The Wrong Gentleman(6)

She tried to hold back a smile, but I saw it tugging at the edges of that delicious mouth. “You’re smooth, British Boy, and everything I don’t need.”

I was pretty sure I could offer her what she needed tonight. “Is that right?” I grinned at her.

She looked right at me as if she were trying to reach in and grab whatever I was thinking and then just shrugged and scanned the bar as if looking for someone more interesting to talk to. Was she faking it or was she really not interested?

“So tell me more about your list of criteria. Does it leave room for . . . attraction? Passion?” I asked as my gaze trailed down her body. When I first saw her, I’d thought of her as pretty, but I could think of a thousand words more appropriate. She was way beyond pretty.

She rolled her eyes. “Love. Passion. Attraction. At best they are temporary feelings and at worst they lead to bad decision-making and horrible consequences.”

I couldn’t think of a response. I was hardly a proponent of emotion and feeling. It wasn’t me at all. But I wanted to dig deeper, understand a little more about why Skylar had come to such a conclusion—I was pretty sure she didn’t have SAS training as an excuse. So, what was it?

“And don’t think you’re going to convince me to change my mind—even with that accent and jawline.”

I was clear that Skylar hadn’t meant to admit that she was attracted to me. But it was all the encouragement I needed. “I don’t need to convince any woman to spend a night in my bed,” I replied, catching her small intake of breath as I spoke.

“Is that right?” she asked, her tone a little less confident than before.

“Believe it or not, women sleep with me even though I’m not a billionaire and don’t offer them a ring as soon as we meet.”

“Well, I guess that’s their lookout.”

“Maybe. Or perhaps they just think I look like a man who knows how to make a woman feel good.”

Beneath the polished beauty that Skylar wore so effortlessly, I could tell there were things she was hiding, scars that she covered with her story about having a checklist for a man. It might be true. But I had a feeling it was just a front, and I wanted to take her back to my hotel, undress her, and have her tell me all her secrets.

“You seem to be pretty sure of yourself,” she said, as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, pushing out her hip toward me, and I had to resist the urge to smooth my palm down her curves.

“I might be the lowest ranking member of the crew,” I said into her ear. “But believe me, I don’t fuck like a deckhand.”





Four





Skylar


Landon was everything to avoid—tall, super good looking, charming, and British.

I’d have to initiate my best defense.

“So how long have you known August?” he asked as we both glanced across the table as my best friend and her boyfriend tried and failed to keep their hands to themselves. Harvey was a decent enough guy. A summer fling. But then August didn’t know the consequences of succumbing to love and passion. She didn’t know what I knew.

“About two years. We met yachting. But what about you? You know all about my criteria, but I don’t know anything about you other than you were in the army with Harvey.”

“Yeah. I’ve not seen him in a while, but he doesn’t seem to have changed. He said yachting was fun, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

I laughed. Maybe my defenses wouldn’t have to be so strong. Landon was so not my type. I was attracted to serious, focused men rather than drifters. Not that I dated—but theoretically. “You thought you’d give it a try? Just like that? So since you left the army, you’ve been just going from job to job, giving stuff a try?”

Landon generously grinned at me. I was being a little provocative, but I wanted him to take the hint and find some other girl who would fall for those husky-like eyes and hard body. A strong jaw and wide, wide shoulders wasn’t enough to hold my interest. “I’ve been doing private security since leaving the army.”

“Like being a security guard and stuff?”

He shrugged. “That kind of thing.”

That would explain his body. He’d have to stay in shape for a job so physical. And it would probably mean he wouldn’t be a complete waste of time as a junior deckhand. He would likely have some common sense too.

“So your first season starts tomorrow?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’m looking forward to a change of pace. Five months floating on a luxury yacht. How hard can it be?”

“There’s a little more to do than stand around and look pretty,” I replied. Yacht work was hard, and this guy was clearly as green as they came.

Instead of getting irritated with me, Landon just chuckled. “Well, it’s good to know you think I’m pretty.”

“That’s not what I—” What was the point in denying it? The guy was gorgeous, and he clearly knew it. I took another sip of my second drink, then put it back on the tray. I didn’t want to get drunk. Not with temptation like Landon around.

“I have to pee,” August shouted across to me. “Come with me.”

I was happy to have a break from being close to Landon. It was nice a man so handsome was interested, but I needed to stay focused on my goal, and it was beginning to feel like I was on a double date.