Authors: Jan Carol
But he had seen them, fast as she had turned when they began, they were there for his notice. "I should be the one to apologize." He stayed where he was, knowing if he were to take her in his arms, it would only make things worse for her. "I think you could do with a long rest. If you would like, I’ll have your roommate gather your things for you later."
"No." She turned to him, wiping her face. "If you will leave, I’ll be more comfortable right here." Tossing her clothes back in the open drawer, she looked at him. "If you wouldn’t mind helping me out of this dress..."
He was up and behind her, carefully unzipping the back. "You change, I’ll be right outside waiting for you. I’ll escort you up to your suite. I think I could stand finding the sleep I missed last night, also."
Turning toward him again, she studied his eyes that he now allowed the tired to show from. "I hope I didn’t wake you this morning with my singing. I do tend to get too loud, and it was awful early."
"No. I was awake. In fact, I was watching you, listening to every note from the beginning." Putting his hands on her shoulders, he kissed her forehead. "Now, get dressed and come with me."
Again she spoke her feelings. "I’d rather stay here, if you don’t mind." She turned from him again, feeling his hands pushing the dress from her shoulders. "Are you threatening me again, Mr. Ayers?"
"No threat, just a promise." His hands were on her bare shoulders, burning into them. "Do you need help? I carried you downstairs the other night. Going upstairs would be no more of a problem." His smile was in every word.
Back around, facing him, she held her dress to her breasts. "I believe you’re serious." Her bad mood was gone as quickly as it had come, her smile now teasing him. "I just might take you up on that." His grin said he would gladly comply. "If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get dressed."
LEAVING ALL teasing behind, she dressed in her shorts and top quickly, then threw her few clothes and personal things back into her large suitcase and overnight bag, not as neatly as she had packed them the first time. Carrying her things to the door, she tapped at it with her foot. "Ethan," she called out and the door opened.
His smile was startling as he relieved her of her burdens. "Your guitar?" He questioned as she turned to get the case. "I’m glad you decided to quit fighting me. You knew I’d win eventually, didn’t you?"
After putting her instrument in the case where it fit, she turned to answer him thoughtfully."No. I just figured if either of us were going to get any sleep, I’d better go now. You look as if you could fall asleep standing up, which is how I feel."
Carrying both pieces of luggage in one hand, he took her left hand, leading her up the stairs. His expression was one of triumph, though she ignored it. He led her past the door she had been carried through just two nights before, to the door he was going to take her through just the day before.
Opening the door, he stepped back to let her enter. She stopped as soon as she caught sight of the sitting room. Its plush velvet furniture of peach colors against the darker peach carpet and drapes were stunning with the dark wood end tables accenting. She knew behind the heavy drapes was a solid wall, that they were only there to add to the beauty of the room.
"I can’t accept this, Mr. Ayers." She watched as he took her suitcases to the adjoining room. Staying where she was, she waited for him to return, the door behind her remaining open.
He was grinning at her when he came back, taking the guitar case from her hand. Pushing the door closed with his free hand, he whispered next to her ear. "No trust today, have you, Jenà?" Slipping his hand around hers, he raised his volume. "You jump back and forth from Mr. Ayers to Ethan. I’d prefer Ethan." He led her toward the bedroom, feeling her hesitation. "I just want to show you around." His voice was full of patience, yet mocking.
"I still can’t stay here. It isn’t right." She had to be pulled to go with him. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, which she didn’t, but the luxury the two rooms spoke of was too much.
"Don’t worry, Miss Wisdom. You will be working for it." He wickedly eyed her. "I guess you could say that you’ll be singing for your supper from now on. But right now, what you need is breakfast and bed." When he had set her guitar on the floor, leaning it against the chair in a corner, he stood behind her.
"I doubt that my voice, alone anyway, is worth all this juxury." The bedroom was similarly furnished as she remembered his bedroom being, only the colors were coordinated with the adjoining room, and the bed didn’t look like it would move out from under her when she sat on it. She turned to him, not realizing he was so close. Her hands went to his chest on their own accord. "I really can’t, Ethan."
