He’d turned her down? Then why had he flirted with her all day during the photo shoot? She hadn’t noticed a wedding ring—as if that ever stopped a man.
Forget him. There were plenty more where he came from. It wasn’t as if she ever enjoyed it anyway. Sometimes, it was simply a way to forget, if just for a little while....
And here she was thinking of the past again. That was the counselor’s fault. Think only of this moment, Piper.
This moment was all she had.
* * *
JOE WATCHED PIPER flounce off in her high heels and short dress, her hips swaying dramatically. Everyone in the bar had their cell phones out snapping her picture.
Yeah, that woman was Drama with a capital D. Between his job and family, he had enough of that in his life. Bad enough he had to have his photo taken with her splashed all over a national magazine. If he became her boy toy for the cruise’s duration and someone snapped a picture on their cell...
The guys would rib him endlessly over that, but Joe could do without the fifteen minutes of fame. What he wanted was quiet. Calm. Normal.
“There you are.” Carly appeared at his table. “Christoph said he saw you in here.”
Whoa. She wore a slinky, strapless navy gown that looked as though it would be right at home sauntering down the red carpet. Cleavage peeking out and all. He swallowed. “Wow.”
Carly looked down, examining herself with a perplexed expression on her face. “Oh, I dined with the captain tonight. You received an invitation.”
“Yeah, I don’t do monkey suits.” Although if he’d known Carly would be there looking like this...
“Listen, Joe. I need...a favor.”
Joe straightened in his chair, pulled the empty one out for her. “Have a seat.”
“Thanks.” She sat, closed her eyes and massaged her temples.
Joe took the opportunity to study her. She was the one who looked haggard. Dark circles under her eyes were prominent, and she seemed weighted by exhaustion. She was more fun when she was biting his head off. This more vulnerable Carly threw him off balance, made him want to protect her.
When the waitress came over, Carly ordered water and then pulled a tiny golden pill case from a little purse that matched the dress.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” She opened the case and shook out two pills. “I think I spent too much time in my cabin staring at my laptop this afternoon. It’s just a bit of mal de mer.”
Joe recognized the pills to combat motion sickness. Had she not had time to relax since the photo shoot this morning? That was no way to live.
“That’s seasickness.”
This assuming he was ignorant was getting annoying. “Yeah, I gathered that. What can I do for you?”
“I—” The waitress set a cold bottle of water down along with an empty glass and Carly popped the pills into her mouth and chased them down with the water. Her shoulders sagged and she released a breath. Then, as if gathering her strength, she drew in a deep breath, sat up straight, and met his gaze. “I need you to switch cabins with Piper.”
Joe blinked. That was it? “No problem.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Really? You don’t mind? It’s just that your cabin is on a higher deck than mine and there aren’t any other suites avail—”
“It’s fine.”
She slumped against the back of the chair. “Thank you. You have no idea...I talked to the cruise director at dinner and he said he could have the stewards move your things. If you’ll give me your key card, I’ll go get Piper’s.” She frowned and finally looked at him again.
Pulling his card from his pocket, he nodded toward the nightclub. “She’s next door dancing.”
Carly’s gaze followed his. “I’ll be right back.” Her mouth pursed in grim determination as she took his key card.
Joe watched her walk away, appreciating the curve of her figure outlined by the fitted gown. When she approached the supermodel in the middle of the dance floor, he could practically read the conversation from their gestures and facial expressions.
Piper pulled a card from her tiny shoulder-strapped purse and exchanged it for the one Carly gave her, but not before making some snarky remark. Carly stiffened, but kept her mouth closed. She dropped the card in her purse, spun and headed back toward him.
Joe knocked back the rest of his whiskey and got to his feet as she returned. “Okay, all I need to do now is call the cruise director. At dinner, he said he could change the cabins’ occupancy information and all the key cards have Modiste’s credit information, so that doesn’t change.” She pulled the key card from her purse and dropped it in his waiting hand. Her brows were knitted in pain and she actually swayed.
