Dreamboat (23 page)

A gasp escaped her lips when he withdrew, and she frowned in disappointment as he turned his head away. She had hoped for a repeat performance, but he apparently wasn't interested. He didn't like a lot of foreplay, she thought, and he certainly didn't indulge her in sweet nothings afterward like some men did. In fact, he didn't seem to want to touch her when it was over. And he was so silent, as if he were a million miles away. Jenny had no lack of confidence in her appearance, and thought her body was as near perfect as that of any woman she knew. Her face was strikingly beautiful. Hadn't everyone told her so? What's more, she had brains and was decently educated. She wasn't a bimbo. So why did he act like she was a stranger when it was over? The problem, she decided, if there was a problem, had to be with him. Maybe it was because he was filthy rich and came from an important family.
So what?
she thought. She had money, and her family, while not rich and socially prominent like his, was well-off enough.

His silence became unbearable, and she placed a hand on his back and began gently stroking him. “You're one hell of a stud,” she said, hoping to get a reaction out of him.

“Get dressed and go,” Mark said without turning to face her. “I want to be by myself now.”

“What?” she began.

“Just go,” he snapped from between clenched teeth.

Jenny wanted to ball up her fist and sock him, but she resisted the impulse, sliding out of bed and quietly getting dressed. When she was finished, she picked up her purse and regarded him on the bed. “I'm leaving,” she said.

He rolled over, got out of bed, and went to the door. “See you later,” he said, his handsome features in a superior smirk.

“I hope so,” she said, raising her hand and waggling fingertips at him. “Bye.”

“Ciao.” He opened the door, and she went out.

Jenny heard it shut behind her as she went down the corridor in a state of utter confusion. What was with the weirdo anyway? she wondered. After she'd seen him with Crissy, she'd followed them to their cabin last night, then she'd followed him back to his. She'd acted quickly before he opened the door to his cabin, dropping an earring to the carpet and
exclaiming that she'd lost one. He'd immediately come to her aid and found the earring at once. He'd also responded with alacrity when she'd brushed her nearly naked breasts against him and told him she would like to buy him a drink as a way of thanking him. He'd invited her into his cabin instead, and although they'd never had the drink, they'd had sex virtually all night, sleeping, then waking and screwing, then sleeping again.

She'd expected the same again tonight, and was not only disappointed but angry.
It's Crissy,
she thought.
Miss Goody Two-shoes probably told him something about me while they were having their damn dinner tonight. The bitch.

She wasn't ready for bed yet, and didn't want to go back to the cabin.
Maybe there's a live one in the disco,
she thought.
If nothing else, I can count on Manolo for a good lay.
She stopped in a restroom outside the disco, refreshed her makeup and ran her hands through her blond mane to tousle it even more than it already was.
Bed head,
she thought, looking at herself in the mirror.
They can't resist it.

Spread out as if at a picnic beneath the ship's huge funnel, Luca held a protective arm around Crissy's shoulders, his lips brushing her face tenderly. They had propped themselves against the base of the funnel after making love and had been stargazing, Luca pointing out the constellations that were visible between the clouds in the sky.

“After we head toward Cape Verde,” he said, “the skies will probably be a lot clearer, and I can show you more. I'm afraid we're going to have some dicey weather between here and there.”

“It's amazing what you know about the stars,” Crissy said. “I couldn't point out anything but the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper, and anybody could do that.”

“Not anybody,” he said, pushing her hair away from her face and kissing her ear. “It's easy when you're at sea, because there aren't any city lights or pollution to interfere.”

“But you have to know what you're looking for,” she said.

“That's why I always had a celestial map from the time I was a kid,” he replied, “and a telescope.” He kissed her again. “Are you comfortable enough?”

Crissy nodded. “Hmmm,” she murmured, then looked at him. “I feel like I'm in heaven, Luca,” she said. “Metal never felt so good.”

