“Yeah, she let that slip, too.” Michael ran a hand through his hair and heaved out a sigh. “Just be careful around her. I have a feeling she’s going to make herself a frequent visitor to my office because she likes to complain. It would be easier if she spread the complaints around rather than focusing on you two.”
Rowan swallowed hard. “What will happen if she complains too much about me?”
“Nothing,” Quinn automatically answered. “Don’t freak out about that. Nothing will happen. You’re good at your job.”
“You are good at your job,” Michael agreed. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Just try to steer clear of her as often as possible. I’ll handle her.”
“Are you going to handle her naked?” The question was out of Rowan’s mouth before she realized what she was saying. “I mean … are you interested in her the same way you think she’s interested in Quinn?”
Michael immediately shook his head. “She’s a pretty and professional woman.”
“Is that a yes?”
“That’s a no. I prefer my women young and dumb.”
Rowan rolled her eyes as Quinn chuckled. “You’re kind of a pig.”
Michael wasn’t insulted in the least. “Are you just figuring that out?”
5
Five
Rowan and Quinn spent the afternoon doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing: working. That didn’t put either of them in a good mood. In fact, Rowan was so exhausted after spending four hours with screaming teenagers and their over-enthusiastic mothers that she could do nothing but throw herself on her bed, face down, when she returned to her room.
That’s where Quinn found her after taking a quick shower and changing his clothes. Instead of prodding her out of bed, he rolled in beside her and rested his hand on top of hers.
“And how was your day, dear?”
Rowan snorted at his amused tone. “I’ve had better days.”
“I think we both have.” Quinn idly lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
Rowan lost her train of thought at the gesture. It was simple and yet wrenchingly intimate at the same time. She furrowed her brow when she realized Quinn was staring at her. “What?”
“Where did your head just go?”
“Nowhere. I was just … um … fine.” Rowan rolled her eyes. “I was just thinking about the fact that you kissed my hand and it was a romantic gesture. I’m a gooey girl. Sue me.”
Quinn’s grin was lightning fast as he gripped her hand tighter and chuckled. “I am the king of romance, aren’t I? I should teach a class. The other guys on the security team are curious how I managed to snag you. I’m pretty sure it was my romantic side.”
“And I’m pretty sure it was your tight butt,” Rowan shot back, smirking as Quinn arched a challenging eyebrow. “As for the rest … you’re right. You are a romantic soul. You’re so romantic, in fact, that I sometimes feel as if I’m falling down on the job of what I’m supposed to offer to you.”
Quinn balked. “That is not true. You offer me more than you realize.”
“Well, I would be happier if we both offered the other exactly what he or she needed,” Rowan said. “As it is, I’m too tired to even figure out what you need tonight.”
“I just need you.”
“That’s sweet.”
“And maybe five rum runners to block out the noises still echoing through my head,” Quinn added. “I’ve never heard that much squealing in my life.”
Rowan pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “I would think you’d enjoy that since I’m sure half the squealing was over you.”
“Ha, ha, ha. You’re a funny girl.” Quinn poked her side. “I don’t like the noise. I’ve realized over the past two days that I’m not someone who likes noise. Do you know what my favorite part of the day is?”
Rowan nodded without hesitation. “The five minutes after we turn off the lights and television and before we fall asleep.”
Quinn stilled, surprised. “How did you know that’s what I was going to say?”
“Because that’s my favorite part of the day, too.”
“Oh, so cute.” Quinn smacked a kiss against her cheek as he smiled. “That is definitely my favorite part of the day, though. The noise on that deck this afternoon was painful.”
“At least you could get away. I had to stay in the practice area and take photos all afternoon. At first I thought it was going to be interesting – the girls are legitimate athletes, after all – but then things turned ugly when … um … the poorer girls showed up.”
Quinn shifted so he could study Rowan’s angular face. “What happened?”
“I don’t feel comfortable calling them ‘poorer’,” Rowan replied after a beat. “It seems somehow rude. I need to come up with a way to differentiate the two groups without insulting anyone.”
“Just call them Annoying Group One and Annoying Group Two,” Quinn suggested. “Most of the other girls are irritating but inconsequential and we only have to watch the two groups for potential fights. It’s just us for right now, though. I know what you mean. There’s no reason to worry about offending anyone.”
Rowan figured that was true enough. “Okay, well, Group Two showed up before Group One was finished practicing and it turned into a finger-pointing mess of epic proportions.”
Quinn snickered at the horrified look on Rowan’s face. “You’ve almost died at least three times since I met you and yet it’s annoying teenagers who make you cringe. I don’t even know what to think about that.”
“That makes two of us.” Rowan’s smile was rueful. “The thing is, my natural instinct was to stand with Group Two. They were aggressive enough to terrify Group One, though, and I honestly felt myself feeling sympathetic toward both groups.”
“I guess that makes sense.” Quinn stared at the ceiling as he pursed his lips. “I just keep reminding myself that it’s not the girls who are the problem. It’s the women telling them how they should feel who are the problem.”
“That’s a very good point.”
“I’m full of good points.”
