chapter TEN
Nick woke Laney early. They dressed and made their way back to their room. Laney was surprised he didn"t head for the gym. Instead, he climbed into bed beside her and went back to sleep for several hours before finally getting up. Out of habit, he lay in bed while she took possession of the bathroom. When she came out, he was sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for her.
His voice was rough when he spoke. “Stick to the script.”
She nodded.
“Regardless of how we feel toward each other, just stick to the damn script.” He rose off the bed and stood before her. “That means you sleep here every night until we"re back in Florida. No exceptions.” She shot him a glassy look and stepped past him. He grabbed her arm. “I mean it, Laney. Don"t make me hunt you down again.” He released her and slammed the bathroom door closed.
* * * *
They met the Zelmans and Wrights on deck. They were now in Dominica. The men had heard that the famous attraction there was River Tubing down the famous Layou River. The women were helpless to resist their pleas to go. They traveled through Roseau, the island capital, on a twenty-minute scenic drive to the Layou River Gorge in the lush Layou Valley. After receiving a quick safety briefing they set off in tubes floating down the river. Tall cliffs overhung parts of the river and the banks were lined with lush tropical rain forest.
They took a break during their trip to pull into a bank to enjoy fruit and rum punch. Amazingly, the Zelmans were having a great time, laughing the entire time. Between the playful antics of the men and the silly prattle between the women it was barely noticeable that Nick and Laney had little to say to each other. Of course Nick was ever the gentleman--helping her fasten her vest, asking if she was enjoying herself and occasionally stroking her ass. Despite those few incidents they remained silent around each other.
The day passed quickly and by the time the excursion came to an end the sun was an hour from setting. Back on the boat, they all departed for their rooms, making plans to join again later for dinner. Nick left for the gym while Laney passed away the time lounging on their private balcony.
So relaxing was the sun, she drifted in and out of consciousness, only waking when Nick came back. After taking a shower he joined her out on the balcony, a towel wrapped loosely about his waist. At the sight of his rippled abs she said the only thing that came to mind.
“You didn"t shower at the gym?”
He looked down at her. “It would seem I am not as welcome there as I once was. The women you scared off earlier this week have become rather hostile toward me. They glare at me the entire time I workout and clap when I leave.”
She shrugged. “They"re just sore losers. It was all in good fun. I have a very handsome husband, if you haven"t noticed.”
“So you say.”
“I do.” She gave a soft smile in an attempt to lighten the tension between them.
He grinned. “Open your legs, Laney.”
The humor left her. “What?”
“Open your legs. I want to taste you.”
“I don"t think we should, Nick.”
“I think we should. Open your legs, please.”
She would have firmly told him no if it weren"t for the knock on the door. There was a glimmer in his eyes that told her he would ignore the guest, but Laney leaped to her feet and answered the door. It was William Zelman.
“Hello, Laney. Is Nick available?”
She looked nervously over her shoulder. “Actually, he just stepped out of the shower ….”
Nick stepped behind her. “Mr. Zelman. How can I help you?”
“I wanted to have a word with you. Do you have a minute?”
“Let me grab my clothes and meet you at the cabana.”
“Sounds good.” He looked at Laney and nodded before leaving.
Laney closed the door and turned to Nick. He looked her over.
“You aren"t off the hook, Laney. When I come back I want you lying on the bed waiting for me.”
“And if I decide I"m not in the mood?”
“You"ll have a very unhappy husband on your hands.”
Laney watched Nick prepare to leave. She stared after him long after he was gone. What did he expect from her? That they would continue to have sex during the entire trip? She would have to get control of the situation. If left up to Nick they would be coupling every chance he got and she would be setting herself up for a rude awakening four days from now when they were back in Florida. She tried to busy herself tidying up the room but there wasn"t much to clean up. After repeating her speech for the hundredth time, she was finally ready to confront Nick, but after half an hour he still had not made an appearance. The day"s events were starting to take a toll on her and she decided to take a nap. When Nick got back she"d set him straight.
* * * *
Laney"s eyes flung open at the sound of her own moan echoing off the walls. She was breathless, flushed, and naked. The sun had long since set, casting the room in dark shadows. Her legs were spread apart and Nick"s face was buried in her p-ssy. Her body told her she had already climaxed, her thighs shaking with the aftermath. His steady gaze rolled up to her, making her melt with their heat. He came up on his knees and hovered over her. Lowering his head, he suckled at her nipples. She groaned loudly, her back arching off the bed.
