Seductive Memory

by Altonya Washington

“Around.” Barker laughed easily, but kept the gesture brief. “I was taking a call.”

  “Ouch.” Linus made a face. “I thought Tig, Eli and I would be the only ones saddled with work during this trip. Looks like it’s riding you the hardest though. What gives, man?” Again, Linus spread his hands. “As a loyal WPXI viewer, I believe I have a right to know.”

  Barker shared his grin again, but it was brief. “It’s still a hush-hush deal, but they want me to pull back from some of my duties at the station. They want me to pull all the way back.”

  “They?” Linus prodded, nodding when Barker only stared. “Why? They’ve never interfered with your work before.”

  Barker shrugged. “I guess after all these years—all the times I’ve refused when they’ve encouraged me to let stuff go—guess this time they’ve come across something they can’t let slide.”

  “What the hell’s goin’ on, B?” Linus didn’t mind showing his elevated concern. “The truth now, man. Is this about what you told us at dinner? Your reporters going over and beyond to get certain witnesses to talk?”

  Barker nodded and went to perch along the cream stone ledge of the patio. There, he studied the foamy waves desperately trying to cling to the shoreline. “They’re being more aggressive than usual, but that tends to happen when a boss they like starts getting death threats.”

  “Death threats? Bar—”

  “Calm down, calm down.” Barker waved off his friend’s worry. “Do you know how often I have to deal with this kind of mess in my line of work?”

  “But never so much that your bosses would want you to step back, or that your staff would act out to get to the bottom of a story.”

  Again, Barker waved off the possibility. “There hasn’t even been an actual threat, but based on what I’ve uncovered with this story, they think the potential is there. Can you believe that? All this because of potential?”

  Linus’s expression turned sly. “Is that why you’ve been keeping a gentleman’s distance from Ray? Because of the potential that this story could bring more to the table?”

  Barker smiled in return. “You’re one to ask me about keeping ‘gentleman’s distances,’ with Paula working around the villa all day and you cooped up here.”

  “Don’t change the subject.” A slice of Linus’s earlier frustration was back.

  Barker’s expression darkened again. “If I go there with her, Line, the way I want to... I won’t be able to stay away from her when we get back to Philly. Anyway, I think everybody’s getting all panicked here for nothing.”

  “So it just comes down to you not wanting to take a chance with her?”

  Barker let his shrug suffice for a yes.

  “I get that.” Linus considered what he’d been mulling over regarding unconditional love.

  “The truth of it is my safety concerns aren’t even at the top of the list for me keeping my distance.” Barker joined Linus to stare out over the water.

  “Care to share?” Linus caught the wince Barker hadn’t been quick enough to mask. “Okay, now you’ve got to.” He watched his friend launch the same kind of pensive stalk around the patio Linus had been in the midst of moments earlier.

  “At first all I wanted was to sleep with her, and now...”

  “You’ve had the chance to get to know her.”

  Barker winced again, adding a smirk. “Ought to be a law against women that beautiful having intelligence to match.”

  “Yeah...but it still wouldn’t matter,” Linus gave in to a smirk of his own. “We’d be tortured just the same.”

  Barker grinned, but soon sobered. “There’s no reason for you to be tortured, is there? Me, on the other hand... Ray isn’t a woman a man could let go of once he has her. A guy could fall in love with her quick, and that scares the hell out of me.”

  Barker shook his head suddenly and drew to his full height. “Fix this with Paula, man. Whatever it is. But if you think fixing it means keeping your distance from her, you’re wrong. You love her and that’s not changin’.” He spread his hands. “All distance will do is toss you right back into the rage we’ve watched you battle—you don’t deserve that. Neither does she.” Barker patted Linus’s shoulder as he made his way past.

  * * *

  “This place is definitely turning my brain to mush.” Paula balled her fists when she arrived at the end of the pier to find who she suspected would be the only other passenger aboard the Idella for the evening cruise her best friend had raved about earlier.

  Paula took a second to damn Sophia for her betrayal and then released a resigned sigh. She took the ramp leading to the main deck where Linus waited. “It’s definitely time for me to quit my job. I’m starting to fall for the weakest lines,” she said.

  “My lines?” Linus guessed.

  “Oh no, I’m referring to your partner in crime—Sophie,” she tacked on to clarify.

  Linus chuckled. “Don’t be mad at her. I’m to blame for the plans changing at the last minute.”

  “What happened to you walking away?” Paula asked once she’d processed his words.

  “I reconsidered—realized it wouldn’t work to let it go that way.”

  She nodded, still processing everything. “And what way would work for you?”

  “A way that doesn’t include letting you go,” he said, as though she should’ve known that.

  “What about not making me compromise?”

  “I don’t expect you to.”

  They were interrupted before Linus could say more.

  “Apologies, Mr. Brooks. We’re about to cast off if that’s alright.”

  “That’s fine.” Linus closed the distance to Paula and took her bag. “Take care of this, will you?” he asked the crew member.

  “Linus—”

  “It’ll be alright,” he promised with an easy smile. “I don’t want us interrupted tonight.”

  “L, I talked to Professor Bormann.”

