LOVE on The Horizon (Breaking The Rules #1) (2 page)

He reached for my hand and squeezed. “Don’t be nervous.” Even though we were alone in the conference room, Ricky lowered his voice and leaned in close. “His name is Marco Puglia. He’s originally from Florence and has been with us for seven years now. He recently got promoted, so this will only be his second contract as a cruise director. Taking over
The Horizon
is a dream come true for him.”

“I love that everyone is starting on the new ship at the same time. If hired, I feel like I’ll be part of a great debut.”

“Many of us have worked together before on existing ships. I’ve been with Marco the entire time.” Ricky leaned even closer and whispered, “Between us, I make his life very organized. He’d be a hot mess without me.”

“He’s a very lucky man.”

“Oh, he knows it because I remind him daily, darling. This will be an awesome experience for you. You’re coming into a close-knit family. Starting on
The Horizon
’s maiden journey together will be very exciting.” Ricky stood and added, “I’ll go grab Marco.”

As I watched through the plate-glass window, my confidence quickly disappeared. The most gorgeous man I had ever seen in my entire twenty-two years on earth walked toward Ricky.

No! That can’t be him. Oh, please, please, please, don’t be him!

I watched Ricky cross in front of the glass window and say something to the god. The air left my lungs when they both turned toward me. Instinctively, I wanted to duck and hide under the table and would have if it weren’t glass.

Either he hadn’t noticed the drool that dampened my chin or he was completely used to women reacting like a St. Bernard in need of a water bowl. He simply smiled wider and nodded.

Holy…Fucking…Hell…

A dazzling white smile made it impossible to turn away. Add his brown hair, brown eyes, sexy scruff over a strong jaw, and the entire Italian package had me crossing my legs in an attempt to keep my liquefied insides from pouring out my hoo-ha. I continued to stare dumbstruck at the man who could possibly be my boss.

Then it hit me. I was being punished for upsetting my mother. That’s what this was, karma. The universe was now forcing me to work for the hottest man on the planet.

He had several inches over Ricky, who wasn’t short by any means. The fabric of his polo shirt clearly showed his muscular build, and crisply pressed black slacks covered long, muscular legs. The expensive watch on his masculine wrist was so sexy. Yes, I had a thing for men’s wrists…and hands. Oh, God, and fingers…long, manly fingers.

Marco’s beautiful hands were moving animatedly as he spoke to Ricky.

If I had been able to whip out a mirror and apply lip gloss without having them see me, I would have. But, I couldn’t. I was in a fish bowl and they were heading right toward me. Ricky opened the door to the conference room and Marco followed him in.

“Miss Stanton?” he asked with the hottest, sexiest Italian accent I had ever heard.

“Um…”

He held out his sexy hand and I stared for a beat before accepting it.

An amused brow rose and full, kissable lips quirked to the side.

“Cat got your tongue, sweetie?” Ricky’s question caused my face to flame red.

“Um, yes. I’m Rebecca Stanton.”

When his fingers wrapped around mine in a firm handshake, an inexplicable jolt traveled through my body. His smile widened when I neglected to let go.

“I’ll give you two some time to chat, or to do whatever…” Ricky said with a wink before leaving me with this Italian god.

Marco sat in the chair across from mine and crossed a long leg over his knee. “So, you would like to be part of our entertainment team?” His English was impeccable, but the way he rolled his “Rs” when he spoke had me wondering what other talents he had with his tongue and how it would feel dragging over my skin.

“Yes,” I responded in a breathy whisper.

“Why?” His next question threw me.

“Um…well…” I flushed a deep red, embarrassed by my stumble. All words left my thoughts. I couldn’t come up with one suitable reason why I wanted to be there. I had plenty of reasons, but none that would really fly in a job interview. After a few seconds, I shrugged and tried to excuse my unprofessional behavior. “Sorry, I’m very nervous.”

The timbre of his laugh caused my heart to beat a bit faster. “Don’t be nervous. You’ve impressed those I trust to hire the best people for my team. I take our jobs very seriously. I feel kind and happy people are a must for our profession. I don’t care how great an applicant looks on paper, the person must capture my attention.” His smile reappeared before he added, “
Brava
, you passed the test, Miss Stanton.”

“Please call me Rebecca,” I said shyly. I wasn’t a shy person, so this was new.

“Ah,
sì
, Rrreh-beck-ah.” My name never sounded so beautiful before. “So, Rebecca, I simply would like to know why you chose my team. Why are you here?”

