by Box Set
“Are you okay?” Malcolm asked.
Trish shook her head. How could she be okay when she kept attracting freaks? First cheater David, then the robber on the street who threatened more than stealing her jewelry, and grabby Tyson on the elevator. Now Ryan, who had seemed somewhat normal, just put something in her drink.
Ryan made it back to the table, setting a cocktail in front of either woman. “It’s busy over there,” he said, “but they assured me they’ll get more drinks out soon and have waiters circulating with wine when everyone finishes dessert.”
“I can’t wait to try this.” Sara picked up her drink, but Trish stood from her chair and grabbed it.
“Don’t drink that,” she warned. “Ryan’s a dirty rat. He put something in the glasses.”
Ryan’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Don’t turn into a psycho, Trish. I didn’t do anything but get the drink you asked for.”
“I’m a psycho?” Trish set Sara’s glass in front of him, still not sitting in her chair, the better to loom over Ryan and put him on defense. “I watched you put something in the glasses when you stopped at the far end of the bar. What was it, a roofie?”
“Why would I—”
“Because you want a female who can’t say no,” Trish shot back, not letting him finish. “I’m finding security and getting your ass kicked off this ship.”
Ryan’s mild manner disappeared, and he glared at her. “I’m not going anywhere. You can’t prove anything.”
Sara’s head bobbled between them as though she watched a tennis match, but her gaze finally fixed on Ryan. “You say she can’t prove it... but does that mean you did do something?”
“Of course not,” he roared. “No wonder she’s single if this is the way she treats people.”
Trish felt a calmness come over her, the same sensation she experienced while in the courtroom. She knew exactly what needed to happen here.
“Maybe I was wrong,” she said, keeping her voice light and sweet. “If you didn’t spike our drinks, prove it.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “How can I prove a negative? You’re delusional. I thought you said you were a lawyer. Must be shitty at your job.”
Trish let a victorious grin come across her mouth. “If the drinks are fine, drink one.”
“I’m not going to drink that girly crap. You’re crazy.”
A sudden presence loomed against Trish’s back as someone stepped up behind her, touching her lightly. She didn’t know how or why he was on the ship, but her body instantly recognized the person. Relaxing slightly into him, she decided Trench Coat could explain why he was there later.
“I believe the lady has a valid point,” Rider’s voice said near her ear, sounding rough, growly, and not just a little menacing. “Drink it.”
His breath against her skin caused a shimmy to go throughout her body, both intimidating and exhilarating all at the same time.
“I’m allergic to almonds,” Ryan said. “It would kill me to drink these. Who are you, her bodyguard? Go back to your table and mind your business, asshole.”
Rider’s gruff bark of laughter cut through the suddenly quiet room as conversations stopped to witness the confrontation. “I’m not her bodyguard, I’m her future boyfriend. You, on the other hand, are about to find yourself at the bottom of the ocean. I saw you put something in the drink too, so I know Trish isn’t delusional, as much as you want others to believe she is.”
Trish didn’t know if Rider would actually throw the poseur overboard. He seemed intense enough to do it. And what about his other comment? The fact that he was her future boyfriend...? Trish couldn’t think about that all right now.
“He put something back into his pocket,” she said, turning slightly so she could look at Rider over her shoulder. “Whatever he used, it’s still on him.”
Rider nodded. “Go get security. I’ll make sure he doesn’t move until they search him.”
“I’m already here.” A man wearing a tuxedo stepped into Trish’s line of vision. “You’ve created quite the scene. What’s the problem?”
Trish quickly explained what she saw, while Ryan tried to deny it. However, Rider’s confirmation that he saw the same thing tipped the scales her way.
“Put your hands on the table,” the guard said. “I’m going to search you. If you have any drugs, it’s to the brig until we reach port and kick you off the ship.”
“No need to search me,” Ryan said, holding his hands wide as though in surrender. “I’ll empty my pockets. I have nothing to hide.”
