He closed his eyes, leaving me alone in the dark, wondering if it had been an accident. Wondering if I’d imagined it.

I let out a long breath, not realizing until I released it how tightly wound my entire body had been in the last few minutes.

Dauphine’s inhalations were deep and relaxed, indicating the state of her slumber.

Gently, I rolled away and climbed out of bed. Without looking back, I crept to my room, and leaving the door open, climbed into my own bed.

I blinked in the morning light and found my mental bearings. Images of last night flooded my mind. Dauphine’s nightmare. Her damp hair. Her small body. Her father’s eyes in the dark.

His fingers on my skin.

My breath caught.

A knock at my door sounded again. “Josie?” Andrea’s voice called.

The skin on my shoulders scratched like burning sandpaper as I shifted to my elbow. Sunburn. Ouch. “Come in,” I croaked.

Andrea poked her head around the shiny mahogany. Someone must have closed my door. “Hey there, are you sick?”

“No. At least I don’t think so. Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I added when I saw the time. “I think the sun wiped me out yesterday.” I scrambled to get up.

She waved her hand. “It’s fine. I was just checking on you. See you up top.”

Sitting up, I clutched my head as it pounded. It was worse than a hangover.

I showered and went to find Dauphine and get some water, some painkillers, and something to eat. I found my charge vegging out in front of a High School Musical marathon.

“No swimming today,” she groaned. “And no reading. I’m too tired for anything.”

“Not too tired for Zac Efron though,” I said with a smirk.

“Never.” She grinned.

I looked out the window. “Where are we today?” I asked, remembering I’d vaguely been aware of the boat engine running very early this morning as I must have slipped toward waking at some point before zonking out again.

Dauphine shrugged, her eyes never leaving Zac’s chiseled cheekbones. I feel ya, girl.

“Okey, dokey,” I said. Truly, I was relieved to have a calm day. I hadn’t taken a day off since I arrived. After checking with Andrea that it was all right to do so, I went out on the shaded stern deck to sketch. I was down to my last page.