Arriving at the marina a few minutes early, she walked down to the pier and enjoyed watching the activity on the water. Florida had beautiful beaches, but the vibe was different in California. California was more diverse and complex and the residents were more likely to take risks and share their opinions.
The afternoon sun warmed her skin and her gaze was drawn to the view of the ocean. Alex had texted her directions including a slip number so she easily found his yacht. Delaying a moment, she reminded herself not to be drawn into a physical encounter with him. She needed to focus on Berceto and knew that he had every intention of staging a takeover if she showed weakness.
“You came.” He was on the deck of the massive ship in a pair of black shorts and unbuttoned shirt displaying his bronzed, tightly muscled chest.
Walking along the pier, she opened the gate and climbed the stairs. One of his crewmembers welcomed her and indicated that she should go to the top deck.
Stepping onto the deck, she noticed the yacht had a tremendous view of both the marina and the ocean.
Alex stepped closer, handing her a glass of lemonade and kissing her cheek. She could feel the heat emanating from his chest and closed her eyes briefly before taking a sip of the cool liquid.
Glancing around the harbor, she said, “The view is magnificent.” There were at least a hundred vessels of different sizes and the hills of Los Angeles were on display along with the Pacific Ocean.
“The crew needs a few minutes to get the ship ready to go out.”
Emilia followed him to a luxurious seating area. “This is a new yacht?”
“I acquired a company five years ago that builds yachts. This ship is the culmination of a complete overhaul of the company and there are already orders for a dozen or so more.”
“It’s breathtaking. I can’t imagine what goes into building something of this size and scale.”
“I’m surprised you came today.” His gaze met hers as he took a sip of his drink.
She looked out into the ocean. “I love the water and you were right—I needed a break.”
An easy conversation developed between them as he talked about the challenges of building yachts. Emilia appreciated a diversion from contemplating the future of Berceto.
“This vessel needs to be tested out in the open sea for an hour or so; then we can stop and swim.”
She nodded as she took in the view of his bronzed chest.
She turned away as he removed his shirt and he said, “We are about to get underway.”
They both stood at the railing and watched the ship maneuver out to sea. She was conscious of his bare chest and finely sculpted muscles and kept her gaze on the ocean. He was driving her crazy standing so close to her without being fully dressed.
Emilia said, “Thank you for inviting me. It’s spectacular.”
“Would you mind if I left you for a few minutes? I have a few calls I need to return.”
“No. This is the perfect place to relax.”
Emilia went over to the seating area on the upper deck. The wind swept up over her, cooling her body from the intense sun. The ocean views fed her creativity. In Florida, she often walked along the beach before designing a new piece.
One of his staff came up to the deck and asked, “Would you care for refreshments? A salad or light meal?”
She smiled at the young woman. “No, thank you. I’m fine.”
“There are towels next to each sun lounger or you could go down to the hot tub on the lower level.”
Emilia thanked the friendly staff member Turning back to the ocean views, she let herself relax.
A short while later, Alex appeared at her side.
“Sorry. Work never slows down.”Alexdown. “Alex sat down next to her.
“I’ve been enjoying the views and solitude.”
For a moment, she imagined that he would reach forward and pull her into his arms. His eyes traveled up her body, ending on her mouth. Her lips tingled in response and she forced herself to look away from him. Crossing her arms, she was glad she kept her shirt on or her aching nipples would have been visible under her bikini top.
This was crazy. He merely looked at her and she was ready to fall at his feet.
“Would you like a tour of the ship?”
“Sure. I’ve never been on a ship this size.”
He led her through all of the rooms. Stopping at different times to point out certain features or design elements. She was surprised that there were six well-appointed suites aboard the yacht. There was enough room for a large, extended family or many friends.
She was most intrigued by the compact galley area that had two refrigerators and ample room to prepare large meals. At different times, they bumped into staff members that Alex introduced to her by first name.
“How many staff do you have today?”
“There are six members to this crew. I use a specialized service to staff this yacht when needed. They are all well trained, but I usually am able to get the same crew.”
Moving forward, he took her to the bridge. The captain released the controls to Alex and for several minutes he let her feel the power behind the controls as he guided her hands. He stood so close to her that she had trouble breathing normally. Why was she becoming so infatuated with him? He was just a man. When she couldn’t take any more of his nearness, she removed herself from his embrace and she heard him give the controls back to the captain.
“Do you want to eat or swim?”
“Is it safe to swim from the ship?”
“We’ll anchor off a beach area and take a motorized dinghy closer to shore.”
Emilia wanted to throw herself into the cold ocean. She needed to calm down her responses to him or she would be lost.
Alex left her for a few minutes and, when he returned, said, “Why don’t you change into a swimsuit and we can go ashore?”
“I’m wearing a bikini under my clothes.”
“You’ll want to leave your clothing here as it will get wet when we swim to the beach.”
