got the list of costumes they have available for tonight’s party.”
“Oh, I packed costumes for us.”
“You did?”
“Yeah.” I reach under the bed and pull out a gift wrapped box. “One final wedding present.” I pat the bed next to me. “C’mon, open it.”
He sits down and starts unwrapping the gift. “I hope you aren’t making me dress up like a Chippendale again.”
“Nope, that was just for my eyes only and will never leave our bedroom. Besides, I don’t have any dollar bills.”
He tosses the paper aside and opens the box, then smiles. “Superhero uniform.”
“You’re a real life superhero, you’re my hero, so why not? Besides, I’ve been promising you that I’d come up with a name for your alter ego.”
He pulls out a blue cape, tights and shirt, then holds them up. “Very nice. So what’s my superhero name?”
I point at the logo on the shirt. “See the wings and halo? You’re The Guardian. Y’know, like guardian angel. Since you’ve been protecting me and watching over me since we met.”
“I like it, thank you.” He leans over and gives me a kiss. “So what are you wearing?”
“Ah, that’s a surprise. You’re going to the party with Sam and then Ripley and I will follow a few minutes later.”
“So you guys wanna make an entrance.”
“The surprise will be a lot better that way, trust me.”
“Original Star Trek uniform?”
“Nope.”
“Hooters waitress?”
“No, but I’ll file that request away for future reference.”
“French maid?”
“You seem to have one thing on your mind, leg man. But trust me, you’ll like it.”
***
Ripley turns to face me. “How do we look?”
“You look spectacular. Me, I’m not so sure. I think I’m a little old for this.”
“Pffft. Don’t be ridiculous. It’s a costume party. You supposed to let your hair down and we’re the best looking things here. Tyler will trip over his tongue when he sees you in that.”
“Okay. If you say so.”
“Let’s rock.”
We turn the corner, head into the crowded ballroom and wander through the crowd, looking for our guys. We pass a lot of tame costumes, no doubt the ones handed out by the cruise ship, many of which are not age appropriate. (Sixty year old woman dressed like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.) But as usual, Ripley is right. The crowd parts like the Red Sea as we walk through it and get plenty of stares.
“Everyone’s looking at us,” I say.
“As previously mentioned, we’re the best looking women on the ship.” Ripley stops and points across the room. “They’re at a table in the corner.”
I see Sam and Tyler, deep in a conversation. They don’t notice us until we arrive at the table, then both their jaws drop.
Sam’s eyes bug out. “Oh. My. God.”
“You weren’t kidding,” says Tyler, staring at my legs. “Unbelievable. As advertised. Better than advertised.”
Sam is gawking at Ripley. “Rah. Rah.”
“I’m thinking we get them both sewing machines for Christmas,” says Tyler.
“Just remember,” says Ripley, “you two married a couple of thirty-five year old hags who both easily fit into their high school cheerleader uniforms.”
“And didn’t need a pair of Spanx to do it.” We both shake our pompoms.
“The yearbook photo doesn’t do you justice,” says Tyler. “And you two actually look better now.”
“Of course we do,” I say. “When you’re married to the two best guys on the planet, you’re gonna glow.”
***
“I always wanted to date a cheerleader,” says Tyler, as he wraps one arm around my waist. We look out at the waves from our balcony as the pure salt air fills my lungs.
“Well, now you’ve got one on retainer any time you want,” I say, pulling him close. “You sure you want me to keep this outfit on?”
“Are you kidding? Talk about a fantasy come true. That costume gave me an idea… I think I have a new nickname for you.”
“Really? What?”
“Legs.”
“I like T.G. better.”
“Okay. By the way, back in high school were you the head cheerleader?”
“No. That title went to the girl with the dirty knees.”
“Very funny.”
“The fantasy come true for me is marrying a superhero. I’m in love with The Guardian.”
“I love you too, Cassidy.”
“God, I love it when you say my real name. But keep it for special occasions. It makes me melt when I hear it. Like it did at the altar the first time you said it to me. I almost lost it when you were reading the vows.”
