She leaned forward to level her eyes with his again. “Not at all,” she smiled. “When I’m behind the bar, it’s part of the job.”
Brett drained his glass and Page refilled it. She asked him about his work, and he gave her a brief explanation, but his heart was not in it. This is weird, she thought. He doesn’t seem to like his work. I thought he would be bragging and talking my ear off about how amazing he is.
“...really, it’s just another thing that I have to do, because of my father.”
Poor little whiny rich boy, thought Page. “He must have been a great man.” she said.
Brett’s teeth clenched. His whole body suddenly took on a tense, defensive attitude. So much anger seemed to be flowing from him that Page trembled and backed up half a pace.
“He was a bastard!” Brett hissed, “He didn’t care about the thousands of lives he ruined by breaking up companies and laying people off, and he didn’t care about the two lives he ruined more than anyone’s—my mother’s and mine. She was beautiful, but as soon as she passed thirty he was fooling around with younger women. Girls, really. He didn’t even try to hide it. If my mother spoke up he’d hit her. If I tried to help her, he’d punch me. We went to the police, but his lawyers made sure nothing came to light. We became prisoners in our own home until he eventually did the decent thing and died.” He finally noticed that tears were running down his cheeks. “Even then he made sure that my mom got nothing. Everything went to me, but only if I keep running his firm. The only thing I can do is try to not be like him every chance I get.”
Page stood for a second, astonished. I’ve had him all wrong. I can’t hold him responsible for the sins of his father, she thought. She reached out and touched his cheek. “I’m so sorry,” she said. And she genuinely meant it. “And Anna?” she asked.
“Ah, Anna. Yes, he’d totally approve of her. No doubt he would’ve tried to steal her from me. Want to know a secret?” He sniffed, gave an embarrassed smile, drained his glass again, and whispered, “I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have thought twice about jumping him either, if he offered!”
Page burst out laughing. Not her professional, clipped and clean giggle, but her real, throaty laugh accompanied by a bright and genuine smile that melted Brett’s heart.
“I know you’re off limits” —again, he found himself fighting for breath— “but maybe, after the charter, I could see you?” He trembled waiting for her answer.
This time, it was Page’s heart that jumped. I can’t believe this. I came here to hurt him, but now I really want him. I never dreamed he could be so vulnerable and so obviously alone. His father damaged him at least as much as he damaged me. Could we really work together? “I’d... I think I’d like that,” she managed to say. “Just be careful,” she added, having recovered some composure. “I may be too hard for you to handle.”
They were suddenly both aware, as they leaned on their elbows, the teak bar separating them, that their faces were so very close. Page stared into his stunning, blue-green eyes for what seemed like an age, then took a chance. She leaned in towards his mouth, and he did the same. They were so close Page could feel his soft breath caressing her sensitive lips, when suddenly his phone screeched angrily from the counter top.
“Goddammit,” he hissed as the moment passed. Page giggled nervously. Brett read the text message to himself. “It’s Anna, of course,” he said. Page took a sharp breath. She’d forgotten all about his girlfriend below deck.
“You’d better go,” she said, trying not to sound downcast. “After all, I am off limits.”
“And maybe too hard to handle.” He grinned, but she only managed a weak, pained smile back. “Page, come on...” he began.
“No, its fine, you’re with her. Call me after the charter and we’ll meet up like you said.” She smiled, desperate to hide the tears in her eyes.
“I should go, let her down easy,” he said. Page nodded. He means well, but I cannot see that happening. She’s too beautiful, he’ll never resist her. Not for the next three nights, while I can’t touch him and she can offer him anything. Forget it, Page, she thought as he headed downstairs to the master suite. You’ve missed your chance.
Brett hurried to his cabin, rehearsing what he was going to say to Anna. He would have to move in to one of the smaller, twin berth rooms. Considering how much he had paid for this trip, that did not seem fair at all, but it was the gentlemanly thing to do. He stopped at his doorway, took a breath and walked in.
