The Care and Feeding of a Partner—Cruising Two – Slow Dancin’

The guys had been invited to eat at the Captain’s table that night as his honored guests. Two tuxedos had been delivered to their suite earlier that day. They had decided to accept the offer, so as not to offend those who had made this trip possible.

They had been given one of the ‘royal suites’ for their cruise, so each had a bedroom and bathroom to themselves. Even if they slept in the same bedroom at night, having their own bathrooms would make getting ready so much quicker. Each had disappeared into their room to get showered and dressed.

Two bedroom doors opened at the same time.

Two men stopped dead in their tracks and stared.

“Oh. My. God!”

“I WILL have to take my gun tonight to keep you safe from poachers!”

“I’ll have to take mine too!”

“Damn, you look… HOT.”

“Not as hot as YOU look Babe!”

“Are you SURE we have to go?”

“What? You wanna’ just strip each other, after we spent all this time getting cleaned up and stay here?”

“Works for me!”

“Come on, let’s get this over with… it’s time we were there.”

“Private party pooper!”

******

When the doors of the dining room were opened by wait staff, the noise level in the room quickly dropped to a hush. Every eye in the room turned to see the two men framed by the doors. They presented a striking picture. One tall and blond. Broad shoulders and lean hips, framed to perfection by the tux he wore like a second skin. The other slightly shorter and dark haired. His tux equally perfect on his solidly muscular body.

Gasps sounded from the women and some men in the room. Whispers quickly started again.

“Who are THEY?”

“Are they royalty from somewhere?”

“I’m not into men, but for THEM I could change my mind!”

“I think I just came in my slacks.”

“I KNOW I did.”

Starsky looked at Hutch who looked just as uncomfortable as he did. Even though each was completely dressed they both felt naked… and devoured. Both raised their heads and wrapped their long years of undercover work around them. They stood there as if this was an everyday occurrence. The Captain rose from his chair and hurried to greet them.

Shaking both their hands he ushered them to the seats on either side of him. They would have preferred to sit side by side but gracefully dropped into their seats.

There were a few other guests at the table and introductions were quickly made. The Captain stood and said a quick blessing and dinner was served quickly and efficiently by obviously well-trained staff.

Conversations at the table were lively and intelligent. Both men found themselves charmed and captivated by the older ladies sitting beside them. They were spinster sisters on their fortieth cruise. Each had stories that kept the laughter flowing.

“Theodora, if I were ten years younger, I would drag this dark haired charmer off and marry him!”

“Isadora, you don’t have to marry to get the cow for free! Even if I weren’t ten years younger I would just want to take this blond hunk and have sex with him!

“But something tells me we would both be turned down. I believe their hearts have already been claimed.”

Isadora looked closely at both men. She nodded at her sister. “I do believe you are right Theadora. We’ve missed our chance.”

Both men had started to take sips of their wine and both choked at the same time. The women looked a bit abashed, but the guys just laughed and each leaned over to kiss a wrinkled cheek of their dinner companion.

“Theadora, I am not sure I could keep up with you, but should you decide you want to give me a go, just let me know,” Hutch winked and said to her. He watched as a rosy blush swept her cheeks and was charmed.

“And Isadora, I’d marry you tomorrow if you were serious!” Starsky mimicked Hutch’s move, winked and kissed his now-blushing tablemate on the cheek.

“You trashy boys!” Theadora exclaimed.

Starsky and Hutch looked at each other and wondered if the ladies were related to Minnie. They each shook their heads and stood as they heard the music begin, signaling the start of after-dinner dancing.

Each bent over a sister’s hand and begged the honor of the first dance.

With much tittering and blushing the ladies accepted and were escorted to the dance floor. Both ladies were excellent dancers and before long the two couples were applauded as they swirled and dipped and tangoed across the dance floor. Both men were laughing and grinning and having the times of their lives. When the music ended they escorted the ladies back to the table, the smiles on their faces lit up the room.

The lights dimmed and the intro to Anne Murray’s song “Could I Have This Dance” began playing.

Hutch walked around the table and put his hand out to Starsky.

Starsky quickly took Hutch’s hand and moved to the still vacant dance floor with him. This was the first song they had ever danced to and they had claimed it as theirs. It didn’t matter that every eye in the place was focused on them.

All they saw was each other.

With fluid grace Hutch took Starsky into his arms and began to lead him around the dance floor. Starsky nestled his head into Hutch’s neck, their joined hands clasped against Hutch’s chest. Their arms around each other. They moved easily, as if they had been dancing together for years.

There was utter silence in the room except for the music… and Hutch quietly singing to his love…

“I’ll always remember the song they were playing, the first time we danced and I knew. As we swayed to the music and held to each other I fell in love with you.”

Starsky joined in on the chorus in perfect harmony…

“Could I have this dance for the rest of my life? Would you be my partner in bed every night? When we’re together it feels so right. Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?

“I’ll always remember that magic moment when I held you close to me. As we moved together I knew forever you’re all I’ll ever need.

“Could I have this dance for the rest of my life? Would you be my partner in bed every night? When we’re together it feels so right. Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?”

As the music faded, Hutch leaned down and kissed Starsky, who returned the favor. They stood looking into each other’s eyes, blue meeting blue, and words and vows were exchanged without a single word being spoken.

Deafening applause, whistles and shouts brought them out of their insulated state and they hurried back to their table, both blushing. Theadora had moved to sit beside Isadora so the guys could sit together.

The Captain smiled at them and in a low voice said, “I can only hope someday my son finds someone like one of you. Bravo!”

Shortly after, the two bid goodbye to the sisters and Captain and made their way back to their suite. They began to dance again, humming the Anne Murray song as they swayed in the moonlight coming in through the large balcony windows.

“I meant every word, Starsk.”

“Me too, Hutch.”

“More than ever.”

“Forever and ever.”

They danced their way into their bedroom and stripped each other out of the tuxes. It was like peeling off skin, so well were they fitted.

“You looked amazing in that tux.”

“So did you.”

“But you have never looked as beautiful as you do now.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth.”

And as the ship sailed smoothly along the coast of California, so was love smoothly made in Royal Suite #1.