He takes the paper but doesn’t open it.
He’s just staring.
And I can’t help but stare right back.
Mi sono persa.
I am lost.
Someone walking into the room interrupts the moment. I look over to see Devon enter wearing the clean polo shirt he put on earlier but has changed into a pair of black pants. “Asher, excuse me, I—”
“Ah, Mr. Smith. I’ve been looking for you.” Golden Eyes turns to face Devon.
Devon halts on his way in and looks at the scene in front of him. He must be wondering why I am standing in this room, where apparently I’m not supposed to be, in nothing but a robe, with one of his crew.
Golden Eyes turns to face me, and offers a hand, “I’m Asher,” he says, with a tone of uncertainty. “I work for Mr. Smith.”
It’s an odd time for an introduction, but I’ll take it. I hold out my hand and shake his, feeling the warmth of his smooth, yet manly hand. “Emma.”
Devon looks back and forth between the two of us. “I’m sorry, I think I’ve missed something.”
“Not at all, sir. I was just making the rounds and found this beautiful woman in your music room,” Asher says, leaning into Devon. “Your very private music room where no one is allowed.”
I open my mouth, feeling awful for intruding. “I am sorry about that. I was just looking for you and I got caught up. After everything you did for us today, I can’t believe I was so rude.” My voice is set to a pleading.
Devon waits a long moment before answering. Turning his attention to Asher he says, “May I have a word with you?”
“Yes, sir,” Asher says with a cocky smile. It’s odd for the level of tension that is currently festering. The two men leave me standing in the music room, still behind the piano trying to figure out what to do. I pretty much have only two options. Stay or go.
I feel like an idiot. I have to get out of here. The look on Asher’s face was of dissonance, and I do not want to face him again. Once he tells Devon, or Mr. Smith, or whatever it is I’m supposed to call him, about how I was sneaking around his yacht, Leah and I will be asked to leave.
Opting for option two, I open the door and exit into the hallway, relieved not to see Devon or Asher anywhere. I walk down the hallway and head through the main areas, down the stairs and walk my way to where Leah is.
I’m not in the room ten seconds before she’s on me.
“Where the hell have you been?”
“You don’t want to know. Are our clothes dry?” I ask, making my way around her and over to the phone.
“Not yet. What’s up with you?” Leah’s hair is styled in the perfect way she always has it. From the smell of her, she sampled some of the lotions and potions as lavishly as I did.
Sitting down on the bed, I hold up the phone to dial our hotel to see if they can arrange a transport from the boat. “I think I majorly overstepped my boundaries.”
“What did you do?” she asks in a high-pitched voice.
I shrug my shoulders, embarrassed. My voice is sheepish. “Played his piano.”
“Either that’s a euphemism for something I desperately want to hear about, or . . .” She pauses, “Emma, did you really play a piano?”
I shrug again and slowly put down the phone.
Leah moves over to the bed and takes a seat beside me. “That’s really good to hear.”
The look in her eyes is one of relief. It makes me feel terrible to see it there. Relief should be a good thing but it’s a reminder of the worry I’ve seen on her face before—and on everyone in my family, to be exact.
I wave my hands in front of me, wiping the air to change the tone. “Change of subject. This guy walked in on me. He was beyond pissed I was even in there, let alone playing on what had to be the world’s most beautiful Steinway. I mean, it was ebony and had to have been a model D—” The look on Leah’s face lets me know I’ve totally lost her. “Anyway, apparently it’s Devon’s private room that no one is supposed to be in.”
“No shit,” Leah says.
