She trailed towards the opening.
Taking the short stairs, she left the cabin and reached the deck. The smell of the azure waters met her as she stepped on the deck. Her gaze shot to the helm, and again, her heartbeat tripled.
Deep in thought, hand curled along the steering wheel, Jarrod steered the boat. A pair of dark sunglasses shielded his eyes, and again, she was reminded of how devastatingly handsome he was. Before her riddled nerves could get the best of her, she ambled forward. “Hi!” she said loudly, taking the lounge seat beside him.
Though the sunglasses shielded his green eyes, she still felt their intensity. “Hi,” he nodded, glancing her way fast before turning away.
An uncomfortable silence lingered.
Curious, she stared at him.
Why was he being so closed off?
Was this his way of keeping some distance between them?
Not knowing how or why, the bravery overcame her. “Why have you been avoiding me? You’ve been doing it for days.”
That got his attention.
“Is that what I’ve been doing?” Jarrod muttered, and again, the cool mask slipped into place. “What gives you that idea?”
Over the rushing waters, she said, “The fact that we really haven’t talked or anything since the night at the bungalow is telling to me. Was it something that I’ve said or done?”
He glanced over at her. “Now, what reason would I have to avoid you, Olivia?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, Jarrod. Why don’t you tell me why?”
“It’s obvious that you’ve conjured something in that little head of yours,” he muttered, turning away.
“I’m not imagining things.”
She centered her gaze on the side of his face. Already the sun had turned his skin a golden brown, and his dark brown hair seemed to have gold flecks under the sun’s rays.
Jarrod blew a breath. “Listen, Olivia. You’re right. I have been avoiding you. It’s just that I’ve had some things on my mind. But, they have nothing to do with you, alright. I don’t want to fight about it. So, let’s just drop it. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” she said, resigned, realizing that she didn’t want to continue to fight as well.
Satisfied, she leaned back in the lounge chair, allowing herself to relax. As the minutes passed, she realized that he was good at captaining. And as they passed various landmarks, he was careful to point them out, giving specific in depth details as he did.
“See that right there?” he asked, pointing to the wide boulders protruding from the waters. “Legend says that a great battle took place between opposing Mayan clans, and the supposed victor claimed his victory by showing the remains of those that he’d beheaded.”
“Really?” she said, fascinated by the strange tale, and studied him with interest. “You seem to know a lot about the history of the Mayans and this particular location.”
“I do,” he nodded. “Believe it or not, I’m a history buff, and there’s something profound about getting a rare glimpse of the legacy left behind by those before us.” He glanced at her again. “Most of my knowledge comes from the fact that I studied here.”
“You studied abroad---here?” she asked, pulling her legs under as she turned on the lounge seat. “The history---is that what propelled you to buy a home here?”
“Laramie Rock, you mean?” Lifting a brow, he shook his head. “Hardly. It’s a beautiful piece of property. A friend of mine had originally intended to buy, but changed his mind at the last minute. He passed the information about it to me, I came out, saw the property, and I fell in love with it upon sight.”
“It is beautiful,” she agreed, staring at the crashing waves. “And it’s so peaceful and quiet there---like its worlds apart from anywhere else.” She paused. “How long will it take us to make it to the mainland?”
“At 32 knots, about 8 hours.” With a close eye, he inspected the radar and other controls. “Luckily for us, there aren’t any bad conditions, and it should be smooth sailing from here on out. Four hours in, I’m dropping anchor.”
Mesmerized, she watched his lips move.
What would it feel like to touch her lips to his? Would it be as devastatingly erotic as her fantasy? Blushing, she looked away before stammering, “How did you become such an accomplished captain?”
“I come from a family of avid captains,” he said, giving a crooked grin. “Papa thinks that he’s the best there is, and I have to say that he’s probably right.”
That gave her pause. “And how does your family feel about me? Do we get along?”
Cool, distant, his words were detached. “You’ve never met them.”
