a thin trail of cigar smoke.
Coop felt pity for Aamuzhir’s wives. “Yeah, Pete’s a real character. I guess you could technically say he’s a mercenary.”
“Mercenary?” That piqued the prince’s interest.
“He’s fought in Africa, the Middle East. Who knows where else? He has a real talent for explosives. The bigger the target, the better.” He leaned closer. “Do you know, he once blew a boat about this size straight out of the Gulf of Aden?” He forced a chuckle. “That’s the kind of guy who’s a good friend to have on your side. If anybody ever tried to screw me over, Pete would take care of them long before I could. Dude’s crazy, but you gotta love his loyalty.”
While Aamuzhir listened, Coop went on, extolling the nonexistent Pete’s destructive skills, right along with his personal loyalty. Aamuzhir wasn’t into subtlety, and Coop laid it on thick, wanting to make sure he’d recall this conversation if he figured out Coop had dumped a fake ring on him. When Coop felt he’d gone far enough, he pushed back his chair. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna make sure my fiancée didn’t get lost.”
The prince was not happy about losing Coop’s attention, but Coop had done his job and didn’t care. He nodded at the women who were watching him from their chaises just as Piper appeared. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was breathing faster than normal. He didn’t like it.
“There you are, sweetheart.” He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to the launch owner. “I know you’re having a great time, but we need to be heading back soon.”
“Do we have to?” The way she turned it into a whine told him she was as ready as he to get off this ship of fools.
“We have a meeting with our wedding planner,” he said. “Remember?”
Other than a slight narrowing around her eyes, she didn’t flinch. “I was all for eloping to city hall,” she said. “You’re the one who has to have pink doves and flower girls.”
He couldn’t help but grin. He’d had enough contact with Aamuzhir to last him forever, and he dragged her to the pool, where he intended to keep them both until the launch arrived.
***
They couldn’t talk privately on the launch, but as soon as they reached the Setai, Pipe tried to make a getaway. “I need some exercise. I’m taking a beach walk. See you later.” She peeled off from him, her dress swishing around her thighs.
He had her arm before she could reach the sidewalk. “A walk sounds good. I’ll come with you.”
“No need,” she said brightly. “Why don’t you call some of your friends?”
“Why don’t I not?”
“Fine. I didn’t feel like walking anyway.”
“Good. Because you’re not going anywhere.” He led her into the hotel, but on his way to the elevator bank, he changed direction. Once he got her near that bed, she’d make him forget they needed to talk, so instead, he steered her to a seating niche.
***
The Setai’s Asian-inspired courtyard was an oasis of luxurious, lemongrass-scented calm with low couches that seemed to float on the shallow water of the central serenity pool. Except for the manicured palms and the single orange centered on each side table, the space was a composition of every shade of gray, from charcoal to pearl. The only sounds came from the distant murmur of voices and the calming trickle of running water, but not even the peace of their surroundings could convince Piper this would go well.
Coop folded himself next to her on the couch. “Considering how useless this trip was, I don’t see what you’re trying to avoid, so spit it out. What don’t you want to tell me?”
“Not entirely useless,” she replied carefully. “We’ve eliminated one more suspect. Since the prince is still showing off your ring, he has no motive to attack you.”
“Yet you disappeared.”
“I wanted to look around.”
“Look around where?”
She’d done what she thought she had to, but he wouldn’t see it that way, and she was having misgivings. “Aamuzhir’s bedroom. It gave me the creeps.”
He snapped to attention. “You were in his bedroom? Where anyone could have walked in on you?”
She shrugged. By the time she got out of that claustrophobic shoe closet, she had ridges in her back from the shelf edges. Fortunately, she’d found what she was looking for before the crew members returned. “He has some disgusting things in that room.”
“Stop hedging.”
She reached into her tote for the zebra-striped scarf she’d used as a sarong.