Quinn gently pushed a strand of hair away from her face. “You don’t think you’re going to find him, do you?”
Rowan shook her head. “I guess not anymore. I was desperate for it when Nick told me he was alive. Then Nick disappeared not once but twice and left behind some cryptic code we’re supposed to work out. I’ve been thinking about it a lot over the past few days — you know, in between couple’s massages, breaking into a dead guy’s house, and having a shadowy FBI agent track us down on the beach — and I’m starting to believe it’s simply not going to happen for me.”
“I don’t believe that.” Quinn hated the idea of her accepting defeat. “I think you’re going to see him ... and soon.”
“I don’t know that holding onto that dream is good for me. I want to focus on another dream.” Her eyes were sincere when they latched with his. “You’ve given me so much more than I ever could’ve hoped for. You’ve made me feel safe even though I didn’t think I could ever feel safe again. You’re more important to me than him and I would rather focus on you.”
The words warmed Quinn even as he internally cursed Nick for disappointing her. He wanted to snap the older man in two if he ever saw him again. “We’ve done that for each other,” he said finally, opening his arms so Rowan could slip between them and accept a hug. “I want to focus on you, too. That doesn’t mean I think this is over. Nick is going to show up again.”
“Maybe he will. I probably won’t be excited about another round of games with him, though. It’s too much.”
Quinn wanted to argue the point, but now didn’t seem the time. “Let’s put that behind us until it becomes necessary to worry about it again,” he suggested. “Until then, let’s focus on each other. Let’s go upstairs and take photographs, maybe have a drink at the tiki bar, and then pick a restaurant on the beach so I can stuff you full of crab legs. We set sail again tomorrow. I really want to enjoy tonight.”
“That’s why we’re going to treat it like another mini-vacation.”
“And I think that’s a fabulous idea.”
QUINN SAT ON A LOUNGER on the main deck two hours later, keeping one eye on Rowan as she darted from one side of the ship to the other. She was intent on playing with her camera, and since he had very little else to do, he was happy to watch her do it.
He talked with his men, worked on his laptop so he could check that every new camera was working, and fired off a series of emails to the cruise line bigwigs and Fred to see if he was getting anywhere with the coded letter. Quinn had pretty much resigned himself to being out of the loop for the ultimate takedown of the Andromeda folks, so he was prepared to let that situation go. They were leaving port the next day. Investigative opportunities would be out of his grasp after that. He needed to face it and move on. He was convinced that the truth of what happened on the rig — and whatever was going on with Jasper Fitzgerald — would eventually flow down to him. He would have to settle for that and let go of the rest.
“What are you doing, man?” Demarcus took Quinn by surprise as he popped up to block the sun.
“You’re a lot more stealthy than you have any business being,” Quinn groused as he shook his head. “Make a noise next time so you don’t scare the life out of me.”
“You’re a joy.” Demarcus rolled his eyes as he took the seat next to Quinn. “How come you’re so crabby?”
“Who says I’m crabby?”
“My intuition, which is always spot on.”
Quinn could think of a few other words to describe Demarcus’ world-famous intuition — something he was always boasting about — but none of them were complimentary. “Well, I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not feeling crabby today. In fact, I’m in a great mood.”
“Because of a certain photographer who just happens to be snapping a thousand photos with the new camera you bought for her?”
Quinn flicked his eyes to Rowan and smiled as she eagerly snapped at something over the ship railing. “She does put me in a good mood.”
“Ugh. You’re so gross.” Demarcus’ words were dismissive, his tone playful. “Other than the obvious, may I ask why you’re in such a good mood?”
Quinn saw no reason to lie. “Once Rowan has her fill playing with her new camera, I’m taking her to a romantic dinner on the beach and then we’re going to play a few pirate games.”
“Nice.” Demarcus winked. “I’m glad you have dirty games on the books for tonight.”
“It kind of freaks me out that you feel that way, but I’m going to let it go.”
“That’s probably best.”
“Definitely.” Quinn fired off an email and then frowned when a new one appeared at the top of his inbox. “What’s this?”
“What’s what?” Demarcus was only vaguely interested in the conversation since he was having such a good time watching Rowan with her toy. “She really is happy, huh?”
“What?” Quinn raised his eyes and followed Demarcus’ gaze. Rowan was indeed smiling. She looked happier than she had in days. “I think she is. She’s still a little shaken about her room being broken into, but she’s mostly over it. A few days at sea and she’ll barely remember it.”
“You could always spend the night in your room,” Demarcus suggested. “That could serve as a buffer until she’s ready to go back.”
“No, I don’t want that.” Quinn considered that option himself before heading in a different direction. “The room has been freshly painted and new carpet installed. That’s where we spend most of our time. I don’t want her feeling forced out. It’s better to take this on right now rather than put it behind us after the fact.”
“Fair enough.” Demarcus held up his hands in a placating manner. “It was merely a suggestion.”
“Yes, well, it’s not going to happen. She’ll be fine. I’m more interested in this.”
“What are you talking about?” Demarcus finally dragged his eyes from Rowan and focused on Quinn’s computer screen. “What am I looking at?”
