Page 19 of Undercover Billionaire

Kelsey had been thinking of little else as well, her mind vacillating between heated memories of last night and annoyance over the tip. But it was hard to think of anything other than succumbing to the promise of his lips, the erotic scrape of his whiskers and the squeeze of his hands.

Liquid heat pooled between her hips and her legs felt as if they were made of marshmallow, but there were still a few brain cells functioning and she grabbed hold of them before things devolved any further. She sucked in a deep hard breath and reached for her earlier annoyance.

‘Stop.’ She pressed a hand to his chest, trying to give herself space to breathe. To think. ‘We need to talk.’

He gave a deep strangled groan, burying his forehead into the crook of her neck as his hands stopped their dizzying rhythm. His harsh, ragged pants puffed hot air against her collarbone.

Ari lifted his head, a frustrated kind of torment haunting his dark eyes as their gazes met. But he eased his hands from her ass and took two paces backwards until he bumped up against the shelves again.

If possible, with his mouth wet from their kisses, he looked hotter, and Kelsey gripped the door handle behind her for support.

‘I really didn’t know you were at that bar. I couldn’t see you when I arrived or I wouldn’t have sat down.’

‘I know.’ Kelsey waved his explanation away. She had bigger fish to fry.

He frowned. ‘Okay, so… why are we here?’ He stared at her with an intensity she was getting used to, his gaze roving over her like she was a particularly interesting spreadsheet.

Kelsey forced herself to concentrate, to answer his question. ‘Don’t tip me.’ She winced at how blunt and awkward it sounded, hurrying to qualify. ‘If our paths happen to cross in a work capacity, don’t tip me.’

‘But…’ His frown deepened. ‘Why wouldn’t I tip you for good service? I would do it for anyone.’

Kelsey could see his point but it didn’t matter. ‘Don’t do it for me.’

His frown deepened. ‘Don’t tips make up a significant portion of your wage? Should you be knocking them back?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘I won’t miss the odd tip from one person. It makes me feel uncomfortable, Ari. Like you’re using a tip as a proxy for payment of… other services.’

His stance suddenly got very erect. ‘That wasnotwhat I was doing.’

His quick, hot denial was unnecessary but welcome. ‘I know, I know.’ Kelsey held her hands up in a placatory manner. ‘It’s just that some passengers think tips buy them special privileges.’

In her time on cruise ships she’d been blatantly groped,accidentallybrushed up against, propositioned, and the butt of plenty of male passenger sleazy innuendo.

He straightened even further. ‘What?Does the cruise line know about this?’

‘Of course.’

‘And they just…’ He looked utterly aghast. ‘Let it happen? Let their staff be sexually harassed like that?’

Kelsey shrugged. ‘Some ships are better at it than others so you mostly learn how to deal with that class of passenger yourself.’

‘And what about this ship?’

Kelsey shook her head dismissively. ‘They’re a bit hit and miss but… that’s not my point.’ She didn’t want to get sidetracked. ‘Just don’t, okay? That’s all I’m asking.’

He stared at her for long seconds, his mouth in a straight hard line, the angle of his jaw blanching white beneath the dark growth of his whiskers. Then he dragged in a deep breath and the taut line of his shoulders relaxed. ‘Of course,’ he said with a nod. ‘Whatever you want.’

Ohdear lordno. What she wanted right now was unspeakable.

Kelsey swallowed. ‘Thank you. I appreciate it.’ And now they needed to get the hell out of this tiny,tinyroom. ‘I’m going to check the corridor is all clear,’ she said, taking charge. ‘And then I’m going to leave. You wait for a minute, check it’s still all clear then leave too.’

He quirked an eyebrow. ‘Should we synchronise our watches?’

She shot him a quelling look, which he waved away. ‘Go.’ His gaze dropped to her mouth. Dropped lower to the snug fit of her polo shirt before returning to her face. ‘Now.’

Kelsey turned, opened the door and stepped outside, her legs wobbly, her heart racing.

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