He arched an eyebrow. “Everything to your satisfaction, Ms. Renshaw?” The words were low and sounded hard to say, as though they had been forced out.
“Pardon?” Pippa shook her head in confusion. “Sorry. Yup. More food. Did you want some?” She grabbed his plate without waiting for an answer and walked to the kitchen, feeling his eyes roaming up and down her back. What was she like? She had to get a grip. Stop talking for one, have another drink, then go to bed.
• • •
Jonathon sat up and poked the fire, causing a log to crash and sparks to fly busily up the chimney. He was enjoying the sight of Pippa in his t-shirt. She must have had no idea of how sheer the material actually was, but at least she had her knickers on. He didn’t think he would be able to control himself if she was totally naked underneath. It was hard enough trying to keep his eyes off her breasts, the nipples straining against the shirt, bouncing slightly every time she moved.
He had enough to eat, hell, she had given him enough to feed a horse, but he wanted her only to be relaxed and confident. And it also gave him an opportunity to watch her walk around.
Win-win.
She padded back to him, and handed him a plate full of food.
“No more for you then?”
“No, I’ve had enough.” She hadn’t — Jonathon had watched her pick around her food.
Pippa ignored her chair to sit cross-legged by the side of the fire, and pulled the t-shirt down. Her slim back outlined against the shirt, she gazed intently into the depths of the fire as though just by looking deeply the fire would divulge secrets never before told.
He picked up the whisky to pour a shot into her glass. Pippa smiled her thanks, then cradled it against her breasts. He was doing his best to give justice to her food, but all he really wanted was to be that glass. He sat up abruptly to hide his stirring desire.
“Did you always want to be a chef?”
She smiled into the fire and he saw the confidence surge back to her in the straightening of her spine. Tilting her head to the side, she looked at him from under lowered lashes.
“I did, yeah. I’m very lucky in that my mum introduced me to cooking at an early age, spotted I had talent, and nurtured it. I’ve always known I wanted to work to create new recipes that give people pleasure when they eat.”
Miles away, her eyes turned spearmint green in obviously pleasant recall. She smiled at him, held her tumbler up as though to congratulate him, and returned her gaze to the fire.
Jonathon enjoyed the smooth silence that had fallen, but he missed the sound of her voice. “Any other dreams need fulfilling?”
Pippa smiled and dropped her head down and shook it from side to side, allowing her curls to bounce haphazardly. “Well … ” She threw him a teasing glance from below her eyelashes. “You’ll just laugh.”
Jonathon felt a smile start deep within his belly, and all his consciousness zoomed in upon her. Nobody, heck, nothing existed outside their little hut.
“Try me.” He sat back in his chair, stretching his arms up and crossed them behind his head. “I’m all ears.”
“I’ve always wanted to swim with dolphins.” Pippa pursed her lips in a wry smile. “Do you think that’s silly? A bit, oh, I don’t know, hippie-ish?”
“No, why would I? It’s lovely to have things to aim for, and why not swimming with dolphins?”
“It’s just I love swimming, especially in the ocean, and think how amazing it would be to have dolphins sharing your water.” She stopped and stared back into the fire. “They’re special, dolphins, happy creatures and I think they wouldn’t share their water with you unless they chose to do so. Which would make me feel very special. I couldn’t imagine it.” She leaned her head on her knees and turned her green gaze on him. She was miles away, her face softened into a gentle look. He could see how she must have looked when she was a child, sweet, innocent and with her whole life ahead of her.
A blink, and she was back in the room and looking at the fire.
He wanted to be close to her.
He wanted her to look at him closely, wanted to be able to see the changing colours of her eyes up close. See if he could track them. What would happen if he ran his fingers up her arm, for example? Would they turn forest green or a lighter shade?
“That’s a lovely thing to aim for. How about now? Are you searching out the secrets of the universe?” Jonathon’s voice was low and husky, and without being fully aware of his actions, he dropped down to lie beside her. Supporting his head on bended arm, he angled himself in order to be able to look as deeply into her face as she was the fire.
