She Shouldnt, But She Will (7 page)

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. How are you?” Regardless of how he felt, he looked damn good in navy blue Dockers, a light gray polo shirt and a dark blue windbreaker. His hair was neat but slightly tousled, making him look adorably sexy.

“Fine. And a little off guard. Truthfully, I didn’t think you’d show. Now here you are, looking like—”

“The cutest ducky you’ve ever seen?”

He chuckled. “I was going to say sunshine. Like I said, I’m a little surprised you’re here, but I’m happy.”

“I’m a bit surprised, myself. How did you know where to send the invitation?”

He waved his fingers in the air and smiled. “Would you believe I’m clairvoyant?” When she didn’t smile, he shrugged. “You had the painting delivered to your home and Fran keeps detailed records of all sales. After my blatant interest, she’s probably thinking about us as a couple already.”

Thia considered his explanation. Of course. Fran had her address, but should she have given it to Derek?

Her feelings must have shown on her face, because Derek rushed to assure her. “Fran would never give me your address. I saw it on the packing box that held the paintings.”

Thia relaxed marginally.

“My boat is docked off of

“That sounds like fun. I haven’t been to Monterey in years.” Then she thought of the trip and what it entailed. “How big is your boat?”

Derek put one arm around Thia’s shoulders pulling her to him, then used his other hand to grasp her hand and cupped her fingers around the bulge in his pants, long and hard on his leg. At her touch, his cock sprang to life, gaining length and thickness every second her hand rested on it.

She should pull her hand away but he felt so good under her touch. She flexed her fingers.

“Oh, very big.” He grinned. “It’ll take you down and back with no trouble, and I’m sure you’ll have a lot of pleasure riding the waves on it. I’ve been looking forward to this weekend.”

Her breath caught in her throat. If her life had depended on it, she couldn’t have moved. “I-I almost didn’t come, but it’s been so long since I’ve done anything out of the ordinary.”
Yeah, sure. Two weeks ago, with this same guy.
“But I warn you, I’m calling my assistant and giving her the details, including the name of your boat.”

Derek raised his brows, a look of amusement on his face. “Smart idea.”

Thia raised her head, trying to look aloof. The effect was difficult to pull off with her hand cupping his manhood. “Well, I just want you to know, until that night with you, I’ve never done anything like that before, not even before I was married. I mean get drunk, go home with a stranger. July thinks she’s my mother and she read me the riot act. I’m telling her the name of your boat and where we’re going.”

Derek skipped over the security measures and got straight to, “You’re married?”

“My husband died about a year ago. You’re the first man I’ve had a second date with since then. Even so, I’d just met you and I still can’t believe I let you–”

Derek put his finger over her lips. “Did I tell you? You look pretty in that outfit.”

She looked at him and blinked.
He must think I’m an idiot.
“No, I don’t believe so.”

“You do, and everybody who sees us in Monterey is going to think I’m robbing the cradle.”

The cab pulled to the curb. He paid the fare then picked up Thia’s bag, getting out on the driver’s side of the cab. Taking her hand, he led her down the dock. At the end rested a large cabin cruiser. She kept expecting them to turn toward one of the smaller boats but he seemed bent on going to the cruiser. She looked at Derek in amazement. “Who are you?”

“Don’t you know? I’m the man you’ve been dreaming about.” He smiled and turned away.

Thia reached in her bag and pulled out her cell phone. July’s number came up on her phone log. Her finger poised above the “call” button. She thought of what her friend’s reaction was bound to be, and what Derek had just said about being the man of her dreams. She sighed and chose another number from the call log. Three rings and her own answering machine picked up.

Chapter 4

Thia felt like an idiot talking to her answering machine, but as long as Derek didn’t know, she was covered. This was just an emergency precaution, anyway, and she wouldn’t really need it, would she?

“It’s ten-thirty Saturday morning and I’m at
China
Basin
about to leave for Monterey. The boat is called
As You Wish
and uh, the owner is the artist I met. Derek Anderson is his name. He’s about six three, blond, tan, athletic, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and the most beautiful green eyes you’ve ever seen. No tattoos, and, uh, I kind of have a reason to know.

