Whatever You Like (10 page)

Lena's mouth went bone-dry. She could only stare at him as he swiped a slice of bacon off the cart, bit into it and winked at her as he sauntered from the cabin.

She waited until he'd boarded the elevator before she closed her eyes and released a deep, shuddering breath. She was trapped on a boat with Roderick Brand for the next two days, and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.

Suddenly the notion of being captured by a marauding pirate didn't seem so far-fetched after all.

A
fter breakfast, Lena made a trip to the boutique on the main deck. Half an hour later, she emerged armed with enough clothes to get her through the weekend. As Roderick had promised, she'd found everything she needed inside the upscale shop, which rivaled anything the Magnificent Mile had to offer. Morgan would have been in retail nirvana, Lena mused as she returned to the master stateroom.

At the reminder of her sister, she retrieved her cell phone and composed a quick text message:
Something came up. Can't visit Poppa this weekend. When you see him, kiss him for me and tell him I'll drop by on Monday.

She grimaced as she hit Send. She knew her vague explanation would raise more questions than it had answered, but she couldn't tell her sister the truth about where she was, and who she was with. So when Morgan
wrote back promptly to ask what had come up, Lena paused for only a moment before typing back:
Had to go out of town on business.

Guilt gnawed at her as she thought about her mounting lies. First she'd lied to her boss, now her sister. Before the three weeks were up, she wouldn't have anyone left to deceive.

Thanks a lot, Roderick,
she thought resentfully.

Needing to channel her emotions into something productive, she decided to go for a swim.

After changing into a white bikini—one of the items she'd picked up at the boutique—she went in search of the pool, wishing she'd taken careful note of its location during Roderick's tour. On a boat this size, it was easy to get lost. Fortunately, she passed a crew member who kindly directed her to an upper deck, where the large pool awaited her with a swim-up bar and dual staircases that rose from the swim platform to the top deck.

She disrobed, kicked off her flip-flops and dropped her towel onto a lounge chair, then dove cleanly into the cold, invigorating water.

An hour later, she'd swum three miles. It was the most she'd completed in months, and it felt damn good. As her head broke the surface of the water, she heard applause. Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, she looked up to find Roderick standing above her at the edge of the pool. He was clapping, a broad grin stretched across his face.

“My Nubian mermaid,” he said admiringly.

Lena accepted his proffered hand, and he pulled her effortlessly out of the water.

“Thanks,” she murmured, smoothing back her wet hair. “How long have you been standing here?”

He smiled into her eyes. “Long enough to see what an amazing swimmer you are.”

Lena smiled, not entirely immune to his flattery. “Thank you.”

Sidestepping him, she padded to the lounge chair where she'd left her towel. She could feel the heat of Roderick's gaze on her butt, so hot that it chased away the goose bumps on her skin. She grabbed her towel and rubbed down her arms and legs as he walked over to her.

“Where'd you learn how to swim like that?” he asked.

“My grandfather taught me how to swim when I was four. He says I took to the water like a fish.”

“I can believe it,” Roderick drawled, dropping down onto the deck chair beside hers. “Why do you think I called you a mermaid?”

Lena grinned, wringing water out of her hair. “Poppa's the one who encouraged me to try out for my high school swim team.”

“Which I'm sure you made with no problem.”

She grimaced. “Not the first time. I wasn't as fast as the other swimmers.” She hesitated, then surprised herself by confessing, “I needed to lose some weight.”

She flushed as Roderick's gaze wandered down her flat stomach, trim waist and toned, healthy thighs.

“Don't be fooled by what you see now,” she advised, interpreting his thoughts. “Unlike my sister, who can get away with eating anything she wants, I've always struggled with my weight. After not making the cut the first time, I trained really hard, changed my diet and shed the necessary pounds so I'd be ready for tryouts the following year. Joining the swim team helped me
stay fit and keep the weight off. So I make every effort to get in the pool at least three times a week.”

“Good for you,” Roderick murmured.

“Thanks.” As she stretched out on the lounge chair, his appreciative gaze raked over her body again, lingering on her breasts until her nipples tightened. She considered putting on her robe, then decided not to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he affected her.

As if he doesn't already know.

Shoving the thought aside, she dug out a pair of sunglasses from her beach bag and slid them onto her face. The sun was warm, the sky a vivid shade of blue. Roderick had been right about one thing. It
was
a perfect weekend for being out on the lake.

