The Cruise Ch. 03

Carter first stared straight ahead glad he had sun glasses on so the size of his eyes were hidden. They had to be the size of saucers when he recognized Kallies voice. He slowly rubbed his hand down his face trying and failing to hide the surprise.

He turned his head as he pushed his sunglasses down a little and looked up. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her standing next to him. Her long blonde hair fell well past her shoulders even though it was pulled up in a pony tail. Her smile was electric as she dipped her sunglasses, revealing her deep blue eyes.

"Surprise!" was all Kallie said when their eyes met. She could see by the expression on his face that it truly was a surprise.

"Um... no, feel free," he said unable to take his eyes from her as she moved. Every curve of her body seemed new to him even though she had sent him pictures. It took all his strength not to reach for her.

"Pinch me," he said softly after she got settled into the chair. "I have to be dreaming."

"No babe, you're not dreaming," she replied softly as she laid her hand on his. If he ever had any doubt about how he felt about her, it was quickly erased from that one little touch. He swore the electricity he felt run through him would stop his heart.

"I don't know how I'm going to pull this off," Carter said as he felt the heat slowly withdrawing from his cheeks. "Jess is going to know something is up," he said looking around the deck to find her. He spotted her by the bar getting their next round of drinks, glad the bar looked busy. It would give them time to get some sort of plan in place.

"Well, we just have to modify that plan you talked about a little and we should be all set," Kallie couldn't help but chuckle at Carter's obvious nervousness about the situation. "Just act like we've never met," she said with what Carter thought was a wink.

She continued to explain to him the thoughts she had about how they could make it work, the slight modifications to the plan Carter had come up with in their chats. She knew he had been half way joking about it when he brought it up so many months ago, but she was glad now that she had used it to get to the ship.

"Follow my lead," she said as she saw Alex walking towards them with a couple of fruity something or other drinks.

****

Alex walked towards the bar wondering to himself how he had let Kallie talk him into this. He wasn't to sure about being stuck on a boat for 7 days, rocking and swaying around the Caribbean. He was worried he'd get sea sick or catch on of those nasty viruses he had always heard about on these boats.

'Oh well, at least there would be lots of beautiful scenery for him to look at while he puked his way around the Caribbean' he thought as he stood in line waiting to place an order.

'There's a shocker – Kallie already found someone to talk to' he thought as he turned with their drinks and found her on the far end of the deck, having a conversation with the guy sitting next to her.

****

Jess walked to the bar as she got back to the pool deck to order another drink for her and Carter. She saw him sitting there, talking with someone who had taken the chair next to him. 'Always the conversationalist' she thought to herself with a little chuckle.

She couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief when she turned with their drinks and saw what was apparently the blonde woman's significant other handing her a drink before taking the chair next to her.

She quickly walked to the chair next to Carter, wanting to make sure things were on the up and up, that this beautiful woman wasn't trying to hit on her husband.

****

"Thanks hun," Kallie said with a smile as Alex handed her a drink. "Alex, this is... Carter, right?" Kallie said, adding the pause as if she were trying to remember his name.

"Yep. Alex, nice to meet you," Carter said as he shook Alex's hand. 'Damn she's good' he thought as he looked at her again.

"Your wife was just telling me that this is the first big vacation the two of you have taken together. I have to say, a cruise is one of the best trips there is as far as we're concerned" Carter said to Alex, doing his best to follow Kallie's lead.

He couldn't help but notice the devilish grin crossing her lips as he spoke.

"Yeah, she's been trying to talk me into this since we got married. I've always been afraid of getting sick," Alex said with obvious nervousness in his voice.

Carter was about to tell him it wasn't as bad as people thought it was when Jess walked up and handed him a drink.

Following Kallies example he introduced them "Jess, this is... Alex and .... Kallie," he said adjusting his voice to make it sound like he wasn't sure.

The conversation among them stayed light as they talked about their families back home and the fact that Carter and Jess were on board with most of her family, celebrating her parent's anniversary.

