Make You Mine Read Online Free PDF Page B

minutes to greet guests.”
    “Okay.” She grabbed her luggage. “And thanks, by the way.”
    “It’s just business.” The warmth in his voice was gone, making her wonder what had happened. “I should be thanking
you
.” But he didn’t. Instead, he turned his attention to his clipboard, effectively dismissing her.
    Allie refused to let his mood change bring her down. She had two weeks to chip away at Marc’s shell, and contrary to what she had told her sister, the boat wasn’t that big. Raising her chin, she clattered across the metal ramp and onto
Belle
’s main deck, then began searching for Alex.
    She thought she’d spotted him through one of the dining hall entrances, but when she made her way inside, she discovered it was his twin brother, Nick. His blue eyes widened a fraction when he saw her approaching, followed by a face-splitting grin.
    “Well, hey there, Allie,” he drawled, taking in her suitcase. “You staying with us?”
    Finally, a Dumont who wasn’t terrified of her. “Yep. I’m your new pastry chef. You know where Alex is? He’s supposed to show me to my room.”
    “Right here, hon.” He hooked a thumb at himself and offered to take her bag, all the while looking her up and down like a hungry dog at the butcher store window. “I’ll get you settled in, snug as a bug in a rug.”
    “Nice try, Nicky,” she said. “Where’s your brother?”
    He wrinkled his mouth in disappointment. “Shoot. How’d you know?”
    It was easy. Even as a kid, Nick had carried himself with more confidence than Alex. It was the slight arrogance in his gaze and the cocky tilt of his head that gave him away. That, and the name tag affixed over his left breast.
    “You really have to ask?” she said. “I’m a Mauvais, baby. Now quit messing around and help me find your brother.”
    “All right, all right.” He pulled out his cell phone, fingertips flying over the screen as he typed a text. “I told him to meet us at your room. C’mon.” He pocketed the phone, grabbed her luggage, and took off across the room in long strides that had Allie jogging to catch up.
    “Wait!” she called. “How do you know where my room is? Until ten seconds ago, you didn’t even know I was here.”
    He pulled open the stairwell door and held it for her. “Easy. If you’re taking the other guy’s place, you’re taking his room, too.” Nodding ahead, he said, “Third floor. I’ll follow.”
    She climbed the first flight, feeling his eyes on her caboose. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed it.
    “You’re lucky,” Nick said, not bothering to avert his gaze. “The pastry dude was some big shot, so he scored a suite next door to the head chef. The rest of us bunk three to a room down below.”
    “Lucky me,” she said without a trace of sarcasm. She’d toured this boat years ago during a seventh-grade field trip, and she remembered how tiny the rooms were. “Sounds like you’re on top of each other.”
    “You offering to share your room?” he asked. “’Cause I’d rather be keeping you company than one of my brothers.”
    They reached the third floor and stepped into a red-carpeted hallway that reminded her of an old horror movie she couldn’t quite place. “Not happening.” She pointed to her left and asked, “Which way?”
    He dipped his head in the opposite direction. “313, the unluckiest number on the boat.”
    “That’s all right. I make my own luck.” Allie crossed the hall, glancing at each room placard as she passed. “Can I ask you something?”
    “Fire away,” came the reply. She was pretty sure he was still watching her butt.
    “How come you’re not bothered by the Mauvais-Dumont curse? I think sleeping with me is supposed to make your heart implode, or something.”
    Nick snickered. “You’ve got to admit, it’d be a pretty sweet way to go.”
    “So you’re not afraid?”
    “Honey, the only thing that scares me is a broken condom.”
    She wondered if Nick’s bravery