Farewell Seas

by Lily Harper Hart

  “Why did you let me eat so much?” she complained as she leaned back in her chair and rubbed her stomach. “Ugh.”

  Quinn was a big fan of her eating habits. Sure, it was likely to catch up with her eventually, but that wasn’t the case now. Eventually they would have to get into a workout routine together but that could wait for a later date. Still, she’d outdone herself this evening.

  “I think you ate two pounds of crab by yourself.”

  “Probably.”

  “That’s on top of the scallops and shrimp. The mussels don’t really count because they’re so tiny.”

  “I agree they don’t count.” Rowan shifted on the chair. “You really should’ve stopped me before I went back for more crab legs.”

  “I believe I tried to stop you.”

  “Yeah, well, try harder next time.” She exhaled heavily and blew her bangs off her forehead. “We’re definitely going to need to take that walk before heading back to the room. I need to burn some calories and make room in these shorts.”

  Completely besotted with her — really, who wouldn’t be? — he held out his hand. “Let’s do it.”

  The sound of a man clearing his throat behind him caused Quinn to swivel quickly. He was surprised to find Michael standing there, a bright smile on his face. He wasn't alone, though, and it was the gregarious captain’s companion who set Quinn’s teeth on edge. It was Leon Spencer.

  “Hey,” Quinn offered lamely. “I didn’t realize you guys were standing there. How much did you hear?”

  “Just the part where Rowan said you should’ve stopped her from going back for seconds.”

  “That’s not so bad,” Quinn decided, forcing a smile for Spencer’s benefit. “Hello. I’m Quinn Davenport.” He extended his hand in greeting as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting.”

  Spencer took Quinn’s hand without a second of hesitation. “Leon Spencer,” he introduced himself.

  “I brought Leon over here because he wanted to meet you,” Michael volunteered happily. He seemed to be in a ridiculously good mood. “He wanted to meet you because he’s heard me talk so much about you over the past few weeks.”

  Quinn kept his expression neutral, but his blood ran cold. What was going on here? How did they know each other? “You’ve been telling stories about me?” Quinn queried, chuckling. “Why would you possibly do that?”

  “You just saved a bunch of people from the ocean and then took down several members of the same family because they were murderers,” Spencer pointed out. “That was a huge story. Michael wanted to brag that he knew someone who was part of it.”

  “Ah, well ... .” Quinn honestly wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. “It wasn’t a big deal. It just happened to work out in a public fashion.”

  “On the contrary, it was a very big deal,” Spencer countered. “I mean ... you saved people’s lives and took down a bunch of killers. That’s miraculous if you ask me.”

  “It probably would’ve saved time to just leave them at sea,” Quinn noted.

  Instead of being offended, Spencer chuckled. “I guess that’s true.”

  The group lapsed into silence and Quinn’s mind was working overtime on how to extricate himself and Rowan from the situation when Michael spoke again.

  “So, I know you guys are done here for the evening — and I’m betting you have plans for the rest of the night — but I was wondering if we might all have dinner together tomorrow night,” he said. “Leon and I went to college together and since I mentioned your exploits he really wants to get a chance to spend time with the two of you.”

  Quinn was caught. He knew it. He wanted a chance to think things out before answering but that would look suspicious. “Absolutely. We’d love to have dinner with you tomorrow.”

  “Oh, I’m so pleased.” Spencer rubbed his hands together. “I feel as if I’ll be eating with celebrities.”

  He was laying it on a bit thick for Quinn’s comfort, but the security guru kept his smile in place and simply nodded. “I think it sounds great. I’m looking forward to it.”

  QUINN STATIONED ROWAN ON A REMOTE lounger on the deck before grabbing drinks from the tiki bar. He instructed her to wait for him — he wanted to make sure they were isolated before discussing the big dinner reveal — and ordered two beers to make sure the conversation went down smoothly.

