Veritas

by Duncan, MJ

  “Not a race, Pey,” Will droned.

  Peyton just grinned. “Hey, Dad. Can I have the treasure chest?” He held his hands out as his dad pulled the box out of their beach bag. “Grey, come look!”

  Because the salon-side of the counter was crowded with the Muellers, Grey walked around the peninsula to stand by Lauren in the galley so they could be appropriately wowed by the boys’ find. She smiled at the way Lauren leaned into her when she put a hand on the small of her back, and leaned forward interestedly. “Whatcha got?”

  Reid finished chewing in a hurry so he could answer Grey’s question. “Dubballoons.”

  “Duh-bloons,” Peyton corrected.

  “That’s what I said!” Reid argued.

  “No it’s not,” Max said.

  “No backing out of that babysitting offer,” Kim told Lauren and Grey.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Grey assured her. “Like I said, we owe you some alone-time.” She smiled at the boys and added, “So, who’s gonna help me get this boat moving?”

  “Me!” the boys all shouted as they leapt from their chairs and took off running out the door.

  Grey chuckled and gave Lauren’s side a quick squeeze before she started after them. “I’m gonna keep them so busy this afternoon that they’ll pass out as soon as they’ve finished dinner,” she told Kim.

  Kim just laughed. “Good luck with that,” she told Grey as the brunette disappeared onto the back deck.

  Chapter 33

  The Muellers’ last day aboard the Veritas was a hectic whirlwind of island-hopping and clearing customs, and by the time they were anchored in Christmas Cove, everybody was ready to just relax. That meant more swimming for the boys and their father, while Kim stretched out on the trampolines to watch them as she soaked up the last few rays of the day.

  Because Lauren was busy in the kitchen preparing a special dinner for the family’s last night aboard the boat, Grey gathered bottles of root beer for the boys and a couple bottles of Saint John’s Ale for Will and Kim and carried them out to the front of the boat. Seeing the family enjoying themselves made her smile, and she laughed out loud as she watched Peyton go flying off the starboard pontoon with an excited, “Watch this!” before landing a textbook belly flop.

  “That had to hurt,” Grey commented as she set the tray of drinks down onto the small walkway that cut between the forward trampolines. She grabbed one of the beers and held it out for Kim. “Here you go.”

  “My son, the rocket surgeon,” Kim chuckled as she sat up and took the bottle from Grey. “Thank you. And, thanks again for watching them last night so we could go out.”

  “It was—”

  “Wonderful,” Kim interrupted. She sighed and peered over the edge of the boat to where Peyton was cry-laughing in his father’s arms. When she was convinced that he was okay, she rolled her eyes and turned back to Grey. “The boys cannot stop talking about how much fun they had making pizzas with you two and playing games, and I just want you to know that Will and I really appreciated the opportunity to spend a little time alone.”

  Grey smiled. “It really wasn’t a problem at all. They’re good kids. We had fun, too.”

  “Still… Thank you.”

  “It was our pleasure,” Grey assured her with a small tip of her head as she looked out over the cove. Despite the fact that nearly every one of the twenty-two mooring balls that dotted the cove were taken, there was still an air of tranquility about the place that she loved. And she needed that tranquility, especially after dealing with customs and busy ports all day. Her personality was best suited for small groups and open space, so having to maneuver through crowded harbors and hordes of people always left her feeling exhausted. She needed to recharge her batteries, to sit with a bottle of beer or a glass of scotch and enjoy the feeling of the sun on her skin and the wind in her hair, but that would have to wait until later. For now, a few quiet moments with Lauren would have to suffice until the workday was officially at an end. “Well,” she murmured after a beat, “I should probably go see if Lauren needs any help with dinner. If you guys need anything, just holler.”

  “Will do.”

  “Moooooommy!” Max yelled, and Grey chuckled when Will echoed the call.

  Kim sighed and set her beer back on the tray. “Looks like I’m up,” she drawled wryly as she laid her sunglasses beside the bottles and walked over to the edge of the boat. “What’s up, Max?”

