19. In Which Our Heroine Doesn’t Need Saving
Chapter 19
In Which Our Heroine Doesn’t Need Saving
A fter another night of fitful rest, Ellie’s mood was fast souring. What was that overprotective nonsense Evander pulled? She could thwart some asshole’s advances; she’d been doing it most of her life. Ellie wasn’t sure what bothered her more: the burst of protectiveness from him or the fact she liked it.
Grunting, she bobbed her head. One reason her father made her take all those self-defense classes was because of so-called nice guys. Leaving the event, he had cornered her, trying to get her to take the multicolored fruity drink he seemed suddenly to have an extra of, but Ellie wasn’t that na?ve. She knew better than to take drinks from anyone. However, she never dreamed he would find her beside Evander and cause a scene. She thought about finding where Evander’s cabin was and giving him a piece of her mind. But in the light of day, she settled for a stern talking to. While unwarranted, he had defended her.
And that was how the ship’s mini golf course became a battleground.
He was heading towards her, his mouth curled at the edges like a bow. Something wild fluttered low in her belly at the sight. He was shirtless, a pair of swim trunks hung on his hips and flip-flops on his feet. The sun glistened off him, his blond hair dark as if wet. The leather straps that held his mechanical arm in place crisscrossed his bare chest, half-hiding his tattoo. Those hips rolled in time with his sexy lope, making her toes curl. His long, toned legs moved with grace. It was like watching a Baywatch character run in slow motion. All he needed was a beach and a wind machine. As he walked by, a group of women stopped their conversation to gawk. Ellie didn’t blame them; he was beautiful. Magnificent. A chiseled god.
Isn’t that what she called him?
He stopped before her, and she craned her neck up.
“You realize about half the women on this ship pictured you naked as you sauntered by?”
His eyebrows furrowed as one side of those lips quirked up. “Pardon?”
“The group of women over there?” She pointed with her chin. “You about gave them a heart attack.”
“Most people say hello.”
“Hello.” A mischievous grin played with her lips.
“What?” he said, flipping a pair of sunglasses on his head. Cheap. Plastic. Ellie bit the inside of her cheek, fighting a smile when she realized they were the same ones from the bar.
“I think we need to get you out of the sun before the cougars descend.” Rising on her tiptoes, she glanced over his shoulder. “That one especially looks like she’s only half done picturing your naked ass.” Her eyebrows raised as she lowered back down. Evander rolled his eyes.
Maneuvering around several lounge chairs, they came upon the mini golf stand.
“Miniature golf, then? For the health of the patrons?” He motioned for two clubs and leaned on the counter while he waited.
“How’s your morning?” he asked. Watching him lean against the wooden counter caused her brain to stop working. That same fluttering sensation made its way lower. He was so damn pretty resting his hip against the ledge that she almost forgot her annoyance at his actions last night. Almost.
“That’s right, I’m fit to be tied at you,” she said. Snatching the club he offered, she headed towards the first hole. The course was short, just eight holes, so Ellie only had a few minutes to air her grievances.
“Pardon?” He tilted his head to one side.
Bending over, she set her ball on the rubber mat. She sensed Evander’s eyes following her movements, which pissed her off further. She lined up and swung. The ball smacked into a concrete mound in the center and rolled. Bouncing, it came to a stop inches from the target. She stepped to the side as Evander bent down for his turn.
“What was that last night?”
“Last night?” He was lining up his shot as he spoke, his head down.
Ellie huffed. “Yes, last night with that guy. What was that? Do you have a habit of going around randomly shoving people?”
Evander straightened, his eyes snapping. “He grabbed you.” He hit the ball. It also rolled and bounced off the mound but went into the hole. He retrieved it, then motioned for her to play through.
She huffed again. “Yes. Lots of men claim to be nice when they are really assholes. I had it handled.” She hit the ball, making it in two strokes.
Evander stepped aside and let her pass. “Did you?”
She placed her ball on the next mat. Straightening, she shifted her weight, head down. “Yes. When he tried to hand me that drink I didn’t take it, that’s what set him off. He changed his tactic when he found me. I told him I wasn’t interested repeatedly. If he kept on, I was going to be all over him like stank on a skunk. I was fine—what?”
