Cruising With Miss Christmas (Cruisin’ With Curves)

Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

I emerge onto the deck of the Infinity Voyager. The night air is warm but a gentle ocean breeze lifts my hair, cooling my neck.

I make my way towards the prow of the ship, passing the Aqua Bar as I go. The rows of white sun loungers lie, freshly washed and gleaming, ready for another day’s work tomorrow.

To my surprise, the bar is still open. A pair of passengers sit at the bar, talking quietly. The lady’s laugh rings out over the deck and I watch as she playfully taps the knee of the gentleman sitting with her. He smiles, looking quite pleased with himself for making such a successful joke.

I wonder whether they are on their first date, or celebrating their silver wedding anniversary. Either way, love appears to be in the air.

Lorenzo has returned to his usual spot behind the bar. He’s still in his elf livery and appears to be deep in conversation with a colleague.

I wave as I pass. He grins, then his left eye closes in a wink.

What is going on?

I rub my hand over my arm where goosebumps have risen on my skin, despite the balmy air. I pause for a second in the shadow of the wheelhouse.

What is this? A prank perhaps? Maybe Santa has a strange sense of humour. Maybe I’m on the naughty list after all.

No, it can’t be. Hector isn’t like that. He’s too straight up.

But perhaps he doesn’t realise quite how…romantic…his request is. Maybe he just wants to enjoy the view with me, perhaps watch the waves breaking at the bow of the ship as we steam into the night.

Perhaps he’ll have a sun lounger waiting and we can make love under the stars.

Hmm, unlikely.

The thought of my grouchy, but endlessly chivalrous, mountain man coming up with such a romantic scheme makes me chuckle.

I round the wheelhouse and the prow of the ship comes into view. There, looking out into the vast darkness of the ocean, is Hector. Santa has gone. Hector is wearing a kilt. The collar of his Bonnie Prince Charlie shirt lifts slightly in the breeze and the pleats of his kilt sway as he shifts gently from foot to foot. But he is not alone. Beside him stands the tall, uniformed figure of Captain McClelland.

They are talking quietly. I clear my throat softly and step out from the shadow.

“Ah, here she is,” says Captain McClelland.

Hector bites his bottom lip and runs his hands over the wool of his kilt.

“Hi, beautiful,” he says softly. He squares his shoulders and steps forward. He holds out his hand. I place my hand in his, enjoying the wave of comfort that washes over me as his huge hand envelopes mine.

Hector draws me in front of him and sinks down onto one knee. I gasp.

“Elspeth Christmas,” he says, looking up at me. “I cannot wait another day to stand by your side as your husband. Would you…” he takes a deep breath, “Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

“Your wife?” I repeat slowly.

“Yes, my wife. Marry me.”

“Oh,” I breathe. “Wow.”

I look down into his blue eyes, so honest, so true, and my heart thuds in my chest.

I brush my hand against his cheek. “Yes,” I whisper. “Yes, of course. I’m yours, always.”

My eyes fall over Hector’s head to Captain McClelland, who is watching us with an almost parental pride.

It strikes me that it is a slightly strange thing to have the captain of a ship standing close-by as you enjoy the most romantic moment of your life. I want to throw myself on Hector, wrap myself into his arms and kiss him until I forget my own name, but I am very aware that Captain McClelland appears to be waiting for something. My eyes meet his. The corners of his lips twitch and his lips curve into a smile. He shakes his head, trying to regain his composure, but fails.

The staid, grey-haired, somewhat stern-faced captain lets out a small whoop.

And suddenly I realise that I am indeed in the most romantic moment of my life.

“Oh,” I murmur, my eyes widening, “You mean now!”

Hector nods and rises to his feet. “If you’ll have me.”

“Oh my goodness! Yes, yes, yes!” I try to hold back the joy that bubbles in my voice but I can’t. I wrap my arms round Hector’s neck and draw him to me. For a moment we lose ourselves in a kiss so deep, I feel it in my soul. I forget Captain McClelland’s existence until he politely clears his throat.

“Excellent,” he says as Hector and I break apart, slightly embarrassed by our abandon. “Shall we begin?”

“Wait!” a voice calls from behind us. Lorenzo rounds the corner of the wheelhouse, panting slightly. “Do you need a witness?”

And so, with Santa’s elf watching on with a tear in his eye and officiated by the captain of the largest cruise ship on the sea, I marry the love of my life in the middle of the ocean, under a carpet of twinkling stars.

Hector carries me over the threshold of his cabin, kicking the door firmly shut behind us, then depositing me onto his bed. I laugh as I bounce slightly in the vast, fluffy expanse of the duvet.

“Straight to business then,” I tease.

He drops his jacket on the floor and stands up, looking down at me.

“Oh,” he says. “You want to take it slowly, do you? Well, my lady wife, your wish is my command.”

He holds my eyes as he slowly unbuckles his kilt. I can’t bear it, not even in jest.

“No, come here,” I growl. If I don’t feel his hands on me soon, I swear I’m going to explode. I forgive him the tiny air of smugness in his answering smile. He kicks off his shoes and socks, dives onto the bed and into my arms. I claw at his shirt, pulling it over his head and casting it to the floor.

