Even in the dim light from my single small, high window, I can see how beautiful the woman standing in my doorway is. Her long, wavy hair is the color of cinnamon and frames the pale oval of her face. Her cupid’s-bow mouth is currently forming a small O and I can plainly see her hourglass silhouette, set against the light in the hall behind her.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Kennedy,” I answer, still recovering from my shock of being barged in upon.

“What are you doing here?”

“This is my room.”

“Since when?”

“Since last week when we left Los Angeles.”

“Oh, well there’s obviously been some kind of mistake,” she says, finally smiling. “I’ll get it straightened out. No big deal.”

“What kind of mistake?”

“This is my room. This is always my room.”

“No one told me that. Karesh just said that this is where Reese wanted me, so…”

I can see one fiery eyebrow arch. “Reeeally?”

“Yes, but if this is your room then I’m sure they can put me elsewhere.”

Just the thought of being stuck in one of those tiny shared rooms with no window is enough to cast a very dark shadow over what was a beautiful day. But it was never my intention to usurp anyone’s place here. I was just doing as I was told.

“I don’t mean to put you out, but this is the only room with a bigger bed and…well… Reese likes to come and visit me.”

I can see her suggestive wink. My stomach turns accordingly.

“Oh. I see.”

“Yeah…”

“Well, in that case, let me call Karesh and have him put me in another room. It won’t take me long to get my things together.”

“Okay,” the girl says happily, rolling her suitcase into the room behind her. “I’m Amber by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Amber,” I say perfunctorily, trying to inject at least a smidgeon of sincerity into my voice, because I feel absolutely none. I cross the room in the wake of her trail of expensive perfume and pick up the phone to dial Karesh.

“What do you do onboard?” she asks as she leans her case up against the closet.

“I dance,” I answer as I listen to the phone ring.

Amber opens the closet and I hear her gasp. “Are these yours?” she asks just as Karesh answers.

“Hi, Karesh. I’m sure you’re busy right now, but is there any way you could find me another room? Evidently this one belongs to Amber.”

“No, ma’am. Mr. Spencer wanted you there specifically.”

I feel tears burn the backs of my eyes when I consider the reasoning that Amber gave me for why Reese puts her in this room. This was all just a part of his plan to sleep with me. That’s it. Nothing more. There was no consideration for the fact that I might have some privacy or that I might have a window or that this room might be more comfortable. There was no special treatment because of what we shared so long ago. No, this was simply a maneuver of convenience on his part.

Well, I’ll be damned if I’m going to be a foregone conclusion for him!

“Karesh, I’m not trying to be difficult, but if you don’t move me then I’ll have to find a place on my own.”

“I’ll speak with him again and let you know. Until then, stay put.”

He hangs up before I can comment. I stare at the phone for a few seconds before hanging it up and turning back to Amber. She’s still standing in front of the open closet with a slightly agitated look on her face.

“So you’re the one.”

“The one what?”

“You’re the one he’s going to favor next. He did this once before, but it didn’t last long. I was back upstairs with him within a week.”

I don’t know if Amber is trying to twist the knife, but if she is, it’s certainly working.

“Well, you needn’t worry about me. I have no intentions of being the next girl in his parade of conquests.” I pause, feeling guilty over how that must’ve sounded. “No offense.”

“None taken. Reese is the kind of guy that’s worth it. If you don’t know that by now, you will. I’ll tell you up front that I’m willing to fight for him, too.”

“You won’t have to. I have no interest in Reese. None whatsoever.”

“Honey, that’s what I thought at first, too. Most of us do. I graduated suma cum laude from Stanford and I come from good stock. Boston stock. I’m no dummy. I could make a very nice life for myself, without a man. Even as a dancer. But when I met Reese…well, you know. He’s the kind of guy that changes everything. I know he’ll settle down one of these days and I damn sure want to be the one he settles down with.”

“I wish you well, then,” I tell her, fighting the urge to puke down the front of her beautiful violet dress. I walk past her, bending to take my suitcase from its little cubby at the end of the bed. I start opening drawers and haphazardly tossing clothes into my luggage. “I’ll clear out the closet once I find another room.”

“No rush. I’ll come with you and we’ll try to find an empty room. Maybe you won’t have to share with anyone.”

Amber gives me a warm smile and cleans out the last drawer for me, neatly stacking my shirts in one corner of my suitcase. I scoop my toiletries off the counter near the sink and dump them inside and zip the case. Amber grabs the handle and slides it into the floor. “Leave it here while we go look. You can come back for it. I’m supposed to be upstairs for dinner in an hour, but that’ll still leave me plenty of time. And then I have to dance tonight.”

My heart sinks even further when I hear this news. I haven’t been summoned upstairs, nor have I been told I’m dancing. But then, considering her arrival, I’m not surprised. I offer her a shaky smile of gratitude. She returns it, loops her arm through mine like we are the best of friends and we set off to find me a new home.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Reese

Every minute that passes with no sign of Kennedy makes me angrier and angrier. I told Karesh to send her up for dinner, yet she hasn’t shown. It’s getting harder and harder to socialize with my guests and hide my increasing displeasure.

“Don’t you agree, Reese?” Amber asks from across the table. I focus my attention on her, racking my brain for some clue as to what the conversation was about. She winks one blue-violet eye at me, her lips curving into a smile, but I don’t appreciate it like I normally would. The only woman on my mind is Kennedy.

“Excuse me,” I say, sliding back my chair and laying my napkin aside as I rise from the table.

I’m half way across the room when I feel a hand on my arm. I turn to find Amber has followed me.

“Not now, Amber,” I pre-empt her.

