Deceit and Love

"I mean haven't done anything like this before." She said hesitantly.

"Danced on the deck of a cruise with barely any music and cold sea breeze? Well, that's a first for me too." He winked at her and she was back at ease. She was even more beautiful when she laughed and even more bewitching when she was just herself. He had been so accustomed to fake laughs that the original one made him look at her in awe.

"What are you looking at?" she asked. Her cheeks were filled with color and her eyes shimmered.

"You." he said as he kept gazing at her. Even in the most casual clothes with tangled hair and stained shirt and no trace of makeup, he thought she was the most attractive female. It was her originality that was getting to him. "You are beautiful." He saw her blushing. And then his eyes dropped at her mouth. Her perfectly lined lips tempted him to taste them. Damn, he wanted to kiss her, more badly than ever. "I want to kiss you." he found himself saying it loud.

"What?" she jerked her head up, surprised by his audacity but he didn't gave her time to move away from him. He cupped her jaw from one hand and pulled her up from other, and then lowered his mouth to meet hers. He ran his tongue on the contours of her lips. Damn, she tasted heaven. He placed small kissed along the upper lip before taking her lower lip in between his and sucked. She moaned and he thought he was in heaven. He bent his head further down and brought his other hand up to the nape of her neck and deepened the kiss. He sucked and bit her lips gently. He felt her hands coming up and soon she was grabbing his hair. He moaned in pleasure as she kissed him back. Their lips moved in synchronization as if made for each other. Augustus felt his body pouring into that one kiss as he made way for his tongue into her magnificent mouth. Damn, the exquisiteness of the moment was what he had never experienced before. He wanted this moment, this kiss to last forever. He wanted to hold back the time and make it stop there as he savored her delicious mouth. She was giving out pleasurable sound making him want more of her, making him want to keep going and never stop. He pushed her back until she was against the railing and he tore his mouth away briefly and then kissed her once more. It was like they couldn't get enough of each other. This time there was no tasting, he wanted all of her. He grunted as her tongue found it's way into his mouth. She invaded his mouth and felt it deep down spreading throughout all parts of his body. He let her take control and he would be damned if he said he didn't relished every single moment of his. He could no longer keep his hands from roaming around her body, feeling her curves and dips of her figure. He broke the kiss and began tracing his tongue along her chin and placed kisses on her jaw line. She tilted her head aside to give him more access. He took in the invitation and pressed his mouth alone the length of her neck. His hand went down to her neck and then further below to her breast as his mouth found its way from neck to her collar bone. He ran his thumb against her nipple which responded immediately to his touch despite the layers of clothing. His one hand caressed her nipple while other slip the top button of her shirt open and he brought his mouth to the inception of her cleavage and he worshipped her there with his lips and tongue. She shivered as his mouth inched towards left, towards the swell of her breast.

"Augustus." She moaned his name in pleasure and clutched him by shoulders for support. Her nails pressed in his biceps and it had never felt so sexy before. His name never felt sexier before. He wanted to mark his territory on her. He wanted to make her his own. He was so hard that he thought he wouldn't last for long. He thrust his hardness into her; trying to signal her as he manage to pop another button open. He now could see her black lacy bra that was driving him crazy since the moment he had set eyes on her. She moaned again. He did it once more and brought his mouth back to hers trailing small kisses all the way up to her jaw line to her mouth and then to her earlobe.

"I want you, Elle." He whispered, biting her ear. "Let me love you sweetheart." He said silkily as he kissed her temple and brought his fingers up to caress her cheek bone. Their eyes met and the sexual inflammation was so much that he could practically taste it. He pressed another kiss on the corner of her mouth. Before she could reply, he felt a wet drop fall on his face. Another and then it kept on coming. It had started raining.

"Oh my God!" he felt her stiffen. The sensual air between them evaporated and she pushed her hands on his chest and shoved him away. "I can't do this." She said to him, her hands on her mouth. Her eyes turned horrific. All the earlier desire that he had seen was vanished. Her face had lost the blush and was all wet from the pouring water.

"Elle..." he tried to say but she wasn't listening.