He caught her, straightened her. “How about I walk you back to your cabin.”
She leaned into him, clutching his shoulder. So soft in his arms. Heat and need flared inside him. He closed his eyes as blood surged southward, leaving him light-headed, and hard. She shivered, inhaled a ragged breath, her pale blue eyes peering at him with...fear? Confusion? Then they iced over. She pulled out of his grip, stepped back. “No. I’ll be fine.”
He stuck his hands in his pants pockets, shoving the key card deep. “Suit yourself.”
“But.” She reached out and grasped his arm. “Thank you.” Then she dropped her hand and left, her tough, no-nonsense stride contradicting the claim of seasickness.
“Hey.” He strode after her.
She stopped and turned.
“What’s my new cabin number?”
“Forty-eight seventy-t— No!” She squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head. “I’m sorry. Piper’s is—” She bit her bottom lip, then her face cleared and she smiled. “Forty-two seventy-eight.” With a wave of her hand she was striding out the door again.
Joe stood there giving himself a moment to recover from the whiplash to his libido. He could’ve sworn she’d felt whatever had sparked between them, too. But, it was just as well. Even if she was the most interesting woman he’d met in too long to remember. And more challenging than any woman he ever dealt with. She was too uptight. Too bossy. Too...whatever.
Forget about it! He was on a cruise ship with round the clock entertainment. When would he ever get this kind of chance again? He made his way to the casino, found a stool in front of a one-armed bandit and ordered a couple more drinks while he fed it quarters.
Bleary-eyed and out of coins, he checked his cell. 1:37 a.m. He’d better head to bed. Feeling just buzzed enough to take the edge off his sexual frustrations, he stood and made his way to the elevator. But once he got in the elevator and punched his old deck number he remembered he’d switched rooms with the diva and—he couldn’t remember what his new room number was. If he hadn’t been so distracted by sexy Carly and her sweet sexy curves and those ice-blue eyes...
He shook his head to clear it and remembered. Forty-seven eighty-two. He punched the button for the fourth deck and when the elevator let him out he walked down the long hall suddenly exhausted and dizzy. Perhaps he had a bit of mal de mer, too.
Ahh, here was forty-eight seventy-two. The key card clicked and the door opened with ease. He let out a relieved breath he wouldn’t have to call someone for help and look like an idiot.
The room was pitch-dark, but he didn’t want to bother to switch on the big overhead light. Man, he was more tired than he’d realized. He flipped on the tiny light in the closet.
The cabin didn’t have a balcony as he’d expected Piper’s would have, but he didn’t care. The king-size bed awaited. He shucked his jeans, crawled onto the soft mattress, and was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Still, even in his dreams he couldn’t get Carly out of his mind. Her spicy scent filled his senses and he felt her soft breasts pushing against his back. In his dream he turned over and wrapped his arms around her hot body. It seemed so real that he could’ve sworn he could feel the silky material of her nightgown catch on the cal
luses of his palms. He nuzzled into a sweetly soft neck, pushed his rigid erection against her stomach and heard her moan.
He stilled. Forced his heavy lids to open. And looked right into Carly’s wide-open eyes.
And then she screamed.
4
CARLY SHOVED OUT of Joe’s arms and scrambled off the bed. “What are you doing here? How’d you get in my room?”
“Your room?” Joe rose up on one elbow and ran a hand through his hair, all the while his gaze fixated on her...
She followed where he was staring. She wore only her thong underwear and a cami. And the underwear didn’t hide much. She snatched the comforter off the bed and draped it around her. “Yes, my room. Do you honestly think I’d sneak into your room and crawl into your bed?”
He sat up, looking around the room. The sheet fell down to his waist and Carly didn’t even try not to gape. Taut, defined muscles and dark hair that tapered to a line down past his belly button. Wow, even his belly button was sexy. He threw back the sheet and Carly spun to avert her gaze. From the corner of her eye she saw him swing his legs over the edge of the mattress on his side, his back to her. “If this is your room, then why did my key work?”
