“Yes, but they have been a few very intense days with a lot of drama. Who knows. I’m just saying…”
* * * *
Beau had indeed been on the lookout for Cassie, but she was nowhere to be seen. She had to be in her cabin. She couldn’t be in one of the theme rooms with some other guy. He spent the morning in the gym and on deck getting some sun and then had lunch with Sy and Devon and some of the group from his club. He was a little on edge and unable to relax. Where the hell is she, and why isn’t she up here with me? He was tempted to just go get her, but he decided to give her the space she obviously wanted. He played some billiards in the lounge with a couple of guys from his club and the Savannah club. The wagers were moderate, but made the games more interesting. His hand-eye coordination was exceptional, not to mention his knowledge of geometry and physics, and he cleaned up as usual. Who said his education had been wasted? The day seemed to drag without Cassie. Finally he went back to the suite, took a nap, and dressed for dinner. He hoped she would have come out of hibernation by then.
* * * *
Beau nearly swallowed his tongue when Cassie made her appearance on deck that evening. If they hadn’t been surrounded by a crowd of the other passengers, he would have dragged her right back below deck to his suite not to be seen again until tomorrow morning, if then.
He was standing on the rail with a drink in his hand talking to Sy and Devon when she came out on deck. She wore a long white dress—he thought the material was called gauze—with a pair of gold sandals. Her shoulders were bare, and she wore a heavy chain with an Aztec-style medallion around her neck and a heavy hammered cuff around one wrist and no other jewelry. The gold of her skin was as appealing as the gold of the jewelry. Her skin glowed from the sun she had gotten the day before and apparently today on her deck. He wondered if she had any tan lines under the dress, or if that glorious light tan colored her whole body. He wanted to find out.
The dress was semitransparent and billowed around her legs in the breeze. He could see the outline of her body beneath the folds of the fabric. Her hair was a soft mass of blonde curls with the platinum streaks catching the light of the setting sun. When she walked up and joined them, he stopped a passing steward for a drink for her, and she chose a strawberry margarita the color of her lips from the tray. He was stunned. She had looked gorgeous every other night of the cruise so far, but tonight she was a vision. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You look beautiful, Cassie. I’ve been waiting for you all day, but the wait was worth it.” She skewered him with her direct turquoise-blue gaze before she lowered her eyes and just smiled. She quickly became involved in the discussion about the Sian Ka’an Reserve, Pez Maya, and ocean ecology that they had been having before her arrival. He leaned back against the railing. He put his hands in his pockets, crossed his sockless feet, and just stood back and watched her. He hoped he wasn’t thinking with his little head again. He didn’t believe he was, although her effect on him was direct and immediate. He knew she was special—special to him, always had been, and always would be.
After dinner and some dancing, the crowd was beginning to thin suspiciously as couples disappeared to the suites, theme rooms, and dungeon. The only light left on deck was cast by hurricane lanterns and the moon. Beau snuggled her up close to his chest as they swayed to a slow song. “Can I interest you in coming downstairs to my suite? I missed you today, and I’d like to make up for some lost time.”
“I don’t…”
“Come on, Cassie. Let’s do this in a bed for a change. What do you say?”
When she hesitated but didn’t say no, he took her hand and headed down the central stairway to the fourth deck and the suite he shared with Sy. He’d made arrangements earlier in anticipation of this moment, and Sy had agreed to go to Devon’s cabin for the night. It was his turn to have the suite to himself.
* * * *
Cassie smiled to herself. The extensive prep had been worth the time and effort. She knew she looked good. The effect on Beau verified her belief that this dress, as simple in line and fabric as it was, should be bronzed for posterity. When she felt the suspicious bulge in the front of his trousers as they danced, she knew she had chosen wisely. Now to see what the rest of the evening would bring.
