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  “But I—”

  “I’m afraid there isn’t anything else to say about the matter. I have to admit that despite my concerns about your being a woman in this position, I thought you’d done a fairly good job. I’m surprised at you. Surprised and disappointed.”

  Michaela opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand.

  “That will be all. Thank you.” He turned away from her, pulling himself up to his full height and dismissing her from his office and her life onboard with an utter lack of sympathy.

  Lifting her legs was like trying to move lead, but Michaela managed to shift one in front of the other and shuffle out of the bridge back to her stateroom. She could feel the hot sting of tears threatening to fall, and she poked her nails into the palms of her hands to stop them. She refused to cry in front of anyone.

  A couple of passengers passed her by, and this time she noticed the looks she was getting from the men rather than the women. A younger man, probably in his early twenties, leered at her in a way that was entirely inappropriate between a passenger and a crew member, and she hurried away, worried that some other rumor might get started and that her distress was more evident than she thought.

  When she got to her stateroom, she was alarmed to find Dylan waiting outside her door. “You’re not someone I want to see right now,” she said flatly.

  His face fell, the filthy grin that had been waiting for her erased by disappointment.

  After looking about her to check that they were alone in the corridor, Michaela sighed. “You better come in before someone else reports us.”

  “What? Who? What are you talking about?” Dylan looked confused, giving no hint of the man who must have reported her for “seducing” him. Forget dancing, he was an amazing actor.

  “The captain knows. I’ve just been up on the bridge. He’s threatening my job, my whole career.” She bit her lip, determined not to cry. “I’ve been instructed to resign.”

  “Jake would never have said anything. And if he did, who cares anyway? Everyone else does it. The captain can hardly make you resign over—”

  Michaela stopped him with a hand on his chest. “He said you accused me of seducing you.” The words were hard, and even as she said them Michaela still couldn’t believe the man in front of her could have stooped to such an accusation. “He said he was told that I used my position of power to influence you into being with me. Made it sound like we did something revolting.”

  “Well, he’s clearly got it all wrong. It was definitely me doing the seducing.” A smile flirted with the corners of his eyes. His hands moved toward her waist.

  Indignation got the better of her, and she shoved him away, much harder than necessary. “You accuse me of seducing you, putting my job and my career in jeopardy, and now you’re turning it into some kind of joke?”

  The smile dropped away completely. “I’m not sure that was really called for.”

  “You’re not sure, huh? My career isn’t worth much anyway, is that what you’re trying to say?” Even as she said the words, they sounded hollow and harsh.

  “You know that’s not what I was saying. You’re upset, I’m sorry, but the captain’s clearly got his wires crossed. It’ll get sorted out. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Don’t worry about it? I’m told to resign and all you can say is I’m sorry, don’t worry about it?” She practically spat the words and watched the shock at her vehement outburst spread over Dylan’s face. “I think you should leave.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said. “You’re in no state to be left alone. Calm down before you do anything stupid.”

  “Now I’m stupid?”

  “God damn it, that’s not what I meant.” His voice ratcheted up a notch, his exasperation finally turning to full-blown anger. “I didn’t say anything about us to anyone. That you could think I did clearly shows how little you think of me.”

  A glimmer of reason tried to get Michaela’s attention, but she dismissed it. She was too angry. Enough was enough. “What I think of you is no longer important. You asked me to tell you I didn’t want you. Well, you got your wish. I don’t want you. I never really did, I was just confused by being on my own for so long.”

  His expression turned icy. “You don’t mean that.”

  “It was just a silly fling. I was a fool to think anything good could come out of it.”

  Dylan looked at her carefully, calculation in his eyes. “Sure.”

  They were both silent a moment. Then he shrugged. “It’s just a job,” Dylan said, his voice flat. “Think of this as an opportunity to start a new career. You said you were almost done with cruise ships, anyway.”

  “Stop trying to tell me what to do with my life. If I lose this job, I lose everything.”

