“Jase,” Shawn said. The two men clapped each other on the backs. “I’m glad you made it. I saved you the best seat in the house.”
“And beside the prettiest lady,” Jase said. He gave Natalie a Hollywood smile she was sure turned most women to jelly as he took his seat beside her. “Nice to see you again, Natalie.”
“You too,” she said. “Are you enjoying the cruise so far?”
“Definitely. Shawn here has been a huge help. I’ve probably driven him nuts with all my questions about cruising.”
“Not at all,” Shawn said. “Can I get either of you something to eat or drink before the contest begins?”
Jase shot Natalie a sly look. “In the mood for a chocolate chip cookie?”
Her cheeks burned as she quickly shook her head, not able to even look at Shawn. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Me too,” Jase said.
“Okay then. Let me know if either of you need anything.” He stared straight at Natalie. “See you at the dance tonight?”
And just like that, it was hard to breathe again. “Yeah. See you.”
Shawn nodded and walked away. She couldn’t help but admire his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and lean legs.
Wait. That limp was still there. Natalie frowned, watching carefully. Yes, he was definitely still limping. There’d been a thick scar on his knee. Had their unfortunate encounter in the buffet room aggravated an old injury? She really hoped not. He’d been so nice to her today. Men were lining up, flexing their muscles and making exaggerated faces while the cruise employee spoke into a microphone, giving instructions to the crowd about how the competition would run.
“Everything okay?” Jase asked, breaking into her thoughts.
Natalie’s cheeks heated as she realized she’d been staring at Shawn for far too long. She glanced over at Jase. Maybe she could play the whole thing off. “Yeah. I mean, I guess. Shawn’s limping. I noticed it yesterday.”
Jase shrugged. A waitress passed by, and he lifted two frothy daiquiris from her plate and handed one to Natalie. “Maybe he hurt his leg or something.”
Natalie accepted the drink, taking a determined sip. She would not let Jase see her blush. “Uh, yeah. I think it was kind of my fault.”
Jase leaned forward, his attention fixed on her. Behind him, Natalie noticed men lining up on the pool deck and someone in the sky blue polo of the cruise ship speaking to them. It seemed the contest was about to begin.
“Sounds like there’s a story there,” Jase said.
Natalie took another sip of her drink, letting it cool her rising temperature. “Just one that leaves me humiliated and embarrassed.”
Jase raised an eyebrow in question.
“We sort of crashed into each other yesterday. His shirt fought with my plate of food, and I think his shirt lost.”
“Ah.” Jase relaxed back against his chair and chuckled. “I’m sure he’s fine. Shawn seems like a tough guy.”
Tough. Gorgeous. Perfect. Shawn was on the other side of the pool now, motioning with his hands while he spoke to the lifeguard on duty. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Welcome to the Ocean Dream’s world-famous belly flop contest!” a voice boomed across the speakers. “Today, these fine gentlemen will compete for the honor of being crowned the Belly Flop Champion.”
The crowd clapped loudly as they whooped and hollered. Natalie noticed quite a few of the Toujour men lined up to try and impress the ladies. Not Shawn, though. She couldn’t imagine him ever doing something so juvenile. He’d finished talking to the lifeguard and was speaking to two ladies, old enough to be her grandmother.
“You know, I think he’s single,” Jase said.
Natalie’s attention snapped back to him. “What?”
“Shawn.” Jase’s eyes crinkled with mischief as he motioned with his head across the pool.
Involuntarily, her gaze returned to Shawn. He was hefting two lounge chairs over his head now, muscles flexing, but didn’t seem to even be breaking a sweat. He set them down close to the pool and motioned for the two ladies he’d been chatting with to take a seat.
Adorable. Natalie was pretty sure her ovaries had just clapped in delight.
“I think he likes you,” Jase said.
Oh gosh. Natalie’s cheeks were going to burst into flames at any second. Maybe her entire body. If someone had told her yesterday she’d be having this conversation with a movie star, she would have laughed in their face.
