Bursting in on the cruise-ship staff gathering put a temporary kink in his plans to simply hide out for a few minutes until the bruiser boys left the area. He’d been ready to cut and return to Haines, peeking down the corridor he’d run up, when the stiff from the sign-in table, that Chad somebody, had taken it upon himself to provide a door-to-door escort to his staff quarters.
In spite of the hole he was in, Jared had to laugh.
Stepping forward and claiming to be Mark—sheer impulse on his part. The guy was one of the Granite Lake pack, and pulling practical jokes on each other came with the territory.
This prank was the best so far, especially since he’d seen Mark tossing back a few too many last night. Jared bet his friend was somewhere off in Haines, face down, drooling and snoring, happily unaware he was late for his assignment.
Jared wondered what the pack would think up for work for the dude. Hopefully something physically dirty and nasty. Not that he was vindictive or anything, but the last time they’d crossed paths, Mark had stiffed him with the bill for an entire night’s food and drink.
Jared headed for the door. Time for the fun and games to be over. Maybe he’d even be nice and phone Mark once he got down on the docks. Give the guy a wake-up call and all that. He poked his head out the door and pulled up short. Chad glanced over from where he stood chatting with a couple girls in housekeeping uniforms—neither of whom Jared recognized.
“Need something?” Suspicion tinged Chad’s voice.
Shit. “Nope. Just curious. Thought I heard a large donkey in the hallway. No worries…”
He ducked back into his room and closed the door on the sound of feminine laughter and Chad’s cussing.
Oh yeah, it was a good thing this was a temporary gig. Chad was far too easy to tease.
Jared made his way over to the tiny window and cupped his hands around his eyes to block the room light. He peered out, fascinated to see the people boarding the ship. Bags and boxes were being rolled up a gangplank, and all over the dock there was excitement and energy. Dynamic, thrilling.
A huge yawn broke free and he stretched lazily. Well, that was enough of that. He was more than ready to head home and crash for another few hours. Some time this afternoon he would show up at the Heritage Village. Maybe do a little shopping first…
When are you going to grow up?
Maggie’s tease from the coffee shop echoed in his head. He felt a little guilty that people he admired had been completely taken in by his deception. All the more honest responses he could have given her blurred together into a confusing morass, compounded by this temporary excursion back into the world of the privileged. It wasn’t his first time on a cruise ship, and the percolating memories were both attractive and disturbing. Frustration made him revert to his usual coping strategy, which was to ignore the issue.
He snuck another peek out the door, delighted to find the hall empty. Jared whistled softly, making his way forward and glancing down hallways to figure his way out of the bowels of the ship. A quick peek at his watch. Ten a.m. Lots of time. He could even get in a nap and game of pool before heading over to do some volunteer work. He took a set of stairs upward, weaving through increasing crowds as shifters in holiday garb filled the hallways.
Yup, this had been an interesting diversion, but it was time to get back to the real world. He had chosen a path years ago that meant avoiding all contact with cruise lines and upscale entertainments. A simple lifestyle, ordinary people—that was his destiny.
Mingling with the rich and famous was for other wolves, not him.
Keri splashed cold water on her face, but the shock wasn’t enough. Screw it. She twisted the taps in her sink on full then shoved her entire head under the faucet, icy water soaking her hair and spraying over her neck.
Lips sealed shut, she held her breath and stayed under as long as she could, hoping the frigid blast would wash away some of her frustration. But by the time she’d dragged herself out and wrapped a towel around her head, she was no better off than before. If anything, the wild itch under her skin had increased.
Maybe she could avoid him for the ten-day duration of the cruise. Then she’d jump him. That would work.
Mark Weaver. She wrinkled her nose. Not much to go on from a name. Curiosity struck. There had been a whole sheet of information compiled on each of the staff. Chad had the files. That was the first way to discover what she could about Mark—strictly so she could stay away from him, of course.
Not that she wasn’t interested in getting to know her mate eventually, but until this cruise was over, she didn’t have time to be rolling in the hallways with him.
A flash of heat roared up one side of her and down the other at the thought, and she wrapped both arms around her chest tightly to stop from getting naked and dealing with the ache herself.
She stood forlornly in the middle of her bathroom, a slow drip, drip, drip hitting the floor from her hair, wetness oozing through her clothing, making the fabric stick to her skin. In spite of the frigid water, her libido was still set to maximum. Her breasts ached, her sex felt empty and her heart pounded out a rumba-tango-fandango. Yeah, this wasn’t good. If she didn’t figure out a solution quick, she’d be tracking Mark down and humping him no matter where she found him.
She stripped off her wet things, ignoring the desire to linger over her extremely sensitive skin. A fresh pair of jeans, a clean T-shirt—it wasn’t fancy but she was neither crew nor passenger. She could wear whatever the hell she wanted. A pair of runners on her feet and she was off.
The carpet underfoot on the exclusive cabin level was thick enough to sink into on every step. Getting spoiled by being the friend of the organizer? She’d take it. Her cabin was way bigger than the crew hovels. She and Mark could totally use the king-sized bed in her cabin to—
No, not going there. She needed to turn off the GPS that seemed to have focused very firmly on sex and Mark and mate.
“If it isn’t the most beautiful wolf on the boat.”
Keri pulled to a stop and glanced behind her.
A dark chuckle stroked her ears. Oh damn. Chad.
“You, darling. I’m talking about you. What made you disappear earlier? I had hoped to talk you into checking out my cabin with me.” He stepped into her personal space, his solid chest mere inches away from her.
Damn. Damn, damn, poop.
This wasn’t unexpected at all. They’d been eyeing each other for years. Chad had been best friends with Tessa’s big brother all through high school, which meant Keri had seen him plenty. Now that they were in the same place at the same time, both supposedly free agents, becoming lovers would have been a pretty natural progression.
The big wolf smelt good. All those bulging muscles hovering within stroking reach were firm and tasty and…nothing. Her libido didn’t register anything anymore. Not since she’d gotten a whiff of Mark.
“Hi, Chad.”
She pressed harder against the wall, attempting to open up room between them.
He planted a palm beside her head and leaned in closer, breathing deeply. “Hi, Chad? That’s all I get? This morning during the general staff meeting I could have sworn you said something to the effect of ‘please rip off my panties with your teeth and lick me until I scream’.”
Her cheeks heated. “I didn’t say that.”
“Not in words,” he acknowledged, “but I know a hey, you wanna fuck? look when I see one.”
Oh, brother. Yes, this morning she might have been guilty of sending out that vibe, but now she was pretty sure her signals were screaming a different message. “Do you also know the key components of a warning, you’re about to lose your nuts look?”