The second his tongue slips past my lips, someone clears his throat behind us. “Excuse me, Mr. Black. Your boat’s ready, sir.”
The “boat” the ship captain guy is referring to turns out to be a forty-foot yacht parked at the end of the dock. Once Sebastian escorts me aboard, he pulls a chair out for me at a small table not far from the railing on the front deck, then slips off his jacket.
When he starts to roll up his sleeves, I ask, “Are you going somewhere?”
He flashes a boyish smile. “You don’t expect this boat to move itself, do you?”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I’m just so surprised. Tracing his fingers along the back of my neck, he says, “Enjoy the ride. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Of course I don’t stay put. I follow Sebastian and watch him get into the captain’s seat and start the engine. For the next twenty minutes, he steers us out of the slip and into the open water, all this done while he discusses so many nautical terms with the ship’s captain that I lose count. We don’t go too far from shore, but we’re out far enough that I’m glad I know how to swim. Finally he cuts the engine and hands off the job to the captain. He pauses on his way down the short flight of steps when he sees me watching. “That’s the ‘water’ part, isn’t it?” I say quietly.
With a quick nod, he settles his hand on the base of my spine, and we walk together back to the front of the boat. Once we reach the area where we have complete privacy, I lean against the rail and let the sea breeze kiss my face. “Do you miss being in the Navy?”
Mimicking my stance, he squints at the sunlight hitting him directly in the eyes despite his shades. “I do sometimes.”
“What about being a SEAL?”
He glances down into the water. “Once a SEAL, always a SEAL. The mindset doesn’t change.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about your SEAL status that night?”
He looks at me, his mouth hardening. “Why didn’t you tell me your name?” Before I can answer, he rolls his stiff shoulders. “A SEAL doesn’t go around bragging about it. It’s not something we advertise.”
Nodding my understanding, I return my gaze back to the horizon, enjoying the sun’s golden reflection on the water. I can’t imagine the kind of missions he’s had to do. “Have you ever killed anyone in the line of duty?”
He gazes back out at the water, his voice is quiet and steady. “I was the sniper on my team.”
I stare at his profile. “The first time must’ve been hard.”
“It’s never easy to take another man’s life, even if he is the enemy. Staying focused on the mission was all I could do.”
I turn back to the ocean and several moments of silence fill the air between us.
“Why didn’t you tell me your name?”
I feel his penetrating stare on the side of my face, but I keep my own focused on the water. “For the same reason I still haven’t. My name doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me,” he says, turning my chin toward him. “It did back then. And it does now.”
“How long were you gone on your mission?” I ask.
His mouth tightens. “That’s not the answer I was looking for.”
“How long?”
“Two years.”
“And yet it’s been three years since we last saw each other,” I say, intending to leave it at that.
“I didn’t have your name to find you,” he says, frustration edging his comment.
I ignore his dig. “You run a security business where I’m assuming you probably do your fair share of investigating…” I pause and raise my eyebrows. “You learned enough from me that night. You knew I went to Columbia where your sister went to school. And I told you I worked for the school paper. How many students do you think fit my criteria?” When his mouth thins, I answer for him. “Eleven, Sebastian. Eleven women fit the criteria. No, I don’t think I would’ve been hard to find if you’d really wanted to find me when you got back.” And as much as that hurts to finally say out loud, for my own self-preservation, I can’t let you in too much, either, Sebastian.
I lay my hand on his suddenly fisted one resting on the railing. “All that said, I’m willing to meet you halfway. The T is real, by the way.”
He uncurls his fist and swiftly locks our fingers together. Folding our hands, he runs his thumb slowly over mine. “Why is it so hard for you to trust?”
I blink back the moisture in my eyes, glad he can’t see past my sunglasses. “You have no idea how much trust I’ve put in you already.”
Facing me, he traces his thumb along the back of my hand, then pauses to slowly slide it over the suntan line Nathan’s ring left behind. “Guess I must’ve gotten some sun at the festival,” I say lightly as I glance up at him.