The next morning, Cassie rolled over in Beau’s arms. The breeze from the open deck doors was wafting over her naked skin. He had been right. A bed was definitely the way to go, at least occasionally. She felt his lips graze the back of her neck and shoulder and shivers raced across her skin. She stretched luxuriously and smiled up at him as he rolled her over, spread her thighs, and mounted her again for another trip to paradise. The slow, easy strokes of his morning-hard cock were delicious. He managed to unerringly hit her clit and her G-spot on every stroke. They seemed to be located in a magnetic field. Her slick pussy eagerly sucked him in, and she was soon soaring over the sunrise with Beau right behind her. He rolled off her with a deep sigh of satisfaction, and she curled around him, resting her head on his shoulder. As they laid there in the intimate afterglow, she settled against his chest, and a feeling of contentment settled around her heart.
Chapter Fourteen
Aboard the Golden Dolphin at anchor off George Town, Grand Cayman Island, in the Caribbean Sea, May 19, 2014—Monday morning, Day Ten of the Cruise
Barbee and Baylee were having a second cup of coffee on their deck while they awaited clearance to go ashore. “I’m going to visit the Bank of the Caymans and retrieve a stash of jewelry we left there to cool off a couple of years ago. It will be a quick and quiet visit. I want you to know we have cash on deposit there as well, just in case. The account numbers and passwords are where I always keep them.”
“Okay. I remember. Alex invited me to have lunch with him in George Town this afternoon. I haven’t seen much of him lately. He’s been on duty a lot—or maybe just avoiding me. I’m determined to let him make his own decision and do the chasing from now on. I won’t be begging for his attention anymore. It’s all up to him now.”
“Well, that’s good. A man like Alex has to feel like he is in charge, and we did kind of take that away from him. At least he asked you to lunch. That’s probably a good sign.”
“Maybe…maybe not. What if he just wants to call it off?” Baylee looked worried.
“I don’t think so. That’s a lot of trouble to go to just to let you down. You will have to wait and see I guess. Good luck, baby sister. I think I know how much you love him.”
* * * *
Con Cortelis stood outside the Bank of the Caymans on the corner of Elgin Avenue and Hospital Road in George Town. He had followed Barbee to shore in the Riva tender when she left the ship aboard the Novurania Chase with the other passengers desiring early transport to the dock. She had quickly hopped into a taxi which she had waiting for her at the curb. He had caught one as well, determined to keep a close eye on her. When she stopped at the bank and apparently told her cab to wait, he had dismissed his taxi. He and Jamie Devereau had decided that both Baxter sisters needed to be kept under close scrutiny. They had agreed on that much at least.
He leaned back against a lamppost with his hands in his pockets and his ankles crossed. He knew that to anyone watching he looked to be the picture of relaxed indolence, a powerful jungle cat at rest, but his eyes gave him away to anyone looking closely. He was sharply focused on the door to the Bank of the Caymans as he waited for Barbee Baxter to reemerge. He had a feeling she wasn’t going to be happy to see him. He chuckled to himself—not happy at all when she heard what he was going to tell her.
When the heavy glass door opened and Barbee, dressed in a navy-blue and white striped shirt, a navy-blue skirt, and a pair of high-heeled pumps, stepped out, he moved quickly to her side. She smiled up at him although he could not see her eyes through the dark lenses of her sunglasses.
Her smile faded when he did not return it but said, “You can turn your cute little butt right around and put whatever it is you brought out of the bank
right back in it. You are not bringing stolen merchandise aboard the Golden Dolphin.” When she looked like she was going to argue with him, he crossed his arms over his chest and gave her the Dom look. “This is not negotiable, so don’t even try. I am not transporting stolen goods on my ship.”
“But, Con—”
“Never mind, Barbee. March back inside the bank and unload the jewelry in your tote. If you don’t, I’m going to confiscate it and turn it over the police or Interpol. Do not tempt me to do that. You won’t be happy if you cross me on this.”
Barbee apparently knew when she was fighting a losing battle. She turned around and started back into the bank.
