Gaming Grace Read online

  What was more interesting, she’d sounded so serious when she’d put in her two cents. He hadn’t heard that much conviction from any number of long-winded speeches over the years, much less packed into a single sentence. “I’m here on my own, Charlie. I didn’t want any of this to get back to my family. No friends. No personal aide or anyone on my family’s payroll. The whole point was for this app’s development to be an independent project.”

  Charlie grumbled. “You wanted to do this right, didn’t you?”

  Execute with excellence, or don’t do it at all.

  “Fine. I’ll find someone.” He definitely wanted to find that woman. He could catch up to her or find her later. It was a big boat but he liked a challenge.

  “Someone to test this app with, right?” Charlie had crossed over from grumpy to exasperated. “We need to test the images and videos coming through the app. I don’t just want x-rated hottie pics. We need stuff we can use for promotion too. Shareable, fun, and, dare I say, wholesome?”

  “I’ve no idea how the word got into your vocabulary, Charlie, but banish it.” Bryan started into the hallway just off the elevator lobby. He’d take some test video in the less crowded corridor and follow it all the way to the other end of the ship where he could check out the view of the interior public spaces. “The people on this cruise are our target clientele. We want to encourage them to have fun and be a little risky. We’re getting them to use an app to play a combination of truth or dare and the ultimate scavenger hunt. We’re helping people get outside of their comfort zones and giving them the nudge they need to have more adventure than they’d do on their own. Wholesome doesn’t fit that branding.”

  “Fine.” Charlie laughed. “I should’ve recorded what you just said as a soundbite. I took notes though. Find a partner, test the app, and hopefully she’s smart enough to give some useful feedback on the user interface. Walk around now, take some pics, and also some video so I can check the resolution and sync time before you leave port. Go, go. We need real, constructive feedback on this proof of concept.”

  “Video. ASAP. Starting.” He left the call going and opened the app, grabbing one of the challenges to video someone knocking on another person’s door to borrow something. A cup of sugar? A sock? A condom? Get creative, the challenge instructed. Sure. He was in a hallway and he could always knock on a random door if he had to. He hit the button in the app to start recording.

  “How’s it doing with a call open?” Charlie was tapping away at a keyboard loud enough for Bryan to hear.

  “Looks okay.” Bryan held the camera out a little and walked down the hall. “I guess I’ll replay it after to see how the recording quality is after.”

  “Cool. I’ll leave you to it then.” Charlie sounded happier. “Remember to get someone to do this with you. I don’t want you coming back from this with nothing but selfies of your narcissistic mug.”

  “Harsh.” Bryan grimaced. He had a track record of some pretty self-centered behavior, sure, but come on.

  Charlie might’ve said something else or not. Bryan didn’t know. He’d come around a bulkhead to see the same young woman—he was pretty sure, based on her hair still twisted into a conservative bun—but she was dressed in nothing but a thin cardigan that didn’t quite cover her very nice ass and a sensible pair of panties. Maybe she was wearing a bra. He’d love to find out. The sight was unexpected and enough to stop him in his tracks. “I’ll be in touch.”

  He ended the call.

  “Aubrey!” The woman was on her tiptoes, one hand steadying her against the door as she had the other balled into a fist. She pounded the door to punctuate each word. “I. Need. Pants.”

  “No you don’t!” a muffled voice replied.

  Bryan was inclined to agree.

  “What am I supposed to do?” the woman asked. “You’re crazy.”

  “Put on a swimsuit. Free those thighs!” The answer came through the door. “You have great thighs!”

  Also true. She had shapely legs, and he could think of a lot of ways to appreciate her thighs in particular. Abruptly, he remembered he was still recording. He stopped and cleared his throat. Standing there recording for too long was already way past questionable behavior. “She’s right, you know.”

  The woman spun around, her back braced against her friend’s door. “What the hell?”

  Her gaze took him in, then focused on his phone, still conspicuously held out in front of him. Well, this looked really bad. Shit.

  He lowered the phone to his side. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. For what it’s worth, I was catching video of the boat in general but it was quite the scene and I got distracted. I didn’t mean to keep recording.”

  The woman had a mix of innocent horror and scandalized dismay going on that made him want to see what else pushed her outside of her comfort zone. That was, if she didn’t decide to hate him right on the spot. “My name is Bryan. Do you need help?”

  2

  Grace stared at the man. He was not only tall, but fit, with the kind of long limbed, rangy build she appreciated. Problem was, he was likely fit enough to fend her off if she tried to rush him for his phone.

  “I don’t need help from you, thank you very much.” She settled back on her heels and tugged her cardigan down over her hips self consciously. Awkward, so awkward.

  “It doesn’t look like your friend is going to let you in.” He looked up and down the corridor.

  A jolt of panic hit her in the chest and she followed his gaze in either direction. Thankfully, no one was coming so far, but it was only a matter of time. She needed to get back to her room, but she couldn’t leave this man with a random video of her ass.

  “You need to delete that video.” She gave him her best I-mean-business glare. People posted funny videos from trips like this all the time and once a picture or video hit the internet, it was forever. She could lose more than just respect if anyone at work saw it, it could seriously mess up her career.

