“Sorry about that.”
She laughed again, the sound making his head spin. “No, I like them. Very…diverse.”
“They are that. Come on, I’ll show you around a little bit.”
He gave her a tour, trying to concentrate on showing her all the little interesting things tourists liked to see. In the back of his mind though, were his worries about his reaction. He was attracted, yes. What man in his right mind wouldn’t be? She was gloriously put together. Long limbs, smooth skin and a luscious body once she got her weight back. From what May said, Jocelyn had been much more rounded before her situation a few months ago. So, he knew with Chris and May around, the woman would definitely get back to her regular curves. “You said you do most of these tours?”
He nodded as he looked over the bow. “I’m the best at handling customers, although Tommy can be good. He gets a little more…involved with the single female passengers, though.”
“Yeah I can see that.”
“Would you like a drink of something? Soda, water?”
“I’ll take a water.”
He went to retrieve it, his mind back on his reaction to her. Being attracted to her was normal, even expected, but Kai never felt territorial. Not even when he was dating someone. He had never been a man who wanted to fight over a woman. Well, until he had started dating Keisha again, then found out she didn’t want to be that serious. Of course, he had played it off. She had come to him as a friend and lover. Why would she have expected more from him? He had a reputation and that was all Keisha had wanted. And he had fooled himself in thinking he could change her mind by giving her just what he had always given women. When she up and left the island to follow her scumbag ex, he’d realized that he wasn’t cut out for it. He wouldn’t make the mistake again. Mutual breakups were more his style.
“I say he’s dating her.”
Tommy’s voice flitted over common area. Shit, he should have known they would be speculating about Jocelyn. She was just his type, and he did have a thing for African-American women. They all knew because they had seen him single out women who had more than one thing in common with Jocelyn. That sweet smile with a hint of wickedness would normally have him pushing for a serious date.
He saw Vince shake his head and open his mouth and Kai knew he had to stop the talk about it or it could get out of hand. Plus, Jocelyn might not like being discussed.
“I’d say you were wrong.”
They all turned around and faced Kai, not one guilty look in the crowd. He was used to this, but he didn’t like anyone talking about Jocelyn. Another oddity for him.
“She’s Chris’s sister, my sister’s boss. She just moved here and knows no one.”
Tommy’s grin widened. “So you’re saying she’s fair game.”
He tossed a look at him and went to the cooler. “I say you might be out of a job if you push to date her.”
The crew went quiet when he looked around. “What?”
“Nothing,” Tommy said. “Nothing at all.”
Irritated, he shoved them out of his mind as he climbed the stairs back up the deck. He saw her sitting there, the crisp white linen shirt, red capris and sandals had him gulping. It wasn’t particularly sexy, but with her, it didn’t seem to matter. He had seen her toes earlier and they were painted. Red. God, how was he supposed to ignore a woman with red toenails who had every physical requirement he desired in a woman? He would have to be a saint, and that was something he never aspired to.
She noticed him and smiled as he approached. He felt that little hitch in his heart again. Damn.
“Thanks. I’m used to heat, but it has been awhile since I’ve lived near the water. The salt in the air can sometimes zap your moisture away.”
He nodded and gulped down half his bottle. She sipped at hers as she watched him with those emerald mermaid eyes. Kai knew it was wrong, knew that it would cause all kinds of complications, but he wanted to see her, needed to. Not just today. Tomorrow, or the next day. Or both. Damn, this compulsion was going to drive him insane and he hadn’t even spent that much time with her. He gave in.
He took one last swallow of water. “Okay, I have to ask again.”
“Yes?”
He opened his mouth, but the sound of the other travelers reached him and he grimaced. His timing with women had been off for months, but it seemed to be worse around Jocelyn. She was watching him patiently waiting for his question.
“It’ll have to wait. Want to meet the other passengers?”
She eyed him for a minute then nodded. “Sure.”
Jocelyn watched Kai talking to a small girl about four years old. He was good with people. In the last two hours, she’d found herself amazed at his patience. She had been in the public-services industry for years, but rarely had this much contact with the public. And for good reason. She couldn’t take the constant attention they wanted. Or the whining, or well, them.