“Second,” Sinclair continued. “We think we’ve nailed the crew member who attacked Ms. Stamford, and we wondered if you’d sit in on the interrogation.”
“No!” Joshua blurted out, his voice flat. “No, hewon’t!”
“Josh…” Colin began, but Joshua held up his hand, halting Colin’s words, and wheeled to face Sinclair.
“Officer Sinclair, I respect your position on this ship. I’m happy Colin could help Louise, and I’ll help her myself in any way I’m able.” He leaned toward the security officer. “But he’sdone. He’s done playing cop. He’s done playing investigator. He’s done.”
Sinclair nodded. “I understand.”
“I hope you do,” Joshua told him. “Because, at this point, I’m fully prepared to get nasty as fuck about this. There’s an emotional price tag attached to this kind of interaction that he pays in full! It takes him a long time to recover from it.” His gaze moved between the two men as if waiting for one of them to debate the issue with him. When no one spoke, he held out his hand to Sinclair. “Thank you for your service, Officer. We’ll be happy to chat with the FBI tomorrow if it doesn’t take too long. But Colin willnotbe doing any more police work on this cruise. He’s on vacation.”
Sinclair shook Joshua’s hand, then glanced at Colin, who laughed and held out his hand. “Sorry, Blake. But I’m smart enough to know when to shut my mouth and live to fight.” He glanced up at his husband. “I don’t debate him when he’s in this mood; I’ve discovered that it’s pointless.”
The security officer shook Colin’s hand, wished them good night, and left.
Once the door closed, Colin flopped back onto the bed and peeped up at Joshua through narrowed eyes. “Well, aren’tyoujust big and bad!”
“Sorry if I sounded bossy.”
“You didn’tsoundbossy,grá mo chroí. Youwerebossy!”
“You want me to bring him back? You can overrule me if you like.”
Colin grabbed Joshua’s hand and dragged him down onto the bed. “Absolutely fuckingnot! I like it when you’re bossy. I happen to think it’s hot asfuck!” He drew Joshua’s head to his shoulder and kissed his hair, then drew a long, deep breath and slowly let it out. “It’s hard for me to say ‘no’ to that kind of request even when I don’t want to do what they’re asking. And when Idosay no, I drown in guilt.”
“Gee,” Joshua murmured, rolling his eyes. “Imagine mysurprise.”
“Hey!” Colin protested, gouging his ribs with an elbow. “I’m trying to thank you for deciding for me.” He cupped Joshua’s face in his hand, lifting it until their eyes met. “I’m trying to thank you for being ‘protective, Josh.’”
The door linking their suite with David and Nate’s opened slightly. “Are you guys decent?” David asked, his voice low-toned.
“Come on in, Davy.” Colin released Joshua and sat on the side of the bed. “And in answer to your question, we’re fully clothed, though I’m not sure that means we’redecent.”
“Came to get your thoughts about dinner,” David told them.
“Lido!”
“Yes, yes, I know. Lido,” David snickered. “I was inquiring abouttime,not destination.”
Colin shrugged. “I’m not picky. Whenever you guys want to go.”
“But we have to be back here by nine o’clock,” Joshua added in a rush as he clambered out of bed.
“What for?” David inquired.
Colin grinned and peered up at Joshua, who stood staring at David, struggling to come up with a plausible explanation. “Well?” he encouraged. “Tell the man what for?”
Joshua shot him a glare. “Shut up!” He turned back to David, and his face twisted in a perplexed grimace. “Well, uh, I just, um…” He wheeled and threw another dagger glance at Colin, who was snickering behind his hand.
“What thehell, Josh?” David exclaimed, looking back and forth between the two men.
“Justtrustme, we have to be back by nine!” Joshua sputtered, then turned and gave Colin’s arm a sharp jab. “Andstopbeing a twat!”
“Well,thatwouldn’t be any fun!”
“Nevertheless!”
“Aren’t vacationsrelaxing?” David offered with a grin.
