“That’s a lovely sentiment,” Rowan drawled. “It still doesn’t explain how you ended up in my room.”
“I have a master key.”
“But … what if I’d been naked?” Rowan was horrified by the thought. “What if I’d been shaving my legs or something?”
Quinn chuckled. “Do you often shave your legs while puking?”
“You didn’t know I was puking. Sally could’ve been exaggerating.”
“She wasn’t.”
“That’s not the point.”
Quinn heaved out a heavy sigh. “No, I guess that’s not the point,” he conceded. “I promise to knock next time. I would’ve done it this time, but I didn’t want to risk waking you in case you were asleep.”
Rowan had no intention of letting go of her anger. “What if I’d been naked, though?”
“Then it either would’ve been my lucky day or something out of a nightmare,” Quinn replied, his eyes twinkling under the muted light. “I’m guessing it would’ve been the former rather than the latter.”
“I suppose you expect me to be impressed by your flirting skills, don’t you?” Rowan sounded weary as she closed her eyes.
“I expect you to rest,” Quinn countered. “You’re my partner in this thing. I need you well rested tomorrow when we go at this again. You’re not going to do me any good if you’re asleep on your feet.”
“I’m your partner? Since when?”
“I’m not sure what else to call you,” Quinn admitted. “I figured referring to you as the Nancy Drew to my Hardy Boy was a little ridiculous.”
Rowan snorted and the sound released some of the building pressure around Quinn’s heart. He didn’t like seeing her so vulnerable. “If I’m anyone it’s Trixie Belden.”
“Who is that?”
“She was another teenage investigator. She was much cooler than Nancy Drew, though.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.”
“Okay.” Rowan was beyond exhausted, but she was having trouble letting sleep claim her. “The girls are safe in their room, right?”
“They’re in there and it’s quiet. I’m sure they went to bed.”
“We can’t watch them forever.”
“We’ll do our best,” Quinn said, moving the washcloth from the back of Rowan’s neck. “Now sleep, Trixie. You’re going to need your strength for tomorrow.”
“Are you staying here all night?”
“I’m staying here until … I’m sure you’re all right.”
“How long will that be?”
Quinn let loose with an agitated sigh. “You ask a lot of questions for a sick woman. As your doctor for the evening, I’m ordering you to shut your mouth and close your eyes.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
“I’m staying until I’m sure you’re going to be okay. I have no idea how long that will be.”
Surprisingly, Rowan found comfort in the answer. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Now … sleep. I’ll be right here if you need something.”
Rowan dozed off moments later, the knowledge that she wasn’t alone and had someone watching her back made for a restful slumber despite her fidgety stomach and the odd position she was forced to sleep in. She had no idea what Quinn’s presence meant, but she was mighty glad he was close.
14
Fourteen
Rowan woke with a start and immediately groaned. Her neck ached from the uncomfortable position she found herself in and her back felt as if she’d slept on a rack of nails.
It took her a moment to get her bearings and she ran her tongue over her fuzzy teeth when she remembered the previous evening. Almost as if unbidden, her gaze drifted to the doorframe. It was empty. She couldn’t help but feel a bolt of disappointment.
Rowan struggled to her knees before shakily getting to her feet. The light drifting in from outside suggested it was sunny. The ship had clearly stopped rocking – which was definitely a good thing – and even though she felt empty, she wasn’t plagued with feelings of illness.
That lasted exactly five seconds, until she walked in the main room and found Quinn sleeping on her bed.
Rowan’s heart plunged to her stomach when she realized he stayed the night. Her discomfort eased a bit when she realized he was snuggled up with her stuffed dog – a gift from her father when she was small – and he was seemingly lost in slumber.
Rowan glanced around, uncomfortably shifting from one foot to the other. She had no idea how she should approach the situation. Should I thank him for staying? Should I lock the bathroom door, climb in the shower, and hope he sneaks out while I’m distracted? Should I shake him awake and demand to know what he’s doing in my bed? None of the options were overly appealing.
That’s when Quinn spoke and made her inner turmoil moot.
“If you’re going to stare you could at least smile when you do it … or get out a camera and snap my photo for posterity.”
Rowan froze at the sound of his voice, dumbfounded. “I … .”
Quinn wrenched open one eye and looked her up and down. He had to swallow his laughter when he saw her hair. It had been wet when she returned to the room thanks to the storm’s torrential downpour and the manner in which she slept on it left it standing on end in a few odd places. Despite the hair – and the fact that last night’s mascara was smudged under her eyes – Quinn couldn’t stop his heart from rolling. She was an incredibly attractive woman even when she was at her worst.
“Let’s start this again,” Quinn suggested, his voice low and gravelly. “Good morning, Rowan. How are you feeling this fine and sunny day?”
“I’m feeling fine. Thank you.” Rowan’s response was stiff, but she was still coming to grips with the scene in her room. “Wait a second … when did you start calling me by my first name?”
“Probably around the time I decided to sleep on the floor with you because you were sick,” Quinn replied, rubbing his cheek. “How are you really feeling?”
“Empty and a little shaky but otherwise fine,” Rowan replied. “Speaking of sleeping on the floor … .”