  “Come swimming!” all three boys chorused.

  Grey laughed. “Have fun.”

  “Yeah. You too,” Kim said, winking at Grey before she leapt off the side of the boat, knees tucked to her chest as she cannonballed her entire family.

  Grey shook her head as she made her way back down the length of the boat to the back deck. She enjoyed the majority of the clients she ferried about the islands, but Kim really was one of a kind. Grey’s step faltered when she spotted Lauren dancing in the kitchen, hips swaying almost in time with the beat of the music playing from the salon’s speakers, and she smiled to herself as she leaned against the doorframe to watch.

  Even though she had lived every second, it was hard for her to believe that only a week had passed since she first laid eyes on Lauren. She had gone from both hating and craving the sight of Lauren because the redhead reminded her of Emily, to seeing the differences between the two women, and then seeing and appreciating Lauren for who she was. She still missed Emily, but the hurt she used to feel whenever she thought about her had become a dull, pleasant ache. She was moving on, learning to live again in Lauren’s understanding arms.

  The song playing changed to an old Killers tune, and Grey covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her laughter at the way Lauren started bopping her head with the intro. A wooden spoon became a microphone as Lauren began singing and dancing in earnest. Grey had thought that what she needed was quietude—it was, after all, her usual method of dealing with days like the one she had just had—but as her feet carried her toward the galley, she realized that she did not need a few peaceful moments alone to recharge after the long day.

  She simply needed Lauren.

  Her smile grew as she sidled into the galley, close enough to touch Lauren if she were to just reach out her hand. The song began building toward the chorus and she waited, purposefully hovering beyond Lauren’s line of sight, until she began singing along. “Somebody told me, you had a boyfriend, that looks like a girlfriend…”

  Lauren whipped around, wooden spoon held threateningly in the air, and froze when she saw Grey standing behind her. Grey’s hands were held up in front of her, ready to block any blows that might be directed her way, and Lauren shook her head as she tried to glare at her. “Don’t scare me like that!”

  “Come on, Murphy.” Grey tugged the wooden spoon from Lauren’s hand and tossed it into the sink as she started dancing up against her. “Dance with me.”

  “I don’t…” Lauren began to argue, but her voice trailed off when she realized that, contrary to every other person who had ever seen her dance, Grey was not laughing at her. The look in Grey’s eyes cajoled her to join-in, and she was helpless to resist. She was impossibly self-conscious as she started dancing again, her every movement much more muted than it was before, but as the song played on, she found herself letting go until she was dancing like she had been when she realized she was not alone.

  “Oh, I love this one,” Grey said when the music changed. She laughed and captured Lauren’s lips in a playful kiss as she reached for the redhead’s hips and pulled her flush against her. “Come on, Murphy. Show me whatcha got.”

  The feeling of Grey’s leg slipping between her own made Lauren gasp, and she froze as Grey began grinding against her. She could do silly dancing-in-the-kitchen dancing, but not this. She shook her head and stammered, “I…I don’t…”

  “Yes you do,” Grey said, easily reading the apprehension in Lauren’s eyes. “Trust me.”

  Lauren bit her lip and allowed the hands on her hips to guide
her into motion. Her heart hammered with nerves when Grey’s hold relaxed and she was left controlling her own movement. She felt awkward and uncoordinated as she tried to keep pace with Grey, and just when she was about to pull back and give up, Grey’s lips covered her own, effectively holding her in place.

  “You’re doing great,” Grey murmured reassuringly.

  “I don’t know how to dance,” Lauren argued weakly.

  “You do.” Grey wrapped her right hand around Lauren’s neck and pulled her in for another kiss.

  The longer Grey kissed her, the less concerned Lauren became with the quality of her dancing. She looped her arms around Grey’s neck and deepened the kiss, and her body began moving of its own volition to the beat of the music and the rhythmic press of Grey’s hips against her own. The music became nothing but background noise, something loud and brash to contrast the soft moans and ragged breaths that filled their air between them. Their hips slowed to a gentle grind that was more akin to foreplay than dancing, and Lauren whimpered at the loss of Grey’s lips when they broke apart.