His eyes burned into hers. "Jenà, you are going to have to learn certain things." Pulling her hands from him, he held them low, behind her, pulling her body to his. "If you are going to refuse my advances, don’t touch me like that. That’s the first."
Jenà pulled in a quick, strong breath. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean..." She blushed deeply, but kept her eyes on his.
"I know you
didn’t mean
..." He mocked her voice. "That’s why I’m telling you, not acting on it. And two, I enjoy kissing you, and I intend to continue doing so every chance I get." He showed her what he meant, but had to end it too quickly for her. "You are going to have to learn how not to respond so quickly and completely, Jeaá."
"But I don’t do it on purpose." There was a pout in her tone. She wasn’t sure she wanted to stick around for any more of this embarrassing conversation, but she couldn’t get away from him. "When you kiss me, it’s like you’re asking for all of me and I can’t say no. It’s worse than having a piece of cake in front of your nose. You want it, but you know you shouldn’t take it." She bit her lower lip, knowing she shouldn’t tell him the secret thoughts she had. It all kept coming out of her mouth.
"I must learn to control my part of it, then." He let her hands go and left her standing there. "In here is your bath." Flipping on the light, but not entering, he let her look from across the room, since she hadn’t moved. "Your closet..." Opening the door and turning on its light, he walked back into the sitting room, motioning for her to follow. "I don’t keep this bar stocked, as these rooms are rarely used. I’d be more than happy to fill it, if..." She shook her head, letting him know she didn’t want him to go to any trouble. "I agree, drinking alone is no fun. This door," he opened the one next to the bar as he spoke, "goes into my suite. Keep it locked at all times." Was that a warning he issued to her? "I have my bar stocked. If you ever feel you want something, just let yourself in."
"Thanks." She finally spoke to him. "But I’ll pass." She tried the door he had just shut, as she wondered if he thought drinking alone was no fun, who would join him so often that he needed to keep it stocked? She put the lock in place.
"You’re very tired." He came to her side again. Testing her ability to resist him, he kissed her, getting carried away himself. Backing, he grinned at the subdued look on her face. "We will have to work on that, both of us." He unlocked and opened the door, going into his set of rooms. Within seconds, he was coming back in, finding her in the same place he’d left her standing in. "You didn’t lock it." His tone was low. "An unlocked door is an invitation, Jená. Keep that in mind."
Jenà was there to lock the door when he was gone again, and she checked the one to the hall also. In the bedroom, she quickly hung the clothes from her suitcase and emptied the overnight case into the dresser. Thinking about a hot shower, how it would do her some good, she stored the empty cases under her hanging clothes and stripped in the large bathroom.
Coming from the bath, a large soft peach colored towel wrapped around her damp body, she caught her breath at seeing Ethan in her bedroom, a tray of food beside the bed. "I locked both doors." She told him, her voice flat.
A smile curved on his lips. "I’ve got the keys. Come, sit down and eat breakfast before it gets any colder." Uncovering the many plates and bowls, he stood.
"If you have a key, why do I have to bother locking them, especially if you’re going to come in any time you please..." She stayed by the door she had just come from. " And I think I would like to dress before breakfast, if you will excuse me."
"Go right ahead." He made no move to leave her room. "You won’t mind if I start eating while you get into something... less comfortable, will you?" His eyes didn’t leave her.
Her sigh was quite audible and not sounding very happy. "You didn’t say you were bringing breakfast." As she spoke, she went to the drawers where she’d put away her personal things, deliberately pulling out the lacy cameo top and matching panties. "Had you done so, I would have waited to take my shower." From her closet she took a short, silky robe with which to cover herself.
He sat waiting for her, an elbow on the chair arm, his fingers resting on his chin, except the index finger, which covered part of his lips, watching as she turned the bathroom light off, left the door partially opened, and walked to the side of her bed. His eyes remained on her as she seated herself comfortably on the edge of it.
"And that was a show for my benefit?" Her eyes sincerely questioned him, though she was fully aware of his meaning. "Your choice of bed clothes, that slinky robe that doesn’t cover much..." He let his eyes move down her, letting her know how he felt. "You are very determined to tease me?"
