Chapter Five

Caress

The adjoining door slams behind me, my heart thundering as I lean against it. Dylan’s scent lingers on my skin. Teasing me, reminding me of how close we came to crossing that line. My lips still tingle from his breath, so near yet cruelly interrupted.

Sliding to the floor, I fumble for my phone and hit Jasmine’s number. She picks up on the second ring.

“Cari? It’s late, what’s wrong?”

“Jas,” I gasp, “I think I’m losing my mind.”

“Whoa, slow down. Deep breaths. What happened?”

I gulp air, trying to steady myself. “Dylan and I… we almost kissed.”

“Holy shit!” Jasmine’s squeal pierces my ear. “Details, now!”

The words tumble out in a rush. I tell her everything. About the crochet dress, Dylan’s towel mishap, our intimate dinner, and that charged moment where the world narrowed to just the two of us.

“And then there was a knock at the door, and I panicked and ran,” I finish, burying my face in my hand. “God, Jas, what am I doing?”

“Okay, back up,” Jasmine says. “Why were you having a romantic dinner with your boss in the first place? I thought this was a work trip.”

I wince. “Right, I forgot to mention. Trevor’s here.”

“Trevor?” Jasmine’s voice sharpens. “As in abusive jackass Trevor from your past?”

“The one and only,” I confirm bitterly. “He cornered me earlier, and Dylan… well, Dylan pretended to be my boyfriend to get him to back off.”

“He did what now?”

I launch into the whole sordid tale ending in our hastily concocted fake relationship scheme.

“Jesus, Cari,” Jasmine breathes when I finish. “That’s… a lot.”

“Tell me about it,” I groan. “And now my stupid heart doesn’t seem to understand it’s all pretend. Jas, it’s racing so hard I swear I’m having a heart attack.”

“Okay, drama queen, let’s dial it back a notch,” Jasmine says, but her tone is gentle. “You’re not having a heart attack. You’re just feeling things you’ve been trying to ignore for a long time.”

“What? No, I-”

“Don’t even try to deny it,” she cuts me off. “I’ve watched you moon over Dylan for years. The way your face lights up when you talk about him? Come on, girl.”

Heat floods my cheeks. “It’s not… we’re just friends. And he’s my boss. And Joel’s best friend. It would never work.”

“Says who?” Jasmine challenges. “Look, I get it. You’re scared. After everything with Trevor, opening yourself up again is terrifying. But Cari, you can’t let fear of the unknown keep you from happiness.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Am I really letting fear dictate my life? The thought sends my mind reeling back to earlier this evening, to a moment I’d almost forgotten in the chaos that followed.

“Jas,” I say slowly, “there’s something I didn’t tell you about tonight.”

“What is it?”

I close my eyes, the memory washing over me. “Before dinner, when Trevor showed up… Dylan punched him.”

“He what?”

“Trevor was being his usual disgusting self, making crude comments,” I explain. “And Dylan just… snapped. He decked him right in front of everyone. And the way he looked at me afterward, Jas. Like he’d do anything to protect me.”

There’s a pause on the other end of the line. “Cari,” Jasmine says finally, “that doesn’t sound like just a boss looking out for his employee.”

“I know,” I whisper. “And that’s not all. When we were talking later, he said I was important to him. That he’d always have my back, no matter what.”

“And what did you say?”

“I told him it goes both ways,” I admit. “That I’ve got his back too.”

Jasmine lets out a low whistle. “Girl, that man is in deep. And so are you.”

“But what if it all goes wrong?” I ask, voicing my deepest fear. “I can’t lose him, Jas. He’s… what if he’s my person.”

“Oh, honey,” Jasmine’s voice softens. “That’s exactly why you need to take this chance. Dylan might just be your person in every way that counts. Don’t let fear rob you of that possibility.”

Her words settle over me, and for the first time, I allow myself to really consider the possibility. Dylan and me, together. Not just pretending, but for real. The thought sends a thrill through me, equal parts exhilarating and terrifying.

“You really think so?” I ask, my voice small.

