Chapter Four - Was It Accidental?

The crew member handed Brynne a sealed envelope and left before she could ask him anything. She tore it open, only to find a chit of paper inside. Was this some kind of joke? Who was playing mind games with her? Was it Adam? 

Unfolding the chit with a scowl, she read the words scribbled on it in haste. 

Waiting for you.

“What the f*ck!” Brynne muttered curses at the mysterious sender, crumpled the note and stuffed it inside her pocket. He could wait forever. She wouldn’t lose her sleep over some creepy notes. It was best to keep herself engaged. 

Not seeing any known faces around, she walked around aimlessly to explore the ship from bow to aft. It was a visual treat to see so many spectacular dining venues, entertainment options, impressive theaters, spas, fitness centers, art galleries, clubs, pool decks and onboard boutiques. 

“It’s so beautiful, Adam!” A familiar female voice caught her attention and she turned to see Adam and Miranda emerge from a jewelry shop opposite. The way Miranda displayed her engagement ring, it was obvious what they had been up to. So Adam bought her an engagement ring! 

“I can do anything for you, baby!” Brynne blinked at the smitten look on Adam’s face. She felt close to tears as loneliness gripped her heart. Did Adam feel nothing for her? Was their relationship fake? 

Brynne couldn’t move away nor hide the hurtful expressions on her features. Her heart constricted with pain to see them openly displaying their feelings. How could Adam get engaged to Miranda when he never considered marrying her, even after two years? To him, she was just his girlfriend. 

Miranda gave a discreet glance in her direction before grabbing Adam and kissing him on the lips. 

Brynne turned away, unable to see them together. The tears streamed down her cheeks, and she rushed ahead blindly. They shouldn’t see her in this state. Adam should never know just how much his behavior had hurt her. 

Loneliness gripped her heart. With Daniella moving in with Ted, what would she do alone on this enormous ship? The cruise suddenly held no meaning for her. 

Brynne wiped her eyes and walked into a seminar room where a destination seminar on the Bahamas was going on. She sat down to listen half-heartedly when her gaze fell upon a man at the far end. She blinked at the sight of him. Wasn’t it the man from last night? 

With his vivid blue eyes hooked on her, Brynne forgot to breathe. No, she didn’t want a repeat of last night’s mistake. She felt claustrophobic in his presence, although he wasn’t alone. Flanked by bodyguards in black, he sat watching her with a brooding look on his face, ignoring the woman almost clinging to him. 

He might be someone quite important to have so many people guarding him. Brynne knew she had to escape before he misunderstood her. She wasn’t chasing him at all. She was happy being a nobody with no money. 

Seeing the man rise from his seat, Brynne panicked and ran out of the seminar room. There was a famous Broadway show about to start at the theater and she slipped inside to buy a ticket. Just as her turn arrived, the ticketing staff smiled and handed a ticket to her. 

“How much do I pay you?” she asked in confusion. 

“Oh, it’s complimentary for you, ma’am. Enjoy yourself.” Brynne checked the exclusive VIP balcony ticket and her mouth hung open. How could such an expensive ticket be complimentary for her? 

“Are you sure it’s for me?” The staff flashed her a friendly smile. 

“Yes, Ms. Emerson. It’s for you.” 

“Thank you.” Brynne was confused. How did the ticketing staff know her?

She walked inside the theater, where the show was about to start. Locating her seat, she stepped into the balcony wing of exclusive VIP cubicles. Her seat was the finest, with the best view of the stage! 

Brynne had settled down, adjusting herself to the dim lights around the place when someone entered her cubicle. Her heartbeats quickened, and she whirled around to check. How would she share it with a stranger? She should have known it was a twin sharing seat. 

However, her mouth hung open at the sight of the blue-eyed stranger from last night. What the f*ck! Why was he here of all people on earth? Her breath hitched, and she scooted farther away to make space for him. 

“Hi! We collide again! Maybe we’re fated or something.” He winked as he eased his suit- clad frame onto the love seat right next to her. 