“Wrap your legs around me, Laney.”
It took all her energy to resist. “Nick, we need to talk.”
He shook his head. “Wrap your legs around me now.” When she did not move, he did it for her. Holding his cock in hand he stared her down.
“Give it to me.”
“We can"t.”
“Laney, give me what I want freely or else I"ll be forced to take it from you.”
“No, Nick,” she said with a little more determination.
He rubbed the head of his cock against her swollen p-ssy lips. “You say no but you"re wet for me. You and I both know I would have no problem getting what I want.”
He breathed in her scent. “I can"t stand being this close to you without being inside you.”
She tried to turn away from him but it was a half-hearted attempt. He laughed and pulled her back beneath him, continuing to rub himself against her slit, which was now dripping with her yearning.
“Kiss me,” he demanded.
She turned her face away from his but when lowered his face to hers, his lips brushing tenderly against the corner of her mouth, she was overcome with a desire to taste him. With a defeated sigh, she lifted her lips to his, at the same time tilting her pelvis upward, welcoming his triumph over her body.
Nick groaned loudly. His mouth came crashing down on hers at the same time he drove into her, her body wrapping around him like a wet warm glove. Sliding his palms beneath her shoulder blades, his hands hooked onto her shoulders, pulling her down with every thrust of his hips.
His mouth pressed down on hers, trapping her hoarse moans. Their tongues searched and tasted, lusty hunger overwhelming them both. Laney cupped the back of his neck, her fingers weaving themselves into his hair, while her other hand had a firm grip on his hard ass. They quickly found their rhythm, each movement melting into another with fluid grace. Nick would plunge his cock inside her with powerful thrusts and then drive her wild by swaying his hips with torturous slowness, leaving her panting in his ear, begging him not to stop. He worked deliberately, brewing a sensuous enchantment over her. Any lingering fight she may have had earlier had long since departed. She was clinging to him for dear life, knowing any second he would bring her immeasurable joy.
When she came, her p-ssy tightened around him as wave after wave of white-hot pleasure pulled her farther and farther away from the shores of reality. Nick"s breath halted and he gave a ragged curse as he shuddered against her, joining her in sweet bliss. They lay together for long minutes, saturated in each other"s sweat. She welcomed his hard body pressing into her, even as she struggled for breath. There was no need for sweet words of encouragement or promises of undying love. For the moment, she had all she needed.
* * * *
They were late for dinner. The Zelmans and Wrights were having dessert when Nick and Laney appeared. There was no reason to give an explanation for their tardiness. Everyone at the table seemed to have come to their own conclusions. Nick had not given her time to speak with him.
After having passionate sex, he rushed them to get ready for dinner. Every time she tried to begin her speech, he snapped at her to hurry along. Now seated among their companions, Nick appeared unruffled and relaxed, easily blending himself into the discussion and taking over the conversation with great refinement. Laney was relieved she did not have to talk much. Her embarrassment made her a poor conversationalist and she welcomed the end of dinner. Nick escorted them to their suite. She was thankful he didn"t make a move to take her again, just spooned her from behind and fell asleep within minutes.
* * * *
The next morning they arrived at St. Thomas. The women ganged up on the men, insisting that they go shopping. Nick, William, and Cooper begged mercy. In the end they compromised, the women would do their bargaining while the men would relax at the nearby beach resort. However, the only way the women would concede was when the men pushed credit cards and cash into their hands.
Laney, Vivian, and Heidi enjoyed hours of duty-free heaven in downtown Charlotte Amalie. After traveling back to the boat to drop off their purchases, they changed for the beach and joined the men at the resort. They swam in the beautiful Caribbean Sea and basked in the soft sand while indulging in frozen fruit drinks. All was so pleasant that not even Vivian could find reason to argue. They spent the remainder of the afternoon there until it was time to board the ship.
On board, the women bragged about their good deals while the men disappeared for a game of golf. They joined up later at the casino where Cooper won a thousand dollar jackpot. Retiring for the evening early, Laney was grateful that Nick had not made any advances toward her the entire day. She was still uneasy about the direction of their involvement.
