Cut and Run 3 - Fish and Chips

smiled as he talked with the gentleman nearby about recent politics, assuming what he thought of as Corbin’s cocksure drawl. When he shifted his gaze to look toward Ty some minutes later, Zane found himself wondering where this charming talker had come from and how he’d be able to keep him after the case. And that surprised him enough that he didn’t hear the waiter speak to him.
    Zane blinked and realized he’d been staring when Ty nudged his knee expectantly under the table to prompt him. Then one of the women at the table tittered behind her hand, and instinct took over. Zane reached out to brush his knuckles lightly across Ty’s cheek as he smiled warmly and then turned his attention to the waiter, who was confirming his order before setting down his plate. Ty shivered involuntarily and shook his head, leaning away from Zane as the woman next to him asked him a question.
    Zane could hear the two other couples at the table murmuring, but he didn’t acknowledge it. He had gotten caught, after all. It seemed to him from his quick study that Corbin wouldn’t care about what other people thought. Only Del — Ty — mattered, and his hand stayed in Zane’s, his thumb rubbing Zane’s fingers gently, sliding over the smooth metal of his fake wedding ring. It was oddly soothing.
    It was easy to watch Ty’s masterful performance for the rest of lunch, and Zane let himself enjoy it.

Chapter 4

     
    T Y LAY on one of the teak deck chairs, stretched out with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed against the bright winter sun filtering through the protective glass that housed the indoor pool. Just after lunch he and Zane had decided to show their faces and actually try to enjoy themselves before they got deeper into the case. Ty had opted for the pool before remembering the piece of synthetic skin covering his tattoo. He wasn’t sure if it could be submerged, and he wanted to test that in private before he dove in.
    He’d been lying still for far too long, though. He kept telling himself it was part of the cover. This was the only thing anyone expected him to do. They figured being in plain sight the first afternoon would be a good plan, and the pool area under the dome meant it was plenty warm, especially with the sun shining through the glass.
    Ty wasn’t sure where Zane had gotten off to. He knew he couldn’t dog his partner’s steps for fear of looking too suspicious, but it made him nervous nonetheless, letting Zane out of his sight. He knew there were agents on the ship somewhere, no doubt looking out for them. But he had yet to make any of them, and that alone disturbed him.
    No one was so good that they could consistently hide when a trained eye knew to look for them. Ty told himself they were probably keeping a low profile and not to worry about it.
    Finally, he couldn’t take the relaxation any longer, and he raised his head, squinting as he looked around to see if Zane was anywhere near, searching for a dark head somewhere. He passed over the first three almost immediately. Then he caught sight of a man surfacing in the pool amidst a gathering of women in various amounts of swimsuit.
    Ty cocked his head, allowing himself to examine the tightening of his chest in reaction to spotting his partner. It had been happening more frequently lately. Ty didn’t know if it was because he just had more opportunities to spot Zane in a crowd now, or if it was due to the more obvious possibilities. He had stopped trying to deny the fact that he was in love some weeks ago. The fact that they were not only able to show each other some attention here on the cruise ship, but that they were encouraged to do so, was only adding to the weight of the feelings he’d realized in the mountains of West Virginia.
    He still had his doubts, of course, and the thought still unnerved him, but he had pretty much come to terms with it. It was almost amusing. If he’d been a betting man, he would never have picked himself from the two of them to be the sap who fell in love.
    Ty sighed slightly and shielded his eyes, watching Zane idly.
    It was clear that several of the women were flirting with him, and it was crystal clear that Zane — Corbin — was vastly amused. Zane slicked his wet hair back with one hand as he spoke with a couple of them before the group laughed and Zane gave that full-of-it smile Ty had quickly come to associate with Corbin. The real Corbin Porter was obviously a dick, if Zane’s impression of