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"I look forward to seeing you ... Alice."
The way his tongue rolled over my name sent waves of tingles creeping down my spine right out my pink, painted toes. It was all I could do not to giggle and blush ... two things I couldn't even remember the last time a man had inspired me to do.
"Me too," I answered.
He turned and walked away, giving me that impressive view of his backside that made even the gorgeous view of the tropical island we approached pale in comparison.
Feeling grateful he must not have seen the hair or he'd never have invited me to dinner, I blew out a breath and hurried toward my room to engage in all-out war on every stray hair that dared to take root on my body. I had to be perfect for my night with Alejandro. My night with a lion.
***
Icouldn't remembera time in recent memory that I'd felt more nervous than when the three raps on my door broke the silence in my cabin.
He's here.
Stilling my breath, I counted to ten so I didn't seem too eager. After I was certain I'd left him waiting just long enough, I lifted my chin and pulled out the confidence I usually accessed so effortlessly. This time, I had to drag it up from the depths of me and hold onto it tight when I opened the door and saw him standing there. Something about him seemed to steal it from me, like the kryptonite to my cool, calm demeanor.
"Good evening, Alice," he said, giving a slight bow as he smiled, his thick Spanish accent making the simple greeting sound intoxicating.
“Good evening, Alejandro.” I smiled back, extending my hand and hoping it wouldn't shake.
He took it gently, pressing a soft kiss to the back, sending a wave of shivers trickling across my skin. I nearly had to grab the doorframe to stay upright while I waited for his lips to part my hand.
"I hope you don't mind dining off the ship tonight. There is a great little restaurant on Nassau that I'd love to take you to."
"I thought we weren't allowed to go ashore until tomorrow?"
His smirk weakened my knees. "Passengers aren't allowed, but I'm the Captain. I get to come and go as I please."
The way he radiated power when he said the words only fueled the fire burning for him.
"Then lead the way, Captain."
He took my hand and led me down the hallway, and I caught the three widows peeking out from Doris's barely open door as we walked away. Three pairs of excited eyes blinked at me with their heads stacked one on top of the other like a little totem pole. I gave them a warning look not to say anything, and they all slipped behind the narrowing crack of the door as we passed them.
I'd told them of my dinner plans with Alejandro after returning from battling my neck hair, and they'd been over the moon to hear it. I'd passed it off as just another date like it would be with any of the cubs I'd come here for, but deep down, it didn't feel like any other date, and Alejandro didn't feel like just any other man. Something about him connected with something inside me, and it scared me more than I wanted to admit. Instead of opening up and telling them my feelings, I'd played it cool like I was trying to do now.
"This way." After we made our way through the ship, he gestured to a door at the end of the hall. When we got there, several crew members gave him a salute and stepped out of the way. One opened the door for us, and I was surprised to see it took us to a small ramp that led to the dock.
"You get your own exit too?"
He grinned as he grabbed my hand. "I work extremely long hours on the ship, but I'm required to take a certain number off every day. It's the law. And part of the reason I love being a ship's captain is to see new places, so when we are docked and I'm off duty, I like to explore the lands as much as I can. We have these smaller entrances and exits for staff to come and go and prepare things for the passengers' excursions."
"I feel so special." I smiled as I followed him onto the dock.
"This way."
He didn't release his grip on my hand, and I wasn't complaining one bit. I couldn't recall the last time I'd held someone's hand simply for pleasure, as the intimate gesture wasn't the usual physical contact I craved when I was with a man. For me, it was about the sex and nothing but the sex. I loved the power I felt in bed with a man, but I was just as quick to end our interludes as I was to start them. With Alejandro, I didn't feel like I was racing him to the sack, and this experience felt new to me.
Unexpected.
Exciting.
We made our way down the dock, and several locals greeted him by name as we strolled to a small center-console boat bobbing in the water. When we got there, a young man with long dreadlocks handed him the keys.
"Here you go, Captain Alejandro. Enjoy your evening," he said with a thick Bahamian accent.
Alejandro helped me onto the boat, and I sat beside him while he put the key in the ignition.
