“How about a shower and a nap, Ivorie?” Drew expelled a huge sigh and leaned back against the chaise as the reality of what could have happened hit him again.
Jenni stood up. “I’ll give you guys some privacy. Take it easy, and we’ll see you later. The ship departs at six o’clock. I think you should plan on a nice, relaxed evening.”
* * * *
Ivorie watched Jenni leave and close the door before she turned to Drew and threw herself into his arms. She began to sob in earnest as he held her close. She hadn’t wanted to break down like this, but the release of tension was more than she could stand. Drew rocked her and just let her sob it out.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe now. Just let it all out.”
When Ivorie had cried all the tears she’d held back during her ordeal, Drew picked her up and carried her into the Master Suite’s luxurious shower. He stripped off her dirty and somewhat ragged clothes and his own and joined her in the stinging spray. They just stood there and let the jets of hot water pound them from all sides. When they had been reduced to relaxed noodles, Drew shut the water off and turned the steam on. They sat on the benches in the shower and let the steam do its work. Finally, he rinsed them off again, shut it all down, and toweled them both off. He picked her up and walked into the bedroom. He placed her gently on the bed and lay down beside her. He nestled her up against his chest and pulled the sheet over them both. Ivorie closed her eyes. She was so relieved to be here, safe and lying next to Drew. She yawned widely, and they were both asleep within minutes as the tension drained out of them.
When Ivorie awoke, Drew was still sleeping. The sheet had slid down to reveal his smooth chest. She just lay there looking at him. He’s so beautiful. He was solid, sculpted muscle everywhere. She had been so afraid she might not see him again. Relief flooded through her body. Although Frank had said he didn’t want to hurt her, there were so many ways that the whole scenario could have gone wrong, ending up with her lost in the jungle or worse, dead in the jungle. She was so lucky it had worked out the way it had. She vowed to live for the moment from now on and to make the most of every precious minute, especially every precious minute with Drew.
She didn’t know what would happen when this trip was over, but she knew that she wouldn’t regret a moment of it.
Chapter Thirty-Two
When Drew awoke, it was late afternoon. He kept his eyes closed and just savored the feeling of relief that had washed through him when he had Ivorie back safely in his arms. He felt her watching him and wondered what she was thinking. He hoped she felt the same sense of relief and safety that he did. For some reason, he was afraid to ask her. He hoped she didn’t blame him for her harrowing experience this morning. After all, he felt some responsibility for Eugenia’s actions. He couldn’t believe he had almost married that crazy woman. His mind must have been muddled by the excellent sex. What was I thinking? Did I have my head up my butt or what? Did the Eugenia he had almost married even exist at all, or was she totally a figment of his imagination? His lapse in judgment was extremely troubling. How could he rely on his judgment in the future?
He felt the tickle of her soft hair over his eyes and nose. He moved to brush it away, but then he realized that Ivorie was playing with him. He decided to play possum for a little while longer and see what she would do. She continued to tease him until he had to open his eyes. He looked up into her soft, caramel-brown gaze and smiled. She leaned down and kissed him softly.
“Hi. I thought you would never wake up.”
“And just why did you want me to wake up?”
“Because I had no one to play with. Can I play with you?”
“Oh, baby, you can always play with me. What did you have in mind?” He smiled at her. This was a new and more adventurous Ivorie. He liked it. He thought he’d let her take the lead and see where she went with it.
She ran her small, soft hand down over his chest, further down over his abs, and unerringly to the apex of his thighs where his cock was steel-hard and standing at attention. “Can I kiss you here?”
“I think I’ll die if you don’t.” He put his arms behind his head and just let her do as she pleased.
Ivorie took his erect member in one small hand and ran the other up and down the shaft, sliding her fingers over the head that had a glistening drop of pre-cum on the tip. She kissed him and circled her tongue around the top. She licked down the shaft, following the pulsing veins with her soft tongue. She took the head into her mouth and sucked as she gently kneaded his balls. He closed his eyes and just let the sensations of her questing fingers and feasting mouth overtake his senses. The feeling of Ivorie’s hot mouth was exquisite. If he died right now, he would think he had gone to heaven.
