“It took me by surprise, too. I thought he would be good at the kissing part.”
“Just because he hasn’t kissed her yet doesn’t mean he’s not good at it,” Sally admonished. “He could be a savant or something, for all we know.”
“He’d better be,” Demarcus muttered. “If I had to wait for two weeks to get my first kiss, I don’t care who it was, I’d be expecting a transfer of diamonds with the saliva.”
Sally made a disgusted face. “You’re kind of a gross guy. You know that, right?”
Demarcus shrugged. “The fact that you’re just figuring that out means you don’t know me at all.”
QUINN HAD a full head of steam when he knocked on Rowan’s door. He could hear her shuffling on the other side and he puffed out his chest when she pulled open the door. He was ready to grab her and follow his instincts before she had a chance to utter one word. Then, despite his best intentions, he deflated.
“Is something wrong?”
Rowan was dressed in a pair of cotton sleep pants, a tank top, and reading glasses. Her long auburn hair was pulled back in a messy bun on top of her head. She looked utterly … vulnerable. That was the only word Quinn could think of to describe her.
Rowan self-consciously covered her braless chest with her arms as Quinn struggled to find the right words. “Did something happen?”
“What? No.” Quinn shook his head. “I just … you left without saying goodbye.”
“I said goodbye,” Rowan countered, pushing open the door so Quinn could step inside. She didn’t think having this discussion in the hallway would be conducive to her determination to remain out of the ship’s gossip mill. “I just couldn’t get close when I said it. Daphne wasn’t afraid to throw elbows if anyone dared approach and I didn’t want to risk a black eye.”
Quinn sighed, weariness overtaking him. “I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry about everything. That’s not how I saw our night going.”
“It’s okay.” Rowan appeared nervous as she perched on the end of her bed. “We both have jobs to do while we’re here. It’s hard because we’re technically living our jobs, but we have a lot of down time and we can generally spend whatever amount of that time we choose together. This was just one of those fluke things that forced us to take a different course.”
“Yeah? Well, it seems like this ‘fluke’ thing is going to be a ‘pain in the butt’ thing tomorrow,” Quinn said, shuffling closer to Rowan. “Daphne tried to get me to spend the night in her room with her.”
Rowan’s previously sleepy eyes flew open. “Excuse me?”
“She said she was afraid and needed me to sit with her.” Quinn saw no reason to lie and he refused to hold anything back where Rowan was concerned. “I explained I had a job to do and that wouldn’t happen and she didn’t take it well.”
“What’s ‘not well’?”
“She gave me attitude and pouted a bit,” Quinn answered. “I didn’t hang around long enough to see if she was going to make a scene. I needed to get away from her so I left my guys to handle it.”
Rowan’s lips curved. “Way to delegate authority.”
“I thought so.”
Unlike before when they were on the deck, the silence that shrouded the couple this time was decidedly uncomfortable. Quinn grasped for something – anything, really – to ease the tension. “What did you do while I was busy with Daphne?”
“Oh, well … .” Rowan rolled to the side so Quinn would have room to sit and she gestured toward her computer. “These are the photos I took today. Now, I’m not happy because so many of them are staged, but I’m not the boss. I prefer candid shots. Daphne? Yeah, not so much. She has already marked a hundred of them for purchase.”
“A hundred of them, huh?” Quinn shifted his eyes to the computer, relieved to have a reason to stay. “What am I looking at?”
“Women hanging around together.”
“Okay, I guess the better question is, why are you looking at this?”
“Do you notice anything odd about them?” Rowan asked, her eyes locked on Quinn’s face rather than the screen. “I’m not trying to trick you or anything. I honestly need you to give them a good look.”
“Okay.” Quinn exhaled shakily, the scent of Rowan’s simple body spray causing his chest to constrict. After a few moments of quiet perusal, he lost himself in the photos. He was fairly certain he knew what Rowan was getting at before she opened her mouth. “Daphne positions herself in the center of every single photo.”
