“So, it’s just the two of us?” I’d waited for more people to board the ship, but it never happened.
“Yes.”
“And what will we do on this voyage?”
“The usual. Fucking. Drinking.”
“And eating?”
He took another drink. “You can do that for the both of us.”
“Ha. I don’t think you’d like my ass so much if I did.”
“You’re wrong about that.” He set down his glass and grabbed a cigar. He had a lighter in his pocket, so he put the tip in his mouth and scraped his thumb over the dial so the flame would emerge.
“Nuh-uh, I don’t think so.” I snatched the cigar out of his mouth and tossed it back on the table.
The flame still burned in his hand as he turned to regard me. The sunglasses hid the thoughts in his eyes, but I could tell he didn’t appreciate that stunt. He reached for the cigar again.
This time, I smacked it out of his hand. “None of this shit.”
“What the fuck did you just say to me?” He raised his voice, loud over the waves that hit the hull of the ship below.
“I hate smelling it on your breath. And your clothes. Even your skin.”
“Am I supposed to care about that?”
“Not to mention, it’s bad for your health.”
“Definitely don’t care about that.”
“Well, I do.”
Instead of reaching for the cigar again, he stared at me, a sigh escaping his clenched jaw. He tossed the lighter onto the table then grabbed his drink again. He sat back, knees apart, and watched his yacht conquer the calm ocean.
I made myself a plate of snacks, a little self-conscious that he never ate anything while I devoured everything in sight. With my legs tucked under my ass, I enjoyed everything, from the crystallized oranges to the chocolate-covered almonds.
In silence, he stared at the ocean, perfectly content not saying a word.
I eyed the side of his face, his jaw clean because he’d shaved that morning. I liked the stubble, but I liked the fresh look too. It highlighted the strong bones of his jaw, the way its sharpness created a distinct shadow down his neck. “Have you ever done this before?”
He finished off his glass before he set it on the table. “Done what?”
“Brought just one woman on your yacht?”
“No. But don’t feel special.”
“Hard not to.”
He looked forward again and ignored what I said. “I’ll be working like normal. Nothing is different, except the location. I have a business meeting in a few days, so that’s the real reason we’re out here.”
“On a boat?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes.”
“Um…how does that work?”
“It’s how rich men prefer to do business.”
“It seems awfully inconvenient.”
“Not if you want to stay off the grid.”
“And why would you want to stay off the grid?”
He pushed his sunglasses up to expose his eyes, and he turned to look at me like he was annoyed with my slowness. “It’s impossible to be traced out to sea, so if a deal’s going down, no one can put out a hit.”
“A hit?”
“You know, kill everyone and take the money.” He looked forward again. “Looks like Grave shielded you pretty good.”
“He didn’t include me in that part of his life.”
“You just stayed home?”
“Pretty much.”
He gave a subtle nod.
“Honestly, I’m not even sure what he does for a living. It’s criminal, I’ve gauged that.”
“All rich men are criminals.”
“I don’t know about that…”
“Even if they earn an honest living, they don’t pay taxes, which makes them a criminal. Trust me, when you’re at this caliber, there’s only temptation and no accountability. No reason to follow the law when the law doesn’t apply to you.”
“Do you know how he earns his money?”
He gave a nod.
“Drugs?”
“You don’t want to know, Camille.”
I’d slept beside that man every night for years, and I didn’t know him at all. I’d been with Cauldron a short time, but I felt like I knew him so much better…even though I didn’t know anything about him either.
I was dead asleep when I felt it.
Exquisite pleasure between my legs. Precise pressure against my sex. Hot breaths. Sharp stubble from thick facial hair. My thighs instinctively squeezed, feeling a head between my soft limbs. “God…” My back arched on its own, and my hips curled for me to press myself farther into his powerful mouth.
My eyes hadn’t opened and I was still half asleep, but that made it feel even better. Every touch was unexpected, made my toes curl. My fingers reached for his hair, and I dug into the strands, my ankles locked around his head.
His tongue circled me harder, making me whimper and writhe.
When he pulled away, my thighs squeezed him tighter to lock him in place.
He had to grab my knees and force them apart. “Don’t worry, sweetheart.” His narrow hips separated my thighs as he shoved my nightshirt up to my chin to expose my tits. “Not going anywhere.” His deep voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, but commanded so much authority without effort.