**THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS INTIMACY**

CH 13

Surprises and Sorrow

She stared at him as he turned on a light. They were alone before, but it felt like this time it had more gravity.

"Will, uh what is it that-"

"Mandy, I love you. I want you to know that." He interrupted.

She stood in her spot as he approached here. He doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. She thought.

He walked up to her and took her face into his hands. His eyes fixated on hers.

"When the ship docks, I am getting off with you. You are my everything and I want to make this official. Now I know your father is in New York, that you told me." Amanda felt a spark go up her spine as she realized that she had seen him on the ship earlier that day.

"So I cannot get his blessing." He continued.

She looked down at him and felt like every cell in her body was about to explode. "Blessing for what?" She cautiously asked.

That was when William got down on one knee. His eyes never left hers.

"Amanda Spencer, I want you to be my wife." He caressed the top of her hand with his thumb.

Mandy's mouth went dry. She opened her mouth but no words were coming out.

Will continued to look up at her. His eyes were a brilliant and sparkling blue; they displayed happiness, fear, and for some reason she thought, desire. It was such an arousing mix to her, but the ocean of emotions she started to feel were rapidly coming over her.

"Will, I...oh my God." She shook her head. "Don't you think this is too fast, I mean this morning and all-"

His grip on her hand tightened a little bit. "I want you in my life."

"You want me?" Her voice cracked as tears began to fall.

He rose to his feet and caressed her cheek. "I wanted you the moment I saw your face. You were the most beautiful thing I ever saw."

She smiled. "I don't know what to say. Is this really happening?"

He walked over to a large chest of drawers and opened up the top drawer. She watched as he pulled out a dark, mahogany box. He motioned for her to come over to him. She walked over and sat on the edge of his bed as he laid the box down upon the mattress.

"What's that?" She looked up at him.

He opened the box and saw various things. A couple of photographs, what looked to be paper money, a necklace was all that she could see. He dug around and took out a small velvet drawstring baggie. He opened the bag and dumped the contents into his a hand. A silver band with a blue stone sparkled with the sunlight peeking through his port window.

"Will...it's so beautiful." She said with awe.

He held the delicate piece of jewelry in his left hand. "My grandmother gave this to my father, my father on to me. My late wife never wore this ring. I saved this for the one woman who I would truly desire, cherish, and love for the rest of my life. My sweet Amanda." He took her right hand, since her left was injured. He slipped the ring onto her tan finger.

She looked up at him through happy tears. "I will be your wife. I love you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a loving kiss upon his lips. He began to deepen the kiss and she responded with pulling him closer to her.

"Will..." She whispered between kisses. "Make love to me. Now." Even though she swore to herself that she would try and prevent his death, a part of her was afraid that history would go on like it did. She would not let him go without giving him the part of her that she cherished and saved for the one man who would deserve such a gift. Like the ring on her finger.

He paused and looked down upon her. Her hair was starting to fall out of its braid, she was a remarkable sight. Her lips were dark pink and pout. He thought of what she had said to him that morning, about the "premonition" she had felt. A part of him truly wanted to wait until he had his rights and they were married, but another part thought that he had his grandmother's ring on her finger, they were betrothed, and nobody would know they had consummated their relationship before being married. except for them.

"Are you sure?" He whispered.

Her eyes were glossy with lust, desire, and innocence. They had gone from a greenish grey to a bright green.

"Yes, I want this more than anything. I want to give myself to you right here, right now." She slowly got up from his bed and stood before him. She started to unbutton the buttons on her dress. Slowly, one by one. He got up and went to her. He slipped her dress off her shoulders and it formed a pool on the floor.

She stood in a corset and garters. Her silk stockings were almost transparent. She took his shirt and pulled it from his pants and in a swift motion, pulled it over his head. His chest hardly had any hair on it, except for a few wisps in the middle. There was some slight muscle bulge in his upper arms. To her, he was all man, she could feel liquid heat coursing through her veins. He started to untie the ties on the front of her corset as she kicked her shoes.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered. She closed her eyes as he slipped the corset off her after the last of the strings were untied. This was the first time she had ever been topless in front of a man. She began to feel nervous, yet excited at her exposure. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that Will was looked right at her. In a futile attempt, she took her arm and covered herself out of instinct.

"No, no, Mandy, you are so beautiful. You needn't be afraid love. Please. Let me look at my beautiful bride-to-be." He said softly.

She put her arm down. She was down to her garters and her stockings. She felt as if she looked scandalous. He walked over to her and picked her up and brought her to his bed. He sat her down gently and laid down beside her. He took his hands and worked them down and began to unhook her garters from her underwear. She closed her eyes as he began to pull her stockings off slowly, one by one. As he peeled the last one off her foot, he took that same foot and cradled it in his hands.

"Your feet are so soft and so small. You have such beautiful and powerful looking legs." He noted.

She opened her eyes and sat up, meeting his gaze. "Can you lay here with me. Just hold me until you got to go up on the bridge later. Please."

"Are you having second thoughts about making love Amanda?" His voice sounded concerned.

She sighed. "I think my idea is more intimate. I just want to feel you close to me is all." She tried her hardest to not cry.

He looked at her and kissed her softly on each eye. He pulled them both down and he laid beside her. Putting his arm around her, breathing in the scent of her hair. "I love you."

She felt tears start to roll down the side of her face. Time was going by too quickly and she couldn't think of any more ideas to prevent the ship hitting the iceberg in the far distance. It was at that moment she just had to prevent Will from being in harm's way.

"I love you too my sweet William." She whispered. They had only a couple of hours before he would have to get up and get ready to go on his shift.

And she dreaded it.