All the Pretty Poses (12 page)

When I can’t stand it any longer, I jump up
out of my seat and onto the stage before the next word is said. I
stride across the shiny black surface and duck between the two
halves of the heavy curtain in search of Kennedy. Only she isn’t
back stage. I stomp around for a minute, looking for her in all the
logical places before I take off down the hall to the front of the
boat where the crew quarters are located. When I reach her room,
I’m still irate as I raise my fist to bang on her door.

CHAPTER TWENTY- Kennedy

I consider not answering the first harsh
thumping that I hear, but when the second round of knocks is enough
to make the panel rattle on its hinges, I figure I’d better open it
before he damages something. The last thing I need is to be blamed
for Reese breaking down my flimsy cabin door.

I walk to the door and fling it open, ready
to shoot fire at Reese. Right up until I see how irate he looks.
That gives me pause.

Grabbing me by my upper arms, Reese hauls me
up against his chest and walks me backward into my room, kicking
the door shut behind him.

“What the hell was that all about?”

I refuse to shrink from his anger. Instead, I
meet it with a calm, matter-of-fact attitude that I don’t really
feel, but am glad I could dredge up anyway
.

“I danced. I entertained. Just like I was
hired to do.”

“I didn’t hire you to flirt with every man on
this ship,” Reese spits furiously.

“I thought that was just part of my
performance. Like cozying up to you today on deck.”

I know my words strike a chord when I see his
eyes flash with a dark light. “Well then I guess I’ll just have to
take full advantage of your employment then.”

His quiet yet somehow even angrier voice
triggers my own temper again. “Is that why you sent me those lab
results? You think working for you should include sleeping with
you? If that’s the case, then you can just drop me off at the next
port and I’ll find my own way home.”

“I had Karesh give those to you so that you’d
feel comfortable about everything when the time comes. As for
when
you end up in my bed,” he says with emphasis, “you can
rest assured that it won’t be because you’re doing your job. You’ll
be there because you can’t stand
not
to feel my hands on
you. Because you can’t stand
not
to have my mouth on
you.”

“You’ll be waiting a long time then, because
I’m just fine
without
either of those.”

“Is that right?” Reese asks, a strange look
on his face. It only takes me a few seconds to realize what it is.
It’s resolve. Reese thinks I’m challenging him. And I can tell by
the set of his jaw that he’s more than willing to accept.

His grip tightens around my arms and he
swings me around and plasters me up against the door as his body
crashes into mine. The action startles me, making me gasp. Reese
takes full advantage of my open mouth, covering it with his
own.

The instant his tongue touches mine, I lose
all ability to think straight. All I can do is feel and taste and
remember. The onslaught is so unexpected, so
familiar
that
it takes my senses by storm.

The taste of him hasn’t changed. The scent of
him, that clean, manly smell, is still there under the hint of his
expensive cologne. And the feel of him…God help me, I’ve never been
able to forget the way his body feels against mine. Every hard
plane, every rigid muscle is pressed into my soft flesh, warming
it. Exciting it.

Reese turns his head to the side, deepening
the kiss as he slides his fingers down my arms to intertwine them
with mine and raise our clasped hands above my head on the door. He
leans further into me, his erection digging into my belly. My head
is spinning dizzily as he lowers our hands then releases mine so
that he can push my tux jacket from my shoulders.

His lips and tongue dazzle me as his fingers
work the tiny buttons of my shirt. I don’t know when I drove my
hands into his hair, but I’m suddenly aware of the silky, spiky
feel of it, reminding me of passionate kisses just like this so
long ago.

The first touch of Reese’s hands against the
bare skin of my abdomen nearly shakes me from my thrall, but then
they’re sliding around my waist, down to cup my butt and lift me
off my feet. Automatically, my legs wind around him, giving us the
perfect intimate contact. Reese moans into my mouth, sending a
burst of electricity straight to my core.

Pleasure has taken over, pleasure at his
kiss, at the little sounds he’s making, at the way he feels against
every surface of my body. My head falls back on my shoulders of its
own volition, giving Reese full access to my throat. His lips sear
a path from my ear to my collarbone and then I’m falling, falling,
falling.

