Jewel Hiest

by Keller, J. J.

  She sidled up to the Tiki Station, a bar decorated in palm leaves, fake torches and curved banana-shaped bar stools. The bartender–Ryan according to his tag–offered Mary a tuberose and orchid lei. His hands slid along her breasts as he lowered the ring of flowers. Mary’s bosom lifted and lowered as if she breathed excitedly. The floral scent filtered into John’s nostrils. While he appreciated the simple beauty of the white, lavender and magenta necklace, he didn’t like the interaction between Mary and Ryan.

  Across from the Tiki Station, a reggae band ended a song by Bob Marley, and to John’s surprise and pleasure, started Right Time, by The Mighty Diamonds. John took a seat beside Mary and held his palm out as Ryan offered him the lei. Too bad she didn’t offer to lei him.

  “Here.” John held out the flowers. She winked and wrapped the delicate blooms around her wrist.

  “Tonight’s specials are the Mai Tai and the Zombie. Either of you interested?” Ryan held a Tiki mug, a square coconut with a face embossed on the side. The bartender was ready to create the magic of an island drink.

  “What’s in a Zombie?” She leaned on the bamboo surface and held her face cupped in her hands.

  “Fruit juices, rum, apricot brandy, and a cherry,” Ryan said.

  “I’ll take a Zombie,” John answered and clicked on his Blackberry to read a text, but watched Mary.

  Mary leaned farther on the counter and whispered into Ryan’s ear. He grinned as if her closeness was an extreme tip. John had to agree. Her lips touching his ear would be well worth more than any cash reward.

  “Orgeat syrup?”

  She nodded.

  “Okay then, one Zombie and one Mai Tai.” Ryan set a tall glass and a coconut cup on the counter. Mary quizzed the guy about his family and life style. Was this job his living, as in life’s goal, or just a break from existence?

  Ryan didn’t pause in his drink preparations as he answered her laundry list of questions. He was clearly interested in her as a woman, not just for the tips. John didn’t listen to all of her questions, but what he did overhear made him curious about her odd interrogation. Maybe small talk wasn’t part of her nature, as she told Ryan her aunt had provided the cruise and then passed away from a massive heart attack. As far as John knew, she’d told a lie. If she was trying find a method to sell the diamonds, her technique was weird and off course.

  Ryan went into his family’s history as he plopped the ugly brown mug, complete with a yellow umbrella, beside John. With a half-smile, he set a highball glass with an orchid and pineapple slice on the lip in front of Mary.

  She took a sip. “Umm, this is good. I can taste the almonds and orange flower water. What did you call it?”

  “Orgeat syrup, but it’s not nearly as sweet as you, Mary.” The beverage aficionado’s voice was as sweet as the syrupy drink.

  Her thirty-carat smile came into play, and despite the pleasant buzz from the Zombie, John wanted to barf. He swiveled around to evaluate the other passengers and the staff, hoping to spot Waterman or Peabody and get this gig over with before he made more of a fool of himself. Some couples danced in the taped-off area near the pool, but many women simply stood, swaying to the music. A few glanced his way, so he nodded in acknowledgment.

  Mary dug through her large handbag and drew out her phone. A moment later, she lined up a shot. John glanced at Ryan, who had no problem posing, and then rolled his eyes.

  What Goes Around Comes Around jived from the three member band as a tall gangly blond man approached Mary from the back.

  The thin guy swallowed and his Adam’s apple, the size of a small Washington, moved up and down in his throat. “May I have this dance?”

  Mary glanced at John. He shrugged. Her gaze shifted to the bartender, but he’d moved to the other end. “Sure, I’d like to dance.”

  She let him take her arm and lead her to the other side of the pool. Her movements were like her personality, varied, expressive and interesting. A slow version of Have Mercy by The Mighty Diamonds started and Adam’s apple guy took her loosely into his arms. A gentle sway of her hips, although not touching his, drew many glances from the men at the bar. The rhythm of the music in conjunction with the ship’s movement showcased her in a lazy, seductive mode. Man was made to suffer as the lyrics indicated, and without exception, John’s jeans tightened at his crotch. He felt like a teen with his first Playboy. He had to get control over his physiological impulses.

