“Elijah?” I asked, not sure if he’d already disconnected.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks, man. I mean…for everything.”
“Catch you later, Twombley,” he said.
Elijah Banks was never one to take credit for the good he put back into the world. He’d much rather everyone think he was the dick-swinging playboy he made himself out to be.
I flopped onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. By my calculations, we had at least four days remaining until we arrived at our destination. I had to make peace with my shipmate, and I had a feeling she wasn’t going to roll over easily. She never did, so why would she start now? That thought made me grin and then audibly chuckle.
“Oh, Blaze,” I said to the walls. “What am I going to do with you?”
After a nice long, hot shower, I dressed for a balmy evening and went to find my girl. Okay, so not my girl, per se, but the one I was currently bending over backward to please…all while my mind—and my heart—were in knots. I didn’t really know what I planned to say to her when I found her, but I knew when I’d designed the day’s meals with the chef that morning, I’d asked that dinner be ready in a half hour from now.
I also knew as I strode down the short passageway that I owed the woman an apology.
Maybe what I’d said earlier was insensitive. Perhaps the way I’d assumed I knew what was best for her was my attempt at playing king, as she so astutely accused. And just maybe, presuming to know what she needed to heal was high-handed.
But she had to realize I was in deep with her, and I couldn’t help wanting to make things right in her life. Help her wipe out the pain of losing her husband, and when she was ready…fill that void myself. If she thought I was playing king, was there any chance she would just let down her guard…and be my queen?
At the last cabin door in the corridor, I paused and listened near the door. Rio’s soft voice could be heard. Was she singing? I put my ear against the panel and held my breath, really zeroing in on what sounded like a lullaby. As quietly as possible, I tried the polished nickel knob and found it unlocked, so I pushed the door open a few inches.
Rio lay on the bed with her little feline friend asleep on her chest. While she absentmindedly stroked his silky black fur, she sang softly to him. It was precious and gut-wrenching at the same time. Before her husband died, the woman had confided in me that they were desperately trying to have a baby. As Abbigail’s due date loomed closer on the horizon, she was probably lamenting her childless, and now husbandless, life.
My quiet knock pulled her from her tune, and she scanned me with her soulful eyes where I stood in the doorway.
“I come in peace,” I said, offering the Vulcan salute. The gesture had the desired effect as a coy grin spread across her lips.
“I think you’re way too tall and antagonistic to be a Vulcan, Tree. No matter which generation you favor.” She giggled. Rio put up her hand to make the foreign greeting’s symbol but had to hold her fingers apart with her other hand.
“Fail,” I said teasingly. “No true Vulcan involves two hands!” I threw my head back and laughed harder.
“I don’t think I’d be Vulcan regardless.” She shrugged and sat up taller against the headboard when Robert scampered away from the commotion. “They’re much too placid for my temperament.”
“Mind if I hang out with you?” I asked, motioning to the bed.
“It’s a free country last time I checked.”
“Baby, can we stop? I wanted to apologize before dinner. The captain told me he wanted to power down for the night, so I asked the crew to set up our meal on the bow. Does that sound okay?”
“It sounds great. Perfect, actually. Is it warm outside?”
“It is. It’s a beautiful night to enjoy the stars. Do you want to shower and change?” I ducked my head to try to read her expression while explaining, “So I can have an idea of timing for the chef.” Every question or comment felt like I was walking the plank. One wrong comment, and I’d be swimming for the safety of the shore. This time, maybe literally.
“Yeah, okay.” She was thoughtful for a moment and then added, “Actually, that sounds like a great idea. I’d like to wash this day off me.”
There was definitely a dig buried in that remark, but I refused to take the bait. We would have a lovely night under the stars if it killed me.
But there was a niggling feeling in the back of my mind that this woman had the power to do just that. If not physically, then emotionally. I wanted to rediscover the connection we had when we first became friends. Before Sean Gibson died and left this girl’s amazing, fiery spirit and lust for life snuffed out like one of the fires she was so fond of starting.
I also knew I couldn’t be the only one who wanted to fix things between us. She had to want it too. We both had to make an effort. Just as she reached for the doorknob, I spoke up. “Rio?”
Her shoulders dropped as she let out a sufferable sigh. “What?” she responded tersely but didn’t turn to face me.
“Turn and look at me.” Unwittingly, my tone shifted into the familiar Dominant timbre I used to ensure I got my way with a woman. It fit like a glove for me, and I had forced myself to forget what it did to the woman standing in front of me. The same woman who now dropped her hand from the latch and slowly turned toward me.
Goddammit, she was breathtaking. Even in her shabby state, she robbed the air right out of my chest, and an unwelcomed pain took its place instead. Shit, what was the right approach with her? I’d never been so turned around where a female was concerned, but she straight up perplexed me.
And thoroughly captivated me.
So I just let whatever I was thinking flow out of my stupid mouth. “Baby.” Pain from the depths of my chest changed my tone again. “Can we stop all this? Please.”
While I wasn’t as stingy with the word as my self-important best friend, Sebastian, I didn’t use the term very often.
“All of what, exactly?” Rio volleyed back while looking up to meet my imploring stare with her narrowed, suspicious one.
“Arguing, for starters. I want to enjoy our time away from everyone and everything. Not be at each other’s throats the entire trip. Doesn’t that sound better? A truce, I guess you could call it.”
What I really wanted was to pull her into my chest and bury my nose in her hair. Wanted to feel the warmth of her body pressed against mine and stop denying the attraction we shared.
Rio, on the other hand, looked like she was marching to the gallows. Her face held a full scowl, and I braced for an acidic response. But in the usual fashion, she turned on a dime, relaxed her features, and said, “Sure. That sounds good.”
Although I was bewildered—again—I exhaled and tried to let the knot of tension in my gut loosen. “Okay,” I sighed, feeling how afraid I was to release the full breath. “Good. I’m glad.”
“I’ll shower so we don’t keep the crew in the galley all night.” When she went into our cabin, I continued up to the deck to speak to the chef.
The sun was starting to make its descent on the horizon, and the Pacific was quiet and serene. I pulled in a long breath while leaning on the rail and welcomed the strange sense of comfort that came from staring across the deep amber sunlight that sparkled on the rich cobalt waters.