I feel the mattress at my back just as Reese
parts my shirt and closes his mouth over my nipple. I feel the heat
and the moisture of his tongue through the thin material of my bra
and I cry out, clasping his head to me as he grinds his hips
between my spread legs.

But then, as quickly as it began, it’s over.
Reese is lifting his head, staring down into my face. His breathing
is as uneven as mine and his eyes are glistening pools in the
gorgeous landscape of his face.

“I’ve never forgotten you, Kennedy. I’ve
never stopped thinking about you, about us. I want you. And you
know that. I promise you,” he says, dipping his head to kiss my
chin, “that I’ll make you
want
to come to me.” He flexes his
hips as though thrusting into me even though there are clothes
between us. “Just don’t fight it too long.”

Straightening his arms to lift his weight off
me, Reese brushes his lips once over mine and once over my
still-aching nipple. Then, easing off the bed, he walks across the
floor and right out the door, closing it gently behind him.

********

Three days later, we have finally reached our
first port—Hawaii. The whole ship is abuzz with excitement and
activity.

For myself, I don’t really know what to do. I
haven’t seen or heard from Reese this morning, so I’m not sure what
my role is. Every other day, he’s come to get me practically as
soon as I wake up. He works out while I work out then he takes me
up on deck with him for the day. Then, each evening, he comes to
get me for dinner.

Until today.

I’ve seen no sign of him yet.

It annoys me that I’m disappointed, that I
miss his early-morning visit. I tell myself that I’ve just come to
expect it, but I know it’s more than that. As promised, Reese is
weaving a spell over me that’s making me want to go to him more and
more with every night that passes. He hasn’t had me dance again
since that one night when he came to my room afterward. When it’s
bedtime, I’ve lain awake every night, wondering if he’ll come to me
again, thinking of what I’ll do if he does. Then, when he doesn’t,
I toss and turn until light dawns over the sea and he comes for me
again in the morning.

Until today.

Just as I’m getting ready to head to my
workout with Brian, there is a knock at my door. My smile is
automatic. That is, until I open it and see Sloane standing where
Reese should be.

Her mouth is turned down, her expression one
of sadness.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, a bit alarmed.

She reaches out and wraps her arms around me,
pulling me to her and squeezing me tightly. “I just wish you were
coming with us.”

I grin, relieved and flattered. “I do, too,
but I have to work, so…”

She leans back to look at me, the light of
friendship gleaming in her eyes. “Well, I’m
sure
I’ll be
seeing you again.” She gives me a wink and grabs my hand. “Come on.
You have to say goodbye to Hemi and Sig. Otherwise, Sig will pout
the
whole
rest of the trip.”

I laugh, quickly pulling my door shut behind
me as she drags me off down the hall. I liked Sloane from day one
and I
really will
miss her on board.

When we reach the top of the stairs, I look
out the window and see Reese walking away from Hemi and Sig. He
must’ve been saying his own goodbyes. My eyes watch the spot where
he disappeared as we make our way out into the sun, but there’s no
sign of his return. I try not to feel too disappointed by that.

Hemi is waiting for us with a smile when
Sloane and I reach him. Sloane snuggles up under his arm, like she
so often does, and turns her adoring eyes up to him as he speaks.
“Sure you don’t want to come with us?” he asks me. “I’m sure Sig
wouldn’t mind that one bit.”

I glance at Sig who’s shaking his head
vigorously. “Not. One. Bit.”

I grin. I can’t help but like these people.
“I guess I’d better stay on board. A girl’s gotta work.”

“And what fine work you do, if I might say so
myself, Ms. Moore,” Sig teases with a twirl of his imaginary
mustache.

“I’ll admit it’s probably going to be all
boring around here once you all leave.”

I see the look Hemi and Sloane share. “Ummm,
I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Sloane says. “I think
Reese will be keeping you
plenty
busy.” She gives me an
exaggerated wink and I laugh, dismissing her comment with a wave of
my hand, but secretly thrilled by her speculation.