“You were engaged to him while you worked at the Tribune.”
He didn’t form it as a question, but I take it that way. “Yes, we met at work. I broke up with him almost a year ago.”
Sebastian’s serious expression shifts to a deep frown. “If you broke up with him that long ago, why have you been wearing that damned ring?”
I sigh. “I only came this weekend for my friend Cass, who ended up ditching me at the last minute for a job. I wore the ring to keep guys at bay. I wasn’t here for the singles’ stuff. Oh, and speaking of Nathan’s ring, when we return to the resort, I’d like it back.”
His jaw flexes in annoyance. “Why?”
“So I can give it to him before he leaves.”
“He’s still at the resort?”
I nod. “After lunch, Nathan helped me get in contact with an old colleague at the Tribune.”
Sebastian tenses. “You had lunch with him?”
I shake my head and try to let go of his hand, but he doesn’t release mine. “No, I had lunch with Cynthia. He happened to be in the restaurant and called me over so he could help me connect with Stan, who wanted to discuss a new job opportunity at the Tribune over the phone.”
“You’re going to be working together again?”
His tight voice makes me defensive. “What does that have to do with anything?” When he doesn’t reply, I sigh. “I’m a professional, Sebastian. I loved my job at the Tribune. I miss helping people and feeling like I make a difference in their lives. Working in the same office with Nathan is a small price to pay if I can get that back.”
His displeased expression relaxes and he pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me. “That, I do understand,” he says quietly, burying his nose in my neck. “What about your writing?”
Why do I get the feeling his understanding comes from something personal. Does it have anything to do with him being a civilian now? Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I press a kiss to his jaw. “I won’t go back full time until I finish my last book. And I’ll still continue to write even after I do.”
He turns me in his arms, then pulls me back against his chest. “Either way, you’ll still be solving mysteries with words.”
I glance up at him, a huge grin on my face. “You remember that I said that?”
He looks down at me, his voice softening. “I remember everything, Little Red.” Glancing out over the water, he adjusts us slightly. “When I first went to live with my Uncle Jack, that summer he brought Calder and me fishing to this very beach. His wife had passed away a few years before, so family trips for he and Calder became even more important. I remember sitting on the beach and watching father and son interact, how my uncle teased Calder mercilessly. It was on that trip that I realized he treated me the exact same way. That was the best summer and what was equally memorable.” He trails off, nodding toward the water. “Watch this…”
I follow his line of sight and gasp at the glorious sunset.
“It’s breathtaking, isn’t it?” he says, sounding nostalgic.
I nod, choked up at the beauty and the fact that he wanted to share something so intensely personal with me.
Taking off his glasses, he bends close, his lips tickling my ear. “If yo
u were writing that sunset, how would you describe it? Paint a picture for me.”
I take my glasses off too so I can get the colors just right. Resting my arms over his around my waist, I try my best to capture everything I see. “The sun’s a ball of fire sitting on the edge of the world, ready to slip into the night. Though its brightness can never really be contained, only hidden from view, the last rays of the day reflect off the water in shades of orange, purple and pink. Sparks of yellow skip along the wave’s crests like dancing fireflies. And in the deeper waters, fiery red-orange veins the dark, rolling waves in thick ribbons of molten lava.”
When I glance up at him, I’m surprised his eyes are closed. They quickly snap open, the bright blue reflecting pleasure and a peace I’ve never seen in them before. “You have a gift. Never stop writing. That was perfect.” Kissing my neck, he smiles. “Are you ready to eat now?”
As the sun disappears, soft music begins to flow from the boat’s speakers. Just when we sit down at the table, a young waiter comes up from below to light the three tea candles between us. Once the table is lit, another waiter arrives with plates of steamed lobster tail over a light bed of roasted herb vegetables and parmesan crusted polenta.
The first waiter returns, serving me a glass of Pinot. Once we have the deck to ourselves, Sebastian raises his glass of mineral water for a toast.
“To this evening, Miss Lone.” His voice drops to a deeper, seductive bass. “May it rival our first one.”
