Her pulse raced as trepidation filled her.
Yesterday morning hadn’t really counted as the morning after because after their shower they’d returned to bed and spent the rest of the day making love.
She entered the salon that led to the sun-dappled dining space on the deck.
Fresh croissants, coffee, juices and two domed dishes had been neatly laid out. But her attention riveted on the man flicking his finger across his electronic tablet.
‘Morning,’ she said, her voice husky.
His gaze rose and caught hers. ‘Feeling rested?’
She managed a nod and glanced around. ‘Where are we?’ The day before they’d moored at the Bay of Placencia after leaving the spectacular Blue Hole.
‘We’re just coming into Nicholas Caye. Mexico is just north of us.’
‘It’s beautiful here,’ she said, nerves eating her alive at the intense look in his eyes.
‘Sit down and relax, Ruby. It will be hard but I can just about stop myself from jumping on you and devouring you for breakfast.’
Heat shot into her cheeks. ‘That wasn’t what I was thinking,’ she blurted, then pursed her lips and pulled out a chair.
Lifting the dome, she found her favourite breakfast laid out in exquisite presentation. Along with her preferred spear of asparagus. ‘You made me Eggs Benedict?’ Why the hell was her throat clogged by that revelation?
‘I didn’t make it myself, tesoro. I’m quite useless in the kitchen.’
But he’d taken note somewhere along the way that this was her favourite breakfast meal. ‘I... Thank you.’
He snapped shut his tablet, shook out his napkin and laid it over his lap. ‘Don’t read anything into it, Ruby.’
‘You keep saying that. And yet you can’t seem to help yourself with your actions.’
He picked up his cutlery. ‘I must be losing my edge,’ he muttered.
‘Or maybe you’re rediscovering your human side?’
He smiled mockingly. ‘Now I sound like a reformed comic villain.’
‘No, that would require a lot of spandex,’ she quipped before taking a bite of the perfectly cooked eggs.
He laughed, the sound rich and deep. Ruby barely stopped the food from going down the wrong way when she glimpsed the gorgeously carefree transformation of his face. ‘You don’t think I’d look good in spandex?’ he asked drily.
‘I think you’d look good in anything. And I also believe you can do anything you put your mind to.’
He tensed and slowly lowered his knife. ‘Is there a hidden message in that statement?’
‘No...maybe. This is my first morning-after conversation. I may say things that aren’t thought through properly.’
Her gaze connected with his. An untold wealth of emotions swirled through his eyes and her stomach flipped her heart into her throat. ‘Now you’re selling yourself short. You’re one of the most talented, intelligent people I know,’ he delivered. ‘And the waters are treacherous for me, too.’