Page 36 of Undercover Billionaire

Kelsey grinned. ‘Time me.’

Pausing only to grab a tray out of the kitchen with an empty teapot and a teacup, Kelsey scurried to deck seven. Her heart was beating like a kettle drum with every step that took her closer, the sharp edges of anticipation prickling through her veins, tightening her nipples, tingling between her legs.

She was excruciatingly aware of the cameras in the passageways watching her every move. Excruciatingly aware as she smiled a polite hello at an elderly couple stepping out opposite Ari’s cabin that not all passengers had decided to spend the day in Santorini.

Knocking on the door, her hand shaking, she said, ‘Room service.’

Seconds later the door was opening and Ari was standing there, looking at her. ‘I didn’t order tea,’ he murmured, his voice low, his gaze roving over her mouth and dropping to her neck and her cleavage, and Kelsey lost her breath for a beat or two.

‘This isn’t tea.’

She didn’t wait for an invitation, she just shoved the tray at him and stepped straight into the room.

He chuckled as she advanced, stepping back and back and back until they were at the foot of the bed. ‘What is it then?’ he asked.

Kelsey smiled. ‘It’s thank you.’

She took the tray out of his hands and shoved it on the table, barely registering the papers strewn there and the open laptop. Then, she stepped in close, wound her arms around his neck and kissed him, long and deep and sloppy, filling her head with maple syrup and toothpaste. He groaned and slid his hands to her ass, pulling her in close, and for a moment Kelsey let the kiss run, let herself get lost. But, time was ticking.

Reluctantly, she pulled away.

‘What was that for?’

His mouth was wet and a thrill zipped up her spine from base to nape. ‘For Luzviminda.’

‘Oh…’ His dark gaze went a little wary. ‘You heard about that?’

Kelsey laughed. ‘Are you kidding? It’s all over the staff quarters this morning. You’re a goddamn hero.’

He shook his head. ‘It wasn’t anything.’

‘Yes, it was. I think Tiffany wants to cast you in iron and mount you on the bow as a figurehead.’

He threw back his head and laughed, exposing the salt and pepper of scratchy whiskers, and Kelsey wanted to lick him there.

‘Is she okay? Luzviminda? She assured me she was earlier this morning when we spoke but I don’t think she is.’

Kelsey nodded. ‘She’s still a little shaken but they gave her the day off. I think the fact the sleazebucket’s been removed from the ship has helped.’

‘Has that happened before? With Jean Paul.’

She shrugged. ‘He’s always been… handsy, I guess. The kind of guy who stands a little too close, who accidentally brushes your body as he’s passing, who stares a little too much, who makes sly sexual digs, you know? He tries it on with a lot of the newbies at least once but if you make a stand with him, he backs down.’

A vein pulsed in Ari’s temple. ‘Has he tried it with you?’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘I think he prefers easier targets.’

‘And nobody’s ever complained?’

‘Sure they have. But then they’re either reassigned or transferred to another ship. He’s good mates with a lot of the officers. Sometimes it’s just better to deal with it yourself.’

‘That’s terrible,’ Ari spluttered.

‘Yeah.’ Kelsey nodded. ‘It is.’ And it was. But it wasn’t the first incident of questionable male behaviour on the face of the planet and unfortunately it wouldn’t be the last. It could be pretty damn fraught being a woman. ‘And then you came along,’ she said, tightening her arms around his neck, ‘and gave us all a little bit of hope.’

Ari rolled his eyes. ‘I spoke up, that’s all.’

‘Well, whatever you said to HR it must have been something else because I’ve never known them to act so damn fast.’

---