Sunset Sail

by Shannyn Leah

  She grabbed her bag and darted out of the room faster than her legs were meant to carry her and didn’t stop until she was safely in her cabin.

  Chapter Thirteen

  DAYS HAD PASSED without Grayson and Emma’s paths crossing again. Days felt longer on a cruise, stretched out hours of relaxation with no interruptions of work or life. Most people would say the opposite, their days they flew by while on a cruise, but not Grayson, not this.

  Emma avoided meals with his family, and had managed to avoid all events the Cohens attended.

  Linda made comments about the lack of the Caliendo’s presence, but Brock would intervene, slyly saying what a good time they all must be having. Then, Grayson would get a knowing look from Brock and Tom. They’d obviously heard everything in the change room and yet had said nothing, typical Cohens.

  Grayson had hoped, after a couple days, that Emma would have cooled down and realized that he hadn’t been rejecting her, he had been protecting her...from him.

  Despite all the women in his past, there was nothing more than to Grayson that a man who would never give his heart to a woman. It wasn’t in the cards for him.

  Emma had been right about one thing, he’d never said no to a woman before. Not when they were at the point he’d been with Emma. Only, she didn’t understand the will power it took for him to break contact with her. Or, how powerful the pull to not hurt her had been.

  This vacation had gotten a whole lot more complicated. Grayson hated complicated.

  Two days later, and his appetite still hadn’t returned. At the breakfast buffet earlier, he’d piled a heaping plate of food on his plate, only to, once again, leave his plate barely touched. It was frustrating and, what was more exasperating, was that Linda sensed his distress, and continually tried to get private moments to drill him. So, he now preferred to eat alone, trying to avoid Linda, and Samantha, as well as Brock and Tom’s looks, and the only person he could think about was Emma.

  Stepping onto the piazza now, Grayson spotted the person consuming his thoughts.

  Emma stopped.

  Grayson stopped.

  They stared. She had seen him, too.

  She wore a dark turquoise skirt that fell to the floor, over a pair of flat sandals with matching turquoise straps. Her hair fell into silky waves of softness, over the heavy, wooden, beaded neckline of her crochet top. She was beautiful.

  Emma made the first move by turning in the opposite direction.

  Grayson should have respected the space her departure required. He should have returned to mere acquaintances and let her avoid him. Only this time was different.

  He followed.

  Emma’s quick feet took her around a corner with lightning speed, trying to escape him, but his long legs were no match.

  He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her into a quiet area. “Don’t do this,” he said.

  “Stop telling me what to do. What not to do. Who to do or who not to do. Or what is best for me,” she snarled, obviously still angry with him.

  He released her. “Fair enough.” Clearly she was still holding their argument close to the surface.

  They stood quietly as two older couples passed them, talking about how much money they were going to invest in the casino.

  “I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

  Emma held up her hand. “Stop. I can’t stand all these apologies. You didn’t want to sleep with me. Why does it have to be a big deal?”

  This coming from the woman who had made it a point in avoiding him the last two days.

  “Like I said in the gym, I didn’t stop because I don’t want you. I don’t even know how you could think that by the way my body reacts around you.”

  It was reacting right now, to her lips, her glaring eyes, and her crossed arms. Even when she was cross with him, he was turned on, but needed to turn off and focus on making peace between them.

  “I stopped because I like you. I don’t want to hurt you on a spur of the moment passion that you hadn’t anticipated, or prepared for. Women know what they want when they make a move: only sex. But you, I wasn’t sure you were ready for that. I don’t want to ruin what we have over something as demeaning as a one-time fling. Especially, when you aren’t ready for what follows a fling.”

  The shocked look Emma gave him, told him she hadn’t been ready for his response. Truthfully, he wasn’t even sure where that had come from. He hadn’t even been able to pin-point why he’d stopped until the words now tumbled out of his mouth.

