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They spent the entire day at sea together, but never once left the suite and rarely left the bedroom, unless it was to spend naked time together in the hot tub.
~ ~ ~
When the ship arrived in Ensenada and they disembarked, Rowan was not surprised a private car waited to take them to the Kumiai Reservation. And she was relieved to see no sign of either Adele or Cyrus.
She was stunned, however, when they were joined by a group of tourists from the ship after they got there. Lysander had not booked a private experience.
It was because she'd said she wished they could be regular tourists, just once. It had been a throw away comment when she was drowsy after lovemaking.
Despite his clear desire to give her what she'd said she wanted, Lysander's security team created a wall between them and the other guests while they listened to a fascinating lecture on the history and traditional ways of the Kumiai people in the museum.
Well, she listened. He took a call outside. He returned only after they had been ushered to a long dining table and everyone else had been given samplings of food that would have been staples of the Kumiai people's diet in the past.
He frowned when he reached the table to find all the seats around Rowan taken. And not by his security. She'd told the men to stand back unless they planned to participate. Nothing was going to happen to her with them looming against the wall less than six feet away.
Rowan sat across from an older couple who acted like they were on their honeymoon, only to tell her they'd been married for decades. They were near the end of the table where a man from the ship who was supposed to rate the tour for their cruise director was seated.
He was friendly, but not as outgoing as the man to her left, who seemed intent on learning everything that there was to know about her. Rowan evaded answering his probing personal questions, wondering if he was some kind of paparazzi on Lysander's scent.
"So, you're single?" he asked, his gaze well south of her eyes.
Not a reporter. A guy on the make.
Rowan wasn't interested and she opened her mouth to say so, but Lysander's hand landed heavily on her shoulder, surprising her into silence.
"No. She is not," he gritted out.
Oh, somebody's phone call hadn't gone well.
"Is this a shipboard thing, or something more?" the man asked.
Wow. That was so bold, and deluded, Rowan had to stifle a laugh.
"None of your business. There's an empty seat further up the table. Take it." Lysander's voice was deep with unspoken menace.
Without another word, the overly friendly man vacated his chair.
Lysander sat down and then took Rowan's hand in his. He didn't try any of the food, but he paid attention when the guides spoke. He even turned his phone to silent.
Afterward, they learned how to make a woven pendant for a necklace. Rowan's reeds broke almost immediately, and the teacher had to weave extra fibers onto it so she could continue. Naturally, Lysander's turned out perfectly. And he finished first.
"Show off," Rowan muttered as she worked on finishing hers off.
He cocked an eyebrow. "Do you want me to help you?"
"No."
But he got up to lean over her anyway and his hands came around hers, guiding her fingers in twisting the wet reeds. Rowan's breath sped up and her body reacted predictably to his touch and nearness.
She was just grateful no one else seemed to notice.
Until the woman who'd sat across from her during the food demonstration said, "What a sweetheart." And her husband gave Lysander a knowing look. "Yep. Sweet. That's the word."
He knew exactly what her Greek billionaire was doing to her, and his expression said he approved. With the way he cuddled his wife during the lecture from the elders, he no doubt did.
There. She got it.
Needing a break from Lysander's nearness before she combusted or begged him to take a walk behind the buildings with her, Rowan joined in the traditional dance. She was out of step as often as not, but she had fun.
