Chapter 26  

They were given a grand tour of the yacht by the chief steward that included the bridge, main salon, observation deck, formal dining room, sundeck, open air shower, and swim platform along with five lavish suites.

Even though the staff was very professional Gabrielle was a little uncomfortable with the crew believing that she and K.C. would be sharing the master stateroom. She wasn’t ashamed of their relationship; it was just that this was something very special and private.

Gabrielle held her head up high as they left the gold and cream appointed room. She was pretty sure the crew had all seen some pretty decadent behavior and she didn’t need to be thinking about this stuff or she was going to talk herself out of being with the man that she loved who treated her like no other ever had.

Gabrielle saw that the entire yacht was equivalent to a five star hotel with the most luxurious décor that was timeless, elegant and modern. The steward guided them back to the aft deck where they had chosen to dine and went to check on the meal and return with drinks and hor dourves.

They would go out to sea a couple of miles and then circle the island and the sound of the sea slapping against the ship while they cleaved through the dark water was soothing.

She had never dreamed that she would be in such a position a few months ago looking across at the man that she loved this was a fantasy come to life and K.C. watched this soft expression come over her face and he wondered if she even knew it.They were sitting at a round table affixed to the wooden floor with wicker chairs.

“So how was your trip?” Gabrielle asked curiously as the sea air wafted across her skin.

They had left the marina while they were walking to the aft deck and the departure had been so smooth neither one of them realized they had left the dock.

A lock of hair blew onto her lips and she raised a hand to remove it, but K.C. reached out first and did it and used his index finger to run it along first her jaw line and then down to her collar bone.

“It was very productive, the design changes were approved and now we just have to get them through the local planning department. I saw my grandparents and they want to visit the island when the hotel is finished and my sister would love to come down to experience A Taste of the Tropics for herself next year.” He told her smoothly enjoying the contrast of his tan against her light chocolate skin.

Gabrielle shivered under his touch and wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or upset when his hand dropped. K.C. had seen the crew approaching and moved slightly back from Rielle noting the way her pulse was beating wildly at her throat.

The female steward came through the automatic glass doors with a silver cloche covered tray of hor dourves followed by the chief steward who had a silver ice bucket with what turned out to be Veuve Clicquiot La Grande Dame 1998, a very good champagne bottle and two glasses.

They left discreetly after describing the starters and the presentation was first class as was the service.  There was a variety of morsels to choose from including a beef and blue cheese crostini with balsamic onion marmalade and roasted garlic aioli, a foie gras and mushroom risotto spoon, an Asian barbecue shrimp satay with cilantro mint dip or a whipped brie cheese on brioche with shaved pear and lemon to start their meal.

He toasted Gabrielle on her twenty fifth birthday and wished her good health and many more as they clinked their champagne filled Waterford crystal glassware before trying the delicate looking morsels. He fed her from his foie gras and mushroom risotto spoon when Gabrielle said she had never had duck liver and she laughed as he rolled his eyes when she started moaning at the richness of the foie gras.

“Mm that is delicious, but I can’t eat too much of that one if I want to play on Sunday.”  She said reaching for the Asian shrimp satay.

Watching her eat was the most pleasurable and frustrating experience because seeing her beautiful lips open as she inserted whatever morsel into her mouth was just a prelude to her savoring said morsel vocally in an unconsciously sexy way.  

“I didn’t thank you for the beautiful flowers K.C. and especially the pink cymbidiums. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me that you did the marathon in April in honor of my mother and had some of the men get involved.” She told him reaching out to touch his hand. He pulled his mind from his baser thoughts to meet her warm gaze

“I know what it’s like to have someone you love go through a medical crisis and feel helpless so anything that I can do on behalf of Aurora isn’t too much.” He said easily rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

“I know that Michael and Jarrod got a lot of ribbing for wearing the pink t-shirts but it didn’t seem to bother you. Do you have a survivor in your family?” Rielle asked gently. He talked about his family a lot and she knew quite a bit about his siblings and parents.

“No I don’t, but my Uncle Frank was diagnosed five years ago with rheumatoid arthritis at forty-seven and it affected all of us. He’s one of the best men I know and I saw what he went through to get back to where he was able to live a normal life. My Mom was a rock, but one night I came home unexpectantly and she was in the kitchen beating the hell out of a ball of dough crying her eyes out." he stopped talking for a moment.

She knew the memories overtook him and she watched his eyes darken before he focused on her concerned face. Rielle squeezed his hand letting him know that she was there for him and he continued. 