The guard nodded his assent.
A wallet, cell phone, room key, and an empty plastic sandwich bag came out of Ryan’s slacks. He patted both sides to show the pockets were empty. “That’s it. Nothing threatening here.”
“But the plastic bag,” Trish protested. “He must have had something in it.”
The guard shrugged, grabbing both drinks off the table. “I’ll ask the crew if they saw anything, but at this point, it’s your word against his. There’s no proof, miss. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to calm down or go back to your room. You’re disturbing the other guests.”
Trish stood, slack-jawed, as the guard walked away with the drinks, likely getting ready to dump out the only proof she had.
“Come on,” Rider put his arm around her waist and tugged her gently away.
“No.” Trish grabbed his hand away from her body but kept it held in hers. Somehow, she felt stronger with him by her side and didn’t want him disappearing. “He needs to be stopped.”
Rider was insistent in his tugging of her hand. “You can’t win this. Cruise lines like to deny crimes happen on their ships. Without proof, they’ll never do anything to him.”
Ryan sat back in his chair and chuckled. “You could have had all this manliness if you’d just kept your mouth shut.” He spread his arms wide, indicating his thin body. “Besides, even if they found something on me, I wouldn’t get into trouble. For a lawyer, you’re stupid.”
Faster than she knew what was happening, Rider burst from around her, pulling her behind his back as he leaned down within inches of Ryan’s face. “Maybe security won’t do anything to you, dickhead, but if you come near my woman again or do anything to anyone else on this ship, you’ll answer to me.”
Ryan’s face paled, and he scrambled to push his chair away from Rider. “She’s all yours,” he mumbled, looking as though he were ready to cry.
When Rider turned around, his face was red and a snarl curled his lip, but he softened when his eyes fell on hers. “Come on, Trish. Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter 7
Rider led Trish up one more flight of stairs to step out onto the open deck to the level with swimming pools. Luckily, the air was still chilly out on the ocean at night and very few people sat around the edges of the sparkling blue water.
Although she’d been silent to this point, Rider didn’t figure his luck would hold. He breathed in deeply, trying to calm himself from the instant anger he’d felt at that prick. He needed a clear head to deal with Trish.
Sure enough, she whirled around, pulling on his hand to force his attention on her. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “Not that I don’t appreciate you backing me up, but are you following me?”
“Following you?” He snorted, trying his best to show disdain for that theory. “I wondered the same thing about you when I saw you on the ship. But then I had to wonder why you’d follow me when you wouldn’t even pick up the damn phone all week.”
She had the grace to blush, the lights from the swimming pool softening the redness of her cheeks to a pretty glow. She dropped his hand and looked at their feet. “You didn’t call for a few days after we met, so I figured you weren’t going to. Once you did, I wasn’t sure I could trust myself with...” She stopped and shook her head. “Never mind. Sorry I didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure why you called.”
“Why I called?” Knowing he was pushing his luck, Rider took a step nearer, wrap
ping his arms around her thin body and pulling her against him. He brushed his lips lightly against the hair at her forehead. “I called because I haven’t been able to quit thinking about you. I should have checked on you the next day, but I didn’t want to come across as too eager. All I’ve wanted is to see you again, maybe go to dinner when you haven’t just been attacked.”
He could tell she warred within herself, as she swayed between pulling away from him and drawing nearer.
Deciding he needed to be careful not to overwhelm her again by being intense like he had at the restaurant, Rider released her. “It’s chilly out here. While you look totally banging in that dress, I don’t want you freezing to death.”
With a swift movement, he shed his suit jacket and wrapped it around Trish’s shoulders. He didn’t miss the way she inhaled and snuggled into it, exactly as he hoped she would. She might have ignored him, but he hadn’t totally blown his chances either.
She slipped her arms through the sleeves of the jacket, looking even sexier if that was possible. “If you were so into me, why did you come on a singles’ cruise?” she challenged.