  He lifted one eyebrow, mischief sparking in his eyes. The man was too handsome for his own good and he most definitely knew it. “Or what?”

  “I’ll call security.” She crossed her arms over her chest and studied him. She’d have to give a detailed description of the man because she had no idea if the name he’d given was his real name. She didn’t have any way to locate him if he chose to take off before security arrived.

  “Is that your room?”

  She blinked. “No.”

  “I see.” He made a clicking sound with his tongue. “Is that your family member or roommate?

  “No.” She felt like the boat was rocking under her feet. “She’s my friend and she stole my…property.”

  Damn Aubrey and this whole pants heist.

  “Do you have proof this person stole your property?” He had to be kidding. But he stood there, sounding all sorts of reasonable.

  She sighed. “Not yet. It just had to be her. She always does things like this.”

  Or Aubrey did, back in college. It’d been years and years and some things apparently didn’t change.

  “But no tangible proof. Only your word against hers.” He motioned vaguely at the door behind her. “I notice your theoretical friend hasn’t come out to vouch for you or address the demands you were making earlier.”

  Grace was caught without any kind of comeback. Aubrey hadn’t said anything since he’d arrived in the hallway. Either she was listening, safely on the other side of the door and laughing her ass off, or Aubrey’s attention was otherwise occupied. Either way, pounding on the door some more wasn’t likely to help unless Grace was in real danger. This guy was jerking her chain, not actually threatening her.

  The jerk doubled down and held out his phone just close enough for her to see the video of herself looping, beating on Aubrey’s door.

  He sighed. “Looks to me like you’re harassing another passenger who very obviously isn’t letting you into their room. You calling security on me would be unfortunate because
I would simply say I was attracted to the disturbance and videoed a situation because I didn’t know what was going on. I’d be happy to send it to the authorities to let them decide what they make of it.”

  She closed her eyes. The more places this video went, the more likely a copy of it was going to end up on the internet. “Please delete it.”

  “Why?” He actually didn’t seem to have any malicious intent in his tone, only curiosity.

  She glared at him. She shouldn’t have to explain and she didn’t want to give him any ideas either.

  He only grinned, apparently impervious to her angry look of death. “You know, some women send pics to me with way less clothes on.”

  Ew. She gave him her sweetest smile. “Good for you. Then you don’t need a video of me on your phone.”

  He just grinned wider.

  She was fuming now. There might be actual steam coming out her ears. She could definitely hear blood rushing. “Fine. They can question me and I can have Aubrey fess up to what she’s done and you will have to explain why you want to keep that very inappropriate video on your phone once this…disturbance is resolved.”

  She’d call ship security as soon as she got back to her own room. She didn’t think he’d try to follow her.

  He backed up as she took a step forward but he didn’t get out of her way. “I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t we make a deal? I’ll delete this video if you agree to help me with a project I’m working on this week.”

  “What?” There’d been the mention of beta testing she’d overheard earlier.

  “I’m testing a new app I’ve designed. It’s a sort of modernized scavenger hunt for people looking for things to do on vacation. It gives you challenges and you document the missions you’ve completed by taking selfies and videos.” He held up his phone for her to see the app on the screen. “I look crazy trying to test it by myself, as this situation so clearly demonstrates, so if you help me for the length of this cruise, I’ll delete your video. Just a few hours of your time each day.”

  She pressed her lips into a thin line. It actually sounded interesting. She’d promised not to do work, but this wasn’t her work, per se. “That’s it?”

  “That’s it.” He held up his other hand, palm out and fingers spread as if to demonstrate he had nothing else up his sleeve.

  Was it crazy if she was almost disappointed by that? He had big hands and she hadn’t ever realized how much she could get distracted by such hands. She shook her head to clear that particular insanity out of her mind.

  “Anything perverted and the deal is off.” She held out her right hand. “I’m Grace.”

  “Nothing untoward, I promise. Unless you explicitly make the request.” He gave her a firm shake and she did her best to ignore the warm zing his touch gave her.

  She considered telling him just how low the chances were that she’d be making any kind of requests for that kind of attention, but he stepped to her side, holding his phone for her to see, and pressed the delete button for her video.

  “Just like that?” She glanced up from looking at his phone screen. He was standing very close. Whatever cologne he wore was nice too, sort of a light but earthy scent of cedar and amber. “You weren’t going to wait until the end of the week?”

  “I’m not going to hold you hostage.” He shrugged. “Blackmail isn’t my style. I’ll take your word.”

  “I see.” Some of the tension left her. It did seem to have been an accident in the first place and so long as it was deleted now, she didn’t have to worry about it anymore.

  Voices floated down the hall.

  Panic blossomed in her chest again and her cheeks heated. People were going to see her, sans pants, and she was not ready for this.

  Suddenly, Bryan was in front of her. He backed her up against Aubrey’s door, pressing his body against hers as he hid her from view. Too flustered to do anything else, she hid her face in his chest as the people approached and passed by. Her heart kicked the inside of her chest and she clutched his shirt, the soft woven fabric a comfort in her hands. He even bracketed her feet with his so his legs hid hers a bit. Or she guessed they did because she could feel the fabric of his shorts against her thighs.