"I can't do this." He tried to hold her arms but she jerked away. "Don't touch me." She said in a panicked voice. What the hell? The look she was giving him was like he was some kind of rapist or so.

"Alright, I am not touching you." he lifted his hands in the air to show his intention. "Do you wanna sit?" he said as if she was a terrified child. Hell, she looked like one.

"I just want to go." Saying so, she walked pass through him briskly and soon she was half running. Moments later she disappeared inside the door. What the fuck was that? Augustus thought as he got wet in the rain. She was right there with him in the moment and he was damn sure she wanted him as much as he wanted her and then suddenly she just left. He didn't understand her reaction - all cold and distant? And he was there standing in the rain, half hard. Damn, he had wanted her badly. She had left him hanging in the middle. He ran his hand in his wet hair and then rubbed his soaked face. One taste of her, one kiss and he were like in a Sahara. His thirst won't die unless he has her. She was what he wanted and he was determined to have her. He wouldn't rest until she was in his bed and he had tasted every inch of her delectable body. He won't rest in peace until he had her under him calling out his name in the height of pleasures he was capable of giving her. He wasn't going to sit still until he know that the chemistry which he had felt between them was real or was it just his imagination in the heat of the moment. Hell, he wanted to break his months' long celibacy with this sexy brunette, Elle and he was going to do so because he was one stubborn kind since his birth. The good thing was that they were on a cruise and the cruise was his. Elle didn't have much room to avoid him. There was unfinished business between him and Elle and he wasn't an advocate of leaving things open ended. He was going to seal the deal sooner than later. as he walked back to his suite, his mind was running just one quote;

You know, they say it's downhill after the first kiss.

Well, damn you Man of Steel. He had no idea the movie would fit in the most unexpected event of his life.

Chapter Two

Augustus lay wide awake on his bed. His mind kept rushing back to the encounter he had with leggy brunette Elle. He couldn't remember when was the last time a woman had made him laugh and today he couldn't count how many times he had cracked up. Though he hadn't known her before but in a short time she had gotten under his skin and had managed to break through his barriers. Maybe she herself hadn't realized how much of effect she had on him and not just physically but mentally too. He had never once given a woman a second thought and here he was thinking about Elle for hours who had brushed him off when he had tried to seduce her down to his bed. This refusal hadn't angered him or bruised his ego. It had made her more desirable instead. He was craving for her more and more. The more he thought of her, the more his body aroused. When he had first saw her in that soaked shirt with her body teasing through thin material, he hadn't envisaged the night like it had actually ended in real time. He had imagined her in his bed, tangled around him. But now, when he had spent time with her, he not only wanted her for their mutual pleasure but he wanted her company too - out of bed. She intrigued him and he wanted to know more about her. Her last name to begin with.

He slipped his Rolex in hand and put on his wayfarers. The dark circles under his eyes were enough to tell anyone that he had a miserable night and he held Elle responsible for it entirely. She had kept coming back to his thoughts with her soaked shirt and giving him erotic dreams. Hadn't she left him hanging last night, scene would have been totally different. No cold shower had helped him settle off. No explanations and no justifications were enough for his mind (or body) to accept and let go of her. They had decided to stick to her as stubbornly as Augustus himself was. He couldn't even blame them for it since it was one of his own qualities. He wanted her and he would have her - today. He had mentally jotted down his possibilities and the last on the list was that he would run the guest list and see how many Elle's were on board. Surely there can't be many. He could easily track down her room number. It wasn't like they were on land. Thankfully it was his cruise where fate had decided to place this lady in his way. Though finding her on mainland wouldn't be too hard too but it meant more time. Time he could spend with her. So yeah, he was thankful for being on sea rather than back in New York or wherever she was from. He left his suite and headed out to the Captain's cabin. He was already feeling grumpy due to lack of sleep and disheveled thoughts. Work would set him right and back on track. Maybe after he has checked in everything he would start his 'Elle hunt'. He was beginning to consider that this was going to be hard. Bring it on then! He was nothing but the player of fire. If Elle wanted to be the fire, she could try to be one. He loved nothing more than a challenge and he sure wasn't accustomed to things coming to him the easier way.

