Free A Fine Romance by Christi Barth Page A

this cruise wouldn’t turn out so badly.
    Mira gestured at the gangplank, then back to his spot at the rail. “I know I said I could get here on my own, but really? You couldn’t wait for me on the dock?”
    Not even a hello before she laid into him. This voyage was going to feel as long as the entire three-year run of Gilligan’s Island . “Expecting a red carpet, princess? Maybe a glass of champagne and a welcome from the cruise director? It’s a sightseeing boat, not a honeymoon cruise.”
    “The boat is fine.” She tipped down her sunglasses to glare at him over the rims. “However pie-in-the-sky it might be, I was hoping for some common courtesy. Since you agreed to be my escort on this excursion, I assumed we’d board together.” As she snarked at him, Mira widened her stance and planted her hands on her hips. “Isn’t us getting to know each other Ivy’s grand yet transparent scheme for today? Because I’m more than capable of taking in the sights by myself.”
    If only she would. Sam shrugged. “You’re here now. We’ll cast off any minute. What’s the problem?”
    His calm seemed to only provoke her more. Mira swung her arm wide, first at the rail, then back to him. “It’s not like you have a track record of being reliable with me. If I hadn’t seen you at the rail, I would’ve stood down there, wasting my entire afternoon waiting for you. Oh, and wasted thirty dollars I can’t spare when you’d already purchased the tickets.”
    “You’re welcome, by the way.” Come tax time, he’d deduct both tickets as a business expense. She’d made it damn clear there wasn’t an ounce of pleasure to be had this afternoon.
    Basic manners finally poked a hole through her abrasive demeanor. Mira sucked in a short breath, then a long, slow exhale. “Sorry. I appreciate the ticket. But why on earth didn’t you wait for me?”
    Sam tried to turn his gritted teeth into more of a grin than a grimace. He pointed to the rows of folding chairs along the top deck. “I wanted to save us the best seats. Got here half an hour ago to score them. On a day this nice they tend to sell out, and people are stuck sitting indoors.”
    “Oh.” She looked down at the sweater she clutched with both hands. “Thank you.”
    “My pleasure.” Sam put his hand in the small of her back to guide her. Spine as rigid as a granite countertop, Mira walked silently beside him. “Here we are. Smack dab in the middle for a smooth ride.” He picked up the backpack and baseball cap holding their place.
    “I’m sorry,” she blurted out as she sank onto the plastic chair. “Reserving our seats was very thoughtful. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
    Snapped? He’d feel less beat up if the entire Bears defense had tackled him. “Why should today be any different?” Then it hit him. “Oh. Did Ivy give you the same lecture about getting along that she gave me?”
    Mira tilted her head, perusing him from under the brim of her cap. “No. I’m delightful. I get along with everybody.”
    He’d believe it if he ever saw it. “Right.” Sam stretched the word out slowly. “You dumped a drink on me and hit me over the head because we’ve taken such a shine to each other so far.”
    “Mitigating circumstances, both times.” She dismissed the encounters with a lazy hand wave as she hooked her sunglasses in a belt loop. “Did Ivy really have to order you to get along with me?”
    “Maybe.” How much should he admit? After talking to the guys, he’d been willing to take the lion’s share of the blame for his two less than great encounters with Mira. On the other hand, she’d just verbally eviscerated him. That kind of attack made a guy unwilling to fall on the sword. “Let’s just say I agreed a fresh start might be in order. But I’ll take an extra dollop of delightful if you’re offering it today.”
    Mira smiled. For the first time, she smiled full force straight at him. Good thing he was sitting down, because the