Page 28 of Journey to Love

"Let's give these giant circle lounge chairs a shot," Jacob suggests, his breath slightly labored from our playful escapade. I mischievously smirk at him, “Is that what they are called?” He takes my sass in stride and boldly states, “I’m pretty sure that’s the scientific name for them.” His quick wit takes me by surprise and I just lose it, laughing without a care in the world. I smile in agreement, eager to be close to him again. "The top umbrella will give us some privacy," I suggest, my heart racing with anticipation. He grabs my hand and leads us into the giant chair.

"Now where were we?" he says with a suggestive grin, pulling me closer to him.

“I think we were right about here” I say as I lean in and press my lips to his. I tease his lips with mine and he opens his mouth wider and his tongue twists with mine. We sit there hungrily tasting each other. I positioned myself on top of Jacob, using the umbrella-shaped back of the chair as a makeshift shield for privacy. His hands explored my body, first cupping and squeezing my breasts, then moving lower to my ass, and finally reaching between my legs. He reaches under my leggings waistband and panties. His fingers find my entrance. “You’re so wet baby” he whispers as his fingers go deeper inside my core. He kisses the side of my neck and uses his finger to circle my clit. My body heating up from head to toe with each flick. My moans of pure pleasure are muffled as he presses his lips against mine, silencing me. His skilled fingers continue their movements and I am overwhelmed with intense desire and emotion.

"Ahem," a voice startles us, and a flashlight is shone in our faces. We both look up to see a staff member awkwardly addressing us. "You can't do that up here. We suggest you go to your cabin if you want to continue... umm... please head to your cabin, folks," he says, desperately trying not look us in the eye and waiting until we leave.

As we make it back to the nightclub, we can't help but let out a loud laugh. "Oh my god, we totally got caught by security," I say, trying to hold in my laughter. Jacob laughs along with me, then pulls me closer to him. "Yeah, but it was worth it," he smiles, kissing my temple and squeezing my waist. I look up at him and smile. But that smile falters as the realization hits. “Shit, what’s today?” I ask Jacob. “It’s the 25th, why?” Jacob responds. “Oh crap! I am the worst friend ever!” I exclaim, frantically searching for Lana.So stupid! I should’ve known getting involved with a guy would make me forget about my friends,I scold myself internally. Jacob looks down at me, searching my face for signs of distress. I break away from his gaze, but he catches up to me, concern etched on his features. “Anya, what’s wrong?” he asks softly. I let out a sigh, feeling the weight of guilt pressing down on me. “I’m the worst friend in the world. Today is Lana’s birthday, and I left her to be with you,” I admit, frustration lacing my words.

I can see the pain in his eyes as my words sink in. “I didn’t mean it that way,” I rush to reassure him, reaching out to touch his arm gently. “I just mean that this trip was supposed to be about me and her, and to celebrate her birthday. Then on her actual birthday, I leave to fool around with a guy I barely know,” I explain, hoping he understands.

He nods slowly, but I can't shake the feeling that he might not fully grasp what I'm trying to convey. “I’m sorry, I have to go,” I say, preparing to leave. But before I can move, he reaches out and grabs my hand, turning me to face him. His touch is gentle, his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand, while his other hand cups my face.

“Anya, I understand,” he says, his gaze locked with mine. “Why don’t we both try to find her, and then we can celebrate with everyone? The night is still young,” he suggests, his voice filled with sincerity.

We search the nightclub, scanning the crowded room for any sign of Lana or our friends, but they're nowhere to be found. Panic starts to gnaw at the edges of my mind, but Jacob's reassuring touch on my back grounds me. "Don’t worry, we’ll find them," he says, his voice steady and comforting.

We move on to the Ivory lounge, hoping to spot familiar faces, but it's just as empty. Frustration bubbles up inside me, and I run a hand through my hair, feeling helpless. "I'm gonna go look in the bathrooms, and then I’m gonna head to our cabin. Meet me there in like 20 minutes, okay?" I tell Jacob, my voice tinged with urgency.

He nods, pulling me into a tight hug. "Okay, don’t worry. We’ll find her. I’ll see you in 20 minutes," he assures me, planting a gentle kiss on my forehead before we part ways.

Chapter Sixteen

Jacob

Heading back into the nightclub, I couldn't shake off the sting of Anya's words, though I knew she was speaking from a place of concern. My eyes dart around the dimly lit room, scanning the crowd for any sign of Lana. Finally, I spot Ben and JC and make my way over to them, urgency evident in my voice.

"Hey," I call out to Ben, hoping he might have some information. Ben's initial excitement dims as he notices the worry etched on my face. "Whoa, what's going on?" he asks, concern coloring his tone.

