“Wow. Okay.” I swallowed. “I don’t want to … rock the boat, so to speak.”
Evan erupted in a new round of laughter, mumbling something about how I killed him.
“Perhaps I’ll just quickly pack and get off the boat and get something in town,” I continued and headed into my room. I would have slammed the door on his craziness if it didn’t mean it would set off all my claustrophobic alarms to be closed inside the cabin while my heart was pounding. I stared at the bed and let out a big sigh. I’d miss being able to sleep a night on that comfy bed after being crammed into a tiny airplane seat all night. I’d just unpacked and now I was leaving. I’d have to call Tabs and break the news. A heavy dose of guilt thudded in my belly. I hated I was letting her down already. But it couldn’t be helped now. God knew where I’d stay in town while I tried to get home. But I’d figure it out. I grabbed my bag I’d stashed under the side table shelf, then turned to the dresser.
“You know you can’t leave, right?” Evan said from the doorway, finally sobering.
I scowled at him. “Excuse me?”
“You can’t leave. We don’t allow anyone on or off the boat twelve hours before we move. As his security detail, I have to advise you that you are required to stay put.”
I stared at him for any hint that he wasn’t serious. “You’re joking.”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
“I can’t leave?”
“Affirmative. Not tonight, anyway.”
“So, you’ll keep me against my will? I’m a prisoner?” I opened a drawer and pulled out pajamas, bras, and underwear, dumping them onto the bed.
Evan’s eyes stayed on me. “I wouldn’t call it that.”
I folded my arms. “What would you call it?”
“A chance to cool off. And a contracted employment period.”
“For a jerk?” Who I just totally went off on?
“I guess if you see him that way, then yes. But something tells me that won’t last long.”
“Have I told you how much I fucking hate boats?” I looked around before catching his eye again. “I don’t care how luxurious it is.”
His attention seemed to go somewhere, then his wrist came up to his mouth. “Yes, she is.”
I frowned and realized his attention had gone to his earpiece. “I’m what?” I asked.
Evan cleared his throat and stepped out of the doorway to my room.
In his place, and in no way less of a virile and commanding presence, appeared the object of my outrage—Xavier Pascale.
Chapter Ten
I unfolded my arms, glaring at the looming figure in the doorway of my cabin. Xavier Pascale’s sheer presence could shrink a room into a fraction of its size.
His eyes raked over me and settled on the suitcase I’d set on the bed between us. Behind him a small face with wide eyes appeared then ducked away. I had no doubt she’d be listening to every word. At the sight of Dauphine, I felt another twinge of guilt. Crap. I ground down the thought. I didn’t even know these people.
“Can I help you?” I asked, embarrassment crawling over my skin.
“I … I would like you to take dinner with me and Dauphine. Have.” He shook his head. “Have dinner.”
“Why?” I cocked my head to the side.
“You need to eat. And also, you did not stay to hear the rest of the details about taking care of my daughter.”
“I quit. Remember?”
“And I do not accept.”
I barked out a confused laugh. “You don’t accept?”
“No.” He didn’t return my amusement. After a beat, he looked at the heavy watch on his wrist. “Dinner will be served in five minutes,” he said impassively. “I will see you at the table.”
Then he turned and, unlatching the cabin door where it was being held open against the wall, closed it behind him. I had a feeling he’d felt like slamming it.
Well. Me too.
“Ugh!” I picked up a swimsuit, wadded it up and threw it at the closed door with all my might. The weightless scrap of material made it only a few feet before wafting impotently onto the bed.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I took a deep breath. If he was still willing to employ me after my outburst upstairs, I guessed I should hear him out. Especially since I had nowhere to go tonight. He wouldn’t apologize, that much I knew. Then again, why apologize? He’d stated a fact—I was attracted to him. Had been, I quickly corrected myself. It was upsetting that he’d accused me of using Dauphine to get to him, but both he and Evan mentioned it had happened before.
I cringed. Poor Dauphine. I hoped she was none the wiser. I exhaled the air I’d been holding, not feeling better at all. I was usually much better at handling my emotions in tough situations. Hell, I could be unjustly sidelined in my dream architectural position while holding my head up high as had happened just days ago. But Xavier Pascale had turned me into a raw bundle of emotions. I felt so very, very human and weak. It was exhaustion, I reasoned. Emotional and physical.
I picked up the clothes on the bed and returned them to the dresser. Then I zipped up my empty suitcase and re-stowed it under the table.
Opening the door, I jumped when I saw Dauphine waiting in her doorway to my left. She smiled shyly at me.
“Hi,” I said.
“Bonsoir. Allons-y?”
I shrugged. “Sure, let’s go. You lead the way,” I said.
She danced past me in bare feet and the same dress she’d been wearing earlier. “What games do you like?” she asked over her shoulder as we made our way up the inside of the yacht.
“Games? Like board games?”
“Hide and seek?”
“Actually, that’s a game I never play.”
She swung around to face me, a challenge in her eyes. “Non? Pourquoi?”
“Because I don’t like small cramped spaces. And all the best hiding places are like that. So I’m not a very good player.”
Her brow furrowed, reminding me of a certain caustic Frenchman upstairs. There was no mistaking Dauphine as his daughter. Then her expression smoothed out. “Then I will win all the times. We must play!”
I chuckled. “Nope. I would love to, I promise. But I won’t. We can play other games.”
Her lips pursed off to the side of her mouth as if I was a problem to solve.
“Come on, princess. Let’s go upstairs. I’m ready to eat my own hand.”
“What does this mean?”
“It’s a joke.”
“Hmm.”
“Race you.” I took off ahead of her.
She squealed behind me. “Non!”
We sailed past the bridge, Captain Paco nowhere to be found. I pounded up the last few steps with a laugh. Behind me Dauphine yelled, “Attention!”
As our heads emerged on the upper deck, I was thankful her yelled warning was unneeded since no one had been on the stairs at the same time.
Night had settled fast.
I bent over for a moment to catch my breath as Dauphine joined me, giggling. A glow came from the table. There were two hurricane jars enclosing a candle each on the table.
Andrea was standing over Mr. Pascale at the head of the table, one hand behind her back and the other pouring him a glass of pale pink wine. She gave me a quirked eyebrow.