He felt his muscles turn to rock as she continued to suck the tip and massage the shaft of his cock. When he knew he was close, he donned a condom, pulled her up on his chest, rolled over, and pulled her under him as he impaled her with his solid erection. He was beyond finesse and control. He pounded the pulsing shaft between his thighs into her with powerful thrusts that drove him to his completion as he looked into her dazed golden-brown eyes. She threw her head back and came with a frenzy he had not been expecting as her tight channel convulsed around him. He took her mouth fiercely as his still-hard cock continued to jerk within her. When they had both stopped trembling from the intense climax, he rolled off her, pulled her tightly into his arms, and just held on.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Drew and Ivorie went to the lounge on the top deck before dinner to discuss what to do about Eugenia and Frank with Captain Cortelis. The Golden Dolphin was scheduled to leave port at six o’clock, and decisions had to be made. They were both currently under guard in a small lower-deck cabin usually used for storage. If the sounds coming from the cabin were any indication, they were not getting along. The steward on guard outside the cabin reported that he overheard Eugenia blaming Frank for the failure of their plan, while he retaliated that if she had accomplished her goal to fuck that “rich bastard,” he would have released Ivorie, and all would have been well.
“Do you two have any thoughts about what you want us to do with Eugenia and Frank?” Con asked.
“We really haven’t discussed that,” Drew replied with a frown. “What do you suggest?”
“I don’t know that we should leave Santarém with them on board. It is a difficult decision. We probably should just turn them over to the authorities while the crime scene is still intact—not that the local police probably have very cutting edge forensic capabilities or that there is much evidence at the crime scene.”
“Why don’t you? Isn’t that the best solution?” Ivorie asked with a puzzled look on her face. Drew knew she was still far from over her frightening experience.
Con replied, “The reason is that we would rather the Brazilian authorities did not know the security capabilities of the crew on this ship or how well armed we are. All weapons are securely stored below deck, but we would not want the local police wandering around the ship.” Con ran his hand over the five-o’clock stubble on his chin. “Our main concern is the safety of our passengers. If the facts become known, we might be forced to relinquish our arms. Although the guns were not needed in this instance, we never know when they might be—say, in the event of a piracy attempt. This is a high-profile ship carrying very wealthy passengers. It might be a big temptation to some of the river rats out there. Also, there may be a criminal element among the police force which might pass sensitive information to the wrong parties.”
“That makes sense. The ship’s safety is the primary concern. Another concern I have is that I wouldn’t want Ivorie to have to return to testify at a trial here. Who knows what dangers might be involved in a return trip, or how long a trial would take, or what the outcome would be for that matter. I’m not sure the risk would be worth it. Eugenia’s family is quite wealthy, and from what I understand, Frank is also well connected, so to speak. I’m sorry that my prior personal l
ife has caused a problem for you.”
“That’s not the issue. There are occasionally going to be problems aboard. That is why we want to be prepared to handle them quietly and efficiently, and why the security team is comprised of all black belts. Use of weapons would always be a last resort.”
“I don’t know what to suggest,” Drew said. “We could just put them off the ship either here or in Manaus and leave them to make their way back home. I don’t know the state of Eugenia’s current financial resources. It might take them some time to get back to the States.”
“That’s a possibility.” Con did not look satisfied.
“I doubt they would be able to catch up with the ship to make another attempt to board before we got back to Key West, and certainly they would not go unnoticed by the crew. I think I’ve made it plain to Eugenia that a reconciliation between us is impossible no matter what. I can only hope that she has given up on that particular delusion. Actually, I was surprised that she put so much effort into this scheme. I doubt Frank is particularly invested in the plan. I think he’d be glad to escape with his skin intact and no Brazilian jail sentence hanging over his head.”
