A Wild Ride (Jessica Brodie Diaries #3)(61)

“Sleep will be plenty. I need to get relaxed and get in vacation mode. Then I’ll be right as rain. I’m just drained. Your brother’s been hounding me non-stop to help him, and I still have a mountain of my own work. Eh, just on and on.”

“If it counts, he thinks you are a God send. He wants to promote you to his right hand man.”

“That would be a ridiculous amount of work.”

“Less than you are doing now, and for a lot more money.”

“Well, when he says something, I’ll see what he is talking about. I don’t think I have the schooling for it, though. Or the knowledge.”

William laughed. “Neither does he, but he seems to be doing all right.”

Thomas was a lawyer by school and trade, which meant some aspects of the company he knew very well. Those aspects they generally hired lawyers for, though.

What the company needed was a C.E.O., and Thomas was trying desperately to step up to the plate. William had thrown everything off when he decided to go in a different direction. But being that his family might as well have been rich Leave it to Beavers’, they all understood and supported him. He got a huge amount of leeway since the accident, and he was using it.

I let it go.

The next evening was a different scene entirely. With our rest and leisurely brunch, we were ready for San Francisco! We went down to Pier 39, which, being one of the tourist hot spots, and being summer, was crowded to the gills with wide-eyed, camera toting families and couples. We were bumped and jostled, saw the stinky Sea Lions, dodged a million street performers—some looking so much like statues that I couldn’t understand what people were gathered around looking at—and bought a ton of crap that we did not need. In other words, we were ultimate tourists, and it was fun!

We hit the hotel before dinner so we could change. The cruise was formal so I put on a new dress that cost too much, but that I looked dy***ite in! I had on the earrings William had gotten me for my birthday with a few other things I picked up along the way, probably from him. He showered me with so many gifts that I was a treasure trove. It never got old, though, which was probably why he kept giving me presents. And definitely why I would keep being excited to receive them!

After I finished dressing and doing my hair and make-up I went to meet William in the bar—he wanted to give me a chance to make an entrance. He probably also wanted something else to do besides wait.

He was wearing a blazer, with a blue button down shirt underneath, that made his eyes pop. The shirt was nice and snug, showing off his amazing shoulders and arms. I knew he’d soon tire of his jacket, revealing the goods. I also knew he put up with his shirts being a little tighter than he would like to please me. And it did. He looked positively debonair, though still wild enough to be unpredictable.

I was turned on.

Again.

After the first sexual fail when we arrived, William came back swinging. He recharged, regrouped, and brought me out of my stupor for some serious orgasms. He’d woken me up twice last night needing it! I had no idea where all this gusto was coming from—maybe the fact that he was actually relaxed without a million things to do the next day—but I had my game face on. I was relaxed as well, revved up, and now all I wanted was him. Lots and lots of him.

I loved vacations!

I walked through the swanky hotel, easily fitting in amongst those wanting an upscale night, but not getting stared at by the tourists or locals wanting to tone it down. It was San Francisco, after all, anything goes. I spotted William, leaning against the bar elegantly, oozing self-assurance and charisma. His beer was half-way to his mouth when he noticed me. Eyes slightly widened, he did a full look, starting at my eyes, and helplessly dipping down my body, taking it all in. When his eyes once again settled on mine, they were soft and warm, the lust I was expecting on the back-burner.

He tipped the bar and stood up to greet me. I could feel the draw of his eyes from across the room. As I got closer he had a small smile, and swept me away into the liquid pools that had claimed my soul so long ago.

“Hi,” I said breathily.

His smile got bigger. He leaned close to me, his scent wafting into my nose sending shivers through my body and into my toes.

“You look like a goddess,” he said softly into my ear.

He licked my ear lobe, then nibbled it. I ran my hand up his chest as he moved down to lightly tickle my neck with his lips, tongue and breath. Arms of electricity were firing from my nerve endings as liquid magma pooled in my groin.

He backed off just enough for his face to be inches from mine. “Down girl,” he said with a smile in his voice.

He stepped away with sparkling eyes, leading me toward the front of the hotel. I couldn’t help but notice people watching us as we walked through the lobby. William with is confident gait, his hand entwined in mine. I felt like I won the boyfriend lottery!

Out front a black town car was waiting for us. I did actually splurge on this because I didn’t want to climb in a cab all dressed up. William probably would have gone for a limo, but with just the two of us, I figured that was a bit much.

We got to the pier where we would catch the bay cruiser. I spotted our nightly transportation immediately. It was hard not to. It was a giant, three-decker block of fading white paint and dried, cracked and yellowing bird poop. Obviously it was a ferry in the daytime, probably going back and forth to Alcatraz, but while the outside looked a wreck, I had heard, and read reviews, that the inside would be done up with decent fair. Plus, we’d be going under the Golden Gate bridge, so the scenery would be phenomenal.