“Honestly?” He nodded, waiting patiently. “I needed excitement in my life. I was…stuck.”

“This job may sound exciting, but it is hard work. Working on a cruise ship isn’t the party everyone thinks it is.”

“Oh, I know, Mr. Puglia. I’ve waitressed and worked at summer camps. I’m always prepared to work hard. I love people and I needed a change in my life. I needed to surround myself with happiness. What better place?”

“Well, you could have applied at Disney World,” he teased.

“I was always afraid of Mickey Mouse when I was a kid.”

Marco laughed, and that awesome sound once again jolted my already pounding heart. Staring at him daily would be a distraction, but I was prepared to suffer through it.

“You have experience managing people, but are you prepared to keep my staff happy?”

Marco’s staff.

Marco’s stiff staff.

Marco’s stiff staff happy.

Marco’s stiff staff happy in me.

Holy shit…what’s happening to me?

“Yes.” The word sounded more like a croak, and I worked a swallow, trying to bring moisture to the desert that suddenly developed in my mouth.

Don't think about swallowing. That leads to thinking about his hard staff. Stop swallowing! You look like a freak! Hmm, I wonder if he's freaky?

“
Good, because I believe a happy staff makes for a happy cruise ship. You need to know how to motivate them so they’ll give you their best work, yet keep them smiling and loving their jobs. At the same time, you need to provide our guests with a vacation that will have them crying once it’s over. It can be a very demanding situation all around.”

“Um…I worked at a summer camp for years, starting as a counselor and moving up to the group counselor position. I feel no one is as demanding as a kid looking for a great summer camp experience.”

He said something in Italian and nodded, making me assume he agreed. “You can expect the same on the ship. These passengers spend a small fortune for a slice of heaven. It’s our job to make sure they have a ball.”

“I’m all about finding a slice of balls…I mean heaven…a slice of heaven.”

Oh. My. God! Is this interview over yet?

I shrugged apologetically, my face flaming with embarrassment.

He assessed me for a few seconds while I squirmed in my chair. I needed to repair the damage my mouth and behavior may have done toward getting this job.

Sitting up straighter, I met his gaze and spoke from my heart. “Mr. Puglia, I’m a dreamer, and some may see that as a negative. I feel that I have one shot on this planet, and I need to make the best of it. You’ll quickly learn that when I commit to something, it becomes my one and only focus. Working for Sunset would be my dream come true. Most importantly, it would be an honor to have the chance to make someone else’s dreams come to life while they’re here visiting with us.”

Miraculously, Marco smiled and said, “Well, Miss Stanton, I’d like to welcome you to Sunset Cruises.”

“Really? I got it?” I clapped and may have let out an embarrassing squeal. I immediately blushed when Marco bit his bottom lip to stop from laughing. “Um…sorry. I’m so excited. I don’t normally behave this way. Honestly. Um…thank you so much, Mr. Puglia.”

“Please call me Marco,” he countered. “You’re a great fit for Sunset.”

“Thank you, Marco.”

“
Benissimo
.” His Italian sent shivers down my spine. He met my eyes and smiled wider. “I know you have spent hours here. Would you rather come back tomorrow to review your contract?” Before I was able to respond, he added, “Or, if you’d like to do it today, I can show you to the break room. You can help yourself to lunch while I chat with personnel on your contract details.”

“I’ll stay!” I blurted out a little too quickly.

His masculine chuckle filtered right over to where I sat, slipped under my blouse, and caused my nipples to tingle.

“Very well.” He stood and motioned toward the door. “After you, Miss Stanton?”

“Rebecca,” I corrected.

“Rebecca,” he repeated, rolling the R and caressing the vowels in my name. He waved me toward the door with a warm smile. As I walked by, the masculine scent of his cologne had me wanting to bury my nose in his neck. Instead, I hurriedly walked past him to where the air wasn’t so seductive.

What was it Americans always said, holy fuck?

Well, holy fuck!

That girl was fucking gorgeous. I’ve met plenty of beautiful women in my life but never one who made me feel like a horny teenager. At first sight, Rebecca Stanton was simply stunning. Her eyes were the color of the Mediterranean Sea of my homeland. Silky, wavy brown hair hung past her shoulders and looked like decadent chocolate gelato. When she smiled, she lit up the room as if someone flipped on the lights. But,
mamma mia
, her body could bring me to my knees. The professional blouse and skirt she wore did nothing to hide her magnificent curves. Tall, toned legs, a long, graceful neck, and full breasts had me embarrassingly aroused.

