Wordz Press

Alex’s voice rubbed against her like warm velvet. Deena had to consciously hold in a shiver, while she attempted a cool, sophisticated expression.

"I’m who I’ve always been," she told him.

His dark gaze never left her face. "Funny, I didn’t notice."

Hardly news. "I’m like one of those multifunctional printers. Except I do more than print, copy and scan." Sad but true.

He chuckled. "If you’re trying to make me forget work, you’re doing a great job. All right, Deena, now that you have me here, what do you plan to do with me?"

She hated that her mind instantly flashed to the large master suite she’d seen when she’d toured the yacht before reserving it. The bed was large, and the amenities impressive enough to dazzle a prince…or a tycoon.

But she’d never been one to make the first move, and buying Alex for the day had used up all her moxy.

"I plan to show you a good time."

"What does that involve?"

"A few hours here on the water. You told me once you used to crew on sailboats in the summer and that you missed it."

He frowned. "How could you remember that?"

Because she remembered everything he said, everything he did. He was her world. Either she evened the score and became his world, too, or she had to make a clean break and start her life over. That was the other reason she’d carefully planned their time together. If it wasn’t going to work with Alex, then this was goodbye.

"You painted such a vivid description of racing on those boats," she said instead, leaning against the railing. "So that’s our afternoon. Tonight we’re having dinner at a very exclusive restaurant in Malibu. We have reservations for a surf-side table, followed by dancing at a club in Santa Monica. Tomorrow—"

He threw her off by moving close and resting his free hand on top of hers. There was the cool brass railing beneath her fingers and his warm skin on top.

"What about after dinner and dancing?" he asked. "Where will I spend the night?"

Her mind chose that moment to seize up. Fortunately fate was smiling, and she was saved from answering by the appearance of a pod of gray whales directly in front of the boat.

"Aren’t they beautiful?" she murmured as one whale blew water into the air.

Alex leaned close. "If you’re not going to tell me, you’re going to have to show me eventually."

* * *

They settled on chairs on the warm deck. Alex stretched out his legs and studied Deena. What kind of a woman arranged for an afternoon like this, then blushed when he asked where he would spend the night? Two days ago, if someone had asked him what he knew about his assistant, he would have claimed complete knowledge of every part of her. Now he realized he knew nothing.

"Tell me about your family," he said.

She sipped her champagne. "There’s not much to tell. I have an older sister, Jenny. My parents died when I was sixteen."

He frowned. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know that. What happened afterwards? Did you go to live with your sister?"

"My aunt. Her children were already grown. She used to say she and my uncle rattled around in their big house, and that having me around kept them young." Her mouth softened into a tender smile. "She’s the best."

"What about your sister?"

"She was already in college. She graduated with a nursing degree, then got married. Now she has two little girls and another baby on the way."

"Everyone close?"

She looked surprised by the question. "Of course."

No doubt in her world, families stayed together, cared about one another. His world was very different.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"Twenty-seven."

"Why aren’t you married?"

Humor darkened her eyes. "Perversity. The one I wanted to ask didn’t, and the one I didn’t want to ask did."

Which made him want to know who had been refused and who had been foolish enough not to inquire.

The boat docked at five-thirty. As Deena unlocked the sleek convertible, she glanced at him across the low cloth top.

"I had your tux dry-cleaned last week," she said. "It’s hanging in your closet."

"Will I need it for the restaurant?"

"Yes. Dinner will be formal."

"What will you be wearing?"

"A dress."

"Long?"

She nodded.

"Low-cut?"

She swallowed, then nodded a second time.

He couldn’t wait.

She’d said dinner followed by dancing. He had a feeling there was going to be a change in plans. After dinner he would take her for a walk along the beach. It would be quiet, romantic and private. There under the stars, he would get to know the very intriguing young woman who had suddenly appeared in his world. Or had she been there all along, and had he simply not noticed?

She slide onto the driver’s seat, then inserted the key. But before she started the engine, her cell phone rang. She reached for her bag.

"Hello?"

Alex watched the play of light and shadows on her face. Before today he’d never taken the time to notice the creamy perfection of her skin, or the dozen or so freckles across her nose. He liked the tiny line that formed between her eyebrows as she spoke and the fullness of her lips. How had he never seen any of this before? How had—

He realized Deena had tensed as she spoke. Her eyes widened with what he would have sworn was panic.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her voice low and strained. She listened before responding. "Of course. No, don’t worry about it. I’ll be right there."

She hung up and turned to him. "My sister has gone into labor about four weeks early. My aunt and uncle are out of town on vacation, and she doesn’t have anyone else to look after her two girls. I’m sorry, but I need to take you home right away, then get to her house so they can leave for the hospital."

He took in her pinched mouth and the white knuckles where she gripped the steering wheel.

"Don’t worry about me," he said. "Drive to your sister’s. I’ll find my own way from there."