“The most beautiful woman on board,” Jordan says, taking my hand and helping me slide onto the barstool. I doubt he means anything he says. Just doing his job to help cheer me up.
“The only one younger than fifty in this crowd.” I frown at an elderly man who has his phone pointed our direction. Is he struggling to text or is he surreptitiously taking my picture?
“Not so,” he says, gesturing with his chin at the corner where a group of people sit staring at their smartphones. “Millennials. They must be paying an arm and leg to use the ship’s internet service.”
I spot quite a few attractive women, and my crest falls a little. But then again, some of the men could give Jordan a run on looks. Just because Jade put us together in a room doesn’t mean we’re meant for each other.
“Any you find attractive?” I ask to let Jordan know that despite the earlier kissing, I’m still very much a free agent.
“I’m partial to Asian women,” he says, and there goes the last dregs of my confidence. He doesn’t even like my type, brown-haired, brown-eyed, non-exotic American white bread without a fleck of whole grain.
“I happen to like blond men,” I counter. “Dark and handsome is overrated.”
“Then you’re in luck. I believe a team of Swedish water polo players is on board.”
Sure enough, Nordic male gods are gathered around a pool table. All they’re missing are the horns of mead, the battle helmets, and a horde of Valkyries ready to do their bidding.
Correction. Instead of Valkyries, a group of young, Asian women are taking selfies against the backdrop of blond, buff muscles while pretending to gawk at the half-an-airplane body riveted onto the wall above them.
“Oh, look over there.” I nudge Jordan in the direction of the giggling gaggle.
“Sweet!” His eyes light up as he takes in their slim, petite shapes and silky, straight hair. “Let’s get you a date first.”
“I don’t need you to get me a date.” I’m frankly shocked he’s giving me up so easily. But then again, I may have only imagined the sparks flying between us.
Yep. Definitely imagined it due to all the romance manuscripts saturating my brain.
“Jade told me to give you a good time,” he says, signaling the bartender. “Maybe a drink will help.”
After we order whiskey sours, I challenge him. “Did Jade instruct you to have a good time too?”
He shrugs. “I might as well. No home to go to for Christmas. No Christmas sweetheart to share a snuggle with. No children waiting for me to play Santa under the chimney.”
“Ah…” I play a mini-violin with my thumb and index finger. “At least you didn’t have a Christmas wedding and honeymoon cancelled.”
“I never got to first base,” he says as his gaze drifts to my lips, the ones that are still tingling with that long march under the mistletoe through the center courtyard. “Although you can help.”
If he’s angling for another make-out session, too bad. I just fixed my lipstick, and I can’t be having these confusing feelings about a guy who’s going to be sleeping on the bunk next to me for the next eleven nights.
Unless he’s sleeping elsewhere.
“Remember our rules. If you want to sleep with a woman, you have to go to her cabin. I refuse to be locked out of ours, and I definitely don’t want to smell any perfume other than mine.”
“Same rules apply to you. No other man in our cabin.”
“Now that we agree, how about we play a game?” I accept my whiskey sour from the bartender while Jordan pays for our drinks. “I find you a date for the night.”
“Deal.” He lifts his tumbler and taps it against mine. “I’ll do the same for you.”
It shouldn’t matter that he accepted my offer so easily. Just because he kisses were hot and tingly shouldn’t mean anything. Besides, it might be good for me to spread my wings.
“Okay.” I take a sip of my drink. “But you have to take whoever I find. No being picky or choosy.”
“Same for you.”
I hesitate a split second, but it’s only a dumb date to pass the time and keep my mind off the horrid Jordan Reed—he of the spit wads, paper airplanes, and gum in my hair.
“Hit me up with your best shot.” I down the rest of my drink, letting it burn through my gut. “You go first. Remember, the blonder the better. I go for the lab rat look.”
