Page 15 of Curves and Waves

I forced a smile, not wanting to dampen the mood on our last day. "Just thinking about how much I'm going to miss this."

Zoe's expression softened. She leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. "Me too. But hey, we still have one more day. Let's make it count, yeah?"

I nodded, pulling her closer. "You're right. And I know just how to start."

Before she could react, I flipped us over, pinning her beneath me. Zoe let out a surprised laugh that quickly turned into a moan as I trailed kisses down her neck.

"Caleb," she gasped, "what about breakfast?"

I grinned against her skin. "I'd say I have everything I want to eat right here."

Zoe groaned, half in pleasure and half in exasperation. "That was terrible."

"You love it," I teased, my hands sliding under her sleep shirt.

"God help me, I do," she admitted, arching into my touch.

We lost ourselves in each other. It was slower than our previous encounters, more tender. As if we were both trying to memorize every moment, every sensation. Afterwards, we lay tangled together, catching our breath. Zoe traced lazy patterns on my chest, her touch sending shivers through me.

"We should probably shower," she murmured, though she made no move to get up.

I hummed in agreement, equally reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed. "Together? You know, to save water. For the environment."

Zoe snorted. "How noble of you. Your dedication to conservation is truly admirable."

"I'm nothing if not eco-conscious," I said solemnly.

She rolled her eyes, but allowed me to pull her towards the bathroom. "Just keep your hands to yourself, mister. I want to get to breakfast sometime today.”

I held up my hands in mock surrender. "I'll be a perfect gentleman."

Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, I doubt that."

She wasn't wrong. Our "quick shower" ended up taking considerably longer than intended, and by the time we made it to the breakfast buffet, Jake was already on his second plate.

"Well, well, well," he drawled as we approached. "Look who finally decided to grace us with their presence."

I felt heat rush to my cheeks, but Zoe just rolled her eyes.

Jake grinned, unrepentant. "Hey, I'm not judging. I'm sure you two had a very... productive morning."

I choked on my coffee, earning a hearty thump on the back from Jake. Zoe just smiled sweetly. "Oh, very productive. In fact, Caleb showed me this great new position-"

"Okay!" Jake interrupted, his face slightly green. "I walked right into that one. New topic, please."

As Zoe launched into a discussion of our plans for the day. This was everything I'd ever wanted, and the thought of it ending tomorrow made my chest ache. We spent the day taking full advantage of everything the ship had to offer. We hit the rock climbing wall (where Zoe thoroughly kicked my ass, much to my surprise and Jake's amusement), lounged by the pool, and even tried our hand at a salsa dancing class (which was a disaster, but a hilarious one).

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks, we found ourselves back on the lower deck. Jake had wandered off to try his luck at the casino one last time, leaving Zoe and me alone. We stood at the railing, watching the waves. Zoe leaned back against my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her, resting my chin on top of her head.

"I can't believe it's almost over," she said softly.

I tightened my hold on her. "The cruise might be ending, but we're just getting started, shortcake."

She turned in my arms, looking up at me with those big, beautiful eyes. "Yeah?"

I nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. "Listen, Zo, I know we haven't really talked about what happens after tomorrow. But I want you to know, I'm all in. Whatever it takes - long distance,weekend visits, hell, I'll move to Chicago if that's what you want."

Zoe's eyes widened. "Caleb, your whole life is in New York. Your company-"

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