“Why?” she asked, shocked. “How is it that we are engaged, and I’ve never met your family?”
“It’s complicated,” he said in defense.
“And why is it so complicated?” she demanded angrily. “You claim that we are so much in love, but yet, your family knows nothing about me. First Meghan, and now, your parents.”
“Olivia, you’re making this more than what it is,” he said stiffly. “There are things that you’d never be able to accept about me or my family. It’s best that you keep your distance from them.”
The tears burned in her eyes. “You’re ashamed of me, aren’t you? Just knowing what I do about my past, I know that my beginnings aren’t something that you want to share with the world. On top of that, I’m a struggling artist.” Sniffling, she brushed the stray tear away. “But, I refuse to be ashamed of who I am. While I’m struggling to remember even the vaguest parts about myself, I sense that I’m strong enough to stand on my own.”
“Olivia,” he said, whipping the sunglasses from his face, and then reached out with his free hand. “You’re misconstruing the situation---”
“No, Jarrod,” she shook her head, and stood. “As much as you claim to love me, and throw out useless words of how you want me to regain my memory, I think you’re lying. And for the life of me, I don’t understand why."
With those troubled words, she left.
Chapter 11
At 4:30 pm, four hours later, he dropped anchor. Standing, flexing his aching muscles, he left the helm. Down below deck, he heard Olivia’s soft laughter, and finally Meghan chimed in with her own.
Sighing heavily, he journeyed to the side deck before propping against the railing.
Frustrated, he raked a hand through his wind-tossed hair. Things were getting too complicated. The questions that she was asking, like a fool, he hadn’t even anticipated them. Maybe Marc had been right after all, and just maybe, maybe, he’d acted rash when he’d hatched his revenge scheme. Instead of appeasing her curiosity, he was just leaving her with more questions.
Her soft laughter rang out again.
He tensed.
If he didn’t admit that his feelings for her had deepened over these last months, he’d be lying. Since the moment he’d saw her, she’d become his drug, the forbidden fix that he hungered for with a deep lust.
She was his addiction.
His hands tightened along the rail.
And all this time, he’d been lying to himself. More than getting revenge against Addison, he wanted her. And from the very beginning, it’d been so. Behind a careful wall, his true feelings had been hidden, and he’d bowed to the usual demands of his denial. On her wedding day with Addison, it wasn’t revenge that he sought, but rather, he was staking claim to a woman that breathed life into his darkened soul. And at the moment, that revelation was too startling for him to even fathom, he thought angrily, pushing away from the railing. In long strides, he traveled along the side deck, and finally, he reached the stern.
Whipping the Henley top over his head, he tossed it aside carelessly, and where it landed, he didn’t know. Taking a fast leap, he jumped off the yacht. With a splash, he sank into the deep watery abyss. Making deep strokes, he cut through the water, and he didn’t stop until he was several feet away.
Momentarily, he closed his eyes, pret
ending that his world was in perfect order…that he didn’t have feelings for his innocent forbidden prey. As he stared across the watery distance, her visage swam before him again. With a powerful thrust, he went under, and he found himself floating amongst a variety of ocean life. With the same curiosity, they circled around him before swimming away. When he couldn’t withstand the lack of oxygen any longer, he broke free from the water in a deep breathless gasp.
Across the water, Olivia’s frightened cry met him. “Jarrod!”
Moving fast, he swam towards the yacht. A short moment later, breathless, he climbed onto the stern and met her disapproving glare.
“You nearly gave me a heart attack,” she fumed, folding her arms across her heaving chest. “When I couldn’t find you, I got worried. If you were going for a swim, you could’ve let me or Rosa aware of it.”
“Didn’t know I had a keeper,” he smarted back, still reeling from his earlier revelation. So, striking back seemed the appropriate way to stunt the strange emotions. “If I want to take a swim, I’ll take it when I damn well please.”
