Page 5 of Key Lime Kisses
“Are you? Hah. I hope they don’t have too many IT issues.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. “Well, I actually find it’s a lot easier than being on campus. Especially since I don’t have to worry about waiting for a laptop to come to me or wandering from building to building.”
“I was making a joke,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I hope they don’t have too many IT problems if they have an omega in charge of fixing them.”
The arrival of our food spared me from having to respond to the insult. I started eagerly eating, hoping the food would let me keep quiet. With any luck I could escape further conversation.
It seemed that luck was with me. A live band was setting up on the stage; I hadn’t even noticed them arrive. They began playing and the alpha groaned.
“Well, this is obnoxious!” he practically shouted.
“I think it’s nice,” I countered.
As we ate, I turned my attention out the window, hoping that he would take the hint and not talk to me.
“Hey,” he said. “Hey, Hey,you!” I thought he was talking to a waiter so I didn't say anything until he reached across the table and snapped his fingers near my face. “Hey you, I'm talking to you!”
“My name is Shea,” I said indignantly. I realized I didn't know his name.
“Good for you,” he snorted. “I asked if you brought any condoms. Or are you on the pill?”
“What?!”
“Well, if you expect me to buy you a cruise,” he said, “I expect you to do something in return.”
That was it. I was done.
“I bet you didn’t even bake that pie,” I told him, wishing I had a better one-liner ready. I left him frowning in confusion as I stormed away from the table.
If he replied at all, it was lost in the din of the music. I turned back to see if he was following me and watched as he pulled my plates across the table to him and started eating.
“Pig,” I spat under my breath as I stormed away.
Chapter Three
Shea
There was a staircase at the back of the dining room and I quickly rushed down the steps, hoping the alpha was still gorging himself on my food instead of following. I found myself in a long hallway lined with doors. There were large suitcases set out in front of most of them. My path was mostly blocked by a cleaning service cart. Just as I started to work my way around it, a woman emerged from one of the rooms.
“Sorry, the rooms aren’t ready yet,” she said.
“Oh, that’s fine, I was just exploring.”
I passed the cart and kept going down the hall until I came to another staircase. I followed them all the way up and through a sliding glass door. I shivered as a chilly wind hit me as I went outside.
I looked around and saw a few tables and chairs with a scattering of people. Farther down the deck large glass panels rose up, shielding them from the wind. I pulled my sweater a little closer around me and headed for the sheltered area to check out the view.
Even though there was glass, there was a rail around the back of the ship and I leaned against it, watching the water behind us. I realized I was probably directly above my brunch table and hoped the alpha wasn’t going to come looking for me.
I didn’t realize I was grumbling under my breath until a quiet, gentle voice asked, “Are you okay?”
I turned to see a handsome man looking at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Sorry, you just look kind of upset and you don't sound very happy...”
“Oh, I was just on the worst date ever,” I said.
