Page 18 of The Good Billionaire (Billionaire Hart #1)

BOOK TWO IN THE BILLIONAIRE HART SERIES

CHAPTER ONE

Laney

I tripped and performed a spectacular faceplant in front of an entire lobby full of people. Not the best way to start a cruise. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. That first impression got blown, didn’t it?

My fractured mind unscrambled and screamed: Stand up. Pick up your phone. Put your shoe back on. Cry. In that order, please.

Hot tears didn’t cooperate, though. My stinging eyes blurred my vision.

Yet, I still caught Jonathan strolling off without looking back.

Pushing off the plush printed carpet, I closed my legs against the New York winter chill that followed me up the gangplank.

Thanks to the ridiculously short yellow dress I wore on a dare, everyone behind me enjoyed a view of my bikini wax.

“Hey buddy, your wife is on the floor!” Powerful hands closed around my waist and yanked me to my feet.

My forehead smashed into the muscular chest of a stranger who yelled over my head, presumably at Jonathan who had barreled onto the ship ahead of me.

“I’m not his wife,” I corrected the man and loosened myself from the warm embrace that left a trace of fresh soap and leather stuck in my nose. “Thank you.”

“Are you okay?” the man asked, sliding my phone back into my shaking palm, our skin making contact.

“Yes.” I brushed long waves of hair away from my face, but several strands caught on my lip gloss. Gross. “I don’t know what happened to me there.”

“Here’s your shoe.” The man held it by the heel, and I hoped he didn’t catch the Payless label.

“Thank you.” I collected my other scattered belongings as embarrassment flooded through me, hot and fast.

The man kept his hand on my waist while I got my bearings. “If that guy was your boyfriend, he’s a jerk.”

His touch triggered fire that heated my cheeks. “He’s not...” I began, ready to explain Jonathan was my boss. When I glanced at the man’s face, the rest of my sentence couldn’t have been pried from my mouth with a crowbar.

Holy shit. A gasp burned in my chest as crowds of boarding passengers parted around us. Hyperventilating, I mumbled to the Adonis towering over me, “Who...who are you? Do you work here?”

“No.” He slipped on expensive-looking sunglasses, signaling he was ready to get on with his cruise. And robbing me of exquisite and unique golden eyes.

“There you are.” Nikki, my design assistant, bumped against my back. “You raced up the gangplank so fast I was afraid you’d trip.”

“She did,” Adonis said, maneuvering around us.

“Oh my God. Who are you?” Nikki followed his stare as I gaped in wonder at the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. “Laney, who is this?”

“Have a good day, ladies.” Adonis grasped his Louis Vuitton bag and beat feet to the elevator.

“Who was that?” Nikki took hold of my arm.

“I don’t know!” I brushed away the lint stuck to my bare knees, but I’d bet that brown and gold leather case was real and not a Chinatown knock-off.

Nikki steered me away from the rest of the passengers spilling into the cramped holding area. “Where’s Jonathan?”

“He...” I spun around to search for him. “I don’t know.”

For Jonathan to not even glance behind him to see if I made it onto the ship, surprised the hell out of me.

Just five minutes before we boarded, he’d been his usual suave and flirty self.

Then he marched up that gangplank like a man on a mission, forgetting all about me.

If he’d turned around and seen me on the floor, of course, he would have stopped.

How noble of Adonis, though, to fling harsh words at Jonathan because he’d thought we were a couple.

Feeling embarrassed all over again, I was glad there were thousands of people on the ship. The likelihood of seeing Adonis again was slim to none.

“Okay.” Nikki took charge and collected my bags. “It’s just the first day. You have plenty of time to tell Jonathan you want to sleep with him.”

I now regretted spilling my secret crush to Nikki. At first, having a wing-girl on this cruise seemed helpful. Now, I worried Nikki might assist too much and push me if I got cold feet. I’ll buy a pair of socks.

For weeks, I’d been scratching my head wondering why Jonathan wanted to be on a seven-day Caribbean cruise out of New York the week before Christmas.

Ironic, because I wanted to tie him to a bed with a big red bow.

But a cruise was perfect. What happened in international waters, stayed in international waters.

“What time does this thing start moving?” Nikki nudged me toward the elevator bank, ripping away thoughts of hot and sexy Jonathan.

“The confirmation email said the ship leaves at four pm.” I cleared the lust out of my throat. “Why we needed to board at two pm, I have no idea.”

A uniformed agent twisted around and gaped at me and Nikki with disdain. “We don’t board . We embark. And we don’t leave . We set sail!” She raised her hand with a flourish.

