"Give it a second, you'll get used to land again," he assured her. He stopped to readjust the backpack and then took her arm to help her stabilize.
He was right; it was only a few minutes before she felt steady again, but she didn't pull away from his guiding touch. "So where are we going?" she asked.
"We'll take a taxi to a shopping area so you can look around for a while, then we'll take the bus route to the end of the line, from there, it will be a walk." He looked down at her feet and nodded approvingly as he checked her footwear.
She was glad she'd listened to his advice about comfortable shoes because he wasn't kidding about the walking. He showed her the best tourist spots, all the fun stores to buy souvenirs, then they took the bus and rode it to the last stop. To her surprise, it was a residential area. "Are you sure we're in the right place?" she asked hesitantly as he started down the street.
"Yep, come on," he said, turning to hold a hand out to her.
She took it automatically but still had a fearful look on her face as she looked around. "But this is a neighborhood, are we even allowed to be here?" she wondered aloud. It was a ridiculous question, of course, and she knew that even before he laughed.
"The residents have to live somewhere, Kitty, but the streets are public and so is the beach. Most tourists just don't make it this far," he assured her.
She gave in and let him lead her down one street after another. Her feet were tired and so was her back from carrying her tote bag and several other light bags filled with new purchases, by the time they reached the quiet little cove. The white sand beach stretched out in either direction, smooth and beautiful, with very few people marring the view. She'd hoped the walking part was over, but to her surprise, he kept going, striding down the beach confidently. She'd let go of his hand to pick her way carefully over the hot sands; walking on the loose sand was a real workout for her calves, so she made her way to the firmly packed wet sand and followed at a distance.
"Just a little further, I promise," he assured her when he realized she wasn't keeping up and doubled back to wait for her.
"I'm really regretting the fact that I got out of the habit of running," she groaned. Between her job and Christopher, she just hadn't had the time for the daily exercise, but she was regretting it now.
"Unfortunately, exploring tends to require a lot of walking," he said apologetically, but he turned his stride into a casual stroll that was easier for her.
"It's beautiful here. I can't believe no one is out here enjoying it on such a beautiful day," she said. As they walked, she occasionally leaned over to pick up a shell or a piece of coral, slipping the pretty ones into her bag.
"It does seem weird, doesn't it? But every day is beautiful here, and people still have to go to work and school. With it being off the tourist track, it's pretty much just for the locals," he explained.
That made sense; somehow, she'd never really thought about the fact the even on an island, people still had regular lives to live. They made their way around a large outcropping of rocks and past a small forest of tropical trees before he was satisfied and stopped, dropping the bags on the sand.
"What do you think?" he asked with an expectant smile on his face.
She leaned to set her things down and then did a slow turn to appreciate the beautiful setting. "This is…it's incredible, Jack. I've never seen anything like it," she said truthfully.
It was like a cozy little nook, sheltered on both sides from other beachgoers, and not another person in sight. "How did you ever find this?" she asked.
"Oh, a little research and a lot of exploring," he said, laughing as he pulled a couple of beach towels from his backpack and spread them across the sand. "Was it worth the walk?" he teased.
"Definitely. I wouldn't have missed this for the world." It was like their own little island paradise, and while she was sure other people would wander by, eventually, for the moment, it was just the two of them.
He looked pleased. "Good! So, lunch first or swimming?" he asked.
"After all the walking, I'd like to cool off," she replied immediately, already eying the crystal blue waters with anticipation.
"Okay, let's get changed and swim," he agreed cheerfully as he pulled swim trunks out of his bag.
She turned, looking around again, "Uh, where should I…" She hadn't even thought about where she'd change her clothes, assuming there'd be restrooms or something available, but there was nothing but palm trees and sand.
"I'll keep watch, and I promise not to look, Kitty," he said, laughing as he moved down to the waterline where he could see a long way in either direction.
She hesitated, but no one would get to them without being seen unless they hiked in through the trees, and that seemed unlikely. True to his word, he never looked back over his shoulder as she stripped out of her clothes and wiggled into her bathing suit.
"All set," she called, once everything was in order.
"Your turn, then!" he said, waving her down to take his spot while he changed. Judging by the look of amusement on his face, he wasn't terribly worried about anyone seeing, so she pretended to take the guard duty extra seriously.
"Don't worry, no one will get by me, sir!" she assured him with a deliberately awful salute that had him laughing behind her as he changed.
She was so busy looking out at the water that he caught her by surprise, scooping her up from behind and carrying her out into the water as she squealed and clung to his neck. "Don't drop me!" she said through her laughter.
"What, drop you?" He pretending to do just that, swinging her out like he was going to let her go as she shrieked and kicked her legs.
"No, no! I said don't drop!" All smiles and laughter, she couldn't even pretend to be scared.
"Oh, you should have said so in the first place!" he said, chuckling as he carefully set her down.
"It's so warm!" she exclaimed in surprise. It wasn't quite bathwater temperature but certainly warmer than the ice cold lakes in Colorado or cold salt water pool on the ship.
"No need to ease in, this time," he said, teasing her. She retaliated by kicking water at him; one thing led to another, and pretty soon, they were both drenched. They swam for a little while, but her skin started to prickle and she knew she needed to get out and reapply the sunblock.
