I can’t let Richard know he hit a nerve. So I laugh and talk. I stop and sit at the tables where diners linger over coffee, asking whether everyone enjoyed dinner and today’s excursion.

“You should have seen Havana on the zipline,” Kelly says with a laugh. “She must watch a bunch of cop shows. She came in on that thing like she was busting down a door!”

My laugh rings hollow in my ears. “Yeah, I’d like to see that.” I lean in conspiratorially. “She’s pretty much a hard ass. You guys don’t see it, but the ship’s catering staff are terrified of her.”

“Oh, I don’t believe that.” Kelly’s partner Ayesha crosses her arms. “You better be nice to her or she’ll jump ship in some tropical paradise. You can chase after all our lazy asses and lead the shopping excursions.”

“A fate worse than death!” I hold up my hands in mock horror.

For the most part, I like this group. It’s not like the whole company is rotten. Just Richard. Dammit. The confirmation that Richard is playing me against Eastward eats at me, burning in my throat the whole time I chat with the other guests. My options are limited, and something’s got to give. In one corner, my ultimate life goal and everything I’ve worked toward over the course of my career. In the other corner, the woman I met a week ago.

As obvious as the choice seems, it turns my stomach.

When the crowd disperses, I say goodnight to the lingerers and slip out, for the first time, without saying goodnight to Havana or giving her our secret sign, the letter F in sign language. I just need to work this out. When the threat of shady dealing was less obvious, the riskiness of being with Havana only stoked my interest in her. I stop at the railing and look over the sea, thinking of Havana. And then someone walks by speaking Spanish, and I remember my first trip to Barcelona with my father. After I told Havana about him—the first time I’ve shared that with anyone—he’s been on my mind. More than usual. Things are quiet in my part of the ship as I let myself into my room. It looks lonely, so I order a decanter of whisky from room service. I’m on my third glass when someone taps at the door. I open the door quickly and let Havana in, but instead of kissing her hello, I settle back in the chair with my drink.

She stands in front of me, fists on her hips. Despite the confrontational posture, her voice is gentle.

“What happened, Jet? You hid it like a pro, but I can tell you’re upset. What did Richard say that has you so stressed out?”

I chuckle bitterly into my drink and make a hard choice.

The only choice.

“You need to leave.”

“What the hell does that even mean? There’s only so far I can go on a boat. Talk to me, Jet. If not as your lover, then as your cruise director. What was Richard being so mysterious about? I’m guessing we don’t have a signed contract in hand.”

“No, and we won’t until the end of the cruise, if then. He made that clear. Dammit, I’m such an idiot.” I pour another glass and hand it to Havana. “We can’t be together. This has to stop if I want this deal to close.”

“Does he know?” She sinks on the bed and gulps the whisky, wincing at the burn. “What exactly did he say?”

“If he doesn’t know, he at least suspects.”

“Did he say so?” she presses.

“He didn’t have to.” I get impatient. “He dropped some dire fucking hints about temptation and focus. There’s this other chain—Eastward. The owner’s a real asshole, and I caught him cheating at cards once. It sounds stupid, but the man has gone after me since then. He’s blown up two deals in the last three years. He underbids and then makes it up in surcharges and cut corners, but by the time they find out, they’re locked in for a few years. Among his other hints, Richard mentioned someone else taking our market share. That’s got to be Eastward. Richard all but threatened me with public humiliation if the deal falls through. I could lose everything.” It stings to be under his thumb like this.

On the bed, Havana stills and stares into her glass. “Okay. So we wait until the papers are signed, and his leverage disappears. There will be no reason to hide anything then.”

From where I’m sitting, that doesn’t look any better. “So we suddenly step out together after I hired you for a deal involving your uncle. If it doesn’t look like harassment, I will at least look like an asshole. I don’t see any way to come out of this free and clear. My whole company could take a hit if I look like some kind of unethical scum.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, Jet. We’re freaking adults.”

“No.” I shake my head. I’ve had enough alcohol to slow down my thoughts, but everything still seems crystal clear. “Richard all but threatened me, and he’s right. I stepped out of line, way out of line by going after you.”

“Is that what you think happened?” Her lips pull to the side mischievously, but I’m too far gone. She nods.

