by Unknown
"Right. Well, in case you didn’t notice, the woman I’m going to marry hasn’t said yes yet."
His gaze was disconcerting, setting off a flutter in my belly. "Isn’t it customary to get to know people before you offer marriage, or do you always play hard ball?"
"Sweetheart, I’ve never had to play the game at all, but I can guarantee you, I get what I want."
The server came back with the wine and poured us each a generous glass. I picked it up and swirled the liquid around before sipping it. This stuff definitely didn’t come out of a box.
"Do you want to bet on it?" If I could have eaten my words, I would have. The glass slipped from my fingers and I scrambled to get a grip on it. Making a wager with a man like this was not the way to get what I wanted. I had to let him believe he had me by the end of this trip so he’d be willing to part with his cash. A wager was counterproductive if it left me owing him money, but then again, when the ship docked, I’d be gone.
One side of his mouth lifted in a predatory curve, and he leaned closer. My breath hitched and a lump formed in my throat as he studied me intently. I wanted to lean away from him. Instead, I mirrored his body language.
"What do you have in mind?"
"Well…" Now was the time to find out if he was the kind of man I thought he was. If his pockets were lined, he wouldn’t balk at a twenty thousand dollar bet would he? It would certainly make this little con act I was putting on much easier, since there was no way he was going to get me to marry him before we finished the trip. My throat constricted around the words. "Twenty thousand dollars. I’ll bet you twenty thousand dollars you won’t get what you want."
His grin widened. "Are you sure you want to play this game, little girl?"
"My name is Lola. And I’m sure."
The server arrived with our meals and placed them in front of us. Leo cut into his steak with gusto but my appetite had deserted me. I shifted the contents around the plate and took a mouthful of shrimp.
"We need rules and a contract." He interrupted my careful analysis of the green bean on the end of my fork.
"What?"
He’d cleared his plate in the time it took me to eat two mouthfuls and he patted his mouth with the napkin before he continued. "I may be used to getting my own way, and believe me I intend to, but I’m not silly enough to bet that kind of money and then have you avoid me for the rest of the trip. No, there needs to be rules about how much time we need to spend together."
"But—"
"Either you’re all in, or we can forget this little shenanigan, and you’ll still find yourself agreeing to marry me at the end of the trip anyway."
Twenty thousand dollars. I can pay off Brady, and I don’t have to con anyone. Setting my napkin down on the table, I drained my wine glass and stood up with an exasperated huff. "Fine. Where are we going to do this?"
"Let’s go to Stag. The bartender's a friend of mine. She can witness."
I tapped my foot as I waited for him to fix up the bill. This game we were playing was insanity. I’d never seen anything so crazy in my life, not even on TV, but I found myself prickling with anticipation. Two weeks with a rich guy who thought I was wife material, and at the end, I’d walk away with everything I needed. I couldn’t have created a more perfect scenario if I’d tried.
Chapter Three
Leo
"Shall we?" Heat blossomed in her cheeks when my lingering gaze finally moved up to her face. Her hand fluttered by her side and then settled. The next two weeks were going to be entertaining at the least, but I had no misgivings about how our little game would play out. She stepped into place beside me. On the way to the elevator, we played a game of gaze and dart. Every time I glanced at her, she'd rip her gaze from me. No matter what she said, I affected her. Testing the waters, I placed my hand on the small of her back. The connection between us coursed through me and tempted me to take it a step further.
As soon as I ushered her into the elevator, she snapped at me, "Hands off the merchandise."
Knowing she snapped because she felt the connection between us made me want to push her buttons. I leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I love when you get sassy."
She whirled to glare at me with her arms crossed and her cheeks flaming. "I’m serious. No touching."
I leaned back against the wall. Sure, I could still make her mine without touching her, but it would be more fun if I could sneak in the odd caress or full-blown kiss. As much as I wanted to push her right into my bed, I wouldn't go that far. Not when I knew it was only a matter of time before she'd be asking me to do more than touch her. "That isn’t going to fly."