“You’re welcome.”
“I wasn’t going to thank you,” Rowan said. “I was going to ask why you did it.”
That was a good question and Quinn had no idea how to answer. “I did it because … you were sick.”
“But I’m not your responsibility.”
“All of The Bounding Storm’s crewmembers are my responsibility.”
“And that’s a roundabout way of avoiding the subject,” Rowan pointed out.
Quinn groaned as he pushed himself to a sitting position, one arm still wrapped around the dog. Either he didn’t notice it in the crook of his arm or he was purposefully trying to make Rowan think he was adorable. She had no idea which option amused her more.
“You’re very accusatory for a woman who spent the entire night on the bathroom floor,” he pointed out.
“I’m … sorry about that. I should’ve listened to you.”
“You’re also being kind of mean given the fact that I spent the night here to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m not being mean on purpose,” Rowan said, dragging a hand through her out-of-control hair and cringing when she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. “You simply caught me off guard.”
“Why?”
Quinn’s question threw Rowan for a loop. “What do you mean? I wasn’t expecting to find you in my bed.”
“Yes, well, I’m too old and far removed from my military days to sleep on the floor if I don’t have to,” Quinn said. “I didn’t think you would mind. It’s not as if I’m naked or anything.”
Rowan’s mouth dropped open, his flirty words washing over her. “Oh, why did you have to say that? Now that’s all I’m going to be picturing when I go to bed tonight.”
Quinn’s lips twitched. “That’s why I said it.”
“I’ve also lost my train of thought.”
“Then let me
help you,” Quinn said, his knee cracking as he stood. “I stayed the night because you were sick and for some reason I didn’t want to leave you when you were vulnerable. I tried to stay close on the floor but couldn’t get comfortable so I hopped in your bed. I knew I would be able to hear you if you needed me.”
“I … that’s it?”
“That’s it,” Quinn replied, bobbing his head as he handed over the dog. “I would’ve preferred a more responsive slumber party friend, but he was still a comfortable snuggle buddy.”
Rowan’s eyes widened to comical proportions. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”
Quinn shrugged. “I’m a man of many talents,” he said. “I’m going to leave you so you can shower. Meet me in the mess hall as soon as possible and then we’ll talk about our plans for the rest of the day.”
“What plans?”
“It’s a port day,” Quinn answered. “That means everyone will be disembarking. Do you know what else that means?”
Rowan realized what Quinn was getting at almost instantaneously. “That the girls will be getting off the ship and will be in danger because we can’t watch them.”
“Close. It means that the girls are going to be off the ship and we’re going to follow them.”
“Oh.” Rowan brightened considerably. “That sounds like a good plan.”
“I’m full of them,” Quinn said, resting his hand on Rowan’s shoulder as he moved past her. The contact was completely platonic and yet he loved feeling her bare skin thanks to the tank top she wore. “Be as fast as you can. We need to get breakfast before we get moving.”
“I … okay.” The words “thank” and “you” were on the tip of Rowan’s tongue, but she felt sheepish saying them in the bright light of day.
Quinn’s smile was friendly as he strolled toward the door. “Oh, and Rowan? You’re welcome.”
Rowan’s smile tipped down into a frown. He was definitely cocky. She generally didn’t like that. No, in truth, she often found it unbearable. So why do I find him so appealing?
“HOW DO I look?”
Rowan was nervous when she met Quinn by the front dock shortly before nine. They’d met in the mess hall a few minutes before, sharing ideas and suggestions for following the girls without being noticed, and wolfed down a quick breakfast of eggs and hash browns. Rowan was fine during the meal, but she felt self-conscious standing in front of Quinn now – especially given the cover they’d come up with.
Quinn pursed his lips as he looked Rowan up and down. She wore a simple cotton skirt and black tank top, her long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and her camera secured around her neck. Her legs were bare and unbelievably white for a woman who worked on a cruise ship, but there was something about the pale skin that caused Quinn’s gaze to linger.
“You look nice,” he said after a moment’s contemplation. “You look very … touristy.”
“Is that a good or bad thing?”
“It’s a good thing,” Quinn said. “We don’t want to attract the attention of the locals and if the girls see us we need to look as if we’re out on a private date and running into them is simply an accident.”
“I’m still not sure about your plan.” Rowan twisted her fingers together. “What if someone from the ship sees us?”
“I think you’re saying that you’re not comfortable with anyone on the ship believing we’re dating.”
“I’m saying that this place is full of gossip and the second anyone sees us together we’re going to be the talk of the ship.”
Quinn leaned forward so his lips were dangerously close to Rowan’s ear. “I hate to break it to you, Trixie, but we’re already the talk of the ship. They’re running a pool to see when we get together.”
Rowan balked, her features going slack. “What? Why?”
Quinn chuckled. He liked the innocent quality she projected at times. “Because they’ve noticed us spending a lot of time together and they’re not idiots.”
“But … we’re working.”
“Yes, but they don’t know that,” Quinn said. “We can’t exactly own up to what we’re really doing without letting your little magical secret out of the proverbial bag, can we?”
