Heartbreaker

by Monica Robinson

  He nodded and took her hand in his. “I’ll do more than that. First, let’s get checked into our room. Then, I’ll show you the places only the locals know about.”

  “Isn’t it a waste of money to rent a room for only a few hours?” When he peered at her with a skeptical expression, she added, “Not that I’m complaining, because I’m definitely not.”

  Scott chuckled and squeezed her hand. “There are perks to working on the Hedonna, especially if the hotel manager likes you.”

  “Let me guess, she likes you.”

  He sent her a devilish grin. “She adores me.”

  Charity muttered something he couldn’t quite hear, but it sounded suspiciously like, “Why am I not surprised?”

  A chill swept over him. He darted a glance in her direction, but her attention was focused on the sprawling resort ahead. For the briefest of moments, he wondered if she knew he was the Heartbreaker. He’d been careful not to reveal too much about his relationships aboard the Hedonna, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t heard about him from one of the other female passengers. An image of the twins flashed in his mind, and he resisted the urge to flinch.

  Fuck.

  If she’d spoken to them, there wasn’t a chance in hell she’d take him seriously. He could deal with this. No problem. He would just find a way to casually slip in that he wasn’t the horn dog his reputation made him out to be. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

  “I’ve never slept with the hotel manager, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  Okay, so casual was out, but at least he’d been honest. He’d never slept with Evallanni, nor had he ever had the inclination to do so.

  Charity halted and removed her sunglasses. The startled look in her sea-green eyes spoke volumes. He had to come clean about everything. He wanted a fresh start and he wanted it with her. If that meant changing her opinion of him, so be it.

  “I never said—”

  “You didn’t have to. I know what you’ve heard and it’s all true. You’re looking at the Hedonna Heartbreaker, and God damn if I’m not going to prove to you that I don’t want to be that man.”

  ****

  Charity stood rooted in place. A dozen thoughts raced through her brain at once. But only one seemed to sum up the current situation. Shit. This was not the way she wanted Scott to admit his role on the ship. Come to think of it, she’d hoped he wouldn’t. Now that she’d decided to take the story in another direction, she hadn’t needed to hear the truth. She’d been content to ignore his past. Or at least try to, in any case.

  You sure didn’t let that sleeping dog lie, did you? No, and it was undoubtedly why she was in the predicament she was in now. What should she say? Better yet, what could she say? Should she be honest and admit that she’d planned to use him for a story? Mmm, not a good idea.

  Just the same, if he was willing to be honest with her then didn’t she owe it to him to do the same? Besides, she wasn’t using that angle anyway, so what difference did it make? None, except he would never trust her again.

  “Scott, don’t. Believe me when I say, I don’t need to hear the details,” she tried.

  He drew in a deep breath and took her hand before half-dragging her toward the hotel. “Yes, you do. Maybe not the details of my escapades, but you’re going to hear me out.”

  She winced and concentrated on keeping up. Why did she have to open her big mouth anyway? If she’d kept her comment to herself, none of this would be happening. She certainly wouldn’t be scrambling across the hot sand as though the devil had set fire to them.

  “Can we slow down at least?” she panted. “You might be used to sprinting in loose sand, but some of us aren’t coordinated enough for that.”

  Scott only slowed his pace once they reached the edge of the resort. He gave her a sideways glance and she swallowed. The lines around his mouth were tight with tension and his eyes had hardened to steel. Man, she really screwed the pooch this time. Hadn’t her brother always told her that her mouth would get her into trouble one day?

  “You asked me if I had any regrets about working on the Hedonna? I have one. I regret the day I let Justin give me that stupid nickname. I should have told him to shut his mouth, but I thought the novelty would fade away, and it didn’t.”

  She linked her fingers through his and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

  He shook his head, not quite able to meet her gaze. “Kathy, my boss, thought it was a novel idea. She bragged about the Heartbreaker to the other female passengers, hoping to boost sales.” His fingers tightened around hers. “Why don’t we finish this conversation in the room? I’d rather someone not overhear.”