  As he was leaving the bar, he was taken aback when he recognized the back of Rowan’s hair. “I thought I told you to wait for me,” he muttered as he moved to her side. “There was no reason for you to follow me. I was on my way right back.”

  When he slid his eyes to his left, he frowned. It wasn’t Rowan after all. She certainly looked like Rowan from behind — she had the same auburn hair and slim waist — but her face was different, her eyes especially.

  “I’m sorry.” Quinn had the grace to be embarrassed. “I thought you were someone else.”

  “I could be someone else,” the woman offered, she was practically purring as she looked Quinn up and down. “Who is it you want me to be?”

  Quinn found he was uncomfortable with the question. “I don’t want you to be anybody. It was a mistake. I thought you were my girlfriend.”

  “I could be her. You don’t know.”

  “Oh, I know.”

  “You didn’t know a second ago.”

  “That’s because you have the same color hair. I apologize. I really have to be going, though.” Quinn was still disconcerted when he stepped away from the pouting woman. He cast a glance over his shoulder, shaking his head when he took another look. They really didn’t look all that much alike. It was the hair that caused him to make the assumption. He felt a bit lame for it, though, and decided not to mention the mistake to Rowan. No good could come of it.

  She was sitting exactly where he left her when he returned, the eyes he loved so much trained on the ocean. She seemed lost in thought.

  “Do you think Spencer and Michael have really been friends all this time?” she asked as he handed her a beer and got comfortable on the lounger behind her.

  “I don’t think Michael is the lying type. In fact, he’s truthful to a fault ... even when it makes him look bad. I think they definitely went to college together.”

  “So ... is Michael part of it?”

  Quinn worked his jaw. He’d been considering the question himself. He didn’t like thinking about it, though. “Not necessarily,” he said finally. “I’m going to talk to Michael tomorrow, get the story out of him, but Michael went to the University of Florida. That’s a big school. It’s entirely possible that they were there together and haven’t seen each other in decades. Maybe Spencer realized that Michael is captain and decided to use that tenuous tie between them to get closer to you.”

  Oddly enough, the suggestion made Rowan feel better. She liked Michael, at least in a general sense. He was a womanizer and tended to speak before he thought. That didn’t make him a bad man, though. He was flawed, of course, but everybody was.

  “So, maybe it’s just a coincidence,” she murmured.

  “That’s my guess. I obviously couldn’t ask him in front of Spencer, though. I’ll do that tomorrow. He’ll tell me the truth.” And, if he doesn’t, I’ll be able to tell, Quinn silently added. He didn’t want to alarm Rowan, but several other possibilities had been bopping around inside of his head. What were the odds that Michael was more involved with the situation than he initially envisioned? Quinn had to admit it was ingenious for Spencer to have manipulated this situation ... if that’s what was really happening.

  Somehow, though, that didn’t feel right. Quinn honestly hoped that Michael was being duped, used for Spencer’s personal gain. It was a weird thing to wish for, but the alternative would hurt. He didn’t want to lose Michael as a friend. He would cut him off at the knees if he became a problem, though. No sacrifice was too great for Rowan. She was everything to him, his present and future wrapped up in a pretty package
.

  “We don’t know anything yet,” Quinn stressed as he pulled her back against his chest. “We can’t stress about this until we figure out exactly what’s going on. You’ve met Michael. He’s kind of a goober. He wouldn’t think anything of a former acquaintance contacting him. He doesn’t know what you can do. He can’t share information with Spencer because he’s in the dark.”

  “He doesn’t know what I can do from us,” she countered. “He might know thanks to Spencer. What if he does? Do you think he’s been the one watching me for them?”

  Quinn hadn’t yet considered that and he wanted to kick himself. “We can’t jump to conclusions,” he replied finally. “We need to be calm. I don’t want to turn on Michael unless we have proof. After that, if he’s culpable in this, I’ll handle him. I promise you that.”

