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A sharp knock interrupts my mental gymnastics. Shit, that was fast. I hastily shut off the water and grab a towel, wrapping it haphazardly around my waist as I stride out of the bathroom.
“Coming!” I call out, fully expecting to see a crew member with our dinner.
Instead, I freeze in my tracks, my breath catching in my throat. Caress stands at my cabin door, her back to me, as she collects the food from the crew member carefully handing her containers. But it’s not her unexpected presence that stops me cold. It’s what she’s wearing.
The black dress clings to her curves like a second skin, the intricate crochet pattern revealing tantalizing glimpses of smooth, tanned skin underneath. It’s short – criminally so – leaving her long legs on full display. The neckline plunges dangerously low, drawing my gaze to the swell of her breasts.
Christ.
Unbidden, an image of Caress sprawled across my bed, that dress bunched around her waist as I slowly peel it off her body flashes through my mind. The fantasy is so vivid I can almost taste her skin, hear her breathy moans…
“Thanks so much,” Caress says, her voice snapping me back to reality as she closes the door. She turns, and our eyes lock.
For a moment, neither of us moves. Then her gaze drifts lower, a slow, appreciative sweep that sets my blood on fire. I’m acutely aware of how little the towel conceals, especially given my body’s very obvious reaction to her presence.
I open my mouth, desperate to break the tension with some witty quip. But before I can utter a word, a cool breeze from theair conditioning hits my skin, and my already-growing cock goes on full alert, causing the loosely-knotted towel to give way.
Time seems to slow as the terry cloth slips from my hips, pooling unceremoniously at my feet. Caress’s eyes go wide, immediately dropping to where I’m standing at full, straining attention.
“Oh my God!” she yelps, spinning around so fast I’m surprised she doesn’t give herself whiplash. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!”
For a split second, I’m frozen in place, caught between arousal and mortification. Then self-preservation kicks in. I snatch up the traitorous towel and bolt back to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.
“Fuck,” I mutter, leaning my forehead against the cool wood. My heart pounds so hard I’m sure Caress can hear it even through the door. What the hell just happened?
I grip the sink, forcing myself to take deep breaths. This is bad. This is so, so bad. I’ve just flashed Caress like some drunken frat boy. So much for maintaining professional boundaries. A part of my brain replays the way Caress looked at me before the towel fell. There was heat in her gaze, and the unmistakable desire makes my cock twitch.
What the fuck do I do now? I should play it cool. I’m probably just imagining things anyway, projecting my own forbidden attraction onto her. Caress was probably just shocked, maybe even repulsed. God knows I’ve done enough damage to our working relationship without deluding myself into thinking she might actually want me.
I hear movement in the other room. There’s a quiet clink of dishes being arranged. Caress is still out there, probably mortified and wondering what the hell kind of boss exposes himself to his employees. I need to go out there, to apologize and try to salvage this disaster of an evening.
But first, I need to get dressed and get my body under control. I pull on a pair of sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt, going for casual comfort. It’s a far cry from Caress’s knockout dress, but given recent events, that’s probably for the best.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror, trying to summon some of my usual confidence. “You can do this,” I mutter. “Just act normal. Pretend it never happened.”
Even as the words leave my mouth, I know it’s easier said than done. The image of Caress in that dress is seared into my brain, along with the heated look in her eyes as she took in my naked form. This “fake relationship” is quickly spiraling into dangerous territory, blurring lines I swore I’d never cross.
The thought sends a thrill of equal parts exhilaration and terror through me. Because if I’m right, if Caress feels even a fraction of the attraction I’ve been fighting… Well, resisting temptation just got a whole lot harder.
I take one final deep breath, steeling myself for whatever awaits me on the other side of this door. The tension in the room when I step out is palpable as I emerge from the bathroom. Caress stands with her back to me, her posture rigid as she fiddles with the sushi containers. The sight of her in that dress, knowing what lies beneath, nearly undoes me all over again.
“Caress,” I start, my voice rougher than I’d like. “I am so, so sorry about that. I thought you were the room service attendant and—”
She turns to face me, her cheeks flushed, becoming a dark shade of pink. “It’s fine, Dylan. Really. Let’s just… pretend it didn’t happen, okay?”
But even as she says the words, her eyes flick down to my chest, lingering on the way my t-shirt clings to my still-damp skin. The air between us crackles with electricity, and I know she feels it too.
I clear my throat, desperate to regain some semblance of control. “Right. Good plan. So, uh, shall we eat?”
Caress nods, seemingly grateful for the change of subject. We settle at the small table, and I can’t help but notice how the crochet of her dress stretches as she sits, revealing tantalizing glimpses of skin.
Focus, brain, focus. I force my attention to the food, popping open containers of maki rolls, sashimi, and tempura. The familiar ritual of preparing wasabi and soy sauce gives me something to do with my hands instead of giving in to the urge to reach out and touch her.
“This looks amazing,” Caress says, breaking the awkward silence. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was until just now.”
I nod, passing her a set of chopsticks. “Yeah, it’s been a hell of a day. I figured we both deserved a treat after… everything.”
Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see a flicker of vulnerability there. “Thank you,” she says softly. “Not just for dinner, but for earlier. With Trevor. You didn’t have to do that.”
