Time stretched as they walked the length of the beach and explored the shed—laughingly dodging the wildlife unafraid to make it their home already. And somehow that invisible connection pulled them together. A languorous heat invaded her limbs, slowing her movements as he closed the last gap to brush his lips across hers. That frisson of electricity skated down her spine and radiated along her limbs.
‘Ramon,’ she breathed. ‘Ramon.’
It was the oddest, most delicious thing. She was melting, while at the same time energy coiled deep within. With a sigh she let it release, lost in sensations she’d not known she was capable of. All she knew was that she wanted more.
* * *
Emmy woke with a start, the soft cotton sheets tangled around her and her own voice echoing in her head. The dream wasn’t a dream, it was a memory—every word real and she was burning as hot as the moment it had actually happened. Horrified, she clutched the sheet and sat up—she’d been moaning his name!
Or at least, his other name.
She gazed at the open door where light gleamed and quickly scrambled from the bed. She was utterly mortified, hoping she hadn’t woken her son. Or that anyone else had heard her. She ran along the corridor and into Luke’s room but froze on the threshold. The sheets were pulled back to reveal his empty cot.
Panic hit like a bucket of iced water. She froze where seconds ago she’d been searing. She hurriedly returned to her room, pulled on her dress. With a push of a button the heavy curtains slid back from the large windows. She stared out in horror. The marina was missing. There was only the vast blue of the pristine Pacific Ocean. They were no longer off the coast of Santa Cruz. In fact, now she’d stopped to think, she realised the yacht was actually moving and she had no idea where they were. Or where Luke was. Not stopping to drag a comb through her curls, she sprinted upstairs, cursing the size of the yacht and all the confusing levels.
‘Javier?’ she called as she finally found the dining deck. ‘Where—’ She broke off, startled to see two suited men seated at the table with a far too relaxed-looking Javier.
Who were they? When had they arrived? Where was Luke?
‘Ah, Emmy.’ Javier stood before she could ask any of the billion questions flooding her head. ‘Come through, Luke will be excited to see you.’ He sheltered her from the eyes of those two men. ‘He’s just through here.’
‘You left him alone?’ Emmy whispered as she followed him down another corridor.
‘Of course not.’
A few feet from the open doorway she could see Luke safely ensconced on a play mat with one of the crew. ‘Why didn’t you wake me?’
‘You were fast asleep, I didn’t want to disturb you.’
Emmy froze. He’d seen her sleeping? Fragments of that dream—that memory—assailed her, smothering her with hot embarrassment...and painful yearning.
She shook the weakness off. That evening hadn’t been magical, it had been a mistake. He’d had condoms in his bag—more than one—like the carefree casual sex-slayer he was. And they’d used them—reckless yes, but not stupid. But they’d not realised at the time that one had failed.
She blinked and focused on Luke. The best thing to ever hit her life was sitting in the middle of the massive lounge, his worn play mat had been replaced and a vast assortment of new toys were scattered about him—wooden stacking boxes, several soft-looking small balls and some cute carved animals. One of the stewards was kneeling beside him, playing peek-a-boo. At their arrival the steward stood and looked to Javier, who nodded in dismissal, and she swiftly disappeared out of the far door.
‘There’s a nanny—’
‘You’ve engaged a nanny?’ she interrupted him in a fierce whisper. ‘Without even meeting her?’
‘I’m meeting him now,’ Javier explained with exaggerated patience. ‘He’s one of the men back in the dining room.’
‘Him?’ Emmy’s blood pounded loudly in her ears.
‘You have a problem with that?’
‘I have a problem with not having any input.’ She shook her head. ‘And I know what you’re going to say—you haven’t had any in the last nine months.’
‘Calm down, Emmy. Yes, I’m angry and, yes, I’m going to need time, but I’m not completely insensitive. You know Luke best, so I was waiting for you to interview the nanny with me, and there are other CVs we can go through if you’re not comfortable with how this one checks out.’
‘How did you get him here already?’
‘I don’t sleep as soundly as you,’ he muttered. ‘I arranged it through the night.’
The truth was she hadn’t slept soundly at all—it had taken hours to fall asleep and when she finally had, she’d been tormented by repeats of that dream.
