Against the Tide: High Seas Weddings Page 9
It was still red, and she’d likely have a bruise the following day. “I think you’ll live.”
“Good to know. Next time I have to plan something like this, I’ll be sure to get enough people to keep things in check. I really thought being on a ship would be different to a celebrity city wedding, but it’s just as bad.” She snorted. “In different ways.”
“Hopefully we’ll both understand what we need for the future.” His thumb lightly caressed the bruise before he pulled her to him. She had to know how this would end.
Her eyes widened. “Do you think it’s possible to understand, let alone believe it will be okay?”
She was looking at him in a way that he was powerless to resist.
“Right now, I don’t care. Do you?”
In answer, her hips moved to the slow and sensual music. She stood on tiptoe so that when he pressed her to him, her breasts pushed against his chest. He held both her hands against him and they began to sway. The friction was building, and he was already hard against her.
A slight breeze pushed her hair from her face as she looked up at him. He didn’t need words from her, and he had none to give as his lips found their way to hers like they were coming home. Her mouth opened and he slid his tongue between her lips. The kiss ignited the fire further, and it felt like he’d never get enough of her.
Then they both heard the unwelcome sound of someone coming up the stairs. Reluctantly, he let her go, but not before he whispered into her ear, “Will you come to my cabin after we dock?”
Keira looked from Aiden to the man who was approaching and back again, then ducked her head and moved past him.
“I can’t,” she whispered.
Then she was gone, back to where she thought she was supposed to be. Aiden had said too much, too soon, and frightened her off. Now she'd probably avoid him for the rest of the night.
Which was exactly right. The next time he saw Keira, she was ushering the bride and groom up to the room to get changed out of their zany outfits of king and queen before they headed to the airport and their European honeymoon.
The bride stopped on the first step and turned to Keira, grinning happily. “Thank you for such a fabulous day. I wasn’t expecting it to be this much fun.”
The groom was still on the deck, and he put his hand on hers where it rested on the rail. “It really was. I think we’re going to have loads more fun in the future too.”
The bride’s eyes shone. “I want that.” Then she leaned down and kissed him.
Keira sighed happily as they went to their room.
“I guess they’ve had a change of heart,” he said.
She spun around with a finger to her lips. “Shush! They might hear you.”
“I think they’re beyond hearing at this moment. The wedding must’ve been the catalyst.”
She shook her head. “One night can’t make everything right or wrong in a relationship, or magically fix it.”
“I beg to differ. One night can make all the difference.”
“Stop it, Aiden. We both know you aren’t ready for a proper relationship.”
“So we shouldn’t try?”
“No.”
Her mouth trembled, and he backed away. He didn’t want to hurt her, which was a possibility, and he didn’t want to make things more awkward than they already were. “Okay. Your call.”
Returning to the wheelhouse, he brought Majestic home, and it wasn’t until she was tied up once more that he walked down to the gangway in time to see the last of the guests depart. Ryan was there with Keira’s bag, and she followed the final group down, heading to her car.
As she climbed in, she turned to face him. He couldn’t see her expression, but it felt like she was saying the last goodbye.
There was one more wedding cruise booked with her that season, but maybe she’d decided to hand it off to one of her coworkers so she wouldn’t have to see him again.
Chapter Eleven
Keira had driven home slowly, wondering how she was going to deal with another wedding and seeing Aiden again. The thing they had for each other was tearing away her inhibitions, and she had never wanted anything as much as she’d wanted to spend the night with him.
Having been in survival mode for months, it took her way out of comfort zone, and she spent most of the next week fighting herself between wanting to call him or running as fast as she could from Sunrise Beach.
One positive thing to come from all of this was that Margaret and Jane had been a little less nasty once they saw another large payment in the bank, including a nice bonus, realizing her achievements weren’t down to luck. They’d gone through her files to see what magic formula she’d used, but they couldn’t grasp the concept that anyone could spend people’s money and make a wedding lavish—it was the trust factor that won over customers.
Listening to what they wanted and pleasantly making suggestions, plus offering alternatives that might work better instead of outright telling them no, made them listen to your advice. At least that’s how Keira saw it, and her history of successful weddings proved it if they’d cared to look at her glowing reviews. But the owners of this company weren’t interested in that portion of her past or what she had to say about anything. Money was the only thing that made them look at her twice.
She sighed and caught Chloe’s eye. Her new friend winked at her, and Keira wondered how she would’ve gotten through the first few weeks without her. Margaret and Jane may have watered down their meanness to her, but poor Chloe was still treated poorly.
It was a relief when the dragons, as they had taken to calling them, went out for lunch. Chloe pulled her chair next to Keira’s, which had become a habit. They’d gotten very close lately.
“Phew! I thought they’d never leave. I can get a darn sight more done when they’re not breathing down my neck. Coffee?”
