Chapter 16
Charlotte sank down deeper into the bubbles of the big, jetted tub and turned off the underwater lighting with her toe. She was grateful for every stinking penny of Rick’s money she’d spent on this over-the-top suite.
And you’re sharing it with Cowboy.
At least during the night. She picked up her glass of champagne and took a hearty sip. They’d only been at sea for two days and already she was having the time of her life.
It was nearly dinnertime and she was hoping Cowboy would join her for the meal.
What, like a date?
She’d had a lot of time to think today — maybe too much time — and she’d spent the better part of it thinking about how much she liked Leo Wilson. Dangerous shit for someone who’d only been looking to get laid.
She was on the rebound. That was it. The contrast between Rick and Cowboy made the latter look like a knight in goddamn shining armor. It wasn’t like she had actual feelings for this man. Did she? She rolled on her side in the tub, letting her hair fall in the water.
So what if he was patient and kind? Funny, too. Sweet. It didn’t mean she had to glom onto him like he was a life preserver and she was drowning.
I was just going to ask him to dinner. I was definitely not glomming.
Hell, if Cowboy didn’t work with Logan, she might go for it and try to see him after this week, but as it stood now she didn’t want to make things complicated for her brother or Leo. She would enjoy this week to its fullest, no regrets.
A distant knock and she sat up, the movement making her light-headed. The water was hot, and she’d been in here quite a while. She stepped out of the tub and wrapped herself in a big, fluffy towel before opening the door.
Cowboy stood on the other side and she felt her cheeks warm. This was her lover, the man she’d been more physically intimate with than any other in years, and her body responded to him like an animal recognizing its owner.
She stood back for him to enter. “I was just thinking about you,” she said. “Wondering what you’re doing for dinner. Would you like to join me?” She held her breath, waiting for him to answer.
He turned around, his face crestfallen.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“The prince and princess are missing, someone sabotaged the ship’s communication systems, and there’s been a murder below deck.”
“What?” She put her palm on her chest. “That’s crazy!”
“We need backup. I haven’t checked in with HERO Force, so I’m hoping they’ll realize there’s a problem and come to the ship, but with this weather that might be impossible.”
She sat down on the edge of the couch. “Why would someone do these things? What could they want?”
“Five thousand innocent people at their mercy. What does it make you think of?”
She met his eyes. “Terrorists.”
He nodded.
Fear settled on her like a weight. Terrorists didn’t care if they got hurt. They didn’t care if they took innocent lives. They thrived on the very things that served to keep evil in check.
“What can I do to help?” she asked.
“Get dressed and come with me. I need to find Harrison and Abby and figure out what we’re going to do.”