I was a professional. I had tremendous self-control. I met all kinds of pushy women during my travels. American women were dangerous; however, European women were relentless in their pursuits. In my profession, I had to practice restraint every day. Politely rejecting a beautiful woman’s advances became second nature to me.

Among the staff that I worked with on Sunset Cruise Lines, I had a reputation. I liked women. When stuck on a cruise ship for months and months, a man had to do whatever was necessary to survive. Always honest, I explained it wouldn’t become more than it was. Always a gentleman, I never made them feel as if I used them. The truth—I had, but they also used me. The more successful I became, the fewer coworkers I had to choose from. Since becoming cruise director, my sex life has suffered greatly.

Regardless of my limited choices, Rebecca
would be
off-limits. I would be her boss…a no-no. Hiring her would make my life hard. Yet, letting her walk away after now meeting such an exquisite creature would be even harder.

Beauty wasn’t the only part that made a woman attractive. Her personality was more important. A beautiful woman who was
antipatica
—in English, nasty—made her an ugly woman. Nothing turned me off more than a bitchy woman.

So, when Rebecca Stanton’s fun, sweet, pure personality came through, my attraction to her grew with my erection. The short time I spent with her showed me the real Rebecca Stanton. One could say I was blinded by my testosterone, and they’d be correct. But, the people who spoke to her before I did all felt the same.

Aida Henson, the personnel manager, was the first to be charmed by Rebecca. That woman was as warm and fuzzy as a cactus. It was rare to get a smile or a compliment. Rebecca won her over without a problem. Next came my assistant, Ricky Burrows. He said if I didn’t hire Rebecca, he’d quit. Granted, he said he’d quit on me every day, but after Aida’s glowing recommendation, his threat seemed real for the first time.

They were correct. Rebecca was
bellissima
. After we talked for a bit, I knew that I needed her on my staff. I could just imagine the passengers responding to her. Being successful was important to me. A staff makes or breaks a cruise director. I learned from the best. I wanted to be the best and the highest-paid cruise director on the open seas.

I loved my job, every part of it. Even with the long hours and little vacation time, I still loved it. I beat dozens of others in the business to get this job. This ship was
magnifico
. One of a kind in technology and innovative amenities, all eyes in the tourism world were on
The Horizon
’s maiden voyage. The spotlight was on us, on me, and I intended to leave an impression.

When I got the promotion on the new ship, the cruise line gifted me with a few days’ vacation time. I immediately flew home to Florence to spend the time with my family. I hadn’t seen them in six months and departing was bittersweet. It always was after I went home. My family was absolutely crazy, but they were also the most loving bunch of lunatics you’d ever meet.

It was hard to leave your life behind. Yet, when you loved your job as much as I did, the sadness quickly faded. I returned to work a few days ago refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to get started.

Prior to receiving my promotion, management handpicked the rest of my staff. The only position to be filled was for the entertainment staff coordinator. So, that made Rebecca my first hire.

Once we finalized her package, all that was left was to formally offer her the job. Aida raised a brow when I said I wanted to be present.

“Why?”

“She’s my first hire as
The Horizon
’s cruise director.
Sono sentimentale
.” I rarely slipped into my native language. It tended to happen when I was pissed off or when I wanted to rile Aida up. She needed a good riling.

Aida looked toward Ricky for translation. “He’s sentimental.”

“Fine. There’s no need for both of us to be here.” Aida handed me Rebecca’s contract and left the conference room. Although I was always pleasant to her, that woman didn’t like me.

Ricky smirked at me knowingly. I met his eyes and challenged him. “What?”

“Nothing. I’ll go get Rebecca,” he said with a grin, leaving me alone to wait.

Ricky’s reaction caused me concern. Mind you, it was only Ricky, and his stupid assumptions were something I’d become used to, but I still needed to be careful. I’d worked too hard to gain the respect of management. I couldn’t allow her to…to…you know, sex me up.

When Ricky returned with a giggling Rebecca, the excitement grew in my pants. The sound of her laugh and the look of happiness on her face made me stupid—and instantly sexed me up.