“I’m going to check your bag when you come out, so don’t think you can put one over on me.”
She shook her head in defeat. “Okay. You win this one.” He kept his stern expression in place as she returned to the bank. When she was out of sight he grinned from ear to ear. She thought she was going to put one—or two—over on him, and she was mistaken.
When she came out of the bank the second time, Con peered into her large, tan leather Dooney tote bag, rummaged around, and closed it. Barbee imperceptibly relaxed her muscles. He smiled an evil grin at her, and then he ran his hand around her neck and up each of her sleeves. He shook his head as though in disappointment. She was wearing an intricate diamond necklace and an antique diamond bracelet on her right wrist. “Back inside.” He turned her around facing the door and swatted her butt. “If I find anything I don’t like this time, you’re going directly to the police station, and they can deal with you. Understand?”
“I understand. You’re mean.”
“Too bad. Do it.” He shook his head. He hadn’t expected immediate compliance. It just wasn’t in her nature.
She walked back inside, and when she returned the third time, she stood impassively as he checked her bag again and then ran his hands over her neck, torso, and arms. “You’re lucky I’m not checking your underwear here on the street. I’ll wait and do that when we get back to the ship.” When she grinned up at him with a wicked twinkle in her eyes, he said, “I’m not kidding. You’d better hope there’s nothing in there you don’t want me to find, or it’s going overboard, and there will be some more treasure to be found in the Cayman Islands.”
“Uggg! You are just awful. I hate you.” She stomped her foot, turned around, and made what he hoped was going to be her final trip into the bank. That was one determined and stubborn woman. He had to laugh. He might check her underwear when they got back to the ship…just for fun.
* * * *
That man is impossible. Barbee came out of the bank, this time with absolutely no loot on her person or in her tote bag. There weren’t many men she couldn’t bend to her will, but apparently Captain Con Cortelis was one of them. It was annoying, but she would have to make another trip to the Caymans at a later date, or she could just leave the jewelry there for a rainy day. One never knew when one of those was going to come along.
“Satisfied?” She would like to smack that smug look off his handsome face, but she didn’t dare. This was a Master Dom, after all, and he could be counted on to retaliate in an unpleasant fashion. She’d had a taste of the discipline he could dole out, and she didn’t necessarily want another dose.
“No, but I’ll see if you can’t satisfy me later. Care to take a stroll through the square and then find someplace nice to have lunch?”
“Oh, you are impossible. I guess you at least owe me a nice lunch after all the trouble you’ve caused me this morning.”
“I am not the one who caused the trouble. That would be you, Ms. Baxter,” he said as he took her arm and helped her into the taxi waiting to take them back to the waterfront shopping district. “Any inconvenience is strictly your own doing. If anything, I owe you a good spanking for defying me and trying to put one over on me. We’ll see about that later. Right now let’s just have lunch.”
She could see she wasn’t going to win this argument, so she smiled graciously as she settled herself and her tote on the backseat of the taxi. “We’ll see if I want to satisfy you later or not.”
* * * *
Baylee had taken extra care when she dressed for her luncheon date with Alex in George Town. She wore a white eyelet lace sundress and strappy sandals. Her short blonde-streaked hair was casual and windblown when they got off the Chase tender at the wharf. Alex took her arm and helped her down to the dock.
“You’ve been very busy this trip. I’ve hardly seen you on deck.” She would love to know if that was just the luck of the draw, crew scheduling, or if he was trying to avoid her.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time on the bridge.”
“Oh, I thought maybe you were trying to avoid me. You know, you don’t have to do that. If you don’t want to see me, you don’t have to. No promises, remember?”
“It’s not that. I’m here, right?” Baylee didn’t think he was being candid. There was something in his eyes, but she didn’t know what. She thought he might need a good kick in the pants to get him off his butt, and she was just the woman to give him one. She wasn’t anyone’s project, supplicant, pity fuck, or victim. She was tired of him holding the past over her head like a sword. She wasn’t going to sit back and let it just happen this time. She was taking this bull by the horns—or the balls?