  Her wrists and arms were exceptionally well defined. As a jewelry designer, she used her muscles: arms, wrists and fingers, but John wouldn’t have noticed until she raised her beautiful limbs into the air, tracing graceful movements with her hands.

  “Christ,” he muttered, and without looking reached to the side and clutched his drink. A sip proved the beverage was Mary’s, surprising him. The rum was missing–she was drinking a virgin Mai Tai. Why would she go to a bar, pretend to be drinking, but chose not to imbibe? Maybe she wanted to be in control, minimize the chance she could let information slip about the heist to anyone. The lady was a mystery, and he would thoroughly enjoy unfolding her secrets and making all of the amalgams come together.

  “Hi, my name’s Wanda,” a woman said, titillating his ear drums with her sultry voice.

  He glanced at her bleached-blond, piled high hair, tan circa 1980 and spandex top that barely covered her solid breasts. Yeah, right. Not in a million years, even if he were desperate.

  “John.” He nodded and turned his focus to Mary. The band ended the song.

  Wanda’s skirt slid noisily together as she leaned. Her gaudy red mouth touched his ear. “I’m very wicked, if you know what I mean.”

  John wasn’t taking his gaze from Mary as her hips swayed in time to the music. She strode toward him. Her eyes sparkled as she drew closer and reached around his back to snag her liquor free drink.

  “I see you’ve a new friend.” She held out her free hand. “Mary.”

  “Wanda,” she stage whispered into John’s ear and resituated on the stool. Her skirt rode up her thighs to a nearly obscene level as she crossed her legs. Her smile matched the monkey face on the tiki bar pole. She held aloft a shot glass filled with brown liquid.

  Mary dropped her arm and placed her drink on a cocktail napkin on the bamboo bar.

  “Diamonds,” John hissed.

  “What’d you say?” Wanda shouted.

  A snort, loud enough to be heard over the drums, came from Mary before she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. Her purse bumped against his back. She kissed the side of his lips and slipped her hand under his polo. “Wanda, sorry, but John’s my guy, and I don’t share.”

  In the moment, John closed his eyes to readjust and get his control back. His heart snapped against his rib cage, adding to his lust misery.

  Adam’s apple said, “Mary, here you go, Zombie, just for you.”

  “Oh, Kyle, I’m sorry, but I’m exhausted so I’m heading out. Here, Wanda, a fresh Zombie, and I’d like you to meet Kyle. He’s a self-made merchandizing millionaire. His story is sooo fascinating.”

  John jumped off the stool and swiveled it around for Kyle to sit. Two seconds later, John had Mary’s wrist, tugging her toward the exit. A glance proved Wanda’s hands were testing the merchandise. The musicians sang Marley’s No Woman, No Cry.

  “Don’t worry, John, everything’s going to be all right,” Mary sang in a Jamaican accent.

  His pulse pounded as hard as the waves beating the side of the ship, and arousal spiraled through him, flushing his skin with heat.

  Arms entwined, they strolled into the hallway. A group waited at the elevator for the doors to open. His throat dried, he couldn’t swallow. Was she planning on going to another bar? Age had caught up with him; almost forty was too old to chase after a twenty-nine-year-old bombshell. Not for the first time in the past hour, he wished for his sweet unobtrusive data-gathering desk job.

  “How old are you, John?”

  Could she read his thoughts? “Thirty-nine.”


  “So you got hit on by your first cougar.” The corridor was blessedly quiet the farther away from the pool they got. “I didn’t think they’d migrate down from the Forever Lounge on the bow of the twelfth deck this early in the cruise.” The ding of the elevator arriving disrupted the silence.

  “Hardly hit on by a cougar, since I’m not a teen. Do you know where all of the bars are located?”

  “Yes, thanks to my friend, Jenn.” Mary stood in front of the elevators, but got her key card out of her bag and slid a glance at her watch.

  “She designed the ship?” He shifted to her other side, as if to continue down the hallway.

  “No, but she wanted me to know where all the hot spots were. You’ll need to go to Forever and search for a chick. All of the young ones will be hunting on that ground.” She walked backward. “Night, John.”

  Wait!

  She turned and sashayed down the corridor. The elevator doors whooshed open and chatty women in colorful loungewear exited. He shook his head and entered the lift. Mary appeared to be going to her room. His recording device would capture her interactions, so he’d search for the escaped thieves.

