2. Grace

Chapter 2

Grace

I stepped out of the shower with a large fluffy towel wrapped around me, giggling because Kazi was still spread out on my bed, snore-roaring. I've never heard a lion snore before, and it was so funny that it was definitely going into one of my future novels. I'd heard that mountain lions could scream as well, but Kazi just wowed the world with his snores.

I lotioned up, then slipped into a knee-length gold dress with a full skirt, a sequined bodice, and long sleeves, In my Solace Cruise research, I'd learned to bring sweaters for the nights on board, or else wear long sleeves. Some reviewers had even suggested a jacket. Because I was me, I'd brought all three. I got cold very easily.

I dried my hair and put on my makeup. Soft cream for my eyelids with gold eyeliner to make my brown eyes pop, and a wine-colored lip gloss to finish. My gold sandals, which had straps that wrapped around my calves, came next, and I finished with a spritz of very light perfume. I didn't like a lot of synthetic scents. This one was natural. It smelled like vanilla and jasmine but without the added fillers and chemicals that most fragrances had.

I grabbed my gold beaded clutch and tried to shove the walkie in there along with my lipstick and my keycard for my door. Sadly, it didn't fit, so I decided to just carry the walkie with me. There was nowhere to attach it to my clothes, so I needed to keep an extra careful watch on it. I didn't want to lose it. Their walkie set-up was probably more expensive than the editor and cover designer for my last novel combined.

"You ready, Kazi?"

Kazi snorted a final time, then smacked his lips while getting up to stretch his long body out, first one way, and then the other.

I was amused at his antics.

I had no idea that mountain lions had such personality. I guess I'd always thought of them just as predatory cats, if I'd thought of them at all. But I was quickly rearranging my opinion of them. Well, at least of Kazi. I was sure he was in a class all by himself.

He hopped down agilely from the bed and nosed my empty hand, getting a good sniff of me before sauntering to the door, still pausing to stretch every other step. Apparently, long naps were like sporting events. You needed to stretch plenty afterward, or you risked injury.

I chortled and opened the door.

The staff members I passed did a double take to see Kazi trotting like a gentleman at my side, then they smiled and nodded their heads, some of them stopping to give a pat to Kazi.

He was like a rockstar on this ship. Everyone seemed to love him.

When I reached the Starlight Lounge, I paused at the entryway. The lounge featured a swirling silver and black color scheme, with black velvet seating, silver chandeliers, a small bar tucked into the corner, and a dimly lit stage. In fact, the lighting had been dimmed throughout the entire room to make it more romantic and cozy. I gaped as I craned my neck back to look at the ceiling. The lounge had a glass ceiling that arched in a huge dome above me. I'd never seen so many stars in my life! I guess I knew why they called it the Starlight Lounge now.

A server came toward me, and I nervously followed them as they led me to a booth on the left, most of which were empty. Far more people sat in the velvet chairs set up in the center area in front of the stage. A band on stage played light instrumental music that soothed me almost instantly. I was a little nervous and hoped this date went well. Because of my track record, I normally just turned people down when they asked me out, but Sebastian had seemed different, and I'd wanted to give him a chance.

I got a better look at my date as I tucked into the booth and had to work to keep my jaw from dropping again. He stood up when I'd been shown to the table, and then sat when I sat. It made me feel like a lady from a Regency romance, and I was surprised by how much I liked it.

Sebastian Solace was a very handsome man. He had neatly trimmed dark hair and mesmerizing dark green eyes. His jaw was firm, and his lips looked entirely too kissable to me. I was a writer. I could very well imagine.

I looked down, fiddling with the real linen napkin and what looked like pure silver silverware to give myself a few moments to pull myself together.

I finally looked up after placing my napkin on my lap. "Thank you for inviting me," I said quietly. "As you can see," I nodded at Kazi, who was covering our feet in his prone position on the floor, "I brought Kazi back to you safely. He slept, mostly."

"I'm glad he was a gentleman. You look beautiful, Grace. Thank you for coming."

I nodded shyly. He looked gorgeous in his black suit and silver tie. I was currently bemoaning all of my first dates that hadn't run into second dates. If I'd dated more—seriously dated, beyond the first date—I would know what to do with myself on a date with a jaw-droppingly handsome man. My past made trust a very high-priced and highly prized commodity.

As things currently stood, my two hands felt like six, I didn't know whether to sit straight or slouch, and my brain was searching in vain for topics of conversation that would wow my dinner partner, or at least prevent him from nodding off into his soup. I took a drink of my lemon water with a slightly shaky hand, cursing my nervousness.

Sebastian looked around him at the room's occupants and frowned. I followed his gaze and discovered our table was getting a lot of attention.

"Is it because you're the owner, do you think?" I asked in a low voice. "Do they recognize you?"

Sebastian turned back to me, a frustrated grimace on his face. "Doubtful."

He was regarding me thoughtfully now, and I set aside the puzzle of his expression to mull over later. We ordered, me a spicy gumbo, and him an Indian curry, and we chatted about ourselves. He made it easy, probably sensing my nerves, which he set at ease with remarkable skill and grace. When I explained what I did for a living, he instantly pulled out his cell phone and looked me up. I could tell when he found me, because his expression shifted to a look of surprise. He pocketed his phone again.

"So, you're an international best-seller several times over." He chuckled. "And you mentioned what you do for a living like it was no big deal. You're either shy or very humble."

How was I supposed to respond to that? "I think I have to go with shy, given those two options. Really, I just..." How could I explain? "I love my job. I get to write for a living, and I make enough to keep me comfortable. That's all I wanted out of life when I decided to follow my writing dreams as a teen. I write to escape. I write to live a thousand different lives and stories. But mostly, I write because I love to write. It's a job that I take seriously, but, thankfully, it's one that I feel passionately about."