"Good morning, Mr. Knight." The middle aged Italian captain with salt and pepper hair greeted him as he entered in the sailing control room. Rest of the crew nodded at him too. "Good morning Theo. How is my darling this morning?" he asked. "She is as perfecto's one can be, Signore." He grinned. It was clear that Theo adored the cruise as much as Augustus did. He sure was lucky when he hired his team. "That's good." Theo had been a part of The Royal Cruise's manufacturing team as well and Augustus had complete trust on the man. He knew his cruise was in capable hands. Theo was proactive and knew the cruise like the back of his hand. The experience man had been tremendous. He asked a few more things and then strode out to see his manager. As he walked to the deck the flashback of last night hit his mind. The same railing where he had Elle pinned over. The same spot where they had danced and then kissed. Damn, some kiss it was. Not to mention that it had managed to keep him awake for the wide part of the night. Now that he looked at the sky there was no sign of rain and it was as blue as the clouds seem to have never came by. And wasn't rain supposed to a gesture of romance? He thought grimly. For him the symbol of romance had back fired. It had made Elle run away. What if it hadn't rained last night? What if things would have proceeded with her? He would have her out of his system and wouldn't be walking with a semi erection. He thought gruffly. He knew he could find any woman to fulfill his needs but it was Elle whom he wanted to finish off with from where they have started.

He was turning to take the stairs up where he would find John, his manager when a voice stopped him halfway.

"No, I don't get it. What do you mean she can't bring this out here? You see that she is an old lady, don't you? If she is trying to have something that makes her comfortable then how can you ask her to give it to you? This is how you treat your guests? And if was that important of a rule you should have it mentioned in bold shouty capitals on our damn ticket." Augustus walked up there. He saw his manager standing with an old lady. There was another girl standing with her back at him. She was wearing a light blue blouse over beige color knee length shorts and her brown hairs were flowing wildly. Her voice was familiar.

"Could it be her?" He asked himself. It has to be her. It has to be Elle. Augustus thought as he approached them.

John was about to say something when he saw Augustus coming and got silent.

"Is there a problem?"Augustus asked. The girl turned and there she was, Elle. She was prettier in the sunlight. Her face was heart shaped and her eyes were lighter brown than he had seen last night. Maybe it was sun that was making it light. Her skin was white and she had small amount of freckles on her nose that weren't much prominent in the dim light yesterday. He saw her eyes go wide in recognition. Augustus gave her a quirky look and then turned to John with raised brow asking for explanation.

"Nothing that couldn't be handled, Sir." His manager said in a straight voice. John was one of those who had only one thing in mind- work-. That was what Augustus had like about him while hiring the guy. He knew he was efficient and was able to deal with any circumstance without losing his cool. But at this moment they were standing with the woman he had dreamed of all night. The same woman who had left him in the middle of a heated moment and he had to spend the rest of the time thinking to bed her.

"What's the matter?" he asked John and then looked at the old lady who was patting the back of a white puppy. Augustus wrinkled his nose.

"Our guest here was complaining about lack of clear instructions about bringing pets on board." John said in a crisp tone. His cruise was a pet free place. He looked at Elle and then said to John.

"That's alright. An exception can be done." John retreated and the old lady gave both of them her big smile before walking down. He managed to smile back. One thing he hated most was backing down on his rules. If he wanted his cruise pet-free then he would have his cruise pet-free. Had it not been Elle there, he would have this puppy taken away to the cargo section and had it dumped there. But damn her, she was not only messing with his sleep, she was effecting his correspondence too. He tried to keep his cool. He would have a talk with his marketing and creative team. After all they were the ones responsible for the slip. But before all, it was the woman who was standing in front of him whom he needed to talk to.

"We meet again, Elle." Now that there was no audience he said to the girl who had him messed up since last night. It was a good thing he was wearing his wayfarers or else she would have seen the dark circles around his eyes. He wasn't ready to give her the benefit of the effect she had on him."Augustus." She said nonchalantly. Her eyes were narrowed and distant. So was her tone. She turned to walk away.

