by Louisa Neil
“Just what kind of idea do you have, Charlie?”
“Wait and see it tomorrow. If you think I’m crazy, too, maybe I’ll drop it, but it couldn’t hurt to have a fresh view on the project. Nothing major, a small project in the scheme of things.”
“In other words, wait and see what you want me to help you talk Rae into doing?”
“Just offering a ride in the morning.”
“In other words, don’t mention it to Rae if I run into her?”
“Seems to me, these days she’s locked up in the office more than usual, if that’s possible. I’m not asking you to lie to her, just hear me out before you take her side.”
“I’ll accept your ride in the morning, but I’m not here to take sides between a father and his daughter, especially when it comes to their business and how it’s run. Agreed?”
“Agreed. I’ll meet you at the stable after breakfast, say ten-ish?”
“Fine.” Alan stayed seated as Charlie headed for the door. Now what has he involved me in. “See you tomorrow.”
“Night, Alan.” Alan watched as the older man slowly walked away. Only the glowing tip of his cigar could be seen in the darkness. Not bothering to turn on any of the lights, Alan finished his cigar while watching the fire glow. He tossed the butt into the dying embers, forcing himself to head upstairs to bed. Tonight when he closed his eyes to jerk off, the image was different. He thought about Rae using a dildo on him, or maybe it was Eric’s cock fucking him while he leaned over Rae and fucked her ass. Before long, he rolled onto his side, using his finger to penetrate his anus. The more vivid the idea became, the quicker his hand pumped his cock and slid in and out of his ass. He came, exhausted and in a sweat. “That’s new,” he said aloud, not sure where the ideas and visions had come from. This was a new way of thinking for Alan. In his past, he was strictly hetero. Suddenly he was wondering about toys and who would be using them on him. He’d never fantasized about another man’s cock up his butt.
Charlie had greeted him with his usual, easygoing smile as they mounted the horses that morning, talking about the weather and the island, mostly in the old days when it was just a hunter’s retreat. When they veered off the path, he was shown through a thicket of pine trees to the southeast side of the island. There he found himself surrounded with nature in its purest form. Nothing had been touched on these acres for years. The brush was thick enough to give the horses some trouble. As they picked their way to the shore, Charlie finally told him why he was there.
“This section isn’t suitable for living quarters. It’s too far away from the rest of the resort and has been left to nature. My idea was to start a fish hatchery. It would supply our restaurants with food and, if it did well, could supply some of the local restaurants on the mainland with fresh fish.”
Alan had held back a smile while listening to Charlie talk, knowing he was holding back his grand idea of shipping his fresh fish all over the country.
“The acreage is available. Only Rae can’t see the bigger picture of farm-fresh catch being shipped daily.” With a wave of his hand, he continued to explain. “The tanks could go there, the pumping station somewhere over there. Having fresh sea water so close would solve many of the logistical problems.”
Alan knew it would take a lot of planning and capital to start a hatchery, let alone the environmental permits and regulations that they would have to adhere to. He didn’t even let himself think about the problems of shipping the product or of a fleet of vehicles to make deliveries locally. He heard Charlie out, listening to his ideas on the ride back. He remained completely noncommittal, thanking him for the tour.
Back on the public side of the island, Alan relaxed at the ocean front. He accepted a second beer from the waiter while wondering if he could use fiberglass for the holding tanks or if concrete would be better. Laughing at himself, he saw the shadow her body made as it approached, before he actually saw her. Straightening in his seat, he decided to wait and see what her approach would be before offering any opinion of his own.
“How was your ride?” Rae asked as she sat on the bench beside him. He stared at the water, instead of her as he wanted to. Her typical uniform of jeans and canvas jacket was only slightly enhanced by the dark-blue T-shirt she wore. Her hair was pulled back from her face but not as severely as it usually was. Maybe it was just because it was late afternoon, or because it was his second beer on an empty stomach, but the sight of her made him want to touch her. She made him want to feel the soft skin of her cheek beneath his fingers. Pushing back the thought, he smiled as she sat.