“A friend offered me a discounted price when he couldn’t take the trip.” He shrugged. “It seemed obvious that you weren’t into me, so I took the trip. I needed to get my mind off you. But finding you here looking for someone new hurts.” He shrugged, knowing he was piling on the guilt, but this wasn’t entirely an act. “I thought we had a connection, but I guess you didn’t feel it.”
“I...” She sighed and laid a hand softly against his shoulder. “This cruise was my sister’s idea. She thought I needed to meet someone new. I did feel a connection to you that night, and it scared me. I wanted to clear my head.”
“You were scared of me?” He did his best to feign surprise but for some reason, it was hard to lie to Trish. He knew she should be afraid of him, since he was a total liar.
To his relief, she shrugged. “Stupid, right? I think I’m too suspicious of everyone after the way David cheated on me. I’m afraid to trust my own feelings right now. People aren’t always what they seem. Plus, my sister told me I needed to worry about my job. There’s just so much going on. I didn’t feel like I could add you into the mix.”
“Why would you need to worry about your job?”
“Well, she’s being blackmailed because our boss is a jerk.” Trish shrugged. “She has reason to suspect I’ll have problems too.”
“Blackmailed?” Shame and guilt washed over him again, but if he wanted any chance of winning Trish over and thus protecting her from Stacy Baker, he couldn’t admit his involvement. “I’m sorry to hear that. It must be awful for her. I hope nothing happens to you.”
Trish nodded, finally looking at him. “Me too. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Not unless Stacy actually did what he demanded and turned over everything she had against him, Trish, and Lucy once she was assured her husband wouldn’t bump and grind with Trish in between court trials. Not that Rider held out much hope Stacy would be honorable and do the right thing, but perhaps he could find leverage. He was a PI, after all. There was no rule that said he couldn’t use her own tactics against her. Rider was certain there were plenty of skeletons in the woman’s closet.
“Maybe I can help out after we get home,” he said. “I mean, you’re my future girlfriend, after all. That makes your sister practically family.”
Trish’s eyes widened, and she moved closer. “You think you could help her?”
“I’m not making promises, but if she knows who’s blackmailing her, perhaps I can find something on that person to make them stop.”
While using this tactic might return him to hero status in Trish’s mind, it also led him down a path of more lies. If he cared nothing for her, that wouldn’t be a problem, but Rider hoped something real could come out of this forced relationship.
“I don’t want your promise of help to hang between us,” Trish said. “I know Lucy would appreciate anything you could do, but I’ll pay you for that when we get home.”
“I’d do it for free,” he protested.
She shook her head, rising on her tiptoes and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I don’t want any question of why anything happens on this trip. You shouldn’t have to wonder if I’m about to kiss you just so you’ll help my sister.”
Every muscle in Rider’s body tensed and heat overwhelmed him. He put his hand beneath her chin, stroking his thumb across the soft skin of her neck. “We wouldn’t want any misunderstandings between us, that’s for sure.”
Leaning in, he moved his mouth toward hers, anticipation making his body tingle. For the past week, all he could think about was this moment. Most nights he woke from hot dreams featuring Trish, dreams that left him completely unsatisfied and frustrated.
Her sweet breath blew across his face, smelling faintly of the chocolate dessert they’d eaten with dinner. “I’m not normally the type of person to do this sort of thing,” she said, sounding breathless.
“Even if you were, I couldn’t think poorly of you,” he replied, delighting in the way her flesh broke out in goosebumps as he stroked her neck again. “All I’ve been able to think about since we met is tasting your sweet lips.”
As though she could no longer help herself, Trish lunged for him. Her teeth bumped into his, and Rider chuckled as he dipped her in his arms and followed her down in a more controlled fashion.
Their lips met softly the second time. Trish clutched his shoulders and a soft moan slipped from her mouth.
Rider swallowed her sweet utterance as his excitement rose.
