“So, here are your itineraries,” Connie said.
“We have schedules?” Ana asked.
“Oh, yes. It’s not a hard schedule, but we have certain meetups throughout the week for all of us to get together. Isn’t that fun? Tonight there’s a dinner for all of us to hang out and talk and catch up. I rented us out one of the entire ballrooms. You’re welcome,” Connie said.
“Uh-huh,” Ana said.
“We travel two days to get to the first port,” I said.
“We do. And it’s going to be so. Much. Fun. Anyway, make sure you’re there for all the get-togethers, Chanel. It’ll make for some wonderful pictures!”
“Yay,” I said, my sarcasm completely lost on Connie.
I watched Connie bound away as Ana dragged me down the hallway. We slid into the elevator with our stuff and went to find our room. I was nervous as fuck. I knew Rhett was going to be here any moment, if he wasn’t already on the ship. I was wondering when I would run into him. Would he be at the dinner tonight? Surely not all this get-together shit was mandatory, but maybe he would go?
“Okay, I think this is our floor,” Ana said.
We stepped off the elevator and started filtering through numbers. We were standing in front of room 626, so we took a right and started walking. We were moving toward the back of the ship where all the activities were and the balcony that overlooked the open expanse of the floor-level deck.
But when I looked down the hallway to continue searching, I saw him.
Rhett.
Standing right in front of me.
His eyes lifted toward mine, and I froze. My blood was boiling as he stood there in shock. He was beautiful, more beautiful than I remembered him. His arms were strong, and his shoulders were wide. They held a breadth of strength I knew was pulsing underneath his shirt. His jaw was sharp, and his cheeks were high. His skin was tan, glistening with life and hope and sexual energy. His lips were wet and pink, and his brooding brown eyes were gazing right into mine.
I watched him put his hand on the handle of his door as he walked into his room.
I watched him disappear into his room as I let out the breath I was holding. I was shaking, raging at the memory of him. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was slap him. I thought I’d left the hurt and anger behind me but, apparently, I was wrong. One look at him and the humiliation came flooding back to me. But, unexpectedly, so did the love I’d once felt for him. And, damn it, if he wasn’t still beautiful.
“Well, that was palpable.”
I jumped at the sound of Ana’s voice as I whipped around.
“Wanna know the bad news?” she asked.
“What?”
She nodded her head to the door right beside Rhett’s.
“Found our room,” Ana said.
I looked up and saw the number 602 hanging off the door. I groaned as Ana giggled, her hand reaching for the handle. She opened the door and revealed a room much grander than I would’ve expected, and it soon washed away the anger that was seeping into my bones.
“This room is fantastic,” Ana said with a giggle. “Holy hell, I didn’t realize we were purchasing this kind of shit.”
“How much you want to bet Connie upgraded all of us? You’re welcome,” I said mockingly.
“I don’t care,” Ana said as she flopped down on the couch. “I’ll kiss her ass if it means this view for the next week. I mean, look at that balcony.”
I shut the door behind me, leaving all thoughts of Rhett out in the hallway.
“I could feel the heat between you two, you know,” Ana said. “It’s obviously still there.”
“Seriously? You wanted me to forget about him, and now you’re talking about him?” I asked.
“That was before he was our neighbor. And girl, I’m sorry, but that man is fine as hell.”