by Kiersten Fay
An understatement, she found twenty minutes later when Kenzi pulled up to the small fenced-off airstrip just outside of town. Several yards away, Cortez stood under the spinning blades of a black helicopter, the rushing air barely disturbing his dark tailored suit, but brushed through his hair like a lover’s caress. So regal and confident, he looked in all regards like the world would do well to bow down at his feet.
The second she stepped from the vehicle, his enigmatic amber eyes lit on her. Arms that had been folded stiffly around the wide expanse of his chest deflated to his sides. Yet tension made his posture rigid. Her heart jumped with excitement at seeing him. Stupid heart.
Though she knew she was imagining it, their time apart seemed like years rather than hours; their pending reunion sizzling with something unnamed. Starting toward them, his ardent eyes took in her formfitting dress and brown wavy locks enhanced by golden highlights.
Smiling, she spun, giving him a three-sixty view. His gaze consumed her like the sun ate through darkness, thoroughly and without compromise. She swallowed, losing her breath under his avid stare.
She didn’t even realize she was moving toward him till they met halfway. At the way he was drinking her in, she figured he would have swept her up for a heated kiss, at the very least, draw her close, but he did neither.
Instead, he reached out to balance the weight of the dazzling necklace on his fingers—the one she’d forgotten to remove! To Kenzi, he said, “Diamonds. I assume I’m now bankrupt?”
Naia gasped in horror. “Oh, no! I forgot to take this off before leaving the store.” Clumsily, her fingers fumbled with the clasp. “It’s not real though, right? Surely it’s glass or cubic zirconia.” Wishful thinking—the price tag suggested otherwise.
As she slid the piece off, Kenzi replied, “La Parfait doesn’t deal in cheap knockoffs. And stop teasing her, Cortez. It was like pulling teeth to get her to buy anything at all.”
Cortez’s brow arched as he studied her anew.
“I only needed a couple of things,” she said, feeling weird for defending her lack of spending his money. She held the necklace out to Kenzi. “Here. Return it.”
Ignoring her, Kenzi went on. “I had to pretend the large pile of clothing I’d gathered was for me!”
Naia’s jaw dropped, her hand still cupping the necklace. “All that was for me!? You’re insane. There had to be more than thirty outfits there. I’m only going to be here for a week!”
Cortez chimed in. “A week, huh? Is that all I’m allotted? Better make the best of it then.” He jerked his head at the helicopter. “Kenzi, fit what you can in the storage compartment.”
While Naia stood speechless and stunned, Kenzi pulled out select bags and boxes of clothing, transferring them to the copter. Cortez took the too-expensive necklace from her grip, stepped behind her, and fastened it once more around her neck. Then he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “These few hours apart, I’d convinced myself I’d fabricated your beauty. Yet here you are, proving me wrong.”
His tone was decadent and rich, sin and chocolate, and the compliment pleased her more than it should. She couldn’t prevent a tiny smile, even as their implied transport wrapped a thread of terror around her lungs. “We’re not flying in that, are we?”
He hooked his arms around her like she’d wanted him to do in the first place, but now it seemed more like he was doing it to prevent her from bolting, which she had to admit was a real possibility.
“Have you ever been in a helicopter?”
She shook her head, though, as it seemed, that was about to change. “Is it necessary? Can’t we drive to wherever we’re going?”
“I want to get there before the sun sets.”
She glanced at the sun, well into its evening dive. How far did they have to travel that he worried about the losing the light? When she asked, he just smiled and told her it was a surprise, then he guided her into the helicopter, bags of clothes, her clothes, apparently loaded.
Glancing at Kenzi out the window, Naia placed her hand on the window in a silent plea for help. Kenzi merely waved goodbye before driving off, the tires kicking up a plume of dust that was quickly carried away by the helicopter’s manufactured air current.
“Your heart is racing.” Cortez grabbed her by the hand.
She abandoned the window to gaze at him, knowing her eyes had to be as wide as saucers.
“Don’t worry. You are perfectly safe.” He claimed that with total confidence, even as he’d had to yell it over the ruckus made by the metal beast that had them trapped. “Mendez is the best pilot within twenty miles!” When that didn’t seem to ease her, he added, “I’ve got you.”
The beast lurched heavenward. A caustic squeal escaped her, and her heart hammered even harder. After a moment of unnatural elevation that made her head swim, she realized she was digging her nails into Cortez’s hand.
He made no complaint.
With effort, she eased her death-grip. Then she glanced out the window, watching with amazement as the earth glided away. It was frightening, but also beautiful, with all the treetops fanning out like a choppy green sea, the roads splitting off like the workings of a spider’s web, the cars, growing more distant and appearing more like ants than two-ton vehicles. When the first sign of clouds dashed past her window, her terror had waned, morphing into gaping awe.
The whole time, Cortez watched her with a pleased expression, as though enjoying her reactions. She tried to tamp down her building excitement—where was he taking her?—but when she saw the edge of the ocean, she practically bounced in her seat with restlessness, unable to tear her gaze away. Though they lived but miles from the water, she’d only ever seen it from a distance, and never from this high up.
