Page 3

“I promise I won't peek. But don't make me run into a wall. You know I’m clumsy,” she responds.

“Babe, I’ve got you. I'm always here to protect you.”

Julie stops in her tracks just as I reach for the door.

“What's wrong?” I ask. She looks back at me, her eyes filling with tears as she gazes into mine. She studies my features, and I can’t help but study her right back—her smooth skin and bright ocean-blue eyes looking back into mine. She runs her fingers through my thick, jet-black hair. I can tell she is thinking about something, but I’ve got no idea what. Then a tear rolls down her face.

“It's nothing, it’s just…”

I pull her in closer. “I mean it. I love you, and I'll always protect you,” I say, wiping the tear from her cheek and pulling her in. Things have been rocky between us but I want her to know how serious I am. Between my father’s illness and subsequent death, and getting ready for this maiden voyage, I’ve barely been around and the cracks in our marriage are starting to show. I’m hopeful this trip is exactly what we need to heal us and get us back to where we used to be. When our lips meet, sparks fly, reminding me of our wedding night so many years ago. I reach behind her and open the door.

The smell of roses surrounds us both. She turns around to see the suite floor lined with red rose petals leading to a room in the back. As she walks toward the bed, I notice her gasp slightly at the sight. The white marble flooring is so polished that you can practically see your reflection. To the left, there's a white grand piano with its massive lid open, revealing the interior of the delicate instrument. To the right, a full bar with shelves lined with every type of liquor imaginable. She continues to walk, following the rose petals to the master bedroom. Her eyes go wide when she sees the king-sized bed completely covered with more red rose petals. Behind the bed is a long teal curtain framing a massive floor-to-ceiling window. I grab the remote from the bed and push the button to open the blinds, and the curtains begin to move, giving us both a view of the open water.

From the look on her face, I can tell she is mesmerized by everything, exactly what I wanted. Since the ship is still docked, Julie grabs the remote from my hand and pushes the button to close the curtains. I watch as she glances at the nightstand, where a large crystal vase filled with two dozen red roses sits alongside a platter of white and dark chocolate-dipped strawberries. Then she turns her attention back to me, eyes locked on mine. There is a hunger in her eyes that makes my body nearly explode. She walks toward me, turns around, and lifts her strawberry-blonde hair so I can unfasten the clasp of her dress. With a quick motion, I unclip it and slowly slide the dress off her shoulders, revealing her perfectly pale skin.

As I run my fingers down her arm, I feel her body shiver. She slowly turns to face me. I stare at her for a moment, taking in her beauty, then gently lead her backward to the bed, our lips locked as she unbuttons my shirt. I struggle to pull off my belt; I swear I can’t get it off fast enough. After a moment, we are both naked, and I lay her back onto the bed.

Silky rose petals press into her skin, and she smiles at me, her lips swollen and red from my nibbling. I climb on top of her and caress her breast, kissing her neck. Her body shivers at my touch, letting me know she is enjoying this as much as I am. With every touch, I feel her quiver and moan. Intertwined, we make love like it’s the first time. When we finish, I stare into her beautiful blue eyes and gently slide her hair behind her ear. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she says, kissing me once more, then sitting up and grinning at me. She heads naked into the bathroom, leaving me on the bed. I let out a sigh and slump back onto the bed. God, I love that woman. May this trip be exactly what we need, I wish as I stare after her.

After we’ve both showered and changed, me into my captain's gear and her into her hot-as-fuck bikini, we head to the pool deck. Once there, we sit down at the bar. Since I'm working and can't have alcohol, I order some water. Julie, on the other hand, is ready to party right away.

“Can I get a frozen margarita without salt, please?” she asks the bartender, who’s setting up the bar for the guests arriving soon. I lean in and give her a kiss.

“I’m going to track down Tyler and try to catch up with you all before dinner.” She rolls her eyes and waves me off as she waits for her margarita.

I know my brother has some issues, but I'm not sure why Julie makes such a big deal out of it. Sure, Tyler drinks a bit too much, and I stay out late when he’s around, but that's nothing new. He's always been like that, and I doubt he'll change now. I try to ignore his problems and not let them get to me. I can’t force Tyler to find a job or stop relying on the inheritance from our dad. I know the money will eventually run out, but Tyler is stubborn and refuses to listen to anyone else. Even if Julie isn't fond of him, he’s still my brother, and she is my wife, so they'll need to find a way to make it work.

Tyler is a laid-back guy who's always the life of the party— which is fitting, since he's always out and about. Tyler and I might share the same birthday and even physical features, but despite being identical twins, we have completely opposite personalities. Maybe that’s why I enjoy having him around so much. I glance down at my phone, checking to see if Tyler has replied to any of the dozen texts I’ve sent since last night. Nothing. “What the fuck, Ty?” I sigh and shake my head. Whatever is going on with him, I don't have time for right now. I head toward the control room. I have a ton of shit to do, and I’ll have to deal with Tyler later.

2

TYLER

“Fuck!” I shout, stumbling out of bed and crashing to the floor, hitting my knee in the process.

Assuming the hotel clock is right, I have only a few hours until the ship departs. Did I sleep through my alarm? Hell, did I even set one? My alcohol-soaked memories of last night are hazy at best. I throw on my clothes, brush my teeth, and quickly check my phone. Ignoring the several missed calls and dozens of texts from my brother, I open the ride-share app and order a ride, hoping traffic isn’t too bad. Last night must have been wild because I can’t remember what happened or who the brunette who's still half-asleep on the mattress is. My head is throbbing from the hangover, so I don’t try to recall her name.

“Hey,” I say to the woman. “Get up, you need to leave. I’m late.” I pull back the curtains, letting in the bright sunlight that worsens my headache. I squint and face her again. Noticing she isn’t moving. “Really, get up—it's time to go.”

She rolls over and groans in bed, then responds hoarsely, rubbing her head. “Chill out, dude, I’m getting up. And can you please close the blinds? My head is pounding.”

“Never mind, stay in bed. But check-out is in an hour. I need you to leave before then,” I tell her, annoyed.

“Okay,” she says, flopping back onto the pillow and covering her face with the duvet.

I slam the door behind me and rush down to the lobby, nearly tripping over my untied shoes. My phone vibrates in my pocket, signaling the driver’s arrival. After confirming the license plate, I hop inside and ask the driver to go as fast as possible. Within minutes, my phone buzzes again—another message from my brother, Theo.

Theo: Dude, where the hell are you?

Theo: Why are you ignoring me?

Theo: Hello?

Theo: You better not mess this up or else! This is a big deal for me. Get your ass over here now because I’ll fucking leave you behind!

Theo: Seriously, where are you?