  Grey smoothed a hand over Lauren’s cheek. “That was fun.”

  “It was,” Lauren agreed softly. Her eyes flitted over Grey’s face and she smiled. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  Lauren shrugged and looked away. “Not laughing at me.”

  “Oh, Lauren,” Grey sighed, hooking a finger under Lauren’s chin to lift her eyes up to her own. “You move beautifully.” She could see that Lauren was ready to protest her assessment, and she cut her off with another quick kiss. “You do.”

  Lauren wanted to argue, but the earnestness in Grey’s gaze brokered no dissent, and she relented with a small nod. She knew that it was a lie, but she appreciated it all the same. “Thank you.”

  Grey smiled and pulled Lauren into her arms. Her heart swelled at the way Lauren sank into her, clearly needing the physical reassurance, and she sighed as she brushed a light kiss over her ear. “You’re welcome.”

  Chapter 34

  Lauren was surprised by how hard it was to say goodbye to the Muellers once they were back in Charlotte Amalie. She should have been ecstatic because their leaving meant that she and Grey would finally be alone for a few days, and she was, but there was also a part of her that hated seeing them go. She was going to miss the boys and their enthusiasm about everything, Will’s easy-going nature, and even Kim’s knowing little smirks and playful comments. They had been the perfect buffer during those first few days of awkwardness, and their acceptance these last few days had been a blessing.

  “Goodbye, Lauren,” Reid pouted as he fell into her arms. “Thank you for making us yummy food.”

  “You’re welcome, buddy,” Lauren murmured, giving the boy a good squeeze before letting go. She watched him turn to his brothers, who were hovering near the bottom of the port-side dive platform, looking reluctant to leave, and shook her head as she looked at Will and Kim. “Thank you guys, for everything.”

  “Thank you,” Will stressed, shaking her hand. “Everything was amazing,” he added as he turned his attention to Grey.

  Kim just pulled Lauren into her arms and hugged her tight. “Thank you. And good luck,” she added softly.

  “Thanks.” Lauren’s gaze flicked over to Grey, and she cleared her throat softly as she backed out of Kim’s embrace. “Have a safe trip home.”

  “We will,” Will assured her as he watched his wife hug Grey goodbye as well. “Really, the trip was amazing. We may just have to come back next year and do it again.”

  “I’ll be here,” Grey told him with a smile.

  It did not escape anyone’s attention that Lauren remained silent, and that was enough of a push to finally send the Muellers on their way. Lauren wrapped her arms around herself as she watched Will hop onto the dock to help the boys make the jump over, and she sighed at the feeling of Grey’s hand ghosting over her hip as Kim followed them. She did not want to think about the fact that her time aboard the Veritas was already halfway over, or that she would soon have to go back to New York.

  Grey’s lips were warm and welcoming when Lauren turned to capture them with her own, and she purposefully ignored the idea that it was because Grey was feeling the same things she was. A small shiver rolled down Lauren’s spine as Grey’s mouth opened over hers, the brunette’s tongue both ardent and demanding as it stroked along her own, and she gave as good as she got as she spun and fisted her hands in the collar of Grey’s shirt. Thoughts of New York tried to push their way back to the forefront of her mind, but they were quashed by the overwhelming need she had for Grey. Lauren kissed Grey until her head spun, and she let out a shuddering sigh when she finally pulled back far enough to draw a proper breath.

  “Goddamn,” Grey muttered as she nuzzled Lauren’s cheek.

  Lauren pulled back just far enough to run the pad of her thumb over Grey’s lips as she nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Is there anything you’d like to do or see these next couple days?”

  “You.”

  Grey laughed and pressed a quick, playful kiss to Lauren’s lips. “Well, duh. But, seriously. We need to be back here around noon on Thursday to get everything ready for the next cruise, but tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday are all ours. Anything you want, and it’s yours.”

  “I just want you,” Lauren answered honestly. She smirked and added, “Preferably naked.”

