Page 44 of Indiscreet

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Do you realize it’s noon?” Elliott said after shaking me awake the next day.

I tutted and pulled the covers up over my head. “Am I getting off the ship? If not, go away.”

Elliott chuckled. “Ha. I pegged you for a morning person, but you’re grumpy. Get up. I need to give you a quick lesson.”

“What kind of lesson?” I grumbled.

I sat up and pulled the duvet under my arms to cover myself. His shirt was tight, showing every ripple of muscle in his broad chest and abs. His jeans fit just right—he was crazy hot.

He cleared his throat and my eyes shifted up to his handsome face, which was now sporting a smug grin. “You can stop undressing me with your eyes. If you want me naked, just beg.”

I guffawed, but ended up laughing too.

“Good, you’re getting past the hate,” he said with a wink. “Seriously, Dane asked me to go over protocol for this type of party, but what I think you need first is self-defense training.”

That woke me up. I was surprised by his offer, though the biggest obstacle could render my defense useless, which I was quick to point out. “I can’t fight a gun.”

“It’s still possible to defend yourself, if you know what to do,” Elliott insisted. “I’ll go over some moves, but you will also have this.” He dug into the pocket of his trousers, brought out a little metal square, and pressed the side, producing a pocketknife. “This weapon will be between you and me. Dane didn’t want you to have it because he feared you’d end up hurt, but I think you’d rather fight than give up.”

I dipped my head and smiled at the compliment, though I didn’t feel strong at the moment. “Thank you, but do you think it will come to a fight?” My voice cracked.

He placed his arm loosely around my shoulder. “I don’t think so. Neither one of us plan to let you out of our sight. We will hurt anyone who touches you. This defense stuff is me being overly cautious.”

My chest warmed at his concern and when he leaned in to peck my lips, I didn’t stop him. “I shouldn’t let you kiss me,” I said.

He cocked his head. “But you did anyway,” he replied. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. You want to kiss me, and I want to fuck you. There is nothing wrong with it.”

I pushed back my hair. I didn’t bother denying it, and his humor put me at ease, but I moved on. Slipping my hand out of the sheets, I grabbed my robe and put it on underneath the covers. Thankfully, Dane hadn’t put it out of reach.

He handed me a tank and shorts to put on. “Such a shame to cover your sexy body.”

My mouth dropped open. “I thought there was only a robe.”

He laughed. “Good on Dane. There are a lot of things on this ship, including clothing stores.”

“Then why don’t I have clothes?” I asked.

He grinned. “Because we like you naked.”

I tried to scowl, but ended up smiling. I quickly left for the bathroom to change. Both men were on my mind as I dressed and pulled my hair into a bun. They contrasted each other, but I found them both fascinating in their own way.

When I returned to the room, Elliott waved me over to a spot near the enclosed patio area that had an obstructed view out to the deck.

“This is how you hold the knife.” He took my hand and showed me the way to grip the handle. “Quick bend to the knee to go lower. Jab. If you’re close to his eyes or balls, go for it. You don’t fight fair.” He twisted his body and lunged out with the small knife. “Now you.”

Elliott was a good and patient teacher. He spent a good part of the day practicing defensive moves with me, both with and without the knife, until I was less shaky and more confident. It also made me more relaxed with him, so much so that it didn’t bother me to return to the room in a robe when we separated to bathe and for Elliott to order brunch for us. I appreciated that it was one of those soft terrycloth robes even though its sleeves were a bit long and it hung just below my knees.

Placing my hair in a loose braid, I padded back into the main room to find Elliott standing by one of the windows, looking out at the ocean. The denim of his jeans was darker than the ones he’d had on earlier, and they looked even better. He turned his head my way, and I didn’t look away fast enough. It was virtually impossible when he was in the room; he was just that appealing. “Nothing wrong with looking,” he teased.

He would know—his gaze hadn’t moved from me.

A bell chimed, giving me a needed break, though it didn’t put me completely at ease. Someone was at the door. He gestured toward the bedroom. “Go put on your mask then come out and kneel with your head down and your palms on your knees.” I quickly did as I was told. The only reference I had for the position was what I had seen in a movie, and I hoped it was good enough.

“That’s sloppy,” he teased, letting out a low chuckle in response to the curse I said back before opening the door.

“Elliott. This is the brunch you ordered,” said a female voice in a tone that seemed a bit too familiar.

---