by Jill Shannon
Sadie tried to get off the bed before he got to her, but she didn’t move quick enough. He wrestled her to the bed holding her arms above her head, kissing his way up her body until he got to her mouth.
“You promised me dinner when we were finished. I’m not complaining,” Sadie was saying as her stomach made a loud growling sound. She looked down towards her stomach. “I swear I was just kidding; my stomach did that all on its own.”
“You stay here. I will have Marco send dinner,” Cameron kissed her on the nose and rolled off the bed. He reached the phone and told Marco to send dinner.
Sadie moved up on the bed getting under the covers and propping herself up on the pillows, watching Cameron throw on a pair of sweat shorts to answer the door.
She didn’t know what to make of this man. As he moved about the cabin, Sadie observed him. His shoulders to his waist formed a perfect V. The angel tattoo moved as if it were flying with him. Even in his shorts, she could see that hard tight ass. She wanted to be able to sink her nails into it the first chance she got.
This was the first opportunity she had to see his legs; hair lightly covered his thick thighs, and runner-like calves. He had an incredible body.
The rattling of dishes drew Sadie from her thoughts. Cameron had traded tables with the waiter at the door, moving it to the side of the bed. “Would you like to stay there or eat at the balcony table?”
“I think I need to get up. If I get too comfortable, I may just fall asleep in my salad. There is salad, right?”
“Yes, there is salad.” Cameron moved the cart outside to the table and transferred the contents setting a similar setting of the original table. After putting the cart by the door, he brought a single candle with him setting it in the center of the table. “What’s eating outside without a little ambience?”
Sadie threw a silk robe on and moved outside. Cameron held a chair for her to sit; he then pulled the other chair over to sit next to her. She removed the covers as Cameron sat to eat. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until the wonderful aroma hit her. She smiled as her stomach growled again.
“You need to start eating better, you’ve hardly eaten anything that I’ve seen since we boarded. Rule 5: You must eat three times a day, and fruit in between. They don’t have to be big meals, I see you already panicking, but you must eat something. Now, taste this.”
He held his fork out for her to taste what looked like steak, but what exploded in her mouth was a world of flavor. Sadie savored the flavors while rolling her eyes in appreciation. “What is that? I’m not normally into spicing my food too much, but that was delicious.”
“It’s Isaac’s special blend. He’ll die with the secret,” he said, smiling at her and holding up another bite for her.
“Due you normally feed your subs?” The words were out of her mouth before she could take them back. “I’m sorry, Sir, that was a rude question to ask.” Sadie looked at her hands in her lap. “I sometimes voice my thoughts. It’s a bad habit from living alone.”
“You are my first.” He put his fingers under her chin, raising it to look in her eyes. “Don’t hide from me. You didn’t do anything wrong. When we sit like this, I want you to be open with me; always.” His lips touched hers gently.
Pulling away from him, her eyes misted. “Thank you. Most people don’t appreciate when you put them on the spot like that.” Sadie went back to eating her dinner.
They finished eating in silence, Cameron feeding her, then Sadie feeding him, when they were done. Cameron took the lid off of the last dish. Under it was a chocolate brownie smothered in hot fudge, a cold dish of vanilla ice cream, a can of whip cream, and finishing off the plate, a bowl of cherries.
“I like to make my own brownie, I thought you might like to help. BUT, no whip cream anywhere except on the brownie. I have plans after dinner, and they don’t include cleaning up a mess. When we play with food it will not be in our bed.”
Sadie looked up at him and how easily he had said “our.” It sounded nice, but she wasn’t ready to really believe this man before her was real. Cameron put the ice cream on, she twirled the whip cream on top, and they each put a cherry on top. Before dipping his spoon in, he held a cherry for her to eat.
She opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out, closing her lips around the cherry; then sucked it off the stem. Smiling as she chewed, licking her lips, catching the juice that escaped.
He watched her mesmerized, how something so simple could be so erotic. He leaned forward capturing her lips, tasting the cherry. He didn’t think he would ever get enough of her. Backing away, he reached for his spoon, and slicing it through their masterpiece, he held it to her mouth.
The fudge dripped from the spoon and Sadie moved to catch it with her tongue as Cameron scooped the spoon into her mouth. Her face told the story; she closed her eyes and savored the flavors, how the ice cream melted with the texture of the brownie and whip cream. She moaned, swallowing. She opened her eyes and licked the lingering sweets from her lips looking at Cameron.
“Oh my God, that is heavenly. I’ve had this as a desert before, but this one blows the rest away. Thank you for sharing.”
“Another one of Isaac’s secrets.” They ate until it was gone.
When they were finished, Cameron scooped Sadie up and carried her back inside placing her on the bed. “Take your robe off and get under the covers,” he said as he moved back out onto the balcony. Within minutes he was moving the cart through the cabin and out the door. He went back and closed the balcony doors, and climbed into bed with Sadie, pulling her tight against him.
Sadie snuggled close to Cameron. She had never shared a bed before, and thought it would be impossible to sleep, but she found the opposite to be true. Curling into the warmth of his body, she fell fast asleep.