  She could certainly understand his need for privacy and, though she wasn’t overly anxious to hear the rest, it was apparent Scott wasn’t going to be detoured. Her brain whirled as he led her to the entrance of the hotel. She barely registered the mammoth fountain in the center of the circular drive or the fragrant tropical flowers growing in small groupings along the footpaths leading from the hotel to the pool. Instead, all she could think was that Scott had admitted being—for lack of a better term—a man whore. She could almost picture Tom rubbing his hands together in evil glee.

  Her stomach churned. She refused to use Scott the same way his boss had used him. The opportunistic bitch. Sure, he came out of it with more notches on his bed than Hugh Heffner, but at what price? If his sudden need to confess was any indication, then his past was beginning to weigh on him. But why now, and why with her? Wasn’t their arrangement just a glorification of what he’d been doing as the Heartbreaker?

  Lost in thought, she nearly plowed into his back when he halted at the front desk. He peered down at her with a crooked grin that eased some of her anxiety. He released her hand and ran the tip of his finger down the bridge of her nose.

  “Careful, baby. My doctoring skills are limited, so it wouldn’t be wise to break your nose on my shoulder.” Her cheeks flamed and he winked. “Have I ever told you how cute you are when you blush?”

  “Not that I can recall. There have been several comments regarding my ass, however.”

  “Yes, well that’s different. I worship your ass. I just find your blush cute.” He turned to the woman standing behind the desk and cleared his throat. “Evallanni, I see the island has made you lovelier than ever.”

  Oh brother. Charity resisted the urge to laugh at Scott’s theatrics. He might be the greatest lover I’ve ever had, but he has the worst schmoozing skills I’ve ever seen.

  It appeared Evallanni’s thoughts ran parallel to hers. She drew her head back and glanced from him to Charity. She jerked her head at him.

  “He hit his head getting out of the boat?”

  Charity bit the corner of her lip and shook her head.

  “Huh. Coulda fooled me. All right, Scott. If I give you a room, will you go away?”

  Her gruff question was contradicted by the warm glint in hazel-colored eyes when she returned her attention to him. When Scott nodded, she peeked at Charity once more before focusing on the computer terminal beside her.

  “She likes you,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone that took them both off guard.

  Scott recovered first and removed his wallet. “I hope so. We’ve known each other a long time.”

  Evallanni didn’t lift her eyes from the screen while reaching for the credit card he was handing her. “Then you don’t need me to tell you not to screw this up.” She grinned after a moment. “I see you giving me the stink-eye, but you know I’m right.”

  Scott muttered something under his breath that Charity didn’t catch, but it struck Evallanni as especially amusing. She let out a hoot of laughter and handed him his credit card along with two keycards before waving them off with a flick of her pudgy hand.

  Once out of earshot, Charity whispered, “What did you say that was so funny?”

  Scott handed her one of the room keys with a sigh. “I said, ‘what else is new?’ Evallanni likes to mother me, which unfortunately includes gi
ving me motherly advice—whether I want it or not.”

  A soft smile curled the corners of her lips. She liked the idea that someone had taken a special interest in Scott that wasn’t of a sexual nature. Linking her arm through his, she leaned her head on his shoulder.

  “Is it so bad? Take Joe for example. He’s overprotective and a bit overbearing at times, but it’s because he cares. Maybe Evallanni is the same way.” She shrugged when he glanced at her. “It was just a thought. You know her better than I do, so I could be off base.”

  “You’re not.” They stopped at the elevator and he regarded her with a thoughtful expression. “I don’t know. I’m beginning to think you should have become a psychiatrist instead of Joe.”

  Charity shuddered. “Are you forgetting how badly I did in school? I can’t imagine anyone wanting to spend ten or more years in school after high school. Six was more than enough.”

