Authors: Phoebe Conn
Alejandro was such a good man, he probably wouldn’t even see her scar. She was so lucky to have met him. They’d been together constantly since she’d checked out of the hospital, and she wasn’t in the least bit tired of his company. Things would be different when they came home and resumed their usual lives, but for now, they got along so beautifully, she wouldn’t ruin it complaining about her looks.
There were eight places at the captain’s table. The chair on Gabriel Reyes’s right had been removed to accommodate her wheelchair, and Alejandro had the seat beside hers. She’d had Fatima pack gowns appropriate for the evenings and wore the silvery white dress she’d traded with Libby Gunderson at the charity benefit. The captain was in his uniform, and the men wore dinner jackets. Alejandro’s fit him beautifully.
Joseph and Maricela Lopez were seated beside him. Newlyweds in their sixties, they could barely keep their hands off each other. Ana thought it was sweet, but Alejandro looked more distressed than amused. She reached under the table to squeeze his knee, and he caught her hand.
A married pair of dentists, Olga and Memo Talleda, had blinding smiles, and Linda Suarez was at the Captain’s left. A sultry brunette wearing a low cut red gown, she introduced herself as a psychologist who worked with bright children to ensure they received the finest in education.
“I’m happy to have all of you at my table,” Gabriel Reyes said. “The Ortiz Line serves quality meals to everyone on board, but I believe the food is even more delicious at my table, perhaps due to the entertaining company. Have you all settled into your cabins?”
Ana smiled as the others shared more about themselves, but when Gabriel glanced her way, her mind went blank. He’d given her name earlier, and she could not recall the last time she’d had to say anything more about herself. She’d been the first to visit the
Siren’s
hair salon, caught her hair loosely in a clip at her nape, and left gently curled strands free to cover her cheek, but no one would expect a model to be in a wheelchair. Horribly embarrassed she couldn’t think of anything intelligent to say, she looked up at Alejandro.
“My wife is too modest to admit to being one of Europe’s most popular haute couture models, but we’ve come on the cruise to relax rather than promote her career.”
Linda Suarez peered at Ana more closely. “I’m sorry, I must not have been listening when the captain introduced you and your husband. Otherwise, I don’t know how I missed recognizing you. Are you also a model, Mr. Vasquez?”
“I’m an architect.”
“How wonderful,” Linda continued. “Two diverse careers will create a nice balance.”
“We hope so,” Alejandro replied.
The dentists flashed their sparkling smiles. “This is a second honeymoon for us,” Olga remarked. “How long have you and Alejandro been married, Ana?”
Alejandro again answered for her. “We were married last week.”
“Then this is also your honeymoon,” Joseph Lopez exclaimed and hugged his giggling bride.
Maricela Lopez leaned in to speak to Ana. “You must have had a fabulous wedding. Who designed your gown?”
Ana whispered to her husband, “What did I wear?”
Alejandro brought her hand to his lips. “Ana suffered a concussion in an accident last weekend and has a slight memory loss. We plan to be married again soon so she’ll remember the ceremony.”
Linda Suarez studied them more closely. “You were there. What did she wear?”
“It was a civil ceremony, and she wore a gray suit.”
Ana frowned unhappily. “You’re not serious.”
“I didn’t pick it out, you did,” Alejandro countered. “You were beautiful as always, so what does it matter what you wore?”
“It’s such an odd choice,” Ana mused aloud. “Captain, could you marry us again so I’ll have something to remember while we plan a formal wedding?”
“I’ll be happy to conduct a ceremony. Would Sunday afternoon be a convenient time for you?”
“Could we all come?” Olga Talleda asked.
“Yes, let’s make a party of it,” Ana replied. “The chef makes the most wonderful pastries. Could he bake us a cake on such short notice?”
Alejandro squeezed her shoulders. “We won’t need a multitiered cake for those of us at our table, but I’ll ask him to bake something very special for us.”
