by Tia Wylder
“Damien, your brother took Emma to a wedding last night, isn’t that nice? She had such a good time,” Mom said, beaming happily.
A dark look crossed Damien’s face, and he rolled his eyes. “Kenny’s wedding, you mean? That guy was such a jerk.”
“Well, he’s done very well for himself,” Jack said archly. Jack reached for the morning paper and unfolded it crisply. “You could stand to learn a thing or two from your brother.”
Damien rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he said. “Emma, I have a surprise for you. Get dressed.”
I looked down and flushed. “Um, for what?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise,” Damien said smugly. “But bring sunscreen, and wear something you’ll be comfortable with.”
“Damien, up to your old tricks,” Mom said, but she said it kindly. “Emma, isn’t that nice? You really are getting close to the boys.”
Damien snorted. “About time I made acquaintance with my dear little sister,” he said, yawning and drinking his beer.
My cheeks burned bright red as I got to my feet. “Stepsister,” I mumbled under my breath.
Damien grinned at me. “We’re all family, who cares about labels,” he replied, smirking at me.
Oh my god, why does he automatically know how to push all my buttons, I wondered as I left the kitchen and climbed up the stairs. Just being around Damien made my palms sweat and my heart race. And where is he taking me?
I shivered with pleasure as I imagined being alone with Damien again, having passionate, intense sex until I was too tired to move. Was that what he was thinking, too?
Once I was in my room, I went into the adjacent bathroom and brushed my teeth, brushed my hair, and washed my face. I put on a light touch of natural make-up – just blush and a little eyebrow gel with lip balm – and then got dressed in my favorite sundress. I took a bottle of sunscreen from the counter and slipped it into my purse.
A thrill of excitement ran through me as I skipped down the stairs. With Damien, I had no idea what he was thinking. He was the exact opposite of open, friendly Derek.
I had to admit, it made him so intriguing. I wanted to know everything about Damien.
“I’m ready,” I said, once I was back in the kitchen.
Damien got to his feet. He polished off the last of his beer, then tossed the can into the recycling.
“I’ll have Emma back later,” Damien told my mother, smirking. “She should still be in one piece.”
“Bye Mom, bye Jack,” I blushed. “I’ll be back later.”
Damien guided me outside and into his flashy sports car.
“Where are we going?” I asked as I buckled myself in. Part of me was hoping that Damien would wrap an arm around me and pull me into a passionate kiss until I realized we were still easily in sight of Mom and Jack.
Damien raised an eyebrow. “Come now, Emma. If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
“I guess you’re right.”
Damien smirked as he put the car into gear and shot away from the curb with such force that I gripped the interior handle on my door.
“Oh my gosh, slow down!”
Damien looked over at me and grinned. He made no secret of letting his eyes slide down my body and ogle my breasts. I flushed – I loved knowing that his piercing eyes were on me.
“I’m a good driver, Emma,” Damien said casually. “So, you went on a date with Derek last night? How was that?”
“I don’t know if it was a date, exactly. He just took me a wedding – he said he didn’t know anyone there.”
“Ah, yes, Kenny,” Damien shook his head. “The biggest drip to ever earn his MBA.” He snickered. “That guy was an asshole then, and I bet he’s an asshole now.”
“I didn’t actually meet him,” I said. “The wedding was huge.”
“Yeah, I’m not surprised,” Damien said dryly. “That bastard loved to show off.”
“Oh,” I murmured.
Damien drove on in silence. When he slowed to a stop, I frowned.
“Where are we?” I looked out the window and didn’t see anything.
“We’re pulling up to the yacht club, but don’t worry – we’re not going inside,” Damien said. He smoothly navigated the car inside a large parking lot staffed by uniformed attendants. They looked sweaty and miserable in the late afternoon sun, and I felt a wave of pity. Even though I’d gotten used to having Jack’s money, it didn’t really feel like my money.
“So, what are doing here?” I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. “It’s so hot outside!”
“Just be patient,” Damien said. “Come with me.” He handed his keys over to one of the uniformed men, then led me along a small path paved with broken seashells. It was beautiful. Women and men passed by in elegant summer clothing, and I suddenly wished that I’d worn something more formal.
“Okay,” Damien said. “Close your eyes and come with me?”
“What? That’s ridiculous,” I laughed. “I’m going to fall and break my ankle!”
“Give me your hand,” he grinned mischievously. “I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”
I flushed as I put my fingers against his. Damien led me down the path and onto uneven grass. I was afraid, and I clutched at his hand, but he kept me steady and balanced.
After a few minutes, sweat broke out over every inch of my body. The sun was relentless. I wished that I’d brought a bottle of water.
“Okay,” he slowed to a stop. “You can look now.”
When I opened my eyes, I gasped. A huge sailing yacht was docked right in front of us. It looked like something from the movies.