As that great wide expanse grew even closer, she gave Cortez a quizzical look. Was he taking her somewhere that overlooked the Pacific? He responded with a clandestine smile, giving nothing away.
Finally, when they were practically over the ocean, the view more than she could process, they began their descent. Terror returned as she watched the earth careening back at them, unable to look away lest her inattention caused them to crash—an irrational notion, but undeniable all the same.
The landing was much softer than she’d anticipated. At the sound of the blades above slowing, she let out a long, relieved breath. Then an electrified thrill skittered through her—the ocean was just yards away! She wanted to race for that sandy beach to see if it was a soft as it looked. Would the water be warm or cool?
“You’ve never been to see the ocean,” Cortez guessed.
Was it that obvious?
“Vacations are a luxury,” she said by way of explanation, practically yanking off her seatbelt. He wasted no time in shoving the door open and helping her out. But instead of leading her to the ocean, they headed in the opposite direction.
When she tugged on his arm, he said, “We have a little way to drive yet. Ten minutes at most.”
Glancing back at the ocean, forlorn, she wanted to protest, but Cortez hustled her into the back of a stretch SUV. Inside was like a compact club complete with neon-blue lighting that lit up a fully stocked bar that took up the entire length of the interior’s left side.
At her look, he said, “Ostentatious, I know. It was all I could get on short notice.”
“You think I’m balking?”
He chuckled. “No, I think you’re thinking it’s too much.”
She was, but she didn’t satisfy him with her confirmation, though he could probably read it on her face.
“Just wait till you see what’s next,” he muttered under his breath.
Opposite the bar was a soft, cushioned bench that wrapped smoothly along the back of the vehicle, allowing for six or more people to sit comfortably. The whole area was partitioned off from the driver, who apparently already knew where they were going since Cortez hadn’t offered directions.
Once they were settled, they headed onto a long stretch of road with the impressive sea to their left. Sa
ndy beaches taunted her. “Can’t we stop for a minute? Just so I can put my feet in?”
He handed her a flute of Champagne, which she took out of politeness, but she didn’t intend to drink. “I promise you’ll have plenty of time to experience the ocean where we’re going.”
“And where is that?”
A secretive grin played around his lips. He didn’t respond.
Compared to the flight, the drive was reasonably short, but just as frustrating. Seeing the ocean, and not being able to touch it was driving her nuts. So close, and yet so far.
Finally, when the anticipation seemed all but too much, they pulled up to a marina where several large boats were docked. “Which one is yours?”
His eyes lit with amusement at her assumption, and he pointed to a particularly exotic looking, three tiered yacht that towered above the rest.
She chuckled. “Of course.”
Chapter 15
The illustrious yacht gleamed brighter than a thousand diamond necklaces could ever aspire to, and in comparison she felt common and inferior, even in her posh new digs. The luxury-steeped interior was a world—no, a universe—away from anything she’d ever known.
She was an imposter in this affluent realm reserved for society's elite. At any moment, she expected to be quietly shoulder-tapped and asked to leave.
She squashed the self-mutilating thought, determined to enjoy this impromptu outing. When would she ever be aboard another yacht?
Probably never.
The salon boasted tall clear windows that offered a panoramic view. The sun was still above the horizon, but the tone of the sky was already deepening.
She turned to Cortez with a smile. “Look at that, we made it before sunset.”
“And we only risked your having a heart attack.”
She waved that away. “Only a little one. Soooo worth it!”
The grin he gave her caused her heart to flutter. Knowing he could hear it, she looked away.
Along the dock, several deckhands were untying the boat. Another flourish of excitement bombarded her. They were actually going to set sail! Her first-ever sea voyage.
A worrying thought had her stepping back from the windows. “What if I get seasick?”
“It’s not as common as you might think. And we have seasickness medication if you need it.”
She allowed that to ease her, and her good mood returned full force.
A stewardess entered, greeting them with a pleasing smile. “Hello, I’m Emily, and I’ll be attending you throughout our journey. Let me know if there’s anything you need. Can I get you something to drink before we shove off?”
Cortez answered. “We’ll take dinner and drinks on the upper deck.”
“Yes, sir.” Emily scurried off to fulfill the order.
On the topmost deck all Naia could do was stare, agog. A three-sixty view of the surrounding ocean and land rendered her speechless. With the sun slipping toward the horizon, soft orange gilded along the ocean’s surface. At the center of the deck was a charming table dressed in fine white linens and decorated by a large arrangement of roses in a bulbous crystal vase. The table was accented by coral colored shells which matched the napkins, tied neatly by gold ribbons. Several pale candles within glass spheres had been lit in anticipation of their arrival.
Not for the first time, Naia felt overwhelmed, her throat going dry. This whole day had been too much all at once. The gifts, the chopper, the boat? It was like she’d been dropped into a divergent dimension. How was she supposed to act? What was she supposed to say? What did he expect?
When the stewardess returned with a selection of wine and top shelf liquor, she accepted a glass of white wine and took a long pull, mulling over this drastic change in her life.