“Just be careful,” Hemi says, less than
playfully. “Reese is a pretty driven guy.”

“I know. I’ve known that for a long
time.”

A strange silence falls between us until Sig
pulls me in for a tight hug. “Anytime you feel like traveling
south, you give me a call. I’ll show you southern comfort like
you’ve never even
dreamed
of!” he drawls, twitching his
eyebrows up and down.

I lightly slap his arm and he releases me.
I’m still shaking my head at his antics as the trio make their way
off the yacht, leaving me at loose ends again until the clients
arrive and somebody tells me what the hell I’m supposed to do with
myself.

I make my way back to my room. I haven’t been
inside for five minutes before there’s another knock at my door.
Once again, my stomach lurches in anticipation, but this time I
open the door to see Brian standing there.

“Welcome to play day in the woods, little red
riding hood,” he says with a broad smile.

“Huh?”

“Since we don’t have clients until tonight,
we get the day to explore a little. Do you have plans?”

“Ummm, not that I know of.”

“Well then get your stuff. You’re coming with
me,” he says enthusiastically. “There are a couple of places we
love to visit on the island when we get the chance, but Lee can’t
come. So you’re my companion for the day. Wear comfortable shoes
and a bathing suit. And bring a hat. And a towel. I’ll meet you up
top in twenty minutes.”

With that, he leans down and kisses my cheek
before trotting off the way he’d come.

I’m thankful that Brian and I have fast
become friends. I really like him. And even though I’m pleased that
he’d ask me to accompany him and that he’s sort of looking out for
me, I’m still disappointed that I haven’t heard from Reese.

As I pack a cross-body tote with the
essentials, including a towel, I remind myself that this is Hawaii
and that I don’t need Reese to have a good time or to enjoy such a
beautiful place. I’m still telling myself that as I head for the
upper deck to meet Brian.

It turns out that
not
having fun with
Brian is a practical impossibility. What started out as a bit of a
down morning leads to a beautiful day in Hawaii. He first takes me
to where a rented Jeep is waiting to carry us the few miles to a
hiking path that leads to the top of Hualalai Volcano. Following
that, we go shopping in Kailua Kona and then we take a short bike
trip to a private beach beyond a thatch of forest near the coast.
There, we swim in the most heavenly waters on earth.

As we splash around in the crystal clear
Pacific, we chit chat about things that any friends might talk of,
including our love lives.

“Yeah, Lee and I usually come here together.
It’s a great place to get a little alone time when clients or
employers or other crew members aren’t watching.” He gives me a
conspiratorial wink.

“So you and Lee are…are…”

“Lovers?” he asks with a grin. “Yes, you can
say it.”

“I didn’t mean…I mean…I’m just not used to
talking about this kind of thing with anybody.”

“Don’t you have girlfriends to talk to back
home?”

I shrug, focusing on the flutter of my hands
just beneath the glistening surface. “Not really. It’s hard for me
to get close to people.”

“Well, then let’s bond, girl,” Brian says
with a flourish. “Come on,” he says, taking my hand and towing me
back toward shore. “Let’s get free.”

“What’s getting free?” I ask, pushing my legs
through the water to keep up with him so that he doesn’t actually
start to drag me.

“That’s when we strip down and get some sun
all over.”

I pull back against the grip he has on my
hand. “You’ve got to be joking! I am
not
taking off my
clothes in public.”

Brian stops to give me a dubious look. “This
is hardly public,” he says, sweeping his hand across the empty,
tree-lined beach.

“But still…”

“But nothing. You need to loosen up. And I’m
just the person to help you do it.”

“Not likely.”

Brian stops again, frowning down at me. “What
is it? Have you neglected your grooming? Are you hiding a
Rapunzel-length braid down there somewhere?”

I can’t help but grin at his offended
expression. “You’re sick, you know that? And what is it with you
and fairy tale references?”

“Don’t change the subject. Now you’ve got me
curious. What are you hiding?”

“Nothing. God.”

“Good. Then come on. Let’s get naked.”