Caribbean Passion Ch. 10

Lucia made her way upstairs, her hair slicked back to fall down past her shoulders and rest on her back. Her beautiful Hispanic face was exquisitely made up, a golden necklace at her throat. Her full-length blue evening gown hugged her full breasts, its short puff sleeves allowing her to show off her olive-skinned arms. The dress fit tightly, emphasizing the shape of her toned abdomen beneath, before long waves of silk reached to the floor. With matching blue high heels and sapphire earrings, she looked like a princess.

She was thoughtful as she carefully climbed the stairs. So Carmen thought Lucia was some kind of rival. She had no intention of being one -- it wasn't her job. Now, though, it seemed she had made an enemy.

Arriving at the Rendezvous Lounge in time for the evening show, Lucia entered the back room, where Dave Richards was once again there, as he had been the first time she met him, together with Carmen and Estella. Carmen looked at her pointedly as she walked in, then tossed her head back to the mirror on the wall to continue her make-up.

"Get ready, ladies," said Dave. "The first dance is next up after me." He saw the Social Hostess. "Great to see you!"

Lucia smiled. "You, too, Dave."

Just then, Pablo appeared. He was wearing the black waistcoat he had worn in the Disco before, teamed with tight black trousers slung low over his hips. They hugged his waist, offering Lucia a tantalizing faint outline of his cock. His muscled torso had recently been showered, his hair slicked back with wet-look hair gel, shiny black leather shoes on his feet. He was ready to dance. "Hi, Lucia," he smiled. His dazzling face forced a smirk from Lucia.

"Hey, Pablo," said Carmen.

Lucia turned to see Carmen, in her trademark red dress, suddenly open her arms in an embrace. Pablo gave her a hug, buried his nose in her hair to inhale her perfume, then planted a passionate kiss on her forehead. Carmen looked directly at Lucia as she looked over Pablo's shoulder.

Lucia eyes widened. What was this? Were they an item?

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! PLEASE WELCOME, YOUR CRUISE DIRECTOR, MR. DAVE RICHARDS!" The announcer's voice broke through Lucia's thoughts as Dave Richards bustled past her. She followed out to the side of the stage as Richards walked out in his suit to begin his intro and standup routine. There was a ripple of applause from the audience as the show started.

Lucia looked back through the open doorway into the back room, where Pablo and Carmen continued to talk and prepare, while Estella did her make-up. So Pablo and Carmen had hit it off, huh? Lucia wasn't surprised -- after all, they were working together. Perhaps she was wrong to think there had been anything to the feelings she had felt with Pablo in the Disco. Well, he had walked off, hadn't he? His decision had been pretty clear.

Lucia stood there in thought as she watched Richards' usual jokes entertain the audience. She had only heard them three or four times but already they were starting to become a little too familiar.

She overheard Carmen's voice, speaking loudly in the back room.

"If you're ready, step out -- Pablo and I will stay in here for a while."

"Whatever -- I get it," said Estella, annoyed. She suddenly appeared in the doorway. Seeing Lucia, she walked over and stood next to her.

"What's up?" asked Lucia.

"Carmen wants some alone time with Pablo," explained Estella.

"So they're together?" questioned Lucia.

"Yeah, tell me about it!" replied Estella. "Guess what?"

"What?" said Lucia, turning to Estella.

"I came back home this afternoon from the mall in Canaveral and found them in bed together."

"WHAT! That was fast!"

"Yeah, Carmen doesn't waste time. It looked like they had had a pretty wild time -- the cabin was wrecked and they looked like they'd been going at it like rabbits!"

"WOW!"

"Carmen was lying there with the biggest smile on her face I've ever seen, and Pablo looked like he'd just had sex with Cleopatra or something!"

"Hahaha!" laughed Lucia. "I can't believe it!"

"You'd BETTER believe it, baby. Carmen's a killer at getting guys. When she sees a man she likes -- wow, she can make a move on him like an animal in heat."

"I guess so." Lucia looked out at the audience.

Estella noticed. "What's up? Got feelings for him?"

"It's not that," said Lucia, thoughtfully. "It's just that it squares with what Carmen said this morning."

"Oh, yeah?" asked Estella. "Did you see her this morning? What did she say?"

Lucia turned to Estella. "She basically told the whole ship that I spent the night with Ramon, just to make sure I 'stay in my lane' as Social Hostess and not get any ideas about being a dancer!" Lucia looked annoyed.

"You ARE a dancer!"

"Yeah, well, apparently Carmen's got issues with that."

"Hmmm," Estella thought. "She tends to think competition's a threat."

Lucia sighed. "It certainly seems like it!"