Her mind couldn’t focus. This was her room, wasn’t it? She didn’t remember using her key... The medication must have really knocked her out. She hadn’t slept so deeply in ages. But now her memory seemed to be missing parts of last night. She recalled getting Joe and Piper to switch cabins. Feeling dizzy again in the elevator and barely making it to her room, and—Oh!
She spun back to face him and snapped her fingers. “The steward!” Aha. “I didn’t have to use my key because the steward was in here turning down my bed when I—”
Joe had stood and moved around the bed, searching the floor, wearing black boxer briefs that hugged him nice and snug.
She swallowed. Out of breath all of a sudden. “—got here,” she finished lamely.
Shaking his head, he bent over and grabbed his pants off the floor. “I used the key you gave me to get in. This is the room number you told me was mine. So, if this isn’t my cabin, then it’s your fault I’m in here.” He shoved his legs—very long, very brawny legs—into the pants and yanked them up.
Carly blinked, trying to remember. Could she have given him her key?
Holding the bottom of the comforter up like the train of a long gown, she marched to the table, grabbed her bag and dug around for her key. By the time she found it and got to the door, Joe was already there, his key pulled from his pocket. He was so close his dark brown eyes looked like pools of rich, molten fudge. He smelled of sleepy linen and the faintest hint of masculine sweat. Oh, why hadn’t he put on his shirt? She realized she was staring at him.
“If my key works you’re going to owe me,” he said.
She snapped back. “Owe you what?” She didn’t owe him a thing. If he thought he could—
“Well, I was going for an apology, but if you had something else in mind...” He raised a brow and gave her a slow, suggestive smile.
Ignoring the bare chest in front of her, Carly pursed her lips. “Just try your key.”
“And if it doesn’t work are you going to leave me standing out in the hall the rest of the night?”
“Not so sure about your key, now, huh?”
His smile dropped and his eyes narrowed. “Fine.” He opened the door, stepped outside and Carly closed the door in his face.
A second later she heard the click of a key swiping, the handle turned and the door shoved open. Joe stepped inside wearing a smug expression. “So, what do you bet your key opens Piper’s room?”
Oh, no. What had she done? She stared at the key in her hand. He probably thought she’d purposely given him her key and room number. That this was all a ploy to get him. Did he think that she was so desperate for sex, or for him in particular? She’d never. She squeezed her eyes closed, too embarrassed to look at him.
“Hey, everybody makes mistakes.” His rough fingers cupped her chin and lifted her face.
She made herself open her eyes and meet his gaze. “I swear, I didn’t—”
“I know.” The fingers of his other hand caressed her cheek. He lowered his head and gently touched his lips to hers.
And that was all it took. She opened her mouth and took the kiss deep, her lips as desperate and as needy as she’d convinced herself she wasn’t minutes ago. She pressed him to her, wrapping her arms around his neck, running her hands over his taut shoulders and fingering the curls at the base of his neck.
With a low growl he took control of the kiss, teasing her with his tongue. His arms tightened around her waist. He lifted her, and she hooked a leg around his hip as he walked them to the bed. The comforter slipped down to her hips and he broke the kiss, grinned and laid her on the mattress.
Joe’s eyes flared as he stared at her body. Feeling her feminine power, Carly lay back on her elbows and raised one knee, then let it drop.
She watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed. He raised a brow, unzipped his pants and got rid of them, along with his underwear.
Her breath caught. He was magnificent. How was this guy still single? Wait. Maybe he had a girlfriend.
He lowered himself over her, bracing himself with his hands. With one knee bent between her thighs, he nuzzled into her neck, nibbling the sensitive skin from below her ear to her shoulder.
Carly closed her eyes, shivering at the feel of his lips exploring, moving down her collarbone... What had she been about to ask him? Something about too good to be true... A girlfriend. She snapped her eyes open and flattened her palms on his chest.
