Tempest Tossed: A Love Unexpected Novel

by Adams, Alissa

  When I spoke with a kiss, I willed it to be a different sort of kiss. I wanted her to feel something unrehearsed. I wanted to kiss her with fierce honesty that demanded nothing less in return. Half expecting her to wiggle away, I drew her tighter into my body as our mouths met. When her breasts pressed into me the warmth of her soft flesh lit two circles of fire on my skin.

  Her lips welcomed me just long enough for me to taste her. Then she put her delicate hands against my chest and shoved me hard. I had to catch the rail at the edge of the seaport's pool to stay on my feet.

  "What the hell do you think you're doing?" The edge in her voice was as sharp as one of her knives.

  "It's known as a kiss."

  "I know what it is. Have I given you any reason to think you can just force yourself on me?"

  "I had no intention of forcing anything on you! That’s not my style.” I was a little offended. “You were giving off all the right signals."

  "I'm sorry, Mister Cruz, but I think you flunked the class in female semaphore. I have a feeling that the simple fact of being a woman is signal enough for you."

  "You said I was 'hot as hell'! You said I had 'perfect bones'." I didn't mean for it to sound whiney, but it came out that way.

  "Did you miss everything else I said? Did you miss the part where I called you a spoiled brat? And a player?"

  "I was hoping I could change your mind."

  "With the mind-blowing awesomeness of your kisses? I think not. I told you I can't be bought. And working for you as a 'cook' doesn't mean you own me either."

  "Forgive me for thinking you might be attracted to me."

  "I am attracted to you. Who wouldn't be? But being shallow isn't one of my many issues. I'm also repulsed."

  "Isn't that a tad strong? I've been called a lot of things but never repulsive." That hurt. I turned my back to her and studied the sway of the water in front of me.

  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." Her voice pillowed down to a softer tone. "It's just that you're . . . you're just not my type."

  "What 'type' am I?" I said without turning to look at her.

  "You belong with the girls up on deck. They understand your world. I don't." She touched my arm tentatively. "Can I be honest with you?"

  "Please." I was hoping I'd be able to handle another dose of her honesty.

  Rene leaned against the rail she'd pushed me into and followed my gaze toward the water. "I've made some amazingly crappy choices when it comes to men. It's almost as though I'm drawn to guys who couldn't be worse matches for me. So, it's like a red flag when I meet someone . . . someone who . . ." I barely turned my head toward her but it was enough to see how flustered she was.

  "Turns you on?" Her blushing stammer gave me the courage to say it.

  "That's one way of putting it. An egotistical way, but one way."

  "Can we make a deal?" I took her shoulders and turned her to face me. Her whiskey eyes were enough to make a man drunk with desire. 'Sensitive' had never been my middle name as far as women went, but this time I knew without a doubt that hers was a potion to be sipped, not gulped.

  "What kind of deal?" She sounded suspicious and I guess I had given her reason to be.

  "The kind where you give me a chance."

  "I'm beginning to think that the best way to handle this is for me to say adios when we reach Paradise Island."

  "You can't mean that."

  "I sure can mean it." She walked a pace away from me, breaking my touch." Why should I subject myself to being chased around the proverbial desk by my boss—or my boss’s son, if you insist? You have been told we're in the 21st century, right? Between the crack about me being better looking than Angelo to the sex on the deck outside my window . . ."

  "Porthole."

  "Okay, porthole."

  "I think it's nice to call things by their proper names."

  "Well then, the proper name for what you are doing is known as 'sexual harassment'."

  "Oh come on."

  "You should count yourself lucky if all I do is abandon ship."

  "Okay, okay. I'm sorry I tried to kiss you."

  "You did kiss me."

  "It was the attempt I regret, not the event." She looked confused. "Look, I wish I hadn't rushed you. Wish I hadn't made you uncomfortable. But I won't lie and say I'm not glad to have done it."

  Rene put more space between us. Her face was unreadable. I wondered if I could have so completely misinterpreted her 'female semaphore' as she so cleverly put it. Was I just so used to women coming on to me that I figured every one of them was? If so, I was as unbelievably stuck on myself as she said I was.