The floor jolted and the doors slid open. I sauntered past her, leaving her to hurry after me with her mouth open wide.
Entering Stag ahead of her, I made my way to Norah. "Can I get a beer, a wine for my soon to be wife, and a few minutes of your attention?"
"Your what?" Eyebrows raised, she placed the drinks in front of me.
"Wife, Norah. You’ll see."
A customer caught her attention and motioned at their empty glass. "Give me five, and you can tell me all about it."
Lola took the seat beside me, and I nudged the wine toward her before grabbing a couple of napkins from the other end of the bar. The glass was empty by the time I made it back to her. "You might want to slow down, sweetheart. I won’t have you committing to anything when you’re not in full possession of your faculties." Pulling a pen from my shirt pocket, I outlined a basic contract on a napkin.
Norah finally finished up and came over. Lola pushed her glass forward. "Can I get another?"
"Sure you can, you poor thing." She refilled the glass and handed it back before turning to me. "What have you gotten into your head now, Leo?"
I handed her the napkin and watched her face cycle from a scowl through to a grin. She tossed the napkin back in front of me and turned to Lola. "You give him hell, honey, and take his money. He’s a good man, but…" One hand on her hip, she pivoted to glare at me. "You can’t always get what you want, and it’s about time you learned that."
"Sure I can." I grinned and tapped the end of the pen on the napkin, “but we need a few addendums to this little contract before we seal the deal.”
"Like what?" Lola and Norah asked at the same time, their gazes pinned on me.
"You." I pointed at Lola with the end of the pen. "Have to spend part of every day with me. If at the end of the two weeks you want to walk, then I know I had the opportunity and failed."
"O-kay," she stuttered.
"And your no physical contact plan. That’s out as well."
"Leo Barclay," Norah barked in the voice she retained for patrons who were pissing her off. "You better not be suggesting what I think you’re suggesting."
"Damn Norah, I’m not an asshole." I turned my attention to Lola. "Besides, she doesn’t have to sign the contract if the terms are unacceptable."
"Well then, please tell us what you mean by physical contact," Lola drawled.
"Not much. I can hold your hand or wrap my arms around you if the occasion warrants it."
"That’s it?" She fluttered her eyelashes at me and reached for the napkin.
"And I can kiss you any damn time I want."
Quick as a flash, she snatched her hand away.
Norah cleared her throat. "Are those acceptable terms to you, Lola?"
She guzzled the almost full glass of wine and placed it determinedly back on the bar. "Yes, but Leo, I don’t want you to be too disappointed when I walk away with your money at the end of this."
"Are you really convinced that’s how this is going to work out?" I held the pen out for her.
Taking it, she signed the napkin. Then it was my turn, and finally I passed it to Norah, who scrawled her signature beneath ours and said, "This is going to be one hell of a story to tell your grand kids one day."
Lola hopped off her stool, wobbling a little as the last glass of wine hit her. "When do we start?"
&nb
sp; "Now." I stood up and put a hand under her elbow to steady her. "Let’s get you back to your cabin. You're going to be hung over in the morning."
"No shit, Sherlock." She snorted as I led her across the bar, leaving Norah in possession of the napkin contract.
An arm around her waist to support her, I led her into the elevator. Even though she tried to keep upright, her body betrayed her and she leaned heavily against me. I bit my tongue, not wanting to goad her anymore tonight. There would be plenty of time on the trip. She pushed the button for deck three and I raised an eyebrow. Deck three’s staterooms were for the bottom of the market, and she’d made one hell of a financial bet with me. The doors slid open and I ushered her out into the corridor. "Which room?"
She fished the key from her purse and stared at it. "Did you drug me by any chance? I’m having trouble making out the number."
"I don’t need to drug you, sweetheart, and besides, I want you lucid when you make your choice to be with me." Numbered doors made it easy to locate her room. "Come on. This way."
I swiped the key card and pushed open the door.
