Page 2 of Curves and Waves

I bristled at the nickname. "I'm not that short."

He chuckled, the sound sending an unwelcome tingle down my spine. "You're right. You're more of a fun-size."

"Keep it up, and I'll aim for your kneecaps," I threatened, but there was no real heat behind it. It was hard to stay mad at Caleb when he grinned like that.

"I'll take my chances," he said, then turned to the bartender. "Two piña coladas, please."

I raised an eyebrow. "Bold of you to assume I want a piña colada."

"You always want a piña colada," Caleb countered. "Remember your and Jake’s 21st birthday?"

I groaned. "I was hoping you'd forgotten about that."

"Never," he grinned. "It's not every day you see someone try to limbo under a table while singing 'If You Like Piña Coladas' at the top of their lungs."

"In my defense, I was very drunk and someone dared me," I muttered, accepting the frosty glass he handed me.

"And who was that someone?" Caleb asked innocently.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're evil."

He just laughed, steering me towards the railing with a hand on the small of my back. The casual touch sent sparks shooting across my skin, and I took a large gulp of my drink to distract myself.

We found a spot at the railing, and I leaned out, enjoying the salty breeze on my face. Caleb stood close behind me, his presence warm and solid. I was acutely aware of every inch of space between us.

"So," he said, his breath tickling my ear. "Ten days at sea. Any big plans?"

I turned to face him, immediately regretting it when I realized how close we were. I had to crane my neck to meet his eyes. "Oh, you know. Sunbathing, swimming, maybe some shuffleboard if I'm feeling wild."

Caleb's lips quirked. "Shuffleboard? Living dangerously, I see."

"Hey, those cues can be lethal in the wrong hands," I defended.

"I'll be sure to wear protective gear," he teased. His eyes roamed over my face, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in their depths. But then Jake appeared, slinging an arm around each of us, and the moment shattered.

"There you are!" Jake exclaimed. "Come on, they have a DJ set up near the Aqua Pool bar. "

I groaned. "Hard pass. I’ll find somewhere more relaxing thanks."

"Don't be a party pooper, Zo," Jake whined. "Caleb, back me up here."

Caleb held up his hands. "Leave me out of this. I've seen what happens when you try to force Zoe to dance."

I shot him a grateful look, which he returned with a wink that made my stomach flip.

Jake pouted. "Fine, be boring. I'm going to find someone who appreciates my moves."

As he disappeared into the crowd, I turned back to the railing, hoping the cool air would calm the flush I could feel creeping up my neck.

Caleb leaned on the railing next to me, our arms almost touching. "So, shuffleboard aside, what made you book this cruise?"

I shrugged, tracing patterns in the condensation on my glass. "Needed a change of scenery, I guess. Work's been intense, so when Jake suggested a luxury cruise as a getaway, I jumped at the chance."

"Trouble in paradise? I thought you loved your job."

"I do," I sighed. "It's just a lot sometimes. Deadlines, difficult clients. You know how it is."

Caleb nodded. "Yeah, I get that. Is that why you've been so scarce lately?"

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