“I know what you mean. Margaret and Jane took my files, and now they’re in a heck of a mess. Coffee sounds great. Here, use this.” Keira pulled out an expensive brand from her bag.
“Wow! Is it yours?”
“I thought it was the least I could do for myself after the last wedding. We both deserve it.”
“Good for you.”
“I’ll keep it in my bottom drawer, and you can help yourself to it when they’re not around, even if I’m not here.”
“You’re a star. Thanks.”
Chloe made the coffee while Keira fussed with her latest file. It was the last of Jackie’s bookings, but Keira had more of her own to take care of. Since the new ones weren’t on Majestic, this could be the last time she saw Aiden for a while. Try as she might to forget him, he was never far from her thoughts, and she wondered how he was feeling about seeing each other.
After a week of worrying about it, she really had to contact him and make sure everything was still on track, so she opted for a cowardly email while she drank her strong coffee.
Hi, Aiden,
I hope you’re well. I apologize for my behavior the last time I saw you. It was rude of me not to say a proper goodbye, at least.
I wanted to say thanks again for the push you gave the Grants to ask me to take over as the wedding planner. Due to the feedback from them, and the family of the Mardi Gras wedding, I already have another two bookings, and my phone has been red-hot.
A couple of the new inquiries have been for wedding cruises around Sunrise Beach on Majestic. I was wondering if you have an idea of dates that are free and if the next booking that you’d made with Jackie is still confirmed.
I also wondered if you’d given any thought to winter weddings.
Regards,
Keira Davis
Wedding Planner
Sunrise Beach Weddings
With the utmost self-control, she forced herself to not look for a reply. For at least five minutes. Her face flamed when she discovered a response was already there, and when she checked the time it had been immediate. Her heart was already beating faster, and that insight made it p
ositively hammer. It had been so hard not to stay on board that night, and she’d thought time apart might help to temper the feelings she had for him, but that had been wishful thinking. She had never wanted a man more than she wanted Aiden.
Hi, Keira,
I’m very well, thanks, and hope you’re the same. I’m so glad that your business is doing well and am happy it was due, in some small way, to Majestic.
Please don’t worry about how we left things. We both have a lot we’re trying to achieve, and I empathize with how busy you are.
I’m sending you the calendar of our free dates and can confirm the Jacobs wedding for next month.
We’ve been so flat out with cruises every weekend that I haven’t had much time to dwell on your ideas. As much as I’m interested in the concept of extending the window for cruising, I have to factor in enough time to ensure that Majestic is always in great shape. The offseason will always be the best time for that, but I agree that there’s room to add more weddings if we don’t cruise.
Perhaps we could get together and go over the nuts and bolts of your proposition? I find that I’m often thinking about you and what we could achieve together.
Regards,
Aiden Williams
Captain
Majestic Cruises
Whoa. How am I supposed to take that? Is he talking purely about a business proposition? Yes, that’s what he meant. Nothing more. But I should check, right?
Hi, Aiden,
I’m not sure you totally understand the concept of my propositions. And I’d love to take you up on the offer of meeting to explain in more detail, and to hopefully get in touch with our differing views.
Regards,
Keira Davis
Wedding Planner
Sunrise Beach Weddings
Ping! He must’ve been as bothered by the exchange as she was to be replying so quickly.
Hi, Keira,
So, to recap, you are still propositioning me, and when we get together, there will be some touching on sensitive areas?
Regards,
Aiden Williams
Captain
Majestic Cruises
Her face so hot she was sure she was emitting heat waves, Keira stole a look around the office. Chloe was the only one around, but that was one person too many. Aiden was clearly playing with her. She gulped. That led her down another path she should be steering clear of.
Keira took a sip from her water bottle and thought of her reply.
Hi, Aiden,
We may not be on quite the same level when it comes to making our points felt since there have been a few mixed signals, and I wonder if your expectations might exceed our abilities.
Regards,
Keira Davis
Sunrise Beach
Wedding Planner
It didn’t take more than a few seconds.
Hi, Keira,
Let me assure you that I have had no complaints re: my abilities. Can you say the same?
Regards,
Aiden Williams
Captain
Majestic Cruises
Before she could stop herself, Keira responded in kind.
Hi, Aiden,
I can’t say that I’ve done much research, but in my limited knowledge, I have no reason to doubt that I can hold my own in any venture.
Regards,
Keira Davis
Sunrise Beach
Wedding Planner
Hi, Keira,
I don’t think I can wait until the next wedding. We should meet very soon. Tomorrow suits me.
Regards,
Aiden Williams
Captain
Majestic Cruises
Her heart beat so loudly that Keira had to take another look around the room. Nothing had changed. How could that be when she was as hot and bothered as a senior at prom?
There was only one way to fix this. One crazy and out-of-character way.
Hi, Aiden,
I can make tomorrow afternoon. Where shall we meet?