“He’s just being polite.” There had been that weird whatever between them after they helped Skye to her room, but she was like sixty percent sure she’d imagined the whole thing.
Jase snorted. “There’s polite, and then there’s infatuated. I’ll give you one guess which category Shawn falls into.”
Natalie glanced across at Shawn again. It took her a moment to find him. Brooke had arrived, almost unrecognizable in a dark navy swimsuit and with a baby in her arms. Shawn was nodding while Brooke spoke rapidly. Whatever they were talking about, it must not be too bad because they were both smiling. Probably an update on Skye.
“You should go for it.” Jase nudged Natalie’s shoulder with his own. “He’s single. You’re single. Why not?”
Natalie held her daiquiri with both hands, barely registering the chill. “Uh, maybe because we’re only on this boat for another six days. That seems like a great reason not to go for it. Besides, you’re misreading things. Shawn doesn’t think about me like that.”
“But you think about him in that way,” Jase said.
Natalie bit her lip. The baby must’ve thrown up or something, because Shawn was handing Brooke a pile of napkins, which she used to dab at her shoulder.
“Just a suggestion. Shawn seems a little reserved, but I can tell he’s into you. He probably won’t make the first move, though. Men like Shawn are honorable and don’t want to cross any lines without permission. He’s an employee. You’re a guest.” Jase lifted a shoulder as though that said everything.
The first man stepped up to the pool’s edge, flung out his arms, and fell face-first into the water. A splash rose into the air as the crowd laughed and clapped. The man emerged from the water a moment later, holding his fists in the air as though he’d just won a medal.
But he only held Natalie’s attention for a minute. Like a magnet, her eyes were drawn back to Shawn. He watched the contest from the back of the crowd, his arms folded across his broad chest and a small smile on his lips.
He glanced across the pool, as though sensing her gaze. Their eyes locked, and his smile widened. He lifted a hand in a small wave. Natalie lifted her own hand in response while her heart beat frantically in her chest.
Another employee walked up to Shawn, stealing his attention. The two men spoke for a moment, then both turned and walked through the sliding glass doors leading into the buffet.
Natalie turned her attention back to the contest. Maybe Shawn was interested in her. And maybe Natalie was interested in him. The real question was, what did she want to do about it?
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Sorry to pull you away from the contest,” Gage said as Shawn followed him from the lido deck. “I just knew this was the only time I’d be able to catch you before tomorrow.”
“Don’t apologize,” Shawn said. “I’m so happy you have more supplies for the school. We’re doing pretty well on toys for the kids, I think, but not quite where I’d like to be on necessities.”
“It’s a good thing you do, Shawn.” Gage gave him a rough pat on the back. “This is, what, the fourth year we’ve done this?”
“Fifth,” Shawn said. He’d first gotten the idea after going ashore in Belize six years ago and seeing a group of orphaned schoolchildren singing Christmas carols in the town square. Every year since, he had chosen a port that they would be docking at near Christmas and gathered supplies and gifts for the children of a school or orphanage, or sometimes—like this year—somewhere that served as both. He even had a Santa suit he dressed up in to ad
d a little magic to the event. It made being away from his own family during the holidays a little easier.
“We’re meeting in your room at eleven in the morning, right?” Gage asked.
“Right,” Shawn said. “I’ve already cleared it with Mike. Anyone who wants to help can put in a request to their supervisor, and will be granted two hours of shore leave.” It hadn’t been easy that first year to convince the cruise to let so many employees off the ship to help deliver the presents, but the goodwill it had garnered with the communities in the various ports of call had eventually convinced Mike it was worth it. Maybe not a particularly philanthropic attitude, but Shawn would take what he could get.
Shawn followed Gage into the crew quarters and grabbed two of the boxes loaded down with school supplies while Gage grabbed the remaining box. Shawn barely even registered their weight as he headed back to his own cabin, Gage following close behind. Most of Shawn’s free time was spent in the crew gym, and the result was he was stronger than he’d ever imagined he could be after the accident.