Dave Richards finished his spiel and left the stage. Lucia suddenly walked forward, past Estella and grabbed Dave's microphone from him as he walked off.

"You're on," he smiled.

"Thanks." Lucia walked out onto the stage, blinking slightly in the spotlight. "Hi, everyone! I'm Lucia Gonzalez, your Hostess on the ship."

A huge roar went up from the crowd as the audience gave their approval.

"Well, thanks," smiled Lucia. "Now, next up in tonight's show we have an amazing dance performance for you. Coming all the way from South America, please welcome, Pablo and Carmen!"

A huge round of applause went up as Lucia turned away from the spotlight and walked off the stage, past the two dancers. She looked at Carmen, who feigned disinterest, then Pablo, who smiled with his eyes. Lucia swished by him in her shimmering blue evening gown.

Wow, Lucia looks great tonight, thought Pablo. Carmen grabbed his arm and looked at him. Pablo stepped forward and spun her out onto the stage. The dance began!

Lucia turned and stood there, watching their dance. As the dance went on, she saw that Pablo was a powerful and dominant dancer. There was energy and passion in his moves. He was confident, riveting to watch and knew exactly what he was doing. He had the rough, masculine edge of a dancer from the streets. She remembered Ramon, who also had that background. Ramon was a ball of energy -- exciting, fun, exhilarating even -- yet his boisterous pizzazz revealed a boyish exuberance which felt lighter than Pablo's. Pablo's energy was darker, more mature, masculine and manly, calm, controlled, yet suggestive of a smouldering fire. The combination aroused Lucia and she felt the stirrings of turn-on, the curl of excitement down below. She was surprised to feel a dampness there. For goodness' sake, get a grip, she thought.

She looked at Carmen. Her dancing was fiery, full of hot desire, adept and experienced. She danced with the steps of a woman who knew what she had to offer and how much she was worth. Lucia could understand now what Estella had said about Carmen going after guys she wanted. Yet there was something off. Carmen was really putting it out there in front of Pablo, which was understandable, seeing as they were now apparently an item. Yet Lucia wondered why she did so. Didn't she already have him? As the dance went on, Lucia sensed that Carmen's pursuit of Pablo seemed all-consuming, like catching him was the whole purpose of life. Lucia smiled. Well, perhaps catching Pablo would be the whole purpose of a lot of women's lives if every woman on Earth could see him!

Presently, the dance ended, and Pablo and Carmen bowed to rapturous applause. As Lucia walked on to introduce the main act for the night, Pablo smiled at her once more as he and Carmen walked off.

The two dancers entered the back room, where Estella had returned.

"How did it go?" asked Estella.

"Great," replied Carmen. "And Little Miss Hostess was watching all the time!"

Pablo smiled. "I think she was reviewing our performance. She's a dance champion, apparently."

"Yeah, well, she can take her review and stuff it," retorted Carmen, smiling at Pablo. "You were fantastic!"

Pablo frowned slightly at Carmen's slight of Lucia. "Well, thanks," he said, awkwardly. "But Lucia's all right."

Carmen looked at him, eyebrows raised. "If you think so. I don't need to worry about her opinion. She isn't getting paid to critique our stuff. She can keep her nose out."

Pablo glanced at her pointedly. "A little testy, aren't we?"

"Carmen likes the spotlight," interrupted Estella.

"Yeah, and I decide who's going to share it," explained Carmen, giving Pablo's waist a squeeze.

Pablo smiled appreciatively. "Fine. I'm chill with that."

"Great." Carmen turned to look in the mirror.

"Hey, Estella." Pablo turned to Estella, who was looking in the mirror on the opposite side of the room. She turned to him. "I'm sorry you got to see Carmen and I this morning..."

"Ha! Don't worry about it!"

"Yeah," interjected Carmen. "She'll just have to get used to us spending some 'us time' together."

"Well," Estella went on. "I can't say it was what I was expecting when I got back from the mall but -"

"Oh, wasn't it?" retorted Carmen. "Well, hey, babe -- I can conduct my love life any way I choose -- it' a fact of life on these cruise lines; a perk of the job, in fact."

"Is that so?" replied Estella, miffed. "Well, you can do any guy you want but I would like to know in advance so I don't have to interrupt anything. You could have told me."

"Well, it was a little unplanned," remarked Pablo.

"That's what you think," said Estella.

Carmen spun around. "HEY! What's got into you? Don't take that tone with me!"

"I think you should put an early-warning system outside the door," continued Estella.

Pablo began, "Hey, ladies..."

"WHAT!" yelled Carmen, jumping out of her seat. She grabbed Estella, pulled her up out of her chair, then slapped her face with her right hand.

