CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: THE CRUISE, PART THREE Christine let Jonah lead her off the observation deck and down through several levels of the ship. She was still a bit disoriented from the combination of sensations still coursing through her body: pain from the collision with Jonah which had resulted in his saving her from going overboard, residual tingling from the orgasm which had almost been her last, the remains of the buzz from the wine she'd consumed earlier that evening, and strong attraction, on several levels, for this second officer of the Carib Mermaid. Prevailing at the moment was gratitude for her rescue, but a close second was how taken she was with how almost regal the man was in his mannerisms, his politeness, the seriousness with which he took his job, and his undivided attentions toward her. Over dinner that evening she had noted that he was good at hinting that he had a naughty side without being outwardly crude, which intrigued her. Her traffic-stopping body, enhanced as it was by the cut of her dress, had clearly made an impression on him then, and he had been able to communicate his interest to her while the other guests at the Captain's Table had no clue of the building heat between them. Chris remembered how moist she had gotten when that realization had hit her. There was no doubt in her mind that Jonah must have seduced dozens of female passengers before her, yet he made her feel like she was the first. The fact that he was absolutely gorgeous and she was extremely horny didn't hurt, either. Chris noted as Jonah led her through the ship that the corridors were very narrow and unadorned. Piping hung close overhead; paint was peeling from the walls; and the lighting was dim. It was also eerily quiet; true, it was late, well into the wee smalls, but she expected to see at least a few other people up at this hour. When she inquired about this, Jonah smiled. "I wondered how long it would be before you noticed something different," he said. "This ship is in many ways like an old Gothic mansion. There is an entirely separate set of corridors and hatchways that the crew uses and the passengers know nothing about. There are even entire sections of deck that are inaccessible to our paying customers and which they don't even suspect exist." "Are you taking me to one of those now?" "Very astute of you. You're about to see a part of the Mermaid that very few people, even crew, see with any regularity." He finished the sentence just as they arrived at a bulkhead. Jonah undogged the hatch which swung open, releasing into their faces a current of warm moist air laced with the faint smell of cedar and something else...lavender, perhaps? Chris stepped through the hatch and into what was so obviously a den of seduction that she had to keep from laughing at the sheer audaciousness of it. The room was multi-leveled, with an extensive bar along one wall, a large raised area dotted with person-sized pillows along another, and a wide, multi-sectioned picture window (with curtains currently drawn) spanning the long wall directly in front of her. Set in the center of the room were not one, but two jacuzzis, both bubbling furiously, but not so much that the thrumming of the ship's engines could not be heard. Flower petals danced on the bubbles. The ceiling was mirrored and illuminated by a means not immediately obvious. The walls and floor were covered with a deep red patterned fabric, giving the overall feeling of a turn-of-the- century bordello. Towels, robes, glasses, an ice bucket, a bottle of asti spumante, a vase of roses, and even a small dish containing what looked like marijuana cigarettes stood at the ready. "My God," said Chris. "You sailors don't believe in subtlety, do you?" "There's usually not enough time for that," Jonah said honestly. "How long are you going to be aboard? Three days, four at the most. Extended courtships aren't generally practical under those conditions." Chris pointed to the dish. "Are those what I think they are?" Jonah just cocked his head. "We do visit Jamaica often, you know." "Of course. Silly me." Even though this was not Chris's idea of the most romantic setting in the world, it was another new experience for her, so she decided to go with it. She walked into the room and up to the window, whose curtains parted at her approach. They opened to reveal that they were now at the stern of the ship. The view was different from, but no less impressive than, that afforded by the observation deck they had just come from. She must have been staring out the window for some time, for when she turned back, Jonah had already opened the champagne and had poured two glasses. Chris simply smiled, undid a couple of strategically placed fasteners, and in a single motion stepped out of her dress. The unusual lighting played across her magnificent frame, accentuating the large upturned breasts, the smooth mons, the flared hips, the well- turned thighs. Chris decided to play the part the setting seemed to expect of her to the hilt. She pushed her chest forward, half-lidded her eyes, and slid like a reptile down into one of the jacuzzis. Jonah smiled appreciatively, but didn't move toward her, as she expected. Instead, he turned his back to her. Chris blinked in surprise, wondering what was going on, but relaxed and smiled when she heard the crinkle of the foil covering on the bottle of spumante. "I'm not thirsty yet," Chris said, trying to get Jonah's attention. "I will be later though..." Jonah glanced over his shoulder as he worked on the bottle. "What do you think of our little nest? Several crew members worked together to build it. This used to be part of a cargo hold. I think the captain knows it exists, but doesn't let on. Decent fellow, the captain." Small talk now, when I'm wet, naked, and ready? thought Chris. What's with this guy? Maybe he just needs a little persuading.... "There's plenty of room for two, Second Officer Ballwin," she said. "I'm still a little sore from our altercation on the deck and could use a good neck rub." Jonah did turn at that, and when he did, Chris started moving her body under the water, almost as a belly dancer would on land. She would let parts of her fabulous body become momentarily visible, then resubmerge them. Her underwater dance was enough to make a dead man come. Still Jonah Ballwin kept his distance, smiling blankly, soon returning to the business of opening the bottle of asti spumante. Chris couldn't believe it. She thought she was a pretty good judge of when a man wanted her, and Jonah had exhibited all the classic signs. Here she was practically sending semiphore, and he stood unmoving. Am I being rejected here? Is he gay? Is he teasing me? All kinds of questions started going through her mind. Well, I'll give him another sixty seconds to finish opening that goddamn bottle, then I'm suddenly going to get the mother of all headaches, Chris said to herself. Is this rejection? I'd almost forgotten how it felt, she thought, somewhat alarmed. Indeed, since The Accident, she hadn't had anyone turn her down when it came to sex. Maybe Jonah was trying to remind her that nobody is irresistable. Now is no time for lessons, she thought, somewhat annoyed. I don't need this, especially on vacation.