"While the doctors worked out a course of treatment that allowed him to get some semblance of his former life Mom made a whole lot of bread and I will never forget that experience. It’s why I try to live life to the fullest because you never know when it can all change.” K.C. explained solemnly as understanding passed between them.  

Gabrielle raised her glass and he did the same wondering what she was going to say.

“I propose a toast to life.” She said her gaze direct the message in her eyes clear.  They each sipped from their glasses as the implications of her toast sank in and the staff came in to remove the plates bringing the next course with them.

The atmosphere had gotten very heavy and so Gabrielle tried to lighten the mood by talking about the reaction of her students to the flowers and he laughed when she told him about the little girl asking if she had a boyfriend now.

He had a warm pear salad with razz cherry, herbed pecans, Pointe Reyes blue cheese and garlic dressing while she had the local green salad with basil dusted tomato, cucumber essence, fresh herbs and roasted shallot dressing. Everything tasted so fresh and she took a sip of champagne, the fizzing on her tongue making her smile.

“So, what did you tell the girl?” K.C. asked curiously his eyes intent as he speared a pear chunk. They had been dating since the night of Jarrod’s party and it had remained unspoken that they were exclusively seeing each other. Rielle dabbed at her mouth with her napkin before looking up at him.

“I told her that I had a very good friend because I didn’t think a Fourteen year old should be privy to that information. The other teachers have been trying to pump me for info on you ever since you ran the marathon. They want to know if you have any brothers, cousins or uncles; the questions have gotten a little invasive. It’s like some of them are living vicariously through me.” Rielle replied easily.

K.C. chewed methodically as he considered her answer wondering if there was a strong morality clause at school that made her hesitant to admit that she was dating him. They had run into a few of her students and their parents while out and he had seen some looks but that had been because she was rarely out with a man, the race issue hadn't been a problem for anyone that they had met.

He gladly wore the title of Gabrielle’s boyfriend at work and when he returned to Denver he was going to tell his parents he had met someone very special. He already knew that his mother wouldn’t like the fact that Gabrielle was from the island but that couldn’t be helped.

Frederika had taken an almost instant dislike to Tiffani and he had put it down to her thinking no one was good enough for her son and she had been proven right. K.C. should have remembered that his mother was not wired that way and only wanted his happiness.

The staff returned with the raspberry sorbet intermezzo to cleanse their palates before the main course was served.

“Have the faculty said anything to you about dating me?” he asked quietly.

It had never been a concern before with any of the women that he dated that he might be jeopardizing her career and it was a thought that didn’t sit well with him.  He loved how she talked about her students with such enthusiasm and she had admitted that she would like to have children of her own someday.

Usually in the past, when a woman mentioned children he would have eased his way out of the relationship but with Gabrielle he could only smile and imagine a little girl with those big green eyes looking up at him.

Even funnier was the fact that they hadn’t been intimate yet when by this stage he would have been in the pants of the woman in question and deciding whether the relationship was worth pursuing.

“No, short of me doing a Lady Godiva or something equally outrageous which I’m not about to do so get that look off your face, my job is safe.” She told him laughing at the way he perked up and wiggled his blonde eyebrows with interest.

Gabrielle didn’t know the half of it, he was half erect most times when she was around and the first time he had seen her lithe form in her beach volleyball white shirt and tight red shorts only the thought that her parents would have killed him had kept in check.

K.C had pre-ordered dinner with an eye towards the foods that she liked and he knew that she would love the seared Scottish salmon with morel mushroom and paquillo pepper relish, yellow tomato butter and coconut sushi rice.

Her love of seafood apparently didn’t stop her from eyeing his plate as it was placed before him. K.C.’s duo of rosemary grilled filet of beef/sesame coriander crusted sea bass with wild mushroom potato puree, port syrup and charred scallion vinaigrette was truly one of the best meals he had ever eaten and the company was only part of that reason.

He cut a piece of the medium well done meat and was savoring the tender cut when he opened his eyes and found Gabrielle staring at him. K.C. was not above teasing her as he finished chewing and quirked an eyebrow at her. 

"Would you like a taste?" he asked with a straight face. His eyes twinkled at her and she knew he had done it deliberately but she was taking the bait anyway.

She could give as good as she got however. Gabrielle held his gaze as she slowly licked her lips and opened her mouth in answer.

K.C. conceded that she had won that match as every other thought left his brain along with his blood and centered in his groin.