Chapter 5

Earlier that morning, he had his shopper take care of his clothing needs and outfits for this excursion. He didn't even have time to choose what he would wear. But Claire knew his taste and what looked remarkable on him, from casual to after-five attire. Adonis took her advice most of the time regarding style, and he hasn't regretted it.

Adonis dreaded this unwarranted vacation and still couldn't believe he was packing to head to the airport to board a cruise ship, he tells Claire.

"I must be out of my mind."

"Mr. Weston, don't worry. I think this is what you need. Think about it this way: When you return, you will be refreshed with new ideas and ready to conquer the world."

"Claire, I love the way you think! Honestly, I do. Are there any other real women out there like you?"

"Are you willing to marry my daughter?"

"No, as cute as she is, I'm not trying to go to jail, Claire." 

"You won't go to jail; I promise I won't press charges," She said with her Spanish accent as they laughed.

"Thanks, but no thanks, Claire. How about I hook her up with my friend Beenzino? Do you remember my friend Beenie?"

Claire's eyes stretched. "Oh no! That young man is woman crazy!" Claire said adamantly, shaking her head no.

Adonis laughed even harder. "Mrs. Claire, you are a smart woman, and I like that."

"I know a bad man when I see one. You try to relax and have a good vacation, sir."

"Thanks, I'll try."

When she left his room immediately, Adonis's mind went back to work. 'I'm so close to becoming the wealthiest man in the world, and I'm about forgo that to go on a cruise. I will visit the doctor once I get settled on the ship.'

When Adoni's driver dropped him off at the airport, he had only an hour to check his bags. Moving quickly, he took care of everything in record time. He boarded the plane heading to California. When he found his seat in first class, he opened his briefcase and pulled out his files.  

Adonis wanted to ensure he was still preparing to capture that Tokyo deal. When the Captain announced that take-off would be in five more minutes, Adonis figured he had an empty seat next to him, which would afford him more room to spread out his paperwork. Among his papers, something fell on the seat.

He looked down at the brochure. It kept him preoccupied and piqued his interest in what was expected on this cruise and the islands. But was he excited or pumped up? Not quite. The pictures displayed some fantastic places to visit once the ship docked. The food on and off the boat looked delicious, and the islands looked like ones he might want to explore.

Adonis thought, "If it looks this good in pictures, I can only imagine how wonderful it will be when I get there." He chuckled as he laid his head back, thinking some more, taking his mind off work and letting wander to everyday life.

Suppose Adonis was to be completely honest with himself. He would love to be in a relationship longer than a month or two without worrying about it going up in smoke. When he was younger, sneaking around was fun, but now that he's a man, it doesn't have the same appeal. It's more upsetting than anything to start developing feelings for someone, knowing that it has to end. 

Adonis knew he had to make serious decisions about his personal life and career goals. He was getting to an age where his future mattered beyond his business, and he knew that deep down inside.

Adonis immediately sat up as if he had a bad nightmare. "What am I thinking? Where are all these weird thoughts coming from? What am I thinking? I love being single and unattached." He relaxed again. 'Don't I?"

He wasn't ready to throw in the towel and settle entirely down. Adonis had goals that didn't involve being attached. His goal was to become the wealthiest man in the world! And he was right on the cusp of that happening, and now all of this is getting in the way.

'I can't focus or even think about what's important. So maybe I need to relax, and once I get this cruise out of the way, I'll be able to focus.'

The plane finally landed. Adonis took a taxi from the airport to the ship's dock.

While Adonis waited for the cab driver to take his luggage from the trunk, he saw droves of people doing the same thing. But his attention was drawn to the girl who stepped out of the taxi ways down from him.  When she emerges from the cab with long curly hair and the darkest brown eyes he's ever seen, she's a goddess and held entirely enamored by her. The tight, off-the-shoulder sweater accentuates his favorite female feature, that's for sure, but the nicely fitting pants grabbed his attention right now. They fitted snugly around her beautiful heart-shaped backside and down a pair of lean legs, a mile long, enticing him with each step she took. Adonis immediately felt hot electric currents going through his body. He knew she captured him when he kept staring and didn't have the manners even to turn his head when she looked his way. He wanted to catch him staring at her so their eyes could meet. He couldn't even control himself for some strange reason.