“Frank didn’t hurt me, and he kept saying he didn’t want to hurt me. I think we all know that Eugenia was the driving force behind the plan.”
“Another possibility is that I can contact her father in New York and advise him of what has gone on. He and I always got along well. I think he was glad to be getting Eugenia married off, out of his hair, and off his hands. He might be persuaded to exert some financial pressure on her, maybe get her some psychological help. I don’t know. What do you guys think?”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Drew, Ivorie, and Con discussed their options, and it was decided that Drew would reach out to John Cartwright, Eugenia’s father, to see what solutions he might offer. Drew called the banker at his office and caught him just before he left for the day. John had always kept banker’s hours, so Drew was surprised and glad to find him working late. He filled him in on all the details of Ivorie’s kidnapping and rescue, as well as Eugenia’s attempt to board the Golden Dolphin.
“John, I’m sorry that things didn’t work out for Eugenia and me, but that really couldn’t be helped.” Drew grimaced. That was not exactly true. He’d had a near miss with Eugenia, and he was extremely glad to have escaped her grasping clutches. “At this point, I wanted to let you know what was going on and to see if you wanted to intervene in the situation or if you have any solutions to offer.”
“I appreciate your calling me, Drew, but I don’t know what I can do from here.” He didn’t sound like he was ready to jump on the next plane to come and collect his wayward daughter. Drew was not going to let him off the hook that easily. He could see where this was going. The old man was going to try and make this Drew’s problem to handle.
“I think you would rather that the captain not turn Eugenia over to the Brazilian police, who would certainly file charges against her. A stay in a Brazilian jail in the Amazon would not be a pleasant experience for someone of Eugenia’s delicate sensibilities.” Boy, that was laying it on thick. He chuckled to himself. “There would also most likely be a trial, which I doubt would end well for Eugenia, and would be very embarrassing for your family. I can see the headlines. ‘New York Heiress Charged with Brazilian Kidnapping.’ It wouldn’t be pretty.”
“No, of course, I wouldn’t want Eugenia turned over to the local police. Trying to extricate her from that situation after she’d been arrested and charged would be a diplomatic nightmare.”
“John, I really think she needs psychiatric help. A rational person would not go to these extreme lengths to resurrect a failed romantic relationship. She had an innocent woman kidnapped and held captive in a remote jungle location while trying to board a very well-guarded luxury yacht illegally. The whole scheme seems delusional.”
“What would you suggest? I have no idea what to do for her.” John was now starting to sound worried and unsure of himself. “Her mother will be beside herself with worry.” Drew knew that Eugenia’s parents, while rather snobbish and self-absorbed, were really not bad people.
“I would suggest that either you come and get her in Brazil, or you send someone to pick her up and take her back to the States. The ship will be in Manaus on Friday. That will give your family attorneys three days to arrange for her to be admitted to a private psychiatric facility where she can hopefully get some help. I can’t in good conscience ask the captain to take responsibility for her for any longer than that. He’s doing me a huge favor as it is. Eugenia and her and accomplice, Frank Conklin, are currently under guard, which is taking the ship’s resources and manpower.”
“That fool Frank Conklin is involved in this? I was relieved when Eugenia stopped seeing him. He’s just a low-level thug with big ideas. I never understood what she saw in him.”
“John, get back to me as soon as you’ve made your plans. The ship docks in Manaus at nine o’clock in the morning on Thursday and departs again Friday afternoon at four o’clock. You will need to have taken custody of Eugenia by then, or the captain tells me he will be forced to contact the authorities. I won’t have any more influence over the situation at that point.”
“I’ll get right on it, Drew. Please do what you can for Eugenia. Her mother and I would greatly appreciate your help in this matter.”
Drew disconnected the call and turned to Con and Ivorie. “Well, I think he’s motivated to get Eugenia back to the US. Con, I really do appreciate your help with this. Please just bill me for the additional costs incurred in this whole mess. I don’t expect the ship to pick up the expenses.”