“I don’t believe in fate. We make our own fate.” If fate existed, how did Adam get engaged to Miranda after a night of fun? He created his own fate, right? After her parents’ death, she had accepted her life with Adam. She knew how they would spend it together, but he had crushed everything in a single night. Or was it going on for the last two months without her knowledge? She had no idea, but would definitely like to find out. 

“How so? I don’t believe in love, but I believe in fate.” With his arm resting behind her on the sofa, she was acutely conscious of their intimate position. Her mind prodded her to run or, in the next moment, she would find herself moaning under him while he pumped relentlessly into her! 

“Both are crap! Why else would my boyfriend of two years break up with me and get engaged to a random woman after a one-night stand with her? He created his fate, right?” Her eyes glittered with fury as she fought for her beliefs. 

He smiled and leaned in towards her as if to disclose a secret to her. “Maybe he wasn’t the one for you. Maybe someone else is. Someone like the owner of this cruise ship, maybe!” He chuckled, seeing her bewildered expression.

“Are you crazy? I don’t agree with you at all. The show is about to start and you might need your privacy. This was a complimentary ticket for me. If you want, I can change my seat.” She didn’t want him to think she was pursuing him. 

“Are you willing to let go of your hard work that easily? I know you have been running all over the ship looking for me since morning.” Her mouth hung open at his conclusion. Did he really think that? 

“What? I absolutely haven’t been doing that. Heck, I’ve forgotten you already. Aren’t you overreacting to a drunken mishap? I assure you it will never be repeated. I don’t even know you, nor do I want to.” She rose agitatedly, having lost all interest in the show. She wouldn’t watch it with the guy who had crawled into her system in one night. 

He grabbed her hand to stop her from fleeing. “Joking, Brynne. Sit.” The amusement in his eyes infuriated Brynne, but his grip was firm and he pulled her down.

She almost tumbled over his lap. Brynne struggled to get free, and he released her. She scooted far away from the man. His brief touch was enough to scorch her and make her throw herself at him! How could that be possible? But it seemed her body had recognized him immediately, reacting to him unconsciously. 

“Relax. This is a wonderful coincidence, and we can take advantage of it. Right?” She didn’t think she could relax in his presence within the close confines of the cubicle. The se*ual undercurrents passing between them were too strong to ignore. Would it lead to another mishap? 

“No, thanks. I’m not interested in the show anymore.” She flashed him a fake smile and rose again to leave. 

He grabbed her hand again to stop her. What was up with this man? If she didn’t know otherwise, she would almost have thought he was pursuing her. 

“Are you afraid of being with me, Brynne? Let’s go somewhere else if you aren’t interested in the show.” She gaped at him in disbelief. 

“No, thanks. Why would I want to go anywhere with you? I don’t even know you. What we shared was accidental. I hope you don’t expect me to marry you!” She wrenched her hand free of his hold, eager to escape. This man was detrimental to her mental and physical well-being. His presence near her urged her to tear her clothes off and slam her p*ssy on his c*ck! How had she turned into such a desperate woman overnight? 

She clamped her mouth shut while he released her hand and chuckled. The sound caused a gush of molten heat to escape from her weeping sl*t. It drenched her underwear, making her restless to run. 

“Not a bad idea at all!” He chuckled more while she whirled around to leave. 

“I’m Luke. Now you know me. Join me for dinner at my suite tonight. You can collect what you left behind.” She stopped dead in her tracks and turned to gape at him. What did she leave behind? Was he the one who had sent the flowers and the cryptic note asking her to collect what she had left behind?

“What did I leave behind? I don’t think I have.” He chuckled, his eyes glittering with amusement.

“Find out for yourself.” She knew it wasn’t true. She hadn’t left behind anything at all. He was playing a game to get her in his bed again. No, she should run. The show started, and she ran out of the place as if the devil was chasing her. Her mind was all jumbled up. 

Receiving his mysterious notes, meeting him everywhere she went couldn’t all be accidental, right?