  Rowan slid her eyes to Quinn. She wondered what he meant by that. She didn’t question him, though. The details were probably too frightening for her to focus on. “Let’s just spend a bit of time together,” she suggested, gesturing toward the ocean. “It’s a beautiful night. There’s no reason not to enjoy it.”

  He kissed the side of her neck. “You read my mind.”

  5

  Five

  Quinn woke before Rowan, although he didn’t know why. One glance at the window told him all he needed to know. The sun was barely slipping above the horizon. He still had an hour to sleep. On a normal day, he would milk that for as long as he could because sleep – especially with her – was always welcome.

  Mornings were honestly his favorite time of day. Sure, he loved the evenings, too. He was perfectly happy climbing into bed, settling Rowan against him, and sharing a bowl of popcorn while watching some terrible horror movie. She was addicted to them. The gorier, the better. He found them entertaining so he watched right along with her. Then, of course, one thing would lead to another. He found joy in the simple act of holding her against him as they drifted off.

  Despite all that, mornings were better. Rowan wasn’t the type to wake up with a smile on her face. Actually, sometimes she did. That was only because she woke up to find him staring into her eyes. She claimed it made her laugh to find him so intense first thing in the morning. He always replied that he wasn’t staring as much as listening. She murmured as she was surfacing. He always tried to make out the words and never could. It was a game he figured he would never tire of playing.

  That wasn’t the only thing Quinn loved about mornings, though. He also enjoyed the fact that she was always warm and snuggly. Being slow on the uptake, she was also perfectly fine resting with her head on his chest in silence. There was an intimacy to the time that Quinn was convinced most others wouldn’t be able to understand. He did, though, and he looked forward to waking up every single day.

  “Your mind is making too much noise,” Rowan murmured as she shifted. It was the first sign she’d shown all morning that she was awake.

  “How do you know my mind is making too much noise?”

  “I could hear it in my dreams.”

  He chuckled. “What does my mind sound like?”

  “The prettiest instrumental music I’ve ever heard.”

  “Oh.” He was charmed despite himself. “That’s kind of sweet.” He poked her side. “How did you sleep?”

  They spent a good hour on the deck the previous evening, sharing the lounger and sipping beers neither of them particularly wanted. They both had a lot on their minds. Upon returning to the room, Quinn did his best to get her to forget her problems. He knew her subconscious wouldn’t be quiet in sleep, though. The mounting problems — which often felt insurmountable at times — probably tracked her through dreams that should’ve been much happier.

  “I slept fine.” Rowan smiled at him, but the expression didn’t make it all the way to her eyes.

  “How did you sleep?” he repeated, firm.

  She sighed, the sound long and drawn out. “I slept okay. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m not going to fall apart.”

  “I don’t believe that’s what I asked.” Quinn pulled back his head so he could meet her steady eyes. “How did you sleep? It’s fine to share as many details as you’re comfortable with.”

  His tone grated even though she knew he had the best of intentions. “I slept okay at the start,” she snapped. “I passed out right away and it was a deep sleep. Then it turned more restless in the middle of the night. I had dreams about shadowy figures chasing me through the corridors in the lower levels.

  “Now, I know what you’re thinking,” she continued, her agitation coming out to play. “I should’ve been safe on the lower levels because only people with keycards can get in there. I didn’t feel safe, though. People were chasing me — two or three people — and I couldn’t lose them. I’m pretty sure I know what that dream means and I’m not surprised I had it.”

  Her eyes flashed with potential mayhem as she glared. “There. Are you happy with the details?”

  He studied her face for a long beat without answering. Somehow he’d managed to push her to the point of no return in two minutes flat. That had to be a new record. He didn’t want to upset her. That was the last thing he wanted. He was, however, determined to take care of her.

  “If you ever get trapped down there, go to my office,” he replied finally. “There’s a hidden security closet behind that shelf because of the weapons. There’s more than enough room for you to hide in there.”

  Rowan worked her jaw. “It was a dream.”