  “Everything?”

  “Everything.” The anger left her, and her whole body sagged. The truth that she had built her life around her career finally slammed into her. She really would have nothing if she was forced to resign.

  Michaela held back a sob. It felt as if someone had pulled the bones from inside of her but left the skin and muscles and organs intact.

  “Well, then. I’ll get out of your way.” Dylan straightened, turned on his heel, and stalked out of the room.

  The sound of the door closing seemed to echo her life closing in around her. With the evaporation of anger came despondency. Finally, the dam burst, and her tears fell. What was she going to do? The thought of leaving the ship had been appealing when it was on her terms, but to have the decision made for her threw everything into disarray. There would be no international management job now. No job anywhere if the captain had his way. She could hardly get a senior position after leaving Adventurer Cruises under circumstances that implied she couldn’t be trusted with power.

  Faced with the facts, she realized she had no desire to start all over in another industry. She wanted to go upward, not to begin at the bottom again. Getting off the ship was supposed to herald a new chapter in her life—more responsibility, more money, more prospects. Leaving under these circumstances promised none of that. Oh, how could she have been so stupid?

  Michaela threw herself on the bed and cried in earnest. Very soon, her pillow was wet with tears, and her throat was raw. Trying to think through what to do next only brought on another round of tears. “I’m ruined,” she said. “I’m going to be one of those women who grow old alone, with nothing.” The next round of tears completely exhausted her, and she lay on her bed for almost an hour, empty and unmoving. She stared at the ceiling and felt the movement of the ship through the water. How would she be able to sleep without its gentle rocking? How would she relearn how to cook?

  The idea of cooking made her realize she was hungry. Pull yourself together. Crying isn’t going to solve anything. But the thought of facing everyone in the canteen was just unbearable. She reached out for the phone and rang Felicity’s stateroom.

  “Hello? Michaela, is that you?”

  Michaela gave a small sob.

  “I’m coming.”

  …

  Dylan couldn’t believe Michaela would cut him cold like that. She was the one woman he’d felt he’d been able to read. Her candor was so refreshing, so unlike the personalities of the women he usually dated. But now that she was upset, the rawness of her emotional state stabbed at him. And that she could even have thought for a second that he’d reported her to the captain, that he’d said she seduced him… It hurt.

  And that was nuts. She was a beautiful woman, sexy, interesting, but all they’d had was a fling. Nothing worth getting bent out of shape over.

  Dylan drifted toward his stateroom. They had a music night on tonight, and the dancers who didn’t sing weren’t required.

  On his way downstairs, he saw a group of women huddled together and overheard one of them talking about Michaela. She spotted him.

  “Hey sexy, how you doing? Isn’t it outrageous? That filthy woman. I didn’t think it would be allowed,” she sa
id.

  “Sorry?” Dylan had heard Michaela’s name but now wondered if they were talking about someone else.

  “The cruise director seducing a man like that. Hardly even a man—still a boy, really. I mean, I’m sure he enjoyed it. He’s certainly been bragging about it, or so everyone’s been saying.”

  Something clicked for Dylan. “Everyone’s been saying? With a passenger?” Michaela assumed he or Jake had told tales to the captain, but there was clearly something else going on.

  “Oh, yes. And a young one, too. He’s only twenty. His parents thought it would be nice to bring him away on a family holiday—you know, before he leaves the nest for good and all that.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Well, as much as we can be. I mean, I heard from someone who’s in with the captain’s crew that she hasn’t denied it. So it must be true, mustn’t it?”

  “Do you know his name?” Dylan asked.

  The women looked at each other. “Christopher something, wasn’t it?”

  “Christopher Fielding,” one of the others said.

  Dylan nodded his head and made to leave, anger burning within him.

  “Do you think you’ll have a bit more time to dance with us this evening? You know, seeing as the cruise director doesn’t need babysitting anymore?”