"Ow!" cried Estella.

"Whoa, ladies!" said Pablo.

Carmen was furious. "LISTEN UP! You don't get to decide my life -- I DO!"

Estella pushed back against Carmen, so the woman in red fell back against the dressing table, make-up bottles clattering on the floor. "Get off me!"

"Push me, huh?" retorted Carmen. "Listen, woman, you don't own me and I don't take orders. I won't tolerate people making decisions about who I go with or what I do!"

"Well, I won't tolerate you slapping me! Are you crazy?"

Carmen pushed her back. "Get out of here -- you make me sick!" She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the room.

Estella got up and yelled out the door, "I live in that cabin, too! Get back here!" It was too late -- Carmen had gone.

Pablo, astonished, stepped out of the room. Carmen was gone and Lucia was nowhere to be seen. "Wow!" he exclaimed.

Estella spun around to face him. "You should make yourself scarce, if I were you." Then she turned and walked out of the Rendezvous Lounge.

Pablo stared after her, incredulous. What had just happened?

Lucia sat on a sofa, one of many in the Cafe Miramar on Fourth Deck, towards the rear of the ship. She looked out of the window, while sipping a frozen Bahama Mama from a large cocktail glass.

Just then, she saw Pablo approaching. She raised one eyebrow as he strode determinedly towards her. What was this?

Pablo saw her, drew near and flopped down on the sofa opposite her, some three feet away. "Well, would you believe it!" he exclaimed.

"What?" asked Lucia, surprised.

"Carmen and Estella have just had the most almighty row," he began.

"Really?" remarked Lucia, her eyes widening.

"Yeah! Carmen slapped Estella 'round the face and Estella pushed her against the counter!"

"WOW! What happened?"

"I don't know! They were just talking about their cabin and Estella made a remark and then Carmen lashed out and slapped her!"

"Well, huh!" cried Lucia. Then she thought of something. "Hey, why are you telling me this? Aren't you two an item?"

"Hmph! I'm not sure I want to be after this!"

Lucia smiled at him. "Woman troubles, ha, Pablo?"

"Tell me about it!"

Lucia took a sip of her drink. "I thought your dancing was great."

Pablo glanced at her in amusement. "That's high praise coming from a dance champion."

"No, really. You move really well. You can feel the passion."

"I think a lot of Latin dancers can do that."

"Not necessarily. Not everyone really has it. You've got it."

"Well thanks. I wasn't expecting -"

"It's something I like to see, Pablo."

"I see."

"I would like to see more of it in the future."

"Ha! Well, I guess we'll both be seeing a lot of each other during this contract, huh?" Pablo smiled. "By the end you will have seen me lots of times."

"I guess so," smiled Lucia.

Pablo paused. "Hey, by the way, about the other night in the Disco -- I..."

"Don't worry about it," interrupted Lucia, sitting up straight.

"No, really -- I was acting like an ass. I guess everything's new for me and -"

"No, it's fine."

"No, it's not that. I'm sorry."

Lucia looked at him. "About what?"

"About just walking off like that. I was acting like an idiot."

"Do you often do that?"

"I hope not. At least, I totally intend not to from now on."

Lucia smirked. "Well, that's a relief."

"By the way, do you intend to watch me every night?"

Lucia gave him a dazzling smile. "Now there's an invitation!"

Pablo looked worried. "It's just that Carmen thought you were judging her dancing."

Lucia's face fell. "Oh, no, I was just -"

"Forget it. It's OK. I don't know what's got into her. She seemed to be bothered by it but I wasn't. You don't have to worry about it."

Lucia thought for a moment. "Actually, I do. I had a bit of an unfortunate situation this morning with her."

Pablo raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Yeah, well, it was about the same thing. She knows I'm a dance champion, and basically told me to 'stay in my lane' and do the job I was paid to do -- you know, Social Hostess -- rather than try to muscle into her scene by dancing in front of the passengers."

"Huh? Why did she think you would do that? It's not even your job!"

"The cruise before you joined the ship, there was no official male dancer. The only guy available was DJ Ramon. He's quite good but he's an amateur, and both Carmen and Estella refused to dance with him because they're professional."

Pablo tutted, looking out the window. "For goodness' sake."

"So, anyway, Dave Richards knew I was a champion so told me to stand in and dance with Ramon. It went really well and I guess Carmen didn't like that -- and now she thinks I'm competition."

"So, basically, she wants you out of the picture."

"Right."

