One More Time

Our eyes connected, and I felt my heart beating faster in my chest. There was something about being in her presence that was settling to me. There was something about her eyes that gave me hope. Being with Chanel made me feel like I was truly at home again, and I wanted to soak up every second of it.

Because I wasn’t sure if I would have it after this cruise was over.

The two of us ate breakfast as my eyes scanned the room for Luke, my body on guard to make sure Chanel was safe. If he showed up here, I wasn’t sure that I wouldn’t toss him overboard and laugh as the sharks feasted on him.

“What do you want to do after breakfast?” Chanel asked.

“We could get a drink in one of the lounges. Or see if anyone’s embarrassing themselves in the karaoke room,” I said.

“I’m up for watching people make fools of themselves. Let’s go,” Chanel said.

The two of us made our way to the karaoke bar, and we found we were in luck. There was a decent crowd of people with drinks in their hands already, even though it wasn't lunchtime yet. They were already crooning with their drunken antics and butchering all the classics, which made for great entertainment for Chanel and me. We sat toward the back in a corner, so I could survey the room, just in case Luke decided to show up. No matter what we did today, I always had to make sure I was able to defend Chanel. But I hadn't seen him all morning, and I was starting to wonder if he’d even made it back to the ship.

A big part of me hoped he hadn't.

“I want to thank you,” Chanel said.

“For what?” I asked.

“For saving me.”

I turned my eyes away from the train wreck that was the karaoke show and found her eyes looking up at me.

“No need to thank me,” I said.

“Yes, there is a need. I know you’re a big bad SEAL and all, so it might not seem like a big deal to you, but it was a huge deal to me. You stopped him from raping me, and you probably saved my life. So please just let me thank you,” she said.

Her gaze was dancing between my eyes as my face gravitated toward hers. I watched her eyes flutter closed as our lips met, and then my eyes drew shut. She leaned heavily into my body, melting against me as I slipped my arm around her waist. I pulled her close to me as her hands flattened against my chest, rubbing up and down my muscles. Our tongues touched, sending shivers down my neck as the hairs on my arm stood on end. Even with the simplest of touches, Chanel could elicit in me a passionate need to be close to her.

It started me wondering if there could be something more between us again; if there was a light that had yet to die between the two of us. I had never stopped loving her. She had always been the woman I held every other woman in comparison to, but this kiss was different. It wasn’t secretive like our encounters.

I wasn’t a secret any longer, and it made me wonder if we weren’t over just yet.

CHAPTER 21

CHANEL

After karaoke, the two of us were joined by Tommy and Ana. I thought the show was going to take place in one of the entertainment rooms, but it was actually taking place out by the pool on the open deck. Rhett and I made our way down with drinks in our hands only to see Tommy with his arms wrapped around Ana. She looked at me, and I grinned at her, watching as an embarrassed flush crept up her cheeks. She had been caught, and she knew she had, but I was going to save the teasing for a later date. The smile on her face was genuine and, even though I knew Tommy was a player, Ana deserved the happiness she was currently experiencing.

“Enjoy your evening?” Rhett asked.

“Yep. You?” Tommy asked.

“It was just fine,” Rhett said.

“Sleep well last night?” I asked.

Realization crossed Ana's face, and she lunged at me as I started to laugh.

“Don’t you dare say anything,” she said. “I know you slept with Rhett last night.”

“I didn’t say a word! You’re the one freaking out,” I said.

“What’s going on?” Tommy asked.

“The two of you got caught,” Rhett said with a grin.

“What do you mean?” Tommy asked.