Cabin Fever

Piper merely rolled said eyes. “You need to hurry this up. I’m tired and bored. And thirsty. Someone bring me a Bloody Mary.”

Carly clenched her teeth and bit back what she wanted to say. “Yes, I’ll get that ordered right away, but if I could just ask you to try to look more interested in Joe, for just a few moments?”

Piper raised a delicate brow that got lost in the fringe of her bangs. “I am.”

“Yes, well, maybe a little more, please? And Joe.” Carly focused her attention on his right shoulder. “When you’re turned facing Piper in the deck chair, just turn from your waist, not your legs. Leave your legs facing forward please.”

“Like this?” The man spread his knees and, whether intentionally or not, he seemed to flex his thigh muscles.

Now she was staring and Carly felt her face heat. She spun away, pretending to check the position of the sun.

When she could face him once more, she studied his shoulder again. “Yes, but you have to be turned toward Piper from the waist up.” She cupped his shoulders to swivel his upper body. Her hands met rigid muscle beneath the starched cotton dress shirt. Heat radiated from him, scorching her palms. And there was that scent again. His cologne or shampoo, whatever it was made her knees weak. Or maybe that was just part of the seasickness.

“Not that I care, but you’re wrinkling the Armani here,” Joe said in a low tone.

Carly blinked, saw that her hands were gripping his arms, lifted them off and stepped away. “It’s Hilfiger,” she mumbled.

One side of his mouth crooked up in a smirk. But he laid his arm along the back of Piper’s deck chair and turned from the waist exactly as Carly had asked.

Impressed, she headed for the camera to check the frame and, as she looked through the lens, Joe lifted his other hand to cup Piper’s cheek and turn her to face him. He said something and flashed that dazzling smile and Piper actually smiled back.

Carly straightened and motioned for the photographer to step in and snap the picture. What had Joe said to Piper? As the camera snapped away, he spoke to the model again and her expression turned sultry, her eyes half-lidded. She stared at Joe as if she were about to rip his clothes off. Unbelievable.

Carly gaped as the two models spoke in whispered tones, their heads moving toward each other, their lips almost touching. The cameraman clicked pictures from every angle, encouraging them. Piper unbuttoned Joe’s shirt and slipped a hand inside, rubbing her fingers over his chest. Then her hand dropped to his thigh, over his denim shorts, but inching her way to—

“That’s great!” Carly yelled. “Thank you, everyone.” She moved forward to stand before Piper, who’d, thankfully, removed her hand from Joe’s thigh, even if she did radiate annoyance.

Too bad. Carly’s headache had worsened and she wasn’t in the mood to indulge the diva. She bent from the waist to scrutinize Piper’s face. “We’re done for today, but be sure to get a good night’s sleep. We have an early morning shoot and there’s only so much makeup can do for dark circles.”

Piper gasped, and then narrowed those light green eyes to glare at Carly. “If I have dark circles it’s because the cabin you put me in is deplorable! I can’t sleep there. You’ll have to find me something larger. On a higher deck. And while you’re at it—”

“I’m afraid there are no other rooms larger than what you have.” Carly clenched her fists around her clipboard. “I can look into seeing if there are any cabins available on a higher deck, but—”

“Then do it!” The prima donna pushed up out of the deck chair and stomped off in a high-heeled huff.

Joe got to his feet. A smitten half grin quirked his lips as he watched Piper walk away, her pert little butt perfectly displayed in the white designer short-shorts. Of course Joe would be attracted to Ms. Exotic.

Carly spun to face her lighting and camera crew. “Tomorrow we dock in Grand Turk at 7:00 a.m. Be ready to disembark at 6:45. I’ve reserved a chartered plane and want to head to the Caicos Islands. Take whatever special equipment you might need for shooting outdoors, and inside a cave. We have to be back on the ship by 7:00 p.m., and Thursday we disembark at Half Moon Cay. I want shots on the white sandy beaches there, Friday we’ll only shoot for a few hours in Nassau. It’s all on your itinerary I handed out yesterday after the safety drill. Any questions?”

In the silence of shaking heads she turned back around and saw Joe was fingering a tiny slip of paper. Was that Piper’s room number? Was he going to meet her there tonight? Or...had they slept together already?