  John closed his eyes. Would the Tiki bartender’s shouts of ecstasy be taped tonight?

  Chapter 4

  Mary scratched the top of her right foot with her left big toe. The bright red nail polish matched her bikini perfectly. She’d considered adding a toe ring, but not wanting a tan line on one of her toes, declined. The Wave Pool was empty except for a couple of children with their mother. Large sunglasses hid the woman’s eyes, but she acted tired, like she needed a vacation from her vacation. Although designed around adults, children were on the cruise. It was a chance for families to relax together and reconnect, she supposed.

  “Do you have photographs of your sister?” Mary gazed at First Mate Matthew Taylor. He fit all of her categories perfectly. All she needed to do was see one of his relatives for a DNA scan of sorts. Matthew’s knee rubbed against her oil-slick thigh as he perched on the edge of the lounge chair next to hers. His dirty blond hair and longish nose didn’t bother her in the least. He was athletic and the way his white uniform fit proved he hadn’t exaggerated when he’d described his workout routine.

  “I wish I did,” he said. “Up for a run in a couple hours? It’s two miles around the decks, and I’ll show you the bridge.” He winked, grinning. His eyes were an amber color, not brown, not yellowish, but more of a dark muted orange. Good-looking and husky voiced, he drew her gaze every time he opened his mouth.

  One of the wayward children screamed a long, piercing wail, drawing their attention to the trio again. A boy had fallen and held his knee in his shaking hands. Even from a distance his little lips could be seen quivering.

  “I’ll be back.” Matthew took off running, rounding the curve of the pool deck like a seasoned sailor. As he gently administered care to the youngster, the mother hovered and the little girl clung to her mother’s black and white striped sarong.

  Mary’s stomach tingled in excitement. He was perfect, and obviously loved kids, as evidenced by his relaxed body motions and soothing tones that carried in the wind. She withdrew her notebook and added the details before she forgot. Matthew Taylor, DNA: perfect in structure, no odd body growths. A sister going into an art program. Organs were in good shape, tight runner’s muscles and rarely, if ever, drank alcohol. Never smoked. Nice, easy going and especially thoughtful, as he told her he’d be right back. Outstanding looks, ’nough said. Was he resourceful? Intelligence would be important in offspring.

  Covering a yawn, she glanced at Matthew. He was wrapping a white cruise towel around the child’s knee, then cradled the boy and carried him to the elevator. Matthew turned and nodded to her. He’d be back. Yes, he was resourceful and honorable. The wind blew the page over, so she continued writing accolades for her number one pick.

  “Donor. What does that mean?” John slipped onto the lounge next to her.

  “It’s my list to help me narrow the search for a prospective suitor.”

  He didn’t look wrung-out, so he must have gotten some sleep.

  Mary hadn’t gone directly to bed because of the surprise she’d found in one of her fashionable, trendy high heels. A bag of uncut diamonds wedged in the toe. She’d spent most of the night sewing stolen diamonds onto her evening bag. The process to remove the agate stones and place the diamonds in the clasp had been long and intense. Her tiny nail kit and borrowed silverware made the task cumbersome and time consuming. Conrad must have intended to go on the cruise, and if the luggage hadn’t made it through the scanner, she would have gone to jail.

  At five bells, she’d crawled into bed and slept like an innocent. She should turn in the jewels at the next port. But, what if…

  “You know this pool is at the bow, on top level, and will be very rocky if we hit waves.” John lay against the stretchy fabric of the seat and closed his eyes.

  “Yep. I’ve found I don’t get motion sickness, which is odd because I sit all day at work, so I don’t have a resistance built up or anything.” Notes finished, she glanced at the entry. Damn, she hadn’t taken a photo. Matt would come back, and she’d take one then. She set her phone on the table as a reminder. “Did you have a good time last night?”

  “Yes. Very interesting.” His reply didn’t satisfy her curiosity. “What do you do? Your profession?”

  “I’m a jewelry designer. Did you meet some fascinating babes at Forever?” Why was she so curious?

