The Cruise 1- The Fateful Encounter

Ella’s been working nonstop for years since she moved to Florence. She couldn’t even blame her hard work on the company she worked for. She didn’t give herself a break, just overloaded herself not to think what she had left behind, she kept herself as busy as she could so her head wouldn’t wander to her mom and sister she so badly missed, only working. 

A client from Madrid had called angry with one of the software she had developed just for their company. Apparently, it wasn’t working properly. She calmed them down and convinced them to upgrade some of their equipment for better function, but all the negotiations were exhausting, taking a toll on her already tired state of mind, and to top it off she would have to pay them a visit to set everything up. The next day Ella took a flight to Spain, she spent a whole week between fixing the software, acquiring the new equipments, making them work together and training personnel. She was exhausted, she needed some time alone. By the end of the week she called Valentina, her secretary back in her office, and asked to change her return plane ticket for a cruise boarding pass. Maybe four or five days on board of a ship was just what she needed to recharge her energy.

 Once inside the ship, going shopping for a bathing suit was a must. She was excited to get to her cabin, settle in and go for a swim. It was almost end of summer and the weather was perfect. Bright blue sky, sunshine and a delicious sea breeze. Ella was right, the cabin was comfortable and spacious, and so far she was enjoying her self awarded vacation. She spent the afternoon by the pool, enjoyed a nice and light dinner in the evening. The night was beautiful, dark and full of sparkling stars framing the sky, it was impossible not to register that moment, with people mingling around, all joyfully talking. She took her camera out, and started shooting some photos capturing the different people there and the happy faces, then she sat in one of the chaises on the deck and grabbed a book in her bag.

Waking up late and refreshed next day, since she missed breakfast. Ella took time in her shower, lazily got herself ready for lunch, she tied her hair up in a high ponytail, put her bag on the shoulders and headed to the door. 

“Oh… for Christ’s sake!” she turned the nob and nothing. “How do I get out of here???” she went to the intercom, pressed hard. “Hello, is there anyone there. My door is jammed! Please,” she waited. “There’s no one on this ship?” Ella punched at the door of her cabin for some time already. No one heard her, she tried the intercom again and it seemed broken. “Where’s everybody?” she was pissed off and frustrated. Ella took matters to her own hands. 

“Here goes for nothing…” she gave herself some room, shook her arms and legs trying to relax, inhaled, and she went against the door as hard as she could. Ella just had time to acknowledge a loud scream before she rolled out of her room and landed in an unladylike position in the corridor.

“Ouch! What the hell!!!” Ella heard a deep voice full of pain and when she looked up a pair of the most beautiful eyes stared at her smoldering with anger but as cold as black ice. They froze, looking at each other. She wouldn’t dare even breathe since the air was crackling with tension and a storm was going on in those eyes. A while after, his eyes slowly traveled throughout her body, stopping in every curve. Those same eyes turned to a shade of midnight blue and Ella had the impression of seeing glimpses of fire burning in the back of them promising hell and heaven altogether and for a minute there she thought she was naked and a warm wave spread through her body, Ella bit her bottom lip and her neck and face turned crimson red making her eyes brighten up.

Justin was in the middle of the corridor with his head pounding in pain, looking down to the woman sprawled on the floor. He wasn’t sure about what had hit him, but he was sure of one thing, it hit hard, because he was hallucinating. He was staring at her like he was seeing a ghost, like if the devil just showed up right in front of him. Justin felt his blood flush out of his face, and he just kept looking into those bright green eyes staring back at him. Oh… how he remembered those evil eyes… She was dead, this fucking little thief is dead for more than nine years! How could she be here on this very floor?

Something started dripping on Ella’s face, neck, and shirt. She wiped them off and to her surprise; it was blood, his blood, that was enough to get her out of her stupor.

“Oh, my gosh… you’re bleeding. What have I done?” Ella muttered more to herself and suddenly he blinked and shook his head like if he was in his own trance, too. Ella heard an anguished yell of pain. She got up quickly and without giving him time to think, she pushed him inside her cabin and sat him on the armchair in the small room. 

