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Both women stood back as the two men fell into conversation. Maitlyn cut her eye toward Tarah, who was grinning like the Cheshire cat as she moved her body in closer and leaned heavily against her arm and shoulder. Mischief danced in the younger woman’s dark eyes.
“Don’t you dare,” Maitlyn admonished between clenched teeth.
Tarah giggled, whispering back, “I was just going to say that you might want to rethink doing it with the cabin guy and consider doing it with that guy.”
Kendrick suddenly gestured in their direction.
“Maitlyn, let me introduce you. This is Zakaria Sayed. Zak and I did some business together years ago, and we’ve been friends ever since. Zak, this is my sister Maitlyn Boudreaux. This is her first cruise.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Boudreaux,” Zak said as he wrapped a large palm around her hand, his dark gaze meeting hers evenly.
“It’s very nice to meet you, too,” Maitlyn murmured, heat wafting in a large wave up her spine. She pulled her hand from his, her fingers tingling from his touch. She clenched her fist, drawing her hand behind her back to stall the sensation. Her eyes were still locked with his.
Tarah cleared her throat, her eyebrows lifted.
Kendrick laughed. “Oh, and that’s Tarah, our baby sister.”
“Hey,” Tarah exclaimed, waving her hand in greeting as the man turned his attention in her direction. “So will you be cruising today, too, Mr. Sayed?”
“Please, call me Zak,” he said. His tone was deep and rich, a melodic vibrato that would have been perfect for a late-night radio program. “And, yes, I’ll be traveling on this cruise.”
Kendrick interjected, “Zak is participating in the World Series of Poker tournament. He’s made it to the grand finale, which will be played out on the ship.”
“You’re a professional gambler?” Maitlyn questioned, curiosity peaking her interest.
The man’s smile was brilliant as he tilted his head to stare down at her. His deep gaze caused her breath to halt and air to catch in her chest.
“I would not call myself a professional,” he said, the deep timbre of his voice heating her feminine spirit. “I’m just a man who likes a challenge,” he professed.
Maitlyn felt herself nodding, her head moving up and down foolishly. She was grateful when her brother interjected.
“Mattie, Zak has promised to keep an eye on you, so I know you’ll be in good hands.”
Her eyes widened as she forced herself to smile. “That’s very kind, Mr. Sayed, but my little brother shouldn’t have imposed on you. I really don’t need a babysitter.” She cut an eye at Kendrick, whose mocking gaze made her want to give him a good punch.
Zak chuckled softly. “That’s a good thing, Ms. Boudreaux. I had no plans to babysit anyone on this trip,” he said matter-of-factly.
Kendrick laughed. “Well, you two had better head inside,” he said, glancing down to the gold watch on his wrist. He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Have a great trip,” he chimed.
Maitlyn hugged him and then Tarah.
Her sister moved in to whisper into her ear. “Tap that,” she murmured under her breath. “Pleeeease!”
Taking a deep breath, Maitlyn could only shake her head. She tossed one last look over her shoulder at her brother and sister, who were waving excitedly as she proceeded to board the ship.
She was suddenly aware of the warm palm Zak Sayed had rested against her elbow as he led her through the doors into the terminal. Neither spoke a word as they cleared the metal detectors and checked in at the registration desk. Maitlyn was surprised when he paused to wait for her after they were pointed in the direction of the gangway, especially since he had yet to utter one word to her. His expression was nondescript; the man seemed focused on something other than her.
But Maitlyn couldn’t comment, either. She found herself completely tongue-tied in his presence. She took a deep breath and held it, fighting the wave of anxiety that threatened to consume her.
Suddenly a wide-eyed redhead rushed over, greeting them cheerily. “Hello! Welcome to Coastal Cruise Lines,” the chipper attendant chimed.
“Thank you,” Zak responded politely.
“Let’s get your arrival photo taken care of and then you can board,” the young woman said as her associate guided them both in front of a cardboard stand-up of the cruise line’s logo.
“Just stand a little closer to your husband,” the other woman said as she pushed them side by side.
“Oh, he’s not... We’re not...” Maitlyn stammered. Her widened eyes made her look like a deer caught in headlights. She tossed a quick glance up at Zak, who was smiling. Maitlyn found herself completely smitten by the sheer beauty of it.
