Page 17 of Forbidden Fiancé

But she was going to marry me. I knew that as much as I knew who I was. She was mine. We had made a commitment to each other. I wasn’t going to let anyone, not even my son, prevent me from being with Natalie.

I convinced myself she was making sure Ethan knew they were over. She might even be telling him about us. I wanted him to know but I thought we should tell him together. I wanted Ethan in my life and I was going to have Natalie in it. He would have to be okay with that. I loved my son but I wasn’t going to give up Natalie just because he was butthurt she loved me and not him. It would be hard for him to hear. He never liked sharing his toys or thinking that he had lost. All things he would consider with Natalie.

But it wasn’t the case. Natalie wasn’t a toy. She was a woman. An incredibly smart, beautiful, witty, and kind woman. One who would and could choose her own life, her own destiny and could be with any man that she wanted. As long as that man was me.

I had to have faith in her, in the night that we shared and that it meant as much to her as it did to me. I had to believe that she wouldn’t be doing anything with Ethan that she shouldn’t. I had to hold on to the hope that she would come to me when she was ready. Then we could discuss our future and how it was going to all work out. And it was going to work out. There was no scenario that didn’t end with Natalie being my wife.

Fearing what I would hear if I went by their cabin, I spent the rest of the morning on the bridge talking to Marci, the captain, and going over our route. It was one we had taken numerous times before and I didn’t need to discuss it with her. But I needed something to do. She hadn’t said anything as I asked to go over our route, the speed, the weather report, and even the inventory of the supplies and log of the engine.

When we were done it was close to lunch and I knew I should go down and have a meal with everyone else. I wasn’t ready to see Ethan and Natalie looking so chummy together. I didn’t trust myself to not punch my son in the face. I wanted to get Natalie alone but I wasn’t sure how to do that. Everywhere she had been, Ethan was right there. If I were him, I wouldn’t have let her out of my sight.

“I thought Natalie coming on board was a new addition. I was not aware that Gwyn had already told you she was going to be on board. It was why I said there was going to be an additional guest,” I said to Hector.

“It was no problem. Confusion happens to the best of us, sir,” Hector said.

I looked over at him, and I could tell he didn’t believe me. I didn’t care. I paid the man well for his discretion and silence. If he knew anything had happened between Natalie and me, he was smart enough not to say.

“Sometimes, people can get confused. They can get lost, like a ship out at sea. Sometimes, someone needs to come along and push them in the right direction. You have tried to do that with your son,” Hector said.

“And I have failed miserably. I wasn’t there when he was growing up and his mother indulged him. She still does. I didn’t give her the love and attention she wanted so she found it by loving and spoiling our son.” I wasn’t sure why I was saying so much to a man who was my employee but I didn’t care.

“There are others who still can be helped. Who can see the error of their ways and go on the right path. Sometimes, someone just needs to be with the right person. A good person. Someone who can take the time and attention to care and love someone the way they deserve to be treated,” Hector said.

I turned to look at him, not truly understanding what he was saying or at least not thinking that I was.

“Ms. Natalie is an exceptional woman. She deserves to be with a man who loves her, who sees how incredible she is, and will treat her right. With all due respect, your son is not that man. Maybe you know someone who might be,” Hector said.

“I fucked everything up. I need to make it right, but I don’t know how. She won’t even talk to me.”

“Give her this,” Hector said.

I looked down to see that he was holding a cell phone. “She might be looking for it, or afraid to go and get it where she thinks it might be.”

Hector was telling me without telling me that he had found Natalie’s cell phone in my cabin. He was also giving me a chance to talk to her. One that she couldn’t walk away from.

“And sir, we will be slightly short staffed at dinner this evening. Perla will need to help Casey with preparing the cabins.”

“Is Gwyn that messy? Tell her to clean her own cabin then,” I said.

“There is an additional cabin that will need to be set up. We have put Ms. Natalie in cabin three.”

Casey was an excellent cabin she didn’t need Perla to help her. Hector knew I would know that, but it gave him a reason to tell me that Natalie was staying in her own cabin.

“Oh. Okay. Um, thank you for telling me,” I stammered.

“You are most welcome, sir. If you need me, I will be helping with lunch. Would you be so kind as to let Ms. Natalie know it will be served shortly, I will inform the rest of the guests.” Hector tilted his head towards the bow of the ship.

I walked over to see Natalie standing there alone. She looked like a vision and my body and heart contracted at seeing her there. I loved her so much. I had no idea I could care and want someone the way I wanted her. I stood and just looked at her for a moment. I remembered our night together, how she had looked as I had brought her to the brink and back again. How she had smiled at me just this morning as she lay naked and happy in my bed. I wanted to have that all again. I would have all that again.

There was no better time to talk to her than now. Hector was all but telling me that he was making sure I had some time alone with Natalie. “Thank you,” I said

I walked out of the bridge and to the bow of the boat. Natalie was standing with her back to me. She had changed her clothes and was wearing a soft green dress that went to her ankles. The wind whipped softly around her ankles giving me the slightest glimpse of her legs. Legs, I remembered being wrapped around me as I buried myself inside her.

As if she could sense me coming up to me, she turned right as I approached.

“What the hell?” we said at the same time.

I laughed, and Natalie blushed and pushed her hair behind her ear. It was windy and it didn’t stay. She then grabbed it in her hand and held it to her side. I watched her and thought about what it would be like to tug on her hair myself.

---