‘But before we interview him, there’s someone else who’d like to talk to you briefly,’ Javier added before disappearing back down the corridor.
Emmy scooped up Luke and watched worriedly as Javier returned with the older of the two men.
‘I’ve spent a lovely half-hour with your son this morning.’ The man smiled at her patronisingly. ‘I’m Dr Morales, a children’s specialist.’
Emmy forced herself to maintain her smile but she was shocked. Javier had had a paediatrician look over their son?
‘I only had a couple of questions,’ he said amiably enough. ‘Has Luke ever been on any regular medication?’
‘No, never.’ She shook her head. ’He’s been very healthy. Only a little grizzly with his first tooth and a small cold once.’
‘He’s a lovely boy.’ The doctor smiled down at her. ‘You’ve cared for him well.’
Emmy was so angry she couldn’t think of an adequate response. Fortunately Javier led him away moments later, only to return and tell her it was time to meet the prospective nanny.
That interview process was easy. She sat Luke on her knee and read over the man’s résumé while Javier grilled him to the point that Emmy actually felt bad for the guy. His CV was insanely impressive—not only were there papers on child psychology, nutrition and development in his four-year degree, there were courses in defensive driving, cybersecurity and escaping the paparazzi. It took only moments for her to understand that Javier wouldn’t allow anyone on board and near Luke who wasn’t utterly overqualified and from some elite school. He was used to the best and expected the best from everyone in his life. And he wanted only the best for his son. It was terrifying.
‘Emmy?’
She belatedly realised Javier was waiting for her to ask a question.
‘Would you mind a probation period, Thomas?’ she asked. ‘And if you work under observation with Luke initially?’
‘Of course.’ He smiled.
Javier looked at her and she nodded. She was shamefully glad that there wasn’t going to be a pretty nanny staying with them. She knew it was ridiculous of her. She had no right to be jealous of any imaginary nanny being around Javier—she had no hold over him. It was Luke she was really concerned about. But she wasn’t going to lose time with her son. As she had no job the nanny was going to be virtually redundant most of the time. But that wasn’t her problem. Javier wanted to make some decisions here, this was one she wouldn’t fight.
An hour later Emmy sat with Thomas, the new nanny, as he met Luke. Through the open doorway she saw Javier casually guide Dr Morales to the helicopter that had appeared on the top rear deck. She had no idea how she’d slept through the arrival of a helicopter. Or through the boat engine firing up and moving them so far from her home.
It scared her that Javier had achieved so mu
ch so quickly, but she masked her concerns, staying with Luke and the new nanny until it was time for her son to take a nap. Then she stayed until her son fell asleep, quietly talking Thomas through Luke’s routines. Eventually a steward appeared and invited Thomas to follow him so he could get a tour of the yacht.
Emmy took the baby monitor she’d discovered with her so she could hear if Luke woke. Then she walked up the stairs to discover Javier sitting back on the pool deck, looking as if he hadn’t a care in the world. As he caught her eye his chin lifted. Something sparked in his expression, as if he’d been waiting for her to find him.
‘You know, I don’t need your fancy doctor to tell me I’ve done a good job, like some patronising man...’ She inhaled deeply. ‘I know I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve done the best I could.’
‘I know that.’ Javier’s gaze narrowed on her. ‘Maybe the doctor should’ve checked you over too. You still look tired even though you slept late.’
‘It takes more than one night to recover from months of sleep deprivation.’ She tried to snatch a breath and calm down, but it was a losing battle. ‘I don’t need anyone to look me over,’ she muttered. ‘I’m perfectly healthy.’
‘Then it won’t be a problem for him to see you. We can recall the chopper—’
‘Don’t you dare,’ she snapped. ‘That would be such an invasion of my privacy. I won’t have him reporting to you on my well-being.’
‘So I’m not to be concerned about you in any way?’
‘No. You’re not. Stop trying to do the “right” thing all the time.’
‘Stop what?’ He frowned deeply at her. ‘You really don’t trust my intentions, do you?’
‘And you really don’t trust me,’ she answered. ‘I understand it, but to think that Luke might be unwell in some way...? Or that I might have mistreated him...? Or not cared for him properly...? I have put him first in every way I can—’ She broke off.