She would have to learn to keep her wits about her when he was near. The past few times they were together it had taken very little persuasion on his part to get what he wanted.
She awoke the next morning to an empty bed. They would be out to sea all day and Nick was back on his workout schedule. He didn"t return until she was fully dressed.
“Where are you headed?”
She finished slipping on her sandals. “I was going to explore the ship some more. You"re welcome to join me.”
“I can"t. I have to meet with Zelman.”
“That would be twice in as many days. Is that good news?”
“Could be.”
She shrugged. “I"ll be back in a few hours.”
“Have a good time.” He looked around the room at the many bags she had acquired while in St. Thomas. “You don"t plan to do any more shopping, do you?”
She grinned. “I think I"m all shopped out.”
“You should be. You did a lot of damage.”
“You can afford it.”
She left the room to stroll the shops. Laney spotted John and Natalie and their group of friends who invited her to join them for an early lunch.
She eagerly agreed. It was nice to chat without fearing being dragged into an argument or ignoring the testosterone-filled glares Nick and Cooper shot back and forth. Laney welcomed the opportunity to interact without feeling as if she were under a microscope.
John and Natalie were a humorous pair and Laney felt comfortable in their presence, so much so, she agreed to join them at the cabana. They had a hilarious time entering a limbo contest and then having a drinking competition. Laney did not last long in either, although apparently, she was hysterical to watch. Under the influence of alcohol and pleasurable company, Laney lost track of time. She was practicing a popular Caribbean dance with John when Nick discovered her. Natalie seemed to not mind that John was rather flirtatious and Laney was too lightheaded to care. John swirled and dipped her several times before Nick clapped his hand roughly on John"s shoulder.
“I"m coming to collect my wife.” John happily offered her over. Nick peered at her. “You"ve been drinking.”
She shook her head. “Not much.”
“Are you drunk?”
“I don"t think so,” she said with a soft hiccup.
Unconvinced, he gathered her in his arms and carried her to a nearby lounge chair. He handed her a glass of water. “You need to sober up. I can"t have the Zelmans see you like this.”
“I"m not drunk, Nick.”
“Drink the water.”
She gulped down the glass and pushed it toward him. “There. Are you happy now?”
“You said you"d only be a few hours. I"ve been waiting for you in the room.”
“Yeah, right,” she scoffed.
“What the hell"s that supposed to mean?”
She focused her slightly glassy eyes on him. “Will couldn"t possibly have been talking to you that long, Nick. Where have you really been while I was out here?”
“In the room,” he said irritably.
“Do you really expect me to believe you? Exactly who do you take me for?”
“A crazed drunk,” he shot back.
“I"m not drunk!”
“Lower your voice!”
“The chances of you being alone in the room,” she continued, “are a hundred to one.”
“Why don"t you just say what"s really on your mind, Laney.”
“Fine.” She planted her fists on her hips. “You can"t seriously expect me to believe you"ve been waiting patiently in the room all this time, not with Heidi virtually stalking your every move.”
“Make your point.”
“My point is, you were more likely getting your dick sucked by Heidi than waiting for me.”
He looked at her as if she"d come from another planet. Taking a calming breath, he seemed to choose his words carefully. “I told you I wouldn"t touch Heidi.”
“What am I supposed to do with your words? I can"t touch them or see them. It"s just sound. I know what you really want, Nick. So why even bother with the lies?”
“You"re a sloppy drunk, do you know that?”
“You"re a selfish bastard, Nick, who only cares about out sleazing his way through business dealings and screwing as many women as possible.”
He stiffened. “That had better be the alcohol talking.”
She gave a humorless laugh. “I wish it were.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “So since you have this all worked out in your drunken head, why don"t you explain to me what you were doing out here while I was with Heidi?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Heaven forbid I actually have a little fun on my vacation.”
“But this isn"t your vacation, Laney. This is business.”
“Oh, how could I forget? You"ve had me under your thumb the entire time.”
“You never complained before.”
“Meaning?”
“Don"t play coy with me. You"re making out pretty well in this arrangement, a wedding ring to die for, an exclusive suite and unlimited shopping sprees. One could say you"re a pro.”
Her eyes blazed with tears. She shrank away from him as if he"d slapped her. He moved to grab her, but she jumped out of reach. “F*ck you, Nick Sinclair, and f*ck your damn script.” She came to her feet, a little unsteadily, and stormed off, leaving a clutch of onlookers in her wake.