Emilia nodded and went in search of one of the bathrooms. She took off her clothing and fixed her hair. She knew her slim body looked fine in the bikini she chose, but somehow wearing it in front of Alex was too intimate.
Alex and a crewmember were waiting for her on the lower deck. She avoided eye contact with Alex as she climbed into the small dinghy.
Alex watched Emilia and the crewmember make small talk. She treated others with respect and gratitude. It was not something that was prevalent among the wealthy. He was glad he chose a female crewmember to drive them out. Emilia’s bikini barely covered her curves. He smiled as he realized it had never bothered him before. Why was he so protective of her? It couldn’t be the photographs from four years ago. He had attempted to make amends as much as she would allow. But he needed her to acknowledge the truth to her family. The deception of it all still rankled him.
“There isn’t a landing, so just hover a hundred yards or so from the beach and we will swim,” Alex told his crewmember.
He climbed out first and took the supplies packed in a soft cooler. Holding the dinghy steady, he watched as Emilia climbed over and gasped at the coolness of the ocean.
He held out a hand to her after pushing the dingy away from them. Wading toward the beach, he enjoyed the close contact with her body. The beach he selected was not easily accessible from the highway, as large rock formations required climbing down to the ocean. It was late enough in the day that the few people at the beach were beginning to pack up for their long hike back.
She helped him spread out the blanket on the sand. They both sat looking back at the ocean and the yacht in the far distance.
“What if the crew left us? It’s rather secluded out here.”
“If a storm blew in? They would radio our position, but there is also an emergency phone in the supplies.”
She sat close to him and her entire body was on show. He felt himself harden in response and decided to seek a distr
action.
He stood and took her hand to pull her up. “Let’s swim before it gets too late.”
She laughed at the coolness of the water when they slowly waded out. Everything about her fascinated him. The way she moved, how hard she tried to save Berceto, the way her mind worked. His eyes were drawn to her and he found that it was impossible to think about anything else. He had been neglecting his other business interests since her arrival a few weeks ago. He needed that to change. He had no interest in allowing anyone to have that much power over him.
He blocked her out as he dove into deeper water and sought to release some of the tension from his body. He occasionally looked over at her as he swam back and forth and noticed she kept up with him.
After several laps, his energy was spent and he floated for a few minutes. Emilia ended as well and waded back to shore. When he came back, she had already toweled off and wrapped a thick blue towel around her body.
“You must be starving. The staff provided a lunch for us.”
“I am. It’s getting late.” She smiled up at him and his body tightened.
He dried off and set out a small feast for them. Handing her a bottle of chilled water, his hand accidently grazed her thigh.
Emilia enjoyed the swim and relaxed while she consumed marinated shrimp, salad, and roasted eggplant. Alex devoured his food, and his mind seemed to be on something else. The beach was deserted. Watching the yacht on the horizon, she realized she was fortunate to have this day.
“Do you come here often?” She ripped off a small chunk of bread and dipped it in olive oil.
He had finished eating and was stretched along the blanket watching her. “I’ve never been to this area. Many of these rocky beaches are more accessible from the ocean then from inland. I brought the yacht to California for a few gatherings, but it’s typically in the Caribbean or the Mediterranean.”
She looked out at the horizon. “California is breathtaking. I’m just beginning to realize how much I’ve missed being here.”
He laughed. “California can be overcrowded and lacking in privacy.”
Packing up the food and towels, she was careful not to inadvertently touch him. She instinctively knew that one touch would be enough to start a firestorm.
“I haven’t had to worry much about privacy. With one exception of course.”
She met his gaze and he merely said, “There is that. I’ll call the yacht.”
The dinghy came as close as possible to shore and shut off the motor. She waded out and the male crewmember helped her in. Alex took control of the small motor and guided them back to the yacht.
Back on board, Emilia took a shower in one of the private suites. The shower was compact but well designed and she found herself singing as she used body soap to remove the salt from her skin.
Pulling out a white sundress and a bra and panties from her bag, she dressed for the trip back. Finding Alex on deck, she was relieved to see him fully clothed. It allowed her to erect more of a barrier.
He was standing, leaning against the railing with his arms folded over his chest.
“You have something on your mind.”
“I was wondering if you told your family yet?yet.”
She shook her head. It had been a lovely day and she didn’t want an argument to create more tension between them.
“Emilia, I’m not going to change my mind. Either you can share that piece of news with them or I will.”
He was being unfair. She planned on telling her parents, but the situation hadn’t presented itself yet.
“I’ve been waiting for the right time.”
The sun was beginning to set on the horizon and as he looked out, he created a gaping wide trench between them, but he wasn’t going to sneak around and not be completely honest with her family.
He wanted to pull her into his arms but she needed to reveal the truth to her family. Her father and uncle would be spitting mad that he put her in that position but better to deal with the issue honestly than keep it hidden.
“Why do they call you Lia? Is that a childhood nickname?”
