Part 13 (2/2)
”I thought that dress was for the formal night.”
Alice patted a last hint of blush on her cheeks, then surveyed her lipstick for creases. ”I just don't want to look dowdy, that's all.”
”As if.” Tammi put her hands on her hips and regarded her in the mirror. ”If she's not panting to have you, she doesn't have eyes.”
”Thank you, dear.” Alice wondered, with parents who had been practically celibate for a decade, how Tammi had become so openly s.e.x positive. Rebellion?
”I think that dress looks terrific on you.”
On her way out the door, she looked over her shoulder to say, ”Don't wait up.”
She was halfway to the stairs when Tammi called from behind her, ”In fact, I think that dress would look terrific on the floor of her cabin, too.”
So, Ginny Angel, what do you think? Candace studied her reflection in the highly polished bra.s.s of the Degli Argentieri Restaurant portico. No matter what Alice wore it would look elegant, and you didn't take a woman like that into dinner not dressed to match. It was too early in the week for her tux, but the cabin steward had gotten her tan slacks pressed in a matter of minutes and she could only hope that the white b.u.t.ton-up, string bolo, and black suede over s.h.i.+rt-sleeves not rolled up- would pa.s.s muster.
It was a d.a.m.ned good thing she saw Alice before Alice saw her. Oh Ginny Angel, she thought, that is one gorgeous woman, and I am the luckiest gal on this s.h.i.+p to get to look at her all night. Then Alice saw her and smiled and Candace felt like a million bucks. She hadn't felt quite like that since Ginny had slipped away. Don't feel guilty, she told herself. Ginny wouldn't want you to feel guilty for thinking Alice is ... special.
”You look fantastic,” Candace said sincerely. Without thinking better of it, she gave Alice a hearty peck on the cheek.
A little flushed, Alice said, ”You are looking very spiffy yourself.”
Was spiffy good? Or was it code for nice try but no cigar} Candace had to trust the look in Alice's eyes, then, which said spiffy meant maybe even better than good. She proffered her arm and they went into the dining room together.
She'd already spoken to the maitre d' and they were escorted to the second level, which was quieter and less brightly lit than the larger tables of more raucous groups on the main floor. Once seated, she accepted the daily menu and had to hide a smile. Roma means Romance was emblazoned across the top, and offerings included oysters on the half sh.e.l.l, chilled champagne soup, antipasto for two and a choice between lamb in rosemary or lobster Corfu.
They discussed the selections, told the waiter what they wanted and Candace was pleased to ask the wine steward to open the bottle of wine her travel agent had provided as a thank you for booking the cruise. They were just confronting the half dozen oysters when he returned and displayed the bottle for Candace's approval. Just like that, with smooth efficiency, they had oysters, wine and only each other.
”The trick,” Alice said after she tossed back her first oyster, ”is not to chew. Just swallow.”
”This isn't my best thing.”
But the oyster went down, and stayed down, and a gla.s.s of wine and bowl of champagne soup later, Candace found herself smiling nonstop at Alice, who was smiling back.
”I've read that anthology,” Alice was saying. ”It was one of Tammi's hand-me-downs. She does like the more outer stories.”
”I enjoyed it,” Candace admitted.
”I have to admit,” Alice said after she sipped her wine, ”that I didn't initially think you were a Raw Divas and Ready d.y.k.es kind of reader.”
”Ginny liked-sorry.”
”Don't be. It's okay, she's still part of your life.” Alice reached across the table to briefly cover Candace's hand. ”I truly understand.”
”Of course you do. Anyway, Ginny liked adventurous... reading.” No need to tell Alice that reading about power scenes and accessory-laden s.e.x was the closest she and Ginny had gotten to it. They'd certainly found it inspiring.
Alice flushed beautifully. ”So do I.”
They shared a long look over the top of their winegla.s.ses, and Candace wondered why it felt as if they'd settled something. She certainly found Alice attractive, and the thought of skin-to-skin contact after such a long hiatus was quite appealing. Alice seemed to be agreeable, but on the other hand, well... on the other hand ...
She could hear her Ginny Angel telling her not to get cold feet with such a warm and lovely woman, one who was adventurous and fun-loving. She wasn't a Ginny, Candace thought with a flash of insight. But she was an Alice, an interesting, intelligent Alice.
Their evening couldn't have been more romantic, really. By the time they finished the strawberries and cream and strolled the deck under the bowl of star-studded sky, they were holding hands. The talent show by volunteer pa.s.sengers had them laughing together, and it was Candace's decided opinion that shared laughter was nearly the same thing as s.e.x, except you could do it in public all you wanted.