Nick watched her walk away from him. He knew he should go after her but he was never good with crying women. And although she had every right to be angry with him he had just as much reason to be pissed at her.
He had actually been in their room waiting for her. How she could conjure the idea that he"d been f*cking Heidi was beyond his comprehension.
Although he knew most of her rant had been motivated by alcohol, it still infuriated him she"d believe such a thing.
Why couldn"t he get himself under control when he was around her?
But he if he was honest with himself, his anger was sparked long before her drunken suspicions. The sight of her having such a good time dancing with that John guy had sent him into a frenzy. He couldn"t remember her expressing such delight with him. She always seemed so nervous and standoffish. But just now, watching her laugh and openly welcome John"s forwardness was maddening. It drove him insane and in retaliation he had said whatever he could to lash out at her.
He stood to go after her. He moved around the cabana when he was brought up short by Vivian Zelman who latched onto his arm and guided him to the casino area where her husband was waiting. One thing led to another and before he knew it he was sitting at a poker table opposite William Zelman, playing as his partner. The set was running long. Twice he had tried to excuse himself but Zelman was on a winning streak and insisted it had everything to do with Nick. Three hours later, after winning and losing $800, Zelman was finally ready to call it quits.
“Looks like my luck ran out, Nick.”
“It would seem so.” Nick couldn"t really care less about Zelman"s luck.
He needed to talk to Laney.
“Too bad,” Zelman continued. “It would have topped off the trip if we would have won that last hand. Hey, why don"t you and Laney join Vi and me by the pool?
They"re supposed to have some kind of show. It would be fun.”
Nick agreed and set off for his room.
Laney did not acknowledge him when he entered the room. She was rubbing sun block on, her hair was clipped up and she wore her black sarong again. Nick approached cautiously.
“The Zelmans want us to join them ….”
“I know,” she cut in. “Vi just left.”
He eyed her, not sure if he should apologize or grovel. “Are you up to it?”
She finally raised her gaze to his. “Of course I am. I"m a professional, remember?”
“Laney, I"m sorry. I shouldn"t have said ….”
“I"ll be at the pool,” she cut in frigidly. Grabbing her towel and sunglasses, she walked out of the room, not bothering to close the door behind her.
Nick cursed. He had to prepare himself. She was going to make him suffer. He quickly changed into a pair of trunks and left for the pool. On deck, the couples reclined on lounge chairs and he was surprised to see a vacant chair beside Laney. Whether she had saved it for him or it was a coincidence, he didn"t know. At the moment, Laney was wrapped up in a conversation with the Zelmans who seemed to have taken a great liking to her, treating like a niece they hadn"t seen in years.
Nick took his seat between her and Heidi. Heidi immediately took advantage of the situation. Lately she had made it a point to seek him out.
Heidi hadn"t liked his rejection of her company and since then had taken every opportunity possible to corner him with her seduction. But Nick just wasn"t interested. Even the rock-hard fake tits she displayed in her bikini were unappealing when he could have the natural feminine curves belonging to Laney. He reasoned that if he were not so clueless as to how to deal with Laney he would pay more attention to the woman.
As it was, his attention did not stray far from Laney. Cooper chose this time to engage Laney into a discussion and Nick kept a sharp eye on him, ready to pound his face into the deck floor if he touched her. When the possibilities built to a pinnacle, he decided to put an end to Cooper"s close proximity to Laney. He stood abruptly and took her hand.
“Sweetie, join me for a swim.”
She gave him a tight grin and stood up. To her surprise he untied her sarong and threw it on her lounge before guiding her to the opposite side of the pool. She stepped in, quickly treading water between them. He followed her, easily drawing near her. He looked over his shoulder, confident that the distance between them and their party was more than adequate.
“Look, Laney, I know you"re pissed off at me and I"m sorry. I shouldn"t have said those things to you. It was unfair.”
“But you meant them.”
“Not entirely.”
“That doesn"t mean no.”
“I"m trying to apologize.”
“Well, you"re not doing a very good job of it.”
“All I ask is for you to stick to the script. That"s it. Stick to the script.”
“I am.”