“Okay, then.” Her voice trembles, and I sink lower than I thought possible. “I think this is a crappy way to go out, Jet. But thanks for a good time.”

She walks over to the table and sets the tumbler on it. There’s a splash of whisky left in the bottom. I notice it because I can’t meet her eyes.

“I’ll finish this job, and it’ll be fabulous. You won’t get a single complaint, I promise you. I really don’t want to see you after this, though. Like ever. I’ll take a referral, but I won’t work with you again. But for the record, we’ve done a fantastic job without having to miss out on each other. Whatever doubts you have now, what we did and felt together, that was real, and honestly I think our chemistry here”—she waves a hand at the bed—“only helped our work. This is a relationship business, and this one could have been great.” She grabs her purse and walks to the door. “See you at breakfast tomorrow.”

She doesn’t give me time to say anything. The words to beg her to stay are on my lips when the door clicks shut.

The closed door stares me in the face.

I push my drink aside and rest my forehead in my palms. This morning, I woke up with every hope of a contract and Havana naked beside me. I had everything just a few hours ago, and all of it’s out of my reach now.

I stand and walk to the door, and then back to the bathroom. This was the right call. People depend on me. I’m CEO of ERH, but I’m not its everything. It’s a global company, bigger than anything I’ve been part of before. Which is precisely why I went after this position and this deal. Travel opens minds. Creates memories. Makes people happy. This is the job I want to do. In no way is this the wrong play if I want to climb these last few steps to my goal. Eastward can never compete with us for quality, and quality is what a company like Smooth Sail needs. Even if Richard wants to give me the shaft, he’ll lose the confidence of his employees if he shuts me down without a damn good reason. Maybe later, if Havana and I cross paths again—but asking her to wait around wouldn’t be fair.

The tap squeaks as I wrench it open. I stare at the stream before splashing cold water on my face. What am I not seeing here? For a guy like Richard, business is war, and he’s kept the advantage. I’ve been so busy second guessing his motives, trying to earn a reprieve from that cynical look in his eye, I haven’t been able to get on solid footing. He’s old school, loves the handshake power struggles. I’d bet his office features a chair for guests that’s several inches lower than his desk chair.

I pace some more, guzzling a bottle of water. My thoughts feel sharper. Richard is a dinosaur. Maybe his uptight, mid-century morality is a relic. Havana seems to think no one would care if we were together. Maybe she’s right, and I’ve let Richard’s throwback notions define the game. Maybe I don’t have to. I drink another bottle of water, splash some more water on my face, and look in the mirror. My dark blond hair is tousled where I’ve been raking my hands through it. A muscle in my jaw flexes.

I need to talk to her.

Until the minute the door closed, I thought cutting off things with Havana was the only way to get what I wanted. Now I know that the deal isn’t the only thing I want.

It hasn’t been long; she’s probably still up. I stride down the hall. The fastest way to Havana’s room is past the piano bar, but I cross my fingers that I don’t meet any Smooth Sail late owls who feel chatty. I slow my pace and glance around when I near the bar, checking for a clear path. From one of the secluded alcoves that usually shelters lovers, a loud male voice rises in raucous laughter. It sets my teeth on edge, and I freeze. Richard’s laugh is that annoying. I don’t want him to spot me, but I tilt my head and listen, trying to see if my instinct is right. A lower voice speaks, and then another voice, clearly Richard’s. He’s reached loud-talking stage of drunkenness, so I don’t have to work to hear what he’s saying.

“We’ve got five more days,” he proclaims. I’m about to keep walking, since he’s clearly occupied. But then I hear my name. “I’m telling you, Jet Flourish and ERH are done. He’s balls deep in my little honey trap, I fuckin’ know it.”

Shock and rage nail me to the floor.

“I can practically read it on their happy little faces. It’s only a matter of time before I catch them. There are only so many places to screw on a boat.”

The other voice speaks again.

“Hell, no. Havana has no idea. It’s a closed loop, a perfect setup.” He pauses. “Yeah, she’s really my niece. She’s my brother’s kid, but my brother is an asshole. She got her mother’s looks, and probably every bit as bitchy. Desperate, too. I haven’t spoken to her in years, but she still took the first table scrap I dropped in front of her. They’re always trying to get their grubby hands in my pockets.”