Walking away from him again? Not a chance. "Elle, wait." He called.

"What is it Augustus?" she asked without stopping.

"Can you just stop for a minute and listen to what I have to say?" he pulled her elbow gently.

"Isn't it obvious to you that I am clearly not interested in talking to you?" Whoa. What has changed overnight?

"If this is about last night..." He began to speak but she cut him off in between. "I don't want to talk about it. I don't want you to get any type of a wrong signal from it." She uncurled his fingers from her elbow and said.

Wrong signal? She is saying not to take the wrong signal? Hell, he has been in state of frustration since the moment she left him in between their very long lingering kiss and she is saying not to take the wrong signal? She was one exasperating woman but he decided to play along. "Alright, I got it. No signals taken." He raised both his hands as if surrendering.

"I am glad. Now excuse me please." Elle tried to get past him again.

"You are going to just walk away like this?" he asked unbelievingly.

"What else do you want, Augustus?" her tone said she wasn't willing to stand a moment more here with him.

"Can't we just sit and have a talk? Like normal people." Damn, he sounded like a desperate teenager."I am not sure that's what I want. Sit and talk, as you say." She turned his words around. "It was just a kiss for sake of fuck, Elle!" Just a kiss that rolled his world from top to bottom. "Why are you being so difficult about it? All I am asking you is to spend some time together." He was frustrated by her responses.

"Suits yourself because I know where you want it to lead and I am not interested in being someone's cruise fling, Augustus." She shot him a frosty glare and continued. "I don't want to be your bed toy to make your journey more pleasant." Elle's tone was same as his.

"You are making it sound wrong, alright. That's not what I was saying. You are taking it the other way." He tried to reason. He might have intended just that in the beginning but not now, not anymore. He genuinely liked her.

"Whatever you say, I am not here on this cruise to build relations or friendships with people." She said in a cold voice and then she walked away. Augustus didn't try to stop her. When she had said the last words, he had seen something in her eyes. It had silenced him. It had made him swallow down whatever words were forming on his tongue to spit out. What he had seen in her eyes appeared like sadness and hurt to him. What the hell was he thinking? He was reading too much into her. He cannot go all assuming and empathizing about the girl who just dumped him down. He wasn't that kind of guy who chased after someone. If she wanted to be difficult about it then fuck, he wasn't going to run after her. Augustus stomped in the opposite direction to where she had gone.

The day had begun shitty for him and it was going to end shitty. He was sure of it. He had been like an injured loin running from one corner of the cruise to other all day, barking orders and having his crew's balls on a platter. The employees shattered away when they saw him coming. Good for him and good for them. He was surely out of his mind. He couldn't even watch straight. Damn Elle for having him in such a twist. She was getting the better of him when all they had spent was thirty minutes together. He needed to calm his nerves down. He cannot let a girl twirl him around her fingers. He was better than that. He was Augustus Knight, for fuck's sake. He wasn't some horny teenager who doesn't know what to do when his sexual needs aren't met. He had to have his thoughts together or else nothing would work. He had a trip to nail and he couldn't do that with his concentration divided. He tried to focus his thoughts to someplace else. Away from Elle and he knew what would help him. The only distraction that would settle down his nerves was his guitar. He headed straight to his suite and dragged out his guitar from the closet. He pulled it out of the case. Now he needed some open air. He left the suite and walked to the upper private deck which was reserved for just the executives. That too required his personal permit. One thing Augustus craved for most was his privacy. This was one place where he had both; privacy and serenity. It was away from the common deck and lounge so there was no noise to disturb him. He dragged the sun lounger to the corner and spread his legs over it, placing the guitar on his lap. Closing his eyes, he began strumming the strings in a slow tune and then gave into the music.

Music had been his escape since he was back in college. He was a self learner and knew he wasn't any good. But that was least of his concern to play professionally. He didn't play it to impress. He played to express, to dissolve, to lose himself in the process of it. For that he preferred isolation and calmness. Here under the cloudless sky and middle of the endless Atlantic. He let all the thoughts go and only concentrated on the cords and the strings beneath his fingers.