The Best Thing Yet (6 page)

How would it be without condoms?
At the thought, he slid his hands behind her head, raising her slightly, and kissed her hungrily. Arissa whimpered and returned his fervour with her own. His thrusts slowed as his release ebbed. Her vibrations squeezed his erection.

Once they had calmed and he’d disposed of the protection, he pulled her to his side, cuddling her. He kissed her forehead. Arissa’s hand rested over his chest while her breath feathered the side of his neck. She moved her fingers lazily against his chest. Deiter breathed, enjoying just being with her. Her touch stilled then her breathing deepened. Closing his eyes, he went to sleep.

* * * *

“Come on, I don’t want to miss the class,” Arissa said.

Deiter let her drag him as she rushed. He stifled a smile. Her enthusiasm was sexy. “I’m not the one who jumped the other after our shower,” he pointed out.

Arissa stopped just before the door. “You enjoyed it.” She turned to him with an impish grin on her face. She raised her head back and Deiter leant down and kissed her. He deepened it as Arissa gripped his waist.

She withdrew, shaking her head. “Uh, uh. You’re not making me miss this class. Come on.”

Arissa pulled the door open and motioned him in. Deiter pouted and went. A hand smoothed over his ass. He glanced back at Arissa.

“Later.” She winked.

“Definitely,” he said.

Arissa laced her fingers with his and pulled him along beside her to an empty table. The room was filled with lots of people, the noise level and excitement could be heard.

“Are you ready to make some yummy creations?” A feminine voice cut through the noise.

Deiter brought his attention to the instructor as she explained what they were going to do. People were focused on her, listening with rapt attention. Deiter glanced at Arissa. She had an intent look on her face. He returned to the instructor and listened.

“Now come on up and take a sheet for what you want to make. Then go back to your table and just go with it and have fun. I’ll be coming around to help each of you with what you need,” the instructor said.

“Stay here. I know what we’re going to make.” Arissa headed to the front of the room before he could reply.

His eyes narrowed as he spotted the man from the pool. He tried to remember his name. “Tim,” Deiter said softly.

Tim laughed and joked with Arissa, but they were too far away for him to hear. Arissa shook her head then gestured in Deiter’s direction. Tim glanced over and smiled thinly. Deiter stifled a smirk as Arissa walked back to their table. He looked away and noted Tim watched her as she walked. Tim met his gaze again and grinned then turned, going back to his table across the room. Deiter pulled Arissa against his side when she reached their table.

“Don’t think I didn’t see the death glares you were shooting at Tim. He’s a nice man. And just for reference, I’m a one-man woman. I don’t do the possessive crap.” Arissa looked exasperated.

Deiter sighed. “I don’t know what is wrong with me. I don’t usually act this way.” He grinned sheepishly, partially lowering his lids over his eyes.

Arissa snorted. “Don’t try that innocent look on me.”

“Is it working?” he murmured against the side of her face.

“No.” She breathed out.

“How about now?” He kissed the tip of her ear.

Arissa shivered, then said in a husky voice, “Maybe.” She cleared her throat. “Stop that. Let’s get to work.”

She pushed out of his arms and put down the paper she had retrieved. Deiter glanced at the picture then back at the pile of cupcakes, icing and other things on their table. He returned his gaze to Arissa.

“No way are we going to be able to make those cupcakes look like a plate with burger and fries.” Deiter shook his head.

“With pickles on the burger and ketchup on fries. Don’t worry—it will look like it. Come on, I’ll help you,” Arissa said cheerfully.

Deiter observed her as she started to put things together. It didn’t look like the picture. He read, then started his own.

“Have you done this before?”

“Nope. But I’ve heard about it from my friend Deyon. She’s done it before on another cruise. Sounded like fun. And we had planned to take the class so I could do it too.” Arissa shrugged, biting her tongue as she studied her cupcakes.

Deiter resisted kissing her, instead focusing on his own cupcakes. “Deyon?”

“Oh. I think I mentioned her to you when we met. She’s one of the friends who is probably freezing her ass off. We planned to go on this cruise together along with another friend but they both had to back out at the last moment.” Arissa made a noise, dismantled her cupcake then started over before she spoke again. “Deyon, Sarah and Jackie ganged up on me to make me come on the cruise. It’s a shame they couldn’t come.”