“Every one,” Rowan agreed, bobbing her head. “She’s like the Beyonce of Cara G Cosmetics. She always has to put herself in front of everyone else. We’re not the only ones to notice, either. Look here … and here … and here.”
“Yeah, I see what you mean,” Quinn said. “She’s getting dirty looks from the women she’s standing in front of. You said she’d ordered a bunch of copies, right? She has to have noticed this.”
“That’s what I’m wondering.” Rowan chewed on her bottom lip, conflicted. “I don’t want to cast stones or point fingers but … um … do you think Daphne was really attacked?”
“Believe it or not, you’re not the first person to ask me that.” Quinn rolled his neck until it cracked. “I’m going to tell you exactly what I told Demarcus: I honestly don’t know. I don’t want to jump to conclusions right out of the gate because that hardly seems fair, but we should’ve seen or heard something on that deck before Daphne screamed. I mean … how did someone get past us and escape like that?”
“At least I’m not the only one thinking it,” Rowan murmured. “I felt guilty, kept wondering if maybe I was jealous and that’s why I thought the worst of her.”
“Jealous?” Quinn tilted his head to the side. “Why would you be jealous?”
“I know I shouldn’t be,” Rowan clarified. “I just couldn’t seem to stop myself. Whenever I saw her touching you I kind of wanted to throw her over the railing myself.”
Quinn snickered. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Trixie. I wanted to toss her over as well. Her very presence irked the crap out of me.”
“Oh, I’m so relieved.” Rowan rested her hand on top of his. “I’m not evil alone. I can’t tell you how much better that makes me feel.”
Quinn snickered, genuinely amused. “Yeah.” He flipped over Rowan’s hand, linking their fingers together as he raised their joined hands and brushed a kiss against her knuckles. “Hey, Rowan?”
“What?” Her voice was breathy and Quinn knew she understood what was about to come. He explained anyway.
“I’m about to kiss you,” Quinn volunteered. “I really need to do it because otherwise I might die. I know that sounds dramatic, but that’s how I feel. Okay, I probably won’t die. I might pass out or kick someone because I’m in a bad mood, though.”
“I … okay.” Rowan’s mouth went dry.
“Okay?”
Rowan bobbed her head. “Okay.”
Quinn leaned forward and smiled, pausing when his lips were so close to Rowan’s face that she could feel nothing but his warm breath against her lips and chin. “I’ve wanted to do this since the moment I met you.”
“Me, too.”
“Something always gets in the way … and I’m sorry for that.”
Rowan was out of patience. She took both of them by surprise when she grabbed the sides of his face. “No more talking.” She smacked her lips against his, sinking into the kiss when his arms came around her.
They mashed their lips together for what seemed like forever, Quinn losing track of where his mouth ended and hers began. When they finally parted, both of them gasping for breath, Quinn cupped the back of her head as he stared into her eyes.
“I’m going to need to do that again,” Quinn gritted out.
“Good.” Rowan was done being meek. “I think we should make a schedule if you think you’re going to get shy again all of a sudden. That way you have to do it if it’s on the schedule.”
“Screw your sche
dule,” Quinn said, tugging Rowan closer. “I’m pretty sure the shyness is over.”
“It had better be.”
“Shh. Kiss me.”
“No, you kiss me!”
In the end they kissed each other … absolutely senseless.
7
Seven
Rowan woke to Quinn sleeping peacefully beside her. He spent the night, although they didn’t go further than kissing. That seemed to be enough for both of them and when they finally slipped under – well after midnight – they both slept hard.
As if sensing her stirring, Quinn opened one eye and slipped an arm around her waist, tugging her closer. “Go back to sleep.”
“It’s almost eight. I have to hit the employee dining room by nine if I want breakfast.”
“They serve breakfast in the main dining room until ten,” he reminded her. “You’re allowed to eat in the main dining room. It’s part of your contract because you take photos there. It’s fine. If anyone has a problem, have them take it up with me.”
