Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
She doesn’t argue the point. Instead, she offers me a slight nod of her chin.
“You’re impressing me too, Delia,” I tell her something I sense she already knows since I’ve hummed in appreciation repeatedly as she’s kept in step with my every move.
She let me lead each dance without question. I have no complaints, but she strikes me as the type of woman who has no issue with making her preferences known to her partner. Whether that’s on the dance floor or in bed.
“I know.” She smiles. “I can tell.”
If she’s talking about my semi-erection, I’m fine with that. She’s a beautiful woman and she’s been pressed up against me for the better part of the past two hours. I’m actually shocked that the raging hard-on I was fighting when I first took her to the dance floor has lessened at all.
Her gaze leaves my face to float past my shoulder. Tension tightens her body almost instantly.
“What’s wrong?” I question before I glance in the direction she’s looking to see trouble on the approach.
Clever, still dressed in his all black magician outfit, is sprinting toward us. The sparkly top hat on his head can’t be necessary at this point since the talent showcase shut down twenty minutes after he finished his set.
“Delia!” he calls out to her with a raised hand.
Her gaze darts to my face. “Clever is here.”
“He should make himself disappear,” I whisper.
Her head falls back in laughter as he comes into view next to us. He’s not alone, though. Another blond-haired guy is right behind him and he’s dressed in what looks like a skin colored loincloth. That’s it. Not another stitch of clothing.
Naturally, Delia’s eyes widen when she spots him because it’s obvious that he hits the gym more times a week than is humanely possible if one wants to make time for eating, sleeping, and anything that doesn’t involve working out.
“Delia!” Clever yells her name again, even though he’s less than a foot away from her. “I wanted to know if you know my friend. He lives in New York City, too.”
As do eight million other people.
Delia keeps her eyes pinned on the face of the guy in the loincloth. “No. We’ve never met.”
“Are you sure?” Clever pushes. “You’re both thirty-one. Maybe you went to school together.”
“I already told you I don’t know her.” The guy smiles at Delia like he really wants to know her. “I’m happy to meet you, though. I’m Matt.”
Delia’s gaze darts to my face. I see a flash of something there. I’d label it as panic or surprise. Maybe she does actually know this guy, or her reaction could be based on the fact that he shares a name with her brother.
“Hi, Matt,” she almost whispers. “I’m Delia Hawthorne.”
“Matt works as a concierge,” Clever explains. “He was first up in the talent showcase. He showed off his acrobatic skills but you arrived too late to see it.”
“I’m sorry,” she mumbles.
“I’m Donovan.” I step in to give Delia a chance to catch her breath since it’s obvious something has thrown her way off the course we were on before we were interrupted.
Matt takes my hand for a hearty shake. “Now, you look familiar to me. Do we know each other?”
“He’s a vet,” Clever offers.
Matt narrows his eyes. “Premier Pet Care, right? I brought my iguana there years ago. I’m talking six or seven years.”
I rarely forget a patient, but the people who bring them in are often forgettable. Apparently, Matt fits that bill, but I don’t clue him into that. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too.” He shakes my hand again. “If you need anything, let me know. That goes for both of you.”
I watch as he catches Delia’s eye once again. She breaks the shared gaze to look up at me. “I think it’s time for me to call it a night. I’m going to head back to my cabin.”
“I’ll walk you,” I offer, wanting at least a few more minutes with her tonight.
“No, that’s all right.” She squeezes my forearm. “It’s not far. I’ll be fine.”
Without another word or a glance back at me, she leaves the deck and disappears into a group of people, leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened?
CHAPTER NINE
Delia
I spent most of the night tossing and turning in my bed. It’s not that it wasn’t as comfortable as a cloud. My mind was the source of my insomnia.
As soon as Clever’s friend introduced himself to me, I couldn’t think of anything but my brother.
Matthew works for Donovan. They spend hours together each day. I happen to know that my brother loves his job at Premier Pet Care. He respects Donovan and he’s said more than once that he plans on holding onto the job until the day he retires.
Whatever happens on this ship between his boss and me could impact his life in many ways.