Grant waved his hand dismissively. "Keep that positive mindset, Saunders. I'm sure it will make you feel better when you lose next week." He nodded to Sarah, and she turned the helm to steer away. Their gray sails were filled with wind and victory. Grant gave a sloppy salute and winked at me. "Nice boat, Ms. Conners."
My hands shook as I kept them at my sides. Grant's laughter drifted across the water as we bobbed in the harbor and evaluated our loss. I was furious, more at myself than with Grant. We had lost because we weren't as in sync as they were. What was I even thinking, entering into a race as prestigious as the Invitational with only a week's practice?
Robbie scrubbed his hands through his sandy hair, irritation in his every movement. He placed both hands on the railing, closed his eyes, and took a deep, calming breath. I was half afraid he was going to tell me we should just call the whole thing off. We weren't ready.
"We almost had him. We just need more practice." Robbie opened his eyes and looked right at me. "He made mistakes too. Now we know what we're up against. We'll beat him into the lake bottom on race day."
His eyes burned with a green fire that told me he wasn't going to give this up. Robbie Saunders was going to win the Champion of Champions Invitational or die trying. He went to the helm, his every movement full of purpose. We had a lot of work ahead of us until the race, and he wasn't going to let either of us slow down or give up.
"Tacking drill number nine?" I asked, feeling some of his intensity rubbing off on me. We could do this. We were a team, and together, Robbie and I could do anything.
Robbie nodded, and I went to the sails to start the drill. We had work to do.
Chapter 15
I stumbled into the bedroom and started stripping. Everything was sore. I didn't know it was even possible for my eyelashes to ache, but somehow they did. All I wanted was to crawl into a hot shower, eat something full of carbs and fat, and crawl into bed with Robbie.
We had been sailing nonstop for three days since losing the race to Thomas Grant. Robbie had taken the loss personally and was determined to get us ready for the Invitational. We had risen before the sun today, stopping our tacking drills only long enough to eat a quick lunch. A storm was beginning to brew. Not a hurricane, but it was bad enough that the sails were tangling and the going was rough. I was grateful he had decided to let us end the day early. I was so tired I was starting to make mistakes.
We still had one more day of practice left on the island before leaving for Chicago for the race. Even though the Invitational was still three days away, I was already nervous. We had improved dramatically in the short time since our race with Grant, but I still wasn't sure if we were ready.
I could hear Robbie dropping his gear on the floor by the staircase and his heavy footsteps thudding up the stairs. A gust of wind hit the window, splattering fat raindrops across the glass. I peeled off my shirt and leggings, hearing the encrusted salt crunch as I dropped them on the floor. I kicked off my remaining clothes, enjoying the freedom of being naked, and pulled open the double doors to the master bath.
I gasped. Rose petals dotted the white marble floor and floated on a sea of iridescent bubbles in the giant bath tub. Steam from the hot bath blurred the reflection of all the candles in the mirror. I stood and stared at the flowers, bath, and candles. It was the most romantic thing I had ever seen.
"Surprise," Robbie said softly, coming up behind me. He draped his arms over my shoulders, pulling me close to him and pressing my bare back into his bare chest. "I thought you could use a little relaxation. We've both been working hard."
"How'd you do this?" I asked, enjoying the way his warm skin felt against mine. I hoped he would join me in the bath.
His chuckle reverberated through my body. "The beauty of having a butler is that not only does he make coffee in the morning, he can also set stuff up like this." He released me and stepped into the bathroom. "Come on! The water's getting cold."
I took a moment to savor the sight of his perfectly sculpted ass as he bent over the tub to check the temperature of the water. The thought of smacking it sent a shiver of delight down my spine. I suddenly wasn't quite so tired and wanted a new kind of soreness.
I slipped past him, my fingernails rubbing up his spine as I stepped into the tub. Robbie's eyes were level with my ass, and I could tell he was admiring me. I sat down, and the water level rose to meet me. When I laid back, Robbie was right there, his hand providing a pillow for me to lean against. I relaxed, snuggling into him.
