spun.
They both remained motionless for a full minute. If he’d attempted to move sooner, Jared figured he’d have tripped over his own feet and landed on his ass, cock still hanging from his jeans.
He wiped himself clean and smiled at the woman who’d now slid all the way onto her back, her panting evident from the rocking motions of her torso. She dragged herself upright and blew out a big breath of air.
She pulled on her bra and rearranged the rest of her clothing, turning just enough he had a chance to spot the gorgeous ink on her lower back. Damn, what he wouldn’t give to be able to take a closer look. Jared put everything back in place, feeling slightly amused they were so connected—they could have had sex for how well their timing worked out.
But, unfortunately, that wasn’t to be. He flipped a salute her direction and slipped out from his hidden alcove. Now he simply had to get going, as much fun as the interlude had been. He strolled down the deck toward the hallway he’d first come out, admiring the mountains on his right, the majestic vista passing rapidly as a strong wind blessed his face.
Jared jerked to a stop and stared in dismay. The mountains were moving, more than him glancing past them should make them move. He raced to the railing and clung to it, grip tightening to the point of pain.
There was no gangplank. There was no dock. Nothing but wide-open ocean greeted his frantic search. While he’d been busy getting off in his little voyeuristic manner, the crew had been busy as well, and the ship had left port.
He was trapped on the cruise ship indefinitely.
Chapter Three
Keri made her way down the hallway toward the grand ballroom, lingering sexual frustration hovering like a carrion bird. At some point she would step back over the line between aching need and romping desire, and heaven help anyone caught between her and Mark when she snapped, because it wouldn’t be pretty.
But ten days. Surely she could hold off the edge for ten days. She simply had to avoid him completely. Keep away from his addictive scent. If she concentrated hard enough she could do this. Heck, she’d heard of others holding off their mating drive for longer than ten days.
She sighed. The fact that the people in those stories were mainly stronger wolves had probably helped. Yet another reason being in the middle of the pack was a pain in the ass. Not only could more powerful wolves in the hierarchy boss her around, but her own body could as well.
Her wolf shuffled inside, almost…gloating. She slapped the beast down, as far from the surface as she could. Fine. She would do this. Show the lupine hussy the human had hidden depths. Maybe her wrist would get sore from masturbating, but she would not follow through on the mating just because her wolf said so.
Still—what a lousy time to be trapped on the cruise ship.
She wondered what the chances were the gift shop had an array of sex toys to stock up on. But this was a shifter-only cruise. They probably assumed no toys were needed.
Her phone vibrated and she hauled it out, relaxing as she spotted Tessa’s name.
“What’s shaking, baby?” Keri turned the corner and stood against the wall to allow a group of travelers past her.
“I need help. There’s trouble already. I’m so screwed. It’s terrible. I want to know if I can quit now and—”
“Tessa. Full stop on the mouth.”
“Stopping.”
Acting as a troubleshooter was going to require more handholding than she’d imagined. “Are you standing up?”
“No.”
“Put the phone down, do ten jumping jacks, then pace while you explain what’s wrong.” It was the same thing she’d had to deal with back in their college days. Why Tessa thought she had to tie down her cat nature was beyond comprehension.
The scent of food—baked pastries, decadent chocolate and coffee—tugged her by the nose, and Keri slipped into one of the twenty-four-hour restaurants. Shifter-specialty cruising meant there