I do not own Blindspot or its characters.
A/N: I am posting this chapter sooner than I planned as a thank you for all the wonderful reviews readers have left on my stories recently. You guys are the best!
"So," Zapata asked eagerly as soon as Jane opened the door to them, "how did it go last night?" She frowned as she realized her friend was still in her pajamas and looked like she'd barely slept. And from the look Jane shot her, the lack of sleep wasn't an unintended side effect of more . . . enjoyable nocturnal activities. "That bad, huh?"
Jane groaned as she turned away from the door, allowing her friends inside without protest. At least Patterson and Ana had thought to snag breakfast. She led the way out to the balcony and sank down in one of the chairs there. "Kurt was gone before I woke up this morning," she admitted. "We . . . had words last night."
She started to take a bite of the omelet Patterson placed on the table in front of her, but Zapata grabbed her wrist. "No way. No eating until we get details. Very in-depth, specific, detailed details."
Jane obligingly filled them in on her conversation with Kurt, carefully omitting the more personal details. "I think I just ruined any chance I had with him," she said unhappily. "I should have kept my mouth shut."
"Are you kidding?" Zapata was grinning from ear-to-ear. "You hadn't even platonically slept together yet, and the man threw all his most personal objections to a relationship at you? I'm going to have to up my bet with Reade. Weller is clearly running scared," she explained at Jane's outraged look. "He's obviously realized he won't be able to resist you, so he's trying to get you to do it for him. This is . . . this is terrific news."
Jane perked up slightly at Zapata's optimism, particularly since Patterson and Ana seemed to share it. "So . . . what do I do?"
"Do?" Zapata echoed. "Just what you've been doing, only in those nice new clothes I picked out for you. We'll get you dressed and made up again, and then you go out there and flash those Doe eyes at him while you're doing your job. Maybe flirt with a few of the guests, if you get the chance. There's nothing like a little jealousy to motivate a man to step up. But don't make it too easy for him," she cautioned. "Men love a challenge as well. And Weller deserves to have to work for it after stringing you along all this time."
He hadn't exactly done that, but Jane knew better than to argue with her friend. And the thought of Kurt pining after her as she had done him all this time was a trifle more appealing than it should have been. Which was why she didn't protest when her friends bundled her into a low-cut sleeveless red blouse and a tight black skirt that was a great deal shorter than she was used to.
Since she didn't have to announce a port of call today, she didn't arrive on deck until half past eight, relieved that Kurt was nowhere in sight to give her time to acclimate to her new look, and she checked in with her assistant to make sure no problems had arisen last night before making the rounds of the day's scheduled entertainers.
She paused to greet guests as she went, drawing more than a few admiring glances from the men along the way, which bolstered her confidence in her new look, and by the time she made it to the dining room, lunch was underway. She had intended to just grab something to take back to her office, but when she arrived in the dining room, Kurt was there. "Hey," she greeted as normally as she could manage as he approached.
"Hi, Jane," Kurt said awkwardly. "You, uh . . . you look nice today. Is that a new outfit?"
"Thanks." Jane did her best not to appear too thrilled at the compliment. He rarely mentioned her looks. "Yeah, Zapata and I went shopping yesterday. She's been trying to talk me into a wardrobe update for a while, and I figured it was overdue."
From where he stood, the old wardrobe had been just fine. Not that he wasn't enjoying her new look, but he didn't like the stares it was drawing from other men. He was just opening his mouth to ask her to have lunch with him when one of those other men strolled over to them.
"Hello, Jane," Markos greeted, his gaze lingering on her a bit too long and too appreciatively for Kurt's liking, and he bristled when the other man took her hand and kissed it. "You're looking ravishing today. Would you care to make my day by gracing my table with your presence?"
"I was just about to ask her to have lunch with me," Kurt said gruffly. "We have ship's business to discuss. Besides, the crew aren't allowed to date passengers. It's against company policy."
Markos was unfazed. "I checked with Rich, and he said it was fine with him. And surely whatever you need to discuss can wait until after she's dined. One should never mix business . . ." his voice dropped huskily, ". . . with pleasure. But perhaps," he suggested, "perhaps we should let the lady decide."
Good grief, Jane thought as two sets of eyes regarded her expectantly. She had gone from having no men interested in her to having two of them fighting over her like dogs over a prize bone. Unfortunately, she suspected both her would-be Prince Charmings would lose interest once they got what they wanted. But since there was only one of them she was interested in, her decision was easy. "I'm sorry, Markos. I—"
"Say no more," Markos interrupted gallantly. "I understand. I'll accept defeat gracefully . . . provided you agree to go dancing with me tonight."
Kurt's momentary triumph faded as quickly as it had come as Jane smiled up at the man. Say no. Say . . . "I'd like that," she told him, and his heart sank into his toes.