"Lunch break?" she suggested. They swam back towards shore, careful where they put their feet as they stood, since they'd been warned about the local sea-life, and staggered out of the water laughing and leaning on each other. Katherine collapsed on one of the beach towels, starting to turn pink from the sun but laughing as she pulled out the ever-present bottle of cream and reapplied it in a thick coat. "I'm going to be a lobster by the end of the trip," she commented. "I'm just putting it off as long as possible."
"Here, I'll get your back," he offered, taking the bottle and moving behind her. She shifted, stretching out and rolling over on her stomach so he could get her legs, too. A soft groan of pleasure slipped out as his strong hands slicked the lotion across her skin. He was attentive, especially when he got to the area where the spandex suit cupped her ass. He pulled the suit back a little, fingertips caressing the skin just underneath the elastic with care.
"Couple little marks from last night here," he commented as he gently pressed down on a sore spot. "I tried to keep the spanking to where it would be covered. Didn't think you needed the embarrassment of people noticing…this time."
She looked over her shoulder, eyes widening. "I was just happy you skipped the thighs."
"Wouldn't count on me always doing that, but on a trip where you're going to be in a bathing suit most of the time, I thought I'd be nice," he said, chuckling softly. "Does it still hurt?" he asked.
She shrugged, rolling her shoulders and then letting her head drop back down to rest on her arms. "Just a little tender, not really painful. I'm not in a rush to be punished again, but if you had something a little more erotic in mind…" She let the words trail off and wiggled her ass in a
n obvious invitation.
He gave her a stinging swat to her wet seat and laughed. "I imagine; course…that chain's still around your ankle," he pointed out. "I have no intention of pushing you to take it off, but until you do, you belong to some other man. No sex," he said firmly
She sighed heavily. Stubborn, stubborn man; what was it going to take to make him give in, she wondered. She wasn't a skilled seductress, but men had always given in when she really tried to put them in the mood. Christopher had been her first dom, but he hadn't been her first boyfriend or lover, and typically, she'd had no trouble getting sex when she wanted it, until now.
She rolled over and sat up, a deliberate pout pushing out her bottom lip. "But, Jack, don't you want me?" she asked in a low, seductive tone, arching her back just a touch to lift her breasts as though offering them.
"Oh, I want you all right," he assured her, moving over to his own towel and reaching for the packed lunch they'd brought with them. "Doesn't mean I'm going to take you before you're ready, and if you keep pushing, you might get a surprise you won't like," he warned her.
She tilted her head, eyes filled with nervousness. "You mean like…last night?" she asked carefully.
He rooted around in the bag, taking out wrapped containers that were cool to the touch, thanks to the disposable ice-packs that were with them. He handed her a couple of boxes as he settled back with his own. "Not sure what we've got here, I asked them for a variety—and no, not like last night," he said, sweeping her with an amused glance. "That was for putting yourself in danger, not how I'd handle this sort of thing, Kitty."
He'd chosen the best way to pique her curiosity, though she wasn't sure if it was deliberate. She huffed a little and turned her attention to their lunch. As they traded things back and forth, trying everything, she tried to pry more details out of him, but he just shook his head and grinned, finally saying, "Guess you'll have to try it and find out, won't you? All I'll say is this…you won't get what you're looking for until you let go of the past."
She had to be content with that little warning, because he wouldn't discuss it any further. After lunch, they basked in the sand, baked in the sun and then swam some more, but finally, he checked his watch and told her they needed to get going. The long walk back to the bus line seemed to take longer since she was tired out from the sun and sea, and between that and the earlier frustration, she could feel a whine building up.
He was good at soothing her complaints and cheering her on, but by the time they were back in town, she was pretty much ready to get back to the ship and he was starting to look a little more irritated.
"Don't you want to try a local restaurant for dinner? We've got plenty of time. The ship won't make the last call for reboarding for another two hours," he said, giving her an encouraging smile. He could tell she was worn out, but there'd been several hours and a lot of exercise since lunch, and his stomach was starting to growl loudly.
But Katherine was tired and grumpy, and for some reason, his question struck a nerve, reminding her of all the times Christopher had pushed her to try new foods when she didn't want them. Rationally, she knew it wasn't the same, and even if it had been, sometimes she needed a little push to step out of her comfort zone. Her issue hadn't been the pushing, it was that he'd done it incessantly about everything, but Jack didn't push, he offered.
"Fine," she said, sighing dramatically. Her expression shouted how put out she was at his suggestion and he raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Are you sure? We can just go—"
She cut him off in mid-word. "I said it was fine. Let's go," she snapped. This time, the pout on her face wasn't in play; she was actually feeling sulky. She didn't really even know why she was so irritated, but she was, and she wanted him to know it.
"Okay." He frowned, watching her, and his mouth opened to say something else but he snapped it shut and shook his head. "If you're sure?" he asked, giving her one last chance.
She shrugged. "I'm sure."
