WaterMage Rising

Chapter 8

After a fruitless search of the crowded decks, Selena made one final push through the crowd and escaped out the nearest door leading to the boat deck. She heaved a sigh of relief, and her shoulders lowered. Out here, the noise and congestion faded away, replaced by fresh air and relative solitude. This was much more her scene. However, she wouldn't find Father out here. No doubt he'd already snagged the best seats and a few select colleagues on the highest deck with the best views of the city.

Best to brave the crowds again, then, and pray the great martyrs of Salem would help her eavesdrop unnoticed. Not that Father would reveal anything significant while out in public, such as Bureau business, but at least she might find out what stateroom he was staying in.

When Selena came to a staircase toward the front of the ship, she climbed the eight flights to the top, no easy feat in her wedge sandals. Selena's two left feet made any heel a major tripping hazard, especially on steps.

Cheerful music from a live band greeted her, playing a song she didn't recognize. The top deck, with its pool and bird's eye views, had drawn practically the entire population of the ship, and they were all singing along, dancing, drinking, and making merry–as her mom would say.

Selena wanted noise canceling headphones to tone down the music to a more tolerable level.

"Care for a dance, Mystery Girl?"

Selena's heart dropped to her toes as she slowly turned to face the cute guy from lunch. So much for her disguise if a complete stranger could recognize her.

"I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about. Go bother someone else." Selena stood her ground, fighting every instinct she had not to take a step back. She couldn't afford to show weakness.

He dropped his gaze from her eyes to her lips and lingered there. If he meant to avert challenging her by not holding eye contact, he instituted another one. A cyclone of emotions she could scarcely begin to name — temptation, desire, anticipation — swirled inside her stomach.

"Don't try and pretend like you don't know who I am or that you didn't run into me earlier."

He held out his hand to her, waiting, with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. His perfect posture and easy stance screamed confidence.

"You obviously have me confused for someone else."

"I recognize your walk. It's...cute." He wetted his bottom lip. "Now take my hand and stop making this awkward for both of us."

Cute? No. He was being ridiculous. No one thought anything about her was cute. Especially her walk.

As if by instinct or some attraction magic on his part, Selena reached out to take it. At the last moment, before their hands could meet, she hesitated.

Her father had to be somewhere in this crowd, and she shouldn't let this guy distract her from finding him.

"If you value your toes, you may want to rethink your invitation. If you keep badgering me, I might just stomp all over your feet."

Her excuse sounded feeble to her ears, true as it was. The main reason to avoid him was that she had a mission and couldn't get involved with anyone, but of course she couldn't tell him so.

The guy grinned, crinkling the lines around his grey eyes and showing a dimple below his left cheek. He leaned closer to whisper in her ear, "I'm willing to risk it. My toes are strong enough to take whatever abuse comes their way. Come on. If you want to go unnoticed, you should try blending in. Look around you. Everyone here is relaxing and having fun. Why not join in, or make a good show of pretending?"