Rae knew something was up when she saw them leave on horseback. Watching them head down the private path, her worst fears were confirmed. Now it was time to dispel any dreams of grandeur that had been placed in Alan’s head.
“Interesting, to say the least. I had no idea the island was so big.” He was skirting the issue, and they both acknowledged it with a smile, hers a bit terser than his. From her perspective, he was having too much fun at her expense. She wondered if he would tell her the truth about their trip if she asked. “Your father is quite a man. He sees things most people would rather walk past.”
“Unfortunately, while his ideas are usually good, he just doesn’t stop to think them through enough to see the long-term price tag.” The waiter appeared again, handing Rae a similar bottle of beer, checking on Alan’s before he disappeared. “Did he take you to the east side of the island?”
“Yes, he did.” Alan took a long pull from the bottle before putting it aside. “He’s got the acreage, and the idea is a good one. Fish hatcheries are known for their consistency in product. Once a market was established, it could be quite profitable.”
“I agree, except for the numbers. It would take a long time to show a profit, what with building costs and permits, shipping, and, of course, flying the product to the markets. Then there’s always the problem of something happening to the fish themselves. Besides disease, there are hurricanes and tropical storms to contend with, not to mention the FDA and their requirements.” She let out a long sigh and then tipped back her own bottle, taking a large unladylike pull from it. “I always agreed that a hatchery was a good idea. What Charlie doesn’t understand is, besides the start-up costs and the management, there would have to be employees both here on the island and on the mainland, and the…” The rest of her words were lost as Alan’s lips slowly closed over hers. She saw his movement but was lost in her thoughts. Rae thought he moved to take his drink, not to gather her into his arms to kiss her.
His lips just grazed hers, still moist from the beer they were drinking. He didn’t plunder into her mouth, rather teased and explored her lips. He held her head close to his with one large hand. She could have moved away easily, and he knew it. The fact that she didn’t said a lot to both of them. Alan pulled back, letting his eyes meet hers. He said nothing, his eyes asking for permission to continue. When Rae didn’t move, he took it as a positive answer and drew her to him once again. This time his lips covered hers, the tip of his tongue tracing the line of her lips. When she parted them, he slipped into her waiting warmth, tentative at first, exploring.
Rae should have pulled away, could have but didn’t. For almost two weeks, she’d been preoccupied with the man. She hoped his kiss would close the door for her. She’d assumed he’d be forceful, but his tenderness struck something deep within her. Inside, she went warm, a flow of heat running from his tongue to her core. Her hand came up to his cheek, her fingers stroking lightly. Alan took her movement as a sign of encouragement and deepened the kiss. Rae responded by pulling his head toward her, closing the space of their upper bodies until her breasts rested against his chest. Still, he hadn’t plundered into her mouth. Instead, he let out a low growl from deep within him. It was Alan who broke away first, resting his chin on the top of her head. With several deep, ragged breaths behind them, he finally tried to speak. She refused to look around and see who witnessed their kiss. Employees and guests were millin
g all around the area.
“Rae.”
She moved to pull her hand from his cheek, but his free hand held her in place. “Please, not yet.” Pulling back slightly, he glanced down at her. He pulled her face up to his, taking a second leisurely taste of her before letting her go. “Should I stop?” he finally managed to ask. He got no verbal response. She moved away from him, her head still cast down. When she thought she’d bolt from his presence, she didn’t. Instead, she pushed back into her seat and watched the water before them. It was a long time before she spoke.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let that happen. I’ll keep my distance from now on.”