I release a nervous laugh and tap his glass with mine, then take a sip of my wine. When he puts his glass to his lips, I ask, “You don’t drink?”
He shakes his head and sets the glass down. “Drinking muddles the mind. I prefer to be alert and in top form at all times.”
Does the man ever let himself truly relax? Maybe he gets that through exercise. “You mentioned that you run,” I say after I take a couple bites of the melt-in-your-mouth lobster.
Sebastian nods and cuts a piece of polenta in half. “I usually run very early in the morning. On the island, I bike part and run part but get in about fifteen miles a day.”
I gulp the sip of wine I’ve just taken. “You bike and run that much every day?”
“Unless I have an early morning flight or some other appointment, then yes, I do it every day.”
No wonder he’s so freaking fit.
I hold my glass up once more. “And one more toast.”
Looking intrigued, Sebastian lifts his glass.
I clink my glass to his. “Congratulations on taking your family name. I know what you gave up to do that.”
A wry smile curves his lips. “I didn’t take the name to piss off my Dad. I took it to honor his brother. Jack had a heart attack three years ago. The attack weakened him, and it was his dying wish that I take his last name and officially become his second son. So I did, right there in the hospital room with Calder by my side.”
My eyes mist and I blink back the moisture. Sebastian has lost his mother and the only man he considered a true father. I’m so glad he has Calder and that he’s also close to Mina. “I’m sorry to hear about your uncle. I think it’s wonderful you honored his wishes.”
He chuckles and sets his glass down, turning the stem. “I honestly think my uncle knew exactly what my taking the Blake name would do to my family. Since he had blond hair, he knew I favored his brother and the moment the papers were official, the tabloids would start conjecturing. As much as he loved me as his own, Jack was tired of the lies. He hated that I had to hide who I was.” He shrugs. “I didn’t really care, but I did care what Jack thought, so yeah, I took his name.”
I smile, my respect for him growing. “And now you’re going to be an uncle yourself. I’m so happy for Mina. When did she get married?”
“Last year. I’m not sold on the guy she married, but I hope she remains happy or he and I will have a strong heart-to-heart.”
Chuckling, I shake my head. “Marriages aren’t always smooth sailing. Obviously she loves the guy since she’s having his baby.”
Sebastian shrugs and wipes his mouth with the cloth napkin, done with his meal. “We’ll see.” Running his hand along his jaw, he looks at me intently. “Mina was your source for that article you wrote in college, wasn’t she?”
I nod. “She and her roommate were blackmailed into being drug dealers by their professor.”
His hand clenches in a tight fist. “What happened to the bastard?”
I sigh my frustration and turn my fork over a couple of times. “He committed suicide while in jail awaiting trial, but at least his whole operation got shut down in the process.”
“Thank you for protecting Mina’s name,” he says in a quiet tone.
I nod. “It all worked out in the best way it could’ve.” Finishing my last bite, I tilt my head. “I know you’re close with Calder and Mina, but are you with her older brothers?”
Sebastian exhales a harsh breath. “Damien and Gavin are more difficult to read than Mina.”
He said it like an annoyed oldest brother would. I wonder if he realizes that fact.
The young waiter returns as I finish my glass of wine. “Would you like another glass, Miss?”
“She’ll have a glass of water, Sam. Thank you.”
Once Sam fills my water glass and then leaves, I stare at Sebastian. “Actually, I wanted another glass of wine.”
He holds my gaze, not at all apologetic. “Alcohol dulls the senses. The last thing I want are your senses toned down tonight.” Rubbing his thumb across his bottom lip, his sensual words capture my full attention. “I prefer you highly sensitized, Miss Lone.”
His comment makes my insides jump. I’m damn sure another glass of wine wouldn’t muffle any sensations he lays on me. The man is like a blowtorch to my senses. I would pretty much have to be knocked out cold before I wouldn’t feel him burning through anything standing in his way, including alcohol flowing through my blood.
