"I could see that just as well as you," Phillips replied. "If not better. You don't have to tell me." They had reached the shade, and Phillips took a seat next to her. A small side table stood between them. He waved over an attendant.
"Get me some chilled water for two," he ordered as the man approached. Upon receipt of the order, the servant began to turn about.
"No!" Anna exclaimed, signaling the man to stay. She remained in a recline. "Champagne," she said, her tone almost indicating boredom. "...and caviar. Your best."
"Get me some champagne," Phillips said, amending his order, "...and caviar, our best." The attendant nodded and left briskly. Phillips turned to Anna, amused. "After all of that, and you still want an exclamation point on the day! You continue to impress me. What a woman you are!"
"I'm here to enjoy myself," she said, defiant in the face of her fatigue. "As you are here to enjoy yourself, vicariously."
Phillips ignored the pointed barb. "We have popped the cork, you might say, but don't celebrate yet," Phillips lowered his voice, although not threateningly, as he leaned over to her. "Pursuant to our agreement, you still have to meet three more of my demands."
"True, but not today." Anna felt above the games at this point, and enjoyed the rebelliousness that arose as the prize her efforts had wrested from him.
"No, not today," Phillips conceded. Even he couldn't challenge her for now.
"Did you plan on me ever finishing these games of yours?" Anna's breathing was still slow and methodical in the face of the marathon she had just endured. "Or is this just a matter of attrition designed to break me?"
"Not games, Anna, tests. And as I've told you before, I really don't know. I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. You, well... it might be said that you are doing the same, although in a different context." The sea breeze swept in across the deck and cooled them. Between it and the ample shade, the heat of the day was forgotten. "It is definitely not a simple matter of attrition."
"Thank God."
"Without question, I've upped the ante. At least from a physical perspective."
"What is he up to?" Anna asked herself.
"Ah... sometimes thinking aloud can be illuminating," Phillips continued. "If you can handle the most I can throw at you physically, perhaps then it is time for a test of your mental obedience."
"Mental obedience?" Anna asked, confused. "I thought this would all be physical. What did you have in mind, sir?"
"Tomorrow, Anna." The attendant approached with a chilled bottle of bubbly and two flutes. "Tomorrow."
"Just the two of us, drinking champagne on his yacht," Anna said to herself. "Me and the billionaire." The servant man placed down the flutes and the champagne. On a signal from Phillips, he poured some into each of the two flutes, replaced the bottle in the ice bath, and withdrew.
"Not exactly the circumstances I would have expected," Anna continued thinking, "but a girl's got to take what she can get."
Nearby, the other vessel brought up her steam and was underway. The ships parted.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and I appreciate your patronage. Be sure to check out other titles available from Celeste Fairbanks, my friends.
Boarding Party (The Billionaire's Demands #2) Page 3