Mardi Gras Masquerade (12 page)

As Maria leaned on the railing to look out at their wake, she said, “I love this.”

“You’re very easy to please,” commented Steve.

“I am.
 
I don’t need anything spectacular to make me happy, although I would call this very close to spectacular.”

“It’s only a paddleboat ride, Maria.”

“I know, but I’ve always dreamed of taking a ride on one.”

“How would you compare it to the
Eiffel
Tower
?”

“The
Eiffel
Tower
?”
Maria absentmindedly replied as she gazed over the rail.

“Have you forgotten your engagement already?” Steve pointedly asked.

Maria sent him a frown, and then looked back at the river.

“I haven’t forgotten,” she said in a low voice, “but, I like this better.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m living it here and now.”

“I like your sense of enthusiasm.
 
You have a way of making a common thing seem extraordinary.”

“But this isn’t a common thing for me, Steve.”

“You make it sound as though you haven’t had much excitement in your life.”

“I haven’t.”

Maria caught herself and added, “I mean here . . . in
New Orleans
.”

Steve leaned against the railing to face her.
 
Most of the passengers were still inside, lingering over their dinners, so there was no crowd to jostle them.

In a casual voice, the man said, “Look at me, Maria.”

She looked up at him with curiosity in her eyes.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Nothin’.
 
I just want to be able to see your face when we talk.”

“You’ve seen it before.”

“But I want to see it now.”

Looking up at the man with a dazzling smile, Maria said, “Thank you for bringing me here.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

“I thought you were going to keep me closed away in the house.”

“My only object was to keep you away from others.”

“By that, what do you mean?
 
Men?”

“Certainly men.”

“Is that to keep me safe for your brother or for yourself?”

“Take your pick.”

“Can’t you trust me at all?”

“You tell me.
 
Should I?”

Maria glanced away as a sense of embarrassment swept over her.

“I suppose I wouldn’t if I were you,” she replied

“As a lady once said to me, I’m not you.”

A look of surprise dawned on Maria’s face as she turned back to Steve, recalling that same conversation and another later one.

“Yes, a lady,” he stated, having read her mind.
 
“I had no reason to be so rude except for my wounded dignity which I should have kept to myself.
 
I now apologize for any and all insinuations I made.”

Even though Steve ended on a lighter note, Maria felt moved by his apology.
 
It let her see more deeply into the man’s character.

“We both said some things which we might not have meant,” she replied.
 
“Let’s try to forget them.”

A gaily costumed couple stopped beside them for a minute, and then walked on.
 
This made Maria think of Mardi
Gras
.

She looked down at her purse, and then said, “I’ve forgotten my mask.”

“So have I.
 
It doesn’t matter.
 
We don’t need them tonight.”

Maria nodded slightly and looked at Steve’s tuxedo.

“You look very handsome,” she said.

“And you are a sight to dazzle my eyes.”

The woman looked down to hide her smile of appreciation.
 
She had never before been complimented so lavishly.
 
It made her tingle inside.

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Steve suddenly asked.

“No, I’m all alone in the world.”

“What a strange, sad comment.
 
Haven’t you ever known a man that loved you?”

“Outside of my father, only in my dreams.”

All thoughts of Tienne DuPont had been forgotten.

“You’re a woman who was meant to be loved,” Steve replied in a soft voice.

Maria looked up into his eyes and asked, “Have you said that to many women?”

“Only one.”

“Me?”

“You’re the only one it would apply to, at least the way I meant it.”

“Nobody has ever spoken to me this way before.”

“You’ve never met me before.”

Maria shook her head and grinned.

“What a ladies’ man you are.”

“Not really.
 
I’ve known a few women, of course, but none of them ever effected me the way you are
effectin
’
me now.”

“What about the one who broke your heart?”

“I never said she broke my heart.
 
I was taken in by her beauty and she betrayed my trust, but I got over her easily enough.”

“You don’t seem like a forgiving man.”

“Generally, I’m not.”

“Then, you’ve forgiven her?”

“Only because I had to.”

“I’m tempted to ask why.”

“Don’t.
 
Let’s not ruin the
evenin
’ with any more talk about her.
 
Would you like to walk around the deck?”

“Why not.”

Steve extended his arm and Maria took it.
 
They walked leisurely around the cabin until they joined the crowd that was listening to the band.
 
A small dance floor had been set aside, and some couples were taking advantage of it.
 
The music was slow and sensuous.

“Would you care to dance?” Steve asked.

“Maybe we should wait until they play something jazzier.”

“This is supposed to be a romantic cruise, Maria.
 
Are you afraid to dance with me?”

“Of course not!”

“Then, let’s go.”

Without waiting for Maria’s assent, Steve led her through the crowd to the dance floor.
 
The other couples there were moving slowly and in place, so it was not difficult to find a spot.
 
Maria noticed how they clung to each other, and her apprehension grew.
 
She assumed a formal ballroom stance.

“Do we really need to be so formal?” Steve asked.

Before Maria could think to complete her response, Steve took her into his arms and held her closely against him.
 
She wanted to resist, but then again, she did not.
 
It disturbed something deep inside of her to feel so close to his body.
 
Her blood surged, as her heartbeat raced.

“You’re
quiverin
’ in my arms,” Steve whispered against her ear.

Maria could not think of any adequate reply.
 
Her mind refused to function normally and her pulse continued to twitch.
 
Steve’s laughter was so brief that she was hardly sure she heard it.

“Loosen up,” he smilingly demanded.

This only served to make Maria
more tense
.

In a low voice, Steve asked, “Do I have to kiss you to make you forget your anxiety?”

That question finally shattered what was left of Maria’s composure.
 
With the interference of her subterfuge, it would be the
epitome of a perfect evening to have Steve kiss
her, but she could not forget the obstacle that stood between them.

In what she hoped was a lighthearted voice, she finally replied, “I know you’re only joking, so I won’t bother to answer.”

“Let’s pretend I wasn’t
jokin
’.”

In an effort to bring them both back to reality, Maria said, “Are you older than your brother?”

It was still uncomfortable for her to refer to Tienne by his name.
 
Steve took a few seconds to answer.

“I’m older, as we all are every second that we live.”

“How philosophical of you.”

“Stop talkin’ and
pushin
’ me away.”

Maria surrendered and buried her face against his shoulder.

“There.
 
That’s better,” he said.

The woman only murmured her agreement.
 
She would have been content to remain like this for the rest of her life.
 
Steve was not nearly so threatening when he did not speak, although she had to admit to herself that he had been amazingly well-behaved that evening.

The music played on, and they danced as if they were alone in the world.
 
Every now and then, he would shift his hands, and, in doing so, subtlety caress Maria’s back.
 
She was not even aware that she took in and exhaled an extra large breath whenever he did this, but he noticed.
 
To herself, Maria was sighing only inside.

After a while, the band took a break.
 
Steve gave Maria a hint of a smile, and they walked hand-in-hand to the railing.
 
She was unable to speak.
 
Too many of her fantasies had been enacted for her to think of anything else.

A long line had formed at the outdoor bar.
 
Steve looked at it and said, “Would you like a drink?”

“No, thank you.
 
I’m already high enough.”

“Should I take that for a compliment?”

“It’s only the music,” Maria replied with a grin.

“A clever out.”

Maria bit her thumbnail to keep from giggling and looked at the lights along the shore.
 
The darkness had been complete for some time now.

Steve gazed at her for a few moments, and then said, “I have somethin’ I want to give you.”

“What’s that?”

“An engagement ring.”

“For a moment, Maria dared to dream the impossible, but then Steve added, “Tienne told me to give it to you.”