Cameron listened to her breathing and knew she had fallen asleep. He really couldn’t blame her; exhaustion was setting in on him as well. He moved a piece of hair that had fallen over her face. He leaned back, relaxing on his pillows, and held her as the peacefulness she always made him feel settled over him.
He waited till he knew Sadie was in a deep sleep, then got out of bed to retrieve his computer. Cameron got back into bed, readjusting Sadie so she lay curled into him. He opened the email that he had been waiting for and began to read.
Chapter Ten
The storm the crew had been tracking had kept them from their scheduled first stop of Haiti, so they had continued on.
It was still, however, Sadie’s day off, and she had things planned to do today.
She had awoken to find Cameron already gone. He had closed all the curtains in the cabin, so when Sadie had rolled over and saw it was past eleven, she jumped out of bed and headed to the shower. When she came back in the room towel drying her hair, she found the note he had left for her.
I know today is your day off; I figured I’d let you sleep in. I went to the gym to get my workout done and out of the way. When I get back, we can figure out the rest of the day, till then,
Cameron
Sadie reread the note, and then tossed it on the desk. Moving to the set of drawers holding her clothes, she pulled out her swimsuit and a pair of shorts. After she dressed, she rounded up all her dirty clothes in a laundry bag and tossed it by the door. She went back to the desk, found the notepaper and pen and left Cameron her own note.
It was very thoughtful of you to let me sleep in, but I had things I needed to do, before noon. Although I don’t want to, I feel the need to tell you what I will be doing today. The list goes as follows: laundry, lunch, (I already missed breakfast), tanning, massage, dinner, and casino. I’m sure you have things you need to do so please feel free to go about your day, and don’t worry about me. I’m sure we will run into each other at some point today. Enjoy,
Sadie
She then gathered her tanning bag, put her sunglasses on, grabbed the laundry bag and headed for the door. When she got there, she realized she didn’t have a key to get bac
k in. She found one on the desk, snatching it up; she headed out the door once again. First stop the laundry room. If she remembered her map right, it was on the second deck. Then to the Harem Deck to the sports bar for a quick bite and find out how her teams were doing.
She also needed to check in with the girls. She needed to find out if Gabriel was really mad or not. She also wanted to hear about their nights after the auction. Cameron had manipulated her all day yesterday. She never had a chance to talk to them. Not that she minded; she also had a lot to tell. She smiled as she pressed for the elevator.
***
Cameron grabbed the towel tossed to him by Harley. “Did you get the signed contact last night?” Cameron nodded while drinking his water. “And you read it carefully, there are no loops he can slip through, he didn’t change something and you missed it? You better be prepared for anything with this asshole.” Harley was like an uncle to Cameron. He had been there for him for as long as he could remember.
“Yes, I reread the whole thing. Nothing was changed. So, now we can begin the final phase of my training.” As he had reread the contact last night holding Sadie, he knew he was doing the right thing.
“No more playing, that’s the first rule. They’ll be more than enough time for that after you take that asshole down. You will be here twice a day. You decide when; I’ll be available.” He looked Cameron in the eye, adding, “Fun time is over!”
“I understand what’s at stake. I’ll be here, don’t worry.”
“Just make sure your mind follows your body, you have to be here, Cameron, no distractions.”
Cameron gave Harley a defeated look knowing he was right. If he was going to put everything he and his family had worked for on the line, he needed to be totally dedicated. “I’ll let Sadie know tonight, she’ll have to move back to her cabin. There is no way I can have her in my bed and not touch her.”
Harley gave him a satisfied smile. “Now that break time is over, why don’t you go for a nice hour long jog on the treadmill, clear your brain, or, better yet, focus your brain on the upcoming challenge.”
All Cameron could think about was how Sadie was going to feel when he moved all of her things back to her cabin. But it would only be for a few days. After he took Richard Arcola down, and he meant that literally, he would move her back.
He finished his run, and grabbed a quick shower, before going in search of Dimitri. Now was the time; he needed to tell him what was going on in case anything happened to him. Dimitri would be able to explain it to his grandmother.
He found Dimitri on the bridge with Nicolas, Caleb, Logan, and Captain Joshua. “I’m glad you’re all here. There is something I need to tell you.” They all turned to Cameron as he entered the cabin. “Why are all of you here together?” he asked when it registered where they were.
“Everything is great,” Dimitri, volunteered. “We’ve missed the storm, and should be docking in Jamaica earlier then expected. What’s up?”
Cameron looked around the room at these men he considered his friends. He hoped after he told them what he had done, they would still look at him the same way. “Before you say anything, please listen to everything I have to say. Then, if you have something that will help, I will gladly listen.”
They all seemed to get comfortable as Cameron began laying out the plan he had set in motion to bring Richard Arcola and Arcola Construction to an end. When he was finished, he waited for it all to sink in and then asked, “Any questions?”
“I have one,” stated Dimitri as he stood walking towards Cameron. “If you put all you owned on the line, does that include your shares in Midnight Oasis too?” Dimitri was almost shouting by the time he was finished asking.
“No, the cruise line was not part of the deal. I did commit to turning those shares over to my grandmother should anything happen to me.”
