9. Jamie

"The biggest part of your prize is a suite upgrade," Magic explains, switching out our wristbands to ones with a gold stripe around the edges after announcing all the things everyone won on stage.

The other contestants have taken their consolation prizes, a spa package for the men and a private dinner on a shore excursion for the wives, leaving us with the host as the audience files out. I'm still in shock, but I should have known Teddy and I wouldn't bomb. We've shared a room for years and do everything together.

I just didn't know we could pass as a married couple so easily.

"The second part of first prize is access to all the restaurants and top-shelf liquor with no extra charge with these wristbands." Magic does a little dance and we follow him off the stage.

"Sounds good, thanks," I reply, not sure what to say after winning a game show under false pretenses.

"Is there anything we need to do?" Teddy asks.

"Well, we hope you'll also join the Captain for dinner at The Steakhouse at eight tonight?" Magic sways from side to side and clasps his hand together, "If you can, that is. It's tradition."

One of the things I liked about this cruise—unlike the ones my parents described taking before I was born—is how they don't have assigned seating at meals. Teddy hates forced small talk, and I like to go with the flow instead of being constrained to a specific table or time. But a fancy dinner with the captain at the nicest restaurant on board, and at no charge? That we can handle.

"I could eat a steak," I turn to Teddy and he lifts one shoulder, which I take as his tacit agreement as we go up the stairs in the atrium.

Magic stops sooner than I expect, and I realize we are at a door labeled: Honeymoon suite.

Teddy sees and his brows scrunch, "Don't we need to get our things, first?"

"No, you're VIP's now. Full service on everything," Magic gushes, lifting his own wrist to open the lock to our new room for the rest of the trip. He holds the door open for us and my jaw drops.

The first thing I notice is the view from the corner room. The sun is setting on the horizon, the sky bright with pinks and oranges reflecting over the vast blue sea. "Wow."

"You have a private balcony of course, and everything in the minibar is free to you," Magic gestures at the spacious suite, complete with a seating area and bar that could host four comfortably on the cream couch and chairs. He walks to a door beside the balcony and opens it to show us a sparkling, marble-covered space. He winks, "And this bathroom is big enough for two in the shower."

"That's, um, great," Teddy mumbles.

Coughing to hide my laugh, I grab Teddy by the waist and pull him to me, "I think we'll try that out now. Thanks, Magic."

"Of course," he winks again and moves towards the door. "Call for me anything, anytime. On the room phone, or with the hosts at any restaurant or bar. I'm at your service."

"We appreciate that."

He shuts the door with yet another wink, and I'm starting to wonder if he has a tic. Teddy slips out from under my arm and stares at the single king size bed with its crisp, white and blue linens, then turns to the bathroom without a backward glance.

"I'm going to shower."

He shuts the door before I can say anything, or ask how he's feeling about the turn of events. He didn't even wait for his toiletries.

Throwing myself on the bed, I sink into the plush comforter and wait for him to reappear. I can already tell the bed is going to be a dream to sleep in, and the view is to die for.

Our luggage is brought to the room and I unpack for him, since it wasn't his fault we got moved. Teddy exits in the clothes he was wearing before. His dirty-blond hair is darker, still wet from his long shower, and he rubs at the back of his neck.

"Are you going to change?" I ask, pointing to the drawer where I put his folded clothes.

"We have to dress nice for the steakhouse, and it's already a quarter to eight now."

"Oh, right."

"Sorry I took so long." Teddy rubs his neck and stares at the bed again. "Did you want a quick shower?"

"No, you‘re right, we should head out."

Still he doesn't really engage or look at me. I can only guess it's his dislike of sudden change. And the single bed in our room. We've slept on the same bed, or beds that are pushed together, before, but Teddy just seems off, which makes me feel off.

"Are you bothered by having to share with me?"

"What?" Teddy finally faces me, "No, I–. No, it's cool. Just surprised at the turn of events."

Got it right, then. Teddy hates change.

"So, ready to head out, then?"

Teddy nods and we leave, grabbing our phones so we can find the room again with the online map. We didn't fully pay attention on the way there.

The Steakhouse is on the upper deck, and Teddy had turned me down when I offered to book us dinner there for a night during the cruise. Their prices scared him, but now we didn't have to worry about those.

Magic meets us at the entrance and I notice he's changed from the pink-sequin shorts jumpsuit for hosting the game show to a cream pantsuit with an ascot.

"You clean up nice," I compliment him since Teddy and I didn't bother changing.

"Oh, stop. You'll make me blush, and you're a taken man," Magic waves a hand at me and winks, his dark complexion brightened by makeup. His lashes are so long, I realize they"re probably fake. "Follow me, gentlemen."

