“I should’ve brought different clothes.”
“Why?” Jack asked as he stretched out on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “I think you look cute.”
“You always think I look cute.”
“No, I always think you look beautiful,” he corrected.
Ivy shot him an exaggerated look. “That was ... sadly charming.”
Jack snickered as he propped himself on his elbow and studied her. She had a bit of color to her face, although she was militant about the sunblock once they secured a bathing suit for her and hit the pool. Her smile was ready, her eyes twinkling and engaged, and she seemed somehow lighter.
“You are beautiful,” he pressed, grinning. “You’re also no longer drunk. I kind of miss blue-tongued Ivy.” He rolled to a sitting position and snagged her around the waist so he could tug her to the bed. Even though their suite was larger than anything he could’ve imagined, there wasn’t a lot of extra space around the bed, so his task was easy.
“Stop.” Ivy slapped at his hands and laughed. “You’re going to mess up my hair.”
“I don’t care.” Jack rolled so he could pin her and stare hard into her blue eyes. Their shopping trip earlier had proven enlightening — mostly because she was convinced he wanted her to wear a skimpy bikini and she wouldn’t allow him to lodge an opinion on her choice — and their afternoon had been lazy as they lounged by the pool. Jack couldn’t remember a more relaxing afternoon. He was feeling calm and snuggly ... an interesting combination that made his hands roam over her as he pressed a kiss to her mouth. “I love you.”
Ivy widened her eyes as she stopped mock wrestling with him and grabbed the sides of his face with her hands. “You’re in lust.”
Amused despite himself, Jack cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“You’re in lust,” she repeated, refusing to back down. “All you can think about is sex.”
“All I can think about is you.”
“It’s the same thing.”
“No, I’m thinking about all kinds of things right now and only twenty-five percent of them revolve around sex. That’s positively prurient.”
“I don’t think those ‘save the children from bad movies and television’ people are going to feel that way.”
Jack momentarily sobered. “Yeah, that is the only down side of our trip,” he admitted, rolling to his back and carrying her with him so he could settle her slim frame on top of his muscled chest. “I wish I’d known they were going to be here. I would’ve picked a different week.”
“They haven’t been terrible,” Ivy countered. “I thought they were kind of funny when they yelled at that couple playing volleyball in the pool.”
“Yes, there’s nothing I like more than a good ‘you’re a sexual deviant’ diatribe. I’m simply glad it wasn’t pointed at me.”
“I feel lucky, too.” Ivy’s smile was sly as she looked down at his face. “I say we just ignore them. They seem caught up in their own little world ...and they’re all wearing those little badges. If we see them, we’ll head someplace else. Besides, didn’t the girl behind the front desk say we have access to some VIP pool if we want? I doubt they’ll be hanging there.”
“That, honey, is a very good idea.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “As for another good idea, we should head to dinner. I’m starving.” As if on cue, his stomach growled, causing Ivy to giggle.
“I’m hungry, too. Let’s eat.” She laughed as Jack grabbed her around the waist, hoisted her up and proceeded to carry her across the bedroom and toward the stairs. “I can walk by myself.”
“It’s your vacation. I want to treat you like a princess.”
“Princesses walk by themselves.”
“Not my princess.”
“Oh, geez.” Ivy rolled her eyes as they hit the main floor. “You’re really full of yourself today, aren’t you?”
“It’s only going to get worse, honey. Wait until I force you to dance.”
“Oh, man.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
ROWAN MET QUINN IN front of the dining room, her camera still hanging around her neck. She’d spent a long afternoon shadowing Margaret Adkins — which meant hours having to listen to members of her group spout absolute nonsense — and she was at her limit.
“Anything?”
Quinn gently combed her hair into place, taking time to slip some of the wild strands that had blown in different directions thanks to a strong afternoon wind behind her ear. “She’s alive ... and in the dining room.”
Rowan made a face. “That wasn’t what I was going for.”
“I know. I don’t know what you want me to say. I’ve kept an eye on her all afternoon ... and it wasn’t exactly fun for me.”
Rowan recognized the tone and quickly corrected her bad attitude. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to jump all over you. It’s just ... I’m antsy. I don’t know how to explain it.”
Quinn opted to take a practical approach. “Well, there’s no reason to get worked up. This isn’t the first time this has happened to us. It won’t be the last. We’ll get through it.”
Rowan blinked several times in rapid succession. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“I was hoping it would.”
“Well, it doesn’t.”
Quinn narrowed his eyes. “Hey, I’m trying to help. I get that you’re upset, but taking it out on me doesn’t do anyone any good. If you want to fight ... maybe we should eat separately this evening. I don’t think I can take a fight on top of everything else.”
Rowan was instantly contrite. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blow up. It’s not your fault. It’s just ... something happened.”
“What?”
Rowan glanced around to see if anyone was listening. Because several guests were too close for her comfort, she grabbed Quinn’s hand and dragged him to a corner that was set far away from everybody else. “I was going through my photos before dinner,” she explained, grabbing the camera so she could skim through the photos she took over the afternoon. “I think I found something.”