Anna was sitting on the bed, one knee up to her chin, the other foot dangling near the floor. She wore only pink briefs and a tiny, tight white cotton undershirt. She looked up from her phone as Brett entered. “There you are.” She smiled coyly at him. “You were so long I almost started without you.”
“Anna, darling.” Brett swallowed. “We need to talk.”
“Yes, we do,” replied Anna, surprising him. “Sit down, we have a problem...” Bewildered, Brett took a seat on one of the plush armchairs that lined the long round wall of the room. “Baby?” called Anna to the bathroom. Valentina, dressed in only white cotton panties, stepped into the room. “Poor Valentina here,” began Anna, “hasn’t been having the best trip. Henry has been a frightful bore and is now passed out, having paid her no attention. She’s lonely and wants to know if she can play with us?” Valentina made shy eyes at Brett, nodding to him with a finger in her mouth. “That’s alright, darling, isn’t it?” teased Anna, as the young Mexican girl crossed over to the bed.
Brett opened his mouth to speak, but nothing would come out. Anna knelt up on the edge of the huge bed as Valentina reached her, and let out a moan as they kissed open-mouthed. Valentina eased Anna’s shirt up over her large breasts and sighed breathlessly as her nipples lightly brushed the soft, exposed skin.
Despite himself, Brett could feel his erection growing. He really wanted to be with Page right now, but there is only so much temptation a man can take. Anna spun Valentina away from her before cupping those caramel colored breasts from behind and gently biting her light-brown shoulder. Both girls turned and smiled at Brett, before Anna eased her hands down to Valentina’s underwear. The younger girl closed her eyes and let her head fall back as Anna’s fingers pushed their way under the flimsy material. Valentina hooked her thumbs under her panties and gently slid them down, stepping out of them and turning back around to face Anna, who again cupped her hand over that beautiful bald mound. Valentina bent forward and took Anna’s erect nipple in her mouth, as the Asian girl pulled down her own underwear. She lay back and raised a foot so Valentina could whip her briefs off and discard them. The Latin beauty then fell to her knees and began kissing her way up Anna’s inner thigh, eventually reaching the spot that made Anna gasp in pleasure. Anna’s full breasts heaved as Valentina tongued her intimately, and she pulled her night shirt the rest of the way off. Her moans grew louder until she pushed Valentina away urgently. “I think we’re forgetting someone, dear,” she grinned at the other girl, who smiled seductively back.
Anna took Valentina by the hand and they both walked naked to where Brett was still sitting. “Erm... you sure about this, girls?” he stammered as they both knelt on either side of his legs.
“Don’t panic, darling,” breathed Anna, softly. “I liked what you said about making our first time together special.” She opened his fly and reached in, “Well, this is extra special, don’t you think?”
He had no time to answer before Anna pulled out his marble-hard penis and gently eased her full lips around it. Valentina placed one hand on the back of Anna’s head, gently pushing her further on him, and pushed the other hand up underneath Brett’s shirt. Anna could only manage to comfortably fit about two-thirds of Brett in her mouth, so she let him go and jerked him quickly with her hand, making him cry out. She turned and kissed Valentina passionately before, while grasping the wide base of his shaft, she eased the other girl’s mouth onto Brett’s stiff, thick member.
Brett threw his head back as Valentina�
��s hot, wet tongue enveloped him. He was pretty sure his cock had never been this hard before. As the sexy Latin temptress sucked and swallowed as much of him as she could, he felt himself pulse and throb, and when Anna started caressing Valentina’s gently bouncing breasts with one hand and slowly dragged a beautifully manicured finger over her own shaved mound before sliding into her wet, waiting slit, he thought he would explode. He closed his eyes and, in spite of everything, Page’s face appeared before him again.
He opened his eyes to see Anna had him in her mouth again. Valentina had a hand absently grasping his balls as she bent down to nuzzle and lick Anna’s boobs. Anna was staring him straight in the eye as she sucked him, moaning softly to herself. He quickly leaned forward and gripped her shoulders. A brief look of confusion crossed her face, to be replaced with a smile of success as he gently but firmly lifted her off him and sat her back on the floor. Anna knew he could take no more and he was about to pound her to within an inch of her life. She lay back and opened her legs, inviting him in.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry.” He stood, pulled up his linen pants and strode purposefully for the door, never looking back.