While I gnaw on my bottom lip, trying to decide if I’m still put out with him, the engine rumbles to life. As the boat slowly begins to turn back toward the shore, Sebastian asks, “Would you like some dessert?”
“I’d rather have a glass of wine,” I say in a dry tone.
He releases a dark laugh and stands. “I think I can come up with other ways to give you that euphoric feeling you seem to be craving.” Coming around to my side of the table, he lifts my hand and pulls me to my feet. “Dance with me.”
It’s easy to forget about wine, dessert, or the reason I might’ve wanted either the moment he steps into my personal space. As much as I don’t want to admit he’s right about that, I can’t deny the attraction between us.
I smile at the song pumping softly through the speakers. Even though it’s an older one that I heard when I was a teen, the song I’ve Had The Time of My Life feels so appropriate as Sebastian pulls me against his hard frame and begins to sway us to the music. It reminds me of summer homes and first sexual experiences. Memories I’ll always associate with him.
“Are you thinking about us right now, about that night we spent together?” he whispers in my ear as he slowly spins me around.
My breath catches and I look up at him. “How did you know?”
His hand slides to the base of my spine, pulling me even closer until my hips fully align with his. He smiles, that appealing dimple barely showing, but still there nonetheless. “It’s the song.”
I nod and rest my head against his shoulder, staring out at the ocean we’re leaving behind. “Some memories will last a lifetime.”
His hand holding mine tightens just a bit. Pressing a kiss to my hair, he says, “Some memories are so unforgettable, they’re worth building on. Look at me.”
When I lift my head and stare at him in the darkness, his deep voice vibrates against my chest, resonating all the way to my toes. “And there’s nothing I want more than to do that with you.”
Sebastian hasn’t said a word since we danced on the boat. And other than using a g
uiding hand on my lower back before I settled into his car, he hasn’t touched me either. The moment we’re alone in Hawthorne’s main elevator, he turns to face me, but he doesn’t step close. Instead, he slides his hands in his pockets and skims his gaze over me in a slow, deliberate perusal.
It’s unnerving and intense, but I refuse to look away. I watch his attention linger on the pearl necklace he gave me before trailing to my cleavage. I exhale slowly when his attention moves up to my throat and jawline, then to my hair before returning to my eyes.
He’s so focused, nothing I say is going to bleed through, so I remain perfectly still, accepting his concentrated study.
When his steady regard lowers to my mouth, it’s hard not to lick my lips. Somehow I manage, but as the elevator pings for his floor, I can’t keep one side of my mouth from turning up in a half-smile.
“What are you thinking, Miss Lone?”
My smile broadens. “That ‘Miss Lone’ is a little formal at this point, don’t you think?”
The elevator door slides open, and as I start to walk out, he puts his hand on the open door, deliberately blocking my exit. “Anytime you’re ready to share…”
When I seek his gaze, he surprises me by lowering his hand to his side instead of pushing me for an answer. I take advantage of the reprieve and lead the way to his room.
As soon as we enter, Sebastian turns on the light by the door and steps farther into the darkness to slide his coat off. Now that we’re alone, thoughts of our conversation on the boat make my nerves coil tight in my stomach. Have we built our memories up to be more than it was? But then I remember the sauna, and my bones melt just thinking of how he makes me feel. My mind is so jumbled I stay in the glow of light by the door, busying myself by setting my purse on the table.
I jump when Sebastian’s hands settle on the table on either side of me, muscular arms and shirtless heat enveloping my shoulders and back. “You’re very quiet,” he husks in my ear.
I chuckle. “You didn’t say a word the entire car trip back or the elevator ride up, and you’re saying I’m quiet?”
Sliding my hair over one shoulder, he presses his mouth to my exposed throat in a slow, deliberate kiss. “Just because I didn’t speak doesn’t mean my thoughts weren’t loud and clear,” he says at the same time I feel a tug on the bow at my waist.
Scarlett Red: A Billionaire SEAL Story, Part 2 (In the Shadows) Page 12