“You know the chef?” Linda Suarez inquired.
Alejandro had given away too much, and Ana quickly covered for him. “He takes special requests, doesn’t he, Captain?”
“For you, Ana, I’m sure he will.”
Now that she could see the captain clearly, she had to agree with her husband that the intimacy of his glance went well past friendliness. That he’d flirt with her with Alejandro seated beside her was jarring, but she’d not flirt back. Ever. Memo, the dentist, appeared to be focused on her too. She had beautiful teeth, but doubted her smile had caught his interest.
When they returned to their cabin after dinner, she hopped out of the wheelchair on her own, but nearly fell into one of the cabin’s comfortably padded armchairs. “You were right about the captain. He is flirting with me. Must we dine at his table every night?”
“It’s an honor to be seated with him.” Alejandro pulled off his tie and wound it around his hand. “I expected everyone to recognize you, and when they didn’t, maybe I should have kept quiet about who you are.”
“Someone on board would soon recognize me, if they haven’t already. It’s your identity you want to hide.”
“Do you think I should have welcomed everyone on board? ‘Hello, my family owns the
Mediterranean Siren
. Please come to me if there’s anything you need.’” He removed his white jacket and hung it in the closet. “They’d be after me for extra rolls of toilet paper before we left the dock.”
Ana laughed before she realized he was serious. “I’m sorry. If the cruise is going to be too difficult for you, we shouldn’t have come.”
“You needed somewhere to rest and heal, and the man who tried to get into your room at L’Esperanza can’t bother us here.”
“Whoever was backing Jaime Campos could afford this cruise—but we weren’t going to talk about murder.”
“No, we weren’t, and I checked for new passengers. The
Siren
was fully booked more than a month ago. Maybe he was just a burly paparazzo, not anyone wishing you any real harm.”
“Let’s hope so. A photo of me looking all bedraggled in a hospital bed would be worth quite a bit. The paparazzi don’t believe celebrities deserve any right to privacy. Let’s forget about them. It’s such a beautiful night. Do we have to do anything other than watch the moonlight glisten on the water?”
He cocked a brow. “There’s a great many things we could do. There are bars with live music, a lavish musical show, as well as a small theater where talented casts perform popular plays. There are first-run movies, and an ice cream parlor where we could sample all the flavors—or I could handle tonight’s entertainment.”
Ana couldn’t hide a wide yawn. “You sound like the most fun. Could we begin working our way through the rest of the list tomorrow?”
“Of course, but please tell me when you’re tired.” He helped her stand and hop into the bathroom. She had just pulled the door closed when she opened it again.
“What about the crew? Was anyone hired in the last week?”
He swore under his breath. “I’m sorry, I should have thought of the crew. I’ll ask the captain as soon as you’re safely in bed.”
“I hope I won’t be all that safe,” she replied in a husky whisper, promising a great deal more than pleasant slumber.
“Probably not, but I want you to have a memorable voyage.”
“It already is.” She leaned out to kiss him before closing the door.
Alejandro found Captain Reyes on the bridge and stood for a long while just enjoying the incredible view. “This is my favorite place on the ship.”
“Mine too. Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Vasquez?”
He hated to ask him for anything. “A photographer Ana worked with was murdered. The police questioned her, and someone may believe she knows more than she actually does. A man tried to enter her hospital room, and he could have followed her here. He was a big, muscular man. Have you hired any men for the crew in the last week?”
Gabriel scanned the multiple computer displays. “There are new members to the crew every time we sail, but no one was hired that recently. I don’t recall any muscular men either. The chef hired a woman who looks as though she could handle herself in a fight, but the gender’s wrong.” He pointed to the computers tracking the weather. “We’ll be crossing through a storm by tomorrow night. It will keep people off the decks and out of the pools, but we’ll keep everyone entertained.”
“I’m sure you will. One other thing—I want to register our wedding ceremony on Sunday as a legal marriage.”
