Jewel Heist. JJ Keller

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СКАЧАТЬ gather her purse, wrap, and make sure she has sun screen. Mary, is your cell fully charged? We’re taking you to the ship and getting you on board early.”

      Kim twisted Mary around, grabbed both her arms and shook her. “Mary, you’ve had a rough way to go so far, losing your parents in that horrible manner and then being used by Conrad. Why not take control of your life, your future? You want a child, right?”

      The mention of her parents brought a fresh pain to her heart, and her stomach muscles clenched.

      “Yes.” She lowered her gaze. Selfishness wasn’t something she was comfortable with or wanted, but she needed a baby to make her life whole again.

      “Forget everything then. Don’t think twice about commitment and your usual strict values. Look past the blonds. And as always, we’ll be here for you.” Kim hugged her.

      Jenn’s arms circled her from behind. Phoenix came from her side and pushed her cheek against Mary’s. Excitement and fear shocked her heart into beating at a scary-fast rate. If she couldn’t conceive a baby, at least she’d have the most caring friends on earth.

      “Let’s go.” Jenn stepped back and tugged Mary’s vest.

      “Okay, but we say good-bye in the car. You drop me off. I’ll find my way to the cabin. I’ll keep in touch daily. When possible, photos will be sent.” Nauseous saliva wet her mouth. She swallowed, trying to keep everything in place as they rushed from the house and piled into Kim’s van.

      A traffic accident on the highway made the short drive much longer. Police vehicles and fire trucks blocked the street at nine PM. There wasn’t an alternate route. The ship sailed at ten, and while they chewed their fingernails waiting for the emergency squads to leave, they reviewed the donor requirements. Finally the road patrol created a round-about and they rushed to the dock. Kim drove her vehicle as close as possible to the structure, hoping the Port Authority would not give her a ticket.

      “Any minute that horn’s going to blow. You’ll to need to hustle. Too bad you wore the sexy five-inchers, your feet are going to hurt like hell.”

      “Jenn, seriously, is it time for another patch?” Phoenix asked, as she climbed into the rear of the van and extracted Mary’s luggage.

      “Thank you, all. I love you. Wish me luck!” Mary slid from the seat, holding her large purse close to her side, knowing the shield wouldn’t protect her from the future.

      Phoenix set the suitcases on the ground, and then hugged her. “Don’t worry, it’ll all work out. You’ll be happy,” she whispered before she let her go.

      “We’ll see, won’t we?” Mary asked. The towering ships rising above the outline of the buildings were ominous. She grabbed her bags, gathered courage, and entered the check-in station. The passenger terminal was an outdated structure, beige covered with rust, not what Mary had expected from one of the most beautiful harbors on the coast.

      “Are you with Verbena Cruise?” a sweet round woman with merry blue eyes asked. Her white name badge had Mary embossed in black.

      “Yes, I’m Mary Keefe. Sorry I’m late. There was an accident.”

      Cruise Mary flipped through a stack of papers. “Good name. I’ll get you squared away and give you the key card to enter the ship and your stateroom, but you’ll need to carry on the luggage.”

      A few moments later, her bag was going into a scan machine. The attendant sorted through several documents to verify Mary was who she claimed to be. Finally, the papers had been nodded over and approved. Her luggage had dropped off the conveyor belt. Before she could change her mind, she grabbed the bag and ascended the gangway. It felt more like walking the plank. A few stragglers were strolling along the ramp. Passengers leaned over the railing, waving to their friends and loved ones.

      The larger than life whistle blasted, vibrating the wooden platform as she scanned her card and went onboard. On deck, she dropped her bag to the floor.

      “Welcome to Verbena Cruise lines. May I have your name?” The uniformed attendant–Purity, according to her name badge–held a clipboard with pen in hand. Her voice sounded chipper, but her face looked angry. Maybe her expression was a result of the tight white uniform pulling apart at the bust line.

      “Mary Keefe.” She held onto the railing as the gangway was disengaged from the ship.

      “You’re on Deck Eight, Oceanview Ninety-eight. Take the elevator around the corner.” Purity pointed to her left. “Up one flight, turn right, four doors on the left.”

      “Thanks.”

      Mary snapped the handle of her wheeled case. The sound of it locking in place was lost in the noise of the ship’s motors grinding and whinnying. She tugged her luggage down the corridor, around to the elevator. Most of the passengers must have been unpacking or celebrating setting sail because no one waited on the lift and it arrived in a moment’s call. A finger to the Deck Eight button, and the doors closed.

      A whoosh and ping later, she’d arrived. She glanced at the locator map on the outside of the elevator. Right looked to be the correct route. Handbag settled on the handle of her wheeled luggage, she started down the corridor. A pleasant baritone voice came over the speaker as the ship tilted toward the ocean. She double-stepped to the left.

      The announcement became background noise as she rocked from one side of the aisle to the other. An older man started to exit a room when the ship shifted again. Mary took the opportunity to fly down the carpeted passageway until she located Ninety-eight. While dragging her purse closer, intending to remove her bag and snap the handle in to get a tighter grip on the luggage, the door opened. The ship tilted portside.

      Mary jolted forward, smashing into something hard covered by soft cotton and smelling of spice. Propulsion sent both of them down, to land partially on the sofa. The thud of her plastic luggage hitting the wood floor blasted through the air. Mary glanced into his face. Handsome. Brown-black hair. Sharp cheekbones. Her purse clung to her forearm, snagging the tail of the guy’s shirt along the way and exposing a good portion of tight, dark beige skin. From the way his body fit snug against hers, they were equal in height. He weighed in at…a little heavy. Muscle mass? She’d have to wait and see him in a bathing suit to find out. He smelled delicious, like those hot cinnamon nuts she loved to eat.

      Lifting her gaze to his face, she stared into his dark brown sparkling eyes. “Sorry, I guess I don’t have my sea legs yet.”

      “Definitely off to a rock hard start,” he replied, but didn’t bother to separate from her.

       Chapter 2

      John couldn’t move. Somehow during the collision, her purse had attached itself to his shirt button, limiting his mobility. The woman’s softness sank into the length of his body. Lush curves and warm, succulent heat made him lose his focus on why he was aboard the ship. The fragrant scent of wisteria had filtered through the air as she’d hurled them onto the sofa. He had to keep both feet grounded to the floor.

      Her eyes, the color of fresh seaweed, widened, then her glance connected with his. “I’m supposed to be in Ninety-eight.”

      She waved her hand, the key card’s silver band shining under the artificial light.

      He gave in and shifted to the side. Had she noticed the painful rise beneath his СКАЧАТЬ