by Jayne Rylon
Apparently his claim had not gone unnoticed. Perfect.
Captain Alex waved away Sabine’s apology. “Don’t worry, we’ll have it cleaned up before the sun sets. I just like these kids to think I’m a grumpy old bastard sometimes. To keep them in line, you know. I will ask you to take your sneakers off, please. No footwear is allowed to be worn beyond the entries to the ship.”
“Oh.” Sabine gave what might have been a laugh if she wasn’t wiped out. Instead, it sounded more like a huff. She toed off her shoes with a wan smile. “Never did like wearing them much anyway.”
“Swimwear is optional as well. Feel free to lose as much of your clothing as you like,” Miguel rasped in her ear.
Sabine’s shoulders shook a bit. She hardly responded otherwise.
Miguel figured on a good day she’d have handed him his balls for such a brazen suggestion in front of company she intended to impress.
Captain Alex frowned when the extent of her condition became obvious. Then he said to Miguel, “Banks spoke to you about where Dr. Reynolds will be staying, correct? Would you like to show her to her room or should I call for one of the stewardesses?”
“I’ve got this.” He nodded at the gathering, then led Sabine inside toward the glass elevator that ran through the heart of the ship. When he stepped inside it, he intentionally poked the button for his own floor, not hers.
Five
“Is this place for real?” Sabine whispered to herself.
Squinting to protect her eyes against the starbursts glinting off every polished surface surrounding them, she gawked as they descended through deck after deck. The décor and furnishings weren’t the kind that made her think of museums or Baroque castles, thankfully.
Decadent, yes. Gaudy, no.
The boat’s atmosphere felt warm and soothing. Relaxation washed over her, only adding to the weight in her bones. She hoped it wasn’t a half-mile walk to her cabin. The thought of a bunk, however hard and narrow, nearly had her weeping.
She was surprised when they stopped on a level above the waterline. Real windows looked out onto the ocean from the lobby. Staff quarters usually consisted of tiny caves on the lowest deck of a ship. She’d consider herself lucky if she wound up with a porthole to peek out of on occasion.
Still, she didn’t have the energy to question Miguel as he towed her along a wide polished wood hallway lined with gorgeous photographs of the sea and the occasional blown glass sculpture that made her think of waves inset in well-lit niches.
Everything was cozy and welcoming, with the exception of a single smoked glass door they passed. The modern monolith, complete with keypad entry, starkly contrasted the more traditional finishes. Sometime when her mind wasn’t fuzzy with grief and fatigue, she might ask Miguel about it.
“Here we are.” He paused in front of a wide door and entered a combination on the keypad. It seemed odd that he knew the code to her door, though she supposed he did own part of the ship. Maybe he had a master key code or something.
Except, when he opened it and ushered her inside the largest stateroom she’d ever seen on a ship, there were belongings on the shelves and a polished desk held an open notebook full of furious scribbles.
“Someone already lives here?” She’d shared housing before. Nothing as spacious or grand as this either. Except… She tried peeking around his broad shoulders to be sure. Yep, there was only one bed. A massive one at that.
“Yeah, me.” Miguel crossed his arms, practically daring her to object.
Too tired to argue, she reached behind her for the door. One of his massive hands shot out, covering hers on the handle before she could yank it open.
“Banks has quarters prepared for you in the staff area, if you really want them. I think you’ll be far more comfortable in my bed, though. Don’t you?” Miguel edged closer, causing her to take a step backward and then another, until her shoulders and ass bumped into the wall.
His heat and the enticing smell of ocean air on his skin weakened her objections. “Maybe.”
The man didn’t fight fair. He pressed his thigh between her legs, letting her ride the muscle there as he braced one forearm above her head, leaning in so their mouths nearly collided again.
Sabine licked her lips.
“That’s right,” he practically growled as his fingers brushed her hair behind her ear on one side. “Your hard nipples are telling me you want another shot at me as badly as I need to devour you. Why try to fight nature? Stay. Let me watch over you tonight. Tomorrow…we’ll see where this goes.”
“I should probably at least pretend to be a professional considering how gracious the Banks Foundation is being by sponsoring my research and granting me this opportunity.” She didn’t bother to deny their attraction. That would be a ridiculous argument.
Hell, it was all she could do to keep from putting her hands up to feel the solid muscles of his chest for herself. Maybe burrow into them and beg him to put his arms around her, sheltering her while she got some much needed rest.
It was a hard thing to admit for a woman who’d always prided herself on her independent streak. Except her whole soul felt bruised at the moment, and Miguel seemed plenty strong enough to take care of them both. Willing, too.
“We’re adults. Who you sleep with is your business. If it makes you feel better, we can store your stuff downstairs for appearances, but we both know that’ll be a waste of space.” His confidence bordered on arrogance, yet somehow it still managed to make her squirm. In a good way. “Dishonest, too. I’m not the kind of man who sneaks around, fucking in the shadows. I’d be proud to have you stay with me, for everyone to know you’re mine, if only for a little while. And I’ll make damn sure you can say the same.”
“Uh.” Why couldn’t she think of more reasons to turn down his proposal?