  You, ladies, are the last people I want to spend time with.

  He gave them a quick wink and a flash of smile, walking away before he said something he would regret.

  Christopher Fielding? Michaela would never have cheated on him with a passenger. She was just too honest. The captain probably hadn’t even confronted her with the whole story—he’d probably made an allegation of infidelity, and Michaela had copped to it. She hadn’t admitted to having relations with Christopher Fielding. She’d admitted to her affair with Dylan.

  The captain was a right piece of work, making her resign without even bothering to check the facts. Michaela hadn’t been exaggerating about him, that’s for sure. It was time someone stood up for her. Maybe he wasn’t the best candidate—not after the argument they’d had—but if not him, who would do it? She didn’t seem to have a lot of allies on board, and being asked to resign had genuinely upset her. Michaela cared about her work. It was her passion—she’d told him the first night they talked. It was one of the things he enjoyed about her, and he didn’t want her to lose it over a stupid misunderstanding.

  Besides, if it weren’t for him, she’d never have admitted having an affair to the captain. In a strange, circuitous way, this was all his fault.

  All right, Christopher Fielding. I’m coming to get you.

  He didn’t have far to go. A group of young men were heading to the onboard casino, laughing and ribbing each other. They looked about the right age.

  “Hey guys,” Dylan said, trying to keep his voice light.

  The group turned, a couple of the men shying away from his broad shoulders and large fists. “Do any of you know Christopher Fielding? I need to have a chat with him about…” Dylan searched his mind for something feasible. “…disembarking in Auckland. There’s a form he needs.”

  The boys visibly relaxed, and one of them nodded. “Yeah, I just saw him by the pool. That way.”

  Dylan nodded his thanks and headed for the forward pool, his hands clenching and unclenching as he walked. Be calm.

  But he couldn’t help it. Michaela was his. He pictured her, smile restored, and picked up his pace.

  Really? When did you decide to care?

  “Well, I’m certainly not losing out to some twenty-nothing, pimple-faced boy and his sad attempt at gossip,” he growled under his breath.

  A fair-skinned young man stood beside the main bar. “Excuse me,” Dylan said, his voice light. “Are you Christopher Fielding, by any chance?”

  “Depends who wants to know.” The youth turned to face Dylan. His face, already paler than most, whitened further, but Dylan didn’t let him hesitate. He took Christopher’s arm and guided him forcefully to the more private tables in the corner of the deck.

  Christopher looked frantically around, checking for security, no doubt. Happily, there was none about, and in any case Dylan would probably be able to get them to help him out when he told them Christopher’s story.

  “So, I heard you’ve been having quite the cruise,” Dylan said, trying hard to keep his voice casual.

  “Um, yeah, sure.”

  “Time of your life, you might say. Getting some luck in with the ladies.” Dylan gave him a wink. “I was hoping for a little extra action myself, thought you might be able to give me some pointers.”

  Christopher relaxed at Dylan’s easy tone. “Well, you know how it is. You’ve got the ladies all over you, hardly thought you’d need any pointers.”

  Dylan smiled through gritted teeth. “Cruise director is a bit of all right, though, isn’t she? Pretty good for her age.”

  “Yeah. I mean, I’m not usually into older chicks, but she’s pretty fine, and I mean, what am I going to do? I can hardly stop her wanting me, can I?” The color had returned to Christopher’s face. As he bragged, his chest puffed up. A bloody rooster.

  For a moment, there was a flash of red in front of Dylan, and he thought he might actually punch the boy for being so selfish. Instead, he stalked through a doorway, hauling Christopher with him.

  “What on earth possessed you to make up a story about the cruise director? You don’t even know her, and she’s much older than you. Why not pick someone young and less important?” Dylan’s anger laced every word.

