I put a hand on my chest. “From you? Are you out of your mind?” It was outrageous enough to be travelling alone with him. I didn’t need him in my cabin, helping me dress and watching my naked body while he fastened buttons and pulled strings.
“Not me.” He gritted his teeth. “This ship is full of ladies. Why didn’t you ask one of them?”
“Because—”
May the most bloodthirsty hounds of hell chase him. He was right. My mind had conjured up visions of him and me alone and half-naked in my cabin for no reason.
I pulled at the shawl again. “I didn’t actually think about that.”
“Come.” He took my elbow and led me outside, away from the blinding lights of the hall.
“Where are you taking me?”
“You can’t dance naked.”
“I’m not naked.” I shrugged my elbow free. “And didn’t you say I shouldn’t dance?”
“Let’s make a deal.” He shut the glass door behind us. The music was cut off as we stood on the deck. A warm wind caressed my skin and carried the scent of the sea. “No wine, but I’ll let you dance.”
“You’ll let me? My, how generous of you,” I quipped. “Will you let me have a nightcap too? A quilt against the cold? I’m sure you won’t object if I decide to sleep until seven in the morning.”
“All right. You’ve made your point.” He held up a hand. “It’s for your own good. I’m trying to help.”
“While being bossy. Will you tell me something about you?” I asked. “About the job you do for my father? Surely, you can at least tell me that.”
He didn’t flinch at my harsh tone. “Turn around.”
“What for?” I narrowed my gaze.
He heaved a sigh. “So I can button up your dress, and you can have your damn dance.”
After a moment of hesitation and scoffing, I turned around. “Honestly. No one has ever talked to me like this before.”
“Sorry to hear that,” he muttered as he shoved aside the shawl.
“Sorry?”
“Everyone needs honesty. Now stay still.”
“That’s rudeness, not honesty. You’re impossible—” All my bravado froze when his fingers touched the bare skin of my back. With surprisingly infinite gentleness, he worked his way up the dress. Each time he brushed my skin, my breathing came out a little faster. His movements slowed down. His fingertips lingered on my skin a bit longer than necessary with trepidation, as if he were worried I might scream.
He cleared his throat and quickly buttoned up the last button. “There. You’re well-covered. Would you like to dance?”
“With you?” I spun around to face him, astonishment giving me extra energy.
Rennie draped the shawl over my shoulders, avoiding my gaze. “If you want to.”
Did I want to? Yes, why not? I hadn’t had a lot of fun in the past few days, and even though there was something he and my parents were hiding from me, he’d been reasonably kind to me.
His large frame went still as he waited for my answer, and his eyes widened a bit. “I believe it’s rude for a lady to refuse an offer to dance.”
“Everyone needs honesty,” I said.
He chuckled, a sound so deep and rich it brought a smile to my lips. “I deserve it. Is it a no?”
“No.” My word, answering as he did was fun.
A corner of his mouth quirked up. He looked more handsome when he smiled. “So it’s a yes.”
