Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 18256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 91(@200wpm)___ 73(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 91(@200wpm)___ 73(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
“Sorry. I can’t help myself. To imagine that happening to me feels excruciating.”
“I’d never do that to you. It makes me sick in every way possible. If he didn’t love her, he should have left a long time before he started sleeping with everything that walked. After all, it wasn’t because of me that he stuck around.”
“I can tell it makes you mad. I’m sorry that your father wasn’t the man you wanted him to be.”
“My mother gave her life to that man only for him to run to younger women. It takes a real piece of shit to do that. The two women I knew he had affairs, the girls’ mother and his widow, were younger than me at the time.” I shake my head in frustration. It was her turn to squeeze my hand.
She takes a drink of her wine and then asks, “Did your mother take him to the cleaners at least?”
“Sort of. She got a lot of his money, but she settled for a fair price and the house they shared.”
“It’s better than nothing.” We continue to eat and speak, but I feel it’s getting way too heavy. We should be enjoying this nice meal with smiles and happy talk, but also I want her to know I’m not that guy.
I take a bite of my roast and wait to speak until I’m finished. “Yeah, I suppose so. She’s still dealing with it all. It’s kind of why I can’t wait to get this off my hands. It’s a reminder of the life he wanted away from our home.”
“I’m sorry. So why were you on the ship? An inspection or something?”
“I had a potential buyer. He had to run and so after a brief talk with my cruise director, I ran off the ship only to collide with you.”
“So if you hadn’t stopped to talk we would have missed each other.”
The realization hits both of us. A matter of a few seconds difference, and we’d never have met. “Yep, I think I owe him a bonus or something.”
“I think your chef deserves a bonus as well. This food is incredible.”
We continue to eat in comfortable silence, but I’m full, so I set down my silverware and napkin. Although watching her eat makes me want some dessert. “It is.”
“So how long is it until we arrive at the first island?” Nervousness sets in her eyes as if she can sense how much I crave her mouth and much more.
“About two more hours. I’ll be getting off, and I’m hoping you will too.”
She looks up at me with a smile on her delicate face. “I’d like to tour the island.”
“Gia, I don’t mean just a tour. I’m going to stay for a day or two then head back home.”
“Oh. I don’t have extra money to just toss my vacation aside.”
“Don’t worry about a dime. I’m not going to let you pay for a damn thing anyway.”
“You know…”
“What? I want you to spend time with me. I know that if I leave you alone, the hundred other men on the cruise will be beating down your door. I’m too jealous for that. I’ll take you on a trip if it means I get your time.”
“Even if we don’t sleep together?”
“I’m not going to lie. I want you naked and filled to the brim with my cock, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to rush you. If you want to wait, I will. I want to know you as much as I want to fuck you. I knew from the second I met you that you’re the one for me. It’s not a fling. I’m going to marry you one day and fill your belly with as many babies as possible.”
“Um…” She blushes, and it turns me on so damn much. Gia looks so innocent.
“I know it’s a little off-putting, but I’m letting you know where I stand. I don’t care if it takes a while to get you to see it my way, but I won’t give up.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t feel the same way, but it’s a lot of commitment for us being strangers. Marriage and babies,” she sighs with desire. Fuck me, I bet if I sat her on my lap and dipped my hand into her panties, she’d be soaked.
“We’re not strangers anymore.” I push my chair back and stand up, walking around to her side of the table with my hand out for hers. “Since you’re feeling a little unnerved, how about we take a walk on the deck and get to know each other more?”
“Sure. I like that idea.” I take her hand and lead her to the door.
“First, I need a kiss. It’s been almost an hour since I have had a taste of your sinfully delicious mouth.” I crush my lips to hers, kissing her the way I’ve craved during our entire meal. After both of us are breathless, we pull our mouths apart, and I drop my forehead on hers, panting harshly, “Damn, I can kiss you all day.”