“The fuck are you going?” Anna called angrily after him. She suddenly felt very exposed and vulnerable. “It’s that fucking steward isn’t it? Are you fucking kidding me?” Those last three words turned into a shriek that seemed to fill the entire boat.
Brett stormed down the corridor, oblivious to the screams and insults Anna hurled at his back. He marched up to the sun deck, to the bar where he and Page had almost kissed, then down the crew stairs to the galley. And there she was.
Page stood up from putting clean dishes away in the cupboard to see Brett, his hair tousled and his shirt undone, standing before her.
“I don’t care if you’re off limits!” he spat and crossed the distance between them in two strides. “And I don’t care if you’re too hard to handle.”
“Oh, thank God.” She smiled as he lifted her clear off the ground and parked her butt on the kitchen counter. Page threw her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to hers. They kissed hard enough for their teeth to clash, and she crossed her legs behind his butt to pull their hips closer together. His tongue licked and probed the inside of her mouth with an urgency that made her wish he was using it all over the rest of her body. Oh my God, she thought, how could I have thought about hurting this man? She could feel him hard against the underwear pulled tight over her aching sex and, with minimal movements, she was able to grind her clit lightly against him, sending small spasms of pleasure through her whole body.
He took that as permission to not hold back. With both hands, he seized and ripped open her white dress shirt and pushed up her bra, freeing her full, firm breasts for his big hands to paw and grope. Without breaking the kiss, she reached down and yanked open his pants, letting them fall silently to the floor so that she was able to grasp, two-handed, his rock-hard shaft and pull it closer. Brett’s mouth pulled away from hers as he let out a loud groan, then leaned her backward so he could bite and suck at her eager breasts and hardened nipples. Her loins felt so wet she was sure she must be dripping through her panties. Brett seemed to sense this and forcefully yanked her G-string to one side. Still holding his throbbing member in both hands, she guided the tip of him urgently towards her slick hole, inviting him to enter. He cupped her buttocks on the counter, forced his tongue back into her mouth and, at once, rammed himself inside her, hard. Page screamed in pleasure with her mouth full and had to break off their kiss again to yell, “Oh, fuck!”
He was totally buried in her, right to the hilt, and she felt so full that every involuntary twitch of him inside her seemed like it might bring her off. After a moment about the length of a year, he pulled out almost all the way, pausing with only a fraction of him brushing her moist entrance and making her shiver before plunging deep inside her again. She could do nothing to stop herself shouting in ecstasy as she locked her legs behind his butt again and pulled him into her faster and faster. She clasped his neck, cried out, and bit into his shoulder as he hammered at her harder still.
“You’re so amazing,” he murmured breathlessly as he slammed his hips against her. “I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.” She could feel her orgasm right there, she had been on the edge practically since they first kissed, all it could take was one... more...
His great strength lifted her small frame off the counter. Nothing held her up but him. She screamed as he drove her down on him, over and over. He whispered into her ear, “I think I love you,” and thrust into her with all his might, reaching as deep inside as he could go, deeper than anyone had been before. She swore again and shuddered as wave after wave of crashing ecstasy pounded through her body. Her legs went into spasm, her nails clawed at his neck and she cried out until she felt hoarse. Brett lost his strength and collapsed against another counter. Her body out of control, acting on reflex and instinct, Page ground herself hard on his stiff shaft until he gasped and let loose inside her, wave after wave of hot seed pulsing from his engorged, iron-hard rod and showing no sign of stopping. Page worried she would be filled to bursting soon but, as they came to their senses, his violent blasts of cum died away.
Both gasping for air, they smiled happily at each other and kissed again, and then heard a slow hand clap from the galley doorway. Shocked, they turned as one to see Azure leaning against the wall, mock-applauding them.
