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No. It can’t be.
I yank open my suite door just in time to see Trevor, my manipulative ex, arguing with a flustered-looking Cindy. His eyes lock onto mine, and that smirk I know all too well spreads across his face.
“Caress, baby,” he drawls, sauntering towards me. “What a delightful surprise.”
My heart pounds, and I take an involuntary step back. “Trevor? What the hell are you doing here?”
He reaches for my arm, but I flinch away. His cologne, the same one I used to love, now turns my stomach. “Come on, don’t be like that. Fate brought us here together, maybe we can use this trip to work things out.”
“There’s nothing to work out,” I snap, fighting to keep my voice steady. “We’re over, remember?”
Trevor’s eyes narrow, and I see a flash of the anger that used to terrify me. “You don’t mean that. I know you still need me.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. It’s his usual MO. Trying to make me feel small and dependent. But I’m not that girl anymore. I’ve spent the past year rebuilding myself, piece by painstaking piece.
I open my mouth to tell him exactly where he can shove his assumptions when a deep voice cuts through the tension.
“Is everything alright here?”
Relief washes over me as Dylan appears in the doorway of his suite, his expression thunderous. He moves to stand beside me, and his solid presence wraps around me like a comforting shield.
Trevor’s charm slides back into place like a mask. “No problem here. Just catching up with my girlfriend.”
“Ex-girlfriend,” I correct, my voice stronger now. Dylan stiffens beside me, and a small, petty part of me is pleased by his reaction.
Dylan steps forward, placing a steadying hand on my lower back. The warmth of his touch sends another shiver down my spine, but this time it’s not from fear. “I believe the lady made herself clear,” he says, his deep voice laced with authority. “She’s not interested.”
Trevor’s gaze flicks between us, his jaw clenching. “And who might you be?”
Before I can respond, Dylan pulls me closer. The solid wall of his chest against my back makes me feel safe in a way I haven’t in a long time. “I’m her boyfriend,” he states, the lie rolling smoothly off his tongue. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop harassing my woman.”
My eyes widen as I look up at Dylan. What is he doing? But the determined set of his jaw tells me to play along. I lean into him, forcing a sweet smile. “Thanks, babe. I was just telling Trevor here that he needs to move on.”
Trevor’s face darkens, but he backs off. “This isn’t over, Caress,” he growls before stalking away.
As he disappears down the hallway, I let out a shaky breath. Dylan’s arm is still around me. The scent of his cologne, something woodsy and expensive, fills my senses.
“Are you okay?” he whispers, his breath warm against my ear.
I nod, my mind reeling. “Yeah, I… thank you. But, um, boyfriend?”
Dylan runs a hand through his hair, looking almost sheepish. It’s an oddly endearing look on a man I’ve only ever seen as the epitome of corporate confidence. “I apologize if I overstepped. I couldn’t stand by and watch him pressure you like that.”
“No, you didn’t overstep,” I assure him. My heart is still racing, but now I’m not sure if it’s from the confrontation or from the feeling of being in Dylan’s arms. “But what happens when he realizes we’re not actually together?”
Dylan’s eyes meet mine, a spark of something I can’t quite name flickering in their depths. “Well,” he says slowly, “I suppose we’ll just have to be very convincing, won’t we?”
My breath catches in my throat. Is he suggesting what I think he is? The idea of pretending to be Dylan’s girlfriend for the duration of this cruise is both thrilling and terrifying. On one hand, it solves my Trevor problem. On the other… I’ve spent the last year trying to keep my inconvenient crush on my boss firmly under wraps.
“Are you sure about this?” I ask, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. “It’s not exactly in your job description to play fake boyfriend.”
Dylan’s lips quirk into a half-smile that does unfair things to my insides. “Consider it an extension of my duties as your boss. Protecting my best employee’s peace of mind is just good business sense.”
I laugh, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. “Well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?”
“That’s the spirit,” Dylan says, his hand still resting on my lower back as he guides me towards the elevators. “Now, let’s go find your brother and fill him in on our little arrangement. We have three days of… convincing performances ahead of us.”
As we make our way through the crowd of excited passengers, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve just stepped onto a rollercoaster I’m not quite prepared for. Whatever happens these next few days are going to be anything but boring.