"Tease you, Mr. Ayers?" She asked innocently enough. "May I remind you that first, you insisted that I take these rooms,
against my wishes
. Second, you insist that I lock the doors, which I did. Third, I was told that I needed to sleep, which was my intention to do. I see no reason to fully dress for five minutes and then pull on my night clothes. Besides," she took a deep breath, continuing, "breakfast is something I rarely eat, since I work most nights, into the wee hours of the morning." Taking a slice of crisp bacon from the plate, she smiled over the tray at him, seeing that his eyes had clouded with almost uncontrollable passion for her. She was teasing him, hoping he wouldn’t come into her room like this again, but she had the feeling it had backfired on her.
Ethan sat up in the chair, reaching out to pick up a plate. "Each of your points have been taken into consideration." While he buttered a biscuit, he continued with the conversation, his eyes not looking at her any longer. "Where do you work, singing nights, Jenà?"
"In night clubs, sometimes at parties." Still, his eyes didn’t leave the food in his hand. "I met Wes at one of them, and he’s the reason I’m here. Since I had a very rare cancellation, and this cruise needed extra help, I applied and got the job." Slowly she consumed the slice of bacon, then stood, pulling the covers down.
"I assume you’ve had enough to eat?" He stood, rolling the cart out of the way.
"I have. Thank you." She answered sweetly. "I’m sure you are just as tired as I am, and would like to go to your own room?" Sitting on the bed, she pulled her legs onto the mattress, covering them with the crisp, cool sheet. She pulled the tie on her robe, not intending to take it off until he had gone.
"Not really, Jenà. I would prefer to join you." He sat on the edge of her bed, leaning over her, placing one hand on the other side of her. "It is where you would like me to be, also. Isn’t it?" His voice was very silky, and she closed her eyes, not wanting to see the lust in his. "What are you holding out for, Jenà?" His question brought her breathing to a stand still.
Pulling her bottom lip in between her teeth, she was as still as could be. Slowly she resumed her breathing, though not quite as steady as it should have been, and opened her eyes to look at him. "Love." Her simple answer came in a whisper. She expected to hear laughter, but it wasn’t even in his eyes.
"I can understand that." His words came slowly. "What kind of love? There are many kinds, you know. I can tell you I love you, and honestly mean it. I truly love the things about you that I know. For two hours I listened to you sing. I love your voice. Several times I’ve had the pleasure of kissing you. I do so love the way you kiss me. You have a gorgeous body which screams at me to love you." He leaned toward her a little more. "Is this not the kind of love you want?"
"No." Jenà’s answer came softly. "It has to be the kind of love that will last longer than three weeks, longer than a year or two."
Ethan’s lips were playing havoc with her senses as they touched her throat, making their way down inside her robe. "You want me, don’t you Jenà?" His voice held the huskiness of lust.
"Yes, Ethan. You make me want you. Please leave my room." Her hands pushed at his shoulders. "Please, Ethan." She found herself kissing him as he was kissing her.
Then he was standing, looking down at her with his brown eyes devouring every inch of her that he could see. "I can’t believe how strong willed you are. Mr. Marx never stood a chance, did he?" He didn’t need to see the shake she gave her head. "Sleep well, sweet angel."
When she heard the second door close, she got up to lock the one between their rooms. Though he had a key, she would always lock it. How much longer her strong will would hold up to his assaults, she didn’t know. She wasn’t going to invite any more trouble than she already had. Let it come on its own, she knew she couldn’t stop it.
<<<< >>>>
ACCORDING TO her watch, it was after four when she woke. Turning on the light, she saw that the cart had been taken away. How tired she had been. Maybe being in the small cabin with Jenni just those three nights had conditioned her to having others around.
Changing into her chiffon dress, because she remembered his saying that it would do for later, she was thankful the zipper gave her no problems. Clipping her hair back from her face, she wondered where she was going, what she was going to do once she got there. She was his guest now, yet she was going to sing her way through the cruise. That didn’t bother her in the least. She loved it, and really needed to continue every day to keep her voice conditioned.
Because she didn’t know where to go, she took her guitar out of its case and sat in the front room of her suite. Quietly she began picking through a song, humming along. The words were going through her head, and it wasn’t long before they started coming out vocally, clearly.