by DRAYER, GINA
If they thought he'd go for Kitty, they were barking up the wrong tree. Matt had grown up in a loud and boisterous family. There was always a crisis or some drama. He hated all the melodrama. He wanted a woman who would be just as happy staying in as she would attending a party. A woman that would be his calm in his otherwise chaotic life.
And Kitty was not that woman. In the short time they'd been on the ship, he'd discovered how high maintenance the woman was. If the designer clothing and all too polished look wasn't warning enough for him, the fact that she'd complained about every single thing since boarding certainly was.
Just a few minutes ago, she'd sent back her salad for the second time. It was just a salad. How bad could the kitchen mess up a bunch of leaves with a few other veggies thrown on top?
"What a great idea. I haven't seen the apartment since you had the living room redecorated," Kitty agreed and turned an almost feral look right his direction. "We had so much fun at the wedding. I can't wait for us to get together again."
"Don't plan anything soon. I'm going to be swamped when we get back," he said. It was his fallback position, but it usually worked.
"You need to make time for your brother," his father said. He was bouncing Rebecca on his knee. "Business is business, but family is more important." He kissed the toddler's curly blonde mop and slipped her another cookie.
It wasn't that Matt didn't want to date. But between trying to build his business and the fact he preferred a quiet evening at home instead of nights out, dating just wasn't on his list of priorities.
Why was everyone determined to meddle in his life? He thought of the woman he'd met on the plane yesterday and the way she'd come to his rescue. He wouldn't mind being rescued tonight.
Matt was trying to think of a tactful way to tell both his parents to butt out of his love life, when a flash of crimson blossoms caught his eye. A familiar looking dark-haired woman wearing a form-fitting sun dress with large red flowers hurried down the aisle.
It was almost as though he'd conjured her out of thin air. He stood up and followed her across the dining room, desperate to find out if it was the same woman.
The woman had stopped to talk with a waiter. He didn't want to interrupt. Her back was still to him, and he still wasn't sure if it was her or not. But then she tossed back her head and laughed at something the man said, and he knew. Matt would recognize that laugh anywhere.
She laughed again and responded to some question, and then wound her way through the crowd at the server's station. She was almost to the door before Matt finally caught up with her.
"Beth?"
When Beth turned around and saw Matt standing behind her, she plastered on a smile, trying her best not to act guilty. After catching sight of him in the dining room, she'd tried to sneak out without being noticed. She didn't want to have this conversation right now.
It wasn't that she was unhappy to find out Matt was on the same cruise ship. Beth needed some time to figure out exactly how she was going to deal this new situation. She had kissed him on the plane.
Kissed. Him.
And he got up and left as fast as he could. Sure he'd given her his card, but he seemed in a hurry to get rid of her. She still hadn't decided if she was even going to call him when she got back home, and now she was trapped on a ship with him for two weeks.
"Hi," Matt finally said, when she'd just stood there looking at him slack jawed. He sounded about as perplexed as she felt. "When you said you were going on vacation, I didn't realize…" He waved his hand around indicating the boat as a whole.
"Are you here to make good on that offer of drinks?"
Matt just stared, shifting back and forth on the balls of his feet. Beth put on a big smile and tried to hide her amusement. Even though she wasn't sure what to do with him, she enjoyed teasing him. He was just so darn cute when uncomfortable. "I thought you said you were flying in for your parents' wedding anniversary party."
That remark got her an eye roll. "There will be a party, but this whole trip is part of the anniversary celebration. My sister's brainchild. My parents have been talking about a cruise for years, but never seem to make time. She thought if all us kids came, and we planned a big reception for their friends at our first port, they'd be forced to make the time. I didn't want to come. I think it's a bit much. I mean, I would have gone to the party. It would have easier to fly down for the reception, but—"
"But family," Beth finished with a knowing nod. She knew that feeling well. "I get it. I hope your parents have a great time. I'm glad we ran into each other. Maybe I'll see you around the ship."
She touched his arm and turned to leave when her leg was attacked by thirty pounds of young boy, moving at breakneck speed.
"BEEEETTTTHHHHH!" The young boy gave her thigh a crushing hug.
"Hey, slugger," she said and scooped up the boy into a proper hug.
"Jake! Jake, get back here!" A harried young woman with an infant on her hip came running up behind the boy. "Beth, I'm so sorry. He saw you walking through the dining room and the second I turned my back he was gone."
"Don't worry about it, Lily," Beth said and turned to the boy. "How's the chin?"
The young boy lifted it up proudly to show a large bandage taped to the side of his face and gave her a toothless grin.
"Thank you again for earlier." Lily turned to Matt to explain. "I had my hands full with this one when Jake fell. He was bleeding, and I didn't know what to do. Beth swooped in, wrapped up his chin, and helped us down to the clinic. She even sat there and told Jake about her time in Africa while he got his stitches."
"Beth wode an elephant," the boy announced.
"Your wife was a life saver," Lily said to Matt.
"Matt isn't my husband. He's just…" She looked up, trying to decide how to classify him. "He's just a friend."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I saw you together and just assumed." The baby in her arms started to cry. "I need to get back. But I was serious earlier. When we get these two settled into the child care center, Henry and I want to buy you a drink."