“If you get cold,” he told her, “let me know and I'll have the roof closed.”

“I'm fine,” Lena assured him. “There's a nice breeze blowing off the water.”

“It is nice.” Reclining in the lounge chair with his hands clasped behind his dark head, Roderick was the epitome of a man at leisure. A very sexy, dangerous man.

“Did you finish making your phone calls?” Lena asked, dragging her gaze away from him.

“I did,” he murmured. “So now I can give you my undivided attention.”

Lena's pulse quickened. She knew it was no accident that he'd made the seemingly innocuous words sound like a seductive promise. “What time are we supposed to arrive at our first stop?” she blurted.

“Whenever,” came his lazy response. “I told the captain to take it slow, keep our speed under ten knots. We're in no rush.”

Speak for yourself,
thought Lena, suddenly eager for the company of other people to provide a buffer between them.

As if to taunt her, Roderick got up suddenly and sat down on her lounge chair, the fabric of his jeans rasping her bare thigh.

Lena jumped, staring at him. “What are you doing?”

His eyes glinted with amusement. “Are you thirsty? I could bring you something to drink.” When she glanced toward the unmanned swim-up bar, he said, “I'll fix you something. Whatever you like.”

Lena smiled. “A mojito would be nice,” she said, as much to get rid of him as anything else.

He smiled. “One mojito, coming right up.” But he lingered at her side, sweeping a look over her that ignited every inch of her bare skin. “God, you're beautiful,” he said, low and husky. “I can't take my eyes off you in this bikini. You found it in the boutique?”

She swallowed hard. “Of course.”

A slow smile curved his sensual mouth. “I couldn't have chosen better myself.” He fingered the string tie at her hip. “Easy on…easy off.”

Need throbbed between Lena's thighs. Abruptly she sat up and swung her legs over the opposite side of the chair. As she stood, she yanked off her sunglasses and tossed them onto the chair.

“I'm going for another swim,” she mumbled.

“I'll join you.”

She glanced over her shoulder and gulped at the sight of Roderick stripping off his T-shirt, muscles bunching and rippling in the sunlight. She quickly averted her gaze and launched herself into the pool. Moments later she heard a splash as he dove in after her. She swam away
from him, doing a leisurely breaststroke that masked her sudden urgency to escape.

She gasped as a pair of strong hands grabbed her around the waist and dragged her underwater. She flailed her arms and legs, swallowing a mouthful of water in her struggle.

As she and Roderick surfaced together, she sputtered indignantly, “Hey, what the hell—”

He slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her. The feel of his warm, wet tongue sliding against hers sent electricity sizzling through her veins, instantly melting her resistance. Her arms wound around his neck as his hands framed her face, pulling her even closer. He kissed her until she was breathless, until she had to break away to drag vital air into her lungs.

His lips trailed a simmering line of kisses down her jaw, to the tender skin behind her ear and lower to her throat. She wrapped her legs around him as his hands slid from her waist to cup her breasts. She shivered, her nipples hardening as he lightly caressed them.

When that was no longer enough, he untied her bikini top, catching her breasts as they spilled into his hands. He made a husky sound of pleasure, then lowered his head and closed his mouth over a beaded nipple. Lena moaned and tilted back her head to give him better access. He sucked her nipples, first one and then the other, the wetness of his tongue mirroring the wetness of the water surrounding them.

As the throbbing ache deepened between her thighs, Lena shamelessly rubbed herself against his erection, wanting him inside her. Lifting his mouth from her breast, he deftly untied her bikini bottom, letting the scrap of fabric float away. And then he reached down, his fingers finding her clit and stroking it. It swelled
instantly under his caress, making her groan. She arched her hips against his hand, begging him to go deeper.

He gave her a wickedly sexy grin, then disappeared underwater. His hands gripped her thighs, pushing her legs apart. Lena let out a shocked gasp of pleasure at the touch of his mouth on her sex. The cold of the water, and the contrasting heat of his tongue, was like nothing she'd ever felt before. She closed her eyes, moaning as he licked her swollen folds and sucked her clit until she climaxed with a wild cry.