They both laughed quietly in the darkness. “I would like to take you
to my cabin,” he said. “You know that. But like I said before, I don't want to expose you to ridicule on the ship. Wilma, the manicurist who runs the spa, well, she keeps an eye on the crew quarters, too.”

“She does?” Crissy said. “How odd.”

“I think she sleeps with her eyes and ears open,” Luca said, “always looking and listening for trouble. She goes straight to the captain with any information that she thinks he should know, and, believe me, if I was entertaining a lady in my quarters he would know right away.”

“Would he get upset?” she asked.

“I'm not really sure,” Luca replied, “because I've never done it. I know he doesn't pay any attention to the affairs that develop between crew members. There's no way that could be controlled. It's like musical beds down there. But when it's between a crew member and a passenger, that's different. It brings up liability issues for the shipping company.”

“I never thought about that,” Crissy said.

He nodded. “A lady could claim rape,” Luca said. “All kinds of things like that.”

“I wonder if he knew about Manolo and Jenny,” she said.

“He almost certainly did and put a stop to it,” Luca said, “because I know that Wilma knew about it, and everybody was talking about it. Did she say anything to you?”

“No,” Crissy said, “but I've hardly seen her. She comes and goes at odd hours to change clothes, so I think she must be seeing somebody. She dances all the time with Dr. Von Meckling, which amazes me.”

He debated about telling her what Jenny had done—the way she had thrown herself at him—and decided that he didn't want to do anything to spoil the friendship that Crissy had with Jenny. Jenny had probably all but forgotten the incident anyway, he reasoned, and what she'd done was certainly nothing new for him.

He ran a finger down the side of her face, then brushed his lips across the spot. “Let's not waste our time talking about that,” he said, giving her a hug. “I feel so . . . so relieved about you and Mark Vilos. It really had me worried—and angry.”

She touched his lips with her fingertips. “You don't have anything to worry about,” she said. “I told you that. He was a perfect gentleman, and I think the only reason he danced with me or asked me to dinner was because he's so lonely.”

“Ha,” Luca grunted. “Don't count on it. I hear he's trouble. Big trouble.”

“What does that mean?” she asked with a little laugh. She thought he was simply jealous and overreacting.

“Trouble with women,” he said. “There've been rumors in the past, but it's hard to know what's true. Everybody tiptoes around. The captain is adamant about leaving Mark Vilos alone and won't even hear a complaint about him.”

“I guess he could get away with murder,” Crissy said, “being the owner's son.”

Luca nodded. “Exactly.” He hugged her again. “I'm so glad you're here with me. I was really getting desperate. He's so rich, and the women think he's so good-looking. I thought maybe you'd fallen for him.”

She touched his lips with her fingertips again. “Shh,” she said. “Let's not waste our time talking about him either. He's not an issue anymore. It's just us.” She paused. “And the stars.”

“I can't believe my luck. I must be the luckiest man alive.” His lips closed over hers, and he kissed her with passion.

“And I'm the luckiest woman alive,” Crissy said.

They began kissing again, unable to restrain their hunger for each other. They had already dressed after making love, but one of his hands fondled her breasts through her dress. Crissy felt herself becoming aroused again, and Luca began moaning with lust.

Finally, neither of them could bear it any longer, and he quickly freed himself from his trousers and entered her, slowly and gently. Clutching each other as if they never wanted to part, they began to move together rhythmically, quietly whispering and gasping, until they climaxed together, their excitement heightened by the necessity to restrain their joy. When it was over, they clung to each other, breathing heavily, Luca brushing his lips across her face and neck with tenderness, gently licking her.

Crissy sighed ecstatically. “We don't need a bed, Luca. We have the perfect place under the stars. I can't imagine anything more perfect.”

“Maybe you'll be able to soon,” he whispered.

“How's that?” she asked.

“Tomorrow we have all day at sea. Two days later, the same,” he replied, still brushing her face with his lips. “I think you'll have to make appointments with the doctor.”