Adonis stared at the young lady so long that she had no choice but to notice him. When her large, pretty brown eyes met Adonis's, he felt this spark, and he couldn't do anything but smile and nod his head at her. But when he saw her standing by the taxi, smoke came out of its tailpipe. Something wasn't right about that picture. So he made his way over to assist her. The girl is even more beautiful up close, with a spicy attitude and a sweet-sounding voice that made his heart act strangely. But she didn't need his assistance; you handled herself well with that get-over cab driver. In his heart, he cheered for her. "Yes!" But that whole scene only made him even more curious about her.

The young lady also made him smile from ear to ear as they began to line up to board the ship. She glanced around to see if he was looking at her or someone else.

Adonis thought maybe he was crazy. Perhaps he only imagined the spark. Right? Women never walk away without smiling or acknowledging Adoni's presence somehow. But she did as he headed to the long line. Since he was ahead of her in the line, looking over his shoulder, he chanced a glimpse in her direction. His eyes locked with hers briefly, and Adonis knew he felt something unnamed pass between them. She looked away first with a little smile that he spotted. That little smile did it! It revived his pride and gave him hope. His goal now is to seek out why she slightly smiled at him and what it meant.

The line moved forward. It was time for Adonis to present his tickets to board the cruise liner. The desk clerk cleared his passport and handed him his ticket and entry card to his cabin suite.

"Sir, you're on upper-level six in our state cabin number sixty-two. Enjoy your cruise, Mr. Weston."

"Thank you. I will."

Adonis entered the elevator, looking down at his cabin papers that listed all the amenities. His friend didn't hold back on expenses for this trip. He purchased one of the largest cabins on the ship, a honeymoon package. 'Why would a single man need a honeymoon suite is beyond me.' The cabin had its own private balcony and bar, fresh flowers, and champagne on ice already in the room and for the duration of the cruise.  

When the elevator was full, the doors were about to close. Someone came rushing through, stopping the door from closing. To Adonis's surprise, the young lady he had seen earlier stepped into the elevator. After she'd entered, the glass doors closed behind her. The young lady realized she was facing everyone on the elevator. He could see she was shyly embarrassed as she turned around, but right before she could shuffle around in the right direction.

She heard a soothing voice say, "What floor? " But then it dawned on Safira that she hadn't pressed a floor number when she entered the elevator.

"Four, please." Just as she reached to press the number, her hand landed on top of his. When she looked up, Adonis saw surprise come across her pretty face. Looking at her up close, he sees rich milk chocolate skin and dark brown almond-shaped eyes that seem to see right to his soul. She has massive, long, curly hair surrounding her small, oval-shaped face. She has sexy, full lips and a fantastic body in those black capri pants with white toenail polish. 

The young lady gently slid her hand away and said. "Fourth floor, please." Quickly facing forward.

Adonis felt his heart throttle within him. The sound of her voice made him want to hear her speak again. When the elevator ascended to the fourth floor, and the doors opened, she stepped onto her floor.

He mumbled. "She's on the fourth floor." Other passengers looked back at him and smiled, watching him as he watched her exit the elevators onto the fourth floor.

"If only I knew her cabin number," he said quietly.

See, this is what you get when you do a favor for a friend. Your whole world gets turned inside and out. Upside down. But it's pretty bold of her to take a cruise alone. She doesn't seem to mind coming here alone; it's something to be admired because most women he knew would need someone beside them; otherwise, they were too scared to go anywhere. Shake it off! I know her type.  Women only want me for my money, looks, and power, just like everyone else in my life. They don't care about who I am on the inside. I will never find anyone who truly cares for the person underneath. So why bother getting bothered?

Anyway, we would never work. If I had brought her home, my friends and colleagues would have looked at her like a piece of meat and made odd remarks. My father would only approve of it if money were tied to it. And if I made her my wife anyway, despite all of that, I'd have killed them all and burned their eyes just for good measure. 

 In the elite world, he comes from, this relationship would be frowned upon if money wasn't attached to it. That was so unfortunate, Adonis thought, but he didn't care—or did he? Adonis Weston is now about to find out once he enters uncharted waters!