Ship of Dreams (Dreams Come True Series Book 2) by Rebecca Heflin Page A

silence fell over the table.
    “Do you take cruises often?” Nathan tossed out.
    Anxious to fill the void, Veronica the Vampire said, “Gordon and I take two or three cruises a year, always with Imperial.”
    “I’ve taken numerous cruises, some with my wife, some with my mistresses,” Pauncho Villa interjected.
    Everyone turned to Franco, bug-eyed, requiring Laura to cover a laugh with both a cough and her napkin.
    Mistress es . Plural? My, my. Maybe there was more to Pauncho than meets the eye.
    “This is my first cruise,” Nathan said, making it Laura’s turn to look at him bug-eyed.
    “What do you recommend for the first-time cruise experience?” he continued.
    As their table companions began giving cruise advice, Laura took a moment to observe Nathan. He spoke with a lazy Southern drawl, but had the polish of education. He dressed with the urbanity of the wealthy, but hadn’t taken a cruise until now. A perplexing mix of disparate qualities.
    Gordon began speaking specifically of Imperial and what they had to offer, regaining Laura’s attention. Perfect. Nathan had presented an opportunity to pick the brains of Imperial passengers, and she’d zoned out.
    “We appreciate the level of service we receive on an Imperial ship,” Veronica said. “I never have to lift a finger. The staff seem to anticipate my every need, even before I know I need it.” She could barely crack a smile what with all the collagen and Botox in her lips.
    “And they’re very discreet,” Franco added with a wink.
    “Er, yes, I’m sure discretion is their middle name.” Laura glanced at Nathan, whose eyes twinkled in response.
    An after-dinner walk on the deck gave Laura the chance to check out the ship’s outdoor amenities. She and Nathan strolled along the lido deck toward the pool, deserted this time of night. Laura shivered when they rounded a corner and walked straight into a brisk wind off the water.
    Nathan spun her toward him and ran his hands up and down her bare arms. “You’re cold. We should go in.”
    Laura looked up into his golden-brown eyes, then glanced down at his lips. Go for it. “I can think of another way to warm up.”
    Nathan chuckled. “My grandmother warned me about girls like you.” His hands rested on her shoulders as he leaned down, bringing that tantalizing mouth closer to hers.
    “Oh yeah? What did she say?” Laura raised her mouth to his, her eyes still on his lips.
    “‘Nathan,’ she said, ‘there will be women out there, fast women, that will want to take the lead. Don’t let them.’” He came closer still, his breath soft on her face.
    “And what did you say?” Laura’s breath caught and her heart did a little two-step. She’d never been so wrapped up in the anticipation of a kiss before. The usual guys she’d, er , dated, if that was the word, just dove right in, taking what they wanted. More the instant-gratification type herself, so did she.
    This expectation, this breathlessness, was new to her, and not unwelcome. She licked her lips as her gaze focused on his mouth, a breath away from hers.
    “I said, ‘Nathan’—I wouldn’t have said it to my grandmother, you see”—the corner of that delicious mouth lifted—“so I said it to myself.” His grin faded as he stepped into her, stopping just shy of a kiss. “‘Sometimes it’s nice to be led.’”
    Laura took that as her cue. She grazed his lips with hers, and, taking a page from his playbook, didn’t dive immediately into the deep end, but rather glided gently into the shallows.
    As his hands skimmed the column of her neck to cup her face, a breathy moan escaped her. She gripped the lapels of his suit, pulling him into her as he changed the direction of his mouth before taking the reins. His tongue parted her lips, deepening the kiss, and sending her pulse into overdrive.
    Tongues tangled and danced, breathy moans filled the air, teeth nibbled and nipped, as her hands slid up his chest and into his hair,