"I'm going to stand by the railing for the departure," Jess said excitedly when the horn blew announcing the beginning of the official "bon-voyage" party and she quickly found most of her family.

Carter excused himself to the restroom after the boat started moving. As he walked through the sliding doors, he jumped slightly when he felt Kallies hand touch his arm. She apparently had caught on to what he was doing and excused herself also.

When Carter knew he was out of the view of any of their little group, which had now grown, he turned to Kallie. He couldn't resist it any longer and softly wrapped his arms around her giving her the hug he had wanted to give for the past couple of years. He smiled as he realized it felt every bit as good as he hoped it would. He barely resisted the sigh that came from him.

"Thank you," he said with a smile as he looked into her eyes. "Thank you for coming. You have made what was shaping up to ...." Carter said before Kallie stopped him by laying her finger across his lips.

"Would you shut up and kiss me already?" she said with a wink as her hands wrapped around the back of his neck.

"Here?... Now?... But what if...." He muttered before her lips met his in a tender kiss. When their lips separated, Carter felt himself wanting more, no, needing more. He was about to kiss her again when Kallie stopped him.

"Later Carter, I really do need to use the restroom," she said and pulled away from him, letting her hand trail down his chest as she moved. Even through the material of his shirt, he felt the burn of her touch. He couldn't resist and gave her a quick pinch on the bum as she walked away from him.

****

When Carter returned to the deck from the restroom, he walked to Alex "You and Kallie are more than welcome to join us if you want," he said motioning towards Jess's family.

"I'll see what she thinks," was Alex's short reply.

"Jess's family lives by the old saying 'The more the merrier', so you don't have to worry about feeling like you're intruding," Carter said sensing Alex's hesitation.

As he turned to join Jess's family, he saw Kallie walking back onto deck. He couldn't help but smile in her direction, a smile that only broadened when she returned it.

He joined his party and was pleasantly surprised when he heard Jess introduce Kallie and Alex to her sister when they walked up. He smiled again realizing that things were definitely shaping up for them before turning to join Jess.

"Glad you decided to join us," Carter said to Alex and Kallie with a little wink in her direction.

"Thank you for inviting us," Kallie said, returning the wink, knowing that both of their remarks had multiple meanings.

****

Carter and Alex were in mid conversation when the boat started to move. The conversation was about their jobs and family. Most of what Alex was saying Carter already knew from his online and phone time with Kallie.

"You alright Alex?" Carter asked when the look on Alex's face changed.

"I don't know. I can really feel the boat moving and the buildings aren't helping any," he replied.

Carter looked at Kallie and saw an almost pleading look on her face. He was trying to think of what to say to Alex when he heard Jess ask him what he had eaten so far that day. When he told her, Jess immediately said he needed food.

"You don't mind do you Kallie?" she asked as she laid a hand gently on Alex's arm.

"Um... no go ahead," she replied. As they watched Jess and Alex walk away she gave Carter a look which he returned.

"Strange," they both muttered, causing a little laugh.

"So, Kallie, how did you pull this off?" Carter asked with a big smile.

"I just told Alex I was going and he could come along if he wanted," she replied with a wink.

"Well, I have to say it was definitely a pleasant surprise," Carter said, his smile still on his face. He couldn't help it. Having Kallie here was more than he could have hoped for the trip.

"The surprises have just begun," Kallie said as she softly rested her hand on his arm.

Carter was about to reply when he saw Alex and Jess returning with some food. He leaned in and whispered "That's something we better discuss later. We have company coming," as he nodded his head towards their spouses.

Alex appeared to be feeling better after eating a little. They stayed on deck possibly a little too long and realized they were going to have to scramble to get ready for diner.

They all walked to the elevators together and Carter and Alex both reached for the control panel at the same time. Alex laughed a little when Carter pushed the button for their floor.

"Isn't that crazy," Kallie said, barely able to hold in her laughter "we're on the same floor" she finished as she discretely touched Carter's arm.

As they walked down the hall Carter soon realized another one of Kallie's surprises. There were two cabins between them. Carter let Jess into their cabin and looked towards Kallie before going in himself he saw her smile and shook his head then heard her chuckle.

