Moving Forward - 20. Chapter 20 (5.2)

“You’re absolutely the best!” Marshall enthused. “Can we check it out?”

“Of course we can.” Lee’s eyes twinkled. “Gotta find out if it’s all it’s cracked up to be, don’t we?”

Marshall whooped enthusiastically, kissed Lee again, then scurried across the room. He paused by the door, one hand on the knob, looking at Lee expectantly. “You’re coming, aren’t you?”

Lee laughed. “Of course, Mr. Impatient.” He sauntered toward Marshall, as if they had all the time in the world. Marshall tamped down his impatience. This was a cruise. He had a feeling time worked differently here, as though they were in a whole different world. Which, in a way, they were. A world filled with men just like them.

When Lee joined him, Marshall pushed open the door and stepped out. What he saw floored him again.

“A hot tub?” He turned amazed eyes toward Lee. “There’s a hot tub out here. Did you know… I mean did you plan…” Flustered, he shut up and gazed around him, open-mouthed.

The balcony was completely private—they couldn’t see their neighbors and he assumed nobody could see them. The hot tub occupied one corner of the balcony, while two comfortable-looking deck chairs and a table with an umbrella took up the rest.

“Do you know what we can do out here?” Marshall’s mind was already racing, visions of a naked Lee dancing in his head.

“We can take breakfast, if we want, right there.” Lee nodded toward the table. “Have a beer in the evening. Or whatever we want.”

“We can do more than that and you know it.” Marshall approached the hot tub, running his fingers over the gleaming side rails. He trailed his hand into the water, which was warm and inviting.

“What do I know?” Lee teased, having joined Marshall beside the tub. He dipped his fingers into the water. “That feels very nice. It’ll be good to relax in.”

“Relax?” Marshall snorted. “Is that what you call it?”

“Is that what I call what?” Lee played innocent, but Marshall knew better.

“Are you telling me you have no intentions on fucking me in this?” he demanded.

“Never crossed my mind,” Lee said, maintaining a straight face before breaking into a grin. “You know me better than that, I think. It’s pretty much what I had in mind too.”

Marshall grinned back, then frowned slightly. “Are you sure it’s completely private?” Sure didn’t want to provide a show for anyone.

“Well, I believe that’s why they call it a private balcony,” Lee replied, “because it’s private. Now, if someone figures out how to spy on us from the sea, I can’t help but, but I’m pretty sure that’s not likely to happen, either.”

Marshall couldn’t believe Lee had gone to all this trouble for him. For them. How could anyone doubt they loved one another? Or that Lee was what was best for Marshall? “This is going to be the best cruise ever!” he said fervently.

“Absolutely,” Lee agreed. “Until the next one.”

“Next one?”

“I figure there’s a lot of world out there to see, and we should see as much of it as we can. What do you think?”

Marshall thought his heart would explode with happiness. He gave a loud whoop, which produced a smile from Lee. “I think that’s the best idea ever.” He had a sudden idea. “I should start taking pictures now. Then we’ll have the whole story of our first cruise, from start to finish.”

“Go for it,” Lee agreed. “You’re the photographer in the family.”

Marshall grinned, but then his face fell. “I forgot. The bags aren’t here yet, and I packed the camera in my suitcase.”

“Everything will still be here when it comes,” Lee said. “No rush.”

No rush indeed.

They sat in the chairs, just to see how they felt, pronounced them very comfortable and relaxed there for a few minutes, soaking up what little view there was. Which wasn’t much yet, since they were still in port. The ship wouldn’t leave until nine or ten that night. Sometime in the morning, they’d reach their first destination—the port of St. John.

They looked over some of the paperwork they’d been given, studying the map of the ship. “Where will we be eating?”

“Here.” Lee pointed to a dining room located just a deck above them. “Right there. We have an eight-thirty time slot.”

“That’s not bad. I just hope the food’s good.”

“Guess we’ll find out,” Lee said. “I know there’s room service too, if we get hungry between meals, or late at night.”

A knock on the door interrupted him. Lee went to the door and opened it to one of the ship stewards. “I have your luggage, sir,” he said.

Lee stood aside, and the man carried their suitcases in. “Where would you like these, sir?”

“Right there’s fine.” Lee indicated the floor by the couch. The steward sent their bags there, and Lee tipped him.

“Thank you, sir. Enjoy your cruise.” He smiled at them both, before making his exit. They could hear the wheels of his cart, then his knock at the next cabin door.

“You sure we brought everything we’ll need?” Marshall thought over everything he’d packed, certain he must have forgotten something.

“You mean like your computer?” Lee teased. “No work on this trip. We’re here to have fun.” He pulled Marshall close to him, circling him with his arms. “You’re lucky I let you keep that smart ass phone of yours. I might just have to take it away.”

“It’s a smartphone,” Marshall corrected him.

“Not when it’s yours,” Lee quipped, and stilled any possible response with a long, hard kiss.

By the time Marshall came up for air, he’d forgotten what he might have been arguing about.

“Why don’t you take your pictures, real quick, and then let’s go explore the ship?” Lee suggested.

“I like the way you think.” Marshall grinned.