Page 40 of Love on Deck

“And I was satisfied. But now you’re making it look good again.”

She met my eyes. “Poor Jack. Always rushing through things and regretting it later.” Putting the ice cream to her mouth, she licked it again, even slower.

My gut clenched. I hadn’t wanted a woman the way I wanted to pull her toward me in a long time. No unnecessary touching. Where was a party full of people who believed us to be in a relationship and a sprig of mistletoe when you needed it, Hallmark?

When she went for another lick, I grew desperate. Taking her by the wrist, I pulled her arm like a lever until her ice cream cone was in front of my face, then bit off the entirety of the peaked soft serve in one desperate mouthful.

Lauren’s mouth dropped open. “Thief!”

“Want it back?” I asked, my mouth full, my hand still circling her wrist.

Her nose wrinkled adorably. She tugged, taking a bite from the top of the cone. “Keep it.”

“Y’all coming?” Lucas called behind us. I tensed, not ready to join the others, but we had little choice. At least their presence was good for something. It was no longer unnecessary touching. I released her arm and took her free hand, pulling her toward me and lacing my fingers between hers.

“Next time you steal my ice cream, I’m breaking up with you.”

“Don’t entice me,” I joked, leading her around the partitions. The hot tubs all looked full now. Lucas led us to the one on the far end. Lauren crunched away at her cone while we took off our layers in the chilly evening.

Lucas stripped to his swim trunks and kicked off his shoes, hurrying to get in the water. Lauren took another bite, then leaned down to pick up his discarded flip flops from the middle of the floor, moving them to the side of the walkway.

When she straightened, she found me watching her. “It’s dark. I don’t want anyone to trip.”

I nodded. Taking my T-shirt from the hem, I pulled it over my shoulders and tossed it onto a free deck chair. I slid my shoes beneath the chair and turned to find Lauren, the last bit of her cone suspended before her mouth, her eyes on my torso. Should I flex now? How obvious would that be on a scale from Subtle to Clearly I Want To Make This Girl Want Me? Probably land me somewhere in the Fishing For Attention zone.

I flexed anyway.

Lauren popped the rest of her cone in her mouth and turned away from me to slip off her sweatshirt and shorts. For the sake of my own sanity, I climbed up the steps into the hot tub while she did that.

“Jackhammer!” Kevin called, lifting both arms in the air in triumph. Amelia was nestled against his side, Cara and Lucas on either side of them. Sydney sat across, taking up the middle of the remaining space, and the guy she’d been with earlier was gone.

I hovered at the entrance, waiting for her to move one way or the other so Lauren could sit between us.

She didn’t move.

“Freezing,” Lauren said behind me, the wind whipping around us while the ship moved. The sun wasn’t there to warm us.

She peeked around me, and I could practically feel her realizing our situation. She gently pushed me to the side and stepped past me, down into the water with a gentle sigh as she submerged herself, taking the seat nearest the stairs. She reached for my hand and pulled me down, scooting gently toward Sydney until she had to be totally pressed against her.

But Sydney still wouldn’t move. “There’s space over here,” she said, indicating I could fill it on her opposite side.

“So scoot then,” Lauren said.

Sydney stared at her for another minute before giving up and moving over.

Bless Lauren. She made room for me to squeeze in beside her, and my arm went around her back, pulling her up close to my side. Not unnecessary. Claim-staking. She reached for the hand I dangled over her shoulder and held it like we were a real couple. My body was warming, and I didn’t think it was entirely due to the bubbly, heated water.

Amelia gave an awkward laugh, looking from Sydney to me.

“Never have I ever?” Lucas asked, wearing an evil grin.

“No!” Cara splashed him. “I hate that game.”

“Because you always lose.”

She glared playfully.

“I’m down,” Kevin said, eyeing Amelia, who shrugged.