Zak winked his eye at her as he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. If he hadn’t been holding on to her, Maitlyn swore she would have dropped straight to the floor, as her knees quivered like two rubber bands.
Minutes later the two stepped onto the ship, and the cruise director greeted Zak by name.
“Mr. Sayed, welcome aboard, sir,” the woman said. “My name’s Stacy.”
Zak nodded.
Stacy then gestured to the man at her side. “David will take you to your cabin, sir. If you follow him down the stairwell to the lower lobby, you’ll take those elevators to the seventeenth floor and your suite, which is on the aft end of the ship. And if there is anything we can get for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you,” Zak answered. He then turned his attention toward Maitlyn. “I look forward to seeing you again, Ms. Boudreaux. Enjoy your cruise,” he said casually.
Maitlyn smiled politely as he turned and left her and the cruise director standing together. The woman glanced politely at Maitlyn’s boarding pass and pointed her in the opposite direction. Maitlyn shook her head, disappointment painting her expression. Sure, she hadn’t expected the man to walk her to the door of her cabin, but she also hadn’t anticipated him dismissing her so casually. The fact that she was even disturbed by his actions at all unnerved her because clearly Zak Sayed was a man who was more trouble than he was worth.
As Stacy moved to help another vacationer, Maitlyn moved to stand in front of the bank of elevator doors.
* * *
Behind the closed door of his luxury suite, Zak took quick note of the two-deck-high stateroom with its panoramic views. The lower-level living space with the private balcony, dining area and bar would be ideal for entertaining if he felt inclined to do that kind of thing. The upper level boasted a king-size bed and shower large enough for two people to lose themselves in. The space would serve him nicely on the trip, he thought. He slid open the glass door to the balcony and stepped out to peer over the edge of the rail. The water below sloshed lazily against the side of the massive cruise ship.
Hours earlier his thoughts had only been on the high-stakes poker game he was taking part in and the ten million dollars that had secured his participation. But since exiting the limo that delivered him to the docks, he’d thought less about the poker game and more about the beautiful woman who’d boarded the ship with him. A smile lifted his lips.
He and Kendrick Boudreaux shared much history. Kendrick’s business dealings had brought him to Zak’s family home in Morocco. At that time he had been brokering an arms deal between two political entities. Their initial encounter might not have gone well had Kendrick not been so open and forthcoming. Zak had learned much about the man during that time, and the family he spoke of so highly. Zak also remembered how fondly he had spoken about his sisters, yet he didn’t remember Kendrick ever mentioning them being so beautiful.
Thoughts of the lovely Maitlyn Boudreaux passed through his mind. He had turned to stare after her just before heading to his cabin and had been taken aback by the overwhelming sadness he saw on her face. He couldn’t begin to imagine what had soured her spirit, but he didn’t want to see that look on her face ever again.
He also found it curious that she was traveling alone. Most of the beautiful women he knew would have been hard-pressed to travel all by their lonesome with no kind of entourage by their side. Most especially for the length of time they would be at sea. Zak fathomed that a woman with such confidence could either be quite intriguing or an annoyance for a man. It was a rare male who could handle a woman with such bold conviction, or who even wanted to. His lips bent slightly upward at the thought.
But concerning himself with any woman was not something he had time for. This trip wasn’t about a good time. Zak was on a mission, and until the last card was dealt and the final hand played, that was all he could afford to concentrate on. He had far too much money on the line to allow the prospect of a woman to distract him. Shaking thoughts of Maitlyn Boudreaux from his mind, he moved back inside his cabin and secured the sliding glass doors.
* * *
After managing to find her cabin before the ship left the dock, Maitlyn was greeted at the door by Winston, the cabin steward, who wasn’t at all bad on the eyes. The young man’s spirited personality even had her briefly contemplating her sister’s suggestions. Because for the first time in a very long time, Maitlyn was willing to admit that she had needs that could use some serious attention. And she had Zak Sayed’s touch to thank for the reminder.
Left on her own, Maitlyn quickly deposited her carry-on in her room and went to explore her surroundings. As she toured, she became completely enamored by the sheer size of the massive cruise ship and all the attention the cruise staff lavished on her. She thought about what it might feel like to have a man, perhaps one like Zak Sayed, to experience the moment with.