“Prove it.” He backed her up against the wall of the pool, covering her with his body. He watched her eyes grow large as he lowered his head to brush his lips against hers and motioned for her to put her arms around his neck. As she did so, he pulled her legs up around his waist. She pulled away.
“No, Nick. Don"t do this to me.”
“Stick to the script, Laney.” He grew hard against her.
Obviously feeling his hard cock against her ass, her head jerked up.
“No, Nick.”
“I want you, Laney,” he murmured against her ear as he trailed wet kisses along her neck.
She pushed him away. “This isn"t a part of the script, Nick.”
He cupped her face in his hands. “I know you want me too.”
“Stick to the script, or let me go.”
He cursed. “We had a deal, yes, but why can"t we enjoy ourselves?
We"re in a beautiful place with amazing weather. Let"s share the moment. I admit I can be an a*shole at times, but I"ve apologized. Forgive me.” He pressed closer. “I want you so bad.”
“I can"t do that any more.”
“Why not?”
“Because it"s all fun and games for you. You have no idea what this does to me. Once we get off the boat things will go back to the way they were. You"ll be the boss and I"ll be the assistant. You don"t have to worry about being used as a sex toy because you have all the power.”
“Believe me, Laney, you are the one wielding the power right now.”
“Don"t you understand? You can easily walk away from me and forget this ever happened. I can"t. On Monday I"ll have to show up to work and do my job regardless of how I feel. You can hide in your huge office and forget I even exist.”
Tears gathered in her eyes. “Stop torturing me, Nick. Let me go.”
“Why? So you can run back to Rob? Cooper? Or John?”
“At least they can"t hurt me the way you can.”
“I would never hurt you, Laney.”
“You already have.” She moved away from him. “I"m just tired of placing my trust in the wrong places. You and I are just--sex. Nothing more. And now it"s over.”
He stepped away from her. “Is that how you really feel?”
“Don"t play with me, Nick. You said so yourself. This is as deep as it"s going to get for you, so why would you set me up for disappointment? I wish I could be as uncaring as you. I wish I could sleep with people and not care about the consequences, but I can"t. That"s not me.”
“It"s not that I don"t care for you.”
“It"s not like you do,” she snapped.
“So this is just sex for you?”
“No, this is just sex for you. It"s work for me.” She sighed. “Just make sure I have my money at the end of this ordeal. After that, I don"t want to see you unless it"s at the office. And even then I have my limits.”
He laughed. “You"re right. You are a professional.”
“Listen to you. Just who do you think you are? You"re actually judging me? You"re nothing more than a sleazy salesman who would do anything to make a sale. Don"t you dare act high and mighty with me. If it weren"t for my agreeing to go along with this insane plan of yours, Will Zelman wouldn"t give a damn about Sinclair Corp. I"ve done the job you asked me to do and now you ridicule me for it? You can go to hell, Nick.”
She swam to the edge of the pool and pulled herself out, going to her chair and gathering her things. Nick hurried after her. He couldn"t risk her revealing their plan this close to the end. By the time he"d made it over to their seats, Laney had gone. Vivian was shaking her head at him. William Zelman did not look too pleased either.
“She didn"t look too well, Nick,” Vivian was saying. “That poor girl.”
“Uh ….” Nick hadn"t heard a word Laney might have said, so he had no idea what the Zelmans were thinking. He feared the worst.
William Zelman stood. “Well, this is a great way to ruin a day out at sea.”
“Uh—I ….” Nick was at a loss for words.
“You should go after her,” Vivian insisted. “If Laney is seasick then you need to nurse her to health.”
“Seasick?” Nick hadn"t expected that.
William Zelman clapped him on the shoulder. “She"s a sweet girl insisting you stay and enjoy yourself, but I really think you should go care for her. She must really be ill. I"ve never seen a person on the brink of tears like that.”
Nick left the Zelmans arguing over the best remedy for seasickness.
Laney wasn"t in the room. He could only assume she was back in her old room. He would give her space for now, knowing he was treading on thin ice. Laney had given a good excuse for being upset today, but what if her emotions took control and she sabotaged the plan? Would she do that? If history had taught him anything, it was that a scorned woman was unpredictable and Laney was no exception to the rule. He would have to manage this situation immediately, even if he had to beg Laney. He made a deal with himself to give her one hour of privacy and then he was going after her.