I took a bite and met his gaze again. "Few people get to do what they love, or really even find what they love. I'm grateful. Bragging about that is just..." I shrugged. "Not classy."

A tall man in a blue suit, who was suddenly standing beside our table, interrupted us. "Can I have this dance?" he asked, holding out his hand for mine. I blinked in surprise, then traced his path back to his seat with my eyes, only to find a gorgeous woman sitting there, fuming.

I felt a drop in the pit of my stomach. I'd hoped to avoid the embarrassment of my weird affliction as much as possible on this trip. I guess that had been too much to hope for.

As always, I softened my voice, reminding myself that they couldn't seem to help it. It wasn't their fault. "Thank you, but no." He looked as though he was about to protest, but before he could, I nodded at Sebastian. "I'm on a date right now." My voice went even softer. "And it looks like you are, too."

The man frowned in disappointment, but thankfully moved back to his seat with no further protest.

I was reluctant to meet Sebastian's eyes, fearing what I'd see there, but when I looked up, I was surprised to find compassion and understanding.

"It's difficult to have a lure that you can't turn off, isn't it?"

I looked at him in confusion. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

He hummed in thought for a moment, looking surprised at my answer. After a minute or two, he said in a soft voice, "I think the only way to explain is to show you. Would you mind very much singing for the Starlight Lounge audience tonight?"

His dark green eyes bored into mine with utter surety that I could, in fact, sing. I could, but I wasn't sure how he knew that. I usually just sang around my own home. I had an expensive karaoke set-up that I used weekly—sometimes daily. Singing had always been a stress release for me. Music was as much a part of me as writing was; sometimes more.

I fidgeted with my napkin again. "I don't—"

"It's the only way to prove what I'm about to say. Have you ever sung for an audience before?"

I shook my head, my silky hair brushing against my cheeks.

Part of me didn't want to get up in the middle of a date that was finally going well and put myself in the vulnerable position of singing onstage for a bunch of strangers.

But hadn't I come onto this ship for information about myself? If Sebastian knew anything about what I was, and singing was the only way to understand that information, then singing was what I'd do. I tossed my napkin on my empty dinner plate, stood up, and made my way to the stage. Sebastian must have given the band a signal, because when I took the steps up to stand in front of the empty mic, they didn't chase me away.

The only way out is through. Just... knock their socks off.

I quietly told the band what song I would be singing and then pulled the mic from the stand. I preferred to hold it in my hands because I moved a lot when I sang. I knew this from way too much experience—and a few broken mic stands.

The lights dropped even further in the lounge, and the low, melodious sound of people talking went silent.

"Hello Starlight Lounge. My name is Grace, and I'm going to sing I Put a Spell on You in the style of Queen Latifah for you guys tonight. I hope you enjoy it." I gave them a little wave and a wink, and then breathed in the persona I wanted until I put it on like a second skin. The opening notes started, and I sang, as sultrily as I could, into the mic, deepening my voice, giving it that signature rasp.

After the opening lines, I started walking through the throngs of velvet seats and the starlight tables. Every single eye was on me as a very soft spotlight followed my progress across the floor. My voice was raw and sultry, which was what I was aiming for. It was also, apparently, mesmerizing. Not a single person spoke. The only movement in the audience was when the audience's eyes moved to follow me.

I didn't stop at individual seats or tables long, but I slowed for some, sharing my energy with them, giving my softness, my certainty, my confidence in that moment. I became one with my audience, and my choice of song must have been a good choice, because it appeared as though I was weaving a spell around everyone. When I got to the part where the songwriter declared their love, even if the recipient of the song didn't want it, I found myself in front of the table I'd shared with Sebastian. He was sitting back in his seat with his arms folded over his chest, following my every movement, just as everyone else was doing. But Sebastian's eyes held a confusing mix of things: heat, satisfaction, and wry humor. As though he was silently laughing at me.

Which didn't suit me, to be honest. Suddenly, I wanted him just as mesmerized and enthralled as everyone else in the room. I wanted him in the palm of my hand. I had never in my life been so bold, and I had no idea what was sweeping over me, but I discovered it was heady, and it felt amazing.

I perched on Sebastian's lap as I finished the song, with my palm resting lightly on his chest as I sang the last you're mine.

I ran out of words, and the song gracefully came to a close, resting on the room, as light as a feather, and as heavy as an anvil. The room seemed to hold its breath for a pause, and then there was a cacophony of sound. People stood and cheered, some whistled; I even heard a few people shout marriage proposals at me. I switched off the mic, laughing quietly, and buried my face in Sebastian's neck, curling into him.

I didn't know what I needed in that moment. I felt like I was flying, and yet I felt so drained at the same time. I needed an anchor, but also a steady hand, a steady gaze, and a strong wind to lift me higher. I was still laughing, unable to believe I'd just gone up and sang in front of strangers, when Sebastian's arms wrapped around me and he cuddled me to his chest.

"Gracie Girl," he growled, "that was the best I Put A Spell On You I've ever heard." And then he kissed me. The mic dropped from my numb fingers and thumped to the ground.

I kissed him back, forgetting my no kissing on the first date rule.

I was so caught up in the room's energy that I leaned into the kiss, grabbed his lapels, and pulled him even closer to me, really giving it all I had.

We pulled apart after a few blissful moments, and I stared at him wide-eyed.

My eyes widened even more when he whispered, "Welcome to the world of paranormals, Gracie."