“It’s an email from corporate. Apparently Larry is bringing a contingent to the ship tonight to meet with a few of the oil company execs. They’re planning a dinner and small cocktail party event.”
“I know.” Demarcus’ face was blank. “That email was sent out this morning.”
“Not to me. I just got it.”
“That’s probably because you and Rowan are the guests of honor.”
Quinn made a face. “What do you mean? My email says nothing of the sort. It just says that my presence — and that of the ship photographer, although they don’t cite her by name — is required in the main dining room at seven o’clock tonight. That’s it.”
Demarcus licked his lips, discomfort rolling through him. “Oh, well, if that’s all the sent ... .” He moved to slide off the lounger and escape, but Quinn snagged the back of his shirt before he could disappear.
“Don’t even think about it.” Quinn was firm. “What do you know?”
“I don’t know anything.” Demarcus turned sweetly innocent. “You know I never understand things.”
Quinn wanted to shake his friend until answers started pouring out. “Talk.”
“Fine.” Demarcus exhaled heavily and lifted his eyes to the sky before continuing. “I want you to know that I’m doing this under duress, though. I don’t like being bullied.”
“Whatever.” Quinn wasn’t particularly worried about his friend’s complaints. He was used to them and was more than happy to push him for answers. “Talk.”
“I don’t think it’s a big deal,” Demarcus supplied. “It’s just ... the head of the oil company wants to present you with some reward for helping save his men. That’s what the dinner is for.”
Humble by nature — at least when it came to stuff like this — Quinn’s cheeks flooded with color. “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“What’s not a good idea?” Rowan asked, appearing next to the lounger.
“Your boyfriend is upset because he’s being honor
ed at a dinner tonight,” Demarcus explained.
“You’re being honored at a dinner tonight?” Rowan’s eyebrows winged up. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t know.” Quinn couldn’t wrap his head around the change in events. “I had no idea it was going down.”
Understandably confused, Rowan shifted her eyes to Demarcus. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
In an effort to save time, Demarcus quickly broke things down for Rowan. When he was done, the photographer was surprisingly upbeat.
“Well, since I think Quinn should always get awards for the work he does, I’m excited that he’s finally being recognized,” Rowan said. “I guess that changes our plans for tonight.”
Quinn found his voice. “I don’t want to change our plans for tonight. I want our quiet dinner ...and a walk on the beach ... and the other stuff we were talking about.”
Rowan’s cheeks turned pink as Demarcus shot her a saucy look. “Yes, well, we can still do the other stuff later. As for the dinner, we can have a private dinner when we get back to port again. We won’t have to wait overly long.”
“But ... I don’t want to get an award.”
And that, Rowan realized, was the crux of his problem. Quinn was embarrassed to get an award. He didn’t want people staring at him. He didn’t want people thanking him for something he considered part of his normal job description. The whole thing made him uncomfortable ... and delighted Rowan in the process.
“Well, I think you’re going to have to suck it up.” Rowan gave his hand a squeeze. “It sounds like the boss wants you there. You’ll have to pretend it’s a surprise, too. I think you can manage that, though.”
Quinn’s lips curved down. “You’re enjoying this. You think it sounds fun.”
“No, I think it’s nice that you’re being rewarded for the hard work you do,” she clarified. “The fact that you’re going to be uncomfortable about it is only mildly fun.”
Quinn’s scowl was pronounced. “I’m going to hate this.”
“I’m kind of excited. It means I can dress up. I have this blue dress I’ve been dying to wear. It looks like I’ll finally get the chance.”
Quinn merely stared and blinked.
“You can wear a nice suit,” Rowan added. “It will give me a chance to play with my new camera, too. You know what? I think this is a great idea. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Quinn’s frustration was profound. “This is not how I wanted to spend my evening.”
“Well, suck it up.” Rowan patted his shoulder. “Sometimes you have to roll with life’s punches. This is one of those times. In fact, we should probably head back and get ready. This is kind of exciting, huh?”
“No.”
“Well, you’ll feel differently eventually. If I have to force you to be excited about this, I will. Now ... come on. We don’t have a lot of time. Oh ... do you think they’ll have crab legs tonight? Crab legs would make everything perfect.”
TWO HOURS LATER, Quinn’s mood hadn’t improved. He hit the main deck wearing a suit that set off his broad shoulders and dark eyes, Rowan at his side. Quinn was convinced that the only thing that would make the evening tolerable was how cute Rowan looked in her frock. It was short enough that it showed off her legs and long enough that her modesty wouldn’t be called into question. The straps were skinny and showed off her shoulders, which Quinn happened to adore. Even the fact that he would be able to enjoy her body in the dress wasn’t enough to lift his dour mood, though.
“We’re heading below deck the first chance we get,” he supplied as he tugged on his tie to straighten it. “I’m not kidding. You might have to fake being sick or something, so be prepared.”
Rowan was prepared for Quinn’s bellyaching, so she merely squeezed his hand and nodded. “I’m sure it will be fine. You might even have fun if you unclench a bit.”
“Who’s clenched?”
“You,” Rowan answered without hesitation. “In fact ... .” She trailed off, her eyes shifting to the gangway that led to the docking station.