  “You have your Master’s degree?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, not that it’s doing me any good. It doesn’t take a graduate degree to write about penguins.” The elevator doors opened and she slid inside, avoiding the questioning look on his face.

  “What about the story you said would get your editor’s attention?” He pressed the button for their floor and slipped his hands onto her hips. “If it’s as good as you think, then I’m sure he’ll start taking you seriously.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. What should she say? Now wasn’t the time to tell him the truth about the story. Not yet, anyway.

  She moistened her lips and shook her head. “I’m not doing it. At least, I’m not doing the one Tom wants.”

  “Won’t you get in trouble?”

  “Probably. If he’s in a bad enough mood, he may even fire me. There’s a lot I’ll do to get a story, but at the end of the day I still have to look myself in the mirror.”

  “You couldn’t if you’d done the piece?”

  She shook her head.

  “Jesus, Cherry. What did he want you to do?”

  “Let’s leave it that what started out as a simple investigative story turned into something that would hurt several people. I can’t do that and I won’t. If Tom wants to fire me for it, so be it. He’ll get a story, but it’ll be on my terms.”

  It was the truth, in a manner of speaking. She’d just left out the part where he was the topic of controversy. This detail could wait…if she even told him. She lifted her eyes to meet his and swallowed a sigh. No, she’d tell him. She owed it to him. All she could do was hope he forgave her afterward.

  Scott brushed his lips against hers in a soft kiss while squeezing her hips. “You’re doing the noble thing. It’s easier to go with the story than it is to keep your morals. Whoever you’re protecting, they owe you a big thank you.”

  She closed her eyes, tears stinging her lashes. That was the point. She didn’t want the crew of the Hedonna to know she’d come so close to exposing them all. When the editorial came out—if it came out—they would all be pleasantly surprised. Granted, Scott would know the truth, but at least he would have proof that she’d kept her word.

  “You would think so, but I doubt they’ll see it that way.” She opened her eyes. “Most of them don’t know who I am and I’d rather keep it that way.”

  Scott took a subtle step back. His chest lifted and fell as he regarded her with unease. “Why do I get the feeling I was your assignment?”

  She shook her head, a tear sliding down her cheek. “The Hedonna was my assignment. Tom sent me out here to see if it was a big floating orgy.”

  Scott blinked before letting out a deep laugh. “A what? You mean to tell me, your editor sent you out here to find out if Fantasy Cruises sponsors orgies?” When she nodded weakly, he laughed again. “That’s hilarious. I hope you were able to debunk his theory.”

  “I was. A bit risqué, but Fantasy Cruises is nothing more than what it says it is.”

  The doors slid open and the two stepped out. They walked in silence down the hall, their footsteps muted by the plush burgundy carpeting. When they reached a suite at the end of the corridor, Scott removed his keycard and turned to her.

  “So, when did you decide to use me for your story instead?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Disappointment rippled through Scott at the pained expression on Charity’s face. Damn. He’d blindly hoped the extent of her story consisted of finding out if the Hedonna was an ocean orgy. What a load of crap. Even with the rumors circulating about Fantasy Cruises, he didn’t see how her editor could come to this conclusion. Just the same, her insistent questions about the Heartbreaker came back to him and he needed to know.

  “How long were you planning this?”

  “Since the first day.” She rushed on when he frowned, “When I first heard about the Hedonna Heartbreaker, I had no idea it was you. I didn’t even know you were a crewmember. I overheard a few women discussing the Heartbreaker’s sexual prowess, and I thought it would make for a great story.”

  He could give her that. Were he in her shoes, he probably would have thought the same thing. Drawing in a slow breath, he swiped the card through the lock and pushed open one of the double doors. He motioned for her to enter with his free hand. Following her inside, he paid the luxurious surroundings no mind as he dropped the key onto the plant stand next to him. He had only one goal in mind—the bar situated in the corner of the spacious living room.

  “Want a drink?”

  “I think I’m going to need one. Bourbon and cola and don’t be gentle with the bourbon.” She plunked onto the couch and dropped her bag onto the coffee table. “Are you going to hear me out before you tell me to go fuck myself?”

