by Jeannie Moon
Now, the men were self-made billionaires and of the three of them, Jason lived the most opulent life. The yacht was just one part of it.
When she stepped outside, into the sheltered seating area, she sank into one of the large sofas, pulling the throw more securely around her body, to ward off the stiff breeze and cold ocean air.
There was nothing to see but moonlight and ocean as she looked out, and Leah wondered what the boat looked like on the open water at night. The area where she was sitting was illuminated by a few dim lights, as was the rest of the deck. Based on the fact that she couldn’t see any lights from shore, Leah figured they were out in the Atlantic.
After arriving in Greenport, the captain informed them they would be pulling out of the harbor. She and Tris stood on the deck huddled together while the yacht, watched by curious onlookers, motored past Shelter Island, Orient Point, and then Gardiners Island before hitting open water. The rest of the night was a cruise to nowhere, and in the morning, a car would pick them up at a dock in East Hampton. It had been a perfect night, a perfect apology, and their relationship had broken new ground. Unfortunately, Leah, who was so in love with Tristan it hurt, didn’t know where it was all going. Sure, they were in a committed relationship, but things could change when the emotional obligation turned out to be too much.
The man was a commitment-phobe by his own admission, and Leah wasn’t much better herself. But they meant something to each other. And now she had to get her head around whether or not there was a future with this man. A real future.
He was wonderful. Not perfect by any stretch, but he was perfect for her.
“Leah? Are you out here, love?”
God, she loved his voice, loved listening to him talk. Everything about it, from its tone and depth, to his clipped English accent, hearing him warmed her all over. “I’m over here.”
He’d pulled on a plush terry cloth robe, and watching him move toward her sparked her desire. She’d never believed just the sight of someone would have you wanting them, but that’s how it was with Tris.
“What’s wrong?” He sat next to her on the sofa, pulling her close.
“Can’t sleep. I thought some fresh air might help.”
“Come on. It’s freezing out here. There’s tea in the galley. Let’s try that instead of hypothermia.”
Leah chuckled, going with him as he stood. They walked together hand in hand, leaning into each other, enjoying the solitude and closeness.
“You don’t think Robert will have a fit if we mess up his kitchen?” she asked, referring to the steward who saw to the passengers’ comfort.
“Who do you think showed me where to find the tea?”
“Ah. Hopefully there’s something without caffeine.”
Tris’s robe fell open when he reached for the tea, and Leah sighed as she got to enjoy the view. He had two tattoos. One armband that was wonderfully Celtic for such a die-hard Brit, and on his side the words “Sine Metu” were inked under his arm. Without fear. Tristan certainly lived like that, worrying about nothing, just doing. Moving forward and finding strength in change.
She wished she could be that decisive. Her every decision was measured and cautious. At times it held her back. She wondered what made him tick. Where did he get his drive?
“I’ve been trying to think of a diplomatic way to ask, but why do you have a phrase that is proudly displayed on a famous Irish whiskey tattooed on your very English self?” He looked down at his side and back up at her. The grin was lethal.
“I love Jameson’s?” He shrugged when she narrowed her eyes. “No? It’s Latin. Ancient. My da used to say it to all of us while we were growing up.” He popped two herbal tea bags into mugs and put hot water from the dispenser at the sink into each.
“Latin. Okay. I wasn’t aware.”
“My father was the headmaster of a boarding school for as long as I can remember, but before that he taught classics. I would not have been allowed to make such a mistake. He wasn’t thrilled about the tattoo, but he was happy with the message.”
“Your father didn’t believe in fear?” Leah was afraid of everything, so this concept baffled her.
“Oh, shit, no. He believed in fear and believed in its power.”
“Power?”
“Fear motivates you. It makes you work.”
“So why the tattoo? Doesn’t it translate to ‘without fear’?
He gave a nod, and, with practiced ease, removed the tea bag from the mug. Handing her the steaming brew, he leaned in and kissed her. “I do everything as if I’m not afraid, even if I’m scared out of my mind. What’s that expression? ‘Never let them see you sweat.’” He paused, waited, and watched. “Now, you need to do the same. Tell me what’s bothering you enough that you were willing to go out on deck and freeze.”
“I wasn’t going to freeze. I knew you’d come out to keep me warm.” Maybe a little flirting would distract him. She batted her eyelashes and licked her lips for good measure.
“Leah, stop it.” He pinned her to the edge of the table with his hips, his hands pushing the hair back from her face. “What’s wrong? Did I do something?”
“No, it’s just . . .” Oh, what the hell. “I guess we’re passing another one of those milestones, you know? It’s different for me. Intense.”
“You’re not alone. I’ve never known a woman like you, or one who mattered to me the way you do. You’re important to me. So, please tell me—we’ve cleared up all the old baggage, and we promised each other to let things grow slowly.”
“It’s just . . . I . . .” Leah felt happy to hear the words, but didn’t know if she could bring herself to say what she was thinking, to reveal how she was feeling to him. “You’re wonderful,” she said on a breath. “So wonderful . . .”