I run my hand down his back, my fingers tracing every curve of his muscled frame. But as my hand meets the mound of his bum cheek, a crippling shyness washes over me.

“Elspeth? What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I, uh, nothing. I…er…”

I move to sit up and he does the same. But the sight of his nakedness just makes it worse. My cheeks burn. I cover my face with my hands.

“What is it, sweetheart, tell me,” he says, his voice deep with concern.

I want to tell him. I want to explain. But the words won’t come.

I feel like such an idiot.

“Elspeth, whatever it is…oh.”

He gently peels my hands from my face. His blue eyes are tender, but I struggle to meet them in my embarrassment.

“Elspeth,” he says gently. “It is okay. We don’t need to…not tonight. Not any night. Not until you are ready.”

Relief washes through me. “I’m sorry, Hector. I should have said.”

“No, don’t worry about it. I shouldn’t have presumed…”

“Not really something to be proud of. I’m twenty-five!”

“Nothing to be ashamed of either,” he says firmly. “Everybody has their own timeframe. And I am happy to go with whatever suits you.”

“I want to, goodness knows I want to. I think I’m going to burst if I don’t have you. I want you so much it actually hurts,” I scoff out a small laugh. “I’m just…nervous.”

Hector nods. “If you are sure. We’ll take it slowly.”

He bends his head and kisses me. The feeling of his mouth on mine chases the last vestiges of fear from my body. His hands on my body are powerful, commanding, yet so gentle. Each reverent brush of his palms leaves a trail of heat burning inside me.

We kiss, our bodies pressed together in the softness of the duvet, until the fire inside me roars so hard that I can’t ignore it any longer.

“Please, Hector. I’m ready. I need you…”

He nods, pushing the satin of my dress to my waist and removing my knickers, keeping me pressed close to him the whole time. The heat of his body is comforting, reassuring. His hands slide over my bum cheeks. I almost cringe as he explores my curves, but the answering press of his cock against my thigh is enough to tell me that he likes what he’s found.

His hand rounds my thigh and slides between my legs. I part my legs, welcoming his touch.

“So wet for me,” he murmurs.

“I thought farm hands were supposed to be all brute power and strength…” I tease.

“You want brute power and strength?” he asks, with a raise of his eyebrow.

“Maybe…”

“Next time, lass,” he says with a smile. “I don’t want to hurt you on your first time. I don’t ever want to hurt you. But if you do want it hard, well, there’s always next time.” He looks down at me. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life giving you pleasure. I’ll explore every nook, every cranny of your body and learn exactly what sets your heather on fire.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“But this first time, we’ll take it easy. Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

He raises himself onto his elbows above me. I look up into his handsome face and my heart flutters. This man, this tender, caring, gentle giant, is my husband.

“This might hurt a little, but it should feel good after the first few moments. If it is too sore, tell me,” he instructs. “No pushing through, okay. We’ve got forever.”

I nod and bite my lip, readying myself for whatever pain comes. I can take it. I want him. I need him. Whatever this offers can’t be any worse than the incessant ache in my lower belly.

My body offers the tiniest sliver of resistance as the head of his cock pushes inside me. My thighs tense under his as the pain radiates through my body for a moment. But it is quickly chased away by the delicious sensation of Hector seating himself inside me.

I gasp, my back arching, pushing my body against his, urging him to give me more.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Yes,” I whisper. “Please Hector, I need more.”

I don’t know what’s going on but the introduction of his cock into my tunnel has ramped the sensation in my core to another level. My fingers are claws against his bum cheeks, pressing him harder to me.

My cheeks burn. My body is a mass of nerve endings, all calling his name, all crying out for something they know only he can give me.

I surrender to the overwhelming sensations as the steady thrust of his cock into my tunnel stokes the fire inside me to an inferno. I wiggle, unable to bear the intensity of the sensations flooding my body.

Hector’s voice reaches through my sensation-addled mind. “Feel it, sweetheart, don’t resist it.”

“I’m going to break,” I groan, convinced that my fractious nerves are about to shatter into a million pieces.

“I’ve got you.”

He bends to kiss me. The brush of his tongue against mine sets off an explosion in my body. My tunnel convulses round his cock and a bolt of white heat rolls down my spine, lodging itself deep in my core.

“That’s it, lass. Come for me,” he breathes against my lips.

A strangled roar tears from my throat as waves of molten pleasure rise in my lower belly, flooding out through my body, carrying me away on a cloud of bliss. Hector’s voice reaches me through the waves, calling my name as he finds his own release inside me.

The cabin’s tiny bed is remarkably comfortable and my body feels like a Christmas Camembert that’s been forgotten in the oven. I sink against the muscled heat of Hector’s chest, my lips curving slightly as tiny aftershocks flutter in my core.

I run my fingers through his thatch of ginger chest hair, smiling as the band of gold on my finger glints in the soft light of the bedside lamp.

“What?” he says, answering my smile with one of his own.

“I was just wondering how long it would be until…”

“Until?”

I blush. “Until, you are, er, ready to, ah, go again?”

“Oh, my days, what are you doing to me, woman? I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep up with you,” he chuckles.

He flips me underneath him, covering me with his body. Reaching to meet his lips with mine, I murmur, “Something tells me you’ll manage just fine.”