Bossy (50 page)

He fills me again and again, until he groans deeply and pushes all the way in. He swells, pulsing thickly while I hold him close. Long moments pass before we both relax, him gripping the chair for support and me slumping into it with a contented sigh.

We stare at each other, drenched in sweat and breathing like we’ve both run marathons. He’s got a ridiculous grin on his face, and I’m sure mine’s no better. I haven’t felt this happy in a long time, and I want this moment to last forever.

It can’t, of course, and I make sure to voice my protest when he pulls out. His cocky smile says it all. I’d be more disappointed, but I doubt it will be long before he’s right back where I want him. Then he looks around the room. I follow his gaze and laugh. Our clothes are everywhere, like a dresser exploded.

“I suppose we should clean up.” Gavin chuckles while beginning to pick up. “I really like reading with you, though. Is it always that good?”

“Sometimes better.” I curl up in the chair and watch him. “Some of the stories are
really
steamy.”

He stops to arch an eyebrow at me. “We should definitely do some more reading, then. Now I’m curious. Up in your room?”

“Our room. Or are you planning on going back to yours?” I hope not. It’s a big bed, and I’ve missed sleeping with him almost as much as I’ve missed the parts that didn’t involve any sleep at all.

I admire the rippling of his back while he’s pulling on his pants. The tattoos dance across his skin with his movements. It’s hard to believe that all that is mine. I’m feeling possessive, and something tells me I’m going to be exploring and claiming every inch of that skin before the end of the cruise.

But first things first, where are my clothes?

My top I find shoved into the chair, and my dress was hanging off the table, but my bottoms are nowhere to be found. Gavin smacks my ass while I’m crouched over to look under things.

“Hey!”

He laughs. “Leave it. It’ll make someone’s library trip a little more interesting.”

“I only packed one suit!”

“So I’ll buy you new ones. Or better yet, keep you naked the rest of the trip.”

I try to look scandalized, but I’m too happy to pull it off and he just reaches a hand up my dress to cup a bare cheek.

“Now let’s get out of here so we can go take this shit back off.”

Well, with an offer like that...

I
curl away from the light peeking through our curtains, rolling right into Gavin’s arms. His eyes are still closed, his breath even. I love watching him sleep, how his broad chest rises and falls and how his face relaxes. It’s like seeing the real him, something he doesn’t show very often, but that I’m not quite a stranger with anymore.

Running my fingers across his chest, I trace the lines and curves. Even with several days’ opportunity to explore every inch of his body, I’m not tired of it. I don’t think I’ll ever be. I circle a nipple, and he starts to stir, at least a little bit. He looks at me through hooded eyes and smiles.

I roll onto him, straddling him so I can kiss him, and almost regret it. “Ugh. Morning breath.”

He laughs, waking quickly. “Right back atcha, babe.”

It’s funny how him calling me that doesn’t bother me anymore. Guess it’s all about who’s saying it, and how. It used to sound condescending, but now it’s different, softer. When I hear him say “babe”, I also hear him whisper he loves me after he thinks I’m asleep.

I kiss him again. We can be gross together. If that’s not love, what is?

His hands come around to clutch my ass. Something brushes against my thigh. He’s waking up in more ways than one, and the evidence is hardening fast.

Patting his cheek, I grin at his eagerness. “Afraid not, champ. It’s almost ten, and we’re docking soon.”

He groans in disappointment. “I’m sure they’ll hold the ship for us.”

I roll back off, grab a pillow and whack him with it. “Wakey wakey!”

He leaps into action, throwing the pillow across the room before rolling over me and pinning me to the bed. “I need my beauty sleep,” he growls. His hard naked body over me makes me reconsider what needs to get docked where, and when.

Before I say anything, he climbs off. “Alright, dibs on the shower.”

I pout but he’s not watching. “Why not shower together?” The thought of seeing him under the water as it caresses the contours of his body and drips off him already has me wet.