  His expression remained easy as he asked if there was anything new.

  “Nothing except the next file of photos she’s sending.”

  “Woman’s dedicated,” Linus commended.

  “Yeah.” Paula smiled. “She doesn’t give up easy when she thinks she’s got just cause.”

  “We’re still talking about her nephew, Paula. A lot of women would let it go—give the guy a pass. She could still go that route.” Linus paused, considering. “This is her nephew on her husband’s side, right?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  Linus shrugged. “Maybe if the relation was closer...”

  Her smile was a knowing one. “All women aren’t the soft-hearted type, Line.”

  “Yeah...”

  His hushed tone had her tilting her head out of curiosity. Paula didn’t question him.

  “Professor B said there’d be more candid shots in this next batch. Are you sure you haven’t recognized him from the earlier files?” she asked. “Miranda Bormann’s first email included property shots from her husband’s estate as well as several headshots of Hayden Bormann.” Still, nothing had sparked recognition for Linus or his partners.

  “I’m not lying to you, P. I’ve never met the man.” Linus’s voice still held its hushed chord.

  “But your staff’s still digging.”

  He frowned then. “Well, hell yes. You never know what more there could be to the story.”

  “No.” Paula’s smile seemed sad. “No you don’t. So what’s the plan for tonight?” she asked, before the conversation had lingered too long in dismay. “I haven’t packed anything, so if you’re thinking of sailing to Havana I may need some stuff.”

  “You’d do that? Come away with me that far—just like that?”

  She gave a flimsy shrug. “Depends on what I’d get out of it.”

  “I could make it worth your while.”


  “How?”

  “Actions...words...”

  “Words? Will you elaborate?”

  “Later.” Linus tilted his head toward the bow of the vessel. “I think the sun deserves our attention right now.”

  Paula agreed and happily gave herself over to the view. Yes, the sun most certainly deserved their attention. Its beauty bordered on blinding, between the glow and heat. The words were no exaggeration and yet, she wondered if they had come to mind because of the view or the man she enjoyed it with.

  Slowly, Paula moved over to the bow rail. Linus joined her there soon after. They stood that way for a while before he shifted to stand behind her and secured her between himself and the railing. His hands folded on either side of her along the gleaming chrome bar of the rail.

  “Linus.” His name was a soft warning on her lips. “We aren’t alone.”

  “We’re about to be.” His words were a murmur as his mouth traveled the slope of her neck. His lips were coaxing and soft as gossamer.

  Paula tried to turn, questions on her mind. Linus wouldn’t let her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Don’t worry, the crew won’t be too far away.”

  “Too far? Anyplace not in this boat is too far, Line.”

  Her anxiety had him chuckling, but his mouth never eased its journey along her nape and shoulders.

  “L—”

  “Hush.”

  Skillful fingers worked their way into the folds of her wrap. Shimmery emerald, midnight blue and hunter green material draped her curvy frame. Prepared for an evening aboard a yacht with a group of women, Paula hadn’t selected sexy attire. What was the point when the night was about lazing away with girlfriends? She was regretting not being more selective then—almost.

  His fingers were addictive. She could honestly never get enough of his touch. Especially when it visited its current location. With great effort, she managed to battle past arousal to recall her concerns.

  “Where—” she gasped when the pad of his middle finger applied a maddening stroke to the middle of her panties “—where’s the crew going?”

  “They’re already gone.” Linus put a staying hand to her hip when he felt her jerk in response.

  Paula stilled when she realized the vessel was no longer at the dock, but almost in the center of the bay. She noticed a small speedboat heading ashore.

  “Wh—”

  “That’s for later,” Linus said once he’d shushed her.

  “What’s for now?” she managed.

  “Depends on you,” he said. “The crew won’t be back ’til I call them, when we’re ready for dinner.”

  “And when’s that?”

  “When we’re done here. We at least have to finish watching the sunset.”

  “I, um...” Paula had the feeling that if she remained much longer with Linus on the deck, she wouldn’t be interested in the sunset. “I’m fine with watching it from wherever we’re going to have dinner.”

  “The plan is to eat outdoors, but I’m not sure you’re dressed for it.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be an idiot.” He smirked. “Everything’s set, and I think we’ll be fine outside.”

  “Where you’ve got some elaborating to do.”

  “Words and actions—I haven’t forgotten, Paula.”

  “How much longer will you make me wait?”

  Linus inclined his head toward the horizon. “Sun’s still doin’ its thing.”

  Once more, Paula was drawn to the sky in its myriad shades of blue and purple. “I like the way you go all out when it comes to your elaborating.”

  “I hope you know that’s not all I have in mind.” He crowded her against the railing, his mouth descending onto her nape. Both hands disappeared beneath the wrap knotted at her hip.

  Massaging her waistline, Linus kissed his way across Paula’s shoulders and down her back. His tongue dragged her spine. Paula fought to keep her lashes apart, but even in the face of the exquisite sunset, that proved to be an impossible feat. His kisses returned to her nape, his fingers massaging apart the wrap material until her bikini bottom was again the only barrier separating him from his prize.

