All of Me

Karen was so engrossed in the characters that she jumped when a hand touched her shoulder. Her head snapped up. A man stood next to her wearing swim trunks and holding a drink in his hand. She guessed him to be in his late fifties. He had on an ill-fitting toupee and really should have put on a shirt.

“You look like you could use some company,” he said, leering at her with a gap-toothed smile that made her skin crawl.

Keeping her features neutral and trying not to cringe, she said, “I’m just fine reading my book alone.”

He continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “I think we could have a good time together. I’d be remiss in my duties as a man to let a beautiful woman like you sit here all alone.”

She barely stifled an eye roll. “Thanks for your concern, but I’d like to get back to my book.” She picked up the book and started reading, hoping he would get the hint and move on.

Finally, he walked away. Good grief. I must be attracting every loser on this ship! First the man in the hallway, now this guy. She took a discreet glance around to make sure he was gone. When she didn’t see him, Karen sighed in relief and shook her head. She turned back, and her gaze collided with the man who had invaded her dreams. He stood in the pool staring at her, his hazel eyes twinkling with amusement. The corners of his mouth kicked up into a sexy smile, and her pulse spiked. Someone bumped him and he looked away, breaking the connection. She shook herself and turned her attention back to the book.

After reading the same page three times, Karen gave up all pretense of trying to read. Her eyes strayed back to the pool and searched until she spotted him again. Hidden behind her shades, she studied his broad shoulders, his sculpted chest and arms and the strong lines of his handsome face. He started across the pool, and she was fascinated with his powerful strokes and by the play of muscles in his back as he swam. Have mercy! She stared until he disappeared from her vision. Dropping her head, she once again tried to concentrate on her novel.

She had finally managed to get back into the story when a shadow fell over her. She immediately thought Mr. Toupee had returned but went still when she heard the low, sexy voice.

“I see you’re still fighting off the masses.”

Karen’s head popped up. It was him. Her mouth went dry. Rivulets of water ran down his golden chest and sculpted abs before disappearing beneath his black trunks. The wet trunks clung to muscled thighs and drew her attention to the impressive bulge resting at his groin. He wiped at his face with a towel, glanced down and chuckled, bringing her out of her lustful thoughts. Gathering herself, she said, “Um, something like that.” His heated gaze burned a slow path from her face, lingered at her breasts and continued down to her exposed legs and back up. Her breath caught.

“Maybe you should find yourself a bodyguard.”

“Are you applying for the position?” she asked flirtatiously.

His brow lifted. Before he could answer, one of the men she had seen him with yesterday called out to him. He held up a hand, signaling for them to wait, then turned back to her and angled his head thoughtfully. “You never know.”

“Hmm, interesting.”

“You have no idea.” Blessing her with another heart-stopping smile, he said, “I’ll see you around.”

“That man is too fine,” she mumbled to herself as he sauntered off. Karen had no idea what had gotten into her, flirting with him like that. But she couldn’t help herself. Something about the man fascinated her. She had always been bold by nature, and when she was growing up, her mouth had gotten her into trouble more times than she could count. Her mother often said, Karen, one of these days your mouth is going to write a check your butt can’t cash! She wondered if this might be one of those times.

* * *

Damian was still chuckling when he reached Troy and Kyle. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d flirted with a woman, but their verbal play stimulated him and filled him with newfound energy. A bodyguard? He’d be more than happy to guard every inch of her sexy body.

“Damian, didn’t we have this discussion yesterday? You need to find a woman who just wants a one-night stand. Don’t waste your time. She’s not interested,” Kyle said.

“She’s not interested? How do you know she’s not interested?” She had seemed to enjoy their exchange as much as he did.

Kyle threw his hands up in exasperation. “Trust me, she’s not. Remember—relationship, permanent, keeper? Not a cruise-week hookup.”

“Kyle, you haven’t even spoken to the woman.” Damian turned to Troy. “I guess you have something to say, too?”

Troy held up his hands in surrender. “Hey, I’ve decided that you’re a lost cause. You’ve smiled more in the last twenty-four hours since meeting her than you have in the last twenty-four months. Any woman who can draw you out of your funk that fast...I say go for it.”

