"You were very good back there. You had the crowd revved up and excited." Pushing the glass doors open, he nodded to a staff, who quickly exited.
"I'm good at my job."
Nudging her onto a comfortable sofa, he went to the phone and spoke quietly before coming back to join her.
"Lie back." He ordered. When she did, he lifted her feet into his lap and took off her shoes. As soon as he started to work on her insteps, she felt like weeping in gratitude.
"That feels so good."
He worked on them some more before transferring to her ankles. A frown touched his brow.
"They're swollen."
Her eyes flew open to meet his.
"A little."
"More than a little." He pressed his thumbs against them, his frown deepening when she winced. "And you're hurting."
"No." She shook her head, heart pounding. "It's just a little tender. Ah! The food. I could eat a cow."
She was saved from his response when the staff came forward with the tray.
"Thanks Maria."
"You're welcome Leanne, Ms. Wilcox." She darted a quick look at the silent man.
"Leanne will do fine."
"You may leave now."
The woman hurried from the room.
"You scared her."
"I'm not concerned about that."
Removing the cover and trying to distract him, she sniffed at the bowl. "Minestrone soup. It smells divine. And just what I needed." Taking up the spoon, she avoided his eyes as she put a dent into the chunky liquid. Her stomach was roiling and she was calling on all the powers of heaven to allow her to get through this meal.
She knew that if she once showed any signs of illness, he would strongarm her into going to the cabin. And she wanted to see the show through. There was a special ceremony at the end of it that she had orchestrated herself. She was damned if anyone else was going to get the credit.
"Want some?"
"I already ate." Leaning back and stretching his legs out, he continued to watch her like a damn hawk.
"Okay. I see what you're doing here." She gestured with the spoon and swallowed gamely.
"Enlighten me."
Her eyes glittered at his formal tone.
"And you can stop with that arrogant shit. I'm not some awed employee that you can just stare at and have them scurrying. I'm the woman carrying your bloody babies. And in case you've forgotten, I'm also an adult, and not someone who needs a babysitter."
"You insisted on coming here on the cruise like some overprotective daddy and I allowed it." Digging into the bowl again, she scooped up some vegetables and prayed earnestly that it would go down easy. "Now you're pissing me off."
"Noted."
"Go to hell."