Pippa glanced at him quickly, but it was enough time for him to see the desire and confusion causing her pupils to dilate.
“It’s a secret, don’t you know.” Her voice shook.
“Well … ” Jonathon reached out a hand and pulled on a curl, watched it bounce back into place. She looked at him and watched his lips, entrancing him. “I think … ” Jonathon shifted closer, then sat up fluidly. Her eyes grew heavy and she looked hypnotised. “It’s all about pure … ” he took her face in his hands, “physical,” his lips descended on hers in a feather like kiss and he breathed the final word on the corner of her mouth, “attraction.”
His heart was beating uncontrollably, and for a brief second he was afraid it might come right out of his chest. The tantalising kiss he had dropped on her warm lips had only served to bring him teetering on the knife-edge of wanting to drag her into his arms and he trembled in the effort of pulling back a fraction to see her reaction.
Her eyes were half closed and she swayed toward him as he pulled away, putting her lovely, dishevelled head to one side, offering her lips to his. With a groan, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
In a quick movement, his t-shirt was over her head and her near nakedness enflamed his wanting to where it very nearly hurt. His mouth descended on hers, a hungry kiss that demanded satisfaction, and he ran his hand through her hair, up and down her back, delighting in the feel of her. She felt so much better than in his wildest dreams. The yearning that coursed through him was molten lava, pure primal passion where his mind cast off rationale and embraced desire.
With a wrench, he stopped, a guttural moan escaping him at the effort, and looked fully at Pippa. “Are you sure?”
Her eyes fluttered open and her lovely, opaque gaze told him everything he needed to know. She nodded and murmured softly, “Yo, you big stud, take me to bed or lose me forever.”
Jonathon put his head back and gave a roar of laughter before he slowly drew her long legs alongside his and allowed the tide of desire to take him.
• • •
Pippa stretched and yawned, a slumberous cat. Her limbs were heavy, and her body felt so happy her lips just would not stop smiling. She kissed the hollow under Jonathon’s clavicle, flicking her tongue out. He groaned and her insides fluttered at the sound.
“I was nearly asleep.”
“Mmm, me too, only I’m starving.”
“No wonder, you ate nothing.”
“Yeah, I wonder why, with you looking at me as though you were about to devour me!”
“Go get some food then, but quickly, I want you right back here where you belong.”
Getting up lithely, Pippa made to put some clothes on, but Jonathon grabbed them from her. “No way, lady, I’m not done with you tonight.”
Pouting provocatively over her shoulder, Pippa said, “But I may be done with you!” and walked out of sight into the kitchen. She returned with his still-laden plate and, sitting on her hunkers in front of the fire, finished it off quickly so she could return to Jonathon’s warmth.
The whisky bottle was still half full, so she poured a glassful, then taking a small sip and holding it in her mouth, leaned across to kiss Jonathon. When they c
ame up for air, Jonathon expelled a long breath. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
“Show me then.”
• • •
Lying there, satiated, listening to Jonathon’s deep breathing, Pippa nearly pinched herself. What had just happened between them? She’d had sex before, of course, but never with such a spell-binding connection. All she wanted was for her body to dissolve so she could melt into him. When she’d thought she was completely aroused, Jonathon took her up a level, and yet another until she mewled and shook with the intensity of the orgasms that wracked through her, creating a buzz from the top of her head to the tingle between her toes.
Jonathon stirred beside her, half awakening. “You know,” he murmured so quietly that Pippa had to wriggle up closer to his lips, “I think we’ll have to find some dolphins sometime soon.”
Pippa lay there, hand on his chest. She smiled against his neck and hugged him tight.
A cold thought of the future at work came knocking, but Pippa turned it away firmly.
Mustn’t think about anything. Just sleep.