“I know so,” she says firmly. “Now, here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to take a nice, hot shower. Put on your comfiest pajamas. Get some sleep. And tomorrow? You’re going to talk to Dylan. For real this time, no interruptions.”

I take a shaky breath. “Okay. Yeah, I can do that.”

“Damn right you can,” Jasmine says. “You’ve got this, Cari. And I want all the juicy details tomorrow, you hear me?”

I laugh. “Yes, ma’am.”

We say our goodbyes, and I let the phone drop to my lap. Jasmine’s right. I can’t keep running from my feelings for Dylan. Whatever happens next, I need to face it head-on.

Standing on wobbly legs, I head for the shower. As the hot water washes over me, I let my mind wander back to that moment in the bar. The fierce protectiveness in Dylan’s eyes, the way he stood up for me without hesitation. It was so at odds with the calm, collected businessman I thought I knew.

But maybe that’s just it. Maybe I’ve been so caught up in seeing Dylan as my boss, as Joel’s best friend, that I’ve missed who he really is. A man who cares deeply, who isn’t afraid to fight for what - or who - he believes in.

The realization hits me like a tidal wave. All this time, I’ve been holding back, convincing myself that Dylan could never see me as more than an employee or his best friend’s little sister. But what if I’ve been wrong? What if, in my determination to protect my heart, I’ve been blind to what’s been right in front of me all along?

I think back to all the little moments over the years. The way Dylan always remembers the little things. How he values my opinion in meetings, even when I’m the youngest person in the room. The proud smile he gives me when I nail a presentation.

And then there are the more recent moments. The gentle way he touched me earlier, like I was something precious. The heat in his gaze when he saw me in that dress. The tenderness in his voice when he said I was important to him.

God, how could I have been so blind?

As I towel off and slip into my favorite silk pajamas, my gaze catches on the adjoining door. Dylan’s just on the other side, probably grappling with his own thoughts and feelings. The urge to go to him, to finish what we started earlier, is almost overwhelming.

But if we do this, really do this, I don’t want this to just be about sex. We need to talk first, without the pressure of our fake relationship or the specter of Trevor looming over us. We need to clear the air and figure out what this thing between us really is.

I climb into bed, my body exhausted but my mind still whirling. Sleep seems impossible, but eventually, the gentle rocking of the ship lulls me into a fitful slumber.

* * *

The bright sunlight through the balcony door wakes me with a start. In all my jumbled thoughts of what-ifs last night, I forgot to pull the curtains. Today’s the day. No more running, no more hiding behind excuses and fake relationships.

It’s time to face the truth, whatever it may be. Because Jasmine’s right - Dylan might just be my person. And that’s worth fighting for.

I climb out of bed and make my way to the balcony, intending to step out into the fresh sea air. As I reach for the door handle, voices drift in from outside. I freeze, recognizing Dylan’s deep timbre.

“Look, Joel, I told you last night - there’s nothing going on between me and Caress.”

My heart stutters. I shouldn’t be listening, but I can’t seem to move.

“You punched a guy for her, Dyl,” Joel’s voice responds, skeptical. “That’s not exactly ‘nothing.’”

Dylan sighs. “I told you, I see her like a little sister. That’s all we’ll ever be. Trevor was being an ass, and I reacted. Maybe I overstepped, but it wasn’t because of any romantic feelings.”

Each word feels like a dagger to my chest. Stupid, stupid, stupid. How could I have misread things so badly?

“So all this pretending to be a couple…” Joel trails off.

“Is just that - pretending,” Dylan says firmly. “It’s purely to keep Trevor at bay. Once this cruise is over, things will go back to normal. Boss and employee, nothing more.”

I back away from the door, my earlier hope crumbling to dust. God, I’m such an idiot. Blinking back tears, I turn away from the balcony and head for the shower. I need to get out of here, away from Dylan and these foolish fantasies.

Twenty minutes later, dressed and composed, I slip out of my cabin. The buffet should be open by now. I’ll grab an early breakfast, alone, before our meeting with Edward. And then… then I’ll figure out how to face Dylan without letting him see how thoroughly he’s shattered my heart.