He wondered what Natalie did to celebrate the holidays. She seemed like the type of girl who’d be close to her family and go home to celebrate. Wyatt James was always talking in interviews about how much he appreciated the support of his parents and sister, at any rate. A twinge of sadness encompassed Shawn at the thought of spending another Christmas season alone.
Last one, he promised himself. When he’d first applied for a job with the cruise line, he hadn’t really thought through all the implications of joining. His leg had been stiff and practically useless from the car accident three years earlier, his dreams completely shattered. That first year, he’d relished spending the holiday alone. Christmas—and, more specifically, Christmas Eve—was just a reminder of how much he’d lost.
But then he’d seen those nuns with the schoolchildren in Belize. Slowly but surely, his heart had changed. Now he was finally ready to embrace his future—one that didn’t include the military, but was still bright.
He wondered what Natalie would say if she knew his story. She seemed like the type who would understand. When she’d first run into him in the buffet, he’d thought she was another thoughtless tourist only interested in a good time. But she was complicated. Fascinating. An Arizonan who didn’t swim.
And he couldn’t get her out of his mind.
Shawn set down one of the boxes and unlocked his cabin door. He motioned to the stack of boxes beside his couch. The gifts had all been sorted according to age groups and wrapped in brightly colored Christmas paper, and the supplies sat neatly stacked beside them. “You can set it down there.”
Gage nodded and dropped his box besides the others before going back for the one Shawn had left in the hallway. “Thanks again,” Gage said.
“No problem.” Shawn clapped him on the back as they walked toward the door. “See you tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” Gage agreed. He gave a little wave and left.
Shawn shut his cabin door, surveying the items he’d collected with pride. The kids at St. Marguerite’s would have a very merry Christmas this year, even if Shawn would have yet another lonely one.
He hoped Natalie wouldn’t spend the holidays alone. That she had big plans with her family. Would open presents on Christmas morning surrounded by her loved ones.
Time to push Natalie out of his mind. He shook his head and left his room again, determined to focus on the job at hand. Natalie was a decade younger than him. A journalist writing about Ocean Dream. Part of the Toujour cruise. Having feelings for her was … well, certainly unprofessional. But maybe also kind of unavoidable.
Two days. He’d only known her two days. Yet already she was consuming way too many of his thoughts.
A miscommunication about how lunch was to be served occupied Shawn for the next few hours. He caught brief glimpses of Natalie, laughing at a table with Jase while they both enjoyed their food—it seemed they weren’t disappointed that the crab cakes had been replaced with fried zucchini bites. Each smile from Natalie shot a twinge up Shawn’s spine. Had he imagined the moments between them?
Natalie left the dining room with Jase. Shawn didn’t see her again for the rest of the afternoon.
By the time eight o’clock rolled around, Shawn had convinced himself that he’d imagined whatever chemistry he’d thought was between them. He’d spent the better part of the afternoon with his crew, transforming the Dream Lounge into a 1920s speakeasy. Purple mood lighting cast the entire room in a romantic glow that Shawn knew the Toujour crowd would love. A jazz band was setting up near the grand piano, and Shawn had already inspected the recently swept dance floor to ensure there was nothing that might make the guests trip and fall.
And then the jazz band was playing, and the room teemed with excited Toujour clients flirting with potential matches. Despite the crowds, Shawn knew the moment Natalie entered the room. He’d slicked back his hair, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and donned suspenders in honor of the night’s theme, and suddenly every exposed hair on his arms stood at attention. The entire room was charged with her very presence.
Shawn slowly turned toward the doorway. She stood nearly as tall as the men in the room, her sandy blonde hair glowing almost bronze underneath the colored mood lights of the lounge. Her hair was pulled back in a low bun at the nape of her neck, and a headband encircled her forehead with black feathers and glittering diamonds near one ear. Her black dress glittered as she shifted from foot to foot, and the fringe at the bottom of her dress just brushed her calves.
She would’ve made a beautiful 1920s flapper girl. All the men would’ve fallen to their knees and begged her to be their gal. Not Shawn, though. He couldn’t kneel even if he wanted to. Not without a lot of pain and the risk of re-injuring his leg. And Natalie deserved a man who could one day propose on bended knee.
