Perfect Alignment (12 page)

The good thing was that she trusted Drew to be on the same wavelength, as well as trusting in his experience with ménages to know what they should and should not get themselves into. As well as his knowledge of his friend and what would be best for Toby.

She figured, at the very least, it would be fun to get to know one of Drew’s friends and have a nice sail. Not having spent much time on boats, she couldn’t quite imagine how the day might go, but she supposed fresh ocean air, warm summer sun and two men who would hopefully take their shirts off, she was all good.

Pulling up to the house, she parked in her usual spot next to the SUV that was Drew’s personal vehicle, and grabbed her bag. Drew was there immediately, taking her bag and walking her to the house. Within a minute and without her exactly knowing how, he had her laid out on the couch, shoes off, shorts on their way past her knees when the phone rang.

She blinked at him, glanced around. Her bag was on the floor, the door was half open. He growled and went to the kitchen to get the phone. Putting her clothes back to rights, she followed him into the other room, but he was already hanging up.

“That was Toby. He said he’s about half an hour away.” He gave her a stern look. “Why aren’t you waiting for me on the couch?”

She stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed a pop from the fridge. “You got me so distracted I didn’t even notice I was on my way to being naked in the front room with the door still open. Not nice, especially when you have a visitor on the way.”

He only harrumphed at that, took the can from her for a quick drink, then handed it back with a smirk. “Maybe I did that on purpose and you’re now defying orders just by standing here.”

Without looking away from him, she reached for the chip clip magnet on the side of his refrigerator and threw it at him. He caught it with a laugh, sauntered over to return the magnet, pressed his body into hers. “Are you looking to be punished?” he asked.

“No more than you’re looking to have me make you a special batch of brownies laced with laxatives.”

He cocked his head. “Does that actually work?”

“I have no idea, but I’m willing to do some research to find out.” The indignation in her voice gave way to an embarrassing breathiness as he cupped her breasts. Her nipples tightened. He brushed them with his thumbs. “Did you bring a jacket? Might get cold out on the water.”

She swallowed hard, nodded. “A jacket and some long pants, just in case.”

He slid his hands around to cup her butt, pulled her closer into his body. She braced her hands against his shoulders. “We don’t have time,” she reminded him.

“No?” He gave a squeeze.

“Not unless you want us to be in the middle of something when Toby gets here.” She met his eyes. “Is that what you want?” She’d been sure he was teasing before, but maybe she was misreading him.

He leaned in the last bit necessary to give her a kiss. When she’d just about forgotten the question, he pulled back. “No. That’s not what I want. I’m just having a hard time keeping my hands off you.”

“Oh. Well. Okay.” She tried to kiss him, but he backed away.

“No, you’re right. We don’t have time.”

She smirked, then had to jump out of the way to avoid his hand connecting with her butt.

They packed a cooler and Emma tried on some of Drew’s baseball hats until she found one she liked and added it to her bag, which already had sunscreen, a hairbrush, and ponytail holder, along with her jacket and pair of pants. By the time they were all set, they heard the sound of a car coming down the lane. Emma wiped her suddenly damp palms on her shorts and followed Drew out to meet the best friend who was more family than his relatives.

The man who emerged from the car seemed younger than Drew, but maybe that was his infectious energy. Somehow she’d been expecting a sad-eyed man who wore his grief as extra years on his face. Instead, Toby could have answered a Hollywood casting call for a California surfer boy. His light brown hair was longer in front, brushing over his twinkling eyes. His jaw was narrow and he had a dimple in his chin. She couldn’t help but be affected by his warm smile and that damn adorable dimple.

He met her eyes then glanced away, and it suddenly occurred to her that he was as nervous about meeting her as she was him. Her heart melted a little and she gave him a hug. “I’m really glad to meet you, Toby.”

They took his bags inside but were soon loaded up into Drew’s car for the two-hour drive to the marina. Drew and Toby had a college friend who’d loaned them the use of his sailboat.

Emma had told Drew she’d never been sailing when he’d suggested the idea, but he hadn’t seemed concerned, just told her she’d love it. She’d focused her nerves on meeting Toby and didn’t have any left for the boat. Besides, she trusted Drew to know what he was doing, if he said he did.