“You’re humble, too.”
“Humbleness is overrated.” Quinn rolled to his side and instinctively leaned forward and gave Rowan a soft kiss. “I’m sorry your day was long and tiresome.”
Rowan’s lips curved at the earnest expression on his face. “I’m sorry your day was long and tiresome, too.”
“We could stay here for the night if you’re too tired to brave the hordes on deck. We could get room service and shut out the rest of the world.”
The notion held some appeal for Rowan and yet her pragmatic side wouldn’t allow them to take the easy way out. “We’re not supposed to order from room service.”
Quinn’s grin was cheeky. “I’m head of security. I can do whatever I want.”
“Okay. I’m not supposed to order room service.”
“You’re the security chief’s girlfriend. That means you can do whatever you want, too.”
Rowan heaved out a sigh. “That makes me feel guilty and lazy.”
Quinn matched her sigh, earning a grin for his efforts. “Then we’ll go to the dining room. It won’t end well, but I realize you’re the sort of person who needs to see things for yourself rather than simply believe them to be true.”
Rowan made a protesting sound deep in her throat. “That’s not true.”
“It is true,” Quinn countered. “I’ve been right twice today and yet you don’t trust me to be right on this.”
“It’s not about being right or wrong.”
“Of course not.” Quinn was in a placating mood. “We’ll go to the main dining room, you can stuff your face full of crab legs, and then we’ll hit the tiki bar for rum runners because you’re going to need the alcohol to eradicate the sounds of the squeals before bed.”
“You’re awfully sure of yourself.”
“I am,” Quinn agreed without hesitatio
n. “I’m also sure I’m going to insist you tell me that I was right before we go to bed. I’m afraid my ego will demand it.”
Rowan’s giggle was so adorable it warmed Quinn to the soles of his feet. “Fine. I will scream to the heavens how right you are before bed.” She rolled to a sitting position. “I need to hook up my camera to download all the photos I took today before we go. I can sort through them when we get back.”
“You’re going to be doing something else when we get back that doesn’t involve photographs,” Quinn countered.
“That could involve photographs.”
“Fine. If you want to take a photo of your face when you’re telling me I’m right, I guess I can enjoy a memento of this conversation.”
Rowan’s smile slipped. “I was talking about something else.”
Quinn’s eyes flashed with mirth. “I know. I love the way your cheeks color when you’re embarrassed, though.” He poked her flushed skin for emphasis. “Now, I believe you have a camera to set up and some crab legs to eat. For dessert, you’ll be having crow this evening.”
“You’re so full of yourself,” Rowan grumbled under her breath as she reached for her camera. “I can’t wait until the day you’re eventually wrong.”
“Yes, we’re all sitting on pins and needles waiting for that to happen. Now, hurry up. I have an evening of being right in front of me. I don’t want to be late for it.”
“YOU WERE RIGHT.”
Two hours later Rowan made a growling sound as she let her head sink to the table at the tiki bar. For his part, Quinn did his best not to rub it in … at least too much.
“I think we both learned a valuable lesson this evening.” He smiled when Demarcus delivered rum runners to their table.
“And what lesson did the two of you learn tonight?” Demarcus asked, amusement causing his lips to curve.
“I’m always right and you should listen to me above all else.”
Rowan scowled as she grabbed her rum runner. “I’m too tired to even argue with that sentiment, but when I’m rested up, you’d better look out.”
Quinn snickered. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He sipped his drink as he glanced around the bar. “This place is dead tonight. I’m not complaining, mind you, but I expected more of the mothers to be hanging out here.”
“My understanding is that the mothers are drinking at the pool bar.” Demarcus sank into the chair to Quinn’s left. “I’ve heard through multiple sources that it’s gotten wild out there this evening … like topless middle-aged-women-dancing-around wild.”
“Ugh. I’ll send some of my guys over to check it out.” Quinn dug in his pocket for his phone. “I really do hate this job sometimes.”
“You don’t mean that,” Rowan chided around the straw in her mouth. “You love this job.”
“I love this job seventy-five percent of the time,” Quinn corrected. “The other twenty-five percent of the time it blows whale chunks.”
“That is a lovely visual,” Rowan deadpanned.
“Yeah, yeah.” Quinn texted his men and then turned his full attention to the deck where a group of rowdy teenagers whispered to one another, occasionally squealing if someone said something particularly entertaining. “How long has that been going on?”
“All day,” Demarcus answered without hesitation. “I’ve heard squealing girls all day. It’s the worst sound in the world.”
“I think it depends on the girl,” Quinn countered. “I plan to make Rowan squeal when we’re alone tonight.”
Rowan’s jaw dropped open in abject horror. “Quinn! You’re not supposed to say things like that in front of people.”
“I was talking about the part where you’re going to squeal about how right I always am,” Quinn shot back, struggling to keep a straight face as her cheeks flooded red. “Don’t be such a pervert, Rowan.”
“Oh, my … .” Rowan slapped her hand to her forehead and lowered her eyes as Quinn and Demarcus exchanged amused glances. “I’m just going to stare at my drink.”
