~ Chapter Seven ~

 

 

 

Today was the last day of the cruise. Kamila got up early to get dressed since she was meeting Lori for breakfast. She noticed Donovan was gone and she wondered what time he’d left. Was it late last night or early this morning? She wanted to call him, but instead, she took a shower, dressed and joined Lori at the breakfast buffet.

After breakfast, they walked a few laps around the track, not necessarily for the exercise but to get some fresh air. Then they swam a little, played a few trivia games, got manicures and went to lunch. Lori was so exhausted by two o’clock, she told Kamila she was going to take a short nap. They made plans to get together again around four to enjoy the last day.

Kamila, however, wasn’t in the mood for taking a nap. She slept extra good last night and she wondered if it had something to do with Donovan. Maybe so. At any rate, she went to browse the shops when she saw Donovan walking down the hall, looking around and checking out the scene. Caught in a trance for a moment, she tried to look away but couldn’t seem to do it. He was wearing a black, fitted T-shirt that showcased his broad shoulders and muscular torso. A pair of distressed jeans dressed his bottom half, and a pair of black Nikes completed his outfit. Man he was hot, showing off his pecks and defined arm muscles! Apparently, the group of rubbernecking women he’d just passed thought so too.

Kamila ducked behind a postcard rack, peeping around it to see if he was heading into the shop as well. But when she stared out into the hallway, he was nowhere to be found. Between shopping for personalized pens and key chains, she lost sight of him. She walked closer to one of the entrances and looked both ways to see if he was nearby. He wasn’t. Hmm...she thought to herself and when she turned around, she got the shock of a lifetime. “Ah!” she squealed. Donovan was standing directly behind her with a smile on his face. She slapped him on the shoulder. “Donovan! You scared the crap out of me.”

He laughed at her. “That’s what you get. I saw you peeping at me.”

She placed her hand over her heart. “I wasn’t peeping at you.”

“Liar.”

“Stop calling me a liar.”

“Kamila, I saw you looking at me. Why do you think I came in here?”

“I don’t know...to get some souvenirs for D.J. and your mom?”

“Oh, yeah. I suppose I should. Is that what you’re doing? Souvenir shopping?”

“Yep...they mark down items on the last day, so I figured why not.” Kamila rummaged around a small bin of figurines. “Hey, look at this.” She held up a toy cruise ship and said, “You should get this for D.J. Actually, I’ll get it for him.”

“Nah, I got it.”

“No, I’ll get it. That way, you can tell him about the crazy lady who stalked you on the cruise.”

Donovan grinned. “I was kidding when I said that.”

“Oh no you weren’t. You were dead serious.” Kamila laughed at him. “What’s your mom’s name?” she asked, browsing the pens again.

“Phyllis. Why?”

“Trying to see if her name is on one of these pens. Hmm...Phyllis. Oh, here we go...a red Phyllis pen.” Kamila took the pen out of the rack. “What else does your mom like?”

“I’ll get her some of these shirts.” Donovan took a couple of T-shirts from a clothing rack. He also found a shirt for D.J.

Kamila got a couple of shirts as well and some postcards and key chains. Walking up to the cashier, she placed her items on the countertop. So did Donovan.

“I got it,” he said.

“Are you sure?” she asked, watching him remove his wallet from the back right pocket of his jeans.

“Yep.” He handed the cashier his card.

 

“Thank you, Donovan.”

“You’re welcome.”

He took their bags and they walked out of the store together.

“So what time did you leave this morning?” she inquired.

“Um...’round five.”

“Why?”

“I just figured I would disappear before you got up. I took up your whole night...didn’t want to rob you of your morning, too.”

“Oh, please. You could’ve stayed.”

“Nah...your friend Lori probably hates me already.”

Kamila giggled.

“I knew it,” Donovan said.

“No, she doesn’t hate you, silly.”

Kamila swiped the card to unlock her room door. She dropped her bag on the couch.

“So what are your plans for the rest of the day?” Donovan asked.

“I’m supposed to link up with Lori in...” she glanced at her watch. “Twenty minutes, actually.”

“That’s cool.”

“What about you Don-Juan? What you got going on?”

He laughed at her silliness. “I’ll probably go swimming, eat more calories than I have all year and spend money on outrageous things I have no intentions on using. That’s what cruising is all about, right?”

“Right,” Kamila said, giving him a thumbs up. “Well, I’m sure I’ll see you a little later,” she said, heading for the door.

They both stepped out into the hallway.

“If you want to see me later, you will,” he said, giving her a hard, penetrating look.

“What does that mean?”

“Means what I said. If you want to see me later, you will.”

“O-kay....ah...tell you what...meet me here at eight.”

“You’re not going to stand me up again, are you?”

“No. I promise I won’t.”

“Okay. I’ll see you at eight then.”

* * *

Kamila met Lori at four as they had planned and played a few more games, grabbed a bite to eat and sipped on a couple of drinks while they listened to a comedy show. Before she knew it, the time had escaped her. It was already after nine and she was supposed to meet Donovan back at her room at eight. She promised him...

