Amazon Slave
Page 25
Judy watched her doing this and frowned slightly. Her unhappiness was quickly forgotten when Dawn knelt on the floor in front of her. After a tentative kiss and a hesitant caress, the pair quickly grew bolder. Within seconds, the two women were intertwined.
Laura moved her mouth from Emily’s sex and eased herself from the floor. She glanced at Dawn and Judy then graced Emily with a soft smile. ‘I’ll leave the three of you to discuss business,’ she said, before going to join the two women.
Emily stared carefully at John. ‘Are you going to put the Captain and I out of our misery? Or are you still in the mood for other things?’
His smile was broad. ‘I’m in the mood for a lot of other things,’ he told her. ‘But I could never keep you in misery, unless you wanted me to.’
She laughed softly. ‘So who are you awarding the contract to?’
Beside her, she felt the captain’s hand tighten nervously against her buttock. It was comforting to realise he was just as tense about this decision as she was, and Emily took strength from his disquiet.
‘Alan and I discussed it quite thoroughly,’ he began. ‘We’ve made a decision and I hope it’s one that you’ll both be happy with.’
Emily frowned. ‘Go on,’ she encouraged him. ‘You’ve intrigued me.’
‘We’re awarding the contract to the good captain here,’ John said quickly.
Emily felt her hopes plummet like a stone. She stared dully at John, dimly aware that Captain Wilde was grinning beside her.
‘You’re a shrewd fellow, John,’ he said, clapping the man heartily on the shoulder. ‘I’ve always said, you’re one of the sharpest in the business.’
‘Sharper than you may realise,’ John Masters said quietly. ‘We’re prepared to accept your contract on one condition.’
In victory, Captain Wilde had the grace to be magnanimous. ‘Name it,’ he said simply.
As he spoke, John stared at Emily. ‘We’ll accept your proposal, Captain, on the condition that you get Emily to manage the contract.’
In spite of the raging melody of the CD orchestra, a silence fell between the three of them.
* * *
Night fell over the Amazon like a switch. When Emily had climbed aboard the boat the sky had been painted with more colours than an artist’s palate. Now, the heavens were a dusty black, interspersed with shiny glittering diamonds. A silver moon broke the ebony night, tainting the world with pale slivers of light and darkening the shadows.
Emily stood alone at the bow, leaning against the pulpit and staring out into the blackness. A light breeze cooled her arms and legs, reminding her of her first night aboard the Amazon Maiden. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of doubts and questions, all spiralling through her mind in a tumultuous rage.
John had clarified his proposition before she came on to the deck. He wanted her to manage the financial arrangements that Captain Wilde had instigated. He was willing to offer a lucrative retainer for her services – a very lucrative retainer she thought distantly – and all she had to do was liaise with the appropriate people in order to get the whole package up and running. Her own proposal had convinced John of her abilities, but the captain’s had offered a more secure prospect. She had noted all of the technicalities he pointed out, and was busy trying not to think of them.
The crux of her dilemma lay with John’s final statement on the subject. ‘If you want the job, Emily, it’s all yours. You’ll be your own boss, in charge of all the arrangements. The only person you’ll have to answer to is Captain Wilde.’
She had told him she needed a moment to think about it. Taking a glass of wine and covering her modesty with a robe, she fled to the sanctuary of solitude on the empty deck. ‘What do I do?’ she whispered into the night. She had believed herself on the verge of being rid of Captain Wilde forever. Now she looked like being tied to him for the next three years. Either that, or throw away the chance of a lifetime.
‘What do you want do?’
She whirled round on hearing the captain’s voice. He stood disturbingly close to her. In one hand he held a bottle of wine.
‘Are you spying on my thoughts now?’ she asked angrily.
‘You said the question aloud. Now, please, can we try not to argue for the next five minutes. You’ve got me trapped. You’re in control now. What do you want to do about it?’
Emily stared at him, not bothering to mask the lack of comprehension from her face. ‘I have you trapped?’ she repeated, puzzled. ‘What do you mean? And what do you mean by saying I’m in control?’
He shook his head dourly. ‘Don’t try playing games of innocence,’ he cautioned. ‘You’re not in a position to carry them off.’
Emily started to say something in her own defence, then stopped as he continued.
‘Unless I have you as my contract manager, I don’t have this contract. It’s as simple as that. Now, I’m supposed to do whatever you want to make you work with me. Like I said,’ he repeated bitterly. ‘You’re in control.’
Emily could not stop herself from grinning as she heard his words. Her fear and anxieties were suddenly forgotten as she realised how strong her position was. Sipping at her wine, she walked past him, trailing a finger over his bare chest as she moved. ‘Follow me,’ she said quietly, employing a cool authority in her tone. She held her glass for him to take and he accepted it with numb fingers.
He glared dully after her, resentment curling his lips. But he followed.
Emily walked to the boat’s mast and pressed her back against the cool length of wood. She placed her hands behind herself and held them tightly together.
‘What do you want me to do now?’ Captain Wilde asked curiously.
Emily smiled confidently into his puzzled frown. ‘After you’ve tied my hands,’ she said carefully, ‘I want you to fetch your cane.’
He did not bother to hide his lack of understanding. ‘My cane?’
‘After you’ve tied my hands,’ she said patiently.
He did as she asked, fastening her wrists tightly and securing her to the boat’s mast. When he returned with the cane, he stood hesitantly in front of her. ‘And what do you want me to do now?’
‘I think you know what I want now,’ she told him firmly.
‘You know what I deserve for trying to steal your contract. You know what you want to do. Just remember, this time, we’re doing it because I want to.’
His puzzled frown was replaced by a broad grin of understanding. With a sharp whistle, his cane sliced through the night air.
Emily groaned happily.