"Can I get you anything? A book, a cup of tea? Perhaps a rubber ducky?" he asked me.
I looked up at those pretty eyes of his. "I'd rather just have you."
He smiled. "Here? Or in the bath with you?"
I shrugged and scooted forward. He smiled and carefully got in behind me, his legs pushing on the outside of mine. It was a big tub, so there was still plenty of room. His hands went under the water, wrapping around my chest as he leaned against the tub. I lay back as well, using him as a pillow. I closed my eyes, letting the warm water and scented bubbles take my stress away.
I felt him begin to harden behind me as his hands gripped my breasts a little tighter. I giggled and opened my eyes.
"Shhh!" he said. "Close your eyes. If you ignore him, he'll go away."
I writhed against him slightly. "What if I don't want him to go away?"
I felt him moan softly behind me. "What did you have in mind?"
I reached behind me and ran my hand down to his loins. When I touched him, his member responded with a jump. "Wake up," I coaxed.
"If you poke him, he'll get mad!" Robbie said, laughing.
"Poke," I said, prodding him with my finger. "Poke, poke, poke."
I felt him continue to harden and grow behind my back. "Now you've done it," he said.
I laughed and sat up, turning around. The rose petals and bubbles obscured my view of what was below the surface of the water, but as I came in for a kiss, I could feel how ready he was.
He stood up, dripping water and bubbles. His huge, erect manhood was in complete view now, and I immediately knew I wanted him. He stepped out of the tub.
"Neither of us is going to relax in that tub until we take care of something first." He grabbed two towels from under the vanity and started drying off with one. When he was done, he grabbed the other towel and came back to the bathtub. He extended his hand to help me up, then wrapped me in the towel.
We were close now, just the fluffy fabric separating us. I pressed against him and our lips were almost touching. "What do we have to take care of?" I asked, leading him on.
He smiled. "Our strategy. We need to know what to do in case the motor overheats during the race."
I pulled back and he started to laugh. I gave his muscular chest a soft slap, and he caught me in the towel, wrapping me up and keeping me from making any further attempts. He hugged me tightly, then moved down to kiss me. I could feel how turned on he was, and I wanted him badly. He gave me one last rubdown, getting my exterior as dry as he could while my interior was getting as wet as possible.
The towel dropped, and our two naked bodies once again pressed against each other. Robbie gave me a big bear hug, picking me up and carrying me to the bed. I giggled and held on tight as he sat me down on the bed. He stood before me, his groin right at eye level, and I couldn't help but reach out and grab him.
I looked up at him. "I want you, Robbie."
He smiled down at me, his voice heavy with desire. "I want you even more, Sam."
"Not possible," I countered. Our eyes met again, and he bent to kiss me. Our kisses were fast and furious, full of lust and passion. The tension in my muscles seemed to melt away as Robbie's body massaged mine. I spread my legs, inviting him to enter me. He fumbled in the nightstand, quickly slipping on a condom.
Robbie moved between my legs, and I felt him press against me and push as he accepted my invitation. We moaned together as he immediately drove himself in all the way to the hilt. I felt him
move within me as he loosened me up further. A breathless sound of pure pleasure escaped my throat.
"I told you not to provoke him," he said, looking down at me.
I giggled, but my laugh soon turned into a whimper as he began to thrust into me, using his weight to drive his manhood deeper. His powerful arms kept me spread open. His body was still dripping with the bathwater, but I could still tell that he was beginning to sweat as he dove into me again and again.
He lifted my legs up in the air, then pushed them to the side, forcing my legs together. I reached out and held his hand as he plunged into me again, giving me a range of new sensations. I turned my face into the sheet, and I began to writhe as he went faster and faster. My screams of joy must have echoed through the whole house, and I could tell that it also felt fantastic for Robbie.