Then, cursing under his breath, he moved to sweep past her. But, he was deterred when she grabbed his hand. At once, the deep shocks of pleasures impaled him, and he sensed her intense reaction as their eyes locked. In her light brown gaze, desire swam, and even if she wanted to deny it, she couldn’t have.
He swallowed hard.
Before long, neither of them would be able to control it. As if burned by fire, he pulled away. “What?” he snapped, staring down at her. “What do you want?”
“I want you to stop it! Stop acting like I’m not even here!” The naked anger flared in her eyes. “You will not treat me like I’m a burden. Do you understand me?” she said, poking his bare chest with a pointy finger. “Stop walking around me like you’re walking on eggshells. Don’t hold back, treat me like you’d normally treat---”
In a fast maneuver, he pulled her flush against him, and she couldn’t dispel her sharp gasp of pleasure. With careful intent, he ran his hands down her back, stopping just above her hips. Through the thin fabric of her haltered dress, he felt every feminine inch of her, and the wetness from his hard body soaked through. Like a perfect glove, her body molded against his as if it were always meant to be there.
Stunned, breathless, trembling, she held him at his waist, and again, her brown orbs were lit with fire.
“You want me to treat you like you’re my woman---my well satisfied lover?” Jarrod asked huskily, bathing her face with his hot breath. “Have you ever heard the old adage, ‘be careful what you wish for’?”
“I’m not afraid of you,” she whispered, moistening her lips. “I know that’s what you want--”
His hard body tensed.
And controlling his instinctive reaction was proving to be a task. But, still, he was powerless to the control that she had over him. “You don’t know what the hell I want,” he rasped, rubbing a thumb along her lips erotically. “And if you did know, you’d run like hell.”
With those words, he released her before heading for the helm, and to his surprise, she followed behind him.
“Then, tell me what you do want,” she insisted again, stopping behind him at the helm’s twin seats. The tears blurred her vision. “You’re like a mystery, and I’m desperately trying to---”
“And just what do you want from me, Olivia?” he demanded angrily, whirling around, and he was taken aback to find her standing so close. “To be a friend, a confidante? Someone that you cling to until you get your memory back? Tell me what it is that you---”
“While you’re afraid to admit what you want, I’m not! I’m standing here with you right now, and all I want you to do is kiss me,” she admitted breathlessly, surprising them both. “And even though, my head is telling me to run, something deep inside of me is begging me to embrace the fury.”
Grasping the back of her nape, he pulled her close, and then, with a sweet gentleness, he framed her face in his large hands. Her eyes searched his, and again, he caught the rare glimpse of desire that not many people shared. With an aching tenderness, he pushed her lips apart with his thumb, and insanity drove him as his head lowered.
Dear God, help me, she mulled.
I can’t win against this---him.
“Jarrod,” she whispered helplessly, grasping his waist. But, her own needs won out as she leaned into him, and as he drew closer, his warm breath bathed her.
She shivered.
This moment, she mulled dazedly, staring into his intense green eyes as she moved in for the kiss. It was everything that she’d imagined in her fantasy.
Intense…
Reckless…
Passionate…
Abandoned…
It was all that she wanted…
As their lips met, her eyes closed on a whisper.
Gently, he explored her.
Tasted her…
An expert lover he was, she sensed, moaning her pleasure as he grasped the back of her nape. Like a helpless slave, she caved into his demands. At once, the gentle exploration was no longer enough as their kiss deepened.
On instinct, her lips parted, and she gasped in wonder as his tongue tangled with hers. Like a lasso, it circled around it, sending the sharp rings of pleasure through her. Helpless, she held onto him as he walked, and still, they didn’t break away from the intense kiss. He backed her against the wall, and while its coolness met her, it didn’t distinguish the raging fire within her.
Reckless…
Out of control…
Those were the only words to describe them now…Emboldened, she slid her hands across his wet skin, and he couldn’t hold back his own grunt of pleasure. Then, cupping her hips, he pulled her flush against him, and there was no denying his arousal.
Nor could she deny her own, she thought dazedly, mulling at the wet dampness seeping against the black lacy panties.
