“You bought these for me?”
“Yes.” She shook the gaudy red stocking. “Take a look.”
“Mints?” Alexei’s frown deepened as he brought out the packet of mints.
“For your polo ponies? Come on—hurry up.”
He hummed as he reached inside again. “Glow corks?” Angling his chin, he stared at her in bemusement.
“So you can find your vodka in the dark,” Amber explained.
“Excellent.” Nodding, he concealed a smile as he put the glow corks to one side. “I take it they form a set with the light-up ice cubes?” The next thing out of the stocking.
“Belt and braces?” Amber agreed solemnly.
“Build my own yacht?” Alexei queried, finding it even harder to smother a smile as he brought out the next small gift.
“It’s always good to have a spare,” Amber assured him.
“And last, but not least…” He delved inside.
“The billionaire bath duck,” she announced as he brought it out. “You do love your bath,” she observed, “and this duck is a billionaire by day and a vigilante crime fighter by night, as you can tell from his uniform—”
Reaching for her wrist, he caught her close. “You do know I haven’t got you anything else, don’t you?”
“Mouse is enough. I don’t want anything else.”
“Of course you do,” he argued. “You need a good man—someone who appreciates you and who can give you all the little things you need.”
“I don’t need little things,” she assured him with a steady look and an attempt at humor, but there was hurt behind her eyes.
The day rolled out like the most perfect Christmas Day, if they could just forget that it was a moment in time and not forever, Amber thought. They swam and they sunbathed and ate all the lovely food the chef had prepared for them, and then they made love as if there was no end in sight and only endless, perfect now.
It was suppertime when perfect got tarnished.
They had decided to dress for dinner and were loading the trolley in the galley before taking it onto the deck, where the beautifully set dining table was waiting for them. Alexei had chosen her dress, a slim column of silver silk. He looked like a film star in exquisitely tailored taupe linen pants and blue shirt. He’d just wheeled the food trolley onto the deck, when he remembered something.
“I almost forgot to give you this,” he said as he plunged a hand into his top pocket.
Of course her mind went into a spin. What is he going to pull out? For a moment, she was floating, but then she crashed down. The thick wad of banknotes in his hand choked off her exclamation of pleasure.
“Your wages,” he explained.
For a moment, she couldn’t compute what he was saying. Her wages for what?
Alexei frowned when she remained frozen and made no attempt to take the money from him. “You are a crew member on board Russian Thunder, aren’t you?” he pressed.
“Yes,” she agreed on a dry throat.
“Then, take it,” he insisted. “There’s holiday pay, and whatever else.” His frown deepened when he saw her expression. “You’re being treated exactly the same as all the other crew. I always give them a good Christmas—”
She would have preferred him to slap her in the face. It might have woken her up faster. “Of course I’m a member of your crew,” she agreed, battling hurt and humiliation.
“Come on, take it,” Alexei insisted impatiently.
No chance. She tucked her hands out of sight behind her back.
“Don’t be silly, Amber. There’s pride, and then there’s foolishness.”