  He slipped behind the bar and grabbed two glasses before peering at her. His chest tightened at the sight of the tears brimming in her eyes. He wanted to be furious but, when it came down to it, he wasn’t. She’d already said that she didn’t plan to use the story, so what was the point? He wanted to know how long she’d known and, more importantly, why hadn’t she called him out.

  He returned his attention to the drinks he was making. “We really need to work on your self-esteem issues. They’re beginning to worry me.” After searching for the whiskey he frowned. “Oddly enough, they don’t have any bourbon. Next choice?”

  “Ugh. What about spiced rum?”

  He looked again and gave her a thumbs up. “Rum and cola it is. In answer to your question, yes. I intend to hear you out. It would be rather hypocritical to ask you to do so and not return the favor.”

  His response seemed to calm her and she settled back in the cushions. Good. He didn’t want their last night together spent arguing. He wanted to get everything out in the open and figure out where they stood. After pouring a scotch for himself, he walked over to the couch and handed her a glass before sitting beside her.

  She took an appreciative sip. “Perfect.” She set her glass on the end table and twisted in her seat to face him. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

  That’s what I’m afraid of. “When did you figure out it was me?”

  Charity folded her hands in her lap and cleared her throat. “When I saw you at the Cleopatra. The woman I overheard talking said the Heartbreaker was a bartender at the club and, combined with the description she gave her friends, it wasn’t hard to figure out.”

  Okay, he’d buy that. “Did this woman say how she knew me?”

  She shrugged. “Apparently, she was one of your ‘satisfied customers’ looking for a repeat performance. Too bad I beat her to you.”

  A grin threatened to tug at his lips. No, he couldn’t smile yet. Not until he heard the whole story. “You knew it was me and you still wanted to go through with the story?”

  She hesitated. “At first, yes. I was never going to use your real name, but I suppose that isn’t the point. I was angry about how you left after high school and, if I got lucky in the process, so much the better.”

  “Cherry—”

  She held up her hand. “Wai
t. Let me finish. I know it was childish and, when you told me what would happen if anyone ever found out, I changed my mind. Then we spent time together and my stupid emotions came into play and I realized I could never hurt you or your friends like that. You probably don’t believe me, but you’re welcome to look at my notes if you want. They’re a bit waterlogged, but they’re still legible.”

  Scott set his drink down and placed his finger over her lips. “Is that it?”

  She nodded.

  “Are you keeping anything else from me?”

  She shook her head.

  He removed his hand from her mouth and raked his fingers through his hair. He wasn’t sure how he felt. A part of him was hurt by her deceit, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be angry. She’d been hurt herself and, though he agreed her actions were childish, he could almost see why she’d done it.

  “I can’t say I’m happy, but we can get past it.” He eyed her carefully. “What did you do with your notes on the Heartbreaker?”

  She reached for her drink and took a healthy gulp before saying, “I deleted them. The only thing left on my computer is a few notes regarding the welcome basket Fantasy Cruises provides.”

  This time Scott grinned. “Liked that, did you?”

  A blush seeped into her cheeks. “I intend to keep it if that’s what you’re getting at.” His grin broadened. “What? The candle was pretty and a girl can never have too many bottles of lotion.”

  “The monster vibrator had nothing to do with it, I suppose?”

  She gave him a sly smile. “Of course it did. Ol’ Leroy is about as quiet as a freight train. I’m surprised my neighbors can’t hear it every time I want to have a private moment.” Her eyebrows rose at his slack-jawed expression. “What? You didn’t think a girl with low self-esteem masturbated? Up until this cruise, it was the only way I could come.”

  God, why did she have to say that? He wasn’t ready to think of her lying in her bed pleasuring herself. He wasn’t ready to be rock hard with want. They had too much to talk about before they reached the kissing and making up stage—which hopefully would be sooner rather than later.