I snorted in derision. Airports went out of their way to make waiting for a plane as convenient as possible with an absurd variety of food, alcohol, and charging stations. The cruise lines’ pathetic waiting rooms lagged far behind.

“Most folks got here at ten this morning.” A nice-looking gentleman in a blue uniform loaded our bags onto a brass luggage cart without asking. “They want to get an early start.” He winked.

“Early start on what?” I asked while Nikki launched into full assistant mode by reorganizing the pile. “Alcohol isn’t free anymore.”

The steward gave me a complete once-over, his eyes lingering on my bare legs. “Just look for the devil horns symbol on stickers. The whole thing’s gone underground,” he whispered. “Don’t forget to wear your fire pin so the men know you’re willing .”

I opened my mouth to ask for clarification, but he took off with our luggage. Horns? Fire pins? Willing? He must have us confused with another party group. Nikki, Jonathan, and I were boring textile folks.

Although people who met under a devil symbol and needed a flaming fire pin to show they were willing sounded intriguing. To do what, though?

“What’s your cabin number?” the steward asked over his shoulder.

“Um...” I fumbled with my reservation printout.

Nikki barked out the number to our two-bedroom outside suite with a balcony.

I preferred privacy, but agreed to double up in the event I fell off the rear of the ship.

At least Nikki would know if I went missing.

Hell, she’d probably convince the captain to turn around and scoop me out of the water.

“We’ll take the port-side cars up to your deck.” The steward pushed our luggage down a narrow corridor. “Hold the elevator, please.”

A beautifully sculpted hand smacked the polished door to keep it from closing.

“Go ahead ladies,” the steward said, waving us in.

Inside the dark-paneled elevator, Adonis leaned against the wall, stone-faced with his gaze fixed on me.

“Oh, hello again,” I blurted before my brain could stop me.

“Hello.” He matched my tone and my greeting.

From the corner of my eye, I caught the shiny brass luggage cart barreling toward me. Wrenching out of its way forced my body against Adonis’s arm. The man brimmed with heat underneath a gorgeous cashmere coat.

“Excuse me,” I said softly, scooching a few inches away.

“No problem.” His eyes lingered on my neck, but never crawled down to my breasts. A first, given my voluptuous D-cups. Was he looking for something specific?

The elevator jumped to a stop and I slammed my palm against the paneling to prevent another fall into Adonis.

“Sir, after you,” the steward said to the handsome man. “I have to get the cart out.”

“Ladies, first,” he responded, bowing his head to me.

I smiled and prayed I’d make it out of the elevator in one smooth glide. Bracing myself, I stepped gingerly on six-inch heels Nikki dared me to wear along with this ridiculously short dress. All to get Jonathan’s attention.

“You’re just at the end of the passageway, ladies,” the steward said once he lugged the cart off the elevator. His phone buzzed and after a glance, he said, “Oh, shoot.”

“Everything all right?” Nikki asked as Adonis whizzed by us.

“My boss is yelling at me to get back to the holding area. I’m not supposed to give guests special attention. But you guys are our best customers.” He winked again.

Getting this cruise instead of a bonus was bad enough. Having my bags brought to my cabin sooner wouldn’t soften the blow.

“I got this,” Nikki said, already pushing the cart.

“No, I got it.” Adonis reappeared. He slapped a twenty-dollar bill in the steward’s hand then tossed his expensive luggage on top of my Samsonite special from TJ Maxx.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Nikki snapped my arms down and glared at me. “Let the man push your luggage.”

“What’s your cabin number?” he asked, removing his coat.

Nikki spilled the details while I followed, frowning at the ugly taupe wall covering. Mr. A’s high round ass made for a much better view.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

When we reached mine and Nikki’s stateroom, Adonis glanced around the passageway. “Looks like we’re neighbors.” He yanked his bag off the cart.

“Yay us.” I took out my room key, but Nikki pulled me to the side. “What?” I asked.

“That guy stared at you the whole time we were in the elevator. Give it a try.”

“Give what a try?”

“Flirting.”

“Nikki, he’s not...” I noticed Adonis resting his shoulder against the wall glaring at his phone. A hopeful woman would construe that as a stalling tactic. His mumbled expletives implied otherwise.

“You need to practice flirting,” Nikki whispered. “Look him in the eye and give him a sexy smile. Then in a seductive tone, say: thank you, see you around, handsome .”

As ridiculous as Nikki sounded, she had an excellent point. I had to work on my moves and facial expressions. If nothing else, I’d get free drinks out of it.

“Okay.” I flipped my hair, took a step, and fell facedown into my luggage.

Tristan