Page 10 of Dreamboat

“Thanks for the drink,” I finally show him some gratitude.

His gaze lands on my face. “Not a problem, Doc.”

“I told him you were a doctor,” Delia clarifies with a glance in my direction before her attention is back on him. “Donovan is a veterinarian.”

“Really?” He rubs his chin while he contemplates that. “I once had a cat that had this strange rash on her belly.”

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that, I would have a few spare bucks lying around. “Did you get that rash figured out?”

“The cat ran away before I could.” He shrugs. “I found out a year later she ran right over to my ex girlfriend’s place. I couldn’t blame the cat for that.”

The magician’s sob story must be pulling at Delia’s heartstrings because she lets out a soft sigh. “That’s too bad.”

“I guess it all worked out in the end.” He shrugs. “That breakup pushed me out of my comfort zone. I got this job and I haven’t looked back since.”

“You made the decision just like that?” Delia snaps her fingers. “Did you give it much thought or you jumped in headfirst?”

I can’t tell if she’s genuinely looking to him for life advice or if she’s asking to boost his confidence.

“Sometimes you need to take a leap.” He points toward the calm blue water of the pool. “You won’t know where you land until you do.”

Another passenger waves a hand toward him.

“Looks like I’m needed elsewhere.” He shoots me a glance before he offers Delia another smile. “I’ll see you tonight, Delia.”

“You will.” She nods. “Thanks again for the drink and the rose.”

Since he did make an effort to bring me a drink I take a sip. The floral aftertaste is strong enough that I’m tempted to spit it out, but I swallow hard while Delia studies me.

“What do you think?” she asks with a sly smile on her full lips.

I think I want to slide my hardening cock between them, but I need to pace myself because we’ve got time… we’ve got nothing but time on this ship since we’re miles from shore and our lives back home.

“It’s different,” I say with a grin.

“Not in a good way,” she surmises. “Your eyebrows pinched together when you tasted it. I assume that means it was a little too something for you?”

“Am I that transparent?” I place the drink down since I don’t intend on sampling it again.

“We all have subtle cues.” She skims a fingertip under her left eye. “For me it’s a slight twitch in my eye. If I don’t like something, it always twitches.”

I lean slightly forward until our faces are mere inches apart. “It’s not twitching now, so you must like me.”

Her eyes squint as she smiles. “I might like you.”

“Might?”

She casts her gaze down before it locks on mine again. “Yes, might.”

“It’s still not twitching,” I point out, leaning even closer so our lips are almost touching. “Tell, me, Delia…do you like the drink as much as you like me.”

Faint movement in her left eye lures my gaze to it.

I laugh aloud. “I guess I have my answer.”

Smiling, she shakes her head slightly. “The drink is a little too sweet for me.”

“Me too,” I confess. “We’ll enjoy something we both like over dinner tonight.”

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