1. Day One
CHAPTER 1
Day One
DEPARTING
KATIE
I should have said no.
That’s the thought that keeps playing through my mind as I look up at the enormous cruise ship outside of the terminal.
My anxiety is through the roof. I picked the last possible boarding time, hoping to avoid everyone for as long as possible.
Nessa has already texted me no less than twenty times, asking me where I am.
I stare up at the ship one last time before pulling my suitcase behind me.
I show my printed boarding pass to the attendant before being waved through. After going through all the checks, I am finally on board.
People are milling about as employees offer drinks as soon as you step on the ship. I wave them away, heading toward the elevators.
Once there, I look at my room number again.
When Nessa sent over my ticket information, she didn’t tell me who I would be rooming with. I hope it’s not someone who wants to party all the time. I need my beauty sleep.
Room forty-three twenty.
Finding it on the map, I take a quick picture on my phone before heading toward the elevator that has just opened.
It doesn’t take long to get to my floor. I make it all the way down to the hall and find one keycard hanging outside the room.
My roommate is obviously already here.
I knock on the door to make sure they aren’t in there, but when they don’t answer, I insert the key and let myself in.
The room is beautiful. More than I thought. It’s a balcony room with one large bed in the middle of the room in front of the balcony doors, a couch on the side in a corner, a flat-screen TV on the wall, and two doors, which I assume one leads to the bathroom.
Pushing my suitcase against the wall, I look around, finding that one of the doors leads to a full bathroom with a shower, sink, and toilet, while the other houses only a shower and sink. The room is way fancier than the interior room I had booked with Barrett.
I frown to myself. Nessa assured me that my new roommate had already paid for the room and insisted that I not pay them for half of it.
Looking at it now, I’m glad. This room is probably double the original room I had booked.
Opening the closet, I gasp when I see male clothes hanging up.
Gritting my teeth, I pull out my phone and dial my sister.
She picks up after two rings. “Are you on the ship? They are going to leave shortly. You better get here.”
“Who the fuck did you room me with?”
She’s silent a moment. “You’re on the ship then?”
“I’m looking at my room. A room which has men’s clothing. Who am I rooming with?”
“What was that, Katie? I can’t really hear you. I’m on deck ten. Come hang out. Love you.”
Then she hangs up. Little bitch knows what she’s doing.
Shaking my head, I take a deep breath.
It’s going to be fine. I mean, she wouldn’t room me with someone I hate.
I think through all the guys I know who are on this trip.
It’s not Barrett.
It’s probably not Alan. He brought his girlfriend with him.
I guess it could be Brock and Casey. They are a newer couple, but seem like they would let me bunk.
Or it could be Dominic.
I swallow hard at the thought. Dominic is the best man and Grant’s best friend. I knew he would be here, but I figured I would dodge him as much as I planned to avoid Barrett. The thought of being stuck in a room with him only makes my heart beat faster.
Dominic is six foot three inches of solid muscle. The man works out like it’s his job. Well, I suppose it kind of is. He works at Price Security, the top security firm in our area. Dominic is hot as hell, and he knows it. I won’t lie. I had a crush on him once. I almost fell for the baby-blue eyes and sexy smirk.
Then he opened his mouth.
You see, Dominic and I don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things. I can only hope that my sister wouldn’t be dumb enough to put me in a room with him.
A knock on the door startles me.
Taking a deep breath, I make my way over to it before opening it.
An older man in a uniform is standing on the other side.
“Hello, miss. My name is Joe. I will be your steward on this trip. What is your name?”
I smile. “Katie. Nice to meet you.”
“You too, Miss Katie. Mr. Dominic asked me to let you know that you will have the bed. I will make the couch up for him when you are ready. Do you need anything else? Is the room to your satisfaction?”
I blink hard. “Did you say, Mr. Dominic?”
He nods. “Yes. I already checked with him earlier. He let me know you were arriving later. I believe he said he would be joining your friends on deck ten. Would you like directions?”
I shake my head, my body feeling numb.
“Okay. Well, if you need anything, I left my card with Mr. Dominic. Dial me on the phone twenty-four hours a day.”
“Okay. Thank you,” I manage, but my mind is still whirling.
“Oh, and don’t forget to put your phone on Airplane Mode. You can connect to the Wi-Fi and use the app to keep connected with what’s going on around the ship. The deck party will start after the mandatory safety briefing.”
“I’ll be sure to look it over. Thank you, Jo.”
Once the door is shut, I pull out my phone and send my sister one text.
You’re a dead woman.
DOMINIC
“Katie is pissed. She must’ve found out she’s rooming with you,” Nessa calls from her beach chair.
She’s here.
Katie Remington has been a recurring star in my fantasies since I met her. She’s feisty and bold. Even when she is chewing me out for something idiotic, I can’t help but grow hard for the girl.