  “Yes, but your anxiety is obviously high. I don’t blame you.” He shifted so he could kiss her forehead. “I’ll make sure you have a security pass that grants you access to my office and the gun room if you need it. That should give you two layers of security if you need to hide. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner.”

  Rowan’s mouth dropped open. “That’s all you have to say? You don’t want to pick a fight with me over my attitude?”

  “No.” He was calm, matter-of-fact. “You’re dealing with a stressful situation. These people are invading your turf. Say what you want, despite the fact that you’ve only been here several months, this is your home. It’s annoying when someone tries to break into your home. I would’ve been surprised if you didn’t have high-anxiety dreams.”

  His relaxed reaction only made Rowan want to fight with him more. “You’re ticking me off.”

  “I know.” That was the truth. He could tell that he was angering her with every word uttered. He simply didn’t know how to fix things. “I don’t mean to. I just ... want to take care of you. I’m afraid you’ll keep things from me in an effort to protect me. That’s not what I want. We should share everything.”

  “Everything?” Rowan was dubious. “I don’t think it’s possible for people to share everything.”

  “Try me.”

  “Okay. Right now I’m kind of in a pickle because I’m warm and I love cuddling with you. I have to pee, though. If I move the wrong way, my bladder might make me pay. That makes me think about what would happen if I accidentally wet the bed and how I would taint our relationship for life. So, I’m trying to figure a graceful way to exit the bed without upsetting you because I know you like your snuggle time in the morning.”

  Instead of being put off, Quinn barked out a laugh. “Is it any wonder that I fell for you practically the first moment I saw you?” He cupped her chin and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Go to the bathroom. After that, we’ll shower and head down to breakfast. I want to be up and about before most of the guests so we can position ourselves in the dining room to watch where the Phoenix Society folks are seated. I want to be the one watching them enter a room for a change.”

  Rowan arched an eyebrow. “You really don’t like them.”

  “I don’t like that they’re a threat to you. Plus ... I don’t like Spencer. I’ve barely met the man, but I can tell he’s full of himself. I don’t want him playing in my pool.”

  She tilted her head, considering. “Do you want me pla
ying in your pool?”

  “See, you and I are a unit. We share a pool.”

  “That’s kind of sweet.”

  “I’m a sweet guy.” He leaned close and graced her with a kiss so soft it made her ache. “Now, go to the bathroom so we can get ready. If we can swing by the suite rooms to see your father and uncle before they leave, that might be a good idea, too.”

  Rowan nodded, thoughtful. “I’m sorry for jumping all over you this morning. I don’t mean to be a grouch. I’m just not used to this. It’s like living in a fishbowl.”

  “I know. I’m not angry. I promise not to take it personally if you lash out here and there. You need to express your frustration and it’s better if you do it in the privacy of this room. I’m okay absorbing the bulk of your anger.”

  He sounded rational, which only made Rowan feel worse. “I’m not okay with it,” she countered, shaking her head. “I love you. I’ve never been this happy. You do everything for me. I don’t want to be mean to you.”

  “I don’t consider it being mean. You’re just ... wound a little tight right now. In truth, so am I. We’re the perfect pair. We’re going to get through this.” He made a face when his phone chirped on the nightstand. “Geez. So much for the lazy shower I had in mind.”

  Rowan couldn’t stop herself from smiling as he reached for his phone. “You want to do it again? You’re feeling pretty active since the Phoenix Society landed. Is there something you want to tell me?”

  He grinned. “Yes. My name is Quinn and I like having sex when I’m anxious. It calms me down.”

  “I think you like having sex regardless.”

  “That, too.” He frowned when he read his text message. “Well ... crap.”

  Rowan recognized the change in his tone. “Do I even want to know?”

  “I’m not sure,” he admitted, rolling his neck. “They found a body on the main deck.”

  Whatever she was expecting, that wasn’t it. Rowan pushed back so she could sit and relieve some of the pressure on her bladder. “I don’t understand.”