While I spoke, she kept staring at me with her wide chocolate eyes. They were always so much darker while we were indoors, I noticed. Outside, especially in the SoCal weather, her irises picked up the golden flecks of the sun, and her big baby doll expressions lit up more like liquid amber then. But in either setting, in any place, noticing things about her—noticing everything about her—had become my favorite pastime. Since meeting her, my world had become a brighter, bolder adventure. Even now.
Suddenly, she kicked back the covers. Before I could figure out what she was doing, she shot up from the bed. Immediately, she swayed on her feet. “Whoa,” she groaned and plopped back down on the mattress. “Oh, holy shit. Stop the world. I want to get off.” She squeezed her eyes shut while a low moan escaped her lips and then gripped both sides of her head as if she could steady the spinning from holding on to the outside.
“Maybe you should get some food in you first and shower after?” I offered, already feeling pathetically helpless again. “I have no idea when you ate last. They should be almost done with setting up breakfast right now.” Though my phrasing was suggestive and open, no way I was letting her slide on getting some nutrition. Her bout of dizziness had sealed the deal on my determination.
“Grant.”
Her tone was impatient, but two could play at that imperious-and-not-budging game. “Yes?”
We both just stared at one another. This woman and her feisty will made my balls ache in a way they shouldn’t, but some things would never change, I guessed.
And did I really want them to?
Finally realizing she wasn’t going to win this standoff, she let her hands flop to her sides on the mattress. “Look.” She sighed. “You don’t have to wait on me like this.”
“No waiting going on here,” I defended evenly. “All I’m doing is just seeing to your well-being. And now you can’t even argue that you’re not hungry. You’re going to pass out soon if you don’t eat something. Now come on.” I held my arm out like a gentlemanly escort. “I’ll make sure you don’t faceplant along the way.”
She ducked in front of the oval mirror that hung above the dresser. “But I can’t go anywhere looking like this.” She winced while finger-combing her bangs into some sort of order.
“There’s no one on the entire boat but the crew and us. But you won’t even see them unless you want to. They’ve all been specifically instructed and well paid to ensure it. Come.” I motioned again with my outstretched arm.
“Don’t call to me like I’m your pet.”
A growl of frustration slipped out, and I wasn’t sure I regretted it. “Stop trying to pick a fight at every turn. You need nourishment. Your attitude is atrocious. And if food doesn’t work, we can talk about other ways to clean it up.”
I raised my brows while I waited for her come back. I knew I was poking the little beast now, but she was too tempting in her sour mood. I was willing to overlook a few things about her snippiness—to a point. Because I really wanted to take her over my knee and get it over with. I had to keep remembering she’d been through hell and back in the past few weeks. Still, the whole production was starting to get out of hand, and I had a feeling she was pushing my buttons on purpose. She and I had been on this merry-go-round before, after all.
“You can stow the bossy shit, Mr. Twombley,” she finally said, turning to face me. Her hair continued to be the same frightful mess, and the corner of her eyes were bracketed in weariness. “Lead the way. I’m fine to walk on my own, though, thank you.” She looked at my offered arm sourly and then up to my face to find me examining her.
Shit. I hoped this trip was the right call. Cracks were forming in this beautiful creature’s soul right before my very eyes, and I had to find a way to fix them. Because that’s what I did. I was the guy who fixed things for people. But never—and I really meant ever—had the mission been more vital than with this woman. I couldn’t screw this one up.
“What?” she snapped.
“Nothing, Blaze.” When she got within arm’s length, I pulled her into my body, whether she wanted to reciprocate my embrace or not. Her arms hung limply at her sides while I circled mine around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. She didn’t push away, as I’d been anticipating. Instead, she sagged completely against me. And goddamn, did it feel amazing. Her nearness. Her trust.
Her heat…
No. Not there.
I was in Gentleman Grant mode. I had to keep remembering that. Even if it killed me. And it just might.
“I’ve missed you,” I confessed into her tangled hair. “All of you. Your sassy mouth, your bad attitude, and even your rude eye rolls. I’m glad we’re doing this.”
I pecked her forehead while she stared up at me, parting her mouth on a bit of bewilderment. At least that was what I hoped for. Confusion I could work with. So much better than punchy temper.
Yeah, this was going to be an interesting journey, all right. But first steps first. Rio needed food and sunshine. I was hoping a fat dose of both would put me fully back on the right side of this woman’s good graces. I wanted to help her heal, inside and out.
Because I cared so much about her, and I cared a hell of a lot about us, whatever that shaped up to look like now.
Chapter Two
Rio
Go away. Go away. Go away.
Didn’t seem to matter how many times I inwardly repeated the command. Those damn tingles dancing across my skin wouldn’t stop their passionate little cha-cha, no matter how fierce my demands were.
Freaking Grant Twombley. The man with his sexy grin and rumbly chuckle…and confident embrace…that I wished would never end. He had a way of stirring feelings that could be felt all the way down in my toes as he held me against his firm—and damn it, I meant firm—body.
Just from a damn hug!
But it wasn’t just a hug. It was everything he’d done for me. Everything he’d dropped in his life, without a thought, to be there for me. Everything he was still doing for me. Because, unlike almost everyone else in my life, he thought I was worth it. And I swore to God, for a fraction of a second, he had me believing it too. The feeling—true self-esteem, and not the act I had everyone believing on a day-to-day basis—made the tingles better and worse at the same time.
The swimming fog in my brain wasn’t helping matters currently, but that was definitely there before he pulled me close for this unrequited hug. I needed food. Yep. I was sticking to that story.
“Well, let me go so we can do this, then.” My words were muffled against his shirt that smelled of his intoxicating signature Bleu.
Finally, he backed away. I hurried past, easily ducking under his outstretched arm that held the cabin door so it wouldn’t slam shut behind me. I stood to the side and allowed Grant to take the lead, quietly falling into step behind him since I didn’t know the way.
The boat was extraordinary. Everywhere I looked, luxurious furnishings were trimmed with decadent touches. Fixtures were polished to perfection. Artwork hung on the walls and looked like original work—not mass-market prints. Even the carpet here in the hall and main living spaces was as plush as it was in our private cabin.