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Girls absolutely nothing like her.
Impulse buying a stupid perfume with a naughty name wouldn’t give her the confidence boost she needed, nothing would, and she’d be better off remembering it rather than entertaining foolish dreams of showing everyone, Zac included, she wasn’t the shy nerd they’d labeled her.
When she returned to the ship and her cabin, she flung the duty free bag into the wardrobe and slammed the door shut.
Regretting the waste of money—like she’d ever have the confidence to wear that bikini—she wriggled into her trusty one-piece and headed for the Dolphin deck pool. She dumped her towel on a deck chair before plunging into the water, eager to wash away memories of her recent foolishness. Closing her eyes she flipped over to float as a dark shadow passed over her. When it didn’t move she opened her eyes.
And promptly sank.
Torn between the natural urge to fight her way to the surface for air or stay submerged, safely away from seductive sailors, she eventually floundered her way to the surface, spluttering and coughing.
“Need a hand?”
She glared at Zac’s outstretched hand and shook her head, deriving small satisfaction as water droplets sprayed his immaculate uniform.
“No thanks.”
His lips curved into a deliciously tempting smile. “You sure? I bet you’d be tempted to pull me in.”
The thought hadn’t crossed her mind but now he mentioned it, maybe a good dunking would cool him off…yeah, like she’d have the pluck to do that.
“Not really. And I’m quite capable of hoisting myself out of the pool if you’ll move out of my way?”
“I like a strong woman.”
She rolled her eyes. “You like women period.”
“What’s wrong with that? I’m a healthy red-blooded male.”
Her gaze drifted across his broad shoulders of its own volition and lower, before snapping back to meet his all-too-confident stare. “I’ll take your word for it.”
She pushed away from the side of the pool, treading water, out of her depth physically and literally. Ever since she’d been silly enough to dare him that first night, he’d been teasing her, pushing her for a reaction. She wished she had the nerve to give him one.
“As much as I’m enjoying your mermaid impersonation, why don’t you come a little closer so we can have a proper chat?”
“About?”
“Tonight. You and me.”
How did he do that, infuse every word with mystery and mayhem and untold promise? As if his sexy smile and come-get-me eyes weren’t enough.
For the second time in as many minutes she went under, cursing her inability to be anything other than be clumsy and inept in his presence. He unnerved her to the point of bumbling and it was high time she got over this funk he had her in with his constant teasing. Either that or jump ship.
She breast-stroked underwater to the side and hauled herself up the pool ladder. “Don’t say a word. Just hand me that towel please.”
He was smart as well as good-looking, for he didn’t speak as he passed her the towel. Then again, he didn’t need to. His smug smile said it all.
He had her squirming, wanting to match wits with him, wishing she could yet scared of the consequences, her heart slamming against her ribcage at the thought of what they may entail.
For some strange reason he’d fixated his charm on her this cruise. Her, the last woman who’d reciprocate, the last woman to put up with his nonsense, the last woman to dally with if that was his intention. She wasn’t a dallying type of girl, yet with him staring at her with a twinkle in those deep blue eyes it was hard not to wish she was.
“Aren’t you at all interested to hear what I had in mind for you and me tonight?”
She was interested all right, interested to the point she’d almost drowned when he’d strung the words ‘you and me and tonight’ in the same sentence.
Tying the towel around her waist sarong-style, she aimed for casual. “I’m sure you’ll tell me.”
He chuckled. “Nice to see you this wound up. Must mean I’m getting somewhere in my quest to prove how much I like you.”