  Emma stepped toward him. “I am not the same naive teenager I was in university. I’m not some little virgin that needs her chastity belt tightened when you’re around. You don’t know me like you think you do. Did you ever consider that maybe you’re afraid that I will hurt you?”

  He swore little chirping birds were strumming up a chorus in the background.

  “I didn’t ask you for a thing and I didn’t ask the last three guys I had sex with for anything either.”

  Grayson’s jaw tightened. The last three guys? Now he was the one unprepared.

  “Now, if you’re finished being controlling, as a friend, I’m asking you, what are you doing today?” She had a huffiness about her.

  “I don’t have plans written in stone.”

  His only plans had been to stew about her all day.

  “How about we spend the day not hating each other or trying to pick each other up? Both of those things aren’t really working to our advantage.”

  Grayson liked the sound of that, but he wouldn’t dare let her know.

  “As friends?” he asked.

  “Yes, as friends. Which entails no sexual touching, taunting, or kissing. Kissing is off limits. I don’t know if I’m trying to verify your understanding or mine, but, regardless, that’s what being friends does not entail.”

  He drew his eyebrows together. “That sounds fun to you?” He smiled at the end.

  Emma laughed. “Shut up. Technically, it would be strictly work. As you said at breakfast a few days ago, you, Mr. Cohen, can give me an experience to remember. Strictly work.”

  “I don’t know that there’s much more I can show you. I mean you’ve fallen over our loungers, cut your foot on our glass, and tumbled off our treadmills, giving your knee a nice scrape.” He watched her struggle to hold in a smile. “The owners are terrible, I mean getting you a little liquored up and making a move on you. At separate times.”

  A full smile crossed her lips.

  “Seaweed scum I’d say,” Grayson said, with a wink.

  Emma gasped and covered her mouth.

  “I guess when I put it that way I do owe you a grand tour,” he said.

  “Don’t go out of your way.”

  He grinned. “Where to first?” he asked, offering her his arm.

  She linked her arm through his and said, “Well, you’ve been on cruises all your life. How about your favorite thing to do?”

  “I might bore you.”

  A shadow crossed her face but she said, “I doubt it.”

  It made him wonder if deep down, the obedient girl in her was dying to be a little bit of bad.

  BORED WAS DEFINITELY the incorrect word to describe Grayson’s favorite thing to do on the cruise. “Childish” came to mind, along with another: really?

  Grayson walked onto the kid’s level, with his hands in the air like he’d just won the lottery. The kid’s level.

  As confusing as his choice location to spend their afternoon had been, Emma still noticed the warm feeling in her that his firm rear end pressing against the material of his shorts created. When had a man’s rear-end become a turn on? Maybe when it was his rock-hard ass that needed its own spanking.

  What was wrong with her?

  Her head snapped up as he spun to face her, showing her his biggest grin. Not a busted grin, for catching her checking him out, which he politely and uncharacteristically didn’t regard. Maybe he was too distracted by the playground around them. He was serious about spending the day on the ki
d’s level.

  Neon lights and signs lit up the strip of arcade games, while sitting areas were partitioned off by glass, probably great sound barriers from the beeping, scoring and shouting escalating in the room. She even spotted bumper cars. It was like a massive carnival. A child’s dream...not a grown man’s.

  This was another one of those things that Emma knew Sophia and Parker would be gearing to do if they were here, but again, she wasn’t so sure this scene was for her...or the sexy, hunky Grayson.

  Thoughts like that were going to get them back into trouble. She’d spent days with the girls, fuming at Grayson for not wanting her, and then irritated with herself for not being mature enough to gracefully accept his decision. Had Grayson not cornered her in the hallway, she would have spent the rest of the cruise avoiding him, hoping they could be civilized with each other in the future, but not here. The hurt was too fresh.

  But, he had cornered her and with an explanation she didn’t deserve, leaving her powerless to be angry with him. He did want her, but he liked her too much to take her. It was a compliment of sorts, and shifted her opinion of him...yet again.