When I saw his face begin to contort, I knew he wouldn't last much longer. "Yes! Oh yes!" I cried out, nodding my head furiously. With a last heroic push, I felt a warm surge as he found release. His orgasm passed from his body into mine, and we locked eyes as we both undulated in the throes of ecstasy. He continued to grind into me, and I writhed under him.
Then, it was over. He collapsed next to me, smiling lovingly down at me.
"I'm getting back in the bath," I said. "Care to join me?"
"Yep," he said, snuggling deeper into the bed. "In just a minute."
"Okay," I said. I practically whistled as I went back to the bathtub.
Of course, he never joined me. A few moments after I got into the bath, I could hear him snoring. I let him sleep while I stretched out in the tub and played with the bubbles. Between the sex and the hot water, my sore muscles were finally loosening.
After my bath, I found the fluffy robe that he had set out for me by the tub. I tiptoed into the bedroom, hoping to catch him sleeping. Sure enough, Robbie was completely under the covers and passed out.
I got under the blanket next to him. "Robbie," I breathed softly.
No response.
"Robbie..." I whispered again, poking him.
He groaned, then pulled the covers over his face.
"Robbie," I said, sounding like an annoying ten-year-old.
"What?" he said, his voice cracking. I laughed. He sounded just like he had when we were kids.
"What do we do if the engine overheats?" I asked.
Robbie groaned. "Get out the oars and row."
I laughed, then snuggled up next to him. He threw his arm over me and was back to sleep in no time.
His breathing was rhythmic and soothing. Combined with the soft patter of rain on the window, it made a beautiful melody that I knew would guide me to a luxurious sleep. I cuddled deeper into him, soaking up his warmth and confidence. I knew that we were as ready for the race as we could be. We were ready for anything that life might throw our way because we were together. At that moment, I was completely content.
Chapter 16
I stepped into the Chicago Yacht Club, feeling a nervous exhilaration rippling through my body. I was here. I was finally, actually here. Robbie guided me gently inside, the two of us heading for the pre-race skippers' meeting. We were to go over the sailing instructions one last time, any potential weather hazards, and any clarifications needed on the rules and regulations of the Invitational. I usually hated these boring meetings, but because this was the Champion of Champions Invitational, I was actually excited to attend.
Robbie pulled out a chair in front of a prettily decorated table near the windows. The meeting wasn't supposed to start for a few minutes yet, so I stared out through the glass at the view. Chicago's skyline rose in the distance, the gray and metallic buildings looking over the undulating waters of Lake Michigan. Yachts of all sizes bobbed gently in the early morning waters, the sun had started its journey into the day and turned the sky into a brilliant scarlet. Thin, hair-like clouds hung from the dimming stars, the wind nipping at the bright red leaves on the trees.
Red skies at night, sailors delight. Red skies at morning, sailors take warning. The old nursery rhyme chanted in my head as Robbie and I sat waiting. The weather report on the news the night before had said a storm was moving in. Robbie had waved it away as nothing more than a windy day, but the red skies gave me pause. I knew it would certainly be discussed.
I glanced over at Robbie and he smiled. I still couldn't believe this was real. This was my dream race, the race that could make my career, and if I did well, get me more sponsors than I would know what to do with. If I did well at this race, then it wouldn't matter that I had missed a season. I would be set to race next summer, and the Olympic trials would be mine for the taking. Robbie was the best thing that could have happened to me. Not only had he gotten my beautiful boat to the lake; he was sailing with me.
I sipped gingerly at my hot coffee, relishing the flavor in my mouth. One of the perks to dating a billionaire was that not only did we fly in on a private jet the night before, we also stayed in the penthouse suite at one of the fanciest hotels in Chicago. I had never slept on a bed that nice, and the coffee in the morning tasted as if it had been picked in Columbia just hours before. Granted, I hadn't slept much, but that was more because I was too excited than because of the quality of the bed. Now that we were up and moving, I was glad for the coffee. I wasn't usually into the finer things in life, but good coffee was something I could definitely get used to.