Roderick came up for air, his eyes glittering with satisfaction as he cradled her shuddering body in his arms. Water dripped from his thick black lashes when he bent and kissed her, deeply and possessively. The brilliant blue sky faded away as her vision blurred.

Her head was still spinning as he quickly removed his briefs, turned her around and pulled her down onto his strong thighs. She cried out as his long, thick shaft slid inside her. She closed her eyes, curving an arm around his neck and leaning her head back against his shoulder. He felt huge inside her, wedged so high and deep she swore she could feel him in her chest. As he began to move she expected pounding—hard, fast and frantic. Instead he gently rocked, gliding in and out of her body with a slow, sensual rhythm designed to drive her completely out of her mind. A delicious sizzle began in her belly, pooled in her groin and spread rapidly through her veins.

He swept her wet hair over one shoulder and kissed her nape, scraping his teeth over her sensitized flesh. She shivered convulsively. His fingers slid up and over her stomach to palm her breasts and pinch her erect nipples. She whimpered, torn between pleasure and pain.

His strokes deepened, rippling the surface of the
water. She leaned forward on his thighs, spreading her legs wider to take in as much of him as she could. The friction between their joined bodies was so hot she was surprised the water around them didn't start boiling. She moaned as an unbearable pressure built inside her, straining to its breaking point.

“I want you to come for me, Lena,” Roderick whispered in her ear, low and husky.

She groaned. “I'm—”

“Come now.”

She exploded on command, screaming and convulsing with the force of her orgasm. He gripped her waist and held her tightly in place as he began thrusting faster and harder, his hips pummeling her ass. The harsh sound of his breathing filled her ears. And then he stiffened and groaned, shooting liquid heat into her womb.

Struggling for breath, he buried his face in the curve of her neck. “Damn, baby,” he rasped. “That was hot.”

Lena smiled dreamily. “Mmm-hmm.”

A feeling of sated exhaustion had crept over her body. She was vaguely aware of Roderick nuzzling her throat and the side of her face and holding her in his arms as they drifted around the pool. The water lapped at her swollen sex, a soothing, intimate caress. She was so relaxed that she could have gone to sleep right then and there.

It was only when they reached the edge of the pool that reality intruded.

“Wait,” she murmured as Roderick nudged her toward the steps. “We can't climb out of here naked. One of your crew members might see us, or people on the shore—”

“Wait here.” Roderick stole a hot, wet kiss before swimming off to retrieve their discarded scraps of
clothing. When he returned to her, they dressed quickly, smiling lazily at each other. As Lena climbed the steps ahead of Roderick, she provocatively gyrated her hips and laughingly darted out of the way when he reached for her.

As she sauntered toward the lounge chair to collect her things, he grabbed her from behind and tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

“Hey!” she squealed, her sodden hair hanging like a curtain over her face. “I was going to—”

“Get them later,” Roderick growled, slapping her soundly on the ass as he strode from the deck. “You need to be punished for teasing me like that.”

A
nd punish her he did.

Frontward, backward, sideways, up against the wall, down on the floor. He made her come so many times she thought she'd go blind from the light show that exploded behind her eyelids during each orgasm. He was insatiable. So was she, for that matter.

Hours passed before they finally collapsed in a heap, completely entangled, thoroughly spent. Every inch of the bed was drenched, and so were they.

“So much for seeing Holland,” Lena panted, sprawled across Roderick's hot, heaving body.

He grunted. “Holland who?”

She tried to laugh, but didn't have enough air in her lungs. After several moments, she attempted to speak. “I'm surprised your captain didn't send a search and rescue team after us.”

Roderick chuckled, a low, husky rumble that vibrated
through her body. “I'd already told him not to stop if he didn't hear from me at least half an hour before we reached port.”

A wry grin curved Lena's mouth. “Such premeditation.”

He laughed. “I prefer to think of it as good foresight. Premeditation sounds so—”

“Criminal?”

“Exactly.”

They both laughed.

Pressing a kiss to her temple, Roderick murmured, “Does this mean you've forgiven me for—”

“Kidnapping me?”

“Whisking you away,” he corrected.

“I suppose.” She heaved a dramatic sigh. “It could be worse.”

“Yeah? How so?”

“You could have me locked up in some dark, musty dungeon crawling with spiders and rats.”

She felt him smile into her hair. “I don't have a dungeon.”