Dimitri’s eyes grew so large Cameron thought they were going to pop out of his head. “You what? Does your grandmother even know what you’re about to do? I suspect she doesn’t or she would have already put a stop to this insanity. Somebody please try to talk some reason into him,” Dimitri said as he walked to the other side of the cabin, trying to cool down.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Nicolas asked as Cameron nodded his head yes. “Well, then how can we help?”
“I need anyone you have on the ground who you trust and can get to the Grand Caymans. I need them to keep an eye on that bastard for me. I can’t afford any surprises. Do you have anyone who would be available on such short notice?”
“You bet I do, and he owes me,” Nicolas said, turning to Caleb, “You know who I’m thinking of don’t you?”
“Yup, Jungle Jim.”
“Hunt him down, explain what we need him to do, and get him on the next plane to the Caymans. If he’s not available, I think Mad Dog will be… hell, see if they can both get there.”
“You got it, Nick, I’m on it.” Caleb left the bridge to begin his search.
Dimitri had calmed down some, and moved back towards Cameron. “How do you know he’ll follow through on his side when you win?”
“We have a signed contract, as well as Maximillan and his lawyer. There are enough people who know about the deal, so he’ll have to abide by it. It feels right what I’m doing. There’s no other way to explain why I did it. I will be able to put him out of business, as well as guarantee the safety of my family. I need one more favor,” Cameron paused, not wanting to ask his next favor, but it was an important one.
“Harley doesn’t want me to be distracted from my goal, so I’m moving Sadie back into her cabin. I’m sure she is going to be confused, but when it’s all over I’ll explain everything to her. What I need from you guys is to make sure she’s safe when I’m not around, and away from anyone looking for a new sub. Make sure they know, she may not be collared now, but she soon will be.”
Dimitri walked up to Cameron and put his hand on his shoulder. “No worries, we’ll take care of her for you. You just make sure I don’t have to partner with your grandmother. I love the lady as if she were my own grandmother. But it would be a little uncomfortable discussing vibrators and floggers with her. When are you telling Sadie what’s going on?”
“I wasn’t planning on telling her. She doesn’t really need to know what I got myself into until it’s over with. Then I’ll move her back in permanently.”
“Let me go on record right now, I think that’s a mistake. She’s an intelligent woman, but she won’t like being kept in the dark. Plus, you would have moved her twice within the span of one cruise.”
“I have to focus, Dimitri.”
“Fine, I won’t say anything,” he said holding his hands up in a surrendering pose, “although I still think you’re wrong.”
“I’m going back to my cabin now to meet with the moving crew. I want to have them put Sadie’s stuff back were they took it from originally. Then, I have to figure a way to tell her it’s only temporary and hope she believes me.”
The crew needed at least an hour before they could meet with Cameron, so with some time to kill, he went up to the pool to swim some laps. That would put him back in Harley’s good graces.
***
Sadie had finished her laundry and returned it to the cabin; Cameron was still nowhere in sight, so she left to go find Bella and Madison to see if they were available for lunch.
She found them both sitting in a booth at the sports bar. She walked in and stood beside the table. “I was just looking for the both of you; may I join you?”
Isabella slid over to make room for her. “Of course, what’s up?”
Sadie slid into the seat and looked at Bella. “Thank you for covering for me last night. Cameron planned this incredible night, but I had no idea I would be missing work till he got me back to the cabin. I thought we were just having dinner, but it went a little further.”
Isabella waved her apology away. “Anytime, I never realized the difference between rehearsal, and live. I
have to say it’s real nice hearing the applause. I’m there anytime you need me to step in,” Isabella said smiling at her. “Now, tell us what he planned. I want details.”
Madison had been very quiet through their exchange. Sadie turned to her. “Are you okay? You don’t seem your usual self.”
Isabella answered for her, “We were just getting into that when you walked in.” Both of them now facing Madison.
“It’s so embarrassing, I’ve been doing this for years, I don’t know what triggered me, but I freaked on Master Dimitri last night. It was so bad he almost called Marco; I don’t remember much of what happened, but when I came out of it, Dimitri was holding me from behind sitting on the floor. He held my arms across my body so I couldn’t hurt myself, and was gently rocking me.”
Both women had surprised looks on their faces. “Has this happened before?” Bella asked, reaching for her hand.
Madison looked down at table. “I had a really bad childhood. My dad hit my mom, and then she would hit us. She was drunk one night, picking my brother and sister up from his basketball game. I was sleeping over at a friend’s house that night, otherwise I would have been in the car too.
“They said she lost control of the car and drove it off the road into a tree. My brother died on impact. My sister died a few hours later at the hospital.” Madison looked up at Sadie and Bella with tears in her eyes. “She walked away with a broken arm. She’s now serving twenty-five years to life without parole.”
There was quiet at the table when the waitress Jackie, one of their fellow actors from the show, brought their order.
“My dad remarried a few years into her sentence, and it was like deja-vu,” Madison continued. “I had one more month of school before I graduated, and I was going to be free of the both of them. I had a trust fund that my grandmother had set up for us.
Since both my siblings were gone, the trust went solely to me. The only requirement was we had to graduate high school. I never made it.