It’s amazing what a tiny bit of hope could accomplish in an otherwise hopeless existence. From the moment I walked into Sunset Cruise Lines for my interview, I haven’t been able to wipe the smile off my face. To celebrate my new job, I checked in to a very fancy hotel for one night and pampered myself with room service, a private massage, and some new clothes. Most of the time, I would be wearing the Sunset Cruise Lines uniform of a white polo shirt and khaki shorts. I still needed some formal wear for Captain’s Night, and new bathing suits were also a must. I charged it all and said fuck it…I deserved everything I bought.

I also deserved to be happy. For the first time in a long time, I was really, really happy. While soaking in a luxurious bubble bath, I called my parents to let them know I wouldn’t be coming home. Well, that didn’t go well, and I didn’t expect it to. I did warn my family, but I guess they were all in denial. My friends all congratulated me before threatening to come see me on the ship. They promised all hell would break loose if they did, and I believed them.

On my first day, I got to the port embarrassingly early. Pathetically, I sat at the cruise terminal with all my possessions while eagerly waiting to get on that gorgeous ship. I took advantage of the time and studied the history of Sunset Cruise Lines on my iPad. I wanted to know everything about my new employers and vowed I would do everything possible to excel in my new career. A few weeks prior, this career path wasn’t on my radar. Such was life, always turning and spinning in a new direction without warning. The adventurer in me saw an open sea of opportunities just waiting for me to master.

I could only foresee one obstacle on my smooth waters: Mr. Marco Puglia. While on the subject of surprises, the kind of men who would typically catch my eye were usually blond, blue-eyed, athletic types. I actually let out a chuckle when I realized Ricky was more my type, even though I was most definitely not his.

Who could have predicted a tall, dark Italian would pique my interest? There in itself was the problem. My new boss shouldn’t be piquing my interest or any other part of me.

But fuck, that man was fine…every damn inch of him. I’d never experienced a flutter from just having a man smiling at me. Whenever Marco let his guard down, there’d be a devilish gleam in his eyes, an adorable mischievousness. I’d only witnessed it twice so far, but each time, an unfamiliar surge of heat raced through me. I could only compare it to downing a shot of strong liquor and feeling the liquid warm me inch by inch until it settled in my crotch. His aura made me drunk. I speculated that Marco Puglia was probably as dangerous as pure grain alcohol would be to my senses.

“Whatcha reading?”

“Oh my God.” I jumped at the intrusion into my less than professional thoughts. Dropping my coffee cup and a blush I couldn’t help had Ricky raising a brow questioningly.

He peeked over my shoulder and said, “I see Sunset Cruise Lines’ corporate website on your iPad, but from the look on your face, I’d think you were reading a smutty romance.”

I shoved him playfully before picking up what was left of my coffee. “Shut up. You just scared me. Why are you here so early?”

“I wanted to get here early before Marco shows up to cause me chaos.” He motioned toward the empty terminal. “But why the hell are you here before the dolphins?”

“I’m so excited that I couldn’t sleep. I can’t wait to get started.”

“I hope you feel the same way after we set sail. Marco can be a tyrant when he’s given a challenge.”

His words stopped me in my tracks as I walked toward the garbage receptacles with my coffee cup casualty. “A challenge? As in me?”

Ricky nodded like he held the key to Pandora’s box. He waited for me to sit before quickly sitting beside me and grabbing my arm in a painful squeeze. “Yes, a challenge. Marco thrives on the success of his direct reports. He feels it’s a positive reflection of his skills. But, he especially thrives on mentoring a neo.”

“A neo?”

“Yes, you’re a neo. A novice, a learner, a neophyte.”

His admission caused me to laugh. “So, I’m a science project?”

Ricky shrugged indifferently. “It’s not an insult. The world is split between those who live on land and those who live on the sea. We all know living on land is easy. It takes a strong person to live on the sea. We also know that we are outnumbered. If a neo joins our staff and becomes part of the Sunset family, then it’s world domination, one neo at a time.”

“Ha-ha-ha. That’s hilarious.”

With a firm hand still gripping my flesh, he raised his brows dramatically. “Ah, you laugh, but it’s no laughing matter. We can usually tell one sailing in whether a neo will make the cut.”

I met Ricky’s eyes with an amused smile. “Why, Mr. Burrows, do you think I’m not up for the challenge?”

He crossed his arms, meeting my smile with a conspiratorial smirk. “Nope, just the opposite. Rebecca, I can’t help but wonder if I’m looking at our first female captain.”

“That’s Captain Stanton to you.”

Ricky stood and saluted me with a flick of his wrist. “Yes, sir.”