“I’ll talk to management about that. I’ll let Jamie Devereau tell me what he wants done. In the meantime, we have the situation under control. I think we should just let the two of them stew in their own juices for now and see what Mr. Cartwright comes up with.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
The Golden Dolphin—Departing the Port of Santarém, Brazil on the Amazon River, October 15, 2013—Tuesday, Early Evening
The Golden Dolphin left Santarém on schedule at six o’clock. The crew arranged an impromptu party on deck to celebrate Ivorie’s rescue. Ivorie stood against the rail watching the scenery pass. She felt Drew’s eyes skim her body and the long, translucent white silk caftan, shot with gold threads, that was held against her body by the stiff breeze stirred by the ship’s passage. The setting sun felt warm on her skin as it glinted off the hair blowing back from her face. Once they had traveled a short distance up river, the jungle had closed in against the river banks again. She was delighted as she watched the river dolphins swimming beside the ship and playing in the wake.
Despite the peacefulness of the river scene, Ivorie was still anxious and on edge just knowing that Eugenia and Frank were on board and being held several decks below her feet. Rationally, she knew the situation was under control, but she still felt as though she needed to look over her shoulder.
Just then Jenni walked up behind her, and Ivorie jumped. “Ivorie, calm down. You look like a cat about to jump out of its skin.”
Chris tried to help by assuring Ivorie that he had personally checked it out and that there was an armed guard standing outside the cabin where they were keeping Eugenia and Frank. Ivorie knew that they were both being kind and trying to settle her down, but she wasn’t completely reassured. “Do you want to see for yourself? Do you want me to walk down there with you?”
“No! I don’t want to get anywhere near them. I trust the captain. Intellectually, I know he’s got it under control.” She saw Drew looking at her with concern in his eyes. “I’ll be fine,” she said, trying to sound cheerful if not confident.
Chris joined Drew on the rail, and Ivorie and Jennie went to the ladies’ room. “Oh, Jenni, I’ve got to get a grip on this. Please don’t let Drew know that I’m still upset. He thinks it’s all his fault, and I don’t want him to feel any more guilty than he already does.” Jenni gave
her a reassuring hug, and they went back on deck and joined the guys.
After several champagne toasts, a sumptuous buffet dinner served on deck, cocktails, and dancing, Ivorie and Drew left while the party up on deck was still in full swing. All she could think about was sleeping in her own bed.
“I’ll see you in the morning. Breakfast in your suite? We probably should spend a little time in the office.” Ivorie blushed when she thought about what they had done in the office the last time they’d been in there. She didn’t think she’d ever see a desk again and not remember him bending her over the edge…“We’ll probably have the revised drafts of the Riverstone contracts for you to review tomorrow.”
When she started to turn down the corridor to her own cabin, Drew grabbed her hand. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“To bed, Drew. I’m really tired. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I want you to sleep with me in the Master Suite. I’ve asked you before to have the steward move your things upstairs. I want you with me, Ivorie. I’d feel much better if you were sleeping next to me. Please?”
She hated to disappoint him and felt herself slowly but surely giving in. Why was it so hard to say “no” to him? “Okay, for tonight. I’m still not ready to move upstairs though. I think we both need a little space.”
* * * *
Drew pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently on the forehead. He brushed her hair back. “I just want you with me. I guess I’m still unsettled after everything that happened today.” Drew felt emotionally battered, as though he had been in a fight for his life. And, in effect, he had been. He was beginning to realize that his life and Ivorie’s were inextricably tied together. He just didn’t know if he could trust his own judgment and emotions after all that had happened in the last few weeks. It had left him feeling vulnerable and not like his usual confident self. It was a feeling he was not used to and did not like. He hoped it would pass soon. Everything that had happened today just underlined the seriousness of his lapse in judgment.
Ivorie's Surprise [Golden Dolphin] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 13