My fists ball at my sides and I spend a few seconds controlling my breathing. I want to be sure I handle this properly.

The bar is mostly deserted, with the families in bed and the partiers all clustering together in a livelier spot. Richard is so oblivious to his surroundings that his face falls in shock when I appear at their table. His companion is someone I don’t know, not with our group. But odds are good it’s someone from the unnamed company Richard suggested was trying poach our market share. Looks like he had firsthand info about that.

“It takes a real bottom feeder to set up your own niece.” My voice rings out across the room, almost as loud as Richard’s.

The two men at the table look up at me. Richard is much older, and neither of them look fit. They glance at my fists, still clenched at my sides.

“You never bothered to even know her, but I guess that’s why using her as a fucking chess piece didn’t bother you at all.” A couple people passing by stop to peer in curiously. “Thanks for all that good advice about resisting temptation. I’ll think about that next time I see you with yet another pretty woman half your age. I guess they get what they can and get out, eh? You aren’t good enough to kiss Havana’s shoes, and if I ever hear you shit-talking about her again, I will absolutely kick your ass.”

Richard sputters and pushes on the table, but falls clumsily back into his seat.

“And the beautiful part of this, Richard, is that this whole pathetic scheme is useless. Don’t bother drawing up your better-luck-next-time speech to tell me I didn’t get the contract after all. I don’t need it. My company doesn’t need to do business with a man like you. But I have to thank you, because Havana is worth all of this trouble.” I rest my fists on the table and shove my face closer.

“She’s hardworking, smarter than you, and she’s nobody’s pawn. You can call it whatever you want, but I’m in love with her, so you can suck it. When this project is over, I’m offering her a job at my company as soon as our feet hit land, whether we you sign the contract or not.”

The other dude, a squirrelly little guy, sinks lower in his seat. I’m feeling reckless, since I just scuttled the deal. That might be why I say the next part out loud instead of keeping it in my head where I meant for it to stay.

“And if she’ll accept it, I’ll offer her more than just a job.”

Richard slaps a hand on the table and manages to sway to his feet. He opens his mouth to tell me off, and then stops, looking over my shoulder.

Havana’s heels click on the floor as she strides toward us, her face a thundercloud. Squirrelly dude squeezes out of the booth and straight up flees the scene. My goddess is the avenging kind now, and I love this side of her as much as the others.

“What, uh, what did you hear?” Richard stammers.

“Everything. Honestly, Uncle Richard. A honey trap? Thanks for telling me what you really think.”

“Havana, it’s not really like that. This is business, sweetie. Sometimes we say things that don’t mean anything.”

“Nope. That’s really not how normal people act. You know, I live in the world and run a business of my own. I never asked you for anything, and I never will. I hope it gives you heartburn to see me doing a good job. But like Jet said, I do owe something to you and your sad little scheme.”

I honestly don’t know what comes next.

I’m standing there with my mouth hanging open, looking almost as much the fool as Richard. Havana has every right to be angry with me. I acted like an ass, and I don’t expect anything from her. But her arms wind around my neck, and I’m not going to remind her I fucked up. I’m gonna take the gift the ocean has offered me tonight.

Right there in front of Richard and a thoroughly entertained bartender, she pulls me to her. Our mouths meet in a chaste kiss that started for effect, but ignites at a touch. Seeking more of her, I sweep my tongue over the seam of her lips, and they part to let me in.

Her body presses to mine, and my cock swells in response. The relief that I didn’t lose her paints the world around me in sharper colors. Into our kiss, I pour my apology, my heart, and my hope. She responds almost fiercely, and I weave my hands in her soft hair. Some smartass passing by yells “Get a room,” and we pull apart, breathing heavily.

I take her hand and raise it to my lips. “How about it?”

Her smile is my answer, and we turn to go.

She jumps back with a start. Both of us forgot Richard entirely. He’s sort of wedged between the table and booth, unable to slip away because we blocked the way. He was trapped there, watching us make out in public, while his ears turned red. Havana giggles, and it sets me off. I tug on her hand, drawing her away from Richard’s pathetic grimace.