  "Here's my deal, take it or leave it. You back down on the whole smexy whorehound routine while we cross the pond. At least take it somewhere other than my porthole or my galley and no more naked visits in the wee small hours, okay?"

  "What do I get out of it?" My question got the first real laugh I'd heard from her. It trilled like melodic bells through me. I wanted to make her laugh again and again.

  "You get a damn good cook. You get the opportunity not to have your sorry ass sued off for being such a macho jerk."

  At that point it felt like a stay of execution. It hadn't dawned on me that she could very well bolt when we reached the Bahamas. Once we were underway for the crossing, it wouldn't be nearly as easy for her to overreact. I had way overplayed my hand. Now I was going to have to crawl back from the rear. It was my mistake to try a tired routine with her. I hadn’t had a lot of practice being subtle with a woman. I’d never needed to be.

  I couldn't blame her for being leery of me. From the moment she'd stepped on board El Loco, I'd been alternately a snob, a sexist, and undoubtedly the kind of predator that the good Professors tried to keep well away from their fierce little kitten.

  Protesting that I was 'so much more' than what met her eye sounded hollow even when I said it in my head.

  Chapter 11—Rene

  The urge to run was intense. On a two hundred foot boat I was limited. I knew I sounded a lot stronger than I felt inside. Better to keep the act going than give in to the urge to hide. Maybe this was the universe's way of testing me to see if any lessons ever got through my thick head. 'Suck it up' had become my new battle cry. Hannah would be proud of me.

  "So, Mr. Cruz, are we finished here? I mean . . . do we understand each other?"

  "If you're asking me whether I will abide by your deal, then yes. But understand each other? Not even close." He shook his head at me and arched his eyebrows in an exaggerated expression of disappointment. "And I really would appreciate it if you'd call me Dylan. Every time you say 'Mr. Cruz, this nasty image of my father pops into my head."

  I was curious about the negative references to the senior Mr. Cruz. Both Stephen and Dylan had given me a clear picture that they held the man in low regard. I squashed my interest. It was a bad time to get into a conversation about anything as intimate as his family relationships. I needed to back off inside my head and in our interaction.

  "Okay, Dylan." I loved the name and wished I didn't. It was sharp. Sexy. It was the kind of name that felt dangerous when I said it.

  I headed for the elevator. To my relief he didn't stop me but I felt the sear of his eyes on my back. It made the few short steps I took seem like a mile. When I turned around to press the button he was leaning against the rail, corded arms crossed over his broad chest and a wistful trace of a smile on his face. The glass doors closed and our eyes stayed locked until I rose out of sight.

  I was grateful for the sanctuary of my room behind the galley. I was even more grateful when I looked out the porthole and saw that the two naked girls were gone.

  We'd been underway for almost three hours and the Atlantic was like glass. I didn't know how long it would take to get to Paradise Island. I hoped it would be soon. I wanted to get off the boat and take a walk. I needed a little time to think away from the aura of Dylan that filled every corner of El Loco. In spite of the 'deal' we'd struck, part of me
was still considering bailing on the job. Strangely, I found that I trusted him far more than I trusted myself. He did things to me that were hard to ignore.

  When I opened my laptop, I saw that Hannah was online too. Perfect. I typed her a message on ‘live chat’.

  Rene Waters U there?

  Hannah Caldwell Hey you! I miss you already. what’s up?

  Rene Waters Long story. Got time?

  Hannah Caldwell Y.

  Rene Waters Hot boss had 2 babes naked on deck, right outside my window… caught me watching.

  Hannah Caldwell Too funny!.

  Rene Waters Not funny. Anyway, he caught up with me later. Teased me about it. Then he wanted to know what I thought of him.

  Hannah Caldwell Did you tell him you thought he was hot?

  Rene Waters Actually, I did. But I also ripped into him for being a stuck on himself, a spoiled dick and a player.

  Hannah Caldwell RU insane?

  Rene Waters I'm beginning to think so.

  Hannah Caldwell Did he fire you?

  Rene Waters No, he kissed me.

  Hannah Caldwell WTF?????