She looked as if she didn’t have a friend in the world as she looked out into the ocean. “I guess.”
He stepped closer to her and ran his hands lightly down her back until he spanned her hips with his fingers. He could feel her resistance to him in the rigidness of her spine. It took enormous effort not to pull her back into his body and kiss her neck.
Emilia said, “I’ve no hope of changing your mind so I’ll tell them. But it makes me resent you for forcing me to do something that I don’t agree with.”
He turned her toward him. “I’m sorry this is hard for you.”
Looking at her sad expression, he almost caved. But the truth needed to be told. It wasn’t ethical to invest into Berceto without the family understanding his role in the scandal.
Moving his hand behind her head, he brought his mouth within an inch of hers. He gazed into her eyes and watched in fascination, her eyes went sending him angry sparks to being curious, almost inviting.
“I want to devour you, Emilia Berceto. I want to forget where my body ends and yours begins.”
“Please, Alex.” She offered herself to him.
“We can’t move forward until you reveal the truth.”
His hand moved from her neck and he explored the shape of her hips. He could feel her hands gently touching his chest and he decided to end the encounter while he could.
Stepping away, he said, “You need to solve this.”
He kept himself busy until it was time to escort her to her car. Holding her hand, they exited the yacht. She was unusually quiet as they walked through the night air. He wanted to take her in his arms and reassure her that it would work out, but she needed to stand up for herself. A relationship based on deception was destined to fail.
Emilia stopped walking. “My car is a short walk. I’ll be fine.”
Facing her, he said, “We need to get rid of the secret separating us. And you need my help with Berceto. Why are you being so stubborn?”
“I’ve no interest in getting involved with you.”
“Your body tells a different story, cara.”
“Goodnight, Alex.”
He waited for her to make it to her car before turning back to the yacht. He had a long night ahead of him, his body ached for her. Why was it so difficult for her to tell her family? Why couldn’t she tell the truth about the past? He remembered the weight and burden of carrying his family’s secrets and wanted no part of that in his life.
His grandfather had passed more than a decade ago and he was still dealing with the fallout of his deceptive ways. There were gambling debts, women who thought he would marry them, and backroom deals. It had taken his entire working life to turn around the Armati reputation, but it drove fear into his heart any time someone mentioned his grandfather. Did they know something that he didn’t? Would they try and force a settlement from him? He knew of two younger uncles that were growing up without the Armati name to protect them. He helped their families financially but didn’t know what to do beyond that.
Alex decided to head back to his house alone. Attempting to banish thoughts of her, he called his contact in Venezuela to discuss negotiations in process for new mining opportunities. He drove through Los Angeles traffic, discussing the intricacies of the Venezuelan market on his speaker phone until he could bare it no longer. Abruptly ending the call, he allowed his thoughts to return to her. He wanted her badly enough that he was almost willing to forget about the truth.
Chapter 7
Pushing thoughts of the gala out of her mind, Emilia worked closely with her designers on the concept for the launch. She held closed meetings and even had the windows of the conference room covered in brown paper so the designs remained secret.
Meeting around the clock with her team of four designers and Liv, they came up with a plan to roll out the new designs. Everyone worked long hours to get ready for the trade show that w
as less than two weeks away.
“I’ve scheduled outside photographers and a new advertising agency to do the campaign.”
One of her designers, a hipster in his late twenties who had numerous body piercings and tattoos, asked, “We have our own marketing department. Are you going to outsource their jobs?”
Emilia created an atmosphere of open communication and encouraged each member of the team to share their thoughts or concerns. She had hired a new designer to replace someone who couldn’t adjust to the changes.
Looking around her small group, she said, “I know I’ve asked you to embrace many changes. The fact that we are sitting in a conference room with blanked out windows, a white noise machine, and a locked door is a radical departure from how things were done. But we are trying to rescue Berceto from either a buyout or being forced out of business by our creditors. It’s a big deal that we can’t afford to pay all of our bills.”
Emilia stood up and began pacing the room, and someone else said to her, “I understand why you want secrecy, but most of the employees would do anything for this company. They wouldn’t reveal our new designs.”
“I agree. But the culture of this place over time shifted to not taking risks and not valuing innovation or new ideas. I plan to reveal the designs to the employees the night before the launch to create excitement. They need to be re-energized and to believe that the company can succeed.”
“Do you plan to outsource marketing?” It was a small company, and she knew Aiden was engaged to Anita in marketing.
“I know you must be worried about Anita and the rest of the marketing staff, but I can’t tell you what the future will hold. I’m not a marketing expert, but as a designer, I haven’t been satisfied with how the designs are showcased or promoted. Using an outside agency for this launch allowed me to dictate what I needed without dealing with resistance.”
Aiden nodded, saying, “I get it.”
The Exiled Jeweler: a contemporary romance novel (The Rosa Legacy Book 2) Page 8