Getting out of his own daze, he grabbed her wrist with little care and Ella heard a low growl in between his teeth. “What are you doing?” he was pissed. Feeling like a cornered wild animal and once more betrayed, Justin felt like a ticking bomb ready to go off. He had to gather all his strength and self-control not to shake the shit out of her and break her neck right there, but something was off, something made little sense. It was like she didn’t know him, or she was the hell of an actress! He’s never forgotten those full lips, what they used to do to him. Suddenly in the middle of his anger he felt a familiar painful need to start at the bottom of his stomach and run down to his groin, making him shiver. NO! Not again, she’s not worth it!

She looked at his huge hand holding her there, and her heart skipped a beat. Not a chance to escape that grip. Her mouth felt so dry, without noticing, Ella licked her parted lips and swallowed hard then she saw his eyes slipping from her own and now focusing on her mouth. She kept looking at him, waiting for his next move, Ella noticed how troubled he was. “Taking care of your forehead?” her voice came out husky, and she mentally kicked herself for that. Looking at him with uneasiness, she saw the puzzlement all over his face. Something was really going on with him, maybe the door had hit him too hard, he got a bad concussion on his head and it was making him disoriented. “And I need to do it soon, you’re wasting in blood. If you let… Let go of my… wrist, so I can get the first aid kit?” she stuttered and jerked her arm. His hold was so strong that it was almost bruising her. He watched Ella for a few more moments and then let go of her wrist. She went to the adjacent room and retrieved the kit and a wet towel, he made Ella nervous, and her hands were trembling. She attempted to control herself, but at the same time she was aware of him, and he knew it by his intense gaze. Ella felt her face hot, and she flushed again. Setting herself in front of him, she started working on his wound. She cleaned up with the cloth, then she could see it. It was a nasty gash. “I’m so sorry for what happened. It wasn’t entirely my fault. The door got jammed,” she pleaded with him in the most apologetic way. Her stomach was churning and she felt sick.

“And you didn’t think of calling for someone?” he barked at her, taking him out of his wild thoughts, and flinched when she poured some peroxide on his forehead. “Are you trying to kill me!” he got a hold of Ella’s wrist again, forcing her hand down. She didn’t expect that kind of reaction from him, and she winced at the harshness of his touch. He was mostly quiet the whole time, but watching intently her actions just like a hawk would do to its prey. 

“Hold on. It’s just some peroxide. Shish, men are such babies! I’m almost done.” She sounded calm and witty, but just on the outside, and for a second there she thought there was a hint of shock and amusement in his eyes, he let go of her, but kept Ella at arms length the entire time and his eyes missed nothing, he was watching her in every detail, everything she was doing, and he noticed how efficiently she was caring for him, it was like she has done that her whole life, countless times before, she felt those eyes burning holes on her, and that itself was making her hot. Why was he so good-looking? How come eyes so cold could ignite a fire within herself spreading from her core to her whole body, his eyes were so intense looking at Ella that she blushed under his blazing scrutiny, and she couldn’t hold his gaze any longer. 

“I tried calling someone, nobody listened to me. The intercom didn’t seem to work,” and she pointed to the gadget. “I was hitting the door and yelling for a long time. No one showed up, I threw myself at the door. I’m so sorry again to cause you all of this trouble,” she said covering her face in her hands and sighing. She let her hands fall and put some butterfly closures on his cut and looked at him. “Done. As good as new,” she whispered and tried to give him an amicable smile to which her intent failed miserably since he kept looking at her with his disgusted face on. Ella was looking into his face, trying to understand what was going on there. She apologized already. What else could she do?

Without a word, he stood up. They were too close to each other and that whole time he could smell her; she smelled of sweet vanilla and cinnamon. God help me! She smells so good. Without noticing he moved a little closer to her and by instinct Ella stepped back, that made him snap out of it. He was tall, about a good foot taller than her, and she wasn’t a short woman. Knowing he wouldn’t endure much longer, he just pivoted on his heels and left. Just like that. 

Suddenly the adrenaline wore off, Ella felt her legs turn to jelly, her body was shivering, and she dropped herself on the bed. “So much for a peaceful vacation, crap!” she sighed, looking at the mess in her cabin.