The crew was under orders to keep out of the way; he didn’t want her feeling intimidated by them. He
knew she wasn’t someone who liked wealth being a showy thing, and he was damned if he was going
to make her uncomfortable with anything while here. She had been forewarned that he was taking care
of anything and everything, including shopping trips if she wanted them. He had felt like an ass as she
had blinked at him, aching to argue but in this, his word was final. Date or not, he was old-fashioned,
he paid for his girl. Even if he wasn’t sleeping with her.
His friends had all been forewarned to behave; no jokes about being his secretary or any of the men
trying their luck. He would literally beat them to death with their own shoes if they tried. He hadn’t
exactly been happy to see Marissa in tow with Vincent. He had no idea what her fucking game was
being on this boat, but he sure as hell wasn’t being drawn into any little Marissa games. Vincent was an
idiot, he should have known she would sucker one of the twins, they’d always trawled along after her in
hopes of a date.
He hadn’t seen her since the night he had stupidly got drunk and fucked her, not that he could
remember. He had no clue how he had even ended up with her that night, he must have been royally
messed up and if she thought there would ever be a repeat, she was wrong. He would throw her
overboard if she got in his way. He was happy to ignore her presence, knowing it would annoy her
more than having her escorted off. Emma need never know anything about her or who she ever was to
him. It was history and nothing he would ever rehash.
Daniel was keeping his distance, just like Jake had told him to. Emma wasn’t one of his playthings, and
he knew better than to cross Jake.
There were six of them with Jake and Emma on the boat, he figured a crowd would give him more
chance to get time alone with her than just another couple of people. With them were Daniel in all his
tanned blond glory and the twins, Vincent and Richard, white-blond hair and gray eyes, all American
good looks and square shoulders on all three.
Leila was wandering about on deck having some sort of bitchy glaring competition with Marissa and
Miracle, Daniel’s porn star, and this was the last thing he needed. At least Leila wasn’t being viperous
to Hunter for once. Seemed things had finally cooled down with them after months of frosty glares.
Being in the same place again without toxic warfare was pretty great. He would have to warn her about
starting anything with either girl, not that he worried Leila couldn’t handle them, the exact opposite in
fact. If Leila flew off the handle, it would be an airlift to the coast ER for two females and Leila wouldn’t
be one. He had bad memories of Leila taking on some of Daniel’s dates in the past and flying bottles.
Jake had already had to deflect advances from the leggy porn star who, while topless, had tried to
grapple him alone in the lower hall. Hands going for his groin. He wasn’t immune; he was horny as hell,
and she had managed to get her hand into his shorts while he had dodged her mouth. She was
fuckable, but as soon as her hands had been on him all he could think about was Emma. He knew
Daniel wouldn’t care if he fucked Miracle down here; they had shared in the past, and all he needed to
do was open a door and bend her over a bed; she was obviously game. He had pushed her off and told
her to stay the fuck away; she wasn’t what he wanted by a long shot.
* * *
Emma was up on deck when Jake came up from his room, he had been taking a shower in a bid to
relax a little. His heart almost stopped when he saw her silhouetted against the railing in a coral bikini
and some flimsy wrap around her hips that kept flapping open to reveal long sexy legs. Even for a
small girl, her legs looked endless. She was the most perfect sight on and off this boat and everything
else paled in comparison when she was around.
Jake was oblivious to Miracle and Marissa’s breasts lounging on deck, didn’t see anything except
Emma and her completely intoxicating body, much more appealing even covered than either of the
brunettes. Creamy skin and curves of perfection. He was definitely horny as hell now, just looking at
her made his insides want to explode. He wasn’t one for self-pleasuring to get sexual gratification but
right now, with her in mind, he would happily go back to his room for some release. It had only been a
couple of days here and already his constant hard-on was painful. He had been taking cold showers a
little too frequently.
Why he had ever thought he could handle Emma in bikinis was beyond him. He should’ve known it
would be hell on earth to be around her and not want to fuck her badly.
“Here.” He handed her a bottle of cold, flavored water with a smile, his eyes shielded from view by his
Ray-Bans and trying to control every ounce of his body like the expert he was. Years of self-control
finally having a use. He was watching that makeup free face and wondering why she ever wore it, she
never needed it. Emma was a natural beauty by all standards, flawless perfection.
“Thanks.” She opened the bottle with a smile and took a long drink. He had to look away from the way
her lips cupped the rim. An internal groan in his head and trying not to picture that mouth doing
anything else.
Breathe, Carrero … You’re like a horny fifteen-year-old virgin right now.
“You look nice.” He focused on her loose hair, his glasses shielding what he was really thinking and
trying not to skim her body visually. He needed to disrupt this view somehow and get his head back in
the game.
“Thanks.” She blushed, and he felt himself frowning, suddenly conscious of the fact she had glanced at
his naked upper torso quickly. He was wearing shorts and nothing else and despite never having an
issue stripping off in public he suddenly realized why this might be awkward for her. He was still her
boss, and he had never been topless in front of her. Not that he was self-conscious in the slightest. He
spent enough time in the gym to make sure he was underwear model ready at all times, and his tattoos
were always placed in places that enhanced what he had. He was never uncomfortable being naked,
especially not in front of women. He felt like an ass for not even thinking that this whole thing might
make her uneasy, especially with her background and the way men had treated her. Jake felt like a
complete dickhead all of a sudden for not realizing.
“We’re going to the shore tonight for dinner … You want to come?” He looked over her head across the
water to try to reel in his thoughts, his mood plummeting a little. He had never wanted her to be
nervous around him, especially not in this way. He had never thought that maybe Emma’s lack of dates
this past year had something to do with sex making her uneasy, her childhood had scarred her. Of
course, men made her uneasy. He made a mental note at wearing a shirt while walking about on deck,
he would make all of them wear one if it made her feel better.
“Sure.” She smiled and shielded her eyes from the sun, and Jake swiped his shades from his head
automatically and placed them on her dainty face.
“I really should carry a pair of these,” she laughed, that natural carefree laugh that lifted his mood back
up a little, he just shrugged in response. Still mulling over the effect he was obviously having on her. It
was like a punch in the stomach, a dull ache that wouldn’t shift.
“They look better on you than they do on me. Your cuteness just goes with my shades.” Truth be told
he never ever thought about putting them on her face, from the first time it had been a natural
movement, like breathing. She had shielded her eyes, and he had done it. Something he had done to
his kid brother his whole life and somehow, she raised that same protective impulse.
“Where are we going for dinner?” Emma seemed to be looking anywhere but his body and he only
frowned harder. He wanted her to be able to stand here with no effect. Well, he wanted him to affect
her in a good way but not like this. He wanted to wrap his arms around her right now and tell her it was
always going to be okay. He would never let another man touch her, hurt her. He would protect her for
eternity. She didn’t need to be afraid ever again, it killed him knowing she still carried the burden of
those memories.
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