The tip of her tongue darted out over her lip while she stared up at me. "So are you going to kiss me now?"
Oh, I was tempted to, the idea tantalizing. Instead, I pushed her gently forward. "No. I’ll come get you for lunch tomorrow."
I pulled the door closed and made my way back to the elevator. If she still wanted to play this game tomorrow, then I wouldn’t hold back. Even if she bowed out of the bet, I would make her mine before she stepped foot off this boat for the last time.
Lola
Temples throbbing, I flipped onto my back with a groan. I hadn’t drunk much last night, but then again, I hadn’t drunk a lot in my life. Apparently, draining a glass of wine in a split second, while making insane decisions, led to regret. Ignoring the bottle of water on the nightstand, I went to the bathroom to fill a cup from the tap. Most things were free on this cruise, but if they weren't, I couldn't afford them. The only reason I was on the ship in the first place was because Tempest had given me the ticket.
This grifting thing was turning out to be easier than I thought it would, but I still had two weeks of putting up with Leo. A quick rifle through my suitcase for my toothbrush and I went back to the bathroom to get ready for the day. He wasn’t that bad: a little too confident, a bit pushy, but he didn’t come across as arrogant or mean. I frowned at myself in the mirror. "He’s a cocky bastard. Norah said he deserved a dressing down. I'm doing a public service."
I turned the shower on and stripped off my clammy sleep top while I argued with myself over what he did or didn’t deserve. The sticky, sweaty feeling washed down the drain along with my argument. It didn’t matter. The game was set, and I was going to win.
Shutting off the water, I grabbed a towel before hauling the suitcase onto the bed and rifling through it. He’d only said he’d come get me for lunch, so I had no idea what he had planned. I settled on tailored navy shorts and my nautical, striped sleeveless shirt and finished getting ready. A loud rap alerted me to his presence and I caught a quick glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. Satisfied I'd be able to keep his attention I went to open the door.
He was leaning on the door frame studying his nails, and I mentally checked I wasn’t gaping at him. Instead of the suit pants and linen shirts of the past two days, he'd gone for casual three quarter length cargo shorts and a fitted black singlet that showed off defined shoulders and pectorals. Ink covered his upper arms to his elbows and peeked from the neck of his T-shirt. Over his shoulder, he had a pair of shoes and a camera. When I finally pulled my attention to his face, he smirked. "Like what you see?"
"I’ll like it more when it’s behind me."
He stood up straight and advanced on me. "I know you will."
"Shit!" Every part of me heated at the double entendre. "I didn’t mean it like that."
"Sure." He let go of a deep throaty chuckle that added to his appeal.
I turned my back on him to grab my purse and regain my composure. "So what are we doing today?"
Rough fingers gripped the strip of flesh between my shorts and T-shirt and spun me around. His jaw was set, and his gaze bored into me, the flirty Leo of a moment before replaced by a more serious man. "Are you sure you want to go forward with this bet?"
"Are you going to keep chasing me if I choose not to?"
A hint of a twitch played on his lips. "I’m not going to give up if that’s what you’re asking."
I pushed my finger into his chest. "Then the bet stands. I hope it doesn’t hurt your ego too much when I walk away with your money."
"I wouldn’t worry your pretty head about it since that’s not how it’s going to play out. Now come on, I have a great afternoon planned." He grabbed my hand, shutting the door behind us and pulling me along.
We stopped at one of the cafes on the Queen Promenade and ordered coffee and sandwiches. I sipped at the coffee gratefully as the last dregs of my wine hangover dissolved. "So what are we doing?"
"Rock climbing. Have you ever been?"
His seduction technique was surprising. I'd assumed he'd be the type of man to wine and dine a girl straight into his bed, not this. "No, but I’ve wanted to try it."
He chewed through a bite of his sandwich and swallowed it down with his coffee. "You’ll love it. Rock walls aren’t as good as the real thing though. There’s something amazing about standing on the top of a cliff, knowing you’ve conquered its challenges."