“Another potential target?” Quinn was unnaturally calm as he accepted the camera and stared at the photo she showed him. He recognized the couple. The Bohemian pink princess Demarcus was getting such a kick about and her tall and observant boyfriend. He saw them on the deck together this afternoon. They didn’t seem the troublesome sort. They were completely wrapped up in each other and ignored the rest of the world. “This is the couple you met from Michigan, right?”
Rowan nodded, miserable. “I talked to them again this afternoon. They’re normal. They’re on a vacation and having a good time.”
“She has pink hair. I don’t know that I would call that normal.”
“Her hair is cool ... and she’s in love with her fiancé. Even more, he’s totally devoted to her and they’re having so much fun. They’re the reason I took this job. Well, not specifically them. People like them, though. This is a big adventure and they’re enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.”
“Okay. Calm down, Queen of the Romance Novel.” Quinn’s eyes flashed. “What’s the problem? I don’t see the omen in this photo. They’re fine.”
“Not the omen,” Rowan agreed, her heart rate picking up a notch. She’d only noticed the new detail moments before while skimming through photos and she was still flustered by the discovery. “Look in the left-hand corner, though.”
Quinn did as instructed, his lips curving down when the hint of a shadow assailed his eyes. He had to look twice, but it was definitely there. “What is that?”
“I have no idea. I’ve never seen it before.”
Quinn blew up the photo so he could magnify the shadow. “This might be a trick of the light.”
“Oh, really?” Rowan snagged back the camera and searched until she found another photo. “That’s from early this afternoon.”
Quinn pursed his lips as he studied the photograph. It was taken on the main deck. The couple in question were sha
ring a lounge chair, resting and smiling, and the new symbol was clearly visible in the left-hand corner of the shot. “Do you recognize the symbol?”
“No. I’m going to have Sally look at it after dinner, though. She seems to know more about these symbols than we do.”
“Yeah.” Quinn turned away from the camera as he rolled his neck. “We don’t know that symbol means anything bad,” he said finally. “It could be something else entirely.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. We do know what the symbol in Margaret’s photo means. We’ve seen that enough times to know that she’s in real trouble.”
“What are we going to do about that?” Rowan asked, legitimately curious. “We can’t follow her every second of the day.”
“No. We can make sure to get her back to her room safely this evening, though. I’ve already assigned a security team to ensure it happens.”
“What did you tell them?”
“That we were worried someone didn’t like the group’s message, thus making her a target. They know to lay low and not draw attention to themselves. I don’t know what else to do.”
“There’s nothing you can do.” Rowan was frustrated as she rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry for being so cranky. It’s just ... another new symbol? I spent the bulk of my life thinking there was only the one symbol. It still freaked me out when I saw it, but I’d learned to accept it and move forward.
“Now, over the course of a few months, I’m suddenly up to three symbols,” she continued. “We’re still not a hundred percent sure what the last one means. I don’t know if I can deal with a third.”
“You can.” Quinn drew her close and hugged her tight. “We’re going to figure this out. Don’t freak out.”
“I’m not sure I can do anything but freak out.”
“I’m sure.” He was calm. “We’re going to work together and figure this out.”
“Okay.”
He stroked the back of her head. “Do you know what you need?”
“To stop seeing symbols?”
Quinn chuckled. “I was thinking crab legs.”
Rowan brightened considerably. “Oh, good idea. I forgot about the crab legs.”
“Luckily you have me to remember.”
“Luckily I have you ... period.”
“Right back at you, sweetie.” He gave her a soft kiss before resting his forehead against hers. “I swear we’re going to figure this out. Don’t let things get to you.”
“I’ll do my very best.”
“That’s all I ask.”
IVY WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED by the vegetarian offerings and found plenty of items to fill her plate. She was far more amused, however, by the fact that Jack found enough to fill two plates and he was pulling off an interesting balancing act as he directed her toward a small table set away from most of the guests.
“Are you planning on me rolling you back to the room?” Ivy asked.
“I’m not ruling it out.” Jack glanced around. “Where do you think the drinks are?”
As if on cue, a waitress appeared at the edge of the table. “Do you need something to drink?”
Ivy smothered a laugh at Jack’s surprised expression and nodded. “I would like an iced tea, please.”
“I’ll have the same,” Jack said, waiting until the waitress departed to sit and fix his fiancée with a pointed stare. “What are you laughing at?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat that much,” Ivy replied, unfolding her napkin and placing it on her lap. “You’ve got a fairly healthy appetite but this is ... wow.”
“Hey, they have prime rib and crab legs. This is like my happy place.”
“And I thought I was your happy place,” Ivy teased.
“You are definitely my happy place. Today, tomorrow, and forever. I ... hey, where are you going?”
Ivy was back on her feet. “I want some rolls. I’ll be right back.”
“You stay there. I’ll get them.”
“You don’t have to wait on me.”
“You’re on vacation. I want to wait on you.”
Ivy sighed, charmed despite herself. “I keep thinking this is going to get old ... but it hasn’t yet.”