It wouldn’t be the first spontaneous decision she’d made in her life. Nor the worst. Most likely.
“Besides, my suite has a jetted tub and the standard cabins only have showers. Big ass showers with fancy nozzles and shit, but still. You know you want my…bathtub.” He wiggled his brows.
She groaned at the thought of soaking her aching body in steamy water. Five long cross-country and international flights in economy had threatened to permanently disfigure her. Booking her tickets last minute had meant she’d been the sucker jammed into the center seats. “Fine, you win.”
“Always do.” He nipped her bottom lip before pulling away to kiss her cheek. “Keep that in mind.”
He didn’t intimidate her.
In fact, part of her wished he hadn’t stopped there. With a few quick movements, he could rip open his fly, shove down her jeans and panties, then help her forget anything except the pleasure he could undoubtedly give her. Yet he seemed true to his word. He wasn’t going to manhandle her…tonight, anyway.
Sabine didn’t want the guy to get too cocky. Plus, she thought she might test his self-control. See if he was as strong as he appeared. Experiments were her thing. So she stared straight at him as she walked the hem of her shirt up her torso. About the time she revealed her bra, which did a nice job of making the most of what she had, a muscle twitched in his jaw.
“If I knew you better, I might spank you for teasing me like that,” he warned.
“Is that supposed to scare me?” It didn’t. She’d often fantasized about finding a guy to play those kinds of games with. Only she’d never met one she thought could truly inspire her to hand herself over to like that.
Until now.
He had the potential to shake her up. Dangerous, this game she’d started playing.
That was what made it so fun. Where numbness had resided for days, he brought her back to life. It was a relief. Addictive, too.
Sabine dropped her shirt on the floor then shimmied out of her jeans. Her underwear, socks, and bra made a neat pile beside the rest of her clothes. Soon she wore only the necklace he’d put around her neck earlier. While his once-over may have originated with that item
, it didn’t stop there. She felt the sear of his gaze as it roamed lower and lower, remotely caressing her breasts before it focused on her center.
“You never have to be afraid of me or the things I’ll do to you, lindeza. I’ll make sure you enjoy every moment.” If she hadn’t been nude already, Miguel might have set her panties on fire with his thickening Brazilian accent. Would he talk to her like that while they fucked?
She shivered.
He admired her openly. “You should prepare yourself. It’s going to be intense. I can tell already.”
Sabine got the impression he didn’t often wait to take what he desired. So she made the most of the anticipation, spinning to put her ass on display as she sashayed to his bathroom and bent over to turn on the hot, steamy water. Though she’d been drained minutes ago, even simple flirting with him invigorated her.
What would the real thing do for her?
“This is going to be the best assignment of my life.” He made no apologies for staring at her, though he did intercede to keep her from lifting another finger. Miguel offered her his hand, helping her into the tub. He encouraged her to get comfortable while he brought her some body wash, lit a few candles, and queued up some nature sounds on his iPod to help her unwind. It reminded her of the time she’d spent in the field, her favorite part of her job. “When was the last time you ate?”
“Miguel, I don’t even know what day it is right now,” she answered honestly. “They gave us a chocolate-covered macadamia nut and some passion fruit juice on the flight in. Before that…couldn’t say.”
“Right.” He grimaced. “I’m going to order some food for us. What would you like?”
There was a choice? And someone would bring it to them?
That impressed her more than the rest of the trappings she’d spied on their way to his private space. Standard fare on ships was whatever the hell the cook made and you were damn well happy to have it. Her hesitation and wide eyes must have been answer enough.
Miguel chuckled. “I know. I’m not quite used to this myself. It takes less time than you might imagine to get spoiled, though.”
“I’m not sure how long I’m going to be around. Hopefully I can retrace Heinrich’s steps pretty quick, before someone else does.” She sank lower into the bubbles and crossed her arms over her nakedness as she tried for the millionth time to replay those seconds and zoom in on the shadow she’d seen in the corner of the screen. Had it been smoke, or the person she’d imagined at first?
“Hey, don’t worry about that now. There will be plenty of time for work tomorrow and beyond. The best way you can help yourself prepare is to rest up and be at a hundred percent mentally before you get started, right?” He brushed his thumb over her shoulder. Though she had always felt comfortable in her own skin, she wished he would ditch his clothes, too.
Partially because she felt vulnerable. Mostly because she wanted to feast her eyes on what promised to be a spectacular body.
“Easy with that eye-fucking, tiger shark. Want me to serve myself up on a platter for you?” His smile made her sure room service would have an entirely different meaning if he was the one making the deliveries.
They might have ended up splashing water across the gorgeous marble floors, if her stomach hadn’t growled loud enough to be heard over the running water.
“No more distractions, woman.” Miguel asked again, “What can I get for you?”
“I’m guessing grilled fish is an option considering where we are, right?” She practically drooled as she considered eating something other than airport fare. “With some vegetables, maybe? It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Honestly, I’m probably not even going to taste it.”
She yawned then. What she would really like was to shovel some sustenance into her face, swallow it in one giant gulp, then crash on the admittedly cloudlike bed she’d passed during her strut into the bathroom, which had apparently sapped the last of the charge in her internal batteries.