"Fantastic. I'll escort you to the ballroom after dinner." Markos pressed another kiss to the back of Jane's hand, his mischievous nature causing him to let his lips linger a bit longer than strictly necessary. He avoided looking at the captain as he straightened up, but he could feel the man's eyes boring into his head. "Until tonight, fair lady." He strolled away whistling.
"Ready to get some lunch?" Jane asked as evenly as possible as she met Kurt's eyes, the hurt and confusion there tempting her to call Markos back and change her mind until Zapata's words rang in her ears.
Don't make it too easy for him.
Kurt didn't say anything until they'd made it through the buffet line and were seated at his table. "If I'd known you wanted to go dancing . . ." he began stiffly.
"I didn't know I wanted to go dancing until Markos asked me," Jane told him gently. "And that's the problem, Kurt. Sometimes it's nice to be asked to do things not because you've told the other person you want to try them, but because they want to experience them with you. Though Markos probably would have been better off if I'd said no," she added with a laugh. "I have no idea if I've ever danced before. I'll probably step all over his toes."
"Or you might have been a tango champion," Kurt countered, smiling when his words drew a laugh from her, wishing he'd been the one who'd thought to ask her. But maybe there was one thing he could give her that Markos couldn't. "I'm sorry that I didn't know . . . that I never asked . . . If you ever want to talk about . . . about your past or . . . or anything, I'm here." He winced at his fumbling attempts to express himself. "I know I'm not a smooth talker like Markos . . ."
"He is ridiculous, isn't he?" Jane agreed to put Kurt's mind at ease. "I wonder how many women actually fall for that routine of his. Personally . . ." She smiled as she met Kurt's eyes. "Personally, I prefer one awkwardly heartfelt compliment over all that practiced flattery. It just doesn't ring true."
No, it didn't, Kurt thought, warmed by Jane's words even as they renewed his concerns about Markos, and he resolved to keep a closer eye on that guy. Particularly when he was with Jane. Just because he was Rich's friend didn't mean he could be trusted. Especially not with her.
Though he'd had no idea how difficult that task would be. He'd known he would loathe seeing her in another man's arms, but her attire for the evening made the agony a thousand times more acute. She was wearing a strapless emerald gown that dipped low in the back, and seeing Markos's hands on her bare skin as they swayed to the music was causing Kurt to entertain thoughts that were decidedly dangerous to the man's well-being.
"Wow," Rich chuckled as he zeroed in on Weller's smoldering glare, speaking to no one in particular. He'd been leaning against the wall all evening with his gaze laser-focused on the pair, his body language warning away the few women who were foolhardy enough to contemplate asking him to dance. "Stubbles there does not look pleased."
"Just like you intended, no doubt," agreed a sardonic voice to his left, and Rich turned his head to meet the coolly assessing gaze of the bartender who had served him earlier. She held out a hand. "Tasha Zapata. I'm one of Jane's best friends. I've been wanting to thank you for orchestrating this and hopefully putting us all out of our misery."
Rich grinned as he shook her hand. "Ah, yes, Ms. Zapata. The woman who accompanied Jane on her shopping spree yesterday. We should talk."
The music changed to a slow number, signaling the last dance of the night, and Rich's eyes perked up as Weller pushed himself off the wall. He'd been waiting for him to make a move all night, and it looked like he was finally going to get his wish. "Have a drink with me after this?" he asked as Weller approached the couple.
"Deal," Zapata agreed, similarly transfixed, not taking her eyes off the drama unfolding in front of her.
Kurt swallowed hard as he approached the pair and tapped Markos on the shoulder. "Mind if I cut in?" Judging from Jane's expression, it would be a relief.
"Not at all," Markos said politely as he stepped back. "She's all yours."
Yes, she is, Kurt thought as he pulled Jane into his arms.
Her eyes were alight with laughter as she looked up at him, following his lead as though they'd done this a thousand times before. "What took you so long?" she demanded.
Kurt blinked in surprise. "Sorry. You looked like you were having a good time." He would have cut in an hour ago if he'd thought she wouldn't be annoyed with him for doing so.
Apparently, she was a better actress than she'd thought. "He spent the whole evening alternating between talking about himself and spouting the most outrageous flattery. I thought it was never going to end."
Kurt winced in sympathy. "Well, on the plus side, you now know you can dance. And if you ever decide you want to do it again . . ." He spun her out and pulled her back into his chest. "I would love to be your partner."
She would love that too. And not just for dancing. Jane sighed as the music slowed further, and Kurt pulled her closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder and allowing herself to pretend, just for the moment, that this was real. That the two of them were really a couple, happy and in love.
After all, from her perspective, it wasn't a fantasy at all.