Chapter 2
Randy Messier swallowed hard, refusing to let anything show on his face. “Being a police officer doesn’t mean that I don’t have just as much as everyone else on the ship.” He kept his voice as level as his answer was vague, not willing to give anything away. “I’m on vacation, the same as the rest of the passengers.”
“I suppose,” Nathaniel said. “But your hands are rough, and you do hard work. I’m willing to bet no one else on this ship does that… outside the gym, that is.”
“Yeah?” Randy asked as Nathaniel turned toward him with a nod. “And exactly what type of hard work is it that you think I do?”
Those blue eyes had gone dark. “If I had to guess, I’d say you worked on cars. There’s a little grease under your nails and oil stains on your shoes.” Nathaniel smiled, and Randy found himself nodding.
“A sixty-nine Mustang and a fifty-seven Thunderbird. They were my grandfather’s. He drove them and cared for them as long as he could, but they ended up in his barn for ten years, and my father didn’t do anything with them. I got my hands on them a few years ago and have been restoring them in my free time.”
“And let me guess, you usually spend your vacation time on them, but you came on this cruise instead.” The guy was smug, and part of him wanted to smack that look off his face—either that or kiss it away. Those lips were full and just right to suck on until Nathaniel begged for more.
“Something like that,” Randy told him. “But you’d be surprised how cold it is up north and how good the warmth feels after months of cold weather. Just a few days of relief is enough to lighten the spirit.”
Nathaniel leaned closer. “And you need your spirit lightened? That’s interesting. Is there any particular way that you like to go about that?”
During the act, he’d been pretty sure that Nathaniel’s behavior was just part of the schtick, but this was some very heavy-duty flirting, and Randy was more than willing to see where it went. It was late, and they were alone, though he knew they were on a cruise ship and that meant that just about every single thing that happened outside a cabin was caught on some sort of camera.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I have a thing for mouthy magician entertainers.” He loved how Nathaniel’s eyes widened just a little and the way his breathing paused for a split second. Randy had seen how Nathaniel looked at him, and that told him that he was right. “We’ll have to see.” He backed away from the rail. “Night.” Then he turned and headed down the deck to the first set of stairs, taking them downward into ship and out of the night air.
Damn, that man had the potential to be dangerous in so many ways. He was sexy and had a quick mind, but Randy needed to remember that he was here to do a job and had been hired, on a freelance basis, to make sure that this cruise went off without a hitch—as far as security was concerned.
The cruise line had received a number of reports, reputable or not, that a thief had wormed their way onto the passenger list and was planning to liberate a number of pieces from the wealthy passengers. And Randy was here to try to make sure that didn’t happen. He had been given a cabin and a budget to spend so he wouldn’t stick out from the other passengers, but so far, things were not going to plan. First, he had been pulled on stage by Nathaniel, that damned magician. But that might have been a blessing in disguise, and Nathaniel might have given himself away. After all, what better way to get access to the passengers and their expensive belongings than as an employee on the ship? And in his little act, he had certainly demonstrated that he had the skills to pocket a ring or a bracelet, even a watch or necklace, without anyone being the wiser. And by the time the items were discovered missing, the thief would be gone and out of sight.
He had a suspect now, and all he needed to do was keep an eye on him, and if he could, put Nathaniel off-kilter… without letting himself get thrown off his game. And that was proving harder than he wanted to admit. Nathaniel was bright and engaging as hell. He’d only come out on deck to get some fresh air, and without trying, he had found himself standing right next to him, breathing in the salt air mixed with Nathaniel’s earthy scent that made his blood race. Fucking pheromones. The thing was, he needed to keep his head clear and not let anything get in the way of his job.
Randy used the stairs to descend to the fifth deck before heading down the starboard passageway to his cabin, where he opened the door and went inside. The smallest room on this ship would be considered a suite on most others. It had a bathroom with a tub, a sleeping area, and a living area with a small sofa and two chairs. There was also a closet and a desk with plenty of storage. He closed the cabin door and turned on one of the bedside lights, then sat down to take off his shoes. With a sigh, he went to the bathroom to clean up before undressing and then sliding into the surprisingly comfortable king-size bed.
The energy between them was striking, and it took Randy’s breath away. Those lips found his in the dark, and he held Nathaniel closer. As soon as they connected, lightning sparked between them, and damn, he was breathless. Nathaniel felt amazing next to him, the heat from his skin, his scent surrounding him, and all that passion built so quickly that Randy wasn’t sure he could contain it. This was what he had wanted for himself for as long as he could remember. He ran his hands down Nathaniel’s back and over the curve of his butt, squeezing the firmness as their kissing grew more intense. Everywhere he touched, it was like magic.
Nathaniel arched his back, groaning softly into Randy’s ear, sending waves of desire running through him. He wanted more, and when Nathaniel pulled away and then straddled his hips, Randy gasped as Nathaniel prepared to give it to him. Heat and passion combined, and Randy gasped as their bodies joined, sending Randy to heaven.