  “That can definitely be arranged,” Grey assured her. “But…”

  Lauren silenced Grey with a kiss. She had come down to the islands with a list of things she wanted to see and try, but everything on that list paled in comparison to the woman in front of her. “I just want you.”

  The earnestness in Lauren’s voice was unmistakable, and Grey nodded. “Okay. I know of a nice little bay over on Saint John that’s about as secluded as you can get during the high season. What do you say we pick up some provisions and then head over there tomorrow? We can grab a mooring ball and just hang out.”

  Lauren smiled and kissed Grey softly. “That sounds absolutely perfect.”

  “And…even though it’s like, the least sexy thing in the world, I really need to do some laundry.”

  “Me too,” Lauren admitted with a small laugh.

  “Okay.” Grey kissed the tip of Lauren’s nose playfully. “So, laundry, then some grocery shopping, and then, tonight, will you let me take you out to dinner?”

  Lauren nodded. “I would like that.”

  Grey could not contain her smile as she lifted her chin to press a sweet kiss to Lauren’s lips. “Me too,” she whispered, the words barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

  Chapter 35

  Grey glanced at Lauren as she pulled to a stop in front of the valet station and put the car into park. Though neither of them had dared refer to the evening as a date, it did not escape her attention that they had both dressed as if it were one. Lauren was stunning in a knee-length black dress that had a soft, flowing skirt and was fitted through the bodice, and Grey licked her lips as her eyes traced the curve of the neckline that revealed just the barest hint of cleavage. The dress was simple, classy, and ridiculously sexy, and Grey smiled as she imagined unzipping it slowly and watching it fall to the floor later. “I know I already told you this,” she said as she reached out and ran a gentle finger down Lauren’s thigh, “but you really do look beautiful tonight.”

  A light blush crept up Lauren’s cheeks at the sincerity in Grey’s tone. She had thrown the dress into her bag at the last minute—more of a ‘why not?’ than anything else—and she was glad now that she had. “Thank you.” Lauren ignored the sound of her car door opening and let her eyes sweep slowly over Grey’s body. Grey had opted for a pair of tailored black slacks with pale gray pinstripes and a white oxford that was rolled to just below her elbows and had one button too many left open at the neck. She looked good enough to eat, and Lauren felt her pulse jump as she imagined all the ways their night might end. “You too,” she added quietly, but a sl
ight huskiness to her voice gave away some of what she was thinking.

  A second valet had appeared to handle Grey’s door, and Grey sighed as she gave Lauren’s thigh a quick squeeze before climbing out of the car. She met Lauren under the portico that ran from the drive to the doors of the restaurant, and she tipped her head invitingly as she offered Lauren her hand. “Shall we?”

  “Of course,” Lauren murmured, a small smile quirking her lips as she slipped her hand into Grey’s.

  Bluewater was the signature restaurant at Kipling Resort in Frenchman’s Cove, the Kipling family’s most exclusive hotel on the island. It was always packed, getting a reservation usually meant calling weeks in advance if you were not a hotel guest, and Grey was grateful for her connections when the maître d' led them through the crowded dining room to an intimate corner of the patio that overlooked the ocean.

  They took their seats at a table surrounded by manicured plants that sparkled with strings of white lights, and Grey nodded her thanks to the maître d' as she took the menu he held out for her, not even pretending to listen as he prattled on about that night’s specials. Nothing the kitchen prepared could ever be more delectable than the woman beside her, who was wearing the most alluring smile lifting as she listened intently to the description of each dish.

  After he had left them with the promise of their server arriving shortly, Grey set her menu on the table and reached out to cover Lauren’s hand with her own. She had been a little worried that her choice in restaurants might be too much given their situation, but she knew that Lauren would appreciate the five-star cuisine, and she wanted to give her a nice night out. “Thank you for coming out with me tonight.”

  Lauren looked up at Grey through her lashes, and leaned forward and kissed Grey softly, lingering in the connection for a few moments before pulling back with a small sigh. She smiled and ran a light hand over Grey’s jaw. “Thank you for asking.”