“If something should happen—and it won’t—you have all the info you need to track Derek down and rip his balls off.” Thia heard a strangled chuckle come from behind her. “And, uh, that’s all,” she said. With a deep breath, she disconnected and took Derek’s hand to board.

“Let me show you around,” he said. He pointed to the bow. “Upper deck.” Nudging her gently toward a passage he added, “Down here is the lower deck.” They went down several steps into an extremely plush galley and lounge. The hardwood floor shone like a new car. The galley cabinets boasted burled wood and the countertop was black marble. Plush leather couches extended down the other side to a booth and table.

“This is luxurious. I hate to say it, but it’s almost bigger than my condo. This is yours?” She knew she sounded like an unsophisticated groupie, but she was stunned and couldn’t hide it.

“Yes, but not just for pleasure, I live here, too. Over here is my stateroom and up there in the bow is a second stateroom.”

“For me?”

“If that’s what you really want.” His tone was suggestive, his look questioning. After waiting several seconds for her response, he said, “I’ll put your bag up there.”

“Yes, thanks.”

Thia relaxed for the first time since she’d woken that morning. How surprising. She had her own room. He hadn’t automatically assumed she’d be sleeping with him, although his tone and expression left no doubt as to what he’d prefer.

Derek slipped by to deposit her bags in the forward stateroom. On the way back he stopped for a quick kiss. “Have you ever crewed on a boat?”

She gulped. If she’d been wearing socks, his kiss would have knocked them off. “No, but I can learn.”

“Great. You can cast off the lines when we’re ready to leave.”

She nodded. “I don’t know what that means exactly, but it doesn’t sound too difficult.”

“Let’s go up and get the engines started.”

Thia followed Derek up to what he called the salon and then to the helm.

She slid onto the bench seat next to him and watched every move he made. A tingle skittered up her spine as one powerful engine fired up, then the other, sending vibrations through her body. She watched the gauges come to life before asking, “How do you know when the engines are ready?”

“All of the gauges have a normal operating range, so all I have to do is watch them. The engine temperature is the last to come into range.”

“When do I cast us off?”

“I’ll let you know.”

“You won’t leave me will you?”

Derek laughed, “No. I’d do it myself but if the boat were to drift away before I got on then you’d be out here by yourself.”

She crossed her arms and arched her brows. “What do you do when you’re alone?”

“You got me on that one.” He looked at her, grinning. “I take a flying leap.” She laughed and he added, “So far I haven’t had to swim.”

“Okay, I’ll get the ropes, I mean lines.”

“Fast learner!”

While the engines were warming up Derek lifted one of the bench seats in the salon. Taking out a life belt, he put it around his waist. “Would you like a vest, a belt or these arm things? I like the belt because it doesn’t get in the way as much as the vest.”

Derek dropped his gaze to Thia’s breasts and she knew what he didn’t want the vest to get in the way of. A blush warmed her cheeks. “I’ll take a belt, too.” He looked pleased. “Do you mind if I look around while the engines are warming?” Unlike the engines, his pants indicated Derek didn’t need to be warmed up.

He handed her a life belt. “Help yourself. I’ll call when it’s time to go to work.”

Thia had thoroughly investigated the lower cabin and was checking out the stern when Derek called. Still with the enthusiasm of a having a new adventure, she bounded to the upper deck.

“Go around and release that line.” He pointed to the rope at the bow of the boat.

She scurried onto the dock and tossed him the loose line. He secured it and then pointed to the stern. “One more.”

He walked that direction on board and she matched him on the dock. When she released the stern line, Derek helped her back on board before securing the lines.

Moments later he slowly moved the seventy foot cruiser out into the bay. Already, boats of all shapes and sizes criss-crossed the water. Soon most were left behind as Derek pushed his craft beyond the confines of the bay and into the open Pacific.

