When I got back to the table, they were already gathering their things.

“Listen here, young man,” Darcy said, hoisting her big designer bag on one shoulder while hooking her hand into the bend of my elbow. “I don’t like this sneaky business of you paying the bill. I’m a wealthy woman—”

“I know. And I’m a wealthy man. How would it look to let you pay for my meal?”

“Like someone who allows a woman who cares for him to take care of him.”

That made an involuntary smile come to my lips. “I think in this scenario, you’re the one who needs to be taken care of.”

Darcy’s steps slowed, and she lifted her sunglasses. I did the same so that I could look into her eyes. “This is how you do it, huh?” she asked, a bemused smile on her lips and a slightly wary look in her eyes.

“Do what?”

“Make a girl so desperate for your attention that she breaks into your apartment, strips naked, and ties herself to your bed,” she clarified with a smirk.

“Hm, it might be a little hint of it. Why do you ask? Should I expect you to be waiting in my bed wearing nothing but your gorgeous golden skin?”

Darcy’s light brown eyes stared into mine for a long moment as if she was trying to assess my seriousness. In that moment, they took a noticeable trip down to my lips and across the breadth of my shoulders.

“I can see how it works,” she said, sliding her sunglasses back in place with a smirk.

“I mean, I can turn on the charm if you want a real demonstration.”

“I think that taste was enough for this old lady.”

“First of all, you’re not old, and secondly, that wasn’t nearly enough. A woman like you deserves to be charmed and wooed and wor—”

“Slight change of plans,” Jared interrupted as he picked up a light jog to catch up to us. “I need to meet Brandi at the jeweler so we can pick up our wedding bands—”

“But that’s on the schedule for tomorrow—”

“That’s why it’s a slight change of plans, cruise director. Ma, can you drop Tomás off at the hotel?”

“I can just catch an Uber—”

“Absolutely not. I’ll drop you off at hotel. I have to head that way to do some last-minute errands anyway. Besides, it’ll give us a chance to finish this conversation,” she said, giving my bicep a gentle squeeze. I barely resisted the urge to flex under that hand, but I did register a hum of appreciation as her fingers molded over the muscle.

“A’ight. Brandi is gonna swing by here to get me. I’ll catch up with y’all later. Just text me to let me know where you guys land.”