****

Their timing couldn't have been better as both couples walked to the door of the dining room at the same time.

"This is getting scary," Jess said with a smile.

"I know right. We always seem to be running into each other," Kallie said.

Carter could detect the playfulness in her voice and looked at her with a small grin. Then he saw her eyes. He hadn't really looked into her eyes earlier in the day as they were covered with her sunglasses most of the time. He knew they were a beautiful shade of blue from the pictures she had sent him, but he could never have imagined the color. It had to compare to the waters they were heading for. He was slightly shocked to see that she had actually found a sundress that almost matched them perfectly as well.

When they were seated at their tables, Carter could see Kallie from his chair. They were far enough apart for it not to be obvious, but he was still staring at her. Occasionally she would look his way and smile. That smile of hers that could light up the darkest of rooms.

After the appetizer course, Carter could see by the look on Kallies face that something wasn't quite right. She kept looking at Alex and saying something, but he couldn't tell what it was.

A short while later Alex stood and left the dining room. Kallie had a very concerned look on her face. He wondered if Alex's stomach was acting up again. He was bout to say something to Jess when she leaned to him and whispered that Alex had left and she hoped he was ok.

It only took a few minutes for Alex to return. When his diner came he took one bite and immediately left in a rush. The color on his face told the story. Carter looked at Kallie as she sat with her head in her hands.

When Alex didn't return, Kallie stood and left also. She didn't look at Carter. She didn't dare because she was afraid she might start crying. She found Alex in their cabin lying on the bed with a wet towel over his face.

"You ok hun," she asked softly as she sat on the bed next to him.

"This doesn't feel like any flu bug or anything. I think the motion is getting to me," he said without moving.

Kallie picked up the phone and dialed the number for their cabin steward. She barely had the phone hung up when she heard a knock on the door. The steward handed her a small package with two pills in it.

"To calm his stomach. It will make him drowsy," the steward said and walked away.

Shortly after she had just gotten Alex to take the pills when there was another knock on the door. She looked through the peephole and saw Jess standing there and opened the door, greeting her with an obviously strained smile.

"How we doing in there," Jess asked. "Is he going to survive?"

Kallie told her about the pills and got thumbs up from Jess. "The only problem is, you might as well get comfy because he'll be sound asleep in about a half hour," Jess told her.

Alex obviously heard her "Hun you can go out with them if you want, I'm just going to sleep anyway," he said in the background.

After the usual Are you sure? and Yes, GO! back and forth, Kallie leaned over to give Alex a little kiss. She grabbed her small purse and closed the door behind her. They met the cabin steward in the hall and asked him to find her if anything came up.

****

Carter and Jess had decided to meet in one of the lounges and he couldn't help but smile when Kallie walked in with Jess. It was then that he realized that he was going to be spending a lot of the next week smiling.

They sat by him in the big comfy chairs and Kallie told him about Alex.

"I know exactly what he's going through. I had the same thing on our first cruise. He'll be quite a bit better tomorrow but he'll sleep like a log tonight," Carter said.

The conversation with the three of them was light. They talked a little more about their lives, families, jobs, etc. At a point in the evening, Jess's family joined them after a couple of hours in the casino, had a drink and announced they were all going to bed. Shortly after they left, Jess said she was getting tired and was doing the same.

"Let me finish this first, then we can go," Carter said.

"It's okay hun. You can stay here if you want. I mean after all, where you going to go? We're only a few miles from land," Jess replied with a smile. "Oh, and Kallie, don't let any of these women hit on him. I'm leaving him in your hands," she said with a smile before leaving.

Somehow they both managed to hold out until Jess was clearly out of the room before cracking up. "If she only knew," was all Carter said before Kallie moved to sit next to him.

****

Kallie sat, trying to be proper but failed. She turned in the chair and moved so she was as close to him as the chairs would allow.

"You heard her, you're in my hands now," she whispered in his ear, giving the lobe a little nibble as her fingers lightly slipped between the buttons of his shirt.