Ignoring the sharp pinch in her stomach, she gave her attention to the crew disassembling the photo equipment. But she felt Joe’s presence behind her. She turned to face him. “My recommendation pertains to you, too, Mr. Tedesco.”

“Recommendation?” His grin had disappeared and his brows rose. His chest exposed by the unbuttoned shirt was taut and tanned with a light dusting of hair.

Carly diverted her gaze to his face. “Yes. To get a good night’s sleep. I can’t have my Sexiest Average Joe showing up tomorrow looking haggard and unkempt.”

He scowled and took a step closer to her. “Unkempt?”

His bronze skin gleamed in the sunlight that also played in his breeze-ruffled black hair. She remembered he was a fireman and probably worked out to maintain his muscular physique. His shoulders blocked her view of anything but him, and her knees wanted to buckle. Her knees? Weak? Over a man she barely knew? What was she, some pathetic romance-novel heroine? It was just that she hadn’t eaten today yet. She probably had low blood sugar. And with her height, she was unaccustomed to men looming over her. He was invading her personal space. So, naturally his overwhelming frame felt...well, overwhelming.

“Unkempt. It means disheveled, messy, slovenly.”

He folded his arms and his biceps bulged. “I know what it means.” His mouth was a grim line. He looked irritated.

“Good. Then perhaps whatever you’re planning for tonight can be postponed until I’ve finished my photo shoot.”

His face crinkled up in a confused expression. “What do you think I have planned for tonight?”

“You don’t have to pretend with me. I realize she’s beautiful and glamorous. What guy could resist that? But until—”

“Look, lady.” He dropped his arms to place his hands low on his hips and half turned away. Then he leaned toward her. “First of all, if I wanted her, I wouldn’t be deterred by an uptight, bossy, arrogant—” he clamped his mouth shut “—woman,” he finished between his teeth.

Carly’s temper flared. “Uptight? Just because I don’t lose control and crawl all over you like Ms. Supermodel?”

He raised his brows and smiled. “So, you want to crawl all over me?”

All that raw sex appeal wrapped in a killer grin. Despite her irritation, she pictured herself in his lap, their mouths exploring one another, her hands all over his six feet four inches of gleaming muscles. The air whooshed from her lungs. She couldn’t breathe. She was horrified. Mortified. “No!” She dragged in a breath. “I mean, that is not at all what I was saying.” She clamped her mouth shut and folded her arms in front of her. “Just...” She waved a hand in his direction. “Be on time tomorrow.” She stalked away. And heard him chuckle behind her.

The thought of him in Piper’s bed, rolling around in the sheets with her, naked, made Carly’s chest feel hollow. But...maybe she’d get the best photos of them if they were sleeping together? Just like a few moments ago, they’d been cooing at each other like lovebirds and the results had been fantastic.

So, let them have at it, what did she care? Besides, Joe was practically an employee. How awkward would a one-night stand be with him when they had to work together the next few days?

And maybe if she kept repeating all those excuses to herself, she could keep from throwing herself at him and ripping his clothes off....

She knew what her problem was. It’d been a long time since Reese had moved out. She just missed being touched. Missed a warm body beside her at night.

But losing Reese had been inevitable. She should never have moved in with him. And she didn’t blame him for leaving. He hadn’t understood her drive to succeed. He’d complained about her long hours at the apparel factory, and then coming home at night to work on her blog.

Now, her years of sacrifice had paid off with this remarkable opportunity from Modiste. And she wasn’t going to let anything ruin it. The success of her blog depended on this photo shoot. And the success of this photo shoot depended on making her troublesome supermodel happy.

She’d thought that when Modiste hired Piper to pose with her contest winner, the controversial model might draw more entries and consequently more followers, but now she wasn’t sure Piper was worth it. The woman was petulant, whiny and demanding. She’d shown up over an hour late this morning with no excuse or apology.

But the photos they’d taken of her and Joe were golden. Carly could picture them on the cover of Modiste magazine. If everything worked out as she hoped, maybe she could get the editor at Modiste to agree to sponsor a Sexiest Average Jane contest next season. And with her Carly’s Couture blog linked to the bestselling magazine she was insured success. Then, maybe the Pendleton name would come to be associated with something other than heartless greed.

