Twenty-Seven

Jackson

We stayed on the deck until the guests started to clear out, and the day started to weigh heavy on me. I did love the work, but it was fast-paced and intense at times, and by the end of today I was definitely feeling it.

"Ready to go?" Cory asked.

"I'm ready to sleep, but I'm not ready to leave here. This has been really nice. I never would have thought I'd like sitting above the party looking at the stars with a hot guy rather than being in the middle of the party drunk."

"How's that working for you?" he asked.

"I do not miss the hangover the next day, and the hot guy is definitely a must."

"Oh really? Just any hot guy?"

I squeezed his hand that I held between the two chairs we now sat in. "I think there's only one hot guy for me."

"Well, he's a lucky guy," Cory said with a grin.

"Nah, he's the best. I'm the lucky one." I pulled his hand to my lips and kissed it and the heat started to build between us like it did every time we touched.

"Let's go back to the cabin," he said, his voice husky with want.

I stood and pulled him up into my arms. "I've been waiting for you to say that." We kissed then, under the stars above the chatter of a party I realized I no longer needed to be happy. My happiness was in my arms. If I was willing to show him, I could be his happiness too, and I was more than ready for that.

We walked along the deck where guests were now lounging around, either in groups or one or two here and there. Some would wander off to one of the bars and keep the party going, while others would return to their rooms to be ready for tomorrow. The ship had sailed from St. Thomas, and we were on our way to St. Kitts where we'd spend the day tomorrow.

"Saint Thomas is a beautiful port," Cory said as the lights of the island faded into the distance.

"Next time we go, we should see if we can have time off to explore." I'd been there before, but I was a child and we drove to a distant beach for the day with the family. I wanted to see what life was like there, not where the tourists went.

"I'd like that. I don't usually go to port because I really do love being on the ship when it's not as crowded," Cory said.

"There is something to that," I said.

"We'll be at Saint Kitts soon," Cory said. We were nearly to our cabin, and it was all I could do to not drag him there. He paused with his hand on the knob before entering when we finally made it there. It felt like it took forever when it was only a few moments. "Jackson—."

I squeezed his shoulders and kissed his cheek since he still faced the door. "I need you too," I whispered.

As soon as we were in the room, we were in each other's arms, but this time the frantic need wasn't there. It was replaced instead with gentle kisses and a slow building heat that was more addictive to me than any drug or alcohol. The feelings he made me feel were new and exciting and made me want more.

We made our way to bed and after stripping down, settled under the blankets facing each other. Slow kisses and wandering hands had me more turned on than I would have ever imagined. We'd fucked, but this night was different, tonight we took our time, and when he lay on top of me and slid into me, I could see it in his eyes that he felt it too. We were making love.

I'd fucked and been fucked many times through the years. So much so it had become routine. Find someone who was willing and after figuring out who would do what, get it done. Until now I hadn't realized how mechanical it had become. There was no connection, and nothing deeper than getting off. As I ran my hands down Cory's back, just the feel of his skin excited me.

He settled my leg on his hip and made slow sweet love to me while kissing me until my lips were puffy but left me wanting more. "What are you doing to me, Cory," I finally managed to whisper.

"I'm making love to you," he said. "I think I could fall in love with you, Jackson." His hips slowed down as he held me closer and looked me right in the eyes. He meant every word, but he was nervous, and I understood why. Fucking was one thing, but love was a whole different thing. But for Cory I was willing to throw my heart out there and see what happened.

"I've never been in love before," I whispered. "But I think I could fall in love with you too," His lips crashed into mine, and we held each other tight as we ground against each other. When I fell asleep in his arms for the third night in a row, I asked the universe to please not take the happiness away from me that I'd found in this sweet man. He'd become so much to me in three short days, and if we didn't have more than this cruise, I swore to myself to make the most of it. But my heart screamed that it would never be enough, and my fucking brain needed to get it together and make sure the two of us had a future.

"Fucking brain," I mumbled, and Cory squeezed me tight from behind. How would I ever sleep again without those arms holding me? And why would I want to try? Another fire ignited in me then. Not of passion but determination. A determination to make sure we had a future, and to make sure we were both as happy as we were tonight in a year. And after that another year, and another and another. I hoped he was my forever, and I'd spend as much time as it took showing him how serious I was and how much he meant to me.