He shot a glare at Kyle, then clapped Troy on the shoulder. “Thanks.”

Kyle folded his arms across his chest. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Your warning is duly noted,” Damian drawled. “I’m going to shower. I’ll meet you guys at the grill in half an hour,” he called over his shoulder as he headed for his room.

Once there, he stripped, turned on the shower and stood under the warm stream. While he was washing, his thoughts wandered back to the woman on the deck. Yeah, she did make him smile, and laugh, too. He frowned. He hadn’t even thought to ask her name. Again. “I’ve really been out of the game a long time,” he muttered, shaking his head. Next time, he promised himself.

* * *

Karen woke up Monday morning, read over the list of ship activities and found a morning Zumba class. She didn’t make it to the gym as often as she liked, but so far, things were still holding firm. Since she planned to enjoy herself over the week, she figured she might as well offset some of those calories by taking the exercise class. She arrived on the crowded deck just as the class began, found a spot near the edge and jumped into the routine. Halfway through the session, she had second thoughts about her choice. The muscles in every part of her body burned, and she could barely catch her breath.

“Lord, have mercy! I don’t know what I was thinking, interrupting my sleep for this torture session,” the woman next to her said, breathing heavily. “You can best believe I’m not doing it again. I’m gonna need an extra cocktail later on to make up for this.”

Karen let out a tired laugh. “I hear you.”

When class ended, Karen trudged back to her room and collapsed on the bed with a loud groan. Knowing she needed to shower, she lay there awhile longer, then dragged herself up and into the bathroom. In the shower, she let the hot water stream over her aching muscles until they loosened up. After washing up, she slipped on a robe and pulled out her novel.

When she glanced up and checked the time, she realized it was almost time to meet Janae. Karen discarded the robe and put on her red halter dress. She used the flatiron to style her chin-length hair so that the strands fell in soft layers, framing her face. She told herself she wasn’t taking extra care with her appearance just in case she ran into Mr. Eye Candy again, but she knew it was a lie. At the last minute, she slicked her lips with gloss, stepped into her jeweled sandals and left.

Janae was already waiting when she arrived.

“Girl, I can’t believe you beat me here,” Karen said. “Your sexy husband let you out of his sight?”

“Barely,” she answered with a chuckle. “He told me the rehearsal wouldn’t last more than a couple of hours and that he’d find me as soon as he finished.”

“Well, let’s not waste time. I’m starving, and I know you need to eat. Gotta keep up your strength.” They burst out laughing and headed to the buffet.

There were so many offerings that Karen had a hard time choosing what to put on her plate. She settled on a mixed green salad, baked tilapia with lobster cream and smoked Gouda macaroni and cheese topped with panko bread crumbs. She placed the plate on a table, then went back for a drink.

“I see you got the tilapia, too,” Janae said when she returned.

“That lobster cream smelled heavenly, and I couldn’t resist.” They ate in silence for a few minutes before Karen asked, “Do you miss San Jose and teaching?” Janae had taught a special education class at the same school where Karen taught, but she’d recently relocated to Los Angeles, where Terrence lived.

“Not too much. So far, I like LA. Some days I miss teaching, but Terrence turned one of the rooms in the house into an art studio, and I’ve been painting.”

“Girl, those landscapes are breathtaking. I know you don’t like the spotlight, but have you thought any more about a gallery showing?”

“You know me too well. Terrence has been great keeping the tabloids out of our business, so it hasn’t been as bad as I thought. But, to answer your question, I have thought about it. I actually have an appointment with a gallery director when we get back—someone Terrence’s grandmother knows.”

Karen’s eyes widened. “Oh, my goodness. Are you serious? That’s fantastic. You know I’ll be at your first show.”

“She has to like the pieces first.”

“Please. She’s going to love them. I’m so happy for you.” Karen’s and Janae’s family had been trying to convince Janae to pursue an art career for years.

Janae shrugged. “We’ll see. Enough about me. What’s going on? You mentioned something about Andre. I thought you guys broke up a few months ago.”