She sighed deeply as she took a quick glance around her, hoping that no one had been watching as decadent thoughts had washed over her spirit. She imagined herself naked, enjoying the pleasure of a hard-bodied male alongside her. Her cheeks flushed a deep red. Maitlyn was suddenly embarrassed that she’d even allowed herself to give such nonsense any consideration. And then she wasn’t, pondering how she might make such an encounter occur.
Leaning against the rail that bordered the upper deck, she stared out to where the skyline kissed the sea and the sun began its descent in the bright blue sky. Closing her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath and then a second. She prayed that taking this trip would be a good thing for her. Her parents had never steered her wrong before, and she couldn’t fathom them doing so now.
As she stared back out over the water, the moment was interrupted when a uniformed waiter suddenly appeared at her elbow, a pretty drink decorated with a paper parasol in hand. He pointed in the direction of the man who had sent the beverage. The gentleman nodded his head as he gestured toward the empty seat at his side. His inviting smile was miles wide. With his linebacker’s build, blond hair and eyes that were as blue as the ocean water, he made quite a first impression. Nodding her gratitude, Maitlyn lifted her mouth in an appreciative smile. She then tossed her reservations aside and moved in the man’s direction.
Chapter 3
Something in the glass she was holding was guiding Maitlyn’s hips in a sexy shimmy that had the full attention of every man in the room. The reggae band performing on the stage had her mesmerized as she commanded the dance floor, her sensual moves in sync with the beat.
Zak had taken notice of her the moment he’d walked into the ship’s nightclub. He had sat alone, and the ice in his drink was beginning to melt. A few days had passed since he’d last seen her and as he watched her from a table in the far corner of the room he thought back to earlier in the week when they’d first arrived together.
She was still strikingly beautiful. Her distinctive traits acknowledged an African-Asian ancestry. Her features were soft and delicate against her warm complexion. Her eyes were slight and angular and her nose whisper thin. Her cheeks were full and high with deep dimples, and she had the most perfect, most kissable lips of any woman in the room.
Her attire was conservative, a stark contradiction to the sultry gyrations that had the men in the room hovering around her like flies. Her loose, black cotton, button-up blouse and wide-legged slacks did nothing to flatter her figure. But with each shake of her hips a man could just imagine the lush curves and warm skin her clothes covered. As Zak found himself imagining, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.
Across the room Maitlyn had finally taken a seat at one of the front tables. Three men sat down beside her, each of them vying for her attention. Zak knew two of the men by name. Frank Barber was an attorney from New York City, and Gerard Bruner was a doctor from Zimbabwe. Both were opponents he’d be going up against in the poker tournament. The third man seemed most intent on diverting Maitlyn’s full attention away from her other admirers. For a brief moment she seemed quite enamored with the blond-haired man, with his striking good looks and deep blue eyes. And then suddenly she didn’t; something in her glass no longer fueled her fun.
Zak’s radar suddenly engaged as he leaned forward in his seat. Although most of the room wasn’t paying an ounce of attention, he sensed that something wasn’t quite right as he closely observed the man who was pulling Maitlyn to her feet. Without giving it a second thought, Zak crossed the room in quick strides to where they’d been sitting.
“Ms. Boudreaux, can I be of some assistance?” he asked, cutting an eye at the man who had one arm around her waist and the other clutching her elbow.
Maitlyn shook her head from side to side. “I don’t feel well,” she murmured softly. Her eyes rolled skyward, her lashes fluttering.
“I’ve got this, thank you,” her companion snapped as he moved to leave.
Zak took a step to block his path. “And you are?” he questioned, meeting the man’s annoyed gaze.
“None of your business. My wife said she wasn’t feeling well.”
“Your wife?”
“Do you have a problem with that?”
The two men still seated at the table came to their feet. Frank Barber spoke first. “Mr. Sayed, it’s good to see you.”
Zak’s gaze remained focused on Maitlyn’s new friend. He didn’t bother to respond.
“Mr. Lloyd, this is Zakaria Sayed. Mr. Sayed, this is Alexander Lloyd and the young woman is a friend of ours. She’s not feeling well, and he was just helping her to her cabin.”