He snapped back to consciousness, sitting upright in the bed, the heat and passion immediately popping like a soap bubble. He tried to get out, but the covers had twisted around him, and he pulled them away, desperate to get the fabric away from his sweat-covered skin. Even once he got himself under control and realized he was in his cabin, the lights off, alone, it still took him a few seconds to remember that it was only a dream. It wasn’t real. But hell, it had felt real, and that was the rub, because he wanted it to be real. Lying back, he closed his eyes, letting his mind wander. Maybe he could go back to the dream. His cock throbbed against his belly, more than happy at that idea. Dammit, the danged thing almost hurt, he was so hard.
“Shit, get it together,” he told himself.
There was no way in hell he was going to have dreams about Nathaniel Weatherby. He was here to do a job, and Randy didn’t need any distractions, least of all from someone he suspected could be the one he was supposed to be watching. Randy checked the time and groaned. He had a meeting with the ship’s head of security in a three hours, and he needed to get some rest so he could be at the top of his game. Early-morning sex dreams with a certain magician were not on his agenda. Randy got out of the bed, straightened the bedding, and then got a drink of water from the bathroom. The cool air in the room gave his skin a chance to dry and cool down. What he really needed was some restful sleep, so he turned down the temperature slightly, crawled back into bed, and did his best to think of puppies, kittens, anything relaxing—and not Nathaniel.
Randy took the elevators down to the first deck, asking directions once before finding the security office. “I’m Randy Messier, and I have an appointment with Lars Olafs,” he explained when a blond head turned toward him. Randy showed his identification.
He stood. “I’m Lars, and I was told to expect you.” He held out his hand, and Randy shook it. “I’m in charge of camera surveillance around the ship, and we have plenty of it.” He motioned Randy around to banks of monitors. “These are the exterior of the ship to the water ones, and there are alerts in case someone goes overboard. These are along all the public spaces. These are the passageways, and we have cameras that monitor the pool deck. The casino has its own set of cameras and monitoring equipment. I don’t oversee that because it’s very specialized.”
“I see.” Randy leaned closer. “How do you monitor everything going on?”
“Well, in real time, we can’t. It would take a dozen people. As I said, the exterior cameras are linked to special software in case someone goes overboard, and we have alarms set to various other feeds for specific activity. People go up and down the passageways all the time, but if someone is lingering there for an extended period of time, then we get an alert and can check it out. In the public spaces, we watch for disruptions and things like that.”
“So if there was a theft?” Randy probed. It was what he was here to try to prevent.
Lars nodded. “We would take the report and get as much information as possible to lock down the time and place before reviewing footage for those areas of the ship. We have had good luck so far.” Lars demonstrated how he could move around the ship and through time. “It’s very sophisticated.”
It certainly seemed that way. “True. What isn’t monitored?”
“Inside the bathrooms, the individual cabins, and in the locker rooms of the fitness center. Anyplace that could be considered personal, private space. Other than that, we have eyes everywhere. Now that isn’t to say we can’t monitor the restrooms, just not inside them. We can see the doors and who comes and goes. Same with all of the cabins. We could put together a timeline of entry and exit on any cabin door and match the video feed with those entries or exits.” Lars gave him a demonstration using his own cabin. It was quite impressive and kind of intimidating looking at himself as he left the cabin for this meeting. He was willing to bet that Lars could track him all the way here.
“And the shops?” Randy asked. They were closed at the moment, so that was probably why they weren’t displayed.
“Are recorded from multiple angles, including the registers and all displays, which is why there is nothing tall in the center of the shops: to make our job a little easier. If someone were to try to steal something, there are antitheft monitors around the doors as well.”
Randy nodded. Somehow, he didn’t think anyone was going after the shops. There was plenty to lift off the passengers, and that would be much harder to cover, even with the eyes in the sky.
“Thank you. Do calls about possible missing or stolen items come in to this office?” Randy asked.
Lars nodded as his attention was pulled to something on one of the monitors. He zoomed in on one of the hot tubs on the main pool deck, shaking his head as a man and a women held each other tightly. They kissed and then separated. “We get couples coming out on deck, usually late at night, to have some extra fun. That happens a lot. But usually not during the day like this.” Thankfully, they seemed to stay separated and unentangled, so Lars continued on. “The biggest part of our job is public safety. We don’t want the ship to feel like a police state. So mostly, unless there is some sort of danger, we stay out of sight as much as possible. Our guests have paid a lot for their time with us, and we want them to enjoy themselves.”
“I understand.” And he did. Watch what you could, but don’t remind people that you’re watching unless it was necessary. “Thank you.”
Lars gave him one of his cards. “This has the direct number for this office. If I’m not here, one of my colleagues will be. Tell them who you are and what you need. We will try to help.”
“Thank you.” Randy gave Lars his phone number. “This is always on. Message me and I will call right back.”
