His gaze followed her fingers and then looked up into her eyes. “Uh...”
“Don’t you want—”
He took her hand and moved it back to the table. “You’re a beautiful woman, Piper, but—”
“Never mind. You think I would actually be with a fireman from...Brooklyn?” Grabbing her Appletini, she scooted her chair back, stood and returned to the nightclub. After she downed the drink in one swallow, she ordered another from the bar and then joined the crowd on the dance floor.
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