Chapter Two

Dylan

The moment Caress steps away from me to enter the bathroom in Joel’s cabin, my body goes limp. Well, almost, everything except my stubborn cock. I run a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the lingering scent of her heady mix of jasmine perfume and something uniquely her.

Fuck. This is not how I planned for this trip to start.

Joel’s voice snaps me back to reality. “Want to tell me what the hell this is all about?”

I turn to face my best friend, steeling myself for the conversation ahead. Joel’s eyes are narrowed, his jaw set in that stubborn way that reminds me so much of Caress. The family resemblance is uncanny, especially when they’re both pissed off.

“That asshole ex of Caress’s showed up,” I explain, keeping my voice low. “I had to do something.”

“So, you decided to play boyfriend?” Joel’s eyebrows shoot up. “Jesus, Dyl. You couldn’t have just decked the guy?”

I snort. “Because that would’ve gone over so well with the cruise staff. ‘Sorry about the blood on your nice white floors. Don’t mind us, just assaulting other passengers before we’ve even set sail.’”

Joel doesn’t laugh. If anything, his frown deepens. “This is serious, man. You can’t just—”

The click of the bathroom door opening cuts him off. Caress steps out, looking slightly more composed but still shaken. My heart clenches at the sight. Caress is always so strong, so put-together. Seeing her rattled like this makes me want to hunt down Trevor and throw him overboard.

“So,” Caress says, her voice only slightly unsteady. “I guess we should talk about… this.”

I nod, gesturing towards Joel’s open door. “Probably best to do this in private.”

Joel moves to shut the door of his suite, which is a mirror image of mine and Caress’s. He stalks back over before pacing, while Caress perches on the edge of the bed. I lean against the wall, trying to maintain some distance. It’s harder than it should be.

“Alright,” Joel says, running a hand over his face. “Let’s hear it. What exactly is going on?”

Caress takes a deep breath. “Trevor’s here. On the ship.”

“That fu—” Joel starts, but Caress holds up a hand.

“Let me finish. He cornered me in the hallway, started spewing his usual manipulative crap. Dylan stepped in and… well, he pretended to be my boyfriend to get Trevor to back off.”

Joel’s gaze swings to me, and I force myself to meet it steadily. “It was a split-second decision,” I explain. “I couldn’t just stand there and watch him harass her.”

“And again, decking the asshole wasn’t an option?” Joel grumbles.

I smirk. “You know if this wasn’t a business trip he’d have been swimming.”

Caress rolls her eyes. “Violence isn’t the answer, you two. Besides, you know Trevor. That would just make things worse.”

She’s right, of course. Caress is always right. It’s one of the million things I lo— appreciate about her. As a friend. And an employee. Nothing more.

Right. Keep telling yourself that, Carter.

“So, what’s the plan?” Joel asks, his tone making it clear he’s not thrilled with the situation.

I glance at Caress, raising an eyebrow. She nods almost imperceptibly, and I feel a rush of… something. Understanding? Partnership? Whatever it is, I squash it down quickly.

“We stick to the story,” I say, turning back to Joel. “For the duration of the cruise, Caress and I are a couple. It’s the easiest way to keep Trevor at bay without causing a scene.”

Joel’s jaw clenches. “I don’t like it. What if—”

“It’s just pretend, Joel,” Caress interjects, her voice softening. “Nothing’s going to happen. Right, Dylan?”

Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe. There’s a challenge there, and it sets a dangerous spark I know well alight in my chest, one I’ve been trying to ignore for months.

“Right,” I manage, tearing my gaze away. “It’s all for show. I’ll protect Caress with everything I’ve got, because that’s what you do for family.”

The words taste like ash in my mouth, but I force them out anyway. It’s the truth, after all. Caress is family. Joel’s little sister. My employee. The whole package of off-limits wrapped up in a maddeningly sexy, intelligent, selfless woman who’s starred in far too many of my dreams lately.

Get it together, man.

Joel studies me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighs. “Fine. But if that creep so much as looks at you wrong, Caress, you tell me. I’ll teach him a lesson he won’t forget.”

