The Wrong Gentleman(39)

I knew that whatever happened between us tonight, it wouldn’t be enough. Not for me. It wasn’t just proximity that had me wanting her. It was something deep in her soul, behind the practiced smile and her list of criteria. I heard it calling out to me.

She needed me, and I wasn’t sure that I didn’t need her.





Twenty-Three





Skylar


Tiptoeing wouldn’t help—if someone was going to catch me it was because they’d see me—but I did it anyway. It was just before seven. If I was lucky, the rest of the crew would still be out partying. Even if they weren’t, hopefully, they’d all still be asleep, and I’d be back on the yacht and tucked up in my bunk before people got going for the day. Our twenty-four-hour leave wasn’t over until lunchtime.

I crept down the stairs into the crew quarters, happy to find it was like the Marie Celeste. All I needed now was to find my cabin empty, and no one would realize I’d been out all night.

I poked my head around the door to find August tucked up on the bottom bunk, her back to the door. Shit. I’d have to think of something fast—where I’d been, who I was with, and why I’d stayed out all night. I’d really hoped to avoid that.

“Don’t think I don’t hear your walk of shame,” August said, her voice thick with sleep.

“Shhh, I’ve just been to the bathroom. I’m going back to bed.”

August turned and pushed up on her elbow, suddenly the most awake person on the planet. “I’m going to have to call the firefighters, your pants are on fire.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Shut up and go back to sleep.”

“Not until you tell me where you’ve been.”

I needed more time. My head was too fuzzy with last night to think up plausible excuses. I unzipped my dress and changed into my pajamas. “Just around. Seeing Monte Carlo.”

“With Landon?” she asked.

I scowled. “Wasn’t he with you?” I’d noticed Landon always answered a question with another question if he didn’t want to answer someone.

“You know he wasn’t with us.”

I shrugged.

“Well if you won’t answer me, I’ll have to ask Landon myself. Perhaps in front of Chef. Or Peter.”

“August! What’s awoken your mean streak this morning? And why do you just assume I was with Landon?”

“Come on, Skylar, I’m your best friend. I know how you don’t like being the subject of gossip, and I won’t say a word to anyone. I just want to know you had a good time. I like the two of you together.”

I bit back a grin. August was always rooting for love. “We couldn’t figure out where you were, so we ended up getting a few drinks. That’s all.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Landon had made me drink some water somewhere between my third and fourth orgasm. Or had it been between my second and third? He’d said that he didn’t want me to get dehydrated. I grinned. He was always looking out for me. Caring for me. I never thought a man could be so focused on me.

“So how many orgasms did you have during your ‘drinks’?” she asked, complete with air quotes.

There was no way she was going to stop questioning me. And if the shoe was on the other foot, I’d have every detail whether or not I wanted it. “Four,” I replied as I climbed up onto the top bunk. “You better not say anything to anyone. I don’t want the crew finding out.”

“Shit, Four? Really?”

I climbed under my duvet and pulled the covers up, wanting to sink into the memories of Landon’s fingers on my hips, his breath on my skin.

“He looks like he’d be fantastic in bed. Bossy. Gritty. Controlling,” August said with a sigh.

“Gross, August. I hope you’re not imagining it.”

“So that’s confirmation, then?”

He was bossy, gritty, and controlling. But Landon was more than that, too. He was caring and thoughtful and focused on my pleasure. “A little,” I said. “But that’s got to be the end of it,” I said as much to myself as to August.

Landon had said he wanted to have me again, and as delicious as that thought was, I had to put a stop to it. All my energy had to be focused on my job and my tip, not messing about with a junior deckhand.

“Wait, why? You two seem to have fun together.”

I wasn’t sure if fun was exactly what it was, but we were drawn to each other. “Yeah, well that’s all well and good, but not what I’m looking for.”

“Why on earth not? Four orgasms—you’re going to say no to that?”

Landon being so close by was a problem. He was too close. Too tempting.

“And it’s not like there’s anyone else that you like better around,” she said.

“I’m not saying no to Landon because I might meet someone else. I’m saying no to Landon because he’s Landon.” The things he did to me. The way he made me feel. It was too consuming. I liked him, I respected him, and it seemed to be mutual. The more I got to know him, the more of a threat he posed to my plan. My focus. My need to stay independent.

“And you don’t want Landon because he doesn’t tick all your boxes? No euphemism intended.”

Of course, I wanted Landon. I wanted him right that second. I wanted him to pull me into the shower and soap down my body before laying me out and doing very wicked things to me. “Landon’s not an option.”