Zak nodded ever so slightly. “Well, the young woman came on board with me, not Mr. Lloyd. And since she isn’t married, I know that Mr. Lloyd can’t possibly be her husband. And the fact that he lied makes me question his intent.”
The blond-haired man bristled. “She’s a very close friend.”
“I don’t feel so good,” Maitlyn repeated again in a brief moment of lucidness.
“We appreciate your help, Mr. Lloyd, but I’ll take her from here,” Zak stated matter-of-factly.
“I can take her—” the man started.
Gerard Bruner interjected, cutting a stern eye at his friend. “Not a problem, Mr. Sayed. We were all just trying to be of some assistance.”
Zak cast a brusque eye at the man, then gestured for one of the cruise ship’s employees. The man was at his elbow before he could even lower his arm.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Sayed. Is there a problem, sir?”
“Have the ship’s doctor meet me in my suite, please. Ms. Boudreaux isn’t feeling well,” he said as he moved forward, gently pulling Maitlyn from the other man’s grasp and sweeping her up into his arms. Instinctively she wrapped both of her arms around his neck and laid her head onto his broad chest.
“Yes, sir. Right away, sir,” the man gushed as he hurried off.
The man introduced as Mr. Lloyd scowled. Zak looked from Bruner to Lloyd again, who looked down, nervously adjusting his collar. Without another word, Zak turned an about-face and carried Maitlyn out of the club.
The ship’s doctor, his nurse and the cruise director were waiting at his door. Stacy’s eyes widened with concern.
“Mr. Sayed, we can take Ms. Boudreaux down to the infirmary. You don’t need to be bothered, sir.”
“Did I say I was bothered?”
“I just— We—” she stuttered as Zak gestured for one of them to open the room’s door.
After moving inside, he laid Maitlyn down gently onto the oversize sofa. She moaned softly. He couldn’t resist brushing his fingers across her forehead, sweeping the length of her hair from her eyes. Her gaze briefly met his, and she struggled to smile.
“Has she taken anything?” the doctor asked as he moved in to examine her.
Zak shrugged. “I believe she’s been drinking. I’m not aware of anything else,” he answered.
The doctor nodded. “Do you mind if we move her upstairs to the bed?” he asked.
Zak shook his head and bent to lift her a second time. Without an ounce of effort he carried her up the short flight of stairs to the second level and laid her across the bed.
Maitlyn suddenly lurched forward, her torso rising as she reached her arms out to him. Dropping down against the bedside, Zak gently returned the embrace.
“The doctor’s here. He’ll make you feel better.”
Nodding her head against his chest, Maitlyn purred softly and then heaved, vomiting down the front of Zak’s gray silk suit.
* * *
Maitlyn’s eyes snapped open. Her eyes skated around the room as she took in her surroundings. For a brief moment she didn’t know where she was and then she remembered she was on a massive ship cruising across the Atlantic. The easy side-to-side sway of the bed she rested in was soothing. She noted that the space was luxurious, much nicer than her own cabin. And suddenly her anxiety returned—Maitlyn had no clue whose cabin, or bed, she was in.
She sat upright. The last thing she remembered was the nightclub and the intoxicating beat that had vibrated from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. She remembered the room full of revelers and dancing as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Because for the first time since her trip had started, she hadn’t. Not one. For the first time, in quite some time, she had been completely and totally content.
And then she remembered the table of men who had spent the first two days of her trip flattering her vanity with compliment after compliment as they’d lavished her with attention. Most especially Alexander Lloyd, the silver-tongued Englishman with the devilish blue eyes. Lloyd had been particularly attentive, and Maitlyn remembered thinking that she might not go to bed alone that night. After that, everything else was a complete and total blank.
As Maitlyn tried to remember the past few hours of her life, pondering how she’d come to be in someone else’s bed, Zak Sayed stepped into the room, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Maitlyn’s mouth dropped open as shock washed over her expression. She grabbed at the covers and pulled them beneath her chin. She suddenly felt quite naked in whatever it was she was wearing because she didn’t have a clue if she had on clothes or not. She tossed a quick look beneath the blankets and spied the oversize T-shirt that she was clothed in. She didn’t have on panties.
Zak stopped short. He tossed her a slight smile. “Good evening. You are finally awake.”
