“Oh,” I said, unsure how best to respond. Ollie hardly ever mentioned his family. “Why’d he name it that?”
Ollie kept stroking my cheek, but I could tell his mind had drifted elsewhere. I didn’t move, just lay there and waited. “Not sure. I’d guess it was because of my cat allergy. My nose was like a faucet around that damn cat, but she followed me everywhere anyway. She was the coolest. Acted more like a dog.” He paused for a moment. “Probably not around anymore.” There was a moment of quiet, but then he seemed to emerge from whatever memory he’d gotten lost in. His eyes focused on mine as if he’d forgotten I was there. “Did you have any pets as a kid?”
I shook my head. “Too much traveling for gymnastics to ever have a pet.”
“Did you want one?”
“When I was younger.”
“But not now?”
“I’ve never really thought about it. It wouldn’t seem fair to have a pet when I’m gone for four months every year.”
Ollie’s hand drifted from my cheek to my earring. “Guess you’re right,” he said.
“We should live in this bed,” I said, and snuggled deeper into the covers. “I’m staying here all night. You’ll have to drag me out of it for dinner.”
“Why not just eat dinner here?”
“You’re a genius, Oliver Dunne,” I said, snapping my fingers. “I likeyour style. Breakfast in bed is overrated. Dinner in bed is where it’s at. Should we order pizza?”
Ollie scowled. “No way. This is a special occasion. When do we ever get to be superyacht guests? I know a yacht chef who makes the best tapas you’ve ever had.”
“Where is she?” I said, and pretended to search the room.
Ollie stuck his tongue out at me before sitting up with a sigh. “Why don’t you pick out one of your board games and we’ll make a night of it.”
“Dinner in bedandgame night? I think you’re trying to woo me, Oliver.”
“Don’t like it when you call me that,” he said.
I waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, you love when I call you that. It makes you feel special.”
“Maybe,” Ollie said. “But I’ll never admit it.”
Ollie left for the galley. I’d just finished setting up Settlers of Catan on the bed when he returned with more food than seemed reasonable seeing as it was just the two of us.
“Are you expecting guests or something?” I teased. “I don’t have the expansion, so we can only have up to four players.”
“I may have gotten a little carried away.” He passed me a giant plate before sitting opposite me on the bed and glancing at the board game between us. “Settlers. Oh Jesus, is this that game with the sheep?”
I narrowed my eyes. “This is a great game. You just haven’t played it enough to appreciate it.”
He stuffed a croquette in his mouth. “Once was plenty. This game is boring.”
He finished off another croquette and licked his thumb. The food. The bed. The board game. It was all a bizarre combination of things I couldn’t have predicted would be so... arousing.
“Fine, how about we make it a bit more interesting?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Making up your own rules again? I think that’s called cheating, love.”
I ignored the comment. “I’ll admit that not everyone has sophisticated enough tastes for Settlers of Catan. But I am positive that evenyouwould enjoy Settlers of Catan After Dark.”
“I’m listening,” Ollie said. “How do you play?”
“It’s simple, really,” I said, busying myself with a croquette. “Whenever one person builds a settlement, the other removes an item of clothing. What do you think?”
Ollie tilted his head this way and that, a croquette in each hand. He lifted one and took a bite. “On the one hand, I still have to play Settlers of Catan. But on the other hand,” he said, looking at his other hand, “this does sound like an intriguing twist. How does a person win Strip Settlers?”