"I'll count on it."
Lily left in a hurry, chasing Jake back to their table. They were alone again, and Matt was looking at her strangely now. It made her a little nervous.
"What?"
"Seems like you rescue of men of all ages," Matt said. He straightened his back suddenly and pulled her out of the main flow of traffic into a little alcove. "Would you be willing to come to my rescue again?"
What was he thinking? Matt couldn't believe he'd just asked Beth to lie to his family. But when he saw her with the little boy, she looked a wife and mother. The kind of woman you'd marry. And when Lily had mistaken them for a couple, the idea just came to him.
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean by girlfriend," Beth said wrinkling her brow.
Matt rubbed his forehead. He was doing this all wrong. But then again, there probably wasn't a right way to ask a stranger to pretend to be in a relationship with you.
"My mom thinks I'm lonely, and she is going to drive me crazy this entire trip. She's doing her best to set me up with my sister-in-law's sister. I'm not interested, but Mom is on a mission. I was just thinking if my mom thought I was already involved, she'd leave me alone." Matt paused and watched Beth's expression for a few seconds, trying to gauge which way she was leaning. "I promise not to take over your vacation. All I'm asking is to be seen in public with me a few times. Maybe one dinner with my family. That's it."
She didn't say anything, just shook her head and laughed. But the fact that she hadn't slapped him and stormed off was promising.
"What about this anniversary reception? Surely you would be expected to invite your girlfriend." She used air quotes on the last word.
Okay, so maybe he hadn't thought the whole thing through. "That's only two days from now. We can wait until after the reception to tell them. That will give us time to set everything up." The plan was coming together in his head. He was confident they could pull it off
. Now to get her on his side. "I know it's asking a lot, but I could hardly last one night. Please, Beth. I'm not sure I can do another two weeks of this."
Beth studied the floor and tapped a finger against her ruby lips, as though she were mulling over the idea. "I don't know." She shifted and started chewing on the fingernail. The seconds that ticked by were excruciating, but then she looked directly at him and broke out in a huge smile. "Fine. I'll do it, but we need to get together tonight and nail down a story. For now, I hope you're good at improv."
Before he could answer, Beth grabbed his shirt, pulled him against her body, and pressed her lips over his. The kiss had caught him off guard, and when he didn't respond she broke the kiss. But instead of pulling away, she ran her hands through his hair and pressed her lips against his ear.
"Go with it," she whispered in a husky voice that sent an electric bolt down his spine.
Fuck. Maybe she'd taken him literally. He wanted to kiss her, but Matt didn't want her to think he expected anything physical. They were just supposed to pretend. But those finer distinctions fell away when she slid her tongue along his lower lip. So instead of trying to explain, he followed her instructions and just went with it.
Her lips were warm, full, and tasted like wine and sugary fruit. When he deepened the kiss, she let out a moan and teased his tongue with hers. At that moment, Matt completely lost himself in the kiss, forgetting that they were pretending or that he still didn't know her last name. All he could think about was getting his hands on her bare skin.
A throat cleared behind them. "Matt. If you don't let go of that woman, someone is going to call security, or worse: Mom is going to wonder what's taking us so long and come after you herself."
Matt broke away, light headed and a bit foggy. What the hell was he doing? He took a deep breath and tried to collect his thoughts so he could come up with some explanation, but Beth took charge. She ducked under his arm and snuggled in close, as if the spot was made just for her.
"This is all my fault. I didn't mean to interrupt your dinner. You must be Jason," she said and held out a hand to his brother. Matt started to panic. What was she going to say? They didn't have a story put together yet. "Matt didn't have any idea I was going to be here. I was going to surprise him later tonight, but he saw me sneaking through the dining room and the gig was up."
"And you are?" Jason looked from Beth back to Matt, looking for answers.
"I'm Beth Riley."
"My girlfriend," Matt added, hoping like hell she hadn't changed her mind.
She leaned back against his chest and looked up with her big doe eyes adoringly. "His girlfriend," she confirmed. Damn she was good, he almost believed it himself.
"Your girlfriend?" Jason asked suspiciously. "Why am I just now hearing about this? You realize Mom is going to have a stroke."
"Don't tell Mom yet. Beth won't…"
"I won't be any bother. Like I said, this was a surprise. Matt asked me ages ago to come with him, but I was scheduled to be in Costa Rica. There's been some flooding this summer, and my project has been delayed." Beth pressed a hand against Jason's arm. "I know it's last minute, so please don't include me in any of your activities. I'm just here to enjoy the trip, and keep Matt busy after everyone's gone to bed. After you're done tonight," she said to Matt with a wicked grin, sliding a key into his hand, "I'm in room 5872. See you then, tiger."
Beth kissed him with a loud smack and walked out of the restaurant, leaving him dazed. He felt like he'd been in an accident, and the only thing he could do was wait for help to arrive. That kiss had caught him off guard and sure felt like more than a bit of play acting. He was going to need a cold shower before he could face his family. Matt was pretty sure it wasn't a good idea to meet her in her stateroom. Maybe he'd call her instead.
