They stopped in front of her door. “Thank you, Raúl, for your escort.”
“Perhaps I will see you up on the deck after dinner?”
“Only if the weather permits.”
He bowed slightly. “Then until later,señorita.” He took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles before turning and walking away.
Her smile widened. Nash would probably hate Raúl immediately, and not because he felt any kind of jealousy. No, Nash would be suspicious of Raúl for fear he worked with Matthew Burke. She wouldn’t let Nash know that, behind his back, she would do some investigative work herself.
Maxey opened her wrist purse, withdrew her key, and unlocked the room. Before closing the hard oak door, she lit the lamp on the desk and quickly searched every corner to ensure she was safe. Nash’s fears kept her more worried than she’d been before. But being cautious was good. He had taught her that.
She stepped inside and closed the door. After removing her shawl, she flung the black lace garment to the bottom of the bed and flopped on the mattress. Immediately, her attention dropped to the blankets on the floor where Nash slept. He had insisted on sharing a room. Now she realized it was a good thing to tell Raúl that Nash was her uncle. She could only imagine what the other passengers would think if they knew the truth.
So far this trip, he’d acted the part of a gentleman and slept on the floor, giving her the semi-comfort of the lumpy mattress. But it worried her that he would eventually try to change that arrangement.
Keeping away from him had been easy, thanks to her unsettled stomach. Gradually, she felt a little better, and soon there could be no excuses. She would have to face her attraction for him, yet controlling her thoughts and actions was very important.
On the nightstand, she found the mints and popped one into her mouth. These helped slightly with her seasickness. Then she picked up the book she had brought to keep her entertained during the trip. Thankfully, Nash had thought to pack several novels while he readied for this voyage.
With a sigh, she lowered the book to her lap and frowned. Nash’s distracting image crept onto each page. She had to admit that some of his actions were thoughtful, and he looked out for her welfare and comfort most of the time. However, his charm and sweetness could not be overlooked.
But she couldn’t let him control her mind. She hated that her body still weakened from his sultry eyes.
She snapped to awareness and pounded her fist against the mattress. Curse those irresistible chocolate eyes for mesmerizing her whenever she thought of him.
When heavy footsteps sounded at her door, she jumped. The door flew open and hit the wall with a resounding crash. Nash stepped inside, his muscular frame filling the area perfectly. His eyes were narrowed, his forehead creased.
Her heart hammered wildly. What had she done now?
Chapter Nine
Nash’s chest heavedwith quick breaths. Scanning the area, he searched for the man who had accompanied Maxey to their room. Really, there wasn’t any place to hide in such cramped quarters, but he still checked every spot he could find to ease his worry. She sat on the bed with her feet on the blankets, a book in one hand, staring at him with wide eyes as the other hand reached for the mints on the nightstand.
No longer did she appear sick. The color had even returned to her face.
“Why did you make such a grand entrance?” she snapped.
She must have suspected his insecurities. He relaxed and calmly walked into the room, closing the door behind him.
“Maxey? Who was that man with you?” He kept his voice steady even while unwanted emotions jumped in his chest.
She cocked her head. “You saw me with a man?”
The corner of his mouth twitched up as he tried not to grin. “Do not play coy with me.” He moved to the side of the bed and sat by her legs. “I saw him escorting you down the stairs a few minutes ago.”
“His name is Raúl Zamora.” She paused, but only for a moment, before she gave an irritated chuckle. “You saw me with another man and thought the worst, correct? Especially when we headed in the direction of the cabin.”
“Maxey, I did not think such a thing.”
“Yes, you did.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Which is why you made such an explosive entrance. You thought to catch us doing something improper.”
“No, my sweet.” He tried to keep his expression blank, hoping not to give away his true thoughts. “I worried you had taken up with a man you hardly knew.” He caressed her shoulder. “Because of our situation, we cannot trust anyone.”
She swatted away his hand. “No, because ofyoursituation,youcannot trust anyone. I, on the other hand, am free to trust whom I may.”
“But if by chance someone on the ship is watching me, they will know you are with me.”
“Stop, Nash, please.” She closed her eyes and kneaded her forehead. “Do you really think someone that evil is on the ship? You sneaked us out of my house without being spotted. We even left your townhouse in disguises.” She met his stare. “I don’t think anyone followed us, and I definitely don’t think anyone on this ship is watching you.”