* * * *
An hour had passed and Nick was climbing the walls. He prepared himself for war. He was reaching for the door when it flung open. Laney stopped just before walking headfirst into his chest. She glanced up at him before entering the room. Without a word, she gathered her clothing, went into the bathroom and didn"t emerge for another hour. Nick was itching to get things straight between them. When she finally came into the room she was dressed in a pearl-white dinner dress. Though simple in style, the gown complemented her shape. She turned her back on him while she put on her earrings.
“How long are you going to give me the silent treatment?”
She didn"t even look at him, just continued shuffling through her jewelry. Nick became irritated. He turned her around.
“This childish silence is unnecessary. If you have something to say, then say it.”
Her eyes flamed. “I have absolutely nothing to say to you.”
“Well, I have something to say to you. That stunt you pulled today is unacceptable. I"m paying you to ….”
“I know what you"re paying me for, Nick. There"s no need to remind me.”
She looked at her watch. “Dinner is in thirty minutes. Are you going or do I need to leave without you?”
“I"m going,” he gritted out.
She crossed her arms and shot him a hateful look. “I"m waiting.”
He cursed all the way to the bathroom.
* * * *
They arrived at dinner on time. The main discussion centered on Laney"s health. It would seem that everyone was a fan of hers. The captain managed to make his way to their table to express his concern.
“Mrs. Sinclair, I heard you were not feeling well earlier. Is everything all right?”
She smiled. “I"m much better now, Hector. Thank you for asking.
Whatever did I do to deserve such a caring and handsome captain?”
Nick rolled his eyes when the old man blushed under her flattery.
“Mr. Sinclair, would you mind if I dance with your lovely wife?”
“As I matter of fact I do ….”
“I"d be honored,” Laney interrupted Nick, offering the elder man her hand and letting him guide her to the dance floor. Nick suffered through dinner with Laney speaking as little as possible to him. No one seemed to notice since she was so lively and sociable to everyone else. When they retired for the night, Laney was still treating him like a leper. Nick got little rest, knowing if he touched her she would likely castrate him. To prevent another sexual mishap he placed a pillow between them. That apparently didn"t work. He must have reached for her during the night because Laney slapped him so hard that he was jerked out of sleep. Fuming, he spent the rest of the night on the loveseat. It was unbearable.
He escaped to the gym as early as possible and spent hours running himself to exhaustion. He was happy to shower in the locker room. They were docking at Princess Cays today, their last stop before sailing to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow. He was confident that he had gained some ground with Zelman, but he was ready to get off this damn boat. They spent the day resting at the beach. Laney, Cooper, and Heidi joined a volleyball game while the Zelmans watched and Nick brooded. He and Laney had managed to say less than two words to each other the entire day. Of course they played their parts well when the time called for it, but that was it. Under the tropical setting the day passed rather quietly. They were back on the boat by sunset. Laney busied herself packing while Nick checked his e-mail. In all truth, he was amazed by her determination. If it weren"t for him getting pissed off by the rejection, he would have applauded her grit. As it was, the night slipped by and he slept on the sofa again.
* * * *
It was finally here. The final day of the cruise had come at last. They had breakfast with the Zelmans and Wrights for the last time. If Nick never saw Cooper"s smug face again it would be too soon. They disembarked together and shared a limo to the airport. As fate would have it, they were all scheduled for the same flight. He paid an arm and a leg to upgrade Laney"s ticket to first-class. The flight back to San Francisco was a quiet one. Everyone aboard seemed to be from the cruise—tanned and exhausted. Laney must have been worn out, as she didn"t protest when he put his arm around her shoulders, offering his chest as a pillow. Instead she leaned into him and dozed off. Nick took pleasure in holding her close without her attacking him.
In the San Francisco airport they all went their separate ways. They waved the Zelmans and Wrights goodbye and promised to keep in contact.
Outside the terminal a chauffeured car waited for Nick. Nick turned to Laney and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her deeply, his mouth bearing down on her with suppressed passion. When he pulled back, Laney had a pained look in her eyes. He wanted her to fall into his arms and say everything was forgiven between them but instead she slipped her rings off her finger and pressed them into his hand. She boarded a trolley that would take her to her car. Watching her drive away left him with a strange emptiness. She had done her job and she was now done with him.