She parted her lips, inviting him to deepen the kiss.
Though his entire body ached for more, Rider knew he had to hold back. She’d already hinted that she wasn’t the type of woman to do a one-night stand. Besides, to protect her from Stacy Baker’s blackmail schemes, Rider had to make her fall in love. One night was not enough.
Pulling her into an upright position, Rider broke off the kiss, wrapping her in a bear hug as he buried his face against her neck, inhaling her flowery perfume. “God, you smell good,” he whispered. “I need to let go of you right now, or I’ll never let you spend the night in your room alone.”
Her hand ran across his stomach, and she leaned her forehead on his chest. “Maybe I don’t want to go alone,” she mumbled into his shirt. “Does that make me an awful person?”
It took every ounce of willpower, but Rider let his arms drop and took a step backward. “The fact that you’re worried about being awful lets me know you aren’t ready for that sort of thing.”
“And I’m not clawing your clothes off, so you aren’t coming back tonight. Is that it?” she asked.
Although he feared she’d be upset with him, her shy smile let him know he’d made the right choice.
“I’ll walk you to your room,” he said. “I think we’ve had enough excitement for one night.”
“And let me guess,” she said, slipping her hand into his. “No matter what I do, you aren’t coming inside my suite.”
“Not tonight,” he agreed, “but don’t expect me to be a gentleman too much longer.”
She giggled and nodded. “I don’t need you to stay a complete gentleman.” She bumped her hip into his and led the way back to the stairs. “After all, you came to my rescue once again tonight, Trench Coat. You’re more hero than gentleman, and that’s just fine with me.”
Trish couldn’t understand what fates brought them together to end up on the same cruise, but she wasn’t going to question it. Walking down the ship’s hallway toward her room, hand in hand with the one man she couldn’t get off her mind, Trish couldn’t help but feel grateful that Lucy forced her into this trip.
Her sister had meant for her to meet someone new, but fate had intervened. Why else would Rider’s friend cancel a cruise and sell the ticket to him? Apparently, they were supposed to spend more time together, despite her earlier reservations about him being a rebound relations
hip and things getting too intense too quickly.
She also had to forget about David, making sure she didn’t let his actions make her distrustful of Rider. Not all men did horrible things to their girlfriends. She had to keep that in mind if she wanted to move past her breakup and find something real.
“I’m really glad you took your friend’s ticket,” she said, slowing as they neared her room. “Lucy paid for this trip and demanded I take it, but I wasn’t sure it would be any fun.”
“So you weren’t here trying to hook up with someone other than me?” He squeezed her hand. “When I spotted you in that dining room and realized you came on a singles’ cruise, I feared we didn’t have a chance.”
“All I felt when you stepped up behind me was relief.” It was crazy how she had instinctively known that it was Rider. Maybe his smell was already ingrained into her brain. Or perhaps her body spoke to his on a primal level.
“I still can’t believe that asshole tried to drug you.”
The growly quality was back in Rider’s voice, but Trish was coming to associate that with part of his hero persona. It happened every time he felt protective toward her.
“I can’t believe security wouldn’t do anything about him,” Trish said. “You didn’t seem surprised, though.”
“I’ve heard stories about cruise lines,” he said. “They’re under pressure to keep reports of crime down so they can say their ships are safe. Unless there’s something they can’t ignore, they ignore crime. Besides, we’re in international waters now, and I doubt this ship originates in the US. There are jurisdiction problems if a crime is committed.”
“But the FBI...” She trailed off, knowing that Rider had a better handle on these things than she did. She’d never had any cases where she defended someone that committed a crime while on a ship, so it wasn’t something she’d ever researched.
Rider shrugged. “The FBI technically can investigate, but only if crimes are reported, and that generally doesn’t happen. Even if they did, I’m assuming that spiked drink has disappeared out into the ocean, and there’s nothing for them to investigate.”