“Are you looking for Kennedy?” she asks.

I feel the frown pull at my brow. “You’ve met her?”

“Yes, earlier.”

I don’t have to guess what that means. “What did you say to her?” My irritation rises. I know how catty women can be. I feel sure she put things in as unflattering a light as possible and that she is to blame for Kennedy’s absence.

Amber raises her eyebrows at me. “She was in my room. She offered to find another one so I helped her. No harm, no foul. I didn’t say anything to her.”

“It’s not your place to change cabin assignments,” I bite testily.

“I can see that now. I thought there had been a misunderstanding. She was fine with it. It’s not like I kicked her out.”

“Oh I’m sure she was fine with it.” My jaw aches from clenching my teeth so hard. “What room is she in?”

“Four. Right beside the kitchen. I tried to find her one she wouldn’t have to share and you know everyone hates being right beside the kitchen.”

“And of course that’s where you put her.” I squeeze my fingers into tight fists.

“It wasn’t like that. I was trying to help her,” Amber defends. “Go find her if you’re so worried about her.”

“That’s exactly what I’m going to do. And from this point forward, you stay the hell away from her.”

Amber stares at me for several seconds before she nods twice and, without another word, turns to walk away.

Furiously, I head for the stairs and, beyond them, the crew quarters. When I reach room four, the door is shut. I take a deep breath, doing my best to cool my temper before I break the damn door down with one swift kick.

I knock and wait for an answer, but I get none. That only makes me madder. I knock once more, but again there is no answer. “Kennedy, I know you’re in there,” I snap. I knock a third time, giving her one more chance. When she still doesn’t answer, I twist the knob. It opens easily and I step inside, giving my eyes a moment to adjust before I let loose. But any angry words die on my tongue when I see Kennedy curled up on her side on the bottom of the bunk bed to the left. Her eyes are closed and, even in the low light, I can see that her brow is wrinkled and that there is an unnatural pallor to her skin.

I cross to her, hovering over her where she lies so eerily still on the bed. “Are you okay?” My voice is calm and cool, but my insides are knotted in anxiety. Is she sick? Is something wrong? She doesn’t look well…

“Go away,” comes her small voice.

“Kennedy, tell me what’s wrong.” I know my tone is sharper than what I intend, but I want answers.

“I think I’m seasick,” she moans, still not opening her eyes.

I didn’t even think that the onset of this storm and the rough seas that resulted would bother her. She didn’t have any problems up until now. Of course, we’ve had smooth sailing until now, too.

“I’m sure we have something onboard that will help. I’ll be right back.”

I go in search of Karesh, who I find in the office, working. As usual.

“Don’t we have something for motion sickness around here?”

“Yes, of course. Are you ill?” he asks, rising immediately.

“No, not me. Kennedy.” My earlier pique returns. “Why didn’t you tell me she was in a different room?”

“I didn’t realize she had moved. I sent word to her room that she be on deck for dinner and Caesar said she agreed.”

“Does Caesar even know what she looks like? Didn’t he just board in Hawaii?”

“Yes, he did. I just assumed… My mistake, sir. It won’t happen again.”

I grit my teeth again. “See that it doesn’t. But right now I need something to give her.”

“I’ll take care of it, sir. What room is she in?”

“Just tell me where it’s at. I’ll take it to her.”

“Yes, sir,” Karesh replies, crossing the room to unlock the second drawer in one of his three filing cabinets. Karesh is a man of many talents. He has a medical background, so he functions as our infirmary staff whenever needed until we can get help from the closest island.

He takes out a small box and removes an aluminum sleeve of pills to give to me. “She can take one every four to six hours. She might want to keep them on hand for when the sea gets rough. If she needs more, just let me know.”

“Okay,” I say, turning to leave.

“Again, sir, I apologize for the confusion.”

“Just don’t let it happen again. Kennedy is…she’s…she’s different. She’s not like the others. And I don’t want her treated like she is.”

Karesh nods. “Yes, sir. Duly noted.”

I make my way back to Kennedy, still fuming that she’s in a different room. I stop by the crew kitchen to take a bottled water from the refrigerator. When I walk back into her cabin, it’s empty.

I go back out into the hall, my testy temper flaring again as I contemplate where she might’ve gone. Even sick she’s trying to get away from me!

But then I hear the door to one of the hall bathrooms open. I turn around just as Kennedy staggers out, nearly losing her balance as the ship dips. She leans up against the wall and closes her eyes, her face turning a pale shade of green.

“What the hell are you doing up?”

“I thought I was going to be sick again, but there’s nothing left in my stomach. Just dry heaves.”

I stuff the bottle of water in one jacket pocket and the pills in the other before I bend and sweep Kennedy up into my arms. I turn back toward her room, but I pause there, imagining her getting up and possibly falling on her way to the bathroom again. For that reason alone, I bypass it.

“Where are you going? That was my room?”

“Not tonight, it isn’t.”

“Reese, put me down. I can walk. And I can stay in my room.”

“I’m sure you can,” I say, tightening my grip on her.

“Reese, I’m serious. I don’t need special treatment. I don’t want it. I know why you’re doing this and it won’t work. I’m not going to sleep with you.”

I stop in my tracks and look down into the now-dull pools of Kennedy’s green eyes. “I’m not doing this so you’ll sleep with me. But I’m not going to leave you down here when you’re sick. Can’t you just let me take care of you?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m your employee. You wouldn’t do this for the others, so I don’t want you doing it for me.”

I want to squeeze her and shake her and kiss her all at once. “You’re more than just an employee to me, Kennedy. You’re just going to have to get used to that.”