Page 74 of Total Ship Show

Aiden tilts his head with a smile. “So, you are sleeping with him, then. Did he pick you up before or after this trip got started?”

I narrow my eyes. “Why are you asking me that?”

“Because it’s what he does,” Adam explains like he’s telling me it’s Tuesday. “Or I should say, he’s done it before.”

“Done what?”

“Ask someone to pose as a girlfriend. Last time he did it, it was to get back at an ex, but he’s never done it on this grand a scale.”

“Yeah, I have to say I’m impressed.” Aiden nods.

“It’s not like that, guys.”

“Oh? Then what is it?”

I don’t know why I’m compelled to be honest with them. I’m just hoping if I’m honest, maybe they’ll go easy on Aris and keep his secret, so he’s not made a fool. I don’t mind if they laugh at me, but I care about Aris very much and wouldn’t want to see him hurt because of my own stupidity.

“Alright, look, I’ll tell you, okay? But only if you promise not to make this a big deal for Aris. I don’t want him getting hurt.”

Adam pretends to zip his lips and throw away the key, looking exactly like his brother did that day I ran into him in the airport and asked him not to tell anyone about my sparkly pink dildo.

“I ran into him at the airport. I was running late for my flight and bumped into him.”

“How magical.” Aiden mock-swoons.

“We ended up on the same flight and then ended up here and he ran into me at the bar upstairs and then I saw my ex and my best friend together.”

Adam cringes. “Ouch.”

“Yeah. Sooo, I panicked and asked your brother to pose as my boyfriend, so I didn’t look like the single-girl failure in front of my douche of an ex and he did. Without question. Without hesitation. He really helped me out.”

“That sounds like our brother.”

“So, we got to chatting and he told me about all you guys coming aboard and the reason your parents gifted you this cruise and that he was in need of a girlfriend and didn’t want to have to put up with you two giving him a hard time about coming alone.”

“We would never…”

I give both men a pointed stare. “That’s clearly a lie or he wouldn’t have cared about being here alone. He said he was good to sit on his balcony all week and read and relax, but then I showed up sooo, you know.”

“You made a deal.”

I nod. “We made a deal. But then I ended up in a room right next to my ex and I was forced to lay in my bed and listen to them fuck repeatedly all night long.”

Aiden and Adam laugh.

“So, Aris invited me to use his room. It was very platonic, and I very much appreciated his gesture. He’s been very kind and very respectful this whole week.”

I won’t go into the details of our darkened theater escapades or waking up to his tongue on my clit or fucking me on a hammock swing. They don’t deserve those details.

Releasing a huge breath, I look to both brothers. “And now I’ve caught feelings for your brother and I’m dreading the end of this trip so you guys can be as happy as you want about this whole thing, alright? The joke is on me. I start to fall for the guy and now we’re going our separate ways.”

“You don’t live in Seattle?” Adam asks.

I shake my head. “No. I live in L.A.”

“You don’t work in beaver conservation?”

“I did,” I tell them pointedly. “And then I got bit by the acting bug and moved to L.A. after college, but your brother…he…”

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