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“What are you doing here?” he asked mentally, closing his eyes for a second and trying to home in on her location.
Unlike a person’s regular voice, where the volume and angle could give them away, mental communication could come from anywhere. She could be behind him, far back in the crowd, or even hanging on to the side of the boat. Wherever she was, if Evelyn was on the yacht, she wasn’t there for any good reason.
“So, you live in Queensland?” Penny asked.
He wanted to give his date his full attention, but he couldn’t. Evelyn was too close, and he feared for the safety of everyone on the boat. Thane nodded at her, hoping she wouldn’t realize his mind was elsewhere.
“Right here, lover,” her voice said.
Thane looked into the crowd once again and saw her.
***
Penny pressed her legs against the side of the ship, hoping it might steady her trembling knees. She was so fucking nervous for some reason.
He’s too good looking, too sweet, too funny, too…perfect.
Plus, his flirting was contagious. He didn’t have to say anything at all really to get her replying to him in teasing conversation. It was like she’d known him forever. Conversation flowed so smoothly even while her body was threatening to have a total breakdown. Fatigue had gripped her lately, and it was one of the main reasons she’d been content with sitting by the pool and taking it easy, but this was different. It was almost like his energy fed off her, sucking every ounce of her oomph into him. She was so tired, but this was different. No amount of coffee or tea would take this away.
What’s wrong with me?
Then she realized what it was. She ached for him. She was insanely horny. It wasn’t normal fatigue she was feeling, it was a desire to lie back in bed and spread her legs for him. She wasn’t even sure where it had come from. It wasn’t natural. She’d never felt like this before.
I need to get out of here.
She struggled to find words that might keep the conversation going because as much as she wanted to flee, she couldn’t bear the thought of letting him slip into the crowd. If Sylvia saw him, she might even call dibs. If she called dibs, he would be off limits.
Dibs.
Penny wondered if saying it in her head was the same as saying it out loud. She didn’t care. If Sylvia tried to swoop in, she would tell her friend that she’d already said the word. He was hers. If she had her way, she would be in bed with him tonight.
What the fuck, Penny? Calm down, girl.
His right hand gripped the railing and she couldn’t help watching his fingers. They were so big. Everything about him seemed so…big.
I’m so fucking tired, Thane. Take me out of here and make love to me.
She might have been thinking it, but she would never be brave enough to let the words slip from her lips.
“So, you live in Queensland?” she asked.
It was the only thing she could think to say. He’d remained quiet for too long and awkwardness had started to creep in. Up until that point, there hadn’t been anything odd about their conversation, but then suddenly there had.
“I’m sorry,” Thane said. “Can you give me a second? I’ll be right back, I promise.”
I promise.
Penny milled that word over in her head, liking the sound of it. She would take any promise this guy could make. His hand reached out to hers and his fingers ran gently over her knuckles as he walked away, dragging his fingertips over her wrist and arm. She wanted so badly to reach out to him and beg him to stay. But then she saw where he was going.
The black-haired bitch with the one red highlight. The snake charmer.
She was his destination, and she wished she could rush to her and punch her in the throat. What was it Sylvia always said? Yes, she wanted to kick her in the vagina. When the woman flashed her a smug, hypocritical smile, Penny felt her heart sink in her chest. Nothing she could ever do, no changes she could ever make to herself, would allow her to compete with the woman whose arms were now wrapping around Thane’s shoulders in a hug.
Then came the kiss on the cheek and Penny’s inner-child screamed. No, it didn’t only yell, it stomped its feet and fell to the ground, raining fists down in angry protest. Her inner-child was a spoiled fucking brat, and she didn’t like this one bit.
She was contemplating her next move, desperately searching her mind for any way she could walk over and separate the two, when she saw a new guy eyeing her like a piece of meat. This one was blond, with curly hair that looked unkempt in the best of ways. He was clearly one of those guys who spent all day in the ocean and all night in the sack. While Thane embodied everything elegant and strong about a man, this guy was the devil on his shoulder. This was the guy girls only wanted to fuck. One look at him and they knew he had little to offer in the way of conversation or security. He wasn’t the relationship type or the take home to the parents type. He was the “bend me over and fuck me after a couple of shots of tequila” type.
An hour ago, Penny had felt like the least desired person on the boat. Now, she wondered if someone had doused her in some sort of love potion. What was attracting these guys to her?