She set her fork down on the plate and expelled a harsh breath. “We did. Before I left Friday, he called wanting to talk.”

“Did you talk to him?”

“No. I let it go to voice mail. I don’t have anything to say to him. He was the one who decided I wasn’t good enough for him and sought out someone more to his liking, so...anyway, I’ve decided to put men on the back burner and focus all my attention on getting into administration. Hopefully, an opening will come up soon.”

“You told me about that.” Janae angled her head. “With all the programs you put in place last year for the fourth-grade team, I can see you as a school principal. Didn’t you present district wide?”

She chuckled. “Yeah. But maybe I should start as an assistant principal or counselor first.”

“You know, you can have a relationship and still pursue your goals.”

“Look who’s talking. If I remember correctly, you were the same way before you met Terrence. Weren’t you always saying, ‘I have my teaching and painting and that’s enough’?”

Janae pointed her fork at Karen. “And you were the one telling me to get back out there and try again after Lawrence and Carter. Now I’m giving you back your own good advice.” She waved a hand. “You’re on a cruise ship with dozens of fine men, and I’m sure at least one of them will be more than happy to help you jump back into the saddle, so to speak.”

Karen’s mouth gaped. “What happened to shy little Janae? Being with Terrence has got you acting all wild.”

Janae laughed. “Hey. What can I say? The man knows how to—”

Karen held up a hand. “Stop. I do not need to hear this. You know I’ve loved Monte his entire career, and it’s hard enough not having lustful thoughts about him as it is without hearing details regarding his sexual prowess. The man is downright sexy.”

“Actually, if I remember correctly, your description of him went something like rich milk chocolate skin, dark brown eyes, full, sexy lips framed by a goatee and over six feet of rock-hard muscle.”

“I can’t believe you remember that,” she mumbled. “Anyway, now that you’ve ruined my fantasy, I’ll just have to concentrate on work. Besides, I haven’t met anyone who comes close to being that fine.” As the words left her mouth, an image of the man she had met the first day popped into her mind, along with a strange sensation that had her heart pumping. She wondered if he was married. He had been with two other men and she didn’t see any women, but that didn’t mean anything. What if he was single? Karen glanced around the room. With hundreds of people on the ship, she’d be lucky if she saw him again. Sighing softly, she resumed eating.

“There are plenty of handsome men roaming around here.” Janae folded her arms. “As a matter of fact, I don’t think you’ll have a problem finding someone to spend time with.”

Karen arched an eyebrow upon seeing the sly grin on Janae’s face. “Really? And what makes you think that?”

“For one thing, I noticed several guys watching you when you were fixing your plate.” A smile played around the corners of her mouth. She leaned forward and whispered, “For another, there’s a positively gorgeous specimen of a man headed this way.”

Karen whipped her head around, and her gaze collided with the man who had invaded her dreams for the past two nights. He looked good, wearing a pair of black linen shorts with a matching button-down shirt and black leather sandals. The muscles in his arms and calves were on prominent display, flexing with every movement. Mouthwatering. Her heart thudded in her chest as he came closer and stopped at their table.

“Good afternoon, ladies.” He fixed his stare on Karen. “We meet again,” her dream hunk said with a wink. “Any more problems?”

Janae leaned back in her chair and gave Karen a sidelong glance. A smile tugged at her lips.

Karen cut her a quick look, then said, “No. None.”

“Glad to hear it.” He stood there a moment longer, as if he wanted to say more. Finally, he stuck out his hand. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Damian.”

She reached for his hand. “Karen.” His large hand engulfed her smaller one. Warmth spread up her arm and through her body. She withdrew her hand and pulled her gaze from his. “This is my best friend, Janae.”

He nodded politely and shook Janae’s hand. “Hello.”

“Nice to meet you, Damian.”

“Well, I don’t want to interrupt your lunch, but I just wanted to make sure Karen hadn’t had any more trouble.”

“Oh, you’re not interrupting,” Janae said. “Have a seat.” She pushed back from the table and stood. “I’ll be right back. I want to check out the dessert table.”