  “Um hum, danced under the stars. Beautiful and enjoyable. You should have been there.” The binding on the chair creaked as he leaned forward. In a flash, his shirt came off and he tossed it on the table with her phone.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Last night she’d touched his hard muscles covered in smooth skin, and today she got to see them. He was spread eagled against the chair, and his sculpted, hairless chest drew her attention. A six-pack wasn’t evident, and he did have a couple of tiny egg rolls on the sides, but all in all, John Wang was sexy adorable.

  “Why are you up here? I thought you wanted to search for the perfect partner.” His shoulders lifted and lowered on the lounge as he settled. He kicked off his sandals. Even his toes were hairless.

  “Because of the waves, they provide a nice little foreplay.” She threw out the bait, knowing it would catch any single guy’s attention, as she withdrew a novel from the bag. Excitement skittered through her stomach, but she resisted smiling and pointed her focus on John’s face.

  “Okay, I’ll bite.” He lifted his sunglasses, his brown-eyed glance probing.

  “This pool is one of the most popular because of the motion. As you’re swimming laps, a jarring will occur and you’ll literally float over the person next to you.” She winked. “The stronger the wave, the greater the friction. I imagine more than sun tan oil is lubricating this pool.”

  “I doubt that. Probability is–”

  “Only one way to find out.” One sandal hit the deck and she tried to toe off the other one.

  “Anything to get you out of that overly large garment,” he muttered.

  She slid the crimson and white orchid-printed robe from her shoulders. The tiny little bikini she’d just been able to wiggle into flashed in the early sun. Blood red and held together by thin gold snaps on each hip and between the breasts, she’d purchased the scrap of nothing with sex on her mind. Albeit she’d intended to only have intercourse with her lover of the past year, but life was ever changing and she’d roll with the waves.

  “Put it back on.” John held the cover-up in front of her.

  “Silly, we can’t swim if I’m weighted down.” She looked for the stairs. “Come on, it’s early enough we won’t have a lot of strangers getting on our stuff.”

  She took a couple of steps forward and dived, shoved off the bottom and quickly came to the surface. Cold. Cold water. She flung hair away from her face and looked around. Where was John? Like a seal in the Atlantic, he swam beside her,
dragging his hands along her legs.

  His arms held steady at the sides of her breasts. The narrow string was hardly a barrier.

  Mary’s hands went beneath his cold-pimpled nipples and together they paddled, staying afloat. “I can tell you’re a good swimmer.”

  “Maybe I’m just good at holding my breath?”

  She shook her head. “No, I didn’t hear a splash and you glided through the water.”

  He had rhythm and a part of her wanted to be into him, because she imagined he was also very good at the baby-making thing.

  “Are you asking me to race?” He tilted his head to one side to dislodge water.

  “Not now that I know you’re an Olympian. How about one freestyle lap down and back just to prove my point?” His hands hadn’t moved and the frigid water made her nipples peak. Their connection felt awkward and comfortable at the same time.

  His beautiful mouth formed a lopsided smile. Did he know what he did to her? “You think one lap is enough foreplay?” Finally he lifted a set of five and stroked the side of her face. “Not enough for me. I require a little build up before I blow the load.”

  “From what I heard, you’ll get all that you wish from the gyrations.” With a flourish, she held out her arm. Sprinkles of water glittered in the early morning sunrays. “Shall we?”

  He laughed and eased onto the surface. “Ladies first, and I guarantee my woman will always be the first to come.”

  Flapping her feet to keep upright, she flipped onto her back. She hoped what Jenn’s friend Stubbing had told her about the Wave Pool was accurate. Hormones had her frazzled. Her vagina was already tightening in eager anticipation.

  John’s strong strokes, in the American crawl, took him a few meters away. The guy was a competitor. She backstroked and could tell from the markers on the side walls they were near the end. Not one wave pounded them. Damn, she hated to be wrong.

  As she flung her right arm out, the water moved. A slow rise at first, and then a great force like being on a paddle-boat in the center of a hurricane. John held strong, but at the second wave he landed on top of her. Grabbing the edge of the pool, he held them together and locked in place as another current hit them broadside. She went under and panic set in, her heart pounded in her ears and her breath caught. Frantic, she blew out air and anxiously clutched for the surface. John’s hand went around her wrist and dragged her until she was wedged between him and the pool’s handrail. All of her body parts touched his. He kept them connected until the liquid leveled. Security surrounded her, providing her with a sense of safety for the first time in several weeks.