The Boss and Her Billionaire (13 page)

she said.

“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 umed 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

switched 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 istant,” 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.What the hell were you thinking, taking his word for it? Don’t you usually check the facts first?”

Michaela heard the row before she even entered the bridge. Was that Dylan shouting? She hesitated at

the door. There was something about the challenge in his voice that gave her pause—and a thrill. Was

he taking up for her? She unclenched her hands, tried to steady herself as gratitude, indignation, and hope washed over her all at once.

“She didn’t deny it.” That was the captain.

“You probably didn’t give her a chance to deny anything. I bet you bully all your female staff.” That was definitely Dylan. Was he crazy?

Michaela couldn’t move, her hand stuck on the doorknob, but suddenly the door opened, pulling her

into the room.

“Here she is. Do you deny it this time?” the captain asked.

Michaela stammered as she looked between the furious faces of her two ex-lovers.

“She doesn’t even know what she’s denying. Wait.” Dylan held up a hand to silence the captain. “Do you know this boy?” Dylan thrust a pale-faced youth she hadn’t noticed in front of her.

“Him? Um, I’m not sure, is he a passenger? Are you a passenger?” she asked the young man.

“You don’t know his name?” Dylan’s eyes shimmered.

“No, should I?” Michaela’s confusion must have shown clearly on her face. “What are you doing here?

What’s going on?”

“His name is Christopher, but you really didn’t know that, did you?” The corner of Dylan’s mouth curled into a smile.

“I’m sorry,” Christopher said. “I, um…” He trailed off.

“Come on lad, speak up.” The captain was gruff, no doubt riled by Dylan’s tirade.

“I’m sorry. I made the whole thing up. I said that you seduced me ‘cause…well, I was trying to impress the others.” The words came out of Christopher in a rush. “I’m sorry I said anything, and I’m really sorry it got you in trouble.”

“So you won’t lose your job, or your position, or anything.” Dylan spoke to her, but his eyes remained fixed on the captain, a challenge in every word.

Michaela looked from one to the other, trying to take it all in. The mess wasn’t anything to do with her liaison with Dylan, just as he’d said. The entire situation was about this young boy. “You just made the story up?”

Christopher nodded.

Several seconds passed, and a flush crested up the captain’s face. “Yes, all just a big misunderstanding,”

he said finally. “Get him out of here.” The captain pushed the young man into the protective custody of one of his istants, who hurried the passenger toward the door.

“Hang on,” Michaela said, suddenly finding her anger. “I almost lost my job, and that’s all you have to say?”Nothing we can do about it now. And we’ll have a whole new load of passengers shortly.” The

captain turned, his white shoes squeaking in his haste to get away. Dylan put out a hand.

“Don’t you think she deserves an apology, Captain?” Dylan’s voice was calm, but his eyes demanded a

response.

“Not from me. The boy should have known better.” The captain paused as if about to say something else to Dylan, but he must have thought better of it. “This will be the end of it. Michaela.” He nodded to her, and one of his istants ushered them all off the bridge.

Christopher scuttled away, almost breaking into a run as he looked back over his shoulder into

Michaela’s angry eyes. She was left standing outside the bridge with her indignation and Dylan, who

watched her closely.

This was more than just an unexpected turn of events. She’d witnessed something in Dylan—a powerful

protective streak that she hadn’t known was there. It was enticing, but made her wonder about his past.

Surely no mere dancer would be able to muster such authority, to make even Captain Atkinson bow to

his will?

What did she know about Dylan Johns really? He knew plenty of her history, but there was a glaring gap where his life story should have been in her mind. She’d been so caught up in the romance of it, feeling safe with him, feeling sexy, she hadn’t looked that deeply into who Dylan really was. That was just