She nodded as her eyes bulged wide. “How...how long have I been out?” she asked, suddenly having a ton of questions. “How did I get here? Where are my clothes? Did we—?”
Zak smiled easily, but the gesture did nothing to calm Maitlyn’s nerves. The uneasy wave in the pit of her abdomen spun like a roller coaster out of control. She was suddenly focused on his magnanimous smile and his half-naked body. His broad chest was well-defined, showcasing picture-perfect six-pack abs. His skin was the color of rich, warm nutmeg and smooth like fine silk stretched over hardened steel. The muscular lines narrowed at his waistline, and she couldn’t miss the hint of black hair that peeked over the front edge of the bright white towel that sat low around his hips. She could only imagine where that slight wisp of tight curl led beneath that towel. Her gaze shifted down to his legs; the limbs were long and unyielding like the trunk of a mighty tree. And his feet, like his hands, were large, a solid foundation holding him upright. She struggled not to stare so blatantly.
Still smiling, Zakaria responded, “Two days. You’ve been asleep since Tuesday. You had me worried for a moment but the doctor assured me you were fine.”
“Tuesday? What happened to me?” she queried, finally lifting her eyes back to his.
“Your body needed rest and then you drank too much.” His tone held a hint of judgment and his gaze was critical. Zak was not fond of women who could not hold their alcohol.
Maitlyn felt her body tense. She hesitated, shifting her eyes from side to side. “I didn’t...I...” she stammered, finally finding the words. “I don’t drink,” she finally said.
Zak stared at her. “You were drinking rum punch.”
She shook her head. “No. I was drinking punch but without the rum. I don’t drink. I don’t like how it makes me feel, and I would never risk losing control because I drank too much. I don’t drink,” she professed a second time. “Ever!”
Zak studied her momentarily. The look on her face was telling, and he appeared suddenly angry. He swallowed hard, bottling the emotion. He bit down against his bottom lip, then pursed his lips together, his jaw locked tight.
Maitlyn closely observed Zak, still trying to make sense of the moment.
“You were exhausted and dehydrated. I’m sure you hadn’t eaten properly and when you did something obviously didn’t agree with you,” Zak finally replied. “Before you passed out, you vomited on your clothes and the nurse changed you. The doctor gave you two bags of IV fluids to flush and hydrate your system and then said to let you rest.”
Maitlyn took a deep breath. “But how did I get here...in your room?”
“I promised your brother I would look out for you. I keep my promises.”
For the first time Maitlyn returned his smile with one of her own. “Thank you.”
Zak dipped his head. “Are you hungry? Do you think you can eat something?”
“I am hungry,” she answered; the rumble in her stomach finally felt like a hunger pang. “And I feel fine...well rested actually.”
“I can call for room service or you are welcome to join me in the dining room. Whichever you prefer?”
Maitlyn hesitated as she pondered her options. She finally nodded. “The dining room would be nice, I think.”
“I’ll get dressed downstairs. When you’re ready, we can go to the dining room.” Zak took a quick glance at the wristwatch he’d rested atop the dresser. “You’ll need to hurry, though. The tournament starts later this evening, so I am limited on time.”
“I don’t have my clothes!” Maitlyn exclaimed, tightening the grip she had on the sheet clutched in her hands.
“Not to worry. Just take your shower,” Zak stated as he moved out of the room.
When she heard the sound of a door opening and closing from the space below, she rose from the bed. She tossed back the covers and threw her legs off the side of the mattress. For a brief moment as she came to her feet, she felt as if she might fall; the room threatened to spin around her. Maitlyn took a deep breath and then a second, allowing the sensation to pass before she stood completely upright and headed into the bathroom.
“Wow!” Maitlyn exclaimed, taking in the expanse of space with its polished marble and gold-appointed treatments. Zak’s accommodations had come with some serious perks, she thought. She crossed the heated floor to the tiled shower and turned on the faucet.
Minutes later Maitlyn stepped out of the spray of hot water and wrapped her own white towel around her body. Barely opening the bathroom door she peeked out into the bedroom space. Zakaria was nowhere to be found, but her luggage and personal belongings rested atop the bed. Maitlyn was still confused but determined to unravel the mystery of the past forty-eight hours. Almost a week of her trip had passed and she couldn’t remember a large part of it. None of it made any sense to her.