“Enjoy it.” Jack winked as he turned and headed back to the buffet table. He had to wait for an opening in the line to grab Ivy’s rolls, but a tall man in a blue shirt and tan shorts held up his hand to allow Jack to cut in front of him.
“Are you sure?” Jack hedged. “I just need to grab some rolls.”
“Go ahead,” the man replied, smiling. “You’re one of the VIP guests, I believe. That means you can cut in front of anyone.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary.” Jack placed several rolls on a plate and fixed the other man which a curious look. “How did you know I was a VIP guest?”
“Quinn Davenport.” He introduced himself with a head bob and jutted out his hand. “I’m head of security.”
“Oh.” Jack shook his extended hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I wondered about the security on this ship. It has to be difficult to patrol.”
“We don’t have too many problems,” Quinn said. “Occasionally we have an overzealous guest or two. Nine times out of ten, though, that’s caused by alcohol and as soon as the guest sleeps it off, everything is back to normal.”
“I can see that.” Jack gave Quinn a long look. “You don’t look like the sort of guy who would run security on a cruise ship.”
Amused despite himself, Quinn arched a speculative eyebrow. “What is a cruise ship security chief supposed to look like?”
Jack inclined his chin toward a man across the way. “Him.”
Quinn followed his gaze and frowned when he realized he was looking at a member of his own staff. It was one of the guards he assigned to watch Margaret, in fact. “How did you know he was one of mine?”
“It’s not hard to tell. I’m a trained observer.”
“Oh, yeah?” Quinn fancied himself an observer of sorts, too. “You’re a cop, aren’t you?”
The question caught Jack off guard. “How did you know that?”
“Let’s just say I’m a trained observer, too.”
Intrigued, Jack gave Quinn another long look. “You have a military background.”
Quinn smirked. “Apparently we’re both trained observers.”
“Apparently.”
Since he was interested in getting more information about Jack and his fiancée — figuring out the new symbol was important to Rowan — Quinn decided to prolong the conversation. “You’re from Michigan, right?”
Jack couldn’t hide his surprise. “How did you know that? Is this because we’re VIP guests?”
“I should probably say yes and let you think we’re that proficient at customer service, but my girlfriend told me.”
“Your girlfriend?”
“Rowan. She’s the photographer. She seems enamored with your girlfriend.”
Jack glanced over his shoulder to where Ivy sat, her attention fixed on her food. “Oh. That makes sense. I think they’re going to chat about living in Michigan before the trip is over. Rowan seems keen to talk about it, although from where I’m standing, she moved to a much better climate.”
Quinn chuckled. “Home is still home. She said you grew up in the same city, although she doesn’t know you.”
“St. Clair Shores is fairly large. We went to different high schools.”
“Ah, well, it’s still neat.” Quinn hoped he was coming off as friendly rather than invasive. “Is this a special occasion for you guys? I mean ... any reason behind the vacation.”
“My sister managed to help me arrange it. I simply wanted to get Ivy away from work for a week or so. She owns her own business and the spring, summer, and fall are her busy months.”
“What does she do?”
“She owns a plant nursery.”
Try as he might, Quinn couldn’t think of a single reason a plant nursery would incite someone to violence. Of
course, he had no idea what the symbol meant so there was always a chance Ivy wasn’t in danger after all. “Well, that sounds like a lot of work.”
“You have no idea. I thought being a cop was difficult. She works a lot harder than me.”
“I think the hours are probably long for both. Still, I’m glad you’re having a good time. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“I’ll do that.” Jack carried the rolls back to the table and chuckled when he realized Ivy was halfway done with her dinner. “And I thought I was the hungry one.”
“You were gone a long time,” Ivy noted as she took the plate from him. “Who was that guy you were talking to?”
“Ah ... Quinn. He’s head of security.”
Ivy straightened. “Is something wrong?”
“No, Little Miss Worrywart. He was simply asking if we needed anything. He’s involved with the photographer. He asked about being from Michigan. That’s what took so long. He’s also ex-military.”
“It seems you guys had quite the conversation.”
“Yes, it’s a bromance for the ages,” Jack teased. “He’s a nice enough guy. I think it’s part of his job to keep a watch over things. It’s probably exciting to live on a cruise ship, but it’s not all fun and games. He’s responsible for a lot of people.”
“I like the idea of a vacation on a ship. I’m not sure I would be okay living on one.”
“That’s because you’re a nature girl. You love digging in the dirt ... and running through the forest ... and hanging out in your fairy ring. I bet there’s no mushroom hunting on The Bounding Storm.”
Ivy mock shuddered. “Well, then we definitely can’t live here.”
“I’m fine living in Shadow Lake. This, however, is a nice vacation.”
“Definitely.”
“Eat your dinner,” Jack prodded as he sawed into his prime rib. “Once we’re stuffed full of expensive food, I see dancing in our future.”
“I didn’t realize you were such a slave to music.”
“I simply like dancing with you. Is that a crime?”
Ivy shook her head. “We can dance ... although a moonlit stroll on the deck sounds nice, too.”
“I think we can manage both of those.”
Wicked Ghostly Seas: A Rowan Gray, Harper Harlow and Ivy Morgan Mystery Omnibus Page 24