Rowan snorted as she moved her thumb over his bottom lip. They kissed so long and so hard his mouth almost looked swollen. “Are you going to fight all of my battles for me now?”
“Just the important ones.” Quinn brushed a kiss over her forehead. “We were up late and it’s going to be a long day. Go back to sleep for at least an hour.”
Rowan wanted to argue. She was being paid to do a job, after all. Still, he looked so comfortable, content even. “One hour. I have to be at the Cara G Cosmetics conference for the bulk of the afternoon. It’s not all fun and games for the ladies while they’re here.”
“Yeah, I saw the schedule.” Quinn drew the blanket closer around Rowan’s back. “They have three hours of conference time every afternoon. I have no idea how someone can fill that much time talking about makeup but … whatever. Close your eyes.”
“They’re closed.”
“Shut down your mind.”
“I’m working on it.”
“Give me another kiss.”
“Okay, but my lips are actually sore.”
“Some things are worth the pain, Rowan. I’m pretty sure this is one of those things.”
Rowan was fairly certain he was right.
TWO HOURS later Rowan wiped the corners of her mouth and stared ruefully at her empty breakfast plate. She didn’t think she was hungry until she devoured a full omelet, hash browns, two servings of toast, and three glasses of tomato juice.
“I think I ate too much.” She rubbed her stomach as she caught Quinn’s amused gaze across the table. “Why did you let me eat so much?”
“I didn’t know I was your food monitor. It’s okay. I like a woman with a little meat on her bones.”
Rowan stilled. “Meat?” She glanced down at her thighs, earning a harsh look from Quinn. “Um, I should probably get going.”
“Hold on a second.” Quinn caught her hand before she could scurry away from the table. “That was a poor joke. You look beautiful. You always look beautiful. I guess I forgot that women take things like that to heart. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“I didn’t take it to heart,” Rowan said hurriedly. “I just … am running late.”
“Yeah, I don’t believe you, but we’ll talk about it later.” Quinn grunted as he got to his feet, rearranging the waistband of his shorts. “Speaking of that, though, why did you let me eat so much?”
Despite her earlier discomfort, Rowan couldn’t stop herself from giggling. “Maybe we both needed the calories after last night.”
“Maybe.” Quinn pressed a light kiss to Rowan’s lips. “I hate to say it, but my lips are sore.”
“I told you.”
“Yes, well, when you’re right, you’re right.” Quinn rubbed his hands up and down Rowan’s bare arms. “I’m spending the rest of my morning in my office finishing up paperwork. I’ll look for you when the conference ends. You should have eyes on Penny throughout the entire afternoon, right?”
Rowan solemnly nodded. “I’ll watch her and Daphne.”
“Be careful when you’re doing it. We don’t want either of them getting paranoid because they think we’re watching them. In Daphne’s case, that could backfire in a way neither one of us is comfortable dealing with.”
“If either of them leaves the room, I’ll text you.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Quinn spared time for one more kiss and then released Rowan. “Be careful.”
“I’m not in danger.”
“Be careful anyway.”
Rowan added a little swing to her step as she left, something that didn’t escape Quinn’s attention. He was still smiling when he felt a presence move up on his right side.
“I see you finally handled that kissing problem,” Demarcus noted, enjoying the way Quinn’s mouth tipped down at the corners. “How did the rest of it go?”
“I’m not talking to you about any of this,” Quinn shot back, wagging a finger as he swiveled. “You have a big mouth and if you think I don’t know you’re at the center of the bulk of the ship’s gossip, you’re wrong.”
“I never claimed to be a pure soul. I love my gossip.” Demarcus solemnly lifted his chin. “What tidbits do you have to share with the Gossipfather.”
It took Quinn a moment to realize Demarcus was making a joke about The Godfather. When he grasped the statement, he didn’t bother hiding his chuckle. “You’re incorrigible. I already told you that I’m not sharing information with you.”
“Fine. Be that way.” Demarcus heaved out a long-suffering sigh. “You know that Rowan is going to confide in Sally and she, in turn, will confide in me, right? You’re not saving yourself from the Gossipfather. You’re only delaying the inevitable.”
