Page 43 of Ship Happens
The chorus hits, and I tip my head back and shout the words. When Hozier’s honeyed voice drops low and soft again, I smile at Frankie. “Fuck, I love this song!”
She takes a step back and studies me as I keep bopping to the bass notes. Starting at my feet, she travels upward until she reaches my hair. With squinted eyes, she steps forward and wipes sweat from my brow.
“Shit,” she mutters before gripping my hand and leading me away from all the fun. When we get to the hall, she spins around to face me. “The date is officially cancelled. We need to get you in bed.”
“In bed, huh? Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I step into her and take her into my arms. “This chemistry between us...you feel it too, don’t you?”
“What? No!” She fights her way out of my hold, but her back is against the wall. Literally.
“Frankie baby, we could have so much fun if you’ll just put the badge away and take up the knife.” I make a stabbing motion as I step closer, then pull her against me again. “You aresosoft. Your skin is made of fucking velvet, sweetheart. I want to wear you like a coat.”
My god, I have never felt something so soft. I just want to keep feeling it. I want her skin on my skin more than I want my next breath.
She ducks out of my arms and grips my hand. “Come on, Romeo. We need to get you back to your right mind before you do or say something you’ll regret.”
“What about Ice Pick? We can’t leave him alone in there.”
Frankie freezes. “IcePig, you mean?”
“Oh, shit. I forgot.” I don’t want to laugh, but I can’t help it. I feel like I’m both telling the joke and receiving the punchline. “Yeah, you’ve been calling him by the wrong name since day one. Wow...your eyes arereallyblue.”
She blinks up at me before gritting her teeth and resuming her mission to drag me to the elevators. That’s okay. The colors here are pretty too. And they’re moving! Man, Jim really spared no expense.
Once we’re on the elevator, she crosses her arms over her chest and glares up at me. “Which room is Bennett’s?”
“He’s in S-404 with Cat.”
“Were they going to the Sinner activity?”
I shake my head and smile. “Nope. They were staying in for the evening because Cat was feeling queasy again. Cat. That’s a funny word. Cat, cat, cat?—”
“Maverick, focus! Did you eat or drink anything while you were in their room?”
I think back to what feels like happened years ago. “Bennett picked my outfit. Cat styled my hair and let me borrow this clip-on earring. I thought you’d like it.”
“You thought I would like...this?” She motions to all of me.
The elevator dings, and the doors slide open. Why is it so warm in here? I pull off my shirt and drape it over my shoulder. Frankie grips my hand again, and tingles shoot through my muscles as she hauls me down the hallway.
“I’m putting you to bed, and I don’t want you to move a muscle. Do you understand?” She swipes her wrist over the door’s lock, then opens the door. “I won’t be gone for more than five, ten minutes. While I’m gone, I want you to lie in bed and drink water. Lots and lots of water.”
With a groan, she deposits me at the side of the bed and heads toward the mini fridge.
“How can I drink water if I can’t move a muscle?” I flop onto the bed with a smirk. Fuck, this blanket feels so good on my skin. I strip down to my boxers so I can feel more of it.
“Don’t be an ass,” she says as she stands and pushes a water bottle into my hand. “And stop writhing on the bed like that. You look like a worm on the sidewalk in summer.”
“Would you still love me if I was a worm, sweetheart?” I bat my eyelashes at her. “Ooh, that feels kind of good too. I wonder what it would feel like to have more eyelashes. What if we hadearlashes? Wouldn’t that be fucking weird?”
She opens her mouth to respond, then closes it. “I’ll be back in ten minutes. Don’t. Move.”
With that, she leaves me alone to enjoy the bliss that is this blanket. Blanket. What a weird word.
Chapter Twenty
Frankie
Iraise my fist and knock on the door to room S-404. My voice nearly goes into the pitch—federal agent, open up—but then I remember where I am. I wait silently until the door opens.
