He shrugged. “I hadn’t thought that far. I figured I’d spend some time with my parents in League City and then regroup and decide what I want to do next.”
She nodded slowly. “I was thinking the same thing. I haven’t even told my parents I quit. Hell, I didn’t tell them I went on this cruise.” She leaned back in her chair, her book forgotten on her lap, and stared at the sky.
She was wearing another bikini—this one navy—with a matching cover-up that was once again doing nothing to hide her assets. It was a woven mesh wrap that had more holes than material.
Noah ate the rest of his breakfast and was just about to set his plate on the floor when a waiter showed up and took it from him. As Noah situated himself on the lounge chair alongside her, she turned to face him.
Her expression was far too serious. “I think we’re playing with fire, Noah.”
“How do you mean?” He knew exactly what she meant, and it scared him to death.
“I mean, we’re not getting back together. It’s not possible. We can’t go through the motions this week acting like we’re a couple. We can’t have a repeat of what happened last night.”
He swallowed. “Why not? I had a great time. Didn’t you?”
“Of course—”
He interrupted her. “Don’t add a but. Just have fun.”
She shook her head. “Don’t try to make light of this. I’m being serious. I can’t just take from you like that without giving.”
“You didn’t take anything from me, Ellie. That’s ridiculous. If anything, I took from you.” He sat up, swung his legs around, and leaned his elbows on his knees to face her. He lowered his voice. “I spent the entire evening falling under your spell in that sexy dress with no bra or panties. Your tits alone had me salivating before we left the room.”
She paled.
“Don’t misread me. You looked fucking amazing. Every man on the ship was jealous of me.” He leaned even closer until inches separated their faces, his voice a whisper. “By the time we got back to the room, the only thing on my mind was getting that dress off you and putting my hands and mouth everywhere on your delectable body.
“So I crowded you. I knew immediately it was the right decision because you were so hot for me that the ocean water boiled. I’ve never seen anything sexier than making you come with my finger pressing that silky skirt up into your tight pussy, Ellie.
“I did that. I wanted to do it. I would do it again in a heartbeat. You enjoyed it. I loved it. Don’t minimize it this morning and try to convince me it was a mistake.”
“It was a mistake,” she murmured.
He groaned, leaning back. It was impossible not to react to her words. She was bullshitting him, and he couldn’t get her to see reason.
“It’s wrong of me to lead you on like that because I don’t want you to get some false sense of hope that we can get back together.”
He sat up straighter and ran a hand through his hair. “You’ve certainly made that clear. Several times. I get it. You’re not interested in a reconciliation. Fine. But don’t try to pretend you’re not equally as attracted to me as I am you. You can argue the points all day in your mind, but your body betrays you.”
She bolted to a sitting position, swinging her legs over the side of the lounge and stuffing her book into her bag. “I think we should do different things today.”
“Ellie…”
She stood, stuffed her feet into a dainty pair of silver flip-flops and shook her head. “I’m serious. We need space. I need space. I’ll meet you back at the room before dinner.” At that, she spun around and walked off, disappearing between the people roaming around the deck.
In seconds, a female voice spoke to him from the other side of her chair. “Is this seat taken?”
“Nope. It’s all yours.” He leaned back, closed his eyes, and tried to slow his racing heart. Why did everything have to be so complicated?
When Ellie stepped out of the shower that night, she knew Noah was in the room. She could feel the intensity he filled every small space with before even opening the bathroom door.
Her day had been total shit. She’d gone to the trivia contest for a while but found she didn’t know anything in today’s category. Next, she’d joined the bingo in the giant auditorium with several hundred people over the age of sixty. After that, she’d found a quiet corner on an out-of-the-way deck and tried to read while sipping a gin and tonic. She had no idea what the book was about. Even the casino held no appeal without Noah there watching her.
After drying her hair in the cramped space, she was forced to open the door or suffocate from the humid heat in the small bathroom.
Noah was standing next to the bed, hands at his sides, gaze locked on her as if he’d been waiting for her to come out. He was dressed for dinner, which meant he’d come back earlier and showered and changed.
They both spoke at once. “I’m sorry.”
She let her shoulders relax marginally. “I shouldn’t have said all that. This week is no more your fault that it is mine. We didn’t ask for this.” She reached for the closet door, opened it, and stared at her dress selection.
“You’re right,” he agreed, easing up beside her. “You want me to pick one?”
She realized she was staring at her choices, knowing all of them were inappropriate for a week-long trip with a man she wasn’t going to sleep with. She had purchased this wardrobe on a whim, thinking to flirt with men and relax her usual stuffy self. She never would have been able to pull it off, so it seemed ridiculous now, but she was stuck.
She chewed on her bottom lip and then met his gaze. “I didn’t know I was going on a trip with you when I selected these dresses. I can’t help that they’re too revealing. It’s kinda late for that.”
He gave her a wry grin. “They aren’t too revealing. They’re sexy and just right. They suit you. I was being a dick earlier.”
She shook her head. “No. You were right. I can’t dress in fuck-me clothes and then tell you I’m off-limits.”