“Okay. I just wanted to clear the air. Let’s have a nice lunch then.”
* * * *
In truth, Alex had volunteered for a couple of extra shifts on the bridge because he was trying to think through exactly how he did feel about Baylee Baxter. He knew he was still attracted to her even though he had been extremely angry when he had discovered what she and her sister had done to him. He was afraid his feelings might be a little more than attraction, and he wasn’t sure Baylee was the type of woman he wanted to be involved with long term. The jewel thief thing really bothered him, as did the man-sharing thing. He wasn’t an angel by any means, but both were big obstacles to a permanent relationship as far as he was concerned. It wasn’t as though he and Con hadn’t shared a few women over the years, but that was something entirely different. Wasn’t it? They hadn’t been women he might have wanted to be in a permanent relationship with anyway. Permanent relationship? Why does that term keep popping into my mind? Now, there is a scary thought.
Alex held the chair for Baylee as they were seated on the covered outdoor balcony overlooking the water at the La Dolce Vita Restaurant located on North Church Street along the George Town waterfront. The atmosphere was pleasant, and Alex finally felt himself begin to relax.
“How about a cocktail and some appetizers? The view here is spectacular, and we have all afternoon.”
“That sounds great. I’m hungry. Barbee and I had an early breakfast on our deck.”
They were enjoying the soft Caribbean breeze on the shaded balcony while they discussed the cruise. Alex enjoyed a Bloody Mary and Baylee had a mojito, and they shared stuffed mushrooms and fried green beans. When their broiled dolphin entrees were served, they both concentrated on the food. Alex knew he should take this opportunity to really talk to Baylee, but he was finding it hard to broach the topic that was on his mind—whether they could have a relationship or not.
After they had finished eating and were enjoying cups of café con leche Baylee turned to him and said, “You know, Alex, Barbee and I have retired from our secondary careers, so to speak. I will tell you that I’m sorry about some of the things we did, but not all of it. It was fun and exciting. We never took anything from someone who couldn’t afford to lose it.” She shook her head. “I know. I know. That is a subjective opinion, but we didn’t steal from widows and orphans. We had a great time and a fabulous run of luck, but it was time to give it up. All in all, we’ve led very interesting lives, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I am sorry that we took advantage of you and hurt your feelings, so let me make this easy for you. Let’s just say we had a great time and end it as friends.”
He w
as shocked. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard, and he didn’t know what to say. He should be the one saying that, not her. Now, he wasn’t at all sure that was what he wanted. In fact, he was now pretty sure it wasn’t what he wanted, but apparently she did. He was confused. He was floored. This was not at all what he had expected to hear. “Uh, okay. If that’s what you want, Baylee. We can just be friends.” Friends? You don’t fuck the brains out of your friends. At least he didn’t.
* * * *
When they got back to the ship, Barbee was surprised when Con took her arm and headed her directly to the dungeon. She had thought they would arrange a time for a date later that evening and that she would be able to shower and change her clothes at the very least.
“Wait a minute. Give me a sec…”
“Are you refusing to go with me? Do you want to use your safe word?” He was beginning to look a little angry. She knew she had annoyed him earlier at the bank, but they had enjoyed a very pleasant lunch. She was surprised to see the change in his demeanor.
“No. I just need a minute to process. I didn’t expect to be dragged right off to the dungeon like a captive slave girl.”
“Remember, sub, the timing, the venue, and the activities are my decision, not yours. Your behavior at the bank has earned you a correction.”
“You can’t tell me what to do. I had every right to visit my bank.”
“Yes, but you did not have a right to try and bring stolen merchandise aboard my ship. I advised you of that, and you continued to try to get around me, not once but three times. I’d say that was willful disobedience, wouldn’t you?”
Cassandra's Revenge [Golden Dolphin 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 12