She parted with Lori, explaining that she had promised to meet with Donovan. Lori gave her the side-eye again and said, “I can’t believe you done came on this cruise and snagged a man.”

Kamila grinned and said, “Bye, Lori,” then strolled to Donovan’s room. She tapped her knuckles against the door.

“Who is it?” she heard him say in a raised, authoritative tone.

Is he mad? “It’s Kamila.”

After a few passing seconds, he opened the door and said, “You stood me up.”

“Ah...um...” she stammered, because, yes, she did stand him up and she couldn’t tell if he was upset about it by the stoic look on his face, or if he was testing her to see how she would react if he was really upset. But skip that – the man came the door shirtless, showing off his flawless chest, ripped abs and smooth, milk chocolate skin, rocking a pair of saggy, black jogging pants that showed off the top portion of his Calvin Klein boxers. “I’m so sorry...I totally lost track of time.”

“That’s okay. I mean, if you want to go kick it with your friend—”

“No. I see her all the time...probably won’t see you anymore once we get off this ship, so put on some clothes and let’s go.”

“Okay...give me a minute. You want to wait in here or out there?”

Kamila gave his body a once over and said, “I’ll wait out here.”

He grinned. “Be right back.”

Donovan took a plaid Polo shirt from the couch, and picked up his jeans off the floor, quickly getting dressed. Once he took his keycard and wallet from the nightstand, he opened the door and said, “So what’s on tap?”

“Um...I don’t know. I have the last day blues...but at the same time, I think we should do something memorable and crazy.”

“Crazy?”

“Yeah.” Kamila took him by the hand. “Follow me.”

“Jeez. Now what?”

“Hush, and come on.” She led him to a chapel in the ship and said to the minister, “We’re here to get married.”

“No we’re not!” Donovan said adamantly with raised eyebrows.

“Oh, come on, Donovan. Free yourself.”

“Okay, you have seriously lost your mind.”

“But think about how cool it would be to tell your friends and family you got married on a cruise.”

“I don’t see your point.”

“It’s about freeing yourself...you’re afraid of marriage and I’ve never been married.”

Donovan frowned. “I’m not afraid of marriage. I was married before.”

“Yeah, and you don’t want to do it again because of fear. But no worries...I’ll sign a prenupt.”

Donovan scratched his head. She couldn’t be serious, could she? “Okay, it was nice meeting you and hanging out with you and all, but this is where I say, deuces.” He turned around to walk out of the room.

“Donovan, please just do this for me. Please?”

“You can’t be serious right now, Kamila. Marriage isn’t a game. It’s serious and—”

“We can get it annulled as soon as we get off the ship.”

“Kamila—”

“Please?”

Donovan looked into her longing eyes and said, “All right, but this isn’t real. I’m just doing this for you.”

She smiled and took his hand, walked up to the minister and repeated vows. When the minister asked them to exchange rings, Donovan said, “I’ll be right back.”

“You’re not leaving me at the altar are you?”

“No...I’ll be right back.”

After about five minutes, he came back with a diamond ring. Why he felt the need to buy a brand spanking new diamond ring for this one-day marriage was beyond him, but he was caught up in the moment of it. It was exciting, something exhilarating and spur-of-the-moment crazy. He took her left hand and slid it on her ring finger. “There. That’s perfect.”

“You may kiss your bride,” the minister told him.

Donovan grinned. “You don’t really want me to kiss you do you?”

“Yeah. Go for it,” she said staring at his lips.

“Okay.” Donovan bit his bottom lip, then tilting her chin up with the touch of his index finger, he leaned down to plant a peck on her soft lips. Something about the feel of them set a blaze under his skin, something he didn’t expect. It scared him to feel this way, to want a woman who, in his opinion, would inevitably break his heart. That’s what women did – broke hearts like it was a game. And even though Kamila was beautiful, innocent and harmless, he still looked at her with a suspicious glare. Yet and still, he couldn’t deny that he wanted her.

Kamila opened them when their lips separated. “Now let’s go celebrate.”

“Celebrate where?”

“Let’s go where we first met...at the top deck.”

Donovan followed her up there. Somehow, he felt they’d come full circle, that they returned to the exact spot that started their official introductions to each other.

Kamila twirled around happily and said, “This has been a nice, little vacation...the vacation of a lifetime. Hasn’t this been fun?”

“Did we really just elope?” Donovan asked. “I didn’t really do that did I?”

“Yes you did, hubby.”

“That wasn’t a real ceremony, though.”

“It was. We signed documents.”

Donovan thought for a moment then said, “I mean, it wasn’t real for us...something you just wanted to do, right.”

“Oh stop being a big baby about it.” She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “Let’s dance,” she said, swaying her body side to side.

“You’re crazy,” Donovan told her.

“And you’re stiff. Get it together, Donovan.”

He did as she asked, loosened up and spun her around in so many circles, she couldn’t stand up straight.