“Jarrod,” she moaned, breaking away from the kiss to draw air. But, just as she drew a fateful breath, he claimed her lips again. Willingly, she hurled herself into the raging flames.
Was it possible for a man to make love to you with only his lips, she mulled, drugged, releasing a moan as he deepened the kiss. With each thrust of his tongue, he mimicked the moves of lovemaking, stroking it against hers with deep strokes, obliterating any conscious thought that she held.
She grasped his waist, holding onto him tightly, but her desperation won out.
Beneath her touch, his skin was afire, and she relished the feel of his sleek, taut skin as she slid her hands across his broad back. The lingering mist on his body seeped through the thin dress, making their contact even more intimate. Against her lips, he breathed her name, and she came apart.
“Jarrod,” she whispered desperately, breaking for air again. “I never wanted anyone that way that I want you---”
But, his desperation was palpable as well.
“Want is not strong enough of a word for me,” he said thickly, grasping her chin. “Every moment, I literally become more obsessed with you---”
She stole his lips again, showing her own obsession.
This time, she took the lead.
Releasing a breathless moan, she tugged him closer, and she gasped as his hard body meshed against hers. Her skin was afire. She’d never felt more alive. With her lips, she explored the masculine taste of his juices, succumbing further to the senseless madness.
“Olivia,” he breathed raggedly, clenching her hips tight. “I want---”
“Daddy, where are you?”
As if jolted by a cold blast of reality, they jumped apart, and a few seconds later, Meghan was flying towards them at breakneck speed.
“What is it, Poppet?” Jarrod muttered, recovering quickly as he stooped down.
“Where were you Daddy? I kept calling you and calling you, but you didn’t answer,” Meghan sulked, folding her arms along her chest. “And you, too, Livvy? Why didn’t you come? I wanted us to play with my dolls.”
> “Uh-hh, your Daddy was just showing me how to work the helm,” she stammered, flushing red.
“Livvy, why are you acting funny?” Meghan asked, screwing her face. “And you’re all red and stuff like you’ve been into something. Why is your hair messed up? It wasn’t messed up a minute ago.” Then, she turned towards her father. “And you, too, Daddy. Why are you looking like that? You know it’s like you always tell me, you’ve been caught with your hand in the cookie jar,” she said, wagging her finger at him. “Grown ups sure are strange sometimes.”
“That we are,” Jarrod sighed, releasing her before crossing back to the helm. Shaking his head, he sank down on the seat. “Olivia, take Meghan back to the salon, would you? If we’re going to make it to the mainland before it’s too late, we’d better go now.”
“Y-yes, of course,” she stammered, grabbing Meghan’s hand. Then, staring at him, she hesitated. “Jarrod---”
“Olivia, just go,” he muttered, still avoiding her gaze. “I’ve got to make up for the time that we’ve lost.”
Stiffening, firming her shoulders, she nodded. “Alright.” Then, forcing a smile, she tweaked Meghan’s nose. “Come on, let’s catch up on some play time.”
“Yes!” Meghan shouted, jumping up and down.
When the reached the cockpit, she turned and stole another glance. Once more, he was engrossed in their travel. Turning away, she released her pent-up breath.
One thing was for certain.
Jarrod Sabatino was exactly what she wanted.
***
“There it is,” Jarrod yelled over the rushing waters, at exactly 8:30 pm. “The mainland of Pilatene.”
Sitting alongside him on the twin seat, she took in the breathtaking scenery. Running for miles on end, a tourist attraction, Pilatene was a beautiful sight to behold. Miles and miles of beach front stretched before them, and the island sparkled with a vibrancy that was palpable. The towering, grand hotels stood like giants along the sandy white shores, and scores of trendy neighborhoods, houses, and stores could be seen from their vantage point. Under the night sky, it seemed like a jeweled empire as the moonlight danced against the paned glass of towering buildings.
The Pawn (Shattered Series Book 1) Page 20