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deck on the diagram. “The Riviera Deck.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “There are people staying down there.”
    “Oh.”
    Pleased that she’d caught on so fast, Nick said, “When the ship came out of refit ready for passengers, I said specifically that those lower cabins weren’t to be used.”
    “Yeah, you did, boss.” She actually winced, whipped out her PDA and punched a few keys. “I’ll do some checking. Find out what happened.”
    “You do that,” he said, irritated as hell that someone, somewhere, hadn’t paid attention to him. “For right now, though, find out how many of those cabins are occupied.”
    “Right.”
    While Teresa worked her electronic wizardry, Nick looked back at the framed plans and shook his head. Those lower cabins were too old, too small to be used on one of his ships. Sure, they’d undergone some refurbishing during the refit, but having them and using them were two different things. Those cabins, small and dark and cramped, weren’t the kind of image Nick wanted associated with his cruise line.
    “Boss?” Teresa looked at him. “According to the registry, only two of the five cabins are being used.”
    “That’s something, anyway. Who’s down there?”
    “1A is occupied by a Joe and Mary Curran.”
    He didn’t know any Currans and besides, the card had come from whoever was in the only other occupied cabin on that deck.
    So he waited.
    “2A is…” Teresa’s voice trailed off and Nick watched as his usually unflappable assistant chewed at her bottom lip.
    That couldn’t be good.
    “What is it?” When she didn’t answer right away, he demanded, “Just tell me who’s in the other cabin.”
    “Jenna,” Teresa said and blew out a breath. “Jenna Baker’s in 2A, Nick.”
     
    Nick made record time getting down to the Riviera Deck, and by the time he reached it, he’d already made the decision to close up this deck permanently. Damned if he’d house his paying guests in what amounted to little more than steerage.
    Stepping off the elevator, he hit his head on a low cross beam and muttered a curse. The creaks and groans of the big ship as it pushed through the waves echoed through the narrow passageway like ghosts howling. The sound of the water against the hull was a crushing heartbeat and it was so damned dark in the abbreviated hallway, even the lights in the wall sconces barely made a dent in the blackness. And the hall itself was so narrow he practically had to traverse it sideways. True, it was good business to make sure you provided less expensive rooms, but he’d deal with that another way. He’d be damned if his passengers would leave a cruise blinking at the sun like bats.
    With his head pounding, his temper straining on a tight leash, he stopped in front of 2A, took a breath and raised his right fist to knock. Before he could, the narrow door was wrenched open and there she stood.
    Jenna Baker.
    She shouldn’t have still been able to affect him. He’d had her after all. Had her and then let her go more than a year ago. So why then was he suddenly struck by the turquoise-blue of her eyes? Why did that tight, firm mouth make him want to kiss her until her lips eased apart and let him back in? Why did the fact that she looked furious make his blood steam in his veins? What the hell did she have to be mad about?
    “I heard you in the hall,” she said.
    “Good ears,” he conceded. “Considering all the other noises down here.”
    A brief, tight smile curved her mouth. “Yeah, it’s lovely living in the belly of the beast. When they raise anchor it’s like a symphony.”
    He hadn’t considered that, but he was willing to bet the noise was horrific. Just another reason to seal up these rooms and never use them again. However, that was for another time. What he wanted now were answers.
    “Good one,” he said. “That’s why you’re here, then? To talk about the ship?”
    “You know why I’m here.”
    He lifted one hand to the doorjamb and leaned in