Teddy surprises me when he takes my hand, but I suppose we do need to play the part. I squeeze his hand in mine and smile at him reassuringly as we make our way to a table in the center of the restaurant on a raised platform. His lips are pinched, but he nods back so I know he understood the gesture.

At the round table, there are five seats, and two of them are occupied. A short man with a salt-and-pepper beard is wearing a uniform, and he stands when we approach.

""Ello, congratulations on winning the newlywed game. I am Captain Laurent Johnson," he introduces himself with a thick French accent, holding out his hand.

"Nice to meet you," we shake and I have to let Teddy's hand go so he can shake hands as well. "I'm James Horowitz, and this is Theodore James."

"Oh, how interesting," he smiles, flashing white teeth with one gold canine standing out. "I heard you were the James"s, but it's not your married name?"

Crap, I forgot about them asking what to introduce us at in the theater and telling them our common name.

"They have called us the James"s since we met in our freshman year of college," Teddy supplies. I'm surprised he jumped in, but he's only telling the truth. "Though we don't call each other that."

"I heard about your fun nickname," the other person at the table pipes in, and I'd almost missed them with their tiny stature. Between their short haircut and androgynous fitting uniform, I can't tell gender so I don't assume. "I'm Second Officer Lizard."

They hold out their hand, and I realize a name like Lizard doesn't help with pronouns either. We shake and Teddy does the same before everyone takes their seat. I notice Magic moves to sit beside Lizard and seems to have a thing for the Second Officer.

"Did you take your Dramamine, Liz?" Magic asks.

"Dramamine and a band," Lizard holds up their wrist and then turns to us. "I get seasick if I'm not on the bridge. Something about not seeing the horizon."

"Wild, you drive a giant cruise ship and you get seasick?" I can't help asking.

"Technically, Captain Johnson pilots the ship. I'm the backup," Lizard adds in a small voice.

"So who's driving, or piloting it, now?" Teddy asks, ever curious and also slightly worried if the high pitch of his question is any indication.

"The first officer, évidemment," Captain Johnson answers like everyone should know how a cruise ship operates. He twirls his mustache, which has curls at the ends. Definitely French.

A waiter comes to take our drink order and the captain already has his dinner order ready without checking the menu. The filet mignon and lobster he picks, with champagne Magic suggests, sounds delicious. I tell them to add two more of the same for me and Teddy.

We talk over the salad course, sipping champagne so much they have to bring a second bottle when dinner is served. I peg Captain Johnson as a jolly old sailor and Lizard as much shyer. Magic waits on them hand and foot, and I sense a crush.

"So what drew you to captaining a gay cruise?" I ask the Captain as the waiter pours us third—or maybe fourth—glasses and we order dessert.

"Oh, mon cher, I'm so gay my closet had glass doors."

Teddy sputters on his drink and I clap him on the back. He's been mostly quiet through dinner, and I can tell he's about ready to pull a Cinderella and turn back into a pumpkin.

"I'm glad they have the representation at the top then."

"They?" The captain scrunches his brows in confusion and I realize my mistake.

"I think my man and I need to take dessert to go," I squeeze Teddy's thigh and he nods along. "We want to try out the upgraded amenities you so graciously awarded us with."

"Ha, you really will be a great lawyer, boy," Captain Johnson laughs and stands, so I follow suit. "We'll have dessert sent to your room…But first, can you give us a show?"

"What?" Teddy stands behind me.

The captain raises his champagne flute and taps it with a small fork, making a clinking sound ring out and the other dinner guests join in. I hear chants of, "Kiss, kiss, kiss," and remember seeing people do this at a wedding.

Fuck, we're supposed to be newlyweds.

Turning to face Teddy, the implication hasn't set in yet as his eyes dart around the room. I've never seen him kiss someone in public, and I hate to kiss anyone without getting permission first, but…

"Give the people what they want?" I ask.

"Oh," Teddy's lips pop open in a perfect circle, and I cup his face in my hands. His eyes lock on mine, and Teddy licks his lips before swallowing audibly. "I guess we have to."

Not the most enthusiastic consent, but I figure I can make it quick. And the half bottle of champagne we both drank makes my inhibitions just low enough to ignore that he's a man.

Lowering my face to Teddy's, I try to drown out the clinking glasses and chants around us. It's just me and him. Our lips meet and I'm not surprised to find his still and unyielding. I'm about to move back and make our excuses when Teddy sighs, his mouth opening and his tongue darting out to touch my lower lip.

My body heats and I feel my dick reacting. I have the sudden urge to lick into his mouth and pull my friend against my body, so I break the kiss. I find Teddy with his eyes still closed, touching his lips in shock.

My buddy slipped me the tongue…and I didn't hate it.

What, in the ever-loving hell?