AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dylan watched as the ease Michaela had projected only moments before disappeared and she became so stiff, it was a shock she could bend over to pick up her shirt and skirt. “Oh, God. I really am going to have to take this wet bra off or my shirt will turn see-through!”
Damn Jake for being early. He’d wanted to take her to bed and luxuriate with her in his arms for a while.
Dylan cut off the thought and the growing disappointment before it could fully form. She had been about to leave anyway. He’d just have to make sure Jake’s intrusion was only an interruption, not an ending. The little taste he’d had of Michaela Western only made him want more of her.
Fully dressed but with no underwear to speak of, Michaela turned to leave.
He caught her around the waist. “There’s no need to rush, he won’t be back for a good ten minutes yet.”
“No,” she said. “Imagine if he had come back earlier… Oh, no, don’t.” The blush ran from her toes to her cheeks.
“Michaela.” Dylan tilted her face to his. “There is nothing wrong with this, with us. I know you have your position to think of, and I will be discreet, I promise. But we have nothing to hide.”
As he said the words, he almost laughed at their irony. If she knew who he really was, how he got here, she would probably boot him off the ship the first chance she got.
The more time he spent with her, though, the more it seemed worth the risk.
Her eyes softened. She wanted to believe him, he could tell. “We’ll see,” she said quietly.
He had to fight to keep the triumph from his smile. Excellent.
If she couldn’t resist him, all would be well. Next time, he’d make sure they had more time, and he’d relish the chance to delve more into her mind.
The more time he spent with Michaela, the longer her list of good traits became. He mentally ticked them off: smart, driven, independent, values her family, and a tiger in bed.
Sensing some indecision in her, he took advantage and swept down, kissing her in a hot farewell. “Goodnight,” he said. “Sweet dreams.” With those last words, his hands smoothed down her uniform skirt, and then…
“Stop it!” She slapped at his hand. “Your roommate will be back any minute.”
“Well then,” he said, pulling her back to him for one last, lingering kiss. “I hope your dreams are anything but sweet.”
He watched her force herself to turn the door handle and walk out of the room, her nipples pressing against the thin white fabric of her shirt and scraps of wet white lace clutched in her hand.
Chapter Seven
The next day was another shore day, and Michaela sat in her office, catching up on some paperwork while the rest of her team was away.
Dylan had imprinted himself on her skin. That must be what this scratchy sensation was.
With a pang of regret, she’d waved off the ship’s tender Dylan sat in. As it plowed its way through the ocean, she’d wished with every fiber of her being that she was going with him to walk hand in hand along the beach.
It was just lust, she reminded herself for the hundredth time since she’d left his stateroom, thoroughly satiated and almost drunk on the adrenaline of their secret. Breathe in, breathe in, breathe in.
There was no need for her to remind herself to breathe out. The air whooshed out of her lungs every time she replayed their time in the shower together.
Lust with a little bit of something extra?
Get back to work, Ms. Western.
When she’d first started in the business, she’d taken every opportunity she could to explore the tropical locations the ship stopped in, but as she’d risen up the ranks the responsibilities of her office had piled on, and she’d found more reasons to stay onboard. It was blessedly quiet today, though, and being able to walk the decks without bumping into people at every step was a blissful indulgence in itself.
As she strolled around the top deck, she admired the picturesque island in front of her. The golden talcum powder sand reflected the afternoon sun, and beneath arching palm trees those who sought more relaxation rested in the shade. Seeing so many people at play made Michaela think once again about her own life. For so long, she had thought herself happy in this existence, traveling among some of the world’s most beautiful places, meeting interesting people, earning their respect. But was she looking for something more?
Her promise to herself of five years at sea had already expired, and now here was a man. A man who had offered her more advice and support than she’d had in a long time. A man who made her every nerve buzz with anticipation whenever he touched her.
“He’s a dancer, Michaela,” she scolded. “He’s hardly going to be the settle-down type.” Yet despite her protest, she couldn’t keep her heart from soaring at the thought of him. But…
But what?
But he was incredibly talented, his looks were more than okay, he liked children in the same way she did, and he made her very core melt.
Tonight, she thought. Perhaps tonight we’ll see whether this is just an irresponsible fling or something that could be more.
As the day came to a close, passengers began reappearing by the pool, happy and relaxed from their day in the tropical sun. Michaela walked among them. She noticed that a number of women looked away from her, and some even turned and whispered among themselves. Odd, they seemed to be talking about her. That didn’t make sense.
An onshore scandal, perhaps. A husband caught out flirting too vigorously with another woman, even while his wife was playing with their children. Or maybe a husband on holiday with his mistress, confounded by being discovered by a friend of his wife’s. She could never understand how some men could be so stupid.
Lucky for her, the liaison with the captain had been a secret, and it had ended quickly when she’d found out about him being married. Bastard. She’d never have gone there if she’d known.
She set her mind wondering over Dylan’s left hand. It had been ring free, and there was no telltale tan mark from a ring removed, either. If she’d checked Captain Atkinson’s hands a bit better, she might have come out of the whole affair unscathed. But Dylan’s hands were definitely single.
Those hands. They’d certainly wanted to consummate something. Perhaps tonight she might just let them.
She saw Felicity and waved.
“How was your day?” Felicity asked casually.
“Lovely,” Michaela gushed, her thoughts of the evening with Dylan still simmering.
“Oh.” Felicity paused, her demeanor changing. “Great.”