“Why’d they have to gang up on you?” Deiter glanced at the mess he was making then at the instructions. He wasn’t very good at this.

“I’m sort of a work-a-holic. They felt the need for me to take a break. Been trying to convince me for a while. Jackie was going to come too, but before we booked it something came up. That’s why it was Deyon, Sarah and I. Then just me, since Sarah had an emergency at work and Deyon had to fly out to Milan for a show,” Arissa replied.

“A show?” Deiter queried absently. Pursing his lips, he wondered if icing would make the glob look any better. Shrugging, he reached for a tub.

“Yep. Deyon’s a designer. A hell of a good one. Some snafu made in scheduling rearranged her showing in Milan. I’m going to rib her about it. Hell, Sarah too. My being here to enjoy this fabulous cruise without them. Especially with a scrumptious man.” Arissa pushed against his shoulder playfully.

Deiter put down the tub, cupped the back of her head and kissed her. Arissa made a soft sound then withdrew.

“Are you trying to distract me?” she questioned.

“Is it working?” Deiter asked.

“Not at all,” she said straight-faced, then smiled cheekily. “Back to work.”

“I don’t think I’m any good at this.” Deiter glanced at the mess that was no way looking like a burger and fries.

“It’s not so bad.” Arissa’s voice sounded strangled. She was biting her lip.

 “No laughing at my pitiful creation.” Deiter frowned.

“It’s not so bad. We’ll put more icing on it,” Arissa said.

“I don’t think they have enough icing in the world to save this mess.”

“Maybe not. But that’s okay. It’s about the fun. Not beauty.” Arissa chuckled.

Deiter studied her plate. It was perfection, looking like a burger and fries. It made him want to eat it.

“You said you haven’t done this before.” He accused turning to her.

“I haven’t. I’m just…” She bit her lip.

“More creative.” He helped her out.

“I’ll show you how creative later. For now, let’s salvage this.” Arissa picked up a tub.

Deiter’s mind was filled with her creativity. “Do you think we can sneak out a container of icing?” he whispered.

“For what?”

Deiter studied it, then her. He saw the dawning of what he wanted it for on her face. That devilish grin he was coming to know so well curled her lips. She made sure no one was watching before picking up one of the icing containers and putting it in her tote.

“Yellow is my favourite colour. It will look good on you.” She patted her bag.

Deiter shifted, trying to relieve the strain on his slacks. He took up another tub.

“I like the taste of strawberries. It’d be delicious against your skin.”

Arissa’s eyes flared with need then she took the tub. Checked again to make sure no one was looking and put it inside her bag. She cleared her throat.

“Now then. Let’s get this done.” Arissa picked up a spatula then started working on his mess.

Deiter helped. They laughed and talked as they worked. After some time, they stepped back to view their creation.

“It just looks like we slathered icing to cover up the wreck underneath,” Deiter said.

“It does but didn’t you have fun doing it?” Her face was alive with mischief.

“I did because it was with you,” Deiter murmured.

“Deiter,” Arissa moaned.

“Oh this is wonderful. Let’s take a picture.” The instructor’s voice caught his attention.

She was readying a camera. The instructor lowered her gaze to his cupcake and her lips twitched before she looked back at his face.

“And yours is lovely too,” she said.

Deiter stifled a snort.

“Actually this is mine and this is his.” Arissa took up her creation and gave it to him.

Instinctively, he took it. She picked up his then leaned against his side holding it.

“Arissa, you don’t have to do that,” he growled.

“Hush,” she hissed. “Smile pretty for the nice lady with the camera.”

Deiter put her in front of him, so her back was to his chest, and held out the perfect cupcake burger and fries. Arissa put his less than stellar one next to her face and posed as the woman took the picture.

“I’ll have it for you in a few moments if you want to wait.”

“We’ll wait. Can we have two?” Arissa asked.

“Sure. Give me a sec.” The woman walked away.

Arissa turned to him and Deiter hugged her.

“You didn’t have to lend me yours. I’m proud of my toothache,” Deiter said.

“I’m giving it to you but you’ll have to share it with me. We can have it later today. We can’t eat yours, because if we do with all the icing we’ll definitely get a toothache.” She laughed.