  “Linus—”

  “Shh...it’s not time for words yet.”

  Paula was fine with that, as words failed her miserably then. Her head fell back to his shoulder when both his middle fingers found their way inside her body. Lashes fluttering anew, she tried to keep her eyes open against the onslaught of heavy sensation.

  Paula felt mesmerized, drugged even. The pleasure was that rich. Enhanced by the bewitching sunset, the pleasure struck her even more potently. Her climax hit within moments of his fingers teasing her folds to lay claim to the part of her that was already wetting his skin. The skies were darkening as she shattered for him. She became a quaking mass that hungered for more of the arousal only he could summon.

  Chapter 11

  To Paula’s disappointment, Linus put the arousal only he could summon on hold. Her shattering climax barely scratched the surface of what she craved from him.

  It would have to wait though. Paula hoped it was only a matter of waiting, and that the passing moment wasn’t completely lost to them. It could be, she knew. Especially once he told her what he needed to elaborate on. She prayed it wasn’t more nonsense about him letting her go for her sake.

  He’d said he’d reconsidered that, which only left her mind scrambling to latch on to new reasons. Linus didn’t want to let her go though and that made her happy, despite the voice that said it wasn’t quite time to toss caution to the wind.

  Following the all-too-brief moment of erotic bliss on deck, he’d directed her to a nearby powder room. He’d told her the crew would be on their way back shortly, leaving Paula to wonder why they’d left in the first place. Then she’d realized their “brief” interlude on deck had lasted over a half hour. Still, to have the crew leave the vessel...had Linus been trying to protect her modesty? Did he have more fun planned for them? Paula squeezed her eyes shut, ordering her thoughts to give it a rest. She knew the man well enough to know he was a master at keeping her off kilter. He’d always been full of surprises, which had been one of the things she’d loved about him.

  Paula had mourned her loss of such surprises—those off-kilter moments in her life. In a profession that required the ability to anticipate every surprise, it would’ve been nice to enjoy a private life where shake-ups of the delightful variety were possible.

  Was she on the verge of recapturing that lost element? She hoped so. Now that she had Linus back in her life, she didn’t want to lose him. Dammit! That was the one place she hadn’t wanted to find herself when this all started. She wouldn’t deny the truth though. She didn’t want to lose him a second time.

  Paula took a moment to summon calm to soothe her ragged thoughts. The powder room, like the rest of the yacht, was a relaxing space. The wide oval mirror flattered the reflection even as it provided soft lighting from the small bulbs encircling it. The plush white rug beneath her feet was a beautiful contrast against the chestnut brown walls and gold fixtures. She curled her toes into its thickness and took solace in the small luxury.

  She wouldn’t lose him a second time, she vowed. Even if it did mean compromising herself to do it. This wasn’t about avoiding uncomfortable truths—not completely. The simple fact was that the man she still loved had real horrors from his past. And they affected his present. She had witnessed those effects firsthand during the brief time they’d been back in each other’s lives.

  Paula had come to the conclusion that she didn’t care to have him revisit such a past. She could do without the explanations or elaborations she felt she was owed if it meant sparing him a return to something that unsettled him that way.

  What she wanted was time—time they’d been brutally robbed of. If expla
nations of the past surfaced in the midst of it, well, she’d take what she could get.

  * * *

  Paula discovered the crew had other reasons for leaving the yacht beyond giving her and Linus their privacy. The small speedboat she’d witnessed heading for shore had been transporting the crew to the spot where they were getting things prepared for a candlelit dinner along the shore.

  The dinner, however, was only part of what had Paula speechless when Linus escorted her from the Idella. A large tent had been erected some twenty feet behind the intimately set table for two. Despite the aromas that had her stomach churning from hunger, she was more interested in finding out what was behind the closed beige and black construction.

  Linus smoothly directed her path, keeping her on course toward the dinner table.

  “What are you up to, L?” Paula queried slyly as though she didn’t really expect him to tell her.

  “Elaboration,” was all he’d say, and waved toward the table.

  They sat and were served by the dutiful crew. To drink, it was a fragrant wine for Paula, one of Linus’s preferred foreign brews for him. They drank in silence for a while. Once again, their eyes were both fixed on the sky that was aglow with hordes of stars.

  Paula reveled in the sight, tossing her head back toward the night breezes her gaze took a lazy scan of the heavens. When she risked a glance to see if Linus was as riveted as she was, his eyes were on her face.

  The crew began to serve while he started his story.

  “She could’ve left us to be raised by anyone in the family,” he said of his grandmother who took in him and his brother following the deaths of their parents in a chartered plane crash.

  “Anyone would’ve taken us,” Linus continued, his fierce features appearing more intense in the wake of the memory. “They all knew how much we mattered to her—knew her money would one day be our money—but she wanted to be the one to raise us.” He studied the night view and shook his head. “Some in the family said it was because she wanted to make up for the time she and my granddad spent building the family business.”

  Paula nodded, recalling that the Brooks owned a chain of textile factories across the northeast. Today, only a few members of the family were needed on hand for day-to-day management, as the businesses were so well envisioned they practically ran themselves.