Kamila pulled herself into his chest and rested her head against him. “This is nice,” she said, but felt herself become sad at the thought of leaving tomorrow without ever seeing Donovan again. He hadn’t bothered to give her his cell phone number or any contact information which led her to believe he only enjoyed her company on the ship, but the chances of them ever seeing each other again after debarkation were slim to none.

Donovan squeezed her, then closed his eyes. Why was he feeling something now? Something that caught him by surprise? What was this woman doing to him?

“Come on. Let’s go,” Kamila said.

“Where are we going now?”

“To my room.”

“You’re tired already?”

“No. I just want to relax for a minute.”

“Okay.”

Donovan followed her to the room, watching the way her hips swayed from side to side when she walked. He wondered what her expectations were, if she even wanted to see him or talk to him again when they went their separate ways and back to their everyday lives. Would he miss her? Think about her constantly the way he used to daydream about Shayla?

She opened the door with her keycard, then walked over to the bed, sitting there while watching Donovan make himself comfortable on the couch.

“Now what?” Donovan inquired, rubbing his hands together.

“It’s our honeymoon night. What you wanna do?”

“Um...” he laughed uncomfortably, not sure of what she was suggesting.

“Come here, Donovan.”

He did as she asked, and sat next to her on the bed.

Kamila stood up, took some lotion from her night stand and said, “Take off your shirt.”

Donovan hesitated for a moment, but when he thought about how good it would feel to have her soft hands rub lotion all over him, he went with it. What did he have to lose? He’d already told her he didn’t want a relationship and she seemed to be understanding and okay with that. So he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the couch.

Kamila stared at his bare chest, down to his well-sculpted six pack. He was in excellent physical shape and by the cocky look on his face, he knew it.

“Okay, lay face down,” she instructed.

He did as she asked and when her hands touched the flesh of his back, he trembled. He hadn’t been touched like that in a long time.

“Are my hands cold?”

“No.”

“Okay.” Kamila squeezed some lotion into her hand and massaged it on his back, staring at the diamond ring sparkling on her ring finger. She was surprised he’d bought it for her and she wondered if it meant anything. Or was he just going along with the ceremony, trying to make her happy? Give her memories? Something to share with her girlfriends at brunch? She heard him moan and exhale deeply. “You okay?”

“Uh...uh...yeah.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah...why do you keep asking me that?”

“Because you’re keeping all kind of noises and stuff.”

“My bad...I haven’t been touched like this in a long time,” he said, closing his eyes.

“Liar.”

He grinned. “I’m not lying.”

“Donovan...you don’t remember us getting massages yesterday. I didn’t hear you moaning then.”

“I wasn’t getting rubbed down by my wife either. Forgive me if it feels good.”

Kamila giggled uncontrollably. “You’re impossible.”

“Shh. Your hands feel like silk, girl. Keep rubbing.”

Kamila smiled and squeezed more lotion into her hands, rubbing him down again, pushing her hands down deeply as she massaged him. Then she moved up to his neck, massaging the area around his shoulders, hearing him moan again.

“You want me to massage you anywhere else? I’m taking requests.”

“Uh,” Donovan said, feeling himself so turned on and relaxed, he could barely think. Did he even hear her question?

Kamila lounged on the bed next to him, watching him roll over to face her.

“Your turn,” he said, taking the bottle of lotion from the bed. “Take off your blouse.”

“No, I’m not taking off my blouse.”

“Yes you are. You gave me a massage and I’m giving you one.”

Goodness, he’s bossy, she thought, and she loved every bit of it. “Okay,” she agreed, and undid the buttons on her blouse, exposing a cream-colored, lacey bra underneath. Then she laid face down, cringing when she felt Donovan’s large, strong hands grip her back, sending a shiver down her spine.

In one swift, quick motion he spun her around so she was lying face up. He wanted to see her eyes, scrutinize her actions to determine if his initial thoughts were correct – that this is really what she wanted. If she wasn’t with it, then he wasn’t either.

“Kamila.”

“Yeah?” she answered, softly.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I’ll stop if you want me to.”

“I don’t want you to stop, Donovan,” she responded, gently rubbing her French-manicured fingernails across the back of his head.

Donovan closed his eyes, responding to a touch he missed so much and then they lie in bed together, bodies intertwined, making love.

 

 

A while later, Donovan rolled off of her, back onto the bed, then pulled her close to him. Why had he done that? For a man who didn’t want anything serious, he’d made some dumb decisions in the last six hours. He’d married a woman he’d known for less than a week, then made love to her, honeymoon style. He hadn’t made love to a woman since Teresa and had to admit now that he missed the connection of being this close, this intimate with a woman. But still, that didn’t mean he wanted anything long term, because that wouldn’t work out in his mind. It never did, so there was no need in starting over.

He did, however, enjoy the time he spent with Kamila. She was younger than him, but she was carefree and fun to be with. And feeling her naked body against his made him feel whole again, like she was the missing piece of his life. And for the first time in a long time, he could rest and feel happy and wanted, even though he knew a relationship is not what he wanted – at least not now.