His expression was dark and stony. The tiny club looked more murderous in his clenched fist than if he had a weapon. That muscle in his jaw ticked. Evander looked like he had last night right before he landed that guy on his ass.
“You already told him no once?”
“He tried giving me a drink, and when I refused, he got angry.”
His eyes flashed. “How angry?”
“About as angry as he was when he saw me with you. He was trying to act nice, but that man was pissed.”
His nostrils flared as if he would start breathing fire.
“What does it matter?”
He stepped closer, and she wasn’t sure if he would yell. She braced for the worst and held her breath.
“He could have done anything to you,” he said, his voice low.
“And I would have handled it.”
He blinked. “You! You? You’re so short; that bloke could have gotten the upper hand.”
Ellie saw red. For the first time in years, she felt a tingle of electricity, letting her know she was about to lose control and harm someone. She took a shallow breath and tamped down the power coursing through her like fire.
“My size has nothing to do with anything,” she snapped. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don’t need your macho maleness to protect poor little old me.”
Narrowing his glare, he stepped closer. “He grabbed you. Your knee. Your elbow. I watched you flinch, Ellie. He hurt you. He insulted you and then grabbed at you. And right in front of me. By the gods, who knows what he would have done had I not been there. His ass needed to sit down.” A hand scrubbed through his hair.
“And I’m telling you, I had it handled. He isn’t the first man to grab me. To think I owed him something, just because he called himself nice .” Pursing her lips, she glared at him right back.
His features changed from murder to surprise. Rocking back on his heel, he looked as though she had gut punched him.
“What do you mean?” he demanded, barely controlled. Refusing to let him intimidate her, she stepped closer.
“Nothing,” she snapped.
“Answer me,” he hissed between clenched teeth, bringing his head down so they were eye to eye.
“It’s none of your damn business.” Moving closer, she brought her nose inches from his as her hands reached her hips.
“Umm, excuse me, but are you going to go?”
The unfamiliar voice knocked them out of their stare-down. They looked in unison at a man waiting to play the hole with his family. He motioned for them to swing and get on with the play. It took several seconds for Ellie to remember they were in public. She glanced down at the club. Mumbling something that sounded like sorry, she skittered to the club return. She whipped around and came face-to-face with a hard wall of flesh and muscle. Evander made a grunting noise as she slammed into him. His arms flew around her, steadying them both so they didn’t end up in a heap on the ground. Her hand shot out as she crashed and she tilted her chin up, the bright sun obscuring his face. His fingers built flaming altars along her waist as he settled them low. She was acutely aware of how his body fit next to hers, flexing her fingers on his bare chest, fingernails scratching his soft skin. He stepped back, releasing her in less time than it took to blink, unaffected. Her palms were ablaze, her breathing labored as she stared.
“What did you mean, someone hurt you? Who, Ellie? Who hurt you?”
Closing her eyes, she concentrated on music playing, water splashing, kids laughing in the pool. Her composure returning, she fought the sudden surge of power rising inside her. It whined as it always did, wanting to be released, waiting to cause chaos and destruction. When her eyes opened, Evander’s dark expression was gone. In its place was an odd look she couldn’t place. He clenched his fists at his side. His pupils large. His breath ragged.
“None of that matters now. It was a long time ago. I divorced him.”
As she maneuvered around him, his hand shot out. Grasping her forearm gently, he shifted his grip down her arm, walking his fingers to her wrist. His hand softly slid into hers.
“It matters to me.”
She looked up and closed one eye to keep the sun’s brightness from blinding her.
He leaned down. “I know you can care for yourself; I wasn’t implying you couldn’t.” Stepping closer, his fingers danced in her palm. His breath tickled the wild hairs at her temple. “I can’t stand entitlement, and that bloke thought you owed him something. I wasn’t about to let him try.”
A shiver sparked down her spine at the intensity of his gaze. She knew he meant every word.
“Some guys think women owe them something, and they will take it by force if they want. They will try to degrade us into submission. I refuse to play the game anymore.”
Ellie wiggled her hand from his. She felt his stare as she walked off, knowing he would follow.