friend of Brian’s is
a friend of mine.”
I glance over my shoulder to see him give me
a smile and a wave before he heads back across the kitchen to
return to checking his meat.
Checking his meat…that sounds bad, I
think, snickering to myself as I crack open my bottle of water and
wind through the halls toward my room.
Once inside the cool, dim interior of my
quarters, I collapse on the bed and take a few more sips of water,
enjoying the light spin of my head as I think back on the day.
Reese has been charming and attentive,
flirtatious and sexy. He’s treated me like precious glass all day.
Just like the old Reese did.
I frown against the bitter thoughts that
follow, thoughts of how that Reese was a figment of my imagination,
of how that Reese up and left me without a word after all that
happened. I’m teetering between the glow of pleasure and the gloom
of memories when I hear a knock at my door. My heart lurches inside
my chest and a little bubble tickles the pit of my stomach.
I bolt up off the bed and hurry to the door,
pausing for a fraction of a second to take a deep breath and school
my features before I open the door. I wouldn’t want Reese to think
I’m happy to see him.
But the person on the other side of the door
isn’t Reese. It’s Karesh. I have to swallow my disappointment and
hide it behind a courteous smile. “Hi, Karesh.”
He nods. “Ms. Moore. May I come in?”
“Of course,” I say, stepping back to allow
him to enter. For a moment, my arm twitches as I consider hiding my
bottle of expensive water. But it’s too late. Karesh’s eyes have
already made note of it. Or at least that’s what my prickly
conscience is telling me.
“All the drinks and the sun today…” I tell
him with a smile, tipping up the bottle as though I have no reason
to hide it. Karesh simply smiles.
“I understand you’ll be dancing tonight. If
you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Oh,” I tell him, feeling stupid over the
water now. “Yes, of course. I think I can find everything I
need.”
“The showroom is directly below the lounge.
You should be ready by nine.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“If you’ll let me know your music selection,
I’ll let Armand know. He’s in charge of the sound system throughout
the vessel.”
“Okay. Ummm, I guess Feelin’ Good by
Michael Bublé if you have it.”
“If not, he can get it. We can procure
virtually anything you want or need. If not immediately, then
within a day or two, depending on where we are in the ocean.”
I nod. “I think I have everything I might
need, but thank you.”
“Yes, ma’am. Also,” Karesh begins, clearing
his throat. “Mr. Spencer wanted these delivered to you.”
Karesh hands me a white envelope. I take it,
curious as to what Reese might want me to have that comes in such a
form. “Thank you.”
Karesh nods again. “Also, he’s requested you
at dinner tonight.”
Warm blood fills my face and gushes through
my veins. It’s pleasure, plain and simple. As much as I hate that
it does, Reese’s desire to have me around makes me happy.
“What time?” I ask, hoping Karesh can’t see
my pleased flush.
“Seven sharp.”
I nod again.
“If you need anything, just remember I’m at
300 on the phone. Otherwise, I’ll leave you to your
preparations.”
“Thank you.”
It’s Karesh’s turn to nod again as he turns
and leaves my room. He’s so formal it makes me feel like white
trash. Luckily, I grew up around the wealthy, so it’s nothing new.
And at least I know how to comport myself like I’m accustomed to
it.
As soon as he has shut the door and I hear
his light tread falling further and further from my room, I tear
open the envelope and remove a single folded sheet of paper.
Printed on it at the top is Reese’s full name followed by a
doctor’s name and a lab service’s name and address. Below that is a
long patient number and then a list of tests on the left and
results
a friend of mine.”
I glance over my shoulder to see him give me
a smile and a wave before he heads back across the kitchen to
return to checking his meat.
Checking his meat…that sounds bad, I
think, snickering to myself as I crack open my bottle of water and
wind through the halls toward my room.
Once inside the cool, dim interior of my
quarters, I collapse on the bed and take a few more sips of water,
enjoying the light spin of my head as I think back on the day.
Reese has been charming and attentive,
flirtatious and sexy. He’s treated me like precious glass all day.
Just like the old Reese did.
I frown against the bitter thoughts that
follow, thoughts of how that Reese was a figment of my imagination,
of how that Reese up and left me without a word after all that
happened. I’m teetering between the glow of pleasure and the gloom
of memories when I hear a knock at my door. My heart lurches inside
my chest and a little bubble tickles the pit of my stomach.
I bolt up off the bed and hurry to the door,
pausing for a fraction of a second to take a deep breath and school
my features before I open the door. I wouldn’t want Reese to think
I’m happy to see him.
But the person on the other side of the door
isn’t Reese. It’s Karesh. I have to swallow my disappointment and
hide it behind a courteous smile. “Hi, Karesh.”
He nods. “Ms. Moore. May I come in?”
“Of course,” I say, stepping back to allow
him to enter. For a moment, my arm twitches as I consider hiding my
bottle of expensive water. But it’s too late. Karesh’s eyes have
already made note of it. Or at least that’s what my prickly
conscience is telling me.
“All the drinks and the sun today…” I tell
him with a smile, tipping up the bottle as though I have no reason
to hide it. Karesh simply smiles.
“I understand you’ll be dancing tonight. If
you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Oh,” I tell him, feeling stupid over the
water now. “Yes, of course. I think I can find everything I
need.”
“The showroom is directly below the lounge.
You should be ready by nine.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“If you’ll let me know your music selection,
I’ll let Armand know. He’s in charge of the sound system throughout
the vessel.”
“Okay. Ummm, I guess Feelin’ Good by
Michael Bublé if you have it.”
“If not, he can get it. We can procure
virtually anything you want or need. If not immediately, then
within a day or two, depending on where we are in the ocean.”
I nod. “I think I have everything I might
need, but thank you.”
“Yes, ma’am. Also,” Karesh begins, clearing
his throat. “Mr. Spencer wanted these delivered to you.”
Karesh hands me a white envelope. I take it,
curious as to what Reese might want me to have that comes in such a
form. “Thank you.”
Karesh nods again. “Also, he’s requested you
at dinner tonight.”
Warm blood fills my face and gushes through
my veins. It’s pleasure, plain and simple. As much as I hate that
it does, Reese’s desire to have me around makes me happy.
“What time?” I ask, hoping Karesh can’t see
my pleased flush.
“Seven sharp.”
I nod again.
“If you need anything, just remember I’m at
300 on the phone. Otherwise, I’ll leave you to your
preparations.”
“Thank you.”
It’s Karesh’s turn to nod again as he turns
and leaves my room. He’s so formal it makes me feel like white
trash. Luckily, I grew up around the wealthy, so it’s nothing new.
And at least I know how to comport myself like I’m accustomed to
it.
As soon as he has shut the door and I hear
his light tread falling further and further from my room, I tear
open the envelope and remove a single folded sheet of paper.
Printed on it at the top is Reese’s full name followed by a
doctor’s name and a lab service’s name and address. Below that is a
long patient number and then a list of tests on the left and
results
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