He looks up at me and gently strokes my hair. “This is like that night in the hospital when you got in bed with me.”
“Huh?”
“You know, when you were on the cot and the moonlight hit you just right.”
The memory brings a lump to my throat. “You said I looked like an angel. That almost made me cry.”
He points at the full moon. “But the moonlight here is brighter without all the light pollution from the city. You look even more angelic.”
“Well, I guess The Guardian needs his own angel. Speaking of light, remember how you once told me a political wife spends her time in the shadows?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re my sunlight, Tyler.” Our fingers entwine as we look out at the passing waves and another cruise ship far in the distance. The moon is low on the horizon, reflecting off the water. “You wanna hear something funny?”
“What?”
“This probably won’t make sense to you, but I have a crush on my new husband.”
“You’re right, it doesn’t make sense. You already have me. You’ve got it backwards.”
“I know that, but it’s the same feeling. You know how you feel when you want someone and they’re unattainable? I have that feeling of longing combined with the comfort that I’ve gotten my wish. It’s hard to describe. Sometimes I look across the room at you, or at the pool when you go to get drinks for us, and I desperately want you. And then it’s pure joy knowing you’re mine.”
“I did enough longing during the campaign. Now I stick with the pure joy twenty-four seven.”
We kiss, then I take his hand and lead him back into the cabin.
Knowing he’s mine.
He gets into bed and I slide in next to him, wrap my arms around him, throw one leg over his waist, bend it and curl it around his knees. I hug him tight as I rest my head on his chest.
He puts one arm around my shoulder and strokes my hair with his free hand. “You’re holding on pretty tight tonight.”
“The cheerleader with a crush has captured her superhero and doesn’t want to lose him.” I give him a squeeze. “You can’t get away, so don’t even try.”
“You know damn well you’re my Kryptonite and I’m powerless against you. Besides, why would I want to get away?”
I turn my
head and look up at him. “Because you’re one of those guys.”
“What guys?”
“You know. Those guys. The total package. Smart and funny and sweet and smoking cute with a big heart. Incredibly brave. A hero. A dream guy. One of those guys who can have any girl he wants.”
“And the only girl I want is you.”
I squeeze him a little tighter. “That’s because I’m a growing girl.”
He furrows his brow. “You think I want you because you eat a lot?”
“Silly, of course not. I meant I’m growing emotionally. Took me awhile but I finally discovered what love is. In fact…” I reach for the nightstand and grab my cell. “I wanna tell the whole world.”
“You’re tweeting now?”
“Hey, it’ll only take a minute, and Twitter Girl has some wisdom to impart on her adoring public.” I quickly type a tweet, then turn the phone so Tyler can see it. “You like?”
@TwitterGirl
Love is not about finding someone you can live with, but someone you can’t live without. I found my someone.
Also by Nic Tatano…
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Also by Nic Tatano…
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Nic Tatano
I've always been a writer of some sort, having spent my career working as a reporter, anchor or producer in television news. Fiction is a lot more fun, since you don't have to deal with those pesky things known as facts.
I spent fifteen years as a television news reporter and anchor. My work has taken me from the floors of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions to Ground Zero in New York to Jay Leno's backyard. My stories have been seen on NBC, ABC and CNN. I still work as a freelance network field producer for FOX, NBC, CBS and ABC.
I grew up in the New York City metropolitan area and now live on the Gulf Coast where I will never shovel snow again. I'm happily married to a math teacher and we share our wonderful home with our tortoiseshell tabby cat, Gypsy.
Follow me on Twitter @NicTatano.
About HarperImpulse
HarperImpulse is an exciting new range of romance fiction brought to you from the women’s fiction team at HarperCollins. Our aim is to break new talent from debut authors and import the hottest trends from the US, bringing you the very best in romance. Whether that is through short reads for your mobile phone or epic sagas that span the generations we want to proudly publish romance fiction that gets everybody talking.
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