I hate when she does that! thought Page automatically, before they sprang apart and tried to recover themselves. Page was about to say something, but the tiny, silent girl vanished down the hallway without a word.
“Goddammit,” swore Page. “You know she’s off to tell the captain, and probably Anna too.”
“And so, Valentina,” muttered Brett.
“Huh?” asked Page.
“Nothing,” he replied. “And so what? It’s no big deal, we’re consenting adults.”
“But I will be fired.” Page made it a statement.
Nothing would be said before tomorrow. Samson would never embarrass a guest by admonishing a crew member in their presence so Brett and Page opted to spend the night in one of the small berths of the twin room. They made love many more times in those cramped quarters, and even as the crew called down that breakfast was served about mid-morning they were still lost in one another. They were due to cruise for another two nights, but the captain thought it prudent to return to shore, at least for the day, until his charter decided what they wanted to do. As the Persephone neared the docks, the call came over the radio for Page to come to the wheelhouse. Brett told her not to go, to just leave with him when they landed. She said she wanted to tough it out, and thank the captain for his kindness. She also wanted to say goodbye to the crew. “Plus,” she said as she lay on top of him, “leaving with you would seem a little seedy, don’t you think? Like, bye guys, I got what I wanted, now I’m off to spend his money!”
“You mean you won’t be?” smiled Brett, and she bit him playfully on the nipple. She got up and dressed, kissed Brett goodbye and headed off to the top of the boat.
Well, that’s that, she thought to herself as she walked, there goes your job and you’re fooling yourself if you think you’ll ever see him again. He won’t leave the boat, and he’ll have everything patched up with Anna before the charter’s over. Just forget it, Page, you don’t belong in each other’s worlds. Not anymore. She knocked and entered the wheelhouse. As she suspected, Captain Samson reminded her of the rules and said he had no choice but to let her go.
“Off the record,” he said, “I know a little something about the heart wanting what the heart wants. And I think you’ll be okay, my dear.” He winked at her and Page hugged him, a tear in her eye.
Page was thankful she did not see any guests as she disembarked, particularly Anna. She figured they were all laying low because of the uncomfortable situation. The whole crew gathered to say goodbye, though, and she cried as she hugged them all,
even Azure.
“I’m so sorry, Page,” said the young female deckhand. “I didn’t think you would actually get fired, and it looks like you actually like this guy. I feel terrible.” Page waved away the apologies and pulled her close.
She was almost balling as she kissed Lisa and Paul, so before she lost control she turned and strode off with her bags as they called after her about keeping in touch.
Page sought refuge about as far north as the little island of Aruba would let her. She took a job in a bar in Malmok Beach that offered a shared room to stay in while she worked there. She needed to be nowhere near Oranjestad when the Persephone finished her charter. She did not want to bump into Anna, or worse, Anna and Brett as they left the boat. On her fourth day there, the day after Brett’s charter had ended, she stared at a gin and tonic at the bar before her afternoon shift started and congratulated herself on being right. Well done, you knew he wouldn’t come. Gold star for Page, she said to herself, but at that moment a familiar voice sounded behind her:
“You know you’ve already cost me another twenty-five grand?”
She smiled and sipped her drink, but did not turn around. “Really? How so? I was here the whole time.” She sounded cool and confident, but her heart was pounding like it never had before.
“The rest of the trip was so terrible, with Anna being especially mean to the crew, that I had to tip an extra ten thousand to say sorry.” His fingers gently traced along the backs of her arms until his hands rested on hers.
“Well, it’s your own fault. You knew I was off limits and, come to think of it, so were you.”
“You’re right about that,” he said, spinning her to face him, “and when you said you were too hard to handle. Neither of us is off limits now.” Their eyes locked and, when they stared deep into each other’s hearts and souls, they knew they were meant to be together. “But are you still too hard for me to handle?” Brett kissed her long and hard, and Page moaned with the pleasure of it. She leaped up and wrapped her legs around his waist.
Highlander's Pride: Winter Solstice (Against All Odds Series 1) Page 29