“I … no.” Rowan rubbed her cheek. She’d opted for a bevy of sunscreen and non-existent makeup before leaving her room. “Are you okay with them thinking we’re together?”
Quinn tilted his head to the side as he considered the question. “I’m okay with figuring out what happened to Jessica. In fact, while everyone is gone, the maids are going to be doing extremely thorough cleanings in all of the rooms – including the ones that have ‘do not disturb’ signs on the doors. They’ll be taking note of anyone who doesn’t leave the ship.”
“Can you do that?”
“We can do anything,” Quinn replied. “The rooms are being rented and the maids aren’t going in alone so there will be no confusion regarding missing belongings. I seriously doubt Jessica is in one of those rooms, but without evidence to the contrary, I’m not okay leaving anything to chance.”
“That still doesn’t answer my question,” Rowan prodded. “Are you okay with everyone on the ship thinking we’re together?”
“I don’t happen to care what anyone else thinks. I think the better question is: Are you okay with everyone on the ship thinking we’re together?”
Rowan chewed on her bottom lip as she considered her answer. “I don’t care what anyone thinks either.” She said the words, but Quinn wasn’t convinced that she meant them.
“That’s good,” Quinn said, extending his hand. “We’re on the same page.”
“What are you doing?” Rowan eyed his hand as if it was radioactive and he was about to start slinging webs from his fingertips.
“We’re supposed to be on a date, remember?”
Rowan nodded.
“People on dates generally show some form of attraction to one another,” Quinn said. “Holding hands is the easiest choice.”
“I … okay.” Rowan swallowed hard as she slipped her hand in his. “I … this isn’t so bad.”
Quinn couldn’t help but smirk. “It’s not bad at all.”
“So what do we do now?”
“We go to that little diner over there and wait until we see the girls leave,” Quinn replied, pointing toward a small coffee shop just down the way. “Once the girls leave, we follow them.”
“That sounds a little too easy.”
Quinn wasn’t bothered by her tone. “Then it should be a nice afternoon for our first official date.”
“WHAT DO you think?”
Quinn was beyond annoyed when he shifted his eyes to Rowan two hours later and watched her hold a pair of sterling silver dolphin earrings close to her face. “I think they look exactly like the last pair of earrings you showed me,” he said dryly, his back resting against the shop wall as he watched Hayley, Kylie, and Kara cavort at a clothing shop across the way. “If you want them, buy them.”
“I don’t know.” Rowan’s mouth twisted to the side. “Do you think it’s a little … I don’t know … on the nose for a woman who lives on a cruise ship to wear dolphin earrings?”
“I’ve never bothered to give it much thought.”
“You’re kind of a crab, huh?” Rowan asked, returning the earrings to the rack and offering the salesclerk a small smile before shuffling closer to Quinn. “Do you hate dolphins or something?”
“No, I think dolphins are fine. I think they’re beautiful animals and sometimes I like to get up with the sun and stare over the railing because you can see them playing in the water on a quiet morning.”
“Really?” Rowan beamed at the prospect. “I would love to see that.”
Quinn’s grumpy expression softened. “Then we’ll make it happen.”
“That doesn’t explain why you’re so crabby.”
“I’m not crabby, I’m just … who can shop this much?” Quinn held up his hands in feigned annoyance. “I mean they’ve gone into
like two hundred stores. They always look at the same things. They buy a few things. They ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ over everything else. No one can possibly like shopping that much.”
Rowan giggled at his defeated expression, amused. “I’ll have you know that women like shopping. These girls haven’t done anything out of the ordinary. I think you’re just a crabbycakes or something.”
Quinn made an exaggerated face. “Crabbycakes?”
“You’re a cute one, though,” Rowan teased, poking her index finger into his cheek.
Quinn’s eyes were somber as they snagged her finger. Instead of letting it go, he held her hand for a moment as he gazed into her eyes. The spell only lasted a few seconds, and when he finally broke eye contact he shook his head before releasing her hand. “I just find no value in shopping.”
“I don’t know,” Rowan said, her voice catching as she tried to make her heartbeat return to a normal rhythm. “I’m not a fan of the type of shopping these girls are doing, but I don’t mind stopping in a few stores now and then.”
“A few stores. They’ve been in two hundred.”
“That’s a gross exaggeration. They’ve been in like forty stores.”
“I’m not sure that’s better.”
“You really are a crabbycakes,” Rowan teased, smirking as she turned her attention out the window. She watched the three girls hold up brightly colored sarongs and chatter as they pointed out things they liked about the frocks. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they seemed happy. “They don’t seem worried about Jessica being missing, do they?”
“Not in the least.”
“Do you think that makes them look guilty?”
“I think that makes them look shameless,” Quinn said. “I … .” He broke off, his eyes narrowing when three men approached the girls. Instead of reacting in a shy or nervous manner, Kylie sauntered up to the tallest man – he was obviously the alpha male – and threw her arms around his neck as she squealed.
“Huh,” Rowan mused, her gaze landing on Kylie. “That doesn’t look to me as if they just met.”
Welcoming Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 1) Page 12