He raised his head and frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“You have a fiancée?”
“Hell, no.”
“A girlfriend?”
His face contorted in disgust. “I wouldn’t be here, doing this with you if I did.” He shoved off the bed and bent to pull up his pants.
Carly scooted forward to the edge and covered his hands as he was about to zip up. “Wait.”
“I think the mood has passed, don’t you?”
“It’s just that generally when something seems too good to be true, it’s because it is.”
He scoffed. “And what about me seems too good?”
“Well, you did just win Modiste’s sexiest Average Joe.” She let go of his hands and ran her palms over his chest, reveling in the wall of muscle, and large flat nipples. “You have to admit you’re exceptionally attractive.”
Now he caught her hands. “I know I don’t exactly scare women away.”
“Come on!” She looked up into his eyes, saw the disbelief there. “You really didn’t enter our contest yourself, did you?”
“Does it matter as long as I’m here?”
She shook her head. “Not a bit.”
He cupped her face, his fingers combing back her hair. “Then, where were we?” He bent and captured her mouth and Carly assumed it was a rhetorical question.
She couldn’t get enough of his mouth moving over hers, his tongue playing with hers. She writhed beneath him when he caught her breast in his palm, kneading and caressing it until the nipple became a sensitive peak. His lips deserted her mouth and left a hot, moist trail down her jaw and neck to the top of her breast. He tugged the thin strap of her cami down until he could capture her nipple and draw on it deeply.
Shifting his weight to her side, he teased her nipple as the fingers of his other hand slid down her hip and slipped under her thong.
She moaned, bucking in time to his intimate touch. The exquisite pressure was building inside her.
The orgasm hit her hard and fast and she cried out. A fog of pleasure enveloped her. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t quite believe this was happening. That she’d let this happen. She was vaguely aware he was pressing tiny kisses around her breast, still stroking her sensitized core. He was skilled, all right. But it was more than that. More than just his unbelievable physique and charming smile. She’d
met plenty of good-looking guys. But Joe seemed—the word sounded silly—but...he seemed sincere.
“Well, my job is done here.” Joe started to remove his hand and sit up.
Her eyes snapped open and she caught his wrist. “What?”
He grinned and chuckled. “Just wanted to see if you were still with me.”
With a growl, she shoved his chest until he lay on his back. She climbed over him, straddling his knees, unzipped his pants and encircled his cock. “Oh, I’m with you, all right.” She bent and took him in her mouth.
Behaving like this was so unlike her. She didn’t usually do playful in bed. This wild, intense response to Joe was mad. She’d probably regret it.
But not tonight.
He moaned and whispered her name. Thus encouraged, she put all her effort into driving him crazy. She took him deep and then teased him with her tongue, then deep again. He cursed and lifted his hips, tangling his fingers in her hair.
When she raised her gaze to watch him, his eyes were squeezed closed, his head thrown back and she could see a vein or two enlarged in his neck. She grinned. Turnabout was fair play. She swirled her tongue around the head once more before he urged her to stop.
“Okay, I give.” His chest rose and fell in heavy breaths, but his mouth was turned up in a lopsided smile. “Uncle. You win.”
With a seductive smile Carly pulled the cami over her head and tossed it to the floor. His gaze dropped to her breasts and he reached up to cup them in his large callused hands. His touch was so sensual, the look in his eyes admiring. She hadn’t felt desirable in so long.
She wanted him inside her.
She kneeled in order to drag her thong down and off, but she lost her balance, flailed awkwardly and fell onto him.
“Whoa!” He caught her and rolled her to her back, smiling. “You aren’t as graceful as you pretend.”
Carly clamped a hand over her eyes. This was ridiculous. What was wrong with her? She was twenty-eight, not eighteen. And even at eighteen she hadn’t fumbled sex as badly as she was tonight. First she’d insulted his fidelity, now this. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
Cabin Fever Page 3