Though it was barely noon here, she wasn’t going to be conscious much longer.
“Anything you don’t like or are allergic to?”
“Nah. I’m pretty flexible.” She shrugged, sighing as the warm water lapped over her collarbones.
“I think I’m going to like that about you.” Miguel squeezed her hand. “I’ll be right back.”
The soft purr of his instructions to the chef reached her. Though she couldn’t make out the words, she guessed his Brazilian accent was going to quickly become her favorite sound in the world. Maybe he would teach her some Portuguese so that she could listen to him speak more often.
As she considered where she’d started the day and how drastically things had changed the instant she’d met Miguel, she tried not to let guilt swamp her. Knowing how much Heinrich had cared for the kid he’d been, she had a sneaky suspicion he’d approve of her finding comfort in the man’s arms. Even a temporary safe haven would be welcome at this turning point in her life.
Heinrich had often encouraged her to find a mate. Someone like Marta had been to him.
She closed her eyes at that, blocking out the pain that threatened to well up again as it had hundreds of times in the past week, and would thousands more in the coming years.
Sabine wasn’t sure how long she floated there, buffeted by jets of blissful water. Long enough to doze off.
“Hey, not quite yet.” Miguel shook her lightly when he returned. “I should have kept a closer eye on you knowing how tired you are. Jesus. Spend my life making sure tourists don’t drown and I almost let a woman go under in my fucking tub.”
Before she could reassure him she was fine, he had stripped, making it impossible to speak.
Instead, she beheld a living, breathing work of art finer than any she’d spotted during their trek to his cabin, or even had seen in Europe’s most famous museums, which she’d loved to visit on weekends with Marta.
No fig leaf was going to cover allllllll of that.
Sabine swallowed hard.
Miguel grinned. “You drooling over this dinner or what?”
She splashed him.
“Hey, be nice or I won’t show you what Maria whipped up for you.” He took a long skinny tray from where he’d leaned it up against the wall, and laid it across the tub. Then he set a covered silver platter in the center. Two wineglasses followed, along with a decanter of something that smelled expensive even from several feet away.
Two glasses?
Yep. Miguel stepped in on the other side of their makeshift table. When his lower half disappeared below the churning water, she aimed her attention at his cut chest and abs instead. Mmm. He looked good enough to eat.
The scent of lemon butter and fresh lobster pried her attention from his form momentarily. “Is that…?”
“Yep.” He nodded, then unveiled the treat along with some rice pilaf, asparagus sticks, and a salad. “We caught them when we went spear fishing earlier. Dig in.”
Sabine had already lunged for her silverware.
The first bite tasted divine. The warm, delicious food filled her empty belly.
“This is seriously the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.” She hummed, then took another nibble.
“It’ll only hold that record for another twelve hours or so.” Miguel watched her lips, finally breaking his stare to glance down in the general vicinity of his cock, as if he were making the big guy a promise.
Laughter. She couldn’t believe it was coming from her. In the midst of a crisis, she’d met a gorgeous, if crazy, man who ate lobster in a bathtub with her and cracked her up. Who was she to question the way life went sometimes?
Instead, they made the most of a shitty-but-not-so-shitty situation. After she’d finished stuffing herself, she had no hope of extending her get-to-know-you session with Miguel, no matter how many more questions she had for the guy.
Her eyelids grew heavy.
Of course he noticed.
With a single graceful motion, he stood, allowing the water t
o sluice from his magnificent body. He tucked the empty plates and glasses to one side then stepped out, quickly drying himself off before holding out a hand to her.
Sabine took it, stepping over the high side of the tub. She walked into the fluffy towel he held out to wrap her in. She allowed him to take control, ensuring she didn’t skip any of even the most basic tasks she was incapable of performing for herself at the moment. It was odd, and sort of comforting, to let him care for her in this way.
A way she’d never allowed another man to do.
And when he lifted her into his arms and carried her to bed, she didn’t protest. He placed her near the center of the mattress then climbed in behind her, drawing the covers up and hitting some button on a control panel nearby. Room-darkening shades blocked the lovely ocean view and plunged them into artificial darkness.
The feel of another human being, skin on skin, grounded her. She turned toward him and wrapped herself around every part of him she could reach. He did the same, entwining them thoroughly. His fingertips glided up and down her spine. For a few seconds, she counted the slow, solid beats of his heart from where her ear pressed to his chest. It must have hypnotized her.
That was the only reason she could think of to explain why she blurted, “I should have been there with him.”
She’d thought about it over and over non-stop since the moment her world had blown to smithereens.
“Lindeza, no. Then you both might have been lost.” Miguel hugged her a little tighter. “What good could you have done against an explosion, huh?”
She recalled the masked man she thought she had seen. Ridiculous, right?
Sabine shrugged. “At least he wouldn’t have doubted my loyalties. It’s just that after I graduated from his program, I needed to fly solo for a couple years. Earn my own way before latching on to his success like some kind of remora feeding off its host shark, you know? I had lots of offers for grants to study pretty much whatever I wanted. Including one from Heinrich. I should have taken it. My ego kept us apart, and now I’ll never get to team up with him again.”