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I had the sense that she was still holding quite a bit back, and I debated how hard to push for all of it. The woman looked like she was one wrong question away from bolting like a startled deer.

Deciding that it wasn’t worth spooking her into running out of the cabin—and possibly straight into her uncle’s arms—I backed off. I knew better than most people what the Huntwell crime syndicate was capable of.

Indicating the luxurious suite, I said, “You might as well make yourselves comfortable. I need to take care of some work and email my nightly check-in, but please help yourselves to the television and the minibar.”

“Actually...” Elijah began, before I could disappear into the small adjoining office area.

I paused, turning back to them. “Yes?”

God. None of the other vapid beta models on this yacht held the slightest appeal for me. That sort of thing was very muchnotwhy I was here. But even I couldn’t deny that these two were beautiful in a way that had nothing to do with makeup and avant-garde clothing.

Elijah looked like he was about to choke on his next words. “We were... uh... wondering if you’d be willing to take us off the meat market for the rest of the cruise.”

“Classy,” Ms. Hope muttered. “Way to sell it, there.”

Elijah hurried on. “This kind of gig is as much about selling dates with hot models as it is about fashion contracts. And, Ijust thought, if you staked a claim on us, that would keep the Huntwells away from Emma.”

At the words ‘stake a claim,’ my traitor of a cock gave an interested twitch. I buried the unwanted reaction beneath memories of Theresa’s sweet, innocent face.

Not why I was here, damn it.

Elijah was still talking. “And please understand that I am inno wayspeaking for Emma. But if you agree to this, I’ll do my best to make it worth your while.”

He looked a little sick, and Ms. Hope’s gray eyes went wide and shocked. “Elijah! You don’t have to—” She cut herself off with a sharp shake of her head. “If we need to make that kind of deal, I’ll be the one to make it. Not you.”

She met my gaze head-on for the first time, and I couldn’t prevent the slight, unhelpful lurch of my stomach.

File this under ‘not how I expected my evening to go.’

“No deals of that kind will be necessary,” I said firmly. “I’m willing to play your game, mainly because it helps me, too. I don’t need additional distractions, and if I’m seen to be taken by you two, I won’t have to fend off other people’s advances.”

Because these two weren’t distractingat all...

Ms. Hope looked at me warily, as though trying to gauge my sincerity. She exchanged another glance with Elijah, who gave her a cautious nod.

“All right,” she said. “That’s what we’ll d-do, then. Appearances only. No distractions.”

The little niggling sense that told me when I was being an idiot stirred from its home in my subconscious.

“Then we have a deal,” I said. “Will you be wanting to stay here rather than in your own cabin?”

“Yes,” Ms. Hope said quickly. “I doubt they’d dare come at me here in your quarters.”

The niggling sense of idiocy niggled harder.

“No doubt you’re right,” I told her. “Let me walk you both to your cabin and you can pack whatever you’ll need for your stay.”

Which was how I found myself standing outside the firmly closed door of guest cabin B5 like a complete berk, trying not to listen to the muffled voices coming from within. I blamed alpha hearing for my lack of success in that venture.

“Are we making a mistake?”Ms. Hope’s voice vibrated with tension.

“Coming on this cruise at all was a mistake. This is damage control.”Elijah’s tone sounded grim and businesslike.

“I’m really sorry I dragged you into this, Elijah.”The words were accompanied by the sound of fabric rustling, followed by a zipper.

“I dragged myself into it, dove. We’re here now. Let’s just concentrate on getting through this and getting off the damned boat.”

Footsteps moved deeper into the cabin. More rustling and clinking followed. Then, the sound faded to stillness.