“That was fun wasn’t it? Let me see what you made Arissa,” someone else interjected.

Deiter stifled a growl as Tim walked up to them. He was holding what seemed to be a rendition of a cup of coffee with a donut. And, of course, it seemed very real. Tim was turning out to be a pain in the ass. Tim’s eyes widened as he spotted what Arissa held. Deiter stifled a grin, wondering what he would say.

“This is mine. I love it,” Arissa said cheerfully.

“It’s ugly,” Tim said abruptly.

“You think so? I thought it was great.” Arissa sounded hurt.

Deiter was already familiar with her pulling pranks.

“You’re such a liar,” Tim said.

“Shoot, you figured me out.” Arissa laughed.

Deiter grudgingly admitted Tim hadn’t fallen for it. Deiter didn’t pay attention as they talked—instead he enjoyed Arissa leaning against his chest, comfortable as she chatted with Tim. He didn’t even think she realised how comfortable she was with him already. He wasn’t about to tell her.

“Here you go.” The instructor came back.

She handed them a picture. Deiter smiled as he viewed it. Arissa had a cheesy grin on her face as she posed with the disaster of a burger and fries. He was behind her holding her perfect rendering, a smug smile on his own face.

“Are you coming to the chocolate carving class tomorrow?” Tim’s question caught his attention.

“I will be. Can you come, Deiter?” Arissa asked.

He glanced at Tim with a slight smile on his face. Tim rocked back on his heels, his gaze steady.

“Sure. I’ll love that.”

“Good. So we’ll see you tomorrow then.” Arissa put the plate with the cupcake burger on it over the picture then picked it all up.

She balanced it then reached for him. Deiter copied her actions before accepting her hand. She laced her fingers with his and they went to the now open door. Walking down the hall, he took a moment to appreciate the view and was awed by the beauty of the crystal clear water beyond the ship.

“You have a thing for food,” Deiter commented as he walked.

“I don’t know what you mean by a thing.”

“You get really animated when it comes to food activities. First the chocolate party. Making this thing and then tomorrow the chocolate carving class,” Deiter said.

“I like various foods. Learning to make new things. It is my way of relaxing. I’ve been told I’m good at cooking. After this class I’m thinking of taking a pastry class. Well, if I can find the time.” Arissa shrugged.

“You should. You’re good at it.”

“I might. Are you still going to the rappelling wall?”

“Yep. Have you changed your mind about coming with me?” Deiter asked.

“I wish I could. Love doing that sort of thing. But I promised Eric I would come by so we can talk shop.”

Deiter nodded. She had already mentioned she and the ship doctor had made plans to meet for lunch at the barbecue place. She’d asked him, but he really wanted to go to the rappelling wall. They still had over a week together before they parted. The thought of that did not sit well with him. He was silent as they walked to her cabin. At her door he waited as she opened it then turned to him.

“We’ll meet up later for the dancing lessons,” Arissa said.

“Three o’clock. I’ll be there. I’m looking forward to it.” Deiter kissed her then pulled back.

“Maybe it isn’t such a good idea to take a Samba class.” Arissa wrinkled her nose.

“No backing out of it. I want to dance with you,” Deiter said.

“Are you going to behave?”

“Probably not,” he admitted.

“Good.” Arissa laughed.

“Here.”

“Nope. That is for you. My first gift to you.” She kissed him then went into her cabin.

Deiter glanced at the cupcake burger and fries then went towards his own cabin. Making a stop, he got a red cupcake box with clear top covering. It fit the cupcake perfectly, displaying it. Remembering Arissa’s favourite colour he got a yellow one for her and requested it be delivered to her stateroom immediately. He whistled as he left. In moments he was in his cabin and changing his clothing. He frowned at the knock on his cabin door. Pulling it open, he scowled. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Is that anyway to greet a friend?” Lieutenant Commander Tarak Brady smiled.

He might be out of uniform but you could clearly see his military bearing. His inky black hair was closely cropped. His reddish-brown, rugged face looked slightly strained and a slight bead of sweat rolled down the side, and his lips were pulled in a tight line. Thick curly lashes framed icy green eyes that echoed the strain on his face. Deiter missed the smiling friend who he knew was behind this now sombre man.