Quinn followed her gaze, curious what claimed her attention in the middle of a sentence. When he caught sight of the men boarding the ship, he was dumbfounded. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“That’s Jasper Fitzgerald,” Rowan said after a beat, keeping her voice low. “I knew he was coming but look at the size of his security detail.”
“Yeah, that’s impressive,” Quinn said dryly. “Did you check to see who was leading that detail?”
“You mean Alex? Yeah, I saw him.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
Rowan shook her head. “No. I think he’s here for a reason, and whatever that reason is, will become apparent tonight. It looks like you’re not going to be cut out of the final takedown after all.”
Quinn was flustered. “You don’t think he planned for it to work out this way, do you?”
“I’m not sure I believe in coincidences any longer. As for this, it seems far too staged. Something is definitely going down tonight.”
Quinn couldn’t argue with the assertion. Instead, he merely linked his fingers with Rowan’s and bobbed his head. “I think you’re right. Stay close, huh? I don’t want to be separated from you for this.”
“Right back at you.”
18
Eighteen
“This is the weirdest thing ever. I don’t know what to do. Am I supposed to make eye contact? Is that suspicious? Wait ... if I don’t make eye contact, isn’t that suspicious?”
Rowan was a fidgety mess as Quinn led her toward the dining room.
“It’s a good thing you decided against going into the military,” he said as he pressed his hand to the small of her back. “I don’t think you would’ve made it long with your penchant for doing that.”
Rowan turned a set of wide blue eyes on him. “And what exactly am I doing?”
“Panicking.” Quinn skimmed his lips over the ridge of her ear and caused a shiver to run down her spine. “It’s going to be okay. I want you to stick close to me — I mean really close — and don’t go anywhere on your own.”
Eyes big and shiny, Rowan slowly started shaking her head. “What if I have to go to the bathroom?”
“Well ... .” Quinn broke off, unsure how to respond. He knew what he wanted to say. He also knew it would go over like a reality television show without screaming and hair-pulling. “I’ll go with you and stand outside the bathroom until you’re done. Or, better yet, we’ll find a way to go to the private bathrooms a level down. Our offices aren’t far from here.”
The look Rowan shot Quinn was right out of a Lifetime movie. “Oh, right. Like I’m going to let you stand guard outside the bathroom. That won’t look funky or anything.”
“I don’t really care how it looks. I care that you’re safe. You need to suck it up.”
“Maybe you need to suck it up,” Rowan grumbled under her breath. “Did you ever consider that?”
“Did you say something, sweetheart?” Quinn’s tone turned sickly sweet.
“I did. I said ... .” Rowan stumbled as she met his gaze. He was clear-eyed and determined, and something in her heart shifted at his expression. “I said I love you.”
Quinn’s mouth dropped open at the words. It was the first time either one of them had uttered those specific words. Sure, he’d been preparing himself for weeks to say them. He wanted it to be a big moment, though. He certainly didn’t want her to blurt it out when they were arguing about her bathroom habits and wouldn’t have a chance to celebrate for hours. “What?”
Rowan thought embarrassment would rule the day when she finally found the courage to tell Quinn how she felt. Instead, it was as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “It’s okay.” She was calm as she rubbed her hands over her hips. “I don’t expect you to say it back. It’s just ... I love you. I’ll do whatever you want to make sure I stay out of trouble tonight. I know what’s about to go down is i
mportant.”
Quinn worked his jaw, dumbfounded defeat washing over him. “I wanted to be the one to say it first.”
Rowan’s eyebrows hopped. “Oh, well ... .”
“No, I had a plan. I was going to make a big deal out of it. I was going to take you to dinner ... and the beach. I was going to do it before this all happened with Nick. Once we were distracted by everything else, I decided to wait.”
“It was a nice sentiment.”
“Yes, but ... you stole my moment.” Quinn rolled his neck until it cracked. “You totally stole my thunder. This is not how I saw this moment going.”
Despite herself, Rowan was amused. “I’m sorry to have ruined your moment.”
“You’re not sorry.” Quinn licked his lips as he glanced around the room. “I’m mad. Why did you steal my moment?”
Agitation, faint as a whisper, clawed through Rowan’s chest. It didn’t escape her attention that he had yet to say the words back. She told herself it was okay, that she didn’t need to hear the words. No matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise, she couldn’t shake her disappointment. “I wasn’t trying to steal your moment.”
“Well, you did.”
Rowan blinked several times in rapid succession. “I felt it, so I said it. Believe it or not, I thought it was a good thing.” Her irritation was on full display. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get a drink at the bar and ... take a breather from you.”
Quinn reached out to grab her arm, intent on stopping her from walking away. The look on Rowan’s face told him to take a step back and give her space, though. “I didn’t mean ... .” He felt helpless when she rolled her eyes and strolled away, his stomach twisting.
“That didn’t look like it went well.” Alex strolled closer to Quinn, a drink in his hand. “Your girlfriend looks angry.”
Quinn was furious when he slowly swiveled to face the gregarious FBI agent. “May I help you?”
Churning Seas Page 17