  Grayson respected her.

  It was a rare occasion to find a man who respected her to such an extreme extent. The men Emma was accustomed to interacting with respected her only to the limit of appearance. Once the door was shut, their overconfident smugness made an easy basis to kick them to the curb.

  Grayson considered them friends.

  Emma almost smiled, remembering his comment at the club about never having a woman as a friend. He needed lessons. Friends did not make out with each other and tear off their clothes.

  Maybe she needed the lessons.

  Grayson had been the bigger person today, and in the gym for that matter. For a woman who prided herself on being intellectually sharp, Emma was embarrassed to admit the episode in the gym wasn’t her finest moment. This was her attempt to redeem herself and be the well-bred, respectful and civilized woman she was...yet, here she was, finding herself practically drooling over him.

  She wasn’t quite sure how she was going to redeem herself at the Kidsplex. The sudden desire to climb onto the inflatable bouncy castle with Grayson was entirely uncivilized and very naughty. Very, very naughty.

  Emma crossed her arms and eyed him skeptically.

  Was he playing her?

  It was hard to tell, and he was challenging to decipher. Jokes were his defense for everything and she wasn’t sure if this was some sort of joke on her.

  “What?” he asked, his eyebrows knitting together, confused at her reaction.

  Was he really confused? Did he not see where they were standing? She was wearing a skirt for crying out loud. How many activities could she do in a skirt? It would be easy access for him in the bouncy castle.

  “There’s so much to do here we might be here all day,” he said, as he clicked off a memorize list of activities on his fingers.

  He wasn’t only goofy, he was a big nerd. He was a goofy nerd...should she tell him? It was sort of refreshing from his smart aleck self.

  Grayson didn’t look the part of a goofy nerd. No glasses, or head stuck in a book, and instead of a baby-boy face, his face was strong, chiseled and looked like that of an underwear model.

  Don’t envision him in his underwear.

  Too late.

  His clothing screamed classy, not classic nerd. In fact, Grayson dressed a lot like Marc. Even on vacation, Grayson’s casual attire consisted of black matte shorts and a white and baby blue striped shirt that perfectly fit the nautical theme. He looked gorgeous.

  A pair of teens danced on a flashing game and the restaurant off to the side, decked out like a fifties diner, was packed full, and advertised an ice cream pancake buffet breakfast.

  Another experience that screamed Sophia and Parker.

  Grayson must have seen her watching a kid dump spoonfuls of colorful sprinkles on top of a pancake covered in a whipped cream mountain that drizzled with every color of sauce possible. She was staring in disgust, but he took it a different direction.

  “Hungry?” he asked. “We can start with breakfast. I didn’t really eat much this morning.” Grayson grabbed her hand without waiting for an answer.

  The touch lit a fire within her body. This feeling was another reason she’d planned on avoiding him. He might be able to control his want to devour her, but her body was telling her he was more delicious than any ice cream pancake breakfast.

  Hanging out with him was going to be a challenge, and they’d only been doing it for less than ten minutes.

  After enduring a lineup of excited and obnoxious children, they found a quiet booth with their plate of pancakes including fresh fruit and whipped cream. Well, as quiet a spot as you could get in a zoo full of monkeys.

  Grayson dug right into his chocolate drizzled pancakes. How did he keep his body in prime shape eating that sugar mountain? He was going to have to hit the gym double time.

  Her mind flashed back to the gym, and she looked around for the exit.

  But she’d promised, so Emma took a bite, chewed and swallowed. “Is this your selling point?” she asked.

  “I guess it depends whether you like playing. Do you like playing?”

  I’ve been playing a wicked game with you all week and losing.

  “I’ve been playing adult for so many years I’m not sure,” she said instead, forcing another bite down.

  “Playing adult is boring.”

  “I guess it depends on what parts you’re playing.” She didn’t mean it sexually, but the curve of his lips upwards indicated he had.

