Sun-kissed (The Au Pairs 3)

Shit.

She looked around frantically and noticed a couple of kids from the boat across the way pulling out of their dock on two Seadoo jet skis. "You guys going out to the bay?" she asked.

"Yeah, someone's throwing a huge bash on a yacht."

That sounded like Ryan, all right.

"Can I get a ride?"

"Hop on."

They cruised the water until they spotted the Malpractice. Its floodlights were on, a wild party in full swing, the boat's speakers thumping out bass lines. Several people were bobbing by the side of the water in lifesaver vests, making use of the diving board off the port side. Another kid was scaling the masthead to run up a pirate flag.

The jet ski pulled up by the side of the boat, and Mara hoisted herself on deck, her blood boiling. When she found him, she swore she would . . . she would . . .

"Mara!"

Ryan scooped her up in his arms. "You made it! I left you all these messages."

He had a big grin on his face and an even bigger beer stein in

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his hand. "I was worried you'd miss the first big bash of the summer." He looked absolutely psyched to see her and planted a big smooch on her lips.

What messages? Mara wondered. She hadn't received one call from him. "You didn't come to the show," she accused.

"I fell asleep," he said sheepishly. "By the time I got up, I knew it would be over. And then Tinker and her sisters came by, and then we called some people . . . and we got some beer . . . and . . ."

And decided to have the party of the century, Mara thought. It did look pretty fun, but she didn't have time for socializing. She was on deadline.

"C'mon, let's get you a drink," Ryan said.

"You left me," Mara said, her anger not so easily assuaged.

"What are you talking about?"

"I got to the dock and it was gone--this boat is my home, Ryan, don't you understand? For the summer. Where I live. My computer is here. And I have a job. And I got there and the boat was missing and--"

"Hold on--hold on--I left the number for a water taxi on your phone," he said. "Didn't you get my voice mails?"

"No," she said.

"I kept calling," he insisted, looking perplexed.

"Did you call my Black Berry or my old number?" she asked. "Because I told you to only call me on the work phone. I'm not using the old one anymore."

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"Oh," he said, smiling sheepishly. "I forgot."

She turned away from him. Didn't he ever listen to her? And where did he get off hanging out with cute girls when she was at work? Did he even know how bad it sounded?

She stormed down to the main cabin without another word, leaving Ryan looking hurt and irritated on the deck. "Mara, c'mon, don't be that way!"

A couple of guests were making out on the couch in the living room, but she hardly noticed them as she walked straight into the captain's quarters. She slammed the door with a bang and walked over to her desk. She turned on her computer with a vengeance.

When she was done with the piece, she would kill him. But first, she had to make a few phone calls.