She’d insisted, over strenuous objections, that Toby take the front seat with Drew. It pleased her to hear the two catch up, and they made an effort to keep her included in the conversation. At a couple of points she had no idea what they were talking about, but that was okay too. It was an easy drive and they pulled off the freeway faster than she’d expected. In the distance, she could see the tops of the sail poles—masts?— bobbing in the water. It was charming and inviting.

They unloaded the car and made their way down the docks to a white sailboat with little blue stairs next to it. Drew went first, unhooking part of the line that ran along the side of the boat so that he could step on. He took the bag she carried and helped her climb on board. She expected the movement her boarding caused, and braced herself against Drew as she stepped onto a benchlike seat, then down to the floor. Toby hopped on easily behind her.

She watched carefully as the guys went about opening the bench seat, removing the panels that made up the doorway to inside the boat and putting them neatly away. Toby began to uncoil various ropes but Drew led her down the short stairs where she found a tiny kitchen, a table with more bench seating, a very tiny bathroom with a showerhead over the toilet, and two berths, as Drew called them. Little rooms that were basically crawlspaces with mattresses.

She was impressed that there were also a microwave, little stove, and television. Did people often watch TV while sailing? She put her bag where Drew pointed and slathered on sunscreen before fixing the baseball cap on around her ponytail. By the time she made her way back up into the fresh air, sunglasses clutched in hand, Toby was turning a key to make an engine rumble to life. She was relieved to realize that they weren’t totally at the mercy of the wind, and glad she hadn’t voiced that concern to Drew.

He held his hand out to her and helped her maneuver to a seat at the back of the boat that sort of hung out over the water. It was padded and had a cup-holder next to it. Perfect. Toby backed the boat out of its space and rumbled out to join its fellows.

Once they were heading away from the marina and out to sea, Drew looked back at her.

“Okay so far?”

She thought about it. Her stomach seemed fine, so she nodded.

“Want to help?”

She blinked at that, but figured what the hell. “Sure.”

He told her to lift levers and pull ropes until she realized that above her head, a sail was going up. The wind pulled the sail out almost faster than she could with the rope. At least until she hit a certain point. Drew gestured for her to keep pulling, so she focused on the rope instead of the sail and gave it several firm tugs.

“Okay, that’s good,” Drew said.

She blew out a breath, then followed his instructions to lock the line in place and tuck it out of the way. Drew braced one hand against the overhanging bridge and pulled her against his body. She relaxed into him and looked forward. The boat was about to hit open water and she could see the waves. When the first one hit, she let Drew keep her steady, but then she set her feet, bent her knees slightly and rolled with the next one. He planted a kiss on her temple, then showed her what to do next. With his help, she pulled another sail out from hiding. Toby’s arm brushed past her butt when he leaned over and fiddled with a key, and the engine noises halted.

Drew positioned her back in her little seat and fetched them all drinks. She drank some water and tilted her head back to enjoy the warm sun and cool breeze. The boat moved steadily forward, not too fast, but fast enough that she felt like they could get somewhere. Toby steered them parallel to the coast, which made her feel better. She wasn’t sure how much she’d like being out in the middle of the ocean without being able to see the land.

“I think she likes it,” Toby said.

“I’d say so.”

She opened her eyes to find both men watching her. Which alarmed her. Shouldn’t the driver be looking forward? “I do like it. But, shouldn’t you be watching for waves and boats and sharks and things?”

“Relax, we’ve been doing this a long time.” Drew didn’t exactly try to hide the laughter in his voice.

Toby smiled at her, but faced forward. She wasn’t sure if it was because he thought he should or to make her feel better, but she relaxed. “How did you guys get into sailing?”

“My dad always sailed,” Toby said, turning slightly toward her but keeping most of his attention facing forward. “I dragged Drew out the first time. He got sick as a dog.” His big grin was infectious and Emma knew she mirrored it.

“Hey, don’t tell lies. I got a little sick, that’s it. Once I started helping with stuff, I was fine.”

“Hmm, not exactly how I remember it.”

“Emma knows who to believe, I’m sure.”

“Mmm hmm,” was all she said.