I rested my chin on my palm as he talked, wrapped up in how he spoke with his hands and how his eyes brightened over his hobby. "Do you go often?"
"Not as much as I’d like. Business keeps me busy."
"Business?"
"I own an art gallery, but that’s a conversation for later." He pushed away from the table and stood up. "Let’s go tackle a challenge."
"All right, but I don’t have shoes." I cocked my head to indicate the shoes he’d thrown over his shoulder again. "Is it going to be a problem?"
He sniggered. "If it doesn’t offend your sensibilities, they have shoes you can borrow."
"Should we bet on who will get on top first?" This time I meant the double entendre. I might be walking away at the end of this, but I could enjoy it in the meantime.
He snorted and almost choked on his laughter. "No more wagers, girly. You’re only going to end up regretting them."
Chapter Four
Leo
Watching her shimmy up the rock wall the second time gave me a great view of her ass in those sexy shorts. The first time I’d taken the lead and hadn’t been able to enjoy the view. I’d thought she’d be done after one track, but the girl was fit. Her gorgeous figure packed a killer punch, and surprisingly, she was a natural. One toehold at a time, she pushed her weight through her legs and made her way up the wall.
My palms itched to wrap around the belay rope. Normally I’d be holding onto it, the rope sliding through my hands as I gave the other climber more freedom to move, but this belay was automatic. It had been a while since I’d gotten out to the cliff face. Gathering pieces for the gallery had taken up a lot of time over the past three years. Lola was only feet from the top now, and I grabbed my camera and set up for the shot I wanted to take. When she reached the top, she glanced down at me, her face a picture of exultation. I ripped through film in burst shots, hoping at least one would capture her perfectly in this moment of conquest.
She let go of the wall, and the auto belay brought her smoothly back to deck. "I can see why you love climbing. It’s so much fun."
I packed up my camera. "Are you planning on doing another track?"
"No, but I definitely want to come again." She unhooked the belay and took off the harness and shoes. "I wish I could do this at home."
"Surely, there'd be an indoor wall where you live?" Harness and shoes in hand, we made our way to the checkpoint.
"I don't exactly have…time to have fun."
The way she hes
itated, and then emphasized time, made me wonder what she was avoiding. Things about this girl didn’t add up. There was the tiny stateroom, and the fact that over lunch, she’d tucked half her sandwich into her bag. The food on the cruise was paid for in most cases, so it had to be habit. Yet she dressed as if she had money to burn, and she’d been the one to make the bet. "Surely not. What do you do?"
She halted and turned to me, tucking her hands under her arms. Her gaze bounced but didn’t quite meet mine. "Are you thirsty? I’m thirsty."
Interesting. I raised an eyebrow, but decided not to question her further. Whatever it was she was hiding would come to the surface eventually. "Sure. Let’s get a drink and go back to your cabin."
Her jaw dropped. "Why?"
"Because, I have some business to attend to." I threaded her arm through mine and led her back to the elevators. "Besides, you’ll have my undivided attention tomorrow when we go into San Juan."
"We're what?" She stepped into the crowded elevator.
I followed her in, taking the opportunity and the excuse to get as close to her as possible. She was the perfect height, so if I’d wanted to, I could have scooted her up against my chest and rested my chin in her hair. Even sweaty she smelled amazing, so when I got the opportunity to hold her and breathe her in, I’d take it. People got onto the lift, forcing her closer. Hips pressed together, I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. An elbow in my ribs kept me from pulling her against me, but she made no move to get my arm off her shoulder. My gut dipped a little at her lack of response when my heart pounded at the simplest touch, but she didn’t move away from me.
Now that we could carry on our conversation without an audience, I offered up more information. "I have to go see a friend in San Juan about some pieces for the gallery, and I thought we’d make a day of it."
"Oh, no. You go see your friend without me."
"We’ll only be there a short while, and the rest of the day is ours, sweetheart."
She crinkled her nose, and I wanted to press my lips to the deep lines between her eyebrows.