“What is this?” I asked in wonder. “Is this yours?”
Damien nodded. “Yep. Twenty-first birthday present from my old man. The Queen of Sails,” he added, pointing to the fancy gold lettering on the back.
“Cute name,” I laughed.
Damien rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I think Dad just wanted to make sure I didn’t forget about my…responsibilities,” he twisted his mouth into a scowl. “Either way, she’s a beaut. Come on.”
I followed Damien up a gangplank and onto the Queen of Sails. The surface was white and gleaming, and I was tempted to run my hand over the smooth perfection.
I’d never been on a boat before – well, not really. After I had graduated from high school, I’d gone on a “dinner cruise” with my classmates, but it had been stormy and rainy that night – the ship hadn’t even left the dock. It had been a colossal disappointment.
But being here – just being with Damien – was already thrilling. And I couldn’t believe how nice he was…it was easily the kindest he’d ever been. I shivered when I thought about him learning of what Derek and I had done the night before.
Would he hate me?
“I thought we could have a light dinner and sail around,” Damien said. “I have staff on board – so I don’t have to sail, I can sit with you.” He ushered me forward and pointed towards a spread of delicious canapes and appetizers. My stomach rumbled, and I blushed as I lowered myself down into a plush deck chair.
“This is so nice,” I murmured.
A smiling man in uniform bent over me with a tray of cocktails and wine. “Drink, madam?”
I flushed. “Yes, please,” I reached for a glass of white wine. “Thank you.”
The man bowed stiffly, then held the tray to Damien.
“We’d like to sail for about three hours, Charles,” Damien said. “Thank you.”
I wouldn’t have admitted it for all the canapes in the world, but watching the powerful way Damien spoke to his servants made me wet. He’s so alpha, I thought, a chill running down my spine. He could tell someone to do anything, and they’d do it! Something about Damien was terrifying and very sexy at the same time – I couldn’t explain, but watching the way he controlled the world around him was a huge turn-on.
“So, like it?” Damien asked with a smirk.
“Oh my gosh, yes,” I said. “I can�
��t believe this. How come I didn’t know you had a yacht?”
Damien shrugged. “Probably because I didn’t want you inviting other people to use it,” he said. “Not that I think that now,” he added. He wrinkled his nose. “I didn’t really know anything about you for a long time.”
I bit my lip and nodded. “Yeah,” I said slowly. “I know that.”
“But you’re starting to grow on me,” Damien said archly as he reached for the tray of canapes. “Date stuffed with bleu cheese and bacon?”
I plucked one from the tray and popped it into my mouth. A delicious blend of creamy and greasy flavors settled on my tongue and I sighed.
“This is heavenly,” I said.
“I have a private chef,” Damien said. “He comes over to my condo daily and prepares meals, so he made this spread for me when I thought about taking you out.”
I blushed. “How…Damien, how did you know I would say yes?”
Damien raised an eyebrow and gestured around. The yacht had departed from the dock, and we were sailed into the pure, blue waters of the Atlantic.
“Could you really resist this?” Damien asked as he reached for a bite of mango and red pepper on toast. “I mean, being on the water always soothes me. I don’t know how you are, but this is how I find my center.”
For a moment, I was tempted to ask how stressed he really was – after all, from what Derek and Jack said, Damien had barely worked a day in his life. No, I realized. This is nice. Don’t spoil it.
"I can see that,” I said slowly, breathing in the sea air. The sensation of gliding over the waves was so relaxing, and suddenly I understood why rich people liked boats so darn much.
“So,” Damien said. “What’s going on in your life?” He smirked at me, and I flushed.
“Not much,” I admitted. “I mean, I’m fine, I guess. Just school, you know.”
Damien laughed. “So this must be a real banner day for you, huh?”
I bit my lip. “I didn’t mean it like that,” I said quickly. “It’s just…you know, my life is nowhere near as exciting as yours.”
“Well, I didn’t ask because I wanted you to make a comparison,” Damien said. “I asked because I wanted you to tell me what you’ve been up to.”
I took a sip of my white wine. “I’m trying to think of what I want to do when I graduate,” I said.
“You should stay in school for as long as you can,” Damien said lazily. He locked eyes with me, and a shiver crawled down my spine. “Because the real world sucks, and you should definitely find a way to avoid it if you can.”
I burst out laughing. “How can you possibly say that? How can you, of all people, say the real world sucks? You’re totally loaded!”
“No, my dad is,” Damien said. He sighed moodily. “It’s not mine, and it never will be. He already made up his mind long ago – Derek is the favorite son, not me.”
I frowned.
“Besides,” Damien said, looking at me over the tops of his sunglasses and raising an eyebrow. “I don’t have everything I want.”
