Cowboy Payback by Donna Michaels Page A

twisting around to smile at him. “Expecting naked guests tonight?”
    “Well now.” His voice was low, smile sinful, gaze heated with a gleam of anticipation. “That depends.”
    “On what?”
    “On whether or not you’re going to get naked.”
    She laughed, despite her tingling good parts. “Nice try, cowboy,” she said, her voice a wee bit husky as she remembered last second to drop the c-word instead of sir.
    Under no illusion, she knew, audience or no audience, the captain would make good on his incentive. Alone. With him. In a locked cabin. Not the best place for them to kiss.
    At least, not if she wanted to keep things uncomplicated. Keep her goal on course with college, with her in control of her life.
    Trisha Jennings at the helm for a darn change.
    “You sure there isn’t anything I could do for you?” He stepped closer, teasing gleam still lighting his eyes.
    “Well, actually there is,” she replied, finding it hard to keep a straight face. “Take off your shirt.”
    “What?”
    “Did I stutter? Take off your shirt.” Trisha had all she could do not to laugh at the captain’s mixed expression. Shock rounded his eyes, which were turning a deep navy while his mouth gaped open.
    Obviously, he wasn’t used to women giving him orders, and yet, he appeared to possibly like it. Why did that observation heat every single cell in her body, at once? Didn’t matter. She’d worry about it later. Not now. Not with the sexy man grinning a lop-sided grin as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    She held out her hand. A few more emotions crossed his face before smoldering resignation settled in his eyes, and he stepped forward to deposit the shirt in her hands.
    Oh, he was a wicked one. Heat from his bared, muscled torso seeped into her body, licking her arousal to life. Darn his potency . They weren’t even touching.
    “Anything else?”
    Lose the pants. The dangerous reply resounded in her head and made it as far as her tongue, but she managed to keep her jaw clamped and the words inside. Thank goodness. Because she knew without a doubt if she had voiced them, it wouldn’t be words tickling her tongue.
    Turning her back on the sexy, half-naked man helped Trisha regain her equilibrium. “Nope. Thanks. That’s all,” she said, walking to her purse to fish out a travel sewing kit.
    She settled onto a chair and proceeded to sew the button back on his shirt, all the while conscious of the captain still standing where she’d left him. He hadn’t moved an inch. She could feel his gaze boring into her flesh like a piece of hot shrapnel, but she refused to glance up.
    And it was by the grace of God and sheer willpower that she managed to fix his shirt without pricking her finger. Especially, considering her hand shook like a leaf.
    She tied the knot, cut the thread, set her kit aside, and stood. “Here you go. Good as new,” she said, holding his shirt out to him.
    He cocked his head, ever so slightly, and held out his hand.
    Darn .
    His gaze was so compelling and so hungry, Trisha actually took a step forward. But she stopped and shook her head, laughter rumbling low in her throat.
    “No way, cowboy. Nice try.” She draped his shirt over the chair, then stood behind it, in case her body decided to betray her mind. With a lift of her own chin, she held his gaze. “How about we set some boundaries and discuss exactly what you expect from me.”
    Sexy bugger grinned wide and broad, showing dimples and divots while he crossed muscled arms over his broad chest. Dang . Even the bulldog tattoo on his right bicep was sexy.
    Why didn’t he put a shirt on?
    “Okay, we can do that,” he said. “I expect you to act like a fiancée when you see any of the guests getting too friendly.”
    She nodded, doing her best to keep her gaze on his, and not the happy trail leading from his six pack abs to disappear behind the waistband of his pants.
    Lose the pants.
    Her mind was losing its battle with her