The captain turned his back to the other men on the bridge and lowered his voice. “Aren’t you and Ana already married?”
“We may get married a dozen times, but because Ana can’t recall the first time, I want to register this one too. Bill me for whatever you usually charge for a wedding.”
“You own the ship, Mr. Vasquez, so you’d simply be paying yourself. I’ll waive the fee. There will be flowers in the chapel and champagne on ice. If you speak to the chef about the cake, he’ll have it ready.”
“I’ll do it tomorrow.” He hadn’t realized a wedding on board could be planned so easily, and that accomplished, he walked on deck until he was sure Ana had had time for a brief nap.
When he came through the door, she sat up and pushed her hair out of her eyes. “What did the captain say?”
“I would have come back sooner had I known you were so worried. No one has joined the crew who resembles the man I saw, so you can relax.”
“Not unless you come here and relax with me.” She slid back under the covers.
He shrugged off his clothes and joined her in the wide, comfortable bed. “Is it too warm in here for you? The temperature is easy to adjust.”
She snuggled against him. “It isn’t nearly warm enough, but your heat will do.”
He hugged her closer. “I’m sorry I ever have to let you go. I’ve been happier with you than I’ve ever been. That’s what I said when I asked you to marry me.”
She brushed a fingertip across his lips. “You didn’t promise to make me equally happy?”
“Yes, there was more to it. I wish I could remember it all.”
“So do I.” She kissed him with sweet, tender nibbles and his passionate response took her breath away. She loved kissing him, holding him, feeling the hairy roughness of his body against the smoothness of her own. He turned her to her side to spoon her. “I’m so pleasantly numb from the pain meds, you won’t hurt me,” she murmured.
“Let’s not take the chance.” He nuzzled her neck, drew her hand to his lips and sucked on her fingertips. “All of you tastes so good.”
“You too. Maybe we’re simply a successful accident of chemistry.”
He nibbled her earlobe. “I’m very good at chemistry.”
She giggled and pushed her bottom against his erection. “Show me.”
“We have all night. Let’s not hurry.” He circled his palms over her silk-covered nipples. “You have gorgeous breasts.”
Other men had also said so, but the softness to his voice made him sound doubly sincere. “Thank you. I like all of you, but your light eyes are especially handsome.”
“Not strange or weird?”
She curved her back to rub against his chest. “There’s nothing strange about you.” She pulled his hand to her mouth to taste his fingers. “You taste like toothpaste.”
He silenced his laugh in her hair. “You’re more of a vanilla flavor.”
She brushed her hand along the easy curve of hip and felt his muscles tense. They fit together no matter what their pose, and he knew where to touch her, and when to pull away to leave her eager for more. His breath quickened, and she understood he’d teased himself along with her. She pushed against him as he entered her and clenched her muscles to lure him deep. The next time he pressed her clit, an orgasm caught her with a blinding flash. She rocked against his hips to push him over the edge and felt his body shudder as he came.
Thoroughly loved, she savored the afterglow and laced her fingers in his. “Let’s always be this close.”
He squeezed her fingers. “Always.”
Alejandro had closed the accordion partition to separate their bedroom from the sitting room, but the delicious aroma from the breakfast cart woke her. She moved off the bed and hopped around it to catch hold of the partition’s recessed handle. He shoved it open just as she did, and she toppled into his arms. She laughed and grabbed hold of his shoulders.
“I meant to serve you breakfast in bed, but since you’re up…”
“No one’s ever served me breakfast in bed. I’ll go right back so you can carry on with your original plan.”
He scooped her into his arms. “I don’t want you to fall on the way.”
He was dressed in jeans and a dress shirt, already clean-shaven and looked as though he’d been awake for hours. She didn’t even try to finger comb her tangled hair, and because his loving had wrinkled her silk gown, she didn’t apologize for looking rumpled when it was all his doing.