“Oh really?” I laughed skeptically. “What do you want, then?”
Damien climbed out of his deck chair, then walked over to me slowly with his eyes locked on mine. An electric thrill shot through my body and my heart sped up, thumping rapidly in my chest. When Damien reached my chair, he dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead against mine.
“Because sometimes I want things that are awfully out of reach,” Damien growled. I shivered with anticipation as he put his arms around my waist and pulled me out of the chair. I landed on his lap, my legs spread around his muscular abdomen.
For a moment, we stayed like that. Then Damien closed his eyes and kissed me deeply, his tongue slipping into my mouth. I moaned softly before wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him even closer. Inside my cotton dress, my nipples were stiff and the delicious way they rubbed against the soft fabric was driving me wild. I could feel that I was getting wet between the legs. Damien tangled one hand in my hair and gently yanked, sending just the right of pain through my body. It mingled with the pleasure I felt, and I moaned again, nibbling on Damien’s lower lip as we kissed.
“God, Emma, you’re so sexy,” Damien growled. He pulled away and nudged my chin up before kissing and biting all over my neck. It felt so good that I couldn’t help but moan again, biting my lower lip as pleasure filled my body.
Damien slid his hands down my back and squeezed my ass. A strangled cry of pleasure escaped my mouth, and soon, I was grinding against his pelvis. My cotton dress was riding higher and higher, and my arousal was growing stronger. I could feel that Damien’s cock was erect and hard through his pants, and I blushed hotly at the thought of him fucking me right here, in broad daylight.
“Mmm, Emma,” Damien purred. He pulled away and took my face in his hands, kissing me gently. “You’re so hot.”
I flushed. As much as I wanted to sleep with him, I didn’t want his yacht staff knowing.
“I don’t know that we should right now,” I said softly, looking around at the cerulean blue ocean. “I mean, your staff.”
Damien snorted. “They don’t care.”
I bit my lip. “Well, I do,” I said primly. “I don’t want them thinking you’ve brought some…scarlet woman on board.”
Damien threw his head back and laughed, shaking his head. “You’re something else, you know that?” He snickered. “That’s what I like about you, Emma. I never know what you’ll do next.”
He gently pushed me to the side and climbed to his feet, stretching. I tried not to look at his crotch, but I couldn’t help noticing that he was still hard. Adrenaline and lust were still coursing through my veins, and for a moment, I regretted turning him down. I’m going to be hot and bothered for the rest of the day, I thought. But it wasn’t a bad thing – it made me feel sexy and confident. I just knew that as soon as I got in bed that evening, thoughts of Damien’s sultry kisses would fill my head.
“Me, really?” I asked, reaching for a canape. Damien settled down next to me and lay with his head in my lap, his eyes closed against the glare of the sun.
“Yeah,” Damien said. “You’re a cipher.”
I laughed. He has to be kidding, I thought as I stroked a hand through his silky dark hair. I’m an open book compared to him!
For a long time, the only sound in my ears was the roar of the ocean around us. My head filled with thoughts – what was Damien doing with me? Was he toying with me? Leading me on?
Or – and I almost didn’t like this possibility, because it made things much more complex – did he actually like me? Did he enjoy spending time with me? Was he trying to date me?
“Um, Damien,” I said softly, clearing my throat. “What exactly are we doing together?”
“Right now? We’re on the Queen of Sails, enjoying ourselves,” Damien said lazily. “And I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my afternoon,” he added.
“No,” I said slowly. “I mean, you and me. What are we doing together?”
Damien shrugged. “I don’t really know,” he said after a long pause. “I don’t really do this. Relationships, I mean.”
“Oh.” The word was surprisingly painful to say.
“But I feel drawn to you, Emma,” Damien continued. “Like I can’t stay away from you.”
I flushed and tilted my head up to face the sun, glad he couldn’t see my red cheeks.
“What does that mean, exactly?” I asked softly.
“I…I don’t know,” Damien said. “I’m sorry. I can’t really give you an answer, not right now.”
Tears filled my eyes, and I blinked, reaching up to wipe them away from Damien could see that I was crying. I was so confused – I’d never been this lost in my life. I felt like I was falling in love with Damien. And while part of me wanted to run away, I didn’t think I could force myself to do that. Just like Damien said he was drawn to me, I too was drawn to him.
And I suddenly knew that I’d ra
ther be heartbroken than pragmatic if it meant spending as much time with Damien as humanly possible.
Chapter Six
I was so busy the next week that I didn’t see much of Damien or Derek. Jack was working extra long hours at Empire Mesa, and Mom couldn’t stop fretting about him.
“He’s straining himself much too hard,” Mom said, glancing out the window for what felt like the fifth time that evening. “I don’t know how one man could cope with that level of stress, but he won’t relax no matter what I tell him!”