He squints down at me, looking as if he’s unsure what to say. “You’re that tired, huh?”
“I’m that tired.” I wrap my arms around his neck and sway into him, resting my cheek on his chest.
Ollie hesitates before circling my waist with an arm and pulling me closer. “So why aren’t you in bed?” he murmurs into my ear.
I sigh and let my eyes drift shut for a moment. “I took Nekesa’s shift so she wouldn’t have to be around that pervert all night.”
“You did what now?”
“Can’t leave any of them alone with him. He’s awful.”
“Soyou’replanning to be alone with him?” Ollie says.
“Mm-hmm.”
“If he’s that bad, you need to tell Xav.”
“It’s not that easy.”
“Like hell it isn’t.”
“Shhhhhh.”
Ollie groans and pries my arms from around his neck. He pulls me back so that I’ll look at him. “Nina, you need to talk to Xav.”
Well, there goes my five minutes of rest before the Red Bull kicks in and I have to throw myself into the fray again. I pinch my cheeks to try to wake myself up. “All he’s done so far is make a bunch of creepy comments. He hasn’tdoneanything—”
“Yet,” Ollie says.
“Relax, Ollie. This isn’t my first rodeo.”
“Didn’t like any of the others either.”
“I’m aware.” I take a step back, regretting how easily I’d fallen into his arms. How do I always forget how quickly Ollie can go from being a comfort to a nuisance? It isn’t like his worrying can change the situation. “Lovely chatting with you, Oliver. But I really better head back up there.”
But when I take the steps up to the sun deck, Ollie follows after me. “Really, Ollie, go to bed. I can handle it. You’ve got breakfast in the morning.”
“Won’t sleep a wink knowing you’re with that gobshite.”
I turn away without another word and keep climbing the steps. It’s no use arguing with Ollie. As stubborn as he says I am, he’s just as bad. Maybe worse.
The primary’s eyes slide over me when I step onto the sun deck and find the guests in the hot tub. “Nina, Nina, Nina,” he says. I hatethe way he says my name, like it’s an item on one of Ollie’s tasting menus.
“Hello,” I say. “Everyone doing all right?”
“I’d be a lot better if you joined us,” he says.
“She’s not allowed,” Ollie says from behind me.
The primary’s eyes leave me and focus on him. “Whoa, Chef. You can’t tell the lady what to do. She’s an adult.”
“She’s. Not. Allowed,” Ollie says again. “Boat policy.”
“Boat policy,” the primary mimics, butchering Ollie’s accent and making everyone but his girlfriend laugh.
She lifts herself from the hot tub. “I’m off to bed.”
“Can I get anyone a drink?” I say, trying to ignore the tension that practically radiates from Ollie. After taking orders for another round of mojitos, I step into the Sky Lounge to make the most watered-down version I can get away with.