"Have you seen Lana?" I inquire, my heart pounding with apprehension. Ben's eyebrows shoot up in realization. "Oh, Lana went back to their cabin to change. Some drunk guy accidentally spilled his drink on her," he explains.

My mind races with thoughts of Anya and her distress. "Anya's really beating herself up over this. She feels like she abandoned Lana on her birthday," I confess, feeling a pang of guilt for keeping Anya away so long.

Ben's eyes widen in realization. "Oh, damn, it's Lana's birthday? We should do something for her," he suggests, his excitement returning. "Let's grab a cake from the bakery before they close and surprise them with it." His idea sparks a sense of determination within me.

"Do you know their cabin number?" Ben inquires, and I wrack my brain to recall it.It’s something 23, I remember the 23. Is it 1023? No that doesn’t sound right. Ben waves his hand in my face pulling me out of my thoughts, “Do you know the room number” he repeats. "Umm yeah, I think it's 1123," I respond, the number solidifying in my mind as we set off towards the bakery, eager to help Anya make Lana’s birthday a memorable one.

We hurriedly grabbed the last small cake from the bakery and made our way towards the cabin. As we walked down the unfamiliar hallway, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The doors looked different, and the artwork on the walls didn't match what I remembered. Before I could voice my concerns, Ben confidently knocked on the door labeled 1123.

To our surprise, a man who appeared to be in his 50s or 60s, dressed in a robe, opened the door and looked at us quizzically as he took in the cake. "Can I help you?" he asked, his expression a mix of confusion and mild annoyance. I quickly stepped forward, feeling a flush of embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, sir. It seems we got the wrong cabin number," I apologized, shooting a glance at Ben, who wore a similar expression of chagrin. "Did you forget the cabin number?" Ben inquired, his voice tinged with disbelief.

As I racked my brain trying to remember, Patricia emerged from her room down the hall, her expression a mixture of amusement and confusion. "Um, hey, boys," she greeted us, her eyes darting between us and the cake. "What are you all up to?" she asked, her tone teasing.

Ben wasted no time in throwing me under the bus. "Einstein over here forgot which cabin Lana and Anya are in," he quipped, earning a chuckle from Patricia. "Oh my god, the girls have to hear this," she exclaimed, gesturing for us to follow her. I exchanged a sheepish look with Ben as we followed Patricia, hoping Lana and Anya would see the humor in our little mishap.

Patricia led us to the 12th floor, and I couldn't help but blurt out, "Oh, it was 1223!" before realizing I had spoken aloud. Ben shot me a sidelong glance, and Patricia and JC chuckled at my slip-up. As we stepped out of the elevator, I halted Patricia, needing to confirm something. "Did you know it was Lana's birthday?" I asked, feeling a twinge of concern. She laughed in response. "Not until Anya came in all frantic, thinking Lana was mad at her about it," she revealed. I winced, fearing the worst. "Is Lana angry at Anya?" I cautiously inquired. Patricia shook her head, dismissing my worries. "Oh God no! Lana was the one who encouraged Anya to go. She knew exactly what would happen," she reassured me, nudging me playfully.

We arrived at 1223, and everyone except Patricia stood before the door, hesitant. Patricia glanced at us, puzzled, until Ben spoke up. "Nope, I'm not making that mistake again” he says shaking his head “not until we're absolutely sure this is their cabin," he declared firmly. Patricia chuckled and shook her head in amusement, then took charge and knocked on the door. Lana opened it, and as soon as we recognized her, we all exclaimed "Surprise!" in unison.

"Oh my gosh, you boys really do know how to make a girl feel special!" Lana exclaimed, her eyes shining with delight. Anya poked her head out from behind Lana, her smile widening at the sight of us. "Hey, what took you so long? I said 20 minutes," she teased, waving for us all to come in. Patricia couldn't contain herself and blurted out that we were at 1123. I raise my hands in surrender, "Okay, see what had happened was..." I began, and the whole room burst into laughter.

As the room buzzes with conversations, my gaze keeps drifting back to Anya. Her infectious laughter and the way her eyes light up when she smiles draw me in. It's like her joy is contagious, spreading to everyone around her. With only two more nights left on this cruise, I find myself wanting to spend every moment with her, yet I also want to respect her time with Lana.

My thoughts are interrupted by JC's playful slap on my shoulder, breaking me out of my reverie. I glance out onto the balcony where Anya, Lana, and Sam are enjoying the view.God, she really is so beautifulI think to myself before returning to converse with JC and Ben.

I’m engrossed in conversation when suddenly, Anya appears beside me, flashing me a wide smile as she settles onto my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Hey there, handsome! Buy me a drink?" she quips, her eyes sparkling with mischief. I chuckle at her boldness. "Sure thing, gorgeous. Let's go get you another drink," I reply, ready to indulge her request. But before we can move, Lana taps me on the shoulder, her laughter bubbling up.

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