  He was warm beneath his clothes and his body was more muscular than she’d realized. Oh God, she’d let go of his shirt at some point and had her palms pressed flat against his abs. She was totally feeling him up. She started to shrink away from him, which wasn’t really possible, but he chuckled.

  His breath was hot against her ear. “Coast is clear. Why don’t I walk you to your room in case you need coverage again.”

  Sainthood. He ought to be up for sainthood for the restraint he’d shown.

  He’d had to brace his palms against the door on either side of Grace’s hips to resist the urge to run his hands over her. Her body had been soft and pliant against the length of him and he’d had to mentally go through every unpleasant situation he could recall to keep his body from responding to her. Even then, he’d been hoping her hands would do a little exploring when she’d laid them flat on his belly.

  She hadn’t though.

  He took a step back to give her room and ruthlessly squelched the impulse to kiss the scandalized look off her face. She was a lot of fun to get riled up, honestly. He’d been figuring he’d find plenty of things to entertain him on this cruise, but now this game testing had taken on a whole new potential. He was very interested in getting to know Grace no-last-name-yet.

  She had taken a moment, then pushed away from her friend’s door. The person in question still hadn’t made an appearance and Grace turned to scowl at the offending aperture for a long moment before she started padding her way down the hallway. She hooked her thumbs under the hem of her cardigan in an attempt to cover her very nice ass as she walked but she wasn’t succeeding.

  He chuckled. She was too damned cute. She didn’t turn back to look at him either. Sighing, he unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged out of it. Catching up to her in two long strides, he handed it to her. “Here. If you can tie it around your waist, it might help you feel better for the walk back to your room.”

  She paused, staring at the shirt in his hand.

  He lifted an eyebrow. “Or I could keep pinning you to the wall every time other people come down the hallway. I don’t mind.”

  He tried not to be insulted when she snatched the offered shirt out of his hand and wrapped it around her hips. Actually, it looked reasonably good. His shirt was large enough to provide her with some coverage. Her legs were still exposed, though, and her skin was almost uniformly porcelain pale.

  “Do you live in the NYC area or did you fly in to pick up the cruise from this port?” He was genuinely curious. Besides, he felt more than a little weird walking beside her down the hallway without interacting with her any further.

  “Yes.” She glanced at him and he was sure she gave him a once over, taking in his now shirtless upper body, before looking away. A very attractive pink flush colored her cheeks. “How long does it take to play a game?”

  Ah. She liked to stay focused on a topic rather than make small talk. That was fine with him. Better, even.

  “One mission per day, minimum. Players get bonus points if they decide to take on more challenges.” He paused. “You said, yes. You live in NYC or you flew in?”

  “Both.” She made a show of looking at the numbers on the cabin doors. “I live in NYC but I was on a business trip, so I flew in last night. I didn’t even take time to do laundry. I’d packed my bag for this trip before I left and had it ready to grab and go for this morning.”

  He let out a low whistle. “Definitely a plan-ahead kind of lady. I respect that.”

  “Mmm.” She shook her head. “I didn’t realize I’d run this far down the hallway. So, it’s a mission per day. For the whole cruise.”

  He didn’t think he heard dismay or disappointment in her voice. Hard to tell yet, since he didn’t know her. But she’d said it more thoughtfully. “Did y
ou have other plans?”

  “I’m here with friends.” She shot him a glance. “We were supposed to relax and have fun. Spend quality time together.”

  Ah. She’d mentioned she was here with friends before. He got the impression he’d fallen a couple of notches down in her estimation for not having kept that in mind. Well, maybe he had and maybe he hadn’t, but wasn’t she quick to jump on a person for not making that clear in conversation?

  “This’ll be a fun part of each day.” He decided to let her prickly demeanor go without calling her out, this time. She might still be riled up from the pants theft or even still winding down from whatever job had kept her out of town until the eve before her vacation. Everyone took different amounts of time to relax and set aside their personal armor as they stepped away from the professional world. He had personal experience with having to do the same. “Let’s call this game app nice, structured fun, without having to put the onus of ideas on anyone in a group. The app is intended to give you a few ideas and some safe challenges to make a week of vacation an adventure.”

  She’d come to a stop and glancing at him, she seemed torn. After a moment, she pushed open the door to the cabin.

  He raised an eyebrow at her again. “You didn’t have your sea pass with you, did you? Lucky your door didn’t close completely.”

  She drew her brows together. “I’m sure I could’ve gotten help getting into my cabin.”

  “You’d have had to go down to Guest Services,” he leaned in the doorway as she entered her cabin. He wasn’t ready to leave yet, though he glanced at her cabin number and made a mental note. He also didn’t want to crowd into her space uninvited.

  “I guess I’m lucky my door didn’t close all the way,” her voice trailed off for a moment as she did a quick check of the various belongings on the vanity and the sofa, including her open suitcase. “But I’ll make sure my door closes behind me in the future. I’ve never done that before and I stay in hotels all the time.”