  “I guess I just thought…” The younger man blushed, his body shaking, and then he blurted out, “Well, she’s always dancing with people, and then I saw her getting pulled into some guy’s room. I mean, she’d gone into the crew area, through one of those big blue doors, but it hadn’t closed, and as she went up to a stateroom door someone grabbed her and she smiled. You know, she looked like she was into it. I just thought…dunno. I guess I let my imagination get carried away.”

  He saw her coming into my room.

  “We’re going to tell the captain the real story,” Dylan said, giving Christopher an authoritative look. “Just the bit about you making stuff up to look cool. He doesn’t need to know anything else.”

  “Oh.” Christopher’s head drooped, but Dylan gave him another stern look. The boy needed to know exactly who was in charge.

  “Okay,” the younger man said, his head nodding up and down.

  …

  There was a gentle knock on Michaela’s door. “It’s me.” Felicity’s voice came through the wood and metal.

  Michaela dragged herself off the bed and let her friend into the room.

  “Oh, sweetheart.”

  “I’m an idiot,” Michaela said. The two women hugged, and yet another burst of tears erupted from her.

  “I’m so sorry. I heard someone say something about you earlier, but you seemed so unconcerned, I thought it must have been nothing.” Felicity shook her head.

  “Nothing!”

  Michaela took three deep breaths, then told Felicity about her conversation with the captain.

  “The bastard,” Felicity hissed. “Saying that a woman couldn’t do your job. As if he would do any better—he needs a staff of ten to make sure he doesn’t forget anything.”

  Michaela smiled. Oh, it was good to smile.

  “And the captain said it’s Dylan who’s been telling tall tales? The bloody cheek! I’ll have that man on toast.”

  “We did sort of…” Michaela hesitated, but there was nothing to lose now. “Dylan and I… We…”

  “You fox!” Felicity’s delight was immediate. “Was he scrumptious?”

  “Oh, God!” Michaela’s heart dropped again at the thought of the gossip that was even now whirling around the ship. “Everyone’s been saying I seduced him. That I used my position to take advantage.”

  “And I bet it was him that snared you, wasn’t it? The toad, trying to look squeaky clean.” Felicity switche
d from triumphant sex-gossip to compassionate friend in a heartbeat. “What’s he trying to prove, that he’s hot enough to score the cruise director for starters and then have dessert of those dancing twins? Just wait until I get hold of him.”

  Despite the relief it gave her to hear Felicity pour scorn onto the men who were making her life a misery, Michaela was still floundering. “What am I going to do?”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll find out what really happened.”

  Just then, the phone rang. The women looked at each other. “You expecting more news?” Felicity asked.

  Michaela shook her head. “Try and make them go away,” she whispered.

  Felicity picked up the receiver, then immediately covered it. “It’s bloody him!”

  “The captain?”

  “No, Dylan.”

  Michaela flapped her hand at the phone, dismissing the idea of talking to Dylan. Not now. Not ever.

  Felicity didn’t give him a chance to get going. “Don’t you think you’ve done enough damage? Why don’t you just get lost? Leave her alone.” She paused. “Why should she believe anything you say? No, wait. Don’t bother to answer. I can’t even trust you to breathe with honesty.” She hung up with a flourish, indignation written large on her face. “Don’t worry, sweets,” she said, patting Michaela’s arm. “This will all get sorted out.”

  The phone rang again.

  “Hello?” Felicity listened a second, then covered the receiver. “Captain’s assistant,” she whispered. “The captain wants to see you on the bridge.”

  “Okay, I’ll be fifteen minutes.”

  “Fine.” Felicity relayed the message and hung up the phone. Michaela groaned again. The ceiling she had stared at only hours earlier now seemed like a different dimension, as if she could fall forward into an abyss. Was there going to be more humiliation?

  She blinked until the ceiling flattened and became a ceiling again. She wished she could lay her emotions out flat so she could climb over them rather than have them tangling her legs. “I’ve got to go. Wish me luck,” she said to Felicity, and set off for the bridge with a heavy heart.