Pablo felt annoyed and aggravated. There was no reason for Carmen to act like this -- or Estella, for that matter. Professional! What was so professional about this? Pablo began to regret the sex session he had had with Carmen earlier. It had been really hot, yet he felt he was getting in deep water and no sex, no matter how amazing, was worth that. Also, Lucia hadn't done anything wrong. Pablo looked at her and felt, once again, that sense that she was quality, that goodness and decency that set her apart from other women -- perhaps even himself. "Well, let me deal with this," he said, determinedly.

"What?" asked Lucia, surprised. "What are you going to do?"

"No problem, Lucia. I'll see you later." Pablo stood up to leave.

"No, Pablo," continued Lucia. "You don't have to do anything for me!"

"Don't worry," said Pablo, reassuring her. "It's kind of for me, anyway." Then he walked off.

Lucia watched him. "Hey -" she began, but he strode off and turned the corner and was gone. Now what?

Down on First Deck, Pablo marched along the corridor to Carmen and Estella's cabin. What on earth was Carmen playing at? He was more annoyed with the way Carmen had treated Lucia than he was about the fight between her and Estella, a fact that Pablo didn't really want to admit to himself. Nevertheless, he first had to deal with this.

He knocked on the door. "Carmen, it's Pablo."

"Wait up!" replied Carmen. The door presently opened. Carmen stood there, in the same red, silken dressing gown and slippers, but this time she wore a green, silk negligee beneath that, like the red one he had ravished her in earlier, hugged her curvy body and showcased her huge breasts and deep cleavage to their maximum effect. She smiled, "Hi, Pablo." Estella looked up from behind her. She didn't look happy.

Ripping his eyes away from drinking in Carmen's fabulous breasts, Pablo looked at her directly. "What happened?"

Carmen made a face. "You, too? Estella just found out the hard way not to cross me to my face in public. Do you want to learn that, too?" Estella rubbed her cheek.

Pablo stepped inside the cabin, closing the door behind him. He looked at her. "What I have learned today is that it's better we don't hang out together."

"Oh, is that so?" frowned Carmen.

"I don't take orders, either. I don't know where you come from -- what your background is -- but it's over."

"Just like that?" challenged Carmen.

"Yep," said Pablo, gritting his teeth.

"What if I don't want it to be over?"

"I'll make it over. You're fortunate not too many people saw that incident because of the noise from the show. Richards will find out."

"Not if I tell him first."

"I'm surprised you haven't already, since you've already told the whole ship about Lucia, I've heard."

Carmen's eyes widened. "Oh, you know about that, huh?"

"YES," said Pablo, testily. "She just told me."

"She can get out of my face."

"She wasn't in it to begin with."

"Why are you on her side? I thought you were on mine. Didn't we have a deal?"

"No, we didn't," remarked Pablo.

"What about this afternoon?"

"That's called sex. It's not called 'a deal'."

"Do you think I just gave you my body because you're hot? Give me a break."

"You wanted me."

"I want lots of men."

"Huh! Is that so?"

"Listen, honey -- if you think our little interlude this afternoon means I love you, I'm afraid you're mistaken."

"I didn't say that."

Carmen prodded a finger against Pablo's chest. "Listen -- I gave you some of the hottest sex you've ever had in your life today -- and don't deny it! If you want more of that, you'd better uphold my interests better than you did this afternoon. It's a good job only Estella was there and that Lucia doesn't know about it. From now on, you dance with me and Estella and we become the best dance team this ship's ever seen."

"That's it?"

Carmen stepped forward towards Pablo. "LISTEN UP! Do you want to spend the rest of your life just being a poor boy from the gutter? You're from Colombia, aren't you? Don't you remember? How did it feel growing up in the favelas, poor boy? Do you like no running water, drug dealers everywhere, and stolen electricity? Where's your mama and papa now? Did you run away from that hovel like me? Don't you understand? THIS IS AMERICA! Land of the free? Only if you're rich, white, straight and male! Everybody else gets screwed over! Latinos need to stick together!"

Pablo looked at Carmen steadily. "Lucia comes from South America, too."

Carmen glared at him. She knew what he meant. Brazilians spoke Portuguese, not Spanish, so they didn't like to be called "Latinos". There was still an invisible dividing line across that continent when it was divided up, centuries ago, between Portugal and Spain. "I intend to move UP," she replied. "Not sideways."

Pablo frowned. "Hear this, Carmen. I didn't sign up for your petty scheme. For your information, I know everything about living in a favela. I make a living dancing and I do it my way. I've never needed to buddy up with anyone to get by and I'm not starting now. I don't take orders from you, Lucia or anyone. I'm not joining your stupid gang. I don't buy your mentality, either. What makes you think giving hot sex to guys is going to make your dreams come true?" He turned to Estella. "Come on, Estella. You're dancing with me tonight. Let's go!"