  “Since that part of adulthood is off limits...”

  “I didn’t mean it like that,” Emma said.

  “Sure you didn’t. What would you like to do first?”

  He was annoying, even when he wasn’t trying.

  “I haven’t been on bumper cars since I was little.”

  His grin widened. “Bumper cars it is. Eat up. You’ll need the energy.”

  Emma took an exaggerated mouthful and he playfully winked at her.

  Challenging.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “WE’RE GOING TO be out of popcorn before the movie even begins,” Grayson said.

  Emma paused, her hand against her lips with a mouthful of deliciously buttery popcorn.

  “Didn’t you eat enough at supper?” he asked.

  Sitting in the back row of the kid’s theater, they were waiting for a movie to begin. Emma hadn’t caught the title because Grayson had this habit about grabbing her hand every five seconds, as if it was the most natural thing. And every five seconds her body lit with desire. Which explained her hands busying themselves now in and out of the popcorn container.

  Emma was going to gain ten pounds on this cruise and she’d have to do some serious cardio to burn it off. Cardio she was sure Grayson could assist her with...and she wasn’t thinking about the gym.

  Emma chewed and swallowed. “I love popcorn.” That wasn’t exactly a lie.

  Grayson chuckled. “I can see that. Here, put these on,” he said.

  Instead of handing her the 3D glasses, Grayson slipped them over her eyes. The room darkened, making her even more acutely aware of him. His bare knee pressing against the thin material of her skirt intoxicated her.

  It had been a good day. A great day. Aside from the sudden hot feelings like this, which she was convinced only time would help her escape, they had actually gotten along shockingly well.

  Away from the rest of the world, with hundreds of children running around them, parents screaming, and games around every corner, she’d seen the part of Grayson she’d been convinced she had caught a glimpse of so long ago at university.

  Grayson still had his sense of humor, but it was toned down a notch. He wasn’t focused on being the center of attention. Along with his humor, came a dash of kindness, especially for the kids they were battling games against and racing with to the lineups. He had an automatic reaction to
children, which she was sure he didn’t even see. Each time a child dropped something, his first response, despite what he was doing, was to scoop it up for them. If the kids scored, he was the loudest cheering and when they lost, he handed out his tokens by the handful telling them practise makes perfect.

  His behavior stirred something inside her witnessing actions that made him good father material...she’d never imagined that reflection would pop into her head...he had more than a smidgen of thoughtfulness that gently stroked away her current outlook of him.

  Anywhere they went, Grayson stepped back to let Emma go first, often guiding her with his hand on the small of her back. Kidplex was his favorite place on the cruise, and yet he always asked her what she wanted to do first. His quick observations, picking up on her favorite things, always landed them back to those areas. She couldn’t help but notice how sweet it came across.

  It had been such a fun day, and now, into evening, here they were, side-by-side in the theater. She couldn’t help but think how this felt like a date.

  Emma slid the glasses up into her hair and found him smiling at her.

  “Cute,” he said, then sat back.

  Cute. He was cute. He might know it, but he had no idea how cute she thought he was.

  Grayson rested one foot over his other knee, with his forearm propped against the arm of the chair dividing them. He’d rolled his sleeves up again. Was it strange that, like his tight bottom, his rolled up sleeves also turned her on? It could be the bulging forearms underneath that were really getting to her, making her mouth water. Now, his bare arms rubbed against her bare arms, and he didn’t even flinch.

  That was disappointing. They spent a friendly day sharing no undercurrents of sexual tension. She should be happy about that, but she wasn’t.

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  He slanted her an adorable look. “If you have to ask, then I have the feeling I might not like it. You haven’t been cautious with me all day.”

  “What does that mean?”

  He shifted to face her. “You wear caution like a cloak. You observe like a spy. You evaluate like a judge. You only ever crack any part of the real you I had the pleasure of being with today, when you’re with your family.”