Whoa. Where had that come from?
“You’ve outdone yourself this time, Shawn,” said a feminine voice beside him.
Shawn jumped, glancing over at Brooke. She also wore a 1920s-style dress, but hers was lacy and the color of champagne. He hadn’t realized anyone was standing near him. Where was his head?
“Of course,” Shawn said. “That’s what I’m here for. I spoke with the staff about what we discussed previously, and the situation has been taken care of.” He was careful not to mention Skye’s name. He could see her across the room surrounded by a cluster of guys—her bright pink hair hard to miss—so it wasn’t like she could overhear their conversation, but it was always smarter to err on the side of discretion.
“Perfect.” Brooke pulled her green feather boa up around her shoulders. “Perhaps next cruise we should adjust our open bar policy.”
Next cruise. The words were music to Shawn’s ears, but he tried to keep his face impassive. “Of course.”
Luke pushed his way through the crowd then, his hair slicked back and white shirt almost neon underneath the lounge lights. He handed Brooke a glass. “Here’s your water. Oh, hey, Shawn.”
“It’s good to see you,” Shawn said. They must’ve left the baby with the nanny.
“You as well,” Luke said, putting an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Brooke and I have both been so impressed with the cruise so far. Everything has been even better than we’d hoped.”
“It’s been my pleasure,” Shawn said. “And please, if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask.” Whatever convinced Toujour to stick with Ocean Dream and got Shawn his bonus.
“We appreciate that,” Luke said. He kissed his wife on the top of her head, and the gesture was so unexpectedly intimate that Shawn had to look away. “Ready to dance?”
Brooke took a long sip of her water, then nodded. She gave Shawn a hard look, then smiled as though coming to a decision. “You should ask someone to dance tonight, Shawn.”
He practically choked on his own spit. “I’m sorry?”
“Bro-oke,” Luke said, drawing her name out into two syllables.
She ignored
her husband, focusing on Shawn. “Natalie’s a beautiful girl, don’t you think? Very friendly and engaging. The clients love her. Skye can’t stop talking about the journalist who’s writing an article about her.”
Shawn folded his arms, wondering if his feelings were that transparent. “I don’t really know her that well.”
“Dancing is an excellent way to get to know someone better.” She looked up at Luke and smiled. “Don’t you think so, sweetie?”
“I think Shawn isn’t one of your clients,” Luke said, giving Shawn a pitying look. “Neither is Natalie.”
Brooked waved her hand through the air dismissively. “Just a suggestion. Since she’s not here as a client, she doesn’t have any Toujour matches, and will probably be a wallflower all evening. That doesn’t sound very fun.”
Shawn seriously doubted Natalie would spend the evening alone. No doubt Jase was already chatting her up. The thought of the two of them standing close together as they danced had his blood boiling. Besides, Shawn wasn’t much of a dancer anyway. Not with his limp. “I don’t think Natalie’s looking for a dance partner. She’s here to observe.”
Brooke raised one shoulder in a delicate shrug, making the feather boa fall to the crook of her arm. “Even reporters need a break from work every once in a while.”
Shawn gave an uneasy chuckle. This whole conversation was ridiculous. “I’m sure Natalie will be just fine. I’m working right now.”
“Your job is to keep the cruisers happy, right?” Brooke winked. “I promise not to tell Mike you took a five minute break. Come on, Luke. Let’s dance.”
Shawn watched as Brooke and Luke stepped onto the dance floor. Luke immediately pulled Brooke close, setting his hands low on her waist. Brooke laughed and rose on her tiptoes, raising her lips to her husband’s. Shawn looked away, his chest feeling tight and warm. Brooke didn’t seriously think he should ask Natalie to dance, did she?
His eyes searched the crowd for Natalie. She wasn’t on the dance floor with Jase, and Shawn breathed a little easier. He eventually found her sitting alone at a table near the back of the room, watching the dance floor while she sipped a glass of something clear.
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