Not being able to make eye contact because she was embarrassed, Leah waited for a response. Baring her soul tended to make her uncomfortable, throwing her back to the days of her youth when she was awkward and shy and fighting to find out who she was going to be.
She’d been a chubby, freckle-faced girl, who didn’t feel comfortable at the polished prep school she and her siblings attended, so Leah’s parents broke with tradition and let her go to public school. She broke out when she was there, living in the theater, learning about herself, and finding friends who understood her.
Her father often said she was like a butterfly that emerged from her cocoon. She found activities she loved, good friends, and she excelled academically, graduating near the top of her class. Every day she fought the shyness that had been so crippling. But she was happier than she’d ever been. She was accepted at Colgate University and then later went to Yale for law school. Leah worked hard, she made good friends, and she learned how to be happy in her own skin. However, every once in a while, the doubt monster would make her question every decision she ever made.
What it proved was that she was still the shy girl who felt like a shadow. Her siblings had been standouts, stars, in whatever they tried. Nate was an Olympic hopeful, and Amy was an award-winning artist. No one in her family ever held anything over Leah, but she was just smart. She wasn’t talented, popular, or beautiful. She had brains. She had drive. And she had a fear of failure that made her ridiculously overcautious. Tristan’s tattoo was ironic, not just because of the message, but because she could see they dealt with the same emotion in completely different ways.
How she was feeling about Tris scared her on so many levels, but she couldn’t walk away from him. Not for anything. Fear, nerves, uncertainty—it all weighed on Leah’s mind. But when Tristan touched her, kissed her, or made love to her, none of it mattered. He patiently gazed at her, waiting.
“Leah, love, what’s really eating at you?”
It was now or never. “We were going to take things slowly, but everything is moving so fast, and I don’t know what to think. I mean . . . do we s
tep back so it doesn’t get more serious? Or do we . . . reevaluate?”
For a second, he froze, staring at her blankly. Leah wondered if maybe he’d gone into shock. What she proposed was completely out of left field. Or was it?
The two of them had been spending all their time together. They slept together, ate together, and played together. He wasn’t just a lover. Tristan was her best friend. And he was a best friend by choice, not by blood.
Clearing his throat, Tristan stroked her cheek. “You make me break all my promises. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I can’t walk away from this. You mean too much to me. So you aren’t getting rid of me just yet.” Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, he smiled. She loved his smile. “And to that end, I insist that you accompany me to the Reliance dinner party in a few weeks. We’ll go together. As a couple.”
Leah swallowed hard. He was a dream come true. “Do you think we can do this? I mean, this is a big step.”
“No, a big step would be you moving in with me. I think you should do that, too.”
Now it was Leah’s turn to be stunned. It took her a second to process what he’d just said. “That would be a big step. But it’s so soon.” Was he asking? A knot formed in her belly: It was nerves, hope, and dread all rolled into one. Great. The man of her dreams might be asking her to live with him and she was the owner of a ball of gastric freak-out. “What are you proposing, exactly?”
His hands slid up and down her sides in a gloriously sensual rhythm. His eyes were laughing. The man was full of boyish charm and it was ever so sexy. “I remember you mentioning that your lease is almost up. Move in with me. Let’s see if we can make this work.”
“Oh, my God.” He wanted to be with her. She wasn’t imagining things. Something special was happening. Her eyes flooded with tears. Honest-to-goodness happy tears.
“I don’t know why this feels right, but it does.”
“I think that’s a great idea. I mean, I’d love to. This is weird.”
Tristan laughed, and pulled her close. “We’re going to have a great time,” he said. “You’re insane, so how could it be anything less?”
“I know. I’m going to drive you crazy.”
Tris’s eyes went dark. With the gentlest touch, he pushed the hair away from her neck, twisting a stray curl around his index finger, and pressing his lips at the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. Leah drew a sharp breath, and Tris took that as a sign he should do it again.
“You know,” he murmured, “you already drive me crazy. You and your curls and your wicked eyes—it’s like falling under a spell when you’re close to me.”
It was so easy. Leah’s head dropped to the side and she didn’t object as he kissed and nibbled her neck.
A sigh escaped and she felt his smile break against her skin. “Bewitching. And you’re mine.”
The thought . . . to be his . . . filled her from tip to toe. “Oh, Tris . . .” She was the one bewitched. When she was with him, work never crossed her mind. The office, the silly politics, Tad, none of it mattered.
“When can you move in?”
“Impatient?”
“For you? Absolutely.” He swept her into his arms and Leah allowed herself to fall into the fantasy. “Am I going to have to watch out for your family when we start living together? Sally isn’t going to try and poison me or anything, is she?”
Leah raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. “Probably not.”
Everything stopped. He froze. “What do you mean, probably not?”
“Sally’s very protective of us.” A kiss on the cheek did nothing to change the dour look that had swept across his face. He was adorable when he was annoyed, which he thoroughly was.