• • •
A shaft of early sunlight fell across Pippa’s sleeping face and Jonathon felt an urge to kiss her smooth skin. His watch told him it was five A.M. and he sat up slowly and gently, extricating himself to put on his clothes, and went outside onto the porch. It was a calm, beautiful morning, the kind that follows a storm — but he couldn’t appreciate the wonderful meadows that surrounded the hut.
All he could see was trouble ahead. What was he going to say to her when she woke? It had been an amazing night and he was shaken by the depth of his feelings for Pippa. Through this enforced night together, he now knew her on so many different levels. Going forward, how would he resist her?
But what choice did he have? He was in the middle of difficult negotiations with the Stevensons, and should they come to an agreement, the publicity was going to be huge. He could not let it be known that he, CEO of Queen Cruises was shacked up with his head chef, whom he had only just met. His name would be mud. If only the timing was different, if only he had met Pippa elsewhere. Mulberry’s face appeared before him, smirking.
The crew, like any new crew, waited for him to make a slip up, ready to pounce. As it was, they no doubt were suspicious of his and Pippa’s accommodation. He ran his fingers through his hair and looked to the brilliant blue sky for inspiration. Despair slumped his shoulders. He didn’t want to hurt Pippa. How was he going to explain himself to her? He should’ve braved the damn storm and gone back down to the ship. Instead, he had made the most of being with a woman who intrigued him, and look what had happened.
A noise from inside sent a tremor through him. She was awake. Pushing the door open, he stood there to watch her stretch languorously and had to quell the desire to go to her. Damn, this was hard.
“Hi.” He averted his eyes as he came in, hoping to divert his thoughts. “How did you sleep?”
“Great — but what are you doing out there? Are you not coming — ”
He felt her gaze on him as she stumbled to a stop and inwardly cringed for the havoc about to be wreaked.
“Pippa.”
The pink tinge in her cheeks turned to a sheet of cold at the tone of his voice and she struggled to get up whilst covering herself. “Oh, Jonathon, don’t worry — it’s clear you want to forget what happened last night. Well good news for you, so do I. Let’s clean up and then walk the hell out of here.” Her normally soft face was all edges and angles as she pushed her hair back from her forehead and gave him a hard look. She grabbed her clothes and scrambled around to the little kitchen and soon the sounds of clattering and ferocious banging came to him.
Closing the door behind him, he went in to help. Her back was to him and her shoulder blades were hunched together, her head on a rigid neck. It spoke volumes to him. Putting a hand on her upper arm, he tried to pull her around to face him. “Look, Pippa — ”
She shrugged her arm from his hand, stepping away, then glanced quickly at him. “Please, let’s wait until we’re outside.” The look in her eyes called to mind a winter’s ocean, and he felt the deep cold wash through him.
It only took five minutes — the kitchen was tidy and Jonathon cleaned out the fire and re-laid another. Lucky sods who were going to be here next. He heard muttering from Pippa.
“Sorry, what did you say?”
“Nothing you’d want to hear. Are we ready? Good, let’s go.” She stalked past him, her head high.
• • •
Pippa’s heart weighed at least a ton. Who knew such a small organ had the capacity to feel so heavy? The moment she’d seen his face, excitement had replaced her previous anxiety over where he had disappeared to — until he’d spoken. Regret had filled that one word, and if that weren’t enough, it was written all over his face.
Flinging her backpack on, she gulped in the welcoming fresh air. She was such a twit sometimes. She had promised herself she wouldn’t do this and what had she done at the first opportunity? Leap into bed with him. She didn’t understand. What she had felt when leaving Marcus was nothing compared to this level of devastation. Jonathon had peeled a layer from her soul, laying her bare, vulnerable. Damn. She should never have let this happen. She should’ve left in the storm last night — getting lost and even suffering from pneumonia would be nothing compared to this.
She felt his hand on her shoulder, and looked at it through a haze of confusion.
“Pippa, wait. Please listen.”
