silly,” she said, turning away and walking toward the closet. “I’ll find something more appropriate.”
“Define appropriate, Helen,” he said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back to face him. “I think you look perfect.”
Helen blushed and shook her head. “No, this dress is indecent.”
Dimitri groaned and laughed as he tucked her hand in his elbow. “The only thing indecent is not showing it off, and you as well, so come along and let’s eat. I’m starving,”
Helen would have to agree, but it had nothing to do with food. She glanced surreptitiously up at Dimitri as they walked along the decking toward the dining room. He looked magnificent in a dinner jacket and white shirt, open at the collar. Goodness where did the man find the time to work out? And why, oh why was she so in love with him?
The rest of the group was already assembled and chatting over lovely appetizers when Helen and Dimitri joined them. The chef had outdone himself with dinner. Dimitri served her a cocktail that tasted like lemonade but, after her second one that slid down her throat too easily, she suspected that they were much more potent than they tasted. When he offered her a third, she laughed and shook her head. “I don’t think it would be a good idea,” she laughed.
“Ah, we’re back to the definitions are we?” he asked with a mischievous look in his eyes. “Define ‘good’,” he replied, his eyes looking down into hers for a long, pregnant pause.
Thankfully, dinner being served relieved her of the need for answering and he took her hand, pulling her closer against his side as they walked in to dinner. Because of that contact, Helen was barely able to swallow the first course, her mind spinning with thoughts of how much her body wanted to feel him against her.
By the time the main course was placed in front of her, Helen was able to concentrate more completely on the food, and could even smile somewhat during the conversation. But looking across at Dimitri, she had to constantly sip wine in order to wet her throat.
“I think we need to dance off some of this food,” Dimitri said after a delicious dessert of chocolate fondue with fresh fruit and cake was devoured.
Dimitri led the six of them to the dining room where soft music was already playing. Helen fiddled with her bracelet, wondering why she was here and wishing she could just slip down to her stateroom and hide. But Dimitri was having none of that. When the other two couples moved slowly onto the dance floor as if nothing were amiss, Dimitri stared at Helen. “Are you going to join me?”
“Shouldn’t we sit this one out?” she suggested quietly so the others couldn’t hear.
“No way am I going to miss an opportunity to hold you in that dress,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her inexorably toward the dance floor. The lights were dim and the music slow and soft and Helen tried to keep her distance, but Dimitri wouldn’t allow her to keep the several inches between their bodies that she needed. Slowly, he pulled her closer, moving her in and out of his arms and each time he pulled her closer so that eventually, they were touching from shoulder to hip.
“Why do you pull away all the time Helen?” he asked softly, saying it low in her ear so only she could hear.
“Because I don’t understand what is going on,” she said.
“Why is it so hard for you to accept that you are a beautiful woman?”
She wished she could believe him. But he was only being nice. She just didn’t understand why he was being so nice to her. “Because I’m not.”
He pulled her closer, his arm wrapping around her back so she was touching him from knee to chest. “You are. You’re sexy and pretty and I can see the desire for me in your eyes. So why not give in to it?”
Helen gasped. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” she said, looking straight ahead which mean she was staring at the buttons on his dinner shirt.
“Make me uncomfortable,” he said, rolling the phrase around on his tongue. “I think that is a completely accurate phrase but I don’t think you understand how uncomfortable. Or why.”
Helen ripped out of his embrace and pulled away. “I’m sorry,” she said, her head looking down instead of into his eyes. “I should never have done this