He reached into the closet and selected a pale pink dress. It was the most sophisticated one she’d brought, but it would still hug all her curves and land not low enough on her thighs. It was meant to pick up men, not run them off. “This one. The skirt will be too tight for me to navigate it into your pussy later. It’s perfect.”
When she jerked her gaze to his, she found him smiling. His eyes were dancing. She rolled hers and snagged it from him.
“See? You’ll be totally safe in that one. I’ll wait on the balcony. Let me know when you want me to zip it up.” With that, he turned around and stepped outside.
Like last night, she stared at his back while she dropped the towel and grabbed a bra and panty set. Pink, to match the dress. She quickly stepped into the thong and then fastened the lacey bra. Next, she stepped into the dress. It was sleeveless, hugged her breasts perfectly, landed higher on her thighs than she remembered, and indeed she needed assistance with the zipper.
Damn him for already predicting that fact. She rounded the bed and came to the balcony doorway. “You can zip me now.”
He turned around, but she had already put her back to him to avoid his reaction and his expression. Both had been detrimental to her resolve last night. When his hands landed on her lower back to hold the fabric steady while he tugged the zipper, she held her breath.
Why did he have to be so damn…Noah. Smell so good. Look so delectable. His touch instantly heated her skin. A chill ran up her spine. Not because she was cold but because every time he touched her, she felt a jolt of desire.
She squeezed her thighs together, something he probably didn’t miss, and held her breath, concentrating on the way he slowly zipped her up. His hands landed on her shoulders when he was done. “You look stunning. As usual. But I need you to know something.” He slid his hands down her bare arms and turned her around.
She stared at his shirt, realizing for the first time that he had on a pink tie.
He lif
ted her chin with one finger. “You’re a gorgeous woman. You look hot in anything. If you’d brought baggy sweatpants and loose T-shirts to wear to dinner, you still would have taken my breath away. So, don’t worry about how sexy your dresses are. I love them.” He slowly lowered his lips to her cheek and kissed her.
She closed her eyes, wishing he had kissed her on the lips. Deep and thoroughly. She was a disaster, constantly sending him mixed messages. She was also receiving mixed messages from her brain, so it wasn’t hard to believe they poured off her at the same time.
On instinct, she grabbed his biceps and leaned into him. “I’m sorry. For everything.”
He set a hand on her lower back and threaded the other in her hair—the hair she’d worn down tonight because she knew he liked it that way. “Me too.” Those words had a dozen meanings, but she decided she didn’t want to know what he was thinking.
Every inhale was excruciating. She wanted him so badly it hurt. All day long she had missed him. She didn’t want to spend this cruise avoiding him. She wanted to be with him. “I’m such a bitch.” She set her chin on his chest and looked up at him. “I had a terrible day. I missed you.”
He grinned. “Thank God. I’m glad it wasn’t just me. My day was shit without you.” His hand threaded in her hair, tugging it slightly to pull her head back farther.
What if she threw in the towel? Tossed common sense out the door and let him in? She was fairly certain that no matter what she did, nothing would change. If she spent the week avoiding him, she would feel awful all the time wishing he were with her. If she spent all her time with him, they might enjoy each other’s company too much. Even if she had sex with him, the outcome would still be the same. No matter which route she took.
He brushed a few hairs off her forehead. “What’s going on in that deep mind of yours?”
“Weighing my options,” she admitted. “Damned if I do. Damned if I don’t.”
“If the do and don’t are meant to imply that you’re contemplating sleeping with me, let me help. I’m not going to have sex with you. I promised I wouldn’t, and I won’t break that trust. So, how about you relax, put that out of your mind, and let’s go have fun. We’ll stuff ourselves until we can’t breathe and then check out the entertainment.”
She liked that idea. She wasn’t sure she could let go of her concerns about how her body ignited every time he touched her, but she’d never known him to go back on his word, so it was reasonable to trust him to keep his dick in his pants, so to speak. “Let’s do it.”
Chapter 9
“Wait…what did you say? I misunderstood. I could swear instead of snorkeling, you just said zip-lining. Those are very different words.” Ellie tipped her head to one side and tapped her ear against her hand as if she had a gallon of ocean water in her head.
He laughed. “You heard me. You’re gonna need close-toed shoes, shorts, and a shirt you don’t mind wearing under the harness.”
“Harness?” She set her hands on her hips. The ship was supposed to dock in half an hour. They’d gotten up early to prepare to get off. Now she was considering climbing back into bed. “I didn’t get this memo.”
“I know. I didn’t tell you on purpose.” He shoved several things into a backpack.
“Why would you do that?” she asked, tapping one foot nervously.
“So that you wouldn’t freak out unnecessarily ahead of time like you are now.” He grinned that stupid, sexy, lopsided, I-know-you-well grin. Ordinarily, she found it endearing. Right now, it was far from anything resembling endearing.
“So, your plan for the day is to climb up into the trees, hook onto a little rope, and jump? You better hurry and get downstairs so you can find someone willing to join you.”
Now he laughed. “You’re joining me. It’s going to be fun. You’ll see.”
“No. See, I guess you don’t remember every detail about me.”