But first she had to see the captain about a vacant cabin on a higher deck.

3

PIPER SPUN ON the dance floor, gyrating her hips to the beat of the deafening rock music. With her eyes closed, she lost herself in the thumping bass and flashing lights. The crowds of young, carefree people dancing all around her were her sanctuary.

She loved nightclubs. She loved champagne and loud music and having men fall all over themselves to be with her. And the freedom to tell them to get lost. Ahhh, the freedom. She’d missed that in rehab.

Thank the gods her agent had gotten her out of that place! Her counselor had wanted to discuss the past. But Piper the Supermodel had no past. Anju Rajaraman was dead. She’d died eight years ago in the slums of Calcutta. She was Piper now. And Piper would never go back to being that starving, powerless little girl.

Why was she thinking of those days? She was here to have fun.

She lifted her arms above her head and spun again, checking out the men in the cruise ship’s nightclub.

Her gaze strayed to the adjoining piano bar and landed on the tall, dark and sexy hunk of man she’d posed with all day. He’d told her that Carly was wrong. That her eyes made the turquoise water seem dull in comparison. Mmm, yes, he was interesting.

Running her hands through her hair, she danced her way over to the glass door and entered the quieter room. A few passengers were scattered around intimate little tables. Joe sat at one of them, nursing a tumbler of amber-colored liquid.

“Come dance with me?”

He looked up from his glass into her eyes, glanced over at the nightclub dance floor, and then met her gaze again with a grimace. “Not really my thing.”

Piper pouted, but took the other chair, crossing her legs and leaning her elbows on the table. The skimpy, sparkly dress had a draped bodice that showed off her cleavage when she bent over. She watched his gaze take in the view. “Buy me a drink?”

His eyes rose to her face again. “Sure.” He motioned to the waitress. “What’ll you have?”

“Appletini,” she ordered when the waitress appeared. After she left, Piper sat back and lifted her hair off the back of her neck. “So, a New York firefighter, huh?”

He nodded. “Brooklyn.”

“And you go around saving lives?”

He shrugged. “A few.”

Humility? It must be an act. Men were never what they seemed. Eventually, he’d show his true stripes. Then she would shut him down. She leaned forward again and slid a finger up his sleeve. “Don’t be so modest.”

His gaze followed her fingers and then looked up into her eyes. “Uh...”

“Don’t you want—”

He took her hand and moved it back to the table. “You’re a beautiful woman, Piper, but—”

“Never mind. You think I would actually be with a fireman from...Brooklyn?” Grabbing her Appletini, she scooted her chair back, stood and returned to the nightclub. After she downed the drink in one swallow, she ordered another from the bar and then joined the crowd on the dance floor.

He’d turned her down? Then why had he flirted with her all day during the photo shoot? She hadn’t noticed a wedding ring—as if that ever stopped a man.

Forget him. There were plenty more where he came from. It wasn’t as if she ever enjoyed it anyway. Sometimes, it was simply a way to forget, if just for a little while....

And here she was thinking of the past again. That was the counselor’s fault. Think only of this moment, Piper.

This moment was all she had.

* * *

JOE WATCHED PIPER flounce off in her high heels and short dress, her hips swaying dramatically. Everyone in the bar had their cell phones out snapping her picture.

Yeah, that woman was Drama with a capital D. Between his job and family, he had enough of that in his life. Bad enough he had to have his photo taken with her splashed all over a national magazine. If he became her boy toy for the cruise’s duration and someone snapped a picture on their cell...

The guys would rib him endlessly over that, but Joe could do without the fifteen minutes of fame. What he wanted was quiet. Calm. Normal.

“There you are.” Carly appeared at his table. “Christoph said he saw you in here.”

Whoa. She wore a slinky, strapless navy gown that looked as though it would be right at home sauntering down the red carpet. Cleavage peeking out and all. He swallowed. “Wow.”

Carly looked down, examining herself with a perplexed expression on her face. “Oh, I dined with the captain tonight. You received an invitation.”

“Yeah, I don’t do monkey suits.” Although if he’d known Carly would be there looking like this...

“Listen, Joe. I need...a favor.”

Joe straightened in his chair, pulled the empty one out for her. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks.” She sat, closed her eyes and massaged her temples.

