Page 20 of Harbored by the SEAL
He moved quickly, careful not to slip on the wet decking as he ran half the length of the ship. The wind whipped across the deck, throwing rain into his face.
He reached the covered shelter of the elevator bay, pushed the button, and looked down at his drenched clothing before another crack of thunder brought his eyes back to the sea.
Their isolation was more apparent to him in the storm, the lack of any other people as far as the eye could see. There was only him, an unknown enemy, and whatever fate awaited them all.
And Charlotte.
He couldn’t forget Charlotte.
His stomach clenched. As much as he was enjoying her company, this easy mission was turning into something sinister, and he wished furiously she wasn’t here. The sense of foreboding he’d experienced since the murder scene was discovered had only gotten more intense. The last thing he needed was Charlotte getting into any of the trouble he felt swirling around theGem of the Seas.
If she weren’t on this ship, you wouldn’t have gotten to be with her at all.
It was only supposed to be sex between them, but if he was being perfectly honest, he knew had feelings for her. How could he not? She was a bold, brassy woman with her heart on her sleeve, and everything about her called to Cowboy.
Maybe he could see her sometime when they got back to Atlanta. Dinner and a movie, that kind of thing. It had been a long time since he’d tried to seriously date anyone, but for Charlotte, he just might give it a whirl.
He thought of Logan and frowned. Nothing good could come from that dynamic, especially now that Cowboy was going to be in charge. It would be better to enjoy their time together and let it go than have it ruin his relationship with his men.
Wouldn’t it? He shook his head, determined to put the topic out of his mind.
He needed a plan to find the prince and princess and figure out who had taken control of the ship. The elevator doors opened and he walked inside. He needed to find Harrison, Abby, and Charlotte. They were the only people he could trust to help him on this mission.
16
Charlotte sank down deeperinto the bubbles of the big, jetted tub and turned off the underwater lighting with her toe. She was grateful for every stinking penny of Rick’s money she’d spent on this over-the-top suite.
And you’re sharing it with Cowboy.
At least during the night. She picked up her glass of champagne and took a hearty sip. They’d only been at sea for two days and already she was having the time of her life.
It was nearly dinnertime and she was hoping Cowboy would join her for the meal.
What, like a date?
She’d had a lot of time to think today — maybe too much time — and she’d spent the better part of it thinking about how much she liked Leo Wilson. Dangerous shit for someone who’d only been looking to get laid.
She was on the rebound. That was it. The contrast between Rick and Cowboy made the latter look like a knight in goddamn shining armor. It wasn’t like she had actual feelings for this man. Did she? She rolled on her side in the tub, letting her hair fall in the water.
So what if he was patient and kind? Funny, too. Sweet. It didn’t mean she had to glom onto him like he was a life preserver and she was drowning.
I was just going to ask him to dinner. I was definitely not glomming.
Hell, if Cowboy didn’t work with Logan, she might go for it and try to see him after this week, but as it stood now she didn’t want to make things complicated for her brother or Leo. She would enjoy this week to its fullest, no regrets.
A distant knock and she sat up, the movement making her light-headed. The water was hot, and she’d been in here quite a while. She stepped out of the tub and wrapped herself in a big, fluffy towel before opening the door.
Cowboy stood on the other side and she felt her cheeks warm. This was her lover, the man she’d been more physically intimate with than any other in years, and her body responded to him like an animal recognizing its owner.
She stood back for him to enter. “I was just thinking about you,” she said. “Wondering what you’re doing for dinner. Would you like to join me?” She held her breath, waiting for him to answer.
He turned around, his face crestfallen.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“The prince and princess are missing, someone sabotaged the ship’s communication systems, and there’s been a murder below deck.”
“What?” She put her palm on her chest. “That’s crazy!”