Cortez selected a vodka with lime wedges and mint. “I’m unsure of your reaction to all this,” he declared without preamble. “You seem pensive all of a sudden.” He sipped his drink and claimed a seat on the bench that stretched around the outer rim of the deck, using the railing as an armrest.
Here was the evidence that Cortez couldn’t read minds, not that she ever believed he could. The notion was ridiculous. But if he could, he wouldn’t be curious about how she was feeling. She waited for the stewardess to leave before responding. “What do you want from me?”
He blinked as though the question threw him. He glanced at the pristine table set as if for a banquet then slid his gaze over the sea. Almost to himself, he muttered, “I guess this is all a bit much to take in, isn’t it?” Louder he admitted, “I only want your company.”
“Hew-hockey.”
“Pardon?”
“We both know you want a lot more than that.”
His expression remained stony, but he didn’t deny the implication.
“I’m not complaining,” she told him. “It’s just, I’m curious. Why me?”
Something fleeting passed over his face, but the expression was too swift to decipher. “Why not you?”
“Do you know what I thought the first night we met?”
“I really don’t,” he said leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, his tone was layered with meaning.
His words tripped her up for a second, and a strange thought fluttered to the forefront. She shook it away. “I remember thinking if you tossed your room keys into the crowd at Ever Nights you’d have the world’s largest all-female wrestling match on your hands. I’m talking nails out, hair pulling, teeth-meets-flesh brawl.”
His lips twitched.
“You can’t deny the crook of your finger would have women lining up.”
“Your point?”
“Well, you’re here with me...” She left the duh off the end of her statement.
“You think I should want someone else?”
Her mind screamed in instant rejection of the notion, but she answered honestly. “I think you’re slumming.”
He leaned back and turned his head to watch the sun, going quiet for so long she thought she’d ruined the evening he’d so meticulously planned.
Finally he faced her, pinning her with his gaze. “You know what I thought when we first met?”
She shook her head, swallowed, heart in throat.
“I thought finally.”
Her jaw dropped. His gaze overflowed with all that was packed in that simple word, declarations that practically thickened the air around them. Somehow he’d manage to say everything and nothing at all.
Finally? Finally? What did that even mean?
As he lifted his hand to crook a finger at her, his lips curling with a teasing twist, she realized she was damn well going to find out.
Chapter 16
After dinner, they watched the sun sweep gold and orange hues over the ocean as though weaving a liquid banner to the heavens. The colors danced, seemingly chaotic, yet with the most beautiful coordination. So touched by the display, Naia had to choke back tears brought on by the ethereal scene.
Or maybe she was still overwhelmed by the man at her side.
Sometime during dinner, the boat had set off. Behind them, the land was now fading to a dim silhouette peppered by building lights and streetlamps that were still visible from this distance. As the sun made its crescendo past the horizon, Cortez silently pulled her into his lap, wrapping one arm around her waist while he held his drink in the other. Together they gazed out at the sea. He seemed so at ease with their closeness. So content. She was getting there.
Throughout her meal, she had fretted over his earlier statement. Finally. She couldn’t figure it out, having already dismissed her initial assumption: that he’d finally met the woman of his dreams?
As if.
Though she’d probably never be rolling in dough like Cortez, she was generally happy with her life, liked herself as a person, and tried to be as honest as one could reasonably be these days—current assignment excluded. But most of all, she wasn’t stupid! Love at first sight was a fabricated myth, invented by story tellers and romantics.
> But what else could he have meant by that laden word? If he was slumming, as she’d accused, he was playing the cruelest joke of all. Messing with her heart. Setting her up to be crushed.
But if he wasn’t....?
A ringing erupted from her purse. Oh that’s right, she had a cell phone now. And the only person who would be calling it was...
She jumped up and scrambled for her phone. “Cole?” Her voice was a little high-pitched from anxiety. Was he in trouble?
“Naia? Hi, how are you doing?” Cole replied coolly.
“I’m fine,” she answered hastily. “Is something wrong?”
“No. I’m about to head into work and I just wanted to check in.”
Translation: he was checking up on her. She didn’t blame him. Relief made her release a tenuous breath. Giving Cortez an I’m-going-to-take-this-in-private gesture, she climbed down to the lower deck and made her way to the railing at the front of the ship.
Secret mission aside, she and Cole were always one-hundred percent honest with each other— current assignment excluded—so she didn’t think twice about opening up to him. “You won’t believe where I am!”
“Well I hope it’s more interesting than behind the bar at the Pussy Pit.”
She scowled. “You know I hate when you call it that.”
“I know. Why do you think I do it?”
“You’re such an ass.” She hissed. “Well, prepare to be sick with envy, mister crude-face, because I am sailing the ocean blue...on a friggin’ yacht! And I tried caviar for the first time! Which is disgusting by the way.” Cortez had laughed after her eyes had bulged and she’d asked if it had gone rotten. When he told her it was fresh, premium stuff, she couldn’t help thinking rich people were nuts to eat this crud! The guy who popularized fish eggs as a delicacy was either a marketing genius or the greatest prankster of all time. Probably laughed his ass off all the way to his grave.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. “Are you with that guy?” Cole asked evenly.
“His name’s Cortez.”