Her voice hadn’t cracked with emotion, rather reinforced her will to stay away from him. “Please don’t let Charlie bother you anymore about the hatchery. I’ll speak with him later. I’d appreciated it if you didn’t encourage him, either.” She slowly stood and moved away quietly. Alan wasn’t sure what had happened, but he knew two things. First, keeping away from Rae was not going to happen, and second, the idea of the hatchery was growing in his mind. Instantly, he knew the one way to really annoy her would be to foster Charlie’s ideas of grandeur. Yet something about the old man’s plans rang true. Granted, there were logistical problems, just like with any new business. But the concept was interesting. Maybe it was the concept he should foster, and look for another place to locate it. Like the West Coast, if he wanted to relocate across the country. The idea held some appeal, as did moving to the Carolina coast. He knew he couldn’t take Charlie’s idea of a catfish farm and open a business near them. That would be wrong. But somewhere in the whole scheme of things the idea was solid. Granted it wasn’t something he ever would have thought of himself. Fish was just another meal choice or a morning’s entertainment with friends on a boat. Usually more stories were swapped than any fish caught. Making a living from a business with them would take a lot of thought.
Alan sat on the end of the pier, a cold beer in his hand as he watched the waves roll in from the ocean. It had been quite a day. His morning ride with Charlie had turned him inside out. He hadn’t tried to figure what the old man had in mind. Instead, he’d decided to just go with the flow of the ride. What he got was a lesson in his people skills, as well as an idea in the back of his mind, stuck in the loop as he would say, worming its way deeper and deeper until he could find a solution. Knowing this wasn’t going to be easy, he pushed back the rush of numbers starting to infiltrate his thoughts.
Alan found himself back on the Internet that night, searching for any information he could get. What surprised him was the amount of information that was waiting for him.
Chapter Five
He had been gone almost two weeks now, and Rae was still moping around the compound. She slept poorly and ate little. Her attitude was brusque with everyone. When she should have been working, she was daydreaming. “Damn you, Alan,” she said aloud to the empty office. His kiss still felt warm on her lips, and she hated them both for it.
“I’ve better common sense,” she kept repeating to herself. “He was just a guest, with a life to get back to.” The number-two pencil in her hand snapped as she felt the first wave of disgust flow over her. It had been a long time since she allowed herself to think about Michael. Only now, she only blamed herself. No, she wouldn’t allow another man to use her the way he did and then leave her behind after he was through with her. “Never again,” she repeated, finally pulling the payroll sheets in front of her. “Get a grip.” Rae forced herself back to the numbers before her.
“Grip what?” a male voice said, breaking her concentration. Flustered that she had been caught talking to herself in the empty office, she murmured something about a headache to Charlie as he dropped into the chair across from her desk.
“What do you need, Charlie?”
He toyed with the unlit cigar, twirling it between his fingers. “I’m trying to get the payroll ready.” Usually any mention of work sent Charlie quickly on his way. Today, he only waited until she gave him her attention. Realizing he wouldn’t leave until he said his peace, she dropped the pages from her hands and pushed back in her seat. “All right, let’s have it. What have you gone and done?”
“Done? Nothing unusual. I just wanted to see how you were doing. You seemed most preoccupied these last few weeks. I can’t help but wonder why?” His lips curled in the sly grin she hated. Her eyes narrowed at his look, and he pulled it back.
“Charlie, I’m busy. If you’re looking for someone to talk to, why not try the clubhouse or the pool.” Hoping her dismissive tone worked, she turned her attention back to the paperwork in front of her.
“Michael was an idiot. A slick, city-bred charm man. And even if you won’t admit it, I can. He hurt you. He used you and left you. You had stars in your eyes and were looking for love and ever after. He was looking for a good time.” Rae’s hands fisted together, crumbling the paper that lay beneath them. Her gaze shot to Charlie’s, and she knew he wasn’t done yet. “It’s history, Rae, over and done with. Leave it where it belongs, in the past. You can’t spend the rest of your days on this island alone.”
“Get out!” she told him forcefully.