“Why not? This mega yacht has everything else.”

“Well, I'm not a pirate.”

She snorted. “The verdict's still out on that.”

His smile deepened. “If I'm a pirate, then you're—”

Lena choked out a laugh. “Oh, no! Don't say it.”

“Don't say what?”

“Don't say anything about pirate treasure, or about me being the finest booty you've ever captured.”

Roderick laughed. “Why not?”

She lifted her head from his chest to grin at him. “Because I'd have to dock you cool points for delivering such a corny line.”

“Well, now, we can't have that.” His eyes glinted
wolfishly. “Even if you
are
the finest booty I've ever captured.”

Lena laughed. Smiling demurely, she fluttered her lashes at him and gushed in the breathy voice of an infatuated maiden, “Oh, Captain, I bet you say that to
all
the girls.”

“Nah.” His gaze softened. “Just you.”

Her smile wavered. Their eyes held for a long, charged moment before Lena glanced away, resettling her head against the solid warmth of his chest and staring out the windows. The scenic Michigan shoreline was silhouetted against a sky ablaze with orange, red and purple.

“Oh, man,” she murmured in wonder. “What an absolutely beautiful sunset.”

“That it is,” Roderick agreed, lazily stroking a hand up and down her back.

Lena struggled not to succumb to his touch. To the sense of peace washing over her. To the romantic perfection of this moment. But how could she
not
succumb? She was having a once-in-a-lifetime experience that most women could only fantasize about. She'd been whisked away—yes, whisked away—on a romantic luxury cruise with the richest, most gorgeous man she'd ever met. A heart-stoppingly sexy man who'd given her more mind-blowing orgasms in one day than she'd had in several years. Now she was lying in his arms, gazing out at a breathtaking sunset and contemplating three more weeks of pure sensual bliss. It was too good to be true.

Why, oh, why couldn't they have met under different circumstances?

Would it matter?
her conscience challenged.
No matter where or how you met, you'd still be an escort,
and he'd still be the type of man who'd refuse to share you with strangers, as he put it.

“Hey.”

Lena glanced up to meet Roderick's probing gaze. “I'm sorry. Did you say something?”

“Nothing important. Why were you frowning just now?”

“Was I?”

“Yeah. You were.”

She shrugged, buying time. “I was just thinking.”

“About…?”

She sighed. “I was wondering what I should tell Zandra when she calls to set me up with a client.”

“Just tell her you're not available,” Roderick said simply.

“For three weeks?” Lena was skeptical.

“Sure.”

“And you think she's just going to accept that—no questions asked?” Lena snorted. “You must not know Zandra very well. But, wait, you
do.
So you should know better.”

Roderick grinned. “Do you want me to talk to her?”

“No!”

He cocked an amused brow at her. “Why not?”

“Because.”

He waited. When she offered no more, he said dryly, “That's not an answer.”

Lena heaved an exasperated breath. “Do I have to spell it out? I don't want her to know about our arrangement.”

“I see.” He searched her face. “Are you embarrassed?”

She scowled. “Why should
I
be embarrassed?
I'm
not the one who bribed
you
with sex in exchange for money.”

“Touché.” Roderick grinned.

The man had no shame.

“I can't tell Zandra about our arrangement because you're a client,” Lena explained, “and I've already violated the agency's policy by sleeping with you—”

“Sleeping? Is that what you call what we've been doing?” Roderick drawled, squeezing her butt.

Heat flooded her cheeks—the ones on her face
and
on her backside. “You know what I mean,” she snapped, swatting his hand away.

He chuckled softly. “I think you're underestimating Zandra. If you told her the truth about our arrangement, I know she wouldn't pass judgment.”

“That's not the point,” Lena said, striving for patience. “The point is that I'm not supposed to get involved with clients, yet here I am sailing down Lake Michigan with you, coming off my gazillionth orgasm.”

“Gazillionth?” he teased. “You mean you've been count-ing?”

Lena rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Why do I even bother?”

Roderick laughed. His arms, strong and heavy, wrapped around her, snuggling her closer to his warm body. “I'm just messing with you, baby girl. I understand what you're saying. If you don't want Zandra to know about us, I won't say a word.”

The way he said “about us” made it sound like they were secret lovers. Which, Lena supposed, they were.