Joe took the opportunity to study her. She was the one who looked haggard. Dark circles under her eyes were prominent, and she seemed weighted by exhaustion. She was more fun when she was biting his head off. This more vulnerable Carly threw him off balance, made him want to protect her.

When the waitress came over, Carly ordered water and then pulled a tiny golden pill case from a little purse that matched the dress.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” She opened the case and shook out two pills. “I think I spent too much time in my cabin staring at my laptop this afternoon. It’s just a bit of mal de mer.”

Joe recognized the pills to combat motion sickness. Had she not had time to relax since the photo shoot this morning? That was no way to live.

“That’s seasickness.”

This assuming he was ignorant was getting annoying. “Yeah, I gathered that. What can I do for you?”

“I—” The waitress set a cold bottle of water down along with an empty glass and Carly popped the pills into her mouth and chased them down with the water. Her shoulders sagged and she released a breath. Then, as if gathering her strength, she drew in a deep breath, sat up straight, and met his gaze. “I need you to switch cabins with Piper.”

Joe blinked. That was it? “No problem.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Really? You don’t mind? It’s just that your cabin is on a higher deck than mine and there aren’t any other suites avail—”

“It’s fine.”

She slumped against the back of the chair. “Thank you. You have no idea...I talked to the cruise director at dinner and he said he could have the stewards move your things. If you’ll give me your key card, I’ll go get Piper’s.” She frowned and finally looked at him again.

Pulling his card from his pocket, he nodded toward the nightclub. “She’s next door dancing.”

Carly’s gaze followed his. “I’ll be right back.” Her mouth pursed in grim determination as she took his key card.

Joe watched her walk away, appreciating the curve of her figure outlined by the fitted gown. When she approached the supermodel in the middle of the dance floor, he could practically read the conversation from their gestures and facial expressions.

Piper pulled a card from her tiny shoulder-strapped purse and exchanged it for the one Carly gave her, but not before making some snarky remark. Carly stiffened, but kept her mouth closed. She dropped the card in her purse, spun and headed back toward him.

Joe knocked back the rest of his whiskey and got to his feet as she returned. “Okay, all I need to do now is call the cruise director. At dinner, he said he could change the cabins’ occupancy information and all the key cards have Modiste’s credit information, so that doesn’t change.” She pulled the key card from her purse and dropped it in his waiting hand. Her brows were knitted in pain and she actually swayed.

He caught her, straightened her. “How about I walk you back to your cabin.”

She leaned into him, clutching his shoulder. So soft in his arms. Heat and need flared inside him. He closed his eyes as blood surged southward, leaving him light-headed, and hard. She shivered, inhaled a ragged breath, her pale blue eyes peering at him with...fear? Confusion? Then they iced over. She pulled out of his grip, stepped back. “No. I’ll be fine.”

He stuck his hands in his pants pockets, shoving the key card deep. “Suit yourself.”

“But.” She reached out and grasped his arm. “Thank you.” Then she dropped her hand and left, her tough, no-nonsense stride contradicting the claim of seasickness.

“Hey.” He strode after her.

She stopped and turned.

“What’s my new cabin number?”

“Forty-eight seventy-t— No!” She squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head. “I’m sorry. Piper’s is—” She bit her bottom lip, then her face cleared and she smiled. “Forty-two seventy-eight.” With a wave of her hand she was striding out the door again.

Joe stood there giving himself a moment to recover from the whiplash to his libido. He could’ve sworn she’d felt whatever had sparked between them, too. But, it was just as well. Even if she was the most interesting woman he’d met in too long to remember. And more challenging than any woman he ever dealt with. She was too uptight. Too bossy. Too...whatever.

Forget about it! He was on a cruise ship with round the clock entertainment. When would he ever get this kind of chance again? He made his way to the casino, found a stool in front of a one-armed bandit and ordered a couple more drinks while he fed it quarters.

Bleary-eyed and out of coins, he checked his cell. 1:37 a.m. He’d better head to bed. Feeling just buzzed enough to take the edge off his sexual frustrations, he stood and made his way to the elevator. But once he got in the elevator and punched his old deck number he remembered he’d switched rooms with the diva and—he couldn’t remember what his new room number was. If he hadn’t been so distracted by sexy Carly and her sweet sexy curves and those ice-blue eyes...