“I remember fine. You don’t like heights. I’m clear. But you can do this. It’s exhilarating. I heard the views are amazing. You don’t want to miss out on this experience.”
“Sure I do.” She opened the sunscreen and squirted some in her palm. As she rubbed it into her legs, she continued. “You can show me pictures afterward. I’m sure there’s a perfectly good beach right at sea level I can sit on while you jump from tall platforms in the sky.”
He dropped his backpack, took her shoulders, and held her gaze. “Go with me.” His voice was serious. Pleading, but not in an annoying way.
She sighed.
“I promise I’ll let you pick the excursion tomorrow. Something at sea level. Zip-lining will be so much fun, but not if you don’t go with me.”
She blew out another breath and dropped her shoulders. “You’ve lost your mind this time.”
“You’ll come?” He sounded so excited. How could she tell him no?
“I’ll come. I won’t enjoy it, but I’ll come.”
“Excellent. We’ll see.”
Three hours later, Ellie was certain she was going to lose her breakfast. Her nausea was the only thing keeping Noah alive however. If she hadn’t been so queasy from standing too far off the ground on a rickety platform, she might have had the energy to push Noah off the top.
His arms came around her from behind. “Deep breaths. Don’t look down from the platform. Wait until you’re swinging through the trees.”
“Oh great. That makes me feel so much better.”
He inched her closer to the edge as the last of the people in their group all took their first death jump. There were ten in all. Ellie had paid little attention to any of them. She hadn’t paid close attention to Noah either for that matter. She’d been too busy checking and rechecking all the buckles and hooks and latches on her harness while watching closely how each person was attached to the wire above their heads before they jumped.
Jumped wasn’t the right word of course. No one was really jumping. This wasn’t a bungee cord. But as far as she was concerned, it was just as insane.
Two more people were left before her.
Noah had his hands around her waist, his lips on her ear. “Deep breaths. You can do this.”
“How much are we paying for this death-defying experience anyway?”
He chuckled. “Don’t worry about it.”
She twisted her neck around. “You’re not paying for my excursions, Noah. Forget it.”
“How about you pay for tomorrow’s adventure, then?”
“Let me guess. You arranged for us to go skydiving.” She flinched as the words left her mouth, not at all sure he wouldn’t have made such a reservation. It was entirely possible.
He laughed again. “Nope. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get you to do that. And I’ve jumped out of plenty of planes. I don’t need that experience. But I’ve never gone zip-lining.”
“Good. Let’s keep it at sea level tomorrow, or slightly below the water. Minus one is good.”
He lifted a brow. “We could go for minus forty. They have one-day certification for scuba diving.”
She shook her head. “Not a chance on that either. I’m not fond of being too far above or below the surface of the earth.”
He kissed her nose. “Snorkeling it is then.”
Suddenly, it was her turn. Noah insisted she go before him out of fear she would chicken out and leave him spending the day alone. His concerns were legit.
Her hands were shaking as she stepped to the edge. The man in charge of this platform smiled broadly at her. “First time?”
“Yes. How many people have fallen to their deaths?” she asked, not joking.
He laughed anyway as if she were hilarious. “Zero.” He held up a large carabiner and hooked it above her head. Then he did the same with another one. “This is the safest thing you could be doing right now. I promise. Your chances of being involved in an accident on the ATV tour are far greater. We have had zero accidents on this zip line since it opened.”
She nodded, only marginally mollified by
his words.
Noah grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You’re going to love it. Just relax.”
She shot him a glare, or tried to, and took a deep breath. Two seconds later she was screaming loud enough to disrupt not just the animals but the flora too. And then she sucked in a sharp breath, opened her eyes, and looked around. The air felt strange blowing against her face with so much speed, but it also cooled her heated skin and calmed her nerves slightly.
The view was so unbelievably amazing that she forgot she was gliding over the trees for a moment as she soaked in the beautiful scenery. And then it was over. Her harness jerked on her body as she came to a stop at the next platform. A woman working that station used a long pole to draw her the final few feet.
It was over almost before it began. Probably a good thing since she was fairly certain she’d held her breath the entire time. Her legs were jelly as she stepped onto the platform while the rest of the vacationers in her group all clapped.
She gave them a wan smile and turned around to watch for Noah. He arrived looking cool as a cucumber. She seriously doubted he had screamed bloody murder like she had. Hell, the man was a Navy SEAL. He’d been through things she could never even imagine. Zip-lining would be a walk in the park for him.
The second he was disconnected from the first line and attached safely to the platform, he pulled her into his arms. His smile was infectious. His lips were inches from hers. “You’re still alive.”
“Yeah. Don’t gloat.”
“Did you love it?”
“Jury is still out.” She wasn’t kidding. It had been exhilarating but also frightening at the same time. That balance was going to have to tip more toward the fun and less toward the scary before she would call this a good time. “How are you so unfazed?”
He lifted a brow. “Babe, I’ve done things that would make your skin crawl with far less safety equipment.”
She cringed. Of course.
Hot SEAL, Red Wine (SEALs in Paradise) Page 8