“Of course,” Lars said, and Randy left the office, heading to the main dining room for breakfast. He got in the short line and was then escorted to a table.
“Do you wish to sit alone?” the server asked as they moved through the elegant space.
“No. Thank you,” Randy answered, so the server veered to the right where a table of six was already seated with two still-empty chairs. “Good morning,” he said as he took a seat.
An elegantly dressed lady smiled from next to him. “I’m Lana, and this is my husband, Felix.” Her hair was perfect, along with just about everything else, and Felix looked like he was getting ready to play golf. Randy sometimes wondered if golfers were color blind. At least that would explain why Felix was dressed the way he was. “Where are you from, dear?”
“Baltimore,” he answered. “And you?”
“Palm Beach,” she replied. “I just love it down there this time of year. It’s so warm. In the summer, we spend three months in the Hamptons. We just love being near the coast.” It seemed she did all the talking for the two of them because Felix just sipped his Bloody Mary and said nothing. “Forgive my manners. This is my sister-in-law, Elaine, and my brother, Ferris. They live in Coral Gables, right across from the Biltmore.”
“It’s a lovely place,” Elaine said. “With an endless supply of guest rooms.” She smiled, and Randy chuckled.
“I saw the Biltmore last year. It was very beautiful.” And that was about as close as he was ever going to get. A place like that was way too expensive for a guy like him.
“It is,” Elaine said before taking a sip of her drink. A pitcher sat on the table, and she refilled her glass.
Randy refused to fidget or pull at his collar. He was a cop and had been in many more nerve-inducing situations than breakfast with a couple of rich society ladies and their husbands. “What do you have planned for today?” he asked, sipping his water as the server approached with another person to join their table.
“Good morning, everyone,” a familiar voice said, and Randy snapped his head around only to find himself staring into Nathaniel’s eyes, the same ones he had seen in his dreams all fucking night long.
“We saw your show last night,” Elaine said with an excited grin. “It was so funny.” She put her hand over her mouth. “Were you part of the act?” She seemed to catch on.
“No. Randy was just an amazing sport,” Nathaniel said as he sat down. “We had never met before the show.” He sipped his water as introductions were made, and thankfully, Nathaniel seemed to be a master of conversation, because they all perked up and he even managed to draw Felix and Ferris into the conversation. Granted, it was on the topic of golf, but it seemed Elaine played and Lana used to, but didn’t any longer. Though she was currently the president of the country club.
They downed the pitcher of Bloody Marys and had a refill brought to the table before the servers delivered plates of eggs and salmon Benedicts that had Randy suppressing a groan at how amazing they were. Nathaniel kept the conversation going, and Randy did what he did best: sat back and watched.
“And then out of nowhere, one of the props I had in my coat just fell on the stage. Plop ! And I didn’t know what to do. I was really trying to be a serious magician and have all the tricks go off without a hitch, but there it was, my failure right on stage in front of a live audience. So I went with it and made a joke. Everyone laughed and thought it was part of the act. For the next show, I hammed it up more, and it worked. Besides, what’s more fun than being able to laugh? Or more entertaining?”
“I suppose,” Lana said.
Nathaniel leaned forward. “Thank about it. Laughing for five minutes is like taking a Prozac without all the side effects. It lifts you up, releases chemicals in the brain that make you feel good, and that feeling can last for hours. That’s what I like about what I do.” He sipped from the Bloody Mary that Lana had poured for him. She had offered one to Randy, but he declined and now he wasn’t sure why.
The men stood. “Ferris and I have a tee time in fifteen minutes.” They excused themselves and left the dining room.
Elaine rolled her eyes. “I finally get him to come on a damned vacation, and I figured we could cruise because there wouldn’t be any golf for a few days, and this ship has to have one of those state-of-the-art golf simulators. You can play any course, and it’s like you’re really there. Maybe I should have booked this vacation in Scotland.”
“I thought you played,” Randy said.
“I do. A couple times a week. I’m really quite good. So was Lana before she broke her hip.” She snickered, and Randy wondered if the alcohol was getting to her.
“We’re both better players than our husbands. But we don’t bring it up,” Lana said as though she were being naughty. “Now, Elaine and I are going to take advantage of their golf time.”
“Spa day?” Nathaniel asked, and both ladies nodded. “Then have fun.” The ladies both stood and left the dining room. “And what do you have for today?”
“Not much.” Randy hadn’t given it much thought. “You?”
“I have a rehearsal this afternoon. It’s just a walk-through with the musicians for the show tonight. So I was going to go up on deck and catch some sun. Maybe I’ll see you around.” He pushed back his chair and stood. “I definitely hope I do,” he added before turning and slowly walking away from the table.
Randy told himself he wasn’t going to look and even drank some water, but damn it all, he turned anyway just in time to see that amazing backside sway from side to side before disappearing from view as Nathaniel exited the room.