Sighing in resignation, she traced her fingertip along the edge of an amazing pectoral muscle that quivered in response to her touch. “So,” she said casually, “Zandra tells me that you guys go way back.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You grew up in the same neighborhood, attended the same schools, et cetera, et cetera.”

“Yep.”

“She said you've been friends forever.”

“Forever.” His lazy voice had a hint of laughter in it. “Is there something you want to ask me, Lena?”

“Well,” she hedged. “It's just that, well, Zandra's a very beautiful woman.”

“Very,” Roderick agreed.

“Men come on to her
all
the time.”

“And you're wondering why I'm not one of them.”

Lena bit her lower lip. “The thought
has
crossed my mind. Zandra told me that you've always had a platonic relationship—”

“And you find that hard to believe.”

“A little,” she admitted sheepishly. “I mean, Zandra's gorgeous—”

“She is.” Roderick chuckled softly. “But you have to understand something. I knew her back when she had buck teeth, ashy knees and a headful of wild hair.”

“That's mean!” Lena protested with a sharp poke to his ribs.

He laughed. “I wasn't trying to be mean,” he insisted, capturing her hand before she could poke him again. “If you'd let me finish, I was going to say that Zandra knew
me
when I was just a scrawny kid who needed to grow into his big ears and even bigger head. The point is, she's always been like a sister to me. I'm proud of the smart, successful woman she's become, and I don't dispute that she's a knockout. But I'm not interested in her like that. To me, she'll always be sweet, scrappy Za-Za from around the way.”

Lena lifted her head to smile at him. “Za-Za. Somehow that suits her.”

Roderick smiled, sending shivers of warmth down her spine as he nibbled on her fingertips. “Why does any of this matter to you anyway? Would you be jealous if Zandra and I had slept together?”

“Of course not.”

“Liar.”

“I'm not,” she argued, tugging her fingers from his marauding mouth. “I was just curious, that's all. Things are complicated enough between us. The last thing I need is to be looking over my shoulder because I'm encroaching on my boss's territory.”

Roderick grinned broadly. “You're in luck. I happen to be unclaimed territory, so feel free to encroach away.”

Lena laughed. “In your dreams.”

“You have no idea.” He angled his head to nip at her throat, his warm breath tickling her skin. “My last word on Zandra—”

“Yes?” Lena prompted eagerly. Too eagerly.

Roderick drew back, a knowing gleam in his eyes. “Just curious, huh?”

Lena blushed. “What were you going to say?”

He chuckled. “If there's ever any doubt in your mind about the nature of my relationship with her, just talk to my brother Remy.”

“Remy?”

“Short for Remington.” His lips quirked. “My mother named him after a character from one of her favorite soap operas. Poor guy's heard every joke under the sun about Remington brand products.”

“Remington…Brand—oh.” Lena grinned sympathetically. “He must have developed a great sense of humor.”

“That, and a mean left hook.”

Her grin widened. “So why should I ask Remy about you and Zandra?”

“Because he's crazy about her. He staked his claim a couple years ago, and he knows I'd never, as you say, encroach on his territory.”

Lena smiled softly. “That's very sweet of you. And loyal.”

Roderick shrugged. “We're twins. We've always looked out for each—”

“Good Lord!” Lena burst out, staring at him in wide-eyed shock. “You mean there are
two
of you?”

He laughed, amused by her reaction. “You make that sound like a bad thing.”

“Not bad.”
Just dangerous,
she mentally added. It was scary enough that God had unleashed Roderick Brand on the female populace. But a double dose of him? It was inconceivable.

She wanted to ask more questions about his twin brother, but Roderick suddenly rolled out of bed, leaned down and swept her into his arms with an astonishing ease that took her breath away and reminded her of just how physically outmatched she was.

Looping her arms around his neck, she murmured teasingly, “Where are you taking me, pirate captain?”

He slanted her a roguish grin. “It's time for a bath, my buxom wench.”

“Splendid,” she purred. “I'm very eager to show you how good I am at washing backs.”

He wiggled his brows suggestively. “Fronts, too?”

She gave him a coquettish look beneath her lashes. “Of course, master.”

His grin widened. “Then I just might decide to feed
you before I ravish you again. And just for the record, Lena,” he added, his eyes glimmering with wicked triumph, “it only took me a day to get you to call me master.”