“Tease.” Nikos grinned. His half-submerged body beckoned under wavy lines of water. “We’ll have to get you a bikini. We’re going to be anchored in all kinds of secluded coves and nooks. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it.”
I wasn’t sure ifitmeant swimming with Nikos or nooky with Nikos. Maybeitwas his way of referring toit—you know, his thingamajig.
Trust me, you don’t want to missit.
“I have a pretty little bluff picked out for next week. Perfect for diving. Get yourself a swimsuit by then.”
I should’ve told Nikos I didn’t swim, that just sitting with my feet in the pool was stretching it. Diving off a pretty little bluff and hurtling to my death was really not my thing. I should’ve told him, but I didn’t. Because Nikos raised my hand to his lips and kissed it, as if to seal the deal.
“You and I are going to have a lot of fun on this trip,” he said.
Considering the only other single passengers on the boat were my grandmother, my mother, and my mother’s estranged friend, the pickings were slim for Nikos. Still, I had to rise to the challenge. Guys wanted adventurous, outgoing,fungirls, not mummified lumps staring at stars.
“It’s a date,” I said. Maybe I could keep him occupied enough to forget about diving off cliffs. Or maybe he could dive off a cliff and I could clap so hard, he’d want to do it again, and forget about me getting in the water. At some point I’d have to explain things to him—the real reason I didn’t know how to swim, which meant Ma Anga would come up, and then the thumbs and… Oh God, this was going to be so awkward.
I’d dug myself into enough of a hole for the night.
“I’m going to turn in,” I said. “Goodnight.”
Nikos pouted when I swung my legs out of the water. “So soon?”
“It’s been a long day.” I laughed and picked up my discarded shawl. He didn’t know the half of it. “See you tomorrow.” I congratulated myself for pulling off a graceful exit. No stumbling or slipping and more importantly, no choking.
Score 3 for Moti.
Life was looking good until I got to the crew deck. It was a little past eleven. Apart from a few crew members who were on night duty, everyone else was in bed. That meant Alex would be in the cabin. I opened the door slowly, with the kind of caution reserved for public washroom stalls—you know, where you’re praying you don’t end up locking eyes with someone sitting inside. He wasn’t there. Both bunk beds were empty and the bathroom was dark.
I washed my face and brushed my teeth in lightning mode. As an only child, I wasn’t comfortable sharing my space with anyone, let alone a stranger. An arrogant, eyebrow-cocking stranger who wanted to feed me fish with eyes.
I slipped into a T-shirt and shorts. No point wasting my sexy-but-effortless-but-itchy ensemble on Alex. It looked like the bottom bunk was mine, because a breakfast card with my name was on the pillow.
Please tick your preference and hang outside on your doorknob.
The choice was staggering—everything from cinnamon mascarpone pancakes, to blueberry French toast, to savory pies, to a blank section for custom requests. I picked the omelet, indicated egg-whites only, my time preference, and stuck it on the door.
I had just turned the lights off when Alex arrived. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. Then he started dropping his clothes—his T-shirt, pants, God knows what else. Thankfully, it was too dark to see…until he turned the light on in the en suite. There he stood, bare-bottomed as the day he was born, tan lines stark against his skin, splashing water on his face. He undid his hair and turned around, his thick hair tumbling around his shoulders, naked silhouette outlined against the frame of the bathroom door.
I squeezed my eyes and pulled the covers up to my chin. As ifIwas the one that needed covering up. He let out a string of Greek curses when he saw me. I heard some thudding and hopping as he retrieved his underwear. Or his pants. Hopefully, both.
“What are you doing h—”
“How dare you—”
Our sentences collided, and I got the distinct impression I’d caught him off-guard. He’d been expecting an empty room.
“Didn’t they tell you I was going to be here?” I blinked, the covers still clutched to my nose.
“Had I known, I would’ve turned onallthe lights and given you a proper show.”
We glared at each other. He had a very nice butt. Okay, nice wasn’t the word. He had a spectacular butt—round and firm. Unlike mine, it was smooth and dimple-less, which made me glare at him harder.
“Why are you here?” he asked, arms folded across his chest. Pants on, shirt still on the floor.
“It’s not out of choice. Trust me.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know. Depends. Captain Bailey said it was okay until things get sorted out.”