The nanny just made breakfast. Real breakfast. I want to keep her forever. My phone chirped as the message from Grace came in. I stifled a giggle and showed the message to Robbie.
"I told you she was good," he said, a smug grin illuminating his face. I wanted to kiss him. He had hired a professional nanny to come and help Grace out while I was away. I had met the woman just before Robbie and I got on the plane, and she was the closest thing to a real-life Mary Poppins I had ever met, down to the British accent. Avery was absolutely in love with her from the moment they had met, and insisted on learning how to speak "princess" from her. I was almost sad that I wasn't there to witness it.
"If I could have everyone's attention," a deep voice said from a podium on the edge of the room. It looked as though a wedding had been held in the building the night before, and we were using the tables and chairs. Given how beautiful the building and the view were, it seemed a perfect place for a wedding. I shook my head, clearing out thoughts of weddings. I needed to pay attention.
"Excellent. First off, I'm so glad you are all here. As you know, this is the last race of the season and pits the best sailors of the summer against one another. Congratulations on making it to the elite competition." The man paused and glanced around the room. He was a large man with a wide barrel chest and a thick, black beard.
"First, the details of the race. You will all start here in Chicago and sail to Mackinac Island. The race course is approximately 333 miles and typically takes forty to sixty hours to complete. The record time is less than twenty-four hours." He continued on about how it was a double-handed mixed gender race, but I was more interested in the weather report.
"Now, some of you have already spoken to me this morning, but weather reports call for deteriorating conditions. High winds and an early winter storm are predicted to hit the lake sometime this afternoon. Despite this, it's tradition to race on this weekend, and we're not changing that." The black-bearded man looked around the room.
A sailing team from another table stood and left the room. They were obviously quitting the race due to the mention of weather. The speaker watched them go. "Weather conditions will be difficult for this race, but the committee has deemed it safe enough to race."
I looked over at Robbie, but he sat confidently in his chair, arms crossed as he took in the information. I didn't like storms. As a sailor, I had learned to deal with them, but that didn't mean that I enjoyed them. The most frightening storm I had ever been in was the one I had sailed single-handed into and gotten caught. It was the storm that killed my parents. There had been storms after that, but never one that frighte
ned me as much.
The speaker continued at that point, going over the race course and the rules. These were all things that Robbie and I had gone over before and were, for the most part, fairly standard. I had followed this race every year, and because of that, I knew the course like the back of my hand. I felt like I could sail the entire thing blindfolded.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Thomas Grant and his sailing partner laughing at another table. Grant turned, making sure he had my attention, and winked. I felt a blush sear across my cheeks. I hated that man. When the speaker finished, two males sitting at the table next to us stood and greeted Robbie.
"Hello, Robbie," one of the men said. He was thin and lanky while his partner was short and stout.
"Hi, Jackson," Robbie greeted the tall man warmly, shaking his hand. "You going to be our competition?"
"Hell no! I saw that weather report. They're playing it down, but it looks like a real doozy of a storm. It's too late in the season to be taking risks like this." Jackson shook his head, and the stouter man frowned.
"You two are quitting already?" Robbie asked. "I guess Sam and I here will have the race in the bag. You were our only real competition."
The stouter man laughed. "You seriously crazy enough to try and race this storm, Robbie?"
"We aren't going to race this storm, Burt. We are going to beat it," Robbie replied confidently.
The tall man gave me an appreciative look. "Lady, you got yourself a crazy skipper. He's good as gold, but I think there might be a few screws loose if you know what I'm saying."
I laughed. "I think you're just scared of us. That storm's got nothing on us!"
Jackson grinned. "Robbie, I think you finally found a girl as crazy as you are." Everyone laughed.
"Good luck, you two. We've got to go move the boat from the starting area. We'll be cheering for you," Burt said, and the two men smiled politely and left as Robbie settled back into his chair.
A little apprehension started to worm its way into my head, so I made eye contact with Robbie. "You sure we're going to be all right with the storm?"
Freshwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story Page 11
