Page 10 of My Boyfriend Bites

“I’m good at my job.”

“Your job being?” she queried.

“Doing whatever my employer asks.”

She arched a brow. “That still doesn’t tell me how you found me out here.”

“My employer gave me a description, and it proved apt. I spotted you exiting the buffet and followed. Although I admittedly did take a wrong turn thinking you’d opted to eat on the main deck.”

“Too many people.” She grimaced.

“On that, we are agreed.” He held out his hand. “I’m Renard Montague.”

“Selene McMurray,” she replied, clasping it for a shake. “But you already knew that.” Although she did wonder how Dante discovered her last name. Then again, a man who would just payfor a room upgrade for a stranger probably knew how to grease the hands of the ship’s crew for information.

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider the room change?”

“While it is a very kind gesture, I’m not the kind of woman who can accept. As a matter of fact, it’s rather ballsy of your boss to even do such a thing, and I’m afraid I no longer feel it appropriate I meet him for dinner. Could you let him know I won’t be coming?”

Renard’s eyes widened. “You’re canceling?”

“I think it’s for the best.”

“But he was quite looking forward to it,” he blurted out.

“I wasn’t,” she lied. “While he seems nice, I’m afraid I’m not the type of woman he’s looking for.”

“And what type would that be?”

Her lips quirked. “The kind that would accept an upgrade and the expectations that come with it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a painting class to attend.”

With that, she left Renard’s presence, shocked and a bit annoyed Dante would have A) been so presumptuous as to think he could meddle in her cruise and B) sent his lackey to inform her. While some novels would have romanticized the gesture, she found it presumptuous.

Her mother, though, saw it otherwise. After her painting class—which had a few too many people drinking heavily for her liking—Selene texted her mother via an app that worked using the spotty internet on the ship.

Selene offered a recap of the experience thus far, including her meeting with Dante and what he’d tried to do.

Mother: You turned down an upgrade?

Selene: As if you wouldn’t.

Mother: Not if he was good-looking. LOL.

Selene: Oh he’s very handsome, and arrogant. Also rich from the sounds of it.

Mother: This cruise was about you having fun.

Selene: I don’t need a bigger room to enjoy myself.

Mother: Perhaps you’ve misconstrued his kind gesture.

Selene: Really, Mom? Don’t tell me you would have accepted.

Mother: …

Selene: MOM!

Mother: What do you want me to say? I love a story where a billionaire sweeps a woman off her feet.

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