Okay. Let’s give him some time. Her newly battered heart gave an extra beat. Perhaps it would be okay. She nodded.
“I had a wonderful time last night.” His voice was soft, and he put his hands, his large strong hands, on her shoulders and pivoted her to face him. Dare she hope? His craggy face was downcast, tawny eyes asking her to listen, and she heard the soft rasp as he ran his hand over his chin.
“It’s just that … ” He trailed off, and a shard of despair hardened her. He was gazing out to sea. “It’s just that — ”
She shucked off his touch. “No need to explain. You’re the boss, I’m only the chef.”
At her words, he swung to her, eyes blazing. “You’re not ‘only’ anything. You’re a fantastic chef, the best there is.”
“But not good enough for you.” A cold mirth rose in her to escape in a barking laugh. “I should’ve known this would happen. I was fool enough to think you might care. Whereas you were just being the boss and being all power hungry, thinking you could get anything you wanted.” Her voice started to rise. She stopped and took a deep breath. She was scared of the depths of sadness waiting to embrace her and hugged her anger all the more closer to her.
“I mean, the clues were all there, I didn’t pay heed to them.” Her blood started to thin, to race around her, shepherding heated thoughts through her. Blast him for not wanting her. “Ever since we met, you have been making snide remarks about girls sleeping their way to the top. No doubt you were biding your time, sure that I would fall into your bed.” She breathed out through pursed lips.
Calm down, it’s okay, you can get through this too.
“No, I wasn’t, Pippa, I promise you. Please listen to me. You’re the kind of girl I could fall in love with … ” He stretched a hand out to her, tawny eyes a deep velvet brown with hope. Seeing how his hair fell over his forehead was nearly her undoing.
“Here comes the ‘but.’”
“Listen to me, please. The reason I made that jibe about sleeping with your employers was because I had been informed that Mulberry hired girls who slept with him. I guess … ” He glanced at her stony face but received no encouragement and shrugged, a bitter smile on his face. “The idea was fresh in my mind.” He massaged his fingers through his hair as though washing out the idea, his lips flattened into a long line.
Pippa blinked
. She gave a slight shake of her head. What was he saying? He had thought she had slept with Mulberry to get her job? She started nodding, and couldn’t stop.
“You thought I slept with that sleaze bag Mulberry to get my job? And so you thought, being the new CEO, that I’d sleep with you too?” She held a hand out to stop him from answering. “You thought I’d be easy pickings, hey.” Her stomach rolled, sending up deep-wracking sobs. “And it turns out I was. I don’t believe I fell for it.”
She turned to escape the intensity of his look, wanting to be on her own.
She was betrayed.
Chapter Nine
Jonathon watched her retreat through the forest. She kept pulling up the straps of her backpack and he could tell she was irritated at having her stride interrupted. She squared her shoulders and soon disappeared from view.
He found a boulder to rest against and checked his phone for important messages. There were none that required him to return to the Coral Princess liner directly, so he sat still, looking up into the clear azure sky. What on earth kind of a pickle had he gotten himself into? He had not only slept with a member of staff, albeit a senior member, but he had inadvertently paid her the greatest insult that he could imagine paying a woman. No wonder she had reacted so forcefully. What had made him say it? Was he questioning her integrity? Did he just want to hear her deny it? Or was he putting the final nail in the coffin of their relationship? Whatever it was, it had certainly brought about a hasty end to it, platonic or otherwise.
More to the point, how did he now feel about the fact that Pippa had not slept with Mulberry? If he were being honest with himself, he had started to doubt it soon after the dinner she had cooked for the Stevensons. Not only did she possess talent, by the bucketful, but she had integrity and something deeper, soul. No denying her innocence after today. There was a certain sense of relief that she had denied it so vociferously — he couldn’t have contemplated a future with her if she had done it with Mulberry. He hauled his thoughts up short. A future? Was he now thinking of a future with her? She was wonderful, true, but did he want her to feature in his future?
Romancing the Seas Page 10