She let out a small chuckle while glancing over the pair. “I love it all the same.”
“She loves me is what she means,” Ben declared and scooted his chair closer towards her. “A whole lot. Right, Viv?”
She sighed. “Yes, Ben. Whatever you say.”
“Careful, you should discipline a dog better than that or else they misbehave,” Robert said with a snicker. Ben’s eyebrows waggled suggestively.
“She loves it when I misbehave.”
“Ugh,” Alex feigned vomiting, “Too much disgusting talk in the early morning. I won’t be able to eat.”
Ben shot a look at the already emptied plate in front of his brother. “I’m surprised you didn’t inhale the plate too.”
“I’m on vacation!”
“Oh, I’m sure Adriana would love to hear that.”
“You’re the worst.”
“The worst brother maybe, but the best lover.”
“STOP!” with a disgusted little howl, Alex hopped up and bounded towards the bathroom. Ben let out a loud bark of laughter and Vivian felt her cheeks warm as she buried her face in her hands.
“I cannot go out in public with you,” she moaned into her palms.
He kissed her cheek. “Nonsense, I bring the party.”
“You bring the trouble,” she corrected him. He either didn’t hear her or chose to ignore that information, because he turned to Robert suddenly.
“Wait, did the operation go successfully? I was so busy last night I forgot to ask,” he admitted. Robert nodded solemnly.
“As good as it could’ve gone, I suppose,” the Captain said softly. She looked back and forth between them.
“What are you talking about?”
You can’t just talk about a secret mission in front of a woman who prides herself on research and being prepared. She leaned towards them with a frown and furrowed brow.
Ben hesitated, but reached out to hold her hand tightly on the table. “We had a bit of an incident with someone.”
“An incident?” her eyes widened, images conjuring up like small storms in her brain. “What type of incident?”
“Well, you actually know of the man, somewhat. Alex told me he was scaring you the first few days.”
“That man! The creep!” her loud shout drew concerned looks from neighboring tables. Whoops.
“Yes, the creep,” Ben said darkly. She saw his jaw tighten and then relax. “He has been quite the bother to our family actually.”
“He didn’t make it back from our stop on the last island though,” Robert added triumphantly.
“You kicked him off? Did you prove something?”
“It wasn’t quite that legitimate,” Ben admitted after a moment. “It was more… off the record than that.”
“Ben hired a few associates to keep him from returning onboard in time.”
Her jaw dropped. “Ben! They didn’t hurt him, did they?”
“Your heart’s too soft. No, of course not. I’m not a monster. But, that guy is,” his voice dropped to a disgusted tone at the last part. She shivered and ran her hands up and down her arms.