Regards,
Keira Davis
Sunrise Beach
Wedding Planner
Hi, Keira,
Come to the Majestic at 1500—3:00 p.m. for you landlubbers.
Regards,
Aiden Williams
Captain
Majestic Cruises
Hi, Aiden,
What shall I bring?
Regards,
Keira Davis
Sunrise Beach
Wedding Planner
Hi, Keira,
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just you.
Regards,
Aiden Williams
Captain
Majestic Cruises
With that final note, Keira deleted the emails. That was unheard of when you worked in this business, but the idea that her colleagues might see any of their correspondence filled her with dread. Even Chloe.
With a moment to herself, the outcome of her inquiry turned Keira into a mass of insecurities. What had she done? The emails, which had begun so innocently, had turned into steamy missives with barely concealed innuendos. She suspected that if he hadn’t put a finite time on their meeting, the way they were going, they could’ve been having cybersex right about now. She was no prude, but everything about this was unchartered territory.
Then again, maybe that had been her problem. When she and Damien had parted company, he’d made a statement that she was no fun, always concentrating on work. Like that had been a reason to spend their—no, her hard-earned money.
If she was boring, it was because there was no one she wanted to have fun with.
Until now.
True, she had always been straitlaced, which precluded her from doing stuff like this, but being around Damien had never made her feel like she could—or should—play around within their relationship in or out of the bedroom.
But Aiden had called her on the flirting, and that might be a problem. What was he expecting during their meeting? Some sort of vamp who would cater to any of his sexual desires?
If so, would she turn and run like the coward she was, or would she stay and enjoy a liaison with a man she barely knew? Only Aiden didn’t feel like a stranger. She might not know everything about him, but she knew he was dedicated and kind. He was strong and sure, and it didn’t hurt that he was as sexy as a cover model and made her feel things she never had.
With Damien, everything had been about him, his likes and needs. Aiden considered what she wanted, had pushed for a response, and then backed off when she needed him to. It was bizarre, but Keira had the strongest of intuitions that he would do just that in bed. Or was that wishful thinking?
And there it was. Her answer.
Keira would go to Majestic and let her inner vamp have free reign. Or at least let her out for a bit. To heck with the consequences; she’d deal with them as she’d always done.
Coffee. She had to get coffee to bolster her bravado. And a diversion.
“Chloe, would you like to come to lunch with me?”
Her new friend looked up from her work and grinned. “I’d love to. Are we shutting the shop?”
“We sure are.” Keira was feeling assertive, but her cautious nature prevailed a little. “If we go now, we’ll be back before the dragons.”
Chloe didn’t need more persuasion; she’d already grabbed her bag and was holding the door open. Keira laughed and locked the door behind them. They deserved a decent break as much as the other two.
Making their way across the busy road, they headed for the coffee shop directly opposite. It wasn’t fancy enough for Margaret or Jane, but they made great coffee. As a bonus, one side bordered Sunrise Beach, and they were lucky enough to find the last empty table out on the deck.
Once they’d ordered, Keira let out a sigh.
Chloe leaned back to study her. “Tough morning?”
“Not really. Mostly the same old thing.” Apart from Aiden’s emails.
“Is it Margaret and Jane? Are th
ey getting to you?”
Keira was surprised. “No more than usual, but I should be asking you that.”
“Oh, I’m fine. Maybe I’ve given you the wrong impression. I might appear meek and mild, but it’s all a front. I’m trying to carve out my career, and I can learn a lot from you three, especially you, so I keep my thoughts to myself.” Chloe grinned.
“Smart girl. I was once like you.”
“Did it work?” she asked softly.
“Well, I did end up with my own business.”
Chloe cupped her chin in her hands as she rested her elbows on the table. “I know. When you applied for the position, I read all about you, and of course, I heard the other two talking about how your business folded. Quite frankly, I was shocked. You had some great clients over the last couple of years, and their reviews sounded like the business should’ve been a success. Can I ask what happened?”
Keira was impressed. Chloe was going to go far if she was willing to spend time researching people around her who were in the same business.
Studying her coworker for a minute or two, Keira shrugged. As reluctant as she was to divulge her past, Chloe had proven that she wasn’t a gossip, and it may just help the young woman in the future. If only someone had told her about the pitfalls of being too trusting, and working with your boyfriend.
Chloe listened intently while Keira told her how wonderful things had been in the beginning. How proud she was of owning her own business. How heartbreaking it was to build up a clientele and then have it come crashing down around her. How she had walked away from everything, in debt and hopefully wiser.
She heard the bitterness in her voice and wondered if she would ever get over that humiliating chapter of her life.
Chloe chewed on a thumbnail, nodding around it, her eyes narrowed and suitably angered by Damien’s actions.
“Is that why you’re not getting involved with Aiden Williams?”
“What do you mean?” Keira stirred her coffee, which was now lukewarm at best.