With a look that bordered on confused disappointment, he took her to a small, family owned restaurant. It was nothing fancy, and while it obviously catered to tourists, there were plenty of locals dining there as well. There was loud music playing from a corner stage, and the sound of steel drums made it hard to talk without raising their voices. It was a popular place, and there was a short wait to get a table. A wait which was punctuated every couple of minutes by loud huffs and sighs to be sure Jack knew how she felt about being there.
He stopped asking her what was wrong. He stopped talking to her at all, instead, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back to watch her with a warning look in his narrowed eyes. The fourth time she made a loud exhalation of displeasure, he got up, walked over to the host stand and said something in a low voice to the man standing there to greet customers. The man nodded and said something back, all of it drowned out by the music.
Jack turned, looked at her and made a gesture with his finger, calling her to his side. She looked uncertain as she got up and walked over to his side, wondering if he'd changed his mind and they would be leaving. To her surprise, he grabbed her firmly by the arm and escorted her past the bar, through the dining room, and down the hallway marked for restrooms.
"Jack? What are you doing?" she asked, confused.
"Taking care of a little problem," he said shortly.
"You didn't really drag me back here to keep you company while you pee, did you?" she demanded, incredulous as he pushed open the door to the single 'family' bathroom and pulled her in behind him.
He locked the door and turned to her, looking annoyed. "No, I dragged you back here to take care of this little attitude you've got going on. I'm not sure exactly what got your back up, missy, but it's going to stop. I gave you the chance to go back to the ship if you didn't want dinner. You don't get to agree to something and then have a fit about having to do it," he said. His voice was low and grated with frustration.
"I-I didn't. I wasn't…" she stammered, suddenly realizing she'd gotten herself in trouble.
"You did, and you were," he corrected her. "You've got thirty seconds to tell me exactly what the problem is before I spank your ass, right here," he said.
Her mouth dropped in shock. "H-here? Y-you can't spank me in a restaurant!" she blurted.
"Watch me, Katherine," he said. He leaned against the locked door, pinning her under an intense gaze. "Talk."
She shook her head, hands fluttering nervously at her side as she tried to think of anything that didn't sound childish. There wasn't much she could come up with. "I-I'm just tired from all the exercise, I guess. It's been a while since I did this much in one day," she explained weakly. It was true, there was no lie there, but it wasn't the whole truth. She was also mad at him for being so damn stuck on waiting for her to take the chain off her ankle, but she had no intention of telling him that.
"If you were five, that would be an excuse, but since you're an adult, I expect a little bit better behavior when you're tired. Maybe just saying you wanted to go back to the ship and relax for a while?" he suggested acerbically.
"I-I didn't want to ruin your day. You were hungry," she said quickly. That statement was so obviously a lie, he couldn't let it pass.
"Really? You didn't want to ruin the day? You thought sulking and huffing like a child was going to be fun for me?" he demanded.
She glared, arms crossing defensively over her chest and then dropping back to her side when she realized that was only going to make her look more defiant. She didn't have a response for him, not one that would help the situation, so she just said nothing.
"That's what I thought. I don't know what bee got in your bonnet, little girl, but I'm about to shake it right out for you." He grabbed her arm, pulling her right up against his chest. She gasped in panic, hands clutching at his shirt as his deep brown eyes bored into her. "Act like a child and get spanked like one, Katherine. Because you're not my property, you've got one chance to tell me no," he said through gr
itted teeth.
"But it's a restaurant, people will hear it!" she said desperately.
"Over that music?" he snorted. Even behind the closed door, it was all he could hear. "No one will hear a thing, but to be honest, I could care less what they hear. Yes or no, Katherine," he snapped.
"If I say n-no?" she asked hesitantly, her voice dropping low, embarrassment heating her cheeks when she realized how much she deserved the spanking. For the second day in a row, her behavior had gotten so out of control that a man she barely knew was having to put a stop to it.
He tilted his head, brows dipping low in confusion. "If you say no, then we go back to the ship. This isn't the middle ages, Katherine; I'm not going to force punishment on you."
She brightened, seeing a way out of the semi-public embarrassment. Already thinking that she could say no now and then back on the ship, in private, she could—
Her thoughts were transparent, and he shook his head. "If you say no, then it's no, and I'm going to step back from being the dominant figure you seem to want. You get to refuse punishment, but if you're the kind of submissive who acts like a brat and then refuses to pay the penalty, I'm not going to put up with the frustration," he said firmly.
She gave him a horrified look, and her eyes filled with tears. She'd only just started to feel like she might recover from losing Christopher and, now, Jack was going to walk away from her, too. Her fingers buried themselves in his shirt, clinging. "I-I'll do what you want, Jack," she said, her voice filled with all the woe in the world.
He hesitated and then sighed. The look on her face meant that she'd jumped to conclusions. "Katherine, we'd still be friends, either way. I'm not saying I'm going to walk away and never look back. We can be friends and spend the cruise together. I'm just not going to attempt to discipline you again."
She relaxed, but only slightly, swallowing hard. "I want to be friends, too, but I feel like…I feel like, without the other stuff, I'm going to slide back into being morose and self-destructive." She laughed, and it was a harsh sound, full of self-loathing.
In Time for Love (Timeless Love Book 1) Page 9