“My hero,” Caress says dryly, but there’s affection in her tone. “Trevor isn’t worth it, Joel. Really. This is the best solution for everyone.”

I nod in agreement, even as everything inside me clenches at the thought. Playing Caress’s boyfriend for the duration of the cruise? It’s a special kind of torture, but I’ll be damned if I let her down.

“So, it’s settled then,” I say, pushing off the wall. “We should probably head back to our rooms and get ready for the sailaway party. Also remember we have that meeting with Edward.”

Caress’s eyes widen. “Shit, I almost forgot. The Market Sector Director, right?”

“That’s the one,” I confirm, allowing myself a small smile. This is familiar territory—work, schedules, meetings. I can handle this. “We should aim to be up on deck in an hour. That’ll give us time to scope out the crowd before we need to schmooze.”

Joel shakes his head, a grudging smile tugging at his lips. “You two and your work talk. I swear, sometimes I think you’re actually married.”

I freeze, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Caress stiffen. Joel, oblivious to the sudden tension, continues, “Alright, alright. I’ll play nice with your little charade. But I’m watching you, Carter. Best friend or not, that’s my sister you’re fake-dating.”

“Noted,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. “Trust me, Joel. The last thing I want is to complicate things. This is strictly business.”

Caress stands, smoothing down her skirt. “Well, on that lovely note, I’m going to go make myself presentable. Can’t have the Market Sector Director thinking Dylan Carter’s girlfriend is anything less than picture-perfect, can we?”

She winks at me as she passes, and I swear my heart stops for a second. The scent of her perfume lingers in the air, and I have to physically restrain myself from reaching out to touch her.

“See you in an hour,” I call after her, proud of how steady my voice sounds.

As soon as the door clicks shut behind her, Joel rounds on me. “Alright, spill. What’s really going on with you two?”

I blink, caught off guard. “What? Nothing’s going on. You heard Caress, it’s all for show.”

Joel’s eyes narrow. “Uh-huh. And that’s why you look like you want to devour my sister every time she walks by?”

Heat rushes to my face. Am I that obvious? “I don’t—it’s not like that, man. Caress is… she’s Caress. You know I’d never—”

“Save it,” Joel cuts me off, holding up a hand. “Look, I’m not blind. I’ve seen the way you look at her. Hell, I’ve seen the way she looks at you when she thinks no one’s watching.”

My heart stutters. “What are you talking about?”

Joel sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Just… be careful, alright? I know you, Dyl. You’re a good guy. But Caress… she’s been through a lot. If this little act of yours turns into something real, you better be damn sure you’re ready for it. Because if you hurt her…”

“I won’t,” I say quickly. Too quickly. “It’s not—we’re not—fuck, Joel. She’s my assistant. Your sister. It can’t happen.”

Even as I say the words, something inside me rebels against them. But it’s the truth, isn’t it? Caress deserves better than a workaholic with more baggage than the cruise ship we’re on.

Joel studies me for a long moment, then nods. “Alright. Just… think about what I said, okay? And for God’s sake, try to keep your hands to yourself during this fake relationship thing. I don’t need that mental image.”

I snort, grateful for the break in tension. “Trust me, that’s the last thing you need to worry about. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go make myself look worthy of Caress Mitchell’s fake affections.”

As I head back to my suite, Joel’s words echo in my mind. He thinks she looks at me differently when she thinks no one’s watching. Is it possible? Has Caress been hiding feelings of her own all this time?

I shake my head, pushing the dangerous thought away. It doesn’t matter. We have a job to do, a role to play. And at the end of the cruise, things will go back to normal.

They have to.

With a sigh, I step into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the lingering unease. As I dress for the party, my mind drifts to what Caress may be wearing and how she’d look without it.

Focus. You gave Joel your word that this was all pretend.

But as I adjust my tie in the mirror, I can’t quite banish the image of Caress in my arms, her body fitting against mine like she was made to be there. It’s going to be a long three days.

Taking one last glance in the mirror, I square my shoulders and head for the door. Time to put on the performance of a lifetime. God help me.