“Well, if I’m going to be held accountable for soiling your virtue, I’m going to take full advantage of it.” Motioning for her to flip off the galley light. “I’m taking you back to bed, miss.”
“Oh, yay!” she said, feeling particularly silly. Running her fingers through his hair, which was probably a smidge longer than a respectable business tycoon should wear it, Leah kissed him gently. Not missing a step, she marveled at his strength as they made their way to the stateroom and he deposited her on the downy comforter. She sank into the softness, immediately reaching for him.
Tris settled himself over her and his hands brushed the hair back from her face. It might have started out as fun and games, but whatever was going on between them had the potential to be life-changing. Leah was so set in her ways, so sure about how her life was going to turn out, that she never accounted for someone like Tristan.
The way he was looking at her was the stuff dreams were made of. His eyes, so deep and dark, told her what he couldn’t say. That he felt for her what she felt for him. That he understood they were both unable to express to each other the depth of their emotion.
Leah had bottled up her feelings for years and now Tristan was allowing her to break free. She could only hope he would be able to do the same.
His kisses were gentle. Sensuous nips and tugs let her know he wanted more. His hands moved slowly over her body, easing off her clothing, touching and stroking her in all the places he knew she liked best, and when she heard her name on his lips, Leah knew this was all about her.
This wasn’t about sex, this was about connection, about possession, about their hearts and souls. It was hitting her in a rush—intense, deep, and magical.
Tristan’s fingers laced with hers and he drew her arms up over her head. Leah pressed her body into his as his mouth traveled down her neck, grazing his teeth over her collarbone. Sucking in a breath let him know what he was doing was perfection.
He teased every part of her, but seemed to enjoy it the most when she squealed as his mouth teased her breasts. “Ticklish, love?”
“No. It’s ahhh . . .” He bit her nipple ever so gently, then settled into gentle sucking, and Leah came undone. Nerves shot pleasure and pain in every direction. “Tristan. Inside me. Please.”
He smiled at her, both satisfied and happy that she wanted him, and he made no argument. He positioned himself at her opening and Leah moaned as his penis teased her core.
“Are you ready for me?” he asked.
“So ready,” she whispered.
Once she gave permission, he started to push inside her. His penis was long and thick, fitting Leah like she was made for him. “Oh, Tris. Oh . . .”
However, his words were spare: his actions were speaking for him. Keeping himself above her, Tristan started to move. The strokes were slow and deep, the dreamy pace joining them in a way like never before. Tristan’s eyes never left hers, and craving even more closeness, Leah let go of his hands and wrapped her arms and legs around him, drawing him in, matching his pace.
They settled into a perfect rhythm, sexy, warm . . . Leah had never felt so totally possessed.
Claimed.
Loved.
Chapter Twelve
“Frankly, I don’t know why the SEC is balking at the proposed sale.” Josh Campbell, Jason’s brother and the investment manager on the IPO, paced the conference room. Josh was a big man, who under the right circumstances might look more like a Viking who went through a time-warp than a banker. “I’m getting no response from my contact there and the attorneys have never seen them so tight-lipped.”
Jason tapped his pencil, something Tris had noticed he did when he was working through a problem in his head, whether it be coding, security-based, or something to do with the business.
He was still getting to know all their personalities and it was a varied bunch, to be certain. Jason definitely gave off a geeky vibe, coming to work in sweats and superhero T-shirts when he was working through a programming issue, but when talking business or finessing clients, he had charm to spare. The man was brilliant, with double PhD’s from MIT. He had more brainpower than the rest of th
em combined.
Owen, the retired marine officer and CIO, was sitting forward in his chair, hands folded on the table, thinking. It could very well mean he was strategizing with his military brain. It could also mean he was so pissed off he couldn’t speak.
Navigating the dynamics was taking a lot of effort, and he found the long friendship of the partners made for some interesting discussions. And some interesting battles.
There were times Tris didn’t know if becoming part of the company was a good idea because of the history among the men, but now that he and Leah were serious, he questioned it less. Funny how falling for someone could do that to a man.
To that end, he had to start building better relationships, and Owen was the partner who’d been the hardest to reach. Intense and brooding, the man had been to hell and back during his tours with the marines, and those demons surfaced now and again. Owen also had to mend some fences with Nate, and work on ratcheting down his intensity. He was alienating people at the office, and Tris wondered if he could act as a bridge between the men.
He didn’t have all the history that would bog down a conversation. Maybe he needed to take the lead. “You know, it’s near two o’clock and I’m bloody starving. Does anyone want to grab a drink and a late lunch? Maybe getting out of here will help shake some ideas loose.”
Everyone in the room froze. For a second, he wondered if he’d said something offensive. But then Jason nodded, and Josh agreed.
Owen shrugged. “Sure, why not.” He stood and walked toward the conference room door. “Steaks?”
Nate stood and slapped Tris on the shoulder. “I’m in.”
Owen poked his head out of the conference room and called to his new assistant. “Judy, please make a reservation at Port Steakhouse for five. We’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”