”Another turn around the deck?”
”I'd love to.” Alice linked her arm with Candace's as they slowly walked, agreeing again that they didn't know the constellations as well as they'd like. The warmth of Alice's skin had Candace revising her opinion about laughter and s.e.x. s.e.x was better.
In a small nook off the quiet pool deck, she confessed that she didn't want their evening to end and Alice, whose dress in the warm wind left little to Candace's imagination, agreed.
”Perhaps a nightcap?” She indicated the sign to the Tivoli bar and Candace opened the access door for her. The first thing that hit them was the noise and she saw the same dismay on Alice's face.
”We could bring the drinks back outside,” Candace hollered over the din. But the line at the bar was long, and she decided to accept that she only had one choice to offer. She led Alice back outside and said, ”I have brandy in my cabin, if that appeals.”
Alice's lips parted, then she said very quietly, ”It appeals.”
”We can sit on the veranda and sip, if you'd like.” Candace smiled rea.s.suringly at Alice. There would be time to get mellow and then see what happened.
Alice looked quite calm. She'd certainly been perfectly comfortable talking about erotica over dinner, and had used words like o.r.g.a.s.m and c.o.c.k play with the same casualness she'd once used to discuss diapers and baby bowel movements. She'd talked about s.e.x so casually that Candace wondered what it would take to create a memorable encounter for Alice. She didn't have any toys or bags of tricks. Nothing up her sleeve or down her pants.
They left the wide, carpeted stairwell and encountered two women, one with a hand out of sight between the other's legs, making out against the wall next to one of the suite doors. They didn't even take notice of the two of them pa.s.sing by.
The suite door was open, too, and a glance inside reminded Candace that this was the suite the rock band was sharing. The heavy metal musicians-and some friends, it seemed-were entertaining, and various stages of nudity had already been reached. More than nudity. Body parts were already in contact.
She took Alice's arm and finished escorting her to her own suite, two doors down. Once the door was unlocked she said, ”Excuse me, I'll be right back. Make yourself at home,” and left a surprised Alice on the other side of the door.
Quickly, trying not to lose her nerve, she dashed down the hallway and walked through the open suite door. The twosome sprawled on the couch had progressed to loud groans, and interrupting them was more than Candace could contemplate. She was about to back out of the suite when she heard voices coming from the bedroom.
On tiptoe she got close enough to peek in. A threesome was getting quite involved in the bathroom beyond, but closer was a couple not yet in the throes and a dark-haired girl perhaps looking for someplace to get involved herself.
Catching the dark-haired girl's eye, she said something she never in a million years thought she ever would. ”Can I borrow some lube?”
The girl, looking more than a little out of it, wandered over to the threesome. Gestures ensued, then she made her way a bit unsteadily to a table where little bottles were scattered. Candace tried to keep her gaze at the level of the girl's eyes, but her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were hard to ignore. She took one little bottle gratefully. ”Thanks.”
”Yeah, whatever. Enjoy.”
Now she had a bottle of something called Elbow Grease. She was in the hallway before Ginny Angel pointed out that Elbow Grease must be useful stuff because, yes, one woman's hand had been easily sliding inside the other woman and maybe they should go back and watch-sometimes, Ginny Angel was a Ginny Devil.
She took a moment to catch her breath at her cabin door, hoping she didn't look like she'd just walked in and out of a s.e.x-soaked room. It was for the best, she thought, because Alice was comfortable with that kind of action and her own pulse was now quite elevated.
When she let herself back into her suite, Alice was already on the veranda. That beautiful green wrap-the precise shade of her eyes-draped around her shoulders but looked as if it might slip off at any moment. One s.e.xy sandal dangled from the tips of her toes, also threatening to leave Alice more naked. Candace hurried into the bedroom to stash the little bottle under die mattress and then made herself useful at the bar, pouring two brandies into the s.h.i.+p's lovely stemware. She told herself that regardless of all the fun she'd just witnessed among the younger generation, she would still be able to show Alice a good time without all the goodies. She'd proven time and again with Ginny that pa.s.sion, and a little bit of lube, made many good things possible.
And if Alice wanted something more, well, maybe she could borrow other accoutrements as well.
Alice turned as she heard Candace join her on the veranda. She hoped the low light hid the flush that she could feel burning her chest and neck. She knew perfectly well why she was flushed and sweating at the small of her back, why the hair on her neck felt like electrical wires. In the moonlight Candace looked like Cary Grant, except she was a woman, most definitely a woman, unquestionably, desirably, wonderfully a woman.
”What was that all about?”
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