He shook his head to clear it and remembered. Forty-seven eighty-two. He punched the button for the fourth deck and when the elevator let him out he walked down the long hall suddenly exhausted and dizzy. Perhaps he had a bit of mal de mer, too.

Ahh, here was forty-eight seventy-two. The key card clicked and the door opened with ease. He let out a relieved breath he wouldn’t have to call someone for help and look like an idiot.

The room was pitch-dark, but he didn’t want to bother to switch on the big overhead light. Man, he was more tired than he’d realized. He flipped on the tiny light in the closet.

The cabin didn’t have a balcony as he’d expected Piper’s would have, but he didn’t care. The king-size bed awaited. He shucked his jeans, crawled onto the soft mattress, and was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Still, even in his dreams he couldn’t get Carly out of his mind. Her spicy scent filled his senses and he felt her soft breasts pushing against his back. In his dream he turned over and wrapped his arms around her hot body. It seemed so real that he could’ve sworn he could feel the silky material of her nightgown catch on the calluses of his palms. He nuzzled into a sweetly soft neck, pushed his rigid erection against her stomach and heard her moan.

He stilled. Forced his heavy lids to open. And looked right into Carly’s wide-open eyes.

And then she screamed.

4

CARLY SHOVED OUT of Joe’s arms and scrambled off the bed. “What are you doing here? How’d you get in my room?”

“Your room?” Joe rose up on one elbow and ran a hand through his hair, all the while his gaze fixated on her...

She followed where he was staring. She wore only her thong underwear and a cami. And the underwear didn’t hide much. She snatched the comforter off the bed and draped it around her. “Yes, my room. Do you honestly think I’d sneak into your room and crawl into your bed?”

He sat up, looking around the room. The sheet fell down to his waist and Carly didn’t even try not to gape. Taut, defined muscles and dark hair that tapered to a line down past his belly button. Wow, even his belly button was sexy. He threw back the sheet and Carly spun to avert her gaze. From the corner of her eye she saw him swing his legs over the edge of the mattress on his side, his back to her. “If this is your room, then why did my key work?”

Her mind couldn’t focus. This was her room, wasn’t it? She didn’t remember using her key... The medication must have really knocked her out. She hadn’t slept so deeply in ages. But now her memory seemed to be missing parts of last night. She recalled getting Joe and Piper to switch cabins. Feeling dizzy again in the elevator and barely making it to her room, and—Oh!

She spun back to face him and snapped her fingers. “The steward!” Aha. “I didn’t have to use my key because the steward was in here turning down my bed when I—”

Joe had stood and moved around the bed, searching the floor, wearing black boxer briefs that hugged him nice and snug.

She swallowed. Out of breath all of a sudden. “—got here,” she finished lamely.

Shaking his head, he bent over and grabbed his pants off the floor. “I used the key you gave me to get in. This is the room number you told me was mine. So, if this isn’t my cabin, then it’s your fault I’m in here.” He shoved his legs—very long, very brawny legs—into the pants and yanked them up.

Carly blinked, trying to remember. Could she have given him her key?

Holding the bottom of the comforter up like the train of a long gown, she marched to the table, grabbed her bag and dug around for her key. By the time she found it and got to the door, Joe was already there, his key pulled from his pocket. He was so close his dark brown eyes looked like pools of rich, molten fudge. He smelled of sleepy linen and the faintest hint of masculine sweat. Oh, why hadn’t he put on his shirt? She realized she was staring at him.

“If my key works you’re going to owe me,” he said.

She snapped back. “Owe you what?” She didn’t owe him a thing. If he thought he could—

“Well, I was going for an apology, but if you had something else in mind...” He raised a brow and gave her a slow, suggestive smile.

Ignoring the bare chest in front of her, Carly pursed her lips. “Just try your key.”

“And if it doesn’t work are you going to leave me standing out in the hall the rest of the night?”

“Not so sure about your key, now, huh?”

His smile dropped and his eyes narrowed. “Fine.” He opened the door, stepped outside and Carly closed the door in his face.

A second later she heard the click of a key swiping, the handle turned and the door shoved open. Joe stepped inside wearing a smug expression. “So, what do you bet your key opens Piper’s room?”