Karen stifled a laugh when Janae mouthed, Yummy, behind his back. She looked up to where Damian still stood, seemingly waiting for an invitation to sit. She pointed to the empty chair next to her. “Please have a seat, Damian.” A strong name for a tall, strong-looking brother.

He folded his body into the chair, and they both fell silent for a few moments.

He chuckled nervously. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in the company of such a beautiful woman. I’m way out of practice and not real sure what to do anymore.”

She laughed. “Well, no time like the present to find out.”

He nodded. “So, are you traveling with a companion? I noticed the men you were with.”

“If you’re asking whether I’m single, the answer is yes, I am. Those were Janae’s brothers. And you?”

“Same.” He paused. “Would you like to join me for dinner this evening?”

“I’m sorry. I’ve already made plans.”

His face fell.

“But I’m free tomorrow night.”

A smile lit his face. “Marcus Johnson is performing tomorrow night. Would you like to go with me to the concert?”

Karen hesitated. She had planned to attend the show anyway and didn’t want to go alone. But she was supposed to be taking a break from men, and in her head, she listed all the reasons why she should tell him no. However, something about Damian had captured her attention. Why not throw caution to the wind and have a little fun? Besides, after this week, she’d never see him again. “I’d love to.”

He came to his feet. “Great.”

“What time is the show?”

“It starts at eight, but I’ll get there early to save us a seat.”

“Sounds good. I’ll meet you there.”

“I’ll be waiting. Enjoy the rest of your day, Karen.” He pivoted and sauntered off.

“Okay.” She slowly lowered her trembling hand to her lap and stared after him, remembering how good he looked from the back in those swim trunks—broad shoulders, tapered waist and tight, muscled butt. That sexy stroll had several women stopping to watch. She smiled. Tomorrow, he would be all hers.

“So I guess you won’t be instituting that dating hiatus after all,” Janae said, dropping into her chair.

“I might be willing to make an exception just for him,” she said absently, still staring at Damian’s retreating back.

“Wow. That must be a new record for the shortest dating hiatus ever.”

Karen slowly turned her head and glared.

Janae checked her watch. “It lasted all of...four and a half minutes.”

“Ha-ha. So you got jokes now.” She tried to hold on to her scowl, but lost the battle when Janae started laughing. They laughed so hard, people at nearby tables turned to stare. When they were finally able to regain some semblance of calm, Karen said, “I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. I really miss hanging out with you.”

“Yeah, so do I.” Wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, Janae asked, “What did Damian mean by you having trouble? Did something happen?”

“Not really. On the way to my room after seeing your parents off, some drunk fool tried to grab me, talking about keeping him company for the cruise. I was two seconds from knocking him on his butt when Damian intervened. He even offered to walk me to my room. Then yesterday, he happened to be at the pool when another jerk tried to hit on me.”

“Hmph. Fine and a gentleman. Are you guys going to meet up soon?”

She smiled and nodded. “We’re going to Marcus Johnson’s show tomorrow night.”

“You go, girl. And if he turns out not to be a gentleman, we can toss him overboard.”

They shared another laugh, remembering the time Karen had said the same thing about Terrence when he first showed an interest in Janae. But something told her that Damian was every bit the gentleman she thought him to be.

* * *

Damian couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he left the dining room. Karen. He had thought about her all night but figured he probably wouldn’t see her again so soon. He couldn’t remember the last time he had anticipated going on a date so much. Excitement hummed in his veins, something no other woman in the past five years had been able to elicit. He made his way out to the deck, where an up-and-coming band was playing.

I wonder if she’ll wear something like that red dress. He hoped so. The tasteful halter dress revealed the smooth skin of her back and shoulders, reminding him of whipped chocolate mousse. A vision of him trailing his hands and mouth along the expanse of her neck, shoulders and back flooded his mind, sending an unexpected jolt of lust to his groin, and shocking him in the process.

The parts of him he thought had died with his wife suddenly roared to life, followed by an immediate stab of guilt. His chest tightened. Damian threaded his way through the crowd crammed on the deck, moved to the railing and stared out over the water. His guilt was irrational, he knew, but he couldn’t help following the flash of memories as they arose. The music and voices faded as his mind traveled back to Joyce.