“Because if we do, we’re not getting out any faster than if we stay here and fuck.” He grins and closes the door behind him. He even locks it, the bastard.

I hate it when he’s right.

I almost jump him anyway when he comes out, but I’m a good girl. For now. I take my shower alone under protest. Soon after, we’re dressed and riding the elevator downstairs to the lobby. We’re packed in like sardines with everyone else getting ready to disembark. When we reach the main deck, we’re of course in the back corner since we got on first and have to wait until everyone else is out. It’s going to be a while.

“Time,” he says.

“What?” I look around for a clock.

“The thing I want the most that I can’t buy.”

Oh, that. “Time?”

“Yeah. I used to think it was time with Dad.” He shrugs.

“Why? I thought you guys couldn’t stand each other.”

He chuckles. “It’s not that bad. He doesn’t approve of most of the things I do, but I think he feels guilty too. He’s running a multi-billion dollar corporation.” With a sigh, he picks up his suitcase as the elevator clears. “That means not a lot of time for other things. Like your soon-to-be ex-wives. Or your somewhat unexpected son. So that’s what I always wished for.”

“That sucks.” It feels lame, but I don’t know what else to say.

“Yup,” he agrees, then steps out of the elevator.

“Wait.”

He turns, looking at me curiously.

“You said you used to think it was time with Dad. What is it now, then?”

That confident smirk that I used to hate spreads on his face. “Time with you, babe.”

“M
r. Caldwell. Dr. Wilson.” Four years later, Captain Chuck might be a little bit more gray and have a couple more wrinkles, but other than that he looks just the same, immaculate in his white dress uniform. He’d laughed hard when we explained why we wanted to him to marry us. Again, as far as he knew.

I smile gently. “Not a doctor yet, Chuck.”

“I’m sure it’s just a matter of formality,” he laughs.

“Sure. And four more years of med school. And years of internship.” The path to being a doctor is long, but I’ve survived pre-med. What’s ten more years, right?

I take a moment to glance out over the ocean. It’s a gorgeous day on the deck of the Golden Emperor of the Seas. When Gavin and I decided where we wanted to get married, there really wasn’t any question. It was just too perfect.

This time our parents are here, and weird as our situation is to some people, they are happy for us. We’ve all had four years to adjust, I guess. We mostly find it funny to freak people out by talking about “our parents”. Mom and Herb don’t think it’s nearly as amusing, but whatever. These days we’re just a normal family, or as normal as billionaire mother/daughter father/son families get.

We even pulled a few strings and found Joyce and Mabel so we could invite them. If Chuck was amused, Joyce found the whole thing hilarious. Of course, she got the story when we were here the first time, but it only made her appreciate the irony more.

The music starts, and I have a flash of deja vu. Barring a few central people, the crowd’s different, but it looks the same. The long red runner from the door to the ivy-covered arch at the end looks the same. Captain Chuck waiting for us at the end is the same. We start the same walk.

But it’s also different. We’re older, and we know what we’re doing this time. And this time we know we’re in love.

Oh, and I’m wearing a dress.

I look up at Gavin, who’s taking in the setting. It’s amazing how he changed once he started talking to his dad. More specifically, when he quit working for him. Things were tense for a while, but they worked through it. Herb never said anything, but I think he figured Gavin would come back crawling.

Instead, Gavin took everything he’d learned from his father and used it to start an investment firm of his own, and while he isn’t making billions, he’s well on his way. It made him take himself more seriously, and he’s got more respect from his father now than he ever did before. Suddenly they’re equals.

Fortunately our first pregnancy scare was just that, a scare, but maybe it’s time to change that? I’m in no hurry, but I can imagine Gavin with our own son or daughter. He says he’ll never be as rich as his dad, because he spends so much time with me. One day that will be
us.
But he also says that’s why he’s already more successful, so I can live with that. Quite happily.

For the rest of our days.