“I’m going, but know this, little girl. I may only be a figurehead around here now, but you’re still my daughter, and that gives me the right to tell you when you’re acting like an idiot yourself. Alan had potential, and you dismissed him like all the others because you’re afraid to get hurt again. You’ve got to take a chance, Rae, or you’ll die an old, bitter woman, alone because you were afraid to try again.”
Rae closed her eyes against the onslaught of words being tossed at her. She took several deep, cleansing breaths before turning back to her father. “Are you finished now? This old maid still has payroll to finish, unless of course you’d rather sit here and do it?” At the mention of paperwork, he stood as she predicted.
“I’m not trying to rile you up just for fun, Rae. I saw the way you looked at Alan, and I saw the way he looked at you. There was potential there, and you pushed it away without even investigating the possibilities.”
“Charlie, go away. I’ll see you at supper,” she all but whispered, forcing her attention back to her work. She knew he stayed there for several moments before shaking his head and slowly walking away. Just when she thought to be rid of him, she realized he was still standing in the doorway.
“What?”
“I love you, Rae. Even if I annoy the hell out of you, you do know I love you?”
“Yes, I do. Now go away so I can finish this.” This time she knew he had left, the door closing softly behind him. She let out a sigh and glanced at the clock. “Oh, my God, it’s so late.”
Alan shifted the pages in front of him once again. He sat on his ninth floor balcony watching the lake below him. He could see the marina and heavy weekend boat traffic. He remembered when he bought the place. He thought a sailboat might be a good diversion, especially with his water access. He just never seemed to find the time to shop for one, let alone the time to actually learn how to sail it. Now it didn’t excite him. Nothing did. Each morning since he’d been back from his vacation, he still woke before five, had his coffee, and went for his morning run. His problem was once he was back to the apartment, showered, and dressed he had nothing to fill his time. By eight each morning, he was stir-crazy. Twice last week, his afternoon drive around the lake, supposedly looking for a new home, one with a large yard, wound up with his passing the small community airport that his company was housed at. Correction, he told himself, a company he used to own.
He’d hired a small piper cub last week and taken a wonderful flight over the area. The elation he felt while in the sky was rapidly reduced when he landed and knew he had nothing to do with the rest of his day. He spent four days in San Francisco over the weekend, and, while he enjoyed the time, he was restless. Even the new environment hadn’t given him any real joy. It was just a hassle to find a restaurant for a meal. He changed his flight home to Mon
day, cutting his trip short by almost two weeks. And still, here he sat with the same image in his mind.
Rae and her soft scent folded against him, relaxed and enjoying kissing him. Alan resettled in his seat, his jeans suddenly tighter. Every time he thought of that last kiss, it hardened him. He laughed at himself. He’d never jerked his cock so much in his entire life until meeting Rae.
Alan knew what his problem was, and he didn’t have to look too deep. He’d been home from Georgia over a month now, and he was still missing Rae. His mind kept going back to his departure. He had sought her out the night before he was to leave. Instead of the friendly good-bye he’d planned, Rae had seemed combative. She wasn’t going to allow him to leave with a pleasant memory of herself. He realized it as a defense mechanism and called her on it. She had rounded on him quickly, her face taut with anger. It was then he knew he was right.
“I don’t care if you’re angry at me, Rae,” he told her. “I see what you’re doing, and I’m not falling for it. No matter what you say or do, I’ll still care for you, so drop the act. At least wish me a good journey.”
Rae seemed ready to find him on the beach that night. Her evening walk could have circumvented him, but she had chosen to face him head-on. Alan decided she felt it was the right thing to do. “Have a safe trip home,” she had told him, the emphasis being on the word home.
Alan had followed her, pulling her to him and crushing his lips over hers just before she got away. Instead, she struggled within his grasp before finally surrendering to the warmth he was creating inside her. She let him kiss her, opening to him and allowing him to hold her tight against his hard chest. Her hands snaked from tight fists against his chest to soft fingers dancing through the back of his hair. Along the way, she had finally let go of all her resistance. He immediately felt the difference in their kiss.