“I think that’s a good idea, sweetheart.” Quinn absently patted her hand as he focused on the girls. “I recognize that little group. The blonde is Kasey Witherspoon, if I’m not mistaken.”
“And how do you know that?” Rowan challenged, forgetting her vow to focus on her drink and remain quiet. “I wouldn’t think you’d take the time to get to know a bunch of teenagers.”
“That particular teenager has been a pain all day,” Quinn explained. “I caught her trying to buy alcohol at The Aquarium Bar & Grill this afternoon. She had her mother’s identification, even though her mother isn’t on this trip. I was going to confiscate it until one of her chaperones showed up and said it wouldn’t happen again.
“The thing is, before I contacted the chaperone, the kid was offering me all kinds of inappropriate things to get me to forget what I’d witnessed,” he continued. “I was glad I had two of my guys with me because I’m certain she would’ve lied and said I propositioned her or something if things had been different.”
Rowan was flabbergasted. “Seriously?” She studied the girl in question for a long beat. “That girl can’t be more than eighteen and she hit on you.”
“She knows how to manipulate people,” Quinn explained. “I was uncomfortable with her from the start and glad I had company because she clearly would’ve been a problem otherwise. Once I met the chaperone – some delightful woman named Kathleen – I realized it was learned behavior. I think everyone in that little group acts a certain way … and none of them find fault with it.”
Rowan cocked an eyebrow. “Did she hit on you, too?”
“In a way.”
Rowan pursed her lips at Quinn’s evasive answer. “Do you want me to beat them up to protect your virtue?”
Quinn snorted, genuinely amused. “I want you to remember that I only have eyes for you and whatever these women do doesn’t matter.”
The way he phrased his answer set Rowan’s teeth on edge. “Wow. I really don’t want to hear what happened, do I? It must be awful if you’re telling the story in such a roundabout way.”
“It’s not that.” Quinn licked his lips. “It’s just … she’s overtly sexual. She never touched me or anything. She just dropped a number of hints that she was open for offers should I want to join her for a drink on the deck.”
Rowan’s stomach shifted as she considered what Quinn said. “So she really does need a smack in the face, huh?”
Quinn snickered. “Like I said, you have nothing to worry about. This actually happens quite often on a cruise ship. Occasionally women have been known to lose their minds around me and the setting doesn’t help. I would never take anyone up on such an offer.”
Rowan knew that deep down in her heart and yet this Kathleen’s insistence on hitting on her boyfriend still grated. “I kind of want to punch her.”
“I kind of want to watch,” Quinn teased, his smile slipping after a few moments. “The truth is, I kind of feel sorry for the kid. She’s being taught that she’s the queen bee – the center of the universe – and she’s in for a rude awakening when she finds out that’s not true.”
Rowan watched the girl with unveiled interest, wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin when she noticed Leighann Porter cutting her way through the group and positioning herself in front of Kasey. Whatever the woman said to the girl was enough to make the young woman adopt a pout.
“That doesn’t look like a happy exchange,” Demarcus noted, following Rowan’s gaze. “In fact, it looks downright hostile.”
“It does,” Rowan agreed, frowning. “Kasey Witherspoon is clearly unhappy.”
“And Leighann Porter clearly doesn’t care,” Demarcus added. “It seems we have several queen bees on the ship, huh?”
“And even more in the downstairs bars,” Quinn growled as he stared at his phone screen and got to his feet. “I have to head to the Kraken Corner bar in the main corridor, Ro. You should probably go back to your room and wait for me there.�
��
Rowan downed the rest of her drink before speaking. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s a bunch of girls with fake IDs demanding drinks and they refuse to back down,” Quinn replied. “Half my team is trying to calm the adults at the pool bar, which means I need to help handle the situation at Kraken Corner.” He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. “I hope I won’t be too long. I’ll keep you updated via text message, though.”
“That’s okay.” Rowan’s smile was sweet as she got to her feet. “I need to sort through those photos anyway. Hopefully the timing will work out so we can finish at the same time.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Quinn moved to skirt around the table. “And we’ll start the rest of our night together with you telling me how right I was.”
“I already told you that,” Rowan protested.
“Yes, but this time I thought you would want to perform a little song and dance.”
Rowan rolled her eyes. “Your charm is wearing dangerously thin this evening.”
“You’ll survive.” Quinn gave her another quick kiss. “I’ll see you as soon as I can.”
ROWAN IMMEDIATELY SET to work when she got back to her room, sorting through the bevy of photographs she’d taken during the afternoon shift and loading them into the ship’s portal so guests could peruse the snapshots and order copies of what they wanted.
She was almost completely through the images – which was impressive because she took more than five hundred photos in a few hours – when something caught her attention in the corner of one photograph.
Rowan warned herself not to jump to conclusions as she zoomed in on the image and stared hard at the scene. Even though the lines were relatively blurry, Rowan was convinced she recognized the symbol in the corner of the photograph. Still, to be sure, she flipped through the remaining photos until she came up with a snapshot that isolated the main woman from the first photograph, who Rowan believed was in mortal danger.
Choppy Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 5) Page 5