"Girlfriend? Bridget's going to be pissed. You have to know she's hoping you and her sister will hook up. What am I going to tell her about this?" He pointed in the direction Beth had taken. "Girlfriend?" Jason repeated and slapped Matt on the back. "This should be fun to watch. Mom's going to flip her shit when she finds out you've stowed away a woman and haven't invited her to join the rest of the family."
Jason was right. He would have to think of something to tell her. But he already knew, no matter what he thought would happen, his mother would indeed insist he invite Beth to everything.
And that brought up a whole new host of problems. If they were together with his family, everyone would expect them to act like a couple. He could still the warmth of her body pressed against him, and Matt wasn't sure he'd be able to stay detached.
The idea had been so simple just a few minutes ago. Or at least he thought it had been, but now he wasn't as sure. This was why Matt always had detailed plans before he made a major decision. When he acted on impulse, he always forgot something. Now what happened the next two weeks was in the hands of the mysterious woman with coffee colored eyes and lips that tasted like wine.
"I was serious. Please don't tell Mom until I can explain it to her." Matt wasn't sure what he was going to say, but having time would allow him to plan. Maybe he could come up with some reason why Beth couldn't eat with them, do any of the planned activities, or otherwise let his mother at her. Yes, given time, he'd be able to come up with a plan and keep his promise to Beth.
Chapter 3
Modern Girl Tip #8: DIY—Not ready for a fling? Don't worry. A Modern Girl isn't afraid to do the job herself. Feeling hot and bothered after a long day? Relieve some stress by pleasuring yourself, but feel free to fantasize about that half naked pool guy.
By the time Beth had reached her stateroom, the last half hour had replayed in her mind so many times her head was spinning. She wasn't sure what had possessed her to accept his harebrained plan. Sure, he had been sweet on the plane, but that didn't mean she should get involved with his family drama. She already had family drama in spades.
And if that wasn't bad enough, Beth had to do what she always did, jump in without looking.
While he was trying to explain his situation, Beth had seen the man approach them. There was no doubt it had been his brother Jason. He looked just like Matt, all chestnut curls and dreamy blue-green eyes, only slightly shorter and more built. Where Matt was tall with the wiry muscles of a runner, Jason was built and had the thick arms or someone who lifted weights. She would bet he had been the star quarterback in high school.
Maybe that had been the impetus for her actions. Jason was the visual representation of what Matt was trying to explain. About how different he was from the rest of his family, and she knew a lot about being different. So in that split second, she decided to help.
It wasn't the pretending that had her worried. It was Matt. If he were like all the other handsome, well-connected men she knew back in Chicago, she'd be able to play along and keep her distance. But of course, Matt was different. He wasn't cocky or self-entitled. No, he was observant and mindful, as though he'd be more happy watching the people around him, than participating.
But as thoughtful as Matt seemed, he was really crap at spontaneity. It was immediately obvious to her that his whole plan had come to him out of the blue, and it was bound to be a disaster.
First, there was no way she'd get by with just a "couple" of appearances once his whole family knew she was on board and thought she was his girlfriend. And then there was the fact that they'd just met. She didn't believe for one second that they'd be able to withstand more than surface questions before everyone knew their relationship was fake.
But there was nothing she could do about that now. She needed some time to think before Matt came down to her room. It was going to take a lot to pull this whole ruse off, but she was more than willing to play this thing out. At least it would make the next two weeks interesting.
And Beth needed interesting. Cruise ships weren't the place for a single girl traveling alone. There were some families, lots of couples, and a mob of silver-haired cruisers that made her think there might be a Ma
tlock convention underway on the ship. If that afternoon was any indication, she would be bored to tears by the time they left the Caribbean.
Having an ocean between her and the wedding had seemed like a good idea at the time. Well, there was no use crying about it now. She was stuck, and Beth was determined to make the best of it.
Beth pulled off her dress and got into the shower, trying to focus on the positive. Maybe, this whole thing with Matt would work to her advantage. Now that she knew how well he kissed, she couldn't stop imagining what it would be like to have him in her bed.
A day at the pool and the salty ocean breeze had her skin feeling dry and sticky. And thoughts of being pressed against Matt's hard body had her hot and swollen. As the hot water ran down her body, Beth slipped her hand between her legs, teasing curls of hair as she sought her clit.
She worked her fingers with the speed, pressure, and rhythm required to bring her to a quick release. But just as she felt the climax build, a knock came at the door.
"Shit." She turned off the water and wrapped up in a fluffy bathrobe. If he'd just waited a few more minutes! Now Beth felt like her skin was crawling with need.
But instead of Matt standing there, a young man in a cruise uniform was standing at the door.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Riley. I was coming to do the turndown service." The steward gave her a quick once over and looked away. "I'll come back when it's more convenient."
She could only imagine how she looked to him, standing there sopping wet in more ways than one. Glancing at his name tag, Beth decided to let him off the hook. "Please call me Beth," she said. "Skip my room tonight, Candido. But you can leave some extra towels."
Because she either needed to finish what she started, or she was going to have to take a long cold shower to cool off.
Jason kept his promise and didn't say anything to their family. But in true brotherly form, he pushed the boundaries of that promise.