Page 11 of Total Ship Show

“Well, as a matter of fact—”

“Shit. It can’t be.”

What is he doing here?

“What?” Aris watches me, alarmed by my outburst.

I plaster a neutral smile on my face and murmur through my teeth.

“Shit. Shit. Shit.”

Are they seriously together?

My heart beats faster inside my chest and there’s a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“What? What’s wrong?”

I slowly turn toward Aris and give him the biggest puppy dog eyes I can muster while speaking as softly and quickly as I can. “Look, I know you don’t really know me, and I don’t know you, but you were kind enough to hold my dick in your hands and that has to say something for the kind of man you are, right? So, if you would be willing to do me one more hella-huge favor I would be in your debt for like…my whole life…or this whole cruise…whichever comes first and right now my whole life could come first and anyway I promise to leave you alone after this and—”

“Anything,” he interrupts, whispering to me, holding my gaze. “Name it.”

“Oh, God.” I gulp down my fear and my pride and swiftly blurt out my request with a shaky voice. “I need a boyfriend. Like, right here. Right fucking now. Because the man walking toward us in the yellow Hawaiian shirt is my fucking ex and I had no idea he was going to be here, and I am now horrified that I might have to spend this entire trip with him gloating that I’m here alone and he’s obviously not. And to add fuel to that already burning inferno the girl with him is one of my friends and I had no idea the two of them were a thing and now if I have to tell him I’m alone I may as well walk off this fucking ship right fucking n—”

Before I can even finish my sentence, Aris’s arm slides around my waist and he pulls me into his chest. “Stop talking. I get it,” he whispers against my mouth. Gently, he slides his hand through my hair, cupping the back of my head pulling me toward him, our foreheads connected. “I’m going to kiss you alright? Like, really fucking kiss you so that douche sees that you belong to someone else. Smile at me and tell me quick, is that okay?”

I don’t have to force a smile. His words alone just made one spring to my lips.

“Mmm hmm.”

His mouth meets mine in a tender but swift kiss. Gentle enough that I nearly go weak in the knees, and just long enough to feel the tip of his tongue graze my lips. Oh, God this is a kiss I could easily sink myself into. I can only imagine what these lips can do, and those thoughts travel right down to places in me I shouldn’t even be thinking about right now. Aris finally pulls back, takes my hand, squeezing it gently, and murmurs sweetly in my ear as if that kiss had been planned for hours, “Relax. I’ve got you.”

Okay. A little unexpected.

No, a lot unexpected.

Buuuut well played Mr. Hottie McBlue-eyes.

CHAPTERFOUR

ARIS

I don’t knowwhat made me do it.

Maybe it was the sheer panicked look on her face.

Or the way her voice shook as she explained what’s happening.

Or the fact that twice now she’s been forced to show her vulnerability in front of a stranger. Either way, the thought of kissing Adrienne, holding her against me and calming her nerves just felt…well, it felt natural.

Correction. It feels natural.

Like we’ve been a couple for much longer than the past thirty seconds.

“Pippa!” Adrienne turns and smiles as the couple approaches us, holding her arms out to hug her friend while I take stock of the idiot who let Adrienne walk away from him. From the looks of the guy, I can already tell she’s better off. He looks like a washed-up jock who tries too hard to fit into the rich-man’s world.

News flash Dumbo, rich men on cruises don’t wear the fluorescent yellow Hawaiian shirts. They don’t need to stick out like a rotten pineapple.

“Ade! Oh, my God, it’s been so long! How are you?”

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