He had taken her under his wing and helped her adjust to a new school after she moved in with her grandparents across from his house when they were fifteen. Her father’s job had relocated to another state, and rather than uproot Joyce, her parents had allowed her to stay in North Carolina and finish high school. Their relationship had just sort of developed over time, and what started as friendship gave way to a gentle love ending in marriage. Pain settled in his chest. He would never forget the day he came home from work and found her unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. She had sustained a severe brain injury in the fall and died two days later.

He squeezed his eyes shut to block out the memories. He drew in a long breath and released it slowly. Damian repeated the process until the pressure in his chest eased. He had been grieving for five long years. Karen’s face shimmered in his mind’s eye. Joyce would always hold a place in his heart, but she was gone now. Maybe it was time for him to stop merely existing and actually start living. Someone bumped him, shattering his reverie. Slowly the music and voices came back into focus. People all around him clapped, danced and sang along with the band.

He glanced up to the sky, smiled softly and let the music seep into his soul. Today was a new day, a new beginning with a beautiful and intriguing woman in his future, and he planned to enjoy both.

Chapter 3

Karen and Janae had a little while longer to hang out before it was time for Janae to meet Terrence, so they sat in on a question-and-answer session with a jazz artist.

“Is Terrence doing a Q & A, too?”

“Yes. The show is Wednesday night, and he’ll do the Q & A and autograph signing the following afternoon. Knowing Terrence, he’ll probably sing a couple of songs, too. We’re going to do a little sightseeing when we get to Nassau earlier in the day, then get back in time for the session.”

“You guys aren’t getting off in Grand Turks tomorrow and Jamaica on Wednesday?”

“No. He doesn’t want to be too tired for the concert, so we’ll hang out in the room. But he promised we’d take a trip to Jamaica soon.”

Karen chuckled. “Locked in an exquisite suite aboard a luxury cruise with his new bride, yeah, I’m sure he’ll be well rested.”

“I’ll go easy on him,” Janae said with a laugh. “Are you coming?”

“Of course I’m coming to the show.”

“Hmm. You might be otherwise preoccupied,” she said with a smirk.

“I don’t think so. If we happen to hit it off, he’s welcome to join me, but I’m not missing that show. And you tell Terrence...well, Monte, I’d better get my autographed CD.”

Janae laughed. “I’ll make sure to pass the message along. It’s really good.”

“Wait. You’ve already heard it?” At Janae’s grin, she frowned and folded her arms. “See, you just ain’t right. I thought I was your BFF.”

“You are. Gotta go find my hubby, before he comes looking for me.” She gave a little wave and started off.

Karen stared with her mouth hanging open. “I am so going to get you, you little traitor!” she called after Janae. “You weren’t even a big fan of his until I dragged you to that concert.”

Janae just laughed and kept going.

Karen shook her head and headed for her own room.

* * *

Once the ship reached Grand Turks the following day, Karen disembarked only long enough to take a picture in front of the welcome sign and pick up a souvenir. Back in her room, she pulled out her novel and read on the balcony until it was time to leave for dinner. Knowing she wouldn’t have time to change between dinner and the concert, she toyed with putting on something else.

Standing in front of the mirror, Karen glanced at her profile and decided against it. The turquoise halter dress was similar to the red one she’d worn the day before and made her look and feel sexy. She smoothed down her hair and touched up her makeup. Satisfied with her appearance, she picked up her small black leather cross-body purse with a braided jewel and leather strap and left.

Devin had insisted she have dinner with him and Donovan, so she wouldn’t have to eat alone. Tonight, Janae’s oldest brother and his wife, along with two of Terrence’s other friends, joined them. During dinner, she laughed and conversed, but her thoughts were never far from Damian. Sure, the man gave new meaning to good-looking, but she hadn’t come on this ship for some meaningless fling. Her goals were clear: see her best friend get married and refocus on her career. However, if that were truly the case, why had she agreed to meet him tonight? Because I’m drawn to him in a way I can’t explain.