  Rene Waters Then I shoved him away. Hard. Threatened to quit. Threatened to sue him.

  Hannah Caldwell OMG. You really are insane.

  Rene Waters It was a mess. He said I was giving him 'signals'. I swear, unless he's a mind reader I never gave any signals. I mean, he just assumed I’d be okay with it. Then I thought about Chef A-hole. All my bad choices. So I pushed him away. Told him I'd stay if he backed off.

  Hannah Caldwell But you hope he won't?

  Rene Waters I'm confused.

  Hannah Caldwell You’re confused? Let me call the Miami Herald. That's a headline.

  Rene Waters Very Funny. Not. He said things that made me weak. Mushy all over.

  Hannah Caldwell What did he say?

  Rene Waters He asked me if he could make me laugh, make me sigh. He asked me if he could make me beg him to do all the things a man can do to a woman.

  Hannah Caldwell. Oh. My. That's mush-worthy.

  Rene Waters I really don't want to make a fool of myself. I don't want to be used. But there's something about him that's different. Like what I'm seeing isn't all there is.

  Hannah Caldwell Advice?

  Rene Waters As usual. Shoot.

  Hannah Caldwell Play it cool. Don't mention any of it—the chicks, the pass—nothing. Do your job and see how things develop. You aren't afraid of him, are you? Like do you think he'd force himself on you?

  Rene Waters No, a guy like him doesn't need to force anything. He doesn’t seem the cave man type. But I'm a little afraid of how interested I am in him.

  Hannah Caldwell Where's the harm in being interested? Just don't go all crazy. Most of the drama in your life takes place right between your ears.

  Rene Waters My own worst enemy? Thanks, Mom.

  Hannah Caldwell Chill. Have fun. Enjoy your new job. Don't over think. Mountains & molehills, remember?

  Rene Waters You're right, as usual. When we dock, I'm going to take a long walk and enjoy the sunshine.

  Hannah Caldwell Good. You could use some rays.

  Rene Waters Catch up more with you soon!

  Hannah Caldwell Okay, take care.

  Rene Waters Oh forgot. We're on our way to London.

  Hannah Caldwell Way cool. xoxo

  As usual, Hannah's low-key calm eased my nerves. She was right about the mountains and the molehills. My best friend had a way of making me put on my big girl pants and get on with things. I couldn't count the number of times she'd brought me back to reality when my imagination started working overtime.

  I looked out the porthole and saw that Paradise Island wasn't far away. The sand colored buildings of the Atlantis Hotel rose from an impossibly crystalline ocean. Soon Stephen was maneuvering El Loco into a slip and we were docked.

  I studied the resort and came to a quick conclusion that it was like a Disney World for adults. Everything was spotlessly clean and in perfect order. Very pretty in a man-made way. Growing up in the continuous urban sprawl that was Florida's Gold Coast had nurtured a longing in me to experience a more natural world. Paradise Island was just a luxurious extension of the glitz of the mainland we just left.

  When I made the decision to try for a job on a boat one of the most appealing aspects was the promise of days at sea. As a child, turning east and knowing a vast ocean lay waiting there was a comforting thought. As dreary as the flat unbroken concrete of South Florida was, the ocean gave it an open side. I'd often wondered how much more stifling it would feel to live in a landlocked city.

  Minutes after we docked I saw Dylan and his three guests walking toward the marina complex. A steward trailed behind them with the girls' bags. From the number of suitcases it looked like they intended to stay a while.

  Dylan looked good with the ladies. He looked like he belonged with three lovelies surrounding him. His dark masculine looks made their fair beauty more appealing; their lithe bodies more feminine because they were gathered around his muscled frame.

  I sighed and pulled my eyes away from the sight. Like all 'ordinary' looking chicks, I often wondered what it would be like to look so mouth-wateringly perfect. What would it feel like to walk into a room and know that every set of eyes in the room was looking you over and giving you a ‘10’?

