Page 104 of Away We Go

We break apart again to stare at each other for a long while and I lose myself in his velvety brown eyes. And the expression I see in them.

“We should go to bed,” he says finally.

“Okay.” I sit up and tug on his hand and he laughs behind me.

“You’re going to your bed and I’m going to mine.”

I pout at him and flutter my eyelashes.

“That won’t work, Cherry. We’re doing this the right way. And I’m being a gentleman.”

I pull out the big guns.

“And that dimple won’t work on me either.”

I stare up at him, smiling harder now.

“Come on, Cherry,” he groans. “I want to do the right thing.”

“Fine,” I sigh. “But I demand one last goodnight kiss.”

We stop in front of the door to my room and he pushes me gently against it, kissing me in a way that has me forgetting my name.

“Goodnight, Cherry. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Through heart-filled eyes, I watch him walk away and then rush to get into bed. The sooner I fall asleep, the sooner it will be morning.

And we can start all the kissing again.

CHAPTER 21

Cherry

I wake the next morning convinced it had all been a wonderful dream. There’s no waytheNicolai Dimitrios was kissing me like that last night. Kissing me like he’d die if he couldn’t kiss me.

My lips tingle and I sigh down to my tippy toes, reminding myself that it was all true. It all happened. There’s no way my imagination is that good; even my most vivid fantasies weren’t as mind-blowing as those kisses.

The day ahead with Nicky beckons me and I hurry to get dressed. Being in this cabin with its expensive blackout blinds, I could’ve slept in for hours, but I didn’t want to waste even a minute of my time with the man staying across the hall from me.

“Good morning,” Rachel pops up next to me as I step onto the upper deck and I startle. She moves so quietly; I didn’t hear her approach.

“Hi!” My cheeks flush as I imagine what she may be thinking of me. Thinking of me and Nicky and all the kissing.

“Mr Dimitrios is waiting over there. Would you like a coffee?”

Ah, coffee. My first true love.

“Yes, please.” I smile as she disappears down the stairs and take in a steadying breath. It was all good in the moment, kissing Nicky like that. But now in the light of day, I’m not sure how to act around him.

Like, what do I do with my hands?

“Cherry.” Nicky’s voice is deep and as yummy as the rest of him. He’s sitting at the table which is set for breakfast, dressed in a pair of beige shorts and a white linen shirt.

I have to swallow down a pool of drool before I can speak to him.

“Good morning.” I pretend to be someone else, someone less awkward, and slide along the bench seat until I’m next to him. He smiles and wraps an arm around my waist to pull me closer, so my thigh is touching his.

Okay then.

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