“Anyway,” Toby continued, “we went out enough that first summer that this guy got the hang of it. After that my dad let us take his boat out whenever we wanted.” He gave her a wicked grin. “It was great for impressing the girls.”

“Where’s your dad and his boat now?”

“They sold the boat and retired to Arizona.” He glanced up over toward the coast, which they seemed to have angled away from. “Let’s tack.” It sounded like a suggestion, but Drew hopped up and got to work. She liked watching him move, liked the way the guys worked as a team without needing to say much. The boat picked up speed and gained an alarming tilt, but neither man seemed the least bit nervous so she settled back.

Another boat made its way toward them and the guys raised their hands in greeting as it passed. A man was standing at the wheel, a young boy and girl on either side of him, the kids waving madly at them, and she had to smile.

“After that, we had to find someone else’s boat to borrow. Luckily our college friend has this beauty and trusts us enough to take her out on our own.”

“Do you do this often?”

Drew glanced over at Toby and his smile faded. “Not for a couple years.”

Oh. She glanced at Drew but he didn’t seem alarmed. “I’m sorry about your wife, Toby.”

Toby looked over at her and the sadness was so clear on his face that her throat clutched. “Thanks. I haven’t been out since she died, that’s why I asked Drew if you guys might be up for it.” He flipped a lever and sat back on the seat behind him, letting go of the wheel. She wasn’t sure what expression crossed her face but he laughed, which made her feel better. “Don’t worry, it’s on autopilot. We just have to keep an eye out.” He gestured to the wide-open view. “I wish she could have met you. Caroline, I mean. She was really looking forward to the day someone put that look on his face.” He nodded to Drew.

She thought the look on Drew’s face was all about love and sympathy for his best friend, but she didn’t say that.

“She liked to come on the boat, as long as she could just sit and watch,” Drew said. “She said she liked watching us work up a sweat to get her where she wanted to go.”

“It was a good thing she didn’t know how to sail. I’m not sure what would have happened if she’d tried giving orders to Drew.”

Drew scowled. “I have an idea what would have happened.”

They laughed, then Toby blushed and stood up to take the wheel again.

“Oh, no! What was that for?” she asked.

He looked back at her, then quickly glanced away, the blush climbing higher.

“I’ve a feeling Toby’s remembering when Caroline and I accused him of mutiny.”

“Did you make him walk the plank?” she asked with a laugh. Then the full implications of the kind of games they all might have played together hit her. She looked around the boat, seeing it in a whole new light. “Or…tie him to the mast?”

Drew leaned back so he could face her better, though he kept his eyes on his friend. “We went out to the open sea, dropped anchor for the night. I got to be lookout and voyeur while Caroline lashed Toby to the main and, er, interrogated him about his loyalties.”

Toby ducked his head, made some minute changes with the wheel. She didn’t want to embarrass him if he wasn’t up to talking about such games publicly, but she trusted Drew to know his friend. “Sounds delicious.” She pictured the scene. It surprised her that rather than imagining herself tied to the large pole, Drew standing over her menacingly, she imagined Toby up there, hair disheveled, eyes wide with innocence, body tight with need. With his hands tied behind his back, his feet fixed to the pole, he’d be at her mercy. Would the pole have been pressing between his ass cheeks? She licked her lips, then blinked when Drew’s laughter startled her back to reality.

She gave him a grin and held the water bottle to her forehead. “Sorry, it’s a little warm out here.”

They tacked again and Drew showed her how to lift little tables up from the center console so that they had somewhere to eat. She took the items he handed up to her from the little kitchen and set up their spread. When it was all laid out, Toby reactivated the autopilot and joined them, getting up every so often to make changes to their course.

After they finished and put the table back down, she stretched out along the bench seat, her back resting against the cabin, her feet tucked up against Toby’s leg, while Drew took the wheel. Without thinking about it too much, she kicked off her shoes and set her feet in Toby’s lap. He didn’t even hesitate to take one foot in his strong hands and begin massaging it. She groaned in heartfelt appreciation, and met Drew’s eyes. She could tell that he was pleased. Closing her eyes, she let the heat, the massage and the sway of the boat relax her into near sleep while the guys continued to chat. And she debated.