“I can live with that.” Quinn clapped Demarcus on the shoulder as he passed. “By the way, do me a favor and keep an eye on the chief makeup chick, will you?”
“Daphne DuBois?” Demarcus’ demeanor shifted quickly. “Do you think someone is after her?”
“I’m still on the fence.” Quinn opted for honesty. “There’s something about her story that doesn’t make sense. That doesn’t mean the bulk of it isn’t true. Someone very well may have tried to chuck her overboard. Perhaps Daphne knows who that is and is covering to save face.”
“Ah, a pink coup.”
“It’s not out of the realm of possibility,” Quinn acknowledged. “The one thing that I’ve found most of these women agree on is the fact that they don’t like Daphne. If someone did try to off her, I’m worried we’re dealing with an extensive suspect pool.”
Demarcus shifted his eyes so he could absorb the pink sea in the dining room. “You’ve got that right, buddy. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open, though.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to know that you’ll use your powers for good instead of evil today.”
“Oh, don’t kid yourself.” Mischief lit Demarcus’ eyes. “I’m going to do both. I will find out what you and Rowan Gray did in her room last night … and before you deny it, I know you didn’t spend the night in your own room.”
Quinn saw no reason to confirm or deny the statement. “I’ll be around if you find anything.”
“And I’ll be around if you feel the sudden need to unburden yourself.”
ROWAN SPENT the better part of the next three hours on her feet, loitering in the back of the large conference hall as Daphne DuBois and her executive team ran the world’s most boring event. Rowan knew she was probably being petty because she wasn’t thrilled with Daphne’s interest in Quinn, but not even the omen shadow hanging over Penny Parker was enough to make time move faster for the intrepid photographer.
By the time Daphne finished up, unleashing a rousing speech about how the women weren’t selling a product but themselves, Rowan had to stifle a series of yawns and make herself small in the back of the room when Daphne caught her doing it.
Rowan was hopeful she would be able to escape without talking to Daphne. She didn’t get that lucky.
> “Ms. Gray, might I have a word?”
Rowan cringed when she heard the voice, removing her thumb from the photo slide at the back of her camera and forcing a smile as she swiveled. “Of course. Did I miss something during your presentation?”
“Oh, no, I’m sure you got everything that was important.” Daphne gestured toward the nearby table. It was empty, the women who sat there during the conference practically fleeing from the room the second Daphne finished her spiel. “I thought we might have a talk.”
That didn’t sound good. Rowan refused to show reticence when meeting Daphne’s gaze, though. Instead she widened her smile and dutifully sat. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Last night.”
Rowan stilled, confused. Was Daphne DuBois really going to question her about Quinn spending the night in her room? “I’m not sure what you’re getting at, but I’m fairly certain this is a conversation we shouldn’t be having.”
“Because you’re not allowed to speak ill about your employer?”
Now Rowan was doubly confused. “Why would I speak ill about my employer?”
“Because he’s created an unsafe work environment,” Daphne replied, not missing a beat. “I was attacked and almost thrown overboard while visiting a ship whose owners boast about having top notch security. I hardly think that’s the case, do you?”
Something about Daphne’s tone set Rowan’s teeth on edge. “Are you thinking of filing a formal complaint about the security? If so, I can promise you that no one was negligent. Mr. Davenport ran to your aid the moment he knew something was amiss.”
“Oh, I’m not complaining about Mr. Davenport.” Daphne gave the suggestion a dismissive wave. “He seems competent, if distracted.” Her gaze was pointed when it landed on Rowan. “No, Mr. Davenport isn’t the problem. I will, of course, request a change to that pesky rule about keeping security outside of guest rooms. That’s just nonsense. I expect to have that tossed within the hour, though, so it’s a very minor complaint.”
“You do?” Rowan briefly wondered if she should warn Quinn about Daphne’s plans.
Murky Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 2) Page 6