"If you keep that up, we're going to need to go somewhere more private," Carter said, know that was exactly what he wanted.

"Let's go for a walk," she said as she quickly hopped to her feet, pulling him by the hand. He barely had enough time to grab his sport coat from the chair before she drug him away.

They walked out to the pool deck which was lit in a soft glow from the lights strung over head as well as the moon. They found a fairly secluded spot by the railing and Kallie stepped up to it.

Carter could see she was getting cool so he slipped his coat over her shoulders. She instantly leaned back into him as his lips came down and kissed her softly on the neck.

"You are even more beautiful than I could ever have imagined," he said softly as his hands slipped around her waist. The smell of her hair and her perfume was intoxicating, or better yet, addicting. He knew he would never forget that smell.

"Thank you. You are too," she replied softly as she snuggled into him. She could feel his cheeks warm slightly and knew he was blushing. Most men didn't appreciate being called beautiful, handsome yes, but not beautiful. Kallie knew him well enough to know he wouldn't mind.

He raised his head slightly and inhaled the smell of her hair again before gently kissing the back of her head. She turned and put her hand on the back of his neck. When their eyes met, no words were needed. Carter bent slightly and kissed her passionately.

Kallie slowly kissed down his jaw to his neck, nibbling lightly. She opened her eyes and had an idea. She pulled back slightly and let her hands trail down his chest watching them as they moved.

"Come with me," she said softly as she looked back into his eyes and took his hand. She led him up the steps to the top deck which was lit only by the moon light. She led Carter to one of the lounge chairs where he sat back. She curled up next to him resting her head against his chest, using his coat as a blanket.

She felt his arm wrap around her and smiled as she took his other hand, moving it to exactly where she wanted it. Her body had a need for him to touch her.

Carter's breath caught slightly as she placed his hand on her breast. He moaned softly as his hands gently caressed her firm breasts, feeling her nipples harden through the soft material of her dress.

She lifted her head to kiss him her breath stopped short when she felt his fingers slip inside the top of her dress and begin toying with her nipple.

"You're naughty," she said playfully, pressing her lips tightly to his before he had a chance to respond.

Her hand moved slowly down his chest, stopping only for a moment at his belt before moving over his manhood. She could feel it hardening to her touch.

"Now you really are in my hands," she said as she nibbled on his ear again.

Carters hand started to move down her body but stopped at her hip. He moved to look into her eyes.

"If there ever was a doubt in my mind, it's gone now. I do love you," he said softly said as his free hand moved to cup her cheek. "But not yet," he said before kissing her gently on the forehead.

At first Kallie felt a little rejected until she saw the look on his face.

"You're right. We have time. We shouldn't rush this," she said and returned the look. It was one not of desire but one of true love.

She layed her head on his chest again and simply relished the feel of finally being in his arms. She could tell by the way he held her that he felt the same way. All those days of chatting about cuddling and it was finally happening. Neither wanting the night to end, but knowing it had to.

****

They talked a little and teased each other, both verbally and physically until they realized how late it was getting to be. Carter moaned slightly when Kallie suggested they should probably call it a night.

"I know love, but if either of them wakes, they're really going to wonder," she said as she started to stand.

They walked across the deck hand in hand and snuggled in the elevator as it moved to their floor. The cuddling continued down the hall where they stopped between their doors. Kallie turned to him and they kissed good night. They held each other one last time before they parted for the night.

"Good night love," Carter said as he reluctantly stepped back.

"Good night to you," Kallie said and turned toward her cabin. "Oh, you might want this," she said as she slipped his coat from her shoulders and handed it to him.

"Until tomorrow," he said as they both stood by their doors before going in.

Kallies simple reply was to blow him a kiss before disappearing through her door.

Carter took a deep breath before slipping his key card into the door. Another smile crossed his face as that breath brought the smell of Kallies perfume to him. He stopped and held the coat to his nose, inhaling the smell before finally going into his dark cabin with the thoughts of what might be running through his head.