Fascinated by the underside of the
Golden Gate
Bridge
, Thia’s excitement rose as they passed The Cliff House and then the west end of
Golden Gate
Park
. She had often looked out over the ocean from there, but this was the first time she’d done the reverse.

“Shall we open the sun roof? It might feel good.”

She spoke over the purr of the engines. “I’ll have to get my sun block if we do. I burn really fast.”

Derek opened a compartment and handed her a plastic bottle, “This is the best stuff I’ve found to block the rays.”

Thia took the bottle and applied a generous portion of the oily SPF30 fluid on her hands and face.

Derek slid open the opaque outer cover of the sun roof, leaving the clear glass closed. Sunlight soon warmed the space.

He removed his wind breaker, and Thia slipped out of her jacket and pants, revealing her “patriotic” outfit. She didn’t miss the appraising look Derek gave her.

As she smoothed more of the sun block onto her newly exposed skin, she asked, “Does someone have to sit here and steer the whole time?”

“Not really. A
GPS
system keeps us on course and proximity radar sounds an alert if something gets in the way. I like to stay close though.”

Derek pressed two or three keys on the control panel and turned loose of the wheel. “Now it’s hands-free until we get close. A warning buzzer will let us know we’re near the end of the plotted course and I’ll take us into Monterey.”

“So, you’re free to wander around?”

“I like to stay nearby in case there are problems—” he cast a glance down the length of her body, “—but I don’t have to concentrate on steering. Would you like something to drink? I generally don’t drink alcohol when I’m out, but if you’d prefer something I’ll get it.”

“No alcohol for me, thanks. It’s a little early. In fact, as you saw, any time is a little early.” She rolled her eyes. “Do you have a Diet Coke or Pepsi?”

“Sure. Stay up here and watch the scenery. I’ll only be a minute.”

A twinge of discomfort ran through Thia, sitting there letting the boat control itself, and she switched her gaze from the scenery to the controls frequently.

“Here’s your Coke,” Derek said, handing her a frosted glass full of the bubbly drink. “I’ll put some music on. Do you like oldies from the sixties and seventies?”

“Sure.” She took a sip of the soda and watched the shoreline, enjoying the scenery. So far, Derek had been nothing but a gentleman.

She relaxed and enjoyed the vista as the San Francisco skyline changed to suburbs, and the suburbs faded into the communities of the peninsula. The scenery was beautiful, but a couple hours of it could get boring.

He settled beside her and stretched out his legs. “So, what do you do, Thia?”

“Oh, let’s not talk about work on a beautiful day like this.”

“Fair enough. What would you
like
to do?”

She thought about that, swirling the chips of ice with her straw. “Something more exciting than I do.” She sighed. “But I won’t.” Then she tipped him a smile. “Except for today. Since I met you my ‘excitement’ level has gone way up, frighteningly so.”

Derek grinned. “We haven’t done anything frightening, I hope.” She gave a one-shoulder shrug and he pressed, “If you want to do exciting things, why don’t you?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Because I shouldn’t do some things that thrill—” she gave him a knowing look over her sun glasses, “—and because it just isn’t in my nature. I’m conservative and quiet.”

“You make yourself sound like an accountant, with the sleeve guards and green visor.” He chuckled and looked to the shore.

If only you knew.
A slow song played on the CD. “This is a good song, can we dance?”

“Sure.” He placed their glasses in cup holders and stood. He removed his life belt and she did the same. Then, after a breathless moment, he took her in his arms.

Thia lost track of time as they danced. She rested her head on his shoulder and he tugged her closer. She took in his scent, woodsy, subtle, and all male. His body emitted heat but the warmth suddenly flooding her wasn’t all due to what his skin gave off. It came from the closeness of his neck and ears and mouth, all of which she wanted to kiss, not to mention the way his leg slid between hers with each step, the way their hips brushed and his soft breath feathered her hair. She glanced at the shore line with the houses perched on rocky cliff faces, looking out over isolated beaches and wished he would kiss her.

“I’m getting warm. Are you?”