When I heard that dumbass Barrett had cheated on her and that she needed someone to room with, I didn’t hesitate.
I don’t normally like sharing my space with people, but for her, I would make an exception.
Then Nessa told me she wasn’t going to give Katie the head’s up. Smart on her part. Katie hates me. I have no idea why, but every time we are in a room together, she starts an argument with me.
Especially when she got with Barrett. It was like they fed off their mutual hatred for me when they were together.
Barrett has a reason to despise me though. There’s a reason I’m the best man at his brother’s wedding. Growing up, Barrett always wanted to do what we were doing. He was a year younger, but he might as well have been decades. He never really fit in with us, even when we tried to include him. Then he hit his teens and found his own friends.
Granted, his friends are as douchy as he is, but he stopped trying to get us to do stupid shit.
Barrett has always been a selfish person. He only cares about what benefits him.
It’s no surprise that he cheated on Katie. I mean, he’s a complete dumbass for losing her. She’s the kind of girl you take home to mom. The one you marry and spend the rest of your life worshipping. Instead, he gave her up for some loose pussy who he probably never saw again.
What’s worse is that he then called and bragged about it. About how he knew she was coming over, but the new piece wanted some, so he gave it to her, knowing Katie would catch them.
Speak of the fucking devil, I watch as Barrett heads this way with a chick on his arm.
“I’m going to head down to the room. See if Katie needs anything.”
Nessa smiles up at me with a knowing smirk but doesn’t say anything.
Grant holds his fist up for a fist bump. “Catch you later for drinks?”
“I think I might stay in tonight. Get a quick dinner and watch a movie or something. I’ll let you know then.”
It doesn’t take me long to make it to the room. I picked this room for a reason. I wanted to have plenty of space to move around, along with the ability to get fresh air without leaving my room. I absolutely hate feeling trapped. So I knew I would need a balcony suite. Then I picked the lowest, most central room I could get to feel the least amount of sway from the ship as it moves. While everyone else in our group wanted to be as close to the party as possible, I moved as far away from them as I could.
Standing outside the room, I take a deep breath. I knock twice before putting my card in the door. Once inside, I find her.
Katie looks as gorgeous as she always does. Her dark brown hair pulled back into a bun, leaving her neck open for my viewing pleasure. The long-sleeved shirt hanging off of her shoulder showing that she’s not wearing a bra while her legs are covered in fluffy pink pants.
She looks ready for bed.
“Hey, doll. Is that what you wore here?” I don’t know why I ask, but I can’t help it.
“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you not to call me doll,” she huffs, her focus back to the TV.
I feel the smile fill my face.
She hates when I call her doll, but from the moment I met her, the term of endearment flowed from my mouth. She’s dainty, standing at five-four with curvy hips begging to be grabbed. I knew in that moment, she could be my baby doll, body ready for manipulation until we were both screaming out in pleasure.
Too bad she had other ideas. While I was thinking about getting her naked, she decided I was a heathen, not worthy of her time.
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
She shrugs. “I didn’t see the point of putting on real clothes when I plan to order room service and go to bed early. We have a sea day tomorrow and I plan to spend the entire day reading by the pool.”
“Makes sense. We have our safety briefing in”—I look at my watch—“ten minutes. Want to walk up together?”
Her eyes narrow in suspicion. “Why are you being so nice to me? Usually you’re a complete asshole. Now you’re letting me room with you. Insisting I take the bed even though you paid for it.”
I fight back a smile. She’s right. I usually am an asshole, but it’s because I love the fire in her eyes when I say something mean to her. It gets me hard.
“Your sister said you needed a place to stay. This room is big enough for the both of us. Seemed like a no-brainer.”
“Then let me at least pay you for my part of the room.”
I shake my head. “I know you didn’t get your money back for dipshit’s room. Besides, I paid for this room before I knew you were rooming with me.”
She looks thoughtful for a moment. “Why did you get such a spacious room for only you?”
“I like my space.” Clearing my throat, I look out the window, staring at the port building. “I’m not a fan of enclosed spaces.”
She giggles. “Are you claustrophobic?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m not afraid of them. I just don’t care for them.”
“So, do you take the stairs instead of the elevator?”
“Most of the time, yes.”
She mumbles under her breath, but I catch it anyway. “No wonder you have abs chiseled from stone.”
I chuckle. “What was that?”
“Nothing.” She smiles at me.
I’m about to say something else when a ding indicating a ship-wide message comes on.
“Please proceed to your muster stations for the mandatory safety briefing.”
“Come on, doll. Let’s get this over with.”
I hold out my hand to her, but she ignores it.
“This is going to be a miserable fourteen days,” she whispers as she brushes by.
As I follow her, I frown.
I don’t want her to be miserable.