cordially, then settled back in his chair and watched in brooding silence.
As Charles took the chair beside his wife, Tony Farrell chose the seat on Joanna's other side. "Hi." His gray eyes glowed warmly behind his glasses as they skimmed over her upturned face and bare shoulders. "You look terrific this morning."
"Thank you. You don't look bad yourself."
Tony flashed her a white smile that was an orthodontist's dream. "I looked for you yesterday. I was hoping that we could spend some time together, get to know one another. But I didn't catch so much as a glimpse of you until dinner. And afterward you disappeared again."
"Oh, Joanna had a very busy day yesterday," Sean interjected in an insinuating drawl.
When Joanna darted him a wary look he propped his chin on his fist and smiled tauntingly. Reminding her of the way she'd pursued him wasn't the gentlemanly thing to do, especially after her apology. Normally Sean wouldn't have dreamed of needling a woman—any woman—but Joanna had gotten under his skin, and for some reason he could not quite curb his irritation. Besides, there was something about Tony Farrell that set his teeth on edge.
Joanna turned back to Tony with a placating smile and placed her hand on his arm. "But I won't be busy today. If you'd like we could go up to the sports deck after breakfast and check out the activities."
"Great."
Sean studied them, his eyes narrowing.
The waiter brought Mary a cup of tea and poured coffee for everyone else. Gloria arrived as he was handing out the menus.
"Good morning, all," she greeted lightly as she settled in next to Sean. "I'm surprised to find you all inside on such a terrific morning." She shook out her napkin and put it on her lap, and slanted Sean a sultry, heavy-lidded look. "I looked for you on deck. For a while there I began to think you were avoiding me."
Sean looked at the red nails that were lightly scoring his forearm, then, slowly, his gaze lifted, and he studied the invitation in Gloria's slanting green eyes. After a moment he thought, Why not? This is what you came for, isn't it? Covering her hand with his, he leaned closer. A slow, wicked grin curved his mouth. "Now why on earth would I do that?"
It was all the invitation Gloria needed. For the remainder of the meal she flirted with Sean outrageously, and he flirted right back. He turned on the charm, his rakish smile and teasing black eyes underscoring the purring warmth in his voice, the teasing sensuality that colored their conversation.
But for all the effort he put into it, Sean was, to his disgust and annoyance, not totally engrossed in the flirtation. He was too aware of the fact that Joanna was ignoring him. Whenever he glanced across the table she was chatting with either Mary or Tony. Usually Tony. The few times Joanna's gaze met his she looked away as though he didn't exist, and when he asked her a direct question she answered him with a polite indifference that made him grit his teeth.
Joanna's low laugh drifted across the table and Sean glanced at her again. His eyes narrowed as he watched her wrinkle her nose at something Tony said. Surely she's not going to go off the deep end over that New York slick? he thought, frowning. He eyed the man's neatly styled hair, fashionable glasses, and immaculate, just right clothes sourly. He was too smooth. Too perfect. Hell, couldn't she see that? Sean's gaze dropped to Tony's well tended hands and one corner of his mouth curled disdainfully. He didn't trust a man who wore nail polish, even if it was clear.
Becoming aware of the trend of his thoughts, Sean shifted uneasily in his chair. Good grief, Fleming! What the devil do you care if the girl wants to indulge in a shipboard fling? You're not her keeper. And besides, you ought to be happy to have her off your back. Determinedly, he pulled his gaze away from the pair and turned back to Gloria with a lazy smile.
"Ready?" Tony asked a moment later.
Joanna took one last sip of coffee, then
As Charles took the chair beside his wife, Tony Farrell chose the seat on Joanna's other side. "Hi." His gray eyes glowed warmly behind his glasses as they skimmed over her upturned face and bare shoulders. "You look terrific this morning."
"Thank you. You don't look bad yourself."
Tony flashed her a white smile that was an orthodontist's dream. "I looked for you yesterday. I was hoping that we could spend some time together, get to know one another. But I didn't catch so much as a glimpse of you until dinner. And afterward you disappeared again."
"Oh, Joanna had a very busy day yesterday," Sean interjected in an insinuating drawl.
When Joanna darted him a wary look he propped his chin on his fist and smiled tauntingly. Reminding her of the way she'd pursued him wasn't the gentlemanly thing to do, especially after her apology. Normally Sean wouldn't have dreamed of needling a woman—any woman—but Joanna had gotten under his skin, and for some reason he could not quite curb his irritation. Besides, there was something about Tony Farrell that set his teeth on edge.
Joanna turned back to Tony with a placating smile and placed her hand on his arm. "But I won't be busy today. If you'd like we could go up to the sports deck after breakfast and check out the activities."
"Great."
Sean studied them, his eyes narrowing.
The waiter brought Mary a cup of tea and poured coffee for everyone else. Gloria arrived as he was handing out the menus.
"Good morning, all," she greeted lightly as she settled in next to Sean. "I'm surprised to find you all inside on such a terrific morning." She shook out her napkin and put it on her lap, and slanted Sean a sultry, heavy-lidded look. "I looked for you on deck. For a while there I began to think you were avoiding me."
Sean looked at the red nails that were lightly scoring his forearm, then, slowly, his gaze lifted, and he studied the invitation in Gloria's slanting green eyes. After a moment he thought, Why not? This is what you came for, isn't it? Covering her hand with his, he leaned closer. A slow, wicked grin curved his mouth. "Now why on earth would I do that?"
It was all the invitation Gloria needed. For the remainder of the meal she flirted with Sean outrageously, and he flirted right back. He turned on the charm, his rakish smile and teasing black eyes underscoring the purring warmth in his voice, the teasing sensuality that colored their conversation.
But for all the effort he put into it, Sean was, to his disgust and annoyance, not totally engrossed in the flirtation. He was too aware of the fact that Joanna was ignoring him. Whenever he glanced across the table she was chatting with either Mary or Tony. Usually Tony. The few times Joanna's gaze met his she looked away as though he didn't exist, and when he asked her a direct question she answered him with a polite indifference that made him grit his teeth.
Joanna's low laugh drifted across the table and Sean glanced at her again. His eyes narrowed as he watched her wrinkle her nose at something Tony said. Surely she's not going to go off the deep end over that New York slick? he thought, frowning. He eyed the man's neatly styled hair, fashionable glasses, and immaculate, just right clothes sourly. He was too smooth. Too perfect. Hell, couldn't she see that? Sean's gaze dropped to Tony's well tended hands and one corner of his mouth curled disdainfully. He didn't trust a man who wore nail polish, even if it was clear.
Becoming aware of the trend of his thoughts, Sean shifted uneasily in his chair. Good grief, Fleming! What the devil do you care if the girl wants to indulge in a shipboard fling? You're not her keeper. And besides, you ought to be happy to have her off your back. Determinedly, he pulled his gaze away from the pair and turned back to Gloria with a lazy smile.
"Ready?" Tony asked a moment later.
Joanna took one last sip of coffee, then
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