  I got to thinking about what the two girls had been doing each other on deck. I'd never so much as kissed another girl on the lips. The two women seemed happy to share each other and in front of Dylan. I felt naïve—unworldly—watching them. I wondered if he joined in their reindeer games. I knew having two girls was a big turn on for guys. He said nothing happened, but I didn’t know what to believe. All I knew is I wanted to believe him, in every way.

  Chapter 12—Dylan

  "Ladies, I hope you have a wonderful time at Atlantis." I had safely delivered my cousin and her pals to the lobby of the hotel. My duty done, I was anxious to shove off.

  "Aren't you going to have dinner with us?"

  "No, Phebes, we're going to get going early in the morning. I don't need to add a hangover and empty pockets to my morning."

  "But Dylan, we wanted you to be our lucky charm at the tables tonight. I'm going to lose my shirt." Shelly threw me a sweet little pouty-face that I was supposed to find convincing.

  "And I know you'll look great without it." I shot back. My mind wasn't on the girls. It was back on El Loco. With Rene. Trying to undo the damage I'd done by being an idiot. A jerk. Let's face it: a real dick.

  I walked back to the boat slowly. The midsummer sun was just dipping toward the horizon when I popped into a waterside bar for a drink. I've always been happiest in the long days of summer. My mother had fewer excuses to keep me out of the sunshine when the hot Florida rays beat down for nearly fifteen hours a day. She could hardly have claimed I'd 'catch a chill' when the air was topping ninety degrees.

  I sat down facing the docks and ordered my usual. Stephen gave me grief all the time over drinking the expensive vodka. He said it was purely a status symbol and that I couldn't pick out the Grey in a blind taste against the cheapest Polish swill out there. I proved him wrong one night when we both ‘tied one on’ but he claimed it was just dumb luck.

  The breeze picked up a little as the sun set. I nursed my drink slowly as I thought about the best approach to take with Rene. She was tougher than I first thought. She was certainly not overwhelmed by the 'hotness' she claimed to see in me, that's for damn sure. Kissing her had been a big mistake. I felt her body stiffen with something like fear or maybe just revulsion. But I wasn't threatening her. And, dammit, I did see something in her eyes and I did feel something between us. Then I screwed it up and she threw a brick wall right where the something had been.

  Midway through my second drink I had made up my mind to break the barrier by letting her know a little bit more about the whole 'rich playboy' act. I'd been playing the game for so long that it seemed I was too convincing. The real
est part of me was a fisherman and a boat keeper. El Loco was more of a job than a luxury. She wasn't a big business, but she needed all kinds of care, staff and maintenance and took a lot of time. It was a job I did in exchange for time on the water plus room and board. It was a cop-out; an excuse for not facing the real world challenges of a job. I wasn't proud of it. I wasn't proud of me.

  Wandering back to the dock, I made up my mind to leave Rene alone until there were plenty of miles between us, the Bahamas and the memory of my bad behavior. El Loco had her night lights on and rocked like a pretty girl swaying under the new stars. As I got closer, I could see the outline of two people sitting on the lounges of the foredeck.

  Stephen had told me he was going to spend the night gambling. Apparently another game was more interesting. I could make out the bells of her laughter as they talked. Stephen was a charming man. The quintessential nice guy. It took all of my will not to break their little party up before I went to bed. Stephen had been warned and Rene was wary. Nothing much to see, Dylan, move along.

  I checked on Lady D. who gave me a sleepy nod and curled back into her bed as I softly shut the door. I peeled my clothes off and hit the shower. The sheets were cool, my head was hot and the Goose did the job of sending me off to a dreamless sleep.

  We were out of sight of land by the time I came out of my stateroom. Lady D. gave me an earful of chatter for leaving her by herself until late morning. She shot up my body to her perch on my shoulder and bit me gently on the ear.

  "Grumpy this morning, Lady D?" I stroked her little body and she cooed her forgiveness. "Let's have a little walk-about. Maybe we'll find a den of gummi-bears somewhere." She knew that word alright, and broke into her she-devil smile.

  Until Lady D. came along, I had never had a pet. My mother wouldn't allow anything that produced 'dander' within fifty feet of Dawn and me. So I never knew the joy of loving and being loved by an animal. The capuchin was my first experience with unconditional love.