Crissy laughed quietly. “Do you mean that?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but I've never done it. Even if I have to work overtime so that nothing
interferes with my seeing other patients, you can call to schedule appointments on those days. Starting tomorrow.”

“That's brilliant,” she said, “but what will I tell the nurse?”

“Tell her it's your stomach,” he said. “You don't have to be more specific.”

“Will it be safe in the office?”

“Yes,” he said. “We'll have to be quiet as usual, unless there's nobody else around. Maybe you'll have to be scheduled at the end of the day.”

“I can hardly wait,” she said.

“Neither can I, but until then we have our special place here.”

She hugged him. “And it is very special, Luca.”

“The most special place in all the world,” he replied.

Crissy slid her key card in the slot on the door and opened it when the green light appeared. Jenny wasn't in the cabin, and she took her time getting ready for bed, showering, moisturizing, and putting on her big T-shirt, planning to sleep in. She was still excited but felt sated, fulfilled, and at peace. Nothing in the world could separate Luca and her, she thought. Nothing in the world. What they had together was indestructible. True and beautiful. She felt invincible.

The telephone bleeped, and she stood for a moment, staring at it.
Who on earth?
she wondered. Then she smiled.
It's Luca, calling to tell me good night.

She picked up the receiver. “Hello.”

No one spoke, but she could clearly hear breathing.

“Hello?” she repeated.

There was still no response but the unmistakable sound of breathing.

“Hello?” she said again, angrily.

The breathing continued, and Crissy slammed the receiver down. “Who the hell?”

She sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the telephone as if it held the answer. Maybe it was an accident, she thought. The wrong number. Or somebody playing a joke. Well, it sure wasn't funny. Not one little bit. Or, she told herself, it could be . . . Mark. Maybe he was upset that she hadn't come back for a nightcap with him. The more she thought about it, the more certain she was that the telephone call had been from Mark. But a long time had elapsed since she'd left the disco, she reminded herself. If it was Mark, why did he wait until now to call?

She felt a chill run up her spine and wrapped her arms around herself. The call had come soon after she came back to the cabin. As if someone knew when she would be there. But, she reminded herself, she had showered off, so whoever it was had given her a few minutes. The message light hadn't been blinking when she came in, but then no one making a call like that would leave a message, would he?

“Oh, damn,” she cursed.
I'm working myself up into a frenzy over . . .over . . . nothing. It's probably some kid playing a joke.
Her mind began to whirl with questions but no answers. She stood up and paced the cabin, wondering about the wisdom of reporting the call.
But to whom? And what should I say?
They would probably laugh and think she was just a hysterical woman. Or worse, that she was a big tease and had come on to some man in the disco and was getting what she deserved.

She sat back down on the bed, trying to quiet her mind.
It's no big deal
, she told herself,
and certainly nothing to worry about. I'm on a ship with more than seven hundred other people, including security men and Luca. Nothing will happen to me as long as he's nearby.

The man flipped his cell phone closed and smiled with satisfaction. Old Man Vilos was shaking in his boots. As bad a case of the jitters as he'd seen in a long time. He blurted a laugh. Seeing the rich and powerful down on their knees gave him great pleasure. Especially when it was an egomaniac like Georgios Vilos. He'd thought he had the world by the balls, but he'd found out it was the other way around, hadn't he?

Suddenly the old fool was worried about Sonny Boy. What a joke! Why didn't he think about the arrogant bastard beforehand? The kid wasn't answering his cell phone. Tough shit! Serves him right.

His lips spread in a thin, evil smile. When he told Vilos about the sluts coming and going from his son's fancy suite, the old man was practically apoplectic. Worried about the plastic explosives being safe with tramps going in to service Sonny Boy. Worried they might be taking drugs and get it into their stupid, fucked-up heads to see what was in the trunk.

Jesus! The old man was really getting paranoid. Why would some bimbo give a damn what the kid had packed? Might try to rip off the stud boy, Daddy said. Or even take a look for sexual aids, the old goat thought. The man blurted another laugh. What century was Vilos living in, anyway?